Bishop Family Vacation

Every year for the past 3 years we've gone on a family vacation with my family. This year we went up Thursday and stayed until Sunday. We stayed at Eagle Ridge Resort at Lutsen. It was the first year we had a 3 bedroom cabin....and we needed it, so the parents could sleep while the grandparents hung out with the kids in the middle of the night! Thanks, Nana and Papa!! We had a wonderful time....lots of laughs (and even tears while playing cards--due to laughing so hard)....hiking, swimming, relaxing, eating and enjoying our time together!

Happy Madelyn before our first hike! She did awesome!!

 She is seriously, the cutest little girl!!

 The dads and the kids

 This was the best we could do for a "family" picture. Unfortunately, I couldn't quite make it in time and I couldn't get the camera set up much better. Bummer!

 The first night Bishop ran around the condo naked....he kept running around in circles and we were all laughing so hard we were crying! He was loving it and it was hilarious!

 Hanging out on a John Deere in the parking lot. Bishop thought it was pretty cool

 Auntie, Bishop, Madelyn and Uncle Ryan swimming!

Madelyn went swimming for the first time and went under water....she did great and loved the water!! Bishop preferred the hottub the first day, but the 2nd day he was kicking and splashing and having a great time!!

 Uncle Ryan letting the kids play with his iPad. 

 I've never seen Bishop sit still for as long as he did...we might have to get one! :) Ryan had an app that you can touch animals or trucks and it will play the sound that animal or truck makes.....a dog or firetruck, etc.

 Look at this big, cute girl!!! Sitting up all by herself and she's not even 6 months old!! Go Madelyn!

 Bishop was trying to help her, but he caused her to fall down more than anything.

 Saturday Luke went to St John's homecoming, so he left early. My dad hiked with Madelyn and Ryan was gracious enough to take Bishop hiking.

 Nana and her grandkids....of course she brought tons of treats, which we all loved (including Bishop)!!!

 Bishop and Papa! Bishop would continuously ask for Papa....it was the first thing out of his mouth every morning. They are quite the pals!

Big Brother

Yes, Bishop is going to be a Big Brother!! We are expecting baby #2 Feburary 17, 2012. Just one week exactly after Bishop turns 2!! Bishop was born one month early due to some complications, so I'm hoping we can make it to Bishop's 2nd birthday before this baby is born....but more than anything we hope for a healthy, happy baby!

So far, things are going well! I'll be 20 weeks tomorrow. I have my 20 week Ultrasound on Monday, which we're really excited about. Of course, we're a little nervous since I was put on bedrest at 25 weeks with Bishop....but we'll take things one week at a time and I'll be monitored more closely this time.  I haven't been running during this pregnancy and I've cut WAY back on my walking (per my Dr's instructions), so hopefully that will help keep me off bedrest as well.  We won't be finding out what we're having until the baby is born, but Luke has named this baby "SisBro"....so we'll all have to wait until Feb to see if Bishop will have a little sister or brother!

These pictures were from up north last weekend. I'll post more on that trip in the next post. I'm a little nervous of all the things Bishop will teach SisBro (like crawling on the table and playing with knives), but I know he'll be a great big brother!! :)

 Bishop hanging out with Madelyn

 Bishop LOVES babies and he is so good with Madelyn. He loves her so much and I'm sure she's "kissed out" after last weekend....as Bishop kissed her CONSTANTLY!! 

Fun weekends

We've had a couple fun weekends the past 2 weekends. We saw lots of special people and did lots of fun things!!

Auntie Shelly and Madelyn came over on Saturday (Sept 10th) to play and hang out. We always LOVE seeing them!

 One of Bishop's new favorite things is to put on our shoes and walk around in them

 Grandpa Rich and Grandma Eileen came Saturday night (the 10th) to watch Bishop while we went to check out our friend, Raul's, new restaurant! Bishop had so much fun with them, especially being tickled by Grandpa!

 We have some very special pottery that we got for our wedding. It was made especially for us by Richard Bresnahan at St John's University. He made a small cup, just for Bishop (before he was even born) and this is the first time Bishop used it.

He had Hot Chocolate and did VERY well holding the cup and drinking from it. He was pretty proud, excited and he insisted on having MORE after he was done!

 Having breakfast with his favorite bear he got in Colorado!

 Every year we (well, not really me anymore) help Rich deliver firewood across the twin cities. It is a lot of work, but very fun.  This was Bishop's first wood delivery and he loved helping out!

 Helping Uncle Jake and Daddy load the wheel barrow

 Helping Grandpa sweep up after the delivery

 Grandpa let Bishop help honk the horn...

 Bishop thought it was pretty neat

 Bishop and I visited Madelyn, Shelly and Ryan after helping with the wood--

 Bishop walking around in Auntie's shoes!

 He played outside and it was a bit cool, so we put his hood up....it looked pretty funny, but it didn't bother him at all (thankfully)!

 Auntie let Bishop pick some flowers for Madelyn

 Bishop helping Auntie feed Madelyn her oatmeal

 They all loved it!

 That night we had a birthday party for Johnny (across the street from us). Johnny turned 2! He is such a miracle. He was born 12 weeks early and weighed 2lb 2oz. You'd never know it today--he looks and acts like an average 2 year old....and he's so cute!! He's such a great friend to Bishop and they love playing together (it's actually more like Bishop takes whatever toy Johnny has and Johnny thinks they're playing catch, so he thinks it's great---a friendship made in heaven!!)

 Climbing and standing on the water table!

 Leo, Bishop and Johnny...opening presents!

After the birthday party there was our annual block party! It was an exhausting day with wood delivery, visiting Madelyn, having lunch with the wood deliverers, Johnny's birthday party and then the block party! There were a couple bouncy houses that Bishop jumped in, but he was definitely ready for bed! Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures from the block party! I just love our neighborhood and our neighbors...we are so blessed. There are TONS of kids on the block and they range in ages, so it's perfect--plenty of kids for Bishop to play with and look up to.