I've been busy...

I really have a good excuse for my ongoing gaps in blogging lately:

That's right...Bebe Cox is on his way (I don't know that it is a boy yet, it's just all I have ever known so will have to stick with that for now until they tell me otherwise)! 13 weeks along now and about the turn the corner in to the glorious 2nd Trimester. So far this pregnancy feels like the others (which is why I feel like this could be another boy)...no weird food issues, except that I can't bring myself to drink water, which is actually kind of weird since that is pretty much the only thing I normally drink.

I have had 2 u/s's at my OB office and went for my first Specialist appt last week...everything is looking great so far. So, this has helped to ease the anxiety that pregnancy naturally causes me. And luckily, I am so busy I don't have much time to sit and worry!

This little peanut has been on the go with me...Minneapolis, Chicago, DC...a Sugarland concert...2 different Girls Weekends with HS friends...2 wedding receptions..it's been a busy couple of months.

We are really excited about this baby and can't wait to meet the newest Cox in April!

Look...he has my feet! :)

Happy Birthday "Manda"!

Saturday was Amanda's 2nd birthday party! Nate had been going through his list of names all morning..."Manda", "Jackson", "Miss Susan", etc...so I know he was excited. She had a fun backyard party with Bubble Machines and Water Toys and there were lots of kids to play with. But with all that set up for excitement, Nate had a bad day...he was "that kid" at the party, the one that pitches a fit when you take a toy away from him, wants to be inside when everyone else is outside (or vice versa), he just didn't feel like being social. I have my lists of excuses* as to why he acted the way he did but the fact of the matter was he simply misbehaved and he wasn't himself.

But despite Nate having an off day, it was still a great party!

The Birthday Girl!

Nate actually playing with someone - what set the tone for the day was her doll that he didn't want to let go of and insisted on trying to get her in the water. Nothing like wrestling a doll out of your son's hands at a party!

Finally, a cupcake made everything better.

*Nate's 2 yr molars have been coming in (I can only assume since there is no chance of being able to see back there - but he has been chewing on his fingers and anything else he can get back there, he even found a pacifier today and chewed on it all morning, and he has been more irritable than normal). Has anyone else experienced a tough time with teething at this stage? He always had a hard time when teeth were coming in but I don't hear as much about toddlers being as bothered by them...

I'm A Big Kid Now!

Warning - this posting may not be suitable for readers who are not parents of a toddler or infant...

So, if you couldn't tell, I needed to give a brief update on Nate's potty training progress. Nate has become more and more interested in sitting on the potty this week. He will go in the bathroom, sit down, read a book, play with his trains...just hang out, to the point a few times I have actually had to make him get up. So, I thought this was good progress...I wasn't pushing him to actually "go" necessarily (a little encouragement was certainly provided, but that wasn't the intent) we were just getting used to sitting on it and getting comfortable with the idea. Well, on Saturday morning it was time for a routine "sitting" and no sooner than his cheeks hit the little seat did he start tinkling! (Of course the little "shield" wasn't on so it was messier then I had hoped, but I guess that is the joy of little boys.) I was thrilled and a little shocked! I might have scared him. I was just so happy that he did it and that gave me the hope that there would be a light at the end of this tunnel and maybe it wasn't as far away as I imagined. But I wasn't quite ready to put on the big boy Thomas undies (oh yes, Nena already bought him a set) just yet...

Today, we went through the same routine and...nothing. He would tell me he had to go after the fact. But I knew this was a game of patience so I wasn't discouraged. And then, tonight we were sitting at dinner and he said "poo poo" (which typically means he had already gone) so I made a big production of getting up and running to the potty...I take the diaper off and nothing...so he sits down, we read a book together and - MAGIC - he goes!!! I was so proud and he was really proud of himself too! I realize this is far more info than anyone reading wants to know but as a mother, I have to say, this was one of those amazing milestone moments. It was a moment where we achieved something we were working on together but it was also this bittersweet moment of realizing our baby is growing up and the diaper phase may already be coming to an end soon. But for now, I am just proud. (And yes, I know that he may not actually do this again for another week but I am going to keep on with my wishful thinking for now!)

Now I have to figure out how to get him to stand?? He knows to do it - he says "Boys stand, Girls sit" (a line from his favorite Potty Book) - and he has tried but he isn't as inclined to actually go that way (and we tried the step stool to the big potty and that wasn't happening). So, if anyone has any boy pee pee tips, I am all ears!