This time around

Today I wanted to document some things about this pregnancy.  Compared to last time, I have not documented this pregnancy much at all!  I take pictures occasionally, but I never post them and looking back I never know what week they are from.  I wish I were better about that.

Not a lot of weird cravings this time, just a few pickle incidents.  Navel oranges and various types of granola with milk have been my biggest cravings.  Most nights at 9pm, it's granola time.  And I usually just want lots of fresh produce!

I actually haven't many baby related pregnancy dreams! I think only one dream, where the baby was growing in a closet instead of my womb and we would open the door to check on it. That was weird.

I was feeling pretty good until around 24 weeks, then I had a real rough patch- lots of contractions and back pain, where I really thought I was having pre-term labor.  I then decided I needed to chill, rest more and stop lifting heavy stuff.  Once I adjusted my lifestyle and expectations, it got better.  It stinks realizing you have limits when you are used to being free, strong and independent.

For weeks it's been driving me crazy that I/we can't decide on a name.

Some days I feel confident about labor and delivery, and some days I'm pretty scared!  I've never gone into labor at home, having been induced last time, so I don't know what that will be like.  I also have a (possibly naive) hope that he will come a smidge early- just a week or 2.  It's either mother's intuition, or I'm delusional; time will tell.

This is what it looks like to be pregnant & have a toddler.  Plenty of time on the couch, with said toddler doing acrobats all over and around me.  Maybe a minute or 2 of snuggles now and then.

Being 7 months preg with Babe #2 is really different than with #1.

Know I know some things that maybe I'd heard the first time around, but couldn't really understand/believe until I'd experienced them.
For example:
1.  Now I know that I can physically do it...birth a baby.
2.  I know that I will fall helplessly in love with my baby
3.  I know that an epidural can be a really wonderful thing

When I was 7 months preg with Arthur, I was getting more and more nervous and concerned because The Day was getting closer.  I had no idea IF and HOW I would survive birth and motherhood.  Early in Arthur's pregnancy, I found comfort knowing that having the baby was still far away, and was even weirdly relieved when he was late being born, because I could put the pain off a little longer...  But this time around, I feel relieved that the end is getting near.  I'm excited to meet this new little wonder, and for Arthur to be a big brother, and to see how he is like alike and different from the rest of the family!

I know there will be pain when he's born, but just for a relatively short time and it will get better.

We have already adjusted to the parenting lifestyle, so that won't be a big deal.  I now know that everything doesn't have to be perfect (& I don't have to know everything) before he is born.  There is time later, and we will have to adjust with each phase anyway.

Also this pregnancy has been physically more difficult.  I have plans to take placenta pills after the baby is born (I know, gross) and cut back on sugar and I have a hope that in a few short months I will be feeling awesome.

Everything is different this time around.  We are in a home that's better suited for us, in a better financial place, both of our jobs are better (I was working full time when pregnant w/ Arthur; now I work part time from my home. Stuart didn't have a job when Arthur was born. It was scary.)  Right now we have a significant amount LESS stress in our lives than we did 2 years ago.  We are surrounded by wonderful people and family.  And I'd venture to say we've grown a little bit older and wiser.

2 more months.

1.333 yrs old

Snacking at the table like a big guy.

We had an exciting breakthrough this week.

We joined the Y! That is exciting, but it's not the aforementioned breakthrough. For the first 3 weeks, Arthur freaked out every time I took him to the childcare room. Full blown separation anxiety. It broke my heart, and I'm pretty sure he was traumatized. I was traumatized, since I'd surely never be able to leave him and therefore never do anything fun, ever. I didn't help that after week 1, I also took him to another childcare at a church, where he GOT BIT by another little guy as soon as we walked in. It broke the skin, and 2.5 weeks later, there is a scar where the scab fell off. Trauma.

Every day at the Y, he cried, and every day the ladies working there told me to keep trying.

This week, after probably 9 tearful visits, we had our breakthrough! The worker even took a picture to prove it to me. And on successful day #2 (today), she came and found me 5 minutes after I dropped him off to let me know he was already playing happily. When I picked him up (after a long, great workout!) he was just walking around the room looking for stuff to get into. So, he will get more social, and I will get more fit!! 2 big triumphs for my little family. Stuart is already fit- he ran 5 miles this morning-so he is all set; I'm just catching up.

Midwood Park on Stuart's birthday!

One

My busy, curious, funny, handsome, smart little guy.  This week you will be 1!!!

You have so many new tricks!  Even though you are not saying many words, you know what I'm saying.  If I say, "It's bath time!" you'll crawl straight to the tub.  If I ask if you're ready for nap and to snuggle with your lovey, you'll giggle in response.  You try to say "breakfast" after I do and I love seeing what it sounds like each morning- usually something like "juh juh."  You'll get it soon!


You're a great eater.  You love your mom and dad.  We like to make you crack up by munching on your ribs- your dad is really good at that.  We also try to make you snuggle with us, but you're not always down.

You LOVE books!  You finally decided you could sit still and listen to us read.  You'll lean back onto me, point to things on the pages for me to tell you what they are, and you're great at turning the pages.

Several times a day you'll pick out a book and bring it to me for me to read you.  We read your books to you over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over.



You LOVE your monkey lovey.  It's like a sleep drug.  If you find him on the floor, you'll lay down and snuggle right there.  The only time you suck your thumb is when you have monkey- monkey and your thumb go hand in hand.  After nap, you throw all your snuggly friends, and now your socks too if you're wearing them, down onto the floor.  You think it's really funny.  You love it if we throw them back into the crib so you can throw them out again- it's a great game that makes you squeal with delight.

I thought it would be fun to Facetime you the other day while we were apart.  Bad idea.  Turns out it's better if you forget about me when I'm gone :)

You always have something in your hands and mouth.  You found a box of markers and carried a few with you at all times for awhile...until we decided it was too dangerous and hid them.  Can't risk a top coming off and how fun that would be to you.  Sorry.

You love to climb the stairs, especially when I'm chasing after you to get you to come down.  You love how noisy it is when your hands slap each stair, and that's why you'll bring some loud plastic toy along for extra effect to bang against each hardwood step.  You usually babble loudly too while climbing...or crawling, or pushing your walker.  You're actually loud almost always, except when we're on a walk.

You started clapping your hands in the car on my birthday.  Thank you for that.  You clap a lot, wave bye bye, and recently you've started pointing to everything, which is so cute and funny.  When I go into your room after a nap, you lean your whole body towards your tiny index finger pointing at me.   You say "dee" ("see") when you're pointing at things.  You're so close to saying so many things.

Whenever you hear a bird, dog, train, car, or any other interesting noise, you freeze and look at me for explanation.  I love teaching you about all the interesting noises we hear.  You are so smart!

You give me lots of hugs, and when I say "Arthur, can I have a kiss?" you will lean your sweet little cheek towards my lips!

You will be walking soon- your current record of steps taken alone before falling is 7.  You often will grab my finger and walk around, occasionally looking up and examining my hand to find a better finger to grasp.  You love wooing strangers at the store and seeing friends.  You like to Skype with the family.  You like testing out your voice in places with interesting acoustics, like a public restroom, a tunnel under a road on the greenway, or a parking deck.  You'll yell louder and louder and smile as you listen to the echo.  Real neat, son.

You are a ball of energy, and a bit mischievous already.  You are buckets of fun and I'm pumped about this next year with ya!  Can't wait for that blonde hair to keep coming in.

8 months + 3 weeks

 Here what Arthur's been up to lately:

Climbing on me like a jungle gym

Eating a bunch, and looking so big

We discovered that the washing machine is awesomely entertaining in so many ways!

A nice fresh bump on the forehead from crawling into a sharp corner.  But still happy to be in the bath!

Had a few sickly days, which included lots of sweet cuddles, and also lots of tears, snot, and drool.  A few anti-nap protests.  I've felt like a walking Kleenex...and I've been changing shirts a lot...because he cries into my shoulders and it's just really messy, but oh so tender.

Pulling up, all day long!  Little tiny hairs on head.

Got dedicated at church!

Loves chicken!

He went from refusing any solid foods, to eating big (for a baby) chunks of grown up food within about 2 weeks.  Crazy!  At first I was so scared to feed him big food, but he's caught on so fast that it just feels natural.

Peek!

Learned how to turn on the faucet! Ruh roh.

Cutest trick of the week is WAVING!  He does it a bunch- when we put him to bed 2 nights ago, he smiled up at us and waved good bye!  PRECIOUS! He also waves when he wants something, like food.



The second video just shows his crawling, climbing, noises and sweetness in PJ's.

Crap you guys

Early December.  He likes to bang on the stairs with his hands and practice pulling up.

Arthur just started growing exponentially.  He's closer to being a one year old than to being a newborn!  He's almost been out of me longer than he was in me.  So, here are lots o' pics that I feel capture our current "moment," over the last 2 months.  Lots are blurry because that's the only option.  Either blurry pics, or no pics!  He's such a dear little adventurer and my love for him just explodes me daily.

He currently has a black eye from a fall, and practices waving quite often.  3 days ago he crawled onto my foot and said 'mamama' while I was cooking!!!  It hasn't happened since.  

After 2 months of not liking solid foods, he suddenly caught on at 8 months!  Now he's loving all the pureed vegetables and fruits I'm giving him.  I'm so proud. 

Just this week after learning to pull up to a stand, he's started taking a few steps while holding onto the coffee table!  Precious.  Oh, and when I say 'crawling,' I mean scooting, like an inchworm.  That's how he's gotten around quite well for the past month, but just last night he did some REAL crawling towards his Uncle Josh C. 

This was the day he realized he could sit up straight in his stroller, instead of lounging back.  He was pretty pumped about it. 

Typical baby post-bath happiness.

As of this week, he pulls up into this position all by himself!  HE'S SO BIG AND SO LITTLE AT THE SAME TIME!!!

Stuart said this is such a 'mom pic'.  True.

This is my view so very often.  He loves me and often just crawls toward me for a snuggle and a little encouragement before continuing on his adventures.  

Big day, learning to stand in his crib!  This was such a shock to see on the video monitor, and the next day he didn't nap because he did NOT want to lay down.  

Sneaky.

In December he learned to pull up to this position.  This toy is awesome.

A serious dishwasher fan. 

Cabbage patch, studying face.

It's so cute when he crawls right outta his pants.  See the pants, over there?

He's obsessed with crawling with this beloved ribbon in his mouth, or with anything in his mouth.  Like a puppy.

this is me loving him to pieces

6 months

I die when he wears this cardigan

Handprint sleep marks. He's a champ of a sleeper

Hey guys.

I don't really like blogging that much, but I do like looking back on my old posts- like a marker in time!  So this one goes out to the future me!  And anyone else interested :)

Rough Day. 

Flying!

This video was when he was on the verge of babbling.

Carrots are more fun to play with than eat.

Now he's babbling a lot! And laughing. And snuggling.

Looks like his dad's smile!

This last video was yesterday at our friend Rohan's house.  I wish I didn't have to sound like an idiot to make him laugh, but that's just how it works.