Mile 14

Just over half way finished with pregnancy #2. Things have been smooth sailing, and I am really starting to feel pregnant. I'm not sure if it's due to my increased awareness, or this baby is a maniac, but it seems to never stop wiggling. I don't think it ever sleeps. With Charlotte, if I didn't feel her wiggle for a few hours, I thought nothing of it. This time, a few minutes goes by and I start to wonder. But it never leaves me worrying too long.  I made it to 24 weeks in normal clothes with Charlotte, and was hoping to do the same this time around, but I might not quite make it. At almost 22, I am down to 2 pairs of pants that fit comfortably. So, maybe I'll switch at 23 and call it close enough.

We have officially decided to not find out the gender of the baby, and subsequently, not name the baby until we meet him/her.  I am surprisingly okay with this.  I feel like I was 95% of the driving force in naming Charlotte, so this time, I really want it to be mostly on Jer. He prefers to meet the baby, then decide, so that's what we're going with. That's not to say I don't have some favorites in mind.

It's amazing how different it feels to be pregnant with a baby already in your life.  I am starting understanding the delicate and difficult balance of loving 2 children. With Charlotte, my whole world revolved around the pregnancy: scrapbooks, calendars, journals, preparation. This time, I have barely remembered to fill out a little calendar. I am also realizing that lack of scrapbook pages does not correlate with lack of love. I know I will love this baby just as fiercely as I love Charlotte.

And speaking of Charlotte, it seemed impossible, but she has gotten even cuter. She is exploding with new words and big personality. She loves to play and dance and sing. She is now requesting songs by name (or corresponding hand motion, as the case may be).

The other day Abbey had a sock in her mouth and Charlotte came running to me, "Abbey! Sock! Nono!" So we retrieved the sock-in-danger and I asked Charlotte to go put it in the hamper. Big smile, she ran off and abandoned the sock in an unknown location.  Later that day (hours later) we were getting ready to leave and I told her I needed to put my socks on before we could go. Light bulb! "SOCK!" and she ran away, retrieved the rogue sock, and came running proudly back to me. Genius.

Every night before Jeremy and I head to bed, we sneak in and say goodnight to her. I rearrange her blankets, turn her fan down, and tell her we love her. Most nights, Jeremy is dragging me out of her room, convincing me not to pick her up and squeeze her one last time. Last night, I went in alone, she stirred a little, one thing led to the next, and I spent the next twenty minutes rocking and snuggling my sleeping baby girl. It was magical. Her clean hair, her heavy breathing, her hand wrapped around my neck.  So incredibly blessed to participate in these fleeting moments.

What a gift.

Ready to go "side" and play

Spinning Charlie in the chair

More than half way there!

C'mon Mom! 

Stuck!

Rainy day fun

16 Months

Charlotte is a little over 16 months now, which means 1.5 is looming dangerously close.  One and a half????  No! Why do certain milestones seem so far away until they are knocking on your door?

She is hysterical. And brilliant. Obviously.  At lunch today we were talking about making a list of all her words and I realized I might not be able to make an all inclusive list, because there are so many, but here's my best attempt:

Mommy
Daddy
Abbey
Wawa (Water)
All Do (All done)
More
Please
No No
Poo
Walk (when she sees Abbey's leash)
Go
Seat
Wow
Pac (Paci)
Ya! (Which is usually uuuYA with very enthusiastic eyebrows and clapping)
Crackoo (Cracker)
Cereal
Bye-Bye
Hi
Niiiii (Nice, as in: Be nice to Abbey)
Gentle
Baby
Shoe
Sock
Side (Outside)
Nigh Nigh (Goodnight)
Work

See what I mean, the list is long! And growing daily. She also know quite a few animal noises, but no need to list those, I'm hopeful you know what the cow says.

Also, it's not just that she is saying words, she is talking and understanding way beyond what I ever would have expected. I have a feeling for the rest of my life she will amaze me with her accomplishments and growth.

A lot of times, she is stringing together two or three word sentences. "Daddy work" "Shoe, go, bye bye"

When she isn't using "real" words, she is in a non-stable jibber jabber.  She looks at you, dead pan, and rattles off this long sentence, certain you understand. Her facial expressions alone are enough to crack you up.

I will actually miss her constant gibberish when she starts talking like boring grown ups.

Her newest favorite activity is singing. Ask her to sing her "ABCs" and she gets a huge smile on her face and starts "singing." Adorable.

She loves to play "side" (outside) and pretty much anywhere new.  The park, a friend's house, the mall. She also loves to run away from me. We are working on distinguishing between a light hearted game of chase and a death defying escape through a parking lot. All in due time!

She is in and out of separation anxiety, completely melting down last week at church in the nursery, but doing just fine over and grandparents' houses.

She loves to spin and make herself dizzy. She loves to jump and dance and run. Unless sleeping, she never stops moving.

She is starting to grasp the idea of pretend.  She will lie down on the floor and say "Nigh Nigh" with a smile on her face.  She will pretend to pick something up and give it to you to eat.

She loves to empty out drawers, and examine every item inside, leaving a disaster in her wake.

There are some strong opinions forming and being voiced. Yesterday, she refused to eat her oatmeal until I put it in a bowl. As soon as I figured out what she was asking for, she happily finished the entire meal.

Impossibly, I love her more and more everyday.

The reality of a newborn joining the family has still not set in. We have come so far with Charlotte, we can't possibly be starting from square one again! Do I even remember what having a newborn is like?  And wasn't she my newborn yesterday?