Godfather Eric Roman

Here is Uncle Eric with Reilly Boots, you don't think she will be jealous when the baby comes do you??

15 weeks-WHOA!! Where did that belly come from!!

 

Check this out!

Dan moved the computer desk out of the Baby to Be's bedroom a few weeks ago. In doing so he needed to connect the wireless router and needed to pull up the carpet to send the wire through to the other room. When he did this we noticed oak floor underneath and decided to remove the carpet. Here are some before and after photos.

   
   

(As you may have noticed we have starting buying things for the baby including the fisher price cradle swing, buying baby stuff is so much fun!)
I think a great rug would look perfect! This is the second house we have lived in to find really nice wood floor underneath the carpet. Jackpot! 

SALE!!! Music to my ears!

This morning Dan and I went to a church in Lake Zurich for a charity baby extravaganza. The admission was $1 and they had everything from furniture, to clothes, to toys...you name it they had it.The doors opened at 9:00am and we arrived at 8:30am which got us 53 and 54th place in line. The ad said to bring a laundry basket to collect your items, so there we were all the ladies and Dan in line.

We got some great finds for even better prices! When we were checking out the gal just started giggling at the array of things I found. Maybe first time parents was written all over our faces. I think we made out like bandits and I am so excited about our purchases and the idea of decorating! I am even more excited about going back next year when I know if I have a boy or a girl. Either way, here is something I found for a future Halloween.

Dan said, "Uh Jen  the baby won't even be here for 6 more months, this is for a 4 year old" I told him " Put it in the basket!"

12.5 Weeks

We are moving right along. We had our 3rd appointment and we heard the lil "guys" heartbeat. It was a strong heartbeat and is still so surreal to me. This experience is just amazing! The nurse did measurement on the ultrasound and said everything looks great. I had some more blood work done and they sent us on our merry way. Our next appointment is October 6th ( 16 weeks). Here is our newest baby picture.
                                                    

Sisters

I think I have finally come to a new understanding of women. I was out to dinner last night with my girlfriends and realized the biggest variable between myself and all of them....they each have a sister. I on the other have Eric, which I wouldn't trade for anything in the world, well most of the time...

This was my opportunity to share my pregnancy news with all of them so I decided to give each of the girls a wrapped up gift of feminine supplies and when they opened them, I said "I won't be needing these for the next 6 months, Surprise." I think it was a cute idea and I got the reaction I anticipated. With that said they were all very excited and then the floodgates of questions began and all the conversation was directed towards me and my baby. It was the same as when I got engaged, married, even as when I went on a "date" (which is a word I dreaded until about 31 when I got married) it was the same overwhelming feeling of my personal life being sucked from me. Instead it isn't that at all.

Until now I didn't really understand what all of it was. When it's just the nature of being a girl and wanting to share "girl moments." Eric and I obviously had a very different relationship which made my experiences different. I learned more about football than make-up and found that to be more important and interesting. I didn't see the joy in trying on dresses, EVER ( poor MOM). I didn't know there was a whole world of fake eyelashes and brow tinting (Some of the stuff I learn now comes from Toddlers and Tiaras!)  I have really been in the dark about this girl code and thought it was an invasion of personal space when in reality at certain times throughout life you are the "IT" girl and should embrace it for all its worth.

It would be really fun to share all your secrets with your sister, I think a sister is a very valuable asset. Sisters automatically have a maid of honor, someone to throw their showers, a Godmother, a best friend, they really luck out on that account...but I think there is just something really special about having a brother.

 I on the other hand have always found my comfort in boys. Even as a little girl I grew up in a neighborhood of boys and as life continued I found a new group of guys. This has always been my life, I have always been the only girl. I find it easy to communicate with my guys and I find honesty in their conversations and I feel a strong sense of trust and comfort in our relationships. It took me 30 years but my Mom finally said to me, I guess girls and guys can really just be friends.

Now in my life I am finding out about those conversation and experiences I missed out on, with the girls. A lot of them were the same as what I experienced but  I was hanging out with the guys while they were doing things to get them and impress them, so that has its own irony. Although I consider myself now after my breakthrough to be a sister in training, I think I am going to find it easier to answer questions and share more about my excitement and my experiences. This is not to say that girls with brothers don't have "sister" qualities but they may have them in their own ways like I do. Its also not to say girls without brothers aren't tomboys as well. I will always be a tomboy. I would rather watch my brother coach football on a Friday night then dress up and go to dinner, and much rather watch college football then go shopping. That may never change but having girls that really care about you can make you change! Thanks Girls for being so excited and making me feel so special! Cheers!

Almost time to DECORATE!

We are really excited to find out what we are having and then to be able to start decorating and pick out our theme. (Although we both have a feeling it's a little guy in there) One of my favorite themes for a baby's room is Winnie the Pooh. I just adore Winnie the Pooh, it makes me so happy.With that said we have some Winnie the Pooh pictures on the wall just to give the room a baby is on the way feel. As you will see below we are starting with a blank canvas. Next, we have a collection of clothes we found even before we were pregnant that were just too cute to pass up. A few months back we went to a sale of Disney lithographs and bought of course Pooh--Piglet's BIG Movie, 101 Dalmatians, Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Monsters Inc. all to be framed, they are amazing! Yesterday we went to Long Grove and Dan bought a U of I blanket. My mom has already bought a bouncy chair for her house and she is bringing me a rocking chair for mine. OH and Wait for this one... I already have an amazing changing table that I received for FREE from one of Emily's girlfriends. How awesome is that???? It has 2 shelves, a drawer, and is brand new!  I think we are off to a great start already!

End of the First!!!

Hip Hip Hooray!!!! I am almost completely through the first trimester of pregnancy. The nausea has subsided and although I am ready for bed by 6:00 every night, I am feeling good! What a difference a few weeks make. I haven't really had pregnancy cravings I hear some much about. That might be because I eat everything and anything. Us Ilich's don't have the most typical of diets, let's just say one night we might be having saganaki and gyros with heapings of taramasalata and the next morning Mom is making Swedish pancakes followed by BLT's. It's too funny but I think Dan might be having the cravings or just a new experience of foods. He has really started to open his horizons and try new things. He had baklava for the very first time this week and loved it. We are going to Long Grove for the International fest this weekend so he may be in luck for some more. I on the other hand have taken an interest in baking so if that is a pregnancy trait, keep them coming. Maybe I will become a carpenter in the 2nd trimester and create my own nursery furniture, one can only hope.