What is His Plan?

So I have been so back and forth not trusting God but trying to figure it out on my own - when we are supposed to have our next child. I seriously thought He would just give the next one to us like he did Eleanor - on His own timing, we had no planning or predicting involved at all - it just happened. He hasn't though and Eleanor is already almost 21 months! It is funny, I always thought we would be that couple that people thought, oh their are pregnant AGAIN... We aren't and I can't tell if it bothers me that we don't fit that mold or what. I am just not at peace at all with this whole topic. I thought I would have this extreme desire to have my next child and I would just KNOW when the timing was right. It is almost as anti-climactic as finding my wedding dress was - it was NOT a say yes to the dress moment where I put it on, bawled my eyes out, and KNEW it was the one. I found one I liked but had to go home, think about if I liked it enough for the cost, and look at pictures of it for a couple weeks before I decided it was in fact the one. I hate to say it, but I am almost doing that with this child. That is TERRIBLE! First of all, God is probably rolling over on his side laughing right now at this entire post but I will of course keep writing...

Back to the dress metaphor...I seriously have been thinking about the cost of another child, how this child will mean that at any time, God could give us our third at which point I would have to quit working ($3000/month for daycare...really!?) and that freaks me out because I have no idea how we could live off just Andy's paycheck...God willing I guess it will work of course...I also haven't had that revelation that I thought I would. Andy and I really feel like spring is the best time to have a baby so that he or she can spend as much time as possible with me before having to go back to work (since we get the entire summer off) and the time to conceive and deliver in the spring is quickly approaching...freaking me out!

Andy has on Eleanor's birth playlist and Tim McGraw - My Little Girl is playing. This song has brought tears to my eyes each time I hear it since I first hear it with Eleanor in my belly. "Beautiful Baby from the outside in, chase your dreams but always know the road that will lead you home again. Go on take on this old world but to me you know you'll always be my little girl." I listen to this with once again, tears in my eyes, and can't even express how blessed I feel. Eleanor is more than we could have ever asked for and that statement alone makes me so sad that I am not immediately accepting of the idea of another child. SO I had a major meltdown moment which prompted me to write this post and now that I got it all out - not sure I feel any better ha! We will continue to try to be more open to His will and guidance: Holy Spirit - speak to us! :) Or anyone else...feel free to comment :) Until the next one graces us in my womb, we will continue to enjoy the AMAZING joy that is Eleanor. Oh we are so blessed I can't even say anything else! God is good.

Baby Blues

I am sitting in the rocking chair in the living room with computer in lap waiting for Grey's to get ahead enough so I can watch, silent apt. because Eleanor is down and Andy is still not home yet, feeling like the only thing missing is a huge belly, a box of frosted mini's, and heartburn. Why am I wishing it was this time last year ALL OVER again? It is like I have this weird longing to be pregnant again but not necessarily with our next child but with Eleanor. Maybe it is my weird Mommy instinct of not wanting to let Eleanor grow up, I can't believe she will be one in a couple weeks. I guess this past year of all things new made such an imprint on my heart that I don't want to let it go. Not that things are going to change drastically when Eleanor turns one, I think I am just missing all the excitement that came with blogging each night because I was off school, rocking in the rocker and waiting for my sweet bug to arrive. I also don't want to demean how wonderful her next year will be as every step has been so exciting and perfect! Why am I looking back and not looking forward? So not typical of my live in the future/plan everything personality. For the first time in my life I want to stay where I am if not go back in time!

Well Eleanor is HERE, the waiting is not going to happen and this past year has been and has been growing like a weed and every single minute is so fun to watch and see her learn and grow. I have loved more than I could ever imagine, every minute of it so why, when our dear friends who are at this very second delivering their baby with our same Dr., possibly in the same delivery room as us, 13 days less than a year ago, I am halfway wishing it was me so I could have this wonderful year again?! What is wrong with me? How have I already forgotten the pain and annoying catheter bag associated with my recovery along with feeling like my sole purpose was a milk cow for my daughter? How have I forgotten how tired and on edge I was thanks to a combination of lack of sleep and psycho postpartum hormones? How have I forgotten how difficult it was (still is but at least I am hopefully close to the end) to lose weight and how frustrating it was that my hip bones just wouldn't go back so that I could get my jeans over them? I could list a million things, trying to rack my brain, even pregnancy as a whole that I did not like about being pregnant so why am I somehow not remembering them when I have this burning desire to go through it all again?

I think part of me does want to add another member to our family but the other says, "Enjoy Eleanor and wait until God decides when you are ready." I don't want everyone to think that we are going to write a post in a month about expecting a second child because right now we think the plan is to wait another year but God does like to laugh at us when we tell Him our plans though Andy and I really don't feel like we just made this up - it was through prayer and discernment that we felt that was what He wanted for our family. I guess my prayer right now just needs to be for peace with God's will and that He give me the faith of our Mother, Mary, to trust in His will and to be His handmaid, that He may do with me what He wills. Ah Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!

Eleanor's Birth Story

So my internet has been down and we finally got it back so before I forget it, I thought I should record how our sweet little Eleanor came to earth! I had my 41 week and 2 days checkup on Monday, May 17th. I went in hoping to at least have a "favorable cervix" if I couldn't be dilated like most all my pregnant friends reported after each Dr.'s visit. To my surprise, I was effaced 50% and was dilated to a 1! Not very much progress in some people's eyes but to me that was VERY exciting news because it made the chances of a mandate of a c-section go down astronomically which was SO exciting to me!

I figured the doc would want to see me in a couple of days to schedule induction later in the week, perfect timing so Andy's parents could make it in town to meet her that weekend. To my surprise, Dr. Behan looked at his calendar and said why don't you check into the hospital tonight? Even though I was almost 2 weeks overdue I was of course thrown off guard and thought, this is not apart of my plan!? I called Andy at school to make sure he could get a sub and Mom, Mary and I rushed home to finish hanging some last minute pictures and to make sure there wasn't going to be any wet clothes left in the laundry for the next couple days and that our bags really were packed and ready. That was all I had time for though because as soon as I had everything laid out on the bed and took a shower, Andy was home and all we had time to do was load up and grab some Corner Bakery on our way to the hospital.

Me and Eleanor on our way to the hospital


We checked into Presby Dallas at 7 and were greeted by our first nurse, LeAnn who was awesome. She first hooked me up to the baby monitors (monitoring my contractions and her heartbeat), put a saline lock in my right hand (after trying first on my left hand and making a bruise so bad it lasted for two weeks!) gave me cervadil ( a cervix ripening drug) and reminded me that my temp and blood pressure would be checked every hour. Andy and I dove into our tomato soup/salad, and sandwich and watched a pay per view movie on the hospital's dime...well probably mine now that I think about it...I stuffed my face when LeAnn reinfoced the bad news we had been hearing so long about L&D - NO FOOD OR DRINK after midnight.

At about 2:30 I woke up with contractions that kept me from sleeping. They were still pretty irregular but were getting stronger and uncomfortable but definitely manageable. I am pretty sure I wrote a blog post and then before I knew it, the clock turned to 6am and LeAnn came in to let me brush my teeth and then take me down o my L&D room.


I was wheeled down and met another nurse who was only going to take care of us for about 45 more min. She hooked me up to fluids and then went to call my doc to get orders to start "pit" or pitocin. I walked around the room because I knew I would be confined to the bed for many hours to come. Much to Andy's and my dismay, whether I got an epidural or not, because I was on pitocin, I had to be monitored at all time which mean I had to be in the bed at all time. This was VERY against all we had practiced in our 8 week long Bradley Natural Childbirth classes. Everything we had learned to manage pain without intervention (drugs) revolved around walkin/moving around/getting in different positions. Most of which I could NOT do laying in the bed. I started to halfway freak out, tat there would be no way I could do this naturally and halfway stay calm because I knew this would just have to continue to go along with God's plan and I could have no control.





This is me hooked up to IVs and you can see the baby monitor cords hooked around my neck...if you needed to use the restoom this was all that had to go along with you!



When our new nurse, Kylie, came in at 7 to start her shift, she brought us GREAT news! We went over our birth plan with her (which she was super open to) though it had already been altered since I was unable to go into labor on my own. She did, however,take note that I really wanted to TRY and go without an epidural s she thought of another option. She let me sit in a ROCKING CHAIR next to the bed so I could still be hooked up to the monitors but would not be confined to the bed that I was so paranoid about AND so that I could move. This rocking chair was my best friend. The movement really helped to get through contractions which were gradually getting more intense and closer together as Kylie continued to up the pitocin. Eleanor's heartrate was doing great and stayed so as the pitocin continued to increase.

This is me in my beloved Rocking Chair nursing some ice chips between contractions.



I started the pitocin at 7:45. At that time, the cervadil had made me efface pretty much to 100% and I was about 2 cm. dilated. I rocked in my little chair with Andy coaching me on my breathing and doing anything I needed him to. He was so amazingly supportive and sweet. He even rubbed my feet. At one point I remember him letting me lean my head into his chest and for some reason I felt the urge to bite his arm...he had a bit of a battle wound from the birth as well I guess :). At 12:45 I was so tired. I could hardly keep my eyes open between contractions. I had no idea how tiring contractions could be! I remember just thinking, can you please stop the contractions so I can take an hour nap, then I would be ready to continue ha. The contractions were very painful but definitely not unbearable, I was just SO TIRED. SO, Andy and I decided the best way for me to ger rest would be to get the epidural. I was 4cm at this point.This is me after the epi...the anesthesiologist told me if he wasn't my "bff" in 10 min, that I would need to call him back in to re-do the epi.



We called the anesthesiologist in and the epi wasn't too bad at all. He did however have to "redo it" after the first time because he only numbed one side. The worst part were the 6 or so contractions I had that I had to sit still through. Luckily Kylie was right there to help me breathe through them. They kicked Andy out which I was at first a little upset about but he came back quickly. I got the epidural at about 1 and was a 6 at 1:30. In only an hr. and a half (once my body relaxed on the epidural) I went from a 6 to a 9. I was able to sleep and rest and watch the crazy contractions on paper but not really feel them at all. I told the anesthesiologist that he really WAS my bff. Around that time, Mom, Dad, Mary, and Kelsey arrived to hang out and wait for little Ellie to come out! They rotated coming in and visiting with me/Andy while I dozed in and out of sleep. Also at spome point after the epi, Dr. Behan came and broke my water.



Check out the conractions on the right side of the sheet! SO GLAD I wasn't feeling those!


I made it to a 10 by 3:30 but was told I needed to "labor down" meaning that the nurse turned me on different sides and put my legs in the stirrups in various ways to try and get the baby to turn and come down like she was supposed to. I was fully dilated but she wasn't completely ready to come out as she wasn't stationed all the way down in my pelvis yet. My brother in law, Matt, arrived around 4:30 which I know was so special to Andy to have him there. He also hung out with my sisters in the waiting room. At 5:30, Kylie was ready for me to "practice push." When we tried it, I couldn't feel anything so I asked them to turn the epi off.




Mommy and Daddy ready to meet their little one - about to start pushing!

I continued pushing every time I was told I was having a contraction and would put on the oxygen mask and eat ice chips every time I got a break. Pretty soon, I was telling the nurse when the contraction was coming and could definitely feel MUCH more. This caused me to get super nauseas and I eventually threw up. Of course I had no food to throw up so the gagging is never fun but I did hope the nurses didn't notice that what was coming up was orange tinged from the gatorade I made Andy sneak me when they weren't in the room!

After 2 hours, I was completely wiped out! I was starting to cry and think I couldn't do it anymore. Dr. Behan finally came in and thank goodness had our best interests in mind knowing we really were hoping NOT to have a c-secion. Becuase of that, he reccommended using the "vacuum" to pull out Eleanor. He said it would help but that I still had to push. I don't remember much of the chain of events or how long it took once he got in there but shortly after, mypush finally produced results and I saw the most amazing look on my husband's face. It looked about the same if not more full of love and joy than our wedding day. We didn't have a mirror up so I didn't get to see Eleanor come out but I got to see Andy's face overcome with the biggest smile and floods of tears. I will never forget that moment EVER! Eleanor Ann Reinberg was finally here at 7:44pm on May 18th, 2010!

Once Eleanor came out, it didn't take too long for her to cry and then she was carried over to the little baby heater where the NICU staff suctioned her like crazy. There was some "mec" in my amniotic fluid which worried them that she could have swallowed or breathed it in. The nurses did hold her up for me to see and I can't explain how amazing it felt to finally see the face of the sweet little being that had been kicking and hiccuping inside of me for 9 months. Luckily she was fine and after a few minutes that seemed like hours, I got to hold her! They laid her on my chest and I was in pure bliss! Andy got to hold her as did her "Marmi" who also experienced her birth and did a wonderful job taking pictures as soon as she yelled her first cry!

We are so glad our Eleanor is finally here! As soon as the family all left to get a late dinner, Eleanor and I had her first feeding experience which was also amazing. She latched on perfectly and "was a great sucker" as the nurse said. Though things didn't go as planned initially, we really don't even think about it anymore as having her here, healthy and happy is all we could ask for. We thank God for all the wnder and joy she has brought to our family!

It's Finally Time!

Well the day has finally come! It is time for my late night post sans the mini-wheats or any other kind of new-found cereal without high-fructose corn syrup. This time my posting is accompanied by contractions (hooray maybe this cervadil is doing something) and a not so comfortable hospital bed and poor Andy sleeping on a roll out bed next to me...or trying to. I fell asleep at 9:30ish and was on and off sleeping until now. I hope I can go back to sleep before 6 at which time we will be moved to our L&D room to start pitocin and get this show on the road!

So this isn't exactly the way we thought our labor and delivery of sweet Eleanor would go but now being 9 days late, we are taking what we can get. AND, I am starting to see the perfection in God's timing simply because we JUST finished hanging the last couple of things in Eleanor's room AND noticed that she will be born exactly 10 months to the DAY after our wedding day - so see, we really did make it a whole month before getting pregnant! Regardless, we continue to pray that she comes out safely and is super healthy. In her ultrasound today, the tech pointed out some fat rolls on her belly, I can't wait to see my little definitely not under-fed sweet girl! I LOVE fat babies!

I sit here thinking how much more painful these contractions could get. They really aren't bad now, especially since they go away and take a while to come back. It is amazing how God planned all of this out when determining how he was going to bring humans into the world. I mean literally did he think to himself one day, "Ok I am going to make it possible for woman to fit an 8lb+ baby (or even more than one OMG) inside her abdomen, and you know what, the baby is going to live inside this muscle called a uterus (where did He get that name from?!) and when it is time for him/her to come out, I am going to put that muscle through the workout of its life to make that baby come out of a hole the size of a lemon or even smaller though this baby is now as big as a watermelon...WHAT!? God is so mysterious! I will never forget the first time I hear that analogy - (put something the size of a watermelon through a hole the size of a lemon) in Look Who's Talking not really paying attn. when now it is finally a reality - interesting to see how that will work out tomorrow! How blessed we are as women (this statement might be half heartfelt and half sarcastic...) to get to experience this interesting phenomenon!

Hopefully the next post will include pics of Eleanor and an awesomely short labor story ;). Until then, signing off with REALLY swollen hands and feet (usually they go down while I am sleeping/in bed - not UP) and hopes of getting some more sleep/these contractions becoming more regular and productive so maybe miraculously I won't even need the pitocin tomorrow!

Maternity Pics

Below are a few pictures our wedding photographers shot for fun...I kind of wish we had done this a little sooner...we took them at either 38 or 39 weeks so I am pretty big! Oh well, it will still be fun for Eleanor to see herself in my belly! We can't WAIT to meet her!

Kind of funny for the day...I have an account on babycenter.com where they tell you what your baby looks like/is doing at each stage of pregnancy and then it will do the same for after he/she is born. Today I got an email saying what my one-week-old should be doing ha! I think that is a sign enough that it is about time she make her little appearance! Thank you everyone for the prayers, going to the Dr. today!

Mini Date Nights and Dramatic TV

Marriage is amazing. As much as I have whined during the day about not having my baby girl to hold yet, I DO LOVE the precious time Andy and I get to spend together after he comes home from work. Lately it has been dinner, cleanup, and then a walk followed by a quick foot bath in the chilly pool - great for swollen feet. Last night we had some yummy wine (don't worry I just had a few sips - the Dr. approved) and today the best ice cream ever - love those Marble Slab buy one get one free coupons! I feel like we go on a little date every night, what a blessing God has given us in the middle of all the craziness in life! We are so blessed and as my mom always says, our "cups are about to runeth over" when we get to meet Eleanor soon! I will have an update tomorrow after the sonogram of Lil' Miss Ellie!



On another note, what a crazy Grey's/Private Practice! Addison really pissed me off a the end but she is good at that these days...WOW Bailey....I hope the anesthesiologist is quality and not a man slut like everyone else on the show...OMG though...I can not have this baby next Thursday - I can NOT miss the 2 hour season finale of Grey's AHHH! Maybe Eleanor will be able to watch with me! :)

ALSO - I found that my late night and throughout the day snacks of frosted mini wheats are going to have to go. I learned that the 100% Whole Grain Cereals that have high fructose corn syrup (they do) are really bad for you...BUMMER esp. when I am about to have to get all this baby weight off! Oh well, any suggestions of whole grain cereals without the fake sugar, lmk!

Peace, Love, and (read on to find out...)

Well, it's Eleanor and me and another late night post with the frosted mini's...she really is getting feisty in there at night and this time the heartburn is uncontrollable and will not allow me to sleep a wink! Maybe I had too many sips of Andy's merlot but after this afternoon, I thought it was well deserved!

So, here is the not so encouraging update from the Dr...as my mother-in-law says, her "little granddaughter has spunk," or her godfather was right and my "womb is really comfortable." I went in Wed. afternoon and still have an "unfavorable cervix." I had a hard time understanding what this means but basically my cervix isn't in line with the birth canal and if it continues to stay that way, any method used to try to induce labor including the common "cervical ripening gel" applied a night or so before labor would be induced with pitocin would not be successful probably landing me with a c-section. I haven't been able to find why a person would have an unfavorable cervix or if there are other alternatives to a c-section but my Dr. is being very sweet and understanding that we REALLY don't want to have to resort to a "c" so who knows what will happen.

I go in on Friday for a sonogram to monitor Eleanor's weight and make sure everything else is "kosher" in there and she still has room to grow and be safe and healthy. If all is well there, I will go in again on Monday for a sono and repeat check and continue with that every couple days until end of next week at which point my Dr. will probably mandate an attempt at induction. At the end of next week (Sunday) I will be 42 weeks and he doesn't like to let patients go past that point. So this little one could end up being like her momma and arrive as much as 10 days past her due date! The problem is that if my cerfix is still unfavorable by 42 weeks, he really can't induce or if he does the chances of the delivery ending up resulting in a c-section are very high.

Our biggest prayer now is that we continue to trust God and His plan for Eleanor's arrival. As everyone keeps reminding me when I freak out about a c-section, it is most important for her to arrive healthy and I of course completely agree. I am also praying for a miracle that my cervix decided to become "favorable" and cooperate for a maybe not completely natural which was the inital goal but still conventional birthing experience. BUT like Dad always sings to me in situations that aren't exactly "favorable" in my eyes, the classic Rolling Stones: "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find you get what you need."

At least we know now, Andy can probably go golfing this weekend, I might actually get some curtains made, and little Ellie could have a birthday as late as in the 20's of May! So funny when I expected to be holding my little girl by now. God LOVES putting me in my place! :) Andy and I decided that either she has a strong personality like me and is doing things her way and taking control OR she is being "chill" like him and just enjoying hanging out in there and in no rush to move on to the next event in life. Whatever the case, we are just so excited to see her sweet little face in person and can't wait to share her with everyone!

Thank you everyone for your prayers, Eleanor's Grammie also said to pray to St. Gerard, the patron of expectant Mothers - I love how we Catholics have a patron saint to petition intercessory prayers from for just about anything you could need! Until next time as Eleanor's Aunt Katie would say, "Peace, Love, and Favorable Cervixes"...wow sorry for those of you reading who haven't dealt with childbirth...you really have no filter in regards to women's body parts after it is all said and done...

Still Waiting...Due Date Came and Went

I can't sleep! I woke up for my nightly ritual and decided I couldn't get back in bed to sleep because I am still NOT having contractions and unfortunately (I can't believe I am saying this) didn't wake up to a wet bed...oh how I wish I could say I was like Grandma and Andy could give me crap like Grandpa because I ruined the mattress and my water broke in bed. I guess that isn't God's plan yet ha...

After hoping all day yesterday that maybe she would come, now it is onto May 10th for a probable birthday for Eleanor Ann. I never had any idea how it would feel to wait wondering when your child would be born. It is crazy to me that Andy and I are just like we have been the past almost 10 months of marriage (though I have gradually gotten SO MUCH bigger) and in a snap we could be something completely new with our sweet daughter here! Oh how I wish I could know when that would be!

I think I am about to make a list of all the methods I have been recommended to use to try naturally inducing labor. Just a few would include: walking a lot but not working too hard, getting your rest is another important one I am told though you can't lay around too much because then she will get complacent and never come out (so WHICH ONE IS IT I wonder...), eat pineapple, eat spicy food, go up and down stairs, do squat thrusts and jumping jacks, acupressure to start contractions (need to try that one still), the option Andy can help with (and by the way have been advised on this one by people I would have never thought including my mom's friends ha), a classic recommended by Dad: sit in the back of Andy's truck and let him drive down a bumpy road (WHAT?!), de-stress and meditate...the list goes on. I have come to realize, after trying so many of them and going on a date night with Andy ordering two spicy sushi rolls, one being the "Lava Roll" which included huge chunks of fresh jalapeno AND putting way more wasabi in my soy sauce than I normally would that some of these "suggestions" all but gave me heartburn and still no Eleanor.

So here I am at 3:30am popping frosted mini wheats on the couch, wondering if maybe I should go tackle the stairs a few times on our 3rd floor apartment. Or maybe I should go to bed so Andy doesn't wake up in excitement thinking I am up working through contractions and in real labor. I wish I could say I had this unexplainable energy and desire to bake cookies right now because I am about to go into labor but unfortunately no other signs exist, namely contractions. SO for now, I am going to hope that Andy's prayer last night for patience and peace that the Holy Spirit brings me to accept that Eleanor will come on God's time when she is ready even though in the back of my mind I am thinking well 5.10.10 is such a good birth date and clinging to multiples of 5 for a birthday...so if not today then maybe 5.15.10 or were any of those numbers on the fortune cookie yesterday going to pan out...I sure hope not the 25th!

Until then, I will keep you posted but SURE HOPE I don't have to write too many more entries before I am posting pictures of Eleanor! Thank you everyone for prayers and can't wait to share Ellie with you soon!

Awaiting Eleanor - 39 weeks and 3 days

Today I went to the Dr. HOPING that my contractions this past week did SOMETHING to help Eleanor come "closer to the light" but much to my dismay I am told I am still far away. No cm. to report if you know what I mean!

I never thought I would have so many feelings about a single event in my life. On one hand, it is like Christmas when I was little except with that you KNOW Santa is coming on December 24th. We are so excited for Ellie to get here and just want to know so badly when it will be. Having a baby has stripped me of any control which, if you know me at all, know that is SO HARD! God is amazing though and just LOVES to remind me how NOT in control of my life I am! On another hand, I want Eleanor to stay in there longer so I can get more done to make her arrival just PERFECT. I realized though in this whole journey that nothing in life is perfect and that this "beautiful mess" in which we live is so much better than any glimpse of perfection I could have ever imagined.

SO, I have resided myself to the fact that she could come without my pictures being hung and before the new apartment gets a good cleaning, maybe even before her room is exactly how I want it. Andy and I both are just so excited to hold this sweet little bug we have been reading to, singing to, and feeling complete a kickboxing class in my uterus the past 9 months.

Here are a few of her latest snapshots from the womb, can't wait to see her in person.

We FINALLY have a Blog!

So after many months of reminders from friends to start a Reinberg blog, we are finally listening! So much has happened this first year of our marriage. We were married July 18th, 2009 in Dallas at our parish, St. Ann Catholic Church in Coppell, TX. It was the best day of our lives that will be remembered forever. It is hard to imagine the feeling of love we experienced having everyone, family and friends, all in town at the same time, all there to witness us celebrate the sacrament of marriage, and all gathered for a SUPER fun party afterwards.



After such a wonderful evening we woke up Sunday morning and spent the afternoon at the Aldon's eating a family favorite - Sweet Meats (the best bar-b-que ever tasted) and visiting with family and friends on their way out of town. That evening we went back to our apartment for the first time and ate cheese, crackers, and drank champagne while we unwrapped presents. The weekend couldn't get any better!



Monday morning we flew out to paradise and landed in Maui, arriving to our hotel just in time to see a Maui sunset. We enjoyed food, beautiful scenery, and much needed relaxation, just the two of us. If anyone needs restaurant suggestions in Maui, please ask as we found quite a few we LOVED and crave often. After being in Maui for 5 days we satisfied our thirst for History and went to Oahu to see Pearl Harbor. We enjoyed Pearl Harbor and seeing another part of Hawaii but decided Maui was our favorite place to visit! After 7 days in God's beautiful creation, we came home to an apartment needing some love and lots of work at school.



After a quick few days of unpacking and "merging" Lindsay's and Andy's things, Lindsay went straight to 12 hour days at school setting up her classroom and re-familiarizing herself with 5th grade Reading/Language Arts/Social Studies after being out of the education arena for 2 years.

At the same time, Andy went straight to the football field coaching 2 practices a day and preparing for what we seemingly revolve our fall around: FOOTBALL SEASON!



The 2 weeks of inservice, making a classroom cozy, and 2-a-days flew by quickly and our blissful beginning to marriage changed to school craziness. As if our lives hadn't changed enough, we got another BIG surprise a few weeks after the beginning of school. Just before leaving for a weekend at the lake Labor Day weekend, we took a certain test and were shocked by the plus signs consistently appearing on the 4 consecutive tests taken. Lindsay spent the weekend exhausted and nauseas unable to partake in the wonderful lake beverages while Andy had enough for the both of them celebrating in secret the new addition that would, in 9 months, make the 2 Reinbergs 3!



After getting a confirmation from the Dr., we told our families. A famous line from an old favorite, "We wanted to tell you when you were together, but you're never together." (Julia Roberts in Steel Magnolias) summed up our revelation. Mom was in Houston with Grandma and Grandpa so we called her and told her in the parking lot of Anamias, an Aldon Mexican Restaurant Fave, just before joining Tom, Katie, Mary, and Kelsey for dinner and subsequently telling them. When we called Andy's parents, everyone was on speaker and Andy's dad was so excited he couldn't speak!



The status quo of nausea and once a day vomiting remained so until right about Thanksgiving - perfect timing! The holidays flew past and were marked with Andy giving Lindsay the newly revealed baby GIRL's name. I wonder if the Aldons will ever get a boy, poor Tom is still praying. 'Nell is finally getting another girl to add to the male dominant Reinberg family. Anyway, Andy and Eleanor Ann gave Lindsay a piece of Christmas china and revealed Andy's accpetance of the name Lindsay just loved. We wished we could have sent out Christmas cards but maybe this blog entry will suffice as an update!



Already being 4 months into 2010, it is hard to believe that our little "Ellie" will be here in 4 weeks or less! We can't wait to meet her and look forward to a hopefully relaxing summer enjoying our little princess. In the meantime we patiently wait to hold our little one, are moving to an apartment closer to "Marmi" (Lindsay's mom who will be watching Eleanor next year) and once again making it home. Andy is closing out another track season while Lindsay is counting down the days to maternity leave. We thank everyone for their constant prayers and support and can't wait to introduce Eleanor to all those we love.