1. Hallelujah! We have finally reached that "magical mark": end of first trimester is here, people. I put magical in quotations because, let's face it, there's no clean line of demarcation between the trimesters. First trimester symptoms can linger long into your second, and even third, and sometimes the aches, pains, and discomforts come far earlier than the magical date ushering in that last term. Still, it feels really good to have passed a significant milestone. This pregnancy seems to be just inching itself along. I had thought Eliza's first trimester had been long. Nothing doing. Miserable? Yes. Was I ready for all the sickness to go away? Um, yup. But this one is just simply dragging it's feet. If I were to choose a time for it to do so, it would be this next trimester, typically your most comfortable. Now, just watch time start to fly. Until July, that is.
2. We are currently trying to encourage Simon to stand and start walking. Actively encourage. I can hear some of you out there: "Wait, do you really want to encourage greater mobility?" If it means that less constant contact with the floor/ground means he'll be putting less stuff in his mouth, absolutely. If it means more independence and less for me to carry on a constant basis, definitely. If it means my baby no longer being my baby, well, no, actually. However, Someone is going to usurp that position in about six months, anyways, so I might as well face the music. So far he will not consciously stand on his own. Instead he slowly drops to the ground. More and more, though, we have caught him unconsciously standing without support: he lets go to hold onto a toy with boy hands; he reaches for something a little farther out of his reach and will let go to step closer. It's rare, but it's a joy to watch, even to see his surprised expression when he realizes he's on his own. The thing we have to watch now is that he's a climber...
3. Eliza has developed a new favorite pastime: making Mom play a variety of music videos from Disney (especially our beloved Phineas and Ferb) so she can dance. She's not as interested if we simply put on Pandora or play CDs, though I hope to change her mind eventually. It's fun to watch her boogie. She's got more hip action than most of the contestants on Dancing with the Stars. She's especially interested in trying to mimic the dancing on the video, which produces some very interesting moves. If most of this didn't happen with her in just a diaper (her favorite mode of dress these days), I'd consider posting it. But I prefer my children to be modestly dressed when featured on the internet. Alas, you'll have to take my word for it.
4. Garden plans are beginning. It's about the only thing that makes me excited for the coming summer: fresh produce. I need to find a good salsa recipe. We unexpectedly got a bunch of fresh tomatoes and I made some salsa. I didn't really care for it. Far too much like pico de gallo. I jarred it and stuck it in the freezer to wait while I ruminate on how to improve it. And the search goes on for a salsa recipe we like. I'm also stockpiling recipes for other garden produce. I'm a little intimidated about the prospect of a baby during the middle of canning season, but we'll make due. I might be calling in reinforcements. My biggest hope for the garden this summer is that our pumpkins will survive this year. I so badly want to make my own pumpkin puree and pumpkin butter! We shall see.
5. Today is my half-birthday. According to Nick, he's never heard of anyone referring to their half-birthdays. I know people who actually celebrate them in small ways. It was always just an anecdote for conversation in my family. We might sing "A very merry half-birthday" to the Un-Birthday Song from the animated Disney's Alice in Wonderland. Maybe. It's got me thinking about marking the kids' half-birthdays somehow. Perhaps an ice cream cone. Or a new book. Something small, no parties. It's just a fun way of saying, "It's been half a year already! Look at how much you've grown!" We'll see. A very merry half-birthday to me.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Friday, February 17, 2012
Friday Quick 5
1. Along with first trimester exhaustion, my days have been overshadowed for some time by a very draining cold. I didn't feel too terrible, other than constant congestion and on brief night of throat pain; it just took what little energy I had and threw it out the door. I could barely move from room to room, change diapers, feed children, or do the things I needed to do to make sure my kids were clean and taken care of. It also meant the house has gone completely neglected, again. So the past few days have been catch-up, where my energy level has been slightly higher. Next week marks the official end of this trimester and I'm praying (and praying and praying) that my energy will be restored soon after.
2. I have a friend who keeps a running list of the crazy/hilarious/surprising things her daughter says, as well as things she thought she'd never hear herself say (such as "Don't lick your shoe" and "Don't put your hair in the light socket"). I've thought of keeping a running list of things about parenting I never expected. They may not be surprising or revolutionary, but they definitely have taken me off guard. It might start something like this:
3. Despite the haters out there, I have to admit I was pretty excited to see winter come this week! Our official first snow on Feb. 13, all-time record for latest ever first snow in Topeka. A little sad, if you ask me, and seems to be on track to be the only one. For two beautiful days it was wonderful to look out my window and see the white stuff blanketing the neighborhood. I only regret that I didn't feel well enough to bundle the kids up and go out and play in it. Thankfully, Eliza was content to sit on the bench before our front window, look out, and say, "Look, snow! Snow outside!"
4. I had thought after the holidays that I would clear my schedule a bit. I've failed at that. Instead, Nick and I signed up for a training course through our church in urban ministry, I am hopefully teaching a few times at the Forum (a small group for high school/college age kids that does some training of its own), and we are joining a couples small group at the end of the month, on top of my regular schedule. Not to mention there's a new baby coming. I would love to look forward to spring and think that maybe my schedule will clear and I'll experience some relative freedom and relaxed moments over the summer, to take a lazy-summer approach. But I laugh at myself a little there. I just don't seem capable of doing that. I feel almost certain I will come up with something else to do.
5. Do you know, I still have a hard time believing I'm pregnant? I had my first appointment, thrilled to the sound of that little heartbeat, and even with exhaustion wearing me down every. single. day. I just don't think I'm pregnant. Even with trying to think of boy names (I already have the girl's), I still sometimes it's hypothetical. Even though the fit of my clothes is starting to change, I just feel like I'm gaining weight back, not that a little person is growing in there. Even with Eliza now nearly every day mentioning the baby in somebody's tummy (if Mommy has one, everybody does), it seems like just a cute little gain. I'm ready for some kicks, people. I'm ready for some movement. Let me feel that little guy/gal wrestling around in there and figuring out the movement of legs and arms. I'm ready for this to get real. But I know, when it does, I will likely go into list making mode, planning mode, and then chafe when plans can't go forward for one reason or another. Still, there's something very special when the baby, and not just your hormones, says, "Hey, I'm in here."
2. I have a friend who keeps a running list of the crazy/hilarious/surprising things her daughter says, as well as things she thought she'd never hear herself say (such as "Don't lick your shoe" and "Don't put your hair in the light socket"). I've thought of keeping a running list of things about parenting I never expected. They may not be surprising or revolutionary, but they definitely have taken me off guard. It might start something like this:
- to find our humidifier suddenly quit working because some little hand had stuffed their baby spoon down the spout for the steam, plugging the mechanism inside.
- to learn to discern which of your kids has a poopy diaper just by smell
- that instead of freaking out when your 10-month old learns to crawl up into his sister's mini rocking chair and stands up on the seat rocking back and forth, you're taking pictures and sending them to your husband (you are sitting right next to him, after all)
- that a please-and-thank-you day from your two year old is headline worthy
3. Despite the haters out there, I have to admit I was pretty excited to see winter come this week! Our official first snow on Feb. 13, all-time record for latest ever first snow in Topeka. A little sad, if you ask me, and seems to be on track to be the only one. For two beautiful days it was wonderful to look out my window and see the white stuff blanketing the neighborhood. I only regret that I didn't feel well enough to bundle the kids up and go out and play in it. Thankfully, Eliza was content to sit on the bench before our front window, look out, and say, "Look, snow! Snow outside!"
4. I had thought after the holidays that I would clear my schedule a bit. I've failed at that. Instead, Nick and I signed up for a training course through our church in urban ministry, I am hopefully teaching a few times at the Forum (a small group for high school/college age kids that does some training of its own), and we are joining a couples small group at the end of the month, on top of my regular schedule. Not to mention there's a new baby coming. I would love to look forward to spring and think that maybe my schedule will clear and I'll experience some relative freedom and relaxed moments over the summer, to take a lazy-summer approach. But I laugh at myself a little there. I just don't seem capable of doing that. I feel almost certain I will come up with something else to do.
5. Do you know, I still have a hard time believing I'm pregnant? I had my first appointment, thrilled to the sound of that little heartbeat, and even with exhaustion wearing me down every. single. day. I just don't think I'm pregnant. Even with trying to think of boy names (I already have the girl's), I still sometimes it's hypothetical. Even though the fit of my clothes is starting to change, I just feel like I'm gaining weight back, not that a little person is growing in there. Even with Eliza now nearly every day mentioning the baby in somebody's tummy (if Mommy has one, everybody does), it seems like just a cute little gain. I'm ready for some kicks, people. I'm ready for some movement. Let me feel that little guy/gal wrestling around in there and figuring out the movement of legs and arms. I'm ready for this to get real. But I know, when it does, I will likely go into list making mode, planning mode, and then chafe when plans can't go forward for one reason or another. Still, there's something very special when the baby, and not just your hormones, says, "Hey, I'm in here."
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Big News on the Quick 5
1. It's been hard to write the Quick 5 lately. Nothing I had to say was quite as important or as interesting as what I wasn't saying. But now, we're ready to make the announcement. If you need a clue, I refer you to the picture.
That's right! We are expecting again. And we are excited! The next addition of our family is due to make his/her appearance on my birthday towards the end of August.
2. This puts us at about 11 weeks along. As the picture says, we've been told our baby is the size of a fig currently. Whether or not that is true, he/she seems to be a healthy little one! We have already had our first prenatal check-up, and everything seems to progressing just as it should be. I got to hear the heartbeat, and it is healthy and strong! In fact, as soon as the doppler touched my tummy, you could hear that sweet little heart thumping away!
3. We learned the news for ourselves on Christmas Eve. We had suspected that it might be the case for a little while, but finally decided to find out so we wouldn't have to wonder through holidays. Christmas was a fun time, sharing the news with both sides of the family. Both sets of grandparents are thrilled! We wanted to keep the information to ourselves for just a bit, telling only family and a few friends. But now, we're ready to come out and say, "We're pregnant!"
4. How have I been feeling? Exhausted! With Eliza, the morning sickness had been horrible; many days I couldn't move from a face-down position on the couch. With Simon, it had been nearly non-existent. This time around, exhaustion is the main deterrent to a normal day, but the more exhausted I am, the more prone I am to nausea. Things have been getting better by small degrees the past few weeks, though, and I am seeing the light at the end of the first trimester tunnel approaching!
5. Are we hoping for a boy or a girl? Well, we have one of each, so there's not pressure either way! I'd like to have another girl (I have the name picked out, not to mention using up all those girl clothes I'm saving!), but we definitely won't complain if it's another little boy. We feel so blessed just to have another member to join our family, our prayer is simply that he/she will be happy and healthy and that we will be good parents. We do, though, intend to find out what we're having. As with the other two, we appreciate the opportunity to name the baby in anticipation of his/her arrival and to prepare for that special little person. As I said, we have a name for a girl, but I doubt we will have much difficulty thinking of a boy one should the need arise. Just seven to nine or so more weeks to go until we find out!
*Bonus (as I foresee some people asking): This baby and Simon will be about 16 months apart. That puts each of our kids spaced just a little under 1.5 years apart. When #3 is born, we will actually have three under 3 for a short time! A little intimidating? Yes! But we look forward to watching the kids grow up together so close in age. Eliza is already such a good little helper, I foresee that when the adjustment period is over, that she will be a big help as the Big Sister.
That's right! We are expecting again. And we are excited! The next addition of our family is due to make his/her appearance on my birthday towards the end of August.
2. This puts us at about 11 weeks along. As the picture says, we've been told our baby is the size of a fig currently. Whether or not that is true, he/she seems to be a healthy little one! We have already had our first prenatal check-up, and everything seems to progressing just as it should be. I got to hear the heartbeat, and it is healthy and strong! In fact, as soon as the doppler touched my tummy, you could hear that sweet little heart thumping away!
3. We learned the news for ourselves on Christmas Eve. We had suspected that it might be the case for a little while, but finally decided to find out so we wouldn't have to wonder through holidays. Christmas was a fun time, sharing the news with both sides of the family. Both sets of grandparents are thrilled! We wanted to keep the information to ourselves for just a bit, telling only family and a few friends. But now, we're ready to come out and say, "We're pregnant!"
4. How have I been feeling? Exhausted! With Eliza, the morning sickness had been horrible; many days I couldn't move from a face-down position on the couch. With Simon, it had been nearly non-existent. This time around, exhaustion is the main deterrent to a normal day, but the more exhausted I am, the more prone I am to nausea. Things have been getting better by small degrees the past few weeks, though, and I am seeing the light at the end of the first trimester tunnel approaching!
5. Are we hoping for a boy or a girl? Well, we have one of each, so there's not pressure either way! I'd like to have another girl (I have the name picked out, not to mention using up all those girl clothes I'm saving!), but we definitely won't complain if it's another little boy. We feel so blessed just to have another member to join our family, our prayer is simply that he/she will be happy and healthy and that we will be good parents. We do, though, intend to find out what we're having. As with the other two, we appreciate the opportunity to name the baby in anticipation of his/her arrival and to prepare for that special little person. As I said, we have a name for a girl, but I doubt we will have much difficulty thinking of a boy one should the need arise. Just seven to nine or so more weeks to go until we find out!
*Bonus (as I foresee some people asking): This baby and Simon will be about 16 months apart. That puts each of our kids spaced just a little under 1.5 years apart. When #3 is born, we will actually have three under 3 for a short time! A little intimidating? Yes! But we look forward to watching the kids grow up together so close in age. Eliza is already such a good little helper, I foresee that when the adjustment period is over, that she will be a big help as the Big Sister.
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