Looking forward

With the new year fast approaching, I have been looking forward to some new things to come:
1. Learn how to knit! Ok, I might be cheating with this one since I have already started to, but by the end of next year I want to be able to knit something more substantial than a scarf.
2. Spend more time with friends. Life gets really busy sometimes (most of the time), and we don't get to see people unless it's some one's birthday or whatever. So, I am hoping that as we make more efforts, others will make more efforts too!
3. Spend one night a week reading and talking. A and I love to watch tv, and most nights we are so tired that we can't muster energy for much else. I like watching tv, and I read a ton, but we never really get to do it as a family. So, Wend. night will be reading and talking night!

I might think of other things I might want to try, but for now I am starting small.

New convert!

My friend K showed me some months ago (before C was born) how to knit. I like it, but between worries with the pregnancy (don't even get me started) and adjusting to having my life develop around a little girl, I never got my act together to actually do it! I think it also had something to do with the fact that I was looking for the instant gratification that making a pair of earrings or a bracelet gives you.

A recent book "The knitting circle" (funny enough I got that on loan from my friend K too!) changed my perspective. Not to get all corny and philosophical here, but I have finally realized that knitting is as much about the time to spent making a project as it is about the finished product. So I am knitting away at my "cherries and chocolate" scarf. It's so not neat and somehow I ended up with 36 stitches (is that what you call the noodles you knit?) instead of the initial 30, but it's my own work. Though I had dreams of grandeur in which I could already make a baby blanket right away, I decided that once I am done with this scarf, I will make another one for my mom!
I will keep you posted!

I love it, but not all the time

This past weekend, New England went thru the first big storm of the season. I have to admit, I love it when it snows on a late Friday afternoon! I love the expectation of it, the snuggling that follows the beginning of the storm, the hot cocoa and soup, the movies and the time spent with family! Most of our plans were cancelled due to the weather. We stayed home and while I was previously looking forward to spend time with our friends, I was really glad for the respiro! (It always seams that we run around for the holidays!)
Ok, so you might wonder when do I not like the snow? You guess it! I hate it on Monday mornings when you have to slush around to the train/car/bus to get to work! And it's cold, and dreary and no amount of hot cocoa would bring back the happy memories from the previous Friday when you had no worry in the world!

Stay warm!

New tricks!

A and I went to Vermont over the weekend and left C with my mom. Now, from what I remember, we left my mom in charge of a little girl. We came back to a little "monkey/Heine". Since this might sound a little strange, let me explain.
C is discovering her voice! It's hilarious to hear her figuring out all types of noises she can make! Her new thing is this high pitched scream that sounds just like a Heine (or at least what I imagine a Heine sounds like since I have never really encountered one!)
Though we are still exhausted each and every day, it's becoming more and more fun to be a parent. I am amazed each day at how quick kids learn things. I never really understood what people meant when they say kids are like sponges... Now I really do.
I am looking forward to more and more stepping stones...

Looking forward...

To Vermont this weekend. A and I are taking the first trip without the "noodle" as my friend K calls my daughter. I am ecstatic and excited (probably more at the though of sleeping 2 whole nights without any interruptions for pacifier retrieval)! And I am nervous in the same time. Luckily my mom will be taking care of her!
I think one of the challenges once you have kids is to plan and have time alone as adults with your partner. So much of our time is now spent with our daughter that even when we are alone we tend to talk about her.
Will let you know impressions when we come back.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Brrr!

Have you noticed how cold it got? I did not wanted to get out of bed today in the morning.

I took my winter jacket out of the closet today, and I am wearing furry boots, and a scarf. I should have taken out my gloves as well.
I love the holidays, but hate the cold weather.I am getting more and more used to it (can you really do that?), but I still remember my first year in Boston after we got married. I cried every single day for 3 months straight, from being so cold all the time. My ideal weather would be a perpetual 70 degrees (not too hot and not too cold, just perfect!) and it would only snow for Christmas!

How are you dealing with the cold?

Another meal for a steal

I know, I already skipped a week in writing about my new culinary experiences, and I guess I have no other excuse but being beyond exhausted.
But here is what I tried this week on Monday and it was yummy and cheap to make.

Peanut butter LoMein noodles (makes enough for 4 servings)
3 - 4 palm size pieces of lean pork or beef cut in thin slices (if you freeze the meat for 5 minutes it makes it easier to cut it thin)
1 big carrot, julienned (cut in thin strips)
half a green or red pepper julienned
4 scallions julienned
1 can of mushrooms
1 cup of peanut butter (we liked the smooth one, but if you like some crunch to your food, by all means use the crunchy peanut butter)
1 box of whole wheat pasta (cooked and drained)

Cook the meat in a little bit of olive oil. Add the carrots, pepper and scallions and let them cook for a minute (we like a bit of crunch to our veggies so I don't let them go too far). Add the mushrooms, the peanut butter and a cup of water (the one you cooked the pasta in). Let simmer for a few minutes. Add pasta and stir well to coat all noodles with the sauce.
Serve and enjoy!

I liked it because it was quick, inexpensive and it tasted yummy. I get in the mood for some "Asian" inspired foods often and this one hit the spot!

My new kick!

Maybe this is old news for you, but I have recently discovered "iron ons tranfers"/ For someone who can't saw a straight line if life would depend on it, iron on tranfers are such a kick! I was always proud of my abilities of creating nice looking jewelry (yup, here some patting on my back!), but was always bumped out that I can't make anything nice for all the babies that are coming up (it seams like our whole family and friends are getting pregnant in the same time). The other day I was browsing Joanne's for some fleece material (I am trying my hand at some blankets for my very pregnant sister in law) and saw the cute iron on tranfers for babies.
So I purchased a bunch along with some white onesies and made some. I am so proud of my handy work that I will take some pics tomorrow and even attempt to post them here! Let me know what you think!

Something new each week!

Last night I have finally decided to clean my recipes drawer in the kitchen. I always cut things from magazine, print out from the Internet... but never get to try them and decide if they should be on my repertoire cycle or not.
Last night I was determined to try something new for dinner. And I found this new thing that Rachel Ray does on her show called "meals for a steal". Since our grocery bill is my new pet peeve, I am always on the look out for healthy, cheaper meals ideas. And this one is a winner and a keeper. It took less than 30 minutes to make and it was delicious. This is my slightly modified version of it, but if you want to make it just like RR you can find by going on the web of her day time show "The Rachel Ray show".

Chicken, chickpeas, curry bowls

Brown 1 lbs of ground chicken (I used turkey since that's what I had in my fridge).
Add 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced and let cook for 5 minutes.
Add 2 tablespoons of curry powder and let simmer for 1 minute
Drain 1 can of chickpeas and add to the meat.
Add 1 can drained diced tomatoes
Add 1 cup of plain yogurt (I did not use any since I had none, but honestly I can see how the yogurt would compliment this dish), salt and pepper to taste (note: curry powder might be a little spicy, so if you don't do spicy foods, skip the pepper)
Let everything simmer for couple of minutes and then add some chopped parsley (or cilantro if you prefer, I hate it so I replaced it!)

Boil some white or brown rice and serve the meat mixture on top of the rice. I used the boil in the bag brown rice and it was delicious!

As I try more and more recipes each week, I will try to post them here. Some healthy, cheap meal ideas never hurt anyone, right?

Finally!

After months and months of research and agonizing stress, we have finally purchased the second car for the family: a 2006 Honda CRX (and some other letters that I can no remember). To fully understand my excitement let me tell you my schedule from last Tuesday when I need it the car for some doctors appointments:
8:00am drive Alan to work in Smithfield (no public transportation there!)
8:30am get lost on the way back home (of course I did not plug in the GPS!)
9:30am getting to the dentist
11:30am back home
1:00pm drive Chloe to the pedi appointment
2:00pm get back home
5:30pm get back in the car and drive back to Smithfield to pick Alan up!
6:00pm arrive in Smithfield and wait for Alan
6:30pm driving back from Smithfield to Attleboro!

So, yeah, that day I felt that all I did was drive people around. Which I did!
Now that we finally have a second car I can plan to do and do grocery shopping on a Friday at 11am without having to think if the driving to and from Smithfield 4 times is worth the trip to Stop and Shop! Not to mention that now there is no need for several separate trips to the grocery store and to BJs. Honda's storage space is enormous (compared to what we have in the Ford) and I can still have my mom and C riding comfortably in the back!

And, since everyone asks me this: No, I do not care which one of the cars I get to drive. For all I care I could drive a bucket of bolts as long as I can do my thing... Though it will be nice to drive the Honda every once in a while.

Irreversible

Last night I got up (habit now) at about 2:30 am and waited to hear my daughter scream for food. Funny enough, I wished I could just go back to sleep, but my mind was racing, so it looks like I had one of those early morning, exhausted epiphanies.
I realized that since I had my daughter my life has changed. Completely, to the core and irreversible. And no, I am not talking about how your body changes from caring around another person inside of you (still can't wrap my head around that one, even after I went thru it). I am talking about the fact that my life is not my own anymore, my time is not my time anymore. My priorities are changed. And for someone who thrives on order bordering on OCD, it's a hard change. I love being a mom, I would not traded for anything, but the fact that I have to plan my life in 4 hours intervals so I can make sure that C eats enough, it's a hard adjustment. Picking up and going, is not an life option for us anymore. Everything takes thinking and planning! And don't even get me started on the packing for a short trip. Though I keep it to a minimum, it still amazes me the sheer amount of clothing that needs to be packed for a 4 months old baby!
I don't regret for a minute the transition to motherhood. I think it has been good for me. I am still working on learning that I do not need to be supermom (nor can I really be that), I am learning that it's ok to ask for help (always a hard one for me) and to be ok with not having everything perfect (aka, vacuuming every day...). The last 4 months had been a learning process for me, and I know it will continue in the years to come.

Christmas already?

If you are one of my friends, you already know that I love Christmas! I love the atmosphere, the trees, the lights, the cooking (thank goodness for my mom this year since she will be making all the yummy dishes we grew up with for Christmas), the spirit! I just love it all!
But, and this is a huge one, I hate that here in America we rush into everything. I can't believe that for the past month or so every time I go into a store I already see decorations and all the works! What happened to Halloween, or Thanksgiving? And it's like that with all the holidays! I mean, I get it, it's marketing strategy and all that, but do we really need to see Easter Bunnies in January? Or Christmas trees in July?

I hate that we are all so focused on getting to the next step that we forget to enjoy the now! Even in the day to day life, we are focused on the future. How to save more, how to plan the next vacation... (I am not advocating for no savings or no vacation plans), what college our kids will go to... you get my point!

So my decision? Is to really take time each and every day to stop and remember that today is about today and that I will worry about tomorrow when that comes...

I love fall!

If I would have a choice, life would be a perpetual fall. I love this time of the year and here are some reasons why:
1. The foliage. Unless you have lived your life under a rock, you know that fall in New England is amazing! I love the bright colors, the reds, the yellows, the orange! I love seeing whole trees looking as if they are on fire!
2. Apple picking, pumpkin picking, apple pies, hot cider... Need I say more?
3. Being able to wear cashmere and hand knit sweaters and soft fuzzy fleece!
4. Fall means that the holidays are approaching. I love Halloween and Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have always been a sucker for the holiday, so the fact that they are fast approaching makes me so happy!
5. Snuggling under a blanket to watch a movie with some hot tea or cocoa in hand!

I could go on and on, but I should probably get going with work!

Freak accident, or happy nights coming?

I had to write about this! My daughter C, slept thru the night both on Friday and Sunday night! Ok, so she skipped Saturday, but what can I say, she is only 3 months old! Even if you are not a parent yourself, I am sure you understand my excitement for a full night sleep. Counting the uncomfortable last 3 months of the pregnancy, I have not had a decent, more than 4 hours stretch night sleep! And, yeah, I admit, if I am cranky, everyone get cranky!
So I am praying with all my might that she is finally getting to the point where 3am feedings will be a thing of the past!
Cheers!

Sort of random

Sometimes I have a hard time sleeping. Usually when I am very tired, which seams to be my normal state of being lately! So while I stay in bed and pray for sleep to come (knowing very well that I will heavily pay for my inability to fall asleep in just few hours when C decides she would like some food!), my mind spins. Last night, I was thinking that I have to do C's laundry. And then for some reason I started thinking of all the things you are supposed to pun on her mattress. So let's see:
1. The mattress protector. So that when she has accidents she does not wet the mattress. Mind you, she does wear a diaper...all the time, so accidents... not so much!
2. mattress pad. Not sure why and what this might do, but if you look at baby registries you have to get one!
3.the sheets. Ok, I get this one since you don't want to sleep on a bear mattress
4. a sheet protector. I understand that changing sheets is not fun (especially at 2am!), but really? Something will get ruined. Does it really matter if it's the mattress protector, the sheet or the sheet protector? If it's really bad, you have to replace it anyhow...!

I don't get it. But it's so easy to get caught up in all this craziness of getting everything under the sun for your child. So if you see me getting to that point, please smack me over the head and remind me that college is expensive!

What can you do in one minute?

As my life has become more and more hectic with a 2 months old at home, I realize that I have learned to do things quicker. Some are great, others not so great, but here is a list of things that I have learned to do in one minute flat!
1. eat lunch (hard to believe, but totally doable when the child screams bloody murder for no reason!)
2. wash 2 plates and 2 mugs (using lots more dish detergent than I used to, but none the less the dishes are done!)
3. fall asleep! This one is a given when you are sleep deprived
4. take a shower! Granted there will be no conditioner used, or exfoliate, or anything else fancy. Just plain soap and water
5. find the "lost, under the couch, the cat stole it" pacifier.

I am sure there are many other things I have learned to do in one minute. But my brain is way too fried from not enough sleep to think of some more.

Cheers!

Buni is coming!

Buni (Romanian for grammy, my mom) is coming tomorrow. I have not seen her for over a year now! And she has not seen me pregnant, not has she yet met her new grand daughter. She is over the moon excited and has been counting the hours this whole week (and calling me with the count down each day!)
I am excited to have her here for the following 6 months! Yup, you read that right, it will be 6 months. I love her dearly and she will be a huge help, but I am nervous all the same, just because I am not used to have her around in my house, living with us. My husband, A is blissfully ignorant of the Romanian language, so I am the only one she can communicate with (she likes to think she understands and knows English, but really she can't!)

So next time you come over to visit, you will get to meet my mom. She is funny and loving and can cook like no one else I know! So get ready to have some fun and some yummy Romanian dishes!

Romanian style credit card

I grew up in a communist, third world country, where the phrase " carrying plastic" has no other meaning, but that you caring around a bunch of plastic items! I always tell my husband A that he is lucky he married someone who at the age of 24 had no idea how a credit card works! At least not the conventional ones.
While Romania, much as the rest of the Eastern European countries, is today getting more and more Westernized (you know, McDonald's, Starbucks, credit cards, bank loans...)I realized that as I was growing up, we did have a form of credit card. It was called "borrowing money" from friends and family. In perspective, it was the best deal ever, nobody would ask for interest! Normally in our culture you were either someone who always had to ask money from friends and family, either someone who always had the money to give (I have no idea how some people afforded to lend money to others during the communist years and even much after, but that is another story in itself).
Even today, I still have friends, who I would ask how were they able to afford a certain thing (strangely that is not a crass thing to ask in my culture) and they would say "oh, I borrowed some money!" I actually have friends who would rather take a vacation/buy a new perfume/new clothes than budget for food. And savings? Who are you kidding? There are way to many things to do now with the money I might or might not have, so who cares about tomorrow!

Just a little glimpse into where I come from!

Still here!

Yup, I know I have fall off the face of the Earth. Honestly, not really my fault. In our desire to make the most of our money, we have decided to switch from our current phone carrier to a different one (TMObile at home is awesome!), but in the process things got screwed up and we ended up with no internet connection for almost a month (long story short, but from our perspective, Verizon is a terrible company!).

Today, C is a little older than 6 weeks and I still can't believe it! It has been such an interesting ride, with lots of ups and downs for me (trust me, listeting to a screeming infant for 2 hours is a down no matter how much you love them!).
What have I learned in the past 6 weeks? Here is a list of it (here I go again with lists), in no perticular order:

1. To say "diapers" when people ask what they could buy for C when they come and visit! While I like the idea of cloth diapers, reality is that I just like the idea of it! I looked into it and I can't see myself dealing with that all day long! So, we end up spending lots of money on disposable diapers, so much so, that my husband A is considering adding it as a separate item line in our budget!

2. To chill out about the bathroom not being sparkling clean, or the unmade bed, or the dust on the coffee table. While I spend the day at home with C, you would think I would have plenty of time to do all the house work too! Not so fast! Between feedings, changings poopy diapers, pumping, changing her outfits 5 times a day (the child can spit!), waking up in the middle of the night for feedings, I am so exhausted that I can't think! So at the end of the day, who cares about the dust on the coffee table?

3. To master making dinner while holding C with one hand. Or trying to do the same while suffering thru her screeming "bloody murder" sessions. For no reason at all, other than being borred!

4. To feel ok about letting her scream in her crib/pack and play! Sometimes there is nothing you could do for her... I have learned that I am not a terrible mom for doing that, but just adjusting to life with an infant.

5. To go grocery shopping/run any other errand with C! I am actually very proud of myself for being able to feel her with one hand, while pushing the cart with the other and adding stuff to my cart! (it looks ridiculous, but it works for me!)

6. To be excited for 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night! Thank goodness for A and the fact that we have a system and take turns, otherwise I would have been a gonner by now!

There are many more to add, but I have to run and feed her! (again!)

More than the milk maid!

Ok, so I am having issues... It seams like my days are a haze of feeding, changing diapers, and sleep deprivation (that is the big one!). Not that i am complaining (ok, maybe just a little). I love C, we wanted her, we tried hard for her! I am thrilled to be a mom! (except when the hormones get the best of me and I loose it!) But I am also trying to figure out how to be more than just the milk maid. I am still trying to figure out who I am now that life has changed. Much as I love my daughter, I don't ever want to become one of those women that can only talk to other people about their kids! (it works for some people, don't get me wrong, it's not a bad comment directed at any one!). So I am still reading and watching TV and trying to find interesting thing to occupy my mind. I am trying to be me and then some! I will let you know when I find a happy medium and how did I get there!

Now I have to run! The guy is coming to measure our windows to replace some of them!

A little bit intimidating!

Today is the first day alone with C. After 2 weeks of being with us at the hospital and home, my husband A need it to go back to work! Still doing night shift feeding duty and waking up at 6am is not easy, but he is such a trooper! I can't tell you how much my respect for him grew the first time I saw him feeding and holding C!

Anyhow! I decided to grab on my little bit of courage and strengh and take the little one to the nearby park. My hope? That I will find some other moms going thru the same scary parts of motherhood, so we can exchange ideas and stories and have our kids play together (ok, that might come later since C is just being pushed around in her stroller!)
So, I went. To the park! And there were moms around! And while it felt intimidating to say hallo to complete strangers, I figure I could pull it off since I did not look out of place (remember, I am pushing C in her stroller!). I had hopes for this outing! The sad part? Well, none of the women seamed remotely receptive to being friendly! Ok, I was not expecting any warm hugs (I might be hormonal, but I still have my brain!), but I was at least hoping for small talk. Like, how old is she? Or what's her name? Or whatever! And I got nada! Zip! Nilch!

Am I a little down about it? You bet I am! But I am determined to try some more! One of A's cousins by marriage suggested this mom's club international. So I sent the local Attleboro group an email! I will keep you posted on how that one goes!

Later!

She is finally here!

Ok, so I never got time to actually write last week when C came home after she was born, but I am writing today. Considering that I just gave birth less than 2 weeks ago, that's pretty impressive!

What can I say! There is not enough friends, relative, strangers stories that can prepare you for the birth of your first child (or second, or third, not that I can actually think of that now!). It's painful (thank goodness for modern medicine and drugs, otherwise I would have been in prison for killing the nurse and the doctor and all the other people around me!), scary, exciting, impossible to understand and wonderful in the same time. There is nothing like seeing your husband (or significant other) holding your child for the first time! There is nothing like holding your child for the first time either! (and they lied, the impossible pain is still there even when you are first holding them, but it does not really register anymore!)

After 4 days of hospital stay, we came home! It's a little intimidating at first knowing that there is no more red buttons to call the nurse when you do not know what to do! She is crying? Well, your are IT! Is it worth it? You bet it is! At the end of the day, when we put C to bed, all snuggled in and warm, and the crazy hormone surges subside (nobody said anything about feeling crazy either!), we both thank God for trusting us with her and making our wish a reality! I worry! Each and every single hour of the day! But at the end of the night, I know that she will be fine, she will grow up to be a happy, good nature kid, who is kind and gentle and witty and funny! Why? Because I will do everything I can and even more to raise her that way!

If this is a little too mumble jumble for you, cut me some slack! I really am sleep deprived!

Later!

Home stretch!

Well, at least I did not have to struggle too much to find some new activities to fill my days! Why? My mild pre-eclemsia is getting worse, so tonight we are going to the hospital to start inducing labor (the doctors will, I just come along for the ride!) I am scared to death (never did very well with events not planned long in advance), but excited none the less. Not only to see how our child will look like, or what type of personality she will have (I know that comes later, but you get the idea), but also to finally be able to get up from the couch without grunting and asking for help, to finally be able to walk and talk in the same time!
So, all of you get ready for phone calls from A on Monday. Keep your fingers crossed and everything else you might be able to cross!

Excited for the dentist appointment

Ok, even I know how sad and pathetic that sounds, but trust me after almost 3 weeks in bed rest, I would be excited if I would be allowed to walk to the corner store for milk! Tomorrow I get to drive (granted it's only 2 miles)and get out of the house! And I know what you think, that I should enjoy this time of peace now since the following 18 years after I give birth will be a non stop activity! But if you know me at all, you know that I hate to not do anything. Every night my husband A comes home from work and I get to tell him that I feel really useless! He keeps reminding me that growing the little beast is pretty important and that no one else could do it but me, and still I want to die each day! I read, I watch tv, I knit (making some progress with that scarf), and I make jewelry! But really could this fill any one's day for weeks at a time?

I know that in another month or 2 I will look back at this time and wish it back, but right now I am so bored with no being allowed to do anything I can't even tell you!!!
I am going to try and find some other activities to pass my time. And it's wicked hard to do so when your daily activities have to be limited to taking a shower and eating!

Later!

Still at home!

Each week it's a gamble, going to my doctor appointment. I am terrified each week that I will end up in the hospital again! (the last few appointments did not go that well, you never want to be in Boston alone with the doctor who tells you that you need to be admitted, and then have to call your husband who is in Providence and tell him to come and meet you at the hospital. Not only do you worry about the baby and your own condition, but now you have to worry about the husband driving down 93 in traffic, trying to get to Boston ASAP)!
So for the last few weeks of the pregnancy, I decided to make A my umbrella! Yeah, that might not make much sense, but let me explain. You know how it never rains during the days when you remember to bring your umbrella with you? Well, I am trying the same concept! Each Friday, A is working from home (such a blessing!) so he can come with me to the appointments. And guess what? This past Friday it worked! He came with me and I was fine and did not need to go to the hospital! (of course I know that me being fine is more a result of being in bed rest for the past 2 weeks, but none the less I should be allowed to choose whatever I want to believe!)

So I am hoping to keep playing this game each week! If I bring my umbrella with me, it will not rain! It never does!

Some goals!

Since I talked so much about making lists and how that makes me feel better, here are some of the goals I have till the end of the year!
1. finish knitting my first scarf! That might not sound like a lot to some of you, but for someone who never really knitted before, it's a big deal. My friend K showed me how to do it couple of weeks ago and while my arms hurt after 6 rows, I am hooked. I am hoping to reach my goal since I have to be in bed rest until C comes

2. find a "mom's group" in Attleboro. I imagine life with a baby will be incredibly great, but insane at the same time. While I love our friends and their kids, they all live about 1 hour away from us. Not quite the closest trip for some adult time (no worries, I will still make the drive for some play dates!). So I decided to start looking at some local groups that C and I can go once she is born

3. re-start my etsy store. The past year has been such a crazy one, and I never really had the energy to invest some time in my etsy store. Now that I can't be doing much anyhow, I would like to start taking photos of my stuff and list them up (I should probably start by making some jewelry first, ha?)

4. host the second annual jewelry party. Maybe sometimes in September, in the back yard, with some fun food and kids running around (not C, since she will only be few months old by then). This one is a difficult one, just because it's always hard to find enough confidence to invite your friends to see and maybe buy things you made yourself. But I will give it a try, the overwhelming positive response from last year will give me the courage to do so

5. come up with a solid plan on how to make sure that A and I spend time together alone once C is born. I am hoping that between all the "adopted" aunts and uncles, grandparents and friends, we could find some sort of time! I am a firm believer that remembering to be a husband or a wife will help you be a better parent

Wish me luck, keep your fingers crossed and ask me how I am doing with reaching my goals!
Cheers!

Being a list person

I am such a list person! Some people would call it obsession, I call it sanity.
My life is a huge "to do list". I have a list for grocery shopping (ok, not such a huge stretch), a list for chores in the house (and who does what), a list for Christmas presents (done well in advance), a menu list for each week (keeps me sane as I do not have to figure out what to cook after a whole day at work), a list of things to do at work, a list of things to ask my doctor when I have a visit, a list of things to ask my mom to bring when she comes to visit, a list of things that we still need for the nursery... you get the idea! My husband A will attest that there is always some sort of a list attached to the fridge in our house. I like being able to check off things that get done! It makes me see the progress!

Lists make me feel sane! Lists make me feel in control (yup, you could argue that I am a control freak!). For years I wished I was more of a spontaneous person. I always thought it's cool and "in" and artsy to be spontaneous. But at the age of 30 I have finally accepted that I like order and that living my life with no clear plans stresses me out. Now, don't think I am so completely boring. I like doing things: I like going to the beach, I like being at the zoo, I like hanging out with friends, I like having cook outs, I like lots of things. And I think A and I do lots of things. I just have to prepare and know about what we are doing in advance. Is that good? Is that bad? I don't know, I guess you could argue it both ways!

Have fun today! I have to run now and make a list of things I need from the grocery store this weekend! :)

PJs in public

I don't know, I guess I will have to file this one under "relaxed American tradition", but I just don't understand why some people wear their pjs in public. Today, on my way to work, I saw this woman on the bus who was wearing green stripped pjs (top and bottom) with an inscription that read "sleeping like an angel". Honestly, a skirt and a tshirt is the same amount of pieces that you get to wear and I am sure it would look less disturbingly in public.

I will never forget one Friday night about 6 months ago, when A and I went to have dinner at TGI Friday's (yeah, funny!). By no means, do I consider that place high scale or anything, but this guy came into the restaurant wearing black silk lounge pants that have huge all over red lips on them! Now, why would I want to eat my dinner looking at this guys pants (trust me, it was impossible not to stare!) Though in my country the sweat pants are for the gym, even that would have been better than what he was wearing.

So, my conclusion? Well, if you are going to be out in public, please make an effort! If not for you, at least for the people that are forced to see you!

Cheers!

Can't pull that off anymore!

I was thinking last night of all the normal, regular things that I used to be able to do before I got pregnant. And I came up with a list of things that at 31 weeks I can't pull off anymore. Here is comes:

1. I can't tie or put my shoes on anymore. Nor can I put any socks on. Thank goodness for summer and whomever invented flip flops and slip on shoes
2. I can't wash my feet
3. I sure can't bend down to pick up anything
4. I can't shave my legs properly since it involves some degree of bending and balancing your whole weight on one foot as the other one is propped up on the bathtub
5. I can't get up from the couch without some assistance (granted our couches are soft and cushy and you kind of sink into them, especially when you gained 18 lbs!)
6. I can't see my belly button! Trust me, I tried
7. I can't walk and talk in the same time! And not because suddenly I became stupid, but because I would huff and puff to the point where you can't really understand what I am saying
8. I can't stand the sight of roast beef or any other very pink cold cuts (you should see me at the store at the deli counter closing my eyes when the guy hands me the bag!)

I am sure things will return to normal, but my point is that nobody tells you that once your pregnancy advances, normal things became something that you need to plan around if you want to accomplish!
None the less, as much as I am scared to death and excited as well, I would not trade this stage of my life for anything!

Cheers!

Strange!

I know, I know, keeping up with the blog has not been my forte in the last 10 days or so! I have just been so busy at work and so tired afterwards, that I could never muster enough energy to actually write anything once I got home!

Over the past few weeks I have noticed a very strange phenomenon: people reading books while they walk! While I am all for reading, doing it while you are walking the streets can't be that safe. Only yesterday on the way from the train station, I saw thins guy almost getting hit by a car. He was so emerged in his book (I could not see what he was reading, but I hope it was good!) that he never noticed he was crossing the street and the cars were coming. Scary!
I guess I will keep my reading stationary... at least for now!

Cheers!

It's been 6 years!

Yesterday was our 6th wedding anniversary! A and I kept talking about the fact that time flies so quickly! I still remember the day he asked me to marry him in December of 2001 when I though May of the following year would not come soon enough! (that's when we actually got married). Here we are 6 years later, expecting our first child!

Life as a married woman has not been by any means perfect! I think we are just a normal couple, with ups and downs (yup, we do fight about stupid things too, just ask my friend K). We go thru good times and bad times, but at the end of the day we are always together. Has it been always easy? Goodness no, but I would not trade it for anything. Moving here for good 6 years ago has been a difficult decision, but I would still do it today in a heartbeat!

I am just amazed at how quickly 1 year, turns into 2 and then 3 and so forth! I am looking forward to write about our life in the following years and see what the future brings!

I can't be Martha Stewart

Not that someone specific asked me to, but I realized that society kind of expects us, women to be a Martha Stewart type!

Why do I say this? Yesterday I was asked (again) at work what my plans are for coming back after maternity leave. No matter how many times I say that I don't want to do a full time job anymore, no one is listening (at least it feels that way!). In a way it feels good to know that people value what I do enough to want me back, but in another way it's annoying to have to say the same thing over and over again.

Walking to the train station last night, I realize that society expects you to be a superwoman: have kids (working thru the whole pregnancy), take care of them but still hold a full time job, cook and clean the house and in your spare time decorate and do arts and crafts just like Martha Stewart! Yeah, it all sounds wonderful on paper, but reality is different, at least for me. I can barely drag myself thru a whole day at work, and though I like to cook, there are days when I ask my husband to have cereals for dinner because I could not muster enough energy to even stick a frozen dinner in the microwave! And don't even get me started on cleaning the house. That is a lost battle already!

So, my decision, is to do what I can, when I can, and forget about what society says I should be doing as a mom/woman/wife!
Easier said than done!

Fashion forward or just teenager strage?

Yesterday was such a gorgeous afternoon. The birds were chirping, the sun was out, the flowers are booming. I was all excited about walking to the train station (1 1/2 mile of huffing and puffing). But instead of enjoying the walk, I was completely puzzled by these 2 teenager girls (probably around 16 or 17 years old) walking in front of me. The both wore identical outfits (I am pretty sure they were not siblings) of very short shorts (short enough that I do not think bending was a possibility) with spaghetti straps half shirts, ugg boots (yup the furry ones!) and hats (the type you would wear during a winter storm!) Now I am not even going to touch on the fact that wearing the same outfit as your friend is a little far fetched for me, but come on... ugg boots and short shorts? It was way too warm for ugg boots and a little too chilly for shorts and tiny camisoles!

So for the whole way home I kept thinking that I must be getting really old since I could not wrap my little head around that outfit!

I still have a personal space!

It's very interesting to me how so many people think that pregnant women do not have a personal space anymore. Let me explain my statement.
I have noticed that over the past few months, ever since my belly became to resemble a basketball, people have this desire to touch my belly all the time. And I do not mean my friends, I mean random people, the ones that you say "good morning" to at work, but don't exchange any other words at all, or even complete stranger who you have just met.
The other day, this woman whom I have seen in the office but have never talked to, came up to me and said "oh, you are pregnant" and proceeded in rubbing my belly! I can not even tell you how disturbing that is! I mean, I am ok with friends touching my belly, especially if they ask before, but complete strangers?

My husband A mentioned a while ago when I first complained about this that next time when it happens I should touch their bellies as well. And guess what, my resolution after the last uncomfortable encounter is that I am going to do so! I am just not sure how I could tell people that being pregnant does not equal with no personal space or a sign that says "please touch and rub my belly"!

Pregnancy brain

For the past 10 days I have been agonizing over the fact that I can't find my house and car keys. All I know is that I came home one day, I let my self in, and then the next morning I had to call my husband to ask him about the spare key to the house as I could not find mine. I have been streesing over the fact that maybe I came in the house and left the keys in the door and someone took them and now our house will be broken in. Loosing my keys coincided with some of the neiborhood kids breaking one of the exterior windows in our sun room (no, we have no idea who did it). So for the past 10 days I have been coming home and thinking that I will have to call the police to report a break in.

Mind you I have been looking for the keys in all imaginable places: behind the couch, in the cat's litter box (don't ask), under the tv stand, in all my other bags, even in the fridge (yup, I have put my keys in the fridge before)! Could not find them!

The situation changed today in the morning when I went to get my new pair of flats from the drawers. The keys were in one of the shoes! I have no idea how they got there, or when, but Alan and I got a good laugh at that!

Now I know for sure that what they say about pregnant women being spacy is true and not just an excuse that they came up for all the things we do backwards!

Cheers

Puzzled

Yesterday my husband and I decided to go and check up some stores for some much need it "crib purchase ed". We ended up in this one store that one of our friends recommended (beautiful furniture for babies, but wicked expensive in my opinion as I do not think that the baby's furniture should cost as much as our bedroom set) where A noticed that some of the crib sheet sets were more expensive that the crib. We were both puzzled to see this great looking set for girls (you know, the fitted sheet, bumper, ruffle and the blanket) for $399! No, I am not making it up, it really was $399!
I just don't get it. Obviously there is much less material need it, and the embroidery, as cute as it was, it was certanly not worth $300! My only explanation for the crazy price was that parents really get influenced by the whole crazy idea that their kids have to have the absolute best! I am all for my child to have nice things and usefull things, but do I really have to spend $400 on sheets to feel like I am a good mom?

On a side note, my own sheets cost about 10% of that amount since I have no problems with buying them at Target when they are on sale!

"Can I ax you a question?"

I just do not get it! I work in the research unit in one of the big hospitals in Boston, so the my coworkers are mostly highly educated people, you know the ones with 2 degrees and lots of letters after their names. None the less some of them would approach you with "can I ax you a question?"! Every single time when I hear that, I have this vivid imagine of a low budget 80's horror movie in which lots of heads and limbs get chopped up! It makes me cringe and my poor brain hurts!

By no means I would say that I am an expert in the English language. After all it is my second language, but if you know anything about Eastern Europe, you would know that we learn English in school. And yes, it is not the most "current, hip" version of English, but at least it's proper! I can only imagine how I would have been smacked upside my head if I would have said something like that to my English teacher. Not to mention that she would have made me write all the forms of the verb "to ask" 100 times until the next lesson!

I read this article the other day, that it's considered bad manners to correct somebody's grammar! But is it really? I would rather have someone pull me aside and point out my mistakes (in a respectful manner, of course) than to continue to sound like a street smachk!

So what do you think?

Looking towards the future

As I was traveling with the train in the morning and C. decided to let me know she is also awake and would like some activities I had this vivid image of my kid in 3 or 4 or 5 years from now on running around at Kenny Bunk with a bunch of other kids. (Just a side note, my in-laws have a trailer there). I don't know what she will look like (my husband A was mentioning the other night that he can't picture that either), or what will her personality be. But for some strange reason I kept thinking of my friend K and her stories about her childhood when she and her brothers spent a whole summers at a camp ground with the grandparents. And then I could picture A and I buying a little pop up trailer and traveling with the kids during the summer vacations (yes, we would like more than one, even though this one is not around yet).

It's amazing how much one's perspective over life changes when it's not only about them anymore. It hit me the other night that life will sure be completly different from now on. Don't get me wrong, I don't regret it, and I would still do it in a heart beat, but unknown still scares me!

Reaccuring

For some strange reason, ever since I have gotten my licence I have this reaccuring dream that I am on 95 driving on the wrong way. You know the movie Matrix? The second part? When Trinity and Morpheus are on the highway trying to escape the agents, and Trinity turns the motorcicle around and starts going against traffic? Well, that would be me (I whole lot less cooler looking than her, though). I have no idea why I dream this all the time since nothing could posses me hard enough to ever be doing that. Driving is a lot of fun, but my dream is so real sometimes that when I get behind the wheel I have to remind myself to make sure that I drive on the right way of the street!

Later!

That's not what I was asking for

As teenagers my brother and I used to bicker to my mom (half jocking and half serious) that she did not manage to give birth to us some thousands of miles away from where we were (Romania). Trust me, growing up in a country under Communist times, where everyone is watching and spying on everyone else, you would have bickered too! Funny enough, years later, my wish came true. I now live close to Boston, thousands and thousands odd miles away from Romania. The problem? I wish I was more specific in my bickering and asked for some warm climate thousands of miles away, like California!
My father in law called yesterday from Florida to tell me (more like rubbing it in) that he was at the pool, warm and cozy with a cold beer in hand. That made me think even more of how much I hate the cold weather in Boston that lasts until May. Ok, maybe my dislike is also based on the fact that I got to the point when completely buttoning my winter coat is not possible anymore, so there is aways some sort of breeze (I do refuse to buy a maternity winter coat just for few more months!)

So, please do pray for some warm, sunny weather coming our way!

Salem Falls

I am reading this book by Jodi Picoult, "Salem Falls". First I have to say that I am a huge fan of her work. There is something very "real" about her work. Now back to the book I am reading, I am not going to spoilt it for you, but the story is about a guy who gets accused of rape twice. The striking thing for me is how the little things we do in life can be twisted and turned around against us. How the most innocent things we do could be taken out of context and used for a conclusion completly different than the reality. I am firm believer that there is always a cause and an effect in all we do. We might not always understand the cause, but there is always one. We might not always like the effect of our actions, but there is always one!

Trust me if you have not read anything by Picoult, it's worth trying.

He ate my breakfast!

You know that thing that we all said when we were in school and did not do the homework? "The dog ate my homework!" Well, this is a stretch from that, but Poomba ate my breakfast in the morning. At least part of it. I have made a ham sandwich to eat when I get to work (yes, I know eating a ham sandwich for breakfast is strange, but so is eggs, steak and cheese!) and put it in my purse. When I came back from brushing my hair he was already in there biting from my sandwich, wrapping and all. Since I had no time to make a different one, I had to wait until I got to work and then cut off the piece he chewed on it. Ok, it was pretty yuchoo, but I was hungry!

I bet if we are not going to pay attention he will share the cereal with the baby in the future!

So much better!

There is no other way to say this, so here it is: WE ARE HAVING A GIRL!!! At the end of the day neither one of us really cared what we were going to have (after all the treatments to get here we were not about to start being picky!), but now that we know, I am sooo excited that it's a girl. My friend Stef's daughter, A, will finally have another girl to play with (ok, in couple of years, but still).

I called Alan's parents and told them about it. They are living for vacation in Florida (Disney) in couple of days and already warned both of us that they will be buying lots of Minnie and Snow white items! Alan's dad is too funny! He is so proud and excited to be a granpa!

Well, I better run back to work.

Preparing for tomorrow

Tomorrow is the day when we get to not only figure out if our baby has all it's supposed to be having (2 kidneys, one whole heart, a whole brain, 10 fingers and toes... you know the drill) but we also find out if the baby is a SHE or a HE.
I think and hope for a girl, but I do not really care at the end of the day as long at we are healthy.

I don't know about all this pregnancy thing! Each day I go between being ecstatic to being paralyzed with fear of something going wrong. I know all pregnant women go thru this, but boy it's scary when it happens to you. I try hard to calm myself down and remember that gazillions other women had healthy babies, but the fear of unknown can not be easily calm down. Luckily I have some very good friends (thanks K!) who listen patiently to my every other day bickering and remind me that I will be OK!


So if you are around and awake tomorrow morning at 7:30am, please send some good karma my way!

Little piece of yummy home!

After looking around in the fridge on Saturday morning, I decided that we need few essential things to make it thru the week. So I decided to just run quickly to the neighborhood mom and pop grocery store called Seabra. I always get the flyer in the mail, and think "that's a good price" for whatever, but never really went.
The store looks exactly what you would expect. Nothing high end or fancy, with some brand names and lots of "unknown" brands as well (note: unknown brands do not bother me, lots of times, in my opinion, you get the same quality product even if it't not "barilla"). The biggest surprize in the store is that they have lots of imported foods! That is always exciting since I am always on the look out for Eastern European foods!

I went to the deli counter for some cold cuts for lunches and I saw this thing called "smoked pork ham". Now, it looks to me like half of the stuff at the deli counter are labled as "smoked ham", so i am always confused of what I should be getting. But this thing looked awefully a lot like this Romania cold cut meat called "muschi file". So I asked the lady behind the counter to let me taste a tiny slice. You can not imagine my surprise and delight (along with the poor woman's funny look at my "victory dance") when I realized that it tasted just like what "muschi file" does!

To better understand my excitement over a piece of ham, try imagining growing up with peanut butter and jelly and loving it. And then moving to a country where they have never heard of it! How would you feel if out of the blue you find a little store that sells it? Now granted, there are so many yummy foods here, but i still miss the cheese and the cold cuts meats from Romania. That's pretty much all I eat when I go home to visit.

Needless to say Alan and I ate a whole pound of that stuff (for bfast, lunch and dinner). I can't wait to go back this weekend to get more of it. Oh, and the other great thing is that they have lots of imported cheese too!

I have found my little piece of home heaven!

Growing pain!

No, I am really not referring to the obvious growing pains due to the pregnancy, but more to the emotional growing pains as one's life changes.

You know how sometimes you have those flashes of realization? Yesterday as I was walking home from work, I kept thinking how much my life has changed in the past 6 years. Moving across the world from Bucharest to Boston was a difficult thing. The hope and determination of going back to Romania each year kept me sane. And we did just so. We pretty much went back each year to visit my family and friends. But funny enough, each year was different. I think it took me a while to realize that life moved on and what I was holding onto were just memories of how things and life used to be in the past. Not only did I change, but so did my friends. So each year it was a little bit more of a bitter sweet experience.

Last night I realize that my desire of going back home each year is more than even a futile effort of holding onto something that doesn't exist anymore. Things had changed dramatically: my brother visits each year, my mom is getting ready to come and be with us for a while after the baby is born, some of my best friends moved away to different parts of the world. So, with growing pains, I have finally let go and accepted that it's ok for life to change! Are we never going to go back to Romania? No, of course we are going to go, but I am finally ok with not making it a point of going back each year. While I love my family dearly, I am finally ok with realizing that my life and family is here with A and the soon to come baby!

I can't even tell you what a world of possibilities this realization opened up for me. My mind is still spinning with all the options!

Later!

I do not get it!

This past Saturday A and I went to one of his cousin's wedding. It was a late one, but fun none the less. Unfortunatelly jumping up and down on the dance floor with an ever expanding belly is not very comfortable, so A and I were happy to chill at our table and hang out with some of the other family members.

Now for the strange part of this wedding. The groom's parents (the bride is A's cousin) gave the new couple a very nice gift: they paid for their honeymoon in Costa Rica. You might think: that is a very nice and generous gift! Yup, I would tend to agree with you, but here was the catch (you knew one was coming, right?): the groom's parents are going too! No, I am not halucinating, or making it up. The groom's parents paid for the honeymoon... for the 4 of them!!!

Now, who does that? What parent wants to be going in their child's honeymoon trip? And why you as a child would accept something like that is also beyond my understanding. I mean, can't you say:" Gee, mom and dad, that is a very generous offer from you, but rather buy me a couch and let me be with my wife alone in my honeymoon!"

You can only imagine the discussion at our table that night. All I am going to say (in order to keep it as G rated as possible) is that I don't think that the groom's parents will be grandparents any time soon!!!

He must have been human in another life!

Sometimes I swear my cat Poomba must have been a human in another life! I know cats have very strange habits in general, but I do think Poomba thinks he is one of us. He wants to sit at the table with us (one paw on the table, sniffling the food), he pulls his food bowl with his paws to get it closer to himself, he sits on the toilet sit and watches me put make up on, he likes to jump in the shower while the water is running, he hates if you try to pick him up and he hates being covered by blankets! He watches tv so intensly sometimes that I can bet my life he actually follows whatever is going on during that CSI episodes and he has his favorite shows when he likes to come and cuddle on the couch with us (he is a sucker for American Idol!). He sure does have his own personality that is totally different than Timone's. The fact that Alan and I pretend that he has his own voice (yup, we know we are strange) probably makes it even stranger! Goodness I wish I could be in his head sometimes!

Cheers!

Is it only my mom?

So, I love my mom. With all my heart. We have a great relationship. I grew up knowing that she is not only my mom, but also my friend and that I can tell her anything.

Then were is the problem you might wonder... I got married 6 years ago and moved away to another continent. Though I have been gone for all this time, in my mom's mind I am still 17 years old, not knowing what I am doing. Now, mind you, I am not old at all, I am only 30 years old, not that I know everything, but I think I managed to get a grasp of what I am doing. I don't know about you, but 90% of the time she does not listen to what I say. I would make my point and then she would continue the conversation as if I have never spoke! Details are really not important in regards to what our conversation was, though I will say it has to do with the baby! She drives me over the edge with no fail every single time.

I know she loves me, I know she raised me and she wants the best for me, but really why can't I be left to make my own stinking decisions and mistakes! While the saying "learn from other's mistakes" is cute, I really do not think it has life applications for me! I am all about being wise, but ultimately I really do not learn lessons unless I really make my own decisions and conclude that it was the wrong thing to do.

Is it only my mom, or yours are the same? God I hope I am not the only one in this situation!

Fun Saturday!

Saturday we went over our friends, K and D to go bowling, eat some food and play some card games (Alan and I got them addicted to this cards game called nerts, a 4 way version of solitaire!).

K and I really suck at bowling (hope you don't get offended K), but it was fun to see the boys trying to outdo each other (in a friendly way since they are friends. Now, nerts game is a different story since I get wicked competitive and it's one of my fav games (sometimes I think that this baby will come out with a deck of cards really to kick some butt in the hospital nursery!). But D, took the cake on Saturday and kicked my butt!

I love hanging out with D and K and they even got the honorary title of aunt and uncle. Well, K passed with flying colors, D still has to prove himself (just kidding!)

See ya!

Visit with my brother

Most of you know that my whole family lives in Romania and it's a great treat when I get to see them. For the past few years, my brother has been coming once a year for some training somewhere in the US and then comes over to visit us. It's fun, but so exhausting in the same time. You might wonder why? Well, not because he is hight maintenance, or demanding, but because the time he visits us is the only time he goes shopping for anything (back home, my sister in law does all the shopping in the house...)
So, I have spend the last 5 days between Target, Old Navy, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Burlington Coat Factory, Walmart, the mall, Payless, The Shoe Depot, Borders, Game Stop, and then back to Target, Old Navy, the mall... you get the idea!
It was fun, but even for me it was all too much.

The very interesting thing was that while I though some of the things he was interested in were expensive (a pair of sneakers for $90 seams like a lot of money in my opinion), he was very excited at the prospect of not having to pay 5 times the price! Yup, surprizing as this sounds, you can actually find anything and everything in Romania, but 5 times more expensive than here. So no wonder I had to give my brother one of our bags to bring all his purchases home. As much as I hated going back and forth between the stores mentioned above, it was fun to pick up things for my niece and nephew and know that they will be excited about it. My niece is 4 and she all about pink and dolls, and my nephew is almost 9 and loves his Game Boy!

But al the end of the day, I am glad this is all over. Yes, I will miss having him around the house (I will not miss the snoring noises though), and having the chance to speak Romanian (yup, Alan still doesn't know much of it), but I am glad life is getting back to normal. As sad as this sounds, I am almost glad to be back at work to get some peace!

Cheers!

What phone service does she have? Cause I really want it too!

Yesterday I had one of those experiences when you do not know if you should just laugh or cry. Let me explain.

I take the commuter rail everyday. To and from work. I normally get a sit so I don't mind it. I get to read, bead and do a bunch of other things.
Yesterday I got on at my regular station, Back Bay. I did not get a chance to read one line of my new novel. Why? Well, this woman who was sitting about half a car behind me was having the loudest cell phone conversation I have ever heard. I don't think there is anyone that was in that car yesterday that does not know about Jason who is 20 lbs lighter than her, about Laura who is making out ok, but hates her job, about Jen who had her baby, a boy, Caleb... and the list could go on and on. I could see the people around me looking at each other, half surprised and half aggravated! None of us had a chance to say anything to her because she did not stop talking the whole way from Ruggles to Attleboro when I got out!

It never ceases to amaze me how oblivious some people can be. I have no problem with people talking on their cell phone. After all we are all free to do whatever we would like to. But I never understood why one has to be so loud that people around have no other choice but to listen. Trust me, she was so loud that you could not tune her out!

My conclusion to the day? Well, I wish I knew what phone service provider she had, because she had coverage the whole way. And if you had ever taken the commuter rail to Providence, it is widely known that 99% of people have no phone coverage from Sharon and well past Mansfield!

Later!

I have a window

For the past 1 1/2 years I had been working the same job. I love it, I would not trade it for anything. I love my co-workers and my boss, again I would not trade it for anything (except motherhood). But my desk sat between the back door of the office and 2 huge walls. I never knew if it was sun or raining outside. I would not see the light until the end of the day. Today we moved to a new building, 4 blocks down the street from where we used to be. And as silly as I feel about it, I am so excited to have a cubicle right next to the window. Now I get to be amused by traffic on Mass Ave (you should see it sometimes), and watch people trying to dart across the traffic! I have not had so much fun at work in a long time. And most importantly I have a window! Luckily no one really expected us to work today since I spent most of the day marveling at the fact that I can see outside.

Later!

Baby's heart!

Yesterday I heard the baby's heart. It was the strangest thing that has ever happened to me! I guess when you are sort of still looking like you had too many cookies for the holidays and not really pregnant, any confirmation that you are indeed pregnant help. Well, hearing another little heart beating helps!
Today is one the pregnancy milestones: I am finally 12 weeks along. I sort of started to feel more and more that this is real and that I can relax a little bit. But most days I am still scared out of my little mind.

Cheers!

New Year, new adventures!

Happy New Year! I am still hyperventilating over the fact that it's January again and I have no idea where another year went!

I am sure that the whole world knows by now, but just in case : I AM PREGNANT! After 3 years of treatments and shots and misery, it's finally happening. I am scared out of my mind most days (I alternate between freaking out that I will screw up somehow and my child will be all messed up, and freaking out that there is something wrong with the child and I am not sure how I am going to deal with it). When I am not scared out of my mind, I am mostly sick. But compared to the hell I have been thru with the treatments, being sick on a regular bases became a walk in the park (I know, kind of sad, but so true!)

My in laws were so excited over the news (we told them for Christmas)! So excited that we never got the chance to tell another person in the family. Everybody came over for Christmas day, and between my father in law and my mother in law, everybody found out about my condition! From them! Yup! We never really told anyone else in the family, cause we never got the chance for it! I was not sure if I should be laughing hysterically about it, or just cry!

So this year is a big year for us. By the time Christmas comes again (sooner than what you might think) there will be a little baby Tux around!

Cheers!