Happy Memorial Day!

One of the things I love about my temporary move back home is that we are so close to the Washington Mall and museums.  Today Leon and I went to the American History Museum (what better place to go than that on Memorial Day) and checked out the first American flag and a larger than life size replica of a bison.  Leon probably would say he enjoyed it more when he was "free" to run around.  Since he didn't have a on a diaper, I had to take him out of the stroller to pee.  Then he was free.  Blame it on the terrible twos, but Leon mostly loathes his stroller.  It's so bad that he gets something every time he sits in his seat like a box of raisins, a box of juice, a container of broccoli (no joke, he eats broccoli and other veges for snacks), or a toy that he already had but forgot.

Potty training update:  Poo pooing is a problem.  Leon doesn't seem like that entire process out of the diaper.  Peeing is a problem if he is engaged like watching Barney or playing with his trains.  You can actually watch him squeezing his legs together to try to keep from having to pee.  Then he usually says "pee pee" too late and starts to cry when he looks down and sees he is all wet.  If he is not overly engaged we run to the potty (poseta) and he does his business no problem.  For me it's getting harder and harder to help him with the peeing process and washing his hands because even with his new stool (thanks Grandma) I have to hold him or bend down a lot.

Back to Memorial Day, after the zoo we had  a picnic on mall with Leon's favorite friends, two new trains he got for his birthday (thanks Wendy and John) and a school bus he kinda robbed/borrowed from a kid at a playground a few weeks ago (but the mom and I planned to exchange toys again last week but she didn't show up).

  

Big and Beautiful

A thing I hate about being pregnant is that people don't let you just be fat.  If you talk about being fat or feeling fat they automatically shut you down and make you feel like you are saying, "I hate this gift from God or I am not appreciative or aware that some people out there are trying hard and can't get pregnant."  But the truth is when you are pregnant you feel fat.  I mean, you feel bigger and heavier.  I'm almost 148 pounds now.  That's not anywhere near morbidly obese in the U.S. but still I can see it and feel it.  It's a little less shocking this time around.  Last time I weighed over 165 on my due date.  I gained over 50 pounds.  I started off a little smaller than I did this time around just because I got knocked up right in the middle of my competition season and I was probably weighing 115 or maybe less.  This time I was at my normal weight probably around 120.  I have 8 to 11 weeks left depending on how you count it.  I'll probably gain a pound a week so I'm guessing this pregnancy I'll gain close to 40 pounds.

In closing I'd like to tell a story that happened to me over the weekend.  Like I said, people don't let you just be fat when you're pregnant.  I was at a dinner party and the hostess said to me, "You haven't gained hardly any weight...its all in your belly."  Now that's a comment that I hear a lot and I know it's not true.  I can see it in my hips, butt, feet, legs, and my face.  I'm bigger everywhere but yes, the majority has gone to my abdomen region.  So I responded, "Oh no, I've gained close to 30 pounds."  And she responded, "That's not true!  I've seen pictures of you.  You were not that small to begin with."

Potty Training Update

I'm close to saying Leon is potty trained.  He pretty much goes diaper less all day long except for naps.  He refuses to wear diapers.  He really loves the whole "pee-pee papa!"  Translation, peeing daddy style.  He also has long given up his pato (potty in shape of a duck) and uses the actual toilet.  And he is fairly consistent with #2 in the toilet too.

I'm quite proud of him.  Maybe people told me that potty training a boy was really difficult and that I probably shouldn't even attempt until he is 2 and a half or older.

But potty training isn't easy.  He uses the bathroom all the time.  I walk him to the bathroom, pull off pants (I can't just pull them down, they sometimes get wet with me...but not the nanny), help him balance on the step, help him push his body forward, then help him put the pants back on, help him up the steps to wash his hands (one of his favorite parts), try to convince him his hands are clean, usually lift him away from the sink, try to dry his hands, and walk him out of the bathroom.  All that in place of just changing a diaper every couple of hours.  ((Also, don't for get I'm 30 weeks pregnant with a huge stomach and an aching back))

But it is nice to know that when #2 arrives there will only be one in diapers.

My son the Carnivore

When I was pregnant with Leon I searched for books on how to raise a vegetarian child. I always figured I'd go back to being a 100% vegetarian when I was pregnant because it was the healthier thing to do, right? I was a vegetarian (but not vegan, so I ate dairy and eggs) for almost 10 years before I became a pescatarian (mostly vegetarian diet with fish/seafood). Then at some point in the last three years I started eating vegetarian with a little bit of everything else.

I was quite surprised when I was pregnant to come across this book "Real Food for Mother and Baby." Instead of finding a vegetarian book to bring me back to my senses, I read Nina Planck's book about how everyone but especially pregnant women, nursing women, and babies should eat meat and other "real foods." Her basic belief is that there are no true natural vegan societies and that even in vegetarian societies (not talking about San Francisco, I'm talking about people who lived centuries ago or "natives" now) pregnant women and children are giving meat-based supplements. She thinks that we eat too much fat free/sugar free/chemically created and processed foods instead of real butter and foods that our ancestors ate.

I agree with her that it's probably more important for our health that we eat organic, whole foods than processed foods, including meat free processed foods. I try to feed Leon everything and let him decide what he likes the best.

Though at some point I'd love to be a self-sufficient vegetarian again. Or at growing most of my own food that isn't purchased at some organic market (definitely one reason I would love to move back to the U.S (or Europe/South Africa) is to be able to buy all organic diary and meat products.

Some day soon!!!!

Gender Wars

Is it a girl or boy? Do you want a girl or boy?

I get those two questions all the time. I got them last time too.

Tonight my nanny said that Leon was hugging on me more these days and that is a sign that I am having a girl.

Many have said because I haven't gained that much weight yet (I am about 10 pounds behind where I was last time) is proof that I am having a girl.

Others say I'm having a boy because of the position of the baby.

It's funny how many people won't just take "I don't care what I'm having" as an answer. They all really want me to say which one I want.

Let's see. A girl would be cool. Of course. I have a boy. So I girl would be cool. I could do her hair, dress her up, etc.

A boy would also be cool. Leon would have an instant playmate (not that he can't play with a sister but it's different). One woman with three boys said to me, boys are easier since when they get older they never steal your clothes, they never steal your makeup, you never have to worry about their hair, and they usually end up doing "male bonding" things with dad so you get more free time.

Jeff would like to know now. I think it's better to wait until it comes out.

What do you think?

Pez!

Leon loves sea life. I would highly recommend a trip to the San Francisco and Monterrey Aquariums if you have kids and are in the Northern California area!

Leon Screams, Leon Screams, Leon Screams for Ice Cream

Leon LOVES ice cream. A few weeks ago when I came home from work he said, "helado (ice cream)" and then went to his drawer got a bowl and spoon and walked with me to the freezer. I had to give him some because I was so impressed by his actions.

Weeks later he is tormenting us! He says, "helado" as soon as he wakes up in the morning (twice, once in CA and once in Venezuela I gave him helado after thinking he had a sore throat or fever), when we are driving, when we are at restaurants, every where. He doesn't just say ICE CREAM he says, "helado, alli, alli". Ice cream over there! Sometimes he is right other times he is pointing to an auto shop or a library.

We've had ice cream quite a bit in San Francisco. In this picture Leon, Jeff, and I shared a Ghirardelli peanut butter and chocolate ice cream sundae. I 'm pretty sure Leon had more than Jeff and I. Once we were done he of course said, "mas, mas."

I am worried that we are over indulging him or that he is going to become obese. But we also have been hiking and walking a lot and it is hard to imagine that a child formed from the union of Jeff and I (living with us etc) would become obese (without some medical problem).

So for now I won't worry about Leon's obsession with ice cream.