Exciting News!

It's been too long, as usual! Lots to catch up on! Dan is doing well, he's working more regular hours these days because he got switched to doing something else at work and they have more consistent hours. He was finally able to tear into my van, there's many things needing to be replaced. As he went though, he's finding more problems to fix, so that is going to take longer.

I'm doing good. Still feeling ok. I'm 26 weeks along now, next week is 3rd trimester! The time has been going pretty fast. I've been keeping busy. The chiropractor is helping a lot. Other than some sciatic pain, I have no complaints! I am dreading the very hot weather though, it may be a long summer! Baby is getting big and strong, very active! My Dr still wants to induce a week early due to me having large babies. She said she's aiming for September 3rd, which is also our wedding anniversary!

Dawson is almost done with Kindergarten! This year just flew by in some ways. Seems like he just started school not long ago. He's reading much more fluently and is reading things everywhere. His special ed teacher says she's pleased with his end of year testing, compared to his earlier testing. I'm excited to see how much he's improved! He's very excited to be done with school. For the last month he's been telling me he doesn't want to go. Even though he qualifies, I declined the summer school option. He will be getting his Autism Center therapy at home, 25-30 hours per week. He loves that and is making lots of progress. It's also more customizable, so we can work on other things around home and in any area that he needs, not just academically. They will continue to take him out to the community for some fun and social interaction practice. I've been looking for different things for him to do and may sign him up for some community ed classes and fun things he may be interested in.

Gabriel is growing up so much! He went through a big growth spurt, so he looks so much bigger now, and he's been talking a lot too. He labels many things, has several 2-3 word phrases, he's working on counting, but he skips some numbers. He has 1-5 down fairly well. He knows about half the alphabet too! He's still very obsessed with horses. He graduated from his little rocking horse to a big spring rocking horse and he loves it. He was rocking the little one so hard that he was tipping it over! Even with the big spring horse, he can get the front legs off the floor a bit! Crazy little boy.

Gabriel sleeps with his two favorite stuffed animals. The brown horse I made in 6th grade, and the zebra I got him for Christmas. These two are well loved and it shows! ;)

 Dawson loves his pacman set that Grandma made for him. He had quite the pacman obsession for quite a while! It has been a bit less obsessive lately, but he still really enjoys playing it.

 We finally got new bunk beds! We've had this set since Dawson was almost 2. Someone had moved out of our apartment building and left them next to the dumpster. So we got some hardware and they've been good sturdy beds for a while, but I've been wanting something else for a while and was just waiting for the right time.

That time presented itself when a friend posted these up on a local facebook sell group for a really good price. I've always wanted bunks with stairs, but wasn't about to pay over a thousand for a new set! I love the darker wood too, it looks so pretty and clean in there now! Gabriel likes going up there. A few times he has gone up and slept with Dawson, but for the most part he is still in his crib. He tried the lower bunk a couple nights, but wasn't ready yet. I'm just following his lead for now. I don't want bedtime battles quite yet and I'm not in a hurry to switch him.

 The ceiling!

 Dawson loves the steps! We do too. Before this bed, he was falling asleep on the couch and we had to carry him to bed. Now he is comfortable climbing up himself and falling asleep. Maybe it's the excitement of the new bed, who knows! He has to have his star lights projected onto the ceiling, but that's a pretty simple request.

 The boys testing out the new bed.

 Dawson's Kindergarten concert was fun. I really couldn't see him once I sat down, he's on the bottom row in the middle and we sat in the back because Gabriel was making a big fuss about being in there.

 Gabriel actually ended up really enjoying the concert and sat perfectly! Go figure. He even clapped after each song.

 After the concert, the boys enjoyed playing together in Dawson's classroom.

 The end of April was my ultrasound. My mom came with to watch Gabriel and to be there. It was very fun. Baby was so stubborn, laying with legs tucked under, on the belly and everything. The lady moved me around, tried to wiggle baby, and finally after a lot of poking around she got a look at the gender. It's a GIRL!! I was completely surprised, I was really expecting it to be another boy. It's all I know and we just seem to make a lot of those. It took quite a while for that to sink in! I'm finally used to saying words like "she", but it was so weird at first!

 Our clinic recently got 3D added! I've never seen a 3D picture of my own kids. It was so neat seeing her move around and looking more like a baby. When I showed Dawson the "x-ray of mommy's tummy", he smiled. Then I told him it's a girl and he burst into giggles and said "mom, that's silly!"  I think it's going to take him a while to get used to the concept too. :)

I've been having fun buying some pink things!

 Dawson started horse therapy in April. He's really enjoying it. It was so cold that first week, it had been snowing still, so much that they had to cancel a session! The barn is so dusty from not being aired out, and his allergies (and mine!) from all the dust despite the meds was a bit much. We were both sneezing quite a bit. The next time they had him use a medical mask and that helped a ton!

 

 Me the end of April, around 20 weeks.

Gabriel loves watching me cook. He's not as much of a helper like Dawson always has been. Dawson is more hands on, but Gabriel hasn't felt comfortable doing things yet, he just loves to watch.

 Finally warming up a bit! Was nice to ditch the bulky winter coat.

 Gabriel got to come with us for the first time in May! He was so excited to see all the horses, but he also wanted to ride. He was gathering the sawdust footing and throwing it around.

 He was also offering up the sawdust to the horses in exchange for a ride. He was saying "please!!" in the cutest, most desperate voice. Poor kid, he gets an A for effort!

 Mother's Day with my boys. :)

 Watching horse therapy, outside this time!

 Riding with his mask. The outdoor arena finally dried up so we can use it! So much better.

 Me today at 26 weeks.

 

I've been doing ok for the most part, but I had a bad dream the other night about Tyler and it really threw me into a funk. Plus it's June, the month Tyler was originally diagnosed. We also just passed April, the month he was readmitted after his relapse! Too many bad months. Some day to not focus on them, but it's really impossible. So many dates are stamped into my head! There has also been a ton of 4th birthdays lately! I'm realizing I know way too many people who have a 4 year old! The talks of starting preschool and all the exciting things they've been doing is a bit too much some days. 

 

I've been trying to focus on happy things. My sister is due June 15th and I'm excited about that. Also with gathering things for this baby. It seems like the busier I get and the more I try to concentrate on other things, the more that gets stored up and it's harder when it finally all comes out. Thankfully those super horrible days don't come often, but when they do, I have no appetite, I feel physically sick and sore all over. I can't hardly get out of bed or off the couch and have no motivation at all. Gabriel always senses those moods and is either very fussy and needy, or he gets super sweet and cuddly. He was fussy in the morning, but got very cuddly in the afternoon. Thankfully by morning those internal clouds were lifting again.

 

I think things have been harder due to the extra hormones too. Extra moody, and the highs and lows are much more exaggerated some days. The weather has been rainy and gloomy too, which isn't helping. I need some sunshine! They say the 2nd year is harder than the first, and it's been true. It's been so long since we've seen him, I start forgetting things and wondering if someday all those memories will slip away. I have to look back at pictures and then it starts to come back again. Many I've talked to said they have the same and it's a common fear. Thank goodness for pictures, lots of them!