Fight for your right to potty

I don't think it's an understatement to say that this job of motherhood is the biggest adventure life gives us. 

Nothing I have ever experienced changes a person so completely as that one special moment in which a baby enters the world. 

It's a moment that captures your heart so that you can literally hold it in your hand, stare into its eyes and awe and wonder that something so beautiful could not only exist, but have come directly from you.  The kind of moment that makes you want to shout with joy and twirl until you're out of breath and dizzy.  The kind of moment that makes you yearn to pull it protectively close, wrapped delicately in your fingers like the treasure it is. 

And, of course, that tiny miracle changes and grows.  And so do you.

Where once you wanted to fight for your right to paaaaar-tay, now you'd settle simply for making a trip to the bathroom without having someone open the door and shout, What are you doin', Mommy?  Can I have some paper, too?

Kiss the boo-boos.  Rock them to sleep.  Brush the hair and pick the outfits.  Give the medicine when they're sick.  Hold the hands across the street.  Sing the songs.  Cut the peels off the apples and crusts off the sandwiches. 

Oh yeah, and grow the people.  Have the people.  Feed the people. 

Moms are pretty special. 

Good thing there's a whole day devoted to celebrating us. 

Big Sisters.

Everyone warns me about what a struggle it will be fore Leah to adjust.  You know, to the whole big sister gig. 

I'm not saying they're wrong.  It's not like either of us have done this before, and there is no denying that she is a momma's girl. 

She is also incredibly sweet, nurturing and empathetic by nature, and ridiculously excited to be a big sister.  She loves Baby Peanut to pieces.  Truly.  She sings to him at night, asks to give my belly kisses and talks about him non-stop.

Granted, he hasn't yet tried to take any of her toys or snag Mommy time when she wants my attention, but still.

Even so, we wanted to help prep her for this big transition. 

The idea came to me like a year ago when we were first trying.  That girl loves books, and she has always learned a TON from them. 

So I created:

Ahhh, bless Shutterfly.  And free deals that allowed me to make this beautiful book for a grand total of $8.  I have to say, it turned out pretty awesome. 

Left to my own devices, I would take pictures of every page and post them.  Since that seems a little excessive, here's a little sneak peak:

Hopefully it will be one of those things that eases her transition into big sister-hood.  I know she'll never really "get" it until he actually gets here, but my prayer for these two little ones is that they will have a special bond right from the start. 

'Cause the truth is, whether she's ready or not, her time as an only child is coming quickly to an end. 

I have every faith that she's going to do beautifully.

24 weeks

Baby size: Standard letter (because we've outgrown the fruit section of the grocery store.) 

Height: 11-13 inches

Weight: 1.5 lbs

Weight gained: I'll tell you next week... 'cause I don't know!

Wiggles, wiggles, wiggles.  Doesn't seem to be related to any particular foods (Leah went NUTS for blueberries), but I can definitely tell when this boy gets hungry.  He is also fairly mello in the car, which is exactly the opposite of his sister.

The food cravings and aversions have disappeared, although I have discovered that a bowl of cereal before bed helps me sleep through the night (hallelujah!).  It's been about 2 weeks since I've been awake for hours in the middle of the night - and let me tell you, sleep is a beautiful thing.

My belly button is rapidly approaching critical max.  It never popped with Leah - probably because I spent the better part of my third trimester pushing it back in.  Not sure that strategy is going to work this time 'round.

Favorite moment has to be when the little sings to her brother, or when we lay belly to belly and she can feel him moving.  You might get sick of me saying this, but it is an absolute dream come true.  Those moments are sheer, complete, light-shining-down-from-heaven perfection. 

I'm also starting to get really excited for the labor portion of this journey.  Maybe that sounds crazy to some, but I sooo deeply long for a natural child birth.  To wake up in the middle of the night all wet and gooey because my water broke.  (I know, I'm a little weird.) 

I'm starting to daydream about it, mostly right before I fall asleep.  The thought gives me such comfort and excitement.  Obviously, there is a strong potential that I may not get to actually have a natural child birth, and I think I'm okay with that if it comes down that way.  But I want desperately to be able to try on my own this time.  To have that crazy - am I in labor?  Am I not in labor? - guessing game.  Not to know the day and hour this babe will enter the world. 

What's that? you say.  Type-A hyper-controlling Melissa doesn't want everything perfectly predictable and scheduled out?  I know, I know.  I've already admitted to being weird. 

16 weeks to go - and frankly, with all the crazy contractions, I'm convinced we're not going to make it that long.  As long as he's healthy, early is okay by me!

'Cause our house rocks.

Yes, it's official.

This house?  It could be home to a brand new family any time.

I have to tell you, it's kinda flattering having your house on the market.  I mean, it's not like we've done any showings in the all of 5 hours it has been in circulation.  But we got GREAT reviews from the realtors (and I'm sure they never, ever lie to their clients). 

Besides, they put up these really cool little signs all throughout our house.  You know - as if it were a brand new, model home. 

I'm getting house nostalgia; all this talk of selling is making me appreciate just how much I love our house to begin with.

For example, did you know that we have...

Or that they paint I spent so much time selecting and applying is actually...

Or that our house boasts a...

I'm sure I used to know all those things, but when the floor is covered by toys, books, blankets and a variety of odds and ends - not to mention the mail, dishes and dirty clothes that pile up - it's tough to remember that there is a nice place under all that life. 

I mean it when I say that we got rave reviews.  How, I'm not sure, as these people represent million dollar properties.  Either way, I'll take what I can get.   

Will it sell?  I guess we'll just have to wait and see. 

But it's exciting to think about the possibilities.  Much more exciting than thinking about the fact that I'm going to have to find a way to keep it "show-ready" for the next... well, let's not even go there.   



 

Lovely.

Lovely is...

...Cool breezes and spring rain.
...Freshly mowed grass.
...The nights the little falls asleep without so much as a fuss.
...May birthdays.  All 459 of them.
...Banana bread.
...Three weeks of school.
...Husbands who come home on Thursday.
...Orange tulips in a vase.
...Children's birthday parties and cake pops.
...Chocolate icecream.
...Big Sister singing ItsyBitsy Spider to Baby Peanut before bed.
...Asking to say her prayers.
...Vowing to take more pictures this summer.
..."What are you doin', Mommy?"
...23 weeks pregnant.
...Blanket snuggling weather.
...Reading Harry Potter to a wiggling boy.
...Rocking the little to bed while the littlest bumps against her.  Oh, how it fills me with awe and gratitude.  Dreams are made of such perfect moments. 

Hubby Handiwork

It's been five years, but I'm happy to say: our house is finally done!!!

Yes, just in time for us to put it up and try to move.  Great timing, eh? 

It's fair to say that we have had a few things to do on this house over the years.  No exaggeration, we have literally touched up every single surface in the house in the 5 years we have lived here.  Each and every floor.  All walls, cabinets, light fixtures, door knobs; I do mean everything.  No kidding. 

Until this week, that did not include the floors in our two upstairs bathrooms. 

The guest bath had old, yellowed lanoleum while the master had the absolute only remnant of the original house's carpet.  And you guys?  Nasty doesn't begin to cover it. 

I'm not one for regrets, but I will say that I have kicked myself over the years that we didn't take before and after pictures.  Because our handiwork is kinda impressive.  We're no HGTV or anything, but it's pretty awesome. 

So, here are the very, very few before and afters that I've taken.  Thank you, thank you to my wonderful husband, who spent his only days off in three weeks re-tiling our old, nasty bathroom floors to create something awesome.

Before

After



Before



After

And, of course, my new, beautiful floors!!!  Thanks, Hubby!

 

Basement remodel - Fall, 2009

Current basement - Spring, 2012

Fall, 2009

Present day

 Now, I also have to brag on our yard just a tiny bit.  When we moved in, well... let's just say there wasn't one.  There were a few tiny patches of ragged grass, but mostly it was pretty barren landscape. 

Not anymore!!

It has been a labor of love, and although I know that a move will ultimately benefit our family, it's very difficult to imagine living somewhere else.  We have loved this house!

Half Baked (plus)

YOU.GUYS.

I'm half baked!  Plus two weeks!

Baby size: Papaya - about 1 foot, 1 to 1 1/2 pounds (I'm guessing all on the larger side for our boy).
Weight: Plus 9 pounds.

Almost one year ago exactly, we started this journey to two.

9 months ago, I found out I was pregnant and 8 months ago I wasn't anymore.

But now?  Now, I'm over the halfway mark with this wiggly, sweet little peanut of a boy. 

And I'm still huge, but I'm rapidly discovering that the term fat and happy is totally applicable.  Round.  Robust.  Full.  Insert adjective here.  Hello, Weight Watchers in the fall.

Actually, I'm not up that many pounds (kinda scary, considering how very, very different I look). 

I know it doesn't look it, but I swear I'm carrying much lower than I did with Leah.  Last time, my bump started at my boobs.  This time there's a noticeable (albeit to no one else besides me) gap between boobs and bump. 

I've got all the typical symptoms.  Back ache?  Check.  Exhaustion?  Check.  Contractions?  Check and check. 

Mostly, I'm just worried about how frequently I'm contracting.  I'm trying really, really hard not to be that crazy pregnant lady who calls the OB every 20 minutes.  I've been assured that this is totally normal, and I have a strong hunch it's brought on by the stress of working full time while still caring for a two year old. 

With 4 weeks left at school, I'm interested to see how I do as I get into the third trimester and get to worry about just the mommy/pregnancy pieces.  What a blessing that will be!

Most of the time, I just feel happy.  Not quite as care free as I was with Leah, but let's be honest: there's more to do this time around.  I'm definitely more tired physically, mentally and emotionally, which is something I'm really trying to watch.  I very strongly believe that my emotional state has an affect on the way this little one develops, so I want to make sure I'm sending him only the best of me. 

18 weeks to go, and we're into my very favorite part of pregnancy.  We love you, Baby Boy, and we can't wait to meet you!