Go for a swim?

We put on our SPF 50 and headed to the pool today. Mason has been quite whiny and fussy for the past few days because he is getting 4 new molars all the way around. I was hoping the pool would bring a little fun and help him forget about his sore mouth. He was sooo excited to go so I figured we would have to watch him carefully to make sure he didn't run and jump in by himself. Boy was I wrong...

He did not appreciate the cold water... Doug forced him in the water then dunked him. He came up SCREAMING! We tried putting him into a float and he wasn't haveing that either. I wish I had gotten a picture of him screaming his head off in the pool. All I got was poutie face after his fit. He would not come close to the pool the rest of the time we were there. I think he has a good time running around the pool, so not a total loss...

More pictures from our trip to the park

Here are a few more pictures from our trip to Centennial Park

Shiny Hiney

We have been working on getting Mason potty trained for the last several months. He likes to sit and read but more often than not he just sits and reads without making a "deposit". We still have him in diapers because he is a "heavy pee-er" and can go through an overnight diaper within a couple of hours...

Lately he has really gotten into the potty thing and has been asking to go. Every day when he wakes up, throughout the day, and at night he says, "Potty, Mommy!" He is making a "deposit" at least once a day now. We sing, "Put the pee-pee in the potty and get a Choo-Choo sticker" because putting pee-pee in the potty gets him a Thomas the Train sticker. I am waiting until we move to really crack down on the training. I want him out of diapers but moving is sorta consuming our lives right now.

Now to the reason I am writing this blog...

I woke up this morning, rolled over, and looked at the baby monitor to check on Mason. All I saw was a shiny hiney sticking straight up in the air. At some point Mason had taken his diaper off and was laying in his crib HOLDING it! I ran into his room and asked him what he was doing. He popped up and said, "Potty, Mommy!" I guess he had to go! But looking at his wet sheets, I think I was a bit too late...

Needless to say Mason got a very long wipe down after his potty break and the sheets are in the wash... YUCK!!!

This kid... I swear!

Birthday pictures

My birthday was a stressful one with all the moving decisions we are having to make. We did have a great time that evening eating at Cheesecake Factory. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the dinner. Excuse Mason, all he did was shove food down his throat the entire time we were there.

Moving Announcement Picture Outtakes

Here are a few outtakes from our "Moving Announcement" photo session

The Real Babysitter Story

So I mentioned on Facebook that Mason was getting his first babysitter that was a "stranger" but I did not give the details behind this event. Well, now you know about our move back to GA I can finally tell the real story.

After I accepted the job in GA back in April I reached out to an old co-worker who had moved to Colorado to see if she had any plans of visiting MD soon. Luckily, she was coming back for a visit before we left so we arranged to get together for lunch. A month later, I am taking Mason to daycare and see the big notice on the door reminding parents daycare was going to be closed on Friday for teacher training (good thing I read the monthly calendar they send out... FAIL!). Of course, that Friday was the exact day I had planned months ago to see my friend.

I was super upset knowing this could be possibly the last time I ever got to see her. Our paths may cross again one day (which I really hope they will) but I didn't want to miss this opportunity to see her again. Talking with a co-worker about this dilemma, she suggested finding a babysitter for the couple of hours so I could still go. Since we have never used a babysitter and were days away from the lunch, I didn't know where to go and who would be available on such short notice.

I texted another co-worker who has 2 young daughters with lots of friends. :) She mentioned her daughters babysitting once so I figured she would know someone or point me in the right direction. She is a great mom and a great person so I knew I could trust anyone that she suggested. Luckily, her daughter was looking for ways to earn some extra cash for a beach trip and was free that afternoon. I had a babysitter!

The young lady came over and immediately took all of Mason's attention. I could not even get him to finish his lunch. I showed her around and then told Mason I was leaving but he had a new friend to play with while I was gone. He barely told me goodbye. Even Auburn could care less that I was leaving. After I left I stood at the door to make sure he didn't start screaming or Auburn went crazy. But nothing... silence. They did not care I was gone.

It broke my heart yet it reminded me I made a good decision with the person I selected to watch him. Then it worried me about how easily he went with a complete stranger... ha!

I went and had a great lunch catching up with my friend who I miss! I came back home to find the babysitter reading all his Star Wars books to him. Books & Star Wars, she would have been there for hours if I had not come home. Ha! He was so happy to see me but more excited to show me what they were doing.

So, since that went sooo smoothly I am already thinking of excuses to hire her or another sitter again. I am also very confidant that we could drop Mason off with the grands or other family for the weekend (or week or month...) and he would do just fine. Mommy-cation here I come!!!

The Long Road Home

Those who have followed me on my journey to Maryland will remember what a long process that was. Well, this one hasn't been that much shorter...

I decided a little less than 2 years ago that it was time to go home. I told my bosses at work that I loved my job but, no disrespect, it was time for me to go! I really didn't want to change jobs but I was willing to make that sacrifice. I am lucky to have great bosses who supported my decision and did anything they could, including reaching out to their contacts at GA, to help keep me from switching jobs.

I started looking both internally and externally but nothing that I was interested in or qualified for came along. One job opened up in Finance about mid 2016 and I applied for it. I was in the running for it and my bosses were almost 100% I would get it so they started preparing for my departure. Oddly enough, another Nunley got the job... Ha!

FINALLY in January 2017 multiple jobs in GA posted at my work. I applied for like 5! Some I was over qualified for and some I was not quite qualified for but I took a chance on them anyways. Out of all of them I was selected to interview for 2 in HR. Although I do not have an HR background, my experience in Finance gave me some knowledge in the area.

I interviewed for the job in February and it went really well. I was super pumped about it.Then I waited, and waited, and waited to find out if I got it. I know the contacts for the position were tired of hearing from me but I kept asking for status updates anyways. Mason's birthday was just around the corner and it was my dream to tell everyone at his birthday party that we were moving back. But I didn't get the offer before the trip.

After we got back I emailed the people I interviewed with. I told them I assumed at this point since I had not heard anything that I did not get either of the positions. I thanked them for the opportunity to interview for the positions and asked if there was any feedback I could get on my resume or interview to help me improve and hopefully get the job next time.

After I sent that email my phone rang. It was the person I had interviewed with who was responsible for selecting the applicant for the position. She apologized for the delay in feedback and explained to me all the unfortunate things that were happening behind the scenes, slowing down the process. She told me to not give up just let and that I would be hearing back from her soon.

Insert slight freak out after we hung up the phone!!!

FINALLY! Almost MAY! I was offered the position!

I still couldn't share my news outside of work because there is a lengthy approval process that goes along with a move to another state. I finally got through that process last week (over 2 months later!). I still do not have my official orders in hand but I hope to get those sometime this week.

So now the real fun begins! Moving! Thankfully we get to hire a moving company like we did when we moved up here. Only packing the "vacation" stuff and valuables will eliminate some stress. However, we have a LOT of decisions to make over the next couple of months. We will get a house hunting trip so we will be in Georgia from 21 July - 30 July. As of right now, we are slated to move on 24 August.

Of course last time we did this it was without Hurricane Mason...

Wish us luck and send lots of prayers! (Or babysitters! :) ) We will need it!

For the Love of Family

Working for the government, I have many opportunities to live all over the country and all over the world. Maryland was just the beginning of that journey for us. When I applied and accepted the position, we had every intention of only making Maryland our starting point. We dreamed big of the places my new job could take us. Travel the world. Become a local. Have once in a lifetime experiences. We already new where our next place of residence would be once the opportunity presented itself.

Then Mason came along.

I know Mason can go wherever we go and that kids all over the world move multiple times throughout their childhood. My thing is, I can't bring my entire family with us.

It was one thing missing holidays and special occasions when it was just the three of us. Now, with Mason, I do not want to take that away from him. I cherish my memories of playing with grandparents, cousins, and aunts/uncles when I was young. Most of the people I was in daycare with I graduated high school with. My family has already missed out on the majority of Mason's first 2 years. The sweet, cuddly baby stage. The wobbly, exploring toddler age. And the oh so fun terrible 2's.

It's selfish for me to keep him away from his family because I want to live on the other side of the country.

I want Mason to have a relationship with his grandparents, aunts/uncles, and cousins. I want him to spend more than 1 week every 3 months with them. I want him to be spoiled and loved on like I was by my grandparents. I want a free babysitter! I want a vacation with just my husband again!

As much as we would love to live all over the globe, right now we want to be at home. So that is what we are doing, going home.

In my job I am serving my country, in some sense, but it's not like the military. I have a choice on where I live, where they usually do not. The mission of my job is not near as important as theirs. I could see us moving far away if my job was to protect our country like they do. But it is not. Choosing to live away from family when so many others wish they had that choice just doesn't seem right to me.

Maybe one day when he is older or off to college we can pull out our wish list again. If it is meant to be, it will be. We are young. We will have plenty of opportunities to be wild and crazy! So for now, we will move closer to home. Who knows, maybe we will move even closer as the years go by. Mason will spend those summers with the grandparents. He will play with his cousins at Christmas. He will go on vacations with his aunts & uncles. He will know the love of family like I did.

Car-soap opera

Last Christmas Doug bought Mason a 4 pack of Hot Wheels cars from his work. We kept them in the package until he got a little older and opened them one day randomly. It was right around the same time we were taking the paci completely away from him. One night I decided to offer him one of the cars to sleep with instead of his paci. He chose the gray one out of the 4 different colors (he is SO is father's son!) Thankfully, it worked! He never really asked for a paci again.

From that point on, he took "Car" everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE! Bath, grocery store, eating, and even potty! I found that very strange as he had never "attached" to any item especially not 1 specific item. But holding a car versus sucking on a paci, I didn't argue with his choice."Car" was his buddy and I was completely ok with that!

He would take it to daycare but often get distracted by the other toys, kids, and activities so he rarely hung on to it the entire day. The teachers did a good job keeping up with it but one day I got to school and "Car" was MIA. We looked everywhere but could not find it. So I called Doug and screamed 911! Mason was asking for "Car" and I didn't have it! So Daddy to the rescue, he brought home another, very similar car. Mason was happy once again. And I put his name all over this one just in case :)

Some time later I bought Mason a Star Wars Hot Wheels car.



"Car" and Star Wars combined into 1... Mason was in love! He quickly swapped the gray "Car" for "Sta-Was Car".

About 2-3 weeks ago Mason started asking for the gray car again and choosing it over the Star Wars one. Then shortly after that he started calling the gray car "Blue Car". It had a blue stripe on it so I figured that is where the name came from; however, it also had a red stripe...

Well about a week ago a blue car randomly showed up in Mason's cubby. The teachers said they found it one day and just assumed it was Mason's since he was the only one who brought a car everyday to school. I left it there just in case it was another kid's. I knew the horror of loosing a favorite car so I didn't want another parent/child to go through that too. When no one claimed it I figured that must have been where the "Blue Car" name came from.

Well, oddly enough, "Blue Car" went missing last week right after the blue car showed up in his cubby. I had the daycare teachers looking all over but we could not find it. Thanks to the unclaimed blue car, Mason was able to take a car home with him. He held on to the blue car all evening and chose to take it to school the next day over "Sta-Was Car".

Just as a precaution, Doug purchased another gray car at work and brought it home; however, "Blue Car" was found and Mason brought home both blue cars from daycare. Now he has 4 cars... And which one he prefers changes so you must have all 4 at ALL times or a meltdown will occur...

Yes, this was a whole blog about Hot Wheels cars... They are life or death for us!

Duck-ation

When I can I will take Mason along when I take Auburn out for her nightly potty break. Sometimes we go on short walks around the apartment complex and other times we go on "Airplane walks" around the neighborhood to see the airplanes (or climb on fences... all BOY!). One time we went around by the pool and saw a duck sitting next to the side of the pool. We lingered around the outside of the pool gate so he could see the duck but not scare it (or have Hurricane Mason traumatize the poor thing). He really enjoyed seeing the duck and talked about it for days.

After that night, Mason kept asking to go see the duck so I would take him and Auburn on short walks to say hello. One night, the duck was not there so Mason asked, "Where duck?" Not knowing how to explain to a 2 year old about how birds do not stay in 1 location all the time, I told him he went on vacation.

So now when you go bye-bye you are on Duck-ation.

Life lessons... :)