Winter 2012

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Pregnancy flying by

Life is good. Brendan is awesome and still working on potty training so that he can start preschool for a few half days a week this fall. We toured 4 preschools and I think we found the one we like best nearby. Brendan had zero hesitation walking right into each of the classrooms we visited and just starting to play and interact with the other kids. I'm confident he will have no transition problems and will fit right in.

Two of the 4 schools incorporated Spanish which is important to me. I try to teach him what I know but it's limited. He picks it up so fast. I really only have to teach him once or twice and he remembers. His memory is just so incredible.

I had a good birthday last month. Brendan and I went to the Phoenix zoo with Angie and Cammille during the day and about 20 of us went out bowling that night. The three kids probably had the best time running around the bowling alley. About a week later I also got a much needed girls night out to celebrate again.

Baby is growing and getting stronger. I am quite enjoying watching my belly move on it's own. When I woke up this morning Brendan's first comment was on how big I was and sometimes refers to me lovingly as, "big fat mama." Pretty much everyday he takes time to talk to his brother or sister and likes to feel baby move too. He's going to make a great big brother. The timing/spacing between children is going to be good too I think. Brendan is becoming more and more independant and I'm totally going to have a little helper on board!

We like the names Sedona, Violet, Victoria, Caleb, and Andrew. The only thing I've craved this pregnancy is Dove chocolate but I'm really trying to keep a balanced diet. We have been going to the Farmer's Market at least once a month for local fresh produce.

I've been reading some on the home birth process and the general idea is to relax as much as possible and let your body do the work. I'm anticipating that it's going to be more mental and mind set than physical. I'm a little concerned with Lou being my support person at this point. He's excited for baby but hasn't taken much interest in what I've been reading. I've considered a doula but not only do we not have the extra money, but my midwife said only 5-10% of her home birth clients use them and it's the husband who helps the mother birth. I hope he can be prepared to be there for me. He'll probably surprise me.

Potty Time

Over the last 2 days Brendan has been telling us he needs to use the potty! We have been asking him over the last few months but he has not been interested. Then, suddenly we started coming to Lou and I and telling us when he has to go. It's only been about 4 times in 2 days but we are so proud of him.

If you were to ask Brendan what he wants to be when he grows up he would tell you a big brother. Sometimes he will tell people he wants to "be a Realtor and take all Mom's clients- the good ones and the bad ones." I think the potty training is just one way he's getting ready to be a big brother though and he talks to my belly all the time.

Brendan really is into dinosaurs, cars, and books. He actually will read non-fiction dinosaur books from the library over and over again and corrects my or Lou's pronounciation if we have trouble with a name. He really does have a photographic memory. In the photo below, we all visited the natural history museum in January.

All is well with the pregnancy and I'm about 6 mo. along now and still loving it. We had an ultrasound just before the New Year and they said the gestational age/size would give us a due date of someplace around May 12. Baby is healthy, active and I love feeling the movement in my growing belly. A few nights ago Brendan's favorite commercial came on the TV it is a car commercial with all these animals popping up set to Salt and Peppa's "Push It" song. We had it on repeat a few times and while Brendan was breaking it down like no one's business my belly started bumping around too. It was fun!

Lou and I know baby's sex but are keeping it between us for now. We have a few names picked out but have not completely agreed on one yet. I had the urge to start nesting last week after a playdate with Alex (2.5) and baby Noah (7 mo.) and started putting baby stuff aside for baby's arrival. The only thing I have experienced a few times now with this baby is heartburn but it has gone away for now after taking a papaya enzyme. Still happy seeing our midwife and looking forward to a home birth. I may look into hiring a doula to help on the big day soon.

Holidays 2011

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Santa Claus is Coming to Town...

Being a toddler

"Mom, will you marry me?" Brendan asked while getting him dressed after a bath the other night. I just about melted. Toddlers say the cutest things. He followed up with a proper ring in the shape of the letter Q two days later.  :)

Things around here are good; we had a nice Thanksgiving trip to Sedona for a few nights. Lou and I made the mistake of waking Brendan from a 3 hour nap before Thanksgiving dinner and boy was that a bad choice! Other than the untimely tantrum we had a fun trip.

Our home is ready for the holidays inside and out with the exception of the tree which we may tackle today. The previous owners of the house left a slew of lights in the huge evergreen and it is almost like having a big xmas tree in our front yard.

Brendan enjoys hearing the song 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town' and is especially intrigued by the part where "he sees you when you are sleeping." When asked what he wants for Christmas without hesitation he said binoculars. We were a little surprised but gotta hand it to him for coming up with a creative gift on the spot.

We will be using a midwife not an OB for future prenatal care. Our family went in together last week for our first visit. We really like how the office is child friendly and more of a relaxed setting. Mary the midwife also radiates confidence- I suppose that happens after delivering over 2000 babies! We heard a strong heartbeat and although I was only 16 weeks, my uterus was measuring 20 weeks! I immediately attributed it to a hearty Thanksgiving however I was reassured it was to be expected for a 2nd pregnancy. We have an ultrasound scheduled after Christmas and I still am torn whether I want to know the sex or not.

Never Grow Up!

Enjoying the lollipop Mom brought back from Disneyland & the EverGreen Awards Nov. 14.

Brendan and his gal pal Camille at the Museum of Natural History in Oct. '11.

Brendan helping Dad to mow the lawn Oct. 1, 2011.

All is well with our family. Brendan is growing so quickly. We have a running game in the house where we tell him he's not allowed to grow up and he has to stay small forever. He likes to come with I'm getting bigger and growing. It also works quite well with eating veggies. "Don't eat that broccoli or you may keep getting bigger."

Having a fresh apple in Sedona on Dad's birthday (Nov. 6), proudly wearing the hat Aunt Cindy knit.

Brendan is still a big fan of hats. He wears a hat everywhere he goes-- as if you couldn't tell from the photos. I think it is fair to say the firefighter hat is his favorite, but he'll also wear the policeman hat, pirate, and all kinds of ball caps he borrowed from his Dad and Papa.

For Halloween we did our little family tradition and went to the Farm to see the animals and pick out pumpkins. Somehow Brendan and I both fit in a little car and got pulled by an ATV. We carved our pumpkins and Brendan did some trick-or-treating with 15 or so neighborhood kids on Halloween after visiting his Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa. The neighbors had a pot-luck and it was super fun for all. He dressed as a firefighter and worse his costume all day even while shopping at Trader Joe's.




We have to get out the video camera and film his speech & mannerisms. We don't exactly have a frame of reference but strangers are constantly asking how old he is then surprised when we say two. He has pretty advanced verbal skills for his age. It's great until we are trying to give him two options and then he makes a third suggestion- he probably gets it from his Dad! I will try to get up some video of the firehouse visit in October. Below is a photo from Brendan's first time bowling with Mom, Dad, & Uncle Bill. He absolutely loved it!



Baby number 2 is on the way and we are due May 12. All seems to be well. I am just starting to show but still squeezing in my normal clothes. This time we do not have maternity insurance and having a baby is more expensive than you would think. Money is tighter these days especially with the 36 solar panels we purchased in Sept.

I have been in the care of Dr. Hunt, the OB that delivered Brendan but I am very seriously considering leaving and going with a midwife and having homebirth instead. I saw two documentaries (unknowingly within a week of conception), one of them called "The Business of Being Born" and it really made me think about how crazy our culture is in treating birth like a medical procedures and instilling fear in women. Hospital births are now the norm with insurance and doctors jacking up the price and dictating much of the terms. My doc won't even let you video tape the birth now as she fears a potential lawsuit. After a surprise $1,100 bill came in the mail from my 2nd visit at the OB including a pap smear and a blood and urine test for things I really did not need to be tested for I am just about at a point where I have had enough and want to get back to how I think things should be. I haven't made the final choice yet but think I am going to follow my gut. Stay tuned!

Happy Campers 2010-2011

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Brendan Thrives

Brendan is growing up so fast and is just under 35 lbs now. He's getting big! I am pretty much blown away daily and at loss for words in describing his vibrant personality. This kiddo is very verbally advanced for his age and we are told so in public all the time. He is a little sponge and has an amazing memory too. At any given time I can stop reading to him and he has the words to the story or song memorized. I am also proud to report he speaks Spanish and will run around singing "Abuscante amigos, to Rescue my friends" from one of his favorite TV shows Go Diego, Go.

Yes, he is all toddler and our house is never clean anymore. It's not uncommon for the boys (Brendan and Reese) to be running or scooting through the kitchen. Brendan enjoys reading, playing outside, swimming, going to the park and for walks, 'driving the car', looking at photos, and helping mom cook. His favorite game is hide and seek. At his age he will cover his eyes and think he's hidden- mom and dad's closets also are favorite places to hide.

The intelligence and his ability to understand things is advanced beyond most 2 year-olds. He recently stopped telling people he's 18 mo old and now will answer with 2. While running errands I noticed he picked up an employee's name from another employee saying it and remembered it. Suddenly, he goes what is Chris doing? and I'm like Who's Chris? And the other employee pointed to the guy on phone who's name Brendan happened to pick up. Sure enough name tag said Chris. I have no idea how he picks things like this up all the time seemingly from no where but he pays attention.


I wonder if he is gifted based on the way he likes to learn. He will read a picture dictionary, same stories over and over (fiction and non-fiction) and have it memorized. He seeks out information on his own and directs his own learning. I think the first time we left Brendan for the weekend we realized just how smart he is. While in Mexico in April/May Brendan got on the phone and told us everything he did at his grandparent's house in detail and so clearly. Lou and I were just both taken aback that he could annunciate so well and understand we were in Mexico playing in a volleyball tournament.

Now I don't know if it is all toddlers, or just mine, but this kid negotiates. He totally wants to negotiate vitamins, dessert, amount of time in time-out, pool time, etc. He's not quite ready to use the potty yet but we are talking about it.

He's a pretty amazing kid and I don't know how I got to be such a lucky parent. I just have to keep up with him...Lou was joking the other day how he's going to be smarter than us soon.

Adventures in March and April '11

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