The Last 2 Weeks!

• Love is in the air! Andy and I celebrated our 4th year anniversary on June 25th! Baumhovers offered to babysit Zander while we had a great night together. We ate at Tuscan Moon in Kalona! Amazing! Then went to this small town ice cream shop. Then ended the night at the Java House where we brought back some memories by looking at some old cards/letters that we wrote each other while dating and in the last 4 years of marriage. It was a great night, and we heard Zander behaved himself!
• Play dates! (Not sure why the picture of Dax and Zander is sideways?) Anyway, Zander has been much more alert lately which mates play dates more fun. We are really blessed to know so many moms around Iowa City to get together with. Last week, was a special treat because my sis, Katie, came with to our Wed. playdate which was really fun. We also got to meet Will (picture below) They will for sure be friends. Both boys and he is only 3 weeks older than Zander.
• WEDDINGS! Our last of 3 weddings in a row was last weekend! Each wedding Zander wore the same outfit and with each week he filled it out more and more! I have a feeling last weekend was the last one with our $4 tie outfit :(
• Big YAWNS!
  Getting STRONGER! It's been great to see how Zanders neck is getting stronger! He can hold his head up much better this last week. It won't be long till he'll be watching the Bears play with Daddy, raising his arms yelling TOUCHDOWN!
  
  
• SMILES! Zander is smiling more and more every day!
  Working on a Schedule- I've been trying to figure out what kind of schedule would be best for Zander as far as wakeup/bedtime/naps etc. Since he is consistently sleeping 7-9 hours. (Praise God for this, I do know how fortunate we are for this!) But his nap times are very inconsistent. So I've been waking him up between 8:15-8:45 everyday to try and figure this out. Here he is getting woke up. Grunts and Toots! Hilarious!
  
  
• Once again here's our online Picasa Album for all the pics from last two weeks!
• http://picasaweb.google.com/mrsbishop/ZanderWeek4And5#

Zander- Week 3

So how long should I continue to give week to week updates. Maybe now that we hit a month, I will do every month??? We'll see!!

• ISU women ranked #3 in the nation for attendance last season (just behind Tennessee and UCONN) That's something to be proud of. GO STATE!
  

• We used this tub instead of the foam thing we were using, and he loved it! It was instant relaxation for him! PTL!
  

• Last Thursday was an interesting day. When I fed him at 7 am, he was different the rest of the day. Super upset whenever I would set him down. Of course this was the morning I HAD to get stuff done. We were going to go to Washington to see Andy at work for a lunch with his dept. I was stressed to the max because I couldn't even get rinsed off in the shower without him screaming and turning red. This was the first day he was like this and I couldn't quite figure it out? Who knows. Well even in the afternoon he was crying and I had to get my clothes packed for Alex's wedding. Our fantastic roommate took him to her room so I could get ready and what do you know. He fell asleep for her in like 2 minutes on her bed! Little Stinker!Speaking of sleeping. For 4 nights in a row he slept 7-8 hours! WHOOO WHUUUU!!!!!

• Uncle Al's wedding!

• What a happy day! We were all so excited for Al and Jenna. Although it was hard for me as mommy. (I think I was having some baby blues this week!) My mom came with. THANK GOODNESS! I love her! I wouldn't have made it through the weekend without her!


• So to make a long story short.... It was up and down all day for me because I was so excited to show Zander off and wanted everyone to meet him. But then all of a sudden I felt really bad for him. Like he was being tossed around like a doll :( All kinds of germs, and not getting a good nap, being overly stimulated... etc. All these thoughts flooded my mind, and guess what, I started crying! What a wonderful day and I'm in the back crying!!!Ohhhhhhhh boyyyyyyy!


• Turned out I just needed some family time. I grabbed sweaty Andy from the dance floor and while I was feeding Zander we got to spend some time together. This made me feel better and I was ready to dance again!


• Look how handsome he was in his little tie onesie!

On the way home we stopped at Aunt Katie's pool and went for a dip!

Andy's first father's day! Andy's been giving me a hard time about Zander not having any daddy clothes, we we got him two new onsies that had "Daddy's little Helper" and "Like Father, Like Son" on it! We celebrated at the Cheese Factory with Aunt Katie, Uncle Jason, and cousin Marriah and Dax. It was "Ton's of Fun!" (The name of the burger Andy ordered)

Zander also did his own fair share of relaxing! He's been a lot more alert this week. Staying awake for much longer periods of time! Although some of those waking hours. He's pretty "CRABBY!"
Once again... here's a complete look at Zander's third week!

http://picasaweb.google.com/mrsbishop/ZanderWeek3?authkey=Gv1sRgCN3y08up-cPgVQ#

Zander Week Two

• A big highlight was that he went on his first ever camping trip! Thanks to my parents they made him a nice little nursey in the shower of their motorhome!


• At his 2 week appointment. He was 9 lbs. 11.5 oz. and 23 in. long! He's growing!


• Been sleeping consistently through the night in 3 hour chunks. Sometimes closer to 4 hours. Usually he feeds and goes right back to bed. Every now and then he decides he would like to party and stay awake for an extra 30 mins or so. I'm thankful that's not every night right now!
  
• Has started to meet some friends. Ella, Liam, Claire, Maddy, and his cuz Dax are a few of them! Hopefully we will meet more this week at play group!


• Met Auntie Alice and Jenna this week! He loves his Wranglers!


• Umbilical Cord feel off!
  


• Mom is feeling good! I played sand volleyball this weekend and went for a bike ride :) Really happy about being able to move again!


• Went on a date with mom and dad this week to the Outback, and a stroller ride to get ice cream!


• Andy is back to work full time and comes home everynight wanting to play with his boy, giving him tummy time and eskimo kisses!

• Learned some new dance moves!

• Had the hiccups alot!
  

For more pictures of his 2nd week. Check it out! http://picasaweb.google.com/mrsbishop/ZanderWeek2?authkey=Gv1sRgCI_EyYKT2KPl8QE#

Welcoming Zander!

This is one of the greatest testimonies that we have to God's faithfulness and perfect timing in life. He knew the plans all along and was getting ready to bless our socks off!

Here's the Story....
On Memorial Day this year, we had a great day of just being with each other outside (7 mile bike ride), going on a date and picking up a going home outfit for the soon coming baby. Little did we know that we did this just in time! I woke me up at 2:15 a.m. that night with what I thought was gas cramps. 10 mins. later, same thing. Again, 10 mins. later. That's when I decided to wake up Andy telling him I think I'm starting labor. Although this wasn't what I was imagining contractions to feel like, I had confidence that it was a contraction. Andy started timing the contractions, and we did so for 3-4 hours at home while getting bags packed, cleaning up and going for a walk to Kum-n-Go for a popsicle. By the end of the walk, I was ready to go to the hospital.
We arrived at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City at around 6:30 a.m. and I was immediately hooked up to monitors to see how far along I really was. Soon after, we were informed that the baby was going to come that day! I was then brought to the labor and delivery room, where I was again attached to monitors. This was something I wasn't expecting either. I thought I would be able to walk around, get in the whirlpool, etc. in order to stay more comfortable and move things along. But nope.... they wanted to make sure baby was staying active. Which he wasn't really, so then they wanted me to lay on my left side. :( I hated being on my left side to sleep throughout pregnancy and now I had to lay on my left side while trying to go through a contraction. Not fun! Although Andy was doing a great job helping me through each one. By reminding me to breathe. "In, 2,3, Out, 2,3, In, 2, 3.... " Believe it or not this helped a great deal with each contraction. Speaking of contractions, that is not how I expected them to feel! They weren't no period cramps for me. It was all pressure on my bottom. Seriously like I was going to poop my hospital gown and all over. Sorry for the ugliness of that, but in case you haven't had a baby, contractions feel different for everyone. And that's exactly how mine felt.
In order to keep things moving along, Dr. Smollen broke my water, and I started to get some pitocin. They wanted contractions to be at the intensity level of 60 and I was consistently going through 40's and a couple 60's. After knowing this I decided to receive an epidural. Wow!! That's something I don't regret! I went from being misable like I was going to poop everywhere to being TOTALLY relaxed. I was enjoying being on my left side, reaching contractions at the 80 level mark for more than 2 mins. and watching Andy eat a bagel! What more could you ask for!
Less than an hour later, Dr. Smollen came back in to tell me we were ready to start pushing. REALLY! AHHHH, crazy this is it! This was another thing that was different from I expected. My knees were jacked up to my ears, as Andy was holding my left leg and a high school student observer was holding my right leg as they basically cheered me on while I could see in a mirror that with every series of pushes, the baby's head came down lower and lower. After under an hour of pushing, our new baby was ON my stomach..... It's a boy!! In one moment, Zander became what we had always dreamed of and prayed for. We are constantly being reminded that THIS is what God had been getting us ready for during the last two years. What a blessing from the Father, and a picture of how His Son came into the world to save it.

For a glance at Zanders first week, click here: http://picasaweb.google.com/mrsbishop/ZanderWkOne?authkey=Gv1sRgCNrJ3rHL8LebqgE&feat=email#
Hope that works!

Love,
Andy, Lisa, and Zander

Baby Update

I'm 37 weeks!
Just to give everyone an update and ask for you to pray about a couple of things. I've been 3 cm dialated for about a week. Doc wants me to rest as much as possible when I'm not at work to try to extend it a little bit. She said it could be ANY time! So if you get a chance please pray:

1. That I would trust in God's timing. If labor starts tonight, or if it's not until after my due date. Pray that I would not be anxious and have peace about whenever that is! And ENJOY my last days of being pregnant no worrying.


2. Of course we desire a healthy baby. Pray for God's hand to continue to prepare this baby to enter this world. AHHHH crazy!


3. Teaching... Everyday seems to be getting harder. The students are already getting excited for summer and their motivation is already slipping. Honestly, mine is too to come to work! Everyday I think, "Should I take a sick day" :) Pray that I would have a better attitude coming to school, and that the students will work hard the next couple of weeks.


4. Pray that God would be preparing Andy and I as we enter into parenthood. We have been trying to be intentional with our time together and really taking advantage of these last few weeks where it's just him and I. The thought of this makes me a little sad, but I do realize what a blessing a little baby will be to our marriage as well. He had been SO GREAT! I see his excitement and his willingness to make me feel comfortable and loved. I praise God for him! But yeah, that we are getting prepared for parenthood.
   

Thank you EVERYONE!
Last weekend at 36 weeks! Whoa MAMA! This baby is getting BIG!

8 months