Post through Pics *Updated*

Post through Pictures!!!!!

We DID celebrate Caitlin's 6 month birthday with a treat...I just didn't put pictures.  It's actually half a cake-shaped brownie!!!!

UPDATE:  Also, I forgot to post about Caitlin's 6 months stats!  She had her 6 month app't last week, and she weighs 13 lbs 1 oz (3% for weight) and is 25.25 inches (22% for height).  I don't think Caitlin is going to be as tall as Abigail, but they are both gonna be skinny mini's!  We are trying to add weight to Caitlin (same as we did with Abigail) by adding calories to her formula...but maybe we'll just give her frozen yogurt instead (see below)!

On Friday morning, Abigail got herself breakfast!

Tour De Caitlin!  She's getting up on all fours and scooting backwards!  Any day now she'll be crawling!  And she was sporting her Tour De France pajamas Aunt Julie and Uncle Joe brought her back from France.

Today, we had a great day enjoying the weather.  We started at Cosley Zoo!

Then, we headed to downtown Wheaton to walk around and go to the park.  After the park, we found the BEST frozen yogurt place EVER!!! YoYoLand!!! It's my absolute new favorite thing!!!!  They had all these different types of yogurt, and tons and tons of toppings (fresh fruit, candy, etc).  You just make whatever you want, and then they charge you $.49 per ounce.  It was so much fun!!!

Abigail enjoyed her Vanilla with sprinkels.

Caitlin tried Mommy and Daddy's peanut butter with chocolate chips and oreos.  Obviously, she's our kid!!!!

Also, a few random pics from our wonderful Mother's Day! I got to spend Saturday shopping with my mom all day, including a fun lunch with GREAT drinks and coffee! Sunday I woke up to a LARGE Starbucks and flowers to plant!!!  I also got new running shoes (so excited) that I could pick out myself! We went for a family walk.  We met Rob's parents at a really fun restaurant in Bolingbrook...where we had alligator for an appetizer.  And we went and saw my grannie Frannie!  And then today (following week) I got a pedi thanks to my parents, coffee thanks to my sister Kate, and new shoes thanks to my hubby and kids!  So yep...it was a great Mother's Day and I feel so blessed!!!!

We went for a family walk around the "fountain" in Carol Stream!  Searched for ducks...found mean geese!

At dinner with Nana and Papa, Caitlin was being cuddley, which she never is so we had to document it!!!!

Tomorrow is the big day...Caitlin's ear tubes surgery....hopefully!  Of course, both kids got sick this weekend.  They both had a touch of the stomach flu; Abigail on Friday and Saturday and Caitlin on Saturday and Sunday.  They both threw up only once each day, so we really, really hoping they will do the surgery tomorrow and by noon tomorrow, Caitlin will have a whole new world!!!!

Also, thank you to Aunt Katie for taking the girls on Saturday so I could go celebrate the soon-to-be-arrival of Luke Hackney and Rob could golf in a benefit golf tournament!  It's much harder to have the girls in the city and I give you credit for taking them to the park and finding a bathroom!  :) You have to send me the pics from the park!  And thanks to Jules for meeting the girls later for lunch!  We loved seeing our neice growing!!!!!  Sorry guys that Abigail got sick at the restaurant!  ;)  But the girls had a great time....Abigail LOVED it...but sorry to say, the best part of the day was the moment UNCLE JOE came to the window to say hi to her.  HOURS of talking about it!!!!  ;)

Update as soon as possible tomorrow about Caitlin!

SWAGGER WAGON

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!