Happy 18 Monthiversary, Brady!

In celebration of turning 1 1/2 years old, Brady has decided that he hates life. Yes, that's right: our once-angelic, smiling, happy-go-lucky little guy now throws his food, purposely defies us, and refuses to do the simple things he once did with no problems or protest. All of you veteran parents are reading this saying to yourself, "This is what happens;" all of you rookie parents are saying, "I feel your pain!" I would just like someone to say, "I'll take Brady until he's 10!"

Brady even exhausts Hurricane

Thursday was Brady's routine check-up. He is 24 pounds (25th percentile for weight), and hasn't grown one inch since his last visit! He's still about 2 feet, 7 inches, and three months ago that put him in the 75th percentile for height; currently, he's in the 25th. The doctor said that's pretty normal and we shouldn't worry, but of course Zach is all worked up that the kid will be a midget. The doctor also commented on Brady's attention span (AKA: he is extremely nosy); he said that a child who can focus on something for an extended period of time while this young has statistically proven to be a studious, intelligent adult. Yeah, well, the good doctor didn't take Brady to the library today to have him throw the mother of all fits when he couldn't hurl books across the tables. The cries were so piercing that a passerby would have thought I was physically abusing him. Our lovely pediatrician also didn't bear witness to the toe-headed child as he refused to walk and, instead, sat down on the snowy sidewalks. Studious my pregnant behind...

Bella, trying to stay out of the way.

The scene at the library was actually so traumatizing (for me...) that I headed to the local YMCA to see what programs they offer for kids Brady's age. Of course, because we live in the middle of nowhere, there is ZERO for the kid to do. Unless, of course, we want to buy a monthly family membership so Brady can run around during open gym two days a week. Are you kidding me?! I am on a mission to cure this horrible case of cabin fever. Brady needs a change of scenery so bad; my first task is to try and set up a play date for him once a week. It's a shame we're so isolated and the only thing our town has to offer is a teeny library where the kids' room is under construction "until further notice," but I will persevere. Oh yes.

Forgot to crop out my head due to the bags under my eyes...

I'm just finishing up my 25th week of this pregnancy, but I feel like it's the 35th. My belly has become so heavy and uncomfortable that I am having a very hard time getting Brady in and out of his car seat. Stepping over the gate in the above picture is also quite the chore, and it's rare these days when walking up a flight of stairs doesn't leave me winded. Ahh, the joys of pregnancy. Anyway, this week I had the infamous glucose screening test. At first, I was annoyed by the fact that I had to sit in an office for an hour after guzzling what seems like a liter of orange syrup only to have half of the blood drawn from my body. However, after the past two weeks with Brady and craziness at work, I gladly took the hour to myself. Well, and with the numerous crazies in the waiting room who refused to change the TV from the Weather Channel because they had to make preparations for the incoming blizzard. We got one inch, but I'm sure they had enough toilet paper and milk to last a month.

In honor of our beloved Stillers making it to the Superbowl this year, here are a few Jankowski black and gold shots from the beginning of the season. It's fun to note that the last time I was pregnant, we WON the Superbowl. It's also nice to look back on these pictures and remember the days when Brady didn't scream at the idea of having his picture taken. Yep, that's why there are no new shots of our friend; he refused and I was too tired to fight him. Brady: 1, Mom: 0  

The good ol' days when he didn't hate me...

Go Stillers!

Little Pol-am-a-lu :-)

24 Weeks Down, 16 to Go!

Even typing that title makes me a little nervous! SIXTEEN WEEKS LEFT?! That's it? I feel like this pregnancy is flying; I wish I could slow it down if for no other reason than to feel the baby's little kicks and jabs for a while longer. May 9th is certainly barreling down on us!

24 Weeks!

To celebrate the beginning of Week 24, I had my monthly doctor appointment. I met another doctor in the practice, Dr. Kremser, and he reminded me a bit of Zach: couldn't sit still, very excited about everything to do with this profession, and starkly honest. So honest in fact, the beginning of our very first conversation went like this:

Dr. K.: "Have you been indulging in the after-holiday treats?"

Me, mortified: "WHY? Do I look enormous?!"

Dr. K.: "You look just lovely...but you've gained eight pounds in 4 weeks."

Me: "......................"

Dr. K.: "In looking at your charts, this is the most rapid weight gain of either of your pregnancies, so you're going to want to limit your carb and sugar intake."

Me, silently canceling the Java Chip Latte I had hoped to grab at Starbucks after the appointment: "Okay..."

In his tunnel!

I've talked to many of my gal pals about this and no one seems too surprised by my big gain. In fact, many of them regaled me with personal stories of their pregnancies where they surpassed the 8 pounds in one month and still had babies weighing less than Brady's 8 pound 3 ounce entrance into the world. The point of the good doctor's comment was to remind me that the smaller the baby, the better chances at a successful VBAC, and while I definitely agree with him, I'm trying not to take to heart the fact that I'm large and in charge could be working against me. However, I did forgo the trip to Starbucks.

Other than that, my blood pressure--which I thought for sure would be through the roof after the crazy week I've had--remained steady at 120/60. The baby's heart rate also remained consistent at 150 bpm. When Dr. Kremser asked if we were giving Brady a sister or brother and I told him we weren't finding out, his face lit up like a child's on Christmas morning. He said he hopes he's the one to deliver the surprise baby: "How fun! The Jankowskis are old school!"

Took his ball pit balls in the tunnel

Along the lines of an old school frame of mind is my latest and greatest idea to provide optimal child birth and VBAC support: a doula. I'll pause while you either laugh at or Google doula...

I've been looking into a way that I could have nontraditional yet medically supported, mother-centered support during labor. I had been researching and talking with other ladies who have used doulas in the past, and while I originally thought a doula was reserved for home or all-natural births, such is not the case. Long story short, I've been in contact with the Pittsburgh-based doulas and Zach and I are going to meet with them in the near future. If we feel comfortable and find a gal who has the right personality fit for us, I think we're going to take the doula leap.

Very busy color-coding things...

Zach has been very supportive of my latest endeavor to ensure a positive birth experience this time around. He understands how important this is to me and doesn't deny the fact that he and the majority of our family are a little uncomfortable/nervous/anxious about my obsessive desire for a VBAC. I think he figures there's no harm in adding a knowledgeable, experienced woman who is there for no other reason than to make my dream birth a reality. Zach's role will be no less important; in fact, he'll be my emotional rock while the doula gets the task of alleviating my back labor, talking to the doctors for us, taking pictures and keeping a journal of what we experience, and more fun "stuff" Zach won't have to worry about this time around. This is the first we're mentioning our doula intentions to our family and friends, so we anticipate lots of questions, a little bit of judgement, and, hopefully, tons of support.

Welcome to Brady Central!

Both Zach and Brady are under the weather today. Brady woke up with vomit all over him, and upon seeing it, Zach informed me he "doesn't do vomit." Luckily, both boys are still happy campers when they're sick, so taking care of them isn't too bad. They're currently napping together and if I weren't afraid of waking them, I would capture that Kodak moment for sure! But for now, this Mom has some puke-covered clothes to wash.

What a Week!

I am not a drinker, but if I were (and not with child), I would have made several trips to the  local liquor store this week. Allow me to share with you the timeline of events that made up this hectic, chaotic, and oh-so-stressful past four days:

Mullet-in-the-making...again

Monday:

8:10 am: Brady wakes up and I find quite the mess in his crib. Upon changing him, I realize that Zach forgot to put on his overnight diaper. Oops.

8:40 am: Brady and I sit down to eat breakfast and because I was lazy and didn't wake up earlier and had to spend time on the unexpected mess, I try to multi-task at the breakfast table by checking work e-mail.

8:45 am: Brady insists on yanking the tablecloth. After many "No, nos," a hand slap, and a stern reprimand, he continues to ignore me. On his last swipe, he manages to knock over the orange juice that is sitting near my computer. I'm sure you see where this is going...

8:46 am: I'm having an absolute fit trying to dry and de-sticky my computer. I am unsuccessful in my endeavors and the rest of the morning and afternoon are a blur.

My parents come over and run damage control (ie: look after Brady because I was out of my right mind), and I make a trip to Best Buy where I am forced to drop more money than I would have liked on a new computer, an external hard drive, and the newest edition of Microsoft Office. Bill Gates, you are one selfish dude.

For the remainder of Monday, I try like heck to quickly transfer all of the files I need for work. I am unable to connect to the Internet so I work on my laptop and Zach's for the rest of the evening.

:-)

Tuesday:

7 am - bed time: I continue to program the computer, transfer files, plug in passwords, etc. all the while trying to touch base with work and keep up to date with grading. I am still unable to connect to our wireless network which, I've come to find, has disconnected my work phone. When I realize that no one can get a hold of me, I have a meltdown from which I do not fully recover until sometime on Thursday.

Orange!

Wednesday:

I have a doctor appointment that I will discuss in a separate post because there's too much negative mojo in this one. Stay tuned for Baby J. #2 update...

11:30 - 1:30: I trouble shoot the Internet problems and SOLVE them all on my own! Big girl!

1:32 - 5:30: The Internet stops working. I resume meltdown mode and am forced to call Netgear. This is an extremely painful process because nothing goes right the first time, so I end up doing the same things over and over. It doesn't help that no one from Netgear speaks clear English and insists on spelling everything I tell them. For example, my last name sounded something like this: "Jankowski? J as in jump, A as in apple, N as in north, K as in kick..." By the time Zach got home from work, I was sitting on the living room floor with Brady, bawling my eyes out. I think the poor guy had a mini stroke when he saw me because I'm not one to cry. I assured him, through sobs, that nothing was really wrong and everyone was okay. He helped me get through the Netgear nightmare and the rest of the night was smooth sailing.

Playing with Mommy

Thursday:

7 am: My alarm goes off. I hit snooze. Seven times. I eventually turn off the alarm and decide I'll wake up with Brady who, conveniently, sleeps until about 8:40.

11:30 am: My parents come to get Brady and take him to lunch and for the first time all week, work uninterrupted! SUCCESS!

4:00 pm: It starts snowing. Zach and I have high hopes school will be canceled the next day!

5:00 pm: I brave the weather and head to my hair appointment where my stylist tells me she's found some gray hairs. I had to laugh. Can't a girl get a break?!

8:40 pm: Kiski actually calls a delay the night before! This is unheard of. Zach and I do a happy dance.

His new friend, Isaac

Friday:

5:30 am: Zach AND I wake up; he shovels, I catch up on work.

7:10 am: Kiski cancels school. We do another happy dance and decide that the rest of our Friday will be low-key, relaxed, and anything but stressful.

In conclusion, even if the Terrible Twos have cometh AND Brady cost us a pretty penny this week, at the end of the day, we're all healthy and happy. My amazing husband is in the kitchen as I type, chopping stuff up for our dinner. I'm incredibly lucky to have such a supportive, understanding, patient guy. He even loves me with a runny nose and swollen eyes. I think I'll keep him :-)

We are currently awaiting the notary who is bringing the paperwork for our "closing;" because we refinanced, we get to go through all the joys of closing on our home again. Hopefully it won't take long because we have a birthday to celebrate: Happy Birthday, Nonna!!

So cute!

The Greatest Place on...the North Side!

Well it wasn't Disney World, but the Pittsburgh Children's Museum came pretty close to capturing the same kind of awe and amazement for Brady and his little friend Isaac. And I won't lie: I was pumped to be there, too!

We started off our morning with a snack, which is why Brady looks so distraught in the photo below; I was holding his box of raisins while talking to my friend Katie and never even heard his little "Peeze, rays, peeze!" Ooops! Sorry about that, Brady!

After our morning snack, the boys took off like mad men in the direction of Mister Roger's Neighborhood...whereupon they immediately bypassed the serene setting of his couch and house plant. I was a little disappointed because I personally wanted to climb the tree in the Land of Make Believe, but Brady and Isaac had other plans. We went into a room where they could press buttons and control images on a TV screen, but that only held their interest for about .4 seconds. They began pummeling the Plexiglas that encased the creepiest looking dolls and puppets I have ever seen so we gladly moved on to the next room.

Creepy--told ya.

The next room was like heaven on earth for Brady: it had trains, books, a big fish tank, a life-size Light Bright, bells, and a variety of items he could throw at his leisure. He steered clear of the sand table which I found amusing--wonder how he'll do on our vacation to the beach this year?!

"Shish," or fish

Both boys really got a kick out of the train tables. They were the real deal, heavy duty trains and both Katie and I were afraid that if the boys decided they wanted to throw those, someone would lose an eye. But everyone was very well behaved! I really liked a little space on one of the back walls that was designated for grown-ups. There was a sign that asked for the "best parenting advice you were ever given." A ton of parents had contributed their thoughts on Post-It notes and I joined the fun, too. My advice: "If you hear 'uh-oh,' it's already too late." This came after hearing a splash and then a small voice yelp, "Uh oh!" earlier that morning. Apparently Brady thought my lotion wanted to go swimming in the toilet, but that's a story for another day...

Friends :-)

Biggest Light Bright!

While at one of the stations, a grandmother actually began nudging Brady and Isaac out of the way to make room for her grandsons! We figured it was time to move on. And move on we did: to the water room!!

So adorable!

The water room has a space where water shoots out from the walls and floors, as well as huge pools for kids of every age and height. There were boats and fish and whales and other water toys and the boys just LOVED it all! We spent the majority of our time in there, which is why I had ample opportunity to almost fall in and drown. Okay, the drowning part may be a bit of an exaggeration, but at one point I bent over the side of a 2-foot pool to get Brady the "ellow shish" (yellow fish) and I didn't quite gauge the weight or challenge of my baby belly. I went plunging forward, caught myself, and was then soaked up to the elbows. Despite the momentary embarrassment and cold arms, the boy got his "ellow shish" back.

The damn fish.

Brady couldn't help himself and started naming all of the colors around him, including stuff that was outside, on posters, or in other people's clothes. Of course I loved it when some of the other mothers were like, "Oh, my, he's so smart!" Shortly thereafter, he hurled a water toy at another kid and the splash made her cry, so my pride was short-lived.

Post-hurl.

The water room was awesome, but it was also...wet. Duh, right? Luckily I had talked to a few moms who were experienced in the ways of the water room so I knew to bring extra clothes and socks. Thank goodness I did! The only thing that wasn't soaked on Brady was his head, and that's clearly courtesy of the adorable yellow rain slicker!!!

Check out those shoes!!!!

After our wardrobe change, we headed back downstairs to a room that can only be described as complete insanity. There were kids (and parents) everywhere! But there were also movable/build-able racetracks, BALLS, slides, tools, a car, magnets, stuff flying in the air--Brady went into sensory overload and never quite did recover! The first thing he did was run over to an adorable little girl and rip a big green ball out of her hands. I apologized to her parents and then had to run after Brady who was stalking another child with a red ball.

At the back of the room, there was this contraption shaped like a cow, and you were supposed to "feed" it these little soft balls. You could watch the ball go through the gears and different movable parts inside the cow and then at the very end, you guessed it, the ball came flying out of the cow's behind. Both Brady and Isaac got a big kick when the balls came squirting out, but they much preferred the instant gratification of shoving the ball into the behind and only having to wait 2 seconds, as opposed to a full 10, for it to come shooting back out into a bucket. At one point Brady was bending over the bucket to get more balls for the shoving and wouldn't ya know it--he got hit right in the head! As this was a bit traumatic for the boy, I didn't have a chance to take any pictures of this room, but I will always cherish the memory of the pseudo-poo the mechanical cow took on my son's head. :-)

After lunch, Brady and I were back on the road to home. He was sound asleep even before we hit Route 28; suffice it to say, the Museum wore him out!

*******************************************************

On an unrelated note, Zach's annual Coaches Clinic is this weekend at the Radisson in Greentree. Last year, I went down on Saturday, we had dinner with a few of his friends, and then stayed the night in the big suite they had left over from the clinic. We've decided that this should be a tradition for us since our nights alone are definitely numbered these days! So tomorrow, I'll head downtown (after a play date and an overdue Christmas exchange with Aunt Jen and Lani!), and Brady will be whisked away for a fun-filled night at Gram and Pap's! Knowing that Brady will be having a blast with the grandparents, coupled with the fact that I know the most amazing carrot cake resides at the Radisson in Greentree, I am sure this Saturday night will be a good one!

At home practicing his letters and numbers. So far, he knows P, Q, R, O, S, 8 and 9!

Bragging Rights: Caution! This Could Make You Sick...

I realize that this post is going to solidify a spot for me in the Obnoxious Mothers Club (and run the risk of jinxing everything!), but hey--if you don't like it, don't read it!! Now that you've all been warned, allow me to share what I think is pretty exciting news about both my husband and our son.

My guys

 Zach and I have been talking about refinancing our house for quite sometime. The interest rates are considerably lower today than they were when we bought our house about four years ago. The only thing that stood in our way is what we thought would be an expensive fee to go ahead with it. Turns out, my master math teacher of a husband figured it all out and at a very minimal expense to us, we have finally refinanced our place! We've opted to pay a bit more a month, and in just doing that, we will officially own 846 Hawk Valley Drive by the time Brady is a sophomore in high school!!!!! That means we won't be paying on our house and a kid's college tuition! Although, if you ask Zach, we're buying a beach house. Either way, we're super pumped to know that there is light at the end of our financial tunnel!

Someone's not sleepy!

 Speaking of college, we're pretty sure Brady is ready to enroll. Well, maybe for kindergarten. I've never had a kid before so I can't be sure of what a 17-month-old should know and be able to do, but every day, this boy impresses us more and more! He knows the colors blue, purple, red, yellow, orange, and green, and he readily points them out whenever given the chance, like today in Giant Eagle...for a solid 40 minutes. He knows the difference between a circle and a square and has mastered his shape-sorter. He knows and says the parts of the body, and can identify his own, another person's, or someone in a picture or book.

His manners, although simple, have come so quickly and easily. While he still requires the occasional reminder, Brady actually understands "the look" means he needs to say please or thank you. He points to photographs all over our house and names the people in them, even if he's only met them a few times. Each day, he takes a roll-call of those he has seen most recently; being that the holidays just passed, we go through about 15 different people over and over again! He really is a quick learner and he doesn't seem to forget anything.

Saying "thank you," I'm sure...

He listens well, follows simple instructions, and appears to already understand the concepts of compassion and empathy. We were out a few weeks ago and a baby was crying and Brady just kept saying, "Sad, sad." Again, I've never raised a child before so what I'm bragging about could be stuff most kids mastered months earlier. At any rate, I am just so filled with love and awe (and clearly ridiculous amounts of estrogen) at this little person who, a short year ago, could barely sit up on his own. And the year before that, he wasn't even a thought in mine or Zach's head, but today we can't imagine what our lives would be like without him. In short, I can't get over how remarkable my son is!!!! I pray each and every night that Brady's sister/brother is as healthy as he is; we have been blessed with one heck of a kid, but we are most grateful that he's a healthy and thriving little guy.


Okay, I think I'm done. Told ya: I'm bound for the obnoxious club for sure!! Now if you will excuse me, my Ivy League scholar has just head-butted his crib and I need to assess the damage...

"Si-yee" (AKA: Silly)

Happy 2011!

After our annual New Year's Eve dinner with our parents, Zach and I left Brady with Grammy and Pappy to see a movie, and then went home to set up our new flat screen TV and stand. It was 11:58 pm when we finally got everything together, switched on Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year and watched the ball drop. We (well, I!) can't help but get emotional when thinking back on all of the wonderful things our family has been blessed with this past year. As we move into 2011, it's only fair to take a pause for the cause and remember some of them:

1. Derek and Kim got married! BEAUTIFUL day, beautiful people!

2. Doug and Jen welcomed Lani Satyana Blevins, and were kind enough to let me share in the big day!

3. Kevin and Sandy welcomed Morgan Carrlee Wirtz into their world (and I still think the gal is a PICTURE of San's mom! Heeey, Cin!)

4. I was hired full-time with Aventa Learning/K-12 which has meant so much to us; it normalized the Jankowski Family Budget, gave me the freedom to again shop at will, and most importantly, allowed me to be a stay-at-home-working mother. I'm now certified to teach in Illinois and Missouri, too!

5. Brady turned one-year-old and had a few other "firsts:" walking, talking, giving up the bottle (hehe), moving into his big boy room, vacationing in South Carolina!

6. Derek got a new job! Even though it's not quite his dream job, it does afford him a better, more reliable schedule; this means we get to see him more often--so does his lovely bride (and nephew)!

7. Zach insists that I add: "Joe-Pa turned 84." I insist that I add: Joe-Pa and PSU lost today's Bowl game...

 

8. Kiski Area High School finally hired an energetic, competent, well-liked head principal that has made going to work much more enjoyable for Mr. Jankowski!

9. Uncle Ted became the mayor of East Vandergrift, the "village of the morning sun!" Small town, big heart!

10. I turned 30 and to celebrate, Zach orchestrated a fan-tab-ulous month-early-super-surprise extravaganza. I will never forget the time and thought he put into making that day one of the best of my life. I kinda like him :-)

11. After a three year stint at Penn State New Kensington and/or Plum High School, Zach has decided to return to coaching varsity baseball at Kiski!

Nothing to do with baseball, but I like this pic!

12. Baby J-2 will be here in May!

We are so thankful that those we love are close-by, healthy, and big parts of our lives. We appreciate their help, support, and friendship more than they know. Please blame my "baby brain" if I've forgotten anything or anyone!

It's going to be a tough few months once Zach's crazy schedule starts up again, especially since I'm on the verge of being "very" pregnant!, but this, too, shall pass. I have to admit, though, that I'm going to miss my husband! It's been so great having him home every day, watching him play with Brady, listening to their intellectual conversations about high-fives ("if a people only had four fingers, we'd give high-fours..."), but mostly I'll just miss him being here. He's such a hard worker and I know how important it is to him that he provide for our family, and I respect and appreciate that so much about him. Thank you, Zachary, for working 14-hour days and coming home with a smile on your face, a kiss for me and Brady, and still remembering to take out the garbage :-)

We hope you all have a fabulous new year; may 2011 bring us all much love, laughter, and good health!

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