2 weeks in our new home

Well we have been in Oceanside, CA for 2 weeks now and the only room in our house that is pretty much unpacked and organized is our kitchen. The rest of the house is only half way done, Amelia's room is half way done, Charlotte's room is half way done, our room is half way done and so on and so on. It's hard to get things done with 2 small kids needing you constantly and the husband not getting home until after 5 or 6 every night, and a cracked rib. Of course it also doesn't help that I have morning sickness all day long and migraines every day all day long as well.

I thought coming back would be easier this time since I had been here once already and it wouldn't all be so new to me. But I was very wrong, it does not get easier being so far from everyone that you love and care about. It does not get easy to leave your family and friends that have become like family. It does not get easy to leave a church where you know the people and they love and care about you as much as you love and care about them. None of this ever gets easy no matter how much you do it, when you do it or where you go.

I'm sure part of me is only feeling so sad and lonely because of all the baby horomones I have going through me but some of it is just not having anyone here to talk to or hang out with. I want to make friends but I honestly don't even know how you do that. I always made friends through jobs, school, and through other friends. Grr moving your life from one side of the country to the other is just a hard thing to do and right now I'm not enjoying it.

Finally our day has come

Take a deep breath... In just a day my family will be reunited! My husband, my kids daddy, will be flying in from CA to take us back with him. Some days I just never thought this day would come, and now that it's almost here I can hardly believe it.

Roland flies in on Wednesday morning, he will be taking a small nap before spending some time with his family. Then on Thursday we will pick up our Uhaul and get it all packed up, get the car packed up and do any last minute cleaning. Daddy will be going to bed early so we can get up at 3am and get the kids up and the car packed, we hope to be on the road by 4am on Friday morning.

The girls and I have enjoyed our year here in Ohio with family and friends but we are more then thrilled to be back with hubby/daddy and living together as a family again. Life just isn't the same when we aren't all together, and this moment has been a long time coming for us. Thank you so much to everyone that has been supporting us, and helping us throughout this very long 13 months.

Maxson Baby #3 on the way

This is the first $1 test I took.



These are the 3 test I took after that one, not all the same day of course.

Well it's 4 pregnancy test official, we are expecting our 3rd baby! When I took the first test I was in shock and I cried, I was not really ready for this to happen quite yet.

 To give a bit of background Roland and I decided to use the family planning method because my body can not handle any type of birth control, NONE! Believe me we have tried everything and the only thing left for us to do is just not be intimate together (like that would ever happen) or use a form of birth control neither of us is comfortable with. So we decided that we would just do the family planning to try to avoid getting pregnant but it was ultimately up to God.

Now of course we knew that this was possible but I honestly did not think that God would decide to give us another blessing so soon. I keep telling myself to just be happy and know that God's timing is ALWAYS the right timing (I just wish He had waited a bit longer).

Of course my husband is not in the least bit apprehensive about this, he is just so proud of himself, lol. All I can seem to do is think about all the financial aspects of it and wonder what I will do if he deploys again. I keep telling myself that God gave us this baby because he knows Roland will be home for the birth and to enjoy this baby with me. And of course we are hoping for a boy because we already have 2 beautiful little girls, but we will be happy with another girl as well.

The REAL Housewives of the USMC

I have to say that the TV show Army Wives should not be aloud to be aired. Although it is a good drama it is not true to what real life military family and friends go through and face on a daily basis. I have said for years now TLC or some other reality TV station should do a show called The Real Housewives of the Military. I don't mean follow an officers life I mean follow enlisted families that have been in for 5+ years. The world should get to see what a REAL military family goes through on a daily basis. Our lives are far from normal and believe me when I say there is never a dull moment, because even when you think your life is finally settling down and your can settle into a “normal” routine, BANG, you just got hit with something else.

Through this all I have had the amazing blessing of meeting some of the best women God could have ever dropped into my life. Melissa is one of the most loving, caring and passionate people I have every meant. She will walk through fire to help a friend in need if she has to and just about nothing can keep her from being there for you if you need her. I am so lucky and blessed to call her friend. Then there is Carla she is a smart, funny, and amazingly strong women. She inspires me on a daily basis to reach for my goals and for the goals I have for my family. She is so supportive and always ready to help and encourage me in everything I do and want to do. I am so happy that God dropped her into my life right before I had to go through one of the hardest things I would face and she was a blessing every moment I needed her. These two amazing women I am honored to call friends, they are the closest things I have to sisters. I know they are sisters to me because we can disagree on things, get into knock out fights and be separated by hundreds of miles and in the end we are still there for one another. We are still encouraging and supporting each other through all the ups and downs we go through as military wives.

 Carla, Scott and Maggie

Melissa and David

It's been a little over a year since I got separated from these ladies (my husband got orders to Camp Pendleton, CA). Since then it seem like all our lives have been twisted and turned upside down, all our husbands got deployed in that time. Melissa stayed at Camp Lejeune, Carla and Maggie moved to FL and stayed with her parents, and Amelia and I moved back to OH to be close to my family. Carla has since moved backed to Camp Lejeune and the girls and I are getting ready to move back to Camp Pendleton. Of course it wouldn't be a true military life unless something was happening. Well today Carla and her family got orders for Okinawa, in JAPAN for a 3 year tour! I have to be honest I had a bunch of different emotions flood over me at once. I was upset at first because I am selfish and I don't want to, in a sense, lose my friend. On the other hand I know this is our life and I'm happy and excited for her and her family and everything they get to experience. I just know that this is all in God's plan for them, and I just pray it's an amazing blessing for them.

Carla, Me and Melissa

This was right before we were all separated.

So what is in store for us all next, well I can't really say. I know what we would like to happen in our lives and for each other. But only God knows what we need to happen in our lives and he has our best interest in mind even if we can't see it at first. I just pray that some day in the future we can all be close to one another again and share in those amazing moments in each other lives.

Welcome to the world Charlotte Angela Maxson



39 weeks and 4 days pregnant, the day before I had Charlotte.

Her birth story



I started having contractions on Friday September 30th at 5:30pm, they were not bad at this point and they did not last long. That night Amelia was staying with her grandparents which was a good thing because I got little to no sleep that night. In the morning I knew that I was in labor for sure and that our little girl would either be there that day or shortly after midnight. Since my contractions were not really bad at this point I decided to get Amelia and spend a little time with her and go to my nephews birthday party. By the end of the birthday party about 4pm the contractions were starting to get longer and more painful so I knew it was time to go home and have Amelia go back to her grandparents house. By about 5pm Amelia was picked up and my contractions had gotten to a point where I had to stop what I was doing and focus on getting through them. They were about 3 to 5 minutes apart and lasting any where from 45 seconds to a minute. I didn't think this was quite time to leave for the hospital so mom and I walked up and down their street for about 45 minutes to an hour. At that point mom called my doula to let her know we were going to head to the hospital and that she could go ahead and make her way there, she lived an hour away so she needed to know a little ahead of time if I thought things were going to start happening. My contractions hadn't really changed in length of time or frequency but they were much more intense that if we didn't leave then I don't think I would have been able to handle a car ride. When we got to the hospital I was sure they would say I was at least 4 to 5cm but I was not I was only 3cm, I couldn't believe it since my contractions were so intense. They put me on monitors for about 30 minutes even though the monitors were not picking up my contractions they could tell I was definitely contracting so they kept me, I was admitted at about 6:30ish. My blood pressure was pretty low so they put me on an IV drip and started my antibiotics for my GBS but I was not hooked up to monitors for the baby or me. I didn't want them so they only monitored the baby every 20 minutes, I did this so I was free to move around as I need to cope with the contractions since I was striving to have a drug free labor and delivery. Although my contractions were so intense the entire time I was there I kept telling mom I didn't think I could do it and an epidural was sounding very good. I was seriously considering getting the nubane to help take the edge off but the nurse told me I should wait to get it as long as I could since the first dose you get is the best and the other doses don't work as well or at all. So by the time I would let them check me again(I was reluctant to let them because I was afraid I wasn't progressing very quickly and I didn't want to hear that) I was 7cm dilated and by then I was feeling lots of pressure in my bottom. That was at about 9:30pm, I was ready to get the nubane but my nurse came in and told me I could not get it because I was past the point of being able to. If they gave it to me at that point it could put the baby to sleep and they didn't want that. I was not a happy person but I had a feeling I was going to go quickly at that point so I just focused on getting through the rest of my labor. Oh and did I mention that I was once again having back labor and even doing everything I could to try to get the baby to turn or move so it would relieve my back labor it didn't work. I was also feeling my contractions in my abdomen as well, so there were little to no positions to help me get through each contraction. So about 10 to 15 minutes after they checked me I started felling like I had to push so there were getting things ready and telling me to breath through the contractions and the pushing urges because I wasn't fully dilated and the doctor was not at the hospital yet. So I was a bit worried that the doctor would not make it on time because I was hardly able to breath through the urges to push. To my relief the doctor was finally there and checked me again I was about 8cm and so he broke my water and I was at this time not really able to not push. The doctor kept telling me not to push because I still had cervix there and if I kept pushing I was going to swell up really bad. So he kept massaging my cervix to help push it out of the way quicker because I couldn't not push, even breathing through them my body was still pushing and I could not control it no matter what I did. So finally he told me I could push with the next contraction I was so relieved since I wasn't doing a good job not pushing. After about 2 to 3 pushes he told me he had to cut me to help her get out, I instantly said no. Although he explained that because of all the scar tissue I had from the 4th degree tare I had with Amelia I would not stretch anymore and I could tare worse if he just let me tare. So I gave in and let him cut me after another push or two her head was out and only one more push after one more push so was she! She was born at 10:17pm on October 1st, she weighed in at 7lbs 1.5oz and 19in long, I expected her to be bigger then that. She was put right on my chest and cleaned off, then they put her skin to skin on me. She stayed there for 2 hours other then when they weighed her and measured her quickly and put a diaper on her because she kept pooping on me.  She latched on and nursed after only an hour and she was very good at it right away. I loved having this time with her right away since I did not get this with Amelia is was a very special time for me and feeling. My little fighter that had me so scared in the beginning was finally here and I could hardly believe it. Even now after 10 days of having her in my life I can hardly believe she is with us and I'm a mother of two now. We got so lucky because about 2 and 1/2 hours after Charlotte was born her daddy was on skype and ready to see his new little girl. He was speechless for a little bit and I'm sure a sad that he wasn't there with us holding her. I feel very blessed to have had all the support and love from my family and friends through out this pregnancy and labor and delivery, I could not have gotten through with out it.

Our beautiful new little addition to our family.

Mommy and Charlotte getting ready to go home.

Big sister Amelia loves giving her little sister kisses.

2 1/2 months down and 2 1/2 months to go

Roland has been gone on his deployment to Afghanistan for 2 1/2 months now, and each day he is gone just gets harder. The only thing that makes it a little better is knowing we are just that much closer to having him home with us. I have been praying that after this deployment he is home with us for a while before he gets deployed again. I understand that we live the military life and deployments are a common thing but I do pray we could have at least a year together before he has to leave again. I think it would be good for Amelia and Charlotte to get to know their daddy a little bit better before he has to leave. I know that Amelia is missing her daddy a lot this time because every time she talks to him on the phone or gets to see him on skype she is very cranky after. She just walks around the house saying "dada dada" a lot and she'll come over to me and say it and hit me. I know she is missing him and it's so hard at the age she is because I can't really explain it to her to help her understand why daddy is gone or where his. I just tell her all the time that daddy loves her and that he is working hard to keep her safe. 

Oh how the time is flying with this pregnancy, I only have 2 1/2 months to go before I'll be holding and kissing our little Charlotte. This pregnancy is much different then my last, Charlotte is moving around all the time all over the place. Amelia never made me uncomfortable or kicked me where it made me jump but Charlotte does both of these things all the time. I have an odd feeling that she is going to be bigger then Amelia was but I figure if she doesn't make a grand entrance like Amelia did it can't be to bad. I also have to say that I'm very proud of myself because I have made it 30 weeks into this pregnancy and have managed not to gain any weight, I am working at continuing this and not gaining any the rest of this pregnancy. Then I will only have to work off what I gained when I was pregnant with Amelia, that I still have not lost 17 months later. Well I do believe this is all the updates I have at the moment, Amelia and I don't have very exciting lives so not to much to say, lol. 

Update on Roland

I thought I would take a moment to update everyone on Roland. He is safely in Afghan and has been now for about 3 weeks. He is doing well there not really much to tell anyone about that, because I don't really know anything. I only get to talk to him about 2 times a week on the phone and via email any other time. If people would like to contact him that would be great the best way would be to write him via his yahoo email account, rolandmaxson@yahoo.com. He is not able to get onto facebook very often at all and when he does he isn't on for very long.

Here is his address over there:

Sgt Maxson, Roland A 

Charlie Company, 7th ESB

Unit 42210

FPO AP 96427-2210

Anyone is welcome to send him letters or care packages. He is always in need of the basic personal hygiene items and he likes to get random things as well. An example is he recently asked me if I could find him a couple of foam swords to send to him. He is also alway asking for deer jerky, he likes books that are about dragons or fantasy or games for his DS. As I know more about what is going on with him I will let people know. He doesn't really tell me to much about what's going on over there or what he is doing so there isn't usually anything to say or tell.

I ask that everyone continue to keep him in your prayers and his unit, along with all the other military men and women over there. 

A Marine Wife's Prayer

A Marine Wife's Prayer

Give me greatness of heart to see,
The difference between duty and his love for me.

Give me understanding so that I may know,
When duty calls him, he must go.

Give me a task to do each day,
To fill the time when he's away.

When he's in a foreign land,
Keep him safe in your loving hand.

And Lord, when duty is in the field,
Please protect him and be his shield.

And Lord, when deployment is so long,
Please stay with me and keep me strong.

-- Author unknown

As Roland and I prepare to say our, 'see you soons' to one another I can't help but feel sad. Sad that for the next 7 or so months my other half, my soul mate, my lover and my best friend will be half way around the world from me. Sad that in these months he is going to miss seeing our beautiful toddler become even more of an individual with what I know will be a bigger then life personality. Sad that he is going to miss, once again, greeting our new little girl into this world and see her take her first breath and listen to that first cry. I try so hard to just push this all to the back of my mind and stay strong for my husband and our daughter but at times this 'job' of marine wife is overwhelming. I am so proud that up to now I have not cried in front of my husband even when we talk about what might happen, something we had to talk about because we had will's made out. I have only been strong and supportive to him, he is having such a hard time this time around, knowing that not only is he leaving a wife but he is leaving his daughter. He loves her so much and he's so afraid that when he gets back she isn't going to know him or want anything to do with him. I sure this is a fear of many men and women who leave their families to serve our country, but to see the pain in his eyes and the frustration on his face is heartbreaking. I ask that everyone please keep my husband in your prayers, give him strength to get through this deployment and peace of mind to know we will be fine while he is gone. That we will be here waiting with open arms for his safe return to us and that his little girl will know him and be so excited to see him when he does return.

Trying to cope

Well it is finally starting to hit me that my husband will be leaving on another deployment in a very short time. I can be completely fine and not even thinking about him leaving or being gone for 7 long months and all of the sudden, it's like driving into a brick wall, it all hits me. I have done so good not to cry in front of him or to hold back my tears so he doesn't see me cry. Yesterday we bought Amelia and the baby 2 recordable books that Roland is going to record himself reading for them, I think that really made me realize this is actually happening and very soon.  I want to be strong for him and for our daughter and baby on the way. I see him playing with Amelia and how happy they both are and I can't help but think of all the things he is going to miss seeing her do. She is going to be a completely different little person when he gets home and it breaks my heart that he won't have been able to see her become that little person.

So my goal for this deployment is to take pictures every single day, lots and lots of them. To take as many video as I can possibly take of her so her daddy can see what an amazing little girl she is daily. I will email him every night about all the things Amelia is doing and twice a day if she does something new I can't wait to tell him. Even though he will not be here with Amelia and I, I don't want him at any moment to feel like he is missing out on all the things she is doing. I hope I can keep this all up for him and that he feels as close to us as is possible with so much distance between us.

Ohio here we come...

Well after my husband got home from his training we sat down and talked about a lot of things happening in our lives. Mostly of his upcoming deployment, my pregnancy and Amelia. He was very concerned about leaving me here in CA alone when we haven't been here that long and we really don't know anyone except our neighbors, whom are very nice people. Roland didn't like the idea of me being here during this pregnancy because we have already had so much happen and scare us and if something were to happen then we would have no one to help with Amelia. Yes we have friends and family that I'm sure would come if needed to help out but none of which really have the money to fly out here or drive for that matter seeing as they all live on the east coast. So after talking about it for a week or so and doing some more praying Roland decided he would feel more comfortable about leaving Amelia and I if we went back to OH and stayed with my parents.

So at the beginning of May after Roland leaves my dad is coming down and helping me drive back to OH so Amelia and I can stay with him and my mom. So we have started packing up all our things again, and making list of what we need for his deployment and the drive. Making list of what is staying here in CA and what is going with Amelia and I to OH. I have to say it is all a bit stressful to do in the last few weeks that my husband will be home with Amelia and I but if this will help him sleep easier while he is gone then I'm happy to do it.

Also here is a little update on our Little Fighter. We had a doctor's appt on Tuesday, the Doctor did a quick ultrasound instead of using the doppler for us to hear his heart beat. He has a nice strong heart beat and looks healthy, Roland loved that she did that so he was able to see him in there moving all over the place. At one moment it even looked like he was waving at us, it was so cute. On May 2 we are going to get our 3D ultrasound done to find out what we are having and to get some nice pictures and a video for Roland to take with him. Then the following day we will be going to the hospital to have the anatomy scan of the baby done(basically an ultrasound where they measure everything to be sure baby is growing and developing right). Roland and I are pretty sure our little fighter is going to be a boy but until the ultrasound there is no guarantee of course. 

Here is a little update on Amelia, our little fireball. She is doing great and we think she is finally big enough to turn her car seat although I haven't decided if we will or not. She has 6 teeth now, the 2 middle on bottom and the 4 middle on top, it looks like the 2 next the her bottom 2 are going to come in very soon. She is just full of energy all the time and unless she is laid down for a nap or at bedtime I think she would just keep going  and going like the energizer bunny, lol. She says about 3 words that you can actually understand, momma, dadda, and hi. She also says words that you can't understand like duck which sounds like duaaa. She knows the sign for all done and we are working on teaching her the signs for more, eat, and drink. She is growing up very fast and surprising us daily with everything she can do. He daddy is already getting sad about all he is going to miss when he is gone, so I'll be taking and unreal amount of pictures on a daily basis and as many video's as I can for him. 

Well that is everything going on in the lives of the Maxson family right now, I'll update again when Roland is gone and we are in OH.