Things I'm loving today

• Caleb saying "HINTA!" in a singy-song voice, lifting his arms up and down, telling me he wants to GO SWING at the park.
• A very brisk 30 minutes at the park with him, where we swing to his heart's content and run around, holding hands.
• The elation on his face as the cold wind blows into it. His loud giggles as he swings.
• No protests when it's time to head home. It's COLD outside!
• Being able to ask: "Do you want to go play with the choo-choo's at the store or do you want to go home?" and not only getting an answer indicating his preference, but an explanation of what exactly he wants to do now: TV!
• A 2-year-old who can hold his pee until we get home, even though it's freezing out.
• Watching him drink his first cup of hot chocolate. Yummy!
• Looking out the window and noticing that we just missed the rain.
• NO WORK.

Will you please uncross your legs?

Yesterday, we went in for our 20 week ultrasound, where we discovered several things. First of all, we discovered that we are expecting a BABY GIRL! This discovery did not come without some silent begging on my part and some serious cajoling from the technician for her to please uncross her legs and show herself. It took her about 25 minutes to finally do this, and by then we were dangerously nearing the end of the visit, but once she did, things were pretty clear. At least, they were immediately clear to the technician (she's seen thousands of these, no doubt) and Ron (who's been shown several of these sonogram pictures by his expectant employees in the past months).

So we've gathered that she is shy and also very active, and loves to run away from the technician's tool. She now weighs 14 ounces (measuring 1 week larger than her gestational age...eek) and has a heartbeat of 140 bpm. All her organs looked healthy upon measurement.

We are very excited to be having a little girl after our beautiful big boy. I think it will be good for Caleb to have a little sister; it will soften the sibling relationship a little, maybe a little less sibling rivalry, but who knows. I am not fully aware of the sibling dynamics between a brother and sister, having only had sisters. I am definitely looking forward to seeing them interact with each other.

We're past the halfway point of this pregnancy (Week 21 finishes in a couple of days); it seems really unbelievable. A few short months and our daughter will be here. Thankfully, we don't have to worry about coming up with a name, as we've had it picked out a very long time ago. (Had it been a boy, today we would be agonizing over names.) Now I just need to supplement her wardrobe (Caleb's hand-me-downs) with a few girly clothes (but not much pink), so she is not constantly mistaken for a boy. However, this task ahead of me is clearly the easier of the two.

Loving Natalia

Caleb showed such sweetness and love towards his little cousin

last weekend, it had to be captured.

Here, he was placed in Grandma's lap for some photos, but as you can see,

he has other ideas. This is an opportunity to go in for a hug.

Ahhh...

Loving Natalia

Photo of the Week

2009 Week 7

Going in for a kiss

Ahhhh...

A family Valentine

Caleb and I spent a wonderful Valentine's weekend in New Jersey with family. My mom had flown in from Hungary the previous week to help out with my sister's new baby for a while and we were eager to see her. We wondered whether Caleb would remember her. He did. When we parted at the weekend's end, he cried for a long time as he repeated "Mama, Mama" and pointed to the front carseat, wanting her to come with us. Hopefully, it won't be long until we see each other again.

Caleb of course remembered his paternal grandparents too, and when some of the promised people (Pop Pop, Aunt Jen) were not immediately available upon arrival, he ran through the house, looking for them, repeating their names. His eyes got big when he finally got to see Jen that evening.

Natalia had grown a lot in the past couple of months. She is growing into a beautiful little lady. Caleb's reaction to his young cousin was amazing. He was constantly hugging her, kissing her, giving her "Coca" (pacifier), caressing her head, gently inspecting her tiny fingers, pointing out her nose, her eyes, her hair. My sweet little boy is so affectionate! He is always that way with us, but this was just precious. I think we have good things to expect when the new baby arrives.

We were feasted this past weekend by two grandmothers, having our fill of Hungarian gulyás and pastry, as well as an elaborate Valentine's steak dinner complete with lavish chocolate desserts. But beyond the great food, it was a very special and rare occasion to have both grandmothers present at the same time. (Caleb wore his "Heart Grandma" shirt to show his appreciation.)

I know that Caleb just absolutely loved this weekend, seeing everybody again. He is totally falling in love with Baby Natalia. He was also very friendly with his Aunt Kornelia, climbing into her lap and lying there, pretending he's a baby. When I ask him if he had a good time, he giggles with remembrance and repeats everybody's name. He asks to look at the pictures and loves to point out everything and everyone on them.

Here are a few of those pictures.

A Winter's Nap

A Winter's Nap

Photo of the Week

2009 Week 6

Sleeping like a baby. Looking like an angel.

My first baby.

The Haircut

In preparation for spending Valentine's Day with both grandmas, one grandpa, and two aunts

a couple days prior, the grooming begins...

Here, my sweet boy still looks like a girl.

But a few snips later, a new person emerges...

"Is it really gone? My beautiful mane? All of it?"

Mama's tools. Most important of them, the Bribe: CHOCOLATE.

"If you sit still and watch your video, I'll feed you chocolate!"

Works like a charm - every time.

And then, let's not forget the water. This serves two purposes:

1. Assisting Mama in the cutting process.

2. Entertaining Caleb with play time afterwards.

Which results in wetting the nose.

And wetting the face.

Giggling about it.

Showing chocolate-stained teeth.

And of course, wetting the hair just like he saw Mama do it.

"I think it's now perfect."

Ready for the family.

Greeting the snow with open arms

Greeting the snow with open arms

Photo of the Week

2009 Week 5

This photo captures his joy upon seeing snow for the first time

(he was too little to remember it from last year).

At first, he didn't know what to think of the snow as we stepped out onto the front porch,

but after inspecting it with his bare hands (he refused gloves),

soon enough he was running into it with arms outstretched.

Turning around with a charming smile.

And inspecting it some more.

Punxsutawney Phil may know something

Yesterday, Punxsutawney Phil, the famed groundhog of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania predicted 6 more weeks of winter. For those international readers of mine, who are not familiar with this famous weather prognosticator: Every February 2nd, on Groundhog Day, they drag this poor groundhog out of his warm and cozy hole in the town of Punxsutawney, so they can gather in the town square and request this creature to foretell the future. According to a 123-year-long tradition, if Phil sees his shadow, we will have 6 more weeks of winter; if he does not, we are sure to have an early spring. (For those of you, who want to get a better idea of this bizarre tradition, watch the movie Groundhog Day, one of my favorites.)

So Phil saw his shadow and you can guess what we woke up to this morning: SNOW. This is only the second time it snowed in these parts, and this is definitely the most snow we've gotten this winter - all of 1-2 inches!

This snow came after an unusually warm and sunny day, on which Caleb and I spent a delicious 2 hours at the local park for the first time in months, soaking up the Vitamin D in our shirt sleeves. This snow came a day after I commented to my friend that "Really, I am sooo over snow now; now I just want spring to come," even though I had looked forward to snow all winter, so that Caleb and I could enjoy some winter weather fun.

But truth is, I had given Snow a chance, and Snow blew it. Snow could have made its appearance in December or January, but now it is too late for Snow... it is now time for Daffodils and Crocuses. It is now time to spend sunny days at the park with toddlers who are thrilled at the scent of spring in the air, the sun on their cheeks, the rediscovered swing. It is most definitely not appropriate for Snow to finally arrive on a day that followed such a day as this, filled with the Promise of Spring.

Snow has a mind of its own. It fell overnight while we slept unknowingly in our warm beds and surprised us with its white cover as we opened the shades at 5:30 am.

Snow was greeted with hooplas and hollers of HÓ! HÓ! SNOW! CALEB, LOOK! SNOW! MOMMY, SEE? HÓ! And later, the lacing up of shoes and the enthusiastic, pure joy of two people who have not yet played in snow this year.

Snow is very lucky to have such loyal subjects, I must say.

(Below, you shall find some of our Snow Day pictures.)