Bennett's

Balloon Festival

2011-09-29T15:35:00.001-04:00

This is the first year that we've taken Addison to the Midland Balloon Festival, and she LOVED it!! There were about 50 hot air balloons that we were able to watch inflate and take flight. Then after they all landed and packed up, about half of them returned to the fairgrounds and unpacked, inflated, and tethered themselves down for a night glow. We were able to get an up close look since I knew two of the pilots. I used to run chase crew for them and in turn have been on a few rides myself. The event is free to the public and Daddy was even able to come with us. A hot air balloon ride is peaceful and being part of the chase crew is really FUN!

Look Mom!!

There was some friendly bumping.

What a great view!

The 'Dunderchief'

Silly girl, waiting for the balloons to glow.

So pretty all glowing at once.

Helping pack up

Squishing the air out of the envelope.

She wouldn't get in the basket this time, but she did touch it. The burner is a little loud and intimidating when you're 3.

Funny Conversations

2011-09-28T11:03:00.002-04:00

Mommy: Addison how did you get that boo boo on your knee?
Addison: Daddy tipped me over?
Mommy: In the wagon?
Addison: Yeah, that makes me mad.

Addison: Mommy, what's that on your chin? (Pointing to a mole)
Mommy: It's a mole.
Addison: Does it come off?
Mommy: Nope.
Addison: When I'm big, can I get one just like you?

After putting Addie to bed one night, I heard her crying, so I went to check on her.
Mommy: What's wrong honey?
Addison: The monster bit me!
Mommy: Really? Where's the monster now?
Addison: He went to the neighbors house.
Mommy: Oh, well that's good I guess.

Sleeping with Addison at my sister's, in the middle of the night.
Addison: Mommy...will you save me?
Mommy: Sure honey, save you from what?
Addison: From the police.
Mommy: Yep.
I had to hold her then for several minutes.

Combing her hair in the morning, I asked her several times to sit still.
Addison: It hurts.
Mommy: What hurts?
Addison: Sitting still.

Random Vacation Days

2011-08-18T09:49:00.004-04:00

Occasionally I like to take random vacation days. You know, ones without set plans (usually) or destinations. Sometimes I really NEED these days just to catch up on my house hold chores. Well, Monday was one of these days. So, I took Addison to daycare, did some much needed laundry and house cleaning, then picked her up early to have some fun. She thought she was pretty special because her mommy picked her up and all of the other kids had to stay. I decided to take her putt putt golfing for the first time. She had so much fun! She learned to hold her club 'thumbs up' and could hit it pretty good off the tee. After the tee shot however, she would pick up her ball and put it right next to the hole so she could sink her putt. :) What a little stinker. Here are a few pics of our day. Oh, and of course we had to get ice-cream after being in the hot sun.

This one makes me laugh.

Shutterfly Cards

2011-06-08T15:40:00.003-04:00

I just created this card for my dad from Addison. Right now Shutterfly is offering 5 free 5x7 folded cards (use DADCARD). I think it expires tomorrow. You still have to pay for shipping, but it was still cheaper than buying 5 cards, plus I didn't have to run to the store.

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Funny Things....by Addison

2011-01-05T13:19:00.002-05:00

I occasionally have to tell Addison to pull up her pants because her butt crack is showing. So one day when her pants were falling down she said 'mommy my butt has a crack'!

Addison singing while eating breakfast 'Old McDonald had a Liam....e-i-e-i-o' Poor cousin Liam, he does pretend is is an animal most of the time though. :)

When she had a cold I would feel her head and if it was warm, check her temp and give her medicine if she had a fever. When putting her in bed she said 'mommy I need medicine, my hands are hot'.

Operation Christmas Child

2010-11-17T21:21:00.002-05:00

I heard about Operation Christmas Child (OCC) while listening to klove radio station. Basically, you buy small gifts for a boy/girl in a certain age group. Then pack it all in a shoebox and drop it off at one of the locations. I thought it would be fun and a good way to teach Addison about giving. She is two, so with that comes a lot of 'it's mine'. I talked to her before I brought out the toys and said that we were going to pack these little gifts in a box for a little girl her age who doesn't have a lot of toys like she does. I was pleasantly surprised that she didn't try to open or keep any of the gifts, or say it was hers. She kept telling me 'mommy it's for the little girl'. Melt my heart.

Here are the gifts we got for our shoebox. There is a list of ideas and how to pack your box.

Our box all packed with toys, stickers, crayons, hygiene items, hair bows, socks, a flashlight, and of course LOVE! The stuffed animal didn't fit, but they found a place for him too. We also included a picture of us, a note, and a picture Addison drew.

The closest drop off location for us was at Hopevale church. When we got there Addison thought we were actually giving our box to a little girl right then. I explained that this little girl lives far away and that they will mail it to her. I was even able to print a label with a bar code and can track where our box ends up. How cool is that? We both enjoyed doing this and are praying for the little girl who receives theses gifts. We pray that they will bring her joy and also come to learn about and know Jesus.

If you're interested in this project, here is a link for more information.
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/index/

My Big Happy Pumpkin

2010-11-17T20:39:00.005-05:00

Addison has a book called My Big Happy Pumpkin, so we used the book as inspiration and teaching while carving our pumpkin.

We wash it and dry it, then cut off the top.

We scoop out the seeds and the pulp and the slop.

We take all the mess and we throw it away - into the trash-that's where it will stay.

We cut out two circles to make giant eyes, and a triangle nose that's just the right size. We carve out a smile and put in a light.

My big happy pumpkin shines in the night.

My pumpkin is happy and I'm happy too. For God picked me out, and he made me like new. He washed all my sins and he threw them away. I show God I love him each time I obey.

I'm God's special child, he made me complete, from the hair on my head to the toes on my feet. I'll try to be good so that others can see God's love and God's light, shining through me.

Out of the mouth of Addison

2010-10-21T16:23:00.002-04:00

Mommy: Addison lets __________(insert phrase)

Addison: Okie Gokie Mommy

Addison going to get a drink: I'll be right back......don't touch anything!

Mommy: Ummm, ok.

Addison has four princess dolls and was asking me what all of their names are. She could repeat all of them except when it came to Sleeping Beauty, she said 'Shake your booty'. Poor princess.

We quite often pray for Addison to be a good girl and obey mommy and daddy. We also pray for mommy to be patient and understanding. After saying our blessing at dinner one night, she added 'help mommy's patience'. This was after she had been sent to her room for whining and disobeying.

She is so smart and keeps me on my toes. :)

Funny Things......by Addison

2010-07-13T22:21:00.008-04:00

I love my little girl.....she makes me laugh, smile, melts my heart, and even at times makes me want to scream. I am constantly learning how to be patient, understanding, and of course how to communicate with a 2 year old. Here are some things that make me smile. Sometimes it's hard not to laugh even when she's being naughty.

When doing puzzles together, Addison likes to pretend she's teaching me. When I put the puzzle piece in the right spot, she says 'good girl mommy'.

Being two and very sassy, we are working on NOT saying 'no mommy', I make her sit in time out until she says 'yes mommy'. So if she really wants something, she will use all of her polite words. When asking for a movie she said 'please sorry yes mommy'.

She giggles when we sing and dance together.

Warning, this is a potty story, and may not be for everyone. Addison started doing her business on the potty one night, then got down to analyze it and said 'it's a HOT DOG!'

On the weekends, Addison usually wakes me up by coming in the bedroom while I'm still in bed, hands me my glasses, grabs my hand, and says 'get up mommy'.

She occasionally says 'Pssssttt, come here mommy' while motioning with her finger.

She gives her dolls, bears, etc. time outs.

She mocks me by grunting and moaning when getting up off the floor, etc. When I ask if she's making fun of mommy, she laughs. :) Even she thinks I'm getting old. haha

When I gave her something she had asked for, she said 'thank you, your welcome mommy'.

A Year Ago....

2010-06-13T07:29:00.002-04:00

My dad had surgery a year ago after being diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma cancer. He had all the lymph nodes under his right arm removed, and some tissue on the back of his shoulder/upper back. He has had a long recovery, and some setbacks (including a seizure), but is doing well now. His last blood tests and CT scanned showed NO cancer in his body!! PRAISE GOD! He is feeling a lot better, continues to do exercises, and has started golfing again. If you know my dad, you know not golfing for a year was like torture. hehe We are SO THANKFUL to have my dad with us today. We didn't know last year what to expect, but put our trust in God. Thank you to all that have prayed for my dad and our family through this trial, we appreciate all of you.

SHE'S TWO!!

2010-06-04T16:07:00.007-04:00

Yes, I realize it has been over 5 MONTHS since I've posted anything here. I promise to keep more up to date, but I'm not going to take the time to catch up, just moving forward. What better to start with than my little TWO year old.

Here is what Addison has been up to.

- Sings her ABC's

- Counts to 10 (sometimes higher)

- Started serious potty training

- Sleeping in a big girl (toddler) bed

- Loves Elmo, Dora, Princesses, & Mickey Mouse

- Learning how to pedal her new bike!

- Sings 'Happy Birthday' ALL the time

- Loves to sing and dance

- Enjoys doing puzzles

- Eats better than mommy (I'm very please about this one).

- Favorite cookie is oreos

- Favorite songs are Itsy bitsy spider, twinkle twinkle little star, and of course happy birthday.

- LOVES all kinds of stickers, even price tags

Addison is my biggest joy, I'm so happy I get to be her mommy!

Conversation with Adam

2009-12-21T08:56:00.003-05:00

I had this little conversation with my nephew Adam(6 years) a couple nights ago.

Me: Do you think we should make a cake or something for Jesus' birthday?

Adam: Why would we do that? Jesus is up in heaven...how would we give it to him? Throw it up in the sky?

Me(chuckling): Ummmm, good point.

I just love the minds of young children.

Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-15T20:13:00.002-05:00

Family Movie Night

2009-11-24T16:08:00.003-05:00

Last week we went to a family movie night at our church. The movie showing was 'UP'. I couldn't tell you much about it, but I didn't go having expectations that I would actually see the movie anyway. Addison enjoyed running around most of the time.

Such a BIG GIRL!

Little stinker stole my popcorn.

My nephew Tommy and his bestest buddy Jackson.

I only managed to get three pictures of the whole night, because I was chasing someone around. It was fun, thanks to all who had a part in putting it together.

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

2009-11-09T16:19:00.004-05:00

Addison's newest fascination is lights and light switches. She is always climbing on something! So, if mommy hides the step stool, she gets creative(however probably not as much as cousin Anna).

I find it interesting that her shirt says 'Mommy's little angel'. :)

Note, that it has wheels! And yes, she has fallen out of it many times, but that doesn't stop her.

We're Ready!

2009-11-05T11:02:00.004-05:00

Since we are starting to see SNOW in the forecast, it's time to break out the winter gear. Coat and snow pants-check, hat-check, mittens-check. Now we just need to get some boots, and maybe a scarf. I must say I really dislike the puffy winter coat plus car seat combination. I need to adjust the shoulder straps just to get her in it. We are praying for a winter without pneumonia and flu this year...last year was pretty much spent indoors.

My little snow princess.

Fall 2009

2009-10-16T14:01:00.005-04:00

Here are a few fall activities we have done so far. We went down the road to Hemmeter's Market to ride the ponies, made our final trip to the zoo this year, and made a visit to the cider farm. Next we hope to visit Johnson's Giant pumpkin farm. I just love fall.

A LONG time.

2009-10-16T07:56:00.004-04:00

I know I know, it's been forever since I've posted anything, BUT I'm back!! So at the request of my sissy-in-law, here is what we've been up to the couple months.

August started out with my dad getting an iv drug treatment for his melanoma cancer. After 2 weeks of treatments, he had a seizure. So, after some more tests and blood work, it was decided by his doctors that they would stop the treatments. It is most likely that is what caused the seizure. He had lost about 20 pounds due to being pretty sick and having a very little appetite. He has been off of the drug now for almost a month, and no more seizures, getting his appetite and weight back, along with his energy. He is doing alright, but is still not feeling great. He is scheduled to go back to Ann Arbor for a check-up at the end of the month.

Labor day weekend, our little Addie got Croup and ended up in the hospital for two nights! With mommy by her side of course. It was a little scary with her breathing, but she has bounced right back and is doing just fine. They treated her with steroids and breathing treatments in the hospital.

Addie has really started talking up a storm lately. Her vocabulary is expanding daily, here are some of her newer/current words...there are MANY more.

Sues (shoes)

Bah (bath)

Pot (potty)

Bubble

Socks

Wa (walk)

Bye

Ball

Butt

Sit

Boo

Peak

Pweese(Please)

Of course she still says mama, dada, baba, etc. My mom swears she said chocolate, but that might be a stretch. She was pointing at the ice-cream carton however. :) Sometimes I think she sounds like daffy duck, I may have to post a video. Addie loves balls, blocks, elmo, and singing/dancing with mommy. Her favorite dance/song right now is ring around the rosie, so we do this EVERY night MULTIPLE times. Addison's most recent accomplishment is going potty ON the potty. Although I'm not pushing the idea right now, I don't discourage her either. She has gone a couple times, and it was her idea to get the potty out and sit down!! She gets lots of practice at daycare, so maybe she will be trained sooner than I had hoped. :)

Finally, here are some pictures of the last couple months.

She is quite the little dare devil.

Addie & cousin Liam...they just LOVE each other.

PEAK!

The expression on her face here is so her.

Smellin' the flowers.

Not happy AT ALL that I made her sit down and take pictures.

Now that summer is gone, I promise to post some fall pictures very soon also.

Accident Prone?

2009-07-14T15:00:00.005-04:00

Many of you may know that I have had my share of mishaps and have even broken a few bones, but will my daughter take after me? Addison is not scared of anything and plays hard. I think she is somewhat of a tomboy, like her mommy was. :) She usually has bruises on her legs, goose eggs on her forehead, etc. The other day, she was playing(alone), holding a big plastic toy, lost her balance, fell on her bum, and hit her chin on the toy, causing her to bite her tongue pretty bad. It punctured it, but luckily did not go all the way through. Since it was bothering her, and she wouldn't eat much of anything, I let her have ice-cream for dinner. :)

Not sure if you can really see the wound or not, but it's healing pretty good now.

Since she IS accident prone, I got her this helmet. jk Actually, they had a safety day at daycare and we were able to buy these fitted helmets for $4. There are velcro strips in the helmet, that I can remove when she gets a little bigger, so she can wear it longer. Now she just needs a little bike...but maybe I'll wait on that...don't want any broken bones...yet.

Big Girl!

2009-07-14T14:48:00.003-04:00

My baby has graduated to her 'big girl' car seat, and she just LOVES it! She loves looking out the window, watching mommy in the mirror, and having much more leg room. She used to cry almost everytime I put her in the infant seat, and now she practically JUMPS in. Even has her very own cup holder! This was her first time in it, all smiles.

Comfy enough to take a nap...or watch a dvd when we go on our trip up to grandma's.

Fireworks

2009-07-13T09:32:00.003-04:00

This was Addison's first time watching fireworks. She wasn't scared by the noise at all, and enjoyed watching them, except for being really tired. She fell asleep half way through, but woke up again because of them being so loud. I think she was just a little annoyed, but watched them anyway, and of course fell asleep as soon as I put her in the car.

Waiting for the fireworks...having a snack.

Getting sleepy...where did Addison go?

Ohhh...pretty...but oh so sleepy.

Night night.

Addison's Surgery

2009-07-10T16:09:00.003-04:00

We started off July with Addie getting tubes in her ears. It was a very early morning, which made for a long day, but she did very well. I scooped her out of bed and put her in the car. Of course by the time we got to the surgery center she was WIDE awake...at 6 am. She sat and played on her bed until it was time for surgery, and she didn't even cry when they carried her off(which made it easier for me). She was a little fussy and groggy after surgery, which took a total of 15 minutes. I gave her Tylenol a couple times during the day, but now she is such a happier girl. We go back for a check-up next week, and to get some ear plugs for the water. I'm just happy she's not miserable anymore. Here are a few pics from that day.

Hello?

Waiting for the doctor....silly girl.

This is how I found her, konked out on her bedroom floor that afternoon.

This is not typical for her, but she was still feeling the drugs.

3..2..1..BLASTOFF!

2009-06-25T10:08:00.002-04:00

Jacob is with us 4 weeks out of the summer. He has made a few friends in the neighborhood, which is nice. I told him if he gets bored I will find something for him to do. :) Jake and his buddy Nick have recently taken an interest in these little rockets. You can buy kits to assemble, paint, etc. My dad used to do this when we were younger, however, we were mostly just spectators. The rockets HAD to have an elaborate, and perfect paint job you know. I think it was more for the big kids now that I look back. Anyway, Jacob sets off his rocket in the field across from us.

The setup.

Doesn't he look happy that I made him pose with his rocket? :)

And it's OFF! The quad is the chase vehicle. They have had to search for rockets in the field. They come down with a parachute, but can still be hard to find.

Strawberry Picking

2009-06-24T09:33:00.003-04:00

Alright, so after Addie's haircut, I decided to try picking strawberries, with a one year old. I DO NOT recommend this however, as we had to stop after a very nice berry was squished between little fingers. I was able to pick about 1/2 quart, just enough for a little snack for the both of us. They were SO YUMMY and sweet, I didn't even have to dip them in sugar like I normally do. :) I still want to get some more this year and make a pie, but I'm not sure I will have the chance, without a helper that is. They were worth it though.

The loot.

Enjoying the fruit of our labor.

Yummy....Addison LOVES fruit!!

Addie's First Haircut

2009-06-24T09:24:00.003-04:00

I'm not sure she really NEEDED to have her hair cut yet, but I wanted to do it so that maybe her hair would grow in thicker, longer, and more lucious than mine ever did. :) We just got it trimmed up a bit, and now I kind of miss her shaggy little baby bangs. She is such a BIG GIRL!

Before...ready with SNACKS.

Ummm...what's going on here?

Mommy let me have all the snacks I wanted.

TA DA!! Pretty new haircut.

Addie's First Zoo Trip

2009-06-19T11:32:00.003-04:00

I took a day off of work and was able to take Addison to the Saginaw Zoo with the Berry's. We were so glad to have their company. Addie just LOVES animals...maybe a little hesitant with the larger ones though. It was a beautiful day, and we got our membership so we can make many more trips. It is the perfect size zoo for little ones. I'm hoping to make a trip to the Detroit Zoo this summer also.

Cedar Point

2009-06-19T10:21:00.003-04:00

Dean took Jacob and Jake's cousin Joe to Cedar Point the last two days. Anyone who knows Dean, knows he doesn't go anywhere without his Blackberry. So, yesterday he kept sending me pictures of them standing in line and RIDING the coasters. I know...my husbands a dork. :)

Riding the Maverick.

Waiting in line for the Dragster.

Inverted I believe...looking at the background.

Loon's Baseball Game

2009-06-19T09:47:00.005-04:00

Instead of having a Christmas party at work this year, we all gathered for an SVSU ITS Loon's game. We were in a pavilion with food and cover from the rain, but there was also a nice grassy area, which was great for the kids. If you live in the area, this is a nice family outing. The lawn seats are great if you have kids, they can run around, and are pretty inexpensive. They also have a play area, and fire pits at the statium. I think we will be going back.

This is proof that we were actually at a baseball game. With little ones, you don't get to really watch the game, but we had fun.

Lou E. the loon...Addie was facinated by him, even though she looks scared.

Addie & big brother Jacob.

These two were buddies for the night. This is my friend's son Cole.

Cotton candy for the first time....YUMMY! Which Cole gave her.

Family picture.

Addie & Mommy.

Caramel Corn Crunch

2009-06-17T21:32:00.002-04:00

I have made this twice recently and it went over very well, as is in the past. So, I thought it was worth sharing.

7 cups popped popcorn(1 bag microwave popcorn)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup margarine or butter
3 tbsp light corn syrup
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 cup m&m's and/or 1 cup peanuts

Remove all unpopped kernels from popped corn. Place popcorn in a greased 17x12x2" baking pan. Keep popcorn warm in a 300 degree oven while making caramel mixture.

Butter the sides of a heavy 1 1/2-quart saucepan. In the saucepan combine brown sugar, margarine/butter, and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat to boiling, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to dissolve sugar. This should take 7-10 minutes. Avoid splashing mixture on sides of pan. Carefully clip candy thermometer to side of pan.

Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, till thermometer registers 255 degrees, hard-ball stage(this should take about 4 minutes). The mixture should boil at a moderate, steady rate over entire surface.

Remove saucepan from heat; remove candy thermometer from saucepan. Add baking soda and vanilla; stir till ombined(caramel will change in color and consistency). Pour caramel mixture over the popcorn; stir gently to coat. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 10 minutes; stir gently. Bake for 5 minutes more.

Turn popcorn mixture onto a large piece of foil. Cool completely. Break popcorn mixture into small pieces. Stir in m&m's and peanuts. Store in a tightly covered container. Makes 9 cups.

Note: I usually stir the mixture in the oven more than once, just to make sure it is coated evenly.

Enjoy!

Addison's FIRST Birthday!!

2009-06-17T09:29:00.003-04:00

My baby girl turned ONE on May 30th, so we celebrated PRINCESS style...because that's what she is you know. Addison is such a joy to have in our lives and we can't image it without her. We love you SO MUCH Addie. Here are some pics of the fun festivities.

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-06-16T11:38:00.001-04:00

I know I'm a few weeks behind on posting this, but I'm trying to catch up on my blogging. Many of you have already seen these on my FB, but I do have a few readers who aren't on FB, so PLEASE be patient with me.

We had a very busy weekend. Dean had to work part of the weekend, so it was just Addie and I. We visited with my aunt Val in Gaylord, went to my cousin's open house, went golfing with my dad, celebrated my dad's 60th birthday, went to the park, and stopped to play with the animals at my uncle's on the way home!

Update on my Dad

2009-06-11T22:00:00.003-04:00

My parents stopped by before going back home tonight. My dad is doing very well post surgery. He said it isn't as bad as he thought it would be. He is still on pretty good pain meds. though. They removed all lymph nodes under his right arm, a large portion of skin on his back, and most recently found nodules on his left shoulder which they also removed. He has a drain under his arm for fluid that they have to empty a few times a day, which will stay in for about 2-3 weeks. A nurse will go to his house to change his dressings on Saturday morning. He will be going back to Ann Arbor to talk to the team of doctors about the possibility of having surgery to remove his lymph nodes under his left arm also. I think because of the nodules they removed, which they are pretty sure were also cancerous, tests will confirm. They are considering him cancer free as of right now. He looks good, and is moving around better than I expected. Addison gave him a gentle hug, it was so cute. Thanks again to all of you that have been praying for all of us.

Please Pray

2009-06-11T08:00:00.002-04:00

My dad is having surgery this morning. Please pray for him and my mom today, and the doctors who are performing the surgery. He was diagnosed a few weeks ago with stage 3 melanoma. He is having all of his lymph nodes under his right arm removed, along with a large part of skin on his back, where the cancer originated. He is having surgery at U of M, Ann Arbor. It is an outpatient surgery, which will take a few hours, and then after a short recovery time, he will be released today. They live in Cheboygan and are planning on making the trip back tonight(while he is still pretty drugged up). He will have a drain under his arm for a few weeks, and then after he is pretty much healed from surgery, they will talk about maybe starting him on Interferon. It's a drug to help boost your imune system and fight off anymore cancer.

Praise: My dad's CT scan came back with no signs of the cancer spreading to other areas of his body, including any major organs. So according to the doctors, this is completely curable. However, he will have to watch VERY closely from now on for any signs of skin changes. AND use LOTS of sunscreen, and try to limit sun exposure from 10-4. I told him he will have to start moonlight golfing. :)

I will try to post an update tonight or tomorrow after I hear how everything went and how he is doing.

Swimming Lessons

2009-05-14T10:39:00.007-04:00

As some of you may know, I signed Addison up for swimming lessons here at SVSU. It is a 3 week class, meeting only once a week for about a 1/2 hour. I got a $5 discount for paying early and another $5 for working at SVSU, gotta love that. She had her 2nd class last night and daddy was able to go with us this time, so we actually got some pictures. She loves the water, but her biggest problem is that it is cold. She shivers and by the end has little purple lips. She even does well with us dunking her under the water. Not really fond of it, but tollerates it. She is actually the only baby in the class, so we basically have our own instructor. She has Addie play with toys in the water, try to hang on to the edge of the pool all by herself(which she can do), sit on the edge and then fall/lunge into the water into my arms(while singing humpty dumpty), and trying to float on her back and fliping over to her tummy(like a pancake, there's a song for that too). I'm so proud of her!!

Ready to go!

Swimming with daddy.

Playing with water toys.

Me and my little water baby.

With Addie's swim instructor, Chelsea.

Family Fun @ Culver's

2009-05-13T16:08:00.004-04:00

A couple weeks ago my family was together to celebrate my nephew Adam's 6th birthday. So after church on Sunday we all gathered at Culver's to have lunch. This was the first time that our entire family has gone out to eat together(minus my brother-in-law Kyle). It was fun and we pretty much took over the dinning room. :) I thought all of the kids were well behaved. Dean and I didn't make it in any of my pictures, but I think my mom might have taken some...WERE there.

Cake Decorating

2009-04-15T09:58:00.005-04:00

I took my first cake decorating class, it was so much fun! I think I did pretty good for my first cake too. I learned a lot, like you should freeze your cake before decorationg, less cake crumbs, and keeps the cake moist. I would take another class sometime, anyone interested?

Instructor's cake

My cake, my frosting colors were a little darker, and I also used a couple different tips than she did, just because I already had them.

Lemon??

2009-04-13T10:56:00.003-04:00

We went out to eat at our favorite restaurant, TGI Friday's and Addison had fun eating table food. Mashed potatoes, fruit, french fries, and even tried a lemon. She actually liked it, but the faces she made were priceless. Yes, she's in her jammies, it was jammie and slipper day at daycare.

Coloring Eggs

2009-04-09T10:25:00.005-04:00

Last night Addison and I decorated Easter eggs. Okay, mostly me, she really just wanted to bang and crack them so she could peel off the shell, and then attempted to eat the SHELL. Silly girl, she did get a little upset when I took the eggs away.

I've got my egg mom, I'm ready!

Can I eat it?

I've got this mom.

Pretty pink.

Hmmm, I wonder....

These are our creations, nothing fancy for us.

Here are Addison's poor eggs.

Trip to Gaylord

2009-04-09T10:06:00.000-04:00

Addison and I went to Gaylord a couple weeks ago to visit my sister and my aunt Val. I'll update on Val in a minute. Addison LOVES playing with her cousins, and her and Liam get along well. We took the kids to see the deer and elk right down the road from my sister's house. We will have to go again someday when it is warmer and Addie is in a better mood.

Now for an update on my aunt Val. She was moved from St. Mary's in Saginaw up to Gaylord Tendercare back in the middle of January. She has improved greatly since being in the hospital. My mom is now her legal guardian and is there with her quite frequently. I get up there as often as I can. Val is showing small improvements everyday....baby steps. We know it will be a long recovery, and only God knows what the extent of her recovery will be. Val continues to comunicate by blinking or rolling her eyes, she can move her legs a little(not sure if it's voluntary or not), and she can make vocal sounds when they deflate her trach. I was there while they did this once, and it's hard at first(and maybe a little scary) for Val. She has to try to take breaths on her own, and when she calms down, she can 'talk'. I'm sure she likes hearing her own voice again. She tries to say words, and we can understand some of them. We can also get her to laugh, which is very encouraging to all of us. I took Addison in to see her and Val just smiled, I think the little ones brighten her day. Praise God for baby steps, and please continue to pray.

10 Months and Exhausted

2009-04-02T09:01:00.004-04:00

Addison is 10 Months old already!! Can you believe it? I've already started thinking about and planning her birthday party. How can this be? Some of Addie's new/current skills and interests include taking steps on her own like a big girl, still enjoying giving zerberts, copying EVERYTHING her cousins do, trying new table foods, and repeatedly sticking out her tongue like a little frog.

Shopping is VERY exhausting.

Graves' Disease

2009-03-13T09:05:00.002-04:00

I've been diagnosed with Graves' Disease, which is really just a fancy name for hyperthyroidism, and is the most common form of it. This occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your thyroid gland and causes it to overproduce the hormone thyroxine. So I am taking Tenorim to reduce my heart rate and Tapazole to slow down my thyroid. My doctor is working on getting my into a endocrinologist in Saginaw. Once my thyroid is under control, I can look into having the radioactive iodine treatment. I have to continue to have regular blood work done, to monitor my thyroid and my liver. Apparently, the meds(and thyroid) can have affect your liver, which is why I assume the pills are not a permanent treatment. I asked for images of the scan that was taken of my thyroid, so I could post them, but no go. I know, I'm a dork. I'm still tired a lot, but am feeling a little improvement. There is no known cause of this, but it does happen more frequently in women than men.

Bruiser

2009-03-09T14:37:00.004-04:00

Addison got her first black eye this weekend. She fell and hit the coffee table. There was blood and everything, just a little cut. Poor little girl, I always feel so bad when she gets hurt. She can be pretty tough though. She just might be my little tomboy, just like I was. My mom couldn't get me to wear a dress. I hope Addie wants be a girly girl though.

Please ignore the food up her nose. She hates getting washed up.

Hyperthyroidism

2009-03-06T11:06:00.006-05:00

Yes, that is what I have, hypertyroidism. I went for the thyroid scan yesterday and today. Took the radioactive iodine pill in the morning and 4 hours later went for the screen/scan. A 'normal' thyroid will have and uptake/usage of about 15% after 4 hours, mine was 65%. After 24 hours, the high end of normal is 30% and mine was 88%. The nuclear technician told me that I definately have a HYPERthyroid. This is the first time someone has actually comfirmed that, even though that's what I thought based on symptoms. For the scan I had to lay on a table very still, then the nuclear arms with the gamma cameras rotated around my head/neck to take pictures of my thyroid at different angles. I should have the pics/results back next week. These will show the size of my thyroid and wheather or not there are any nodules present.

On the chart, I have highlighted my path so far. From blood work, my T3 level is at 1872(normal range 230-420), very high. My T4 level is 5.7(normal is 0.8-1.8), also high. My TSH level is low, 0.01(normal 0.4-4.5).

Thyroid

2009-03-04T09:46:00.005-05:00

I received the results from my blood tests. My T3 and T4 levels are high, therefore.....more tests. I am scheduled for a thyroid scan, which starts tomorrow. I will go in at 9am and take a pill, go back at 1pm for a 45 min. scan, then back again Friday at 9am for a second scan. This will hopefully tell what type of tyroid problem I have and how bad it is. I am also scheduled to see an endocrinologist...in six months, not acceptable. I have been calling around and have found a specialist in Flint that accepts new HealthPlus patients, yeah. Now I just need to have my doctor give me a referral. Treatments varry depending on the type and severity. Treatment options are pills, radioactive iodine treatments, or removal of the tyroid. One step at a time.

9 Months and Crusin'

2009-03-02T11:28:00.003-05:00

Health Update

2009-02-25T20:24:00.002-05:00

Well, I saw my doctor today, and apparently weight loss was a concern and therefore a symptom. It is most likely a thyroid condition, but blood work will confirm and hopefully specify what type. My resting heart rate is high at about 100, while sitting. When I walk around carrying Addie, it gets up to 120. So, my doctor gave me a script for that. I will find out more in a couple days when the test results come back. I have a follow up appointment next Wednesday to discuss results and treatment. Please keep me in your prayers.

What's wrong with me?

2009-02-24T10:59:00.004-05:00

I know it's a loaded question, but let's focus on my health. I haven't been feeling 'normal' for a while now. Here are my symptoms.

Weak

Tired (I could sleep all day)

Low energy

Shaky

Hot flashes(not sure I really like this term, but it is what it is)

Shortness of breath (I need to sit or lay down after taking a shower, or climbing stairs)

Nauseous

Low appetite

The weak and shaky feeling stays with me pretty much ALL the time, the other symptoms come and go. And just so there isn't any confusion, NO I'm not pregnant....I took a test. I have my own ideas, but my doctor won't do blood work without seeing me first. I want to hear what others think before I share my thoughts. I have waited almost 2 weeks to see her, my appointment is tomorrow. It's pretty much all I can do to get myself and Addison ready in the morning, and then when I get home I just can't WAIT until I can go to bed. One night I almost went to the redi-med, but I just didn't have the energy. I realize my doctor will have a nice long lecture for me on my diet and how I should change. That's not going to happen, I would just like her to treat ME, however screwed up I am.

Diagnosis?

Valentine's Party

2009-02-19T10:53:00.004-05:00

Addison's first Valentine's Day party at day care. They really try to get the infants involved too, which I really like. They are stripped down to their diapers and set at the table. They give them cool whip to play in/with. Addison LOVED it! She quickly figured out that she could eat it. They were supposed to decorate cookies, but one of the teachers accidentlly dropped them on the ground. They also had some snacks, so Addie also got to try some finger jello, also a hit.

Dinner

2009-02-11T16:20:00.003-05:00

We went out for an early Valentine's dinner since Dean has to work Saturday. We went to TGI Friday's, my favorite along with pizza hut. Addison was a little angel, she enjoyed sitting right up to the table with her own plate of puffs. :) She even gets them to her mouth all by herself now. She also tried mashed potatoes for the first time.

Hey, my puffs are all gone.

There's some more...thanks mommy!

Superbowl

2009-02-06T12:20:00.004-05:00

I know this is a little late, but here are a couple pics from our superbowl party. Food, friends, and football. What more could you want. The guys took over the basement, aka man cave. The ladies were banned, but we had our own party upstairs. :)

Resemblance?

2009-01-30T16:22:00.006-05:00

Daddy says Addison has a twin.....what do you think? It could be the hair. :)

8 Months!

2009-01-30T16:01:00.005-05:00

Wow! I can't believe my baby girl is 8 months old already. Some of her new activities and interests are giving zerberts, any exposed skin will do. She says baba and mama. She coughs/clears her throat to get your attention. Pulling herself up on ANYTHING to stand, this includes peaking out of her crib. Crawling like a big girl on her hands and knees(she used to army crawl). She makes us laugh all the time, she is just so funny. Oh, and she has TWO teeth! I just LOVE her to pieces.

STANDING!

This one's for you Kara, see her teeth?

(You may have to enlarge it.)

Yes, I need to lower the crib, AGAIN.

Peek-a-boo mommy.

Pretty baby!

Bath Time

2009-01-16T15:23:00.002-05:00

Addison just LOVES bath time! Especially now that she has new bath toys!

We learn our letters by taste...didn't you know they have flavors?

Picky Eater

2009-01-07T15:08:00.002-05:00

Okay, so many of you know about my picky eating habits. My diet basically consists of cheese, bread, and of course CHOCOLATE. I have eaten like this my entire life. My mom remembers having trouble getting me to eat even as a baby. I would not, could not eat anything containing eggs or meat. It just got worse from there. My point is...we came across a show on the food network channel the other day about adult picky eaters. Do you believe there are actually others out there like me!?! Well, there are, some aren't quite as picky as I am, but there are a few that actually like less than I do. While watching the show, Dean said 'hey they are like you'! It was good for both of us to watch. I don't feel so alone now in this respect, and I think Dean understands what it's like for me a little now, and that maybe, just maybe it's not just me being stubborn. Some of these people actually have food phobias, some have gone to therapists, to try and find out why, and to even try to change the way they eat. They taped the show at the first annual adult picky eaters convention. Dean said he is going to send me next year. I know it may sound corny to some of you, but I think it would be cool to go. They all ate dinner together, with no one saying 'just try it, you might like it', they didn't judge each other, and most of them just had grilled cheese and fries! So, after the show, I got online and found their forum, www.pickyeatingadults.com. Of course I signed up and started reading other's stories. They all talk about how uncomfortable it is eating in public or at any social event, and how they try to avoid them, or make excuses for not eating. I can totally relate. Anyway, I am pretty excited about it.

Thank You

2009-01-05T11:35:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to thank all of our family and friends who have been praying for my aunt Val. We really appreciate all the love and support. The doctor's don't offer much hope, but we are encouraged by others. Val is stable and aware of what is happening, and can respond to questions by blinking. For more details see Kara's blog. She has had a lot of visitors, and it is neat to see how many people she has touched in one way or another. Val is a very special woman. Please continue to pray for Valerie and our family.

Children's Mueseum

2008-11-20T09:51:00.004-05:00

Addison was invited to her first birthday party, for our little neighbor boy who just turned ONE. It was at the Saginaw Children's Mueseum. She is a little young to play with a lot of the things there, but enjoyed watching. She was also pretty tired. We will definately take her back when she' s a little older.

Tagged

2008-11-06T14:26:00.008-05:00

1. What is your husband's name? Dean Ryan Bennett
2. Who eats more? Definately Dean
3. Who said, "I love you" first? I did.
4. Who is taller? Dean, by maybe and inch or two
5. Who is smarter? Dean. It only annoys me sometimes.
6. Who is more sensitive? Definately me.
7. Who does the laundry? Mostly me, but he helps when I get behind, or he has nothing to wear. :)
8. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? He does, if your standing looking at the bed.
9. Who pays the bills? We both do.
10. Who cooks more? He does, but I do the baking.
11. Who is more stubborn? that's a toss up....
12. Who is the first to admit they are wrong? we're both stubborn remember...
13. Who has more siblings? I do, he doesn't have any siblings.
14. Who wears the pants in the relationship? Probably Dean, but we try to make decisions together, like a team.
15. What do you like to do together? Watch movies/tv, hang out with friends, play games, go for walks
16. Who eats more sweets? another toss up, but probably me
17. Guilty Pleasures? ice-cream, chips, just junk food in general
18. How did you meet? At SVSU, I'm one of his customers.
19. Who asked whom out first? He did.
20. Who kissed who first? It was mutual.
21. Who proposed? He did.
22. His best features and qualities? He's is extremely intellegent. He loves me. He's a great daddy and husband. He surprises me with chocolatety treats.

I tag Sarah J, and Brandi.

Update on Kara

2008-11-05T11:40:00.002-05:00

I just talked to Kara's mom(she's home with the kids), and the surgery went well. Kara is still at the hospital, and should be able to go home within a couple hours. I'll post more later if I get an update.

5 Months!

2008-10-29T19:06:00.003-04:00

Addie is 5 months old! Some of her new skills are eating from a spoon, sucking on her toes, and scooting along the floor, or launching herself forward. Here are her school(day care) pictures. They were taken about a month ago, but I just got them back.

A Night With The Veihl Kids

2008-10-26T20:40:00.006-04:00

I watched the Veihl kids Saturday night so Kara could go to a Halloween party. Addie stayed home with daddy(5 is my limit)! The kids were pretty well behaved, I didn't have to give anyone a timeout(Tommy gave himself one). Rachel is such a BIG helper, she helped Abby go potty and changed her diaper. She also asked if she could help clean up the table after dinner. As frustrating as the boys can be at times, they say things that just melt your heart. As part of Adam 's bedtime prayers he said 'thank you Jesus for dying on the cross'. As I was helping Tommy get his jammies on he said 'you could be like our mom'. I took this as a complement, I must have been doing a pretty good job to be compared to mommy. We had fun, I don't know how you do it Kara.

Last Weekend

2008-10-10T23:07:00.002-04:00

We had a nice time last weekend with the kids. We took them to a pumpkin farm(Jake's little neighbor friend came along too). There were donuts and cider, a kiddie train/tractor ride, horse rides, and a pumpkin catapult to boot. We also enjoyed just hanging around home. Addie tried cereal for the first time...we are still working on that one. It was a good weekend.

Mongolian Spots

2008-10-03T10:17:00.003-04:00

I noticed a few weeks ago that Addie had some bruises on her back and hip. I thought maybe they were from her diaper being too tight, or from her bathtub. Well, they are STILL there, so I asked the nurse about them at her doctor appointment. She said they are Mongolian spots. Huh(I thought to myself), what are those? The nurse explained, and then I did some research. They are flat bluish gray birth marks that look like bruises. They most often appear on the base of the spine, on their little bottoms, and backs. The spots can appear at birth or shortly after, and usually fade or disappear by age 2. The pigmented area has a large concentration of skin cells called melanocytes, with normal skin texture. They are most common among people of Asian, East Indian, African, and Latino heritage(which I know of none in our family). They are only seen in about 10% of Caucasians and 90% of Afican Americans. Because the spots are not as common in caucasians, parents are sometimes accused of abuse. SO, I made sure the nurse documented Addie's spots in case we are ever put in that situation. She does have one little round spot on her shoulder too that has been there since she was born. At least I know what they are now and can set my mind at ease that they are NOT bruises.

4 Months!!

2008-10-02T09:57:00.003-04:00

My 'little' girl is 4 months old already. She weighs 13lbs. 4oz. and is 25 1/2 inches long(90th percentile). Addie had to get her YUCKY shots yesterday. :(

Chocolate Raspberry Bars

2008-09-23T09:45:00.008-04:00

This is for Kara. I made these last weekend and they are very YUMMY! They also look pretty and are easy to make.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter
FILLING:
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup vanilla or white chips, melted
GLAZE:
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening

In a bowl, combine flour and confectioners' sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into an ungreased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes or until browned. Spread jam over warm crust. In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add vanilla chips; beat until smooth. Spread carefully over jam layer. Cool completely. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set. For glaze, melt chocolate chips and shortening in a heavy saucepan or microwave; stir until smooth. Spread over filling. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Cut into bars; chill 1 hour longer. Store in refrigerator.

1 Year Ago

2008-09-19T09:58:00.002-04:00

One year ago today I took a home pregnancy test and it was POSITIVE! Since then our lives have changed A LOT! We are so blessed to have Addison and she brings us SO much joy!! We love our baby girl.

My Big Girl

2008-09-16T14:29:00.002-04:00

Addie started rolling over about a month ago at 2 1/2 months old. She is very good at it now and thinks she is hot stuff.

3 Months Old!

2008-09-04T13:47:00.004-04:00

Addie is just over 3 months old now. She is losing that newborn baby look, but everyday is such a joy with her. She makes me laugh. She smiles at me when I pick her up from daycare everyday. That makes me feel good. I even treasure our late night/early morning feedings. Such a big girl, she started rolling over at 2 1/2 months. I just love her sooooo much! So here are a few random pictures of my little girl.

On the way to grandma's, spiting bubbles. Looks like a little bubble goatee.

Puke face. This is what happens when she rolls over and spits up, then rubs her face in it.

Sleeping on the way home from grandma's

Will you be my friend?

Look at that cute little person in the mirror.

Mighty Mac

2008-09-03T10:54:00.003-04:00

We walked the Mackinac Bridge this year with a couple of our cousins from Minnesota! We had fun, and I got a little sunburn.

The Start

Cousins Pam and Mark

For Aunt Sarah

2008-08-27T10:52:00.004-04:00

My sister got Addie this adorable little dress, and I of course thinks she looks very pretty in it. I feel the need to take a picture of just about every little outfit she wears. Maybe that will change someday...or maybe not.

Back to Work

2008-08-25T19:29:00.003-04:00

Well, today was my first day back to work. It went better than I expected. Yes, I did cry...last night when I was trying to decide what to wear, and nothing fit , including my shoes(my feet grew about a half a size during pregnancy). I had a little cry this morning too, after Addie puked on me right before we were walking out the door. I did visit her at lunch, and she was doing fine of course. They were impressed with her eating habits...6 oz. about every 3 hours. My husband greeted me with flowers when I got home. Thanks for all of your prayers.

The CRIM and a Birthday!

2008-08-23T18:19:00.006-04:00

Today is Dean's birthday, and he celebrated by running the CRIM with Pastor Matt. They ran 10 miles, and both did well, finishing in about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Amber and I hung out with the kids. Of course there was ice-cream and cake afterwards. We had a good time.

Finish Line

Relaxing after the big race

Happy Birthday Honey, I love you!

Tahquamenon Falls

2008-08-19T13:44:00.002-04:00

We took a little family vacation up to Tahquaamenon Falls. My mom and dad took us up there when we were kids. It was nice for the four of us to get away together. We started out with a picnic in the park. Addie had her first boat ride in a row boat. She didn't like her life jacket at all, and it was too big. We rented the row boat to get to the small island near the lower falls, it was relaxing. The boys enjoyed playing in the water and on the rocks. We also went tubing down the Sturgeon river one day and left Addie with grandma. The water was a chilly 58 degrees, but it was fun.

Party of 8

2008-08-19T13:29:00.003-04:00

Here are all 8 of the cousins together for the first time. This was taken just a couple days after Anna was born. Not bad for our first attempt, Christmas will be great this year!!

8 Hours

2008-08-09T14:45:00.003-04:00

Addison slept for 8 hours straight last night ! Yeeahhhhh I put her to bed at 11:00, she woke up around midnight because she was laying in a pool of spit-up...I would have been unhappy too. So I moved her to another part of the crib and she slept until 8am. I was so happy...I don't remember the last time I was able to sleep for 8 hours straight. She has been sleeping between 6-7 hours for the past couple weeks. I hope she keeps this up, even if she has an occasional night where she gets off schedule and wakes up in the middle of the night. This also eases my mind about going back to work in a couple weeks.

Anna Christine

2008-08-07T17:24:00.002-04:00

I took Rachel up to see mommy and her new baby sis today. Rachel just LOVES her and wants to know when they can take their baby home. Kara and Anna are both doing great, and will hopefully be able to go home sometime tomorrow. Here are the details again since I didn't have all of the information in the first post. Anna Christine Veihl born at 5:45am, Aug. 7, weighing 8 lbs. 14 oz., and 20 1/2 inches long.

Baby Veihl is Here!

2008-08-07T06:16:00.002-04:00

The Veihl's have welcomed Anna Christine to their cute little family. Not sure how big she is yet. I'm told she has dark hair(for now). Another quick labor and delivery for Kara. I arrived at their house around 1 am and they called saying they had the baby just after 6 am. I will post a picture as soon as I can get up to seen all of them.

'The Call'

2008-08-07T00:57:00.001-04:00

I just got 'the call', so I'm off to the Veihl's . I'll try to blog updates from there when I know more.

Landscaping

2008-08-02T18:50:00.002-04:00

Finally here are some pictures of our landscaping we put in this year. Actually Dean did all of the work. We have been in our house a for one year now. Landscaping was our big project for this year, next year will be a privacy fence and a nice play set for the kids.

2 Months

2008-08-01T11:39:00.003-04:00

Addie is 2 months old now, and had her check up today. She weighs in at 11 lbs. 2 oz. and is 22 1/2 inches long. Such a big girl! She is pretty sleepy today after having 5 shots, poor little girl. Here are some pictures we have taken over the past few weeks.

Some of these pictures are more than a month old , sorry it took me so long to post. Addies's interests include long walks with mommy, sucking on her fist(when she can find it), making smily faces, cooing, and scooching around in her crib and waking up 90 degrees from how she started.

Our Little Visitors

2008-07-31T09:03:00.001-04:00

Rachel and Adam came over for a few hours for a visit . Here are some photos of our activities. We had fun.

Bath Time

2008-07-22T17:58:00.003-04:00

Addie loves her bath time! Sometimes it will calm her down when she is cranky.....sometimes.

She likes to look at her reflection in the faucet.

Clean, happy baby!

A Morning at the Wading Pool

2008-07-17T18:45:00.002-04:00

The Veihl clan called and invited us to join them at the wading pool this morning . We went for about 45 minutes, it was so hot today. The Berry's were there too! It was very nice. Adie enjoyed her first time in the water, she just loves being outside. I'm trying to catch up on blogging , so there will be more coming SOON.

2 Weeks

2008-06-13T22:53:00.003-04:00

Addison is 2 weeks old today! She had her 2 week check up and now weighs 8 lbs 10 oz. We are both doing well, and even getting out of the house for a short time. We went to SVSU for a visit, and she didn't mind being handed around. Tomorrow we are going to an open house for Dean's cousin.

This is one of my favorites, she actually smiles quite a bit.

Finally Some Pictures

2008-06-05T17:59:00.001-04:00

We're Home!

2008-06-05T15:54:00.002-04:00

I was discharged Tuesday night, but they let me keep the room another night so I could feed Adie in the NICU throughout the night. She was discharged lateWednesday night, and came home with a Billi light for her Jaundice. We are so happy to have her home with us. She did awesome her first night, didn't even wake up. I actually woke her up once to feed her. I hope she will continue this, but I think the light is what is making her so tired right now. She is eating well and had her first doctor's appointment today, hopefully her Jaundice levels have gone down enough to take her off the light soon. Thank you again to everyone for all of your thoughts and prayers for us.

Update on Adie

2008-06-01T16:42:00.002-04:00

Addison is still in the NICU, but is starting to do better. She hasn't been eating because she keeps throwing up, poor little girl. They were concerned about her continuous spitting up so they did an x-ray on her stomach today. They just wanted to make sure there wasn't a reason to be concerned about her throwing up so much. The x-ray looked fine, and they said she just needs to get rid of all the yucky stuff in her tummy so she will start eating. They were going to put saline in her stomach to help clean it out. I think she's acts hungry, just can't keep anything down. Her Jaundice is stable right now, and once she is able to start eating, it should go down quickly. Please keep her in your prayers.

Addison Leigh Bennett

2008-05-31T17:20:00.004-04:00

She's finally here! Adie was born at 7:48pm on May 30th, weighing in at 8 lbs 3 oz, and 21 1/2 inches long. It was a VERY long day/night. She's beautiful!

So now for all the details. We were admitted Thursday night because my water broke, after waiting a few hours to see if contractions would start on their own, we decided it would be best to be induced with pictocin. So after 1 hour, 4 nurses, and 6 pokes, they were finally able to get an iv started on me and started the meds. Contractions started slow and manageable, but progressed pretty quickly and got very hard, very fast. It was a long night Thursday and into Friday. I asked for nubain to help with the contraction pain, and it helped, for a while. Finally Friday afternoon, after laboring for over 15 hours with strong contractions, I was so uncomfortable, okay so miserable that I told Dean I wanted the epidural. It was wonderful, even though I went in wanting to do it without any pain meds at all. At this point I was dilated to 2 cm. They kept me on the pictocin after the epi, hoping it would help things progress. A few hours later, I was only dilated at 3 cm, and at this point my water had ruptured 24 hours previous. It was decided that we should do a c-section. At this point I just wanted it to be over, and they don't let you continue labor if your water has been ruptured much past 24 hours. There's more risk of infection. So I went in around 7:30 and less than 20 minutes later our little girl was born. We were all so tired after the whole thing. Addison spent the night in our room, but her blood test came back high for jaundice, so this morning she was moved to the NICU. She is doing better, and hopefully we will both be home in a couple days. I've been taking it slow, the incision is pretty painful when I move around. Thank you Kara for posting and keeping everyone updated. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I'll post more pictures later.

We're Here!!

2008-05-29T22:04:00.003-04:00

Here we are sitting at the hospital. I went home after work today and wondered if my water had broken(I wasn't really sure). I called the expert, Kara, and she said go to the hospital. So we were admitted between 7-7:30, they confirmed that yes my water did break. I am still not having any contractions, so we are waiting to see if anything will happen, and if not they will start to induce me with pictocin tonight. Right now I feel pretty good, and both the baby and I are doing great. We will update again later as things progress. Keep praying!!

Due Date!

2008-05-28T11:09:00.002-04:00

So, today is my due date, and still NOTHING! I am being scheduled for a non-stress test before next Tuesday. They will hook up fetal monitors and do an ultra-sound. My midwife said if I don't have the baby by next Tuesday, she will schedule me to be induced late next week. I pray that I will have her before then. :)

Baby Update

2008-05-16T10:18:00.003-04:00

As requested, here's an update on the pregnancy. I'm feeling pretty good all things considered, but I'm ready to have this little girl.

37 1/2 weeks. This is how I hope to spend a lot of my summer days. :)

38 weeks

Things I enjoy about being pregnant:

Feeling the baby move
Attention(sometimes)
An excuse to eat ice-cream(not that I really need one)
Anticipation of seeing our baby girl
Ultra-sounds, hearing her heartbeat
Did I mention feeling the baby move

Things I miss about not being pregnant:

MY FEET! (I haven't seen them in a few months)
Sleeping on my stomach
My normal clothes
Not having to get up twice a night to go to the bathroom
No back/rib pain
My complection (I wouldn't call it 'glowing', darn hormones)
Caffeine

It's all worth it in the end, and I can't wait to meet our little one.

Dean's New Toy

2008-05-13T10:39:00.004-04:00

So we picked up this hot tub from a guy for FREE! (Through Casey's connections). I wasn't sure about it at first, it was in rough shape, and they are a lot of work. Dean has spent the last several days cleaning and fixing it up. With electrical and repair parts I think we have a couple hundred dollars into it. Dean still wants to paint or refinish the exterior wood part to make it look fresh and new.

As you can see he is already enjoying it. He gets in there at least once a day. I won't be using it for a while yet, but if anyone would like to come over and relax in the hot tub you're more than welcome.

Happy Birthday Adam!!

2008-05-02T13:21:00.003-04:00

My nephew Adam is 5 today!! He was just a little guy when he was born.

As Kara has mentioned, Adam can frustrate you to no end, but he is also such a joy. He is very smart and has a thirst for knowledge. It amazes me on what his little mind retains. Oh, he also LOVES to talk. Happy Birthday Adam.....We love you!!!!!

I've been tagged!

2008-05-01T13:48:00.004-04:00

what was I doing ten years ago?
I was 22 yrs old, living in Waterside, part-time student and working at SVSU full time.

5 things on my "to-do" list...

Finish packing my hospital bag
Send out Thank you's from my baby shower(I know I'm a little behind on this).
Wrap Adam's B-day presents
Laundry!! (Always on my list)
Clean House

snacks I enjoy

ice-cream!!
pickles
cheese & crackers
strawberries, apples
Chips

five things i'd do if i were a billionaire...

Give to our church and families
Build our dream house (location unknown)
Travel...a lot!
Quit my job
Hire someone to clean my dream house

5 bad habits...

Procrastination
Eating too much ice-cream
Too much TV
(I know my husband could help add more...)

places i've lived...

Cheboygan, MI
Saginaw, MI(yep, that's it.....so far)

five jobs i've had...

Student employee at SVSU
Cashier at a party store
Operations Specialist at SVSU(12 years and counting)
And coming soon.....MOMMY!

who's next????
I tag... Sarah J., Amber B., Becky S., and Chris L.

Jacob Moved!

2008-04-16T17:45:00.002-04:00

Jacob's mom moved herself and the two boys to Perry , MI. We just found out today that they have already moved. They used to live in Clio with her boyfriend. It used to take us about 40 minutes to drive to Clio to pickup Jacob , now it will take us twice as long, about 1 1/2 hours. Jacob and his brother Matthew will start at their new school in Perry on Monday. Please pray that they will both adjust well to the move and new school.

Then & Now

2008-04-16T17:18:00.007-04:00

The belly bump is definitely getting bigger....

17 Weeks

33 1/2 Weeks

My Shower

2008-04-09T15:52:00.002-04:00

Yes, finally a new post! I had my baby shower last weekend. I am not used to being the center of attention. Many friends and family came out to celebrate with me. It was nice to visit with people that I don't get to see as often as I would like. It is so wonderful to see all of the love, encouragement, and support that we have. We received so many nice things, now all we need is the baby! :) Thank you again to Kara, Tracey, Sarah, and my mom who put their time and efforts into this shower for me, I appreciate you all! Sorry I don't have more pictures, I guess I was too busy eating and chatting.

Surprise!!

2008-04-08T16:13:00.006-04:00

Yesterday my co-workers surprised me with a baby shower lunch! A couple of us girls in the office decided to eat on campus, which doesn't happen very often. It was just a ploy to get me to the cafeteria where many of my other co-workers were waiting with tables setup, balloons, and gifts. When I realized what was going on, I could feel my face turn beat red, I had no clue. Of course, Dave was there with a camera. They all went in and got us an entertainer, gift card for a high chair, and a bunch of bowls, sippy cups, bottles, bibs, etc. I didn't post all of the pictures...I'm starting to realize how round my face is getting. Oh, I just love the bib. :)

Glucose Test

2008-03-25T12:54:00.002-04:00

I had to take the 3 hour glucose sugar test since I failed the first one. :( It's a routine test for pregnancy because it will detect gestational diabetes. The 1 hour test is a breeze, but the 3 hour is rough. First you must fast for 12 hours, get your blood drawn, drink a yucky, syrupy, sugary drink, and then get your blood drawn 3 more times in 3 hours(also without eating or drinking). So altogether 15 hours without food, that's a LONG time for a pregnant girl. Anyway... I PASSED!! Praise God, since many of you know to change my diet would be almost impossible. I also passed my iron test, which is a surprise to some people. I thank God for such a healthy pregnancy so far. I guess I shouldn't complain about all of my other aches and pains.

The start of a nursery

2008-03-17T12:14:00.003-04:00

We have a crib! Thanks to Dean's mom, who sent us our crib and a bunch of other nursery stuff. We put the crib together this weekend and just love it. I will post more pictures when we have the full nursery put together. I can't wait, it makes the whole thing seem more real. She'll be here before we know it. :)

You don't see this everyday

2008-03-03T16:21:00.005-05:00

Okay, so you've probably never seen a pregnant girl on a dirt bike before, but now you have. I promise I didn't ride it, or even start it up. Actually, I sold my bike s few days ago. It was a sad day for me, but I can't really justify keeping it right now, and haven't been riding in almost 2 years. For those of you who don't know, riding and racing dirt bikes was a very big part of my life a few years ago. I love to ride and race. I even helped start a women's class in woods racing. Hopefully I'll have a bike and be able to ride again someday.

Here are a couple of pictures of me riding back in the day.