22 Weeks

Baby B has really “kicked” up the activity this week. He likes to keep his mom up at night with his wild antics. I’d really love to see what he’s doing in there at 3 in the morning. It sometimes seems like he never sleeps. (He really is going to be like his cousin, Sophie!) Even though I’m short on sleep lately, I am happy to feel him move and know he’s ok. And not to jinx myself or anything, but I have been feeling like a million bucks the last few weeks. I am still nauseous in the afternoon, but it is nothing like it was. I just love that I finally have energy in the PM to clean, work-out, shop . . . you name it!

I forgot to mention that we had our 20 week ultrasound a few weeks ago. I was hoping he’d be measuring 14 days ahead (b/c my mid-wife will only move the due date if he’s showing 14 days off, one way or the other). No such luck. He actually measured 5 days behind. Darn. The ultrasound did go well, though, and he looked healthy after all the measurements were taken and body parts inspected. We even got some video clips of him. I’ll see how technically savvy I am and try to upload them. (Don’t hold your breath!)

This week, we (and when I say “we,” I mean Brook) put together the crib that my parents so generously bought us a few weeks ago. The “nursery” was our office / guest room, so we had to do something with the bed that was in there. We decided to sell it on craigslist and it was sold within 8 hours. I mean picked up and money exchanged in 8 hours! I am loving craigslist right now! Now, we just have to do something with the desk when the basement is finished (see below for that!) Anywho, it’s exciting to watch things slowly come together in his room. The walls are tan and we decided to keep them that way, b/c . . . well, quite frankly, neither of us likes to paint. Tan works. I received the beautiful, handmade baby blanket shown in the picture below from the wife of one of my co-workers earlier this week. (His wife!) Talk about surprised – I definitely was! People are so kind.

We have been throwing around the idea of finishing half of our basement for awhile now and finally pulled the trigger a few weeks ago. Initially, we weren’t going to do it right away, b/c we have plenty of space on our main level. BUT we are going to have a roommate beginning in the fall. Hannah is going to live with us while she attends school. This is a HUGE, awesome benefit for us, since she will also be watching the baby 2 days / week and I get to see my sister a ton! So, we wanted to create a space that was her own. Half of the basement will remain storage / laundry / utility and the other half will have a rec room, bedroom and full bath. Brook’s dad is kindly donating his time to the project and started this week. My vision for the space (rec room, at least) is shown below, but with carpet instead of the wood floors.

Christmas Dinner

We met Brook's partners and their wives over the weekend at Charley's Crab in GR to have a "Christmas" get-together and celebrate the year that was. December was hectic for all of us (and some of us weren't feeling so hot!); so, we delayed the dinner until our schedules cleared a bit. The food was fabulous (I find most food fabulous these days, though. ;-))) - my only regret is that I didn't have room for the brownie sundae. Haha! It was a wonderful, relaxing evening . . . much of it filled with talk of babies, since another wife is pregnant, as well. I love getting together with them, b/c we all have such diverse backgrounds and ideas about life, yet get along so well. One was raised in Suttons Bay and carries on his family's cherry farm business. The other grew up in Utah and married a woman from Montreal. They tell such great stories! But, of course, none top our stories of growing up in Concord and Parma! :-) Here's to another good year!

Birthdays, Birthdays and MORE Birthdays!

We've been busy the last month or so celebrating birthdays of our nieces and nephew. Birthdays were a big deal when we were growing up . . . mom always made us feel really special. And I can see that my siblings are carrying that on with their families. The parties were crazy and loud and . . . so much fun! The kids were spoiled with lots of love, attention and presents from the people who love them most. Happy birthday kiddos!

With her matching "Sophie" doll

Cousins . . .

Pirate Party!!

2 little monkeys, jumpin' on Ria's bed!

20 Weeks!!

Half way there! Yippee! Nothing major to report, but Brook can now feel our baby boy. I’ve been feeling him since the end of January and it’s great that Brook can do it, too. He definitely has distinct patterns of activity. Like right now, at 9am, he is moving like crazy in there. It’s quite fun trying to hold forecast meetings when he’s performing somersaults and back flips for an hour! :-) He also gets active in the afternoon and early evening; it’s like an early glimpse of his personality. We have another ultrasound tomorrow – our “real” one. Can’t wait to see how he’s changed since the first time we saw him.

Other than the baby, we have been staying busy . . . Friday night, we celebrated Brook’s dad’s birthday at Trent and April’s house. It was great to see everyone and now Rick and Cindy are in Mexico, enjoying a 10 day vacation – lucky dogs! Maybe Brook and I will get a vacation in before this baby arrives (that’s the hope anyway), but between 3 weddings in the next 6 months (and the showers, bachelor and bachelorette parties that go with them), birthdays, graduations and baby showers, it’s not looking like it will happen. Oh well, we live in Grand Heaven and every day’s like vacation here. Haha! (I can see you rolling your eyes! ;-)) It's the 2nd happiest place in the US, right Veronica?

Saturday, we went to a fundraiser at church, which included taste testing various soups, chilis and desserts from around GH. It was fabulous and I even won an hour long massage. I can’t wait to use it! Sunday, we got together with our friends, the Kings, and got to meet their beautiful daughter. It was great to catch up and compare pregnancy stories. Oh, how our conversations have changed in the last few years! Instead of our dating lives, we now talk about labor and delivery. They should make a TV show about us – “The Real Housewives of . . . Grand Rapids.” I’m sure we’d get a ton of viewers. Haha! I am so thankful for my girlfriends and the support they provide.

It's a . . . Continued

We didn’t stay long at Brook’s parents’ b/c Veronica , Jaime, Sophie and Zack were coming to stay with us for the weekend. We rushed home - giving April & Trent and Hannah a call on the way to share the news – and got there just in time for their arrival. It was Sophie’s birthday that day, so she blew out her candles and then they found out it’s a boy when she dug into her cupcake. They were a little ticked that they were the last to find out (Wes kept a good secret), but we HAD to tell them ourselves; especially, since they were staying with us!

Saturday morning, Jaime and Veronica got their hair done while I watched Zack (what a good baby!) and Brook took Sophie to the GH Winterfest. Later that day, we made a trip to Rivertown to do some shopping. We stayed in Saturday night . . . ordered pizza and Applebee’s and relaxed. Hannah and Maria joined us for Mass on Sunday . . . then, they left (tear, tear.)

(Don't mind the mooch of a dog in the background!)

Week 18 shot

(A lady at work said to me yesterday,

"Wow, you've really popped out. You must've eaten a lot over the weekend."

Gotta love it!!)

It's a . . .

BOY! Yes, "Baby Bisonet" is a boy! We found out last week, when I was 17.5 weeks along. I was a little nervous that it might be too early to tell or that the baby might not co-operate. So, I drank about 15 oz of OJ before the ultrasound and he was a "wild child," as the tech said. (I hope it was the OJ!) He also made it very clear to us that he's a boy. :-) I know I said before that we weren't going to tell the gender, but once I started thinking about it, what's the difference if everyone's surprised now or in 22 weeks? Plus, it is SO hard not saying "he" in conversation! I had the day off Friday and we drove down to Concord to surprise my mom. (My dad was in on the surprise.) The look on her face, when we walked in the door, was priceless. We don't often "drop in," since we moved 2 hours away. That morning I had made cupcakes and dyed the batter blue. So, that's how they found out!

On the way home, we stopped at Brook's parents' to tell them the news. His dad was also in on the surprise. When we walked in, his mom just said, "Oh, hey." LOL. She had no clue. Then, I say, "I have a cupcake for you." She still has no clue. So, I say, "It's special cake." She asks, "Oh, does it have rum in it?" I am dying at this point! After that, I think I told her it was "baby cake." She got the hint then! :-) She broke open the cupcake and started crying. Carey and Meghan came over shortly thereafter (Meghan had sent me a text saying, "I'm so excited, I'm going to burst!") and they did the cupcake thing. I think Meghan jumped 2 feet off the ground when she found out!

We have a name picked out, but really are going to keep that on the DL. ;-) We also have a very cool story to go with his name. It's such a God-thing and I love it!

"Hi Mom and Dad!"

Blowing bubbles . . .

It's amazing that he looks so . . . complete.

Yet, he only weighs about 6 oz.

What a miracle!

It's Not Too Late . . .

for another Christmas post, is it? What? It's only February 2nd. What's worng with a little Christmas re-cap? :-) On Christmas day, we went to Mass in Grand Haven and then over to Brook's parents' place in Grandville. It was different going to Christmas Mass this year . . . I haven't gone on Christmas morning in ages (usually the Midnight Mass) and it was the first year I wasn't with my family. Lots of changes this Christmas . . . it was beautiful, none-the-less, but there is something about being surrounded by family at church that makes it even more special. I struggle with this, as we prepare to bring our little one into the world. Our baby won't be going to church with its aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. There won't be the after church breakfasts, where 20 of us take over the Whirligig Lounge (the restaurant at the Holiday Inn). Don't ask me why we went there, we just did! And those were some good times! What's great, though, is that we have met some wonderful people here in GH. I am hoping they will become our "church family" and our kids can have the same wonderful experience I did growing up.

Well, I got a little off-topic there! Like I was saying . . . we went to Mass, then rested for awhile (that would be me who rested!) and went over to Mom and Dad Bisonets'. We had a nice dinner and opened gifts afterward. It was relaxing and nice to just catch up with everyone and enjoy being together.

Whoa . . . scary! :-)

Anna & Livia got their new cousin some books for Christmas!

What a lucky baby!

Nice Trent, nice! :-)