Baby Bellies

We talk to Liam about Max all the time, and he's very excited to meet his new brother (from what we can tell!). I have been having horrible back pain lately, and I can't do a lot of the things I usually do with Liam when I'm incapacitated. He's heard a lot of "Mommy's back hurts, so let's do something quiet" lately, and he knows that my back hurts because of the baby in my belly.

This morning he saw me put a little pillow behind my back as we drove to daycare.

"My back hurts, Mom," he said. "When Daddy comes home he will fix my owies!"

I told him that Daddy is very good at fixing owies and that my back was a little owie today, too.

"Is there a baby in your belly?" he asked.

He informed me that he has "a baby in my belly, too!"

It is a girl baby with no name, just "girl." Interesting.

When she comes out, he will "feed her a bottle."

He's going to be a great big brother!

Silhouettes Fashion Show

Freshmen can enter one piece in the show - this is Sarah's!

Liam with Auntie Sarah and her model, Rachel, after the show!

Walking the runway with Auntie!


Checking out the stage.

Swimming with Grandpa Howie!

We spent the weekend in Menomonie visiting with my family for Sarah's end-of-year fashion show! It was a ton of fun hanging out with Grandpa Howie, Grandma Pammy, Auntie Kimmy, Auntie Sarah, Grandma Karen, Grandpa Richie and Dane! Liam spent a good amount of time in the hotel pool with Grandpa Howie, and loved seeing everyone!

Liam was a little confused about what to call his swimsuit, so he referred to his swimtrunks as his "suitcase" for the entire weekend. Here he is with Grandpa - both wearing their suitcases!

Build-a-bear (or an elephant)

Max's godfather, my good friend John, sent some fun money for the boys. We went to Build-a-Bear! Liam chose an elephant for himself and a teddy bear for Max!

A very friendly lady helped us fill the animals with stuffing!

Liam didn't want to put his foot on the pedal, so Dad did it!

Two hearts to put in with the stuffing!

Giving the hearts a kiss!

Putting a heart in Max's bear!

Fluffing and "washing" them! This was Liam's favorite part!

Well, he seemed to enjoy pushing the pedal and feeling the air more than actually "washing" the bear...which is now on the floor...!

Yay! All done!

Liam and his buddies before bed!

Awww...thanks Uncle John!

We had so much fun, and can't wait to give Max his bear!

Landing in the chocolate chips

Liam and I were driving to the library yesterday and passed a playground. He looked out his window and saw the slides and started telling me about when he and Grandma Meg went down a curly slide. He was very into the description and told me about how "wiggly" it was!

He said, "and we went down the wiggly, wiggly slide and THEN we landed in the...in the...CHOCOLATE CHIPS!"

I couldn't figure out what he meant at first, but then it dawned on me.

"You mean you landed in the WOOD CHIPS, buddy?!"

"Yeah," he said, "the WOOD CHIPS!"

Water, water, ice water

I was always thirsty when I was pregnant with Liam, but this pregnancy hasn't found me quite so parched. Maybe it's because I already drink a lot of water. Who knows. Today though, I just can't get enough water. I drink a bottle and I'm still thirsty! Well, Max must be thirsty because I definitely don't feel like I'm getting much of that water! He's working up a sweat doing laps around my uterus today.

Liam is going to get a special present tomorrow, and will be making something extra special for his little brother, too! Stay tuned!

Liam has been super-emotional about me leaving him at daycare lately. We talk about how much fun he'll have as we drive in each morning, and that Mommy will pick him up after his nap. This morning I said,

"Let's not cry at daycare this morning, ok buddy?"

"Ok," he said. "Can I pout at daycare?"

I'm so tired

Liam slept at Grandpa Ron and Grandma Meg's on Saturday night. He woke up really early and ended up sleeping with them in their bed until morning, but he was still pretty tired and cranky for most of the day. Aaron picked him up while I went out to brunch with a friend. They took a trip to the pet store and then headed home. Aaron said that Liam was so tired that his eyes were slowly closing and his head was nodding away as they drove. He tried to keep him awake by talking to him, which usually works.

Liam said "I'm just going to take a little rest, ok Dad?"

Aaron said he laughed to himself and told him "Ok."

He let him nod off for a minute and then tried waking him up again. This kid must have really been tired because he said,

"I'm so tired. I'm going to just take a little nap for a minute, ok Dad?"

Hahahaha. Poor kid. So sweet and so hilarious.

I can't help it!

Is it strange that I have to watch Susan Boyle sing "I Dreamed a Dream" at least once per day? Because I do. I can't help it. It makes me smile every time. If you're the underdog, the old person, the down and out...I'm rooting for you. It's one of my favorite things about myself.

Baby Countdown...

I'm starting to have a few contractions a day now! I usually notice them most at night, and they sometimes wake me up. They aren't very strong, just mostly a cramping feeling. I don't really remember having them with Liam, but I didn't know what they felt like at this point with him. Maybe I did? I just keep thinking about how the doctor said that at 38 weeks we'll start checking...that's less than 4 weeks away!

Easter!

We had a great Easter weekend up north

and a relaxing Sunday afternoon at our

Renquin Easter Celebration here at home!

Auntie Sarah took this artistic picture of Liam playing in the sandbox.

He did A LOT of playing in the sandbox all weekend!

Auntie Sarah & her buddy Liam

Decorating himself with playdough...and some help from his aunties!

Playdough Hat Gang

Playing with his giant bug he got from the Easter Bunny!

Easter Egg Hunt

How did that bunny get the eggs up in the trees?

34 Weeks!

We had our 34 week appointment with Dr. Chun today. From here on out I will have weekly appointments! I can't believe I'm already this far along! Dr. Chun was in fine form today and spent a long time talking with Liam and interacting with him. She gave him a cupcake leftover from an office party while I was peeing in a cup! He said "thank you" and she commented on his manners and how smart he already is. She asked him a lot about the baby and being a big brother. I have always liked Dr. Chun, but it really meant a lot that she was willing to spend that extra time making Liam comfortable and just giving him some attention. Liam told her that his brother's name is Max and she reacted very excitedly and said that Max is her most favorite name! It was cute.

We talked a bit about Liam's birth and caught her up on it all since she wasn't the doctor to deliver him. She said I'm not measuring bigger than 34 weeks, so the baby seems to be a normal size so far. She did ask how late Liam was, and when I said he was only two days late she seemed to rethink her care plan for me a bit. We had no idea Liam would be that big, and she said that going to my due date again could be risky. She is going to start checking me beginning at 38 weeks, and will induce me if my body seems ready. She talked about the reality of an induction about a week early (at 39 weeks) if things go as planned. So, Max could be here around his Daddy's birthday at the earliest! I still think on or around May 20th is more likely. Either way, we'll have another son in a little over a month! We are very anxious to meet him!

33 Weeks!

Holy boy!

I gave Liam a fruit bar to eat in the car on the way to daycare this morning. His eyes got wide and he said "HOLY BOY!"

Big Event for Little Kids

Liam practices his reporting skills with Justin Zollitsch of Channel 2 news!

Feeding the goats with Grandma!

Waiting to blow BIG BUBBLES with Grandma!

Sitting in a digger!

Practicing his gymnastics routine!

He hugged the frog all on his own just before this!

Picking out some new books with mom and dad!

Hi! We are on the bus!

Grrr! Look at my lightsaber!

A mix of coffee grounds and some kind of grain made a great barnyard for the animals! The smell woke mom right up, too!

I had to stop at work to pick up my check before dropping Liam off this morning. I told him to wait in his seat for just a minute and I'd be back. I ran in, grabbed my check and ran out. I got into the car and he said,

"Hi Mom! You came back! I'm so happy!"

It was adorable.

I told him it was good that he was happy and that I would always come back!

"I'm so glad!" he said.

The Mommy Song

For a long time Liam only wanted me to sing "Mountain" or "Moon" to him at bedtime. I started singing "You Are My Sunshine" to him again recently, and he's really latched onto it. He calls it "Mommy's Song" or "Only Sunshine." Given his talent for memorizing song lyrics, it's no surprise that he's been singing all the verses during our morning commute. I listened a little more closely this morning and this is what I heard...

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy...that show is great!
You'll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away."

I guess "when skies are gray" really does sound like "that show is great" to 2 year old ears!