I know I've been quiet lately. Here's a little update on what's been going on around here...
School started back in August. It's been a bit crazy in my department. I've mentioned a few times that there have been some big changes, including layoffs and basically my department being shut down. My position is okay (for now, at least, though it will continue to be a fight), but, as usually happens with any downsizing, I've been rather swamped trying to cover for the deficits. I've been traveling to schools to help with testing, but also trying to keep up with the loads of calls and emails flooding in. Now that the school year is in full swing, though, things are slowing down, which is nice, but also not a good thing for me right now.
I also caught a fun cold which turned into a sinus infection. When you're pregnant there is so little you can take, not only to combat the actual infection, but just to make yourself feel better in general, so I was pretty miserable for a while. It actually took a LOT out of me. Even when I started feeling better I was just exhausted. I'm still recovering from the cough that always comes after the infection. I have a CF appointment coming up and am hoping it hasn't effected me too much- my doctor is a bit "trigger happy" and very quick to recommend IV antibiotics and more intense treatments as opposed to trying other routes first. I understand my health is just as important to keep baby healthy, but I've also proven several times already that given a little time and alternative methods, I can easily pull my lung function back up without stronger interventions.
Drew has being doing so much better with the potty training again. We've still had a few school accidents, but for the most part he's been staying dry. We reverted back to the "bottomless" method at home, which is what was recommended anyway. We had tried to do our own thing to get him ready for school, but it wasn't working. Since going back to bottomless he's been great, and even starting to stay dry at night again.
He's still a 2 year old so we're still dealing with stubbornness and tantrums, but the intensity that I saw at the
beginning of the school year has settled down. I told Jason "he's finally like a normal 2 year old again!". I can't believe I'm excited about that.
He is talking so much these days. He loves to call people on the phone and ramble about random things. He likes to try to "show" things to the people on the phone, too. We were talking to Grandma the other day and Drew held the phone up to the car window and said "green trees, Grandma!". He tells me what he did at school each day (which pretty much consists of "played with so-and-so, and played with so-and-so, and so-and-so"), and he loves to talk about where everyone is and what they are doing (Aunt Laura- I have a video to share with you of him telling me that you're in bed... I have no idea where that came from!)
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A photo to break up the monotony of this post
My boys cheering on Wisconsin |
The pregnancy is going well, though I have to admit I have never felt so pregnant in my life. Yes, that includes when I was nearly 42 weeks pregnant with Drew. I am so tired and so so SO sore! I'm starting to feel like I can hardly move because my hips and lower back feel like they are falling apart. I know a large part of it is that I haven't been nearly as active during this pregnancy. Cassie, Stacey, and I have been doing pregnancy yoga still (yes, Stacey too- there's some pretty decent stuff), but I haven't been as good about getting out and walking. I know it will help. When I was pregnant with Drew I just didn't get to that "I'm so uncomfortable" point. But I've still got 2 months to go and I'm already there. :-/
I've finally more or less decided to change my "vocabulary" when asked when I'm due. I was SO tired of the bulging eyes and startled comments when I said I was due in early November. By saying late October, even though it's really only a week difference, it seems to have a completely different effect. For the first time I've had a few people tell me, "you look great! You're not very big at all!". Still, at work the other day people were fussing over me and I said "guys, you realize I still have 2 months left, right?". They were more than a little shocked. And today I had a guy walk past me and say "well, you look just about ready to pop!" to which I responded "in about 2 months!". Sigh....
Really, the reason for the "lie" in the first place was to take some pressure off myself. Sure enough, the people at work, when told I still have 2 months left, told me, "no way! That baby's coming early!". That's exactly what happened with Drew, and that's exactly what made it so frustrating to go 12 days overdue. EVERYONE told me that there was no way I was going to my due date with Drew. He certainly proved everyone wrong. And as much as I had tried to ignore people, it still got into my head, and I don't want to do that again. By telling people I'm due in early November not only do I take some pressure off myself, but I've also started believing it. I'm convinced this is a November baby.
Besides the whines and complaints about aches, pains, and my size, things have been going very well. Floodlet is growing and kicking (and Drew will tell you this, after he points out where his baby brother is), and I've still been lucky to avoid a lot of typical pregnancy complaints. I'm seeing a midwife practice instead of a typical Ob/Gyn. They are much MUCH more natural birth friendly (in fact, they encourage it). I really like all the ladies and feel very comfortable there. My only complaint is that the head midwife hugs me at the end of each appointment. Not only do I feel strange being hugged by my "doctor", but you all ought to know by now my feelings on hugs...
Stacey snapped those pretty photos of Jason, Drew, and me that I posted on Wednesday and today Cassie and I got together and did some maternity shots for each other. So there will be more to come. :) Let me go ahead and say that toddlers are NOT cooperative when it comes to photo shoots. Even if you just try to play and not pose... Drew knew the instant that camera was out and clicking that he should NOT smile or be cute in any way. :-/
In general we're finally starting to act like we're going to have another baby in the house. I feel like I've been such a procrastinator this time. Seriously- I just signed up for birth class last week. And before you say anything, yes, I know I've done this before, but considering how little I remember about when Drew was a baby, I certainly don't remember enough about labor and delivery. Still, we're taking a one day class instead of a 4 week one. We also signed up for a water birth class since the hospital actually offers that option, but you have to be "certified". I'm not sure if that's the route I'd like to go, but I'd love to learn more and have the option available. The baby's room is finally painted as well, thanks to my mom. We're doing a fun alphabet nursery based around this
sheet. The walls are more or less that light blue/teal color- very pretty! :) I've started picking up and making a few things for the walls, but hopefully I'm going to have some help from a friend to do something really fun on the walls! Pictures will, of course, be posted.
And I suppose if I'm going to do this much updating, I should put in a little piece about Jason, though I try to leave him out of this for the most part (he's prefers not to be online). He's doing well. Recovered from the appendix surgery. Work has been busy as you can imagine a golf course is in the summer. And his at home work has been keeping him busy, too. I'm certainly looking forward to the days getting shorter so we have him around more often.
Alright, is that enough to make up for my absence around here? I have a video for Monday, but other than that I make no promises. Keeping up with everything has been rough. And I think I'm allowed that. :)
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