Manistee River Camping

This is the third time the three of us have ventured out into the wilderness of the Manistee River. We planned to camp at one of the designated sites in the forest (not at a campground) however spent our first three hours looking for an unoccupied site!!! It was too nice of a fall day to expect empty sites. We ended up driving up a mountain (that was, ahem, closed) and camped at the top. We only got there 30 min before some hikers came through and stated something like, "darn! that spot's taken!" Had we been any later in arriving we would have been completely skunked and headed home to Rockford. As it was, we put up the tent, built a fire and settled in for dinner and a walk.


Bennett rode in the front as we bumped along two-track dirt roads looking for a camp site.


We stopped at the site we stayed at last year and although it was unoccupied, there were a couple of....hillbillies?....camped nearby with a loud radio...not ideal for peaceful camping. We had lunch and moved on.


Walking through the woods.


B walked for about 50ft then asked, "up?" We put him in the pack and hiked to a look-out.


We saw a blue heron in this creek..we love wildlife!


Arms out! Bennett was mimicking Mike.




B liked trying to touch every tree that we passed.


Our campsite. Car camping is by far the easiest thing to do when you have a little guy with you. You can take all the extras along that you wouldn't normally be able to carry. Plus, meal accommodations are usually better as we take a cooler and not just freeze-dried food.


Waiting for our soup to heat up.


Gathering firewood




A father/son walk in the woods


"Bye-bye sun."


Collecting acorns


Cozy pj's and rainboots!


We always need to read a book before bed.


Snuggled in. He looks cozy/comfy and I'm sure he was but he was also quite distracted by the tent and fire. Through the night he slept in three 3-hr shifts, waking up in between to jabber about how we were inside a tent.


We got up around 7a, had some breakfast - oatmeal and banana - and then packed up to head home.


Mike made me take a picture of the posts that we drove around....oops....I guess we didn't see them on our way in.... ;)



Misc. Pics

A little behind in time but this is a picture of my old-man belly at 21 weeks.



The boys testing B's new travel air-mattress. He has definitely outgrown a pack n play. This mattress is made for kids and is sunken in the middle to prevent him from rolling out -- he loved it!



Eating an apple from the front lawn...we made apple crisp later that afternoon. Yum!

Photo Update

Bennett is learning so quickly now, it's almost impossible to keep up! He picks up on so many of our words and phrases that I don't realize he's heard them until he spits them out days later. Some of his favorites are "bye, bye, sun" (to the sunset) "Igotcha" (I got ya!), "help, peace" (help please), and in the following picture....


"Wow! Big bite!"


His new "choo-choo!" train table and trains


Helping mom pick "cchini" and "sqaash" from the garden



Making zucchini bread - he especially liked to pour the ingredients and push the buttons on the blender.



We visited the John Ball Zoo a couple of weeks ago....here he is feeding the birds...




...challenging the sheep...


...riding the train...




...pointing out all the fish...


... and talking to the sharks, "doo-dah, doo-dah, doo-dah.....Ahhhhhh!!!" (think Jaws)


Helping dad transform his crib into a toddler bed!


His first night. This was 2 weeks ago and he has stayed in bed every night! A couple of mornings he has risen early -- 5:30 -- but we just gently redirect him back to bed and he lays down for another hour or so.


On the Whaler with Mike






Paige water skiing - one ski! She's awesome!


Tubing with Addy...


...and Jaxson


A boat ride at sunset





Watching the bubbles.

Summer is almost passed but we do have a few more plans -- camping in a couple of weeks -- and enjoying the last of the warm weather. I know it's been few and far between my postings, I feel badly more towards the new baby than anyone because there aren't nearly the journals or thoughts recorded as I have for Bennett. But, I'm told that's what happens. Time is moving quickly and we are doing our best to enjoy ourselves.


This Video is a little lengthy but Bennett is reading the alphabet!





Here he is reading his numbers



Baby Girl Ultrasound Video, 19weeks

Formal Ultrasound

We are now officially halfway through this pregnancy!!! Yeah!!!!
This morning we went to have our ultrasound where they look at the baby's growth and anatomy.
Here are the pictures...


Profile






Smiling!!!!!!!!!!


Hands and left arm up by face


Hand by face 2d



It's a GIRL!!!!!! What??!?!?!?



Bottom of feet



Face


We are still in shock that it is a GIRL. But guess what....we have a name....and no, you don't get to know until she's here. Mom, what should we do with the dinosaur bedding we bought?? :)