Merry Freakin' Christmas, Charlie!

So, my husband left for Dallas on Sunday around 4:30. He has training down there for the week and will be back on Friday night, which leaves me alone with the boys. Jamie went to stay the night with Tyler's cousins, luckily, because the Great Christmas Tree Fiasco of '09 (as it will henceforth be called) was about to occur.

I'm feeling pretty good about myself and about having the evening with Charlie all to myself. Andrea and Jeremy stopped by and brought me an early birthday present and some cookies, then they headed back to their house. After feeding Charlie a bottle at 12:30, we both drifted back to dream land. Charlie has been sleeping in the living room in his bouncer at the suggestion of our pediatrician due to his congestion, and I was asleep on the couch beside him. Around 1:30 am, I hear a creak and a crash and the unmistakable sound of glass breaking. To tell you the truth, I was a little afraid to open my eyes, but I did. It was dark but I knew the tree had just fallen and had landed right near or on the baby! When I flipped on the lights above my head my stomach lurched and my hands started shaking uncontrollably. The top of the tree was on Charlie's head! It was just two branches and one heavy ornament, but I wasn't sure how hard the tree had hit him. I lifted him out of the seat and looked for wounds. There weren't any that I could see so I set him down on the couch and grabbed my phone. The child never even woke up. He just wiggled and stretched a little, as if to say, "Why would you move me, woman?"

Andrea and Jeremy have drilled into my head that if I ever need them, to call. I figured now was as good a time as any, even though it was 1:30 in the morning. It took two tries before Jeremy answered. When I explained what had happened and told him the tree was too heavy for me to lift, he, of course, exclaimed they'd be right over. 5 minutes later they come in and survey the scene. Jeremy lifted the tree and leaned it against the corner wall and then we decided it would be a good idea to just go to the hospital and make sure Charlie was alright because you never can tell with such a little guy.

Thankfully, they told us he seems just fine and to just monitor him because they didn't want to do a CT scan on a baby so small since it takes so much radiation. It was the fastest ER visit ever known. When we got back to the house and were able to take a better look at the damage, it turned out to be mostly a glass ball massacre. There were very few regular ornaments that didn't make it. Jeremy and Andrea cleaned up the mess while I fed Charlie another bottle because they're awesome that way. Currently, the tree is chillin' in the corner waiting to be redone later today.

I feel crazy because I told Tyler and others that I thought the tree looked crooked in the stand. He said he thought it was just the way the tree was shaped. I kept telling him it was crooked, but I never really insisted he redo it. Sunday evening I even thought to myself, "Maybe I should put Charlie's bouncer on the other side of the couch in case the tree does fall over," but I convinced myself I was being neurotic. Forgive me for the lack of my usual humorous overtones (or what I intend to be humorous, anyhow), but I believe I'm still in shock. I'm feeling pretty numb except for the growing urge to vomit. Everything is fine and disaster was diverted, but geez! Way to start the week, Christmas tree!

At least, someone was watching out for sweet little Charlie and making sure that tree didn't land 2 or 3 inches further and smash him underneath it. (Thanks, Grandma.) I'm also thankful that Lauren and Kenny chose Sunday to keep Jamie, of all the days they could have had him before or since, and clearly, I'm thankful for my most fantastic friends. Couldn't wish for a better set of neighbors! Below are a few pictures from my phone. The first shows some of the balls but they had landed everywhere...all the way in the kitchen and were all around his bouncer, but not on Charlie himself! The second shows which part hit him and just how close he was to being hurt worse. His head was in that little pillow.

Mommy Meltdown

This morning I awoke to crushing anxiety about the impending birth of my second son! Sounds awesome right?! I'm starting to slowly freak out about the 2 under 2 thing. Yes, I'm aware that people do it all the time. Yes, I'm aware how people get pregnant. I don't want people to misunderstand. I'm very excited to be adding to my family. I'm just starting to feel increasing fear about my ability to handle these guys all day together as a stay-at-home mom. The suspense is killing me.

On the plus side, I did have a "supermom" moment earlier today. My 17 month old and I went out to do some early Christmas shopping (I'm trying to get done before the baby arrives so I won't have to tote both of them). we went to lunch at Pei Wei. generally, I just hold his hand and let him walk because, at this point, it's difficult to carry him on top of the hard belly. When we got inside, he got nervous from all the people and demanded up. My other hand was full, so I hoisted him up over my gut with one arm, ordered, paid, and then got the high chair out with my other arm all with my 35.99999 week pregnant belly. Yay me!

Moms who've already survived 2 under 2...I salute you!

Pregnancy Parasite & Staying At Home

Can you believe people actually purchase these on the black market for a diet solution?!

It would appear that Charlie is a true parasite, which, frightens me when I think about delivering what's sure to be a 60 lb infant. At my last OB appointment, I'd lost another 2 pounds. It's not something that's detrimental by any means when you're as over weight as I am. In fact, the doctor says that I'll probably weigh less after I give birth than before I got pregnant. That would be excellent indeed, but I'm not really planning on that to happen. In my ever pessimistic mind, I keep waiting for the bottom to drop out...or "to expand" (terrible, i know).

A friend of mine recently had to write a blog about how she has to spend most of her day at work thanks to debts that must be paid back and at the expense of seeing her own child. This makes me very sad but it also reminds me to be very thankful. I'm so grateful every day that we are financially able to allow me to stay home with Jamie. Granted, by the time Charlie gets here, I wouldn't be able to work anyhow because of the cost of two children in daycare. There's just no way we could afford $300 a week with a daycare paycheck. Nevertheless, I could be working right now to make every last penny we could get before having two children. Thankfully, I don't have to.

Jamie is in quite an adorable stage right now and I'm very glad I get to relish in practically every second of it. I love when he picks up a book or magazine or picture and says, "Wa sat?!" (which is "What's that?!" for adults) and that I'm able to tell him or in the case of it being something he knows, turning it around and saying "I don't know. What is that?" I love when he looks at every dog and goes "oof oof ow ow!" which is really a dog woofing and a cat meowing together but hey, it's adorable. I love when he signs "All done" and pushes his plate away so I know he's finished eating. There are so many things changing and new stuff that he's learning about literally every single second that I'm so thankful to be sharing it with him while I have the time to focus all my attention on him. Maybe I'll feel differently when there are two to chase (because I know parents with more than one kid who stress staying at home) but for now I think this is a pretty amazing life and I promise to enjoy every minute I have with little Jamie before I miss it and he's big Jamie.

For those women out there who have to work to support their family, fear not. My mother worked overtime all the time and my brother and I were in daycare pretty much every day growing up. She and I couldn't have been closer! (except for that pesky preteen stage, of course. ha) When we go out to this day people say with such shock "You guys seem like best friends!" like it's unheard of that a mother and daughter would get along that well. So, it is truly possible to let your children know you adore them even if you have to spend most of your time at work. As long as you make the most of the time you do have with your children, they'll never notice that it's less than the time they spend at the nursery.

Charles Grady Belew and a New House, Too!

Let me just say that I can't wait for us to finally be all settled in to the new house and for the last box to be unpacked! The plan is to be mostly done this weekend, but we'll see. The end does seem within reach, at least, and that is a very positive thing. I promise pictures of the home are coming as soon as the piles of stuff have been placed in their proper locations. We're very excited about the upcoming housewarming party.

I mainly just dropped by to spread the news that we are, as I suspected, having another boy. Boys seem to run rampant in the Belew family so I really didn't expect to see anything other than a willie. We didn't even have full names picked 

out for a girl. While Jamie was annoyed by our mere presence at his 20 week ultrasound and tried in vain not to show anyone his manly bits, Charlie showed his differences to his big brother by spreading his legs for the world to see. I can't wait for the time when he and Jamie are able to play together and hope they will be lifelong buddies. Jackson will only be 4-5 months older than Charlie and with the two of them living so close, I have a feeling they will become thick as thieves, while Jamie shows them who has all the authority! Continuing my new surroundings of all boy children, it seems Nanny's house will be amuck with little guys. Come christmas she'll have my two, as well as Isaac filling up her home. (Sheesh. This Christmas, Jamie will be old enough for Santa Claus. That will be exciting.) It seems I can register now for the baby shower everyone keeps asking me to have...not tha

t I'm complaining. I better wait until fall clothing starts coming back out.

This little guy seems much more active than Jamie already but the doctor said I'm probably just more aware this time. I disagree. I think he really is more active. He's all over the place! He's my little popcorn baby. Perhaps, Mexican Jumping Bean is more appropriate since he has me craving tortilla chips pretty much nonstop. Tonight we're going to Moe's Southwest Grill before we run some more house errands and I am completely stoked! I'm obsessively checking the clock for the time Tyler will be home. I'll leave you w

ith a look at our newest edition. Some say alien, I say adorable!