Baby #2!

So, if you even bother to read this then you probably know we are expecting our second child in March!  This pregnancy has been so different than my first.  Firstly, I have been wayyyyyyy sicker.  For several weeks I was throwing up every day, while with Eli I only got physically sick a few random times.  The morning sickness did lift around week 14 but now that it's allergy and sinus season my gag reflex is in overdrive once again.  Secondly, I'm a terrible pregnant person this time around.  When you don't have any kids yet, you have all this time to just think about being pregnant.  I was so intentional about eating right and exercising during my first pregnancy but I can tell you how many times I've worked out this time around (twice) and my diet is too shameful to talk about.  Thirdly, I am so insanely tired this time around and I definitely drink coffee every day.  I never drank ANY coffee during the first pregnancy.  Eli still totally sucks at sleeping through the night (lately he cannot even make it past midnight in his own bed) and it's pretty rough.  At least we'll still be in newborn mode, I guess.

I saw the baby's movement from the outside yesterday!  That is approximately 5 weeks earlier than with Eli so that is crazy!  It wasn't a hard kick or anything but at night I've been enjoying reading in the bath (Harry Potter, for the billionth time) and waiting to feel any movement.  I seem to feel the tiniest little movements in the bath.  I don't know if it's because baby loves water or it's because I'm finally still and relaxed enough to notice!  I remember Eli used to go crazy in the womb when I would go swimming, and he's turning out to be quite the little swimmer.  Maybe his sibling will be the same!

I've already had three ultrasounds for this pregnancy.  The first one was an outpatient emergency because of bleeding early on (around 8 weeks) but everything was fine.  My second one was an early scan at my OB's office around 9 weeks and I was diagnosed with a marginal previa (placenta attached next to the cervix) and had instruction not to lift anything heavy aaaaand no sex, and my third was at 13 weeks to check and make sure the previa had moved.  The placenta still low-lying but no longer considered a previa so my restrictions were lifted!  Also the tech asked me if I wanted to know the baby's gender which I was definitely not expecting.  I felt bad because Rob wasn't there, but I was way too weak to pass on the chance to know.  SO, I am pretty sure I know our baby's gender!  We aren't telling anyone until our official anatomy scan, which will be on November 11!

SO STAY TUNED.

Eli's vocabulary inventory

Eli is going to be 20 months on the 18th.  So close to being two years old!  It's so strange to me.  I thought I would update his vocabulary log since I've never really thought about how many words he uses.

-snow
-outside
-dog
-bug
-bird
-paci
-water
-milk
-juice
-apple
-please
-thank you
-night-night
-potty
-shoe
-boot
-sock
-ear
-eye
-chin
-nose
-no
-mama
-dada
-papaw
-cookie
-baby
-poo-poo
-book
-Elmo
-cracker
-cheese
-waffle
-hello
-bye-bye
-keys

There are probably more but it's hard to sit down and think of every word he says.  There are also words he's said just a couple times but I don't really count them as part of his vocabulary yet because he doesn't use them consistently.  Examples include "tree", "flower", "moon", etc.  He is also aware of many more animals other than a dog, but he still refuses to refer to them by anything other than the noise they make.  He finally made the switch to "dog" as opposed to "woof woof" a couple of weeks ago.

He also understands a lot.  He will only say "ear", "eye", "chin", and "nose" but he will point to any body part you ask.  Same with a lot of things.  One day they will earn names!

He also says, "All done" when his plate/cup are empty or he doesn't want to eat anymore. He just recently started to say, "Bye-bye daddy" when Rob leaves for work, but it actually comes out, "Bye-bye E-da" when he puts them together.  He also frequently sings, "Let it go" but I know he has no idea what it means so I don't count it as a phrase.  It's just hilarious :)

Eli loves, loves music and he totally appreciates our crappy singing voices.  He ADORES the alphabet song, and wants us to sing it many times a day.  You know he wants you to sing it when he starts jabbering a series of syllables that is something like the melody.  He also likes The Itsy-Bitsy Spider, and is getting pretty good at the hand motions.  He also likes to attempt the motions to pat-a-cake.

Overall, though, he jabbers CONSTANTLY.  He will go around jabbering almost entirely unintelligible.  I have a feeling when he starts REALLY talking he is going to be quite an earful :)

Trying to find a house: a rant.

UGH.

So I have been browsing real estate websites for months and months and months.  My requirements (other than I have to, like, find it aesthetically pleasing, at least somewhat) are: at least 3 bedrooms (because I'm hoping on a second baby here at some point), at least 2 bathrooms, driveway/garage, and a GOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT.

Unfortunately, this type of house does not seem to exist in our price range.

Really we want to live around Blue Ash.  Rob works there and has worked there for years (though not at the same job).  Blue Ash has a good school district.  Other areas I've branched out to because they have good school districts are Mason, Anderson, and even Milford.

But ugh. UGH UGH UGH.

And then I just-for-fun look at houses listed in Walnut Hills and stuff and they are freaking GORGEOUS (breaking my heart.) (literally breaking my heart.).  But Cincinnati Public is a noooo go for me.

Also, no, I don't want to homeschool.

Sooo.

The hunt continues.

End rant.

Yesterday my Grandma turned 89.

We went to visit her in the rehab center.  She had quite a few gifts people had dropped by, mostly fuzzy socks and pajamas to keep her comfortable.  There were also two boxes of Girl Scout Samoa cookies.  Mom made her cupcakes and brought a candle so she could blow it out after we sang happy birthday.

She shares a room with another woman.  It was a different woman than last time.  This one was older and sleeping, and she mumbled a lot in her sleep.  Grandma says she sleeps a lot because she's on pain medication.

After the birthday "celebration" Grandma wanted Eli to ride on her lap in the wheelchair out to the lobby.  We sat in front of the bay window while Eli pointed out all the "buhhhhh!" (bugs, in the form of those ladybug-esque beetles that like to hang out in windows).

I like that Eli can see people he doesn't see that often and always be friendly.  After I came home and uploaded this photo I decided to look through "old" photos of Eli and found the first picture of Grandma holding Eli.

This is just an 18 month difference.  ONLY EIGHTEEN months.  It is unbelievable how fast babies grow up, how situations change.  I know I take a lot of pictures of my kid.  I mean, a lot.  I get it.  But I'm afraid to forget.

Because it's stupid cold outside and Christmas is over so all I can think about is spring.

And how I'm just daydreaming about how I would dress my toddler.

^^^^^^^^^^^
Also, I'm definitely going to be investing in some toddler Hunter's.  I MEAN.

WORDS.

Just wanted to start an inventory of things Eli says so I will be less freaked out at his next well visit when his pediatrician asks about it:

So, in no particular order, Eli's words at 16 months are...

1. "Ba" for ball
2. "Ba" for block

3. Mama

4. Dada

5. "No" for nose (this is always accompanied by a finger up the nostril)

6. "Ho ho ho" whenever he sees a picture of a Santa

7. "Geh-tuh" for "gentle", whenever he wants to touch something he probably shouldn't (he hears that word a lot)

8. "I-yin" for Simon

9. "Meh" for milk, he uses this from time to time
10. "Hi!"
11. "Buh-buh" or "Bye!" 

The next are all going to be animal sounds.

12. "Nehhh" for a horse

13. "Oof Oof" for a dog

14. "Owww" for a cat

15. "Rahhhrr" for any wild cat or bear

16. "Hoo Hoo" for an owl

17. "Oooooh" for a cow

Other things he is doing:

+ Says, "MMMMMMMM!!!!!!!" very, very dramatically when he sees food that he wants, or pictures of food in books or magazines or various signs/ads when we're out and about.

+ Turns his hand in a [somewhat of a] circle when he hears the record player (mimicking the record)

+ Holds his hand out and says, "Ahhhh!" at the Christmas tree after a couple times of me holding my hand out and singing, "O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Treeeeeee!" when I plug it in

+ Uses a sing-song voice if you ask him to sing, "Itsy Bitsy Spider"

+ Brushes his hair if he gets ahold of a brush or comb

+ Pretends he's talking on our cell phones

+ Opening doors...

I may remember some other things and add them later...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

How could I forget?!

18. "Ba-Ba-Ba" for a chicken!  This was his first animal sound.
19. "Muh" for mouth.  This is new!  He will now point out his mouth and ears, along with his nose (if he's in the mood)

Thanksgiving, a 15 month check up, and a flat tire.

Here is a photo of Eli on Thanksgiving day in my grandparents' dilapidated courtyard.  It was a good day despite the rushing around!  He thoroughly enjoyed all the foods traditionally served at family Thanksgiving, as we figured he would.

Thankfully I could borrow my parents' d40 to capture some photos via DSLR but I am anxiously awaiting my new lens to arrive for use on Christmas.  It should come tomorrow!  

Eli also had his 15 month check up on Monday.  It was delayed due to rescheduling because Rob has a new job, again, and so the insurance didn't go into effect until December 1.  Naturally, though, the insurance cards didn't arrive in time (still don't have them...grr) but luckily his pediatrician's office was understanding and I can just call in the information when I get them.  Anyway, Eli is 33 inches tall and 24 lbs 5 oz.  When I entered this information in the WHO calculator that puts him in the 97th percentile for height and the 81st percentile for weight.  Little boy is moving his way back to the top of the charts!

On this same day, I got a flat tire.  Like, completely flat and from driving on it I had to get a new tire entirely.  I have performance tires so I was severely dreading paying for a new tire (expecting anywhere from $100-$200) on top of all the camera stuff I just dropped hundreds of dollars on and the new Xbox that Rob just had to have and then, obviously, Christmas shopping for everyone.

My dad came and put on my spare and I drove to my mechanic, who dropped me off at my parents' house (he's right down the street from them).  He dropped off my car several hours later after the tire shipment had come in and left no bill but called and said he'd let me know what the charge was when he knew what he would be charged.

Well I will tell you yesterday evening he called and said the bill would be $32.56!!!  When I went in to pay it today I found he only charged me from labor and a $10 part I needed for the tire.  So, I do actually think my mechanic is the best.