Parenting...

Potty training sucks. Back when I was a little kid, parents sort of forced their kids to be potty trained. Today, you are supposed to let your kid lead the situation and not force it. So now that Sophia is three, I keep hoping that she will find an interest in being potty trained, but until today, this has not been the case. Today she actually told me that she wanted to go to the potty (YEAH, SOPHIA). I thought she was joking, but she really did go. I don't know what made the difference, but I am so thankful. I really was hoping that she would be potty trained by the time the new baby arrives, but with only about five weeks left, I don't really think that this will happen.

It is really hard to get inside the head of a three year old. Sophia is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde most days. She is so sweet and kind one minute and the next she is hiting, biting and screaming at you. I always try to calm her down when this happens thinking that if I can just get her attention, I can help her with why she is so upset. I often wonder if I ever take care of these sort of situations properly. Sometimes when this happens in public, I know that people think she is a brat and maybe I seem like a softy, but I was never a parent before Sophia, so I have to wing it. I wish that I could be a fly on the wall in other people's houses to see how they deal with this sort of thing. I am sure that other parents have the same issues, but I don't get to see it. If I did, it would help me feel like I was not such a failure all of the time.

I wonder if I will be able to handle both a new baby and Sophia, but I guess like all parents with more than one kid before me, I will figure it out. I know it will be very hard in the first few months. I am hoping that Sophia will be a little mommy to the new baby. I hope that I have shown her how to be a good mommy. I will keep you guys posted. Please pray for my sanity.

Take it easy!!!

I found out...

...the sex of the baby, but can not post it here, because Bob does not want to know!!! So now I have about six weeks of trying very hard to keep things a secret. Some of my friends and family know, but they have been sworn to secrecy. It should be interesting to see who slips up first!!!

Just another day...

I went to my OB appointment tonight. I have officially lost ten pounds since my last appointment, which was only two weeks ago. My doctor was not surprised, because I have really been sticking to the dietary changes that were prescribed for me. Even though I have worked really hard to keep my blood sugars down, things are just not working, so I now have to take a small does of Glyburide each day. Both my doctor and my Diabetes Educator feel that this will help me with the problems that I am having. I was very worried after loosing that much weight so quick. To put my fears to rest, my doctor is sending me for a sonogram tomorrow morning. My doctor was not worried about the weight loss and was great at helping me feel okay with everything that is going on.

Bob and his Dad have been working very hard in the basement. They finished the toy closet and I have actually been able to put a few things in there. I can't wait to get all of Sophia's toys down there. I have to go pick out paint for the room this weekend. I am thinking of a yellow orange to keep it bright and sunny looking since it is a toy room and is in the basement. We have a Tron arcade machine down there that we have not used in years and I was looking for a place to unload it. It needed to be repaired and we do not have the money to do it right now. Bob was very sad about this, because it was a gift from his parents. I don't know what made him do it, but he plugged it in the other night and now it seems to be working, so now it looks like it will be staying. I think it is a pretty neat thing to have in a toy room.

I volunteered at Sophia's preschool today. What a mess. She was so bad. I was embarrassed, but the teachers seemed to be okay with it. I can only hope she was acting up, because I was there. I think she does like going to school. She knows all of the kids names and seems to play with everybody. She always says that she does not like boys, but at one point, she was actually one girl playing with three boys. She has a field trip to a pumpkin patch next week. I think all of the kids will have so much fun.

Well that is about it for me right now. I hope that you are doing well.

Whoever said...

pregnancy is wonderful is lying. Don't get me wrong, I am not unhappy to be in my current situation, but I wish that I felt better. I am so tired all of the time and of course this is normal and apparently the Gestational Diabetes also contributes to that.

The Diabetes thing has been going okay. I am still a bit worried that I may have to take insulin as my sugar levels are running high in the morning. I will probably find out on Friday when I visit the Diabetes educator. Other than that, I am adjusting to the diet changes, although I am dying for something sweet. The closest I have gotten to something sweet is a Dannon Lite & Fit Carb & Sugar Control yogurt. It is okay, but it sure as hell ain't a candy bar. I keep wondering why my sugar levels are high if I am not eating any processed sugar, but apparently, because I am a vegetarian, I eat more carbs than most people, which contributes to the problem.

I can't wait for the educator to go over my eating habits with me. It will be a huge help and now that I have been given a 75% change of getting Type 2 Diabetes later in life, I really want to understand how to take care not only of myself, but my family, too! Both of Bob's grandmothers were diabetic as is his father, so as I like to put it, Bob is "on the hotrails to diabetes." So we will both benefit from the changes.

I know that I need to exercise more, but it is just so hard when I am so tired. Bob does not want me going by myself, just in case something happens, so last night, Bob, Sophia and I took a walk after dinner. It actually helped my sugar levels to drop just a bit. My one friend has volunteered to walk with me on the days that Sophia is in preschool. This will be great, because Sophia's preschool is next door to a county park where there is a walking track. Maybe Mimi should sing me one of her songs to encourage me!

I am still trying to get things ready for the baby, but first,my friend from South Carolina is coming for a visit this weekend. Right now my house looks like a bomb hit. I know things here won't look House Beautiful by this weekend, but I think they will be fine. I keep telling Bob that we have way too much crap for such a small house. He is working with me to solve my storage solutions, so hopefully, I will be able to find stuff when I need it. I am one of those people that has extremely messy closets and cabinets. I would just love to throw stuff out to help minimize my mess, but I think Bob would have a heart attack.

We all love books so there are books everywhere, I would love to go through and donate some to a place that needs them, but that would be a major undertaking. We have five floor to ceiling bookshelves in our living room, all of which are filled to over capacity. There are books shoved in every direction and in front of other books book, making it is hard to find things.

I need one of those clean up shows to come in and help me, but you know what, I would be totally embarrassed!!!!!!

Oh well, that is life with Linda for right now. I hope that you all are doing well.

Oh no...

I really don't know what else to say. This pregnancy has been going so smoothly that I should have known that things would change. As is customary, my doctor sent me for a one hour glucose screening. I failed this test and then was sent for a three hour glucose tolerance test, which I also failed. I was advised today that I have Gestational Diabetes and have to go to a class at the hospital for Diabetes education and also see a Dietician.

I am pretty bummed out about this. If I really behave myself the baby should see no side affects. I have never been a person with great self control, so the next two months are going to be rough.

I am so pissed because I just ordered some Girl Scout cookies that I now can not eat. I told Bob that all sweet things will need to be out of the house. I told Bob that if he and Sophia need something sweet that they can go out for ice cream or something. Also, any candy that Sophia gets for Halloween will have to go to Bob's parent's house.

I do realize that sweets are not the only problem, but for me it is a start. I also have to worry, because after having Gestational Diabetes there is a chance that I could later get Type 2 Diabetes, which never goes away. It is just so much to digest right now.

I really thought I would be okay, because I failed the first test when I was pregnant with Sophia, but then passed the three hour test, so naturally I thought that is what would happen this time around. I started to look over some diabetic recipes today and I am not excited about them at all. I really want to succeed so I need to change my thinking.

Please send some positive vibes my way!

I hope that you are all well!