Halloween Week

[Maida after church on Sunday]

I have discovered that having a child, definitely makes holidays more fun. Even last year, it seemed like every holiday was a big deal because it was Maida's first. Now this year the holidays seem to be a big deal because she's actually able to participate in the festivities! This year Halloween started on Sunday when she wore her pretty Halloween dress from Nana to church. And every day this week we are doing something different to celebrate. Monday we made Halloween cards and tonight we made cookies while Erik studied in his new office. Speaking of new office...

We changed around our house! We turned our dining room into our bedroom and our bedroom into Erik's office. It's working just perfectly and makes it feel so much bigger in here. We just can't have company for dinner because we don't have a dining room table! I'm really enjoying having Erik around the house all the time. It's so nice not to have to be alone and to be able to depend on him for help with Maida, or whatever, whenever I need him. It's also nice because I can tell that he really enjoys being home with us too. The only thing is, he says that he's going to get fat studying at home because he just keeps eating! Maida has been very happy the past couple days with Erik being home so much. At first it was an adjustment, trying to understand that Daddy shuts himself in the bedroom and then we have to leave him alone. Now she is getting pretty good at leaving him alone. She'll walk by the "office" door every once-in-a-while, knock on it, and yell "Da-Da!"

[Erik studying in his new office]

Having Erik home has also encouraged me to be a little better at things around the house than I have been. It seems like ever since I got pregnant with Skogen and was sick, I got lazy! I haven't hardly cooked a meal or even gotten up to make Erik his lunch in the mornings. I barely keep up with the laundry and at times it seems like just caring for Maida is all the energy I've got for the day. However, Erik really encouraged me this week to step it up as a housewife. If this is my dream job and my dream life, I should live in it, not mope in it. So, I have started staying on top of things this week and I have to admit that I'm feeling a lot better. I have a lot more energy, even though I'm working harder!

This afternoon Erik and I took Maida up to the medical school so that she could be a pediatric patient for the first year medical students to practice on. I went into the room with her and a medical doctor was with a group of about 10 students, walking them though an entire Well Baby check up. It was neat to hear how and why they do everything they do. It also gave me a whole different appreciation for Erik and all the things he has to learn in school. Not only does he have to learn body anatomy, but he has to know every function of the anatomy, why it does that, when it does that, and then he also has to know all the mathematical equations behind everything too (you should see how many he's got memorized!). Wow! On top of knowing about where, when, how, and why things function they way they do, he has to know how to check for abnormalities of these functions, how to treat these abnormalities, and so so so much more (Can you imagine even trying to know all the different antibiotics out there and how or when to use them? I can't even pronounce half of their names!) I just can't believe how much work it is to be a doctor. No wonder they get paid so much when they get out of school. I can't even imagine the brainpower that goes into specialties, either. Like brain surgeons or heart surgeons. Uffda!

[Erik stays up and studies all night the night before a test. Here are pictures of Erik staying up all night to study *in his new office* and a page of his notes with too many different equations for me to even try to understand. I think it's cute how he color coordinates notes.]


Well, I better close for now and get to bed. Tomorrow morning Maida and I start ECFE bright and early! I have to admit that I am a little nervous. It's like starting the first day of a school year! Maida seems to be really excited and says "school" and "teacher" when we talk about going. I really hope that Maida enjoys it and that I don't have to talk in front of a whole lot of people. I have such anxiety about being the center of attention! It's hard enough going to my prenatal yoga class on Monday nights when we all take turns talking about a certain topic. I usually start sweating and shaking long before it's even my turn. Hopefully our children will all take after Erik... not only his public speaking skills, but his smarts too!

Thank you Nana for the pretty Halloween dress!!!