Baby Spacing

About a month ago, I walked into Michaels and saw a mother of a 9 month old that looked about 9 months pregnant. All I could think was that her kids are going to be REALLY close in age. I started shopping and forgot about it until I got to the check out. The lady behind me asked how old Lexi was and then commented that my kids will be close in age. I just laughed.

The strange thing is that I get this reaction quite often. I have always thought that 2 – 3 years was normal. Lexi and Jordan will be 23 months apart. I guess I must ask...what is the average? Am I off my rocker here? I certainly don’t have to fit within the norm. I decided to have another baby because I was ready. I would just like to know if ALL these people are lunatics or if I am. Usually, when they say that, I just laugh and say that I got a late start so there is no time to hold off.

Lazy Photo Day

So, I am Crazy…Or Lucky, Probably Both

I just came back from a long weekend in Virginia. Before going, people thought the scenario was either humorous or a bit insane. I guess it isn’t very often that a pregnant chic drags herself and a toddler half way across the country to spend time with her husband’s relatives while he is stuck attending a work seminar. This was an important trip though because his dear sweet Granny was celebrating her 90th birthday. Plus, I happen to like his family. I would even venture to say that I feel closer to them then he does, at least his cousins (The Boss, The Crazy Bow Lady, & The Princess).

Unfortunately for me, I could not find a direct flight from Houston to DC for a reasonable price. We flew to Dallas, had a two hour layover, and then had a 3 hour flight to Dulles. I probably should have bought a separate ticket for Lexi, but the fact that she still qualifies as a lap baby means I don’t have to spend the extra money so I didn’t. We squished my big pregnant belly & her little body into a crammed aisle seat on each flight. I would bet that the people sitting around us cringed when they imagined how the flight would be. She did very well though. She had everyone eating out of the palm of her hand. Other than being extremely uncomfortable and struggling with my luggage before check-in, it was far from my worst nightmares about what it could have been.

Our two days in Virginia were great. Granny’s little town is so charming. I think there are a total of 2 stop lights. The streets are lined with houses that are at least 200 years old. Everyone knows everyone and is so neighborly and kind. I think it is the perfect place to have a vacation home. I would especially love to go during my favorite season, Fall. By the way, before leaving I saw that the county she lives in is ranked in the top 10 places to see fall leaves. We were a bit too early for that though.

It was in this little town that the big Birthday Bash was held. Almost 150 people came to celebrate her life, friendship, and all the charity work she has accomplished. We were all involved in different ways. The Boss made a beautiful & very tasty cake that could rival any wedding cake I have seen. The Crazy Bow Lady did the best imitation of Granny. She had friends and family rolling on the floor. The Princess designed the invitations and was the MC for the night. I even participated by making the programs and reading a poem. The great grandkids greeted people and passed out the cake. Several of her friends mentioned that they hope their families will make such a big deal for their 90th birthdays. We all wish we could be so healthy and active for that long.

The whole visit was great. I felt spoiled with everyone helping me take care of Lexi and our bags. Plus, coming from a big family, you can bet that I love the commotion that ensues. The only thing I would have changed was how short the trip was and how many pictures I took. I had planned on taking a million and only ended up with a few. I didn’t even get pictures of everyone, so I guess I will have to beg the others for copies of theirs.

Basically, it was too fun, too short, and it will be too long until I see them again because I am done traveling for a while (until after the baby is born).

The Key To A Happy Marriage?

Several days ago, someone told me that her mom gave her the best advice ever. That advice?... "Never put your kids before your husband."

She said it with such sincerity and a longing for her mother who had passed away, so I just politely smiled. What I wanted to say was, “Are you serious because that sounds so 50ish?”

Fortunately, in this case, I know that this does not include a stand by your man whether he is a monster or not. Despite that, it is still hard for me to embrace this concept. Marriage is between two adults (well one woman & a man that needs some training). Both partners should be able to take care of themselves for the most part, where as a child has very real demands that can be quite time consuming. Just saying NEVER put your kids before your husband seems impractical.

I realize that it is easy to get wrapped up in motherhood and life. These things can take a lot out of a woman and leave her with little energy or enthusiasm for her husband. Romance and friendship that should exist in a marriage need to be kept alive. I am not a marriage expert, but I would like to think of it as more of a partnership. It is about going through life together. If you can keep your relationship strong, hopefully you’ll have someone there helping you with the kids.

Talking Toddler

I like to go on walks with Lexi. Whenever the temperature isn’t blistering hot, I stick her in the stroller and we walk around neighborhoods and often to a park. Her favorite part, besides the park, is pointing and shouting out the names of things including cool (school) bus, big truck, coi (car), tree, two tree, mushroom, outside wall, grass, dog, kitty cat, window, door, smell good (flowers), people, etc.

This morning, (thanks to Hurricane Humberto to the east) the weather was perfect. We headed out with the normal excitement, especially since it was school bus time. As we were walking around, I couldn’t help but wonder why some people had been watering their lawns given that it rains almost every day here. Lexi was in her own little world and I was in mine, when suddenly I slipped on some muddy water on the sidewalk. My knee twisted a little, but I didn’t go all the way down thanks to the stroller. I glanced around and nobody was out to see me, which is always nice.

As we were walking away, Lexi announced, “Momma fall down!” Then, she was gracious enough to repeat it over & over & over. She even told everyone we met. I just laughed. I had to call Steve & let her say it to him on the phone, which she kindly obliged. As we were nearing the end of our walk, we came up to more water on the sidewalk. This time she said, “No Fall! No Fall! No Fall!” Good thing I am not completely shy and embarrassed about these things, but it would be nice for it to go unnoticed. I can see that this is the start of many more fun announcements.

Scheduled Birth

Friday, I had another OB appointment and ultrasound. I didn't have any big expectations. The software for my scanner is giving me problems, so I will not be able to post the picture. It looks a lot like the last one. BTW, it is still definitely a boy.

When the doctor sat down with me, she asked me the general questions like which hospital I want to deliver in & if I want an epidural (YES!). Then being me, I took the opportunity to drive home the fact that I want to be induced. She told me that she likes to plan ahead too & said we should schedule it now. I was a bit caught off guard because I didn't know she'd be willing to schedule this far in advance. Well - it looks like baby boy is going to be born on December 20th, unless he has earlier plans of course. It actually feels great to have a date in mind.

With This Baby

I have been thinking about the differences with this pregnancy and the last one. When a person is pregnant the first time, it is easy to get wrapped up in thoughts, feelings, and movements of the baby. Everything else (big or small) takes a back seat. Besides the emotional and physical aspects, there is so much preparation, shopping, and getting the nursery set-up.

The second pregnancy is much different. I have been through this all before. My bodily changes are not new and neither are the baby’s movements. Plus, the nursery is set-up and we basically have everything we NEED. So far, I have bought boy clothes and an old fashioned rocking chair, which I have been wanting since I was pregnant with Lexi. There are a few things I want/plan to get like this tandem jogging stroller, a bottle of gripe water, and blue pacifiers. When I think back to my preparations last time, there are some purchases I would have changed. Instead of getting the entire matching set of baby stuff from Graco (stroller, carrier, pack-n-play, swing, high chair, & diaper bag), I would have nixed the swing (likes it more now than she did as an infant), bought a stylish diaper bag, and gone with Combi for the stroller/carrier. I probably had more fun shopping for the matching stuff though.

During this pregnancy, I feel like I am mostly working on preparing Lexi for the transition. I will be using the next few months to get her used to a toddler bed, potty trained (hopefully), and being a tad more independent. She has already made big steps in becoming more comfortable with me holding babies. When we first got to Texas, I held my friend’s baby in a carrier (not so snuggly) & Lexi began screaming like an insanely jealous person. Now, I can hold and comfort the baby without it bothering her. Hopefully, by December, she will even be excited to have one around full time.

Of course, the new baby is always in the back of my mind, but it isn’t my main focus. Sometimes, I wonder if I should feel guilty about that, but I have too many things dividing my attention. It is just the fate of the non-oldest kids.