Same Ole, Same Ole

Exactly twelve weeks OR 84 days OR 2,016 hours - give or take a few - until #2 arrives. The warm weather is killing me and it isn't even that hot yet. Only in the 80s here.

A lot of people ask if this pregnancy feels different. Let's see. I'm sick all the time, feel like I've been pregnant for 10 years AND huge. Nope - feels EXACTLY the same.

A friend recently told me that her second pregnancy was much easier - she gained 20 lbs. less, had way more energy and the nine months FLEW by because she was chasing around a toddler. Ummm...right.

But as I really think about it, there are a few differences between this time and last time - albeit most of these probably haven't kicked in yet as I start my seventh month today.

- TIRED all the time
- can not regulate my body temperature. I am hot ALL THE TIME. Even with the AC set to Arctic-like temperatures, I'm burning up.
- heat rash / chafing (TMI?!?!?)
- seems that #2 kicks and moves more
- I'm more relaxed this time around but I must say delivery still is a bit daunting as we can can safely assume that this kid will be 9 lbs +
- no linea negra (at least not yet)
- lots of heartburn this time around
- haven's purchased or decorated hardly anything yet for #2. I'm pretty sure Grace's room was done by the time I was 7 months pregnant and her name was chosen. While I am pretty sure we have the name figured out (oh you'll just have to keep checking back here if you want to know her name BEFORE she enters the world!!) we definitely do not have the room situations finalized.
- feet and hands aren't swollen (yet) but that is probably just around the corner
- haven't gotten too many leg cramps. I woke up to Charlie Horses just about every night with Grace.

So with that, Grace and I are off to swim lessons which I am hoping will knock her out for a four hour nap this afternoon so I can put my feet up, shovel ice cream into my face and take a nap. Have I mentioned I'm right on par to gain just as much weight this time around? I have no idea why!! :)

Who Needs a Pool?

Apparently Grace doesn't - thank goodness - as our pool is STILL not open! What's taking so long you ask? There is a huge rip down one side of the pool cover with a bunch of tears on the other side. If we were to uncover the pool, the likelihood of the cover getting stuck in the open position - or worse yet the half-open position - is very likely. Not good with a crafty 18 month old running around who has recently figured out how to use flat-handled door knobs (like the one on our back door). So we wait for a new pool cover to be installed - sometime the week AFTER the 4th of July. Ugh! In the meantime, Grace is making due just fine!!

WARNING: If you are opposed to "wasting" water (and when I say 'wasting' I mean using it by the bucketful to entertain a toddler while you yourself stay nice and cool in the shade) then I recommend that you NOT watch this video.

First and Only Hot Day of the Year Thus Far - June 13

The day John Andrew decided to move...of course!

Sandy Bottom

I call 'not it' on changing this diaper!

Dilemma

Yes, we are in a slight pickle. You see, we don't know where #2 is going to live.

Err...what-choo-talkin-bout-Willis? (RIP Gary Coleman.)

You see, our master bedroom is on the ground floor as is Grace's room. For the past three years, we have lived only on the first floor. In fact, there was a door at the bottom of the staircase so we literally closed off the upstairs. We used it for the occasional visitor and for storing our holiday decorations. We didn't even have heat or AC up there.

When we learned that #2 was in fact on the way, we installed heating/cooling upstairs because that is where we assumed #2 would 'live'.

When we told people that we were working on remodeling the upstairs guest bedroom for #2, we got funny looks - LOTS of funny looks. You'd have thought I had told them I was downing a bottle of Jack Daniels every night after dinner. The idea of putting a flight of stairs between a brand new-breastfed-only-baby and her mother was obviously not a good idea. (Although it still seems like a good idea to me in terms of the baby weight battle. I'll get all my exercise while I'm sleeping. Win-win, right?)

Based on this reaction, we started telling everyone that Grace was moving upstairs into a new "big girl" room...complete with big girl bed and everything! Creating the drama over a big girl room would help fight off any jealousy issues that may arise when #2 comes home.  This also made sense to us because Grace's room is perfectly set up for the infant years (READ: We wouldn't have to tear apart the crib, move it upstairs and reassemble. This is huge as it ensures Court will be cast-free when #2 arrives!)

Well, that brought on even more 'looks'.

She's too young for a bed. She's just a baby. You are going to put a toddler - UPSTAIRS - alone?! Don't you know stairs are dangerous? How are you going to hear her at night? What if she is roaming around upstairs and you don't know it? What if she sleepwalks or has night terrors? How are you going to potty train her at night? She's already going to be upset regarding the new baby...then you are going to make her CHANGE rooms?!? 

You are obviously bad parents.

*sigh*

Then we get my favorite comment - have them share a room. Sure, this would be the ideal situation if GRACE WAS A GOOD SLEEPER! Grace wakes up if a leaf falls off a tree a half mile away...can you imagine what she would do if her NEW sister (who according to everyone will make Grace blind with jealousy) SHARED a room with her and CRIED every few hours because she was hungry?! More importantly, do you have any idea what this would do to me?!?!?

*SIIIGGGGHHHHH*

So now we don't know what to do. The wallpaper for the upstairs bedroom should be arriving any day and all I want to do is go forth with ordering any new items we may need for that bedroom - as that will be one less thing to do AFTER #2 arrives - but I can't because we don't know who is living where!

What we DO KNOW is that #2 will be sleeping in her cradle in our room for at least the first three months...so that gives us until December to relocate Grace or move around furniture. So we have time.

Nonetheless, the planner in me wants to know where each kid will be housed. What would you do? Who should 'live' where?

Happy Father's Day

Love,

Grace

It's My Pregnancy and I'll Pity Party if I Want To

At 4 am, I awoke to excruciating cramps. Cramps like I've never had before.

Scratch that.

Cramps like I HAVE had before...at the ONSET OF LABOR!!

For about two hours, I rocked, moaned and vomited my way through what seemed to be pre-term labor. I was so, so scared.

Horrible thoughts kept running through my head. How could I be going into labor? What can they do for a baby that is three months early? What if I have to go on bed rest for the next 90 - some - odd days? What if they tell me I can't eat anymore desserts until this child is born?

And just as I was beginning to think it was time to head for the hospital - for an epidural, if nothing else - the cramps stopped. Mind you I didn't feel good the rest of the day (not that I ever feel good when I'm pregnant) but I felt slightly worse than than the average awful I normally endure on a daily basis.

Needless to say, Grace missed her swim lesson and I've been laying low. Trying to rest as much as possible. (As I write this several days later, I am feeling better. Still not great. Really tired.)

While the incident in and of itself was scary and awful, it has since turned into a small pity party for myself. Why am I in that 1% of 1% of women who have such a hard time being pregnant? Why do I deal with morning sickness day and night for nine months? Why do other women glow and I'm just big and chalky? Why can't I be pregnant and function like a normal human being? Other 'moms-to-be' are playing tennis, planning 'Martha-Stewart-like-meals', sporting little 'softball-sized-bumps' under their 'non-maternity' shirt and going to work all day for God's sake...and here I am, finding it nearly impossible to shower, hit the McDonald's drive through and throw something together for dinner all in the same day.

All this and it hasn't even broken 75 degrees here yet. Imagine what I'm going to be like when it hits the high 90's in a few weeks.

18 Months

To document such a milestone as turning 1 1/2, I'd normally take a picture of Grace in front of her tree - comparing how much Grace and the tree have grown in the last six months...remembering back to that December day that changed our lives for the better.

But alas, her tree was destroyed over the winter by some a-hole thus no picture with the tree.  Though we've ordered a new one, it hasn't arrived yet. So Grace's half birthday went by unnoticed and undocumented. Almost. There was that pesky 18 month well child check up that could not be overlooked.

I am thankful to report that she is still doing well! Long and lean - just like her mom, dad, hmmm....well anyway, HALLELUJAH! She was 32 3/4" tall (81%), 23 lbs (31%) with a head size of 47.3 cm (72%). We did discuss with the doctor Grace's tendancy to ...mmmm...how shall I say...not follow our simple requests?!

Grace, don't pull the dog's tail!
Grace, don't throw your food on the floor!
Grace, do not climb up to the edge of the couch and then stand straight up on the edge like you are walking on a balance beam!
Grace - NO!

We were relieved to hear that this behavior is normal but also told by the doctor it was time to start timeouts!

Now, when Grace decides to pull Lindey's tail, guess where she goes? Timeout! In her crib! As per the instructions of the doctor. So far we've had pretty good success. Instead of me saying NO a thousand times, it allows both Grace and I to redirect our thoughts, energy, and focus. So far, so good! Lindey and Lucky are very grateful for the timeouts. Their tails thank me!

The doctor also told us to expect some regression with Grace when #2 arrives. While I was expecting this, the doctor explained it in very explicit terms. "Bringing home a new baby is as tramatic for the older sibling as if your husband brought home another woman."

Ahhhh come again.

"Bringing home a new baby is as tramatic for the older sibling as if your husband brought home another woman."

I was speechless. Seems a little extreme to me but the doctor has had a lot more experience with kiddos than I have so I guess we'll take his word for it. If Grace has any jealousy streaks like I am capable of, this could be ugly - REALLY ugly.

With that bit of "good" news, the doctor left the room and the vaccinations ensued. Watching your child writhe in pain when they don't understand why you are pinning them down in order for some stranger to inflict the painful shots is heart wrenching. It just doesn't get any easier. The whole time in the appointment, I kept thinking to myself, how am I going to juggle two children at the same time during these appointments?!? In that same vein, how am I going to juggle two children - period?!

Grace's First Swim Lesson

Even though mother nature hasn't gotten the memo that it is in fact summer (ok technically summer starts next week but you know what I mean) and "she" should not only warm up the weather- "she" should MAKE IT STOP RAINING! - Grace and I forged ahead with Grace's first swim lesson!

Lucky for you favorite readers, Grandma was in town helping John Andrew move into his new apartment so we had a photographer documenting the entire lesson. You are thrilled - I know!

It was a bit chilly that morning. The sun was out teasing us and all the Moms milled about nervously before the lesson started.

Grace sizing up the competition. She was very quiet before the lesson. She wasn't talking, she wasn't jumping, she wasn't smiling. Truth be told - I was nervous. Was she going to be the kid who was going to scream her head off and hate the water?

Again, she proved that all my worrying was for nothing...

She LOVED it!

She was splashing up a storm before our teacher even got the group started.

After singing Ring Around the Rosie and getting used to the water (it was heated - THANK GOD!) it was time to grab the balls and throw them in the hoop!

Next, it was time to learn how to paddle. We each grabbed a toy and threw it out in front of the child. While holding the child under our arm like a sack of potatoes, we encouraged our kiddo to paddle after the toy.

Grace loved this game.

She even put her face in several times in order to reach her little dolphin toys.

Being pregnant in a swim suit was interesting. While I had a legitimate excuse for all my "lady bumps and humps", there were quite a few pictures of me (particularly from the back side) where it looked like two people had squueezed into my one swim suit. NOT GOOD! Obviously, those pictures are NOT posted here and have been deleted from existence.

Then came time for going under the water.

She was a trooper! Once the weather warms up, she will definitely be our little fish.

Who's Counting?

We are now in double digits folks. Ninety-nine days til #2 arrives! Not a moment too soon apparently. I've had two people in the last week ask if I was due "soon". When I said "yes, in September" their jaws dropped. I guess by "soon" they meant tomorrow - next week at the ABSOLUTE latest.

I think I am the last person on earth who actually looks pregnant when they are pregnant.

Before and After

It's Friday night. So what? That doesn't mean anything...to those of us with small children.

Before having kids, I would be getting all dolled up - ready for a night out on the town.

Tonight, I am waiting for Grace to stop bouncing and crying in her crib so I can hit the hay.

Before having kids, I would likely go to a delicious restaurant, wear something cute and trendy and burn off a little steam with friends at a bar.

Tonight, I ate two slices of Safeway pizza, I barely brushed my hair and I'm definitely not burning off any steam over a few cocktails.

Before having kids, I would have stayed out real late knowing I could sleep until noon tomorrow.

Tonight, I'll be in bed before the sun sets and awake before it rises tomorrow.

Before having kids, I would drink a few too many tonight, feel tired, cranky and nauseous all day tomorrow, then eat some kind of greasy food to kick the hangover and pray that I wasn't pregnant.

Tonight, I'll definitely hit up the sauce - chocolate sauce for my sundae that is - and even though I will go to bed ridiculously early, I will toss and turn all night (because why would God ever let a pregnant woman sleep) so that tomorrow I'll feel tired, cranky and nauseous where I will be "required" to eat large quantities of greasy food and you know what the the ironic thing is, I will be so happy and thankful that I am pregnant!

God what has happened to me?!

There's Nothing Funny about Being Pregnant

I've come to realize that this blog has recently tipped the scales...the B-O-R-I-N-G scales that is!! No good stories. No good laughs. No rehash of my latest parenting/life catastrophe.

I apologize.

It's not because I'm not trying. It's not that I don't wrack my brain every day and ask myself if this particular tidbit or that particular tidbit of my day is "blogworthy." The fact is there is nothing funny (or fun for that matter) about being pregnant. And because I'm pregnant (read as tired, miserable, uncomfortable, not sleeping well and still dealing with morning sickness) I have nothing to write about.

When I feel better, you'll be the first to laugh. I promise.

She's a kid!!

Just a week shy of turning 18 months old, look who is all grown up? 

Her first nap in a big girl bed - TODAY!

I can't believe it.  

Heartbreaking and momentous all wrapped into one. 

Buckethead

Ahhh...what do we have here?

Looks like a bucket...Mom says it's a bucket...

...but I swear it's a hat.

It is SOOOO much more fun using it as a hat.