Cleared for Take-Off!

I visited the prenatal cardiologist (who knew there was such a job?!) last week and I am officially released from his care and oversight! If you'll remember way back when at 12 weeks I had a NTS screen that revealed the baby might be at increased risk for heart defects. After three visits to the cardiologist, he has assured me that everything is properly functioning. He monitored me this last time for an irregular heartbeat he heard a few months ago and it seems to have worked itself out. So everything is a go! Three weeks from today (if all goes as "planned"), Baby Rooney #2 will be here--happy and healthy!

Maddie's 3rd Birthday Party

Brooke had a great time at Maddie's birthday party at Kindergym. A few of these little ones will be starting preschool with her in the fall!

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It's Scheduled!

So it is official! Baby Rooney #2's birthday will be March 19th!! (Or at least very close to that day) I have a scheduled induction for March 19th for a couple of reasons....the main one being that my Dr. has decided to take off for Vail for his son's Spring Break the week I am due!!! Convenient. The other being that I am now 36 weeks, not 34 according to his most recent calculations. Who knew. Those things coupled with my "history" of quick labor all makes for a good reason to schedule this little sucker's birthday! :-)

On one hand, it's not as "exciting" knowing the exact date...having your bag packed but not knowing when you'll need it...wondering when labor will start, etc. But whatever. Been there, done that!!! I am ECSTATIC mostly because I won't have to worry about waking Brookey up in the middle of the night to go to the hospital or my water breaking while I am teaching!! Of course all of that still could happen, but it's unlikely at this point. So one month from tomorrow, we'll probably have Baby Rooney 2 in our arms. Amazing!! Now if we could just decide on some names.....

How Do I Love Thee?

Since Valentine's Day is upon us and I am a hormonal pregnant lady, I thought I'd take this time to reflect on my thoughts about "love." Right now, I feel completely filled to the top with love....from family, friends, my husband and most of all, my daughter. However, let's not forget the impending birth of Baby #2...where will I find enough love to spread to this new bundle of joy??? Do I have ANY MORE love to give??

The books say, experienced people say, everyone TELLS me that "your heart just expands to accommodate for the new baby." And I believe it. But right now, as selfish as it seems, I can't imagine loving any thing as much as I love Brooke. Is this second kid going to get shafted and be "second" on my list?? Does the second/third/forth kid always get the shaft??

This question of "do I have enough love to give" has bothered me for a long time. In fact, last year I even told Scott I didn't think I wanted to have any more kids because I never thought I could love anyone as much as I love Brooke. I realize I probably said this right after she did something heart-melting like running up and hugging me for no reason and telling me "you're my best friend, mommy" or something annoying like that that 2-3 year olds love to do to get you to forget what a pain in the ass they will be in middle school.

Ah, but I guess there is no turning back now. Baby 2 is on the way and I will just have to wait and see how much my heart is open to expansion. Love, on on so many levels...why in the heck does it have to be so complicated?! :-) Happy Valentine's Day!!!! Love you all!! :-)

Scott's 36th Birthday Surprise!!!!

Here are pictures from our whirlwind weekend with Scott's friends and family--who all surprised him in San Francisco with a 36th birthday bash!!! It was one of the most memoriable family events ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Big Surprise at Scala's:



The Rooney Kids:


Morton, Tara & Steve



Vina & Ernest:


The Gang:


Trisha and Beth:


Jenna & Chris:


Dad & Mel:


One of the few pics you'll see of me preggo (oh yeah, and my drunk sister in law):

32 Weeks and Contractions Already?!

As if I already haven't had enough "scares" during this pregnancy--a CVS for genetic disorders at 14 weeks, still having to see the neo-natal cardiologist every two months for fetal heart monitoring--and now contractions at 32 weeks?! Having gone through labor before, I know what a Braxton-Hicks contraction feels like vs. a "real" contraction. I was lying in bed last Sunday after just not feeling right the entire weekend. I suddenly felt a very familiar pain--the exact same pain that I felt when my labor started with Brookey 3 years ago! Then it went away...and came back exactly 10 minutes later. This kept happening for an hour and it was painful enough that I couldn't sleep. I almost scooped up Brookey from her bed to drive to the ER, but the pains finally went away.

I was still freaked the next morning so I visited my Dr. who informed me he would do some sort of test to see if I would deliver in the next 2 weeks. WHO KNEW such a test existed??! Then he rambled on about if the test were positive there were drugs to take to speed lung development, drugs to stop labor, etc etc. It all sounded freaky to me, not to mention the thought of having a preemie who would most likely have to stay in the hospital hooked up to ventilators, monitors and tubes for at least 2 months. 4 days with Brooke in the hospital about put me over the edge, so I simply cannot imagine doing that for 2 months or longer!

At any rate, I found out yesterday that we are not, in fact, going to have Baby Rooney #2 in the next 2 weeks (the test was negative) and that I just need to "take it easy." Yeah, right. Someone remind me how to do that again....does it involve deep breathing or something??? I'll put "taking it easy" on my to-do list for tomorrow...

Catholic School Bound!

Given that we are such a strong Catholic family (haaaa!!!!!!!!), we have made the tough decision to move Brookey from her Montessori program, to the formal structure of a "real" preschool. There won't be any nuns rapping her knuckles with a ruler and she doesn't have to wear a uniform, but this preschool is very structured, organized and from what Scott and I observed, the teachers seem great and very experienced. The school comes highly recommended by many of our neighbors and Brookey's friend Maddie will be attending this fall as well.

Our plan is to keep Brookey home from April to August while I play stay-at-home mommy for 5 months and attempt to keep my sanity. When I go back to work, Brookey will start the school year at St. Dominics.

We've been struggling with where (or IF we should) send her to "real" preschool. We went to the Open House this school had and put our name on the waiting list. According to the application, non-Catholic families and non-St. Dominics chruch-goers were LAST LAST priority. However, as with life, connections are everything :-) I think our friends who are chruch members definitely helped us get bumped to the the top of the waiting list. It's all about who you know... :-)

At any rate, I am sure it will be an adjustment for all of us, but I definitely think it will be best for Brookey. And yes, I WILL cry on the first day of school!

Pics from the last 2 weeks

I haven't downloaded the pictures from my camera in a few weeks, so here are some random shots. Brookey loved holding Baby Sophie today--i think she's going to make a great big sister!!!