Warren Story

It was a typical morning at our house...we were in the kitchen eating breakfast. Warren and I were talking about something or other, when Rhys started asking for some apple juice. Warren, continuing to chat with me, got up and grabbed the juice from the fridge. Clearly no longer paying attention to what he was doing, he grabbed a small blue bowl from the cupboard and started to pour the apple juice into it. I started laughing, and he looked down to see what he had done. He hung his head with embarrassment, chuckled, and then walked over to the other cupboard and grabbed a cup.

Rhys: No! Want bowl! Want boooowl!

Warren: No, Rhys. Daddy is getting you a cup.

Rhys: Bowl! Want bowl!

Amanda: Rhys...we drink juice out of cups, not bowls. Daddy is getting you a cup.

Rhys: No, no, no...want boooooowl!

Amanda: (exasperated that her ‘reasoning’ and ‘logic’ wasn’t working) Now Rhys, cups were designed for –

Warren: (cuts Amanda off) Oh – let him drink his juice out of a bowl. He’s like Steve Jobs. He’s thinking outside of the box.

Ooookay then.

Paddington Watch, 27 weeks

27 weeks (6 months, 3 weeks)

I cannot believe it's been 7 weeks since my last Paddington update. Seriously - this pregnancy is whizzing by me in a blur. Yet, at the same time, when I think that I've been pregnant since before Mother's Day, I can't help but feel like I've been pregnant forever.

The Good

I'm at the 'can feel the baby moving all the time' phase. This is the part I think a lot of women miss later on. This is the part we yearn for when our babies have grown up a little. Last night, in bed, I grabbed Warren's hand and placed it on my bare belly so he could feel Paddington pushing and bouncing around in there. The baby seems to get very active around 10pm, when I'm settling into bed, so it was the perfect opportunity to lay there, quietly, and connect with our little boy together.

The Bad

My body is not holding up well this time around, I'm afraid. My bones hurt - especially my shins and hips. My lower back aches all the time, and sometimes when I'm walking, or standing up after sitting for a while, I literally need to support my back with my hands and waddle. Other times, I get sharp, sudden pangs of pain that shoot out from my tail bone - almost like a pinched nerve. I feel like a senior citizen. And not the 'ran my first marathon at the age of 70' type of senior citizen. This is also pushing me into that awful stage of pregnancy where I start to wonder 'Is my body ready for the physical demands of labour and delivery? Will my body ever feel fit and strong again? Is this damage permanent?'

The Ugly

I would say, without question, the biggest difference I notice between my pregnancy with Rhys, and this one, is my mood(s). I feel like a grade-A bi*tch most of the time. I'm extremely hormonal and it's not uncommon for me to be on the floor crying while I screw a new light bulb into the floor lamp. I'm snippy with the adults around me (read: Warren and my mom). I have zero patience or empathy. Oh, sorry, you feel light headed and tired? Suck it up. I work full-time, have a 2 year old and I'm nearly 7 months pregnant - what's your excuse?

What I'm Worried About

I call Paddington my 'Sugar Baby', because my sweet tooth these days is seriously out of control. I could eat sugar non-stop all day, and some days - I kind of do. Sour soothers and chocolate covered blueberries are a daily treat. I don't say no to donuts as often as I should (read: hardly ever). Recently at a 4 year old's birthday party I wanted a second piece of cake so bad, that I cut a second helping for myself under the guise that Rhys 'wanted some more icing'. I didn't want to admit I was the cliche pregnant woman who wanted more cake. Anyway, I'm worried Paddington will come out as a rolly-polly 10-pounder who looks more like a 3 month old and won't fit any of the newborn onesies. And my senior citizen body probably won't be able to push out a baby that big.

What I'm Excited About

I'm excited to see what Paddington looks like. All I can picture is Rhys. I look at my friends' kids, and they are all unique and special and distinct from their siblings, so it's fun to try and guess how he'll be different from his brother. I'm excited that this time around a newborn might not be as shocking to our system as it was the first time. I'm excited to see this baby through Rhys' eyes. But most of all - I am so excited to have a family of four. To be complete. To be 'The Cronins'.

It's A Weave, Baby.

I think we all remember this traumatizing day from a couple years ago...the day I went to the hairdresser and asked 'for a change':

Well, after nearly two years of 'giving it a fair chance', and then deciding to grow it back out, I decided to take matters into my own hands... and I got a weave.

Gotta say...I finally feel like my old self for the first time in a LONG time. Having a weave isn't awesome - I'd much rather it be all my own hair - but it's a fun temporary fix.

Like Oprah says, "A woman's hair is her crowning glory".

Now that I'm past the 'permi-headache-feels-like-I'm-wearing-a-wig' phase....I feel like a queen again.

More Fun with Photo Booth

Photo Booth has me wondering...how did parents entertain their children before Mac came along?

More Lovestruck:

Rhys loves the birdies flying around his head. He actually 'swats' at them:

Cutest Bug Eyes I've ever seen: