Babymoon

So... We're back! And I bet you didn't even know we were gone! :) I didn't want to post about us being away from home beforehand, in the off chance that some weirdo might come and rob our house or whatever. But Gus and I just got back today from a 4-day cruise down to Mexico and back. I have this entire week off from school, and we thought it would be nice to get away for a bit before baby #2 arrived-- a "babymoon," so to speak. Neither one of us had never been on a cruise before, and the prices were too good to resist. So we dropped Nikos off at Yia-yia and Pappou's house, off we went!

We left on a cold and cloudy Sunday, and were fully prepared for the cruise to be chilly. We knew there was a huge storm coming (the forecast said it would dump 2-4 inches), and that we'd be sailing right into it. And that's exactly what we did! As we cruised out of the San Diego harbor, things were fine... But by bedtime, the ship was rocking pretty significantly. It was hard to sleep, because I kept thinking that we were having an earthquake! When we finally rolled out of bed in the morning, it was awful. Here's what we saw out of our window:

Yup: whitecaps. Not exactly what you want to see out in the open ocean. Everyone was staggering around the ship like they were drunk (though some of them definitely were). The staff members were passing out barf bags all over the place. Gus (who gets sea sick to begin with) and I were not feeling so hot. We bundled up in our warmest clothes and sat for a long time at a table on the upper deck, so we could get some fresh (freezing) air. After about lunchtime, things started to settle down and we were feeling a lot better. We even got dressed up for "formal night," and had our picture taken together!

Actually, we were supposed to stop at Catalina Island for the day, but that had to be postponed because the port was closed down. We ended up having our "fun day at sea" a few days earlier than planned, and then going to Catalina the next day.

Catalina was an experience, too! We'd been there before, a few years ago, so we knew what to expect as far as what the town of Avalon had to offer. We did not, however, know what to expect when it came to getting from the cruise ship to the island. The Port of Catalina is way too small for the cruise ship to dock there, so we dropped anchor outside the harbor and had to take small boats, or "tenders," in to the pier. There was quite a wait to get onto the tenders, since the water was still pretty rough and there were some strong currents to contend with. At one point, the tender service was shut down entirely while the cruise ship turned to face a different direction. When we finally got onto the island in the afternoon, we looked around in the little shops for about an hour before it started to rain again. We didn't know how long the rain would last, or if it would start to pour, so we got back in line to take a tender back to the ship.


The next day (yesterday), we woke up in Ensenada to find (gasp!) a blue, sunny sky overhead! Eager to explore someplace we'd never been before, we showered, wolfed down a quick breakfast from the omelet bar, and headed down to the gangway. Though the weather was great, Ensenada was... Ensenada. Pretty typical Mexican tourist city: lots of grubby little kids trying to sell you Chiclets, panhandlers (all children), street vendors trying to sell the same exact items on every corner (a bracelet with your name on it! sunglasses! your name on a grain of rice!), street taco stands, and drugstores everywhere advertising pain killers, muscle relaxants, and all sorts of prescription-only items in the U.S. We walked up and down the length of Avenida Lopez Mateos (the main drag), got a t-shirt for Nikos and an ornament for our Christmas tree, and then walked back to the boat for lunch. We then opted to spend our afternoon enjoying the warm weather by laying out in the sunshine up by the pool. That, I think, was the best part of the entire trip! Whenever we got too hot, we could pop in and grab some lemonade or some ice cream at the buffet. We definitely didn't go hungry, that's for sure!

Then, last night, we were packing our suitcase and getting it ready to put in the hallway outside our stateroom for collection. I went to zip up one side and POP! The zipper came off in my hand. Gus was carefully zipping up the other side, and made it more than halfway, when POP! The other zipper came off. Talk about an "oh crap!" moment... I found our cabin steward and asked him if he had rope or twine or something, and he was able to procure some masking tape. We wound tape all around the bag, but there was no way we could let the baggage handlers take it (I could just envision my dirty underwear floating in the harbor... doh!). Gus ended up carrying that massive suitcase down six flights of stairs to the gangway when it was time to get off the boat, and we managed to make it home without further incident.

Anyway... We're home now and, even though we had fun, it feels good to be back on land. I missed our baby boy like crazy, and can't wait to see him again tomorrow!!

Another Look!

Here she is, in all her cuteness! Well, to be honest, many of the pictures look slightly creepy/distorted-- but that's the nature of the beast. Little Rainbow wanted to keep her hand near (or in) her mouth through much of the experience, but we still got a good look. She is definitely a girl (yay!), her heart rate was 144 bpm, and she is currently breech (transverse-- her head is on my right side, and her rear is on my left). Not that the breech part matters, since she'll be a scheduled c-section, but it was still interesting (Nikos was sunnyside up, if you'll recall... apparently my babies both have a rebellious and/or confused streak).

Anyhow... I am posting a link to the album, rather than putting the actual pictures on here, since I know there are a few people who don't want to see her until she makes her real arrival. And like I said, some of these pictures are creepy... But nonetheless, enjoy! :)
Our Baby Girl's 3D/4D Ultrasound Pics

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here are some pics of the little guy I took last night before dinner... We were playing a new game-- he repeatedly closed the door to his room, and I opened it again, causing endless giggles of delight. It was the cutest thing ever!

Next, he had to give Sugarbear some lovin' (sorry it's blurry)

Also, these are the Valentine cards that Nikos decorated for his friends at daycare. I think he did an excellent job!

Tonight, Gus and I are going to go have a 3D/4D ultrasound done of our baby girl in lieu of spending money on flowers or a fancy dinner. I can't wait!!

More Good News & Bad News

The good news is that I passed the 3-hour glucose test with flying colors! I do not have gestational diabetes, and am free to continue indulging my gigantic sweet tooth as needed. YES!!

The bad news is that it poured today, and that the rain will likely continue throughout most of the week. While this is normally something to celebrate where we live (we can always use the water!), it makes for a really miserable work week. Especially when the place you work happens to be undergoing massive construction. Not only is the whole school located in one giant mud puddle, but the convenient parking lot is shut down for the year-- meaning that everyone has to park in the upper lot, which is quite an uphill/downhill hike (depending on which way you're going). Throw in some blowing-sideways rain and a raincoat that won't close since it's not maternity-sized, and you've got one soggy and freezing teacher. And that was at 7:15am-- not a great way to start the day! The good news is that at least they have finally fixed the heat in my building. Oh, and that my ceiling didn't leak (my neighbor's did-- in two spots). I am going to be so glad when this construction is finished and we have a nice new school, but getting there is pretty miserable on days like today!

Metamorphosis of a Room

So Rainbow's room isn't done yet, but the basic stuff is all there. Here are some pictures, by request! They go all the way back to when we first moved in (and Gus had to remove the hideous wallpaper), through the room's life as our den, and finally its change into our second nursery. What a difference four years makes!

3-Hour Glucose Test

Well... I survived! I was able to get a Saturday appointment (very convenient!), so I arrived at the lab at 7:30 this morning. They did a baseline blood draw, made me drink the same lovely orange-flavored beverage as last time, and then drew my blood every hour for three hours. My poor arm is all bruised from the needles, and I won't find out if I passed until Monday, but still-- I survived! And it was not fun!

The first hour was actually the hardest. I had no problem gulping down the glucose drink, but it did not settle well in my empty stomach. I kept burping and felt like I was going to throw up, yet somehow I kept it down. It didn't help that Rainbow was doing acrobatics in my belly, either! The second hour went by very quickly, since I was feeling a lot better and had enough energy to read my book and play games on our Nintendo DS. The third hour, I was just trying to stay awake. I felt weak and hungry (since I hadn't eaten anything for well over 12 hours), and I stared at the clock every minute or two. But once it was all said and done, and I was able to eat the tortilla chips I had stowed in the car, life was good! I ran a few errands, and was home just in time to feed Nikos his lunch.

Speaking of Nikos... He took his first two naps in his toddler bed today! After having no problems at night all week, we were still worried that the daytime naps would be a different story. Nope! He took a great nap this morning, and a slightly shorter one this afternoon, but he stayed in the bed the entire time! I just hope he keeps it up! He's been Mr. Crankypants the past few days, because it's been raining and he hasn't been able to go outside. So a good nap is a very desirable thing!

In other news... Gus is being manly today. He replaced our dead garbage disposal (hooray!) and is about to work on installing hard-wired ceiling lights into both the kids' rooms. He's been studying his Home Depot books on plumbing and electrical projects. :) Go Gus!!

Failure Times Two

First, a video of my little "failure to thrive" kiddo. Really, he is the poster child for malnourishment, don't you think? Ugh... Still so annoyed!

(FYI, Gus was hitting him with the washcloth because, up until I started taking this video, it was making Nikos laugh hysterically. Of course he had to stop when the camera was rolling!)

On another note, I found out today that I failed my one-hour glucose test yesterday. Doh! After one hour, my glucose level should have been somewhere between 80 and 130. Mine was 150, which is considered "slightly elevated." Slightly enough that my diet yesterday could have affected the results, since I was not required to fast prior to the test. And, being the sweet tooth that I am, I could not pass up the lovely sugary cake that was sitting in the teacher's lounge at recess. So I think I pretty much shot myself in the foot on that one.

So what does it all mean? It means that I could possibly have gestational diabetes, though I honestly doubt it. I have to go back in for a three-hour glucose test, which I have heard is decidedly un-fun. I have to fast all night, skip breakfast, and go for the test first thing in the morning. If my glucose levels are normal, then all is good. If they're not, then I have to set up an appointment with a dietitian and go on the diabetic diet (which also sounds quite unappealing). So... let's just hope I pass, because I'm tired of "failing" at everything this week! I will call tomorrow to set up the appointment.

New Due Date, etc.

Well, I had an appointment with my OB today, and he officially changed my due date from May 11th to the 7th. Which means I will most likely have a scheduled c-section sometime the week before that. Which therefore means that I have officially lost a week, and that it's time to panic! Ok, not so much. But still, this pregnancy is going at warp speed, and I feel like May is just around the corner. This is such a change from last time, where the weeks seemed to stretch on forever. I guess it helps to work full-time AND have a toddler around!

Speaking of said toddler... I am still mad about his appointment on Monday (the whole "failure to thrive" business). When Gus left the appointment, he also happened to forget Nikos' immunization record and the information sheet they give at all the well-baby appointments (with his stats, etc.). So it arrived in the mail today, promptly causing me to become irritated all over again. For the record, our "failure to thrive" child is now eating two (2) breakfasts-- one at home, one at daycare, gigantic snacks, and all the milk we can get in him. Bonnie, our awesome daycare lady, is aware of the whole situation and is attempting to fatten up the little goose as well. It really upsets me, because I don't want him to have an unhealthy relationship with food or become a kid who expects to eat 24/7 (a "grazer"). We are pretty much just trying this out until March 2nd, when he has his follow-up appointment. I guess we'll see what happens then. Personally, I think that he is a very happy and healthy kid as is, and that he is not "failing to thrive" by any stretch of the imagination. (oh, and for what it's worth, Nikos is the same exact size as an 18-month-old little boy he goes to daycare with-- who is also happy and healthy.)

But back to happier things... Like I said, I had my appointment today, and was measuring at almost 27 weeks (right on target for a May 7th due date). Her heartbeat was strong and fast, probably because I had just chugged the lovely orange-flavored glucose drink for my gestational diabetes test. I should get those results back fairly soon, but am pretty confident that I will pass (since I did last time). I talked with my doctor about getting my tubes tied, which I will most likely do if I have a repeat c-section. And other than that, the appointment was as routine as ever. I got the pre-admission paperwork for the hospital, and scheduled my 30 week appointment for the 25th. Yes, that's only three weeks away. And I will be in the third trimester(!!). Like I said, time is flying... Yikes!

Good News & Bad News

First, the bad news... Gus took Nikos for his 15-month well-baby appointment today, and it turns out that our wiggle-worm has not gained a single ounce since his 12-month appointment. He has, however, grown taller. I attribute the lack of weight gain to his newly discovered mobility, but the doctor still thinks there is some cause for concern (or vigilance, at the least). She wants Nikos to be on a high-calorie diet for the next month, and then come in for a follow-up visit. She used the words that sounded so terrible: "failure to thrive." Essentially, it means that he has temporarily fallen off of his normal growth curve. While his weight is generally at about the 50th percentile, he has dropped to the 10th-25th percentile. I find it so frustrating, since he is a great eater and eats many of the foods that are on the high-calorie, high-nutritional-value list she provided. Her one suggestion was to put Nikos in his highchair for snacks, so that he focuses on eating the snacks rather than playing. She also suggested adding powdered milk or Carnation Instant Breakfast to his milk at breakfast time to boost his calories. Still, I feel like I have somehow failed at one of the most basic aspects of parenting. And it's really upsetting! I am certainly not starving my little guy... Maybe he just takes after his daddy and is meant to be skinny??

The good news, however, is that Nikos likes his toddler bed! He thinks it is great fun to climb around on during the day, but has conked out right away two nights in a row. In fact, he even slept until 6:40 this morning (which was okay because he had his doctor's appointment, and didn't have to get ready for daycare). He was so excited to play in his room today, too! He loves his beanbag chairs, and was so excited to have his books moved to a different area with easier access. We still have to wait until this weekend to see how things go during naptime (when he's much more likely to attempt to climb out and play), but I am cautiously optimistic. I can't believe how quickly he adapted to this big change-- I am impressed!

Busy Saturday

I. Am. So. Sore. I am fairly certain that almost, if not all, of my joints and muscles are screaming at me right now. The good news is that we got a TON of stuff done today! I actually took Nikos up to my parents' house this weekend, so that he could get in some quality Grandma and Grandpa time and we could really focus on our home improvement projects. And that is exactly what we did all day today!

I started the morning by scraping the "popcorn" off the ceiling of Rainbow's closet. It's not a difficult thing to do (spray on water. wait. scrape off.), but it involves working with your arms over your head, which can get pretty exhausting. And it makes an awful mess, though I did have the foresight to throw down a vinyl dropcloth beforehand. Once that was done, I handed the closet over to Gus to work on his built-in drawers. It took him almost the entire day, but it's finished! Well, the installation, at least. It still needs paint (as does the rest of the closet interior), but that will be on the "to do" list for tomorrow. It looks fantastic!

Meanwhile, I removed and painted the closet door, and hung new white curtains over the window. I then assembled Nikos' toddler bed. I convinced Gus to help me move the bed into Nikos' room, and then I proceeded to disassemble the crib so that we could move it to the new baby's room. We ended up moving the crib, the rocking chair, and the changing table all into the new baby's room, which meant that Nikos' room got a makeover of its own! He got two new beanbag chairs (one that looks like a football and one that looks like a baseball), the toddler bed, and some new drawers in his closet for storing his clothes. I even made him a little reading area, with his comfy chair, stuffed animals, and lots of books. I can't wait to see his face when he sees what has happened to his room!

His sister's room is looking great, too. There is still a lot of junk in there (remnants from the room's former life as our office), and the closet needs to be finished inside, but everything else is looking fantastic! I made up her crib with all the linens and everything, and it is just how I imagined. I also attached a mirror to the back of her closet door (which I repainted and reinstalled with new hardware this afternoon). Oh, and I found a really cute little message board while I was out shopping that totally matched the colors in the bedding, so I will be mounting that on the wall, too. So much to do!

Anyway, that was our day... Tomorrow should be a little slower, since we got the big stuff finished today. Plus, our friends Bryce and Aditi are back in town for the weekend (they live in Texas now), so we'll be meeting them for brunch. I can't wait to see pictures from their big wedding in India!

She's So Heavy

(and if you don't know the Beatles song I am referring to, I suggest you get yourself a copy of Abbey Road ASAP!)

Anyhow... I feel gigantic. All of a sudden, my belly is starting to get in the way of my day-to-day activities. Like, say, putting on socks and shoes. Up until very recently, I could sit on the bed, pull one leg up at a time, and get the job done. Tonight, after showering, I hopped around the bedroom for a few minutes, trying to get a single sock on. I ended up just sitting on the floor to do it. The problem with doing that is that it has also become more difficult to hoist myself back up to standing. Let the fun begin!

I've also noticed I just feel, well, heavy lately. After sitting for a bit, I will stand up and notice that all the joints in my pelvis feel sore. I guess it's the relaxin starting to kick in-- that wonderful chemical that causes pregnant ladies' joints to go all loosey-goosey in preparation for delivery. Well take note of this, body: I am having a scheduled c-section! So really, you can ease up on the relaxin production, because it's just not necessary. And downright uncomfortable, too!

In happier news... We are making slow but steady progress on preparing ourselves for Rainbow's arrival (hehe! I giggle whenever I call her "Rainbow!"). We stayed out of her room completely this weekend, mainly because Nikos was too cute and we decided to spend the time playing with him instead. But we did make several big purchases that will help everything come together: a toddler bed, two bean bag chairs (one that looks like a baseball and one that looks like a football), and a small computer armoire. The first two items will free up the crib and glider that are currently in Nikos' room-- they will be moved to Rainbow's room. The armoire will go next to the piano, and give us a place to hide all our computer stuff that used to be in the office. So, we're getting there! Next weekend will be a work weekend, so here's hoping we get a lot done!

And finally... I found this pattern online today for DIY nursing covers, which I am very excited about! I am hoping that I can find some fabric this week, and that my mommy (the expert seamstress) will make one for me. (pretty pretty please??? I know you're reading this!) She has already agreed to re-cover the cushions from the glider so that they will match Rainbow's room AND she's working on a top-secret quilt, but I hope she can squeeze this in because it would be AWESOME! :)

Party Time!

Today was the day Nikos has been waiting for... Teagen's birthday party! He had a great time playing with his buddies from daycare, eating cake, and crawling around in the bouncy house (he didn't want to get out!). Anyway, he had a ton of fun, and is now conked out in his crib. He's all partied out!
Party time!
With Teagen (left) and Noah
Playing at the sand table with Noah
Bouncy house!!
Teagen says, "Any day now..."

Nikos: Rock Star

As it turns out, Nikos is very popular with the little girls at his daycare... Two quick stories:

1. After I dropped him off at daycare yesterday, I stopped on Bonnie's front porch to sift through all the free Hallmark Christmas stuff she got from another parent and was giving away (woohoo! Free stuff!). A dad showed up with his little red-haired girl, whose name I can never remember. At any rate, the little girl (probably around 3 or 4 years old) ran into the house without giving him a kiss or hug goodbye. When he called after her to try and lure her back, her response was classic: "But I have to say hi to NIKOS!! I have to say hi!!!" I love it!!! This is the same little girl who, once upon a time, clung to Bonnie's leg as I was dropping Nikos off. She kept tugging on Bonnie's shirt and asking "Can I say hi to Nikos now? Can I???" hahaha!!

2. Today, after I got home and picked him up from Bonnie's, we made a quick run to the supermarket to get a few things. As we were headed toward the meat counter, I suddenly heard a little voice SHRIEKING, "MOMMY! That's NIKOS!!! THAT'S NIKOS!!!!!" And no, it wasn't the little red-haired girl... This was a little blondie, about the same age, and her mom looked mortified that she was making such a scene in the store and pointing at my son (I've met the dad before, but never the mom). Personally, I thought it was hilarious! Nikos, obviously recognizing her, smiled and pointed back.

That's right, my son has groupies. I guess this is the perk of going to a daycare where most of the kiddos are slightly older girls?!? hahaha!! :)

Busy, Busy Day

Today was a "pupil-free" day for us, which meant that we had meetings and whatnot but didn't actually have to teach. The upside, of course, was that our principal let us out in time to run to our classrooms and watch the inauguration! Yes! So a bunch of us ran to my room, only to find that a) the cable TV was out school-wide (thank you, construction workers), and b) we couldn't watch it on any of the major news websites because of bandwidth issues (they were all jammed). Great.

Luckily, one of my coworkers lives just a few blocks from school, so we decided to hightail it over to her house, where she was recording it already (thank you, digital cable!). When we started out, it was just the three of us fifth grade teachers. By the time we got to her house, there were over 20 teachers trekking along behind us!! It was great, though. We rewound to the beginning, and all watched it together. It was such a powerful experience, and it was even better to share it with a bunch of people who I genuinely like. I'd have to say it was pretty memorable!

Anyway, after we listened to Elizabeth Alexander recite her poem, we figured we should probably head back to work. And work we did! My brain hurts from today. As a team, we met to discuss all the end-of-year activities that I normally run. I had to delegate a whole bunch of things and explain a lot (I ended up typing a ton of notes for them, too). And then I got started on putting together a binder for my substitute when I'm out on maternity leave. It won't be as hard as last time, but boy is there a lot to cover! I am revising the Word document I created last time so that it fits with how I do things this year, and already there are so many changes. And so many things that need to be added, because of all the aforementioned end-of-year activities. It's insane! I'm glad I started early, because it made me realize just how much there is to do. And with Nikos around now, I don't have nearly as much time to stay after school and work on things as I once did!

But yes, it was a busy day indeed. We went for a quick lunch at Taco Bell (where else?), but I never stopped working when I was in my classroom. And I didn't accomplish even half of what I had planned to do today. Yikes!!

Haircut

Well, I cut Nikos' hair today, since it was getting out of control. He hated every second of it, but it didn't turn out too badly, I suppose... It could have been a lot worse, considering I am no stylist! I am still mourning the loss of his curls, but I know they'll be back in a flash. His hair grows so quickly! Anyway, here he is, Mr. Happy himself:

I think he loves it, don't you? :P

A Day in Photos...

The weather has been beautiful here lately, so we decided to play outside today! We packed up the wagon and walked to our neighborhood park, where we managed to stumble upon not one, but TWO dog obedience classes. Nikos, who is OBSESSED with dogs, was in heaven! He kept shrieking "Doggie!! Doggie!!!" over and over, and even tried to crawl halfway across the park to where all the doggies were. He had a great time! He went on the swings for a long time, ate his crackers, and was just generally a happy camper.

After the (uphill) walk back to the house, we thought it might be fun to fill up the wading pool and let him go for a dip. Though the air was nice and warm, the water was still pretty cold... He loved standing in the water and splashing around, but had no interest in sitting down or getting his belly wet. Once he was done playing in there, he toweled off and played for a bit on his play structure. All in all, a very fun morning/early afternoon!









Tonight, we're going to go out to dinner as a family, just the three of us. This is actually a first! We've gone to lunch with him before, but never dinner. I'm excited-- it should be fun! :)

The Queen of Bargains Strikes Again!

I don't know what it is lately... First, I found the impossible-to-find crib sheet on CraigsList for a whopping $10. Then I found the great crib mattress for under $12. And then the nice girl from my web forum sent me the Ergo infant insert for free! And now, well... "now" takes the cake!

I posted the other day about how we had decided on a double stroller. After reading all the reviews and test-driving various models, the decision was an easy one. Sadly, the stroller I loved retailed for about $270. Not cool! I then found out about an offer where this very stroller was selling for $149 on Amazon. By the time I convinced Gus we needed it, it was sold out, and I was mad. BUT... it turned out to be a pricing error, and all the people who ordered it had their orders canceled promptly. So I didn't really miss it, anyway.

Fast forward to yesterday... I paid a visit to my newest BFF, CraigsList. And wouldn't you know-- someone was selling my dream stroller, hardly used, for $120! They said they didn't use it more than ten times-- it was one of numerous strollers they had for their triplets, and they ended up using another one instead. So Gus drove to check it out after work today, and ended up buying it! So we got a nearly-mint-condition stroller for $120, when they most certainly paid at least $250 for it. I'd call that a good deal! And ain't she a beaut? :)

Anyway... I seriously cannot believe all the amazing bargains that I've been finding. It's like the universe knows that we aren't getting as much help as we did last time (in terms of big-ticket gifts). I am determined to make sure our baby girl has just as much nice stuff as her big brother-- even if that means getting a little creative! :)

(which reminds me... I used some old gift cards to buy her the Daisy Garden quilt from Pottery Barn Kids, and then used another gift card from a student to buy the supplies for the name plaque I made her this weekend. I love "free" stuff!!)

Oooh!! And I nearly forgot! I decided to buy a new cover for our infant carseat, mainly because I got sick of looking at the old one and found a good deal on this replacement set. Well, wouldn't you know-- it's the exact same pattern as the stroller! Pure coincidence-- no joke!

Solo Time

What? A weekend all to myself??? That's impossible, right? These things do not happen with a husband and a small child around. And yet, that is exactly what happened this weekend!

Gus took Nikos up to Orange County so that they could visit with his (Gus') cousin and grandmother, who are visiting from Chicago and Greece, respectively. I have had so much work piling up (papers that need grading, etc.) that I opted to stay home and get things done. And what a productive time I've had!

It's amazing how "free time" takes on a whole new meaning nowadays. In the days of yore, I would drag a chair out onto the back lawn and read in the sunshine until I fell asleep or got too hot. And the weather was definitely nice enough to do that-- mid 80s and not a cloud in the sky! Instead, I went shopping for necessities, cleaned the entire house (including scrubbing every square inch of our bathroom, which needed it), did three loads of laundry and put it all away, removed the vertical blinds from baby girl's room, spackled/sanded/painted the window frame, bought and installed a room-darkening shade to replace the blinds, installed a curtain rod and curtains over the shade, worked on my art project for her wall, did the grocery shopping, AND did all my school-related work that was piling up. And I even had time to start on the fourth book in the "Twilight" series, so I did relax a little bit.

Also, on one of my various shopping trips, I decided to stop and test-drive different double strollers. And we have a winner, folks! I think we'll be getting this one, though I'm hoping to get a deal on a used one on CraigsList (I'm waiting for a seller to email me back... she's selling her gently used one for $130). After going back and forth about it, I just don't think we'll be able to avoid getting a double stroller. Nikos is just barely walking, and I'm sure he will still want to sit in the stroller once his sister arrives. This particular one was easy to steer, had plenty of room, and was really easy to fold/unfold (this was the selling point). It will take up the entire trunk of the car, but oh well!

I also bought a new cover for our infant car seat, since I never really liked the one we had. The new one is black and silver, so it will "go" with everything nicely. I should have just bought that pattern to begin with, but I didn't know it existed! Oh well. C'est la vie.

Anyway... I am exhausted. I am pretty sure I overexerted myself this weekend, which is why I am now sitting on my rear in front of the computer. But Gus and Nikos should be back any minute, and then it's back to my other full-time job: Mommy! It's a great job, just a tiring one (especially when pregnant). :)

Friend

The great Vocabulary Explosion of 2009 continues! In addition to saying "waffle" (waffuh) and "pizza" (pita), Nikos has recently added a very important (and frequently used) word to his vocabulary: "Tee-tee!!"

What the heck is "tee-tee?" Well, that's what Nikos calls Teagen, the little boy who lives next door and goes to daycare with him. Bonnie calls Teagen (her grandson) "T" for short, and apparently Nikos has picked up on it. He calls out "Tee-tee! Tee-tee!" when Teagen wakes up from his nap, and even starts saying it when we walk over to daycare in the morning. And if we happen to walk by the refrigerator, he goes berserk over the invitation to Teagen's second birthday party (which has T's picture on it). The invitation is now all bent and crumpled because Nikos insists on holding it and pointing to "Tee-tee." And it's just the cutest thing ever!

The best part is that Teagen says Nikos' name, too, and Bonnie says he will sometimes point toward our house on the weekends and say "Nikos?" Like he wants to know where his little friend is! In a few months, once Nikos has perfected his walking, these kiddos will be able to play together outside on the weekends. How fun will that be?? :)

P.S. I got my Ergo Infant Insert in the mail today, and the lady who sent it is insisting I don't send her any money-- she says she got it as a gift and never used it, and is just glad that someone will get some use out of it. How nice is she??? I'm still going to send her a little something, but I can't believe my good luck. OH, and stay tuned... I found a really super-duper good deal on a great double stroller ($150 for a $300 stroller!)... I just need to talk Gus into agreeing with me! :)

Another day, another appointment

You know, sometimes I feel like I might as well just live at the doctor's office! In addition to going for all of Nikos' well-baby (and sick baby) appointments, I have to go for all my prenatals, too. And that adds up to quite a bit of time! The receptionist in Ob/Gyn and I are on a first-name basis now. And I'm barely halfway through this pregnancy yet!

Anyhow... I was originally supposed to have an appointment with the Nurse Practitioner on December 23rd, but she had to cancel because she was sick. Debbie (my new receptionist friend) tried to get me in as soon as possible, but today was the first available day. And I ended up seeing a substitute doctor, since my doctor was away on business. At any rate, this other doctor was very nice, and we sat down and went through mu ultrasound results, line for line. He told me that everything was "disgustingly perfect," haha! :) And, according to the ultrasound, my due date has been moved to May 6th. Now, I happen to know that's not correct, but it basically means that the baby is measuring ahead. We listened for the heartbeat, and it was strong and steady. She's been bouncing all around in there all afternoon, so she must have heard all the good news! Hooray for good appointments!

We had to do some rearranging, since my next appointment was originally scheduled for two weeks from now (but I'm only supposed to go every four weeks). So my next appointment will be on February 4th, and that will include the lovely 1-hour glucose test to see if I have gestational diabetes. Fun! It wasn't bad last time, but I'm still worried that I could end up having GD because my mom did. But I guess I'll know in a month, right?

In other news... Nikos continues to be the cutest baby ever, and has even added a new word to his repertoire today: pizza! Thanks, Gus, for teaching him THAT one, haha! I guess Gus was eating pizza and trying to bribe Nikos to do something by giving him a few bites, and now the kid is a pizza fanatic. Great! Oh, and he's a dance machine, too, but I have yet to get a decent video of him boogeying down. It's hilarious!!

The Lucky Streak Continues!

As some of you may know, I regularly visit an online discussion forum dedicated to moms whose kids are all right around Nikos' age. Quite a few of them are pregnant with baby #2, also, so we have a lot in common. I love the site and all the support it has provided me, and actually feel like I've gotten to "know" some other moms on there who are really cool. It's the best-kept secret on the internet, I swear!

Anyhow... I was on the site a few weeks back, reading through the most recent posts, and someone mentioned that they were looking for the infant insert that goes with their Ergo baby carrier (the best carrier EVER! I raved about it here.). Another mom replied to her request, saying that she had the infant insert and would gladly GIVE it to her because she had no use for it. She just asked for shipping costs, which was totally reasonable. Well, after I saw that, I realized that I wanted to try the infant insert, too, so I posted another reply. Basically, I said "Ooh! If anyone else has one they'd like to sell, please let me know!"

Well... As it turns out, the mom who posted in the first place has the black/tan Ergo and didn't want the (basically free) teal insert because it didn't match. Foolish, if you ask me! But guess who has the black/teal Ergo??? Awww yeah!! So the mom who was willing to give it away sent me a note saying I could have it, if I wanted. YES!!! She said she used it once or twice and couldn't get used to it, so it's practically in brand-new condition. This thing retails for anywhere from $25-$38!!! I didn't want to pay that amount, in case I didn't like it, but to pay just the shipping costs? Awesome! Even better is that she lives in Los Angeles-- so the shipping costs should be really reasonable AND it should get here quickly.

I just can't believe these great deals that keep falling into my lap. Thank you, universe! :)

Happy News!

Mary is engaged! Sherry and Dave (well, mostly Sherry) had their baby girl yesterday morning! And another friend (who shall remain anonymous for the time being) is going to be a daddy later this year!

WOOHOO!! :) I love happy news!

Video Extravangaza!

It's been a while since I've posted videos and, well, I'm here to make up for that! The big problem is that a certain child (who shall not be named) is very easily distracted by the video camera... and tends to stop doing whatever cute thing he was doing when the camera is turned on. Today, however, I had some success! Enjoy!

Here he is taking a few steps (while drinking his bottle). He's multitasking!


And here he is playing outside, pushing his wagon around:


Finally, a giggly baby! He loves it when I attack him and make lion noises, hehe! (I think that's how he learned to do it himself... RAAAWRRR!!!!) Also, check out all those teeth!

Ahhh, Snoogle...

Oh Snoogle, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...
Have I ever mentioned my Snoogle before?? It's only the BEST pillow EVER invented! I convinced Gus that I needed one when I was pregnant with Nikos and sleeping became really uncomfortable. Well, the past few days, I've started to experience some minor back pain and oh-so-fun round ligament pain (in the lower part of my belly), so I figured it must be SNOOGLE TIME! And sure enough, I slept like a baby last night (pun intended) and woke up feeling great this morning. I swear, that pillow is a lifesaver! It's like sleeping in a little nest! Last time, I tried just using a combination of body pillows/regular pillows, but nothing even comes close. Best. Pillow. Ever.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
In other news... Nikos refuses to walk if he has shoes on his feet. He stands rooted to the ground, and would rather fall over than try to take a step! (is it bad that I think this is hilarious?) I bought him some flexible-soled shoes (baby Nikes-- they are SO cute!), but I don't think they're quite flexible enough. My original plan was to buy him some soft all-leather shoes, but there's a slight problem: most stores don't carry that style of shoe in a big enough size! This is a serious drawback to having a child who walks later AND has big feet (size 6!). I'm currently bidding online for a pair that will (hopefully) fit, but we shall see. In the meantime, we'll just keep practicing barefoot. I really wish he would walk in the shoes, because I know how much he loves going outside!

And now I will just take a moment to brag about my kiddo, who says more and more new things every day. As it turns out, he's better with the verbal stuff than the physical stuff! Here's a list of the things he says right now and what they mean:
cack-cack! = duck
uh-oh = uh-oh
doggy = doggy
cacka = cracker
nana = banana
duh! = done!
neh = no (funny, because it means "yes" in Greek!)
Dardee = Charlie
Corky = Corky
Daddy, Papa = Daddy (though he also uses this as his "default" word for everything!)
Mama = Mom
Yaya = Yia-yia
Pappou = Pappou
Mamaw = Grandma
Papaw = Grandpa
raaaawr = lion (roar!)
ba = ball
baba = bottle
pbpbpb (car noise) = car, truck, motorcycle (anything with wheels-- including wheelchairs, haha!)
bah bah bah = chicken (bock, bock, bock!)
baaaaa = sheep
tee = tree
nigh-nigh = night-night (bedtime)
chee = cheese
And I know there are more, but these are the "for sures" I can think of right now. And I have to say-- that ain't bad! The kid has 20+ words, and he's not even 15 months old yet! So I'd say that makes up for the late walking. :) Way to go, Nikos!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
On the baby girl front, I finally went through all of Nikos' old clothes and pulled out everything that I think would also work for a girl (or just be plain comfy or useful, regardless of looks). As it turns out, this kid has quite a bit of clothes now! As soon as Gus is done with his closet renovation (this weekend or next), I'm going to start putting things into their proper places. Right now, everything is just in bags on the floor of her room. I can't wait to "unpack," so to speak!

I've also started working on an art project for her wall. Nikos has his name on his wall in colors that coordinate with his room, so I'm doing something similar for her. I bought a cute wooden plaque and little wooden letters that are more "curly" and less "blocky" than the ones I used in Nikos' room. I've painted them all white already, and next I will paint the letters so that they go with the bedding we've picked out (pink/yellow/aqua/pale green daisies). And after they are finished, I'll attach them to the plaque, and then attack the plaque to the wall using ribbon. It's going to be so cute, I just know it!! I have a vision! But alas, I can't show any of it, because that would mean revealing the name. Maybe I'll just show one letter when it's all done and painted?? We'll see! :)

The Price Was Right!

Let's play a game! I am going to tell you all the stuff I bought at Target this afternoon, and you guess how much I paid. Ready? Let's go!

• A name-brand crib mattress (highly rated in the popular book, Baby Bargains)
  
• A crib mattress pad (waterproof)
  
• A Boppy pillow slipcover
  
• A three-pack of adorable baby girl onesies (name brand)
  
• A giant thing of conditioner and
  
• Two gallons of milk

What would you pay for all of this? Well, the mattress alone normally retails for $70... But GET THIS! It was on clearance for $11.99!!!! I kid you not! It was the only one of its kind, so I snagged it right away. The mattress pad was also on sale for nearly 50% off. So, all in all, I spent $49.35!!!!!!! But wait, it gets better! We got a $50 Target gift card from my Uncle Kerry and his family for Christmas! So I didn't have to spend a dime! SCORE!!!

Anyhow, I am very excited about my finds today. Nikos must have picked up on my good mood, because he was cheerful and delightfully babbly all through the store. He'd see various animals and make their sounds (he's into animal sounds right now). It was so cute! What a great day! :) :)

Happy New Year!

Baby New Year himself would like to say something:

Alright, alright... Maybe "Happy New Year" or "2009" might have been more fitting, but he's kinda small and that's all we could fit! :) Actually, this is the scene I saw when I walked in on Gus giving Nikos his bath tonight. Nikos LOVES those little letters, and normally sticks them all over the tub, but I guess tonight was daddy's turn to play? At any rate, I couldn't resist grabbing the camera!

We had a nice New Year's Eve this year. We opted to spend the evening working on the new baby's bedroom, and progress has been made! The walls are now in great shape, after some spackling, sanding, and painting. Gus got the crown moulding up without any problems, and caulked it all (along with the baseboards, which have needed it for a while). I just need to go in with my magical paintbrush to touch up a few places, and voila! The "bones" of the room will be in great shape! Gus even spent the day working on the built-in dresser that will go in the bottom of her closet. I'm thinking it will be finished in the next few days. Oh, and to top it all off, he was finally able to feel the baby moving this morning! Hooray!

Because this pregnancy is just flying by, I've started to panic a little bit about how Nikos is going to react when we bring home another little baby. He's so young, and he totally doesn't understand what's going on! On a shopping excursion yesterday, I decided to buy him a baby doll. Yes, you read that right: I bought our son a doll. Take that, gender stereotypes (Ka-POW!)! And I think it's cute, too!

Anyway... He's not all that interested in it yet, but I'm hoping we can teach him to be gentle to the baby, etc., so he's not too totally thrown off when the real baby gets here. But only time will tell, right? *Fingers crossed!*

Ok... off to touch up the paint with my aforementioned magic paintbrush. I'll post pictures (including "before" and "during" shots) when the room is all done! :)

A Pet Peeve

I'm feeling bugged at the moment by a few comments that someone recently made to me, and I feel it is high time to share my #1 parenting-related pet peeve: People who constantly compare kids! I'm sure I have been guilty of this once or twice, but it's become one of those things that other people do and it really gets on my nerves. (And no, it's not anyone who reads this blog... So don't think that it's you!)

It all starts with the "Is Nikos doing (x, y, z) yet?" comments. The questions are usually harmless conversation starters, but they quickly lead to comparisons. For example, walking. Nikos is just now taking his first steps at 14 months. As I've mentioned before, Gus didn't walk until 15 months-- and he is certainly no dummy. But for months and months now, I have been barraged with "Is he walking yet?" only to be followed with something like, "Oh, I just thought he'd be walking by now, my kid walked at 6 months-- he's always been such a quick learner" or something crazy like that. It drives me insane! My son will walk when he's ready, and just because he is doing it later than some is not a sign that he is mentally slower than they are. Sheesh! Frankly, if you look at the world from Nikos' perspective, what incentive does he really have to walk, anyway? He is surrounded by people who love him and want to carry him everywhere. Plus, he's a very efficient little crawling machine. Why mess with a good thing, you know?

The thing that really set me off recently, though, was a comment that an acquaintance made to me. Without going into too much detail, she basically said that her daughter (same age as Nikos) was so curious and inquisitive and into breaking everything at their house-- and she implied that Nikos was sort of a wimp for not being that way. Gotta love those gender stereotypes. Nikos is definitely a curious, but gentle, kid. This is the little boy who very carefully inspected every ornament on our Christmas tree-- and only broke one (a complete accident-- he bumped it out of my hand as I was putting it back on the tree after Charlie messed it up). This same kid will very gently pet Charlie as he sleeps on the couch. I think he is a wonderfully sweet little boy, and I'm glad he's not as wild as some other kids. But to insinuate that he's a wimp, just because he's different from your own kid? Nice.

I guess it just boils down to the fact that yes, every child really is different. And there is such a huge range of "normal" for all those developmental milestones, that it doesn't even make sense to compare (or to draw conclusions from those comparisons). It is such a wasted effort, and just makes people upset/worried. I think everyone should just focus on loving and nurturing their own kids, instead of looking around at what everyone else is doing, you know?

Vent over.

First Steps!

That's right, folks... Our non-walker (up 'til now) took his first steps on Christmas Eve!! He let go of the coffee table and took about 4 steps over to where I was sitting on the floor! And then, on Christmas Day, he was on a roll, regularly taking 4-5 steps to walk between Grandma and Grandpa. And then, of course, he did it again yesterday afternoon, taking just a few steps toward Pappou's outstretched arms. Gus walked at 15 months (Nikos is 14 months), so we figured he'd be doing it pretty soon... but it looks like it may be even sooner than we thought! Full mobility, here we come! :)

All in all, Christmas was fabulous (click here to see a million pictures!)... We spent Christmas Eve and morning at our own house, then drove to my parents' house for the afternoon and evening. Christmas night, we bundled up our sleeping baby and drove to Gus' parents' house, where we spent the 26th. Nikos made out like a bandit, of course, and was the center of attention. He wasn't really into opening the presents, but he did like to examine the bows and then play with the toys. His favorite gift that we bought him was the Little People school bus, which he instantly wanted to play with (ignoring all the other presents waiting to be opened). I will never fully understand his obsession with all things Little People, but he really does love them. Silly guy!

In other news... I am now the proud owner of that crib sheet I've been going on and on about! I met the woman at Starbucks this morning, and we made the trade. She was really friendly, and we talked for a bit (she has to be right around my age, and has two little girls that are 21 months apart). Thanks you, CraigsList! I also got the crib skirt in the mail, so we're well on our way! This little girl even has clothes already, thanks to my parents and my grandma (and myself, hehe!)! I've even got her "coming-home-from-the-hospital" outfit all picked out and ordered (see picture). I'm so excited to have a baby girl!

P.S. Nikos would like to say "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UNCLE GRANT!" hehe!

Merry Christmas!

But wait-- it gets better!

Yes, I am still focused on the crib sheet, but oh well! :) The lady wrote back to me today and told me she bought the sheet on sale for $13, but would sell it to me for $10 since she used it for a week. I still can't believe my good luck! As it turns out, she also has a few other gently used items that I might be interested in (a pink chamois changing table cover and matching Boppy pillow slipcover... they retail for $44 together). Anyway, I'm meeting her at a local coffee shop on Saturday morning. I am so excited! CraigsList actually works!

In other news... Our little Romeo is discovering the art of giving lip kisses, and it is beyond cute! Yesterday afternoon, I was lying on my side on the living room floor while Nikos played. Next thing I knew, he crawled over and planted one right on my lips! A few minutes later, he did it again! He thought it was very funny. Today, he thinks it's funny to kiss his toys, and then make me kiss them, too (his little Corduroy teddy bear has gotten lots of love). Such a little loverboy! I'm just going to enjoy this time where he doesn't find the idea of kissing his mommy to be completely repulsive (I know that'll come soon enough). I love this kid!!

Oh, and P.S.-- he's also discovered bellybuttons. Ladies and gentlemen, hang on to your shirts! Because he likes to lift them up and examine bellies, hahaha!!

The Elusive Crib Sheet

So now that the big furniture is gone from the new baby's room and I've begun the process of cleaning it out, I've started thinking a lot more about the fun part: decorating! Previously, I mentioned that we (okay, I) had chosen bedding for her room. Honestly, I have had that bedding chosen for ages-- since I found out I was pregnant with Nikos (obviously I didn't know he was a boy at the time). I really just love that bedding! And I've searched high and low, but nothing else really does it for me. I can visualize that particular bedding set in our baby girl's little yellow room-- and nothing else!

But as it turns out, it's not as easy as just ordering the bedding and being done with it. It turns out that several parts of the set have been discontinued. Actually, it's really odd. In the picture of the bedding, the dust ruffle and the sheet are actually called "Garden Party," while the quilt, bumper, and valance are called "Daisy Garden." The Daisy Garden stuff is still readily available, but the Garden Party stuff is not. How dumb is that?!? I was able to still get the dust ruffle online, but the sheet is completely sold out everywhere! I called the store, and they said that there was not a single Garden Party sheet left in any of their retail stores or outlets. Nooooo!!!

Naturally, my next course of action was to scour online auction sites and classifieds. No luck... although I did find one auction that had ended already-- and the $16 sheet had sold for $60!!!! No thanks! On a whim, I decided to post in the "items wanted" section of CraigsList. I mean, what are the odds that a) anyone will even read that, and b) that they will have the sheet I want.

I logged onto my junk email account tonight-- the one I use for mailing lists, etc.-- and I had this email waiting for me:

Hi,
I was just in craigslist and saw you wanted this crib sheet. I wanted to let you know I have 1 crib sheet. It's very gently used. I bought it with the Olivia butterfly collection and ended up using the chamois sheet. So literally I opened it, washed it, and set up the, my baby slept on it for 1 week and then I bought the chamois sheets that I love.

She goes on to mention that she lives in our town, a whopping five minutes away. Is this too good to be true????? What are the odds??? I emailed her back right away, telling her I would gladly pay her whatever she paid (retail), assuming it's the correct sheet (I did post a picture of it, so she could compare). I am beyond psyched right now. Yes, I know-- it's a SHEET, for heaven's sake. But it's THE sheet I have been hunting for! Hooray!!!!! :)

Halfway There!

Twenty weeks!?!? I feel like I just found out I was pregnant yesterday, and here I am, halfway through. Actually, MORE than halfway through, since I will most likely have a scheduled C-section the week before my due date. Can you believe it? I think that when I was pregnant with Nikos, I was so constantly focused on my pregnancy that the time went by really slowly. But here I am, completely distracted by teaching my fifth-graders and being mom to an active toddler (my two full-time jobs). The time has FLOWN by! And I have a feeling May will be here before we know it... Yikes!

In honor of the occasion, I have decided to take my first belly shot of this pregnancy. I have been meaning to take them all along, like I did with Nikos, but I simply haven't had the time. Anyway, here I am with our half-cooked baby girl (who is currently kicking up a storm in there-- she's definitely awake!)! :)
(and if you feel like comparing, links to all my belly pics with Nikos are over there in the right-hand column)

And, spurred on by the sudden realization that the weeks are slipping by faster than I thought, I made good progress in emptying out her room this weekend! I moved my computer, Gus' laptop, and one computer desk out to our dining room and set it all up. It's actually pretty unobtrusive-looking, though this is not the ultimate plan. We're going to give the other computer desk to Florian, who basically has nothing to furnish his new apartment with. And once we get Gus' music files off of his old desktop computer, we'll yank the hard drive out and donate the rest. I also began the tedious process of emptying out the closet which, despite its small size, is overflowing with various things (file cabinet, tons of office supplies/paper, gift wrapping materials, ironing board, and lots of miscellaneous stuff that just doesn't have a home). It's been sort of our catch-all closet, and now we're losing it. It's slow-going because it requires so much reorganization of OTHER parts of the house in order to provide new homes for the various things. But it's progress nonetheless! I am thinking that the room will be totally emptied out by the end of the week. Fingers crossed!!

What little girls are made of

Well, if you ask me, the whole "sugar and spice and everything nice" thing is pretty accurate, given the number of frosted sugar cookies and chocolates that I have consumed in the past 24 hours! This kiddo is going to be made out of sugar! It doesn't help, either, that more than half of the gifts my students gave me yesterday were edible (sadly, they know I am a certifiable chocoholic). sigh. I am fairly certain that I am doomed to gain more weight with this pregnancy than I did with Nikos. Of course, I am a lot more active (chasing Nikos around), so maybe it
will all balance out in the end???

Anyway... I still can't believe our good luck: a baby girl! I've been daydreaming about it all week, since we found out. She pretty much has a name already, but don't bother asking-- we're not telling! :) Since Nikos' name was pretty much a done deal from the moment we knew he was a boy, and everyone knew it, we think it would be more fun to keep this one a surprise. So that's the plan, at least for now!

In the meantime, I've already picked out bedding for her room, and preparations are underway to start whipping it into shape! Her room is currently our office/guestroom, home to two desks, two desktop computers, and a twin bed. The twin bed will be going to its new home on Monday, so that'll be out of the way! Florian, the French guy who lived with us before Nikos was born, was finally able to get his own apartment, so he'll gladly take the bed he already slept on for several months. The computers are going to be a far trickier matter. I'm thinking that laptops are probably the way to go, with wireless networking. We already have one laptop, which we hardly use (it needs more RAM), but I'm thinking that it could become Gus' "at home" computer. As for myself, I would need something much more powerful to do all the stuff I do (photo/video editing, etc.). My brother told me last week that he happens to have a spare wireless router sitting around, which he said he'd give to us. So really, we'd just need a new laptop for me. I'd still keep one monitor, mouse, and keyboard to hook the laptop up to when editing pictures, but I think that makes a lot more sense than trying to find a new home in our already-crowded house for the two bulky desktops.

Once the computer situation is resolved and the bed is gone, the room should be pretty easy! We won't need to paint, aside from a few touch-ups, because we like the color (buttery yellow) that's in there already. And the crown moulding pieces are already cut to length and just sitting in the garage, waiting to be painted and installed. Furniture will be easy... Nikos' crib and changing table will move into his sister's room (in a few months) and he will get a toddler bed and some low bookcases. The hardest part will be fixing up her closet, which isn't much more than a coat closet right now (yes, it's that small). Gus is going to make a custom closet, with drawers down below, hanging space in the middle, and lots of shelves up above. I'll take down the yucky vertical blinds in the room and replace them with a blackout shade and some cute curtains. And the rest is just decoration! That's the fun part! :)

Anyway... here is the bedding we'll be getting for our baby girl. I think it will look great with the yellow walls and white furniture we already have. Hooray!! :) :)


In other news: We are all sick!! :( I am so plugged up that I can't hear out of my left ear (and this is day #3 of that loveliness), Nikos is cutting two molars, has a cold, AND has an ear infection, and Gus is still hanging on to a cold that has nagged him for a few weeks now. What a pathetic sight we must be!

Drumroll Please!

Well we had our big ultrasound appointment today, and it went smoothly! This baby was VERY wiggly, very fast, and didn't want to cooperate... but after 45 minutes of looking, the techs were able to see and get pictures of everything they needed. And we very definitely know the sex (which I'll get to in a sec!). In the meantime, look at this little cutie!


Such a cute baby GIRL, don't you think????? :) :) :) She is very definitely a girl, and we are over-the-moon happy right now. It just seems so perfect! A little girl! Nikos is going to have a little sister! I really don't think I could ask for anything more. Life Is Good.

Rainbow at Night

Well, I am definitely pregnant! Not that I ever doubted it, but I have been feeling the baby move so much more lately. It hardly ever happens during the day-- it's just at night, when I can feel it moving around a bit and pressing outward. I'm starting to really comprehend that it's a different baby in there this time, not Nikos! The movement I'm feeling is very different from last time. Nikos would kick and punch and make sudden, jerky movements... so far, this baby writhes around in a much more fluid fashion. But little "Rainbow" is definitely making his or her presence known now! Without fail, he or she begins wriggling around at about 2am every night. And despite the fact that it wakes me up (I'm a light sleeper), I enjoy having this little solo time with baby #2 when the rest of the world is sleeping. :)

But, to be honest, I am getting very tired of referring to this baby as "he or she" or "it." So how about we start calling it a little boy or a little girl already?? One more day to go... We should find out the sex tomorrow at my big ultrasound appointment. I can't WAIT!!!!

P.S. According to my weekly emails, the baby is currently about 6 inches long from head to rump, and weighs just over half a pound.

Generalizing

I don't think I will ever understand the inner workings of the human mind, especially that which belongs to Nikos. He constantly amazes me-- and lately has been no exception!

For instance... I can understand seeing a dog, being told that this thing is called a "dog," and learning it. But then how is it that he can recognize different things as dogs??? I started to think about this as we were leaving daycare the other day, when he pointed to Bonnie's cast-iron Scottish Terrier doorstop and said "doggy!" Now I know he's seen dogs before, but never a Scottie-- how did he know to call it a dog? Then we passed a black lab, and again he said "doggy!" He points to the picture of a cartoon dog on his pajamas and knows that that's a dog, too! Same with a stuffed bulldog, the picture of a Sharpei on his highchair, and, of course, his stuffed Golden Retriever toy. Somehow, he has created a definition in his mind of what a dog is, and it must be a good one. Because he's always right about dogs (that's the crazy part!!).

Then, this afternoon, we were playing on the floor in his bedroom. Mostly he was handing me his books and scattering them all over the place. I started reading one of the books aloud to him. We came to a picture of a Myna bird, which he pointed at and said "cack-cack?" in a questioning tone. "Cack-cack" is what he calls ducks! He saw the picture of the bird, with its semi-large, slightly duck-like beak, and wasn't sure if it was a duck or not! I could seriously see the wheels spinning in his head as I told him it was a bird, not a duck (even if a duck IS a bird). I'm sure he was taking in that information and refining his definition of "duck," right there on the spot. And that is incredible, if you ask me!

On a totally different note... Here's a picture I took this afternoon! Now that he's standing on his own for longer and longer periods (sometimes a minute or two), I wanted to attempt a Christmas tree photo. So here is Nikos with the "chee":

"Ook, dey Dardee!"

Maybe I am reading more into this than I should, but my child is a genius! haha! :) A few times lately, he has surprised me by stringing several words together! It started a few days ago, when he was noticeably upset about something, and I had no idea what it was. I knew his diaper was probably wet, so I picked him up to go change him. That clearly wasn't what he wanted, because he got even MORE agitated. Finally, he looked right at me, pointed at the Christmas tree, and said, "Mama, CHEE!!!!" I took him over to see the tree (which is in an area he can't get to) and, lo and behold, he was a happy little camper again!

Then, last night, he was standing by the tree (all by himself, I might add). Charlie happened to be under the tree on the opposite side. Nikos suddenly noticed him, crouched down, pointed at him, and said something that sounded an awful lot like "Look, there's Charlie!" ("Ook, dey Dardee!") I couldn't believe it! He's also started saying "Ah duh" ("All done") when he's done eating or drinking something (he used to just say "duh!"). He says it with such force, too, and he pushes everything away! I just can't get over the fact that he is really starting to communicate with us!!

One other thing I've noticed is that he is getting better at copying what we say. If I point to the Santa Claus on our entry hall table and say "Santa," he'll almost instantly say, "da-ta." It is so cool! I am shocked at how much this little sponge is soaking up!

Guilt

This is going to seem a little strange, but I feel guilty for not writing about baby #2 as often as I write about Nikos. In fact, I sometimes even forget that I am pregnant, despite my ever-increasing belly! Gus and I are both first-borns, but I think I've started to understand some of the issues that younger siblings have. And I don't want to be "that parent" who plays favorites, or who never buys anything new for the younger child because baby #1 already has everything. You know? I am definitely rambling here, but it's something that bothers me lately.

In a way, this is sort of a testament to how easy my pregnancy has been so far (*knock on wood!*). I certainly wouldn't be able to forget about it if I were having difficulties! Instead, it's been smooth sailing. I had very, very mild "afternoon sickness" for only a short while, and it hardly affected my appetite at all. I haven't had any instances of spotting or cramping-- nothing that would make me panic and call the doctor (unlike last time). In fact, I just have a gut feeling that this baby is very strong and resilient... both excellent qualities! So instead of focusing on what's happening in my belly, I've been kept distracted by the constant changes Nikos has been going through, right before my eyes. It doesn't mean that I care about baby #2 any less... it just means that I have less to worry about than last time, and more to worry about with Nikos (who gets into EVERYTHING). I trust that he or she is cooking along in there, right on schedule, and I just go about my daily life!

That being said, though, I cannot WAIT to see his or her little face in 10 more days. I think that will help make things more "real." And I can't wait to decorate the other bedroom. I hope these next 10 days pass quickly!

Chee!!!

Nikos has added a new word to his vocabulary: "Chee!" (tree!) That's right, he has become obsessed with the Christmas tree! Whenever he catches sight of it, he points directly at it and says "chee" repeatedly until he gets to see it up close. He is endlessly fascinated by the ornaments, the lights, and, well, just about everything involving the "chee." Last night, I was holding his hands as he stood on the floor in front of it, examining the ornaments on the lower branches. He felt pretty stable, so I let go... and he stood there, completely on his own, for about 30 seconds! He was so absorbed that he forgot to freak out, haha! (normally, he sort of panics when he realizes that he's not holding on to anything-- which causes him to collapse). He did it over and over again in front of the tree. This tree may be the thing that gets him to start thinking about walking... hooray! :)