An overdue update.

So sorry for the delay in posting since we heard about our new baby girl.  This pregnancy, like neither of the boys', has seriously taken it out of me, preventing me from actually sitting at the computer to write something, much less actually download (and take) pictures of the cute things the boys are up to.  I'll try to do some quick updating today.

I am now 22 weeks with this little girl.  I've been able to exercise regularly with this pregnancy, and thanks to not working downtown full time anymore, have been able to eat somewhat decently as well.  I should be feeling awesome, but I have been so tired I can't see straight.  Literally-- I was extremely dizzy all the time, and starting seeing black spots and stars quite frequently.  Anyway, it turns out I am anemic with this one, so thankfully, iron pills should be a quick and very easy fix.  I also have a theory that I am just worn from a 3rd pregnancy in as many years, and the fact that, gasp, I am actually getting older. 

Which brings me to the fact that in less than 6 months I will be turning 3-0.  ick.  I don't know why, but I am having sort of a hard time with this.  I am the youngest in my "grade," so nearly all of my friends are already 30, or will be by the time I hit the milestone, so why is it a big deal for me?  I don't know, i have some theories, most of them are superficial and vain, so I won't divulge.  Anyway, my pregnancy theory is, the closer I come to 30, the more tired I am in this pregnancy.  Make sense? 

I definitely have a belly, and lots and lots of back-aches (again, the worn theory), which I didn't have as much with the boys.  My sweet-tooth has made a reappearance, as well as my "hearty" appetite.  Besides the debilitating fatigue and back aches, I'm hitting the fun part of pregnancy when you can eat a whole lot, and since you're showing, most people are more than happy to indulge your whims.  Yesssssssssss.

In little-boy news, our guys are doing great.  Jamesie is still almost completely non-verbal as we draw near his 2nd birthday, but I made a list of his signs (to show the doctor at his 2-yr appointment) the other day, and he has almost 50 signs he uses regularly!  They are all super cute, especially the ones that make him smush his chubby little hand next to his chubby little cheeks and look at us with a tilted head.  Irresistible.  He understands everything we ask him to do, and is mostly compliant.  Although, when he chooses to act like a typical 2-year-old, we have noticed he is nearly impervious to discipline methods that worked like a charm on Sean.  He seems to think time-outs in the time-out chair are really cool, because that's what Seannie does.  He will point to the chair and gladly walk there himself, sit on it, swinging his feet, looking around.  So, we've moved time-out to a pack-n-play to enforce the idea of boundaries (i guess).  It seems to bother him a little bit more, but nothing that seems to be making an impact.  Hand-squeezes are the source of giggles.  Any other ideas for an almost-two-year-old?

Sean is hilarious and getting smarter everyday.  He loves his school, and has renewed his love for his betrothed, Greta.  We skyped with Greta the other day and before we started he said, "Oh, Mommy, I know, we should talk about me marrying Greta when we skype today."  As in, we just need to get all those details sorted out so we can move forward with the wedding.  On skype Greta and Sean danced together, which was amazingly cute-- they each showed eachother some moves then simultaneously danced.  Sean asked to see Greta's "princess stuff" and bike helmet, and Sean showed her every toy in our family room.  After the call ended, Sean's face slowly and silently scrunched up and the tears started falling.  It was the saddest, most pathetic cry I've ever seen.  He laid his head on my shoulder for about 30 minutes crying, saying "I miss Greta" after that.  That afternoon he got on the phone with Cody at work and said "I miss Greta, Daddy."  Cody said he did too, and Sean said, "I know, Daddy."  For about the last week Sean has intermittently stated "I still miss Greta," and has asked to use the pink bowl and plate in the multi-colored set "to remind me of Greta."  The other day he was building "rockets" with bristle blocks and I said maybe you can build rockets when you grow up.  He thought that sounded like a good idea, but asked, "Mommy, can you still get married if you build rocket ships?"  When I said yes (we talk about the vocation of priesthood a lot), he said, "good, because then I will still marry Greta."  Poor kid. 

I promise I'll post pics soon. 

In the meantime, I'm requesting prayers for Sister as she is anxiously awaiting her very own baby girl!  She is days away from her due date with a very large gestating baby inside.  I am on a several-times-a-day calling schedule--just to check in.  Please offer a prayer for her right now that all goes well and its not too much longer.