Brianna Comes To Play...

Last night my very dear friend Gabby and her little one Brianna came over to invite me to a kiddie Christmas party. It was so much fun! Gabby's command's first class association planned it at a big balloon bounce place. Bri had SOOOO MUCH fun!!! She would kick and laugh to be taken down the giant slides again and she of course flirted with every boy and man in the room! She really has a thing for the fellas already. After that we all came back to our house and had a quick dinner and some more playtime. Bri really loved looking at the Christmas tree and getting into everything! She is just so curious! We also found out that she a really sweet spot for my husband Frank. Frank came down to say goodnight and he told Bri goodnight and went upstairs to bed and she started balling and crawling after him! Gabby and I were so suprised. So Frank being the sweet man he is came back downstairs gave her a little hug, smooch and tickle. She was so happy after that. She just need to be said goodnight to properly! :) Haha! She is not a princess or anything! She makes me so anxious to see our little one! I can see how she has brought so much joy to Gabby's life! I just love those two girls!

Thanksgiving....

This Thanksgiving is the first Thanksgiving in a long time that I have sooooo much to be thankful for that I just don't know where to start....so here are the top ten:

1. I am so Thankful for my wonderful Husband. He is so patient, loving and makes me laugh everyday. He is truly my best friend and I can't remember life without him. I can't wait to see what the future brings with him.


2. Our baby. I don't know why Heavenly Father has be so generous as to entrust us with such a special little person to teach and love, but I am so unbelievably thankful for the opportunity to be a mother! What an amazing gift!


3. Our families, even though we never see them...and in some cases are still getting to know them....I love everything about them and how different they all are. They each bring something special to our lives. I think that is the best part of marriage...all the new family you get!




4. Friendship. Even though most of our very very dear friends live far away and spread all over the world and some are no longer with us, we are so blessed with wonderful friends. I think that I have some of the best friends you can have...the kind that forgive you when you never write or call and when you finally do you pick up right where you left off. That is a great friend :) You know who you are!



5. The military....I know I know it is a strange thing to have on my top ten, but I personally think it should be on everyones!!!!!!!! They go away from their families for months sometimes years on end, they work 24/7 in the worst conditions you can imagine, they see and do things that you would never wish on your worst enemy and get treated like crap for it when they come home. If you see a uniform you should get on your hands and knees and kiss the ground they walk on because they are brave enough to do what you couldn't. I love each and everyone of them like they were my brother or sister and am so thankful for their sacrafice. I am proud to have served and to have a husband serving now!


6. I am thankful for my Heavenly Father who asks so little and does so much. I really should let him know how appreciative I am more often!


7. I thankful that I was born in America, and hope that one day all the world can have the same freedoms that most Americans take for granted. I will work everyday with our children to make sure that they never forget how fortunate they are to have running water in the house, toys to play with, school to attend etc...


8. I am thankful to be an educated woman when so many women aren't even allowed to learn to read. To take classes, to learn new things, to spend an afternoon reading...all of this reminds me of all the women who simply aren't allowed by laws, tradition, religion, or family.


9. I am thankful to my new Ward family here. The Cape Henry ward has been so much more than just church. They have been my friends, my family, and helped me realize talents I never knew I had. I just love those folks!!


10. I am thankful for the holiday of Thanksgiving because it forces us to take a moment out of busy lives and remember all that we have that is important!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! We hope you are as happy and blessed as we are!

Happy Veterans Day....

Thank you Nick, Callen and Joshy. Without you I wouldn't be here about to be a mommy. You are forever friends, you are forever loved, and never forgotten. Thank you to my husband,
AT1 (SW/AW/MTS) Frank Marti for making me proud everyday to be your wife. To all the others Thank you for giving up so much for so little thanks.

Frank's Going to be a Daddy...

When we first found out that we were going to be having a baby it was really scary for Frank...for me to... but Frank was really scared! After we had the first initial talk about it we really didn't say much afterwards. I was really worried that he wasn't so happy about the baby. That it was just one more thing to worry about, but a friend of mine assured me that this was a normal male reaction. She said women become mothers as soon as we find out, but men become fathers as soon as the baby is born. So I decided to quit worrying about it and just hope she was right. As the weeks have passed and my belly has grown bigger and I get more uncomfortable Frank has been just amazing. He is so eager to please and help me in anyway he can to make me feel comfortable and calm. Frank has always been a very affectionate and sweet husband, but lately he has made me...I can't even describe. When we go to bed or when he leaves for work he gives me and my belly a kiss goodbye. When he just comes around to give me a quick bit of attention or we are snuggling on the couch he gently rubs my belly. I don't know exactly why but it just has made me fall so much more in love with this man. I have never felt so loved or cherished. I don't know what I did to deserve such a sweet and wonderful man or to be having his child, but whatever it was I am so thankful. Even though he is worried about what kind of father he will be I think that he will be just as an amazing father as he is a husband. I love you Frank.

Books, Books, and more Books!!

Frank and I have been trying not to buy anything for the baby until we know if this little one is a boy or girl. This has honestly been so hard (for me anyway!) so Frank and I came up with a fun little something we can do with each other. For each month of the pregnancy we are going to buy a few books for the baby. Frank and I love to read so much that we are hoping that we can instill a love of books in our little one. I LOVED this idea and we have had so much fun with it so far! I also asked my parents what their favorites were when they were young and have tried to include them in the budding collection! Frank is a huge fan of Dr. Suess so we of course have gotten a huge start on those fun ones! I, of course, am a huge fan of Olivia the pig's books! She is such a funny little pig...and I do love cute little piggies! I also love the classics like Curious George, Winnie the Pooh, and Babar...but we still have a few months to collect! I just love Frank for sharing this with me! It has been the most fun! We are so excited to read to the baby that we have already started! Who knows they may actually be enjoying story time in there!

Baby Belly Bump...

I had a few friends ask to see the belly bump. I know it is a horrible pic and I am half cut out of it, but I promise better pics soon. I can't believe my rump is the same size as my bump and this is only 13 weeks!! Ha ha!

New Recipes!!!

Since I have had an abundance of free time this past week...I put some new yummy stuff on my Recipe blog! Hope you guys like them! They are pretty tasty!


http://martiyummies.blogspot.com/

Thank you!!

I just wanted to get on here and say "Thank You" for all the phone calls, sweet messages, and notes on here and on our facebook! I have the best family and friends! I promise pictures of the belly...and believe me there is one already...as soon as we can get them up! Hope everyone and their families are happy and well! Oh yes....for those of you that thought Frank's nicknames for the baby are funny....the latest is "babykins". :)

Sick Sick Sick....

So I got a good scare. The other day I woke up to drive back to Virginia from visiting my parents in North Carolina and was covered in sweat and felt HORRIBLE!!! My mom took my temp and it was 102! Being that this is my first baby I freaked out. Since Frank is active duty military I have to get approved before I can go to see a doctor....Those people kept me on hold for an hour and a half!!!! I was so upset!! Finally I got thru to someone who could help and she told my mom to take me to the emergency room. Let me tell you that group at Moses Cone was soooo wonderful. They took me in right away and I was only there for two hours running labs! For an emergency room that is pretty quick. Fortunately I didn't have the flu just a virus. I am still sick and still in NC, but my fever is down to 99. Everyone told me I would freak out and become super protective over my baby while I was pregnant, but I think that was an under statement. As ridiculous as this sounds I thought I was hurting my baby by having a fever! It of course is dangerous to have a fever that high while you are pregnant, but I could not stop crying!! Babies make you and bubbling idiot, but I do love my little bambino (that is what Frank calls the baby)!

Baby Stuff...

Oh I am sooooooo excited. So everyone has been asking me alot of questions...I will try to answer them all.

Frank and I have been trying for awhile. When I went in for my yearly physical I mentioned it to my doctor and she sent me to see a specialist. When we went to see him he told us if we weren't pregnant by December we would try some other options, but he said he had never been wrong before and that we would be before Christmas....MAN IS HE GOOD!! Hahaha!

When I took the test you could have knocked me over with a feather. Frank was so sweet....he told me not to worry about anything and just to think happy thoughts and he would do all the worrying! I think that is the sweetest thing he has ever said to me!

As for being sick...I haven't had any morning sickness!!! I know how lucky I am with that!! The only things that are kind of annoying is the tightness I am already feeling and being tired all the time! Plus Frank and I came down to NC for the weekend and it took FOREVER to get home because I had to stop and pee so much!! Haha! All this water drinking makes travel take so much longer! :)

It was fun telling our family! Everyone is sooooo excited about being Grandparents and Aunts/Uncles! I think that telling everyone has been the most fun! Especially when it was totally unexpected.

Frank and I of course are worried about money and being so far from home with no family near by. I think everyone worries about money, but from what we are told it all works it self out in the end. We are so thankful that this happened while Frank is on shore duty and will get to be here for the whole thing and will probably get a full year with the baby before he goes back on sea duty. I am scared for when that happens and having to do it all by myself while he is deployed, but I have been assured by all the three sets of grandparents that I will have as much help as I can stand!

Thanks everyone for all the nice messages on here and on facebook. It has been such and exciting thing to share with you all. I will try to keep you posted as I go through my appointments...our first is November 13th! Love you all!

We are having a BABY!!!!!

After quite awhile of trying we are finally expecting our first little one!!!! We are so excited! I found out Monday, but we waiting to tell everyone until we could tell our parents the exciting news!!!! The only info I know at this moment is that we are 3 and half month and due May 13th! I know I know 3 + months!!! I will write more later, just wanted to share our news!!!! We are so excited!!!!!!!!

New Blog...

I loved Ann and Gina's idea of posting receipes and thought I would share some of our favorites. Alot of them are Once A Month Cooking Ideas and just other things that Frank and I love. Hope you guys will take a peek. I will probably post new receipes at least once a week. Let me know what you think of the ones you try!

http://martiyummies.blogspot.com/

Sooooooo Much to Say...

WOW has this been a busy month!!!! We have had so much company and so many wonderful things going on up here!! I will try to do a quick overview so you don't have to read a novel!

First, My Dad and Grandfather came up for the Yearly Oceana Naval Base Airshow! It has become somewhat of a tradition for the family to come up for the festivities. The show was great this year. The Blue Angles were there, and lots of other fun stuff. I think they really enjoyed it!

Then last week my brother Jason and his wife Liz came up for a long visit! It was so fun to have them up here. It was their first visit up here to see us! We don't get to spend alot of time together so it was wonderful, but the timing was bad and good. The day they came up we were expecting a North Eastern (really bad storm...lots of rain and wind) and it was really really really COLD!!! It was also the weekend of the Neptune Festival which is the BEST!!!! It is like City Stage back home, but with huge sandcastles!!! Later in the week we actually were able to get a little sunshine and were able to make it down to the beach to get our toes in the water and check out the crafts and venues at the festival. We even took their babies (Puppies Colby and Oscar) down to the beach for the first time!!! I don't think they liked it much! Mainly we stayed around the house though playing Playstation and visiting. It was nice. Since my Brother and Liz have been married I really haven't gotten to know Liz very well so it was nice to have some time to just talk and do some fun things...just the two of us. I loved having them up and hope they will come to visit again soon! We have some pictures to post from the weekend, but I have to wait to get Liz's pics.

Our other big news is that Frank passed his test for Master Training Specialist!!!!!!!!! This is such an accomplishment. This means that now he, as a Naval Instructor, can teach any courses the Navy offers in ANY subject!! I was so proud of him!!! He has worked so hard on this. The studying doesn't end there though....he has already began studying for the next Chief's exam in January. We will have to start our prayers and finger crossing again now! :)

News from me...I just got my first calling at church! Guess they really do snatch you up quick when you are in a small ward. I got called to be the Relief Society Secretary. When the Bishop called me into his office I thought I was just there for a "Welcome to the Ward" talk, but when he said he had a calling for me I was nervous, but this calling doesn't seem so bad! Also I have started taking Yoga four times a week. Let me tell you....after class you feel great...on top of the world...the next day....PAIN!!!! I hope it is all worth it!!