23 months!

Miss Ana-bear, Ana-boo and Ana-babe is 23 months!

Well, she's turning 2 in three days. So per usual, I'm doing her monthly update way late.

She is ... CUTER THAN EVER (said me, every month). Photographic evidence follows:

Posing like such a little lady.

Seriously though. James and I dropped her off with Grandma Leese and Grandbob a few weeks ago while we ran up to Whole Foods for our quarterly splurge, and she fell asleep there, as we expected her to. Jim and I grabbed a bite afterward and we didn't get back to RO until probably 9 or 9:30. So we picked her up out of the Pack n Play, transferred her (half-asleep) to the car and started driving back home. (I call this "Von Trapping," as in, the Von Trapp family, per Sound of Music -- when you sneak off into the night). Anyway, we were backing out of the driveway, evading Nazis, etc., when we just heard this tiny, sleepy little voice say in a near-whisper, "Bye, Meese. Bye, Bob."

Is that not the sweetest thing?

She'll do the same thing with "friends." ... "Bye Dipsy!" she shouts to her green "Tubby" as we leave my parents' house each Wednesday morning.

Or James and Ana will be playing at Target while I shop, and Anz will find me in an aisle and go, "MAMA! MAMA! HI! HI!" And she runs up to me with such vigor and love. Omg, it warms my heart.

Just today, we were eating McDonalds (I'm mom of the year over here, I know), and I said, "Look Ana! You've got fries and mama's got fries!" She thought about it long and hard for a minute, then gave me a sassy little head shake, lifted her fry to mine and said, "CHEERS!"

And we clinked fries. OMG. I was laughing so hard!

I shouldn't be *that* impressed by all these little things, though.

I mean, girlfriend's basically speaking in sentences most days. Here are a few: "I did it!"  "I like Street!" (Street is Sesame Street, for reference). "Here you go!"  "What happened?"  "Where's Daddy?"  (Or when I tell her I'm gonna come get her: "I'll get YOUUU!") James and I keep lol'ing at that last one. She said it to me when she was strapped into her car seat, so I was like, "COME TRY ME, BEAR!"

Live bear!

She loves the concept of family, too. "Mama, dada, Ana, FAMY."

The other day, I even asked, "Who else is going to be in our family pretty soon?" And I kid you not, Emily as my witness, she replied, "BABY!" I went on to ask her if it would be a boy or a girl, and she said "SISTER" pretty clearly. Again, no exagg! Emily was THERE. We clarified and she said, "girl!"

Then the next morning, James asked her the same thing, and she stuck with her gut: "Seester!" She wants us to name her Juicy. <--- lolol

It was only a few hours later that she changed her vote and started saying brother. (We'll name him "Cider," she says).  Still, we're at 2 votes from Ana that it's a girl, vs. 1 vote that it's a boy. So who knows.

... I can't believe it's Dec. 5. (Also, this was my due date with Ana!)

My due date for #2 is less than a month away. I'm on weekly ob-gyn appointments. The baby will be here like, SOON. Is that surreal for anyone else? (S)he feels so much higher up this time. I was woken up this morning by some really high kicks to the rib cage. I was like, "How did you even get UP there?" I realize it's just the feet, but ... hmmm. And ouch.

We're pretty excited over here! (Not that we've done much around the house. We'll get there, right?) Just gotta get through Ana's birthday.

Beep beep!

Changing gears, back to the ANA part of our Ana blog, for about the fifth or sixth time now, James and I have been all, "K this is finally it. She's getting sick. Let's take her temperature and finally buy a nose Freida and get into high gear." Two weekends ago, after almost a full work week spent living at my parents' for the holiday, Anz seemed so stuffy and run down, once we finally returned home. She even slept with us (basically on top of me, which is comfortable when you're 34 weeks pregnant), one night, which was just like, the worst.*

*I mean, I obviously love looking over at that little face, and she seemed to actually sleep in our bed, unlike in her crib. But I had no space to myself, she was waking up with tears on the hour, and it was all just so unlike her.  :(

So the next morning, Anz and I shared plenty of cuddles on the couch, I got her to eat some breakfast, we played quietly for a bit and I put her down for her afternoon nap a little earlier than usual -- just as a test.

(Also, we had tried to take her temp, but I could only find her pacifier thermometer, which she kept fiddling with and spitting out. We got every reading from 93 degrees to 103 degrees. Naturally, we were like, "Whatever, let's deal with it later," and never got around to it). She did feel hot. I Motrined her on two separate occasions.

... But anyway, yeah. This is where her sick story ends. Because she honestly woke up from her nap completely cured and back to her crazy little self.

Maybe it was the Motrin? It hadn't even been 24 hours of the yuckies. Or maybe we were RIGHT at the one-day mark? Regardless, Anz woke up and was just like, "I'm baaaack!" Jumping in her crib, acting nuts, no longer feeling warm to the touch, no more stuffiness, full of energy and life.

Like I said, this has been our experience her entire life with the bear getting "sick."

She'll be kind of symptomatic for anywhere from an hour to a day, and then just as we think to investigate further, she's over it. Ain't nobody got time for that. I realize she doesn't do day care, which a lot of people like to credit for her good health, but I swear, this girl has the immune system of a straight champion. And plus, just because she's not in day care ... I still take her out plenty and we're really not all that clean around here.

(I mean, we're not *religiously* clean. We obviously tidy up daily, bathe her, do all the things we're supposed to do. I just don't, say, vacuum or mop or anything regularly. James ... kind of does). Depends on the week or the month. Also, she's known to eat tomatoes off the ground at the farmers market. So go figure.

Love bug.

ANYWAY.

We also had theeeee cutest day with her, like, of all time. My days kind of run together, so I'm not sure WHEN it was, but it was within the past few weeks. Even James got into bed that night, all like, "that was the MOST FUN day! She wasn't even cranky for one second and she was so loving and sweet! I LOVE HER TO PIECES!" ... I realize it might be hard for some people to picture James all up on cloud nine over his daughter. But oh, it happens. He is such a vocal and loving husband and dad. I can't even tell you.

Anyway, Cutest Day Ever 2017 included Anz just like, bouncing between us, quite literally. She was like, running and leaping into our arms at one point. Giggles all around, just like, the happiest girl. Nothing set her off. All she wanted to do was play and love us.

I don't know HOW I was chosen to be her mom, but it makes me a little misty sometimes when I think about it too hard. I always knew I wanted to be a mom someday, but she just makes everything worth it: the sleepless nights (which are now pretty rare), the frustrating moments (which def happen), the time, the money, the effort ... she is just our absolute world. I do think we have room in our hearts for another baby (of course), but I also think #2 is gonna have to bring his or her A-game when it comes to competing with Little Miss Anz. She is such a dream. I didn't even know it was possible to have a daughter like her.

Boops!

On the parenting front, I'm still working my way through Harvey Karp! Trying to treat Ana like a person, but still keeping in mind that she's a person -- not an adult. You can't reason with her on everything. You shouldn't try to explain intricate shit if she's in the middle of a breakdown. That's just frustrating. Our world can be very overwhelming and stimulating for someone her size/age. You have to be patient, learn how to get through to her, understand where she's coming from, and be careful not to let your own experiences/trauma/pain from the past (if you have any) seep into the mix. It can be a real challenge!

The HK toddler book has also taught me a lot about adapting and modifying my own behavior, based on who exactly Ana is: Which I believe is ... easy but cautious, observant, a thinker, spirited, but not impulsive. I think back on her first steps, as in, walking -- which were taken almost a year ago. She really wasn't one to get after it and lunge away, falling left and right, perfecting her craft. She was very calculated and methodical. She didn't take on what she couldn't handle. That embodies who I think she is.

I mean, and if you're wondering what I'm getting at with all of this ... basically, it's just that you can't handle all TODDLERS with one toddler label and the perfect toddler solutions. (Well, do those even exist?) You have to consider who these tiny people are at their cores, and what might work best specifically for them.

Anyway, I'll leave you with a few fav Ana phrases as of late. So cute, you might die. Just a warning!

-- Hooray!
-- Lights! (Mostly referring to Christmas "yights")
-- New diaper! (Yes, she'll request this but is still putting up some resistance to the potty. Shrug).
-- Drawing! (Or), crayons, please!
-- No way, no way! <-- Always promising when you walk past her door during nap time and hear her chanting this
-- Ready, set, go!
-- Ready, set, jump!
(Singing the Happy Birthday song*)
-- Santa
-- Christmas
-- O-prize! (Surprise!)

-- Bless you! (Likes to bless herself)

-- Hop, hop, hop (obsessed with bunnies)
-- All aboard! (obsessed with trains) also, CHOO CHOOOOO

-- Hi mom! 

-- Hi dad! 

-- Bye buddy! 

-- High-five, buddy!

*She's so into the concept of birthdays right now, I can't WAIT for Friday and Saturday! My mom even got her a Melissa & Doug "cake" and Aunt Carol got her two birthday books -- like, both of those gifts came about a month ahead of her birthday. Really leads into the build-up! I probably should have done a theme or whatever, because she's really into trains and Sesame, but ... nah. The theme is BIRTHDAY PARTY with delicious brunch. Does that work for everyone? ;)

We're also finally changing pediatricians (no major beef, I just didn't much care for our last doctor, and I figure you should like the person if you're gonna have two kids), anddddd Ana went to the Detroit Zoo for the first time. WORTH IT! We've been waiting for the zoo entrance fee to pay off. I didn't wanna take her if she couldn't enjoy it. It was like magic, you guys. If you have a toddler, now is the time! Take that baby to the zoo.

My forever baby.

OK, I've rambled long enough (says me, every time).

See you when Ana's 14 for her 24-month update! ;)

PS we got our first Christmas tree. I'll tell you all about it next time!