There is a 12lb Breakdancer in my Womb

I went to see my doctor last week and after looking at my most recent u/s she said to me, "I hope you are ready for a 12lb baby!".   Ummm... WTF did she just say?  Did she say 12lbs?  I told her that I hoped she would induce me before this baby hits 12lbs (hopefully between 38-39 weeks).  To which she replied that I handled W's birth fine and he was 10lbs (yes I give birth to thoroughbreds).  Yeah, my doctor is not the one squeezing a 12lb baby out of her vagina.  My lady bits may never be the same again!   Not only that, but I'm pretty sure giving birth to a 10lb baby is A LOT different than a 12lb baby.

Not only does it look like I will be giving birth to a teenager, but this kid is already nuts.  I've had 4 ultrasounds at this point and on EVERY SINGLE ONE this kid is going nuts moving around.  He actually mooned the tech and shook his little booty on the last ultrasound.  My doctor made mention of how much trouble I will be in once this one arrives if the ultrasounds are any indication.  Lord help me!

We are pregnant!

I know it has been awhile since I posted, but it is for good reason.  We are pregnant!  Even more exciting news is that W is going to have a baby brother this fall!

It is crazy how quickly this pregnancy is flying by.  It is probably because W keeps me so busy these days.  I swear W goes non-stop and he was not like that when we got pregnant which has me wondering what the f#@! did I get myself into?! How will I handle two babies and remain sane?

Busy Week

This has been such a busy week.  I feel bad that this is my first and perhaps only post for the week and it is going to be so short.  The daycare transition went really well this week.  W no longer cries when I drop him off and is content when he is picked up.  He always brings a toy over to the gate to play with and to take home.  It is such a huge weight off my shoulders that he is happy where he is.  The other thing I LOVE is the teacher who is with him in the afternoons is ALWAYS on the floor playing with the kids and singing.  It's so cute.  I can hear her before I even open the door to the daycare wing!

This weekend W and I are leaving my hubby at home and going to visit family for the weekend, then I have to work on Sunday so we will not be back until Monday.  Have a great weekend everyone!

Daycare - Day 2 - The Snack Dilema

Today is W's second day in daycare.  Yesterday he did excellent until I went to play with him at lunch time.  Then he freaked out.  Then last night he woke up at 3am and was inconsolable until I moved him into bed with me.  I'm sure it didn't help that we had no 'together' time since I didn't see him until 7:30 when I picked him up from my friend's house. Then as soon as we got home it was bedtime.

When I dropped W off today he FREAKED out.  He was screaming and had these big tears in his eyes. I felt awful.  I wanted to run over and pick him up and hug him, but I knew that would just be delaying the inevitable. 

One of the things I'm finding tough with our daycare is that the snacks they provide.  They are prepackaged  processed crap like cheeseballs.  ICK!  Another issues we have is W eats breakfast at about 7:45am and snack time is between 8:30 and 8:45am so I need to pack something that is not too heavy but will help hold him over until lunch at 11:30.  His afternoon snack is between 3 and 3:30 so I need to pack something heavier or else he is ravenous when I pick him up. Here's a list of the foods I have come up  with:

Morning Snacks:
Edamame
Cucubmbers
Green / Red Peppers
Cherry Tomatoes


Afternoon Snacks (I choose two of the following)
Apples
Pears
Grapes
Banana
String Cheese
Organic Animal Cookies
Homemade Oatmeal Cookies
Wholewheat Goldfish
Cheerios
Chick Peas
Dried Fruit

And because every post is better with a picture, here are a few pictures what he takes to daycare:

AM Snack
Edamame

Lunch
Mesquite Steak
Cheesy Quinoa Broccoli Bite
Red Peppers
Grapes

PM Snack
String Cheese
Apples

Just to make it easy on everyone I labeled everything with a dry erase marker.

Daycare

For the last year we have been blessed to have a friend who has watched W in her home.  It was the best situation we could ask for.  I felt so comfortable leaving him there and she even worked around my crazy and long work schedule.

Last month she had a job offer and decided to take it and we enrolled him in daycare a few blocks from my office. They didn't have any immediate openings so a friend of my friend (a former preschool teacher) offered to watch W until we could transition him (see my last blog entry for all the details).  Long story short today was W's first day at the new daycare.  It broke my heart to leave him somewhere new and unfamiliar all alone.  I wanted to scoop him  up and take him with me.  When I left he was perfectly fine, but looked at me with these big puppy dog eyes as if he were to say "Wait mom!  Where are you going? You forgot me!", but he didn't cry. 

At lunch time I went over to visit him, snuggle, and play.  We had a good 20 minutes of playtime before I had to go back to work.  This time when I left him he started screaming.  He totally broke my heart.  My poor little guy.  I know all this is for the best and it is good that he is being socialized, but it still hurts to know that if he falls and gets a boo-boo I won't be there to kiss it better.  I hate knowing that they probably won't pick up on his baby signing that I taught him.  They will not know that when he pats his belly he is really saying "Please" and when he says "der" it means he doesn't know the name for something, but wants it.

I think the worst part is I work until 7:30 on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday I have to be at work by 7:30am and I have an appointment right after work so his former nanny will be picking him up those days.  I'm going to feel totally disconnected from my little guy those days.

Deep breathes!

True Working Mom Struggles

What do you do when your babysitter does not show up and you HAVE to be at work?  It is a question no working mom wants to face.  On Friday I had to deal with just that.  W's nanny got a new job and she started last Monday.  Our plan was for her friend to watch W at her house (she has a playroom all setup for him).  She started Monday and all was going well until Friday when she didn't show up.  She didn't call, didn't text and she wasn't answering her phone either.

I ended up taking W with me to work for a few hours.  He had to come to a meeting with me (where I chased him around the office).  Then we hopped in my car to go to my office when I scraped my door when I cut a turn too sharp coming out of the parking garage.  At that point I just lost it and started bawling in my car.  I called my mom crying.  I couldn't take much more.  We arrived at my office and he was SO well behaved.  I ended up working a half day before I took him in for a doctor's appointment.

This week, my mom, who lives three hours away, drove out to watch W all week and help us save in daycare costs and next week he will start at a daycare.  I'm really not looking forward to sending him.  His original nanny was so great with him and overall awesome.  We were so blessed to have her watch him for more than the first year of his life.  I know having him in daycare will only help him to be better socialized, but we are going to miss her!

Top 5 Disney World Tips from Kendra Thornton

Hello everyone! Last week I was contacted by Kendra Thornton (former director of communications for Orbitz, travel expert and mother of three). You may recognize Kendra from one of her many tv appearances on Fox News, ABC, CBS, NBC, or the CW. Kendra has traveled the world and has been the go to source for all things travel. Without further ado, here is Kendra's Post!

Top Five Disney World Tips 
“Ways for Mommies to Maneuver the Parks with Breeze this Spring Break”

While a trip to Walt Disney World Resort will certainly be a highlight of your young child’s life, preparation is key to helping parents enjoy the experience as well. Use some of these insider’s hints to make the most of your Disney World vacation:

 1. Breakfast with a favorite Disney character will delight your children. Arrange to have Cinderella or one of her princess friends greet your child while dining at the Royal Table restaurant in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom. To ensure this surprise, book advance reservations here or at one of many restaurants in the resort that offer character dining.

 2. Take a ride on the monorail. Bus trips are long and boring, but the swift monorail transports Disney guests straight into the park. If the kids get tired and cranky after a fun-filled morning in the park, the monorail can help you get them back to the hotel and down for a nap quickly. Since the monorail operates all day long, you can easily hop back on and return to the park after the kids have rested for a couple hours.

 3. Enjoy a ferry ride between the Magic Kingdom and Epcot Center. The trip is more relaxing and interesting than a bus ride, and the ferry will transport you straight into either park so that you can avoid lines and congestion upon entry.

4. Don’t forget the stroller. If you can’t bring your own, Disney has them available for rent, along with toddler-friendly amenities to make your visit as pleasant as possible. Air conditioned baby care centers in each of the Disney parks offer rocking chairs for calming upset little ones, a place to get out of the heat if your child needs it and basic necessities such as diapers for unforeseen emergencies.

5. Plan ahead. Before you arrive at the Walt Disney World Resort, amongst some of the top hotels in Orlando, do a little pre-planning and schedule each day for maximum enjoyment and minimum exhaustion. Convenient apps that give approximate wait times for each attraction are available to download on your smart phone.

 Keep in Mind! A FASTPASS can be purchased to allow you and your family to bypass long lines. Do your research beginning several weeks prior to your trip, and let the kids participate in order to build anticipation as they prepare for the most exciting time of their lives.

~Kendra Thornton

Thank you again Kendra for guest blogging today.  All your Disney tips are super helpful and if my readers are anything like me, they are already looking to book their flights and hotels for a family vacation!

Resources:  Kendra Thornton

Image courtesy of:  Kendra Thornton