What a difference a year makes...

One year Ago yesterday we found out we were pregnant with Abby...

May 17, 2008

(please excuse the messy hair and half asleep look it was really early in the morning and we were in shock)

May 17, 2009

Sleeping Beauty


She also had her first bout with rice cereal this week

I think she won

Abby -1 rice cereal-0

She was pretty happy about the mess she made

VOTE FOR ME!!!

Hi everyone,
I posted on our blog about a week or so ago that I entered Abby in Chicago's most huggable baby contest.
The grand Prize is $1000, and the weekly winner prize is a gift card for the Disney store.
I will paste the link below.

http://radiobase1.clearchannel.com/front/Image_Contest.asp?Action=Thumbs&type=Date&SurveyID=7888&zx=480&Cpage=1&filterby=A

She is in the Third row in the middle, it is her Easter bunny Picture.

You can vote once per day per email address, if you have more than one email address or if more than one person uses the computer, and has a different email address, you will need to clear your cookies out, clear your history, close out your browser and then paste the link in again.

There are no Ads to get through, but you will need to register with WLIT, however you can opt out of all the emails on the registration page.

Please Please please help us stuff the ballot box for her. I think it would be neat if she won her week. If she is one of the Semifinalists, she will go up against 2 other babies and we will need to vote again. If she does not win this week her photo will go forward to next week.

PLEASE VOTE!!!

Thanks so much!.

Love you guys,
Christie

My First Mothers Day...

It was a wonderful weekend...with the exception that I didn't get to see my mom who was not feeling well and decided that rather than risk uas all getting sick we would celebrate Our Mom's day on a special day all of our own.

So while I was bummed I am looking forward to that day.

Like I said other than that it was a wonderful weekend, Donnie and Abby (with the help of her Daddy) surprised me with Breakfast in bed on Saturday followed by a trip to Long Grove. We walked around the town and went to a bunch of the stores there. Then we cooked out for dinner and watched movies when Abby went to bed. It was a nice relaxing day and I love Long Grove so it was really nice to show Donnie the town and spend time with him and Abby there.

On Sunday we went to church in the morning and then Donnie's Parents house in the afternoon and celebrated with them. Donnie's Dad made some yummy Brisket with all of the sides and we visited and just enjoyed the weather.

In other news...WE WON THE APPEAL!!! So we will be receiving back pay for the last 3 months and a biweekly benefit. We do have to go through another appeal on the 21st because Donnies Company is appealing his willingness and availability to work from 2-15 to 2-28 (even though they let him go on 2-2). We are confident that the decision that was made in our favor will be upheld seeing as how we have all the paperwork showing he was actively searching for a job, while still attempting to get back on with the old Company. We both feel it is just a way for them to draw this process out further even though we already won.

Other than that things are going pretty well now and it was a wonderful weekend. We took a few pictures that I will post below.

Have a great day!!

Love,

Us

Part of Long Grove

All Smiles for Mommy

and then she took a nap

A few of the shops

Lucky...

There is a song in my playlist at the bottom that speaks to how I feel about my life. Even though we have been going through some tough times and things have been not so great I feel like my life is really full.
I have an amazing family who is by our side through everything and our biggest fans and cheering section. I have an amazing Husband who has turned into a wonderful father and someone I hope Abby will pattern her partners in life after, and I have a beautiful daughter who I thank god for everyday. She has shown me so many things in her short time here that I am so thankful for (yes even those 2 am feedings).

Here are the Lyrics for the song and it is on the playlist at the bottom so hopefully you will take a listen...
Across the water across the deep blue ocean
Under the open sky oh my, baby I'm trying
Yeah I hear you in my dreams
I hear your whisper across the sea
I keep you with me in my heart
You make it easier when life gets hard

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
Oooohhhhoohhhhohhooohhooohhooohoooh

They don't know how long it takes
Waiting for a love like this
Every time we say goodbye
I wish we had one more kiss
I wait for you I promise you, I will

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
I'm lucky we're in love every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday

And so I'm sailing through the sea
To an island where we'll meet
You'll hear the music, feel the air
I put a flower in your hair
And though the breeze is through trees ???
Move so pretty you're all I see
Let the world keep spinning round
You hold me right here right now

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
I'm lucky we're in love every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday

The weekend...

We had a great weekend and it was a very busy one at that. It was nice to visit with all of our family and on Sunday we got to relax some and take Abby for a nice walk around our neighborhood and enjoy the beautiful weather. Below are some of the pictures I got!

Abby and Great Grandma DeMarco

Abby and Grandpa DeMarco

Abby and Grandma and Grandpa DeMarco

Abby and Her cousin Madi

And for your viewing pleasure...the timeline of a tantrum thrown by Miss Abigail Rose...

Sitting Pretty on Momma's Lap

Wait for it...

And Go!!!

Yes, she has perfected her tantrum throwing skills, complete with arched back and banshee scream!!

Have a great Tuesday everyone.

Love ,

Us

Happy Friday...

Good Morning and happy Friday to everyone!! We have a fun exciting weekend planned and I am soo looking forward to it. My Dad and Mom DeMarco are in town from Tennesee and they haven't seen Abby since she was about 2 weeks old, it will be neat for them to see all the changes she has made over that last 13 weeks. We are also attending AnLi's first communion which is a huge event in a young persons life and I am so glad we get to be there to support her, with the rest of the family.

As for at home, we are plugging along, Abby is now consistently sleeping through the night and on a pretty regular nap schedule, which is nice for us. She is starting to teeth though, and usually wakes up with a huge drool spot on her sheet every morning, which means we get to change her sheets just about every day. Boy am I glad we bought extras before she was born.

Donnie is still looking for a job and the appeal for the unemployment benefits is next Wednesday, so please keep your fingers crossed for us and we are keeping it in prayer. It is out of our hands at this point and we are hoping we get a fair judgement, seeing as he kinda got screwed in the first place.

Work is going well for me, we are gearing up for our busy season so I have had my hands full. I have been here for a year now and there are still things that I learn everyday. I truly enjoy my job though and I am glad that I can finally say that. I went through so many types and kinds of jobs, I am glad to finally have a place that feels like home.

Other than that we are continuing to grow in our faith, this journey that God has sent us on has really been testing us, but it is also showing us what a wonderful supportive community of family and friends we have surrounding us. I can only hope that one day we will have the opportunity to pay it forward like so many have done for us.

We have found a wonderful source of comfort in the Compline prayer excercise that Aimee ( our priest) has suggested to us. It is a nightly prayer excercise that Donnie and I have been doing. It gives us a chance (once Abby is in bed) to round out the day and center ourselves before bed. It helps me pass some of the burden I feel over to God and it helps me rest easier. It is taking Donnie a little longer to be comfortable with it, but he is coming around.

I think part of God's plan in all of this was to bring us closer to him. When I was younger I looked at church as something I had to do, as an adult with a child of my own, I now look forward to church on Sunday morning, I think of it as a way to have a conversation with God and to help give the weeks joys, trials, and over all complicated journey over to him. I find it as a time for quiet reflection, reflection on how I can do better for myself, for my marriage and for my daughter. I hope that one day Abby finds her own place with God, and of course Donnie and I will certainly help her but overall I think it has to be something that you come to in your own time, much like we have.

Ok enough babbling, off to work I go, the sooner the day gets started the closer I am to starting the weekend :).

Love you all,
Christie