And they're off....

On Friday we had a family wedding in Green Bay. I didn't have my camera but this is a pic from one of my cousins. These girls are actually my mom's cousin's kids (so our 2nd cousins) and we get along so great and have so much fun together!!! We look foward to our next get-together...and for Abigail to meet her quickly-extending 3rd cousins!!!! The wedding was so much fun...maybe a little bit too much fun at the bar! They sure know how to throw a party in Wisconsin....it is probably good I was pregnant and couldn't partake in the Jameson shots!


Natalie, Cassie, Me, Jules, Kate
Jessican, Cheri

On Sunday we went with Rob's parents to Arlington. It was a perfect day to be outside! While there were no big winners in our group, we had a lot of fun betting on the ponies!


Family Picture


Nana and Papa

Family Day Petting Zoo at Arlington

So soft!

Hope you had a great weekend!!!

"Motherhood is...."

"Motherhood is a bag of contradictions"....I heard this quote on a show on Discovery Channel and it basically sums up the past few weeks! We are so excited for the new baby to arrive and meet him/her, but also a little anxious and nervous. We love Abigail more and more and more everyday, but she's in a very trying stage right now that has us a little frustrated too. A bag of contradictions!!!! I think that is such a great way to sum up motherhood!

As for what we've been up to, we've been up to a whole lot of little things! We finally got our new camera...but now I can't find the storage disk for it. I put it somewhere SAFE because it has all our vacation pics on it and I knew how important it is...and now I can't find where I put it to keep it SAFE. Therefore, we have very limited pics.

Over the weekend, we spent Saturday doing errands (after Abigail and I went downtown to go shopping with Aunt Katie for a gret morning). We did some more minivan shopping (I think we have decided on the Volkswagen minivan) and also tested out some double strollers for the kids. We have gone back and forth on a front/back or side to side stroller...and if we should do a jogging stroller or an umbrella stroller. I think we found the perfect "combination" stroller. It's the Baby Jogger City Mini Double stroller...it's narrow enough to go through a door way, can work as a running stroller (although I don't see me doing that with 2), can add a bar to use an infant seat with it if we decide we want to, and seems like it will grow with the kids! Plus it only weighs 26 lbs vs most other strollers which are 35+ lbs. And how cute is the orange???

On Sunday we went to Brookfield Zoo. We always try to do one or two new things with each visit. This time Abigail fed the goats and got to go pet them. She loved it! This was our favorite zoo visit yet because she gets so excited everytime she sees animals...and she really watched them, especially the bears.

On Monday we went to Monkey Joes with Abigail's friend Luca and her mom, my friend Racquel. I didn't get any good pics of the two together, but here is one of Miss Abigail going down a slide. The place was full of these jumpy houses...it was really big and nice and clean...and Abigail has so much energy and wants to climb on everything so it was perfect for her!

Speaking of climbing...Abigail is a monkey! If you turn your head for 1 second, she's crawled on top of the kitchen table or into a chair. Here is how I found her while I made breakfast...she crawled into her high chair by herself and buckled herself in! (She's not wearing clothes because we had to change her pj's and I decided to wait till after her messy breakfast).

I got her down from there and less than 5 minutes later, she had crawled onto a chair and decided to get her own snack! What a stinker!!!!

Abigail has become very independent! She is beginning to work on potty training. I am in NO hurry to have her potty trained since she's only 20 months and diapers are easy right now. But she always says "Pee Pee Potty" or "Poop Potty" so we go and sit her on the potty. She does this 5-10 times a day and has never actually "used" the potty, but I don't want to discourage her so we keep it up everyday! She likes to read books on her potty...and her new things is to use the stepping stool as a footrest while she reads!

Abigail is talking a lot more. Some of her favorite words are: Mamer (Kramer), No Mamer, Elmo, Maw Maw (Mickey Mouse), brush (teeth), bird, dog, book, up, down, potty, baby (beware if you are around her-she points to everyone's belly and says "baby")....but the list goes on and on with words. She is really talking a lot more which is really fun! I'll have to do a video on one of her talkative days!!!!

Abigail is also getting her 2nd molars and it hasn't been easy. It's made her very irritable and crabby....and not helping mommy's insanity level right now! But we know it is bothering her so we are trying to do everything we can to comfort her (that means medicate her) and not get too frustrated with her.

And last, Abigail is starting to get ready for the new baby. She doesn't completely understand what is going to happen, but she LOVES when we tell her she's a big girl. She has an Elmo that she takes care of (he gets fed, his teeth brushed, and goes everywhere with her). We took her to build-a-bear to make a bear for the baby! And we have been talking about her big girl room (which we won't transition her into until the baby is 3 months old because she's not ready to give up her crib yet). We think she's going to be a great big sister!!!!!

Wow..that was a lot..it really has been a while!!! To end, here is a picture of Miss Abigail at her favorite reading spot. She dropped one of her legs when she saw the camera but you can imagine how she was reading!

26 Weeks

How far along? 26 Weeks
Total weight gain: Since I hit the 20 mark...I'm done sharing this info! Obviously by looking at my pictures I've put on a "healthy" amount of weight. Not feeling great about the face but "it is what it is". Because of my preterm labor risks, I can't be on my feet for more than 15 minutes, so walking/exercising is out of the picture. I know this is for the baby, but it's a touchy subject...I can't imagine what I'm gonna look like if I make it 14 more weeks! But I hope I do!!!
Maternity clothes? Exclusively

Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: Depends
Best moment this week: Pulling out the newborn clothes to wash...so excited for a little peanut to fit into them one more time! Oh, also my prenatal massage. Made a huge difference with backpain I was having! And narrowing down girl names to like 5!

Movement: A lot of movement in a stretch of time...then a lot of sleep!

Food cravings: Food!

Gender: Perfect no matter what!

Labor Signs: No

What I miss: Going for long walks

What I am looking forward to: Meeting my baby

Purchases: I don't think anything this week

Weekly Wisdom: Don't take anything for granted

Milestones: Can't believe I'm starting my 3rd trimester already!

Daddy Did It!!!! (Updated)

This weekend I went away for a Girl's Weekend Away! My girlfriends and I headed up to Saugatack Michigan for a great weekend full of laughter, fun, and relaxation! We had such a great weekend including amazing meals, a wonderful day at the Spa, great shopping, and lots of bonding time!!! It was a perfect weekend...full of celebrations!!!! Thanks girls!!!! I love how my stomach hurts when we get back after all the laughing.

While we were away, the daddys would play! Rob and Abigail had such a great weekend here together! On Saturday, Rob took Abigail to the Dupage Children's Museum (with Jay Hackney and his boys). On Sunday, Rob and Jay took the kids to a Splash Park and then McDonalds for lunch! I came home to a clean house and a happy, excited kid! You could tell Abigail was in heaven after her weekend alone with her Daddy! Daddy was especially proud of his Piggy Tail job...no crying and she looked as cute as a button! I love to see Abigail and Rob interact together and would have loved to see them together all weekend...but I know they had such a great bonding weekend. It was just what we all needed!!!!!!

I also want to thank Aunt Julie and Grandma for watching Abigail on Friday so I could leave. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

I couldn't stop laughing when I saw this...Daddy tried so hard with the pigtails...but no, her head is not tilted..one piggie is on the side of her head and one on top...but she looks so cute and happy!!!! It melts my heart! Taken at the Children's Museum.

By Day 2, Daddy really got this "piggie-tail thing" under control...a fun day a the splash park!

To Our Little Sunshine

To Our Little Sunshine,

This weekend was your birthday! Your due date was August 7th and it's a date Mommy and Daddy will always quietly celebrate! We think of you often. Every night Abigial says her prayers and includes a special prayer asking you to watch over our family! We know that you have had a special part in helping Lil W grow big and strong! You are our angel watching over your family here. Mommy wants you to know that in her heart, she's the mommy of 3 babies...2 on Earth (or soon-to-be) and one in heaven! You will always be our little guy!

We think of you daily. Thank you for watching over us...We love you! We'll see you one day...but until then, Mommy carries you in her heart.

Love, Mommy, Daddy, and your big Sis

25 Weeks

*Where have we been? Well, the saying "When it rains, it pours" really pertains to us. In the past two weeks, we have a broken tv, broken camera, broken modem, and broken air-conditioning in my car. Luckily we had already bought a new tv and were just waiting for it to arrive. The modem and camera were still under warranty so we got the modem yesterday and are waiting for the camera. And the air comes in and out and is still under warranty, I just need to bring it in. So I'm back on the computer, but have no pictures until we get our new camera!!!! I will post them up here as soon as possible!

How far along? 25 Weeks (almost)
Total weight gain: Oh man...let's just say I gained 8 lbs in one month! I think I've gained 20 lbs.
Maternity clothes? Yes.
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: Most of the time...but need my special pillow or I am waking up all night with a backache and moving to the floor.
Best moment this week: Quiet bonding time at prenatal yoga...Just the 2 of us!
Movement: Wow, that's for sure! I do not remember Abigail being as active as Lil W.
Food cravings: Not really craving anything this week
Gender: Surprise!!! (I think we have both moved to thinking it's a boy)
Labor Signs: Not for 5 weeks now...let's hope it stays that way!
What I miss: Nothing at all
What I am looking forward to: My 1st prenatal massage this weekend...and my girls' weekend away in Michigan
Purchases: Just diapers...oh, and the cutest rainbow leg warmers if it's a girl (to be worn with just a onsie, so cute)...and we took Abigail to Build-a-Bear to make a present for her new brother/sister!
Weekly Wisdom: Enjoy every moment..it's going so fast!
Milestones: 24 weeks is considered viability..so from this point on, a baby born can survive!

Bass Lake Festival 2009

We had a wonderful weekend at the annual Bass Lake Festival. It's a fun weekend at Rob's parents cabin full of different activities around the lake (fireworks, parades, contests, and lots of pop n wines). The best part is every year there is an annual shirt..and everyone wears matching shirts on Saturday (this year is the yellow shirt) and then on Sunday it's a variety of past shirts...so much fun! This year the lake was packed with people, so it was so much fun! We didn't participate as much as we usually do (race, goat drop, fish contest, etc) but Uncle Al did win the photo contest for his picture of a sunset over the lake...Way to go! It's always really special for Rob and me because my parents have come for 4 years...so we have both sets of parents together for the weekend. Everyone had such a great time this weekend!!! I do have to admit that the parents made it up much later than Rob and I...I think we are the "old folks" at the lake! Abigail couldn't have had a better time with all of her family! In addition to both sets of grandparents, she had her great grandparents, her great aunt and uncle, and 2 cousins (2nd cousins I guess)...and a WHOLE lot of attention. Thank you to everyone for the great weekend!!! We look forward to this weekend every year. My camera isn't working (hense the lack of pictures lately) but thank to Aunt Georgeanne for sending hers!!!


Al and Georgeanne's beach at their house!


Abigail and her nana, grandpa, papa, and grandma...what a lucky girl! I think she struck a cute pose too! What a little diva!



Papa teaching Abigail to drive.


A family picture (unfortunately my parents had already left when we thought of doing this)

Abigail with Aunt Georgeanne, Uncle Al, Nana, and Papa (this picture was from 4th of July).

I am working tonight on getting my vacation pictures (well not mine, again my camera isn't working, but my family's pictures) in order and I'm going to do a day by day break down...so check back! Also, thank you so much to Neici...she had the whole 2008 blog printed and put into a book for us so Abigail will be able to see the blog and we'll have it forever! Thank you so much, it was such a great surprise!!! We can't wait to share the book with her one day!!!!