I just wanted to take a sec to welcome an new viewers. Deb Bean has printed an article about us in the Columbus Gazette (if it's not in there this week, look for it soon). It's featured as the "Where are they now?" article. She mentions our website and this blog in the article, so I just thought I would welcome any new-comers to my blog and encourage you to visit our website www.deatoncrew.com. Will has put a ton of time and effort into the site, and it's pretty good! This blog talks a lot about my pregnancy and current events in our lives. I try to write in it at least a couple of times a week, and when we have our baby, I will use it to keep everyone informed about how we're getting along with her. I'm sure it will get quite interesting! There will be lots of pictures posted on the website. Currently, Will updates some of the pictures every week. Check it out!
We had our last childbirth class tonight. We talked all about interventions, like epidurals, monitors, inductions, vacuum extraction/forceps, and episiotomies and had "mock labor". Boy, do I wish labor was as easy as it was in class tonight! We used clothespins on our earlobes as a pain source, while we tried out different breathing and comfort techniques and laboring positions. We were supposed to be seeing how the breathing and comforting distracted us from the pain of the clothespin. I have to admit, I felt like the breathing did NOTHING to distract me, but the comfort techniques, like massage and rocking, made a HUGE difference. Will's going to be a great coach during labor! He did great in the "practice labor", and if he's that good in practice, I can't wait to see him in action during the real thing!
We have one more class left to attend this coming Thursday night. It's the breastfeeding class, and I'm very anxious to learn the tricks of the trade!
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
A Tropical Shower
Yesterday, my friends in Michigan threw a baby shower for me. Jill hosted and Diane, Heather, and Tara assisted with the planning and organization of everything. The theme was "tropical", fitting for this beach baby! Everyone got to wear leis. The cups and plates had colorful hibiscus flowers on them, and there was a big bunch of balloons on the counter. The cake was decorated with designs in frosting. The surface of the cake showed a pink hammock between 2 palm trees. Inside the hammock, was a little baby, holding a rattle! In the background, there was also sand, surf, and sun, and there were hibiscus flowers on one edge, spilling down the side of the cake. It was beautiful! I didn't even want to cut into it because it was too cute to ruin! We had a taco salad bar with a cheese/chicken dip, fresh fruit, and punch. There was also a delicious cheese cake! Yummy!
We played some really great games. There were 2 door prizes given away to whoever had "Baby Maya" written on the bottoms of their plates. Miriam and Steph won those. We played a word scramble game that had several baby items listed, in jumbled up letters. We had a certain amount of time to unscramble all the words correctly. Whoever got the most right, won. Mary and I were the only ones to get all the words unscrambled correctly. It was quite challenging! The last game we played involved sitting in a tight circle and getting very cozy with your neighbor. Each person was given an unused pencil. To start the game, I had to place the pencil in my mouth and loop the pacifier ring onto it. Then I simply had to pass it onto my neighbor's pencil without letting it drop. Easy, right? WRONG! I dropped the pacifier on the floor immediately! It's a good thing I was the guest of honor, because I got one free chance to stay in the game. Thanks, Heath! So, we passed the pacifier around the circle, losing girls in the circle as they dropped the pacifier onto the floor. Miriam, Crystal, and Jill were apparently pros at this game (even though none of them had ever played before!) because it was down to just those 3 for several minutes! Finally, it was just down to 2, Jill and Crystal, and in the end, Crystal proved to have the most skill (shaking jaw and all!). It was the funniest, most interactive shower game that any of us had ever played. It was a riot!
Next, I opened presents. We received tons of VERY nice gifts for Maya. We were showered with bath time supplies, toys, clothes, a high chair, swaddler, Baby Bumbo Seat, and several other items. It's so exciting to get such little baby things. Every time I see an outfit for her, I just can't believe she's going to be that small! I'm looking forward to holding her little body for the first time. I know she's going to grow, yet I just can't imagine her getting bigger!
We took some really great pictures at the end of the shower. I'm sure some of them will be appearing on our website, so check them out! It's so great to have made such great friends here in Grand Rapids. Everyone is really excited about Maya, and it feels so nice to have so many friends that care so much about our growing family! My Michigan friends have been our family since we have been away from our families. We have lived in other places, but we have not been so lucky to have so many wonderful people in our lives until we moved here (with the exception of Eric and Mary, we met them in Kansas City, but they were from Michigan!). It was so great to have Mary come over to the shower from Detroit. I know that's a long drive, especially to make the day before leaving for vacation with 2 little ones!
Overall, it was a great shower. I had tons of fun, and judging by all the laughter, so did everyone else! It was a truly great day! Thank you all for everything!! We are so blessed to have you all in our lives!
We played some really great games. There were 2 door prizes given away to whoever had "Baby Maya" written on the bottoms of their plates. Miriam and Steph won those. We played a word scramble game that had several baby items listed, in jumbled up letters. We had a certain amount of time to unscramble all the words correctly. Whoever got the most right, won. Mary and I were the only ones to get all the words unscrambled correctly. It was quite challenging! The last game we played involved sitting in a tight circle and getting very cozy with your neighbor. Each person was given an unused pencil. To start the game, I had to place the pencil in my mouth and loop the pacifier ring onto it. Then I simply had to pass it onto my neighbor's pencil without letting it drop. Easy, right? WRONG! I dropped the pacifier on the floor immediately! It's a good thing I was the guest of honor, because I got one free chance to stay in the game. Thanks, Heath! So, we passed the pacifier around the circle, losing girls in the circle as they dropped the pacifier onto the floor. Miriam, Crystal, and Jill were apparently pros at this game (even though none of them had ever played before!) because it was down to just those 3 for several minutes! Finally, it was just down to 2, Jill and Crystal, and in the end, Crystal proved to have the most skill (shaking jaw and all!). It was the funniest, most interactive shower game that any of us had ever played. It was a riot!
Next, I opened presents. We received tons of VERY nice gifts for Maya. We were showered with bath time supplies, toys, clothes, a high chair, swaddler, Baby Bumbo Seat, and several other items. It's so exciting to get such little baby things. Every time I see an outfit for her, I just can't believe she's going to be that small! I'm looking forward to holding her little body for the first time. I know she's going to grow, yet I just can't imagine her getting bigger!
We took some really great pictures at the end of the shower. I'm sure some of them will be appearing on our website, so check them out! It's so great to have made such great friends here in Grand Rapids. Everyone is really excited about Maya, and it feels so nice to have so many friends that care so much about our growing family! My Michigan friends have been our family since we have been away from our families. We have lived in other places, but we have not been so lucky to have so many wonderful people in our lives until we moved here (with the exception of Eric and Mary, we met them in Kansas City, but they were from Michigan!). It was so great to have Mary come over to the shower from Detroit. I know that's a long drive, especially to make the day before leaving for vacation with 2 little ones!
Overall, it was a great shower. I had tons of fun, and judging by all the laughter, so did everyone else! It was a truly great day! Thank you all for everything!! We are so blessed to have you all in our lives!
Friday, April 27, 2007
Belated Birthday Surprise!
Today I met my friend, Gwen, for lunch at Uno's Pizza. We chatted while we ate our lunch, then we headed to a scrapbook store she wanted to show me. She's like a professional card, announcement, craft maker, and I am just trying to get motivated to make a nice baby book for Maya. I found the perfect book at Hallmark. It's a 3-ring binder type, and I bought some scrapbook page inserts to add to it. So, when we went to the scrapbook store, I was looking for some embellishments for the pages. While in the store, I was commenting how all of these new scrapbooking things were probably adding up, and that I should probably leave before I broke our bank account. Then I remembered that I had birthday money and told Gwen the problem was solved because the purchase was going to be a birthday present to me with my birthday money. The lady behind the counter asked me when my birthday was, and I told her it was on Wednesday. She informed me that my purchase would be 20% off since it was the week of my birthday! I asked her if she meant 20% off one item or the entire purchase? She said it would be 20% off the ENTIRE purchase!! YAY!! Happy Birthday to ME!! I bought a nice paper cutter, hole puncher, paper, and lots of embellishments. Now, I am really excited to get started on Maya's baby/scrapbook! I can't wait! It's going to be really cute!
Will and I also went to a Grand Rapids Griffins hockey game tonight. They're in the playoffs, and they won the game in sudden-death overtime. It was a ton of fun, and we had really great seats. We were on the 2nd row from the ice, behind the home goal. We love going to those hockey games! They're very fast-paced and exciting. Maya jumped around through the entire game, and she still hasn't stopped. She's been going strong for about 6 hours now! She's an active little bugger!
Will and I also went to a Grand Rapids Griffins hockey game tonight. They're in the playoffs, and they won the game in sudden-death overtime. It was a ton of fun, and we had really great seats. We were on the 2nd row from the ice, behind the home goal. We love going to those hockey games! They're very fast-paced and exciting. Maya jumped around through the entire game, and she still hasn't stopped. She's been going strong for about 6 hours now! She's an active little bugger!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Hiccups and Waddles
I am amazed every day how much Maya and my body continue to change! Maya's hiccups crack me up. She usually gets them a couple of times a day, and she's getting so big now that the hiccups make my belly jump! They feel really strong, too, when I put my hand on her back. That's how I can tell how she's laying in my belly. Her hiccups feel strongest on her back, so when I find that spot, I know that she's facing away from my hand. I can always find her little butt up near my ribs, so I rub her butt for a little bit. I wonder if she likes that? I feel her tossing and turning in my belly, too. The movements feel like little earthquakes. It's really the greatest feeling ever. When Will puts his hand on my belly, his comment has gone from, "That was a good one" (when she was smaller) to "Wow" and "Oh my gosh" now that she is much bigger. He told me one day that he had been feeling my belly in the morning when he woke up and I was still sleeping, and Maya was rocking my belly so hard that one whole side kept bulging out. He couldn't believe that I didn't wake up! I'm sure I sleep through a lot of her movements. She hasn't waken me up yet, but I've waken up several times after she's already waken up and started moving. It actually surprises me that she doesn't wake me up as strong as the movements are! I will miss feeling her move in my belly when she is born, that I know for sure.
As for my own body changes, well, there's the waddle. It's there. I don't know when I acquired it, and I can't turn it off. It just happened. I even feel a little silly at times, but no matter how hard I try to walk "normal", I can't! When Will and I take Ruby on walks and we're crossing a street or something, Will always says, "Waddle faster!" It makes me laugh so hard because there aren't many different speeds for waddling! My whole belly and low back feel so heavy now. I'm sure the waddling can be contributed to the extra belly weight! I can only explain the heaviness as playing with a medicine ball (you know, those really heavy balls that you play with in school?). You know how when you catch a medicine ball, it kind of makes you bend down a little, just from the weight of it? That's how I feel every single time I stand up. The second I get up, I feel weighed down for an instant, then my body adjusts, and I'm off and waddling!
I'm getting SO ANXIOUS for Maya's arrival!! I just can't wait to meet her! As much as I'll miss feeling her in my belly, I can't wait to hold her in my arms. I can't wait for Will to be able to hold her. I've been "holding" her and bonding with her for 8 months now. Will has been very active with the pregnancy, and he's bonded with her by feeling my belly and seeing her in the ultrasounds. It's just not going to be the same as when he can finally hold her. The first moment that he gets to hold her close, all to himself, is going to be an unforgettable moment for this first-time Daddy. I can't wait. It's going to be the greatest day ever!
As for my own body changes, well, there's the waddle. It's there. I don't know when I acquired it, and I can't turn it off. It just happened. I even feel a little silly at times, but no matter how hard I try to walk "normal", I can't! When Will and I take Ruby on walks and we're crossing a street or something, Will always says, "Waddle faster!" It makes me laugh so hard because there aren't many different speeds for waddling! My whole belly and low back feel so heavy now. I'm sure the waddling can be contributed to the extra belly weight! I can only explain the heaviness as playing with a medicine ball (you know, those really heavy balls that you play with in school?). You know how when you catch a medicine ball, it kind of makes you bend down a little, just from the weight of it? That's how I feel every single time I stand up. The second I get up, I feel weighed down for an instant, then my body adjusts, and I'm off and waddling!
I'm getting SO ANXIOUS for Maya's arrival!! I just can't wait to meet her! As much as I'll miss feeling her in my belly, I can't wait to hold her in my arms. I can't wait for Will to be able to hold her. I've been "holding" her and bonding with her for 8 months now. Will has been very active with the pregnancy, and he's bonded with her by feeling my belly and seeing her in the ultrasounds. It's just not going to be the same as when he can finally hold her. The first moment that he gets to hold her close, all to himself, is going to be an unforgettable moment for this first-time Daddy. I can't wait. It's going to be the greatest day ever!
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Aeromed 20th Anniversary Reunion
Today I volunteered to work at the Aeromed Reunion. I helped man the "Aeromed Boutique", where we sold a bunch of Aeromed logo paraphernalia (shirts, hats, scrubs, etc...). It was a really great day. There were tons of patients and families that turned out to meet and thank the crews that had transported them to the hospital by air. These patients are mostly the sickest of the sick or most injured of the injured. You have to be in dire straits to be transported by helicopter to a hospital. The thing is, these people (both the patients and families) know that, and they were SO GRATEFUL to the crews who ultimately saved their lives (or transported them quickly to someone who could save their life).
The patient who touched me most today was an adolescent male that wrecked an ATV last summer. He was in a very remote location, so they did a scene flight, where the patient is picked up at the site of the accident. He was in really bad shape. They hoped he would make it, but at the time, they weren't sure he would survive. If he did survive, they weren't sure how his quality of life would be affected. This was particularly difficult because he was just a kid, with his whole future ahead of him. The last anyone at Aeromed had heard, months ago, was that the kid was in rehab, but nobody knew how well he had recovered physically or mentally.
I will tell you that the kid walked into the hanger today, looking and acting like any normal teenage boy. He continues to have some difficulty with speech from the traumatic brain injury, but besides that one issue, he made a complete recovery. His parents were there with him, and I got a chance to talk to his dad a little bit. He said they were so lucky to have their son there today. He did not think it would have been possible without the excellent care that his son received on that tragic day from the Aeromed crew. He said, "That doctor saved his life." That doctor was Will! He saved their son. It was his skill, quick action, and decision making that gave their son another chance. He saved his life. There is no act greater than that.
Will is very humble about what he does at Aeromed and in the ER. Not me. I wanted to climb to the top of the tallest building in Grand Rapids and shout it from the rooftops! My chest swelled with pride, and my heart overflowed with love. I know Will would say that it's just his job, and I would have to disagree. Not just anybody can do what he does. Not everybody who does his job is great at it. Will is great at it. That kid is alive today because Will is great at what he does. Everyone that works with him tells me that he's a super guy to work with, and he's great with his patients. It doesn't surprise me one bit. He's the greatest man I've ever known. I feel so blessed to have him in my life. I couldn't be luckier.
Since Will wouldn't allow me to climb and shout his successes from the rooftops, I will just brag about him here. Next time any of you see Will, give him a hug, pat on the back, or something. He deserves it. Will was so excited to see that patient today. As soon as he spotted him, he came over to get me, so I could take a picture of them together. He had no idea that the kid had recovered so well, and while Will looked very calm and collected on the outside, I could tell that he felt like a kid in a candy store on the inside. That was the only patient that Will took care of that came to the reunion today. I was so happy for Will that the kid and his parents came back to meet him and the nurse from the flight. Will had been wondering if he would see any of his patients there, and he didn't think he would. The thought of him not having one patient or family member show up had kind of bummed him out, but boy did his face light up when that kid walked through the door. Today is a day that I won't soon forget. I'm sure it will be etched in Will's memory for many years as well. I'm so proud of him.
The patient who touched me most today was an adolescent male that wrecked an ATV last summer. He was in a very remote location, so they did a scene flight, where the patient is picked up at the site of the accident. He was in really bad shape. They hoped he would make it, but at the time, they weren't sure he would survive. If he did survive, they weren't sure how his quality of life would be affected. This was particularly difficult because he was just a kid, with his whole future ahead of him. The last anyone at Aeromed had heard, months ago, was that the kid was in rehab, but nobody knew how well he had recovered physically or mentally.
I will tell you that the kid walked into the hanger today, looking and acting like any normal teenage boy. He continues to have some difficulty with speech from the traumatic brain injury, but besides that one issue, he made a complete recovery. His parents were there with him, and I got a chance to talk to his dad a little bit. He said they were so lucky to have their son there today. He did not think it would have been possible without the excellent care that his son received on that tragic day from the Aeromed crew. He said, "That doctor saved his life." That doctor was Will! He saved their son. It was his skill, quick action, and decision making that gave their son another chance. He saved his life. There is no act greater than that.
Will is very humble about what he does at Aeromed and in the ER. Not me. I wanted to climb to the top of the tallest building in Grand Rapids and shout it from the rooftops! My chest swelled with pride, and my heart overflowed with love. I know Will would say that it's just his job, and I would have to disagree. Not just anybody can do what he does. Not everybody who does his job is great at it. Will is great at it. That kid is alive today because Will is great at what he does. Everyone that works with him tells me that he's a super guy to work with, and he's great with his patients. It doesn't surprise me one bit. He's the greatest man I've ever known. I feel so blessed to have him in my life. I couldn't be luckier.
Since Will wouldn't allow me to climb and shout his successes from the rooftops, I will just brag about him here. Next time any of you see Will, give him a hug, pat on the back, or something. He deserves it. Will was so excited to see that patient today. As soon as he spotted him, he came over to get me, so I could take a picture of them together. He had no idea that the kid had recovered so well, and while Will looked very calm and collected on the outside, I could tell that he felt like a kid in a candy store on the inside. That was the only patient that Will took care of that came to the reunion today. I was so happy for Will that the kid and his parents came back to meet him and the nurse from the flight. Will had been wondering if he would see any of his patients there, and he didn't think he would. The thought of him not having one patient or family member show up had kind of bummed him out, but boy did his face light up when that kid walked through the door. Today is a day that I won't soon forget. I'm sure it will be etched in Will's memory for many years as well. I'm so proud of him.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Scrapbooking and Stamping
I went to a scrapbooking/stamping party last night. I would love to get into those hobbies, but they are so expensive. Well, I guess you can make it as cheap or expensive as you like, but the more money you spend, the more convenient it gets. When it comes to scrapbooking, I like fast and easy. I bought just a few supplies to do a baby scrapbook for Maya, so hopefully I will like it and do more of it. Now with digital pictures, it's easier to pick favorites and not feel compelled to scrapbook an entire roll of film. I love how scrapbooks look, they just take so many supplies! Stamping was pretty fun, too. I've never done that before, and we got to make a card at the party. It was surprisingly easy, and the cards look very nice and homemade. Maybe someday, I will be able to make all of our cards and stuff by hand. It's tons of fun. I think I'll need my own craft room in our next house!!!
Thursday, April 19, 2007
34 Week Doctor Visit
We saw the doctor today! I finally measured right - 34 cm. at 34 weeks. Yay! I think that means she slowed down! At the next visit, he is going to see if he wants another ultrasound, though I'm not sure why. I guess just to check her size. I don't know! We talked more about the induction option/dilemma. Will and I had been debating on requesting an induction towards the end of May to buy Will some extra days off with Maya. At our last visit, the doctor seemed pretty receptive to the idea, but this visit, he seemed a little different. He told us that for elective inductions, hospital policy says that you have to be at least 39 weeks with a medical reason or past your due date. He hadn't mentioned those things before, so we were quite surprised by his response. Maybe since she didn't measure bigger than normal this time, he's thinking that there really won't be a justification for induction.
The conversation actually made our lives easier. Now we don't have to worry about inducing or not inducing, because we really don't have the option anymore. If we get to our due date, then I guess we'll talk to the doctor about it. Hopefully, she'll just come early on her own (though not too early!), and we won't have to worry about it. I really want Will to be able to spend a lot of time with her during those days he has off. I guess if it's meant to work out that way, Maya will come a little early. Otherwise, we'll wait for a little while, then revisit the induction discussion with our doctor. Think good thoughts about her timing for us, please!!!
Our doctor also said that it's not necessary for me to meet his partners because as long as he is not on vacation (around the 2nd week in May), he will come in for her delivery. What a great doctor!! I'm so glad that he's going to make sure he's there for delivery. I'd really rather have him than anyone else!
I decorated some more in Maya's room tonight. Now, I just need to get some pictures printed for some frames in there, and the room will be complete. It's really cute! The only other thing I need to do to have everything ready is wash her clothes, bibs, burp cloths, etc... Once that's done, I just need to pack hospital bags for us, and we're all set! Then, I can just work on photo albums until delivery day arrives! Everything is coming together. Delivery day is right around the corner! I can't wait!!
The conversation actually made our lives easier. Now we don't have to worry about inducing or not inducing, because we really don't have the option anymore. If we get to our due date, then I guess we'll talk to the doctor about it. Hopefully, she'll just come early on her own (though not too early!), and we won't have to worry about it. I really want Will to be able to spend a lot of time with her during those days he has off. I guess if it's meant to work out that way, Maya will come a little early. Otherwise, we'll wait for a little while, then revisit the induction discussion with our doctor. Think good thoughts about her timing for us, please!!!
Our doctor also said that it's not necessary for me to meet his partners because as long as he is not on vacation (around the 2nd week in May), he will come in for her delivery. What a great doctor!! I'm so glad that he's going to make sure he's there for delivery. I'd really rather have him than anyone else!
I decorated some more in Maya's room tonight. Now, I just need to get some pictures printed for some frames in there, and the room will be complete. It's really cute! The only other thing I need to do to have everything ready is wash her clothes, bibs, burp cloths, etc... Once that's done, I just need to pack hospital bags for us, and we're all set! Then, I can just work on photo albums until delivery day arrives! Everything is coming together. Delivery day is right around the corner! I can't wait!!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Weightless in Water
Today, Will and I went to the YMCA. I floated in the pool for 50 minutes, and I did not want to get out! It felt so good to be near weightless and have the water supporting my body. I don't think I've felt so relaxed any other time recently! I did feel kind of lazy, going to the Y just to float, but it didn't take long to get over that! When I got out of the pool, it felt like I had cinder blocks attached to my body. I couldn't believe how heavy I felt!! It will be even harder to get out of the water next time, since I know what it will feel like. Even so, I cannot wait to go back to the Y to get in the pool!
We had our second childbirth class today, too. It was great. We watched a video of labor and delivery, and discussed the first stage of labor. It was very informative. She told us how moms typically act during each phase (easy, active, and transition) and what dads can do to help them cope. We learned some new breathing techniques, for when the contractions get stronger and more difficult to deal with (including the panting one... hee, hee, hee, who). We also learned different positions to move in during labor. At the end of class, we took a tour of the L and D floor. We got to see triage, the birthing room, the nursery, and the postpartum room. It's all very nice! The rooms are much bigger than they appear on the online tour.
The class is getting me very excited for labor and delivery! I thought I would be getting more nervous, but it seems with each class, my anxiety decreases just a bit. Our teacher is fantastic, and she's doing a very good job at giving us all the information we need to know while also giving us the confidence to know we can make it through labor and delivery! I can't wait until next week's class!
We had our second childbirth class today, too. It was great. We watched a video of labor and delivery, and discussed the first stage of labor. It was very informative. She told us how moms typically act during each phase (easy, active, and transition) and what dads can do to help them cope. We learned some new breathing techniques, for when the contractions get stronger and more difficult to deal with (including the panting one... hee, hee, hee, who). We also learned different positions to move in during labor. At the end of class, we took a tour of the L and D floor. We got to see triage, the birthing room, the nursery, and the postpartum room. It's all very nice! The rooms are much bigger than they appear on the online tour.
The class is getting me very excited for labor and delivery! I thought I would be getting more nervous, but it seems with each class, my anxiety decreases just a bit. Our teacher is fantastic, and she's doing a very good job at giving us all the information we need to know while also giving us the confidence to know we can make it through labor and delivery! I can't wait until next week's class!
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Chicago Day-Trip!
Yesterday, Will and I made a quick trip down to Chicago to visit the Science and Industry Museum. They are featuring a "Body Worlds 2" exhibit right now, and we missed it the last time it was in Chicago. We thought we had better go see it now, or possibly never! That museum is huge! Note to other pregnant moms or moms with small children... there are no bathrooms on several floors! Stake out the bathrooms right when you get there because it may take awhile to get back to one once you decide that you actually have to go! Thanks to my ever-shrinking bladder, we found ourselves trekking up and down the stairs to return to the bathrooms about every 20-45 minutes. Will was thrilled (but very accommodating and didn't complain once)! I told him to wait until I'm pregnant again, and Maya's potty trained. Between the two of us, we probably won't get more than 30 feet from a bathroom! Hahahaha....
Anyway, back to the museum... The "Body Worlds 2" exhibit was awesome! The exhibit features cross-sections and models of human body parts and bodies. The models are real human bodies, that are preserved with a material called Plasticine. They mold the models into functional positions (not just lying on their backs). Some of the body positions included yoga pose, swinging a baseball bat, ice skating, ballet, and some just stood there. There was one of a woman who was 5 months pregnant at her time of death, so we could see different layers of her body, including the uterus peeled back to reveal the fetus inside. It was pretty awesome. There were several casts of human babies, from week 4 to the end of the 3rd trimester. All people (and the babies) died of natural causes or accidents prior to being used for this study. The purpose of it is to show the human body in action... how the muscles and bones move, and they also focus a lot on disease processes. There were several sets of smoker's lungs, lung cancer, breast cancer, brain cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, etc... It was absolutely fascinating!
One of my favorite parts of the exhibit was right after the heart and lung area, where they showed the smoker's lungs and several lung diseases caused by smoking. There was a clear box and stack of pledge cards for people to throw away their cigarettes and sign a pledge saying they will stop smoking. It was really cool, and the box was almost full. I could definitely see why people would quit smoking after looking at those models. One compared a smoker's lungs to the lungs of a coal miner, and you could not tell the difference. It was disgusting. My other favorite part was the prenatal display, which I wasn't sure if I would like or not before going. I really enjoyed the 4-12 weeks growth displays. They showed such big differences in size and development that take place during that time. It was amazing. I've seen pictures in books, but they do not compare to those models. In another part of the museum, separate from the "Body Worlds 2" was another display of REAL embryos and fetuses, from 4 weeks to 37 weeks. That was an even better display than the "Body Worlds 2" prenatal display. I could see the lanugo (fine hairs that cover the babies for warmth inside the uterus) and many more details that the molds just didn't show. I loved it! Will's favorite displays were the baseball player, the diver (the body was split in three different sections to show different muscles and organs), and the prenatal displays.
We also watched a really cool film called "The Human Body" on their Omnimax screen, which is like a big planetarium screen. It showed development and different body processes like eating and sweating. It was really cool. One part showed sperm swimming through the fallopian tubes to find the egg to fertilize, and suddenly the background music changed from some science-like music to Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On". It was hilarious!
We also toured a Germany submarine (U-Boat, as it was called then) that was captured by the US during WWII. Well, Will toured the entire thing. I got extremely claustrophobic half-way through and had to exit immediately. The first half was really cool, and Will really enjoyed the whole tour. It was just amazing to see a gigantic submarine sitting inside a building!
We were a little disappointed with the rest of the museum. There were several displays that didn't work, and for the profit that they must turn in that place, they should have everything up and running at all times! The entire museum would be much more fun with kids, for sure. We would probably go back, but only if they had another exhibit we wanted to see. We wouldn't go back just for the museum alone. It was huge and took us about 8 hours to see the things we did. That was us blazing through most of the displays. You would almost need 2 days to really experience everything.
I think my traveling days are almost over, and certainly my walking-all-day days are pretty much done. My feet and legs ached so bad after walking all day! I was so glad to get home and lay down on the couch! Will was sore, too, so maybe it wasn't just me being pregnant! Overall, the trip was fun, and we were glad that we did it. The next time we go to Chicago, we'll have Maya in tow! Our days as a couple are almost gone, so we're trying to enjoy them as much as we can!
Anyway, back to the museum... The "Body Worlds 2" exhibit was awesome! The exhibit features cross-sections and models of human body parts and bodies. The models are real human bodies, that are preserved with a material called Plasticine. They mold the models into functional positions (not just lying on their backs). Some of the body positions included yoga pose, swinging a baseball bat, ice skating, ballet, and some just stood there. There was one of a woman who was 5 months pregnant at her time of death, so we could see different layers of her body, including the uterus peeled back to reveal the fetus inside. It was pretty awesome. There were several casts of human babies, from week 4 to the end of the 3rd trimester. All people (and the babies) died of natural causes or accidents prior to being used for this study. The purpose of it is to show the human body in action... how the muscles and bones move, and they also focus a lot on disease processes. There were several sets of smoker's lungs, lung cancer, breast cancer, brain cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, etc... It was absolutely fascinating!
One of my favorite parts of the exhibit was right after the heart and lung area, where they showed the smoker's lungs and several lung diseases caused by smoking. There was a clear box and stack of pledge cards for people to throw away their cigarettes and sign a pledge saying they will stop smoking. It was really cool, and the box was almost full. I could definitely see why people would quit smoking after looking at those models. One compared a smoker's lungs to the lungs of a coal miner, and you could not tell the difference. It was disgusting. My other favorite part was the prenatal display, which I wasn't sure if I would like or not before going. I really enjoyed the 4-12 weeks growth displays. They showed such big differences in size and development that take place during that time. It was amazing. I've seen pictures in books, but they do not compare to those models. In another part of the museum, separate from the "Body Worlds 2" was another display of REAL embryos and fetuses, from 4 weeks to 37 weeks. That was an even better display than the "Body Worlds 2" prenatal display. I could see the lanugo (fine hairs that cover the babies for warmth inside the uterus) and many more details that the molds just didn't show. I loved it! Will's favorite displays were the baseball player, the diver (the body was split in three different sections to show different muscles and organs), and the prenatal displays.
We also watched a really cool film called "The Human Body" on their Omnimax screen, which is like a big planetarium screen. It showed development and different body processes like eating and sweating. It was really cool. One part showed sperm swimming through the fallopian tubes to find the egg to fertilize, and suddenly the background music changed from some science-like music to Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On". It was hilarious!
We also toured a Germany submarine (U-Boat, as it was called then) that was captured by the US during WWII. Well, Will toured the entire thing. I got extremely claustrophobic half-way through and had to exit immediately. The first half was really cool, and Will really enjoyed the whole tour. It was just amazing to see a gigantic submarine sitting inside a building!
We were a little disappointed with the rest of the museum. There were several displays that didn't work, and for the profit that they must turn in that place, they should have everything up and running at all times! The entire museum would be much more fun with kids, for sure. We would probably go back, but only if they had another exhibit we wanted to see. We wouldn't go back just for the museum alone. It was huge and took us about 8 hours to see the things we did. That was us blazing through most of the displays. You would almost need 2 days to really experience everything.
I think my traveling days are almost over, and certainly my walking-all-day days are pretty much done. My feet and legs ached so bad after walking all day! I was so glad to get home and lay down on the couch! Will was sore, too, so maybe it wasn't just me being pregnant! Overall, the trip was fun, and we were glad that we did it. The next time we go to Chicago, we'll have Maya in tow! Our days as a couple are almost gone, so we're trying to enjoy them as much as we can!
Friday, April 13, 2007
Beginning with Baby Class
We just took our one and only baby class last night. I have to say that we were quite disappointed. It surprises me that they offer 10 hours worth of childbirth class to teach about labor and delivery (a completely natural process that would happen with or without medical assistance), and the baby class is only two and a half hours of information. Taking care of a newborn is probably at least a little terrifying. There's a ton of stuff to know... from how to change a diaper to comforting a crying baby. I'm not sure that all the necessary information can be covered adequately in such a short time. Our instructor covered a lot of information, but it seemed as though she just barely skimmed the surface. She didn't really provide in depth coverage or answers to questions as I expected she would. I think if anything, many people may have left with more questions than what they came with.
Our instructor seemed a little scatter-brained, and the pediatrician that was supposed to be there, called in sick. The class was a little unorganized, with the instructor jumping quickly from topic to topic, without any transitions between them. She did show some really interesting film segments, and I wish we could have seen more of them. The films were the most interesting part of the class! I guess I thought that the class would be more hands-on, less lecture. Will was really looking forward to learning about baby care in this class, and he was really disappointed with the content.
One thing that really stuck out to us was the lack of emphasis she placed on topics such as smoking, SIDS, and shaken baby syndrome. She made it known that those topics were important to the physician, but then barely spent any time talking about them. I was thinking that he would not have approved of her presentation of the issues.
Overall, we weren't impressed. I don't know if it was the instructor, the time frame, or the fact that Will and I came to the class with medical knowledge that made the class so disappointing. That class didn't compare to the quality of the childbirth class we attended earlier this week. I hope our future breast feeding class is more like the childbirth class and less like the baby class, or that will be a waste of time, too. I guess that when Maya comes, we'll just wing it! Wish us luck!
Our instructor seemed a little scatter-brained, and the pediatrician that was supposed to be there, called in sick. The class was a little unorganized, with the instructor jumping quickly from topic to topic, without any transitions between them. She did show some really interesting film segments, and I wish we could have seen more of them. The films were the most interesting part of the class! I guess I thought that the class would be more hands-on, less lecture. Will was really looking forward to learning about baby care in this class, and he was really disappointed with the content.
One thing that really stuck out to us was the lack of emphasis she placed on topics such as smoking, SIDS, and shaken baby syndrome. She made it known that those topics were important to the physician, but then barely spent any time talking about them. I was thinking that he would not have approved of her presentation of the issues.
Overall, we weren't impressed. I don't know if it was the instructor, the time frame, or the fact that Will and I came to the class with medical knowledge that made the class so disappointing. That class didn't compare to the quality of the childbirth class we attended earlier this week. I hope our future breast feeding class is more like the childbirth class and less like the baby class, or that will be a waste of time, too. I guess that when Maya comes, we'll just wing it! Wish us luck!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
My Body Works!!
This morning, when I woke up, I found evidence that I had leaked colostrum in the night. I didn't know that happened so early! I was very excited to learn that my boobs work in the capacity that God intended them to!!! YAY!!! Our baby isn't going to starve! I hope this is a sign of good breast feeding days to come! I can't believe it's getting so close! One more month, and she'll be full-term!
Monday, April 9, 2007
Our First Childbirth Class!
We had our first childbirth class tonight. Our instructor's name is Shar, and she's been an L & D nurse for 17 years. She knows her stuff! I think she's seen it all and heard it all at one time or another. I wish she could be my nurse when we go to the hospital! She's very nice. We were a bit skeptical about taking the class, because Will had been told by lots of people that we wouldn't learn anything. BS. We both thought the class was very informative. It's true that it wasn't the first time we had heard the information, but it was the first time we heard it as patients, not caregivers. There's a big difference. Now we're learning what we are supposed to do to cope with the situation, which is entirely different than what we have been taught about managing an L & D patient.
We start the class out with a lecture and video about the day's topics. Then we move to the floor mats for the remainder of the class. This week we learned about false labor vs. true labor, preterm labor, and timing contractions during lecture, and on the mat we learned some exercises to help with low back discomfort and to help get out bodies used to the position we will be in during childbirth. We also started learning about breathing techniques and relaxation.
All of the other moms and coaches were really nice. Everyone is due within about 6 weeks of each other - from May 19th through June 28th. There's an equal spread of us expecting boys vs. girls, and two couples aren't going to find out what they are having until the delivery.
Next week, we're going to take a tour of the L & D floor and watch a childbirth video in class! I can't wait! I love the class, and I know Will enjoys it, too! It's so much fun to go together!
We start the class out with a lecture and video about the day's topics. Then we move to the floor mats for the remainder of the class. This week we learned about false labor vs. true labor, preterm labor, and timing contractions during lecture, and on the mat we learned some exercises to help with low back discomfort and to help get out bodies used to the position we will be in during childbirth. We also started learning about breathing techniques and relaxation.
All of the other moms and coaches were really nice. Everyone is due within about 6 weeks of each other - from May 19th through June 28th. There's an equal spread of us expecting boys vs. girls, and two couples aren't going to find out what they are having until the delivery.
Next week, we're going to take a tour of the L & D floor and watch a childbirth video in class! I can't wait! I love the class, and I know Will enjoys it, too! It's so much fun to go together!
Saturday, April 7, 2007
An Iowa Baby Shower!
Today, Maya and I had another baby shower. My Aunts Misty and Colleen and cousin Misty Dawn threw the shower for us. It was with our family and friends in Iowa, and a lot of people were there. We actually had to do introductions with everyone for the benefit of myself and friends who may not know all the family. You have to understand... my dad has a VERY BIG family! It was great to see everyone. I had not seen some of the family since I was in grade school! I was so glad to see so many people excited about our upcoming arrival!
We had several dessert-type snacks to eat, and they were all delicious! We played a memory game to see who could remember all the baby items in the basket. My cousin Brenda won that. She got 15 out of 16 right! Not too bad! We also played a clothes pin game, where everyone gets a clothes pin to start, then if someone catches you saying the word "baby", they can take your clothes pin. Whoever has the most clothes pins in the end, wins the game. My Aunt Kay won that game with 5 clothes pins. I lost my clothes pin about 3 minutes after I got there. I'm not very good at games that inhibit talking. I'm sure you all find that shocking! The last game we played was a guess-how-big-the-belly-is game. We passed around rolls of toilet paper, and everyone had to tear off how many squares they thought it would take to wrap around my "waist". Three people guessed right on, and my Aunt Corrinne won the tie-breaker. It took 12 squares, not 18 like my mom guessed! It was really funny to see how big people thought my belly was, and I think 14 was a popular guess. Who knows, maybe I'll hit 18 by the time my due date rolls around! We'll just pretend that's what you were going for, mom, my due date size belly! : )
We got lots and lots of presents from everyone. I couldn't believe how many gifts were on and surrounding the present table! I thought it would take a couple of hours to get through everything, but I had two little cousins pushing me along and keeping a constant flow of gift bags in my lap. It went quite quickly! We got all sorts of useful things... baby care items, clothes, and some toys! We loved everything, and we'll get plenty of good use out of it all. Now, just figuring out where to put everything...
Thanks to everyone who attended the shower or sent presents. Everything was wonderful, and I had a great time!
We had several dessert-type snacks to eat, and they were all delicious! We played a memory game to see who could remember all the baby items in the basket. My cousin Brenda won that. She got 15 out of 16 right! Not too bad! We also played a clothes pin game, where everyone gets a clothes pin to start, then if someone catches you saying the word "baby", they can take your clothes pin. Whoever has the most clothes pins in the end, wins the game. My Aunt Kay won that game with 5 clothes pins. I lost my clothes pin about 3 minutes after I got there. I'm not very good at games that inhibit talking. I'm sure you all find that shocking! The last game we played was a guess-how-big-the-belly-is game. We passed around rolls of toilet paper, and everyone had to tear off how many squares they thought it would take to wrap around my "waist". Three people guessed right on, and my Aunt Corrinne won the tie-breaker. It took 12 squares, not 18 like my mom guessed! It was really funny to see how big people thought my belly was, and I think 14 was a popular guess. Who knows, maybe I'll hit 18 by the time my due date rolls around! We'll just pretend that's what you were going for, mom, my due date size belly! : )
We got lots and lots of presents from everyone. I couldn't believe how many gifts were on and surrounding the present table! I thought it would take a couple of hours to get through everything, but I had two little cousins pushing me along and keeping a constant flow of gift bags in my lap. It went quite quickly! We got all sorts of useful things... baby care items, clothes, and some toys! We loved everything, and we'll get plenty of good use out of it all. Now, just figuring out where to put everything...
Thanks to everyone who attended the shower or sent presents. Everything was wonderful, and I had a great time!
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Maya at 32 Weeks!
Here's Maya's chubby cheeks! Her nose looks a little smushed, and she has her hands in front of her face. This was the best pic the tech could get! Maya was not wanting to cooperate!
She's Still a GIRL!!
Yay! We had our 32 week ultrasound today, and it was awesome! We found out a whole bunch of information...
1. Maya is still a girl, thank goodness! We had the ultrasound tech check again, just to be sure. Her anatomy is quite unmistakable. No worries that we will have to redecorate the nursery now!
2. She has a head full of hair! I didn't even know that you could see hair on an ultrasound picture. It shows up a white fuzz around the head, and there was a lot of it there! Too bad we couldn't tell what color it is!
3. My placenta is looking good, and it has moved into a better position. At the 20 week ultrasound, it was 1 cm from my cervix, and now it is 6 cm away. Yay! Now I can do yoga!!
4. Maya weighed in at a whooping 4 pounds, 6 ounces. She is in the 64th percentile for growth at her age. Today, I am 31 weeks and 3 days along, and she is measuring 33 weeks along! She's about 1 1/2 weeks big for her age! We couldn't get very good pictures in 3D because her face was kind of smushed into my placenta, but a couple pics were okay to see part of her face. She has the cutest chubby little cheeks! I'm going to start guzzling water all the time now to try to increase the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding her, then next time (another u/s at 36 weeks, possibly) maybe we'll be able to see her face a little better. I guess they want the amniotic fluid to measure between 7-20, and mine measured in at 9. So, it's right at the low end of normal. I'm just not a good drinker... never have been. Personally, I think she's hiding her face because she just wants us to be surprised! She's trying to not reveal too much too soon!
5. SURPRISE... HER HEAD IS HUGE! According to her head measurement, my due date is around May 13th! That's about 3 weeks early. I figured that she'd have a big head just because Will and I have big heads, but the closer the due date gets, the more concerned that idea makes me! Actually, it terrifies me!! I can live with a fat baby, but a big-headed baby... oh boy. My doctor just laughed and said, "That means you'll just have to push harder!" Hahaha.... yeah, funny! I'm glad he finds that amusing! Boy, oh boy, I hope her body catches up with her head, then she slows down! At this rate, I'm looking at having an 8 pound baby, at least! Not to mention, an 8 pound baby with a HUGE melon!!
6. She's in a favorable position. She's got her head down in my pelvis, all ready to go. I know there's still time for her to flip or move, but for now, she's in the right position. The tech was able to show us exactly how she was laying, which was cool. Her head was down, her back was facing my left side, her butt was at the middle and top of my abdomen, and her face, arms and legs were all facing my right side. That explained why I could feel her hiccups so strongly on my left side this morning. However, I think she must flip sides often because just last night, I felt this little bony thing sliding along my left side. It had to have been a foot, hand, or elbow. It was so cute! Feeling her move is still the GREATEST thing in the world! I just love it!!
I think those are all the highlights from the ultrasound! I just love having the ultrasounds, but the farther along I get, the more painful it is. I think just how hard they push the wand down, squishes my body between it and Maya's body. So, it doesn't feel the best, but it's definitely worth being able to check in on Maya!
At the doctor's office, we talked a lot about the process of induction. We've been thinking about that since Will got his schedule for May, and we discovered that if we could have her a little early, Will would get about 3 weeks off with her before he had to go back to work. I've been talking to a lot of people about inductions, and so far, everyone's had a good experience. My doctor said we would discuss it more as we get closer. There's so much to consider!! In the end, no matter how Maya gets here, the important thing will be that she is here and healthy!
1. Maya is still a girl, thank goodness! We had the ultrasound tech check again, just to be sure. Her anatomy is quite unmistakable. No worries that we will have to redecorate the nursery now!
2. She has a head full of hair! I didn't even know that you could see hair on an ultrasound picture. It shows up a white fuzz around the head, and there was a lot of it there! Too bad we couldn't tell what color it is!
3. My placenta is looking good, and it has moved into a better position. At the 20 week ultrasound, it was 1 cm from my cervix, and now it is 6 cm away. Yay! Now I can do yoga!!
4. Maya weighed in at a whooping 4 pounds, 6 ounces. She is in the 64th percentile for growth at her age. Today, I am 31 weeks and 3 days along, and she is measuring 33 weeks along! She's about 1 1/2 weeks big for her age! We couldn't get very good pictures in 3D because her face was kind of smushed into my placenta, but a couple pics were okay to see part of her face. She has the cutest chubby little cheeks! I'm going to start guzzling water all the time now to try to increase the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding her, then next time (another u/s at 36 weeks, possibly) maybe we'll be able to see her face a little better. I guess they want the amniotic fluid to measure between 7-20, and mine measured in at 9. So, it's right at the low end of normal. I'm just not a good drinker... never have been. Personally, I think she's hiding her face because she just wants us to be surprised! She's trying to not reveal too much too soon!
5. SURPRISE... HER HEAD IS HUGE! According to her head measurement, my due date is around May 13th! That's about 3 weeks early. I figured that she'd have a big head just because Will and I have big heads, but the closer the due date gets, the more concerned that idea makes me! Actually, it terrifies me!! I can live with a fat baby, but a big-headed baby... oh boy. My doctor just laughed and said, "That means you'll just have to push harder!" Hahaha.... yeah, funny! I'm glad he finds that amusing! Boy, oh boy, I hope her body catches up with her head, then she slows down! At this rate, I'm looking at having an 8 pound baby, at least! Not to mention, an 8 pound baby with a HUGE melon!!
6. She's in a favorable position. She's got her head down in my pelvis, all ready to go. I know there's still time for her to flip or move, but for now, she's in the right position. The tech was able to show us exactly how she was laying, which was cool. Her head was down, her back was facing my left side, her butt was at the middle and top of my abdomen, and her face, arms and legs were all facing my right side. That explained why I could feel her hiccups so strongly on my left side this morning. However, I think she must flip sides often because just last night, I felt this little bony thing sliding along my left side. It had to have been a foot, hand, or elbow. It was so cute! Feeling her move is still the GREATEST thing in the world! I just love it!!
I think those are all the highlights from the ultrasound! I just love having the ultrasounds, but the farther along I get, the more painful it is. I think just how hard they push the wand down, squishes my body between it and Maya's body. So, it doesn't feel the best, but it's definitely worth being able to check in on Maya!
At the doctor's office, we talked a lot about the process of induction. We've been thinking about that since Will got his schedule for May, and we discovered that if we could have her a little early, Will would get about 3 weeks off with her before he had to go back to work. I've been talking to a lot of people about inductions, and so far, everyone's had a good experience. My doctor said we would discuss it more as we get closer. There's so much to consider!! In the end, no matter how Maya gets here, the important thing will be that she is here and healthy!
Monday, April 2, 2007
The Birthday Girl!
Here's a recent pic of Ruby! Looks like she brushing up on "What to Expect When Your (Master's) Expecting"! She's so cute!
Happy Birthday to Ruby!
Our little girl is growing up! Hahaha... that is, our furry little girl, Ruby. She turned 6 years old today! I can't believe we have had her for 6 years. How time flies. We celebrated (and by "we", I mean Ruby and I) her birthday with a trip to PetSmart. She gets a toy and special treats every year on her birthday. Will thinks it's ridiculous... whatever! I try to let her "pick stuff out", but all she cares about it is eating every treat she finds on the floor and under the shelves. I let her lead me all over the store, exploring for food like she hasn't eaten in months, then we (or I) pick out her presents, and we check out. Ruby loves the check out counter because, you guessed it, there are more treats, and the people love to feed her!
She was a little skittish today when we arrived in the parking lot because of the traumatic episode a week ago (when we ALMOST got her nails trimmed). Apparently she has a longer memory than I gave her credit for. She only stopped shaking when she blazed past the groomer's door, and I didn't attempt to direct her inside. There were only two instances when she felt the need to hit the ground for cover. The first was when she inadvertently ended up smack dab in front of the goldfish tanks. Before she knew it, she was standing face to face with hundreds of terrifying goldfish! All the movement clearly caught her off guard, and she freaked out! Her second brush with death was when she accidentally spotted her own reflection in a sliding glass door on one of the shelves she had been so innocently sniffing under. I thought she might have a stroke! She is such a chicken! Will says that she gets it from me, and he's probably right! It does make me laugh, though. She's the silliest darn dog I've ever seen. I wouldn't trade her for anything! I love her to bits and pieces!
Maya has been on the move ALL day today! I read that babies sleep about 90-95 percent of the time before they're born. I think she was awake for about 95 percent of the time today! She's been a little jumping bean. Her movements and kicks are getting so strong, I found myself trying to move back away from her a couple of times today, during her more violent episodes! Like arching my back out is going to help! I just can't help it sometimes when she's giving me a beating from the inside out! My instinct is to move back! It's crazy, but true. My belly has been distorted all sorts of ways and shapes today, too. It's definitely been fun to watch and feel. Will was even getting a kick out of it when he had his hand resting on there while we watched a movie. I think all of her squirming amazes him as much as it does me. No matter how awkward the feelings are to my belly, I still love every second of it!!
One more thing... Will and I have noticed that several people check this blog (based on the counter at the bottom), and we were wondering if you would mind leaving a comment saying where you are from (and your name if you want). We know of a couple close friends and family members that check it every day, but we were wondering how many other people are looking at this thing! Just curious!! Thanks!
She was a little skittish today when we arrived in the parking lot because of the traumatic episode a week ago (when we ALMOST got her nails trimmed). Apparently she has a longer memory than I gave her credit for. She only stopped shaking when she blazed past the groomer's door, and I didn't attempt to direct her inside. There were only two instances when she felt the need to hit the ground for cover. The first was when she inadvertently ended up smack dab in front of the goldfish tanks. Before she knew it, she was standing face to face with hundreds of terrifying goldfish! All the movement clearly caught her off guard, and she freaked out! Her second brush with death was when she accidentally spotted her own reflection in a sliding glass door on one of the shelves she had been so innocently sniffing under. I thought she might have a stroke! She is such a chicken! Will says that she gets it from me, and he's probably right! It does make me laugh, though. She's the silliest darn dog I've ever seen. I wouldn't trade her for anything! I love her to bits and pieces!
Maya has been on the move ALL day today! I read that babies sleep about 90-95 percent of the time before they're born. I think she was awake for about 95 percent of the time today! She's been a little jumping bean. Her movements and kicks are getting so strong, I found myself trying to move back away from her a couple of times today, during her more violent episodes! Like arching my back out is going to help! I just can't help it sometimes when she's giving me a beating from the inside out! My instinct is to move back! It's crazy, but true. My belly has been distorted all sorts of ways and shapes today, too. It's definitely been fun to watch and feel. Will was even getting a kick out of it when he had his hand resting on there while we watched a movie. I think all of her squirming amazes him as much as it does me. No matter how awkward the feelings are to my belly, I still love every second of it!!
One more thing... Will and I have noticed that several people check this blog (based on the counter at the bottom), and we were wondering if you would mind leaving a comment saying where you are from (and your name if you want). We know of a couple close friends and family members that check it every day, but we were wondering how many other people are looking at this thing! Just curious!! Thanks!
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