Oh beautiful plate...

The night we got back to CA from the zona it was gettin late and I was getting crabby. I was tired and hungry. Kaci was hungry and tired and so were Kyle and Court. We also had to stop and get a few groceries. We ended up eating at http://www.baipluthaiandsushi.com/ and it was awesome! I was a little hesitant and quite honestly the menu was not that appealing. The staff was very nice and I was happy. We ordered our appetizers and they rocked. Then out came our entrees....and all I can say is WOW! They were so beautifully presented that Courtney and I didn't even want to touch the plate. But we broke down and ate the food and it was amazing. I DEFINITELY recommend this place if you are in Long Beach, CA!

On to the next item of business. Buffalo Wild Wings. http://www.buffalowildwings.com/ They have a great buffalo ranch chicken wrap. I am pretty sure that we have one of these now in Honolulu. Yumm-o!

Other than that not to much else is going on right now. Looking forward to my pedicure today and Christmas Eve dinner with my dad tonight.

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

TTFN!

Ahhhhh...food you don't get on the island......

I have loved my vacation so far! I haved loved spending time with my AT & UP! I have got to enjoy http://www.filibertos.com/! They have the BEST BEST BEST Mexican food ever on the whole face of the earth! We also ate at http://www.fuddruckers.com/ which has the BEST burgers and I just love them. My AT also took us to a place called Flancers http://www.flancers.com/ which has the BEST BLTA's I have EVER had. They have a secret squirrel sauce that they put on it and it's kinda spicy. Ooooh la la! I love it. 

Today I got to see my Joshua with an h (there is a hilarious story behind the spelling of his name) Joshuah and my Jakie which he prefers Jake. But to me, he will always be Jakie or Jacob. Sadly, I didn't get to see Bon Bon (Bonnie is Josh's wifie). Oh Em Gee! I forgot to tell you that I got to have a Sonic Classic Slush! Watermelon! YUMM-O!!! Actually, my UP had to go and get me a second Sonic Classic Slush because somehow I poked a hole through the cup and all of the special ice and yummy goodness left the cup! I was devastated.

Anyhoo, we are leaving in the morning to go back to LA. So TTFN! Merry Holidays!

Happy 1st Birthday Kaci!

There was no time to blog yesterday as I was spending the day with my one year old! Oh Em Gee! I can't believe my baby girl is 1! I'll never forget the day she came into the world. It all started at midnight...and then...on December 11, 2008 @ 5:36 a.m. this little 5lb 4.7 oz bundle of joy appeared in my life. (I thought I'd spare you the details.) I couldn't believe how small she was. She is still my little wee one. She had her 1 year well-baby check up this week. She weighed in at 18 lbs 2 oz and is 28 inches long!

The day started with calls from Great Grandma Reta and Nana Marian both of whom sang Happy Birthday to her over the phone! It's a family tradition and we like to keep it going! Yesterday we headed with family and friends down to Waikiki for Kaci's birthday dinner. It was great. We were missing Great Grandma Reta, Grandpa Kokoa, Uncle Brad, Auntie Sherry, and Miss Chloe though, Auntie Amber, Uncle Ian, Jimmy, & Evelyn. We know they were with us in spirit! All in all it was wonderful. <3

Today we are going to have a Wild Animal party for the wee one. Mostly leopard and zebra print! I am excited to see how everything turns out! Joy will be coming to do the photography. She's awesome. We have some really wonderful friends coming to celebrate with us-all who love Stinka! It's going to be AWESOME!

A great BIG thank you to everyone for making Kaci's birthday special. We love you guys!

Thanksgiving and other items of interest...

Thanksgiving was great! Great food and great company.

The kids had fun playing in the back yard and Kaci enjoyed the wee little bit of turkey that she did eat. She's kinda picky! We had a plethora of food and drinks which let to some funny conversation. We decided to call it a "night" around 6. Rick and I were exhausted and Angie and I had to rest up for BLACK FRIDAY shopping. Yes. decided to brave the crowds. All in all it wasn't so bad. We left at around 6am and ot home just afer lunch time. I think that Target was the worst of them all. I didn't get as much as I thought I would. I also picked up Kaci's birthday presents. She is going to be 1 in 14 days! WOW oh WOW!

I also got another nice little surprise today...see pic below!

Kaci's b-day party is wild animal theme (zebra and leopard) so this will be a nice touch! HA LOL

TTFN...time to eat more turkey!

Katelyn's Baby Shower - A Garden Tea Party

I threw a baby shower (with the help of my favorite Angie) and it was a SUCCESS! The theme was a garden Tea Party. It went off without a hitch. A beautiful cake, yummy food, tea, games, and gifts. It was a good sized group of ladies. It was really fun. Here are some pics! I know she had a great time!!!!

To the left is the belly cake. 2 different views. The food was awesome. We had yogurt shots, veggie shots, sweet meatballs, fondue, apple and chese tray, veggie tray, punch, tea...

The invitations were beautiful and Angie made a sign for the front door that matched the invitations. it was awesome. We had balloons, Gerbera daisies for the guests along with a tea cup favor. In the tea cup were flower seeds, tea light candles, and a business card from my photographer (in case anyone was interested), and candies garnished the saucer that the tea cup was on. It really was fun and I am glad that her mom got to join us all the way from Chicago. More pics below...just a few.

Holidays and Other Places

HAPPY TURKEY DAY! MERRY CHRISTMAS or MELE KALIKIMAKA (in Hawaiian)!

We will be hosting Thanksgiving again this year. Yup! Food galore and good conversation. This will be Kaci's 1st Thanksgiving!

This picture is of the Long Beach Skyline from Signal Hill, CA. it's beautiful at night! Well, as of today (not counting today) there are only 40 days until Christmas (39 if you don't count Christmas day either)! LOL I am so excited for the holidays! We are going to California baby!!! Woot Woot! I love the holidays! I love real pine Christmas trees, the beautiful lights, smely Christmas candles, baked holiday goods, and just being with good friends and family. However, this does mean one thing...our baby girl is turning 1! More to follow on that later. Joy was wonderful enough to meet us at Hickam Beach last night for the family photo shoot. I should have at least one photo back soon so I can get our Christmas cards out! YEAH!!! And of course...you know I will post a few pics here too.

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS!

The next couse of action will be my trip to Seattle, WA. February marks the month for the American Academy of Forensic Science meetings. So, Kaci and I will be headed to Seattle and we will be meeting up with Auntie Sherry. I have never been to Seattle so I am really looking forward to the trip. Should be fun times...after work of course!

Thank you for Serving...

Today's is Veteran's Day. Thank you to all the men and women who serve out great nation and who have served in the past. Also, a special thank you should also go out to all the military spouses because they sacrifice just as much. So again...THANK YOU!

Some fantabulous things!

1. Snuggle Exhilarations Blue Iris and Bamboo Silk...of the smell is heaven! In fact, I am certain that heaven smells exactly like this!
2. Coffeemate Pumpkin Spice creamer
3. Plain ole shaken black iced tea from Starbucks
4. BLT's made with turkey bacon and sourdough bread
5. Coke Zero
6. YogurtLand

Also, Kaci is 11 months today! The big SHA-BANG will take place next month! I can't believe me baby is going to be 1!!!! Where or where has the time gone? Nana Marian will be here to celebrate with us. :o)

Other than that not too much else is going on. School and work as usual. I am excited for the the holidays! I love being with great friends and family. And...I love the smell of the holiday food!

TTFN!

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent Teacher Conferences went great! Courtney is smart as a whip. She is doing wonderfully in all of her subjects, especially math. Her teacher, Mrs. Staley is just a joy and she has such love for the children. Now, she is a little tough, but I love that about her.

She has such confidence in Courtney and had nothing but wonderful things to say about her!!

Anyhow, Kyle's school is dumb. They don't "schedule" parent teacher conferences. You have to make an appointment with each teacher if you want to have a conference. UGH! Whatever.

Anyway, Great job Courtney!!!

Happy Halloween

This is Kaci's 1st Halloween! It was a cat and mouse game! Kaci looked so cute in her costume. See kept looking at Courtney in that cat costume and I think she was trying to figure out whether or not she knew her. LOL

Friday night was the Hickam Carnival. Of course, I don't ride the rides anymore but Kyle and Courtney had fun! The rides make me sick to my stomach. Blehk!

Saturday the girls and I did a bunch of running around (shopping) while Rick went to the range with his cronies. Kyle Trick-or Treated with Courtney and then they came home, dropped off the candy, and headed straight for the carnival-again. LOL We had a BBQ with some friends. It was a nice evening.

Sunday is just Sunday. Homework is consuming my day. Rick is going to take the kids to the pool and Kaci and I are going to play play play. Well, that's all for today folks! Gotta get a good night's sleep tonight....Combat Lifesaver course all next week!

Thursday's In Hawaii

Thursday's are weird days. I don't know why- they just are. Let's see, I have been up since 4 AM! Kaci has 2 more teeth on bottom for a total of 7 and her 2nd eye tooth is coming in up top for a total of 8! She went to sleep at 6:30PM so I assume that is why she woke so early. It's ok. I got some laundry done! LOL

Courtney is home sick and taking antibiotics. Kaci is teething and at the tail end of a cold. Kyle and I have already been sick and Rick has been lucky enough not to get it.

Furlough days start tomorrow. What a bunch of CRAP! This is ridiculous. Our children are already at a disadvantage when they get back to the mainland and now it is going to be worse! Hawaii is rated #44 of all of the 50 states. Seriously. Seriously? Yes...Seriously! UGH! California is not any better at #46, Michigan is #25 and the #1 is believe it or not New Hampshire. This ranking can be found at http://www.psk12.com/rating/USthreeRsphp/STATE_US_level_Elementary_CountyID_0.html

I have found something new that I think you ought to try. Water. Actually it is called ACTIVATE and there are a few different flavors. The vitamins are crushed and in the top cap of the water. (there are 2 caps; one that secures the water and one that secures the crushed vitamins) Anyway, you twist the very top one to the left and it drops the crushed vitamins into the water and then you shake and drink! YUMM-O!

On a completely separate note...I have lost 7 1/2 pounds in 10 days! Go ME! At this rate I will have lost 35 pounds by Christmas!

That is all I have for now! Have a great day!

Wild

I love this outfit! The bow I bought off www.etsy.com

1. I love Etsy. I can buy anything on Etsy. I have purchased hair bows for Kaci, a tutu for her 1st birthday, one woman made me a set of leopard bloomers, and I purchased 2 organic baby wraps. It's such a great place to shop!

2. Kaci's 1st birthday is going to be wild animal print. My friend Sherry (the best friend ever) is making the invitations for me. So far we have her tutu, bloomers, bow, balloons, and the cake is ordered. The cake is going to be awesome. The bottom tier is going to be zebra with hot pink around the edge and the top tier is going to be leopard print topped with a pink bow! I am so excited.

3. School is almost over. I started a new class yesterday. I only have 3 classes to go and DONE! YAY!

4. I am throwing a baby shower for my good friend Katelyn. I am VERY excited to do this for her. It's going to be a garden tea party. It is going to be so cute. The cake is a belly cake. They are so cute. I am excited to see the end result. I went to Goodwill and purchased tea cups and tea pots and saucers for the shower. (Of course I will wash them!) LOL We are going to do veggie shots and Courtney is going to pass out Gerbera daisies to the guests. More to follow....

5. Rusty has a parasite. Sad...poor Rusty

6. I went TDY to the mainland last week. I had to go to a conference (which was awesome). On Saturday we took the kids to Disneyland. Kaci went through a sensory overload. I am sure of it. I also took Kaci to the pumpkin patch for the first time. Lots of pictures. :o) She looked so cute with her pumpkin. Courtney got to ride a pony and boy that was exciting! LOL It was nice to see family and friends.

7. We are going home for Christmas! 19 December to 3 January! YAY! I am looking forward to playing in the snow!

8. Kaci - she has 7 teeth! Well, 5 now but 2 more already broke through! I can't believe it! She just turned 10 months old on the 11th. Time is flying by too fast.

9. The Larson Trio is almost here! So exciting for K & C! CONGRATS!

10. Angie is awesome!

I think this concludes today's blog. I am sure there is more that I wanted to tell you, but of course now I can't remember. UGH. I hope you all have a fabulous day! Life is good!

Quote of the day - "Sometimes you're the bug, sometimes you're the windshield."

Looking Back...

As I reflect over what I have become I can't help but think of the day I found out I was pregnant with Kaci. I can't believe my baby girl is going to be 10 months old. My how time flies. When we are young we wish we were older and when we are older we wish we were younger. Some can't decide if high school was the best time their lives or if now is the best time of their lives. Some say 30 is the new 20 and others say that 50 is the new 30. When we stop and look around we wonder about the journey. It's not looking back that is the journey; the journey is now. Some say that your 30's are the best years of your life. Is that only if you are single? Are married people included in that group? I am 31. When I turned 30 I was 5 months pregnant with Kaci. August 1, 2009 I turned 31. I don't exactly recall my birthday and it wasn't because I was out drinking. It's old age. Seriously. LOL Ever since Kaci was born I forget everything. I actually had to count the decades on my fingers to figure out how old I am. UGH. Really? is this what my life has become? Well, good news is Kaci is really growing. She is so pretty and so smart. She is just the light of my life and so amazing. My heart melts...except for when she does her Mariah Carey impersonation. HA HA. As I sit here and type I can't help but wonder what her next year will bring. What does God have in store for us? It's all his plan and I am just his child who will continue on his path. My first 30 years weren't perfect and I am sure my next 30 years won't be either. But, I am going to try and make the best of them no matter what happens. I am going to try and have some fun too!

Until Next Time....

No Title Needed

OK. I have a lot to say today. Isn't Courtney so photogenic?!?!? LUCKY!

First, my sweet little baby girl has a cold. Bak! Dr. G said that she is super beautiful and healthy and that besides the minor runny nose she is perfect! (Duh! LOL)

Second, a BIG shout out to K & C L. Triplets are safe and going to come any day now. Good Luck. (Lucky for daddy there is a new Babies R Us opening up on Friday!)

Third, Courtney got her school pics back and they are so cute. :o) Kyle's school is behind the times.

My grocery store trip. I get to the commissary and as I am putting Kaci in the cart cover I realize that my old neighbor walks by. So, I am doing random shopping and since nothing was an immediate need I was kind of all over the store. The only items I had to pick up for sure were items for dinner tonight (my famous chicken cheddar melt). So of course, every time I go to a new part of the store she is there. I am thinking to myself, "Self...geesh she probably thinks I am following her." And...since we are not friends anymore I think that she thought the same thing. Then I go to the self checkout and proceed to the aisle where I have been directed by the clerk. Then all of a sudden I hear very loudly..."Geeze how many times is that!" So, I assume that it is my old neighbor suggesting that I was indeed following her. So, for the record, I was not. Not that it matters. In fact, I am not even sure why I am telling this story. This is radonkulous.

I suppose that people in life just amaze me. I know that we each have our own desires and different things make different people happy. For example, I love that I am going to be done with Graduate school in April; that I have a kick ass job; I have a husband that loves me (and doesn't look at other women), a great family, and so much more. Yes, having a career is important to me. To others it may not be important at all. I know that I do not want my daughter to grow up thinking that school is just a thing that she has to do because it's the law. I want her to know how important college is and that she will HAVE to have a degree to get a good paying job. Anyway, we all have our reasons for why we live our lives the way we do...BUT none of us should go around thinking that we are so ABOVE everyone else that we assume ...... nough said.

UGH. High heels. Seriously? Seriously. Seriously! For those of you that no what I mean I am sure you are sitting back cracking up!

Last but not least...a shout out to my Aunt Tani! She is going back to school. Hip Hip HOORAY!

That is all for today. I don't need to say any more. For those of you that know the real me you know the truth. I am thankful for my family and my friends. If I could give the shirt off my back I would do it.

War Wounds and Fire

Kaci had a fight. With a book. A little cardboard baby book. Pretty darn close to her eye eh? Well, she cried one big loud cry...that was the loud scream I mentioned in my earlier blog. She is doing well. Such a little trooper!

Side note: She started stage three foods today. The chicken noodle did NOT go well, but the sweet potatoes did! YAY! For now it's a mix of stage 2 and 3.

Today the microwave officially took a crap! I put something in it and all of a sudden I smell electrical burn...not a good thing. LOL So, I unplug the microwave, put it at the road, and rush over to the BX to buy a new one. $89! What? Why the heck are microwaves so expensive? Whatever. It's pretty and it works.

Tomorrow I am taking the kids to Hawaiian Waters. I am meeting up with Katelyn and Rowan. Should be fun. Well, off to watch a movie.

Until next time....

9 months....

My sweet baby girl is 9 months old today. I can't believe it. She loves taking steps and loves all different kinds of toys. Especially her piano! She now has 4 teeth; 2 on bottom and 2 on top. She loves to show them off. She is working her magic every day. Her smile makes my heart MELT.

The island of Oahu is finally getting it together. We have gotten 2 Targets in the last few months and now a Babies R Us is about to open on September 18th!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!! Talk about exciting. That is good news for Kaci but bad news for my wallet. LOL

I have been sick for over a week now and it is really getting OLD. BAK! I am sick of being sick. Seriously! Thera Flu and DayQuil are just not doing it. Allergies? I don't know. Whatever.

I am waiting patiently for Grey's Season 5 to arrive by mail so I can get with it......

OMG...totally lost my train of thought. Gotta run for now.....Kaci is screaming. She fell over with a book in her hand! Her little face is scratched up.....

The Early Bird...

Gets ran over by a 2003 Honda Odyssey! Early bird did not get the worm today! Yes, sadly I ran over a bird today. Lucky for me it wasn't the Hawaii state bird! Whew!!! Here I am at 6:26 am minding my own business, thinking about the beautiful Hawaiian morning, what I need to get done at work and then...... THUD! I look in the side view mirror and all I can see is this puff of feathers blowing in the wind. Then I think to myself, "Great. What kind of day is this going to be?"

Turns out that my day turned out fine. I got quite a lot accomplished today. I am happy about that. I also entered my precious one in a couple of photo contests. :o) Maybe she will win!

Kaci had gym class today and she stood up all on her own! YAY Kaci! Tomorrow she is coming to have lunch with me. Yippee!!!!

Let's see, what else? 29 days to CA! QA Conference and Disney! My baby's first time at Disney!

Ummm, oh yeah, there was something else...4 more classes to go and grad school is over! Woo Hoo! Besides that I know there was something else but I can't think of what it is now. Rats! Oh well, until next time....

oh...and a picture....one of my fav's (see above)

Randomness is OK

I just had to post the funny Kona picture. Everything sure is changing around here. It's crazy. Courtney is going to be 10 in 6 months. Kyle is going to be 13 next week. AND...KACI is going to be 8 MONTHS OLD! AHHHHHHH. Where has the time gone? Seriously. Speaking of seriously...this is some serious piano playing.

I love Grey's Anatomy. I love everything about the show. Seriously? Seriously! Seriously.

I bought the wee one her first sippy cup today and she hates it! I thought she might give it a try since it has handles. Not a chance. Nope. That would be a no! She is not having the cup. She is however doing a very good job with sitting up and practicing her voice. HA HA. I am sure the neighbors can hear her.

Courtney is very excited about turning 10 and getting her own ID card. She said that she doesn't need Kyle to go to the store with her and she is perfectly capable of going on her own. LOL HA. She is a responsible shopper.

Speaking of shopping that is what the girls did today. We went to Children's Place and spent too much. We went to Target and spent too much and then we went to the NEX for a few goodies. Didn't spend too much there. Thank goodness. Courtney said there is a new Bath and Body Works scent called P.S. I Love You but the NEX didn't have it. Oh well. Maybe next time.

We are getting EVICTED in January. Finally. LOL This old base housing is crap. There are animals living in the walls! Seriously. I am not even kidding. They are going to move us to the new awesome housing...or so we have been told. We'll see if that is what really happens.

In October the kids (all three of them) and I will be headed to good ole California for 9 days. We DO plan on going to Disney. YAY! It will be good to see the family. And hopefully Heather too!

Anyway, this is all for now. We are off to IHOP for some yummy deliciousness. YAY!

Funny Face Kona Dog

I HAD to post this picture because I cracked up laughing when I uploaded it today. LOL He looks like one of the greeting cards that has the big face goofy looking animals on it. HA HA HA HA. Too funny.

Happy 31st Birthday to Me!

I have been so busy that I just haven't had the time to post. Today I thought I would since it is MY birthday.

OK. So, I am 31 today. I have approximately 18,250 days left to go before I kick the bucket. LOL Today I got waxed, went to Old Navy, got a 30% discount (YAY!), got the van washed, and am going to give myself a manicure and spa treatments. Yesterday I got a pedicure so I don't have to do that today. I also got a homemade card from Courtney, a card from Kyle, and a card from my daddio with a $50.00 gift card to Cheesecake Factory! YUMM-O! Life is good.

I can't believe that one year ago today I was 5 months preggo with my baby girl. She is already 7 1/2 months old! Holy cow! Before I know it she will be running all over the place.

I have found a couple of things over the last couple of weeks that I like for the house. One is the Magic Eraser! WOW! It seriously works. I also found this scented stuff that is in a plastic container that has soft smelly beady things inside. It's in the air freshener aisle at the store. I have switched back to Gain detergent and fabric softener for the HE washer. There is a new gain scent that I LOVE. It's in the red container. Apple something I think.

Kaci had a photo shoot done on the 18th and the pics turned out so awesome. We are having another shoot done with the entire family on 15 August. Yay!

Anyway, I am going to go enjoy the day! Until next time...

BITCHOLOGY - It's not a bad thing - honest...

FINALLY - Someone is bitchy enough to say it like it REALLY is!

BITCHOLOGY

When I stand up for
Myself and my beliefs,
They call me a Bitch.

When I stand up for
Those I love,
They call me a Bitch.

When I speak my mind, think my own thoughts Or do things my own way,
they call me a Bitch.

Being a bitch
Means I won't
Compromise what's
In my heart.
It means I live my life MY way.
It means I won't allow anyone to step on me.

When I refuse to
Tolerate injustice and
Speak against it, I am
Defined as aBitch.

The same thing happens when I take time for Myself instead of being
everyone's maid, or when I act a little selfish.

It means I have the courage and strength to allow myself to be who I truly am and won't become anyone else's idea of what they think I 'should' be.

I am outspoken, opinionated and determined. I want what I want and
there is nothing wrong with that!
So try to stomp on me, just try to douse my inner flame, try to
squash every ounce of beauty I hold within me. You won't succeed.

And if that makes me a bitch ,so be it . I embrace the title and am proud to bear it.

B - Babe
I - In
T - Total
C - Control of
H - Herself

B = Beautiful
I = Intelligent
T = Talented
C = Charming
H = Hell of a Woman

B = Beautiful
I = Individual
T = That
C = Can
H = Handle 'anything'

What a Life!

The Military-When you marry a military man you marry the military. My husband will be starting with his new unit next week. That means more deployments....My God will be with him in his travels.

Kona- Our new puppy. he is a min pin. He is 2 lbs 7 oz. He will definitely be a surprise to the kids when they get home from vacation. KeiKei is not too happy with him yet. She is coming around.

Work- I am so busy at work that I barely have time to breathe. New certifications mean more responsibilities. These new responsibilities are welcomed with open arms. I am now a certified ASCLD-LAB Assessor. I am also certified to be a Victim Advocate. Also, going to a Quality Assurance Manager Conference in October.

School- Halfway done. I will be done on April 12, 2010 if I don't double up on classes. YIPPEEEE!

Kaci- I can't believe my baby is 6 1/2 months old. She is growing up so fast. I love her so much. She really is my pride and joy. She changes every day. Every day she does something that is new and cute! She loves the water. It's a good thing we are in Hawaii! My stinka....

New found items of love:

Glade Fabric Care scented spray

Skinny Cow Chocolate Truffle ice cream bars

Cherry Coke Zero (old but new)

Special K2O protein water mix - Iced Tea flavor

I know there is more and of course I can't think of them right now...

Until next time.

Storms, School, and Stuff

I have been in Michigan for a week now. I was here for an ASCLD-LAB training class. I hope I passed the final exam. :o) The class was very informative and I learned a lot about criteria, policies, and procedures for working in a crime lab. I had the pleasure of meeting some great people in the field (MSP, DEA, etc.) and hope get to possibly get to work with some of them someday. The instructor of the class made information a pleasure to learn. Great Class AE!

It has been storming like crazy. Right now it is thunder and lightening outside. The other day it was raining so hard and the sky was so black that I almost had to pull over on I-69 West because I could not see a stinkin thing. I haven't driven in rain like that in years. CRAZY!!!!

I have been so busy while I have been here that I haven't had time for much. By the time I get home from school it is almost time for bed. Ha! The time change is killing me. It is going to be weird going back in time when I go home. The day is going to seem long. But, I am so glad that I will get to spend Father's Day with my hubby and Kaci. He sure does love his baby girl. And she sure does love her daddy. :o)

It's back to the grindstone on Monday...right after Kaci's 6 month well baby checkup. I can't wait to find out how much she weighs and see how long she is. She is growing up so quickly. I can't believe she got 2 teeth at once and never fussed about it! What a good baby!!! She is so good natured. She has such a wonderful personality. I love her.

Look at those Choppers

Kaci HAS TWO TEETH POPPIN THROUGH! I can't believe it! My baby has two bottom teeth coming in at the same time! She is getting to be my big girl! I love it!

She did well on the way to MI. She has been very good for Auntie Sherry. And her loves her some Uncle Brad! Chloe has managed to find several ways to keep her laughing!

The ASCLD-LAB class is great. It is a lot of information. I am learning a lot. A little nervous about the exam though. EEEK! Well, speaking of class, that is where I am headed. So...

Until next time.

The half-way point...

MY BABY GIRL IS 6 MONTHS OLD TODAY!!!!!!!

I can't believe it. Where has the time gone. I am glad that I am camera happy and have literally hundreds of pictures of her. I think in March I took like 3 hundred and something. Now, I didn't say I was an expert. I just said I was camera happy! LOL

We are going to be packing out suitcase and carry on and heading to the Midwest. Yup. Training. But, at least I get to bring my life's purpose with me. I love her. She loves me. She is a little Kirsten. Her personality is so cute. And I still love that crinkle nose. And...she even hates peas like me! LOL

She is such a wonderful gift from God. I praise Him and thank Him everyday for my Kaci.

Until next time...

Time...

It seems that I don't have enough time. Obtaining my Master's Degree is soaking up all of my time like a sponge. Then there is work, that is taking up more of my time (but believe me I am NOT complaining). With 40 hours a week at work and 22 hours a week of school where is the time going? When will I have time to hang out with the family? People think that being married to the military is all glorious and fabulous. People are always under the impression when they find out my husband is Active Duty that I shop all day, blog all day, FB and MS all day, sit in front of the TV and eat Bon Bons all day, get manis and pedis all day, but they never assume that I work and go to school. Some people are so stupid! UGH!

Anyway, I am exactly half way done with my Master's as of today! Woot Woot! Only 5 more classes to go. While sitting doing some homework last night I actually pondered the thought of getting my PhD. Hmmm. It's only 3 years. We'll see.

Well, i am running out of time before work so I must go...Until next time....

Girls Day Out...

SHOPPING RULES!!!!

This morning began at Starbucks. One cheese bagel toasted with cream cheese, one blueberry bagel toasted with cream cheese, one Venti non-fat toffee nut latte no whip no foam and one tall double chocolaty chip latte please! Courtney and I had begun our day (and Kaci too but all she got was formula).

Once a year I like to revamp the kids' wardrobe. Today was Courtney's special day. She is getting ready to go on summer vacation for 7 weeks. So, after a trip to Old Navy and a trip to Target, and about $550.00 or so later she had a whole new wardrobe, new backpack for school next year, and two new pairs of shoes (and a pair of flip flops).

Every year I get the kids a new backpack and new lunch box. Well, as I am sure you know, I did not leave without picking up Rick a new pair of shorts, two pairs of shorts and two shirts for Kyle, two outfits for Kaci, and one shirt for me. Even KeiKei got something out of the deal; a new dog dish that is one stand with two bowls.

She has her "bathroom" bag already to go filled with all of a little girls necessities. :o) She has 5 new Katie Kazoo books, a book full of brain games, and a Miley Cyrus book. She has everything in a neat stack on her floor ready to go in her suitcase.

So, with that said, we had a fabulous day! Until next time...

The Royal Hawaiian

The Royal Hawaiian is located in the heart of Waikiki. Prime beach! It has been open since 1926 or 1927 I can't remember which. Over the last year or so it has been being renovated. it reopened in January 2009. We decided that we would take the family and see what the Royal Hawaiian was all about. We wanted to have some family fun. Well, we did have the family fun part; Kaci got to touch the sand with her toes and swim in the pool with mommy and daddy, but the hotel was not all it was cracked up to be. Kyle and Courtney had fun at the pool and the beach. one of the pools is shared with the Sheraton Waikiki which is next door (and half the cost per night we found out).

I think Rick and I have been spoiled by our bed. The bed at the hotel was awful and the pillows were worse. I think they were down, but they were SOOOO fluffy that they were hard and they wouldn't squish down so you ended up with a neck ache. LOL The mattress was not that great either. The bathroom was beautifully remodeled and the original hand carved doors are still there. The room was nice with a view of the garden. Our biggest complaint was the bed and pillows.

Breakfast the next morning was $98.00 for 4 people. WHAT?!?!? How can anyone afford a family vacation at the Royal Hawaiian?!?!?!? The organic mushroom and cheese omelet was delicious and I don't even like mushrooms!

Anyway, I'd seriously think about staying somewhere else if you are going to get away to Waikiki for a night or for a weekend. The Royal Hawaiian is very expensive. (It's $280.00 - military rate- per night with $29.00/day valet parking.) Next time we are going to try the Sheraton Waikiki.

Until next time...

More Please!

Let me just start of by saying that the conference was great. I keep learning though conference after conference that we live in a mean and crazy world. One case that we studied was a 3 1/2 year old little girl that was boiled to death in 148 degree water by her aunt and uncle. My heart just fell out. Justice is so important and so is the world of forensic science and DNA.

On a happier note, now that I have depressed all of you, Kaci is eating stage 1 foods! I am so excited for her. Yesterday on the plane I was noticing that she was eyeballing my Nutri Grain bar. Now, we had tried rice cereal and applesauce a few times over the last couple of weeks and she didn't seem interested. So, last night when we got home I stuck her in her seat and gave her some sweet potatoes. SHE ATE THE WHOLE CONTAINER! She was in sweet potato heaven.

This morning we had oatmeal and applesauce in the high chair. Then she proceeded to have a four ounce bottle of formula! Holy catfish Andy! LOL She didn't quite eat all of the oatmeal but she did a great job! Way to go Kaci!

Other than that no news..... off to do some homework then we are headin to the beach!

Where do I begin?

CONGRATS to AR on her new baby girl!!! Please send me a picture soon! Let me know if there is anything I can do for you!

The conference has been really great so far. I have listened to a lot of case stuff and even one that relied totally on DNA today. I have been asked to speak at next year's conference. I am quite pleased and I hope the boss is too!

SD is leaving tomorrow and I am leaving on Friday morning. Actually I will be happy to sleep in my own bed. Of course I miss my hubby too....Kaci is ready to be back in her own surroundings. The conference program chair even made Kaci a name badge and gave her a name badge holder even though she didn't actually "attend" the conference. LOL

This is a little off the wall but I just want to say that it really bugs me when people change just because their friends change a little. Hmmm. Whatever.

I am going to another conference in June and this one will be really good for the changes coming at work. Sooooo....

Until next time...homework is calling and it's 10:39PM. Nite!

The Flight

Kaci is like the perfect travel partner. The flight to San Jose from Honolulu was 4 hours and 37 minutes. Kaci slept 3 of those hours. She was up for a bit and we played and when she wasn't playing she was sitting in her sling that my very god friend Amber made for me. Kaci loves that sling and it alleviated me from having to hold her the whole time. AMEN! She was so good. Now, there was a 7 month old who was crying most of the time and an eleven month old 2 rows behind us that was quite vocal. But...no worries. It's cool. I don't mind screaming babies. Oh yeah, and I sat next to this grandma type lady who was very sweet and we spoke a few times. She was lovely.
Today was the first day of the conference. The opening ceremony was great and there were even Chinese dragon dances from the San Jose Police Department. Annnnddddd...the Chair of the CSDIAI asked me to give a presentation next year at the conference on JPAC and what we do there. I obliged. Hope the boss approves.
Well, must go for now. Until next time....

It's Been a While....

for a lot of things. I haven't seen my dad in forever. I will see him on Monday though and I am very excited. I am very excited for him to meet Kaci for the first time. My beautiful baby girl is 5 months old already! I cannot believe it. My how time flies. Kaci will also get to see great Grandma Reta and Aunt Sherry! Kaci is one lucky little girl. So many people love her and care about her. I thank GOD everyday that she is my daughter.

School is draining the life out of me. But in 7 classes which is 11 months I will have my Master of Science in Administration of Justice and Security. Woot Woot.

Rick is still going strong with school. Mostly A's and only a couple of B's. I am proud. That is for sure.

Kaci is crying and I am desperately trying to get some homework done. Well, I am ahead, but I like it that way.

Kaci and I will be leaving for San Jose on Sunday morning so please keep us in your prayers and wish us a safe flight.

Until next time....

25 Things We Learned From Our Mothers...

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE . "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION. "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL . "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC. " Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC. "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY. "Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS. "Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM. "Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10.. My mother taught me about STAMINA."You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER. "This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.. "If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE. "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION. "Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY. "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION. "Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING . "You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE. "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

19. My mother taught me about ESP. "Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR."When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT . "If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS. "You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS. "Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM. "When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE. "One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you.

Officially Out - Take 2

HA! What a joke. Bassinet to crib - I don't think so. LOL Yesterday afternoon Rick went to the NEX and bought a baby video monitor. We just felt better about putting her in her room if we could see her. She had a long afternoon nap (5 hours to be exact) because she did not have a morning nap so I am not sure when it was time to go nite nite that she was really all that tired. When it was time to put her to bed I fed her, put her in her Halo Sleep Sack (which she used in her bassinet with no problem) and then laid her down in her crib.

We watched her on the monitor and all we did was crack up laughing. She was kicking her legs, in her sleep sack, like she was trying to run. HA HA! She then started to cry so I let her whimper for a while and then noticed she had dropped her bink bink. I gave her back her bink bink and she went back to sleep. Well, after about an hour or so she started to cry really really loud so I went in to get her. I brought her back to my room and she fell right asleep. Hmmmm. What the heck? SOOOOO we went as far as to bring her pack-n-play into our room (since she has 2) and tried to get her to sleep. I swaddled her, rocked her a little, and she went to sleep. Well at 3 AM she decided that she did not want to sleep in her pack-n-play anymore. Eventually, I got up and got her and brought her to bed with me so that I could get some sleep. She slept an additional 3 hours.

Tonight I am going to try AB's suggestion and put a fan in her room. AB thought that might be good since she is used to hearing one in our room. I will try that and pray that it works. Wish us luck for night number 2. If that does work then the pack-n-play is coming back out of my room and back into hers.

Officially Out!

I wondered if the time would ever come when I (and Rick too) would be able to put Kaci in her crib. Well, today is the day. The bassinet is gone forever...off to Airmans attic. Tonight Kaci will sleep in her crib for the first time. She is just 9 days shy of 5 months old. Last night I turned to look at her and she was laying diagonal in her bassinet and her poor little hands were all scrunched against the sides of the bassinet. I looked at Rick and said, "Tomorrow it's the crib." He agreed although I could see in his eyes he wasn't ready. Poor daddy. I thought to myself, "she has to go in there eventually."

Anyway, I wanted to share this bittersweet moment with you. It saddens me to know that my baby is growing up and she is not quite the wee little baby that she used to be. At almost 12 pounds and a long 24 inches she is moving up to her big girl room.

I am sure that she will be fine...it is me that I am worried about.

First Try

Yesterday was Kaci's first bout with cereal from a spoon. LOL It was so cute and so funny to watch her. Of course, my battery was dead in the camera, but we did get it on video. LOL I think most of it ended up on her bib. We tried again tonight but again, I think she only ate about 1 teaspoon because most of it was on her shirt. She seems like she likes it by the looks on her face. It takes her a minute to figure out that hey- there is something a little weird in my mouth. Then if you don't get the spoon to her fast enough she has a big cow!

Until next time....

4!

Kaci went for her 4 month well-baby checkup today and weighed in at 11 lbs 14 oz and is exactly 24 inches long. :o) She got poked three times in the leg (well 2 in one leg and 1 in the other) plus something oral that supposedly tastes like grape. I can't believe my wee little baby is already 4 months old. It's bittersweet.
Doc said she looks good all the way around. He did say that we need to keep working on tummy time. I guess she should be able to lay on her stomach and hold her head up for 15 straight seconds. To me that seems like a long time, but whatever. Anyway, Kaci HATES laying on her tummy so I only do it for a few minutes.
Tonight I am putting a little bit of cereal in her bottle and see if that helps her sleep better. I'll keep you posted.

Until next time.....

Diaper War - Intersting Fact

In late 2001, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, which manufactures Huggies, the top selling disposable diaper, quietly launched a plan to raise the price of its product. It left the price of a package of diapers unchanged but removed one diaper from each package, thereby effectively increasing the price per diaper by 5 percent. The company anticipated that Procter & Gamble, the manufacturer of Pampers and Luvs disposable diapers, would react by increasing its diaper prices as well.
Instead, Procter and Gamble responded by launching an unexpected price cut. P & G reduced the price of Pampers by 15%. It also arranged with the supermarket chains to provide purchasers of Huggies with coupons offering $5 off their next purchase of disposable diapers- as long as they were Pampers instead of Huggies.
At the end of this great price war consumers were happier and so was P & . K-C's share of disposable diaper sales went from 46 to 43% and P & G went from 33 to 38%.

(Miller, 2006)

Kaci & other stuff too....

Kaci's MRI results are good to go. Doc said just to monitor her birthmark and watch for anything out of the norm. Ahhhh. Relief! (She weighed in at 11 lbs 9 oz) :o)

Kaci learned how to gurgle her spit yesterday. Now she makes all kinds of sounds and she makes herself laugh! LOL

Yesterday Kaci and Courtney had on matching shirts. LOL Very cute! Big Sister and Baby Sister.

Kyle got all A's and B's 3rd Quarter. He made the Honor Roll (first time this year)! Congrats Ky!

We took a walk last night down by the water. We took KeiKei with us and she went bizirko! She was like a little speed racer. She was running and jumping all over the place. But then....towards the end...she got tired and refused to walk anymore she she had to be carried. HA!

I have 2 favorite drinks from Starbucks...Venti Espresso Truffle and Quad Venti Non-fat Toffee Nut latte 6 pumps no whip no foam at 185 (degrees that is)

My friend Nicole just finished her Thesis and will be getting her Master's Degree next weekend! Way to go Nic!!!! Congrats!

Kaci and I will be leaving for San Jose in 30 days. Woot Woot!

My grandma is moving.............................again! We told her this was the LAST time she could move- ever!

My (well Kaci's) Nanny is pregnant- finally! So excited for her and her hubby! Thought is was definitely worth mentioning.

I got $6000.00 towards school! WooHoo! And it's money I DON'T have to pay back!

Courtney and Kyle got a cell phone- that they share. They can only call and receive calls from people in their contacts list.

The kids will be getting their pictures done on the 29th of April.

I think that is all for now. Until next time!!!!!!

What a Wonderful Life

Since Rick and I switched to Verizon I was finally able to get this picture off his phone. This is my sweet Kaci Elizabeth. December 11, 2008 @ 5:36am. 5 pounds 4.7 ounces coming home at an even 5 pounds. My sunshine. My heart. My love.

Today this little love of mine weighed in at 11 pounds 9 ounces. She had her MRI. She was champ. No crying, no fuss. She had to be sedated because she is so small. She got an wee little IV and her medicine and was done with the MRI in a little over an hour. We spent 6 hours at Tripler. I am glad we are home. I am glad that she is okay. I will have the MRI results in 48 hours. I'll keep you posted.

Until next time.....

One of my favorite pictures!

I love her smile. God has certainly blessed us. She is so free spirited and loving. I am so happy to have her! Every time I see her smile my heart melts. She can make any day a happy day!

Randomness

HAPPY EASTER! HE has Risen!
So much has been going on that I don't even know where to begin. I have been telling myself for a week now that I want to blog and then I forget and now I can't remember all the things I wanted to talk about.
I will start by telling you that Rick and I love our new Blackberry Storm phones. I haven't given my phone a name yet. She is a wonderful phone and does so many cool things. Total and utter fabulousness!
Courtney has a cell phone too. LOL major parental controls on it. Verizon did a good job with that.
Kaci is having her MRI tomorrow.
The kids are having their pictures taken on 29 April.
I am going to San Jose in a month (with Kaci) to the International Association of Identification conference. Then I am going to MI in June (with Kaci of course) for an ASCLD class.
Kyle leaves on June 16th.
Kristi is awesome.
Rick starts his new job in July.
I am still trucking along with obtaining my Master's.
Of course....I can't remember anything else right now. But I can tell you some of the things that I have found I love....
1. Cherry Coke Zero
2. Snuggle Green Burst
3. My Blackberry
4. Quad venti non-fat toffee nut latte no whip no foam latte
5. Venti Espresso Truffle (on days I feel I need something chocolaty)
6. Italian tomato and basil pizza from CPK
7. Moe's Southwest Grille - they make a good delicious burrito

Until next time...Have a wonderful day!

You are FIRED!!!

SVG stands for Stupid Valet Guy. I went to Tripler on 1 April for Kaci's physical. I decided to use the valet because there is NEVER any parking at that place. This young looking blond haired kid walks up with his dark sunglasses and crappy attitude and rushes me out of the van. Little does he know that it takes a minute to get...the baby, stroller, diaper bag, purse, etc out of the van. Luckily Kaci's nanny was with us. (She is so wonderful.) Anyway, I pay the $5.00, the kid gives me my ticket and I am off to the appointment.
So, I come out of the appointment and I am searching high and low for the stupid ticket. I look at Kristi and she has no idea what I have done with it. So, with my mommy brain I start to think the kid forgot to give me one. Well.....it just so happens that I stuck it in my wallet and didn't even think to check there because I was so scatterbrained. LOL
I grab the ticket and here is how it goes: K is me and SVG is stupid valet guy
K: I found the ticket. Sorry about that it was in my wallet.
SVG: OH I see you found yout ticket (all sarcastic)
K: Yup- sorry bout that
SVG: Uhhhhh Hummmmmm (still sarcastic)
K: Are you mad?
SVG: Nooooo are yooooouuuuuuu mad?
K: I don't really appreciate the fact that you are speaking to me like that. I thought for a moment that you may have forgotten to give me a ticket.
SVG: We ALWAYS give everyone a ticket!
K: I suggest that you watch the way you are talking to me.
SVG: WHATEVER!!!
K: It will be by the graces of God if you still have a job by the end of the day today.
SVG: Youuuuu don't have that affect on me!
K: We'll see about that.
The other valet kid proceeds to bring my van around by this time. He gets ou of the van and hands me my keys and I tell him that I want his manager's name and phone number right this minute. He proceeds to tell me that jackass (SVG) IS the supervisor. UGH! I say. I say then that I want SVG's managers name and phone number.
SVG: Is she still talking shit over there?
By now I am pissed off. I call the manager and in quite the tone tell him what has happened. I find out that the company is Standard Parking. Jamie Barboza (SVG's boss) proceeds to apologize and tell me how sorry he is. He then tells me that they are in the customer service business and they do not treat their customers this way. Anyway, I tell him the whole story. He seems mortified. We hang up the phone. Within 15 minutes he calls me back and says that he is on his way to Tripler to remove Anthony Williams (SVG) from the premises. I am so excited. Then i get a call from Nicole Henkins (Jamie's boss). She tells me how upset she is and she can't believe it. Needless to say and to make this story short, Mr. Sarcasm is no longer employed.
i don't feel bad about it. He deserved it. It doesn't matter if I am the Generals wife or Joe Shmo off the street. There was no reason for his behavior. I am the customer. Period.

My Girl

I took Kaci for her sedation physical on 1 April. She had to have this physical before she has her MRI on the 13th. She weighed in at 11 pounds 2 ounces and 23 3/4 inches long! I can't believe how fast my baby is growing! She is going to be 4 months old in 7 days. Holy Cow.

She doesn't really care for tummy time but I make her do it anyway. She sits up in her Bumbo seat really well. She loves to watch Baby E First Moves. When she sees the other babies she talks to them. LOL It is so cute. She is talking up a storm and laughs fom the pit of her belly. I just love it. I just love her.

We will be headed to San Jose is 5 weeks and then in June we are headed to Michigan. Should be some interesting plane rides. Other than the normal stuff not too much else is going on. She is waking up from her nap so I better go...until next time.....

Up and Coming...

Well, today was another great day at the sitters. Kaci sat in a purple Bumbo seat and was laughing her little head off at "Auntie". She looks like she has so much fun there and that makes me HAPPY!!! I get send pictures every day and I just love that. Auntie even keeps a log of Kaci's day so that I know what's going on with her. Auntie is WONDERFFUL!!! Kaci is her one and only and it is going to stay that way.
Kaci is growing up so quick. She wants to move all over the place. When she lays on her back her legs just go and go and go. She laughs and coos and talks all the time. Pretty soon she will be rolling over and sitting up all by herself. As of today my sweet little 3 month 7 day old baby is 22 1/2 inches long and 11 pounds even! I can hardly believe what I am writing.
Kaci will be taking her first plane trip with mommy in May. We are going all the way to San Jose, CA. Great Grandma Reta and Auntie Sherry are going to meet us there! Woo Hoo!!!!! This will be Auntie Sherry's first time meeting Kaci. Kaci will be just over 5 months old. Holy Catfish Andy!
Work is good. I like being back. I feel even more accomplished. Woot Woot! LOL My friend Jenny says that all the time. Hee Hee
That's all for now...Until Next Time....

The First Day of Work...

....is like the first say of school. Today I went back to work after three very short months off. Now, I am not going sit here and whine because it really wasn't that bad. Yes, I missed her like no one's business, but she was in good hands. I woke up at 3 to give her a bottle, then again at 5 to get ready for work. I was ready by 5: 28 AM. I came downstairs and got my bag ready for work with a week's worth of lunch meals and all my coffee stuff. I got her (she was already up) got her taken care of and was out the door and to work and at my desk by 6:30 AM. The day went by really fast and SD did a good job of keeping me company. Thanks SD! (wink wink) I was so busy and had steady work to catch up on. I had 265 emails and I got it down to 76 by the end of the day. I had gone in a few times while on maternity leave so if I hadn't done that I would have had close to 600 emails. YIKES!!!!! Anyway, it felt good to be productive in the workforce. Life is only going to get busier, demanding work, demanding school, and demanding family. All is DEMANDING. I will be headed to San Jose, CA in May for a week for a conference (International Association for Identification Conference). I am very excited. I will be taking Kaci with me. She will be going on her first plane ride at 5 months old. We shall see how that goes. Anyway, I missed my baby but both of us ended up OK and not needing sedation or to be institutionalized. LOL Until next time....

A Reminder...

I took this picture at Ko'Olina a couple of weeks ago. This is just a simple reminder that there is life off the military base and that Hawai'i truly is a beautiful place.

How could I forget?

Happy 1st Birthday Bubba!

Two hours of complete and utter.......

My poor sweet Kaci. I think, and I say that lightly since I am not sure, might be teething. Yesterday she screamed her head off for 2 hours. Her little face was all red and she had BIG crocodile tears coming from her pretty little eyes. She really sounded like she was in pain. I immediately and frantically called my special neighbor and sought her MMA (mother medical advice) and she did say that it (teething) was a possibility. Rick ran over to get the baby Orajel and teething tablets. (I learned by the way that you CANNOT use too much or when they swallow it, it can numb their throat). I put some on her little gummies, Rick held her, and she fussed for a minute and then went to sleep. She woke up around three, fussed a little, drank a bottle, and then went back to sleep. She woke up again at about 5:45 AM and we just got up. She seems to still be fussy today, but she is asleep in her swing. It sounds as if she might be waking up......