15 months and counting

I swear Lori is too smart for her own good. She learns more every single day, so much so that it really scares me sometimes. She is picking up whole phrases now instead of just words, which means what exactly? That mommy and daddy really better be careful what they say around her! Last week while changing Lori's diaper i told her that she was stinky, she now goes around screaming "i stinky, i stinky!" which makes me die laughing no matter what. Another favorite phrase is "i did it!", i'm thinking she must be watching WAY too much "dora the explorer".

Speaking of cartoons, i had no idea that when i had a kid that i would pretty much only be watching kids programming. I wasn't going to let my kids watch tv, blah blah blah. That lasted all of 6 months, until my mom introduced Lori to PBS Sprout and like magic i finally had a few minutes in my day to be sane. Sure i felt bad for letting my baby watch tv, but it's not like i park her in front of it 24/7 as her babysitter. I go to sleep every night now with the sesame street theme song playing in my head and wake up to the thought of "kipper the dog" and "pajanimals". I really need to get out amongst adults more...

Lori had her 15 month checkup two weeks ago. She is thriving and growing like a weed. Weighing in at 17lbs and 31.5 inches, although how she weighs that much i have NO idea, she runs nonstop! This appointment was also our first really bad experience with a vaccine. She had a dose of the prevnar vaccine in her arm and it was swollen and red for well over a week, not only that but Lori was incredibly fussy. It was definitely not my favorite visit to the pediatrician's office. It's hard to believe that her next appointment will be at 18 months old, i can't believe my baby is already almost a year and a half. Time flies so quickly.

One short year

We are almost done playing catch-up...

Lori grew fast. At first, when everyone tells you that you won't get any sleep for months you think it's never going to end, but surprisingly it passes so quick, too quick really. Lori smiled at a month old, rolled over the same weekend, slept through the night at five weeks old, crawled at 5 months, knew who mama and dada were at 8 months, walked at 11 months, has 8 teeth, says multiple works, and grows far too much every single day. As a newborn, i couldn't have asked for a more laid back baby...as a toddler, she has her daddy's looks and her mommy's temper. This week she will be 16 months old already, time flies by to fast...

I have a slideshow of her first year in the sidebar...with the promise of more to come soon!

Welcome Loralei

Within weeks of our wedding, Roman and I got the biggest surprise of our lives. We were expecting a honeymoon baby! We weren't quite sure what to feel, it was so sudden and unexpected, we were thrilled and terrified all at the same time! As the days passed our feelings turned completely to excitement and we started preparing for our new arrival...

Our first ultrasound at 8 weeks


Gender ultrasound on Christmas Eve 2008
It's a Girl!


22 Week 3D ultrasound



36 Week 3D ultrasound

She has Roman's nose!


The room is all ready to bring her home!


Final ultrasound at the doctor's office


Roman and i took one last date night before Lori's arrival



And one day before her due date, at 330am on May 12 I went in to labor. 14 1/2 hours later at 5:50pm, Loralei Noelle arrived...








Welcome to the world little Loralei.

A Reception To Remember

Roman and I have so many friends and family that it was pretty much impossible to have only one wedding party. We held the ceremony and one reception in the south for my friends and family, and exactly one week later had a big party in Chicago for everyone here. This is our night...

Original toast


First dance


Dancing with my Maid of honor Cheryl


Cutting the cake


Bouquet toss


Roman getting down before the garter toss




Little did we know that all the excitement wasn't over. Only a few weeks later we had a surprise in store...