If you haven’t checked out the picture share site, I’ve been putting albums on there as I upload them…trying to make it a weekly event.

Aileen is in her second swimming session (they are 4 weeks long).  She is so much further than we thought she would be!  Our cautious Bean is finding she has a little extra confidence in the water.  Tonight was our first class in this session.  The new aquatics director is having them take off the ‘bubbles’ they previously wore about 90% of the time.  In the last class, when the teacher would take Aileen’s bubble off, she would resist and be anything but helpful in getting it off.  When the director told me they were taking away the frequency of the bubble I was excited and very happy I wasn’t the instructor that had to break it to Aileen!  Aileen had no problems with it, surprising me yet again!  In today’s class they never used the bubble.  Aileen, feeling especially confident tonight, actually received several ‘reminders’ from the instructor to stay on the wall.  That is something I NEVER thought she would have to tell Aileen, especially if she wasn’t wearing a bubble!

We’re missing the dad, but doing our best to stay busy in this cold weather as we wait for spring.  I’m doing aerobics and working on getting in some running in preparation for the 1/2 marathon I signed up for at the end of April.

Over the last year and a half, BAINBRIGE has trained with and sailed with USS DWIGHT D EISENHOWER, USS VICKSBURG, USS GETTYSBURG, USS STOUT, USS HALYBURTON, USNS BIG HORN, USNS SACAGAWEA and one un-named fast attack submarine in preparation for the IKE Strike Group 09 Deployment.

Friday, Feb 21^st at 1058, BAINBRIDGE took in all lines and departed Norfolk Naval Station Pier 4 for her second deployment.  This time around, we don’t anticipate a portcall-ladden pleasure cruise with NATO; expected operations range from Oil Platform Defense, Escort duties and Anti-Piracy operations; all in the Fifth Fleet area of operations.  C5F (Commander, Fifth Fleet) is the Navy component to CENTCOM, the Combatant Commander in charge of the Arabian Gulf region, as well as the Horn of Africa.

BAINBRIDGE had quite a turn out, despite the inclement weather.  Family members had to deal with a temperature of 25 degrees with 20 knots of wind down a long pier to see their family off.  My lovely wife and daughter were there to see me off as well as Grandpa Potter, who flew in from Arizona for the event, and my big brother Eric.

I will see family sooner than expected, as Eric has orders to report onboard this summer.  I’m not sure how we pulled it off, but family members serving on the same ship is a rarity in the modern Navy.  Look forward to having him around.

Much is planned over the next several months; many onboard have enrolled in PACE courses (Program for Afloat College Education), we also have a new and improved fitness center for those of us who have put on a few lbs and vow to take it off.

Keri will be traveling to Tennessee to compete in the Country Music ½ Marathon with Ryan & Rebekah; Aileen has a full spring and summer of swimming classes.

I will try to keep you up to date with stories, pictures and random commentary of this deployment.  Would love to hear from you; I can be reached at potterla@ddg96.navy.mil and regular mail should be addressed to:

OS1 L.A. Potter

Operations Dept/OI Div

USS BAINBRIDGE (DDG 96)

FPO AE 09565-1303

We’ve had lots of fun hanging out with dad and now Grandpa.  Last week was beautiful so we painted our trim (pictures next week…hopefully with pics of the room swap) and Aileen watered the dirt and her slide.  This week we’ve seen snow and stuck to indoor activities.  Grandpa Potter has been put to the test with many intense sword fights.  We went to the aquarium with all the Potters and have visited in the evenings.   There are 2 new albums of pics on our picture share site:  http://january09.shutterfly.com/ .

Last week Aileen took leaps and bounds with her swimming lessons.  Our goal had been to graduate not clinging to the instructor.  Last week she let go of the instructor and then left her arms reach net of safety!  They ’swim’ from one end to the other several times during class.  She has an adorable lean back and walk through the water technique that cracks us up.  She looks giddy the whole time she is in the water, but is still somewhat scared and doesn’t want her face to get wet (the reason for the back lean).  This week she really didn’t make any progress, as the instructor is trying to get them doing very basic swimming moves which require you to get your face closer to the water.  Maybe next week?

Cute story: driving in the car the other day Aileen announced “mom, I happily tooted”.  I asked the obvious question…”happily tooted?”.  “Yes” she replied, “like when Thomas happily tooted away!”

The way the mind works: Aileen and I watched part of Annie several weeks ago.  She asked the standard 100 movie questions.  We explained the orphan thing very briefly.  A few days later she announced that when I die she is going to have to look for a new mom in a very unconcerned manner.  I, in a very concerned manner, explained that nothing was going to happen to me, but if I got sick a grandmother would probably help me take care of her and if daddy and I both died, which is not going to happen, we had it arranged and she would live with Uncle Ryan and Aunt Rebekah.  She didn’t have any issues with any of it, though I did.  A couple weeks later she is talking to Aunt Rebekah on the phone and Rebekah says “you’re going to come visit us soon”.  Aileen says obnoxiously nonchalantly “yeah, I think mommy is going to get sick”.  I of course explained that I’m healthy and also going with her on this trip!

Aileen started solo swimming lessons this month.  She loves the water but is far from brave when in it.  The other 2 kids in the class put on the floaty vest and off they go.  Aileen puts on the vest and clings to Miss Nicole just as she would to Luke and I.  We have high hopes that upon graduation at the end of the month she is able to move around without the teacher.  Would be great if she would jump in, but we’re not going to push it.  The newest group of pics in the January link includes the first swim lesson and goofing around with friends and family.  We have also swapped Aileen’s room and the guest room, will try to include pics in the next batch.  She has bravely slept in her bed for the last 2 nights.  Our “new and improved” guest room is beachy and ready for guests whenever you can make it out for a visit.  Until the next pics!

In an effort to try and keep warm in cold Virginia this week we went ice skating again (at an indoor rink this time) and joined the family for a group effort lasagne.  We’re thrilled we were forced to get a heat  pump last year during the coldest week of the year or else we would be going through it this week I’m pretty sure.  Just wanted the faithful picture checkers to know we posted pictures from this week on the Jan site in a new folder.

January pictures have been posted under the picture tab ->.  I think Aileen and I are finally beginning to beat our ’since November sickness’ after many rounds of different drugs.  Aileen had her follow up today and the Dr expressed that we may very well be allergic to Hampton Roads!  We knew there was something about this place that didn’t sit right with us.  She said allergies may be why Aileen’s lungs always take the brunt of otherwise typical colds and my sinuses have been beating me up this winter…pretty wild since I’ve never had allergies.

This weekend we went ice skating with the cousins.  Aileen proved much braver than I gave her credit for, after a fair amount of convincing once on the ice, that ice skating really is fun.  We learned skating hunched over a bucket may make it easier for kids, but it’s killer on someone over 3 feet tall…in case you are tempted to try it.

Luke is out to sea for the month so we’re missing the dad, but excited to have him back in a couple weeks.

We hope a very Merry Christmas was had by all.  We had a nice Christmas with all the out of town Mitchell’s.  Being so far apart, the gatherings are less frequent so it’s very nice when schedules allow us to all be together again.  We had some great game nights and Luke kept us all well fed with his incredible cooking (if you haven’t had the pleasure of Luke’s cooking, you really need to come out for a visit…I guarantee the food won’t let you down…no promises on the weather though).  We even had a friendly gingerbread house design competition…Rebekah took first with her intricate design, Aileen took 2nd with her ideas stolen from everyone and Grandmother was 3rd with her choice of the most delicious treats and log cabin appeal.  Ryan attempted to place by adding Aileen’s nativity to his finished product, didn’t win but a definite honorable mention.  Duty is calling me to DaVinci.  Here’s to an excellent New Year’s full of family, great friends and good times.

My sister-in-law’s brother, Joel (a very good singer/songwriter) has made a 5 song Christmas album for the last 3 years with fun, unique original songs and original arrangements of classics. Every Sunday in December and on Chrismas day he posts a new one free to download. Hop over there real quick and check it out…it’s good and it’s free.

Aileen excitedly tells anyone who asks or shows interest “I just turned 3 years old”!  Can you believe it??  3!  How can such a small number seem so big…or so old?!?  She is still amazing us daily.  Strangers who take an interest in her all seem to have one thing in common…they are surprised with her speaking ability.  Sometimes I forget she is just 3 because we have extended conversations all day (whether I’m up for it or not).

We watched Enchanted about a week ago and every day since, Aileen spends her days as Princess Giselle and I am declared to be Prince Edward.  In spite of adamant protests at being a Prince, I comply.  She is eerily good at staying in character and I don’t remember the last time I was called ‘mommy’ instead of Prince Edward.

Aileen insisted on a Tinker Bell party (I guess this is to give all the Princesses equal time?).  We had fun planning and throwing her party complete with adorable toddler games (pin the tiara on the Princess, decorating wands and dressing up as fairies…pictures really don’t do it justice, but we attempted).

We hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season and that you are able to remember the reason for the season in the midst of all the chaos.

coming soon as well…I promise