Fall/Holiday Updates

I haven't posted in a few days so this is a rather lengthy and picture-full edition!



Playing outside on one of the last "fall days"


We played "ready, set, go!" Bennett ran around the tree and into my arms where I lifted him up into the air. I love my little boy!!


We played until Dad returned home in the dumpster truck at which time I was immediately trumped in the "fun" department.


Talking on the phone. "Hello. Bye bye. Okay. Done."


I think he is definately ready for a bigger bed. His room will hopefully be completed this weekend so he will have a few weeks to adjust to his new space before Baby Girl Arrives.


At our monthly dinner party Aunt Bridget and Uncle Andy brought a gift for Bennett's birthday - two books that have a cordless device that plays music and reads the words when placed over the pages. This was a great gift, especially for the car ride up north.





Andy gave Bennett's new chair a proper testing.


We visited Mozie and Potise...more birthday celebrating and he received a wonderful present that is hands-on and will improve his hand-eye coordination. This was also a big hit on our car ride. Note little Miss Petunia looking on in the background!


(Jeff, Bennett, Claire and Mike) We headed up to Marquette for Thanksgiving but spent the first night at Jeff and Margaret's new cabin on Nevin's Lake. It was chilly and rainy but nothing got in the way of a Kobota ride!


November 26th, 2009....Bennett turned 2!!!! Not the clearest pictures but we had a great time singing and laughing.


Connor had no hesitations with his cupcake!


Claire enjoyed hers too


Bennett tried some frosting but wasn't interested. I finally got him to eat the cake part by telling him it was bread. He loved it and now understands the word "cupcake."


Note the glob of white frosting on his plate....no worries I made sure it was properly taken care of! Yum!


A new sled!!!! He was quite delighted to sit in it....


...and not so pleased when Claire had a turn!


Opening a card...thanks for the big-boy bed Mimi and Papa!


Unwrapping presents


A giant Seek-and-Find Thomas the Train book


The only picture I could get of the three cousins sitting together...three toddlers, each in their own world!


Spinning both tops at once!


Connor loved it too!


Just hanging out, catching up on Marquette gossip


Mike, Dad and Bennett went for a walk around Black Rocks and Marquette Mountain while Mom and I rested after a Black Friday morning of shopping.





On Thursday evening it snowed just enough to dust the trees and ground. This is the spot where Mike proposed to me 8 years ago!


Grocery Shopping at the UP Children's Museum




He is really getting into imaginative play - he placed all his items on the belt for me to scan and payed me $6,000 Museum Dollars (we might need to work on his negotiating skills - that was a little pricey for juice and dog bisuits!)


Riding the pony - I was a little surprised because he still won't ride Sandy at Meijer.


Mimi found some Elton John-like glasses. Hot!


Playing in the kitchen under the tree house.


Back at home after the holiday visit we resumed work on the basement. Bennett received new tools for his Birthday - now he can wear out his own drill batteries!


A jigsaw...


...the entire collection. Thank you Costco!

So we are home for the duration...not up for traveling now that I am 32+ weeks prego...although my parents probably wouldn't mind a Yooper baby!
Love to all!!!

Naughty Baby Girl

Last night (Sunday night) this little girl had her head shoved up into my right ribs - my belly was lopsided and quite uncomfortable. Not to mention she was completely in the WRONG position. Tonight (Monday night) she has turned sideways with her head on my left side and her feet on the right. Obviously she has plenty of room to move about but I wish she would curl up, move head down and stay there! I did manage to get some great profile pictures and will be able to post some video face-shots when I get home.



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Face shot with left arm along head -- looks like her cheeks are getting pudgy!

Oct. 29th - she was head down - I like how clear her nose and lips are in this picture

"Passed!"

"Passed with flying colors!" That's what I was told about my blood sugar tests!!!! YEAH! I have my next appointment this Thursday - an official weight and blood pressure check - but everything seems to be going along as planned. Except for.... the name!!! Nothing sounds right. I feel I may need to see this little baby girl before we can name her.
The basement is moving along - not quite as quickly as I had imagined (I was hoping to get it done before Thanksgiving) - but the drywall is almost complete and ready to tape/mud. I can hardly believe how much extra living space we will have. I am anxious to get it done because then I can get a start on B's room and changing the nursery (and move Bennett's Huge Train table out of the living room!).



Overhead work - Ugh!



"Hire a Patriot!"


Mike and I hung the drywall in the laundry room - we have learned a lot from Uncle Dube!


I love that we can have Bennett downstairs to see us working - He will learn so much about hard work and attempting to do things on your own.



"Cheese!"


I can hardly sit around and watch -- so the boys give me non-labor jobs like scraping walls.....not a bad picture of my expanding belly!


This will be Bennett's new play area - note the new slider door

It's difficult to get a good run of work done because I am working nights again which takes up time during the day while I sleep....so the boys are limited to just a couple of days a week when they can work but I am so thankful we are making progress!

Baby Girl and Mom

An update on some ultrasound pictures....we are now undecided on a name so those of you who feel jaded for not being told the name until after she's born....well, we might not know until then either! I am getting huge - literally! Weight is piling on by the day -- I think it's fluid because I'm fairly certain I'm not eating and extra 7,000 calories per day! Then, today I found out that my initial sugar test was elevated (barely...it was 148 and the cutoff is 140). So now I have to have the 3-hour test to determine if I actually have gestational diabetes. Wow. If that isn't a motivator to eat healthy foods and exercise! I'll know the results next week and I'll post how it goes.



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She has a left foot!!

Halloween

We went to the Spring Lake to celebrate Halloween with Mike's sister and her family. We don't live in a neighborhood and would have to walk for 1/4 mile just to visit three houses! Their neighborhood is perfect for families and young children, we had a great time!


Bennett, Jaxson and Addilyn


It was a bit chilly outside - we ended up running back to the house for hats and mittens. Bennett had three layers on under his costume and he actually stayed warm and toasty!


B only made it to four houses then sat down someone's front lawn. We borrowed a stroller from Paige and followed Jax and Addy through the rest of the neighborhood.


Bennett ate his first piece of candy - a bite of chocolate - and instantly learned the word "Snickers"

Phase 2 - Construction (and a side note)

The basement project is moving along! I don't know what we would do without Dube's help.....spend more time and money for sure! Mike and Dube have been working almost everyday and have accomplished so much! It's awesome to go downstairs at the end of the day and see how far along we are coming. The walls are built, insulation is going up, recessed lighting has been installed, all the electrical has been brought up to code....Yeah!!!! Bennett loves to help but we have to go upstairs sometimes when it gets too dusty. We have a goal deadline of Nov. 24th (before Thanksgiving). Here are some picture updates.



Bennett has his gloves on and is ready to buy supplies at Menards!


Walls! No more paneling!




The insulation (plus drywall) will make a HUGE difference in sound insulation -- right now I can hear every word of a phone conversation when I'm upstairs and Mike is in the basement....this will quiet things down considerably!


We moved the door location for the water heater too.


My boys are working hard!



A Side Note

Bennett has his first pets - three goldfish! For $0.19 each I couldn't resist! We named them after B's favorite trains - Thomas, James and Percy.





We went to the mall today - B's first time at the Rivertown playground (I was a little unsure because of the flu season and all but they provide hand sanitizer) he had a blast running around with other kids. Then we went upstairs and just had to ride the carosel!


Saturday we carved a pumpkin....a boring face I know but we had fun and afterwards we baked the seeds for a snack!

Phase 1 - Basement Demolition

We are finally remodeling the 70's-inspired basement!!!!! We are trying to do as much as we can ourselves to save moolah and here's what we've done so far....


Mike has moved all the furniture/storage to the center of the room and torn down the paneling and insulation.




Bennett is always willing to lend a hand


We can see striaght into the storage room...the gun case is gone! yeah!


The laundry room...




If you know me, you know how much I wanted to help in tearing everything out...but my primary job is carrying a little girl not paneling so I had to settle for picture taking and cheering Mike on.


Take a trip to the dump...it helps to have an account at the county transfer station --- this dumpster rental was cheap!!!!


After all that hard work we needed to take relaxing walk outside.