my boys

Photo by Daddy

the day after

Our good friends, Rachel and Grant, visited us in the hospital the day after Winston's birth and Rachel shot a few photos. They are priceless images that we could never have captured ourselves. (This is the same Rachel that shot our wedding. She is super talented and ready to have a sweet baby of her own.)

Winston Kent Sommer
February 1, 2011
7 lbs. 10 oz.
19 inches

We are some lucky parents.

Thank you, Rachel. We really appreciate it.

baby win

Baby Win is here. I can't believe it was only 12 short days ago that this sweet little guy entered our lives. He is a great baby, but wow, having a newborn is much more tiring than I anticipated. Tiring and emotional. Hormones running through my body topped with little sleep. Not the best combination. Thanks goodness I have a patient husband who can handle the ups and downs and who takes the baby at 1 am (or so) feedings. Actually, he takes him anytime he can and encourages me to sleep all the time.

I honestly don't have words to describe the entire experience, but I will always remember the feeling of my baby's wet, warm skin and little cry when he was placed on my stomach. Unforgettable.

The whole thing was tiring and beautiful and we're so grateful for our new little boy.

feeling ready

It has taken me awhile to feel this way, but I am ready for this baby to come. Technically, I have 6 more days until my due date, but I think I am good to go. The house is basically cleaned and organized, loose ends for work are almost tied up, we have a car seat to take junior home in and I simply feel "ready". If you would have asked me 2-3 days ago, I would not have felt that way though.

It took a massive organization session (and maybe a month or two of tossing and turning at night) to get me to this point. Kent and I did some major decluttering on Saturday and I could not have done it without him. Truly, he is my voice of reason when it comes to getting rid of the old. His mantra: "When in doubt, throw it out." It worked wonders for our back room which is now the baby's room. Our space is still limited, but Kent is slowly helping me get over my pack rat tendencies. Who knew I didn't have to save every birthday card I received 5 years ago!

Anyway, back to baby. I am ready and he is ready, at least growth wise. The doctor said she thinks he is currently 8 1/2 lbs. and he has long limbs. I have heard ultrasounds can be off, but he has measured large the entire time so I am expecting something a little on the massive side. Maybe we should call him Maximus? The thought of a big baby is somewhat daunting, but like I said, I feel ready. It is just time.

While I feel prepared for birth, I am not sure where I am at when it comes to bringing baby home. It is difficult to imagine Kent and I as a family of 3 and it is amazing to think we will be responsible for a wee person. I guess the first while will be a lot of sleeping, eating and changing on the baby's part, but it is still child-rearing. Thank goodness I have a wonderful husband and an amazing support system. I am grateful my mom can come down for a few days to show me the ropes. She has done this ten times so she is full of knowledge and experience.

Enough of this rambling and onto walking to hopefully get this show on the road. I can't wait to see what the next couple of days will hold.

new arrival

It's shiny and new with a lot of spunk...

Welcome to our family little Mazda!

Kent has been searching for the perfect car for months and we finally found it--on craigslist none-the-less. I'm so proud of Kent and his perseverance. We don't have any buyer's remorse YET, and we hope that lasts. We (mainly Kent) looked at many cars, but this one won out and just in time because...

This thing is about to pop.

Seriously. Look at that belly?! Scary. Only 10 more days to go.

Excited about our new car and excited to fill it with a new little person.

Now, if we could just figure the car seat out...

no-joke noggin

How would you feel if your doctor told you that your baby's head measured 37 weeks, but you were only 33 weeks along?
Definitely something to ruminate on....

babymooning in chicago

Ever since we discovered we were going to have a baby, I have been planning on a "babymoon". In my mind's eye, I envisioned us in a tropical paradise lounging by the ocean's edge, sipping virgin daiquiris, basking in the warm sun (big belly and all). While I would have loved this scenario, we went somewhere completely unexpected and totally different from what my 3 month pregnant self imagined...CHICAGO.

Due to time constraints, busy schedules, etc., we didn't know if we were going to be able to pull off a pre-baby getaway, but we did it! Kent had two frees flights on Southwest so we chose a destination about 48 hours before we left. New York was on the list, but that trip gets pricey real quick. We threw a few other cities around, but Chicago won out and I'm so glad.

We spent three days in the famous Windy City and walked more than my out of shape body could handle, but we loved it. Here are some photos from our short-notice adventure.

Architectural boat cruise

This is a must I think. You get to see the city from an entirely different vantage point.

We were pretty cold, but it was worth it.

We heard the stuffed pizza was something else at this pizzeria so we checked it out. They weren't kidding about the "stuffed" part. I never knew I could get sick of cheese, but I think I reached my limit. There was so much of it!

I didn't think I could eat stuffed pizza again, but the night after going to Giordano's we decided to give it another go at Lou Malnati's. Both of us preferred the second place. Lots of cheese, but not as heavy.

We did a little shopping on Michigan Avenue and I of course had to stop in the American Girl doll store. It was amazing. My 12 year old self would have gone crazy. As it was, I was amazed at the things they had there: a doll hospital, a doll salon (pictured above: $20 for doll hair styling) and a cafe where you and your doll can eat together. Little girls were carrying their dolls around going from one spot to the next. It was great, but I think Kent is happy we're having a boy.

Nighttime on the Riverwalk.

We were there for the first weekend of holiday festivities. Big cities are magical during the holidays. Really, they are.

In the lounge at the top of the John Hancock building. It had a pretty fantastic view of the city.

And I really liked these photos of Kent.

He doesn't even try, he just strikes poses like a model.

If you couldn't tell, this is a bathroom. Yes, it is the view from the women's bathroom in the Hancock building. I couldn't resist taking a photo.

The actual building from below.

Our least expensive meal of the trip, but our favorite meal of the trip.

We loved Portillo's!

Unfortunately for Kent, we missed baseball season, but we lucked into a great second: a football game at Wrigley Field. Apparently, a college football game hadn't taken place there since 1938 so it was big deal. Plus, state rivals were playing.

We weren't cold or anything. Okay, that's not true. We were freezing!

The field.

Definitely a fun time, but we'll have to come back in the summer for a warm baseball game.

On our way to the Field Museum. I loved the fall colors.

The Bean.

Up close.

The Belly in the Bean.

Outside the Field Museum. We liked this museum, but I think we'll try the science and industry museum next time. It was just a lot of natural history. My favorite part: watching an old video about Eskimos while sitting down.

Our last night enjoying the decked out streets after eating some delightful beignets at Grand Lux Cafe.

We had a wonderful trip and I'm so glad we were able to make Chicago happen. We loved our hotel, the ambiance and the city. Next time we go, Kent can take his little buddy to a Cubs game and I'll submit to a day in the American Girl store if and when we have some girls.