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I have a major case of the blahs. It snowed this weekend (almost a foot of new snow) and while it is very beautiful, we couldn’t get the cars out which resulted in entrapment until this morning. I know I can’t go anywhere anyway, but there is something about having the option to leave or stay. I gave up on the bedrest thing yesterday and took Zach out in the snow just to get us out of the house. He was wonderful, actually. He finally is big enough to play in the snow without being carried and we found some good puddles to splash in and sticks to throw, so he was happy. Of course, it is a small town, and our neighbor drove by and said “aren’t you supposed to be on bedrest?”. Yup, sure am. But one hour outside with Zach gave me the mental strength to get through the rest of the day so it was worth it.
Zach is all about Joe the last few days. After two years of being the preferred parent I am very much enjoying this change! Zach has been yanking Joe out of bed in the morning and refusing to eat breakfast unless he can sit on “Dadda’s lap”. A few days ago when I got up with him in the morning he stood at the bottom of the stairs and screamed “Dadda uppy’ until Joe gave up on sleeping in and came downstairs. Last night after dinner Zach crawled up on the couch with Joe and cuddled with him until they both almost fell asleep, which was amazing to watch since Zach rarely cuddles and rarely falls asleep anywhere besides his crib.
Aren’t my boys beautiful?
We’ve been trying our best to get Zachary ready for the new baby. It is hard to explain pregnancy and birth to a 2-year-old and then figure out what he actually understands. He points to my belly if we ask him where the baby is and he learned how to say “big brother” a few days ago. He really enjoys looking at the pictures of his birth, especially the pictures of nursing (“Momma, baby eat boobie”, I can’t wait until he says that in public!) and Joe holding him. He felt the baby kick yesterday while he was sitting on my lap and said “momma, baby kick me, my back”. It almost made my cry, my two sons interacting and one isn’t even born yet. But my favorite moment so far was when Zach found the baby bottles a few days ago and asked Joe what they were. Joe responded they were for the baby to eat from and Zach solemnly replied “No Dadda, baby eat boobie”. Maybe I’ve taken my nursing explanations a little too far!
When I was pregnant with Zach, I spent so much time “preparing” for him. I sewed a few blankets and two slings. I practiced breathing exercises for the birth almost daily the last few months. And I LOVED his baby clothes. I washed and folded them, and organized them and then would make some excuse to get them out again later and look at them some more. Joe thought I was crazy. And we had names all picked out for a boy and a girl. This time couldn’t be more different. I can’t really sew big projects for him because of bedrest (the one blanket I did make for the new baby, Zach fell in love with and declared “MINE”). And I haven’t practiced for the birth at all since my life currently revolves around keeping the baby inside. As for the baby clothes, I loaned them to a friend after Zach was born and haven’t gotten around to getting them back. I’m really embarrased to say we still don’t have a name for the baby, even though we know the sex this time, we just can’t seem to agree on a name for little brother.
Instead, all of my “preparing” has really been focused on getting Zach ready for the changes in his life. I feel a little guilty, that I am not focusing on the baby as much as I should. But little brother will get plenty of attention soon enough and for now I just want to soak up as much Zach as I can.
This is how I have been passing the days for the last week or so. My friend Carrie suggested I learn how to applique and it has really turned out to be a fun and addictive hobby. And certainly not one that will continue after I have a new baby! I’ve been trying really hard the last few days to get this elephant applique to turn out well and I think I have a winner.
Here is my “studio”, put together with advice from the owner of the local quilt shop, Quilted Strait. She proved to be very helpful since her own daughter had recently been on bedrest for similar reasons.
I have five friends who are currently pregnant. My best friend Mandy from college is due the week before I am. She is having a second boy as well. Both my roommates from medical school are pregnant and two very close friends from residency are expecting as well. So making cute baby things should keep me busy at least for a few days!
Here is how bedrest is making me feel: blue, doughy and slightly glassy-eyed…
No really, please don’t worry about me! Bedrest just makes even playdoh seem like fun…
I am starting week 8 of bedrest and it looks like I have at least a few weeks left. I’m 28 weeks now and term seems like a long way away!
I guess I have been complaining quite a bit, but really I am happy the baby is doing well and each week that passes is one step closer to a healthy baby brother.
Zachary turns two today, and while sometimes it seems like time has flown since he was born, most times I am just so thankful for who he is right now. He is equal parts chaos and charm and I could not possibly love him more. He is just learning to talk and I will be so sad when his little two year old jibberish slowly disappears… my favorites are “uppy”, which I think is a combination of “up” and “please” (and I guess all the kids at daycare say that now too) and “ump-ump”, which is an elephant. ”Dump-dump” or “dumpy” is a truck and a car is a “bye-bye”. He learns new words so fast now too, especially when they are things like “syrup” and “cookie”!
Of course there are some not so wonderful things about the world of two. Zach is so possesive right now, which is cute when he runs up and hugs me and screams “MY MOMMY” and not so cute when he rips a toy out of another kids hand. And the motion! We could solve the energy crisis if we could harness toddlers’ energy. He loves to “race” and “crash” and “jump” and I equally love and am exhausted by all his movement.
My favorite time of the day is “night-night” when we are trying to get him to settle down and he just bounces off the walls but they we turn off the light, pick him up, and his little body just melts into mine for a hug.
The best thing about bedrest has been having so much time for Zach without being distracted by anything else. I’ve also spent a lot of time organizing the pictures and movies I’ve taken since he was born, I feel like I have really “reviewed” motherhood and it makes me realize all we have already been through to get to this special place and all the wonderful (and challenging!) changes we have to look forward to.
So Appy Day Zach, I love you!
I finished Zach’s sweater this week- luckily it is still to big for him so I think it will be perfect for the fall. Couldn’t get any model shots from him… he is just a blur in most photos nowadays. I started knitting some socks for the baby… with minimal cursing they should be done in the next day or so. Socks are sooo cute but very trying to knit!
