Updates on Kids Part 2
Now for the rest of the kid updates:
When we chose our kids’ names, we never paid much attention to the “meanings” of their names. Andreas Karl was simply a first name we liked that works well in English and German and isn’t overly popular (at least, in the US!) paired with a family name (my grandfather was Karl). Thus, it wasn’t until a while after his birth that we realized that “Andreas” comes from the Greek for “man” or “manly.” Karl is an Old Germanic name meaning either “free man” or “man.” Ever since, he has been “manly man” to some of our friends, and sometimes to us, too.
Well, Andreas does his darndest to live up to that nickname. He seems to know instinctively what a boy “should” do or like, ranging from climbing EVERYTHING to picking up large rocks and stones to obsessing over “Autos” and “Flugzeuge” (cars & airplanes).
For as much as it is amusing to stereotype him, though, in truth he is a sweet little guy who is “comfortable enough with his manhood” to drink out of pink sippy cups, play with his sister’s dolls & strollers, and cuddle with his Mama or Papa (sometimes).
He loves water and swimming almost as much as his sister does, and he is currently obsessed with fish. I joke that I could drop him off at the Georgia Aquarium and pick him up three hours later without him even noticing my absence. His swimming trunks and sun hat have fish on them, making them a clothing item with a sky-high entertainment value.
Watching his personality grow and express itself is a neat part of parenting an 18 month old, and his exploding vocabulary allows him to tell us more and more of what he wants, likes and needs. He is still into EVERYTHING, taking every opportunity to throw toys into the toilet, empty a cabinet or dresser drawer, or “help” us with laundry or dishes. We look forward to seeing how he continues to change in the coming months.
So far, all seems to be progressing well with the pregnancy. Our last appointment was almost three weeks ago, and since then, I have begun feeling Baby move. We are scheduled for the 20-week ultrasound in a week and a half, and we are eager to have reassurance that he or she appears healthy. (And, once again, we have no intention of finding out baby’s sex until birth.) We will update again sometime after the ultrasound.
