Meet Collin David

On Sunday, March 30, I got up early, got ready and headed toward Chicago for the day. I met Erica, Amy, and Tammy for lunch in the suburbs at a delicious winery. We tend to meet there if it's just us mommas. Ashley was going to come but was having some issues with her pregnancy so she was unable to come (which I told her she shouldn't come if she was feeling bad. Baby Workman was more important than lunch with friends.)

 

We all enjoyed a kid free lunch. (No offense babies.) We showered Tammy with gifts for sweet Baby Logan that is to be born in 5 weeks. And we enjoyed hilarious conversation and good food.

 

 

 

We then headed into the city. Amy drove us.

 

 

Jennifer lives in an awesome neighborhood. She lives on one of the diagonal streets where three streets intersect right in front of her condo. It's a bit tricky if you don't drive it every day.

 

What do you notice wrong with this picture?

 

Perfect.

 

We made it to Jennifer's alive :)

 

And we got to meet this sweet little man. Collin David.

And I got to take pictures of Tammy's beautiful baby bump.

She really didn't want me to take pictures but I just had to :)

She enjoyed a cold one after.

Just kidding.

It's cream (sp?) soda.

Erica enjoying sweet Collin David. So handsome.

Amy is going to get baby fever holding this little man...

 

 

 

 

 

How cute is this guy???? He was so chill. So tired.

 

Jennifer is such a beautiful mom. She is so great with him. It's so natural for her.

We missed you B and Ash!

Collin's nursery is ADORABLE. Jennifer has such a nack for decorating. (Is nack the right word???)

So perfect.

 

We loved our visit. We could have sat there all night visiting but we all had hubbies and kids to get home to. The amazing part with these girls is that no matter where we go in life, how far we move, how long it's been between visits, we all pick up right where we left off...just like we are 21 again. I've known them since I was 19. (Jennifer I have known since I was 15.) But I love them so much.

 

I made it home by 8:15. Alex had the kids all day by himself. He did so good. I came home to a clean house and a warm supper on the table. Sawyer was asleep and Charlotte was bouncing off of the walls.

 

All was good in the 'hood.

 

Thanks for an amazing day, friends.

 

And Collin, welcome to this crazy world.

Another GDI baby is born:-)

Jennifer's Baby Shower

February 8th was a busy day for us. Alex had to work. Charlotte had to turn three. I had an amazing shower to go to for one of my VERY BEST FRIENDS. It was also a day of a big snow storm. Perfect!

 

Jennifer, one of my high school friends turned into college roommate and one of the bestest friends I have ever had, is having a baby. Jennifer and I have been friends since we were 15. We lived together for three years in college. We went through the hardest year of our lives together in college. It is so amazing and crazy to see her pregnant and welcoming her first baby into this world.

 

Her baby shower was at her cousin's beautiful home out in the country. It started snowing around 11:00 that morning and was projected to be a bit of snow accumulation. However, all of our college group was able to attend!!! Here was the "Chicago"group rolling in a few minutes late....due to the snow.

 

How cute is this???

Beautiful Jennifer. She was truly showered with gifts. One of our favorite things was Jennifer not knowing what each item was. Since she hasn't really been around a baby for quite awhile, she didn't have a huge idea on what certain items were. I wish we had videod it because some of her comments were priceless.

 

 Beautiful Baby Mama.

Jennifer and her Mama.

My beautiful pregnant friends...

 

Brianne is 17 weeks, Ashley is 23 weeks, Tammy is 28 weeks, and Jennifer 36 weeks. (Those are approximate actually. I am PRETTY close to the correct week though.)

Baby bellies...

I mean look at my shirt...all bunched up and showing my tank top. Everytime I look at this picture I get annoyed!

My besties....

Amy, Brianne, Ash (all three from college), Jennifer (high school and college), Erica (college), Melissa (high school), Tammy (college)

I love these Bieneman ladies.

 

 

 

 

We've been friends for years and year....over half of our lives.

A few photos of a beautiful pregnant momma.

I love Jennifer looking like a pretty Mom.

 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer's shower was so beautiful and perfect. Her cousin Julie did an awesome job (with a little help from her friends). The snow continued so we all ended up leaving. The Chicago girls made it back ok. It was a great day. We had so much fun!!!!!!!

 

Congratulations to Jennifer and David! We can't wait to meet Baby Gillespie and see, what will it be? A He or a She?

Dixieland Delight

My fabulous friend Jennifer got her and I tickets to go see Alabama (the country music band) at a an outdoor venue just north of the city. She surprised me and bought them back in April. I was SO excited!!! Some of my fondest memories with my family growing up (and Jennifer as well) were listening to Alabama in the car (on a cassette tape or on the radio) with our families. We LOVE Alabama. We know MOST of their songs. 

Mom and Dad watched the kids so that I could go (Alex works 8:30 to after 7 on Fridays and at 8:30 on Saturday mornings.) Charlotte woke up ready to spend the night at Gigi's. She said she needed her morning "Doe Doe".... She FILLED her cup with them when I wasn't looking. When I emptied it out, there were 14 in there. Perfect. So Mom headed out with the kids around 8:30 and I was on the road 9:30 (after I stopped and got Jennifer some of her favorites from here at "home")

I got to her place around 12:30 (by the time I parked and what not.) She was just getting home from work. It was so good to see her. Her place in the city looks like a page out of a magazine. It's beautiful. She has impeccable taste. We sat and talked ...on her bathroom floor.... for over an hour (her husband thought we were weird.) She informed me that she is pregnant and due in March :) I had a feeling before I even got there that she was pregnant...just a gut feeling :)

We headed north out of the city to venue that the concert was at. We stopped at a few stores and window shopped. Being in her first trimester, Jennifer was SUPER tired and could have totally laid down and napped for a few hours (which I would have gladly done as well being kidless and not having to worry about interruptions.) The way the venue works is that you can buy tickets to be in the seats in the stands(?) and then seats for the lawn. Thousands of people can sit on the lawn and there are big screens up so you can see the concert and on the screens and hear it live. It's pretty awesome. You takes your own chairs, food, drinks, candles, you name it, you can bring it. It was amazing. Jennifer wanted junk food. I brought her her favorite French Onion Dip ( Prairie Farms) from "home" and brought her her favorite chips. We got pizza and sweets and soda. She brought a table, candles, a blanket, we rented chairs. It was amazing. SO MUCH FUN!!!

She would be so mad if she saw this pic of herself but she doesn't read the blog so that's fine :)

She is 11 weeks pregnant here!

And she is so proud of our set up and our junk food.

The view from our seats. Straight ahead, in the trees, is the actual area that they were singing in.

It was quite a show!

I couldn't believe I was this close to them :)

Oh Randy :) 

The band actually sounded amazing!!!! Yes, they are getting old but they sounded perfect the entire time. It was so impressive. We knew all but 1 song. We sang along with them. We people watched. We walked around. It was a beautiful night out. So perfect. Afterwards we headed back to the city. We talked to David for awhile then headed to bed. We were both exhausted. I slept amazing (not having my 1 year old wake me up a few times.)

I had to get up early the next morning and leave by 7. Mom and Dad were heading down to their villa and they needed me to be home as soon as possible.

My view of the Chicago skyline as I was driving home.

Cool, right?

It was a GREAT night with Jennifer. We have been close friends since we were 16. Somedays I don't feel like we are any older than we were back then :)