Thoughts on pregnancy round #2

Here I am, 25 weeks/6 months into this pregnancy and I think it's appropriate to write down some thoughts about pregnancy with Número Dos.

- Second children really do get a bit of a raw deal. With my first pregnancy, I was SO in tune to everything going on with the baby. I could tell you details like when the baby was forming fingernails, when it could begin to see the sunlight or bright lights shining through my belly and when it started taking practice breaths. Someone would ask me how far along I was and I'd answer "23 weeks and 2 days". I checked my pregnancy app on my phone daily to find out little details about pregnancy and what I should be doing. This time around, I've literally had moments where I have to remind myself I'm pregnant. Ask me how far along I am and I'll probably give you a look of confusion and answer, "Uh, I'm due in March so, what? 6 months?". We haven't made any nursery purchases, nor have we decided anything about his room and he will, most likely, be wearing his sister's pink pajamas when he arrives. And while I'm being careful about what goes into my body, I'm definitely not being the deli meat Nazi that I was the first time around.

- There is no scientific research behind this next statement but purely my own theory. I think carrying a boy and, therefore, having testosterone in your body that you aren't use to can make you a crazy, raging psycho. My patience level is just about non-existent. I can go from happy as a lark to stark raving lunatic in about 2 seconds. Don't believe me? Ask my poor husband. Wow. There are times I surprise myself! And I'm chalking this up to the testosterone. I was not like this with Harper. I was peaceful, happy and hungry. Now I feel like everyone around me is trying to push my buttons...and I'm still hungry. So if I snap on you or you walk away from an interaction with me thinking, "geez, what a hag!", I apologize in advance and promise to be normal again in March. Well, make that May when I have some sleep.

- Jar and I are both a little baffled that we saw this little guy in our last sonogram at 18 weeks and now won't see him again until he's here in person. You have to remember that we had weekly sonos with Harps so got to see her all of the time. This time, we hit the major check points with the anatomy scan and that was that. Kinda weird.

- We're also freaking out a little that we really don't know what it's like to have a newborn at home. Harper was over 2 months old when we brought her home. She was sleeping through the night and we didn't have to deal with those awkward moments like when their belly button falls off. Do we need to be taking those parenting classes at the hospital???

- My boobs are huge. And not in a good way. In a way where I have cleavage wearing a turtle neck. My husband might disagree but I am not amused. Why couldn't I be waif-like with size A cups?!?!

- Please don't tell me that we won't be as lucky with this baby as we've been with Harper from a personality standpoint. I realize that Harper might be the most easy-going child on the face of the planet. You are right, we might not get "that lucky". I would prefer children with unique personalities and things that make them special. We might have another mellow mushroom but, then again, we might not. But for some reason this statement always rubs me the wrong way. It makes me think people are wishing us an unruly child. You might get to see that psycho crazy I was taking about earlier if you bring up the "lucky" thing.

- I'm eating way too many pepperocinis for it to be healthy. If I haven't burned a hole in my stomach, I'm a little surprised. I set a jar out while I make both lunch and dinner and munch away like they're popcorn. I go through two jars a week - seriously. This kid is going to like spicy food whether he wants to or not.

- Confession: If I'm wearing a blousey shirt and you might not totally know if I'm pregnant or not at first glance, there have been times where I grip my stomach like I feel a kick, just so the person behind me at the grocery store knows it's a baby belly, not a taco belly. And no, there probably was no kick.

- All this being said, I still really like being pregnant. I love those bumps and kicks. They make me smile.

It's here!

That's right folks!  It's the MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!!!!

We got home around noon yesterday and by the time the clock struck 9pm last night, the Christmas Explosion had fully landed in the Meabon household.  Yippee!!!!

Tree - check.

Outside lights - check. 

Wreathes (2) - check.

Stockings hung by the chimney with care - check.

Multiple nativities out and on display - check.

Santa Clauses, reindeer and numerous Christmas paraphernalia spread throughout the house - check.

Please stay tuned for the obligatory holiday posts that will follow for the next 29 days.  

I'm so excited I might pee in my pants!

Last of the Thankfuls

With holiday travel, I got a little behind so for my last thankful posts that led up to the big Turkey Day....

I am thankful for a toddler that can travel in a car for five hours without a major meltdown.  The Squirrel kept herself busy with books, baby-feeding, singing and a little snoozing from San Antonio to Midland and then back again.  On the way home, she realized about 45 minutes from the house that she was pretty tired of the car but I hopped in the back and with a little musical accompaniment, we made it home.

I am thankful for our friends and family who have been our rocks over the last two years.  With a move, a baby born with a birth defect, surgeries and hospital time for both Harper and me, and now a second baby on the way, we could not have done it without you!

I hope you all had a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

SADC

Ten years ago, a group of my high school friends that had all moved back to SA started a dinner club.  Ten years later, the group has morphed and changed but now consists of about 30 of us from all over Texas, and a few from even further away, that get together every other Thursday for dinner.  I am so thankful for this group of women!  I look forward to our conversations, tasty meals and lots of laughs.  Knowing that I get to have a girl's night twice a month is refreshing to my soul....not to mention the loads of advice I come home with!

Utensil Skills

I decided at this afternoon's snack that we'd start working on utensil skills.  The girl can't eat with her hands forever, can she?  Maybe yogurt and a spoon aren't the best to start off with?

Recipes

I am oh-so-very thankful for recipes.  I CAN NOT walk into a kitchen, grab stuff out of the fridge or pantry and whip up a meal.  I must have step by step instructions with exact measurements, timing and pictures help too.  Without a recipe, my family would probably not eat.  So if you have one you've tried recently or a favorite you like to share, please feel free to use the comment section to do so.  Otherwise, the Meabons might starve.

Babysitters and Date Nights

Here's a two-fer.  

I am grateful to my parents, who are eager and willing to babysit Harper for us.  Other than the rare occasion, Honey and Grandy are our usual babysitters.  I'm thankful not only that they give Jared and me time to get away but also that Harper is just as comfortable at their house as she is at our's.  She'll always have a special bond with her H&G.

On that note, I am thankful for last night's date night.  I love that I'm married to my best friend and that, after eight years of being together, we can still have endless conversation over dinner.  It's amazing how a quite little night of dinner and a movie can make you feel like you aren't an old fart that's crawling into bed at 8:30pm on a Saturday again! 

Smiles

Today, I am so thankful for these scrunchy nose, bottom teeth baring, pure happiness smiles!  Can't. Get. Enough.

Ms Julie and Ms Nelly

I am thankful for Harper's amazing teachers, Ms Julie and Ms Nelly.  Anyone that would spend their days educating and entertaining nine toddlers have my full respect.  Harper loves school, loves her teachers and comes home from her two days a week at school with art projects, new songs and new ways of playing.  These two women rock!

Holiday Goodness

Today, this pregnant lady is thankful for Blue Bell Ice Cream's holiday flavors.  Gallons of Christmas Cookies and Spiced Pumpkin Pecan are now resting happily in my freezer and in my belly.  Well done Brehnam, Texas!

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"Have yourself a Blue Bell country day..."

Catch Up

I have a little catch up to do on my list of thankfuls so here's three in a row:

I am thankful for the rain we got today.  I love the rain!

I am thankful for Tricia and Jennifer, Harper's two friends at the deli counter at HEB Alon.  They are two of the nicest women you can meet.  They always greet us with a smile and remember Harper by name.  I especially love when they whisper to Harps that she's their favorite customer.  How's that with a serving of Boars Head Oven Roasted Turkey?

I am so thankful for volunteers that give as much to a job they've signed on to as the women I'm working with for the Junior League's wine auction, Fête du Cuvée.  I'm chairing this brand new event for the spring and it has turned out to be no small feat.  I have an AMAZING committee of women that do everything asked of them without a single complaint.  

And just an extra...I'm thankful that my life is filled with normal, every day, routine stuff and I, sometimes, need to play catch up.  I am blessed that I am not sidelined by illness, death or tragedy but simply the hecticness of  every day life.

Boogie Wipes

Today, I am ever so grateful to the inventors of Boogie Wipes.  Harper's nose has been a complete faucet since Wednesday night...scratch that - not a faucet, a power hose!  We ran out of our ever important Boogie Wipes yesterday afternoon so resorted to using Kleenex and toilet paper to keep the nose as crust-free as possible.  By the end of the night, poor girl was looking like Rudolph and literally had scabs on her nostrils.  I've now fully restocked the Boogie Wipes and have a stash in each room of the house.  Thank you Boogie Wipe inventors - you are genius!  Now if I could just teach a fifteen month old how to blow her nose.....

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Veteran's Day

My thankful post from yesterday goes out to all of those that serve in the US Military.  While my family isn't personally touched by the life of a military man or woman, I am grateful to those that sacrifice time away from their family and friends as well as risk their lives to fight for our country.

Agreed Parenting

I am thankful that Jared and I agree on major issues when it comes to parenting.  There are so many choices these days when it comes to raising children and, while I'm sure we'll stumble in the future, we have had very similar thoughts about these important decisions thus far.  I realize that each family needs to make decisions that are the best for their family.  Parents must come to an agreement on what they are personally most comfortable with and I don't mean for this to be preachy or a means to enforce our decisions on anyone else.  However, I came across this story on Pinterest and it reinforced for me one of the important conversations we've had in the Meabon household.

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"When I was about twenty years old, I met an old pastor's wife who told me that when she was 

young and had her first child, she didn't believe in striking children, although spanking kids with a switch pulled from a tree was standard punishment at the time. 

"But one day when her son was four or five, he did something that she felt warranted a spanking--the first in his life. And she told him he would have to go outside and find a switch for her to hit him with. The boy was gone a long time. And when he came back in, he was crying. 

"He said to her, 'Mama, I couldn't find a switch, but here's a rock you can throw at me.' All of the sudden a mother understood how the situation felt from the child's point of view: that if my mother wants to hurt me, it makes no difference what she does it with; she might as well do it with a stone. 

"The mother took the boy onto her lap and they both cried. Then she laid the rock on a shelf in the kitchen to remind herself forever: never violence. Because violence begins in the nursery--one can raise children into violence." 

~From a peace prize acceptance speech given by Astrid Lindgren, author of Pippi Longstocking

BSF

Today I am thankful for Bible Study Fellowship and the weekly nuggets of knowledge that I get.  Two of my favorites from last week were:

- When you are facing hardships, don't go to the people that will pity you.  Go to the people that will challenge you to look to God.

- God created our lives and all that we have in them so complaining is just a form of assigning blame to God.

If I had only known how helpful these lessons would come in to play as I went through this last week.  Amazing how those little nuggets get distributed at just the right time, isn't it?  Can someone say thankful?

Friends "Old and New"

"Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other's gold"

Today we are thankful for our old friends, Cooper and Stephanie, and our new friend, Baby Elliot, who we got to meet today.  Elliot is a whopping week and a half old.  He is one fine looking newborn and we were so excited to meet one of Numero Dos's future bff's.  Stephanie and Cooper will be incredible parents and I can't wait to watch their journey through mama-and-papa-hood.  Welcome to the parenting club and welcome to the world!

And yes, Stephanie and I sang that song when we were Brownies so its extremely applicable.

Me in the Sally Jesse Raphael glasses (front row) and Steph kickin' it in saddle oxfords and bangs (back row)

Parks

Today I am thankful for the health of my little girl who can go to the park and run, climb, swing and slide.  There was a time when we weren't sure if we'd be able to enjoy the outdoors, the parks and all they have to offer.  I am so grateful for this simple blessing.

15 months

A little about Harper at 15 months

21 lbs 4 oz - 25th percentile in weight

30 1/2 inches - 50th percentile in length

8 teeth: four front top, two front bottom and the top and bottom molars on the right side

words:  dada; mama - means mommy or milk; ba - means ball or book or balloon; baba - sippy cup; bebe - baby (these last three can get very confusing);  pupu - pumpkin; nak - snack; owa - outside; Douga - Douglass her stuffed monkey; ubba - pick me up; she's a constant flow of babble right now

physical movment:  walking; running; starting to climb; can push up from sitting to standing; very little crawling anymore; dances when music comes on

animal sounds: sheep; cow; kitty cat; snake; duck; Santa Claus (okay, not an animal but still says "uh, uh, uh")

signs: waving; blowing kisses; food; up

current obsessions: balloons; books; pumpkins; patting her belly when I sing the "Pat Your Belly" song (completely made up, no you will not find it on iTunes); Rooney; Kitty; babies and other kids; baby dolls; pictures of babies (do you see a theme?); dancing; any kind of beauty product or toiletry like shampoo, lotion, toothpaste and make up cases; saying "ahhh" after she takes a big drink or sees anyone else taking a drink; reusable water bottles; rubber duckies; balls; being outside; riding in her red wagon; Douglass the stuffed monkey; watching herself on video or on an iPhone with camera flipped so she can see herself; loves little boys

personality: super affectionate; loves giving hugs and laying her head down in your lap; very curious and just starting to test limits on what she can and can't do; gets very hyper and loud at home or with Honey and Grandy; pretty good around strangers; likes to walk laps around the house with no particular purpose other than to practice walking; doesn't like to be messy or dirty; has a huge appetite; has started going to get her favorite things from around the house and bring them to Rooney like a gift - he's not too impressed with the gifts

more hair is coming in on the back of her head but still not bow-worthy...someday

Costco on a Sunday

Today I am thankful for Costco visits on a Sunday.

"Would you like a sample?"

"Yes, please!"

And I'm excited about my new crockpot, case of Perrier, three dozen tamales and 312 Clorox Wipes.


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Little Thumps

I started feeling Número Dos move at 15 weeks into this pregnancy. I am so thankful for those little thumps and flutters.

People seem to fall into two camps - the ones that enjoy pregnancy and the ones that could really do without the 40 week stretch before the baby arrives. Personally, I love being pregnant. Yes, it wreaks havoc on your body but feeling that bumping and shifting makes the acne, weight gain and crazy hormones totally worth it.

Last night, we were winding down for the night and, sure enough, our little boy decided to have a dance party in my belly. The punches were strong enough that Jared got to feel him for the first time. I think it secretly freaks him out a little but also puts a big smile on his face.

Thank you, God, for those little thumps that make us smile.


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Fall Weather

Even though it sparks an absurd amount of debate in my house (when it's appropriate to turn on the heater/break out a winter coat/light a fire in the fireplace), I am thankful for the cool, fall temperatures. After the ridiculous summer of heat we had, I welcome these temperature dips with open arms, a big smile and a fashionable scarf around my neck!


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Mom

I know I've said it before but yesterday, I was thankful for my mom. Becoming a mom makes you appreciate your own that much more. I don't know what Jared and I would have done over the last year without her help, love and support. And she's taught her daughter (and currently teaching her granddaughter) the art of being a birthday diva so on your birthday, November 3 is dedicated to you J Bos!


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Maternity Pants

Today I am thankful for maternity pants.  My stomach has popped out much earlier this pregnancy and, for some horribly ridiculous reason, I was holding off on making the switch.  I kept squeezing my ace into my regular jeans, even busting out the rubber band to help with the button so that I could say I was "still in my pre-pregnancy jeans".  Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Brooke, you are pregnant.  And with that comes an expanding waistline, expanding hips, expanding thighs and, yes, even an expanding back end.  Get over your vanity and get into some comfort!  Done.

Maternity pants, I love you.  Your stretchy waste band, elastic give in the legs and overall comfort make me feel like I'm wearing sweatpants throughout the entire day.  You also make me question why I don't just go with maternity pants at all times - both when pregnant and when not?  There's no uncomfortable pinch when you're around.  No plumbers crack or panties showing when I bend over.  Just a half a foot of that fantastic fabric stretching up over my stomach and just below my bra line.  Ahhhh.  You might take away every ounce of sexiness I could possibly muster up in my being right now as I continue to expand in all areas (ok, that's why I don't wear you year-round - I forgive you) but I just wanted to let you know you are appreciated. 

Thankful

I did this last year and I thought I'd give it a try this year.  In honor of Thanksgiving, I like to remind myself how much I have to be thankful for each day of the month as we celebrate Thanksgiving.

So for November 1, I am thankful to have had our LAST DAY OF PT today!  After having regular physical therapy for her entire life (all 15 months of it), we got the official release today.  The Squirrel is totally up to speed on where she should be developmentally.  We have been so grateful for our physical therapists, Mahera from way back in our NICU days, and Elaine, from Methodist Outpatient Physical Rehabilitation.  Their dedication, hard work and persistence has our 15 month old right on track for where she should be today.  What a great way to kick off November!

A Happy Halloween

I prefer a weekend night for Halloween but Monday it was and we were exhausted by the end of the night last night.  On Sunday night, we loaded up the wagon, met up with the Johnsons and headed to our neighborhood's Spookfest.  We got 2nd place in the chili contest - there were only three entries but I'll take a red ribbon any day.  Harps was in awe watching the big kids whack at the pinatas.  Dorothy entered the costume contest and her buddy, Field, took first prize.  And we were totally worn out by 7pm.

Wagon loaded and ready to go

Harps aka Dorothy and Field aka The Golfer

Harps and Field with their chauffeurs

"Why, hello Dorothy"..."Oh, hello Dorothy"

Family photo op

Making the rounds and taking it all in

Watching the big kids hit the pinata...next year Squirrel

The costume contest

Our neighborhood gets pretty active on Halloween night so we were one of the first out and about (with Honey and Grandy in tow) for trick or treating.  I think this'll be the last year that Halloween is more like a parade for the queen in her wagon.  We mainly knocked on doors to show off our fabulous costume and say hi to neighborhood friends but I have a feeling the coming years will be sugar induced.

"Somewhere over the rainbow...."

The fam

Trick or Treating

The Queen in her wagon

Mesmerized by the big kids

Fearlessly walking to a spooky house

Grandy and Harps

A big thank you to Grammie for making our Dorothy dress.  And yes, I made the pigtails.  Dorothy needed to have hair!  Hope you all had a safe and happy Halloween!