36 Weeks!!

Wow - less than 4 weeks until the due date - where did this pregnancy go?  I have heard people tell me that it will be the longest 9 months of my life, but I disagree!!

Doctor appointment went great, apparently our little girl is the "model baby" for non-stress tests (NST).  She moved a bunch of times really quickly and her heartbeat moved up and down exactly how they would like it. Apparently some expecting mothers have to lay there for an hour with the sensors strapped to their belly in hopes that their child moves enough for the doctors to track!  I am just hoping she keeps this up for each of the upcoming visits/tests!   According to the doctor - all things are looking great and she is growing as expected.  All good news for this mama-to-be!!

Matt has had a very busy and productive week again!   I can not say how thankful I am that he is such a smart and hard worker - the basement is moving ahead by HUGE strides!!!   Matt's dad (Steve) came up on Tuesday afternoon to help Matt with drywall - wow, that is a large job!   They have managed to work on it every day since and I can report that they are finishing up the family room now and only have the laundry room and bathroom left to go!   They still have yet to tape and mud - but getting it hung is a huge step forward.  I will say that drywall is a messy project - the dust has managed to make its way upstairs - fun times!!   Oh well, tiny little issue on our way towards a great remodeled basement!

Next week will continue the work in the basement, another doctor appointment and other normal stuff.  I have to say that we are pretty set for little girl to arrive, but we will patiently await her arrival and enjoy the last days/weeks of just Matt, Koda and I.

Below are pictures of my belly at 36 weeks and 1 day (rather obnoxious if you ask me!!!) and some close-ups of the Pinocchio print (they still do not do it justice, but I was playing around with our new camera and thought I would give it a try!).

Well, until next update/week - take care all!!!

35 Week Update

We have now made it past the 35 week mark, 5 more weeks until her due date!

Lots of things were crossed off our "before-baby to-do list" which is a great feeling!  Car seat installed, Matt received his pertussis vaccine, camera purchased, 2 meals of manicotti made and frozen, oil changes on both vehicles, and last of the baby items purchased (swing/bouncer, crib soother, pink pacifier, and a few other small items).  Matt also worked on school work and finished up the electrical in the storage area and bathroom and I worked a crazy week at work, got a haircut and a pedicure!!!  House is in pretty good shape, so I consider that a major bonus by the end of the week!

This week Matt passed the insulation, framing and electrical inspection from the city.  Now onto the rest of the insulation and drywall!   Matt's dad is coming up on Tuesday to help Matt installing the drywall.  We could not be more thankful for his help!

The next week will be another busy one at our house with the work in the basement and me doing other tasks around the house.  Plus it will be my job to keep the guys well fed - kind of fun to cook for hungry guys every night!

Now, here are the belly shots (35 weeks and 1 day)....I can feel that I am getting bigger with each passing week, but have been pretty comfortable so far, I really can't complain!  Just a couple more weeks until we get to meet and hold this squirming little girl in our arms!!

Our Little Girl's Room

Here it is, a post about her room!  Some people have been asking about it, so here it is!

The day we found out that she was a girl was the day Matt picked out the paint colors.  Yep, Matt picked them out!  I was thinking purple and orange, but then Matt pulled out a pink and a purple and we were thrilled!!  The colors are not your pale/calm baby room colors - but then again, we don't do stuff by the books/rules!

The crib was a gift from my parents, the rocking chair was always something I wanted for in my baby's room, the dresser was refinished by Matt and I and was actually used up at my grandparent's cabin for years, and the book shelf was something that my uncle Tom built in high school.  Lots of random furniture, but it all works for us!

The painting design was something that I saw on a show on HGTV and for those of you who know, I enjoy painting so I was excited to try something new.  With some planning and Matt gone for the week to an education conference, I painted.  Those were some fun colors to paint with!   I started with just the wall behind her crib, but after a few weeks decided that I wanted to also paint the wall opposite of the first wall.  I am beyond thrilled with the paint job and so far everyone who has seen it in person loves it!!  According to my mom, it looks like it belongs in a magazine.

Couple of really special things that we have in her room - a Pinocchio artwork/print that I fell in love with years ago at my mom's clinic.  I was given the opportunity to purchase it/make a donation and was thrilled that we could add it to our baby girl's room.  It is beyond gorgeous and the pictures don't do it justice!  The other very special thing that we are able to have in her room is a hand painted piece of artwork made by a co-worker of my mom's (Jenny).  It contains a prayer and picture of a baby girl sleeping on a moon - totally perfect and the colors could not look more amazing in there!

I will admit that there are times at night that I do go in her room, sit in the rocking chair and just relax and think about what fun things are ahead for Matt and I.  I love everything about the room and so thrilled that we are able to provide such a wonderful and fun room for her.

So, here are the pictures - they are nice, but they really do not show what the room really looks like.  Enjoy the pictures but remember it looks better in person!!

What you see when you first walk into her room

The view from the hallway

The Pinocchio print above my rocking chair

The wall opposite the crib

Dresser/changing table and book shelf under window

A wall clock I bought off Etsy, it is a record made into a clock!

Artwork!

34 Week Update....6 more until due date!

Here it is, Sunday afternoon - another week and weekend have passed.  It is incredible hot outside today (92 degrees right now) and this heat is supposed to hold thru mid to late week.  So thankful to have A/C at our home and where I work, not sure how I would survive without it. 

Well, this week was quite a week!  

First for the basement update - the plumbers came in and installed a huge shower unit, moved a floor drain, moved the utility tub, moved the washer and dryer, set up plumbing for a sink/vanity in the basement bathroom and exchanged our copper plumbing out with PVC and other pipe.  Matt is going to be taking in the copper for money in the next few weeks - the joys of a old home with quality materials.  We are excited to see the amout of money we get for all the copper!!  If that wasn't enough, we had the HVAC/Duct work contractor come in and put in vents and cold air returns in the basement.  Koda loved having the extra guys working in the house - good thing they all loved him!!  Matt didn't take the week off though - he built the framing walls for the bathroom and the storage/furnace room and installed the electrical in the laundry room.  Lots of progress down there - he is hoping to get some more done this next week and get some city inspections checked off his list.  Next big steps are insulation and drywall!!

This weekend my parents came up and we could not have more appreciated their company and help!   My dad was able to provide Matt a break from his exhausting week of work in the basement with 27 holes of golf.  Too bad it was hot and humid, but they managed to still have a great time.  We visited with my aunt, uncles, and cousin's children on Saturday which was so much fun and totally relaxing.  On a big celebration note - we were able to join my parents as they celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary!!   We went out to dinner at a supper club up in Tomahawk and had a great evening out!!!   Congrats to them on 33 years!!

Well, if you are thinking that my mom and I just sat around, chatting and drinking lemondade - you are sorely mistaken!!!   She helped me go thru our baby girl's room and every single item in it!   I have been trying to get it organized, but I really needed help in determining how much of things I needed out and what sizes to leave out and all those types of things.  We spent a couple of hours on Friday night and a few more on Saturday morning working in there.  I can confidently say that the room is ready, diaper bag is mostly packed, bed and bassinet are made, closet/dresser/bookshelf are organized, and I learned a lot!   We did quite a few loads of laundry, which equals TONS of cute baby clothes, sheets, blankets, and other baby items.  After this weekend, I feel more prepared and ready for baby girl (but am hoping she hangs out inside me for a few more weeks though!)!  THANKS MOM - really appreciate the help, advice, direction and love!!!   I will make another post with pictures of her room later this week for all too see.

This weekend was also the first time my mom has seen baby girl's room and any progress in the basement - I think we shocked her!!!   I know that Matt and I love our daughter's room - so it was great to share it with her, she loved it too!

This next week might be a little slower - not sure if I should write that down or not!!!   We are going to get the car seats installed and Matt is going to get his Pertussis Vaccine.  Those are 2 more large items on the "Before Baby To-Do List!"  The heat will probably slow us down a little bit and I have to admit that I am now slowing down quite a bit too.  I will honestly say that I have started to feel "pregnant" in the last 3 weeks or so; things are getting harder to do, my body gets tired faster, and overall I am slowing down.  I am not complaining because I still feel great (minus those times when baby girl kicks my ribs really hard or squishes my bladder) and have been blessed with a pretty smooth pregnancy.  The end is near, so I will just sit back, relax, enjoy all this crazy baby's movements and get some rest!

Now for all you people who are interested or find belly pictures interesting....here are the shots of my belly at 34 weeks and 2 days. 

33 Week Update

We are 33 weeks along now, which leaves 7 weeks until our due date of 8/24!!!  Crazy to think that we are down to single digit weeks left now.....I can honestly say that this pregnancy has flown by so fast....seems like just a few weeks ago we broke the news to our families!

This has been yet another crazy week in our house - which is becoming more of standard now!  We stayed home on the 4th and worked on things around the house, I was finishing painting in her room and other household tasks while Matt was busily working in the basement.  Thursday (7/5) we had a scare, but after spending some time at the hospital, doctor gave baby and I the all clear.  Needless to say, I will be slowing down a little bit and remembering how lucky we are to be in the postition/condition that we are in.

Thursday morning also started the next step of madness in the basement.....Matt's dad (Steve) came up to work on the electrical with Matt.  This was a complicated piece of the remodel, but with Steve's knowledge and help they were able to get the 2 bedrooms and family room wired and lighted.  Only rooms left are the laundry room and bathroom.  They sure worked great together and for long hours everyday - we are very thankful for all the help!

I stayed out of their way, purchased some last minute items for baby girl, and did some baking to freeze for our first weeks of parenthood.  Seems like the farther along in this pregnancy, the more of a job it is to keep this house organized and cleaned! 

Next week will be another crazy week here - we have vent/heating/A/C contractor coming on Monday to put in vents and such for heating and A/C into the basement.  The plumbers are also coming on Monday to put in the bathroom/shower, move a floor drain, and replace the copper pipe that we have in our home.  Matt will be kept busy with that and an upcoming softball tournament at the end of the week.  I have yet another doctor appointment, work, and a million other things to do on my "dream-to-do-list!" 

So, until next post, here are some pictures of my growing belly at just over 33 weeks!   

33 Weeks & 2 Days

Baby Showers

Taking a little step back now to fill you in on the wonderful baby showers that were held in honor of baby girl Lindsey.

In early June, my sister-in-law and mother-in-law held a baby shower at their home in Wonewoc.  It was a beautiful day to sit out on the deck and celebrate.  The food was superb, the punch was so creative, and the guests were fun to spend time with.  Jamie (sis-in-law) made an amazing diaper cake - so cute.  The games were very creative and not the normal baby shower games.  We even managed to fit in a movie and a trip to the Tanger Mall in WI Dells too - such a great way to relax and enjoy our time in that area (plus a great excuse to go shopping!). Overall it was a great weekend of fun and relaxation and one full vehicle of pink/purple stuff for baby girl!

The last weekend in June, my mom and sister-in-law (Sarah) hosted a baby shower at the Lighthouse Inn in Two Rivers (for those of you who don't know, it overlooks Lake Michigan - amazing views).  The food was great, decorations and table favors were perfect, and overall a great representation of things I would choose for myself.  The games were once again non-traditional and the "Wishes for Baby" were a nice keepsake to read to our daughter as she grows older.  The highlight of this shower was definately the dessert (that says a lot from someone who doesn't really like dessert!) - handmade baby-shaped item cookies with frosting and handmade truffles from a local bakery.  The cookies were AMAZING and according to others, the truffles were the same!  Once again, Matt and I left my parents home relaxed and fully loaded with more gifts for baby girl!

I can't express my thanks for the moms/grandmas and my sister-in-laws for all their work/effort/thought that was put into these celebrations.  This baby girl sure has some great women to look up to!!

The gifts we received will all be put to great use and many of them will be cherished for years and years.  Just looking at all the gifts makes me so excited to meet our little girl and snuggle, read, and spend time with her!

The only remnants left of the showers are the stacks of gifts in her room - which will be taken care of shortly!  Then her room can start taking shape!

Belly Shots (if you are interested)

As any first time mom, we started to take belly shots....nothing on a regular basis but it was a fun way to update our families on my growing mid-section.  It still amazes me that people are so intrigued by the size of a pregnant woman's belly!   Keep in mind that these are self portraits taken in a mirror - nothing fancy. 

I will post a few more before baby girl arrives....


about 17 weeks

about 21 weeks



about 26 weeks



about 29 weeks

The Start of this adventure....

As with any adventure, there is a beginning.  Here is ours (don't worry, I will keep it short!!)

Matt and I met while attending a conference in high school and reconnected while we were in college.  We were married June 16, 2007 in Mosinee/Wausau, WI.  On Leap Day 2008 we closed on our home in Wausau.  Shortly after, we added to our family with an English Springer Spaniel puppy named Koda.  He is our pride and love - very full of energy and makes us laugh everyday.

Matt and I enjoyed our time as a married couple by working on different things around the house, travelling (Nashville is by far our favorite thus far!!), spending time with family, hosting beer/wine parties, and loving life here in Wausau.  For those of you who don't know, Matt works at the Wausau School District as a Physics teacher at the EGL (Engineering and Global Leadership Academy) Charter School and I am a reporting analyst at UMR/United Healthcare.

Now, this is where I can say that our story takes a turn from a family of 2 + 1 dog to what we are going to become....a mom, a dad, a baby girl, and of course Koda!!

On Christmas Eve 2011 - we were given the best gift we could ever imagine!!   We received positive results on a home pregnancy test....ok, I lied, we had positive results on about 4 tests!!   We were shocked, excited, relieved and OVER THE MOON!!!  So if the holidays weren't enough to handle with traveling to see family, weather and all that fun stuff - we now had to keep this secret from everyone we know until we were further along and saw a doctor.  Time progressed and a few doctor appointments later (and our first ultrasound) - we broke the news to the grandparents to be!  They were surprised and as happy as can be.  Time went on and when things were further along, we shared the news with all of our family and friends!

We chose to find out if we were expecting a boy or girl and as many of you know.....it is a GIRL!!!  (Due date is 8/24/12)  We didn't care either way - we just really wanted a healthly baby.  Now that we know that she is a girl, the planning got underway and the battle over names began.  Matt and I have chosen a name - but good luck getting it out of us......it will be released when she makes her debut!  Bribing doesn't work either....right Grandma Bennett!?!?!

Since we were adding to our family - the home projects took a huge priority since we have an August deadline!!  We always had hopes/ideas of finishing the basement with 2 bedrooms, a laundry room, bathroom, family room/bar - so now we were able to start on that.  Matt (or as I call him, my contractor) starting planning and building the basement.  Currently they are working on electrical and plumbing - he is doing such an amazing job and at such a fast pace.  Pictures will be posted in a later post for all to see.

As Matt worked in the basement, I tackled making the 2nd bedroom/guest room into our little girl's bedroom.  I hate to toot my own horn, but the paint job I did looks amazing.  Once again, pictures will be posted under a different post once it is all set up......right now it is full of stacks of stuff and gift bags - good thing Grandma is coming up soon to help put it all together.

So, overall this pregnancy has been pretty good - it is an amazing experience for us to embark on together.  This little girl is growing right on schedule and seems to be an incredibly active child.  Matt has been very active in every step and was thrilled when he first felt her kick.....and still loves it when he can get her all riled up while I try to rest....go figure!!

We will do our best to keep all updated on our lives as we become parents and our adventures into parenthood. 

We look forward to sharing this adventure with all of you - enjoy!!