extra photos

since I am up at this ungodly hour anyway, might as well get the rest of these photos up. Here is Hank stealing cheese sticks from the fridge, Hank high on versed before ear surgery, Hank riding his new trike, and Hank making his new serious face that he gives me when I try to have a staring contest with him!

Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!! It was a strange one this year working nights. I worked all night Christmas Eve, and came home just in time to see Hank getting up for his second Christmas. Luckily I managed to stay awake through gifts and a little play time, but crashed for the rest of the day after that. Poor Sean was left with Hank on his own the rest of the day.
However, we did redeem the evening with yummy tastefully simple meal from Grandma Putnam, and a visit with Karri and Jay before turning in for the night.
I learned a lesson about the opening order of things this year. Hank just happened to have to cars (lightening McQueen and Doc), as well as a pair of cars slippers in his stocking. Therefore, once Hank opened his stocking, he was interested in little else other than playing with his cars and slippers. The big gift, his radio flyer trike, went largely unnoticed. In other words we could have gotten off with $25 of matchbox cars and a pair of slippers!
Otherwise, it was a really lovely, low key holiday. We actually managed to really keep it small in our house. Though, the gifts from family and friends made it much bigger than we had planned! Really, y'all filled our tree this year! I am still a bit overwhelmed by it.
This may be the first year that I am eager to pack up the tree a little early and ready to get back into some sort of normal groove. It has been such a full year, I am craving some normalcy in our life and schedule. I know this is a long shot because one, there is a new baby on the way, two, we are moving to a new rental in March, and three, well, Sean married me!
I keep wondering why the last year has been a whirlwind, then I look back and realize that we moved our family across country, both started new jobs, hired and fired a nanny, started Hank in daycare, had awesome visits from family, and then found out we were having another baby. Just writing it all down makes me tired! I am looking forward to a two year lease, hopefully an upcoming day-shift, and most hopefully a mild mannered easy baby! maybe this year will be calmer, I sure hope so!
Included are photos of Hank carefully putting our milk and cookies for Santa, Hank playing cars on Christmas morning, and Hank enjoying Sean's sour cream and chive crackers.

18 and some change

headed towards nineteen weeks, i have been feeling the baby move off and on which is really starting to make this pregnancy more real to me. i'm also starting to feel my limitations at work and at home. bending, pushing, pulling, moving in general, and espcially staying awake are all becoming more difficult! I am trying much harder to realize where i need to scale back or just give up things that are too much for me, but i have always been the kind of person that knows no limitations and thinks i can do anything. I keep either hurting myself or feeling rather frustrated about this.
Hank has finally learned to go to bed on his own at night. it really is a dream, he has been heading to his room himself around 7, letting us read him one story, and falling asleep in his bed. now if we can just figure out how to keep him asleep all night, the idea of a newborn wont feel as daunting maybe. For some reason Hank still seems to get up at 1 or 4 am very upset, and needing a lot of consoling to get back to sleep.
we are so excited for Christmas. I am looking forward to a nice quiet morning at home with my guys. I should get home from work just in time to see Hank open gifts and to have some breakfast before going to sleep. Here's hoping everyone has a blissful family holiday!
ps we have our ultrasound on wednesday, so maybe a good new baby photo will be up soon!

2 year old Hank

Almost more than I love hearing Hank talk to me, I love hearing him talk to himself while he plays. For some reason, he keeps looking over his school bus, shaking his head, and saying, "oh no..." He says it so softly and sweetly. I remember wondering what his little voice would sound like, and then hearing his first little sweet words and realizing his voice was cuter than I could have ever imagined.
Hank is taking on turning two with a vengeance. In the past two days he has thrown two tantrums that lasted over an hour, hit his dad and me each once and refused to apologize after long time outs. He refuses to even try foods that any person in their right mind would enjoy eating, instead opting to eat cheese sticks, raisins, and gold fish crackers.
He is amazing, and amazingly frustrating all at the same time. I just keep hoping we exit this phase before we add a newborn to worry about too.
We are gearing up for Christmas, I am so excited to spend the day with Hank and Sean relaxing, eating good food, and hopefully skyping with family?

17 weeks and counting

So many things have fallen to the wayside these days. Keeping up with the pregnancy, this blog, and the rest of life are just a few. I can't think of anything I have written other than facebooks status updates is so long it is depressing. so here goes, maybe I can write a quick catch up before trying to get dinner in the crockpot and truffles made for Saturday.
17 weeks in, and I am keenly aware that pregnancies vary from one to the next. The start with Hank was so much easier and less stressful than this one. I have hated being sick, being tired, working nights, and trying to keep up with my toddler on top of it. Once again, Sean is picking up a lot of the household slack and keeping things running with me.
I remember taking into account every day of my last pregnancy, almost obsessing over them. This time weeks fly by, and I can't believe I am already half way home with this new baby. May seems terrifyingly close. All the things I have been waiting on really need to start getting done. Including, finding a carseat, figuring out cribs and beds, finding a new house to live in after March. I keep telling myself if we get through Christmas I will get my ass in gear. It was rough not visiting Canada this year and getting so see all our family there. Luckily a few made it south to see us! More updated photos to come soon, I promise!