We are an Air Force Family

Erik has officially left us. It is just me and Olivia this summer and beyond. We knew this day was coming for so long and I can not believe the time has already come and gone. Erik left less than a week ago for Basic Training down in San Antonio. And it has been the most insane week ever. Olivia came down with a 103 degree fever a couple days before Erik left and it continued for the next 4 days. Turns out she had the Roseola Virus - which causes a very high fever, and a rash all over once it breaks. She also had a horrible ear infection. In the midst of all of this, we were dealing with a cow's milk allergy and trying to find an alternative - the allergic reaction caused a horrible diaper rash, vomiting and horrendous diarrhea. Sorry for the TMI but that is the life we are living in! Olivia was absolutely hysterical for the first two days, screaming and crying nonstop. It was miserable. Trying to change vomit covered sheets in the middle of the night, while a diarrhea filled diaper is leaking out onto me. And yesterday, our hot water heater broke just at bath time. So I have a screaming baby in a cold tub and a flooding basement and no water for the weekend. So much has happened these few days that it feels like months that Erik has been gone. I can not wait until Thursday when I get to talk to him again!

I am trying to stay positive, as hard as it has been. I have tried to abide in God's promises this week, knowing that no matter how lonely I feel, I am never truly alone. It has been a trying week, but we have gotten through it. I have had such a wonderful outpour of support from friends and family - it has made me feel so blessed! The little texts that ask how we are holding up, the "Im thinking of you" notes in the mail, and the phone calls from friends I haven't gotten to talk to in awhile. I am blessed to have another mama in my neighborhood whose husband has deployed twice and knows exactly what I am going through - she brought wine over for some girl talk last night and we talked for hours! Just what I needed! I feel blessed and loved - I can not wait for these next 16 or so weeks to fly by. Only 7 more weeks until I get to see Erik graduate Basics! Can not wait to see my handsome airman graduate!

My Big One Year Old

How does time go so fast. Feels like just yesterday I was bringing home my sweet little angel and here she is, all grown up! This has been the best year ever, full of challenges, ups and downs, spit up, baby poop, and lots of smiles and laughs! It has not been easy but it has been so great! Olivia is a little speedster crawling all over and walking along the furniture and always climbing. She is full of kisses and hugs daily, and has now learned to make two toys kiss. She is so sweet - just as captivating as ever. My little darling is grown up and we are officially entering the toddler world. I didnt think it was possible, but I love Olivia even more than the day we welcomed her into this world, and that love grows daily! She is my little piece of heaven!

My Little [BIG] Girl {9-11 months}

My sweet Olivia will be a year old next month! Someone tell me how this happened! What an incredible year it has been, and Olivia has changed and grown so much. She went from my teeny tiny helpless babe to an independent little lady who loves to crawl, stand up, dance, and talk. She has the incredible gift of bringing such a unique joy to my day. Every morning I come into her room and she just beams the sweetest smile and squints and scrunches her nose from the sunshine I let in with me. She usually snuggles for a brief moment on my shoulder and then happily tells me a story. I will cherish being there for moments like these for the rest of my life. I am so lucky!

So much has happened since I last updated, but the most exciting news is that Erik finally booked a job with the Air Force. He will be entering into Active Duty May 28th! What a date that day has turned into - our anniversary (Nine years this year!!! woo!) and the due date of our first child, and now the beginning of his new career! I am so proud of him and I know he is going to love it and excel in every area! But I am also dreading not having him home anymore. He will be leaving for basics first, which is over eight weeks, then straight on to tech school, which is four months. Basically Erik is leaving us for the rest of 2013. My heart aches just thinking about it - not only for my own selfish reasons, but because he is going to miss so much - Olivia's first steps, her first phrase, and so many firsts I can't even count. I know the thought of leaving his little girl is tearing him up inside too. Those two just adore each other and there will be such an emptiness in our home without him. There is so much I am going to miss. Families were not meant to be torn apart like this - it is unnatural and cruel. I know we will get through, but it will not be easy. Erik is everything to me and not being able to talk to him whenever I want or need is going to be one of the hardest parts. We will be tested as a family, I just need to focus on the good this will bring us and bright future we have as a family. I love my Airman dearly and am immensely grateful for the sacrifice he is making for us. I am looking forward to summer and some sunshine and am hoping Olivia and I can make the most of the months ahead, just the two of us, and can enjoy beautiful Colorado lots before we are onto who knows where!

"I got a remote, and I am ready to roll, making things happen cause Im in control!"
 {only moms with a certain toy will get this ;) }

Baby Zeke

Weekend in Utah!

 Erik, Olivia and I traveled to Utah on Thursday with my parents to meet Baby Zeke and see Danny and Christina. I was so anxious to meet my little nephew who was born over four weeks ago. He is so precious and adorable. He has the softest dark brown hair and such bright blue eyes, he sure is a cutie! Olivia was so curious to see such a little baby and she was so interested in all his squeaks and grunts. We had a blast.

All bundled up to go shopping!

Story time with Papa Ray

Sweet Baby Zeke

Proud Grandparents!

First Carousel Ride

so blessed to be apart of this family.

Miss Independent {6-8 months}

Crawling, singing, talking and kissing!

Olivia has flourished the last two months! We are on a schedule that works 80% of the time, she is eating fantastically, and cruising all around. Liv says mama, dada, and nana, though she says dada the most. Speaking of daddy, Liv's favorite part of the day is when daddy walks through that door after work, she just gleams and screams with excitement! Liv is learning so much every day, and loves to explore. Her favorite toy right now is mr.puppy, which use to be one of my old toys from my childhood, so its special. Prior to mr.puppy, her all time favorite toy was mr.owl, but sadly mr.owl is currently residing in Charlie or Zoey's intestines and I am sure will make its appearance sooner rather than later. Liv will not be getting mr.owl back though... 

Olivia loves bath time! She sits in the tub all by herself and splashing nonstop. We are still toothless at the moment but I have a feeling those bottom front teeth will be coming in the next few weeks! I can't wait to see that beautiful smile of hers complete with some pearly whites. 

Olivia also has a new cousin. She is the only girl with three boy nephews! Zeke Daniel Bajza was welcomed January 6th! We are actually flying out to Utah this weekend to go meet the little guy and I can not wait. Liv is going to seem so gigantic to him, though she only weighs 5 more pounds than the little chunk! I can't wait to meet my brother's son and am so happy for them! 

One of my favorite new things Olivia does is SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT! You all have no idea how happy this makes me! Even if she does wake up in the middle of night, 75% of the time she will settle herself back down and I don't even have to get out of my warm cozy bed! I shouldn't brag like this because thats always bad luck but I have thoroughly enjoyed the last few weeks of good solid shut eye! 

My sweet girl is growing up so very fast and it is truly getting better and better by the day. Who knew love could just keep growing like it has!

 Zoey is Olivia's best friend. These two just love each other! 

 She started making this face a couple weeks ago and its just my favorite!

Helping mama bake cookies!

Olivia {4-6 months}

Eating solids, sitting up, and talking away!


Olivia's eating issues were at their all time high between 4-5 months. So I said goodbye to my job at Starbucks. I was sad to leave because I really did love my job and my boss and coworkers, plus I was really good at my job and it gave me purpose even if that purpose was just to make a latte perfect. But I had to do what I felt was best for Liv and thankfully it really did help her tremendously. We started solids at 5 1/2 months but didn't really love food until 6 months or so. Sweet potatoes and squash were favorites and the list has grown since.

Liv started sitting up at on her own about 6 1/2 months and also moved into her own room too! I waited a while to do this because I was so worried something would happen and I wouldn't hear her, but everything worked out great and I love that we have our own places to sleep. It is great for my own sanity.


 During these months we celebrated Liv's first Halloween and Thanksgiving. Liv was dedicated to the Lord in October too, and Uncle Danny and Aunt Christina came to visit for that. Nana and Papa bought a new house, which also meant that I said goodbye to the only home I have known and the house that I grew up in. It is a little bittersweet but the new house is complete with an indoor pool and 7 acres so that helps quite a bit.

Olivia also experienced her first and only flu which debuted in an emergency room visit for such a high fever and wheezing (over reaction on my part but better safe than sorry! ) Liv also learned how to jump in her exersaucer which made it ten times cooler for her! Liv is half way to her first birthday and so so fun!

Olivia {2-4months}

Olivia is laughing, rolling over, and cute as ever.

Olivia is seriously the sweetest thing. She rolled over right at three months from her stomach to back. She lost all of her beautiful dark newborn hair, she rocked the old man style for a bit. We started bottles of breast milk at 5 weeks to see if that would help with her cluster feeding and fussiness at the breast. It gave me a break yet demanded that I pump. At four months, her eating struggles were at their worst and I was beyond exhausted. I was working and waking up multiple times at night with her, and getting up at 2:45 to feed her, pump then head to work for the day. It was hectic and I don't know how I did it! We had to have a barium swallow test, x rays, and other tests with specialists to try and figure out why she was eating so horribly, and constantly throwing up, but we never received any answers. We started trying bath time at the end of four months, but Liv was still pretty unsure about the whole and lots of tears were had at the end of bath time. We are completely off the breast and only bottle-feeding and this mama is pumping around the clock!