20 weeks...

20 Weeks... and mommy can feel the baby!

Age: 20 Weeks

Size: small cantaloupe (but mommy feels like a big cantaloupe)

Gender:  Boy

Name:  TBA soon

Mom's Cravings: cabbage (still) and sweets around 9pm (not so good)

Pierce's comments: Pierce has picked out some toys in his room saying that these are for the baby.  And also the other day we went to Toys R Us to get a haircut and Pierce picked up a advertisement and came home to circle all the things that he wanted and all the things that we needed for the baby.  There were a lot of things circled.

Doctor's Prediction: We went and had a check up and at 20 weeks baby was already measuring a week a head of schedule... he will be another big one.  The Doctor said "well you just know how to grow babies"... I will take that as a compliment.

Movement:  Yes... Yeah... I felt the first kick on March 12th while I was watching the movie Lorax with Pierce... the baby already likes Dr. Seuss.  Really started to feel the "activity" of this baby on the 19th when there was lots of jumping and kicking... makes mommy smile every time.

Sweet Moment:  Just today I dropped Pierce off at a friends and asked for a kiss and he ran to me and put his arms around my ever growing waist and gave a kiss first to the baby and then to me on the lips... the baby is already getting the lovin first.

Sweet Moment #2:  Around week 18 I got my first random rub down... where someone from church came up to me (I know her name and have worked with her in children's ministry but don't know each other very well) and rubbed my belly... you never really know what to do in that situation but I was overwhelmed with happiness and told her that she was the first one to rub my belly... we both smiled and had a long hug.  We praise God for this baby (all babies)!

Date of Arrival:  Late July 2012

Flashback Friday... meeting baby Anna!

This past Dec (2011) we got to meet cousin Anna for the first time.  We were so excited to meet her, hold her, tickle her and love on her.  We just could not get enough... every time we saw her Pierce would want to hold her and play with her for about 2 -3 min and then he was off to do boy stuff... but we got some great pics of them together... He is so proud to have a baby Anna.




Life doesn't get any better than this... sitting in a big comfy chair with babies on your lap (and in your belly) and drinking a chai tea... God is good.

We did not get any pics of Blake and baby Anna... so I had to throw this one in here... Daddy with his big baby...



Hugs, hugs and more hugs... Pierce is a great big cousin and can't wait for her to grow up so they can play... it was really special to see Blake's brother Keith and his wife Elysse be first time parents... they are so cute and wonderful... that is one blessed little girl.

First Intentional Last...

One of our first intentional last (meaning that we went here bc we knew it would be a last for us)... the Singapore Bird Park.  Pierce and I have not been here for ages (years) and man how has it changed.  We were so excited to come and spend a day with the birds... Check out our pics below of our adventure.

The entrance to the bird park is covered in orchids... beautiful... oh how we will miss the garden city.

The they completely changed the penguin exhibit... now it is a big pirate ship... who do you think loved this? Pierce Denton!


The next picture is funny... and something I always want to remember... you might have a hard time seeing this but check it out.  In the water there is a bird that blends in with the water to the right of the pond... hard to see but it is a bird like these others but a different color and Pierce said "Hey mom, God forgot to paint that one".  I had to grab my camera and take a picture it really made me laugh... I wonder why God forgot to paint this one... I am sure there is a lesson in this somewhere...

And we had to stop at the Lory Loft for one last feeding... so much fun... and the birds were hungry. Pierce is so brave...





I just love this little man... and love to see the simple things that make him so happy.  He tried to walk around with these birds and wanted to take them home... also he now knows how to pick out the nice ones and the means ones... we had a good lesson it in... bc the mean ones would come along and all the other birds would fly away... we talked about how we don't want to reward those birds by feeding them so we would "shoo" them away... and wait for the nice birds that were willing to share with a friend.  Then he said this is why you want me to be nice so I can have friends... YES he gets it... love him.

Bye Bye Bird Park... you have been good to us and we have had many great memories with you... hope to see you again some day SOON.

Spirit Week at school...

While Blake and I were away to Korea... Pierce was in Sinagpore having so much fun with friends and was well looked after.  During that particular week at school was Spirit Week and each day was a different dress up day.  Before we left I had helped Pierce pick out all his clothes for each day and put them in order for each day for our helper to help him get dressed in the morning. (ViVi I felt like you when you use to do this for me when I went to girl scout camp... great memories).  One day while we were in Korea we recieved this picture from our neighbor with the kids ready to get on the bus and go to "Mix and Match" day (aka: try to look the worst you can) ... I would say this is pretty mixed and matched wouldn't you... Pierce was just thrilled to be able to wear camo.

Pierce's new school... Hyundai Foreign School

Pierce's new school... Hyundai Foreign School (the only English Speaking school in Ulsan... the next one is 1.5 hours away).  This school is also located on the Foreigner's compound that has lodging, cafe, club house and school.  And I hear the place to be... so I am sure we will all be spending a lot of time here.

Here is the main building for K - 7th grade (no high school).  They have a little over 140 kids (If I remember correctly).  The school is British based curriculum but American credited.

This building on the right is a new addition (when they got to big for the first building).  This is where some of that arts are held, the new gym and lunch room.

Computer Class...

Cafeteria... this will be much better for Pierce since his current one is located outside.

The playground.

Art class... their recent project was making rockets out of bottles... oh how Pierce would have loved that.

Now doesn't that look fun... but don't get to excited if you use this it means you are running away from something... this is the school's fire escape... oh how fun...

Pierce's Kindergarten (yes can't believe he will be in K next year) class... and check out all the coats... wow...

Another Kindergarten class... the teacher is wearing the scarf and she is from South Africa... the kids seemed to be having a lot of fun and loving being there.


When we arrive in May the school year will still be in session so Pierce will start at the Early Foundation class to get to know his new friends for a month and then have the summer off.  The Early Foundation School is located on a different campus and much smaller... so this will be where you can find Pierce in June and July.  Here is his playground.

And the Early Foundation Classrooms... looks fun right?



And their library... I want to sit in that chair...

They do ask for a lot of volunteers for various reasons so I am excited about helping out as much as possible... and bringing along baby #2 for the fun.

Pierce is excited about his new school and very excited to get a new teacher and new friends... and he thinks he is going to be the big kid bc he is going to Kindergarten...

Come and see our new home...

Our new (to come) home in Ulsan... is a condo named Prugio (don't bother googling it... everything is written in Korean)... It is located 10 min from Blake's work and 10 min from Pierce school (which I will be taking him and picking him up everyday so this will be nice) and daddy will not get stuck in traffic for hours (can't wait).  We are close to a large park, a street market and a Homeplus (which is like a Korean Wal-mart).

There are several towers of condo's in the complex (it is large) but unlike our condo here it is not really on a campus style... there are streets in between the towers and we got lost several times as we were checking them out.  They are the newest ones in town (we did look downtown Ulsan but longer commutes) and we feel in love with it as soon as we walked in.

This is the entrance to our tower...

Did I mention they are tall... wow...and notice no balconies or clothes hanging from the windows...

There is a small school down stairs... maybe a good place to put the baby when he grows up...

And check out this gym... now I know ViVi is going to love this... 

Welcome to our unit #1303... this was the third or fourth unit we looked at in this condo (and the second day to return) and they were all a little different but this one was the one for us... God orchestrated so much while we were there... this unit had only been on the market for 2 weeks and the owner was currently living there (temporarily) and we are so thankful that she was there during our viewing bc we got to seal the deal before we walked away... no contract at that point (which made me nervous) but our agent told us that it was DONE... and sure enough a couple of weeks later we got the contract.

Now let me say this was the second day that we had been looking and the other places (oh I have pics if you want to see) we had looked at were not new or were just not us or not located where we wanted... we did not have to have new but it sure does make it easier along the way... so come on in...

Our front door... we share a quad entrance with 3 other doors... so on our floor there are 4 units.

Once inside you are welcome with a huge space for dumping stuff... shoes, bags, umbrellas, purses, etc... most of the units in this condo had another door where this mirror was that made it feel small but this one was all open... it was so nice.

And let me go on and on about the storage space... maybe bc there are 4 proper seasons that require a lot of gear but Korea knows how to do storage... every space available in the condo that is not used for eating or sleeping it storage... and this is just our entrance way storage and there are two of them...now all my friends in the USA might say that is not all that great... but all my friends in Singapore will totally understand... 

Once you drop off your shoes and bags you are greeted by this hallway... at one end you have the guest bath and the guest room... and check out that floor... love the color and it is also where the heat comes from... all the floors are heated... yeah....

Guest Bath... beautiful!

And here is the guest room... hurry hurry hurry... come and stay with us... we can't wait to have visitors... and of course there will be a bed and few decorative items...

Now this is not really a balcony but sort of... they use it for storage and drying clothing (or that is usually what I saw with the other units).  The floors is not heated and there is not air con out here... but I am sure we will figure it out for something... a great place for the kids to run around in and play.  Also the guest room's "balcony" is connected to the next room which will be Pierce's room.... so watch our guest you might get a surprise visitor at night...

Here is Pierce's room... exactly the same as the quest room... even the matching wallpaper :-)... not really a big wallpaper fan but this was the best I saw while on our trip...

More storage... are you in love yet... these are along the whole hallway leading to the kitchen and living room... see next picture the whole wall on the right is storage.

Turn Right from the front door and you head to Pierce's room , Kitchen and living room and more.

Our huge living room... with a great view... we are so excited about this space since we have a feeling this is where everyone will be...

Now gadgets are everywhere... and this is just one of them... kind of like a security system but not really it controls all the lights, heat, circulation, calling the security, etc... great but it is written in Korean... I need cheat sheets please.

Our View from the living room... see the beach... oh yeah!

Right behind the living room is the baby room (or study in this case)... also has a balcony.

The kitchen is connected to the dinning room (in pic here) and the living room... it is all one  big room and we love it.  Check out that kitchen... and there are two refrigerators... one here that you can see that is white on the right and another that is built it on the back wall in brown on the left.. what to do with two refrigerators... guess I better start learning how to cook... and that island... with a built in warmer for hot food.

Now I had to add this picture... a sink is a sink but check out how big it is with no middle bar... a great sink to wash a baby what do you say?  Also that little white/grey thing to the left of the sink is a veggie/fruit washer... oh yeah... this might be the thing that sold it for me...

And a kitchen TV... why doesn't every kitchen have one of these... 

This is the wet room on the side of the kitchen that is separated by a small hallway and door... with a sink and more storage... the red freezer will be taken away before we get there so sad I was looking forward to having a kimchi freezer..

On the same wall as the TV in the living room is a door for the master bedroom... I did not get a lot of great pics of the master bc the owner was living there and all her stuff was there... but here is closet and bathroom for the master room... with a built in vanity.

This is not our master but very similar... we too have a balcony/drying room.

Here Blake and owners agent looking at the storage room on the balcony... looks like a great place for luggage right?

Here is the drying rack... and it raises up and down depending if you are using it or not.

Welcome to our master bathroom... oh yeah that is our toilet with an assortment of gadgets next to the toilet paper I don't even know what all that is for... but I do know the toilet is heated... oh boy.

A picture to entice Pierce to get excited about living here... this is our playground... a rocket ship playground with a slide... oh we will be spending a lot of time here I have a feeling...


Sorry about the crazy pic and writing layout... but blogger decided to have a mind of its own and I am tired of messing with it... sorry... but hope you enjoyed our first viewing... next time we will have furniture...