Happy Birthday, Aunt Katie!!!

Sunday was my sister Katie's birthday!!!!!
We went down for brunch in the city to celebrate...it was a great day!!!

Happy Birthday, Little Sis!!!! We hope you have a wonderful time in Nashville and come back with LOTS of stories!!!! (She's running the Nashville 1/2 marathon this weekend...and she may have a beer or two in the BEST place EVER!)


Aunt Katie and Abigail enjoying breakfast together

On Saturday, our family decided to head over to the Naperville River Walk and enjoy the beautiful weather. It was a great morning walking along the river, looking at ducks, and even finding time to play in a GREAT park!


Abigail got very brave at the park and played on the jungle gym for like 15 minutes without us (she loved that she could run away from us) until a fall ended the fun!



Daddy is the BEST pusher!

These pics crack me up. Somehow, Abigail got one of Kramer's bones stuck in her pants. She had no clue...but she thought it was hilarious that Kramer was chasing her around. It went on for like 10 minutes until Kramer finally tackled her and got his bone....all to her laughter!!!

This was on Thursday. Abigail had gymnastics (which she LOVES by the way...she is getting good at the beam) and then we met some friends at the park. We got home just in time for lunch...or should I say nap!

Happy Monday! Hope you have a GREAT week!

What we've been up to....

Here's what we've been up to this week....

While I am still going to watch the kids every now and then, this was my last week with Reese and Chase on Mondays and Tuesdays. So while Chase took a nap, Abigail and Reese had fun finger painting with pudding! Abigail really doesn't know what to do when the kids aren't around..she used to look for Kramer when she woke up, now she looks for Reese!

Reese declared a tu-tu party...so here are the girls together..this picture is so cute!

Also, on Saturday, Rob and I took Abigail to Brookfield Zoo.

Our 1st zoo trip with the wagon! It's much better than the stroller!

Daddy and Abigail looking at...of course...the monkeys!

We packed a lunch and had a great time!!!

Abigail was exhausted. It's literally only noon and she passed out in her wagon!

Today we are headed to Baby Bugs Gymnastics. This weekend we are celebrating my sister Katie's birthday! So happy early birthday, Kate!!!!!!!!

Easter Weekend

This weekend was full of fun, family, and food! We had a great Easter weekend!

On Friday, we colored eggs. Abigail really enjoyed dropping the eggs into the colors..and laughed when we took them out! We had a lot of fun!

Come on Daddy...look at all those eggs waiting for color!

Easter was a blast with Abigail this year. We started Sunday morning with an Easter Egg Hunt through our house. Abigail found all 10 of her eggs. The eggs were filled with change...so the more eggs she found, the heavier her basket was. By the end, she decided to let Daddy carry her basket for her!

Not wasting any time putting her money in her bank

Among other things, the Easter Bunny brought Abigail a new stereo for her room. She sleeps to music but her old stereo has been acting up! Of course, it's very "girl-ie"! We rocked out to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse all morning!

Sunday afternoon, we headed over to my parents' house. They had a Easter Egg Hunt ready for Abigail..and with all the attention, she was in heaven. She made out like a bandit with Easter. I was like Christmas!!!! Thank you to everyone for thinking of Abigail! Sorry I don't have more pictures of the family...I was very bad about taking pictures!

Abigail got lots of presents to get ready for our beach vacation this summer!

After our great Easter afternoon with the Muskovich family, we headed over to Rob's family Easter. It's always so much fun to be with the whole, big family!!!! Again, Abigail walked out of Easter with a whole bunch of presents! Thank you to everyone for thinking of her and thank you to Great Nani and Papi for the delicious meal!!!!

While I didn't have my camera out for most of the day, I did grab a quick picture of "part" of the family as we attempted a family picture. I am proud to say in the end, there was success! I will post it when I get a copy!!!

Abigail had a GREAT Easter. She sure is one lucky girl to be surrounded by so many people who love her!!! We end with a picture taken 1 minute after getting into the car to head home! Priceless!

Words, Fits, and a Pink Purse!

Abigail Grace Update!


Abigail is turning into quite the talker. Within the last week, the words are beginning to flow. Now, these may be words only a Mom could understand, but they are coming! She does a lot of repeating sounds in words I say. She is OBSESSED with her book Brown Bear. She has been reading 100's of times a day since Saturday. She will say "Brown Bear" when she wants to read it. So far she will name "bear, cat, duck, and dog" when she's reading it. I'm working on "fish and frog" but the d and b sounds are much easier for her. She is also starting to get a hang of this sign language thing. I have been showing her the same 3 signs for 10 months now: more, all done, milk. She's been doing more for a while and has recently started doing all done. Yesterday she was getting a bath and I said "Abigail, are you all done" and she did all done and said it too! Then this morning I asked her if she wanted milk and she did the sign. I couldn't believe it...I gave up on that sign weeks ago! She also LOVES the word "hi". When we are out she says hi to everyone we pass. It's so cute. It's especially funny when we are checking out because she'll say hi and when they say hi back she says hi again...it goes on for a while! But she hasn't learned "bye" yet!


In addition to talking, Abigail also has a new favorite thing to do...throw a fit!!! I'm telling you, this girl is the queen of throwing temper tantrums! She will throw her body down on the ground and yell whenever she's frustrated. She also likes to throw her head backwards onto the ground. I am in shock of her fits. We had to stop at a store on the way to her dr's app't and she threw a fit on the ground. I was so embarrassed. She looks so small and younger than she is and I know everyone who was watching was in shock of the baby throwing the temper tantrum. Then we got to the dr's office and she didn't want to sit for the dr so she went to throw a fit, but she realized the ground was hard, so the little stinker walked over to the couch in the room and then threw the fit on the couch! Is she 16???? I hope these temper tantrums end soon...I have to admit, Rob and I laugh at her when she throws them because they are so funny...but we are going to have to get strict if they continue. Yesterday she wanted her "people" that she had stuck down a hole and couldn't get back, and she threw her fit. It went on for over 5 minutes!


Anyways, Abigail keeps us laughing every day. She is getting such a funny personality. Right now as I type she's walking around with her pink purse she has. She walks around and sticks random things in it (Rob and I love to check her purse after she goes to bed and see what she collected, it cracks us up) and she has to swing her purse on her arm like Mommy does. It's so funny! We just love this little girl to death and couldn't be more proud of her...or more in love with her!!!!


Word Count
Words Abigail signs: all done, more, milk

Words Abigail says: doggie, da da, ma ma, up, hi, brown bear (as one word), bear, cat, duck, all done

"Mom...for real??? No more pictures!"

Breakfast with the Bunny

On Saturday, we had Breakfast with the Bunny with the Hackneys and Adams at the Bloomingdale Golf Course. It was a great morning...last year Abigail was so little...this year she actually participated in the egg hunt. We had a great time, it's a wonderful tradition we've begun!!!!


Abigail and Mae dancing


sigh sigh...my big girl


So precious...Alex and Abigail talking about something very important


Daddy and Abigail on the egg hunt



Adding to her collection


Don't you love her soccer ball egg basket?

We couldn't believe how she found the eggs, bent down, and put them in her basket. She's practicing for Halloween!

Abigail and Jake with the Bunny. Jake and Alex were so cute because they thought the Easter Bunny was like Santa so they were telling him what they wanted for Easter!

Rob and I also had a great time celebrating on anniversary on Saturday. I wish I would have taken some pictures. We spent the afternoon in Lincoln Park shopping, visiting our favorite establishments, and enjoying our time together reminiscing about how our lives have changed in 5 years. We had dinner at our favorite restaurant Basil Leaf (but they expanded and it's not the same, so sad) and then ended the night with our favorite part. We found a cupcake place called Molly's. We had dessert and played a little Connect 4! It was a great, great anniversary!!!!

Also, Abigail had her 15 month app't on Thursday. I was shocked with her weight..she only weighs 17 1/2 lbs (17 lbs 10 oz). The doctor said she's still following the curve even though she's still not on the scale. She only gained a pound in 3 months, but the dr isn't concerned. She said I could add some more fat to her diet if I want. She also had a ear infection, but that's being taken care of. She's met all her 15 month milestones already...

Thank you to everyone for the anniversary cards and presents...we appreciate it so much! 10 years=Jamaica!!!!!!!!

5 Amazing Years!

Today is our 5 year anniversary!!!! I can't believe it's already been 5 years! It has been quite an amazing journey already...so today I thought I'd post a few wedding pictures!


Rob and I on the Odyssey off of Navy Pier...where our reception was!


The Pour House...where it all began. This is where Rob and I really started dating...it closed down before our wedding, but we still took the whole crew there for a picture out front! This is our favorite wedding picture!


Our crazy, large wedding party!!!!


Rob with is best men, Bill and Brian


Beth with her maids of honors and sisters, Julie and Katie.


Rob's family


Beth's family


On the Odyssey at the beginning of the reception. It was COLD and WINDY, but we had a wonderful time!


1st dance



I think this picture is so cute outside the church. Some of my students at the time came to the wedding with their families. They passed out the "booklets" when the guests walked in and the bubbles when the guests walked out!


And they lived happily ever after...never before have 6 words been more true!

I think most people know that Rob surprised me with our honeymoon. I knew we were going somewhere, but I didnt know where until we got on the plane. It was such a fun surprise. I really, really wanted to go to Disney World, but Rob kept telling me he didn't want me to be disappointed but we weren't going..I was very convinced!


The 1st stop on our honeymoon...Disney World!!!!


The 2nd stop on our honeymoon...Montego Bay, Jamaica!!!

Rob and I are looking forward to celebrating this weekend in Chicago since we weren't able to get back to Jamaica! It really has been an amazing 5 years..and yet it's really just the beginning of our journey together!

Turtle and Bath Fun

Abigail has a new friend...her turtle. Grandma and Grandpa brought her back a turtle from St. John's and she loves it. It's really almost as big as her...and she carries it around the house! Here are some fun things Abigail is doing with her turtle:


It's perfect as a pillow

It's my playmate when Reese and Chase aren't here

This is my favorite..Abigail was using it as a chair for reading!!!

It can be a hat!!!!

I thought we were due for a good bath picture or two...but Abigail will NOT look at the camera when she's playing.

Catching letters in her net

The side view of her baby mullet that's growing

Look at all the toys in the tub...but her favorite is still the blue cup!

Abigail is so cute this week because she's starting to follow directions. In addition to her turtle, she loves this little pink garbage can that we keep her dirty bibs in (hey, it keeps her quiet). Today she was doing what she does 100 times a day, which is take all the bibs out. So I said, "Abigial, put them in" and she walked over and picked them all up and put them back. I was shocked! She definitely listens better than Kramer! ;) What a fun age! She is also babbling in her own language, but she'll often say "A-bi-gail"...I'm trying to get it on video, but Abigail won't do it once the video is on! I'll keep trying!

Also, Abigail wants to wish her Aunt Leanne a Happy Birthday!!!!

Happy Thursday!!! See you tomorrow!!! She has her 15 month app't today so I'll have status updates..as well as tomorrow is an important day in our family....I wonder what it is?????