1 + 1 = 4

It's true...now we are a family of 4!

2011-12-29T13:27:00.000-08:00

Olivia Grace Jones made her appearance on Friday, October 14th--8 days early. She let mom finish up her last day at work and then decided there was no need for down time, joining us the next day. Labor went smoothly, Chris worked Friday morning and was home by 2p which is when the contractions kind of started to get more regular. We got in the car around 4:30p to take Becca to Kathy's and then hit the Skyway into Chicago at 4:45p on Friday afternoon to fully embrace rush hour. It took us 1 hour and 45 minutes to get in, with my contractions coming every 4-5 minutes. We got into our hospital room at 8p (contractions about every 2-3 minutes) I was 4 cm dilated. Received my epidural at 8:30p and by 11p, the doctor was there instructing me to give a few, brief pushes. Livy was here at 11:12p, weighing 7 pounds and 15 ounces and measuring 20 1/4 inches.

(As an aside, Chris was super pleased with Livy's timing as the Cardinals game was starting as we got into our triage room and finished about 25 min before she came)
Becca came to meet her new little sister the next day, as did Chris' parents

Olivia is laid back and easy going and showed us that even on those first days. We went home Sunday without any complications or troubles during our stay.

Becca's been a good big sister (though we've had some ups and downs, her and I). We were lucky enough to have had a LOT of help for many weeks after coming home, with family staying and meals being delivered...it has made the transition to 2 kiddos much easier.

We are trucking along as Livy grows so quickly. She will be 11 weeks tomorrow! I go back to work part-time on Jan 10th and the girls with both go to Kathy's.

Christmas was an absolute pleasure and blast this year! We hosted and both Chris' and my parents were able to spend a few days with us. Becca was well behaved and loved her gifts. I cannot believe how grown up my first baby is...she is such a character and I love her so much.

Here is Livy and I a couple weeks ago...She's in 3mo and some 3-6mo clothes!

The last couple months...

2011-09-18T14:01:00.000-07:00

I am the worst blogger, it's true. I don't take offense. I'm sorry. Just a few words or a few pictures would satisfy, but I don't even get to that...it's on the list of things to improve.

Anyway..summer's been good. Becca's fantastic. She continues to grow and make us laugh with all her comments. It's so (embarrassingly) me...I obviously talk a lot with her/to her and she has picked up on an incredible amount of my lingo: "I'm just a little fussy, mommy" "I'm enjoying this"

Becca loves to dance, jump with 2 feet up, off of, and over anything, and run. Becca is into week 2 of underware and has been doing well. We had been playing with it for months, then she went on potty strike--I didn't want to force the issue, so I kind of dropped it. We were back in full-fledge diapers until she was just done with them! She still saves #2 for the diaper at nap time or for a first thing in the morning event, but Chris and I are both very proud of her.

I'm growing and hanging in there. I'm due on October 22nd and neither Chris nor I are quite ready yet. Becca, on the other hand, is very excited about Baby Sissy. The nursery is set up for our new little one and the closet is once again stocked.

Chris is still plugging away at the patio, but it is very close to completion and looks AMAZING! I will get to that post soon: a little photo flashback through the project...

Enjoy a few pictures

An update...FINALLY!!

2011-07-13T04:47:00.000-07:00

We are alive! Life if busy but good. Our little girl continues to grow and change so much! Becca is quite a chatter box and has got a head full of CURLY blonde hair. The first pictures below show Becca with her long gone, straight hair, which is more on the brown side, and the later pictures show her hair in its curly, blonde glory. Though it gets Crazy, we love it!

Becca and I enjoyed our Paczkis together on Fat Tuesday in February. With her sweet tooth, I wasn't surprised that she indulged without needing any convincing (nor did her mother).

We enrolled Becca in swim classes. Both Chris and I got to go in with her on different occasions. She loves being in the water.

Here is the start of curls, still brown, but these beautiful things joined us some time in April.

Becca and I enjoyed her first live stage performance, Seseme Street Live. She was totally captivated. It was a lot of fun, and I suspect we'll be regulars for the upcoming years.

Becca has also enjoyed playing in the water outside: hose, sprinkler and baby pool. She's too cute!

Becca, of course, turned the big 2! We kept the celebration very low key, but it was still a great time. We had the grandparents in, Aunt Sarah, and even Betsy, Ben, Emma Lou and baby Clara stopped by. Becca loved the gifts, the balloons, the cake and the attention. We cannot believe she's already two and at the same time, we can't believe that this little gem has only been in our lives for two years.

Strawberry picking was fun again this year. We picked two buckets worth, and I made a delicious pie--next year I'll make a few pies and freeze them.

Becca and I ventured up Lake Michigan to join one of my dearest friends and her family (newly expanded) in Manistee. We stayed in a great beach house and went to the beach each of the three days we were there. It is so great to catch up with the friends we love and don't get to see often enough.

Almost 21 months old!

2011-02-28T11:16:00.000-08:00

Our little one keeps getting bigger and bigger (and cuter and cuter, if you ask her mom and dad). She is talking so much more and pushes for independence: "Becca do it" and "Self" are common expression these days. We've gotten a lot of snow this year so far. Becca loves it! She loves to run around in her boots and kiss and eat the snow from the ground. I'm so glad she's liking the snow; we'd love to get her on skis before too long :)

She loves sucking on Mommy and Daddy's toothbrushes--gross! I know it's bad--bacteria transfer...I'm pretty sure it's a lost cause.

We had the carpet replaced upstairs and we expect no less than a few extra projects to emerge in the midst of the carpet exchange, if you know Chris...Chris (and Becca) painted the trim in the 4th bedroom and the bedroom itself. It looks fantastic, but honestly, do we need to have 16 projects going at once :)

Becca loves to help me in the kitchen and (for better or worse) has absolutely, no question inherited her mommy's sweet tooth.

As I mentioned above, Becca thought it was the funniest thing to eat the snow like this. "Snow, eat"

My mom's group had a Valentine's Day party and this is Becca post-party enjoying her loot.

And her she is. Chris and I can't believe how big she's getting. She looks like a real, little girl in this picture...no more baby!

It's a new year...here's how the last one wrapped up

2011-01-21T13:35:00.000-08:00

We began the holiday celebration in Franklin the week before Christmas. We took family photos with Chris' Grandfather (which turned out great!) and then went to his Aunt's house to spend time with Chris' mom's side of the family. This is where the burn happened. It was unpleasant (to say the least) for all involved, but we survived and Becca had her second trip to the ER. We kept her hand wrapped for about 2 weeks with daily dressing changes and she's healed up beautifully! You can see from the pictures below that the main blister was quite a sight. She also had a blister on each finger tip...anyway....The week of Christmas my parents came to Chesterton for our at home celebration. As Christmas Eve approached, Chris' grandfather's health was failing and our spirits were low; it was very emotional for all. Chris' parents stayed in Franklin and then Chris' grandfather was finally able to spend another Christmas at the side of his dear wife. As we were gathering ourselves and trying to lift our spirits by home projects (of course), my dad's already ailing back decided it wanted some attention...so, we went to the ER at Porter Memorial, which is where I work. No red flags were discovered with the back, but we did get some strong medicine so that Dad could sleep. Christmas morning was so much better! Dad's back was 90% better, he slept through the night, Santa came and the Joneses joined us by lunch time. Becca loved her presents and all the attention. The dinner was delicious and the company was much needed. Family is such a blessing, and we are so so so lucky to have a family as wonderful as ours. We have so much to be thankful for and this holiday season we were reminded of all we have....

Becca's first haircut and winter's here

2010-12-17T12:49:00.000-08:00

Since I last wrote, many photo opportunities have been capitalized on...we hosted a wonderful Thanksgiving with all the family. The table was set beautifully and the food was delicious. We even played a little scrabble post-meal.

We went and cut down our Christmas tree again this year. We went to a wonderful tree farm and hope to make it part of our yearly tradition. Chris cut down a big Douglas Fir and we got a baby tree for Becca and a boxwood branch wreath (a little irony there seeing how we paid $42 for the wreath and could've made about 42 wreaths ourselves with all the boxwood trimming Chris did for us this fall).

And we had a flood...not too bad, sort of. Chris, for some reason, thought to peek downstairs one morning at 5:55am before going to work and saw the 1-2" pool we had in the basement. He stayed home from work, only to work super hard cleaning up the water. He did a fantastic job. The sump pump stopped working. It got a little stuck and so stopped pumping...needless to say, Chris has since replaced it :)

Chris has completed our gorgeous front walk!! Sorry about the lighting; it was getting dark as I was out there trying to get some pictures before the predicted snow....

We visited with Grandpa Jones. It took Becca a bit to warm up to him and wasn't sure what exactly her and he would have in common, so naturally she thought she could teach him a bit about the iPhone :)

We went to Navy Pier with friends to play in the WinterWonderFest and had a good time. We went on our first Carousal; Becca wasn't instantly sold, but at least we didn't have to get off early.

And the storm...we made a lot of national newa this week with our winter storm. I think it's great! Chris stayed home, well, he was stuck home. He did some snow blowing for us and our neighbors and Becca and I ran around in it a bit with the neighbor girl, Antonia. Becca was not an instant fan of the cold snow, but we'll work on that.

Becca got her haircut! I'm very pleased with the cut. The stylist cleaned up the whispy hair and there's still a little flip in the back. Becca was not sure she approved of the process intially, but then was sure that she didn't want to leave...hence lying on the ground in protest. She's usually a quiet, lying-down protester, but not after her cut. Yelling, crying and thrashing...most were looking on smiling and I managed to join everyone else and smile. Oh yea, and she thoroughly enjoyed her lollypop.

It's been forever!!!

2010-11-12T16:16:00.000-08:00

Not all that much is new over here..I guess. Chris continues to make our house look beautiful from the outside. We had the kitchen, the trim and doors on the first floor, Becca's playroom and the family room painted...ahhh...so nice to have freshly painted walls and to put our own touch on the interior! Becca is doing well. She is talking so much more and is a whiz with the iPhone (great). We had our first snow last Saturday. I was at work, but Chris took Becca out for her first romp in the snow and she apparently loved it.

A few hours of fun

2010-09-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

Hair and makeup done, now for some clothes...

Outifit #1--yes, I'm in skinny jeans...

and a hat....

My friend Amanda. We're in our second outfits. I loved my jacket!

So here's the story....My friend's mom owns the (only) cool, cute and modern boutique in Chesterton called Whimsy. The boutique was part of a fashion show at the local country club. My friend asked if I'd be a model in the show...why not?! It's was fun! Whimsy has great clothes. I went in the week prior and Kay fitted me with 2 outfits. Then on Thursday I got my hair and make up done by a local salon and got to strut my stuff on the catwalk. I got super nervous right before going out because I didn't want to fall and I knew 2 people in the audience (I didn't know they were going to be there; I may have reconsidered my participation). In the end, it was no big deal, but a great time to be out with a friend and try something new.

Rehabing our front landscaping has been more than it's cracked up to be, but CJ has it under control! Oh, and Becca's still cute!

2010-09-12T14:32:00.000-07:00

The Colt's season begins with a new fan this year!

Mamaw and Papaw came with gifts this weekend. Her mamaw is showing Becca how to get her new John Deere gator going.

The gator is definitately a hit!

Like I mentioned, Chris has been hard at work outside. So here is some photo-documentation, starting with this before picture.

Initial demo. It was tedious; there are a million pavers!

Our driveway, the material staging center.

Chris not only removed the old pavers, but he had to dig down into the clay 4-6 inches. Then he wheelbarrowed in this bigger crushed stone (about 22,000 pounds worth, really).

Then there's a layer of a finer, more sand-like material than had to be wheelbarrowed in. Our neighbor has been so kind and generous with his time and muscle. Thanks Phil!!

Then Chris got to re-lay the old pavers. He thought that was going to be easy and fast...well, not so much. The walkway slopes down 8-12 inches from front door to driveway so Chris couldn't just use a level to insure he was doing it right...many long hours, but it's looking good! Oh, and he couldn't have done it without his trusty assistant!

My new favorite picture...what more needs to be said

Taking a break with Daddy.

Becca loves all the material piles we have in the driveway. Chris and I have thought maybe this should be a yearly thing; Becca will play and entertain herself for 10-15 minutes!

Playing in the clean laundry

We discovered that Becca loves corn on the cob. She can eat a whole ear. I just give her the cob and, well, you see the results (she's moved on to a chicken nugget, but you can see the remnants-everywhere!)

We got a little table for Becca to use and she loves it. Her she and spot are having a snack.

Do like Mommy does!

2010-08-07T06:02:00.000-07:00

Becca has been doing more imitating so I've decided I should try and capitalize...see what you think...still working on efficiency, but not a bad start :)

Fruit, Veggies and the Beach...we are outdoor girls (and daddy too)

2010-07-11T11:40:00.000-07:00

We've been keeping busy, at least trying. I'm working 2-3 days a week and managing to stay sane, so far anyway...Becca loves me to pieces, I'm sure, but has started getting a bit restless just staying at home with the two of us. Now that she's got all her friends at Kathy's on Tuesdays and Thursdays, just her and I at home, isn't quite as entertaining. Though she's still a little shy initially with people and new places, she's starting to venture out more and explore; it continues to be amazing how she grows and changes so quickly, both physically and mentally.

I took Becca blueberry picking a couple weeks ago. She wasn't as interested in the blueberries as she was in the strawberries last month, but mommy pushed through and filled up our big ol' bucket. (you pay one price for a bucket so I had to fill it all the way up!--it was about 6 pounds, btw.) The weather was gruesome! Glance back at the pictures, the first pic was very early on, the last two were towards the end. Look at how red Becca's face is and her hair is soaked with sweat (she also looks sunburned, but I promise, she's not). I, too, was drenched. It was all worth it, though. The berries are fantastic. I've been putting them in my oatmeal in the morning and then sharing with Becca.

Becca loves the beach!! The sand, the wet sand, the water, everything, she loves it all. We spent 4 hours there today and she sat down once to shove some mac and cheese in and off she went again. It's so fun to see her roam around and be a busy body. We went to Manistee with Sheri and her family (plus some other friends) just a week or so ago, and while there Chris was a crazy sand builder. Becca was apparently watching him closer than I thought because today she seemed to be trying to replicate what Dad was doing at the beach in Manistee; she was digging a hole, then climbing into it, then looking for me to fill it up with water to make a mud pool. It was so fun!

This is the bounty! I picked my first three zucchinis and felt so proud then we left for the three day beach trip to Manistee and when we got back, these 14 zucchinis were ready and waiting...so if you get a larger package from me, it's no secret what it will be (no, not zucchini, but delicious chocolate chip zucchini bread)--if you don't, sorry, don't be offended :)

The weekend before our mini-vacay we went to Michigan to see my gramma who is doing rehab in a nursing home after falling and breaking her elbow. She's slowly building up strength and balance. Becca was the hit of the nursing home! She was running all over and seemed to enjoy riding in great gramma's wheelchair.

Oh, and on a random note, Becca's favorite song...and yes it really is her favorite, she can be crying and fussing up a storm in the car, then I put the song on and she calms immediately, smiles, and usually starts waving her arms and dancing...the song....Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus (really, Becca, Hannah Montana already?)--it's actually adorable and the song is very catchy (afterall I'm the one that downloaded it on iTunes, hehe)

Our yard and Strawberry Picking

2010-06-27T09:38:00.001-07:00

We have been loving the outdoors! Our new yard, though lots of work, has also been fun, beautiful, and educating! I thought I'd share some pictures with you... (I wrote underneath the pictures after realizing I usually write above the pics--there goes consistency, oops!)

These are my favorite lilies. They're smaller than the very tall ones that are all over Chesterton, including in front of our house (see pic below).

These tall lilies are also very pretty.

We planted our garden in the middle of May and soon started to see some sprouts...that's the broccoli peaking out

Now it's late June and check it out! It worked! Veggies are actually growing. We might get a couple carrots (that's what was planted to the left in the picture), but the rest is going great! From left to right we have Romaine lettuce, broccoli, baby flat leaf spinach and zucchini. Those were all started from seed. In the back we planted some green, red, orange and serrano peppers, plus grape tomatoes all from starter plants. The two rows on the right in the back are sweet corn that Chris planted from seed. We've already enjoyed a bunch of spinach and some Romaine :)

We have some apples coming on our apple tree.

We had a few dozen sour cherries-which were yummy! I have since eaten them all!

We have two peach trees and they are loaded with fruit. I really hope they ripen up well! Peach pie and cobbler are in the forecast and maybe even some canning (then I'll really be a farm girl!)

We had a wild turkey roaming around one day. The next day she returned with 8 little turkeys...so cute!

Chris put up drywall on the east wall of the garage where he is going to be building his work bench. This is a before shot...stay tuned for the after shot. The drywall is currently up, and the work bench is started.

Chris also installed motion sensor lights in two places. He had to mess with the hardwiring to get the lights where we wanted. It really is amazing all that Chris can do. He's done so much at this house and all that he did in our condo downtown. He's not "handy", he really is like a true professional. I'm so lucky! We're so lucky. He enjoys it, does it well, and works for free! (well, for beer and food and an occasional smooch)

He also planted the new bushes on the west side of the house. We got rid of a bunch of overgrown plants that were hiding the house's beautiful facade. These bushes should grow up and together and look great! We're so excited to be adding our own touches.

Becca and I went strawberry picking. It was great fun. The strawberries were delicious and abundant. At first, Becca wasn't too sure about the berries, they were a bit tart, but she came around and ate a bunch!

Notice her hands--red! She kept eating and squishing them...a good day. I'm planning on going back soon and bringing Chris. I think he'd get a kick out of doing this with Becca.

I'm back...camera still broken...but lots to report

2010-06-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry, again, for not keeping up with the blog. I've gone back to work, part-time, but have just had a long stent (working 7 of the last 9 days); I've got lots more excuses as to why I haven't made the time to update the blog, but there's no point in sharing that. As usual, we're busy doing a little of this and a little of that and a little of nothing! :)

So let's see, where to begin...Becca had her first ear infection. She had a cold and then after about a week developed a fever. We fought the fever but it stuck around and even went up to 104.3 degrees. We went to the doctor and discovered the ear infection and then started the antibiotics. A few days after taking the medicine, Becca developed a rash. It spread and got worse before it got better, but we did end up switching antibiotics. She must have had a virus, beccause she also the poops (I'm sure she appreciates me sharing). She didn't sleep much at night for a few days, and we ended up snuggling and spooning on the guest bed--it was kind of sweet :)

I also have taken Becca to the beach. She LOVES it! She loves the sand and the water. It's so fun!

And yes, Becca has turned a year old! I cannot believe that a full year has gone by....wow....We had a BBQ for her party and had friends and family over to celebrate. Our theme was Ladybugs, but I didn't go too crazy with it. For those of you who supported me in my cake making adventure, thank you for your patience and kind words when that was all I could talk about. I had my ups and downs and periods of doubt, but in the end, it turned out perfectly and I'm very proud of myself! What do you think? The smash cake was fun, but Becca didn't get too crazy with it.

Becca had a good time at her party and seemed to love all the attention! She played, ate, played, smashed her cake, slept and then opened gifts. She got great gifts. We are so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends who are generous and kind--Thank you to all!

Becca wasn't walking for her birthday, more than a few steps anyway, but is now officially a toddler! The conversion happened on June 18th. It really is amazing. That day she just preferred to be upright and walking, and that was that! It's so neat to see her walking around. She has her own ideas and preferences and is understanding language more. Chris taught her to give us kisses (minus the puckering up); it's so precious. She has the first half of blowing kisses down, and just yesterday I taught her how to find her belly button-she's a bit challenged to actually see it due to her round protruding tummy, but she'll catch a glimpse now and again :) Just this last week she's finally signing all done, when prompted. She really is continually changing and growing!

No news is good news

2010-05-21T07:05:00.000-07:00

I've been very delinquent for not updating the blog in FOREVER. I apologize. Our camera was acting up so we haven't been able to share pictures, which is-let's be honest-the real reason for a blog. We just got the camera back and it's still not cooperating, so I've put up a couple pics from my phone.

We are all well. Chris, with some of his dad's help, has been rockin' our landscaping! It looks great, and we still have tons to do. We have (I really mean he has) cut out a bunch of overgrown bushes. Our place had tons of landscaping, trees, bushes, flowers, etc. but the problem has been that it's super duper overgrown and so looks ridiculously messy and out of control (pretty much because it is). We've been enjoying the more simplified look and all the beautiful flowers that have come up. (We are currently enjoying beautiful irises: blue/purple, white and yellow.)

Becca is hangin' in. She's taking steps independently. She has done up to 10, but that's few and far between, she prefers to stay in the 3-5 range; ya know, she doesn't want to overextend herself, or set the bar too high :) She can crawl both up and down the stairs. She's also chatting up a storm and loves to make a loud squeal for which Chris has made the comment regarding its uncanny resemblance to a falcon's noise. She is saying "mama" though hasn't connected it to me yet. She's also consistently using the sign "more" to communicate to us. Thank goodness!!!--Houston, we have made contact! We are working on trying a few new signs to further make efficient our communication. We are looking to expand our repertoire to include "milk", "all done" and "eat".

Also Becca has fallen in love. It's been fun to see. She really enjoys watching the dog next door and is fasinated with him when she gets to see him up close. I report this because it may have been the foreshadowing for her love...Becca's object of desire is a small stuffed dalmation puppy to whom we've affectionately been calling "puppy" or "Spot". We have since realized that maybe Spot isn't the most ideal name as Becca probably won't be able to say the S sound for awhile, resulting in her beautiful love of "-pot"

She's eating relatively well and we continue to introduce her to new things. She loves her carbs...

She loves mommy's mashed potatoes, so much so that she was trying to lick the bowl clean and was wearing quite a bit too. I'll take that as a compliment.

Becca's hair continues to grow and I've been experimenting, a little, with hair styles. Here's our first go with PigTails (I call them piggies)...I think they're a success, don't you?

Well I guess that's it for today's update...oh yeah, me...I'm officially going back to work on a part-time basis; I've been covering days as they have needed me, but soon will be there consistently. Becca will be going to Kathy's 2 days a week this summer (Tuesday and Thursday) and then maybe 3 days in the fall. My first day is June 8th. I'm going to be doing inpatient acute care PT with adults, which means I'll be working with patients that are still sick and in the hospital. It's a good thing. I'm looking for some good life balance for me and for Becca. I'm looking forward to her loving other people and being around other kids. It will definately be an adjustment, but it's change for the good!

First full weekday at work + first full day at Miss Cathy's = lots of tears...

2010-04-06T18:33:00.001-07:00

Today I "worked" my first full day (it was actually orientation). Becca woke up happy, nursed well and ate a good breakfast. We took our early morning car ride over to Cathy's house. She's a wonderful woman that an SLP recommended (we visited Cathy last week during the day). I briefed Cathy about the morning, went over the few notes I'd written and talked a bit about Becca, then I hand Becca over and the crying began....Becca was not please to let me go, but I didn't linger. I told her I loved her and out the door I went. I cried a bit on my way to work; I couldn't help it she's a special little one to me. I knew she was safe and put her out of my mind until lunchtime when I called to check in. Cathy couldn't talk long and could hardly hear me because Becca was more or less still crying!! Cathy recommends "social therapy"--no kiddding!!!! She said I should try and leave her with other people, Dad, gramma and anyone who is "patient and loving" (what she actually meant was someone who could handle the crying). Becca did sleep for an hour and a half, but was still not happy with the situation, as noted by the 11:30 phone call. Oh and Cathy also said "she's pretty strong willed?" It was a statement more than a question and boy is she! Not sure where she gets it (right, right). I knew she was safe and being well cared for, but I still had to call Chris and cry some myself. I was a little shaken and was seriously checking out the clock from 3-4pm when I finally left. I had to stop at the bank for cash and was super annoyed at myself for causing the delay because I was so anxious to get Becca in my arms. Chris called me when I was enroute to Cathy's and I cried again. When I got to Cathy's, Becca was sitting on Lizzy's lap (Cathy's 20 year old daughter) eating cheerios. I got the best 2 minute hug from that precious little girl of mine!!! Cathy was sure that Becca was mad at her from taking her away from her mommy, but they made up as Cathy was filling me in on the day.

So, all in all, lots of tears, but a good day! A step in the right direction for both Mommy and Becca...Becca dropped off to sleep good (keep your fingers crossed) and Mommy's starting to nod off too...)

Achooo!

2010-04-01T06:03:00.000-07:00

Spring is here! (so are my allergies, hence the title of this entry) We've been trying to spend some time outside and in doing so have found that Becca is not an instant fan of the grass. When we put her down she usually lifts both hands/arms and lifts one foot--see the picture below. I've been working with her a little bit to gradually get her more comfortable and she's getting the hang of it.
Though giving up sweets for Lent, I was inspired this week by a recent blog entry from my best friend Sheri (http://atl-adventure.blogspot.com/). Inspired so much, in fact, I've given up Lent a week early to enjoy a newly started Easter Tradition in our home...Lemon Easter Cookies. They really are fantastically light and a perfect pair for a cup of tea or coffee.

This morning was beautiful so I went out to capture our first blooms...we can't wait to see all that is planted around our new home. And now would be a perfect spot to thank the Jones men for spending the hours outside raking, pruning, and shaping our landscaping. It looks so wonderful as the green buds and flowers are appearing.

Finally and most exciting...we had our first Jones family professional photo shoot! We couldn't be more pleased with Amy's work. She's been adding new pictures each day as she edits them, so check back often--http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/sets/72157623607224885/

I'm not tech savy

2010-03-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

So Chris and my dad have both been saying that they are having trouble seeing the videos I'm posting, so I'm trying to load them through youtube, but it's not going so well....a work in progress, I'll call it. Here's the link to my new youtube channel, so bookmark it!!
http://youtube.com/user/jenny7mo

I'm not going to comment on the sleeping situation which has been good except for the last two nights (after Dad mentioned our new success and apparently jinxed us!)--that's for another time.

We've been doing relatively well. We've discovered that Becca does NOT like the grass. We will have to work on that. When I put her down on the grass she draws up her hands and actually lifts one foot...it's kind of funny! Enjoy the new pics....

St. Patty's Day Celebration

2010-03-15T07:34:00.001-07:00

It's virtually impossible for me to get a good picture of Becca with the real camera now; she loves the camera strap and the camera itself. These were my efforts...not great, but at least you can get an idea of how cute she was in a St. Patty's outfit with her leg warmers! She's getting so big and opinionated :) Yes, she's 9 months old but don't think the art of distraction is much of a technique these days...when she sees something she wants she is a persistent bugger even minutes later.

We had our neighbors over on Saturday for some munchies and homemade green beer. It was so fun to socialize and have people over. We look forward to doing it more, especially as the weather gets better!

Here's our beautiful kitchen. I forgot to include it in the last pictures, but we (meaning Chris) added a new track and new lighting....we love it!!

I'm enjoying the women in my new mom's group and will be helping them out by being the Publicity Chair, and the Book Club Chair! :) (oh and I have been a reading fool and have loved every minute of it!)

Her talent....

2010-03-09T05:46:00.000-08:00

if only we could get her to open beer bottles, then we'd really have something to talk about...

Decorating!!!

2010-03-08T07:23:00.000-08:00

(I'm struggling trying to get this post organized! The computer isn't letting me move the pictures so, here is 9 month old Becca- who, yes, looks more like her dad than her mom- and below are the changes that I mention at the bottom of the post...yeah!)

Becca is now officially 9 months old. We cannot believe it. She's getting so fun; finding a personality and preferences and having her own ideas. She also has had her first real cold and has cut both the top center teeth. Such a big girl!

The bigger news is the progress we've been making on creating a home out of this big ol' house! We've gotten new lamps, pictures and mirror and....the Jones' were in this weekend to finally de-wall paper the dining room!!!! For those of you who don't know, the de-wall papering has been a 4 month work in progress and that's putting it lightly. Here are some pictures of the touches we've put around. We still have to fill the frames in the powder room and are waiting for custom matting for two of the frames in the hallway...

2010-02-25T07:54:00.001-08:00

Nothing too earth shattering is going on these days, which is good. Mom was here for a week and did some wonderful sewing projects adding some much needed decor. We have definitley (finally) made a dent in decorating our new house and giving it a homey feel. (I'll have to get some new pictures of that.)

Becca is doing well. She is cruising along furniture and still babbling up a storm. We are still trying to figure out sleeping, but we're getting through it.

I have finished my orientation to the Rehab department out here at the hospital in Valparaiso and will be working my first Saturday this weekend.

Here's another video of Becca!

On the Move!

2010-02-05T14:25:00.002-08:00

I thought we'd try something new and look!

At Least Us Girls Looked Good...

2010-02-05T14:25:00.001-08:00

Yes, the Colts lost. It was so unexpected...but, us girls were cheering and looking pretty cute, if I do say so myself....

Reggie Wayne and Peyton Manning...what a team!

SuperBowl Sunday!

2010-02-05T14:25:00.000-08:00

We are dressed and ready to cheer on our Colts (okay, so Becca's ready to go; I'm still working on it--those pictures will be in a different post).I took Becca to Chesterton High School last week to go swimming. At first she didn't know what to think. She was super clingy and then kept looking at me with a look that said "What the heck is going on? Am I okay?" but then she warmed up to it a bit (especially when I started to blow bubbles!). We didn't stay in too long though because the pool was a bit chilly.

Also, Becca officially turned 8 months old...time goes so fast! She's laughing more, and I was able to capture it in this next photo. Please notice the "wings" in her hair--it's a tribute to my brother Scott (though his were called "horns")

Here are some videos:

This was last night at El Salto

This was actually at Great-Gramma's place on October 24th. Becca was 4 1/2 months old and very bald. It was the first time she really gave a hearty laugh. Thank goodness for the iPhone video camera!

Eating more foods!

2010-01-31T08:46:00.000-08:00

Becca's been eating more solids. She does not like to eat from a Mom or Dad-guided spoon, but prefers to be the leader (ahh, budding independence). I've been making an effort to prepare foods that can be cut up into bit size pieces and it's been going well. We've tried lots of new things. Still no big favorites--Becca's not a foodie, yet--eating is not a sought out activity. She's good about trying everything and will always try it more than once. Only a couple of times have I gotten a "good" reaction (and by "good" I mean, funny); I managed to catch this one on video, enjoy!

p.s. I just learned how to load videos so I think I'll post a couple old ones that are fun to watch!

Keep on Truckin

2010-01-21T12:50:00.000-08:00

Well, life keeps moving and Becca and I are cruising right along. We're trying to find our groove during the days. I went to a Mothers & More meeting locally last week--it's a local mom's group. It was so nice to get out and meet some new people. Becca had four shots on Monday (2 flu boosters and 2 vaccines) and did good that day. She started with a fever that evening and it finally broke yesterday or today; it didn't seem to bug her much. She is cutting her top two middle teeth and they were actually bleeding a few hours ago. Needless to say, she has been enjoying her sweet Tylenol treat most nights. She's been pulling up like crazy and continues to be super duper cute....

The Snow Belt Comes Alive!!!

2010-01-07T15:51:00.001-08:00

The snow is in!! We have moved to the snow belt and have been getting lots of snow. We are currently undergoing a nice "dusting"--10-14 inches by tomorrow!!! Becca and I love it (as we don't have anywhere to go or any place to be), Chris, on the otherhand, is not quite as excited for his daily commute. He took the train today avoiding the 3-4 hour commute times. Here's the manly man working his new Christmas toy. (The picture is from Sunday so imagine another 10 inches of snow!)

We also had a visit from friends! Bun, Carly and Shayla stopped by on their way home to Chicago. They are planning to spend a night with us in a couple weeks, but had their first preview on Sunday. Shayla is an amazingly active and energetic girl who won't sit still and hasn't for a couple months at this point. She is 2 weeks older than Becca and has about as much hair as me!

Christmas Time

2009-12-28T11:17:00.000-08:00

Becca had her first Christmas (x2). She was super excited about all the wrapping paper to put in her mouth, oh and she got some new toys too. The family loved to see Miss Becca (aka Ms. Claus, see pics below) and being together is always such a treat. We went to Michigan first and then headed to Franklin.

While we were gone, Chesterton got some great snow (about 4 inches) and it looks beautiful. Chris was out last night using our new snow blower with the headlight! What a manly man! We're home again and it's like we have a new kiddo because Becca is crawling everywhere...watch out!! Here are some pictures of the last few days...enjoy...

Back Home Again, in Indiana....

2009-12-20T19:28:00.000-08:00

Hello to all from our new home in Chesterton, Indiana. We closed and moved on November 23rd. We are slowly getting settled. We also got a new car: a Ford Escape. What else...Chris is commuting for the first time in his life; it's 60-75 minutes regardless and he's tolerating it well thus far. Also, some of our biggest news, Chris is now a coffee drinker!!! Welcome to the club :) it's about time :) And....drum roll please...Becca is crawling! She is not yet crawling all over like a maniac, but when appropriately motivated can crawl 4+ feet. We can't believe it. She's cuter than ever and seems to be liking her new home. Both my parents and Chris' parents have been extremely generous with their time, sweat and money helping us out getting set up: painting, cleaning, de-wall papering, organizing, lighting, programming, etc. We would be light years behind where we are without their help (we love you). I have some before pictures of the house I will post, but realized I don't really have any after pics yet, so those will be coming. Also, as usual, pictures of Becca. I will be back blogging on Mondays, so stay tuned!

front room/den
formal dining room (yikes!)

front hall

kitchen
eat-in kitchen

Nursery

Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom

A Busy Month of November

2009-11-20T07:28:00.000-08:00

I'm behind, I know!

Becca is now 5 1/2 months, so I've included some of her 5 month pictures. She's getting so big and strong; we're so proud!

November is a very social month for us. Sheri, Paul and Aaron were in for the first weekend and got to meet Miss Becca for the first time. It was fabulous. We're are so bummed that we don't live closer to each other. Sheri and Paul are magnificent parents and I feel lucky to have such good parenting resources!! Aaron is so precious and does not stop moving (ahh, the things to look forward to). We spent part of Saturday at a park and it was wonderful. Indian summer was in full swing (no pun intended).

Ashley was in for the second weekend in November to meet our little one (and to visit us). It was so great to catch up. I'm so excited for her; she is in such a good place with a wonderful man at her side and a beautiful home!!

The rest of our calendar of events includes going to the Joneses tonight, heading to Chris' Grandmother's Thanksgiving tomorrow, loading a moving truck on Sunday, closing on our house and unloading the moving truck on Monday, painting, cleaning and then off to Michigan on Thursday for Thanksgiving at the Monaghans' with guest appearances by the Joneses and the Fells! So, needless to say, I've been a bit busy and am breaking the rules by blogging right now--but, I just couldn't pack up the computer without a final update. We're not sure when we'll get the internet up and running, but be assured that when we do, the Jones family will be in our new home!!!!

Baby's First Halloween

2009-11-03T09:16:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Halloween with Becca and it went well. She was, of course, the cutest thing out there...well, we didn't actually trick or treat, but we handed out candy to all the children in the neighborhood as they came around. Becca was a little overwhelmed at times, but did great! Here are some pictures, and I have to apologize for the fuzziness--Becca does not stop moving and we're still trying to figure out how to set the camera to capture her in a split second!

Scared to Death, check, Pediatric ER, check

2009-10-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

Chris and I were able to check a few things off our parent list Monday night: scared to death and going to the emergency room at Children's Memorial Hospital. Nothing like checking things off a list to make you feel like you've been productive! So here's a shortened version of the story (okay maybe not so shortened)...Monday night we put Becca down at 8:40p, she was a bit disagreeable, but sometimes she is. At 9:40p the monitor went on and we heard her moving a bit. She made a sound like she was clearing her throat and it was a bit weird, so Chris and I went up to check on her--Thank God!!! Chris went in and found her with her face soaked in vomit. It was on her face, sleeper and all over the sheet. We quickly swooped her up and began cleaning up her face with a warm wash cloth. It scared me so much in light of the recent tragedy of my friend and I was so glad that Becca was on her tummy. As we were cleaning her up, she started to throw up again. I've never seen a small baby throwing up and it was scary. Her whole body shuttered and up can more of her stomach contents and a bunch of mucus. We began to clean her again and changed her sleeper. I was holding her and she started to vomit again; I could feel it come up from the bottom of her stomach. There was no milk left in her tummy, just mucus. After this vomitting, he eyes started to droop and her body was more limp. I just about had a panic attack as my heart pounded, and I was the most frightened I'd ever been. Chris was right there, we threw on the radio and talked loudly to Becca. She stayed awake and I had Chris call the pediatrician. Becca vomitted again and the doctor called us back. She said to go to the ER because Becca had thrown up so much in such a short time, it had been about 20 minutes. We hurriedly got her into the car and off we went. The ER at Children's was PACKED!!! Chris dropped us off and parked the car. We stood in line to check in with the nurse and the little boy in front of us, who was crying, starting throwing up pink/orange chunks (hey, it's just words, at least you didn't smell it!). I was thinking to myself, what am I doing?! Becca is being exposed to more germs right this minute than she has been her whole life...but, I was too rattled to leave. Becca's color was still not back. She was so pale and she was very lethargic (granted she just puked her guts out and my abs were killing just from watching her) but I wanted to make sure nothing underlying was going on. We were sent down around the corner to the Urgent Care area and were seen 2 hours later. Becca had nursed briefly and kept it down, took a 45 minute nap (which Chris assured me she needed--I was a bit frightened to let her sleep) plus her color was back and she started smiling again. When the doctor came in to see us, Becca was all smiles and was curiously looking all over the exam room. Everything checked out okay and she had not vomitted since we left home, so we were sent away with a thumbs up and told to keep our eyes on her. Chris and I slept on the floor in the nursery when we got home, of course, and all was well...She's fine, aside from a little drippy nose and some congestion that's clearing up well...Mom and Dad are slowly recovering: Chris insisted on sleeping by himself on the nursery floor Tuesday night, and I have 6(!) canker sores...

Here we are leaving the exam room after getting the thumbs up (notice how one of them looks a little better than the other) :)

Back to it!

2009-10-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

It's Monday again, and here I am!

We have had a busy and exciting last few weeks (minus the previously blogged about tragedy). Chris and I have bought a beautiful big house in northwest Indiana--Chesterton, to be specific. It's wonderful! It's on a full acre with a garden and apple tree, red brick facade, 3 1/2 car garage, full unfinished basement, 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bathrooms...2600 sq ft NOT including the 1500 sq ft of basement!!!! We should be moving in around the beginning of December and will need visitors to help us fill the big ol' house! (Go ahead a bring your own bedroom set please.) We won't be filling the house before January, but we have started to put together our 10 year plan. Chris will have an hour commute, which is a bummer, but a reality when moving out of the city of Chicago whether it be to a western, northern, southern, or northwest Indiana suburb. I did the hour-ish commute for the last 3 years and though not pleasant, is definately survive-able. Chesterton has great schools and we hope to be able to stay for 20+ years! :) Someone is definitely looking out for us because yesterday we secured renters to take over the lease of our townhouse!!! We are so lucky...

Becca continues to grow and shine! Our crush on that little girl gets bigger every day! She's pushing onto extended arms while on her tummy, grabbing her toes when on her back, and belly laughed for the first time on Friday night!

We visited the Joneses 2 weeks ago and had a great family getaway. Becca warmed up to Mamaw, Papaw and Aunt Sarah well (after the Mamaw scare of Friday night, that is) :)

We took our first lone girls trip to see the Monaghans this last weekend. Becca and I rode the Amtrak train without trouble. We loved seeing Gramma and Granddad plus Great Gramma, Great Aunt Joanne and Cousin Katie. Becca was certainly the star (speaking of which, all those planning to see and spend time with our daughter, please brush up on your Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star singing because as of now it's a magical tune that calms an upset Becca).

Halloween is coming up and we are getting our camera ready. The Jones Family will have its very own ladybug come Saturday so be on the look out for pictures but until those, here are a few new snap shots of our beauty...

Tragedy

2009-10-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been a bit MIA. Two weeks ago tonight, my girlfriend lost her 6 month old daughter, Gabriella. The story is unbelievably tragic and Gabi leaves behind her mother, father, 2 year old sister and fraternal twin. It all hits too close to home. There are no answers from the autopsy leaving SIDS as the unsettling and unfullfilling explanation (not that any explanation would be "fulfilling"). The memorial service was as nice as it could've been given the unthinkable situation and there was not a dry eye in the house. I sobbed for days, as did Chris, and our hearts and prayers go out to the family. Let this be a reminder to all of us to be thankful for what we have as it could be taken without notice or warning in an instant. We are so blessed and lucky for all we have...Rest in peace Gabi....

Apple picking and the pumpkin patch (well actually just the pumpkin lot)

2009-09-28T14:53:00.000-07:00

We had an excuse this year to go to the apple orchard, now that we have a child; well, I guess we did, she didn't exactly pick any apples or run through the corn maze... It was excuse enough for me (not that I need one, since Chris and I have gone the past 2 years). We had an unbelievably beautiful day for it. Here are a few pictures. There were great sunflowers planted too!

In our efforts to ease into night time, we've been taking daily baths and Becca loves it (usually). She's a ham about it. She loves to suck on a wash cloth and kick her legs up. My favorite part is when she gets wrapped up in her towel after the bath and then peeks out...

Not too much going on...

2009-09-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

Well, no news is good news! Nothing too exciting is going on. I worked again on Saturday and Becca actually took 2 ounces by bottle from Chris. Aside from that she ate before I left at 7:15am and when I got home around 3:30pm; she wasn't upset about it either, so all were happy!

We've gone to another playdate and talked with more moms and tots, so that's good. Got together last night with all the old Weiss girls and their kiddos. It was so great to see everyone and amazing to see how much the kids have grown!

Here are a couple new pictures...

This is what she does when Chris or I come in after her nap and say hello!

Becca is ready for the playoffs...Go Cards!

Such a big help in the kitchen

Becca's first visit to Taco Bell....she likes it!

Oh yea, Becca continues to lose hair! We don't know yet what color is coming in next!

I'm getting out there!

2009-09-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

So things with Becca are going much better since I've layed off the control factor; she and I are much happier. She even slept for 5 hours last night! BUT...the big news is that Becca and I are getting out to socialize with friends and to make new ones!!! Yesterday we met up with two friends and their kiddos at a local park and hung out for 1 1/2 hours. Today was our big plunge: It was a bit like my first day of school but it went very well! Becca and I went to our first official playgroup with Big City Babies, a local playgroup for stay at home moms, and lasted 1 1/2 hours. I went online to look for playgroups so that I could start to meet some local stay at home moms with kiddos around Becca's age. I found a great website http://moms.meetup.com/cities/us/il/chicago/ and saw several playgroups that looked appealing. I have officially joined two of them, Big City Babies and New Mom Network Chicago Meetup Group, and am waiting to be let into a couple others. The playgroup was great! It was just what I'm looking for. The group was going to met at a local bakery (http://www.thebleedingheartbakery.com/) at 11am. Becca and I walked there, went into the bakery 5 minutes early, got a delicious scone (the "Take a Hike" scone is fabulous!) and then walked around the neighborhood for a bit--Becca was napping in the stroller, and I thought it was probably smart to honor her nap before we met up with everyone. We headed to the park when she woke up and I talked with several moms while Becca sat in my lap and played on a blanket. One mom in particular, I hit it off with. We have several things in common: she is a licensed social worker and used to work with kids in a local school district, she's a runner, and her daughter was born 2 weeks before Becca--it was great to talk to someone going through very similar things as us Joneses. (We even exchanged information!)

I have to say that I'm proud of myself for being proactive with getting Becca and I out there to meet new people...and super happy it went so well! Can't wait for my next playgroup meetup!

Super Cute, but Maybe Let's Not Mess With 3 Things at Once...

2009-09-11T13:18:00.000-07:00

The seasoned veterans may have predicted this or at least foreseen the troubles...I'm not longer aggressively participating in three operations simultaneously. Becca's unhappy and so is mommy! Even though the first day and a half went smashingly, since then has not been quite as grand...too much crying, leading to not enough sleeping during the day, apparently not enough food consumption during the day, and then the old habit of waking up every 3-4 hours at night to eat....so while not giving up on everything, I'm going to tone it down a bit. A bottle every other day, rock her not all the way to sleep but a little closer than I previously thought and gently encourage bedtime up closer to 9pm for now...

"You want me to fall asleep in here?"

"I'm way cuter out here with you holding me."

But as the headline reads, she's still super-duper cute! We had a bit of a photo shoot yesterday as I am trying to learn how to better use our fancy camera (I even got a few helpful books out of the library today...)

**Had to do some editing so removed a couple photos**

3 months old, Las Vegas, Bottle standoff and Covert operations

2009-09-08T09:26:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's been an eventful week! The family took our first plane ride together. Chris' best friend, Josh, got married in Las Vegas to his beautiful fiancee, Carly, and we were there to celebrate with them. Needless to say, Chris and I were more nervous about the flying than Becca was. She was a dream!! She slept for 2 1/2 hours of the 3 1/2 hours out there; she barely peeped. On the way home, she slept for 3 hours of the 3 1/2 hour trip and hardly made a sound!

Vegas itself was a bit overwhelming for our just turned 3 month old baby. Lights, noises, smoke...it's overstimulating to me and I understand the world (sort of). BUT, Becca still did great; no major meltdowns, she slept well, enjoyed her first dip in the pool, walked the Las Vegas strip, visited several over-the-top casinos and attended her first wedding.

We were glad to share in our friends' special day, but super glad to be back and settle back into our Chicago routine....well, not until Tuesday. I worked a full day on Labor Day Monday and in my absence, Becca did not eat. She and Chris had a fun filled day playing, talking and sleeping, but no eating, that is until he brought her to the hospital for me to feed her at 12:15p. She is not taking anything substantial from the bottle, but we keep trying!

And for the big covert operations...the bottle training, though an operation of sorts, is not covert, however, Operation Move Up Bedtime (aka MUB) is taking place under the radar, as is NMRS (no more rocking her to sleep). It's true, we are working on two simultaneous operations and last night and today have been a promising start! Detail of MUB: Becca was going to sleep consistently at 10p with an hour nap around 7 or 7:30p so we have decided to smoosh it all together and shoot for a bedtime of 8p. Last night she went down at 8:15, slept for an hour and then fought the going to bed idea (in my arms) until she finally gave up at 10p. She did sleep all the way to 5:45a and then was back down for 3 more hours (I think she's still catching up from our trip and the eating hold out of yesterday). As for the NMRS op, a little more tricky...Becca is a snuggler and loves to be rocked and gently bounced to sleep which she has been virtually every time she's gone to sleep since she was born. Yes, it's getting a bit old for mom and dad :) hence the more intensive covert operation. Last night, I got Becca sleepy and then put her down. She cried, but I stayed very close rubbing and patting her back and stroking her cheek. After about 5+ minutes (Chris had to leave because he felt bad that she was crying), I DID IT! Well, actually SHE did it...but we had victory! She went to sleep!!! Today for her nap, which she is still taking, I got her sleepy and put her down; she got unsleepy and cried for about 5 minutes while I tried to soothe her--I aborted the mission temporarily to soothe her in my arms and once again get her sleepy then put her down and within 1-2 minutes with a little cheek stroking I had victory again!! Yipee!

Ahh, it's the small victories...

Terrible, I know...

2009-09-03T06:49:00.000-07:00

So I haven't been a good blogger...it is a bit of a committment, BUT, I'm ready to commit! Yes, it's true; once a week (hopefully on Mondays) I will be updating the blog. Don't expect a huge monologue, but there will be something new :) Hip-Hip-Hooray!

Becca is doing great and is such a fun little being! She'll be 3 months tomorrow and Chris and I still marvel at her and all the new things she does virtually every day. Here are some new pictures

She's 8 weeks here and is just starting to smile

This is one of my favorites: in the Bumbo flirting with the Bumble Bear!

Always practicing tummy time

Storytime with Mamaw

Hanging out with Mommy in the kitchen and yes, she's flirting with the Bumble Bear again!

She's so fun. She talks and smiles and loves when we talk to her (she's definately doomed with the gift of gab coming from Chris and I).

Tonight, we are off to Vegas--yes, Vegas!--Becca and my's first trip to Sin City. Send us good vibes as we take our first plane ride!

Talk to you Monday! :)

She's here!!

2009-07-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

So, as many of you know, Becca has arrived! She came right on schedule...1:36am June 4th, I woke up with signs that my water broke!! I was leaking (with meconium--eewww). Chris and I showered and headed to the hospital. I got checked out in triage and was sent up to the Labor and Delivery room where they started pitocin at 4:30am. I hadn't been having contractions yet, so they had to get things going now that my water had broke! By 11am I needed an epidural (wow, labor pain!); I was dilated to about 1 1/2 cm at that point. At 12:30p, I was 2 cm and 90% effaced. By 3:30pm I was 9 1/2 cm dilated!!! The nurse recommended I keep laboring as long as I could to let the baby get down into the birth canal and hopefully decreased my pushing. By 5pm I felt like I had to hold back so as not to push, the feeling was overwhelming. With my wonderful nurse at one leg, and my amazing husband at the other, I started pushing at 5pm!!! The nurse said that first time mom usually push for 2-3 hours...great...I was getting nervous again, but she had to come out :) I pushed a couple times and the nurse had to get the doctor because things were progressing fast. When the doctor came in, he actually had me not push so that he could get really ready...at 5:24pm Rebecca Mary Elizabeth Jones was born!!! Chris saw everything up close, saw her first, cut the cord, and stayed on his feet!! What a miracle...I don't think I'll ever forget the feeling I had when I looked down and saw our healthy baby girl for the first time. Happy tears flowed and absolute aww started (it's still there, by the way). Chris and I are so enamored by our beautiful baby girl. She is doing great! She was born weighing 7 pounds and 11 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long. At her 2 week check up, she weighed 8 pounds 8.5 ounces and was 21 1/2 inches long!!! On July 6th we go for our 4 week/1 month check up so we'll see what she's done for us by then. Oh, and I'm doing fine. My body has been so kind to me over the last 10 months, not a word of complaint. With the pushing going so quickly, "I" didn't suffer too much :)

Everyone has been so giving and generous and excited. Thank you to all. We are all still adjusting. The first 1 1/2 weeks were good and Becca was a sleeping machine. Her and I were still really working to figure out the breast feeding thing. Then she started to wake up more. Now she's more alert and awake and fussy :) But all is well....Chris is so wonderful and has been amazingly helpful. He's the closer with our fussy girl...I stay with her and give her my all, but then daddy has to step in and seal the deal...works almost every time. Our camera was broken for 2 weeks, so some of the pictures are the best, but keep looking for more. Enjoy...

39 weeks and Counting...

2009-05-30T16:50:00.001-07:00

Yes, I'm still pregnant :) Very pregnant! Nothing's happening yet, but all is on track. This picture was taken a week ago, so I'll get a new one up soon....just wanted to keep everyone posted

The Finishing Touches

2009-05-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the final touches on our place. Sorry I didn't fully tidy up for the pics, but you can get a better idea of our beautiful new home!

The kitchen and Chris is out at the grill...yum!

Our front room

The fireplace and stairs up and down

This is the man cave basement, pardon the mess, we're still working on this room. Here are the stairs coming down and the door to the left is a full bathroom. To the left of the bathroom is the door out to the one car garage that Chris has been working on and loving!

This the bulk of the man cave, complete with Chris' monster desk (wow, what are they looking at online?). The sliding doors go out front onto our patio and you can see our front steps.

What else....Farmer Jones has had successful grass growth with more to come and all the other plants and flowers are still living! I'm doing pretty well. My hands and legs are swelling a little more, but I love wearing my granny hose (pressure stockings) because they make such a difference--thank goodness! I went to my 38th week doctor's visit with "no news is good news". Everything is on track: no dilation at this point. The second biggest news is that Chris and I may be a step closer to having a name for our little girl, but everyone has to wait until she comes; it's a surprise. AND...the biggest news of all...I have 3 more days of work!!! Hope all is well...stay tuned :)

Our New Home, Part 1

2009-05-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, we have moved! We sold our condo in the West Loop, our first home, and are once again renters. We have upgraded, though. We now reside in a 3 story townhome. Chris has done an incredible job making this rental a real home for our new family. He couldn't have gotten it started off right without the help of his father (the painter) and his mother (the scrubber), oh, and I helped a little too. So here are some pictures, the final product pics are coming...the camera on the battery died and we can't find the charger...ahh, moving...

The top picture shows our front "lawn", steps up to the front door, balcony, garage and patio. The is all pre-Farmer Jones. This picture shows the garage and front steps during farming...

This is now our front yard and entrance...Farmer Jones did an incredible job...

Coming up the steps into the front door. Balcony and sliding doors with our new kitchen table.

Table, chairs and bench, plus the penisula in the kitchen.

Kitchen and hanging pots.

The front room is to the right as you walk in the front door. Admire our beautiful new entertainment center, coffee table, end table and rug. For those of you who really know me, please be assured that Chris and I have bought all of this EXPENSIVE, new, gorgeous furniture without fighting and without me crying or throwing up!!! (hehe)
Behind the pictures is the woodburning fireplace. The stairs on the right go up to the bedrooms and the stairs on the left go down to the "man cave", laundry and patio.

This is the landing at the top of the stairs, the linen closet and the bathroom. The baby's room is just to the left of the bathroom and our bedroom is just to the left of that.

Our bedroom

Our magnificent bedroom closet!!!

Bambina's crib and dresser/changing table

Bambina's side table and moses basket

The basement level was totally a mess when I took these pictures, so you'll just have to wait until we can find the camera battery charger....

Lots of catching up to do!

2009-05-16T08:03:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of catching up to do, but I'll just hit the big stuff....about a month ago, Donna, Chris' mom, threw Chris and I an amazing baby shower! Everything was done to the 9s: the decorations, food, guests, gifts...it was phenomenal! (Those pictures were taken on someone else's camera). The Jones' family and friends, along with my family, have been so generous with their well wishes. Chris and I are very lucky...

This is a picture of some beautiful ladies after a day of baby showering: my grandmother, me, Sarah (Chris' sister), Donna (my mother-in-law), and my mom. We had a delicious italian dinner together to wind up the wonderful day.

This is me at 33 weeks with Dad. On Sunday morning after the shower, the Monaghans had a little breakfast in downtown Franklin before heading back to Michigan. It was so great to see my parents and Grandma one more time before #3 comes along!

35 weeks and still smiling!

36 weeks and looking a bit ragged...Still doing alright though....

Short Update

2009-04-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

Not too much going on right now. Here I am at 31 weeks. I think I look smaller than last week's picture. Still feeling good, just tired. We are planning on starting the packing today. We have several boxes and have made a promise to pack 1 box a day, or at least 1 box every other day. It's all starting!

And....for those of you who don't know, Mary Poppins is one of my very favorite movies of all time. That being said, Melanie and I bought tickets to see the Broadway musical here in Chicago next Saturday night!!!! I'm so excited!

Our First Baby Shower, St. Patty's in Chicago '09, and It's now 29 1/2 weeks and counting!!

2009-03-23T19:10:00.000-07:00

So I'm now 29 1/2 weeks and continue to grow every day. My belly button is flattening out but has not yet popped. Our little girl is getting stronger, kicking and dancing up a storm, even Grandpa Jones got to see some of the baby's latest routine!

The mom and dad-to-be celebrate being Chi-rish after seeing the Chicago River dyed green.

Carly and Josh were in to do it up Chicago Green. We always love to see them.

Sheri came in for the baby shower so did a little Chi-rish celebrating too! She came with more insight and mommy advice which is ever so welcome!

The girls threw Chris and I a wonderful baby shower at Cafe BaBaReeba where we enjoyed delicious tapas, sangria, great conversation, and good mommy advice. Everyone was so generous. The gifts are so wonderful!

So as you can tell, we've been a bit busy lately, which is good. I'm feeling good, but do get tired pretty easily and enjoy sitting down to put up my feet. Chris continues to be wonderfully supportive and has a good sense of humor about all that is pregnancy. He also does a great job telling me I'm beautiful and thanks me for baking our bun. The baby shower was a great escape with exciting booty. We also enjoyed the Chi-rish (Chicago Irish) celebrations with Sheri, Josh and Carly including the river dying, Chi-rish head bands, and beer.

We made a last minute trip down to Franklin to see Chris' family and Grandfather. It was a great weekend. We suprised Chris' dad and joined in for a trip to Mi Pueblo, suprised Chris' grandpa at his new bachelor pad, and then Chris' parents suprised us with a beautiful trunk load of adorable baby clothes (more than 30 pieces of clothing!). This little girl is already spoiled and is going to be cute as a button! Onesies, corduroys, sleepers and a snowsuit; we are set for the next 12 months!

We are waiting to close on the sale of our condo on April 23rd as well as commence our new 12 month lease for a great townhome on the same day! We are going to have a room for the baby and extra room to spare!

Finally, an update!! Good news to share...

2009-03-08T07:07:00.000-07:00

I have started to get more tired and with working my four, 10 hour days, blogging has not been a priority...sorry....BUT, I'm back and with good news to share! Chris and I sold our condo last weekend!! The baby will actually have her own room now. We feel very lucky. We signed the contract last Sunday morning and our buyer has until March 31st to secure a mortgage. Our closing date is currently set for April 13th. Last Sunday afternoon, we bought baby furniture! It's beautiful. We got a crib, matching nightstand and dresser. You can check it out if interested http://www.munirefurniture.com/savoy_03.htm

We are now hot and heavy in the apartment search looking for a lease starting April 1st. Lots of cool places to choose from, and we are trying to find the best fit for our growing family. Speaking of growing.... I posted my 26 and 27 week pictures. Blue pants=26 weeks, and yes, my shirt is floating over my belly (in case you failed to notice). Also in that picture you can see the pink and yellow baby sling I bought from Mama Bargains, the addictive website https://www.mamabargains.com/

Time is flying by and our bundle of joy will be here in 3 months! (hopefully a bit under) I have my first baby shower this friday and am so excited to see friends to socialize, eat, and celebrate. I also have my last monthly doctor's visit on Monday, then I start going every 2 weeks since I will have hit the 28 week mark! I'll hopefully have more good news to share soon....

2009-02-19T18:57:00.000-08:00

So this is Chris, and I thought that I would take a shot at the world of blogging..........anyways the image I posted was a mere 17 weeks ago. Now as all can see it is much different!!! I would like to explain to everyone how hard it is to sleep in the same bed (a Queen at that) as a woman who has a soccer ball duct taped to her stomach, not to mention the fact that nothing is every cold enough, warm enough, too hard, too soft, not sleepy, thirsty, need to pee, "are you awake?"...........you get the idea!! It can be very challenging at times. Last night we switched sides on the bed and it was like sleeping on a cloud.........best night of sleep in many of months. In all seriousness, Jen has been more than a trooper here at home, and I couldn't ask for a better pregnant woman to share a bed with. The baby girl is kicking more and more everyday and Jen and I can hardly wait for the arrival of this package of joy. June couldn't come fast enough.

New changes

2009-02-13T07:24:00.000-08:00

I am now 24 weeks and well, this may be too much information, but my uterus is the size of a soccer ball!!! What! My belly (and other parts) keep growing and I feel bigger, but my couple of friends who are just 3 weeks ahead of me assure me that I'm not even showing yet! I guess it's all in your perspective. Chris and I are certainly getting a kick (pun intended) out of all these bodily changes, and it seems to be different virtually every day! Speaking of kicking, our little one is finally moving more. I really like feeling her flutter and kick, it let's me know she's okay (I can be a bit paranoid)...and more importantly, Daddy finally got to feel the strength in her legs (or arms)--he was very excited, and quite honestly I think she was too because she moved like crazy for the next 5 minutes...already a Daddy's girl

Chris and I can't believe in 3 1/2 months we'll be holding a real baby! We're starting to get ready. We've got several adorable outfits, wonderful board books, bibs, and a started registry...little by little. We are also in the process of planning our first vacation with our little girl. Our very good friends are getting married on September 5th so we will be heading out to Las Vegas, tot in hand, to celebrate! Might as well start introducing the world to our little one early! :) We're so excited for our friends and the opportunity to get away.

We also are saying a sad good-bye today....We have sold Chris' beloved Audi A4 and will be taking her to the new owner. We know she'll have a good life with her new dad, but she will be missed...

A growth spurt

2009-02-04T18:02:00.000-08:00

So Chris and I were lucky enough to travel to beautiful upstate New York last weekend to visit my oldest and dearest friend, Sheri, her awesome British husband, and the ever growing and active Aaron (their 4 month old). It was such a great weekend. Good friends are like nothing else and these two/three are especially amazing. They have renovated their home and it looks fantastic, plus they are still active and a blast to be around...laughing is so underrated!

Needless to say, I think our time around the 4 month old sparked a growth spurt! I have gained two pounds in the last week and really look pregnant :) I swear over the last two days alone, I have noticably changed in size! So fun, exciting, and weird....see what you think....

Yes, the belly's growing!

2009-01-27T18:52:00.000-08:00

So here I am at nearly 22 weeks. Some days I can feel my belly stretching and growing. Currently it's looking a bit pointy for my liking, but I'm sure it will fill in! My MD seems to think, and now I tend to agree, that this month is going to be a big one (pun intended). I've finally started to feel our little girl move! It's not all the time, but I've definately felt some fluttering and some kicks...it's great! Oh, and for those of you who were worried, don't be, my sweet tooth is back!

It's a GIRL...and she's healthy!

2009-01-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

We are 20 weeks, half way, and so had our big ultrasound yesterday--we earned a clean bill of health! Everything looked amazing. We watched our baby girl suck her thumb and kick her legs. We have pictures of her, but I'm still working on downloading them, so stay tuned.

Here is a picture of the baby from the outside (my growing belly)...and, we got our first pink outfits! They are adorable. I cannot believe we're going to have a little body to put in it by the summer!

Also, thank you thank you to all our friends and family who have sent along their prayers, good wishes, and congratulations. We feel lucky and blessed for the relatively smooth sailing up 'til now but know that we still have a ways to go.

Getting this thing started

2009-01-04T14:04:00.000-08:00

So I guess I'm starting a blog. I've so enjoyed my friends' blogs and rely on them to feel connected, so I've been convinced that I can do the same. Please be patient with me as I learn how to do this!