2 and a half!!

Umm how has it been 6 months since my big girl's birthday?!

This age is the best! She's a full-on miniature person with her own thoughts and agenda.In fact one of her favorite things to a say is' "Just a minute, I'm busy!" Or "Wait a second. I've got cool stuff to do!" 

She is still the smartest little person that I've ever seen and blows our minds daily with the stuff she says and does. She is becoming so independent and can play by herself for long periods of time, but still cries for Mommy's every now and then, and I just eat it up. I know she'll only cry for me and want to hold my hand everywhere, for a little while longer. 

Some of Avery's favorite things at 2 1/2 are: 

School! Avery LOVES her teachers and school friends, and learns so much. She just goes twice a week, but we have all been so happy with the program. It's been so great for her! She will be so sad once summer is here. 

Dance class! It took her a few weeks  to warm up when we first started her, but she's a star in her class now. She pays such close attention and soaks up everything. Of course it makes her Mama very happy to see her enjoying it so much. I may or may not have cried watching her practice her recital dance last weekend. 

Anything PINK! She'll tell you anytime she sees something pink, that it's her favorite color. If you tell her your favorite color she'll remember it always and point out everything in your favorite hue too. 

Music! This girl loves to listen to the radio. She prefers "chuntree" and "wock n woll" songs the best. She also knows at least 15 children's songs that she performs on loop. Her favorites are twinkle twinkle, wheels on the bus, BINGO, and the ABCs. My favorite has to be the song she made up the other day; to the tune of Frere Jacques she sang, "Where is mommy? Where is mommy? Her's at work. Her's at work. Where is mommy? Where is mommy? Here she comes. Coming soon." She also still frequently jams to jingle bells, in April. :-)

Playing "tichen" and helping us cook real food too. She also loves playing baby dolls, dollhouse, instruments, cars, hide and seek, I spy, Candyland, "chetch me" (tag), games on the ipad and running outside. She loves puzzles, books, blocks and play-doh too. 

Picking out clothes- she wants a say in what she's wearing these days and is most particular about her panties for the day and her shoes. She is also practicing dressing herself, and can do it alone with lots of coaching and patience.  

Watching TV-Bubble Guppies is still her most favorite show, but she also loves Mickey, Dora and Friends, Paw Patrol, Daniel Tiger, and Super Why. She also loves movies now and some of her current favorites are Cinderella, The Land Before Time, Finding Nemo, and Frozen. 

Avery's current favorite foods are anything involving cheese, carbs, fruit or sugar. She loves Mac and Cheese, pasta, grilled cheese, pizza, cheeseburgers, yogurt, waffles, berries, plums, cookies, and lollipops. She was also recently introduced to lemonade and loves it! 

Avery is so excited to become a big sister! She says she can't wait to snuggle him, which she will get to do in just a couple more days!! I cannot wait to see how much she is going to love him. 

Some things Avery doesn't like at 2 1/2:

bugs, vegetables, her carseat, missing mommy in the mornings, being told no, heights, loud noises, being messy, and 

when daddy can't come to dance class! 

The funniest things she's said lately:

While Jon is yelling at cars in traffic, "Daddy are you disappointed?"

"Guess what? Babies don't have fingernails." 

As soon as we get home in the afternoon, "You gonna change into your comfy pants, Mama?"

After getting upset on the playscape at Chic fila and I ask her what's the matter,

"Those big kids were frustrated with me and pushed me betause I am small."

"You know what I'm gonna call Jonah when he gets here? I'm gonna call him, hey little fella!" 

On seeing the pack n play in our room, "Oh! You put my playpen in here so I can get in there and snuggle him!"

While playing I spy she says,

"What you spy something, Mama/Daddy?"

I could go on and on. I feel like this kid could have her own reality show with the amount of funny stuff she does and says. It's so crazy to hear her use big words like "disappointed" and "frustrated" in the correct context. She also says "y'all" and it's the cutest ever!

Some things we are working on at home are dressing herself, drinking out of regular cups without lids, less potty accidents, and learning the days of the week and months of the year. She knows her birthday is in October and talks about  it almost every day. 

Pregnancy update:

Baby brother can come any minute now! I've been having irregular contractions the past few days and am scheduled to be induced on Tuesday morning!! 

I really do feel like pregnancy is so beautiful..until the last month of it. Then I'm all swollen and stretchmarky and sweaty and waddley and crampy and over it. Knowing this is very likely my last few days to be pregnant, ever, I am trying to enjoy all the rolls and kicks and punches to the bladder, because I know I'll eventually miss it, but gosh I'm uncomfortable. 

I've gained about 26 lbs total, which is 9 lbs less than I did with Avery but I never lost the last 7 with her, so I'm almost exactly the same weight I was at her birth. However, the way I am carrying him so much lower, I've gotten a ton more stretchmarks this time and they are super  itchy. I'm glad I'm not as swollen as I was with her though! And the heartburn isn't nearly as severe so I'm really a lot less uncomfortable than I was at the end of my last pregnancy, but still so ready to trade it all in for sleepless nights and spit up in my hair! 

2 more days until we meet our little fella! 

Easter and updates

Our last holiday as a family of 3 was so good! We usually go my Mema's for Easter, but since we lost being off Good Friday to the ice/snow days earlier this year it was only a regular weekend. Being nearly 9 months pregnant I didn't want to deal with a one night road trip, since I'm getting pretty uncomfortable. We stayed in town and had an awesome weekend!

I was pretty bummed dance was closed, because we didn't get to go last week due to Avery being sick. We decided to go to an Easter event at the church where Avery attends Mother's Day out instead though. They were supposed to be having all these events, but it ended up being kind of a bust for us. They had a helicopter egg drop which was pretty neat, but they didn't have nearly enough eggs for all the kiddos. We were sprinting through the crowd and came up with one complete egg which had gum inside so she couldn't even have it. I nearly cried for Avery, but she was a trooper and started collecting half egg pieces that were left over and even found a stray tootsie roll, and she was thrilled.

As we were leaving they had some inflatables in the parking lot that she really wanted to do, but they were for older kids, like obstacle courses and getting really crowded, so we decided to leave and at that point Avery was heartbroken. She wanted to go bounce so bad but just didn't understand that they weren't regular bounce houses. So we decided to make it up to her by making it a special day at the mall. 

We let her ride all the little quarter machines, ate pretzels, rode the carousel and finally got to try out Build-a-bear!  She was in heaven picking out clothes and accessories for her new pink bear, whom she named Fella. It was fun for all of us! We finished off last night by dying eggs and stuffing plastic ones with lots of candy. She loved our special day so much and totally forgot about the disappointment from earlier.

These two are everything! 

This morning Avery woke up to her Easter basket full of goodies from the Easter Bunny. Then we hunted our dyed eggs inside since it was raining. We had lunch with the Mercers and she got to hunt tons of eggs all over Aunt Jamie's house. She got so spoiled from Mimi and all her aunts with so many goodies that she didn't know what to do with! We then stopped by one more egg hunt with the Senato cousins before heading home. It was finally dry enough to hunt outside and Avery found a ton of eggs! She had a blast!!

Bubble guppies and Paw Patrol are her favorites right now!

She needed 2 baskets for all these eggs!

I will be 36 weeks pregnant on Tuesday, and am still feeling pretty good despite being quite large. I am up 24 lbs and am trying to enjoy all these baby movements, but I am about ready to have my body back to myself again. I am longing to wear clothes that feel big and baggy on me. I want be able to get up and down off the floor to play with Avery, in one breath. 

The last couple of weeks have been crazy with Avery getting croup, then feeling mostly better so we took a trip to the zoo, but then the croup turning into walking pneumonia in her right lung and she got on her first ever round of antibiotics. She still has a bit of a cough but is much better now! Thank God. 

Brave girl at the doctor!

 Then I had my last (probably ever) sonogram and got to see Mr. Jonah which made me super excited to meet him at the end of the month!! He's already around 5lbs 13oz and getting bigger every day. I'm betting he'll be 7.5 lbs by birth. 

I only have 3 weeks of work left and am so ready to be done! It is very bittersweet though, because as of Friday, I turned in my resignation for next school year. I have longed to be a stay at home momma for 2 and a half years, and the opportunity has finally come. I couldn't be more excited and feel so blessed to have the most supportive husband on this adventure! I'm nervous about such a big life change, but I know it's where I'm meant to be. The classroom will always be there, if and when I am ready to go back to teaching, but my babies will only be babies for such a short time. 

Spring(kle) Break!

Took some fun Maternity pics at 31 weeks! Eating pickles, ice-cream and "sour big kids" with my girl.  Can't wait to see the rest! 

      Today at 32+5 weeks

So Spring Break was this week, although you wouldn't know it from the drab weather. There was still snow on the ground at dismissal last Friday! We're  wearing sweaters and boots over here and probably had the least eventful break ever, but the R&R was much needed and appreciated.

Avery LOVED the snow days and so did Mama!!

I'm closing in on the end of my 32nd week of this pregnancy and still feeling pretty good. As of my last appointment I had gained 21 lbs, and have probably gained a couple more since then. I can tell Baby has gone through a big growth spurt this month and I'm starting to feel huge. 

Jonah has been transverse this whole time, but over the last few days I've felt some large and uncomfortable movements, especially last night, and this morning my belly feels like a new shape and somehow smaller today. If my intuition is correct, I'd say he has turned around! Hopefully that means to a head down position, but I'll find out on Wednesday at my appointment. 

Of course Spring Break went by way too fast, but in a weird way I'm actually ready to get back to work and knock out these last 6 weeks. Our week off started with a Baby Sprinkle for our little man thrown by my sister and aunt. It was so nice to have  my family and friends come together to celebrate this new precious life! He's already so spoiled. 

After the shower I spent a little bit of time each day working in his bedroom. We built the dresser, washed all the newborn clothes, shopped for some necessities we still needed, and got things organized. Other than hanging stuff on the walls, his room is done and ready for him! Avery has been so excited to help me put together all the goodies and equipment and let her babies try everything out. A few of the days this week I would tell Avery that we could do something special, anything she wanted, and she would say she just wanted to stay home, drink chocolate milk and coffee and work in Jonah's room. Aww :) 

Avery gives us the seal of approval on the crib! 

"Baby Sarah" tried out the Rock N Play

         And the Mamaroo

We will hang big letters on this wall

So we ended up taking the glider out if her room, without a total meltdown. Daddy got the great idea to replace it with her ugly awesome chair that used to be in the playroom. She was ecstatic about it, so it's a total win-win! 

I wanted to go to the zoo or arboretum or something fun this week with her, but other than one sunny day, the weather this week was terrible and rainy. I thought about taking her to build a bear, but the one day I was near the mall I didn't have the stroller with me, and she's been pretty naughty lately anyway. I plan to do the zoo and build a bear with her sometime over the next few weekends though. I want to get as much special time in with my girl while she's still the baby! 

     At a Minnie Mouse Party

      Then a Mickey Mouse Party

I'm starting to get emotional over the fact that our time of just her and I is limited. It's hard to believe that this was my last school break that it was just the two of us, and it's over. She's been super clingy lately and that doesn't help the guilt, but then I think that poor Jonah will never know what it's like to have our undivided attention, so she's lucky that she had 2 and a 1/2 years of it! 

It's really starting to sink in that Jonah will be here in less than 7 weeks!  I'm hoping that I can stay somewhat comfortable during this time. Daily tasks are getting more and more difficult each day. 

Here's 8 things that are nearly impossible at 8 months pregnant.. 

1. Shaving- shaving legs you can hardly reach, especially in the shower. 

2. Bathing a 2 year old- time for sister to learn how to wash her own hair! In the meantime Daddy has been doing a good job of filling in for me. 

3. Sleeping through the night- hip pain is becoming killer at night, then having to pee once I'm awake from being in pain doesn't help. 

4. Remembering stuff- pregnancy brain is real. 

5. Finding anything to wear, especially to work- can my doctor write me permission to wear leggings the rest of the time?

6. Being on my feet all day- wearing grandma shoes to work is becoming a reality. 

7. Eating- I have no appetite lately and no room for meals, along with pretty consistent heartburn.

8. Getting up and down off the floor- do we have to Ring Around the Rosie again, Avery? Mama can't get up. 

It's all worth it though, and this time is fleeting and precious. 

I was explaining to Avery that after he is here, I will get to stay home from work with both of them and she said "I will stay home from work too and snuggle him and give him kisses all day!" She is really going to be the best big sister! I can't wait to see them together. 

I keep wondering what he's going to look like, what his little personality will be like, and how they will be alike and different. 

I'm looking forward to my next sono to see him again in 2 weeks. Then we'll just need to do all the last minute preparations before he's here!

Welcome to Third Trimester

I hope everyone is enjoying this icy day! It's kind of an inopportune time for our heater to go out, but with the fireplace and space heaters going, plus lots of layers and snuggles, we are making due. I'll take a freebie day off work to spend with my family under any conditions! It actually worked out perfectly since I didn't have childcare  for today anyway and needed to take off.

28 weeks and Jon didn't tell me how crazy my hair was..

29 weeks

Tomorrow I am already 30 weeks pregnant with this little boy! He is such an active little nugget and is weighing about 3lbs right now. It's crazy to think that in just 10 weeks he'll gain about 1.5 times his current weight. Also crazy to think that there's only 10 weeks (although probably less than that) until he is here in our arms!

I passed my glucose test which is exciting, because Cadbury Mini Eggs AKA the greatest candy on earth is officially on shelves for Easter and I've already eaten 2 bags of them…whoops. I have gained about 16 pounds so far, and will probably gain at least 10 more before the little guy gets here. I feel pretty much huge already, but people at work have said in the past week or two that my belly has"finally" popped out so that's refreshing to hear.

I have been feeling pretty good, but upper back pain finally got the best of me and sent me to the chiropractor. I have had slight scoliosis since middle school, and I guess just the way I am carrying this baby has thrown my curve way off, causing a lot of discomfort. I have only been once to the chiropractor, but it definitely helped and I'll be going back this week.

I have started going to my OB appointments every 2 weeks now and everything is looking great so far. I have at least one more sonogram to check Jonah's growth and position at 35 weeks and I can't wait to see his little self again. I had at least 2 other sonos with Avery because I was technically high risk (but barely) and because she measured small, so this time having the normal amount of sonograms feels like FOREVER in between them! Right now he is transverse, or laying sideways in my belly, but there's still plenty of time for him to turn head down between now and d-day.

We have officially cleaned out the office/drum room to become a nursery (except the closet needs some more attention), painted, hung new curtains and had the carpets cleaned. The crib and dresser have been ordered and will be delivered soon, and I've got a bit of decor ready to be hung. The last thing we need is a rocking chair, which I was up in the air about, but have decided to get new. I originally thought we would use Avery's, but it's still very much a part of her daily routine. We read together in it every night, and usually rock and sing and pray in it before bed. I don't still rock her to sleep except for occasionally when she wakes up scared in the middle of the night. I want to keep things as normal as possible for her as she transitions into big sisterhood and think giving her chair to baby brother will rock her world a little too much (pun intended :). She did say it would be okay to share it with him, but "I be sad and will cry to rock you, Mama." Such a sweet girl.

Goodbye bright yellow...

Hello Blue!

Slate blue/ navy-grey

We have also gotten all the baby gear out of the attic, and I have bought a few other things at a consignment sale a couple of weeks ago. Avery has been having a ball trying out all the baby stuff. I showed her a picture of the crib we ordered online and she asked if she could snuggle her Bubba in there. I think she is starting to realize that Jonah will be here sooner than later and she knows she is going to have to share her Mommy and Daddy with him. She is excited, but also becoming a little territorial over what used to be hers. She is going to be a great big sister, but I am a little worried about some regression. She had been a couple weeks accident free with potty training then suddenly she had three in one day, and pretty much one a day since then. She has also started speaking jibberish more often thinking it's funny to sound like a baby.

Sis trying out the Bumbo seat

and the Kick and Play

and the carseat!

This past month has been a little emotional for both her and me. We've both had a few bad dreams that have us waking in tears, and have been dealing with some major workday blues during the week. It's also safe to say the terrible twos have officially arrived. We've dealt with tantrums in the past, but geez, this is so much worse. Little drama queen has been holding grudges and resentment towards me and especially towards Daddy, all of them basically boiling down to me having to work. She's mad at him in the morning when I am already at work, but also mad at me when I pick her up after work, for being gone. She's said some mean stuff which is so heartbreaking like "Go back to work and leave me alone!" and even told me while ignoring Jon, "I don't like him. I not your friend."By the time we get home it's basically dinner and bed, because bedtime has also become a major  2 hour battle of crying, begging me to snuggle her in bed (which I am getting too big for) and a long list of distractions like needing water and to go potty…again. I hate that she is having such a hard time regulating her feelings, but have to just remember that this too shall pass. Right now I am just keeping my eye on the Spring Break prize in 2 weeks. We don't have any real plans yet, but I am going to just soak up time with my girl and make her feel special.

My Valentine and her most cooperative smile :)

Avery is really exerting her independence with everything, from picking out her clothes, to constantly wanting different snacks and trying to get them herself, then being pissed off (for like an hour or more) when she can't have what she wants, like a popsicle for breakfast this morning, or candy for dinner. She really likes to test Jon and me about who is going to be more lenient on this kind of stuff. She is becoming a bit sneaky about asking the other one of us for something she's already been denied of, which is pretty innovative and impressive. I feel like deception is a skill that most kids don't develop until later in life, and at this stage it's pretty cute. Although we have dealt with a lot of crying, bargaining, pouting and bribery lately, she still does things that are equally cute, and funny and sweet, that make every tough moment worth it.

Brave Babygirl did so good at her first dentist trip!

Fake sleeping in our bed :)

Playdate with sweet friends!

Singing Happy Birthday at her friend's Princess Party

Snuggled sweetly in Momma and Daddy's bed