Are we still in the honeymoon phase?

My husband and I were wed on November 1st, 2007. It has been 2 years, 6 months, and 1 week. Would you believe me if I told you that we've never really had a fight? Sure there are times when I've been mad at him, or he has been mad at me. In these instances though, the other person knows and admits to being in the wrong, and it is always resolved quickly. We have never had even one of these instances last an entire 24 hour period. I always hear people say that the beginning of marriage is one of the hardest times, and one of the periods when you are very likely to divorce. So it has been making me think about why marriage comes so easily to my husband and I, and what sets us apart from the typical young married couple in America.

First and foremost, and something that makes us really just lucky... We have practically identical expectations of each other. Our thoughts on what is okay and isn't okay are the same in almost every instance. I think that being so like-minded is the main thing that has made our marriage easy.

Secondly, neither of us is irrational, and in the rare case that one of us does behave irrationally the other never responds irrationally. When conflict arises between the two of us, it is a one sided event. One person is mad at the other person. Neither of us brings anything up upon first thinking of it. We both sit on a subject for quite awhile and think it through very thoroughly, before we'll bring it up. I think this gives us a more realistic view of the situation at hand. When I think something through first, it lets me think about how I want the events to play out. Thinking alone first, may help me calm myself down, so as not to attack my husband and make him defensive. Many times this makes me realize that what I'm mad about is a little silly. I still bring up whatever I had been thinking about, even if I realize that I was being irrational, just to get it off my chest. Almost immediately after something is brought up, it is resolved. I think part of that goes back to point number one, we have similar ideas of what is wrong and right, so if one of us is mad, the other person totally understands and apologizes.

Neither of us is too proud, nor too stubborn to admit they are wrong or say they are sorry. I don't care how proud or stubborn you are with every other person in the world; with your spouse, there should always be room for submission, from both parties. Neither of us feels inferior or weaker for saying we're wrong or sorry. I think, if anything, it makes us respect each other more. Of course it's not always easy, and I may delay a minute or two, but once I realize that I am wrong, I admit it very soon after, as does he.

So these are just a few of the main things that I think make my marriage so successful and easy. I didn't write this to show off and say "look at how awesome we are," although we are pretty awesome, if I do say so myself;). I just think that in a society plagued with divorce, it's important for me to share what helps to keep my marriage a happy one. I know two and a half years isn't long, but most people who get married at the age that we married, have already divorced before the two year point, so I think we're doing pretty well. I have trouble believing that two people who have been as happy as we have been for these last two and half years will ever split up. I know anything can happen, but for now I'm sticking with saying that it won't happen to me;).

Ella Belly mei tai giveaway!

Part of my crunchiness involves crunchy parenting. This includes babywearing, as you may have realized from my earlier babywearing post. Well it can turn into quite an addiction, haha, and makes you want to try out as many different kinds of carriers as you can get your hands on! I've never tried a mei tai before and have my first one on the way right now. That is not enough of course though... I want to try more!

A friend of mine has a blog, Newly Wed, Newly Bred. If you've never read her before, you should, because she's hilarious! And she has lots of great giveaways! What's better than free stuff??? Ummm, just about nothing! Right now she has an Ella Belly giveaway. I've never tried one before, but Megan is by no means a new babywearer, so I trust her judgment!

Follow this link to get to the review and giveaway blog.

On second thought, don't, because I want to win! Hehehe.

My plan to become more productive

Awhile back I started leaving the TV off for a majority of everyday, with only catching up on my favorite shows via Hulu. For a few days I got a lot of stuff done, then it started to taper off and I just ended up spending so much more time on my computer!

Half the time I'm not even actively doing anything, just switching back and forth between pages, trying to figure out what to do. I don't know why, but the internet just sucks me in! Even when I'm not doing anything interesting!

So I have decided that I am going to start limiting my time on the computer. If McKaleigh is awake, I set the timer for 15-20 minutes and that is all the time I allow myself. When she is sleeping, that is when I can feel free to just waste my time doing nothing on the internet. I just put her down for a nap, so that is why I am writing this now. Another exception will be when my husband is online, but he can send a message to my phone to prompt me to go to my computer.

Today I have had two timed periods of time on the computer, plus some random time during lunch. That's really good for me! Normally I would just be on the computer all morning long, and the time I spent on the computer today would probably equal the time I normally spend not on the computer. When the timer goes off, I actually turn my computer off and shut the lid, instead of just setting it down, because I always seem to drift back to check stuff.

I have gotten so much done today compared to normal! We've lived here since November, and I finally just hung up a few pictures in the living room. I tidied up, since my daughter loves to tear up junk mail and spread it out all over, that alone took quite awhile. I also dusted in my living room! It needed it so badly, and that was quite a task. I still have quite a lot to do to get this house looking the way I want it to, but I think I'm off to a good start. I need to make more lists, that's for sure!

I reserve the right...

To change my baby girl's name as many times as I want to before she's born!

Mariela just didn't feel right. I still love the name, but when I call the baby in my belly Mariela, it doesn't stick at all, and I feel like I'm forcing it.

For a day or two I was looking for a girl's name that started with a T, since McKaleigh is named after Michael, I was thinking this baby could be named after me:). Well I don't really like many T names, and none of them felt right either.

So I finally decided to give up on my crazy methods, and just chose a name that I really love, and make it have meaning.

The first name as of right now is Adelaide, Addy for short:). McKaleigh goes by Kaleigh for short, so I thought it would be nice for them to each have uncommon names, but with common nicknames. Adelaide means "of noble kind" and her daddy and I both love pretty much anything that has to do with nobility. There was a queen of England named Adelaide and when reading about her on Wikipedia, I found this quote: "Queen Victoria, who never forgot her aunt Adelaide's kindness to her, remembered her at the christening of her firstborn child, Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise." Well if you haven't read previous posts, my grandmother's name is Mary Louise! That to me was a major sign, and I really just can't imagine naming her anything other than Adelaide.

Middle names are still up in the air. Adelaide Mary Louise is in the running, but not my favorite. Another possibility is Adelaide Louisa Marie, just a different take on Mary Louise. The name that I'm pretty sure we'll be going with is Adelaide Elizabeth Jane. My mom's name is Jane Elizabeth, my middle name is Jane, my sister's middle name is Elizabeth, and McKaleigh's middle names are Elizabeth Anne. I like that they would share their first middle name, but have different second middle names... McKaleigh Elizabeth Anne & Adelaide Elizabeth Jane. It makes me smile just typing it out!

Most importantly, she "feels" like an Adelaide. It's easy for me to call her Adelaide and Addy. I truly think that it is already her name:).

Two little princesses for me:)

I had my ultrasound today and it's a girl!!!

I am ecstatic! I kept going back and forth between wanting a boy and wanting a girl, so I would've been happy either way... but for the most part, I really wanted another girl!

Now I can buy tons of girly diapers for McKaleigh and not feel guilty, because I'll be using them for two little girls! Especially since I am planning on mostly buying Nifty Nappy diapers, which are one size diapers that truly do fit newborns well.

It's really kind of a relief that I don't have to worry about buying a bunch of little boy stuff, or feel guilty about using tons of pink stuff with a little boy.

My chosen name is Mariela Stephanie Lynn. Mariela is after my grandma, Mary Louise:). Stephanie is my mom's BFF, and Lynn is after my husband's aunt. I sort of have a method to my naming, hehe. McKaleigh is named after my husband, Michael. Her middle names are Elizabeth, my mom's middle name, and Anne, mother in law's middle name is Ann.

So I'm keeping up with a pattern:).

I love baby names, and I'm so happy to be having another girl!!!!

Making changes in my kitchen!

Well, I did it. I bought new cookware and dishes.

I got a stainless steel set of cookware, which I already love, to replace my cheapo Wal-Mart brand non stick cookware. The teflon has been flaking off of it basically since we got it, but hey, what can you expect for $20?

I also bought a set of Corelle dishes to replace my made in China set. Not to mention these are so much lighter weight! I can easily lift a stack of the plates or bowls without struggling, haha. Our old set is still in pretty good shape but is SO heavy! And I didn't like that it was made in China, I'm trying to phase out the China-made products.

The downside? I used my Military Star Card, EEK! It was just driving me nuts that I "needed" to replace these and I didn't want to wait an extra month or two! I am going to be selling a bunch of stuff and then will make a payment toward the card to try and make up the difference. Still, I'm disappointed in myself because I've been trying hard not to use the credit card.

I feel like there's so much I want to do in making the transition from non-crunchy to crunchy, that it's totally slowing down the getting out of debt process. With buying things does also come selling the old, so it's not like it's going to totally make us broke. Plus the lifestyle we're turning to ultimately should save us money, seeing that it is important to me that we try to live simply. It's all the transition that is costing me, I know long run it will be worth it.

Really, right now when hubby is deployed is probably the best time to be making these changes. We have enough to be paying off debt and make this transition. By the time he comes home we shouldn't have to be spending money on going crunchy, so then we will be focusing 100% on getting rid of debt again. Even with switching to all things crunchy, we're still going to be paying off a ton of debt. Have to remind myself of that.

Not much longer... gotta keep telling myself that

It's been more than 3 months since my husband left for this deployment. Still have about 6 more months until he'll be coming home for R & R. I'm happy about that though, since it means he'll most likely get to meet the new baby then. Originally, they had him coming home in April or May, and let me tell you, I was not happy about that. I've come to terms with the fact that he may not be here for the birth, I would just really like it if he could at least meet the new baby before s/he's three months old.

I really can't complain too much, I get to talk to my husband pretty much daily. Very rarely do we go even one day without talking, and I don't know if we've ever gone more than one day, so far. It is a little annoying that I don't have him here to go run out and get things for me, lol, especially with these pregnancy cravings. It's hard having to rely completely on myself, but really, I've adjusted pretty well, and it's our normal for now.

Not too much longer and my mom will be here. She's coming back to the states this summer, with my brother who is starting college in the fall. He wants to go to a college nearby, so that will be nice. My mom will be living in our guest room, which will be great, since I will need help with my active toddler as my belly gets bigger, hehe. Then I'll have three months of a baby and a toddler and no husband, so she will be here to help me then, too.

Time is going by so quickly and so slowly, at the same time. It's funny how that can happen:).