It's a....

Call it mother's instinct or plain good luck, but I am now 2 for 2! With Leon and this little one, my gender wagers at the 10-week mark have proven correct! Tony says I am just a good guesser. But, I know my expert predictions come from a keen analysis of my belly shape, pattern of morning sickness, and the nature of my cravings. (In all fairness, I have to admit the odds are pretty good at 50/50). But, without further adieu, baby number 2 is a...

BOY!

I have to rub it in that Tony was completely convinced this one would be a girl. I think he was just hoping to buy into the 50/50 odds to make up for guessing wrong on the first one too!

We are so excited to welcome another baby boy into the household. Now, we can "boy-out" Leon's room, which he will someday share with his little brother. I am now sufficiently outnumbered by males, with everyone including the dog holding boy status. But, it is a situation I am pleased to be in.

Number 2

Today, I am 22 weeks. This pregnancy has been flying by, as my body grows in all its familiar places. 

With my first, everything was new and exciting. Time seemed to freeze at each small milestone. I changed from a woman into a mother. It was a special moment, experiencing so many new things with a growing Leon over those 9 months. 

But, there is also something special to be said about the second time. With this baby, there is a familiarity that I couldn't have with Leon. I rang in the 2nd trimester with leg cramps I knew all too well. My morning sickness cut out at the expected 10 weeks. I recognized without a doubt the popcorn butterflies of those first little kicks.  I find some comfort knowing my body can stretch even more without breaking and that a part of the fridge should be reserved solely for Lunchables Pizzas.

It is not to say that this time is without differences.  My baby belly arrived sooner, to include an outie belly button making its debut at the end of 1st trimester.  I am pleased to learn that my stomach can tolerate salads and the smell of Tony's morning coffee this time. I have learned balancing pregnancy with a 2-year-old is not for the faint of heart; an active little boy (and his fur-partner-in-crime) won't slow down for a tired mommy. 

This child will not have the same opportunities for "firsts" as Leon has had. But, that too will be beautiful. There will be space for sharing and learning in a less rocky sea because of those completed firsts. I look forward to welcoming the "seconds!"

For the Love of Bubbles

There is wonderment that comes with watching a boy and his dog grow together. Joy comes from the simple things, something that I at times forgot before becoming a mother.

This week, Leon and Sawyer have been enjoying the sunny Texas afternoons in the best way possible: with bubbles.

For Leon's first birthday, Papa and Lola sent him an automatic bubble machine.

Needless to say, it has been thoroughly enjoyed by Sawyer as much as Leon

Battle for Sleep

There are certain fears shared between most expecting parents.  Common favorites include apocolypse-rivalring diaper blow-outs, projectile spit-ups, and fussy eaters.  However, quite possibly the most dreaded... 

... the sleepless baby.

Leon has many great qualities.  He is a generally happy, healthy, and mild-tempered baby.  In many ways, we have been incredibly blessed.  However, when it comes to sleep...

...there is much to be desired.

Leon has yet to sleep through the night. We have been waging (and losing) the Battle for Sleep since day 1.  The moment we think we are making some strides on the sleep front, Leon throws us a curve ball.

Over his first month, he declared a sleep strike on every proposed option.  He rejected his crib, pack and play, and finally bassinet.  No amount of swaddling, rocking, or soothing could convince this child that these were places of rest.  He had no problem loudly announcing his disapproval to the entire neighborhood.

Although there has been much improvement since then, Leon still will not go more than a 3-4 hour stretch without waking up.  A horde of helpers have gotten involved to offer possible theories about his sleep resistance. Offered theories include room temperature, fan speed, diaper size, security object, room location, noises... alignment of the stars.  But, when it comes down to it...

... my son just likes to eat more than sleep.

We have discovered 2 saving graces to fight the food vs sleep battle, hoping to lull Leon into believing shut-eye is better than (multiple) midnight snacks:

(1) The Swing: Although Leon still will wake up every few hours, he loves his swing.  Daily naps have been much improved.  This child loves motion... maybe because it distracts him from his emptying belly

(2) The Taco:

My friend, Cassie, introduced me to this wonder.  Fisher Price's Rock and Play sleeper.  It is shaped similarly to his swing, giving him that swaddled feeling. Like a taco, it easily folds up.  We have brought this everywhere with us, particularly when visiting friends, as our go-to portable sleeper.  We have kept this in our room, where he has at least somewhat maintained the same sleeping schedule. Again, although not sleeping through the night his schedule looks more like this...

Sleep at 8PM with awakenings at 10PM, 12AM, 3AM, and 5AM

...vs...

Sleep at 8PM with awakenings at 9PM, 9:30PM, 10PM, 10:15PM, 10:30PM, 11:30PM, 11:45PM, 12AM, 12:15AM, 12:45AM, 1AM, 1:30AM, 2:30AM, 2:45AM, 3AM, 3:15AM, 3:45AM, 4AM, 4:30AM, 5AM

Literally, these have been our two saving graces in the fog of the battle for sleep.

However, this week, the game has again changed...

... and we have an escape artist on our hands.

This weekend marked our transition to the crib, which somehow has been going better for the first time around.  Fewer tears (from mommy as well as Leon).  And, I am getting the funny feeling that he may even be starting to like the crib.

Although the nightly awakenings haven't changed much yet, I think (fingers crossed) the tides may be turning.  For now, the score is Mommy 0.5 vs Leon 137.5

Paging Dr. Leon

Last month, Auntie Joanna sent Leon his very own doctor’s outfit to match Mommy and Daddy.  He has been regularly wearing it since then, and is feeling right at home in his own white coat (with the proof in the spit-up).  Unfortunately, Mommy has been slacking on getting some good pictures and he is (rapidly) outgrowing it.

So now…. Long awaited by masses… I bring you:

A Day in the Life of Dr. Leon

Good morning!   What brings you to my office today?

So, you are telling me you are craving milk?  

And, you are excessively crying when you don’t get enough?

Tell me more about your dirty diapers…

… 15 dirty diapers a day!  

Oh, that sounds messy.

I think I know what may be troubling you

It sounds to me like you might have… MILKitis!!

Unfortunately for your figure, it inevitably results in large quantities of fat deposits.  It has been known to lead to another condition… babyROLLitis!!

But, you are in luck! There are some excellent exercises I can show you, which help to slow down the progression to babyROLLitis.  Let me demonstrate them for you

Thank you for your visit, and you should be feeling better in no time!

(and, thanks again Auntie Joanna for the cool outfit!)

A Simple Smile

It was 5AM.  I could hear Leon stirring next to me, the gentle rocking of his sleeper starting back and forth.  In the 8 weeks since he was born, I hadn’t managed to squeeze out more than 3 hours of sleep.  I was exhausted, begrudgingly rising out of bed for the seemingly hundredth time that night.   Through sleep-laden eyes, I stared glassily through the dark at my wide-awake little baby.  And, there it was: for the first time, a real smile.  It was the kind that spread from his gummy lips to his twinkling eyes.  For the first time, it wasn’t meant for a toot or an awaited bottle… it was just for me. 

In that moment, all of the spit-covered shirts, diaper blowouts, bath-time tinkles, and midnight awakenings were all forgotten… that first time that Leon smiled at me.

A Morning with Amelia

Meet Amelia!  Last week, I had a chance to meet this gorgeous sweet pea for the first time.  At only one week old, she already is such a cuddly little beauty.

Before Amelia was born, I met her mommy, Jess, through work.  We both were pregnant at the time and became fast friends over shared food cravings, wardrobe malfunctions, and pregnancy milestones.  At the photo shoot, I finally had a chance to meet her other half, Tom, whom I had heard so many great things about over the previous months.  We enjoyed a fun morning, recording some of the Amelia's first moments.

It is so clear the love these two share for their little Amelia.  What a joy it was to capture these three!

And, I was so impressed by baby Amelia.  Already, such a natural model!

Thank you so much, Tom and Jess, for asking me to capture your beautiful family!