Shhh, he's sleeping!!!!! Time to "blog"....

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 28 weeks, but still measuring a week+ earlier

Size of Baby: ~15in, 2lbs (size of a bag of flour)

Total Weight Gain: okay, this is the point I don't mention a number. Let's just say that with E, I walked into the delivery room at about 180lbs. I'm on my way there.

Maternity Clothes: Thank goodness I already have some to wear. But, what am I doing wearing this same sweater from 20week pic?

Gender: It's another sweet boy!!!!

Name: Colin Emerson B.

Movement: Too much! Most of it makes me jump. I can see him move outside of my belly-one of the few things I love about being preggo. I can also feel his little body parts: his head, knees/feet/hands, though not sure which part they are. It amuses me to poke him and make him squirm ;)

Sleep: Yes, please! Especially with my young-and-restless tot not sleeping like a champ anymore!

What I miss: Where do I begin?!?

Cravings: Sweets, popsicle crave is returning.

Symptoms: Just tired and hungry ALL the time.

Best Moments: Feeling him move- the rapid fluttering, the poking and kicking, tickles when he does somersaults or completely changes position. E constantly loving on his baby brother, "Ca-in/Ca/CaCa".

**To add to the list of pregnancy scares I've had this time: a good-size kidney stone. Fortunately, minus noticing an issue for several weeks, I managed to pass it without any pain. I've been there before, it feels like how I felt when I was begging, make that B was commanding the doctors on my behalf, for the epidural at 1cm.

I enjoy the whole pregnancy thing about 10% of the time. It is the 'best moments' that make it all worth it and that I wish B could actually experience for himself- it is so incredible, and amazing, to feel something you created move inside of you! B finds pregnancy totally unattractive and weird, but I know that he is envious that I get to experience, hold, and feel our babies before he does. Oh, but if there was a way, I would let him enjoy it, along with all the 'fun' symptoms- ha.

Our 21month old energetic tot was upgraded to a big-boy bed early this morning.
After sleeping on the floor next to him all night long, B&I decided that we would try the toddler bed approach to E's bothersome sleep issues. Shhh, he's still sleeping.....
We adore his Westwood Stratton crib! It easily converted to the toddler rail in minutes. We weren't planning on converting it till he was 3-4yrs old, but heck, if this solves his sleep issues....
He played in it all day long- someone must like their comfy nest.

I wish. Faker.

E has become the 'typical' 21month old-going on three toddler.

*Usually he is happy, giggling, dancing, 'singing' along to songs, getting into everything, climbing, imitating, & dancing some more.

* But, he has his moments, at least once a day. At 18mths we started 'time outs' for disciplining, and what do you know, they seem to work. Since October (yes, it's taken me that long) I've been reading 'The Happiest Toddler', and implementing some of (I don't agree with all of his ideas) Karp's strategies. Unlike a lot of parents I've modified 'time out' to exclude the ridiculous counting 1-2-3. Really?! How many opportunities/delay of disciplining can you give your kid to not listen to you first of all?! No wonder so many parents struggle to get their kids to listen to them. I do, however, realize that at such a young age, tots initially do need at least one reminder of what they are not supposed to do/touch/say, and make my best effort to 'FFR & Toddler-ese' E. There is no baby-ing him in times of disciplining- in as simple language as possible, I make sure he knows why he shouldn't do/touch/say what he just did- not because 'Mommy or Daddy says so', or because 'it is just house rules'. I digress...

*Besides sleep, my other concern with E has been language development. He knows and can say many words, but mostly only speaks the first syllable or first two letters, or talks in his throat (I don't know how else to describe this). For instance, nail is 'nah', teeth is 'tee', cheeks is 'chee', scoop is 'coo-p'. His speaking completely regressed during his 19th month- only said 'Daddy & Mommy'. But, E is back to saying several new words every day- phew. Hopefully, he is either just not a talker like I am, or he's just waiting for Colin to get here ;) I'll just keep waiting, saying at least 30K+words a day, reading a pile of books a day, describing everything we're doing and what we see and hear, singing songs and listening to music throughout the day, hanging out with kids who do talk, asking him questions, taking him to different places (new experiences, vocabulary), having him try to repeat words, labeling, repetition, alphabet magnets and phonic toys... Am I forgetting something?!

Oh, but he is such a happy, lovey boy- full of hugs, kisses and cuddles. For as eager as I am for him to 'grow up', I cherish these moments and realize that our 'big boy' will never be this young again (tears).

He's still sleeping.....