Success!

Everyone made the most of this eating holiday, including my sweet girl.

We are officially on the bottle!

To be introduced at 4-5 weeks, it took her longer to grasp the idea than I remember the first time around. But never the less, with a little persistence and patience (thank you hubby and mom), she's got it.

I fed her a bottle myself tonight, which they really don't recommend (b/c she can smell my milk up to 20 feet away??) and she sucked down 3 ounces without a second thought.

What does this mean?

Freedom, my friends. Freedom.

It means date nights with hubby, pilates classes and the gym once I'm cleared (six days and counting), quite simply the ability to leave the house for more than 2 hours at a time.

Aside from sleeping through the night, this is the single biggest milestone we're working towards in her young life.

To celebrate, hubby, sis, Gaston and I went out Sat night to a post-Thanksgiving pub crawl organized by some friends. I can't tell you how refreshing it was to be in a bar full of carefree people again. Sad but true, it's like a breath of fresh air...a glimpse of our old lives.

Not that we'd trade, don't get me wrong, but it's very nice to be able to visit again.

Great job little eater. I'm so proud of you.

Thanksgiving recaps

We sent the family off this afternoon after a long, wonderful visit. Not too restful for my parents I fear.

Ben loves his grandpa Ted, and didn't give him a moment alone once he walked through the front door. As you can see a bit here, they read every book in Ben's extensive library (at least five times each), along with playing trucks, cars and trains.

My mom took Juliet upon walking through the front door and didn't let go except to cook and do laundry.

They are the perfect guests!

Sis was allowed a little time with the kids and we squeezed in some shopping too.

Overall a great few days of family, eating and relaxing (and yet we're all exhausted).

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families!

A few pictures from their visit...

Life Is Good...

Not much breaking news to report on our end...Juliet is doing great, sleeping longer between feedings at night which is about the only milestone new parents really care about (or me anyway). She is already breaking all the rules, more on that later, but I can't figure out if it's because she is a girl, or because she is #2. Probably a combination of both, plus that little VSD thing made me think she was more fragile, which isn't the case, but certainly has weighed into her already lenient parenting.

In fact, now that I think about it, the whole house has pretty much gone on vacation since late Oct. Ben is sleeping in until 8, playing with the ipad and watching TV at least once a day. He eats all of his fruits covered in some type of confection (strawberries = Reddiwip; banana = nutella; apples = peanut butter). And last week he asked for candy from his Halloween bucket after breakfast.

Crap, I really need to get back on the clock.

Well, at least everyone is happy for the most part.

Hubby and I actually went on a date Sat night and were reflecting about how much easier it is the second time. A lot of which is b/c Jules is so good and Ben was colicky, but I don't want to kill my hubby and he has yet to find me crying in the bathroom with any screaming children so we're leaps ahead of our previous situation.

In fact, while I walked out the front door the other day to walk the dog with both of them yelling at the top of their lungs and I barely heard it over the breeze...I guess we've all learned a lot over the last two years.

In all seriousness, we hit mass on Sunday for the second weekend in a row. I think the last time we pulled that off was a Lenten season years ago when it was just hubby and me. With Juliet on one shoulder, Ben reading a book next to me, and hubby at the end of the pew, I nearly choked up thinking about how very blessed we are. Suddenly we are a family and a happy, healthy one to boot. With all we've experienced around us, it's hard not to reflect and be so very thankful for that, no matter what the season.

A couple recent pics - Ben showing Gigi (what he calls her, Polish for 'baby' and it's really stuck around here) what's up with her playmat, a pic of him at Lincoln Park Zoo before she arrived that I love with the skyline in back, and a picture of Juliet wearing her Super S shirt.

Enjoy! (and Happy early Thanksgiving to you all!)

Just Another Saturday Morning...

As I was going to the bathroom this morning -- with Juliet on one shoulder, Ben at my knees putting trucks down my pants, and Stella whining outside the door to be taken for a walk -- I was reminded of the ad that ran years ago for Calgon ("Take Me Away").

The creative director really nailed that one, didn't he?

I haven't taken any bathes(who in the world has time for that ??), but I have thought numerous times in the last couple weeks how amazingly well those three little words capture so many emotions of trying to tackle something as simple as getting out the door to walk the dog, or even just to pee...

Grandparents!

Grandma Marsha and Grandpa Joe blew into the Windy City this week to meet the little lady and catch up with our star performer.

We had a great visit with them, filled with lots of delicious wine, food and dessert. Of course, Ben adored all the special attention and especially grandpa Joe.

A few of the best pics here...

Just two more of the sweetheart. Her first lady's brunch with grandma a couple weeks ago, and a picture Aunt Carrie captured last weekend...

Our Little Lady

Pictures have been few and far between of our little lady. I'm working on resolving that, but in the meantime had to share the latest gift that arrived this week.

To start, it was her first package from Neiman's. I think I can say with confidence that I didn't own anything from NM before I turned 30. And mini pink UGG boots? You can't be serious. And yet, here they are and I can't wait to get them on her tiny little feet.

Thanks to Mary for the extravagant gift. It is completely over the top and I adore them!

Little Lion

As promised a while back, we had a couple funny videos from Halloween. The other is actually significantly funnier but I'm nursing the baby in the background and I just can't bring myself to get over it and post (even though you can't see anything).

Sadly you are missing out on his new laugh, we'll work to get it on film again...

Big Boy Haircut

My little guy is growing up before my eyes. Last night we went to get a hair cut and hubby was meeting us there. We had to get started before he arrived so we tried the booster seat (Ben usually sits in one of our laps). Not only did he do fine, he kicked up a leg, requested a pretzel and watched CNN.

And he doesn't waste the opportunity to ham it up with Bridget, his official hair dresser whom he adores.

Hangin' in our PJs

Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)

Sunday morning Juliet and I were waiting for her final check up from the pediatrician in order to be released from the hospital when the attending doc said he heard an abnormality in her heart.

He ordered up several tests and ultimately diagnosed her with a ventricular septal defect, or VSD. In layman's terms, a hole in her heart. We scheduled a follow up appointment with a cardiologist at Children's for more testing and a consultation.

While certainly not what you're hoping to hear about your sweet baby moments before taking her home, the doctor assured us it was fairly common and there is no hospital I'd rather have her treated at than Children's...

We met with the doctor on Tuesday and he seemed confident that our little lady will be just fine. After laying patiently through nearly an hour of an echocardiogram test, and of course stealing the heart of the woman conducting the exam, the doctor read the results and said she should be just fine. Apparently these VSDs are fairly common and in most cases end up closing on their own.

We'll keep an eye on her, make sure she continues to put on weight (the little pork chop is exceeding weight forecasts for her age like it's nobody's business - proving beyond just the hair that she is my daughter), and doesn't experience any problems breathing, otherwise we aren't scheduled to see him again for another year. At that point we'll get another echo and an EKG to make sure everything is operating as it should.

A major relief to be sure. After watching a colleague go through open heart surgery on her four month old, it was not something I wanted any of us to experience.

Cheers to a big, healthy heart Juliet. XO.

Update from Project "Family of Four"

Team S was hit with a stomach bug earlier this week (apparently a different flu than the one you get the shot for??) which was an unexpected, temporarily crippling blow. I guess that is what I get for bragging about how easy things have been :)

I think, make that PRAY, we are out of the woods with little Juliet spared. I'm guessing if we make it through today without her getting sick we should be through the germ cycle. Yikes, it was UGLY.

On a brighter note, a few pictures and an update about the crew...

There is little better in the world than napping with a newborn on your chest as hubby is doing here. It defines yummy...

A picture of the lady clad in pink. She had her first bath today and actually faired pretty well considering she doesn't like to be naked and seems constantly cold. A few tears but overall she proved to be the calm, relaxed little bundle we love.

And Ben relaxing on the couch with his trucks. He has developed into quite the little performer in the last two weeks as he pulls out all of his tricks for visitors coming to meet Juliet.

He is obsessed with his cars and trucks, has "garages" all over the house where he stores them, and drags his dinosaur book (thanks ba ba) out for every new person to read it to him.

He has been AMAZING with Juliet - curious when she cries, alerting everyone when her sock falls off, gently touching her head while she is sleeping. There was one incident of toy-to-face contact, thankfully it was with the foam finger and no damage was done :)

Paula has been coming in the morning to help with Ben, allowing me to run errands. She usually heads home around Ben's nap time and our little crew hangs together in the afternoon. We've got a pretty good rhythm going.

With that, you're pretty much up to speed on the exciting details of our progress. More pics to come soon!