Crazy Day

I need to start this post on a positive note and to express how thankful, grateful and blessed I feel and am! I am one lucky woman, wife and mama and I have a beautiful, healthy family!

I need to start this paragraph by saying....everyone is ok......Bishop and I were involved in a pretty serious car accident this morning on our way to daycare. It happened 4 blocks from our house and a woman (turns out to be our back door neighbor, but I didn't know that until after we got home) ran a stop sign and we hit her broadside going pretty fast! I basically t-boned her (although it was completely her fault). My air bag deployed and my car ended up facing the opposite direction in which we were traveling....her car was facing the opposite direction it was traveling on the opposite side of the road....she had just dropped her kids off at school and failed to even slow down for a stop sign, so I didn't see her AT ALL! The damage to her car was on the passenger side...and her passenger side airbags deployed, but she was not hurt.

Like I said--we are all ok. I am pretty sore and was really shook up, especially worrying about Bishop's condition. My glasses flew off, but before I even got them, I got out and got Bishop out of the car. Instantly there were people there to help--it was like they were waiting there to help us out....this nice man got my glasses and phone out of my car...someone else called 911 so I could call Luke. THANKFULLY he was home and was with us within minutes. The police, firetruck and ambulance were all there within minutes. I was checked out in the ambulance and knew I was "ok", but very sore. I've been told the worst is yet to come and I'll be more sore as time goes on. My chest and neck are the sorest, but I can feel it in other parts of my body. I did take Bishop and myself in to the Dr this afternoon to be checked out and everything seems fine. He is tougher than his mama, that's for sure!

Just a friendly reminder to wear your seatbelts!! It saved our lives today--I am sure of it! And, for those of you with kids...keep them in the back middle seat (if possible) and rear facing for as long as possible! I hate to sound like I'm lecturing, but you can't take anything for granted.

I truly believe everything happens for a reason and this was a big sign for me to slow down and to focus on one thing at a time, especially when driving (especially since I do so much of it for work). Things could have been much worse and although it was (and will be for quite awhile) very scary, we are all ok and walked away from the accident.

The good news about today was that Grandpa and Grandma B came to visit to help out at our Dr appointments and they joined us at Bishop's Fall Festival!! Daddy was supposed to have a football game tonight, but it got cancelled, so he was able to join us as well! I will post pictures once I get them downloaded.

Bishop the Bear and one of his teachers, the bear!

Bishop really enjoyed playing the piano!

It was an emotional day and a few tears were shed as I laid Bishop down to sleep.....he is truly an angel!

Bishop was exhausted after the eventful day! He was such a trooper and remained so calm considering all the commotion!

Weekend with Mama

Luke was out of town, fishing with his friends for the weekend. He left on Wednesday and got home today. Bishop and I missed him, but had a great time together and we were so excited to see so many people! A lot happened while Daddy was away!

First off, Wednesday night when Bishop went to bed he wasn't sleeping.....but I let him go down and I had the monitor on...all of a sudden I hear a banging noise....he had gotten himself to the other end of the crib and was banging his musical turtle against the crib (sitting up, trying to pull himself up). Of course it made me nervous, because we need to move the mattress down, (daddy moved the mattress down, so we're ok now) but it was surprising that he was so active in bed!

Thursday morning I had to get to an appointment early, and when it's just the two of us, I make a trip to the car and then come back in to get Bishop to take to daycare. When I went to the car he was playing nicely with his toys and when I got back (just a couple minutes later) he was across the room...he had knocked a present over and took out the tissue paper and was playing with it!!! He knows what he wants and he'll do anything to get it! I'm not exactly sure how he got it--but I think he either scooted, slid or rolled (I don't think he crawled...but he's SO close).

Speaking of crawling--he is getting up on all fours and rocking back and forth--it will be any day and he'll be all over the place. He pretty much can get to where he wants to go already. He's also loving standing up against things (the couch)--he's not quite strong enough to pull himself up, but if you stand him up, he'll hold himself for quite awhile.

Friday night we went to Grandpa and Grandma B's....we went for a walk and played and played and played....it was so fun!! Saturday morning we visited Great Grandparent Lokens and then went to Auntie Shelly and Uncle Ryan's for lunch with Great Grandparent Bishops. Bishop had his first "trick or treating" experience and we all laughed and laughed and laughed...he loved it!!! Great Grandpa Ray and Great Grandma Darlene gave Bishop a really neat pumpkin with his name in it!!! We had a delicious meal and Bishop loved all the attention!!! After the great grandparents left, we went for a walk and then it was time to head home for a bath with Bishop's new fishy toy from Auntie and Uncle!

Bishop and Great Grandma Loken

Bishop and Great Grandpa Loken

Playing at Grandpa and Grandma B's.....Bishop LOVES the toys at Grandpa and Grandma B's SO much--thankfully Grandma let Bishop take his favorite train home with him....so we've been playing with that nonstop for the past 3 days (it moves and Bishop knows how to make it move now, so it's pretty fun for him)! :) Note the golf shoes from Grandpa B!

Trick or Treating.....his special "Bishop" pumpkin from Great Grandpa Ray and Darlene!

Our little bear...we all laughed pretty hard at this one!! He was up on all fours, just hanging out....looking like a little cub!

Standing up, playing with his new fishy--thanks Auntie and Uncle!!!

This morning Bishop and I went to church---he wasn't fussy at all....VERY happy, but also loud. He'll just outburst and start talking/yelling and so we spent most of the service in the lounge, listening.

This is such a fun age (8 1/2 months)...I absolutely love it! Bishop is the happiest baby I know...honestly, the only time he cries is when he has a little gas and as soon as he burps, he's smiling again! My face hurt on Saturday because I was smiling so much--that's how happy this baby boy makes me (he doesn't seem like a baby anymore, so I want to call him a baby for as long as I can)!!! We are so blessed! I love my little boy more everyday...it's amazing how much you can love one person!! He is the absolute highlight of my life... I truly treasure everyday!!!! I love you bigger than the sky, Bishop!!

First Tooth

I forgot to post that Bishop popped his first tooth a week ago today--at 8 months!!! I had the day off and we spent the day together-and I realized it in Target, of all places!! He had had some diarrhea, but other than that he wasn't fussy at all! He really is a GOOD baby and we are so blessed!! His first tooth is his bottom right tooth and I think he's working on his bottom left tooth, as he's had a runny nose (but has still been super smiley). I pray the rest of his teeth come in as smoothly as his first one!

I know the picture doesn't look like much--but for a lil guy (and his parents), it's a big deal! :)

Como Zoo

On Saturday Grandma B came up to play with Bishop and the three of us went to Como Zoo! It was Bishop's first time at the zoo and he loved looking at the animals and all the kids!! It was an absolutely BEAUTIFUL day...we enjoyed every second of it and there were lots of smiles!

We visited the Seals

We visited the Ostrich, who was eating the paint off the railing!

I ended my night with Girls Night! We went to Red Stag Supper Club! There were 9 of us that were able to make it and we had a blast--lots of laughs and fun times!

Apple Orchards at 8 Months Old

Bishop is 8 months old TODAY! 10-10-10! It has been the best (and at times most trying--due to our house/living situation) 8 months of my life! Bishop has brought us so many smiles and giggles, he truly is a HAPPY boy! The only time he fusses is when he's hungry....we are truly blessed!

Today was a WONDERFUL day! One of my favorites!! Auntie Shelly and Uncle Ryan came over to watch Bishop and they took him for a walk while Luke and I stained the fence area around our egress window. Rich and Eileen did both of the stairs going down onto our patio on Friday, so we finished the rest today. Ryan also helped Luke (A TON) move our furniture into our new space and get our TV and stereo hooked up! We are "in" and it feels wonderful!! So, by noon we had gotten a lot accomplished and then we took Bishop to 2 Apple Orchards!

We went to Apple Jack's orchard in Delano first--it was BUSY BUSY and packed! Bishop checked everything out and even played in the crate of gourds all by himself!

Then we checked out the Fall Harvest Orchard in Delano, which was awesome!! It wasn't as crowded or commercialized--it was more like someone's farm, turned into orchard! Bishop visited a couple goats and saw the pigs, baby chicks and then played in the pumpkin patch! We bought our pumpkins at this orchard (a daddy, mommy and baby pumpkin)! We also picked up some DELICIOUS Honeycrisp apples, jam and honey! I'm so glad we stopped here, as it was much more our pace and we enjoyed it a lot!!

Bishop in the pumpkin patch

Our little Piggy

On the way home we stopped at a winery for a glass of wine. It was a beautiful winery and it felt like we were on vacation!!

Bishop and Mama at the Winery

What a day! 85 degrees in October is crazy!! I hate to say it, but it was almost too hot for me for this time of year, but I'll take all the nice days I can now!

We are sad the Twins season is over, but we are excited for Football and the Vikes game tomorrow night!

Torticollis

This is a picture of daddy doing one of Bishop's stretches!

I just realized I haven't posted anything about Bishop's torticollis. Bishop was diagnosed with Torticollis and has been going to physical therapy every week for the past 6 weeks. Torticollis is a shortening of the muscle in his neck. It's nothing serious if we work on it and have we been working on it!! We've been doing exercises (much to Bishop's dislike) and working with him to look to his left and tilt his head so his right ear bends to his right shoulder.

His head has always been cocked to the side and his pediatrician mentioned something about it when Bishop was 3-4 months old, but he didn't think he had torticollis.....come to find out, he does. Being he was a little older when it was diagnosed means it might take a little longer to resolve, but it is mild and he's doing really well with the therapy. Because his neck hasn't been that strong, he wasn't rolling over as much as other babies....we worked with him and now he rolls all over the place. He usually rolls to his tummy in his sleep and we always find him in a new position in the morning!

Hopefully the therapy will continue to help and it'll be resolved soon!

Twins and North Shore

Hiking up the Temperance River

Temperance River

Temperance River

Dan and Molly hiking the Temperance River

Where does the time go!?!? I mean to update the blog more often and I just realized it's been 2 weeks! Sorry about that!!

Life is good here! Our house is Done!! (almost ALL done)! Luke and I went up to the North Shore for a friends wedding this weekend, while Bishop spent some time with Gpa and Gma B in Owatonna and when we came home our house was clean and organized and done! :) It is wonderful!! There are a few small things left to finish and the cabinet/countertop in the kitchen, but all in all, they are done! We love it and now we just need to move into our new space! Looking back over the past 14 weeks makes me laugh now--it makes life seem so easy and simple compared to what we went through--it was tough and not something I would recommend with a baby!

Speaking of baby, Bishop has been as happy and wonderful as ever! His torticollis is getting better and we only have 1 exercise to work with him on, so that's exciting! He is rolling around like crazy and he's even started crawling backwards (or sliding)....this morning I had him playing on the floor in the living room, on his blanket and all of a sudden I heard something, I turned around (I was on the computer-he was behind me) and he was playing with the knobs on the TV receiver! He's one busy guy!!

Last Thursday Luke and I were invited to the Twins game by a couple of friends of ours who work for Cambria and we were wined and dined in the Cambria suite at Target Field! The Twins played awful, but we didn't care--it was a beautiful suite (Cambria provided all the granite for all the suites at Target Field, so they got to design their own suite and now the Pohlad's are copying them). Grandma Froehle came up to spend some time with Bishop while we went to the game. We took the bus and we're so excited for the bus, as it's REALLY slick from our house!

Friday, Gpa and Gma B came up and picked up Bishop for the weekend. Luke and I went to the North Shore (Shroeder) for Matt and Kaari's wedding! It was a very fun weekend with friends...the weather was perfect and it was a beautiful time!! I missed Bishop, but it made coming home that much more fun!

I can't find my computer cord to transfer pictures from my camera (Luke might have it, as he used the camera for work). I'll post pictures as soon as I find that cord, sorry!! I found the cord--it was in Luke's bag!!

Marie, me, Anne, Molly and Sara at the wedding ceremony--BEAUTIFUL!

Violet Love

Violet helped out behind the bar before she had to go home to bed!

Dan, Anne and Ben dancing the night away!

During the dance the bride and groom pulled out tons of glow sticks, such a great, fun idea! This is Dan--we nicknamed him "Avatar"