Yes, the Bishops are moving! Here's the FAQs:
Where are you moving? Williamsburg, IA
When are you moving? Brian starts his new job in mid-February. The boys and I plan to stay in Worthington until the end of February. The exact move date will depend on the housing we find, etc.
Where/what is Brian's new job? Brian will be working for (ironically) the Veterinary Medical Center in Williamsburg. This new job will allow him to really focus on his work with swine. And, of course, the job brings us much closer to family (and many old friends!)
WHY? We truly love it here in Worthington, but could not give up this chance to be back in eastern Iowa. We are very excited about being closer to our family and many friends. The combination of great job opportunity and great location doesn't come up very often!
This is such a bitter-sweet time for us. Leaving friends, Brian's work, our church family, my dance family, and the many groups we have been involved with is so difficult! Despite not having family here, we have made a "family" here with wonderful people who have supported us in so many ways! Worthington, we will miss you so very much! For now, we will continue to enjoy the time we have left here, and we will try not to be strangers, if you promise to try and keep in touch, too!
We also know that we have a lot to look forward to with this move! We look forward to finding the perfect house, and putting our roots down as we get involved in a new community. We can't wait to be close enough for day trips back to see family! We look forward to Wesley starting preschool and making new friends, seeing where Brian's job takes him, and seeing what kinds of things I will find to keep me busy (you never know!).
Prayers and positive thoughts are appreciated throughout the process, especially for a Mom with two crazy boys and lots to get done! If you are in Worthington, feel free to come over and hang out with the boys anytime between now and our move 😉 If you're back in Iowa, let's make plans to hang out when we get settled!
PS - Moving means we're selling the acreage! It's an amazing property, and we've done a lot of updates on the house! If you know someone who may be interested, please have them give us a call!
PPS - We also have 5 chickens who may need new homes! Let us know if you might want to adopt our ladies!
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Friday, May 4, 2018
30 Years Blessed!
Well, today is my 30th birthday! I may be seeing a few new signs of aging lately... but the bottom line is that I am SO very blessed, and have been for 30 years!
Years ago, I was inspired by someone who raised money for an awesome cause in honor of their 30th birthday. Ever since then, I've wanted to find a way to give back when it came to be my 30th. After much thought, here’s what I came up with!
In honor of my 30th birthday, I've decided to find 30 ways to give back to my local community. (Because I have a newborn and a toddler, and May is a busy month besides, I'm giving myself the entire summer to complete this.) I have been blessed for 30 years, and I want to pass along some blessings to others! I also hope this will open my mind to new ways of giving, allow me to meet some new people, and encourage me to connect with some new organizations in the area. It will definitely push me in some new ways, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me! It will be quite the adventure!
So...
1) Look for updates! I know that sharing with all of you will help me to keep moving forward!
2) If you’re in the area and know an awesome organization that could use a volunteer, or have an idea of a way to give, please let me know!
I hope all of you are feeling as blessed as I am today!
Years ago, I was inspired by someone who raised money for an awesome cause in honor of their 30th birthday. Ever since then, I've wanted to find a way to give back when it came to be my 30th. After much thought, here’s what I came up with!
In honor of my 30th birthday, I've decided to find 30 ways to give back to my local community. (Because I have a newborn and a toddler, and May is a busy month besides, I'm giving myself the entire summer to complete this.) I have been blessed for 30 years, and I want to pass along some blessings to others! I also hope this will open my mind to new ways of giving, allow me to meet some new people, and encourage me to connect with some new organizations in the area. It will definitely push me in some new ways, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me! It will be quite the adventure!
So...
1) Look for updates! I know that sharing with all of you will help me to keep moving forward!
2) If you’re in the area and know an awesome organization that could use a volunteer, or have an idea of a way to give, please let me know!
I hope all of you are feeling as blessed as I am today!
Friday, December 16, 2016
All About Wesley: 10 months old
- The first picture is fitting, because I feel like he spends a significant amount of time in his high chair these days! Wesley is eating real food (mostly table food) at all meals now, and boy can he eat! This kid ate an entire piece of pizza (plus veggies) the other day. His favorite foods are proteins - especially chicken and cheese - but he does well with his veggies, too. He also mastered drinking from a straw cup this week! Brian says that watching Wesley eat is his favorite past time. I can't say I disagree - it can be quite entertaining!
- Wesley started pulling himself up just before he hit 9 months, and decided the next step was climbing! He discovered the stairs and wouldn't stop trying until he had them mastered. His favorite hang-out is under the table, where he climbs over the legs and pulls himself up on the chairs. It's a pretty cool fort! Now we are working on going down the stairs, which he almost has mastered. Mom and Dad spend a lot of time watching Wesley go up and down the first 4-5 stairs.
- Our favorite games right now include: Taking things off of shelves, taking things out of baskets and buckets, and taking baskets and buckets off of shelves. We are definitely in the "taking out" stage and haven't yet reached the "putting in" stage. I think I only put things away because I know he wants to take them out again. Keeping them cleaned up is hopeless!
- While we are still a ways off from Wesley walking on his own (thank goodness!), walking is definitely another favorite thing to do right now. He has figured out how to push chairs and other objects so that he can walk with them, and if you hold his hands, he'll walk you in circles for as long as you are willing!
- As you may have seen, we recently got a new puppy, so Wesley has been watching the dogs a lot! Izzy and Raider play and fight, and Raider likes to steal Wesley's toys! Wesley isn't real sure about Raider yet. Being a puppy, Raider sometimes crawls over Wesley or nips at his fingers and toes. He loves pulling Wesley's socks right off his feet! They will grow to be good friends in time, I'm sure!
Life is crazy in the Bishop household with 2 dogs, 2 cats, and a baby, but we wouldn't have it any other way! We are enjoying getting ready for Christmas with family! We can't wait to share all of our celebrating with Wesley and have him meet some new family members! I'm thinking his presents from grandparents will be minimal....
Until next time - keep on adventuring, everyone!
Monday, October 17, 2016
All About Wesley: 8 months old
Where does the time go??
Obviously, I've missed a few months on updates... I have taken the pictures each month, but haven't gotten to editing or posting. I guess that's how life goes with a baby! Wesley is officially 8 months old now, and he is starting to seem so grown up in many ways. Here are some updates on Wesley as he learns more, and we learn more about him!
Obviously, I've missed a few months on updates... I have taken the pictures each month, but haven't gotten to editing or posting. I guess that's how life goes with a baby! Wesley is officially 8 months old now, and he is starting to seem so grown up in many ways. Here are some updates on Wesley as he learns more, and we learn more about him!
- Wesley has always been a mover, but he can now get pretty much anywhere he wants by rolling and turning. He can move from laying down to all-fours, and now in and out of sitting as well, which means reaching new things! He is loving it, and we are spending time baby-proofing!
- Wesley is eating lots of different foods, including soft solid foods like green beans. He just recently started actually eating a significant amount of food instead of just tasting and moving it around in his mouth.
- This little boy's giggle is the best sound I know! (Maybe I'm a little biased?) And I love that we hear it more all the time. He giggles when we give kisses on his belly or make silly sounds. Sometimes he giggles at Izzy, too!
- Wesley loves exploring things through touch. He is definitely a fine motor guy and loves to grab small things like strings, as well as feeling different textures. We have been working on picking up food like puffs and chunks of green bean.
- Everything to the mouth! Wesley has 8 teeth, with 2 more that we've been working on for some time! I feel like he's always teething, but luckily he handles it pretty well.
- Sleep is still a little hit or miss, but in general, Mom is getting much more sleep these days! Wesley was even sleeping through the night for awhile!
- Wesley is now with a friend for childcare 1.5 days a week while Mom works, and that has been going well for all. Mom is enjoying being back to work in Fairmont, and Wesley is enjoying having new friends to play with!
It is amazing to be watching Wesley grow every day! Each month brings a new adventure in so many ways. I can't wait to see what this month holds for our family!
Saturday, June 18, 2016
All About Wesley: 4 months old
Wow! Our little boy is growing so fast! Happy 4 months, Wesley!
We are truly seeing new things from Wesley every day right now - it is so much fun! Here are some fun facts about Wesley right now:
- He has two teeth that came in a couple weeks ago: his front teeth on the bottom. He is working on lots more, so he is currently a drool machine!
- Wesley is SO close to rolling from back to tummy, but still doesn't like to use his arms when playing on his tummy. We keep working on it. It will come!
- He is discovering new sounds all the time and is very vocal! Last week, his favorite sound was a high-pitched scream. As you can probably guess, this was our favorite...
- Blowing bubbles is one of Wesley's other newly discovered skills. All the drool he makes these days makes blowing bubbles that much easier.
- Wesley now plays with both hands together and can bring toys to his mouth. He loves exploring his hands, with or without a toy. He can even hold his own teething toys now sometimes!
- While not a true baby giggle quite yet, we definitely get big smiles and simple laughs more and more often! Wesley found my animal sounds hilarious while singing Old McDonald the other day.
- While he is definitely still not sleeping through the night, having just 1 night-time feeding is becoming more normal. Wesley has also moved from his bassinet to his crib. He wakes up happy as a clam most mornings between 5:30 and 6:30am!
- Wesley loves to sit and stand with assistance, and sometimes doesn't want to lay down! He is so active and enjoying exploring lots of new ways to move.
We are all moved into our new house and getting settled. We are loving it here already, despite the storms this week that have taken out 3 trees! We are just thankful to have trees at all! I will post some more about the move and house soon! Happy summer, everyone! Go have an adventure!
We are truly seeing new things from Wesley every day right now - it is so much fun! Here are some fun facts about Wesley right now:
- He has two teeth that came in a couple weeks ago: his front teeth on the bottom. He is working on lots more, so he is currently a drool machine!
- Wesley is SO close to rolling from back to tummy, but still doesn't like to use his arms when playing on his tummy. We keep working on it. It will come!
- He is discovering new sounds all the time and is very vocal! Last week, his favorite sound was a high-pitched scream. As you can probably guess, this was our favorite...
- Blowing bubbles is one of Wesley's other newly discovered skills. All the drool he makes these days makes blowing bubbles that much easier.
- Wesley now plays with both hands together and can bring toys to his mouth. He loves exploring his hands, with or without a toy. He can even hold his own teething toys now sometimes!
- While not a true baby giggle quite yet, we definitely get big smiles and simple laughs more and more often! Wesley found my animal sounds hilarious while singing Old McDonald the other day.
- Wesley loves to sit and stand with assistance, and sometimes doesn't want to lay down! He is so active and enjoying exploring lots of new ways to move.
We are all moved into our new house and getting settled. We are loving it here already, despite the storms this week that have taken out 3 trees! We are just thankful to have trees at all! I will post some more about the move and house soon! Happy summer, everyone! Go have an adventure!
Monday, May 23, 2016
Our new place!
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| The house was built in 1918, and is in amazing condition! |
Well, I realized that most of our friends around Worthington know this, but we haven't made an official announcement... we're moving! We're moving to an acreage just outside of town here in Worthington. Here's our story:
We always wanted to live on an acreage eventually, but with a new baby and having just moved a couple years ago, we had no intention of actively looking for another year or two. We always said we would make the leap if the right place became available, though, and it did! We need a place that is close to town for when Brian is on call, and these don't become available every day.
Some friends of ours had bought a wonderful acreage just outside of town just over a year ago, and they found out in March that they were going to be moving. We are so sad to see them go, but we made a quick decision and let them know right away that we would love to buy their house! We had fallen in love with the place when they moved in and knew it was the right decision. Within a couple of weeks we had signed paperwork and already had a couple of potential buyers on our house. Fast forward to now.... we move in two weeks!
Here's the new place:
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| This is the main entry to the house. The door on the right goes into a breezeway that attaches the house to the 6-car garage with insulated workshop! |
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| Barn. Willow tree. There are also 2 apple trees on the property! |
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| Any guesses what this building is? The door on the left goes to a small dirt-floor area that was a pig barn. The door on the right? A three-seater outhouse! |
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| Lots of trees! |
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| This is looking toward the house. There is also a large grassy area on the other side of the driveway. |
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| Looking out onto our farmland: 4 acres that are typically rented out. |
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| Izzy loves it here! All of this is now green and lush with the arrival of summer! This is looking toward the barn (on the left) and garage (on the right) |
Thursday, April 28, 2016
All About Wesley: 10 weeks old
Time sure flies when you've got a little one!
Wesley is already over 2 months old, and he is growing like a weed! Our slender little baby is filling out with chubby cheeks and adorable baby thigh rolls. He weighed over 13 pounds at his 2 month checkup! We knew he was growing, but that shocked us!
Wesley has new expressions and sounds every day, and is oh so talkative! He has figured out how to purposefully bat at the toys on his play gym, and is showing more interaction all the time. It seems not a day goes by now that someone doesn't comment on him looking at his mommy! He starts most mornings with arms and legs flailing as he explores new movement. We are loving seeing all of the new discoveries he makes.
Our still mostly-mild-mannered little boy now has some fussiness most evenings, caused partly by the fact that he is already working on some teeth! When nothing else will calm our poor Wesley, we put on Jennifer Gasoi's "The Bayou." Apparently I listened to it more than I thought when I was pregnant? It truly seems to calm him when nothing else will! Wesley continues to be a good eater, but is being a stinker about taking a bottle.
On the flip side, we are LOVING the SMILES we are seeing on a more regular basis all the time!
We have a constant reminder of the simple joys in life, and we are enjoying them with lots of walks outside and snuggles in the mornings. Our days are getting busier as Mom jumps back into parts of her pre-baby schedule, but we are doing our best to balance it all! From this happy family to yours: take some time to enjoy the simple things today!
Wesley is already over 2 months old, and he is growing like a weed! Our slender little baby is filling out with chubby cheeks and adorable baby thigh rolls. He weighed over 13 pounds at his 2 month checkup! We knew he was growing, but that shocked us!
On the flip side, we are LOVING the SMILES we are seeing on a more regular basis all the time!
We have a constant reminder of the simple joys in life, and we are enjoying them with lots of walks outside and snuggles in the mornings. Our days are getting busier as Mom jumps back into parts of her pre-baby schedule, but we are doing our best to balance it all! From this happy family to yours: take some time to enjoy the simple things today!
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
All About Wesley: 1 Month Old
Well, our little Wesley is 1 month old already! Hard to believe!
We are doing very well, and really enjoying our time as a family! Lack of sleep is definitely catching up with me at times, but I certainly can't complain about the mostly-chill temperament of our little boy! Wesley is eating well and it shows with his growth - he was up to 9 lbs at his 3-week appointment. Now that we have reached the 1 month mark, we officially have the go-ahead from the doctor to go out a little more, though we will be adding things back into our schedule slowly. We are looking forward to introducing Wesley to our church family on Sunday, and to extended family back home over Easter weekend! So much to look forward to!
Wesley loves looking at lights, and is starting to focus more on individual objects close to him. He has always been a noisy guy, and he continues to grunt and squeak throughout the day and night. He is also starting to grasp more, like mom's shirt or hair, though he won't grasp a toy he is given yet. We see "spontaneous smiles" (not in response to anything) quite often now, and can't wait to see the first real social smile from our little man!
Here are some updated photos, and some more updates from Wesley!
Thanks to everyone for all of your support and well-wishes through our first month! From dropping off meals to simply sending a text or message, we truly appreciate it all!
We are doing very well, and really enjoying our time as a family! Lack of sleep is definitely catching up with me at times, but I certainly can't complain about the mostly-chill temperament of our little boy! Wesley is eating well and it shows with his growth - he was up to 9 lbs at his 3-week appointment. Now that we have reached the 1 month mark, we officially have the go-ahead from the doctor to go out a little more, though we will be adding things back into our schedule slowly. We are looking forward to introducing Wesley to our church family on Sunday, and to extended family back home over Easter weekend! So much to look forward to!
Wesley loves looking at lights, and is starting to focus more on individual objects close to him. He has always been a noisy guy, and he continues to grunt and squeak throughout the day and night. He is also starting to grasp more, like mom's shirt or hair, though he won't grasp a toy he is given yet. We see "spontaneous smiles" (not in response to anything) quite often now, and can't wait to see the first real social smile from our little man!
Here are some updated photos, and some more updates from Wesley!
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| I'm this many months today! Mom says I am a good eater, and that helps me grow! Just look at my chubby cheeks! |
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| My hair is getting lighter now, and my eyes are a steel gray-blue. |
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| Look how tall I am! I've outgrown most of my newborn clothes and I'm moving up in the world! |
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| My sister, Izzy, loves to cuddle with me and Mom. When I play on my play mat, she gets her rope so she can play, too! |
Thursday, February 25, 2016
All about Wesley: 1 week old!
It's hard to believe it's been over a week since our Wesley was born! It truly is a feeling that cannot be understood until you experience it for yourself. We are so in love with our little guy, and cannot wait to see him learn and grow over the next days, weeks, months, and years! Here is a little
bit more about Wesley, and his first week of life!
Hi, everyone! My name is Wesley, but I am called everything from Wes to Little Monkey, Bub, and Big Guy. I have lots of dark brown hair, and dark blue eyes. Mom and Dad aren't sure what color they are going to be - we'll have to wait and see! I love my fingers, and have used them to soothe from day one. I can get them out of any swaddle if I try hard enough!
I'm a good eater and I sleep 2-3 hours at a time at night (at least part of the night). I've even started to smile a little after feeding sometimes! I hate having my diaper changed, but I calm down quickly when Mom and Dad sing to me.
When I'm awake, I love to look around, and I love listening to books. We've already read a lot of good ones! My sister Izzy, who is a dog, likes to watch over me, too! Mommy is excited for me to get out and explore the world, but for now we are enjoying cozying up at home!
bit more about Wesley, and his first week of life!
Hi, everyone! My name is Wesley, but I am called everything from Wes to Little Monkey, Bub, and Big Guy. I have lots of dark brown hair, and dark blue eyes. Mom and Dad aren't sure what color they are going to be - we'll have to wait and see! I love my fingers, and have used them to soothe from day one. I can get them out of any swaddle if I try hard enough!
I'm a good eater and I sleep 2-3 hours at a time at night (at least part of the night). I've even started to smile a little after feeding sometimes! I hate having my diaper changed, but I calm down quickly when Mom and Dad sing to me.
When I'm awake, I love to look around, and I love listening to books. We've already read a lot of good ones! My sister Izzy, who is a dog, likes to watch over me, too! Mommy is excited for me to get out and explore the world, but for now we are enjoying cozying up at home!
Friday, February 12, 2016
Final Preparations - Nursery!
Less than two weeks until our little one is due to arrive! It is SO hard to believe!
Yes, we are just about as ready as we're going to be, and yes, I am more mentally ready every day as I become less comfortable! I am still planning to work one more week, but everyone knows to be flexible. My appointments are all going well - they are commenting that he is VERY low, but he has been there for a couple weeks now, so that's not really new. He just likes to be prepared!
Speaking of prepared: The nursery is just about complete! We are hoping to get our alphabet wall up this weekend (which I know many of you are waiting to see), but here is the rest of the room!
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we wait out these last weeks and/or days! We are SO excited to meet our Biscuit and to introduce him to all of the amazing people who love him so much already!
Yes, we are just about as ready as we're going to be, and yes, I am more mentally ready every day as I become less comfortable! I am still planning to work one more week, but everyone knows to be flexible. My appointments are all going well - they are commenting that he is VERY low, but he has been there for a couple weeks now, so that's not really new. He just likes to be prepared!
Speaking of prepared: The nursery is just about complete! We are hoping to get our alphabet wall up this weekend (which I know many of you are waiting to see), but here is the rest of the room!
| Our little reading corner! |
| Above this area is where the alphabet wall will go. Teddy is sitting in for Biscuit while we practice our diapering skills! |
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
The Final Countdown!
Well, I'm now officially less than a month from my due date, with about 3 weeks to go! Time flies! Biscuit is growing daily, and making it ever so difficult for me to find a comfortable position for sitting and sleeping. February is looking to be just as busy as January, with lots to keep us busy as we wait for our little one's arrival!
Overall, we are doing well, feeling well, and right on track with where we should be! Biscuit is head-down and ready to go whenever the day comes. He continues to be active, and has even had the hiccups a few times! I have been getting very tired, but I suppose that's to be expected. I decided last week was probably my last time at my adult tap class, and I've pretty much stopped going to my workout class at the Y as well. I decided tapping at 36 weeks was pretty good. :-) I'm still getting in walks (when the weather allows), and doing prenatal yoga and stretching! I am planning to work until the week before my due date, as long as everything continues to go smoothly, but that is getting more difficult every week - especially my long days in Fairmont!
Two weekends ago, I had wonderful help from my mom, as we spent two FULL days cleaning, organizing, and prepping for baby! We now have the necessities ready, with the pack-n-play (with bassinet) in the bedroom, diapers prepped, and final purchases made. Now we are working on putting final touches on the decorative side of things: hanging pictures, finding a rug/lamp, etc. I will post some pictures as we put it all together - I'm excited to share!
It's still hard to believe how soon we will be a family of 3 with a little one in our arms! Thank you again to everyone for all of the love and support we have felt through this journey - and it's just about to truly start!
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| Biscuit and I got to get all dressed up for Scott and Alicia's wedding here in Worthington on Saturday! |
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| Lots of fun celebrating another mommy-to-be at her baby shower! Colby and I are due around the same time! |
It's still hard to believe how soon we will be a family of 3 with a little one in our arms! Thank you again to everyone for all of the love and support we have felt through this journey - and it's just about to truly start!
Monday, December 14, 2015
Adventures in Third Trimester
29 weeks, and our little Biscuit is growing more every day! Time is flying by, and we can't wait to meet our little one! I felt absolutely great throughout my second trimester, and continue to feel well overall. Third trimester has brought an increase in muscle cramps, heartburn, and overall discomfort, but certainly nothing I can complain about too much. The energy I got back during 2nd trimester is slowly dwindling again, but that is to be expected. It takes a lot of energy to grow a little person!
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| 29 weeks! (please ignore the rug pad waiting patiently for us to put it under the rug) |
I started seeing baby move around 25 weeks, and it has been such fun to experience! He continues to be active, and Brian has really enjoyed being able to feel and see so much movement! We both talk to him often, and await his (usually) not-so-subtle responses. Of course, being a music therapist, I sing to him as often as I can, though one of my strange symptoms of pregnancy has been a hoarseness that keeps me from doing this as much as I would like. It has definitely been one of the more difficult symptoms for me to deal with, especially this time of year with Christmas Carols all around! I look forward to singing with him more when he arrives!
I'm getting far enough along that I'm getting questions of "Are you ready?" and "How is the nursery coming?" We took an Ikea shopping trip a few weeks back and were able to get the bulk of our larger furniture then, including a crib, storage, and bookshelf. Here I am, ready to check out:
We have also been blessed with true generosity from friends and family who have given us hand-me-downs from their own children, from clothing to car seat, stroller, and swing. All of this has started to fill our nursery (and beyond at times!) and is making it feel a little more real that baby will be here soon! We are excited to continue putting the nursery together, and will definitely share some pictures once it's closer to finished!
We have so much to be thankful for during this holiday season, and often find ourselves marveling at the fact that we will have a 9-month-old by Christmas next year! For now, we will enjoy every moment of baby kicks, nursery organization, and anticipation!
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Halfway there!
It's hard to believe that we are already halfway to meeting our little one! With November and December always flying by with the holidays, the end of February will be here before we know it! This week marks 20 weeks, and all is going well. We had our ultrasound last week, and found out our much-awaited news....
It's a boy!
Brian has been sure of this all along (of course), but we had many friends and family guessing girl. Our little stinker wasn't going to give us a clear view at first, but confirmed it at the very end of the ultrasound.
I am feeling our Biscuit move more and more often, and every time I am in for an appointment or ultrasound I am told he is a wiggle worm! Since Brian and I both have trouble sitting still for too long, I suppose this isn't much of a surprise! I noticed the other day that Biscuit seemed to be moving more when I was singing, which has been fun. I will have to see if this continues to be the case! I also had a staff member at one of my music therapy sessions say I was going to have to get out my guitar and sing my "Hello" song for baby in the middle of the night, since he hears it so often! It may just be the song he knows best!
After a spell of not feeling very hungry, I am ravenous these last couple weeks, craving lots of starchy deliciousness from pasta to donuts. I suppose that is to feed Biscuit's growth, which is happening at a crazy rate right now! This was the first week I had many people comment on my "bump" despite the fact that I've seen it for weeks :-) It has grown a lot in the last week - in fact, I had pain from my belly stretching so fast last weekend!
I am feeling well and enjoying baby preparation! I'm getting antsy to start working on the nursery, but we will have to wait a little longer, as we have a trip planned to the cities in November for some furniture shopping. For now, I am reading books, doing online research, and looking at the many, many options for cribs, carriers, play mats, toys, diaper bags, changing pads, bottles, clothing, monitors, and the list goes on! There are way too many options out there, and so much of it seems so unnecessary or over-the-top to me. If you had any "must have" items for your newborn, I'd love to hear about them!
I'll keep the updates coming as we continue on this adventure! All the best to all of you!
It's a boy!
Brian has been sure of this all along (of course), but we had many friends and family guessing girl. Our little stinker wasn't going to give us a clear view at first, but confirmed it at the very end of the ultrasound.
I am feeling our Biscuit move more and more often, and every time I am in for an appointment or ultrasound I am told he is a wiggle worm! Since Brian and I both have trouble sitting still for too long, I suppose this isn't much of a surprise! I noticed the other day that Biscuit seemed to be moving more when I was singing, which has been fun. I will have to see if this continues to be the case! I also had a staff member at one of my music therapy sessions say I was going to have to get out my guitar and sing my "Hello" song for baby in the middle of the night, since he hears it so often! It may just be the song he knows best!
After a spell of not feeling very hungry, I am ravenous these last couple weeks, craving lots of starchy deliciousness from pasta to donuts. I suppose that is to feed Biscuit's growth, which is happening at a crazy rate right now! This was the first week I had many people comment on my "bump" despite the fact that I've seen it for weeks :-) It has grown a lot in the last week - in fact, I had pain from my belly stretching so fast last weekend!
I am feeling well and enjoying baby preparation! I'm getting antsy to start working on the nursery, but we will have to wait a little longer, as we have a trip planned to the cities in November for some furniture shopping. For now, I am reading books, doing online research, and looking at the many, many options for cribs, carriers, play mats, toys, diaper bags, changing pads, bottles, clothing, monitors, and the list goes on! There are way too many options out there, and so much of it seems so unnecessary or over-the-top to me. If you had any "must have" items for your newborn, I'd love to hear about them!
I'll keep the updates coming as we continue on this adventure! All the best to all of you!
Monday, September 28, 2015
Pregnancy Update: 18 weeks!
Happy Monday from Molly and Biscuit - 18 Weeks!
My pregnancy expectations:
- Weekly belly pictures, taken in the same location and pose each week.
- Monthly blog updates, complete with said pictures
- Weekly journal updates on my trusty pregnancy app, recording current weight and documenting above-mentioned picture
- Flying pigs and unicorns?!?
Pregnancy actuality:
Life goes on! And life is busy! So here is my very first pregnancy blog, complete with the only 2 bump pictures I've taken, both selfies in front of the bathroom mirror because I had to just take them by myself when I was thinking of it. The only time I open my pregnancy app is to read the weekly update. And really, sometimes I read the week before and current week at the same time! I am having a blast preparing for parenthood, but it has kept me extra busy! This is life, and I wouldn't have it any other way!
The basics and where we are now:
We are due at the very end of February and hoping baby does not make a Feb 29th appearance. Biscuit (as we lovingly refer to our little one) is currently about 18 and a half weeks, and growing at an amazing rate! I feel like my bump is bigger every day, and it is time for maternity pants now. I just started feeling movement last week and Biscuit is kicking and dancing a lot already! It is an amazing feeling! I am eating a lot of pickles, but not on my ice cream. My next appointment is later this week, and includes our next ultrasound. YES, we will be finding out the sex of the baby, and YES we will share, probably sometime next week! :-) Brian is convinced Biscuit is a boy. I haven't had a real feeling one way or the other, but we will find out soon! The doctors say everything is going well so far - prayers are always appreciated that everything continues to go smoothly!
Pictures:
Our first ultrasound - Biscuit was moving around like crazy despite only being an inch long!
The first day I noticed a true "bump" - This was at about 14 weeks
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Adventures in Utah: Bryce Canyon National Park
We were lucky enough to check 3 National Parks off of our list this year! We took a trip to the Everglades in February, and then took a trip to Utah at the end of June! Our Utah trip started with a long drive, taking us to Bryce Canyon National Park!
Bryce Canyon is a beautiful park! It is a desert, but also has forest. It is at a high elevation, but doesn't feel that way. The rock formations are simply otherworldly. Pictures and descriptions cannot do them justice! If you have a short time at Bryce, here are some must-dos:
- Watch the sun rise over the canyon
- Take a trail down into the amphitheater to explore
- Hike down to/through Wall Street
- Take in a couple look-out views
- Consider checking out a ranger program
We chose Bryce Canyon due to its weather, which is generally milder than most of the other Utah parks, staying mostly in the high 70s and low 80s, because of the higher elevation. Other Utah desert parks (Arches, Zion, etc) can be in the 100s this time of year! Unfortunately, we happened to catch this park at a very hot time. We were dealing with temperatures in the 90s every day, which changed some of our plans a bit! We took day hikes, aiming to be done hiking by lunch-time, and decided to scratch our backcountry plans. Our afternoons were spent relaxing, playing games, and trying to stay cool back at the campsite. We really enjoyed being at the North Campground, as it allowed us to hike straight from our campsite to our trail for the day, the general store, or the visitor's center. Here are the hikes we took:
Figure-8 Loop (Queens Garden Trail, Peek-a-Boo Loop, and Navajo Loop through Wall Street)
Let me just start by saying that this is a tough trail, especially in the heat we were dealing with. I think I underestimated it because of its shorter mileage. While backpacking, Brian and I have hiked 10-12 miles in one day, up and down mountains, but this 5-6 miler wore me down! The last path out of Wall Street was a rough way to end things, too! We'll just say we were ready for some ice cream when we were done! If you can only do one thing in the park, this would give you a great overview of the best of the formations! You could also do any part of this figure-8 alone rather than doing it all!
Fairyland Loop Trail
Two of us just took this trail to Tower Bridge and back. Two of us went the whole way around. I am not ashamed to admit I turned around at Tower Bridge. This was another great hike, into a different area of the park. There is a nice area at Tower Bridge for taking a load off and enjoying the shade of some trees. It would be a great lunch hike with a picnic at the bottom!
Mossy Cave Trail
This is a very short trail that is actually right outside of the regular park area. We ended with this hike before leaving the park. There is a waterfall here, as well as a large cave opening. The trail itself is not shaded, but there is a creek running beside the trail, so it would be a great place to allow children (or yourself!) to cool off on a hot day!
Lookouts/Rim Trail
Whether driving or hiking a section of the rim trail, there is a lot to see without ever setting foot down into the amphitheaters. We hiked parts of the rim trail multiple times on our way to other trails, and also drove to each lookout along the road on one day. Here are some of the amazing views you'll see from the rim!
Don't forget that there are some awesome backcountry experiences to be had in Bryce Canyon, as well! While we opted out this time, I have a feeling we might be back to check out this part of the park! Stay tuned for the rest of our Utah trip!
Don't forget that there are some awesome backcountry experiences to be had in Bryce Canyon, as well! While we opted out this time, I have a feeling we might be back to check out this part of the park! Stay tuned for the rest of our Utah trip!
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