Weekend Review

After an unusual week where Adam & I were on back-to-back business trips, we made a point of spending some quality family time together this weekend.  It was a welcome change after the multiple, do-nothing lazy weekends we have had since the holidays.  On Saturday morning I went to a consignment sale, and boy did I score big!  I got clothes and shoes for Oliver & Devon, along with toys, and lots of other fun things.  An Elmo shirt ($1.50) and new ride on toy ($3.50) -- Oliver was in HEAVEN!  He is absolutely in love with the small piano too ($5) -- SCORE!  I think I'm becoming a consignment junkie! 

After I got back, Adam joined Oliver & I for a walk to the Farmers Market.  It was nice making the trip as a family for a change.

On Sunday, we took Pauline & Oliver to Baltimore to the acquarium and then had lunch along the Inner Harbor.  This was the second time that I was a bit underwhelmed by both the aquarium and the Dolphin show, but it was a worthwhile family trip.  Unfortunately, the lighting inside wasn't very photo-friendly.

Life is about to get MUCH more interesting....

"Adventures in Parenting" seems like a particularly appropriate name for our blog, as life is about to get MUCH more interesting around here this summer.  For those of you that may not know yet, we're expecting twins in June!!! It is fraternal boys, which makes me seriously outnumbered!  But Oliver will be in heaven, once he adjusts to the shock!

It seems, twins come, on average, 3-5weeks early, depending on which pregnancy book you read.  My due date isn't until July 8th, but full term is considered 38th weeks for twins, so my C-section will likely be the week of June 18th, assuming I can hold 'em in that long.  I'm hoping that Oliver dissinterest in ever leaving the womb works to my advantage. 

I'm 15 weeks along and managed to get out of the first trimester with symptoms that weren't much worse than the first time around.  Of course, its tough to tell if the increased exhaustion is due to chasing a toddler around or from the twins!  The babies are the size of avocados (every week I'm told a different fruit/produce they are the size of) and I have recently started to feel them kick/fight.  I'm only up about 10lbs and keep reading that the more weight I put on early on, the better the chances of the babies making it to full term.  I never knew it could be so much WORK to eat more. 

I'm not going to post pregnancy photos often, but since I wasn't showing at Christmas when we saw family, and I am now, I thought I would go ahead and do so.  Depending on what I wear, you can't even really tell that I'm pregnant, since I'm once again carrying high and tight. 

Snow Fun

Yesterday, we finally got some snow in Philly.  It wasn't much (just 2 inches) and the sleet quickly turned it into a sheet of slippery ice, but we made an effort to get outside regardless.  Oliver & I went the Farmers Market in the morning (our usual Saturday morning routine).  I ended up having to carry him most of the way there.  As soon as we hit the first unshoveled area (two doors down from us) he insisted "Carry you" (he gets his prepositions wrong).  A few blocks from the house, and only halfway to the Farmers Market, I was worried that the outing was going to turn out to be a huge mistake.  Thankfully, we was much more cooperative and willing to walk on the way home. 

After family naptime, Pauline, Oliver, & I went outside to watch Adam clear our walkway.  I love these two photos - classic Oliver expressions.  All in all, Oliver wasn't a big fan of being IN the snow, he just enjoyed being around it.  He spent the better part of our time outside on our front stoop.  Such a shame, because I was so happy to have scored these snow pants at the Junior League Thrift Shop ($4!) and it really wouldn't have mattered what he was wearing, since he was barely in the snow. 

The highlight for Oliver was being given chunks of ice by Adam to throw down on the ground and shatter. 

Taking Turns

Oliver decided that Kermie should take a turn on the Radio Flyer - how cute!

Latest Hobby: STICKERS!

Oliver has been on a sticker-kick lately.  Stickers are much prefered to coloring and he's starting to get the hang of getting them off the paper himself, which will be great, because then he can really entertain himself.  At any given time, Adam & I are usually wearing no less than 5 stickers (I have a happy face on my cheek right now!) and we are finding them all over the place. 

 We have a roll of IKEA paper and are constantly taping it down to his little table, so we don't  have to worry about how neatly he colors.  This is what it looks like after about two days!

Christmas Cuteness Report & Sick Boy

Since the Christmas tree came down a little over a week ago, Oliver has asked "Christmas Tree?" every time we have brought him downstairs.  Poor lil' guy misses the lights.  Today, he & Pauline were playing with his Thomas Train and he took the little evergreen, announced "Christmas Tree" and put in the corner of the living room where we had kept the tree.  How darn cute is that????

In other news, I had to take him to the pediatrician this AM.  Turns out Oliver has not only the eye infection we suspected, but also an ear infection (so swollen the doc couldn't believe he hadn't been complaining more) and eczyma.  Poor kid! And here we've been complaining about how frequently he has been getting us up at night lately.  

Oliver is still just above the 10% percentile for weight - he doesn't even weigh 24lbs!  But the doc assured me that toddlers often plateau and the illness hasn't helped his appetite any.  Turns out the eye/ear infections are viral related back to when he was sick on Christmas Eve! 

The doc mentioned multiple times how impressive Oliver's vocabulary and verbal skills were.  {Beaming Mommy!}  The two of us were having trouble getting a word in, Oliver was so chatty while we were there (I wonder where he gets that from?).  He kept telling us "baby scared" because we could hear a screaming infant in the room next door.  Apparently, he is speaking at a 3year old level - I wish I could take credit, but I think that's more luck of the draw and not related to any stupendous parenting efforts.  Whatever, I'll take the credit!  Hey -its my blog, I can brag if I want to!

Milestones: Big Boy! (20 & 21 Month Recap)

Oliver is growing up so fast!!! Do I say that every month? I wish we could just freeze time and enjoy this cuteness a little bit longer before the temper tantrums really arrive.  

Video: Counting and Hide & Seek

Oliver's latest favorite game is playing Hide & Seek.  We started with Adam hiding, but the options were pretty limited for where he would fit in Oliver's room.  Then we played with Ricardo the monkey.  That got too easy, so now we play with one of his "Little People" 

The game is a great opportunity to work on his counting (we make him count to ten before he can start looking) which he can do it in both English AND German, with a little help!  It's also a great way to learn words like on, above, behind, below, next to, etc... 

I finally got out the video camera to document - enjoy!  (You will need to turn your volume up to hear the counting in the beginning of the second one)

POTD: Sugary cuteness

Today I took Pauline to the bank.  As soon as we walked in Oliver was asking for you a lollipop.  I couldn't believe he remembered the lollipop from when we opened up Katharina's bank account in August (this kid!).  I am not be getting any Parent of the Year award giving him candy before noon, but he was downright angelic while we got everything situated - thank goodness for WetOnes!

Christmas Day - the Main Event

I'm somewhat belated in posting photos from Christmas Day, but time just seems to be whizzing by.  This is the first time I/we woke up in my/our own house on Christmas morning in over a decade and it was such a treat!  We had a low-key present exchange, as we didn't get Oliver too much and Adam & I decided to take it easy with big expenses in our future.