OoOooo Christmas Tree!

Maia took a long morning nap today, something quite unusual for her. She generally naps for anywhere between 20 minutes and 2 hours at daycare, starting between 12:40 and 1:00 pm. Today, however, she went down about 10:30 am, after a while of general grumpiness and eye rubbing. I'm sure all those teeth coming in is not helping. So while she was sleeping, we decided to take the opportunity to put up the Christmas Tree. That also requires re-arranging the living room, so it was quite a surprise when Maia finally woke up to see our handiwork. So how did she respond? Well, sleepy and disoriented, she was carried into a room that looked completely different with some huge tree thingy in the middle of it, and she was curious, but really NOT sure about it. She was initially okay looking at it from the safety of daddy's arms, but she was NOT interested in leaving his arms to explore it for a good 15-20 minutes. She was, in fact, shaking a little. Poor thing.

Eventually, she started warming up to it, and we started hearing the "Ooooo Piddy!" and "Tee!" that we were hoping for. And spending sometime just looking, she consented to get a little closer and take a look.

Visiting Santa

I really wanted to head to Meijer Gardens to check out the holiday displays. It was a beautiful day, sunny and relatively warm for the season, so I thought it might even be a good day to walk outside and see the reindeer. So we piled in the car, and drove through the parking lot. It was jammed. So Ray decided we'd be better off heading to the mall and seeing Santa. So we did. When we arrived... we were next in line. I guess it was a good call. Maia did great, again. She seems to be fearless when it comes to strangely dressed adults. So we got the ridiculously overpriced package, and they were nice enough to let us take a couple of our own.

Okay, now how do you get this wrapper off?

Since she was all dressed up and still clean, we decided to get a few more pics of our own. This is her "sheeeeeeeze!" smile. After walking around a bit, Maia was eager to get out of the stroller (big surprise!) and so we stopped at the play area with the giant breakfast food so Maia could play with the 8,000 other children who were there today. When we were done, we tried another photo by a Christmas tree, but she was more interested in the tree than turning toward daddy. So when I tried to help, I got this... Big Mwahs! I love it! Later that afternoon, it was snack time. This is Maia with a mouth FULL of cheese. So full, she could hardly chew. And on Thanksgiving Day, Aunt Kathleen brought over some duplos that were no longer utilized in the Pool household. In that big box of duplos were some Winnie The Pooh duplo pieces. She knows nothing of most characters, she isn't terribly interested in sitting and watching TV or movies, so we rarely bother. As such, she did not know who Pooh was, and had to be told. Initially, she repeated the name correctly: "Pooooo!" and his "oney!" Later, however, she showed Aunt Kathleen and Grandma her toy, and announced his name: "POOP!" We appreciate a little potty humor from time to time, and could not contain our chuckles. I know I shouldn't perpetuate this mispronounciation... but so help me, I think it's hysterical.

And one last tidbit: Maia's canine teeth are coming in. They're poking through on the right side, and the left side is still lagging behind in both molars and canines. Her mouth is almost FULL!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Maia is generally such a morning girl. She is very fond of everything in the "mud room" and generally goes there to find all sorts of interesting non-toys to explore and wear. Here she found daddy's work gloves. Although not exactly stringing words together into a phrase, you will hear her in the mud room saying: "Shoes! Mama. Shoes..." and you'll find her playing with my shoes.

We hosted Thanksgiving again this year. We divvy up the food, which makes it quite manageable. Not to mention, we need the excuse of people coming over to really give the house a more thorough cleaning.

My folks generally bring the turkey (in grandma's circa 1940s roaster), stuffing and potatoes. Andrew makes the spicy sausage dressing and pies: Pecan, Pumpkin and Apple. I make the sweet potato and green bean casseroles, pick up a Honey Baked Ham and rolls. YUM!

Once the food and the family arrive, however, I find myself too distracted to remember to take pictures. In a quieter moment, though, I did catch this one of Papa reading a book to Maia.

After the table was set, and everyone was trying to decide where to sit, Ray took Maia to change her diaper. Maia's high chair was set in the back corner of the sun room, between Aunt Kathleen and Grandma. So when Ray came out of Maia's room with her, Kathleen said: "Here, I'll take her." Ray obliged, turning Maia toward Kath wearing this t-shirt...

I'm going to be a... big sister!

"Oh!" the gasp goes out, and some explaining to the kids needs to be done... You're going to have another cousin!

Meanwhile, in New York, we have enlisted an accomplice. We have sent a copy of the 8 week ultrasound to Aunt Tara, who has put it into a Thanksgiving card to Nana and Papa from Maia. Just before sitting down to dinner at Uncle Len's, Tara finds her window of opportunity (Effie and Raymond actually near each other) and hands over the card, telling her this is what they're getting for camp next year. To add to the unraveling, Tara folded a sales flyer around the picture.

As it was reported to us, Effie stood there reading the card, mouth agape. The phone rang at 2:30 pm, and we knew exactly who it would be!

So there it is. The Ashley Family is growing... again! We are due for our addition on June 12, 2010.

This is day number 83 and you're 11 weeks pregnant! You have 197 days or 28 weeks left, and are 29.6% of the way there. Baby's age since conception is 69 days or 9 weeks.

Moon

We had a fairly busy weekend. On Friday, after Maia's doctor's appointment, we were supposed to have lunch with an old friend of mine and her three-year-old. However, something came up for my friend(sick kid), and we had to reschedule. So with a free-ish afternoon ahead of us, and a bit of time before lunch, I thought I'd bring her by work. I don't think I've had her there since she was probably 9 months old.

She met lots of people, and based on what toys or books or pictures (computer wallpaper and screen savers) people had available, she babbled on quite a bit about doggies (dah-dee!!) and apples (appp-oooh) and babies (beee-bee!!). And people commented on how tiny she was (a co-worker has an adorable red-headed girl who is 4 months younger and weighs significantly more), how much she talks, and generally had fun with how much (and how well) she repeats what you ask her to say.

After that, Maia and I headed to the Schnitz for lunch (BIG JOHN!). I was planning on taking it to go, as we were on the downhill slope toward nap-time. As I pulled into my parking spot, I looked at the car next to me, and realized that there was another of my co-workers sitting in the car next to me. So the three of us ended up having lunch together, and taking a brief walk around the block when Maia had enough of sitting in her high chair.

Most of the rest of the day was fairly quiet... not long enough of a nap (20 minutes for a 15 month old does NOT cut it, and she repeated this feat each day this weekend, give or take 5 minutes). Saturday began with us all being up by 6:30, and deciding to head to the grocery store as a family to stock up for the week ahead. It was MUCH easier with Ray helping to keep Maia entertained while I filled the cart. She made it about 3/4 of the way through the shopping trip before she was done and needed to walk (wok!).

We returned home at 8 am, and Maia and I need to hurry to get to the Y by 8:30-8:45 to be in the pool for our 9 am class! Maia was still a little out-of-sorts, having had her immunizations and her H1N1 injection yesterday. There are some things she's great at (laying back in the water, kicking) and some things she's still not terribly interested (jumping in from the edge of the pool, using her arms to reach and scoop), and some things she wasn't particularly sure about, but managed to do very well and be very brave about (getting her face wet - usually it worked best if we bounced up and down and bounced a little lower each time until we were up to our chin, nose, forehead).

Then lots of errand running for me while Maia spent the afternoon with daddy. Had Fred's Pizza for dinner (which is, I've learned, a great way to get Maia to eat some vegetables she won't eat otherwise: onions and peppers).

This afternoon, however, it was another beautiful day (as was Saturday), rather more like September, than late November. So at long last, I decided I needed to get the last of the garden cleaned up for the winter (still haven't gotten around to planting bulbs). I took Maia outside with me, and let her run around while I pulled up what could probably be better described as early compost than day lily leaves (and swore I saw little green shoots underneath). As Maia took in her surroundings, she looked up into the early evening sky and shouted "Moooooon!"

And sure enough, a small crescent hung in the sky above the neighbor's tree. We looked at it together for a while, and then I went back to work, listening to her yell loudly, and repeatedly: "Moooon! Moooo! Mooooo-en! Mooooon!" The neighbors were mildly amused. I finished my work (it was starting to get dark and dinner time). And when we sat down for dinner, Maia looked out the window and started again: "Moon! Mooooo-en! Mooooon!

I got her ready for her bath (and got peed on, which really hadn't happened to me for a very long time! Not that I missed it...) and she pointed toward the sun-porch... "Mooon! Moo Moo Mooon!"

Ray got her in her pajamas and sat down in the rocking chair for her bedtime books. "Mooon!" I can hear her shout. "Moooooooooooooon!"

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Art o' The Month

These are mostly from October, and are Halloween themed.

This one is my favorite! Little ghosts made out of foot prints.

Close up of the little prints. Scarecrow with tissue paper squares.

I guess this is a Paint Horse!

Crow with black felt squares.

My second favorite: Mummy with tissues

And the black cat with googly eyes.

Friday, November 20, 2009

15 months

So Maia had her 15 month exam today. Her doctor was again pleased with her: development seems to be on track, sounds like she's eating well and getting a good variety for her age. We talked about her verbal focus (big!) versus her interest in things like stacking blocks (small), but the doc advised that stacking blocks is just one type of fine motor skill, and asked me if she will do things like scribble with a marker, or put small things in larger containers. She will. In fact, I watched her take one of Ray's guitar picks out of a baby food container, and put it back in (out, in, out, in) repeatedly. That actually took a fair amount of dexterity, and tiny hands. So I am relieved. So here are the stats:

21. 1 lbs = 22nd %ile

30 inches = 35%

18 1/4 " head circ = 62%

So, tiny - but staying fairly consistent in her track. And she delighted the nurses with her waiving buh-bye and saying thank you (even despite the three shots and the toe stick she received today).

Here are some pics from today:

BUH-BOOOOOOS!!!

This is how you blow bubbles.

MINE!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

More Rockin!

Maia loves to "Wok!" on her "Naaay!" She can even get up on it by herself now. And if my wood floors are completely ruined in 6 months, this is why!

Oh, the difference from her first time on her Rocking Horse! (9 months)

Maia at CTIS Halloween Party

One of Ray's co-workers sent this pic of Maia at the company Halloween Party.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Some of my Favorite Things

Maia loves to look at pictures (puh-shuuush?) She will gladly point out the people (Papa! Nana! Dada! Mama! Dah-gee! Ooowah-tah!) And she still LOVES shoes!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Swimming

Maia and I started swimming lessons at the local YWCA on Saturday, November 7th. She is the youngest in her class of 4. The first time we got into the pool together, she was delighted, and grinned from ear to ear. She did a pretty good job kicking, and being comfortable with the feeling of the water. She was even pretty comfortable crawling out of the pool at the side. She is not great, however, at trying to use her arms in the water, and I struggle with communicating that to her. She knows nothing about "scooping ice cream" with her hands. She's scooped sand a few times, but I doubt she has much recollection of that. This week, the 14th, she wasn't feeling all that well. Whether it is teething or a cold, she was running a low grade temp and while she did fairly well this time as well, but was done with the lesson about 7 minutes before the end of the brief half-hour. We were trying to get her to jump into the water from the side of the pool, with my help. Once she got herself out of the pool, she was done: more interested in playing with the rubber duckies than being in the water. But then, after we leave the pool, we get to do her favorite part: taking a shower! That's where I'm really hard pressed to get her away from! Generally speaking, however, she does pretty well, and I'm glad to finally get this opportunity to swim with her!

Art O' The Month

The rest of the "Moods" series. This was done with lots and lots of sparkly glitter!

And her bat. I can't wait until the rest of the Halloween projects come home. They did some cute ones!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Halloween Lives On...

For a good 10 days after Halloween, Maia asked to wear her duck costume (at least a part of it) daily. Sometimes just hat... sometimes the body. She also loved the blinking safety-light necklaces I got her.

Right around this time, as well, we finally managed to wean Maia off her pacis... both at home and at school. Generally, she had only been taking them for naps and bedtime, and the rare rough day. So we enacted the Great Paci Roundup.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Autumn Fun

We actually had a nice afternoon on Sunday. Sunny, but cool. So Ray decided to go outside and use his dueling leaf blowers (thanks again Dad for helping hook us up with this incredible time and energy saver!) I sent Maia out with him to play in the leaves, and she was, of course, delighted!

And I just wanted to compare to last year at this time:

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