Baby girl Schwarz's nursery

We have been chipping away at it for the last few months in preparation for an early arrival but luckily it remains vacant. I admit that it isn't the "girliest" of rooms since the previous owners left the curtains and we kept the walls as is, but we are very happy with our results.

30 weeks

The picture I never took with Ryan - I had planned on it the morning he was born as we were supposed to go to a birthday party @ Yankee Stadium that day. I am 30 weeks today and Ryan was born at 30 weeks and 3 days so 3 more days until the biggest milestone of my pregnancy - I have been looking forward to this day for a long, long time. There were moments when I never thought I would get this far so we are *thrilled* to be in the 30's!!!!

10 Years @ Kling Stubbins

Congratulations, Mike, for celebrating 10 years of working at Kling Stubbins on July 9. Your commitment and dedication to your company over the last decade has been nothing less than spectacular. You have accomplished so much and I am so proud of you. I commend your delicate balance between work and personal life because after all, and I am sure you agree, you leave your job every day and come home to another job just as challenging - Ryan and me (especially lately!) Here's to another 10 years!

27 weeks & 4 days

I had an ultrasound earlier in the week and we got a great shot of baby girl Schwarz. All measures great with her as it has been and did with Ryan. She weighs 2 lbs 5 oz and is currently in the head down position.

My fetal fibronectin culture last week came back negative so for my 2nd bi-weekly test in a row it is 99% unlikely I will go into labor in the next 2 weeks. Although nothing has declined with my status, my OB agreed to give me a 2 part steroid shot (betamethasone) which is given to women in pre-term labor and helps mature the baby's lungs. My labor was so quick with Ryan (barely got to the hospital) so there was no time for me to get the steroids to help Ryan let alone any other medications. I had my first steroid injection along with my 17P injection Tuesday morning and then returned for my 2nd steroid shot yesterday. I have been *dreaming* of this moment for a long time and am happier and more confident than I have been in a while.

Ryan with Oma & Opa Rodman

Ryan has been spending a lot of time with Oma and Opa Rodman this summer since my activities have been limited. Typically Oma comes down to our house and stays over for a night or so a week but most recently they had Ryan at their house without me for the first time in a long, long time. He enjoyed playing a lot with his cousin, Lucas, while he was in Lancaster.

Ryan with Grandma & Grandpa Schwarz

Ryan has been spending a lot of time with Grandma and Grandpa Schwarz this summer since my activities have been limited. Ryan enjoys riding on their John Deer tractor and riding his bike at their house among many other activities. He also had the opportunity to visit Grandpa's "boat office" as Ryan calls it. Daddy took Ryan on a 3 hour drive each way to Binghamton, NY to visit his Mom's side of the family for Father's Day - he did well for the long day trip and Ryan still talks about going back to Aunt Sandy's house (although I think that spoiling him with 5 icees has something to do with it!)






As e-mailed by Grandpa:
Ryan was a "Distinguished Guest of Honor" this morning at the Whitemarsh Boat Club (WBC) at the Hines Rowing Center!

He watched his DVD player for a bit (and was a very good boy) while WBC VP Grandpa Rick, Captain Jack Voss and Coach Mark Valenti repaired the Men's Eight Sweep Boat.

Then he was very excited to (1) Sit in the wakeless launch and the flatbottom launch (at the dock); (2) Sit in Grandpa's Vespoli Matrix 27 racing single, the Cor Fortius (while on slings in the boathouse); and (3) hold Grandpa's Concept2 sculling blades.

All along, he was a very well-behaved young man! Many of the high school girls who were attending the Lower Merion Crew Camp, and some of the elite junior boys from the Philadelphia Sculling Club Camp, stopped by to tell him how cute he was, ask him if he was a rower (he said "yes" every time) and give him a high five or a fist bump!

When asked, "Where does Grandpa row his boat?" he replied, with conviction, "The Skoo-kull River!" :-)







With Great-Grandparents Clarence and Anna Hoffmaster





Hanging with Mike's cousin Luke Scott

Monster Truck Rally

Never in a million years did I think that any child of mine would attend a monster truck rally (although Mike did say that you could have easily mistaken this event for somewhere in Central PA even though it was 10 minutes down the road in our actual Whitemarsh Township), but somehow Ryan has caught monster truck "fever"! He and daddy managed to stay there for a solid 2.5 hours of bliss so this was the second night in a row that Ryan was up passed hid bedtime. I give Daddy a lot of credit for going to this event solo with Ryan and 2 snow cones and a popcorn later they managed to hit the porta potty 3 times!

4th of July Fireworks 2011

Ryan stayed up like a big boy last night and we went to see fireworks at Mike's former high school. We grabbed some ice cream beforehand (as you can see on Ryan's shirt) and Daddy parked at the same secret spot he used to 15+ years ago. I was interested to see Ryan's reaction as he has never seen live fireworks like that before and he was amazed and at times he did say he was scared but never enough to leave Daddy's lap. He also *loved* his glow in the dark bracelets - they were a big hit! We didn't get home until after 10 so it's the latest Ryan has ever stayed up...