Belly Pics....

I know these aren't the best pictures, but so many people have been asking for new belly shots! So here it is Me and Frankie (Aka Dash) at 20 weeks. Frank calls the baby Dash for Dashtu...which is Navy Pilot speak for "wingman". I think it is cute! :)

I Know We Aren't Due Till June But....

Let me just tell ya'll Frank and I have the best friends in the world! Our friends from Williamsburg (Jason and Kim) have been so excited to hear the news that we were finally pregnant they have been spoiling us rotten with sweet little gifts, but the best news we got about a month ago! Their little one, Brooke, had finally out grown her baby bed and wanted to know if Frankie would like her crib! Not only was she generous enough to give us her crib but she gave us her changing table, toys and even some of her brothers clothes! She is too kind! It was so exciting to have Jason and Frank put it together last Saturday!! We can't wait to get it all set up and put in order! Every time I walk past that room I have to go in and sneak a peek at his little bed! I couldn't wait to see what it would look like with some of the bedding on it either so I tried it out! Now all we need to do is touch up paint the furniture and get some color on the walls and we will be all set! Thanks so much Jason, Kim, Jeremy, Dylan and Brooke! We love you guys!

Plus I have some exciting news...Frank has finally chosen the baby's name! Our little boy's name will be Frank Samuel Marti! Frank said if he was going to be named for him he might as well be named for me too! Not to mention he will still have the same initials as his Daddy, his Abuelo and his Bisabuelo!

We Finally Have An Answer....

I am so HAPPY to tell you all that Frank and I will be welcoming a little BOY into the world in June!!! We are so thrilled!!! I can't even begin to explain how excited we are! We would have been happy with either as long as they were healthy and happy, but I was sooo wanting a boy!! When we went to have the ultrasound done the tech didn't even have to tell us. He wanted his mommy and daddy to know so he had his legs opened wide so there could be no mistaking it! We are also thinking that we have a little soccer player on our hands. He is just like his daddy and nothing but legs and he was laid back with his arms at his sides and legs just a kicking! I have even found a little pair of addias for him now we just have to find a Manchester United Jersey in his size! :) I would post pics from the ultrasound but I can't figure out our scanner. As soon as Frank has a second we will be sure to put some up!

5 Fun Things...

10 years ago I was...Signing paperwork to go into the Navy, taking ballet classes in NYC, and enjoying my last season of playing soccer.

5 things on my to-do list for today:
1. Laundry...the never ending task!
2. Pick up perscriptions at the base pharmacy
3. Sewing name tags and rating tags on Frank's new Camis
4. Organizing the Baby room
5. Reading confessions of a Shopaholic

5 snacks I enjoy:
1. Black Olives...I just love them!
2. Fresh tomato, cliantro, onion, and lime juice with tortilla chips!!! SOOOOO YUMMY!!!
3. Pineapple...fresh not the little fruit cup kind
4. Ovaltine Chocolate milk
5. Spinach and Artichoke dip with toasted french bread!

What would I do if I suddenly became billionaire:
1. Pay off my parents debt, my brother's debt, and Frank's sisters Debt
2. Invest, Invest, Invest!!!
3. By a nice piece of property for a house
4. Enroll in classes just to take classes that intrest me
5. Travel with my family

5 places I've lived:
1. Greensboro, North Carolina
2. Chicago, Illinois
3. San Diego, California
4. Singapore
5. Virginia Beach, Virginia

5 jobs I've had:
1. Cashier @ Winn Dixie
2. Life Guard @ Emerald Pointe Water Park
3. United States Navy
4. Leasing Agent @ Camden Wendover and Columbus Station
5. Bank Teller @ Wachovia

5 things you don't know about me:
1. I LOVE to cook and I am really good at it.
2. I would love to take classes and learn new things every year of my life even if they never amount to a degree. I don't really care if people think that is a waste. Knowledge is never a waste.
3. I love love love to read and read about 6 books a month! A good book is wonderful, but I will read just about anything! I think it is amazing the way different authors use their words to make a story and how different they all are!
4. I miss the Navy very much...It was the last time I truely felt like I accomplished something at the end of the day. No other job can give you the satisfaction you can get from serving your country....maybe motherhood we will see!
5. This will sound horrible, but I love leaving my huge family and taking on a new adventure alone and with my husband and soon to be baby. I always have. I love the independence of not having to meet anyone expectations but our own. When you do have to come back sharing those experiences is wonderful not to mention you appreciate your family more when you spend time away from them.

How Unique Is Your Name???

So while checking out other friends sites my friend Courtney had a fun link I just had to try out. It tells you originial your name is and how many people in the US you share it with. There are only 3 people in the whole US with the name "Samantha Marti"!!! How cool is that! The name Samantha is the 328th most popular name in the US and Marti is a much more common last name that we had originally thought there are 4126 people in the US with that last name. Isn't that crazy! I just had to share I thought it was so fun! You all should try it out!
www.howmanyofme.com

The Rest Christmas...

So after the Jenkins family Christmas we headed down to Charlotte to see Frank's Dad Frank, his wife Whitney, and Frank's sister Tori. We had made plans to go to a wonderful Sunday Brunch downtown....it was soooooooo GOOD!!!!! It was like a little piece of heaven to the pregnant lady!!! They had everything on their buffet...Shrimp and Grits, Fresh Fruit, waffles, french toast....YUMMY!!! It was so delicious and we stayed there for hours just munching and talking. It was really nice to get a good long visit in with them. After we ate we decided to go see the decorations set up in downtown Charlotte. They really do it up down there! I wish that I had some pics...I will try to get Whitney to send me some. It looked so lovely.

After that we drove to Fries Virginia to Frank's Mom Vickie and her husband Mark's mountain house for the rest of Christmas with them. It was freezing cold, but we just stayed inside being lazy! We got so relaxed we lost track of time. I really enjoyed the alone time with them. I haven't really gotten to know them much because of us living in Virignia so it was a really plesant trip. We watched old Christmas movies and even went to a dinner theater show. That is where the pic of me and Frank with Santa was.

I hope everyone out here had as good a Christmas as we did!

The Festivities Begin...

The Jenkins Family Hotness! :) We are missing a few though!

Steffie Say "Hi" the the babies.

Steffie and Ashley...the family hairdresser. She makes sure everyone can look this good! :)

Zach and his new best friend Hillary.

Cole thought I didn't have enough for Christmas so he gave me his gifts.

Me and Steffie

The baby momma pics.

They tell me there's a baby in there.

So the year's Christmas Celebrations have started out with a bang! Frank and I have alot of stops at Christmas time. My Extended Family, His Dad and Wife, His Mom and Husband, His Sister, and the we usually end it with my Parents and Mom's side of the familly. This year is a little different though...we will be spending most of the week in the mountains! I really hope it snows! If it sounds like alot of driving it is! Fortunately our families are very close together...he grew up in Charlotte and I, of course, am from Greensboro. The Jenkins Family Christmas get together is always fun and FULL of people. These are just a few of the pictures from Saturday night. There are so many more pics, but they will have to come later. I had such a great time this year and can't wait for our baby to enjoy spending time with all their cousins! Frank never had a big family like mine so at first it overwhelmed him but I think this year he finally caught on. Hope everyone else is having a wonderful holiday! I promise to post more as the week goes on! Merry Christmas everyone!!!

HELP PLEASE!!!!

So I have been trying to research baby products lately. Trying to be ahead of the game and make sure that we get the products of the best quality and safety for our money so that they will last through more than just one baby. I have to tell ya though...MY HEAD IS SWIMMMING!!!! There is so much info out there!!!! I know that I am over thinking this, but I really want to make sure we don't end up with junk or things that we really could make due without. SOOOOOO......I was hoping that you more "experienced" mommies out there could offer some advice. Please let me know what products and things you have or had that made your life easier and lasted. From the smallest things like pacifires and bottles to Strollers and Pack n plays. Any advice would be GREATLY APPRECIATED. I know we are getting into this really really early, but Frank and I want to get things a little at a time so the cost doesn't give us a larger heart attack than is necessary. Always better to be prepared! :) Thanks for your help ladies!!!!

Oh Christmas trees....

I finally set up our Christmas trees!!! Frank really doesn't get why I even bother since we are never here for Christmas anyway, but I can't help myself! Our house looks so empty I know, but the trees look so pretty up! I wish I could leave them up all year! Plus I feel horrible because I am not sending out Christmas Cards this year. Not because I don't want to but I am just so BUSY! I promise next year I will send out cards, but I wanted everyone to know that I love you all and you are thought of!!! I hope everyone is having fun getting ready for the holidays and know that our hearts are with and we look forward to seeing some of you over the holidays!

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.