Productive posting my a**

Last week my friend asked me if my blog was password protected because she hadn't seen any updates from me. Ugh, I knew proclaiming I would be a dutiful blogger was a mistake. I am feeling guilty, seeing that it was going to be one of the best ways to chronicle my pregnancy, especially since another friend said it was sometimes the only way she remembered certain details from that time. So I need to get back on task with it and with the belly memory book, for that matter. I realized I've been on two trips, nearly finished two holidays and had some SERIOUS belly development since my last post. Crumb. Well, the chronicle review since October begins this week and will be in some misconstrued, random order. Mostly because it's two days before the Christmas holiday, and despite having ample time to finish serious amounts of work at work, everyone around me seems perfectly content with not being productive. I feel guilty, however, I'm just really productive in other ways, like ordering cards, baby items, making vet/hair/massage appointments, checking on my TIAA-CREF portfolio, etc.

Time to get back on the horse.

Trip to Ireland: week 15-16

Alas, this post is supposed to chronicle an incredibly fast but wonderfully memorable trip to Ireland with my mom--which was an amazing thing to share--and meeting our friends there, Janell and Jeff--and going to our Irish friend's wedding--how wonderful is that!? I hope to go back later and plug in some more details, but for the time being, it's about productivity. I looked back at my 2008 trip to Ireland and I was so good about writing about the things I love--food, sightseeing and the immediacy of the most important details of any memorable experience. But sometimes quantity does superceed quality, esp. when you're months behind chronicling one of the coolest trips in a long while. For now, it's snippets with pictures. It'll do for now!

Annette and me with our baby bellies. Annette's husband Declan was Ken's best man. She was hilarious! We met her that night and it was if we'd known her as long as Jane. She's due in February. Before we went ahead and booked our tickets (before I told everyone I was pregnant), I was kind of freaked out about the horrible things that could go wrong and having the stress of dealing with them while in a foreign country. Thankfully the stars aligned and it was a breeze healthwise!

Our GORGEOUS home--Darley Cottage--in Carrickmacross, Jane's hometown, with mom, Janell and Jeff standing at the front door. I wish we could have stayed here longer! The entire cottage had been gutted and restored, complete with a head-to-toe Ikea makeover. The cows from the farm next door would moo at us in the middle of the night. Dang, I love rural Irish life.

Janell and Jeff with their bevvies at the rehearsal dinner--a beautiful spread at a country pub near the Wards' house. The coziest of places. Reminded me of the place where Graham and Amanda meet in "The Holiday" (really the only movie where I have been able to tolerate Cameron Diaz). We were treated so well as guests at all of the extra wedding events.

Jane's friends and bridesmaids.

Jane's siblings, Romy and Daithi (Irish for David). The wedding party dance they did and included Romy was so touching. It's always seemed that Jane and I--and really, our mothers--had a sort of kinship with our younger sisters. So great to see Romy. She remembered me and wanted to hang out with me quite a bit while we were visiting.

The beautiful bride and the Americans--what a great lady! The pictures do not do her--or her dress--justice. She was stunning.

Ken and Jane Murphy

Their very cool ride, a vintage Rolls Royce

I love this photo of Jane showing her Gran her wedding ring.

Just me and the belly, kicking it by the fireside...Janell and I had a few good laughs running around the house posing for pictures (like her and the washing machine). I was really getting into having my belly by this point.

Janell lounging around in one our very chic IKEA-furnished rooms. She's such a poser (meaning she poses).

Mom and me at the rehearsal dinner. I'm fake drinking her cider but slightly jealous.

Modeling our new hats at Giants Causeway. The wind is no joke!

The incredibly unique hexagon-shaped rock formations, Giants Causeway

Another example of how Darley Cottage = Darling Cottage in the adorable hot water bottle covers. Can someone make me one of these? I'm definitely bringing back the hot water bottle to my bed.

Modeling some fascinators. We totally should have bought these, as people were actually wearing them at the wedding!

Some incredibly old church near Athenrye. Our first day with the Doudricks.

The first of what would be many desserts. Exquisite pavlova with fruit and cream. Hello, sweet fabulousness.

My favorite Irish city, Galway. This was our first full day after arriving in Ireland. The sun was just what we needed!

The frenetic schedule...week 14

This past week was craziness at work. I sort of had to laugh at myself as the first week of school came and went, and at that time, I was feeling at relative ease with my workload and the general pace of work life. Enter this week--yikes. It kicked my ass in a huge way. First off, last weekend, which was filled with many fun, social get togethers, was still exhausing. Friday night Court invited me over for dinner, making some yummy chicken, potatoes and salad (my contribution was a very challenging store-bought French silk pie) and we played outside with Kirsten and Evan. It was really nice to catch up. She had some lovely gifts for the baby-to-be from an adorable store I have yet to visit. It was the perfect Friday evening. Saturday morning, Liz was in town to visit some friends and we chatted over breakfast and bought some lovely baby sweaters at the Chester Bowl Fall Festival--ah, fall! I do love you. That afternoon I went to Wade to watch the Alumni game and later that night, attend the banquet. It's always such an emotional evening, hearing the latest group of graduates talk about their love of this program and how much it means to them. I love to listen to Corey talk up there and it makes me very proud.

This picture of us makes me laugh. Corey can never keep his one eye from squinting in pictures, so it usually requires about three tries. By this time he was fed up and looks like a goofball.

That night my desire to continue to wear my fun shoes was quickly dying out; within a few hours not only were my feet swollen but my entire lower half felt puffy and distended. A preview of swelling to come? Sunday I met my mom, sister, nieces and cousin Mary for a righteous Eggs Benedict breakfast--such fun and mayhem. A three-hour nap followed.

It's never a good sign when you get to work on Monday and you're exhausted...it seemed like two workdays, and Tuesday and Wednesday were about 12-hour days to boot. It was so nice to come home late Wednesday night and my chicken wild rice soup was heated up and waiting for me.


Thursday night was re-energizing--I met the ladies for Mexican and to bottle our wine! (I stole this picture from Kim, because she's the only one who remembers to document said events.) The assembly line process was actually really fun and despite spraying myself with the bottle washer contraption, all in all no one was injured and each of us walked away with bottles to save while they steep for a few months (or in my case, until March).

Travel and choice comments...week 13

This was the first full week of classes and things ARE GETTING CRAZY already. In our office, we have lots of fall events so there will be some long nights. I'm reveling in the weekends already, cleaning closets (sometimes), baking, cooking, and finding crafty home projects--it helps me to balance and center :) On an even more exciting note, we booked our cottage in Ireland and we'll be there in a few short weeks! I can't believe it! It hasn't fully sunk in that we're heading across the Atlantic (avec mama and mes amies) to see Jane, and oh, yeah, she's getting married! It's going to be incredible. Not much more to get except my very sexy compression socks to wear on the plane. Maybe one pair of [expandable] pants, but other than that, I think I'm set.

Not much to report in Baby Land; I'm happy to be getting more energy back since these busy days are demanding more of me. Some friends have lent me some really great books and maternity clothes (thanks, ladies!) so it's good to have a developing collection of items to peruse and organize.

Last, a mental note of items: I know this little gummy bear inside has a long ways to go before s/he is going to visit us on the outside, and although I've only had my reveal public at work for the last two weeks, it's amazing how quickly the unsolicited comments begin to surface. I'm going to keep track for posterity, so here's the beginning, which I'm sure will continue to grow (pun intended):

"Was this a planned pregnancy?" (x2)
"Wow--you're really getting big." (After I returned from having food poisoning, fyi.)
"You're not going to be able to hide this much longer."

(P.S. I had to change so many misspellings and incorrect words in this post before I published it...apparently the work of developing a baby has left my brain unable to process some other tasks.)

There's a fetus in there...week 12

...or so the ultrasound tech says. We've been very slow to tell people but we're havin' a baby! We found out in mid-July and have been navigating through Trimester One with relatively few hiccups.

I've felt a tich guilty at deceiving some and shying away from lots of [cocktail-related] visits with others, but now I'm kind of ready to put it out there. This week I decided to tell my co-workers. Yes, I am extroverted. However, I like to keep some parts of my private life private. Part of it is that my spouse and I work at the same place and since it's rather small, it seems like everyone is on a need-to-know basis about who knows what. Also, I have boundaries, which I know I'm becoming more lax about (i.e. I told new class of freshman to call me by my first name. That was a big step for me.) I clearly realize that very soon I will not be able to hide the fact that I am growing another person inside of me, but I've held out this long.

On the other hand...I am clearly living in I-Feel-As-Though-I'm-the-First-Woman-to-Ever-Have-a-Baby Land, minus the people to whom I've been asking questions, and in that respect, I think the glow factor/public excited-ness is indeed growing. I bought this cute, tongue-in-cheek pregnancy book so I've been journaling in there and just bought a few books for reference. I'm trying to keep the websites to a minimum, but their pictures are amazing.

Some of my favorite moments in the last few weeks about our reveal:

Overhearing Corey tell people about the pregnancy. It's soooo cute. And loving. And makes me want to cry every time. Even if I can't see his face I know he's grinning by the way he talks.

Corey's brother, Brian, and wife, Carlie, who are ALSO having a baby in March. I got the giggles when I heard her jaw drop on the other line. Cousins who will be the same age! It's so fun to think about them growing up together.

My lovelies who claimed they suspected but were kind enough not to ask me every time they saw/talked to me.

The friend who screamed into the phone.

Two friends who are due right around the same time! It's been so amazing to ask questions to those who are experiencing it right now.

Corey telling his team this past weekend--they clapped. I died a little bit when picturing 42 twenty-somethings doing this. I saw one of them in the hallway this morning and he exclaimed "Congratulations!"

Getting our very first baby gift--from our neighbors (a little gender-neutral sailor outfit.) I've never bought a baby outfit for myself, even though I love to shop for virtually anything.

We've actually been to the OB three times now; the second appointment, which we thought was 12 weeks was actually more like 10.5. So we got to go back this past Tuesday and now have three sets of pictures. It's AMAZING how different the fetus looked within eight days! A skull, a nose bone, hands, arms--that was the speechless moment for me so far.

I knew I wanted to start blogging again, and blogging about the pregnancy, so this seemed like a good time/reason to have some consistency of posts. The first six weeks brought with it some serious fatigue (lots of post-work activity of lying on the couch) and nausea, which actually took place mostly in the mornings. Since about week 10, I've been getting more energy back and the nausea is more or less gone, except if I smell cigarette smoke, car exhaust or become incredibly overheated. Then I need to head for the hills.

Things I'm Consuming Regularly:
Chocolate-related items
Potato chips (the full-fat, salty kind)
Salads
Fruit
Baked goods (even though I'm trying to keep it somewhat healthy)

Checklist Items I've Completed:
Taking several bikini-clad photos (unabashedly)
Scary/gross illness while pregnant (see below)

Last Wednesday night I came down with food poisoning, which was scary and I'm assuming potentially more intense due to pregnancy. Not great luck that I missed the second day of class, but it took a good 2.5 days of consuming massive amounts of Gatorade and crackers to feel back to normal. I did, however pass the time by re-watching seasons I and II of "Mad Men" (in preparation for January's new season premiere), checking emails and concocting my harvest decor plans.

Time for bed!

Away

I drove down to see my sister and the kiddos this past weekend, yes, for a visit, but for more than that. Things have been rather heavy of late and I have been taking opportunities to leave my to-do lists and other domestic responsibilities behind. Literally and figuratively, I needed to get away. There was some soccer game watching, pool time, play time and game time. I am switching jobs and am very excited for this change. I'm ready for a new set of challenges and want to work towards putting my mark on something different and quasi yet-to-be-determined. I won't be taking my traditional time off in August, but I'll settle for some additional weekend getaways. Breathe deeply, be excited for what's to come, and enjoy the fleeting days of summer.

I heart summer

Monday evening, assessing the end of the weekend: I'm full of welted bug bites but it's worth it; I'll wear them like a badge of seasonal honor. There's an obvious sense of revelry that northerners have when the weather gets warm, even downright hot. But beyond that, I'll complain little about the heat, I'll silence my grumbles about the bugs and I'll take naps after a long day outside because we earn these glorious days. (I am glad, however, that I have AC.)
Friday, after my nap on the lawn chair (again, I heart summer) the hubs and I bought paint for the living room, dining room, entryway and hallways, which comes to five gallons. Despite my love for decorating, the last few color choices in this house haven't been exactly what I envisioned; maybe I'm become less of a hue risk-taker. I want the color to maintain the warm, sunny feeling of the space. Then we went and ate chicken wings and I drank cider. That was our dinner. Later that night we hot tubbed it at the Berrisfords and spied a few lightening bugs--so cool.

The Gina sandwich--all from the old hood


Saturday we went to the Geneoveses' cabin, old family friends who live across the street from my parents. There were friends and families from many different connections, but we talked about how the cabin is really a nucleus for so many of our summer stories.

Sunday we headed north and attended another family/friend gathering where we got to try out our new custom-made beanbag boards (this is serious business) and I proceeded to not win my matches. Fireworks and parade-watching summed up a great weekend.

Family and friends abound

Little elfin Fi

Grownups' night at Blackwater (notice the unplanned purple and blue/red combos)
Good, kids! The coloring tradition has continued!

Papa and the little Diva

I was lucky that despite a week-long trip away for work, I was able to see most of the visitors who came into town. CARH and Fiona were here for two whole weeks so I was able to see them on many occasions, which included a highly-recommended afternoon sitting in her parents' sun porch, which is the closest thing to actually being in a tree while remaining indoors. My sister and the kiddos came and we had a blast--coloring, watching movies, and just being silly. I love that they are the age where everything is just exciting--just ask Sydney. She's the queen of excited. Shandiz, the culinary artist, was able to come for the end of the Hedayati trip, so we spent some time talking about, what else, restaurants. I've been spoiled with many visits already this summer, and a few more to come...

Mother's Day

We counted this as the fifth Mother's Day of our annual brunch celebration here. Our waiter had to earn his keep that day--we were there for over two hours. My mom and I, with my cousin Mary (back), her stepmom, Sharon, and her daughter-in-law, Tricia. After brunch we did some window shopping and antique hunting. I'm still thinking about the circa-1910 mahogany clawfoot dining table that I don't have room for...We plan to expand the group next year, which hopefully includes my sisters!

Ringing in the new year

The past year has definitely been one of change and transition. Between us losing some very close friends and family to Corey's new job, we've had some time to reflect and realize how lucky we are. The multiple holiday gatherings really hit that message home, too. New Year's Eve was spent in good company; during the day we went bowling with the Wallaces and CB; I had my usual performance of several strikes followed by several gutter balls. Maybe I should do some research on double-jointedness and bowling. That night we had dinner a new, very hip restaurant in town that I've been meaning to try since its October opening. The restaurant and adjoining theater is supported by a local foundation that supports and develops arts and culture. Corey had a bison burger and I had the tofu curry rice bowl--so yummy. Later we met up with Justin, Niki, Kenny and Rikki and had drinks at the Blackwater. I had this delicious minty martini that was served with a candy cane. That day was a step up from our recent ritual of a 12:15 am bedtime on New Year's.

Blessings on christmas

Apparently everyone and their mother (truly) takes pictures at our family functions, so I really don't have any pictures to show for from our Christmases with the fams, beginning on the 21st and ending the following weekend. This included several dinners, some games, and a spectacular light show. I should have taken pictures of our deck and how much progress one makes after 3 hours of shoveling, but pretty much anyone in the Midwest had the same visual image outside their door Christmas Day. Thankfully, it was a safe trip back to our house that afternoon, where we spent the evening in dry clothes, with the fire on, opening a few small, sentimental gifts and playing board games. To being grateful for the abundance the holidays remind us of...

Happy birthday, coach

Last night Colleen had a birthday party for Coach. She wanted to host an event where friends and family would come together to share memories with Maddux and Josie. She had a journal that people could write down their stories, and then someone was videotaping as people around the room would recollect a touching or a funny story. There were lots of kids there and the most important impression I got in the room last night was how important his family was to him. Happy birthday, coach; you're missed very much.

Working for the weekends

...which could almost apply to any time of the year, however, it seems like lately we've been jamming in lots of good busyiness on the weekends. This Friday I took my mom to our annual Christmas concert since I decided not to splurge on the Nuctracker tickets. Saturday our friends Nick & Anne were up to go skiing and we tried Sala Thai, which I'd never been to. It was excellent--esp. this dish we tried that had squash and potatoes in the curry sauce (I can't remember the name). We did a little Christmas shopping with my in-laws yesterday as they very generously brought us a fresh tree they had cut down that morning; the house smells amazing. I spent the rest of the day pulling out Christmas decorations and listening to Christmas music while doing it, which is a tradition from my family. I'm really looking forward to all that's coming up--lots of separate family Christmases, due to peoples' traveling schedules, a few holiday parties, more cookie baking (I made these gems last week with my cookie ladies), and hopefully light tours.

Thankful

It becomes easy to worry, and even to whine about the daily stressors of life. However, I have so much to be thankful for, especially the people--near and far--that surround me, including those we can't see anymore. And as I write this, I am thinking about the better ways for my family and me to spend this holiday season.

Try to: bake cookies; play Christmas music; spend time with friends & family; and make small, personal, homemade little treasures; go ice skating; tour neighborhoods with Christmas lights; donate to a family in need; maybe visit a nursing home; make a photo collage of childhood Christmas pictures; watch all of the cheesy Christmas cartoon movies.

Try not to: Stress about silly things that don't matter, like shopping for lots of gifts; skip holiday gatherings just because it's a busy time of the year; skip on all of the wine; forget the things that really matter.

I hope each of you are with your families today--Happy Thanksgiving!

To Brian & Carlie

Corey's younger brother got married this past weekend. One of the first times I met Carlie was at my wedding. Besides celebrating their very special day, I had some great sentimental moments, as they were married in the same church that we were, in addition to the fact that Corey and I were both in the wedding and walked down the aisle together--again. The weather unfortunately didn't cooperate but the details of the wedding were lovely, as I knew they would be coming from an interior designer. The bride looked absolutely stunning and I really liked how our dresses looked (however, I was silently apologizing for any pain I ever inflicted on past bridesmaids). All in all, it was a nice reminder that I've got this whole other family that I'm a part of.