Lots of Pictures!!!

We have been very busy the past few weeks. I had so many pictures that I had to pick one or two from each event to keep this from getting too long. Here are pictures of Dupage Children's Museum with the Hackneys, Brookfield Zoo with the Hackneys, Carol Stream Festival (yep, with the Hackneys, but we didn't have our camera the night they came with us), and a few random pics and visits.

Quick story to report: Abigail sang her 1st song. We were in the car listening to some of her nursery rhyme songs and I wasn't even paying attention to the song on the radio (Twinkle Twinkle) but she started singing "up" and "hi" in the cutest singing voice everytime she heard it on the song.

Here are the pics of our last week or so...

2 weeks ago, we went to the Dupage Children's Museum with the Hackneys. Abigail tried out the wind tunnel where you have to wear goggles...so cute!

Last week Renee and I braved Brookfield Zoo on the BUSIEST day of the year to go see The Little People Show...no, it's not a show with little people...it's a show put on by Fisher Price. The show was so much fun (the zoo was really crazy so I'd say the other best part of our day was ice cream)!

Believe it or not..Abigail was having so much fun...just an odd picture that looks like I'm torturing her by making her have fun at the zoo.

The Hackneys...so cute!!!!

Abigail just chilling watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse as Mommy prepares her milk...man does she have the life. I wish I could say I posed her but I didn't...she really was flipping channels.

Abigial went on her 1st pony ride at the Carol Stream Fest. Rob and I were expecting her to cry and be scared but she really loved it!!!

They even let her go around a 2nd time because she (and daddy...and mommy) was having so much fun!

The best part is they told us they have a really small white pony that they dress up as a pink princess that comes to Little Girls birthday parties! I told Rob that next summer we have to have a summer birthday party for Abigail....how cute would that be????

Abigail loved the ponies so much that Daddy took Abigail on the merry-go-round!

We had so much fun enjoying the music at the Carol Stream Fest. There was lots of room there for Abigail to run around and practice her dancing and jumping skills! We were jamming out to Jimmy Buffet music this day!

Abigail went to Kindergarten! We went to help my mom clean her classroom for the end of the year...and Abigail loved playing there. She even helped sort the number and letters for Grandma!

Abigail visiting Great-Grandma Fran

Daddy and Abigail watching hockey and snacking together.

This weekend we are headed to Cincinnati for my cousin's wedding. We are taking Abigail to Coney Island on Saturday so there should be fun pictures!

16 Weeks

16 Weeks

How far along? 16 Weeks
Total weight gain: 5 lbs
Maternity clothes? Mostly
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: Yes but have crazy, insane nightmares!
Best moment this week: Went to prenatal yoga for the 1st time...Lil W seemed to really enjoy it because I felt some movement...it was almost the same feelings as the 1st time I felt Abigail move.
Movement: Still not much...just a little "reminder" every day or two
Food cravings: still peanut butter and jelly, gummi snacks
Gender: Surprise!!! (Rob feels girl, I feel boy...only one can be right)
Labor Signs: No
What I miss: A cold beer every once in a while...but still too grateful and excited to miss anything!
What I am looking forward to: Dr. App't this week to hear the heartbeat again!
Weekly Wisdom: Take a break!
Milestones: Far enough along to start prenatal yoga, starting Progesterone shots this week, one more month till 1/2 way (or for Abigail, this would have already been 1/2 way there)!

Happy Birthday, Rob!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Rob (and Daddy)!!!! You are the best husband and dad. We appreciate everything you do for us! We are so lucky and blessed to have your in our lives! You make every day more fun!!! We hope your birthday is a great day! Happy 32nd birthday! We love you!!! Love, Beth and Abigail

Our Little Gymnast

Last week was Abigail's last week of gymnastics at Carol Stream Park District. I am very happy we did this class...Abigail got a lot out of the class. She really gained confidence and developed a brave side to herself. She is climbing and crawling up things now. And you will randomly catch her doing a log roll in our family room. Here are some pics from our last class.



Abigail on the top of the podium getting her certificate.



She loved the tunnel.

Hula Hoops have LOTS of fun uses!

Abigail's "hands behind back" walking technique

Climbing


Abigail's dismount after a roll down the mat


Climbing through the obstacle course


Climbing out of the pit

15 Weeks

We are so excited that we have made it to week 15!!! We feel that we are in a very safe place and are so happy to start sharing all our happy news! I am warning...I will be doing LOTS of documenting. Anyone who knows me knows my greatest regret with Abigail's pregnancy was I didn't document it well. We kept a journal with little things like weight and milestones, but I seriously can not even find one picture where I have a belly (if you have one, I'd love to see it!) So this time, I am going to document everything. This will more than likely be our last pregancy so I don't want to forget a moment....

We found out about this pregnancy the day after St. Patrick's Day (March 18th) on the way to a dr's appointment. So we have been monitored since day 1 (literally). I have the most amazing doctor in the world...I can not say enough great things about him. He is so great!!! He is new but knows our background and understood how nerve-wracking the first trimester was for us, so he let me come in for weekly ultrasounds. I saw him week 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14! Lots and lots of ultrasound pics (I'll have to get some downloaded). Making it through week 10 was very exciting. We started sharing the news with our family at week 11 and with our friends at week 12. At week 12 we had an NT Scan done which showed the chance of the baby having downs syndrome was 1 in 48,000! Amazing odds, especially considering my odds from my age is 1 in 500. At week 14 I had a special ultrasound done at Central Dupage Hospital with my new perintologist (high risk specialist dr...I actually met him when I went into labor with Abigail). The concern is still why I had Abigail so early and what we can do differently this time. They checked my cervix and it looks great, thus so far, no cerclage (stitching my cervix closed...sorry dad, I know you hate this topic). I continue to be monitored every 3 weeks at the hospital along with every 2 weeks at my dr...so lots of drs visits...I LOVE it! I also start progesterone shots next week which has a 40% success rate of no preterm labor after a preterm labor.

I found this "checklist" thing below on a couple other blogs and thought it was a great way to keep track of what is happening each week. I included pics so I can see the "progression" of the belly...I really can't believe I'm posting these, it's really not my thing, but I don't want to miss it like I did with Abigail and this blog is my chance of scrapbooking (I will print this blog off once a year and have it put into a hardcover book so I can show it to Abigail and Lil W one day).


12 weeks

14 weeks

15 weeks

How far along? 15 Weeks
Total weight gain: 3 lbs
Maternity clothes? Yes to pants...Shirts can still go either way

Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: Not too bad-wake up 3-4 times a night
Best moment this week: Had ultrasound at CDH and so far, no cerclage (stitches) for premature labor.

Movement: I can feel the little stinker once every other day or so

Food cravings: Peanut butter and jelly, gummi snacks
Gender: Surprise!!!
Labor Signs: Oh goodness...none yet!
What I miss: Really nothing, just so grateful!
What I am looking forward to: Feeling kicks
Weekly Wisdom: Document, document, document!!!!
Milestones: Making it to week 15...feels safe!

For those who are wondering...no, we will not be finding out the gender. We LOVED the surprise with Abigail and look forward to it one more time. There really are few surprises left in life and this is one for us! Right now I'm just enjoying knowing Abigail will have a sibling..and we will have our complete family! I made a promise to Little Sunshine that we'd make him a healthy body for him...and am so happy and grateful that we have been able to follow through with my promise!!!

I have some GREAT pics of Abigail including her last gymnastics class and her bathing suit modeling show (so cute) that I will post soon!!!! Have a great week!

Memorial Day Weekend

On Saturday, we headed up to Bass Lake for a BEAUTIFUL Weekend at Nana and Papa's cabin!!! The weather in Indiana was unbelievable...I didn't even pack swimsuits because I had no idea how warm it would be up there...but we improvised! Rob was able to go golfing 2 days this weekend. Abigail got her 1st ride in Uncle Al's speedboat...and LOVED it. She doesn't love boat rides but she LOVES speed boat rides! She also got a new sand/water table from Nana and Papa which was a BIG hit. She loved the water side...but not the sand side so much (everyone knows she hates to get dirty) but by the end of the weekend she figured out she could wash the sand off after she was done..so she started to enjoy the sand too! We also went to Uncle Al and Aunt Georgeanne's for a campfire on Sunday night. Chelsea was up there and did a firework display for Abigail. Aunt Georgeanne had special things for Abigail around the campfire. She sure had a great weekend full of 1sts!!!! Here are some pictures of our weekend....


Family Picture



Mommy and Abigail hanging out on the boat



Abigail and Papa looking for fish

Abigail and Nana

Daddy teaching Abigail how to drive the boat

Abigail LOVED honking the horn on the boat!

Daddy and Nana took Abigail swimming...she may be wearing nothing on the bottom! :)

Nana and Papa bought Abigail a new Sand/Water box. She LOVED the water side...and started to warm up to the sand side by the end of the weekend.

"Hey Guys...It's MY sandbox!!!!"

On Monday, we headed back early to go to a cookout at my parent's house. While the weather may not have cooperated, the afternoon was PERFECT! We had great food with great family! I forgot to take pictures....ugh...but you can imagine it was a great way to end the great Memorial Day weekend! Abigail always loves time with Grandma and Grandpa!!!

Thanks to everyone for making our Memorial Day weekend so special!!!!

"Hey Everybody...I have something to tell you!"

"Guess what everybody...I'm gonna be a big sister!"