29 weeks down....11 weeks to go!

Holy Moly, I can't believe Oliver will be here in 11 weeks!  There are many days James and I feel like it was just a month or two ago that we were surprising our families with news of their new titles!  I was at the doctor yesterday for my now bi-weekly check-ups.  (Dr. Brunner and I are going to be good friends by the time Oliver makes his grand entrance.)  I got to hear his amazing heart beat at 147 beats per minute!  I know I have said this before but it is one of the best sounds thus far!!!  Dr. Brunner also measures my belly at every appointment.  My belly should measure the same as the week we are in but this week we were a little big, measuring in at 31.  She said that it could mean that he had a growth spurt or it could mean he is bigger/older than we expect.  She also mentioned that because of my size he can measure a little bigger.  When I go back in two weeks we will remeasure and if he/me is measuring big we will get to do another sonogram.  Which I'm welcoming at this point!!  I just want to see that sweet face again!  She does not seem to think that is a problem that he is big at this point, so we will wait and see :)  Dr. Brunner even said, I would rather him be a little bigger than smaller because that means he's growing.

He is moving and kicking like crazy these days.  For many many weeks James and I could feel him move but any time someone else, family or friends, would touch my belly to feel his kicks he would immediately stop.  But I think he is starting to come out of his shell and letting more of his loved ones know he is here and can't wait to meet them.

Construction on his room continues!  Oliver and James worked on the lights and the other half of the bookshelves this past weekend.  James spent almost three hours in the attic preparing the junction boxes for the two new light fixtures! Moe and I helped when we could but mostly we supervised.  It's starting to come together really nicely!!  We have ordered his crib and dresser and it will arrive later in the month!  I can't wait!!
 

James and Oliver discussing the pendulum light this is over the reading bench

James happy to be out of the HOT attic and standing again

Oliver installing the junction box for the new reading light

Moe still scared of all the noise but slowing starting to supervise a little more

The finished product of lights!!! 

Many family and friends have asked for a picture of my ever growing belly, so after the shower this weekend I had James take a picture.  I'm still amazing at it/his size but am happy to report that my weight gain has not been as bad as I had anticipated.

Well until next time!  We wish you all our love!!!!

Construction Zone

Some might think it's nesting, other might think it's new home owners projects, but I feel like it's just our little construction zone!

In the April post, James mentioned we had been working on a concrete slap/basketball court eye sore that we wanted to replace with a garden and walking path from the gate to the back yard.  While it is still under construction, darn other obligations and my lack of stamina in helping, I was able to download some pictures of that mornings progress. We might have bit off more than we can chew for now but I guarantee a garden will be put in sometime soon.

 Dad taking his turn at the jack-hammer

 Next up James!

Last, Bob's turn, really they all kept taking turns as I think their arms would get tired and numb from the vibrations.

Here is the final product!

My parents have been down several times to gather the rock to help with the erosion in one of the ditches at the farm, but no one had any idea how much rock it would produce.  In all 4 corners there was at least a foot deep and round of solid concrete.  We still do not know what the purpose of that was for but I'm just glad that it is getting removed and I look forward to the garden that will be put in sooner rather than later :)

Also on the construction front James and his dad Oliver have been working on baby Oliver's room.  They have spent many hours creating plans, discussing strategies and now constructing built-in bookshelves and a bench/toy box for his room!  James and I spent last evening putting together one side of the shelves and Oliver and James will work on the other side this weekend.  I can't wait to see their vision come to life and be complete!  Here are a few pics from last night. Sorry Oliver, I keep forgetting to take pictures while you are here.  I will do that this weekend :)

James is putting in the first shelf after about an hour of getting the darn thing square.  Then the second to last shelf!  Almost there babe!

Now will it fit??  YES YES it does!!!

Obviously we need to get the other 2/3's assembled and installed then paint it but here is a little sneak-peek!  So excited!!!!

So construction will continue in the Bennett House but I'm happy to report that progress is being made on many fronts!  We will keep you posted on our home projects.

Summer, Summer, Summertime

Wowzers what a year!!  I'm more relieved than ever for summer to arrive this year!  To say the least, this last school year was one of the most challenging years I've had in my career.  There were many days where I had to make a concerted effort to laugh and not cry and find at least one good thing that came out of the day, sometimes that one things was arriving back home.  I have many thoughts, reasons and opinions as to why this year was so challenging but to respect student/family privacy I will not go into details but let's just say that I'm so glad to have this year behind me.  With that being said, I'm pleased that through the hard work of my students and myself (yes I will toot my own horn, I deserve it, let me tell you) EVERY SINGLE ONE of my students made personal progress and all but 2 passed district assessment on or above grade level!!!!  I said at the beginning of the year that it would be a miracle if we got pregnant this school year because of the challenges, frustrations and huge amount of stress!  So thank you LORD for this great miracle!!!

So as summer has arrived I'm excited for what it will bring! 

Mikhayla is going to joining us for several weeks in a row to attend art classes at the local community college (JCCC).  After our trip home for Easter, where Kayla had received art supplies from the Easter Bunny...er...mom and produced 4 detailed fantastic pictures while breakfast was cooking, James had the best idea!  On the way home, he says to me, "we have to find her some art classes for the summer".  I did some research and found 6 classes, CHEAP, and after consulting all parties we hammered out the details and got her enrolled!  We are so happy for her and so excited to have her stay with us for several days.   This also means I get to see my brother and Erika too!!!  In addition to the art classes we are going to try to hit up a local diary farm and see how our milk gets from the farm to the table and hit up a local blueberry patch to pick blueberries.  It is our hope to go to the new legoland and aquarium that just opened in Crown Center.  I'm sure LOTS of pool time will also be in order, and I think James has a few things up his sleeve too for the evenings.  SO FUN!

I'm also looking forward to several baby showers, the first being this weekend.  Our great friends wanted to honor Oliver. I'm so looking forward to some girl time, laughs, and loads of fun! While I'm a the shower, James will be hosting the husbands and sons then we will all join back at the Feldkamp's for a good 'ol BBQ!  Then our sisters and my cousins will be honoring Oliver in July with another shower!  To top it off my best friend Eva, who has finally made it back to KS, will be honoring his as well!  I call tell you now this little boy will be loved by so many fabulous people and I can't wait to share him with each and every one of you! I will blog about these as the arrive, so stay tuned...

Summer also means sleeping in and hanging out in my jammies until 3 or 4 then showering before James gets home, to make it look like I have done something with myself and my days while he is working :)  Who am I kidding?!? He knows my secrets, but plays along anyways.  This is one of my favorite parts of summer!

On to another favorite part of summer is allowing me to show my fabulous husband the appreciation he deserves for putting up with me and ALL that he does throughout the school year.  James is the best husband!!!  He has kept our house running this school year (see first paragraph) and for that I'm so grateful and thankful!  During the first trimester, he kicked it into high gear to keep our house above water while I was sinking in exhaustion.  Then just as we started to get back into the swing of a dual partnership household that we normally run, May happens.  All teachers know, when May happens, nothing else gets done.  There is a rush at the end of the school year that just consumes you and drains all energy.  It happens every year and every year I'm amazed that it happened and wonder why didn't I prepare for it?  The answer to it is simple, you can't prepare for it, it is what it is!  MAY! Every May I say, "I can't wait for summer so our house will be picked up and clean and more dinners at home". So now that it is summer, I'm delighted to announce that our house is picked up and company ready on most occasions (HINT HINT), and dinner at home is so much easier because I'm not exhausted from work.  Sorry, for the rambling but words can't describe how grateful I am to James for all his hard work here at home after working a long, stressful days at work!  Summer allows me, to pay it back!  Love you babe!!!!

LAST, summer allows me to play with Moe all day long!  During the school year when we are super busy on the weekends, we always feel guilty for putting Moe in his house.  Summer lets the guilt fly with the wind!  This dog is so pampered in the summer, he gets up with James in the morning, eats and does business, then comes back upstairs and sleeps with me in bed until we decide it's time to move to the couch.  Then after breakfast for myself, he helps with laundry, cleaning, mowing, and any other household chores we have that day.  Later we play outside in the yard.  Finally, afternoon naps in the chair or sometimes it's a nap with me :)  I just love that he doesn't have to spend the whole day in his house!

Well, summer fun has arrived in the Bennett House!  We hope to see all of you very soon!  Much love from us all!!!

PS: As rereading this blog before posting, I can't help but think toward next summer.  The excitement and changes that will accompany being able to be a stay at home (summer) MOMMY!!!!! 

April Showers brings MANY Opportunities!

I have been opportunistic in April! There is a new job on my horizon which I think will provide less stress, less drive time, and better compensation. It is a bit hard to leave the position which I have worked so hard in, but I know I am leaving the old work place in much better shape than when I started. I know that certainly there is more to do but I have no confidence that my efforts will yield success.

We have removed a concrete pad on the south end of the house! It was a bit of an eyesore and think a nice path bordered by flowers, fruiting plants, and a garden will serve us much better. Mindy's dad and brother brought an electric jack hammer and the three of us took turns annoying the neighbors! A lot of fun but I kept thinking that I was glad I went to college so I don't have to use one every day! But I did feel manly and there was some Tim Allen style grunting. Our hope is for a pretty basic garden to start. Tomatoes, squash, and the like. Maybe some strawberries and blueberries?!?! Also, on the north of our shed where the previous owners had a trampoline and LOTS of mulch we have cleared the mulch, tilled the earth and started some grass. It's very shady with the line of cedar trees blocking the sun sometime after 2pm everyday. Also, the yard seems to grow chickweed, dandelions and moles, so we've been fighting chemical warfare. I think we're winning, albeit slowly.

Moe received a "grooming" on a warm evening recently and acts like he is much cooler. There was a pile of hair in the yard which we hoped the birds would use for nesting material, but it just looks like some poor furry creature was eaten. Speaking of birds, we saw our first Oriole on the oriole feeder this morning! He would dip his body to sip out of the feeder exposing an orange underside. Now, if we could get some hummingbirds the transition to Spring would feel complete!

Our friends came over recently with their two boys and I decided to set up my tent which I had been hauling around since college. The boys had a great time with it and made me want to go backpacking and camping. So I thought I would take an evening this week as I am between jobs and camp out at Mindy's family farmstead next to the fishing pond and enjoy a campfire and gaze at the stars. Might not get a chance, stupid rain. I hope Oliver and I can go when he gets a little older. But it wouldn't hurt to practice now! I miss being outdoors and the simplicity of being away from the house and city.

My father and I hung our wood project last night. It is a large wall mounted cabinet with sliding doors for organizing one's shop. We've been working on it for several months and it will be very useful! I have learned a lot about woodworking and think this might be a good hobby for me. As always, just need a little more money and a little more time. Next project is built-in book shelves for Oliver's bedroom. We took measurements last night and drew up a rough plan. I also got to use my laser rangefinder - awesome, if I do say so myself!

Mindy and baby Oliver have been doing well. Oliver is very active and I've felt him moving on several occasions. We continue to collect items for his room. A special thanks to the RP staff for throwing us a baby shower. We felt very special to be honored by Mindy's coworkers. Mindy seems to grow everyday and some new shirts were in order, badly! I can't believe how soon Oliver will be here and so we've been working on sleeping in and building a reserve of patience.

That's about it for April. I'm pretty sure May will be just as exciting with starting a new job, Mindy going to Summer break and efforts to get the garden and Oliver's bedroom ready! Looking forward to a couple of Royal's victories, maybe a Sporting KC game, and lots of time with friends and family! BTW Mindy will be looking forward to Yankee victories.......

20 Weeks!!

I'm so excited to tell you that we have officially made it to the half way point!  There were many many times in those early few weeks where I was so sick and so emotional I didn't think I would make it or do it.  Well, as all my friends and family have told us, you will make it and you will soon forget how horrible it was.  I still remember those early days but they are fading fast!

I'm also so excited to tell you that I have finally started to feel little flutters!!!  It is so cool and so weird at the same time.  I feel him the most late at night right before I go to sleep.  It is probably because that seems to be the only time in my day where I can actually sit, relax and be aware.  One minute it's on the left and then he's on the right.  I'm like what is going on in there, it is time for bed not a party.  Then I'm reminded by James and the voices in the back of my head that ask me, "maybe Oliver will be a night owl just like you??"  As I ponder this question most nights, wondering if that will be the case, it scares me just a bit to think of the parties Oliver and I will have in the middle of the night when we are suppose to be asleep :)  Because as you all know I am a night owl but I do love my sleep!!!  I will have to keep you posted on this part of our story....

I can't wait for the time when James can feel him move!  Oliver is definitely getting bigger (as am I) and he is getting stronger so I'm sure it won't be long before he makes his way to the surface so James can feel him!

On a totally different front, I'm so happy that all our extended family and friends in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area are safe after the scary tornadoes that happened down there early this week.  We love you all and are so glad that you are okay!!!

Last, in case you are not on facebook and have not heard, I only have 33 more days with this class....I'm so looking forward to getting some time off, relaxing, and "nesting"

Love to you all and a very Happy Easter!

Moe

As you all know Moe is the current baby in the house!  We know he is not really a baby nor a child but he is what we got right now.  As our good friends Anne and Brian have reminded us, as soon as the baby comes the dog will be a second class citizen in your home and you might forget to feed him some days.  Anne I have to say, that is already starting to happen.  He is starting to learn to circle us and whine at his food dish if it gets too late.  Thanks for our first parenting tip :)  I'm sure that will be coming to you with many more questions in the future!!!

Back to what I was talking about...Moe is the baby and really he is James' baby.  Where ever James is Moe is always close by and normally that mean under his feet, quite literally sometimes.  Moe will come see me if James is being hard on him, he wants on the bed or if James is not home. Most of the time I am an afterthought in his doggie mind.  Until recently!

I have read in baby books and heard from friends that dogs can sense pregnancy.  I think after 18 weeks Moe has figured it out.  Since we got back from Wichita Moe is been at my side the majority of the time.  If I am upstairs and James is downstairs normally Moe would be with James, but this week Moe has been in the hallway guarding the door of the room I'm in.  When I get up the middle of the night for a walk across the room Moe normally picks his head up, huffs, and then lays back down.  This week he following me across the room. It is very cute but very bazaar! 

So I have to say he is realizing
A) his world is about to be turned upside down
B) his momma was the one that begged and pleaded for him so I should favor her
C) his new best friend will be here before he knows it
D) all the above!

As any good teacher, D) all the above is normally a safe answer :)

Registries oh my!

Now that we finally know what our baby is we can answer the other burning questions in many minds. What is the theme of the baby's room??  Well after much looking we finally agreed on a bed set to design the room around.  Most will not be shocked but we went with TURTLES!!!!  Here is a picture of the room design from the website.

I'm sure that we will not have all that stuff in one corner of the room :)  But it gives you an idea.

We also decided on many items for the registries because my office would like to throw a shower before the end of the school year and May is NEVER a good time so we will have it in April.  So needless to say we needed to get working on it. 

Registries are so completely overwhelming.  We did not have a problem with our wedding registries but we felt like fish out of water in a baby store, especially babies r us.  That wall of bottles is enough to put you over the edge but we powered through and were able to decide.  Then on to the strollers, play yards and bouncy seats oh my!  Needless to say we are not finished but we have started and we won't be as overwhelmed next time....I hope :)