Is that a basketball under your shirt?

Some more PA...

I remember waking up that April morning and running into the bathroom to, ahem, pee on that stick...and another one just to be sure.  Nick was still asleep but that didn't last long since I jumped on him to wake up and wait those 3 awfully long minutes with me. The result made my heart melt.  I immediately called my mom to make sure she was retiring in June because she was going to be busy the next year!

Here's Little Bugs' first picture!

9 weeks

Although I was sick for 16 agonizing straight weeks, I managed to get a bump pretty fast! 

12 weeks

3D at 13 weeks

14 weeks

Perhaps the funniest picture.  My doctor edited the ultrasound pic to cut out little bugs...she looks like she's sitting at computer sucking her thumb!

18 weeks

19 weeks

This is when she changed from little bugs to Baby Girl.  I won't put that pic on here since she was spread eagle saying, "hey mom, i'm a girl!"

24 weeks

28 weeks

It's only normal to go to a Giants game 7 months pregnant!  Baby Girl loved to tailgate!

29 weeks

30 weeks

Check out her lips!  She came out looking exactly like this with those chubby cheeks and beautiful lips!

31 weeks

31 weeks

34 weeks

I think this was the last one we took even though I didn't go into labor until 40 weeks, 4 days!  Save that for another time...

35 weeks at the beach

28

How am I 28 already?  That's practically 30!

Yesterday was my birthday.  We had a fun little family birthday party courtesy of moi...is it sad that I basically threw myself a birthday party?  My mom actually was going to make dinner and bring it to our house but she already does so much that I figured I could just whip something up. (she did make an awesome cake and cupcakes as well as picking out all the party goods) We had a taco bar complete with Barbacoa Beef, Santa Fe Chicken, shrimp, Cilantro Lime Rice, Cuban Style Black Beans, veggies, guacamole, and all the other fixings.  It was delish!  Oh and if you don't know Gina over at SkinnyTaste, go acquaint yourself so you can be making (and eating) delicious food complete with WW points for every recipe!  *Cat's out of the bag family, it was almost all "skinny" version*

Here's a few pics courtesy of Kayla and Jada.  They are quality photographers as you will see below

family 2011

don't mind the carrots up her nose!

check out those lashes

 the 2 photographers of the evening with their fresh hair cuts!  Kayla went Halle Berry while Jada opted for a pixie.

sisterly love

cousins...this could be trouble in a few years!

 the Maxx Man...is he the cutest or what!  He'll be 1 on Sunday and I really can't believe it!

Maxx

 Miss Kara made an appearance

no pictures please...she's such a diva

There were adults there too but pictures of kids are way cuter!

Yeah, I made my own flower arrangements.  Just a little pizazz for the room.

It was a very nice night and I got some really nice gifts.  Thank you family for being so generous!

Despite what I said at the beginning, I really don't have any qualms about turning 30 in a couple years.  I feel that I'm blessed with so many wonderful things in my life right now and don't need to make a "30 things to do before I'm 30" list.  I have a wonderful husband who I love and appreciate more and more each day.  I have a beautiful, healthy, amazing baby girl who surprises me everyday with the new things she does.  Is it possible for someone to get cuter each day because she certainly does! I have amazing parents who I wouldn't trade for the world.   They have taught so much throughout my life and for that I am eternally greatful.  I have great in-laws who always support us.  Have I mentioned that I love my entire family...because I do.  I also have a great job, fabulous friends, my health, my wealth (not really but it sounds cool).  So, at 28 years young, I am very comfortable where I am.  Do I strive for more?  Always.  But hey, that's life!

8 months!

My little smooshy face is 8 months old!

 Ava, here are you 8 months updates:

• bedtime begins around 6:30 pm but can last until 8 if you are a fighter that night.  but you sleep til between 6 and 7 the next morning so i'm not complaining!
• your favorite foods are yogurt, fruit, cheese and pasta!
• you started CRAWLING!  we've installed the gate but need to get on baby-proofing everything else.
• we haven't officially weighed you but i think you are around 25 lbs! 
• a tooth has poked through (bottom right)

•  you spend your days with Grandma LoLo while mommy and daddy work and you love every minute of it!
• you're a beach bum at heart which is perfect for us
• you've officially been through an earthquake and hurricane in the past week
• dada has been uttered from your beautiful lips in the right context, and also in the wrong context so who knows!

• your favorite toys are your barn door, piano and garden caterpillar music table (creepy voice and all) but you'd rather the iPad and mommy's iPhone when given the opportunity
• you LOVE books...that's not my bunny, peek-a-boo (everything) and marley are among the favs

So happy 8 months to you beautiful girl!!!!

In other news...

Hurricane Irene hit.

 

Although it looks like it hit our living room, we were thankfully safe from any damage although most of our area looks like this:

 

that's a park bench at the edge of the lake

this is the same boardwalk Ava was sitting on in the picture above take on Friday...this is Sunday

oh hey Pat Battle!

Many people are still without power and have flooding and other damage to their homes.  I hope everyone quickly recovers from crazy Irene.

I love you more today than yesterday

But not as much as tomorrow.  Happy Anniversary to my wonderful Husband!  I remember that downpour 2 years ago as I got all dolled up without a nervous bone in my body.  I knew this was going to be best day of my life...and it was.  Thank you for who you are, all you do, and all we dream of doing together. 

August 29, 2009

Here are a few of my fav pics of us that I found in iPhoto: 

Jupiter, FL 2005

Law School Graduation 2009

Halloween 2006

New Years Eve, Washington D.C. 2006

San Diego 2007

Halloween 2008

Engagement 2007

Punta Cana 2009

Giants Game 2010

Ava's Birthday 2010

PA

No, not Pennsylvania, Pre-Ava.  A little more about my recent life (told you I would).

I met Nick in college in 2004.  We got a dog, we graduated, he went to law school, I started working, we got engaged...

Engagement Pictures...Meet Thor

he finished law school, we got married...

August 29, 2009

bought a townhouse...

November 2009

and got pregnant!

April 2010

*Our photographer for our engagement and wedding pictures was John Arcara.  He is awesome and I highly recommend him if you are in New Jersey!

Welcome

Welcome to my blog!  I've always (ok, not always) wanted to start a blog...in fact, I did start one once and then chickened out.  I actually write posts in my head all.the.time!  It's been getting kinda strange so I figured, what the heck, let's do this!  I also look at this as a way to *hopefully* keep a little journal of things I will never remember in a few years.  I know that's what baby books are for, but come on, does everyone keep up with that in this day and age?

Being on theknot, thenest, and thebump is what first got me into the blog world.  I look at them as almost a guilty pleasure.  They're not quite on the guilty pleasure level as such things as The Real Housewives of {insert city here} (except Atlanta, never got into that one), Kardashians, Pregnant in Heels, Teen Mom, etc., you get the point!  But I do love reading blogs.  I use them for inspiration for anything from DIY to parenting to fashion to cooking to photography (don't judge, I haven't learned how to use my camera yet), and also just for pure entertainment.  I love reading blogs from the beginning and seeing how the blogger has evolved throughout.  I've found that as time goes by, people get more creative with so many aspects of their lives.  I hope to do the same.

So that's all for now.  I'll back track my life another time.  But for now, I'll leave you with a picture of my beautiful princess...