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

18, 19, 20, and 21 weeks

At 18 weeks I started feeling my little biscuit moving around.  I didn't feel Copeland moving until about 21 weeks so it's exciting to already have this connection.  Ryan and I joke that this one might be more like me because he tends to get very excited around meal times (Copeland was busy at ALL TIMES).

At 19 weeks I finally started wearing some maternity clothes.  The Tuesday before Thanksgiving I was wearing my normal wardrobe...and the Friday after I wasn't so comfortable in most of my pants.  I was still able to wear some of my regular pants for awhile but I think by now I'm in maternity pants for the rest of my pregnancy.  I am still wearing some non-maternity shirts and dresses but I wouldn't be surprised if that ends in the next few weeks.  Strangely, I started showing much later and much more subtly with this pregnancy than last.  Everyone I talk to says that they showed so early with their second pregnancies.  I still hadn't reached my pre-pregnancy weight at almost 21 weeks.  With Copeland I started gaining weight steadily from day one!

At 20 months, I had a visible bump.  I don't have a 20 week picture but here is a 21 week and 2 day picture where my bump has now become much more visible and I definitely feel like I'm pregnant now.  I have finally surpassed my pre-pregnancy weight which means I gained quite a bit in the last week!  Probably has something to do with having my appetite (and sweet tooth) back!

Oh YOU'RE his Mommy!

I didn't quite know what to expect when I heard that from a Mommy at day care that I'd never even seen before.  Come to find out, Copeland gives this Mommy a hug when she comes to pick up her daughter and she said it makes her day every time.  I later found out that Copeland hugs are not exclusive to just one Mommy because there are several Mommies that look forward to Copeland hugs at the end of the day.  My child is a very social child.  :)

Musings on Pregnancy Number 2

• Pregnancy symptoms are even less than when I was pregnant with Copeland.  During the first trimester I was a bit tired and food averse but not nearly as much as last time!  I still am averse to certain things like garlic and onions (two things I normally love) but I remember last time I didn't want to eat at ALL during the first trimester and stayed averse to many things for the rest of the pregnancy. 
• I had forgotten about getting calf cramps at night last time but remembered once I started getting those again.
• I have actually lost weight.  Doctor says that's absolutely fine as baby is doing well but at 16 weeks I'm about 6-7 lbs less than when I got pregnant.  I think it's due to a variety of factors:  I'm losing muscle because I'm not working out; I am slightly food averse with a smaller than normal appetite for me; I was sick with bronchitis for a month during the first trimester; I never did lose the extra weight I gained when I was pregnant with Copeland.
• I KNEW this was going to be a boy...and I was actually right this time!  I am so excited to have two little boys in the house!  I grew up with two brothers and have always felt that I'm a little (or a lot) of a tomboy so having a houseful of boys is right up my alley.
• We had a scare and it was AWFUL, AWFUL, AWFUL and I am currently restricted from doing just about anything strenuous or stressful.  Baby is absolutely fine and the complications have to do with my body only so I just have to make sure to do what the doctor says in hopes that I carry to term without incident.  So far, so good.  My biggest challenge is trying to not stress out about the complications.  Also, it is difficult/strange to go from being super active to super sedentary and I do miss CrossFit something fierce.  It's second nature for me to go on a hike, or pick up Copeland for a dance party, or run after him so it's strange to not be able to do even those little things.  
• Being called "advanced maternal age" is just mean.  I feel quite young, thank you very much.
• Copeland says "Baby brother is in Mommy's belly" and it is pretty much the cutest thing in the world.
• I'm not wearing maternity clothes yet but I think I will be in the next few weeks.  Looking back in my archives I saw that I started wearing maternity clothes at 17 weeks with Copeland.  I do have a little bump but like I mentioned previously, I've actually lost weight so it might take a little longer for me to outgrow my current wardrobe.  
• I've already been told twice at doctor visits that this baby is very active, which means I am truly in for it.  Copeland was very active in the womb and is VERY active now (as in we even get comments on how busy he is from other toddler's parents).  I can't imagine what it's going to be like with two very active boys.  Please say a little prayer for me.  
• I wake up a lot at night for trips to the rest room.  I don't remember it being this bad before.  I also don't remember it lasting this far into the second trimester.  
• My sense of smell is super sensitive.  It's actually driving Ryan a little nuts because I declare everything stinky.  
• We asked Copeland what he wanted to call his baby brother and he said "Peanut Butter" so that's what we call him.  My colleagues call him "Doobie" as his due date is on 4/20, which is a rather big "holiday" here in Colorado.  (I really don't want to deliver on 4/20...)

I don't have a bump picture but this is cuter anyway and at least one party to the hug seems to be enjoying it.

On to Taipei

Much like our last trip to Asia, Ryan and I decided we couldn't fly all the way to Hong Kong and not also spend a few days sight seeing in another Asian country, so we flew to Taipei, Taiwan the day after Pau Pau's birthday party.  Copeland "helped" us pack:

We spent a little more time with family before leaving for the airport.  They were headed back to the US:

And then headed to the airport:

Where we bid everyone adieu except...Pau Pau and Mo Ching!  They went with us to Taipei!  I was so, so excited about spending more time with family.  I knew Mo Ching was planning to come with us but she surprised us by bring Pau Pau with her.

The flight to Taipei from Hong Kong is about 1.5 hours and we expected to be there ready to explore no later than 2 pm, but the flight was delayed for a couple hours.  It's probably a good thing because we were cutting it close on boarding time, partly because we spent some time searching for one of our bags that we didn't know Mo Ching took while we were changing Copeland's diaper and partly because we'd had a leisurely lunch with the entire family before heading our separate ways.

The flight was pretty standard, minus being pointedly asked by a flight attendant if everything was okay.  I couldn't figure out why she had singled me out and I'm pretty sure I looked at her like she had three heads.  I later felt bad about looking at her like she had three heads when I figured out Copeland had been repeatedly paging her with the remote.

With the flight delay and the 45 minute taxi ride to the hotel, we didn't get settled in until around dinner time.  Pau Pau and Mo Ching were in another hotel, because the hotels in the metropolitan area where we were staying were very small and they couldn't get into ours, so we decided to part ways and meet up the next day.  We wandered around a bit in search of sustenance and were immediately impressed.  The city was clean and walk-able and everyone was SO nice.  And the sidewalks were sparkly and that pleased me irrationally.  

Everyone in Hong Kong had been telling me how good the food was in Taipei so I was determined to find something for dinner that the city was known for.  Unlike Hong Kong, English speakers are not as prevalent in Taipei and Mandarin is spoken, instead of Cantonese.  In Hong Kong, if I have to I can limp along in Cantonese and make my basic requests known, but I know nothing about Mandarin except how to say thank you (and I'm pretty sure I say it with such a strong accent that it's barely understandable).  As we were wandering around, I was finding it difficult to locate an authentic Taiwanese eatery where we would be able to order easily.  Lo and behold, Mo Chang and Pau Pau were inside a restaurant and saw us wandering around and pulled us inside and ordered for us.  Thank goodness!  So glad Mo Ching can speak Mandarin (as well as Cantonese, English, Portuguese, and Korean)!  She ordered us a noodle dish, which reminded me greatly of PF Chang's dan dan noodles, a cold chicken dish, and a tofu dish.  No pictures - we must have been too stinking tired.

Note: After I finish my blog series about our Hong Kong/Taipei trip I plan to write a question and answer blog as I've received a few questions and realize there are probably many other interesting tidbits I haven't addressed.  Please feel free to comment with any questions about our trip, about Hong Kong,  Taipei, etc. and I'll try to answer them.