25 Months/16 Weeks

Today is August 7th. It happens to be the boys' 25th month birthday, though I promise I am not still counting months, and the start of my 16th week of pregnancy.
It is 5:30am, I am sick, have the sweats, and can not sleep. I thought I'd update this blog (something I am slacking on lately) on both accounts (the boys and the pregnancy.)
My double first born continue to keep me guessing and on my toes. Of course, due to my pending third born, I am much more often on my toes from a seated position.
I am amazed how every day there are still changes in them, enhanced speaking, developing personalities, more mischief.
Chase is extremely fond of his twin yet slightly younger brother, despite his constant torturing and bullying. Ryder has mutual affection for Chase and is uninterested in wrestling nor fighting back. It is amazing to me that twins actual take on personality of older/younger sibling, perhaps there is something to birth order.
Chase is very into declaring his independence and doing things himself. He is also very good at diffusing a situation. If I am trying to discipline him for anything, he immediately puts on a silly face, uses a funny voice, or starts laughing. This is very much like Todd. He is also very polite, especially to other people. He thanks everyone and often uses please, just not always with me. With me, its often a whine.
Chase's new favorite thing since spending the weekend with Alexandra and Emma is eating cereal with milk. He actually does pretty well.
Ryder has resumed his love affair with his guitar, he plays it non-stop, singing along to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Happy Birthday, or Hello. Whenever I try to sing along he stops me and tells me not to sing. Perhaps, at 2, he is realizing I am tone deaf. Although he still runs funny he is extremely coordinated. He can climb anything, and has the know how to realize when he needs a boost. He will now move a chair, or even a toy, over to where he needs to climb and begin by stepping up on said item. He is also very coordinated with his hands, and strong, and can open heavy doors, undo locks, twist off caps etc.
He can and will focus intently on any electrical gadget. Today alone he sat for 20 minutes plugging the charger into the phone. He applauded when he did it himself.....every time.
He has been giving us a hard time with bedtime (click here to read) and climbs out of his crib only to fall asleep on the floor, eventually. I know this means its time for a bed, and I vow to work on it, but in case you don't know this about me, I am slow to getting things done, especially these days.
Both boys seem to be their father's son and refuse to wear their shoes. They take them off all the time, maybe its the beach bum's in them.

As for the baby growing inside of me, well I seem to be unusually large for 16 weeks. The doctor says no, and that my uterus is just "stretched" from the twins and therefore I am showing earlier. I can assure you this is not the only thing that is stretched. I am no longer able to sleep, and haven't been for sometime. I still can't always remember I am pregnant but as the baby grows I am sure it appreciates less that his/her brothers use the shell of his/her home for a trampoline.
I was reminded by my friend Ali that I was turned off by coffee with my last pregnancy. That is not the case this time around, proven by my addiction to mocha frappuccinos. I am sort of weird with food. Nothing makes me sick, I just want it easy, simple, comforting, and something I do not have to cook since I am retired from the kitchen for the forseeable future.
I have not felt any movement yet, which I realize it may be too soon, but when I look at my expanding belly I wonder how I don't. The scale continues to creep up, and I guess that is to be expected, but really does it need to creep up so quickly? The baby's heart rate, today anyway, was 143 beats per minute. Not sure what that means exactly, though I think the wives tales say boy, but really I know it means nothing.
We are finding the name game to be even harder this time around. Todd likes nothing, I am unsure what I want. Ironically, we only discuss boys names. This is not because we have a girls name we like but because both Todd and I are convinced number 3 is a boy. We seem to be in the minority, as the peanut gallery all say GIRL.
Either way, we are excited, though fully unprepared. I am glad that I still have about 24 weeks left, because I need at least 30 weeks to get done all that I need to before our delivery arrives. If I am still claiming to be this unprepared come December please, dear reader, get on my case.
These are things that i wonder this time around:
Does every woman going through their 2nd or more pregnancy forget they are pregnant?
Will my child have a name before its a day old?
Do I need to change the name of my blog? And, if so, to what? Suggestions?
Am I showing preferential treatment to the boys by not doing a baby's room until after the baby is born?
What will my baby look like? Chase, Ryder, different all together?

So, that is the update. The boys are great, Todd is great, other than this 24 hour virus I am fighting, I feel good. The baby is growing normally and all is well. Until next time....