The Whelan Family Shower

This past Sunday and 34 weeks pregnant, The Whelan ladies hosted a beautiful shower for me and Bill. And, in usual Whelan fashion, they didn't hold back...it was just gorgeous! The shower was at Sue's (Bill's oldest sister) and Amy, Diane and Cathy (my fantastic sisters-in-law) helped to pull it all together. It was definitely a full house with Bill's Mom, Aunts, my mom, sister and all my little neices attending. It was wonderful to spend the day with such incredible women!

I want to thank them all for their thoughtfulness and generosity and for always supporting me and Bill for the past ten years. Even though this is grandchild/cousin/baby number 14 for the Whelan clan, they still make us feel like we are the first! I couldn't have asked to be a part of a more incredible family.

I love you all so very much.

Prentice Hospital Here We Come

Bill and I went on a tour of Northwestern's Prentice Women's Hospital where we'll be having Baby Whelan - and she is a very lucky lady. The hospital is pretty incredible. I know I don't have much to compare it to, but from what I hear, it's the tops.

Just a year old, you couldn't ask for a more advanced, yet relaxed and comforting place to have a baby. From it's state-of-the-art delivery rooms, to its recovery rooms complete with flat-screen TVs, marble bathrooms and beds for the dads, I'm actually looking forward to our stay. Plus, we'll have the best take-home present ever!!!

Still ROCKIN the Stilettos

I have to admit...I was pretty proud of myself at our friends' (Grace and Chris Johnson) wedding. At 33 weeks pregnant and about 32 pounds heavier than my pre-pregnancy weight, I still rocked out my favorite stiletto heals...and, kept them on all night long!!!

We had so much fun at the wedding and it was wonderful to see all of our friends from out of town, including the Pierson's, Baucco's and others. Gotta love those UD weddings...they're like mini reunions every time.

Congrats to Chris and Grace!

Baby Luca Arrives!

Liz Diomede (one of my "besties" from NNHS) always said that I'd have my first when she has her second. Well, we are about 2 months off.

Mark and Liz welcomed Luca William Diomede into the world on August 1. A little smaller than his big brother Sam was when he was born, Luca is a blonde babe with all the good looks of his parents!

Congrats to Lizzy and Mark!

Maggie's Bridal Shower

Here are the Dorn women at Maggie's bridal shower. We had a great time celebrating Maggie's upcoming wedding to AJ!

Also, those lovely ladies sitting next to each other are my grandmas (Rita and Adel). Can you believe that our baby girl will be lucky enough to have two Great Grandmas? Four Dorn/Meahl generations (women) alive and well together...that is so cool!!!

At this point, I was about 30 weeks pregnant and getting HUGE!

My First Shower with The Girls

I have the most incredible girlfriends in the world and once again, they managed to do something wonderful for me. "The girls" hosted a beautiful baby shower for me, complete with games, tasty food, gifts and some much needed girl time. I couldn't be more greatful for their ongoing love and support

I feel so incredibly blessed to have such wonderful friends and family. It means so much to have the kind of support I have, especially as I move into this phase in my life. I may be the first one to have a baby, but some things will always remain the same.

Thank you sisters, Mom, Dayton girls, NNHS girls and all the others...you are the best!

It's a GIRL!!!

Wow! What an amazing experience to find out what we're having. I wouldn't have done it any other way.

On June 2, Bill and I went to Prentice Hospital for our one and only ultrasound. I was really excited about finding out the gender, but also very nervous about how the baby was growing. Was it healthy? Was I healthy? Plus, the many weeks and months of people "guessing" what we were having and making remarks like, "Oh, you're having a girl because you didn't get morning sickness," or "You're having a boy because of the way you're carrying the baby," all culminated into this moment.

I can't describe how surreal and just plain miraculous it was to see our baby on camera for the very first time. It made everything feel more real than ever and it was beautiful! The baby kept moving all around and at one point Baby Whelan yawned and rubbed its little eyes. We couldn't believe it.

And then, there it was! The doctor pointed it out...Billy and I made a little GIRL - a healthy and vibrant little girl! What a blessing.

Prego in London and Paris

In late May and 20 weeks pregnant, Bill and I visited our best friends Holly and Liam in London (and Paris) and had an absolute blast! I will say, though, it would have been nice to fully enjoy some of that fine French wine. It was wonderful to see our great friends and two beautiful cities.

We managed to see it all! From the Tower of London to the Eiffel Tower, we didn't skip a beat. Despite a serious case of jet lag, I was feeling great and had finally gotten all of my energy back from first trimester.

But, I have to say that the most exciting part of the whole trip was feeling the first kick! Yes, Baby Whelan's first movements just happened to be in Jolly Ole' England...already the world traveler.

A St. Patrick's Day Without Drinking?

Three months pregnant...Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Yes, I couldn't believe it either...I had to endure one or our favorite holiday's without a green beer in hand (and I don't consider O'Douls beer). I finally realized how hilarious and just plane weird people can be when they're really drunk and you're stone sober.

Bill and Katie Turn 30!!

Happy Birthday to Billy and Katie!

The big 3-0 party couldn't have been more fun. Plus, Bill and I gave the news to the entire family that we were pregnant. I was so excited to tell everyone that I couldn't even wait for them to take their coats off at the restaurant. I just belted it out like I was 16 years old.

With news like that, you just can't hold it in for one second!!!

We're Pregnant!

Bill and I have always wanted to be parents. From the moment we met, I knew that Bill would be an amazing father and I would hopefully be a great Mom and together we would have the family we've always dreamed of. I have always wanted to be a mom above everything else and I was so excited that the time was here for Bill and I to make it happen.

Our pregnancy has been an amazing adventure, with our fair share of ups and downs. However, we are blessed to have a normal pregnancy and a healthy baby that continues to grow each and every day.