Family Time

 

 

This week, our nephew Liam turned two!  We had a great time celebrating his birthday.  :-)  Tyler was very helpful, bringing all of the presents over to Liam one at a time, and helping to blow out the candles.  :-)  He loved sitting with Liam and playing with his new birthday gifts.  We attempted a group photo, for which Tyler wasn't super cooperative.  But when I took photos of Dan's mom, Liam, & Tyler, Dan made him smile by dancing the way that he did on the pirate ship when we were at the beach this summer.  :-)  We got to see the end of the Redskins game, which was very exciting.  I told Dan's mom it was the first time in the (almost) ten years Dan and I have been together, that I have watched tv at her house!  I remember Dan and I watching a movie once the first year we were together, but never tv!  :-)

 

Tyler spent a few hours with my parents (and had a great time!) while Dan and I celebrated the ten year anniversary of the day we met, which is actually next week.  Dan was very patient and cooperative for a photo session before we left for our date & my dad did a great job as the photographer.  :-)  We had dinner at Macaroni Grill & went shopping at Carters & Target, before picking up cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory.  We agreed it was a very random date, but so nice to be able to spend time just the two of us! 

 

This will be such a perfect Christmas card photo (kidding)  :-)

October is...

October is SIDs, Pregnancy, & Infant Loss Awareness month.  Every day this month I have thought about how different this October has felt, being seven months pregnant, compared to last October, when we were struggling with the loss of our second pregnancy.

I had no idea, before experiencing pregnancy loss, that with any pregnancy, no matter how short or long, you count the 40 weeks as they go by.  And how different it feels to say, “I should be 31 weeks pregnant today,” instead of, “I am 31 weeks pregnant today.”

I had no idea that even though you can think of thirty people who have experienced the same type of loss you are experiencing, you still feel so alone.  Because you wonder, “Who is feeling this right now, like I am?” and you have no idea, because people rarely share what they are going through.

I had no idea that hearing about people expecting babies, near or after what should have been your due date, can make you cry.  That you can feel happy for someone and congratulate them, while still aching for your own lost baby.  And it makes you wonder about your own healthy pregnancies, and your own happy news, and who may be hurting.

I had no idea that when you’re lucky enough to be expecting again, especially after month after month of disappointment, there is still so much fear.  How the thought of the eight week ultrasound is almost unbearable, because you can’t imagine experiencing the same pain again. 

I had no idea how many times during a healthy pregnancy you’ll be asked, “Number of pregnancies?” and how you have to say or write, “third pregnancy” over and over again, while feeling the need to add, “But we have one child at home.”

I just had no idea.  My heart breaks for anyone who has faced the heartache of pregnancy, infant, or child loss, and for anyone who is struggling to get pregnant or longing for a baby.  Your sadness matters.  Your loss matters.  We feel loss when there is love.

 

 

Pretty Trees

 

There are gorgeous fall trees in our neighborhood.  We always watch for them because they last less than a week.  I try to take Tyler each year to get a cute picture of him, and this year I knew I needed some assistance.  Luckily, Dan's mom was able to come with us and she made Tyler smile by dropping leaves on his head.  :-)

 

Sprinkle #1

 

My moms group had a sprinkle for me, which was so much fun!!  We played a celebrity baby game, decorated adorable onesies, and enjoyed all of my favorite party food (they were sweet to let me make requests!)  They were also very patient while posing in multiple photos until we got one that I liked.  ;-)  I wore the same shirt I wore to my school baby shower when I was pregnant with Tyler.  :-)  They gave me a lot of adorable baby gifts & essentials!  I promised Tyler that when he woke up the day after the sprinkle, I would show him everything.  He was happy to sit on all of the tissue paper.  :-)

 

 

Tyler's Preschool Pictures :-)

 

We are so, so happy that Tyler is enjoying preschool, and that he has such nice teachers and classmates.  When I dropped him off the other day, three of the children said, "Hi Tyler!" as soon as he got out of the car.  :-)  We love his preschool pictures!

Fall Days

 

 

 

 Tyler was so excited for preschool this week because he knew he'd get to meet real fire fighters!  He also got to go on their fire truck & they gave each student a fireman hat.  :-)  He decided to wear his fireman outfit to school that day, which his teachers loved.  He also went on a nature hike at school one day, which means we now have laminated leaves on our refrigerator.  :-) 

He went to his favorite indoor playground for the first time in weeks, and he had his friends, Noah & Alex, over to play.  We also went to Noah & Alex's house for a playdate, where he got to see Zachary & Austin too.  He took two trips to the school playground with Dan, while I prepped for my photo shoot one day, then edited the next.  :-)  We took a trip to the pier and to the volleyball court, & he loved spending time with my mom while I went to my 30 week (!) appointment.  :-)

 

School Picture Day :-)

 

This week Tyler had his first school picture day.  I can't wait to see the picture!  (He told me there was a picture of the whole group too.)  :-)  He was a good sport about taking a bath and having his hair washed before school, which we don't normally do. 

 

After many weeks of having Tyler's "city" set up all over our middle floor, I started warning Tyler that the "cleaning fairy" would soon be making a visit to our house.  With the city all set up, Tyler didn't want to have any friends over, and it was time for us to have some guests!  It took me every second of my two hour preschool break to clean.  Tyler was much less grumpy when he got home than I predicted.  He told Dan later that the cleaning fairy did an especially good job moving all of his army guys up to his room (without knocking them over!)  ;-)  I had forgotten how happy it makes me to have a clean house...even if it only lasts for a few minutes. 

 

He had his friends Noah, Alex, Zachary, and Austin over the following day.  He also took two trips to the school playground with Dan, while I spent all weekend traveling to and from photo shoots and editing!  :-)  Tyler had Columbus Day off from preschool, which we celebrated with a trip to Target (one of Tyler's favorite places to go!).  Poor Dan had to work, but we are counting down to Veterans Day, when he will be off.  :-)