Hope Still Flies

Happy Holidays!!

As I was packing up to go to my parent's yesterday, I remembered I was going to need to write this blog post, since somehow it's been another four weeks. Can time just slow down for just a second?

Or, maybe not. I'm pretty sure Michael is really tired of hearing me complain about every little thing. And my poor little sister (now a co-worker) gets to hear me moan and groan every day for eight hours, too. They're just so lucky.

We survived another month. Paw Patrol Live was a lot of fun (mostly for Thad. I found it to be a weird, surreal experience). My mom is officially home safe from Alaska. During the snowy weekend last weekend I managed to mostly finish T2's rug (which is more of a... very small foot towel or something. Like 2 feet by 2.5 feet. Oh well.), build his crib, and at least buy the stuff to make his door hanging.

PLUS I managed to buy/wrap most of the presents needed for the next few days. Win.

Found out I passed my 1-hour glucose test, which I failed with Thad. Also had an ultrasound, where everything looked good. My anterior placenta is high enough it shouldn't mess with the c-section.

The next month will hopefully be quieter. Michael has his comprehensive exams to officially become a doctoral candidate in less than a month. (I think that's right. I know he has big, scary tests in the middle of January that are really important.) My goals are to figure out my FMLA stuff for work. Wash all the baby clothes. Make sure I can get the infant seat installed in both cars. Deep clean our carpets.

Oh, and Thad has a big brother class at the hospital at the beginning of January. Plus admissions hospital stuff. Things getting verrry real. Doctor appointments every two weeks starting at the beginning of January.

Exponential growth has begun. My pregnancy with Thad messed up my belly button, so it's already an outtie and it bugs me? What a weird thing to bug me. But it does.

As my family descends at my parent's house for Christmas, I'm especially thankful we all live close enough to get together and play games, have fun, and eat a ton of food together. I love being with them, and I'm glad Thad has a chance to terrorize his older cousins. One of my happy places is my parent's house relaxing on their couch.

Though, sharing a bed with Thad is less than idea. He's decided not to lay on his cot very long at night so I didn't even bother bringing it.



Labor Signs: None! A few Braxton-Hicks every day.

Hey, look, it's been another fast four weeks. And officially one month until Christmas (yikes).

We're lucky I remembered to do this update at all. I just finished six hours of Gilmore Girls. Worth it.

Anyway. Viability! This is one of my favorite milestones. I know that everyday T2 stays put, the better chance he has at survival, but it's nice knowing we're scooting closer to the end. Another busy month ahead of us, including photographing another wedding, going to Paw Patrol Live, and my mom coming back from Alaska!

Reading my post from Thad at 24 weeks. I was worried about the nursery and finishing his rug on time. We do have the luxury this time of knowing the boys will eventually share a room, so the only thing I really need to do is build his crib. Which he won't be sleeping in for awhile but I'll probably do soon anyway. Then the rest of the stuff - clothes, car seat, rock n' play... that needs to all be cleaned but that won't get done until at least the start of the new year. I definitely STARTED his rug. But... like barely. I should probably get on that.

But hey, we've (hopefully) settled on a name. That's a good thing.

Unless you ask my dad. He doesn't think kids should be named until they're born. Sorry, dad. Your fault for raising a Type A planner.



Labor Signs: None! 

Labor Signs: None! Just Braxton-Hicks. Ick.

Blindsided me this morning that I already need to update again.

I'm baaaaaaaaaaack.
I thought about masking this as just a usual 2.5 year update for Thad, but that seems cruel. Because, it's true! He turns 2.5 today. But also I'll be making regular updates here again because I'm pregnant with T2! 


Labor Signs: Hopefully none for a very long time.

• His doctor appointment isn't until tomorrow, and I'll come back and add in height and weight. Pretty sure he's about 29 pounds and 35 inches. 
• Long torso... Mostly 3T shirts, 2T pants.
• Still eats way better at daycare than he does at home. Home is for sugar. Though I try not to give in to that.
• Sleep is much better. He sleeps through the night most nights, and is waking up after 6 most days now. Some nights he still wakes up at 2 or 3 and just wants to be awake, but it's rarer now.
• Just waiting on 2-year-old molars to come in. I'm not sure I'll know when they come in - he likes to chew on his jackets and his hands.
• I've seen every episode from the first 3 seasons of Paw Patrol several times.
• Great at taking lids off of things. 
• Will stop anything he's doing to point out a ball. Or baby. Or doggy.
• Any time he sees a soccer or basketball jersey he says "Ball!"
• Loves looking at family pictures. Thankfully I have no shortage of those.
• Kinda potty training. They let him try every time they change diapers at daycare. He's peed on the potty at home a handful of times. And next to it a handful more.
• His smile and laugh are infectious. 
• Took him to the barber for the first time. He cried the whole time she was cutting his hair.
• He still loves dancing.
• Has a "Happy Face", and a "Mad Face". You ask him to close his eyes and he just squints. It's hilarious.
• Can shoot a basket in his little hoop from 5 or 6 feet away. #baller
• Loves building with blocks
• New found love for choo choos.
• Is finally putting some phrases together. Love you is my favorite.
• Insists on saying by to his 1's room teachers before we leave each day. 
• Cute. Smart. Ornery. All the things a 2-year-old should be.

Last year I wrote a super sappy post.

This year. My heart has hardened and that's not happening.

Okay. That's not true. My heart is still a gushy, gooey mess when it comes to Thad. But I'm instead doing a list of things I've learned over the past two years as a parent.

Ready?

* I've learned what things sound like enough that I can decipher what my toddler is doing from the other room
* Mumbling means your kid will also mumble
* It's completely possible to run on little sleep and no caffeine
* Your kid getting genuinely scared is one of the hardest things to see
* Adults don't know everything
* It's sometimes really hard not to laugh when your kid does something wrong and you need to discipline but it's adorable
* Kids don't mind watching the same 20-minute show. Over and over. And over.
* Pee, poop, puke ain't no thang.
* You can say you won't be "that parent" all you want. But you will be in one aspect or another.
* I'm a super pushover. Doughnuts? Go for it. Bread at 3 am? Why not.
* At the same time, I'm learning I can set boundaries. And say no to the cutest person on the planet.
* Kids are way smarter than you give them credit for
* I laugh way more than I thought possible on a daily basis
* You can always find the answer you want if you look long enough on Google. (Toddler bed at 18 months? Sure! 3 years? Why not! Cough? They're fine. Or maybe they have pneumonia.)
* On that note, if anyone ever checked my Google search history, they'd probably take Thad away. ("she gives him BENADRYL!?")
* You'll catch all kinds of sicknesses you have never had
* The sound of your kid's cry will do things to your head. And heart. It wakes me from sleep before I even realize what's going on.
* Small people make very large messes very quickly. Usually right after you clean.
* Not every parent's experience will mirror yours.
* Having friends that are parents is super important. They understand why your house is a disaster. They are understanding when you need to vent about your kid not sleeping. They won't look down on you when 95% of your facebook posts are about your kids. They might have tips or tricks you don't think of when your kid won't eat vegetables (thanks, Chelsea!). They also understand when you have to cancel a playdate because you just can't take anymore today.
* Even though I am a smart and well-educated woman, and I know better, I compare my kid to other kids. I can't help it. But I also try not to stress about it.
* Car seats are way more confusing than you think. And now I'm too educated, and am going to feel bad when I turn my kid to forward facing in the next year. (But seriously, keep your kids rear-facing until 2 years old!!)
* The best way to get your independent toddler to do something they don't want to do (suctioning nose, take medicine, drink milk) is to let them help with the process.
* Mom (or even just parent) guilt is a super real thing. Even trying not to let it get to me. I get paranoid when I'm out in public about people judging me. On pretty much every decision. Formula feeding (check), being a working mom (check), paci use (check), my kid eats sugar (check check check). Even reminding myself that I'm doing what I feel is best for my family, it's still tough.
* Having kids is easily one of the best joint decisions Michael and I have made. Right behind choosing to eat at the Waffle Iron the day after Valentine's Day.

A small selection of things, of course. And I did go back and read my post from last year and it gave me feelings, like it should. Things that I picked up on last year, still apply. He still intertwines his hands, either in front or behind his back, especially when he's nervous.