The Bickford Family Blog

Angie's 40th

This is the year that many of my friends and I turn the big 4.0! Angie was up first and we celebrated at The Tamarind Tree followed by karaoke afterwards. Happy birthday Angie!!

After much discussion over the past 2 years, Rhett and I decided upon a plan to someday expand our family likely via adoption. Much of this was due to practicality such as finances, my age and our overall energy levels. We were also under the impression that having children naturally on our own would be very challenging as we had discovered during our attempts to have Oliver. So we were both incredibly surprised to find out late November that we were pregnant! I must admit that it took a couple of months to fully process and reset expectations but we are now both very excited and happy that things worked out this way. I'm actually really thankful that this came to us unexpectedly and unplanned as it takes all the thinking and analysis out of the equation.

I am now 33 weeks along and we will be welcoming our baby girl in early August! Thus far my pregnancy has gone very well without any morning sickness or other aches and pains. I've been trying to watch what I eat moreso than when I was pregnant with Oliver. My main cravings have been fruit which is better than hamburgers, pizza and chips like the first time around!

Here are a few pics:

Our baby girl ~ 21 weeks

Wow, her right hand!

Belly pic ~ 5 months

Fall and Winter 2012

Way too much time has passed since these photos were taken and the fall and winter went by like a blur! Still I wanted to post some pics from our various activities in the latter part of 2012:

Oliver's castle that Rhett built

I think he likes it!

Remlinger Farms with the Hill-Stachs

Otto and Stella!

Train ride

Our little monkey dressed as a monkey this Halloween

Celebrating Thanksgiving in Leavenworth

I was feeling a bit nauseous and very tired on this trip..we found out why soon after :)

Our beautiful boy

Family photos from our Christmas in Portland:

Genie's Wedding

Last September I had the privilege of attending my dear friend Genie Bang's wedding in Chicago. Our family has known Genie's family since she was a little girl and I used to babysit her and her sister Tami when I was a teenager so they are like little sisters to me. Genie and Tami have grown into such beautiful and capable young women and I am so proud of them. The wedding was also an opportunity for my siblings and I to hang out without the kiddos for a weekend. We had so much fun!! Here are some pics from the weekend: