Third Trimester and Calvin's 16-Month Update

Things have been going well at our house lately... most of the time, that is. Calvin has been sick and teething, something I'm discovering is very unpleasant. He took so long to teethe, I was ignorant as to how disruptive teething can be to Calvin's sleep rhythms. His first four teeth (two top, two bottom) came in with some fuss, but these next four teeth seem to be making him super miserable. I have been giving him children's Advil and children's Tylenol to help ease the pain, which seem to be working so-so. Calvin's sleep has been so predictable for the last year, all these new disruptions have really thrown me. He's transitioned to one nap each day, but that nap is rarely consistent. While he goes down at the same time each day, he wakes up anywhere from an hour to three hours after falling asleep. It's stressful not knowing how long he'll sleep each day when, for almost a year, he slept two good naps exactly 1.5 hours long each. Even so, he was still sleeping quite a while at night, so I tried to not worry too much about it. Until this week... He is waking more often in the middle of the night and not knowing how to soothe himself back to sleep while he's in pain. He's waking earlier in the mornings, too, and still isn't napping well during the day. Boo! I am going to pin it on teething, I think. It's so unusual for him to act like this. Two nights ago, he woke up at 11pm and couldn't fall back to sleep until 1:30am. I was going nuts! Normally, you put this kid in his crib and he knows exactly what to do. He doesn't need a binky, blanket, or any toy to fall asleep (though he does sleep with his Hobbes stuffed animal - although he doesn't seem attached to it). He rejects any soothing item I try to get him acclimated to. Sweet Grandma Nicholes gave him a blanket and a monkey as a fun present, and while we use the blanket and toy on our walks or during playtime, when I try to put them in his crib, he throws them out. I wish he would attach to a toy because I think it's so cute, but he's too independent for that now, I guess. Anyway, I wish he had an item to help him self-soothe when he cries at night, but since he doesn't, TJ and I take turns rubbing his back while he's in his crib until he settles down. Poor little guy. His teeth seem to take forever to break through, so I think this may be a phase we're going to have to get used to. I just hope he's not teething when the baby comes! 

Calvin is still a pretty happy kid during his waketime, though. He really is a sweetie pie. It's very cute to hear him babble more and more. He likes to follow me wherever I go! We cook together, get ready together, eat meals together... it's so fun. He still gives me hugs and kisses when I ask for them. He's very ticklish and giggly, especially with TJ! They love to roughhouse. It's adorable. :)

 Our routine has changed a little bit, but is still pretty consistent day-in, day-out. We get him from his crib at 7:00 or 7:30 am, depending on how long he's slept. If he wakes up early, we usually let him play in his crib until 7am anyway. I feed him breakfast while we listen to and read scriptures, and then he has some playtime while I get ready for our jog (which is more of a walk these days, as I'm getting more and more round ligament pain). I bundle him up nice and snug and we head out around 8:30 am. Before we go, TJ and I have breakfast and prayers. After Calvin and I get back, he goes into his playpen with some toys for independent playtime while I get ready for the day. After I'm ready, we head out and do an errand or activity. Our ward is great about having playdates on Tuesdays at the church, so Calvin and I have been going to that and he has a good time. Calvin needs to get out each day, otherwise he goes a little crazy. This kid needs lots of new stimulation all the time! He gets bored easily and whines when he wants something new to look at or a new place to explore. Sometimes Calvin and I go to storytime at the library, although he still has a hard time sitting still and would much rather run around and explore. If we get to the library early, I let Calvin roam around to his heart's content and he's so happy just toddling through the entire library and discovering all the toys in the nooks and crannies.

After we get back, we have lunch and he goes down for his nap (usually between 12 and 12:30pm). He will sleep until 3pm on a good day and 1:30 or 2pm on a bad day, but he still gets a good nap in and usually wakes up happy. Then we have "Mom and Calvin" time. I pull out his blocks, toys, puzzles, and letters and try to demonstrate how to master new skills. We also read stories and watch "Meet the Letters" in the background. I'm hoping he catches on to some of it, although he's still not really talking yet. He will sign a few words for me, and he babbles and communicates in other ways, but I am not noticing super consistent speech yet. I am confident it will come later, though. :) After our hour is up, I get dinner ready. We have family dinner when TJ gets home and then fight Calvin on eating his vegetables. :) It's not fun. TJ is much better at getting him to do it than I am. We are always able to get Calvin to eat his broccoli, peas, or whatever else, it just usually takes some fussing and crying first. I want Calvin to get used to eating things he doesn't like - or at least trying them. I still want his hunger to be his ultimate cue for when to stop eating, so we do veggies first, and then he can eat to fullness on his favorite foods. He loves eating whole wheat bread with either peanut butter or jam, yogurt, any fruit, avocados, any cheese, turkey, applesauce, pasta, etc. It's really just the veggies he can't handle, but we're working on it! :) 

I do a green smoothie every day, for both myself and Calvin. It's healthy for my pregnancy (although I would be ashamed to show you all what else I consume each day) and it's a way to sneak vegetables into Calvin without him knowing it. I also puree freshly steamed vegetables and mix them with yogurt to get those vitamins into him, and he'll take that just fine. 

Dad getting him to eat his broccoli. Yay, Dad! :)

Calvin then plays with Dad, has bathtime, a story, and then goes to bed around 7:00pm. He will go to bed earlier if he's had a bad nap. Except for the instances I discuss in the beginning of this post, he usually goes to bed within a few minutes and sleeps peacefully all night. 

We went to Kevin and Kyla's house to watch the Seahawks game last Sunday, and it was fun! They are nice for letting TJ invade their house when he wants to watch the NFL, since we don't have cable. :) 

I caught Calvin playing with these toys at the church during our play group. Haha. This made Dad worried, but I explained to him that I think Calvin gravitates toward those little brushes and fake flat irons because he often plays with those items while I'm getting ready for the day in our bathroom. :) TJ still insists we need to get him some Tonka trucks or something. Oh, Teeje.

Here I am at 28 weeks. I am already done being pregnant. I am beginning to feel pretty uncomfortable! Sleep is becoming elusive again. I get very restless legs and am not sure how to treat it. I've tried more iron, magnesium, exercise, water, lavender oil, etc. Nothing seems to really work. I know it'll just get worse as I continue in my pregnancy! Boo. Maybe I need to do more strength training to get my muscles more tired... who knows? It's annoying, though. My round ligament pain has been acting up, too, especially when I go for walks/jogs with Calvin. I just got a maternity belt from Amazon and it makes a huge difference! I feel a lot less pressure and pain in my lower abdomen when I wear it. It was suggested to me by my OB. Drinking a ton of water each day has really helped with my headaches. Other than the sleep issue, I really am feeling good. A little back pain, but not a lot. No swelling or puffiness yet. Even with the discomforts of the third trimester, I know a baby is much easier in than out! So I will gladly stay pregnant for now. :) 

Here I am at 27 weeks from my last pregnancy. I look pretty much the same, I think! I guess my body really does know what to do each time around. The only difference is possibly that I'm carrying higher this time around. I'm trying to be kinder to myself about my growing belly. Pregnancy is beautiful! (If I keep telling myself this, I will believe it, right?) :)

Here are some cute pictures I stole from Jamie's blog. :) She takes great pictures! I always like how I look when she takes my photo, something that is rare for me. She has a great technique. Look how cute Calvin is! I just love this kid, even when he's teething.

Stop looking grouchy! Haha. He is soooo camera shy. Wonder where he gets that... (anyone who knew me at Belmont might get that inside joke).

Calvin loves his Great Grandma Smedley. She's an angel. :) Little cousin Avery is too sweet for words. I love this pic of them together.

Shout-out to how much I love these ladies. Varci, Casey, and their beautiful little angel babies are just the sweetest. They've become wonderful friends. I really love everyone in TJ's family! I'm so lucky they've welcomed me with open arms. 

This is right after (or before?) our family photo shoot. That's why I look especially put-together. :) Isn't Calvin adorable in his little tie?? I could die. So cute. My skin is so gross during pregnancy (breakouts, wrinkles, dryness, flaky skin... ew!), but I'm wearing "The Present" by Philosophy and it makes your skin look flawless. It's a collagen skin primer you put on your face before applying makeup and it just smooths everything out. It's pricey, so I only pull it out for special occasions. :) Go get some! 

Sweetie pie!!

Hey, handsome guy. :) Holding sweet little Avery. He's such a good dad. TJ is so great with kids. Calvin is sure lucky to have such a fun, interactive dad. No matter how stressful TJ's day has been, he comes home happy, smiling, and playful, ready to wrestle with Calvin and play all kinds of games. He was really sweet tonight and let me rest while he fed Calvin dinner and put him to bed. I'm blessed. :)