growing

When one is pregnant, it is hard to ignore the dramatic transformation that is taking place just south of one's chin.  Your ever expanding belly and perhaps expanding backside, hips, and let's just say it, bosom, are a constant reminder of the miracle growing inside of you.  And, as your girth increases, you are faced with the reality that in a matter of mere months your little miracle will emerge, forever changing the landscape of your life in ways both unexpected and unfathomable.  Having already birthed two miracles, I am familiar with both the physical and emotional changes that occur with pregnancy.  However, familiarity in no way minimizes the thrill of carrying our third baby.  I continue to marvel over each centimeter that is added to my waistline, and pause with each kick that is felt.  This summer while my waist line went from reasonable to tolerating only "secret" belly fit apparel, which incidentally is a look the little lady finds quite fashionable, even enviable, our first and second born have experienced their very own seasons of growth.

Our little lady...

- transitioned to wearing underpants to bed at night, and handles occasional accidents with relative calm and ease, changing into fresh underpants and pj's independently before waking me to change the sheets.  (If I'm honest, I expected more midnight drama involving bed wetting.  I'm impressed by her ability to stealthily move about her bedroom in the dark without rousing her brother.)

- now enjoys taking her own showers each evening after dinner, and is responsible for washing her own hair and body.  We are probably loosing a bit of money each month due to the excessive amounts of body wash and shampoo she uses to lavish her petite frame in soapy suds, but it is worth the sense of pride she feels as she pats herself dry each night and dresses herself.

- swims like a little fish, and is able to jump off the diving board and swim to the edge unassisted.  She prefers to swim underwater, but is learning a variety of strokes and practices them diligently each time we visit the local pool.

- delights in carrying on lengthy phone conversations with her grandparents.  Each conversation is filled with a variety of topics as our gal tries out new vocabulary words such as, "unfortunately," "actually," "accidentally," "hopefully," "available," and others to communicate her thoughts with strong emotion.

- cannot absorb enough information, and often times interrupts you mid explanation to offer her own take on the particular topic of interest.  She is a seeker of knowledge, but possesses wisdom beyond her years (or so she'd like you to think.)  An example of such knowledge, and one of my personal favorites, is when she "corrects" our navigational skills, convinced that a certain route "will just not work." Such conversations typically result in her moaning from the constraints of her car seat until we have arrived at our destination much to her surprise.

- is easily inspired by creative and talented people.  When she is particularly impressed by something she will suggest, "I can do that when I'm older...like when I'm 9, 15, 40, or 75."  The estimated age of performing a particular task goes up with the skill's level of difficulty.  For example, successful completion of an Olympic gymnastics floor routine would require her to be approximately age 75, but she could easily strum a Top 40 song on the guitar at age 9.

- has become a true mother's little helper, and can be relied upon for many simple household tasks.  She eagerly takes on new tasks, accepting them as a personal challenge.  She loves to feel useful, and appreciates receiving positive feedback. "Aren't you so proud of me, Mom?" I look forward to letting her take the household reigns come November when Pablo girl arrives on the scene.

- is the little man's greatest and loudest cheerleader, often encouraging him in a voice that can only be described as motherly patronizing, but we trust her intentions are pure, and the high pitch voice brings a smile to our faces.  They are constant companions and the best of chums, until one of them looses their cool and all heck breaks loose.  Big sister handles such explosions in one of two ways, either: 1) taking the moral high road, which includes scolding her brother with firm tones of "Now, Joseph Larson!" or 2) flailing about in utter exasperation, agonizing over every injustice endured until her brother shouts out an apology.  Both mishandlings of the situation are simultaneously comical and painful to observe.

- contributes so much to our household each day through her expressive and dynamic nature.  Never one to hide an opinion, she fills our days with her unique and ongoing commentary on life.   She is a vivid storyteller, and thrives on having an audience.  And, when no one is available to listen, she relies on the company of her "friends," Monster, Ian, Kalata, Aiden, Poppy, Shush, and most recently Judias [pronounced Judy-us], her boyfriend, who continue to be faithful companions of hers. 

- often asks to express her thoughts in written form, spending time at the computer "sending emails" or typing lengthy word documents, many of which are proposals for play dates or letters to friends.   When asked to sign a card or note to a friend, she always has something clever and/or meaningful to say.

- is officially a nail biter, much to my dismay.

Our little man...

- is currently revisiting a stage in life when less is certainly not more.  He is a "go big or go home" kind of fella when it comes to displaying his range of emotions at home or out in public.  Like many toddlers caught in the middle of year 2 and 3, he is quick-tempered, obstinate, and struggling with his need for independence in spite of needing assistance in many areas.  "NO, self."  A personal favorite struggle to observe is the daily task of putting on his Crocs.  Like his big sister, he'd rather struggle than ask for assistance.  As he laboriously huffs and puffs his way to success, he will often cry out, "Oh, impossible!"

- has become quite expressive with his growing vocabulary, and enjoys participating in family conversation.  While his phrasing is not always grammatically correct, his enthusiasm for oral language cannot be denied.  His voice is booming, and each thought expressed is often accompanied with an explosive hand motion or facial expression.  I affectionately refer to him as my little sound machine.

- has taken to singing particular thoughts throughout the day.  For example, when asked if he would like more yogurt at lunch, he might joyfully sing out, "Yeeesss, Mommy mooore yoguuurt"  in a melody high and sweet.  We never know when to expect such sudden song bursts, but they always make us smile and laugh.  I am both impressed and in love with his ability to keep a melody and appreciate his continued efforts to correctly sing the "A,B,Cs" " Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and "Jesus Loves Me"  his three favorite bedtime tunes. (If you know my husband and I well, you may not be surprised to hear that our son is singing his thoughts throughout the day.  We may or may not do the same thing.)

- instantly connects with new music introduced to him by his father, and requests them often by name.  He is a musical monogamous, his faithfulness to a particular song is unwavering. He often responds in disgust when his favorite track comes to an end, and his sister is allowed to select the next song, shouting out, "No Sissy!  Not favorite."  He shows his enthusiasm and appreciation for music with a strong, methodical clap that resembles a seal clapping.

- he continues to question other people's motives when offering him help, with the exception of big sister and beloved mama.  He is fiercely loyal to the women in his life, much to the dismay of his ol' man who daily attempts to win over his little boy with humor, love and playful affection.  The little man is warming up to the idea that his Pops, is in fact, a pretty swell guy.

- appears to have a bit of an identity crisis when he wakes before big sister in the morning.  He will often sit alone in silence on the couch, milk cup untouched until she rouses.  Her presence signifies the true beginning of his day, and he is quick to fall into her morning routine, which involves milk cup, current favorite television show, blankies and lounging.  He; however, enjoys his morning milk with a hint of strawberry flavoring.

- wraps himself tightly with his two beloved blankets each night as he falls asleep, taking the familiar bedtime rhyme, "snug as a bug in a rug," quite literally.  Each evening before putting myself to bed, I peer into his crib and peel back the blankets from his sweaty head revealing his perfectly sweet face at rest.  His two favorite sleep positions continue to mimic his father's, and I find that when slumbering he resembles his daddy most.  He wakes each morning at seven on the dot with a wicked case of bedhead, and shy smile.

- cannot help but emulate big sister's actions, tone of voice, mood, or emotional state throughout the day.  Her influence upon his young life is strong, and he already looks up to her as a role model.  Often when he does not know I'm looking, I will find him attempting to mimic the very way in which she is standing.  His actions are intentional, a symbol of his awe and affection for her.  There are few things sweeter than the sound of his voice calling out, "Come Sissy!"

- frequently underestimates his own strength, and quick simple movements often result in a member of our family becoming slightly injured.  He enjoys a good body check and chest bump from time to time.  And, every now and then is caught red-handed as he attempts to slap his sissy into sweet submission.   He spends a good portion of his day plotting ways to jump on the couch and beds unnoticed.  Unfortunately for him, success in this area often results in his own personal injury. 

- is now more social than he once was, choosing to interact with children his age, and engaging adults in conversation.  For one who used to stick close to mom's legs, he is learning that the world is filled with interesting people, most of which will prove to be much cooler than his mama.  A favorite place of his to socialize is a neighborhood Mexican restaurant that we frequent.  There he has identified a "favorite man" who greets us each visit with an inviting smile and  hearty "Hola, Amigos!"  Our little man now leaves the establishment, with tummy full, shouting "Adios Migos!" to the friendly staff.

- continues to be a "lady killer" with his big baby blues.