Well, we survived a month of pre-deployment training! I didn't have a lot of time for blogging, but I did make time to do lots of playdates and field trips with the kids! We went to the zoo, the beach, started gymnastics class on Saturdays for the 3-year-old, and she also just finished two weeks of going to swim lessons every day! Plus, we were graced with a week-long visit from my Mom and sister. They were so helpful taking care of the kids, cleaning my house, and letting me run errands kid-free! And I even got to host a girls' night in/Scentsy party for some of my friends! So all in all, it was a good month. Of course I missed my husband every day, but I was able to keep up with things that needed to get taken care of (like our van door that stopped working) and not stress too much about housework and cooking. I'm fairly proud of how well the kids did without Daddy, and all that I was able to accomplish.

However... I must confess that the 3rd trimester fatigue is catching up with me! I'm not sleeping well at night, which makes me more tired and cranky during the day. Since both my kids still take afternoon naps, I find myself napping with them several days a week. And my exercise machine? Yeah, haven't touched it this month. I'm doing ok, but starting to feel like I am reaching my limits--of energy, patience, etc. I keep feeling that I am just DONE. Which is unfortunate, because the past month was just a short warm-up to prepare for the 7-month deployment that begins way too soon.
On a positive note, my husband is finally HOME, and we have at least a few weeks to enjoy with him, including our first-ever family vacation! I am really looking forward to all that, and hope it will be a good chance to recharge and get fully prepared for the deployment. And the new baby. :-) I can finally relax, share some of the child-raising responsibilities, and try to enjoy my family during the limited time we have.
How about you? What are your favorite pre-deployment tips? Any special family traditions or things you do to make the stressful time leading up to deployment a little better?