Milestones

We've all been up to a lot apparently.

The-baby-still-possibly-named-Ethan is 26 weeks "old" and has turned. This was fascinating this pregnancy because the other two had been head down (i.e. NOT breach) from a very early time... or more likely they just happened to be facing down for the ultrasounds from a very early time. This time at week 25 I suddenly felt really really really weird. As if, well, this gives it away, but, as if the baby were one day in a totally different orientation. Like suddenly there isn't enough room for my organs and he's kicking them out of the way to suit his new hang out. Granted, I'm relieved. Pain though it is to heal from giving birth at least it's familiar the 'traditional' way.

Jack-Jack has had his mother ruthlessly, heartlessly, horribly take away his bottle. He was only using it to fall asleep but obviously we want him to have a different comfort mechanism in place before baby comes so that I'm not doing something traumatic during an even more traumatic time. I resent having to do it. I stopped nursing him earlier than I'd planned and there were great positives to that - but the bottle really took that place for him... and so I actually found this harder than weaning Abby. At least with weaning, I dunno - it's different. Not sure why. This just felt like I was taking away his teddy bear. It was miserable. It doesn't help that he's getting fifty new teeth or that Tylenol does NOTHING for him and I lost a brand new bottle of baby Motrin.

He's been FINE with it, but obviously angry and frustrated at bedtime. He won't accept the formula in sippy cup form. And he wakes up angry and frustrated. These two things are tied for worst. He used to wake up so happy and ready to start the day.

BUT tonight he was acting like himself for the first time since the bottle went away. I have high hopes... but am still probably more traumatized by his whole thing than he is.

Abby has a new friend at school. His name is Joe and he is apparently very silly. I asked her yesterday how school was. She said, "I was very ------ at school today. So I flip flopped around very loudly and sighed and tossed my hair this way and that way." (I asked her to repeat what she was at school because I didn't hear it) "Furious. I was very furious at school today. Joe wasn't there. What does furious mean?" (I explain it means very very angry and ask if that's how she felt) Abby nods emphatically, "I was furious."

Hmmm. She's not going to be a high maintenance girlfriend or anything ;). I have known thru memory and my mom that I had crushes VERY early on. Scott Meyer asked me out in Kindergarten and I'll never forget our little love affair. And yet I have wondered if my mind (or my mom) has exaggerated these crushes, but... I think, much as I point to Steve's extensive experience in flirting, this is probably coming straight from me.

She's doing great in full time school. She's doing INCREDIBLE swimming and was declared "water safe" by her teacher.

She also got in trouble today. No, she doesn't walk around like a crazy stepford child all the time, but we rarely get to the point that she can't have a second chance in order to redeem her choices. She basically got confused, which I'm convinced is often something we don't understand enough as adults can cause a lot of conflict. But she wouldn't budge when Gramma was carrying Jack to the car and she was supposed to be following and there were cars and strangers and Jack doesn't exactly weigh nuthin'. She was distraught and I had to just let her leave distraught. No fun. But she recovered by the time I got home and nicely and politely - without blaming me explained what had happened. She had thought we were all leaving at the same time and couldn't find the words at the time because she was already in trouble by the time I came to talk to her. "Please give me a second chance, Mama" was what she left crying, which, by the way, absolutely broke me in half. Anyway she then asked if we could do the pictures there again when she was "in control." (as in 'in control of her emotions') Yes she makes me feel like a jerk. But I also feel whenever we get to THIS point, where she's been so disruptive or difficult or whatever that there simply has to be consequences, she seems to turn a maturity corner. It's the whole idea that sometimes she doesn't get to get a second chance, sometimes she has to deal with her choices (even if none of the options is what she really wants).... and dealing with that, and eventually succeeding in dealing with it gives her pride.

I turned 33 today. The only reason I know what age I turned was that Jen G turned 33 yesterday and blogged about it and I know I'm the same age as she is. I still don't take much stock in age in the sense that it is not something I fear or regret. I feel like I'm a late bloomer when it comes to organizing my life and so I'm just looking forward to "arriving" at a place where I'm a bit more able to take care of all the random details of life and if thats 35 or 45 then bring it on the sooner the better.

Steve has been dealing with the construction downstairs on all levels. Though completely in on what is happening, I'm not particularly involved which is just how I like it.

Did I mention we're at the painting stage of my mom and my Christmas book?

That's all folks.

for now...