Curly Straight

Every pre-sleep time is a time for books for TJ. We cuddle up and read to him before his nap and before bed, we have since the very beginning of his life.

He's getting to know the books and has his favorites. So do I, actually.

Today I read to him a book called Baby's First Word Book. Just a big thick board book with photos of things, like shoes, teddy bear, puppy, airplane, etc. Usually I like something with a little more plot, but it was close to the chair.

We read the first two pages on counting. The third and fourth page is "sweet things" - as I read each one - ice cream, melon, grapes, banana, cake, TJ put his mouth on each one and pretended to be eating it, complete with chomping noises. Except for when I said "cake" and "cookie" and pointed at the photo, he shook his head and said "no no!".

Unbelievable. My kid and he doesn't like sweets, even on paper.

Though she's barely the size of a kumquat — just an inch or so long — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, she's completed the most critical portion of her development.

Can't quite remember the last time I saw a kumquat. Not quite sure I even know what a kumquat is. Kumquat. It sounds dirty.

Searching the house high and low for my elusive ipod. I know I stuck it somewhere thinking "oh, of course I'll remember." Yeah. Not so much.

So, I'm looking through suitcases, thinking that I never unpacked it after a trip. I pull out a little pad of paper with three small words on it written in pencil. It is the suitcase that I had in the hospital, almost two years ago when giving birth to Little T.

It says "labor is awful."

T was not happy this morning when we arrived at Roger Williams Zoo fifteen minutes before it opened. I figured they would let us sneak in a tad early. It's not like any of the employees have to be there while we look at the animals.

As we were waiting, he was getting more and more frustrated, yelling "Baby. Giraffe (which sounds nothing like giraffe at all, but I can understand Little T's language). Baby. Giraffe. BABY! GIRAFFE!
BABY GIRAFFE! Kid was pissed. At one point, he tried to bum rush the security guard to get in. Security guard was having nothing to do with that, but did give him a map for when he finally busted through the gates.

As soon as we got in, T meandered down the path so slowly, looking at every rock, crack and soda machine on the way.

We finally got to the Baby Giraffe and we were surprised to see a big baby, and a little baby, not just one. Baby. Giraffe.

Even my socks are too small when I'm pregnant. Along with my pants, my bras - almost everything, except for my belly.

I remember what it is like to go for a nice relaxing walk. I love to take in the colors, the sounds, the sights and just enjoy feeling my body move. Sometimes I would walk with a boyfriend and we would hold hands and talk and talk.

Now with my new family of two dogs and a two-year-old boy, it's not so much relaxing.

It's not bad with just the stroller and the boy. I talk to him in Mom Voice and let him know what's around. Trees and the road and the sky and cars and grass and clouds and runners and walkers.

With the two dogs and the stroller, it's a nightmare. I can't talk to T, because here is what I sound like:
Heel. Heel. Georgia. Heel. Heel. (Louder now and more menancing) Georgia. Heel. GEORGIA (Getting kind of screechy now) Heel, Georgia, dammit!!! Heel.

Oh. And heel.

Georgia? Heel.

Heel. Heel. Heel. Heel. Heel. Heel. Heel. Heel. Heel.

No talking to the boy, no enjoying the scenery, just saying again and again "Heel."

Heel.

Morning sickness (first time for the real thing) plus fresh cherry tomatoes from the garden do not make for a pretty picture.

T patted my back as I got sick and also made spitting sounds into the commode to show that I was not alone.

He also jumped on my back during the episode and yelled "piggybatch" which was so not happening.

Your fig-sized baby is now fully formed, measuring 1 1/2 inches long and weighing a quarter of an ounce.

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So we celebrated T's birthday this morning with a beautiful walk through Roger Williams Park on a glorious day. Felt like fall. I wanted to kick the hell out of Georgia only two times, then I followed John's advice to drop the leash. After this advice, my life is turned around. When it was time to pick up the leash, The Rottens came right to me and someone commented on how well behaved they are. You talking to me?

Got home and rested the rest of the day. Growing a baby is hard work.

When John came home from work, the three of us went blueberry picking. The blueberries were slim pickin' but we managed to rustle up a pound and paid our $1.40 and were on our way.

I begged John to stop at Newport Creamery and we did. So now this is our tradition for T's birthday - blueberry picking and Newport Creamery.

As a special treat, T went to bed an hour late after eating one whole big piece of a chicken quesadilla and a spoonful of plain sour cream, he still said "Eat, eat. Crack-ur." as he got placed into his crib. It's all a lie, because we take him to his booster seat to feed him and he'll eat the tiniest little bite ever.

Hopefully he's finally asleep. Oh, no, he's not. I hear the wailing of a two-year-old. Poor thing.

John is at the bar trying to find the painter to paint the house, Amadeus is laying on the mini Sponge Bob couch and Gigi has settled into the futon.

Me, I have a new Real World to watch.

When TJ can't sleep, he doesn't yell out "mommy" or "daddy" - he usually yells out Ah-Nay, Ah-Nay, over and over.

BUT NOW that he has turned two, he's mixing it up a little.

His no nap cry is Ah-Nee, Ah-Nee. I can attest to that fact, because he's yelling it right now.

Ah-Nee.

Let the maternity clothing wearing commence!

Despite the fact that I did a whole bunch of grocery shopping today and the cupboards are full, we went out for a late breakfast, skipped lunch, and just came back from dinner at O'Rourkes.

Play-doh is our friend.

Sometimes I look at my belly and think "Really? There's a fully formed miniature baby in there?"

It seems as though I have been 11 weeks pregnant forever.

John and I took a bike ride today, with T in the bike trailer. He loved it on the way there. We stopped at the horses at the Mounted Police Command in Roger Williams park and he said hi and blew his lips at the four beauties that we saw.

We continued on to the carousel and we all rode together. He laughs and says "up, down" as the horse goes up and down.

He didn't like it so much on the ride home, he was hungry and thirsty and ready for a nap.

We ate leftovers from our date last night at O'Rourkes, where he was a little antsy. Luckily for us, a dad and his little girl, probably about three years old, sat next to us - on the other side of a huge column.

T saw her by craning his neck to see what was going on on the other side of the wood. He immediately started cracking up, and then started to play peek-a-boo with her, much to the delight of the other diners and ourselves, because we could munch on our food with him being entertained.

On their way out, she stopped at our table, and said "thank you" to T, who reciprocated with a "thank you" of his own, said as only a two-year-old can.

Tape measurements of the head. T's, then mine, T's, then mine. Repeat. Again. Again.

His is 18", mine is 22".

Sometimes after I put TJ down for a nap, he cries. I listen to him cry. Even once the crying has stopped, I still hear the crying. In my head.

Eating Funyuns and a Cadbury Fruit and Nut bar, alternating a bite of each.

Can I attribute this to being 11 weeks pregnant? Am I still 11 weeks pregnant? It's been a long time, it seems, this 11 weeks.

Your baby's hit the 2-inch mark (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

This 12 weeks has taken forever to get here.

I quit my part-time, work from home job as an au pair local childcare coordinator and I feel happy. I have more time, give T and John and the dogs more attention and am getting more stuff done around the house, oh and of course studying is going to come back into play as I am planning my next test for early September.

My bank account is not so happy right now, but I will figure that out as time goes on.

Currently hearing over and over: Let's do the hokey pokey! Elmo puts his hand in, Elmo puts his hand out, Elmo puts his hand in and shakes it all about. You do the hokey pokey and turn yourself around, that's what's it's all about!

Got back last night from a nice weekend away. All I can remember is a couple of fun parties and TJ not sleeping.

We never let him sleep in our bed with us, but after listening to two hours of crying and screaming with no way to tune it out (very thin walls and ceiling in the cabin we stayed in), we decide to ask him if he wants to sleep with us. "Jesh," he says, with so much conviction and want, there's no denying him. He falls asleep the minute his head hits the pillow only to wake up at 3:30 a.m. saying "piggybatch" (piggyback). The next day he woke up at the crack of dawn and whispered to me "Ready. Go." which I found to be the cutest thing ever.

It was great to spend an extended amount of time back home. It's nice to have so many people around who I have known forever. Friends and family are something that I miss terribly, even though we are only 70 miles away.

Where else would someone leave a giant cucumber on our picnic table with no note and we can immediately figure out who it is from?

A rap from my sister...

To St. Anthony I will pray
Please let sister find her i-pod today

She has been without for so long
And is dying to hear her fave song

We know you can help us find the pod
It really is up to you and God

Send us a sign or a clue
Come on St. Anthony it is up to you

Amen!!

13 weeks - 2nd appt today - heard the little tiny heartbeat whooshing around in there.