Happy Halloween!

We had so much fun making our 2nd annual Klackle's visit today! Even though they were technically closed for the season (I had no idea... next year, we'll be sure to visit sooner), there were quite a few school groups there, so lucky for us, some things were open and running! Maya was pretty eager to get her hands on some of the animals at the petting zoo... that is until she got bit by a chicken. Poor thing. I think the chicken startled her more than anything. She was a bit hesitant to pet any more animals after that, and we couldn't blame her! Luckily, she did get to pet some things BEFORE the chicken incident. Here she is bravely petting a cow...
Last year, Maya was about 4-5 months old when we visited Klackle's. She was just itty-bitty, and we propped her up next to some pumpkins in the pumpkin patch. This year, she was able to stand next to the "How Tall this Fall?" sign...
We did get to ride the "Pumpkin Train" out to the apple orchard. It was a VERY bumpy ride, and Maya LOVED it!After some practice, Maya got pretty good at picking apples, and she managed to pick a 1/2 peck worth all by herself! (Try saying that 5 times fast... LOL.) I love how the sun filtered through the trees in this picture... Look at those curls!She just may end up being a farm girl after all! She had a blast playing on the tractors...
I just love this next picture. She was standing at the hand washing station, which much to our dismay (after a particularly messy incident with poo on the shoe) had been turned off. She just looks so content and sweet...I love our Klackle's tradition, and I look forward to taking both of our kiddos there next year!

Now for some trick-or-treating! We met up with some friends in downtown Grand Haven to take the kids to the local businesses for some candy. They really are still too little to get the concept of trick-or-treating, so we just mainly hung out, played, and people watched. Here's Maya and Daddy...
Here's the "Lil' Stinker" hittin' the streets with her "pumpa" bucket...She had so much fun playing with Max, the flag, running around the tree, and just skipping around and squealing! She's so stinkin' cute! Look at that happy face...Here's her new thing. Whenever she sees someone new, the first thing she does is point and run to me, saying, "Mom! Mom! Mom!" It's like she wants to clear that up right away, in case any one's wondering, "This is MY Mom!" It's really cute and makes me feel like the center of her little universe. It's times like that that make all the difficult times well worth it. I wouldn't trade my job as her mom for anything in the world! I couldn't be luckier, and even though most of the time, she won't give me kisses or hugs (the little bugger!), I know I'm still number one in her eyes. That's a really nice place to be. Here, she's informing her little friend, Madeline (the cow), that I'm her mom...Just a little skunk amongst the crowd...
Maya on her Daddy's shoulders with Max (the octopus) on Brian's shoulders...
Taking a break and helping herself to a treat. She didn't actually get to have a treat while we were out. She only collected about 5 pieces of candy, and they were all choking hazards! No worries... she did get some treats at home!
Maya was more fascinated with all the dressed up dogs out and about than she was with the other kids! Here, she stops to give this "puppa" a kiss...
We'll definitely be going back to Grand Haven next year. It really was a lot of fun! It was fun to see people's reactions to Maya, too. There were lots of people stopping to take her picture and even video of her, so we're going to check the local paper in the days to come to see if she makes it into print! Wouldn't that be fun for the scrapbook?!

After hitting the downtown area, we did some trick-or-treating on our street. Maya got a kick out of passing out candy to the kids. She would actually chase them down our driveway, trying to put more candy in their bags. Once she got the hang of what was going on, she was ready to visit our neighbors. She would attempt saying, "trick-or-treat", which always came out as "tee-teet". She was mostly thrilled at the houses where she was greeted by some kind of animal, either a "puppa" or "tee-tat" (puppy or kitty-cat). It only took visiting a couple of those houses for her to start barging into our neighbor's homes to look for a "puppa" or "tee-tat". Thank goodness she's cute and everyone's super-friendly! Nobody seemed to mind, brushing off my apologies with smiles and laughter. I'm so glad we just stayed on our street!! It took almost two hours to make it up and down our entire street. We got to meet some neighbors that we had yet to see out and about. Everyone's so nice here. I feel so lucky to live amongst such great people!

Those of you who know me well, should have known this was coming! I always said if I had a big pregnant belly during Halloween, I would paint it as a pumpkin. Well, guess what! I do, and I did! Don't worry... I didn't go out in public with the painted belly, but had I known the paint would cover my stretch marks so well, I would have seriously considered it! I wonder if I can get this stuff in my skin tone...
Happy Halloween, everyone!!

Halloween Videos...

Here are some videos from our Halloween festivities! Enjoy!
Here is Maya, picking apples at Klackle's. So cute...


Here is a little clip of our little skunk, having fun in Grand Haven...


Here she is getting ready to go trick-or-treating at our neighbor's house...

"Wow! He's really crammed in there!"

Today we had a bit of a shocking experience. I had an ultrasound scheduled to recheck the fluid that was surrounding Liam's kidneys during our previous routine ultrasound. We scheduled this u/s at the hospital because we had been told they have 3D capabilities with their machine, and we were hoping to get a glimpse of what he will look like. I had an u/s with Maya at 31 weeks and 3 days, and this one of Liam was at 31 weeks and 5 days, which would have provided a really awesome comparison. HOWEVER, as soon as the u/s tech placed the probe on my belly to start the exam, she goes, "How far along ARE you?" I told her, and she responded, "Wow! He's really crammed in there!" I laughed and said, "I KNOW." (As though I hadn't noticed I can't breathe!) She re-examined all his major organs. We saw all four chambers of his heart beating strongly, which is always an awesome thrill. His heart rate was 137 bpm. We saw his brain, stomach, lungs, and spine. She rechecked his kidneys, and the left one still had fluid around it, though not much. He also had a full bladder, so we didn't get to see what they look like on an empty bladder, which would be more helpful to know. The u/s tech assured us that it's a common find, especially on boys, and usually the fluid stops accumulating around the kidneys after they are born. She said that the doctors may or may not want to re-ultrasound his kidneys after he's born. We'll wait and see. Until then, we're not worried.

What I AM worried about is this boy's size! I think I'm packing a future linebacker in my belly! As the u/s tech was doing her measurements, we noticed that the EDD (estimated due date) kept showing dates around the first and second week in December! That's a far cry from Christmas Eve! Not only did his head measure big for his age (yippee-skippy for me), but his femur (thigh bone) also measured large. Now, if you remember, Maya's head always measured big, but it was normal sized when she was born. I'm holding onto that fact as a shred of hope that Liam will also be average sized. Because Liam is already so large, we were completely unable to get ANY descent pictures of what he looks like! There was no chance of getting a 3D picture because his head is buried so far down in my pelvis, the u/s tech didn't have any fluid between his face and my uterus to get a good image, nor could she get a good angle to take a picture! We could see one foot, but again, it wasn't in a great spot for a picture. What we did find out is how he's laying in my belly. He's taken up residence on the opposite side my belly that Maya found to be most comfy. His head is down (yay!), his spine is along my right side, with his butt under my right rib cage, and his feet are under my left rib cage. That explains why I can't breathe unless I'm sitting up completely straight! It's really fun to know how he's laying because it helps me to better identify specific body parts as they are poking out of my belly! Let me tell you, he is STRONG. I remember Maya being VERY active (shocking, right?), but I don't remember ever thinking that her foot might just bust out through my side! That's how Liam makes me feel! I swear he's going to be a kick boxer! As big as he is, and with as much room as he's taking up, you would think he wouldn't be able to move much. Well, let me tell you, he does. He moves a ton! I don't think he's going to have any trouble keeping up with his big sister (unless his large size holds him back!).

I also met with my OB doctor today. At the start of my appointment, he measured my belly, looked back at my chart, then measured my belly again! I asked what I was measuring, and he said, "36 (centimeters)." That means that my belly is equivalent in size to what it should be at 36 weeks. I'm 31 weeks and 5 days. BIG DIFFERENCE! I told him about our u/s that we had earlier in the day (he didn't have the results report yet), and we spend the remainder of the visit discussing our plan of attack for the rest of this pregnancy. Basically, he confirmed that my due date still stands at Christmas Eve, and I'm not crazy to be feeling like I'm farther along than what I really am. He said that it looks like Liam is going to be a bigger baby, and we'll keep a close eye on his growth as I get farther along. He said that if my cervix seems favorable around 37 weeks, he may try to strip my membranes to get labor going a little early. He said that he does not want to induce me based on Liam's size alone (neither do I), nor does he want to schedule a c-section based on the same thing (and neither do I). He hopes that in 6 weeks, I come into the hospital in active labor without having had any intervention. ME, TOO! I love my doctor. We are totally on the same page. Neither one of us is willing to put Liam or myself in danger to avoid an induction or c-section, but we're also not wanting to jump on an induction or c-section right away. I really felt like he listened to my concerns and cared about how I'm feeling and what I think about the situation. In a way, by him confirming that Liam's taking up more space than he should be at this point, I felt like he was giving me permission to feel uncomfortable. Which is nice, because that's exactly how I've felt for quite a while now! I just didn't want to whine or complain about feeling miserable when I was only 30-ish weeks along, even though by then, I was feeling huge and uncomfortable! Now that I know I'm as big as most people are at 36 weeks, I feel like I have a right to be ready to be "done"!

We also got a tour of the Labor and Delivery Department today. It's awesome! The rooms felt really homey (I guess as much as a hospital room can), and each room has a whirlpool tub in it! I also found out that they allow laboring moms to use the tub even after their water has broke. Yay! I'm looking forward to taking advantage of that (if all goes as planned). There's an OR right there for c-sections, the nursery looked nice and big, and they have a lactation educator on each shift to assist with breastfeeding. The nurse that showed us around today was super nice, and if they're all like her, I look forward to meeting mine upon admission! She also walked us through the process of being admitted to the L&D floor, and I'm really looking forward to showing up at the hospital in labor, going through triage, finding out if I get to stay with them or be sent home to make more progress... you get the idea. With Maya, I just showed up on the L&D floor, went straight to my assigned room, and we got the induction started. It was weird going to the hospital and being admitted to a room when there was nothing "wrong" with me. This time, it will be different, and I'm really excited to see what's in store for us! I also found out that Maya will be allowed to visit her new brother as long as she's not sick, of course. I've been stressing out about that a little because I've never been away from her for 24 hours. I'm going to NEED to see my munchkin. I also can't wait for her to meet her new brother! She's going to be such a great big sister!!

It's hard to believe that I'm coming to the end of this pregnancy, but at the same time, I'm so thankful there's end in sight! Hopefully, there will be more like 18 months between Maya and Liam instead of the predicted 19 months! Keep your fingers crossed!

Quote of the day: "If you thinks it's hard to breathe now, can you imagine what you'll feel like at 38 weeks if you're measuring 45 weeks?! You won't have any lung capacity left at all!" (Stated by my OB doctor while discussing reasons we may need to do a risks vs. benefits analysis for induction or c-section if I don't go into labor on my own while Liam's still a reasonable size.)

Drop-in Daycare

Maya went to daycare today! There's a church near us with a daycare, preschool, and a young 5's program. The daycare offers a convenient drop-in service, where you can call and reserve a spot in the daycare without being a "regular". As long as they have room in the class, you can drop off your child for half a day (max. 4 hours) or the entire day. It's VERY reasonably priced, and the staff is super-nice. We took Maya there about 6 months ago, when we were in a pinch for a sitter for the morning of our ultrasound with Liam. At that time, she did really well, and they reported that she acted like she had been there a hundred times before! That was good news, and it made me feel a ton better about leaving her there. I felt like she was in good hands, and she was very happy and playing when I picked her up. I was confident she had been taken care of very well while I was away. You may wonder, then, why so much time lapsed until today, when she went back. Well, there really isn't a reason, except that we actually didn't NEED to take her there until now.

Today, Alex and Chase (my brothers) and I went to Baker College for a visit for Chase to check into the Culinary Arts program. Our appointment was set for 11am, and I suspected it would last for about 2 hours. We have 3 babysitters that we use. One is a teacher, one a high school student, and one helps with her brother during the day, so of the 3, nobody was available for a daytime job. I called the daycare, and thank goodness, they had an opening! Maya would get to play in the toddler room (with her friend, Lydia) and have lunch there, then after lunch, if she wouldn't lay down on a cot for a nap, she would go to the infant room to play with the babies (including Lydia's brother, Charlie). I didn't think she would nap, but I knew she would be excited to see her little friends from down the street. I thought she would push through without the nap, and I would just put her down at home, where she could nap in her own bed.

When we arrived at daycare, her class was just lining up to come in from recess. The teacher, Miss Sarah, greeted us with a cheery "Hi, Maya!" She opened the gate, and a stampede of little toddlers surrounded Maya, saying hi, waving, and giving her hugs. It was so darn cute!! Maya ate it up and followed the kids inside to explore her classroom. The kids took her in and showed her around, and Maya eagerly soaked in her new territory and toys. I kissed her head, told her I would be right back, and sneaked out the door while she was discovering the baby dolls.

Alex, Chase, and I had a great visit at the college. Everyone was really nice and informative. Since Chase had traveled so far to visit the school, the chef in the pastry kitchen gave him an entire gourmet cake (by the way... it was delicious)! I also found a little-known gem in Muskegon... The Marquette Room. It's the restaurant on Baker's campus that's run by the culinary art students. They have a somewhat small menu with a wide variety of choices. It seriously took us about 20 minutes to decide what we wanted to eat because EVERYTHING on the menu looked delicious. The prices are unbeatable for the quality of food. It was SO GOOD. I can't wait to take Will there some night. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a gourmet meal on a budget! The meal is worth far more than what they charge!

When we returned to the daycare to get Maya, she was happily playing in the infant room. I got a brief report from Miss Sarah... Maya had eaten all of her lunch, played with lots of new (and a couple of old) friends, and she took a nap! I couldn't believe it! I didn't expect her to nap, so I was totally surprised to find out that right after lunch, she slept in a crib in the infant room for over an hour. She had all of her bed time equipment (pillow, blanket, bear, and paci), and she went down without a fuss. You have no idea how happy I was to hear that report. Miss Sarah also said, "she's quite a climber!" Uh, she didn't elaborate on that comment, and I was too excited and overwhelmed to ask. I don't know what she climbed on, but since it didn't result in an injury, it couldn't have been any worse than anything she's climbed on with Will or I in charge! I know Maya had a great time at daycare. As we were leaving the building, Maya stopped right before the doorway, and frantically signed and requested, "Moe! Moe! Moe!" I assured her that we would come back, so she could play with her friends again. She seemed to understand, and we headed out to see Uncle Chase and Uncle Alex.

In light of her positive experience, I'm planning on taking her back there once a week or every other week. It's nice to actually look forward to taking her back to daycare! I think it will benefit her to have the opportunity to socialize with a small group of kids her age in some kind of structured setting. Besides the obvious benefits for her, how could I refuse her blatant begging for "Moe!"?! The daycare will definitely be a HUGE help once Liam arrives. It will give me the chance to have some alone time with Liam and maybe catch up on some much needed sleep... I can already feel the sleep deprivation upon me!

My Favorite Sign...

Maya's ability to communicate is steadily advancing. Around 12 months, we really started trying to teach her a few signs. We only concentrated on "eat", "more", and "all done". I wanted her to be able to tell me if she was hungry, and when she fussed during a meal, I wanted to know if she wanted more or if she was all done. I was satisfied with her knowing those signs, so we didn't go any further with sign language. She is now starting to couple her signing with speaking the actual words, and it's really cute. Her most often used sign is for "more", and when she signs it, she'll also say, "moe, moe!" Check it out!

The other signed word she's trying to say is "all done". She's wave her hands in the air (for the sign) and say, "deee!" She's really picking up more and more words every day... well, she's at least TRYING to say new words every day. It's fun to see her speech advance, and it's really getting easier to communicate with her. The flip side is that she gets frustrated more quickly now if we don't understand her. That's the hard part. I know that she's going to continue getting better at pronunciation, and along the way, I'll get better at translating her toddler speak. Until then, we'll do the best we can and TRY to have patience with each other!

Eating, er, Playing With Pudding

Maya had lots of fun eating a pudding cup today! I think she took two bites with a spoon, then ditched it and decided to use her hands. Apparently, they are much more efficient! She also decided that the pudding container makes a pretty fashionable hat! I had to take some pictures to commemorate the event... Enjoy!
As you can see, she managed to get the container pretty well cleaned out! She did her best to lick out as much pudding as possible. Who could blame her? It was mint-chocolate, after all! Yummy!
Hmmm... I'm not sure if she ate as much as she ended up wearing. Oh well, the important thing is she had a ton of fun!