K: Kids

This is a part of my ABCs of (my) Parenting series

It's apparently become that time in my child's life where it's expected that I make some sort of large announcement on when #2 will be arriving. For some, it should have been made even earlier. It's such a personal and wierd thing to have people constantly asking me about that, or, even worse, using Jeffrey as a means to get the info. For example, "Don't you just want a little sibling, Jeffrey? When is momma going to get you one?" Yeah, awkward. On the opposite side of the spectrum, I'm constantly hearing stories about how crazy these other women are for getting pregnant so quickly. What?!? I see there's no winning here. Mainly, I think I just frustrate these women (none are close friends/family, btw) that I won't tell them our plans because, as we all know, we're not really the ones who get to make that choice in the end. Sure, we get to decide when we're going to start actively trying, but it could happen earlier or it could happen much later than that. It's a much smarter decision to just not say, I think. That's in my real life, though. I have no problems with sharing on here (or even in real life if you're special enough, ha!)

There's still a question on whether we want two or three children. That won't be answered anytime soon, either. We're planning on having our second child and then giving ourselves a year or two to make an informed decision. With number 3 will have to come a new house, and that's a big factor. Sure, they could share a room, but it's not our preferred choice. #2, though? That's definitely happening. I cannot wait. But I can. I want another one but not just yet. We have decided that the trying will begin summer of next year. It's exciting and nerve-wracking all at the same time. Jeffrey will be about 18 months at that time, and that age gap seems just about perfect for us. We can potentially do a diaper shift from him to the next munchkin with very little to no overlap!

However it works out, I'm so excited to see how our little family evolves. Jony and I both love children and are just soaking in the experience of having one of our own. I know it will be truly amazing when there is one (possibly two) more additions.

So, I survived

Last week was pretty rough at times with Jony being in Minnesota, but I'm pretty proud of myself for making it through. I only had one major breakdown when Jeffrey refused to sleep one of the nights, but Jony talked me through it over the phone. The positive aspect of that night was that I didn't have to sleep alone! In reality, it went really well. Sure, I was tired and would have gladly just sat and stared at a wall for an hour just so that I didn't have to think about anything, but I managed. I kept us pretty busy- trips to the library, zoo, The Little Gym, lunch with my sister, swimming, going to visit baby Jacob, going to the gyno, etc. That definitely helped pass the time. Evening seemed to be the worst when it was obvious that there was someone missing at the dinner table. Jony is such an integral part of nighttime, so that was pretty rough, too. Jeffrey was super confused why I was giving him his baths and was very glad to have his daddy time back. I spent the weekend recovering by having some "me" time, nap time, and family time. I think we're back on track for real life now!

In Jeffrey news, he's perfecting the climb. He can get into practically anything now, and nothing works as a blockade. Cue major exhaustion for mommy.

The Joy of being a Woman

Yesterday, I had the thrilling experience of going to get my annual pap smear. Yay. Actually, it's kind of sad that I was excited because it gave me a chance to just sit there for a bit since I left the little guy with my parents. Everything seems to be back in place after the excitement of pregnancy and childbirth. A fun fact that I learned is that the vaginal walls are apparently thinner while breastfeeding, so he could tell that I was still breastfeeding full time. Interesting stuff. I'll feel a lot better about it all in a few weeks if I don't hear back. I'm still a bit scarred from my horrible experience almost two years ago (tested positive and had to have a colposcopy and double biopsy). Even though I know that it was caused due to inflammation from the NuvaRing, I'm still nervous. Chances are good that I'm fine, though, since I haven't been on any birth control since then. I rewarded myself for a job well done (finally going to the appointment two months after I was supposed to...) with a nice large Smoothie. Jeffrey rewarded me by learning how to blow kisses :)

An Outside Boy

Today, it has been 39 weeks and four days since Jeffrey was born. Thus, he has officially been my little outside baby for longer than he was an inside baby (born at 39w3d)! Pretty crazy. To think about how much he has changed is incredible! What an amazing thing the human body is to be able to grow and learn so much in such a short time. I have absolutely loved watching him turn into this fabulous, hilarious little boy and am so excited to see who he turns out to be. I'll wait, though, as I'm just soaking in life with him right now. This age is so perfect. I've said that his whole life, and I'm sure that I will continue to. Basically, although he is far from being a perfect baby, HE is perfect to me. At any point in his life. I love that little guy.

I'm heading out to see my friend's new little guy today, and I'm sure that will really drive it home how far Jeffrey has come since those first few days post-ute. It's odd to also think that, in just a mere nine months, little Jacob will be just as Jeffrey is now. It'll be here before I know it (which is kinda scary, since that's when we'll be starting to TTC again...)

I survived

I managed to make it through the first evening and night by myself. I'm pretty proud, I've gotta say. I didn't get frustrated at all. I guess it's true that the maternal instincts really pick up when they need to. I was pretty emotional when Jony left- sad he was leaving mixed in with the horrifying aspect of being by myself with this tiny little being. Jeffrey was great: he ate, we went on a walk in which he fell asleep and then napped for two hours. It was great to get my head in the game (High School Musical, anyone? LOL) and collect myself for the coming few days. He went to sleep easily and only woke up three times, and I was able to nurse him down with no issues for all three. So, it was a pretty good sleep. I'll be happy if that's how the next three nights go, as well.

I'm trying to pack our schedule pretty full so that time will pass. Plus, I'm always a better mother when I get out with him. There are still some empty slots, but I'm hoping to fill them up with something. Even if it's just wandering the mall. So, here we are at the first full day alone. Yikes.

A Best Friend

I've got this friend that I've grown up with. By far, she is my closest friend, and I'm so thankful for having her in my life. We met in 5th grade on the first day of school. I transferred from the elementary school that my dad taught at to go to the school I was zoned for. Horrific. I LOVED my school; why would I want to leave all of my friends? It completely sucks to transfer at the highest grade a school offers. All of these people had been in school since the get-go and had their friends. No one wanted a newbie in their group. I had the same issue then as I do now- I suck at making friends. Well, this girl walked up to me on the playground and asked me to play with her. I still get teary thinking of how special that made me feel. We became immediate friends. We were the best friends anyone could ask for that entire year. From 6th-12th grade, we were good friends, although we had drifted apart. In retrospect, we're glad about that because we were never close enough to go through the catty crap that girls do in high school. So, our friendship survived. It survived through college. We planned our weddings together (hers was a month before mine), and we did couple dates and met for girl lunches. The stuff that best friends do.

Now, it's the next stage of life for our friendship. I have a son, and she is currently in labor with a son. And, no doubt, they will be best friends. I cannot wait to hear that Jeffrey's new little buddy has joined the world.

ETA: He arrived at 5:30pm at a whopping 8lb 14oz and 21 inches. All natural!

9 Months!

Wow. What a month. He has grown so much- both physically and emotionally. It's been amazing to just sit back and watch this little person form his own individuality. It's easy to do when you have such an independent child who just wants you to sit there until he requests your presence be included in his playtime, haha! He's so much fun- constantly smiling, laughing and on the go! It's exhausting, but it's such a fun age that you can't complain too much.

He got an A+ at his 9 month appointment today and was received well by all (even for not napping at ALL beforehand). As usual, he gets called a Gerber baby wherever he goes and gets loved on by all the nurses and his pedi. He gets some good practice flirting at the doctor. Everything looks excellent, she was impressed by his eating, and he took his one shot very well! I cannot believe that the next appointment I will make is for 12 months. ONE YEAR. crap.

9 Month Stats:

• 18lb 4oz and 28.5 inches long
• mostly in 6 month tops onesies and 9 month shorts, although there's still a sprinkling of all the sizes thrown in there
• taking two strong naps with no issues; goes to sleep about 9-11pm- he's been having a rough few weeks due to teething, so nighttime is not his strongest point (was it ever?)
• He's a superstar eater and can/will eat anything offered to him. He's perfected his pincer grasp. Favorite foods: blueberries, nectarines, chicken, corn, and broccoli and cheese casserole
• still only has his bottom two teeth
• can take one step! He's currently taken three steps total so far.
• walking all over the place with either his push walker or with our hands
• standing unassisted for however long he wants to
• can climb over things (crawling and cruising) and can go up the stairs
• has said 'mama' a sprinkling of times and seems to be working on 'dada' and 'coco'

Wordless Wednesday

One Small Step

Walking has become a theme in our house. He wants to walk everywhere. We've definitely been noticing an independent spirit emerging amidst all of this "walking" he's been doing and, lately, it's become obvious that the fact that we're holding his hands has become more of an emotional crutch than actual physical support for him. If he's distracted, he'd easily walk with just one hand with no issue (he'd hold onto the other way too tightly to let go). He got a push walker this weekend and is obsessed with it. We have to have it with us everywhere we go in the house because he MUST walk, and we just do not cut it anymore. He wants to do it himself. So, for fun last night, we decided to stand him up in between us and see what would happen. I was singing and just basically distracting him from thinking too hard about it, and he took a step towards me! It was definitely no stumble, as he just falls to his knees when he falls. It was a full out baby step, which makes sense since he IS a baby. He's only 8 (almost 9) months old! We're still not going to encourage it too much since Jony doesn't want to miss him really start to walk while he's on his business trip next week, but there's only so much we can keep him from doing.

Also, it may be complete coincidence, but we've been wondering if his poor sleeping (worse than usual, I'll add) has been a wakeful of some sort or because of him working on walking. Last night, he slept really well. Better than normal, actually...

I'm Terrified

At this point a week from today, I will be all alone. Just me and the little guy. For almost a week. Yikes. To say that I'm scared and nervous would be a tremendous understatement on my part. From day one, Jony has been 100% involved in taking care of Jeffrey, and I've come to rely on having a partner there all the time to back me up. Heck, he's even had the flexibility in his job to work from home so that he can be there if I have a freak out in the middle of the day (those who also live day to day with babies who don't sleep know that little things can become huge when you are so dang exhausted). So, to think that I will be with the little man constantly ALONE for 4 whole days and nights is super frightening. I'm booking up my days to help time go by and avoid getting cabin fever, but the nights? Oh dear. Wish me LOTS of luck!!

In thinking about next week, I have really thought about the women that do this on a constant basis, if not constantly. They are superstars and will be my inspiration for the entire week.

My little assistant

I'll never have to carry the laundry basket around the house again! While Jeffrey and I were having a diaper party (what I call the time we use to stuff diapers), he decided to up and stand on the laundry basket. Not a new thing; he usually starts pulling out the already stuffed diapers and wipes. This time, though, he just started moving forward! Now, he does it all the time!! I'm on the lookout for a decently priced push toy because he is loving his new skill.



Our Laundry Assistant from imavera on Vimeo.

Feminist Friday: The Balls to Wear Pink

It's Friday again, so remember to go check out Feminist Friday TransAtlantic Blonde. This week has a theme: fashion. This one made me scratch my head a little bit and then my husband walked by. There he was, sporting one of his favorite shirts. What color is it? Pink. Yup, Jony wears pink. Not only does he wear it, but he wears it proudly and looks down upon those that refuse to.

I'm not entirely sure how wearing pink ties into feminism, but I suppose it has something to do with the fact that, by disregarding the societal view that pink is for girls alone, men who wear pink are reinforcing their thought that women and men are equal. It's a strange concept for me that people refuse to wear a certain color, especially since blue used to be the "girl" color. Pink is considered a strong color, which alone should be a source of pride for women! I really just don't get why people care so much about what they wear. Are they afraid people will think they're a girl because they're in a pink shirt? Or that they're homosexual? The ladder is the excuse I often hear. Really, though? It's just a color. Goodness.

I'm a part of an organization (Odyssey of the Mind) which is typically geared towards those in Gifted and Talented classes (although anyone can participate, for sure). We thought it would be fun to have the Officials t-shirt last year be a bright and beautiful pink. I loved the idea! Texas is a big state (duh), and it would be another way to really stand out at World Finals. Did I expect the backlash that would occur? Absolutely not, especially from parents, teachers and volunteers of such an organization where thinking outside of the box is the norm. Some men refused to wear it and, instead, just draped it over their shoulders. Some wore a sticker that said, "This shirt is actually light red." It was absurd. Being in charge of one of the venues, I did not allow such ridiculousness. I made them suck it up and wear the shirt. They were adults after all (arguable). I was proud that I was married to a man that thought it no big deal to sport a pink shirt. I'll be honest that he looks pretty good in pink, too, being of the red color persuasion that he is. ;)

Basically, I want Jeffrey to grow up to realize that pink is an acceptable color to his wardrobe (and, since he is also of the red persuasion, will be one that looks good on him like his father) and be proud to wear it. Just like his daddy, I want him to question why the heck he wouldn't wear a color. I want him to be able to embrace his feminine side and be secure enough in his manhood that he won't fear how others view him. I want him to have the balls to wear pink.

Wordless Wednesday

J: Jeffrey

This is a party of my ABCs of (my) Parenting series

Of course! I wouldn't even have a parenting style if I wasn't a parent! Here's my little boy through the months...

Birth

December: One Month

January: Two Months

February: Three Months

March: Four Months

April: Five Months

May: Six Months

June: Seven Months

July: Eight Months

Current: almost NINE months

Blog Challenge!

I've accepted the challenge to write a new post 5 times a week for the next six weeks. We'll see how it goes! I've got a few ideas floating around in my head that I need a push to get going on, so this should be great!

It starts today, so get yourself signed up at Falling for Baby and join the challenge! I'm looking forward to seeing a big boost in my Google Reader :)

Raising a Son: Women

It's Friday again, so head back over to Transatlantic Blonde to check out some other perspectives about being a Feminist Mom.

Something that is super important to me about having a son is raising him to be a respectful man. I will feel like an absolute failure if he ends up being a chauvinist and feeling superior to women. So, along with giving him a good foundation to be successful in life, I have made it my goal to lay a foundation of chivalry, honesty, and equality in my little boy. Thankfully, I should have it pretty easy since my husband is 100% on board with it. With a great male role model to show how a real man acts and behaves, it shouldn't be too surprising to see Jeffrey grow up and imitate that behavior. I'm not saying that I want him to be that guy who is rushing around the car to open the door for his girlfriend/wife or throwing his jacket over a puddle so that she doesn't have to step in it. While that's nice every once in awhile, I don't like being treated like that. That furthers the thought that women are supposed to be his demure little things that need help. I want him to view girls as his equal and see no difference between everyone just because of their gender. I want him to respect a girl because of her intellect, brains and sense of humor and not just because she has boobs. Now, I do want him to know how and when to be romantic, but the majority of the time should be spent as partners.

My hope for my little boy is that he has a lot of female friends along with his male buddies and learns to respect people for who they are and not what they are.

Wordless Wednesday

I'm caught up (for now!)

I finally got Jeffrey's 8 month picture up. I'm not good at all at dealing with pictures when it comes to the other camera, so it usually waits until the beginning of the month when I arrange all the previous month's photos for our sharing site for the family. To celebrate Jeffrey already being halfway through the 8th month, here's some extra enjoyment for you: some other photos from his 8 month photo shoot.

It's my anniversary!

Today, Jony and I celebrate two years of marriage. It's been fantastic. I'm still getting used to seeing such a small number, though. Next month will be eight years together total. I wouldn't have it any other way!

In honor of our special day, here is our relationship in picture form:

2002: Our First Date

2003

2004: High School Graduation

2005: 

2006:

2007:

2008: Married!

2009: Baby!

2010: