It's Snowing!

We woke up this morning to snow! I took Maggie out to the common area behind our house and met some of the neighborhood Moms and a ton of kiddos! We are still unpacking but are almost done. Just have to hang some stuff on the walls and finish organizing some closets. I am so excited to have more space and Maggie's playroom is AWESOME! I was reading a book last night on Montessori practices for infants and found it very interesting. Although I am a little sceptical about a 15 month old who can peel a carrot and by 18 months old chop it up, I am definitely motivated to start letting Maggie do a little more on her own. We gave her a cup without a lid this morning at breakfast. She did try to take a sip but got a little frustrated and threw it on the floor (I guess she does have a bit of me in her...). Off to make a list for Rob so we can avoid the rush if this storm gets bad.

Maggie goes to Washington

It was a beautiful day here yesterday so we took advantage of the weather and headed to DC. It is super easy to get there via the METRO and Maggie had fun on the train. We stopped at the Old Post Office for lunch and the view, went to the American History Museam and walked around the mall for a bit. After a long fight with sleep Maggie finally dozed off so we took a long walk around the Washington Monument and WW II Memorial. While I am still adjusting to the hustle and bustle of a much bigger city, I am so excited about everything Fort Belvoir has to offer and am thrilled to live so close to DC during this exciting time in America. There is so much more to see though...stay tuned for our many adventures!

Maggie at the Smithsonian

With Daddy on the Mall


Old Post Office Tower (notice the Capitol in the background)

First time on the METRO!

Virginia

Well, we made it! Thanks to Megan and a few stops along the way we completed our trip without too much trouble. We were able to spend some time with Emma and Larry in Indy and they were very helpful with Lucy and our trip to the Urgent Care for Maggie's first ear infection (boo!!). We also stopped in Cincinnati and were very well taken care of by Mary and the girls. Still looking to get settled but are comfortably situated in the nicest pet accommodations thus far in the Army. Even the smallest things here amaze us (restaurant choices, wine selection at the Class 6, shopping opportunities, MWR offerings). I guess we have been out of the real world for awhile. While we are not going to take the baby downtown tomorrow we are anxiously awaiting watching the historic inauguration on TV. Here's to a great day in America!!

Missouri Musings

It's that time again. Moving always seems to creep up on me. While I am so excited to move to Virginia I can't help but think about all the things I will miss in Missouri. When we arrived here in 2006 we really didn't know what to expect. I can't say that I was thrilled to leave Germany but I was just glad that Rob and I would be living in the same house for awhile. We have been pretty lucky in Rob's assignments here and appreciate the time we have had as a family.

I was especially thrilled to have more time with our Army "family" (Julie and Company) and never expected to meet such great friends here. From Friday night dinners with the other Aides and their families and BBQ's with our Career Course neighbors to our Wednesday/Tuesday lunches with the ladies of Delafield, our time here brought us together with some really wonderful people. Taking care of Caroline and being part of her family for awhile was also a great blessing for me and really helped me prepare for mommy-hood. Of course the most memorable moment during our 2 1/2 years here was the addition of Maggie to our family. This really was a wonderful place to be pregnant and have a baby. All of the other moms on the street (especially Haven and Beth) helped me, loved me and reassured me during the crazy first days with a baby.

I have so many wonderful memories that I will always cherish. From watching fireworks in St Louis on the 4th of July with "the crew" from Germany to shopping for baby clothes at the Lake with Rachel this duty station has brought me a long way and taught me a great deal about myself. Thanks to all of our friends who made our time here so special. We will really miss you!!

10 Months

Maggie is 10 months old today! She ate her favorite breakfast (waffles), played in her new car seat (just like her friend Caroline's), and spent some time reading her books before a trip to the Commissary and a nap. We will celebrate with some animal crackers this afternoon-YUM!