slow it down...

please keep reid in your thoughts, he's having terrible back pain while he's away which makes the whole "roughing-it" business unbearable. he tweaked it the day before they left and complained a little but then really tweaked it good when they arrived at "camp" and sounds like its been bad news ever since. he had to have a muscle relaxer shot today and was able to get to the main part of base to get the treatment and get a heating pad and purchase a real pillow (my tough guy only packed a mini camping pillow).  i am feeling for him and hoping he is better soon.  in less than comfortable circumstances, being in pain just makes it totally miserable. please pray he'll feel relief soon and will at least be able to sleep comfortably somehow on his cot, in his sleeping bag, in a big room full of other guys.......oh, and its cold. i wish i could snap my fingers and magic him here to sleep at night and send him back there in the morning to work!

his training trip hasn't changed much about our days, i didn't expect it to because we're used to him working long hours - but it definitely affects how i spend my evenings. i'm much more productive which feels good right now with my upcoming trip home but i will have to be careful not to over-do it.  i was lucky enough to have a free prenatal massage last night courtesy of bellus beauty academy right around the corner form our house - it was a military spouse appreciation special for valentine's month. anyway, during the massage i realized just how good it felt and just how bad i've been about relaxing and taking it slow. so i am trying to consciously slow down my pace and give myself permission to sit still more often. that also means i am forcing myself to go to bed by 9:30 at the latest. everything is better when i'm well rested and i could feel baby jumping for joy in my belly during the massage because mom being relaxed is good for her too!  anyway, i miss reid most in the evenings because that is our normal time together. its no fun crawling into bed without him to kiss me goodnight. but we've done this before and i know its good training for us to get ready for what happens in may.

petey got a real treat today - we rode the tiny train all around the indoor mall with our friends. those boys were all so cute looking out the windows of the training watching the mall go by (its actually kind of a fun way for the moms to window shop and chat while taking a load off).  above is a pic of petey and me in the train. below is a pic of all the boys. by the way, petey was the first guy to hop up there - as soon as he saw big boy david heading that way he wiggled right past him and plopped on down with a grin. after the other boys got up there he kind of slouched down and made himself right at home. it looks like he's falling off but if he's heading for the ground, its all by choice on his part. he is very much the master of his own destiny these days....he knows exactly what he wants to accomplish and how he wants to go about doing it.  this new exercise in independence may make for a rather interesting (and exhuasting) plane trip for us next week!

left to right: dave (4 yr), petey (14 mo), james (13 mo), ryan (18 mo)