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

While we were babymooning in Jamaica we met the sweetest couple, J&S, from Oklahoma.  They were on their honeymoon, and we decided to meet for dinner one evening.  During dinner J told us she was an ultrasound technician and offered for us to visit the school she graduated from for a 4D sonogram.  We barely made it back to Oklahoma in time to catch the 20-30 week window, but here is Clare in all her glory at 7.5 months gestation.

Sweet Clare has a nose that looks just like Tully and little narrow lips too.  We were able to see some hair around the sides of her head, so I'm expecting she'll come out with a "horseshoe" of barely-there-hair just like her brother.

When we were leaving the ultrasound room John saw his boss' wife talking to some students.  We had no idea she was the director at the school.  She was excited to see us when we said hello.  Small world.

Next time we see Clare's face, it will be the real deal in December.

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

Another month down and only a few more to go.  I'm not sure if it's possible, but it looks like Clare is actually bigger at 6 months than 7.  Maybe it's the time of day, or my shirt, or...who knows.  All I do know is this girl better come out weighing like 10 lbs because momma is getting huge.  My stupid belly button popped, which totally grosses me out.  That didn't happen with Tully.  It stayed nice and flat.  So now in addition to worrying about finding a shirt and pants that fit, I have to find something that doesn't show the huge elastic maternity band AND my belly button.  I should invest in muumuus. 

And here I am with Clare vs Tully at 7 months.  Major difference.

Have you seen those Halloween shirts for pregnant moms? Or pictures of painted pumpkin pregnant bellies?

Not going to happen.

We got all of Tully's clothes moved to his new closet and dresser, so Clare's room is ready for her stuff.  As soon as we buy a mattress this weekend, I'm going to put the bedding together, arrange the furniture and figure out what I'm going to do about a rocker.  The rocker from the nursery is currently in Tully's room, and although he doesn't require rocking to sleep, we do sit in that chair to read to him, and I really enjoy rocking him sometimes before bed.  He's pretty busy and has never been a snuggly baby.  Sometimes when I rock him, it's the only time I can get some snuggles in.  We are planning for Clare to be downstairs with us in the master bedroom, so I really need a rocking chair there for nursing while she's little.  Then I'll need the chair in her room when she transitions upstairs.  So that makes three rooms with three rocking chairs.  Seems a little absurd and not budget friendly.

Other than finding a baby book for Clare and picking up some newborn diapers, I think we have everything.  We'll be ready to meet her in December for sure!

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"C" is for Caribbean

 We took a "babymoon" to the Caribbean in September to enjoy some quiet time together before Clare arrives.  We stayed at Secrets St. James in Montego Bay, Jamaica for almost a week, and it was really nice to get away.  We had everything we needed at the resort, so we spent our time sleeping, eating, laying at the pool/beach, reading, snorkeling, and sailing.  John also found a lot of time to play beach volleyball.  I was an excellent cheerleader.

There was a little concierge-type lounge near the main lobby of our hotel, and we made good use of it between meals.  If we didn't feel like walking down to the restaurants, we could make a meal out of the food there.  I felt like I was a bit of a waste at an all-inclusive resort, but John did enough drinking for the both of us.  He also got a kick out of the Jamaican paper, which was a copy (literally) of several other papers folded together.

John also enjoyed teasing the fish outside our hotel.  He doesn't even have any food, but they always reacted like this.

It rained several days while we were there, but that didn't stop us from reading books on the patio.  It didn't really matter to us where we relaxed, as long as we didn't have to chase a toddler around.  (Thanks, Grammy & PawPaw, for keeping Tully while we vacationed!)  John also captured some beautiful sunsets when it wasn't raining.

Funny story on the second to last day of our trip--I wanted to print our boarding passes to skip the lines at the airport because we only had carry-on luggage.  I tried to log in to the computers in the main lobby, but they make you use one wi-fi username and password for the entire stay, and it only works on one device at a time.  As much as I love Apple products, especially my iPhone, it didn't allow me to log off of the wi-fi even if I disabled the wi-fi and turned off the phone completely.  The only way to log off of the account was to wait 24 hours until it automatically kicked the phone out of the system.  I tried explaining this to the lady at the front desk and kindly asked her to use another wi-fi account to access the main computers in the lobby.  Clearly I cannot print from my iPhone, and I'm thinking to myself--shouldn't they have one account for ANYONE to use at those main computers??!!  Anyway, she told me I could call the internet cafe for help.  This wasn't the type of resort where you get told to figure it out yourself.  They are VERY service oriented, and I was shocked she didn't offer to just print our passes out quickly from her computer.  Printing our boarding passes seemed like a simple enough request to me.  Anyway, the lady's lack of helpfulness combined with my pregnancy hormones resulted in me asking John to take care of it while I stormed off to the room and viciously texted my mom (from my iPhone that was still obviously connected to the wi-fi...ha!).  I was telling my mom how I was going to need the address so I could write a letter when I got home.  She listened to me vent, asked for the resort info, and then I put my phone on the charger while I took a nap.  I didn't get any further texts from her or John because the wi-fi only worked from the balcony in our room, and my phone was charging inside.  Next thing I know, John is back in the room telling me the general manager was in the lobby helping him, and the GM was there because John's mother-in-law had called.  He questioned/corrected the GM saying, "You mean my wife?"  GM: "No your MIL...in Oklahoma"  I checked my phone texts and sure enough my mom had called the hotel (honestly to get contact info for my letter writing campaign), but she ended up talking directly to the GM.  I'm sure John wanted to dig a hole and bury himself, but that's just how my mom rolls.  All I could do was laugh.  She knew we wanted a super-relaxing stress free vacation, and some biddy at the front desk couldn't take two seconds out of her day to help me.  Mama bear in full force.  It took some patience on John's end, but they eventually kicked his phone from the system, got him logged into the main lobby computer, added paper and toner from the neighboring resort to the printer, and printed those gosh darn boarding passes.  They also sent up an over-priced bottle of champagne as an apology.  Just what this pregnant lady wanted.  (Our neighbors thoroughly enjoyed it!)

So minus the boarding pass debacle, we had an excellent trip.  We will definitely be taking more kid-free trips as long as we have infants and toddlers.  Susan, a friend of mine from college, is a travel agent, and she helped up narrow down our options in the Caribbean.  We're thinking Turks and Caicos or Dominican Republic for our next trip.  Better start saving now! 

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"C" is for Craft (Door Wreath Update)

This summer I participated in a little Pinterest Challenge to actually DO something I saw on Pinterest.  I made a wreath for our front door, which I thought turned out pretty good.  (See "C" is for Craft for tutorial.)  Unfortunately, the "C" fell off after only a few weeks (days?), but hey...I tried.

Since summer is officially over I decided to update the front door wreath for fall.  Here's the before and after.

Click photo to zoom for details.

This time I bought smaller, cheaper flowers at Hobby Lobby, and I used plastic loops for retail price tags to secure the "C" to the wreath.  The hot glue and wood glue didn't work.  I suppose you could use fishing line, since most people don't have tagging loops around.  I picked up some dark yellow paint and added a coat over the existing light green.  It took me longer to cut the wire stems than it did to actually arrange the flowers, so this was a pretty quick and easy update.  We're now ready for cool weather and trick-or-treaters!

If you're wondering about the small, black and white sign to the right of the door, I ordered it on Etsy with custom text.  "Baby sleeping.  Knock, if needed.  No solicitors."  Not one solicitor has bothered me since I placed the sign outside, and you have to actually lift the sign up to get to the doorbell, so UPS and FedEx have cut that out too.  There's nothing worse than the doorbell and a barking dog while kids are trying to sleep.  I leave the sign up all the time to cover naps and Tully's early bed times.  I figure this thing will be near the door for a few years.

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"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!

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"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!

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"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.

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