Memory catching

I was reading through some blog posts from the end of Aleesia’s pregnancy. So many things are so similar right now – and I’ll get to that, but first – some memory catching NEEDS to happen.

Things to remember about Gianna:

• The age of five is seriously great. She is such a grown up kid but still very much my little girl. Our conversations are hilariously logical and I wish I could record all of them! Lately she has been ending stories she tells me with “it was classic” or “you just wouldn’t believe it”
• She still mispronounces some things. For example, she made a pilgrim bonnet at school and kept telling me it was a vomit! And a bench = vench.
• Gianna LOVES to just rock out in the car. Taylor Swift is a big favorite of hers, but she will sing along to any song she hears and she usually asks me to turn it up!
• She can tell a story with her eyes – they sparkle when she is excited, they show every ounce of frustration or sadness before she says anything at all, they light up when she is surprised or happy. Those blue eyes are the key to her heart and sole, no doubt about it.
• Gianna is a wonderful big sister. She is helpful and caring and nurturing. She also likes her space, which is okay.
• She still loves to help clean and to just generally be helpful! She is so proud of herself when she is a good helper.
• Her dream is to be a ballerina one day. And maybe a horse rider or a pop star.
• Gianna has one of the most vivid imaginations and it comes out in so many ways – she will play with her toys for hours on end making up stories/adventures for them, she likes to color/create things and she makes up songs.
• The older she gets, the more she likes to snuggle up together.

Things to remember about Aleesia:

• The age of 1.5 is so super fun and Aleesia is on a serious language explosion. I can’t possibly list all of the words that she can say but new favorites are “sinta” (santa), “thank you mommy/welcome mommy” (she says them all together!), “muncle” (uncle), “selsa” (Elsa), “nakey” (naked). Not a word really, but she likes to sing too and will randomly sing parts of ‘Let it go’ and the thinking chair song from blues clues!
• If Gianna has it, she wants, or wants to be looking at it/playing with it. She for sure looks up to her big sister.
• Coloring is one of her favorite things to do. And puzzles.
• We are getting into independent play and it is really fun to watch her play and imagine as well. Tonight, in fact, she put an Ariel doll to bed before we went into her room!
• She is still the sweetest snuggler I have ever met!
• Binkie and blankie are never far from her, although we are getting to the point where binkie needs to stay in bed when she is awake because we don’t want her to talk with it in her mouth. Although, admittedly, I am slacking on enforcing this at the moment but plan to get a lot more serious about it when I am home with the baby!
• She loves shoes and clothes. But mostly, she loves accessories. She wakes up every morning and says “I wanna bow” and makes just about anything into a pretty!
• Aleesia also has a big personality – she knows when she is being bad and has this look that she will give you that makes you want to scream and crack up laughing at the same time. She has a big time pouty lip and can bring on the crocodile tears easily. She also just started literally dropping to the floor or putting her head in her hands when you tell her no as if you just devastated her beyond repair! She also has such a big, bright smile and bright eyes that you can’t be mad at her for long.

To remember about this pregnancy:

• I have felt so good (with a few exceptions) the entire time. Seriously, I don’t have a thing to complain about.
• Except the heartburn – but I know she has hair so it’s worth it, right?!
• I am 38 weeks pregnant and my feet just started to swell and I am just starting to really “feel” as pregnant as I am. But my wedding rings still fit!
• This little lady is no different than her sisters in that she is super super active and strong! And she also prefers to lay on the right side.
• There hasn’t been much focusing on being pregnant, which I think attributes to how good I feel, but every day on my way to and from work I enjoy the quiet time with her and usually have my hand on my stomach as I drive.
• I am not sleeping much these days, which isn’t very fun, but she is so active sometimes at night one swift kick to the ribs or punch to the hip wakes me up!
• Her big sisters are very excited to meet her. Gianna can.not.freaking.wait until she gets here and Aleesia, well, she has no real idea of what is happening but she’s excited because Gianna is.
• My hair was fabulous until a week or so ago – I want my nice pregnancy hair back!
• My stomach is much rounder this time than I remember it being before. And I apparently look like I am going to give birth at any moment the way people have been acting!
• I’m starting to get a little cranky/extra hormonal but I know that has a lot to do with the holiday season, constantly doing all the things that need to get done, and just you know being unavoidably tired!

To remember about life in general – it is so good right now! We all have our moments and not all the days are great, but I can’t truly remember being this happy and content with the way life is playing out around me – possibly ever. I know a lot of that is my general outlook on things, but it’s also a lot of hard work that has paid off to get us here. While I could do without winter and a little more certainty around when my newest peanut will be coming out to meet us, there is just so much to be thankful and joyful for I feel like I am living in an alternate universe sometimes! But I sure am enjoying the ride.