Week 25 Out of 40 and Growing

It really has been a while since I last got on here to journal.  I suppose one might be able to say things got busy, but I actually wondered if part of me was trying to avoid the realization that this will be our last pregnancy and I'm just not wanting to write about it.  I know that sounds strange, but in many ways, I consider this a stage in life that is now ending.  Being that I'm 41 and Mimi is 39, our days for having children are definitely numbered.  Watching Mimi go through this pregnancy has been watching someone really struggle with energy and body pains, something that I know with age just does not come any easier.  I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm having to come to grips that we are definitely moving on to another stage of life where our kids will no longer be babies but children, and after that it is when they are adolescents, and then adults.  By then, I'm lucky if I can still run my morning runs without pain.  

Both Phoebe and Allie are really growing up fast.  In the past one month, Allie has learned how to exist in underwear and she only uses the pull ups at night.  At school she can go most days without an accident, though it is about once a week for now.  The first two weeks she was coming home with one or two accidents, but she is getting much better.  We're so proud of her for being potty trained so early.  Phoebe got potty trained about 3.5 years of age and Allie is just over 3.  It was sort of funny, the Angelfish classroom teacher, teacher Paula actually bought Allie new training underwear and it was this one act that got Allie really excited to try.  So we put an underwear over the pull up and then when Allie was ready during the day, they would not put a pull up back on and let her be in an underwear.  Having both girls potty trained is awesome, a large financial burden that is off our expense list (at least until November), and so glad that the transition went smoothly.  

Here is a picture of our girls using the potty before heading home.  

Here is Mimi's belly at week 24.  

Allie is certainly enjoying playing with the baby in Mimi's belly.  They really want this baby to be a girl so they keep naming the baby Georgina or Cora, but for Mimi and I know, its a boy.  In fact, Phoebe recently told her Dolphin classroom teachers that she was going to have a baby sister.  Her teachers were surprised that we were having a baby and then when they heard baby sister they were surprised with three girls.  Then when I told them it was actually going to be a boy they understood that the girl was really more of Phoebe's desire more than anything else.  

We've been lucky to see these two girls really grow close to each other.  In fact, they are so close they hold hands during day and night.  Here is a picture of them walking together.

And here is a picture of them sleeping together.  

They really are super cute.  We believe that Phoebe tends to be a little bit more insecure and so having Allie around is really helpful for her.  In the picture where they are sleeping, Mimi and I left their room to get them to fall asleep on their own.  Allie really had no problems and in a few minutes had gone to sleep.  Phoebe kept crying that we had left and felt quite emotional about our leaving.  Eventually I kept going back in to check on her and she finally went to sleep on her own, but in the morning she got up earlier than any other time this week to make sure she had the chance to say bye to Mimi in the morning.  

Going back to the pregnancy, what I've noticed most about Mimi is just how tired she is.  She is working four long days per week and then the evenings and weekends are still requiring helping with the children.  Thank goodness that her mother is with us now, as at least during the weekdays the cooking for dinner and cleaning is taken care of and Mimi and I can actually spend some quality time with the kids.  This past Monday Mimi had her glucose test to test for gestational diabetes.  In the previous two pregnancies, she had failed the two hour test and had to subsequently do the four hour test.  This time, she made sure she passed the two hour test.  She first made sure that she walked around and she secondly took some time to go to the shopping mall to return some water shoes.  In the end, her results were negative but not without having done some exercise in the process.  I have no problem with this.  We would have noticed a much more different presentation if her glucose was certainly out of control.  

Another change in our household recently is the addition of the piano.  

This was the one we purchased from Costco and the main intent is to have Phoebe and Allie grow appreciation for music.  Thus far, I have been the only one playing the piano, and I have to say that it has been a true enjoyment to have this instrument in the house.  I feel so free to play as I wish and the piano sounds great.  

In addition to the piano was this bongo drum that Allie got for her birthday.  Here she sits with no underwear or pull up playing the bongo drum.  She was having so much fun.  

In a few weeks we'll be heading off for Hawaii.  We are all excited.  A few weeks ago we all went shopping for new swimsuits since we each need two.  Mimi was able to get a few other items like a cover up and we both purchased rash guards.  I think this Hawaii vacation is just what we all needed.  Work has really bee stressful for Mimi and I and though we love the trips to Chicago, they are just trips and not vacations.  This vacation is for us to just relax and have fun with the kids.  Mimi's mother is coming and this will be good since we promised her we would eventually take her to Hawaii.  She is excited as well.  Luckily we were able to get a discount from Canaan and we'll be staying at the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island.  Hawaii here we come.  

Another milestone was the kids first trip to the dentist, or maybe I should say their first cleaning.  Both Allie and Phoebe did extremely well, but I also have to say that this dental site is totally geared towards kids.  I mean, they had videos in the ceiling so they could watch while being worked on with headphones over their ears.  I swear, if I had that growing up I totally would love going to the dentist.  I only got prizes, which is better than what Mimi every got.  

I guess a lot happens in one month and even hear, I'm just going into small detail in each area.  I'm so glad that I have pictures here to help tell the story.  I'm sure I'll be back sooner than this most recent drought, especially with Hawaii right around the corner.