The Exception

We have embarked on a new phase of parenthood recently. Brady, who is 10 months on Monday, has been mobile for 2.5 months and just last week he took his first steps. He is getting more ambitious with every day. He sees something and he tries to walk to it, usually only a step or two, but he is learning very quickly that he must step OUT as opposed to forward in order to keep his balance. The kid will be off and running in a matter of weeks and I will have even less rest than I do now, not that I mind.

Along with the ability to move comes curiosity and getting into everything. We have started to "discipline" Brady even though he doesn't really have the capacity to retain what we've told him. We figure that it's better to keep ourselves in line with what the rules are so that as he ages he can learn easily and we don't have to struggle to break bad habits. None of our rules are harsh, we just don't want him standing up in the tub, pulling on the blinds or banging on glass with toys. Typical boundaries, we think.

From reading endless "Mommy Message Boards", I have learned that Patrick and I are the exception in our parenting style which I think will prove difficult especially in later years. Unlike other babies his age, Brady doesn't have a "favorite show" to base his first birthday party theme on because we never have the TV on for him. Sure, we'll watch the news or keep an eye on the game, but we don't sit Brady in front of the TV to mesmerize him because we feel it's OUR job to teach him. He is perfectly content playing with his own toys or getting into the plastic bowls in the kitchen. He would much rather be outside watching the planes fly by than sitting in front of a TV show for entertainment. The "rule" seems to be that most parents let their 10 month olds sit in front of the TV for hours on end while they do other "important" things...although I'm not sure what could be more important than interacting with and teaching your child.

I am SURE that Brady will be interested in TV shows in a few years, and I am SURE that Patrick and I will have restrictions on the amount of time he watches them. I don't mean to profess that Brady will never watch TV, we just don't think that there's anything he could learn from "The Backyardigans" (what?) or Barney that we couldn't teach him better at this age.

I have a feeling that Brady will one day want to know why he isn't allowed to eat McDonald's four times a week, or play video games all day, but I hope that with our being involved in his life he will never feel like he is being "left out" of anything. My child is my most important job and I feel if that makes me the exception, than that's okay by me.

Home is...

Early on in my 'career' of being a military spouse, I learned a few key phrases that I need to live by in order to make it through realizing that my life is not of my control. Along with "Semper Gumby - Always Flexible" the rule of thumb is that "Home is where the Coast Guard sends you." Fortunately, I have had the blessing of being with my husband a lot of the time, and we have been to some pretty cool places, but I also learned that life is what you make of it, and I refuse to be held down because of misery.

We submitted our list of "picks" back in July for our next station. The choices were limited to 4 for the four Coasties currently in training for Independent Duty Corpsman with the Navy. The list of choices was not even CLOSE to what we were hoping for, but we sucked it up, put our ranking together and sent it off with fingers crossed and prayers sent up. Guam and Alaska were two of the choices and completely not ideal, but we did our research just in case we were sent to one of these places.

We learned late yesterday that it is looking more and more like we are headed to Key West, FL, which was our number one choice. Our friends, Jess and Joe, found out that they are 'slated' to be sent to Alaska, which was last on their list. Jess is taking this news very hard and is extremely upset at the prospect of having to live there, especially because there is 6 months of pure daylight 24 hours, and 6 months of pure darkness. I can't say I'd be happy at the thought of that either.

I keep trying to tell Jess that this isn't the end of the world, but she honestly believes it is. I tell her that her main priority is making a healthy, stable and happy life for Lexi wherever they are sent, but right now I can't get her to see that. I know the news is devastating to her, but I'm not sure how to get her past all of the negative things she's feeling without her thinking I'm not being sincere.

I can't say I'm sad that it wasn't us that got Alaska. Honestly, I had even resigned myself to thinking we were actually going there, so I armed myself with information and knowledge so I could make the time there enjoyable. I hope that Jess can get over this news quickly and find the good in all of it. The silver lining in her cloud is that this particular boat Joe would be at doesn't go out as much as the one in Key West does, so they can be a family more.

Life honestly and truly is what you make of it. If you succumb to misery, your life, and everyone in it, will be miserable. I refuse to let that happen to my family. Semper Gumby!!