I was putting Donovan to bed and said it was time for mommy to go, which he didn't like (last 2 days he doesn't want me to leave), so I said "It's eight three oh and that means it's time for me to leave." (Sue me, I was rounding!) He's really into the clock now. So, he sits up, looks at the clock and says:
"Nenenenene! Eight two eight." So, I said "Okay, you have 2 more minutes." Smarty pants!! LOL! I'm sure he didn't know it was just 2 minutes, but all he knew is that it was NOT when I said it was. Hahaha! He cracks me up! And, when eight thirty came around, you better believe that he looked at that clock and made sure I was right this time. And, I was, and I left with a content, but still a little disappointed boy to go to sleep.
***************
Another funny story that I want to remember one day is that one day he was *this* close to a tantrum and I started to say in a funny voice "Are you trying to drive mommy crazy??!?!" and started tickling him. He thought it was so funny and it averted the tantrum. Yay! So, I tried it the next day and again he thought it was hilarious. Then he started doing this thing with his arms, raising them up. I didn't know what he was doing, so I just ignored it, basically. Well, then Donny says, "He's driving." LOL! He was literally trying to "drive" mommy crazy. How cute is that?!?! :-D
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
25 Weeks Pregnant
Dear Nicholas,
I'm getting used to using your name, now. When I talk to you I'm trying use your name, now, except to your brother who knows the term "baby". :-)
You are going to be STRONG! You are very active in there lately and your kicks and punches are really strong. I can even see my tummy jump a bit from the outside, too. I think you are really trying to stretch out in there too because I sometimes feel you both on the bottom and the top at the same time. I feel reassured when I feel you move and am looking forward to seeing you again at our next 3D ultrasound in about 5 weeks or so. I still need to make the appointment.
A few people, including your dad, have commented I'm bigger this time around. While I am probably 1-2 weeks ahead of where I was with Donovan, that's about it. Even though the pictures, the doctor's measurements, and the ultrasound tell me I'm only measuring 1-2 weeks ahead, I find it amusing people think they can remember where I was specifically at 25 weeks pregnant with Donovan. I think our human brain cannot possibly remember that detail. LOL! But, let people think what they want, right? I look at pictures from my 39th week of pregnancy with Donovan and know I have a WAYS to go!! Wow, am I going to get BIG! :-D
Well, that's it for now. Keep warm in there and be safe. By the way, do you feel when your brother smashes you?? Just wondering. You know you kicked him in the elbow the other day, but he didn't really mind. At least not yet. He is grasping your presence more and more now that we are reading books about a new baby and the like. I'm sure he will be jealous, at first, when you are born but over time I'm sure you two will be peas in a pod and love each other dearly. I think he's going to make a great big brother.
Love,
Mommy
I'm getting used to using your name, now. When I talk to you I'm trying use your name, now, except to your brother who knows the term "baby". :-)
You are going to be STRONG! You are very active in there lately and your kicks and punches are really strong. I can even see my tummy jump a bit from the outside, too. I think you are really trying to stretch out in there too because I sometimes feel you both on the bottom and the top at the same time. I feel reassured when I feel you move and am looking forward to seeing you again at our next 3D ultrasound in about 5 weeks or so. I still need to make the appointment.
A few people, including your dad, have commented I'm bigger this time around. While I am probably 1-2 weeks ahead of where I was with Donovan, that's about it. Even though the pictures, the doctor's measurements, and the ultrasound tell me I'm only measuring 1-2 weeks ahead, I find it amusing people think they can remember where I was specifically at 25 weeks pregnant with Donovan. I think our human brain cannot possibly remember that detail. LOL! But, let people think what they want, right? I look at pictures from my 39th week of pregnancy with Donovan and know I have a WAYS to go!! Wow, am I going to get BIG! :-D
Well, that's it for now. Keep warm in there and be safe. By the way, do you feel when your brother smashes you?? Just wondering. You know you kicked him in the elbow the other day, but he didn't really mind. At least not yet. He is grasping your presence more and more now that we are reading books about a new baby and the like. I'm sure he will be jealous, at first, when you are born but over time I'm sure you two will be peas in a pod and love each other dearly. I think he's going to make a great big brother.
Love,
Mommy
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Donovan turned TWO!! Wow! Already?
I can't believe Donovan turned 2 already. He is growing up sooo fast! It was an eventful week. The day of his birthday was pretty low key. His nanny, Paula, brought him a gift and made him a cake and he was able to open a few presents. He is very much into cars and trucks, so those were his favorite gifts all around this year. He can't seem to get enough of them!
We also had a birthday party for him yesterday (Click here for pics). He had a lot of fun, especially opening presents...well, if they were cars or trucks or something that moved. LOL! He played fairly nicely, getting upset a few times when one of the other kids touched his stuff...particularly the new gifts. This is understandable at this age as they are still learning to share, right? ;-)
Donovan's doctor's appointment went fairly well, for a 2-year old, but I wish I had brought Donny with me. :-p He hated most things about the appointment, but then wouldn't leave the waiting room to go home. Typical 2 year old. LOL! He's about 34 3/4 inches tall and 27+ pounds, so he's growing nicely.
He is talking up a storm, although we probably are most apt to understand him, still. Some things are clear as day and other things we only know what he's saying in context because we interact with him daily. Most of his sign language has been replaced with words, which is expected. I am VERY curious, though, if he will remember them and use them with the new baby or at least understand the new baby when we teach him signs too. He has a few signs left and I think "more" will be the last to go, even though I've noticed he's not using that one as much, either. He knows all his basic colors, I'm pretty sure all of his numbers, knows many letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make, and knows that letters make words, but obviously can't read yet. I think he can be an early reader if we keep fostering it. He is really grasping the concept of time, too, and will look at the clock and say the numbers on it. I used it sometimes to say "At Eight Oh Oh, we will...". It works...sometimes. ;-) He still LOVES to read a lot and can read the same book 20 times or 20 different books after one another. We think he is very smart, but of course we are biased. :-) He also moved into a "big boy room" and is doing very well staying in bed...so far. I'm so glad that has gone better than I ever anticipated!
Finally, unfortunately, his nanny found out her grandmother in Brazil is in the hospital and very ill. :( She decided to go back to Brazil for a little while for her grandmother and to help her family through it. Because travel is so expensive back and forth, she has decided to stay for a longer period of time, probably through Christmas. :( Well, unfortunately, although we really love Paula, this means we needed to look for a new nanny because her absence is undetermined and we really need to be settled a couple months before the baby is born. Donovan is going to have a lot of changes and we need to make sure we limit them as much as possible around January and February. But, we are pleased to welcome Jerri Sue to our family!! She is a professional nanny and has been doing it for 20 years. She has been with her past 2 families for 5 years each and so we feel confident that she wants to become a part of our family and stay with us for a long time. We are really looking forward to working with her and getting to know her better. She is obviously very warm and loving. I find it very impressive and encouraging she's done mission work in other countries, as well. :-)
I'll close here by saying that Donovan is so wonderful. This is such a fun age!! It's a challenging one, but the interaction is just so awesome! I love when he says he loves me or night night or just gives me a hug or a kiss without prompting. It's so wonderful and I don't remember my life before we had him...much. LOL
We also had a birthday party for him yesterday (Click here for pics). He had a lot of fun, especially opening presents...well, if they were cars or trucks or something that moved. LOL! He played fairly nicely, getting upset a few times when one of the other kids touched his stuff...particularly the new gifts. This is understandable at this age as they are still learning to share, right? ;-)
Donovan's doctor's appointment went fairly well, for a 2-year old, but I wish I had brought Donny with me. :-p He hated most things about the appointment, but then wouldn't leave the waiting room to go home. Typical 2 year old. LOL! He's about 34 3/4 inches tall and 27+ pounds, so he's growing nicely.
He is talking up a storm, although we probably are most apt to understand him, still. Some things are clear as day and other things we only know what he's saying in context because we interact with him daily. Most of his sign language has been replaced with words, which is expected. I am VERY curious, though, if he will remember them and use them with the new baby or at least understand the new baby when we teach him signs too. He has a few signs left and I think "more" will be the last to go, even though I've noticed he's not using that one as much, either. He knows all his basic colors, I'm pretty sure all of his numbers, knows many letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make, and knows that letters make words, but obviously can't read yet. I think he can be an early reader if we keep fostering it. He is really grasping the concept of time, too, and will look at the clock and say the numbers on it. I used it sometimes to say "At Eight Oh Oh, we will...". It works...sometimes. ;-) He still LOVES to read a lot and can read the same book 20 times or 20 different books after one another. We think he is very smart, but of course we are biased. :-) He also moved into a "big boy room" and is doing very well staying in bed...so far. I'm so glad that has gone better than I ever anticipated!
Finally, unfortunately, his nanny found out her grandmother in Brazil is in the hospital and very ill. :( She decided to go back to Brazil for a little while for her grandmother and to help her family through it. Because travel is so expensive back and forth, she has decided to stay for a longer period of time, probably through Christmas. :( Well, unfortunately, although we really love Paula, this means we needed to look for a new nanny because her absence is undetermined and we really need to be settled a couple months before the baby is born. Donovan is going to have a lot of changes and we need to make sure we limit them as much as possible around January and February. But, we are pleased to welcome Jerri Sue to our family!! She is a professional nanny and has been doing it for 20 years. She has been with her past 2 families for 5 years each and so we feel confident that she wants to become a part of our family and stay with us for a long time. We are really looking forward to working with her and getting to know her better. She is obviously very warm and loving. I find it very impressive and encouraging she's done mission work in other countries, as well. :-)
I'll close here by saying that Donovan is so wonderful. This is such a fun age!! It's a challenging one, but the interaction is just so awesome! I love when he says he loves me or night night or just gives me a hug or a kiss without prompting. It's so wonderful and I don't remember my life before we had him...much. LOL
23 Weeks Pregnant and I think you have a name!
Dear Baby Bean,
You are getting strong in there! You were doing some acrobatic work the night before last at 3am for about an hour! Maybe you were hungry because I sure was!! :-) I feel you move now many times a day, every day. I love this part! Your daddy has felt you moving now too and he said "Oh wow!" when you kicked his hand several times.
My doctor's appointment last week was uneventful, which is always good during pregnancy. Your heartbeat was a strong 155. Your mommy gained 8 pounds in a month, though! Yikes! That brings my total weight gain to about 16 pounds, already. It's all these sweets. I've eaten a lot more this time around. :-p My belly is measuring bigger this time around, too. She measured it at "25" and usually it matches the number of weeks pregnant you are. I think because my belly has already stretched, it just knows what to do this time. ;-) So far, so good on the stretch marks. Maybe one day I'll get in a bikini again. ;-)
So, I think you may have a name! I think we are 90% sure. First, let me tell you the names we considered. If you were a girl, you were going to be Mikala Renee, just like your brother if he had been a girl. Renee was both your dad and my sister's middle names, both deceased a year apart. But, since you aren't a girl, that name will go away now. Perhaps either you or your brother will name a daughter that one day. :-) We wanted you to have a meaningful name like your brother, whose name sounds similar to your dad's and has the same initials as him. But, we were out of D names we like to do the same for you (let me assure you this does not mean we love you any less haha). We considered "L" middle names and after my father, your grandfather, Leon. But, "Leon Johnson" w/ first or middle name just doesn't sound right to us. :-( We looked at the same meaning, but slight variation like "Lionel" or "Leo", but not really working either. I even considered trying to incorporate his love of crosswords. LOL! No go. Sooooo...your father liked "Xavier Michael", but I don't love it and it doesn't have as much "meaning" to me, so I liked "Nicholas" so you are named after me. I considered your initials to match mine like "Nicholas Alexander" (a little long) or "Nicholas Aaron" (your father didn't like either), so I think we have compromised on "Nicholas Xavier". What do you think? Do you like it? Let me tell you one reason your father likes "Xavier" is because if you decide to be an athlete, he wants to bang his arms together and make an "X" and chant your name. LOL! Your dad is so funny and silly. :-D Well, there ya go.
We are anxiously looking forward to meeting you in a few months. We have a few things to buy and we need to clean up your room, but we are almost ready for you. Not as much to do this second time around.
Love,
Your mommy
You are getting strong in there! You were doing some acrobatic work the night before last at 3am for about an hour! Maybe you were hungry because I sure was!! :-) I feel you move now many times a day, every day. I love this part! Your daddy has felt you moving now too and he said "Oh wow!" when you kicked his hand several times.
My doctor's appointment last week was uneventful, which is always good during pregnancy. Your heartbeat was a strong 155. Your mommy gained 8 pounds in a month, though! Yikes! That brings my total weight gain to about 16 pounds, already. It's all these sweets. I've eaten a lot more this time around. :-p My belly is measuring bigger this time around, too. She measured it at "25" and usually it matches the number of weeks pregnant you are. I think because my belly has already stretched, it just knows what to do this time. ;-) So far, so good on the stretch marks. Maybe one day I'll get in a bikini again. ;-)
So, I think you may have a name! I think we are 90% sure. First, let me tell you the names we considered. If you were a girl, you were going to be Mikala Renee, just like your brother if he had been a girl. Renee was both your dad and my sister's middle names, both deceased a year apart. But, since you aren't a girl, that name will go away now. Perhaps either you or your brother will name a daughter that one day. :-) We wanted you to have a meaningful name like your brother, whose name sounds similar to your dad's and has the same initials as him. But, we were out of D names we like to do the same for you (let me assure you this does not mean we love you any less haha). We considered "L" middle names and after my father, your grandfather, Leon. But, "Leon Johnson" w/ first or middle name just doesn't sound right to us. :-( We looked at the same meaning, but slight variation like "Lionel" or "Leo", but not really working either. I even considered trying to incorporate his love of crosswords. LOL! No go. Sooooo...your father liked "Xavier Michael", but I don't love it and it doesn't have as much "meaning" to me, so I liked "Nicholas" so you are named after me. I considered your initials to match mine like "Nicholas Alexander" (a little long) or "Nicholas Aaron" (your father didn't like either), so I think we have compromised on "Nicholas Xavier". What do you think? Do you like it? Let me tell you one reason your father likes "Xavier" is because if you decide to be an athlete, he wants to bang his arms together and make an "X" and chant your name. LOL! Your dad is so funny and silly. :-D Well, there ya go.
We are anxiously looking forward to meeting you in a few months. We have a few things to buy and we need to clean up your room, but we are almost ready for you. Not as much to do this second time around.
Love,
Your mommy
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