Rolling, rolling, rolling

Charlotte is on the move! I put her in Ollie's room and walked away, and when I came back she had rolled to the other side of the room! Some people are wary of mobile babies, but I say YEAH for independence!! One Mom I respect says that we have 18 years to teach our kids all that they need to know before they go into college and I agree with her. Don't get me wrong, I adore my sweet baby and her sweet smiles and cuddles (she has an easy and giant smile), but my back will be very happy when Charlotte can move on her own. She is at a whopping 19 lbs. 14 oz!!! Ollie was over a year before he was that big.

Ollie is still cute and cheeky, but Tim and I have discovered why some parents claim that three is worse than two. O man had not thrown a temper tantrum in QUITE a long time, but boy has he fired off some doosies lately! I "think" that we're back on top now that we have re-established a time out spot. Poor kid gets a manic look in his eye when we tell him to stay in time out, and he pleads to have good behavior again. Very pathetic. We're at the cusp of new independence (potty training is going VERY well), a new house, a Dad that went back to work, and the loss of his old friends. We'll be alright in the end, but Ollie can now claim some of my grey hairs and a little bit of Tim's receding hairline!

Hope all is well! Looks like Tim will get his first ride tomorrow and I have signed up for my first tri of the season! Feb. 27th at Los Alamitos Air Base. I'll let you know how it goes : )

January Update

Ollie on the beach in Santa Monica

Life here in California is settling right in for all of us. Tim is back in the saddle, with his first flight scheduled for tomorrow. Unfortunately the rain followed us from the UK, so his viper ride may have to wait until next week.

Life on base is good. TPS is very similar to the other formal training courses and we have enjoyed getting to know the other folks in the class.

Lots of people "warned" us about Edwards, but I have to say that we love it here. We're close enough to Target to get what we need, but far enough so that I don't drop in all of the time. If I can't have the charm of England, I'll enjoy the convenience of America : )

Here's the good:
- short commute to the commissary
- friends across the street
- a park within a short walk of my house
- mail delivered to a box by the park and a post-lady who delivers large packages to my door : )
- a "normal" schedule so far, but we'll see how long that lasts once Tim starts flying
- my washer and dryer are in their own utility room (not the kitchen or garage)
- Space for everything that we own
- this week isn't so sunny, but its not the norm...the sun shines often here in Southern California : )
-lots of great travel opportunities within a days drive
- great opportunities for Tim and a better family life for us (no sandy places this year!)

Here's the bad:
- We miss our friends in the UK and the Bolars...lots of babies due about now that I wish that I could cuddle!
- coyotes, spiders, and snakes (oh, my!)

Ollie is going to "school" at the Child Development Center. Kids can't wear pull ups in class, so the treat of going to school was enough to motivate him to use the potty all of the time. We're VERY excited that its finally clicked : ) On the sad side, he's given up his nap : ( Most day's that's okay, but sometimes it catches up with us all. He loves to ride his tricycle and visit his new friends' houses. He misses the UK, but seems to enjoy life here.

Charlotte sometimes sleeps through the night. Three meals a day, a sleep sack, and a dose of tylenol seem to do the trick : ) Her bottom two teeth have finally made an appearance and I'm sure that the top ones aren't too far behind. Charlotte enjoys paper, eating, smiling, and her brother.

I have decided to use this time to raise the kids and get in shape. I LOVED the cheeses in the UK, but its nice to have that temptation removed. Charlotte spends some quality time at the CDC while O man is at preschool, giving me some time at the gym. So far, I've signed up for a half marathon from Napa to Sonoma (nice scenery) and an Olympic distance triathlon in LA. Check back in July and October for my photo finishes : )

Hope you are all well!!