Zumwalt Family

Trick-or-Treat

2010-02-20T14:43:00.000-08:00

Over the River and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go. We opted to take Aidan around to our families houses on Halloween night. We made a stop at Grandpa's and loved all the candy we received. Aidan loved playing with Grandpa and showing him how he can growl. Then, we headed to Grandma's to show off our costume. We, also, got to play "Jason" with Uncle Michael. Uncle Mikey got Aidan the best hockey mask ever for Halloween. And knowing Mommy is a huge horror genre fan, this was cute in her book:)

Wookie and Grandpa

The Girls

Cat, Wookie, Dog
Aidan loves Grandmaand Uncle MikeyRelax, it is a fake knife

Aidan also loves the Milchak's Cat, Porch

Lunch with Jenn and Jeremy

2009-11-03T14:58:00.000-08:00

On November 1, while Daddy headed to work, Aidan and I went shopping and to lunch with our pals, Jenn and Jeremy. Aidan loves Jeremy and adores Jenn. We were out to celebrate big news. Jennifer and her hubby, Cory are expecting twins! Aidan will get a fabulous gift come his birthday-twins to boss around:) I think Aidan could sense Jenn had two playmates in her belly, because he kept lunging at her.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T14:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween from Our Wee Lil' Wookie

A Pumpkin Picking We Will Go- Part 2

2009-10-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

Aidan was not quite sure what to do with his pumpkin. We just know he liked to squish the gooey pumpkin guts between his fingers and obviously tried to put it in his mouth to taste it.

Carving Pumpkins

A Pumpkin Picking We Will Go

2009-10-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

On October 25th, we headed to Cox's Farm for our annual pumpkin picking visit. It was a sunny, warm October day. So sunny, infact, you probably could have used baby sunglasses..but you are not a fan.
Mitch and I have been going to Cox's Farm for years to find the perfect pumpkins for our favorite holiday. We had my mom in tow to help wrangle the boy into some holiday photos. Aidan was in awe of all the pumpkins. His head was whipping back and forth the whole time we were there at all the orange blobs on the ground. You had so much fun pulling yourself up on the pumpkins and patting them as if they were your friends. You sat on the tractor with Daddy and looked at autumn prodcue with Mommy. You searched for pumpkins with grandma. You listened to the band play. You watched the kids playing in the hay and running around. It was a great day at the pumpkin patch. Oh and ...we found the perfect pumpkin for you, our little pumpkin.

Loading up the car, while you look oh so tired.

Not even out of the parking lot and you are fast asleep

Our 6-Month Old Pumpkin

2009-10-10T13:41:00.000-07:00

Happy 4 Year Anniversary!

2009-10-08T11:24:00.000-07:00

Aidan was in tow as we celebrated our 4 year anniversary. Neither of us wanted to leave our man for an anniversary vacation. Especially considering our world wind of weddings and out of town stays in September. So, we decided to have a anniversary weekend with Aidan. We can save a trip for our five year:)
On the 8th, I came home to my boys. Mitch had adorned the dining room with candles and flowers. He made his specialty, ratatouille and we exchanged gifts. We are big on the themed anniversary gifts. Our one year was the paper anniversary. I got a framed letter from Mitch and he got a year subscription to Playboy and Maxim. Our second year, the cotton anniversary, we bought really comfy sheets for one another. The third year is traditionally leather or glass. However, that was the year we decided to forgo gifts to each other and bought Aidan's nursery furniture as our gift.
The fourth year traditional gifts are fruits and flowers, but the modern gift is appliances. So, Mitch got a kitchen skillet and I got a mirror to replace the one I broke years ago.

We, also, decided to treat ourselves to an evening out that weekend with Aidan. We headed to one of our favorite restaurants, Bonefish and enjoyed a spectacular dinner out...just the three of us.

Aidan All Dressed Up For a Night Out

Happy Anniversary!!

Aidan Naked Time

2009-10-07T11:19:00.000-07:00

Aidan loves when Grandma Milchak comes over because he knows he will have tons of "naked time.

Oh, Halloween!

2009-10-05T10:04:00.000-07:00

Aidan helped Mommy and Daddy decorate the house for Halloween. It was a nice warm evening, so we were able to play a bit as well.

Aidan helps pick out what will go outside

Playing with Daddy

We love our tongue

Another Out of Town Weekend...

2009-09-27T10:35:00.000-07:00

Luckily, Aidan is a very easy baby and loves his Grandma-because we went out of town again. It just so happened we were invited to three weddings in September. Fortunately, the first one was local. The second was not terribly far, but Mommy was a bridesmaid and had to be there all weekend for all the events. The third was in Hampton, Virginia. Our friends, Ryan and Anastasia were married on September 26th. The last two weddings were back to back and it was hard to leave our baby boy for a second weekend in a row. But, we headed down on Friday night to beat traffic and enjoy the weekend. We swam in the pool, soaked in the hot tub, got massages, and enjoyed food and drinks with our friends.

Wedding Weekend

2009-09-21T10:15:00.000-07:00

On September18th, Mitch and I headed out of town for the weekend. It was the first overnight away from out little man. He was in good hands though, surrounded by Grandma and all his uncles and aunts-as I understand it:)
We headed to Havre de Grace for my best friend's wedding. We attended a wonderful rehearsal dinner on a boat along the river on Friday night and watched our very good friends tie the knot on Saturday at a beautiful vineyard. Here are some highlights from the weekend.

Rehearsal Dinner

Half the bridesmaids

Bride and her CourtBride and Groom-to-be

Bridal Breakfast

The Bride

Aidan's Baptism

2009-09-07T10:44:00.000-07:00

On September 6, Aidan Charles was baptized at St. Andrew's Catholic Church. Mommy and Daddy both grew up in Little Rocky Run and this was the church we both attended for a majority of our childhood. It was a wonderful affair. Twenty or so friends and family(we literally took up the while right side of the pews) showed up to celebrate this important day with us. Aidan wore Mommy's christening gown and sported a dress like a champ. He was very well behaved, fascinated by all the bright candles, draperies, and statues. But, he did loose it at the end when he passed out in Mommy's arms. It was his nap time. He did manage to stay awake until the priest ended the service. But, he was ready to party by the time we got home and had a great time with everyone.

Aidan,"Give me it, I can do it myself."

Aidan finally gets to asleep, what a champ.

Aunt Jenn and Uncle Cory

Some shots Mommy took the next day of her "Baptized Babe"

Aidan in the Big Tub

2009-06-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

Mommy Goes to Work

2009-06-02T20:16:00.000-07:00

On June 1st, I headed back to work-but not without a few moments with Baby Aidan.

Visit to Fire Station

2009-06-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

On May 30th, we headed to Daddy's new station to drop off his gear and see the fire trucks and other vehicles.

Spring Walk with Aidan

2009-05-30T20:02:00.000-07:00

Sleepy Aidan

2009-05-25T19:56:00.000-07:00

Aidan and the Terminator

2009-05-22T19:28:00.000-07:00

I am not sure what the first movie i ever saw in the theater was, I would have to consult my mother. But, I doubt we will ever forget what Aidan's was when he was a mere 6 weeks old.

Aidan visits Grandpa's office

2009-05-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

Just some photos of Aidan's lunch date with the family after visiting Grandpa's office in Fairfax.

Technician II Zumwalt

2009-05-20T19:07:00.000-07:00

On May 18th, Mitch was promoted to a Technician II in the Fire Department. Mitch and fifteen others were selected to take the promotion process out of 50. Aidan joined us at the ceremony and was able to see his Daddy all dressed for success. Mommy got to pin Daddy with his new badge:) We are very proud.

Aidan all ready to go in his Firefighter onsie from Grandma Milchak

Getting pinned

Congrats!!!
Aidan with the chief Mitch was working that night, so we stopped by the station for a few quick pictures in front of the engine. It was late and Aidan was sleepy.

Sleepy Tubby Time

2009-05-17T19:03:00.000-07:00

Grandma made Aidan so comfortable in the tub, he fell asleep and stayed that way the whole time.

Reston Zoo

2009-05-14T20:09:00.000-07:00

On May 13th, we extended Father's Day and went to the Reston Zoo. Mitch loves animals and reptiles, so we decided this would be a fun and easy trip.

Mother's Day 2009

2009-05-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

On Saturday, we celebrated with Mommy's family, while Daddy was at work.
We enjoyed brunch with her family, great grandma/Floyd, and her uncle/aunt and cousins. We had a wonderful lunch at California Pizza Kitchen.
On Sunday, we went for a walk around the neighborhood to enjoy the weather. Daddy made Mommy a yummy dinner and gave her a gift we made together, an album of my first weeks at home with my family. It was a fabulous weekend!

Mommy's Day 2009

Mommy's Album-All About Me

Neighborhood Walk

Lunch with Mommy's Family

Great Grandma, Mommy, and Floyd

My Uncles and Great Grandma

Mommy with her cousins and Uncle Wayne and Aunt Amy

Mommy and Great-Grandma

Daddy's 30th Birthday

2009-05-08T08:03:00.000-07:00

Daddy turned 30!!!! We celebrated with a day of fun and lunch at his favorite restaurant, Chevy's. Daddy received lots of gifts from mommy, including a gift card to a golf course, so he can take up a new hobby. But, Daddy says the best gift he got this year was me, Baby Aidan:)

Morning Nap with Dad

Ready to Go!!!

Lunch

Cake with Uncle Brian

Model Baby

2009-05-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

Some more photos taken of Aidan at 3 weeks.

By: Mommy and Grandma

Baby's First Photo Shoot

2009-05-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

On May 5, we headed out to have some professional shots taken of Aidan at 3 weeks.

Grandpa and Great Grandpa Visit

2009-05-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

Daddy and Aidan Time...

2009-05-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

...and they match, too.

Lunch Date with Grandma

2009-04-30T13:04:00.000-07:00

Aidan was all decked out in his "Sweet Pea" outfit from Grandma Devey, so we decided to surprise Grandma at work and take her to lunch.

Aidan's REM cycle

2009-04-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

While Aidan sleeps, his eyes flutter and he makes the best faces.

The Milchak's

2009-04-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

The Milchak's cannot get enough of Aidan. When Mitch works a shift everyone comes over to play, so Catherine and Aidan have company!

Grandma is a pro at giving Aidan a bath and getting him ready for bed.

Aidan loves when Uncle Brian comes over to rock him to skeep

Aidan adores Uncle Mike

Aunt Laura gets Aidan's very first smile on camera

Aidan's First Rainbow

2009-04-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

On April 21, 2009, Aidan saw his first rainbow.

Aidan and his Bunny

2009-04-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

Since Aidan was born on Easter weekend, we received a lot of wonderful holiday gifts. Here are some photos of Aidan in his Easter pajamas and favorite blanket from Grandma Hicks and his very first stuffed animal, the bunny, from Grandma Milchak and Grandma Devey.

Aidan's First Walk

2009-04-20T14:54:00.006-07:00

On April 21st, the weather was absolutely gorgeous, so we took Aidan out for his first walk in his stroller. Mitch and I celebrated 12 years of being together on the the same day Aidan turned 12 days old:)

Bath Time

2009-04-20T14:54:00.005-07:00

Aidan's First Bath

Grandma Milchak came over to give Aidan his second bath

Outside Time

2009-04-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

On April 17th, the weather was gorgeous,so we took Aidan out for some family time in the backyard.

Aidans' First Week Home

2009-04-18T12:13:00.000-07:00

Just some photos of Aidan's first week home.

Lots of visitors

Uncle BrianUncle Mikey

Jenn and Jeremy

Nicole and AidanJaime and Grace

Easter Photos

Sleepy Aidan

Mommy and Aidan relaxing after all the visitors left on Easter weekend

Grandpa stopped by for some Aidan time

Aidan and Daddy in Firefighter gear

Already plotting to rule the world:)

Tummy Time

Wrapped in the NFL blanket from Aunt Michelle and Uncle Russ

First Doctor Appointment

2009-04-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, April 14th we took our little man to the pediatrician for his first appointment. Aidan was very relaxed, even when we took off his clothes-which he hates. Our doctor checked his legs, arms, eyes, ears, etc. She let us know that everything looks fabulous and that it was great Aidan was already gaining weight. Upon discharge from the hospital, he was 7 lbs 10 oz. He was weighing in at 7 lbs 15 oz at his appointment. Our little man is already growing:)
Here are a few photos from his appointment.

First Car Ride (since the one from the hospital to home)

Waiting for the doctor

Brave Boy Dressed and Ready to Go

Coming home!!!

2009-04-16T14:54:00.000-07:00

Bringing Aidan home on April 11th, 2009 was a special day. We were bringing home our precious little man to the place he will call home and grow up in. But , the day rang even more special because of the date. April 11th was the day Mitch and I met at a lacrosse game after-party 12 years ago. At the time we did not know each other at all, but we briefly socialized with one another at a friend's house. A week or so later we would end up becoming "an item." It was a wonderful and sentimental day to bring home our first child.

Daddy dressing Aidan

Ready to Go

Daddy buckles Aidan in for the first time

Sitting in back with Mommy Aidan gets comfy in his crib

Happy Birthday, Aidan!

2009-04-15T07:36:00.000-07:00

On April 9th, our little baby boy, Aidan, entered the world. We were at the hospital by 5:30 a.m. and I was ready for action by 6:00 a.m. I changed into my hospital gown and got my self all set up, while Mitch ran and got coffee:) Needless to say, my contractions were not that bad at this point.
The nurses came in and got me all hooked up. (Side note-one of my nurses who was leaving at 7 a.m. recognized me from high school. She was a few years after my class, but said I looked familiar and after talking she said she must have known my little brother. That was fine, until she had to examine me. Not really comfortable after I realized this girl was 3 years younger then me, from my high school. and we were caught in an intimate situation:) It was not so bad-she did a great job putting my IV in:)

My water broke at 7:09 a.m. and we were told we might see baby by dinner time. WHAT!!! I looked at Mitch and told him we were gonna see baby by lunch time. Over the next few hours my contractions intensified and I was offered pain medication. If you know me well, you know I hate medication. I don't even like Advil. I took a Nyquil once, and it knocked me out until 3 p.m. the next day. I get to loopy on medication and I refused. I was asked about an epidural and, again, I let them know I was not really interested. So, this lady decided to go all natural. I think Mitch has a new found respect for my pain threshold.

Mitch and I watched "Enchanted" together and read some magazines, until my labor got strong enough that I had to concentrate on every contractions. About 1:30p.m., Dr. P said it was time to push. A half an hour later, relief finally came and Aidan was in my arms.

After a few photos and cuddles with our baby, Mitch went over with the nurse to the warmers to clean him up and do some initial exams. After they were done, baby and I layed together while I was sewn up. Again, i refused pain medications-what is wrong with me:)

I don't think it had been more then a half an hour before a nurse came in to tell me there were some anxious people in the waiting room. Mitch and were so engrossed with Aidan, that Mitch had not gone out to let the Milchak family know baby had arrived. A few minutes later, my mother, sister, Michael, and father came in to the delivery room to meet the new addition to the family. While they watched Aidan get a few more exams and passed him around the room, Mitch and I ate. I was asked if I was hungry and my fabulous nurse went and ordered us the best meal of my life. Mitch and I had not eaten since the night before-so this was amazing. After a few more photos and Grandma Devey's arrival to meet baby, everyone was asked to leave so we could get to our recovery room.

The rest of the day was spent admiring out little man and full of visitors to welcome our little prince into the world.
Mommy and Aidan's first photo

Baby Aidan and Nurse Jen

8lbs 4oz

Daddy and Aidan

Daddy putting on Aidan's first diaper

Grandma meets Aidan

The Milchak's meet Aidan

The family crowds around the newest Milchak

Grandma Milchak overseeing Aidan's exams

Kathy meets Aidan

Jeremy welcomed Aidan with a huge balloon and cake!

Uncle Brian showed up for the night visit from the Milchak's after a long day of Fire and Rescue Recruit School

Uncle Michael

Grandma admires her grandson

Grand baby and Grandpa

Jennifer and Aidan

Grandma Devey visits

Grandma Milchak and Grandma Devey brought Aidan flowers and his first Easter bunny

Aunt Laura and Baby Aidan

Great Grandpa came out to meet AidanGrandma Bop showed up with Aidan's first gender specific clothes hours just hours after birth

Aunt Jaime showed up minutes later with more boy clothes

Mommy and Aidan
Daddy finds some quiet time with his son
Aidan finds some time to relax after so many visitorsAlmost bedtime for Daddy and Baby

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T14:36:00.000-07:00

Our Little Angel

Easter 2009
Aidan with Grandpa and Grandma Zumwalt

Aidan Meets the Zumwalt's

Easter with the Milchak's

Mom, Aidan, and Grandma

Aidan and the Milchak's

The Milchak Kids and Nephew

Welcome to the World, Sweet Pea!

2009-04-11T12:23:00.000-07:00

We are proud and overjoyed to announce the arrival of our son, Aidan Charles, born on Thursday April 9, 2009 at 2:02 p.m. Aidan made a Easter weekend debut, weighing 8 pounds and 4 ounces and measuring 21 inches in length. The three of us are happy to be back at home and getting to know each other. Easter weekend 2009 will forever be an unforgettable moment in our lives.

Busy at 39 Weeks

2009-04-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

While most people are probably trying to relax the week before their due date, we are busy, busy, busy. This past Friday was my last day of work before Spring Break. Yep, i am one of those people you refuses to leave work until baby arrives. I celebrated by eating dinner with my good friends at Sweetwater. We wanted to have one last dinner before baby arrives.

Jenn, Me, Jeremy

On Saturday, we spent the day doing some last minute cleaning and shopping. That night we headed to M&S Grill for Jaime's 30th birthday. We munched on delicious food and yummy drinks in our own private party room. Nice job, Bill! While, I did not get to partake in any major drinking, I did sip on Momma Milchak's bloody Mary and Bill gave me a sample of the electric blue, very chic, and appropriate-Jaime-tini...very tasty. Happy Birthday, Jaime!

Jiame and I with the three grandmothers

Mitch and Jaime(in mathcing outfits no less)

Mitch and I at 39 weeks

Mom and I

On Sunday, we had brunch with Milchak Mom and Brian just for fun. And on Monday, my oldest friend, Kristin, came out to see me. Not an easy task, when you don't have a car. But, those zip cars are pretty cool. We headed out with Grandma Milchak and Grandma Bop for a girls lunch.
And since baby had not arrived by Tuesday, Mitch and I headed to Brambleton for a movie/lunch date. Still waiting on baby:)

39 WEEKS!!!

2009-04-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

On March 31st, Mitch and I met with Dr. P for our final appointment before baby's arrival. We discussed that I am still 2 centimeters dilated and 80 effaced...which was what they told me the week prior. All my other stats were fine and about the same as the week before. Baby's heartbeat sounded good and he/she is snug in my belly.
Dr. P discussed what to look out for in the next week or so in terms of labor signs. She, also, discussed some other relevant information about labor and what to expect at the hospital. So, it seems as if we are ready to go-unless baby decides to be stubborn.
Mitch and I headed out this past Sunday to the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate the last 9 months. We had a yummy dinner and enjoyed one of our final meals alone. My Spring Break starts this Friday and I am hoping baby stays in through the weekend. We have a few last minute house and baby chores to complete and a big party to attend.

Milchak Mom gave me one of the only maternity shirts still owns. I thought it was important to get a shot of mommy and grandma wearing the same maternity shirt.

Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving...

2009-04-02T06:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Aunt Jaime!!!!

Happy Birthday, Auntie Michelle!

2009-04-02T06:19:00.000-07:00

More Belly Photos

2009-03-30T19:10:00.000-07:00

At 38 weeks, I subjected Mitch to more belly photos. A friend at work does some photography on the side and wanted to build up her portfolio. She had asked to use me as her maternity model. Never one to pass up free photos, I agreed. On March 29th, she headed out to the house to capture some posed and natural photos of the parents-to-be at 38 weeks. It was a gorgeous day, despite a little wine. We took some individual shots of the belly, some posed indoors with Mitch and I, and a zillion natural photos outside. Three hours and a few hundred photos later, we were finally done.
I treated Mitch to Cheesecake Factory that night for being a good sport. We, also, considered one of our last nights out before baby.
Here are a few of the photos that she brought in to show me at work this morning. She is still working through all the pics, but she wanted me to have a few that were complete before I go on maternity leave. When I get the disk with all the photos, I will post a shutterfly slideshow. \

38 Weeks

2009-03-27T07:10:00.000-07:00

On March 25th, Mitch and I had our 38 week appointment with Dr. G. We love Doc G because she is always high spirited and laughs nonstop. She is very down to earth and comfortable. She checked baby's position and heartbeat. Position is perfect and the heartbeat was strong, as usual.
As for me, I lost a pound (go figure) and my blood pressure is great. I assume this is just water weight, but I will take a pound. My belly is still at 31 centimeters. Doc G. loves how compact I carry baby in my belly. At this point, she checked for dilation and effacement. I am 80% effaced and 2 centimeters dilated. She, also, mentioned how great everything looked and asked if my mom had easy labors. I let her know that from my understanding, my mom had fairly nice labors. She informed me that I must have good genes, because everything looked great and labor should be easy for me, as well. We will see about that:) I think my mom is way more tough than me. She had 4 kids naturally, come on-she is a champ!

We briefly spoke about labor, maternity leave, insurance, breastfeeding, etc. She informed me about drinking and breastfeeding. Well, actually, all she mentioned was that my first beer after childbirth will be the best I have ever tasted. See, this is why we love this woman. Mitch and I headed out with a "inducement" scheduled, on the off chance that baby does not arrive during Spring Break. But, I am hoping baby will want to come out on time and on his or her own.

Baby Showers Galore

2009-03-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

BABY SHOWER #1

Blame it on "pregnancy brain," but I am easily fooled. I headed to work on Thursday, March 26th like any other day. Walking into my classroom, I was immediately bombarded by children with art work. Our art shelf at work is full of fun projects for the kiddies to enjoy. Some day s I will get a picture or two offered to me, but i try to convince them to take it home to mommy and daddy.
For some reason today's outpouring of art worked felt a little different. All I heard was, "This is for baby," "Presents for the baby, " "Is baby here yet." I get this most days, but that day it was really out of hand. I just went about my day, thinking they must know the end is near. They all know my due date and we have a countdown calendar in the classroom. But, a few kids mentioned something about a party. I thought nothing of it, children are always talking nonsense.
So, fast forward to 5pm. I am asked by Carol, the lead morning teacher, to leave and go to the activity room so she can do some work in the classroom. No big deal. About 20 minutes later she comes to collect the children and myself. We walk down the hall to the class and "SURPRISE." The parents in my room have decorated the room beautifully and there are treats everywhere. The children and parents have thrown me a baby shower. I was clueless. Carol informs me that this was why all the kids were so excited all day long and even says they actually mentioned the shower to me several times throughout the day. Nice, right? You would love your kid in my room, considering I do not listen.
We enjoyed chocolate chip cookies, fresh strawberries, and the best red-velvet cupcakes in the world. I should mention another theme for the day. A friend at work came to my classroom during lunch time and mentioned how there seemed to be a lot of kids in red that day. Again, I did not think much of it.. Work with people long enough and people start wearing the same thing. It happened with Jennifer V. at my previous job all the time. We were known to show up in the same shirt. And with 27 kids in the classroom, they are bound to have the same color on. I joked that it was for me. The kids love all "Catherine facts" and the most popular one is that i love red. Anytime they have red on, it is important to point it out to me. Well, guess what? They had all been informed to wear red in honor of my special day:) Adorable!!!
Amongst the popping of balloons, I opened endless presents from my sweet children and parents. The kids were out of control, but I loved it. It was a awesome surprise and reminds me what a wonderful group of kids I have at work..

BABY SHOWER #2

A few weeks back a friend at work asked if a few of us would all go out to dinner on the 26th. She is getting married in June and wanted to try out a restaurant for her rehearsal dinner. I was more then thrilled to have a dinner date with my friends from work and love weddings, so we all marked the calendar. So, after a hectic school closing, (as mentioned the kids were all hopped up on cupcakes) we all headed to Olive Garden for a intimate dinner of about 6 people from work. Wrong, again.
I walk to a back room and there sit 20 or so of my coworkers. They had planned this night to be a baby shower all along. And again, apparently they thought I knew because teachers are not the most stealth people in the world-and we are loud:) I was astonished that I was fooled twice in one day. Mitch was even there to help celebrate. We dined on yummy Italian food and baby received more wonderful gifts. I do have the best coworkers in the world. I am hoping my scatterbrain mode will diminish after baby's birth and I will get my intuitive nature back. But, for now, I am happy to be completely and utterly in the dark.

Some pics from Olive Garden

Maternity Photos

2009-03-16T18:00:00.000-07:00

Just a photo post. We headed to Dulles Mall for some 36 week maternity photos on March 14th. Bless Mitch for putting up with me and wanting him included in the photos.

36 Weeks

2009-03-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

Our 36 week appointment was on March 12th. Dr. P informed us that everything is wonderful. Not much to report. Weight and blood pressure are great. Currently my belly is measuring 31 centimeters. She did feel my stomach again to see baby's position. Baby is ready! We asked a few logical questions about the baby's upcoming birth. We spoke a bit about a birth plan. But, naturally-Mitch and I figure we will just go with the flow. We are ready!
We have started to pack our bags and do last minute shopping. The house is fairly clean and organized. Mitch has been putting together some of the gifts from the baby shower and our house is full of boxes and baby gear. I have been washing an endless amount of clothes.
Baby's room is still under construction. But, that will not be complete until we know if our little one is a boy or girl. Stay tuned to find out!

Baby Clothes Galore

Mitch is such a handyman

Mitch's hard work completed!

35 Weeks

2009-03-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

Just some fun photos Gramdma took for us over the weekend.

Showered with Snow at 34 weeks

2009-03-04T16:46:00.000-08:00

On March 2nd, we were hit with our first and probably last big snow of the season.
It was the day after my baby shower and we received a few inches of snow in Northern Virginia. It was literally almost 70 degrees a few days before the snow storm, March has begun.
Of, course this made for a great 34 week maternity photo and poor Mitch had to brave the shoveling alone.

Showered wuth Love and Snow

2009-03-02T16:58:00.000-08:00

On March 1st, baby and I were showered with love by all my dearest loved ones and friends. We, also, got a very brief dusting of snow that day! It was so great to spend a day with everyone at the Pearmund winery. Yes, a winery! It is a unique choice for a baby shower, but it was awesome. Everyone had fun eating yummy food and drinking wine. Mitch and I were gifts with so many wonderful things for baby. All my mothers(yes, I have more then one) made it a very special day. Here are some photos from the day.

The "I Love Grandma" sleeper with a curious tag that said "and Momo and Bop" How many grandma's can one kid have:)

Mitch got in on thr fun with a "NFL Kid" outfit from Aunt Michelle and Uncle Russ

FDNY Kid

and socks to match

Firefighter Baby

Of, course everyone got in on the "Sweet Pea" themed shower

All the gramdmas

The Zumwalt boys and there wives

Aunt Laura

All the C'ville Kids

Aunt Michelle

Aunt Jaime

The Milchak Girls

Just the girls

Jenn and Erin

Hospital Tour

2009-02-25T18:02:00.000-08:00

We headed to Fair Oaks Hospital on February 22nd for our tour. For the most part it was fairly informative. We were able to see the delivery rooms, nursery, cafeteria, etc. Mitch was excited to show off his wealth of knowledge about the different gadgets in the room. And he was the only one who knew why breast feeding can help with a woman's recovery time after birth. That is my genius husband. All that paramedic training will really pay off. We were, also, the only couple out of the group who were pre-registered and have already arranged for a pediatrician. Again, another reason why Mitch rocks. He is always on top of things.

32 Weeks

2009-02-21T18:02:00.000-08:00

Not really much to report. We headed to our 32-week appointment on Friday(actually, 33 weeks). Baby's heartbeat is strong and from what Dr. P. can tell by massaging my belly, baby seems to be ready for birth. I was curious as to what I was feeling everytime the baby moved. So, Dr.P. did a quick evalution. From what she can tell, baby's feet are on my left side, bottom in my right rib cage, back along my right side, and hands and feet on my bottom left die, and head at the bottom of my belly. I have no idea how she could tell that, but that is why they pay her the big bucks. We have one more appointment before we start going for weekly exams. We are coming down to the wire.

Dr. P was curious as to what courses we have taken to prepare for childbirth, umm...none. Mitch has seen 3 births already, one natural and 2 C-sections. Who would have thought he would see someone else give birth before me:) And the way I see it, I am not gonna spend hundreds of dollars on classes that reiterate everything my not-so-cheap pregnancy books highlight in extreme detail. What if I spend $150 dollars on a lamaze class and end up with a c-section, money well spent??? Oh, well-we like to wing things.

Valentine's Day

2009-02-15T18:01:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day weekend marked 32 weeks for baby. Mitch was scheduled to work on Saturday, so I spent V-Day with mom, Michael, and some yummy Chinese food. We had a great time and Michael got to feel baby move. I am not sure how to describe his reaction, he seemed surprised and slightly scared of it. Of course, Alien movie quotes ensued.
Mitch and I celebrated our V-day on Sunday, since we both had off on Monday. We started the day with a visit from our friends, the Schaal's. They brought over all kinds of goodies for baby. We have inherited all kinds of wonderful baby necessities. Thank You Schaal family.
After out visitors headed out, we went out to dinner and to the movies. And what may you ask did we go see. What anyone would see on a Valentine's Day weekend that lands on Friday the 13th...Friday the 13th 2009. I must say we both enjoyed it:)

Mitch got up bright and early on Saturday to make sure I had a sweet V-Day surprise. He really is awesome.

Mitch came in from work on Sunday to a sweet surprise of his own.

Another Firefighter!

2009-02-10T08:20:00.000-08:00

While Mitch has been completing his internship as a paramedic and his promotional process to become a Technician II, we got some exciting news. My younger brother, Brian has been accepted into the recruit program at Prince William Fire and Rescue. He is incredibly excited and Mitch and I are happy for him. Mitch heard the good news a few days before Brian got the phone call. However, I was sworn to secrecy- which was hard. It was such a relief when he finally got the call from the hiring department. I never would have thought both my husband and my brother would end up working so closely together.

Good Luck in Recruit School, Brian!

Brian and I outside his house at UVA

The Big 3-0, 10 Weeks to go!

2009-02-08T17:46:00.000-08:00

We hit 30 weeks on January 30th. It is amazing how time has flown by. We both sat down pondering the other day about how in just 10 weeks are little one will be here. Oh, and we started a list of all the things we still need to do-Yikes!
We headed to our 30 week appointment( which was closer to 31 weeks, actually) on February 4th.
This week we met with Doctor W., who as I mentioned before is older and very mellow. You know, the "Bueller Bueller" guy. He informed me I am measuring right on target, blood pressure good, and baby' heartbeat is strong. Baby did not kick Dr. W, as he/she usual does to Dr. G or Dr. P when they are pushing on the stomach. I guess baby knows who the boss is. I, also, got some interesting news. Riddle me this-I lost a pound and a half. I was a bit worried, but doc said there is no need for concern.
Dr. W is just so cool and calm about everything. You just know he is a veteran at all of this and never seems concerned. It bothered me slightly at first, but now I think it is kind of nice to have a doctor who does not buy into all the hype. Mitch asked when we would discuss a birth plan. Because that is what all the books say, write out a birth plan. Dr. W shrugged and said he did not think that was necessary because they would just do whatever we asked and he and the other doctors would guide us on the day of our baby's birth. He explained most birth plans are never followed and everything just sort of goes the way it goes. Which was good to here, because Mitch and I have opted not to take any of the "prep classes." I mean, come on-$150 to learn how to breath and focus...we all know how cheap I am. We can read about it.

Random, but funny!

2009-01-27T18:28:00.000-08:00

It finally snowed here in Nova, getting me out of work. So, I spent what many would do on a random day off, cleaning and playing on the computer. I was fooling around with google searches and found a site for my mom's graduating class of 1970. She is a graduate of Wakefield High School here in the Nova area. I was looking at photos on the site to see if I could glimpse my mom in any of them and also scrolled down to see her name on the class list. Before leaving the page I scrolled all the way down to the bottom and found Ed Zerambo, who happens to be Mitch's uncle. I already knew from previous family get together and conversations that they were in the same class at WHS, however the website made me laugh. I find it interesting that my mom and Mitch's uncle were classmates in high school. Talk about coincidence. How crazy is that?
http://www.wakefieldclassof1970.com/index/mn11151/Members+of+the+Class+of+1970

We have hit the THIRD TRIMESTER!

2009-01-24T18:20:00.001-08:00

On January 16th, we hit 28 weeks in our baby countdown. This past Friday we met with Dr. P. for our 28 week appointment. As usual, everything looked good and baby is still not a fan of being poked at with the heart monitor. A swift kick or two while hearing baby's heartbeat always makes Dr. P laugh. Baby and mommy are measuring right where we should be. According to our surprise sonogram, baby weighs 2 lbs and 12 ounces, putting baby in the 53rd percentile. A few things we were not expecting were handouts from the doctor. Our first form was a circumcision form, in the event that baby turns out to be a boy. We received directions on "kick counts," which we are to start at 34 weeks. Not that we both do not sit in bed every night waiting for kicks anyway. And the last form, our pre-registration to the hospital. Jeez, we already have to think about registering at the hospital. Things are really speeding up here. Al future appointments are only two weeks apart, now.

Here are some pics from baby at 28 weeks. We got a surprise sonogram!

Mitch likes to call this "Drunk Baby" because it looks like baby is burping. Although we were told that little bubble-like shape by the mouth is a part of the umbilical cord. Foot

Face Shot

An extreme close-up of baby's lips and nose. Can you see it?
I think baby is gonna have Mommy's lips:)

In regards to the Baby poll...

2009-01-22T17:49:00.000-08:00

Poor Sweet Pea is gonna have a complex if she/he turns out to be a girl. Most of our family members are thinking SP is a boy. A majority of people at my work think baby will be a boy, as well. There are a few at the school that believe SP is definitely a girl though. And even though many believe Mitch and I are aware of baby's gender, I can reiterate that we have no idea. I have my own feelings of whether baby is a girl or boy, but I'm not telling. Mitch seems to have a pretty good idea, too. We shall see if our instinct are right come April. However, I just found it funny how many people think SP is a boy and how the poll seems to be going in that direction.
I wonder who voted:)

Computer Crisis

2009-01-20T10:08:00.000-08:00

Notice the back-up of posts. Sadly, right after Xmas are darn computer got a virus. We were unable to keep the Internet up for more then a few minutes at a time. Which caused issues when trying to post on our blog and we were unable to put our holiday photos up for fear of losing them. So, although the past few posts were written earlier, they are only coming now. We are thrilled to have the Internet back. However, not checking your email and other daily computer routines was a bit freeing. Of course, while searching for a Mexican restaurant and directions for the pregnant lady last weekend would have been a lot more simple had we had the Internet. Remember when you used the yellow pages and an actual map to do that:)

More Holiday Gifts

2009-01-11T09:39:00.000-08:00

The nursery furniture arrived over the holiday break, which turned out to be a great Xmas gift. The only problem was we still did not have any idea what kind of chair we wanted for the room. Neither of us are big fans of the gliders. I just do not think we would use it anywhere else as the the baby gets older. So, while out and about over the weekend we headed to La-Z-Boy. We figure as long as we are spending the money we might as well get something we can use in another room later down the line. We found a great deal on a great recliner/rocker that is due to arrive in less then a week. Bonus-it will make a great Football Sunday chair for Mitch when it gets moved to the basement.

Painting the Nursery

2009-01-06T09:36:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!

2009-01-03T14:53:00.000-08:00

Although, we are sad to see 2008 and all it's blessings go, we are so looking forward to 2009! (For one obvious reason, of course). In just a few months we will meet Sweet Pea! New Year's Eve marked "100 days until baby arrives." We celebrated with an evening out on New Year's Day and Mitch recieved a surprise from baby. Sweet Pea honored the event by getting Dad an adorable alligator rattle, alligator jumpsuit, and a card with a little message from baby.

Happy New Year!
and
Happy 100 Days and Counting!!!

Aidan's First Halloween Party

2009-01-01T14:29:00.000-08:00

Aidan joined the fun at our annual Halloween party!

Han and his sidekick

My Sweet Wookie

Star Wars

Grandma came to babysit

Aidan in his Halloween pj's

Where's Waldo

Minnie and her Man

You Could Be a Farmer in Those Clothes

Phyllis and Me

Why yes, we always play beer pong.

Aidan has competition

Aidan's pal, Drew

26 Weeks

2009-01-01T08:20:00.000-08:00

Since we hit our 100 day marker until baby arrives and 26 weeks yesterday, I felt a picture was necessary. Of course, I always think a picture is necessary to the dismay of many around me. I will be the annoying old grandma with the ancient camera snapping away at anything and everything in 30 years. So, here are a few artsy photos we took on the "100 Day Countdown"

Holiday Cheer!

2008-12-28T14:35:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to take a moment to congratulate our dear friends, Fred and Nicole.

They're engaged!!!

We were able to meet up with them for a post-holiday luncheon to celebrate the news. Plus, Aunt Nicole and Uncle Fred had a surprise gift for baby. An ongoing joke at Mitch's former workplace and at the fire department is a web address where a banana jumps around singing "It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time." Yes, I am aware this seems rather silly, but people love it. So, baby will happily wear it's new shirt with pride. Thanks Nicole and Fred!

Side note- Right after I opened this gift during lunch, Mitch got a text message from a colleague at work. What did it happen to be...a sound message of "Peanut Butter Jelly Time." So, he promptly texted back a photo of our baby t-shirt. Impeccable timing!

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T22:38:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to say Merry Christmas to everyone. Our Christmas this year was perfectly peaceful. Mitch and I headed out to an early holiday dinner at Ruth's Chris. We dined on fillet, crab cakes, asparagus, and creamy potatoes. I, even, took a small sip of Mitch's yummy wine. Bad mommy-to-be:)
We enjoyed a yummy dinner at the Milchak house on Christmas Eve. The event of the night was sitting around trying to make the baby kick. Baby was showered in lots of fun gifts this holiday season, even though Sweet Pea still has a ways to go before blessing us.
Mitch headed to work on Christmas Day, while I headed with the family to my grandpa's for a Xmas Brunch. So, many delicious foods for baby. We arrived back at the house pretty late and I fell asleep on the couch. I awoke to people talking to the baby and, once again, trying to get baby to put on a show. Michael played ridiculous music from his cell phone to provoke a reaction from the womb. Baby has now heard some fine rock music and great 80's tunes, along with the Flash Gordon theme song. Nice!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

24 Weeks

2008-12-24T11:13:00.000-08:00

We headed to our 24-week appointment on December 23rd. Which actually put us at 25 weeks. They did the normal checks on me and baby. Everything is coming a long fine. We met with our third and final physician, Dr. P. So, we have Dr. W,-very serious, old school doc-he makes me laugh with his no nonsense, one word answers. (Bueller, Bueller, Bueller.) Dr. G, whom I love because she jokes and giggles through every exam. And Dr. P who is very sweet and reassuring. She answers every question we can conjure up for her. It was important to us when we chose a OB office that there would be multiple people "on call" for baby's big debut. This way we will hopefully know our baby's doctor, instead of being surprised. Plus rotating doctors has been nice and takes away from the hum drum of the check-ups.

We listened to baby's heartbeat, which as usual was strong with an occasional muffled kick. Baby has become increasingly active, especially in the morning and evening. Sweet Pea loves to pound away in the morning before I am ready to get up and in the evening just before I fall asleep. Baby has, also, become more active after afternoon meals. Baby loves to start squirming after mommy eats yummy food. We, also, have discovered that we can now see baby kicking and punching my belly. At night, Mitch will talk to Sweet Pea and in a matter of moments my belly starts dancing. It kind of reminds me of the scene in Alien, when we first see the baby alien come out of that guy's stomach during dinner, hee, hee.

I was assured that from here on out baby would become even more active and my adorable 2nd trimester belly was going to start growing rather rapidly. We, also, have appointments made through March, many of which will be only 2 weeks apart. Wow, our calendar consists of nothing else besides OB appointments.

24 Weeks

Holiday Fun

2008-12-21T14:21:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we headed to not one, but two holiday parties on Saturday. For the first party, we headed out to Culpeper. The party was hosted by one of the firefighters on Mitch's medic unit. Although, it took us about an hour to get out there-it was well worth the trip. We enjoyed a buffet of awesome food and entertainment by the host's son, who played the piano for us. It was, also, nice for me to put faces with names. I had met a lot of Mitch's co-workers at Station 25. However, when he finished his Advanced Life Support class a few months ago, he moved to a new station. So, I loved putting stories with faces and loved hearing fun tidbits from the rest of his unit about my dear hubby.
After a few hours in Culpeper, we got back in the car to head to Leesburg for the annual Vannoy Christmas party. We missed the group opening of presents, but were bale to open ours after things had calmed down a bit. Mitch was excited about his hilarious "animal" t-shirt and firefighter ornament. You can never have too many of those:) I was showered with a few gorgeous maternity tops. And thanks to Jeremy, baby was not left out due to a few cute onesies and a stuffed alligator. What a fun night? Although, we got home a little after 2am, so we both slept the day away on Sunday.

Turkey Day Flutters

2008-12-05T13:47:00.000-08:00

Well, actually they used to be flutters-now they are full-on kicks at mommy's belly. I had been trying to distinguish between other funny stomach feelings and baby moving. But, ever the fairly calm person-I would not convince myself that every little feeling in the gut was baby.

But, over thanksgiving break I gave in and had Mitch patiently lie on our bed with his hand on my belly waiting for baby to move. Of course, our now famously stubborn child would not cooperate the first few nights. Not surprising. After all this is a kid that refuses to be found by the heartbeat monitor, stays still during sonograms when he/she needs to move, or won't move when they need a different angle. Again, baby is just like mommy. So, the other night while quietly laying in bed, Sweet Pea, became very active...while Daddy was in the shower. Figures:)

When Mitch came to bed, I told him that baby had been moving-but stopped as soon as he came in the room. So, daddy gave baby it's first scolding. He told baby to stop making mommy out to be a liar and let daddy feel all the kicks I have been feeling. With a little persuasion and sweet words, baby started kicking daddy's hands. And harder then usual too. I guess baby does not like being "called out."

Since their little heart to heart baby seems to know when daddy's hand is on mommy's belly and will start to tap to say "hello." Baby seems to like daddy's voice too, because if Mitch says something close enough to my tummy, baby will start pounding away. It was an exciting Thanksgiving break and I am so thankful that baby and Daddy are bonding. Disgustingly cheesy, I know.

Thankful for Relaxation

2008-11-26T14:20:00.000-08:00

We headed to Lifetime Fitness over Thanksgiving break to get his and her massages. If you have ever been to Lifetime you would realize that it is more than just a gym. It is a lifestyle..haha. We are not current members, though we both have been at one point or another. However, we had a gift certificate to the spa at the club and finally found the perfect time to use it.
With Mitch completely done with his medic classes and finding myself at the half way mark in my pregnancy, massages seemed like the perfect way to start the holiday season. Mitch was treated to a hour long Swedish Massage, while I opted for the Pregnancy Massage. Let me just say that this was a godsend and I recommend every pregnant lady get one.
Now, you may be asking yourself where this post is going-here it is. After my massage was over, I headed out to the lobby. My masseuse met me to take me back to the spa lobby. On our way there she mentioned that Mitch's massage may run over. Okay...I am thinking maybe they got started late-except he was taken about 10 minutes before I was from the lobby. She then proceeds to tell met that while she and his masseuse were washing their hands and getting ready to come in that Mitch's masseuse was ecstatic to get to massage Mitch. Okay...I am wondering where this is all going. Lucky, I am not a jealous wife:)
She goes on to say that the girl was thrilled to learn Mitch is a firefighter. At this point, I realize that the girl is not attracted to my dear hubby. Seeing as we often get the same reaction whenever someone learns Mitch is a firefighter. My masseuse lets me know that the girl is currently going through the process to become a firefighter and thought this was a nice opportunity to get some inside info.
The masseuse laughs and asks if I heard Mitch through the joining walls to our rooms. I had heard a Mitch version of a Charlie Brownish "wha, wha, wha" during my massage. I said I had heard him and we both laughed. Seeing as I was yelled at the first time I ever got a massage for talking, I usually just stay quiet. But, not Mitch- he talked away during the first half of his massage. So, I sat in the lobby for about another 10 minutes waiting for Mitch. He struts in all relaxed and I dare say glowing from being allowed time to hand out knowledge about the road to becoming a firefighter.

Here is my issue people...why did Mitch get the perk to a longer(almost 20 long minutes) massage, than his poor pregnant wife. It's the career, I tell you. Being a firefighter is like being a celebrity. It even got a discount on our nursery furniture. I guess I cannot complain because I often reap the benefit, too. However, I was a bit jealous of his extra massage time. LOL!

Halfway There...20 Weeks!

2008-11-21T14:33:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that we have reached the half way mark already. It seems like only yesterday that we were celebrating the good news, and in 20 more weeks we will get to meet our sweet pea.

We have nicknamed baby "Sweet pea." We were at Babies R Us beginning a registry and MItch saw a bib he thought was really cute. Yep, it came about all because of a bib Mitch liked. I was overruled when I mentioned it sounded like a girl nickname, because Popeye's baby was a boy and named Sweet pea. how can I fight that logic. Since we are unaware of baby's gender, giving him or her a name seemed better than referring to baby as an it.

On November 21st, we headed to our 20-week appointment. All the usual tests and procedures were the same. Everything looks great, mommy and baby are both in good health. Hearing baby's heartbeat was a bit different. As we listened, a strange noise caught me off guard. It was sort of fuzzy, like if an announcer dropping his microphone at a football game. the doctor laughed and informed us everything was okay. The sound we heard was baby kicking up a storm. Doctor G let us know we have a "maniac child" on the way. I guess it is good that I am still blissfully unaware of all this kicking.

20 Weeks-this may be my last week wearing my pre-pregnancy pants:)

I had to turn to show off my "Ciao Bella" shirt that Momma Milchak got on her last visit to Italy.

Boy or Girl? And baby will be...

2008-11-17T13:32:00.000-08:00

Nope, we aren't finding out. Those wondering will just have to wait until Spring. We decided there are so few surprises in life, why ruin the best one. Baby will remain a mystery.

On Wednesday, November 12th, we headed to our 18-week ultrasound. We got up bright and early to meet Milchak Mom at the doctor's office to view our little sweet pea. Baby seems to take after daddy, he/she is very chill and relaxed. Check out the photo below, where baby is blissfully relaxing with his/her hand under her chin. Baby must be a thinker, too.
We spent almost an hour seeing baby from all angles and positions. Hands, feet, brain, stomach, liver, face, etc. Seeing as Mitch has been hard at work learning all kinds of medical information in his "Advanced Life Support" classes, he loved asking questions and adding tidbits that mom and I were clueless about. For instance, while viewing baby's heart, Mitch asked if we were looking at it upside down. The nurse answered yes, and Mitch explained that the way the chambers were contracting showed us which angle we were seeing the heart. My genius husband, hee, hee.

Of course, when it came to the big question, we politely declined to know the gender of the baby. Which was probably a good thing, because baby decided not to be very cooperative at this point. Baby seems very happy is mommy's tummy, because no matter what the nurse did, she could not get baby to turn for profile picture. Mitch mentioned that this was where it's mother's genes came into play, being uncooperative and stubborn. Milchak Mom loved this one. I, personally, think baby was tired of being poked and prodded while trying to rest peacefully. One of the last shots, before the nurse left to give baby some time to move around. Obviously, this is baby's Van Gogh "The Scream" look or for younger generations, the "Home Alone" look. Would you stop pushing on my mother's belly!

So, the nurse left to print out all our photos and give baby some time to move around. Like mommy, baby came around in his/her on time and was ready to go with profile photos upon her return. Foot Shot
Hand Shot

After all the sonogram photos were complete, we were told everything is right where it should be and baby looks fantastic. After all that work, we headed to Silver Diner to treat Baby to breakfast. Nice work little peanut.

Mommy at 18 Weeks

Baby's Furniture

2008-11-16T13:22:00.000-08:00

Over the past few months, we have been teetering back and forth on what furniture to buy for the nursery. I won't bore you with all the details. Bottom line is we found a store in Manassas that we really liked and the owner is an adorable, honest, no BS kind of lady. We like that. Of course, the firefighter discount she gave us was a selling point too- hee, hee.
We wanted something with longevity, durability, beauty, and safety. We fell in love the Tuscan Collection by Pali in a terracotta finish. It really just screams Mitch and Catherine, doesn't it.

Maternity Fashions

2008-11-02T12:56:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday with Mitch off to the office, I decided to take the plunge and look for some maternity pieces. While I am still quite comfortable in my pre-pregnancy pants, I have been warned that the belly could come at any moment. So, rather than go to work in sweats, I thought I should be prepared. I invited my mom and Jaime out to lunch and a shopping trip.
After a yummy lunch at Pei-Wei, we headed to Kohl's. Mom and Jaime were super helpful in helping me pick out a few essential pieces. Who says you need to spend a fortune on maternity clothes? They are only good for a few months. I am almost 20 weeks and all my clothes still fit. So, less then $200 later I now have three pairs of pants(jeans, black and gray), several cute tops (this is one of my holiday Xmas top), and a gorgeous dress Jaime got me as a "yeah, your pregnant" gift. She, also, got baby an adorable outfit with a firetruck on it with the word's "Daddy's Hero to the Rescue." Gotta love her!
All and all, I think today was a huge success. A couple of sweaters and I think I am done. Hopefully...

Sweet 16 on Halloween

2008-10-31T13:35:00.000-07:00

Baby Z hit 16 weeks on October 31st. The week before we enjoyed our 16 week doctor's appointment where we heard baby's heartbeat once again. It was hard for the doctor to find baby's heartbeat, because he/she would not stay still. As I told Mitch-"That's definitely my kid in there. "

Baby could barely stay still long enough for us to hear the little heartbeat. Eventually, Doctor W. was able to get a clear heartbeat and let us know everything sounds and looks great. He told us it was a good sign baby was so active , because this meant our little peanut is healthy and happy.

We went over a few of my questions about symptoms I had been feeling and afterwards we were sent down the hall to give another vial of blood for yet more testing. I think it is a good thing I got over my fear of needles. The running joke with Milchak Mom is that I was the worst out of all four kids with shots. I would work myself up leading up to the appointments and then scream bloody murder when the needle came out. My mom laughs when she hears how great I am with needles, now. I suppose I am probably in for a kid who hates needles, right mom:)

After our appointment, we headed to Cox's Farm to pick out our pumpkins for Halloween. Mitch and I searched amongst the enormous pumpkins to find our favorites and even picked up a mini pumpkin for baby. To celebrate 16 weeks, we carved our spooky pumpkins. Hopefully, baby will love Halloween as much as we do.

Our first of many Halloween's with baby

Baby's First Photos

2008-10-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

On October 6th, we headed to Fair Oaks Hospital for our 12-week ultrasound. The OB nurse ushered us to a large room with a bed, many electronic devices, a chair, and t.v. Now, why do I mention this? As I layed down on the bed next to the sonogram machine, I noticed two things. First was the overstuffed chair Mitch was sitting in. Seriously, it was huge and looked oh so comfy. I laughed at him and commented about the luxury. Then, there was the t.v. It was enormous. A large flat screen that spanned the entire corner of the room. Too bad Mitch was not settling in to watch a big game.

We were so excited to see little baby. The screen came on and all of a sudden their he/she was. It was amazing to see a mini person moving around. Mitch and I laughed and asked questions. The OB nurse was very informative about what exactly we were looking at as she moved about getting the photos she needed for testing. Baby is quite active and kept wiggling around. Here are some sonogram photos from the day.

Cheers to Three Years

2008-10-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Anniversary

Wino Crossing=Baby Crossing

2008-10-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

Wine tasting has long been a favorite past time for us. We love heading out to wineries for an afternoon of sipping wine. So, what better way to celebrate the end of our first trimester then to head out to the wineries. Even if I can't drink the ambiance is still nice. We had successfully kept our little secret from everyone except close family and I was dying to announce to our close friends the Tomasulo's and Devey's.
We could not have asked for a more perfect day. It was sunny and warm, the wines were gorgeous, and Pearmund had love music playing when we got there. The Devey's arrived with little Grace in tow. As everyone settled in with a glass of wine, I was inside at the play corner with Grace. I decided to let her in on the news first. After a minute of puzzlement, she asked if the baby was in my belly at that moment and what "her" name is. I told her we did not know if it was a girl or boy and we had to think of a name. She had many ideas, all deriving from Disney Princess movies:) I told her baby would be arriving around her birthday.
When we headed out to our table, I asked Grace to tell her grandparents what Cat and Mooch were giving her for her birthday. Rather shyly, she told them, "Cat has a baby in her tummy." The rest involves some screaming and some crying.
Unfortunately, not all the Tomasulo's and Devey's could be there-so we had a few phone calls to make from the winery as well.
Here are some photos from our fun day...

Mitch and I

Momma Devey and Momma Milchak Cousin Grace gets her first pic with Baby Z
Grace and I
Grace loves her Mooch
The Boys
Grace tells me "No stinky boys" I guess we are in trouble if Baby Z is a boy:)
The mom's decide with another grandbaby on the way, they will need something a little stronger, hee, hee. Nice t-shirt pick, Kathy D.

NKOTB still Rock!

2008-10-03T14:55:00.000-07:00

Pre-Show at Rosa Mexicana

Jaime, Kristin, and Me

I honestly remember when New Kids on the Block came on the music scene. Although, I admit I was not a fan until the second album. It was 1988 and I was only 7 years old, but I loved Hangin Tough. The title track, You got the Right Stuff, Cover Girl, Please Don't Go Girl-yep, I was a fan. Everyone was NKOTB crazed. I bought the t-shirts, the BIG buttons, jewelry, the sleeping bag, the beach towel, books, magazines. I even had a Jordan doll, too. Oh, how I loved Jordan Knight. Somehow, I convinced my grandmother to buy me a $50 framed poster of the group. I am sure if I looked in my mom's storage area of the basement I could proabbly find some of these "keepsakes."

A few years later, Step by Step was released. I was a few years older and gasp, I was able to go to my very first concert. So, the poor Dad's on the block(no pun intended) had to take all their darling, screaming girls to a concert in D.C.

Shortly after the boys faded away and my childhood crush faded away.

Now, 15 years larer they are back and on tour. What to do? Buy a ticket, of course. My good friend, Jaime and I proudly purchased tickets to the boy band's show in D.C. and may I just say that it was amazing. I walked in thinking, this will either be cheesy or they will be trying to hard to be cool. It was actually a good mix of both to make an amazing concert. It was sort of surreal to hear songs I still remembered and others that jogged my memory after a few lyrics. They even did some old school dances, which is awesome. These ex-heartthrobs can still work it. It was a great concert and jaime and I had a blast.

Oh, and in case you are keeping score-this is Baby Z's second concert to date. My poor baby is gonna come out with boy bands ringing in his or her ears. Sorry baby:) But, it was fun telling my oldest friend, Kristin, the happy news. And Jaime was thrilled to hear another baby is on it's way.

To zap or not to zap...

2008-09-27T20:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, so registering has long been a troubled source with Mitch and I. After we got engaged, we headed out to the appropriate stores to register. I think we were both very excited to zap items with our handy-dandy register gun. But, as we walked around Hecht's, Crate and Barrel, William Sonoma, and Linen's N Things we kept asking each other the same question.

"Do we need this?"

I mean, honestly, a $50 pizza cutter, a waffle maker(cool, yes-but ask yourself how many times you have used yours), 12 $30 wine goblets(and all those other sets of glasses they swear you need), serving platters for this and that. The list goes on, but you get what I am saying. We had lived together for a while and had a lot of stuff like blenders, plates, and towels. So, when we registered it was very low key. I did want my wedding china and silver. I do admit to that. But, other than that, we registerd for very little and practically.

The point is, Mitch and I are not the best at registering. We just don't get gun happy and we always look at items reasonably. But, seeing as we have nothing baby related and baby needs a lot we headed to Babies R Us this weekend to start a registry. It went alright. We registered for a few big ticket items and looked around for a bit before deciding we would be better off coming home to research, discard, and select. We have to do things in stages and Mitch loves to weigh out all the options. I get a little overwhelmed while in stores and trying to decide whether I need this or that. And frankly, there was a lot in the store that just seemed like a lot of fuss. A poncho for your stroller(I don't plan on getting stuck in a monsoon), a bassinet that really is useless after a few months, and baby monitors with little tv's. Again, I could go on. And then, do we need a bouncer, swing, and glider. Why do I need a Baby Jumper and an Activity Jumper?

Don't get me wrong. Registering is enjoyable and I love doing it. I just may be a little bit more modest when it comes to the process than others. So, over the next few weeks we will be researching baby stuff and selecting and discarding from our list. It seems like it would be easier to have just gone in and got everything in one visit-we just don't operate that way:)

We Have a Heartbeat!

2008-09-24T18:44:00.000-07:00

Not that we thought we didn't, it is just up until today we had not heard such a gorgeous sound. We headed to the doctor for our 12 week appointment this morning. I was super excited because I thought we might get to see the baby, but alas today was just an informative appointment. We got brochures about babies, classes, and tests. They took down some stats, asks questions, and I gave up some blood. I was starting to get anxious when the nurse finally said we could go into the examination room to hear the heartbeat. We waited patiently as the nurse tried to locate the baby. As she inched toward the right side of my stomach we suddenly heard our little one's heartbeat. We squeezed each other's hands and smiled. I swear Mitch was a little dusty:)
HAPPY HEARTBEAT DAY!

(Great) Grandparent's Day

2008-09-07T14:27:00.000-07:00

At 10 weeks, Mitch and I decided it was time to let our grandparents in on our little secret. Of course, I had been dying to tell anyone what was going on. I just had not decided when we should tell . I spoke to my father to let him know my last doctor's appoinment had gone well and he mentioned that he noticed Grandparent's Day was coming up (surely invented by Hallmark, by the way) on his planning calendar at work. I had never heard of this day before. But, never being one to pass up a situation decided this would be the day to tell all of our grandparents. Plus, my father and brother were going crazy seeing my grandpa every Monday at my Dad's office and not being able to say a word about the baby on the way.
So, we gave Mitch's grandparents in Arizona and North Carolina a call to tell them our news. We, also, headed to my grandfather's apartment in Alexandria and my grandmother's house in Arlington on Grandparent's Day. We had a great time visiting with my grandparents and each got a card with a tiny sonogram photo of their great-grandchild.

Here are some photos from the day. Notice all the posed of Mitch and I. My grandma kept finding roses in her garden to add to the photos:) Poor Mitch. If you know my mom and my grandmother, you should know they love pictures and nothing pleases them more then to make you pose over and over again. Mitch has been subjected to this for years now and he is a good sport. And, I don't mind because I have inherited this ridiculous love of taking pictures.

Mitch and I on the steps of my favorite part of my grandmother's backyard

Uncle Gary, Grandpa, and Mitch and I

Momma, Grandpa, and Mitch and I

Mitch, Me, Grandma, and Floyd

Mitch, Cat, Grandma, and Mom

Four Generations(Baby not pictured)

More posing for Mitch:)

Backstreet Boys

2008-08-20T11:17:00.000-07:00

Yep, you read right. I headed to Wolf Trap to see Girlicious and the Backstreet Boys this past Monday. Surprisingly, I was impressed with the show. It was fun to sit with my girlfriends and reminisce my late youth. I proudly admit that I jammed to these boys, especially on long drives to visit Mitch in college.
And yes, I loved the beginning with the Rocky theme.

Telling the Family

2008-08-18T11:10:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we called Mitch's parents and Russ and Michelle to give them the good news. We, also, had my family over for a famly brunch. We enjoyed a yummy lunch before giving my father a book, "Why I Love My Grandpa" and my mother, "Grandmothers Are Like Snowflakes."

It was so much fun and a relief to share our happy news with our families. Now, keeping quiet for another six weeks will be a struggle:)

The Milchak Family + Baby

Celebrating Six Weeks

2008-08-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

We headed out to the Cheesecake Factory this past weekend to celebrate Baby Z.

Six Weeks Pregnant, and yes I changed my wrap...could not decide which color to wear to dinner, hee, hee.

Mitch is a Daddy

2008-08-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

One of the most precious things to find out is that you are going to be a mommy. It is amazing to think that in 9 months you will bring a life into this world. And during those months you will house and protect your tiny baby. You will experience a closeness to your child that no one else ever will. It is an unexplainable feeling. You want to shout out to everyone that you are expecting a bundle of joy.
So, how do you share this amazing news with your husband. You shower him with gifts and books, of course. At least I did. I wanted Mitch to feel close to the baby, as well. So, I went out and bought onesies, Daddy and Me Books, stuffed animals, etc. I placed them all on the table in our home, so they would be the first things he saw upon arriving home from a 24-hour shift at the fire station.
Discovering you are going to be a mommy is a wonderful moment. However, seeing your husband's face sink in that he is going to be a daddy is the most memorable moment I have experienced thus far in our journey to parenthood.

Mitch and the adorable "We're Expecting" card I found

The Staging of Gifts

Alligator and Lovebug Onesies

A Boy or a Girl, we won't know for 9 more months

The Wine Lover's Onesies

DAD!

At least 20 or so Daddy and Me related books

Mitch loved alligators as a child, so this was very fitting...

We Are Having a Baby!

2008-07-31T12:04:00.000-07:00

On July 31th, Mitch and I happily discovered that we have a baby on the way. We are just over the moon to announce to friends and family that we are expecting our first child this coming Spring! Our expected due date is April 10, 2009. So, not only will this blog keep updates on us, but it will also now be the home of our journey to parenthood.

Harrison/Hottle Family Reunion

2008-07-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

When I was young my grandmother's(Milchak) entire family would head to Rehobeth Beach every July. We are talking an entire extended fanily. Floors at the Star of the Sea would be full of the Harrison/Hottle family. We stayed in the same condo every year, since I could remember. My grandparents and Uncle Gary and Aunt Paula had their same condo, as well.

My brothers, sisiter, and I could hardly wait to pull up to our building. It was right on the boardwalk with shops, restaurants, and FunLand at our fingertips. It was fun to see so much of our family every year. So, this annual vacation became a much anticipated event.

Even, now, when Mitch and I head to Ocean City, we always reserve some time to head down the road to the Rehobeth boardwalk. As we walk down the boardwalk, I always mention that when we would go as a child you could not walk down Rehobeth Avenue without running into a Hottle, Harrison, or Milchak. Literally, you would head to dinner or ice cream and get stopped several times by someone you were related to. I always make Mitch stop at all my favorite shops and we have to get subs from Gus and Gus and ice cream from Kohr Bros.

Sadly, it has been years since the entire family has been at the beach together. People get older, children grow up, and life changes. Which is why I was very excited to attend the family's reunion this year. It was so good to see all of my grandmother's brothers and sisters, second cousins, and people I have not seen for a few years. I have included a few pictures from the day. Oh, and I have to mention that Mitch won a prize from one of the raffle drawings. While the rest of the Milchak's left empty handed, figures.

Mitch and I The Milchak's and Aunt Dee Dee's Family

The family

The Raffle

Valerie, Mom, and Jeanie

Michael, Brian, Mom, Jeanie, and I

Mom and I

Michael, Momma, Brian, and Jeanie

Grandpa and Michael

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NICOLE!!!!

2008-07-23T07:41:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to give a shout out to my very best friend. We love you, babe!

Can't wait to celebrate!

Wine in the Woods

2008-07-21T07:05:00.000-07:00

I kept meaning to post these photots, but time got the best of me. A few months back we went to the Maryland wine festival at Merriweather Past Pavilion. It was held in the Symphony Woods, tucked behind the venue. There was music, dancing, food, craft tents, and more. We had a great time with our friends, Nicole and Fred. Bring on the Virginia Wine Festival.

A Toast to the Day

The Terrible Threesome

Nicole and the Boys

Boys will be Boys

Mitch is punching the balloon/wine man whiie I drink his wine

Side note: This is towards the end of the day:)

Feeling wine man's muscles

The Party continues at the car.

Nicole and Fred

And, the party continues at Nicole and Fred's house. Look, Nick came by to play too.
Us, again.

Mamma Mia!

2008-07-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have to take a moment to rave about my darling husband. I learned that Mamma Mia was playing at the National Theatre about a week ago. It is one of the musicals that I have been dying to see.

One thing I vividly remember from growing up was listening to ABBA with my mother in the car. We alternated ABBA and the Moody Blues on long trips to the beach. She loved ABBA and I learned to love it, as well. The music was fun and beautiful. So, when Mamma Mia! came out a few years back, I knew I wanted to go see it. But, until now we had not had the time to see it. I figured I would have to settle for the movie before the theatrical version.

I briefly mentioned to Mitch that the musical was playing in Washington D.C. and that I was bummed that I had found out about it too late to get tickets. Of course, a few days later Mitch informed me that I would be seeing it during its final weekend in the city. He had ordered last minute tickets for us to see it this past weekend. I was thrilled and reminded once again that I am married to a great guy.

We had an impromptu night out in the city, a matinee of the show and a dinner in Chinatown. The show was fantastic. I was not sure how Mitch would react to it. He is a good sport about going to see musicals. He actually enjoyed seeing Cats ( 3 times together) and Phantom of the Opera with me. He liked the music and we have been singing a lot of the tunes all weekend. However, I will be accompanied by my mother to see the movie next weekend. Mitch deserves a break now and then.

UPDATE: Just thought I would mention that all day Sunday while we were out and about we sang ABBA songs to each other. Yes, we are that couple. Our song of choice was the catchy-Lay All Your Love on Me. While looking for a video on youtube to post here, I found so many versions. I posted the original and the one from the movie. But, I listed a few I found fun-check out Erasure's version.
ABBA

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Clip from Mamma Mia! the movie. Look-one of "The Plastics" from Mean Girls and a very cute boy:)

Some techno version-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSzhbLBrr_A
A little side note-I found a few ABBA remakes by Erasure, who knew?
Erasure-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA_I54qogR4

July 4th Update

2008-07-06T10:19:00.000-07:00

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

Here are some photos from the weekend.

Cookout at the Vannoy's

Jenn, Cat, Jeremy

Mitch and Cat

Jeremy trying to feed the Cat...not me

Barnhart BBQ
Mitch and I relaxing( and getting tired)by the pool

A very strange and long pool fight...

not sure what the objective was.

Phyllis and Mitch, Bill caught in the flash.
Mitch by the pool