36 Weeks & 31 Months

This first picture was taken by my way-too-literal husband after I said, "make sure you get the belly."

And then this one was taken after I clarified instructions:

And this one was taken cause this kid is so stinkin' cute (this is how he smiles for the camera...eyes closed saying cheeeeese):

Hooray for Scout!

Yesterday, my dear friend Sara threw me a shower for my impending bundle of loveliness.  And in Sara Luke fashion, it was incredible.  The food, the decor, the company -- all contributed to a perfect Saturday afternoon topped off by the fact that I was not responsible for watching my child for three hours.  I received some great gifts and am feeling more ready for the blissful chaos that will descend upon my life in T - 5 weeks.  sweet mercy.

 Thankful for all these lovely ladies (and those who couldn't make it).  My friends are such a blessing!

 The genius behind the day.  Thank you, Sara!

 My 34 week belly.  Pardon the lighting...I am currently taking donations for a camera upgrade.

Eli is 2 1/2

I haven't written an update for you in 6 months!  I have been writing things down using, what historians will later call, pencil and paper as you've grown these past 6 months, but I haven't gone all fancy and typed them up on this fancy computational machine.  Why, you ask?  My dear child, I have no reason other than you turned two, I turned pregnant, your father started a new job, and we moved; and my initiative to write took a backseat to all those things.  I'm sorry.  You'll probably hear me say that a lot as you grow, but I am sorry if you feel slighted by the absence(s) of an update. 

So here's how this is going to go down.  I'm going to post some pics from each month that I did not update, along with some fun facts about you from each month (referring back to my archaic writing methods).  Thennnnn, I'll do another post wherein I go into more detail about the little man you're becoming.  Then, there will be no homework.  Any questions?

Here we go:

24 Months: Jan - Feb:

• You turned 2
• You were dedicated 
• Your adoration for Thomas and all things trains has grown to President of Fan Club status
• You love to finger paint
• You love to ride the elevator in our building (former building)
• Temper tantrums have become more prevalent
• You looooove beans and rice 
• You found out you will be joined by a sibling

 

25 Months: Feb - March:

• Your great-grandpa and Laura Jean came to visit
• You enjoyed unseasonably warm temps
• Your "will of your own" has tested my patience on numerous occasions
• You like to exert your "will of your own" in public, especially at Target and family dining establishments  
• Your mom is sick a lot due to sibling in her tummy
• Your favorite book is Pigeon Wants a Puppy and you mimic the voices I make
• You can point out a McDonald's within a 2 mile radius 

26 Months: March to April:

• Your daddy started a new job, which means he's not around as much, something for which you vocalize your disdain on a regular basis in the form of screaming fits...it's awesome.
• It snowed in April and I cried.
• You will play with your matchbox cars for hours...and love to bring them all out to the lobby of our building.
• You love collecting rocks...after a walk you will come home with a batch of new rocks that sit in your wagon until our next venture.
• You're starting to become fearful of people and things and have become very clingy with your mama.
• Your memory of things both astounds and frightens me.

 27 months: April - May:

• We started looking for a new house.
• You loooove hanging out with your daddy's RAs and being one of the guys.
• You're not adjusting well to your daddy not being around as much.
• You threw the mother of all temper tantrums at a mall in Grand Rapids during which I'm sure child protective services was called, b/c I took you in a bathroom and you screamed for 10 minutes straight...screamed like you were being beaten (which you were not).  And then I cried most of the way home due to frustration and a feeling that I was failing you as a parent.
• Time outs are becoming more prevalent.
• You looove hanging out with your friends Ben, Bryleigh, Avery, Nolan, Bailey and little Aubrey.
• Sharing with your favorite friends is a concept that escapes you.
• Church nursery scares you and you cry the entire time.
• You are turning into quite the comedian and crack me up with your expressions or what you say on a regular basis.
• You loooove spaghetti.
• You love rice. 

28 Months: May - June:

• We moved!!
• You started sleeping in your awesome big boy bed (that your dad picked out, so it comes equipped with a built in fort).
• You get to see your friend Ben a lot more because we moved across the street from him.
• It is the hottest summer since the earth cooled from its lava state, and we have no air conditioning.
• You are talking a lot more; you and I are having conversations, which is awesome.
• You loooove being outside at your new house.
• You found out you are having a baby sister.
• You and mommy have breakfast dates at Dunkin' Donuts once a week where we share a big thing of chocolate milk...oh, and we eat donuts. 

 

29 Months: June - July:

• We got to spend a week and a half disrupting visiting with your Grandma and Grandpa Parker.
• You watched fireworks for the first time (in the safety of a car, b/c you are currently afraid of loud sounds...like clapping).
• Your favorite new expression (which you learned from your grandma) "Go away, go see your mom"...usually said to bugs.
• Both you and mom were sick and miserable together.
• I thought we might melt in our house due to alarming summer temps. 
• We swim at your friend Nolan's house A LOT!
• We swim at your Grandma and Grandpa Rick's house A LOT! 
• PACIFIER IS GONE!!!  You gave up your pacifier around the time you got sick, b/c you were throwing up.  It was much easier than I thought.  I canceled our appointment with the hypnotist.

 

30 Months: July - August:

• I'm really at a loss on how to help you feel unafraid of things.  I went through a similar phase when I was your age (so I've been told) during which I was afraid of men with beards and lawn mowers and basically anyone other than my mom...so maybe it's genetic.
• You're talking has skyrocketed since the pacifier took its exit.  It's insane.  Your father turned to me during a particularly talkative car ride and said in a voice that mimicked mine "Ben, do you  think he'll ever talk?"
• Whenever we ask you where your baby sister is, you lift up your shirt, point to your belly and say, "in Eli's tummy". 
• I'm trying to be consistent with church nursery, so you'll get over your fear.  I don't think I've heard an entire sermon from beginning to end in the last two months. 
• Your current toy obsession is your water table that your grandma and grandpa bought you at a garage sale.  You brave the vampire mosquitoes just to be able to play outside with it.  
• You went to Lake Michigan for the first time with mama and some of her college friends.  You l-o-v-e-d it, as well as my friend Mandy's little girl, you little Casanova, you.
• Count down to big-brother duty (hee hee - duty) - 2 months.