Pillowland, tantrums, and all the cute stuff

With a little over 10 weeks to go in this pregnancy, my belly is as big as ever and I'm starting to get quite uncomfortable. Didn't I say I loved being pregnant the first time around? This time is a much different story. Perhaps because I have a super active toddler that keeps me jumping on my swollen feet? Or maybe it's the humidity out here that probably hasn't even begun to affect anyone but me and will only get worse as August approaches (and I get even bigger). Whatever the reason, "Pillowland" has once again made an appearance. I get such horrible reflux at night when I lie down that I have a difficult time sleeping. It doesn't seem to matter how little or how long ago I eat--I get it even from drinking water (and everyone who knows me knows I do a LOT of that). I am eating TUMS like candy, and I even drink warm milk before bed every night. MISERY. Well, I went through the same issue last time around, and Paul created what came to be known as "Pillowland". He sets my pillows up like this every night before bed and I sleep in this reclined position. What a sweetheart! It actually works.

Even though I am complaining about being miserable, I am not at all ready for baby #2's arrival. We have so much to do that just thinking about it stresses me out. With Max we were so on top of the game--we had everything all painted and purchased 4 months before his due date. We have NOTHING ready for this baby.

Max and I are still doing the playgroup thing. We are getting to know all of the parks quite well by now, and Max has been having a great time hanging out with other kids. On Friday we had dinner with a couple of the families from the playgroup--they all have boys right around Max's age. Max had so much fun playing with all of their toys--they had a huge shed that just seemed to have an endless supply of something to ride on, or pull, or climb on, and Max would go in there and come out with something different every 15 minutes. He had a blast, and it was so much fun watching them play. Here are a couple of pictures...

The other day I looked out the window and saw two deer hanging out in our backyard. By the time I ran upstairs for the camera there was only one left. At least she wasn't in our garden!

So far this June, it has rained 12 of 16 days--that's 75%! And when it rains here, it rains all day long. It's crazy. It's no wonder that no one has a sprinkler system. Our garden (which is mostly full of weeds at the moment) is loving it. During a rare reprieve this remarkable sky appeared--it was so mysterious and beautiful. We don't get to see sunsets out here because of all the trees, so this brilliantly colored sky was quite a treat...

Here is Paul enjoying the evening's beautiful sky while eating ice cream on our deck...

Here I am barefoot and pregnant (and in the kitchen like a good wife!--who would have thought?) See--I'm not lying, my belly is huge!

And of course Max was helping me cook...

I think that one of the reasons I am scared to have this baby is because my 19-month old son can throw the tantrums of a typical 2 yr old. Whenever he is told "no" (even over the stupidest thing like, 'No, you can't run around the house with that sharp knife') he will very carefully place himself on the floor, stiffen his body and wail. Here he is in action...

Even though he does have a temper and is more than a little spoiled, he is still my sweet little guy. He and I have so much fun together every day. There are times when I wonder what I did wrong to create such a monster, but they are only fleeting as he will realize that he is being bad and will look at me with his teary eyes and say "Ah doo." If you speak "Max" then you know that means "I love you." Then he will give me a kiss and I completely forget what he did that had me so upset. He really is such a sweetheart (albeit a very active and rambunctious one). One of my favorite things that he does right now is look for little "gifts" to give people. Whenever we are playing outside and he sees someone he wants to talk to, he will grab something--a wood chip, a leaf, a handful of grass--and take it to the person. When people come over to our house he does the same thing--he'll desperately search for something to give to the visitor. It is really cute.

Max has had little interest in drawing until recently. I think he suddenly likes it now that I have brought out the markers and, unlike crayons, he discovered that he can use them to draw all over himself...

He really loves his helmet. It is the only version of a hat that he will keep on his head for any length of time. He wears it during joyrides on the lawnmower, during strolls in his little blue car, and sometimes just while kickin' it around the house...

And of course when riding his little red tricycle. He actually can't peddle this yet, but he is getting very close. For now he just wants us to push him around the house...

My cute little man...

The other day Max took a super long nap. At 5 pm we decided we had better wake him up or he'd be bouncing off the walls all night. This is how he was sleeping in his crib, all curled up against the bumper--it was so funny we couldn't resist taking a few photos...

The flash and click of the camera didn't even cause him to stir--he was out!

It's amazing to think about how much Max has grown. He is such a little boy now--he runs (fast) everywhere he goes, he talks and understands, and really loves to be around and interact with people. I can't believe that a year ago, he was just an adorable little chunk who stuck everything in his mouth and had to be carried everywhere. He is growing up so quickly. I am missing every stage that has passed, but loving every new one we enter. Here are a few cute pictures of Max taken in June 2008.