Let's cut to the chase.  Gertie's going to have sibling, come late May.  I am feeling tired and lacking energy (in part from a lack of psychotropic support).  Everything looks good according to the OB.  I go back again in two weeks for my 15 week check up.  Offspring #2 arrives on June 8th (actual due date), but really will be here by late May.  I invite a csection after Greta's delivery.  No labor for me, thank you.  This pregnancy is definitely different.  My skin is a mess, I'm tired, pissed off most of the time, and definitely heavier in the butt/stomach department this time around.  My friend Mackinzie thinks I'm having a boy. "When you are prego with a boy, you want to kill people."  That about sums it up for me.  I have NO patience and I will cut someone if they piss me off.  Period.  I am very excited for this portion of the pregnancy to go away, though I feel like it might stick around for some time.

We are coming off a week of Beau/Greta action here in FW.  Beau stayed with us for a week while Jennie and Chris finally enjoyed a long overdue vacation in Mexico.  Beau was great!  Greta absolutely adores him and was very sad to see him go.  He accompanied Gertie to Kiki's twice, and seem to very much enjoy himself on someone else's turf.  I thought it was going to be harder, but it actually wasn't that bad.  I forgot that age--climbing on everything, wanting to get into everything.  I'm lucky Greta is responsive to my requests and rules, not that I have ever taken them for granted.

And a final note, while I love Greta more than life itself, I must say I am getting real annoyed with some people's FB posts that always seem to revolve around their children (and exclamation points).  While Greta is the light of my life and the butter to my bread, I try to best choose those moments that are deserving of a highlight reel on FB (face covered in chocolate, great dance sequence, etc.).  For some, it is constant.  So.  Annoying.  (I know your daughter loves princesses, I know your son loves the Colts. )  I guess that I forgot when others have kids, their personality/interests/hobbies/sense of humor go completely out the window (along with their fashion sense).  ----p.s., I am sitting here in my fleece sweatpants, stained with paint, and a striped maternity top that is way too big.  I am also wearing clogs, with no socks.  CLASSY. 

Every time I pick up Greta from Kiki's house (Kirsten, our babysitter), I am very quick to ask the following questions:

1.  Did she poop?
2.  How many timeouts today?
3.  Did she eat okay?
4.  How did she sleep?

Kiki knows the drill, only informing me of the most pertinent of information:  Pooping and Timeouts. 

Lately, Greta's timeouts are related to "duels" with her friend, Katie, often amounting to
a.) sitting on each other
b.) headbutting 
c.) trying to steal/swap/trade snacks and/or sippy cups.

The life of a 2 year old.

The word of the month: BACKPACK.

Prefontaine Greta.

Big week for Greta---her feet grew and she got taller.  She also got her toy room carpet cleaned.  Pretty exciting.  We had a follow up visit to a new neurologist in Fort Wayne, who turned out to be a wonderful lady.  Dr. Khan was very nice and extremely detailed.  We had to bump up Greta's medicine, as she has been experiencing some "break through" epileptic activity--normal after a growth spurt.  She ordered a basic blood test to make sure everything is okay, as well as another sleep deprived EEG, to establish her own baseline for Greta's brain activity.  She is optimistic that the increase of medicine with get Gertie back on track.  Nothing to really worry about.  I am still a sleep nazi---I also watch her like a hawk.  Her symptoms are extremely subtle.  Thankfully, we have the best babysitter in the world, Kirsten, who loves Greta as much as we do.  She is great about reporting any abnormal sleep behaviors that would give us reason to worry.

Greta is continuing her speech therapy and is doing great!  She is talking up a storm, much of the time in Ewok or Unicorn, but regardless, she is talking!  I do believe her time at Kirsten's has helped Greta to instigate more conversations (with herself) and others.

We are looking forward to this weekend.  Greta will be attending her first Princess birthday party.  I would like to dress her up as Wonder Woman, but there is a strict Princess dress code that is enforced.

She was very excited to have a visit from Pepe this week---very busy.  She helped him mow the lawn, move the picnic table, play dollies, and eat french fries.  She is excited to see both Mimi and Pepe at Beau's birthday party next week.  

We are looking forward to a trip back to BH to see Uncle Joey and Auntie Kelly in two weeks.  I've been itching to get Greta to the Detroit Zoo to see the elephants, polar bears, and reptile house.

I'd like to take this time to make a shout out/air high five to all of the lovely folks in our lives who continue to support Greta with prayers and good spirits.  She is doing great and she is clearly nothing short of a miracle----like I said once before, she is a unicorn.

Beau is visiting for the weekend.  Jennie and Chris are in Michigan at a friend's lake house.  Pray for us.  They are both sleeping but I am feeling crazy overwhelmed thinking about tomorrow morning.  I am a wuss.  How do mothers do this with five kids?  Seriously. 

Did I mention it is is HOT as hell outside?  Tres' horrible.

Neglecting the blogging portion of my week is causing some disturbances among the grandparents.  Here are some updates:

Greta is NOT ready to be potty trained.  However, she did wear a swimmy diaper today, for one hour, outside of her pajamas (and a wet diaper).

Greta is officially a 2 year old.  Lots of "no" and throwing things.  While I struggle to NOT laugh, I suppose I have to be the parent, because Biscuit and Beans don't want any part of that.

Greta has a new babysitter, Kirsten, and she loves her.  Kiki has 4 kids, and I'm sure Greta feels right at home at their house.  She shuts the door behind me immediately after she is in the door.

Greta is still obsessed with Bubble Guppies.

Greta still sleeps in her crib.  No big girl bed until she asks for one.

Greta wears size 4 underpants.  I refuse to buy her size 5.  She has a nice fanny.

Oh, I've also pulled the plug on visits to Dr. Jackman, her Riley neurologist.  There is a peds-neuro in town.  She is good and gets down to business.  No more of this "drive 2 hours and not be prepared" shananigans. 

Her speech is going well.  First Steps comes once a week, on Monday, and it usually involves bubbles, playing with her cash register, playing with some trains, and changing her babies' diapers.  Her newer words are "eat," "key," and "ow (outside)." 

She graduated out of her physical therapy this week.  We can go back in a few months to reassess.  She continues the occupational therapy for her fine motor skills once a month.  She has made GREAT strides improving in both these areas.