Porter's Thoughts?

(picture taken 8/29 @ Porter's 3 yr old check up)

This is a poem in "Tomie's Little Book of Poem's" by Tomie dePaola. The poem is titled 'Some Things Don't Make Any Sense at All", and was written by Judith Viorst:

My mom says I'm her sugarplum.
My mom says I'm her lamb.
My mom says I'm completely perfect
Just the way I am.
My mom says I'm a super-special wonderful terrific little guy.
My mom just had another baby.
Why?

Isn't that precious? The only difference is Porter is my pumpkin, not my sugarplum. I can't help but wonder if there has been any kind of thought like this going through Porter's head. I hope not. =P

Porter gave a card to baby Caleb when he was born; let's just pretend he wrote it. This is what it said:

"Welcome to the world baby 'Cawub'! I'm your big brother Porter. I'm super excited to have a brother. We are going to have so much fun! I'm going to teach you everything I know. We will hunt and shoot dinosaurs, play superhero's, run super fast, play 'ports (baseball is my favorite; basketball & football are fun too), make cabes (caves), torture...I mean play with our doggies, read bookies, drink lots of choc-ate milkie, play at the park, swing-swing, go down slides, swim-swim, make cakies with Daddy, have sword fights, ride my vroom-vroom, and play toys. I'll teach you how to bix stuff with tools (I taught Daddy everything he knows), get out of trouble, how to make messes 'cause that's what kids are 'posed to do, how to pray, how to not be afraid (of going to the doctor, or tooth doctor, but not of Santa Clause...you're on your own with him), how to make Mommy happy and do your chores, how to play pretend, how to act good in church and love nursery class, how to draw and do colors, how to blow bubbles, how to be cool, and how to get treats and specials from Daddy. We got the very best Mommy and Daddy too. Just 'member they were mine first. I wub you Cawub! Wub your big brother...Porter"

Pregnancy Overview

While pregnant with Porter:

• worked full time at Sprint
• tubing on the lake
• camping/4-wheeling @ Duck Creek (6 months)
  
• rappelling
• served as secretary in RS Presidency at church
  
• Blood work revealed antibodies thus sensitization diagnosis--began seeing perinatalogist
• Non-stress tests twice a week during last few weeks
  
• preterm labor...restricted activity...baby born next day @ 35 weeks
  

(Picture pregnant with Porter-August 21, 2008 at 34+ weeks)

While pregnant with Caleb:

• ice skating (one month along)
• snowboarding (1m)
  
• motorcycle ride
• 4 wheeling
• camping--cabin & trailer
• rappelling (4m)
  
• horseback riding (6m)
• served as 2nd counselor in Primary Presidency
  
• Seeing perinatalogist starting at 16 weeks due to sensitization & baby at risk for anemia
  
• Labor & Delivery visit @ hospital for pressure/discomfort/pain--27+ weeks
• positive fFN swab test...restricted activity @ 27+ weeks
• Betamethasone steroid shot to develop baby lungs @ 27+ weeks
• Me a little anemic--have to take iron pills accompanied by a stool softener (just in case)
  
• Begin weekly Progesterone injections to reduce risk of preterm labor--28 weeks & weekly OB visits
• Start weekly non-stress tests at Maternal Fetal Medicine @ 34 weeks
• Start doing non-stress tests twice a week & perinatalogist once a week @35 weeks
• Scheduled induction @ 37 weeks for August 18
• Contraction all day August 11
  
• Delivered vaginally w/ epidural August 12 @ 2:56am...Caleb! 5lb 1oz & 18.5 inches
  

(Picture pregnant with Caleb-June 10, 2011 at 27 weeks)
(~35 weeks Pregnant with Caleb-August 3, 2011)

In terms of pregnancy I have been very lucky with few of the "typical" symptoms. With both pregnancies I have only thrown up a hand full of times, so not bad at all. With Porter I remember waking up several times with a charlie horse (leg cramp in the calf muscle) and with Caleb I think I had a couple days of heartburn (assuming that's what the discomfort was). Both times my skin was happier for the most part and of course I didn't have fists full of hair after every shower or in the hair brush. My babies have not been heaters for me (something I wanted in the colder months since I'm always so cold), haven't had nausea past the first trimester, no heightened sense of smell, swollen ankles/feet, and no sore parts. I don't remember ever really experiencing fatigue with Porter but that may have been because I was working so no time to be tired. With Caleb I had some days of pure exhaustion and having to take naps even though I'd rather not. Something I started to really notice around 20+ weeks was a shorter fuse. I could tell I had less patience and several times I know I got more upset with Porter than I should have. Now I have guilt! I had a few things to overcome with antibiotics with this second pregnancy: yeast and bacteria, and a UTI. Then there's the preterm labor thing. And of course the sensitization.

Total weight gain in pregnancy #2: 26 lbs

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, here are the averages of the weight gain: Baby 7.5 lbs, amniotic fluid 2 lbs, placenta 1.5 lbs, increased blood volume 4 lbs, body fluids 4 lbs, increased weight of uterus 2 lbs, body changes for breastfeeding 2 lbs, maternal storage (reserves of extra fat & protein for energy & milk production) 7 lbs. That's an average of a 30 lb weight gain during pregnancy. All that to sustain the life of one tiny little human being. It's amazing.

Cute Funny Silly Porter Son

Porter is such a fun, cute, silly little guy. I just love how Porter always lines up his toys; in this case his animals. (8/2)

Being on restricted activity and semi-potty training (hence the recent pant-less, bare-bummed boy), Porter and I have been spending many days at home...aaaaall day. He watches shows and plays with toys. This day I gave him Disney stickers and he decorated himself. (8/4)
So cute and what a creative little guy!
I'm in a current habit of reading the newspaper in the mornings/afternoons while Porter and I eat breakfast or lunch. Porter decided to read as well. (8/5)

My silly little guy. I sure do love him!

Porter/Mommy Matching

While Aaron was gone in California Porter and I spent our Monday night out. We went to Tuacahn to see Aunt Becky (Aaron's youngest sister) perform for a free pre-show with her hip-hop dance group Kalamity. They are amazing dancers! Afterward we went to Del Taco for dinner. We used his free meal coupon from the library over summer reading and I had a BOGO free taco coupon, so I paid $1 for $7 worth of food. (His chicken finger meal was $5!) Porter loves to ask for french fries and dip-dip but doesn't eat much of them. He ended up having so much fun playing with other kids in the play area. (8/1)
One Saturday there were 3 baptisms I wanted to attend for primary kids in our ward or previously in our ward (all at different times that day). Aaron was gone doing a canyon with friends from church, but I got Porter and I ready and went out to get in the car...only to discover Aaron had taken the car! I had no idea. After that it was pretty much a stay-at-home-pregnancy-day. (8/6)

Porter Random Toy Play

Here is a collection of random pictures of Porter playing with toys. (I hope I document all the little daily things Caleb does too.) I got Porter a "special" at Walmart one day when we went shopping. I NEVER buy toys on a random day but when I saw this soft bat and ball for $5 I knew he needed it. He LOVES baseball and the real one Daddy let's him use is not safe, and plastic ones are cheap. I love this one. Porter wanted his helmet on too; so cute! (7/14)

I thought it was funny that Porter put his cars/trucks in a circle. Reminded me of pioneer wagons; that's how they set up at night. (7/15)(7/26)

Cars and trucks lined up...

Playing with shapes...cutie!!! He LOVES shapes and knows them well.
(7/17)
Books lined up... (7/7)
Animals lined up... (7/8)

Blocks lined up... (7/2)
Porter's collection of "sports", aka: sports balls.

My little cowboy. Came out with his hat on asking me where his "horsie" was; too cute!

Trains all lined up...
Porter sitting on the potty one morning. Aaron set him up with "The Very Hungry Caterpillar book, the stuffed caterpillar from the book (I got at Kohl's back in February), and watching the video I have of the book. Cute. (7/7)

More Porter & Daddy Times

Daddy and Porter wrestle and smash each other with pillows. It's fun to watch. (7/29)
Porter pillow sandwich!!!


Then there is always some kind of pillow cave and hiding. This time Porter purposely buried Daddy in pillows and then went looking for him. I think he was satisfied with himself for a job well done.

Recently Aaron has been the one getting Porter ready for church on Sundays. After he is dressed they always go in the bathroom where Aaron does his hair. This day Porter wanted to do Daddy's hair in return, so he combed it and used spray gel. Silly kid; guess he saw invisible hair to do. (7/31)
That night Aaron had to pack for a week long trip to California (work conference; his third or fourth year attending). Guess Porter planned to stowaway because he hid in the luggage.
Any time Aaron goes somewhere he'll bring back "specials" for Porter, usually candy or a toy. After the CA trip Aaron got home and brought Porter lots of specials! (8/5)
He got Skittles candy, a baseball hat (just like Daddy), and a Spiderman toy! He was a happy kid. I had him wear a shirt I got for $2 at Walmart that says "I {heart} DAD". That was his "welcome home" from us. Porter is so lucky to have such an awesome daddy.
Random tidbit: We have a cute book (pretty sure from DI) called "Daddies are for Catching Fireflies". There is a page that goes like this: "If you say to a daddy, 'It's broken,' he will try to fix it. But sometimes Daddy can't fix it." What I love is that any time Aaron reads it he changes it to "Daddy can fix anything!" That's 'cause it's true. =)

Pleasant Afternoon in Pine Valley

July 29th Porter and I went up to Pine Valley to my friend's family cabin. Aubri was there for the weekend with her parents, a niece, and a nephew. Unfortunately she didn't get my message that I'd decided to come up with Porter so I didn't see her until right before we left. That was stinky to not get much time with her but it's my own fault; I should have called the cabin phone and not relied on cell phones since service can be sketchy up there. We still enjoyed such a pleasant afternoon. I sat and talked to Aubri's mom while Porter played with the kids: he had a blast!
It ended up raining a couple times and the kids ran around in the rain.
They just put up the trampoline that day and that was so much fun for the kids.

One thing that kept the kids busy for a loooong time was blowing up balloons until they popped. Porter called them "fireworks". The kids also took Porter on a little tiny hike and that was exciting for him.
After some lunch the kids played football on the lawn.
Porter ready in prime pouncing football position!
Then of course they played with water guns. We went home after I got to see my Aubri so we could see Aaron who had been gone all day doing a very intense canyon. It was a nice day. =)