Time Flies

Barrett is now almost four months old and I can't imagine life without him.  He is such a sweet little guy and truly a super easy baby as far as babies go.  He is and always has been such a little snuggler but now that he has been in school for two full weeks he is getting the hang of putting himself to sleep (before I never knew if he could because I pretty much always held him).  I can pretty much put him down and he'll roll to his side and fall asleep.

He has been smiling since he was about seven weeks old and he is so quick to flash a grin.  He is the smileyist baby I've ever seen.  He still doesn't laugh but I'm expecting he'll do that soon.  Such a laid-back, calm, happy little fella.  I just can't get enough of him.

Copeland loves his little brother, too.  At school he will tell all the kids to get back and that they can't touch his brother.  This makes me laugh so hard.  He does occasionally get jealous, even more so now that I'm back at work and it seems like I don't get to spend as much one on one time with him.  When I was on leave I could hold Barrett all day and make sure he was fed before Copeland got home so I'd have time to spend with Copeland.  Now that I'm back at work Barrett wants to nurse the minute he gets home, no matter what time he last ate.  And sometimes he will eat FOREVER.  He never used to eat for a long duration but I suppose that is his way of saying he missed me.  I've been planning and going on dates with Copeland during this transition so he doesn't feel like I've forgotten him.  

My transition back to work has been more difficult than last time and I can't exactly explain why.  It seemed like leave was shorter and that getting back into the swing of things at work is harder.  My brain doesn't seem to be functioning as well, either.  I know I'll get there but it is definitely a work in progress.  If only the US offered just a bit longer leave...

Barrett has been "talking" since about 7 weeks.  It is so cute to look in his eyes and have little conversations with him.  His cooing is adorable.  It's not very loud and it's not constant so we think little Barrett is going to be more on the quiet side.  We could be wrong but at this point Copeland always says "Barrett and Daddy are quiet.  Mommy and Copeland are NOT quiet".  Hahaha!

Here is a picture of my little family taken when Barrett was 5 weeks old:

The boys in that picture are my world and melt my heart every day.

34 weeks

Here is what's been happening in the past five weeks:

• Baby boy is measuring on track and I still feel great.  I haven't yet started waddling and can still walk pretty quickly if I want to.  I've even been known to race Copeland to the mailbox.  (He usually wins unless he gets distracted.)
• I failed the 28 week glucose test so had to take the 3 hour (really, it took four) glucose test.  It was awful.  I had to fast and then show up to get my fasting blood drawn, then chug a 10 oz bottle of straight sugar drink, and then have my blood taken on the hour every hour for the next 3 hours.  After I was done I was so shaky and sweaty and felt sick. Thankfully, the test came back that I don't have gestational diabetes.
• I am getting HUGE.  To tie my shoes I have to cross my legs (man-style) and tie the laces by the very inner eyelet.  Even though I feel huge, I still have gained much less weight than last pregnancy.
• My body is very sore every morning.  I went to the chiropractor and that helped some but I need to be more regular about it.  I do have massages set up almost every week in March.  :)
• Baby boy makes much larger and more painful movements inside my belly than Copeland did.  He seems to want to shrug me off of him and he does full body movements that are slow and big.  I often wince when he starts moving around.  I swear it feels like he's trying to crawl right out of my belly sometimes.  He also is getting hiccups and that is hilarious.
• I'm hungry all the time.  Right now I'm craving pimento cheese on Ritz crackers.  Random, but true.  Onions are the only thing I still remain food averse to.   
• I went on a one week girl scout cookie binge.  
• I am swelling a little.  I can still wear all my rings and shoes but sometimes they get a little tight.
• My innie belly button turned to an outie at about 31/32 weeks and it drove me crazy for awhile.  I don't like my belly button touched at all and to have the sensitive inner parts of it sticking out and touching clothes is creepy.  I'm more used to it now but I still don't like it.  I try to avoid the entire area when putting lotion on.
• I have stretch marks that showed up around my belly button.  With Copeland, I didn't get any until right before he was born and even then they were minimal and not too noticeable.  I guess my skin was ready to be stretched out this time.  I don't really understand because I'm smaller with this baby than I was with Copeland.
• I am so excited to meet baby boy and spend time with him and Copeland while on maternity leave but I am in no way prepared for labor and delivery.  I haven't yet registered with the hospital, or completed his room, or bought a single thing (we do have almost everything we technically need), or packed a bag, etc.  Also, I am in no way prepared for the pain of labor and delivery.  Whoever said you forget it is crazy.  I haven't forgotten it at all.  

31 weeks

32 weeks 1 day

33 weeks 1 day

34 weeks

Already 29 weeks?

I seriously don't know where the time has gone.  This pregnancy has been flying by.  I feel like I just found out I was pregnant!  I guess it's a good thing that I don't instead feel like it's been dragging along for an interminable time.  Here are some things that have been happening in the past 8 weeks:

• Ryan and Copeland can now feel and see little biscuit moving around inside my stomach.  That happened just a few weeks ago.
• I went through a steak phase during which time I forced the family to eat steak 4-5 times in one week.  I have since backed off of my steak consumption but I am still heavily carnivorous, which is quite a change from my non-pregnant appetite.  Also, I couldn't stand red meat when I was pregnant with Copeland.
• I am now at the stage where it's a bit uncomfortable to lean over and tie my shoes.  I've decided it is easier to be pregnant in the summer when I can wear breezy clothes and sandals instead of jeans, sweaters, and shoes that require tying or zipping.  
• Compared to last pregnancy I have gained relatively little weight.  I attribute this to having Copeland to chase around.  
• I just started feeling uncomfortable in bed last week.  I am a back sleeper and now with my substantial stomach it isn't as comfortable to stay on my back so I am forced to sleep on my sides.  I don't really like sleeping on my side and even though we have a great bed, I wake up several times throughout the night with achy hips and calves (and I do sleep with a pillow between my legs).  My ears also get sore.  (Is that even normal???)
• I can still wear several non-maternity tops and dresses.  I think I must have never started wearing form-fitting clothes again after I had Copeland so that's why I'm still able to do it.  I don't remember being able to wear any non-maternity clothes at this stage when I was pregnant last time. 
• I am at the stage where I am uncomfortably hot for large periods of the day.  When I am not pregnant I am usually always cold.
• I was going to say that I wasn't swelling yet like last time but just today my shoes and rings are a bit tight.  I will blame it on the high sodium content of the Chinese food I had last night and for lunch.   (Kung Hei Fat Choy! - Happy Chinese New Year!  On a side note, this is the year of the monkey.  I was also born in the year of the monkey.  Ryan and Copeland were both born in the year of the snake.)
• I am getting so excited to meet our new family member!!!!

22 weeks 2 days

25 weeks 2 days

26 weeks

28 weeks