HAPPY HALLOWEEN! featuring B

My sweet, spunky B, as Rapunzel.

The inspiration for the costume is, of course, from Disney's Tangled. A great pick for B, as she, too, is sweet, determined, kind, fiesty, and fun. :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! featuring T

T, my lovely, elegant Angelica

This was an amazingly popular costume in T's size. Nearly impossible to find. I had to get a bit innovative to pull it together, but in the end, I think she was satisfied with it. :)




In case the costume doesn't ring any bells, she was dressed up as Penelope Cruz's character from the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

Fun times! She was greatly admired by all at the Trunk or Treat and chili cook-off. :)

Grandpa and Grandma Moments

Baby Blessing

This is about as good as it got for the special day. I guess M didn't enjoy all the attention. ;) He still looks handsome, though. My mom and dad were able to be here for the occasion, which made it even more special. Thanks for making the sacrifice to be here!!

Happy Birthday to Our Beautiful Girls!!

I asked the girls if they wanted to combine their birthday celebrations this year, or do things separately. It made me smile when they said they wanted to share, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to do. :) They decided they would like to go to a play. That also made me smile. :) So, we got tickets to Pinkalicious at the Emerald City Theater in Chicago.

We stayed at Wyndam the night before, and then the girls and I went to the show. (Daddy, M, and Sadie drove around in the meantime.)

Here's the girls showing off all their Pink! Pink! Pink! gear before the show.

Meeting some of the cast members after the show. :)

Posing with the poster

I think it was a fun and memorable birthday, and I'm really grateful we were able to do it. I love my kids! My girls make me so proud and I'm so glad they are such good friends, even though they are four years apart in age. They are such beautiful, fun, lively blessings to our family. We love you T and B!!!

The Reasons Why

He's Here

It's Sunday, August 28. I know I should sleep, because the next day will be a long one. I also know there will be several long days, as well as several long nights following. Just as I start to doze, cramps rip through my lower abdomen and back. Ok. I can handle this. It's not my first contraction. Deep breaths. It'll pass. It does.

Only to be followed, fifteen minutes later, by another. Then another. Then another. This continues hour after hour, with the bloody show making its appearance around 3 am. Around 4:30 I stop trying to sleep and get up to shower, then finish getting ready to head to the hospital as best I can through the contractions (which are now about 5 minutes apart).

My dear friends Carolyn and Phyllis show up at 7 to watch the girls and Sam and I head to the hospital. There, I'm put on the monitor and given my IV. (I have to give a shout out to the nurse who did my IV. I am NOT an easy stick. She got me in ONE shot. Never been done before. High fives to her.) My doctor shows up and is excited to hear that Baby Boy was gonna show up that day one way or another. Turns out I am 50% effaced and 3 centimeters dialated. The show has begun.

I'm wheeled into the OR just after 10. My CRNA is amazing, making me feel very comfortable. Unlike last time, my anesthesia is in within 5 minutes and we're ready to rock and roll.

At 10:56, a beautiful baby boy, 9 pounds, 15 ounces, 20 1/2 inches long is brought into the world of light and noise. He brings his own noise, shrieking like an angry cat. Tears fill my eyes. It's the most beautiful sound ever. He is here, and that is now all that matters.

Meet Miles Edwards Schwegler. My new pride and joy.