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Telling our parents...

I realized I forgot to include a very special story about baby Zeke! The days we told our parents the big news! This may be kind of long because I am going to do both families in one post. We told both of our parents a couple weeks after we found out. I actually helped my parents move the week after I knew and had to keep it from them because I wanted to tell everyone together. I talked to all the kids about coming up to surprise dad for his birthday this summer. It was the last week mom and dad would be in TN before the big move. James and I decided this would be the best time to drop the bomb! I have never been so nervous about a birthday party in my life. We had such a big secret to keep. Throwing a surprise party was really a good way to cover up my nervousness because who doesn't get nervous when they are trying to pull off the party? We actually have the surprise on video, but not uploaded yet. I'm going to try and get it on here eventually because it's hilarious. Total delayed reaction from everyone!

Waiting on everyone to get here!

Now we were waiting on mom and dad to get here

Penny and Avery entertaining each other

 SO my pictures of the actual surprise aren't the best because I was so excited. That's why James recorded it. Basically I had a gift bag on the table for dad filled with his favorite treats. At the bottom I rolled up this shirt that said "The best Dads get promoted to GRANDPA." Now for the delayed reaction...Dad opened it and looked at it quietly then turned it around. Mom went "awwww" (later to find out she thought the grandpa was referring to the dogs..since we always joke that Penny and Avery are his granddogs). Then my sister turns to be looking a little confused and said kind of quietly "Are you pregnant?" Which I responded "Yes" and then the room was filled with shrieks, screams, gasps, you name it!!

this is when mom said "awww" lol

Proud soon to be grandparents

Birthday boy

Then we all went in to Millington to take a family photo my mom has been wanting for years now. Nat wasn't able to join but it was the best shot at getting most of us in the picture. Maybe we can try after Christmas!

Leaving the south to go back north!

Who wouldn't want to jump in front of the Millington sign?

Good times! Now while mom and dad were home we used them to help up tell James' parents. We wanted to tell his whole family together but we would have had to keep the secret for so much longer from them it just didn't seem right. We asked his parents to come up to the house and take a few group pictures for us since we officially bought the house that week. Luckily they agreed! His parents had a total delayed reaction too! I wanted to tell them while they were having their picture taken because those type of photos are so funny. So here's how it went down:

One of us in front of our new house :)

This is the one we asked them to come up to take for us

Then we said let's get one with James' parents too

Then mom said one more, it was blurry. On the count of three say "Hannah's pregnant"

I'm the only one saying anything...lol

Oh wait your serious!!

SURPRISE!!!!

Laughing and excited!!

It took a minute but as you can see they caught on!! Yay for babies!!!! Now I felt like I could sleep again because we told our parents. Haha! We told the Bowen siblings a few weeks later while were in St. Louis!

Weeks 23-25 and Thanksgiving

Here I am behind again! Second trimester is flying by! I can't believe we are at the 6 month mark. Little man is moving, moving, moving. Just last night I told James I could feel the baby on 2 sides of my belly at the same time. He must have been stretching out while throwing a few kicks and punches. If I'm laying down we can watch my belly jump when he moves. I have to be honest..that is WEIRD! :)

This is 24 weeks. We were on the road to Wisconsin so see my parents for Thanksgiving.

     We made the 12 hour drive up to Wisconsin for Thanksgiving this year. It was really nice to spend time with my parents. We also go to see my grandparents, some aunts/uncles and cousins too! We had a great time! Lots of food, aggravation, Uno, and cold weather! I didn't take a ton of pictures, but here are some:

On the canal behind my parents house. It was frozen if you can't tell :)

Penny loving the ice

I just watched from afar...no one wants a preggo girl falling on her butt

Maggie and Lucy loved the ice too

Werre side Thanksgiving

Love me some Amber

Us with mom and dad

Of course we couldn't miss out on some black Friday shopping! We seriously need a Menard's in TN. That store is a Lowes on steriods.

James bought "toys" for his shop/shed. I bought tupperware and toys for Penny :)

All in all, we have so much to be thankful for!

21 and 22 weeks

Can't believe I'm moving closer and closer to 6 months!! Time is just flying. I guess because Thanksgiving and Christmas haven't happened, March seems so far away. But really, it's not! After Christmas time will really start to fly! I am really enjoying the second trimester. I feel good and have good energy. Just this past week I have been having back pain/ muscle spasms which are so not fun. It's a sad day to sit on the couch and realize you cannot get comfortable :( I'm hoping my doctor has some good tips when I go next week. I have been craving meat everyday. Hamburger, steak, chili....not chicken though. I can eat it, it just never sounds all that good. I also realized I have eaten kiwi almost everyday the last couple months. First it was grapefruit, now kiwi. Kiwi helps build strong bones so maybe that's why the doctor said baby Zeke was already showing strong bone development at our sonogram a couple weeks ago? 

We started making a plan for the nursery and getting it ready to paint. I have picked out a crib and rocker/glider I like we just haven't bought anything yet. I like to think about it a for a good week or so before I commit. Can't wait to post pictures once we get something going!

That's all the news in baby world :)

Camping trip!

Second post today! Trying not to get too far behind! I wanted to post some pictures from our camping trip we took 2 weekends ago. It was a fun, funny, cold time! James and I went to Land Between the Lakes in KY. We've had it reserved awhile and then the shutdown happened and closed the park. We didn't think we would be able to go but it opened up just in time! I had checked the weather on Wednesday that week...sunny, 70s. Sounded good. Well on the way there that Friday I decided to look again. I didn't think it would change THAT much in 2 days but apparently it did! "Oh crap James it's going to rain overnight...and be cold"...hahaha.
We get there in time to set up the tent before it got dark. Then we got firewood to make dinner and warm up. The firewood sucked. It was burning more like coals...just blackening and turning grey without actually flames. It was dark by then and we were cold and hungry. Luckily we had our coleman camping stove and made warm mac n cheese with our roasted hotdogs. James had originally rolled his eyes at all the blankets I packed for the trip, but in a few short hours he was very thankful for them. Normally James is hot, all the time..24/7. And I'm always cold. When James wears shorts, pants, 2 shirts, a hoodie, 4 blankets, plus our sleeping bags and is still cold...it's REALLY cold. It rained from sometime after midnight til 10 am.

 Penny was with us and woke me up at 4:30. She was cold too so we let her snuggle between us. I think it was like 48 degrees that morning.

After we got up and ate, Penny got the shivers! She was so pitiful and we felt kinda bad she was so cold :( 

Watching us play cards...lol

When the rain stopped we got a much better fire going than the night before. We decided to eat more hotdogs and smores now in case we couldn't that night. 

She loves to pose 

The sun did come out so we explored the park and went fishing. We wanted to do their elk and bison prarie drive at sundown, but it just kept getting colder and more windy. It was going to get to 38-39 that night so I said forget that! We packed up before we did the elk and bison drive so we could go home after that. 

                                                           

James big catch lol

And mine lol

the fishing dock we found was the only warm spot that wasn't super windy!

Pretty drive through the park

Can't go without a picture by the sign!

She's too good at this...or she was happy to be warm 

"Look away, I'm hideous" (Harry Potter movie quote :) )

Wild turkeys

Elk

Mom and baby

Really pretty!

Sun going down!

We had such a fun time even though we were cold! It was so nice to get away for even just a little bit! Anyone else camping in the cold? I think we need to start saving for a camper lol!!

Hannah