And then there were FIVE!

Clearly, this announcement deserves its very own post. 

BZ2

Kevin, Amelia, Freddie, and I are thrilled (and slightly nervous) to announce that Baby Z #2 (a.k.a., BZ2) will be joining our family this spring!  March 12, 2013 is the baby's due date.  While I cannot say we were planning on this little addition so soon, we are feeling incredibly blessed to have another child.  BZ2 has already been a firecracker in my mind.  A lot of scares in the beginning (what ended up being a subchorionic bleed) made us realize how much we already loved him/her.  I was told I would miscarry three different times, but BZ2 had a plan of his/her own!  Everything is healthy now, and I am officially in my 2nd trimester and 14 weeks along.

Morning sickness has been horrible, as it was with Amelia, but has eased up this week.  And, I already have a rash of acne which  makes me think it's another girl.  We will definitely find out the sex of the baby in October, but I am not sure I will be sharing that info immediately with certain people who didn't extend the same courtesy to me.  Yes, Mara and Pauline, I am talking to you!   :)

Kevin and I worry about how we will logistically handle two kids.  A lot.  Amelia has been such a handful, how will we manage two?  I also worry I can't possibly love BZ2 as much as I love Amelia, but I will believe what everybody else tells me.  I mean, I already haven't taken a single belly pic nor do I know where all of the ultrasound pictures are located.  UGH. 

Pictures from June and July

We look alike here, right?

Happy Girl!

Wyatt (my Godson!) on his Baptism Day

Family pic w/Amelia being Amelia

11 months

11 months

11 months

4th of July at in Wisconsin

Getting ready for the boat

At Aunt Karen's

Amelia and Madison checking each other out

Amelia and Grandpa O

Mini Family Reunion!

Birthday Girl!

My Special Girl on her Birthday!

Fun in the backyard!

Sarah and Jason watching the kiddos

Wyatt and Mike

Lisa (6 months pregnant!) and Alexis

Alexis - too cute!

Freddie enjoying pool time too!

Mom and her friends came to party

Before we sang her Happy Birthday

Eva enjoying her cupcake

Amelia was not too sure about the cake at first

She eventually got into it

Sean, Valerie, and Own

Family!

Whoa.

Teddy and Wyatt!  Love!

Almost Two Months Later...

Hi Everybody!  I am a total slacker.  It has been an absolutely crazy past couple months.  So much so, that I feel the need to bullet point this post.  Pictures to follow in my next post.

1)  Amelia turned ONE YEAR OLD!  We had a wonderful birthday party for her at Grandparents Z's home in Elgin.  Family and friends and presents galore!  I still haven't managed to send Amelia's thank you cards, but am hoping to do so in the next month.  In the meantime, THANK YOU!

2)  We bought a house!  Finally.  Many of you know that we started our search all the way back in February.  It's been a long road with a few broken contracts along the way.  We are happy with our final purchase located in Itasca, IL.  It is a great location for me work-wise, and the Metra train is less than a five minutes away for Kevin.

3)  Amelia is such a little girl now.  Wow, do we love her more and more everyday.  Especially as we begin to see personality form.  She is very particular, she wants things when, where, and how she wants them.  Just like her mama!  She is so smart.  We can be in the front room and I can say, "Amelia, go to your room and bring back a book for me to read to you".  Off she walks, returning with a book she plucked off her bookshelf for me to read.  She is a really good walker now and loves the independence that comes with it.  The only milestone I feel she's behind on is talking.  She still doesn't call me "mama" or Kevin "dada".  She can mimic "uh oh" and say "waddat?", but that's about it.  She can definitely understand what you are saying though, so I won't worry too much yet.

4)  We all had our first bout of stomach flu.  I obviously won't go into details, but it was by far the worst experience (outside of post-delivery of Amelia) I have ever had.  Ever.  Amelia handled it great, she would puke and then just start playing again.  Kevin and I, not so much.  Viruses definitely affect kids and adults differently.

5)  At Amelia's 12 month appointment, her stats were the following:  Weight - 20lbs, 4 oz (55th percentile), Length - 29 1/4 inches (60th percentile), Head Circumference - 17 3/4 inches (50-55th pecentile).  Overall a really good appointment.  She is very slightly anemic so we have to give her a vitamin with an iron supplement.

6)  Amelia started taking the bottle from Kevin and I at 11 1/2 months, right around 4th of July.  It was SUCH a relief.