The Black Hole That is North Dakota

I really wish I had some pictures to share with everyone, but we forgot the camera cord in Pocatello. I'll upload them as soon as we come back. We started out living in a tiny town called Tioga and it was pretty miserable. I was sick for the first 2 weeks, I could hardly breathe and had a fever ... no fun! We had no contact with anyone because we were on the third floor and I could barely make it up and down the stairs with my breathing problems. We talked to the housing person and last week we moved to Williston which is a larger city and much nicer for us all.

We have met a few neighbors and Jackson has made a couple of friends in our building. We are also part of an oilfield wife playgroup that meets once a week at a park in town. It's been nice getting to know people and letting the boys get outside and play around with new little friends.

We talk to our families on Skype once a week, make phone calls and texts, but we still miss them all SO much. I know we are not the only ones missing our families right now, but it's still so hard.

Jackson is the funniest kid ever. He makes Davy and I laugh all day with his personality. He now thinks he has to shut and lock the door when he goes to the bathroom. Yesterday, he told us he had to go potty but he was taking a long time so Davy went to the door and knocked and asked him if he was okay. Jackson opens the door, comes out and says "What do you want, huh?" He had this exasperated expression on his face, like we were such a bother to him. He is a character and is growing every day into a such a big kid. He is so smart and I'm so grateful that he's my sunshine.

Remington is also growing up TOO fast! He has went from belly crawling to normal crawling. He can sit himself up from laying down and with the help of something to hold onto, he stands himself up and walks around things. He also gets ahold of Jackson's little fold up chairs and scoots around behind them, walking all over the kitchen floor. He has two little teeth on the bottom of his mouth and he has started to babble a lot. Davy walked in the door from work on Friday night, Remington looked up and saw him and said "Dada!" We are so excited that he is learning and growing but at the same time that means he's not going to be a baby for much longer, and I'm going to miss the "babyness". He is so happy all of the time and really makes all of us so much happier just to be around him.

Davy and I are doing well. Davy hates North Dakota but it's slowly growing on me. There are no mountains here so Davy is missing his escape into the mountains for camping and other fun stuff. He works a lot of hours (75+ hours per week) so he deserves a little break and he can't get that while he is here, so we are counting down the days until we are back.

We will be in Pocatello at the beginning of July and will be spending our week there cleaning out our house and boxing everything up so that we can either rent it out or sell it. We are going to try to make it work here in Williston and come to visit Pocatello as often as we can. It will be nice when we no longer have a house payment and all of the expenses that come along with keeping a house running properly. We will also be able to pay off our debt that much faster so that we can come back to Pocatello that much sooner someday.

We love you all and miss you all. See you in a few weeks!

Moving (for a little while at least)

The boys and I have decided to go and see how North Dakota is. We will be leaving in early May and will probably return in June or possible July depending on a lot of things. So we are busy getting ready for everything that entails.

I am having so much fun being a stay at home mom. I love it. It's my dream job and I'm happy to say that I get to spend every day taking care of the little men that I love so much.

Jackson is getting very inquisitive. He is always asking me about the world around him and why things are the way they are. He loves his brother more and more every day and he loves to play with him. He has crawling races with him and hugs him and kisses him all of the time. He takes things away from him that could choke him or hurt him and makes sure he has fun toys.

Since I've been home, we've done a few things that I never had time or the patience to do when I was working. We have made finger paints out of whipped cream and food coloring and I let him paint all over his high chair tray. He thought that was pretty amazing and delicious. He now asks to paint with "frosting" a lot. We also made home made sidewalk chalk paint and that was a huge hit. Jackson has always been a little artist, he loves to color and create pictures so when I told him we were going to paint on the sidewalk outside he was thrilled. A couple of times we have made necklaces, Jackson loves to wear his homemade necklaces and he loves to pick out the beads. We have been to the park a few times and as soon as it warms up more (and if we can find a park in Tioga, North Dakota) we will be going more often. I love seeing the joy on my kids faces when I wsing them or when Jackson goes down the slide.

Remington is growing up so fast! He learned to army crawl last month and hasn't slowed down since. He can also scoot on his bum if he needs to get anywhere. He started to shake his head "no" at things this week. It is super cute to see him shake his head and say "unh uh" to food, milk, toys and anything else he's just not interested in. I love seeing his little personality shine.

                                                                                                      

He loves to crawl under his walker

               Trying to escape the house

  Easter morning fun



Crawling behind the couch and giving mommy a

heart attack

             Remington found his first marker...    

   They learned how to "tow" Oh my.

Jackson and his cousin Jameson had their very first sleep over, super fun!

Needless to say, we have had a very fun month. We are looking forward to the warmer weather and all the fun that summer brings. I will update once we get settled in Tioga in a few weeks!

Life

I thought I had better give another update since we've had some crazy life changes happen this past month. Davy moved to North Dakota and we said goodbye to him yesterday morning. He took a job with a company there and he'll be back every 4 weeks for a week at a time. This means we won't get to see him as much as we are used to and that will be hard, especially for Jackson since he is daddy's little buddy.

So far we are doing alright. It's only been one day though so I'm sure that we'll have some tough days and nights ahead of us.

The bittersweet news is that the boys and I should be able to move to N.D. with him in April sometime. We aren't looking at living there full time as I want Jackson back by late August to start preschool, but it will be nice to be with Davy every night and his days off while he's on his "hitch". I say "bittersweet" because that means taking my boys away from all of their family, all of my family and all of Davy's family and all of our friends. I realize that we are lucky in that we have a huge extended family on both sides that are really a part of our lives and we get to see each other often. Jackson knows all of his cousins (and most of his second cousins) and loves them all. He and Remington go to play at his cousin Jameson's house while I'm at work Tue-Thur. and they go to visit grandma Mo on Fridays. We also have bigger family dinners with all of us weekly and we are all going to miss that.

I know that we will all make new friends, but it will be hard to be 11 hours away from our family and all of the support and unconditional love that they provide. We will come back to visit over the summer and we will most likely be back full time at the end of summer.

We are looking forward to all of the things we can do with a bigger paycheck. Here are the main things we want to accomplish and should be able to accomplish with this new adventure we'll be on:

I'll be able to be a stay at home mom (Yay!)
We'll be able to go on vacations
Davy will be able to get a truck (it's a big deal to him :)
We'll have peace of mind that we have money in our savings for an emergency
and the most important of all:
We'll be able to pay off ALL of our debt.
That's a big one, and the reason why we started this whole North Dakota oil job in the first place. We don't want to owe anyone money and that is a big motivation for us. We're working on it now but if we had more income, we could really "attack" our debt and be in a better place both financially and mentally. 

Anyway, that is all that's really going on with us right now. We are moving away from Idaho for the first time in our lives. We will experience a different "culture" and get to know some different people. I love looking back sometimes, but for now, I'm looking forward to what the future holds for us.

Here is a link to my other blog all about the oilfield and our experience so far. I don't know how often I will update it but I'll try to let everyone know how the oilfield wife experience is going and what our family is up to in the next few months. http://adventuresofanoilfieldwife.blogspot.com
Here are some pictures of the boys from the past month and what they've been up to:

 Jackson blowing out the candles on his 3rd Birthday!

 My mom and I made this cute little Lightning McQueen cake. Jackson loved it

and it was adorable!

 Remington has gotten the hang of rolling over in both directions

 He really wants to crawl!

 He can sit up on his own now!

 He loves toys and he really loves his brother's blocks

 He can scoot and roll himself all over the room now. He made his way over there

in under a minute starting from the play mat.

 Jackson made Remington and himself a "bed". I used to do the same thing

when I was little although I never included my brother, haha

 This little guy loves bath time

Update On Us

Our little family is doing alright. We are all healthy and happy and doing well. I am still working p/t at the Ortho. clinic and Davy is still at Franklin Building Supply. We're just enjoying the weekends and evenings we get to spend with the little ones.

Jackson is growing up every day and learning new things. He makes us laugh all the time! He says things like "I'm gonna shoot it, and cut it and eat it" (Regarding the elk that his grandpa and uncle and daddy were going hunting for). We're not really sure where he came up with that since it kind of came out of the blue. He can really get his point across to us, he lets us know if we're not paying enough attention to him by saying "Mom(or Dad), listen to me!" He's a big helper and knows what recycling is and what garbage is and sorts them accordingly. When people ask him who his daddy is, he says "Davy Crockett!" and if they ask what his brother's name is, it's "Nemington Jewseph" (Remington Joseph, hahaha). He likes to tease me a lot as well. If I call him a "good boy", he says "Well you're a good boy too mom!" and when I tell him I'm actually a good girl, he grins and argues back, "no - you're a good boy!" With him turning 3 this year, he gets to go to preschool in the fall, I'm not quite sure if I'm ready for him to be so grown up! He tells people that he's turning 3 at his next birthday and that he's going to have a "LIGHTNING MCQUEEN!" birthday cake, and his entire face lights up. I had better get on planning his party since his birthday is in less than 2 weeks!

Remington is a little sweetie. He is the BEST baby, he hardly ever cries and when he does, it's just for a minute. I wake up every morning to his smiling face and he isn't afraid to smile for pretty much everyone. Davy and I went away to Jackson Hole for the weekend in the beginning of December and left the boys with their grandparents and when we got back Remington just snuggled up on my chest and into my neck for about 30 minutes. He's usually to busy looking around and playing with things to snuggle me. We stood there for a while just breathing each other in and it was amazing. There is nothing better than your own baby's personal smell and feel. He has begun to babble a little bit and says "coo" and he says "mama" or "MOM" when he's really hungry. I sat him up next to his brother when we were snuggling in bed this morning and he rolled over and started cooing and talking to Jackson and then said "Bubba" and "Brubba" over and over. Jackson was thrilled that he was calling him "brother". Remington hates tummy time almost as much as Jackson hated it, but we're working on it! He LOVES to play with toys. He especially loves the ones that make noise like rattles and the
crinkly books. He loves to chew on everything and he is so alert when he's awake. He's been sleeping through the night since he was about 2 months old and he sleeps even longer now which is super nice for me.

Jackson helped me decorate for Christmas this year and he loves all of the Christmas songs. I was talking about Santa Claus and how he's going to come to our house and bring him toys but only if he's a good boy. To which he replied "But I AM a good boy, mom!"

We are super excited for Christmas and all of the fun things we get to do and see and partake of this holiday season. I have consistently been trying to explain the True meaning of Christmas to Jackson and he seems to get it at least a little bit. He knows that Christmas is when we celebrate baby Jesus' Birthday and how special that was. He asked about the nativity set at my parent's house and I told him the story, his favorite part was the shepherds and their little baby sheep and of course, the tiny baby Jesus.

Here's one last story that should cheer up even the "Grinchiest" of people:
Jackson and I were talking in the car on the way to my sister's house and here is our conversation:
Jackson: My name is Jackson Crockett and my daddy's name is DAVY CROCKETT!
Me: Yep, that sure is your names!
...after a few seconds of thinking ...
Jackson: My Daddy beats me.
Me: (thinking, oh my gosh! Your daddy doesn't even spank you, haha): What do you mean daddy beats you honey?
Jackson: Well, you know when me and daddy race our cars and he beats me at the finish line, mom!
Me: Oh, yeah ... that would definitely be considered beating you .. in a race huh?
Jackson: Yeah, mom - and then sometimes when we race some more, I beat him!
Me: Whew ... I'm really glad that's the kind of "beating" you were talking about!

hehehe. Gosh, I love that kid.

 We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Fantastic New Year!

He's Here!

Our little sweetheart, Remington Joseph is here! (And my post is about a month late) . He was born on July 27, 2012 at 7:34 a.m. He weighed 7 pounds 5 oz. and was 19 1/2 inches long. Here are some pictures:                                                                     

On our way to the hospital

 

Jackson loving his little brother from the very beginning.

On our way home from the hospital



 

Jackson loves his little brother and he always loves to hold him. He has to let everyone we meet know about his baby brother "Nemington". If someone doesn't acknowledge the baby quickly, he proceeds to bother them until they take a look at his baby brother. He goes out of his way to make sure I'm taking proper care of the baby. He tells me to bring the baby upstairs with us in the morning and is really worried about him if he's not in the same room with us at all times. If Remington cries he "kisses him better" and repeatedly tells him "It's okay, Nemington, you're okay. Be a tough boy!" I'm so glad that he is such a great little helper and loves Remington. We have had to deal with very little jealousy and I'm so proud of Jackson for being so selfless at such a young age. He truly is an amazing little boy.

Jackson is officially potty trained (has been for about 2 months now) and we love it. He is so responsible. He gets smarter every day and we are able to hold intelligent conversations ( for a 2 1/2 year old) with him. He has a great imagination and makes us laugh every day.

Remington now weighs 9 pounds 1 oz. and is 21" long. He has grown a lot in the past month. I can't believe my tiny baby is already a month old!

We are looking forward to the fall and Christmas season. I know, it's only August but I am SO OVER summer.  I can't wait to dress the boys up for Halloween and make caramel apples and take Jackson trick or treating and jumping in the piles of leaves at my parent's house.

Everything is going pretty well for us, we are just getting used to a little less sleep and a whole lot more love. There's nothing better than a new baby and a toddler to snuggle up with, to teach, to nurture and take care of. Life really is good.

33 Weeks and I'm officially waddling

Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted. Sorry! Well, we are all doing just fine. Jackson is our little joy and he makes us laugh every day. He is SO smart as well. He can recognize and say all of his letters (big and little letters) and has even started singing the alphabet a little bit better. He can count to 20 and can recognize numbers 1-10 on flashcards and books, tv, etc. He knows all of his shapes and colors and makes sure that we know how smart he is by telling us (all of the time!) He's also a little sweet heart, especially to me. The other day he ran up to me and hugged me tightly around the neck and said "You the best, mom!" Needless to say, that made my day. He knows how much I love it, so he comes up a couple times a day and reminds me that "I'm the best". We also have a nighttime routine that he loves and follows: I help him brush his teeth and then he brushes his teeth while I'm brushing mine, then we wash our hands and faces and hop into bed for a book and some songs. Then, just before he falls asleep, he tells us (Davy and me) "Sleep tight, yuv you." It's times like those that we know we're truly blessed to have this little boy in our lives.

How's the pregnancy going? It's going. I feel fine most days but I can honestly say that I'm ready to have an outside baby SOON. The good news is that we have an official c-section date set; July 27, 2012. So unless Remington decides to come before that, that's going to be his birthday. We're excited to meet him and for Jackson to meet him. I just know that he'll be a loving big brother and we'll have to make some adjustments and changes, but he's going to enjoy having a little companion around all of the time.

Here's the update!

He's the size of a durian fruit! Wait, what the heck is a durian fruit?
He weighs about 4.2 to 5.8 pounds and measures about 17.2 to 18.7 inches. And he may grow up to a full inch this week -- amazing. 

He's keeping his eyes open while awake.

He's also starting to coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing.

His bones are hardening.

And he going through (more) major brain development -- that's one smart baby!

How Far Along: 33 weeks

Total Weight Gain: I'm (FINALLY) up about 3 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight.

Sleep: I sleep great once I actually get to sleep. I don't usually even have to get up in the middle of the night to go pee. Yay!

Stretch Marks: The same ones I received from Jackson, plus some more. My poor stomach looks like it's so angry because of all of the red and blue "stripes".

Best Moment This Week: Jackson telling me "You're the best, mom!"

Movement: yes indeed. I can tell that he is growing and getting so big because I can feel every movement, even the tiny ones. He gets hiccups a couple times a day so that's always fun.

Food Cravings: I'm craving apples, baked potatoes, cheese as usual and anything sweet.

Gender: He's a BOY!

Labor Signs: Just some Braxton Hicks contractions

Belly Button: It's about even with my belly, almost disappeared!

What I Miss: Not waddling when I walk!

What I'm looking forward to: Just meeting my newest baby boy and seeing how much Jackson loves him

23 Weeks

 This week has been a little challenging for me. I woke up Sunday morning with severe lower back pain and some major cramping in my pelvis area. It was so bad that I could hardly function. So, Davy packed me into the car and off we went to Labor and Delivery. We got to the hospital and got all hooked up to the monitors and baby Remington was doing just fine. He had a normal heart rate and was very active. They checked to see if I was having contractions but they were very mild and nothing to worry about. They received the news that my urine culture came back and all that I have is the beginnings of a uti. What is frustrating is that I still have the pain in my lower back. I guess we will wait and see at my appointment next week what is going on in my body. My pregnancy with Jackson was literally so perfect. I had no health problems and in fact felt better than ever during the pregnancy. Obviously, that is not the case now. Even though I'm having some pain and had to deal with uncontrollable nausea for 10 weeks in the beginning, I wouldn't change this for anything in the world. It's just so worth it.

Here's the update!

 How Far Along: 23 weeks

Total Weight Gain: I'm down about 2 pounds now.

Sleep: I'm in pain and sleep intermittently. I go to sleep really early and toss and turn trying to get comfortable.

Stretch Marks: The same ones I received from Jackson growing in there, I think  :]

Best Moment This Week: Jackson woke up last night and got into my bed with me, snuggled in close and said, "I love you mommy". He sure knows how to make everything better

Movement:Oh yes. He is one crazy active little child. His movements are also a lot stronger and he loves to kick me in the bladder

Food Cravings: I'm feeling nauseous this week so the only thing I'm craving is Tootsie pops and jelly beans.

Gender: He's a BOY!

Labor Signs: Just some Braxton Hicks contractions

Belly Button: Still in but it's slowly progressing outward. It's getting smaller and smaller by the day!

What I Miss: This week I miss not having pain in my back :( I wish I could just go back to my normal pregnancy.

What I'm looking forward to: I'm looking forward to finding out the exact day this little man will come into the world. He has to come 7-10 days earlier than his due date because of a repeat c-section. So, for now the last day he can be an inside baby is July 25th.