#25 Go to a concert of a band or singer I really like

NKOTBSB
My best friend and I went to the highly anticipated NKOTBSB concert in Cleveland this past week!! It was super fun to sing to songs I remember from way back, dance/jump nonstop for 3 hours, and scream at the top of my lungs (I mean, Donnie Wahlberg took off his shirt....what else was I going to do?). This concert was hilarious because the fans were mainly women (ages 20-40) and we were all acting like teenagers cheering for heart throbs from the past who were singing on a gigantic stage shaped in the most phallic shape you can imagine. We made some sweet 80's inspired shirts using fabric paint, stencils, and iron-on letters. Too fabulous for words!

Meet Baby Davis

Finnian John Davis born on St. Patrick's day. 8 lb.s 20.5 inches and cute as a button! I was able to meet Finn in the hospital the day after he was born. It is hard to believe that he and Lucas are 6 months apart - Lucas looks like a moose compared to Finn! Congratulations Maggie and Ryan. He is a beautiful baby boy and you are going to be wonderful parents :)

Trollin...

My best friend, Tricia, came for a visit this past weekend...and we had sooooo much fun! Some people do just fine living away from family and friends - I am not one of those people. So, I cherish every moment when my dear ones are visiting :) Lucas loved Tricia (of course) and she even got him laughing harder than he has ever laughed before! I think her visit was perfect timing for Luke because he has started getting a little mommy-clingy and needed another set of hands to hold him and entertain him. While Tricia was here we went out trolling on a boat. One of the Doctor's Ross works with recently got this boat and has been kind enough to take him and us out a few times. It was fun...and Lucas loved watching the waves behind the boat :)
Family portrait

Tricia, me, and Lucas

Modeling life jacket options for the trip out to sea

New Years Resolutions

Ryan and Lucas

Erin and me sporting some Bump it action :)

Ryan and Erin

This year we had a low key New Years celebration with our dear friends Ryan and Erin. They came to visit and we went out for a nice dinner downtown and then came home and brought in the new year in our pj's with some games, bubbly, and the ball dropping on the television. It has been a long time since we have had the chance to spend quality time with this couple because we live so far apart and Erin has been in a Ph.D. program followed by a residency that (obviously) required a LOT of time. I have to say that I am so happy to know them! I do not want to invade their privacy with the tiny details behind the fact that they are the inspiration of my first new years resolution...

1. To be more aware of my actions

I know - this is a serious resolution and covers a lot of ground, but I just can't continue living my life unaware. Instead of resolving to diet or work out more (let's be honest, these resolutions never come true) I want to be more aware of what I am doing to my body. Am I treating it right by eating properly and being physically active? Am I providing my mind with enough mental stimulation? Am I taking the necessary steps that will ensure a long and healthy life? Instead of resolving to save more or spend less (this seems nearly impossible to do in this increasingly paperless society), I want to be more aware of my family's financial situation. Where is the money going? Am I spending money on frivolous things? Are we successfully planning for our future? How will my decisions to consume today affect my family tomorrow? Instead of resolving to be a better mother, wife, friend, driver, etc., I want to be more aware of my impact on those around me. Am I in such a hurry driving that I cut others off? Am I saying something that is hurtful without realizing it until it is too late? Sometimes the way you phrase something can come across entirely wrong or you may discuss your good fortune before learning of another's trial. I guess what I am saying is, I hope to be more aware of my actions in order to become a better person to myself, my family, my friends, and even perfect strangers.

2. To be more present

There is nothing like the way having a baby can put your life into perspective. Let me try to explain...at several points in my life I have been too focused on the past or the future which has caused me to miss the present. I think my history of depression is partly to blame for this. There, I said it...it is out there. I have a history of depression. I recently came to terms with this fact and sought the help of the medical professionals placed in my life to help me out of my dark places. Society does not look favorably on depression - matters of the brain are scary and hard to understand. But my doctor helped me come to terms with it by explaining that it is nothing to be ashamed of - it isn't any different than someone who has allergies needing to take medication to get through their day. I learned that I had been living life like I was a passive observer watching someone else go through the motions, that I would "erase" whole portions of my memory when a friend or boyfriend broke my heart, or that I was constantly planning for the future so that I wouldn't have to live in the present. Finding out I was pregnant and having Lucas in my life has changed everything. Suddenly I am living each day from moment to moment and I LOVE it :) I feel so blessed and I want to resolve to continue down this path of living in the present and expand it to the other facets of my life...after all, I have an amazing husband and an adorable little boy to enjoy this life with :)

Banfield Baby Shower!

Healther Lane, Kim Fry, Virginia Perkins, Me,

Amy Granbois, Lindsay Notargiacomo, and Jamie Catanzaro

My friends from Banfield threw me a baby shower this weekend. It was so much fun! We played some fun games (I need to re-learn my nursery rhymes) and ate the most delicious cake from Apple Annies here in Wilmington. I love all these girls and miss working with them so much. The baby even kicked for a little bit for them :)

We brought the balloons in this picture home - Lizzie loves them... and Archie is scared of them. Too funny to watch!

On a side note...I can't believe we are coming up on 35 weeks! The time is flying by so fast now. I am finding that the third trimester is full of fun things like wierd sleeping patterns and heartburn. However, I think my hair and nails have never appeared so fabulous.

Happy 4th of July

We had a fabulous 4th of July weekend! Our friends, Brent and Ashley came to visit and we spent the days at the beach. The weather was perfect - upper 80's with a breeze, warm water temperature, not a cloud in the sky! OH, and the water was a clear blue/green (Ashley and I found a baby stingray).

Sand sculptures by Brent and Ashley

Ode to sleeping babies

There is something too precious about sleeping babies. Something about how innocent they look and how perfect their features are just makes me smile. Below are some pictures of the new babies in my life - I can't wait to meet them!

Noah Dale Hodge - Parents: Ashley and Dave Hodge

Grant George Gille - Parents: Matt and Taryn Gille

Holden Kyle Hunter - Parents: Kyle and Sarah Hunter

Riley Carmen - Parents: Rebekah and Joe Carmen

Memorial Day Weekend

We had such a wonderful Memorial Day weekend with our Columbus family who could come to visit (Tricia, Juan, Natalie, John, & Ryan). We spent the majority of the time at the beach during the day and playing cornhole/guitar hero/board games at night. I am still at a loss for how I was the only one in the group who did not get a yahtzee (Ross and Natalie both got 2 in one game!). Sorry no beach pics but...I'm not sure I'm comfortable with pictures of me in a maternity swimsuit floating on the internet. Good news - I managed to not burn and get crazy scars like I did previously!

Fun Weekend

Ross and I had a fabulous weekend reminiscent of our busy lives in Columbus...we were busy every day/night beginning on Thursday! Here is a quick recap of our whirlwind weekend. On Thursday night the 2nd Dental Battalion had a "Dining out" that was, as some people like to call it, mandatory fun. It was a formal, semi-scripted dinner loaded with military flare and traditions from the times of round tables and swords. It had some funny moments and was generally a good time...but having to wait to go the bathroom can be killer for a pregnant lady! Look at how handsome Ross is in his dress whites...Tom Cruise has nothing on you, babe! I must also send out a thank you to my friend Maria Miller for lending me a formal maternity dress. I was not looking forward to trying to find something- and it fit perfectly :)



This is the time of year when there is a lot of turnover at Ross' work with people leaving the clinic to rejoin the civilian world or transfer to another base. In a few weeks/months these spots will be filled with new graduates or transfers. On Friday night we went out to dinner with our friends Lori , Colby & Cameron to bid them farewell. Lori was a Lieutenant at Ross' clinic and they lived one street away from us. Even though Colby is a die-hard Washington husky fan, we spent our football Saturday's watching football together and cheering on each other's teams. We also liked to go out to dinner and get together to hang out whenever we could. They are moving to Washington this week and we will miss them!
Pictured below from left to right: Colby, Cameron, Lori, Ryan, Maggie, Ross, me

Saturday evening we went to another going away party for Lt. Mukul Dave. He was also at Ross's clinic for the past 2 years and has been a great friend. He will be moving to Pittsburg to begin a pediatric dentistry residency... we will miss him!

Pictured below: Ross, Brian May, and Mukul Dave

Finally, on Sunday we met up with our friend Natalie and her family in Myrtle beach, SC for a day of fun in the sun. Sorry- somehow we forgot the camera and have no pictures!