Years in Review
All the news from our past! Click on a year for all the haps:
Kevin Patrick Leeney...1958-2007
...Live Laugh Love...
THURSDAY, JANUARY 1ST 2009
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Happy New Year to You and Yours!!!
May 2009 be all you wish it to be!
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10TH!!! 2009
Happy Belated January Dates to:
Grandpa Steve, Kayla, Kelly & Terry, Stephie (Happy 35th!), Joselyn, and Stephen.
Happy February Dates to:
Us (9 Years Together), Jake, ME, Johnny Fox, Alan, and Carlos
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How in the world did February manage to be almost half over already?!?!?!?! YIKES!!!!
Things are going fine here in Chicagoland. Or at least as fine as they can be given the Recession the Country is in. We're all healthy and happy and in one piece. Not sure how much morethan that you can wish for these days. We've gotten back in touch with just about everyone from John's Anutie Lena's family (Corrao side) and it has really been nice meeting them all, even if it's just via the internet =). We're hoping Billy makesit out sometime this Summer. We'd love to make it back to Boston before Jamie turns 2 in June but the prices are just ridiculously high for all of us to travel =( I'm REALLY doing my best to hold out hope there will be a special or something...
Other than that, James and I enjoyed our first walk around the neighborhood in nice, sunny, warm weather in months today. GOD was that needed! This Winter has been brutal and it was wonderful to be out in teh fresh air. Too bad the ground wasn't dry so we could've played in the park.. Oh well, not much longer now.
Hope the New Year has found you all doing well so far!
Please continue to pray for the McDonald Family, especially Rose. WE LOVE YOU ALL AND WISH WE COULD BE THERE MORE THAN YOU KNOW!!!!!!
TUESDAY, MARCH 31ST 2009
Happy March Dates to:
Deb & Rob, Jay, Gma Agnes, HeathER, Carol, Kiki, Ashley,
Claudia, Fred, Chelsea, Lori, and Mike & Sue
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Will winter just never go away?!?!?!?! Where's the sunshine and the not-freezing weather?!?! ARGH!!!!
TUESDAY, APRIL 21ST 2009
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For any of you that do not yet know.. we have extremely sad news.. we lost the baby.. this is an incredibly difficult time and will take a lot of time to get through but John and I are doing ok.. We are so grateful to have our James.. he's a spectacularly bright light in a very dark hole.. For all of you who have reached out to us, I cannot thank you enough for your kindness, friendship, and support.. We will all be ok.. It's just going to take time..
SUNDAY, MAY 10TH 2009
Happy May Dates to:
Cole, Debbi, Barb & Rob, Walter, Chrissy, Jay & Kim, Jordan, Robin,
Jessica, Andy & Lori, Raquel, and Heather & Carlos
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Happy Mother's Day to all the special Moms in our lives. We love you .
THURSDAY, JUNE 04TH 2009
Happy June Dates to:
Our Jamie!!!!, Mom A, and Barb
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SUNDAY, JULY 12TH 2009
Happy July Dates to:
Billy, Mike, Justine, Kerby, Evie, Zack (20th!!), Cindy & Mark, Gma Bobbie, and Ashley & Mike
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June came and went with some fun times & BUSY weekends!! Jamie turned 2 on the 11th. We had a small 'party' at Mom's with the people who were there when he was born (the 5 Askews and Kiki). That Saturday, we (plus Mom & Steph) took him to the zoo for the first time. He got excited about a couple of things (especially the seals!) but for the most part he was perfectly content to sit in his buggy and chill :> The next weekend was John's 2nd Father's Day which we quietly spent together, just the three of us, having a little bbq. Weekend after that was Mom's birthday weekend!!!
In between all that were a bunch of park days with Jamie & me including his first, as they say nowadays, 'play date' with his godcousins Claudia and Aaron. They were all sooo cute playing together! Their mom, my godsister Debra, and I go back 26 years (I was in 5th grade, she was in 6th) and it is so awesome to see our kids getting on so well, especially our boys since they're about the same months apart as Deb & me =^)
After Mom's bday, the next weekend was the 4th of July! Of course, the day we had our bbq, it rained all day but I think fun was still had by all. We had 4 kids here (Jamie, Claudia & Aaron, and my godfather's daughter, Aaliyah) and they had a SUPER loud fun time! We also FINALLY met my cousin Andy & his wife Lori after trying to do so for 5+ years!! The only downer was that none of my Cuzins were able to come. Hope we get to see them soon..
And finally, Billy arrived on Friday, July 10th and will be with us till the 17th. Jamie went CRAZY over him and loooooooves saynig his name :) Between Billy going back to Boston and John going back to work after this visit, I think Jamie is gonna be pretty bummed out :( =^)
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20TH 2009
Happy August Dates to:
Chris & John, Melissa, Annie, Kelly, Cora, and Ann
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH 2009
Happy September Dates to:
Andy, Keith & Joselyn, Marky, Jack D, Mike, Olivia, Dani,
Jo & Billy (20th!!!!), Chicky & Eddie, Rosellen, and Michel
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Ok, so for ANYONE that doesn't already know, we are pregnant again :) We heard the baby's heartbeat on the 10th so we felt it was ok to share our news. As of now, I'm about 11 weeks and the baby's due date is April 11, 2010. Obviously, we're staying guarded (me more than John of course) but we're very happy and so far everything appears to be progressing positively which is all we can hope for at this point anyway, right? Our next appointment will be around the first or second week in October. We'll be sure to keep everyone updated as we move toward the finish line.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH 2009
The end of another month. The years go by so quickly nowadays! Or maybe I'm just getting OLD ;>
Nothing spectacular has been going on lately. Still feeling vaguely *bleck* all days, especially when I have to deal with food but I guess it could be worse - I could be throwing up everyday.. Always looking for that silver-lining :) I have spent SO little time on the computer as looking at the screen for too long makes me want to barf but I did force myself to sit here and actually update Jamie's pictures in the picture thing I set up on Snapfish!! It's completely up to date and will be updated again on October 12th after his 28-Month birthday!! I am so proud of myself for FINALLY getting it done! I've felt so bad that the pics were so far behind, especially for the Boston family :( But now you have pics up to his 27 Month bday :) Yippee!!
Ok, gotta go. We finally have a break in the weather so I need to getthis kid out in some FRESH AIR!!!! XOxo
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8TH 2009
Happy October Dates to:
Sandy, Rob R, US (7 Years), Jen P, Billy, Bethie & Dennis, and Gus
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
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The sigh of relief has finally come! Yesterday was my monthly OB appointment and we got to see our little munchkin for the first time :^)
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26TH 2009
Happy November Dates to:
Aaron, Wendy, Ma, Joanie, Terry, Alex D, Jo
John & Raquel, John <3, Joanna, and Skunkie
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WOW! November sure got away from me!!!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We had a very small but great Thanksgiving with we five Askews and Gma Bobbie and Sandy. Barb & Rob went up to Wisconsin to be with a working Bethy, Dennis, and his family; Alan stayed in St. Louis with Alicia, The Perezes were in Ohio with Carlos's family, and Carol was unable to come because of her back pain :( At least we'll all be together at Christmas (knock on wood!!)! I was actually able to eat (and ate WAAAAAY too much!). It was great to get protein in my system that wasn't a burger or eggs!!!!!!
John's birthday was wonderful :) He wanted a double layered sheet cake and it turned out deLIcious but it will be the LAST time he gets it - an unfortunate casualty of his birthday being too darn close to Thanksgiving!!!! :)
I'm anxious to get our house decorated for Christmas but stallign because I know James will be all over everything this year! Ugh :)
Our next OB appointment is on Friday (Dec 4th) where we'll schedule our 1/2way ultrasound. I'm starting to get super anxious... Hopefully it won't be a problem to get it done early next week and to also get the level 2 u/s (or whatever they call it) since I'm over 35. Every time I get close to another appt, I gets super anxious because of being so worried something's gonna go wrong.. I just need to get in there and hear that strong little choo choo of a heartbeat and hopefully have the security of knowing the u/s can be next week. Keep your fingers crossed!!!
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31ST 2009
Happy December Dates to:
Jimmy, Dennis, Auntie Chicky, Colton, Bethany, Keith,
Anne & Stephen, John H, Kim, Walter & Gus, Wyatt, and Mark
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year's Eve!!!!! We had our 1/2 ultrasound and got lots of pictures of the baby, We asked the tech to write down what we're having and seal it in an envelope and she actually printed a picture. We opened it on Christmas Day with Mom & Steph here, the Cece family on the webcam, and Kiki and the Zapers on the phone. And we're having a...
I was so sure it was going to be a boy since she printed a picture cuz, come on, what's there to see if it's a girl?? So I was a total mess and still have to look at the u/s every once in a while so I can read 'girl' again :) A boy would have been loved and wanted just as much but it's soooo exciting to know we're adding a girl to our families :)
The only 'troubling' (for lack of a better word) thing tocome out of the u/s is that it looks like I have a low-lying placenta, which at this stage in the game isn't necessarily something to worry about but the doctor still wanted me to be on pelvic rest meaning no bending and no heavy lifting and to have another u/s in 4-6 weeks. And since I couldn't pick James up for a while, we had to convert his bed (and completely change his room!!) which we werehoping to put off for a couple more months. Luckily, he took to the 'new' bed and alll the new freedom really really well! He bounced in and out of the bed when we first changed it but he's REALLY good about staying in it until we come in his room to get him - which is SUCH a God-send!!!! SO anyway, the hardest thing is the bending! I say it almost every day: You really don't realize HOW MUCH you bend during the day until you're told not to do it! My next appointment is Monday, Jan 4th and hopefully we'll be able to get an u/s scheduled within 2 weeks of then. Hopefully as the baby has grown, she's pushed the placenta up higher and it won't be an issue - which is usually what happens in these cases.
So what else... We've had some fun gathering over the holidays with family and friends! Christmas Eve we were at Mom's house with Kiki and Zach. It was sooooo good to see my Zachary again! I can't remember when I saw him last... Maybe for the prom he went to in May?!?! Then Christmas Day we had dinner at my Aunt Barb's where Jamie had TONS of fun with his cuzin Evie! They were so cute together :) I wish she and my Cuz Heather lived closer :( And on Sunday, we had our annual CLARZ Christmas with the Rogers Fam. Kiki was going to bring her niece Aaliyah but Aaliyah ended up in the hospital the day before on a cooling bed and in an oxygen tent due to Swine flu! Last I heard, she was doing better but I'm waiting to hear more. She's such a sweetie pie... I hope she gets better really, really soon!!!
So, we're looking very forward to the New Year and can't wait to meet our little girl in person! I'm predictingnow that Jamie will have a couple tough moments but all in all will adjust beautifully to his baby sister :) I can't wait to see them together....
A very very very very Happy 2010 to you all!!!!! All our love, always!
