30 weeks. Still cooking.

Here we are, three fourths of the way through this pregnancy, and I'm gonna be honest.  I'm pretty sure I'm in denial about ever having this baby.  To me, January still seems a reeeeally longs ways away.  But with it being November now, it's a whole lot closer than I realize.  I guess it's good that I'm not too anxious and I do have a lot to keep me busy until baby comes.  You know, with Christmas and stuff.  I'm just really content with life right now.  And the fact that I currently sleep through the night.

Hmmm, what else is new ....

• Baby moves and wiggles like crazy!  Sometimes quick jabs, other times little flutters and yet other times just some nice slow stretches.  It's super duper fun.
• Baby gets hiccups.  And I'm pretty sure he doesn't like them.  At all.  I'll feel a few rhythmic hiccups, then quick flailing and kicks.  A few more hiccups.  More kicks and jabs.  Something tells me this will be the baby that cries when he gets the hiccups.
• No, we still don't know the gender and no, I don't have even a good guess.  My mother intuition kind of sucks.  But for simplicity sake, and the fact that I hate calling the baby "it", I usually just refer to the kiddo as "he".  
• Baby is sitting low and breech. (because you all wanted to know his position, didn't you?)  The sitting low part isn't so bad except for the occasional groin pains and the "constantly having to pee" thing.  And baby has been breech for a few weeks now.  I know I shouldn't be nervous.  But yet, I kind of am.  I have a chiropractor appointment tomorrow where we'll hopefully get this kiddo moving in the right direction.
• Overall, I still feel pretty good.  Some lower back aches, some groin pains when I squat too much, but otherwise I'm good.  I thought for sure I would be a sobbing wreck after teaching 12+ hours this weekend, but I feel good.  Well, at least no worse than I did before my weekend class.
• As I'm coming into the last few weeks of pregnancy, I'm realizing I don't really like shoes.  My two boys were summer babies and I could wear flip flops when I hit the "I can't reach my feet" stage.  Winter?  Not gonna work.  (although it did give me a good excuse to go shoe shopping :)  And not only do I have to worry about my shoes, I also have 4 little feet in my family that, for some reason, need shoes before we leave the house.  They're so needy.  Brooks is good about putting on his own shoes, but Carter... not so much.  And if he doesn't want to put on shoes, he makes it very very difficult for me to put shoes on him.  He's so.stubborn.  Oh well.  At least now I own tennis shoes that don't need to be tied and boots that slide on Carter's feet in about 30 seconds, so that helps.

20 weeks. Shouldn't this be a little more "ho hum"?

We look-ee here.  20 weeks!  (Well, I'm actually 21 weeks.  But let's just pretend I posted this on time) Half way done with this pregnancy.  Well, half-ish.  My first two babies came after their due dates and I'm expecting the same with this one.  So I suppose I'm close  to half way.  To be honest, I really don't care or keep track.

Anyway, I'm 20 weeks and here's some thoughts ....

• Time during the beginning of this pregnancy was very definitive.  Not long days, not short.  Time just trekked along at a normal speed.  (Profound, right?)  I think it was a combination of anxiousness to meet our new family member and wanting it to slow down a bit so I could remember and enjoy it.  I also love this stage of our life.  Brooks is 4 and a super fun kid to hang out with.  Carter is just a few days shy of turning 2 and is becoming much more verbal and independent.  And they both sleep through the night (hallelujah!)  Not that I'm not excited for baby to come, I'm just super enjoying being a family of four right now!  Plus .....
• I like being pregnant.  I really do.  I know some mamas have awful pregnancies and for many reasons, they have every right to totally hate being pregnant.  But I love it.  I love knowing there is a small human being growing inside me.  I love my expanding baby bump.  I love taking on the extra responsibility of eating really well, exercising, and praying more.  That, and I feel great!  People don't believe me, but I do.  Now, keep in mind that I'm in the 2nd trimester "sweet spot" of pregnancy, but I'm pretty sure when all the "oh, my aching lower back" and "I think I just peed my pants" comments start coming .... I'll still love being pregnant.  Maybe.  But how often in life does one get to do this?  I better enjoy it while I can.
• I felt the baby move right around 17 weeks.  It took a while to distinguish the gas bubbles from baby flutters, but now they are definite little kicks.  And kiddo is getting stronger.  Chris even felt him/her move around!
• This is baby #3.  We've done this twice before.  I feel like this should be old news.  Ya know, the "been there, done that" kind of stuff.  It's totally not!  I still nearly cried the first time I heard the heart beat.  Chris still runs to my side to put my hand on my tummy when I tell him the baby is moving.  I'm super excited (and a little bit nervous) to meet this new person.  I bought my first new gift for the baby last week - a hand knit newborn hat.  It's adorable.  Seriously, adorable.  And I get all misty eyed looking at it, thinking that a real baby will be wearing it.  But not just any baby ... my baby.  Weird.  And totally awesome!
• I've gained a lot more weight with this baby than I have with my other pregnancies up to this point.  It may have something to do that I was also my smallest weight when I became pregnant with this baby. I mean, I'm still not huge, but some days that extra 25lb really makes me feel like it.  Normally I can wear my pre-pregnancy pants unbuttoned at this point but now I can't even get them over my rear end.  (sigh)  Oh well.  I know I'm eating healthy, getting enough protein and fruits & veggies and exercising regularly.  I just eat when I'm hungry to make sure baby is receiving the nutrients it needs.  It will all come off (at least that's what I'm telling myself ;)

Brooks & Carter: an update

My boys are growing and changing so much I can hardly keep track of what's new, who's doing what, what new words Carter has, etc.  So I'm just gonna jot down a few notes, really for my own personal sake.

Carter - 19 months

He's chewed all the corners off his blanket.  It's disgusting & slimy.  He loves it.

loves putting his hands in his pockets

hates being told "no"

can throw a really big tantrum when the above happens
tantrums may involve any (or all) of the following: throwing things, hitting things, throwing himself on the floor, burying his face into a wall and crying, screaming

tantrums kind of make me laugh.  they probably shouldn't

will eat anything I give him

bananas are his favorite.  he would eat them for every meal if I let him.  

I don't let him.

is talking up a storm.  can say several multi-syllable words.  so smart.

is good at stacking blocks

tries to dribble a basketball like his big brother.  does pretty good
is good at putting away toys

is surprisingly OCD.  proof he's my kid

has a smile and laugh that lights up a room.  it's infectious

loves bath time

still loves anything with a wheel

loves to go for rides in the wagon

will give me random hugs and kisses.  that's my favorite

is shy when meeting new people

new people think he doesn't ever cry

he does
is very opinionated
knows all the animal sounds

can climb onto the couch and chairs

loves to look out the window

will clap at the end of a song

has little interest in watching TV.  I'm ok with that

is well behaved in public.  not always the case at home

is not very patient

out-eats Brooks at most meals.  sometimes out-eats me

likes to wear Daddy's shoes around the house

will wear mittens in the house but refuses them when we go out

Brooks - 3.5 years

 loves music

I mean, really really loves music

every surface in our home is a potential drum

watches cello videos as a reward

loves things to be orderly

doesn't like change

is not always good at sharing with his little brother

doesn't like time-outs

still cheers for the Vikings

 sometimes plays really great with Carter
he's a good big brother
loves to make Carter laugh

likes to clean the bathroom.  cries if I won't let him

was excited to share his room with Carter

is a hard sleeper

likes to sleep with a stuffed animal.  not any one in particular

loves to read books

enjoys playing basketball, baseball, football or whatever sport is in season

adores his Daddy

likes to snuggle
loves his family to be all together

likes watching Elmo

has a great memory

knows all the letters of the alphabet and their sounds

will be reading soon, I'm convinced

will do just about anything for a piece of cheese

we always have cheese in our house

likes to ride his bike

has no concept of time. doesn't do a lot of things in hurry

eats slow

teaches me to eat slow

is sensitive to loud noises

doesn't like mannequins. they make him cry 

loves to play outside

has a tender heart toward people
doesn't like to see anyone hurt or sad

doesn't take naps anymore

likes to choose his own clothes in the morning

asks about 4,593 questions a day

I answer every.single.one of them