Baby movements....

A few nights ago, Kevin and I were laying in bed watching TV when the baby started moving/kicking me pretty hard in my tummy. Kevin looked at me as I winced a little in pain as the movement had caught me off guard. I told him that the baby was moving and was kicking pretty hard.

He placed in hand on my belly and looked a me and said, "I don't feel anything." I told him to give it some time and he might feel something. After a few seconds, he looked at me again and smiled, "I still don't feel anything." I told him, give it some time.

After a few minutes, I felt the baby move and Kevin looked at me with a confused yet excited look on his face and asked me, "Was that the baby move? Did I just feel the baby? Did you feel it?"

I looked at him and just laughed and told him that that was in fact the baby moving. He thought it was the neatest thing to finally feel the baby.

Baby news!

Well, I guess the news is out to everyone...and I'm a little slow for posting on here. I'm pregnant with our first child! Kevin and I are so excited. Our little one is due March 5, give or take a few days.

Our little bundle of joy at 19 weeks, 3 days

Me at 23 weeks, 5 days - Starting to show....

The experience so far has been great. I never really had any morning sickness with the exception of the occasional bout of nauseousness. I started feeling the baby move at about 20 weeks or so and that alone has been entertaining. I have had a few nights where the baby would not let me get comfortable enough to fall asleep because it was moving so much. One of those times, Kevin laid down next to me and started talking to the baby and humming a lullaby. Amazingly it worked and the baby calmed down enough for me to get some rest that night. Recently, the baby has discovered how to push and bruise my ribs. I have never felt anything so painful in my life, but then again, I guess paybacks a bitch!

I'll continue to post more as we get closer to the due date with more pictures and funny stories should they arise. Until then...enjoy!

Never Forget September 11, 2001

These are some of the pictures that Kevin and I took at Ground Zero last year on September 12, 2008 while we were vacationing in New York City. We avoided Ground Zero on the actual day because of all of the attention is was getting and because both presidential candidates were there.

We actually arrived by train from Boston to New York on September 11th to find the whole city in a very somber mood. It was still full of the hustle and bustle you see on TV, but it was very quite for NYC. Kevin and I will always remember what it was like to be in NYC on this day.

Ground Zero - the rebuilding process: 7 years later

Ground Zero - a wreath standing along the Memorial alley

Ground Zero - Another wreath along the Memorial alley

A plaque we found on a wall outside a Firehouse in Manhattan

To the 343 men and women who gave their lives to save thousands of others, you will never be forgotten! Thank you and God Bless you and your families.

It's been awhile!

I know. I haven't posted anything to my blog in quite a while. I won't lie. Kev and I have been pretty busy as we both have pretty hectic schedules. Here is what has gone on the last couple of months:

May 2009: I turned 30 on the 13th. I didn't do much that day. Kev and I had originally planned for me to work a half-day and then we were going to go to the Visalia Rawhide game since it was an afternoon game. That never happened as Kevin got directed at work and had to work a double. He ended up taking me to an early dinner at Famous Dave's, so it didn't turn out that bad. For the Memorial Day holiday, Kevin and I drove up to Shaver Lake to spend the weekend with his family at the new family cabin they just bought.

June 2009: We got to enjoy quite a few Rawhide games this month. You all know us and baseball! Kevin and I did get to attend the 2009 California/Carolina League's All-Star game in Lake Elsinore. We had a lot of fun and met a few new friends in the process. Kevin and I were able to get two bats, one for each league, signed by the entire team! We had two Rawhide boys there and got to see them both pitch amazing innings. In the end, the Cal League beat the Carolina league in the bottom of the tenth with a walk-off home run! The following weekend, I got to go to Pismo for a couple of days with Becca and her family. It was so nice to escape the heat of the valley for the nice cool, overcast weather of the coast. On Saturday, we drove over to the Oceano Dunes to meet up with Matt and his family for a couple of hours. Matt took everyone riding on the dunes in his Jeep. Dreu had an awesome time. We also took Wes and Beek down to the water to let them play. Although Beek fell asleep in Auntie Jessi's arms before we got to the water, Wes had a good time pulling me into the water and riding on the boogie board. I'm sure he slept the entire way home after all of that excitement!

July 2009: I spent the Fourth of July holiday at Shaver Lake with Kev's family and celebrated Melissa's 23rd birthday. Friday night, we sat out in the lake on the boat watching the fireworks. Kevin came up on Monday morning and we stayed until Wednesday night. On the following Saturday, Becca and I drove up to spend the weekend on the lake with the family again after going on our weekly dog walk out at Woodward Park. We had a great time until I got really sick on Sunday. Becca had to take me back down the hill before Kevin even got there. When I got home, I took a shower and slept the whole rest of the day. The next weekend, Kevin and I went to San Jose for the weekend for a Union convention that he had to attend. I met a few San Jose Sharks hockey players while waiting out in the lobby for Kevin just before lunch one day. That was the highlight of my day. On Sunday, after Kevin was done, we went shopping at the Gilroy outlets and then ended up in Santa Cruz at the Boardwalk (my first time!). While we were there, we found a street called 'Westbrook Street'! For dinner, Kevin took me to my favorite Italian food restaurant, Carinos! (They have the BEST lasagna!) So far, the rest of July has been pretty uneventful. We did go to a few Reno Aces' game when they were in town playing the Grizzlies, but that was about it.

I promise I'll be posting more often. Kevin and I are going to have some changes coming up in the near future that I will be posting. Until then, much love from the Westbrook's!

Visalia Rawhide

The Visalia Oaks are no more. This year, they are being called the Visalia Rawhide. Their new mascot is Tipper the Bull (see picture at right), which is a lot better mascot than the old Chatter the Squirrel/Rat that the Oaks had for years! Not quite sure where they came up with the name 'Rawhide', but it has since grown on the fans every since.

We also have a newly renovated ball park. For those of you who grew up in Visalia, you can remember what the old Recreation Ballpark looked like. There was no shade to sit in and the park was literally falling a part. In the last two years, they have added two pavilion areas and along the right field side have added at 'Hall of Fame Club' (see left), a merchandise store and some new (and desperately needed) bathrooms, which opened this season. The stadium looks completely different.

This year's team has been on a tear! Currently, they are in first place of their division in the California League standings with a record of 12-1. The last time a Visalia team started this hot was in 1978 and the team won the championship!

Go Rawhide!

Nap time!

This is what I cam home to when I got off work. This is only amazing because Penny does NOT like Kevin and normally will not go anywhere near him. Had to take a picture to cherish my three sleeping babies!

Visalia Rawhide Meet the Team Potluck

On Monday, April 6th, myself and the Ranch Hands Booster Club put on a nice potluck for the Visalia Rawhide baseball team to welcome the team to Visalia after their first first official practice at the newly renovated Recreation Park. Kevin and I got to meet several of the Arizona Diamondbacks' top prospects and got a bat signed by the entire team.

After wondering around the renovated stadium and watching the team take batting practice, Kevin and I went and helped set up for dinner. Our contribution to dinner was this lovely cake that was done by the wonderful cake decorators at Costco. I told them I wanted a baseball themed cake and this is what they came up with. We had a lot of complements on the cakes by both Booster members and team players.

Just one word to the wise...do not eat potato or macaroni salad at a potluck! Very bad things can happen later!