Dear Tavin: 2 years old!!!

Holy Moly!!  Hard to believe that my little boy is already two!

I sucked this second year keeping track of all the things we did, all you learned, and your Tavinsims.



You still love your Mama over Daddy.  When it's time for bed you always point to me and say "Mama Mama" and I tell you "No, it's Daddy's turn" and you get more persistent and say "Mama Mama" again. There have been times where you've thrown a huge fit because I didn't put you to bed.  However, you are getting better with Dad doing it.

Your favorite characters are Pooh, Elmo (elno), Cookie Monster (cookie), Mickey Mouse (kaka) and Little Mermaid (mermie). We aren't quite sure how you became attached to Little Mermaid.  The only thing in the house is the movie and a blanket I had from 10 years ago!

You haven't quite figured out how to say Grandma (nana as we try to get you to say).  Instead you just say Papa for both Grandma and Grandpa.


You went through a phase of wanting to listen to "boom boom" (Black Eyed Peas, Boom Boom Pow) when you woke up.  It was quite funny to watch you jam out with Daisy.

(Disclaimer: Before the ASPCA comes after us, please know that this cat jumps into the crib.  We do not put her in there.  She can jump out at any time yet she sits there and goes along with it!)

You love to scare.  Lately when you we are eating you get a funny look in your eye and then put your hands in a fist and go "rawr".

A few of your other "loves"

1. fist bumps
2. making snow angels
3. playing with your snow shovel
4. books - we have so many of them around the house it's crazy!
5. slides (or wee's as you call them)
6. hugs-you are such a great hugger!

Speaking of eating, you are a great eater!  You go in spurts with what you want to eat.  But for the most part you do a very good job eating your veggies, fruits, and of course, noodles.  Most of the time you tend to skip over your meat.  And sweets!  Well let's just say Cookie Monster has influenced you on cookies and I have influenced you over ice cream :)

You have been really good during the pregnancy.  When someone asks you where Mama's baby is, you point to my belly, try to lift up my shirt, and talk to the baby through my belly button.  One time in church you were patty my belly and kept saying "baby" then a few seconds later it was "baby OUT".  I'm pretty sure there were a couple people nearby snickering.  We've read books to you about being a big brother and when we are out and about every time you see a baby you want to look at it.  We are hopeful that things will go smoothly but I know those first few weeks are going to be quite the adjustment for all of us!



We have tried to get you to use the potty.  Daycare has had more luck than us--tinkling a few times.  Pretty soon we are going to have to dive deep into it.  Hopefully you'll be ready.

We celebrated your 2nd birthday at Grandma and Grandpas with some extended family.  You had a great day playing with your balloons, cousins, and eating pasta and cake!

It's been a great second year and I can't wait to watch you continue to grow!

Love Always,
Mama

33 weeks (3/17 to 3/23)

Baby is the size of:  Durian Fruit (Does anybody know what this is?)

Weight Gain:  Dr. Scale on 3/24:  +29 (According to scale at home on 3/13: +24)

Sleep:  Getting rough.  It's hard to turn over.  Andplusalso, getting up in the morning is no fun!

Best moment:  Celebrating Tavin's birthday!  

Worst moment:     Finding out baby is breech!  Apparently sometime over the last week, baby had a flipping party!  On top of that this sciatica/butt pain is killing me!

Food cravings/aversions:    Wasn't really a craving but I had to pick something up near a Cousin's Sub and it was to die for!  I forgot how good subs can actually be!

What I miss:   Not walking around in pain. 

What I’m looking forward to:   Our kitchen remodel starting.  I'm so excited to be getting rid of these cabinets and having the extra space!  Also looking forward to this baby flipping back to head down!

Dr. Appt Update:  We met with the perinatologist on March 17.  I was unsure of him at first but he turned out to be pretty cool.  He said that he sees cases such as mine about once a month (who knew it was that common?).   I likely will not need a c-section as the concern is mostly with baby's growth and then the delivery of the placenta in making sure it all comes out.  He suggested having an ultrasound after delivery to make sure it all came out.  I will see him again in 3 weeks and have NSTs the 2 weeks in between.

Goals:

• Work out!  I suck at accomplishing this :(  Especially now that I've started my hypnobabies, there is just no time!
• Prepare freezer breakfast meals.  
• Prepare lactation bars/cookies.  I really wish I could do this but our oven died and we haven't been able to bake anything for weeks.  We bought a new one this week so hopefully I can get started!  These will probably have to wait until after our kitchen remodel which is set to start the week of March 24.  Yay!  UPDATE:  Shaun started the cookies.  Just have to bake and freeze them this weekend.  Thanks Babe!

32 weeks (3/10 to 3/16)

Baby is the size of:  Squash

Weight Gain:  Dr. Scale on 3/12:  +30 (According to scale at home on 3/13: +24)

Sleep:  Mostly wonderful.  Sadie has decided a middle of the night potty break is much needed. I'm hoping that when the weather turns nice and we wear her out some more on walks she'll stop doing it!

Best moment:  Seeing baby on the ultrasound and finding out placenta is up and away from my cervix.

Worst moment:     The news I was dreading...I do have a bilobed placenta with velamentous cord insertion.  Meaning the placenta is in two hunks and the cord is inserted into the middle.

Warning:  The pictures you are about to see may be disturbing!  The pictures show the difference between a normal placenta and a bilobed placenta.

Source:  Wikipedia

Source:  this blog I stumbled upon while researching info about the condition. 

Due to the cord insertion issue, I will now be having weekly appointments for NSTs (non stress tests).  Not looking forward to spending that much time in the hospital but whatever it takes to keep me and baby healthy I'll do it.

Food cravings/aversions:    I still have no clue these days!  I'm sort of over eating....

What I miss:   Warm weather!  This winter has been brutal!

What I’m looking forward to:   Celebrating Tavin's 2nd birthday!!

Goals:

• Work out!  I suck at accomplishing this :(  Especially now that I've started my hypnobabies, there is just no time!
• Prepare breakfast meals.  
• Prepare lactation bars/cookies.  I really wish I could do this but our oven died and we haven't been able to bake anything for weeks.  We bought a new one this week so hopefully I can get started!  These will probably have to wait until after our kitchen remodel which is set to start the week of March 24.  Yay!

Bonus-pictures!! 

One from the ultrasound

The tech said that baby has a lot of hair!  You could even see the little spikes in the 2d images.

And the bump!

Tavin's Big Boy Room

After working on it for a couple months we finally finished!

I wish I had the true before picture to show you.  The one with all of my sewing stuff everywhere but I digress, and will show you the empty room pictures.

Before:

This was taken before we moved in.

Half way:

Finished!

Please excuse the clutter, we were still in the process of moving stuff from baby room to big boy room :)

We Shaun transitioned Tavin into his room on March 6.  

Night One-Thursday:

Tavin did pretty well.  After reading a few books and leaving the room, Shaun said he had to go back once and settle him in some more.  He woke up a couple times that night to look around and figure out where he was.  Friday morning he was up at 5:30!!

Shaun and Tavin were home on Friday together and the nap was a struggle at first but then Tavin gave in and slept for a good 2 hours!

Night Two-Friday:

Friday night, he laid down better but was still up a couple times.  Saturday morning he was again up at 5:30.

Saturday afternoon nap did not go as well as Fridays.  

Night Three-Saturday:

Saturday night he did really well.  Thanks to daylight savings time he slept until 6:30 (what really would have been 5:30).

Sunday nap was another short one :(

Night Four-Sunday:

He went down great, woke up once around 4ish and slept until 7!!

Monday Grandma was home with him (daycare was off) and Grandma said he took a 2 hour nap!!!

Night Five-Monday:

Slept great!

I couldn't be more proud of how he handled the transition.  He also LOVES his room and it's the first thing he had to show Grandma when she arrived on Monday morning.

31 weeks (3/3 to 3/9)

Baby is the size of:  Pineapple

Weight Gain:  Dr. Scale on 2/26:  +25 (According to scale at home on 2/25: +24)

Sleep:  Great!  I should really take this off since my answer has been (thankfully) the same every week!

Best moment:  Hanging out with friends for (non-alcoholic) drinks and food!

Worst moment:     Moving Tavin to his toddler bed :(  I so was not ready for him to move.  I'm in denial that he is growing up so fast!

Food cravings/aversions:    Nothing really.  I'm starting to get the "I'm so hungry but I don't know what to eat"  to "I feel nauseous and should eat something before I throw up"  Fun times!

What I miss:   Wearing normal clothes.  This baby is riding so low that all my pants (even maternity pants) don't stay up!

What I’m looking forward to:   Our new stove!

Goals:

• Work out!  I suck at accomplishing this :(  Especially now that I've started my hypnobabies, there is just no time!
• Prepare freezer meals.  I have everything planned.  Just need to find a weekend (and enough room in our freezer) to do it all.  UPDATE:  We made most of the meals over the weekend.  Just have the breakfast meals to go!
• Prepare lactation bars/cookies.  I really wish I could do this but our oven died and we haven't been able to bake anything for weeks.  We bought a new one this week so hopefully I can get started!

30 weeks (2/24 to 3/2)

Baby is the size of:  Cucumber (not sure how accurate this is....sure baby may be as long as one but definitely seems bigger than that!)

Weight Gain:  Dr. Scale on 2/26:  +25 (According to scale at home on 2/25: +24)

Sleep:  Great!  I should really take this off since my answer has been (thankfully) the same every week!

Best moment: Being able to switch our contract phones to no-contract and save money! 

Worst moment:     Dealing with the phone company in switching our phones.  It was ridiculous!

Food cravings/aversions:    Baby is starting to get picky about what I eat.  Some nights I'll be fine, others I have indigestion.

What I miss:   Warm weather?  Can I say it every week until it warms up?

What I’m looking forward to:   The 32 week ultrasound so I can make sure LO is okay!

Goals:

• Work out!  I suck at accomplishing this :(  Especially now that I've started my hypnobabies, there is just no time!
• Prepare freezer meals.  I have everything planned.  Just need to find a weekend (and enough room in our freezer) to do it all.
• Prepare lactation bars/cookies
• Start organizing craft/guest room We started working on it.  It's a slow and not finished process.  The plan is to re-use our old kitchen cabinets/countertop for a computer/sewing desk/storage.  So until that is out, it won't be completely finished. We finished!  It actually looks like a room again instead of a storage shed!  There are still a few minor things to put away but it's liveable/sleepable.