Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Benson Richard Witkowski...sneak peek!

Our Benny was born on Monday, March 14, 2011 at 8:58pm. He weighed 7 lbs. and was 19 in. long. We have tons of pictures and I have quite the birth story to share. But first, I thought I would share his Bella Baby Newborn pictures taken at the hospital. Enjoy our sweet sweet boy!

Sunday, March 13, 2011

More Chips, Please

Last night we headed downtown Plainfield for dinner out at Front Street Cantina with our good friends Katie & Steve Kerckhove. We thought we'd go out for one last night out before we have a newborn and it becomes next to impossible.

Brian & I couldn't get over our big girl. Brian even asked, "When did our baby become a grownup?!" She was pretty hilarious, sitting in her highchair, eating her crunchies, staring at Steve, and looking around the restaurant taking it all in...she was even taking chips out of the basket to eat...just like her dad she can't pass up nachos!

Katie snapped some pictures and I just had to share!

can you please pass the salsa?

what personality this chicky has!!
it's the BEST!

crawling on the window sill...
one of those "my kid would never do that in a restaurant" moments!
oh...she was pounding on the window at one point too!



After dinner Katie & Steve came back to our house to hang out for a bit. In pure Kenna fashion, she was giving me a hard time while I was trying to put her jammies on and she crawled away from me into the middle of the room, where she preceded to STAND UP from a sitting position, on her own, with nothing around her!!! I, of course, in my complete shock, screamed. Kenna turned and looked at me and then sat down. UGH! If I would have just watched quietly, like everyone else was doing, she may have taken a step!

Katie was then on a mission to get her to do it again by holding Trippy's bone out in front of her. Kenna wasn't really having any of it, she just kept playing with her toys.

A few minutes later, we grabbed her and stood her up. After standing on her own for a bit, she TOOK ONE STEP on her own! (don't worry, I didn't scream this time!)

I don't think this Momma could be any prouder. What a moment!

I think we're getting close to having a walking girl!!!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

39 Weeks


So, I've made it all the way to 39 weeks...and to be honest besides the fact that I'm ready to have this baby, I haven't felt better. I've been sleeping great and I feel like I have a ton of energy. A friend of mine at school thinks that's because by this point my body isn't "making a baby" any more. The baby has been made. So rather than steal all of my energy to make a brain...a liver...bones...my body is just enjoying the calm before the storm, so to speak.

We had our 39 week appointment on Wednesday and we met with Dr. Kagan again. I measured 3 cm and was about 60% effaced. My belly measured a perfect 39 cm. My bp was 120/84 and Ben's heart rate was a beautiful 126 bpm.

Our questions were all based around labor and how do we know when to call and head to the hospital. I was induced with McKenna at 38 weeks, so we just want to have some sort of idea of what to watch out for and what to do. Dr. Kagan told us to call after I've had 2 hours of contractions that are 5 min. apart or if my water breaks. I asked how long they'll let me go after my due date if nothing happens in the next week. He told us that at our 40 week appointment, they'll schedule my induction for either Friday the 18th or Monday the 21st.

Okay Ben...the date of your birthday is in your hands...I do appreciate you giving me some time get everything in order at school, but now that is all done and taken care of. My maternity leave sub has shadowed me and is ready for the call, all of my IEP goal updates are done, and Spring IEPs have been written. If I have any say at all, let's go with sooner rather than later.

I love you, Benny. I can't wait to snuggle you and give you lots of squishies!!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

11 Months Old

Dear McKenna,

Oh my sweet girl...my sweet 11 month old girl!

11 months old, March 9, 2011

Not too much has changed for you in the past month. You are still wearing 9 month clothes, size 2 shoes, and size 3 diapers.

You continue to explore, explore, explore! You love to crawl around and look at everything in your reach. If you aren't able to reach it, then you make it well known that you want our help!

Your absolute favorite thing to do right now is climb the stairs. You would climb them all day long if we let you! Daddy finds himself following you on a familiar path to the gate at the bottom of the stairs where you grunt at him until he lets you climb the stairs.


Your favorite toys still include puppy and dolly, but they also include your racecar spinner, your ball popper, and your activity table. You also love your shape sorter, but not to sort the shapes, you love to put the shapes in the bucket and then dump them out. You love to look at books. We love to sit and read/sing Brown Bear, Brown Bear together. You also love to sit on my lap sing/act out The Wheels On the Bus with me. Your most favorite part is when the driver says, move on back! I dip you back and you just laugh and laugh and then for each and every verse afterwards you bend yourself back. Oh how I love these moments with you. We just have so much fun together!


You are still pulling yourself up on everything and anything, but you're still not too comfortable with letting go. We keep trying to stand you up on your own to see if you're ready, and you'll stand there for alittle bit. But once it really sets in that you're standing there...you sit right down! You will walk with us when we hold your hands and you'll even walk next to us when we're just holding one of your hands. We think you'll be walking on your own in no time! Probably when brother gets here! I'm excited that you'll probably start walking when I'm at home on maternity leave! I can't wait to see you do it!


You continue to be a great eater! You love to try new foods and you really don't let anything get by you. If Daddy & I are eating something near you then you make it well known that you want to try it. We haven't found much that you don't like. I'd say the only thing you don't like is....baby food...oh...and your bottle. You are ready to leave that bottle behind! You had string cheese for the first time this month and oh my goodness you LOVE it! But, of course, you don't want it broken up into little pieces. You want to hold the whole thing and take bites out of it yourself. We have to watch you very carefully to make sure you're only taking little bites! You also tried baby nutri-grain bars and of course, you love them! You sure are a good little eater!


Your brother is soon to arrive. He sure is going to be one lucky boy. He's going to have the best big sister in the world. You love to slap my belly and touch my belly button. You think it is so funny!


This month you got your first bad cold...and it was one horrible week! You were terribly congested and snotty, so much that your eyes were swollen. You didn't even look like yourself! You spent most of the week being held. You never really knew what you wanted. If I was holding you then you wanted Daddy, then once Daddy had you, you'd want to come back to me! We would play that game all day long!

my angel

oh my goodness!

This month you got your first black eye! In the picture above you can slightly see it abover your left eye. We had the TV trays up for dinner and you crawled over to one and pulled yourself up. You then tried to pull yourself up even higher to see what was on the tray...uh oh! Down you went with the tray falling on to you. With the amount you crawl and explore, I think this may be the first of many bumps and bruises! Let's just hope you don't have your mom's pain tolerance!

eating snacks with AB!


I didn't think life could get better. Man, was I wrong. My life is nothing without you.

Just know that you are the most perfect little girl in the whole world.

I love you sweet girl.

Love, Mommy

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Guess Who's 2!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday to our most favorite Trippy Girl!

Trippy received lots of nice gifts today from GranMom, Kenna, and Brian & I!

But, of all of the gifts...the bully stick sure is her favorite!

Kenna thought she'd try out the bone...

...and then tried to take the bully stick.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my most favorite puppy! I love you!
I can't believe you're 2 already!

Where has the time gone???