10 Months Later

Well, the basketball in my belly has been replaced by the one in my arms! I have no idea what I now weigh and haven't had ANY time to exercise. The fact that it's winter isn't helping me reach my fitness goals! Oh well, it's only been 25 days!

Oh, and I can't find the pink tank top, so I decided to use white as my "post-pregnancy" color!

It's a GIRL!!!!!

After 7 hours of labor, Brynn Shaylee was born on November 23rd, 2008 at 8:32am. She weighed 6 lbs, 10 oz and was 19 1/4 inches.

It's hard to believe almost 4 weeks has gone by. She has already changed and grown so much! We are so blessed and happy that our baby is finally here!

9 Months...I made it!

Well, here is the final of my monthly pregnancy pictures. I wasn't sure if I would make it but I guess our baby wanted me to have a nine-month picture to add to the memory box! I am posting this six days before my due date and feeling great. I thought for sure that I would be a mom by now (I would like to thank all the people that told me I would definitely have the baby early. I appreciate you getting my hopes up!) but apparently having a small frame doesn't determine how long you carry a baby for! While waiting for the baby, I have been able to get a lot of things done around the house. I cleaned out my recipe box, filled in Diamond's Dog Record Book (I figured that would be pushed far aside once we have a baby book to complete!), and Bryan and I have done some decorating around the house that we could have done for the past year but decided that doing it days before our baby comes was a more opportune time (is that considered "nesting"?). I am looking forward to meeting this baby that I have carried for the last 39 weeks. I am most excited to see what he/she looks like (I'm hoping for curly blonde hair and hazel eyes!).

Hopefully it's not too much longer until we meet this child (that I have taken to calling "Squirmy", due to the fact that he/she is always moving around in my belly!). We are praying for a safe, natural delivery with no complications. Now all we can do is wait...

Fun with Ribbon

I started my Maternity Leave on November 1st and to keep busy I've been working on some projects to finish the nursery. I was planning on breaking out the sewing machine and making curtains, but after a trip to Joann Fabrics, I decided that without my mom here to guide me along, that task seemed near impossible. The trip wasn't wasted, though; I found some different ribbon that matches the bedding set that is in the baby's room, and I decided to decorate the lamp shade that my friend, Annie, gave me. After successfully completing that assignment, I decided to use the ribbon to decorate a basket that we have stocked with diaper-changing neccessities. I still have a few ideas of ways to complete the nursery but need a few more supplies. I will post more pics once I'm done - unless the baby is here and then I may be a little too busy!

Oh, and the pie was something I made after I ran out of things to sew ribbon to!

Busy B and some Honeybees

With 5 weeks until the estimated due date of our baby, we finally decided to get the nursery ready. Bryan started painting the room and last weekend Bryan's sister, Leslie, came to visit. She helped me make decisions regarding the room decor (i.e. it's better to have a crib set with a baby pattern on it than to have a light shaped like Winnie-the-Pooh). We found a Honeybee crib set that we really liked and decided to purchase accessories that will match the colors (instead of having everything with Honeybees on it ). Using Leslie's experience, we decided which clothes to wash and which ones to wait on since we don't know how big this baby is going to be and how fast he/she's going to grow. And then while they put the crib together, I stayed out of the way (and kept Diamond out of their hair) and cooked dinner and brownies (of course!)

So, now we're down to 27 days to the EDD and the room is about 75% ready. We just need some wall hangings and curtains and we'll be all set. Oh, we need the baby, too! (The baby's coming whether the room's done or not, so I'm not too worried about it!)

8 Months...feels like forever!

So, I'm 34 weeks and bigger than ever! It always amazes me to see the difference from month to month. I swore I didn't get bigger than last month, but after comparing the pictures, there's no denying that this baby is still growing! I had a doctor's appointment today and it was pretty uneventful, which is probably a good thing! The baby's heart beat was strong and the heart rate was in the 130s (according to some, that is slow...so is this a boy or what???). My doctor did advise me not to take the trip to Dallas in two weeks that I was planning. I figured that's what she would say but I was still bummed. I was looking forward to visiting with friends and going to the Smokin' Spirit Party. I guess it wouldn't be worth it if I went into labor mid-flight or while I was there. I'd have to stay at Rob or Michelle or Berri's house until the baby was a few weeks old and I could fly back! I guess I'll just use my vacation days to relax.

Bryan has started painting the baby's room. My dad had offered to come down and paint but Bryan was adament about being the one to paint his baby's room. Even though he works so much and could've taken advantage of having someone else paint, it was important to him to be the one that did the preparations for his new baby. Things like that reinforce what a wonderful man Bryan is and what a great father he's going to be! Once it's done, it's going to look great. I can't wait to see how it looks with the furniture!

We are both getting excited as the due date gets closer! I don't think we realize how our lives are about to change (I know I don't!) but we're looking forward to what's in store! Diamond is also getting ready for what's coming, although she may not know it yet! We're curious to see how she acts once there's a baby around, but I am confident that she's going to be fine. Only time will tell!

Let's Go Ravens!

Bryan got tickets to another Ravens game this past weekend. He called Artie and had him fly up for the game and off we went. I happened to find a purple maternity shirt on Saturday night at Macys so I wore that in support of the team. I fit right in with all the die-hard fans! The weather was beautiful and although the Ravens lost, we all had a good time.

Once again, I didn't check the camera battery before we left the house, so I was only able to take a few pictures before it died on me! (Note to self: check camera battery before heading to the hospital to give birth!)

Celebrating Baby...Part 2

On Sunday, September 28th, Bryan's mom and sister hosted a baby shower for me in Louisville. It was an intimate gathering of friends and family and we all had a great time. Leslie surprised Marsha by planning a few games for all the ladies to play, even though she was told not to! We all had fun and Bryan and I are so thankful to everyone for the beautiful gifts! Oh, and the cake was delicious - plastic picks and all!

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

On September 19th I headed to NYC to visit with friends and family. My mom hosted a baby shower on the 20th (more on that later) and I had the opportunity to get together with my best bud, Lilah, and then my cousins, Leah, Danielle, and Jillian. The trip started with me flying to Laguardia. I haven't flown a different airline from the one I work for in a long time, and now I remember why. I had to get to the airport an hour early (I usually show up when they're boarding!) and then the flight was delayed because of Air Traffic delays. Once we took off, the flight was quick and my weekend of fun had begun.


Lilah and I hung out for awhile and then I headed to Manhatten via train to meet up with my cousins. Once we all finally found each other, we went to eat and catch up on our lives. I talk to Leah often, although not as much as before since she got a job and is always working! but I haven't seen Danielle and Jillian for years. It was so nice to be able to get together!

I wanted to vist Magnolia Bakery for one of their famous cupcakes, but we weren't able to fit it into our schedule. After dinner, Jillian suggested we walk to "Crumbs" bakery. We strolled up 42nd street only to find the bakery closed with signs on the door that they were sold out of cupcakes! My quest for cupcakes was not going very well! As we headed back to Grand Central, I noticed a Neuhaus chocolate shop. These are the same chocolates that Bryan brought back from Belgium when he visited two years ago. They are the best chocolates that I've ever had so they were a great substitute for the cupcake I wanted so bad. After picking out a few chocolates, the guy behind the counter did the nicest thing someone could do for a girl on a dessert quest: he gave them to me for free! He said that he had already closed out the register but couldn't turn me away once he saw that I was pregnant! So, the night ended sweetly with me eating free chocolates; what else could a girl ask for!

On Saturday, about 25 women gathered to celebrate Baby Martin. We ate awesome Italian food (I always love visiting NY!) and then I opened LOTs and LOTs of gifts. As expected, the majority of the clothes we got are green and yellow. They are all SO cute, though. We have plenty of time to add to our baby's wardrobe so the abundance of neutral outfits doesn't bother me. My grandmother crocheted a few blankets and sweater sets. I can't wait to put all the great stuff to use! Only a few more weeks...

The following day, my dad and I packed up his car and headed down to Maryland. There was no traffic and the weather was great for driving. I'm glad we were able to bring all the gifts home. I had fun showing everything to Bryan. I think the realization that there will soon be a baby in our lives is starting to set in...it's scary and exciting all at the same time!

Shortly after arriving home. Bryan and I headed downtown to the Ravens game. The weather was perfect for being outside and our seats were awesome. We were only 7 rows back from the field! It's interesting the things you see when you're that close (i.e. the amount of "treatment" the players get from the team doctors).

I am still exhausted from the exitement of the weekend but it was all worth it. I have the best family and friends in the world! Thank you all for making my baby shower perfect!

7 Months...officially counting down...

Okay, so I've officially started counting down. I have 9 weeks and 3 days until my due date. I know a lot of first-timers actually pass their due date but Bryan seems to think I'll be having this baby early. He doesn't know how I'm going to make it another two months! I'm still feeling good and don't realize how big I've gotten until I see my reflection or look at pictures like this one! At my last doctor's appointment (last Thursday), I had gained 27 lbs. My doctor says I can gain up to 40 lbs since I was underweight to begin with. That makes me feel better but then I realize that all the weight I gain has to come off. My days of eating homemade brownies (the CocoLoco brownie recipe from Rachel Ray is AWESOME!) and Cold Stone for dinner (okay we only did that once!) will have to come to an end...oh, how that makes me sad!


We finally started clearing our wedding gifts out of the baby's room-to-be. We figured there's no need to refrain from using the new toaster and pots and pans we got. I'm not really sure why we waited so long; I guess we thought it would be less to pack if we sold our house. So we have new, wonderfully fluffy towels and 440-thread count sheets. It's like heaven! (Bryan doesn't exactly share my enthusiasm of the new goods. I guess I wouldn't understand since I don't have the lint from the towels getting stuck in my five-o-clock shadow!) So, anyway, we are slowly clearing out the room and will have it ready to be painted just in time for Leslie to visit! ;)


My mom is having a baby shower for me this weekend and Bryan's mom and sister are hosting one the following weekend. I am really looking forward to visiting with family and celebrating this child that we're anxiously awaiting the arrival of!


As always, I feel so blessed to have Bryan (and Diamond) to share this experience with. I thank God every day for giving me such a wonderful family and for this baby, who reminds me of what a miracle life is everytime I feel movement in my belly.

Six months...Whoa, Nelly!

Well, folks, there's no denying the fact that there's a baby in there these days! And I thought my belly grew a lot last month!

I went for my monthly appointment last week and I gained 10 lbs, yes TEN POUNDS, since last month! My doctor didn't seem concerned so that made me feel better. I'm just hoping the next few months aren't so drastic! I'll look like a weeble and have to roll around to get anywhere!

Other than the dread of having to figure out what clothes I have that fit and are appropriate to wear to work (wouldn't it be nice if I could just wear my comfy clothes!), I've felt really good. There's been a few days of lower back pain but nothing that lasts more than a day. I'm trying to stay as active as possible and still taking the stairs instead of the elevator everywhere I go. Diamond and I still go on our nightly walks but it's been getting dark earlier so I've had to shorten the distance we go at night. I actually feel SO good that most times I forget that my belly is about the size of a basketball and I try to bend over or get out of bed the way I normally would. I'm quickly reminded that I just can't bend that way anymore!

We do not know the sex of the baby and I'm glad we've waited to find out. We're still trying to decide on names but we won't be sharing those until the baby is born, so don't get excited if I say that we've come up with one!

The baby kicks and moves around all the time. I just sit with my hand on my belly waiting to feel the next movement. It's still amazing to me that there's a baby growing in there. I just can't wait until we meet! I am so blessed and owe it all to Jesus Christ. He is responsible for all of my happiness!

Time Flies when it's Summer and you're pregnant!

I can't believe a month has gone by! I've been really bad about updating our blog. We've been busy and I can't seem to find the time to sit down and post any updates. Here's what's been going on since last month:


1. Our house sold and then two weeks before closing, the appraisal came back too low. We decided that shelling out that much money wasn't worth it. Bryan was great about it, especially since it meant he was going to have to continue commuting to DC.

2. I discovered that green and red peppers are very yummy. Especially with chicken, cheddar cheese, and granny smith apples in a quesadilla!

3. Bryan decided that he was going to go for it and purchase the TV he's been wanting. Oh, he got a Blu-Ray player, too.

4. We figured the best thing to do is purchase a couch on which to watch above-mentioned TV.

5. My parents and Grandma Toni came to visit. We had a relaxing weekend and went to eat at The Blue Sea Grill. It was very good and I will go back, even if just for the banana tiramisu! Highlight of the weekend: My dad taking Diamond for a walk at 10:45pm and proceeding to get lost in my neighborhood. He was safely home by midnight and Diamond was worn out, which is always a good thing!

6. Lilah and Mike came to visit. We went down to DC for a few hours and took the required tourist photos. After taking them to Five Guys (where we take everyone that visits, so be ready!) we hung out in the newly furnished basement and watched three hours of "Wipeout". On Sunday, we headed down to Baltimore and walked around for a bit before stopping at Cold Stone and getting home so they could be on their way back to NY.


7. Bryan got transferred to BWI permanently! This was a true blessing after the sale of the house fell through! We are so thankful to God for always taking care of us!

And now for the pictures of this past month's events:

Bryan's big purchase! 46" of crystal-clear HD (or something like that!)


Our new couch. This has now become Bryan's "Palace". I always know where to find him after dinner!

Three (and 1/2) generations of Italians.

And here we are with "Big Daddy Kane".

Me and my wonderful husband. He just loves it when I get the camera out!

Diamond was trying to get comfortable. This was the morning after the LONG walk with dad. She was still tired!

Washington, DC.

Lilah and I. We've been friends since 2nd grade! Over 20 years!

I am so glad they came to visit and that our friendship has lasted so long. We're definitely different than back in 1987, but in so many ways we're still the same!

There's Mike and Bryan. (Diamond just had to see what was going on from inside the door!)

This summer has been fun. Our trips have consisted of short weekend getaways and we've gotten to see our families and friends often. I have yet to go swimming or wear my bathing suit in the sun, for that matter, but we can't have it all, right?!

I'm happy enough sharing my days with my Bry and Diamond and getting ready for the new addition to our family!

Five Months...halfway there!

Here I am at 21 weeks (disclaimer: I didn't do my hair and I don't have any make-up on). This is definitely the biggest month-to-month change so far! I went to the doctor on July 2nd and weighed in at 115lbs. That's 10 lbs more than my first visit back in April so I'm pretty much right on track. I've been cooking and baking a lot lately (i.e. today I made zucchini bread, cookie dough, and spaghetti sauce!), so hopefully my weight doesn't jump too much before my next appointment!

And introducing.....


Here is our baby! We got this sonogram on July 3rd and it was so exciting to see how much our baby has grown since the first sonogram. The technician couldn't confirm boy or girl parts so we're still not sure what we're having. Bryan is still convinced that it's a girl. My doctor said I won't get another sonogram unless there's a reason, so we may have to wait until November to find out. The technician did show us the stomach, kidneys, and lungs, which was really cool to see. We could see the legs and arms (see the hand waving to you?) and the baby was dancing all around. The whole experience was awesome and everyday we're more and more excited to meet our baby.