Pregnancy Update

That's right, the picture is of me at 24 weeks. I'm as big as a house and I have another few months to go! I'm beginning to wonder how I'm going to carry around this growing baby for that long.

At my last appointment I asked to be checked for anemia, as I was very cold (colder than normal) and dog-tired. I know it's reasonable to expect to be tired while pregnant and caring for a toddler, but it seemed that no matter how much sleep I got, I was always dragging. Turns out I was right, and I am a bit anemic. I've started taking iron supplements which are working. I no longer need four blankets to sleep, and I have an easier time staying awake at my desk.

I had an OB check-up this week and everything is looking good. My weight is good, my blood pressure is good, and the baby's heartbeat is strong. (So are her movements!) The best news from the appointment is that I don't have to take the blood glucose test! Woo hoo! My doctor says that my risk factors are low, I didn't have it last time, my urine tests have been negative for sugars, and I'm having a c-section anyway, so there's no reason to test for it unless I want to. And really, who wants to? That orange drink is disgusting!

Red Means Stop!

We have been talking with Sophia about what the colors on a stoplight mean. Why? Because she gets impatient when we're stopped at a red light, and asks why we're stopped, when are we going again, etc. So we have been discussing that red means stop, green means go, and yellow means be careful (or my mom's version - yellow means go very fast).

She has gotten it, and it has helped her to understand a bit more about what's going on while we're driving. She gets excited when she sees a stoplight, tells me what color it is, and what that color means.

The only problem, which I did not predict, is explaining a free right on red. She has become a little traffic cop in the backseat (I didn't know backseat driving started this young) and gets very upset if I go when the light is red. I have tried to explain that it's okay for mommy to go when the light is red, but only sometimes, and only if it is safe. I'm just waiting for the day I get pulled over and she rats me out for going when the light was red!

Valentines Schmalentines!

Around here Valentines Day is just known as February 14th. In our married years we have not celebrated Valentines Day. We feel it's important to show our love for each other every day of the year, not just on one specific day. I would much rather get flowers (or ice cream!) from Ernie on a random day because he was thinking of me, than get me flowers on Valentines Day because he's "supposed to".

Don't get me wrong, we think it's great that other people celebrate. It's just not our thing. We hope that everyone, whether you celebrate Vday or not, feels loved and appreciated.

Update on Ernie's Uncle

Ernie's uncle has had some ups and downs in his recovery thus far. The great news is that he had his last major surgery today. At one point he developed a very bad infection (kalebsiella pneumonia), but thanks to quick action by the ICU staff he was able to recover from it with the right mix of medications. It really was a scary couple of days there, but then he started to mend and was finally well enough to withstand surgery again.

They have been working on lowering his sedation medication so that he can be more responsive. He has been able to mouth "I love you" to his wife and kids, and give kisses. Praise God! He has moved his shoulders and has affirmed that he feels pokes in his arms and hands. He does not agree that he feels pokes in his legs and feet yet, though has grimaced in pain when they've poked him really hard, so we are hopeful that he will not have any paralysis.

There are many more details that I could bore you with, but the real news is that he is recovering, slowly, but surely. Thanks to everyone for your prayers - they are working!

Say it Ain’t So!

Sophia has officially given up naps. And Ernie and I are not happy about it! Sophia’s bedtime is 8:00pm. For a week or so, we could hear her talking, playing, and reading books in her bed until well after 9:00pm. We thought that maybe she is getting too much sleep during the day and just isn’t tired until then. So, we tried letting her stay awake playing quietly in her room during naptime. Lo and behold, she fell asleep within minutes after 8:00 that night! Sometimes she still needs rest at naptime and will take a nap if she chooses, but most days she plays. We close her door to keep her in one place, and so that we can get some peace and quiet, but she knocks if she needs us. Mostly though, she is content to read books, do puzzles, and play with her trains.

Big Girl Bed

Today we moved Sophia to her big girl bed! Woo hoo! She was so excited. She's been counting down the sleeps for a week. We bought her bed at a garage sale down the street a few months ago, and it's been sitting in the garage since. When we bought it, Sophia was really getting interested in potty training, so we thought it might be a good incentive (once she was ready for underwear, she would be ready for a big girl bed). But, the potty training isn't working out, and we will need the crib soon for baby #2, so we decided to make the move early.

It was quite a move, as her entire room needed to be rearranged, with some furniture going into the new baby's room. It took me most of the day, but Sophia's room is cleaned and organized, and the baby's room is mostly cleaned. It's organized, but there are a few things that still need to be put away. And throughout the whole project, Ernie and I didn't fight once! Finally, after 8.5 years of marriage, we are able to work so well as a team that we don't end up in an argument. I think that's progress!