things i love right now

* Winter Chex Mix - Cocoa. Sweet and salty and YUM!

*Pink Grapefruit Juice - this has replaced my lemonade addiction. So refreshing and it makes Kumar DANCE!

* Dresses in December. Because even the new (and gigantic) maternity pants I bought are getting snug.

* The Ped Egg. It really works and it's an adventure to look inside after you are done and see how much skin you sloughed off. Gross but Fun!

*The Chuckit - because Chewy likes nothing more than chasing the ball in the park. And mama is having some problems with the bending over thing right now.

*Slurpees. Because YUM!

*The new Ikea commercials. Is the old lady supposed to be some sort of a ghost? An imaginary friend? Either way, I love her voice and the commercials are so well done, they actually keep me from fast-forwarding through things I Tivo. That says a lot.

*Snickerdoodles. Take the Slurpee comment and quadrupl-y triple it.

*The Daily Show with John Stewart - Because there's nothing like some cynical laughter right before bed.

I know there are many many more I could think of but I am a bit distracted. It seems that Kumar has "dropped" and we have 25 days left til my C-section and I'm hoping he got the memo because I am now obsessed with the thought that I will go into labor early. I see a definite downward slope this week. What do you think?

Last week
This week

ugh

After much deliberation, I got a flu shot yesterday.

I never thought twice about getting a flu shot in the past. Either it was offered at the doctor's office and I got it or I didn't even think about it. My OB suggested that I get one a couple of months ago because it helps to immunize the baby for the few months after he is born when it is still flu season, (a newborn cannot get a flu shot, even though the hospital seems to load up babies with all kinds of other crazy shots in the couple of days after they are born, much to my paranoid-mother-to-be-dismay) and that sounded like it made enough sense to me, so I called my GP and asked about getting a flu shot.

This is where things started to get a little kerflunky.

Seems my GP does not believe in giving pregnant women flu shots and flat-out denied me. hmmmm... That made me think for a minute. Then, I went to a Walgreens where they offer flu shots and the NP would not give me one unless I got a note from my doctor. OK, this is when I started getting a little freaked out. So I did what anyone would do and got on my old pal Dr.google and started looking. And I found waaaay more information than I really wanted. I talked to other pregnant girls. I talked to girls who were pregnant last flu season. I asked Chewy his opinion ( he didn't really give me an answer but he did remind me of what happened when he didn't get his shots he was supposed to get. I assured him that I would not be fined by the county for not getting a flu shot, but thanks for the reminder)

After all of this, I was more confused than ever. Seems the opinions fluctuate from somewhere in the neighborhood of:
"YOU WILL GIVE YOUR BABY IRREPARABLE BRAIN DAMAGE AND/OR SCHIZOPHRENIA AND/OR AUTISM IF YOU GET THIS SHOT!"
to:
"IF YOU LOVE YOUR BABY AT ALL, YOU WILL GET THE FLU SHOT BECAUSE THE FEVER AND POTENTIAL INFECTION FROM THE FLU COULD GIVE HIM BRAIN DAMAGE AND/OR KILL HIM!" to a couple of opinions in the center of the two but enough hysteria is produced by the mere mention of a immunization that I just had to stop reading (after an hour or two and a couple of frantic phone calls to Chris and friends who already have children).

I put it off for a couple of more weeks and spoke to my OB again when I saw him this last time and he assured me that the shot if perfectly safe for me and the baby and that the chance of getting the flu late in the pregnancy and it causing some sort of complication is far greater than anything bad happening from the shot itself.

So, I found a very nice NP at the local CVS Minute Clinic , (who actually had a thimerosal-free shot specially sent from Ft. Lauderdale for me) and got it done.
The end.
And I am going to just not worry about it anymore. Because all this motherhood worrying stuff is exhausting.
Now I need some brownies.

update: 32 weeks (updated)

If you'll notice Kumar's countdown at the bottom of the page, we are now officially in our 8th month. That's the second-to-last baby on the baby countdown. That means we are getting really really close. This is getting a bit scary.

I feel a lot more prepared than I did a few weeks ago. Thanks to the generosity of so many people, the nursery is now filling up with goodies but there is still so much to do. I made a comprehensive list of things we have left to buy before the little bundle gets here and boy-howdy, it's not a short list. We are hoping to finally get the nursery painted this weekend and I found Zero-VOC paint at Home Depot so I may go get that tomorrow. It feels good to get things accomplished because this little guy is getting bigger and stronger all the time and he is gonna be here soon, whether we are ready or not.


Today I went for my 32-week checkup and so far, so good. We are going to get a ultrasound next week just to check on his growth but the doctor didn't think that there is anything to worry about, he just wants to check it out to be on the safe side because my fundal height is measuring slightly small. I'm excited to get another ultrasound but I wish we didn't have to wait 8 days to do it. This is just one of those things that I will not let myself worry about until there is something to worry about and now I have this week to just eat and take my vitamins and fatten the little guy up and give him all he needs to grow into a big strong boy.

Of course today I am looking at my belly and thinking maybe it does look a little small but, honestly, who am I kidding?




Please compare to a month ago. Yeah, I think he has grown. GROW BABY GROW!

not to be worn with mandals at any time

Now, I am all for people expressing themselves but this is something that I just cannot get on board with.

Manytyhose.

As a girl, I remember looking forward to being old enough to be allowed to wear pantyhose because it felt so grown up to do, but it didn't take long to realize how horribly uncomfortable the stuff is. I cannot imagine why anyone, man or woman, would be all excited about this but, to each his own I guess.

Check it out here.

*************************************************************************************

For the curious, mandals can be explained here.

*************************************************************************************

And for the record, Kumar will not be able to wear either until he is old enough to buy his own.

life: the good the bad and the nerdy

Well, Ike turned out to be friendly to us here in S. Florida and I am very very grateful. Cuba, however is getting the full extent of Ike's wrath right now and who knows what he is going to do in the Gulf later on this week, but I am happy to report that we just have some high winds (not even Tropical Storm-strength) and perhaps some rain tonight. Whew.

There is another storm brewing right now in my life that I cannot discuss at the moment but will disclose completely by the end of the week when I will have come out the other side, hopefully in a much better place. You have to break some eggs to make an omelet and all that, so I do not expect it to be completely pain-free but it is something I have been contemplating for almost a year and have finally been compelled to do and I am kind of excited about it all.

Have I confused you enough?
Good.

This weekend we finished watching Dexter Season 2 and I am going to go crazy waiting until September 28th when season 3 begins. Oh yes. We finally broke down and got Showtime so we can watch the new season because it is just too good to miss.

The other thing that we get from Showtime is Big Brother After Dark. I have watched every season of Big Brother since it started (oh about 9-10 years ago) through the good seasons and the bad. (The bad meaning the ill-advised Winter season this past year when they really took it off the rails)
This season I took some time to warm up but I am now very into it and there is only 2 weeks left which is when the shows get more exciting but also when I break down and start looking at the message boards that give the spoilers from the live feeds that CBS offers (where you can actually watch online every single thing that goes on in the house, 24/7. ) and when Big Brother After Dark is incredibly boring so I haven't even been Tivo-ing it. The good news is that once Big Brother is over, the two best shows on TV begin again, Survivor and The Amazing Race. Chris and I actually thought about applying to the Amazing Race a few years ago but didn't and now it looks like we will have to wait to do the Family Edition in 10 years or so when Kumar is old enough to go with us. Until then, we can live vicariously through these people who get to take a trip of a lifetime while competing against other teams in an incredible journey around the world and back again. Yeah, I'm a little bit of a fan. And a huge nerd. Whatever.

i'm totally reminding him of this when he is 16 and wants to borrow the car

The last week or so I have been feeling Kumar kick like crazy. Everything I have read says that babies sleep more than they are awake but I don't believe it because it seems like he is kicking all. the. time. All of those grilled cheese sandwiches are starting to pay off too because he is getting strong enough where I can feel and see it from the outside. At night he is the most active, especially around 4 am when I get up to pee for the 30th time of the night and I lay back down and feel the THUMP THUMP THUMP of his little arms and legs against my vital organs.

This is where the blackmail comes in.

His favorite thing to do is to tap-dance on my bladder and/or cervix and for those of you who have never had a little alien inside of you, it is the creepiest and most annoying feeling in the world.

Yesterday I went to get a haircut and I had to go pee three times in the hour I was in the salon because as soon as I would get comfortable in the chair, WHAM! there he goes like Matthew Mcconaughey on the Bongos.

Yes, I am going to be the kind of mother who totally uses this against my kid in 16 years. After all, I am the kind of mom that takes pictures like this:

don't tell chris, but apparently i am a superior housewife!

I found this test on another blog and thought I would give it a try. The questions alone are enough to make you laugh. (My favorite is the use of the term "marital congress". 'Scuse me?)There's also questions to see what kind of 1930's husband you would make.
Let's see how you measure up!

64 As a 1930s wife, I am Superior Take the test!

hello? hello? oh hi!

This was a very full week for me, so you will excuse the lack of posting the last few days. Morgan went back to NJ yesterday afternoon and luckily her flight took off just before the whole FAA Glitch Thing, so she actually got home on time.
I am posting a bunch of pictures of our week on flickr so click on over there for some of those.

We really got a lot accomplished in the time she was here, though I think we did slightly less than last year because I really am not tolerating the heat of summer as well, being almost 6 months pregnant and all, things swell that shouldn't and the heat and humidity just seem to suck all of my energy pretty quickly.
Despite this, we went to the Seaquarium, the Science Museum, Boomers! (a giant arcade/batting cages/go-karts/general-fun things for kids of all ages) the Monkey Jungle, the beach and even did a little shopping on Lincoln Road.
Not bad for 7 days.

Also, today marks the beginning of my 22nd week of pregnancy and holy beach balls batman!the belly is just getting bigger and bigger. I took some pictures a couple of days ago and I am sure it's even bigger than last week. This is the point where almost everyone I see who hasn't already said anything, is like, "Whoa, you're pregnant aren't you?" And I'm like, "Yeah, I am. You thought I was just letting myself go these last few months." and they look embarrassed and say, "No, you look great, I can barely even tell." and I say, "Whatever. Liar."
I really am trying to embrace the changes my body is going through and all the weight I have put on (still (barely) under 20 pounds) and it's all worth it when every night,I lay on the couch and I can feel the little guy moving around and 3 times now I have felt him kick me from the outside. Unfortunately, Chris has still not been able to feel it but that will change very soon and he will be big and strong enough to really give me some karate kicks and I both can't wait and am terrified of it.

But isn't that what being a mom is all about?

good stuff - august version

Things I really love right now:

*Burt's Bees Tomato Garden Complexion Soap. Until about a week ago, I was using a cleanser that I got from the dermatologist, but started feeling guilty about all the chemicals I was putting on my skin at a time I'm trying to be as healthy as possible, so I heard about this and thought I would give it a try. So far so good.

**Lemonade. I make it myself and drink it every day now. I cannot tolerate the really sweet version, but a nice, tart, non-pink lemonade is like a dream. Guess Kumar enjoys the sour stuff because I am drinking it like it's going out of style.

**Coca-cola cake! Trust me when I say that this is the best thing you will ever put in your mouth! I bought the ingredients weeks ago and finally broke down and made it Friday night. After taking a few bites, I told Chris that if he woke up in the night and I wasn't in bed, to please come in the kitchen and remove my face from the cake pan. Because it's that good!

**Chipotle Mexican Grill. I had a burrito here when we were in Santa Barbara and fell instantly in love. I have since found out that there are 2 or 3 within driving distance of the house. Something tells me I will be eating another one before the sun sets today.

*Tone Tahitian Vanilla and Orchid Shower gel. It may sound really flowery, but it smells more fruity and refreshing.

**The Olympics! This opening ceremony was the most incredible thing I have ever seen. Click on the link for some great pictures, but to get the full effect, you really had to see it live. This is the first time I really sat and watched every minute of any Olympics opening ceremony but I couldn't help myself!

**Gap Maternity. They have been having some great sales so on top of their already reasonable prices, I have been able to find some good things for a song. I have been trying to save money because besides having a baby on the way (and I hear those little buggers ain't cheap) I haven't really worked since the spring and so far have nothing definite lined up, so after 1 more check from my Miami agency, there won't be any income coming from my end until I book some maternity jobs. Luckily my belly is starting to cooperate and I should be able to look pregnant enough soon. Then I can really do some shopping!

** Curel Life's Stages nurturing comfort cream. Since I found out I am allergic to cocoa butter and since almost every cream that is meant to prevent stretch marks has cocoa butter, I have been desperately searching for something non-cocoa but still good and I finally found it. Also, the scent is very light and it feels really nice on the belly. Now, does it really prevent stretch marks? Only time will tell but godihopesopleaseworkthankyou.

**Panang Curry and Thom Kha Gai soup. Both are just spicy enough and oh-so-yummy-licious.

**Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Almonds with turbinado and sea salt. If you have a Trader Joe's anywhere near you, run out right now and get these. Perfect combination of the salty and the sweet. I stocked up on these when I was in CA and have been rationing them ever since. I may have to hide the last box from Chris for awhile to ensure we don't run out before one of us gets to NY and can stock up again.
(Yes, I am a freak about rationing food, I am aware of the problem and am working on it. Don't ask about my reaction when Chris ate the last 3 Girl Scout cookies. It wasn't pretty.

genius-bugga-quinny-list

I went to the Bigger and Better Genius Jones store in the design district yesterday. The front of the store is full of cute little knickknacks and things for baby, nothing I cannot resist at this point, but then I went into the next room and my head exploded.

15 different type of $900 strollers, 27 types of $500 car seats, and $200 crib sheet sets.(For the record, I think that buying a $200. sheet that is guaranteed to be puked and pooped and peed on (and he's not even in college yet. Ba dum dum) including a comforter and bumper set that most sources say you should not use until the baby is 4months old or something, just seems a bit frivolous to me.)

The strollers, however, got to me and I left with paperwork in hand for the least offensively priced one that really really love. It looks like this:

Besides the awesome color, there are some practical reasons to love this stroller. It is easy to fold down and has hydraulics that make it one-touch to put it back up. There is a groovy car seat that attaches to the base so the first few months, it will be easy to transfer from the car to the stroller. And it looks really cute.

I know I went on and on about $1000. Bugaboos and the like in a past post, and neither Chris nor I are made of money, so I decided to take the brochure and go home and look at craigslist. Those of you not familiar with craigslist need to click the link and find out about it. It's God's greatest invention since the Internet itself. Over the years, we have bought and sold numerous pieces of furniture (and an ill-advised car that was both bought and sold on said list) on here and I have heard how people are practically giving away baby things on there, it's just a matter of timing and luck to find what you want and respond before someone else gets it.
Anyway, I looked on craiglist and found the stroller and carseat both offered for ....Are you ready????..... $150.!! I responded immediately and was called within the hour and, long story (kinda) short, we are going to look at it Monday night and hopefully it will be our very first purchase for Kumar! The only sad thing is it's the black color, not the blue, but really that is more practical I guess and for $150. there really is nothing to complain about.

stats n stuff - 18 weeks edition!

**The doctor gave me a prescription for an antibiotic and said if I did not improve in 24 hours, I should fill it, but luckily I did not need to. I hate taking unnecessary medication, especially antibiotics, and even though he assured me this was a "Class B" drug and would pose no harm to Kumar, I still would rather not. Luckily I felt a bit better yesterday and much better today, so 'scrip in the garbage.

**As per the doctor's scale on Tuesday, I have so far gained 13 pounds.

**Today I did the weekly measurement of my belly and it has amazingly grown 2 1/2 inches in one week!

**I have still been able to hold back from buying anything for the baby even though today it was a very close call at Genius Jones. I could seriously go broke in one visit to that store but today I just browsed and got ideas for potential things to put in a registry but purchased nothing, even though this:

almost killed me.

Also this:


**I seriously have to get some new bras even though I just bought bigger ones 2 months ago. It is proving to be really difficult to find something comfortable yet supportive. Any suggestions? I went to Target, Loehmann's and Gap Body today and.....found one. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

**My belly button is getting shallower every day and it's kind of freaking me out. The good news is, it's easier to clean.


**According to most sources, 18 weeks is the beginning of the 5th month, even though that makes no sense mathematically, but I will gladly take it.
5 months!!! WHOO HOO!!

I found pictures I took at the end of June and one I took a few days ago and I think there is quite a difference in bump-age. Check it out:

pfpfpfpfpfttttt!

Have you ever had just one of those days? I knew waking up today that I would have a long day with a lot of errands and phone calls to make but even still.....It was just one of those days.

I won't bore you with the details but suffice it to say that I will have a lot more to do tomorrow before our flight than I wanted to have. I hate getting on an evening flight just exhausted because I've been running around the whole day, but including having to drive Chewy to Ft Lauderdale in the morning, I have 3-4 other places to go, plus come home and straighten out the house blah blah blah, yes I said I would not bore you with the details, I am done now.....

Chewy's going to "camp" in Lauderdale and after being screwed-over by the last place, I really hope he likes it and they are nice to him.(That is always my worst fear, that people are not nice to him and don't see the good in him, because he is so sweet, and OH GOD I"M GOING TO SHUT UP BECAUSE I AM A HORMONAL MESS RIGHT NOW!)

It looks like a really nice place and as long as I remember to bring all his stuff he needs for the week, we should be OK.

So, we are leaving tomorrow for a much-needed week away, more needed by Chris than me, but I am just looking forward to being someplace where the temperature goes below 80 degrees at any time in the day or night and I am going to happily wear pants and sweaters and actual non-flip-flops on my feet.
I even went to the mall yesterday and bought 2 pairs of maternity jeans that are oh-so comfortable and I am really excited to wear pants that do not cut directly into my spleen. Even the Bella Band I bought is no longer enough and I had to break down and buy some maternity pants because I refuse to wear sweatpants every day for the next 6 months, thank you very much.

I will be posting from CA but they will be more sporatic because I intend to take a lot of naps and enjoy being outside in the CA air, and maybe even take a nap outside in the CA air, because i am crazy like that.

lost and found

I am watching the movie God Grew Tired of Us, about the Lost Boys of Sudan who were relocated to places in the United States after years of walking through the Sudan to Kenya, then living in a refugee camp in Kenya, for up to 10 years.

The sense of humor that these boys bring with them in learning about life in the U.S. after living in mud huts and cooking on the ground is incredible. Just learning how to turn on a light switch and what a potato chip is and how to dispose of garbage is an adventure.

"We do not throw waste out he window. We put it in here." (Pointing to the garbage can)
Their U.S. hosts have to give them instructions on everything:

How to use a toilet and toilet paper.

The fact that they have an entire bed to themselves.

Going to a grocery store for the first time. When in the Sudan, these boys ate mud for weeks at a time because there was no water to drink. To walk into a grocery store where there are thousands of different kinds of food, most of which they have never even seen or heard of is overwhelming.
Pointing to a doughnut, one of the boys asks,"Is this a food?" (Oh yes, there are many happy things to learn about here.)

And through all this excitement and awe of the new, they feel guilty for the boys that they left behind and may not be given the same chance of a new life and the memories of what they endured to get there.

I recommend everyone go rent this movie. It is something that everyone needs to see.

garden state

I leave in the morning for NJ to spend the weekend with the family. Tomorrow will be my niece, Jennifer's graduation party and Sunday is a birthday party for niece and nephew Morgan and Connor.

It will be a full weekend but it will be so good to see everyone after such a long time. My parents are actually picking me up from the airport and I haven't seen them since they were here (in February? March? how time flies...) and I think my brother is going to be there tomorrow and I haven't seen him since Christmas so it will be a really good time.

This afternoon I got my suitcase out and started packing and Chewy walked over to it, sniffed it, and layed down next to it with his nose up against it. Either he loves the smell of airplanes ( and who doesn't, really?) or he is sad I am leaving. I will be back Monday afternoon so he will be with Chris all weekend and then I'll be home in time for his afternoon walk so I don't feel too horrible about leaving but it still makes me sad.
Oh yeah, and I'm gonna miss Chris too. (I kid, I kid)

I'm off to watch The Dog Whisperer. I was talking to my friend today and she asked me how I thought Chewy was going to react to the baby and I really don't know. Everyone has their own ideas about what to do and I'm sure I'll hear even more opinions in the next few months but I think he will be OK once we let him meet the little guy ( yup, there I go again with the boy talk) and he will be a great big brother. We just have to teach Kumar how to be the calm, dominant one.

One last thing, the Yankees are playing the Blue Jays tonight and the Jay's are wearing their throwback jerseys! I love it!

braxton can bite my krispies

Lying in bed Saturday night I started to feel a weird uncomfortable sensation on my belly. It kept getting tighter and tighter over a period of 30 seconds or so and I jumped out of bed and called Chris and we both commenced generally freaking out. I knew that contractions were sometimes referred to as a tightening around the waist and I got really scared. Within a minute it was just about gone and I started to think a little more clearly and googled Braxton Hicks and found out that some women have them as early as 6 weeks! I have never been told this and wish I had because maybe I would have been a little more prepared for it when it happened. Now I'm wondering if this is going to happen a lot over the next 6 months, and from what I have read, it could or it could never happen again. I also found out that some women have them all the time and just don't feel them, and it's possible I have been having much milder ones and not known it, sometimes the belly just gets a little tighter on the outside without the discomfort that I felt last night. I really don't want to have to feel that again until it's the real thing. And even then....

To make myself feel better today, I decided to make some Rice Krispies Treats and let me tell you, they made me feel better. After pressing them into the pan with my fingers, I found myself standing over the sink and jamming half my hands into my mouth, peeling the ooey gooey goodness from each individual finger.
I think I may have found Kumar's new favorite.
Someone may need to hide these things from me.

cue the dr. who theme song

I am not a person who really reads about new, scientific things that come out but this is a huge (literally) story. There are actually people running around saying this could end the world.

Me? I'm off to find an old British phone booth in which to time-travel.

You can read about it here.

monday fun

To break up your Monday afternoon, AOL has a fun quiz.

I got 18 out of 20 correct. 

How about you?

GO HERE! 

kumar's quest

I have mentioned before my love for baseball, and one of my dreams has been to go on a summer road trip and visit every Major League Ballpark in the country.

I found this website that is all about doing this and is interactive so people can add their photos of themselves at the parks, blog about their trip and add tips for the best food, seats, etc about each park.

This is really making me think. Once Kumar is 3 or 4, he will totally be able to get into this too, and we can begin our quest. While we won't be able to do it all at once, (unless we hit the lottery, in which case I should probably start playing) I would say 2 trips a year to a different park, as well as combining any regular trip with a ballpark visit, and we should be able to get Kumar into every Major League Park by the time he's in high school.
We have to teach him the important things in life after all, and if he's going to be a Major League Switch Pitcher, total immersion is the way to go. Or something.

Later, I'll talk about the plan to rubber band a baseball to his left hand while he's still in the crib so he can begin to get the feel of it. And yes I am still convinced Kumar is a boy. If he's a girl that only likes frilly dresses and all things pink, we may need to rethink things.
Cross that bridge when we get to it... blah blah blah....
Humor me.