Baby Shower+ Dudes&Diapers+ FSU+ Birthing Class

This past weekend was my baby shower! My mother and mother in law organized the best day ever. I was so excited for this day because it was basically all of my favorite women in one place! We had about 50 women attending. I was missing a few key people but I knew they were thinking of me :) Here are some of the photos that I had... I'll probably be posting more once I get all of the pictures in. One of my mother in law's friends - Vikki- was taking a BUNCH of amazing pictures with her very large camera :) 

So, when I get my hands on those, I will post those.

Before the shower started....My mother in law- Debbie- & my mom -Maria. 

Mark was there until it was time to begin. He later went to his own celebration with his friends. 

Can you tell that we are very proud parents already?!   ;-)

My grandmother, Velma, & mom - technically there are 4 generations in this photo  (counting Ava :)

me & the Jacksonville girls! (Left) Heather, Erika, Myself, Emily, MaryAnn, Jacki

My grad school friends. (Left) Danielle, myself, Jessica, & Lindsay

Opening the gifts....there were so many beautiful gifts that we actually had to take a break! I have very generous friends and family!

Mark's "Dudes & Diapers Party"

While I was at the baby shower, Mark's friends Michael Boden and Jared Roche helped host a little Dudes & Diapers Party for Mark. Basically, about 10 of his friends came together to celebrate Ava and spent time with Mark for his own little shower. They planned on a beach day but ended up eating lunch at Brickhouse Tavern & Tap 

followed by watching football over some cigars and drinks at the Florida Cigar Company. Thanks, guys - Mark said he had a great time!

That evening, we all met up at Mug's Sports Bar and Grill to watch the FSU v Savannah State game. Being closer to where our 'out of town friends' were staying, it made more sense for us to watch the game there with them. The game ended because of weather delays....and FSU was winning 55-0 by the beginning of the 3rd quarter. So basically, had this game continued, it would have just gotten more embarrassing for  Savannah State. Quite frankly, I enjoy a more competitive game and can't wait for this season's upcoming games. Here are some pictures from Mugs...

Mark and Michael Boden - Mark's "little brother" in Kappa Sigma. Thanks for all of your help, Mike :)

I love that Mark's buddies are just as excited about our daughter's arrival.... We are thankful to have such supportive friends :)

Left- Josh, Ryan, Mark, Phil, Jared 

Left - Erika (Jared's sister), Emily (Mike Hall's fiance), Kristin, me, Heather (Josh's fiance) , MaryAnn (Ryan's Wife), & Jacki (Jared's wife)

Since we didn't want to leave our friends just yet, we all decided to go to Bahia Cabana on Ft. Lauderdale beach. We stayed there for the remainder of the night watching football and talked about the next 2 weekends in Tallahassee for the Wake Forrest and Clemson games. 

I didn't take any photos but some of the girls did. I'll upload those later too. 

I probably should have waited until I got all the photos to do this post but o well. We will have a part II. 

Then on Sunday Mark and I slept in (we were EXHAUSTED from an eventful Saturday... 

Once we got moving, we headed back to his mother's house and loaded up our SUV along with his mother's SUV with all of Ava's gifts! I spent the rest of the day getting her gifts put away and setting up her crib with my father and brother who came over to deliver it. Well, I should actually note that my 19 year old brother put the crib together by himself in about 15 min. Love that boy. 

I will wait to post photos of the nursery once it is completed. That was you don't see it looking like the state that it is currently in...a beautiful...MESS. I am hoping to be finished with it by the end of the month. 

Then yesterday, Mark and I attended our first birthing class at Holy Cross Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale. We have 3 more to attend on Monday evenings this month. We met some couples all due within a couple days of us and learned about: signs of labor, calming techniques for Mark to help me with, Epidural info, etc. 

 [A funny part of the night was when the RN who was running the class told a story that she had experienced with another couple during the labor and delivery of their baby. She had mentioned beforehand that it is helpful to bring in some calming music that you like and maybe even a picture or something to focus on during labor. She then told us about this couple that brought in some calming music for the majority of the woman's labor. As it later became the exciting "time to push" portion, her husband quickly changed the calming music to their favorite university's marching band music. When the woman's husband did this, the women only pushed 3 times and delivered their baby!!!]

 Mark immediately looked over at me and started laughing because that is something that Mark would totally do if I let him. Sure enough, Mark mentions on the way home..."I think I am going to bring some of the Marching Chiefs music for you...Maybe some Seminole Uprising would be good."

HAHAHA wow....God help me. 

So here is a little clip for those of you not familiar with what Mark talking about.  Click on the video below to listen. 

This is FSU's marching band - The Marching Chiefs playing "Seminole Uprising" and what I may even be delivering Ava to...Mark is crazy, I know, but you have to love his enthusiasm. 

Mark's Plan for Our 2nd Wedding Anniversary

Yesterday started out like any other day. Mark and I really had not talked about how we were going to celebrate our anniversary so I did not really expect anything out of the ordinary like last year's... 

[The year before, we were in Tallahassee for a football game and I knew something was up because he mentioned that we HAD to be back in Fort Lauderdale by a certain time on Sunday but would not tell me why. We ended up having our first anniversary at a hotel on the beach ...top layer of our wedding cake in tow to keep that tradition of eating it 1 year later! ]

Morning of our 1st anniversary! Toasting to it with mimosas. 

A great day lounging by the pool and beach for our 1st Anniversary!

Back to yesterday...Around noon Mark called to say hi and mentioned that he was getting off of work earlier that day and that I needed to be ready by the time he got home to go out. Okay, nice! We are going out to have dinner, I thought. 

I quickly realized what time it was and headed over to the Galleria Mall where I was planning on getting him a new Tommy Bahama shirt. I read that "cotton" was the traditional gift for a 2nd Anniversary gift, so I thought I'd be cute and keep with traditions for my conservative boy. 

Side note: I finally found my first "expecting" parking spot! I was looking for parking at the mall and thought I'd take my chances with the front spots hoping that someone would magically walk out as I was driving up - and BOOM! I found a whole row for expectant mothers. Figures, I would be 31 weeks pregnant until I finally found one of these spots anywhere... ha 

Later on around 5:00 Mark got home. He said, "You should eat something now for Ava because we were having dinner after where we were headed first..." 

Hmm...He made other plans!!! I was excited :) We left shortly after and noticed Mark was barely talking in the car ride over and kept looking at the time. 

 When I saw that we were pulling into the Bahia Mar Hotel, I jokingly asked, "Are we getting married again?" 

I said this because we boarded the Floridian Princess yacht that we got married on at Bahia Mar's docks and this is where we all stayed that night. 

Mark replied with, "Sort of..." 

After we parked by the docks, I realized he was leading me toward the boats! Yay.  And that is what he had planned... A sunset sail to have us back on the water again on 

September 4th!

9.4.10                        9.4.12
Same spot 2 years later

After this we headed to dinner and then home...but not before Mark made a pit stop for my "Half Baked" Ben & Jerry's ice cream. The man knows how to read my mind (or his daughter's already).  

Thank you, Mark. You always remember the small things that mean the most!

Love you. 

A Letter to Mark on Our 2nd Wedding Anniversary

[This is the letter that I wrote to Mark today in his 2nd wedding anniversary card... It includes memories from even when we were much younger - not just in the 2 years of  our marriage. I thought I'd share this since my feelings for him have never been a secret... ]

Happy 2nd Anniversary, Mark! I cannot believe 2 years has already flown by...

It seems like yesterday that we were speaking with Pastor Dan about our relationship as we were getting ready to get married. One memory in particular that I have is when he asked me to describe in three words how I felt you about you. The third one caught his attention. I said that I "admired" you. The pastor said he could not remember a bride speaking about how she admired her fiance or using that word. I remember then having to explain that I have always looked up to you, admired you, and considered you a role-model. From the day I met you, you have always been a gentlemen. I knew for a very long time that you were very different than most guys - or people for that matter... 

You wrote my mother a letter when you wanted to take me out on our first date because you knew she was uneasy about our age difference, you have never ever raised your voice at me or called me a mean word in times of disagreement or hurt, you have  always treated me like your number one priority, you have taught me what it means to look at the "bigger picture" when making decisions or getting upset at a situation, and last but certainly not the end of things you have done that I recognize- you make me proud to be Mrs. Christina McGuire each and every day. 

We always joke and talk about how growing up, I was such a "flake" and put you through God knows what. I was much more impulsive than you ever were, and was sometimes not there for you like you were always there for me. You have always been unwavering in your feelings, loyalty, and faithfulness. 

Thank you for teaching me how to be a better friend, girlfriend, and now - wife. 

Thank you for always staying by side my side even when I told you not to. 

Thank you for those times like when you took me to the park before you left for college and told me that no matter what happened, we would be together in the end. 

Thank you for always being a leader and never a follower with your friends - you could have listened to them but you decided that you & I were worth the wait. 

Thank you for never giving up on us and knowing we were going to grow old together one day.

Today is the celebration of 2 years of marriage- but to us it is so much more than that. Marriage is sacred to us, but at the end of the day, we have had this bond for much longer than 2 years. 

I am so grateful to call myself your wife. I can't wait until you get home from work so that we can celebrate!

Happy 2nd Wedding Anniversary & so much more, Mark. I love you. 

love, 

me

Our first dance

After my 8th grade graduation
 Mark came to watch my speech as Class President :)

Mark's first days working on the yachts

Saying goodbye to Mark as his mom and I helped move him into his FSU dorm. 

Having fun aboard the SummerWind

A night out in Chicago

My favorite dance partner

 Cbeyond's company trip to Jamaica - Congratulating him on another successful year at Cbeyond 

Our 1st wedding Anniversary 

1st Game of the Season: FSU v Murray State

On Saturday, Mark and I drove up to Tallahassee at about 7AM. We had planned on driving up to Jacksonville on Friday night when he got home from work, but since it was 'the last day of the month' he left the office really late waiting on a contract to come in...

We got into Tallahassee around 2:00 and started tailgating. Saturday was extremely hot and being that it was a six o'clock game I was honestly fearing having to go into the stadium with the sun still being up.

 Since Mark and I were getting in late, Jared and Jacki brought all the food to the tailgate so that we could go straight there. They made me my own special cooler. I was cheered on while I chugged these babies... ;)

Jared, Phil, Mark, and Matt setting up...

Kappa Sigma bromance

 Love having Kendall, Erika, and Jacki with me every game day :) 

Overall, this was an extremely easy team to beat as the 1st game of the season usually is. FSU beat Murray State 69-3. Next week we will be playing another 'cupcake' game against Savannah State. We have to play another easy game [not by choice] but because West Virginia pulled out in the Spring leaving FSU to have to fill that spot with another available team. We will not be in Tallahassee for that game, nor will all of our friends. My mother and mother in law are hosting a baby shower for me and Mark is having a "Dudes & Diapers" Party thrown for him at a different location on that day before the game begins. 

I am so excited! After the baby shower festivities, we will all meet up to watch the FSU v Savannah State game at 6PM. 

Hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend!