17 1/2 weeks!

I'm growing! 17 1/2 weeks along and still feeling really good. Kiddo should be about 5 inches long!
I just woke up from a nap during the Sunday football game. Good thing I'm turned to the left. I had a serious case of bed-head on the right. My next appointment is on Monday Jan. 5 and I can't wait!! I look forward to my appointment every month. I'll be curious to see what my weight is. I've been very hungry the last two weeks, but I've tried to keep my eating in check, or at least stick to healthy food as much as I can. As soon as I eat, I'm stuffed. Then in two or three hours, I'm ready for another snack! I could graze all day. Good thing I have a busy job and don't have time to sit and munch. I would be in big trouble otherwise.

Last night (Monday), I finished making supper and was walking back into the kitchen and stopped... I think I felt something. Was it the baby?? Maybe. What is it supposed to feel like? Was it gas?? I am really hungry. A few minutes later Katie called and as I was talking to her, I felt something again. But this was a little different than earlier. So, I might have felt my baby move last night, but I'm not sure. Maybe I'll feel it again before Saturday! Then I'll know for sure. Happy New Year!!

Dang Squirrels

November 1, 2008. A day for the record books.

Ben was going to do some "clean-up" before winter came and change the oil in his truck. This 1992 Silverado doesn't get driven like it used to, but we still have it around. This particular day, Ben was having trouble getting the hood open. It does have a history of sticking, but with a little push, it will open. Not this day. So he called a few people to see if they could give him a hand. His cousin's husband Nate Sommer came to our rescue. After 10 minutes of grunting and prying- it opened. The boys were laughing and laughing, yelling for me to get the camera before I came over there. When the hood finally opened- this is what they found.

WALNUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was UNBELIEVABLE! The squirrels had stored their winter stash of nuts in the engine of our truck. Every stop you could ever THINK to stick a nut, it was there.

After nearly two hours of vacuuming, blowing and searching for nuts, we thought we had them all out. One or two must have been hiding from us, because when Ben started the engine, a loud clank, clunk, smash was happening under the hood. There was only a minor hole in the fan casing. Nothing a little duct tape can't fix!


About 2/3 or our 50 gallon barrel was full. We drove to the city dump immediately, and dumped the danged nuts. Haven't had any since. And I'll be the squirrels are hungry by now. Too bad.

A thought

Tonight, Ben and I were in the living room in our usual spots. He's in the recliner, and I'm curled up in a blanket on the couch. We were watching TV with a quiet house behind us. I looked at him and said, "We don't have many nights like this left." Just the two of us, watching TV, doing what we want. He raised his eyebrows and sighed. Fivc and a half months!

14 Weeks

I'm 14 weeks tomorrow and getting a belly!! I thought I should start taking pictures of what I looked like at this point, because I've been told I won't remember. It is such an exciting time for Ben and I. I love seeing the changes in my body ( for the most part). I had my second appointment yesterday and Ben was able to come to this appointment too. I love when he can be there and get the inside scoop of what the doctor says. Since neither of us have been through this before, I like having a second set of ears to listen. My... chest is STILL growing. STOP! I'm still really tired, but I'm hoping that will be ending soon. Otherwise, still feeling really good!

Here is Ben and his "baby bump." What a goof.


I have some pictures from Halloween and other things we have done. I'll get them up this weekend.

Week 12

Tomorrow, the plum will be 12 weeks old, and he/she weighs about a half an ounce. The sex of the baby has been determined, but we won't know what it is for another 6 months! I've been feeling really good, except for still being ridiculously tired. If I don't get at least 9-10 hours of sleep at night, I'm a zombee at work. I haven't thrown up but I do get naseated if I don't eat in the mornings. And I've been gaging on my gum, while brushing my teeth, when I get too tired, early in the morning, from the smell of my car, and now when I just look at my car I gag! Isn't that stupid? I see car like mine driving down the road and I get a lump in my throat like I'm going to vomit! Something weird I never thought would happen.

I'm starting to get a little gut! I don't look pregnant, just chubby. That's OK with me. Ben and I read the pregnancy books every Thursday night to find out what kiddo is doing the upcoming week. I think he'll be more excited when he can see more changes in me. I know he'll be a great dad, he's already a great husband. Well, talk to you next week!

It's Official!!

Ben and I are going to have a baby!!!!!!

My due date is June 5, 2009 which makes me 10 weeks on Friday.

Ben came with me to my first doctors appointment Tuesday morning and everything went very well. The baby looks good and was wiggling all around during the ultrasound. The doctor also confirmed there is only ONE baby.

We spilled the beans to both sets of parents last night. We had waited so long to tell them which made it a really fun evening. Grandma Val can't wait to be a Grandma again and Ben's Dad was excited to get to baptize another Grandchild!

We made special trips to both parents houses and after some casual conversation, Ben handed the mom's the ultrasound pictures. Ben's mom Avonne, looked at it and thought it was something we had found in a box in the garage (becuase we were cleaning out there eariler in the afternoon)! Then she looked at me and I smiled. She started crying and there were hugs all around! My mom looked at it for a minute, then looked at Dad and realized what she was holding!! She started crying as well and so did I.

Shortly after that, I had to go to band practice. So I left and told the Loose Cannons there will be an addition to the band next Spring! There were all so happy for us.

24th Birthday

On Sunday, I celebrated my 24th birthday. Grandpa and Grandma Haggstrom, Grandma Lindell, Don and Avonne, Mom and Dad, Katie, Jeff, Noah and Casey all came to Mom and Dad's for supper. It was nice to have everyone there.
Don and Grandpa relaxing on the couch after supper.

The Grandmas at the kitchen table.

This past weekend, Ben and I had our nephews (Chris and Pam's boys) at our house . Matthew- 11, Grayson- 9, Daniel and John- 6 year old twins, and Walker- 4. They came to our house around 5:00 on Friday and we had a campfire with smores. Then on Saturday we had a big breakfast and went to Mazeppa to a corn maze, pumpkin patch and apple orchard. It was so beautiful on Saturday and we loved the corn maze. Then we went back to our house and took a mandatory nap- mostly for Ben and I. The guys played some more Guitar Hero while I made supper and we hung around the house for the rest of the night. Then we went to church on Sunday morning, and Ben played in a golf tournament. It was perfect weather- rain, wind, snow, then sleet. It took him hours to thaw out (that's dedication) We had a great weekend (and for the first time in a while we finished our nephew-sitting duties w/out any stitches or hospital visits. Bonus!) We always enjoy spending time with the boys. Love you guys!!!!

The Bakken Boys Weekend!!!! Oct. 24-26

This is what happens when I leave Uncle Ben and the oldest Bakken boy alone at the campfire. Ben showed him how to tie/tape an old T-shirt to the end of a stick and use it as a TORCH!!!
Playing Guitar Hero on Saturday morning.

Daniel LOVES getting his picture taken, so any excuse to get in front of the camera is Ok with him, even if it's with his brother.

Jonas Brothers???

I made the boys go outside for a bit while I got myself ready for the day. Ben got out three rakes and told them to rake a pile. It kept them occupied for nearly an hour!!
So photogenic.

Walker's turn to jump in the pile!


Go Johnny Go!!



Right after this was taken, Daniel lost his B.T.E. (the little device that sits on his ear and allows his cochlear implant to function) in the leaves. After a minor freak out, we found it. Yeah!!

Grayson jumping in the leaf pile.
Matthew getting some sweet air!

Three little trouble makers.

Ben managed to get all 5 boys up in the neighbor's tree for a picture. This made me a little nervous, but we got a picture.

The oldest boy, Matthew.

Bakken Boys Weekend!

Walker, Daniel and John looking through the giant pumpkin.
Show me your corn!!!

You too Walker!!

After a weekend at Uncle Ben's, a kid can be pretty worn out. This is how Ben found walker.. lounging.

I guess this was the only quiet spot in the house.

Random Pics

At the end of September, Katie, Noah and I went to Grandma Lindell's house and made supper for her. We had pork chops, broccoli and potatoes. It was so nice to spend some quiet time with Grandma. We love you!!
The first Monday Night Football game on Oct. 6, we invited a few people over for supper. Our friends Jamie and Michelle Stay came over with their daughter Katherine, and she got her first shiner at our house. (No thanks to Jeff.) Poor girl. But she got some ice cream and felt all better.

Mama and Noah watching football.

Noah's New Toy

I watched Noah for a few hours on Thursday, and I happen to be washing rugs. (We all know I needed to clean desparately.) Well, Noah had never seen such a thing!! He thought the washing machine was GREAT!! It kept him occupied for a good 15 minutes!
He was so excited he was hitting the door.

Softball

Last week, I was making spaghetti and dropped a noodle. My husband proceeds to ask me, "Babe, when did you sweep last?" I answered, "Oh gol, it's probably been a

week... Why." He says, "Because the noodle is suspended."

HOW GROSS! There was a cobweb in the corner of our cabinets and the noodle landed on it. Needless to say, I immediately swept our floors.

This summer we played co-ed softball every Thursday night. Ben was the coach this year, so when the season ended, we invited everyone over for a BBQ on Sept. 13. Katherine was pretty tired at the end of the night.

Here's the team!! An athletic bunch.

Have I mentioned to anyone how frustrated I get when I blog?? Example: the following blog.

State Fair

These are Ben's nephews Matthew (left) and Grayson. We went to the state fair the second to last day. It was hot, but we had a bunch of fun! I made them model some hats for us.

The two cowboys.

Eating cheese curds on a tractor. Ahh, Minnesota.

I told him to "look like he was driving REALLY fast." This is what he did. Funny guy.

Uhh.

I still can't get my blog to straighten out. The pictures look like they are lined up when I'm putting captions on them- then I hit "post" and they go back to messy! I want to change the format of the blog anyway. Maybe this is my excuse to do it now.

Josie and Zach's Wedding Aug. 9

We had more fun at this wedding than we have in a long time!!! Josie was one of my best friends from high school, and I am so glad to see she has married a wonderful man.
Molly and Josie




































































Our good friends and Goddaughter- Taylor, Mindi and Miley Pagel