2 Years in the Navy

Last week, I had the privilege of pinning my husband with his new LTJG insignia. He was promoted from an Ensign to a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the United States Navy. I am so proud of all that he has accomplished in these last two years as a Naval Officer and am so blessed to be his wife. I was so delighted to be there with him and support him. This ceremony also marked another momentous occasion- the first time baby was left at the babysitters. In her first six months of life, she has been watched by family members a total of three times and the babysitters once. Thankfully, they said that she was most well behaved the whole time.

Pinning on his LTJG insignia

On his ship's deck

Here I am pinning on his SWO pin in June 2008.


Do you see the baby bump? I was 16 weeks pregnant. One difference I noticed between these pictures and the current ones is N's glasses. No more thanks to his PRK!

Here we are (along with his grandfather) on his Commissioning day in May 2007. This was his first pinning.
The ceremony took place in the beautiful Union League of Philadelphia.

We were 16 and 18 years old respectively in this picture. It was taken right after his orientation week ceremony for his NROTC unit in college in September 2002. Have any clue where he went to college?

Memorial Day 2009

This Memorial Day, I was delighted to be able to spend with my sailor and our daughter. Besides being a day to celebrate who N is, it also happened to be baby's 6th month birthday. What a perfect day to go out on a family getaway! We spent the day in Colonial Williamsburg and greatly appreciated the free admission for military families. It was such a wonderful day.


My family in front of the Governor's Palace.

Inside the "Palace." Seeing my husband carry the baby around in her carrier was just precious.
The back of the palace. This crest is really beautiful. While inside our tour guide thanked all the military members and their families, and I started to tear up. Having two friends with currently deployed husbands, daily reminds me of the heartbreak of being a military wife.
Daddy and daughter outside of a general store
My family with an actor outside of the Capital building.
Melts my heart
Big smiles for Daddy
Remember that you can click on these pictures to enlarge them. I love that about blogger.


This week baby is competing in a little contest to win free portraits. Check out our little sailor #27. How cute she looks!

Visiting Friends and Family

Last week, baby, husband, and I had a wonderful time visiting friends and family back home. We were up for a cousin's wedding. It was so wonderful to see so many friends and family members. It was delightful visiting around and introducing a few to Mia for the very first time, but I was sad not to be able to meet up with a few friends because of our crazy schedules. We will just have to make another visit soon.

My Family


Cousins

How many men does it take to carry a baby and her bag?
A dear beautiful friend


I love little girls in white.

A sweet friend took several pics of the babe in her son's nursery. Thank you, MJ. I love her pram. This one is the silly one of the bunch because her little foot is sticking out. so cute.

looking at mamma
baby toes

baby hands

Happy Easter

We enjoyed a lovely Easter together with some of our family. My church/ photographer friend (who has done several shoots with us) was able to snap several impromptu (on my little camera) photos after church. I am so thankful.


The background does certainly not shout "Easter pictures," but maybe the bonnet does :)

My two favorite people.
Yes, I LOVE white.

Many Firsts

This past month baby enjoyed her first friend's birthday party, first time at the park, and the joy of applying for a passport. Baby is now 4 months weighting in at 12 lbs 2 oz and 23.25 inches long. Off the top of my head- at birth she was 5 lbs 6 oz and 18.5 inches long, at one month 7 lbs 15 oz and 19 inches, at 2 months she was 8 lbs 13oz and 20 inches, and at 3 months she was 10 lbs 10 oz and 21.75 inches. ( I have tried to be thorough with labeling her professional pictures, and it looks like that has helped me in remembering.) She does not like tummy time much at all but is handling it a lot better than last month. It is so delightful when she smiles at us and a little bit funny when she smiles at this one particular ceiling vent. Has it only been 4 months (plus nine) that she has been in our lives? She really is such a delightful and happy baby.


Playing at the park with daddy

A delighted party goer

Her passport photo- the final version is more cropped in. I did it myself at home instead of at the office and was really glad I took the time. She is actually lying down. Can you tell? it took 47 rejects to get this one.

So Thankful

This past Tuesday N was on duty, and I had a craving for Taco Bell. So, after a run to the library, baby and I went to get a taco. The girl who rang us up had to be no more than eighteen and was really pretty and sweet. She noticed I had a baby with me, asked how old she was, and mentioned that she herself had a six month old. At that moment thankfulness washed over me for all that God has given to me and in particular for my loving and amazingly hardworking husband who had that very morning woken up at four a.m. and would not even have the opportunity to come home to us after a hard day’s work as he had duty. While I am being supported by my husband and have the privilege of kissing, snuggling, and playing with my baby girl all day long, here was this young mother separated from her six month old baby making at the most eight dollars an hour as a fast-food cashier. Being a mother to my sweet little girl really seems like a dream- and then we do have those moments when life seems all too real such as when she poos through her clothing all over herself, me and my favorite nursing pillow.

I have finally gotten back into the swing of exercising once again!! I love/ hate Winsor pilates. It is amazing how quickly you feel and see results. ( I used to do the 20 min tape but now am doing 40 min of the 60 min tape.)I suppose all pilates work the same but I really like these dvds. It was difficult giving up pilates during pregnancy due to the lying on the back restriction. N has been very supportive of my exercising. If I properly schedule around the baby, she also will be kicking and stretching on the floor with me. It is funny that the degree of kicking and stretching that a baby does effortlessly and painlessly actually takes a while for an adult to achieve.

She is such a delight. We have been very blessed to have such a well behaved and happy two month old. Who knew babies could be so good!

Little Hands

Tiny Toes


Daddy's Little Valentine

Playing with the light

All Smiles with my best friend

Can you see the theme?

Life with a Two Month Old

Life is wonderful. I feel that at the tender age of 22 that I have accomplished most of my life goals- a college graduate, wife, and mother. My tombstone would already read "beloved wife and mother." As I hold my little one in my arms, I am already dreaming of becoming a grandmother myself. On fb I posted a picture of her wearing my engagement ring and a friend commented that hopefully it will not happen for many years to come. Well, since she is not yet 3 months- I surely have many years to wait for such a happy occasion. Yet, already I am embracing the thought of my daughter getting married and having babies :) When she was wearing the rings I felt like I have already given them to here- anything that is mine I now consider hers. Well, I do hope to be blessed with many more children. So there will have to be sharing between them. I simply think now all that I may "own" is not my own but to be shared with my children. I was thinking of material things- yet really one of the most important things that I can give to my children is my time. It is my dream to be here at home with them all through childhood and beyond. If circumstances would require me to go out and support/supplement the family say N was going through more schooling or became injured, I would have to and that was one major reason I thought a college degree was important for me. Yet, as life stands now I will forgo the upgraded cars, fancy dinners, and exotic vacations to be here making the most of the 7226 days I have with my daughter until she turns 20.

She is now 11 weeks old and just rolled over front to back this week. Once she started smiling back at us- I finally felt like a mother. It is so delightful to see her face light up- just because we are smiling at here. No toys, treats, or tricks needed to see her happily grinning face. She is simply happy to be playing with us.


Christmas 2008

Hanging with her bitty baby


Borrowing bitty baby's dress All dressed up with mommy


Professional photographers make great friends!!

Before baby

With baby

before
With




"Let's go shopping"

"I'll grab my purse, mommy"

I have yet to get proper details of the finished nursery. The pic to the right is a pic of her sonogram and the one in the middle is a maternity shot. Seeing the sonogram, maternity pic, and baby all in one picture brings the process full circle.




Helping with the laundry