6 Months...Too Fast!!!!

Our sweet Caitlin bug turned 6 months old this weekend.  We can't believe how fast the first 6 months went...and that we are half way to celebrating her 1st birthday!  My baby really is growing up fast!!!!

Caitlin Elizabeth at 6 Months:

*Almost 14 lbs (exact stats next week)

*Drinking about 30 oz of Nutramigen Formula daily

*Doing rice cereal once a day, but very thinned

*Rolling over both ways...and all over the place

*Has begun rolling onto belly to sleep

*Is beginning to "scoot" and trying to get her legs into a crawling position

*Beginning to sit on own, can balance for 10-20 seconds before falling backwards

*LOVES to stand in her exersaucer or jumpy toy

*LOVES to be with other babies, especially at Ms Kelly's house

*Napping 3 times a day (8:00 am, 1:00pm, 4:00pm) for about an hour each

*Wearing 3-6 months clothes and size 2 diapers

*Has the SWEETEST demeanor...just a go-with-the-flow baby with a smile that lights up the room!

6????  Nice try at creative photography, Mom!

For Caitlin's 6 month birthday, she got a new mirror for her crib!  She loves mirrors!

Watching the 2 girls together is so wonderful.  Abigail is very gentle and kind with Caitlin...and always wants to help with her.  She brings her toys, reads her books, and is constantly concerned if Caitlin is fussing, crying, or needs to be "rolled over".  No matter what Caitlin is doing, when Abigail is near her, all eyes are on Abigail.  Abigail can make her smile and laugh like no one else can.  We can't wait to watch them grow up together!

I mean....come on....HILARIOUS!  Abigail is so proud, and Caitlin is like "Uh mom...get her off of me!"

In honor of Mother's Day, a picture from my 1st Mother's Day with Caitlin (photo taken by Abigail)!

Dear Caitlin bug,

We can't believe our "baby" is 6 months old already.  We love you so much and are so proud watching you as your grow and develop.  You are such a beautiful, happy girl!  Next week will be a HUGE week in your life...and we hope that it will open more doors for you!!!!  Even if you can't always hear us, we tell you we LOVE you every second of every day!  ;)  Daddy and you have a special bond...he can watch you play for hours!  You and mommy spend special time together every day reading books and singing our song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"!!!  Your grandparents, aunts, and uncles love you so much!  You bring joy to everyone around you.  Thank you for choosing us as your family!  We hope the next 6 months bring you peace, joy, and happiness!  We love you!!!!  Mommy, Daddy, and Abigail

Happy Mom's Day!!!

Happy Mother's Day to the best moms, grandmas, nanas, great-grandmas, great-nani's, aunts, godmothers, and role models in our lives!!!!!!

We LOVE you all and hope you have a wonderful day!

Friday Fill-In

Here is a random post about things from last week..and some new Caitlin updates!

1st, Caitlin started rolling last week..and is rolling all over the place!  I never know where I'll find her, cause she rolls all over the family room.  She is also rolling onto her tummy to sleep, which of course makes me nervous, but she seems to be sleeping well on her stomach!

Random tummy time while playing outside...sporting the sweater Rob's Aunt Karen made for Abigail (and Caitlin).

Caitlin has also started rice cereal.  She is getting it once a day.  She needs it thinned out, so I don't think she's anywhere ready for baby food yet, but we are continuing to practice once a day.  (More on that at bottom).

1st attempt at rice cereal.  We knew she was ready because she was using the spoon herself!  :)

Love that bib!!!

Last week we went to Joey's Lacrosse game.  He plays for Notre Dame in Niles.  Joey and Nick are Kim (Rob's cousin) and Steve's kids.  We had a lot of fun watching the game and are hoping they  make the playoffs so we can go watch another game.  I think Lacrosse would be a really fun sport for the girls to try one day!

Joe scored like 3 goals today!!!!!

Nick did a great job as the "ball boy"...and kept us entertained too!!!!

Last week Abigail got her 1st real haircut....one where I didn't wimp out and have them barely cut any hair off!!!!  Here are the before, during, and after pics!

And finally, an update on Caitlin!  We went to her new doctor at Children's Memorial yesterday and LOVE him!!!  (Thank you so much Jenny for watching Abigail during the appointment!)  They did another hearing test and confirmed she still has severe hearing loss (minimal 40 decible loss) and her ear drums are not vibrating/echoing due to fluid.  So they want the tubes put in asap.  So we schedule the surgery for Monday, May 17th.  We will get more information about the surgery the Friday before (time, procedure, etc).  We know we'll be at Children's Memorial in the city for the surgery, and it will be in the afternoon.  I am looking forward to the surgery being over...so I'm happy they were able to get us in quickly!  After the surgery, they will retest her hearing a month later and we'll go from there!!!!  After we get the hearing under control, they will be doing another swallow scope on her (tube down throat while swallowing) because of continued concerns over swallowing issues...but we won't worry about that until we get there!  So that's Caitlin's update..and we are very confident in the ENT doing the surgery...and with Children's Memorial in general!

Hope everyone has a great weekend and a wonderful Mother's Day!!!

God Bless Caitlin Elizabeth

Today was Caitlin's Baptism.  We had a small event with family.  It was a really beautiful, relaxed, joyous day.  And the best part was Miss Caitlin.  She was as adorable as ever..and was so happy!  She was really the happiest baby I have ever seen get baptized!!!  Here are few pics from the church (St. Michael's in Wheaton) and at our house after!

Daddy and his girls

Caitlin really was a riot today!!!!

Beautiful

Mommy snuggles

"Here priest, I'll read it for you!"

Godparents

Wennerstrom family

Muskovich clan.  And, so cute..this is my first picture of my niece!!!!!

Family Photo Op

Auntie Stina

Mmmmmmm

Watch me grow thanks to Aunt Julie and Uncle Joe

TIFFANY'S!!!!  A girl's best friend!!!  Thanks Aunt Katie!

Don't forget Abigail's Godparents!!!!

Such a cute picture of Auntie MoMo

2 Kool 4 Skool

Exhausted after a joyous day

Thank you so much to all our family who joined us today...and for all those who couldn't be here but sent cards, emails, thoughts, and prayers!  I didn't take many pictures at our house, so I don't have pictures of all the rest of the family that was there today: Auntie Brina,Uncle Tom, Kim, Joe, Nick, Chelsea and Trevor, Great Nani and Papa...oh, and Kramer too!  Thank you so much to all of you for being here today to celebrate with us.  And thank you to Auntie T and Ben, and Aunt Jam and Uncle Al for sending cards and thinking of us while you were in warmer places!!!  We are beyond blessed for our loving family!

And last, thank you to Caitlin's Godparents, Uncle Brian and Aunt Katie.  You are both so special to us and we know you will continue to watch over Caitlin and help her celebrate how special she is!

It's a Bird....It's a Plane...It's.....

SUPERDAWG!!!!!

Well, Abigail is officially a Muskovich!  She has met all the food requirements:  Skyline Chili, Lou's Pizza, Ocean City Crabs, Gale Street Inn Ribs, and now, Superdawg!!!! 

Caitlin still has a way to go to catch up...but that's the best part....we get to have a 1st at each of these places again!!!!!  We can't wait for Caitlin to join in!

Soon to come are pics of:  1st food (Caitlin is on rice cereal now), 1st real haircut (not a wimpy snip like last time), and 1st Lacrosse Game!!!!  But in true Muskovich fashion, Superdawg needs it's own page!

Happy Friday!!!!

We Walk

This weekend we had the March for Babies walk.  It is our way to honor all those who fight for the lives of babies who are too sick to fight for themselves!!!  We got very lucky with the weather...the rain didn't start until we were back at our car.  It was a LONG walk (from Downtown St. Charles to Downtown Geneva and back)!  It was a great time for our family!

Caitlin and Abigail with Cally and Catie Wittman (Cally was born 4 months premature and weighed a lb when born...isn't it amazing where these girls have come?).  "My Luca" (how Abigail refers to Luca) was there too but I didn't have my camera out till the end.

We had a great family weekend...we went to the Children's Museum, ran errands, did the walk, went out for lunch, and just spent a lot of time as a family.  On Friday night, we were reading the girls books...Abigail wants Caitlin in her bed for the books....and I couldn't resist a picture (or 3)...these two together is so heart-warming!

On Sunday, Abigail and I stopped by to visit Great-Grandma...and Abigail insisted on a picture!  While she loves Great-Grandma, she LOVES the bathrooms at her new place more...because she gets to take an elevator to the bathroom.  I'm not kidding, 24 hours later and she's still asking to use the bathroom at Great-Grandma's house!

And for Rob's highlight of the weekend...something he has waited a LONG time for!!!!

Do we have a golfer on our hands???  I'd say no since while she liked golfing, she really had more fun with the flags that came with the set...she was waving them around like a cheerleader while Daddy was "trying" to have a conversation with her about golf!

And finally, we wanted to say Good Job to my dad who ran the Big Sur Marathon this weekend.  He has run A LOT of marathons (I'm thinking around 25, maybe more) and he said this was by far the most amazing one he has ever run!!!  These pictures really make me want to get out there and train for another marathon, but it's not motivation holding me back...it's time!  I can't imagine finding 4+ hours every weekend to go run.  Maybe one year I'll find the time...and the right reason...to train for another one.  Until then, I'll leave you with pics from the marathon (not my dad's pictures, just ones off their website).  Great Job, Dad!!!  We are proud of you!!!

Hard to find running boring with views like that!!!

The baby grand piano at the halfway mark...my dad said you can hear the piano the whole time you are running in the valley!!!!  Amazing!