Mid-week funnies

Here's [just one] thing that I think we'll completely need to rely on during this [mildly chaotic] year of pilot training. True, Greg and I will be put to the test, I'm sure [and in completely different ways. his tests are graded. Mine... well, I think my tests will be a test of the wills between this momma and a certain nearly-two-year old. I digress.] but I think we will both rely on recounting the days with a good measure of laughter.

Here's a wrap up on the latest things that are bringing us levity around our house:

• Nate has found that he is a gifted harmonica player. Even at 7am.
• Multiple times people have asked if we are available for a playdate or a pre-Halloween activity, and I say "Yeah, that sounds great. Our calendar is clear!" - completely spacing on the fact that, no, the calendar may not in fact be clear. I very well could be having a baby.
• When cleaning out the car this week [that's on my to-do list for the impending arrival of our expected babe] Nate was happily playing with the wide assortment of toys that scatter the patio. In a flash, I looked up and he was gone. No were to be seen. My heart, pounding a bit in my chest, and my voice progressively getting louder as I call his name. I started walking to our neighbours house where Nate popped his head out of the back door, waved, smiled and said "Hey!" Yes, well, hello to you, too. Next time let me know you're going next door...
• This week, when Nate's diaper is full, he pats his bum and says "Uh Oh" with great clarity. He'll happily run back to his room to have his diaper changed, but when is comes to actually changing the diaper (i.e., he lays down) the world immediately crumbles and he is consumed with breath-gasping sobs. 
• Speaking of diapers and things that are in them... tonight, Greg had the privilege [I say it's a privilege because I have already had this opportunity at least a half-dozen times] of discovering that Nate pooped in the tub during a bath. Standing over the tub, perplexed, he turned to me and said "How do you get it out? Wait, actually, I think I have to really get some studying in." The best part? Greg's reaction when Nate proceeded to lay belly down in the tub and "swim." Priceless. [No to worry: everyone, including the tub, got a proper scrubbing.]

 Hang on to your hats, folks. Tomorrow's Friday [and the last day of September!] and we are very happy that the weekend is in store!

Autumn is nigh?

Well, I think I'm in the clear when I say this: gone are the triple digits (until next June). Yes, I think - perhaps - autumn is rounding the corner and coming to a central-plains-state near you. Er, me. What I'm trying to say is: it's almost fall! I can feel it! The weather is so pleasant (not yet fall-crisp, but pleasant) and it's practically refreshing to be outside these days. That makes for one happy little camper in Nate.

Other things that we have been up to lately:

1. I finally hung the last few pictures on the wall. This is how I know that we are done moving. Normally, pictures on the walls are the first thing I do - I helps me feel immediately settled and like the white-walled, white-carpeted house is really our home.

2. Nate is trying really hard to convince us that we might need a dog. Soon. I think we have met every dog (and so, their owners, too) in a three block radius. He's really not afraid of them, and even welcomes the (inevitable) lick on the face. He thinks it's hilarious. And he spots them like a hawk! When we're walking, if he sees a dog or hears one barking, he points and immediately notes that a dog says "woof, woof."
He's getting really good at all his animal noises, too.

3. We toured the hospital where we will welcome our next little bundle of joy. It occured to me that we should do this, and Greg concurred - especially given that the arrival of the baby is due to be just four weeks away. It's a nice spot, and the nurse assured us that we'll get a Stork Dinner before going home. Our choice: steak or chicken kiev. How delightful. (And I was just thinking about how the first thing I wanted to eat after having Nate was a Jamba Juice smoothie. Too bad the closest Jamba Juice is almost 2 hours away... =))

4. This also means that I made a "Get Serious- We're Having a Baby List." So, today, I cleaned out the car. Also on the list, find all the newborn clothes (it's in one of these clear plastic totes...) get a few warmer newborn sized hats (since this babe will arrive just before the winter season in OK), and get another set of sheets for the other crib.
Oh, and get some newobrn sized diapers. Hm.

5. Greg is finishing up his last week of (round one) Academics. Yep - in about a week, he'll have his Dollar Ride: that's the first ride in the plane here at pilot training. The idea is that you give the instructor a dollar for the "ride" since you do none of the actual flying. It's the only free pass you get before being graded on your flying skills. And as with most things in the flying community, it comes with much tradition.

And then... from the dark of the hallway

Emerged this:

Well, hello, there Lt. Gause.

Some photos...

The dog days of summer are nearing an end (or at least that's what the calendar tells me... these temperatures indicate something entirely different...) so I thought I'd post a few pictures of what we've been up to lately. 

We go to the park!

And we painted on the patio! (This is our future Michaelangelo - or maybe Jackson Pollock? - quite proud of his handiwork. 

Sounds of our house

When you're in a new place, you hear all the new sounds - things that, nine times out of ten, are totally meaningless, but for some reason startle you awake in a hurry.

The soundtrack of our house lately has been an interesting one. I'd like to say that we are gently lulled to sleep by the sweet singing of crickets and cicadas. I'd like to say that the breeze that arrived yesterday (a real breeze, by the way, not just more hot air blowing) rustles through the trees and tickles us into dreamland.

Sadly, this is instead what we are hearing tonight:
1. The ridiculous air conditioner that, I'm not kidding you, sounds like a C-17 is actually landing in the living room. If a landing C-17 is an unfamiliar sound to you, think of a 747 or an jetliner. Now, think of it landing in your living room.
2. A very persistent cricket. I thought that by cutting hte grass shorter, it would find another spot to live it or at the very least camp out in. Turns out, he's quite happy here. Greg thinks he actually climbs in through the window at night and parks his little noisy ways on the night stand next to our bed.
3. And the most heartbreaking sound: our little tiger with a wicked terrible cough. He's fighting a double ear infection, and the cough is part of it for him. It's everything I can do to not just sit next to his crib. (Though last night, I did. From 4-6am until he fell back asleep.)

Wish us restful sleep tonight. Please.

Kickin' up our boots in the Big City

Today, we went to Oklahoma City. 'Round these parts, we just call it The City. Because, well, even though Enid is Oklahoma's 4th largest city (fifth on game day, when Norman is one of the more populous cities in the state), there are plenty of things that we don't have here.

Like Jamba Juice. It used to be that I would request a 2 hour drive to Portland for really delicious frozen yogurt before Tacoma opened up a small shop of their own. Now, I am completely envisioning my requests to go to The City for the nearest Jamba Juice. Thankfully, Greg's eyes usually light up and he happily obliges.

Also, we walked most of the city. No, really. We parked near the Oklahoma City National Monument, commemorating the OKC bombings in April of 1995, and walked clear to Bricktown and the Botanical Gardens. It was, may I use insert here, a lovely day for a walk - mid 80s!

It seemed fitting for us to walk though the OKC memorial on this weekend. Nice not to be caught up in the hundreds of specials on tv or reports on the radio (though This American Life on NPR today was a good listen, I thought.) but just to walk in a bit of calm through a really well done memorial and to reflect. And it was nice to do this all together as a family.

Then, we found a fountain and Nate promptly began climbing out of the stroller. So, we stripped him of his clothes, left him clad in a diaper, and he ran through the fountain for a solid 30 minutes.

Ah, yes, the joy of being a kid. Not a care in the world...

More photos!

More photos from our advenutres in Oklahoma. 

Our trip to the Great Salt Plains. Really, it's the most un-Oklahoma place I've seen yet! And we got to dig for crystals. The kids LOVED it. 

 My sister, the kids, Nate, Greg, and I!

On the swings at Roman Nose State Park. 

 Walking by Lake Watonga at Roman Nose State Park.

 Our house!

First grade, pilot style

As promised, some pictures from our latest adventures in Oklahoma. So, I thought I would start this photos of the reason why we are here.

Wait - first, an aside. On one of my flights home from Portland (did I tell you there were three flights and four airports? Peanuts do no tide a hungry boy over that long. Thank goodness that mom-bag-of-snacks was still fully stocked.) I was asked who my husband, the pilot, flies for. I said "America" and the guy said, "Oh, they've really gone down hill recently. I used to like to fly with them, but I feel like I'm always on a tiny airplane now." I smiled, and said, "No, no, not American. He flies for America. He's in the Air Force."

Ok, on to the photos. As part of the introductory part of training, student pilots spend a bit of time with Aerospace Physiologists (who do lots of cool things.) These photos are from Greg's first "chamber ride." It's a time when they practice going up in altitude - without ever leaving the ground.

 

Grounded (for now)

Happily, we made it home from our west coast sojourn. Nate and I flew west for Audrie's wedding (and with it, a family reunion on various levels: my parents came, Greg's parents and brother came, and then, of course, the friend family came. I love seeing family) and took in a good, crisp dose of West Coast for a while.

At 33 weeks pregnant, it'll be a little while before I fly again. That means this (flying) travel bug is grounded. For a little bit. I'll have you know that this gives me every reason to hit the road with wheels and explore The Middle of America. (I capitalized that on purpose - the middle of this country is so spacious I think it might just warrant some capitalization.) Today, we went to a great state park. Perhaps it was made lovelier that it's not 100+ degrees out.

I have plenty of pictures to upload from our Oklahoma adventure thus far, and of course, our amazing weekend in Portland.

But have I told you about our Internet saga? (Imagine me folding, dramatically in half in the style of a certain 17-month old who has learned that no, in fact, mom does not want him climbing on top of the table. Thank-you-very-much. Yes, I am having that kind of a dramatic fit.) It's taken us two weeks to learn that: we don't (or didn't until last week) have a phone line to our house! (and yes, we need a phone line for the Internet in Enid, America), they shipped the hardware - that's the modem, etc. - to the last place we lived in Washington, and they are still working to see if we can actually get service to our house. "Hello, Internet company? 2011 called and it wants Greg and Colleen to be living in this millennium. "

I am thankful for unsecured wireless connections. The neighbours on our block that do not have their wireless blocked make me want to bake them cookies from now until eternity (I just have to figure out which neighbour it is...)

This means that getting photos posted is taking longer than I thought it would. Hang tight. Photos coming. I promise it'll be worth the wait!