Big Brother

announcement. His faces are priceless

One tiny note

I mentioned the other day in my post how all you see on social media are "happy babies and blessed mothers," and I wanted to say...that's wonderful. I LOVE that my newsfeed is full of precious babies and their beautiful mommas. There is NOTHING wrong with that, and I wish that every momma had a precious, happy baby all the time.  I wasn't saying that we shouldn't feel blessed and love our children or ourselves or that we should dwell on all the bad things instead of the good things; all I was saying was that mommyhood can be a lonely place when you feel like your child is the only one who's picky/cranky/constantly teething/not sleeping/etc.  I love the community I've found here, and I think that it's amazing so many in my blog feed have babies around the same age.  I find solace and comfort in reading your  blogs and knowing that as alone as I may feel, y'all are going through the same thing.

Every day I have with Daniel is a blessing. I would not say that waking up at 6 am is a blessing, but he is, and every moment with him is precious.  I try to remember that even in the midst of his tantrum or his desire to eat only watermelon, which he calls "mama."  Because those fits are worth it when he looks at me and plays with my hair and smiles, and grabs my necklace and says "pretty."

We have our 12 week appointment today for Baby 2 (I'm 13w2d), and we are doing our NT scan and basic trisonomy testing.  I am super nervous, so any extra positive thoughts and prayers you can spare would be appreciated.

And don't stop posting pictures of precious babies and happy mommas :)

Worries and Honesty

Thanks to THIS POST and THIS POST for the inspiration to write about reality, not sugar-coated life.  Life with a toddler is hard.  Not every day, but a lot of days.  Daniel is a great kid. He's smart and happy (most of the time) but we still struggle.

Meals: he doesn't always want to eat what I give him.  And yes, sometimes I give in and give him fish sticks or chicken nuggets just so he will eat.  He likes broccoli, so most of his meals have broccoli. It's easier than peas ending up all over my floor.

Sleep: overall, a great sleeper. BUT he wakes up at 6:15, EVERY MORNING.  Not just awake, but screaming his head off in his crib. It's incredibly unpleasant.

Temperament: Both Sparky and I are independent, and can be strong willed, so really, D's behavior shouldn't surprise me.  He wants what HE wants when HE wants it.  He wants keys? He'll scream until he gets keys.  He wants a snack? He'll cry "naaaaa" "naaaa" until you let him in the pantry to get a snack, which he then proceeds to either feed to the dog or spill all over the floor.  He's tired? Well don't even try anything but putting him to bed.  At restaurants, he's good while he's eating, and then he wants to walk around and play, or he'll make your meal a living hell.  We don't give into his tantrums, so there are a lot of times that I have a very unhappy, whiny, crying baby walking around the house.  This is probably my biggest challenge. My niece is so happy and docile all the time, but not Daniel. He doesn't sit still. He doesn't stop moving EVER.  He won't sit and watch TV or play with an iPad or anything like that.  The longest he sits still is when he's eating.  So of course, I worry, did I do something wrong? Or is he just a 16 month old boy?

Development: Overall, he's awesome.  He comprehends everything (put your books away, give the dog her treat, pick up your milk, etc).  But he's not incredibly vocal.  He knows how to say the words but refuses to say them.  I guess this is normal, but again, my niece(5 months older, so 21 months) can say short sentences and pronounce all of our names.

All parents worry, but no one talks about that.  All we see on Facebook are happy babies and blessed mothers, but what about the hard times when milk is spilled all over the floor and your house looks like a tornado blew threw and you haven't cleaned toilets in weeks because you just can't find the time? What about the guilt about falling asleep on the couch right after you eat dinner and not having any time to talk to your husband? That's reality for me these days, and as much as I hate it, I am exhausted.  I guess no one wants to hear about that, until they do, until they need the reassurance that they are normal.  Not everyone can be super mom, with the perfect house and the perfect chevron-striped paper straws that match every party occasion and the children that can eat pasta without getting a speck of it on their monogrammed polo shirt.

Keys AND phone in this picture

The same but different

I always feel very nostalgic at the end of the school year.  Even though I work year-round (administration, woohoo) unlike most in the field of education, there's always the feeling of finality, of something ending.  I just finished my 9th year in education.  I can't believe that.  On Sunday, I leave to grade for the national AP Language and Composition exam, a career-long dream.  I am so excited to have this opportunity, and I am so grateful for my mom and MIL who will help Sparky with Daniel while I'm gone.  I can't even imagine how much I'm going to miss that toddler during those 8 days!

The end of the school year feels the same as it always does, promising days by the pool, lazy evenings on the back porch, and dinosaur-sized mosquitoes.  But this year is different.  Next year I won't be in the classroom. A few years ago, my mind was filled with vacations and pool time; today, I'm overwhelmed thinking about our finances, my student loan debt, and whether or not my car is safe enough for 2 babies.  In short, how can I make this work.

Sometimes I think I'd like to go back to a few years ago when summer promised sleeping in and morning runs without trying to pacify a toddler in a stroller, but then I think...I wouldn't be HERE. I wouldn't be in THIS moment, THIS role as a mom.  I'll swap lazy days by the pool for chasing my toddler any day, while secretly hoping that I can sneak in some pool time, even if said toddler has to be there with me.

Pregnancy #2 has also proven different.  I don't have time to worry, and honestly, I feel so sick most of the time that the sickness takes the place of the worry.  Nights are pretty bad, and Sparky has been amazing at picking up the slack.  Honestly, I've been handing D off to Sparks as soon as he gets home from work, just to sit on the couch, or rest my back/hips for a few minutes.  I'm sure that getting older and picking up a 22+ pound toddler is not helping all these growing pains either.  I try to force myself to eat, telling myself I'll feel better, but typically end up feeling worse. If I'm awake past 9 pm, it's a small miracle!   Maybe all of these things point towards a baby girl on the way...maybe not.  I would love another boy, and I'm definitely partial to that idea...is that just being practical, wanting to reuse all D's stuff?!  Yes, the sickness is different, is new, but the excitement, joy, and the hope of another precious baby in my arms is the same.  Daniel is getting so big that I'm not sure I remember what a newborn feels like.

We decided to do the NT scan with Baby B 2.0, and my appt is 6/26. Prayers appreciated for a good scan and good results.