Basketball Widow

My girl... all grown up

2010-05-13T20:41:00.001-05:00

Hi Everyone!

2008-06-24T20:53:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone - since I am stuck on the computer trying desparately to finish a shutterfly album (and the site is not at all cooperating!), I thought I'd actually post! Imagine that! Rylee is two and a half and is such a handful! Terribly stubborn, insanely funny and obnoxiously naughty. She has been speaking in sentences for ages and has been able to count to 20 since before she was two. She is

Still alive... really!

2007-06-18T18:37:00.000-05:00

Ever get so behind at something that it just keeps snowballing until it's impossible to catch up? Yeah... welcome to my blog. Or lack thereof. New pics of Rylee here. The sad thing is that I not only have I not blogged any of Ry's life over the past 6 months but I haven't written any of it down either. I have no idea when many of her major milestones happened and who knows when those last 5

YAY!!! The one year pictures are up...

2007-01-28T22:05:00.000-05:00

Rylee's one year photos are here... check 'em out before they're gone! Use the username Rylee and password Manny. I am amazed that they came out so well! Rylee was in a terrible mood that day and I am shocked to see even a hint of a smile in any of these. Rylee's friend in the early photos is Sophie. Sophie's mom and I go WAY BACK to the days when we were their age. (Except we were closer in age

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY, RY!

2007-01-28T16:53:00.000-05:00

Dear Rylee,I can't believe it. You're already a year old. Where has the time gone? You celebrated the monumental event on Saturday, January 13th - a few days before your actual birthday. Approximately 35 of your family and friends joined us as we celebrated the wonderful YOU.You've had a very busy month. You're walking now and although you're still cautious, you're very proud of your new ability.

The best birthday gift EVER!

2007-01-25T20:04:00.000-05:00

Rylee got an early birthday gift this year and didn't even know it. Nor does she know what a big deal it is to her mom or her dad. On December 29th my mother-in-law increased her chances of seeing Rylee graduate from high school by DOUBLE by QUITTING SMOKING!!! Among MANY other things, Cigarette smoke contains over 4,800 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer. Smoking is directly

Merry Christmas, Rylee!

2006-12-27T21:16:00.000-05:00

Dear Ry,COULD YOU BEEEEE ANY MORE PERFECT???You have had such a busy, wonderful month. You have learned more than ever and you just could not possibly be anymore fun. You became a pro at opening gifts on this very first Christmas of yours. You just loved tearing through the packages and find out what was inside. I have been feeling guilty about not having the time to put up a tree or any

Better late than never!

2006-12-06T10:52:00.001-05:00

photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/74082133@N00/315742781/">Rylee - Christmas 2006Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. (To see more of Rylee in her Christmas digs, click here)Dear Rylee,I am so sorry that I missed your 10 month post. I literally have not had a second to spare since November 16th. We had a big month! For starters, you had a bad case of Roseola - which

Tired...

2006-11-14T10:44:00.000-05:00

I'm tired of rushing.I'm tired of feeling guilty.I'm tired of feeling guilty for rushing.I'm tired of being tired.So I'm in quite a slump these days. Well, that is when I have time to think about my slump. Life is SO HECTIC. It's all a balancing act - who can I NOT piss off today by being busy. I don't have time to do ANYTHING. Ever. I've been working 7 - 5 everyday with a 2 1/2 hour commute.

Happy 9 month birthday, Rylee!

2006-10-19T20:46:00.000-05:00

Carrot face_r1_r1 Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. Dear Ry, you're 9 months old and where do I begin? For starters, you look like you're 6 months old, feel like you're 12 months old and act like you're 18 months old. You weigh 17 pounds, 10 ounces and are in the 25th percentile for weight. You are 26 inches long putting you in the 75th percentile for height. You are wearing a size 12

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs.!

2006-10-12T21:41:00.000-05:00

Holly and Tony Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. On Saturday Holly and Anthony tied the knot. It was a GORGEOUS ceremony and a fun reception. The weather was beautiful and so was the bride. This picture is my favorite - captured just as they started their first dance as husband and wife (It's your love, by Tim). They were just so adorable!! Shawn had been in Portland since Friday night (

Du du du du du du... you say it's your birthday...

2006-10-12T20:59:00.000-05:00

Duke girl Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. Happy birthday to YOUHappy birthday to MEHappy birthday dear Uhhh-USHappy birthday dear US. Happy birthday, Tonya!! It seemed such a strange coincidence that Tonya and I share the same birthday. We met around this time last year and have been great friends ever since! Uh... On this day 10 years ago I was:-Getting a tattoo for my 19th

Daddy's little pumpkin is 8 months old!

2006-09-16T22:46:00.000-05:00

Little devil Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. Dear peanut,Every month as I write your letter I cannot believe that another month has gone by. I may turn out to say this every month, but this is officially my favorite age of yours. You are so silly and sweet, cute and coy, busy and beautiful. Your father and I are loving every minute of you. Like the others, you've learned a ton this

A getaway...

2006-09-16T22:12:00.000-05:00

Jaime and Shawn Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. We had a mini-getaway! Last weekend Shawn, Darren, Michelle and I headed off to Kennebunk for an overnight. "Auntie" Tonya kept the peanut and my parents kept the puppy. Although the hotel - err, motor lodge - seemed a little sketchy at first, it turned out to be okay and we all had a great time. We ate out at a great restaurant and

Don't be such a chicken!

2006-09-16T21:44:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited for Halloween this year - all because of Rylee and her adorable big-fat-chicken costume. Have you ever seen anything so cute? One problem... she HATES it. I even go near her with it and she starts to thrash. Still... it's so freakin' cute. There are more pics of Rylee including other chicken pics on flickr. Life is pretty crazy these days. We are just SO BUSY. I can't remember the

Atleast one of us is sleeping...

2006-08-23T22:16:00.000-05:00

Sleeping angel Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. So I'm wide awake so I figure I might as well post. The DH has been in Florida all week on business. I've had a fabulous week reducing my list of things to do from about 45 items to about 5. I'm allieviating the guilt of taking her to daycare by telling myself that for her to take two weeks off from daycare would make it very hard for her

Ch-Ch-Ch-Cha Changes (Part 30)

2006-08-17T21:03:00.000-05:00

So many cute pictures to post and for some odd reason my stubborn computer only lets me put one on per post. Wierd. So... again... so many changes in my life. First of all - I just ordered a Canon Powershot S2 IS digital camera. Eeek. It's a big purchase to make online - hopefully I made the right choice in stores. And cameras. My humble Kodak Easyshare 4.0 mp finally kicked the bucket when the

Blissful baby...

2006-08-17T18:53:00.000-05:00

Dear Rylee, (a.k.a. Rylee Rylerton, Rylee Ry, Ry Ry, Bubby, Peanut, Pumpkin, Ham) You are so much fun these days!! Yesterday you turned 7 months old and you act and look like you're 12 months old. You have had such a big month and we are loving every minute of it! You are keeping us SOOOO busy - in fact mom has neglected just about everything else in life. You're still doing great in daycare and

Happy half year birthday, Rylee Ry!

2006-07-17T20:51:00.000-05:00

My new favorite picture of Rylee Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. Can you believe this? This picture kills me. Like I might actually DIE if I keep looking at it. It's my new favorite picture of Rylee. I absolutely LOVE it. She is such a little ham. I could eat her with a spoon. She is growing up SOOOO fast - she doesn't look OR act like a 6 month old. But she is. Already...Dear Rylee,

Happy 4th - I'm all grown up!

2006-07-05T19:45:00.000-05:00

All decked out in our 4th of July clothes! Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. Hi everyone! Wondering what Rylee looks like these days? I'm such a slacker. Life with baby is SOOO busy. She's at SUCH a fun age - we are soaking up every minute. She's already got a tooth - on the bottom and she is just about ready to run. She hasn't crawled yet but I think if we didn't have hardwood and tile

Why yes, I AM still alive...

2006-06-10T21:39:00.000-05:00

Hi there! I miss my former life. And I miss all of YOU. There are lots of new pictures of the peanut up on my Flickr - click here to check them out. Things are crazy... The good news is: I got a new job. And the bad news is: I got a new job. I started last Monday and was in training all week. I'm doing something similar to what I did a few years back. I had a hard time staying awake and focused

Happy 4 year Anniversary!

2006-05-25T14:48:00.000-05:00

My creation Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. 4 years ago today I was tying the knot with my boyfriend of 6 years. (Do you know how wierd it sounds to hear the words "my boyfriend"). We've been busy since then. We moved halfway across the state and bought a new house. We've been to Jamaica, St. Thomas and Florida. Shawn has changed careers. I have switched jobs (twice). And most

Changes

2006-05-16T21:03:00.000-05:00

So I hate change. Apparently so does Rylee. We both have more than we can handle right now in that department. I sent out an email recently to loved ones titled "When it rains, it pours" and boy is it pouring. For starters, we have someone "stalking" the neighborhood lately and that has us on high alert and a little stressed out. Manny became infested with ticks last weekend. Shawn never opened

Congrats and Good Luck, Kristen!

2006-04-25T09:38:00.000-05:00

YAY! I just had to come out of my baby burrow and post about this exciting new bit of news: Kristen started a business! In case you don't, Kristen is hilarious and was formerly "Cookie's Delight". Anytime I need a daily laugh, I go see Kristen. Now she's started a business of making people laugh - it's called: BABY BREWING. Any of you who need a maternity shirt, know someone who needs a maternity

Rylee's first Easter

2006-04-18T13:02:00.000-05:00

Happy belated Easter everybunny! Our weekend was one full of chaos. After I got out of work on Saturday we all headed to our friends' house for the rest of the afternoon/ evening. From there we headed over to a different friend's house to spend the night. We woke up Sunday morning and headed to Shawn's Aunt's house for dinner at 1 and from there went to my sister's house for dinner at 4. Busy

Hi! Welcome to Busch Gardens. My name is Rylee and I'll be your Safari Tour Guide today. :)

2006-04-10T15:28:00.000-05:00

Rylee, you're 12 weeks old already!! You are bursting with personality and your father and I are loving every minute of it. You still have your father's big popeye smile and your favorite things are bathtime, the singing cow and ESPECIALLY "the wheels on the bus". You get so excited when I am about to start the "wipers on the bus" portion where I move your arms from side to side. You aren't quite

My teddy bear

2006-04-01T11:46:00.000-05:00

Picture_6155 Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. So Manny certainly has a lot more Schipperke in him than Pomeranian. Ever since I have had him, dog lovers have been telling me how much he looks and acts just like a Schipperke. I've never gotten any papers on him so when I got him, I just thought he was a Pom. Whatever he is, he's the cutest, smartest, cuddliest, friendliest dog in the

If I wasn't so head over heels in love...

2006-03-23T15:44:00.000-05:00

So earlier this week Amy told me that the title of my next post (which she informed me would probably be in 2007) should be a snippet from our conversation. "If I wasn't so head over heels in love with her, I would've gotten that large Blizzard when they were half price at Dairy Queen". It blows my mind that I am forcing the self-control to not eat the cheese - not eat the ice-cream - not eat the

A Hard Knock Life...

2006-03-08T09:25:00.000-05:00

My life is lyrics these days. Different day/ different song. The two most appropriate songs at the moment: It's a hard knock life and Ice Cream (by Sarah McLachlan). Add Thrush, Reflux, a milk allergy and Eczema (which I originally thought was baby acne) to Colic and a cold and you've got Rylee's little resume of sicknesses. Poor peanut. I hate seeing her miserable. The good thing is diagnosing

2006-02-24T10:07:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited. In a few weeks, this work of art is coming to live at my house IN CANVAS! Also if you scroll over on the top using the arrow on the right, you will see a different collage of her in black and white. We're getting that one on foam board. I am SO EXCITED! (Incidentally, the cute one of the two girls walking on the beach is my nieces).Okay, since I am a true believer of "jinxing"

5 weeks new

2006-02-20T07:40:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that Rylee is already 5 weeks old! Where has the time gone? The last month has been a total blur. Christmas seems like years ago. I'M SO EXHAUSTED!! The little peanut has horrible gas that keeps her from falling back asleep after her 2:30 a.m. feedings. Which therefore keeps me from falling asleep after her 2:30 a.m. feedings. She's been smiling for over a week now and yesterday

Baby Bliss...

2006-02-07T22:23:00.000-05:00

I know... I know... I am a total posting slacker. I tell you all every intimate detail of my pregnancy and then leave you hanging when the sweet girl arrives. So finally... here are some recent pictures. ;)Rylee is the love of my life. I don't know what I ever did without her. Oh yes... that's right... I slept. I was supposed to go back to work last Monday but luckily I was able to take an extra

And I guess that's why they call it the blues...

2006-01-20T17:03:00.000-05:00

Exactly one week ago (I started this post yesterday at 2 pm and am finishing it now), I was being sent home from the hospital with contractions that were 1-3 minutes apart. The next 3 hours would be the most painful of my life. And the most rewarding. When I went back to the hospital at 5 pm (against medical advice - they told me that I wasn't in labor and was just dehyrated) I was 4 cm dilated.

More pics of Rylee

2006-01-17T22:15:00.000-05:00

Mama and Rylee

2006-01-17T22:12:00.000-05:00

Here is Mama and Rylee :) How cute are they?!?!Picture taken by Michelle

And Rylee Carmela is HERE!!

2006-01-17T04:54:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!! This is Amy!!! Jaime went into labor Sunday morning/afternoon. Her labor went smoothly (even though she has nausea with every contraction for the first part of her labor) and the baby and mom are doing fine!!!! Rylee weighed in at 6 pounds 5 oz. She was born around 3 am (I'm not sure of the exact time but I'll get that today.) I went up and visited them for a brief period

You have GOT to be kidding me...

2006-01-11T12:20:00.000-05:00

So it definitely could've been worse. I could've been sent away for another ultrasound or NSD test. Instead I was sent away with this - an "induction slip". Translation: Your baby is quite comfy inside your belly and is never planning on coming out on her own. She will instead wait until she weighs 10 pounds so that 14 hours into labor after being induced they determine that she can't possibly

Thanks, little E!

2006-01-09T16:34:00.000-05:00

On Friday night we were just about to head out the door to meet up with friends for Shawn's birthday dinner when the UPS guy showed up with this fun treat from Ethan over at Chateau Cookie. Apparently in addition to his striking good looks and charming personality, E has his mom's hilarious sense of humor. His little card read: "Rylee, be nice to your mom and dad. You get more stuff from them

A Smashing Success...

2006-01-09T15:40:00.000-05:00

So Shawn's party was a success from start to finish. Holly and Tony came up on Friday night to help me out with set-up and on Saturday morning when Tony and Shawn went to pick up the keg, Holly and I ran out to pick up Shawn's gift (the Red Sox table set - which he LOVED) at my sisters.Everything was done and ready to go so we had a few hours to relax before guests started arriving around 4 pm.

HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY, SHAWN!!!

2006-01-06T15:16:00.000-05:00

THE BIG 3-0. Today is the day. Of course it doesn't really FEEL like his birthday yet because the party is tomorrow. I am excited for the party and even more excited for it to be over. If I can survive a party with 56 people 10 days before my due date and the house ends up clean on the other end, I will be one happy girl. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND - I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT BIRTHDAY!!

Eating in the New Year...

2006-01-03T11:27:00.000-05:00

I hate to do this to y'all - esp. those of you who are pregnant and ravenously craving chocolate... but I think you all need a visual of what I was up against on New Year's Eve. YUMMMMMMM. HEAVEN ON A PLATE. EXQUISITE. This monster of a dessert was mine - and with only minimal help from Michelle, I managed to put most of it down (that's AFTER eating my meal!). My New Year's started off with my

"FULL TERM" sounds so exciting right now...

2005-12-29T15:02:00.000-05:00

Okay, so maybe I'm not the most patient person in the world. Reading that 37 weeks was officially considered full-term brought a whole new excitement to the stage I am in. Afterall, everything after yesterday is gravy. She could show up NOW and she'd be FULL TERM. Wow. Of course, NOW might not be ideal since my Maternity photo shoot is Saturday and I think they like it if you're pregnant for

All is well in the womb...

2005-12-24T11:09:00.000-05:00

Thank you everyone (Tonya, Kate, Heidi, moms, Darcy, Jason, Jamie & Jenn) who called, emailed, or begged us to call as soon as we got out of our ultrasound. It really is so wonderful to have so many people who genuinely care about the well-being of our baby. :) We got to the ultrasound and both of us were really nervous. It hadn't even occured to us to bring a videotape this time but luckily we

HOLY COW ~ I'M 9 MONTHS PREGNANT!!!

2005-12-21T11:44:00.000-05:00

(I have completely given up on my husband learning how to take a clear picture. He refuses to TRY so I'm planning to teach Manny to use the camera so that I can occassionally get a picture of Rylee that I don't have to take). Today is the big day. I am officially 36 weeks pregnant. The time when it really throws off people who don't know that pregnancy is technically 10 months, not 9. It seems

BAH HUMBUG!

2005-12-13T12:06:00.000-05:00

So they spelled my name wrong... how cute is it anyway?! When I submitted my order form to the guy at the counter, I almost said to him "Can you make sure my name gets spelled right?". I decided I'd give him the benefit of the doubt that he'd actually make sure my name was spelled correctly on my Christmas cards - I mean, after all, everyone spells names differently so I'm sure they pay close

This turkey's almost done...

2005-11-25T16:05:00.000-05:00

It's so hard to believe that I'm taking my 32 week belly pictures. (The husband made the comment "ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THIS EVERYMONTH??" while I was forcing him to take my picture). Every time I look at my belly I think "WHOA! Where did YOU come from?!?". At my 32 weeks appointment, I had gained almost 20 pounds. The doctor was able to tell me what position she was in - which shed light on

THANKS ANG & BEK!!!

2005-11-21T15:09:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine once said that having "warm feet" was feeling loved and happy. Well Friday thanks to Bek and Ang I had toasty warm feet. I came home from work on Friday night exhausted and waiting for my two nieces to show up to spend the night. I'm one of those people who hates to have a million things to do on the weekends and last weekend was chalk full. I was dreading it and down in the

BLACK FRIDAY SPECIALS!

2005-11-17T12:23:00.000-05:00

I'm a bargain shopper. I buy name brand - but I never pay full price. I'm incapable of buying anything that isn't a great deal. Today Michelle found this article. It takes you to a site that shows you the "secret" early bird specials for the morning after Thanksgiving. Another place to get a great deal right now is LLBean's sale website. Right now there is FREE SHIPPING and no minimum!! I ordered

Dear God,

2005-11-16T12:32:00.000-05:00

Bumpa & Shawn Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. You and I did not seem to agree that this was his time to go. But since you have more say than I, I just ask that you take good care of him while he's there. Life here on earth isn't the same without him so if it's not too much to ask, please make sure you send him back if you get bored with him. Sincerely, Jaime on earthSo I'm slowly

For Jaime....

2005-11-07T08:40:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone. This is Jaime's friend, Amy. Jaime's beloved Bumpa died on Saturday after a very long illness. I haven't personally spoken to her since it happened over the weekend but I know how much you all care about her and I was positive you'd want to get in touch with her. FOr those of you that don't know her email address, email me at amy AT redsoxbatgirl DOT com and I will personally

Welcome, third trimester!

2005-10-28T10:02:00.000-05:00

7 month bellyOriginally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. The husband is now home and the belly has certainly grown over the 10 days that he's been gone. If I acutally wore clothes that fit rather than "snowsuits" (as my husband calls my outfits), I would actually look pregnant. I'm definitely starting to feel pregnant.I had my 28 week appointment on Wednesday. The good news is I found out what the

Happy 40th Birthday, Scott

2005-10-24T15:00:00.000-05:00

Today my brother-in-law and turns FORTY YEARS OLD! (As always, I'm using caps for dramatic effect to show how OLD he is). :) This picture was taken yesterday and caused my jaw to drop. Mr. Manny TORMENTS Miss Sophie and Sophie therefore HATES Manny. This is not the usual scene around their house. Normally Sophie (who is almost as big as Manny) is hiding under a bed hissing and growling and Manny

Gifts, gifts and more gifts

2005-10-22T12:42:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Kate reminded me that I have yet to post pictures from my shower! So here they are... a few snapshots from some of my favorite things. There were tons of other things I loved as well but I thought I'd just show you mostly clothes. :)Last night I had this horrible nightmare. Now keep in mind that I had originally wanted a boy so it's not as if I'm anti-any-specific-gender. It's just that

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SONYA!

2005-10-21T12:34:00.000-05:00

SonyaOriginally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. Yesterday Sonya turned 28 years old. She has been one of my best friends for over ten years. She is incredibly sweet, sincere, thoughtful and considerate. She lives over 2 hours away but still manages to make it to every single important event in my life. Our friendship is one that will endure all the days of our lives and I will love her as much when we

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KAYLA

2005-10-19T12:58:00.000-05:00

Kayla birthdayOriginally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. On Sunday, my niece Kayla turned 10 years old. Shortly after she was born, I moved in with my sister and became her nanny while I took evening college classes. I can't believe 10 years have passed already. After years and years of loving other people's kids, I finally get my own. ;) I have been a major blogging slacker. I haven't had time to post

I'm 28 today!

2005-10-12T12:52:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to meHappy birthday to meHappy birthday dear m-eeeeeeeeeeHappy birthday to me!Today I turn 28 years old. It's the first year that I haven't been surrounded by co-workers to shower me with birthday love. I wanted to thank everyone who has emailed me with birthday wishes and tell you that I'm not ignoring you - I'm just SOOOOOOOO busy today!! Also, a very happy birthday to Tonya as

Easy to fool... but not easy

2005-10-10T12:07:00.000-05:00

So noone has ever accused me of making anything easy. Yesterday morning I was very frusterated because the dog refuses to go potty outside in the rain and therefore will only use the hardwood floor as his own personal bathroom. I was wondering how much my parents would freak when he used their rug as a bathroom. So it dawned on me that my parents and sister could just come to my house for the

Altered wedding vows

2005-10-03T10:26:00.000-05:00

So my husband is very anti-gift giving. Had we written our own vows, he would've insisted that mine go something like this:...I Jaime, take you, Shawn to be my husband. I will promise to love, comfort and honor you, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, through giftless birthdays, Christmas and Valentine's days, for better and for worse, in sadness and in joy, as long as we both

INTRODUCING... the big, fat belly!

2005-09-29T12:23:00.000-05:00

6 months pregnantOriginally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. Yay! Yesterday my belly turned 6 months old. I'm 60% of the way there! I've had 3 people (who knew I was pregnant) comment on how my belly is now noticable (a.k.a. big, fat). It's great! :) On Tuesday it occured to me that the husband probably hadn't seen my belly in a week or so so I lifted up my shirt. His exact words: "What's up, pork chop?".

Diary of a Mad Pregnant Woman

2005-09-23T13:53:00.000-05:00

I have been easily grouchified (YES, THAT'S A WORD, DON'T ARGUE WITH ME!) lately. I think it's because I'm so tired. What happened to the "energy boost" and "on top of the world" feeling that is supposed to come along with the second trimester?? I watched "A Diary of a Mad Black Woman" on Wednesday and I SOOOOOOOOOOO wish I could comment on it. My comments would certainly give away the ending so

I'm in trouble...

2005-09-21T14:48:00.000-05:00

Naughty boyOriginally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. See this guilty face? I leave him unattended for like 30 seconds and come around the corner of my desk to find "Mr. I-didn't-shred-the-basket...i've-never-seen-that-basket-in-my-life" looking all sweet and innocent. This a day after he got into his bag and found the "travel bag" of food... the food he HATES... and shredded it to pieces. The food

Congratulations, Mandy and Tim!

2005-09-20T09:33:00.000-05:00

Congratulations, Mandy and Tim! Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. Saturday we attended Mandy and Tim's wedding... and it was GREAT! She was the most beautiful bride I've ever seen (I knew she would be), the ceremony was short and sweet, the food and music were great. It was a beautiful wedding all around. Congratulations to an adorable couple!! Saturday was also the last time I felt my

Well whatta ya know?!

2005-09-13T08:55:00.000-05:00

So last weekend was supposed to be my 10-year high school reunion (I know... i know... i'm a youngin'). It was cancelled due to "lack of interest". What a pain for those flying in like Bryan. Those of us who were still interested were planning to still get together and that fell through as well. So instead my bestest "ferend" (inside joke) came up from NH to visit anyway. We went to Olive Garden

S.H.I.T. is right!!!

2005-09-08T13:28:00.000-05:00

30th party wrappersOriginally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. So, leave it to me... only I would do this. I was telling my friend via email (someone I used to work with) about how i was throwing Shawn this huge 30th surprise party on the day after his birthday (which is 11 days before my due date!) and totally forgot about that part when I FORWARDED HER RESPONSE TO HIM. She was telling me Congratulations

Cuter than Cute continued some more

2005-09-07T18:39:00.000-05:00

Picture_4854 Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. So this is the fan that my dad installed. I LOVE it! I think that under the suggestion of my husband (who doesn't want to take the thing apart again so I can paint it) it will stay white. It looks so great and I'm so excited that it's up and running. So this dog (previously referred to as the ball of cuteness) is killing me. I love him so

Cuter than Cute

2005-09-07T18:17:00.000-05:00

Picture_4851 Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. So over the long weekend we did some work on the nursery. (And by we, sadly, I mean Shawn and my dad). My dad installed a ceiling fan (way over my head - literally), Shawn sanded and put polyurethane on the inside of the bureau/ drawers of the changing table dresser (bad fumes) and Shawn put up a shelf over the dresser. I also received this

Yay... halfway there! :)

2005-09-01T09:34:00.000-05:00

5 month bellyOriginally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. So yesterday I hit the 20 week mark. Very exciting. I also managed to get myself a new blogging ticker, courtesy of Sweety's site, since my old one stopped working.I forced my husband to take my "belly picture" this morning. It's like pulling teeth. The man cannot work a camera. And he's not patient enough to learn. Most of them were completely

And the verdict is...

2005-08-29T10:34:00.000-05:00

And the verdict is... Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. So... only 35% of you thought it was a girl. But those of you were RIGHT. (That would make me right and Shawn wrong, not that I'm keeping track). ;)She was being a little uncooperative but in the end we ended up getting a proper mooning that suggested that I won't be needing all of those millions of adorable boy outfits that I've

IS IT A CC OR A HE-HE??

2005-08-26T15:44:00.000-05:00

Okay, time to guess! On Monday we have an ultrasound that will hopefully determine whether our baby is a girl or a boy. Today I had a regular pre-natal appointment and the doctor told me the baby was moving A LOT. :) (Apparently that is a good thing). So everyone put in your guess - you have a 50/50 shot of being correct. :)Here are some things about my pregnancy (no idea whether these will help

Okay... last post today... I swear

2005-08-24T13:33:00.000-05:00

Nursery w/ borderOriginally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. Here is the nursery with border. It looks so cute. It is the Carter's Child of Mine giraffe, elephant, turtle border. I love it! Manny has decided that his favorite place in the house is underneath the crib - which of course is strictly off-limits because that room has rugs. I've decided that I am going to beg my father (who is an electrician)

Puppy love

2005-08-24T13:31:00.000-05:00

Puppy loveOriginally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. Last night Jamie and Jenn came over for a puppy play date. Their new puppy, Tessy, is a 8 week old yellow lab. The pups had so much fun playing together and were so cute. Both were worn out at the end of the night and slept like babies. (Rumor has it that Tessy was asleep before she left the driveway).On Sunday CC got her beans! They were actually

100 Things about me

2005-08-24T12:08:00.000-05:00

So, I've been thinking that it's fun to learn about my blogging friends through their "things about me" lists. The first was Angela's ... and then I found Humor Girl's and then I found Karla's. I think it will be a stretch to come up with this many but I'm going to give it my best. I don't promise they'll be interesting things. ;)1. I'm 5'92. I've only worn makeup 8 times in my life3. I've been

Too bright... too bright!

2005-08-20T11:58:00.000-05:00

So... is everyone sick of hearing about this puppy yet??? This is one Manny covering his eyesOriginally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. many cute things that Manny does that I love. Whenever I turn the light on at night (which is rare because the hubby and I actually use the bathroom down the hall now so as not to wake the sleeping baby) or he's feeling playful and cute, he will cover his eyes with his

How is anyone THAT patient?!?

2005-08-17T15:30:00.000-05:00

So, I've learned a few things this afternoon.1. I am much more computer illiterate than I thought (which is saying A LOT!)2. I would not ever have (EVER) a pregnancy ticker on my blog site (did I mention EVER) without Humor Girl's help.3. I have absolute confidence that Humor Girl will easily be able to successfully train a litter of puppies while raising triplet children with special needs if

Random thoughts of the day

2005-08-17T14:05:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts of the day Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. 1. How the heck did I ever live without this dog?2. When the heck is this dog ever going to learn to pee outside?3. Why do I not get hives by just looking at this dog? (Sheer will & determination, maybe?)4. Was that thing I felt last night the baby move?5. If you were paving someone's driveway who clearly did not smoke, would

Our new addition!

2005-08-15T09:55:00.000-05:00

Our new baby Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. We have a new addition to the family! On Sunday, this adorable black Pomeranian came to live with us. I've never in my whole life had a dog so I am excited and nervous and overwhelmed! He is 18 weeks old (just like my belly), not really house-broken and he is the sweetest thing. I was nervous that I would be "too" allergic to him but so far

Yay for paved driveways...

2005-08-12T09:42:00.000-05:00

Picture_4152Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. We're so excited to have a new paved driveway. When we bought the house, we knew we would need to make 3 large-ish purchases: a riding lawn mower (we have a full acre now), a shed and a paved driveway. 2 down: 1 to go (shed). The driveway put us in the poorhouse (or should I say - is keeping us in the poorhouse - so it'll be next year before we buy

Tumor, BE GONE!

2005-08-11T15:32:00.000-05:00

Cam Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. On the Sunday of Camryn's 6th birthday party, my sister pointed out something in Camryn's mouth that she had discovered the day before. She routinely checks the kids mouths and looks at their teeth. This mound on the roof of her mouth reminded me of fallen arches - except in the mouth. My sister took her in on Monday where they rushed her to the

THANKS, DAD!

2005-08-10T10:48:00.000-05:00

THANKS, DAD! Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. So last night I got home from work to find a package waiting for me. It's a pregnancy ticker clock! My father-in-law sent it after reading that I wanted one. It was soooooooo sweet of him and totally made my day. It tells me the exact amount of time before my due date. Just in case you were wondering, as I am posting now, I have 160 days, 12

Happy Birthday, Alex!

2005-08-09T16:04:00.000-05:00

Alex's 5th birthday party Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. Sunday Alex turned 5 years old! Pam threw her a big Princess and the Pauper bash that I think made Shawn decide to limit the guests at our children's birthday parties to about 10. It was lots of fun and great to spend some time with Pam and Phil over the weekend.So for the past two days everything I've eaten tastes like metal.

Shawn's first belly picture

2005-08-06T13:41:00.000-05:00

Picture_3844 Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. Let me be the first to say: I have no idea why Shawn is standing like this but this is the conversation that ensued just before the taking of this picture:S: Come on, Let's go... hurry upJ: Okay, go ahead... take the pictureS: K, is that good? Can I go?J: Let me lookS: (impatient sigh)J: Just get a shot of just my bellyS: (sigh) (crinkled

The first belly picture

2005-08-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

4 months pregnant 2 Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. I was hoping to take pictures of the belly on the exact anniversary date each month but I forgot so this is the 4 months, 3 days belly. A.K.A. "Geesh, have you been eating more ice-cream than usual?" belly) I am very excited to announce that we have a date for our 20 week ultrasound which will hopefully determine whether the baby

CONSTANTINA THE GREAT (or loyal, in this case) ;)

2005-08-04T08:23:00.000-05:00

So I recently asked Kristen, the nickname queen, to give me something to call my unborn child. Since we all know (due to the large amount of adorable boy clothes I have bought over the last few years) that I'm having a girl, Kristen (using a highly technical method involving a laser beam) has chosen the nickname "Constantina" (or CC, for short). So, CC it is. :) After I finally settled down from

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAMRYN!

2005-08-02T09:47:00.000-05:00

Camryn's 6th Birthday party Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. Today my youngest niece, Camryn, turns 6 years old. We celebrated her birthday on Sunday with a barbecue lunch, gifts, cake and smores. She had a great time!I think that everyone handles stress in their own way. My mother gets migrains. My husband bites his fingernails until they bleed. I clean. Obsessively. Last night our

Saturday

2005-08-01T14:16:00.000-05:00

Picture_3787Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. Here is a picture of the hubby and I from Saturday. I joke that it is our prom picture because the curtains in the background look like a prom backdrop. This picture was taken by Jamie as we were getting ready to leave for the Veilleux's reception. I would post a picture of Jamie and Jen but they would kill me. :) They are camera-shy. (Which they

Congratulations, Ryan and Jen!

2005-08-01T10:29:00.000-05:00

Ryan and JenOriginally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. We had a busy weekend!Friday I had my 15 wk prenatal appointment. It's the 3rd time I've heard that fast little heartbeat and it's just as shocking every time! It was the first confirmation since I hit the "safety" point that I am yes, still pregnant. The doctor said that everything is looking good. I haven't gained a pound yet - which is strange

Happy Birthday, Isabelle!!!

2005-07-28T09:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday, Isabelle!!! Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. My lovebug turns two years old today. I can't believe how fast time flies. So much has changed since she was born. She is such a smart and cute baby - Shawn and I both love her to pieces! Happy Birthday, Isabelle!

Two nights in a row!

2005-07-26T10:48:00.000-05:00

Emma 1 Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. I love company... especially by friends that I never get to see. Last night Jennie surprised us with a visit. We ordered some take-out and spent a few hours talking and catching up. My niece, Hannah, had a ball with Jennie's baby, Emma. Emma smiles non-stop... she is soooo cute! My friends with babies like it that I am so prepared - high chair

Our long lost friends... and their new addition!

2005-07-26T10:43:00.000-05:00

Amber and Belle Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. So Sunday night Shawn and I had a pleasant surprise when friends Andy and Amber showed up to visit. I was so excited to see them... and their new puppy. It was so nice to catch up and visit with them. And bonus, handy Andy fixed my dryer so that it no longer blows steamy hot air and lint all over the place. It was a great visit! :)

The Nursery... already??

2005-07-23T09:33:00.000-05:00

The NurseryOriginally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. So I've had a nursery all set up for over two years now. Part of it was because of Isabelle and the other reason is... well, I'm just like that. I've had the Noah's Ark theme that entire time and most of it was navy and maroon and "countryish". Last Sunday I decided that it wasn't quite baby enough and I gutted the nursery of everything that wasn't

Have you got your rewards??

2005-07-21T10:24:00.000-05:00

So last night I got home to find that my $100 gift card from my new credit card came in! Everyone should have this card! Just for signing up, I got the $100 gift card (or technically I got two $50 gift cards). They also have a pretty good initial rate and 0% balance transfer rate for a year. I've had the card for a little over two months now and in addition to the bonus $100 card for signing on,

As Good as it Gets

2005-07-19T10:57:00.000-05:00

View of Samoset from the Lighthouse Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. Last week we were on ... sigh... vacation. It's a good thing, too, because I couldn't have handled two straight weeks of this heat in my sauna of an office. We did some much-needed landscaping, we hung out by my brother-in-law's parents pool, we went to Camden/Rockport, we attended a family reunion and we (and by "we"

All dressed up

2005-07-09T10:00:00.000-05:00

All dressed up Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. So Shawn has a new job. He starts the week after next and he is going to have to retire his polo shirts and khakis to suits and ties. He just got his new suits back from the tailor yesterday so I made him try on my favorite, a Ralph Lauren suit. I would be posting a picture of my 12-week-pregnant-self but yesterday we learned that Shawn

MILESTONES...

2005-07-08T11:31:00.000-05:00

So I'm definitely not under the misconception that nothing bad can happen from here on... but just the fact that today I hit the official "12 week" mark that I have been so desparate to achieve is such a sigh of relief. For 7 weeks (that is how long we've known) I have been losing sleep, stressing out and feeling the need to double up on my Zoloft! But now, finally... I am officially 12 weeks

Tracey's baby

2005-06-30T09:19:00.000-05:00

Tracey's baby Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. SOOOOOOOOOOOOO cute! I had the pleasure of meeting Tracey's new baby, Jady, last week when I stayed at her house. I almost died when I walked in and saw this cute little face looking at me! She is SOOOOOO adorable... I just wanted to hug her and squeeze her and love her! If only they would stay this size I would have like 8. ;)

Favorites 2

2005-06-29T09:14:00.000-05:00

Favorites 2Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. So not only are these ones part of the cutest-outfit-ever collection, but there is a funny story to go along with it. See the outfit on the far right? Well when I first got this (courtesy of my Adidas rep, Mark Hutchison) I brought it out to show my mother when she was visiting. I held it up and said "isn't this THE cutest thing you have ever seen in

Our favorites

2005-06-29T09:07:00.000-05:00

Our favorites Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. So... I must already have about 20 favorite outfits... and these are a few. I can just see it now... my child will be 12 and I'll still be trying to squeeze her into these clothes. ;)

Oh BOY!

2005-06-29T09:05:00.000-05:00

Nursery closet 1 Originally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. If we end up having a baby girl, we are SCREWED! I just can't help myself... baby boy clothes are sooo cute! I've been buying them for YEARS now (as you can see!). We also luck out because Pam gives us all of Benjamin's adorable hand-me-downs in addition to the million outfits I have already bought. :) If that 20 week ultrasound (which

What to expect...

2005-06-23T09:54:00.000-05:00

So someday I'm going to write a book. It's going to be titled: What to Expect When You're Reading What to Expect When You're Expecting. I started reading this book about 30 seconds after the home pregnancy test confirmed that I was, indeed, finally pregnant. I just assumed that I would love it... because, well, everyone loves it. Well, I hate it. Some of the many reasons I hate the book What to

My little grape

2005-06-22T09:06:00.000-05:00

My little grapeOriginally uploaded by Jaimemjfan. So yesterday was our second ultrasound. The first was to determine "how many" were in there because I was on the fertility drug Clomid. Yesterday was a routine 10-week u/s. We just switched doctors to St. Mary's in Lewiston but they don't do a single u/s until 20 weeks so I kept my previously scheduled appointment at Coastal for the 10 week. At my