#ourtaquito--Winnie the Warrior

Hello Family and friends,

We wanted to create a space where we could update everyone on our sweet baby girl in one place.This will be a "brief" update of our journey so far. First, thank you for all of the support, love, and prayers. We feel so blessed to have so many people in our corner. The support is truly overwhelming and appreciated.

Our Journey began at my 20 week ultrasound on January 14th. This ultrasound is meant to check on the babies development and we also got to find out the gender. What was seen on the ultrasound was bilateral Choroid plexus' on the brain, this means there were cysts on her brain on each side. She was measuring small and her fists were clenched but we also got to find out we were having a baby girl!

The next few weeks can only be described as waves of information and emotions. We saw the maternal fetal medicine specialist who tried to get a better look at the heart but our girl is stubborn and does not like ultrasounds. They speculated that what they were seeing matched the diagnosis of Trisomy 18 which is a very rare but fatal chromosomal disorder. To know for sure we needed to do an amniocentesis which did confirm that she has Trisomy 18.We had to wait 10 days for these results. We were told that she was not likely to make it full term and that we could induce delivery when we wanted. They also told us that if she does make it to full term we would have minutes to hours with her. Our girl was not giving up so neither were we. When we got the amnio we also had another ultrasound to get a better look at her heart. The specialist could only see so much because once again our girl wanted nothing to do with letting them see her heart. But they did see abnormalities with the lining of her heart which concerned the doctor that she could be in heart failure. From there we made an appointment with the fetal echo ultrasound to really get a good look at her heart. In the weeks leading up the appointment we had to go to the doctor weekly to check to make sure her heart was still beating.

At the fetal echo ultrasound there were a couple of findings.  1. there is a narrowing of her aortic valve 2. her right ventricle has the thick lining and 3. she has a hole in her heart. The cardiologist made these sound like they were not super complex issues but they still would require open heart surgery. The heart surgery would not have to be right away but it all depends on how she comes out and if she can sustain on her own. We left that appointment feeling hopeful that we could possibly bring her home. Again we don't know what that would entail but having the hope is a big deal. The thing with trisomy 18 is that there is so much information but there is so much unknown in regards to our little one and unfortunately we will not know what to expect until she is born. 

We know a whole lot of information but also know nothing at the same time.

Things we do not know:

- When she will need open heart surgery

-How her organs will function once she is born

-How long we have with her

Things we DO know:

-We will do whatever is necessary to make sure she has a good quality of life

-She is so very loved

-Winnie is a warrior

We meet with the Medical team in two weeks and will hopefully get a better idea of what delivery day will look like. For now the plan is to get ultra sounds weekly to check on my fluid count and that my placenta is working. At the moment we are planning on inducing at 37 weeks but could be as early as 35 weeks which would be the week of the 18th in April. Until then, Winifred Jesse Racusen is so loved and we are excited for the day we get to meet her. 

Much Love,

A, C, & W

It's been awhileee

Oh hey remember me? It's been a minute. #gradschool

Wow I cannot believe its almost been THREE months since I last posted. Its been a whirlwind with starting grad school and getting used to this new schedule. I really do love creating posts so I will try to make it a priority (thats me holding myself accountable). So much has happened since my last update. Obvs I started grad school, My best friend got married(!!),  and so much more that will be in upcoming posts!

Lets get to it!

Not too much of an update on grad school, Im about three months in and so far really enjoying it. Go to grad school they say, It'll be fun they say...said no one ever. No but really I am really loving what I'm learning and just can't wait for these two years to go by so I can start helping people. Are you ever excited just to fast forward to see what you have learned? No, oh same. Even though I am enjoying what I am learning I still didn't miss stressing over exams and spending weekends and weeknights doing homework and studying. BUT I will make it through ( at least, thats what I keep telling myself).

Next up.. My friends wedding! I have know Jacqueline since 2nd grade. I was new to the school and cried almost every day until Jacq had enough of it and became my friend. We've been friends ever since then. We have worked together and lived together. Basically She's one of my nearest and dearest and it was an honor to stand up and watch her marry Adam. The wedding was at a farm and it couldn't have been a more perfect night. It is something else when you witness a close friend get married. Jacqueline is like a sister to me so my heart was so happy that day. It was an honor to be her maid of honor and to sign as a witness of their marriage. Overall, all the feels. 

SUPER blurry but we're SUPER happy

My friend is the coolest

These ladies 😍 

The Beautiful Bride

My forever and favorite wedding date <3

Leaving ya'll with this gem of a photo. It's cool were in a band. #Denimgang

I hope you have a great and relaxing weekend, you deserve it! 

peaceloverockandroll

xoxo,

A

Im a 90's baby

Well folks happy Monday! 

This weekend was restful and left me recharged for the week ahead. The weekend included a BBQ at my girlfriends Chelsie's place and Sunday we went to the farmers market and just chilled. I start my first masters class tomorrow! I'm feeling excited and super nervous. I am ready to get started though and have a schedule. This past couple weeks I haven't had a set schedule which is nice but also can get boring. I probably should be reading or printing out my syllabi but instead here I am writing and considering making my favorite chocolate chip cookies. I'll save the cookies for the end of the week as a little treat and maybe bring them to a picnic while watching a Queen cover band on Saturday. 

What a minute..what does the title have to do with these ramblings? It doesn't! BUT it does go along with what I'm about to share. Since the air is getting crisp and school is starting, I'm itching to host a themed party with my girlfriends. Around this time last year I threw a retro game night. This was one of my favorite parties of the year. The party was pretty simple and so much fun to put together. 



First // I sent my friends a Facebook invite with Retro game nite spelled out using boggle letter cubes.You could always send an email or hand made card. In the invite I said they could dress retro or comfortably, whatever they want.

Second // I had a 90's game picked out that we would start the night off with. Dream Phone! It was so fun to play and brings out a lil competition with your friends ;)

Third// FOOD! This was so fun! I picked up Twinkies, hostess cupcakes, Chex mix, pigs in a blanket, I made rice Krispie treats, mac n cheese, basically all the food that gives all the nostalgia vibes. Old Fashioneds' were the drink of the night.

Fourth // Decor/ambiance to make it feel retro I used sequin runners and pearls necklaces (I had from my wedding decor). I placed pearl necklaces right at the door so the girls could put them when they walked inside. I also had a polaroid camera that we took some pictures on. Lastly, I made a  Retro Game Night playlist on spotify. Making playlist is one of my favorite things to put together for a party because its so simple yet sets the tone. 

The last picture is supposed to be a boomerang but not sure how that works in a blog! oh well I'll figure it out! I hope this inspires you to do a themed party because they are truly so much fun. Right now I'm in between an ice cream social OR a whiskey and donut night. I'm still on the fence of what kind of themed party I want to host next but until then..Have a great week!!

peaceloverocknroll

xoxo,

A

Last Sail Before The Veil

Oh hello there, its been a minute.

So as promised, I am doing a recap of my very fun weekend, my besties bachelorette party!! I had the honor along with the other MOH to plan this bachelorette weekend. Let me tell you planning is no joke..afterwards I thanked my sister again for planning mine. 

OKAY so when planning a bachelorette party you want it to feel like the brides vibe. Our bride is the easiest to impress but we really wanted to have her favorite things. She loves being at her cabin up north and taking her boat out so we automatically pictured her bach at a lakefront. The closest lake front that offers many activities is Lake Geneva. We couldn't find an airbnb in Lake Geneva so plan B was to look at the lakes near by. We found Lake Lawn Resort which is on Lake Delavan. Lake Lawn Resort had everything we were looking for: spacious rooms, boat rides, restaurants, and bars. We didn't have to leave the resort for anything!

Our Schedule:

Friday: relax, drink, and order pizza. People came at their own time after work so we wanted a chill first night..played some "Drink if..." you learn a lot about people ;)

Saturday: We had breakfast in the hotel room, hung out at the pool, went on our boat ride, then had dinner in the hotel room (we had SO much food to eat), games, and then ended the night at a bar on the resort.

Our Decor

This Penis veil has been worn by each person who has gotten married in our friend group. Its the sisterhood of the traveling penis veil. We're cute we know :)

Mcsheff brought these cupcakes and they are the cutest!

We had koozies made so they could be used at the pool and boat ride 

aaaand penis straws..because penis straws..

This was a game where everyone brings a pair of panties and the bride has to guess

who brought each panty. Also we had signs that Alex brought for some fun photo ops

GAMES

We played just a few games! The first night we played "drink if.." so basically you drink if you have done what the statement says. The second night we played "The Groom Said What?" I had a list of questions I sent the groom and he sent back a video of him answering the questions. You ask the bride questions and hear her answer and then play what the groom answered. I highly recommend. I think its the cutest game ever! We also had "kiss my.." or "place a peck on the pecker" think pin the tail on the donkey but R rated. We didn't end up playing it which made me kinda sad because it looks like a fun and hilarious game to play.

All The Fun

We had a 19 year old captain for our boat ride.. Poor girl didn't know what she was in for.. 

But she was awesome!

We definitely asked if there were fish in the water..🙈

 Representing our High School BGHS

I spy with my little eye..Kiss my pecker..

We also bought tattoos for going out Saturday night

 LOVE my Jacq-o-lantern

The bar we ended up going to happened to have a band of a bunch of oldies who were playing the oldies which is right up Jacqueline's alley, she loved every minute.

There is nothing like a weekend getaway with your girlfriends. I don't know about you but it is so so therapeutic for me. I left the weekend with a grateful heart and many memories #GAIL (if you know, you know).  I hope you are having a great week and have a wonderful weekend ahead! 

I start school next week..ahh! Im excited and nervous and just all the feels! I will do an update soon, its on my list of to-dos but for now..

#peaceloverockandroll

xoxo

A

Life check in

Ellooooo life has been a little busy lately but also not at the same time. So in case you were wondering what my summer has looked like the past couple weeks, just your average puppy cuddles, pool days, cubs games, prepping for classes, and lazy days...

90% of the time this is what blogging looks like for me. My sweet monster loves to have all the attention and is just a wee bit demanding. But as you can see below we don't give him any attention at all 😉

Name a better combo..I'll wait.. jk we know theres no better combo.

 This latte has been on repeat,

 even Lincoln wants some!

My favorite latte:

1/2 C coffee

1/2 C almond milk

1/2 T cocoa powder

1/2 T maple syrup

Blend all together, pour over ice, and ENJOY

POOL DAYS FOR DAYZZZZ

Channeling Benny the Jet Rodriguez

We always cheerin' on our Cubbies 

Lastly, I've been busy planning with the COMOH our besties bachelorette party! It is going down this coming weekend! Expect a recap next week!! :)

Hope ya'll have a great rest of your week and a wonderful weekend, you deserve it!


xoxo

A

Late at night when all the world is sleeping, I stay up...

Raise your hand if you have trouble sleeping🙋🙋 for the past couple of years I have had trouble both falling asleep and staying asleep. I know that my sleeping issues amplify when my own anxiety is high and I am overwhelmed (my brain is just like nope, were going to think about that decision you made in middle school). I do have a few tips that have helped me so I thought I'd share with you lovelies.

I am lucky enough to have friends that care about my lack of sleep and have given me most of the tricks I have for a good nights sleep.

Sweet dreams oil blend // One of my good friends Sammi actually had her friend make me an oil blend to help with sleeping. I love my oil blend so much I use it every night. I love the smell and I do think it has helped me with relaxing and falling asleep. I am not sure what is in the oil blend but I plan to try and find out so I can start making it myself. I apply the oil to the bottoms of my feet, the inside of my wrists, and behind my ears. I've also read that it is good to rub it on the back of your neck and your temples.

Lincy had to sneak in a pic. 

Hot/cold eye-mask // This was also gifted to me by my sweet friend Alex! I love love this mask. I do not use it every night but when I know I am going to have a rough night sleeping this is my go to. All I do is heat it up in the microwave and then place it on my eyes. The warmth helps relax my eyes which in turns helps me feel more ready for sleep. PRO tip: If you put the mask in the fridge or freezer the cooling sensation helps with migraines.

Yoga // I have the most caring friends because my other friend Tina actually sent me this yoga youtube video. This is not an every night thing but when I know I'm going to have a rough time falling asleep this is a great option.

Calm app // I recently started using the calm app and under the meditation button you can pick a 7 days of sleep option. I have done two nights so far and I have felt very very relaxed after using the app. 

Well Rested herbal tea // I got this tea from Trader Joe's. Tea has a way of making me feel warm and fuzzy inside. This herbal tea gets me all cozy and ready for a good nights sleep.  



There are a couple of tricks that I haven't tried yet but thinking about.. The first is setting a consistent schedule before bed i.e. putting my phone away 30 min- 1 hr. before bed and maybe reading before bed instead of t.v. Another trick I'm considering is a weighted blanket. I have heard very mixed reviews. I've heard people say its life changing and others say they do not care for it. 

I hope some of these tips help all of you who struggle with sleep like me.  



P.S. If your didn't realize the title was yet again song lyrics..Enjoy the song of the day by Selena Quintanilla!

Have a great week friends!!


xoxo

A

The taste of love is sweet..

HAPPY MONDAY! Woah take it easy on the caps. Sorry not sorry :) I thought I'd do a little recap of the weekend because it was a good one.

On Saturday, my girlfriends and I threw our bestie a bridal shower. She LOVED it and that was the goal. She is the best to shower with love. I've been lucky enough to watch their love grow from the beginning. Adam fits in perfectly with our group and such a good match for our Jacq. I loved being able to celebrate them and cant wait for the big day! But lets not get ahead of ourselves because the bach is next month! 

Getting their practice in :)

Bloody Mary Bar

Our friends mom made all of this! She is amazing!

GREAT SCOTT!

 Alex has a very talented friend who made these favors of our brides cats 😻

On Sunday, The fun continued with a Cubs game. Cory and I met up with Jacqueline(the bride-to-be) and her Fiance, Adam, our girlfriend Sammi, and Jacqueline's brothers. We didn't get the W but we had a good time at the game. After the game we went to Tuco and Blondie, they had awesome margs. I'd go back just to drink and eat fried ice cream. Please enjoy these pictures and let it be a reminder to not ask your husband to take pictures after he has been drinking 🙈.

What a wonderful weekend. I hope you all have a great week ahead! Dont mind me I'll just be over here opening a sun crusher and watching some Netflix with the hubs. Peaceloverockandroll

xoxo

A