Holidays!

I know i have been terrible about posting and I am so sorry! Here are some fun recent pictures...

AJ & Daddy watching Football

At the Thanksgiving Day Parade-Chicago (with Aunt Stephanie, Uncle Jack and cousin Natalie)

AJ & Cousin Natalie

Dad, If I wear my tie, can I come to work with you?

Santa Train with Cousin Abby

Me & Grandma after the traumatic encounter with Santa
AJ, Grandma and Granpa

Crying while Santa came by...Please someone get me out of here!

I really enjoyed the train, just as long as Santa was no where near me!

AJ, Mommy and Aunt Amy

Maggie Vs. Domesticity

So, I was very proud of myself and went to the store to plan new meals for the week. I love crockpot meals in the fall. I prepped the ingredients last night and put them in the crock pot this morning. I come home and find that our power went out 5 hours prior to me arriving home...DINNER RUINED! No more beef stroganoff and the $15 of ingredients down the drain!

3 Pumpkin Patches!

We have toured the state and gone to three different pumpkin patches / apple orchards. Each one was lots of fun and they were all very different! AJ was able to enjoy the fall (summer) weather and pick out pumpkins with both sets of Grandparents!

Johansen Farm, Bolingbrook, IL

PUMPKINS!

Ooooh...a tiny baby chick...
I touched it with ONE finger...nice and gentle...I'm going to make a great big brother!
I was watching a mama goat with her babies...
Me & Grandma on a hay ride!
Hay ride! Not so rural with the houses in the background...
Kuipers Family Farm, not sure where, ILLINOIS
This was a yummy apple!

Family Photo
Hay stack maze
Tractor Time!
These tires were fun to climb on!
Corn sand box...

Tanners, Speer, IL (Peoria)
Me & Grandpa at the Pumpkin Patch
This is fun!
I was tired of walking through all the pumpkins...time to get a ride!

Catching Up...

Sitting with my cousin Abby at the Last Fling...it was a fun day!

Dad,

I'll help you unload your old dresser...

Dear Mom, Please do not make me wait so long for my bath tomorrow night...when I'm ready, I'm READY! PS...I need more bubbles for my bath bubble machine

Quick Update

Well...it's been a while! Lots of things going on with us these days.

We went on vacation to Myrtle Beach, which was alot of fun. We found out that the new baby is a GIRL! I am 24 weeks...so not much longer to go.

AJ is definitely COMMUNICATING with us...he has a combination of English, Spanish and sign language...

English Words: Uh-Oh, Wow, Puppy (which sounds like buppy), Shut, "Let's see!",

He hit Andy the other day and I told him to say I'm Sorry, and he did!

Spanish Words: Si. He doesnt say anything else, but knows where his cabeza (head) is, and different objects (ball, etc) in spanish.

Sign words: He signs all-done, more, and please.

Here is are some cute pics from vacation...

18 Week Ultrasound

This child has been uncooperative. We are not planning to find out, but got the urge while in the room, but the baby wouldn't move it's foot from the "area" we needed to see. So, it's still going to be a surprise!

We have one more ultrasound in 4 weeks to get better shots of the heart and lower spine...again, an uncooperative baby...

Here are two shots of the new baby's profile...in the top one, you can see the head, nose, mouth and hand. The bottom one is a little blurry.

In the bottom right of the black area, you can see the baby's footprint. If you look closely, you can see toes!

Off for Vacation

Well, we are off to Myrtle Beach tomorrow...I will update when we get back.

Here are a few recent photos...

15 Month Check Up

We went this week for AJ's 15 month check up. He is definitely growing and hitting all of the developmental milestones. He weighs 24 pounds, 15 ounces. And he is 29.75" tall. Unfortunatlely, he is taking after me with his height.

He got two shots and was doing OK. However, he developed a large knot, and his leg was red and swollen from his knee to almost his hip. So, another trip to the doctor, and another antibiotic, and he is doing much better. The redness has gone away and the swelling has gone down. It's a good thing AJ enjoys taking medicine and Motrin / Tylenol!

Brookfield Zoo

AJ went with Grandma Debbie, Aunt Alyson and Cousin Abby to Brookfield Zoo on Friday. It looks like he had alot of fun!

Baby #2 Update

Well, as many of you know, baby number 2 is expected to arrive around January 15th!

I am 14 weeks, and this pregnancy is flying by...we go for our ultrasound at our next appointment (August 14th). We are NOT going to find out what we are having this time around.

Everything is going well with the pregnancy...i am still EXHAUSTED, but the baby is healthy and I have already started feeling some movement. The heart rate was 168 the first appointment and 160 at the second. AJ's was never that high, so maybe this one is a GIRL! But AJ also never cooperated and always moved away from the doppler. This baby stays put, as if to say...Yep, I'm HERE!

Update 4-Ribfest

We went to Ribfest on July 5th...AJ had lots of fun!

I Like RIBS!
MMM...Can I have some more?
DELICIOUS!
Dad, where'd you put my rib?