Stopping to smile, splash and smell the flowers

2010 has been a good one thus far, here are some highlights:

We took family vacations to St. Johns and Sonoma.

Sun, wine & friends are our favorite things!

Spring is trying to emerge in Chicago and Alex discovered that

Tu-ips smell "delicious!"

And there has been quite a bit of "almost 3 year old sassy-ness" too which has kept us laughing (wonder where that comes from?)

And big boy milestones...potty trained and accepted to Fourth Church Day School for the fall of 2010. We're so proud of our little man.

St. Patty's Day at the PICU

Green beer days have long been an event from our past but being at Children's Memorial Hospital for St. Patrick's Day was not where we ever thought we'd ever be. Alex had complications from the virus that causes the common croup cough and the poor little guy had trouble breathing only hours after his cough started, which landed us in the ER. After 3 breathing treatments from a "dragon" mask that Alex really didn't think was fun, we were admitted for a night to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit to have his breathing monitored. Thankfully, the 3rd treatment was a charm and he rested well that night in his crib which was more like a cage. As for Will and I...we were more comfortable on the top bunk at Richard Hall but managed to catch a few moments of rest on the chair/bed. We are so happy that our little leprechaun is 100% better and home!

The first 6 months...

Micro Black as we referred to him before he arrived was born on August 8, 2007 after 14 hours of labor and quickly made his presence known as the "siren"!

After we got the feeding thing and sleeping thing figured out - he turned into quite a mellow, rather serious little guy and he's been making us laugh for 18 months!

The first month was a blur but we managed to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary in Grand Haven and Alex got together with his 2 youngest cousins: Ada Gilmartin & Jackson Weiland.

I went back to work, Alex took his first trip on a plane to San Francisco with Will to meet me there and we introduced Grandma Phyllis to her first great - grandson.

We celebrated our first holidays as a family of 3!

Our serious guy at 6 months old, solid foods, sitting up, getting the hang of napping, sleeping through the night and making us work hard for a giggle.

Lover of ALL fine foods...

and wines.

(that's TR Elliott of course)

Micro isn't so micro!

I vowed to be a very organized pregnant lady and new mother - I'd have everything ready for Micro Black's arrival, a journal online to keep you all updated and would send photos and videos monthly. And as our little guy turned 1 years old, I would proudly display his baby book for all to read.

And then reality struck and 2 years later, I'm posting my first blog entry, I still don't know how to download pictures from our camera, I always take sideways videos and Alex doens't have a baby book. But we sure have had a great 18 months getting to know the little man we called Micro.

Thanks to our friends the Hagan's, when I posted a comment on their blog today - I was reminded by technology that I too had created a blog, in May of 2007. So here we go....

Alex Black, formerly Micro Black turns 18 months old next week. My sister Elizabeth leaves on an Asian Adventure next week and Alex's grandparents have to plead and remind me to send photos. And I like to journal so I'm going to give it a shot and hope you will bear with me as I navigate this blogging thing...

Pregnancy Journal - awaiting Micro!

On 1/20/07 I wrote:

Hi Family,

I promise I won't send you updates every 4 weeks but this was a big one for us because:

1. We met our new doctor in Chicago, Dr. Christina Bonner and

2. we heard our little "micro's" heartbeat!

Yesterday was a successful appointment. We will have an ultrasound in a week or so, she wants to see the little bugger because we went to the doc in CA for the first ultrasound. We'll deliver at Prentice Women's Hospital of Northwestern Memorial and if we deliver during the day, Dr. Bonner will deliver the baby. We like her a lot and we also like that because their offices are on the Labor & Delivery floor of the hospital, the doctors in her practice only rotate at night.

So, I'm still trying to choke down food and not choke Will (I've been a bit "irritable" and not very hungry!) but other than that, all is well.

Settling in to our new house slowly, the projects are endless. Here is the info:

1443 N. Mohawk Street, Coach house
Chicago, IL 60610
home phone: 312-643-0003

On 1/30/2007:
Hi Family,

Here is "Micro Black" as we've come to call our little jump shrimp's first portrait. Our new doctor offered to do a super high-tech ultrasound so we got to spend about an hour checking out it's "parts". All looks good and on track - about 3 1/4 inches long from top of head to butt!

Micro had some ideas of his/her own during the ultrasound and didn't want to flip over to give the doctor the view she needed. So, after shaking my hips around and pacing the office, we woke the little guy up and it did a flip. Then it started pushing back with it's hands against the pressure of the ultrasound and took a big stretch at the end of it's performance. It was really amazing and hard to believe that all of that was happening since I don't look pregnant yet!

Next update will be in a few weeks but I'm happy to report that I'm feeling better.

Love,
Sarah