Marta and Aniela in Seattle Part II

MAGNOLIA PLAYGROUND

The picture to the left is the Magnolia Playground. This is a nice huge playground close to school, tennis courts, and a baseball field. Marta, her daughter Aniela, and I went to the playground for Aniela to enjoy sliding, swinging, and exploring this new playground. On this day, although it was very cold and windy, Aniela enjoyed it so much! Th following pictures below show what we did at the playground:

Pushing Aniela on the swing

Marta & Aniela balancing on the middle of the seesaw

Aniela & Aunt Elzbieta

Marta & Aniela sitting inside the play fort

Aniela crawling through the tunnel

SWEDISH HOSPITAL BABY SHOWER

Last Tuesday, April 8th, Christina and Stacey, Kevin's coworkers, threw us a wonderful baby shower at the Swedish Hospital where Kevin works. It was so great to celebrate the coming of our baby girl. I enjoyed meeting each and every one of CIS Team and feel fortunate that Kevin works with a group that is so thoughtful, friendly, and generous!

Marta, Aniela, Kevin, and I had such a great time and enjoyed the diaper game and delicious cake! In addition, Kevin and I received all the wonderful gifts such as the clothes, blankets, a diaper genie, toys, bath items, accessories, and gift certificates from them and their families. Our little girl is going to be spoiled already!

After the wonderful baby shower, we (except Kevin) went home with all the gifts and organized them. Marta helped me a lot to go through baby stuff to organize after our recent shopping: a few simple things such as buckets, storage drawers, etc to make room for baby stuff to be in.

Kevin's CIS TEAM

Above left and right pictures showing Stacey and Christina throwing a wonderful baby shower for us.

From Lt to Rt: CIO Janice, Kerry, Kevin, Elzbieta, Marta, & Boss Steve

Kevin's CIS Team decorated Kevin's office. How cute!

ANIELA WITH FUR HAT

While Marta was doing things such as laundry and packing, Aniela showed her most beautiful apperance by putting Aunt Elzbieta's fur hat on. Aniela was being silly and adorable with this fur hat.

Kevin and I had a great time having Marta and Aniela here in Seattle. Marta and Aniela went home on Thursday, April 10th, in the morning, and we already missed them. We are looking forward to seeing them and Charlie this summer for our little girl's baptism in Peoria, Illinois.

Marta and Aniela in Seattle

My sister, Marta, and her daughter (our niece) Aniela came to Seattle, Washington to visit us for ten days while her husband is on a business trip for two weeks. We all were excited to see each other again. It had been Thanksgiving since we saw each other last. During their stay, we saw and toured several places. Here are some pictures of the visit.

Our Apartment Rooftop View

On their first day in, while Kevin has to work, we went up to my apartment rooftop to view the beautiful City. All tenants who own dog(s) usually go up on the rooftop for play and potty. There is also a workout room, special area where parties can be held, and indoor tv area. Following are pictures from our rooftop:

100 years old St. James Cathedral (a block from apartment, where we attend)

View of Seattle

Marta, Aniela, and Elzbieta

A tenant's Collie puppy playing with Aniela

Pike Place Market

After touring our apartment rooftop, we went to the Pike Place Market to see all kinds of crafts, arts, fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood, and so on. We also ate at Pub restaurant where they make their own beer (we of course did not sample the beer). Pictures below at Pike Place Market:

Marta, Aniela, & Elzbieta

Fresh Fruits & Vegetables

Marta & Aniela standing behind the famous seafood stand where the employees often get passersby to participate in catching fish!

Marta, Aniela, & Elzbieta at thePub Restaurant

View of Puget Sound from Pike Place Market Deck

Relaxing With a Family Night

On Friday, we went out for some shopping on the outskirts of downtown Seattle. Kevin came home from work and was definatley ready for the weekend. At night, we all stayed home to relax and enjoyed playing with Aniela and my pregnant belly.

Best Buddies: Cutie Aniela & Uncle Kevin

Aniela patting Elzbieta's baby belly

Seattle Aqaurium

On Saturday we all went to the Seattle Aqaurium to see a variety of fishes, peguins, seals, otters, beavers, and starfish. Aniela enjoyed looking at these sea creatures!

Water full of starfish for visitors to touch

Aniela thrilled to point at the fish

Beautiful bright tank full of fishes and plants

Elzbieta, Kevin, Marta, & Aniela pose in front of a tank

School of fish above us

Seal swims by Aniela & Marta

Marta & Aniela standing by Sleeping Otters on water

Seattle Space Needle

Today, we all went to the Seattle Space Needle. Believe it or not Kevin and I have never been to it! Oh gosh... it was such a beautiful panaramic view of the cities of Seattle, Portland, Vanvcour, Mt. Rainer, Casacades, Puget Sound. The Space Needle had many binoculars that we used to help see all of these cities, mountains, and bodies of water. It was so beautiful even though it was very windy and cold!

The Seattle Space Needle

View of Lake Washington from elavator we rode on the way up to the top

View of Seattle and more cities beyond the north side

Aniela held onto Marta because it was windy and cold

Elzbieta, Marta, & Aniela

Chubby Elzbieta & Kevin

Beautiful Marta with adorable daughter Aniela

To be continued........

7 Months Pregnant

Today is the day of my 7 Months Pregnant! Whew.. What months I had been through all of these months! Kevin and I are excited and at the same time nervous when it gets closer to baby's due date in two months! Since a month ago, we are sorry for not update blog because we both had been busy with Childbirth Prep, Breastfeeding Basic, Infant Safety/CPR, Newborn Care, and Fatherhood Foundation classes. We really learned a lot from these classes and were enjoyed. Also, there was few updates health issues for me lately. I know that a few of you already know, and some of you don't know.

A few weeks ago, I beleive I mentioned that I had glucose test for Diabetes. My OB doctor called and said that I had gestational diabetes that I was disappointed. However, Kevin went with me to the Diabetes Center to meet with nurtition and nurse to learn how to use that machine to prick my fingers for blood to test. The nurse stated that I needed to do that four times daily for the first five days before met with nurse again to evulate my test records I had done for the last five days. I was told that I did well and wanted me to do that two times a week instead of daily. That was wonderful news. A few weeks later after met with nurse, I had OB appointment for routine check up. She was glad that I did well with diabete records, but wanted me to test that daily instead of two times a week. I was not happy about that but for baby's safety in case. From that time, I still do test four times daily. It is no FUN! But, I can deal with that for the next two months.

Other update with my health issue lately is rash all over my body! Last three weeks, I started having my back hands itching and couldn't stop! It spreaded to my arms and continued itching like crazy! Luckily, I had OB appointment on that day and told her about my rashes on my back hands and arms. She told me to use Eucerin Lotion and Benadryl. I used them for a day or two, and they didn't help me at all. The rashes started spreading to the top of my belly and legs. It drove me crazy and continued itching them badly! I felt like to pull my hair and screamed! I was despareted with rashes itching all over my body! I called my OB about it and said same thing but said I could go to Dermatology to have them check it out. The next day, I did call Dermatologist in last minute and said needed to see her right away. Dermologist told me to come right away, and I went. Dermologist couldn't beleive what she had seen my rashes all over my body, and it was awful! She took a little rashes skin to cut off on my right hip to take to lab for result. Dermologist also gave me the name of cream that I need to pick up at the pharmacy. Unfortunately, pharmist said that the cream ran out and needed me to come back the next afternoon to pick up. Kevin and I went to pick it up. Afterward, I used that cream, and it helped me a lot better and less itching. I was in such relief! I haven't receive result from my dermatologist yet but will have appointment with her this Friday. Also, I thanked to my sisters for helping me through my issues with rashes especially Danuta. She sent me the articles about rashes that most common for pregnant women to have rashes at their third trimester. There are several different kind of rashes that women have been through their pregnancy. Danuta assumed that I have Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP). However, since I use that special cream, it seems that my rashes are getting better and less itching. Here following pictures below is my rashes on my right arm last Friday. There were other rashes all over my body that was worst than this picture showing.

Rash on my Rt arm

Enough with my health issues, our baby girl and I are doing great so far. I often have sciatica painfully. Our baby girl is still moving around alot and often hurt my belly in some spots. By the way, here is the update chart that people have guessed our baby as I mentioned last time. On my next 8 months pregnancy, I will have update blog with news if anything pop up.

Notes: Kevin and I want to say HAPPY EASTER to you all if we don't hear from you!

Trail

On Saturday, Feb. 2nd, Kevin and I decided to get out of our apartment for awhile, so we went out for a walk on the trail by Myrtle Edwards Park. Kevin has never been to this place before. I often went out for running on this trail close to our old apartment. It is perfect place for people to walk/run on this trail with beautiful and breathtaking views beyond by Puget Sound! Usually, there is a view of mountains way far beyond to the other side. Unfortunately, we could not see it on that day because of cloud cover. We will try to go there again with good weather to view the mountain. By the way, Kevin and I enjoyed walking this trail! Following pictures below:

Kevin with sailboat behind

Kevin & Elzbieta with beautiful view behind

Elzbieta (Mountain behind but cloud cover)

Elzbieta (many birds behind but hard see them)

Kevin talking with Dad Dynda on Cell