enjoy the second quarter of 2008 by having one new and fulfilling experience in April, May, and June. Woo Hoo!

June was a busy month and in many ways a bit of a blur. Most of my new and fulfilling experiences revolved around the kids…new experiences with Clara because she’s still so brand new and taking Audrey to do things for the first time. Highlights included:

• My first grocery trip with Clara and Audrey without Eric there for help
• Our first family trip to the pool
• A trip to the Museum of Science and Industry
• Real smiles from Clara
• A trip to Brookfield Zoo
• Using Nike+ for my shocks…it adds a new dimension to the Couch to 5K program
• A trip to Six Flags Great America

Oops. I forgot to add an entry for May. Let’s look back at my month of May…

• Of course the winner for the month has got to be the birth of my second daughter, Clara Rose. It was so wonderful to meet her and start getting to know her after the many months of pregnancy.

• Audrey’s first bar experience.

• Reading the new Jhumpa Lahiri book along with a friend.

• Watching Audrey perform in her first ballet recital!

So April has come and gone, and it feels like I haven’t had quite as many new and fulfilling experiences as I do some months. The ever-nearing due date probably has a lot to do with that. New for April:

• Starting my new job! It’s been better than I ever imagined it would be. I look forward to coming to work.

• Seeing Audrey’s picture in the paper for the first time. What a special little thrill for us:)

• Making some major home purchases this month, something we’ve rarely had to do since buying our house. April brought us a new garage door and a new refrigerator.

• Celebrating my dog Nora’s 10th birthday in style.

• Trying a handful of new foods and a new restaurant: Brittany dressing, Mojito Lemonade, Key Lime Cheesecakse, Turnip Greens, and the restaurant Jim’s Steakhouse.

• Making my first muxtape.

• Meeting my good friend Ashleigh’s little baby boy Dean for the first time. A cutie.

• Taking Audrey to see the Gamma Phi Circus and hearing legendary trapeze artist Tony Steele speak at work.

• Enjoying my first-ever work-hosted baby shower. My co-workers are the best.