Wow, I can't believe it's been 2 months since I've posted anything about the pregnancy! Time has really been flying by! I really can't believe that, in just 68 days, we'll have a another little baby. If 7 months has flown by this quickly, then 68 days will seem like next week!
I've had a few OB appointments since my last post and everything is still just as it should be. This has been just a routine, normal, healthy pregnancy so far so I guess that helps explain the lack of posts. I would just be reporting the same thing each time :) The baby is super active and seems like she is constantly doing somersaults in there! I'm visiting the doctor every 2 weeks now (next one is this Thursday) and we are still set to deliver on Aug 28th.
Since my last post, I've been super busy every week mainly just doing things with Ellie. I realize that this is really my last carefree time with her and I want to enjoy the spring/summer with her as much as possible. Our days have been filled with the Zoo, Children's Museum, different parks, our neighborhood pool etc. I also set up a sand table and water table outside and my Dad put together a cute little playhouse so we really have been enjoying the outside as much as possible.
When we're home, I've been trying to get things done around the house. Ellie's "big girl" room is finally done and even so is the nursery (except for paint). We kept Ellie's new room a surprise from her until it was completely done and I thought she would absolute love it...but it really wasn't such a hit! I think it was just too much all at once to spring on her. She loved the doll house but wanted nothing to do with her new bed. We couldn't even get her to sit on it! I tried for about a week to get her to sleep in there and she did lay down long enough for me to read her her nightly story but then she was right back up again. We we're making the mistake of calling her new bed the "big girl bed" and the crib "baby sister's crib". I realized one night when she woke up screaming in the middle of the night and then refused to lay back in the crib because it was "baby sister's crib" that we were doing it all wrong. I felt terrible for making her feel bad about choosing to sleep in the only bed she's ever known and decided to completely stop pushing for her to leave the crib. It wasn't even a week later that she actually asked to sleep in her new bed! Now, I spent most of the night on the floor next to her (not easy while big and pregnant!) because she still tried to get up several times...but she did make it through a whole night! Since then, I give her a choice every night and she mostly still chooses the crib but has spent maybe 4 or 5 complete nights in her bed. Ellie spent the first 7 months in a co-sleeper in our room and I'm sure we'll do the same for this baby so there really needn't be any rush.
So, that's one of first lessons I've learned about having another child. It doesn't automatically make the first one grow up any faster. It doesn't make her any more ready for things that she is not ready for (ie POTTY TRAINING) and the urgency that I feel for her to do these things is lost on her. It only caused unnecessary anxiety for her and incredible GUILT for me. From now on, I will not push Ellie to grow up too fast and will do my best to let her set her own pace. Her world is going to be turned upside down in a couple of months and I need to do everything I can to make it as less traumatic as possible for her. How to do that? I'm not sure... :) I already feel bad when I'm doing things just to prepare for the baby (setting up the nursery, going through clothes, putting equipment back together) and Ellie wants my attention. I can't imagine how Ellie will feel when the new baby is in need of almost all of my attention. I'm sure it will good for her in the long run to not always have my full attention but it is sure going to be an adjustment for her. When I look at the overall picture, though, I feel really blessed that that is my biggest worry. I'm NOT worried about how we are going to afford this new baby, whether we have the room for her or not, who is going to take care of her, or if my husband in is in this for the long haul... It's a reality that some women have those worries and I'm forever grateful that I don't have to have them on top of worrying how I could possibly have enough time and love to go all around.
I truly am blessed. Only 2 months to go!!!
