Connor turned 3!

How do I have a three-year-old?!  I mean, it's not like I'VE aged three years.  Nope, no way, not happening. :)  The past three years have flown by and I now get that phrase The days are long but the years are short.  I'd add "and the nights are fleeting!"  I don't think I can remember what it's like to feel rested, but that's not Connor's fault so much as it is his brother's.  I'm just not sleeping too well most nights these days.  Might as well get used to it, I guess.

The McHusband and I both took the day off so we could celebrate Connor's birthday on the 15th.  I'm sure he would have enjoyed a party with his friends and extended family in attendance, but he plays with his friends every day.  What he doesn't get is his parents' undivided attention in combination with a fun activity and presents.  I knew we made the right decision when, halfway through breakfast and after only getting three helium balloons and a taxi to add to his car collection, Connor looked up from his waffle and said, unprompted and seemingly out of nowhere, "Thank you, Mommy, for my happy birthday."

(BTW, the surgery to repair my burst heart went very well.)

We spent the morning at a bounce place where always-cautious Connor waited until the last five minutes to finally try a slide, but he had a great time with his other options like shooting foam balls across a bounce house, dodging a wrecking ball, and knocking foam balls off the air they were balanced on.

We gave Connor three choices for lunch: a hot dog, Mexican (the kid loves chips and salsa), or pizza.  He chose pizza so we ended up at Blaze Pizza before heading home for a nap.  After his nap, he got his big (literally) present from us: a hand-me-down John Deere riding toy.  He was hesitant at first (remember, he's no daredevil), but he has warmed up to it quite a bit and now asks to ride it most evenings when we get home.  That night, he had a normal dinner and then he blew out his "3" candle and devoured his cupcake.  All in all, a very good day and one I know the McHusband and I will always remember and cherish.

So a little about Connor at age 3.  He's perfect, the end. :)

Okay, Connor for real.  He is smart, sweet, funny and, maybe most importantly, very agreeable.  We rarely have to resort to anything resembling a timeout and even when he does have a toddler moment, he gets over it quickly.  He still watches very little TV but we've branched out to include Doc McStuffins with Mickey Mouse and the Roadster Racers and Chuggington.  As is typical of toddlers, who get on a kick and stay on it until the next obsession pops up, right now (and new this week) Connor just wants to watch Doc McStuffins.  Thanks to Aunt Jenny, Connor now has some Play Doh to play with at home and he's been having fun with it and the trucks that came with it.

Speaking of obsessions...  Connor LOVES vehicles.  He has a fleet of rescue vehicles, some construction trucks, a variety of matchbox cars, and a few of the McHusband's model cars that he's allowed to play with.  He comes by this preference honestly so we aren't at all surprised that he loves just about anything with tires.

The McHusband and Connor went to the Monster Truck show when it was here at the end of January and Connor loved it. More recently, they went to Cars & Coffee, a once-a-month gathering of car enthusiasts in our area, and they saw two Lamborghinis among other cool cars.  He was adequately impressed.  But his favorites?  The garbage truck and police car that WEREN'T part of the show.

A pic that Heather snapped at the car show.

I expect Connor to learn new things at daycare, or school as we call it, but he surprises me sometimes with what he knows.  This past weekend, Connor was playing in my bathroom while I was getting ready and he just said, out of the blue, "Red, blue, and lello are primary colors."  I had to do a quick inventory in my head to make sure he was right as it's been a long time since I had that lesson.

Connor went to the dentist on the 23rd for a check-up/be familiar with the dentist so he isn't scared when they actually clean his teeth appointment, and he did great.  Like I said, he's very agreeable and is generally happy to just go with the flow.  Plus, he got to wear "gunglasses."

So far, Connor is still a good eater who turns his nose up to very little.  Right now, he LOVES bell peppers and raw tomatoes, his favorite condiments are flavorful ones like mustard (even the spicy kind) and salsa, and I don't think he's met a hummus he doesn't like.  Of course, he has a sweet tooth as well and is partial to Cadbury Eggs.  I feel kinda bad getting him hooked on a seasonal treat...

We have Connor's three-year check-up on the 3rd and I don't doubt that he'll be in the upper percentiles for height, weight, and head size.  3T pants at this point are barely long enough when he's standing and definitely too short when he's sitting, but they are also in danger of being too big around the waist.  Thank goodness shorts season is right around the corner!

As I mentioned in my last post, Connor is fully daytime potty-trained and for the most part handles all of that himself.  He is still using a training potty most of the time, but he gets it assembled and can empty it without any assistance from us.  I typically just let him handle things then go behind him to check for any lingering messes, but I think it's important that he feels a sense of accomplishment for taking care of business beginning to end.  Plus, soon enough, I could be otherwise engaged for a lot of his potty breaks so he needs to be somewhat independent in that arena.

Connor's Corner o' Toys

Connor often tells the McHusband and me, "Mommy/Daddy, you my best friend."  He also likes to dole out compliments and if I'm wearing a dress, he'll tell me how much he likes it.  Just the other night he told me how much he liked the flowers on my pj pants.  Connor also understands that he needs to use good manners.  He's really good about "please" and "thank you" and he even has us basically role-play with him where he tells us, "Mommy say 'Please I can have the car?" if he has one and he wants me to ask for it essentially just so he can ask for it back just as nicely.

Okay, I guess it's obvious, but I could go on and on about Connor.  He is a wonderful kid, and the McHusband and I are grateful that he's happy and healthy.  We are definitely trying to soak up these last two months with him as our only child before he becomes a big brother.  Pretty sure I'll need another heart surgery when I see him in that role...

PS  Happy Birthday to the McMom today!  We hope you have a fabulous day!

Two trimesters down, one to go!

So apparently my pregnancy posts this time around are/will be:
1) We're Pregnant!
2) Almost Done Being Pregnant!
3) Not Pregnant Any More!

Versus the every-four-weeks updates I wrote when I was pregnant with Connor. #secondchild

McBaby Number Two showing off his muscles

For the most part, the main difference between this pregnancy and my first at this same point is that I'm bigger.  That's normal for the belly with subsequent pregnancies, but I also started off heavier and have gained more weight.  Ugh.  Contrary to what Hollywood would have you believe, chasing a toddler isn't equal to six days of high intensity cardio at the gym every week, especially when there is a desk job involved for the majority of your waking hours.

I have my glucose test next week so hopefully I pass that with flying colors and don't have to worry about watching my carb intake with an eagle eye during the remaining three months.  It's bad enough giving up wine, but to give up chips, chocolate, and crackers, too?  Oh the sacrifice!

I'm still taking my boot camp and PHX (Power Hour Extreme) classes two to three times a week depending on the McHusband's schedule.  I even ran on the indoor track a couple Saturdays ago.  I'm modifying where I need to (no more crunches, less jumping) but trying to keep it up as long as I can.  I also get in at least two to three walks a week with Monte, which he desperately needs every day and meets the minimum daily requirement for me in general.  There are so many benefits of an active pregnancy for both me and the baby and I try to remind myself of that on nights when I really don't feel like doing anything more than plopping down on the couch.  But if I can just make myself put my tennis shoes on and grab Monte's leash, we both feel much better 20 minutes later.  

A related-to-the-baby aside: Connor transitioned to a twin bed back in December and he did so without any trouble at all.  He was happy as a clam to give up his crib and let us move it across the hall to the baby's room.

An unrelated aside: Connor is potty-trained and has been for several months now.  He only wears a diaper at night and has woken up once dry and several times not very wet.  The McHusband and I are both fine with him staying in diapers overnight for a while, but I think we're both just hoping he'll start having more and more dry diapers and we can go cold turkey on the diapers even if it means doing a sheet change once in a while.

You are lucky I cropped this photo...

Okay, back to McBaby Number Two and his room.  It has a crib in it so technically it's ready for him?  I have plans for the walls - a combo of green paint and white shiplap (Thanks, Joanna!) - and I've bought the paint, I just haven't actually moved forward on any of those plans yet.  Maybe this weekend...  The day I had Connor, I was up and down the ladder putting some finishing touches on his room so if McBaby Number Two's room takes me until his due date or beyond, that's just par for the course.

McBaby Number Two is a wiggle worm and apparently I'm feeling him more than Connor because my placenta is behind him.  With Connor, I felt his hiccups all the time but didn't feel such specific movement like I do with this little guy.  It's cool but also kind of annoying especially when he's just starting to party at 9:30 and I'm trying my best to be fast asleep.

Oh, speaking of sleep!  Luckily I don't wake up to pee all night long, but I do wake up often and almost always between 2 and 3.  Most of the time, I can fall back to sleep fairly easily, but it's no wonder I'm so tired every night; I can't seem to get a long stretch of zzz's to save my life.

To answer some of the questions that were on my posts before:
1) My rings still fit.
2) My belly button is still an innie although it's definitely not as deep as before.
3) Connor and I bought some short-sleeved onesies this weekend since this baby will come in warm weather compared to Connor's February arrival.  Otherwise, I hope to reuse most of Connor's wardrobe.

I know some of you are thinking, "All of this is very interesting and all, but what does Chinese astrology say about McBaby Number Two?!"  You weren't?  Oh.  Well, I bet you're curious now, aren't you? :)  Here's what I found on Mom.me:

"According to Chinese folklore, every animal and element combination has specific traits. Fire rooster babies, for example, will be hardworking and trustworthy, with a strong sense of responsibility. They usually find success in numerous career paths.

"You can expect your child to be better in the field of business, and that's how he will express his creativity," said astrologer Joey Yap. "And that's why people in the olden days predicted that those born in the year of the fire rooster would be wealthy, because they're hardworking and knowledgeable in business. In terms of weaknesses, however, they tend to be blunt and sharp when they speak."

So I guess you could say McBaby Number Two is my retirement plan.

All in all, I'm feeling pretty good and I am grateful for a healthy pregnancy (especially at my advanced maternal age of 37 and 3/4 years old) and a seemingly healthy baby who is a little wiggle worm.  And now, if you'll excuse me, it's closing in on 9:00 and that's my bedtime most nights. #partyanimal

PS  Don't mark your calendars or anything, but I hope to write an update on Connor around his birthday in a couple weeks.  Two posts in one month, what has gotten into me?!