You know you're really tired....

... when you can fall asleep with your face in your big brother's sandal! Maybe he thought it would make a good pillow??? Poor Little Squirt!

cute baby

Blog? What Blog?

So... I haven't been posting lately. Contrary to what the title of this post implies, I haven't forgotten that I have a blog. I just rarely have any time to devote to it these days. Between keeping two little ones clothed and fed and changed, Kiddo's having learned how to use the computer this summer, and Daddy-O's job hunt, I don't get to the computer much. And when I do, I either forget what I'm here for, or I spend all my spare time on Facebook or reading your blogs. I rarely even get comments posted, but I have become a virtual queen of the "Like button" on Facebook, however!

Even as I sit here typing, Little Squirt is wiggling around on my lap and has managed to spit up a large amount on to my jeans. Sigh. I do remind myself that the spitting up, pooping, and peeing on virtually everything stage is just a stage. However, it is exhausting to try to keep a clean outfit on anyone! Anymore, I've pretty much given up for my own wardrobe. I suppose there might come a day when I have a closet full of unstained, cute clothes that actually fit me, and then I'll be wishing for my boys to be babies again.

Any-hoo, here's a few photos. You'll see that Little Squirt is not so little anymore. He is growing FAST!

Kiddo has discovered the joys of fruit snacks.


Kiddo comparing his atlas with his World Map placemat-- yes, he does think this is fun!


I think Little Squirt is so anxious to be able to talk, too!


Looking cool in Kiddo's glasses

By the way, he spit up again, and he's drooling everywhere. It's a glamorous life, friends!

Smiley Guy

A lady at Church commented that Little Squirt has the "cutest personality--" and we would have to agree. He really doesn't cry much, unless he's very hungry or overly tired. And he has the sweetest smile. I've been trying to get a good picture of it. This is the best one so far!

Thriller Tribute?

In the wake of Michael Jackson's recent death, I've seen several clips of folks doing their own re-enactments of the "Thriller" video in tribute. Of course, my boys have never seen Michael or the tributes, but when I looked at these photos, I thought immediately of the "Thriller" dance. What do you think?

Little Hercules

I've been meaning to post this ever since I filmed it, but you know, life intervenes...

I guess Little Squirt must have heard about his big brother's talents and wants us to know he doesn't plan on being outshined.

Growing Fast

The good news is, both boys are healthy and strong. Little Squirt had an appointment with the pediatrician on Monday, and is up to 9 lbs, 9 oz and 22 inches long. It's crazy to see he's getting bigger so fast. He now has some chub in those cheeks, much like his big brother.

He's eating well, but boy do I wish I could more easily predict what his nighttime schedule was going to be. He wakes up at least twice to eat during the night, and then is often very lazy about it and we both fall asleep before he's done, and he also likes to be awake between 3 and 5 a.m. almost every morning. Daddy-O usually takes him after I feed him then, but we are both exhausted and desperately need more than our total of 4-6 hours of sleep a night (and that is not uninterrupted). The old adage to "sleep when the baby sleeps" is also well-nigh impossible when Kiddo is awake and wanting attention.

I keep trying to tell myself that this stage is temporary, but that doesn't mean it isn't really hard for me. At this point with Kiddo, I was in the hospital because of a complete inability to sleep and PPD and my Mom and Daddy-O were taking care of Kiddo. So I know I am coping better than that this time. But it's still been much harder than I thought it would be. I honestly don't know how so many women have the strength to do this several times, unless they have a lot of help. I guess we all have our limits, our own strengths and weaknesses, and this is just one of my personal inadequacies.

Adjusting...

Well, I guess I've really been neglecting the blog these past few months. Of course, now that I am the mother of two, I seem to have a lot less time to spend on the computer. Basically, these days I just check my email (i.e., delete my junk mail) and look at Facebook once or twice a day long enough to "like" a few people's posts. Every few days, I check Google Reader and read new posts on my friends' blogs. And that's about it.

Most of the time, it seems like I'm feeding someone or changing someone's diapers or trying to get someone to sleep. And if I'm not doing that, I'm looking for some toy Kiddo has lost or blowing bubbles. Kiddo seems to think that any time is a good time for bubbles, even if I'm nursing the baby, burping the baby, changing a diaper, or trying to eat... my patience is wearing a little thin. Just getting a chance to shower or sneak in a cat-nap is so much more difficult than it was just a month ago! I know that I have so much to be grateful for, and I am feeling so blessed to have my two sweet boys. This just isn't the most fun or glamorous time right now, and it will pass. It would just be nice to have a housekeeper or something. However, I must give credit to my wonderful husband: the Daddy-O is fabulous to us, and helps me with just about EVERYTHING he possibly can when he gets home from work.

Kiddo still seems to like his little brother, and is anxious to give him kisses and loves. He is totally amused by the baby's little noises, and thinks it's hilarious when the Little Squirt pees everywhere when I change his diaper. Evidently, Mommy is very funny when she exasperatedly says, "Oh, man!!!" several times... I do think Kiddo gets frustrated by how much time I spend feeding the baby because that is time when I am basically "out of commission," but he is doing better than I'd expected with it.

The funniest thing about Kiddo's relationship with the baby is that, for the majority of my pregnancy, Kiddo was absolutely definite that there was only one acceptable name for this child. Luckily for Daddy-O and me, it was the dignified Old Testament name we'd already pretty much decided on as soon as we knew we were expecting. However, since the baby's birth, Kiddo almost never refers to him by his real name. Instead, he calls the baby...... "Tom-Tom Tomato," or just "Tom-Tom," for short!

There is a story behind this crazy nickname. On Valentine's Day, we took Kiddo with us out to eat at the Olive Garden. The highlight of this trip, for Kiddo, was the children's menu and crayons. They are decorated with cartoon food characters, sort of like the Veggie Tales. The two that he remembered best were "Ollie Olive" and "Tonya Tomato." At some point weeks later, Kiddo decided that he was Ollie and that Mommy is Tonya. Somedays he will only answer to Ollie, and often he refers to me as Tonya or Tonya Tomato both at home AND in public.

If you look closely, you can see Ollie on the cup...

Later he decided he wanted Daddy-O to be Tonya also, but we informed him that Tonya is only a girl's name. Thus, Daddy-O became "Mr. Tonya." When we asked him what the baby should be called, he came up with "Tom-Tom Tomato," never really thinking Kiddo would actually call him that...

And now you can see Tonya Tomato...

So when anyone asks Kiddo, "What's your baby brother's name?" he answers, "Tom-Tom" and Mommy or Daddy have to explain that no, his name isn't even Thomas either. No, Kiddo didn't want to name him Thomas or Tom-Tom. He just wants to call him Tom-Tom now.

So, I'm wondering:

• Should I still refer to the baby as Rerun, which Daddy doesn't care for?
• Should I call him Tom-Tom, which is just confusing?
• Should I call him Little Squirt, because it does seem quite appropriate?
• Or, should I go back to the drawing board and pick an entirely new nickname?

Any suggestions?


Oh, by the way, the Daddy-O graduated on the 16th.
Not that it's a big deal or anything... j/k.
I think it's a big deal, but don't tell him I said so.

Happy Mother's Day!

It seems like everyone who reads this blog is also a Facebook friend, but in case you haven't heard...

I had a very eventful Mother's Day this year! Awakened at 12:30 a.m. with contractions, I had no idea that in a little over 5 hours, I would have my best Mother's Day gift. The labor was short-- in fact, I got admitted to my room at 3:50 a.m., and he was born at 5:50 a.m.-- so no epidural, and barely time for a small dose of nubain (spelling?) before it was time to push him out! That's something I didn't think I'd ever be able to say! So far, everything is going so much better than the first time as far as healing, sleeping, and nursing that I can hardly believe it. And I DID get to go to Daddy-O's graduation yesterday, so that was another blessing.

Kiddo is pretty excited about his new brother, and wants to hold him and touch him and sing to him. It's pretty sweet. Kiddo is a bit louder than we'd like him to be, but so far, his brother really doesn't seem that disturbed by Kiddo's noise. I suppose it's been his constant companion these past few months in the womb! :) However many books we had read to him about babies not doing much at the beginning, Kiddo REALLY is anxious for the day when the baby will be able to play and talk. On the first day he came to see us at the hospital, he asked, "Does he want to hold my calculator?" That made me want to both laugh and cry, as several times in the weeks leading up to the birth, Kiddo had informed me, "I am definitely NOT going to share my calculator with him!" So I guess he must like this baby a lot!

I am still worried about how I'll handle it all when Daddy-O's at work, and Gobby goes back home. I imagine that's when the sibling jealousy will kick in. But I am very grateful to have TWO such beautiful and healthy boys to fill my life with joy!

THE DETAILS:
Our Baby Boy
Born: 5:50 am, 10 May 2009
Weight: 8 lbs, 3.5 oz
Length: 21.5 inches (although the nurse at the pediatrician's office said he was 19 in. 4 days later... don't think so!)
Head: 14.25 in
And, according to his big brother, his favorite color: goldenrod!

Large and in Charge

So, this is how much I've grown in just 3 weeks. And sadly, I still have about a month to go. I've already gained 39 pounds, which if you add to the 9 extra pounds I was still carrying from the first pregnancy, means I already have about 50 pounds to lose once the baby is born. How is that for discouraging?!?!?! Looks like I'll be wearing my annoying maternity pants for several more months this time. With Kiddo, it was obvious from my swollen ankles and legs that I was retaining large amounts of water, and I did lose a lot of that fast. This time it looks like it's all just me-- unless of course I have a 20 pound baby. HAHAHA.

You often hear of celebrity Moms, who-- let's face it-- were probably underweight to begin with, gaining something crazy like 70 pounds, but then rapidly managing to lose it all. I always wonder how that is possible. But I guess maybe if I had a personal trainer, a nanny, and a cook, I could do it too.

I have been trying to tell myself that the main thing is just for the baby to come healthy, and for me to be healthy, and all the numerous nurses and residents I've had to see this time seem to think that we are. They're watching for spikes in blood pressure, and last time thought he might be breech, but today he seems to be head-down, although still in a kooky position--instead of head-down, face-up, and in fetal position, something more like this-- sideways, with his bum up near my ribs, and his legs all stretched out.

Baby "Rerun" continues to stretch out as much as possible, and move a lot. But I have to say, I am seriously uncomfortable. It's hard to carry this belly around! Finding a comfortable sleeping position is almost impossible, which means I'm more tired than I should be...which means I've had some migraines... which means I feel like doing very little... which makes me feel like eating to console myself... which makes me gain weight and gives me heartburn... which makes it hard to take a nap... which means... you get the picture.

So actually, while I am large, but I'm not really in charge. I'm praying the baby comes 2 or 3 weeks early, but it seems highly unlikely that a girl who made her mother wait an extra 3 weeks would ever be blessed with an early birth!! Honestly, I think the marsupials do reproduction much better than we humans. Wouldn't you rather give birth to something exceedingly tiny, and then carry it around in a pouch while it grows and matures, or is it just me? It sounds so much more comfortable. Think of all the things you could get done!! And, I could be wrong, but it sounds like nursing, for a koala, is really a cinch.

On a positive note, I am getting really excited to meet this new little guy! I am so curious to see what he will look like, and what kind of personality he'll have. Kiddo is going through what I hope is just a phase of being picky about whether or not he wants to be hugged or kissed, so I can't wait for a little snuggle puppy who I can kiss and cuddle as much as I want!

I am so thankful that I have been able to be medicated through this pregnancy, and will be able to continue with it to nurse, assuming that works out. My first pregnancy, and ESPECIALLY the recovery period were so difficult for me emotionally and I am really praying for a much smoother transition this time... especially because the dear friends who were so incredibly helpful to us are now so far away. If you get a chance, say a little prayer that we'll have an easier delivery and post-partum period. I would really appreciate it!!!

How I'm Feeling...

Lately I've been wondering why it is that when you are pregnant, people feel free to comment on your size and appearance in ways that are clearly rude. For instance, if I had put on 30 pounds in the last few months simply from eating too much, people might talk about me, but I doubt they would come up and say, "Wow, look at you!! What have you been eating? You're huge!!" Common sense dictates that would be incredibly rude, and the majority of people would keep their thoughts to themselves.

Yet, when you are pregnant, it seems all bets are off. People who don't even know you feel very comfortable calling out, "You're going to have that baby any day, aren't you?" (Yes, this happened to me). In my experience, telling these people that no, in fact, you have a month or two left just makes them incredulous. "Oh, no, you won't make it that long!!!" they insist (Yes, this has happened to me numerous times throughout both pregnancies). I am not surprised if one of my six-year-old Primary kids tells Mom, "My teacher is about to pop!" But I am still slightly shocked when the Mom passes the message on to me!

Can't we just declare an official ban on telling pregnant women how big they are? Maybe some women, such as those who are ordinarily extremely skinny, like to be told they are huge, but I am NOT one of them. I think it is just as rude to tell an expecting mother she's fat as it is to say it to anyone else. Never mind the fact that she might also be experiencing: extreme fatigue, terrible backaches, leg cramps even though she's getting plenty of calcium, killer heartburn, shortness of breath and congestion resulting in buzz-saw-like snoring, frequent trips to the bathroom, and any other number of fun pregnancy symptoms (i.e., I also drool big time when I try to sleep-- but only when I'm pregnant. What's up with THAT?). I say, if you feel you must comment on a pregnant lady's appearance, say something kind, such as, "Wow! You look beautiful!"

Having said all that, I am sharing some entertaining photos of me, from last week. I should have had Daddy-O take a full-length side shot, because it really is kind of funny how much my belly protrudes... until I remember, that even after the baby's out, I will still have all that stretched out skin. And remember, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all!!!!!

This is weird, because in this shot my face is what looks the fattest!

"Do you really want to hurt me? Do you really want to make me cry?"

Looking like Octo-Mom, sans the collagen lips...

Finally, an almost decent shot!

Baby News

On a happy note, I had my Christmas present early, as we had our 20-week Ultrasound yesterday. At my last prenatal appointment, we saw a fabulous resident who scheduled it for us with absolutely NO problem. In fact, I didn't even have to see the regular doctor who upset me so much at the prior appointment. HOORAY!! Oh, I guess that's another post, as I forgot to blog about my horrible prenatal appointments thus far. I sure do miss my OB/GYN back in Ames!

Anyway, Kiddo came with us, which wasn't ideal, but he was really pretty good and was excited to "see the baby on the TV screen." I doubt it really looked like a baby to him, but he didn't complain. He counted and sang and danced, but the technician said it didn't bother her at all. The cutest thing was that when she was walking us down the hall to the Ultrasound room, Kiddo said to her, "Thank you for letting me come, too!" without any prompting from us. We were all very impressed with those nice manners!

Much to my relief, everything today seemed to look good. I ate some sweet & sugary baked goods about a half hour before, so the baby was very active and seemed to be practicing some kickboxing moves in my womb! Watch out, Kiddo! It surely looks like we're having another BOY, so Kiddo will be happy. For the last 3 weeks, he has been insisting that we were having a boy, and has helped me select a name. I suggested 4 or 5 names to him and he picked my favorite, so I think we will stick with it unless we get a strong feeling otherwise. The Daddy-O had been predicting a girl, but says he's not disappointed. Maybe we will have a girl a few years down the road when we are better off financially. After all, we girls can be expensive. :)

I've been thinking about what to nickname the new baby, and Kiddo#1 and Kiddo#2 just doesn't sound very nice, plus it could be slightly confusing. Then I remembered how Kiddo was Linus for Halloween, and that Linus has a little brother named Rerun, so for right now, I'm thinking of calling this little guy Rerun. After all, I am a HUGE Peanuts fan. What do you think?