Ok, so a LOT has happened since that last post. The Wednesday before Anthony's first birthday (Nov 17) we found out we were expecting another little love! SURPRISE! We were actually waiting for that cycle to end before we were going to start trying again, but obviously someone had other plans!
We had a house guest (Anthony's GodFather) over when I took the test so he was one of the first to find out. He was surprised and happy for us. Him and his wife had tried, but had no luck and had put it on hold for a little bit because of changes in life course.
Well, I had NO way of telling how far along I was this time around, but I figured I was about 4-6 weeks along. Of course, telling Mom was pretty easy this time. She had to know something was up because SHE called ME just after we got the BFP!
*Cough Cough*
Mom: Are you ok? sounds like you are sick again!
Me: Well, kinda yea
Mom: What does that mean? Wait a minute...are you pregnant again??
Me: Umm, yea. SURPRISE! We literally JUST found out!
Mom laughing: Well Congrats! I thought you weren't trying yet! Was this a surprise?
Me: Oh yea, we were waiting for my period before we were going to start trying again. I guess other plans were made!
So, that made it pretty easy to tell her plus I was about to burst at the seams I had to tell someone!
We had our first appointment the first week of December and found out we weren't as far along as we thought. We thought we could be about 8-9 weeks at that point and had told everyone in the family at Anthony's big party on Nov 28th. Come to find out, we were 6w6d. We had found out pretty much at 4 1/2 weeks. Got a faint heartbeat (heart starts beating around 6 weeks so it has little practice at that point) and a due date. July 22nd. Day after our anniversary! So, we could be in the hospital for our anniversary this time around! That's ok, though. We are SO excited!
We've since had 2 more appointments (Jan 12th and yesterday, Feb 9th) and heard a nice healthy heartbeat. A little bugger at staying in one place, much like big brother, but that's ok. It means that all is going well in my book.
One little snag in the mean time, we had an AFP blood screening done (couldn't remember if we did it for Anthony and figured why not?) and it came back positive. Next step is a level 2 ultra sound (more details, high tech, and PHENOM photos) and we have the option of genetic testing and doing an Amnio. We've decided that the u/s is the farthest we'll go. Anything else is too much. We love this baby, no matter if it came out with 3 heads and 10 legs (OUCHIE!). Plus ANY risk of losing the baby is too high of a risk. For more info on AFP screening here's a link that I found helpful: http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/afp/a/afptesting.htm. Read my main blog for more of my thoughts on this subject.
Beyond that, we've decided we don't want to know if we are having a boy or girl this time around. How many surprises like hearing "Its a boy/girl" do you really get in life? Plus, we have so much stuff that can go either way and girls wear blue too. There are quite a few people who aren't on board with us, but that's ok. We know what we want to do and we can always change our minds at the last minute!
I started out a little heavier than last time (ok a lot heavier) and have lost about 3-5 lbs before gaining back at least 3. I believe I may have already gained about 6 total, but I have been horrible at keeping track! The belly is already there and its getting hard to bend over and do all those lovely things. I've also felt movement since about 6 or 7 weeks. Strange as it is, I know what I felt and I know it wasn't just gas. Movement is a little less right now, but that's ok. I still hadn't felt Anthony at all at this point!
I quit nursing Anthony on January 2, 2011. 13 1/2 months of nursing my baby boy. Quite the feat in my book! I'm proud! Would have liked to go longer, but for the sake of Anthony gaining weight and me being as healthy and focused on the new baby, I stopped. I'll never regret that choice that I made. He still looks at my bra and acts like he still nurses from time to time, but that's ok. Just lets me know he appreciates what I did for him. Hopefully I can do the same this time around with the new baby!
I've been lazy about taking photos too, but I have a photo from Christmas with my belly! I've compared the size to last time and I look like I'm about 6-8 weeks farther along than I am (compared to my belly with Anthony). But, with each child, you get bigger faster. Yay.
I'm still working at Adam's store and plan on working until I either can't or I go into labor. Then the plan is me either doing some sort of work from home (VERY part time again) or just being a stay at home mom. If we get a house (which we plan to in the next 12 months!), I want to see if I could possibly babysit another family's kids for a little extra money. We are getting assistance this time around from the state (WIC and insurance since Adam's employers won't pay for it and won't up his insurance checks) so its a little easier now. Anyone want some extra crunchy peanut butter? I've got enough for the end of the Earth!
In the mean time, I'm trying to keep up with the new baby's pregnancy journal (same kind of journal as I kept for Anthony, one for each kid!) and keep up with Anthony and all his hi-jinx.
Anthony started showing signs of wanting to walk more a few days before his birthday and ended up taking the most steps right around the same time as his big party on the 28th. Ever since, he's been a walkin fool with all the miles he puts on in a day. He goes up and down the hall, runs around the living room, gets into everything, and loves being chased. This kid just can't get enough!
He also got 2 more teeth about mid January, so now he has all 8 front teeth. 4 on top and 4 on bottom. He's also gotten into flashing those pearly whites whenever he can. He seems to think its his get out of jail free card.
As for words, he seems to be saying a lot, but we have trouble figuring out what most of them are. He says Cah! (car? cat? cup?) Dada (and occasional Papa), Mama, Ah Gah! (all gone!), Tee (we think its kitty since it sometimes comes out tee-cah and the tee sounds like it could be more kee), bah (ball), ah da! (all done!) Neh (sippy/thirsty/hungry, its from his infant talk days), and more I'm sure I'm not thinking of. He mostly babbles, but a lot of it sounds like real words. No idea if he's just mimicking or he's actually trying to talk to us like we do to him. He does talk A LOT though. He loves talking on the phone but usually ends up either hanging up or muting the person. He's also made calls to random people on my phone and sent a few text messages. He's also figured out how to take photos with borders on my phone amongst other things. The kid is SUPER smart. And LOVES the remote. He's just as bad as Adam at walking off with the remote into another room and then coming back empty handed. More than once we've had to tear the house apart looking for it.
He's SO loving. You ask for a kiss and make a kissy face, he'll probably kiss you. It will also probably be either open mouth or slobbery or both. But he finds it fun. He's also really big with being thrown on the bed. We have an air mattress bed so it cushions him and lets him bounce a little without worry of hurting him. He squeals with such delight when we do this every night. He also likes to pick out the books we read every night. He'll turn the pages and "talks" to us to tell us what he thinks of what's going on. With GoodNight Moon, he'll wave goodnight to the pages that read "Goodnight stars, good night air". Its SO cute! He even knows that if you forget to count the number of monkeys (or lady bugs) in his counting books, he will NOT let you close that book. You have to take his hand and help him point to each one, counting out loud. He's pretty good at putting his own hand on the right spot. I tell ya, he's ALWAYS learning something new and amazing us!
I haven't weighed him lately but I'm not sure how long I'm really going to do that. He finally broke 20 lbs on his birthday. Dr was a little concerned since he was slowly falling off the chart, but with him breaking the 20# mark, he bounced back on to the scale and we don't have to be as concerned. Not that I really was. He eats at least 3 good meals a day, hates refined sugar, hasn't ever tried fatty foods, and LOVES his fruits and veggies, pasta and sauce. He's even got a little bit of a belly! He's still in size 3 diapers, but that's ok. More diapers per box and we aren't in any hurry to move him along. He'll grow at his own rate.
He isn't too crazy about strangers and certainly won't go to them, but if he knows you or we spend enough time around you, he'll warm up and might even let you hold him and give you a kiss! We are still working on Bye Bye (he waves his fingers in his own face over his lips instead of waving them toward the person leaving), but he'll typically do a kiss goodbye. Recently, we left him at Adam's aunt Christene and uncle Chad. What a little trooper! He behaved so well! He even fell asleep for them while playing patty cake (which makes him giggle like NO tomorrow!).
He's very well sleep trained and typically gets himself back to sleep in the 5 minutes we give him. He had a rough patch last weekend, but the neighbors upstairs were having a blow out party weekend which kept him up and messed him up, but he's back where he should be. I still rock and sing him to sleep, but I think I'll do that for a LONG time. He likes it and it gets him to sleep FAST usually. Plus its a good time to bond! When I put him in his crib, he'll flip over onto his belly, reach for his sippy (full of plain water, TYVM) and snuggle in for the night. He goes to bed around 10-10:30 and wakes up between 8:15 and 9 which is just in time for his breakfast. He loves the oatmeal his Papa makes more than mine, but he likes a lot of the dinners I make for him. He's still pretty good at his naps, but has days when he wants to be awake more and days where he's more apt to sleep longer. I'll never complain, it gives me more down time to either catch a nap myself or get something done around the house.
All in all, my boys drive me nuts and I often wonder what I've gotten myself into with another on the way. But then I'll have my boys snuggle on my lap, get a kiss from each one and remember that I love the whole crazy train I'm on.
I'm going to try and get better at blogging (sorry, new baby. Momma is a bit of a slacker at times!) but please be patient if its a bit between each post. Life isn't always the easiest for me to set time aside for things like this!
