My little guy at his first birthday!!

[cmeier117]

I couldn't help but post a pic of my little guy at his birthday this weekend!

 

[Mckinnon]

Happy birthday!

 

[Daniel_M]

Seems like yesterday I was pickin cake outta my little boy's hair. That was 7 1/2 years ago.

 

[afteamroper]

Cute kid, my son turned one on 24 June I am deployed right now so when I get home in a week or so we are having another B-day party for him. Lucky kid get to 1st B-day parts

 

[cmeier117]

Cute kid, my son turned one on 24 June I am deployed right now so when I get home in a week or so we are having another B-day party for him. Lucky kid get to 1st B-day parts

Thanks for your service!! I bet you will have one heck of a party!

 

[Daniel_M]

Cute kid, my son turned one on 24 June I am deployed right now so when I get home in a week or so we are having another B-day party for him. Lucky kid get to 1st B-day parts

Not to sidetrack but..

Thank you for your sacrifice. Things overseas were ramping up 8 years ago when my son was born. I made it a personal choice to depart from Active Duty, my job then as a Mobile Comm guy meant I would be deployed, a lot!!!!! Sometimes I have my regrets and wish I kept the uniform on, but overall it was a better choice for my boys.

 

[thru-hunter]

My youngest son was born 2 month premature by emergency C section while I was in the sand box. Commander was a bastard that denied my initial red cross message to go home. I was part of the team selected to set up the hardened medical facility at Balad AFB and when he finally decided I could go home he told me he would have me up on article 15 if I wasn't standing in front of him in 10 days (including travel time). They would only return me to my home station which was a days drive from where my wife and new son were at. It was day two of him being in the NICU when that went down (commander is lucky to be alive) and I was terrified to lose contact with home to make the trip while fearing punitive action (no way would I return on time). 6 tenuous days in the NICU and my little guy got stronger. My wife is the toughest woman on the planet.

First pictures I ever saw of my son.

Did I mention my commander should have pinned a ribbon on the chests of a few people who kept me from beating the life out of him? In the end I stayed down range and finished the hospital setup and worked through transitioning in to the new facility.

When the job was done I had had enough (or so I thought). I went home and two weeks later was on terminal leave. Somehow I ended up back in theater as a medical information systems contractor a year later racking up two and a half more years. Lots of missed birthdays in that time but I like to think we made a difference. I finally hung it up back in march and I have an enormous amount of respect for our men and women over there giving it their all as well as the loved ones that they have left at home who continue to hold it all together in their absence.

Way to stay strong and make the good times at home count. Kids are tough as hell but little boys need daddy time!!

 

[cmeier117]

Little boys need daddy time for sure!! Again thanks for you service over seas! How is your son doing now?

 

[thru-hunter]

Little boys need daddy time for sure!! Again thanks for you service over seas! How is your son doing now?

I apologize for stepping on this thread just brings back some memories I don't reflect on often. My little guy is starting first grade in a month. He was prone to febrile seizures and nearly scared the life out of me a few times but he seems to have grown out of that and is now a healthy active six year old. I am loving finally having a job where I am home every evening and just thankful that my boys like having me around despite being gone constantly. Wife still seems to tolerate me as well!!

I have accumulated close to 5 years away since 2005 and since there are a few folks here who may be on their first tour or at least first as a parent so I will offer some words of advice.

First off when you head home don't have any expectations. My middle son was 13 months old when I left for Iraq the first time and my oldest was 3yo. When I got back I tried to surprise them. It went BAD! Middle son freaked out and ran from me. Oldest just burst into tears. Older kids dig surprises (8+) but I make it a point to be upfront as much as possible (opsec) with them when they are young. Rips your heart out to have em run from you but they come around quickly. Don't try and make any changes to the family dynamic when you first get home. Let your wife continue to be the CEO of the household. If you come in and start taking charge you will think you are being helpful but she will likely see it as you thinking she wasn't doing things right. Asking her what you can do to help has proven to be "best practice" for me. The balance of power will be restored but it has to be gradual and works best when she realizes that she can rely on you.

Just some thoughts from a guy with 5 deployments who is less than a month away from my 14 year anniversary.

PS don't get married during sheep season, she may pretend not to mind but... Well, Just suffice it to say it feels weird when someone asks "do you love sheep more than me?" And isn't joking!

 

[cmeier117]

Step on this thread all you want!! I am glad you are your family are doing well now. Not many people in your shoes would still have a family with everything you have went through. Your wife sounds like a real trooper and strong person. I really tried to have both my boys in the summer time and it worked, July 9th and August 4th. So no interfering with hunting season! But last year when I left for a week when she had a 2 month old and 2 year old was tough on her but they get through it.

 

[realunlucky]

Congratulations