Happy New Year!

We hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas! We sure did!

This year was an amazing year for us, and we're so anxious to see what 2008 has in store!

Karl & I had the opportunity to reflect on all of our blessings this year on our way home on Christmas evening, and I thought I'd take a moment to share a few of those with you all:

• Karl's Mom, Lyn, came through her brain & back surgeries with flying colors
• We found out we were expecting after 2 years of trying in July
• We finally got to take a much needed vacation in September
  
• My Grandmother had her 3rd Cornea transplant, and this one looks like it is going to take
  
• My Grandfather survived a serious heart-attack
  
• My Mom is quitting smoking
  
• I started an excellent job
• Karl's still going strong in his journey in the Hospitality Industry
• We were fortunate to be able to buy a new car this past April

Over all, life is good....and it looks like it's going to get that much better! 82 days and counting....parenthood is on the horizon.

May you all be safe, and have a prosperous 2008!

Love,
K&K

3 Days 'til Christmas!

I had my 27 week prenatal check-up yesterday, and my weight gain has caught up with me! I'm a little depressed about it, but I understand that I am growing a human and that these things do happen. It was a bit of a shock though to step on the scale and see that big number staring back at me!

We've been making some great progress on Addison's Nursery. We're just waiting on the glider to show up and it's pretty much a done deal minus some more decor items.

3d/4d

Introducing Addison Kimberly Whitnall

So, we had our 3d Ultrasound this afternoon, and our Little Miss kept on insisting that she keep her hands in front of her face. We enjoyed seeing her again, and cannot wait to meet her! Here are some pics from today:

Too see all 72 pictures, go to:

http://addison3d.shutterfly.com/action/

Enjoy!

-K&K

100 days to Go!

Wow how this month is flying by! I cannot believe that it's almost Christmas! Karl & will be spending the Holiday with our families out in Ventura. We're the only ones who live out of town, so it makes more sense for us just to make the 2 hour drive.

We've scheduled our 3d/4d ultrasound for Monday (12/17) afternoon. We're very excited to see our little one again, but this time in a real life image...versus the lovely black & white grainy ultrasounds. We're also anxious to make sure that she is really a "she," because if it turns out to be a "he"....he'd better like pink! =o) We're 99% confident that it's a Girl, but stranger things have happened!

I have another pre-natal appointment on the 20th. This will be my last appointment with my current OB/GYN. I'm kind of nervous to be switching providers during the last trimester of my pregnancy, but my new employer offers much better benefits than our current provider...and it's cheaper to boot! The new practice that I will be going to comes with high recommendation, so I hope all works out! My first appointment with them is on the 4th of January.

Our dresser for the baby's room has finally arrived! The first one came in about a week after we ordered it, but one of the ends was totally smashed up...so we had to reject it. I just got a call today that the new one is in and is in perfect condition. I'm hoping we can pick that up tonight since the place is right down the street from the house.

Last weekend I spent a good amount of time re-organizing the baby's closet. It was kind of a mess, and I needed to sort her clothes by size. It's all done now. Karl also found the time to install 2 more hanging rods, so the little diva definitely has room for lots more!

We also have settled on a new glider for the baby's room. We were fortunate enough to re-sell the one that we had previously purchased off of CraigsList.org for the same price we purchased it for. My Grandparents (Eittreim) have graciously offered to buy it for us, so we found one and ordered it this weekend. The baby boutique that we ordered it from (JM's) said that it should be here right around Christmas! I'm very excited to get it! Karl fits comfortably into this one...which is the problem that we were having with the one that we had previously purchased.

That's about all of the updating I have for now. I will definitely be posting on Monday...I should have several pictures of Baby A to share!

Until then,

K&K

25 weeks

Okay, so I finally figured out that our camera has a 10 second timer! So, no more mirror pictures for me!

Here's the latest:

Houston, we have a Crib!!!!

We picked up the crib tonight and I was lucky enough to con Karl into putting it together and I put the bedding on!

Here it is:

Happy Holidays!

We hope that everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving! I was able to spend mine with my family, while Karl had to work. We'll be celebrating with his family tomorrow. No complaints here! I love Thanksgiving! Bring on the food!

Well, we've been working hard to get the baby's room ready for her crib. Here's a sneak peek:



Her little wardrobe is also quite extensive. We have a full closet rod of clothing so far! I haven't even had my baby shower yet! All this is from both Grandma's and myself! I think we need to cut back! *lol* I still need to organize her closet, and Karl needs to hang 2 additional closet rods on the left side...as soon as I find homes for the 2 boxes currently stacked in that area!



Anyway, we want to wish everyone a Happy Holidays and we'll be in touch soon!

Love,
K&K

22 weeks

Sorry, I forgot to ask for picture-taking assistance again! But, alas...a new belly shot! I'm getting big! Eek!

Hurray for progress!

I just to start by giving a big Thank You to Karl and Adam for their awesome work in the baby's room. The wainscoting, top rail and new baseboards are in! Now they just need to be painted, and that is supposed to happen tonight. The room looks truly amazing and I'm sure our Baby Girl will love it!

I got a call on Tuesday telling us that the crib was in! They told me 8-10 weeks! I'm super excited that it came in early, but we can't go pick it up until the nursery has transformed into a non-construction zone. Karl's thinking that Monday will be the day, but we shall see. I'm anxious to get everything loaded in and her bedding put on!

We plan on taking a trip Sunday down to Ikea to purchase a dresser. We weren't too fond of the one that matched the crib. It wasn't our style and the price was a bit absurd! Gotta love the insane pricing of baby items!

I promise I will post pictures soon. It's nothing I'd like to take a picture of right now! It's a war zone in there, but hopefully by tomorrow it will be suitable for a photograph! =o)

20 Week Check-up

I've gained a total of 8lbs, the baby looked fantastic and is at no risk for Downs Syndrome, Spinabifida, etc. My Anemia on the other hand is not looking good at all! I'm Anemic on my own, but this baby has caused my levels to decrease that much more, and they are way lower than acceptable. I have been taking an iron supplement daily since finding out about my pregnancy, but that is not enough...I now have to take them 3 times a day! Fun stuff! I hope it works and I don't have to resort to other forms of treatment.

The Nursery has been painted pink, and Karl and his friend Adam will start putting up the wainscoting on Sunday. It's nice to see progress being made! The crib should come in sometime by the end of December, if not sooner. Now all's we need is a dresser and we are set! We were able to score a nice glider & ottoman from Craigs List for $150. The ones that we were looking at were $700+! I of course prefer the fully upholstered ones (look like a normal chair), and those cost the most! =o) Can't blame me for good taste! But we were happy to find the bargain.

We went to Los Angeles on Sunday to see Wicked with my best friend Anaya and her husband Greg. It was a really great show and I recommend it to all! It was a long day for me and I was excited to get home and rest.

I'll leave you with a picture of Chloe testing out the baby's swing. We put some batteries in it last night to test it out, and thought Chloe would be a good stand-in for the baby since she weighs about 7 1/2 lbs. She really liked it and did not want to get out. You should have seen the look on her little face when we turned it off! Poor thing!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Love,
K&K and Baby A

Exciting Day

The Baby's bedding arrived today. I'm very very happy with the quality. It looks great, too! We ventured out to Lowes tonight and picked out the pink paint for the walls, and Karl is probably going to start working on that on Monday.

My Dad is in town this weekend, so tomorrow we will go to the baby boutique and order her crib! The only bummer about that is that it takes 6-8 weeks to arrive, so I'm hoping it will be here by Christmas! If not, no biggie, but my goal is to have her room done by then.

Tonight Karl got to venture in putting together our first baby item, the Fisher-Price Nature's Touch Swing. It looks great and now all we need is a baby to put in it! =o) I can't believe we're having a baby! It seems so surreal.

Tomorrow marks the halfway point for me and I cannot believe how fast this first 20 weeks has gone by. I can only imagine how fast the 2nd half is going to go, especially with the holidays quickly approaching. I think there's like 52 days until Christmas!

Karl was finally able to feel his first kicks last night. She has definitely become quite the active little one. I'm certain we'll have a little gymnast on our hands if she keeps up the pace that she's currently going at.

That's our fun and exciting news for now.

Until next time,
K&K

Our Bedding - Bubble Gum by Banana Fish

The Crib - Munire Essex Collection in White

I'm not wasting any time!

I this past week we have managed to make a big dent in preparing for the arrival of our Little Princess.

Her bedding was ordered on Tuesday, we've bought a pack & play, high chair and swing, we've found the crib we want and hope to get that ordered next weekend when my parents are here, and she's got a nice little wardrobe started.

The room that will be the nursery is almost all cleared out which is a huge feat. We installed a really nice ClosetMaid system that I am envious of. Now we're just waiting for her bedding to arrive so that we can paint the walls the right shade of pink, and Karl can start installing the wainscoting.

Yesterday we ventured to Babies R Us and finished up our registry. It was fun to go through the store and try everything out, but very tiring at the same time. So much stuff to look at!

Everything seems to be on track and she appears to be a healthy little bug. We go back to the Dr. on the 8th, which is right around the corner. Where has this month gone?

Anyway, hope everyone out in blog-land is doing well!

Lots of Love,
K&K

Our Sweet Baby Girl

Today we had the big ultrasound and we're proud to annouce that...

It's a Girl!

She is so adorable. We are madly in love with this little person and cannot wait to meet her!

Let the shopping for pink begin!

I'll post pictures from the ultrasound soon. I have to scan them first!

Lots of love,

K&K

It keeps growing, and growing....

Here's the latest belly shot. I forgot to ask Karl to take it again, so my mirror pictures skills had to be put back into use.

There's really a baby in there!

For the past few days I've been feeling some tapping and rolling going on in my belly. It finally donned on me that these are the first "flutters" I am feeling! So exciting. I'm sure it started long before that, but I was just oblivious to it or thought it was gas.

I know in a few months I'll be sick of the kicking and abuse, but for right now, I think it's so cool! I just wish that they could be felt externally so that Karl could experience it, but I know that will happen soon enough!

Anyway, that's my exciting milestone for the day!

So today was the day that I went in for my Triple Test. One vial of blood can change your world! I won't know the results for about a week, but I'm on edge until then! I know this test has a high false positive rate (about 9 out of 10 are inaccurate) but, it's all the "what if's" that run through your mind.

This test was completely our choice, we didn't have to do it, but we decided it was better to know of any obstacles ahead of time rather than being surprised in the delivery room. We're planners, so if we can prepare for something...it'll make the transition that much easier,

On a lighter note, 13 more days to go until we get to hopefully find out what we're having! I'm ready to open the flood gates and let the shopping begin. I've stared our registry at Babies "R" Us, but it's just things like the car seat, stroller, baby swing, pack-n-play, etc. Gender neutral things that can be used again if we decide to have another baby or two. I've been putting my father-in-laws ConsumerReports.org membership to good use looking up ratings, etc.

Anyway, no big updates. I just wanted to check in and let you know what was going on with us!

Love,
K&K

Chloe & Dallas, the Big Sisters-to-be

Just for fun...

I'm really bad about remembering to asking Karl to take pics of my growing belly...I forget about it half of the time! I chalk it up to "baby brain." I want to document it, so I'm going to try to remember to do it bi-weekly.

Anyway, here's a picture I snapped on Sunday afternoon @ 15 weeks.

The Big Ultrasound has been scheduled!

On Tuesday, October 23rd we will hopefully know if we're having a boy or a girl!

As a back-up plan, we are also going to schedule a 3d/4d ultrasound at Baby's 1st Photos (www.babys1stphotos.com ). If they cannot determine the gender on the first go-round, you can come back again for free. So, one way or another, we will be finding out very soon!

We're excited to get the ball rolling. Everything has been at a stand-still, because the nursery is going to be gender-specific!

Anyway, that's the news and we'll be back with updates soon!

Love,
K&K