Big Sister!

Well, the cat's out of the bag...Yes, Quinlin is going to be a big sister!

I wanted to thank everyone so very much for all of the sweet comments, "likes", messages, etc.  I've read every single one of them and I feel so very lucky to be surrounded by such amazingly supportive people.

As most of you know, our path to pregnancy has never been an easy one as we have to go "The Dreaded IVF Route" each and every time. It's pretty much not fun...at all, but we feel lucky to have the absolute BEST doctors, families, & friends in our lives. And although this past year has been a difficult one, I feel that the details of that story are neither here nor there. We are focused on the present...and especially the future as we get ready to add another member to our little familia!

Many of you have asked about our announcement picture- so here's the story:
I decided to stay off (the ever-dangerous) Pinterest because I knew I would immediately find a cute idea and try to replicate it and I really wanted the announcement to be original. Not that I was trying to be a super hero or anything, I just wanted the idea to originate from something within our family, our daily activities, Quin's likes/dislikes. I wanted it to really mean something to us after all we had been through.

Well, as many people with a 2-year-old girl will tell you-- dolls are all the rage. My daughter is seriously obsessed. I'm scared to count the number of dolls in the house for fear that I may need to admit to having a small shopping/hoarding problem.

Quin's day consists of following me around the house, replicating everything I do for her- for her baby doll. From standing on a chair in the kitchen preparing meals for her baby doll to putting the poor doll in time outs. Q's babies get sick, take baths, have their diapers changed, and are even in the midst of potty training. I should mention that the dolls are having much more success on that front.

We seriously have every piece of baby furniture in two sizes: human size and doll size. It got to the point where I had to buy one of those hideous hot pink fabric tent "houses" for the living room just to house all of Q's doll furniture & accessories. It matches perfectly with our living room furniture and isn't an eye-sore at all...

One day, when my husband and I were watching Q vacuum her doll house floor with her Minnie Mouse vacuum in one hand and a baby doll cradled  in the other, we turned to each other and I said, "Well, she sure is going to be well-trained!" Viola- light bulb moment. The announcement idea was born.

I should mention, it took 3 adults to lug all of that furniture out into the middle of the woods, 1 of us to hold up one end of the string of stars, another one of us to direct Q, and me to actually man the camera while all of this craziness was going on. It was most certainly not a one-woman job. Huge thanks to my hubby and amazingly creative sister (chalk board artist, anyone?) for their help!

Here's the announcement again along with some other favorite shots that didn't make the cut. Thank you again for reading, sharing our excitement, and following our journey!

xoxo -j