Sponge's Spot 25 (er...26, ok fine 27) weeks

Good grief that is one big belly! Thirty whole pounds of belly (or probably more accurately 20 pounds of belly, 5 pounds of thighs, 3 pounds of floppy arm flab, and 2 pounds of swelling!) Poor Baby #2 your mama is two complete weeks behind on her big ol' belly updates. But wait, I can explain, honest I can. We were in Colorado when the 25 week milestone crept up on me, and then last week, #26, your Big Sister started her vomiting tailspin and can I just say that you're pretty lucky that I'm even getting around to a post this week because we are still recovering from that nightmare!!!

You have been making me very very uncomfortable and tired and cranky for weeks. I complained at my 23 week appointment and the midwife actually said to me, "Well you are older this time around..." What?! Then she continued with, "and your muscles are all stretched out from your first pregnancy so they're not as supportive. Plus you're chasing a toddler around and can't take a nap when you're feeling exhausted." While these things are all very true, I'm going to request that my iron levels be tested at my appointment tomorrow (where I'm also scheduled for my gestational diabetes screening) because this level of general malaise just seems excessive to me, and it makes me just a bit miserable considering that I've got three more months to endure. Don't get me wrong, you're worth the suffering, but wouldn't it be nifty if there was a little less suffering :)

You are a crazy active little guy. When we had your 19 week ultrasound the tech made a remark regarding how active you were and I actually brushed her off commenting that I remember Sofie being a lot more active than you. Turns out I must've been comparing itty bitty you to big nearly full-term Sofie because as you've grown your movements have gotten stronger and stronger and sometimes you get so crazy that I worry you're trying to kick your way out, wake yourself up from a nightmare, or untangle yourself from your umbilical cord. You're especially active late at night...I hope you're not planning on continuing that once you're born!

We've been very diligent about preparing to welcome you home. All your wee little clothes are washed, sorted, and put away, and your crib (now that your sister has vacated) is made up and ready to go. There are some baby things (swing, bathtub, boppy) that need to be revived from Nana's basement, and we need to set up the co-sleeper at some point, but otherwise we're all set. Sofie has been snuggling you and trying to peek through my increasingly more shallow belly-button to get a closer look. Today we were discussing the fact that you are going to nurse. She's not so sure she likes that idea but we've got plenty of time to let the idea grow on her :) Overall we are just biding our time until we get to meet you face to face and welcome you lovingly into our little family. Can't wait!

Big Girl Bed

Guess who got a big girl bed last week (on the very same night she started puking!). Hint: I've been sleeping in a big girl bed for a long long time...

We waited until Sofie was feeling a little bit better before attempting to transition her into her new bed. In the meantime, she had some fun getting acquainted with the new "decoration" in her bedroom.

Tonight is Sofie's third night in her new bed and I have to say (proud mama) that she transitioned like a champion. The first night we had to take a cue from Super Nanny (return her to her bed about six or seven times) but it was really quite short-lived and after resigning herself to her new station in life she slept quite soundly through the night.

The next day she went down for her nap without a peep and slept for FOUR hours! I snuck in and took these pictures while she was asleep:

Upon awakening Sofie got down out of her bed, figured out how to turn the doorknob and let herself out of her room, and came running out to meet me in the living room with a wildly proud grin on her face. It was as if she was thinking, "Wow! This growing up stuff is kind of cool!"

Here's a shot of my happy, well-rested big girl after her mega nap.

Congratulations my sweet girl! Another milestone tackled head on and one small step closer to conquering the world :)

Easter Post...

...is finally posted as if it were there all along on April 21st. I can't figure out how to change it so that it posts on the date that I actually push publish rather than the date I start it. Anyone know anything about this?

They're Coming...I Promise

I swear there are real posts rattling around in my head. There is even a half-started post with lots and lots of pictures from the past week and a half that are just waiting to be labeled and explained. But just as I was beginning to feel like I was getting myself back into some sort of routine (I am notoriously slow at recovering post-vacation) a sweet little munchkin decided it would be a good time to try out that whole big kid vomiting thing...shortly after a very large dinner involving lots of marinara sauce :( Five episodes, lots of carpet scrubbing, and several loads of laundered bedding later I am exhausted. So tonight I am going to bed instead of finishing up the good posts...

Easter in Colorado

Let's all pretend that I wrote and published this post a week and a half ago like I intended to. That would be before our household got its nasty visit from the stomach flu and was subsequently bathed in yucky bodily fluids that I'm still hopeful will submit to spring cleaning. Yuck!

Saturday morning, April 11th, Nana came over to entertain Sofie while we finished packing for our Colorado trip and later drive us to the airport. She brought two giant Easter baskets and one of them had those little pill-like capsules that turn into sponges in warm water. Sofie was pretty fascinated by their transformation...


Sofie's first airplane ride was somewhat miserable, though I suppose it could have been worse. We were quite smooshed on a full plane and Miss Sofie made a poo-poo (always fun to change a diaper in a bathroom with no changing table) and had a couple of short meltdowns. Our flight was scheduled to run into bedtime and I had hoped that she would sleep for the last hour or so but no such luck!! Fortunately, she really enjoyed watching the take-off and landing out the window and since it was such a clear day we had a nice view for a good fifteen minutes of each.

Sofie sat on Daddy's lap for take-off and after we had left the ground he told her, "Sofie, we're flying!" to which she replied, "We fly!"

We were excited to find that the Easter bunny knew where to track us down on Easter morning and brought Sofie a nice Easter basket at the Vance's house. Sofie had lot of fun things in her basket this year, but of course she's already got a mad case of chocolate-radar...

The Easter bunny also outdid himself by hiding plastic eggs inside and hard-boiled eggs outside and the kids enjoyed hunting for them in lots of tricky hiding spots.

We had an eventful trip despite the unfortunate rainy, cold weather. It was so fun to see the family and how the kids have grown. We, of course, saw them at Kyle and DeAnna's wedding in October, but didn't have much time to spend with them then. The changes I see in them between our visit always remind me just how fast kiddos grow and change and makes me want to freeze time for a bit to enjoy our sweet little girl. Sweet little Lillian is now quite a lady. She is inquisitive, precocious, and brave. She and Sofie became quite fast friends and I found myself overcome one day as I turned around to check on them while driving in the van and found them quietly holding hands. Wish I'd had my camera handy! Clayton has grown up so much from the little boy who came to visit when Sofie was born and promptly adopted a teddy bear to cuddle and love. He is obsessed with all things firetruck, jumping in puddles, and chocolate milk. He and Sofie also had a good time playing together and she wandered around a little aimlessly for a few days when we returned home not quite knowing what to do with herself without her friends :(

During our stay we enjoyed several picnics, a brief hike at Rocky Mountain National Park, a trip to Boulder's Pearl Street Mall (where Sofie enjoyed riding on a rocking pig which I fell in love with)

a trip to the Children's Museum, and one to the Butterfly Conservatory where we checked out the butterflies...

creepy crawlies...

(See what I mean about Lillie being brave?! That's a real live tarantula crawling on her hand!)

starfish...

and horseshoe crabs...

and had plenty of good old fashioned family togetherness. Our plane ride home was much more comfortable and as always it felt good to come back home after a busy week. We hope to see the Vance's again sometime after Gray is born if we're lucky and we're already looking forward to it!

100% Girl

Conversation from this morning...

Me: What do you want to wear today kiddo?

Sofie: Dess.

Me: A dress?

Sofie, gleefully: Sofie, a dess!

You are 100% girly girl. Yesterday morning as we were leaving the house for a prenatal appointment (all is well, by the way) you grabbed baby Nona and your baking set to bring along for the ride. You love to carry mama's "puss" (purse) around, admire your reflection in the mirror after a fresh hairdo, and you never seem to tire from the important business of trying on shoes. If we are out shopping and you see shoes you immediately take your own off and request (more like demand) to try them on. You are a hoot and a half, kiddo, and your mama is eating it up.