Los Porchs

5 months?  What?  How is this possible ?!  We've been so incredibly busy this past month, I can't even fully comprehend it to be honest.  I feel like I struggle to get things accomplished in a timely manner sometimes because I'm busy learning my new job and busy being a kick ass mom.  Laundry just takes a backseat.  ;)  I did make a legit dinner tonight so I feel pretty good about that, but then we had to inhale it to get Charlie into the bathtub before she slipped past the "I'm so tired" zone and into "Fuck this, I'm done" territory.  We nailed it. We had our Mommy Snuggles  and she was out like a light. She's finally getting over this cold/flu bug thing and I'm pretty happy to see her back to her normal self, though I'm fearful that she's now teething.  Perhaps her 6 month update will include a new tooth!  I didn't get teeth until much later but I'm not sure if that's a hereditary thing or just luck of the draw.     ...

I'm still alive.  We've been busy as ever with our recent move to Wisconsin, but we are still kickin'.  We celebrated Christmas while living with my parents so I didn't get to decorate at all and never really got into the holiday spirit, aside from playing Christmas music at work.  It's hard for me to remember to take pictures because I'm usually moving at a ridiculous pace and just trying to savor these moments with my family... we got a few this Christmas, but let's be serious, it'll probably take until the 4th of July to post them & sadly, I probably took them all so there won't be many of me and my Charlie Bug together.  I hate that.  I feel like I'm always taking pictures and never really end up in them.  I don't really get into New Years resolutions, but maybe I should work on capturing more of these firsts and special moments and including myself in the picture.  Yeah, let's go with that.  Because I'm certainly not about to...

I always knew that time would fly once a baby joined us, I've heard people say for years that they blinked and their babies were grown.... those first weeks of zero sleep and trying to figure out what made our little one happy were exhausting and felt like slow motion while all the while flying by!  Suddenly we were celebrating 1 month, 2 months... and here we are today.  4 months.  This kid has changed my life in so many ways, all of them positive. The stats... 16 pounds, 25.5 inches of cheeks and giggles are all ours! Charlotte loves... - the moving butterflies on her play mat - this Taggie blanket I accidentally ordered for her on Amazon during a late night pumping session - bath time - her Packer lovey from inspired3crochet on Etsy - Mortimer the Moose (one does not simply leave home without it) - Daddy Blast Off (Porch thrusting her into the air above his head) - story time (currently loving Boss Baby and Little Blue Truck) Charlotte does not love......

As we pack up for our big move to Wisconsin, there are some things that I'll miss (and some that I am more than happy to leave behind). After 6 years in Chicago, it's come to feel like home and I am sad to say goodbye but I also cannot wait to be thisclose to family and friends. What I'll Miss My amazing team at the center (seriously, if I could pick up my center and bring it with me, I would) Awesome public transportation The skyline Ethnic food any time of the day My network of fabulous ECE warriors Being a proud Packers fan in a sea of fair-weather Bears fans Things Chicago Can Keep Red light tickets The Bears (and their fair weather fans) T.r.a.f.f.I.c. Paying for parking e'rywhere That damn alley The gunshots (I get that there's crime everywhere, I'm not naive, just looking forward to not having my kid grow up numb to the sound of gang wars right down the street) Rude people Astronomically high rent I'm sure this list wi...

It's official. We are going to be Wisconsinites by the end of 2014! We are in the process of purchasing a home in the Milwaukee area and couldn't be happier to be so close to family and friends again. In 2008, after seeing my frustration with my job search, Porch convinced me to expand my search radius to include Chicago. He was already here and I was spending every weekend here so I took the bait and started sending in my resume to places in the city. I found a job right away (with my current employer) and moved down to start my job. Porch & I knew we would end up married and the longstanding agreement was that we would live in the city until we were ready for children. I despised Illinois and wanted the experience of living here but couldn't see how it would ever be home. I was so wrong. I blossomed. I became an early childhood warrior. My career has been amazing and I think much of that is because of the resources and networking available here in the city (also my ...

Today marks one year since I walked into the surgery center with an empty uterus and walked out PUPO (Pregnant Until Proven Otherwise). Knowing that I "might" be pregnant was such a surreal experience, not wanting to tell anyone for fear it might not be our time and not wanting to tell a bunch of people that it hadn't worked... so thankful that Charlotte stuck around and is part of our family. I cannot imagine life without her. Every day, she amazes me with her giggles and smiles. I am hopeful that future attempts (we have 4 embryos remaining for FET (frozen embryo transfer)) are successful but also understand that we may be a family of 3. Only time will tell! Xo See!  She was small once ;)

Today marks the one-year celebration of the first time I had to give myself an injection for our IVF treatment.  It was a day of SO much emotion, so much suspense, and of course, so much hope.  I remember giving myself the pep talk about the injections -- This is nothing compared to what labor will be like (and I kinda called that one).  It got easier each time, especially as I found others in the blog world who were going through the same thing as I was at the same time. I would do every single thing again, multiple times, if it meant I got to find my way to Charlotte.  This girl is my own living, beating heart, outside of my body.  I am so thankful to the team at IHR  here in Chicago for all of their kindness, support, and knowledge.  The team at IHR helped Porch and I start our little family and we could never fully express the gratitude we have for that gift. I am still thinking of those who are in the midst of their journey to parenthood, thos...