Tyson singing and dancing

For those of you who don't have Facebook, here is the latest video of Tyson!

This-n-That

It's Friday night and Tyson fell asleep in the recliner at 7:30 while I was on the phone. Mom and Dad are at a movie, Mary is at her friend's house, and I am passing the time on the computer waiting for Derick to call so I thought I'd post a few random things and updates while it's quiet.

Tyson is doing AMAZING with his potty training adventure! He's basically potty trained except for at night. I still do the diaper at night b/c I like my sleep and don't want to deal with it yet. I know, could come back to bite me later, but it's a risk I'm willing to take. As far as potty time during the day...he stands to pee, puts his little pot topper on to do the other business. He doesn't want or need me in there for anything except to wipe his bum. He discovered toilet paper hurts and will only allow wipes to touch his sensitive little booty! I think it's funny and I still can't believe he goes potty on the toilet! I still put him in a pull-up when we leave the house for fear he'll have an accident in the car...and if you've ever had to clean a carseat and take it apart, you'll know why I keep him in a pull up for now. Well, I've never actually had to clean it or take it apart, but watching Derick do it didn't look too fun so that's why I still have him in a pull up for now when we leave the house! He has come home from every outing dry though, so I'm sure we could forego the pull up and leave him in his undies, but I'm paranoid and don't like cleaning up bodily fluids :)

A couple weeks ago Derick found out that Kansas City KS Police Dept was doing pre-employment testing on March 10th! He was very excited about this except for the fact that March 10th was the day he was scheduled to leave Afghanistan. He contacted KCKPD several times in hopes they would allow him to test another day or even take the tests (written and physical) over there. They denied him so he was bummed. He then decided to ask if he could leave Afghanistan early, it was a long shot, but worth it considering he needs to get a job here ASAP so he doesn't have to work in Lincoln for too long after his return home. He spoke to his chain of command and they actually approved him to leave Afghanistan about a month early!! He should be leaving there mid-February and be home to us by the end of February!! We are VERY happy that they decided to let him go early, not only so he'll be home earlier than planned, but that he'll be able to test and hopefully get hired on with them and start in August.
I will start looking for work in a couple months.

We also decided that we are going to take a trip to Disney World in April. This is something we wanted to do when we first found out about Derick's deployment. We are SO excited to go and be able to spend a week together as a family. I did make the mistake of telling Tyson about our vacation this far in advance. The first night I told him about it he said, "I can't go to bed Mom, we have to go to Disney first!!" And then a crying fit ensued. The next day when it was time to get ready to head to the gym he said, "We can't go to the gym yet Mom, we have to go to Disney first!" So, I've learned my lesson and will not tell him of any travel plans until the day before or the day of. He is so excited to go and see all of his favorite characters! I'm excited to go and see his reaction as well as Derick's...Derick hasn't been there before. I went once with my family about 10 years ago!! Start looking for pictures after April 17th! Ha!

My cousin Amy's husband returned to her and their 5 month old little girl today after a year long deployment to Iraq. I'm so happy that they are back together again and that her husband now gets to know his little girl. Amy has really helped me through our deployment. She's the only person I know that really understands what I'm going through. It's one thing to have the support and comfort I've received from my family and friends, but to be able to talk to someone who knows what it's like to have her husband gone first hand has been a blessing. To know that crying randomly or being angry over little things is normal and that someone else really 'gets it'. It's been great to be able to connect with her as a cousin, military wife and a mom.

Lindy, one of my best friends, stopped by the house today on her way home to Oklahoma. She is 29 weeks pregnant, due April 3rd. Tyson loves babies but hasn't really been around a pregnant woman. I tried to explain to him that Lindy has a baby in her belly but I don't think he really understood. I wouldn't allow Lindy to leave the house until I felt that baby kicking around, so Lindy, Tyson and I sat on the couch waiting for the little girl to move. I had Tyson put his hand right by mine in the event she kicked so he could feel it. When she finally moved, Tyson pulled his hand away and looked at me with the widest eyes and started to laugh! I told him that was the baby in Lindy's belly moving around and he just giggled! He put his hand right back on her belly and waited again for more movement! It was really funny and cute to see his reaction. It made me, for a minute or two, want to get pregnant, but then after Tyson threw several tantrums later in the day, I decided I'm good with him for now!

Anyway, that's about all I know for now. Thought I'd post something more than photos for a change.

Too cute not to post!

Earlier Tyson was playing with his Nativity...he had no clue I was recording him and the picture is unsteady because I was laughing and couldn't hold still. It's cute to watch his imagination come to life!