Gus is so ingenious with his newly forming sentences. He seems to be forming thoughts that he can actually articulate instead of just playing copy cat. It’s adorable. I asked him to “tell daddy you love him” and he said “I love you daddy”. Whereas normally he would have just repeated the same words I stated. It’s just wild to see him putting the language together. He is also speaking more and more Spanish words and starting to make little Spanish sentences such as “Adonde esta?”. So cute. This morning when he woke up he moved down to my tummy and snuggle with his little brother rubbing my belly and all. Just adorable.
This past weekend we had an awesome adventure with family and friends. Gus was just a darling little cousin (most of the time) with his older cousin Daniel.
We had a wonderful time with family at our intimate baby shower!
So now we have to start getting everything else we need. I feel the urge to nest! I love the feeling but who has time for the shopping etc!! Eeks! But I suppose I will figure it out… (Secret weapon – diaper.com and a credit card).
Gus has now realized the belly moves and may understand there is a baby in there, his baby brother. We have been reading books to him that explain what it is to be a big brother – but I think none of that will matter once the new boy is here. Not sure what to expect but from what other mommies have told me it will be quiet a challenge. I can’t wait but I wish I did not have to work so much and was able to actually take time off for the adjustment… will six weeks really be enough?
The unborn Rubin is now kicking away happily at ribs and my left hip. He seems to be angled to just probe each little nook in there that makes me uncomfortable in just about every position that is crucial to my existence (driving, sitting as a passenger in a car, sitting at my desk for work – although I scored an ergonomic chair today which might help, sitting on the couch trying to catch up with TV series we like to watch). I do however feel the best when I am up and about or working out (still running ever so slowly and using the stairstepper at work). I feel that my efforts to stay somewhat trim/healthy weight during pregnancy is just not in your control. Last pregnancy I drank a million milk shakes and now this time, its all about the yogurt and the nuts and the healthier options (although there is a piece of chocolate in my daily routine). But I have NOT gone out of my way to eat any different than when I was not pregnant. I figure my diet was fine before and would sustain another living organism in my body – so far I was right. This little fetus likes chicken though – chicken nuggets, rotisserie chicken, chicken tenders- doesn’t matter but I have a craving for chicken, and lemony things. eh… maybe he will like those yum yums. And in effort to not get aneimic this time I am eating a little big of meat here and there because being aneimic and preggers was not fun last time.
Next week will be 26 weeks and I will visit the doctor for a check up. This time she will order up my glucose tests (yuck) and I will have to give time up to go do that – YUCK if you did not hear me the first time. But whatever, one more step to ensure our health and safety in here right?
My little Gus is handling all this so well and I am trying to squeeze every little hug out of him before he becomes the jealous big brother. We are encouraging him to play more independently and lately not sure if he is growing or under the weather but he has just been a resistant little boy who loves the word “no” and “mine”. He seems to be fending dad off again too, and just not sure where this behavior came from. Also working with him on “wait”. As for Potty training – that’s out the window. He will sit on one from time to time, but kid you not – he’s just not “ready” from what it seems. I don’t want it to be just one more fight during my day. Soooo we will try again later. No biggie… I love diapers.. not. It is cute to watch him stand nekked in front of a potty standing there like dad does to pee… I think he finds it amusing. Eventually he gets inpatient and asks for a new diaper so he can pee in. Sigh. Need to take a week off and train him I think… maybe while the midshipmen go on spring break I can work on this little endeavor.
Ok what more… seriously with this weird weather, feels like winter will never actually make it’s arrival before Spring pushes it out of the way but we will see.
Gus said something extremely cute and funny and out of the blue. We were in the restaurnt in a booth, and he stand up and plants his hands on the table and stars swaying back and forth with his backside in the air saying “wiggle booty”. Cute but not sure where he got that, or if he really is getting the hang of putting words together himself. Some days he is difficult to understand, and others clear as day. He really is doing well with his vocabulary! ok on that note, time for bed. Long mentally straining day. So much to be blessed for and thankful for.
XOXO until next time. (photo of Gus hard at work making rice krispie Valentine cookies) (and photo of Gus helping dad put together the subwoofer)
#2 is in there wiggling around – I can feel him or her in there just parading around waiting to grow! Time is flying and I thought I would be able to blog more than I did (last post was in October) but somehow time flew and here we are January 2012.
So what has been going on… well I got big and popped out fast. I think I was wearing maternity pants as soon as we found out … ok no just shortly after. I sucked it in for my uniform a few extra weeks and then told all my midshipmen before I put the uniform on so they would understand and maybe just respect it a little more if I gave all 155 of them a little fair warning of what is to come (one crazy, forgetful, belly growing, feet aching, cranky Chief – and you ask is that different from your normal self… grmph). So they were excited and the girls ask me all the time how it’s going. So we made it through the holidays – its starting to get more difficult to get out of bed. I have my first contractions the other day after some weekend exercise and well I have not decided yet if I want to keep running or not. I probably will unless the doc tells me not too. Now I must say don’t think I am a track star yet… we are talking mayyybee twice a week – only when work is in session and I go very prego pace slow. Sooo with that said, I think I get more out of doing the laundry and cleaning the house than I do from my “running”. Either way makes me feel good to get out there, so long as it’s not 30 degrees and cloudy.
The yard. Life on the yard (US Naval Academy – yes it’s called a yard, not a university, not a base, not the post… it’s the “yard” as I am frequently reminded by others) is great. I have an awesome office but it’s on the fifth deck of the building and people expect us to take the stairs. I have to admit, I like taking the elevator but I occasionally suck it up and show those midshipmen that well.. if preggo chief can pass you going up the stairs – you are SLOW. Besides that, it’s such a beautiful place to work, run, and just generally mentor these young young impressionable minds. I like my job (except for having to go to a few football games a year and babysit the entire brigade). I just don’t always like being the fun police though. There has to be a balance.
So life at home. Gus is two and change and he has noticed there is a belly that mom keeps telling me there is something inside. Gus has told me on a few occasions out of the blue “brother, no sister” in his oh so adorable voice, and just like any other man, as soon as you ask more about the statement – he changes the subject and moves on to cars or trains or something. It’s adorable.
Potty training – ha… forget that… we are working on a sticker system. You sit on the potty, you get to play with stickers. But we have not “made” anything in it yet. Might have to get some chocolate morsels (as a friend told me worked for her) and give that a try. It woudl be great to have him potty trained before the next one comes (read I hope for less diapers to have to carry… yeesh). But I am a realist… he will potty train when he is ready or we find the right motivation.
Food – Gus is eating more and more lately… favorite foods: Gnocchi (any sauce really), mac’n'cheese (but not all the time), yogurt (but it has to come from a tube, not the cup), soy milk, pineapples, pears, broccoli (we make it fun to eat), asparagus (dipped in ranch), chocolate (duh), cupcakes, oh cheese sticks, bread, waffles (not the organic kinds – prefers eggos), home made waffles (just got an awesome waffle iron – Marc thanks for the idea), pancakes, occassionally bananas, manderins (out of the cup). It’s fun, but we are trying to get more colorful veggies in that diet of his. Some days I think he lives off bread and water. But he has been eating more lately.
As for me, I actually did not change my diet much this time – and no milk shakes which was my vice with Gus. I have been craving chicken – although that is subsiding a bit. I have been eating lots of eggs and cheese sticks myself. I also love the taste of cinnamon with a little manjar (dulce de leche), and we just got this amazing raw honey from a local farm and it’s just wow – full of amazing flavor – so that’s what’s been going on my waffles. Status quo everywhere else.
Belly’s getting bigger, and Monday we will have our 20 week ultrasound (hopefully the baby will show us the goods!). But we will just be so happy if the baby is healthy and happy. So far it has been the most uneventful pregnancy and after the first trimester of nausea I feel so much better.
We have decided to hire a doula to help with the birth, and I found an amazing lady that I feel very comfortable with and she’s local. I can only hope things turn out well but I need a little positive coaching during the labor – particularly if it goes long. Last time I felt a bit alone in parts of the process since those in attendance just well… have never labored. Back in the day when my mom had us, they just knocked her out and when she awoke the babies were there. What a different life back then, but today I feel that natural is the way to go – I just felt so great after Gus came out – it was awesome being able to move etc after the birth. Anyways, more to come.
If you are wondering – no we have not thought of names. Of course we are hoping for a girl (so we have one and one) – but will be VERY happy if he/she is healthy. Will we be doing a shower – probably, but a small local one is all. 20 weeks go to till due date!!!!
PS, Gus went ice skating for the first time and LOVED it!
Good morning my friends and family! I know many have asked – will I blog this pregnancy… yes… I was just waiting for the right moment and I think it is upon me.. or it is me really. I have a bump – there is no way around it – it is cute, it is some of the flub that was there from Gus’ pregnancy but it’s a bump and you can see it while I am in uniform. grrr… so I got my maternity uniforms hemed today - as I will be using them very soon. I have not yet told my Company of Midshipmen (all 155 of them) but I think today I will have to tell them so they are just not surprised about it when I just show up in a new uniform. I can only imagine what they would say – “Hey Chief – your shirt is untucked”. Yeah funny as that goes.
So – how does this pregnancy compare to Gus’ pregnancy – well morning sickness has come in waves but I never actually threw up. But I get incredible amounts of nausea – and pizza does not agree with me (the ulitmate food… sigh). I don’t feel like I am ultra smelling things either like last time, but that may be a good thing since I am always nauseus. I am always tired too – but that was the way the last first trimester – so no surprise there. But how do you do it all when you just are too tired… I have found out you don’t, and you beg your husband to help. I love my darling Gus but sheesh.. I get pooped sometimes!!! So we try to do quiet things in the evening.
So I have a bump… I am excited, but I will be happier when I actually look pregnant and not just “fat”. hehe.. Welcome to my pregnancy #2. Yay!!!
I am so happy to be back from Recruit Division Commander training in Great Lakes, IL. Basically I went to 2 weeks of school for how to facilitate training and then I went to 6 weeks of how to be a drill instructor. I was so unhappy about being away from my little angel Gus. It was terrible but I was grateful to have friends in the area that kept me preoccupied and made me feel home even though I was 1300 miles from home.
I stayed with Gina and Steve (they even set me up a room to use!) and their neighbors were blessed with three children who helped fill the void of my own son. They were darlin’ – everyone was – it was just nice to feel “at home”. Thank you Gina, Steve, Augusta, Larry, Emma, Joey, Matthew and grandpa – and all the little birds that would visit at Gina’s! My weeks seemed to drag by but I am back and am settling into my new job at the US Naval Academy. What does this mean for my favorite job as a mom – it means I live much closer to home, it means I can be home to cook dinner most nights and it means my work revolves around midshipmen who need lots of mentorship, guidance, and answers to all their innocent questions (and not so innocent questions). I understand that much of my job will be “adminis-trivia” – but I will play an important role in developing new Navy Junior Officers before they ascend into their commissions and into the Naval fleet. I am very happy to be part of the program and for my own personal happiness I am glad that I will have a little more time here and there to enjoy my son and hopefully prepare to have another addition to our family if we will be so lucky. We are going to start trying for a little sister or brother for Gus! YAY! Great big news! I can only hope it will be as easy as it was to conceive Gus but the universe will have it’s way I am sure and it will happens when it all is meant to happen (or not).
So home life did not change much – Neil is still commuting to the Pentagon, Gus is still at Fort Meade Daycare but will move in a couple weeks and we are going to visit family next week for our Nephew Daniel’s 8th birthday! Can’t wait to see everyone. I just need some time with family really!
I would like to thank my loving husband for taking such good care of Gus while I had to be away – thanks love!
Yesterday Gus turned 19 months! It’s amazing how time just keeps moving and I feel that I keep forgetting to put a note or two in here from time to time! Well now I am in Great Lakes, Illinois, and I have quiet a bit of time on my hands. I am quiet sad and I hate that I had to leave my munchkin behind. Let me catch you, my readers up!
Last I wrote Gus was 17 months, talking words here and there, and as April came along Mommy and Daddy prepared for new jobs. Grandma came to visit and Gus got his FIRST EVER HAIRCUT! He seemed not to mind at all since he got to sit in an airplane and eat his first EVER LOLLYPOP too!
May started ok, and we were able to go visit with Grandma in Florida which was a ball. Her three sisters were visiting from Chile and it was a blessing for Gus to have gotten to meet them all and spend some time with the Abuelas. I loved seeing my aunts too, it has been years! (We keep talking about how we are going to go visit sometime soon). Gus also got to see his Auntie and her ginormous Irish Wolfhound (sweetie doggie) and they enjoyed the pool together!
Neil started his new job in D.C. and is working out the kinks with the commute, and I was preparing for a long departure from my boys. Saturday morning 7 May, just after we had some breakfast – bittersweet – I had to drive out for Illinois. It was a day and a half of driving so I had to use the weekend up on the road. I missed all those precious weekend moments with my lovies. I have to spend EIGHT weeks in Great Lakes, just north of Chicago for some training. Two weeks of instructor training and six weeks of RDC (How to be a drill instructor) training. ”Not Happy” is what comes to mind. I have a great room, it overlooks the lake, I can drive on post because I am residing here at the hotel (the security increase since Osama’s death has caused the base to semi-lock down). And when I get to see my little muffin on video chat he just kisses the phone repeatedly and holds it and does not want to give it back to daddy – makes me shed many tears. But this is all for the greater good we remind ourselves. I will be stationed at the US Naval Academy after this and will be super close to home and be able to spend more time with Gus! Sigh… July 1st (the day I graduate) cannot not come soon enough.
Well anyways, what has been going on… Gus understands so much – he says two spanish words, Vamos and Gato. And his gato makes him sound like a Frenchman, “Ga”-”toe” and it is adorable. He recognizes so much and understands many commands. ”Please put the lighthouse back on the shelf Gus” and he goes and does it. He loves the playground and just a few weeks ago he did the most adorable thing for the first time. He was playing in the living room and looking out the window he saw the playground and started to point to it. He walked over to the jackets hanging and said “side” (which I am pretty sure is his best shot at “outside”). Then he grabs his shoes and brings them to you and sits down for you to put them on and says “shoes” as he pretends to put them on his feet. He is absolutely adorable. He is really starting to put things together. I miss him sooo much right now. It breaks my heart – in fact I went to the doc and they listened to my heart because I just felt there had to be something wrong – it aches! But that can just be my anxiety too – yes, probably that.
So Gus says many things – kitty, cat, dog, side, juice, no, shoe, duck, bird, bear, eye, plane, train… and I think there maybe a couple more I cant think of… oh and light.
It’s amazing to watch him grow and it pains me to think I may miss some of those moments when he says a new word or does a new thing. Like just the other day he stepped down the steps just outside our house without holding on to anything - he’s a very confident little person.
I am ready for another one, well… after school ends and I get home it may just be in our near future. For now, I will be grateful I have internet and a computer and that I can watch Gus’ videos on youtube.com/littlegustave and that he knows he loves me and points to our picture on the wall and gives me electronic kisses. And I am terribly grateful for the CDC on Fort Meade and our caregivers there – he loves them too.
I just feel for all the moms that have to deploy – it’s not something I would ever want to do, leave my little person for so long, or at least not while he is so young!
Oh one more sweet story – to end on a happy note – while in Florida a bird hit the window and sat down on the table outside my moms house. Now Gus did not know what happened, but came out running to see me (trying to take pics of the bird) and didn’t notice the bird next to his hand right away. So here you see him happily oblivious. Then he saw it, and grabbed it, soooo cute, he was not sure what to make of it, but as the little bird flapped it’s wings it landed by me and Gus was just perplexed! So cute!
Wow, time keeps flying! The months pass and now Gus is so very interactive and able to follow along. We go on playdates to the mall where he plays on the playground on his own and runs around and climbs the slide and goes down it all by himself! He domineers the sailboat too (it’s just the kind you can climb on). He’s very mobile, and very good with gross and fine motor skills – it’s just so impressive! I am amazed how little people grow so well and do so well. 
He got a new little Mellisa and Doug wooden “work” bench with wooden tools and he also got an art easel. We scored these at a garage sale for $25 for both! I couldn’t believe they were giving the stuff away. They just didn’t need it any more – what a score for Gus. The latter part of our living room is looks like a day care. Gus has so many toys (to include a working Dyson toy vacuum complete with spinning particles!) . He actually assisted vacuuming today with me. He has become quiet the helper. 
He says so much now – or at least it seems like it, he says: hi, bird, kitty, cat, More, and “MORE!” (when he realllly wants something), no (he also shakes his head no, and nods his head yes), mine (I think he picked this up at day care), baby, byebye, dog, up and when asked he will point up, he touches his teeth, head, nose, hair, ear, feet, toes, he waves, he sits, he can deliver stuff – sooo cute. He even cleaned up the post office yesterday while mailing Alisha a package! He was sooo cute just picking everything up once he discovered there was a Waste that he could reach. Adorable!
So to celebrate St Patrick’s I gave him his first glitter tattoo! He smeared it so instead of it being a lucky little green clover it was a lucky little green blob – but a cute blob. Today we wiped it off… sigh.. it was cute though! (check out his st pats day video www.youtube.com/littlegustave) 
Here Gus is watching his “My baby can read” show (he watches it daily). He was practicing the word hat!
The boy is speaking, kind of. Well I understand him, doesn’t that count?
Gus is now just a few days away from being 15 months old, and he can say Kitty, Do(g), Hi, Ball, Balloon, more, mom, dada. He is adorable and he’s trying to communicate more and more. He can sign more and hungry as well (they taught him that at day care). He also eats quiet well with a fork, it’s all pretty amazing.
He had his 15 month doctor’s appt and got a couple shots yesterday – and he only cried for a second, then once he was dressed again he was ok! And we didn’t even nurse right after, I was amazed! He’s just surrounded by such a neat world that he was immediately distracted again. He’s so adorable and I love being his mom and watching him mature day by day and seeing the things he learns for himself. 
He has finally figured out if he is gentle the cats will let him pet him, so that’s a morning ritual when Gus sleeps with us (which has been quiet a bit more lately).
Ever since Thanksgiving and Christmas it seems that Gus has been battling his new teeth. The give him great agony some nights, so he has been coming to bed with us where he can quietly nurse himself back to sleep when he needs too. I had been waking up with him for hours, and we both just weren’t getting enough sleep, so this arrangement works out better I think, plus I think he’s a lot calmer because of it (I subscribe to Sears and his family’s parenting for babies methods and theories).
Life is grand, I am happily entertaining when I would like another child, but I want to adopt and I am not sure how long of a journey that will be, and when it all might come to reality, but I got a book, and now it’s time to learn how that works. The blessing of being able to give a child a home, and a loving home would be so very heart warming, everyone needs a chance at life right?
Ok too deep for this blog, more to come on that topic.
All our love here from the Rubin Home!! (oh and we do know we are staying in Annapolis for another three years!! Yay! – I am under orders to go to the US Naval Academy as a Senior Enlisted Leader!).
As we are not talking yet, there are still actions in which little man is communicating with us and well… saying funny things!
Gus can make the sign for “more” in his sign language, and he also knows to point for things. He has an intonation for questions, and he puts both hands up to be picked up. These are fairly normal 14 month old type thing-a-ma-bobs. But by far the funniest we have seen is when my mom brought her dog, and he mimicked the dog. We were all at the table chatting away. Gus was eating cereal pieces off the table, and I casually moved one over for the dog (that was sitting in my lap) and he of course put his head on the table and ate it. Gus saw this and was fascinated
enough to want to be like him, so gus put his cereal back on the table (as he had a few pieces in hand) and leaned over into the table and ate them with his mouth… very cute! We laughed for a while!
Oh and he eats bananas, like a big boy!
I love this little munchkin, and every day and every look I take of him, I just want more. I fall in love with him every time I look at him, every time I hold him, even when he’s having a rough time.
He’s 13 months, it’s such a strange thing to say. How old is your son, every one asks, he’s 13 months we reply. It just sounds odd, I don’t tell everyone I am 406 months old. But O.K. it’s kid age, it’s different. It’s cute. It’s like we tell each other what month our baby’s life is at because we may want to compare… well my son did this or that when he/she was 13 months. It’s like having a baby changes the whole way you talk, but not right away. You have the baby, then months pass, you finally figure things out, and then he/she’s turning one!! From that point on, you understand the lingo, you understand what other moms are saying, and you really start understanding what your son or daughter wants/needs/etc. It’s wild, and it’s a whole new language. You also learn to function on very little sleep, especially when he’s cutting four teeth at a time (it’s a bear… his two incisors are coming in and so are his lower ones!).
I have also come to realize why people are so anal about not wanting to put kids to bed late or miss naps… it’s scary! You think it’s ok for the day, but then the next week you suffer for it! Yupppers… we try our best to keep it flexible, but the best time Gus has is when life is routine, predicable… naps on schedule, nigh time on schedule… routine routine… better for all of us!
Walking… more like running. Our little man is really into moving! He’s quiet physical and loves to move around… I hear this is when I start loosing those final 10 pounds that you just can’t shake… becuase you have to chase him everywhere… LOL… fun times!
Ok, enough about our life as parents… But I LOVE IT! I know why people have more babies… they are awesome… and the hugs and kisses… just precious even if they are open mouth and slobbery. 
