2 & 3 Weeks

In weeks 2 and 3 of ERP's life -

~ he has already gained back his birth weight; plus a pound.  At 2 weeks and 3 days he had a doctor's appointment and was 7 lbs. 5 ounces
~ he is still wearing size newborn clothes, but we can put his 0-3 month clothes on him without him looking too much like a child playing dress-up
~ he is wearing newborn size diapers, but once these are gone he'll be wearing size 1.  This is one step closer to wearing his cloth diapers.
~ he loves taking showers with mommy
~ he is more and more awake every day
~ he is still a pocket baby, and loves to be held and snuggled
~ he celebrated his first holiday - Christmas
~ he is still eating and sleeping - 99% of the time
~ he is (sadly) coming down with his brother's cold.... poor guy

Things that I don't want to forget from the last 2 weeks -

~ how the stork bite on the back of his neck got smaller and smaller and just faded away
~ how his toes spread out, almost like fingers; when you run your finger under them
~ how soft the hair on his head feels
~ how he sounds like a dove cooing when he sleeps (sometimes)
~ how soft and warm he feels curled up against my body
~ how he looks me in the eyes while nursing now

Induction & Introduction (part 2 of 2)

Once we knew the day baby was coming, life around the house seemed to be calmer.  I will admit that knowing we were going for an induction felt like cheating.  I feel like I am missing part of the baby's birth story.  I wonder, what day would HE have chosen to be born.  Would he have come late as my gut was telling me?  Would he have come in the middle of the night or the middle of a snow storm?  Would we have made it to the hospital on time, or would it be another crazy birth story for me?  What would have been my first sign of labor?

None of these questions can get answered.  But we were able to make his birth just as memorable and special.  We were able to do things we wouldn't have done had we not opted for the induction.  The days and nights before I made extra certain that I spent one on one time alone, with each of the bigger boys. I was able to (with the help of Husband) have the house spotless and all of the laundry done before hand.  The day before the induction was a good one for us - our van had been in the body shop from an accident 3 weeks prior and was finally ready; and we took the boys out to dinner - one last time as a family of 4.  That night after my shower; Husband drew a heart on my stomach and everyone wrote a special message to the baby.   Everyone at the hospital LOVED this idea and commented on it, and read the messages.

We left for the hospital a little after 7am on Thursday December 5.  We had only told our parents and one or two other people about the induction.  Because there was no guarantee that our induction plan would work, and I was not willing to try pitocin or other means to induce; there was a chance that after 12 hours I would be sent home with a "failed induction".

We met my mom at the hospital for 8am and I was quickly hooked up to the IV to receive the antibiotics.  My mom and the boys hung around for a little bit, and then she left with them for breakfast and to take care of her horses.  Husband and I joked around with my nurse while she put all of my information into the computer.

Around 9am my midwife (MW) came in and inserted the Cervadil.  For the next couple of hours DH and I just hung out.  We watched TV, walked the hallways, talked to the nurses.  I had some contractions, but nothing I would consider the onset of labor - they were no more intense or frequent than what I had been having at home on and off for weeks.  At noon I had another round of IV antibiotics (I was off the IV pole, aside from the one hour increments it took to administer the meds).  Lunch was brought in during this round, chicken Parmesan - which I found funny as I had ordered that the night before at dinner.  It was good and I was starving and ate most of it, but I did draw the line at the salad which had more diced onion in it that seemed possible.  Within 30 minutes lunch was back with a vengeance and I couldn't help but wonder who gives all this acidic and spicy food to a woman in labor?

Around 1pm my MW came back in and moved the Cervadil closer to my cervix and she stripped my membranes.  My mom stopped in with the boys when this was done, and I nursed TT a little (my MW said it would help bring on labor).  Husband left with them to grab a bite to eat for lunch and I hung out in the room and then went for a walk.  During the walk I realized that labor was imminent.  I got back to the room and was about to call Husband on his cell when he showed up.  Shortly after that my MW was back, I am guessing it was around 2pm at this time. I asked if I could labor in the shower (it was one of those hydro-steam showers) and was told that was fine.  At first I labored alone in the shower; then I realized I needed Husband in there with me and sent him running for his shorts (which where in his bag out in the car).  In no time at all he was back and helping me through the contractions.  While I was in the shower my MW checked my cervix and I was about 3-4 cm and the baby's head was very low.... that seemed to be the entire labor - baby's station was ahead of my cervix; apparently he was more ready than I was for him to be born.  It was also during this time that I realized I really was having another child - that I really had been pregnant for the last 9 months and this WAS happening.

I had to get back into bed for my MW to remove the Cervadil (which she was awesome about and I was wrapped in heated towels) and as I was laboring in bed I started to have some very painful contractions.  These brought back sharp memories of my labor with TT and being trapped in the car.  I cried a little and was very afraid of going through "that" experience again.  My MW suggested the birthing ball; which sounded like and turned out to be a great idea.  I sat on the ball for the longest while.  Husband coached me through my breathing and MW gave the BEST back and hip massages to go along with my contractions.  She stayed with us for the longest time until she had to step out briefly and Husband took over.  During this period I started to really have to vocalize through the contractions and unfortunately it was also time for another round of IV medications.

So by best guess this was shortly after 5pm, as they are given every 4 hours.  One of the things that really struck me with this labor is I had no concept of time or exactly how fast my labor was progressing.  There was no timing of my contractions, there were no internal checks of my cervix - my MW was able to move me through labor based simply on how I was acting.  Even when I was ready to push she didn't insist on checking to "make sure" I was complete.  

As soon as I was hooked up to the IV again I jumped out of bed and headed back to the shower.  Once in the shower my water broke, it was a small break and merely trickled this time.  I was told if I wanted to deliver in the shower I could and I would have; but all of the heat from the steam plus the pain started going to my head and I got light headed, I thought I was going to pass out and so did Husband and MW.  As I was getting out of the shower I felt the need to go to the bathroom; to push; and I asked my MW how to tell the difference between the two and her response "I don't know, they are kind of the same."  Thinking back on RR's labor I would have to agree.  I tried the toilet but that did nothing for me, and at this time I was screaming and cried for drugs.  My MW told me she didn't think I needed them.  I decided I wanted to push in bed after that and tried a few positions, but mostly ended up screaming - at which my MW said to me "That's great screaming, but how about trying some pushing."  Once I found a comfortable position (the old stand-by) I had a few practice pushes; felt my water gush out a couple of times, felt the ring of fire (dear Lord; glad I didn't have that with TT) and then in one big push and with a huge surge of water out came baby - yes all in one shot, thank you.

He was placed on my chest and I was immediately in love.  

Baby boy was born at 5:25pm; roughly three and a half hours after labor really seemed to start for me.

I have no idea what his Apgar scores were.  It didn't seem important.  What was important is that they let me hold him and hold him.  He was so tiny, and warm, and fit perfectly on my chest.  We waited a good long while for the cord to stop pulsing and Husband made a couple quick "he's here" calls and snapped up pictures.  Once the cord was cut they took him to be weighed and measured.  He was 6 lbs. 5 ounces and 18.5" long - my smallest baby.

It was at this time that we found out he had a low body temperature (95 point something degrees) and would need to go to the nursery.  Husband followed them out as I shouted, "don't give him formula I'll pump first".

And with all of that our newest member of the family fell into our hearts and lives.

More details to come in an epilogue.....

1 Week Old

ERP is now a week old.

One week already.  Time is flying.

At one week -

~ he is nursing like a champ; still having a hard time latching initially, but does great once on, he prefers to nurse on the right side
~ he is wearing preemie diapers, size small (did you know they also come in extra-small)
~ he is almost back to his birth weight - he has gained 5.5 ounces in 5 days
~ he is eating and sleeping all the time, some naps are short but he has gone 4 and 5 hour stretches as well
~ he is wearing size newborn clothes, but that's because we don't own any preemie size clothes
~ he is the apple of both of his brother's eyes
~ his bouncy seat is his favorite place to be, aside from curled up with mom or dad
~ at exactly one week in age he realized that he doesn't need to keep his legs all squished up high and has started stretching out more
~ I call him my Pocket Baby and Squishy Peanut
~ he had his first sponge bathes at home
~ his cord fell off at age 5 days

Things from this week I don't want to forget -
~ how the hair in the back of his head is the longest and you can curl it around your finger
~ how downy soft his hair is
~ the look of his eyelashes as they started to grow in
~ the soft baby hair on his upper arms
~ how long his fingers and toes are and how big his hands and feet are, they seem out of place when compared to how small the rest of him is
~ how his feet look so funny in socks that are way too big
~ how skinny his legs are, I tease him I've eaten frog legs with more meat on them
~ how he keeps poking himself in his eyes and mouth with his hands
~ how when I see him move and hold his butt all of his movements in my womb make sense

Induction & Introdcution (part 1 of 2)

Ah.... A long overdue pregnancy post.... followed by a birth story and an introduction.

Somewhere in the 36 week range of pregnancy I did as every pregnant American women does and tested for Group B Strep (GBS).  A week later I found out I was positive for GBS.  And I was crushed.  In the US being positive for GBS and delivering in the hospital requires several rounds IV delivered antibiotics.  You can decline, but you're given a hard time about it.  I opted to retest before making any decisions about what I wanted to do go forward.

You see we all carry GBS in our body; it's just a matter of whether or not it's active.  When it's active it's only active for 6 weeks at a time.  So there was a chance to retesting and not being GBS positive anymore.  Personally I find the whole GBS thing a bunch of bull as you can be negative at time of testing but positive when you deliver and they (the doctors and hospital) have no way of knowing.  There is not a "rapid strep test" for GBS.  Anyhow, I go home and treat with some home remedies from my midwife and some that I found on-line.

My retest a week later comes back still positive.  I am a mess.  I am crying.  I do NOT want an IV in while delivering.  I want a water birth, like we had hoped for with TT; free of as much medical intervention as possible.  I worry about yeast infections and thrush for me and baby, both side effects from antibiotics.  I worry about baby and the 1 in 2,000 chance of fetal death from GBS if I do not treat.  I worry about not getting to the hospital and treating the GBS before baby is born (remember TT's labor?).

My midwives offer an induction.  They tell me  based on my history of fast labors and the GBS+ status that the induction will give me the birth I want, the water birth I want.  Yes, I will need an IV, but it will not be in all the time.  Husband and I think it over, I cry some, we talk and talk more and decide the induction was the way to go.

We had an appointment with the midwife that was doing the induction and we sat down to talk more about the birth plan; and that's when I found out the birth tub was not available (new tub in a new suite waiting for the board of health to approve it).  I, again, was crushed.  The water birth was the incentive I needed to go ahead with an induction.  Personally, I am just not a fan of the idea of inductions.  Too many chances for complications, additional drugs, interventions.... and the whole "picking your child's birth date" thing really bothers me.

Based on my history, current dilation, baby position and my desire to have no medical interventions or drugs we decided to use a medication called Cedavil.  I was up front and told her absolutely no pitocin, which is what everyone thinks of when you mention an induction.  Cedavil is a thin strip of material placed next to the cervix which help ripen and dilate the cervix.  If this did not work within 12 hours we were going to call it a failed induction and I was going to go home.  Because of the chance of not having the baby that day; and because when you mention induction everyone assumes pitocin Husband and I opted not to tell anyone about the induction.  We told our mothers and one or two other people and then hoped for the best.

The induction date was set for December 5; six days before the baby's actual due date.


to be continued

Waiting & Wondering

Today I am 38 weeks pregnant; and as most women who reach this stage in pregnancy I am starting to wonder - not just about what my little one will be like, but about what labor will be like.  

My previous two labors where vastly different; and I some how feel like I have covered the labor spectrum... aside from the fact that neither of my labors where remotely like anything mentioned, reviewed or taught in the two childbirth classes I took.  

With RR, who was born at 38 weeks.... whoever said your first never comes early... idiot.... my first was my earliest.... I had a cervix check on Friday and was told I wasn't dilated... he was born less than 24 hours later.

With TT I walked around for weeks and weeks dilated.  I kept feeling like he could and would come any day now because I was already progressing.  Nope, he waited to make his appearance just a couple hours before his due date.  

With neither boy I went throw a text book "early labor".  I've read many many birth stories and believe early labor is a real thing - they are amazing stories... I love reading about how these women just carried on with their day to day activities waiting for labor to really get going.

When RR was born I woke up early in the morning to one strong cramp, walked into the bathroom and my water broke.  The real contractions didn't start for a good two hours after that, and didn't get regular for at least 3 or 4 hours.  

When TT was born I had one or two really strong contractions and I knew it was time.  I have no idea how I knew, but I knew.

With RR I had this calm about me... I showered while I let my ex and my Goddaughter sleep in.  I ironed my clothes while I waited for my doctor to call me back.  I was relaxed and calm (obviously since I wasn't having contractions) while we drove to the hospital.  

With TT I had a calm in my voice when I told Husband not to freak out, but I thought it was time.  I stressed in the shower because the contractions were coming so fast; and I was anything but calm and relaxed on the car ride to the hospital as I went from active labor to transition and tried not to give birth in the car.  

With RR I opted for an epidural, which didn't work so well and had to argue with the doctors about being ready to push because they thought it was too soon.

With TT I went all natural and didn't wait for a doctor (thank you on-call midwife in attendance).  

So here I sit, 38 weeks pregnant and I wonder what this labor has in store for me.  Yes, I am already dilated... but I know now that doesn't mean a thing.  I've been offered an induction, not once but twice so far (because I was group B strep positive a couple weeks ago - we are retesting currently - and I have a history of precipitous labor).  I wonder what it would be like to know baby is coming on such a such a day.  How to women who have scheduled inductions and c-sections deal with the impending date.... knowing it's a real date that baby will come?  I've been told that I could have my baby this weekend if I like.  Do I really want to be that selective?  

So I sit here, wondering and waiting.... what is in store for me this time around.

Who's Watching Who

The Big Boy is getting to the age where he's almost old enough to stay home alone for short periods of time - 10 minutes to the gas station kind of thing.  Not a leap we're ready to make, but something we're thinking about and will be for a while.

Today Nana came over to the house.  The Little Boy was sleeping and the Big One was eager to show Nana his latest video games.  Husband wanted to take a trip out to the hardware store and I wanted to pick up Nana a belated birthday cake, she turned 97 back on the 12th.  Husband suggested we go out together as TT was sleeping and wouldn't be up for a few more hours and RR and Nana were content on the couch.

We left our cell numbers for RR and told Nana she was in charge - and she happily took on the challenge.  She likes to feel important and helpful; which I can totally understand.

About an hour or so later Husband and I were ready to head home and he suggested stopping for a snack first.  I wanted to check on everyone at the house first, just to "make sure".  So we called.  And called and called again.... finally RR answers.... and at the point I was mostly home... in a panic worried something happened to one of them.  RR confesses he was just "ignoring" the phone.  GAH!!!!

And then it occurred to me.... who was watching who?  We told Nana she was in charge, but RR had our numbers and the phone.  I guess they were watching each other.... and TT.... he was busy sleeping.

Rolling

There comes a time in every women's pregnancy that rolling over in bed feels like climbing mount Everest.

There are many steps involved in rolling over in bed while pregnant:

1) Lay in bed and try and decide if you really need to roll over

2) Judge how far away Husband is from you and if you have room to roll over

3) Jar Husband in the ribs so he grunts and rolls away from you in his sleep

4) Swing the pillow from the side of your head over to other side of head

5) Lay in bed and try and decide if you REALLY need to roll over

6) Think about pillow positioned between your knees, are you awake enough to roll and keep this pillow in place

7) Remove pillow from between knees and toss to your other side

8) Pray pillow did not land on floor

9) Lay in bed and try and decide if you REALLY need to roll over

10) Place one hand under bulging pregnant belly, gather momentum and roll

11) Lay in bed and catch your breath - You made it!!!

12) Search out pillow for between knees while trying to move as little as possible

13) Position pillow at head and sink in to comfy-ness

14) Re-adjust pillow between knees

15) Breath sigh of relief and hope to fall back to sleep soon

16) Realize you have to go to the bathroom because your center of gravity has shifted onto your bladder

17) Curse Husband for snoring so softly

18) Lay in bed and think about it: do you REALLY have to go to the bathroom......


...... to be continued

Silly Boy

Yes, those were fake sneezes.

Socks

Last weekend I pulled out the box of baby clothes from the attic and proceeded to sort and purge and wash.  Gold star for me!!  Finally getting ready for #3!!

After a couple of hours of work it became clear we were in serious need of infant socks.

Out of all of the clothes I sorted - sizes newborn through 18 months - I only found these two socks.  Which clearly are not mates.

I can only wonder why I kept these two errant socks.

Pass the Peas Please

I'm a big believer on offering kids things to eat that they don't normally eat, especially at dinner time.  If we are eating foods I know the boys will turn down they are still offered.  I heard something somewhere at sometime that said you have to try a new food some twenty times before you decide you like it... and I have stuck to that approach.

Time and time again I would serve TT peas.

Time and time again he would not eat peas.

If I served him peas and carrots mixed together, he would eat the carrots while removing the peas and crushing them into the table top.

Sometimes he would freak out and refuse to eat if the peas where on his plate.

Tonight I decided not to offer him peas.  He had plenty of other colorful food on his plate.

As dinner went on and RR was eating his peas TT asked for peas.  He scoped some out of the serving bowl and put them on his plate.  And sure enough he started eating them.

Then all of a sudden he couldn't get enough peas.  He was going insane eating them.  We let him eat them right out of the serving dish because he was just going to town eating peas.  He was totally in love with peas and both Husband and I watched in awe (and then took pictures).

Maybe it was reverse psychology - OK, I'll eat them since you didn't offer them to me.

Maybe it was because he was eating them heated up (I don't normally warm his veggies).

Maybe it was because his brother was eating them, and he thinks his brother is the cat's pajamas.

No matter what is was I'll take it... eating peas at dinner with no fighting... priceless.

Ready or Not

Earlier in the summer we had bought TT a potty chair.  It was a spur of the moment thing, on sale for a price too good to pass up.  He used it once or twice; maybe three times in the last few months.  It mostly sat in our downstairs bathroom, collecting dust.

Once we rented an Elmo potty training video from the library.  We all watched it once.  RR thought it was really funny and laughed his butt off.

Potty training, or toilet teaching, or whatever you want to call it - really wasn't in our plans for TT right now.

Husband and I talked about it.  We said we would maybe do a "potty training boot camp" when I was working from home.  I wasn't stressed about it; I think RR was at least another year older before he potty trained - and beside I had heard that toddlers can really regress when a new siblings comes along... so it just wasn't something I was all for doing now.

TT on the other hand had a different idea.

In the last week he's gone on the potty chair more and more.

We bought a second potty chair, and as soon as it came in the mail (doesn't everyone buy their potty chairs on-line?) he needed to use... and this started him not only doing #1, but also #2 in the potty.

This morning after breakfast, he asked me to take off his diaper so he could use the potty.

Today we went on the potty at least 5 times.

He only went through 2 diapers.  One when we went to the park and one at nap time.

Apparently he's getting the hang of this pretty darn quickly.

Which is good, because he's quickly growing out of cloth diapers that fit him.

So we'll keep following his lead and I'll keep denying that my baby is growing up... and we'll see where we go from here.  And if he regresses when Newbie is born, its all good. I know he has the stuff to make this huge milestone leap when he's ready.

Wow!! Really??!!

Actually this blog post should be titled "Holy Shit I'm Having a Baby... and like soon".  But I didn't want to have a post with the word "shit" in the title.

Do you realize it's October and there is a chance I could be having a baby next month?  I mean really, it's possible being due December 11th and all that.  It is also possible being due then than I have a Christmas baby, but only time will tell.

I'm 30 weeks pregnant tomorrow.  How the hell did that happen?  OK, I know how IT happened, but how has time gone by so fast?  I was at the midwives offices 2 weeks ago and they were all about setting up all of the next prenatal appointments.  It was like I went from seeing them once a month to seeing them every other week in no time at all.  It was nearly overwhelming when I left with an appointment card for something like 6 visits.  I just kept staring at the appointments wondering where the last few months went.  Where did summer go?  I don't even remember it starting.

I know they say time goes faster on subsequent pregnancies because you have your hands more full than before... more responsibilities, more kids to spend time with, etc.  And I know work is certainly more busy for me now, more so than ever.  But I just don't see how this pregnancy can be coming to an end sometime soon.

Remind me I said that when I am complaining about feeling like I am going to be pregnant forever... somewhere around the 37 week mark.

So far it has been an easy pregnancy... aside from that bladder issue early on.  But since then; it's been very typical... and I dare say it maybe my easiest pregnancy yet.  Truth be told it was so long ago I was pregnant with RR that I don't recall all of the details, but I do recall it being very easy and smooth sailing.  When I was pregnant with TT I had the worst allergies/cold for 9 months...

I suppose we should start getting ready for baby to come.  We've done some stuff in preparation for the little guy.  The car seat has been taken out of the attic and cleaned (still needs to be installed), I've bought him a few new outfits (need to wash), I bought him a very cool infant hat (made by the talented Devin), we've talked names and made a list of names.... and well that's it.  We really don't have much to do I guess. We need to get some infant size diapers (our cloth ones are good starting around age 3 months) and we need to get the pack and play cleaned and set-up and we need to fix up our room and get the co-sleeper up and installed, get the clothes out of the attic and washed  Aside from that we're ready to go???

Again... remind me of this post in 4 weeks that I am freaking out over needing to buy diapers, nail clippers, new thermometer, etc... all while saying I should have washed the clothes sooner.

Husband wants to have the nursery done before new baby comes.  I'm OK with it either way.  It's not like he'll sleep in it till next summer anyhow.

How am I am so relaxed, yet so perplexed about how I could possibly be this far along in my pregnancy?  It must be the hormones.

Silent Saturday

Have you met my son?  The ham.

Town Fair

Our town fair was this weekend and we've attended for the last few years.  We love going and checking out all of the local businesses, Ray always makes a few crafts and enters them at the exhibit hall, the boys had fun playing games, looking at animals and of course going on rides.

Me and TT on the Merry Go Round

He had to settle for the firetruck since all of the motorcycles where taken.

This was his favorite, he went on it a few times.

Strawberry / pineapple whip.  YUM!!

Three pumpkin heads.

RR actually enjoyed this ride.  His friends had already been on it twice.

They were really excited about this.

Scrambler.

Oh yeah....

RR's is the pillow case.

A photo of a seagull he took at the beach.

Sorry for the upside down photo - it's his lunch box
 presentation showing a balanced meal and daily lunch plain.

Decorated cake.  This is the first year he tried his hand at this.  He did great.

A tool box he made.  Also the first time he tried this craft area.

A water color painting (tree at night) that he did in school.

TT playing 4H ring toss.

RR trying his hand at hockey.

TT with Daddy's help trying out hockey.

Looking for chicks and eggs.

Big boys checking out the "chicks".

Vegetarian??

I have never had a picky child.

OK, I only have two kids; so I guess I don't have much to go off of here.  But RR was always a good eater.  Sure he went through the phase of not eating "white" food - potatoes, rice, white bread, etc.  And there are certain things at certain meals he will not eating, but certainly not what I would call a picky eater.

TT on the other hand is working on becoming a picky eater.  As of lately he has decided he doesn't eat meat anymore.  Considering that meatballs and sausage were his favorite foods 3 months ago this is a big change.  It has been about 2 weeks since TT has eaten meat - aside from the stray chicken McNugget (and no he will not eat chicken nuggets at the house).  He has turned his nose up at every form of meat possible in the last 2 weeks - meats he used to LOVE, meats most 2 years old LOVE.

I tried to get him to eat sausage twice in the last 2 weeks - once at home and once when we went to breakfast yesterday.  No dice.  He used to eat 5 or 6 sausages at a time.  I couldn't even disguise it in a pancake with maple slurp.

He will not eat steak.  Even with A1.  He'll dip his veggies in the A1, but will not touch the steak.

No fish.

No chicken of any sort.

He will not even eat hot dogs.

He picks pepperoni and hamburger off pizza and hands it to you saying "kakaa".

Tomorrow will be the ultimate test - spaghetti meatballs for dinner.

And if that's a no go I think I will have the first two year old ever with a self imposed vegetarian diet.

Thankfully he still eats other foods and lives for "toast" (wheat bread toasted and slathered with peanut butter).  And he did eat 3 hard-boiled eggs (along with 2 apples, a pastry and a banana) for breakfast so there is no lack of protein in his diet... or food for that matter.

S.A.U.S.

Yesterday The Big Boy had the most brilliant idea.  He called it Stuffed Animal Utility Suit, SAUS for short.

Basically he took a pair of footed pajamas and stuffed it with a blanket and used a stuffed animal for the head.  It was like a soft and squishy scarecrow made out of bedding.

He had made his first and then he made one of his little brother.  The Little Guy was totally in love with it.  The boys must have played for a good hour or more with them.  If I tried to go and take a picture and the Little Guy noticed me, he gave me the stink eye.

Unless of course he needed me to reattach the head or add a hat for him.  Then it was OK.

It was awesome how well they played with these, and for so long.  There was no serious rough housing, no one was crying, no complaining.  Just playing.

They both loved them so much that they rebuilt them today and took them on a car ride with us.  Good thing we have a van as they both insisted their SAUS needed it's own seat.  Thank you, thank you RR for coming up with such a clever and mess free toy/game to keep you and your brother happy.  You really are an awesome big brother.

Winder about the blue lips on the Little Guy... right before SAUS were made he had been coloring with blue markers.  

Silent Saturday

4th Grade

4th - 2013

Earlier this evening I was not going to go on and on about RR growing up.  I was not going to wax poetic about a new school year starting.  I just wasn't going to do it.  No, I was not.  Nope. Nada.  Zilch.

The first day of 4th grade had been pretty uneventful.  He was up and showered and ready just on time.  The bus was just on time.  The baby (who are we kidding, the toddler) slept through it all.  As far as a first day of school it wasn't a big milestone.  I didn't get all misty eyed thinking about "my baby" growing up.  I only had one call from the school; unrelated to the first day thankfully, and the bus dropped him off right on time.

Overall it was a very anti-climatic first day.  There were no angles singing about the glory of back to school.  Maybe because the summer was too short this year.  Maybe because I am just so busy with work, and the toddler and being pregnant, that I couldn't make a big deal.  And it really isn't a big deal.  It's 4th grade; not kindergarten or middle school or high school.  Sure it is a new school and HE was worried about a new place and teacher and routine, but really my world wasn't affected.  How selfish is that of me?  I felt for him, and wanted him to have a good day; but I knew everything was going to be OK.  I knew there was nothing to fear.

And then I started skimming through pictures... looking at pictures from the first day of school for the last 5 years.

And then I got teary eyed.  I blame it on the pregnancy hormones.  But there is no doubt that he certainly has a certain style about him; a look that hasn't changed much over the years.  Sure his hair has gotten longer and he has learned to tie his shoes... but who he is hasn't changed, he has just gotten older.  And I suppose that means so have I.

Kindy - 2009

1st - 2010

2nd - 2011

3rd - 2012

Spoiled

It's that time of year again - back to school time.  My Facebook status feed is filled with back to school photos (we go back next Wednesday - I hate them going back before Labor Day, but that's a rant for another time) and the woos and joys of back to school shopping.

I am amazed by some of the things my friends have had to buy their darling little ones for back to school - like deodorant to bring to the classroom.  How is pit stick a back to school supply?

I feel for those who are weighted down with long lists of what to buy and my heart breaks for those that don't have money to buy the supplies they are told their child needs for schools.  Yes, I am that person that when asked to make a donation of a back to school item at the register always says "yes".

I am spoiled.  Apparently one of the perks of living in my town is that there are no back to school supplies to buy.  And yes, he goes to public school.  I have no concerns over colored pencils and how many three-ring-binders my boy needs.

Instead of fear and loathing and making midnight runs to Staples and WalMart for the "essentials" I can stock up on markers and pens as stocking stuffers in August.

Now I realize that some people consider clothes and backpack buying as part of "back to school" shopping and in that sense we do have to do some of that.  Backpack - check - ordered on-line from LL Bean, but since it was a replacement for an LL Bean one he broke it was no cost (in the end) to me.  Clothes - he gets 3 new shirts every year.  Once for each day of the week for the first week.  I don't bother with pants; he'll wear shorts till Halloween and I don't bother with winter clothes till it gets cold, he's going to grow between now and then anyway.  Shoe shopping needs to be done twice a year at least; so we'll get some now while they are on sale.  See I've got it covered.

Easy peasey lemon squeezy.

Sorry fellow moms.... don't let those lists weigh you down.

An Oldie

Recorded Thanksgiving 2008 (RR was 4).  Dancing with Grammie.

30 Months

TT is 30 months old today.

30 months of complete and total cuteness.  Hey, I get to say that I am his mother after all.  Some days I ask him if he plans on using his cuteness to get through life and he says "OK".

At two and a half his speech is really staring to take off.  As it should with speech therapy once a week and playgroup once a week as well; assuming the bus shows up for playgroup.  ggrrrr.... that's a whole other post.

He is still addicted to his pacifier, which we call a nook or nooker.  Husband and I agreed that he could keep using it till his 2 year molars where in... and we're just about there.

Speaking of speech and nooks... tonight I stole his nook from him and he says to me "I want nookie."  Ha!!!

At a height and weight check at the pediatrician's office last month TT was 41.5 lbs. and a little over 40" tall.  He is in the 99% for height and weight for his age; and is just a bit bigger than your typical 4 year old boy.  I guess that explains why he is wearing a 4T/5 at this point.  They say a child's height at age 2 is about half that of their adult height - this puts TT around 6-ft 4-inches.

Toilet training is not really going anywhere.  We've had a few successes with going in the potty; but we've had more misses.  Husband and I aren't pushing the issue, TT is just now starting to be able to pull of his pants AND we hate his potty-chair.  Seriously, that thing sucks... the pee guard (which any mom of a boy can tell you is critical) keeps falling off every time he sits in it.  Buying a new one piece potty chair is on our list of things "to do".  And yes, we're still cloth diapering.  And yes, finding cloth diapers to fit this child is getting difficult.

TT is taking one nap a day; usually it's around 2 to 3 hours long.  He goes to bed between 7 and 7:30 and is up around 6:30.  He loves to see me before I go to work in the morning; and he has that same sixth sense like his brother. He knows what days we need to get out of the house early and chooses those days to sleep in.

For fun and play; which is what it is all about, TT loves the wooden Thomas Train set.  He also adores cars and driving his shopping carriage around the house. Wearing buckets and baskets on his head is also tops in his book.  Along with watching Mickey Mouse - he prefers the old ones... the really old ones.  Coloring, painting and play-doh are also pretty great.  If it was up to him he would go for a car ride every day... and probably shoe shopping.  This child has a serious addiction to shoes; he has more pairs (he can currently wear) than me, Husband and RR combined.  TT loves shoes.

He also loves horses... horse-y he calls it.  When ever possible he will jump on you (he rides RR) and scream horsey and make horse sounds.  Cute... but not so easy on the back and knees and legs, etc.  When he's really in a horse mood he likes to watch My Little Pony.

Cooking is a new activity he has discovered, making eggs is his favorite.

He also enjoys eating what he, or anyone else makes. (as you can tell by his size.)  His favorite foods include (ice) cream; sausages, meatballs, spaghetti, peanut butter sandwiches, bananas, watermelon and apples.  He is not a fan of green foods - peas, beans, lettuce, etc.  And yes, he is still nursing - once maybe twice a day, skipping a day here or there.

As I have said before... he is probably one of the happiest kids you will every meet.  Of course he suffers from the "terrible twos" and I am sure we'll have the "trying threes"... but that's what being a toddler is all about.  That and playing in the yard naked, chasing your brother around with a toy sword and just being lovable.