Hope Still Flies

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.

• I have no idea about height. He weight 28 pounds the last visit to the doctor. I'm guessing 35 inches. Ish.
• Wears 2T, more and more 3T shirts. 2T pants. 
• HATES VEGETABLES. And meat, unless it's mixed in real well. Or unless he's at daycare. I don't understand that.
• I have created a sugar monster. Unfortunately. All you sugar-free, low-sugar, super healthy parents, hats off to you. I can't eat that way, I guess I can't expect Thad to either. He'll survive.
• I complained about sleep, but he is sleeping through the night more. There is always something... teething, growing, whatever. But overall it's better. Even if he wakes up at 5:45 am.
• Got a whole bunch of teeth at once. Close to 15 now? Waiting on a bottom molar to come in.
• He's also starting to use more words... I think he's over 20 now, with the newest one being "spill", if that says anything about what he likes to do. Still won't use two or more words together, but he will sign one and say one.
• He has a new obsession with Paw Patrol. Turn it off, feel his wrath.
• I've learned I'm a total pushover to his sad voice. "Paw? Paaaw? *sad lip* *signs please*" I CAN'T.
• Our new thing is his matching card game from one of my good friends. He'll match the colored monsters, and numbers. 
• Favorite word is definitely "No". He doesn't like me dancing. Is really good at telling me what he doesn't want to eat. Good thing he's cute.
• Loves taking lids off things. Unfortunately.
• Also loves dumping things from one bowl to another. Our living room is a constant mess of food because of it. He usually doesn't miss, but when he does he crunches things with his hands or feet.
• Ornery. So. Ornery.
• This morning he refused to let me feed him any of his oatmeal AND he got his pajamas almost all the way off without my help.