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

Anna's First Independence Day (at the lake)

It was a packed house up in Lake Geneva for the 4th of July! The entire family, dogs, Rick, Kelly and Sarah all made it up and we had a great time.

There were a few firsts this weekend for the Whelan family: Anna went on the boat for the first time and Billy and I had a date night to our first concert since having the little babe. We went to Summerfest and saw The Fray, while everyone else babysat Anna. We had such a blast.

As always, I've posted a quick video and some pictures of our long weekend up in LG.

Musical Magic

I signed Anna up for a class in our neighborhood that I had heard great things about. It's actually run by a former PR exec that had a child, a change of heart and ultimately, a change in career (sounds familiar).

As it turns out, it is the cutest thing I've ever experienced. What's better than 10 babies in a circle with lots of music, hand puppets, bubbles and instruments? Five years ago I wouldn't have imagined there being anything more annoying in life, but now, with Anna, it's so much fun. I love seeing her socialize (and she is a social butterfly) with other babies, dance to the music, smile and laugh. This class has made me realize just how much of a little person she is becoming and I love being there to share every moment with her.

OH! And, BTW...Anna Bear is SOOO incredibly close to crawling. Anyday now!

Anna's cousin, Brittany, joined us for our second Musical Magic class and I think she had just as much fun as Anna. I've posted some photos and a video of our fun little hour!

CUTEST Baby Ever

I have to post these pictures becuase I just love them. My little Anna is a beauty! And, thank you Uncle AJ and Aunt Maggie for her fabulous shoes!

The First Dip in the Whelan Pool

This past Sunday, Billy, Anna and I visited Grandma and Grandpa Whelan at their home in Libertyville. It was especially exciting this time around becuase it was Anna's first time taking a dip in the Whelan pool. Anna's cousins were surrounding her as she took her first dip. Being as she is SUCH a water baby, she absolutely loved it and didn't want to get out.

I posted a vide below of this momentus occasion!

Billy's First Father's Day

This past Sunday, June 21, was Billy's very first Father's Day and he was more excited to celebrate this day than any other birthday or holiday...it was adorable. I surprised him with a brunch at our favorite place, Deleece, and then we visited the Roscoe Village street festival. It was a beautiful day and the three of us Whelan's hung out all day!

For his Father's Day gift, I got the two of us tickets to see The Fray at Summerfest in Milwaukee on July 4. I'm also working on a painting of Bill and Anna (from Marco Island) and I hope to have that completed by the end of the summer.

Happy Father's Day, Billy. We love you so much!!

Lake Geneva with Anna's First Friend, Addy

Addy and Anna were born on the same day. As it turns out, Bill's childhood friend Jeff and his wife Emily had their first child at Prentice on the same day, on the same hallway as us. The night the girls were born, Bill and Jeff just happened to take a stroll with their new baby girls at the same time and ran into each other. They hadn't talked in years and here they were reuniting with their children in their arms.

The best thing about this entire story is that the Noyes' just happen to live one block from us and Jeff's wife Emily is my age and just absolutely fabulous. As you can imagine, we have become great friends and our daughters enjoy playdates (while the mom's enjoy a few glasses of wine :).

Anna and I took Emily and Addy up to Lake Geneva for the week and had a blast. The weather was beautiful, so we took walks by the lake, played in the pool and just had a great "all girls getaway."

I've posted some photos of the getaway and a video of Anna's first time in her little boat in the Geneva National baby pool. I'm sure we'll be in there many more times before this summer ends. So much fun!

A Beautiful Day in Chicago...

Part of the fun of staying at home with your child are those random days when have nothing planned and you just get to spend time with them. Just the two of you. Loving life and eachother. Anna and I have had our fair share of those days, especially this winter when she was too young and it was too cold to venture outside. But, the best days are here. Warm, beautiful summer days that we get to spend together outside.

We had one of those days and we lived it up in my beloved Chicago. We had a picnic, went for a run, fed some ducks and turtles and soaked up the sun. I've posted some pictures of our adventure in Lincoln Park and the lovely Chicago lakefront. Love it!

A Mommy Update

Since I'm using this blog as sort of a "crude" journal that someday Anna will have to read about her first year (few years), I thought I'd give an update on how and what her mom is up to.

I was recently watching Oprah (which I try to avoid since it plays into the entire "stay-at-home mom" stereotype) and the show was about the truth about motherhood. She interviewed moms from across the country of all different ages and nationalities. Basically, it was a full hour about how horrible motherhood is. These women seemed to hate themselves and their lives, claiming that the children THEY decided to have ruined their lifestyles and their plans.

The truth is, I literally couldn't relate to any of it. I didn't agree with anything they said and came to an amazing realization. Some women are not meant to be mothers and some are. I am one of those women that was put on this earth to be a mom - no questions asked. Granted, I've only been a mom for eight months and have not experienced the teenage years yet, but I've enjoyed everyday of Anna. I never thought I could love something this deeply. I never thought I would sit in my bed each morning with Anna and Bill and feel truly happy looking at my little family. I have no regrets. I have no sadness. I only have happiness and love.

Here's the Mommy Update:

I'm a "stay-at-home" working mother! Yes, I have the best of both worlds. I work from home for an old client. I work when I have time and when my mom and Billy can watch Anna. It's perfect. I'm not making the money I used to, but it all evens out considering we don't have to pay for a nanny. I LOVE staying at home. If I can continue on with the current working situation, I don't think I'll ever go back. I'm here to experience it all and wouldn't trade it for anything.

Okay...I'm not completely honest. There's been one thing about being a mom that I've had a difficult time dealing with, but it has nothing to do with Anna. It's been my struggle with losing my baby weight. I gained 55 pounds during my pregnancy...that's obscene and it's all my fault. I thought (thought is the key word) that i'd lose it in a few weeks (HA!). As all of my other girlfriends' pounds just simply melted away, I was stuck seven months later with an extra 10 pounds. BUT...today I have some GREAT news. After stopping nursing and really sticking to my diet, I'm happy to report that I made it to 135 pounds (only a couple of pounds away from my original weight). I'm BACK BABY!

This is it for this Mommy Update, but there will be more!

Four Generations is a Blessing

I know I already mentioned this in a few posts back, but I wanted to make sure I posted some beautiful pictures of our trip to Houston where Anna met Great Grandma Dorn. We had a wonderful time, but the most amazing thing was not the trip, it was the fact that Anna now has photos that she can always look back at to know that she met her Great Grandma and she was absolutely loved by her!

My First Mother's Day

I woke up Sunday morning (not feeling too hot due to the wedding we went to the night before) to find Billy and Anna standing next to the bed with a huge bouquet of purple iris and a purple gift bag. I opened the bag and the little box inside and was so excited to pull out the necklace that I REALLY wanted...a silver "child" charm necklace with Anna Sophia engraved on one side and her birth date on the other (with an opal on top of the charm). Billy then arranged for a beautiful brunch (just the three of us) at Carnivale in the city. It was truly a wonderful day and Billy thought of everything. It meant so much that he understood how significant a woman's first Mother's Day is

March Madness!

I'm completely going backwards with my posts, but since I'm way behind, I'm now updating the blog on the last few months with as many details as I possibly can. And, who can forget this March...two major events happened - Anna's first St. Patty's Day and UD went to the NCAA tournament. The Whelan family had to celebrate both (heavily) with our new little Anna.

Baby's First Easter

April 12 was Anna's first Easter. We went out to Naperville to G. G. Dorn's to celebrate with the entire family. My Grandma Rita was also celebrating her birthday. We had a great time with my sisters as well. Maggie showered Anna with four adorable new summer dresses and an amazing little bathing suit with a matching hat. My mom put together the most colorful (and artistic) Easter basket with books, stuffed animals, etc.

I've posted pictures of Anna's first Ash Wednesday and Easter.

Anna at the Lake

Anna had her very first experience at Lake Geneva. On a beautiful day, I took her on her first walk along William's Bay...my favorite spot as a kid. It was a surreal experience bringing her there - I couldn't believe that I was now brining my child to the lake.

It was a great Memorial Day weekend (her first) in LG and I've included some pictures and a video to prove it!