Happy Birthday!!

Abby turned three today, and we had a great birthday weekend. Friday evening we went to Medieval Times for dinner. This was our second time going, and Abby had a great time. Our knight, the yellow one, threw a flower to her and she was so excited. We didn't do much on Saturday, just went and watched the Navy Women's Tennis team play their last match and enjoyed the great weather.











Sunday morning we had a big surprise for her. We went to breakfast and then headed out for our adventure. We decided to take Abby on a Pirate Adventure in Annapolis Harbor. It was a great time, and the weather was just perfect. This was their opening weekend for the season, and we picked a perfect time because it was a small crowd. They made it so much fun for the kids. We found a message in a bottle floating in the harbor, fought Pirate Pete with our water cannons, and sailed on to find the black "X" that marked the treasure hidden under the water.

Great Bedtime Story

Abby picks two books each night for me to read, and tonight she picked one of my favorites. "Love You Forever" is such a great book, but it makes me cry every time I read it. The first couple of times I read it I thought I might have been a little overly emotional....no....can't blame the hormones on this one! The story is just so sweet. If you haven't read it, I really recommend it.

Chilly Easter

We actually had some snow on Saturday, so our Easter weekend was really cold. Because of the weather, the Easter Bunny his our eggs inside the house. Abby was so cute, because after she found all of the eggs, we had to re-hide them about 6 more times because she wanted to find them again. The last time she said she was going to hide them for us to find, but when she was all done she decided to "find them" herself! She made us wait in her room while she hid the eggs, and when we came out we found about 10 eggs in the hallway! She hadn't quite mastered the art of hiding yet. We had such a fun morning. Then around 10:30 that morning she started running a fever. We were planning to go to an egg hunt they were having at the Academy at noon, but stayed home all day instead. Her fever broke over night, and she seemed to be feeling much better this morning so I took her to school. Today was pajama day, so that was a lot of fun. April is Month of the Military Child here, so each day they have a different theme. Her fever returned around noon, and I went to pick her up. Q is going to stay home with her tomorrow, since I teach all morning. Hopefully she feels better soon. I think the constant weather changes here have been keeping us all sick. Hopefully spring will arrive soon and stick around a little longer this time.

Long time, no blog!

The past couple of weeks have been pretty hectic here for us. A couple of weeks ago, Quintin came down with the flu. He was quarantined in the bedroom while we tried to keep it from spreading through the house. I was the only one who had gotten the flu shot this year, but I got sick anyway. It wasn't as bad as the flu, but of course I felt the worst on a day when I had classes to teach all morning. Luckily I was able to get home right after that, and after a couple of days I felt better. The good thing about it all was that Quintin was feeling better by the time I was sick, so it was then my turn to stay in the bedroom. Abby ended up only getting cold-like symptoms, and for that we were thankful. I think she had to stay home from school one day because she was running a fever, but she didn't have any other major symptoms.

Of course I had two papers due the week I came down with whatever it was. I am such a procrastinator, and I am not sure why. I try to start my papers early, but it is as if the words won't come to me unless I feel that pressure. I was able to finish my 6 page paper right before I got sick, and then I only had the 10-pager left. That paper was for the International Terrorism course I was taking, and it was the last thing I had to turn in. That was the third elective for the Masters program I am in, and I thought it was my final one, but it looks like I might have to take one more. They are trying to change the program, and make it so all three electives that you take must fall into one Area of Study, so that way, once you receive your degree, you can also get a special designator. As I understand it, that could play a part in where I serve my joint shore tour in the future. In my case, two of my electives fell under Counterinsurgency and Terrorism, and the last one was under something else, so this summer I will probably take one more course just to be safe. This May I will be about halfway done, and I should be able to graduate next May. I was looking forward to being done with my electives, but I guess one more in the summer won't be too bad. I won't be teaching, so I will have more time than I do now.

We've also been looking for a puppy. We really like Boston Terriers and also Boxers. Yesterday we went to look at a Boxer, and he was really cute. The only issue was that it looked like he might have had some hip problems. His hind legs were slipping out from under him a lot, and looked pretty weak. It was really sad for Quintin and I, because when we saw him do it for the first time we both looked at each other because it reminded us of the little Boston Terrier we had named Rocko. Quintin bought him for Abby in August of 2005, and after only having him in our lives for 6 weeks he had to be put down because one day he started having seizures. Q took him to the vet and he was seizing for over an hour, so we really had no choice. He was the best dog. He loved to sing when Abby played her little harmonica and he would fall asleep in Q's arms like a little baby. We want another dog, but it is really hard to take that step again after losing a puppy that was so young. We thought we had chosen a reliable breeder, and ended up having to go to small claims court over the issue. We will probably end up waiting a little longer. We did realize that even though Boxers are great family dogs, it might be a little big for us, so we will probably get another Boston. Abby likes to feed the fish at school, so I think we will start there. I know we are ready for the responsibility of having a lifelong pet, but not so sure we are ready for the "what if something happens to our puppy," especially since Abby is older now and would feel the heartbreak too. A fish is much easier to replace....possibly without her even noticing.

Our first step to a new dog

We have been thinking about getting a dog for a little while, but we wanted to wait until Abby was a little older. Quintin saw this and got it for Abby- it is Barbie's dog, Tanner. You feed him, he does his business, and then you have to pick it up with a little pooper-scooper and put it in the trash. His treat box hooks to the back of the trash can, so you can take it off and pour it right into his bowl. The idea is kind of gross, but Abby likes to clean up after him, so I would say we are well on our way to getting a real dog. You can tell by her face at the end of the video that she agrees it is kind of yucky.....can you imagine what face she would make if it was a real dog?

Magic shampooing fingers

Today I went to get my hair cut and colored. It turned out really nice- I went back to an all over color as opposed to the highlights I normally get. I will have to get Q to take a picture when he gets home so I can add it to the post. But what I really wanted to write about was the girl who shampooed my hair- it was the best shampoo I've ever had. It felt like she was massaging my head for an hour, but it was really only about 10 minutes or so. Right when she started I knew it was going to be wonderful. There is just something about having someone else wash your hair that is so relaxing.
It totally reminded me of when Abigail was born. She was crying when the nurse took her over to the cart to bathe her, but once she started washing her hair she stopped and got the cutest little look on her face....like she wanted to say, "Oooh, this feels nice!" From then on she has loved to have her hair shampooed. Everyone loves a little pampering!

Edited- Here's a picture of my hair as I was on my way to work on Friday morning. You might not be able to tell, but it is a brownish-red...kind of a mahogany color, as Shane, my hairstylist called it.

Weekend in Philadelphia

Last weekend we went up to Philadelphia. I had to go on one of the YP's (the Midshipmen take trips every now and then for training), so Quintin and Abby drove up on Friday. It was a great trip. We went to this great children's museum called "Please Touch." That is where most of the pictures are from. They had a great little grocery store in there for the kids, and Abby loved it. All she had in her cart were snack foods, until I reminded her she needed some fruits and vegetables. After she shopped, she went to the "stockroom, " clocked in and loaded up a stock cart to reload the shelves. They also had a cool Where the Wild Things Are and Alice in Wonderland exhibit.
After the museum, we walked to the Museum of Art to see the statue of Rocky Balboa and to run up the steps like Rocky does in the movies. There were a lot of locals that had made the steps part of their regular workout routine. After that we saw the Liberty Bell, and some other places like Constitution and Independence Hall. On the way back to the hotel, I gave Quintin and Abby a quick tour of one of the YPs and we called it a night.
It was funny because we could see the YPs from the room we were staying in on the 15th floor, and when Abby first saw them nested she said they were "snuggling." They both watched us get underway on Sunday morning, and usually the first thing we do is twist the ship at an angle, and then back up. She was watching and said, "Mommy's baby ship is going backwards! Silly Mommy!" Quintin said she was giggling and thought it was so funny that we were moving backwards.
We got underway at 7 a.m. and they left to drive home at 8. At about 9:45 Quintin called and said they were almost home. Meanwhile, I had about 10 more hours to go until I would be home. YPs are fun, but they're really slow, and we have to go the round-about way. But is was a great time.

Ship selection night!!

Tonight is Ship Selection Night at the Academy. That is when all of the Midshipmen who will be graduating in May who have selected to go Surface Warfare (like me) will get to chose which ship they will be on for their first sea tour. They make it a really big deal here. Quintin likened it to the NFL draft, but the only difference is the players get to choose the team they want to be on. It is going to be a long night, but it should be fun.

There are going to be a lot of high ranking officers there- namely a lot of Admirals. All of the VIPs get to have dinner at the Superintendent's house before the ceremony begins. Even though they each have a Flag Lieutenant whose sole job is to keep their schedule and make sure they get from one location to another, each of the Lieutenants in my department were assigned an Admiral to escort. We have to pick them up and walk them over to another building, which is only about a 5 minute walk.

Somehow I was chosen to escort the highest ranking one... Vice Admiral Etnyre, Commander, Naval Surface Forces (That means he is in charge of all the ships in the Navy). Here is his picture- I have to use this to try to find him in the crowd at the Supe's house.


Not sure what kind of small talk I am going to make on the way over, but I'm sure I'll think of something. Maybe I can see what he thinks about Britney shaving her head and bailing out of rehab for the second time!!

The Call of Duty

I was doing a little internet surfing during lunch today and stumbled upon a great article that I had to share. Everyone has their own reasons for joining the military, and even for choosing to continue to serve, but it is rare that they are shared. This May will mark my 6th year of commissioned service in the Navy and I am glad that there are still people out there who feel the call to serve their country so deeply.

It started on Oct. 29, 2006. On the night before he deployed to Iraq, Army 2nd Lt. Mark Jennings Daily sat down at his laptop in his Texas apartment and began tapping out an essay for his MySpace Web page. Daily, a 23-year-old Irvine native who considered himself a liberal humanist, had decided to join the fight despite initial doubts about the war. He was killed on Jan. 15, when a roadside bomb detonated beneath his vehicle in Mosul. Three of his comrades died with him. Here is what he wrote:

All,
By the time you read this I am bound for you know where. If any of you are still curious, I threw together this short essay as to why I joined the Army. Hope it answers your questions!

Love,
Mark

The Best Way Out is Through!

"Why I Joined"

This question has been asked of me so many times in so many different contexts that I thought it would be best if I wrote my reasons for joining the Army on my page for all to see. First, the more accurate question is why I volunteered to go to Iraq. After all, I joined the Army a week after we declared war on Saddam's government with the intention of going to Iraq. Now, after years of training and preparation, I am finally here.

Much has changed in the last three years. The criminal Ba'ath regime has been replaced by an insurgency fueled by Iraq's neighbors who hope to partition Iraq for their own ends. This is coupled with the ever present transnational militant Islamist movement which has seized upon Iraq as the greatest way to kill Americans, along with anyone else they happen to be standing near. What was once a paralyzed state of fear is now the staging ground for one of the largest transformations of power and ideology the Middle East has experienced since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Thanks to Iran, Syria, and other enlightened local actors, this transformation will be plagued by interregional hatred and genocide. And I am now in the center of this.

Is this why I joined?

Yes. Much has been said about America's intentions in overthrowing Saddam Hussein and seeking to establish a new state based upon political representation and individual rights. Many have framed the paradigm through which they view the conflict around one-word explanations such as "oil" or "terrorism," favoring the one which best serves their political persuasion. I did the same thing, and anyone who knew me before I joined knows that I am quite aware and at times sympathetic to the arguments against the war in Iraq. If you think the only way a person could bring themselves to volunteer for this war is through sheer desperation or blind obedience then consider me the exception (though there are countless like me).

I joined the fight because it occurred to me that many modern day "humanists" who claim to possess a genuine concern for human beings throughout the world are in fact quite content to allow their fellow "global citizens" to suffer under the most hideous state apparatuses and conditions. Their excuses used to be my excuses. When asked why we shouldn't confront the Ba'ath party, the Taliban or the various other tyrannies throughout this world, my answers would allude to vague notions of cultural tolerance (forcing women to wear a veil and stay indoors is such a quaint cultural tradition), the sanctity of national sovereignty (how eager we internationalists are to throw up borders to defend dictatorships!) or even a creeping suspicion of America's intentions. When all else failed, I would retreat to my fragile moral ecosystem that years of living in peace and liberty had provided me. I would write off war because civilian casualties were guaranteed, or temporary alliances with illiberal forces would be made, or tank fuel was toxic for the environment. My fellow "humanists" and I would relish contently in our self righteous declaration of opposition against all military campaigns against dictatorships, congratulating one another for refusing to taint that aforementioned fragile moral ecosystem that many still cradle with all the revolutionary tenacity of the members of Rage Against the Machine and Greenday. Others would point to America's historical support of Saddam Hussein, sighting it as hypocritical that we would now vilify him as a thug and a tyrant. Upon explaining that we did so to ward off the fiercely Islamist Iran, which was correctly identified as the greater threat at the time, eyes are rolled and hypocrisy is declared. Forgetting that America sided with Stalin to defeat Hitler, who was promptly confronted once the Nazis were destroyed, America's initial engagement with Saddam and other regional actors is identified as the ultimate argument against America's moral crusade.

And maybe it is. Maybe the reality of politics makes all political action inherently crude and immoral. Or maybe it is these adventures in philosophical masturbation that prevent people from ever taking any kind of effective action against men like Saddam Hussein. One thing is for certain, as disagreeable or as confusing as my decision to enter the fray may be, consider what peace vigils against genocide have accomplished lately. Consider that there are 19 year old soldiers from the Midwest who have never touched a college campus or a protest who have done more to uphold the universal legitimacy of representative government and individual rights by placing themselves between Iraqi voting lines and homicidal religious fanatics. Often times it is less about how clean your actions are and more about how pure your intentions are.

So that is why I joined. In the time it took for you to read this explanation, innocent people your age have suffered under the crushing misery of tyranny. Every tool of philosophical advancement and communication that we use to develop our opinions about this war are denied to countless human beings on this planet, many of whom live under the regimes that have, in my opinion, been legitimately targeted for destruction. Some have allowed their resentment of the President to stir silent applause for setbacks in Iraq. Others have ironically decried the war because it has tied up our forces and prevented them from confronting criminal regimes in Sudan, Uganda, and elsewhere.

I simply decided that the time for candid discussions of the oppressed was over, and I joined.

In digesting this posting, please remember that America's commitment to overthrow Saddam Hussein and his sons existed before the current administration and would exist into our future children's lives had we not acted. Please remember that the problems that plague Iraq today were set in motion centuries ago and were up until now held back by the most cruel of cages. Don't forget that human beings have a responsibility to one another and that Americans will always have a responsibility to the oppressed. Don't overlook the obvious reasons to disagree with the war but don't cheapen the moral aspects either. Assisting a formerly oppressed population in converting their torn society into a plural, democratic one is dangerous and difficult business, especially when being attacked and sabotaged from literally every direction. So if you have anything to say to me at the end of this reading, let it at least include "Good Luck"

Mark Daily

Never again!

We can never live in another place that only has one bathroom! The place we are in right now is pretty big- about 1500 square feet, but the downside is that there is only one bathroom. At our house in Texas we had two bathrooms, but really only used one. So, once we moved here we didn't think it was going to be that bad....but that was before Abby was using the bathroom too. And this one is pretty small, since the building itself is old. They remodeled the inside, but didn't change the layout, and the bathroom is really cramped. The mornings are the worst, with all of us trying to get in and out. Even one day way down the road when it is only Quintin and I in the house we will have to have two bathrooms.

Our Icy Valentine's Day

Sorry for the delay, but we had an ice storm come through late Tuesday. We got about an inch of snow and the worst part was the half inch of ice. All of the schools in the Baltimore-D.C. area were closed on Wednesday, as well as most everything else- except the Naval Academy of course. People have told me that they very rarely close, and now I believe it. Abby and I made Valentine's bags for her friends at school, and that morning she wanted to take them to her friends (Her school runs on the same closure schedule as the Academy). Quintin didn't have to go in to work, but I did, so we went and dropped off her goodie bags and then they were going to drop me off at work. Abby asked where we were going and I told her that Daddy was going to drop me off at work for a little bit. Then she said, "No, Daddy go to work, Mommy stay home with me!" It was funny, but poor Quintin said he felt unappreciated!

So, I ended up going in to work for about an hour or so and then we went out to lunch- by then the roads had all been cleared. Abby looked so cute all dressed in her heart sweater and sweet little hair ribbons. We were really lucky because a lot of people in the area had lost power, and it was so cold outside. Our power was going in and out for a little bit, but nothing major. Our cable and internet were out for a couple of days, so that wasn't any fun. It is funny how quick you get spoiled, and even though we usually only watch tv when Abby is asleep, you still miss it.

We also had a little leak in the ceiling of our office/playroom. Luckily it was in the corner, and was a pretty small leak. I called maintenance and they came out to look at it, but he can't do much yet because there is still a lot of water and ice on the roof, so he can't see where the leak was coming from. There hasn't been any more water coming in, and he told me that there was another house where the hole caused the roof to collapse over their bed. Needless to say, we feel very fortunate. All in all it was a wonderful Valentine's Day.

Craftmaster Badge

Well, today I earned this pin. The Craftmaster Badge is a Navy decoration that is awarded to those personnel who have qualified as underway boat captains of U.S. Navy small vessels and support craft. I get to wear it on my left shirt pocket until it is hopefully replaced one day by a Command at Sea pin. It was really cold this morning, and super windy out. For what I was doing I had to be outside of the ship most of the time, and by the time I was done I could barely talk because my face was so numb from the cold. It felt like I had been to the dentist and had my mouth shot full of novacaine. Plus I am trying to get over a cold I got from Abby. But, all in all it was a good day!

Miss Independent

Like most kids her age, Abby loves to express her independence whenever she can. On a daily basis she picks out her underwear, socks, and pajamas. This was her wildest selection so far. She has stars on her shirt, flowers on her shorts, and hearts on her socks! She told me that it all matches because everything is pink. She wanted to wear shorts, so I told her she could as long as she wore socks because it is cold out. Of course she also has to put everything on herself, which isn't a big deal at night, but in the morning when I am trying to get to work it is another story.

She also has such a great imagination. She really loves Scooby Doo and she likes to pretend that we are all Mystery Inc. characters. It is cute because she decides who is who, and we have to call each other by that name, or else she reminds us of who we are. Most of the time she is Velma- her favorite next to Scooby! These glasses came with a little magic kit she has, but she immediately converted them to Velma glasses! Quintin doesn't like when he has to be Daphne and I'm Fred. He asks why can't he be Fred or Shaggy, and she says, "No Daddy. You Daphne!" Then we have to go around the house and find all of the ghosts and mummies. This is such a cute age.

Tell me a story...

Abby is going through a cute little phase right now where she loves hearing about when she was "a little baby." Every night after our bedtime stories and prayers she says, "Mommy, tell me stories about when me little baby." She is so sweet. Yesterday we watched a couple of the DVDs that I made from the videos of her younger days. She really liked that, but then she tried to re-enact some of it. I think she loves that she is growing up, but still wants to hang onto a little bit of baby-ness. Like after she has her bath I have to carry her like a baby and she wants to first look in the mirror and see herself, and then we have to go see Daddy. She forgets that she is almost four times as heavy as when she was a baby!

Brrrr!

It is REALLY cold today. On my way to Abigail's school this morning, the car temmp said 17 degrees! I was not looking forward to having to go out on the water in a YP (baby ship as Abby calls them) at 9 a.m. When I walked onboard the ship, they told me that they had an engineering casualty on the way over and would have to cancel. He kept apologizing, and I reassured him that it was really no problem. Little did he know I didn't want to go out in the first place.

This may seem a little random, but I think Abby already has an interest in little boys. Lord help us if she is starting this early! She has one little boy that she is really fond of in her class names Nicholas. I think I might have blogged about her interest in him before. Well, this morning when I dropped her off, she started chasing another little boy around the room trying to get a hug. His name in Connor, and he isn't shy like Nicholas. He had a ball in his hands and thought Abby was trying to get that and so he kept running away. She was trying to catch him, and she was trying to catch him. As she ran by me she said, "Mommy, me want to hug him!" I don't know if it is because Nicholas hasn't been at school this week, or she has moved on. Kids are so funny!

Finally some snow.....just a little bit

Last Sunday we got a little snow- it ended up being only about 2 inches, but it was just enough for us to use our sled! Abby tried to catch some snowflakes on her tongue, but was distracted when they landed on her eyelashes!

There wasn't quite enough yet to make a snow angel, but we tried.

The snow on the hood of the car was the best for making snowballs.


It kept snowing after it got dark, and we went sledding again on Monday after school. The only bad part was that it had gotten icy overnight and we went way too fast. It was really fun, but I didn't like the feeling of being out of control, and didn't want Abby to get hurt, so we moved down to the smaller hills and had a blast. This video is from Sunday, when you could still see the grass under the snow. All of the snow has melted, so we have to wait a little while until we can play again.

The snow has arrived!!!

We are getting our first snow as I type! Abby is taking her nap, so as soon as she gets up we are going to get all bundled up (It's only 25 degrees) and go play for a little bit. Don't think it is going to be enough to use the sled down the hill, but we'll see. Check back for some fun pictures!

The new must-have for men!

I saw this online and couldn't stop laughing. The fashionistas in Milan say that it is a must have for men next fall. For some reason I can't picture Quintin walking around in leggings!

Fun last weekend

This week has been pretty busy so it has taken me a while to get this post ready. Last Sunday we went to DC again for a nice quiet morning. It was so much fun. We parked by the Capitol Building and walked all the way to the Lincoln Memorial. It looks a lot closer than it actually is, and Quintin's leg was pretty sore after we were done. Sunday mornings are nice in DC because there aren't a lot of people out yet. We saw some cute ducks in the pond in front of the Capitol, and also some of the cherry blossom trees were already blooming. I guess that is what happens when the weather is so warm. Abby had the greatest time playing with steam from a vent at the National Monument. It was a great day- we love going to DC!

One of our favorite places

Shortly after we moved here we found this great place called the Extreme Bounce Zone. They have five different moon bounce things and the parents can play too! Abby loves to go and bounce all around. It is a great way to let her burn off some energy when the weather is too bad to play outside.