The past week has flown by, what with all the partying we did, and with my dad visiting from out of town. But even if it is moving so fast that you don’t notice it, time is ticking, and another week is gone. Here baby and I are at 21 weeks.

Baby

There aren’t really any fascinating tidbits about baby’s growth this week. She’s still not quite a pound, and she’s just grown a little in length since last week. The ultrasound tech said that babies are too cramped in the womb now to measure the actual length their actual, so I don’t know how our specific baby compares to the average. Oh well! Even without that measurement, I’m just thrilled to know she’s ok in there!

We’re tossing around names now that we know she is a girl, but even though we have a few front-runners, we’re nowhere near feeling confident in a decision. Currently taking suggestions for classic, timeless, non-trendy names that contain an L (beginning, middle, or end – doesn’t matter).

Baby clothes have started arriving from my ill-advised online shopping sprees. Shame on me, but also YAY! In addition to the clothes I purchased, my sister-in-law brought by a couple bins of hand-me-downs from our niece, which adds some super cute items to the collection! She also brought by a bassinet which we will keep by our bed in the early days before baby switches to a crib in her own room.

I’m thinking pretty soon we should break down the twin beds that are currently in the nursery, and get rid of some of the other furniture in there that won’t have a home any longer. Then we can start filling the room up with baby’s gear! We can put the bassinet in the crib’s future position temporarily so the nursery can feel somewhat complete until Lewis is moved to a big boy bed (he is eventually getting one of the twin beds we’re briefly putting in storage), which will free up the crib to relocate. The thought of doing the baby’s room thrills me, and I can’t wait to see how it comes together. In my mind, it looks beautiful. Let’s hope I can make reality match the vision!

Me

I’m beginning to suspect the nurse at my last appointment misread the scale, because I weighed myself on my at-home scale, and I’m pretty sure she was off by 5 lbs. When I was at the doctor, I thought I saw an “8, but the nurse wrote down a “3”. Clearly, someone was wrong…that’s for sure. And because of my reflection in the mirror, I’m pretty sure the nurse was the one who was wrong.

Other than that possible 5 additional pounds worrying me, things are still A-OK. I’ve been experiencing some off-and-on belly discomfort that lays me out, especially in the evenings. But for the most part I am just fine. Baby is getting bigger, so the kicks are getting stronger, and my bladder is getting more crowded. That means more night-wakings for me to use the restroom, but at least Lewis is still mostly sleeping through the night so I can go back to sleep afterwards. Or not. Actually, I’ve been having some trouble sleeping, for unexplained reasons. But that’s ok! I can live with that – I’ve been more tired before!

I did have to go to get a pedicure yesterday (oh darn!) because the belly is big enough that cutting my own talons, which had become deadly weapons, is very unappealing. It was a fantastic excuse to spend some time with my mom, and I feel much more on top of my life now that my toes are under control. It’s so silly, but it really does help!

Lewis

Well, as you know, Lewis turned 2!!! The party on Saturday was a smashing success, with lots of friends and family, good food, kids playing, a pinata, cake/cupcakes (made by my mom – so delicious!!!), and fun, thoughtful gifts. Co-hosting with Killian’s mama was such a treat, and two days later, I’m still riding the high of the successful party. It was so special to honor our boys and celebrate the accomplishment of keeping two tiny humans alive for two whole years. Amazing!

Lewis also had his 2-year checkup today. He got one shot, and is healthy and developing appropriately in every single way, except for his weight – he actually lost weight. He is in the 75th percentile for height (5.5 inches in the last year!), the 14th percentile for weight (a 1 lb gain in the last year, but a half pound loss since his last weigh in), and the 2nd percentile for BMI. The doctor is not panicking, but did recommend that we double his Pediasure intake (as if we have any control over how much he’ll drink), and add fats to everything he eats, like butter, cream, oils, etc. She also suggested getting him involved in preparation of the food to see if that helps him feel more interested. Definitely worth a try!!!

Kiddo is Mr. Independent lately, which is both fun and infuriating at the same time. His favorite phrases are “No, I do it!!!!” and “No help, mama!” and he says those both about things he can do himself, and things he can’t. Most of the time, it is adorable and I can build in the time to deal with it – like when he wants to pick his outfit in the morning, or try to put on his own pants. But sometimes we have places to be and letting him try to put on his own shoes, pour his own milk, or climb into his carseat doesn’t really fit into the schedule. He is getting better at a lot of those more complicated tasks, and I’m sure he’ll be doing them like a pro soon enough. But until then, I have stopped offering to help, and instead offer to “do it together”. This seems to satisfy his need to “do it self, mama!”, while still getting things done in an expeditious manner.

Upcoming

I’m pleased to say that the upcoming month or so looks pretty calm and easy. We have Easter festivities and my Granny visiting from out of town, but both Easter and Granny are being hosted by my mother, so that doesn’t feel daunting in the slightest. There are also some upcoming baby showers for friends, but again, I’m not hosting! So I fully plan to enjoy some normalcy and relaxation after the past few weeks of madness.