So much has happened! Let's start from the very beginning (a very good place to start)...
Right after Roman's 2month birthday he and I traveled to the States. The trip went pretty smooth all things considering. We instantly got on a Space A flight (free military flights) to Baltimore however we arrived after the last planes had departed for the night so we had to stay the night in the airport and catch a 6am flight to Florida. It really wasn't that bad. The USO told me about a place called the Observation Deck which is where you can watch planes come in/out, kids play area, and art gallery during the day but it's closed to the public at night. However the airport graciously allows military members/dependents to sleep up there and a USO volunteer comes around every half hour to check on things and to keep things safe. It was dark (only emergency lights on), comfy- lots of chairs, benches, rocking chairs, there was bathroom up there, 24hr dunkin donuts right down stairs, and it was safe. I really didnt feel comfortable leaving the hotel with a baby alone and with all our luggage to only get a few hours sleep before having to be back at the airport to check in. turned out great! I didnt sleep of course because I had Roman in his portacrib and I was scared if I fell asleep someone could easily take him out and me never wake up (I was going on 24hrs but it really wasnt that bad). We flew to Miami then another hour layover then flew to Fort Meyers. Roman did beautifully on all the planes. I was nervous at first because as soon as we started taxing the runway when leaving germany my son decided to poo. and he does not like sitting in poo. so he screamed. and screamed. and of course i cant take him out of his seat mid take off so I just tried to talk to him loud enough for my neighbors to hear "Baby I KNOW you don't like being dirty. as soon as I can I will change you then you will be happy. soon you will be night night" but apparently the guy next to me didnt believe me so while i was in the bathroom he moved seats- haha! gave me an extra seat for Roman to stretch out in and more elbow room for me (he wasnt the smallest guy)! and i was right. Roman never cried. when he woke up i fed him, played, put him back to sleep :-) The miami flight he slept through the whole thing but the fort meyers flight he was awake and made the funniest faces during take off!! we had a great visit with our florida family. roman has LOTS of aunts and uncles there who loved him to pieces. we got family photos on the beach (even if they weren't the best without dad there to wrangle the kids to stay put and smile haha) which was my biggest wish! Grampy (my dad still hasn't chosen a name so this is what i call him) had to work and unfortunately didn't get to meet Roman but he chatted with him on the phone. great great great visit but boy were we jetlagged all weeek! and we were in the car all week because that's where wella lives during the day lol so by the end of it Roman was DONE with his car seat. I only got to spend one day at my "bi sister's" aka my stepmom's house but loved it! she made us yummy food and just loved on my baby then the next morning after getting all the kids ready for school and her off to work Roman and I just napped off and on all morning in her big comfy bed! I must add here that Roman had a "milestone" at Gigi's house- he went from size 1 to size 2 diapers!! my wella also made yummy yummy cuban food- "dirty clothes" (ropa vieja?) and the best refried beans :-) after spending way to much money (I think we shopped every day..) Roman and I flew to Dallas (he did great again!) where Adri picked us up!
Adri drove us to Longview where she spent the next two days with us. Nana and Yaya of course snatched up Roman from the moment we pulled up to the house and loved on him while Adri and I had girl time. We went out to eat with Nana and had yummy italian margaritas at Olive Garden, shopped, and caught a cheesy dollar movie "Vampires Suck" (I loved it!). We were supposed to do the state fair but the weather was yucky and rainy! It was so strange being away from Roman for so long!! and we were stopping by checking on him every few hours! I had to leave Adri alone for a few hours (she survived- she found a starbucks and studied hehe) while Grandaddy, Yaya, Roman, and I went to visit Mawmaw- MY great grandmother and Roman's great GREAT grandmother- at her new nursing home. We got an awesome five generation picture and I hope to get one again when Roman is older. We are blessed. The first night at Nana's I wasn't too sure about letting them take care of Roman during the night only because I worried that Roman would be confused and scared if he woke up to a stranger so I did the 1am feeding but when he woke at 5 I handed him over and passed back out. i slept through them coming in the room and digging through our suitcase three times because roman had his first "poo up the back" situation for yaya! and after she changed that he puked on her! so glad i was sleeping haha I was so so exhausted (Roman wasn't sleeping well in FL because of jetlag and because I could hear his every fuss and responded to him rather than let him cry it out despite wella telling me to let him) so since Nana sleeps in her living room anyways (and that's were yaya was sleeping for the visit) Roman's crib was set up in there with them and I got to sleep through the night for the first time in 2 months! longer really because last couple months of pregnancy i either wasn't sleeping or getting up every hour to pee :-) Nana also made my favorites and we even had Aunt Becky over one night for dinner- loves it! We missed Aunt Nancy who didn't feel well and didn't want to get baby sick (thank you! we love and missed you!) the trip was such a blur but one of the things that stands out is how instant Roman and grandaddy bonded! It didnt' shock me when pop and roman connected because i've yet to meet a kid that didn't with pop but grandaddy is...for lack of better word more gruff? (sorry if that sounds bad grandaddy!) ok now i feel like that makes him sound mean when he's not so for example it's like pulling teeth to get the man to smile for pictures- I have ONE of him from my wedding and that's because I said "You'd better smile" and so he made some joke and cracked us all up so while Nana and I are laughing like goobers I LOVE the picture because you see his smile! (so much like Matt!!) well EVERY PICTURE with Roman the man is smiling!! and Roman just cooed away at him all the time!!! one of my favorite pictures is them talking to each other and both smiling :-) Another fun memory is surprising my Tyler bestie Monica at Jalepeno Tree! She had NO IDEA we were in town and I conspired with her mommy and boyfriend to surprise her :-) we only had time for lunch because she has a busy schedule but like all true friends it felt like no time had passed and I know we will have a great reunion next summer. Roman and I also spent two days/nights at Grandma's house! Roman LOVES his uncles there and they loved him. we got to go see daddy paul at work and meet all the wonderful people who gave so much to matt when he was deployed this last time. grandma and the boys played hookey from school/work so we could spend a whole day together. oh another milestone! roman slept through the night two nights in a row (although he did go to 5am for Nana and had done that previously for me at about 7weeks or so? wow wish I had written it down now I can't remember!!)!! throughout this whole trip we never did anything spectacular- just stayed close to home and ate a lot and that's EXACTLY what I wanted/needed!!
To end the trip Yaya came back to Longview to pick us up and take us down to Houston.On the way we stopped so I could get fingerprinted for my teacher certification (yay it's official!!!) and we spent the night at her house. We went with yaya and hannah to Kemah (one of my favorite houston places!) and had joe's crab shack and to just see water (I miss water). the next day yaya drove us and the kids to a pumpkin patch for some quick (hot!) pictures before taking us to the other side of Houston to surprise Nanna!!! I had conspired with Nanna's sister, Aunt B, to get her there for the night and she had no idea we were there either. We came in the house and she screamed!! Then she gave me the LONGEST hug ever while crying! I couldn't believe that I got a hug first before she ever laid eyes on her grandson (yes Nanna- I felt special :-) Come to find out she hadn't planned on staying the night so we had to go to Walmart to get her and Aunt Jera some clothes and essentials for the night and next day- too funny! After some shopping with Nanna and Jera, Aunt B and Maxx we came back to eat yummy pizza and just more lovey time. Nanna (along with Yaya and Wella) HAD to give Roman a bath so she did (I was proud of myself for being so "flexible" haha it wasn't his normal bath night);-) I can't imagine holding a baby that looks like your baby! Although she said she saw me in him too (I dont- only Daddy). The next morning was...eventful HA. As I was coming down the stairs with roman I was being dumb and carrying way too much stuff (roman, dirty diaper, bottle, can of formula, box of wipes) and I missed a step thinking the landing was all one level and well the rest if fuzzy other than thinking "Dont drop Roman!!!" Yes we tumbled down half a flight of stairs but by the Grace of God we were ok. I got a nice bump on my head (which later turned to a black and swollen eye) but Roman and I both checked out fine to the paramedics. Roman didn't even have a bruise or scratch (don't tell me angels don't exist)! I don't remember much just worried that about Roman. they said they gave him to me to hold but i just remember him crying and wanting to know why. it probably wouldn't have hurt for me to go the hospital but i was out of it and thinking i wouldn't be able to fly home the next day ( i was ready to be back with Matt so bad by this point)- guess I was thinking about german hospitals which always keep you overnight! for some reason aunt b and uncle stu kept apologizing as if it was their fault (silly people- a klutz shouldnt carry so much down stairs)! Anywho Nanna and Aunt B took care of Roman all morning while I was in and out on the couch. I awoke at lunch time with a clearer (but throbbing head) told Matt about the incident (but downplayed it and left out the Roman part- no need for him to worry until he saw that we were ok) had lunch then we rode back to the south east part of Houston with nanna to meet up with Yaya for one last night. The next morning we went back to the airport to catch a flight to baltimore to hopefully catch a space a flight back to germany. i was so worried about that- being stuck in the airport solo with roman if i didn't get a flight- but no worries! flight there went smooth (had to transfer and hang out in charleston) even if tiring because they were so full Roman was in my lap. then we hung out in the USO (can I say AGAIN how amazing the USO is?! This is like the 4th time they have been a HUGE help to us!!) which had a family room complete with two cribs and two recliners (however he wasn't in a resting mood of course lol) and used the free internet, enjoyed free drinks and snacks (dinner of cup o' soup!), and just relaxed in much comfier chairs than the airport (for those of you who don't know the USO is run on donations so of course every time we use something we leave a donation). it was mildly stressful because roman did soak through his clothes just an hour after being changed so while in the bathroom I decided to go as well (roman in his stroller people) and turned out that my aunt flo decided to make a VERY visible visit :-( so I had to go BACK to the luggage room and dig out new jeans and go back to the bathroom (roman cried through all of this by the way). plus i had to wash all my bottles 20 minutes or so later (or hours...) of listening to screams while scrubbing clothes and bottles in a bathroom sink I finally got him fed and asleep. a lady had offered to hold him while i changed but come on- who would leave their baby with a complete stranger in a major international airport in a large city?! but i guess it was nice (weird...) of her to offer. it was also stressful when roman decided he wanted to be held (and let the whole airport know it) while waiting in line to check our luggage when I'm pushing his stroller and a luggage cart...and then in security line he decided he wanted a bottle but only if mommy held him while giving it to him- none of this holding it for him while he laid in the stroller crap! thankfully that has been the one and only time (knock on wood) that he's done that because phew is it hard! and lovely TSA policies aren't helpful when traveling solo with a baby (shoes off- and military requires close toed shoes- fold up stroller and get it on belt and get car seat on and upside down, lap top out of bag, water and formula ready to be tested- WOW! and all this solo. thankfully I had kind people ready to help each time but still- doing this with a baby strapped not so securely to your chest is exhausting). we finally got on a flight to germany at 11pm or so which was great- roman was beyond exhausted and screamed until we were in the air (they let me hold him during take off thank god because he was dozing while taxing and i think they didnt want to hear him scream anymore haha)and he slept the ENTIRE flight AND through customs and waiting for bags (like an additional hour and half for all that) and finally I woke him to feed him and get him on "schedule" Daddy was 2 hours late (but we love him) picking us up and was not happy when seeing my face (which had swollen severely and started changing colors at this point) but seeing how worried he was when he was physically holding us told me I did the right thing because it would have been worse in his imagination. we did some shopping at their mall and grabbed food before hitting the road. roman wasn't happy by the end of the car trip but all things considered he was AMAZING! At 2 1/2 months old he had been on 7 flights in 2 weeks and done COUNTless hours in the car all while changing 7hour time zone! So proud of my baby.
This trip was amazing and a blessing in disguise. It taught me that I am a better mommy when I get away from him some so I decided to go back to work part time (more on that later), that my expectations for myself were ridiculous and that was why I felt so depressed and like a "bad mom," that I love and appreciate my home and community here in germany, others can take care of roman (and he will survive!), i need to take care of myself and dress up more (adri and i were trying to figure out why we dress up for each other to go out to eat and shop but not for our husbands haha), that matt will party more if we aren't home (haha), not to carry so much down stairs especially when holding baby, and that i have an amazing family and roman is so blessed to have so many that love him! at the time of this trip I thought we would be back in December but not the case anymore (more on that later as well). Roman's colic seemed to become magically cured over this trip. is this because he just got older and grew out of it? because he stopped getting breast milk? mommy was less stressed? who knows! but it was a welcome relief. he had a few fits in FL but i think alot of that was jetlag- we had no major spit up moments (other than the one for yaya).
More to come later- that's only half a month!
22:28
Keeley Barr
