Kim

Too Cool

Henry continues to crack us up.  He is just so full of life and is always coming up with something new.  I woke up at 6am the other morning to hear him over the monitor singing his ABCs to himself.  Also, they are learning a song about a turkey in preschool and he sings that all the time.  It is precious.  He'll even sing along to the radio.  I don't even realize that he's paying attention to the songs and then all of a sudden, I hear him chiming in on the chorus.  It's hilarious. 

Too cool in dad's sunglasses.  Also, please note the status of our den at the end of the night.  This is a daily occurrence. 
We talk about "baby James" a lot these days, but I know he really has no idea what's coming.  As I think I've mentioned before, I am actually a lot more nervous about how he is going to do with the transition, than I am about having a newborn again.  I know the newborn part is going to be hard, but at least I have an idea what to expect.  I have a feeling Henry's really going to be thrown for a loop at first when the babe arrives and I just pray that the transition goes as smooth as possible and that he adjusts quickly. It's going to be a busy time, but I think we are ready.  We better be!
Kim

We're getting there.

35 weeks.  Wow.  That is crazy.   I am definitely getting to that point in this pregnancy where I am anticipating the babe's arrival and am getting a little bit tired of being pregnant.  I still can't complain.  I'm having all the normal symptoms you'd expect for this point in the game (heartburn, some swelling in my hands and feet, nerve pain in my hip, random aches and pains, lots of trips to the loo), but overall, things are going well. I am starting to feel large - I can really tell he's growing every day.  I am measuring just a little bit small this time around, but for my body, "a little bit small" is plenty big.   We did get to have an ultrasound the other week.  Everything looked great and the babe is actually measuring  a little bit ahead of schedule, just like Henry did. 


It's a bit of a puzzle-picture, but that's him...he had his little foot smashed up against his face.  So cute!
I must admit...in my mind, I am totally focused on 38 weeks as the endpoint of this, since that is when Henry arrived, but I am also trying to remind myself that there are no guarantees and that he might not get here until 40+ weeks.  I really do hope he comes a little early, but I will be glad to have him here whenever he is ready.  I know God's timing is better than mine.  Just keep reminding me of that in a few weeks, ok?  :) 

We're pretty much ready at home.  I need to hang a few more things on the wall in his nursery, but we wouldn't be missing anything if he came tomorrow.  This is such a time of anticipation and we are so excited to meet him.  It won't be long now.
Kim

Halloween 2013

I'm only a few weeks late posting this.  I was going to just mention Halloween in another post, but then I realized that I had too many cute photos not to give it its own post! 

We started off our Halloween celebrations this year with a trip to the local pumpkin patch.  We went to a small farm on the outskirts of town and it was perfect for Henry.  Unfortunately it was 80+ degrees that day, but Henry had fun running around the pumpkins and trying to pick them all up.  They even had a little corn maze there that was geared toward preschoolers and elementary school-age children.  He was too little to answer the questions in the maze (they helped you navigate it), but he loved running through the corn.

Pumpkins!

Going through the corn maze with dad.
This year, Henry was an astronaut for Halloween.  I knew that he needed a costume that wouldn't really feel like a costume on - he is not going to wear anything with a hood or lots of accessories, etc - so the astronaut suit was the perfect fit.  We went to a small Halloween carnival and he was so cute running around in it. 
 



 
 
On Halloween, we just stayed at home and gave out candy.  Henry is still so little that I didn't think he'd care much about trick or treating, plus he didn't take much of a nap that day, so his mood was a bit up and down.  We didn't even put his costume back on...just let him wear his pumpkin shirt.  He had a great time handing out the candy though.  He thought it was so fun to say "trick or treat" and put candy in the other kids' bags.  We don't get a ton of trick-or-treaters in our neighborhood, but we had enough.  It was a good night. 
 

One of my favorite pictures from the night. 

He loved his Pooh pumpkin!

He also loved the Jack 'O Lantern that Matt carved.  He kept looking at the candle and saying, "Happy Birthday!"
Kim

32 Weeks

I suppose it is a good time to do a post completely related to this pregnancy and babe #2, given that I am now 32 weeks and he will be here (hopefully) in about 2 months!  I haven't posted many (any?) pictures of the babe's growth this time around, so here's one I took last weekend on a little birthday getaway that Matt and I took.

He is growing!

I have felt really good for the most part.  I have the usual aches and pains and sleeping comes and goes, but for the most part I can't complain.  Luckily, I haven't had as much sciatic nerve pain this time, but occasionally he does roll over onto some nerve and all of a sudden my hip is on fire and I can barely walk on it.  Thankfully, it doesn't last...just gets you in the moment.  I am feeling him wiggle around.  I don't know if he is crowded or if it is just the way he is laying, but his movements feel much more "rolling" than what I remember from Henry.  There generally aren't sharp kicks, but more like he's moonwalking across my stomach.  He also must be curled up on the right side, because pretty much all of the movement is concentrated around there. I do get a good kick (elbow?  knee?) to the rib every now and then from him too. 

I am getting to the point where I am ready to not be pregnant any more, but I know he needs a little more time to "cook" and I definitely don't want him to come before he's ready.  It is crazy to think that he could be here in as little as 6 weeks though (if he comes early, like Henry did).  We're making progress on the nursery and I am trying to start Christmas shopping.  I know that once he gets here there won't be much time for all of that, so I am trying to be as prepared as possible.  Honestly, the part that I am most nervous about this time around is how Henry will adjust.  We have done the newborn thing before and I know it is hard, but at least I know what to expect.  Henry really has no idea what is coming, despite our best efforts to prepare him.  His little world is going to be rocked.  I know everyone adjusts and that it will be fine, but I am definitely nervous.  He is very attached to me and loves his quality time with his mama (as I do with him!).  I know it is going to be hard figuring out that new balance of my time, but I am very thankful that I have Matt (and all of our family) there to help.  And the good thing is, eventually Henry will never remember life without a brother, so it really is just something we have to get through in the short term. 

I'm so excited to meet this little guy and can't wait to find out who he is.  I have no idea why, but I am expecting him to be completely different from Henry, I just don't know what that will mean.  We shall see!
Kim

Up & Down

As I think I have mentioned, Henry is in full-on toddler-mode.  Instead of "terrible twos"  (because let's be honest, there is absolutely nothing terrible about our munchkin), I am lovingly calling it "opinionated twos."  And no, he isn't actually two yet.  He's 21 months.  But you get my point. 
Sitting in Grammie's rocking chair from when she was a little girl.
This is such a fun age.  He's definitely a little boy now, no longer a baby, and he is hilarious, entertaining, interesting, sweet, polite, and frustrating all at once.  His communication skills are quite good and I love hearing him talk and tell me what's going on in that little mind of his.  He still talks non-stop.  During the drive to school/church/work in the mornings we point out every school bus, truck, bird, car, etc.  that we see.  Also, because Halloween is next week, there is this one house that we pass every day that is decked out in Halloween decor.  I've labeled it the "crazy house" and we make sure to look for it too.  Henry loves saying, "Crazy house coming?" and "I see crazy house!"  It's pretty funny.  One of my favorite things to hear him say right now is "Thank you, mama."  It's the best when it is unprompted.  His little voice is so sweet.  He's also very into "The Wheels on the Bus" right now.  I have a video of the song on my phone and he will watch it over and over and over again.  He loves to sing and will sing the entire ABC song (although large parts of it aren't terribly discernible) and Ba Ba Black Sheep is another favorite, along with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. 
I am so cute.
He loves climbing up on things (stools, boxes, the couch, whatever - but hasn't tried to climb out of his crib yet, thank goodness!) and he loves to "race" Matt around the house.  He has also started sitting on his riding toys and pushing himself around the house with his feet.  Before, he just pushed them.  He'll be ready for a tricycle before we know it. 

Just as quickly as he is laughing and smiling and singing the ABCs though, the wheels fall off and he can go into full on toddler-mode, tantrums included.  They are not terrible, but he has definitely done the "throw himself on the ground face-first and cry" thing a few times.  And once he decides he doesn't want to do something...heaven help you.  For whatever reason, right now he is anti-bath.  I have no idea why.  One day he loved baths, the next day, you'd think I was trying to torture him just to get him in the tub.  Our last few baths have consisted of him standing up in the tub, screaming and clutching onto me for dear life, while I try to get some soap and water on him as quickly as possible.  I mean, the kid has to take a bath every now and then.  It's not just something we can skip.  Admittedly, I don't give him one every day, but I am hoping this phase passes soon.  He usually LOVES baths.  I have no idea what's going on.   His eating is a little like that too...something he loves one day, he won't touch the next.  For the most part I just keep going...offering him the foods that I know he likes despite his reaction on a certain day.  Whether or not he eats it has much more to do with his mood than with his actual favorability toward the food. 
Ready for school.  He insists on carrying his lunch box every morning.
Luckily, we have several friends with babes right around his age and I know that all of this is completely normal.  It's so nice to have people who understand exactly where you are and what you deal with on a daily basis.  Parenting and motherhood is something that you definitely shouldn't tackle in isolation. 

Henry's such a delight and brings smiles to people's faces all day long.  It is hard not to love him (I know I am biased, but he really is super cute).  I am learning to just take each day and his attitude as it comes.  If he flips out and we have to go home or change our plans, so be it.  If he's in a great mood and the life of the party, we enjoy that as well.  I think that just comes with the territory. 
Kim

Sugar Test Round 2

So it has been almost a month now since I had to do my glucose screening for this pregnancy.  You might be remember the disaster that was two years ago when I had to do it for Henry.  This time around, I certainly wasn't excited about it, but I thought I was much more prepared.  I went into it knowing that I'd probably fail the one-hour test and have to take the three-hour one.  I was ok with this.  I felt like I'd probably pass the three-hour, just like I did last time.  My body just simply cannot process that much sugar in one hour.  No big deal. 

Except, it was...still!  Turns out, this time around I failed the one-hour screening so well that they didn't even give me the chance for the three-hour test.  I didn't even know this was a possibility.  They say that with a score like mine on the one-hour your chances of passing the three-hour are so low that they don't even "put you through it."  Honestly, I wish they would have "put me through it."  Even now, I still think I would've passed.  Regardless, they sent me straight to "diabetic counseling" which consisted of me watch a 20 minute video from 1992 about gestational diabetes in a conference room all by myself. 

I'm not gonna lie...I cried through half of  the video.  I know it is completely irrational and I know that it is completely out of my control, but I was so mad at my body.  Even though gestational diabetes has more to do with your hormones and the way your body processes sugar while you are pregnant, and has nothing to do with your overall general health, I still felt like such a failure.  And we all know how well I handle failure.   I hate to say it, but the video was all of these overweight pregnant ladies with perms talking about how it isn't so bad to follow the diet and how they knew they were doing it for their babies and that made it all worth it.  Granted, that is all true.  And of course, I would do ANYTHING for this babe.  I just felt like I hadn't even been given a chance at the three-hour test...and I know my body pretty well...and I think I would've passed it. 

Anyways, after the video a nurse comes in and goes through this packet of information with you about what you should and shouldn't eat, how to check your blood sugar, etc.  She delivered the lovely news that I have to prick my finger 5 times a day and record my blood sugar each time.  I was not terribly happy, but what can you do?  And actually, I did handle it a lot better than I did last time...I just didn't handle it great. 

Turns out, it really isn't that bad.  The first two weeks I followed the diet really closely.  Basically, I am counting carbs.  My sugar has been great each time I check it, and a lot of times it is much more on the low-end of things than the high-end.  The last couple of weeks I've been a little more lax with the diet and things have still been fine (hence my thinking that that I would've passed the 3-hour test).  I have cut down on the amount of bread and sweets that I eat, and I've give up sweet tea completely (big tear), but I have figured out that I can still pretty much have whatever I want so long as I don't eat it right before I test my blood sugar.  If my body has two hours to process things, it seems to be fine.  Pricking my finger five times a day has even gotten to be routine.  I think I would be much more upset if my blood sugar wasn't regulated by the diet (even though that still isn't your fault), but luckily mine is and now that I am used to things, it really isn't much of an issue. 

Of course, I want to make sure the babe is safe and healthy and would never do anything to jeopardize him.  I hope that this post doesn't sound completely selfish, because I promise I am not.  Pregnancy is a funny thing and does crazy things to your body and your emotions.  Chances are that all of this will go away once the babe is born.  It just goes to show you that even when you think you are prepared for something, you really never know. 

You live and you learn, right? 
Kim

Fleeting Moments

There are so many fleeting moments to motherhood.  There are things that you think you'll remember forever, but then don't.  You can't.  Things change so quickly.  Little ones grow ridiculously fast.  Newborns become infants who become babies who become toddlers who become little boys all within the first two years of life.  It really is amazing. 
A little post-naptime (pre-haircut) reading.

I know that these are not novel observations.  Any parent will tell you this, and we were told this numerous times when we were expecting Henry.  In fact, we are still reminded of this fact by the older and wiser ones around us.  I can only imagine that it gets worse...that times flies by even more quickly as it continues on.

I feel like I was more aware of this fact early on in Henry's life.  I mean, you can't fully understand it as it is happening, but I was at least aware of it.  Maybe part of it was that I recognized how sleep-deprived I was and the low-capacity at which my brain was actually functioning.  It was all I could do in the early weeks to remember when Henry last ate and to remember to feed myself.  I practically burned down the house one day (ok, not really), because I left a pot on the stove of boiling water, sanitizing bottles, while we went on a walk around the neighborhood.  We came back to smoldering plastic and a house filled with white smoke.  I know I wrote some disjointed posts early on about things I didn't want to forget about Henry's first days.  My blogging has slowed in Henry's second year, but I do still want to chronicle those little fleeting moments, and with babe #2 on the way, there is no doubt that documenting these things will be even more important, as my brain tries to wrap itself around two little amazing beings.

Just hanging out with Fish Dog on the deck.


All that to say, here are a few of my current favorite don't-ever-want-to-forget-them things about Henry:
  • He is a chatterbox!  I know I have been saying this for a while, but he talks all the time.  Sometimes you understand it, sometimes you don't, but he always has something to say.  He's putting 3 words together easily and loves identifying things, directing you, and ensuring that you are aware of what he's doing at all times.  Everyone who encounters him comments on how verbal he is...a random man in the line at Zaxby's the other day turned around and said, "You sure can say a lot for such a little baby!"  I think it is great.  It is also hilarious.  I love hearing his thoughts and getting a glimpse into what is going on in that mind of his.
  • On that same topic, Henry is still a parrot.  He will repeat anything you say - and he doesn't forget that you've said it either.  His memory amazes me.  For example, one morning on our way into church we ran into my co-worker and she had her new puppy with her.  Every day since, as we've gotten out of the car, Henry has said, "Doggie?  Doggie go home?" Even weeks later, he comments on the dog.  And back to the parrot thing...you definitely have to watch what you say because he is going to repeat it back to you.  Football season has become much more subdued around our house these days :).
  • He pronounces all of his "L's" as "Y's" right now...so he says, "yight" instead of "light" and "heyyo" instead of "hello."  I love it.
  • In the past few weeks he has started to pretend, and I have seen glimpses of his imagination at work.  He loves to high five his stuffed money or try to give him some milk.  He also will talk on the "phone."  His favorite person to call these days is Grammie.
  • He is into trains (choo-choos) lately.  I think this started with our trip to Disney World, but it has really grown.  Seems like such a quintessential "boy" thing and it is precious. 
  • He really loves Fisher.  He still calls her "Sher Dog," and his favorite thing to do it to get his cup of crackers and run around the house with it while she chases him.  Fisher can't resist the temptation of Goldfish, and follows right along beside him, around and around.  She never gets aggressive with him though, just follows him closely, hoping for the stray crumb (of which there are usually plenty). 
When did he get so big?!
I'll post a separate pregnancy update soon.  All is well and we are moving into the 3rd trimester(!).  Although for whatever reason, there seems to be something about the 25-28 week time span that just gets to me.  Last time it was the massive meltdown over the sugar test. This time it has been something similar, but different as well.  I am blaming it all on hormones.  While I recognize the irrationality in it, you just can't control it sometimes.  Anyways, more on that later. 
Kim

Back to School

This summer definitely flew by.  We had a ton of rain at the beginning and it didn't really feel like summer.  By the time it warmed up and things got back to normal, Labor Day was here.  Preschool takes a break over the summer, so Henry spent a lot of time with babysitters at home.  I have three wonderful girls (and a great mother-in-law) who kept him, and he did fine.  It took a little getting used to, but then he was in a new routine and all was well.  It is quite a bit more expensive to pay a babysitter, as opposed to preschool, but you do what you have to do, right?  I am thankful I only have to do it for a couple of months each year.

Preschool started back this week.  I am love that Henry gets to come to work with me again now.  He's moved up to a new class this year, so he has definitely spent this week adjusting to things, but I know he'll get into the new routine soon enough.  He has cried every morning when I leave him, but soon after he is happily playing, so I know he is ok.  He is also re-adjusting to all the action.  Over the course of the summer we pretty much dropped his morning nap (because I knew they didn't take a nap at preschool this year), but by 12pm he still gets pretty tired.  At home with a babysitter he could rest and watch Pooh or read books, but he doesn't get that sort of quiet time in preschool.  Sure, they have books and all, but with the other kids around I know he doesn't relax.  This entire week he has been almost too tired to eat his lunch and he falls asleep as soon as I get him in the car to go home.  I think he'll adjust to this too, but it will take a little time. 

He has also managed to catch his first "back-to-school" cold of the season.  I am just hoping it doesn't turn into an ear infection (like it seems to always do), but I've actually already made an appointment with his pediatrician next week to check his ears just in case.  Call me crazy, but I know how these things go for him now, and I just want to be proactive this time around. 

We had a great Labor Day weekend at the beach with family.  The weather was beautiful and we managed to get in some beach time.  Henry didn't try to eat as much sand this time, which was a nice improvement, and he loved running around and chasing his cousin, Myles, on the beach.

Why yes, we did bring a little bathtub down to the beach.  He loved it. 

Looking for fish with Grammie.

Hanging out on the stairs with Grandad.
I can't believe that summer is over.  This pregnancy is moving along and things are going well.  I can't complain.  Sometimes it feels like we still have a long time to go, and other times I feel like I need to get busy so that I can get things done before he gets here!  We're really only about 3 months out!  Hard to believe, but we are excited. 
Kim

I See Castle!

So we did it.  We successfully ventured to Disney World with our 18-month-old, in August, while one of us was 22 weeks pregnant, and had a great time.  Honestly, we couldn't have wished for things to go any better.  All-in-all, every convenience we spent paid a little extra for was completely worth it (staying at the Contemporary Resort, right by the Magic Kingdom, having monorail access at our resort, being able to see the Magic Kingdom from our balcony, etc.).  Our only complaint is that we couldn't stay longer.  It seriously almost feels like it didn't happen.  But it did.  And the memories are priceless, and I am so thankful we just did it.  Oh, and I think Henry had a great time too.  (Warning: this is going to be a long play-by-play.  I don't want to forget anything!)

We woke up at 3am Thursday night and started the drive. It's about 8 hours from here and we knew we'd have to stop a time or two.  All-in-all, we made it in 9 hours.  Pretty good.  We had everything ready to go and literally picked Henry out of his crib, changed his diaper, and put him in his car seat, hoping he'd go right back to sleep.  No dice.  He actually didn't sleep the ENTIRE time.  He sleeps all the time in the car, so it was sort of ridiculous, but I think he was just excited that he was going to Disney World ;)  However, he was pretty happy, which was a blessing.  For the first couple of hours he just rode quietly (half asleep probably, but his eyes were wide open).  Then we had downloaded some movies to the Ipad for him to watch (Pooh and Mickey Mouse, of course), and that mesmerized him.  We stopped for breakfast at Cracker Barrel in Savannah and we stopped on other time to stretch our legs, but that was it.  He did really well, especially for not sleeping.  He got a little grumpy at the end because he was so tired, but he would not let himself fall asleep!

We made it to our hotel around 12 noon.  Check-in wasn't until 3pm, so we knew our room might not be ready, but we were hoping we'd get lucky.  Not so much.  However, we were all glad to be out of the car and it felt wonderful to be at Disney finally.  We ate lunch at the hotel and did some exploring.  Henry hung in there, but was so, so tired.  As luck would have it, our room wasn't ready until 3:30pm.  This was really the only "glitch" in the weekend.  We were tired and a bit annoyed, admittedly, but it was what it was and we were just happy to have our room.  They did set up a roll-away crib in the room for us, which worked out perfectly.  With two queen beds in the room, we were able to create a little nook for the crib where Henry had some privacy.  He was definitely "over-tired" at this point and had a bit of breakdown, but finally fell asleep.  We let him nap for a bit so that he would actually make it through dinner. 

Playing in the water-area at the hotel.
We had dinner that night at a restaurant in the Grand Floridian Resort.  It was fun to hop on the monorail and ride over there.  Matt's goal for the weekend was not to get into the car once while we were there and we succeeded.  Henry loved riding the "choo-choo" and had it all figured out by the end of the night.  Dinner was delicious.  It was probably my favorite meal of the whole trip.  My shrimp and grits were amazing.  It was also fun to see another resort.  We had considered staying there, but after seeing it, given our circumstances with Henry, etc., we were glad we went with the Contemporary.  After dinner and a short walk around the resort, we headed back to our hotel.  We were all so tired and knew we had a big day on Friday.
Riding the monorail.

Henry was up and ready to go Friday morning, as always. We had breakfast at the hotel and made it to the Magic Kingdom just before the gates opened.  We actually were there in time for the opening ceremony, but the crowd was so big you really couldn't see much of it.  We were starting to get a little nervous about the crowd, but once the gates opened and everyone dispersed inside, you realized that it really wasn't that many people.  We were able to ride 5 rides in just over an hour, and we didn't have to wait in a single line!  It was amazing.  We rode Dumbo first.  Henry did great.  He really didn't know what was going on at all at that point, but he was happy.  His favorite ride, by far, was It's a Small World. He was clapping his hands and dancing in the little boat by the end of it.  We actually rode it again the next day because he loved it so much.  We also rode the Little Mermaid ride, Winnie-the-Pooh (also cool, but a bit of a disappointment because it moved too quickly through the storyline), Peter Pan, Pirates of the Caribbean (I thought Henry was going to be scared, but he was just fine), and the Haunted Mansion (at this point, Henry was so tired, he actually fell asleep on Matt during the ride...lol).  I might be leaving one or two out, but needless to say, we rode a lot.  We knew we pretty much only had until lunchtime before it'd be time to let Henry nap, and since the lines were short, we got in as much as we could.  Henry was mesmerized by most of the rides and it was a lot of fun. 

We ended the morning with a quick trip to see Mickey.  Henry didn't have much reaction to him then. I think he was so tired, and Matt held him the whole time, so he did fine.  And we finally got to take a family picture with Mickey.  We might look a little hot and tired, but that is one of those things you just have to do if you go to Disney, you know?
MICKEY MOUSE!

We headed back to the hotel and made the (really smart) decision to just order lunch from the cafe in the bottom of the resort and take it up to our room.  This gave everyone a chance to relax and refuel.  We just sat Henry in his stroller with the tray on it and it made the perfect little highchair for him. 

After lunch, Henry napped, I rested, and Matt spent some time by the pool.  We had dinner reservations at the Garden Grill in EPCOT that night, so we headed to that park around 4pm.  There isn't as much for Henry to do at EPCOT, but we still enjoyed riding a few rides before getting caught in a downpour.  Luckily, it only lasted a little bit, and it actually drove us inside to the Nemo ride, which turned out to be really cool.  Henry loved looking at the fish and the real aquariums that are part of it. 

Dinner was delicious (except that we forgot to tell them that Henry would just eat off of my plate, and got charged for a Disney kids meal, which is *slightly* overpriced - didn't make that mistake again!).  It was actually a character dinner with Mickey, Pluto, Chip & Dale. This was Henry's first real experience with the characters and his reaction was mixed.  He didn't love them, but he didn't scream and cry either.  He mostly just clung to me and looked at them.  We did manage to get a few pictures though.  We didn't stay in EPCOT too long after dinner (we actually didn't even make it to the "Around the World" part of the park), but headed back to the hotel.  Henry had his bath and headed to bed. Matt and I sat on our balcony, enjoyed some desserts and watched the fireworks from the Magic Kingdom.  It was a pretty spectacular show, as you'd expect. 
View from our balcony.  Pretty amazing, right?

Saturday started with breakfast at the Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom with the Pooh characters. This reservation was totally worth it because we got to go into the Magic Kingdom before it was open to the public.  It was so fun to see the castle and take pictures in front of it without fighting all the crowds.  Henry loved the castle and kept saying, "I see castle!"  This was his refrain for most of the trip, actually. 

Breakfast was good, but the characters were slow to come around and we only saw Tigger and Piglet.  Henry had about the same reaction as he did the night before.  He didn't love them, but he wasn't terrified.  We spotted Pooh and Eeyore from afar, and Henry did love when they played the Pooh songs and marched around the restaurant.  Again, this meal was totally worth it just to get into the park early.  Oh, and we got one of my favorite pictures of the trip with Tigger, so that was cool. 

T-I-double g-er!

We spent the morning at the Magic Kingdom riding more rides and enjoying the sites.  We rode the Jungle Cruise, Aladdin's Carpets and a few others.  It was sunny on Saturday, so things heated up a lot quicker than they did the day before.  We started choosing rides based on whether or not they were indoors, which worked out as a nice way to keep us cool.  Henry had the hang of things this time and really seem to enjoy the rides more.  We kept our routine the same and headed back to the hotel for lunch in the room and a nap.  It was so convenient to just be one monorail stop away from the hotel.  Henry was a champ riding in his stroller and things went smoothly on all fronts.
The castle!

Our dinner reservation that night was the new Be Our Guest restaurant in the Magic Kingdom (Matt spent a lot of time preceding the trip working out our reservations and FastPass selections so that everything was just so...and it did all work out wonderfully).  This restaurant is really cool because it is located in the beast's castle (from Beauty and the Beast) and has a french theme.  The meal was decent and the atmosphere was great.  Henry was doing well, so we decided to just see how long he'd make it after dinner.  The Magic Kingdom is so cool at night because everything lights up.  He did great.  We rode the train all the way around, Dumbo again, and even gave Matt a chance to ride Space Mountain.  We stayed until 9pm and caught a glimpse of the light parade (one of my personal favorites).  We didn't watch the whole thing though, because we knew better than to press our luck.  Back to the hotel, bath and bedtime for Henry.  Fireworks from the balcony for us.  We were exhausted, and started to get sad that we already had to leave, but we had to admit that we had had a great two days.
A night-time shot with the castle.

Sunday we ate breakfast and hit the road.  The routine was about the same coming home, 9-hours total, stopped for lunch and one other time, and Henry did great.  He actually slept this time, and enjoyed his movies for most of the rest of the time.  Matt and I had fun re-living our favorite memories from the trip.

All-in-all it was so much fun, and I am so glad we did it.  As I mentioned, Henry loved seeing the castle and riding the "choo-choo" (monorail).  The monorail also came directly through our hotel, so that was always a big highlight for him.  His favorite ride was It's a Small World (go figure), but he was pretty into Dumbo the second time we rode it.  He definitely figured out who Mickey was and still points out every Mickey he sees.  Disney is testing these new MagicBands which were really cool.  We were able to pay for things, unlock our room door, get into the park and link our FastPasses all through our bracelets.  It was super convenient.  We locked our wallets in the room safe and didn't need them until we left.  Like I said, staying on property and getting a room with a view was totally worth it.  I cannot wait until we can go again (with 2 boys!).  I know Henry won't remember it, but that wasn't really the point.  It was mostly for me and Matt, and we will always remember it and the look on Henry's face as he took in all the new sites.  I can't believe it is over.  I am so ready to go back!

 
 
(We have so many pictures - I tried to pick some of the best ones to put here, but they are all my favorites, really!)
Kim

Random Things

We are back from Disney and had a fantastic time.  I will do an entire blog post on it soon, I promise.  In the meantime though I have been thinking about all the fun things Henry is saying/doing these days that I don't want to forget, so I thought I'd do a fast little post about them.
Just practicing my golf swing.
  • He has finally started calling Fisher by her name, sort of.  We call her "Fisher Dog" a lot (apparently), so now when he says her name he calls her, "sher dog."  It is so precious to hear him say it.  He loves to say that and to tell her to "go on," while he is tempting her to chase him with food.  I definitely think they are best friends in the making.
  • Henry has started saying 2 and 3-word sentences.  Mostly they start with, "I see."  Matt likes to play a game with him where he says, "Do you see a...?"  So now, Henry says, "I see ball!" or "I see castle!" and other things like that all the time.  He is in full-on parrot mode, so you have to pay attention to what you say.  He will repeat it right back to you before you know you've said it.  He's hilarious though. 
  • While still a great eater, we have definitely entered the picky toddler phase of food.  Henry used to devour string cheese...now he hides it under his cup in his cup holder (seriously!) so he doesn't have to eat it.  I don't know what changed.  He's fickle with his meals.  He'll eat a big lunch and then a small dinner, or vice-versa.  Today for breakfast, he refused everything, but an hour later he ate a whole piece of banana bread.  I mostly make him at least sit in his highchair and eat something (don't want him to get into any bad habits), but I try not to worry about it too much.  He is getting plenty of food and eats great when he is hungry.  I think it is really just a phase he's going through...asserting his independence and all.
  • As I mentioned, I am going to do a whole post on our trip soon, but it did feel like Henry really "grew up" in some ways while we were there, especially at restaurants.  For example, he sat in a booster seat (not a high chair) for the first time at dinner (although he was very wiggly and made me a little nervous).  He also actually colored with crayons they gave him with the children's menu (instead of just trying to eat them--although there was plenty of that too).  He started drinking through a straw again, and he really tried to use a spoon to eat. He also got his first set of skinned knees, when he tripped on a bridge in the Magic Kingdom.  It was nothing traumatic, he didn't even really cry, but still...such a big guy!
Let's be honest, this might be the most time he gets to spend in a sled around here!

Summer is coming to an end and preschool starts back just after Labor Day.  Henry moves up to a big kid class this time.  I bought him a little backpack and lunch box!  No more diaper bag :(  He already knows his teacher though and will probably know most of the kids in his class, so I am sure he will do great.  I am excited for him to start back.  We've had a good summer and have been blessed with great babysitters, but he loves the social interaction of preschool and really gets a lot out of it. 

Things are moving along with babe #2.  I have started to feel him moving more, which is nice.  I try not to worry too much when I don't feel him a lot, but it is definitely comforting.  He is certainly growing and I feel "pregnant." I have noticed a little spike in my energy lately, but definitely still have my tired moments.  All-in-all though, I can't complain, and we are getting excited to meet this little guy.  We've got a lot to do between now and December, but I know we'll get it done. 

Disney post to come soon!
Kim

It's Pooh! It's Pooh!

So Henry's love of characters continues, but it has particularly rooted itself in Winnie-the-Pooh.  I bet we watch at least one Pooh-centered thing a day, and I can pretty much quote you both of the Pooh movies we own.  Matt and I go to bed and wake up singing Winnie-the-Pooh songs, and all you have to do is hum a few bars of one and Henry immediately gets excited and says, "Pooh!"  In all actuality, I like Pooh, and I am glad that if Henry is going to be fixated on something, at least it is Pooh and not a more annoying cartoon/character.  He loves it though.

In other news, he had his 18 month check-up at the doctor.  Only two shots this time, which is good, but it was so sad because as I was holding Henry down and the nurse was giving him the shots he started crying out, "All done, all done!"  I felt so bad for him.  Luckily, he was ok after it was all over.  He weighs 26lbs and is 33 1/4" long.  This puts him in about the 80th percentile for both.  After hanging out with Henry for a few minutes the doctor commented on his large vocabulary and said that he seemed to be more on level for a 2-year-old with his talking than an 18-month-old.  We know he is talkative!  He's really started to put 2 words together now too, and he's very good at telling you exactly what he wants.  There is no doubt that we have a toddler now.  Overall his demeanor is still sweet and happy.  You know when he's tired or hungry, but he's pretty agreeable most of the other times.  He does like to be social though.  There is no preschool this month, so he is home with a babysitter each day.  While he loves them and has a lot of fun, I can definitely tell that he gets tired of being in the house and not seeing other people.  As I think I've mentioned before, I try to set up lots of playdates when his schedule is like that, but this week we've been mostly at home and I can definitely tell he's going stir-crazy.

Things with babe #2 are going well.  I'm 20 weeks (halfway there!) which is hard to believe.  I have my next appointment on Monday, so I'll be glad to go to that and know that everything is well.  I am feeling him move from time to time, still nothing consistent yet, but besides being tired, I really have no complaints.  I can feel the aches and pains of the added weight when I sleep, but it hasn't been anything unbearable yet.  I am having tons of crazy dreams though.  Maybe I am so tired because I am not sleeping soundly at night?  Oh well, I know that is only going to get worse, so I am glad for what I get now! 

Oh, and call us crazy, but Matt and I got a wild hair and decided to take a mini-vacation to Disney World!  We leave in a couple of weeks and will be gone Thursday - Sunday.  Henry's coming and we are really excited for him to see all the sights and sounds.  We know it will be a relatively low-key trip and we are tempering our expectations, but I think we've planned things well and it is really fun to have something like that to look forward to.  Both Matt and I love Disney and we figure if we don't go now, we definitely won't be able to go with two little ones for a while, so why not?  I'll let you know how it goes.  We are counting down the days. 

I can't believe summer is almost over.  It rained so much at the beginning of the season that it honestly just now feels like summer has started.  I will be glad for Henry to be back at preschool though and to have a normal schedule with that again.  Also, each passing month means we are one month closer to meeting babe #2!  That is exciting and overwhelming all at the same time.
Kim

It's a...

...BOY! 

Wait, what?  Oh right...this happened...
I'm going to be a big brother!
Henry was happy to make our big announcement to all of our family with his tee-shirt when we were in Richmond for the CF Walk this year.  It only took them a good 15 minutes to actually read his shirt and process what it meant.  It was pretty funny.  But yes, a big brother.  It is all very exciting.  I realize that at this point in my pregnancy with Henry I had written 20+ blog entries.  I guess the second-child syndrome really is true?  It used to annoy me so much when people would talk about it(being a second child and all), but I totally get it now.  We don't love you any less little babe 2, we are just a bit busier this time around :) 

So anyways, I am 17.5 weeks, and we found out this past Monday that we're having another boy! 
Hi little buddy!

Everyone seemed to think it was a girl this time around, but I think they is mostly because we already had a boy.  We didn't care either way and were just happy to know we have a healthy, growing little babe!  During the ultrasound he was super squirmy - literally flipping from side-to-side as we were watching him - but everything checked out great and we're on target for a due date of December 17.  Yep...a Christmas baby...I'm getting all my shopping done by Thanksgiving this year.  Seriously!  And of course, since Henry technically came two weeks early, I'm already preparing myself for failure by thinking that there is a good chance this babe will come early too.  (He'll probably be late and come on Christmas day or something since I'm thinking that!)  But we'll be delighted whenever he gets here, and we know it will be a busy time whether he comes early or late.  Oh, and another fun fact...my sister-in-law is also pregnant and literally due on almost the same day!  They haven't found out what they're having yet, but it is going to be a busy time for the Richardson family this winter.  It is so fun to think about the cousins being so close in age, and it has already been a lot of fun to go through all of this with her this time around. 

They say that every pregnancy is different, and I would say that this one has been a little bit different already.  My sense of smell has been really strong.  I didn't have that so much with Henry, so it has really taken me by surprise.  Also, I've been ridiculously tired...even now in my second trimester.  I am assuming part of this has to do with the fact that I have a 17-month-old to chase around and don't ever get to sleep in past 7:30am anymore, but still...that has been a little rough.  Oh, and I have been HUNGRY!  I mean, breakfast-and-two-snacks-before-lunch hungry.  It is ridiculous...but I am glad to know the babe is growing.  I definitely started to show a little earlier this time around, although I am still able to wear my pants with the belly band, and I'm still too small for maternity clothes.  It's that weird time of pregnancy where you mostly just look like you've eaten too many Krispy Kreme doughnuts.  Lovely. 

I think that I am starting to feel him move.  I have noticed a few little "pops" down low in my belly over the last few days and even as I type this now I can feel them.  They are not consistent, but the more I feel them, the more I am sure that it is the babe.  Feeling him move is probably my favorite part of pregnancy.  It is so amazing and so comforting to know he is in there and swimming around. 

Oh, and we're pretty sure his name is going to be James Matthew Richardson.  Just like last time, we were able to pick out a boy name pretty quickly, but were having the hardest time coming up with a girl name.  I told Matt that I knew it was going to be a boy because of this...if it was a girl, we would've come up with a girl name.  Don't run out and get anything monogrammed yet, but we are fairly certain he will be James.

It is so fun now to know that it is a boy and to think about him and Henry growing up together.  I hope that they will be close, and I know there are many adventures in our future.  Matt is excited to have built-in hunting and fishing buddies, and I know there will be lots of scouts and sports games.  I still have a lot to learn about boys, but it has been a fun 17 months so far and I am looking forward to our lifetime ahead.  Also, this little guy is going to be great in the clothing department.  Since he'll be born around the same time of year as Henry, he should be good to go. Poor little thing won't know anything besides hand-me-downs for the first bit of his life, but I think he'll live.  Plus, Henry has excellent style :)

So that is our news.  It has been a ridiculously rainy summer and we're going a bit stir crazy at home, but overall, things have been good and we have nothing to complain about.  We had a great time at the beach for the 4th of July (with no rain!), but I'll save that for another post.  Here's a sneak peek of the cousins all together though.  Have you ever tried to get a 1-year-old and two 4-year-olds to sit still long enough to take a picture together?...yeah....
They are still cute though.

Kim

Pooh, George and Elmo Elmo!

Henry is definitely in full-on toddlerhood now.  He comes out with new words every day and lately he has really started getting into characters.  He loves Winnie-the-Pooh, Curious George and Elmo - especially Elmo.  There must be something imprinted in all toddlers' DNA that makes them like Elmo.  He's never even watched Sesame Street!  I think he first discovered Elmo at preschool because they have one of the dancing Elmo dolls.  Then he realized that he had several Elmo books at home.  THEN I downloaded an Elmo story app on my IPad.  The love affair was sealed.  The funny part is that whenever Henry sees Elmo he says, "Elmo Elmo!"  He is always very excited and he always says it twice.  We were in Harris Teeter the other day and Henry spotted a balloon with Elmo on it - "Elmo Elmo!" It is precious.  I'm not even sure how he saw the balloon as it was tied a bit obscurely to the checkout counter, but he did. 

Curious George is another new favorite.  He just calls him George and it is so cute when he says it.  He has a book where you have to find George on each page, and we definitely read it multiple times a day.  The same goes for Pooh.  We have a whole set of Pooh books that we read over and over.  Also, Pooh is on his nightime diapers - Henry loves pointing him out when he's getting ready for bed.  It really is so sweet. 

Henry's very into books in general.  We read a lot.  I love it.  However, he is definitely in the phase where he loves to read the same book over and over.  His favorite (besides Elmo, Pooh and Geroge) is a version of One Fish, Two Fish, that I was given at one of my baby showers.  It is an abbreviated version of the classic Dr. Seuss tale, and Henry loves it.  He will ask me to read it four or five times in a row.  I think he really likes the rhythm of it.  I am pretty sure I could recite it from memory now.  But how can you deny a toddler asking you to read?  You cannot.

Otherwise, Henry is up to all the normal activities you'd expect from a 16-month-old.  He is into EVERYTHING.  His current love is to tear apart the kitchen.  Pots, pans, tupperware...it is all fair game.  Sometimes I make him stop...sometimes I let him do it.  It does keep him busy when I'm trying to get something done in the kitchen...you just have to watch your step.  I've tripped over so many bowls in the last few weeks I can't even begin to tell you.
Busy bee.
I'll leave you with just a few pictures - because seriously, Henry is the cutest kid ever ;)

Click on this picture to make it bigger.  I love his face here.  He was "helping" Matt water the garden and was having the best time. 

Enjoyng the beach over Memorial Day weekend.

It was beautiful.
Kim

First Haircut

It was time.  This picture does it no justice, but Henry's curls were getting out of control.
I wish I had a better picture than this.
Yes, he has curls.  Aside from being blonde, he definitely has my hair.  Fine and curly.  I feel for him.  And, we've had an unusually rainy spring this year, so his curls were coming out in full force.  However, just like mine, they are neither uniformed or particularly cute.  (I mean everything about Henry is cute, but...)  He actually was starting to get a little bit of a mullet.  It was time to do something.

So, on Monday, May 6, Matt met me at the Haymount Barber Shop, and Henry got his first haircut from the same barber who cuts his dad's hair, his grandfather's hair, and who cut his great-grandfather's hair.  That makes Henry the fourth generation of Richardson men to have his hair cut by Mr. Barefoot. 
1st Haircut
He did great!  Honestly, I think he was a little unsure of what was happening, so he just sat there with his paci.  He did get a little wiggly at the end, especially when Mr. Barefoot used the buzzer on his neck, but all-in-all he really did awesome.  No tears or worries whatsoever.  I am very thankful for that.  A haircut is one of those things that can go one of two ways...lucky for us it went the quiet and calm way this time.  Here's hoping we have the same luck next time. 
He looks like such a little boy now.  I know I am extremely biased, but I think it made him even more cute.  And don't worry, the curls are not gone completely.  He still has a nice cow-lick right at the top of his head that just won't lay down, no matter what I do.  Sorry bud, you get it honestly!
Kim

Walkie Talkie

I really cannot say enough how talkative Henry is. His preschool teachers even comment on it. Each day,  he comes out with new words.  Lately, he's added, "outside," "cracker," and "cat" to his list.  Every day when we get home from work/preschool and pull into the garage, he starts saying, "More!  Outside.  More!" while making the sign-language motion for "more." (He learned that at preschool.)  It is so cute.  He's telling me he wants to play outside (something that he LOVES).  Also, he really understands a lot of what you're saying now and is starting to be able to respond.  When we're in the bathtub and he stands up (something he's not supposed to do), I can say, "Henry, if you don't sit on your bottom, we're going to have to get out of the tub.  Do you want to get out?"  He looks at me for a minute, processing things, and then says, "no," and usually sits down.  Doesn't mean he's not standing back up a few minutes later, but hey, we're getting there. 

This morning I went to get him from his crib and he was standing up pointing to his arm.  For a minute I was worried that he had somehow hurt himself, but then I realized that he was pointing to his arm and saying, "a dog!"  His PJs had little dogs all over them and he was letting me know. 

He's extremely mobile now and a great walker.  He's not running, per se, but he can get where he wants to go very quickly.  People always tell you that the world changes once they start walking.  Honestly, I would say it isn't the mobility that has been a big change (he was an excellent crawler and I think we went through that adjustment then), but it is the fact that he can reach so much more.  Before, I could easily put something on the counter or kitchen table and he wouldn't be able to get it.  Now, our 90% in height little boy can pretty much get to whatever he wants on a counter or table.  You definitely have to pay attention.  Did I mention he's fast? 

Oh, but he is cute!
Kim

Door!

Henry is cracking us up these days with his expanding vocabulary.  The funniest part is that for whatever reason, his favorite word is, "door."  I have no idea why, but he says it ALL THE TIME.  You never realize how many doors there are in the world until you have a 14 month old pointing them all out to you.  It is as sweet as can be to see him point and hear his little voice say, "door!"  He knows that doors open and that we go out of doors when we go, "bye-bye."  We were visiting Matt at his office last week and the way their office is set up, it is basically a long hallway with the individual offices off of it.  This means there are a lot of doors.  Henry was walking down the hall going, "door!  door!  door!"  We were laughing so hard.  This is just one of those little things you never want to forget.  He says lots of other words too, but "door" is by far the most popular. 

And here's a picture of Henry on the playground at preschool with his buddy, Wade.  They are just 5 days apart and have become fast friends this year in preschool.  Aren't they the cutest?
Kim

Happy Easter!

Easter came early this year and despite the rainy, cold weather, we still had a wonderful holiday.  As has been the case the past three years, Matt had Good Friday off while I had Easter Monday off.  This didn't really give us a full three-day weekend to go to the beach and since the weather wasn't supposed to be all that great anyways we decided to just stay home.  This made it a very relaxing weekend, which was nice, and the sun managed to shine beautifully on Monday, so that was much appreciated.

We enjoyed church and then met up with Matt's parents for lunch.  Henry lucked out and the Easter Bunny not only visited him at our house, but also made a trip to grandma's!  He can't really eat candy yet, so he got lots of books, bubbles and some small toys.  He loved it all. 
Family photo.  Love this so much.

Happy Easter, little man!

Wearing my Easter overalls.
Henry is really good at walking now.  He still defaults to crawling,  but as long as you make him stand up, he'll walk, and he does it well.  I love seeing him meandering around on two feet.  It is a whole new world for him and things that were previously inaccessible, like items on top of the kitchen table or hutch, are now much easier to get to.  I've had to do a little more baby-proofing these past few weeks.  Walking and talking like a toddler...how did that happen?
Kim

14 Months

Sorry for the little blogging hiatus.  Things got busy.  And after a year of blogging at least once a week every week, I needed a little break. I do want to keep this up though, so I hope to get back into the habit and be more consistent.

Henry is 14 months!  He is trying to walk...wait, let me rephrase that...he CAN walk when he wants to, but he doesn't try a lot.  He still prefers crawling (much faster) and cruising (much more balanced).  I am starting to think that I am going to have to hide all of his push toys for a little while.  He will take 4 - 5 steps here and there, but just isn't consistent with it yet.  Walking is not his default, I guess you could say.  I am trying not to get impatient, but sometimes it is hard when every other kid in his preschool class is walking unassisted and he's not.  I know I shouldn't compare...and I also know that he's one of the younger ones in his class, but sometimes your mind goes there.  At least he IS walking...meaning he CAN do it.  Now it is just a matter of him wanting to!

In other news Henry's language use has exploded.  Some of his favorite words are:
more
all done!
goal! (his dad taught him that one)
bye-bye
go

He says quite a few other words too and will mimic you with parrot-like accuracy sometimes.  I love hearing him communicate and use his words.  He still chatters non-stop and sings when there's music playing.  He also dances, which mostly consists of him bouncing up and down while standing or bopping his head back and forth if he is sitting.

He's starting to understand the word "no" now, but he hasn't quite got the hang of it.  For example, he knows that he is not supposed to play with Fisher's bowls, so he'll crawl over to them, say "no, no no" and then proceed to stick his hand right in her water dish.  Or, he'll crawl up to the tv (another place he's not supposed to be) and say "no, no, no" but then still proceed to pull up.  It's pretty funny, but I hope he learns the prohibitive nature of "no" soon. 

We've had a major growth spurt in the last month and all of a sudden all of the clothes he's been wearing all winter are too small. His jeans stop at his ankles and his shirts are tight around his little tummy.  Luckily, we have some hand-me-downs from our cousin Myles that we are wearing.  I am trying to get us through these last few cold weeks before we can move on to spring and summer clothes in larger sizes.  I know he can wear 18 month shirts.  I'm not sure where he'll be with shorts.  He's tall, but still relatively "skinny" (even though he's not skinny at all!), so maybe 12 month, maybe 18 month.  We've got some time before it is shorts weather! 

He's still so much fun, has a giggle that is still my favorite sound in the world, and he brings us so much joy.  I just can never say enough how thankful we are for him!

I'll leave you with a few pictures...because let's be honest, that's what we all want to see, right?
Cheering on the Tar Heels in the NCAA Tournament.  Too bad we didn't make it very far this year.

Easter is coming!  Mom, why did you put these on my head?!

I didn't actually end up keeping this outfit, but it was cute and I managed to snap a picture in it before I returned it to the store.
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