Happy 1/2 Birthday, Greta!

We can't believe our Baby Girl is already 6 months old already, where did the time go? This Christmas will be so special with her, we can't wait to watch her open presents (eat the wrapping) and to have her start sharing in all of our Christmas traditions.

We enjoyed Dove Christmas last weekend at the farm. My Grandpa made Greta a beautiful toy box, she also got lots of toys, a life jacket, and a few outfits. Everyone on the Dove side gives Greta lots of attention, it is so great to see them with her, they are definitely smitten!

We have the Kosel Christmas this weekend and the Shaughnessy gathering on the 30th and then the Croatt Clan on Jan. 7th. Lots of parties to look forward to!

My graduate program is done, WAHOOO! And, now I am on to the job search. I am looking to find something part time in Human Resources, so I'm hoping the options are there after the New Year. Dan is busy selling meat, lots of day trips and long hours, but things should be quieter next week, so hopefully we can spend more time as a family.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas filled with family, friends, food, and fun. Enjoy!

Thankful

Our little baby girl is already 5 months old! At this time on June 21st, I was thankful for my epidural and excited to see if we would welcome a little Eli or Greta. Now, our little nugget is playing away in her jumper, excitedly eating any toy she can get her hands on and hoping mom will let her on the floor to show off her rolling skills. She continues to amaze us everyday at what she is learning and taking in that little brain of hers. We are so excited to celebrate this Holiday season as a Family of 3 and have so much to be thankful for (other than that epidural 5 months ago)! We are so thankful to be near our family again, to all be healthy, for Dan's job, for my graduate program coming to a close, for being able to start looking for a new home, and of course for our #1 that we can't believe we ever lived without! We hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and takes the time to think about all the things you are truly thankful for! Hopefully next year, we can include sleeping through the night on our list :)

4 Months

Greta was 4 months old last week, can't believe how fast the time has gone! She continues to amaze us every day, she is smiling, rolling on her side, grasping toys, using her jumper, and has outgrown lots of clothes and her swing! She is such a good baby, she is now only waking up once in the middle of the night (around 4am) to eat and then goes back to sleep until 7 or 8. Her naps are still fairly short during the day, but as long as she is sleeping ok at night, I will take it! We had her check up last week and she was 25 inches tall and weighed 14lbs 11oz. She hit the charts at about the 75th percentile and the doctor said she is developing well and is healthy as can be!

Mommy and Greta have been taking advantage of the nicer weather with lots of walks and time outside as well as visits from Grandma Croatt, Uncle Nate & Brittany, Auntie Megan, Kristin & DeEtte, and Miah. We love being so close to family and friends! Dan is busy with work, but has been home a bit earlier in the evenings to spend time with his girls. It is their end of the year this week, so lots of paperwork, etc. needs to get done. I have been applying to FT and PT jobs in the area, so hoping something will work out soon!

This weekend, Dan & I are going to a Halloween Party with some of the SJU crew and on Sunday we have Leah's confirmation in St. Cloud. Hope everyone is enjoying the nice fall, I'm sure it won't last :)

Little Nugget

It has been almost 4 weeks since our last post . . . and time for mom and dad to brag. Greta J continues to eat like her Daddy and sleep like her Mommy. We estimate she weighs just over 12 1/2# and has her uncle Nate's height. She is a natural conversationalist, talking for hours about her day every time Dad comes home. She is Tech Girls Tennis number 1 fan, cheering on her Cousin's Kristin and Leah whenever her and mom can get there. We finally feel completely settled here back in Minnesota, and life is as normal as it can be with a 3 month old.

Fall is in the air, and we are looking forward to showing Greta J all that the Midwest has to offer in the Fall. We will make it to both a St. John's and Concordia Football game, wearing the correct colors for each game and if there is time, a Gopher game.

Happy Fall Everyone!

2 Months Old

Can't believe our little nugget is already 2 months old! Time is flying by. Greta is getting so much more fun now-smiling, following us with our eyes and just being so much more aware and alert. We went in yesterday for her check up and she was 11lbs 13oz (75th percentile) and 24 inches (95th percentile). The doctor said she looked great and she did really well with the 4 shots they gave her (much better than her mom did). She was definitely more sleepy yesterday, but seems to have recovered well.

Dan is still very busy with work, but hopefully things will slow down a little once he gets used to the territory. Dan and I are headed to a Twins game on Saturday and Sunday is Greta's Baptism in Albany. We are looking forward to welcoming her into God's Kingdom and celebrating with friends and family after the service.

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of summer, it will be over before we know it!

Back in MN!

We have arrived back in MN!! Our road trip started on 7/13 and ended on 7/15. Greta was an awesome traveler, mostly sleeping and eating. We made great time on our trip and couldn't be happier to be HOME! We are still waiting for our moving truck to get here and are excited to get settled in to our rental house. Greta got to meet her Uncle Nate, Auntie Megan and Kurt, and Great Grandparents already-everyone is eating her up! Dan started his job in Eden Prairie yesterday and Greta and I are hanging out and trying to stay cool with this disgusting heat. All 3 of us are headed to the cabin in Glenwood this weekend for the Annual Gerber Classic. We are excited to introduce Greta to her extended family! I will update with pictures once we get settled and get all of our pictures transferred to the computer, things have been a little crazy and we are looking forward to having all of our things here soon!

Happy Due Date Day!

Dear Baby Kosel,
Today is your due date, please come out and see us soon. Everyone is ready to meet you and we can't wait to find out if we will have a little Greta or Eli!

Love,
Your Mommy & Daddy

Come on Baby!

Well, we had our 39 week appt today and not much has changed in the last week or 2, so we are still waiting! The doctor said they generally only let it go 1 week late, so regardless, Baby K will be here before June 25th. I'm getting a little uncomfortable especially with the heat, so the sooner, the better (at least for Mommy)!

On the relocation front: our house is on the market here (we have an open house on Sunday), we have signed a lease on a duplex in Eden Prairie, and Dan is set to start the new job on July 11th. Lots of stuff going on, but we can't wait to be back!

This weekend will be fairly low key, we are headed to Worcester tonight for dinner and we might venture to Newport, RI for a quick trip during the open house on Sunday. Newport is a quaint New England town right on the ocean and it is beautiful! Lots of shopping and cute restaurants, etc. Hopefully the walking around will entice Baby K to decide it's time to come out!

That's it for now, hopefully the next post will include a photo of our new addition!

MOVING HOME!!!

We are so happy to announce that we will be moving back to MN this summer. Dan was offered a promotion with Hormel in their Eden Prairie sales office. He officially starts on July 11th, so we are hoping to all be back by then if the baby (and Mommy) are ready to travel. It will be a whirlwind in the next 6 weeks with staging the house, trying to sell our house here, finding a new house, oh and of course having a baby! But, we couldn't be more excited to be closer to family and friends. We will miss it out here as well, but it will be nice to have Baby in MN. I'm sure we will wonder what the heck we are doing there in November-March, we have gotten used to a milder Winter and to having an actual Fall and Spring, but I'm sure we will get used to it again. We can't wait to spend time at the lake, with friends, with family on EVERY holiday and to starting our little family in a place where we have so much love and support (and babysitters too)!

Will keep updating as it gets closer. We are hoping to find a rental house in the next couple of weeks and can't wait for everyone to meet Baby Kosel!

A little photo shoot...

One More Month!

A little less than a month and Baby Kosel should be making his/her appearance! Can't believe we are going to be parents-SCARY! We are finishing up the baby classes next week, we have everything that we think we need, so now we WAIT... Appointments are now every week, Baby is growing right on track and I'm getting bigger and bigger and bigger!

This weekend, Dan and I are going on a date in the North End of Boston, which has the best Italian food and bakeries around. I have to work on Saturday, so Dan is heading to Albany to visit Chanze and Josh (Big Brothers) and I'm not sure what the plan is for Sunday yet.

I've attached a new belly "bump" (more like a large hill) photo and a picture of the 2 swimsuits I found this week at work. I understand a newborn won't be swimming this summer, but thought he/she should at least look the part when at the ocean or lake!

Happy Mother's Day

We've had a busy few weeks. My semester is over, which is great, it is nice to be done with presentations, papers, etc. My schedule has definitely freed up a bit, so I am using the time to read about baby care, breastfeeding, etc. I also received the book "Sippy Cups are Not for Chardonnay", it is hilarious for any moms out there looking for a quick read!

Dan and I went to the Twins game last week when they were here, it was great to finally see a MN win at Fenway! We also had a baby shower on Saturday thrown by the Hormel crew. We got a ton of stuff and we're very appreciative of our MA friends! We got blankets, toys, books, outfits, diapers, a diaper bag, and a diaper genie (Dan better start learning how that works!). I keep telling him that if I have to do all of the feedings, he gets to do the changing (he doesn't seem amused). The due date is quickly approaching-only about 5 weeks left. I am now going to the doctor every week and Baby K sounds/feels great. We can't wait to meet him or her-just a few more weeks of "baking" to go! I'm still fairly comfortable, although finding a comfortable sleeping position is becoming more difficult and the bathroom breaks every 1.5 hours in the middle of the night gets old!

Dan has been very busy with work, lots of food shows and travel to Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, and the Boston area. Food show season means lots of early mornings, which works out well for me-I love the whole bed when he leaves!

We don't have a lot scheduled for the next few weeks, mostly just hanging around home and enjoying time as a couple before our new addition arrives. I will keep updating after doctor's appts, etc. Hope all is well and that everyone is enjoying the spring weather!

7 Weeks To Go!

Spring is Here!

The weather is finally getting nicer and it feels like Spring in New England! On my days off, I have been able to sit outside to do homework and Dan and I have been able to take a few walks around town, which has been nice! Since my last post, I went home to MN, turned another year older, started childbirth classes and have discovered that I can no longer see my toes when standing upright! Baby Kosel is getting bigger and bigger by the day, we had an appointment last week and everything was great, heartbeat is still around 140 bpm and the nurse practitioner is convinced we are having a boy-I guess we will find out in a few short weeks! The baby is moving and kicking like crazy, my whole stomach moves from side to side, which is quite the sight to see. We have been getting ready for the arrival, we now have a crib, changing table, diapers, stroller, and car seat, so I think we have all of the necessities. At work, we have had good baby clearance sales, so I bought a few outfits for each gender and of course kept the tags on, so we can return whatever color we don't need! School is nearing an end for me, I am done on May 5th and can't wait to be done for the semester. I will only have 1 class left in the fall and then will receive the graduate certificate and start looking for HR jobs in the winter-we will have to start looking at daycare then too, but I don't like to think about that yet! Dan is still busy with work, it is food show season, so he has been working long hours and has been driving all over to meet with clients, his schedule will wind down in June-just in time! May should be a busy month for us, we are hoping to get to the Twins game when they are out here, Dan's co-workers are throwing us a shower and we want to do an overnight trip in Maine, Boston, or Cape Cod for a little "Baby-moon". I think that is it for now, we are headed to baby class tonight, so I have to read up on our homework!

Updated Photo!!

10 Weeks to Go!

Baby and I had our 30 week appt today and all is well. Baby Kosel is head down and getting ready to move down, can't believe we only have 10 weeks left before we welcome pink or blue! No names have been decided on yet, but here is a list of a few that we haven't vetoed yet...

Eli, Noah, Cooper, Bennett, Greta, Lainey, Bailey, Audrey. Hopefully we can decide on 1 of each before we are on our way to the hospital!

Since my last post, we celebrated Dan's 30th Birthday with a little party. We had a few friends and coworkers over for apps and drinks. Everyone had a great time and I think Dan realized he can't quite drink like he used to. He slept until 2pm the next day! We celebrated the actual day with spaghetti and DQ (which was probably more for me than him)!

Other than that, we are enjoying the spring weather, it's nice to be able to get outside to get fresh air and to see sunshine. I am heading back to MN next week for a few days to celebrate Becky and Shawn's wedding. We are also having our Dove Family Easter at the cabin, so it will be nice to get some family time in as well! I will try and post a belly pic tomorrow, getting bigger and bigger by the day!

28 Weeks!

Can't believe we are entering the 3rd trimester already, time is flying by! I had my 28 week appointment and all is well. Heart rate is still around 140, and the NP guessed that it was a boy because I am carrying so low. We shall see! The doctor guessed a girl, so still a 50/50 chance either way! We have been busy since our last update. Baby and I had a wonderful shower thrown by Deb and my Mom, we got lots of good stuff and had a great time seeing friends. Just a few more things to buy and we should be all set! Dan has been a "Dad in Training", assembling all of our gifts and furniture and he has been reading all of our new books to Baby. I think the Baby definitely recognizes his voice, he/she moves and kicks during "story time"!

This past weekend, we headed in to Boston for a St. Paddy's Pub Crawl with some Hormel peeps. Dan definitely had a good time, but it got a little long for me, I was ready to be done watching people drink by the end of the night! I am still busy with school and working 20 hours a week. Only 6 weeks left of school, so I need to get my butt in gear with writing research papers and final presentations. It will be nice to have the summer off with no homework and to just have time for the Baby!

No big plans for this coming weekend. Dan is driving to Albany to spend time with his "little brother", he tries to get there once a month to do something fun. Maybe I will tag along this time. I guess that is it from the East Coast. The weather here is warming up and we have no snow on the ground, Spring is on it's way!

25 Weeks!

March Madness

Can't believe it's already March! The weather here has been sunnier, but still not as warm as we would like. It's been in the low 40's, but still not warm enough to do much outside. I have been busy with school, lots of projects and mid terms are already here. We have our Spring Break in mid March, so it will be nice to have the week off! I will be heading home next week for our Baby Shower and can't wait to see friends and family. I will be home Thursday-Tuesday and am looking forward to spending time in Avon with my parents and Nate is off work too, so we will have some family bonding time.
The bump is definitely growing and Baby K is moving and kicking lots! I will try to post a picture tomorrow-25 weeks already. We definitely need to start getting the house ready for the arrival, hopefully everything will fit in our condo! That's about it for now, can't wait to be back in MN!

Feels Like Spring

Well, we made it back from AZ and we had a wonderful trip. The weather was awesome (around 80 every day)! We spent time at the pool, Dan did some golfing, I got a massage, and we went to a show with my grandparents and Dan's parents for Valentine's Day. It was great to see family and to enjoy a relaxing vacation. We got back on Tuesday night and the weather has been warm here, hitting 60 the past few days, we are getting excited to actually spend some time outside and I am excited to start walking outside instead of on the treadmill. Our local DQ even opens on March 1st, I'm sure there will be a few trips there in the next few months!

Baby K is growing and growing, I'm officially only able to wear maternity pants unless they are sweats or yoga pants. It's a good thing I'm working at Old Navy, the discount has been put to good use! I'm feeling a lot of baby movements mostly in the evenings and Dan has even been able to catch a few kicks and punches. I have my 24 week appointment next week, can't believe how the time is flying, June will be here before we know it.

No big plans for this weekend, I have some homework to catch up on and we plan on heading into Boston to walk around and enjoy the fresh air. Hope all is well!

Heading to AZ

Dan and I are headed to Mesa in the morning. We will be staying with his Grandma for the first 2 nights and then with my Grandparents for the last 2 nights. We are excited to escape the cold and snow! Not much is new since our last post. The baby bump is getting bigger and Baby K has been very active, which is great to feel. Hopefully we will have more to update/pictures when we get back.

Stay Warm~

19 weeks and counting!

Dan and I had our ultrasound for the Baby and it was amazing. To see everything up close was great, Baby K was moving a ton and enjoyed his/her first photo shoot. All looks good and the baby is developing perfectly, so we were very happy to hear that! Other than the baby, we have been busy with work and school and even had time to spend the weekend in Vermont with some of the Hormel crew and friends. They all went skiing and I got to relax, read, shop and of course eat good food! We don't have a lot going on in the next couple of weeks, but have planned a trip to AZ to see my grandparents and Dan's grandma Feb. 11-15, we are looking forward to some warmer weather! Signing off for now, I have attached an ultrasound pic and a 19 week "bump" pic as well!

Back in MA

Dan and I enjoyed our trip home. Lots of time with family and friends and of course lots of food! It felt great to be back in MN near our loved ones, it is always hard to leave, but I will be back in March! Now, we are back to life on the East Coast. My new semester of classes starts next week and Dan is back to the meat grind. We had our 17 week appt today and everything went well. We got to hear the heartbeat again, which is always amazing and nice to hear. We have an ultrasound at the end of this month and I can't wait to actually see the baby-it will be great to see the progress and features-I wonder who he/she will look like?! That's about it for now, we are expecting a huge snowstorm overnight-schools and businesses are already closed and we haven't had a flurry yet, seems different, especially for Minnesotans!