Well, Olivia has gotten the idea of how to use a spoon. She figured it out just yesterday. She rarely tries to do anything until she seems to have it all thought out. She's still not talking though, but probably one day it will all come spilling out and I'll wonder why I ever wanted her to talk in the first place. LOL. I love her so much, even if she has decided that its ok to wake up before 6:00 am. Its not every day, just most of them. She started doing that while Rich was underway recently. We have a couple more short underways coming up before deployment begins. Not looking forward to it. Especially since its going to be 8 months long. I'm on the FRG board as the VP, so that will give me something to occupy time and meet more spouses, and even be a support to some of them since this is our 2nd deployment with the ship. I'm glad that its no longer part of the Peleliu's Strike Group, they left over the last week. I'm glad because that means that he's home that much longer before leaving.
Because of the ship's schedule (deployment and then a guaranteed surge) our plans for trying for another baby have been put off. I don't want to be having another baby without him. It would be a lot more difficult since I'd have to make arrangements for Olivia. I don't want Rich to go on deployment, but I know its part of military life. I don't hate the Navy often, but lately I have had those moments. He's going to miss so much, especially as Olivia grows and learns. I think this is one of the hardest parts of being a military family. I know that we signed up for this, and knew it would happen, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. The bed isn't the same without him, and I don't sleep as well. I do like having the bed to myself, for a night or two, but I hate it when its for long periods of time. I know I've got support at church, and from other friends here, but its still hard. At least I can look forward to visits. I'm going to make a visit to Utah for Christmas for sure, and if we can do it financially I'd look to go back at the end of August/start of September. I know that my father-in-law is planning to make a visit here as well. I look forward to it. I will get through the next two years, I will survive.