Baby Update

Saw the ob today. Baby is doing well. I'm at the same weight I was two weeks ago, but Baby is still growing, and is bigger than J was. I am to expect a tougher delivery, as Baby will be larger.

Baby is sitting very, very low. Causing me considerable pain and discomfort. But Baby is nice and healthy, and I can cope.

I am just past the 36 week mark now, so things are looking good. I am permitted a slight increase in activity. Slight ... don't go running any marathons ... but I can get up off the couch a bit more. And we can go to our first-choice hospital!

I see the doctor once a week now.

J is really getting excited about the new baby. One day recently, he told me that he had a baby in his tummy. That would be a neat trick. He is quite possessive of his new sibling-to-be. He insists that the baby is his, which is pretty cute. "Yes", we tell him, "that's your baby brother/sister".

Yesterday, when J was at the hospital, H told the med student that I was pregnant and on bed rest.

Doc: (to J) Oh! Is mommy going to have a baby?
J: No! I am! My baby!
Doc: (to H) Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?
J: A boy!!

I think J will be a good little helper with "his" new baby!

Poor little man!

J is sick.

He threw up repeatedly last night. He seemed to feel better after each hurl, but he continued to throw up as the night wore on. We went through an awful lot of bedding and pajama sets. It was well after midnight before J got to sleep.

H stayed home today to look after J. I still can't care for him until the new baby arrives, and it seemed like a good idea to keep the little tike home.

It was.

J awoke at his usual time of around 6:00 a.m., and would not go back to sleep. He had several tantrums, quite out of character from his usual sweet little self. And in the late morning/early afternoon, he started screaming, sobbing, and dry-heaving. He could not be consoled.

H and I decided that J needed to see the doctor.

H took J to the hospital to be seen. Not a long wait. Good doctors. Prompt care and diagnosis. I love the Stollery.

J has a gastrointestinal bug and was slightly dehydrated. They gave him a blue Pedialite popsicle, which he thought was quite yummy. He spilt some on his clothes, so they put him in hospital issue blue and white striped toddler pajamas, which I must admit are really cute!

He seems to be feeling a lot better now. He went to bed early, and so far he is sleeping peacefully.

I hope he doesn't get anyone else sick! L&P babysat J for a little while yesterday, and he played extensively with their two girls. He seemed fine at the time. But now, I'm concerned for the continued health of their family. J's bug is pretty nasty. And little Iz has such a glass stomach

On a bright note, I didn't go into labour while J was vomiting. So much for Murphy's Law. Score!

Also: I am 36 weeks pregnant now. So while I'm not at term yet, I'm in the safety zone - can go to our first choice hospital and everything. Got to get the bag packed. Otherwise, all systems are go!

Still having cravings. Now it's orange creamsicles. Mmmmmm ... so good ...

The sleepies

I'm tired.

I'll be 36 weeks pregnant on Monday. Been on bed rest since November. Still can't hold down a lot of food, or my prenatal vitamins. Morning sickness. On Zantac for the acid reflux. Anemic, but it can't be treated until I deliver. Have lost weight in the pregnancy. Now, I think I'm coming down with the flu.

All I want is to sleep. I'm so exhausted, I could just cry. It's hard to justify being so tired when I do nothing but lie still. But I'm tired, and that's just how it is.

The Doctor

J figures that, because his mommy needs to eat in the living room, he should be able to do likewise. H has explained to him that Mommy eats in the living room because the doctor says that she has to.

J: Mommy has to lie down?
H: Yes.
J: Because the doctor said?
H: Yes.
J: Mommy has to eat in the living room?
H: Yes.
J: Because the doctor said?
H: Yes.
J: The doctor said I have to eat in the living room!
H: No.
J: But Mommy?
H: Yes.
J: Because the doctor said?
H: Yes.
J: The witchdoctor said?

Where, you might ask, did J come up with this? Well ...

Where else?

And that's what it's all about

Naptime continues:

J: (Singing)

"You put your left leg in
You put your left leg out
You put your left leg in
And you shake it all about
You do the hokey pokey
And you turn yourself around
And that's what it's all about."

(Spoken) "That's what they say at yoga, in the toddler room."

I'd like to know what kind of freaky yoga the daycare is teaching my son!

Naptime with J

J: Daddy!

H: Yes, J?

J: Can you give me a wall?

H: O ... kay? (I go upstairs and pretend to give J a wall ... and one for each of his many toys. Then I leave.)

J: (Singsong) Crab, crab, crab, crab ... (Bang! Bang! Bang!)

H: J, what are you doing?

J: Nothing.

H: What is that banging noise?

J: That's my lobster.

H: What is Lobster doing?

J: He's banging.

H: Okay. Well, can you please ask Lobster to stop?

J: Okay. (Pause) Daddy, can you give Lobster a wall?

H: Lobster has a wall.

J: And for my bears?

H: Bears have a wall too.

J: But in my teddy bear hammock?

H: Later, J. Please go to sleep.

J: Okay ... (Singing) Mahna mahna ... do doo de Lobster ... (Spoken) I have to go to sleep ... Okay ... That's no problem ...

J is still upstairs talking. He is now trying to decide who is the fairest of us all. Judging from his conversation, Grandma & Grandpa are in the lead.

J will not be napping today.

They have scholarships

Before I was put on bed rest, H and I would frequently go through the Tim Hortons drive-thru together. But for some reason, the Timmy's by our place could never get our order right. I mean, how hard is it to put together three chocolate dip donuts, one black coffee, and a Coke? But we'd get all kinds of unique combinations ... three double-double coffees, two Diet Cokes, one chocolate glazed donut, Timbits, muffins ... I don't think they have ever gotten our order right on the first try. And it usually takes more than one attempt to get the order corrected. The staff at this particular location are just that clueless.

The Timmy's keeps signs posted in the drive-thru that they are looking for new staff, and they show all the incentives to work there. The incentives include scholarships. But scholarships are usually based in part on intelligence, and these people just can't seem to get it together. Honestly, I'm not sure which of their employees could possibly qualify, but there you have it. So after spending ten minutes getting our very easy order corrected so that it is actually right, we drive away, and one of us generally makes the eye-rolling comment: "They have scholarships". (Okay, usually it's me.)

J continues to imitate.

He still really likes to ride around on his motorcycle. It has siren noises that are really loud, so we usually don't bother to charge the battery. That way, we don't have to listen to the loudness. J sits on the bike and pushes it around with his feet, and he doesn't seem to mind using this approach.

Tonight, J put Panda on the motorcycle. Then he got into his big blue Flintstone's car and positioned it behind Panda's motorcycle.

J: Beep! Beep! I'm waiting for donuts.

(H moves Panda and the motorcycle forward, and J moves into position.)

H: Hello. Did you order some donuts?

J: Yes.

H: (Handing J his "Whoozit") Ok. Here are your donuts.

J: (Handing the "Whoozit" back to H) No. This is a ladybug!

H: Oh. I'm so sorry. Here you go. (Hands J a plastic bowling pin)

J: Thank you. (J moves his car forward out of the "drive-thru" line)

T: They have scholarships.

Imitation ... not necessarily flattering

I get horrible acid reflux in the latter part of pregnancy. It gets really bad at night. We are generally able to combat it with copious amounts of milk. So H has learned through both of my pregnancies that, when I say "Can I have a glass of milk in a big hurry", there is a limited amount of time. He runs like a madman, trying to beat the clock. If he makes it back in enough time, we are golden. If not, there will likely be a big mess.

My husband is fabulous!

Tonight, J was playing in the living room. Suddenly, J grabbed his tummy and said: "I need milk! I need milk! If I don't get milk, I might throw up!"

H and I laughed 'til the tears ran.

Needless to say, J was not in desperate need for milk. He is just fine.

The Great Pretendings

J has taken to pointing remote controls at people. "I'm gonna turn you into rabbit stew", he says, as he pushes the buttons. It's okay; he usually remembers to change us back when he's done.

J has also taken to pretending to be a kitty. He will kneel in the cats' kitty bed and then propel himself and the kitty bed about the room by pushing with his hands. He says that he is a pink kitty. He meows, and scratches at closed doors to get in.

On the morning of J's birthday, we tried to sing the happy birthday song. He wouldn't let us sing, since there was no cake. So we tried one of J's favourite techniques - we grabbed a wooden puzzle and pretended it was a birthday cake. J would not be so deceived. He told us "No, that's Panda's birthday cake", and made us sing happy birthday to Panda instead. Then he grabbed his puzzle-book elephant, took it across the hall to his bedroom, and started swiping it in a slot in his racecar bed as though it were a debit card. "I'm paying for Panda's birthday cake", he said.

It seems that J is starting to understand some of the basics of imaginative play. But he still will not answer to the name "Max". Sorry, Gemma.

Happy Birthday, my little man!!

I can't believe you're 3 years old already! Time sure does fly. What a big boy you have become!

Even though you wouldn't let us sing the happy birthday song to you this morning because, in your words: "It's not my party yet!", we hope you have a wonderful birthday and a very happy year!!

xoxoxoxo

**********

Tonight, J's grandparents are coming over to have pizza and birthday cake in celebration of J's actual birthday. My family has three people with birthdays in the month of April, and they will all be celebrated together. Tentative plans are in the works for April 20.

As for J's birthday party with all his friends (and our friends), we need to postpone for a time. We discussed it, and we have concluded that I am too much of a control freak. Having a bunch of people in the house would be pretty stressful and exciting for someone with my personality type, and I'd have a hard time staying still. And while I quite enjoy these things generally, stress and excitement are not good for the baby. So, for the sake of our unborn child, J's birthday party will need to be postponed until after the baby is born.

We told J that his party will be after the baby is born, so that the new baby can be at the party with him. J agreed that this was a good plan.

In the meantime, though, J is getting a new sand and water table for the backyard. J loves to play with sand and water!

Prayers with J

T: Dear God. Thank you for Mommy, and Daddy, and Grandma, and Grandpa, and Grannie, and Panda ...

J: ... and toys! And balls! And Play-doh! And bears! And crayons! (Note: This list went on for awhile, and is not fully duplicated here.)

T: Yes. Thank you for all of the things that you have provided. And please bless Mommy, and Daddy ...

J: ... and J!

T: Yes. And J. And Grandma, and Grandpa, and Grannie ...

J: No! Not Grannie!

T: Yes, Grannie. Please watch over us, and keep us all safe and warm. And please help J to get over his cold very soon. Amen.

J: Not Amen!

T: Yes. Amen.

J: No! Don't say "Amen"! Say "What the heck"!

T: No. We say "Amen".

J: No! What the heck!

T: *sigh*