And, for comparison, here is one of Cash's 4D pictures:
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
My Handsome Boy
Baby Charlie is working hard at keeping up with his big brother. He weighs in at 5 pounds, putting him about two weeks ahead of where he "should" be at this stage (32 weeks). There is definitely a resemblance between him and Cash, but enough of a difference that a couple of people have said they see more of Jason in him. Here's the little booger in all his glory:
And, for comparison, here is one of Cash's 4D pictures:
And, for comparison, here is one of Cash's 4D pictures:
Monday, January 30, 2012
Conversations with a 3-year-old
Cash (who just barged into the bathroom this morning): Mommy, you're so cute. I mean, you don't have any clothes on, but your hair is cute. I bet you'll look even cuter when you put your clothes on.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Yay!
I got a call from my doctor’s office today to schedule my c-section! Unless he decides to come early, Charlie will arrive on Tuesday, March 27th! Cash was also born on a Tuesday, which is sort of cool. I’m a little nervous that he will be even bigger than Cash since that is only two days before my original due date. I say “original” because he has measured at least a week ahead at every ultrasound since they landed on that due date. Cash was born 8 days ahead of his due date and weighed 9 ½ pounds. I know Charlie is his own person and could very well be born a pipsqueak, but he could also break the 10-pound mark. I guess only time will tell. Either way, I’m getting ridiculously excited to meet the little guy!!
Monday, January 23, 2012
“Good” Parenting
I’ve always said that the best parenting advice I could give anyone is to follow your instincts. Mine told me to let Cash nurse whenever he wanted, to let him sleep in our bed, to let him self-wean, to avoid the cry-it-out method like the plague, etc. And I’ve never regretted any of those decisions. However, now that he’s older, the decisions are getting harder, and as much as I hate it, my instincts don’t always guide me down the right path. I was clearly reminded of this on Friday night when we ran into his preschool teacher at Chick Fil A. She greeted Cash with warm hugs and you could see the genuine affection they have for each other, which was nice. And when Cash ran back into the play area, she happily told me about the big difference she sees in him since the beginning of the year – more outgoing, more talkative, loves to tell stories, etc. The proud mama in me just soaked everything in, agreeing that he has come a long way indeed.
Then came the part about how she’s been encouraging him to stick up for himself. Apparently she saw another boy in his class knock him to the floor, and Cash wasn’t saying anything in response to this (horrible, bratty) kid. So she told Cash that when someone treats him that way, he needs to tell them to stop and that he doesn’t like what they’re doing. Apparently it sunk in because this same little boy (seriously, kid? What is your deal?) apparently likes to annoy other kids during snack by taking his food and putting it on others’ napkins. So when he did it to Cash, he told him to stop it and he didn’t like that.
Now, I know that the teacher’s responses were appropriate (assuming the offending child also got some sort of discipline, like a time out, which I didn’t ask about). However, what my instincts tell me to do is point out to Cash how much taller and bigger he is than the other kids in his class and if one of them messes with him, just lay them out and they won’t do it again. I know, I know, totally wrong, and I didn’t actually say that to Cash, but it’s what I WANT to tell him. And honestly, it’s what I may eventually tell him if he runs into this problem when he’s older. I’m all for using our words and talking out our problems, but for some people, the only thing they respond to is being put in their place. And, despite his sweet and gentle personality, Cash has the physical attributes to do just that. He’s going to be a tall, broad-shouldered guy with big hands and feet, and if he occasionally needs to employ those things when provoked, I don’t have a problem with that.
Also, as the Mom who is sponsoring the Valentine’s Day party, there might be one kid who doesn’t get a cupcake...
In all seriousness, bullying is a huge issue these days and I don’t really know how I will handle it if Cash gets bullied in school. Although we’ve had our issues with him lashing out at Jason or me, I can say with conviction that he would NEVER do that to another child or even any other caregiver besides his parents. And I can only imagine how he felt when that little boy did that to him. He is very sensitive and takes things to heart very easily. And the thought of another kid hurting his feelings just kills me. I also wonder why he didn’t tell me or Jason about it. I guess it’s possible it wasn’t that big of a deal to him, and he didn’t think to mention it. Or that he’s three and has a really short attention span so by the time he saw us, he had just forgotten about it. I’ve been asking him since September what he’s learned in Spanish and he’s said “Nothing” every time. Then this weekend he starts naming off all the colors in Spanish. The 3-year-old brain is hard to figure out...
Then came the part about how she’s been encouraging him to stick up for himself. Apparently she saw another boy in his class knock him to the floor, and Cash wasn’t saying anything in response to this (horrible, bratty) kid. So she told Cash that when someone treats him that way, he needs to tell them to stop and that he doesn’t like what they’re doing. Apparently it sunk in because this same little boy (seriously, kid? What is your deal?) apparently likes to annoy other kids during snack by taking his food and putting it on others’ napkins. So when he did it to Cash, he told him to stop it and he didn’t like that.
Now, I know that the teacher’s responses were appropriate (assuming the offending child also got some sort of discipline, like a time out, which I didn’t ask about). However, what my instincts tell me to do is point out to Cash how much taller and bigger he is than the other kids in his class and if one of them messes with him, just lay them out and they won’t do it again. I know, I know, totally wrong, and I didn’t actually say that to Cash, but it’s what I WANT to tell him. And honestly, it’s what I may eventually tell him if he runs into this problem when he’s older. I’m all for using our words and talking out our problems, but for some people, the only thing they respond to is being put in their place. And, despite his sweet and gentle personality, Cash has the physical attributes to do just that. He’s going to be a tall, broad-shouldered guy with big hands and feet, and if he occasionally needs to employ those things when provoked, I don’t have a problem with that.
Also, as the Mom who is sponsoring the Valentine’s Day party, there might be one kid who doesn’t get a cupcake...
In all seriousness, bullying is a huge issue these days and I don’t really know how I will handle it if Cash gets bullied in school. Although we’ve had our issues with him lashing out at Jason or me, I can say with conviction that he would NEVER do that to another child or even any other caregiver besides his parents. And I can only imagine how he felt when that little boy did that to him. He is very sensitive and takes things to heart very easily. And the thought of another kid hurting his feelings just kills me. I also wonder why he didn’t tell me or Jason about it. I guess it’s possible it wasn’t that big of a deal to him, and he didn’t think to mention it. Or that he’s three and has a really short attention span so by the time he saw us, he had just forgotten about it. I’ve been asking him since September what he’s learned in Spanish and he’s said “Nothing” every time. Then this weekend he starts naming off all the colors in Spanish. The 3-year-old brain is hard to figure out...
Friday, January 20, 2012
An Open Letter
Dear public at large:
I have a tiny news flash for you – it is sort of required that, when creating a human being – a woman must gain weight. Her belly will get bigger. And bigger. And then even bigger. Now read this part carefully: it is NEVER appropriate to comment on someone else’s weight or size unless you are telling them how wonderful they look. It is rude and often hurtful. And I am not a delicate flower when it comes to these things. For the most part I just laugh at how incredibly insensitive people are and continue with my day, you know, CREATING LIFE. What boggles my mind the most is that most of these comments come from women who have had children. You would think that someone who had experienced this themselves would know better. I swear on my maternity jeans, I will NEVER say any of the following things to a pregnant woman (and yes, these are all things I have personally heard from people):
Are you sure you have (insert amount of time until due date) to go? You look like you could pop any day!
Are you sure there’s only one baby in there?
Wow, that’s going to be a big baby!
I remember how big you got with your first – was he a big baby?
I think you’ve gotten even bigger since the last time I saw you!
You know what it IS ok to say? “You sure are a beautiful pregnant woman.” That’s what one of my Mom’s nurses told me last night. And boy, did I need to hear that. Or, you know, you could just NOT comment on the way someone looks. How about a simple “Wow, I bet you’re getting excited!” or “How are you feeling?”
The moral of the story: Pregnant women are still women. If you wouldn’t say it to someone when they aren’t pregnant, don’t say it when she is.
Sincerely,
Apparently the most giant pregnant woman in the world
I have a tiny news flash for you – it is sort of required that, when creating a human being – a woman must gain weight. Her belly will get bigger. And bigger. And then even bigger. Now read this part carefully: it is NEVER appropriate to comment on someone else’s weight or size unless you are telling them how wonderful they look. It is rude and often hurtful. And I am not a delicate flower when it comes to these things. For the most part I just laugh at how incredibly insensitive people are and continue with my day, you know, CREATING LIFE. What boggles my mind the most is that most of these comments come from women who have had children. You would think that someone who had experienced this themselves would know better. I swear on my maternity jeans, I will NEVER say any of the following things to a pregnant woman (and yes, these are all things I have personally heard from people):
Are you sure you have (insert amount of time until due date) to go? You look like you could pop any day!
Are you sure there’s only one baby in there?
Wow, that’s going to be a big baby!
I remember how big you got with your first – was he a big baby?
I think you’ve gotten even bigger since the last time I saw you!
You know what it IS ok to say? “You sure are a beautiful pregnant woman.” That’s what one of my Mom’s nurses told me last night. And boy, did I need to hear that. Or, you know, you could just NOT comment on the way someone looks. How about a simple “Wow, I bet you’re getting excited!” or “How are you feeling?”
The moral of the story: Pregnant women are still women. If you wouldn’t say it to someone when they aren’t pregnant, don’t say it when she is.
Sincerely,
Apparently the most giant pregnant woman in the world
Friday, December 30, 2011
2011
I don’t even know how to write about this year. So many huge, life-changing things have happened that whatever I say here couldn’t possibly capture them properly. But I feel the need to capture them nonetheless, so here goes.
I almost lost my Mom. I stood in the ICU as a doctor told my Dad and me that we should be prepared for her not to make it. I spent hours with my family in a hospital waiting room watching reruns of Law & Order and eating fast food while waiting for the next opportunity to go in and see her. I watched her be put on a ventilator, loaded into an ambulance and sent to a major university hospital in hopes that they could save her. And they did. And for that...well, grateful doesn’t quite cover it. It was, of course, just the beginning of a very long road that we are all still traveling, but the fact that she is still here to travel it with us is enough.
I got pregnant with our second child. In March we will meet Charlie and, in all likelihood, he will complete our family. This pregnancy has gone by with lightning speed and I am equal parts terrified of managing two children and overcome with glee at getting to know my younger son.
We bought a house. After years of bland, non-descript rentals that never truly felt like home, we finally planted our little stake in the ground. And it feels good to know that we won’t be moving again for a LONG time. It’s not huge or fancy, but it’s enough for us, and it’s comfortable, and it’s ours.
We’ve experienced financial ups and downs, which, frankly, are still with us as we usher in 2012. My husband and his Dad are in residential construction, which isn’t exactly booming right now. We don’t know from week to week if he will work 40 hours or 15 or none. A ridiculous portion of his paycheck goes into his gas tank because he commutes an hour each way. We’re beginning to look into the possibility of him getting a new job, but it’s hard. Working for his Dad is the only job he’s ever had and venturing into new territory is scary. Not to mention that jobs aren’t exactly plentiful right now. But whatever happens, we’ll figure it out. Like we always do.
As far as resolutions go, I really would just like to stay out of Intensive Care Units. Happy 2012 everyone!
I almost lost my Mom. I stood in the ICU as a doctor told my Dad and me that we should be prepared for her not to make it. I spent hours with my family in a hospital waiting room watching reruns of Law & Order and eating fast food while waiting for the next opportunity to go in and see her. I watched her be put on a ventilator, loaded into an ambulance and sent to a major university hospital in hopes that they could save her. And they did. And for that...well, grateful doesn’t quite cover it. It was, of course, just the beginning of a very long road that we are all still traveling, but the fact that she is still here to travel it with us is enough.
I got pregnant with our second child. In March we will meet Charlie and, in all likelihood, he will complete our family. This pregnancy has gone by with lightning speed and I am equal parts terrified of managing two children and overcome with glee at getting to know my younger son.
We bought a house. After years of bland, non-descript rentals that never truly felt like home, we finally planted our little stake in the ground. And it feels good to know that we won’t be moving again for a LONG time. It’s not huge or fancy, but it’s enough for us, and it’s comfortable, and it’s ours.
We’ve experienced financial ups and downs, which, frankly, are still with us as we usher in 2012. My husband and his Dad are in residential construction, which isn’t exactly booming right now. We don’t know from week to week if he will work 40 hours or 15 or none. A ridiculous portion of his paycheck goes into his gas tank because he commutes an hour each way. We’re beginning to look into the possibility of him getting a new job, but it’s hard. Working for his Dad is the only job he’s ever had and venturing into new territory is scary. Not to mention that jobs aren’t exactly plentiful right now. But whatever happens, we’ll figure it out. Like we always do.
As far as resolutions go, I really would just like to stay out of Intensive Care Units. Happy 2012 everyone!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Coming back to work today was hard. I had six straight days to hang out with Cash and soak up all his awesomeness. And he really was awesome. I feel like he has outgrown a lot of the terrible threes (although not all) and I truly enjoyed his company. We went to a movie together, decorated cookies, and excitedly changed the countdown to Santa each day. He continues to blow my mind with how sweet and polite he is. All day on Christmas he went around thanking people, completely unprompted. He would throw his arms around your neck and say “Thank you for all my presents!” He even curled up in my lap and said, “I will have to tell Santa thank you for all these new things.” And then I melted into a puddle from the cuteness. I was just so proud of him. Christmas was a LONG day filled with many visits to many people and a lot of overstimulation, and he held it together very well.
I had such a great time with him that it reinforced some of my nervousness about the new baby. How could any other kid be as amazing as the one I already have? And yes, I know that logically I will love Charlie just as much as I love Cash, it’s just hard to imagine. I love him so much it is sometimes painful. I also know him – I love him because he is my son, of course, but I also love him for his sense of humor, his sweetness and kindness, his personality quirks, and every little thing that makes up who he is. All I know about Charlie so far is that he likes to head-butt me in the bladder and gets really riled up when I eat sweets. I realize that I will be back here in the spring spouting off about how completely amazing Charlie is, but for now I am just going to stew in my second-time-around nervousness. See also: have done nothing to prepare. Nothing. I kept putting things off until after “the holidays” and now guess what? They’re over. Well, I guess we still have New Year’s...
I had such a great time with him that it reinforced some of my nervousness about the new baby. How could any other kid be as amazing as the one I already have? And yes, I know that logically I will love Charlie just as much as I love Cash, it’s just hard to imagine. I love him so much it is sometimes painful. I also know him – I love him because he is my son, of course, but I also love him for his sense of humor, his sweetness and kindness, his personality quirks, and every little thing that makes up who he is. All I know about Charlie so far is that he likes to head-butt me in the bladder and gets really riled up when I eat sweets. I realize that I will be back here in the spring spouting off about how completely amazing Charlie is, but for now I am just going to stew in my second-time-around nervousness. See also: have done nothing to prepare. Nothing. I kept putting things off until after “the holidays” and now guess what? They’re over. Well, I guess we still have New Year’s...
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