Category Archives: Motherhood

Pregnancy Update — July

July 11, 2019

The babe has started moving with gusto recently, and KC has even gotten a chance to feel some movement, despite my anterior placenta (which blocks a lot). This kiddo is clearly a party animal just like his big sisters.

weeks: 23.5

baby’s size: grapefruit

i’m feeling: ok. I’m not as tired as I was previously, and the nesting instinct has definitely started to kick in, but I’m definitely still not feeling like myself these days. My energy feels perpetually lower than I’m used to and I’m constantly wondering when I’ll actually feel like myself again (after delivery? Later? Who knows.)

food love: granola bars (specifically just the trail mix ones from TJs) and little ice cream treats (TJs Hold the Cone and the mini mint ice cream sandwiches — yum!)

food hate: not much. I’m not actively avoiding anything right now, but I definitely get tired of certain foods much quicker than I normally do when not pregnant (mostly meat and fish).

3 pros for july: 1. KC and I just got back from our little babymoon trip to Hawaii. It was so relaxing and nice to get away (and sleeeeep!) 2. Even though getting away on vacation is so dreamy, it’s so nice to be back in our own house with our sweet and crazy little ones. 3. KC and I have made it a point to go out every Friday on a date, and it’s become such a nice tradition over the past 6-7 months. I look forward to Friday nights every week and the girls get special time with our nanny on Fridays — usually with pizza and a movie — so really it’s a win for everyone.

3 cons for july: 1. I am continuing to despise the heat in my pregnant state. In Hawaii we hiked out to a secluded beach through more than a mile of unpaved/loose lava rocks. It was so hot I wanted to just lay down and die. 2. My mood has been pretty low lately. I’m not someone who stresses out a ton or generally has a lot of anxiety, but some recent life issues have bubbled up a whole lot of these feelings and I am really not into it. (Also, stressing out about feeling stressed during pregnancy is like the least fun Catch-22, ever.) 3. I’ve got the nursery fairly put together in my mind, but have nothing together in real life. I was hoping to take care of one piece, recently — a painted wall — but instead ended up taking two trips to Home Depot for five (5!) different paint colors, none of which are quite right. Ugh.

currently living in: shorts, dresses, and all the SPF.

looking forward to: finding the right paint color for the nursery.

dreaming about: getting the nursery put together.

Birthdays / Motherhood / Primrose / Toddler

Motherhood Update: Prim at 4 years

May 23, 2019

I don’t know that anyone has ever enjoyed a birthday quite as much as Primrose. This girl lives for a celebration.

Saying: Prim is still chatty as ever and cracks us up with her dry wit and inadvertent imitations of us. Recently Larky was whining about something and Prim looked at me, rolled her eyes, sighed and said “Llama drama” (a phrase KC and I like to use to describe the high emotional atmosphere of our house).

There was also a morning recently where I wasn’t springing out of bed when Prim came upstairs to tell us the “green light’s on” and KC was jokingly giving me a hard time about it (growing a human is exhausting, leave me alone). KC turned to Prim and asked, “What are we gonna do with Mama?” and without missing a beat she responded, “Throw her in the trash!”

Eating: Prim is still proving herself to be a picky peanut, though our approach to mealtime hasn’t changed. She regularly forgoes dinner, taking a few bites and declaring that she’s “done,” only to (of course) ask for a treat later. We don’t have treats every night (not by a longshot), but on the occasions when we do have them, Prim is required to eat more than just a few bites of dinner in order to have one (and trust me, it’s TORTURE for all of us). She does still surprise us with the things she will try (and inevitably she generally ends up loving whatever it is that we’ve cooked). Her current favorite thing, aside from pizza and spaghetti and meatballs, is “casserole” made from spaghetti squash. Go figure.

Prim’s Favorite Things: Prim is very active and loves going to the park, riding her bike, and sailing around the house on her scooter. She also loves to sing (loudly) in the car and negotiate everything (cough, I can’t imagine where she got either of those traits from).

Reading: Prim received a few new books for her birthday and is currently obsessed with The Circus Ship. She also loves Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse, All the World and Make Way for Ducklings.

Latest trick: We got Prim a “bike with pedals and a kickstand” for her birthday, just like she had been requesting for months. She’s a pro on her balance bike, so we figured now was a good time for a bigger frame. We had her try a few different bikes at a local shop before her birthday, but found that the pedal brakes were proving to be really difficult for her. After some research, I found this bike that’s specifically designed for kids who are used to a balance bike. Because it has hand brakes instead of pedal brakes, it’s apparently easier for them to master. Even though Prim has been sailing around our cul-de-sac on her balance bike for months now, I was shocked when four days after her birthday she hopped on the new bike and took off on two wheels like a pro.

Favorite toys: Prim received a Woody doll from our beloved nanny for her birthday, and it’s currently her most prized possession. She carries him in the car, on errands, and he’s generally not far from whatever she’s doing at home. She loves showing people her “cowboy doll” and demonstrating how you can pull the string to make him talk. She even secretly wrote her name underneath his boot during rest time one day, which might just be the cutest little sneak ever.

Sweetest things: Prim and Lark are still the sweetest little friends. They still share a room and know that they need to wait for their “green light” to go on in the morning before getting up. They often wake before the light, but spend the first part of the morning together playing, often with Prim climbing into Lark’s crib. Watching them in the monitor as they giggle and chat and seeing their sweet relationship is maybe the best thing about being a parent, period.

Favorite thing about this age: While there’s challenges with every age (hellooo asserted independence!) four is proving to be such a fun, sweet age. Prim is really feeling being four (the confidence!) and the complex conversations we’re having these days are so fun. I love hearing about her day at school (usually the biggest piece of intel I get is about what was for snack) and hearing the funny little anecdotes she holds onto for when KC gets home from work. Prim is outgoing, determined, and just the most inclusive, interested little person. She’s such a joy to be around and the best big sister I could ever ask for, for Larky and Baby #3.

Baby / Motherhood / Pregnancy

Place Your Bets!

May 8, 2019

We already know the gender of this little one thanks to an early blood test, but feel free to take a guess before we officially reveal the gender!

1. If you have morning sickness, it’s a girl. If you don’t, it’s a boy.
I’ve been sick 24/7 since the first day of week 6, and while I don’t have HG this pregnancy (thank the Lord) I am very far from not having morning sickness. Result: GIRL

2. If you crave sweets, it’s a girl. Craving sour/salt? It’s a boy.
I’ve been craving a weird assortment of things, including a burger very early on (not anymore, ew), deli sandwiches, pickles, and lots of candy. Result: BOY/GIRL

3. Use a Chinese Gender Predictor to predict the sex, based on your due date and birthday.
Based on my due date and birthday, the Chinese predictor says it’s a girl. Result: GIRL

4. If the baby’s heartbeat is regularly above 140 bpm, it’s a girl. Below 140 bpm — it’s a boy.
Baby’s heart rate was routinely above 140 at each of our doctor’s appointment. Result: GIRL

5. If you prefer sleeping on your right side, it’s a girl. If you gravitate towards the left, it’s a boy.
I have been mostly sleeping on my left side this pregnancy. Result: BOY

6. If you’re extra moody, it’s a girl. If you’re even-keeled, it’s a boy.
I haven’t been too moody this pregnancy (I don’t think…) KC might have a different opinion. Result: BOY

7. If you’re clumsy, you’re having a boy. Graceful as can be? It’s a girl.
I haven’t been very clumsy lately. Result: GIRL

8. More headaches mean you’re having a boy, less means it’s a girl.
I’ve had a few more headaches recently, but this was while I was in Palm Springs where it was super hot and I was most likely not drinking enough water. Result: BOY

9. If your hands are soft, it’s a girl. If they’re dry, it’s a boy.
My hands haven’t been very dry recently (my cuticles are a mess, but that’s a whole other life issue.) Result: GIRL

10. If you’re carrying high, it’s a girl. If your belly is low, it’s a boy.
Maybe it’s too early to tell this one, I don’t know, but I’ve been carrying on the lower side to this point. Result: BOY

GIRL: 6 points BOY: 5 points

Announcements / Baby / Motherhood / Personal

Party of Five

May 1, 2019

If you follow me on social media or know me in real life, then you probably already know that I’m pregnant. Sorry, I guess that should say, I’m pregnant! Exclamation point!

And yes, we’re very excited (especially Prim). But also I’m very tired and just starting to emerge from the all-the-time barf-fest that is the first trimester (and beyond…) so summoning up the appropriate amount of hutzpah is sometimes a little challenging. But we’re excited! It’s happening!

The realness of the first trimester (i.e. wanting to fall down and die of tiredness and debilitating nausea most of the time) is the reason that my “announcement” photo is so far beyond planned, staged, or anything remotely professional. I mean, I’m wearing zero makeup, the room is a mess, the mirror is dirty… I guess the reality is I’m just not that committed to being that sort of “blogger” or “instagrammer” or whatever. That’s my real life right there — a phone selfie in a dirty mirror because “I guess I should just tell people since it’s so damn hard to hide this bump now.”

I mean, the third baby thing — wow. I started showing basically immediately (let’s sing a song about self esteem! And also a requiem for my ab muscles.) and I feel like I look about twice (or 14) times as pregnant as I actually am. (Sidenote: this mostly works in my favor on BART, where I give zero Fs about asking for a seat since I’ve been down this road twice before already.) Ah, the miracle of pregnancy, right? I’m sure I won’t be AT ALL tired of maternity clothes by the third trimester since I’ve been wearing the stuff pretty much since week six (facepalm).

This is all to say though, that really, we’re excited. I’m 99% sure this will be our last kiddo (I really don’t think I can go through a first trimester again), so it’s been a little bit easier to weather the hard parts knowing that this is most likely the last time I’ll be dealing with this. And honestly, the girls’ enthusiasm over having a sibling really makes the tough parts so much more enjoyable. Prim has been running around telling EVERYONE that she’s getting a new baby sister/brother (we already know!) and constantly running up to my belly to talk to and give kiss/hugs to the baby, so really, just give me a couple more weeks and I’ll probably be on board to have like 15 more kids. Ha!

Lark / Motherhood / Toddler

Motherhood Update: Lark at 2 years

February 19, 2019

Saying: Lark’s language skills continue to amaze us. She is so verbal and is now speaking in full sentences. She loves to tell (yell at?) me about her day when I get home from work, which is hilarious and adorable. (“I go to dance class! I go in, Mama!” Lark recently got to join Prim’s dance class since she finally reached the minimum age of 2 to join, so getting to go into the class rather than just staying the waiting room has been a big topic of conversation in our house.) And while Lark’s speech is very clear for being newly-two, I love how she still mispronounces certain words like octopus (“hock-a-post”) and sleep/sleeping (“afweep/afweeping”).

The other day Lark decided that she didn’t need to nap (despite clearly being tired) and spent over an hour standing in her crib screaming. When I finally gave up and got her and Prim up from their “quiet time” (quiet… haha YEAH RIGHT) Prim asked why Lark was so upset. I told her I didn’t know and asked Lark, “Why didn’t you nap today?”
Lark: “I talk to you.”
Me: “You wanted to talk to me?”
Lark: “Yeeeeaah!”

Lark’s Favorite Things: As I mentioned, Lark recently got to join Prim’s dance class, as they have a minimum age of 2 to start. It has been the sweetest to see these girls in their leotards and hear all about how much they enjoyed class and how they “jumped over Swan Lake.” Lark grooves to any music she hears, so I’m glad that she’s bringing her sweet moves into the class now too!

Reading: Room on the Broom, Moon, and I Want My Hat Back.

Latest trick: Lark is slower to warm up than Prim is (although, EVERYONE is slower to warm up than Prim. She’s everyone’s best friend the minute she meets them.) but once she’s comfortable she is so sassy and silly. We are constantly joking about what a teen Larky is because her attitude is so front and center these days. This girl has the best side-eye in the biz, and let’s get real, that serious resting face of hers she gets 100% from me.

Favorite toys: We bought Lark a scooter to match Prim’s for her birthday this year, and while Prim wasn’t really into riding her scooter until age 3, Lark is already a scooting pro (no doubt due to watching her older sister zip around on it). It’s so funny watching her sail by on her scooter with one leg in the air and a big smile on her face.

Sweetest things: Lark and Prim continue to be the best of friends and are so, so sweet together. When Lark joined Prim’s dance class, Prim spent the whole class encouraging her and holding her hand — clearly so pleased that she was finally able to join in the fun. That evening after their first class, we FaceTimed both grandmas and Prim excitedly told them, “Larky was in my dance class today!” which was quickly followed up with Lark yelling, “I go IN! To dance class!” (OMG these girls. I can’t.)

Favorite thing about this age: Lark loves to sing just as much as Prim does and she knows so many songs now. It’s fascinating to see how quickly she picks up new songs, and it’s so sweet to hear her singing to herself before she goes to sleep or from her carseat in the backseat of the car.