Week 11

A new week not only means another week into our pregnancy - it also means dinner at mom & dads! I'm not sure there is anything better than my mom's spaghetti and meatballs on a chilly fall day!

Week 11 brings a baby the size of a fig, about 1 1/2 inches long, it truly is amazing how much the baby grows each week. I can't believe that it has already been 7 weeks since we've found out that we're pregnant! I can't thank God enough for these past 7 weeks...what a blessing!

The girls minus Lizzie - she wasn't home from work yet.

Weekly measurement = still about 36 1/2 in.

In Kristen's professional opinion - she feels as though I'm starting to round out and I'm not just looking chubby around the middle - thanks Krissy! :)

Mackie getting in on the belly picture fun!

more belly fun

Mom & Mack were trying to get Trip and Pepper in on the picture fun...they were both trying to hold the dogs...as they did so, the dogs starting trying to play with one another. If you look really closely at the picture, you might be able to tell how quickly Trip was moving - she was not just sitting still in my mom's arms - as you can tell from Mack's expression, it was hilarious!

We are the Champions!

Sunday nights during the summer mean one thing for the Witkowski's -- sand volleyball at a local bar called The Foundry. Brad, Megan, Mackenzie, Greg Kosar, Brian Healy, Keith Healy, Brian & I are Team 6. I wasn't allowed to play this session, for obvious reasons, so along with captain, I also took the role of #1 fan. This past Sunday we had playoffs and as you can tell from my title...we WON the whole thing! As the championship game began the rain started to come down slowly - kind of a like a mist. Then, it came down a little harder and a little harder until it was full out pouring! We ended up losing the first game and then winning the next two! It was a great night! Our prize is free registration fee for session one next summer.

I tried to get a picture of them playing, but it was really hard from the doorway I was standing in...you can't tell, but the rain was really coming down at this point.

Brian Healy & Mackenzie

Back to Front: Brian Witko, Megan, Greg

Here is a few of us standing in the doorway watching the game...some of them are from other teams we played during the season.

Team 6 CHAMPIONS!!!

Brad, Megan, Brian Healy, Greg, Brian Witko and Mackie

They were soaked!

one with their captain!

Mackenzie & her roommate Ashley

Me with our favorite ref, Jim

SOAKED!

Mackenzie with her favorite coach!

Man, are we getting old!

No beer pong, no flippy cup, no card games, no chugging Miller Lite....it's all been replaced by a nice dinner, gorgeous children, great conversation, and sipping Sam Adams and Pinot Noir...

amazing how quickly life changes

On Saturday night, we joined Brad, Deana & Kailey Tokarz over at Tim, Steph & Tucker Bea's house for a much needed get-together. We enjoyed delicious food, kissing babies' cheeks, and finally getting a chance to catch up with one another.

It was funny how it becomes the girls and the kids in one room talking and playing - and the boys in the other room talking - how did this happen already?!

Me & Tucker

Tucker is about 2 1/2 months old!

Brian & Kailey

Kailey is almost 4 months old - look at her hold that head up!

Kailey & her Momma

my turn!

the boys chillin on the couch

Brad, Brian & Tim

The Valpo boys are dads!

one representative from each family...me ,Deana & Tucker

Kailey laid Tucker's toy right on her face

I had to snap a picture before we helped her out!

First Friends!

Baby Witko wanted to lay on the floor with his friends! :)

Kailey and her lovie...look at those eyes!

The Girls!

Check this out...

This picture was taken about 6-7 years ago. Brian lived downtown Chicago with Tim Bea and Tim Perryman - this was at their housewarming! Look at how much we have changed!

I love you girls! Thank you so much for your friendship for all of this time...I am so excited for the rest of our lives together.

Graduation!

On Thursday Brian & I headed to HCR for our third and final ultrasound with Dr. Hickey. This was a fun appointment - Dr. Hickey played around with views of the baby and let us watch the wild one move around for quite a long time. We couldn't believe how active the baby was, he (no we don't know the sex yet, but to make it easy, today I'm going with 'he') was really moving like crazy. He was waving and kicking and we even saw him hiccuping! It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. The baby measured 10 weeks 6 days - 4 days bigger than expected! (I was 10 weeks 2 days) - and the heartbeat was 170 beats per minute.

I didn't realize but Thursday was "graduation" from Dr. Hickey's practice! It was my last visit with Dr. Hickey directly. I will continue to go there for blood work weekly - as they wean me off of the meds. I will admit (not that it will be much of a surprise to anyone) I got pretty emotional as we said good-bye to Dr. Hickey. For the past 2 1/2 years, he has been a big part of our life, and it's bittersweet to leave. I can't thank him enough for giving us this beautiful, healthy baby. I could cry right now just thinking about it.

October 15th is my first appointment with my new OB Dr. Weeks. It will definitely be weird to be on a "normal" pregnancy appointment schedule rather than the close monitoring we're used to with Dr. Hickey's office.

Brian & I with Dr. Hickey

Me and Beth, one of my many nurses that I love!

Baby Witko at 10 weeks 2 days. This ultrasound picture is showing the crown rump length measurement. Baby's head is lower right and the body extends diagonally to the left...you can see the arms!

Picture of the heartbeat...170 beats per minute...an amazingly quick flicker of light

Dr. Hickey flipped the image so now the baby's head is on top...Baby is covering his eyes up with his hands!Picture flipped back to original position. You can see baby's legs...they were kicking away!

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Friday morning Amy from Dr. Hickey's office called with my blood work results. My progesterone was 132, my beta hCG was 117,000, and my thyroid was fine. The implications of these results is....drumroll please...

NO MORE INJECTIONS!!!!

My progesterone level came back really good, so I can discontinue the injections immediately!!! They want me to continue taking the oral progesterone 3x/day....ha!...that's not a problem at all! Brian & I couldn't be any more excited about how well the pregnancy is going so far. But, I'm not sure I'll be completely comfortable until our baby is here in April. Let's get through all 9 months first! I will enjoy each and every one of these small hurdles that I continue to clear just fine. I am pretty sure baby is jumping for joy too!

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Let's Go Irish! Beat those Boilermakers!

Week 10

On Monday night Trip & I went over to my parents house for our weekly dinner and measurement. Brian had a volleyball game, so he couldn't join us. But, we finally worked it out so that Mackenzie was there too. We had a great time, as always!

my parent's house with all of our cars up front...just thought it was funny

No change this week - 36 1/2in. - but definitely a changing body!

Trip and Pep wanted to get in the picture!

Momma & Mackie

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The other night we found Trippy all snuggled up in the pillows of our bed, so of course I had to snap some pictures! She was definitely ready for bed!

The Shirt Tradition

In case you didn't know, I am a huge Notre Dame football fan. The first game I ever went to was in 1993, and my dad and I have been going to a game together just about every year since. Along with going to the games and cheering on our favorite team, my dad & I head over to the bookstore to buy that year's student shirt. In 1993 we bought my first one and I have just about all of them since. This year I decided that this was the perfect year to begin the tradition with my little one. I hope that one day my baby enjoys the Notre Dame tradition as much as I do with my dad.

Irish VICTORY

On Saturday we headed to South Bend for the Notre Dame / Michigan State game. It was a beautiful day. We had a great time tailgating and getting wrapped up in the spirit that is Notre Dame. There's nothing like being there to see the Irish win! It'd be nice if we didn't always have to make it so close and down to the last minute...but hey...a win is a win! WE ARE N D!!!

Trippy headed to Katie and Steve's house for a sleepover weekend!
She had a great time playing with Parker - but I sure missed her!!!

I love South Bend!

The fam with dad's coveted tailgating grill
Mackenzie had to work, so she couldn't come...we missed her!!!

The California Crew!
On the far right is Greg Musso - he is one of my dad's friends
moving right to left is Susan, Greg's sister Fran, and his nephews Evan and Matt
...these USC fans were ND fans for the day...take note that I WILL NEVER be a USC fan EVER!

Momma and Kris enjoying the tailgate!

Superfan Pete Johnsen and Dad

the biggest tailgate we've had yet - three cars wide!

the walk-up picture

waiting for the band to come marching in

...here they come...you can see the cheerleaders

ahhh the spirit of Notre Dame...there is nothing better!
look at all of those people!

Here come the IRISH!!!

Jimmy Clausen (#7) warming up

next year we'll have a third Notre Dame fan sitting with us!!!

final score

one with the field in the background

post-game tailgating