Thursday, January 31, 2013

24 Weeks!

What?  24 weeks already?  No way dude.

Oh.  Yeah, maybe that is right...
So here's a boring ol' pregnancy update for your (not so entertaining) entertainment: I feel awesome, I love pregnancy just as much as I did with Eliza, and I am in complete denial that this might be my last 24 week belly shot.  Who KNOWS, but we are pretty certain we'll be done after two.  But... but, who knows, right?  RIGHT?  

I love the kicks, the punches, and watching the belly rock and roll when I lay in bed.  It's the best time to feel great, I know, I'm like right in the middle of the honeymoon trimester so all this happy-happy-joy-joy could come to a screeching halt in a couple of months.  But for now, I'm pleased as punch to be where I am, feeling as great as I am (with the minor exception of Sciatica, which I also had with Eliza... it sucks, but it's totally manageable and isn't as bad as it could be).  And still, as I always will be, just so grateful.  I doubt I'll get over that one - the amazing luck that we've had with this pregnancy.  How "easy" it was - no miscarriages this go around when I was totally and completely expecting to have to go through at least one or even two to get to this point.  So very grateful.

That's the update.  Feeling good, loving watching my second baby girl grow and remembering how her big sister moved and stretched in the same place not so long ago.  And!  I'm also loving my maternity wardrobe (thanks to some awesome friends who loaned me some super cute and comfy winter clothes!).  

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Eliza and all her Eliza-ness

It's been too long since I've talked in-depth about my dear Eliza on this old blog.  She has grown and changed so much and just keeps on becoming her own unique person, and it blows me away every day.  Trying to capture her personality and charm on "paper" might very well require a novel, and honestly, part of the reason I've not written an update recently is because every time I try to start writing about her, I just don't know how to adequately describe all the spunk and love and attitude, kindness, intelligence and pure happiness that is wrapped up in that tiny body of hers.

Eliza is a learner.  She is always asking questions and those questions are getting more and more crazy intelligent every day.  She listens closely to an answer (usually, depending on her mood!), and is genuinely interested in figuring things out and getting to the bottom of something until it makes sense to her.  It can be tiring sometimes - the whys, hows, how comes, what do you mean, what does that mean, why is it that way... all the questions are so dang cute and at the same time I feel mentally exhausted at the end of some days!  Thank goodness for her daddy, he is so smart and also naturally curious (I found him watching a youtube lecture the other day explaining why you can't divide by zero -- wtf?!); they make a great pair, always figuring things out together and exploring the answer - no matter how complex - to her most recent question.

Eliza has a flair for the dramatic, as I'm sure many 3 year olds do.  Reactions can be intense, so we're often talking to her about "calmer reactions" (and yes I laugh at myself as soon as the words leave my mouth because really? She's 3, dude. She's gonna bring teh dramazzz).  Similarly, this girl's 'tude can rival that of a 15 year old any day of the week.  She told me she 'didn't want to be near me anymore' the other day after I had to take away a pair of (kid) scissors she was using on something other than paper (namely, her shirt).  As I took them from her hand, she also told me "It is not nice to take something out of someone's hand. Where did you learn that?".  Ohhh boyyyy.

The dear sweet thing is still, at her core, sweet as pie.  She will tell you she loves you out of the blue, and every time it happens it melts your heart in ways you never thought possible.  After I indulged her in an afternoon bath today (an extended version, no less), and as I was drying her off she said to me "look up at me, Mama", and when I did she said "I love you" in the sweetest little voice.  Every frustration and worry I had in my head disappeared at that moment and I swear the rest of the afternoon was nothing short of perfect.  Am I easily manipulated, or what?! ;)

My days are numbered in regards this next one, I know, but for the next few months I will really enjoy the independent playing that goes on in my house!  Eliza loves creating little stories and roles for each of her dolls, putting them to sleep, "doctoring" them, and can play happily in her room alone for extended periods of time.  She plays with her puzzles, her marble maze, her magnetic board, and even her adored playsilk (seriously she loves this thing, it's been such an unexpectedly awesome toy!).  It hit me this morning when I popped my head in to say hello and tell her I was going to hop in the shower ("okay mama", she replied, and went right back to playing) that I am pretty darn lucky in this regard and that showering will soon become a luxury (or at least a task that requires more planning than it currently does!).

What else?  She loves to sing.  She can get lost in playing with the contents of her art supply box for an hour (cutting, coloring, using tape and stickers, gluing...).  She loves to make "recipes" - this morning it was water, salt and blueberries (which she later tried to juice with my citrus juicer).  She loves going to the comic book store with daddy - they buy My Little Pony comic books and Ski Soda.  She eats anything and everything (with a few exceptions of course); she's still our little adventurous eater.  Her daddy and I look at each other every day and marvel at her and the little things she does (and sometimes, on the days that are more full of teh dramaz - like today - we shake our heads and look at each other and say in unison: "your turn!").

There is so much more...!

To my dear sweet girl: I wish I could capture your essence, your spirit, your sweet face, your little voice and the way you say "feather" and bottle it all up to save for later.  I love you so much it can make me cry if I think about it too much.  I hope I'm doing this whole mama thing okay.  There isn't a day that I don't question if I'm good enough, fun enough... enough... just enough for you.

I love you!



Monday, January 14, 2013

Life is good.

Wanted to check in and say hello.  It's been a few weeks and so much is going on that blogging has taken a back seat.  Er, maybe it's more accurate to say that blogging hasn't even had a seat in the car lately.

Things here are good!

I started my adjunct teaching position after the new year and that became my focus when I was able to get online and work on my computer at night.  I'm happy with how it is going - I opened the course to my students yesterday, so here we go! Hopefully my first stint at online teaching goes well this semester. If anyone out there has any pro tips or words of wisdom, I'd welcome anything you've got!

I'm also still doing my other part time job on the side (which is also online), so my computer life has been busy these days, just not with anything that is very much fun or entertaining!!

We are enjoying knowing our little baby is a girl - Eliza finally stopped referring to the baby as "baby brother or sister" and just says "baby sister" now. :)  It took a while though!  She hugs my belly and talks to the baby and is all around adorable about the whole thing.  It makes me smile every time... and yet I know how fleeting this may be, and how different she might (will?) feel once baby is on the outside.  But, different doesn't mean bad - she loves babies and is a very caring and kind person overall. I really do think she will make a lovely big sister to our sweet baby.  Can't wait to find out.

What else? This baby! This sweet girl is a mover and a shaker, and I relish every single kick and punch. She is growing well and she looks healthy; I just can't wait to meet her.  I still love pregnancy just as much as I did with Eliza, and I am very grateful to be feeling so well - I hardly feel pregnant in most ways!

We have some fun vacations coming up, in fact we leave for Puerto Rico on Wednesday for a friend's wedding - just Eliza and I and my parents are going to go so hubby can save on some vacation.  We are also heading to Mexico for my cousin's wedding in March and he will come with us to that one.  Some very exciting months coming up!

So, that was a very general update, but wanted to check in and not go too long without blogging.  I am trying to find some balance in my online/computer time and hope that will lead to more blogging opportunities.  With work being 100% on the computer, it has been difficult.  Also, since Eliza is no longer napping, the majority of the time I get to work is at night after she's asleep.  So, it's limited to begin with.  If anyone has any tips on any of that, I'm all ears!  

Happy mid (!) January, everyone!




Eliza's Stats

Birth: 8 lbs 5 ozs
Going home: 7 lbs 10 ozs
5 days: 7 lbs 13 ozs
2 months: 12 lbs 6 ozs
4 months: 17 lbs
5 months: 18 lbs 12 ozs
6 months: 20 lbs 13 ozs
9 months: 24 lbs 3 ozs
12 months: 26 lbs 13 ozs
15 months: 28 lbs
18 months: 29 lbs 3 ozs
2 years: 32 lbs
3 years: 34 lbs

Alice's Stats

Birth: 8 lbs 11 oz
2 Months: 13 lbs 10 oz
4 Months: 17 lbs 15 oz
6 Months: 20 lbs 4 oz