27 Weeks- Heels over Head

Little one, last week we got to see you for the last sonographic time before we get to see you in person!

We went to the waiting room, got checked in and got ready.

We were eager to see you, because it had been so long, and you've grown so much. You've already got a little personality, and bump around, spin and kick all over your Mom's belly every night, and we were eager to see what you were up to.

You didn't disappoint.

It turns out that you are a flexible little baby. You were sitting with your Legs up over your head (both of them!) And your arm above that. I guess it was comfortable!

We got to see your little toes and fingers (and watch your little fingers playing with said little toes).

We watched you open your mouth and take a breath.

We watched in awe as the tech and doctor checked everything out and told us that you were "one hell of a kid" in there: perfect brain, perfect heart, 10 fingers, 10 toes, no tail.

You almost weigh 3 pounds.

And we are heels over head in love with you already...

New Friends/Old Friends

As a busy, curious, fast-moving two-year old, your life is really focused on the exploring the world around you...this just so happens to include all of the people and animals who occupy space near you. You've always shown signs of being a sensitive guy and a kind friend, and these past few weeks have really tested your friend-o-meter.

You've gotten very good at saying the word "Friend." We sing "You've got a friend in me," (remind me to tell you about your singing later!), and we even read a book about best friends brought to you by some of your new friends (who just so happen to be our old friends). You're getting really good at being a good friend.

In the past couple of weeks, you've met some new friends. Some hopped right in and out of your life, like this extra large grasshopper we met at the park:

Others will be part of your life, despite geographical distances, like Uncle Sam and Aunt Yumiko, who came to visit you on their way to get married.

Okay, they also came tosee your Mommy and Daddy too!



You also continued to have time for old friends. One of your oldest friends on the planet, Preston, your dog, recently entered the ranks of being a 'friend with a name.' For the longest time, neither dog had a name. Then they were "arfs." Then you learned to say "Toby" and both dogs were "Toby TOBY tobys." But one day a few weeks ago, I walked in the front door from work and you leaned down, hugged Preston and said "My Pressy." And it's stuck! We all call him "Pressy" now; a new name for an old friend.

You've also forged ahead with human friendships too, and two of your closest friends continue to grow closer and closer. It's great to watch your relationships develop and grow with Brady and Luke!

You have gone from co-existing with these two gentlemen, to legitimately playing with them!

So much fun...but then again, that's what friends are for!

Week 26- Belly Interest

Little one, you are now 26 weeks along, and your Mom and I can't believe how quickly time is flying.

You had some visitors: Last week Sam and Yumiko came down from New York on their way to Japan, and made sure to say hello to you too!

Here you are yesterday in your Mommy's belly:

The book says you're the size of a head of lettuce, but I don't think that does you any justice to the density of the bump. Your Mom is in good spirits, but you're certainly more weighty than a head of Romaine. She's now having difficulties sleeping because you're sleeping on some vital organs, and stubbornly won't move off of them. But that's okay, I forgive you...because I can! Your Mom does too. Plus, you give her a reason to eat lots of ice cream lately, and tell me that I smell. But I don't think we can blame either of those things on the pregnancy....really.



So, exciting news in baby land: you've been busy this week.

• Your eyes are forming, and will soon start to open. 
• Your eyelashes are now grown, too.
• You're getting your immune system ready for life on the outside by soaking up your antibodies.
• You're taking breaths, too. They're of amniotic fluid, not air, but it's still good practice.

So with all this busy-bodiness, it's no wonder that you've attracted so much attention from the outside world.

Your Brother grows more and more interested Mommy's belly. Yesterday he kept lifting up her shirt and kissing the belly, and poking the belly button. Did you feel it?
 
The other night I had my hand on the bump and I felt your rump...or was it your head? Either way, it wasn't a fleeting kick or rippling under the surface. I felt you, just sitting there, either with your butt up in the air or trying to poke your head up for some head room. I love feeling the kicks, don't get me wrong, but this was the first time with you that I've felt a definitive body part. I forgot how amazing a sensation it is to have sustained first contact.
 
The moment took me aback, as if I had just found out we were having you again. I turned to Holly and said "a baby girl!!!" Or something equally schmaltzy. But it was worth being sappy and lame to experience that exciting moment.
 
So, that was me saying 'hi' and I love you.
 
Did you feel that? It was probably nicer than Aidan poking you in the head (of lettuce).

 

You Gotta Fight! For your Right! To POTTY!

Aidan,

Your Mommy and Daddy are so very proud of you. You're not fully there yet, and there's certainly a looong way to go (including the path to number twosville), but in under a week, you've gone from being a mere observer of people going on the potty, to being terrified to sit on the potty, to being a big boy who goes pee pee on the potty multiple times in a day!

We've always had an open door policy, so I think that's helped you acclimate to the idea of using the toilet. You even used to sit down in your little chair in the bathroom and mimic your mother and I while we were going.

You've also been a vocal commentator from time to time. You once came into the bathroom after I had gone and said "Poo Poo Pee Yew!"

You've also presented a bit of anxiety from time to time. Once you joined me in the restroom and when I got to the wiping stage, I told you that one day soon you, too, would be wiping your tushy. You looked at me with horror, crossed your hands in front of your crotch and said "no...No...NO!!!" and ran away.

But more recently, it's just been a lot of piqued interest in the potty.

We asked you if you wanted to sit on the toilet last week and you said 'yes.' So we held you on the seat and you sprawled out your limbs as if you were a cat about to be put in the bath.

So, your mom bought you a special Sesame Street potty seat and step stool:

And then she bribed you: yellow candies (Reece's Pieces) if you sit on the potty. That worked like a charm.

By the end of that day, you had gone pee pee successfully on the potty twice, and already tried to get candy for just going and sitting on the potty.

Now, we have a long way to go...you've peed on your the floor when we took your diaper off a bit too early, and you've peed on your mom when you were playing with the 'splash guard.' But for the most part, potty training has been a great success thus far! (And we've had to go and buy a whole new bag of Reece's Pieces).

This may seem like the level of our discussion has gone down the drain, but this is a major victory for you, son, and a major milestone in your development. Most of the time we have to ask you "do you need to go pee pee?" But a few times you've come running up to us and said "Pee pee potty," and we quickly rush to sit on the Sesame Street toilet. You're excited about the potty, and more excited about the 'candies.'

But we're excited about how much you've grown up and how well you're doing on this majorly important step. When it comes to number one, we think You're number one!

Next step, after reinforcing pee pee potty training for the forseeable future is to tackle number two...not literally.

And just so you don't get embarrassed about having your naked tushy on the toilet on the internet, here's an old photo from your Mother's and my 'engagement pictures.' See, everyone uses the the pottty...even your old man (especially your old man)!

 

UPDATE:  BREAKING NEWS....we have poos!