Here's to a New Year with Many New Changes!

So we announced over the holidays that we are expecting our second little Tolle addition.  Instead of announcing we were having a baby, we wanted to include Madelyn in a big way by announcing she would be a BIG SISTER.  We had a shirt made for Thanksgiving that said "BIG SIS MADELYN".  Didn't play out exactly how we expected, but we really wanted to just make sure Madelyn was excited about the news.



Up to this point this whole pregnancy has felt completely different.  Unfortunately, sick again this round; however, only all day and all night feeling of nausea and on the better side--never actually gotten "sick".  In order to help me eat, sleep and pretty much be able to function/work, my doctor put me on medicine to subside the nausea.  Feeling guilty, I only took half the dose each day and tried repeatedly each week to stop taking it as I waited to naturally feel better.  Finally, when 18 weeks hit I was feeling better.  I think the biggest difference is that I feel my internal organs feel way more "squished" way more soon.  Otherwise, all is going very well.  As of my 20 week appointment I've gained five pounds.  Only one pound more than what I did with Madelyn at 20 weeks.  Perhaps it's because they also noted that this baby is measuring larger than her at 20 weeks as well....Everything checked out as healthy and we found out we are having a BOY!  Daddy was hoping for a boy to "even out the numbers in the house" and Madelyn was proclaiming a sister.  She wasn't upset when we shared the news and pictures with her; however, ever so often she still talks about what her and her sister are going to do when she gets here.  We have names narrowed down to either Grant or Carter (we think) and we're thinking since Ryan and I are split we'll let Madelyn pick???  We'll have to see about this.



Up to this point Madelyn has still been in her crib.  We didn't even convert it to a toddler bed because she seemed content and we didn't want her getting out of bed and wandering in the opposite side of
the house in the middle of the night.  As we approached Christmas time, she began to talk about a princess house with a princess bed and lots of princess toys.  So, we talked through it and decided to have her ask Santa for a big girl princess bed--and that she did!  We were thinking this was a great opportunity to move her into her own room so that she didn't feel that the new baby was pushing her out.  So, "Santa" put in weeks of planning and days of work to bring her a special present for being such a good girl this year.  I think she loved it  ;o)

 

http://youtu.be/kZ2iOvKV5hs

BIG NEWS!!!

I don’t even know where to begin.  We’ve been so busy and she continues to grow beyond anything I’ve ever imagined.  She weighs a whole whopping 29 lbs and is 3 feet tall and we are finally getting enough hair to have some good ponies!  Every day is a new experience as she keeps learning and talking like you would not believe.  Many school reports coming home with the “Chatty” box checked….wonder where she got that from????  Ha!  And so intuitive….if I take a deep breath or sigh, she says “What’s wrong mommy”.  Amazing what a 2 & ½ year old can process in that little brain!  I’m very pleased with her school.  Madelyn knows her alphabet, recognizes a good amount of numbers & letters, counts to 20, continues with the Spanish (even though I don't know all of it), is writing some letters and is doing really good with activity games like matching, finding differences in pictures and coloring by numbers.  I'm gonna have to go back to school to teach her more.... But most of all, I must say I am very proud of how polite Madelyn is.  From her “Please” and “Thank You” to her “Miss Daddy” and “Excuse Me” to get by you.  Mama Bear couldn’t be more proud  :O)

I know my last update we had started the big girl undies and potty training had gone great for two 

weeks—but HONEST ever since then it was too good to be true.  We really lucked out with her.  We had heard such horror stories and had prepared ourselves for the worst, but she was ready and there was no better time.  She took off with it and did AMAZING!  I would honestly say I could count each accident there were so few.  Now she is insisting no diaper/pull ups to bed because “they’re for babies”!  Makes me think of that Cheerios commercial with the little girl that responds to everything with “that’s for babies” except for the Cheerios.  She makes it no problem through a nap, but I know we aren’t there yet for a whole night stretch.  Mimi did allow it one night recently and she did make it all night, but we're not brave enough yet.  Nonetheless, we are all jumping for joy over our potty training success!

My most favorite mommy moment recently:  Madelyn randomly says to me "You're my best friend" and it melts my heart.  I can't prompt her to say it, no matter how hard I try to be able to capture in video.  So this is where I will record to remember those sweet moments.

Last piece of big news is that Madelyn is going to be a BIG SISTER!  Madelyn actually knew before any of us.  I have a friend that was pregnant and had been explaining to her that there was a baby in her tummy.  Madelyn understood and soon was telling me every time she saw a baby in the belly.  EVEN the rather large man at Chick-fil-a!  Then she started pointing to my tummy and saying there was a baby in the belly.  Ryan laughed, I was offended and we laughed it off.  Then I decided to take another test (wasn't so easy this time around) and it was positive.  So....not sure how possible, but seems as though Madelyn knew first!  We are expecting the next Baby Tolle May 22 of 2014.

Stay tuned for our Christmas update coming soon!