Abstract Concepts

My boy is kind of a genius.  It's really an amazing thing to watch him learn and make connections.  Lately, he has been obsessed with colors and asking "cuh-lore?" about anything he sees.  Yesterday, I realized he's actually absorbing some of it.  It was windy and rainy, so the bay was muddy looking and I commented as we drove by, "oh, our lake is brown today."   Normally, Everett would respond by saying "lake!" because he recognizes that word.  Well, yesterday, he responded, "cuh-lore!"  With big eyes, I said, "yes, you are right.  Brown is a color."  Another fun instance yesterday: Everett's favorite place to go out to eat is the Black Cat coffee shop (they have a fun little kid area with toys and books).  Whenever we go down the street it is on, he says "black cat black cat!"  Well, we had dinner with "kuh-muh" and "kuh-pa" yesterday and Everett spotted furby, the black and white fuzzball of a cat.  Instead of squealing, "kitty!" he said, "black cat!"  Brian asked if he really understood that Furby was a black cat and I said that I assumed so.  He repeated it several times after that too.  Like I said, genius.

In other news, we have a leaking window.  You might say, "now Beth, I thought you had gorgeous, brand new Pella windows throughout your house and that's one of the reasons you decided to buy it?" and you, my friend, would be right.  However, there are four teeny tiny windows up in our ginormous, uninsulated attic and one of them has some issues.  So there is water on an inner wall of our attic.  This preoccupies every thought in husband's head and he has been watching youtube videos, researching ladders, and buying a new window since last night (well, and working and making himself doctor and optometrist appointments....what can I say?   I have to make appointments for two and a half other people, I can't handle him too!)  So yeah.  We're going to have an interesting weekend of trying to install a new window that is a different size from the current one (it was in stock now, and not in two weeks).

18 weeks

How far along?  18 weeks
Total weight gain/loss:  11 lbs
How big is baby?  About 5 1/2 inches long and 7 ounces.  This week, we're a bell pepper...mmm...vitamin C!  (Did you know that bell peppers have more vitamin C than oranges?)
Maternity clothes?  I'm doing either maternity pants or my size 3 maurices jeans (yeah, I know, shut up).  Maternity tanks under my regular shirts - I like the tighter shirt look, it makes it obvious it's a baby belly, not chub.
Stretchmarks?  nope
Sleep?  Already getting into the less-comfortable times.  My hips get sore if I stay on one side too long, I have to get up to use the bathroom at least once, my lower back is sore by the end of the work day....yeah...
Best moment this week?  Got to hear the heartbeat again this Monday.   It showed up immediately and was loud and strong.
That and Everett loving on his baby brother/sister.  He says "baby!" and points at my tummy.  Then he says "baby!" and points at his own tummy and I say, "nooo, there's no baby in Ever's tummy!  Just in mama's tummy."  Then he says, "baby..." and lifts up my shirt to give baby a hug and kiss.  He understands something!
Movement?  Yep!  It's great - not predictable, but obvious what it is.  It actually almost tickled yesterday.
Food cravings?  Hot apple cider and pumpkin pie (still need to do something about that pumpkin pie one), oh and any type of warm soup.
Bellybutton?  same ol.
Boy/Girl?  We'll hopefully find out on October 11!
Labor signs?  No
What I miss?  Freedom to ingest medications still - no menthol cough drops?  Seriously?  Ugh.
What I am looking forward to?  I'm going crazy not knowing the sex!  I want to knit, paint, sew, shop, ahhhh!!!
Milestones:  Scheduled the ultrasound!  And got our flu shots.  :)

Orchard

We went up to Bayfield to see scarecrows and visit an orchard today.

Before we left - this is apparently how Everett lets us know he's cold:

At the orchard:

Belly shot - 17 weeks, 3 days:

17 weeks!

How far along?  Holy flying monkeys!  (That's right, they have halos.) 17 weeks already!!!
Total weight gain/loss:  11 lbs
How big is baby?  About 5 inches long and 5 ounces.  This week, we're at a turnip.  I hate turnips.
Maternity clothes?  Today was pants plus a maternity tank, normal top over.  I also ordered some pants off ebay that were a massive fail and require total reworking....and while I was thinking, I cut up another pair of jeans and made my own maternity jeans.
Stretchmarks?  nope
Sleep?  Everyone's congested.  But one of us can take sudafed and cold tea.  ahem.  not me.
Best moment this week?  Watching Everett being such a big boy.  I love how often and how adorably he says thank you to everything.  "Ten-too!"
Movement?  A few times now!  Just tiny little rolling movements.
Food cravings?  It's pumpkin spice season!!!  Pumpkin spice latte (decaf) at starbucks on Sunday and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies yesterday.
Bellybutton?  no comment
Boy/Girl?  I'm still convinced it has to be a girl
Labor signs?  No
What I miss?  Being able to take sudafed and drink all kinds of teas for my colds.
What I am looking forward to?  Scheduling that darn ultrasound!
Milestones:  Movement!  Duh!

Still Daycare Drama

Everett is still having a bit of a rough time with the idea of going to daycare.  At least this morning, we didn't get any "no! no!"s as we approached the house, and he was even excited to get in and say hi to a little boy, but then quickly ran to my legs and latched on.  It makes me sad that he is so stressed out about this and the way he acts makes me wonder if it's the way he is treated by the teacher or what.  This morning, she called as we were about to leave (Brian came with today to see if drop-off would go better) to ask if he had a blankie he might want to bring.  Mind you, she explicitly told us before that he could not bring personal toys and such.  So I offered him two blankies and two stuffies before we left and he picked his daddy blankie (Brian's old baby blanket) and a beanie baby cat and we took those to daycare today to try and give him something to cling to.  Obviously it bothers me to leave my little boy crying for me, but I realize that it's good for him in the long run to get used to having to share attention, toys, etc. and be in a new setting.  What bothers me is how much the provider mentions it.  I know I need to understand his emotions and how he did but it seems like all she ever tells me is how much he whined for "mamadaddy" all day.  When I pick him up after work, he's happy to see me, ready to go, and waves goodbye to everyone, so the only way I know he has a rough time all day is her telling me so.  I figure I'll give it another good month of trying this out.  If he is still stressed and crying at drop-off then, I'll just have to figure something else out.  Sigh.  Life can be hard as a part-time working mama.