The Obligatory New Year Post

When I think about this past year, 2014 stands out as the most eventful year of my life to date.  I still can’t believe things happened the way they did.  And I actually have that thought daily… “I can’t believe…”.

Travel seemed to be the theme for the first half of the year.  I found myself going on lots of work trips – Cincinnati (twice), Philadelphia, and San Francisco.  Luckily, most of these were short trips and A even got to travel to San Fran with me.  We also visited family in the Baltimore/Washington area in early July.  Fortunately, there was no travel in the second half of the year.  Well, technically there was, but I got a pass given my current state. J

Early in the year, we entertained the idea of moving, but just weren’t sure it’d be an option.  I was very doubtful and I’m still shocked at how things happened.  If you’d told me last year that I’d have a new house and be a landlord, I would have laughed… and then laughed some more.  I couldn’t fathom things working out and it seemed like a far-fetched idea.  But a few chats with a realtor friend and a mortgage broker gave us hope.  And somehow, in June, against all odds, we had a signed contract for our new house and renters for our townhouse!  I’m pretty sure that we’re crappy landlords – we don’t check on the townhouse even though it’s only a short walk from our house and we’re probably way too trusting when it comes to our renters, but for now, it works.  And I LOVE our new house.  It’s just perfect for us and I don’t plan on moving ever again.  I love that W has a back yard to play in.  I love the layout.  I love that there are enough bedrooms for our growing family.  So so grateful for the way things worked out.

Around that same time (because house hunting didn’t provide enough chaos), I underwent a third round of IVF.  We wanted to give W a sibling and I was sure it would take several tries.  I was really impressed with our new clinic, but still anticipating that the third round would not be a successful one.  Much to my surprise, I found out I was pregnant on the very same day our offer on the house was accepted. 6/3/14 will always hold a special place in my heart.  And every day, I find myself saying, I can’t believe IVF #3 worked.  We’ve been given such an amazing gift.  I can’t wait to meet our newest little guy.

We had a few bumps in the road in terms of A’s health, but I’m happy and very appreciative that he’s currently doing well.  Praying for continued health in 2015.

The remainder of the year was a busy one.  W continued to grow like a weed before my eyes.  Adding new words, new tricks, and becoming more independent with each passing day.  Fall flew by at lightning speed.  Halloween was so much fun and Thanksgiving was wonderful.  Christmas was a 3 day affair, but somehow, it was over in an instant.  And before we know it, little man #2 will make his debut.

2014 was likely the most eventful year to date for me, but I think it also flew by the fastest of any year I can recall.

To be honest, I’m really nervous about 2015.  It feels like nothing can compare to this year.  And as anxious as I am to meet this little one, he will also change our family dynamic, which makes me a little apprehensive.  Don’t get me wrong – he was very much planned for (obviously) and prayed for, but things will be different.  And I know the transition will be tough for W.  I guess what I’m trying to say is that 2014 was nothing short of amazing, awesome, and remarkable.  2015 will bring lots of changes.  The new year will most certainly have a lot to live up to, though I know we’ll make the most of whatever comes our way!  Happy New Year!  Here’s to a fabulous 2015!!  J

34 Weeks with Baby #2

How far along? 34 weeks!

Size?  Baby is the size of a butternut squash and about 5 pounds!  Whoa!!

Weight Gain?  Not sure.  At last check, I think I was up 30 pounds, but I ate more Christmas cookies than anyone ever should.  I've also noticed more swelling/fluid retention so I'm sure it's more than that.

Gender? Baby boy!

Sleep?  Still not sleeping well.

Movement?  I was sitting on the couch with A and pointed out that baby was moving.  It was one of those baby rolls where you can actually see my belly move.  I see it all the time, but it hadn't occurred to me that A had never witnessed it.  His reaction was priceless.  His mouth dropped and he said it would totally freak him out if that was going on inside of him!  Haha!

Food Cravings?  I really wanted chips and salsa last night - and I didn't get them.  Boo.  Otherwise, nothing.

Labor signs?  Not really.  I completely overdid it while cleaning the house on Christmas Eve.  I had a couple contractions and some other signs I won't mention.  I forced myself to sit and relax and felt better.  So not really labor signs, but signs that I need to take it easy.

What I Miss?  Same as always - energy, being able to keep up with W, being able to bend over, being able to walk long distances, sleep, being able to hold W, etc.,

Symptoms?  A lot.  I went from feeling pretty good to feeling pretty bad seemingly overnight.  I have good days, but I also have days where I can't breathe, have major heartburn (maybe baby will have hair after all!), swollen/sore feet, sciatic pain, pressure, itchy belly (PUPPP again!! :( ), the list goes on.  I sound whiny and that's not my intention, but the past week or so has been a lot tougher physically.  I'm also disappointed about the PUPPP.  It's a rash on my belly and extremely itchy.  I equate it to chicken pox on your tummy.  I had it with W and was really hoping to avoid it (it's more common with first pregnancies).

Happy or Moody? Happy for the most part, despite the physical issues.

Looking Forward To?  Finishing the nursery!  Getting excited to meet baby boy!

Best Moment of the Week?  Everything!  See previous posts.

I realize by now that non maternity striped shirts are not the most flattering on me.  BUT I received this shirt for Christmas and it's the most comfortable shirt I've ever encountered!!  It's so soft and I LOVE it.  And lets face it, I'm running out of options so even though it's not the most flattering, I can squeeze into it and it was nice to have something new to wear.  Also, a special appearance by Addie!

Christmas Recap

Back to work today!  I’d be lying if I said I was looking forward to returning.  It was just so nice being able to spend every day with A and W.  We had a great mix of extremely busy days and lazy days.  I also enjoyed sleeping in (which meant staying in bed until 6-6:30) and even squeezed in a nap one day… bliss.  It was wonderful.  Our Christmas spanned 3 days and seems like a whirlwind as I think about it.  W was perfect and I think he really loved every minute – and all those presents.  He was definitely on Santa’s nice list.  Without further ado, a little recap…

Christmas Eve has always been reserved for my side of the family.  When we bought our house, I mentioned to A that I really wanted to have my family over on Christmas Eve (we typically alternate houses) so that’s what we did.  My extended family tries to get together every year, but my aunts and uncles in northern Wisconsin and Florida usually only make it to town every other year.  They were here last year so weren’t able to make the trip this year.  As a result, it was a smaller celebration with my mom, aunt, uncle, and 4 cousins, but it was great.  W had fun opening a few presents, my sweet cousin brought me some sparkling apple cider (so thoughtful), we ate LOTS, and called it a night.  Oh!  One thing I have to mention.  We decided to keep dinner casual – a few appetizers and pizza.  Well, when it came time to order the pizza, the first 4 places we tried were closed!  Oops!  I didn’t expect that at all.  My family was really sweet and said they were fine with appetizers or even frozen pizza, but we tried a fifth place and they happened to be open.  I guess not many people order pizza on Christmas Eve.  Lesson learned!

 Me and my handsome Christmas boy

 He's a pro as present opening!

I was so so excited for Christmas.  I couldn’t wait to watch W’s face light up when he saw what Santa brought.  I previously found a Little Tykes ride on fire truck at a consignment sale.  It was in perfect condition and I couldn’t wait for W to see it in front of the tree.  He did not disappoint – all smiles and climbed into his truck right away.  Melted my mommy heart.  I think W played with the fire truck for about an hour and a half and then it was time for church.  After church, in keeping with our routine, we headed to Starbucks for bagels and apple juice.  Then we headed home and by some Christmas miracle, A was able to get W down for an early nap.  As soon as he woke up, it was off to Nani and Papa’s for a big dinner and more celebration.  Dinner was delicious.  It was wonderful to be surrounded by family.  My brother even made a rare appearance.  There were so many gifts and we all had a great time.  We eventually headed home with full bellies and a car full of toys.  After some downtime at home, we decided to open our stockings.  Is open the right word?  We still hadn’t opened any of the gifts to each other or from Santa and we were in no hurry.  W was enjoying his fire truck and other gifts and it seemed silly to take him away from playing to open more gifts.  Not to mention, he was totally spoiled at Nani and Papa’s house with so many gifts already.  So we just did stockings and saved everything else for the following day.

 WOW!!  What's this?!?!

 Gotta make sure blankie makes it into the truck.

 I think he likes it. :)

Opening presents at Nani and Papa's house

Then, the day after Christmas, I declared I wasn’t cleaning and wasn’t changing out of my comfy clothes.  Grandma G came over for a big breakfast  - casserole, waffles, sausage, bacon, and bagels.  We finally opened gifts to each other and W opened his gifts from Santa.  The rest of the day was spent relaxing and playing with all those new toys.  We even played outside for a short time since the weather was really mild.

 Santa brought me SHOES!!

It was probably my favorite Christmas to date.  I ate waaay too many cookies, received amazing gifts, and even got to watch television and a movie!!!  But really, what I enjoyed most was spending the week with my favorite guys.  I loved watching W open presents.  And I’m so so thankful that W and I were able to spend quality time together before baby #2 arrives.  And although returning to work this morning was tough, my heart is full and the holiday bliss has not yet worn off. J

Weekend Recap

What an eventful weekend/start of the week we've had!  I figured I'd better write about it before I forgot everything.

Friday, we celebrated A's dad's birthday (Will's Papa).  We went to dinner at a Japanese restaurant - one where the chef cooks dinner in front of you and performs tricks as he cooks.  W loved it.  He had a blast watching the chef and other customers.  On the downside, he hardly ate anything, was up way passed his bedtime, and fell asleep in the car on the way home.  Not a good combination and I was expecting a rough night.  But to my surprise, W slept through the night.  He woke up early and was a little cranky the following morning, but still better than I anticipated.

Saturday was W's birthday.  We had a full day planned for him.  We started by heading to the Wonderland Express exhibit at the Chicago Botanic Gardens.  It's basically several trains set up in a miniature version of Chicago - with lots of lights, trees, and even snow falling indoors!  W loved seeing all the trains and the snow.  He did have a meltdown as we prepared to leave - I think a combination of being tired and overstimulated, but all in all we had a great time and we're excited to return next year.

We headed home so W could nap and A and I could prepare for a little party.  We plan to have a larger party in January, but wanted to have a little get together on W's actual birthday.  Grandma G, Nani, Papa, and Uncle Matt came over for a very low key celebration.  There were balloons, sandwiches, a few appetizers, and cupcakes.  I thought it was perfect.  I just didn't have the energy for a big, fancy party.  W did great opening gifts - I'm not sure how he even knew to rip the wrapping paper, but he wasted no time.  He also loved blowing out his birthday candles, but as expected, wanted nothing to do with the cupcake.  Kiddo does NOT like sweets - he clearly doesn't get that from me.  When everyone left, he had a major meltdown - the result of utter exhaustion, but I know he had a great day. :)  He even slept 11.5 hours that night - unheard of for him.

After, such a busy Saturday, Sunday consisted of going to church, doing some grocery shopping, watching football, and playing with W's new toys.  We all needed some downtime.

Monday, A headed out to finish up Christmas shopping and W and I headed to my mom's house to wrap presents.  Of course, W enjoyed seeing Grandma G's cats and exploring the Christmas decorations.  He was great and entertained himself while my mom and I wrapped several presents.  At one point, he tripped and fell right into the cat's water bowl.  He was very upset, but I couldn't stop laughing.  W had to walk around pantsless for some time while his pants dried in the drier. :)  The rest of the day was relatively calm.  I wrapped more presents when we got home and even started watching one of my favorite movies - Love Actually.  I only watched about 40 minutes of it before it was time to head to bed, but still, it was great to be able to watch a movie!

Today, A and I took W to the library.  They have a new fairy tale themed area in the kid's section and W had so much fun exploring the gingerbread house, Cinderella's carriage, and giant light bright.  Unfortunately he fell while crossing the drawbridge and now has rug burn on his forehead.  Fail.  It seems to have faded quite a bit so I'm hoping it looks better tomorrow.  Not the best look for Christmas!!  After that we headed to lunch and thought for sure W would take a long nap.  Nope.  A tried to get him down for a nap for quite some time and then gave up.  Instead, the two of them headed outside while I headed out to run a few errands.  An hour and a half later, they were both still outside!!  W better sleep well tonight.  Despite the nap strike, W was in a great mood all day and he had A and I cracking up tonight.

In other news, I've been extremely uncomfortable the past few days.  Baby is very high and I'm having some trouble breathing.  I cannot get comfortable at night and hardly sleep.  Hoping that baby will move lower or change positions.

Ok, I'm sure I'm leaving things out (pictures to come), but this is already a long post and it's time for bed!  Excited for Christmas with W!!

W Turns 2

(Written on December 20)

Dear W,

Happy 2nd birthday, sweet little man. How? How did we get here? I’ve often heard parents talk about how fast their children grow up and I’d roll my eyes. But you know what? They’re right. And I get it now. The first year seemed to fly by, but that was nothing compared to this year. You seemed to go from baby to independent little boy overnight.
What a year we’ve had! You literally went from taking baby steps to full on sprint (and you are FAST), from saying a couple words here and there to an expanded vocabulary, from sleeping in a crib to sleeping in a big boy bed. You’re suddenly identifying and saying numbers, colors, and letters. You started school, started gym class, and participated in many new activities. You’ve begun to grab our hands and lead us wherever it is you want us to go and it might just be my favorite thing ever. You have all your molars, you have really big feet, you have one heck of an arm (Da is already alerting the baseball scouts), and your hair has many admirers. We’ve gone on trips, moved into a new house, and soon you’ll be a big brother. And you know what? You’ve handled each big step, each new adventure incredibly well (certainly better than your mom). I’m constantly amazed by you and how much you’ve learned and grown in a short time.
I hope you have the happiest of birthdays. And just remember, no matter how much you grow and how big you get, you’ll always be my first baby. Da and I love you so much. You are our everything and more, little man.

Friday Thoughts

We’ve been doing Elf on the Shelf along with the rest of the world.  Our Elf (Crispin) never has any elaborate hiding spots or cute hobbies.  He just appears in various places around the first floor.  W loves trying to locate him, walking around saying “hmmm…” as he attempts to find Crispin.  When he does spot the elf, the sweetest grin spreads across W’s face.  It’s really adorable.  We didn’t read the book with W, assuming he was too young to understand.  And apparently A is not up to speed on his Elf knowledge, because he keeps touching Crispin.  Wait, that sounds bad.  But if you know the story, you know that the elf loses his magic if he is touched.  I know W is too young to understand, but I really want him to think that Crispin magically moves on his own.  You’re killing the magic, A!!

We went to Bonnie Brook for our Wednesday dinner.  We hadn’t been in awhile.  They had a prime rib buffet, which was yummy.  But the best part about going is how sweet everyone was to us.  Both staff and fellow diners stopped by to say hello to W.  A few asked about my due date and told me I looked great – very refreshing after constantly hearing how big I am!  Another man came over and told us that he loves seeing us at church and loves watching W grow.  Incredibly sweet.  I don’t expect W to behave all the time – he’s a toddler after all.  But I think he loves our Bonnie Brook dinners because he’s usually a really good boy.  And it doesn’t hurt that we never have to wait long for food – buffet for the win! J

We interviewed another candidate to fill in for me while I’m on maternity leave.  And it turns out, he currently works for the company I left when I accepted my current position.  Small world!  And also, he does some of the same work I was doing for the company.  Ironic!

I had a doctor’s appointment yesterday.  Today, I’m supposed to find out my c section date!!  Very excited to have an end date and potential birth date!  I asked A if he thought I’d have a VBAC or a c section and he said he had a feeling baby would arrive via c section.  I feel the exact same way.  But it’s just a feeling.  Time will tell.  I’m also measuring a little big – 34 weeks vs. 32.5… no surprise there.  But really, I’m not sure how accurate fundal height can be – everyone carries differently.

My sweet first born turns 2 tomorrow.  I’m already getting emotional.  I just can’t believe he’s already 2.  How has time flown by so fast??  He’s by far the best early Christmas gift I’ve ever received.

I’m so looking forward to this week – W’s birthday, Christmas, no work, family, and friends.  It doesn’t get much better than that!  And I’m so excited to experience this Christmas with W!!  He’s at such a fun age!  Ahhhh… I can’t wait!!!

With that, I’m off work until December 29.  Not sure how many (if any) posts I’ll have so Happy Holidays to all!!

3 Things

1.  W woke up during the night for the first time in weeks.  That is major progress, people!  Let’s hope the wake up was just a fluke and doesn’t continue.  For some reason, he hasn’t been sleeping as well lately.  Maybe he’s excited about his birthday and Santa!

2.  W has this Chicken Elmo toy.  It’s kind of obnoxious and was given to him by Kaylee – his sweet little church girlfriend.  Chicken Elmo lives in W’s closet and when you push his foot, Elmo dances and sings a silly chicken song.  Anyway, W’s latest thing is to push chicken Elmo’s foot, shut the closet door as fast as possible, and make you dance with him.  I have no idea why?!?  Maybe he likes the song, but doesn’t like to look at chicken Elmo?  It’s really funny.

3.  This instant message… I love my coworkers <3 J

I:

MJ was asking me if we are keeping an eye on you, as you progress along.  She doesn't want us to let you work alone in the office.  I said yep we are watching her, and so far you were doing great... Hmmm, everyone is watching out for you....scary... just kidding. :)

C:

Lol

I suppose it's nice that people are concerned... and a little creepy that people are watching me :)

I:

We all care about you, well maybe not Yester :S

C:

HAHAHAHA

FYI: Yester is an admin who doesn't really like anyone in my group - it's not just me!