Happy News!

Well, the journey that began last August (truthfully, before that even) finally came to an end this month. We were praying this would be the last time we would have to go in for Georgia's monthly scan, and our prayers were answered.

When we began this process back in August, Georgia had a difference of 10.5 mm which was still fairly severe despite all the repositioning and physical therapy we were doing. The goal was to get the difference down below 5 mm. This month, after 5 1/2 months, her scan showed a difference of only 4.9 mm. We just barely made it! It was such a great feeling to walk out of the office carrying her helmet and a cute headband in her hair (yes, I had one in my purse, just in case!). She has quickly adjusted to being helmet-free, although, she is not a big fan of bumping her head on things. I have to admit...the helmet really came in handy when it came to keeping her noggin safe from bumps and falls! So thankful for all the people that helped us navigate this process. We couldn't have had a better experience!

Georgia's first scan in August 2014...10.5 mm difference

Her first official picture with her new accessory...not a happy girl.

She quickly adjusted, and it became so normal for us.

Monthly scans with Seth

December 2014 scan...6.7 mm difference...no change from the previous month :(

Pretty girl...the helmet suits her :)

Hanging out at church in Oliver's Sunday School classroom

Rockin' her accessory...we got lots of compliments on it over the months!

January 2015 scan...her last one!

4.9 mm difference...yay!!!

January 8, 2015...before and after her very last scan!

Georgia Kate is 11 Months Old!

I'm 11 months old!

Weight: somewhere around 19 pounds

Height: 29ish inches...she's very long!

What she's wearing: Size 3 diaper, 9-12 month clothes

Eating: Well, the 4 teeth she was working on last month still haven't come in fully. I guess she's taking her sweet time! It has become a little easier for her to chew things, though, so that's a plus! For breakfast, Georgia loves Kashi bars, cereal, toast, pancakes and waffles. For lunch and dinner, she eats anything we eat. She loves grapes, applesauce, pasta, bread and meat. She is not a big fan of salmon or broccoli. Overall, the girl knows how to eat, though, and she does a lot of it! Sleeping: 7:00 pm - 6:00ish am...she goes down easily and wakes up happy! You can't beat that!

Special Tricks: Georgia has begun to cruise around furniture this month, but her preferred method of travel is still crawling. :) She is babbling a lot more and is beginning to understand a lot of what we say to her. She will also sing and dance when she hears music...it's too funny!

Activities: Georgia has become very interested in "playing" lately. It's been a lot of fun to watch her and Oliver. Of course, with this come some typical "big brother" behaviors. He does not like when she plays with his toys or takes his things. Of course, he LOVES to play with all of her toys, though...better than his a lot of times!

Oliver and Georgia have become great friends lately. It's fun to watch them playing together. I can't wait to watch them grow up together!



 

Merry Christmas 2014

We had a very fun-filled {and virus-filled} holidays. We did a lot of baking, traveling, partying and eating. It was nice to spend so much time with family. 

On Christmas Eve, we headed up to South Bend for Christmas with my family. We spent time with my mom, went to Christmas Eve mass and then headed over to my brother's for his annual Christmas Eve shindig. It was a busy day! Unfortunately, Georgia spiked a 103 degree fever so she was not really feeling in the holiday spirit. We made it safely back home with two tired, spoiled kiddos in time for Santa to pay them a visit.

Gigi and Georgia

Our little family

Pretty {but sick} girl :(

Spoiled little man!

Baking cookies with Mommy for Santa

Christmas morning, Georgia and I woke up first, but Oliver wasn't too far behind us. He was beyond excited to see if Santa had come! To his delight, there were presents under the tree and stockings full of candy and other treats! We spent the morning opening presents and the rest of the day playing with them. It was very low-key...I loved it!

Christmas morning

Oliver's new fire station!

Georgia's first trike!

An elephant to ride on!

The next day the kiddos played with their toys, but cabin fever was most certainly setting in for all of us! Fortunately {and oddly enough}, the weather was beautiful with temps in the 50s. We packed everyone up and headed to a nearby park to get some energy out. Oliver loved having the chance to run around and play after being cooped up inside for so long and Georgia got to give her new trike a spin!

Georgia and her new wheels

Taking a nice long walk and bike ride

Playing on the cool playground!

The next weekend we headed back to South Bend for Christmas with Don's family. We ate some delicious food, had a good visit with everyone and got spoiled yet again. Unfortunately, Georgia still wasn't feeling all that well and Oliver had somehow picked up a staph infection and was taking a turn for the worst so we called it a day pretty early and headed home.

My sick girl :(

Daddy and Georgia

Oliver opening {more} presents

Yum!

Don's parents

The rest of our winter break was spent resting and getting healthy again. We got to play a lot with all our new toys and spent some time outdoors before the really cold weather returned. How blessed we are to have such wonderful family around us to celebrate the holidays with! Merry Christmas!

Kicking Off Our Holiday Season

Oliver is at the perfect age for enjoying Christmastime. He knows about Santa and presents and is beyond excited for Christmas Eve and parties. Yes, I know...all the important things. It is so much fun to be around a 3 year old, though, at this time of year...the excitement and suspense is palpable. 

We kicked off our holiday season with a little family excursion to get a real, live Christmas tree...the first one either of us have ever owned. Oliver was pretty bleh about the whole real Christmas tree situation...he kept reminding us that we already owned a Christmas tree and it was in the basement...ha! Nevertheless, we drove out to a Christmas tree farm, crashed the van into a very large rock, almost got divorced and left without an evergreen strapped to the top of our {now damaged} van. Christmas tree farm-1, Kaczorowski's-0. Luckily, we both cooled off, stopped by a Christmas tree lot in the parking lot of a church along a busy road, picked out the perfect tree with the help of some very nice people, strapped it to the top of the {still damaged} van and were on our way. Finally, our first real Christmas tree...the day was not exactly what I had pictured, but we had a real tree nonetheless.

The first real Kaczorowski Christmas tree!

I love sitting by the tree at night...so cozy!

The weekend after the Christmas tree debacle, we bundled the kiddos up and headed downtown to see the big tree and mail Oliver's first letter to Santa. There's a cute, little mailbox to Santa set up on the Circle, and Oliver was so excited to take his letter! Afterwards, we headed over to the Chocolate Cafe (of course!) for a treat. It was such a good time!

These two monkeys were ready to go!

Oliver was very proud of his first letter to Santa!

They really do love each other!

Circle of Lights

Mailing his letter with Daddy

A giant chocolate-covered pretzel...yum!

My girl and me

Happy Holidays from our family to yours!

Thanksgiving 2014

Thanksgiving was a little different this year because the gang at Pokagon was quite a bit smaller. Despite this, we kept very busy and had a great time catching up with family and relaxing with the kiddos. This is my absolute favorite holiday of the year, and it's even more fun to share this tradition with Oliver and Georgia. I hope that they grow up loving Thanksgiving at Pokagon as much as I do!

Once we arrived back home, my dad, Penny and the boys came into town for a visit. We had a great time hanging out with them around town for a couple of days.

We are so thankful to have so many wonderful family members around. We are so blessed and grateful!

Getting ready for a dip in the pool

Painting an airplane in the craft room

Oliver doesn't quite have the hang of air hockey yet.

Boccerball with Uncle Dave and Andrew

Enjoying Thanksgiving dinner

(Not quite) the whole family :-)

I love this place!

Don's parents

We arrived home to more visitors which Oliver was clearly thrilled about!