Jealousy

I think we are having a little issue with jealousy around here. With our first baby. Sophie.

She does not love the attention Drew gets. She does not like the fact that he walks out the door with us each time we go some place. And she does NOT like him taking up valuable real estate in our laps.

Usually she sleeps in the living room on her bed. Last night at 4AM I heard her continually head butt our door, which was closed. Then she sat out side and whined for 30 minutes. I finally let her in so I could get some sleep, and she curled up quite happily by the bed and sacked out.

I have no idea what will happen when Ellie gets here....

Toddler Dictionary

Word: Uh oh.

Meaning: "Look at me! I am about to purposefully do something that I am not supposed to do."

Perspective

I have had some interesting experiences and conversations over the last week that have really showed me how much my life has changed in the last 14 months.

On Tuesday morning I woke up at 6AM, got in the shower, got dressed, left the house before my son and husband were even up, and headed downtown. I hadn't done that since I left for work the Friday before Drew's surprise arrival on Monday.

I went downtown to watch opening arguments in a trial-- MY trial. The one I focused on every work day for 3 years. This case has been 7 years coming to trial, and I have to admit, it was strange not being part of it when it happened.

In the days after Drew was born, I checked my work email on my work blackberry multiple times per day. For one, he came so early that I hadn't told anyone what I was working on, where my stuff was, or what anyone needed to take over for me. Two, I was anxious to have a taste of my previously "normal" world. I didn't get that. My boss, to her credit, told everyone they were NOT to email while I was on maternity leave.

As much as I loved Drew, several months into being a stay-at-home mom I probably would have gone back to work. I couldn't get out much. I wasn't sleeping much. I missed adult conversation and the ability to get lunch from any place I chose. I just recently spoke to another recent SAHM convert, and she echoed the same thing. Maybe this feeling isn't crazy or unusual.

But slowly, things changed. I officially quit and they took my blackberry back. I eventually stopped the google alerts on all the important case terms. While Drew and I see my old co-workers every 3-4 weeks for lunch, I stopped emailing them every day for an update.

But Tuesday, 14.5 months after Drew, I realize I have finally made the complete switch in thinking. I LOVED sitting in on part of that trial. It was a huge part of my life. But I was happy to leave the courtroom and come home to a little man who had proudly donned my running socks. And I realized that have some new friends who don't know I was a lawyer in my previous life. For now, I have given up that part if my identity.

I actually credit Ellie with so much of that shift. I WAS thinking of returning to work before I knew she was joining us. But when I saw that sweet little heartbeat on the screen, I felt like it was God saying "you can't do it all. This precious little life and the life of her big brother are so important, and frankly, it won't be easy at first. Let it all go and focus on them."

So I am.

And I haven't felt more satisfied with my 9-5 life EVER.

Goodbye, Amazon Mom!

Note to mom blog friends-

Amazon is changing the program. Where I used to get 30% off, now I will only save 5%. Not the deal it used to be. I think I am moving to diapers.com.

I know, riveting blog post, huh?

Love

Things I love about this picture:

1. The fact that he reminds me of the ring master at the circus.
2. The GIANT smile behind the pacifier
3. The lack of pants.

Welcome, 3rd Trimester

Just like I did with Drew, I am self-proclaiming myself to be in the third trimester.  I think it happened on Saturday.

Until Saturday, I could eat with reckless abandon.  At one memorable meal, I finished an entire 1/2 of a hamburger before Rob finished chewing his second bite.  Now after about 5 bites I feel like my stomach is up in my throat.  Just can't do it.

By the end of the day, my back HURTS.  I'm sure this is enhanced by carrying a certain 23.5 pound 14 month old, but it is not easy.

Also, last night I got to wake up not once, not twice, but THREE times to use the bathroom.

And the acid reflux.... I probably should ask my doctor to confirm the number of Tums I can eat per day....

Drew came at 37 weeks-- so if I use that math, I will be meeting this little girl in about 11.5 weeks-- YIKES!

Ellie

(Note: Drew woke up at 5:15 screaming.  I got him back down about 5:30, but was planning to get up at 6 to get some things done, and never fell back asleep.  Thus, I have been up since 5:15.  It is now 7:40 and everyone else in this house (including the dog) is still in bed asleep.  Figures.)

(Note 2: I think I promised a post about her name and how we came to it.  I think I also promised a post about Halloween, Christmas, and about 15 other things in between.  I might get to those.  And no, blogging more frequently is NOT one of my new year's resolutions.)

Maybe it's just us, but picking out a girl's name proved to be much harder than a boy's.  Girls seem to have more "genres" than boys- the older names (Olivia), the new names (Kynleigh), the names that used to be last names (Ryder), the names that used to be boys names (Taylor), the names that were previously nicknames but are now just stand alone first names (Maddie).  Not to  mention that there are like 30 spellings for all of these.  Not easy.

We narrowed it down to three- all of which I both liked and had some reservations with.  One of which was "Annalise."  I really liked it because it wasn't a new, made-up name, but also was NOT common.  The drawback was Rob wanted call her Ellie.  And I said no.  Because do you see Ellie in "Annalise?"  Me neither. 

But some research said that the traditional German spelling of the now-Americanized "Annalise" was Anneliese.  Anneliese.  And that Ellie WAS a nickname for Anneliese.  So I got on board with the Ellie nickname and he got on board with the traditional spelling, and we continued throwing that name around.  Every so often one of us would throw another name into the ring and it was always met with "I don't like that as much as Anneliese."  So on December 23rd, we shook on it.  Anneliese.  Ellie.

Corrinne was much easier for us.  Drew's middle name is Edward, a family name of just about everyone on Rob's side of the family (including Rob).  We really wanted to use a family middle name for her as well.  But it had to be unique to hold up against Anneliese.  Corrinne is my grandmother's middle name, and my great grandmother's first name.  It seemed like a natural fit of unique name and family heritage.

So my girl will have a German first name, French middle name, and Italian last name.  And a distinctly American nickname.  I think I'll make her study abroad. :)