Chapter 2 10 Months

2011-10-10T20:38:00.000-04:00

Santa came early this year! Look at my new two front teeth!

Indiana Fall

2011-10-09T20:48:00.002-04:00

Playing in the leaves + celebrating Uncle Matt's 30th + the Fall Foliage Festival Parade = Beautiful October afternoon!

9 Months

2011-09-10T20:31:00.001-04:00

Our little silly man is keeping us on our toes! He is so busy these days. And just when we thought he couldn't get any cuter. He did. :-) Love. My. Boy.

8 Months

2011-08-10T12:01:00.000-04:00

Watch out! We have a crawler on the loose!! That's right...time to baby-proof. AJ and I have our work cut out for us now. :-)

Our little chunk is growing like a weed. And man that boy can eat! He's a bottomless pit. And like his mama, he'll eat anything. I'm so thankful he's not a picky eater. Hmm.....what else is new this past month... Oh that's right...teeth!! He has two bottom (sharp) teeth! He loves the crunching sounds he can make biting into his puffs. He's such a funny little dude! We're a little obsessed.

7 Months

2011-07-10T08:53:00.001-04:00

Not too much new this past month...other than our little Anthony turning into a stinker! That's right, a stinker. AJ and I worry about us "creating a monster". It is so hard being new parents trying to figure out all of this stuff. We are still really struggling with him sleeping through the night. Anthony normally goes to bed around 7:30, and after an eight-hour stretch he's usally back up around 3-4 a.m. He rarely puts himself to sleep. After he eats his dinner in the high-chair, he gets a bath, then I nurse him in the rocking chair. He typically falls asleep eating, then I lay him down. BUT..there are those dreaded nights when he is WIDE awake and finishes eating. I cannot simply lay him down and let him cry himself to sleep. AJ and I are apart from him all day when we're a work. So we want to spend as much time with him as we can. So on those nights, Anthony gets to hang out with Mom & Dad and play with toys until he gets tired. I just can't help..I love to snuggle with him. One of these days we'll master our routine....until then...I cherish every waking moment (at all hours) with our little cuddle bug!

Mallow Run Winery

2011-07-02T09:54:00.007-04:00

We met up with our good friends, Luke, Shelley, and Oscar, for a fun-filled evening at Mallow Run Winery. We tasted wine then had a picnic on the lawn with the boys. A great little bluegrass band was playing. Anthony and Oscar had so much fun haning out. Oscar is three weeks older than Anthony. They're such good buddies!

6 Months

2011-06-10T12:27:00.010-04:00

Our baby boy is 6 months old. He is such a funny little guy...he cracks us up all the time! I have never seen such a happy baby, which makes Mommy and Daddy happy!

The stats: At his 6 month check-up he weighed 18 lbs and 8 oz. and measured 27.25 inches. He's in the 75 Percentile for height and weight. This was our first visit with our new pediatrician, who also happens to be our new next door neighbor (how convenient!).

This month's milestones: sitting up and eating solids. On May 21st, he sat up for the first time without any support. Such a pro...I'm so proud! Over Memorial Day weekend he began eating solids. Here is a pic of him eating carrots. He just loves to eat! We've yet to find a food that he hasn't liked.

WE CELEBRATED AJ's FIRST FATHER'S DAY!!!

Four generations of Eder Men:

5 Months

2011-05-10T09:46:00.001-04:00

5 Months already?!? Hard to believe. The little chunk is growing SO fast! He is smiling and laughing all of the time now. He absolutely loves his Baby Einstein videos (although the AAP doesn't recommend children under 2 watching TV--this is another one I'm going to ignore). Every night after I pick him up from school (daycare), we come home and do exercises. He will lay flat on his back and with a little help from Mommy we do sit-ups, then stand-up, then back down and all over again. He loves it and is always so intense and focused. Last night Miss Lexy told me that whenever he's laying down he tries so hard to sit up. She said he's going to have a six-pack by the time he's one! Ha!

My First Mother's Day

2011-05-08T09:37:00.002-04:00

I celebrated my very first Mother's Day as a mother! Here is a pic that Anthony made me at school. The poem is so sweet...made me cry! I'm so very blessed, and being a mother is the most amazing and rewarding thing I have ever done! I love my family to pieces!

In case it's too hard to read from the picture, here is the poem:

I am your little flower, Mom

Please help me grow and bloom;

Take the weeds, but leave the roots

And give me lots of room.

Mom, you are my gardener;

My sunshine and my rain.

Too much will make me wither

With enough I'll bloom again.

I am your little flower, Mom

I'm different from the rest;

Don't pick me Mom, just help me grow

To be my very best.

4 Months

2011-04-12T22:00:00.005-04:00

Four months old! We sure have been busy at the Eder household. We took Anthony to doctor for his 4 month check up, and he has doubled his birth weight and has grown 5 inches! He now weighs 16 lbs. and 8 oz. and is 26 inches long.

This month's big milestone: ROLLING OVER! Such a cute story, I've gotta share. On Friday, 4/8, I took him to daycare, and right when I walked in Miss Karen just had to tell me the news that Claire (who is one day younger than Anthony) had just rolled over the night beofore. I said, "Did you hear that, Buddy?! You can't be having Claire show you up!" He just looked at me and smiled as I laid him down on his tummy on the play mat. I stood up and was chatting with Miss Karen when I felt a thump. I looked down and Anthony had rolled over and landed on my feet! He laid there smiling up at me! He wanted to let us know that HE could roll over, too! Miss Karen and I stood there with our jaws on the floor! Before I left for work he rolled over two more times. I tried to get him to do it that night for Daddy to see, but no luck. He just wanted to let us know that he could do it, but only when he feels like it!

I AM A DOG.

2011-04-07T12:04:00.006-04:00

... Here is a little tribute to Butler for another incredible season. Last year my parents saw this Nike Ad in the Indy Star. Nike recognized Butler when they made it to the championship final. I've always liked it..so I decided to share it...

I AM A DOG.

NOT AN UNDERDOG.

A DOG.

A MEAN DOG.

A JUNKYARD DOG.

A DOG THAT BELONGS BEHIND A BIG FENCE WITH A BIG SIGN THAT READS "BEWARE" IN BIG LETTERS.

AND YES, MY BARK IS AS BAD AS MY BITE.

FORGET ABOUT MY SIZE.

WORRY ABOUT THE FACT THAT I JUST ATE A T-BONE STEAK AND I'M STILL HUNGRY.

WORRY ABOUT A BEAST THAT DOESN'T KNOW WHEN TO QUIT, NO MATTER WHAT SEED YOU PUT ME AT.

AND IF YOUR BALL LANDS IN MY YARD, CONSIDER IT GONE.

I AM NOT AN UNDERDOG.

I AM THE TOP DOG.

AND YOU'LL BE SEEING ME AROUND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD FROM NOW ON.

3 Months

2011-03-22T19:39:00.004-04:00

Anthony turned THREE months old on March 10th (so this post is a bit late). The little stinker is doing great! Mama went back to work, and Buddy Boy started daycare. The first day was tough, and it's still not easy leaving him every morning. I miss him like crazy, and my work days seem so long.

Buddy Boy has hit some big mile stones this month. He graduated from his swaddlers and is now a free man! He's also reaching and grabbing everything. The little saucer seat with all of the toys attached have become quite the big hit. Anthony's been breaking in his "Johnny Jump Up", although he's not really jumping yet..just likes to sway back and forth and hang out. He also loves his bumbo. Hmm..what else...OH-the sleep thing has been going quite well! He's averaging about 6 hour stretches at night. One night he even made it 8 hours! Last week was the exception, he was up every 2 hours, but he's also fighting a cold. Overall we've had quite a productive month! Cheers! :)

Happy St. Patty's Day!

2011-03-17T11:14:00.000-04:00

2011 Bucket List

2011-03-06T20:17:00.005-05:00

So my friend, Mandee, inspired me to make a 2011 bucket list (check out her list). I wish I would've done this back in January, but better late than never. I thought it was a cute and clever idea...so here goes...

take a walk along the canal

~~implement Friday night pizza nights with neighbors and friends~~

play tennis with my dad

teach Sophie to play tennis

complete an oil painting

learn to make tiramisu

organize a game night with friends

write a poem for Anthony

get Anthony on a consistent sleep schedule

lead a team for Race for the Cure

have a wine tasting party

start a savings account for Anthony

start a 529 college fund for Anthony

increase our retirement account contributions

complete P90X

donate blood

learn how to thread my bobbin on my sewing machine

finish making a bedding set for Anthony's room

make a quilt for Anthony

make a raspberry cake on Mother's Day

plant flowers

make pretty flower boxes for the deck

hike at Eagle Creek Park

go to Vegas for a girls weekend

complete our wedding photo album

make a scrapbook for Anthony

re-learn to knit

take a Sunday cruise in Grandpa Vern's '56 Cadillac

go to the Broad Ripple Art fair

go fishing

visit my grandparents at the cementary

~~stay in my PJ's watching movies all day~~

go mushroom hunting

go on a family picnic at the Morgan Monroe State Forest

play golf with my husband

recyle

have a spa birthday party for my niece

go camping

try Jocamo's Pizza

watch Jake play baseball

stand under the water falls at McCormick's Creek

watch fireworks on July 4th

go to the Bean Blossom Bluegrass festival

make fried green tomatoes

visit friends in Chicago

join a yoga class

watch horse races at Indiana Downs

read the Twilight series

read the manual for my new camera

go to an Indians game with AJ an Anthony

make a video using iMovie

buy a new/used road bike

get a massage

see live music at the Jazz Kitchen

give Sophie Spanish lessons

get family photos taken

see a ballet

plant an herb garden

make and jar basil pesto

go artifact hunting with Dad

go to a concert

go on a date with my husband

oil paint together with Dad

have a picnic Oliver Winery

go hiking in Brown County

go shopping in Brown County

visit the home of TC Steele

attend the Covered Bridge festival

go canoeing with Dad

have a margarita at La Jolla

have a Corona at La Piedad

take Anthony and Riley on walk on the Monon

make scented candles with my nieces

have a cookout with old neighbors

have a cookout with new neighbors

get a sub and homemade ice cream at the Morgan Co. Fair

have a water balloon fight with my nieces & nephews

take Anthony swimming for first time

spend an afternoon at Southeast Way Park

roast marshmallows

make AJ a chocolate banana malt

watch a meteor shower

go to the State Fair

go to the apple orchard with Mom & Sophie

bake a homemade apple pie

take pictures of the autumn leaves

go to the Fall Foliage Festival

carve a pumpkin for Anthony

give toys to the kids at the Peyton Manning Children's Hospital

make fudge with my Grandma

plan a trip to Europe for 2012

see Anthony take his first step

adopt a family for Christmas

bake Christmas cookies with Mom & Sophie

See the Nutcracker with Mom & Dad

invite Sophie and Lily over to make gingerbread houses

take Anthony to see Santa

attend the candlelight service on Christmas Eve

make my 2012 bucket list

kiss my husband on New Year's Eve

2 Months

2011-02-16T17:58:00.003-05:00

The last two months have been quite a whirlwind, but in a good way! Our little boy is changing every day. At our two month doctor's visit he weighed 13.1 pounds and was 23 1/4 inches. He's been smiling so much and loves to coo! I'll try to post some videos soon. As far a schedule, wish I had better news to deliver. His feedings are pretty consistent, about every three hours. But his nap time and bedtime are still a work in progress. He is getting up about 2-3 times a night. I go back to work on March 3rd, so I'm hoping for a little progress by then. Pretty please!

New Pix!

2011-02-02T12:21:00.004-05:00

So I finally took some time to sit down and upload some baby pix! You'll notice I've added a new link to the right ("The Eder Family"). I've updated this site with pictures ranging from the day he was born to some taken just last week. We just love our little Buddy Boy!

One Month Old

2011-01-10T10:42:00.006-05:00

It's hard to believe Anthony is one month old already! He weighed 10 pounds 14 ounces and measured 22.5 inches long at his 1 month check-up. He's growing so fast!

I have a new found respect for all parents. Adjusting to parenthood has gone pretty well so far, no major bumps in the road. However, no one understands how hard it really is until experiencing it themselves. Caring for a newborn is HUGE. Anthony has made things pretty easy for us. He had no problem latching, isn't too fussy, is healthy, and tries so hard to be good. I think I've been spoiling him though. Like right now, he's sleeping on my lap as I sit here typing this. I seem to be doing all of the things I swore I would never do as a new mom...he still sleeps in our room most nights, I broke down and gave him a pacifier about a week ago, I hold him way too much, I rock him to sleep, I feed on-demand, the list goes on. Oh well. Sleep deprivation got the best of me. I forget what it's like to sleep like a normal person. Anthony wants to eat every 2-3 hours; that's all we do. I started pumping a couple of weeks ago, so AJ's now able to help with some feedings. AJ came down with a terrible case of the flu, so Anthony and I stayed with my parents for the last few days...and I got spoiled! My mom and dad changed diapers, held him and entertained him, and Mom took over on all of the early morning feeding shifts from 3:30AM on. Dad cooked amazing meals like always. Last night I came home and back to reality. I've been reading Baby Wise, and am hoping to get him on a schedule soon. According to this book, he should be sleeping through the night by 7-9 weeks. Can any moms out there vouch for this?

Anyway, just wanted to give y'all a quick update. Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying this beautiful white winter!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-27T17:23:00.003-05:00

Welcome to this big ol' crazy world, Anthony!

2010-12-16T14:56:00.005-05:00

AJ and I would like to proudly announce the birth of our new son:

ANTHONY CHARLES EDER

born

Friday, December 10th, 2010

at 7:55 AM

8lbs. 3oz. & 21 inches

The story...

(kinda long--sorry)

We can't complain how Anthony came into this world...everything went better than expected. The end result was what mattered most..a beautiful, healthy boy in our arms! Here's how it all went down...

Last Thursday was a normal work day for both AJ and I. We were scheduled to check into the hospital at 7PM Thursday evening for our PRE-induction. So after work we decided to go out for dinner then head over to Community North. Over dinner we talked about how we thought the night and next day would pan out. AJ helped calm my nerves. I was such a mix of emotions..scared, anxious, and excited. Our original birth plan was to have a natural birth, but that obviously wasn't going to happen since I was about to be induced. It's possible but pretty uncommon that one can deliver without an epidural when being induced. I told AJ my goal was to make it to 7cm before being given anything for the pain. From what I had read, going from 7 to 10 centimeters (transition) is the most painful part of labor but also the quickest. So that was our plan..7cm..then home free. (Even though you CANNOT plan these things, I'm kind of a control freak I wanted to have something to shoot for). I also knew that the earlier a woman is given an epidural, chances are the labor will be longer. I was not up for a 20 hour labor! However it had to happen, we just wanted little boy (and mama) to be healthy and happy!

So we checked into our room and went over Dr. Ertle's instructions with the nurse: I was to be given three doses of Citatec-one every four hours (a pill inserted behind my cervix which dissolves and helps me dilate and thin). Then the plan was to meet with my doctor around 9AM on Friday to start the induction...break my water, epidural, pitocin drip, etc. The nurse informed me that I may have a little cramping but I needed to get as much rest as possible, since I would really need it for the next day.

Well at 9:15PM I had my first dose. Being hooked up to IVs and monitors made it really hard to sleep, so I pretty much laid there watching TV and staring at the ceiling. Fortunately, AJ was able to get a little rest. My nurse came in at 1:15AM to check on me to see if I had made any progress and give me my second dose. 2 1/2 cm and 75% effaced! Woohoo! She gave me my second dose and said I needed to lay flat for about an hour, but after that I could unhook my monitors and walk around. At 2:15AM I did just that. AJ and I walked up and down the hallways for a couple of hours. I noticed my mild cramping started turning into obvious contractions. I was so excited! This stuff must really be working! When it started getting uncomfortable, we walked down to the nursery to look at the adorable little babies...we needed the motivation and distraction.

I was determined to stay on my feet as much as possible...let the gravity do the work. The contractions started coming on stronger and faster, and by 4AM I didn't want to go out to the halls anymore. I felt too uncomfortable and modest for complete strangers watching me work through a contraction. The contractions were so strong I had to close my eyes and hold on to AJ's shoulders swaying back and forth focusing on deep breathing.

Let's talk about AJ for a minute. Holy moly...he deserves a GOLD MEDAL! He was so supportive. As the pain got worse, I could see in his eyes how helpless he felt. He was by my side the entire time giving me sips of water, massaging my back and shoulders, putting on music, holding my hands, coaching my breathing, etc., etc. I know he was physically and emotionally drained. I could not have done this without him. The best husband ever.

Around 4:30 AM my body made a sudden shift and the pain immediately went to my lower back. This hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt like falling to my knees. I tried to lay down on my side, but that made it worse (not to mention made me almost throw up). So I stood up, paced around, then remembered that I needed to be on my hands and knees. Little boy was putting pressure on my lower spine, and bending over would shift his weight away with the help of gravity. So AJ got me a pillow and I got on the floor and rested on a chair. Every time I had a contraction AJ would massage my back. I would switch from leaning on the bed to the chair. I hit my "self-doubt emotional sign post", and wanted to just give up. I thought I was about to die. Keep in mind our nurse thought we were "resting" this whole time and didn't want to disturb us.

Our nurse finally came in at 5:15 to check me. 5 1/2 cm and fully effaced. Since I was completely thinned she couldn't give me the last dose..didn't matter..didn't need it. She said a good rule of thumb is to plan on dilating one cm per hour. What?! 5 more hours of this!?! I was so exhausted..all I wanted to do was sleep, but the pain was obviously way too intense. My goal was 7cm, but I wanted the epidural now...was running out of steam and wanted to cry thinking about how long this could go on. She called the anesthesiologist,and he said he'd be over in about a half hour after he finished with another patient. Every minute seemed like an hour. I had no concept of time and am sure I was annoying the nurse and AJ asking how long it had been.

An hour had passed and our anesthesiologist had forgot about us. The contractions were back to back, maybe 1 or 2 minutes apart leaving me hardly any time to rest in between. At 6:45am another anesthesiologist came by my room. The nurse did a check: 9 1/2 cm! Had I been thinking clearly I would have said heck with the epidural..I had already made it through the worst part. I'm disappointed now, because I never spoke up. She went ahead and gave me a "light" epidural. :( It was 7am at this point. At 7:30 it started setting in. I could still feel my contractions and move my legs, but it definitely took the edge off. I rested for a few minutes, then pushed for about 20 minutes. This part was easy! I was so determined to meet my little boy. The nurse put a mirror at the end of the bed so that I could see his little head starting to crown. At 7:55am Anthony Charles was born! This also happened to be sunrise to the minute...kinda cool. He's our little sunshine!

I realize now how important focus is when laboring naturally. Next time, I'll definitely try again for a natural birth. I know to be better prepared mentally and stay focused (and hopefully won't have to be induced again). Overall, I am so happy with how the delivery went. Active labor for 6 hours isn't bad. We have welcomed our new son into this big ol' crazy world, and AJ and I couldn't be happier. SO in LOVE!

Jim (AJ's stepfather) was so nice to put a great little BIRTH DAY video together for us:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2GZKcJKp0g

40 weeks and 3 days

2010-12-06T18:22:00.002-05:00

So I'm officially three days past my EDD. After a VERY long weekend of doing nothing but waiting for something to happen, I decided to call my doctor's office this morning. She was nice enough to squeeze me in this afternoon to sweep my membranes again. She said I was a lot softer than last week and now dilated to 2 cm! She also decided to do the NST today. She hooked me up to two monitors for about 30 minutes. One monitored baby boy's heart rate, and the other monitored my contractions. Yes, contractions. Apparently I'm having contractions and had no idea. I tried to pay close attention to how my body was feeling when I could see on the monitor that I was having one. The best way for me to explain it is tightening with a feeling of slight anxiety...my heart rate would go up and I would have a little shortness of breath. But this was very subtle. Baby boy's heart rate was great and everything looked perfect!

After talking it over with AJ and family, we decided to see if moving up our induction date to Friday was an option. Who wants to have a baby on the 13th anyway?! Dr. Ertle said that shouldn't be a problem at all, as long as they could reserve a room for me. She'll let me know for sure tomorrow. We'll check-in Thursday night, and she'll give me something to "ripen" my cervix. The goal would then be to try to get as much rest as possible that night. Then Friday morning, she'll see where we're at, and if necessary, break my water. Hopefully that will be enough to bring on strong enough contractions. If not, she'll start me on Pitocin...which will probably mean an epidural, too. :( I really want to have a natural birth, but I'm keeping an open mind...whatever needs to happen get him here safely. And who knows...he may come on his own before Friday. Say a prayer!

Grrrrr...

2010-12-02T11:20:00.002-05:00

39 weeks and 6 days and still 1 cm. Absolutely no progress since last week. Really. The only thing that extra spicy dinner did last night was give me terrible heartburn and no sleep. I need to walk on the treadmill tonight, but I'm so tired. I'm tired of getting my hopes up. So here's how things stand...at next week's doctors appointment I'll be 41 weeks. She will do an ultrasound to check my level of amniotic fluid. Then she'll do a non-stress test to make sure baby boy is still doing okay. She would normally induce labor at 41 weeks, but since I would like to try to have a natural delivery, she is going to give me until Monday the 13th. The worst part? Two days in a row I've had strangers ask me if I'm having twins. Grrrrr...

Hurry Up and Wait

2010-11-24T15:44:00.002-05:00

Just got back from the doctor. Disappointingly, still 1 cm. :( The good news...75% effaced! She swept my membranes, which was a little uncomfortable but not nearly as painful as the horror stories I was told. This should release prostaglandins and help "get things going". I'm not getting my hopes up though...still 9 days away from my due date. The pelvic pressure and lower back pain have subsided today, which is why I'm not hopeful about going early. I'll just continue to hurry up and wait. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Anthony's Nursery

2010-11-22T19:57:00.004-05:00

38 weeks

2010-11-19T10:01:00.002-05:00

Today marks 38 weeks! I'm dilated 1 cm but not really effaced yet. Wish it was more, but I'll take it. Next Wednesday she is going to try to "sweep my membranes." Did any of you moms out there have this done? Did it help get things going? I've been drinking my red raspberry leaf tea and trying to walk on my lunch hour. This week I've been feeling a lot of lower pressure and mild cramping. Maybe we'll have a Thanksgiving baby...

AJ and I are trying to live up the last few days of freedom we have left. I'm going to suggest a date night tonight...maybe dinner and a movie. Tomorrow we're meeting some friends for dinner. Mmmm....Bella Vita....can't wait!

Good Boy

2010-11-15T09:48:00.003-05:00

We had an ultrasound at our doctor's appointment last Thursday, and his head is down like it should be! Hoooo-ray. Now hopefully he'll continue to be a good boy and stay there. He's been pretty well-behaved so far, so I think he will. 2 weeks and 4 days until our due date. And still not packed...working on it. I did get the Christmas tree up over the weekend though!

36 week update

2010-11-08T10:52:00.003-05:00

Just a few more weeks to go! Our due date is December 3rd, and I pray I don't go too much over that. I'm getting a little restless at night, which in turn makes me tired during the day. Other than that, I can't complain. We see our doctor weekly now, and next week I think she'll do an ultrasound to make sure he is head down.

AJ and I have been busy trying to get ourselves prepared for parenthood. We've been reading everything we can get our hands on, taking classes--childbirth prep, breastfeeding, and natural childbirth, and soliciting advice. We're so blessed to have such generous friends and family who have showered us with gifts for baby Anthony. We're all set with baby gear. My mom has been especially helpful in getting us ready. I really don't know what I would have done without her help...I would be lost! We have his room almost ready, just some finishing touches and organizing. I still need to wash some more of his clothes. Question for the moms..is baby laundry detergent really necessary? I buy laundry detergent that is already free of dyes and fragrances for our clothes, and I would like to think this would be fine for Anthony, too. Trying to do things the right way as a first time mom, I went ahead and bought a couple of huge jugs of baby detergent..but it cost more than twice as much as regular detergent! Just curious what other moms out there do.

Next thing on the to-do list: start packing for the hospital!

31 Weeks

2010-10-03T22:37:00.000-04:00

Here I am with two of my dearest friends, Stacey and Mandy. I look HUGE for just being 31 weeks! If you look closely, you'll see that Stacey also has a little bump. I think she's around 20 weeks here. And Mandy just had lil' Jack 8 weeks ago...she looks amazing! The three of us grew up together, and it makes me happy knowing our kiddos will be so close in age, too! Love you girls! xoxo

Our First Anniversary

2010-09-14T15:18:00.004-04:00

It's hard to believe how fast the past year has flown by. The wedding...honeymooning on Singer Island...spending Christmas time in California...New Year's Eve in Chicago...Costa Rica in January...ski trip to Petoskey in March...back to Chicago for Sophie's birthday in June..back to Chicago a couple more times...BUSY BUSY BUSY!! Our first year of marriage has been a whirlwind but so much fun. I thank God everyday for the life He has blessed us with. We've had our trying times still learning each other (I don't think that will ever end), but my love for my amazing husband continues to grow stronger each day.

With a baby on the way and such a hectic last few months, we decided to take off for a few days to celebrate our anniversary and have ourselves a little babymoon for some much needed alone time and lots of R&R. It was lovely!

Friday, September 10th, we drove down to Gatlinberg and stayed the night in an adorable little bed & breakfast nestled in the mountains. Here our view from the back porch. We had the most delicious gourmet breakfast the next morning. The Bananas Foster was to die for! We liked it so well that we got the recipe from the chef. The B&B experience was new to both of us. I must say AJ was a little weirded out at first, but I think the breakfast won him over.

The next day we drove in the rain through the smokies slowly and carefully making our way to Asheville. We spent the day exploring the town, had dinner a the Lobster Trap, and stayed at another quaint B&B.

Sunday, Sept. 12 was our anniversary. We began our day with another fabulous gourmet breakfast, got massages, then headed over to visit ol' man George Vanderbilt's home, The Biltmore Estate. Breathtaking.

The last couple of nights in Asheville we stayed at the Grove Park Inn (I highly recommend it). We had a romantic dinner on the Sunset Terrace. It was perfect. Happy anniversary, Honey!

26 weeks

2010-08-26T21:55:00.000-04:00

Me at 26 weeks. Still feeling great!

BOY, OH BOY!

2010-07-06T12:35:00.000-04:00

We're now 18 weeks along, and it's time to decide if we find out if we're having a boy or girl..or do we wait to be surprised?? I'm old-fashioned and really wanted to wait, but AJ on the other hand insisted on finding out so that he could be psychologically and emotionally prepared(whhaawhahh). Since I lost this battle, I decided to plan something a little different. We had our ultrasound tech put the sex in a sealed envelope. Later that evening we met our family for dinner and opened the envelope together....drum roll....It's a BOY! Here is a pic of us opening the envelope. I've never seen AJ so happy!

YEAH BABY!

2010-04-27T10:02:00.000-04:00

So we have a bun in the oven! Talk about starting a new CHAPTER---whoa!! (I know this isn't news to most of you, but I promise to be better at updating this blog). AJ and I are so very excited to share with the world what's been going on in our lives over the past few months. In the spring--much to our surprise--we found out we were expecting. SURPRISE! You see, we were planning on starting this journey a little later, but the big guy upstairs had bigger plans for us. Once the shock wore off and we had some time to wrap our heads around what was in store for us, we couldn't be happier!

I have been so blessed to have had the "perfect" pregnancy so far. At the beginning, I was in complete denial that I was even pregnant. I kept reading online about all of the early pregnancy signs (which I had none), so after a few weeks I was starting to get concerned. If I was pregnant I thought I should be on a hormonal roller coaster, having morning sickness, severe fatigue, etc. But I felt totally normal. At 8 weeks, we decided to visit the doc to see what was really up. The nurse practitioner recommended an early ultrasound to make sure everything was normal. After all, having pregnancy symptoms (even the not-so-fun ones) is a healthy sign that your body is producing good levels of progesterone to support a little bambino.

Sure enough everything checked out great! Seeing a little teeny tiny baby on the screen and hearing his heart beat for the first time was truly the most amazing thing I've ever wittnessed! I still tear up thinking about the first time I saw him. He looked just like a little gummy bear! Most people don't get to see their babies this early. They change so much every day in the beginning. Here is a pic of the little guy at at 8 weeks. You can see his head and body, and the little buds will soon be his hands and feet. The white circle is the yolk sac (this was pretty cool to see..most people never see this). This is what he feeds off of before the placenta is formed. The black is the amniotic fluid. Right now he's about the size of a kidney bean--so cute!

* T H E * W E D D I N G * P O S T * 9.12.2009

2010-04-02T16:40:00.000-04:00

Wedding Pre-Party with Disco Mountain Boys!

2010-04-01T15:46:00.000-04:00

Petoskey, MI

2010-03-01T20:07:00.007-05:00

Petoskey!!! Matt invited us up to his grandparents' cottage--what a beautiful place at the top of the mitten, best known as Michigan. Put it on your bucket list, and take your skiis!

Costa Rica 2010 - Johnstone Supply

2010-02-01T19:04:00.012-05:00

Pura Vida!!!!

Sarah and I had a great time in Costa Rica.

Great food, fun and new friends.

Lots of activities. Wave runners, ATV's, golf, fishing, zip lines and a spa day. Wow!

NYE - Chicago

2010-02-01T18:39:00.004-05:00

Christmas Time in Cali!

2010-02-01T18:21:00.005-05:00

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2010-01-31T21:18:00.006-05:00

Weekend at Uncle AJ's & Auntie Sarah's House

2009-12-06T15:52:00.005-05:00

Silly Sophia

Disney on Ice Celebration!
Lily and Sophie took all of these photos:

Riley got lots of attention this weekend!

Lily's finished work of art.

Sophie's finished gingerbread house.

On our way to church.

We're home, the girls are home, AJ's asleep on the couch...oh what a fun-filled weekend!

Halloween '09

2009-12-06T15:40:00.005-05:00

Homemade cookies, not by me of course.
Me, Ashely, & Lyn

The Inmans

Carved by Eric

Sophia & Kylin at the M&I Brownsburg Fall Festival

Sophie, Mom, & Kye

S.W.A.T. - Man

Dave & Mona

Bobby...oh Bobby.

Dina, Brandon, & April

Honeymoon...awwwhh!

2009-10-12T20:28:00.009-04:00

A few random pix from our week in West Palm...

Palm Beach Shores Resort on Singer Island

Whitehall Estate

Built in 1902 by Henry Flaglar as a wedding gift for his wife.

Former Trump Vacation Home

Sold in 2008 for $95 million.

Sailing Group

Kennedy Estate

Goin' Snorklin'

Shopping at Worth Ave.

Our first night

Dinner at Sailfish Marina

Mural on ceiling at Whitehall.

Honeymoon EDERS!

2009-09-24T19:12:00.006-04:00

Let's be real here...I, like most brides, spent the last few weeks before the wedding watching what I ate. I mean, I wasn't obsessive about it...but I tried to be good. SO when the wedding was over and the honeymoon was here...I was so ready to eat some good food! And not care a bit about calories. Here's a peek at a few of the things we had last week. My favorite by far: the lobster! Just melted in your mouth.

Tuna Wrap (just "okay")

Spicy Asian Shrimp (a lot like Bonefish's Bang-Bang Shrimp)

Seared Grouper topped with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Feta, and Spinach. Oh...and Garlic Mashed Pototoes that were amazing!

AJ's Sailfish Sampler: Scallops, Shrimp, Dolphin, and Lobster

Rockefeller Clams, topped with Spinach and Parmesean

Guess Who??

Chicago Dogs...although we had these in Atlanta.

Calamari, and amazing spicy mustard sauce

Garlic Biscuits

Ahi Tuna Burger

Buzy Beez!!

2009-08-26T12:01:00.006-04:00

Mom and Me

Stacey, Allie, Jennifer, Me, Ashley, Kristin, & Rachel

Aunt Jen, Aunt Judy, GiGi, & Mom

Mom, Me, GiGi, & Sophia

Sophia, Janet, Stacey, Jessica, & Janay

Sophia with the bow bouquet!!

WOW!!! I can't believe it's been 2 months since I've posted anything!! Yikes..so sorry. We have been SUPER busy, and never seem to slow down. We're 2.5 weeks away from the big day...sigh. Surprisingly, I don't feel stressed yet. That's probably b/c of my wonderful wedding planner...she's taking care of so many details. Here are some pix from the bridal shower. My aunts were so kind to host this for me!!

Since we decided to build a home, we're have very small wedding, and our main reception will be at our home on October 10th. Still have lots to do to the house to get ready. We're starting to feel pretty settled and organized, but still need to decorate...hang curtains, pictures, etc. Oh...gotta go..starting to get overwhelmed...

All moved in!!!...well...almost

2009-06-09T21:29:00.004-04:00

FINALLY!!! SO sorry for my brief hiatus. We closed on our home 5/28....and here we are! Getting unpacked and organized takes time!!!

AJ is so good at watering the plants!

Entry

My second favorite room in the house.

Wow, boring wall!!!

Living room.

My favorite part of the house...my pantry...ahhhh...

She's a brick...HOUSE!

2009-04-28T16:24:00.002-04:00

Finally, I found time to give an update! We've been busy, busy lately. We moved out of Broad Ripple two weeks ago. Thank God for Scott, Melissa, and Bryan!!! We couldn't have done it without their help. We spent most evenings last week cleaning and tying up loose ends, and this past weekend our renters moved in. I have a feeling being landlords will be quite the learning experience. So far, so good, although it's only been four days.

AJ is now living with his dad, and I'm staying with my parents--it's kind of like high school dating! :) It's hard being apart, but at the same time it's good to spend quality time with the fam. Tonight I'm going to watch Sophie's gymnastics class, then when we get home we're working on math flashcards. It's the small things like that that I'm really enjoying while living in the 'ville.

Above are some recent pics we took over the weekend. The exterior is almost complete, and the inside is coming right along. I think this week they'll begin the flooring. We were pretty unsure about the paint color, but now I think it's growing on us. Soooo many decision when building!

Another Brick on the Wall

2009-04-13T21:47:00.001-04:00

Good-bye 68th Street :(

2009-03-29T18:04:00.002-04:00

Well I feel like all we've been blogging about lately is the progress of the new house. So I wanted to give an update about our current house...I think we've got it rented!!! We posted it on Craig's list Friday night, and had a few showings over the weekend. We're now in a pickle, b/c we've got two offers and don't know who to choose. My heart goes out to a single mom/widow...but she has two cats, two dogs, and two fish tanks. AJ's leaning towards two guys who are in their early 20's. Either way...looks like we're about to start packing-fun. We have to be out May 1, so we'll be moving in with the folks for a few weeks. We're going to miss our neighbors soo much. :-( We've been so blessed to have such a great neighborhood and so many great friends here.

Pre-drywall walk-through

2009-03-29T13:00:00.006-04:00

George, our construction manager, asked us to walk through the house over the weekend to look at all of the electrical and plumbing to make sure everything is in the right place. He wanted us to do this before they begin hanging dry-wall. There was one little issue that AJ noticed right away...the HVAC, go figure. ;-) In the pre-construction meeting we specifically asked them to put the vents near the exterior walls. The vents were placed correctly on the first floor, but on the second floor all the vents were placed near interior walls. AJ, being the HVAC expert, explained to me that it is more energy-efficient to have vents on exterior walls because that's where the biggest heat loss/gain factor lies. SO, here's the question...should we let it go...or should we be "those people" and ask them to re-do it?? What are your thoughts??

Roof & Windows

2009-03-25T20:17:00.002-04:00

Here's a shot taken 3/20. It made me nervous watching these roofers! As you can see, our windows are in, too. AJ stopped by a few days ago and said they've also installed our electrical and mechanicals. NOW.....we MUST get serious about RENTING or SELLING our current home! Yikes! Please pass the word along if you know of anyone looking at the Broad Ripple area. I think we're going to list it for rent on Craig's list soon, and AJ's anxious to get a "for rent" sign in the yard. We'd love to hear any suggestions on renting!!

Next Phase...

2009-03-15T21:26:00.006-04:00

This weekend was absolutely beautiful...LOTS of sunshine. While I was in Chicago "celebrating the season" as Liz calls it (she happens to be an amazing Irish dancer), AJ took a little tour of the house. It amazes me how fast this crew works! This is where we are exactly three weeks from the day we broke ground. Linda and Miss Lily went with him on Saturday to check out the progress!

Hearth room.

Miss Lily!!!

Foyer.

Garage.

To be continued....

We were FRAMED!!!

2009-03-13T20:20:00.006-04:00

A.J. here. Above is a pic of Mom and Lily at the building site just a few days before they started framing.

IT'S A HOUSE!!!!!!! Haven't been here in several days, and around the corner, holy moly!

I can't wait to share this with our friends and family.

We've got a basement!

2009-02-26T22:25:00.000-05:00

Ground Breaking News!!!

2009-02-21T23:04:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, 2.20.09, marks the day we broke ground on our new home! AJ stopped by on his lunch break to take a few shots of the workers digging our basement. Pretty crazy...now it all seems so real...WOW--we're really building a house!

Here is a video clip:

Goofballs

2009-02-09T18:06:00.000-05:00

A.J. here. New camera for the Birthday. Thought I would get the goofballs bein' goofballs.

AJ's Bowling B-Day Bash!!

2009-02-09T15:38:00.000-05:00

2009-01-24T22:57:00.000-05:00

Wedding updates...

After much thought and consideration, we recently decided to down-size our wedding. We feel building a new home over having the BIG wedding is best in-line with our priorities. We'll be having a small, intimate wedding in Nashville, Ind. I'm so excited, but a little overwhelmed...so much to do in so little time!! :-)

Earlier today, I started building our wedding website:

www.mywedding.com/sarahandaj

Engagement photos to follow...

Movin' to the country...gonna build us a home!

2009-01-24T21:17:00.000-05:00

Our future home site!

Today was a very big day for us....we committed to building a home!!! After a solid year of exploring options and locations for our next move, we decided on building. We have been wanting to get closer to family, a little out of the city, but still close enough to work. We finally found the perfect community in Franklin Township. AJ and I have always wanted to live in a wooded area...and this is perfect! Wolf Run is composed of three neighborhoods, and ours is called The Overlook. Here are some pics of our new lot!

We are hoping to break ground in a couple of weeks.

Here's a pic of our next door neighbor's house:

Here's our community pool, which is just down the street.

*The beginning of our next chapter!*