HAPPY NEW YEAR... and such updates...

So yeah - i apologize - I've been LAX in updating my "regularly updated" blog lately. I can't even really use the excuse of being pregnant (as of today, due in 4 days) or too overly busy. I can, however, mostly use the excuse of being TIRED and lazy. I'll work all day, come home, do The Kid Thing, and by the time i put them down, i love nothing more than to "just lay down for a minute" in our bed, inevitably conking out for several hours, or at least waking drained of whatever energy i did have left. So yeah - maybe SOME of that is pregnancy related. I certainly could use to improve my dietary habits...

BUT I DIGRESS! I apologize (again).

Things are chuggin' along in the Telford household. Since last writing, or certainly since last highlighting our youngest Telford inparticular, Thomas has increased the number of teeth in his mouth twofold (many molars!) and is.... (drumroll COMPLETELY necessary)....

... NOW WALKING! It's a MIRACLE! Thom is a touch of a late bloomer on this milestone, clocking in at 17 mos. old. Sam got the hang of it at 15 mos. Thom is cruisin' around like a pro - well, a wobbly pro, but gets more stable daily. I'm still finding the novelty of it all and watching him very fun and fascinating. Sam is mostly good with him, but every now and then gets on a kick where its more fun to play "bumper cars."

(These pics depict their "Nook Hiding" in the playroom. So funny)

Both kids have been coping with the Goopy Cough-n-Cold going around. No flu in this household (i'm literally knocking wood as i type that). Three of the four of us got the H1N1 shot, so those odds are working for us.

Sam continues to fascinate and frustrate the heck outta me, usually at different times, but every now simultaneously. The STUFF that comes out of this 4 yr old's head is the stuff i live for. He is on a BIGTIME "poopy" kick. Any combination of poop, poopy and/or butt is apparently not only really funny, but SOOPITY (his word) AWESOME to say. He's also testing his behavior boundaries as well. Talking back, sticking out his tongue and giving seering looks are all routine. When these textbook stages aren't showing their colors, Sam is completely loving, caring and truly imaginative. He's one smart cookie and he's going to keep us on our toes for sure. At least once a day he says something that causes me to stop and ponder for a moment the complexity or originality of his statement. His MEMORY is another thing that fascinates me. Usually quite out of the blue, he'll remind me of a detail from something that happened one, two, THREE years ago; yes - when he was a little over ONE! Is this unique? Will it STICK? So odd to me...

As brushed upon at the top, my pregnancy has sped along, the fastest of all three, no surprise of course due to Sam and Thom's existence, on top of LIFE in general. Being due in 4 days, it seems almost fruitless to mention the minor complications I've had, primarily referring to having oligohydramnios (or "oligo") which means low amniotic fluid. If a woman has low fluid, concerns arise at various developmental stages (at the beginning) as well as cord compression risks (at the end). I've had low fluid from the beginning and was watched for a while, later told it was at a comfortable level (no further monitoring), and then, when re-checked later, put on hyper-watch due to it being dangerously low. Twice a week I've been checked and SOMEHOW I kept the level above the "that's it, time to delivery this baby NOW" cutoff. As of today and with the past 2 checks, my fluid has been at an average level of any woman at 38 and 39 weeks. Go figure. The other minor drama had to do with switching my doctors at 36 weeks. I was not feeling comfortable with the conflicting opinions of my three midwives paired with the close-mindedness of their partnered perinatologist (read: the dude that would be my surgeon should a c-s be imminent). I've chosen to attempt a VBA2C (Google it) and that has rocked MANY MANY boats in these 9-10 mos. SO ALAS - we're down the homestretch, baby seems cool baking to the very end, and I've become sensitive to every pang, pain and twitch, hoping "this is it." It's going to be IT soon enough, and we'll all meet Baby Telford - a girl, a boy? NO IDEA. FUN FUN FUN!!!!

On that note - - the next post is sure to be chock-full of BABY photos, most likely uploaded by my darling husband, who is downright giddy to be made a Daddy for a third time. See you on the flip side as a Party of Five!