5 Weeks to Go ... or Maybe Not!

I had my 35 week appointment today and my doctor told me that I should be “ready to go at any time” … seriously? Here I am worrying about the fact that we still don’t have a rug for the nugget’s nursery and my doctor is telling me that he could come any day? I’m so not ready! I know I’ve been saying all along that I’d rather not have to go all the way to my due date, but I was hoping to get a few more weeks in before I had to start thinking about his arrival on a more serious note.

So many of my friends have said that I need to have my hospital bag ready and with me at all times starting now just in case … but I don’t even know what goes in a hospital bag! Thankfully, my friend (and major resource) Jami, has given me a list: underwear, pads, change of clothes, toiletries, nursing bra (I don’t have one!), nursing pads (nope these either), Boppy, snacks (in case we’re there overnight), an outfit for the baby, a deck of cards/book/iPad etc. I then went online and Googled “Packing your Labor Bag” to see what else was recommended and came across even more: pillows from home, camera w/batteries, water bottles, wash clothes, list of people to text/call, lip balm, clothes for Brian, baby book for footprints/handprints, socks, baby blanket, insurance card, birth plan, Colace, flip-flops .. Holy cow! I really need to get on this task ASAP! One of the biggest things we haven’t done yet is install the car seat. I know you can’t leave the hospital without it in and I have been putting it off (like everything else) because I thought I had so much more time.

Now, realistically speaking, I know I could be freaking out over nothing. He might come any day or I could go the full 10 days past my due date. I think it’s more the unknown than anything that’s throwing me off. Given that my due date has changed 4 times, I could give birth any time  4 – 6 weeks from now – based off that I have anywhere from 2 – 8 weeks to juggle with. The uncertainty of when he’s actually going to arrive really gets to me – I’m a planner. I like to know things as far ahead of time as possible. I like to make lists and cross things off, put things on my calendar and know when they’re done … this whole “estimated due date” idea is just not up my alley!

I feel like there is so much left to do and now clearly not a lot of time so I’m going to just have to go back to my infamous list and start crossing things off according to importance rather than desire. While I would very much like to have a rug in his room and a bookshelf before he comes, those things drop to the bottom of the list now behind installing the car seat, washing his clothes, packing my bag and making sure my paperwork is all set with the leave department at work. Looks like I’m going to be a busy beaver the next couple of days!

Can’t even believe how close we are now! Hopefully I’ll be writing weekly “Bumpdates” for the next few weeks! Keep your fingers crossed for me that everything continues to go smoothly and that this little guy holds out just a bit longer!

Statistic Time! J

Mommy at 35 Weeks:

Baby at 35 Weeks:
Size: 18.5 inches and 5.5 pounds – from now on he’ll be gaining weight but not much in inches!
Development: Fat is continuing to accumulate (15% of  his body), hearing is fully developed and his skeleton is strong!

Symptoms at 34 Weeks:
Currently Craving: Back to cold things – ice cold water, slush, Italian Ice, ice cubes – anything that cools me off!  
How’s the Belly Looking: A little pointy, looks more and more like a football than this “watermelon” everyone says I have!
Braxton Hicks: Yup, occasionally although sometimes I’m not sure if it’s actually BH or if I’m just imagining it.
Heartburn/Indigestion: Nope! Yay! J
Headaches: Sadly these have made an appearance this week. I think mine are more from a lack of sleep and less water (oopsie), so I’ll have to pay more attention.
Clumsiness: I have a few “mystery” bruises on my legs and arms that I was contributing to diet (I tend to bruise easier when I don’t’ have enough iron) but now I’m thinking maybe I’ve been walking into things and not noticing!
Forgetfulness: I’m lucky I don’t leave the house without my head in the mornings! I can’t even tell you the number of times I’ve forgotten to let the dog out, put my rings on or even brush my hair … I guess pregnancy brain is a real thing.
Swelling: My feet are looking more flipper like these days. I bought a pair of Sperry’s thinking they would be better for walking than flip flops but unfortunately by 3pm my feet no longer fit in them!
Sleep: Little to none this week. I’m running on empty at this point. My doctor okay’d me to take Tylenol PM so I might give that a try tonight.
Stretch Marks: Still none … although most people I know didn’t get them until 4 weeks from the end so I’m a little nervous they may appear…
Baby-Related Purposes: Nothing new at this point.
Days Left:  35 (give or take depending on what this bugger wants to do!)

The Great Day-Care Debate!

Oh what I wouldn’t give to be able to stay home every day with my little nugget and still be able to maintain the lifestyle Brian and I are used to. Granted, if we gave up much of the frivolous things we spend money on it’s quite possible that I would be able to do just that, however, we like knowing that if we want to go out to dinner with friends we can, and it doesn’t break the bank when Brian needs a new pair of shoes for work (which happens every 3-4 months), or I want to get my hair cut.

That being said, we have known since the moment I got pregnant that daycare was going to be a requirement for us. And that’s where the debates, arguments and juggling began. Brian and I both work in Boston so the first thing we had to figure out was whether we’d do daycare IN the city or closer to home. The next item on the list was did we want a CENTER or an IN-HOME. Then onto, how much we were willing to pay for daycare, who would be responsible for drop off/pick up etc. It truly is a never ending list of decisions.

Once we started to nail down what we wanted I began making phone calls and inquiries. The first hurdle I came to (in mid-April) was learning that centers in Boston had infant waiting lists dating out to March 2014 … you do that math and tell me if that makes sense – people in the city put children on lists before they are pregnant – no I’m not kidding! The second hurdle I came to was cost, city centered daycares wanted anything from $500-800 a week or $26,000 - $42,000 PER   YEAR! I mean for that I might as well stay home! The last and final hurdle I came to was drop off/pick up… no way in hell was I planning on schlepping him to and from Boston on the train every day. So, with that an IN town daycare was out.

It was then onto daycare centers near home. Again, it was hurdle after hurdle. The first being how would we make it work. Even when I take the train roundtrip into the city, I’m away from home 11 hours a day. Most daycare centers have a max cut off of 10 hours a day, and many of them consider “full-time” to be 9 hours – anything over that and you’re paying a premium for the extra time (up to $60 an hour). The second hurdle was finding a center. Unfortunately for us, there really aren’t that many in our area (or in-homes for that matter). There are more pre-schools near us than anything, and the child has to be 2.9 years old to attend pre-school. From a cost perspective, the centers that we did find were a fraction of the price – wanting between $300-400 a week or $15,000 - $20,000 a year. We began thinking about what we could do to make this work – could I reduce my hours or possibly find something closer to home? Could we lean on our families to assist with drop-off/pick-up?

The more we discussed it the more stressful it became. I found myself wishing that all centers were created equal – that there was a master list out there of names/locations and you just had to say that one and you were good. But alas, no such list exists.

Finally, after getting recommendations from friends and family we happened upon Magical Beginnings in Middleton. My mother and I went for a visit and it was quickly clear to me I needn’t look anywhere else. One of the biggest draws for me is that the woman who runs the nursery program used to babysit for my sisters and me. If I’m going to put my child in a daycare center rather than an in-home, I take great comfort in personally knowing (and trusting) the provider. The center was clean, inviting and very secure – parents are required to be fingerprinted to access the building, there are security cameras everywhere you look and all external doors are locked (with the exception of the front door) all day. I instantly took to the director, she was funny and personable and I could definitely see my child attending their facility. Best of all, the price was perfect – just over $300 for a 9 hour a day, five day a week spot. Luckily, because of the proximity to my parents, my mother has generously offered to pick him up from the center after she gets out of work so we can avoid any overage charges and I don’t have to change my schedule.

In the meantime, my mother in law has also offered to watch the baby a few days a week (we’re still working on logistics) to help us off-set some of the costs! We are still hoping that Hannah will be able to watch him two days a week while she’s in school (before she goes abroad in the spring), and if that’s the case we can possibly hold off on enrolling him at Magical Beginnings until January.

My maternity leave is at the most 9 weeks, and I plan on returning to work November 4^th (unless of course we win the lottery between now and then!) so I have, for my own peace of mind, put down a deposit to hold a spot at Magical Beginnings starting in November. On the off chance that the nugget is too much work for either Hannah (dealing with 2) or my mother in law (11 hours is a LONG day) I like have the security of a spot in Middleton. If everything goes according to plan, our deposit will hold our spot in January as well when we are ready to enroll him! Then in the summer, my mother has said she’d take him 2 days a week! So for those three months, we will ask my mother in law to only do 2 days as well so she can have a bit of a break and then we’d keep the nugget in daycare one day.

I can’t even begin to describe how much of a weight has been lifted off my shoulders just knowing this much. We have time to alter our plans a bit should things fall through with Hannah or my mother in law (which I don’t anticipate) so I’m no longer stressed about it! Now it’s just a matter of outlining the new household budget to accommodate the new cost! J

It really is incredible all the planning that needs to be done before the baby is even here! I’m trying to take it one day and one thing at a time. I know it will get done and if we find we need more help, we are so blessed with an amazing support system (family and friends) that will pitch in!

With everything that gets done, I feel a bit more ready for his arrival. Just over 5 weeks to go!

34 Weeks (and 2 days) Update

How is it possible that the end of July is just five days away? It feels like we were just complaining about the cold and snow and here we are over half-way through the summer! It’s amazing how fast time goes by when you are anticipating something!

Last night I had dinner at my parents and Sarah was there with C. We got to talking about “easy” pregnancies and she said something that took me by surprise a bit. She said she’d had a very easy pregnancy (which is true) but that mine had not been so easy. Here I was thinking that it had been, but I guess in a way she’s right. While I haven’t had a lot of the usual suspects (if you’ve been keeping up you’ll know this to be true) I did have early SPD followed by horrible sciatica. Other than that my physical symptoms have been few and far between.

But… I would have to say for me the hardest part of my pregnancy has been emotional. In the beginning I struggled a lot (more than I’d like to admit) with the weight gain aspect. The last three years of my life have been about eating clean and working out to obtain a physique worthy of a body-building stage, so to watch it rapidly fade away knowing there was nothing I could about it was very difficult. Add to that the fact that I had only just suffered a miscarriage two months before (see post) it was a strange mix of feelings. On the one hand we were thrilled beyond belief, but on the other I felt so much guilt. Had I grieved enough for my babies, was I emotionally ready to possibly go through that again, were Brian and I in a good place… it was a lot to handle. I like to think I did it gracefully to the outside world, but I guess when it comes to family you tend to be a bit more honest about how you’re truly feeling.

The closer we get to the arrival of our son the more “soul searching” I do. It’s an interesting time to reflect on who I was before I got pregnant, who I am now and the type of mother I hope to be. At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter what I want – it’s going to be what my son needs that takes precedence and that is, in its own way, still a bit scary to me. I have such a short time left and there are days where I’m still unsure of certain things – but one thing I do know is how much I love this little guy and how excited I am to be his mommy!

Now for some stats! J  

Mommy at 34 Weeks

Baby at 34 Weeks:
Size: 18.5 inches and 5 pounds
Development: Oh Boy (literally)! His testicles (I’m sure he’ll love that I talked about his boy parts online someday) are making their way to their final destination! His fingernails are fully grown, his skeleton is continuing to harden and he’s peeing about a pint a day!

Symptoms at 34 Weeks:
Currently Craving: Nope J
How’s the Belly Looking: I think it’s stopped growing! Haha! Maybe I’m naïve but I don’t feel any bigger but it’s definitely tighter.
Walking vs. Waddling: Hannah has so kindly nicknamed me “Waddlesworth” – that’s all I have to say about that!
Braxton Hicks: I’m starting to feel these more regularly so my doctor has said to keep an eye on the frequency and intensity so we can rule out early labor.
Leg Cramps: Holy crap! Gave myself a Charlie-horse last night! Woke myself right the hell up! Definitely not fun!
Vision Changes: Nothing too bad, but certainly toward the end of the day my eyes get that “tired” feeling
Itchy Belly: Yes, and now when I itch it the sensation is bizarre. I liken it to when your foot falls asleep – just before the pins and needles kick in, that almost numb but not quite feeling – that’s how it feels.
Heartburn: No thankfully because I’d be so sad if I had to stop eating spicy foods!
Swelling: Same as the last couple weeks. I can definitely see the difference but I can also still fit into most of my shoes – although I’ve opted mainly to wear sandals and sneakers solely for the support/comfort/balance aspects.
Sciatica: Knock on wood … but NO!!! It’s gone! Every morning when I wake up I think maybe it will be back but so far so good!
Sleep: Sticking with my 48/24 rotation with this one.
Movement: He’s a mover that’s for sure. At this point though it feels more like pressure than anything. His most favorite thing to do is push as hard as he possibly can on the underside of my rib cage… real nice buddy, real nice!
Exercise: Sticking with my lunch time walks and using the stairs as much as possible. I have all but given up on any other form of exercise.
Stretch Marks: Still none … could it be that I possible get lucky with this? Maybe my gradual weight gain (of a literal pound per week) has helped in terms of slowly stretching rather than all at once?
Rings on or off: Wedding band is no longer – it doesn’t match my new engagement ring setting and oddly enough my right hand ring finger is larger than my left. So now, as Brian likes to remind me – it looks like I’m engaged and having a “shot gun” wedding! J
Baby-Related Purposes: His mattress, lighting and the wooden letters of his name! Things are starting to come together.
Days Left: 40 days and 40 nights … should I “give up” something? Haha!

 

I'm a Godmother!

This past weekend my family packed up our overnight bags and headed to Camp O-AT-KA in Sebago, Maine for Mr. C’s christening. It was a most perfect weekend. Our extended family and many of Sarah and Brian’s (yes her husband is also a Brian) friends joined us from all over to celebrate the occasion.

Sarah and Brian met at Camp O-AT-KA, and spent many of their early summers there, so it was only fitting that’s where the service would be. It was done in a small, rustic chapel on the camp grounds by the camp Chaplain. It was a short and very sweet ceremony. Following the service we all convened in one of the open picnic areas for lunch. Sarah and Brian had commissioned a Mexican food truck for the day – it was delicious and a very creative idea! Hannah made an incredible cake to top of the meal!

Brian "practicing" his feeding skills!
(out of respect for Sarah's privacy I have blurred C's face)

After we were all sufficiently fed, we headed back to Brian’s parents place in Newfield for an afternoon of swimming, boating, horseshoes and plenty of laughter. There was homemade lasagna, bread and salad for dinner and plenty of adult beverages to go around. The weather was fantastic – even with the quick sun shower that drenched a boat full of people J - and the day couldn’t have been more perfect.

The weekend was extra special for me as Sarah and Brian had asked me if I would be C’s Godmother. Of course I said yes – it’s an honor to be asked and I love that little boy so much of COURSE I would take on the role!

But then I started thinking … what exactly is a Godmother?

Catholic Doors defines the role of Godparents as follows: It is their duty to make a profession of faith during the baptismal ceremony for the one to be baptized, when necessary; and thereafter, to assume perpetual guardianship over the baptized and instruct them in the obligations of the Christian life, to insure fulfillment of baptismal vows. This obligation binds only when parents neglect to do their duty or die. Owing to the spiritual relationship which is created, the Church makes definite requirements by law for this honorable office.

My sister, however, defined the role this way: It is your duty to help us raise C in the eyes of God … and to buy him extra presents on his birthday and all holidays.

I know to some the latter might seem as though we’re making a mockery of the role of Godparent, but as people who wouldn’t consider themselves particularly religious that’s what it means to us.

When I was a child my family attended church almost every Sunday. We’d wake up in the morning, get dressed and head to the First Church in Wenham. My sister and I would sit through the first half of church with the adults, then our minister would tell a brief children’s scripture (so we understood what he had said earlier) and then we’d head to Sunday school. When church was over we’d go to the reception hour in the basement of the church before heading to my grandmother’s for Sunday dinner with all our cousins. It was a nice tradition.

As Sarah and I got older, and then Hannah was born, our family went to church less and less. We did however always make sure to go on Christmas and Easter. When we moved to our new home (almost 20 years ago) we left the First Church in Wenham and began attending the First Church of Danvers. Shortly thereafter, Sarah and I thought we were “too old” to have to go to church every Sunday and my mother stopped forcing us to go. She and Hannah continued to attend on a regular basis for another year or so before we all stopped going entirely.

In my teenage years, I felt as though going to church was a punishment of sorts, I had to get up early on a Sunday and sit through an hour of sermon when I’d rather be sleeping! As I’ve gotten older and especially now that we’re having a baby, I find myself wishing I’d continued with my religious education.

When Brian and I got married deciding where was definitely a challenge. His family (particularly his parents) are more dedicated to religion than mine so they really wanted us to get married in a Catholic church; my family didn’t particularly care, however my mother thought it was only appropriate for us to have a dual-officiated ceremony with a minister present as we are Protestant. Ultimately this is precisely the route we went. We were married in the church my husband where was christened , had his First Communion and was confirmed and a local Protestant minister was also on hand. We opted not to have a full mass as my entire side of the church would not have participated. It was a lovely ceremony.

Now as we begin to think about if and when we’ll baptize the nugget I’m starting to feel a level of guilt for not having church roots. I know there will be much discussion surrounding whether we’ll raise him Catholic or Protestant within our families and for Brian and me it’s a tough decision. Neither he nor I would consider us associated with any one religion at this point. We’ve only attended church together a handful of times and the majority of those have been either holidays or weddings. We both believe in God and have our own idea of what that means, but just have not maintained a regular presence. I know his parents will want us to Christen him Catholic (especially since we were married in a Catholic church) and mine would probably prefer we do a Protestant or non-denominational service similar to the one Sarah and Brian had.

One thing we do know is that wherever we decide to do it, will be a church of our choosing. We have talked quite a bit about beginning to attend church now as a couple so that when the nugget is born we’ll have a church of our own. We will not be attending a church that either my family or his are affiliated with. We want/need to start our own traditions and this is as good a place as any to start. Plus, we feel as though when it does come time to baptize the little one we’d like to know the priest/minister that will be performing the service.

Just one more decision in the long list of things to prepare for prior to his arrival!



Prince of Cambridge Who? A New Nephew is Born!

On Monday June 22^nd at 6:44am (EST) I became an auntie for the second time in six months! My sister-in-law Jacyntha gave birth to my nephew Ethan after a grueling 16 hours of labor that ended in a c-section. He is 8 pounds 10 ounces! Mommy and baby are both doing well!

I can’t even begin to describe how it feels to be an aunt. Before Charlie was born, I never really understood friends of mine that would say their nieces and nephews were their world. I understood that they loved them of course, but the depth of that love was something I could never fully grasp. But that was then…

I remember the first time I held Charlie, my heart literally melted! Suddenly I knew exactly what my friends had been talking about. That little boy instantaneously stole my heart and there was nothing I could do to stop it! (not that I’d want to). Something about holding your own sister’s child is miraculous. He was (and still is) this perfect tiny human with so much life ahead of him. Life that we, as his family, will be responsible for shaping and guiding, each in our own ways.

Ethan and his parents sadly live in California and with my due date rapidly approaching I’m not going to have the opportunity to meet him in person until Christmas time. We are making every effort to get Brian out there in the next few weeks, but with work commitments and the end of my pregnancy it’s a little tough. It breaks my heart to not be able to hold him and look into his sweet little face – but thanks to the advances in technology we were able to FaceTime with them last night. He is so beautiful I can’t even stand it! He definitely looks more like Mommy than Daddy right now!

It truly is amazing how something so small can change your life infinitely, and I’m just their AUNT! All I want to do is spoil the heck out of them and make sure they know every single day how loved they are!

Seeing the joy my nephews bring to their parents makes me even that much more excited for the birth of our son. I have joked with Sarah that I hope I’m as obsessed with my own child as I am with hers otherwise I’m in big trouble! And now, that feeling goes for Ethan as well. I haven’t even met him and he’s all I think about! Those two little boys have made my heart grow about four sizes already!

I have heard people say “you never really know love until you hold your own child in your arms” – but being able to hold Charlie and see Ethan makes me wonder how much more my heart can actually take!

There really is nothing like being an aunt – I can’t wait to watch these two grow up and see the kind of men they turn out to be. They really are the lights of my life!

A Life Cut Short

This morning was a reminder of how short life can be.

I found out that a friend and co-competitor of mine passed away unexpectedly yesterday morning. The news is shocking as he just attended a local bodybuilding show (OCB Yankee Classic) this past Saturday night and everyone said he was his typical energetic self.

His name was Carlos Renfro and he had a personality that was infectious. He always had a smile or words of encouragement for anyone he met in the industry. He was talented and dedicated, honest and fair. Someone any seasoned competitor and up-and-comer should have spent time getting to know. I knew him in a limited capacity through his beautiful wife Wendy. They were a couple whose love for one another was apparent every time you saw them. Carlos frequently dedicated his bodybuilding routines to Wendy and has even presented her with a rose one of his performances.

The last time I saw Carlos was a year ago, at the Yankee Classic. He was, as usual, so warm and inviting. As another competitor said, he has a “swagger” about him that just drew you in. You couldn’t help but want to be around him!

He and Wendy are franchise owners of Maximum Nutrition Centers in Hampton, NH. A store geared toward supplying natural competitors with high quality products at a fair and honest price. I myself am a huge Maximum Nutrition fan and customer!

It’s strange to talk about Carlos in the past-tense. It doesn’t seem right or fair that a man who devoted his life and career to being as healthy as he possibly could be could be gone so soon.

My heart breaks for Wendy and their whole family. I hope they can find even a little bit of comfort in knowing how much impact Carlos had on the lives of those he touched, and that the ones who knew him will never forget him.

Rest-In-Peace

Carlos Renfro

We saw the Wizard and I'm so glad we did!

Every year for Christmas my grandmother gives my mother season tickets to the North Shore Music Theater (NSMT) in Beverly. A season consists of six shows spread throughout the year leading up the culminating show – A Christmas Carol – in December. My mother gets two tickets to each of these six shows and very generously offers to bring each member of our family to a show of our choosing. This year’s lineup consists of: The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz, La Cage, Cats, Miss Saigon and A Christmas Carol.

Since I was a little girl The Wizard of Oz has been my most favorite story and movie. Something about it has just always drawn me in. I never miss an opportunity to watch it on TV, I’ve read the book more times than I can count, I have figurines and Christmas ornaments of the various characters and I’ve seen Wicked on stage. However, I am not (despite the way that description sounds) obsessed. You won't find a room or a shrine in my house dedicated to The Wiz because I think I'd be divorce! I have never had the opportunity to see the original story played out live until this year. My mother, knowing how much I love The Wizard of Oz, offered me first dibs on the tickets (much to my little sister, Hannah’s, dismay). It was definitely a catch-22 for me, as Miss Saigon is also one of my favorite Broadway shows.

Ever since I can remember (and up until my grandfather’s passing) my family would travel to my grandmother’s home in Connecticut for Thanksgiving. The Friday after while the men spent their day drinking beer and watching football, my grandmother, mother, Sarah and I (Hannah was too young for many years) would board the Greyhound bus in Hartford and head into NYC for the day to see a Broadway show. We would stand in line at the TKTS Booth in Times Square, no matter the weather, to see a show. Over the years we were able to see everything from Grease to Annie to A Chorus Line. Nothing was off-limits. Sometimes we saw shows we didn’t think we wanted to and ended up absolutely loving them. That was the case for me with Miss Saigon. I had never heard the story before but was intrigued at the plot.

There is really nothing I love more than getting completely and utterly lost in a story. When the lights go down and the curtain goes up, it’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. In a way a movie never could, you are instantly transported to wherever the show takes you. You become immersed in the characters and their experiences so when the curtain falls one last time and the actors take their bow, a strange sadness comes over you, like you’ve lost a part of you.

I can remember sitting in the audience at the close of Miss Saigon in tears (seriously), not only because the story itself is so beautiful and moving, but the acting and the set were incredible. It was, by far, one of the best shows I could remember seeing and still is to this day.

When my mother presented me the opportunity to snag my tickets for this year’s show in Beverly I admit for just one moment I was torn. On the one hand, I’ve seen The Wizard of Oz more times than I can count and have only seen Miss Saigon the one time; on the other hand, I was being presented with an opportunity to see my favorite story come alive. It was a chance I couldn’t turn down. And I’m so glad I didn’t.

NSMT opened in 1955 with its first production, Kiss Me Kate. Over the years the theater has seen its share of excitement and disappointment. Since its inception NSMT has received numerous awards, including Boston’s own version of the Tony – The Elliot Norton Award. In 2005 there was a serious fire within the building and NSMT struggled to recoup their losses. In the summer of 2009 after years of failed fundraising attempts the theater closed for good and was put up for auction. In February of the following year, Bill Hanney, a local business man and resident approached the lien holder with a deal to buy and reopen the theater. To everyone’s amazement and excitement the offer was accepted and that very summer NSMT announced their grand reopening and was back in business. Since then patron-ship has only grown and people are swarming back to the theater!

But I digress! J

NSMT’s production of The Wizard of Oz was fantastic! One of the best things about it was they didn’t stray from the original script and score. It was witty and creative, charming and delightful. Mixed in with the nostalgia NSMT throws a few curve balls with singing trees in the Dark Forest, a background trio of hysterical crows for the Scarecrow and even a reference to the Lion King! David Coffee played the role of Professor Marvel, the Gatekeeper and Oz himself – and while he was spectacular it was a bit difficult for us loyal NSMT-ers to see him in any other light than Ebenezer Scrooge. Lance Roberts was a perfect choice for the Cowardly Lion – his mixture of comedy and sincerity to the script were just what the story needed. He brought new life to this lion we all love so much. Not to be forgotten – Danielle Bowen blew my mind as Dorothy. She was believable as a naïve Kansas girl, but her voice was magical. She didn’t over sing as some Broadway stars tend to do, and her delivery was impeccable.

The show was so well done and people are spreading the word so intently that NSMT has extended the show for another week due to the increasing demand for tickets! If you haven’t seen it yet (or weren’t planning to) please, please buy your tickets! This is one performance you don’t want to miss!

Showered!

Baby N and I were “showered” with love on Saturday July 13^th. My sister, Sarah, who I mention quite frequently here, was the magnificent host. She, along with my mother and our family friend Janet spent weeks planning and putting together what ended up being a most perfect day!

The shower was held at my mother’s house, outside by her gorgeous pool, and was decorated gorgeously with white flowers and linens along with a few bunnies to pick up on our nursery “theme” of Peter Rabbit. It was so beautifully done!

Sadly, there weren’t many pictures taken of the day as it completely slipped my mind to spend some time doing so. Luckily my mother in law was able to capture a few moments throughout the day but I was disappointed in myself that I don’t have a single picture of me with my sister or any of my friends and family.

I am so thankful and grateful to all the people that took the time out of their day to come and wish us well. We were surrounded by our nearest and dearest. It was wonderful to see so many faces that I hadn’t seen in a while and to spend time catching up!

I do have to pause to mention, it’s always upsetting when people don’t RSVP. I know my sister reached out to many that didn’t and even after that she never heard from them. My mother always raised me to RSVP (even when it’s not on the invitation) so to have so many that didn’t I know was frustrating for planning purposes.

Prior to the shower, Baby N’s nursery consisted of his crib and his dresser … now it’s loaded to the brim with everything and anything we could possibly need. It was a bit overwhelming to see exactly how much stuff such a small little guy will need and use so early on. I spent quite a bit of time last night going through all the clothing we got for him and I’m still not sure whether to wash it all now or wash just his newborn and 0-3 month items. There is still so much to do and think about. I’m hoping to have Sarah and my mother over sometime soon to help me really organize everything so that I know where it all is!

I couldn’t possibly thank my sister enough for all the time, effort and love she put into planning such a wonderful day. I’m still awed at how perfect of a day it actually was!

Now the fun stuff … pictures!

How adorable is this cake?

Thanks Auntie Lu! It was delicious!

Baby N's first Piggy-Bank

One of the many "lovies" we received

Just a few of our friends

The incredible diaper cake filled with personalize burp cloths & onsies made by my cousin Sandi.

"Handsome Like my Daddy"... there were more than a few items like this ... think they're trying to tell me something?

With my mother (on the right) and my mother-in-law



Our 5 Year Anniversary, a Concert & a Little Bling to Boot!

5 Years …

As I sit here and think about the last five years it’s hard to believe how fast they’ve gone!!

In that time, Brian and I have moved three times, gotten married, adopted a puppy, completed multiple renovations on our home, attended roughly 20 weddings, seen the birth of our friends’ children, traveled extensively, changed careers, sold old cars and bought new ones (twice), suffered a miscarriage and found out we were pregnant with our son! I don’t think I could have ever imagined what was in store for us when we walked down the aisle on that gorgeous July day in 2008 but I wouldn’t change one second of it for the world.

This past Friday on our actual anniversary Brian and I attended the Jason Aldean concert at Fenway Park! We had been looking forward to it since the beginning of the year and we were not disappointed (well maybe a little, but I’ll explain). I met Brian at Boston Beer Works before the show and it was fun to watch all the people pile in to grab their pre-concert beers! We could hear sound check happening across the street and only grew more excited as it got closer to 5pm. We entered the park as soon as we could and found our seats behind home plate. I will say, they would have been amazing seats for a Red Sox game, but being under the cover of the second level distorted the sound just enough for it to be frustrating when the acts were talking. It had been in the lower 90’s that day but by the time the concert started it had cooled to a balmy 80 with a light breeze – definitely a more bearable temperature!

NIGHT TRAIN!

Great view from our seats!

At one point however I did joke with Brian that a country music concert is much like Halloween. Apparently it brings out the Redneck Slut in everyone! I had never seen so many Daisy Dukes and crop tops in one place at one time! And the majority of those wearing said getup should really have looked in their mirror twice before walking out the door!

The show finally started just after six with Thomas Rhett, followed by an injured Jake Owen and then the baddest bitch in all of country music Ms. Miranda Lambert took the stage. The opening acts were so incredible it was hard to believe that Jason Aldean was going to be able to show them up! By the time he started singing I had already lost my voice from screaming like a school girl and singing right along with the crowd. The atmosphere was definitely electric. People were on their feet from start to finish – myself included – so by the end of the show almost 5 hours later I was exhausted!

The only disappointment of the night was a bit of a misunderstanding between the crowd and the headliner! During his set, Jason Aldean began singing “Don’t You Wanna Stay” his hit duet with Kelly Clarkson. Brian looked at me and said “Wait… how is this going to work without Kelly?” and at that exact moment we looked up and there she was on stage with him! The entire crowd went crazy, screaming and cheering as the song continued. We couldn’t believe that she would fly out to Boston for one song but then again, being as famous as she is, it’s not unheard of (especially since Patty Loveless had been there with Miranda Lambert). The rest of the concert flew by and we were so sad when it was over. Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why Kelly’s appearance was a disappointment? Well, it’s because she wasn’t actually there! That’s right, she was a hologram! We only found this part out a day later when it was reported on CBS.com that fans had been “duped” at the Jason Aldean show! I was shocked! I admit the fact that the technology has come far enough for the hologram to be that realistic is awesome; it was still a bummer that they had played it off as though she was there when she really wasn’t.

Regardless, it was by far one of the best concerts we have ever been to and I’m so glad we were able to spend our five year anniversary that way!

Not our best photo but here we are! :)

The night before the concert Brian surprised me with the most incredible anniversary gift! He upgraded my original engagement ring into a new halo setting. It's the most spectacular thing I've ever owned and I can't believe I get to wear it every day! I am constantly looking at it! I love it so much! It's perfect!

As you can see, I'm not currently wearing my wedding band with it as the new ring is prong set and my wedding band is channel set. We will eventually have it redone to match my engagement ring but for now I'm wearing it on my right hand. 

Happy 5 Year Anniversary to the love of my life, my very best friend and the father of my son! Here’s to another 50! I love you beyond the moon!

July 12, 2008

Why I Think Date Nights are So Important

Last night Brian and I went to Cafe Escadrille for our traditional anniversary dinner. We were married there on July 12, 2008 but started our tradition on what we affectionately called our "Negative One Year Anniversary". Every year since then we go back for dinner and to celebrate our anniversary. And every year it gets better. The food is always delicious, the service fantastic but the company is the best part.

I've heard so many people say "the first year of your marriage is the hardest" ... I wholeheartedly disagree. Brian and I had been living together for almost three years before we were married so it really didn't feel like much had changed once we had our certificate - other than my name. We continued to live our life as we had previously.

For us, I think the "hardest" year has been this past one. Our seven year itch came about 2 years too early! Marriage is work - that cliche is definitely true. We've been through our fair share of ups and downs in the past 12 months. We've made some difficult decisions, had some uncomfortable moments and some intense disagreements. We've dealt with a very painful loss, a change in career (me), longer than normal work hours (Brian), the birth of my nephew and all the other "normal" things life throws your way. It's been a trying year for us but we made it. Giving up or failure isn't an option and when things get hard - we fight harder. Please don't misunderstand, Brian and I are still very happily married and wouldn't trade that for the world, but our marriage certainly isn't perfect and we would never claim it was.

A typical day in our life consists of Brian waking up at 4:45am to get to work by 6:30am; I'm up at 6:30am to catch my 7:30am train. I leave my office at 5pm and head to his for 6pm, we don't usually head for home until 6:30pm and with traffic and the distance we drive we aren't usually home until 7:45pm or 8pm. By the time we get home, we throw some sort of dinner in the oven, eat in front of the TV and go to bed. This doesn't leave much time for substantial or meaningful conversation. We are usually so tired from our day the last thing we want to do is engage in an in depth discussion about childcare or finances. On our ride home we usually just recount our day and complain to each other about the traffic. Needless to say, there are times when we feel more like roommates than a couple!

And that my friends is why I say "date nights" are so important. Over dinner last night we were able to really talk. We reminisced about our past (it was nice to take a walk down memory lane), we talked about the baby and how much life is going to change, we talked our dreams for our family and where we'd like to be by our ten year anniversary dinner, we talked about our career goals and aspirations, how many more children we'd like to have, how blessed we feel to have the life we do. Then of course we got sappy and sentimental - more me than Brian but he has definitely opened up in that department in the past couple months - and it was nice to be able to share those feelings with each other as well.

To have private moments like that where you can reconnect with your husband (or wife) I think is hugely important for life in general but especially when you're about to welcome a child into your life. You go from being all about the two of you and what you want to needing to make decisions for your family. We find ourselves talking about things we never would have before and it's only deepening our connection. We are growing together in a different way now and it's comforting to know that we continue to be on the same page about most things. And now, when we disagree (which we still do) we are able to talk it through as adults and parents-to-be rather than a carefree married couple.

At the same time, once the baby comes it's going to be important for us to continue having date nights. We don't want to just become someones parents - we want to maintain our identity as a couple and as individuals. We need to have our own space to explore who we are and not get lost in the world of parenting. It's going to take some adjusting but that's the fun in it. Experiencing life together and finding a new way!

Our relationship is forever changed because of what we've been through and what's on the horizon but as long as we fight for what we want together there's nothing we can't do!

32 Weeks!

Last week was so insane I didn’t even get to post an update! Between the 4^th of July and Brian’s birthday the week got away from me!

Since I work in the financial industry I was able to take advantage of the holiday and managed to work ½ day on both Wednesday and Friday so I had what felt like an extended long weekend. I spent the majority of that time off in my mother’s pool – which given the extreme heat was the only way to keep cool!

After searching high and low, I have to say a huge thank you to Sarah because she found us a dresser! It was on clearance at Babies R Us marked down from $550 to $250! A steal! The best part is, it matches the crib perfectly. It looks as though we purchased them as a set! Now that the crib is assembled and the dresser is in his room, I’m starting to see what the nursery is really going to look like. My next purchase is going to be an open bookshelf that I’ll put baskets in for his diapers, wipes etc. Then it’s onto the rug and the curtains! I’m definitely starting to “nest” and am getting more and more excited about this little guy’s arrival!

Mommy at 31 Weeks:

Mommy at 32 Weeks:

Baby at 32 Weeks:
Size: 19 inches and 4 pounds
Development: Practice, practice, practice! Swallowing, breathing, kicking and sucking. The skin is becoming more opaque due to the fat accumulation.

Symptoms at 32 Weeks:
Currently Craving: Still no real cravings!
How’s the Belly Looking: Football-ish. Definitely getting bigger by the day but luckily I think the rest of me is done gaining!
Braxton Hicks: Not recently. I had a few very early on, but since then I haven’t felt anymore
Flatulence/Constipation/Bloating: Oye! Ask any current or former competitive bodybuilder about this one! We are all too familiar with how to manage these three. Lots of water and being careful of fiber and salt intake.
Hemorrhoids: Oh lord help me! I haven’t experienced this yet and am sincerely hoping I don’t!
Leg Cramps: Late at night and first thing in the morning. I find if I am sitting or lying still for an extended period I get cramps in my calves.
Itchy Belly: Yup! But the cocoa butter definitely helps with the itchiness.
Heartburn: I guess the nugget is going to be as bald as his momma was!
Swelling: My feet are slowly but surely swelling on a more regular basis. I’m continuing to elevate them when I can and have been wearing sandals to prevent tightness from my shoes so I think I’m doing alright.
Sciatica: I think he’s finally shifted! I haven’t been in nearly as much pain as I was. Still experiencing a bit in the morning when I first get up but something has changed for sure.
Sleep: I’m on a 48/24 rotation with this one. I’ll go two nights without sleeping a wink (literally) and third night I’ll sleep like the dead and have trouble getting up in the morning!
Movement: As I type this he’s going like gang-busters. Not so much kicking anymore as what feels like stretching. Every once in a while I can feel where his foot (I think) is pressing against my stomach.
Exercise: Slowly getting back into it now that I am not in so much pain. I’ve been going for longer walks at lunch and taking the stairs again. Being this close to the end I’m not so much worried anymore about increased weight gain as I am just clearing my head.
Stretch Marks: No and I am thanking my lucky stars! I’m really hoping I can get through the rest of this pregnancy without them.
Rings on or off: Still on!
Maternity Wear: Maxi dresses and my maternity bathing suit have become my best friends! It’s been so hot and humid the last two weeks it’s really all I can wear.
Baby-Related Purposes: We finallybought his dresser! Thanks to Sarah who found the perfect one at the perfect price. I also bought the nugget his baby book! It goes with the “theme” of his room so I’m very excited to begin writing in it!

Days Left: 56 – wait WHAT? Haha! How did that happen?