My Little Traveler

Olivia got her first set of shots yesterday which means we are almost ready to go on our first trip. It's kind of crazy that the first flight Olivia will be on will be an international flight. It's even crazier to think that by the time she is 4 months old, she will have already been to Georgia (duh, it's where she was born!), Germany, Austria, Ohio, Singapore, Missouri and back to Singapore again to for our big move. I know that she will not remember these times but what an amazing experience it will be for us to show her the world. Of course we will take millions of pictures (billions, maybe) so we can show her when she is older. 

In case you were wondering, like I was before we got it, a child's passport lasts for 5 years. I think it's funny because when we are traveling in a few years, her picture will still be of her as an infant. I guess they just hope the baby will look somewhat the same. Weird. And another thing- it took them 7 tries to get the final picture that's on her passport because she was so awake and was just looking around. Apparently they need to be seen straight on with both ears in the picture and my sweet girl just couldn't stop moving from side to side, putting her hand on her forehead (my little drama queen) or yawning (showing the guy that she really didn't care if she was taking up all his time). I guess it's a good sign that she already loves exploring new places and people. :)

xx

Olivia's Letter from the White House

Now you are officially welcomed into to the world, my sweet baby girl!!

Olivia got a special delivery today, straight from the White House!! Did you know if you send them a letter about the birth of your child or a birth announcement, that they will send you this sweet letter welcoming your child into the world? I learned this from trusty ol' pinterest and I am glad I did. It will be perfect to put in Olivia's baby book. Although I am not a fan of Obama, it will still be a great memory as to what President was in office at the time of her birth. I find myself wanting to document everything. Is everyone like this, or am I just crazier than I was to begin with? I guess I will also have to put in her baby book that she cried and had actual tears today for the very first time. My baby is growing up so fast! :/ If I document every first, I am pretty sure that I am going to have to add A LOT of extra pages. Oh well, she is totally worth it! I love documenting every memory. :)

Oh and if you want to send one of your own, you send it to:
President Barack Obama
The White House
Greetings Office Rm 39
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington D.C. 20500

I also sent one to Cinderella so hopefully we'll be hearing back from her soon too!! ;)

xx

The "M" Word

The preparations have begun- the paperwork, the phone calls, the property tours, and all the stress that goes along with it. Moving. A word in my vocabulary that is becoming more and more routine. It's almost that time again... 

At the end of August we are off to our next destination. A new adventure. We will be heading back to Singapore for 2-3 years for Jason's job. Although we lived in Singapore briefly back in 2010, this time will be completely different. This time we will settle more and of course have a baby in tow. 

Even though we have lived in Singapore and I know what to expect, there is still a sense of nervousness, excitement, anticipation and sadness all rolled into one. Now don't get me wrong, I am not sad to move. We signed up for it and I am actually very excited to see what is in store for our family. I am just sad about leaving my family and friends and being half way around the world again, especially with Olivia. This short stint in the U.S. was sort of a tease because I finally got used to seeing all of my favorite people all the time which has been amazing. I guess it will just be something to look forward to when we move back again. I am nervous because I want to make sure we pick the right area, condo, etc. and because I'll be starting all over again having to make new friends. Even though this isn't our first rodeo, none of this ever gets easier. 

As I mentioned in my last post, Jason is out of town. He returns on Thursday and our moving preparations will commence. The first item on our list of things to do is to get Olivia's passport. Then we will have to meet with the moving company so they know what we want to take with us, which won't be much. Then we will take a trip out to Singapore to find a place to live, obtain our visas and to interview maids. Once we get back we will list our cars, ship our items and store the rest. All of this will happen in between visits to Salzburg, Ohio and Missouri. Then we will head back to Singapore to stay. I am getting overwhelmed just thinking about it. That's a lot to do in a month and a half, especially with a new baby. I'm pretty sure we are crazy. 

As much stress as this will cause, I know it will be totally worth it! So, dear friends, start saving your money now because visitors are welcome. :)

xx

Here we go again... 

Olivia is 1 Month Old!!

I can't believe it! My sweet little stinker is 1 month old! What a dream mommyhood has been!

Olivia is a doll. She rarely cries and is super relaxed and laid back. I can take her anywhere (and I pretty much have). I'm still not sure how I got so lucky (or how we are related). ;)

Here are 10 facts about my little girl so far:
1. She falls asleep to the sound of the hairdryer. Every time.
2. She loves her swing and loves to look up at the mirror and rotating birdies.
3. She has a lot of gas. A LOT. If I had a penny for every time someone thinks she needs a diaper change, I'd be a sugar mama.
4. She loves when I sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star". I'm sure she just likes the lyrics and not my singing but I'll take it.
5. She has big feet. The sasquatch does exist. ;)
6. She loves to be held and cuddled. And I don't like putting her down.
7. She sleeps wonderfully at night- usually somewhere between 5-7 hours. I usually feed her when she wakes up and we'll go right back to sleep. Thank goodness. It's like she knows me or something.
8. She is now an Aunt. (Story to come soon!!)
9. She smiles all the time and loves to pucker her lips (this surprisingly doesn't always correlate with point number 3 ;) )
10. She weighs more than 8 lbs. 12 oz. now. She's getting chunky!

Jason has been traveling for a couple of weeks now which has been hard. Not so much about caring for the baby but because I feel like he is missing her growing up. A little ridiculous, I know. I swear she looks different than what she looked like when he left though. He comes home on Thursday and we are both so excited to have him back!! Our little family will be complete again and I know Jack really can't wait!!

Being a Mom has been and is nothing short of amazing. All of the pain, sleepless nights (well not sleepless but if you know me, I require A LOT of sleep), time and energy is completely worth it!! I love everything about Olivia and am so lucky to have her in my life. As I write this, I can't stop watching her sleep peacefully. It is a kind of love that I have never known and that I couldn't imagine my life without. To say that I am blessed would be an understatement.

Who ever knew life could be so sweet?!

xx