It feels so different trying for a baby this time around. It totally changes your perspective to have 9 months of pregnancy, a L&D, and a year and a half of parenting under your belt. My SIL commented that I seemed very relaxed about the whole thing - I think that's because I know what's on the other end once I do get pregnant. With that being said, I also feel so much better prepared and I know once I am pregnant, I'll savor every little bit of time as a mom to 1 (ALL THE SLEEP) because once baby comes, everything changes.

To back up, when H was around 15 months old, we tried half haphazardly for a few months and then put it on pause because I didn't want to be 9 months pregnant in the dead of summer. I'm not sure what changed (probably watching H get bigger and smarter and more of a little boy every single month that passes) but this month we decided to just let go of planning and give it a full effort. I re-downloaded my Glow app and have been tracking regularly. With that being said, I'm also not driving myself crazy. If it happens, it happens and the timing will be just as it's supposed to.

We talked about it and again, don't really have a gender preference! We do plan on finding out at the 20 week mark this time around though, just to do it differently. Honestly, I could see having another boy and maybe stopping there, or having a little girl and then trying for a third. It's really crazy how you have an idea in your head of what your family will look like but you really have no control over it! I'm not sure I'll write anymore about this until I have news to share because like I said, I'm not obsessing but this is an exciting time for our family with lots of changes on the horizon. It's scary to think about rocking the boat once things have finally calmed down but these are all happy blessings.

One last thought (I know this post is all over the place) is that Ben has given me full reign over baby naming this time around. He likes to think he named Harrison but we all know we had that name picked out for ages before we even got pregnant ;) So that is ONE thing I've been obsessing over.

If I could go back in time I would have written these every month of Harrison's first year when it really counted (things definitely slowed down/got easier after that, in my opinion) but I still wanted to take a minute and document what a year and half looks like to us right now...

6 AM (give or take 15-30 minites) - rise and shine! Despite our best efforts, we're convinced Harrison smells Ben the second he's out of bed but I'm blessed to have an early bird husband who loves dancing around his toddler as he gets ready for work. Ben gives Harrison some breakfast snacks, packs his lunch and then rouses me around 6:20 so he can leave the house at 6:30.

6:30 AM Dad leaves for work and mom pours herself a giant cup of coffee. I finish feeding Harrison breakfast, which is usually some mix of carb (toast, oatmeal, cereal, french toast), fruit and yogurt and then change his diaper. We stay in our jammies and play, watch cartoons and wake up (me haha). Right now Harrison loves reading, watching the tractors across the street, playing hide and seek and coloring.

9 AM I make myself breakfast and Harrison eats half of it. I prep dinner, check emails, and do some housework. Since he's down to 1 nap/day now sometimes we run a morning errand, go for a walk or meet up with friends for a play date.

11 AM I usually feed him another snack around 10:30 and by 11 he's ready to lay down for his nap. Lately, he's been pushing this closer to 12 or even 1 which is weird because at daycare he naps from 11-1. My theory is they tire him out a lot more there ;)

NAP TIME I let Ivy out, grab the mail, pay bills, do any household stuff I can't get done with him under foot and sit down for a minute. Naptime flies by!

1 PM He’s up! We cuddle for a while, I change his diaper and since he’s usually not ready for a full on lunch, I give him a snack. We almost always leave the house in the afternoon for a long stretch. We visit other friends with kids, head across the street to run around the farm, visit my mom if it’s her day off, or head to the park if it’s nice out. Stores and basically anywhere that require quiet and still are becoming increasingly difficult but I’m trying to be better about not caring what anyone thinks since toddlers are definitely their own breed. In general, Harrison is pretty mild mannered and I tell myself the worst thing that can happen is that we just leave where we’re at. Since winter is approaching I think we’ll be spending a lot more time at the library and the little gym.

5 PM Dinner Time. I almost always have dinner prepped or even fully made in the morning because cooking with a hungry toddler at your feet is really trying. I also always have back-ups if what I have planned isn’t the most toddler-friendly or he’s having a picky day. I let Ivy out so he doesn’t try and give her food and then I let him watch a show while he eats (he typically eats more when he’s being entertained, not the best habit but whatever works!). When he’s done I throw the dishes in the sink, strip him down and we either shower together if I work the next day or he gets a bath. Most of the time he doesn’t want to get out so I let him splash until he’s cold and then it’s jammies, brushing our teeth and waiting for dad to get home! I try and relax at this point and just read lots of books, play and let him get all his energy out. I want his last memories of his day being mom and dad playing with him and him feeling loved on. 

6-7 ish Dad's home!! Harrison forgets all about mom and follows dad around while he unloads his stuff and gets changed. We read lots of books and play until….

7:15 BEDTIME Multiple rounds of kisses and hugs all around and then Dad takes H into his room and he rocks him a little and then lays him down drowsy. He rolls around a bunch and is usually out within 15 minutes.

7:30-9:30 Mom and Dad time! We eat dinner together, chat about our days, watch a show together and just unwind. Sometimes we’ll play cards, sit outside if it’s warm (or bundle up and have a fire if it’s a weekend night) and we're both usually in bed by 9:30.

PHEW! It makes me tired just writing all this out but this is such a fun age and although a lot of it is spent making snacks and cleaning up messes, I love the independence and the endless cuddles I get. His language is exploding and he loves helping me with stuff so I just try and practice lots of patience and be the best teacher I can be. I feel so lucky to have him for my son and he truly is an amazing little person.