20 Months

Challenges: I feel like a broken record but tantrums are so bad and he often resorts to physically hurting me. James can usually stop him, but I've tried what he does and it doesn't work for me.
Triumphs: We only cried for 3 days when I dropped him off at daycare and he's been eating really well lately!
Words: bye bye doggahs, whee!, door, eat (with sign language), beep beep, yah, vrrrr (vroom), boo (blue), bowl, peese (please), ree (read), pee-ah (pizza), yummm/num num, wok (walk), chee (cheese), wawa (water), meow, baba (bubbles), bih (bird), fsh (fish), gaga (grandpa's name), grammy, gramma, beebah (no idea what this meant), beach, oh wow!, sippee cuh, jojo (yoyo), wowee!, up abo (up above, from twinkle twinkle), waye (wave), sowee (sorry), rara (rabbit), tuck (truck), dumtuck (dumptruck), nana (banana), veggie, gen (again), mo mill (more milk), mo (more), rass (grass)
Favourite toys: It's all about the books right now. He's also enjoying the blocks I pulled back out and his rocking horse. His water and sand play table from his uncle is  huge hit too!

What a month! As you can tell from the above list, G's vocabulary has totally exploded! It feels like every day he says something new. To be honest, I've stopped writing everything down because I just can't keep up! He tried pronouncing things when we point them out, and it's adorable. I usually can't stand baby talk, but I guess when it's your own kid it's cute! Still not many two word phrases, but he definitely understand everything we say. He follows most directions, unless he's being stubborn. This includes "sit your bottom down!" in the shopping cart and "lie down/put your head down" at bedtime. He's also cleaning up his toys pretty consistently now, and will yell "clee up, clee up!" as he cleans them up. I try to have him clean up before we leave the house and before bedtime.

I never thought of G as all that active, but I think I was wrong. Holy smokes, guys. I can't keep up with him! He is moving all the time, even in his sleep! If Mermaid is anything like him, we're going to be in for a crazy few years once she starts moving (by all accounts this happens faster with #2!) I've been writing a lot about what G's been up to in my weekly updates, but here are a few little moments I've saved for this post (mostly from the last week):

-I was in the kitchen, cooking some falafels and G wanted to read. So I told him "Bring me Goodnight Goon" (a parody of Goodnight Moon that he loves) and he brought me that book! He's done this with other books too, and is able to understand which book I want and bring it to me to read.
-In Jamaica, G found a rock on the beach and carried it straight out in front of him, chanting "bee-bah! bee-bah!" It was pretty funny, but kinda creepy too, like a ritual or something. We still have no idea what he was trying to say.
-Jamaica: burying G in the sand, watching him watch the birds that flew into the open restaurant, waving bye bye and blowing kisses to everyone, playing on the splash pad, seeing his face when he met cookie monster, giving high fives and fist bumps.
-I've been using Bio Oil after my showers and G saw me get out of the shower and put it on. He walked over to me and started rubbing my leg like he was rubbing in the oil too.
-We were running errands at Sam's and Publix, and he would lean forward in the card, reaching for my belly, saying "Baby!" and "ticka ticka!"
-When we read his ABC board book, he keeps tickling the pictures of the animals and the baby.
-There are songs during which campers and counselors bang on the tables. G LOVES these! He either bangs on the table with them (no rhythm at all) or he runs around the hall, yelling.
-I found him in the middle of the tables one night, taking his shorts off for some unknown reason.
-The beach is always a hit, and we've had more than one experience involving a soaked baby and diaper with no towel in sight. He loves throwing sand into the water and picking up sticks.
-He painted canteen with the campers one day, adding his handprint and artwork to the wall.
-He can't get enough bananas and loves his almond milk.
-He can climb into and out of his stroller, and pushed it over to me one morning to talk.
-We played in the labyrinth for a while, and he followed me on the path until he decided he needed his blankie and then got distracted by a leafy hillock he could slide down.
-He loves to read. He seems to always have a book in his hands, saying "ree! ree!" and wants to reread the same book 4 or 5 times in a row. I think I have most of them memorized by now.
-Three bowls of couscous for lunch, with at least half a bowl ending up in his lap. He feel asleep in the most awkwardly adorable position and slept through me cleaning up his hands and face, changing his diaper and putting him to bed.
-We played in the chapel and he found a broom. He had a blast pushing it around the floor and yelling as loud as he could. We took turns yelling and listening to the echoes.

Just try to get him to sit or stand still for a photo, I dare 'ya!

Down for the count

24 Weeks

How far along: 24 weeks
Total weight gain: ?
Favourite clothes: A new dress that I haven't actually worn yet (still need to hem it)
Sleeping: Terribly!
Best Moment: G has been great with me this week!
Worst Moment: My birthday was a really stressful day
Miss anything: Tequila
Cravings: I never know what I want, but I always know what I don't want to eat
New symptoms: Heartburn and Braxton-Hicks
Looking forward to: Brunch with a friend and getting to meet her new baby!
Crafting: Knitting, painting, Father's Day gifts

What a LONG week! Staff training was crazy! Basically, the staff were like the campers this week, and James was like the counselor. He was working from 7:30 am to 10:30 pm regularly! It's been interesting adjusting to being at camp full time. Our meal times are pre-determined if we want to eat on campus, but this makes it easier to have G stick to a schedule.

Tuesday was his first day at the new daycare! He seems to really like it. He eats breakfast with the counselors and James at 8, and we leave around quarter to nine, dropping him off at nine. There have been tears every day, but that's to be expected until he gets used to the new place. I send lunch with him, and he eats at 11. I pick him up at 1, and take him home, where he naps until about 3. In fact, he's usually so tired that he's fallen asleep in the car and doesn't wake up when I transfer him. Friday was their water day. They said he had a blast and was the only kid his age who got in the bounce house with no reservations whatsoever! He played so hard he fell asleep halfway through lunch, which screwed up his nap schedule, but he fell asleep quickly that night.

Wednesday was stressful because he was super fussy and throwing tantrums most of the afternoon. It was my birthday and it just felt kinda blah all day. I knew we wouldn't be able to do much since staff training was in full swing, but James has been so busy and didn't even leave campus until Saturday afternoon, so it made me a little sad. He did have the counselors decorate Wilson Hall for dinner for my birthday and the kitchen made a cake, which was nice. And it turns out it was the head counselor's birthday too! I rarely meet people with my birthday, so that was fun! It was just a long day, and it's been tough adjusting to having G all afternoon, and doing his bedtime routine without James' help.

On the bright side, since I've been doing pretty much everything, G has been much better with me this week. He still prefers daddy, but not to the extent of rejecting me and has even wanted me over him a few times. It's still tough when James leaves in the morning or if he comes home for a while and has to leave again, but I think we're getting better at that.

Saturday we went out for my birthday. It was a great meal, and we came home to find our sitter had washed all the dishes in the sink! (Not having a dishwasher really stinks!) We were both totally exhausted though and didn't make it through the movie we rented. Hopefully we can have a bit of a break and a rest tomorrow!

24 Weeks: "Mermaid" is the size of a little blue/fairy penguin

Baby Girl was christened Mermaid until she gets her real name by a friend

23 Weeks

How far along: 23 weeks
Total weight gain: 2.2 lbs
Favourite clothes: Pyjamas and sleep bra
Sleeping: Meh
Best Moment:  The last few days in Jamaica
Worst Moment: The layover in Atlanta was tough
Miss anything: Energy
Cravings: Still nectarines and blood oranges. Pineapple!
New symptoms: Nothing new
Looking forward to: G's new daycare starts this week and I think it'll be a good fit
Crafting: Still knitting that scarf. I also have the paintings to start!

Our last three days in Jamaica were great. G spent time at the kids club there and with us on the beach. It was a good combination I think. My parents loved spending time with him, which gave us a nice break and I thoroughly enjoyed lying in the sun on the beach, reading. We came back on Tuesday, and it was a full day of traveling. G did pretty well, but we were all happy to be home and in our own beds.

Friday we had another OB appointment. The nurse reassured me about the SUA again, because I just worry like that and gave me a medical grade support belt to wear. Apparently the pain I get when I stand up from sitting or sit up from lying down is all my abdominal muscles pulling apart. They were already pulled apart from G, and this pregnancy is exacerbating it. So I get a support belt. It's enormous. It's been helping a bit, but I can't wear it when I sit because it's so uncomfortable. Did I mention it's black and goes over your clothing in this humidity? G was with us and was crazy energetic. He kept running around the exam table and trying to unplug the light. My next appointment will include the glucose screen, so I had to schedule it for when James could watch G since I'll need to wait an hour between drinking that stuff and getting my blood drawn. G would go crazy if he had to wait that long. Two weeks after that is the next ultrasound to check on baby's growth!

Friday and Saturday were also spent packing up the house for the renovation to start (Monday) and moving to camp. This is our 5th move in 15 months, which will make moving back to our house our 6th move in 18 months. I LOATHE moving. And the cabins at camp aren't exactly designed for long term residency. The internet is spotty at best (I don't even bother using it because it's so slow), only 2 channels come in on the antenna for the TV, and there's no dishwasher! I'm very grateful they got a washer and dryer to hook up in our cabin so we can do our laundry here. G is going to love it because of the beach and the pier and the huge grounds to play in, but all the bugs are turning me into a hermit. It'll be a new adventure, but it's never easy adjusting to a new place to live. I'm grateful my mother in law and father in law came over to help us on Saturday. It made a huge difference, having them help us pack up the kitchen and the stuff that needed to stay at the house and help loading and unloading everything. Hopefully we remembered everything, but if not, the house isn't that far away and we'll be stopping by every few days to pick up mail anyways. As usual when faced with big changes I'm terrified and excited about it all!

23 weeks: Baby Girl is the size of a leafy seadragon

The belly is coming along nicely

22 Weeks

How far along: 22 weeks

Total weight gain: ?

Favourite clothes: Stayed in my bathing suit pretty much all week!

Sleeping: Meh

Best Moment: Watching G blow kisses at everyone ALL DAY LONG

Worst Moment: Daddy preference is taxing on both of us

Miss anything: All the fun drinks everyone got to try

Cravings: Chips (the resort didn't have chips!)

New symptoms: Braxton Hicks are starting up for sure 

Looking forward to: I have a doctor's appointment Friday, and I'm really looking forward to it because I'm so worried about her every since the ultrasound

Crafting: Working on a few knit projects, but I can't find my knitting needles, so I'll probably have to get some that are the right size

Sunday and Monday are kind of blurs; I hate getting ready for a trip, especially since having a baby. I always feel like I'm going to forget something. And my suitcase is usually half diapers nowadays. I think like the dogs, G can sense when something's up and he was a bit crazy. He pulled his changing pad off the dresser, and laid on it in the hallway, and ran around with his empty laundry hamper over his head. Adorable, but that child has waaaaay too much energy for his tired mama. 

The flight went really well, and is actually easier than flying cross country. I do NOT miss pumping, especially when we fly/travel. He slept for the first flight, which was less than an hour, but was pretty cranky on the longer flight (3 hrs), and fell asleep literally as we touched down. He ended up super fussy during the customs process, but slept the entire 80 minute bus ride to the resort. My parents flight was delayed, so we ended up playing with him on the beach while we waited. We were at Beaches, which is one of the family resorts in Negril. There were a LOT of little kids and a LOT of second/third/etc time pregnant moms there. And a lot of families traveling with their parents/in-laws like us. There were also a lot of weddings, 6 in one day alone!

We were on the third floor, which was a ton of stairs, and we ended up moving halfway through to an adjoining room with my parents. With just one room, you end up kinda stuck with your child's bedtime, so it was much nicer to have an adjoining room. My parents would let us take walks at night or we could just sit and talk without disturbing him or having to go to sleep at 8. The bed was a king, but not very comfortable, and I ended up pretty sore a few days in, which finally went away the last day we were there. 

We had a blast! Everyone was so friendly and everyone adored G! We loved the water and spent a pretty equal amount in the sea and in the pool area: G loved the splash pad and the lazy river. We ended up getting him a float, and he loved playing with it as well as floating in it! He especially loved the sand, and would get really upset when it was time to leave the beach. We actually couldn't let him walk by the beach because he'd want to play. He also loved the rain. One day, my dad and James and I were stopped for lunch when it just started to pour. We were eating under a canopied area, but G kept running around in the rain, laughing his head off! 

We made use of the resort's amenities. He spent a few days in childcare so we could have some nicer dinners (especially after a major tantrum during mom's birthday dinner--he doesn't do patient very well). He seemed to really like it and we discovered that if Daddy dropped him off and Mommy picked him up alone he was a lot more likely to cuddle and spend time with me. He still preferred Daddy, which became frustrating and exhausting for both of us, but by the end of the trip he was a bit better. We went on the glass bottom boat tour, once with G and once without. It was so much fun to see everything, including a HUGE stingray and they dove down to pick things up for us to hold, which was neat. G tried to chew on a starfish...we have a picture :) James and I went snorkeling, but unfortunately, James' mask leaked so badly that he couldn't really participate. Mine leaked, but I had a child's mask which was a little better. I saw so many things: needlefish and walnut jellyfish and more than I can list. Even just relaxing on the beach was great. James and I avoided a sunburn, but I did get a little tan. We don't look like we took a tropical vacation--at least we know our sunscreen works! 

We got to celebrate my mom's birthday on the day of at the hibachi place. After the food started, G was ok, but he was having trouble waiting for his food, so we put him in the childcare for my birthday dinner. The food was good, but not fantastic. It was a very different experience than the last time James and I went, and not just because it wasn't just us two. I prefer the first resort (they seemed more organized/on top of stuff), but G's face when Sesame Street characters walked by was great! We had so much fun and got to really relax. With everything that has been going on the last few months (moving, only unpacking essentials, the upcoming move to camp, finding out about the SUA, etc) I just haven't been doing anything but stressing out and teetering on the verge of a panic attack. The trip was perfect timing and truly let me relax; I didn't worry about anything, and having help with G beyond just James was so nice. Mom mentioned that he was way more active than I was, and I was a ball of energy; it made me feel like I'm doing ok with him.

The baby has really started moving lately. I can feel her from the outside, see my belly move with a kick every now and then and James has even felt her twice. I love feeling her, and look forward to night, when she seems to step up her activity. I can't wait for G to feel her move; I wonder what his reaction will be?

22 weeks: Baby Girl is the size of a newborn otter

He knows mommy's tummy is "baby" and knows what a "baby" in a book is.
I don't know if he really understands though.