A new toy?

We decided that it was time to get Cole a big boy potty.  Not because we think he will use it, but more just to get him used to the idea of going to the bathroom in a place other than his diaper or the bathtub.

The first thing he did this morning when he got up.

If you ask him if he needs to go "big boy pee" he will respond with "Oh ya ya ya" and then begin taking off his clothes.  He does not even want socks on.  I know this habit is going to have to be broken because when I do decided to take him back out in to the shopping world I am not striping him down every time he has to pee.

26 weeks - 13 weeks to go!

I can no longer lay on my back.  This makes me sad.  I love sleeping on my back.  Getting prepared for no so good nights sleep from now on.

I am starting to get the sciatic pains in my legs and lower back.  Sometimes it is hard to walk other times it is hard to stand up.  So much fun.

I am now experiencing the c-section scars stretching more and that makes it hard to do quick movements to catch Cole.

Peeing constantly.  I don't think this will ever stop.......

Baby weighs 1 2/3 pounds and is about 14 inches long

Apparently it is compared to a Hothouse Cucumber

Overwhelmed

I feel like I have been neglecting my blog this past week.  There is always a picture to post or a story to tell, but this week I have been a little bit exhausted.  Not exhausted because of lack of sleep but exhausted from being overwhelmed.  I am overwhelmed with a 20 month old.  

As much as I don't want to admit it, I can no longer take Cole to ANY store for quite some time.  It has gotten to the point where he wont even stay in the big part of the shopping cart, not the seat part, for more than 10 minutes.  It's like there is a timer waiting to go off and when it hit that mark things start flying, breaking, and getting destroyed.  Today I took him to the mall so I could find a shirt that fit properly and when he had enough he began to head butt me and he bit me in the shoulder and caused a pretty decent welt.  I put him in a time out in the middle of the mall which did no good.  Why do people look at you like you are doing something wrong when you are disciplining your child in public?  Is it not normal to do that?

Cole has been a little sick this week, nothing major, slight fever friday morning and he has developed a little bit of a cough.  But apparently this "sickness" is causing him to FLIP OUT at bed time.  Nap time is still ok, but bed time has become a battle.  Tonight he fell asleep on the couch.  Take him to his room and lie him down and his eyes pop open like he was awake the whole time.  Let him cry/scream for 10 minutes and then go in to remind him it is bed time.  This created the next level of bed time tantrums I had yet to experience.  He was had butting his crib, kicking the wall, and screaming like he was being tortured.  I go in to make sure his leg isn't stuck and he is just standing there.  I get him out of his crib and put him in a time out to reenforce to him that this behavior is not acceptable.  Once his screaming time out is over, I pick him up and he is instantly silent and almost asleep on my shoulder.  Go to put him back and the screaming begins again.

This has gone on for a week and each day is getting worse...

What does one do to fix the bed time / public battle?

Problem Solved

So before I do anything I always consult my dad.  Don't know why, just do.  And after talking to him, he informed me that I could just by an external card reader and not have to go through the camera!  Which means my camera gets to stay with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The part that is messed up doesn't affect picture taking so I am good to go.  Went to Best Buy, purchased what I needed for $20 and I am set.  A few minor set backs taken care of after some searching around in files and talking to my pops again and everything is back to normal.

HAPPY DANCE!!!!

A sad, sad, day

My camera.  My precious camera has to go away for awhile to be repaired.  Probably wont see it again for a month.....  do you see the tears flowing down my face??????

Some how the usb port that I use to upload photos broke..... so I can take pictures but I can't get them off of my camera.....

Does this justify buying the upgraded camera?

Life will never be the same

I came across this video on a girls' blog that I frequently read and it really stuck a cord with me. Maybe it's because I am a parent and also pregnant but I don't think it would have affected me as much as it did had I never experienced motherhood and the privilege it is to be able to bring a child into this world. An innocent child that change the way you think, see the world and love.

I have always known I am lucky to be as "fertile" as I am. We had no trouble getting pregnant with Cole and the same with this pregnancy. I say lets have baby and by the next month I am pregnant. We are very fortunate. After watching this video the way I look at my husband and children will never be the same. I can't imagine not having them in my life.

I can't not imagine not being able to see Cole spin in circles as you try to put his zip up sweatshirt on or bark like a dog when he hears barking from a distance. The look on his face after he bit in to a bag of coffee grounds in the back of the Target shopping cart was priceless. The very carefully thought out backwards walking he does to annoy the dog cracks us up. Today I received the biggest hug from him I have ever experienced. It was followed by about 20 kisses, 20 wet, snot nosed kisses that I would not interrupt for anything. I love that he calls me "dad" not "mom" to get my attention. I love that he says "yes" in his own excited way... Oh ya ya ya ya. The hearing that this kid has is impeccable, he can hear a train about a mile away and he gets so excited and acts so shocked when he hears it. I love watching from the couch, his excited little dance that he does when Mike gets home from work. I don't receive the same type of greeting that Mike gets but Mike doesn't get to experience it from my point of view either.

Cole has brought so much happiness to our life and he is a joy to be around even when he is head butting and screaming bloody murder in the store. I will take the head butting over not having him as a part of my life. He is a true blessing to Mike and I and we are so excited for the next arrival. We can only speculate what the next one will be like.

Get out the box of tissue and enjoy the video

The Bathroom Mirror

It finally arrived and we got it up this weekend.

We love this mirror!

Thank you Pottery Barn!

Cole & Dylan

Big News! Cole officially knows how to say his name. He walks around saying Cole, although it sounds more like cool or co. Too cute. The first name he knew was Dylan.

I walked into the room to find them both with hats that I had not put on their heads.

They procceded to go through all of Cole's hats each taking turns wearing them.
Cole always has to assist Dylan in everything!

Even if Dylan doesn't want the help.

Cole making a very important phone call

He was walking around the house having a conversation with him self and whomever was on the other end of the phone.

25 weeks - 14 weeks to go

Still feeling really good.  Braxton Hicks Contractions began this weekend so that has been fun.  I am peeing constantly now.  Sometimes like 5-7 times an hour.  It feels like this baby is just tap dancing on my bladder.

Still don't have quite the appetite I did in the beginning.  

Getting out of that tree trunk phase and starting to actually get something that looks like a belly.

We are doing the 3d ultrasound on the 22nd to confirm the sex and get the babies first snapshot.  We will see if the "girl" theory is still true...

13 1/2 inches from head to toe and 1 1/2 pounds

Fall Memories

Considering he didn't want much to do with me, I think I was able to get some good fall shots of Cole.  He even tolerated outfit changing which shocked me!  All in all he was a good boy, only a couple of tantrums....

Love both the color and black and white of this shot

One of the many times he ran away from me