Brixen's Nursery

FINISHED - Brixen's Nursery!  It is all done and ready for our Baby Boy!  It sure was fun organizing and putting everything together!  It turned out better than we could have ever imagined.  Chris and I are both very happy with the end result of our SON'S NURSERY!  Can't wait to show you all!  Below are photos.  After the photos, there are two videos (Part One and Part Two).  ENJOY!

Photos of Brixen's Nursery

 Video of Brixen's Nursery (Part One)

Video of Brixen's Nursery (Part Two)

NOW THE COUNT DOWN BEGINS!!!  LET'S HOPE THAT BRIXEN WAITS UNTIL GRANDPA GETS HERE FROM FLORIDA ON FEBRUARY 16, 2011!

 

Week #37 - Full Term!!!

Week #37

Full Term Baby Bump!!!

WE MADE IT...  We are Full-Term!  Woohoo...  This is very exciting because if Brixen were to come NOW, he is considered Full-Term.  But I think he will wait a bit longer.  DON'T FORGET TO PLAY OUR ONLINE BABY POOL!  I will send out an email and FB message as a reminder.  I will probably close it within the next 7 to 10-days!  

Since yesterday we were Full-Term...  We decided to CELEBRATE!  Chris and I went to the movies.  True Grit!  It was pretty good.  Dragged a little bit in the middle but overall a good movie.  The girl in the movie was a great actress, perfect for the role.  We enjoyed some movie popcorn with butter and jalapeno peppers...  Yummy!  Oh, and, a big glass of soda (diet)!  We had a very nice time.  We enjoy going to the movies so hoping to get a couple more in before Baby Brixen arrives!

After the movies, we walked around at World Market.  I LOVE THAT PLACE!  We have a lot of furniture from there.  Looks great in our place and hoping to do a lot more shopping this year.  Definitely want to add a few pieces to our Living Area.  Going to re-design our Master Bedroom and my Office.  I already have a ton of ideas in my head!  LOL!

We also went to Barnes & Nobles...  We love going to the book store.  Didn't stay as long as we usually do because my back was starting to get sore.  Chris got a Star Wars Magazine and I bought a cute notebook to keep track of my Breastfeeding schedule.  :)  I love cute little notebooks!  Off to the grocery store after that...  I decided I wanted to make us a nice dinner!  I LOVE to cook but lately, I felt like by the end of the day, I haven't had much energy.  I was feeling great yesterday and still feeling great this morning!  :)

I made Peppercorn Pork Loin with Homemade Mashed Potatoes and a Salad.  It was delicious!!!  WOW!  It was a great meal and we were stuffed afterward.  We haven't had a meal like that in a long time.  We also bought some filets that are wrapped in bacon at the store and planning to make those probably Sunday night.  Yummy!  It was a nice evening...  We had dinner at our big table and it was set all nice! 

As far as this past week went...  IT WAS GREAT!  Productive week.  Looking forward to the upcoming week and trying to finish a lot of things before Brixen's arrival.  But, if not, it can wait until I decide to return to our business.  Not sure when that will be exactly.  I LOVE WHAT WE DO!  So...  I am sure I will start doing a little bit here and there.  Can't wait to spend that time with our SON!

No big plans for the weekend...  Just spending some quality time with each other and doing the "little things" that we enjoy.  Antique Shopping...  Target...  Starbucks...  Etc.  So fun to be able to just tinker around with my wonderful Husband and Best Friend.  I LOVE MY HUSBAND SO MUCH!  Have a great weekend everyone!  Check back later for updated photos on Brixen's Nursery and a fun video!  

OBGYN Appointment: 01.26.2011

Chris and I just got home from our OB Appointment.  It was suppose to be at 1:30 PM but we didn't even get called in until about 2:00 PM.  Sometimes we wait once we are in the actual room but not usually that long out in the waiting room.  No big deal...  We just start to get antsy and HUNGRY!  :)

Dr. Swenson said she had to send a patient to Labor & Delivery.  That was why it was taking so long.  Our appointment went well.  I have gained a total of 26-pounds, which is great!  I hope it doesn't take me too long to lose it all.  I can't wait to get back into a work-out routine.  I miss my morning work-outs.  I got too lazy during the First Trimester because of being so tired.  So, throughout our pregnancy, I just walked a lot.  My blood pressure was also great.  And, I am measuring right on-schedule.  She said that at 37-weeks, your belly should measure anywhere between 34-inches and 37-inches.  Mine measured 35-inches.  I don't think my belly will grow that much larger and I probably won't put on much more weight.  

Brixen's Heart Beat was 145.  It was music to our hears.  We LOVE hearing our Son's Heart Beat.  Dr. Swenson also did a Vaginal Strep Test.  I guess this is done with every patient who is planning to have a Vaginal Delivery.  It was quick and easy!  She said that unless I am having contractions, she probably won't start checking me until 38-weeks.  Next Wednesday when we go, I will be 37-weeks and 5-days.  So, I am not sure if she will check me or not.  I guess we will find out next week.  We are now on weekly appointments, every Wednesday at 1:00 PM.  I scheduled them through Wednesday, February 23, 2011.  

All-in-all it was a great appointment.  I am anxious to go back weekly now because we are getting so close.  We asked her a few questions.  Chris mentioned to her that he had a Contraction Timer App!  They have an App for everything these days!  She was excited to tell her other patients about it.  I asked her if I needed to bring anything to the hospital for Brixen.  She said just clothes and that the hospital would provide everything else.  I am almost done packing our bags!  THIS FRIDAY WE WILL OFFICIALLY BE FULL-TERM!!!

Mommy and Daddy-to Be

Chris and I didn't get professional photos taken of us during our pregnancy.  It is the middle of Winter!  I am feeling HUGE and WHITE!  I bet if we were in our final weeks of pregnancy in the Summer months I would have felt differently.  So...  My Sister and Brother-in-Law snapped some photos of us prior to leaving on Sunday.  It was very nice of them and something we will be able to look back on in years to come.  Check them out!

Check back tomorrow...  We finished Brixen's Nursery!  We are going to take photos and a video later tonight.  I plan to blog about it tomorrow.  Brixen' Nursery turned out amazing and we are both very happy with it.  On Wednesday, we have an OB Appointment.  So, I will also blog about that sometime on Wednesday.

Fun Weekend (Despite Bears Lost)

On Friday, my Mom took the train into Chicago for a visit.  We picked her up downtown and it was so nice to see her!  She hasn't been to Chicago since Easter so we had a lot to show her.  We got back to our house and the first thing we did was look at Brixen's Nursery.  I made her close her eyes until she got into the Nursery.  She loved it!  

The first thing I wanted to do was show my Mom the hospital where Brixen will be born and how to get there from our house.  We drove there and actually went into the hospital.  I was able to show her the waiting room and also Labor/Delivery.  So glad I was able to do that.  Now she knows where to go (I hope)!

We had a nice lunch at Olive Garden.  Afterward, we did some shopping at Babies R Us and Target.  We had $25 Babies R Us Dollars to spend and it was expiring so I had to buy something...  Brixen really doesn't need anything!  So, I decided on some more clothes!  :)  Can't really go wrong with that, especially because they are so cute!  I got a couple of 3-month outfits and a couple of 6-month outfits.  Mom bought her Grandson a Lion toy too.  When you roll the wheels, the Lion ROARS!  It was too cute and a must to buy!  Thanks, GramJo!

At Target, I picked out a Nursing Bra.  I have three Nursing Tank Tops.  So, I should be good in that department now.  We did a lot of walking on Friday and surprisingly, I didn't get tired at all!  Guess it was just one of those energy-filled days.  But my feet definitely started to get sore after our time at Babies R Us and Target.

We headed home...  Friday night, we took Mom to Lou Malnati's for some Chicago Deep Dish Pizza!  She has never had it before and we are always talking about it.  Chris got his usual, pepperoni and garlic.  I eat that all the time so decided to go with the mushroom, olives, and garlic with my Mom.  It was delicious.  She had 2-pieces and really enjoyed herself.  

We stayed up late on Friday night because my Sister and Brother-in-Law were driving here from the suburbs.  They drove into Chicago earlier Friday to see Pablo Francisco at The Improv in Schaumburg.  We haven't seen them in awhile because they both were sick at Christmas.  So, it was so good to see them both and have us all together at our place in Chicago!
 

Aunt Ashlee and Uncle Kyle got Brixen a very, very cute zip-up vest from Old Navy.  It is navy blue and so adorable.  I can't wait for him to wear it.  Kyle's parents, Tony and Lisa, bought Brixen a Lion Stuffed Animal.  It is so cute!  It is a round, plush Lion.  I plan on posting photos of Brixen's Nursery soon so check back to see the Lion!  But for now, here is a photo of my Mom and I in Brixen's Nursery.  I look a bit tired but I guess that is normal for being 9-months pregnant!

Saturday, Chris made breakfast for all of us and we took Mom back downtown to the train.  It was very hard to say good-bye because the next time we see her, we will be in the hospital having Brixen.  It could be one-week, two-weeks, three-weeks, or four-weeks.  Hopefully, not too much past 4-weeks.  We had a wonderful Mother/Daughter Day and I was so glad we got to spend some quality time together.  We even finished Brixen's Nursery...  The final touches came in the mail on Saturday while my Mom and Sister were at our place.

Saturday, we spent most of the day just hanging out with Ashlee and Kyle.  We went to Target and Best Buy.  It is always fun to tinker around at those places.  We bought a Toy Box for Brixen's Nursery, which we are using for his many blankets and toys.  Chris and Kyle bought NFL and UFC cards.  They both LOVE opening those and it was fun to watch!

We took them to one of our favorite places...  Dengeo's on Saturday night.  Both Chris and Kyle had ribs.  Kyle loved them.  Ashlee had some fried shrimp and I had my usual, gyro sandwich and a salad.  Yummy!  After that huge meal, we were all tired but decided to play some Yahtzee!  Kyle WON!  Chris got last place and I got 2nd to last place.  Guess we aren't very good at that game.  Chris is a genius when it comes to trivia games!  

We all fell asleep early even though we had rented Wall Street.  I still want to see that movie!  I slept great...  By now, I am use to getting up to go to the bathroom.  I got up early to take a shower and dry my hair.  Chris wanted Ashlee and Kyle to take some photos of us in Brixen's Nursery since we didn't get professional ones done.  They turned out nice and I plan to blog about the photos soon.  

It is hard to believe that the next time we see Ashlee and Kyle they will be here for Brixen's Birth!  WOW!  Chris and I both are so glad we were able to spend some time just us 4 again.  We had a blast and can't wait for them to both meet their nephew, Brixen!  Thanks for coming to visit, Ashlee and Kyle!  

Well...  The whole entire weekend was great until the BEARS LOST TO THE PACKERS IN THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!  What the heck happened?  The Bears looked awful...  It was very depressing to watch and sad to know that football season is officially over for us.  I don't really care to watch the Super Bowl because I dislike the Packers.  However, since Chris and I are obsessed with football, I am sure we will still watch it.  I am now hoping that the Jets win against the Steelers.  I remember saying in the beginning of the season, "What if the Bears go to the Super Bowl and we go into labor?"  LOL!  We were just one game away...  But now I truly believe we will have Brixen on 02.22.2011.  Here are some photos we took before the Bears Game.  

 

Week #36

Week #36

Baby Bump Photo

Getting Closer to Brixen's Arrival

9-MONTHS TODAY!  Wow...  Week #36 officially starts the 9th month and again, where did those 9-months go?  We were trying to think of that this week.  I guess when you are always having fun in life, time goes by so fast.  That's why you ALWAYS have to cherish every moment.  Enjoy and appreciate what you have in life!

I am still feeling pretty good!  Sleeping well at night but getting up a lot to use the bathroom.  By now, I am use to it.  :)  I am sleeping very well at night, which I am surprised because it seems like having a hard time sleeping is one of the things that happens towards the end of pregnancy.  So, I am very thankful for sleep!  

Starting to feel pretty HUGE!  But I am LOVING pregnancy.  My Husband has been so wonderful and we have been blessed to have such a great pregnancy.  However, we are ready to meet our little boy, Brixen.  It is hard not to think about Brixen ALL THE TIME!  Especially, since we work from home, I find myself wandering into his Nursery just looking at all his stuff.  Yes...  LOOKING AT IT!  :)  It is such a wonderful, unexplainable feeling!  

We had a pretty good week...  I took Friday off because my Mom came to town on the train.  I will be blogging later about our Fun Weekend.  My Sister and Brother-in-Law also came to visit.  Since I have been off the past 3-days, I am anxious to get back to working.  I love what we do and there is a lot of things coming up too.  I love Mondays!  :)

But for now...  I am going to enjoy the rest of the weekend.  The Bears Game starts in about 3-hours and WE CAN'T WAIT!  This is a HUGE game for us.  We WIN this game and it is off to the SUPER BOWL!  WOW!  Where did the football season go?  I remember saying back in September when it started, "What if the Bears are in the Super Bowl and we go into labor?"  Now...  We are just ONE GAME AWAY!  LET'S GO BEARS!!!

Week #35

Week #35

Baby Bump Photo

Brixen Christopher is Coming . . . . . 

Wow...  Would you look at that belly!  Personally, it appears that Brixen has dropped if you compare it from last week to this week!  A friend of ours noticed it last week and said something but I didn't realize it until this week.  What do you think?  

It is so hard to believe that we only have about 5-weeks left and who knows, maybe Brixen will come early or maybe he will be late.  There are a lot of guesses on our Online Baby Pool!  If you haven't yet made a guess, be sure to do so because I will be locking the game probably the end of January or beginning of February!  It will be fun to see who wins!

We had another great week...  Professional and Personally.  Lots of things coming together with our businesses.  It is very exciting!  Takes a lot of patience to be in Real Estate but a great challenge and something we enjoy on a daily basis.  You never know what could happen!  We do have a lot going on with several different projects but we both don't mind being busy.  We just take one thing at a time and it all works out in the end.

Yesterday, we had "Brixen Day."  We decided to go shopping and purchase some things we still needed.  We had a lot of coupons that were expiring yesterday and wanted to use our Gift Cards from Christmas.  We went to Babies R Us...  Love that store!  We bought...

City Mini Stroller - Grey/Orange

Medela Breast Pump In-Style Advanced

Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags

Medela Pump and Save Bags

Medela Nursing Pads

Changing Pad

Wipe Warmer w/ Light

Today, we went to Target to get a few groceries.  The Newborn Lounger we wanted was a lot less expensive there so we bought that and found a mirror for Brixen's Nursery.  We are planning to hang that above his dresser.  Can't wait to put the final touches on Brixen's Nursery.  Going to hang the mirror and his letters this week.  I am still waiting for a few items to be delivered from Beyond Bedding...   Changing Pad Cover, Lamp Shade, Music Mobile, Wall Hangings, and Hamper.  Unfortunately, the matching Rug is out-of-stock.  We will either wait until it comes in or just purchase a chocolate brown rug.  Target didn't have any we liked today.

On another note, I am FEELING GREAT!  Still have a lot of energy throughout the day and sleeping amazing at night.  Is this the calm before the storm?  We shall see...  But I am happy that I am able to still get a lot done during the day.  I am a bit slower but it all still gets done.  I think walking a lot and being on this diet sure helps!  I hope it stays like this until Brixen decides to come...  I know we won't get much sleep when Brixen does decide to make his grand entrance.  We are looking forward to becoming parents and sharing this journey together as a family!  :)

Breastfeeding Basics

Last night, we took our final class...  Breastfeeding Basics.  We actually were suppose to take this class on Sunday, January 23, 2011 at the Evanston Hospital BUT the NFC Championship is that day and you never know if the Bears are going to be in it or not!  Praying!  So...  We decided to switch the class to last night at the Highland Park Hospital.  It was a bit farther to drive but we can't miss the NFC Championship!  :)

We both enjoyed this class and glad that I signed up for it.  It was very informational and I even took some notes.  The Instructor was nice, helpful, and provided a lot of insight on breastfeeding.  Breastfeeding is something I knew I always wanted to do but now that the time gets closer to us meeting our Son Brixen for the first time, I am looking forward to this bonding time.  

I have heard that it can be difficult at times but I am just going to remain patient.  It may take me awhile to get use to it but I plan to breastfeed as long as I can.  Chris and I both feel like it is the best for our son.  Plus, I feel working from home will make things a lot easier and we will be able to have more of a set schedule, eventually!  :)

Another thing I liked about the class was she mentioned what products are the best to purchase.  I haven't yet decided on a breast pump but always knew in the back of my head that Medela would probably be the one to purchase.  Of course, she said those are the best, fastest, and easiest.  So, I think I am planning to purchase a Medela.  I can always use it again when we have Baby #2!  

I have already bought some Lansinoh Nipple Cream and Lansinoh Breast Pads so I am planning to purchase the Medela Pump In-Style Advanced.  Also, going to pick-up some Freezer and Storage Bags, probably Lansinoh or Medela.  Our Instructor said to start pumping at 2-weeks.  And, to introduce a bottle between 4 to 6-weeks.  Everyone is different and I know that Chris and I will make the best decision for Brixen.  

Right now, I am planning to breastfeed as long as possible.  I will start pumping around 2-weeks or maybe sooner.  It will be nice to build-up some breast milk for future use.  I want Chris to get involved with the feeding so we will introduce a bottle (little-by-little) at about 4-weeks.  It will all work out how it is suppose to and I am excited and anxious about the journey ahead.  

Today, is Week #35 and Brixen Day!  Chris and I are going to go to Babies R Us and do some shopping.  We have some coupons that expire today and gift cards from Christmas to spend.  I have a list of stuff, of course.  We are very excited to spend this time together and get some more stuff for our Son Brixen.  Should be a fun, fun day.  I will blog later about Week #35 and our Brixen Day Adventure.  :)

OBGYN Appointment: 01.12.2011

This afternoon, we had another OBGYN Appointment.  We were ready to walk out the door for our 12:00 PM appointment and we got a call saying Dr. Swenson was still in Labor & Delivery.  So...  The appointment got pushed back until about 1:15 PM.  No big deal!  :)

Seems like these appointments get longer and longer every time we go...  I think I just get impatient waiting to see Dr. Swenson.  ;)  She is a very busy doctor so she must get behind in her schedule a lot.  Not a big deal since we work from home but I learning to be patient!  Although, before we went into our appointment, Brixen was sure moving around A LOT!  He has been doing this a lot lately and we are enjoying every second of it!

The OB Appointment went GREAT!   We are measuring right on-schedule.  Right now, I am 34.5-weeks.  Can't believe another week of our pregnancy is almost gone!  Brixen's Heart Beat was 160 and Dr. Swenson said it sounded GREAT!  That's our BOY!  :)  He gets excited to show off his heart beat to Mommy and Daddy.  We sure do love it!  My blood pressure was good and I lost one-pound, so that means I have gained a total of 24-pounds.  Not too bad!  Less I have to loose when Brixen is born!

We have one more 2-week appointment, which is on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 than we start going every week after that.  We scheduled those appointments and made one even for Wednesday, February 23, 2011.  Hoping we won't be attending that one!  I still think Brixen will be here on 02.22.2011.  A lot of people seem to think I am going to go early but I don't really feel that yet.  No contractions but I do have dull cramping once in awhile.  Dr. Swenson didn't seem to concerned.  I was surprised to learn that she won't be doing any Vaginal Exams on me until Week #38 to see if I have progressed at all.  I guess I assumed it was earlier.  But that is only 3-weeks away and it will go by fast!

GUESS WHAT???  Dr. Swenson said that Brixen's Head is already DOWN!  I was happy about that and probably figured since I am getting a lot of higher kicks these days!  Brixen wants to make sure Mommy knows he is in there and excited to meet us both!  :)  All-in-all the appointment went well!  We are so thankful and blessed to have such a healthy pregnancy.  Now...  We are looking forward to the next 5-weeks and meeting OUR SON!  

Week #34

Brixen Baby Bump Photo

Week #34

WOW!  Would you look at that belly??!!??  Yesterday marked Week #34, which means we have about 6-weeks until we become Mommy and Daddy!  This is very, very exciting!  It is hard to concentrate now because all we can think about is our Baby Boy.  

We had a very productive and busy week!  Got a lot done for the start of the New Year with the business.  Things are coming together already for 2011 but nothing in Real Estate happens over night.  I have learned to have patience over these past few years.  It takes time and I never understood that at first but I do now.  I feel like that will help me with being a Mommy too.

I am still feeling pretty good!  I get a bit uncomfortable at night and getting up a lot to go to the bathroom.  But when I am sleeping, I sleep good.  I am very, very slow these days AND dropping things like crazy!  I am tired of bending over to pick stuff up!  :)  Forgetting a lot too!  I have always been extremely organized but now I feel like I have to write down every little thing, like even going to the bathroom.  LOL!  Just kidding!

Today, is our Chicago Baby Shower and play-offs start.  Tomorrow, we will be going to Church and also watching more football.  I can't believe the season is coming to an end.  Crazy!  Seems like we were getting excited for the first game, which we went too for Chris' birthday!  The Bears play next weekend.  AND...  We actually changed our Breastfeeding Class because if the Bears win next weekend, they will be playing on Sunday, January 23, 2011.  We didn't want to miss that game.  So, now, we are taking the Breastfeeding Class at a different hospital, Highland Park on Thursday, January 13, 2011.  Glad it worked out that way.

Another busy week a head of us with the business.  I have a meeting on Tuesday morning.  Tons of stuff to do in the office.  We have an OBGYN Appointment on Wednesday.  Class on Thursday and going to finish up any last minute shopping on Friday.  Date Day!  So, before I know it, I will be back blogging about Week #35!  

Chris and I set-up an Online Baby Pool...  It is a great way for family and friends to join in the excitement and anticipation of Brixen's arrival.  We have a lot of guesses thus far.  You can always change your guess as the BIG DAY gets closer.  But I am planning to lock the game a couple weeks before my Due Date so that no one can make changes.  It should be a fun and exciting game!  ENJOY!

Infant CPR & Safety

Last night, Chris and I took a class called Infant CPR & Safety at Evanston Hospital, where Brixen will be born!  It was from 7 PM to 9:30 PM and even though we finished a bit early, it seemed like those 2-hours were forever!  But it was very informational and we were glad we decided to take it.

We learned how to perform CPR on an Infant as well as what to do if and Infant were Choking.  The instructors were great and they even showed a video.  We got the hang of it pretty quickly plus they had booklets for us to bring home to refresh our memory whenever needed.  

We met a couple of pregnant couples in the class...  One lady is due in 3-weeks and the other one is due the day after us!  It is always fun and interesting to talk to other soon-to-be parents and ask when their due.  Both of them were also having BOYS!  Sure seems like the season for boys!  

It is hard to believe we only have one class left after signing up for four!  We are taking Breastfeeding on Sunday, January 23, 2011 from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM also at Evanston Hospital.  I was told that the Husbands/Fathers come to the class so Chris will be coming with me.  I guess you never know when you will need help!  :)  I am very thankful and blessed that Chris has been so involved with our pregnancy.  We both are loving this time and cherishing every moment.  But we both are ready to meet our BABY BOY!

I sure hope that our Breastfeeding class doesn't interrupt any big play-off games!  LOL!  If the Bears win next weekend, they will be playing sometime that weekend.  Of course, Brixen and taking this class is way more important but it would be hard to miss out on a Bears play-off game.  Good thing we will have our phones with us so we can get updates!  :)

Meet & Greet w/ Pediatrician

Last night, we had a Meet & Greet with a Pediatrician, Dr. Rosenbaum.  Our OBGYN encouraged us to meet with one or a few until we felt like we had a connection and was able to get all of our questions answered about having a Pediatrician.  We thought this was a great idea and decided to take her advice.

Dr. Rosenbaum was a very busy Pediatrician last night...  We had to wait over an hour just to sit down with him.  But for us, that met he really took the time to take care of all his patients.  Plus, he was on-call, which meant he had to make another phone call before meeting with us.  He did stop by the room to let us know he was sorry.  Chris and I totally understand.  Pediatricians and all doctors for that matter have a job to help and take care of others.  We didn't mind waiting.

Once we were able to meet with Dr. Rosenbaum, the Meet & Greet went great!  He answered a lot of questions we had.  Most importantly, we got a schedule for both of his locations.  We have been to both because that is also where our OBGYN is located.  One location is closer than the other but really neither are that far.  So, we are happy about that.  Everything was thoroughly explained and he spent a lot of time with us, which we greatly appreciated.

Since I have already pre-registered with Labor & Delivery at Evanston Hospital, we will be able to give them the name of our Pediatrician once we get there for the actual delivery.  Dr. Rosenbaum usually makes his rounds every morning at the hospital and will be able to see Brixen most likely while we are at the hospital.  We are at one of the best hospitals in the country, so I am not worried one bit.  Brixen and I will be in good hands.  :)

Well...  I definitely think we have our Pediatrician picked out!  Especially, because the room where we met with Dr. Rosenbaum had a picture with the number 222 in it!  SERIOUSLY???  WOW!  Chris and I just knew that was a sign that he was suppose to be our Pediatrician.  We both feel very good about our decision and hope that Dr. Rosenbaum will be our Pediatrician for many, many years to come.  He says he usually sees his patients through college! 

Happy New Year - Week #33

Happy New Year - Week #33

Brixen Baby Bump Photo

Happy New Year Family and Friends!!!  WOW!  It is 2011...  The year that our Baby Boy is being born and we can finally say that he will be born NEXT MONTH!  Very exciting!

Well...  I have to say that I feel extremely blessed that I am still feeling great, sleeping amazing, and have no swelling!  I can still wear my Rings!  :)  I still have the most energy in the mornings when I wake up.  But once late afternoon hits into early evening, I do get a bit sleepy and sometimes even anxious/excited.  I find myself walking around the house and wondering what the heck I was going to do...  LOL!  I guess that is Pregnancy Brain!  Definitely feel like I am forgetting a lot and dropping things all the time.  It is harder to bend over and pick things up so I should stop dropping things!  :)

GUESS WHAT?  I made it until midnight...  Woohoo!  Chris and I decided to relax yesterday afternoon.  We both fell asleep watching The Dark Knight.  I just love that movie.  Chris has a very cozy office and we put the movie on in there and fell asleep on the pull out couch.  I think that little nap helped.  Plus, it was so relaxing!

Last night, after our nap, we went out to dinner at one of our favorite places called Dengeo's.  It has a lot of different foods and I am sure I have talked about it before in our blog.  Chris got a full slab of ribs with fries and I had a gyro sandwich with a salad.  It was delicious!  Afterward, we went to the grocery store to get a few things.  

We relaxed the rest of the night and watched the Countdown in New York.  Around 11:30 PM our time, we went down to our neighbors place.  They were having a small get together and invited us over.  I had some yummy sparkling juice and Chris had some champagne.  We stayed about an hour!  THE BEST PART WAS RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND KNOWING THAT OUR BABY BOY BRIXEN WILL BE BORN IN JUST A FEW SHORT WEEKS!

Chris and I enjoyed our low-key NYE very much...  Those are ALWAYS the BEST!  Now...  It is 2011 and another BIG year for us personally and professionally.  Most importantly, our son, Brixen, will be born sometime around February 18.  February has always been a big month for us...  Now it is going to be even bigger!  We have many birthdays in the month of February.  We also officially started Blue Harvest Properties, Inc. in February AND got in engagement in Oahu on February 9, 2009!  

As far as our businesses go, we have many, many exciting things in-store for 2011 and beyond!  This past year was by-far the best year of business yet, however, each year seems to get easier and easier.  We can't wait to launch Hot Damn Short Sales, something that has been in the making for a few years.  Of course, we will continue with Short Sales since I love them so much and have learned that patience and diligence is the key to success in Short Sales.  As of today (Jan. 1), I am officially an Associate Broker with Green Brick Realty.  This will allow me to list and sell properties.  My primarily focus will be working with families here in North Chicagoland stop the foreclosure and move on with their lives.  Lots of new marketing and advertising plans coming our way...  It is all in the works right now!  PLUS...  We are going to be taking on several new rehab projects.  WOW!  That seems like a lot...  Who knows what else Chris and I will come up with!  I LOVE THAT WE BOTH THINK ALIKE!  We both feel so blessed that we are able to be Husband/Wife, Best Friends, and Business Partners.  Truly Blessed!

The rest of the weekend will be packed with...  You guessed it!  FOOTBALL!  There are Bowl Games on today and tomorrow is the final week of the regular season for NFL.  Since the Bears are already in the Play-Offs (Play-Offs?) we are not too worried about the games tomorrow!  But the best part of this first weekend of 2011 is SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND AND EATING HIS AMAZING CHILI!

CHEERS TO 2011 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!