Smorgasbord

A Big Thank You!

While I wanted to be sure and write about Hayden's homecoming, I forgot to mention the details of my birthday weekend.  Honestly, I think it was the best birthday I've ever had.  I am overwhelmed by the kindness of friends and family, and the gifts and time they gave me for my special day.  Really, I had a whole birthday weekend!  My sister and her family came Friday night and we all ventured to Lincoln Park Zoo on Saturday morning.  Honestly, this could have been enough because going to the zoo with my kids is my absolute favorite thing to do and it was that much more special having the Roszkowskis there!  The kids were amazing - I think they really had a blast!  We ended the day with a cook-out of my favorite kind - burgers - and Heather made me a really yummy cake that I ate way too much of.  But hey!  It's my birthday, right?

On Sunday, Jake surprised me with good friends of ours coming over for yet another cook-out and some fun card playing.  Again, another one of my absolute favorite things to do!  Scott and Shelley made an array of homemade yumminess while Jake grilled all of our main dish - more meat!  We haven't had a get-together with these friends for quite some time, so it was another special event to have.  Between gift cards, sweetly sent birthday cards from family and friends, "just for me" gifts, a pedicure and manicure gift certificate and an awesome summer purse, I've been way too spoiled for my own good!  But the best part of it all was just the love and fun I shared with so many great people.  I am blessed!

And the biggest news...

We are adding another GIRL to our family!  Jake and I got to see the little peanut again yesterday and she is definitely a GIRL.  Jake turned to me and said, "Can you imagine when they're 14, 14 and 13?"  I said, "You think you'll have it bad, but do you know how girls are when they're those ages?  They're not mad at they're dad, they're mad at their mom pretty much all the time!"  Trust me, I was one of those girls.  I know these things!  

As much as we were secretly hoping for a boy, we were surprisingly not disappointed when we saw our little girl.  Cole, on the other hand, wasn't so sure.  We've been preparing him this last month or so since he would have to share a room with the baby if it was a boy.  He knew the baby's name we had in mind and everything.  Yesterday I said, "Cole, the baby in mommy's tummy isn't a boy, it's a girl."  He said, "But where's Christopher?"  Before I could say a thing, he said, "Did he turn...did he turn...I KNOW, Mommy!  Did he turn into a butterfly and fly away?"  

Huh?

Now, what would you say in that situation?  How do you explain to a three year-old that Christopher does not exist and in fact, he never did!  Well, as any good mother would do, I nodded my head profusely and said, "Yes, honey, that's exactly what happened!  And now we have a girl!"  "Oh, okay!" said my satisfied toddler as he ran away.  I'm wondering how much therapy bills will be...

If you could keep us in prayers as we near the middle of this pregnancy, we would greatly appreciate it.  Issue that arose when I was pregnant with the twins are happening again, so we are a bit concerned about whether or not I'll end up on bedrest again.  Honestly, we just can't do it with three kids.  We need a miracle!

We are still working on a name for our little GIRL, so stay tuned!