We're Having A Baby!!!

Hello everyone!

WE ARE HAVING A BABY!!!!!!!!! It has been a while since I posted but all we have wanted to do is shout from the rooftops that we are having a baby!!!!! So without further ado, here is all the news to catch you up!

So, Shannon and I have always wanted children. We talked about marriage and babies basically from the beginning of our relationship. On our third anniversary, May 29, Shannon and I sat at dinner and made the decision that we were going to start trying for a baby in October and what do you know, we got pregnant on our first try!

On October 18, I got a positive pregnancy test and we confirmed everything at the doctors on October 22, my Papa’s birthday and my parent’s 30^th anniversary! It meant so much to us to find out on this day! On this visit we found out that the baby is due June 27, 2014! On November 22, we saw the baby for the first time and we got to hear its heartbeat! The most amazing thing we have seen and heard in our entire lives!

Our family and friends were the first to know. We revealed over the break and we have had such an overwhelming amount of love and support! Everyone is split 50/50 on the baby’s gender but we truly don’t care, as long as the baby is healthy with 10 fingers and 10 toes, we will count our blessings!

 

2013 Highlights

Getting married (we got married 11 hours before 2013 so I am counting it)!

Having the most amazing first year of marriage!

Getting our fur baby, the one and only, Tilly Crawford!

Subbing at FXW which lead to my amazing fulltime position!

Celebrating 3 years together & making the decision to have a baby!

Having the summer off, traveling to New England!

Having a romantic rendezvous with my husband in NYC!

Becoming a member of fulltime staff at FXW and having an amazing co-teacher!

Shannon getting his GREEN CARD!

Finding out that we were having a BABY!!!!!!!

Revealing the baby news to our family and friends!

Hosting our first married Thanksgiving!

2 years in Chicago … where has the time gone?!

Sharing one quiet Christmas before this amazing little baby arrives!

CELEBRATING OUR FIRST MARRIED ANNIVERSARY!

 

WE WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY & HEALTHY NEW YEAR!

Thank you 2013 for an amazing year but we can’t wait for all that 2014 has in store!

 

With Lots Of Love,

Katie, Shannon, Tilly and Baby Crawford

 

 

Waiting to hear the baby's heartbeat!

 

 

8 Weeks & Our Time Seeing The Baby and Hearing Their Heartbeat !

 

12 Weeks & We Could See All This & So Much Movement!

Goodbye 28 and Hello 29!

Hello all!

Since I last checked in a lot has happened. Most importantly, Shannon and I had our interview for his green card and all went super well and … WE WERE APPROVED! Shannon should be getting his green card in the next few weeks!! It was one of the best birthday gifts I have ever received!

I also said goodbye to 28 and hello to 29! I have been reflecting  on all the wonderful things that happened over the past year … getting engaged, planned a wedding, my parents finally moved to Vermont, got married to the love of my life, got our baby Tilly, filed for Shannon’s green card and got my full time job at FXW! It has been an amazing year and I have taken so much away from this year and could not have asked for more! Shannon spoiled me rotten for my birthday, 2 bouquets, a book I have been longing for, a picture and then a diamond and opal (my birthday stone) necklace from the same jeweler that did my engagement ring! I am so beautifully blessed with this man I call my husband!!! Shannon Crawford, i.love.you. and not for the beautiful gifts but for the amazing life you and I are creating together!!! I was also spoiled my family and friends in so many ways and I thank them all so much!!!!!!
Life has been going, going, going in the best way!

There is so much happening and we are just taking it all in! Lots to come J. Work has been wonderful and my co-teacher is awesome! We have been having such a great start to the year and we have an awesome class … I love each of my twenty 3,4 and 5 year olds!

Well, those are the highlights from the last month or so! The Crawford’s are doing well and are looking forward to everything that is upcoming! Mom, dad and my uncle Art are coming for Thanksgiving and I can’t wait! I will check in soon!

Best Always,

Kate

And here we go ...

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to write a quick update on the last week! I have officially started my position at FXW and could not be more excited. These past few days have been filled with so much emotion and as I sit here tonight writing this (exhausted and with very sore feet haha) I can truly say that the career highs and lows of the last nearly 2 years have been all worth it.

A quick highlight was an amazing all day PD on the Mind Up curriculum. It was truly life changing and it is all about the social emotional component of our curriculum, teaching to the heart of a child. 2 parts of the curriculum are about positive psychology and gratitude. I am literally being required to teach things that most teachers only dream about! I don’t know how this happened but I am truly thankful that it did!

My co-teacher has been phenomenal. She is such a great balance for me and I have already learned so much from her. I am beyond excited for our adventures to start this year! We had our Parent Night last night and got to meet many of our little friends today and all I can is say is … SCRUMPTIOUS!!!

Well, that is about all I can say at this moment because my eyes are quickly becoming heavy!  But I will end with this Kafka quote that I feel sums up so much ahaha… "There are some things one can only achieve by a deliberate leap in the opposite direction."

 

Best Wishes,
Kate

Turkeys and Skunks and Zebras ... Oh My?!

Hello out there!

I just needed to write about my amazing trip home. I feel that there are key moments in our lives, sometimes big and sometimes small, that have such an impact on who we are and allow us to gain insight and perspective about what the next phase should or could be. I feel that my trip these past 2 weeks did just that.

This was the first time that I went home with no real agenda other than to take a deep breath and regenerate for the upcoming school year. I started reflecting on a lot of things, from the recent past all the way to what seems like ancient history and one thing became abundantly clear, I have become so bogged down with things that have no real meaning in my life due to a variety of factors. So, what to do? Well, I unplugged in many of ways and literally can’t express what an amazing and positive effect it has had on me.

Not to sound trite, but as I drove through what I believe to be God’s country (New England), I was left in awe with what an amazing life I have and the amazing people I have in my life. There have been people that have come and gone, all who have served some cosmic purpose whether big or small, to get me to this point in my life and more importantly,  the people that are left standing with my and are forever by my side.  I don’t know what I have done right to have them by my side but I sure am glad for whatever reason that they are here. I just was left with this feeling of gratitude for the things I have been given in this life and I know at times I have not deserved it and yet here I am with this life.  I think I need to find some outlet here in Chicago to channel my fortune into the betterment for others … I don’t know what that exactly looks like yet but I am on the lookout!

My husband and I had an amazing long weekend rendezvous in New York City, the birthplace of our love. We reconnected in this blissfully understated cocoon of love, stolen kisses, hugs, gazing at one another and purely existing together amongst the chaos and unparalleled energy of the most amazing city in the world. I never imagined I would find someone that I would long for the way I do for Shannon. I realize that there are moments I miss him when he is in the next room (kind of like I do now) and want to be with so much and yet I am able to be me, the real me, at all times and he loves me, me, the real me … wow! We got to see some friends and missed others but the beauty of NYC is that it is there with all these people we love and we hope to be back soon!

Mom and I got to have special mother/daughter/puppy time! Our days were filled with laughter, driving through the mountains, exploring small towns, walks, a trip to Connecticut and a Sunday afternoon with Matt Brown as we toured West Hartford!

I really dig doing a highlights list, so I leave you with some from the last 2 weeks …

·         Tilly in the country

·         TURKEYS

·         Small town America

·         Mountains

·         A zebra … ask me for the story lol

·         Late night walks with my mom

·         Tommy, my parent’s 83 year old pianist neighbor who serenaded us!

·         Drinks with the love of my life at Rink Bar, while gazing at the spot we got married

·         Nights cold enough for a sweatshirt

·         Hildene

·         Skunks

·         Tilly being loved by all she came in contact with and I just love to see people smile like that

·         Ken, an old man in the most amazing cowboy shirt wearing who feel in love with Tilly and told me about his sister that lived in the mountains and a bear would come to her door!

·         Dartmouth, the town of Hanover and watching a great independent film with mom

·         Homemade ice cream

Well, that is about it. I feel ready to take on the school year. This trip reinvigorated me in a way that I haven’t felt in a very long time and I am so very thankful for it. But, nothing replaces the feeling of walking through the door to my beloved husband! I am so excited that fall is around the corner and I think there may be some exciting new things coming up! We all hope everyone has a wonderful and safe rest of their summer! xo

Best Always,

Kate

 

Here is a glimpse at some of the amazingness haha!

 

 

 

 

 

A Mid Summer Update ...

Hello friends and family!

So, I thought it has been a while since I have updated our blog. I know you have all been waiting with bated breath to hear what we have been up to lol! So, for the few of you that may care, here are the highlights for us over the past few months …

·         We started Shannon’s green card process … the ball is rolling!!! This has included … obtaining a lawyer (the best option ever), gathering the most massive amount of paperwork that I have ever had to compile, waiting game to get the letter stating that Shannon’s paperwork was accepted, fingerprinting and now we wait to have an interview for the 2 of us … to make sure we are a real couple! J

·         As of September, I will be a fulltime Pre-K teacher at FXW!!!

·         I am taking the summer to rest, get in shape and prep for next year … I can’t even put into words how excited I am to have my own classroom and my co-teacher is amazing!

·         Tilly is doing so well … she is such a big girl and has been such an amazing addition to our family! We often comment that we don’t know what we did before she came into our lives!

·         I am going to Vermont to see my parents (Tilly will be coming too) and Shannon and I will rendezvous in NYC for a romantic/much needed long weekend! His work load has been crazy with an upcoming application. He is my hero with the things he does … I am in awe!

·         Fingers crossed and barring no complications i.e. no work conflicts, we are planning a trip to Australia in the spring to visit family and friends, since it has already been 2 ½ years since we were last there … time flies!

·         Shannon and I have had such crazy schedules, we are hoping that life slows down a bit this Fall but we know us and there is always a new adventure around each and every corner we turn, we always have something up our sleeves lol!!! There are quieter moments but never a truly dull moment for The Crawford Clan!!

That is about it here. I can’t believe the summer is half over but it has held a lot of small gems that I will cherish, like running around in the rain last night with the love of my life and our puppy, when the city was nearly as quiet as it could be. I fall a little more in love with my husband each day and I am so very thankful for that and for him, every day. It was 3 years ago this month that he told me he loved me on the streets of London after knowing each other for such a short time, but when you know, you know.  I am just so lucky to have Shannon in my life, just a thought to end this update. We hope you are all well and we love and miss you all!

Best Always,

Katie & The Crawford Clan

 

 

March?! Holey Moley ...

Hello everyone!

Needless to say that in many ways life has slowed down since the wedding and yet in others life has sped up, in the best possible way!

Shannon and I are simply obsessed with Tilly! She is actually big enough and finally fully vaccinated so we are able to take her on her first puppy class this weekend! Last night we took her for a long walk and she was able to do the stairs on her 3^rd walk! Needless to say, we have the most beautiful and clearly the smartest dog ever! HAHAHA, but seriously, she is! J

Work has been great and I am now solely at FXW again and could not be any happier about it! An opportunity presented itself and with Shannon's love and support, I took the leap!! Shannon's work schedule has been crazy too but our walk home at night (since our jobs are close) has been so lovely. The weather is finally on an upswing … it was 40 yesterday… which makes it so much nicer! Knowing spring is around is making getting through the cold possible haha!

The next big trip is going to Vermont for Easter with the family! Shannon and I have never had a real vacation since we have been back in the states. This time he doesn’t have to work from home nor do I have any wedding planning to be done so we will be soaking up every minute! We are taking Tilly Lou, so she will be making her first flight in just a few weeks! Mom and dad are also watching her and Shannon and I will be ducking down to Connecticut for a few days! SPRING BREAK … HERE WE COME!!

Other than that, life has been good. We are just loving married life and trying to relish it all!

Enjoy daylights savings and we will make sure to update everyone on Tilly’s progress in school hehe! 

Best Always,

Kate

 

 

I Have Found The One Whom My Soul Loves.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!

I am so excited to finally share with everyone that Shannon and I got married, I am officially Mrs. Crawford. It is still surreal in the best possible way and there is nothing we would change!  Our wedding day, from start to finish, was perfection.

There have been so many questions as to why we would scrap the entire wedding we planned for next October in Williamsburg. So, without further adieu, here is the story of our unconventional but nothing short of spectacular New Years Eve Wedding at Rockefeller Center under the Christmas Tree!

Shannon and I started evaluating everything regarding our wedding and our lives. We realized that we have both put so much on the line to be together and there was no reason for us to postpone what we have known from the beginning, we love each other and want to be married. There is nothing traditional or conventional about who we are and our story as a couple (and I mean that in the best possible way) so we thought, why would we ever have a traditional or conventional wedding?!

In late September we decided that one way or another, we would be getting married in New York City on New Year’s Eve. After we found an officiant and spoke with our amazing rabbi, we decided that Rockefeller center was perfect. It is the site of the start of our first official date, the night after we met! We thought, what would be better than to go back to where it all started. It was the site of our first chapter together, so it might as well be the site of our life as husband and wife! We were able to get a reservation at The Sea Grill for our guests to watch the skaters and have an amazing view of the tree! Within a few weeks we had all the essentials lined up (family, a few friends, a new dress, new suit, rings, a hotel, a reception site, a rabbi and our love … what else did we need?!) and with that, we went full force ahead.

For anyone that knows me, they are privy to the fact that I have a tendency to stress about anything and everything and the irony of this entire wedding is, I never once stressed about any of it. Knowing we were getting married at a NYC landmark on the busiest day of the year, I realized I would only have so much control anyway, so I had to let go and let God, so to speak.  It was the best decision we could have ever made. Without exaggeration, it was one of the calmest days I can remember … a true wedding miracle haha!

A few days before the wedding and was joined by Shannon and his mom in Vermont, at my parent’s new house. It was the perfect location to take a deep breath and prepare myself for the amazing journey we were about to embark upon. It snowed on and off so we took the train down to the city and got to take in the beauty that is New England.

On the morning of our wedding day I was surrounded by my mom, dad and David! They were the perfect people for me to be around and truly take in everything that was happening and about to happen.  Shannon met us and our guests in the lobby of 30 Rock. Mom, dad, David and I met him there and the look on his face is by far one the greatest highlights for me! Our ceremony started just a few minutes later and it was truly magical. It will be the closest thing to me being Kate Middleton. We had people yelling congrats the whole day and taking pictures of our ceremony … it was wonderful! We immediately proceeded downstairs to The Sea Grill and were treated to one of the best meals of my life.

As I write this, I am realizing that there are no words that can truly express this amazing day.  All I know is we were truly blessed to be surrounded by family and friends that have loved and supported us every step of the way during this journey. It would have been easy to write our us off but we have so many people that have seen the love that Shannon and I have for each other and realized a little thing like being from opposite sides of the world was nothing compared to love we share.  I will leave you with a few of my personal highlights and some fun facts! And, one last THANK YOU to my parents for making this all happen! I don't know where I would be without all of your love and support!

A Few Fun Facts/Highlights From The Wedding:

The reason Shannon and I went to New York City in November was actually to get our marriage license!!

The gifts were snowflakes with an octagon shape, the same as my ring and the tie tack I got for Shannon.

We stood directly on the 30 Rock under the Christmas Tree for the ceremony.

My mom sewed a blue heart made from my Papa’s blue jacket he would wear when I took walks as a child and it was stitched with my Nana’s thread and I had it next to my heart during the ceremony.

Our cake topper was my Nana and Papa’s wedding cake from 12.21.41!!

I grew up with the story that my Papa slid down the banister at Grand Central right after he married my Nana. Hence, the pictures of us at Grand Central!

We got snacks and spirits at the Food Emporium while still in my wedding dress and Shannon his suit! It was pretty epic and I wanted to wear my dress as long as possible!

Having such amazing people partake in our ceremony truly made our wedding … THANK YOU to each and every one of you that were able to be a part of our special day.

No matter where we got married, what made our wedding is the fact that I got to marry my best friend. A man that I truly did not believe existed in this world and by a miracle I found him and he loves me as much as I love him. I am so excited what this next chapter of our life hold for us … Shannon Joseph Crawford, i.love.you.

Best Wishes Always,

Kate 

This is us at The NYC Clerk's Office after we got our marriage license!

Saying Our Vows!

 Post Dinner!