And then I realized...

That you won't be a baby much longer. 

Little blue knit hats will become much too small and we will pack them away like we do. Your pudgy  nose and lips and cheeks and forehead will smooth out and firm up to resemble a young man. And you just might stop flashing me that smile that says, "Mama, you're the best thing in the whole world," and start pushing my kisses away. 

I love you as a baby. The way you go to snarf your hand or dive bomb my shoulder with your mouth wide open when I say, "Mama's going to eat you!" When your lips fall slightly open when you fall asleep with your bottle. Your squeaks and sharp inhales and screeches and shaking fists when you hear the bath tub filling up. And I'm going to miss all of this as you grow. 

But I know I'll love you as a little boy, as well. And as a teenager and as a grown man. I can't wait to talk with you and help you with homework. I can't wait to see all the things your daddy can't wait to teach you. 

And I'm going to kiss you, baby. You won't ever out grow those smooches. I'm going to give you mama kisses as long as I'm on this earth. And there's nothing you can do about it. So you might as well get used to them now.

xoxo, 

mama

So, we moved.

To a different house.

Directly to the north and exactly one house up the street.

In Williston.

Since we are here about more than we are at home (although they are only three hours away from each other), this town and the people of Scott's company have become important to me and to how I view home and our family. I grew up on a farm in rural Gackle, which is rural to Jamestown which is rural compared to Fargo, N.D. My parents and sister and I were home every night. My dad made sure he was never away so he could be with us. We played baseball on our golf course-like lawn my mom mowed pristinely.That place was my home.  My family now has a different dynamic.

I don't know if it is better or worse, but there is no time to think about that. I've had to learn what they meant by "Home is where the heart is." It's who we are and we are together.

And that is the big thing. We are together. We are able to be together even while husband and daddy are working in the oil field.... Not something I take for granted. A lot of guys are living in campers, man camps or our on location where their companies don't allow families to accompany them. Since Scott works 30 days straight and then has two weeks off, it would be a big deal if we couldn't be with him for that long.

But anyway, we moved. Vision Oil Tools has 5 staff houses. Nice accommodations. Very nice considering the town and environment. We were in staff house two - an old home renovated to make more rooms for more people. We had a very nice place. It was basically like a hotel room. The bathroom was nicer than ours at home. But when Scott would work nights, Jack and I would have to busy ourselves with something outside our room. There was a common kitchen and living room, but when shared with dirty oil guys, it got dirty. And not having my own kitchen was annoying. It is something that is livable and not a big deal in hindsight, but just something that always annoyed me. Don't get me wrong, those southern guys can cook like a son of a gun and always offered it to us, but they were men. Who left things messier than I would like.

Then Scott took a management position with the company. I am one proud wife, by the way. He amazes me how he can be good at simply everything. But his boss, who is a graciously generous man, offered us him and his wife's old apartment when the company was just starting out. It has a big living room, office area, bedroom, kitchen (!) and a huuuuuge bathroom. With the biggest tub you've ever seen. Yesterday we moved in.

First breakfast in our new place. Relax, he was not left unattended in his Bumbo death seat. 

But the thing about this house... it is, or was, a bit out of town when it was developed. We are down this u-shaped dirt road and apparently this area was occupied by some kind of cult-like group of people. Mexicans mainly, if I have understood right. I'm not sure what they did or whatnot but they liked to keep to themselves. So our house is highly influenced with Spanish accents. The woodwork is chunky and dark. But where it shows the most is our apartment. The walls in the living room have a mural painted on them. I guess painted isn't the right term... the walls are sculpted.

This is one picture of a corner of the living room (that was turned into a bedroom, but we are making a living room again). The house and hill it is on and the palm trees are raised out from the wall. There are steps and bushes that are touchable... It is the strangest thing you have ever seen. In some weird way, though, I love it. 

And this is our ridiculous tub!

But yesterday I packed up all of our things (we don't have to ove the big furniture because the company buys all of that) and moved them to our new apartment with help from some of the guys who were around. I cleaned my butt off last night and will continue again. Just so I am comfortable where I'm living. And so I know how clean the floors are. Our family dirt is one thing, but other people's dirt gives me the heeby geebies. 

So far, I've made the kitchen my own and am so in love with this place. It feels like our own home. Scott will most likely be working over the holidays, so I'm happy to have a nice place to ourselves where I can cook and bake and put up decorations. Perhaps I'll do what my friend said and have a Mexican-themed Christamas. Feliz Navidad!

Five months of Jack

Well, little boy, you're almost a half of a year old. As cliche as this is, it seems that you've been attached to my hip and coming grocery shopping with me forever and yet for such a short time. You have made me want to pull my hair out, yes. But I feel like the lucky girl in high school who gets to hang out with the cutest boy in town. I never shy away from the oohs and awws that you get. I just soak them in and think, "Yes, I DO have the most handsome little man, thank you." I love you.

Weight 
I'm thinking about 22 pounds. Give or take.

Diapers 
Size 3

Hair
Little boy hairs all over. I love to spike your hair up. Can't wait until more comes in. 

Clothes
Pretty much anything 6 months +. Today I bought you a 12-18 month winter jacket and it was too small...

This months firsts
>You found your feet earlier thing month. First the right foot, then a week later the left. Now you're eating them. Daddy bet me that you would never get your foot in your mouth because of your tubby belly. You showed him. 

>You're a rolling machine. 

>Laying down is for the birds. You want to sit up all the time, but are too wobbly yet. I think it's a ply for you to get your mama to hang out with you on the floor all day. 

>One tiny top of a little tooth is popping out. And boy, is it making you angry and oh so crabby. 

>Eating! You tolerate rice and oatmeal cereal.

You are also sleeping through the night like a stinkin' champ. You wake up in the middle of the night usually, but after a few weeks of getting up to get you a bottle, I realized that you will fall asleep on your own. So I just leave you be and you fall back asleep. You've been going to bed around 8:30-9:30 p.m. and sleeping until 6:30 a.m. Your dad and I really appreciate this :)

You like
>Your mama. You eye me the whole time someone else has you. 

>Watching the sprinklers or the news with your daddy in the mornings. You love your daddy so much. 

>Your little elephant that sings to you. You get the biggest smile when I pull the string. 

You don't like
>Being on your tummy too long.
>The fact that you can't MOVE. You pull your legs up under your butt and try so, so hard but those darn arms just don't know their job  yet. 

Mom loves
>When you and daddy were waiting for me in the driveway after my run the other day. The. Best. 

>When you sit on the counter and help me cook by holding the bag of cheese :)
>When you giggle and then breathe in and squeak.

Dad loves>Mornings with you. 
>Holding you like an airplane.
>Giving you "Shack kisses."