Pregnancy and 2 Toddlers

Well, it is official. I have finally hit the point in my pregnancy where I am just plan tired. Bending over is difficult. I am winded most of the time. And my body aches.

I don't remember feeling this way during my other pregnancies. Either I am getting old (which is true) or chasing after two toddlers is finally taking its toll.

Compared to a lot of women, I have amazing pregnancies. They are pretty uneventful. I am pretty blessed that way. Let's be honest, I would not be having 3 under 3 if I had rough pregnancies. It would just be too much.

But I am tired. I feel like I have been pregnant for 3 years. I am definitely over the excitement and joy of pregnancy and I am just ready to move on to the next season of our lives.

These next 8 weeks are going to be long. Winter is not helping either. Having had 2 summer babies, I can say there are pros and cons of each. The biggest con this time is being stuck in the house. We get out often, but it is not easy to bundle 2 toddlers into their jackets and shoes with a big belly in the way. It is exhausting.

Sorry this post is full of complaining. It is just not easy right now and I still have a ways to go, which kind of depresses me. If I am struggling now, what will the next 2 months be like?

I look around my house and just see work that I am too tired to do. Finger prints are everywhere. Crumbs are everywhere. Laundry is piling up. My bed needs to be made. And the list goes on.

I am not sure why I feel so tired this time. I'm blaming it on a few things. Two toddlers top the list. I love them, but they are exhausting. And I think knowing this is my last pregnancy is making this last trimester drag on. Some women really want to savior their last pregnancy, I just want to meet our last family member. Our completer.

Maybe despite all the wet snow we just got, Spring will come a little early and the sunshine will lift my spirits.

I am so excited to meet our little girl. I am so excited to be done being pregnant and to (hopefully) never be pregnant again.

I'm too old for this stuff.

Toddler Transitions

Oh, Mr. Toddler. It was time for us as your parents to help you grow, but it wasn't easy.

Over the last month, we have really been watching Calan grow and watching him change even more from our little guy to a big boy.

A month ago we began our potty training journey. It was a stressful time for both him and I. As a mom you feel like you are banging your head against a wall over and over and over again. I am sure as a toddler you are just plain confused as to why anything needs to change at all.

For us, it took about 3 days for Calan just to start to grasp the idea of potty training. It took another 4 days for him to ask to go potty. And it took another 3 days for him to actually poop in the potty.

After about 10 days, Calan was fully potty trained. Except for a few nap-time accidents, he has been accident free. Every once in awhile like if we are at a play date, I have to make him go pee rather than waiting for him to ask me, but other than that, he is in control.

And then Saturday night, we said goodbye to the crib and hello to a normal bed. We are still transitioning, but it is going pretty well. The first night was the worst so far, so if every night is better, I figure we are getting somewhere.

To transition him, we did all the normal stuff of getting him excited about the bed. When I brought home construction truck sheets, all he kept saying was wow, so I figured I choose the right set. Then the big night came. We put him to bed telling him to stay and that it was time to sleep. We explained that sleeping in his big boy bed was a privilege and that if he did not go to sleep that he would have to sleep in his pack-and-play.

Well, warning after warning, we tried to hold off putting him in his pack-and-play because as his parents we wanted him to sleep in his bed. However, I wish we would have been more firm that first night. Around 9:30, we finally set up the pack-and-play and put him in there. He of course FREAKED OUT, and after he calmed down, I did give in and put him back in his big boy bed. And he went right to sleep around 10.

Nap times have been a little more difficult, and he has kind of chosen to sleep in the pack-and-play  instead of his bed the first few days, but yesterday he started off in the pack-and-play, but wanted to be in his bed about halfway through and he went right back to sleep.

Last night, he was asleep a little after 8:30 and I had to wake him around 7:45 this morning. So, I feel like we are getting somewhere. It is still early to say that we are transitioned, but we are getting there.

It isn't perfect. At night, it takes longer for him to settle down. He needs water or another toy or some other excuse that has Bob running back and forth from the kids' room for about 20 minutes. We also had to make his pack-and-play less desirable since he started wanting to sleep there instead of his bed. So, we told him that if he sleeps in his pack-and-play, he couldn't take any of his stuff animals with him. Just his blankets and a pillow. That helped make him want to sleep in his bed more.

So what have I learned through the last month of toddler transitions:

Remember who your kid is

We read a book and watched a video for potty training and while the information was great, I forgot to factor in who our kid is. He hated being forced to sit on the potty over and over and over again. Once I started to space the time out to every hour rather than 30 minutes, he (and I) were much happier. Also, even in his diaper, he never pooped in front of people. The kid likes his privacy and I needed to understand that. He was never going to poop on the potty under my watch.

For the bed, I have had to remind myself that it is all about transitioning and that it is OK not every night or day will be perfect. However, Calan is a kid who needs sleep, so if his pack-and-play is needed to make sure that happens, so be it. I just needed to figure out a way to make his bed the better option. It is still early with the whole bed transition, but overall it has been pretty painless and I think as long as we keep it relaxed for him, sleep won't be compromised.

As Calan's mommy, I have been pretty proud of my little guy. I have been happy that these transitions have worked and that he was ready for them. A part of me is pretty sad that he is growing up, but overall, I'm pretty darn proud of the little guy he is becoming. (OK, enough mommy pride).

His first night in his bed and raring to go. It would be another 2 1/2 hours
later before he actually fell asleep.

A little story time after a nap time. He does love playing and laying in his bed. 

A quiet moment after a nap. When he snuggles in his blanket, I get a
glimpse of my baby still. He is getting big, but a mom needs these
little moments too.  

The right words at the right time

The more I learn as an adult makes me realize how lost I was as a child.

I just finished two books that really made me stop and think about how different my past might have been had someone shared this knowledge with me with the right words at the the right time.

I definitely was a teen looking for love, confidence, companionship, self worth, beauty, etc. in all the wrong places. I, like many many many people, just wanted someone to fill a gap that I felt in my life.

I say all the time that I am truly blessed to have met my husband at the tender age of 18 (we married when we were 25) because I have no idea where my life would have ended up.

Please do not get me wrong, I was a good kid. I hung with a good crowd. I just felt lost and alone. Two feelings that I hope my children never feel.

The first book I just finished was "Preparing Him for the Other Woman." It was recommended to me by a parenting mentor of mine. It truly challenges each mom to pray for their sons and their future brides and puts into focus what kind of man you might truly want your son to become.

As I was reading the book though, it really had me thinking that I wish as a female someone had told me to actually be looking for this kind of husband. I just got lucky that he found me. I found a Godly servant husband without really looking and he changed my life. I wish I had been looking for the one versus looking for anyone to fill my weaknesses.

The other book that I just finished is actually written for pre-teens and teenagers. The "Secret Keeper: Delicate Power of Modesty" really puts into perspective the idea of a female power and control and how it can either build up God or tear down man.

I really wish someone would have really taught me the truth about beauty and it how it can be so deceiving. I am sure this is something that no matter what I tell my daughters, it will be a lesson that only experience can teach. The fact is women gain confidence and power by being desired, but is it real?

I struggle often as a parent on how to teach my children an eternal perspective when I myself struggle with all things worldly.

I am sure that this feeling is all 20/20 vision. I am not sure if my life would have been different even if someone had told me these things as a child. I don't know what I would have rebelled against or followed. I just wish I had a different perspective on it all and that someone would have told me.

Reading these books just left me in prayer having faith that God will help say the right things at the right time. That where I am completely weak He won't be.

Oh Winter Blahs ...

Why is it no matter how busy I seem to be, or my best laid plans, I still hit a major winter blah in the middle of February?

I completely understand why schools need a mid-winter break. We all need something to jump start our lives.

The kids have small colds, I have no energy, and this house has never felt smaller.

Welcome to winter in Michigan.

We have had unseasonably warm winters the past two years and many here wished for snow and cold over those times. I, however, was not one of them.

I love being warm. I love the sunshine heat. I love being able to just walk out the door on a whim.

Bundling up to squirmy toddlers is not fun AT ALL and then trying to get them in their car seats is even less fun.

I miss summer. I can't wait for summer. I can't wait for warmer times.

I already have visions of the 4 of us ( the 3 kids and I) walking down to the park. I have dreams of us just playing in the backyard. Maisie and Calan love to chase each other around. I can't wait for them to do that outside.

I can't wait to go to the zoo. I can't wait to play with friends and not worry about colds. I can't wait for this winter and pregnancy to be over.

I am done. I need a restart. I need to get my butt in gear.

The Most Random Post Ever

My silence is not because anything bad is happening or that I am feeling bad from this pregnancy. It has just been that - Silence.

I've been spending a lot of my free time sewing, which has left me not in the mood to blog. Sorry. I wish I had a better excuse, but I the fact is when I am not in the mood to blog, I'm just not in the mood.

But I know that many of my friends and family near and far read to know updates on our lives so here is a very random update on our lives:

• Calan is basically potty trained. YEAH. We have issues with the big No. 2, but he is getting there. We have not had him in a diaper since the day we started potty training. We have had good days and bad days, but I am happy to say the bad days do seem to be behind us. He knows when he has to go No.2, but unfortunately won't sit long enough to do his business, so we are back and forth to the potty a ton when he has to go and it literally is a game of rouilette if we make it or not. This morning was a success; 2 days ago, not so much. It is different having only one kid in diapers. I have to make myself do diaper laundry since I have so many diapers to choose from I never run out. 
• I am officially in my third trimester. I will be 29 weeks tomorrow and I am so done being pregnant. I wondered if I would feel done with this third pregnancy and feel like our family was complete. Well, let me tell you, I know that I am done. I am so over being pregnant and so ready for this little girl to get here. The days and weeks are ticking by so slowly. Winter is not helping either. This pregnancy is not any worse than my others, but being pregnant for basically 3 years is enough. I am done. I am ready to move on from this part of our lives. I am ready to just focus on our family and develop our family bond. (Now if something were to happen, we would be happy about it, but there will be no more planned Wilsons.)
• Maisie is talking and learning new words every day. My favorite is the way she says thank you. It comes out "dank ooo." She is really starting to come into her own. She is definitely a little momma's girl. I am sure that when her sister gets here that is going to be a little bit of an issue, but I love all the hugs and kisses I get from her now. She is seriously adorable. (I'm bias, I know). 
• We've been taking the kids to swim lessons on Saturdays at our local high school. We have all really enjoyed it as a family. Maisie is quite the little fish and took to everything really well. Calan takes a little while to open up in the water. Bob and I have both really enjoyed do this as a family. I guess these are the things that will be hard to give up once we are out numbered. I am so glad we did it while we could. 
• We are looking forward to transitioning Calan to a big boy bed. He is ready. His rocking is way better, but he still does it when he wakes up and it is usually accompanied by loud singing as he pounds into the rails of his crib. I am praying that transitioning to a big boy bed resolves the rest of the body rocking issue. We are moving our full-size bed that is currently in our spare bedroom since the spare bedroom will now be the nursery. Once the bed is moved, I'll be able to start setting up the nursery. Yeah. 
• I am so excited about this little one's nursery. I am basically making everything. I have been sewing up a storm and I am loving everything. I can't wait to share it with all of you. Everything that I am making should transition perfectly into a room that the girls will share in about a year or so. 
• Have I mentioned I've been sewing? If you follow me on Instagram, you've been bombarded with my sewing pics. I am completely obsessed. I have sewn bibs, burp cloths, clothes, nursery items, etc. I just can't seem to stop. Tonight I hope to make a pillow for the nursery. I am going to miss my craft space once it becomes the nursery. I am going to have to figure something out. It has been a great stress reliever and creative outlet for me. I don't think I will be able to give it up at this point.

Life is just moving along. We are all doing really well. I am counting down the days till winter is over with. Bring on the sunshine and warmth.

Calan got this helmet at the grocery store and kept calling it
his "football hat." Can you tell we are Spartan fans? Go Green. 

We took the kids down to the park one snowy day. They had fun, we froze.
I can't wait for spring. 

Here's Maisie just talking on the phone. She jabbers away. (P.S. I made
the shirt she is wearing and made a matching dress for her sister.)

Here's Calan waiting patiently to go golfing. It was a random 60 degree day
in January, so we had to take him to the range to test out his Christmas
present. He loved it. He kept cheering for himself, Bob, and everyone
around us. He doesn't quite understand that golf is a quiet sport.

Here's a sneak peek at one of my nursery projects. These will be fabric
bins that will hang above her changing area and hold things like wipes
and creams.