Bye Bye Mommy and Daddy

Late last year my parents volunteered to babysit 1 weekend night per month until baby #2 arrives. It has been great. We have gone to nice dinners, movies, coffee.....adult dates. Last night was another one. Usually we have just snuck out of the house while my mom has Hunter occupied in the kitchen getting his dinner ready. This way we avoid the waterworks. He usually asks where we went a while after we have left and my mom just says we went to dinner and will be back soon.

Last night as we are quietly walking down the stairs I hear Hunter ask if mommy and daddy will be eating dinner with them. My mom says no, we were going to dinner on our own. Hunter runs to the top of the stairs and yells, "by, by mommy and daddy have a good dinner. See you later." A major step. He was totally fine with us leaving, no tears....yeah!

Happy Valentine's Day

A belated Happy Valentine's Day. I decided to make cheese fondue for dinner (something both Kerry and Hunter would enjoy) and have chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. Hunter loved dipping in the cheese, but I think the strawberries were his favorite.

35 Weeks

I can't believe I have hit 35 weeks. This pregnancy is flying by and at the same time I feel like I have been pregnant forever!

The back/rib pain is pretty bad now and constant from midday on. I am starting to let my mind wander more towards the labor portion of this pregnancy. I just hope that this baby wants to come out more than Hunter did. I had my 35 week appointment today and this doctor decided to wait 1 more week before the ultrasound, but said again he thought baby #2 was head down.

I am looking for signs this time about what type of baby I will get. Baby #2 isn't such a violent kicker. Hunter used to shift my stomach from one side to the other, baby #2 is a little more kind. Does this mean he is bigger than Hunter and doesn't have as much room?

Once Hunter was born, he let the world know he wasn't happy about his new surroundings. During all the initial checking, this is what he looked like:


He has pretty much been that loud every since! Will I get another wild man or will this one be more reserved? Will he look like Hunter or have a look all his own? I can't wait to find out.

Our Weekend

We had a pretty busy Saturday, an afternoon birthday party at a Little Gym followed by dinner with 3 two year olds and their parents. Originally that dinner was to take place last weekend but one of the boys was sick so it was postponed. I woke Hunter from his nap early so we could make the 3:30 pm start time of the party (yes, he is still take 3 hour + weekend naps!!) So with all the excitement associated with a birthday party I hurried him back in the car at 5 to get to Favio's house for the playdate/dinner. Favio and Hunter used to be in daycare together but haven't seen each other since Hunter's 2nd birthday party. Haskew, on the other hand is still in daycare with Hunter and they are great buddies. Hunter and Favio played very well together. Then Haskew came and Hunter and he decided quiet play was over. They ran like madmen through the house, dumping toys, jumping from inappropriate locations, and throwing whatever they could get their hands on.

We fed the kids first and then attempted to let them play while we ate. No chance. I suggested we put on a video to try to calm them. Unfortunately, Elmo was what was chosen (doesn't really keep Hunter's attention anymore.) The calm lasted about 15 minutes, during which time Vince (one of the fathers) started talking about what a daredevil Hunter is and reminicing about trips to the park together. Next thing I know the small wooden play kitchen is falling on top of Hunter. The top corner has hit Hunter right above his eye and immediately the swelling and bruising starts. I also notice that the kitchen is now in two pieces. Still through all the chaos Favio is still sitting quietly watching Elmo.

We get some ice and try to stop the swelling, but Hunter will have none of it. "I'm fine, mommy," "I want to go play." Minutes pass before the Hunter/Haskew chaos starts again. It became clear to both sets of parents we have overstayed our welcome. We quickly try to dress Hunter....Haskew's parents didn't even bother with shoes......and we race out of there......Favio still sitting transfixed by Elmo on the sofa. I think Hunter and Haskew together are too much for the indoors.

Good news though, we were able to put the kitchen back together!

31 months

Hunter is 31 months today, officially closer to 3 than 2. It is hard to believe, it feels like we were just celebrating his 2nd birthday. We have reached some major milestones since his 2nd birthday, potty training (a shockingly easy transition,) the move to a big boy bed (I will post photos of his new room when it is painted), another easy transition and sleeping through the night very consistently. All have made life much more manageable.

With the 2s has also come the stubborn determination to do things himself, even when he isn't capable, tantrums, and some down right odd quirks:

1. If you cut something that he would have wanted to eat whole, bread, fruit, etc., he will throw a tantrum and the item is ruined. He will never touch it again.


2. Since he was 18 months old nothing has changed, he still won't wear a shirt with buttons, this has expanded past the classic button down shirt, into any shirt with a single button, polo shirts, those waffle knit shirts, a sweater with a button near the neck etc.


3. He won't wear pants, only jeans, occasionally sweat pants.


4. I can't wear buttons on my shirt either, he also doesn't like me wearing earrings, or any shirt that looks particularly dressy. I have determined that he associates all of the above with my "work" clothing and even on the weekends, doesn't like it. He will throw another tantrum. Some days it just isn't worth it and I find myself picking clothes to suit Hunter's taste, terrible I know.


5. This morning I had come in to wake him from the shower so I was wearing a robe. He told me to go put a shirt on. I asked if he would rather wait in bed until I was dressed and he said yes. Weird!


6. A few months ago at school every child wanted to sit in one of the few pink chairs for meals, arts and crafts etc. Lately, peer pressure has won and now pink is for girls only. I tried to probe him to find out where he learned that, but no luck. This week I was reading a book with a pig in it and he told me that pigs were also now only for girls.

That list is amusing when I am writing it, but some days living it is another story!

Another new development which is very interesting for a parent of her first child....Twice in a couple weeks I have been channel surfing while Hunter is in the room and landed on two programs, Everybody Loves Raymond, an episode where Ray and his brother were fighting. It was supposed to be a funny sequence, but Hunter started to cry and told me to turn it off. The second was America's Funniest Home Video, a boy was jumping on a trampoline and got his head stuck in the outer edge. Again, Hunter started to cry and told me it was too scary. I wonder when we learn to laugh at people getting hurt, clearly not at 2 1/2!

He is a very fun kid, laughs a lot and loves playing with other children. I can't wait to see how he adjusts to being a big brother. He so far seems excited to meet his baby brother, hugs and kisses my stomach and talks to him on occasion. Just a few more months....

31 Weeks

For those of you who have been asking what I look like pregnant this time, here I am.....31 weeks.

This pregnancy has been very similar to my last, pretty easy. I have started to get the same soreness in my right rib cage and the right part of my back, so fingers crossed this one isn't breech! They will do an ultrasound at 35 weeks to make sure since there is an increased risk of breech if you already had one.

This pregnancy is speeding by, hard to believe it will be over in no more than 11 weeks (our practice won't let baby be more than 2 weeks late.) I have taken advantage of every weekend nap Hunter takes and put myself to bed right after. That helps. My energy levels have started to dip by the afternoon. Otherwise everything is great, baby is growing like he should and we are starting to see the doctor every 2 weeks now.

The Real Naked Chef

Hunter has been enjoying his new kitchen. While trying to get him dressed for bed last night he felt the need to cook!