Exhausted. And updates.

There is so much I should be doing right now that Logan is napping. So what did I do? Make chocolate chip cookies and plop myself in front of the computer to write.

I did catch up a ton yesterday, but I have a big pile of Christmas stuff that still needs to be packed away. It's all down and waiting and the fake tree is still standing. Pathetic, I know. Next year, with two kids, it is likely that the decorations will be down by spring maybe. That is, if they even make it up in time.

I'm just sooo tired right now. I honestly think if I fell asleep and had the opportunity, I would sleep till tomorrow morning.

I'm still a bit ircked about the MIL situation, but I'll soon get over it. I used to say that I was lucky to have a good MIL. And she is pretty good. But, this last time, her woes and same old stuff really got to me.

Anyway, on to some updates.

Logan is 20 months old. He is ever so quickly becoming the independent toddler. Aside from the days his grandmother was here, he's been great. A really fun, outgoing and determined little boy.

Not sure if I even wrote about this yet, but when he turned 19 months old, he started climbing out of his crib. My husband and I woke up to the sounds of "Dada, Mama, Oggies (doggies)" and a little munchkin standing at the foot of our bed with his bear. It was so adorable. We didn't know how to react, so we did what came naturally. We helped him climb into bed and we laughed and marveled at how clever he was. Next couple of days we panicked as to what we should do. His room has hard wood floors and I think he is just a bit young to be wandering around the house.

We opted back and forth between turning his bed into the toddler bed with a safe rail, but then he'd still get out just much easier with little risk of a bad fall. We thought of locking his bedroom door, but that just seemed mean. And then we came to our decision. We knew he was much too young and not ready for a big boy bed. He rolls around to much and everything we read and everything doctors were saying was that he would be ready closer to 3 years when they don't move around so much. Now he makes full rounds around that crib. Plus it was nice to have him sit and talk to himself for a half hour or so when he wakes up while I get my bearings and wake up myself. And the biggest thing is that with a new baby coming, we just know that we want everything to stay the same for him. No big changes for at least 4 to 6 months after she's here. That includes starting potty training and pre-school and of course, a new bed.

So we went for the crib tent option and he helped us put it up and we made it a big celebration and told him how cool it was. Now every morning he wakes up says, "tent, tent" while smiling and pointing. So it worked out great for us.

Last week he kneeled down and grunted - an obvious sign of poop in progress. Then he stood up and said "Poo poo!" followed by "Dih po" (diaper). We were so proud that he recognized when he pooped. So that was a big deal. I love celebrating poop.

His talking is really progressing - to the point that he gets very frustrated when he can't quite say the right word or when he is saying something and we are just not getting it. This has been the bud of most tantrums. The smallest thing can set him off.

We've also started a discipline plan and he's doing well with it. Supernanny would be proud. He went through a very brief phase of hitting himself in the head and sometimes on the wall when he was frustrated or angry. So we just simply ignored it and he stopped. But, then it became a hit on us if we pick him up and have to leave somewhere or do something he's not quite ready to do. So when he does that, we take him to a time out for a minute and a half. We tell him that we do not hit and after the time out it's loves, hugs and kisses and he's always so happy. So for an agressive behavior like that, it's an immediate time out.

As soon as he turns two and maybe sooner depending on his readiness we are going to implement the 1 2 3 Magic technique. For now we just give a warning if he's doing something that is inappropriate or dangerous and usually he'll stop (not happy about it), but he stops. If it turns into an angry tantrum, we simply ignore it and he stops when he sees it gets no attention.

Overall, we feel good about our plan.

Other than that, he continues to bring continuous joy. He really loves watching old home videos of himself as a baby. He's such a big boy now. Making decisions. Riding all the big boy slides. Running around. Naming everything he sees. Playing pretend. All the good stuff. He points to my belly and says "Bebe!!!" Then he'll point to someone else's and say the same thing. I don't think he will get it till the day comes.

And speaking of our baby girl. I know I need to post pictures. I will find the time to upload them from my camera.

She is doing great. Getting stronger and stronger. In fact, just yesterday I was amazed at the rolling and kicking and all sorts of things she was doing. 2nd time and still equally amazed.

Almost 24 weeks. It is going by trememndously faster than the last time. I think I only have like 3 preggo pics. Yikes! But, that's being mom I guess. The time just isn't there. The most time I take for myself would probably be right now. Just writing.

Which reminds me, I gotta go fold some laundry and get my grocery list ready. Got lots of errands today once Logan wakes up.

Maybe there's time for another cookie too. Hmmm.

AHHHH! (for lack of a better word)

Amidst all the catch up work I have to do, not to mention just personl stuff, I find myself needing to journal.My mother in law just left town. Can I just say ....

THANK YOU!!!!

I know that is horrible, but my wonderful husband and I were so desperate for this day and I think it began almost from the moment she got here. Not sure what it was this time. Usually it is my husband that is much more irritated than I. But, this time, I joined the misery party. I just couldn't tolerate as well as I usually can. I couldn't focus on all the positives. And there are many positives, but there are also MANY negatives. And this deemed a serious problem this time for my sanity.

In the past, with each visit my mother in law makes, something in the household goes wrong. Whether it is smoke detectors going off randomly, faucets not working, animals acting strange, weird experiences with people around us - just stuff.

With most visits, something happens with the animals. Like the dogs throwing up or like the time Molly got kennel cough. This time, we've had a few big inconveniences. First off, Logan was not his usual self. He would get very unhappy very easily and this was not what we were used to. Granted, he IS a toddler and has a few toddler moments and tantrums a day. But, they are usually very short-lived and he is easily consolable and responds to discilpine very well.

Enter grandma from Alabama. Since she got here, his once healthy appetite was gone. His whining kicked in to the tune of a child I don't even know. His temper has heightened. He did this weird cry one day while we were out and fussed about everything we did. Just not his usual easy to please self. Did turning 20 months with new developmental frustrations kick in the exact moment she arrived? Oh and because of all this extra energy he is exerting telling us how unhappy he is, he's napping like 3 hours, which he hasn't done since he was like 6 months old. (which of course is not something to complain about - just interesting) Now he's back to about1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Next.

Worms and moths. We got meal moths and worms in our pantry and had to empty everything. We had to throw food away (like throwing money away) and then we had to wash down the whole pantry with bleach and ziplock all good food.

Next.

The dogs. Max got diarreah about 5 different places in the house. The cat, who has not even coughed up a furball (she swallows them) or vomitted since the day we got her 7 years ago, puked in 3 different rooms and pooped in my closet and laundry room. The last time and only time she ever had any sort of an accident was the last time MIL was out and she peed on our bed and ruined our day old new comforter which is now history as the smell never came out and washing it ruined it.

Next.

My mood. My mood has been on irritation high and it felt like there was virtually nothing I could do to releive the tension headache she caused me. So why? Why the irritation? Because for 7 years I have been told the same negative stories of all the drama in her life and of all 4 husbands and I am over it. I know my husbands father left her for her best friend. I know every freakin detail of it. I practically lived it myself by now. I don't need it anymore.

Sure, life's not fair sometimes and we get in crap situations. But, you move on. She moved on. She has a great husband now and a life with no drama. But, because she loves drama, she keeps rehashing the negative in her life and does not ever focus on the positive. The now. Only focuses on the past. She has so much anger and resentment still harbored and she knows it and she just says that she can't help it and that that is who she is. Well, yes, you can help it. She's also a very jealous person and she admits this too. I told her that holding grudges and getting so angry is an ugly quality. I had hoped, that, she having been a model and all about being glamorous and wanting so bad to be regarded as a Scarlett O'Hara, would think, "Hmm, don't want to be ugly." But, she didn't care. My husband calls her out on EVERYTHING. I love it. He doesn't let her get away with her games and is actually happy now that I am sharing in the irritation because misery loves company.

And one last thing, amongst the endless annoying things and occurences this trip. I am fed up with her silent attitude towards my parents. My parents have practically bent over backwards trying to make her insecure self feel welcome and everytime she is with them she plays the silent treatment and embarrasses me and my husband. She sits through a really nice expensive dinner that they treat us all to, with silence. Myabe a grin here or there. It's so annoying and so rude.

Everything she accuses her other son of, is what she is and she just can't see it.

Ok, enough of that. I really need to let this visit go.

I jsut can't help but be annoyed that she will be here for the birth of the "baby girl she always wanted" and wants to stay to help out. But, she didn't help out this time. She can't even hold Logan because she complains that everything hurts. I will already have my mom and to be honest. This is going to be a big deal and big adjustment for Logan and he already didn't take to her. so I can't see how her being here will be of any help.

She mentioned staying here a month when the baby comes. My husband laughed at her and told her, "no way!" We are getting her a ticket to come out a few days before the due date (if baby comes before then - Oh well). We are booking the ticket so that we can change the dates so that she is out of here after I get home from the hospital. And that's that.

I am not a confrontational person, but I have been brought to the brink. I am not going to be a push over and play nice at the expense of my family's sanity.

Whew! Needed to vent that.

Ok, next post will be more positive. Just needed to get that out. More updates later on this kicking, rolling baby girl and this new little person Logan has become.

Pink or Blue????

Ok, it's been entirely too long for me to have waited to post this. But, it just so happens that we got the ultrasound days before the holidays and with all the hustle and bustle and gift wrapping and last minute "oh crap I forgot about those people" gifts I got sidetracked.

Not to mention the gazillion things I have to do work related and I am so far behind. And then there's the MIL who comes out tomorrow for 8 days. And then there's the 5 others posts I've been writing to myself and wanting to post. Then there's all the little things I need to do, like update Logan's website for the family and take more belly shots!!!

So let me now say that my dad was right. Though, I never revealed what he said we were having, just that he knew and that we didn't even need to bother calling him after the ultrasound because he was 100% sure thatwe are having a .....................


GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL.


Grandpa was right. We are having a little girl and she is just as precious as can be. She greeted us with a huge yawn. I WILL post the US pictures and belly pics. I will, I will, I will. I was much better at documenting and journaling with Logan in utero. But, time has a whole new meaning now.

This little girl is VERY active and it took quite awhile for her to reveal herself to us. Unlike her big brother who showed his parts right away. So after her constant wiggling around, we were finally able to sneak up under those legs. Afterwards I told my husband that I was very proud of our little girl for keeping those legs closed, to which he got a bit annoyed and said, "Don't talk about my daughter that way!" Completely understandable and I sustained.

Well, I must promise myself to do better at journaling. After the MIL leaves and life is back on track, I will write more about this wonderful movement I am constantly feeling and how I can hardly believe that I keep saying "she" and "her" and "It's a GIRL!"

So truly happy.