August 23, 2012

Conversations

Below is a grouping of conversations one might hear around our house these days:
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Me: Bradley, are you done eating?

B: Yogur.

Me: Oh, honey.  We don't have any. They were all close to expiration at the grocery store. Want something else?

B: (a little whiny) Yogur.

Me: Baby. You'll have to have something else.

B: (whinier) Yogur. Spoon.

Jeremy: We don't have any B.

B: (still whinier) Yogur. (Points to his tray)

Me: You might have to run to the store.

Jeremy: Seriously?

Me: Seriously. I don't think he's letting this go.

B: Dada. Yogur. Bye Bye.

Jeremy: (while laughing) I guess I'll be back in a minute.

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Me: Remember when we used to go to Starbucks to relax and hang out?

Jeremy: And read a book.

Me: Yeah....

Jeremy: Yeah, we used to go there to relax from our extremely relaxing day.

Me: Yeah.... I miss that.

Jeremy: What? Relaxing from a relaxing day?

Me: Yeah. I mean, I like B and all and he's totally worth not ever relaxing, but I do miss going inside Starbucks verses the drive-thru and relaxing with you from relaxing.

Jeremy: Yeah. It would be nice.

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Jeremy:  I was telling a guy at work that this pregnancy thing really isn't that bad.

Me: Why would you tell me that?!

Jeremy: What? It isn't for me...

Me:  Yeah, I think you are now supposed to die.

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Jeremy: Do you think Madelyn is going to be more like me?

Me: What do you mean?

Jeremy: Well, you know calm and quieter.

Me: You mean, opposite of Bradley.

Jeremy: It would just be nice.

Me: To have a boring child??

Jeremy: Maybe just a break.

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 Jeremy: Bradley, who lives in Heaven?

B: God.

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August 21, 2012

I'm done.


True Story. 

I'm currently 21 weeks and still throwing up 3 times each day. I thought I was better, the doctor got a bright idea, and now I am worse. My uterus is yelling at me. I'm yelling at the unborn within me. And, honestly, I'm just plain over being pregnant. Having one bad day knocks me on my butt for at least two days and I just can't be knocked down anymore. I've got things to do! And so I rant to you, Internet Friends, as I enter the longest part of my pregnancy feeling miserable and just wanting to be done so that I can wake up and fix my son breakfast without having to say "I'm sorry, but Mommy has to run to the bathroom one more time." It's annoying and old. Thus, my uterus has declared she's retiring for good in the form of a very nice letter. I appreciate her and her willingness to carry two children, but I couldn't agree more. She needs to retire.

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Dear Mr. and Mrs. Johnson,

This is my formal notification that I am retiring from my post as Child Developer effective January 2013. It has been a pleasure and an honor aiding in the protection of your two little ones while they grow within Mrs. Johnson's womb. However, the recent discovery that I am currently holding a GIRL has made my need to stay around any longer unnecessary. I hope you both will understand my need to move on. If you are still in doubt, I have made a list of things that make a family of four the perfect number:
  1. Two words: Game nights.
  2. You aren't out numbered.
  3. Tag teaming parenting
  4. The baby stage will end sooner for you than those who multiply more which means you'll be sleeping and able to remember what you did yesterday before they will. You will then be able to rub it in. 
  5. Disney World has family packages for families of 4.
See? A family of four is a great thing.

I really appreciate the opportunities I have been given here, and I am happy for your growing family and pray that the Lord bless you. And just know that until January 2013, I will continue to help protect Madelyn Bree.

Sincerely,
Jessica's uterus

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And, thus, we end the baby making era. Sorry Grandparents, but you'll just have to wait for another kid to step up to the plate. This throwing up for nine months straight is for the birds.


August 14, 2012

First Day of School

Today is a BIG day for Bradley. This morning, he went to "school" for the first time. I am so excited for him to be able to have this experience. Not only is he going to be able to make lots of friends and do tons of fun things, but the program he's in follows a curriculum so he'll be learning as well.

 B's book bag!  
(I figured the Fox is studious and being a future doctor, he needs to be studious as well.)

The following pictures were taken right before we left. B was trying to figure out his new bag while refusing to smile at the camera. And this is the first time I've used my real camera in a while so the images aren't the clearest... Ha! At least I took some pictures, right???





Bradley did great when I dropped him off. He cried a little, but quickly found a toy and a friend and I became obsolete. It definitely made leaving him easier knowing he wasn't wailing!

I arrived at pick up time just a little early so that I could spy on him through the two way mirror.


 He was just hanging out messing with the bulletin board. When I picked him up, he immediately assumed we were going to see "Dada" because we usually do after nursery time at church. He was so funny. "Dada, dada, dada..." In the car, I asked him how his day was, he proceeded to say, "Knock Knock" while making the motion with his hands. I responded, "Who's there?" To which, he mumbled something and started laughing. Ha! He's so goofy.

I'm so excited to see all he learns and to watch him grow new friendships.

And in case you are wondering: the letter for August is "H" and the color is "Yellow."












August 8, 2012

Making a guess: Boy or Girl??

In one week, we find out if we are having a little boy or a little girl! I am so excited. I'm hoping that knowing the gender will somehow ignite a need within me to nest... or at least vacuum. Although, I think Jeremy would settle with me just simply picking up B's toys. We kinda all tripped over his Legos last night. Thankfully, we were also too tired to complain or point blame. I have a feeling I would have lost that one.

Anywho.

Jeremy and I decided that we are going to take Bradley with us to this appointment and in preparation I've been showing him his ultrasound pictures. He points and says, "Baby!" He loves babies. He also may think that there is a baby in his own belly. We are going with it at this point.

And while I am super excited to know for sure what we will be having, I am also 95% sure that it is a girl. You know, the "mother's intuition" and all. Ha!

Here's why:
  1. She hates me more than Bradley ever did. See here
  2. She doesn't seem to like to eat. I'm guessing she already has image issues and is trying to watch her weight. No need coming into this world 10 lbs, right?
  3. The Chinese calendar shouts PINK!
  4. I've been eating lemons like they are about to go extinct.
  5. I'm loving all things sour.
  6. Her heartbeat is slower than B's ever was.
  7. I'm carrying higher than B.  

Now, don't get me wrong. I'll be equally as pleased if it's a boy. I have tubs of clothes and other boy things that will make our pocketbook quite happy. Plus, I've been doing this wild boy thing for a little while and it's a ton of fun.

However, I think it will be a little easier to further convince Jeremy that we aren't doing this again if he gets that little girl. If she's a redhead, I'll definitely get my way!

So here's to finding out what we are having! Countdown: 7 days!

What do you think? Girl or Boy??


August 2, 2012

Second Time Around

Going into this pregnancy, I knew a few of things:

1. I wanted a baby.
2. I hated being pregnant.
3. Pregnancy could be easier or it could be the same. Either way, it would be different to some degree.
4. Pregnancy would end.

What I didn't anticipate, was how much worse it would be or just how different my body would handle it.

Here's the thing. The second pregnancy is no joke. Your body goes from being pregnant for a second to being pregnant at 7 months in a matter of seconds.

By 10 a.m., I am ready for a nap. By 2 p.m., I am screaming for a nap. And at 9 p.m., I can't make myself fall asleep. At 11 p.m., I finally am about to fall asleep only to realize I have to pee. At 3 a.m, I have to get up again to pee. Then, at 7 a.m., I must wake up for the day. And this is every.single.night. Why must my body torture me so early???? I get it. I won't sleep with a new baby!! Please let me try to sleep before he/she shows up!! Geez...

Also, if you remember with Bradley, I suffered from SPD during my THIRD trimester. This time around... it hit at about 8 weeks. I was walking down the hallway one minute, then all of a sudden I wasn't. My hip came out of joint and I fell to the ground. I'm guessing by the time I get to the third trimester, they'll have me in a wheelchair.

My right, bottom rib... Yup, it's bruised for eternity.

My lower back?? You mean, it normally doesn't ache like this???

I've also got braxton hicks kickin' in slightly before they are needed,  pressure that is much like that of my child trying to push their way out prematurely, and a list of other things that Jeremy would say should not be put on the blog because it's too personal.

Oh! And then there are those lovely symptoms that I missed with Bradley. Bloody noses, arms and legs randomly going numb, the never ending headache, and, again, a list of other things that Jeremy told me to delete.

And so I have come to the conclusion that while Bradley may have been a parasite that slowly sucked the life out of me. This child is a flesh eating bacteria that is quickly eating me from the inside out. This one is a fighter and is determined to win over me. "Survival of the fittest," it taunts. This is also one of the reasons I think this child is a girl. She wants me to know that my reign as Queen is slowly coming to an end and I will no longer be "the fairest of them all."

Yup, she's going to destroy me.

August 1, 2012

Personality

My son is full of it.

After the last 4 months of struggling to lift my head and trying to decipher between Bradley's meltdowns and toddler babble in the middle, I have to say that this month has been such a fresh breath.

I'm not only starting to be able to rejoin society, but Bradley has really blossomed. He is now carrying on full conversations, able to express himself without fully melting down first, and letting us get a glimpse of his big and wild personality.

I am LOVING this stage. I spend most my day laughing, helping Bradley with his vocabulary, and watching him play pretend. It amazes me how fast his little mind can absorb the world around him.

Here's some funny stories to give you an idea of what our future holds:

 Watching synchronized diving on Olympics.

The other day Bradley and I were watching volleyball on the Olympics. All of sudden Bradley picks up my phone, puts it to his ear, and says, "Babble babble babble, Momma, babble, babble, babble, tv, babble, ball, momma, babble.... (laughs)... Buh-bye." Then, he hands the phone back to me.

Bradley HATES mess. He doesn't like it on his hands, shirt, feet, OR the ground. While washing dishes, Jeremy got some dish soap on the floor. Bradley immediately pointed it out to us and started to complain. I told him it was fine, not to worry, but he wouldn't let it go. So I handed him a paper towel, curious to see what he'd do. He knelt down, wiped up the mess with the paper towel, and, then, threw the towel away in the trash. Jeremy and I burst out laughing, cheered him for being so helpful, and then in unison said, "I could get used to this."

 Insisting on wearing my hat while saying "Roar!!!"

Bradley also hates bugs. To him, a dust bunny looks like a bug. He found a little one yesterday, picked up the nearest and largest toy he could find, and proceeded to beat the bunny until I intervened and picked it up. I'm really glad to know he'll protect me against the real bugs.

Bradley was riding his firetruck around the house. I asked him if he was getting the fire out. He immediately began to pretend he had a water hose and continued to ride around while going "Shhhhh" pointing his "hose" at all the furniture.  Once the fire was out, he continued riding while loudly cheering himself on.

Pretending to be Daddy.

 At lunch, Bradley decided to copy everything I did. If I took a bite of my sandwich, he took a bite. If I took a sip of my drink, he took a sip. (Apparently, I also go "ah!" afterward which he in turn copied.) When talking to him, I put my hand under my chin; he did the same to respond. I, then, decided it was time to get his pigges. He could do nothing, but laugh... And there isn't a purer sound than a toddlers laugh.

The following are two videos. Before I started recording, Jeremy decided to walk on the treadmill. This got all the dogs going crazy, which led to Bradley wanting to mimic them...and then he decided to mimic Jeremy.  H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S





Like I said, this stage in his development is really fun.