I recently stumbled upon a special ceremony for pregnant mamas called a Blessingway or "mother's blessing". The ritual ceremony is rooted in Navajo, Christian, and even Scottish tradition. It is a special celebration wherein friends of the mama surround her, pamper her, offer words of peace, grace, and strength, and support her as she prepares to bring a new life into the world.
Some common rituals in a blessingway include consecration, prayers, bead ceremonies, releasing of fears, honoring, pampering and adorning the mother, henna (SQUEAL!), storytelling, blessings and wishes.
If it sounds like totally wacky hippie stuff, that's because it is. And it's awesome! (It's actually not that crazy- unless you think consecrating with oil, smudging with ashes, burning of incense, etc. is crazy)
Blessingways are an alternative to the normal, often highly consumerist tradition of baby showers. They are potentially more meaningful and focus more on the mother and upcoming act of birthing a new life.
In keeping with the preparations to have a med-free birth I am extremely excited about having such an amazing, life-giving ceremony. It's all about empowerment, trusting in my body to do what it was created to do, and releasing the fears that I may have about the upcoming birth. Being surrounded, supported and blessed by my dearest friends is, in my opinion, a great way to do that.
Anyone else ever have/been to a Blessingway? I am so excited about having one, I can hardly wait!
29 June 2011
28 June 2011
Registry
We need a few items for the new baby, since we got rid of many things when we moved or now need two of some things. If you'd like to purchase something for baby and would like to know what we need, here you go.
25 June 2011
Baby Boy Buesch #2
Our handsome little man- Buesch Boy v.2.0
Here's what I'm thankful for:
A healthy baby boy with a strong heart and beautiful profile.
A "big brother" who is so excited to meet his new younger brother and play trains with him.
A husband who will raise them both to be as smart, free-thinking, courteous, honest, and compassionate as he is.
That Owen and Baby2 will have each other. I'm also glad that I will have three sturdy gentlemen to care for me!
Most of all, I'm thankful to be witness to BOTH of my boys' childhoods, to play an integral part in their development, to nurture their creativity and spirit, and to watch them figure out who they are as individuals.
You know what? Kraig and I are pretty good parents to this boy that we have, so we're excited to remain in our comfort zone.
And hey, if I can't get excited about tutus and ruffled bloomers, you better believe I'm going to deck out the boys' room. It's going to be awesome!
____________________________
Now, let me clear up a few things.
A bit of honesty: Never have I (or Kraig) envisioned our family with two boys. We have always known we'd have two kids (unless we adopt a foster child) but we, like many people, expected (--a dirty word, apparently) or hoped to have one of each.
Raise your hand if you've ever dreamt about something that didn't become a reality.
Everyone's hands raised? I thought so. (See? It's not so bad to speak your dreams only for them to never become a reality. It doesn't make you ungrateful for what happens (unless you complain, of course, so don't complain)).
We've all been in the place where the outcome was not as we expected. Baby, job, relationship, (fill in the blank)... It happens to everyone. Ev-ery-one. So I don't need to tell you how it feels, right?
Good. I'm glad we got that out of the way.
(To those who can understand how it feels and have allowed me a bit of time to process and re-align, thank you. I appreciate your kind words and your sympathy. To everyone else: please know we are thankful, and that this baby is so, so very loved already. Finding out the sex now has allowed a bit more room for honesty and reflection, so if reading my words somehow offends you, just stop reading.)
22 June 2011
Pregnancy: 19 weeks
I have got to get this anemia situation figured out. Mama is t-i-r-e-d. I'm trying my best to get extra iron-rich whole foods into my diet, and plan to discuss alfalfa tablets as a natural supplement with our midwife next week.
So, 19 weeks means we're nearly halfway (or maybe we are halfway, you know, if we're lucky!) and that means we are WAY behind on all of the things we have to do. We've been meaning to paint the living room and fix up a few things around the house, which are obviously pretty necessary before I get too huge. I'd like to take a couple of classes at our birth center, too. I need to get to the eye doctor for new contacts, and a trip to the dentist wouldn't hurt either (the problem is, we don't have established care providers for either of those.... So "dentist and eye doctor shopping" needs to be added to the list). There are so many more things! All "wants" with just a few "needs" though, so I'm trying not to stress.
I will say that it will be SO GREAT to know the sex after Friday (TWO DAYS!!!!) I may have more "projects" in mind if it's a girl, but if it's a boy we are pretty unsure of a name as well as a few other boy-related "issues". So far I've been worrying about both, so to eliminate one set of things to think about will be awesome.
I can feel it in my bones that this is a girl, though. I could TOTALLY be wrong, obviously, but I hope I'm right :) It'd sure would be nice to balance out the testosterone in the house! Otherwise I'm going to be THAT "dog mom" that dresses her dog in hairbows and tutus. Yup.
If it's a girl, we have a name picked out (we were going to use it last time) but we're unsure about calling her by her name pre-birth. Anyone have thoughts on that? I've always thought it was sort of weird but now that I'm in this position I'm unsure.
So, 19 weeks means we're nearly halfway (or maybe we are halfway, you know, if we're lucky!) and that means we are WAY behind on all of the things we have to do. We've been meaning to paint the living room and fix up a few things around the house, which are obviously pretty necessary before I get too huge. I'd like to take a couple of classes at our birth center, too. I need to get to the eye doctor for new contacts, and a trip to the dentist wouldn't hurt either (the problem is, we don't have established care providers for either of those.... So "dentist and eye doctor shopping" needs to be added to the list). There are so many more things! All "wants" with just a few "needs" though, so I'm trying not to stress.
I will say that it will be SO GREAT to know the sex after Friday (TWO DAYS!!!!) I may have more "projects" in mind if it's a girl, but if it's a boy we are pretty unsure of a name as well as a few other boy-related "issues". So far I've been worrying about both, so to eliminate one set of things to think about will be awesome.
I can feel it in my bones that this is a girl, though. I could TOTALLY be wrong, obviously, but I hope I'm right :) It'd sure would be nice to balance out the testosterone in the house! Otherwise I'm going to be THAT "dog mom" that dresses her dog in hairbows and tutus. Yup.
If it's a girl, we have a name picked out (we were going to use it last time) but we're unsure about calling her by her name pre-birth. Anyone have thoughts on that? I've always thought it was sort of weird but now that I'm in this position I'm unsure.
20 June 2011
Father's Day
We had planned to go to one of Kraig's favorite breweries for dinner, but we forgot that the Rose Festival and Pride Parade were going on downtown (super long lines!) so we opted for one of our favorite vegan eateries instead.
I think this is the sweetest photo ever. I hope we get lots more kisses before Owen decides that it's "weird" to kiss your parents.
I got the vegan club (oh my, it's so insanely delicious) and Kraig got a veggie burger. Owen loves to order from the kids' menu here- the options are fantastic! He got the tofu with rice and veggies. He gobbled up his broccoli (!), red cabbage (!!), carrots, cauliflower (!!!!), and tofu. What a good little veghead. I was SO proud- I had never seen him eat broccoli before, despite multiple attempts here at home. He called them trees and the cauliflower were "white trees". Precious!
We were too stuffed for dessert, though they boast an impressive vegan cake display. It was a wonderful meal to celebrate Kraig's THIRD (?!) Father's Day!
19 June 2011
Happy Father's Day
To my loving husband,
What a life we have here, my dear.
One beautiful, charming, hilarious and super-sweet toddler with stunning blue eyes (from you, of course) and a laugh that can melt your heart.
A precious baby on the way to complete our family.
A sweet little house with a white picket fence in the most amazing city in the entire world (in our humble opinion).
A great job that you are not only awesome at doing, but you enjoy 100% of the time.
Oh, and this cute dog that you lovingly refer to as "My Schnauzer" or "My little Professor" because schnauzers look so wise.
And I won't speak on your behalf, but your wife is pretty cool, too.
You may not have expected your life to be like this at age 26, but I hope it's everything you've ever wanted and more.
A walk down memory lane, from your first moment as a dad.
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| Your first meeting through teary eyes |
 |
| Father's Day 2009. Matching outfits for the win! |
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| Cleveland Zoo for your 25th birthday |
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| Quite possibly the best photo of you and Owen, ever. |
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| Hike near Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park |
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| Beautiful blue eyed boys |
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| Teaching Owen new tricks |
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| Handome boys |
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| Making faces to cheer Owen up |
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| Your both so stunning, even when you're not ready for a photo |
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| Flying on Cannon Beach |
I can't tell you how lucky Owen is to have such an amazing man for a father. Let me try anyway.
When I think of words to describe your character, INTEGRITY is always, always, always the first to come to mind. In my opinion, that's the most important trait for a person to possess. Owen will grow up to know, as I know, that you can be trusted, you are unfailingly honest, and you live a life consistent with your values.
Next, I think of your COMMITMENT. You are committed first to us. We are always your priority, whether it's working to meet our needs or just making sure you have made enough time for us. Because you want to provide for us and make sure that I can stay at home, you are committed also to your job. You work full-time (and not an hour more, thank you for that!) and are committed to doing the very best job that you can while you are there. When I ask if you ever feel like giving less than your best, like you're having an off-day or are feeling tired or unmotivated, you immediately answered firmly- No. I can tell that you have an amazing work ethic because of all of your achievements, all of the accolades you receive from peers and higher-ups, and how hard they are all working to keep you in the company and happy. Finally, you are committed to our marriage. I know you only have eyes for me and I am eternally grateful for that.
I also think of your steadfast LOVE and COMPASSION. You are a sweetheart in the truest sense of the word. You are sensitive yet strong, sympathetic to suffering, merciful and tender. You have a heart for those in unfortunate circumstances, and always want to do what you can to help. I know that Owen will see the best of what it means to be a man of strength as well as intense love as he grows up. If we are blessed with a girl, I will be honored to see how you will tenderly care for her and meet her emotional needs so that she doesn't have to have them met elsewhere.
No list of your attributes would be complete without mention of your HUMOR, LEADERSHIP, and INTELLIGENCE. Those speak for themselves, and are no less important than any of your other traits. I'm glad we can provide a home full of laughter for our children.
I appreciate every single part of who you are- you complement my personality so well- and I have been blessed to be your wife. I know that when Owen is an adult he will be thankful for your strong character. He doesn't yet know what makes a "good man" or a "good father" but as he goes out into the world he'll realize how unbelievably lucky he is.
I love daydreaming with you, laughing with you, exploring with you, and learning from you. You are an outstanding husband and father, and we are so very grateful for all that you do.
All of our love-
J and Owen (and Baby Tiny)
17 June 2011
Interesting Articles
I'm sharing these two articles all over the place because, um, they are amazing. In honor of Father's day this weekend:
And for parents (and wanna-be parents) everywhere:
16 June 2011
Pregnancy: 18 weeks
Literally a day after I posted my last belly photo this baby decided to pop. My back started aching and it was suddenly difficult to get comfortable enough to sleep at night, so I asked Kraig if it looked like I had popped out a bit.
At the Farmer's Market with an achin' back.
You be the judge.I'm still coasting along symptom-wise. The insomnia is definitely kicking in a bit, but it was also a crazy week with Kraig's later hours so I think that had something to do with it. I still get strong aversions to certain foods- something that I don't recall happening this late in pregnancy with Owen.
We are so excited about our ultrasound appointment next week, as you can probably tell since I keep talking about it! 8 days, 8 days, 8 days!!!
15 June 2011
Kraig's new store
Finally, after months of preparation and anticipation the new Brewery Blocks Starbucks in Portland is open! Kraig, Jenn, and the rest of the team worked really hard last week to get the store into shape to open. Friday night was the VIP night where Kraig led a coffee tasting for ~150 important folks, from the design team to facilities managers to the President of Starbucks USA, Cliff Burrows. Kraig was obviously honored to have been tapped to do the tasting, and by all accounts it went perfectly!
Kraig leading the tasting- that's Cliff Burrows right behind him!
Oregon Live
PDX Food Press
KGW Local News This particular article has the TV news story video. You can see Kraig in the background at -2:47 (same at -1:32) in the top left corner, and again at -0:27 in the top right corner, leading Clover training.
Starbucks Melody She is a well-known Starbucks blogger and Seattle-based lawyer (she's unaffiliated with the company, just a huge fan). She was invited to the VIP event but walked in JUST after Kraig's tasting. Ack!
Apparently, someone filmed Kraig's tasting so he's trying to get ahold of that video clip.
Owen and I attended the store's soft opening/Family and Friends event on Sunday the 12th. It was very exciting- live music and hundreds and hundreds of "customers" (the drinks and pastry were free; alcohol and some food had to be purchased). Everyone seemed very impressed with the store's design, which is unlike any other. Kraig said the thing that he heard the most from outside Starbucks partners was how well the team worked together- a great compliment considering they were all hand-picked from many different locations throughout Portland and had never worked together before! He agrees that the team has great chemistry and are all wonderful baristas. He's excited to get to be a part of it, of course!
Kraig and Jenn
Sorry for the blur- working on the line during the soft opening.
Fun for Kraig since he's usually running the floor and can't be on espresso bar :)
Subtle- but see his Coffee Master apron? He's the only Coffee Master in Portland so far
and will be helping to certify the next round.
and will be helping to certify the next round.
It was the most successful soft opening in Starbucks history in terms of sales. Managers from the other concept stores in Seattle came for the opening and were highly impressed by the alcohol and Clover coffee sales (Clover is individually brewed coffee). Brewery Blocks' numbers blew all of theirs out of the water, so the team is hopeful that those numbers are a good indicator of how popular the store will be. Update: the numbers from the first few days are keeping with this trend. Way to go!
Owen and I are so proud of all the work Kraig has done to open the store and we're all excited to see how well the store does over the next few months.
13 June 2011
the FarMar
We are bad Portlanders.
The worst, really.
We JUST made our first trip to the famous farmer's market. Sure, we've been to the Saturday Market, but it's not the same (this is the one with the food, to be clear, while the Sat. Market has arts and crafts.)
Yes, it took over 10 months for us to get our tuchuses there.
One thing is for certain: we'll be back so soon.
Playing peekaboo in the grass
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| Climbing on "bridges" |
Did I eat the whole time? Don't worry about it. ;-)
We didn't get much produce (just asparagus, shiitakes, and hickory-smoke flavored pickles, aka Bacon Pickles) but it was great to hang out with our great friends and enjoy the Portland sunshine!
09 June 2011
Conversations with a 2 year old, episode 4
You know, I hate to always have this disclaimer but... I had nothing to do with this one either.
Owen: "What time is it?"
Me: "It is.... 12:35"
(long pause)
Owen: "It's beer time!"
I think we all know where he picked up that little tidbit.
Owen: "What time is it?"
Me: "It is.... 12:35"
(long pause)
Owen: "It's beer time!"
I think we all know where he picked up that little tidbit.
Pregnancy: 17 weeks
Two weeks... two weeks.... two weeks.
I'm at a standstill as far as baby-prep goes, at least until we find out thegender sex of the baby... I could either have lots of new projects (like sewing, knitting, finding a few pieces of feminine room decor for the kids' shared room) or I could have nothing to do. Our teeny-tiny registry is ready to go either way, since there are some things we could use regardless of whether baby is a boy or girl. (We got rid of lots of necessary baby items when we moved and aren't expecting a shower this time but if friends/family wanted to get a little something, there is a list of things we could use... along with a few wants :))
I'm feeling good, though, so I'm looking forward to having a few jobs to do while I am still feeling up to it. Still tired, which I'm sure will continue for the next 18-19 years (yes, years). I'm enjoying baby's kicks- and now so is Kraig! He felt his first kicks on Sunday. It was so exciting! It's SO wild to me that we can feel the baby's kicks externally. Kraig and I talked about if I can feel it earlier because I know how it feels, but I really don't think it's that. (Any other mamas with 2+ kids wanna weigh in on this?) I think it's just my changed anatomy- more lax ab muscles, etc.- that affect it. I am certain, absolutely 100% positive- that if a first-time mother was feeling these sensations she would know EXACTLY what it was. They are powerful and definite- even back at 14 weeks.
I also picked up a few new books to read before labor. Definitely mother-centered, hippy-inspired, encouraging reads. Good stuff.
Kraig has had the camera at the new store all week, so this is the best I can do for a monthly belly shot. I haven't grown much, but I'm sure there will be a 20-week pop coming up.
I'm at a standstill as far as baby-prep goes, at least until we find out the
I'm feeling good, though, so I'm looking forward to having a few jobs to do while I am still feeling up to it. Still tired, which I'm sure will continue for the next 18-19 years (yes, years). I'm enjoying baby's kicks- and now so is Kraig! He felt his first kicks on Sunday. It was so exciting! It's SO wild to me that we can feel the baby's kicks externally. Kraig and I talked about if I can feel it earlier because I know how it feels, but I really don't think it's that. (Any other mamas with 2+ kids wanna weigh in on this?) I think it's just my changed anatomy- more lax ab muscles, etc.- that affect it. I am certain, absolutely 100% positive- that if a first-time mother was feeling these sensations she would know EXACTLY what it was. They are powerful and definite- even back at 14 weeks.
I also picked up a few new books to read before labor. Definitely mother-centered, hippy-inspired, encouraging reads. Good stuff.
Kraig has had the camera at the new store all week, so this is the best I can do for a monthly belly shot. I haven't grown much, but I'm sure there will be a 20-week pop coming up.
06 June 2011
Two years and then some
It's been quite a while since I did an Owen update. I think to do it, but then quickly become overwhelmed with all of the developments that have been happening over the last few (7-8?) months. So I'll just try to hit some highlights and forgive myself for being a bad record-keeper.
Owen is an amazing communicator. I (and most other folks that aren't with him on a daily basis) can understand what he is saying 97% of the time, the other 3% being when he is intentionally speaking jibberish for fun. He speaks in clear sentences ("I want my water bottle." "Can we go to Starbucks?" etc), follows instructions (when he wants to), and repeats what he hears.
He's counting. He doesn't count things- at least not accurately most of the time- but he counts from 1-10 with no problem. Scratch that- he counts from 1-11. Anytime he sees numbers he starts counting. He can identify the number 2 (only that one consistently) and we are starting to work (intentionally, since it's been in fun up to this point) on identifying more numbers, counting groups of objects, etc.
He correctly names some colors and asks for some of his favorite things based on their color (blue cup, white shirt, yellow diaper)
He'll read to himself, though he is not saying any decipherable words. This is hilarious to hear. He'll just pick up a book and start rambling. It's the intonation that is right on.
He has some pretty good manners, thanks in no part to us. Ha! We are pretty inconsistent with our own please's and thank you's (bad, bad parents) but it certainly makes us want to do better when Owen will give us a thank you with no prompt. He also asks for permission to do things, i.e. "Can I?" or "Can I press button?" He also offers things to us... sometimes.
Speaking of sharing, he is totally entering the phase where everything is his (mine! mine! mine!) and it's always his turn. Oh, brother. I know this is a totally normal stage of development as he discovers personal boundaries, but wow is it ever annoying. I'm sorry- but it really is annoying. Sigh. We'll get through it.
He is quite proficient at using the iPad and iPod. I know- worthless technology unsuitable for kids, blah blah blah, but let me say a few things that are totally redeeming this terrible habit. First, he is able to find a menu (say, in his Thomas the Train app) and pick the menu selection that he desires. Second, he is able to do puzzles. Sure, they are 2-D puzzles but he is figuring out how to manipulate and connect puzzle pieces. This is remarkable, in my opinion. Third, he is tuning his fine motor skills. Of course, we prefer that he hone these skills on 3-dimensional objects but the technology is nice when we need quiet moments (i.e. restaurants, airplanes, etc.) For a kid who doesn't get screen time on a regular basis (we have no TV) we feel okay with having this as a treat of sorts.
As far as gross and fine motor skills, he can run, kick a ball, throw overhand, scribble, pour contents of one container into another, build large towers and line up objects.
Socially, he loves the company of other children, imitates behaviors, and is very imaginative. He is becoming very independent and likes to do things without help.
Physically, he is just a little guy (can you believe it?!) He's 26.5 lbs (25th %ile) and 32.5 inches tall (10th %ile). He is a pretty good eater as far as quantities, but pickiness changes day-to-day. He is sleeping through the night consistently and napping in late morning everyday.
Other fun stuff: He loves doing yoga poses. I am not at all a yoga aficionado, but I do have a prenatal yoga DVD that I've done one time (psh, slacker) with him and he has a yoga book for children. It's so funny to watch.
He has an amazing memory. If you have kids of your own I think you know that these kiddos remember far more than we think they will. It's interesting to think that as an adult he may recall some of his first memories as moments from this year (age 2-3).
He is such an amazing big brother. I know his sibling isn't "here" yet, but he always asks about "her" (again, we don't know the gender yet) and will feel or kiss my belly without prompting. He loves hearing her heartbeat. He asks when she is coming out, and wants to know how big she is. He also loves looking at photos of growing fetuses to check how big she is getting. I think he'll be really excited to see photos of the baby at the ultrasound. We have many talks about what it will be like to be a big brother and I think he is excited for his new role. He knows that Kraig was a big brother, and also asked if I have a big brother (I do, of course). I know there will be some bumps and some rivalry along the way but we are really excited to see him in this new role, too.
He is best friends with Sophie. He says so himself :) He loves to play ball with her and give her hugs. He wants kisses (on his hand) from her every night before he goes to bed. When we are out he wonders where Sophie is and wants to get home to her. When she comes up to him to play he says "Sophie likes me!" So sweet!
He is such a little lover. He attaches to people quickly and has his favorites. He loves "Papa Gordon" next door, Marissa at Kearney Plaza (yes, he says "Kearney Plaza"), "Uncle Joe and Uncle Greg", Toria the neighbor girl, Baby Sam a couple of blocks away as well as his dad "Uncle Paul". I could go on and on and on. He is a little social butterfly.
He wants to go on airplanes all the time. All. The. Time. I don't know why he thinks we are always traveling! I try to explain that we won't be going on an airplane for a very, very, very long time. He doesn't care what I say :)
And, a word on potty-training. Sigh. I knew boys would be harder to train, but wow. We've been talking about it for what, a year? I can't say there hasn't been progress but he is totally not into going potty on the toilet. I should say, he wants to when he decides he wants to, but that's usually when he doesn't actually have to go. He's okay with trying #1 on the potty but definitely not #2. DEFINITELY NOT. Generally speaking, he doesn't want to wear big-boy undies and he begs for his diaper. What a mess we have here. We're still trying and still wanting him to be daytime trained before Baby Tiny shows up (not that he cares what we want). It's summer (ish) so hopefully we can get this taken care of ASAP, you know, without rushing him :) (If one more person tells me "it is still too early for potty training" I might scream.)
I'm sure I'm missing a lot of milestones but I think that's sufficient for now.
Owen is an amazing communicator. I (and most other folks that aren't with him on a daily basis) can understand what he is saying 97% of the time, the other 3% being when he is intentionally speaking jibberish for fun. He speaks in clear sentences ("I want my water bottle." "Can we go to Starbucks?" etc), follows instructions (when he wants to), and repeats what he hears.
He's counting. He doesn't count things- at least not accurately most of the time- but he counts from 1-10 with no problem. Scratch that- he counts from 1-11. Anytime he sees numbers he starts counting. He can identify the number 2 (only that one consistently) and we are starting to work (intentionally, since it's been in fun up to this point) on identifying more numbers, counting groups of objects, etc.
He correctly names some colors and asks for some of his favorite things based on their color (blue cup, white shirt, yellow diaper)
He'll read to himself, though he is not saying any decipherable words. This is hilarious to hear. He'll just pick up a book and start rambling. It's the intonation that is right on.
He has some pretty good manners, thanks in no part to us. Ha! We are pretty inconsistent with our own please's and thank you's (bad, bad parents) but it certainly makes us want to do better when Owen will give us a thank you with no prompt. He also asks for permission to do things, i.e. "Can I?" or "Can I press button?" He also offers things to us... sometimes.
Speaking of sharing, he is totally entering the phase where everything is his (mine! mine! mine!) and it's always his turn. Oh, brother. I know this is a totally normal stage of development as he discovers personal boundaries, but wow is it ever annoying. I'm sorry- but it really is annoying. Sigh. We'll get through it.
He is quite proficient at using the iPad and iPod. I know- worthless technology unsuitable for kids, blah blah blah, but let me say a few things that are totally redeeming this terrible habit. First, he is able to find a menu (say, in his Thomas the Train app) and pick the menu selection that he desires. Second, he is able to do puzzles. Sure, they are 2-D puzzles but he is figuring out how to manipulate and connect puzzle pieces. This is remarkable, in my opinion. Third, he is tuning his fine motor skills. Of course, we prefer that he hone these skills on 3-dimensional objects but the technology is nice when we need quiet moments (i.e. restaurants, airplanes, etc.) For a kid who doesn't get screen time on a regular basis (we have no TV) we feel okay with having this as a treat of sorts.
As far as gross and fine motor skills, he can run, kick a ball, throw overhand, scribble, pour contents of one container into another, build large towers and line up objects.
Socially, he loves the company of other children, imitates behaviors, and is very imaginative. He is becoming very independent and likes to do things without help.
Physically, he is just a little guy (can you believe it?!) He's 26.5 lbs (25th %ile) and 32.5 inches tall (10th %ile). He is a pretty good eater as far as quantities, but pickiness changes day-to-day. He is sleeping through the night consistently and napping in late morning everyday.
Other fun stuff: He loves doing yoga poses. I am not at all a yoga aficionado, but I do have a prenatal yoga DVD that I've done one time (psh, slacker) with him and he has a yoga book for children. It's so funny to watch.
He has an amazing memory. If you have kids of your own I think you know that these kiddos remember far more than we think they will. It's interesting to think that as an adult he may recall some of his first memories as moments from this year (age 2-3).
He is such an amazing big brother. I know his sibling isn't "here" yet, but he always asks about "her" (again, we don't know the gender yet) and will feel or kiss my belly without prompting. He loves hearing her heartbeat. He asks when she is coming out, and wants to know how big she is. He also loves looking at photos of growing fetuses to check how big she is getting. I think he'll be really excited to see photos of the baby at the ultrasound. We have many talks about what it will be like to be a big brother and I think he is excited for his new role. He knows that Kraig was a big brother, and also asked if I have a big brother (I do, of course). I know there will be some bumps and some rivalry along the way but we are really excited to see him in this new role, too.
He is best friends with Sophie. He says so himself :) He loves to play ball with her and give her hugs. He wants kisses (on his hand) from her every night before he goes to bed. When we are out he wonders where Sophie is and wants to get home to her. When she comes up to him to play he says "Sophie likes me!" So sweet!
He is such a little lover. He attaches to people quickly and has his favorites. He loves "Papa Gordon" next door, Marissa at Kearney Plaza (yes, he says "Kearney Plaza"), "Uncle Joe and Uncle Greg", Toria the neighbor girl, Baby Sam a couple of blocks away as well as his dad "Uncle Paul". I could go on and on and on. He is a little social butterfly.
He wants to go on airplanes all the time. All. The. Time. I don't know why he thinks we are always traveling! I try to explain that we won't be going on an airplane for a very, very, very long time. He doesn't care what I say :)
And, a word on potty-training. Sigh. I knew boys would be harder to train, but wow. We've been talking about it for what, a year? I can't say there hasn't been progress but he is totally not into going potty on the toilet. I should say, he wants to when he decides he wants to, but that's usually when he doesn't actually have to go. He's okay with trying #1 on the potty but definitely not #2. DEFINITELY NOT. Generally speaking, he doesn't want to wear big-boy undies and he begs for his diaper. What a mess we have here. We're still trying and still wanting him to be daytime trained before Baby Tiny shows up (not that he cares what we want). It's summer (ish) so hopefully we can get this taken care of ASAP, you know, without rushing him :) (If one more person tells me "it is still too early for potty training" I might scream.)
I'm sure I'm missing a lot of milestones but I think that's sufficient for now.
05 June 2011
04 June 2011
Conversations with a 2 year old, episode 3
Kraig went to training for work, and had explained to Owen that instead of working that day he had training instead. During my breakfast with him, Owen had this to say:
Owen:: "Daddy at training?"
Me:: "Yes, daddy's at training today."
Owen:: "I go on train?"
Me:: "Sure, you can go on a train if you want."
Owen:: looks outside to the empty driveway. "Daddy training, too? Where's daddy's car?"
Me:: "Daddy took the car. He's not on a train, he is training."
Owen:: confused stare.
Owen:: "Daddy at training?"
Me:: "Yes, daddy's at training today."
Owen:: "I go on train?"
Me:: "Sure, you can go on a train if you want."
Owen:: looks outside to the empty driveway. "Daddy training, too? Where's daddy's car?"
Me:: "Daddy took the car. He's not on a train, he is training."
Owen:: confused stare.
03 June 2011
Pregnancy: 16 weeks
Well, we scheduled our ultrasound! Only 3 weeks away... which I am sure will go quickly since during that time Kraig will be opening the new store, i.e. stressing out like a crazy person while having the time of his life, and working new hours. Father's day falls in there as well, which means I will also be stressing out about not having a car during the days leading up to it as I try to create a special day for Kraig. Weee!
The excitement this week has been that I can feel fetal movement from the outside (I had started feeling little flutters in the 11th week, and more definite kicks and rolls at about 14 weeks. I know, it's crazy, and you don't have to believe me but this isn't my first rodeo, y'know). The sensations in my abdomen are pretty strong but I was even more surprised that I can feel them on the outside, too. Kraig hasn't yet- not because he hasn't tried but because he has some sort of calming effect on fetuses. Seriously. Strange.
It makes me really happy that I can feel movement throughout the day (and night). I had felt pretty paranoid up until this point, like somehow I wouldn't be so lucky to have two healthy pregnancies/children. This is a pretty common concern for women who have given birth more than once. My midwife and I talked about this last week as well and she said she hears it a lot, too.
Other than that, I am breezing through this pregnancy. I feel comfortable so far, I take nausea and heartburn and dizziness in stride, and I'm not worrying about every little pang or symptom. I did forget how suddenly my blood sugar can drop- like every two hours or less, hence the dizziness- so I'm trying to eat, eat, eat even if it seems ridiculous that I'm eating so much. But overall this second-time-mama thing is pretty laid-back compared to my first pregnancy. I've thrown out the fear-based, ill-informed pregnancy books (*cough* What To Expect *cough*), I try to talk to positive, uplifting mamas about pregnancy and birth, and I am just trying to relax and be good to myself. I know that if something is wrong it shows up in spades, so I'm not as anxious as I was last time. So far, so good.
I'm way past the point of trying to squeeze into my pre-pregnancy pants, so I'm almost fully in maternity-wear now. Thankfully I was able to borrow some summer maternity clothes from friends (I had all winter stuff from last time) so I'm all set! It feels good to have clothing to wear that fits me well, even with room to grow. In my opinion, having nothing to wear and feeling like a stuffed sausage (or super frumpy) in ill-fitting clothing is one of the worst parts of pregnancy. Surely there is no other time in a woman's life where she goes through so many bodily changes and gains so much weight in such a short time. It sure is hard on my self-esteem, at least!
16 down, 24ish to go.
The excitement this week has been that I can feel fetal movement from the outside (I had started feeling little flutters in the 11th week, and more definite kicks and rolls at about 14 weeks. I know, it's crazy, and you don't have to believe me but this isn't my first rodeo, y'know). The sensations in my abdomen are pretty strong but I was even more surprised that I can feel them on the outside, too. Kraig hasn't yet- not because he hasn't tried but because he has some sort of calming effect on fetuses. Seriously. Strange.
It makes me really happy that I can feel movement throughout the day (and night). I had felt pretty paranoid up until this point, like somehow I wouldn't be so lucky to have two healthy pregnancies/children. This is a pretty common concern for women who have given birth more than once. My midwife and I talked about this last week as well and she said she hears it a lot, too.
Other than that, I am breezing through this pregnancy. I feel comfortable so far, I take nausea and heartburn and dizziness in stride, and I'm not worrying about every little pang or symptom. I did forget how suddenly my blood sugar can drop- like every two hours or less, hence the dizziness- so I'm trying to eat, eat, eat even if it seems ridiculous that I'm eating so much. But overall this second-time-mama thing is pretty laid-back compared to my first pregnancy. I've thrown out the fear-based, ill-informed pregnancy books (*cough* What To Expect *cough*), I try to talk to positive, uplifting mamas about pregnancy and birth, and I am just trying to relax and be good to myself. I know that if something is wrong it shows up in spades, so I'm not as anxious as I was last time. So far, so good.
I'm way past the point of trying to squeeze into my pre-pregnancy pants, so I'm almost fully in maternity-wear now. Thankfully I was able to borrow some summer maternity clothes from friends (I had all winter stuff from last time) so I'm all set! It feels good to have clothing to wear that fits me well, even with room to grow. In my opinion, having nothing to wear and feeling like a stuffed sausage (or super frumpy) in ill-fitting clothing is one of the worst parts of pregnancy. Surely there is no other time in a woman's life where she goes through so many bodily changes and gains so much weight in such a short time. It sure is hard on my self-esteem, at least!
16 down, 24ish to go.
Conversations with a 2 year old, episode 2
In talking with Owen about his anatomy, I try to use proper terminology. Kraig, on the other hand, will throw in a slang term here or there.
Just wanted to make sure that I'm cleared of any blame for this one.
Sophie:: chews on chew toy
Owen:: "Is that Sophie's boner?"
Me:: "That's Sophie's bone, yes."
Owen:: picks up another bone. "Here Sophie! Here's your boner!"
01 June 2011
Our friend Speedy
You can imagine my shock and disgust surprise when I looked out the window and saw this
one morning when I was getting breakfast for Owen. Owen immediately fell in love. I immediately started cleaning the counters and floors because I was so grossed out and needed to feel like there weren't any slimy creatures in the house.
Ick.
It may look like a slug, but Speedy is actually a snail. See the shell? Anyway, s/he obviously got lost because s/he stayed on our window for a full 36-48 hours. Where she went after that is beyond me. S/he was pretty popular during his/her time on our window frame. Our neighbors all came over to say hello and meet our new friend.
Owen was very sad when she left. He couldn't find her during breakfast two mornings after the original sighting.
Thankfully, the sadness quickly wore off and it looks like we won't be rushing out to get a pet snail anytime soon. Miss you, Speedy! (Well, some of us do. Maybe just one of us, actually.)
one morning when I was getting breakfast for Owen. Owen immediately fell in love. I immediately started cleaning the counters and floors because I was so grossed out and needed to feel like there weren't any slimy creatures in the house.
Ick.
It may look like a slug, but Speedy is actually a snail. See the shell? Anyway, s/he obviously got lost because s/he stayed on our window for a full 36-48 hours. Where she went after that is beyond me. S/he was pretty popular during his/her time on our window frame. Our neighbors all came over to say hello and meet our new friend.
Owen was very sad when she left. He couldn't find her during breakfast two mornings after the original sighting.
Thankfully, the sadness quickly wore off and it looks like we won't be rushing out to get a pet snail anytime soon. Miss you, Speedy! (Well, some of us do. Maybe just one of us, actually.)
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