He's here

We are healthy, happy, tired and home. I have quite the story to tell, but no energy to tell it at present. Here's pictures for now. Mason Alejandro was born on Friday June 19th at 11:39 am, he was 9lbs and 3oz and 20.5 inches long.

Ch-ch-changes

We are doing our best to get some big changes in Skyler's life out of the way before the greatest shift of them all occurs with Mason's arrival in just a few *gulp* short weeks. We are "pursuing" potty training, though not on an overly active basis. We moved out Skyler's dresser into Mason's room. And now, now we have removed his crib and replaced it with this:

Skyler's big boy bed, his race car chariot to dreamland. We made the transition slowly, partially out of our desire to be sensitive to Skyler's dislike of change though largely due to lack of courage and love for our own sleep. We had no idea what this new bed would bring out in Skyler, we still don't really as this is only day three of it being in full use. So far so good, though I am not sure he has fully grasped just how much freedom he truly has in this new bed. It frightened him a bit the first night, though only when we got down to the business of getting him to sleep in the bed. He loved the idea of a bed he could 'drive' and he didn't really seem to notice (or at least mention) the lack of his crib. He has slept as he usually has otherwise, which frankly I am just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I am sure it can't be this easy.

I also made some changes to the decor in Skye's room. It has always been largely dominated by dinosaurs, but it has become quite clear over the last year that his true love is cars. So with the introduction of the car bed I thought some more car themed decoration would be appropriate. I painted the roads onto his walls and still plan to get some little cars up there as well. It's a work in progress. Hopefully it will all pull together before Mason arrives, including Skyler's full acceptance of this new sleeping arrangement.

DOB

So we might/probably/I think we do have a date of birth for our little Mason man. Assuming that things don't go wildly off target, and that scheduling doesn't switch on us, Mason Alexander should be arriving into this world on Friday June 19th. That's 11 weeks away! *Gulp*

I went and had a doctor's appointment this morning and all is well. Mason's heart is beating away in the 130's and he was nice and squirmy for the doctor. Could be because I had to do glucose test part deux, lovely thing about having GD in a prior pregnancy - you get to take the tolerance test twice! Blech. Hopefully I continue to be diabetes free, we will find out in the next few days. Then the doctor brought up the idea of scheduling, which I had been meaning to do myself. Since my original due date was the 26th(ish) we are going ahead with things exactly a week prior to that. Shouldn't be an issue as the little bean has been measuring ahead by a week anyways. Just crazy to think that I can mark it on the calendar now, and really feel the heat of the countdown. Perhaps it's time to actually get serious about putting together the nursery?

In less pleasant news, I will be off on a plane again tomorrow. This time for an even longer duration (with a layover!) to go and visit my ailing grandmother in North Carolina. With my mother and Skyler in tow. While 28 weeks pregnant. Can you feel the impending doom? I can. This in the end will be a good thing, it will give my grandma a chance to finally meet Skyler and (sort of) Mason. Also considering that travelling of this sort really won't be in the cards for us for about another year... who knows what can happen in a year. My grandma has been healthy for all her eighty some years, up until lately. I would hate to think that I left things too late all because of some temporary discomfort. Unfortunately that discomfort starts tomorrow at 8:30 am and won't stop until sometime around midnight next Monday. *Sigh*. Anybody familiar with the use of benadryl on toddlers for extended periods of flight?

Behind the curtain

When I started this blog it was because I needed a separate space from the blog I had already begun when my first child was born. That forum was meant entirely for the friends and family members who were (then) so far away and required regular updating and of course pictures. It wasn't an appropriate place for me to express my feelings though, and in those early months I really did need somewhere to go with all of that. In a way the original blog is sterile in that it was entirely dedicated to the mister, not my feelings about breastfeeding or why my mother was driving me crazy that week or really anything about the deeper me. Not that I am all that deep, but still. A lot went on in that first year, and I just needed a place to express myself - anonymously.

I feel comfortable enough now that the idea of sharing my name, our names, doesn't seem so scary. I still worry that family members and people who I haven't shared this blog with intentionally might find me here, but then that is really a consequence I have been courting since putting my life and words out into the blogosphere. So hi, my name is Jeni. I'm married to Andy, and our first born son's name is Skyler. And this guy (direct your attention to uterus level):

...is going to be called Mason.

Drumroll please

It's a...


Another little boy! Come mid-late June MR will be receiving a little brother, and we will have a second son! We weren't even thirty seconds into the ultrasound when the Little Bean flashed us this:

Not shy at all, just like his big brother. The ultrasound tech said we were the perfect patients, Little Bean was very accommodating and allowed for lots of good clear shots and rolled over when needed. He was also given a very clean bill of health, all his bits and pieces (head, heart,spine, fingers and toes) are looking beautiful and just as they should. BL and I didn't even realize how much we needed to worry about this until she started checking for all the chambers in LB's heart. It was then that we remembered that we are not guaranteed a healthy baby, and we are very grateful that the ultrasound confirmed that all is well. Here are some more profile shots.



The little guy is taking after his big brother in more ways than one, he is already a whopping one pound. Seems small, but for his age it's a good couple of ounces more than average. Little Bean is currently measuring in the 85th percentile for his gestational age, which the tech actually estimated to be about four days ahead of where we thought we were at. It's always changing. MR always measured ahead too, so this is not entirely new territory for us. We are so thrilled with this news and so very excited to really get into planning for this new little boy.

Potty training?

MR went pee today, amazing I know. But it was, because instead of his usual diaper wetting he went pee in the potty. He's one and a half years old and he went pee in the potty. Incredible. This kid just keeps surprising us. Not to denigrate our parenting abilities, I think we are perfectly wonderful parents, but the mister certainly makes things easier on us. He is such a clever little kiddo, and so observant. Lately he has begun to let us know, sometimes, when he has to go or when he does go. He is fully aware of what he has down there (just ask him where his "peh-peh" is, he's very forthcoming), and he seems pretty interested in dealing with it like the big people do. Today he told BL "Ah peh-peh" (I pee pee), to which Andy asked him if he needed to go. MR ran into the bathroom and with BL's assistance used the toilet. He, and we, were very excited. Andy went out and got him his own little potty, which he has already asked for (and used) three times since. Don't worry, we do possess a healthy amount of hubris and aren't going to count our chickens before they hatch- but it is pretty cool that he is even approaching the subject of toilet training. And with enthusiasm. We figure we will strike while the iron is hot and see where it gets us. Having number one trained by the time number two arrives would be almost too much to ask for, but it won't stop us from trying.

Some clarity

That definitely looks positive to me, right?! So I am so excited, and scared, and excited by this new development. We were trying for this, so it really didn't come as any surprise, but it is still just so shocking. I remember being unable to comprehend that my body was actually capable of such a thing the first time around, the disbelief apparently doesn't lessen the second time .

I really knew that I was for about the past two weeks. The signs have hit me early and many this time. I am soooo much hungrier lately, mah boobs have definitely gotten bigger (they aren't much to start with, so it's noticeable), and I have had a touch of nausea here and there. Luckily no major sickness yet, but then with MR I didn't really start getting morning sickness until about 11-12 weeks. By my estimate I am not quite a month along right now. Funny thing about having a c-section, it has left me incredibly aware of when my body is entering it's monthly progress. I start to feel crampy and bloated about a two weeks prior to my period, after so many months of this new activity I realized it must be when I am ovulating. This never happened prior to the section, I think it is just a result of my scar tissue flaring up with all the extra hormones when that happens.

I do still need to go to a doctor for actual medical confirmation, but I am thinking the sticks (and my body) don't lie. I know that all the emotions I am feeling now are only going to play out more and more so through these next nine months, but right now I am just going to grab onto the strongest one and be excited. Excited for me and my family adding another little one, for MR having a baby brother or sister, and for all the things that I know are to come in this process. Hooray for little bean!

P.S. Please ignore the dirtiness of my bathroom mirror and my bralessness. It's a picture for posterity, not a demonstration of hygiene.

Do you see what I see?

It's very faint, but then I am also very impatient and took these today which is still about four days or so prior to when I should be expecting the monthly visitor. I was right, I knew this time around too. I just was waiting for some sticks to confirm it. Making a doctor's appointment tomorrow to check up and make it official. Number two just might be on the way!

In the meantime

We have been continuing to move at a pretty frenetic pace around here with the house stuff, having a housewarming in the wings just a few weeks from now we are back to working on projects in an attempt to pull even more together before everyone sees it. We have already accomplished a lot, so it doesn't seem as pressing to finish these few more tasks- it would really just be the icing on the cake.

This past weekend we had some really exciting tasks, organizing the garage and cleaning out the spare bedroom which had quickly become the junk room. Though it wasn't as fun as decorating or painting a room, the results were definitely rewarding. Having a functional and organized garage space really helps life feel more manageable. I am not reminded of the mess that waits everytime I take the trash out, and now all of MR's old baby stuff is tidily organized in tupperware containers just awaiting it's future use.

Unfortunately having chosen so many of our paint colors already, as well as having painted so many rooms, we are now really starting to get down to the nitty gritty with filling in the remaining spaces. BL has been kind enough to give a pretty liberal amount of leeway in directing this process, but now that the spaces are fewer it seems that the decision process is a little more heated. I am trying to come to terms with this, in my realization that he has a say too... I just haven't been very good at it just yet. Ultimately we will figure something out, at the moment we just need to take a step back and try to find some common ground.

In kiddo related news, following his little stomach bug he had a little relapse in his eating habits. He generally would try anything we would give him, at least once. After he was sick he staunchly refused anything that wasn't in puree form, and even that was a battle. We finally put our foot down and left it at, he will eat when he is hungry. So we went through a week long process of putting food in front of him and then waiting. And often being rejected. Finally, in the last few days, our happy eater seems to have returned. BL made a yummy lemmongrass chicken soup the other night and MR slurped that right up. He has continued to resume his willingness to consume since then (knock on wood). I am beginning to understand how some toddler's palates become so limited, they are picky little buggers sometimes.

Finally, and most exciting, there's some good news over in the Soupbowl household! Go over and congratulate Carrie and family on their exciting development(s).

Walking and talking

These kids grow up so fast, I just can't believe it. We went out to BL's family cabin in Idaho for the fourth of July (and BL's 26th!) and by the time we came back we had a walking and more talkative child. It's amazing. The first day we got there the MR started taking five or six steps at a time in between the furniture. By the end of the day he was making strides towards crossing whole rooms. The next day he woke up and just started walking, and he hasn't stopped since. Frankly it's a little frightening, he is so able and mobile he just goes where he wants. Which, were we in our own tidy little childproofed home, wouldn't be a problem. But we are not, we are in my parents house surrounded by unlocked cabinets and expensive knick-knacks. *Gulp*

My little goob started picking up more words too, at an amazing rate. To be added to his list-o-vocab are the words: car, tree, bird, and tweet. I myself have heard car and tree (btw, he loves cars), but my dad is the only one who has heard the bird and tweet. I am just so blown away how quickly and suddenly my little kiddo has blossomed in just the past few weeks.

Our little holiday was pretty enjoyable. BL's parents have a cabin on Lake Hayden, it's a nice little retreat that we haven't had a chance to really enjoy for the past year what with moving and BL's dad's cancer. We all needed a break. For the majority of the trip it was just the three of us and BL's parents, the last few days BL's brother came to join us as well. The first day there was stressful, as usual, but once the MR got used to things he had a really great time. BL's parents had a contractor come out and fence in the deck area so that there was a safe enclosed space for the kiddo to play in outside. This little haven was perfect, we spent the majority of our time there playing with all the new water toys MR's nana got him. Good thing this kid isn't spoiled.

Here's the (long) weekend in pictures:

And the walking man...kind of slow and quiet, but the walking happens at the end. Btw, he is light years faster than this now. Scary.

Congrats are in order

Go on over and congratulate Kristine on the birth of her beautiful baby boy Parker. Welcome to the world little one!

Holy crap, he's crawling

Like the title? Not the best use of my words, but it's the first thought that came to mind. It's official, MR can now crawl. Over the last month he has become progressively more mobile. He would roll, squirm, and slide his way from place to place. Even before tonight he has made tentative overtures towards crawling, but this evening he officially started to crawl. He went a few feet in one direction, then he sat down and turned to go in another. Then he crawled over to these little nooks we have by the fireplace, pulled himself up and grabbed a controller we keep stored there. Oh.my.shiz. It's exciting, but oh noes now I will actually have to be more active about what's laying around. I'm just so proud that my big little man has achieved this milestone, it's no mean feat lugging around his long little body. Not to mention that head.

In other exciting and also moving related news, we ourselves are moving! Finally!! BL gave his month's notice today, which means we will now be trying to get ourselves up and out of here in around that same time period. This will mean lots of work and a very busy month ahead of us, but I am just so thrilled right now that I am willing to accept this for what lies at the end. Going back home. Having a house of our own. Being back with friends and family. This past year we have been in such a stagnant state, constantly wondering when the move would happen and rearranging our life and our plans around it. So I am willing to spend some late night's packing and several weekends stressing, it's all going to be worth it.