One and FABULOUS!

Please enjoy some of Anna's One-year-old Photos. Thank you Maureen...We love you and your camera!

A little time for US!

Well, Billy and I did it...we left Anna for a full week to officialy celebrate our five-year anniversary on a cruise!

We left early on a Saturday morning (Aunt Mags and Uncle AJ watched Anna for the weekend and then handed off to Grandma and Grandpa) and headed to San Juan, where we stayed one night. On Sunday, we boarded the ship and off we sailed to the British Virgin Islands and the West Indies (St. Thomas, St. John's, Tortolla, Virgin Gorda, Antigua, St. Lucia and Barbados).

We had the time of our lives...soaking up the sun, eating, drinking, doing excursions, sailing, snorkeling, etc. We really enjoyed the "alone time" and just having fun with each other. I'm not saying we didn't miss Anna everyday, but it's so nice to know that Billy and I haven't changed much when it comes to "us." We have fun, laugh, love and truly enjoy eachother's company...Anna is just an added bonus!

In addition to befriending a fabulous German couple (and partying very hard with them), Billy and I experienced so much on this trip, including hiking a 17 century sugar plantation in St. Lucia, swimming and climbing through the amazing baths at Virgin Gorda, jet-skiing off the shores of Barbados and drinking a lot of Carib and Rum! :)

My Spooky Little Skeleton...

Well...It's the MOST wonderful time of the year (for the Whelan family)! Yes, to a Whelan, Halloween is ranked right up there and may even surpass the tradition and excitement of Christmas. I fit right in...I love Halloween and I love Fall in Chicago!

Although this past month was the 9th rainiest October of all time for Chicago, it didn't slow us down from enjoying every minute. We prepared for Halloween with thrill just like any other year, except finally this year Bill retired his Dee Snider costume (I'll post some pictures of that as well).

Last Halloween Anna was only three weeks old and we weren't able to fully observe the holiday because it was my sister's wedding. This year was great because I was finally able to dress Anna up in a fabulous costume and enjoy the Whelan family Halloween party. My Bear was a little pink skeleton...she was SO cute. The best part? The costume was glow-in-the-dark!

In addition, the three of us headed up to Lake Geneva the weekend before Halloween to take part in all the great fall festivities. We went to the Elkhorn Apple Farm and picked out pumpkins, apples, wine and more.

I've posted some pictures for all to enjoy!

Happy 5-Year Anniversary, Billy!

I'm posting this blog a little late due to "technical problems," but I just had to have a post dedicated to my husband and Anna's Dad, Billy Whelan.

Ten years ago (just about exact), Billy and I officially met at a bar (Flanagan's) at UD. Our mutual friend, Liz Haas introduced us and as far as I can remember (we both were a few drinks deep) we both knew this was different. We clicked. We got eachother. Right away we made eachother laugh like no one else we'd met. I'll never forget that night or the weekend or the many weeks, months and years we spent building this incredible love for eachother.

Five years ago, Billy and I sealed the deal and got married. We made our love, best-friendship and complete respect and adoration official. It was a spectacular weekend and night. There is no other time in your life when everyone you care about in your entire life comes together from around the country to celebrate you. It was magical and I'll never forget it.

Billy and I have been through quite a lot in our 10 years of knowing and loving eachother. Two-years living apart, births, deaths, cancer, travels, pregnancy, a recession and so much more. However, we've never waivered, never doubted and always loved. We are best friends. We're our biggest fans and even bigger competitors. We're eachother's support system and we call eachother home. And still to this day, no one (and I truly mean no one) makes me laugh like Bill Whelan.

I love you so much, Billy. I always knew you were special and I always knew that you would turn into the man you are today...an incredibe husband and father. With all the surprises life can throw your way, I know that what we've built together is unbreakable. I'm truly excited to discover what the next five, ten years will bring. Whatever it is, we'll thrive and our love will grow.

Happy 1st Birthday Anna!

Yes, it finally arrived. Anna's 1st birthday and her HUGE party on Saturday, Sept. 26. It was incredible...so much fun. All of our closest friends and family celebrated this enormous milestone with us and I wouldn't have done it any other way. In total, we had about 65 people attend the party, including the Whelan's, Dorn's, Dayton and high school friends and lots of kids and babies!

Anna was definitely the bell of the ball. I typically don't like very "girly" clothes for Anna. In fact, I sometimes like anything that's not pink just a little bit better. However, for her birthday I went as outrageous and "girly" as you possibly can. Anna wore a fabulous tutu!

One ofthe many highlights (for me) was watching the video we made of the many pictures we've taken the last year. It just reminded me of the unbelievable transformation Anna has made in just one short year. When you see a video like that, it just reiterates how precious these first years really are and how (as a mother) you have to appreciate every second.

Thank you so much to all of our friends and family that came to the party, brought gifts and continue to support, especially this year. We are certainly better for all of your love.

I've posted some pictures and a video of the big day.

A Letter to My Daughter

Hi baby girl -

I just put you down for your (very predictible) morning nap and felt the need to write you a note. We're quickly approaching the end of the summer (your first summer), the beginning of your second fall and your 1st birthday. Even though the thought of you being one already is making me sad (because I love you so much), I wanted to let you know how happy you've made me this year.

Anna, I've had the best year of my entire life. You've brought nothing but happiness and joy into our lives each and every day. I've never loved mornings so much. Your Dad and I sometimes fight over who gets to go into your bedroom and get you from your crib. Everytime we sneak into your room, you look at us with the biggest smile. It's like you're the most excited you've ever been to see us...every morning! I love that you love me (us) so much. It's a magical feeling.

I've loved our mornings playing and our breakfasts together. I've loved our runs in the stroller and walks in the neigborhood. I've loved our picnic lunches at the park and playdates with friends. I've loved our discoveries (grass, flowers, ducks, water fountains) and our quiet times and cuddle sessions. I've loved our trips to the Lake and swims in the pool. You've made each little moment special when I wouldn't have thought twice about it. This has been the best summer because of you. You've made it possible to slow down, take it all in, enjoy little things and moments and get excited about everything again. You're soaking everything in, and in the process, have made me soak it all in, again. I feel refreshed, rejuvinated and, in a way, reborn

I look at pictures and I can't believe how much you've grown. It seems like your face changes every day. You now have a dimple on your right cheak, five beautiful teeth, I slight ridge in your chin, wonderfully crazy blonde hair and the cutest, fatest legs on earth.

Just this past week you started to pull yourself up on all our furniture and "cruise" around our room. It was the glimpse into your life as a walker. With that, I saw you for the first time as a little girl and not just a baby. It was wonderful and I'm so thankful I've been here to see all of it.

I love you so much, my Anna Bear, my Missy May, my Woman, my Anna Sophia. You're the light of my life and the most fun I've ever had. I'll never, ever forget the amazing summer of 2009, when my baby girl became a beautiful person right before my eyes. I love you and I look forward to a hundred more summers with you.

Just in case I should ever forget, I'm jotting down the song I've sung to you everyday since the day you were born:

Anna Sophia, I love you
Anna Sophia, yes I do
Anna Sophia, I love you
Oh yes, Oh yes, yes I do
I love you so very much
Oh yes, Oh yes I do
Anna Sophia, I love you
Oh yes, Oh yes I do

Just some Thoughts, a Video and Some Pictures...

I dropped Anna's 1st birthday invitations in the mail today and just couldn't believe the significance of that moment. It felt surreal. I can't believe my baby is going to be one. I can't believe I've been a mom for a year. I can't believe all the things that have happened this year. I guess you never really understand how much one year means throughout the course of a lifetime until you have a baby and watch them grow from an infant to a real person...it's one of the great wonders of the world.

I have posted a cute video and some pictures...just because.

Meet Me in St. Louis...

Katie and Steve made the big move to St. Louis and we (The Whelan Three) finally were able to make it down to visit them. They live in a beautiful part of town called Webster Groves and live in a house that's 100 yrs. old...very cool. We had such a nice visit and we all loved catching up and Anna visited her fifth state in 10 months.

The funniest part of the entire weekend was the "obsession" Anna had/has with Katie and Steve's beagles. Anyone who has spent significant time with Anna knows a couple of things about her: 1. She has SUCH a great personality, but is not a big laugher, 2. She LOVES dogs.

Well, who knew it, but the dogs finally brought out the biggest kackle I've ever heard out of her and all they were doing is jumping up and down. It only happened once, but I've never been so full of laughter and joy myself...what a miracle to see your child that happy!

Thank you Katie and Steve!!!

WHAT A WEEK for the Bear!!

What a week it's been (July 12-19)!

Anna continues to grow at a rapid pace - it seems as if she's completely changed in just one week:

1. She FINALLY started crawling

2. She learned how to point

3. Two more teeth came in (the two next to her front/top two)

4. Dropped the afternoon bottle and moved on to three meals a day

It has been so incredible to witness all of this growth, change and transformation. It's like something has "clicked" inside that little brain and she just get it!

Let me start this amazing week by talking about her nine-month check up. Bill and I went to Lakeview pediatrics to see her pediatrition for her well visit. I always love those becuase A) she's always gaining weight, and B) She always gets a clean bill of health. The same was true this time around. The stats are as follows:

22 lbs (90th percentile) my little chunker :)

29 inches long (75th percentile)

Perfectly healthy in every way (We are SO blessed)

The only thing that we need to do (and very soon) is get Anna into the habbit of falling asleep on her own. Up until now, she's been very used to and comfortable with falling asleep on us and we've created a monster. It's "cry-it-out" time :( Ugh.

Moving on to the next part of the week: CLEVELAND!

The Whelan family went on our first major roadtrip with Anna to visit all of our friends in Cleveland (especially the Baran Clan (Scott, Tara, Aiden, Brady and the little one on the way). Anna did so well on the way there and back. She was pleasant the entire time...unbelievable!

We had a wonderful time meeting all of our friends' new children and an even better time putting them to bed while we "partied" around Scott's bonfire...ahhh the good ole times.

While in Cleveland, Anna surprised us all by CRAWLING across the room for the first time! What made her do it? It was Diesel, the Baran's huge chocolate lab. She loves dogs, and now, she loves to crawl. She's all over the place and we couldn't be happier and more excited for her. Right when we got back home to Chicago, Bill and rushed around the house to "fine tune" our baby-proofing. I think we're good to go, but only time will tell.

Things change when babies start to crawl. There is an aire of independence that comes over them. They're excited to explore the world. And, for the first time...they do it on their own. I love seeing her grow - discovering the world and herself, but I can't help feel a little sad. My little Bear doesn't need me for everything anymore. It's a new chapter in her life, so we have to close the old one...the infant one.

I wish time could stand still for our little family.

Everyone always says, "the best is yet to come." I know that is true, and I look forward to all of it. However, these "baby moments" are few and very precious. I want to soak each second in, wrap my arms around all of it and never let her smell, her sounds her feeling leave me for the rest of my life. I love her at every moment and every stage of life - I'm just so blessed to have been there to experience it all.

I know this is a little cheesy (and you know how I hate that stuff), but I can't help think of a song by John Mayer called, "Stop This Train." The lyrics are below:

No I'm not color blind

I know the world is black and white

Try to keep an open mind but...I just can't sleep on this tonight

Stop this train I want to get off and go home again

I can't take the speed it's moving in

I know I can't

But honestly won't someone stop this train

Don't know how else to say it, don't want to see my parents go

One generation's length away From fighting life out on my own

Stop this train I want to get off and go home again

I can't take the speed it's moving in

I know I can't but honestly won't someone stop this train

So scared of getting older, I'm only good at being young

So I play the numbers game to find a way to say that life has just begun

Had a talk with my old man, Said help me understand

He said turn 68, you'll renegotiate

Don't stop this train

Don't for a minute change the place you're in

Don't think I couldn't ever understand

I tried my hand

John, honestly we'll never stop this train

Once in a while when it's good It'll feel like it should

And they're all still around And you're still safe and sound

And you don't miss a thing'til you cry when you're driving away in the dark.

Singing stop this train I want to get off and go home again

I can't take this speed it's moving in

I know I can't

Cause now I see I'll never stop this train