August pictures from before baby

Early in August my aunt Patricia organized a little get together as a sort of baby shower for me.  It was a wonderful day—I am very lucky.  We started by meeting up at Branbury beach for some beach time.  Joseph came along for that part.  We had a picnic and then spent so much time in the water we lost track of time.  Suddenly it was time to head to Middlebury for pedicures!  Bob picked up Joseph and we got beautified.

 

Then we walked around town, did some shopping, and they bought me presents!!

After our shopping spree we had a wonderful meal down by the river.  The Storm Café impressed us all.  We finished the night with a long walk around the college and Middlebury.  Thank you sooo much ladies (and Bob)—it was perfect!

Ooops!  Out of order and silly, but a couple photos from a fun day babysitting friends Wyatt and Isabelle.  We did some baking and lots of playing!

Checking out the new house!

I really, really enjoyed all the blackberry bushes around our new house.  Almost every night I would walk and then pick berries. (If you notice there was lots of walking in my life at this time.  I was convinced it would help me go into labor…)

I know you’ve seen this one, but it is one of my favorite pictures if me ever!  I miss my baby tummy.  39 weeks.

A day in Lincoln

We gave each other hair cuts!

Even Marc got in on the action.  It was hilarious.

The women in the family!

Back home with my boy.

Berries!

A little running.

Field days!!!!!!  A huge highlight of the summer.  I had mixed feelings about being able to attend—since I had planned on having a baby already, but Joseph sure loves it.  He went one day early in the week with grandfather Bob and went on the Zipper that day.  So I let him again when I brought him.  Then I almost died watching him.  Seriously—scarier to have your six year old on the ride then be on it yourself!

Proof.  Crazy kid!

Then hitting up the alien space ship.  Funny; last year I had a heart attach letting him go on this and this year it was old news.  No sweat.

Then we found some friends.  It was a little challenging because everyone had a different idea of what rides they wanted, but we figured it out.

Then we registered for the arm wrestling competition

Practicing

Competition time! Last year Joseph easily won the 5 and under division, but this year he was in the 6 and 7 year old class.  We had talked a lot about how it would be harder and I am glad we prepared him!  There were 16 contestants in his class and he was probably the youngest.

But, he did a great job not getting discouraged and just enjoying it.

Of course, it helped that he still did pretty well and got third place.  Funny, because he had said all along his goal was to at least get a medal.

Off to get treats and play games.

This game is a big favorite for Brad and Joseph.

Brad’s turn!!!

Brad did a great job too—though he didn’t place.  Most of the entrants in the men’s division are part of a club that practices arm wrestling all the time and enters national tournaments, so the really are pretty professional.  Brad’s first match up was against one of these guys.  It was a looooooooooooonnnnnnggggg hard battle that got lots of excitement and Brad finally won, but he was done afterwards.  Neither he or the other guy ever won another match up.  But Brad kept trying and it was fun.  Well kind of.  I was sweltering and getting bit by tons of bugs, but other than that it was fun!

Joseph’s “mad I didn’t win face.”

But happy I got a medal!

Picnic and birthday party—for Debbie, Jenn, and Brendon—at grandma and grandpa’s

Cake I made for Debbie!!!

A day at Button Bay.  On my due date!  It was entertaining when people asked when I was due.  It felt like a weird twilight zone going so far over my due date.  I normally have lots of plans, but I had worked so hard to jam everything into early in the summer and hadn’t made many plans for August, since I thought we would have a baby.  But we found fun stuff to do and made the best of it.

Practicing flips

And handstands.

My view on my long walk I adopted after my due date to try and get ‘things’ going.  I walked over a mile most nights and one day did 2 miles and still nothing…

A house I love…

Lots of swimming and playing with our neighbors

Dinner at the halfway house.  Joseph and Maddy ditched their families and ate together instead.  It was pretty cute.

Biking—lots of biking.

Did I mention I miss my tummy?  Headed to the hospital, 41 weeks and 4 days pregnant, the day before delivery.