These Weeks In Mommyhood

It's been quite a busy week here. Doctors appointments and everyone in the house is sick, sick, sick. I've said it many times before and I'm going to say it again, but thank God for Cati because she helps things move forward. My mourning over Perla's loss has been better than I expected because of Cati. My annoyance at being sick is less because of Cati. The simple truth is that I need to be happy for her because she's so tuned in to my emotions. If I'm unhappy or sad, she's more emotional and needy. Plus, I only want happy hormones reaching Baby D so that she knows the world outside is a happy place.

Anyway, here are the fun developments with Cati over the last few weeks:

Separation Anxiety. Oh lord. The separation anxiety is out of control. It's to the point where Cati wants to be with no one but me. And, God forbid, someone other than me tries to give her a bath or put her to sleep, she will cry out for me and won't stop until she sees that I'm around. I don't know if this is in response to the pregnancy or just a normal phase, but it worries me that she still cries out for me even when she's with her dad or grandmother.

Name Game. Cati is very into understanding names and the different labels people have. If you ask her what Alex is she'll respond with "doctor" and "hombre" ("man"). The best thing, however, is that she knows her name! I love hearing her say "Cati Diaz" and it cracks me up that she says my name is "Mami Diaz."

Songs, Songs, and More Songs. Cati loves to sing. She is constantly making up songs. She's also really good at singing songs we sing to her. Her favorite song to sing is "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and she will sing that to herself before falling asleep or whenever she feels the need to fill the silence.

Connecting the Two. It's really starting to hit me that there will be two little children in our house. Cati is getting increasingly aware of Baby D and she loves to kiss my belly and tell me about how she heard Baby D's heartbeat. Space is being made in the room for Baby D, her crib was ordered, and her clothes have been washed and put away. Seeing Cati's stuff and her stuff side by side leaves me in awe of where babies come from and how much they grow and change is very little time.

Here are the fun developments with Baby D over the last few weeks:

Right on Track. The baby is growing perfectly and, last checked, her heart beat was in the 150s. My belly is measuring where it should be and I've finally got my weight gain on track and I'm gaining at a healthy pace. I get to see her again in a couple of weeks and I can't wait!

Unnaturally Comfortable. I honestly have no complaints at this point in the pregnancy. Sure, waking up at night to pee is annoying, but I am surprisingly comfortable. At this point with Cati I remember being miserable because she moved so much and she was constantly lodged under my rib. Baby D is a calmer baby and I find myself able to still sleep on part of my stomach. The only time I ever feel really uncomfortable is when I carry Cati but that's expected because Cati is literally perched on my belly.

Nearing the End. It's quite shocking how quickly this pregnancy has gone. I'm a few weeks away from my due date and I can't believe it. All I can do right now is hope that Baby D doesn't decide to make her arrival on either February 12th or February 14th. I also feel like I have been seriously slacking with prepping for the baby's arrival and I have a long list of things that need to be done before she gets here. Now I just need the motivation to get it all done!