21 month update

Josiah's morning stroll

It's Spring!  After a long and bitter winter, it's finally warming up.  And it's about time - it's freakin April!!!  I definitely take my cues from the seasons, because I also feel like I'm slowly coming out of hiberation and facing the changes ahead.  I'm 37 weeks along, so officially full-term.  EEK.  I'm still not feeling "ready"...my list of things to-do is still miles long...but then again, are we ever fully prepared for major changes in life?

One reason/excuse for my unpreparedness is because I've been so busy at work, up until recently.  The first part of March just flew by since I was pulling late hours planning for a major event in Philadelphia.  It took up so much of my time and attention, but was both a rewarding accomplishment as well as an opportunity to tag on a quick getaway to Philadelphia once it was all over - our last trip as a family of three!  Not only did it feel nice to end on a high note, it was also a natural point to start winding down once it was over.  Since then, I've been in transition mode at work, which has been both satisfying and difficult at the same time.  I think it's back to me being resistant to change.  But at least this has also forced me to focus on the impending birth of my baby, which has also opened up a rollercoaster of emotions that I've apparently been holding back!  For example, I burst into tears while watching the How I Met Your Mother finale, much to the confusion of my hubby!  And I've been struggling with insomnia lately, tossing and turning in bed obsessing over stupid things like not being able to find one of Josiah's toys, or thinking about how ways to organize our apartment.  On top of these outbursts, I've been having a lot of physical discomfort lately - recurring tightness in my belly (Braxton Hicks contractions?), back soreness, and most of all - terrible leg cramps at night.  And not just regular cramps, but persistent, stabbing pain that wakes me up screaming and takes like 30 minutes of desperate flexing and maneuvering to subside.  My doc suggested that I drink more milk, so I've taken that to mean lots of ice cream at night!  While my 1st pregnancy was a breeze (physically, that is), this one has definitely taken a toll on me.  Perhaps it's being a bit older, carrying a girl (who happens to do somersaults all day), carrying bigger than last time,  or a combination of these factors.  In any case, I am so not that 'glowing' image of expecting motherhood that some women can pull off!


Cuddles!

I doubt that Josiah has any idea of what's going to hit him in the next few weeks.  However, his nanny insists that he does, given that he's been exhibiting recent mood swings toward me, ranging from ultra-clingy to utterly disinterested.  As of today, he's back to only asking for Daddy.  She claims this is a sign that things are going to happen very soon, but I refuse to believe her.  Aside from these random mood swings, Josiah's been a pretty happy camper this month.  He's less picky during meals (but faves still are eggs, rice, cheese and fruit), goes down for bed much more easily (just points to the crib, asks for his binky, and waves goodbye), and listens to us relatively well.  He's still got his sass though, and will still give us the occasional tantrum, eye-roll, food chucked on the floor, or flat-out "no no no" response.  But generally speaking, these moments have not been too unmanageable or long-lasting.


He also had his first dentist appointment this month (with Dr. Wendy!) and predictably freaked out throughout the cleaning...but at least no cavities to report about!  As we were in the waiting room, he set his sights on a rolling kitchen set and hasn't been the same since!  I've never seen him love a toy so instantly, so of course we had to buy it right away.  Since then, he's been pushing around his kitchen around the house and pretending to cook food all day long.  Literally from the moment he wakes to when he goes down for bed, he is clutching a pot, "muck and cheese", and utensils ("f$%k", "spoo" and "nice").  It's really cute and strange at the same time, since he hardly see us cooking at home.


Obsessed with his rolling kitchen set

Josiah continues to pick up funny phrases from his nanny like "watch out!", "careful", "no touch", and "oh boy!"  He also readily uses "please?", but quickly followed with an "OK!" in confidence of getting what he wants!  He throws around some Spanish too, like "mucho frio", "pollo" and "pan".  He's a pretty well-known kid in our building and block, and I even heard someone in the elevator calling him "that baby that talks a lot", which is surprising because he can be super friendly to strangers, but often really shy toward our friends.  He's been retaining a lot from his books and TV shows too and will randomly recite something that he's memorized.  We initially felt guilty exposing him to so much TV, but these moments of make us feel a bit more justified...and plus, we are such TV fiends ourselves so it's hard to be role models here!


Josiah still loves music and has started a weekly music/dance class in our neighborhood.  It's so expensive for what it is, which is just clanging on instruments and dancing to music, but we succumbed to it since we want to start getting him out of the house and into some organized activities.  My fear is that he will remain a "wild animal" without some socialization soon!  And he really does love the class and has picked up some new dance moves, including spinning around in circles.  Now that the weather is nicer, we are looking forward to getting out of the house more often and exposing Josiah to new activities outdoors.

Finally, this month was also significant for Shaggy and I, as we celebrated our 5th year anniversary.  We celebrated with dinner at a cute little restaurant called LeFarm in Connecticut.  It's so rare to have time to just ourselves, so we appreciated the time to just savor good food and reminisce about the past five years that have flown by.  Looking ahead to the next 5 years, my hope and prayer is that our moments ahead be filled with joyful expectation, gratitude, and humor!

Happy 5 year anniversary to us!