Its been awhile...

Hmm... where to start. Lots have happened since my last post.

Anastasia:
Anastasia is doing well. She is 1 year old now.  At her 12 month Well Baby Visit, she weighed in at 17lbs 4oz and was 27.25in long. That put her in the 3% range for both height and weight.  She doesn't look all that small - if she is standing by herself and you can't see another child around. But once compared to another child around her age, her small stature is apparent. Her doctors are a little concerned about the drop off in growth. She was in the 75% not too long ago. They ran blood panels. Everything from thyroid functioning to a mutation causing dwarfism and all results came back "in the normal range." :) So that was good news! At this point, we'll be going back to the doctors to check her height and weight again and see if there is any improvement before going any further. What is the next step beyond that? I have no idea. :)  She is hitting all of her milestones though! So as far as social and cognitive development she is perfect! :)

She is walking now. Not confidently. Well... not steadily. She has confidence. Enough to THINK she can run. Can she? Not at all. Does that stop her from trying? Not at all. :)  She LOVES climbing and exploring. Give her a box ad she is happy for days! We went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium the other day and she was SO excited! She was mesmerized by each and every tank. I had to pull her away from viewing windows so that we could explore another exhibit! At the "touch n' feel" pools, she touched and felt everything! The dossier was amazed! At first, we were worried that she would splash in the water, causing the sea cucumbers to shoot out their intestines due to the threat; but she gently stroked the cucumbers and pet the starfish, and even poked at a crab! She was full of giggles and smiles the whole time!  She was fascinated by the largest tank containing sharks, tuna, and a few VERY large schools of fish. I think we sat at that window for at least 15 minutes and she just stared at everything. She even "read" the plaques describing the different species. :)

Titus:
As you can see by the name, we are having a boy! His name will be Titus James. We are due on Christmas Eve! This time, barring Titus making an early appearance, Tim should be able to be at the birth!

Titus is a lot mellower in the womb than Ana was! So its a nice reprieve from the somersaults and her slamming her head into my rib cage. I only feel the occasional kick and twist. I know I'm only about 22 weeks, but Ana had been kicking my rib cage by this point! He is measuring a tad bigger than Ana was, but he is more "normal." But as far as the pregnancy is going, its a LOT smoother! Not one episode or pass out for me!! :)

Tim:
Tim is ALMOST done with school!! Next week, he takes his DLPT (the BIG test). He has already passed his classes, but this test is for his job. Its kinda the equivalent of the bar exam for lawyers.  His OPI (Oral Personal Interview) was this past week. We'll find out soon how he did on that! His graduation is so far scheduled for September 2nd. Then we'll have a few weeks left in Monterey before he heads to Texas and Ana, Donner, and I to Sacramento. It'll be another separation, but 'tis Army life!  Come March, we are tentatively off to Georgia. Another part of Army life is knowing that whatever they tell us, could most likely change at any moment.  Georgia is just the most likely possibility at this point.

Donner:
::sigh:: Donner. We had to pull her out of Intermediate Training classes. Once I got pregnant, her anxieties kicked in full swing and she "lost it." She became very irritable with the other dogs in the class, and stopped listening to my commands (mainly Stay) in the house because she felt it was her job to keep an eye on me and when she is "working" she thinks she is the boss. So there was no way she was going to pass the class. The trainer said he would give us a few private lessons and really work on her trust issues with Tim. We just need to get in and plan what days. I'm really hoping those lessons work out and  I think they will be more beneficial to us as a family! Once back in Sacramento, a new Vet at my sister's work place is going to work with me on different homeopathic treatments for Donner's anxieties. I'm really hoping we find a solution before we move across the country. I'm really not looking forward to dealing with a young toddler, a newborn, and a dog who is vomiting everywhere because the change is just too much!

Me:
I'm hanging in there. :) I love being a stay-at-home mom. Domestic Engineer. I like that term better. It makes more sense to me. Afterall, I don't JUST take care of Ana all day. I do more than that! :)  Well, I'm off to meet Tim at work for his birthday lunch!

LOOK OUT DRIVERS OF MONTEREY COUNTY!

I GOT MY LICENSE BACK!

My interview with the Drivers Safety Division went great! My field agent finished by telling me that I'd have to take a behind the wheel test but that if I passed I'd walk out with my license! Yay! She then looked in the system to set me up with an appointment; however, there were no open slots until June 2nd! :( She told me that she would see what she could do and that she would call me back. Later that evening I got a call from her saying that they could squeeze me in first thing Thursday morning! Of course, I took the slot!

Bright and early we arrived at the DMV. When I finally got to the front of the line, I learned that they didn't know anything about me coming! UGH! But they were willing to call the Driver Safety Unit. Sure enough, they forgot to fax over the necessary documents. Come 9:00, they were finally ready to give me my test! AND! I PASSED!

ANOTHER road block! In all the brilliance that is the DMV, the safety unit forgot to mention that I could walk out with my license... SO instead of signing the document that stated I COULD drive again, I had to sign the document that stated that I was aware my license was still suspended. BUMMER AGAIN!  This time I called Driver Safety to learn that, of course, my field agent was out of the office!

Monday, I called her. She checked her system and was just as confused as I was! She said that the system showed that my license was ok to obtain and that I just had to renew it! So back to the DMV we went that afternoon.  This time, I was told that I needed to take the written test! They weren't sure why I wasn't given the written test BEFORE the behind the wheel.  I bit my tongue.  The DMV isn't known for being on top of things. :)  I passed the written test. Upon passing it, the man that corrected my test said that he needed my current license so that he could waive the need for a behind the wheel test. WHAT?! I informed him that I had already taken the test. He just looked at me blankly and said, well you don't have to take it again. Good! LOL - there was no way I was gonna take it twice in 5 days!

::sigh:: Whatever, I GOT MY LICENSE BACK!! WHOOHOO!!!!

In all the wonder that is the DMV... Tim missed the Soldier of the Month Board, but his superiors deemed me getting my license back more of a priority... so next month! :)