Our Longest Separation Ever :-(

I just watched my husband drive out of our Florida driveway for the last time.  He left for San Antonio this morning to start his 6-8 week training before he's moved to Austin.  We're not going to be apart the full 6-8 weeks, but we will be separated as a family for the longest ever.  My husband will see me next weekend when I fly to Austin to go house rental hunting with him.  He won't see Mimi for probably 3 weeks.  This is by far the longest he's been away from us both.  He had been getting really choked up about it as the time neared for him to pack his car and leave.  I really didn't start to get upset until I realized that he wasn't just leaving us, but our home in Florida.  We bought this house together, which by far was the most stressful situation we'd gone through at that point.  We've also been married while living here and brought our first baby home to this house.  This house holds so many memories for us.  Part of me is not that upset because we're not selling it. So for all intent and purposes, it's still our Florida home.

I'll miss my husband.  I'll miss him even though he can be really messy and annoying.  He's my best friend and my partner.  He's Mimi's Papa.  We plan to make a little video every couple of days and post it for him so he can see what we're up to.

I don't know how you military families do this.  You guys (and gals) go through separations and moves way worse than what we're facing.  I try to remember that we made this move to have a better life for our family.  Higher salaries with equal cost of living means I get to be home with our children and my husband feels more challenged and valued at his job.  We've made a step up, but it's hard to not be upset with what we're leaving behind.  Our first home, his first post college job, 7 years of great friendships and fun times (not to mention to 3 National Championships! GO GATORS).

Hubs and Mimi on our walk last night.

My two most favorite people.  

Congrats Grace!!!

Nothing cheers you up like holding a brand new baby.  Even if it's not yours.  My friend Grace gave birth to the most beautiful baby girl this morning.  I was psyched when she called me to tell me I could come see her and the baby.  It made my day.  I've been so upset over what happened to my brother, it was nice to have a ray of sunshine.  Here she is, Elise Olivia.  I'm so happy for Grace and her husband.  A healthy (and chunky) baby girl to love!

I was surprised when my husband wanted to come to the hospital too to see the baby.  Men typically aren't baby gushers, but he was excited too.  I looked at that tiny newborn and looked at my husband with a pout face and said "I want one!" and he said "Not right now" lol.

I guess I can post a picture of the baby instead of myself, lol.

Absolutely Gorgeous.  What a blessing.

And just so Mimi doesn't get jealous...

See, I feed my kid french fries too sometimes....

She LOVES to go "beep beep" in my car.  

What do you say when the unimaginable happens?

This morning I woke up to a text message from my mother.  My brother's girlfriend had her baby at 21 weeks.  The baby lived for 5 minutes and died in my brother's hand.  I myself felt a little overwhelmed with grief, how must they feel?  To lose a baby must be one of the hardest things to have to deal with in life.  I couldn't even put into words how sorry I felt for him and his girlfriend.  I didn't know what to say.  I told them I was so sorry for this loss and that if he needed to talk to me I was here for him.

I cried all morning, thinking how sad and angry they must feel.  I cried for my poor brother, who has truly had a hard life with no breaks.  I wish I  could be there to console him, hug him, and tell him everything will be okay.

He stayed in the hospital with his girlfriend since Tuesday, when they had to induce her because she did not have enough amniotic fluid for the baby to survive.  They told her she had to deliver the baby now or it would be stillborn.  I don't really know the details, this is what my brother told my mother at 2am this morning.

I once told Franco that if something happened to Mimi I don't know if I could keep on living.  I can't imagine how upset my brother must be, watching his baby die his hands.  I look at Mimi watching Toy Story 3 on the couch drinking her applejuice and feel guilty.  Guilty that I had a healthy baby and my poor brother has to go through this.

I hope that he and his girlfriend get through this together.  I pray that his little baby boy is in heaven.  I pray that they are blessed with another healthy pregnancy and baby.

I know this might seem like a weird post, but it helps me to write it out.

Stay at Home Scientist Style File

Dress - Target $18

Shoes - Target $14.99

Earrings - Forever 21 $2.80

Wish my legs weren't like small tree trunks.....

Boy do I need an eyebrow wax lol

Just some shots from our Easter

Why is mother nature such a jerk!?

So when Mimi was 6 months old I posted this.  The aftermath of your body after having a baby (when you're not 20 years old at a perfect weight with beautifully elastic skin).  Here I am, almost 2 years later (Mimi is 2 in July), and I am still plagued by this spare tire around my belly!  I am so frustrated.

This is me today, obviously not the best photo, but it shows you exactly what I mean.  I love my body from the belly button up and from the mid-thigh down.  I've worked really hard running and eating health to get here, and I still have work to do.  However..... I HATE MY LOWER MIDSECTION.  Dude. Why will it not go away!? Do you see it there!? Just HANGING there driving me nuts.

I should be happy to be where I am considering that these shorts are 2 sizes too big and when I as 22 I couldn't even button them.   Today I'm 180 lbs (still need to lose that last 10 lbs!) and wearing a size 12 bottom and size M shirt.   A far improvement from when I was 245 lbs and a size 18/XL.  

I told hubs after we're done having babies I want a tummy tuck and a breast lift. 

Sewing with Christa

That could be the name of a super cool show on pbs right!?  Well Christa and I found this cute seersucker fabric when we were browsing JoAnn's late one night before getting kicked out by the crotchedy old ladies who cut the fabric and lecture you on your measurements....I digress....

We decided we would make adult versions of the skirt I made for Mimi in this post.  Let me tell you, we had one hot Friday night of sewing....(wow that sounds so dorky)

I chose light blue seersucker and a shorter length skirt, Christa opted for gray seersucker and a longer skirt. I like the way mine turned out after some miner adjustments to control for the "fluffyness" of it.  I plan on pairing with a tight fitting white tank and leather sandals and maybe a necklace or scarf (not both, I can't stand over accessorized people).

We also made some braided bracelets using the same techniques as this post.

As you can see by some of these photos, Christa and I got a little too silly...She was wearing this gray striped dress from Forever 21 already, so she's a little overstriped lol.

This one's blurry but I still like our pose...