"C" is for Child #2 (cont.)

Clare's bump pics have been severely lacking, but I am committed to taking more photos over the next few months.  Here she is compared to Tully at about the same time.  Actually, Clare is almost 3 weeks younger here, so either momma has extra padding, or she is a big, healthy girl.  I'm telling myself it's option B.

It's funny looking back on Tully's bump photos.  I took the time to make the bed.  Made sure photos were taken with the good camera and in natural light.  I even picked up clothes off the floor and had a recent pedicure.  Although there aren't any clothes laying around in Clare's photo, I'm lucky I managed a shower just before I snapped the pic, and I found my yoga pants clean in the drawer.  The paint on my toes is more than 3 weeks old, but I'll still call it a good day.

Clare is taking her first trip to DC with me for work next week, so my co-workers get to see me in all of my pregnant glory.  I was 16 weeks when I went to DC pregnant with Tully, so I got by with non-maternity clothes, and people barely noticed I had a bump.  I think they'll see it for sure this time.  [Honk, honk, here I come!]  I had to buy one pair of black maternity slacks, but I'm getting by with changing tops and suit jackets three days, and I have two maternity dresses for the others.  Thank goodness I'm not any bigger and didn't have to buy a bunch of maternity suits to wear for one week.  I won't go back to DC until April, so Clare will be 4 months old, and I'll be back in regular clothes.

Overall, this pregnancy has been pretty easy.  Actually I just don't have time to think about it, so it feels easier.  I don't get up in the middle of the night to pee, and I guess I'm used to all of the other aches and pains that come along with each phase.  I was craving chocolate mixes with Oreos from Braums, but they messed up my order the last two times I was there, so I gave them up for a while.  This pregnant lady doesn't have time to wait for you to make it twice!

Tully has officially moved rooms and is happily sleeping in his big boy bed, so the next task to tackle is to move his clothes to his new closet and dresser and set up the nursery for Clare.  The crib and other large furniture pieces are already in place, so I just need a mattress, curtains, rocker/glider, and artwork on the walls.  I'm excited to put the bedding in and see how it coordinates with Tully's room.  I have a feeling all of the nursery work isn't going to happen until November or December though.  It's definitely different with #2.  It'll get done when it gets done!

Tweet

"C" is for Comparison

Similar, no?  John showed me this photo not too long ago and mentioned the kid kinda looked like Tully.  At least Tully has the ear piece in the right place.

Update: that little stinker took the black rubber-y part off one of the ear pieces.  I discovered this when I put the cold, hard metal in my ear on the plane ride to DC for work.  I bet that soft, little, black piece is laying on the floor of the doctor's office where he was playing with them!

Tweet

"C" is for Child (cont.)

I have so many updates for Tully for the past couple months.

Toddler Bed Transition
1st night - success/fail
2nd night - fail.  Fell out of bed.
3rd night - success.  Slept all night!
4th night - fail.  Fell out of bed.
(Install bumper along front of bed.)
Success!!!!  No more falling out, and he doesn't crawl out of bed either.  He even sits there in the morning until we come get him.  Whose kid is this?

Potty Training
Tully came home from school asking to go potty.  He would point to the toilet and give the sign (shake fist in the ASL sign "T" for toilet.)  He has now gone on the big potty many times, but it's not consistent.  We still don't even own regular underwear.  We do ask him often, and sometimes he will go.  This isn't something we were planning right now, so I didn't read any books, do a crash potty-training weekend, or start giving him candy.  I've heard those things can work, but the kid doesn't even know what an M&M looks like.  I'm going to keep it that way.  Hopefully he'll continue to see the big kids at school use the big potty and continue on his path, but we're not pushing it right now.  I'm happy he at least knows what's going on though!

Ears
Tully's ears and nose are giving him fits.  The pain makes him (and me) whiny and miserable, and it disrupts his (and my) sleep.  Every time we go to the pediatrician they say, "No ear infection, but they are red."  Well red isn't normal either, so we saw an ENT.  Unfortunately that ENT visit was near the end of a round of antibiotics that I had Tully take preventatively because my mom was keeping him for three days.  I figured it would be pretty mean to drop off a cranky toddler who might be getting an ear infection with no meds.  We finished the antibiotics a week or so ago, and now we're right back where we started.  We've got two ENT appointments this week, and one of those two is going to give me a better answer than "They look red.  Here are some antibiotics."  I think we're ready for tubes.  I had like 10 sets when I was little.  Tully has allergies, so I'm guessing I've doomed him for the same path.

Post doc visit ears update:

Our first appointment was with a new ENT because our original one couldn't see us for 3 days.  Tully's snot turned green in under 24 hours, so my mommy instincts were spot on getting him in ASAP.  There's no way we could have waited 3 days.  So the new ENT looks at Tully's ears and says, "No ear infection, but they are starting to look red."  I wanted to walk out.  How many times have I been told this?  There's something wrong.  I need answers!  Then he says, there is an infection starting, but it's not in his ears--it's his sinuses.  The dr recommended taking Tully's adenoids out, which could decrease our chance of infection and painful ear pressure Tully might be feeling.  Finally...an answer!!  No wonder his ears seem clear every time we went to the pediatrician and to the first ENT.  The first ENT did hearing tests, and he had passed all of those with flying colors too.

So we have surgery scheduled to remove Tully's adenoids on Sept 26.  The risks associated with tubes being put in are low, and if there is or might be a drainage problem with his ears, we could avoid a second surgery for the next 6-12 months, if we have tubes put in when the adenoids come out.  I really hope this helps Tully feel better, improves his sleep and mood, decreases whining, and prevents us from having take any more antibiotics.  The poor kid SCREAMED when we tried to change his diaper and give him a bath tonight.  His little bottom looks like hamburger meat from taking the current round of antibiotics.  I'm probably going to have a naked kid running around my house tomorrow so he doesn't have to wear a diaper and be in pain.  Good thing he is staying the weekend with Grammy and PawPaw because I know Grammy will let him run all around the yard naked as a jail bird.

Language Development
Tully is signing a TON and starting to use new words daily.  I'm so glad we let him watch Baby Signing Time DVDs and have urged him to use sign language.  It's working!!  "Daddy" and "boots" are currently his two favorite words to say.  He has three pairs of boots for the winter in sizes 5, 6, and 7.  He's obsessed with wearing all of them regardless of whether or not he can actually walk in them, so he's been rocking the boots with shorts for the past few weeks.  PS.  If you have a toddler and don't own one of these snack cups, you need one: it's one of the best gifts we ever received (Thanks, Jen!)

Words (12): dad/dada/daddy/aDa, Mama/aMa, Zach (our dog), boots, poo poo, hi, bye bye, help, bug, hat, hot, ball
Signs (23): eat, sleep, milk, thank you, all done, mower, ball, tree, fish, dog, shoes, socks, book, help, train, bus, hot, hat, cat, airplane, more, please, where is it? (palms up, questioning look on face)
Sounds (6): moo, quack, vroom, woof, hoo hoo (owl), neigh, woooOooooo (siren)

Here are some clips I put together from when he was about 16 months old.

Tweet