Brian & Hope

Philip's New Boots

2012-02-01T00:33:00.002-06:00

Today was a daddy daycare day. When I asked Brian this morning what he and Philip were going to do for the day, Brian said Philip needed winter boots and he was going to take him to Prospector. Apparently when Philip rides in Brian's truck, his feet get cold (because the truck is parked outside and it has been 40 or 50-below for weeks and weeks).

So, today Philip got his first pair of Sorel winter boots. Philip wasn't in the mood to model them before he went to bed, so Brian's picking up the slack.

They have plenty of tread for when he's tromping through the snow, snowmachining with his dad.

Aren't they adorable? They're a little big, but there's still plenty of winter to go and he's continuing to get bigger everyday.

I love that Brian's so thoughtful and that the boys are out and about during the day having adventures!

How Kind

2012-01-31T01:04:00.000-06:00

One of my New Year's resolutions this year is to be in more photos (especially with Philip). When he looks back on photos of when he was little, I'd like to not be the one always behind the camera. So, tonight Brian snapped a few shots of Philip and I reading our (okay, my) favorite kid story "How Kind"- a story of barnyard benevolence. Animals all over the barnyard doing kind things for each other. Adorable.

Ready for bed. All smiles all around.

Good night.

Upside Down

2012-01-06T00:49:00.002-06:00

Some days are upside down days.

Today was one of those days.

Story time with Dad

2012-01-01T23:24:00.003-06:00

Philip received some new story books for Christmas called "Llama Llama" (from friends of ours here in Alaska). They're fantastic reads. Even Brian has enjoyed going through the stories with Philip. There's one about going to bed without fussing (Brian's favorite) and another about being scared on the first day of school. The later is my favorite because Philip starts daycare later this week and I'm anticipating the first few days being kinda rough. Thankfully I'm only working half days this week, so it will be an easier transition.

Wish us luck!

My favorite photos of the year

2012-01-01T02:09:00.002-06:00

As I reflect back tonight (New Year's Eve) of the year past, I found so much joy capturing moments with my camera. Adding Philip to the family allowed many new opportunities to experiment (and gave the dogs a much appreciated break from a lens in their faces all the time). So, here are some of my favorite photos of 2011. Not all photos have the best light, focus, or coloring, but they're still my favorites because...well, you'll see. And forgive me, these are not in chronological order.

Love the blue in Philip's eyes in this photo taken in the snow of Valdez.

Somehow the stripes and plaid just really worked in this picture of Don and Philip (Philip is just about a month old). So little, right?

This is a perfect "Philip" expression- showing off his cute little personality, along with the kind face of Uncle Chuck. This was taken in Kalona, IA.

Philip having a nap on Grandma Platt. He looks so comfy and I had a wonderful time when my mom came to visit. I was so sad when it ended, but I cherish the memories we made.

I love hoods on babies! Don't you?

One of Philip's first attempts eating puffs. "Mom, they're really sticky. Help!"

'Major Cutie', right?

Philip with Great-Grandpa Ouillette on our road trip to CT this summer. Grandpa was singing softly when I snapped this shot. Philip was so content and happy. It made me happy.

Caleb at the Fort Dodge Fort Museum this summer during the Bickmeier Roadtrip of 2011. His mom was taking a picture outside, but I loved the lightening from the inside.

I don't have many pictures of Brian that show off the color of his eyes. This is one of them. And he has a fresh haircut. I have even fewer photos of that, so this I cherish.

And finally, my dog Dawson. He's a beautiful chocolate lab and I love him! This picture makes him look stoic, when really he's a big goofball, but I love him just the way he is. And isn't that what we all want- to be ourselves and be loved for it?

What do you think 2012 has in store? I'll be seeking out more joy.

Thankful

2012-01-01T01:12:00.002-06:00

We have so much to be thankful for as we look back on 2011, but one of the most important is that my twin brother Seth made it home from Afghanistan safe and sound this past summer. After spending the holidays last year deployed, having him back in the States was wonderful (even if we weren't together). Thank you Seth for your service!

At the same time we send prayers out for those soilders who are still serving overseas during this holiday season and for our military families in 2011 who suffered ultimate losses. Let's all hope and pray that 2012 holds far less grief and far more joy.

Changes

2012-01-01T01:01:00.001-06:00

I think we will forever remember 2011 as the "Year of Change" for us. Not necessarily tons of changes, just some major ones. For starters, I might have called you crazy if last New Years you told me I would be posting a year later back in Alaska. Or at least that we would make the move in November. Now THAT was crazy (and not by choice).

Anyway, Brian and I made a list of the biggest changes that occurred in 2011.

In no particular order (except #1):

1. Welcome Philip! This handsome little guy has made 2011 extra special. And look how much he's changed in just 8 months! Lots of growing and learning. I think he's going to make 2012 extra special too.

Philip Scott: Day 1

Philip Scott: (almost) 8 months

2. I become a stay-at-home mom. The opportunity was a blessing, though I have missed my work and not having a daily routine. I wouldn't trade my time with little Philip for anything, but I am excited about returning to work the first week in January. Philip's at an age where I think he'll thrive spending a few days a week in daycare and spending more 1-on-1 time with his dad. Good luck Brian!

3. Brian completed his B.A. degree in Business Management from Buena Vista University. Congrats, Brian! I still don't know how he managed to fit in all of his school work and hundreds and hundreds of over time hours. I guess what we can say is "Phew, glad that's over." We're so proud of him!

4. We sold our house in Iowa (THANK GOODNESS) and moved back to Alaska- in November. We were sad to leave this house (after all, it was Philip's first home), but were excited to be heading North. We enjoyed our time in Iowa for the most part, except for the wind, blizzards, horrible work schedules, intense humidity, and dog injuries. On a positive note we met lots of interesting people, made a few close friends, got to know Brian's Midwestern family, did plenty of gardening, attempted to raise bees, antiqued, picked lots of apples, the dogs ate lots of apples, and Brian found a few old jeeps in need of a loving home. So the good certainly outweighed the bad, but I think Brian and I both agree that Alaska was beckoning for our return.

And now that we're back we are NEVER MOVING again! (Well, except into a house we plan to buy next summer...)

5. We ditched Chevy SUVs and became believes in Subaru. So now we look like everyone else in Fairbanks (especially since we replaced our Iowa plates with yellow Alaska ones). I don't understand, however, why with so many Subarus in the arctic, the temperature gauge only goes to -22F. So, in my mind, the temperature when I'm driving around is never below that mark. Ha! Take THAT Fairbanks winter!

6. We arrived in Iowa with 2 perfectly healthy, young labs and unfortunately returned to Alaska with only one in good health, Dawson. Mattie tore her ACL last spring and had to have surgery. She hasn't been quite the same since and as I write this post she's walking around on 3 legs, having injured her other back leg. She's going back in for a second surgery in a few weeks. Poor pup. We're hoping 2012 is her year to return to good health. Fingers crossed (and wallet opened).

Alright, 2012, let's see what you've got! In the meantime, we wish our blog readers a happy and healthy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-26T01:12:00.000-06:00

For Christmas Eve Brian, Philip, and I headed over to my sister Jen's house to visit with her, her husband Dave, and their twin boys Wyatt and Connor. Jen made a kicker pork roast, complete with twice-baked potatoes. The potatoes were more than worthy to be in a blog post. Yum!

Connor and Wyatt are pretty hard to take pictures of, as they never sit still, but here I got both of them in the frame.

Mostly Philip watched the festivities. Next year he'll probably be able to keep up with his cousins.

I love this little holiday outfit! Brian thinks it's mean to put Philip is such outfits. I say, what if he's my only son and this is my one chance to have him wear adorable outfits like this?? Besides, he doesn't seem to mind.

Jen is always up for clipping Philip's nails- which is awesome because I hate doing it. Philip was pretty good....

until the end. Philip got sick of the "clipping nails" game. In his defense, it was past his bedtime. Despite these tears, we had a wonderful time. Thanks Jen and Dave!

We had a quiet Christmas at home unwrapping gifts with Philip. Here's a special gift from Great Grandma & Grandpa Platt. Mostly Philip liked eating the wrapping paper, but he actually did tear off most of the paper on this one.

Brian showed Philip the ins and outs of unwrapping gifts. A important skill for any kid.

Playing with some blocks from Grandma & Grandpa Platt.

The gift Philip liked the most was this ball that rolls around, talks, and plays music. He has a great time following it around the floor. Of course, this was just an extra gift I got at the last minute...

Philip got his father a new video game that doesn't have a lot of violence, so they can play it together. All of Brian's other games he can only play while Philip is taking a nap for down for the night. Here's Philip helping Brian figure it out. Think they look related?

Like father, like son (minus the stripped pajamas).

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night! (Sleepy baby, can you tell?)

A Christmas Sweater

2011-12-26T00:05:00.003-06:00

I have to post some photos of Philip in this little sweater, knitted by one of my PEO sisters back in Iowa. It's an interesting pattern because it zips down the back- easy to get on a squirmy kiddo.

I received it as a gift shortly after Philip was born, and it finally fits. Was 20-below this morning- perfect weather for wearing such a beautiful sweater made with lots of love!

The story of Philip's first Oreo cookie

2011-12-22T01:47:00.000-06:00

I think that I'm going to let the photos do all the talking in this post.

The End.

7 month photos

2011-12-11T01:04:00.001-06:00

Philip turned 7-months old two weeks ago, but I haven't taken any decent photos until today. I think the teeth that he's getting are making him more sleepy than usual, so he's a little tired in this pics, but still a cutie.

"Hey there, what's up?"

"Mom fed me spaghetti for dinner (for the first time), so I'm a happy camper. It was tasty!"

"Don't underestimate me! I'm not sweet and cuddly all the time! Roar!"

This last photo makes me smile because the only sound that he makes that isn't babbling is a "growl" sound that we make when playing with one of his stuffed bears. Whenever he sees the bear he snarls. :)

Tooth

2011-12-11T00:49:00.001-06:00

Okay, I took this photo during Philip's dinner, so there's some carrots on his face, and he kinda has a runny nose, but check out the tooth! I also noticed in this picture that you can see his other front tooth growing in too!

My favorite Christmas tree ornaments

2011-12-07T00:04:00.001-06:00

We put up our Christmas tree last week, having a wonderful time going through ornaments and telling stories associated with them. I wanted to do a post about some of my favorite ornaments. Brian has some "business to take care of" in his current video game (Red Dead Revolver), so he didn't have time to help with his post. Otherwise no doubt there would be other ornaments on the list. So these are just my favorites.

This is my puffin ornament. Seth and Michelle got him for me on a trip they took to Seward. He reminds me of the time when I first moved to Alaska in 2003 and Mom, Dad, Nate, Tammy, Jen, Seth, Michelle, and I were all in the area. It was a special time with lots of family activities (including Family Funday Sundays)! Crazy puffin- he got all tangled up in Christmas lights.

This is our black lab ornament that Grandma Platt gave to Brian and me the first Christmas after we were married. It reminds me how exciting it was when Mattie finally arrived in Fairbanks from South Dakota (after many flight delays) and how important Mattie and Dawson are to us. They've kept me company through a lot of lonely nights when Brian was at work. They're such good dogs. We were very excited when we opened this ornament- it looks a lot like Mattie!

This is one of our newer ornaments. My friend Jennifer in Iowa gave this ornament to little Philip before we left to come back home to Alaska. Noah's Arc is Jennifer's favorite bible story, so she thought Philip needed this ornmanet. It reminds me of the wonderful friends we made during our Iowa adventure, especially those at the First United Methodist Church. Philip had many friends in the nursery and they were sad to see him go. We were sad to leave too. I wish we could have taken the nursery with us! This is one of Philip's first ornaments! I know he's little yet, but the Noah's Arc song is his favorite. We sing it everyday!

This is a white Lenox dove that Mom and Dad Platt gave to us while we were in Iowa. When we putting up our tree there for our first Christmas we didn't have enough ornaments to decorate the whole tree, so I asked for ornaments as a Christmas gift. This is just a beautiful ornament that reminds me of a time when we didn't have enough memories to fill a tree. I also think it is a lovely symbol of the purity of Christ and the sacrific God made for us sending his Son to save humanity.

This is our holiday pickle. Brian and I picked out this ornament the first fall after we were married on the coast in Oregon (when we were spending Thanksgiving with Brian's family). It reminds me of the hearing about the German tradition of the Christmas tree pickle for the first time from my siter-in-law Laura, the wonderful times we had on the coast with Brian's family, and the cute Christmas tree shop we visited each time we've traveled to Oregon for Thanksgiving.

This is a little, locally made cabin ornament that I bought after Brian and I got married. It reminds me of the little cabin that was our first home together in North Pole. This ornaments actually looks a lot like our cabin.

This is a Christmas ornament that my dear friend Naomi made me the first year that Brian and I were dating- in 2004! I guess she thought the relationship would last- eventhough we had only been together 6 months. Now we've been married almost 6 years! This ornament reminds me how excited I was when I started dating Brian- smitten in fact! (Okay, I'm still smitten...but who wouldn't be, Brian's a gem!)

We wish all our followers a wonderful holiday season filled with wonderful memories new and old!

A chilly day for a walk

2011-12-06T23:49:00.001-06:00

The temperature has been above 0 the last few days, so we've been taking Philip and the dogs for walks around the neighborhood. Everyone is enjoying being out of the house- even for 30 or 40 minutes (or until Philip gets chilly). Philip is very comfortable in his down snowsuit and knit hat- everything but his nose is toasty warm! And he thinks he's pretty cool because he matches his dad.

We're looking forward to the solstice in a few weeks when we'll be gaining sunlight again. Currently our house doesn't get any direct sunlight and we've had to resort to happy bulbs in the lamps.

It has been wonderful having Brian home more- it's like we're a complete family again!

First tooth!

2011-12-06T23:38:00.001-06:00

This is a picture of a little boy who got his first tooth! Brian noticed it yesterday while feeding him supper. He's been teething on Alaskan carrots the last few days- maybe that's what finally did the trick!

Philip crawling

2011-12-01T02:04:00.001-06:00

Just call him zoom.

Testing, testing

2011-11-30T01:41:00.001-06:00

I'm trying to update my blog from my phone. Here's our Christmas tree!

A big introduction

2011-11-22T18:23:00.001-06:00

Today was a big day for Philip. Being a North Pole kid, I wanted to introduce him to (the real) Santa before the holiday rush. Santa and I chatted about our recent move back from Iowa (it's important for Santa to know that Philip isn't in Barnum anymore!), the unseasonable chilly temperatures, and Philip's new little hat. If you can't tell, it's a reindeer hat that he'll be wearing for the holidays. Santa said, "put a red nose on this little guy and he could pull my sleigh!"

If you're interested in where I got the hat, here's the Etsy link. It was handmade by a lady in Boise, ID. Cute, isn't it?

Harbor

2011-11-13T22:51:00.001-06:00

I went for a drive this afternoon while Mom and Dad watched Philip. The sun was out for a few hours this morning, but clouds moved in and the wind picked up after church. The Harbor was quiet- such a difference from the hustle and bustle of summertime. Most vessels are out of the water for the season, but I did find these merganser ducks hanging around one of the last ships.

As I write this Brian is leaving Tok, Alaska and heading for North Pole! Tomorrow will be my last day in Valdez before heading north on Tuesday morning to meet Brian. I think Brian will notice a big difference in Philip when they're reunited.

Can't wait!

Exciting things

2011-11-13T22:44:00.001-06:00

There are exciting things to see out of Grandma and Grandpa's front window (apparently).

Philip crawling

2011-11-11T17:22:00.001-06:00

Philip started crawling this week. Take a look!

Our Day

2011-11-10T19:55:00.001-06:00

Heard from Brian early this morning. Things were looking "better" after a rough day yesterday and this morning. They've been having tire issues, ice issues, and a suicidal deer. But, they're making progress. If all goes well they may even make it to Watson Lake this evening.

As for us here in Valdez, it was a nice day. Hung out with Mom and Dad for the morning. Then Dad went hunting Ptarmigan, Mom went to work, and Philip and I roamed around the floor. He's getting the hang of crawling and is somewhat hard to contain. Anyway, I talked to some friends, Philip had some snacks, I made quiche for dinner while Philip napped, and then we watched Dad snowplow.

The clouds cleared this afternoon and it was a lovely sunset. Here are a few shots from Mom and Dad's south and east windows.

The quiche is smelling lovely in the oven. Going to be a nice evening, though it would be even better if Brian was here. Can't WAIT for him and Daren to make it to Fairbanks.

Quiet Day

2011-11-09T19:06:00.001-06:00

Not much goin' on in Valdez today. Mom and Dad are working and I'm hanging out with Philip. The sun broke through the clouds for just a couple of minutes, so I napped a few photos of Philip playing on the floor and during snack time.

And yes, if you were wondering, he is a stud muffin.

On a side note, my cell service is a little patchy here, I can receive text messages, but not send any. So, if you've texted me and haven't gotten a response- that's why.

Hangin' with Grandma and Grandpa

2011-11-05T00:07:00.002-05:00

Today was our first day in Valdez, having arrived this morning. It was a beautiful day- the mountains were clear and snow covered.

Mom and I took Philip out to play in the snow.

Good thing we brought his snowsuit!

Mom helped Philip take a few steps in the snow.

And make a snow angel. The kiddo wasn't too much into the whole experience. Although in his defense, it was right before naptime, so he was tired and not so open to new experiences.

Maybe we'll try again tomorrow.

Philip's first plane ride

2011-11-04T23:34:00.000-05:00

This is how Philip spent the majority of his plane rides from Fort Dodge, Iowa to Valdez, Alaska (Fort Dodge to Minneapolis to Seattle to Anchorage (where we overnighted) to Valdez.

The baby did awesome! He never cried, just hang out, slept, ate, and smiled at the world (and people) walking by. I couldn't have asked for an easier time.

It did help that we each had our own seats in first class. Instead of peanuts and pretzels, here's my pesto pasta...

and a lovely little salad. (There may also have been a cocktail while Philip was sleeping.) Ahhh...the life!

Can you tell what's going to happen?

2011-11-04T23:01:00.002-05:00

Our last outing to Rustix was on Wednesday evening. Daren (Brian's packing/driving buddy) was able to accompany us. Another sad goodbye. We'd had some good meals (and big beers) there.

This photo was taken right before Philip spilled the entire contents. You don't know how much beer is in a "big beer" until an infant spills it across the table, floor, Daddy's lap, and Daren's shoes.

It seemed like a fitting way to end our adventures at Rustix, doesn't it?

Last night in Iowa

2011-11-04T22:49:00.002-05:00

This picture is of my last sunset in Iowa. As I'm writing this I'm sitting in my parents warm house in Valdez, Alaska. It was sad pulling out of our driveway for the last time yesterday morning, but I was eager to get out of Brian and Daren's way. I think having the wife and child out of the way made packing easier. The boys start their journey tomorrow. Send good thoughts and prayer their way, please!

A quick trip to Harper

2011-10-31T23:30:00.000-05:00

Philip and I took a quick trip east on Saturday to visit Uncle Gary & Aunt Jean before we head north. As an added bonus, Uncle Chuck, Aunt Sharon, and Christie came over too! There were tasty meals, a trip to the cheese factory, and time spent in Kalona.

I didn't take too many pictures, but I did get a few nice ones of Philip with his uncles.

He got along splendidly with Uncle Chuck...

and Uncle Gary.

Getting to know Brian's aunts and uncles has been a highlight of our time in Iowa. Thank you for helping us feel welcomed in the Midwest! We'll miss you all, but will certainly stay in touch!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T23:18:00.001-05:00

Although we didn't do any trick or treating (and didn't have any stop at our house), Philip dressed up (briefly) as a spider for the holiday. Michelle sent the costume last year, so it was nice that it fit. It seemed like a nice tribute to our old friend "Spidee", who passed away earlier this year.

Sometimes Philip gets his balance right and sits up on his own. Other times he slumps and falls over. Who ever heard of a spider sitting up anyway?

Philip was very patient and humored me during this photo session, until he got too hot in the costume (which didn't take long at all)

Cutest spider ever, right?

Trick or treat!

Happy Halloween everyone!

6-month photos

2011-10-31T23:04:00.001-05:00

Here are a couple of 6-month photos I took late last week. Some good scratches on his nose if you look closely. I feel like I'm always cutting his fingernails! On a side note, I'm thinking Philip is going to be right handed because his nails are more worn on that hand. Just a guess.

All by myself

2011-10-31T22:57:00.002-05:00

This week Philip started holding a bottle all by himself!

Moving

2011-10-23T22:13:00.002-05:00

We're less than 2 weeks away from our move back to Alaska. Most everything is packed up in boxes.

While packing we found a drawer we had painted when we first arrived. We wrote a note on the back. (Roos is a nickname we have for the dogs.) Brian decided to add an extra comment before we put it back in it's place, adding Philip's initials.

Thankfully the house is SOLD!

Two weeks from now we'll both we on the road! Adventure Ho!

6 month photo shoot (a week early)

2011-10-23T21:55:00.000-05:00

I was diggin' the light in our living room the other day, so did a little photo shoot a week shy of Philip's 6-month birthday. He's happy to pose and is generally amused by my efforts to get him to smile.

No teeth yet (but plenty of drool). Maybe by next month?

See- great light, isn't it? Brings out the blue in his eyes. I think the orange shirts helps too.

He's been working on his bear wrestling moves for when he gets up to Alaska. (You never know when this skill might come in handy.)

My little stud muffin.

"Well hey there Mattie, mind if I pet your ears?"

"No licks, no licks!"

Sorry, Philip, that's what happens when you get too close to the dogs. An important lesson learned. It's a tough world out there.

Nursery Farewell

2011-10-23T21:25:00.000-05:00

On Sunday mornings during the church service, Philip hangs out in the nursery with his friends. He loves being there and doesn't seem to notice that I've left them. He's kept very busy and is tuckered out when he leaves.

Today the kiddos and staff threw Philip a going away party. His friends are sad for him leave (they've grown very fond of him), but everyone enjoyed the celebration. (And they learned where Alaska is on the globe!)

The party was complete with a gift and an adorable cake!

Here's Ms. Linda, head of the nursery. She is quite possibly the nicest lady I've ever met. Seriously. She's a gem and Philip loves her!

And Philip with his buddy Adyson, who also helps out in the nursery. If anyone in Fort Dodge needs a babysitter- Adyson is your gal.

I took lots of other photos, but don't want to post any here with other kids in them (at least without their parents' permission), so you'll have to take my word that it was quite a party!

Farewell Luncheon

2011-10-23T21:15:00.000-05:00

This past Friday some of my dear friends from our church threw Philip and me a lovely farewell luncheon- complete with this beautiful tablescape.

And some hearty and delicious soup...

and a beautiful and refreshing salad!

There were even cookies (and cupcakes) from Larita's bakery in Fort Dodge. They are the BEST (and most decorative) cookies I have come across in all of my travels.

Philip tried is first graham cracker (which was way better than the rice crackers I had packed for him). I thought he would throw his rice crackers on the floor because he couldn't hold on to them, apparently that's not the case. He just gets sick of them. This graham cracker never left his little hand (until it turned to mush).

This is Philip hanging out with Julie- the hostess extraordinaire.

A nice photo of everyone (except Connie who was taking the photo).

These are the ladies who gave my so much support through my years in Iowa. I will miss them so much, but am grateful that God had our paths cross, even for a small amount of time.

Thank you all for your kindness!

Corn Maze

2011-10-18T22:22:00.002-05:00

Brian has a few days off, so we took the opportunity before leaving Iowa to visit a corn maze. Interestingly enough we had to drive 2 hours to find one that was open on a weekday. You'd think finding a corn maze in Iowa would be cake. Not so the case.

This particular maze was at Pumpkinland in Orange City, Iowa.

The maze took us about an hour to complete, even with a map.

I can see how a family could get lost in a cornmaze. It all looks the same and you can easily get turned around.

Philip was pretty excited and loved watching the corn blow in the wind. (Sorry this photo is sideways. For whatever reason blogger isn't cooperating with this one picture.)

Brian was an awesome map-reader.

And he made a pretty good scarecrow too!

Wait up!

There were 6 mailboxes hidden in the maze that we needed to find in order to win a prize. We found all six and got snacks for the long ride home.

Made it!

Mastered!

And, of course, we had to take Philip's photo by the "How Tall This Fall?" sign. Looks like he's pushing 2 feet!

Brian wishing he was at the 7 foot mark.

It was an incredibly sunny day, but we wanted a picture of Philip by the pumpkins and mums.

Eventhough the sun was in his eyes, he didn't complain.

A fun outing spending time together as a family. We're all looking forward to spending more time together when we get back to Fairbanks and Brian's days off aren't so few and far between.

Snuggles

2011-10-18T21:45:00.000-05:00

Cute photo of the day- Philip in his warm pajamas, snuggling with Brian.

Honestly Mamma, I don't know how I got here.

2011-10-14T22:09:00.001-05:00

Philip has been all over the place these last few weeks. His favorite new game is to see how quickly he can get under his play mat. Most of the time he's pretty happy playing this way, until he gets stuck and can't figure out how to get out from under it. Then there are some tears until he's rescued.

Eating Puffs

2011-10-08T23:38:00.001-05:00

I gave Philip "puffs" for the first time this week. I don't think he got one into his mouth. They dissolve so quickly that they just kept sticking to his hand, then his face, shirt, pants, everything.

"Mom, this is going to get easier, right?"

Letters

2011-10-01T22:48:00.002-05:00

I've been pulling out some of Philip's toys that he's been too little to play with until now. His favorite this week is a set of soft letters. They're great to chew on (apparently) and easy for him to pick up. And he can reach them from his little seat.

G is for "Gee I like being a big kid. Being able to reach what I want is awesome!"

Q is for "Quick, Mom, finish taking pictures so I can get back to playing."

"Wow, these fingers are turning out to be pretty useful. Sweet!"

M is for "Mmmmm".

There's so much to figure out when you're a baby. How thrilling that we get to help Philip learn all this stuff!

Not looking like a little baby anymore

2011-09-30T17:26:00.000-05:00

I took these photos of Philip yesterday and when I was looking back through them I thought, "Wow he doesn't look like a little baby anymore."

His hair is still really light, but he's getting more of it. Can you tell?

Still the same, sweet expressions. Reminds me of my brother Seth.

Except when he gets sick of having his photo taken. Then he turns into an angry lion baby. How's this for a snarl?

Grrr.............

Dinner with Daddy

2011-09-30T17:13:00.000-05:00

Generally Brian isn't home to feed Philip, but he managed to get a day off earlier this week. So, I thought the two of them should bond over carrots. Philip was skeptical.

"Mom, is it okay if I take food from this guy?"

Guess who's 5 months!

2011-09-25T22:18:00.000-05:00

5 months ago we welcomed Philip Scott into our lives. The time since has been joy-filled!

I've been taking a lot of photos of Philip lately, trying to work on lighting and such. I'm hoping during my time as a stay-at-home mom that my photography skills will improve. This is pretty easy to do when you have a cute test subject for photos. I don't know what it is about kiddos in hoods (and bear ears), but it makes my heart melt. Thus, I couldn't resist taking some snapshots of Philip is this outfit.

Honestly, he always looks this happy! He's a content kiddo. Unless he can't get his fist in his mouth, then he gets somewhat grumpy.

Don't think those blue eyes are going anywhere.

Cute, cute, cute.

Next stop- 6 months (and Alaska)!

Goodnight Moon (and Philip)

2011-09-25T21:56:00.002-05:00

Most nights Philip likes us to read "Goodnight Moon" to him. He gets all calm and settled in to listen.

I snapped a couple of photos of him and Brian in this evening ritual. Even though Philip is so much bigger then when he was born, he still looks small on Brian's lap. Brian isn't home much these days, so Philip gets pretty excited when they get to spend time together.

Goodnight Philip.

What happens when Brian works too many hours...

2011-09-25T21:22:00.000-05:00

You all know that Brian has been working crazy hours for the last few months. When he got home the other evening I asked him to change the baby's diaper so I could finish dinner. This is how Philip was returned to me. Yes, that his onesie snapped over his pants. Raise your hand if you think Brian needs a day off.

Trailer for the move- check!

2011-09-21T19:30:00.001-05:00

Today we headed to southern Iowa to pick up a trailer for our move back to Alaska. This trailer is 20 feet long and will hopefully hold Brian's jeep, the 4-wheeler, snow blower, and lawn tractor. Brian says it will hold "future jeep carcasses" when we finally get settled into Alaska. We'll see about that. I think one (non-running) jeep on our property is quite enough.

A study of Dawson

2011-09-14T20:14:00.000-05:00

I'm finding time these days to play with my camera, especially with aperture and shutter speed. Dawson was my subject this evening. This photo was taken in amazingly low light. I love my Canon Rebel!

It was a green bean kind of day

2011-09-14T20:10:00.000-05:00

I'm loving using my baby bullet (baby food maker). It makes making organic food for Philip quick, easy, and inexpensive. Tonight's selection was green beans. I didn't think Philip would be too impressive, but he loved them!

...although you wouldn't know it by his expression. I know he looks a little washed out- I've been playing with the light settings on my camera.

Sometimes we try to eat more than the food offered. Bibs are great to chew on between bites.

Philip's first solid food!

2011-09-07T15:24:00.000-05:00

Sweet Potatoes for our little Sweetie!

We're moving back!

2011-08-30T14:15:00.000-05:00

It's official- we're moving back to Fairbanks at the end of October/beginning on Novemeber. We're enjoyed our time in Iowa, but feel like it is time to return home.

Dad, are you going to get up?

2011-08-30T14:13:00.000-05:00

Brian works a lot. Sometimes when he's switching nights to days (in 24 hours), he needs some encouragement to get up. Philip likes it when Dad gets up.

The rest of my trip East

2011-08-30T14:07:00.000-05:00

I'm back from a whirlwind trip to Ohio and Connecticut. Philip met some very important people and I was able to spend quality time with Seth since his return from Afghanistan. Here is Seth, Michelle, and the kiddos at a beautiful park near their house.

After leaving Seth and Michelle's I scooted over to Pennsylvania to visit my awesome cousin Nancy, her husband Matt, and their two adorable kiddos Naomi and Ben. Here's a shot of Naomi.

And Ben.

Nancy approved of Philip and they along splendidly. :) I do wish I lived closer to Nancy. She's a wonderful friend. I'm lucky to be related to her!

After that I went over to Connecticut to visit all my Grandparents and introduce them to Philip. Philip took to Grandpa Ouillette right away. They rocked together.

Uncle Larry (Nancy's Dad) came over to meet the new addition too. Yup, he has the touch.

I stayed at Grandma and Grandpa Platt's house. Here's Grandpa Platt entertaining Philip before dinner.

Grandma Platt made corn fritters for dinner. A wonder, wonder, wonderful New English dish.

Yum-o!

Grandma introduces Philip to Tigger.

I spent an additional day with the Ouillettes (eating a beautiful lemon meringue pie) before heading back home. Visits always go so fast. I was sad to leave, but happy to be getting back home to Brian.

A excellent visit before our move back to Fairbanks. Hope to see you all again soon!

Our Day

2011-08-14T18:56:00.001-05:00

Our first full day visiting Seth, Michelle, and the kiddos. The day started with the kids getting aquainted. They all seemed to approve of this new little cousin.
While Seth and James worked on a kitchen renovation project, all the girls went for a little outing. Gabby and Harmony got new haircuts for school.

Philip thought the salon was pretty fun- what with all the lights and people. He's also discovered his tongue in the last few days, so that provides almost endless fun.

This evening after dinner we went to the park. Gabby went very, very high on the swing.

James, Harmony, and Gabby.

James has been a gymnast for several years, so he does some pretty impressive stuff on the park equipment.

Harmony did a lot of climbing.

All in all, a fun day!

3-month photo shoot

2011-08-01T14:48:00.003-05:00

Philip is 3-months old, so I thought we would do a little photo shoot to show how much he's changing. In the last few weeks he's discovered both his hands and feet. This provides him hours of enjoyment.

His hair is still light with some red and his eyes are clearly going to be blue.

If nothing else, he has his father's nose and chin.

Here's lookin' at you, kid.

He's growing so fast! Amazing!

What Philip does when we're not looking...

2011-07-28T15:58:00.000-05:00

We caught Philip riding Mattie this afternoon. Looks guilty, doesn't he?

Heat

2011-07-23T19:06:00.002-05:00

Most of you have heard about or experienced the horrible heat in the last two weeks. For several days in a row the heat index was right around 115 degrees. All the local television stations had the heat index listed in the upper right corner of the screen, which is the photo below. I'm told that all the corn in Iowa increases the humidity, which dramatically influences the heat index. Who know?

Interestingly, Mattie doesn't seem to mind the heat. She lays out on the deck in the sun for a half hour at a time, or until I make her come in for a drink of water. Sheesh- you'd think she was a little kid on summer vacation!

Philip and I are hoping that the heat with break sometime this week so we can start going for walks again. Our running stroller is collecting dust!

Philip on the Ring

2011-07-23T16:57:00.000-05:00

Just a little video showing what Philip was up to today.

More rolling over.

2011-07-17T18:07:00.000-05:00

Just in case any of you want to see more video of a cute baby rolling over.

Rolling Over!

2011-07-13T09:41:00.003-05:00

Here's Philip's newest trick- rolling over! He rolled over at about 10 weeks, though it took me a few days to actually record him doing it. He HATES being on his tummy, so I think that encouraged him to figure out how to roll over. Smart kid.

Hanging out with the Bickmeiers

2011-07-13T09:27:00.003-05:00

After leaving the Baylors, we scooted over to Aunt Sharon and Chuck's for a mini Bickmeier reunion. It was a hot, hot, humid day, so Uncle Jeff was kind enough to cool off the kids. Eventually he got his own bathing suit on and joined in. Yeah, Jeff is a kid at heart. Jason, Karl, and the rest of us hung out on the sidelines (where it was much dryer). Eventually the bugs got bad and chased us inside. Cousin Christy was happy to spend time with Philip. A quick visit, but a fun one. Thanks for hosting and feeding us!

Baylor Wiener Roast

2011-07-13T08:46:00.019-05:00

This past weekend was the annual Baylor Wiener Roast in Illinois. Besides tasty hot dogs cooked on a stick over an over fire, there was lots of sunshine and games.

The beanbag toss is a favorite.

Laura organized a beanbag tournament. If I recall correctly, Uncle Phil won, but there was some good competition. Little Karl was a hit with the cousins.Ada enjoyed the sunshine.Luke hung out with Hank.Aunt Sharon and Uncle Wayne. Philip got along splendidly with Sharon...and Ashley. :) The two Catherines.
We also met Jeff's awesome girlfriend Jessica.
Here's a photo of all the cousins- a recreation of a photo from when they were all little. The whole gang!Cousins!The Bickmeier kiddos. The Rust family. Such a fun event! Can't wait for next year!

Bickmeier/Rust Summer Visitors!

2011-07-12T21:25:00.025-05:00

Last week we had the pleasure of having the Rust family from Oregon (Brian's sister's family), the Boston Bicks (Brian's brother's family), and Brian's folks visiting. It was a blast having everyone together and having all the cousins hanging out. Summer is a fun time in Iowa.

The kiddos had fun catching fireflies (and were expects at it by the time they left). Here's Luke showing off his catch.

And Cate investigating her firefly lantern. Cate with her mom Jennifer. I think this picture shows how much alike they look alike. We had to take the family to Rustix in Humbolt, IA for a pork tenderloin sandwiches. We've tried to take Jeff and Laura before, but always seemed to be foiled. We finally made it this time, but didn't see the pork tenderloin on the menu. Thankfully the chef made an exception. (Phew! Brian thought he might be tarred and feathered if we couldn't actually get them).

Jeff and Brian washed their sandwiches down with a big beer.Karl had his first big beer too!Here's a picture of all the cousins together- Caleb, Philip, Cate, Ada, Luke, and Karl. Not all smiles, but all together. :)Caleb did a great job holding baby Philip. They were buddies. The Bickmeiers are avid croquet players. Unfortunately things got a little heated and Jeff and Jason had to battle each other.After the battle was over Laura led the way to the Fort Dodge Fort Museum. This is a picture of our sticker pass to get into the museum (which is a series of small historic houses in addition to the fort itself and a nice display of antique items from the area). The gang getting started to go through some of the houses. Jason, Jeff, Karl, Patsy, Laura, Jennifer, Brian, and Philip (in the stroller).Caleb got to see what a one room school house looks like. And the kiddos got to ride this blue horse.Caleb poses for a photo for his mom through the window. I caught him from the inside of the building. The Boston Bicks- ready to go!Karl's a cutie with his rosey cheeks. The kids got a little rowdy, so they were put into the county jailhouse at the museum.Patsy enjoyed the whole family being together.

Eventually the fun ended in Iowa and we all headed to Illinois for the annual Baylor Wiener Roast (Brian's mom's side of the family). On the way the Rust family and Brian and I stopped in Galena, IL for lunch. We've been to Galena before, though it is always a treat to stop there. The downtown is a lot of fun with many, many cute little shops. We stopped at Gobbies' Pizza for lunch. Jennifer and Cate at lunch.
Most photos from the Wiener Roast to follow!

Storm Damage

2011-06-27T17:36:00.005-05:00

Last night a big thunderstorm with high winds hit our area. When Brian went downstairs to head off to work this morning around 4:45am, I heard him say, "What the heck?" Not hearing anything else I went back to sleep. After I got up at a reasonable hour I noticed the deck was strewn with gill pieces. Brian sent me a text that said The grill was upside down on the deck this morning so I flipped it back over. Thinking that was a bad sign, I took a walk around the property and discovered that the top of one of our trees had snapped off and smashed into our dog kennel. Thankfully the dogs were inside, so there were no injuries. However, I'm pretty interested to see how Brian is going to fix this one. It did a good number on the fencing. Does homeowners insurance cover kennel damage?On a brighter note, we do own a chainsaw and at least it wasn't a tornado. I feel that living in Iowa can be hazardous to your health.

2 months and a milestone

2011-06-25T15:21:00.002-05:00

No longer is Philip a little newborn- he's a 2-month old baby. Oh and today he rolled over for the first time! :)

Cute kiddo

2011-06-24T17:11:00.005-05:00

Don't you think green is my color?

Zzzzzz....

2011-06-24T17:06:00.002-05:00

Ever since Philip was born he has slept with both his hands positioned over his head. This is apparently how he is most comfortable and he fusses until he is able to reach this perfect sleeping position. When he was a newborn he wouldn't accept being swaddled unless his hands and arms were free.

A Philip Study

2011-06-24T16:57:00.007-05:00

Just a couple of fun photos I took during play time. Philip loves playtime, but hates tummy time.

Mom headed home...

2011-06-24T10:40:00.005-05:00

Mom left to head back to Valdez yesterday. It was sad to send her back home and we're missing her lots. She did dishes and laundry and cooked and walked the baby and gave Philip bottles and baked and babysat while Brian and I went out or ran errands and fed the dogs and gave Philip baths and did tummy time and changed diapers and kept me company while Brian was at work.
Thanks for coming Mom!

Des Moines Farmers' Market

2011-06-18T21:22:00.015-05:00

Today Mom, Brian, Philip and I took an early drive down to Des Moines for the downtown Farmers' Market. This is a huge market with lots of fresh produce, local craftsmen, and entertainment. Philip said he was up for the adventure, so we all headed south!

The Market takes place downtown in front of the courthouse. A nice backdrop for sure. The temperature was a nice 73 degrees thanks to an overcast sky. Brian was on stroller detail. He's really embraced this whole dad thing. Thankfully Philip has a laid-back personality (probably gets that from his Dad), so even after a 2-hour car ride he was happy to be pushed around the crowded market. "Let's go!" Well, happy for the most-part. Eventually he started asking when we were going to stop for a snack......so we took a bottle break. Which was good because it also turned out he needed a diaper and outfit change. The highlight of the morning was probably this group of belly dancers entertaining the crowd......or maybe this toothless senior belly dancer who danced with two live snakes around her neck! It was especially interesting when said snakes got caught in her hair and she needed a fellow dancer's help to get them unwrapped. *shutter* Not to worry, she continued to dance through the whole thing- pretty impressive, actually. Brian tried some chocolate-covered bacon. Now he can cross it off his "bucket list." He said it was actually pretty tasty- sweet and salty. We were happy to be home after a tiring morning of shopping and driving...and there may have been some gourmet cupcakes (and Iowa coffee- not shown) purchased that made a lovely end to the day.Also not shown are the purchased tomatoes, cucumbers, cauliflower, peaches, mint (for mojitos) and fresh bread. An excellent Saturday spent together!

Moving to NY from AK via AZ

2011-06-16T22:43:00.001-05:00

Earlier this week our sister-in-law Tammy, her kids Bethany and William, and her parents Mark and Connie, stopped in to visit. Tammy & Nate are moving from Alaska to New York. Tammy was visiting her folks, who were kind enough to make the drive with her and the kids from Arizona. Nathan stayed in Fairbanks a few extra days and was meeting all of them in New York. I know, complicated stuff, isn't it? Moving out of Alaska is such a project!

Anyway, the crew was only able to stay one night, but we had a lovely visit. The kiddos needed to burn some energy, so we started with a trip to a local park to try and accomplish just that.

Bethany digging in the sand- this is a really cool piece of playground equipment. Doesn't William look like a pro?There were also horses to ride...Even Mark got in on the fun! Tammy, Connie, Mom and Philip (in the stroller) enjoyed the sunshine (and not being in a car, I'm sure). I don't have too many additional photos to put in this post, as everyone left the next morning. But, we are so thankful they were able to stop by and look forward to seeing them next time in New York!

Best of luck with the move, Nathan and Tammy!

Mom's visiting!

2011-06-16T14:08:00.003-05:00

Mom Platt is visiting this week! She's spending lots of time snuggling with her 12th grandbaby. I should clarify and say that Philip is not spending a lot of time sleeping on Grandma because once he falls asleep she immediately puts him in his swing or pack n' play. She said he needs to learn to sleep alone and not be snuggled all the time or he'll only sleep while being held. Which might sound slightly harsh, but in the time that Mom has been here Philip has been sleeping better at night in his co-sleeper (and not asking to be held or snuggled at night)- he'll eat and then go right back to sleep. What a wonderful thing! Clearly wisdom from a mother of 5 and grandmother of 12.

Call me old fashioned...

2011-06-12T08:27:00.002-05:00

Scene: Check out at Walmart

Young Fort Dodge Checker: "What a cute baby. What's his name?"

Me: "Thank you. His name is Philip."

Checker: "Wow, really? Why did you pick such an old-fashioned name?"

Hmmm. I didn't think that Philip was old-fashioned, seeing how Brian has an Uncle Phillip and my father and grandfather's middle names are also Philip. This speaks volumes about Fort Dodge where many of the boy babies have names like Skyler, Destiny, or Angel

Just so you all know, apparently Brian and I aren't on the cutting edge of trendy baby names.

My new job

2011-06-09T13:27:00.002-05:00

Today I gave my notice at work so I can be a full-time mom. It is sad to leave a job I really enjoyed, but Brian and I agreed that with Brian's work schedule it would be a challenge to have us both working. So, we're going to make some financial adjustments and have me home full-time with Philip. I'm so excited, but this is going to be a big change...

How are the dogs?

2011-06-07T20:50:00.004-05:00

Lots of people have asked us how the dogs are adjusting to life with a baby in the house. For the most part they ignore Philip (Mattie occasionally sneaks a lick...just to see what he tastes like), though they have to share our time more than they used to. On a positive note, we are home a lot more than we used to be, so they're pretty happy about that. The biggest challenge for them, I think, is that they have to now work around all of Philip's baby gear- and there's a lot of it.

The other day I parked Philip's jogging stroller in one of Mattie's favorite napping spots.

I don't know how she managed to shoehorn herself between the stroller and the door, but she did. Poor pup- it's a tough life around here.

Smiles!

2011-06-07T19:57:00.004-05:00

Philip has started to smile! He's our happy little guy with a sweet personality. "My name is Philip and I'm happy to be here!"

Deadliest Catch

2011-06-03T17:54:00.003-05:00

This is what it looks like when a father and son decide to watch Deadliest Catch on Netflix starting with Season 1: Episode 1.

Grandma and Grandpa Bickmeier came to visit

2011-05-28T21:40:00.002-05:00

Brian's folks were visiting earlier this week. I didn't take too many photos of them (none of his mom, actually), but here's a nice one of Philip and his Grandpa having a pleasant conversation.

Thanks for the visit, Don and Patsy! See you in a few weeks when you come back!

Our new icky addition

2011-05-28T18:30:00.007-05:00

A few days ago, Brian and I were sitting in the living room with his visiting parents and Brian said, "Hey, check out that massive spider!"

I told Brian to kill it. Instead he captured it, bought an aquarium and some crickets, and is keeping it as a pet next to his dusty old toy jeep collection in the living room. (I don't agree with the jeeps in the living room either, but I guess it's better than having a jeep grill up in the living like we did in Alaska.) Marriage is all about compromising. Brian and I disagree on what the role of a spider should be in our house. Somehow 'Spidee' The Wolf Spider is a welcome member of the household. Ick. Ick. Ick.

Philip is one month old!

2011-05-25T15:21:00.005-05:00

Philip is one month old! The time is passing so, so quickly. Goal for his second month- smiling (and more growing)...

Brian's Graduation!

2011-05-22T23:05:00.008-05:00

This past Saturday Brian went through Buena Vista University's graduation ceremony. Brian completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management the same week that Philip was born. It was a busy week and the last month has flown by! It was nice to have a day to focus on Brian's accomplishment. Not only were Brian's parents Don and Patsy able to attend, but Aunt Jean & Uncle Gary and Aunt Sharon & Uncle Chuck, and Brian's cousin Christie also made the drive over. It was so nice to have so much family support!

Brian waits before heading over to the chapel to line up for the march.

The day started out rainy, but cleared up by the afternoon. BV's main campus (in Storm Lake, IA), is beautiful, which made the day even better. Here is a photo of the the graduates lining up. Brian's pretty easy to pick up being the tallest of the group. See him?

Here's Brian entering the fieldhouse for the ceremony. Brian and I after the ceremony. As a BV faculty/staff member I also marched in the ceremony (hence my cap and gown). I am so proud of Brian! We didn't get a picture of everyone who came to support Brian, but here is Brian with his father Don (on Brian's left) and Uncle Gary (Don's younger brother). There's a lot of height in the Bickmeier family, as you can see. Standing next to his father and Uncle Brian appears to have normal height. After the ceremony everyone came back to our house for cake and conversation. Just as the cake says...Congratulations Brian! We're all so proud of you!

Naps with Dad

2011-05-22T17:56:00.004-05:00

Brian said that Philip doesn't like napping with him because his chest is so muscular the baby isn't comfortable. Right, Brian, right..
.

Walk at Twin Lakes

2011-05-22T17:25:00.004-05:00

We've been trying to get Philip out for walks as much as we can. Fresh air does everyone good, right? I think we will spend a lot of time at Twin Lakes this summer walking around the lake and enjoying the Iowa sunshine.Earlier this week it wasn't especially warm, so Philip had to be bundled up. We'll be looking forward to some time when he can be out and about without so many layers.

Stripes

2011-05-16T18:05:00.008-05:00

Philip has decided that he loves stripes. This morning he was sporting cute striped jammies while hanging out with his dad.

His dad was sporting this silly expression. I think there's a resemblance, don't you?

Louise came to visit!

2011-05-16T15:38:00.009-05:00

This past weekend Louise came to visit all the way from Denver. She and Ryan have twin boys who just turned 2, so she is all about taking care of little boys. Louise didn't spend much time snuggling with Philip, however, and got right down to cooking after she arrived.

She started by heading outside and harvesting some of our plentiful rhubarb. We now have rhubarb coffee cake in the freezer, along with a strawberry-rhubarb cobbler on the counter and additional bags of rhubarb ready for baking in the freezer. In addition, Louise took our GPS and headed to the grocery store to buy cooking supplies. By the time I got up from a nap, she had completed 3 lasagna, pans of macaroni and cheese, enchiladas, and chicken and rice dishes were going into the freezer. We have enough food to keep us full for many, many meals. We also have some fantastic toffee Louise made, just as a little extra. I'm not sure how long it will last because Brian's pretty smitten by it. So tasty! We did find some time to head to Rustix restaurant for big beers!It was a fast weekend, but so much was accomplished (by Louise).

THANKS FOR COMING, LOUISE!

Eyes

2011-05-14T23:05:00.002-05:00

Philip has been showing his eyes more and more. Here's a good picture of him awake. Hello handsome!

Philip's First Walk

2011-05-05T19:49:00.007-05:00

Philip said that he needed to get out of the house today. Brian and I thought some fresh air would do all of us good, so we headed down to our favorite pond for a short walk. The temperature was close to 70, but there was a cool breeze, so Philip stayed close to Brian in his little carrier. Halfway through the walk some dark clouds started to roll in and we started feeling some raindrops. It was a quick walk back to the car. I was very excited to fit back into my walking shoes and yoga pants and to have some of my energy back. And apparently the rain and cool breeze didn't bother Philip. He was asleep by the time we got back to the car.

Brian is DONE!

2011-05-02T22:05:00.002-05:00

A big congratulations to Brian who handed in his final assignment to complete his Bachelors degree in Business Management! Graduation is on May 21st.

So, it has been a busy week here in the Iowa Bickmeier house- a new baby boy and a business degree.

Well done, Brian!

Life is good

2011-05-02T21:55:00.006-05:00

Philip is a week old today! So far he's enjoying life except for the changing of diapers, hiccups, and baths. Life is good!

Bath Time

2011-04-29T22:20:00.008-05:00

Today Philip got his first bath at home. Here was the setup on the kitchen counter.He was so snugly, it seemed mean to wake him up.
The bath was slightly traumatic. Look how small Philip's hands are compared to his father's. All was forgiven after he was dry and warm. Ahhh....the smell of a baby after bath time. A joy!

Heading Home Photos

2011-04-29T21:28:00.001-05:00

Philip was born on Monday, 4/25. We were able to go home on Wednesday, 4/27. Philip wore a little outfit that said "Rock Star". Brian's pretty sure that Philip is going to grow up to be a drummer in a band, so the outfit seemed appropriate. Philip was a happy camper after we got him dressed. Ready for his next adventure! Though he wasn't so much a fan of the carseat. There were some tears shed, but he eventually settled in for the 1.5 hour car ride home. He was good most of the ride home.

Cute, isn't he? We were happy to be heading home, but sad to be leaving the wonderful staff at Mary Greely Medical Center. They offered us amazing, amazing care. It was well worth the drive and they gave Philip a wonderful start on life!

2011-04-26T02:03:00.007-05:00

Nothing fancy about this post, just some pics of the new kid in town, Philip Scott Bickmeier. Born on April 25, 2011. He is 6lbs 150z and 20 inches long.

Philip Scott

2011-03-05T11:39:00.001-06:00

Philip Scott will be joining our family around the end of April. Here he is around 20 weeks.

First storm of the season

2010-12-12T20:29:00.004-06:00

We had the first blizzard of the winter season yesterday. A few weeks ago we purchased a snow-blower, so Brian tried it out on the driveway this morning.
I think we'll keep it. No doubt we'll get plenty of use out of it in the coming months.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-12T20:06:00.007-06:00

With Christmas right around the corner, we decided it was probably time to update our blog with our Thanksgiving outing. Brian and I have both been working a lot, so Brian suggested we go out for Thanksgiving rather than making a big meal at home (which would require washing a lot of dishes). I thought this was an excellent idea, so I found an advertisement in the local newspaper for a B&B that serves Thanksgiving dinner.

Halderwood Farms, outside of Pocahontas, IA.
This B&B has taken a centennial barn and turned it into a banquet hall- that's where dinner was served.

The inside was really nice and the buffet was tasty. Brian ate lots of stuffing- I concentrated on the mac and cheese. We had reserved seating- just like in a fancy restaurant. A nice lady that we sat with took this slightly fuzzy photo of us. Sometimes a point and shoot camera would come in handy...Fun times in central Iowa! We missed being with family, but were happy to be together, enjoying a new experience.

Not much to report...

2010-10-31T18:49:00.003-05:00

There isn't much happening here to report. The weather has been cool- not much about 30 in the mornings, but we haven't seen snow yet. I'm starting to feel better (I'll be at 15 weeks in a few days) and have some energy back, which is great because I've also started teaching an evening college class- Organizational Communication Theory & Practice. Guess that Master's degree came in handy after all. The class meets two nights a week from 8:10-10:45 pm, so I'm pretty tired after all the prep work, working all day, and then instructing. My free time has been limited to say the least (hence the lack of blogging). The extra funds will come in handy to buy baby furniture after the first of the year, I think. I've heard something or other about kids being more expensive then dogs...

Homework distraction

2010-10-21T14:49:00.007-05:00

Today is the final week of class (until the start of the new term next week), so in an attempt to put off working on my final, I will post some jeep progress pics!

Here is the jeep with the new tires I bought for it before they were mounted.

And here it is after.

Almost done with the streering, starting to get cold in the garage so I might need to pull out the heater if I want to continue to do work. Next is to run the brake lines and get that all hooked up!

We're expecting!

2010-10-11T09:01:00.003-05:00

The exciting news of the week is that we're expecting April 27th! First ultrasound was done last week and everything looks good. I'm heading into the second trimester, hoping that my queasiness will subside. And get this- it looks like there's only one. Go figure.

Congratulations Jeff & Laura! Welcome Baby Karl!

2010-10-04T20:09:00.004-05:00

We have a new nephew- Karl Bickmeier. Born to Brian's bother Jeff and his wife Laura. Karl was born on October 1, 2010 @ 9:40pm. He weighed in at an impressive 8lbs 4oz. Congratulations Jeff and Laura!

The Dayton Rodeo

2010-10-02T10:21:00.006-05:00

Over Labor Day weekend Brian and I attended the Dayton Rodeo in Dayton, IA. Although there usually isn't much going on here in rural Iowa, this is actually a great event complete with bareback and bull riding, calf roping, barrel racing, and entertainment. It was a nice day to be outside, spending time with a local crowd.

Part of the entertainment was a one-armed guy with a whip, riding a mule, getting buffalo to do what he wanted them to do. It must have been mule with more horse personality than donkey.

The bareback riding looked painful.But the BEST event was a wild horse competition. Teams of 3 are given unbroken horses that they need to saddle, mount, and ride across a finish line. Only a few teams completed the task, but it was awesome to watch- and not for the faint of heart to participate! I believe this was the winning team, but it was chaotic with 15 or so teams competing at the same time.

Fun things out here in the country! Brian's talking about trying next year, but his severe allergy to horses will probably prevent that...

Grasshoppers and Frogs

2010-10-02T10:13:00.003-05:00

My big kitchen window that looks out over the backyard is a haven for creepy-crawly things. Earlier this summer I had many grasshoppers hanging out of the (outside) of the glass. Which made for some interesting photos.

And then last week I was in the kitchen making some tea and noticed that this little frog had somehow made his way into the corner of the kitchen windowsill. I have no idea how he got there, being that he had to get up the counter and over the sink. At first I thought he was dead, but on closer examination he was breathing and just seemed to be taking a nap. He was there all day (I checked a lot to make sure he wasn't wandering around my kitchen) until Brian got up (he was working nights). Brian scooped him up and found a nice place outside where he could eat all the bugs he wanted. While I'm not found of having amphibians in my house, I would prefer this little frog to the multitude of spiders that make frequent visits.