23

This Saturday marked 23 weeks into my pregnancy with 2.0 on the same day that Marin turned 23 months old. Time is flying by in so many ways, I am literally a little beside myself. How is it possible that this is the last week of my second trimester? And who has a two year old? Certainly not me. My daughter just turned one. Oh wait. That was apparently 11 months ago.

Although at closer examination Marin is far from the wobbly one year old at her first birthday party. She is very much a toddler and is very much what we should expect from a two year old. When we ask her how old she is she proudly says, "Two!" and holds up ten fingers. We'll work on that last part. We are practicing our colors every day, and her favorite appears to be pink. Good thing, because we are painting her new big girl room two shades of pink in a few weeks. We've been talking a lot about big girls and big sisters and how they do big girl things like sleeping in big girl rooms in big girl beds and wear big girl underwear. Yesterday we bought her a big girl bed. Marin said "Oooh! Bed!" I think she'll be excited to see it in her room, hopefully she'll be as excited to sleep in it all night long. (Quit your snickering.)

The other day Marin said her first sentence. After she ate her dinner we gave her a special cookie- a gingerbread girl that Gigi (Great Grandma) made and put in her stocking at Christmas. When we gave it to her we said it was special because Gigi made it just for her. She said, "Oooh! Gigi's cookies! They're good, Mommy!" Jason and I literally looked at each other with mouths open, speechless. Thank goodness we were both there, because we would have never believed each other if we hadn't heard it with our own ears. We told her, "That's right, Marin. Gigi's cookies are good!" and then called my grandma that very instant to tell her what Marin had said.

But perhaps the biggest thing that makes me realize that Marin is a toddler, is that she is going to school. (gulp!) Well, it's not really school; it's more like a toddler program/mom's day out. We heard of this really wonderful program just down the street that many of our neighbor's children attend as well. So we signed Marin up for two days a week. She'll be at school for three hours- playing, practicing sharing and learning. But hold onto your hats: she has to bring a lunch! Whoa. That was the toughest egg for me to swallow. Something about packing a lunch just seems so grown up. Of course no daughter of mine is going to school with a brown paper bag. So naturally, I ordered her a monogrammed lunch bag with coordinating water thermos, faster than you could say Pottery Barn Kids. Her first day of school is February 1st. We already have her outfit picked out. I am sure kleenex will be required for myself, post drop off.

Luckily I have other things to occupy my mind. Babycenter.com tells me that at 23 weeks pregnant, 2.0 is the size of a mango. They always compare the size of the baby to a fruit or vegetable. Which I suppose is appropriate since it is easily relatable, however, much like in my pregnancy with Marin, I have been craving fruits and vegetables. If you tell me that my baby is the size of a celery stick, I salivate. The mango this week about did me in. Mangos are so delicious. And usually when I am eating a delicious, juice-running-down-your-face mango, I am beach side. Who doesn't love that thought in January? Most of my cravings are similar to those with my pregnancy with Marin. In addition to fruits and vegetables I have been craving buffalo wings and ice cream. Not so much tuna melts this time, but more grilled cheese and BLT sandwiches. Mmmmm.

Most other symptoms seem to be similar as well. I have gained a little less weight this time, but I attribute that to running after Marin all day. When I was pregnant with Marin I sat at work all day, and I swam, rode my bike, or did prenatal yoga after work. This time, I just run after Marin all day and then after she is in bed I collapse like a lazy pile of nothing. The activity levels in the pregnancies are similar, just flip flopped time wise. I think that I have gained weight in the exact same places, however, so that makes me feel like it's a girl. In fact, although I know there is obviously a 50% chance that this baby is a boy, I almost always picture it as a girl. Take that for whatever you want. I feel the baby move about as much as I remember with Marin, and its just as much of a thrill the second time around. It's also just as strange the second time around to feel something moving inside of you.

But no matter how many times a day I marvel at how grown up Marin seems to be, or how soon I will be holding this new baby in my arms, I am trying my hardest to live in this very moment and enjoy today. Most days that's easier said than done, but I'm trying none the less. Before I know it, Marin really will be ten fingers old. And she'll want a more grown up color on her walls, and will be embarrassed by her monogrammed lunch box and thermos. So for today I feel very blessed to live this life with my active big girl two year old and a baby kicking me from the inside out. What could be any better?