We hit the JACK-pot

Weighing in at 7 pounds 9 ounces, Jack Walter Reding stole our hearts for the first of many times on October 22nd, 2011 at 12:32am.
Ky and I have been in awe since he has arrived, and although I have done plenty of reading and received endless amounts of advice, nothing can prepare you for the moment that you become a Mom.  I haven't had much time to eat, sleep, shower, check emails, return phone calls or texts, watch TV, do my hair or make-up, or let alone blog...but I know I am over due.
After 18 hours in labor and getting stuck in the birth canal Jack was born via C-section on his actual due date.  It was quite exhausting, but Ky and I were so anxious to meet our new baby, and find out if it was a boy or a girl.  After I was prepped for surgery and Ky was by my side Dr. Duhamel announced "it's a boy!"  He was finally here, we got our little boy, and we were both the happiest parents in the world at that very moment.  The nine months of pregnancy, aches and pains, sleepless nights, heartburn, all were forgotten in that instance and I would have done it all over again in a heartbeat. 
Jack's Oma Lola and Uncle Kirk were patiently waiting outside the operating room doors to meet the newest member of our family.  Smiles and tears were shared as we all had someone new to love.

The next several days we became what felt like permanent residents at Scripps hospital in La Jolla.  The recovery from the C-section was anything but easy, and to add to the discomfort I had an allergic reaction to the epidural causing non-stop itching for the next 48 hours.  Thankfully Ky fell into the role of being a father with no hesitation, and became a diaper changing champ from day one.  In fact I didn't change one diaper until several days after we left the hospital.
Nana and Grandpa arrived later that day to meet baby Jack, he couldn't have been more welcomed into this world.  Although a little hectic, I couldn't have been happier to have our parents here for Jack's arrival, and I will always be grateful for their selflessness in helping our family.  I am just hoping they will come again for the time when Jack has a brother or sister on the way.

I am looking forward to getting back in the swing of things and keeping you posted on happenings in our new family of 3!   Thank you for following and being patient with my lack of blogging over the past 6 weeks!

Hand on my heart, hand on my belly

With 16 days to go until my due date I have been making it a priority to get out and do anything and everything that may not come as easily to me in the short weeks ahead.  Running errands, going out to dinner, going to the comedy store in La Jolla, getting my nails done, watching movies (and not falling asleep), girls nights etc.

It is hard to believe that soon Ky and I will not be able to pick up and go the way that we are accustomed to.  Although we are missing our families quite a bit these days, we are beyond grateful for the family of friends that have been a tremendous help and support through this amazing journey.  I've learned a lot in these past 9 months, and to each and every kind gesture, open mind and heart, ear to bend and lend I am speechless with all the generosity we have received and I know the best is yet to come.  The miracle of life brings about happiness in others in a way that I have never seen before, and I thank God for the wonder of pregnancy.

Below is a photo that was taken at girls night; this is by far one of my most favorite moments to date, lots of love for a little person we all have yet to meet!!!

ELLEN

A year supply of Tide laundry detergent???  Can it get any better?  Yup!  Try a 2 year supply of Tide laundry detergent  ;) 
After bidding (and winning) on 2 VIP tickets to the Ellen show and a hotel stay at Ky's annual non-profit fundraiser we had a mini getaway to plan!  On Sunday September 25th Ky and I decided to get outta dodge and celebrate our 2 year anniversary and baby-moon up in LA.  Our adventure began at the fancy boutique hotel Amarano in Burbank, which was located down the street from the Warner Brothers Studios, and of course the Ellen show.  We settled into our mini-suite and headed to dinner at a local Thai restaurant that received rave reviews.  It was very chic and very LA, we were definitely not in Kansas anymore and it was great.  We feasted on some yummy Thai and then hitched a ride with the hotel's car service down to Universal City Walk.  If you haven't been; it is a hodgepodge of shopping and restaurants covered in bright lights and loud music at Universal Studios.  We did lots of walking and window shopping followed by a Cinn-a-bon for dessert to share in our hotel room.
Monday morning we were both comfy and refreshed with one of the best nights sleep we had both had in quite a while.  As of late typical nights for me consist of going to the bathroom every hour in between my attempts to find a comfortable position to sleep in.  3-4 hours of sleep is a small victory, getting ready for Baby Reding indeed :)
After getting ready for the day we found ourselves enjoying a delicious breakfast (my favorite meal) down at Patys diner, where the hotel car service dropped us off after recommending their whole wheat pancakes.  They were out.of.this.world. and I only wish there was a Patys closer to SD.  After our tummy's were full we decided to walk back to the hotel and pack up before heading to the Santa Monica Pier.  This was Ky's first time to Santa Monica, and my 5th time (rough estimate).  Although we didn't have too much time to soak in the sights we managed to make it to the pier and back just in time for check-in at the show.
After waiting for a little over an hour we were escorted into the studio and finally into our seats in the 2nd row. 
Ky was such a trooper during the whole experience at the Ellen show and I couldn't have been happier.  This outing is the farthest thing from what he would choose to do on any given day, and he not only smiled through it all, but admitted to having a good time as well.  The guests on the show were Jennifer Garner (actress and wife of Ben Affleck) Kevin Dillon (actor - Entourage, not to mention one of Ky's favorite shows) and Australian teeny bopper Cody Simpson.  All in all it was entertaining and we laughed alot, not to mention our FREE Tide :)
The drive home wasn't as congested as we anticipated, but the stop in Anaheim to eat Portillo's one last time before Baby Reding arrives was the icing on the cake, and the perfect way to end a perfect weekend for this soon-to-be family of three.

Labor of Love

This year amidst moving we spent Labor Day weekend putting together Baby Reding's nursery.  Much different from years past where we would spend the majority of the holiday celebrating the 3 day weekend with friends; now we relish in the little quiet time we have remaining...and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

We ordered our furniture from JCPenney's on-line catalog with help from Nana and Grandpa (we can't thank them enough).  After doing extensive research and reading over 100 reviews we decided on a matching set that included a convertible crib, dresser and changer. 

We were very pleased with the quality of the furniture and delivery.  Everything arrived safe and sound and the dressers were already assembled which only left the crib, which took Ky and I a total of 10 minutes to put together.  We also had the help of uncle Travis to hang the new curtains and shade.

Paco supervising as Travis and Ky put the knobs on the cabinets

Removing warning stickers from the crib with Paco

More stickers

The handy men hard at work

Paco and Marley enjoying Baby Reding's new rocker

Paco was found sleeping in the crib the morning after we washed all the bedding

The sweet decal from Auntie Julie reads: "Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."

And there you have it...all we need now is a baby :)

Delicious Diaper Cakes!

Spoiled rotten and hasn't even arrived yet...  Baby Reding has been showered with so much love and Ky and I couldn't be more grateful.  During our stay in Oregon Ky's Mom threw us a family shower where my dear friend Patty surprised us with this adorable diaper cake.  It was made entirely, of onesies, bibs, towels, burp clothes, sheets, wash cloths and layettes.  I had never seen a "diaper" cake that wasn't made with actual diapers and love the creativity it took to put this together.  I was sad to take it apart to pack for our flight home, but had fun finding all the sweet baby items folded inside.  Not only did she make the diaper cake, but she also made a classic pooh quilt for the baby's room which I adore.  (I will be taking some pics of the nursery this week to post which has the quilt in it.) 
We also played some games with the family from guessing which candy bars were melted in diapers to a bottle chugging contest for the guys.  Everyone was a great sport and we loved being able to share our happiness and spend time with family and friends before Baby Reding makes his or her debut.

The beautiful spread that my mother-in-law hosted

Good thing this was chocolate :)

My lovely MIL

Harder than it looks

Patty and I - quilter/crafter extraodinaire

Too cute!!!

Thank you Cousin Shan!

A week after our trip to Oregon, Baby Reding was showered yet again by our close family friend Shannon.  She threw a fabulous Baby Shower down at the San Diego Yacht Club in Point Loma.  The sun was bright and hot, and the decorations were precious, with a bee hive cake (delicious and adorable), yummy croissant sandwiches with homemade potato salad and fruit salad and sweet candle favors with a little note that read "A little candle for you to light, once the stork has made its flight.  The flame will glow to celebrate, Baby Reding's arrival date" 

Everything was better than I could have imagined, my heart was definitely overflowing.

Included with the beautiful surroundings was another diaper cake that was made by the dynamic duo Calista and Amanda Mejia.  I had no doubt that they would do a spectacular job, but again, I couldn't have imagined a better cake.  The detail, time and dedication that was put into it brought me to tears, surprise, surprise.

work.of.art

My Websense Crew - I heart them all

Boy? Girl?

The fabulous party planners!

Now it is time for me to "nest" and organize all the wonderful gifts in our new home for Baby Reding's arrival.  Stayed tuned for pics of the nursery.

Forty-two things that change when you have a baby

My sweet girlfriend Kami, that I have been sharing the amazing experience of pregnancy with left this letter on my desk at work today which made my heart melt and tears flow.  Many of you will be able to relate on some level, thank you Kami for sharing, only 4 more weeks to go, I can hardly wait.

1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.

2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid.

3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.

4. You respect your body ... finally.

5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.

6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.

7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.

8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.

9. Your heart breaks much more easily.

10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.

11. Every day is a surprise.

12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)

13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.

14. You become a morning person.

15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.

And from our readers...

1. "You discover how much there is to say about one tooth." — Ashley's mom

2. "You finally realize that true joy doesn't come from material wealth." — Anonymous

3. "You now know where the sun comes from." — Charlotte

4. "You'd rather buy a plastic tricycle than those shoes that you've been dying to have." — Sophie's mom

5. "You realize that although sticky, lollipops have magical powers." — Roxanne

6. "You don't mind going to bed at 9 p.m. on Friday night." — Kellye

7. "Silence? What's that?" — Anonymous

8. "You realize that the 15 pounds you can't seem to get rid of are totally worth having." — Brenda

9. "You discover an inner strength you never thought you had." — Ronin and Brookie's mom

10. "You no longer rely on a clock — your baby now sets your schedule." — Thomas' mom

11. "You give parents with a screaming child an 'I-know-the-feeling' look instead of a 'Can't-they-shut-him-up?' one."

       — Jaidyn's mom

12. "Your dog — who used to be your 'baby' — becomes just a dog." — Kara

13. "You take the time for one more hug and kiss even if it means you'll be late." — Tracey

14. "You learn that taking a shower is a luxury." — Jayden's mom

15. "You realize that you can love a complete stranger." — Dezarae's mom

16. You find yourself wanting to make this world a better place. — Arizona

17. If you didn’t believe in love at first sight before, now you do! — Ciara

18. You start to appreciate Sesame Street for its intellectual contribution. — Anon.

19. You have to quit watching the news because you see every story from a mother's perspective and it breaks your heart.

      — Brooke&Boys

20. You just plain love life more - everything comes together and becomes better because of one tiny person and your love for them. — Anon.

21. You finally find out the real reason you have those breasts. — Anon.

22. In response to #2 [above], I'd say that where you were once afraid, you're now fearless. I was always very timid and shy and let myself get walked all over … but now where my kid's concerned, I'll speak my mind and really connect with my inner "b"! — gummismom

23. The support you get from other people surprises you, because the people giving it are not always the ones you'd expect.    — japanese

24. Nothing is just yours any longer. You share EVERYTHING! — DylanLsMom

25. No matter what you've accomplished in life, you look at your child and think, "I've done a GREAT job!" — Anon.

26. You want to take better care of yourself for your child. — Treasor

27. You can have the most wonderful conversation using only vowel sounds like "ahhh" and "oooo." — littlehulk2008

Happy 40th Wedding Anniversary

The weekend of August 20th Ky, Kirk and I all flew up to Oregon to celebrate Jack and Nancy's 40th wedding anniversary.  My sister-in-laws Natalie and Sally had been collecting family photos secretively for the past several months for a surprise slideshow that was shared with the whole family.  Lots of laughs and plenty of tears were shared by all.  We spent 6 days in Central Oregon at the Eagle Crest Resort.  A picturesque setting with 80 degree weather set the tone for a relaxing vacation with good food and good company. 

Our first stop on the way in...delicious burgers and an oreo shake were just what the doctor ordered.

Cuddle time with Addison and Baby Reding

Twins - Sally's shirt was quite big on her, and Ky's was quite snug

Chillaxing with Uncle Turkey

The Clarks like to dress alike

Bambi in the backyard

Gathering around the kitchen counter

Reality came all too soon as Ky and I had to pack up early to get back to our jobs and the big move to Encinitas.  It was a terrific weekend that had me thinking about how much I love being a part of a big family, and how maybe, just maybe, 4 kids sounds better than 3 :)

Prenatal massages, yes, please and thank you!

Pregnancy = back pain.  As I am sure many can relate, I have been experiencing back pain associated with my bump, particularly after I have been sitting for a period of time.  I walk around and stretch as much as possible, but I still have 9 weeks to go, so I need to get creative...aside from the massages that Paco and Marley like to give my belly on a daily basis...which btw are not that comfortable.

Luckily Ky came to the rescue this weekend and suggested a prenatal massage.  I am not big on massages to begin with (weird I know), so I was a bit reluctant to take him up on his offer.  I personally prefer a facial or an aromatherapy massage at best, the complete opposite of a swedish or deep tissue massage. 

Trusting Ky, I went ahead with the massage while he had an hour long foot massage.  For those that know Ky, he loves to have his feet rubbed and generally tries to convince me to massage them every night while we are on the couch.  The good news is he has cute feet, so I have no problem granting his request.  Much to my surprise the massage was fabulous!  I was completely blown away and kept thinking about when I could schedule my next one.  Relaxed and refreshed, I couldn't have been happier and couldn't thank Ky enough for coming to the rescue.

Packing and Unpacking

For the past 2 months I have been slowly packing up our home in Point Loma into numerous boxes in an effort to alleviate the amount of work that comes along with moving come September 1st.  It has been a big help since we have been able to bring boxes up to the Encinitas house every weekend.
Ky and I have spent close to 2 years in Point Loma and loved every minute.  It was a great location that catered to our lifestyle as newlyweds with plenty of new restaurants to explore, minutes from downtown and close to friends. 

Ky has always said once we start a family he would like to move back to North County.  Spending a good deal of time there while we were dating, I was on board with the move as I love the sense of family and community in Encinitas.  Ideally we would have loved to buy a new home, but circumstances set a new course and we are moving into the house that Ky owns on Gardena.  I couldn't be more anxious to get settled and start decorating the nursery, perhaps this is my "nesting" phase, as they say you experience while being pregnant.  We have a great network of friends in north county which helps, not to mention friends with kids, double bonus. 
In the meantime, we are picking out new carpeting and paint which is always fun!

Lots of transitions are on the horizon, and the older I have gotten the more I embrace change.  New opportunities, new places of interest, new route to and from home, new neighbors, and a new family member are a few items on our list, and many reasons to be thankful and happy.

My Rock

"Fairy Tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten."
— G. K. Chesterton

I was going to begin this entry with the flood of emotions I have been feeling lately with sad news and decided that I would instead focus this entry on my “rock.”  Being pregnant has brought upon a whole new outlook for both Ky and I, and the journey thus far has been well worth it, and we have yet to meet the inspiration behind it all.  7 months ago October seemed light years away, and now that we are in the month of August time doesn’t seem to be slowing down.  We have definitely ridden the roller coaster of emotions since we found out that we were expecting in February from uncertainty, scared, nervous, overwhelmed, excited, anxious, overjoyed, impatient, etc.  And I can safely say that we couldn’t be in a better place and I couldn’t have a better partner in my corner. 

As many of you know Ky and his sense of humor, he tends to make light of almost any situation where I tend to take things a bit too serious at times, he is the ying to my yang without question.  Amongst my frustrations with his often untimely sarcasm and lack of expressing emotion, I have found that Baby Reding is already bringing about a more serious and sensitive side to Ky.  It is such a high to be with your soul mate and find yourself falling in love over and over again.  I am blessed beyond measure to have Ky as my rock, and know that we will be able to beat any dragons that come our way.

28 weeks and almost 3 pounds later...

Yesterday Ky and I had our 28 week doctor appointment and even got some pictures to share!

Baby Reding weighs 2 pounds and 9 ounces currently.  The technician decided to add some funny comments to the pictures below, although the nose does resembles Ky's a bit...and it looks as though the Baby may have been blessed with my big feet.  The Baby had the hiccups during the ultrasound which was interesting to see while they were getting the heart rate.  The Baby kept trying to put its hand and or thumb in its mouth so the last picture is the forearm over the profile.

We will now be visiting Dr. Duhamel's office every 2 weeks with our next appointment on August 9th.  My tummy was measuring at 25 weeks at our appointment so we have been scheduled for another ultrasound on the 9th to double check that everything is still on track with our due date...just another excuse to take a peek at baby in my belly, hopefully with some more pics too!

Sweet Home Chicago

The bags were packed and not only was our flight on time but we landed early flying to and from Chicago, just one more reason why I love Southwest. Ky and I headed back for the first time in over a year to see family and friends.  We landed on Wednesday evening and were greeted at Midway by my sister and her fiance Jerry.  We headed straight to BW3 for a late dinner/snack with Janessa and her new BF Do.  Lots of catching up and laughs didn't get us back to the Bohnen household until almost midnight.

Aunt Patty and Mom

Lots of bump rubs by Dad and the Daddy-to-be

My Besties and their Boys

My Godson Griffin

Thursday was reserved for golf and a Cubs game with Lars for Ky while the girls headed to 4 bridal appointments in search of the perfect wedding dress for Julie.  Lo and behold Gigi's Closet had "THE" dress as I got goosebumps and my Mom and Aunt both started crying when Julie came out of the fitting room.  There was a unanimous reply, "that's your dress".  We also found the bridesmaid dresses there as well! Mission accomplished that ended with some free organic samples of yummy frozen yogurt!

Friday my best friend Melissa, who is also expecting a week after us; offered to take maternity photos at the Chicago Botanic Gardens.  We decided to head out early as the temps would be in the high 90's by noon which means lots of sweating for girls with bellies.  I am so proud of Melissa uncovering her talent behind the camera, she is a natural and it shows in all of her work...just another of the many reasons I wish we didn't live so far away.
After we finished our photo shoot and laughed at Ky A LOT as he kissed my sweaty belly, Melissa headed back to her day job and we headed to Portillo's.  Portillo's is a staple in every trip back to Chicago, Ky is a big fan of their beef sandwiches and I personally don't think you can find a better Chicago hotdog...with cheese fries, and a small chocolate shake too :)  It was the baby's first taste of Portillo's, we had to indulge (at least that is what I was telling myself)  A food coma soon followed with a nap at home and hanging out in my parents pool.

Saturday we headed to my brother and sister-in-laws home where my family threw Baby Reding a shower!  It was so fun to see everyone and show off my growing bump.  Baby showers are chalk full of joy, there is a new life to celebrate and lots of love to go around, you can't help but smile from ear to ear!  Ky graciously attended the shower as Jen's husband, Lars and my friend Mark all came to keep him company with some Coors Light.  We were blessed to open so many beautiful gifts and are extremely grateful for all the love and support for our new addition.  The afternoon carried on until 10pm that evening at my parents house where friends joined us for some BBQ and volleyball in the pool. 

Dad hanging with Griffin

Maddie and Leslie - I was Maddie's nanny and now she is going to college!!!

Classic Pooh from Auntie Julie

Christine, Erica, Sarah

Our beautiful cake

MMMMMMMMM

Lars and Ky

Lars and Mark rubbing Baby Reding

From left to right:  My awesome Mom and sister - Baby Reding is already getting spoiled and not even here yet

My brother Andrew and sister-in-law Kelly celebrating their 16th wedding anniversary

Mel and I showing off our bumps - only 1 week apart!

My highschool crew - love them all

Sunday was HOT...sweaty HOT by 10 am...and we were headed to celebrate the baptism of my new godson Griffin and his twin brother Jackson!  The boys were on their best behavior in sweet white outfits.  After the service we headed back to the Toff residence where we ate, drank and chatted the day away. 
The Toff family has been my second family for the better part of 24 years as Jen and I have grown up together since we were 7 years old.  Now we are starting our own families and I can only imagine what it will be like for our kids to make life long friends.

Monday we found ourselves once again packing, for the trip back, which is always bittersweet.  A delicious breakfast at one of my Dad's favorite restaurants started the travel day off right as my parents took us back to Midway Airport. 

Until next time Chicago...when we are a family of three...