Celebrate Good Times!

Last week we celebrated 2 special birthdays!

 

The first was our niece and god-daughter's Lucy's 2nd birthday!!!!

 

She was so cute on her big day!  She did a great job with all the crowd and chaos..and was great sharing her toys when her cousins got in her business!  

 

We love you so much Lulu and hope you had the best 2nd birthday!!!!

She melts my heart so much!!!!!

 

 

We also celebrated Papa's birthday this week.  It was a great evening of pizza, presents, and cupcakes.  And Uncle Al and Auntie Gam were even in town which made it even more fun!

 

 

Happy Birthday to Papa!!!!!  Hope you had a special day!!!

Why, Hello 3rd Trimester!

I can NOT believe we are into our 3rd trimester already!!!  And we couldn't be happier about it!

 

I feel so bad that Baby Tres hasn't got as many "updates"....but it's not because we aren't so excited about her arriving!!!!  We can not wait! 

 

I think we have decided on a first name...but that doesn't mean it won't change a few times before she arrives.  As for middle names, we are still in debates...but we have some good choices!  ;)    And if we let the girls name her, her name would be Trisha Ariel or Ariel Trisha...named after a princess and a country singer....YIKES!

 

I'm feeling great!  Of course, I'm running out of space...and air...so I breath like I'm a smoker and I waddle like a duck...but all for a great reason!

 

We (and by we, I mean I) have been doing weekly progesterone shots since week 18.  It's a pain in the butt...literally :)....but I know it's the reason Caitlin made it to 37 weeks so I'm happy to go in weekly for them.

 

Monday is our final high risk dr appointment.  We thought we'd get released around week 22, but my cervix was acting up again.  However, between the progesterone shots and modified afternoon bedrest, I'm hoping for a great report tomorrow!  Our goal is 36 weeks and no bed rest!  (You hear that baby girl...if you want to come the day before Thanksgiving, I'm totally okay with that...but not before!)

 

All and all, baby girl is looking great.  As much fun as the surprises were with the girls, it's fun to know she's a girl and call her a "her"!

 

I haven't done ANY pictures this time around..but I quickly snapped one today!  So, here's baby girl at 27.5 weeks!!!!

 

 

How Far Along?  27 (and a half) weeks

Weight gain?  YEP! 

Maternity Clothes?  Are you kidding me???  Of course!

Stretch Marks?  Nope

Sleep?  Nothing too crazy.  Definitely fall asleep earlier, but will often wake up and experience a few hours of insomnia.  It's rough finding something to watch between the midnight - 3:00am hours.

Best Moment This Week?  Found something great to put over her crib.  And got her the cutest pair of shoes ever!!!  Also got her Xmas sleeper (we decided to just keep her cozy in pjs this Xmas and not put her in a dress).  So fun to think of our 1st Xmas with our 3 girls!!!!

Movement?  Yes.  But it's definitely not as much as before.  She's got herself wedged in some position under my ribs, so she cant squirm as much as before.  But still getting lots of kicks!

Food Cravings?  Not really.  The 1st trimester, all I wanted was taco bell and anything from a Jewish deli...don't me why.  2nd trimester was peanut butter, ice cream, and  gummi bears.  3rd trimester..anything that doesn't induce heart burn!  :)

Gender?  Our girl!

Labor Signs?  None yet!  Knock on wood.

What I Miss?  Wine.  Sushi.  Beer.  Sitting comfortably.  Wine.  Laying comfortably.  Wine.  Walking comfortably.  Wine. 

What I'm Looking Forward To?  Our 3 girls all being here safe and healthy!  Our 1st Xmas together!  Seeing if she looks more like Abigail or Caitlin...or a perfect mix of the 2.  Seeing Caitlin as a big sister.  Seeing Abigial as a big big sister.  Seeing Rob as a daddy of 3 girls!

Purchases?  Not much.  Shoes, A few sleepers, A Joovy Sit N Stand, and looking for a high chair.  Think I'm gonna order some things with her name on them for the hospital...then I'll probably change my mind on her name!  :)

Weekly Wisdom?  Stop complaining!  :)  I'm trying so hard to just enjoy this time because I will NEVER, EVER be pregnant again.  EVER!  :)  It's really fun to talk about what's to come with the girls!

Milestones?  3rd trimester!!!!

 

Dear Baby Girl,

We are so excited to meet you....in 8-12 more weeks!  We have been getting everything ready for you.  Abigail loves to sing songs to you...you will have to like Little Mermaid because she sings it to you almost every day.  And you'll probably be a pretty tough girl because your sister Caitlin climbs all over you already!  Get ready for her!!!!!  Enjoy the quiet time while you can!  :)  Your daddy and I want you to keep on growing and getting stronger and healthier...and make life a little easy on us by not trying to make an early apperance!  You've been so easy going so far...we know you are going to be our "go with the flow" girl!  We love you so much. 

Love, Mommy, Daddy, and your sisters

 

 

Oh, and P.S...Your daddy is a hillbilly!!! 

 

(He's at Nascar right now..I'm sure more to come about his day...he was like a kid in a candy store this morning.  While most guys would want to see (and make out with) Danica Patrick...Rob wants to see (and make out with) Jeff Gordan.  Although he just got in a wreck, I hear Rob crying all the way from Joliet!)

 

 

Happy Birthday, Papa!

We hope you have the best birthday!!!!!!!

Love,
Abigail, Caitlin, and Baby Tres

Abigail's "last" 1st day of preschool!

Wednesday was Abigail's 3rd and last 1st day of preschool!!!!!

 

She moved to the "big kids" room and was very excited.  She has new teachers this year so it made school a lot of fun!  She got some of her old friends in her class, and lots of new friends!

 

She had a great 1st day!  Her classroom this year is a little more "structured" and she will do well in that environment. 

 

I can't believe that next year this will be kindergarten pictures....

 

It was a rainy day so we have a lot of indoor picture this year!

 

Ready for 4 year old preschool!

My beautiful girl!

So excited for her new teachers!

Ah, the bookbag picture!  I am not one to buy the typical princess bookbags...well, usually.  She always has had personalized bookbags...and Caitlin got a nice new bookbag from a nice store!  But Abigail really really wanted a princess bookbag, and I realized it makes her so happy, so she got a princess bag.  I should note she wanted this tangled bookbag and Rapunzel had real hair on it...it grossed Rob and I out so we were happy she settled for this, although Ariel isn't on it and we've heard about that...A LOT!

This was also Caitlin's first day at daycare.  Her situation is a little different because she comes to school with me in the morning, and Miss Izabella picks up Caitlin when she drops off the other kids she watches in my classroom...and then brings Caitlin back to me at the end.  So Caitlin is only away from me for like 2 hours.  She loves it at day care (Abigail is taking a little longer to "love" it, but she's also there for 4 hours and is the only girl with 2 boys...but it's only a few months until the baby is here so we are hoping it gets "better".)

Luca and Abigail!  They have grown so much together the past 3 years and it's been so much fun to watch as they grew!  I'll be so sad next year when they go to different preschools....

 

A glimpse back at the 2 best buds 2 years ago!!!!

 

Abigail and Mrs. Schroeder (one of her 2 teachers).  I know she's going to have a great year and be ready for kindergarten at the end!!!

 

We have officially survived our first week back at school, daycare, and work!  While we have been a little extra tired this week (I had to actually wake up Abigail at 7:30 to get dressed, which never happens) and our house may be a little unorganized this week, we have made it!  I'm so lucky to have a job that makes me happy, and be able to be with the girls so much of the time!  Today everytime Abigail took something to her cubby, she stopped in front of my classroom (our doors face each other) to look in and smile.  I have a feeling she'll be doing a little extra drawing this year.  And I can watch Caitlin through a 2-way mirror...which of course I never, ever, ever do!  ;)  I think things will be fairly smooth...until Baby Tres comes in December and then we start a whole new "routine" over...but we won't think about that yet!  :)

 

Happy 2012-2013 school year!!!

Caitlin's 1st Day of Preschool

Today was Caitlin's 1st day of preschool!  She was so excited to go today!!!  Such a difference when it's a second (or after) kid because she has watched Abigail go for 2 years now and was so excited that it was her turn! 

It was also Mommy's 1st day of work and Abigail's 1st day at daycare so we had a lot going on this morning!!!

Caitlin had a great first day.  She went in with no tears...and had a fun time.  Not sure if she knows this yet, but there is a 2-way mirror that seperates her classroom from my classroom, so I was able to peek in on her throughout her first day...but she was so independent that I really didn't need to check much!

(Update:  Tonight at dinner we asked Caitlin what her favorite part of her day was.  Her answer:  "I tooted while coloring!". She's something else.......)

She's growing so fast and makes us so proud!!!!

My beautiful little girl!

So excited to get going!

Abigail joined in pictures too.  Abigail did great at daycare.  She had a little bit of a hard start, but I know she's my more sensitive child and that was the drop-off I was most worried about.  But by the time I picked her up, she was excited to go back so that's a great sign!

It's going to be a great year!  I LOVE Caitlin's teachers and know she's in the best hands!!!

love.

We attempted a "timer" picture.  Even Kramer got in on the action!

Finally her turn!

Dropping off her bag like a big girl!  She has a really young class of 2's (most who just turned 2) but since I'm the teacher in the next classroom, this is really the best fit for her.  She will definitely be a leader in the class!

Time to go in...but she was more interested in the kids around her!

Bye Mommy!  (Makes my heart so happy that she is so happy in school.)

It was a great 1st day!!!!!  Tomorrow is Abigail's last 1st day of preschool and Caitlin's 1st day at day care...but both of those are easy days for me!!!  :)

Today is also my beautiful, spunky, princess-loving niece's 2nd birthday!  I'm sorry Lucy that your bday landed on the first days of school...but we can't wait to celebrate with you this weekend and then you (and your mommy who's bday I missed too) will get all the attention it deserves!!!!  We love you Lulu...Happy 2nd birthday!!!!!

Play Date

I apologize for the lack of blog posts!  Caitlin is finally healthy again after a wild round of Chicken Pox.  And today...Abigail got them!  Luckily, she got the vaccine so her case seems A LOT less severe!  Never the less, after 4 years of being a stay-at-home mom, my daughter gets chicken pox the day before my first day of work!  Oh, and Rob's on federal jury duty for the next two weeks!  That's karma for ya!  But we know she'll be better soon...and we can say goodbye to chicken pox forever (until Baby Tres arrives)!

 

A few weeks ago, we went with Auntie Lia, Auntie Nay Nay, and the kids to the children's museum.  It was a really fun day!  Now that I'm back to work, these days mean so much more to me than they ever did before!  I am really loving the quality time we spend together!!!!  Here are a few pics!

 

Big smiles at the water table

Very scientific

Auntie Nay Nay and Luke

Rosie and Caitlin had a whole lot of groceries!  (I have this hilarious picture on my phone camera.  It's Abigail and Caitlin next to each other with their shopping carts full.  Rob and I always joke that Abigail is his daughter and Caitlin is mine...and it was so true.  Abigail had the most organized cart...and Caitlin's was chaos.  There was stuff falling out every where of Caitlin's cart! That poor girl got her mommy's organizing skills.  Maybe Abigail and Daddy will rub off on her.)

Luke wants to take after his godfather...Rob loves his glory days at the grocery store!

Miss Avery!  She's just getting old enough to join in the chaos that is our group of kids!  She's waiting for Baby Tres to come along so she's got a new buddy!

The 2 year olds!  Just wait 3 more years till this crew starts kindergarten!

Mommy and her girls

God, I love this child!  She beats to her own drum.  Abigail and Caitlin were playing in the Potbelly's area.  Abigail was so serious making sandwiches.  And Caitlin...she spent her time mopping the ground.  Such a character!

A vet in our future????  She's so sweet, I could see her being a nurse!

Bug will probably go another route... :)

A glimpse of our future with this one!!!!

I love these girls!  Spending the day with them was so special!

 

Tomorrow is my first day of work!  Tonight was meet-the-teacher night...and Rob did a great job meeting the teachers while I was meeting some of the parents of my students.  The next two days, I will be meeting all of my students.  And then, the Tuesday after Labor Day is Caitin's (and my) first day of preschool!  And then Abigail begins Wednesday.  The girls are so excited for the school year to start...and they are ready to go back!

 

Next up, the first days of school!

Dots McGee

Caitlin has a ton of new nicknames this week:  Dots McGee, Dotty, Pinkalicious....

The poor thing has the chicken pox.  She had a fever Tuesday night, I noticed a few spots on her Wednesday morning, and by Wednesday evening she was covered.  As of today (Friday) I think the spots have "peaked" and are starting to scab over (gross I know, but that's when she's not contagious so I'm happy)...unfortunately, this seems to be when the "itchy-ness" occurs.  I was surprised how not itchy she was, until today.  It's really torture watching her be so itchy.  We are doing lots of lotion, oatmeal baths, benedryl, and milkshakes (the last thing just makes mommy feel better). 

We are hoping by Monday she's back to her old self...and Abigail doesn't get them...or gets them ASAP since school starts in 2 weeks for ALL of us and it's hard to work and go to school with chicken pox!

As for me, I had them when I was little so I'm immune, which means the baby is immune as of now.  I'm going in Monday for bloodwork just to confirm that I don't have the virus, but they aren't too worried.

I'm gonna leave this post without pictures because it's better left to the imagination!  We are just looking forward to healthier days!!!!