Crazy Christmas!

Merry belated Christmas to everyone! Despite a nasty cold, Brady took the hustle and bustle in stride and we all really enjoyed sharing the holiday with our family. The boy is one lucky kiddo to have such generous people around him, too; he is currently sporting a new pajama wardrobe, several musical instruments, countless books, and other odds and ends that will help him with big boy tasks like hammering nails with Dad. I think Dad will enjoy this just as much as Brady...

Hard at work

It was out with the old and in with the new in the space formerly known as our living room. We had to get rid of a lot of stuff to make room for the new goods, but Brady doesn't seem to mind. He received a large assortment of balls that require a bit more room for him to do his thing. Whatever his thing may be.

Amusing himself...

Because we did so much traveling and most of the time we spent with family was on a strict schedule, we've decided that things will have to change a bit next year. For one, Brady didn't get to open his gifts from Santa until 4 pm the day after Christmas! Next year, that needs to happen first thing in the morning--especially with his little brother or sister tagging along. And that brother or sister will be here before we know it; my belly feels heavier with every passing day!

21 weeks!

Brady was feeling better today, so we left him in good hands: Grandma Terri and Pap Rick hung out with him so Zach and I could have an adults-only date night. We did some amazing after-Christmas shopping (we are currently the owners of a new flat screen TV and stand!), ate a scrumptious dinner at Luna in Aspinwall and neither of us had to dive for a dropped sippy cup, and topped off the evening with a jaunt to Target where I finally invested in one of those fancy single-serve coffee/espresso/latte machines. I figure in a couple of months, I'm going to need the caffeine boost, so might as well brew my own rather than keep buying it!

His "chain" (AKA: train) Christmas sweater!

Even though we had a strict limit on gift-giving this year, Zach opted to ignore said limit and splurge for me: he got me a beautiful ruby and diamond ring. Because Brady's birthstone is a ruby and, I quote my darling husband, "I haven't given you jewelry since we got married," he thought it was time to "update" my collection. Ha! I'm not sure what collection he's referring to since I'm a very minimal jewelry gal, but hey--who am I to argue with the man?!

Dad's not nearly as interested in the books...

We don't really have too much planned for the rest of the break aside from a few dinners, and that's AWESOME! Once school starts again, the basketball season and baseball work-outs continue, and that means Zach will be working looooong days. We joke that this week may be the last that I see him until the baby comes. Here's hoping he keeps his cellphone with him in the event I go into labor in the middle of a big game!

Coaster anyone?

We've put our annual New Year's Eve par-tay on hold this year as we weren't sure who was available and if I was even up for hosting the extravaganza. Instead, we'll do the traditional dinner with our parents and then Zach and I will catch a movie. We're picking up our fabulous new TV that day, too, so we may ring in the new year setting up that bad boy. Regardless of what we do, I'm grateful to have the time with Zach and the rest of our family. We're more than fortunate to have such amazing people in our lives, but enough of that sappy stuff...I'll save it for the "Happy New Year" post :-)

Love At First Slip...

I've made the switch: I left my original doctors and headed 50 feet down the building complex to another practice. Every doctor that goes to this particular location is the potential Baby J.-2 delivery doctor; whereas I was only seeing one of the possible seven at the other place. That was reason enough for me to consider switching, but it was meeting Dr. Thomas that convinced me.

17 Weeks

Despite a veeeeeeeery long wait to see the good doctor, I can say that it was honestly worth it. Due to my sleepless nights, I took advantage of the quiet time in the exam room, AKA: I fell asleep on the table in those fancy paper nightgowns! When Dr. Thomas came in the room, I was so startled, I sat up faster than I have in the last 24 months. Suffice to say those paper nighties are not equipped for such sudden movements...my left boob slipped out! Thankfully that was the first and last of the uncomfortable encounters.

18 Weeks

We talked about the history of VBACs, why they were eventually "outlawed" for moms who had had one C-section, why the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists then changed its mind, and why today most women who have the choice opt for a repeat section. Dr. Thomas even admitted that it's much more convenient for the doctors' schedule to perform a C-section rather than wait for a woman to labor and then push; I told him to clear his calendar in early May! Then the man said something that no one has ever said to me: "Good for you for trusting the natural process of birth." He actually made me feel empowered and a little less insane for wanting the VBAC so badly.

19 Weeks

He was very honest explaining that I may end up in the same situation as with Brady, and even said that my size may play a factor in the whole process. He said an 8 pound, 3 ounce baby for a 5 foot nothing gal is no small feat. But my overall physical health (he was very happy with my 100/60 blood pressure!) and my determination make me a good VBAC candidate; the fact that I made it to 10 centimeters and pushed for 3 hours the first time around, however, leaves room for doubt. He said our best case scenario is if I go into labor a little early, having my body start the process naturally and making for a smaller baby. Only time will tell! The bottom line is that he and the other doctors in the practice--one of whom who has had a successful VBAC--are all supportive and will do everything in their power to give me the birth experience I want and, most of all, can handle. Needless to say, I'm madly in love with Dr. Thomas.

20 Weeks...and growing!

Brady is still pretty clueless about the baby, but I'm sure once he/she is here sucking up all of the attention and space, he'll be all too aware of his new brother or sister! We had our 20-week ultrasound this past weekend and Baby J-2 is developing perfectly. The shots of her brain, heart, spine, face, etc. were all clear as day; the technician even commented that if every fetus were that cooperative, her job would be much easier! Apparently, the gender was also quite clear, but as you know, we're not going to find out...sort of. The ultrasound was burned to a DVD for us and I've been studying the dang thing every day since Saturday. I've gone so far as to send still shots to my Mommy Friends and compare the "crotch shots" to others I've found online. It's becoming a sick, sick obsession and Zach wants no part of it. He is quite amused that, despite my persistent perusals, I have absolutely no idea what I'm looking at! Grandma Barb predicted a girl in the beginning of the pregnancy, but because we've pretty much agreed on a girl's name (just like last time!), Mother Nature will probably grace us with another boy. Regardless of gender, I just hope this baby is as healthy and as happy as his/her big brother.

So handsome with his holiday hair cut and Christmas PJs!

Speaking of Sir Brady, he has been so silly lately! He makes these faces that I've dubbed "Zach looks;" he half closes his eyes and then looks at us out of these little slits like he's making some important judgment call. Zach gives me the same looks when I say something he doesn't agree with! Brady is also channeling E.T.; he wants to touch finger tips and say, "E.T.!" about 23948324 times a day. If it's not E.T., he wants to shake hands. Every time we sit down to eat, he extends his hand to everyone around the table. If we're in a restaurant, he extends his hand to anyone within a 10 foot radius...

"The Look"

A sleepy E.T. attempt

Even though poor Brady will be coughing for Christmas (he's a little under the weather with a cold), we're hoping he'll still enjoy the festivities this year. We are SUPER excited to share this special time of the season with our little man; it's true what they say: the holidays are so much better with kids around! Can't wait until this time next year when we have a crazy almost-three-year-old running a muck and a seven-month-old wriggling around the place! Here's wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

Pre-holiday hair cut, but still so cute!

Just a few Brady-isms

I have to begin this post with an apology: I am sorry to report that I have no new Brady pics to post. I realize this is pretty much illegal, so I promise to overwhelm you with adorable shots next time.

Anyhoo, Brady has been pretty funny lately and I wanted to share the wealth:

1. Yesterday, he was "talking" on the phone and all of a sudden, I hear, "Hello? Brady?" Turns out the little stinker somehow dialed Nonna and Nonno's number! Nonna heard his little voice (and mine, begging for a kiss...) so we got to chat with them for a while! Both Nonna and Nonno got to talk to Brady and he was in heaven answering questions and hearing a voice come out of the phone. This actually isn't the first time he's dialed a number; thankfully the 911 operator was very understanding.

2. Tonight when I told Brady it was time for his bath, he ran and hid! Normally, he loves getting a bath, so I didn't understand what was wrong. He emerged from his hiding spot (sitting beside a chair and facing the wall--he thinks if he can't see us, we can't see him!) with a block that has Bert's face on it. He kept repeating, "Hi, Bert" over and over! I finally realized he wanted to hear me say it, so in my best Ernie voice I appeased him with "Hi, Bert!" and then he was content to take his bath. Do I have my mother-in-law to thank for this?!!

3. A boy after my own heart, Brady is suddenly obsessed with cleanliness. Normally, he puts things away only to dump them back out. However, lately he's been putting his books back on the shelves before bed. It used to be that he was happy to just stack them, but now he wants them upright and tidy. It takes about six hours for him to accomplish this feat, but it's adorable to watch!

That's all from Brady's corner!

Ho, Ho, Help...

Brady has officially made Santa's acquaintance, and he was none too impressed. I was hoping for an adorable Brady smile or, at the very least, a hilarious meltdown, but he was pretty indifferent to the whole experience. Although, he was a bit angry because Santa wouldn't let him down to "pay" (AKA: play), and once he realized he was supposed to smile for a photo, he put on his Zach face and just stared. There was one shot I loved because he's facing the camera but looking at Santa out of the corner of his eye, but we opted for this one instead:

Santa was very patient with our boy who, throughout the duration of his lap-sitting, tried to slide down Santa's leg, wiggle away to get to the fake snow, and/or make his body go limp so Santa couldn't get a good grasp on him. He's tried the latter on me a few times and I will say it makes picking him up a bit difficult. Also, he wouldn't address Santa by name; instead, he referred to him as "Ho Ho."

With Aunt Jen and Lani at the Mills Winter Wonderland

So far, Brady has been pretty good with all of the Christmas decorations. He understands that he's not to rough up the tree, but has since figured out that if he throws a toy underneath the branches, he'll have no choice but to get in close to retrieve it. He's done this a few times, staring at us to see what we'll do. I think he's in that "testing the parents" phase. He throws a mini-fit if he can't do something the first time he tries, like opening his Elmo mailbox, and starts yelling, "Hep! Hep!" If we don't come running, he throws whatever is in his hand over the gate and onto the sleeping dog on the other side. Each time we've told him not to throw things, he hurls more stuff. His cup, wooden blocks onto the wooden floors, his toothbrush, etc. have all fallen victim to Brady. Could it be that the Terrible Twos are giving us a holiday preview??

With his newest friend, Morgan!

Remember how, a few weeks ago, I was with my parents and a kind man paid for our breakfast asking that we "pay it forward?" Well, Zach and I did just that last night. We went to a local restaurant for dinner and an older man was sitting behind us. He was whistling along to the Christmas music, playing Peek-a-Boo with Brady, and then eventually started talking to him. All Brady contributed to the conversation was, "Eat. Bread. More," but the guy really got a kick out of him. We learned that he has 11 grandchildren and works at the Pittsburgh School for the Deaf. He saw that Brady signed "more" and was really excited that we had taught him a bit of ASL. Zach asked the waitress to give us the kind stranger's check as well, and while he was at the register paying, Brady and I learned a little more about the man: he owns 40+ acres of land, is this area's largest producer of organic dairy cows, also owns his own catering business, and his wife is our township supervisor!!! Okay, maybe not the best pay-it-forward candidate, but it's the thought that counts, right?!!

Talking on his football phone??

Baby J-2 Update

I had my monthly check-up this afternoon and all is well with Baby J-2! Her (yes, her--I'm sure of it this time...again) heart beat is still strong at 150 bpm, my blood pressure is still "impressive" at 120/60, and I've gained 9 pounds thus far. Comparing stats with my Brady pregnancy, I had only gained 7 pounds at this point. However, I am willing to admit that my adoration for desserts may be the cause of the extra weight. But I feel good and my maternity pants are still a bit big, so that just means bon appetite, right? Someone please remind me I said these things when, 8 months postpartum, I'm still wearing Zach's sweatpants.

Anyhoo, I talked to the midwife about my sleep issues and she gave me some helpful pointers to relax me before bed and during the night if (when) I wake up. I'm not too enthusiastic about the success of her advice, but I'll try anything. She did say that, if need be, I could take the vitamin Melatonin or even a Benadryl before bed, but I'm going to try the other options first. I don't like the idea of becoming dependent on something to get some shut eye. Unless of course that something is a massage or a facial or an ice cream sundae.

Even though I'm making Zach crazy, I've started to wonder (okay, obsess...) over the idea of physician vs. midwife again. I don't think anyone really understands my need to avoid another c-section; most people just think I'm nuts!! But the way the doctors have described what they "require during labor," I fear the end result is going to be the same as with Brady. I have time (awww, Baby J-2 just kicked--she's clearly telling me VBAC is the way to go!) to make this important decision, and in the mean time I'll stick with the current practice. My next appointment is Dec. 27th and sometime before Christmas we'll have the ultrasound that will determine the gender of the baby!!! Of course, we won't be finding that out until May, but it's still so fun to see the babe in person...sort of!

Baseball workouts have begun. Zach has opted to go back to coaching at Kiski this year and I really hope it works out for him. Coaching is part of who he is and I know he missed not connecting with the kids in the classroom and on the field. Even though we'll miss him during the long, crazy season that has evolved into high school baseball, and even though I'm sure I'll have a few "you're-never-home!!" meltdowns, Brady and I are very proud of Coach J. for getting back into the swing of things at Kiski. Here's hoping Baby J-2 makes her arrival during a home game or, even better, when the season is over!!