Siena's First Birthday!

On July 6th, 2009 Siena Aynsley Bammel celebrated her very first birthday! The theme of her party was based on her favorite Sesame Street character “Elmo”! Sharon did a fantastic job ensuring the house was decorated throughout with “Elmo” balloons and party favors, while Nana baked an incredible customized “Elmo” cake. Siena felt so pretty wearing the special birthday dress that Auntie Stephanie and Uncle Chad sent her from Belgium. The highlight of the day was seeing the sheer joy of happiness on her face seeing all of the “Elmo” stuff and opening up her presents. To top things off, Siena’s birthday wish came true; she will be receiving either a baby brother or sister on January 28th, 2009!! Both Sharon and I have truly been blessed with the most incredible year of our lives.

(Please click on the arrows below to see Siena’s birthday photos and a video of her receiving her cake)

Eleven Months Old!

Siena has spent her entire eleventh month of existince with Mommy in Naples, Fl visiting Nana and Papa Bammel. Both Grandparents have spoiled her rotten and have enjoyed every second doing so! She has grown very fond of both Nana and Papa and will miss them dearly when she returns back home to the UK. This past month has seen her development increase ten-fold. She now repeats many words and remembers many objects by name. She also enjoys eating out at restaurants and sais "Hi" to anyone that walks by. One additional highlight was a surprise visit from Auntie Isabele who threw a "pre-birthday" beach party for her!

(Please click on the arrow below to see some of the photos taken during this past month)

Ten Months Old!

Siena now weighs 18lbs and has six teeth! She is measuring in the 10th percentile for both height and weight. She continues to enjoy singing and laughing throughout the entire day and is such a happy baby! Her new favorite word is "baby" and repeats it often. This past month has been really exciting for both Siena and Sharon. They have spent the majority of their time visiting Nana and Papa in Naples, FL. Needless to say, Siena is being spoiled rotten and is really enjoying her daily walks and swims in the pool! She also has Papa wrapped around her finger and demands his constant attention. She greets him with the most incredible smiles everytime she sees him. She has also figured out how to crawl properly. Previously, she would drag herself around the house slithering on her belly.

(Please click on the arrows below to see some of the photos and video of her crawling taken during this past month)

Nine Months Old!

Siena is really turning into a little character. She is always talking and laughing. She is now starting to dance. Every time a song comes on, she rocks back and forth to the beat of the music. During this past month, she really enjoyed her first Easter. What made it even more special was having her Auntie Isabel fly in from the states to celebrate it with her. She now has 5 teeth!

(Please click on the arrows below to watch the videos and to see some of the photos taken during the past month)

Eight Months Old!

The highlight of this past month was a trip to Siena, Italy where we went to celebrate Sharon’s 40th birthday and to introduce Siena to the city that she was named after. We had an unbelievable time and Siena loved every minute of this adventure. The locals treated her like royalty and were extremely honored that she was named after their city.

Siena is now weighing 15lbs. and measures in the 9th percentile both in terms of height and weight. Siena also was able to enjoy a visit from her Nana!

(Please click on the arrow below to see photos of Siena during this past month)

Seven Months Old!

This past month has been filled with ups and downs. Due to a fever of 104 degrees, Siena had to stay in the hospital for two nights. The doctors could not determine if it was a virus or bacteria that caused the fever, so they treated her with antibiotics. They also administered an IV to keep her hydrated. Since this was the first time her parents had to experience anything like this it was pretty traumatic on them. Fortunately, she is doing much better right now. On the positive side, Siena continues to amaze us with her development. Her new favorite thing is playing "paddy cake", she absolutely loves sitting up and clapping her hands. She learned this at her "sing and sign" class. She has also introduced "da da" into her vocabulary! We are looking forward to introducing Siena to the city she was named after. Her Mommy is turning 40 next week, so we will all be catching a flight next week to Italy to celebrate this special occasion!

(Please click on the pictures and video below to see how she has developed during the past few weeks!)

Six Months Old!

Siena is now 6 months old and weighs 15 lbs. She has said her first word "Boo" and has repeated it often. She is now waving hello and is sitting on her own. What an incredible period of development. She is also enjoying her "sing and sign" class that Mommy is taking her to each week. To top things off, she has popped two teeth!!

(Please click on the pictures and videos below to see how she has developed during the past few weeks!)

Siena's First Time Eating Baby Food!

Today (January 4th) Siena reached a major milestone by eating baby food for the very first time!!

(Please click on the video below to see how she did!)



...A few weeks later (January 18th) things have improved!!

(Please click on the video below to see how she is doing!)

Merry Christmas!

Siena truly enjoyed her first Christmas! She was so excited to open all of her presents. Afterwards, she really enjoyed rolling around and playing with all of the wrapping paper. What an incredible day this was!!

(Listed below are a few photos taken during Christmas. Please click on the arrow below to view).

Twenty-Two Weeks Old!

Siena is really enjoying the holiday season! She loves Christmas trees and seeing all of the festive lights displayed throughout the town. Today we took her to visit Santa Claus for the very first time. She sat in his lap for a good 5 minutes, staring at him and tugging his beard. Santa really enjoyed visiting with her and didn’t want to let her go! Sharon and I are really relishing the opportunity of re-living Christmas spirit through our daughter's eyes.

(Listed below are a few photos taken during the past couple of weeks. Please click on the arrow below to view).

Nineteen Weeks Old!

I am happy to report that both Sharon and Siena arrived back safely to home in the U.K. Siena did great on the flight back and was able to sleep for five of the eight hours. Sharon was so proud of her! Not being able to see Siena for the past two weeks was sheer torture! I was so worried that she would forget who I was. Fortunately, this was not the case, as she greeted me with the most incredible smile followed-up with non-stop laughter!!

(Listed below are a few photos taken during her first couple of days back home. You will be amazed on how much she has grown! please click on the arrow below to view).

Sixteen Weeks Old!

The past two weeks have been very special. Siena was able to take her first flight back to the States. She spent the first week in Naples, FL visiting with Nana and Papa Bammel. The second week was spent in Rochester, NY where she was able to meet her Grandma Harkness and Rochester based family members. To top things off, Siena was able to get baptised. Father Bob did a fantastic job and conducted a private service just for her. What an incredible experience!! Siena was fantastic throughout the entire ceremony. She loved wearing the special Baptism gown that Nana Bammel made for her. Siena will remain in Rochester throughout the remainder of this week and then fly back to Florida to enjoy another week in the sun!

(Listed below are a few photos taken during the trip, please click on the arrow below to view).

Fourteen Weeks Old!

Siena is now weighing 11 lbs. 4 oz. and is attempting to mimic everything that Mommy does! She loves to laugh and is enjoying her music classes. The past three weeks have been very exciting for Siena. She was able to attend her first amusement park and loved the "Tea cup" ride. She also surprised me with a visit to the office and was an instant hit with my colleagues. Today, she attended her first Halloween party and loved it. She was dressed up as a lady bug!

(Listed below are a few photos taken during the past three weeks, please click on the arrow below to view).

Eleven Weeks Old!

Siena is now officially an American citizen! We had to visit the American Embassy in London to apply for her passport and social security number. When we were there, they presented her with an official certificate stating that she is officially an American!

(Listed below are a few photos taken during the past two weeks, please click on the arrow below to view).

Nine Weeks Old!

Siena now weighs 10 lbs. and is doing fantastic! She just received her first set of booster shots and handled them well. She continues to enjoy talking and is now attempting to sing. Her new favorite hobby is attending "baby yoga" classes with her Mommy!

(Listed below are a few photos taken during the past two weeks, please click on the arrow below to view).

Seven Weeks Old!

Siena is now sleeping through the night, which has allowed Mommy and Daddy the opportunity to catch-up on much needed sleep. Every morning when Siena wakes up, she in now greeting us with the most incredible smiles!

(Listed below are a few photos taken during the past two weeks, please click on the arrow below to view).

Five Weeks Old!

Siena continues to amaze us with her development! Everyday she seems to surprises us with something new. Right now, she is weighing 9 lbs. She continues to enjoy her time with Nana and papa Bammel!

(Listed below are a few photos taken during the past two weeks, please click on the arrow below to view).

Two Weeks Old!

The past two weeks have been the most exhilarating and exhausting weeks of our lives! We are still in awe knowing that we have been truly blessed with a beautiful healthy daughter.

Sharon has done an fantastic job being a Mommy!! She and Siena have established the most incredible bond. We are also so fortunate having Nana Bammel around to provide us with all of the knowledge that you can not find in a book. She has been a great help!

(Listed below are a few photos taken during the past two weeks, please click on the arrow below).

Siena Aynsley Bammel!

I am proud to announce that Sharon delivered our daughter this morning (Siena Aynsley Bammel) at 6:45 am! Siena weighed in at 6 lbs. 5 oz. and measured 21 inches in length. Both Sharon and Siena are doing fine and are resting comfortably.

Sharon did an absolutely fantastic job! The labor was extremely challenging, but she was able to overcome all of the obstacles that she faced and delivered naturally.

Again, we would like to thank everyone for the ongoing support you have provided us throughout this entire process! (For additional photos, please click on the arrow below).

Forty Weeks!

Sharon visited her doctor today and was informed that she is now 2 centimeters dilated and could go into labor at any moment. The doctor also informed us that they will plan on inducing her on Monday if labor hasn't started.

Thirty-Eight Weeks!

Wow, right now you weigh approx. 6.5 lbs. and measure 19.5 inches long! Since we only have 8 days remaining until your expected due date, this will be the last official update until you are born. The next update will include your birth announcement supported by all of the incredible photos that we plan to take!

Your Mommy has had an extremely busy week. She was able to finish your nursery and it looks absolutely fantastic! I have posted a picture of your crib and will plan on exposing the rest of the nursery during your first day at home. Your Mommy has also finished packing her hospital bag and is all prepared for the trip to the hospital. She has done an incredible job taking care of you and has sacrificed so much! You are so fortunate having her as your Mommy!

Your Nana Bammel arrived in England this past week and will be staying with us for the next couple of months helping us care for you. We are so greatful for her support!

Thirty-Seven Weeks!

This is a picture of Mommy with Dr. Geroge Ndukwe. He is your primary doctor and has done a fantastic job taking care of the both of you. He is really looking forward to meeting you!

Today is a significant milestone because you are now officially categorized as full-term! This means that if your arrive now, your lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away!

Thirty-Six Weeks!

Here is a picture of Mommy being examined by the mid-wife. The purpose of this exam was to determine how you are presently positioned. We found out that your back is facing the right side of your Mommy's belly, your butt is right up there near the middle of her rib cage, your feet and hands are facing the left side of her belly and your head is starting to engage into the pelvis. The mid-wife informed us that you are positioning yourself perfectly for your soon to be arrival!

Thirty-Four Weeks!

This is a picture of Mommy and Doctor Chan during your thirty-four week scan. We were amazed to find out that you now weigh 5 lbs! The Doctor said everything about your development remains perfect and expects us to have a normal delivery. We are still is awe that we only have only 40 days left until we can introduce you to the world! Your Mommy has really struggled during this past month. At best, she in only getting a couple of hours of rest each night. Even though it is extremely difficult for her, she never complains because of all of the love that she is feeling for you!

Thirty-Three Weeks!

This is a picture of Mommy prior to attending the Chippen Campden Music festival. She looked fantastic! Once the concert started, you did not stop kicking to the beat of the music. You seemed to like Beethoven the best!

Thirty-Two Weeks!

Here is a picture of Mommy with all of the ladies she attended child birth class with. This was the fifth and final class and we now know everything we need to in order to bring you into this world safely!

Thirty-One Weeks!

Here is a picture of Mommy talking on the phone to Nana Bammel.

What a busy week! Your Mommy has really put me to work getting your nursery all set-up! In addition to getting your furniture placed in all of the right spots, I have painted your room to the requested specifications. There are still a couple of things that need to be added before your Mommy will let me post a picture of your room. Hopefully, I will be able to post a picture next week!

Thirty Weeks!

Your Mommy and I just returned back from Munich, Germany. This was the last trip that we will be able to take until you are born. We really enjoyed driving through southern Germany and visiting many small towns. The highlight of our trip was visiting Neuschwanstein Castle. It is one of the most beautiful Castles in the world. You will recognize it someday when we take you to Disney World. This is because the Castle at Walt Disney World was modeled after the Neuschwanstein Castle! (To view additional photos of the Castle, please click on the arrow below).

Twenty-Nine Weeks - 4D Baby Scan!

What a magical day! We were able to sneak a peak and see you like we never have before. You are more beautiful than we could have ever possibly imagined!


Please click on the arrow below and turn on your sound to see and hear the 4D scan of our baby.

Twenty-Eight Weeks!

This is a picture of Mommy at 28 weeks! She continues doing a fantastic job taking care of you! Right now you weigh appox. 2 ¼ pounds and measure 14.8 inches from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet! Next week we will be able to see you like we never have before. Your scan will be done in 4D and the resolution will be incredible. We will be posting the 4D video shortly thereafter!

Twenty-Seven Weeks!

This is a picture of Mommy and Auntie Stephenie at 27 weeks! She came all of the way from Belgium to see you! She is one of your Mommies closest friends and has been one of her biggest supporters throughout this entire process. She has spent the past couple of months making you a beautiful quilt! You are going to love it!

Twenty-Six Weeks!

Wow! Your 26 week scan revealed that you weigh a whole two pounds right now!! The doctor continues to be extremely pleased with your progress and indicated that everything is right on track! Here are two of the pictures taken during your scan. Your Mommy absolutely loves the one of your foot. She keeps referring to you as "Teeny Queenie!" The other one is a picture of you sucking your thumb!

Baby Showers!

It has been a couple of weeks since I have been able to update your baby diary. By the sounds of it, both you and Mommy have had an incredible time during your trip back to the states! On March 9th, your Grandma Harkness hosted your first baby shower in Rochester, NY. Everyone that I spoke to said they had a wonderful time and said it was a first class event! Your Mommy was so thrilled to visit with her family and the girls from NY! (To view the Rochester, NY baby shower slide show, please click on the arrow below)



You then flew onto Naples, FL where Nana Bammel hosted your second baby shower on March 13th. The event was held outside in the sunshine overseeing the bay. Your Mommy was so surprised by how many people came to acknowledge you! She really enjoyed the visit with the family and being able to see her good friends Sharon and Rebecca, who is also expecting a baby around the same time as you. (To view the Naples, FL baby shower slide show, please click on the arrow below)



Finally, you flew off to Atlanta, GA where Auntie Isabel and Auntie Sandy hosted your third baby shower on March 15th. The two of them are such special frinds of you Mommies and really went out of their way to ensure you had an incredible event! Your Mommy can not stop talking about the incredible venue and food that was served! She was also thrilled to see so many dear friends that she hasn’t seen in such a long time. (To view the Atlanta, GA baby shower slide show, please click on the arrow below)




We are so fortunate having such great family and friends! We can not thank you enough for the kindness and generosity that you have provided us!

Twenty-Two Weeks!

This is a picture of Mommy at 22 weeks! She is definitely glowing right now! She is getting really excited because she gets to take you back to the states next week for your baby shower! I am going to put you in charge of making sure that she takes it easy during your travels. I am also looking forward to seeing the many pictures that will be taken during your visit. I will miss you guys!

February 26th, 2008 - Unsung Hero!

I wanted to let you know how great a job Samari has been doing assisting you with your development. The doctor informed your Mommy that she must always try and keep her belly warm to help promote optimum blood flow. This is extremely important right now because it is the blood that delivers the oxygen and nutrients required for your ongoing growth. Each day when Mommy lays down on the couch to rest, Samari always positions himself right next to you with the sole purpose of keeping you warm. He is doing a fantastic job!

Twenty-One Weeks!

This is a picture of Mommy at 21 weeks! She is really excited because she can now feel you kicking around inside of her! Right now you are about 10 inches long and weigh between appoximetaly 14 oz. We are still amazed at the fact that you are entering your fifth month of existence! It almost seems like yesterday that we received your positive pregnancy result!

Twenty Week Anomaly Scan!

Today was your 20 week anomaly scan and your results were fantastic! The primary purpose of this scan was to tell us how well you are developing. All of your bone structures, vital organs and blood flow are measuring where they should right now. The doctor was extremely pleased with your results and said you are developing into a beautiful healthy little baby girl!

Nineteen Weeks!

Your Mommy's nesting instincts have definitely kicked into full-gear! Now that she has her energy back, she is taking full advantage of every second in each day. She has already accounted for everything that you will need for the next couple of years and beyond. I keep trying to tell her to take it easy and slow down a bit, but she is unable to quell the surge of energy she feels right now. I would imagine at the end of the second tri-mester things will slow down dramatically. We can't wait to see you on Thusday when you have your next scan!

Eighteen Weeks!

This is a picture of Mommy at 18 weeks! She is doing much better than she was a couple of weeks ago. Her appetite and energy have really improved! Now that she knows that you are a girl, she is spending a lot of her time planning your new room. I hope you like the color pink!

January 31st, 2008 - Our Little Princess!

To run the video, please click on the arrow twice.

What a wonderful day! Your doctor informed us that you are going to be a baby girl! I can not possibly find the words to express the incredible emotions that I am feeling righ now. Each morning I wake up in amazement, knowing that I am actually going to be your father. When your Mommy and I first started dating almost eight years ago, she told me that her biggest wish in life was to someday have a precious little daughter. Today, you fulfilled that very wish! I have never seen her as happy as she is right now. She is walking around with the biggest smile on her face, visualizing all of the wonderful things that the two of you are going to be doing together! I, on the other hand, will be your greatest protector. I will always be there to guide you through the challenges that life might present.

January 25th, 2008 - 17 Weeks!

Here is a picture of you resting comfortably at a little over 17 weeks. I still can't believe that you and Mommy have already spent 17 weeks together! That means we only have to wait another 158 days until we can introduce you to the world. Your Mommy has had a real productive time this week planning your arrival. With the help of some good friends, she was able to identify the furniture that will be going into your nursery. She is also getting very excited about traveling back to the states for her baby shower (in honor of you!). Your Mommy continues to be a little camera shy this week, so I was not able to snap a photograph of her development. She promises that she will allow us to post one next week. We are anxiously awaiting your next scan on the 31st. That is when we will be able to confirm your gender!

January 16th, 2008 - 16 Week Scan!

This is a picture of Mommy and your Doctor Martin (Queen Elizabeth Woman's Hospital – Birmingham, England) during your sixteen week scan. This was a close-up scan, so we didn't get any good pictures of you to post. The doctor focused on examining all of your body parts. He showed us your hands (four fingers and a thumb - each hand!) and feet (five toes - each foot!). He also examined your head, brain, face, spine, ribs, neck and chest. Everything looks great! All of your measurements are where they should be. We are so happy that you are doing so well! We also saw you waving your hands, kicking your feet and opening your mouth. The only thing that we couldn't see was if you are a boy or a girl because your umbilical cord was blocking the view. We will have to wait two more weeks to find out! Your Mommy is now starting to feel better and is getting anxious to really start planning your nursery. We will post a picture of her in a couple of days, so you can see how much bigger she is getting!

January 3rd, 2008 - 14 Week Scan!

To run the video, please click on the arrow twice.

This is a video of your 14 week scan. This was the first time that your Mommy and I were really able to see you. We were even able to hear your heart beat for the very first time! The doctor said you are doing great! The doctor even told us what gender she thinks you are. We can't reveal that until we can confirm it during your 18 week scan!

December 21, 2007 - First Trimester Done!

This is a picture of you at the end of your first Trimester. During the scan, you actually waved to us - signaling that everything is going to be alright. The doctor told us that you are doing great! All of your measurements were perfect. Mommy is doing a great job feeding you!

December 19th, 2007

A very sad day…..

The 12 week scan revealed that two of the babies have not survived (identical twins). The little fighters just did not have enough energy to continue on. Words can not express the grief and sadness that we feel right now. Even though the doctor told us that this would be a high-risk pregnancy, we could never have imagined that all of our babies would not survive. We are fortunate knowing that our baby will always have two little angels overseeing its time on earth.

A note to our precious little angels,

Sweethearts, we know you tried hard to stay but it was too difficult for you. We both feel we must have failed you somehow but deep down we know that's not true. The grief is unbearable but we must somehow find a way to go on. We sob every night and wonder what it would have been like to have held you and whether you would have looked like your Mommy or Daddy. We longed to have a hug and hear you call us and play like others do. We know the time has come to finally say goodbye, we'll always love you dearly and our thoughts will never die. To our beloved twins, there is a heaven - until we meet again.

Love,

Mommy & Daddy


‘Autumn & Spring’ (December 19th, 2007)

Silently you slipped away,
from us,
upon the Sabbath day.

Our brave little twins to life you clung,
too soon it’s all over,
before it begun.

No chance we had to hold your hand,
to see you smile,
or watch you stand.

The tears they burn and flow,
for you,
the twins we didn’t know.

We couldn’t tell – Girl, or Boy,
however brief,
you brought us joy.

The pain we feel is oh,
so deep, that you’re not here,
You – we couldn’t keep.

We’ll think about you every day,
and your brother and/or sister,
with you who couldn’t play.

A life so brief brings us sorrow,
only yesterday,
and no tomorrow We need a name for two so dear,
we’ll call you ‘Autumn & Spring’, - three months in every year.

‘Autumn & Spring’ you’ll be with us all year round,
when sun in the sky, or snow on the ground.

‘Autumn & Spring’,
you were here, you were real,
we send you our love,
and your love, we can feel.

December 14th, 2007 - Week 11!

Wow! What a change in a week. There is definitely some protrusion of the belly now. Today is an exciting day for Mommy because she gets to reduce some of the medication that she has been on. The hope is that this will help alleviate with some of her morning sickness. The next scan is not far off!

December 7th, 2007 - Week 10!

It is hard to believe that that it has been ten weeks already. In a couple of more weeks we get another chance peek at the three of you! The belly is definitely growing now!

November 30th, 2007 - Morning Sickness!

Your Mommy is going to be very upset with me by posting this picture. I just wanted you to see how much love she has for you. The morning sickness has really taken a toll on her. The doctor said this will probably last until week 16. Your Mommy is really amazing...She is doing everything that she can for you! Samari has done a great job too. He likes to keep you warm by sleeping next to you each night.

November 23rd, 2007 - Eight Weeks!

One would say your Mommy is looking great. The truth of the matter is she is not feeling too well. The doctor had told her to expect this because the three of you are all releasing hormones at the same time. The thing is though, that no matter how bad she is feeling she knows it's all for you. The doctor has informed us that this will not be an easy pregnancy and there could be many complications ahead. In our hearts, we know everything is going to be alright!

November 16th, 2007 - Triplets!!!

We are extremely nervous today, if all goes well we will be able to see your little heart beat for the very first time. The doctor has warned us to be cautious, since many babies do not continue to develop during the first eight weeks. If we can see your heart beat, the chances of you developing full-term will increase significantly. We arrived at the doctor's office around 11:30am and they immediately escorted us into the scanning room. The nurse made your Mommy very comfortable and then began the scan. This was very exciting, because we could also watch what was going on. As the nurse continued on with the scan, she began to smile and then gave us the "Thumbs up Sign"! Your Mommy immediately began crying hysterically, because the nurse just informed us that the little blinking dot on the screen was your heart beat! We were both filled with joy knowing you made it this far!! What happened next is totally unbelievable. The nurse then asked your Mommy to adjust her position to see if there was anyone else in there with you. To our amazement, not only did she see another heart beat, she saw two!! We are going to be having triplets!!! We feel so blessed! We have to be the luckiest people on this planet! It is going to be a challenge, but I can ensure each of you that we will do everything in our power to give you the best life possible!