The Year in Review

2010 was a year of highest highs and lowest lows for the Irish’s. Here’s a little peak back at some of this year’s highlights.

In January, we found out that we were expecting our first baby. We hadn’t planned on getting pregnant so quickly but were thrilled when we found out. We couldn’t wait to tell our parents who we knew would share equally in our excitement. We had my parents over for dinner one night to share the news. Dave was surprised I kept it a secret for the first few days and trust me, it took every ounce of willpower in my body not to pick up the phone and call my mom. They were beyond excited, although Dad did keep saying they were too young to be grandparents. We took Dave’s parents to lunch at Olive Garden to tell them the news they’ve been waiting for since their first child got married. Leave it to the baby of the bunch, and the last to marry, to finally give them the grandchild they’ve been waiting so long for. They too were thrilled.

Our excitement lasted just a few short weeks. On February 8 we went in for our first visit with our doctor who after an ultrasound told us that the baby didn’t look to be quite as big for the 8 weeks we thought we were at at that point. She said it could be nothing to worry about and said that she’d monitor my hormone levels with blood work over the next week and we’d come back for another ultrasound in a week. The day after my 24th birthday we went back to the doctor and another ultrasound confirmed our worst fears – the baby had stopped developing and there was no heartbeat. My body was waiting to miscarry. A day later, on February 17, the physical pain was over and we left to deal with the emotional aftermath. To this day, I still believe that was the single worst day of my life. And I still pray that our baby girl is not born this February 17th because that day will always hold memories of our first baby.

Dave was given an exciting new opportunity to change jobs in March. He’s really enjoying his new job with WE Energies and he’s found the position to be exciting, challenging, and full of opportunities to grow. His job allows him so much flexibility which will be great with having a family and his boss has been fabulous to both of us – opening his home and family to us. We were fortunate to sneak in a visit to Dave’s grandma in Arizona this month before he started his new job. It was so nice to spend some time with his grandma in the warm sunshine!

April and May were rather uneventful months for us. We were still grieving the loss of the baby while trying to move forward and start again. We agreed we would let nature take its course and didn’t stress over getting pregnant again. We threw ourselves into house projects as Spring came – painting bedrooms, finishing bathrooms, and digging up some of the old landscaping. It was a welcomed distraction at the time.

June was a month full of changes and surprises to say the least. In mid-June I left my job with the American Cancer Society and found out that I was I was pregnant the very next day. I was relieved to be done with a job that I miserable in and company whose mission I didn’t believe in or support. Admittedly, I was overwhelmed at the thought of starting over at a new job with a baby on the way. Unlike the first time I found out I was pregnant, when Dave was there with me, this time I was home alone and absolutely frightened when that little stick said “pregnant”. I remember calling Dave and then my mom and just crying to both. I was thrilled, anxious, and completely terrified all at once. The next few weeks after that were filled with lots of doctors appointments, a lot of blood work, weekly ultrasounds, and two incredibly anxious parents-to-be!

July brought our worries to an end (for the most part) as we learned that this second pregnancy was not only viable but progressing beautifully. We were able to breathe a few sighs of relief before all those nasty little first-trimester pregnancy symptoms set in. I’m not sure Dave was adequately prepared for all the joys that a successful pregnancy were about to bring him :)

In August, we celebrated our first wedding anniversary! I still can’t believe how quick the first year went. The fact that we experienced one of the most challenging and devastating moments of both of our lives together, during our first year of marriage, made us feel like we could survive the next however many God will bless our lives with. I also had the privilege of celebrating one of my best friend’s marriages in August as Miss. Katharine Nelson became Mrs. Katharine Suwalski. I absolutely loved every minute of her wedding and felt so honored to be a part of one of the most important moments of her life.

In September, after toying with a few job offers and Social Work career paths, I finally started my new position in adoptions with Children’s Service Society of Wisconsin. I’m not sure I fully understood what my position would be at that point in time but I loved the idea of doing something adoption-related. As any Social Worker will tell you, a career in Child Welfare is not for the faint of heart and I am learning that very quickly. So far I’ve experienced an overwhelming mixture of emotions as I’m learning more about Milwaukee’s Child Welfare System, foster care, and special needs adoptions. It’s been a test of my emotional and personal strength and has caused me to take a good long look at where I really want to be in my career and personal life as I prepare to enter the world of balancing motherhood and career. Of course I can’t forget that this month we also found out that we were having a baby girl and the color pink officially began to invade the Irish household!

October again was a rather uneventful month for us…we began getting baby’s room ready and really started focusing on everything that needed to be done around the house before baby’s arrival in just a few months.

November brought Dave’s grandma for a visit from Arizona which made Thanksgiving extra-special this year. Dave headed off to Vegas for a work trip which ultimately served as his last little vacation before life becomes all about diapers, pretty little dresses, and sweet little “Daddy, I love you’s”. We also began our birthing classes this month. I feel like November was over before it even began and we moved onto December. December served as the start of the last trimester of the pregnancy and a clear reminder that baby girl’s arrival is just around the corner. I officially began nesting this month and we’re completely in baby mode at this point. We enjoyed the holidays with our families and a visit from Dave’s sister as the year winds to a close.

I look forward to 2011 with much anticipation. Obviously having a baby is at the top of our list for this upcoming year but there are likely to be many more highs and I’m sure even a few lows to come our way in 2011. Regardless of how the next year plays out, our little family of two will grow and our lives will never be the same…and we couldn’t be any more excited!

Weekly Pregnancy Post

If my last post didn’t spell it out, we’re officially in baby-preparation mode after what I like to call “a very baby Christmas”. We officially have some of those basic necessities that I have been stressing over the past few weeks. Dave likes to point out that we still have eight weeks but when you’re an over-prepared, type-A, control-freak planner like me, eight weeks sounds a lot closer than it does to my relaxed, calm, level-headed husband. Now that we have her bottles, bedding, and lots of diapers I feel a tad bit more prepared. More on that later…

How Far Along: Thirty-two weeks

Pregnancy Symptoms: I might as well be a ninety year-old woman because that’s exactly how I feel. My whole body aches, especially hips. I feel like I’m recovering from a double hip replacement – no matter which side I lay on I am not just uncomfortable but I’m in an unusual amount of pain. I also am having an unusually difficult time breathing, especially when lying down. Sometimes I feel like I’m on the verge of a panic attack because I can’t seem to get enough air in my nose. It helps to sleep sitting up or propped up. I think the people on the elipticals next to me at the gym must wonder if I’m about to pass out (or give birth) because I can only imagine what my constant gasping for air sounds like to the average Joe. Fortunately, exercising is the one time I do find it easier to breathe and until the doctor instructs me to stop, I’ll continue right along. And of course we cannot forget the constant urge to close my eyes and take a good long nap. Maybe it’s the sleepless nights but all I can think about during the day is how much I just want to nap. Yep, definitely feeling like a ninety year old these days.

Food Cravings: I wouldn’t really call it a craving but I have indulged in an insane amount of Christmas cookies over the past few weeks. Just when I cleared out the stash in our house, our neighbors and in-laws decided we needed some more and alas, the Irish house is stocked yet again! All I can say is thank goodness I’m not in post-baby trying-to-get-back-in-shape mode now. I simply cannot resist the temptation. I always blame my constant need for sugar on the baby which Dave says isn’t fair – it’s a legitimate excuse and I plan to continue to use it for the next 8 weeks. On a healthier note, I have a love of fruit these days, especially those cute little Clementines.

Maternity Clothes: I’m throwing this category back in the mix for the simple fact that I ripped my most favorite pair of maternity pants this past week: my khaki cords. They are like heaven to me – rivaling the comfortability of sweatpants and definitely defeating jeans. I was at work and taking one of my many bathroom breaks when they ripped at the seam, right where the little part that covers the belly meets the cord material. I’m talking a big old hole that left my undies exposed. Thankfully I was wearing a long shirt that day. I refuse to buy new pants at this point and plan to test my sewing skills…or at the very least, a few safety pins should do. When I emailed Dave to tell him of my bathroom pant debacle he indulged in a few laughs but told me really it would’ve been more traumatic had they ripped in a more noticeable place. I don’t think she appreciates the delicacy of finding a perfect fitting, comfortable pair of pants while pregnant.

Nursery Progress: Her furniture is all set up, including the rocker. We’ve got lots of diapers and wipes in the changing table waiting for Dave to put to good use :) She has a cute little pink rug courtesy of Land of Nod. All that’s left are some lamps, a small table, and some toy baskets. I’m working with a friend on creating the wall art for her room so that it matches her bedding. I’m attempting to be half creative and entirely practical in the design of her nursery. I’ve got all tags off her clothes and they are all sorted and waiting to be washed. We have more than enough winter outfits and I am convinced that if she gets one more onesie I will scream. I’m moving onto spring/summer clothes now which are way cuter than winter clothes anyways…hello little sun dresses! We have her car seat all put together and both bases ready to be installed in our cars. We have a nice storage system for her closet that Dave gets to assemble this week while he’s off work (lucky guy). I’d say her room is looking more like a peaceful, sweet little dwelling fit for a princess.

Nesting: As I pointed out, Dave says we still have lots of time before baby arrives but I beg to differ. In fact, I may have become a bit neurotic this weekend and began nesting to the point of driving him absolutely crazy. I emptied every kitchen cabinet to find the perfect arrangement of everything we owned to make an empty cabinet just for her bottles and dishes and other baby items. I also felt the need to clean our hall closet again (I just did so over the summer) so that I’d feel more organized. I’m beginning to think I work harder on my weekend’s off than I do during my workweek…I think this is true of most moms.

Best Pregnancy Moment of the Week: Celebrating our last holiday as a family of two. Okay, so maybe we’ll be celebrating Valentine’s Day just the two of this year unless she decides to come early but that doesn’t really count as a true holiday anyways (as I’m sure my husband will tell you). It was incredibly surreal this Christmas thinking about how next year we’ll have a 10 month old baby girl to celebrate with…it made us both incredibly excited as we know holidays will be just a little more special with a baby around.

Christmas Highlights

We had a very merry Christmas this year... we were especially blessed to spend time with our families and to receive such wonderful gifts. Baby girl had a fantastic Christmas, too - it's amazing how many gifts an uborn child can receive. I can only imagine what next Christmas will look like :)

Here are a few highlights from our Christmas this year.

Here's Dave sportin' his new Diaper Dude diaper bag and one of our Lifestyles glass bottles and bottle brush. We're officially stocked with bottles, diapers, and wipes!


Showing off some of baby's new clothes from her great-grandma. Nothing makes me happier than pink outfits with coordinating blankets


Dad looks beyond thrilled that mom made him wear a Santa hat


More baby gear - all of her bedding, changing pad cover, books, lullaby CD (to go in her new CD player, not pictured), and baby Mozart DVD. Did I mention she had a great Christmas?


The one thing we really wanted this Christmas was a video camera so that we don't miss a minute of baby girl's life. We're so thankful to have received it and we cannot wait to start documenting our daughter's life


We put together "grandparents survival kits" for our parents this year, complete with all the fun things that first-time grandparents need to have around their house


Celebrating with the Irish's...Dave's siblings, sister-in-law and myself with Grandma Irish


We were especially lucky to celebrate with Dave's sister, Katie, who was visiting this Christmas from Peru

From Our Growing Family to Yours...

... we wish you a very merry and blessed Christmas!

I've found myself in a very different frame of mind this Christmas season. It's been interesting preparing for the birth of my own child at a time when we're preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus. I find myself thinking about Christmas this year from Mary's perspective. I can only imagine what it would have been like to give birth to your Savior...to hold him in your arms and rock him to sleep. Being pregnant at Christmastime has also given me a new perspective on traditions and what I want for our daughter and family in the coming years. I complain to Dave often that so many people around us don't remember that Christmas is about Jesus' birth. They are too busy rushing about purchasing gifts, whipping up tasty treats, or figuring out the logistics of Christmas-day celebrations to truly reflect on why we celebrate in the first place. I don't want our daughter to ever forget the real reason we celebrate Christmas. I want us to bake a cake for Jesus and sing him happy birthday. I want to read the one, true Christmas story with her. I want to limit the number of gifts "Santa" brings so he doesn't overtake our celebrations. I want her to sing songs of praise loudly in front of church on Christmas Eve. There are so many things I wish for our daughter and growing family at Christmastime. I'm so excited to see what next year will bring. Until then, we'll celebrate with our families and enjoy our last Christmas as a family of two :)

Eighty Nine Years

Yesterday, my great grandmother celebrated her eighty-ninth birthday. Although a few weeks ago at her home’s Christmas party I asked her how old she was going to be she said two-hundred. I suppose it all feels the same when you reach a certain milestone in your life. Either way, we celebrated eighty-nine years of the life of Verna Hay (or May as she insists her middle name is) Kulczyski. She was a bit confused and tired yesterday and I don’t think she even realized we were all there to celebrate her birthday but she enjoyed her two pieces of cake and adorned her neck and wrists with some new jewelry, her accessory of choice.









I am so thankful to have had her in my life for almost twenty-five years. Selfishly, I wish she could in fact live to be 200 because I can’t imagine my life without her.

Weekly Pregnancy Post

Thirty-one weeks. There's something about typing that thirty that makes me smile.

When we visited the doctor this week, they gave us all sorts of papers with all sorts of tips for "what do to do when nearing term". This included signs of pre-term labor, what to do if your water breaks, and most importantly how to reach the doctor if you think you're in labor. Apparently, once you hit that thirty week mark, they realize the baby could come before your next visit. While she really won't be full-term until 37 weeks, the doctor likes to be prepared for those "just in case" scenarios. Me too, doc! Me too!

Rather than go through my regular weekly update format, I thought I'd share a few other highlights from the past week, most of which came from our doctor's visit. The first big highlight: baby is already head down. In case you aren't quite versed on pregnancy talk, that means that baby is in position for delivery. ALREADY! Now, I know what you're thinking...she still has nine weeks to go. And just because she's head down doesn't mean she'll necessarily come any earlier. In fact, she could still show us more of that stubborn side and decide to come late. What it does mean is that we have one smart baby. No really, we do. Our doctor told us so. Isn't that what every parent wants to hear? :) We're so proud. Actually, my doctor said that since it's my first and my abdominal muscles are all nice and tight still she likely made her way into position and now won't be able to move out of it. It's rather fun to know exactly where she is positioned now because we can get her to kick and high-five regularly. In fact, our doctor enjoyed playing a few tricks with her at our appointment and got some strong movements out of her. Either way, we're bragging that we have a smart baby. Just indulge us a little and go with it, okay?

Not only do we have a smart baby (did I mention that already? oops, my bad!) but I have been a model pregnant patient according to my doctor. While I was having my "I gained four pounds in two weeks!!!!" freak out moment in our exam room after the nurse left, my doctor was across the hall with a woman who had gained nearly 80 pounds in her pregnancy. EIGHTY!! Oh my goodness. So when our doctor entered the room to hear my moans and groans about putting on a few pounds she informed that she wished all her patients could gain the appropriate amount of weight like me and that brought me back to earth a little. No woman wants to hear she's gained weight, even while pregnant BUT it is inevitable and those Christmas cookies are just too good to say no to :)

We're still working on getting her nursery ready and we're eagerly awaiting our two showers in January. We look forward to finally having things to fill her room with and having supplies ready just in case she does decide to come early. For someone like me, who likes to be prepared, I'm itching to have the house all set up and ready, even if her arrival is still weeks away. It's been difficult focusing on Christmas this year (which would explain why I just started my shopping this weekend) while preparing for baby so we'll be thankful when the new year has come and gone and we'll be preparing for what my dad calls our "second Christmas".

A Home for the Holidays

If you watch just one Christmas program this year, please consider making it CBS's A Home for the Holidays Special.

This Christmas special, sponsored by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and the Children's Action Network, will share stories of families touched by foster care and adoption. The special will be presented by celebrities including Mira Sorvino, Sara Gilbert, Holly Robinson Peete, and Leah Remini. It will also feature performances by some of today's most popular artists including Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Melissa Ethridge, Ricky Martin, and Nelly.

Most importantly, the special will share stories of the more than 114,000 children in the U.S. foster care system. It will remind you that these children are in foster care through no fault of their own but rather as a result of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. That no child is too old to be adopted. That most children wait 3-5 years in the foster care system before being adopted. That it costs virtually nothing to adopt from the foster care system. And that a child is a child no matter what their circumstances and that they all want and deserve a loving, permanent home and family.

A Home for the Holidays will air on CBS on December 22nd at 7pm.

Weekly Pregnancy Post

Pardon the terribleness of the pictures I post each week. Dave caught me this time in the middle of baking during this Sunday blizzard. He insists that we can only take pictures on Sundays because that's the day that truly marks the beginning of the new week. After morning church I usually trade in for some sweats and that's the point I usually think to take a picture. I swear I actually look much nicer during the work week :)

How Far Along: Thirty weeks. As Dave pointed out today, we are three-quarters of the way to her birth day!

Pregnancy Symptoms: Aching hips and feet. My feet have grown by at least a half size and now that it's officially winter in Wisconsin, I can't get away with wearing flats all the time. I dug out an old pair of winter boots from my mom's closet (since mine no longer fit) and luckily they fit quite well. Putting the boots on is a challenge in themselves but hey, at least my feet won't freeze!

Food Cravings: Chips Ahoy cookies with cold milk. Deeeeelliiisshhh.

The Belly: Well hello big belly! I had thought that I had already "popped" but apparently this was the week in which everyone else thought I popped as well. Everyone from co-workers to family to friends apparently noticed that I was pregnant this week. I even got the "your belly is so big" comment numerous times. While most women dread this comment, I welcomed it after months of hearing that I didn't look pregnant or that my belly appeared to not be growing. There are the occasional people, however, who say absolutely inappropriate things such as "it looks like your hips are getting wider also" or "I can tell you've gained some weight now". Those things...not really what a pregnant lady wants to hear, even if they are true. I'm well aware I'm gaining weight. Hello! I AM pregnant after all. And my hips, well I certainly hope they widen or she won't be able to get out of my belly. This week also drew some feelers - you know, those people who feel the need to touch your belly without asking. I absolutely hate when people touch my belly. Unless your my husband or family, and you've politely asked, there is no reason for you to touch my belly. I'll never understand why people feel that this is okay.

Worst Pregnancy Moment of the Week: The braxton hicks contractions have started and at times can actually be rather intense. They don't come every day and sometimes they only last a few seconds but there can be one or two that really throw my for a loop and I wonder if I'm not about to go into labor. I suppose this is what happens when it's your first baby and you really don't know what to expect. Plus, I'm the first to admit I'm big wuss when it comes to pain... labor should be oh-so-fun for Dave :)

Best Pregnancy Moment of the Week: Lots of movement. We love that she's so active right now and that she's the perfect size (three pounds, 15 inches long) to feel those strong movements in my belly. Dave loves to watch and feel her move and talks to her. I swear she knows exactly who he is because as soon as she hears his voice or feels his hands, she'll follow him or react. It's absolutely precious. I enjoy my quiet time with her and I'm sure she appreciates not having to listen to me talk all day sometimes. I hear these movements start to decrease a little as she gets bigger and has less room to move around in there so we're savoring the moments now.

My First Adoption

I have been waiting ever-so-patiently (okay, more like incredibly eagerly) since starting my new job to witness my first adoption finalization. Today was finally the day! For those of you familiar with the adoption world, you know the amount of preparation, hard work, emotion, time, and most importantly faith that goes into the adoption process. For children being adopted from the foster care system, this process can last years and includes challenges and demands that range from mandatory birthparent visits to termination of parental rights (TPR) hearings. The process is not for the faint of heart. I like to think that as an Adoption Social Worker I will get as much joy out of an adoption finalization as the family but really, it is the child who we celebrate at these finalization hearings and the true joy lies within the fact that they will forever have a family and that their life in the "system" has finally come to a close.

The adoption I witnessed today was so incredibly beautiful. A beautiful little child was welcomed into their new family with their family and friends present. What I found extra-special about this adoption was the fact that it was an African family adopting an American child. My perspecticve shifted a little. Here I was this American woman with dreams of adopting an African child of my own someday, sitting next to this beautiful African couple who felt the urge to welcome a precious American child into their home. I loved how at one point the judge said, "I believe it really does take a village to raise a child", a true African proverb and a concept that I know will not be lost with this family. I felt incredibly honored to have sat in the court room with this family, their friends, and fellow adoption workers as we witnessed the moment a child was an orphan no more. I witnessed pure love today in the form of adoption and it was simply beautiful.

I will never forget this adoption and this family whose special day I was so privileged to be a part of. It's moments like this that make the challenges of adoption and stress of the social work profession all worth it :)

Weekly Pregnancy Post

We're now certified to become parents. Or so we'd like to think. We completed our final birthing class on Saturday and received a nice little certificate saying we successfully learned everything we need to know to have this baby. Or so we'd like to think. Either way, we're more prepared for birth and newborn care and we're getting more and more excited (and admittedly anxious) with each passing week. To top it off, Wisconsin got its first snowfall this weekend which made it officially feel more like winter...meaning her due date feels that much more close.

How Far Along: 29 Weeks

Pregnancy Symptoms: Same old, same old....exhaustion, leg cramps, hip pain, inability to sleep, and forgetfulness. I'm officially at the point where I cannot tie my shoes and shaving my legs is nearly impossible. I tend to be more clumsy these days, dropping things all day long, and it's nearly impossible to bend over comfortably. Thankfully, I don't even have to ask Dave to pick up things off the floor anymore - he's so good to me. I'm especially moody these days. One minute I'm happy and the next, well Dave will tell you the littlest thing will just send me over the edge. He was so happy to hear in our birthing class that those mood swings don't go away for quite some time after birth. Here he thought my hormones would go back to normal after having the baby. Poor guy :)

Nursery Progress: She has furniture! And curtains! But that's about it. We are so thankful to my parents who spent their Sunday helping us pick up our nursery furniture and who stayed to help get it assembled. I knew that I wouldn't be of much use to Dave when it came to setting up the crib so my Dad stuck around to help. They did a fabulous job and her room is slowly coming together. Remember last week when I said how disappointed I was that they didn't have our furniture in white? Well I'm glad they didn't because the Espresso-colored furniture looks so absolutely perfect with the light pink walls and white woodwork. We found a beautiful, inexpensive rocking chair at Target that my parents decided to purchase for me as an early birthday present and we can't wait for it to be delivered. Her room is finally starting to come together...just a few accessories to soften it up a little and prepare it for practical use and we'll be ready for baby!

Food Cravings: Chocolate chip pancakes. Thankfully, the hubby makes killer pancakes and the past few Sunday mornings he has so graciously dragged his butt out of bed to make me a delicious breakfast. I'm enjoying fruit recently, especially organic oranges and clementines. I still love pasta and bread and cannot seem to get enough milk and cheese!

Best Pregnancy Moment of the Week: Besides getting her crib put together and the fact that her room is starting to look more like a nursery, the best moment of the week was finally being able to distinguish her feet and hands with her movements. She's been moving a lot for quite a few weeks now but until this week, her movements were rather random and it she turned so often it was hard to tell what body part was where. This week we've felt some strong kicks and I've even noticed a tiny foot on my belly. Today she gave me a strong kick when I poked her little foot and she attempts to high-five Dave when he asks real nice :)

The Big Three

Throughout this pregnancy there are three things that people consistently either comment on or ask me about. Chances are, if we've talked in the past seven months, you've probably been among those people. I'm sure many women get these questions while pregnant so I thought I'd share what "the big three" are and how I usually answer.

Number One: "You're still so tiny!"

I get this one A LOT! In fact, I still get shocked looks when I mention being pregnant to people I have never met before. Now I completely understand that most people don't like to assume that a woman is pregnant for fear of insulting them if they are in fact not but common, I'm seven months pregnant and have what appears to be a basketball protruding from my stomach. The rest of my body has remained the same. It's pretty obvious that I'm not just gaining a little weight in my mid-section these days. Once people get over the shock of me telling them how far along I am, they usually ask what my secret is to keeping my belly small. I wish I could take all the credit here but the truth is, it all has to do with my body structure. I have a very long torso and my doctor says that being long and lean means baby has more room to grow vertically instead of outwards, resulting in that unusually large baby bump that some women get. She also said that since I continue to exercise daily and haven't been over-indulging in sweet cravings or "eating for two" as most pregnant women often do, I'm not gaining any unnecessary weight. Only what baby needs to live comfortably in there. While I used to get upset or offended when people made this comment, now I just laugh and remind myself that maybe that means it'll be easier to get back to my pre-baby weight a little quicker than usual. A girl can dream, can't she?

Number Two: "Do you have a name picked out?"

The answer is simple. Yes. We actually had her name picked out very early in the pregnancy, before we even found out she was a girl. The part of answering this question that most people don't like is when I say we aren't telling anyone until after she's born. I learned quickly during our first pregnancy, and even early in this one, that people have an opinion about everything, especially baby names. I remember sharing a few names from our list with family and friends during our last pregnancy and people's reactions astonished me - they would tell us it reminded them of someone famous or someone they knew, they'd make a weird face, or they'd ask where in the world we came up with that one. While we settled on a name early on, I still hesitated to call her by her name (and still do at times) because I know how easily I can change my mind. Dave, on the other hand, calls her by her name daily and she actually responds to him regularly. I feel like at this point there's no turning back without confusing the poor baby what her name is. I will say that a few days ago I was watching the Today show when someone from Baby Center came on to announce the top baby names of 2010. While we knew our baby's name (both first and middle) were among the top 100, I was floored to see just how high her name debuted on the list and immediately felt disappointed. While it's flattering that so many other people find her name just as beautiful, I felt myself wondering if it was wrong to give her such a popular name. Would she always have her last initial tacked onto the end of her name to distinguish her from the others with her name? Would she feel cheated of an original, unique name? Was it selfish to give her such a popular name just because we loved it so much and think it's absolutely perfect for her? I'm sure I'll continue to ponder these things for the next 11 weeks or so but at this point, I just can't imagine her being called anything else. Guess you'll all have to wait in suspense for a few more weeks to find out the full answer to this question.

Number Three: "Are you going to go back to work full-time after having the baby?"

I hate this question. Mostly because I hate the answer. Yes, I am going to be returning to work full-time after having the baby. And it breaks my heart. She already has my heart wrapped around her little fingers. I've mentioned before how difficult it was to determine what our childcare would look like when Dave and I have to go back to work after she's born. I still feel an overwhelming amount of guilt for having to go back to work but I do know that in the end, it is what is best for her and our family. I've worked hard to get my Master's degree and have a career that is rewarding for both me and the children and families I work with. Adoption is my passion and I am excited to started a career as an Adoption Social Worker. And our family, at this point in time, works best with two incomes. I do know, however, that I would ideally like to work part-time in the near future. Eventually, especially after having our second child, I would like to stay home full-time until our children are all in school. The beautiful part of having a Master's degree in Social Work is that the profession is flexible and there are many career paths within Social Work. I could continue to work part-time in Child Welfare, work as an independent Adoption Consultant, or take a few years off before jumping back in. While I know that working with a new baby is going to be incredibly challenging for me personally, I think it's the guilt of leaving her with someone other than me or Dave that gets to me the most. Children do best with their biological families - this is what I hear on a daily basis working with foster and adoptive families. Of course we'll have our set way of raising her - our schedule, values, rules, and norms - and these are things that everyone else will do just a bit different. I would prefer she's with me or Dave at all times but I trust that our childcare facility and my mom (her two primary caregivers aside from us) will not only respect our way of parenting and provide consistency for her, they will provide great, quality care, learning, and plenty of love for her.