The Sweetest Thing

This evening, after Dex was done with his bath, I lifted him out and started to towel dry him while I sat on the toilet. (Yes, it was closed... this isn't a potty story). He proceeded to shrug himself out of the towel so he could just hug my belly. However, that wasn't enough. He lifted my shirt so he could hug my bare belly. His baby brother. After a few moments of quiet peacefulness, he started singing "Happy Birthday." My firstborn was singing "Happy Birthday" to his soon-to-be baby brother.

I couldn't help myself. Tears started.

I know that Declan will be fine. I know that he will be a great big brother, full of kisses and hugs. (And fighting and goading eventually I'm sure... but at first I am predicting mostly kisses.) But it is getting more real to me every day that he won't be my one and only anymore. I feel as though the transition might be harder for me than it is for him.

I'm sure that it will all be perfect, and exactly how it should be. But for now, I am soaking up the last few months with Dex as my sole attention getter. My first.

Happy Birthday!

I so often write about my child, myself and occasionally my husband. But that leaves a huge part of my life missing. I don't so much write about my friends. I wrote a short post about a visit from one of my dearest friends, but didn't really get into our friendship so much as post a few photos of her playing with my child. I would like to perhaps change that a little. I think I'll start today as a Happy Birthday post to one of my BFFs, Lauren.

We met through a mutual friend at college and it took awhile for our friendship to blossom. We went from being two attendants at the same party to having a commute to the same student teaching school. That meant we were now spending mornings sitting next to each other on the train and working on the crossword together. This blossomed into hanging out more afterward and eventually just hanging out all the time. Bars, concerts, roadtrips... we did a lot. Once we even rescued a dog. We lived in different parts of town (Dorcester and Brookline) but we made efforts to see each other at least once a week. We had a pretty standing lunch date, and at one particular lunch date we made that fateful trip to the drug store to buy the test that said "PREGNANT."

I'm really not sure that there is a bigger bond that can come from friends that share such a scary moment together. She helped me through those first few scary hours until I could tell my now husband our new life that would be starting. She was there for me through my pregnancy and a few months later we got to share the joys and terror that is unplanned pregnancy together. I loved watching our babies get to grow up together for their first year. I wish that we had lived closer during that time, and now I really wish that we lived closer.  I miss coffee dates and playground times and getting to watch our children together. Hopefully this distance won't last forever. (Move to Texas please?) But this is a tribute to our ever growing friendship!

Starting our friendship

My 21st Birthday 

The cold ocean during Spring Break- Myrtle Beach

So pregnant she had the baby the day after my wedding.

The first time our babies met.

Wants

What I want when baby number two comes along and starts with solids.

Potty Training

So we are now really and truly in the midst of potty training. Yesterday we went and bought eight new pairs of training underwear. Which is nowhere near enough. But man... that stuff is expensive! He did well yesterday. Only a few accidents. But he was mostly running around outside and a lot of the time was in a bathing suit and could just have the hose turned on him and his little puddle.

Today, however, I attempted to go out. Without a diaper. And silly me... without a change of clothes. We didn't go far. Just to Summermoon to say hi to Daddy and get some muffins and bananas and bagels. And I didn't even make it to getting my drink due to bathroom runs. We went before we left the house. Then again when we got the not-even-quarter-mile down the road. Then again once we had just returned the bathroom key. Man oh man. It gets tiring quick. We were able to sit down and eat our food. And after awhile, I had forgotten. And we had an accident. With no change of cloths. Silly mommy. So we stripped down and headed home with a bare bummy. Luckily when mommy is the one setting the pace it takes about two minutes to get home. Then a new change and another trip to the potty. One more accident later here we are.

And it's 11am.

But then I get to look at this face and it's all worth it.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

So if you will, please. Take a minute to glance upward and notice...

The blog has a NEW NAME! While there really isn't much nesting going on around here yet, I figured now is as good a time as any to incorporate new baby (who, yes, does have a name. but no, we will not tell you) even more!

While we may only be three and a half-ish for right now, I think we're close enough to call it. (Though I have heard that close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.)

That's all. I will do a more substantial post soon, but thought I would share our new look.

Almost 22 Weeks

Well folks, I've gone and done it. I've officially (in my mind anyway) popped. It has been too hot to wear jeans, but I bet that I can't fit into them where two weeks ago I was perfectly comfortable. I am really, for the first time, starting to feel pregnant. I feel as though my center of gravity has shifted, and my body is feeling the stretch. I've been getting slight ligament stretching pains, but nothing like last time. And my back is starting to realize that it's doing a whole lot more work.

All in all I still feel really good, but I'm definitely starting to feel different. Also that whole hormone thing has been starting to hit this week, too. So far I feel as though I've actually stayed pretty calm and normal but now I see something even slightly sentimental on TV and I tear up. Anything involving a dad and daughter... forget it. I'm a mess. And if you mess up my food order be prepared to feel daggers shooting out of my eyes. (Sorry Logan!) It's really not all the time, but the overwhelming feeling is starting to take over from time to time. I know that it will all be fine, and I'm really lucky to have gone this long feeling so great... but we still have 18 weeks left. Yes, less than half. But still. 18 is a lot. The WHOLE summer in TEXAS. With the temperature already in the 90s quite often... I'm nervous.


But onto a much cuter subject. Dex! He has been doing SO well at going on the potty the last few days. He has been holding it and we're working on him understanding what it feels like to have to go before it actually happens. He's gone a bunch at home and a few times at school. I think it's really time to start getting potty trained. I have been wanting to start for months, and we've been slowly leading up to it, but I think that he has been really showing us that he is ready now. I guess training underpants is next to get on our shopping list. Wish us luck!

Cute things Dex has done

*Pointed to his new ride on firetruck and said "Firetruck. Pee pee" When I asked him if he wanted to pee in the truck (with my jaw about on the ground) he replied "Yes." He then proceeded to take off his shorts and diaper, walk over to the firetruck, open the seat, sit on it and pee in it. I think someone is ready to potty train.

*At the playground I asked if he was ready to go home. He held up his fingers and said "Two minutes."

*He now replies "Silly" when we actually do something silly.

*He is able to take off his shoes and go put them on the shoe rack by the door.

Let Him Eat Cake

Happy second birthday little one!

Our Visit With Jessica

Please note that I am attempting to get bigger pictures in here and I'm working on it... but I'm actually having a lot of difficulty so please bear with the terrible current state of the layout.








This past weekend we were lucky enough to have a visit from our good friend Jessica. AKA Declan's Fairy Godmother. We had a grand time playing in fountains, parks, and across downtown (and across 6th street on Friday night). We ate tacos, BBQ, and ice cream. We watched movies, napped, got pedicures, and went to art museums. Pretty much... we did it all. I can't even express how nice it was to have a friend from home here. I got to show her around, but it was also just so nice to have someone here that I could just be totally 100% comfortable with. It didn't matter if we wanted to nap or go out... no one felt pressured to do anything and it was perfect.

We all had the best time (even in spite of a random puking bout by the boys in the middle of the night one night) and we will miss her terribly. We love you Jessica!

To My Two Year Old

Oh to my Dearest Dex,

I barely even know how to start this. I feel as though our lives are in a constant whirlwind of action that it is hard for me to slow down enough to even get these thoughts out. And as I say that, it might not be that it is hard for me to slow the time down, but hard for me to start letting out thoughts on my love for you because it will overwhelm me so.

This weekend you turned two. Saturday marked the two year date from the time I spent in the hospital waiting, working, and then finally getting to meet you. My son. I often don't feel old enough to have a son. But I do know one thing... that we belong together. I have watched you learn to do more than just take in the world around you as you did when you were so small. You now take over the world. Where you once couldn't even sit up on your own, you now can barely contain yourself to a walk.

You run.

Declan, you run. You sing, you yell, you give the biggest hugs and kisses I could ask for. You can sing the abc's and count to ten. You can put on your own shoes. Every day I am amazed by how much you know and how much you are constantly learning. I love to sit back and watch as you play by yourself, making food in your kitchen and driving cars around the living room. You are quickly becoming a child... a real boy if you will. I am so proud of you, but it goes by so much quicker than I would like.

In the last two years I have lost a lot of sleep. I have been so mad I could spit sometimes. And I have had more bodily functions tossed on to me than I knew possible. But it has all been so worth it. Because I have known more love than I ever knew my heart could handle. You light up my life and mean more to me than anything. I wish I could drop everything and be with you all (well... most) of the time.

I know that you are going to be a great big brother. I know this because you are already a great son and friend. If you teach the new baby half of what you have taught me then the love you share will be never-ending.

All the love in my heart,

Mom

Guardian- Protector

Today I took my Myers- Briggs personality test. Now, I'm sure that I have done it before but can never remember the results. It's pretty scary how truthful the description is.

Guardian- Protector

We are lucky that Protectors make up as much as ten percent the population, because their primary interest is in the safety and security of those they care about - their family, their circle of friends, their students, their patients, their boss, their fellow-workers, or their employees. Protectors have an extraordinary sense of loyalty and responsibility in their makeup, and seem fulfilled in the degree they can shield others from the dirt and dangers of the world. Speculating and experimenting do not intrigue Protectors, who prefer to make do with time-honored and time-tested products and procedures rather than change to new. At work Protectors are seldom happy in situations where the rules are constantly changing, or where long-established ways of doing things are not respected. For their part, Protectors value tradition, both in the culture and in their family. Protectors believe deeply in the stability of social ranking conferred by birth, titles, offices, and credentials. And they cherish family history and enjoy caring for family property, from houses to heirlooms.

Wanting to be of service to others, Protectors find great satisfaction in assisting the downtrodden, and can deal with disability and neediness in others better than any other type. They are not as outgoing and talkative as the Provider Guardians [ESFJs], and their shyness is often misjudged as stiffness, even coldness, when in truth Protectors are warm-hearted and sympathetic, giving happily of themselves to those in need.

Their reserve ought really to be seen as an expression of their sincerity and seriousness of purpose. The most diligent of all the types, Protectors are willing to work long, hard hours quietly doing all the thankless jobs that others manage to avoid. Protectors are quite happy working alone; in fact, in positions of authority they may try to do everything themselves rather than direct others to get the job done. Thoroughness and frugality are also virtues for them. When Protectors undertake a task, they will complete it if humanly possible. They also know better than any other type the value of a dollar, and they abhor the squandering or misuse of money. To save, to put something aside against an unpredictable future, to prepare for emergencies-these are actions near and dear to the Protector's heart. For all these reasons, Protectors are frequently overworked, just as they are frequently misunderstood and undervalued. Their contributions, and also their economies, are often taken for granted, and they rarely get the gratitude they deserve.

(From this website)

What is your personality type?