Pittsburgh

Randy and I just returned from an awesome trip to Pittsburgh, visiting Randy's brother, Omar. Many, many thanks to our parents for watching the kids and allowing us to share a memorable birthday (Omar) weekend together. Friday night we traveled almost 5 hours before arriving in downtown Pitt. We dealt with a little snow and rain throughout the trip, but overall, the drive was smooth. We spent most of Saturday touring downtown, the University of Pitt, and Carnegie Melon. The city struck us as an "east coast San Francisco". The landmarks are historic and the scenery is beautiful...rolling hills, mountains, homes/stores situated mountainside, rivers running through the city, massive bridges connecting different parts of the city, and a bustling downtown. We are already looking forward to returning this summer with the kids and exploring more of the city.

Home of the Pittsburgh Penguins

We spent most of Sunday touring the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. UPMC has over 23 hospitals in downtown, and today we visited the main hospital. It was nice for us to see where Omar spends most of his time. He wasn't on call this weekend, which allowed for us to share quality time together.

University of Pitt basketball arena and recreational center

Thank you, thank you, Omar for opening your home to us and showing us the city! We are looking forward to visiting you again soon!

9 month pictures of Zachary

Another Graduation

It all started just two days after Helaina was born in March of 2009. Randy was on his way to Columbus, OH to begin his implant training at the Midwest Implant Institute, and I was trying to muster up the strength to be a positive and supportive wife, when in reality, I was just a hormonal train wreck. Anyway, three long years later, with two children and a partner in Superior Family Dental, I'm proud to announce that Randy is an official graduate of the institute. All of this would not be possible without the support of our families, especially his parents, and also his business partner, Jeff.

Randy's parents babysat last night, and the two of us enjoyed every. single. second. of our time together at the dinner and awards ceremony. I am beyond humbled by this man that I am lucky enough to call my husband. Pretty good resume eh....well, no rest for the weary. Now begins the process of becoming a fellow.

Winter Fun

To celebrate the first snow of the season (a whole 2 inches), we spent Sunday afternoon at Abla's house. Zachary had his first sledding experience and LOVED it! Helaina asked her neighbor friend, Brie, to join us, and the kids had a delightful afternoon. Thanks for a delicious dinner and fun night Abla!



How many more days of winter? How many more days are we going to be stuck inside? The kids are all over the place! Helaina loves to do her own hair and anyone else that is willing to be her client.

Helaina also spends most of the day with half of her clothes on. She's into dress up, especially being a ballerina.

9 months

It is such a cliche, but oh so true...how is our little man 9 months old already? When I sit and try to think back to last April, it's hard to even remember how Zachary looked and felt. This time last year, I was really pregnant and so anxious to meet our baby. It seems like so long ago, but several months later, we're starting to plan his 1st birthday party.

He had his 9 month visit at the pediatrician this week and are thrilled to report all is well. He is 23 lbs 12 oz. (90th percentile) and 29 inches (86th percentile). I guess big babies are in our genetics. Zachary is a hungry man and at times, will eat more at a meal than his sister. Maybe it's a growth spurt or just a really hearty appetite, but he enjoys his food and is typically not a picky eater. He continues to be a sleepy head. Again, maybe it's a growth spurt, but Zachary continues to sleep well through the night, takes 2 solid naps a day and is ready for bed by 7:30 pm. His first tooth finally broke through the gums earlier this week. I think Helaina was the most excited to discover the new tooth. After feeling his gums, she said "Zachary has a tooth! Now he doesn't have to eat baby food anymore. He can eat big people food!" Sometime this month, I do believe we will have another child walking in the house. He is cruising well along the furniture, and his crawling has revved up to high speed. He's able to climb the entire stairs in less than a minute flat. He's such a sweet little guy and these milestones are bittersweet.

As far as Helaina, Randy and I were shocked to learn that next month, preschools are already enrolling for the fall 2012 session. So this week, we attended a preschool open house and started thinking about our options. With all the big kids in our neighborhood, she's practically begging us to start school, ride the school bus, and wear her back pack. We really think she's going to enjoy the social aspect of it and will have no or very little separation anxiety. Yet again, another bittersweet milestone.

We visited the Khoury family this week, and Helaina enjoyed playing with the girls while I spent some time cuddling with 1 month old, Matthew.

Indiana Friends Visit

Our Indiana friends have a very special place in our hearts! From Randy's dental school friends, countless family members, and 3 of the best girlfriends a girl could ever hope for...we love those folks in Indiana. The friends' visits seem to be turning into annual occasions. The Archer family comes mid-December for a weekend, while the Cobb family and soon-to-be Theophilus family make their visit in January. The less than perfect road conditions made for an eventful drive, but thankfully they arrived safely and we had a fabulous weekend.

Friday afternoon the kids tore the house apart, playing together like maniacs for several hours. That evening the girls snuck out for a visit to a bridal store to begin bridesmaid dress shopping for Megan's upcoming wedding. Later that night we enjoyed dinner, good conversation, and a couple dice games.

Saturday was action packed! We started at Joe Louis Arena for the Blackhawks verse Red Wings hockey game. Wings pulled out a victory in overtime. Among all the excitement, Erin and Megan were able to snap a picture with hockey legend, Chris Chelios. Randy's parents were a huge help and watched all 3 kids while we were away...THANK YOU!!! The girls returned home after the hockey game while the boys toured the infamous Detroit Auto Show and then ended their evening in Plymouth for dinner and some sports TV.

Go Wings!

Saturday night movie and popcorn.


We are so blessed! Thank you for visiting and making so many special memories with our family!

Hello 2012

I was having a little trouble with my camera, thanks to the Z-man, so I apologize for poor photo quality. We have since resolved the issue and are taking clear photos again.

Anyway, welcome 2012. 2011 treated our family very well. With the birth of our son, we spent most of the year anticipating his arrival and then adjusting to life as a family of four. Each day, each year, keeps getting better. I am sure there will be various trials and set-backs in our future, but with a strong faith and the support of my loving husband, I wouldn't travel any other road.

Friday was a glimpse into spring, and that is just what we needed. All Christmas decor was nicely organized and stowed away. Helaina and Zach, both got their new car seats, as Zach has outgrown his infant carrier. Here he is sporting his new Columbia Camouflage.

The sleepy head with Daddy. Precious moments :)

Helaina cutting her new food

Blow drying Daddy's hair. This is how the conversation went, really...

Helaina has been blow drying and dressing her hair all day long.

Randy says: "Helaina, can you blow dry my hair?"

Helaina: "No Daddy, you don't have any hair!"

I seriously couldn't stop laughing!

Randy and I promised to take Helaina and her neighborhood friends as a Christmas gift to Chuck E Cheese's. We originally had hopes that they would forgot. Apparently, they did not and that is where we spent Friday night. We definitely won't be going back anytime in the near future, but we had fun just watching the girls take the place over!

On the "roller-coaster" ride. Helaina calls it the "bumpy yellow ride".

Christmas in Valpo

We've spent all of last week trying out our new Christmas presents. Included in her bundle of gifts were Lincoln Logs, the classic building game. To my surprise, Helaina is a huge fan and asks me to help her build "the town" a couple times a day.
This past weekend, we spent several days in Valpo to celebrate the holidays with my side of the family. My parents hosted Christmas on Saturday, also New Year's Eve day, which meant that by 10:00 pm CST Randy and I couldn't keep our eyes open any longer and we toasted a little earlier than most.

My cousin Jessie completed the final part of her move back to Indiana from the Florida Keys. As of Sunday, Jess is officially an Indiana resident after spending the last 10 years in the Sunshine State. Her and auntie Shelia were able to visit with the kids for awhile.

We had a few more gifts to wrap, but Helaina insisted that I give her, her own wrapping paper because she had gifts to wrap too.

My grandparents, Grandma and Grandpa Walter...the kids' Great-Grandparents. My dad's parents, Grandma and Grandpa McGinley, live right next door and it turned out that they didn't have any New Years plans, so they walked over and Randy and I thoroughly enjoyed a night with all four of our grandparents! Doesn't get much better than that!

The gift exchange

Playing with her cousin, Alexis. And yes, despite our best efforts, we still have a thumb sucker at the age of 2 1/2.

It was a lovely couple of days that were filled with quality family time and many fun-filled memories. Thank you to each of our family members that made this season such a special time for our family. Welcome 2012...