Life is Flowers

On a much needed lighter note.

We have undertaken the completely futile task of potty training Isabel, although our approach has been far to passive for the likes of many, we move forward nonetheless in our attempts to reduce our daycare costs (There’s a non-potty-trained-child premium).  However slowly, I mean ssssssllllllllooooooowwwwwwwwlllllllllyyyyyyyyy, there has been progress.  In fact even last night our little Isabel amazed us all with a feat that would rival even the best of the boys.

I stepped briefly out of the bathroom to continue a conversation with Edie (clearly lying on the couch eating Bon-Bon’s contemplating her next diabolical scheme to rid the world of mean people,while simultaneously pondering the ramifications of Sharon’s incarceration in a mental hospital while still not telling Nick that he is the father of her unborn child, not to mention answering all the Jeopardy questions before Alex could even finish reading the answer.)  I was not abandoning our daughter to the confines of our non-kid-friendly bathroom unprotected from the dangers of mildew and an overflowing mini-trashcan.  She had a roll of toilet paper to protect herself from any danger she would be facing.  Or, so I thought.

“Daddy, lookee I poop-eed. I poop-eed daddy.”

I revved up my fatherly excitement on my fine abilities to potty train a toddler while barely doing more then helping her steady herself while she takes off her diaper.  Yes, folks I am a stellar dad that few, neigh any can compare with.  My potty training skills will be famous around the world.  I will have book deals and the multitudes will line up eagerly awaiting for me to sign their portable toddler toilet seats.  They will put my face on the back of bathroom doors everywhere as a sign of encouragement for toddlers……..Hmmmm, okay let’s not put my face in every bathroom in the known world.  That would just be disturbing.

I went to the bathroom to help out with the unmentionable duty necessary post poopy.  Isabel kept pointing at the “poopy”, alas I saw nothing…..at first.

Uh Oh!  What’s all over the floor? and the toilet seat?  and her leg?  And mommy’s Edward and Bill Entertainment Weekly?  In fact two whole feet plus away from the toilet?!?

Ahhhh haa!  My little girl can whiz just like the boys, and she’s got distance!

Yeah, what proud moments of fatherhood and embarassing stories for her wedding day.

I’m not entirely sure why Isabel wants to be difficult about what she eats. The meatballs in her spaghetti are not going to hurt her. That macaroni and cheese is actually good and contrary to belief does not contain flesh eating bacteria or alien worms, and the yellow sauce is really just cheese.  Besides, apparently she has ingested her own pee in utero.

As your baby matures inside you, much of that urine will be excreted into the amniotic fluid, swallowed again by your baby, and then excreted again in a continuous cycle.  (What to Expect When You’re Expecting, Week 7)

I would think even brussel sprouts would be an improvement over that.

Soooo, the appointment today was pretty uneventful, and while not my first time going to an OB appointment for a pregnancy, it never ceases to be an uncomfortable experience, and I’m not even the one on the table.  With that, we’ll just fast forward to an hour later.  As expected it is a bit too early to see anything on ultrasound, but we were seen earlier than the “standard” patient given the history of incompetent cervix.  In the past the transition from “everything looks great” to “Oh, Sh@#!” happens very quickly so it was crucial to get in early and get everything laid out to tackle this issue as well as give us time to find a new doctor if we don’t believe that our current doctors are going to do everything humanly possible to make this pregnancy work.  Good news is that there is a great plan in place to deal with the incompetent cervix issue, these are some of the best doctors around, and we’ll be delivering at one of the best (possibly “the” best) hospitals in Northern Virginia.  More good news is that bed-rest isn’t guaranteed, although still a possibility.  (We were told that 10-25% of cerclages are placed on bed-rest.)  While not doomed to bed-rest, limited activity will be necessary.

Next week is an appointment for a formal ultrasound, and hopefully they’ll be able to get a good look at the baby.  The week after that is an appointment with a specialist who deals with high risk pregnancies and will perform the cerclage which will be scheduled for around twelve or thirteen weeks.

In the meantime the food aversions, cravings, mild morning sickness, and a constant feeling of tiredness continue.  In fact tonight Edie went to bed at 8:15 pm which is completely unheard of.

On a positive, and completely unrelated note – after multiple failed attempts to transition Isabel to a bed from the crib, it looks like it might stick now.  She went to sleep in her bed tonight and didn’t get out.  Now, if she’ll just be willing to give up that pacifier.