Happy Halloween!

Well it has been a while since we posted. A few updates... I had my bi-weekly doc appointment and baby is back on the normal growth curve. (Sigh of relief...)
We have been busy with house projects. I decided that I wanted to tear the wall paper down in our downstairs bathroom before the baby comes and we have lots of company. It has drove me crazy since the day we moved into the house, but now with the influx of hormones it really was driving me crazy. So I started a project I thought I could finish with about a 30 dollar investment. Upon ripping the wall paper off we discovered that there was significant water and mold damage on the drywall because of a lousy previous install job. (This is where I exit the story because of the whole mold issue and in all fairness Preston should write the rest. However, he isn't here right now so I will have to tell his tale.) About 2 weeks post our project start date Preston has tore out most of the existing shower, bought a new shower and consulted with a plumber. This week's goal is to finish ripping the floor of the shower out, along with the bathroom floor, reinstall sections of drywall, install some new piping with the plumber and prep for painting. We are hoping what started as a $30 dollar project will in the end cost us less than $600. We are also hoping this gets done BEFORE baby arrives. :) I am really glad my husband loves me despite my hormones and the crazy things they make me do.
Back to handing out candy to neighborhood kiddos.

Thank God for sports radio

I'm sending this while taking a 12 hour trip home to see my ailing grandmother. Its a long day and the longer/later it gets the more some realities settle in.
1. Driving this alone is hard for a few reasons. Going through tolls trying to dig for change is easier with a copilot. And eating a big burger while on the phone and searching for change is even harder!
2. A blackberry is a phenomenal tool. Internet, facebook, texting, and calling all at my fingertips.
3. Sports talk radio is even better than a blackberry! I listened to it the whole way. I could have hosted Sportscenter by myself.
4. Energy drinks taste horrible, but do the trick. Not sure how teenagers pound these things. But there is no way they are good for a person.
5. If they ever make a car that drives itself I'm buying it right away. While there at it make the car fly too!
-thats all, goodnight. I miss my babies back home.

Bump Pics

We took a walk on the wild side and got maternity pics. We had a great time with the Photog, who took these pictures. Here are a few on the MANY we took.

Online Baby Shower

We had our online shower this past Saturday. We really enjoyed it. First of all, it was way fun getting lots of mail and packages over the last few weeks. Secondly, Preston's family sent us fun stuff like homemade "baby shower" cookies and silly games to play during our shower. We skyped with Preston's mom, dad, sister and brother in law while we opened gifts. It was as special as you can get for being long distance. Here are some pictures of the fun. Thank you everyone who sent gifts or helped put this together. Baby Boy Tippen felt very loved. :)



Here are some of the cookies we enjoyed...and still are enjoying.

Everyone in Preston' s family took a guess at the size of my belly. Ashley, Preston's sister was exactly correct. Preston's grandmother, however, estimated my circumference to be the same length as my height. :) They made us try 5 different baby foods and guess what they were. Preston actually won. Hmm...

Here is what our living room looked like after our shower. For more pics of our shower and to see all we got, check out the link to our picture gallery.

Fast Growth Curve

I have now "graduated" to bi-weekly doctor appointments to check up on our little one. (Who turns out to be not so little anymore...) Thus far I have been spot on with my uterine measurements. Each appointment I measure as many centimeters as whatever week I am. Seeing these measurements has become a routine I enjoy and take comfort in. Today I went in for my 32 week appointment. The nurse came in to measure me. As I lay there, waiting to see that comforting 32, I was surprised to see the nurses finger inch up the measuring tape to 35. New nurse I thought to myself, I'll ask my doctor when he comes in. Well, after another measurement by my trusty doctor, it was confirmed, our little one has jumped 3cm above the curve in just 2 weeks. Ironically, I have not gained one pound in the last two weeks either, even though I have been a human garbage disposal. What does this mean? All baby growth! To top it all off my doctor suggested that the rapid measurement change could be caused by the baby going into breech position. He checked the baby's position, but no, he is head down. The doctor said that a baby's growth pattern is often sporadic so nothing can be determined until the next appointment. I'll update you in two weeks. He did say with a smile that if the baby continues to grow above the growth curve, a natural birth will become more interesting with my size frame. Hmm...

Fall is Here and Christmas is Coming...

Christmas is on it's way! More accurately, I am quickly preparing for Christmas in advance so that Christmas preparations can be done and the Holiday enjoyed once our little one comes. The picture below is actually Preston's stocking from last year. We have a tradition that we make each other a stocking each year. However, last year I procrastinated and never got it finished. I figured I would make up for it this year with finishing last years and this years. This years is already made, but I can't show it since it is a suprise. Our little one's stocking is finished as well, except for the name across the top. That is a suprise too. :)



We took a scenic drive north to Wausau and went to a Fall Festival with some good friends. Seasons and Holidays are just so much more fun with friends and kids! You can't tell from this pic but the colors are amazing here, especially the colorful trees among the expansive corn fields.

It must be a pumpkin inside of me, not a child!

Gavin was sporting his new winter jacket, camo style with the pumpkins. :)



























Reily at one of his happier moments of the day. Poor guy, it was sunny but COLD today!

Here is our latest prego update. Sorry, it has been awhile. We can hardly believe that we have less than 2 months till our little one is here. It seems like he gets bigger and more squirrely every day. He also gets hiccups often, which is really cute. (At least for the first couple minutes.) At our last doctor's appointment the doctor told us that he is head down. We actually got to feel the sides of his head (Which was awesome!). As for the rest of his body, it shifts almost daily.
We have been busy getting ready for him to come. His nursery is slowly but surely coming along. Curtains are up and an area rug is laid. We will probably wait until after the showers to post more pictures of the nursery. The walls and shelves are pretty bare.
We are so excited for him to be here for Christmas. His first stocking is made and ready to go, other than his name across the top. We will have to wait for that until he comes. (Make your vote for which name you like the best.)
We are also looking forward to having family come and visit soon after he is born. Both sides of our family have already bought plane tickets, which makes this all so very real.

31 weeks pregnant!!!




He likes to move around as we are relaxing at night before bed. Here are some of his latest moves. :)