Baby Sighting

We arrived in Hawaii at around 1 am and made it into Kailua by 2:30 am. I christened our homecoming by puking in the church garden. Classy, I know. We had another ultrasound this morning around ten to check out baby # 2. I didn’t blog about this earlier, but the initial ultrasound did not reveal the gender and also indicated a low placenta (possible placenta previa) so this morning we were off to the doctor’s for the fancy pants ultrasounds and here are the results:

Baby was still a little shy – but oh so sweet!

After several attempts at opening those legs, the doctor finally gave a verdict for the gender:

This is a shot right in between the legs (one leg is bent which is why it looks shorter than the other) and as you can tell – there is nothing showing! Doc says its a girl! JD and I both figured it was a girl, especially after the last ultrasound, but we left the office a little shocked – TWO GIRLS! We’re super excited for Ellie to have a sister, and we’ve had a blast raising a girl so far so we are pleased with the outcome. JD doesn’t quite know what to think about a house full of girls after growing up with three brothers and one sister, but he is still thrilled. I have more to say on this, but Ellie just woke up from her nap and we’re EXHAUSTED. E-X-H-A-U-S-T-E-D.

oh – and the placenta has risen so no fear of placenta previa! YAY!

Bullet point blog

* I seriously get bummed out every time I check the weather app on my phone and see “High 82 Low 77.” Come on Hawaii, just a little fall weather? PLEASE?!?! I don’t remember getting this bothered by the weather before, but holy moly I’m roasting out here in this humid 80 degree weather.

* We were basque last night. JD made basque soup and beans and it was melt-your-mouth delicious. I seriously can’t wait to get the setup at Woolgrowers when we’re in Bako a few weeks from now. I don’t think the Hawaiians know the Basque exist. Thankfully I married a chef.

* Speaking of chefs, I made dinner the other night for the second time in 17 weeks. Yes, you read that correctly! JD was so glad he didn’t even care that all I made were egg salad sandwiches with bacon and lettuce (so delicious by the way – I might make another one right now just because they’re SO DARN GOOD).

* All three of us Groves are sick today. Probably have the swine flu. Don’t tell my mom.

* Speaking of flu – we’re getting flu shots today. I have mentally prepared myself for this shot for weeks. Sure I’ll give birth to a baby naturally without pain meds, but a shot?! Oh dear goodness no.

* Someone asked if I am pregnant the other day. A whole 4 weeks before anyone asked with El. Well, here’s to “why don’t you go ahead of me” and “let me get that door for you!” Gotta love the prego perks!

* Very much in the in-between stage of normal clothes and maternity clothes. Picking out outfits is QUITE an ordeal.

* Feeling the love lately – Jesus, JD, students, leaders, friends, family… Love. Love. Love!

* That’s all for now for my ultra narcissistic post folks.

Letter to the Editor

Ellie adores her small collection of Little Golden Books (you know, the thin hardcover golden-edge binding books with ridiculously thin paper?). She has a few that my mom brought over, and most of them are Disney books. Her current favorite is Cinderella. I know, I know. CINDERELLA! Don’t get me started.

Anyhow, this morning she walked up to me saying “rella! rella!” only it sounded more like “wewa! wewa!” and handed me the Cinderella book. I read her a short paraphrase of the book, skimming quickly through it because there are way too many words on each page for a 15 month old. When we were finished she hopped off my lap, walked a few steps over to JD and handed him the book. He reads each! and! every! word!

So they sat and read. And it was so deliciously cute that I grabbed my cell phone camera to snap a shot. Just as I was getting ready to press the button, JD turned and gave me this look:

REALLY!? Did the book really just read, “And of course the slipper fitted, since it was her very own?” Whoever edited this book needs to be fired!

Once an English major always an English major…

p.s. – don’t mind the bed full of clean, unfolded laundry in the background. Some day I’ll get around to folding it all…

Pregnancy update

Still nauseous.

Pulled over on the side of the road today to throw up. I opened the backdoor seat and pretended to rummage around while puking my little guts out. BOO.

That being said, the nausea is most definitely milder than a few weeks ago. I still throw up in the mornings occasionally, and the night times continue to be awful, but it’s better than before and so I’m thankful.

My cravings are a bit different this time around… Taco Bell just really doesn’t do it for me. At all. We’ve gone a couple times, but nothing like when I was pregnant with El. I considered making her a onesie that read “Powered by Taco Bell,” and it wouldn’t be far from the truth. This time – it’s all about the french fries. I love me some McD’s fries! Lately I’ve had INSANE cravings for Top Ramen with sriracha (spicy vietnamese sauce) at around 10 am each day. Um, hello? What’s with the crazy? Needless to say, we have a pack of Ramen in the kitchen that I partake of on a regular basis. At least it’s cheap…

So far, this pregnancy has been a bit different than with El… but also very similar. I’m sick, of course, but with El I was consistently throwing up no matter what for about 20-25 weeks EVERY MORNING. Round two, I had a much more intense bout of morning sickness from about week 6-12, but then at 12 weeks I started going a couple days in between pukes and the days seem more bearable. As with El, I absolutely MUST eat meat every morning. Still. It’s pukesville if I don’t have some sort of meat to sustain me. I seriously can’t wait for the day I can just sit down to a bowl of cheerios and be perfectly content…

We go on vacation in two weeks – which I’m STOKED for – but I’m definitely praying my morning sickness will be completely finished by then. I’ll be 19&20 weeks along for the trip, so there’s still hope.

Today I felt flutters for the first time!!!!! There’s actually a baby in there! I know I know, the nausea and the sonograms are enough evidence of a growing being, but there’s nothing like feeling your baby move for the first time. I love it!

Ok – so there’s the scoop from prego land. With all those fun details, anyone want to venture a guess as to the gender? We find out October 16 – YAY! So let’s hear it – what are your predictions?

Faceplant. x 2

This is TOTALLY dramatic…

Friday El and I went for a walk around the church grounds, making a stop outside the Toddler room to play with the toys. She pushed the cars around making vroom vroom sounds and attempted a tricycle for several minutes before we were on our way again. El was so excited about her playtime she started running on the sidewalk, tripped over her feet, and kissed the concrete. Hard.

I picked her up and gulped when I saw blood. We rushed over to the office and daddy confirmed El was ok. She cried for a total of about 15 seconds, which should have been my first clue – but BLOOD! JD spent most of the time calming me down before we went inside the cottage for a Popsicle and Tylenol. Her nose and gums were scraped up, but she seemed fine.

We capped the event off with a lunch out and then a nice long nap,

Today, Saturday, the VERY NEXT DAY, we were shopping in Old Navy for toddler shoes and a toddler backpack. We found an adorable toddler girl backpack and put it on El for size. She got SO excited about the backpack that she started running around on the concrete floor and – you guessed it – BAM! Faceplant #2. JD was there this time and both of us slightly panicked as blood began spilling out of her mouth and onto her hands and shirt. JD was concerned her teeth cut through her lip, I was just in shock that she did THE SAME THING two days in a row. We found ice at a Starbucks across the street and sat in the store holding ice to her mouth while we tried on shoes (picture two traumatized first time parents whose baby girl just busted her lip sitting ON THE FLOOR of Old Navy with a cup of ice, a story book, surrounded by shoes) – we would have just left, but we had to make an exchange and purchase the backpack that had our baby’s blood on it. Lovely.

Here is the aftermath:

15 weeks belly

Let’s play a little game of compare and contrast, shall we?

This is me, pregnant with Ellie, at SIXTEEN weeks.

And this is me, in my current pregnancy, at FIFTEEN weeks.

I know I know, second baby, things are stretched out, yeah yeah yeah… but still – who likes to be comforted with the knowledge that now everything’s stretched out?! Nobody. That’s who. I don’t mind the bump. It’s fine, really. It’s just – a little sudden.

That’s all.

a little love for this guy

I think my husband is hott. HOTT. HOTT. HOTT. Why two “T’s” – I don’t know. That’s just what the young folks do these days…

I’m also very proud of him as he pursues his goal of losing 30 lbs. Not an easy thing to do alone. Especially not easy when the wife is  going to pack on the pounds in the next several months…

So send a little love and encouragement over his way as he diligently pursues his goal!

Weaned.

I didn’t know when I’d write this post, only that it would eventually come.

I initiated the weaning process shortly after Ellie turned 13 months old, though technically it began at 11 months when I dropped her to three feedings a day because she no longer seemed interested in the afternoon nurse.

The decision to wean came shortly after I discovered I was pregnant and was so nauseous that the entire experience became quite unpleasant. I know many people have different thoughts and opinions on breastfeeding and weaning, and that’s fine. Some of you will think I weaned too early. Others will think I’m a crazy lady who nursed too long.

I know it was right for us.

Though I initiated the weaning process, Ellie completed it. I saved the morning nurse for last, because we absolutely ADORE the morning nurse. I figured eventually I would just have JD get her out of bed and take her into the living room for a sippy cup of milk and that would be the beginning of the end.

Little did I know that yesterday was most likely our last nursing session.

Usually the very first thing Ellie asks for in the morning is “nilk!” as she signs and urgently demands to nurse. This morning she asked for Rowdy. Curious, I sat her down next to Rowdy and she proceeded to play by Rowdy and then wander into the living room for her toys. I went to the bedroom to change, figuring she would come in any moment asking for “nilk.” Seconds later, she was in our room with a toy car. I was in mid-change, which is usually a sure bet for a frantic “nilk! nilk!” but instead, she just held up the toy car and said “ca!” So I made vrooom vrooom noises and she left the room satisfied.

And that was it.

JD fed her breakfast while I finished getting ready, thinking of how significant this moment was, and while I’ve been ready for it, I’m still somewhat saddened that it’s over. It doesn’t matter that a new little love will be placed in my arms in about six months, because that little one isn’t El. I will of course be grateful for another opportunity to nurse, and we will bond in our own special way, but El and I sure had a great experience together…

El who wouldn’t take a bottle and refused formula. El who signed “thank you!” after nursing without prompt from me. El who often stood up mid-nurse, still latched on. El who would pause and smile at me while we cuddled…

So El, when you read this, thank you. Thank you for 14.5 wonderful months of nursing. I know this is a first of many “weanings” in your life, and I am confident you are ready. I love you more than words can express. – Mommy.

A bit of it all.

Life has returned to some semblance of normalcy these past couple days. I don’t know why I’m still surprised when she gets fussy and whiny, clingy and demanding. It’s always the same thing. Her hot skin should tip me off. A few days into it  JD and I look at each other and say, Aaaah… Teething. As if this weren’t something we’ve encountered for the past ten months. Short naps, early mornings, snot, fits, fits, and more fits… always our cue. New Teeth.

The week drags on slowly until we’re sure someone has stolen our girl and we will never sleep until seven again.

And yet, as quickly as it comes, it goes.

We’ve got her back.

She who loves adventure.

Who delights us with her determination, spunk, and sheer loveliness.

SHE.

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Her happiest word is “baby!” Eyes light up, face softens, lips curl. When asked where mommy’s baby is, she promptly retrieves my shirt and exposes my belly button. “Baby!” she points and grins. Daddy also has a baby. And it is in his belly button. Occasionally I catch Ellie looking down her own shirt whispering, “baby.” Babies come from the belly button.

We bought her a baby. A small doll for El.

She gives besos, carries it by its legs, and sits on it.

In roughly six months, a real baby will enter her world.

One she shouldn’t sit on.

New challenges, new joy.

An adjustment or two.

Missteps, frustration, exhaustion.

Delight, euphoria, triumph.

All will be well.

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For now, we’re soaking in every ounce of joy that she brings as our firstborn.

We’ve had a hard few months… But it feels like a new season. Less pain. Less nausea. Less gumspace. Less frustration.

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Autumn is upon us. My favorite season of change. Change in the weather, in the air, in our church, in Ellie’s development. Spring is the season for new life, and no doubt this will be true for us come March 2010, but the season that makes new life possible always fills my spirit with awe and anticipation.

Welcome, Fall.

view from a bridge…