Big Tub Fun

Charlotte LOVES wearing her swimsuit, so the other day I thought of the perfect way to beat the heat without venturing out into it:




Oh, yeah, and did I mention she's a ham? Gotta love her!

13 weeks (& 0 days)

So, for the sake of being fair to both of my children, I've decided, against my better judgment, to keep with my tradition of belly pics.

Actually, my friend Wendy mentioned on her blog that she made a Lifebook about her son's adoption, and while her book serves a different purpose, it reminded me of the never completed blog-to-book project chronicling my pregnancy and Charlotte's birth I started, oh, 21 months ago. It just turned out to be a lot more editing than I was interested in doing - finding different layouts for 78 different pages of various amounts of imported text and pictures called for more work than I wanted.

I think that if I can create a book, this time starting from scratch (although maybe using my blog for a guide), for Charlotte about my pregnancy then and her first year of life, it might make it easier for her to accept the Little Bug - both as my belly grows and as he begins vying for my attention when he gets here. She might like to see how we got the nursery ready for her as we are getting it ready for Little Bug, how we used to swaddle her up when she was really tiny, or how I carried her around in a sling.

So, there is the long explination on why I have to do belly pics again - if I make a book for Charlotte, then I am going to have to make a book for Little Bug too!

Unfortunately, I did NOT take any pictures before my belly began to explode like crazy. It's funny how with Charlotte I kept eagerly looking for my body to give any sign of pregnancy, and this time, poof! pregnant belly. I'm not even sure when it happened, although I DO know that there was something of a tiny bump already at 8 weeks. Perhaps, this time, I am just not paying attention because I now KNOW how big the bump will get, and I am just going to enjoy not being huge in this feels-like-108 weather.

I'm not sure that this is where we'll continue to take pictures - we didn't have the time or energy tonight to worry about the lighting, angles, etc.

Also for comparison, here is the picture from 13 weeks, 5 days with Charlotte:


















The good news is that I haven't broken out any of my maternity clothes yet. Those will probably need to be washed after sitting in the garage for 22 months...

Mixed Emotions

So today I did something that I haven't done in a long, long, long time - I rocked my little girl to sleep. Normally, she falls asleep on her own in her crib without a problem, but today, after jabbering to herself for an hour, she still hadn't fallen asleep - despite me putting her down for a nap a full 2 hours late. Finally, she started crying and saying, "Uh, oh, fall down!" Which, of course, I can't ignore, and apparently meant, "I can't sleep with this poopy diaper." So I changed her diaper, sang her a song, and just continued to hold and rock her after I finished singing. She leaned over, gave me a kiss, and started slumbering in my arms. I held her as her little body twitched as she fell asleep and wondered how many more times I will get to hold my sleeping little girl in my arms. I held her like a baby as I rocked, because as big as she's getting, she's still my baby, for now.

It's almost bittersweet knowing that this new little baby will take her place as my baby. Sure, Charlotte will always be my baby in a sense, but she's really growing up so fast. I can't help but wonder how many more chances I will have to rock her while she sleeps after this new little one arrives. In January she will take on a whole new roll in this family as the big sister. While I know it will be an adjustment, she'll do great; sometimes I just don't feel that I am ready for her to take on that roll! Where did the time go? What happened to my baby? I can't believe she is almost 2. Crazy.

But I still think she gets cuter and more fun every single day, and am looking forward to meeting this little bug (I have visions of a little boy in my head, anyone else have an opinion?).

Dead Bug

A recent conversation with Charlotte, standing frozen in the doorway.

MC: Dea bug!

Me: What is it sweatheart?

MC: (with more enthusiasm) Dea bug!

After a quick inspection there is, indeed, a small dead bug on the floor (better dead than alive!).

Me: Uh, oh, I'll get rid of him.

MC: Toit paper. (translation: toilet paper)

Me: Yes, that is right! I'll use toilet paper.

MC: (as I am flushing the bug down the toilet) Bye, bug!

At least I don't have to worry about her eating random things she finds on the floor anymore!

Because I've been so bad about posting photographs lately, I thought you'd like to see some of these I took the other day when Charlotte helped me make up our bed.

Practicing Big Sister Stuff:

12 Weeks

This Little Bug is twelve weeks today! Sweet, huh? He's (calling the baby a "he" until s/he makes his/her appearance in the New Year!) now the size of a lime.

Speaking of food you can find at the grocery store, many of you who read this blog through my first pregnancy may recall the many fruit and vegetable size associations with the growing baby. Babycenter directed me to this neat slideshow showing just that, week by week! I just thought it was fun and that I'd share.

Also from Babycenter, for those who are interested in seeing how this amazing little miracle of God is growing right now:

How your baby's growing:

The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

Gotta love my amazing Little Bug!

The Second Time Around

The second time around, the weeks are flying by. I'm 12 weeks along already and can hardly believe it.

Except for the part where I look more pregnant this time than I did at 16-18 weeks with Charlotte.

Somehow, the first time, by the time swimsuit season came along, I managed as a pregnant woman in bikini, or in a maternity tankini for more public appearances. Right now, I look like someone who really shouldn't think she looks good in a bikini or completely swamped in my maternity suit. I guess I need a tankini.

Last pregnancy, I did everything I could to show off my slow-to-appear "baby bump;" this pregnancy, I try to stick to clothes that camouflage the thickness of my waist.

I have to pee all of the freaking time; why do I not remember this happening in the first trimester with MC?

Or could it be that Houston is SO FREAKING HOT that I am downing a zillion glasses of water each day. That doesn't help, anyway.

I don't know how people with young babies manage the first trimester. The other day Charlotte went to bed late, woke up early, and wouldn't nap. I thought I was going to die from exhaustion from ONE day off of her good sleeping habits.

Am I really feeling the baby move already, or am I crazy? I keep thinking that I MUST be crazy, but then I feel that little tickle again and am not so sure.

I totally forgot about the crazy, vivid dreams

...and that my arms are more likely to go numb while sleeping,

...and that I would wake up at 2 am to use the potty and stay awake thinking about everything and nothing until 3.

Mostly, this pregnancy has been much like the first. I have fewer food aversions, but more foods make me feel ill after actually consuming them. Caffeine seems to hit me harder when I do treat myself to it (explaining why I am up at this ungodly hour typing a blog when I should be sleeping).

The Crib Climber

So, today, for the first time, Charlotte managed to climb out of her crib. She seemed to come away without any new bumps or bruises (of which she seems to have a never ending supply), but we have yet to see if this will become a regular occurrence. She doesn't yet know how to open doors with normal door knobs (doors with handles, however, she has mastered), so if she does climb out she isn't going anywhere. She went down for bed tonight without trying to get out, so maybe today was just a fluke.

If not, we'll be out looking for a big girl bed one day soon! I can't believe she's getting so big!

'Little Bug' update (on #2)
Last week (Thursday), I had another visit to the doctor to check on the cyst. The ultrasound showed that the cyst did indeed shrink as predicted, and gave me another peek at our Little Bug! It amazes me how much more baby like the fuzzy black and white images looked just two weeks later - little fingers and toes bounced around the screen as the baby danced around in there. He's growing well! I can't believe I'm in my 11th week already. Baby will be here before we know it!

Hopefully, I'll have full time Internet connection running tomorrow, so there will be a few more posts from me!