No sleep since Thanksgiving

Sorry it's been slow on the blog posting lately...
it's because we are too busy trying not to strangle our precious and wonderful 2 year old.

Since Thanksgiving (USA version), Rachel's sleeping habits have gotten worse and worse.  Since coming home from Canada, she has been up a LOT.  It's like having a newborn again, without the nursing.  Is it because she's processing the new baby?  Maybe.  Is it because we've traveled so much lately?  Maybe.

Last week she was up every hour.

We have resorted to locking her in her room and letting her scream for hours as we try to ignore her.  It's really fun.  She has cried for 3 hours in a row for many nights over the last week.

Common things Rachel will say between 12midnight and 3:30am:
- MAMMMMMMMAAA!
- DADDDDDDYYY!
- I have to poop!
- I want a bagel!
- I want cream cheese!
- I don't want the heater on!
- I want to play!
- I want to go downstairs!
- MAMMMMMMMMMAAA!
- DADDDY!

Thankfully, the only thing keeping us sane is that Rachel is super cute and during the day makes us smile.  Things she says during the day include:
- Is there room in Mommy's tummy for Rachel?
- We're going to the mountains!  That's so eskiting!
- I want to do a puzzle!
- And then, my Daddy will come and pick me up from school and we will go home and cut food.

The other interesting thing Rachel has done recently is start stuttering.  It started on our trip and it seems her brain is moving to fast for her mouth to keep up.  She will say: "I want I want I want I want I want I want ... to go upstairs with my mommy and do the alphabet puzzle."  We are trying to be patient and wait it out but's it's a surprising stage for us.

Potty training update:
At about Thanksgiving, Rachel refused to wear underwear and refused to use the potty anymore, so we gave up.  Recently, her interest seems renewed so we are going to stop wearing diapers on Feb 1st.  We have a potty calendar countdown and are hoping February brings us more long term success!

Baby update:
Everyone wants to know how I'm feeling and the answer is good.  15 weeks and all is well.  Heard a good heart beat at 14 weeks.  We are not going to learn the gender and are thinking of names, thinking of nursery decor, trying to find time for birthing classes and prenatal yoga.  It's a busy time!

Here are old ultrasound pictures from 10 weeks

Thanks for keeping up with our lives!