Baby Meets the Big Apple! Part 2

So once I met up with my family at the hotel, we walked up the street to a local Brazilian corner restaurant nearby, in Queens.  Needless to say, we stood out a bit.  But after the sideways glances calmed down, everyone was very friendly and the food was great!  I had these shrimp in coconut milk & curry.  To die for!  And fried bananas, rice & beans, dulce de leche...I think I have figured out where my weight gain this month came from...

My mom, aunts & uncle went into Manhattan, I went to bed.  Sunday we drove over to City Island, to the American Turners Club for my Great-aunt Martha's 90th birthday party.  (Side note: minivan back seats were not meant for pregnant women.  The horizontal slide just doesn't work well.)  It was great to catch up with sides of my family that I don't normally see.  A few got a bit of a shock when my belly entered the room ahead of me, since they hadn't heard the news yet.   My cousin Cliff brought the cake from his favorite bakery. Quote:"I'm probably the only man in America who is not sure if he'll get married, but who already knows where his wedding cake will come from!"  http://www.latulipedesserts.com.  They took white cake & strawberry mousse layers and covered them with Marzipan instead of ganache or fondant.  So tasty!  But the best part is that the top of the cake was decorated like a Scrabble board.  For those of you readers who are not family, you may not understand the significance that Scrabble holds for my family.  We had suggested a game back at Aunt Martha's.  The teams would be Martha, Babka, and everyone else working together to take one or both of them down!  To the best of my knowledge, it has never happened...  We gave Aunt Martha some fun presents: 90 kisses (of the Hershey persuasion), a book on the history of the Bronx in its heyday, and black pajamas & undies (who doesn't deserve these!?!?)  After lunch we all went back to Martha's apartment (all 18 of us) and I took a little nap to help make it through the evening.  One of Aunt Martha's friends from the neighborhood (also Slovak) showed up with pans of pierogie & pastries.  Yum! (Perhaps I should have my doctor read this so he understands how I could gain 6 pounds in 2 weeks...)  

On Monday, my family headed to the airport, while I took a cab ($35!) to Penn Station, so I could get on a train to Princeton to meet up with my friend Jen.  A word to the wise, negotiating Penn Station for the first time when you're tired, stressed, & pregnant is NOT a good plan.  I figured out that I had to be in the New Jersey train section, as opposed to the subway, LIRR, or New York train sections (even though they all have the same track numbers!),

and I had managed to purchase my ticket from the automated machine without a problem.  I settled on a bench with all my baggage to wait for them to post the track for my 11:01 to Trenton.  10:51: I start looking at the board waiting for the little blank at the end to fill in. 10:55: I start to wonder why they haven't posted it yet.  10:59: I join the group of anxious looking people at the end of the vestibule trying to find someone who is wearing a uniform.  11:05 Finally get an answer.  The train is on track 10.  11:07 Get down to the bottom of the staircase only to discover that the train is gone.  It left without picking anyone up.  And still no one could tell me what to do next.  They just said, "It's gone.  Wait for the next one."  The problem is that none of those trains are intuitive!  I knew that there was another one in an HOUR, but I had no desire to sit there for another hour and risk them not announcing that one either!  I should probably mention, in the interest of full disclosure, that this is where I had my pregnant moment of bursting into sobbing tears in the middle of a crowd of people.  One of them actually said, "I'm sorry," before they all scattered away from the crazy lady.  I pulled myself together and they actually changed a local train so that it would go far enough to get where I needed to go.  (Although I only found this out because the nice lady next to me was a local in the same predicament.)  By 11:30 I was sitting on a train on my way out of New York, somewhat under control, enjoying the air conditioning.  

Jen picked me up and we spent a lovely afternoon wandering, shopping, and eating our way through the Princeton Campus.  They have a great fountain where a pregnant lady can cool off her feet!  Whoever thought of that should get a medal.  There is also a fantastic organic ice cream place, although I avoided the tartes & bombes and just had some sorbet. (See, I am capable of some self control!)  Then we went home and her mom made me spaghetti & salad and we vegged in her living room and watched Penelope & Fool's Gold.  After my stressful morning, it was the perfect end to the day.  (I have to say I was a bit cranky...)  Jen, her mom, & I went to a cute boutique with baby stuff, where we picked out baby presents (cute dresses will be my downfall!) and then Jen put me on a plane home.  That part went smoothly and I was home by 5:30.  That is the end of my tale.  I hope Baby enjoyed meeting her Aunties & extended family for the first time.  They all certainly enjoyed rubbing her belly!

Baby Meets the Big Apple! Part 1

Baby & I just got back from our big East Coast trip for my Aunt Martha's 90th birthday party.  We flew into Newark airport last Thursday, where Auntie Jade picked us up and whisked us away to her family's farm in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. They have peach & apple orchards, as well as random veggies for the family.  There is nothing better than eating the first batch of peaches fresh from the trees!  I think Baby may have gotten spoiled and will need that taste of peaches every summer (wink, wink, Jade!)  I even got to bring some home for J.R.  We also had fantastic shrimp & scallop skewers & strip steaks thanks to her Dad's expertise on the grill.  Yum! 

We spent Friday down at the Jersey Shore, Point Pleasant to be exact.  Thanks to J.D.'s sister Christie, I had a maternity suit to borrow, so we laid out with our books (and SPF 50) next to the Atlantic Ocean.  After awhile, I got a little overheated, so we moseyed down to the water to cool off.  Now, before I go any farther with this story, let me make something clear to my fellow Midwesterners:  The ocean & Lake Michigan are NOTHING ALIKE!  I can handle Lake Michigan.  I could not handle the waves of the Atlantic.  Poor J.D. tried to convince me that splashing in the shallows was really the best plan, but no, I figured I was this close to the Atlantic, I was going in!  Again, poor J.D. (who was already a bit nervous about being the sole protector of the pregnant lady) tried to tell me how to accomplish this feat.  I, however, could not quite manage to follow them.  I got in past the first set of waves, but apparently I didn't get out quite far enough.  The second wave crested over my head, since I was already deep enough that I couldn't push off the bottom to get up over it.  I decided to head back in, which was the exact wrong decision because I wasn't moving very fast thanks to my weight & balance issues and the next wave was coming up quick.  It was a doozy!  Not that I could see it since I was focused on the shore, but a very nice man had a panicked look on his face as he grabbed my arm to haul me out more quickly.  Luckily, he was an ex-lifeguard having a fun day at the beach with his kids and recognized that I was about to get tumbled.  As a warning to other potential preggers, do not try swimming in the ocean for the first time when you're nearly 7 months along!

 So, all was well, and once J.D. got back to shore and her panicky breathing returned to normal, we decided it was time to head to the Boardwalk.  Jade beat me twice with the water gun races, winning us both these adorable pigs.  I popped four balloons with three darts and won a penguin for us both and a stuffed rubber ducky! Most of the toys in my classroom have come from trips to the Jersey Shore, and my new additions should feel right at home.  To cool off we drove back north a ways to a movie theater to wallow in the A/C and the music of ABBA.  Mamma Mia was quite entertaining, but note to casting directors: When casting for a musical, make sure your leads can sing!  We had mixed opinions about Meryl Streep's performance, but Pierce Brosnan, for all his masculine appeal, CAN NOT SING!  Still, all in all, a fun flick to finish the afternoon.    Dinner at On The Border capped off a perfect day!  

Saturday, JD masterfully negotiated Manhattan traffic to meet up with our friend Kate for brunch at a funky little diner called VYNL.  Any restaurant that gives me The Who's Tommy album as a cover for my menu and a huge breakfast for under $10 is tops with me!  After a quick stop at Kate's cute apartment, we headed for Central Park.  After a bit of a walk around, we settled in for a nap in the sun!  It was great!  Then Jade took me to meet up with my family in Long Island City at the Hotel Verve (a Clarion).  At that point, I was definitely ready for a nap.

Crazy Busy

Sorry it's been awhile since I posted, but it's been a busy few weeks.  First, I finished all the sewing for my redecorating project for my friend Robin's cottage in Michigan.  Everything is hung and arranged (with huge thanks to Merce for her extra hands and functioning power tools!) Then, we hung out with good friends (Cynthia, Kendra, Laura, & her friend from home) at Millennium Park for the free music Wednesdays and listened to some classical music by Beethoven.  Actually, we talked and the music was a nice background.  Everyone showed up with tasty treats and drinks, and we had a lovely picnic dinner.  Then we met up with Sharon & Vanessa later for tasty treats at Cold Stone.  (Don't tell my doc!)  Fun, fun, fun!  The next weekend we spent up at the Cuthbert's Lakehouse in Michigan with our good friends Mark, Christie, Jeff, Tristan, Brian, & Amanda.  It was a bit rainy, but when else would you play a full game of Monopoly.  I'm still a bit peeved that the Scrabble game was started without me (intentionally!) (c:  After we got back, I had lunch with Christie & her mom, which was very nice & relaxing after the whirlwind weeks before.  Needless to say, the fact that Baby picked this period of time to have a growth spurt, made Mommy more tired & cranky (& hungry) than usual, but it was still a lot of fun!

Ohhhhh No, no, nooooooo, sniff

The stretch marks have arrived....Yuck!

Here's hoping they fade eventually....

Will Power Wins

So I just got back from my two week warning visit with my OB/GYN. As you know after the crazy weight gain of the last month, he's got me on a short leash. But here's the good news. I started eating more frequently and walking more than I nap. I only broke down on my no ice cream vow twice, both times when out at a friend's for dinner, and even then it was moderate consumption. (Christie, you are my weakness!) And drum roll please....I gained 1/2 a pound! He was most pleased. He also confirmed that everything was good at the second ultrasound. Strangely he did not seem surprised when I mentioned the odd behavior of the tech & doctor over there...hmmmm. He also said that this baby is growing by leaps and bounds (both of which I can testify to feeling). She's in the 68%ile for size. My belly has grown 4 inches in the last 2 weeks. So all is well....I'm going to go have a skinny cow cone!

Mini Shopping Spree

Today I had a little fun at Motherhood Maternity.  I hit their sale & clearance racks to supplement my school/fall appropriate wardrobe.  I bulked up on basic layers since my pre-pregnancy tanks & tees have been officially stretched to the limit.  (The good folks at Dominick's got quite an eyeful as I kept tugging my shirts down and my pants up!) I also got a couple of cute work tops & professional pants.  I even found an open house outfit!  And thanks to a lovely pre-shower gift (thanks Aunt Laura!) I hardly dented my Mastercard.  It was fun to feel cute & covered this morning!

Changing Abilities

I may have to stop blogging with my computer on my lap on the couch (my preferred option).  Every time I lean forward to pet the pups, my belly hits my mouse button and moves the cursor all over the place!  I also have stains over the belly area of most of my maternity shirts.  It just seems to catch every little crumb.  And I have had to temporarily turn the majority of grilling duties over to J.R.  My tummy gets just a little too warm if I have to stand too close to monitor burgers or dogs.

Ultrasound # 3

Sorry for the dearth in posting lately.  There haven't been any new or shocking developments, other than the fact that I have successfully avoided stopping at a Dairy Queen for nearly 9 days.  But today I went in for yet another ultrasound, this time at Rush.  I think I mentioned before that Baby Girl was so active during the last one that they didn't catch pictures of everything they wanted.  Today, she was the complete opposite!  Bashful Baby decided to hide her face with her hands the whole time, although I did get to see some her face in motion.  So cute!  She also kept her tummy rolled facing back towards my spine, so the tech couldn't see her umbilical cord.  They left me laying on the table, all gooey, for about 15 minutes, waiting for the doctor to come in.  Luckily, laying on my back seems to irritate her, because she started flipping around, so when the doctor finally came in and started doing the ultrasound again she was ready to go.  I have to say, I am glad this guy is not by regular OB/GYN.  He didn't talk to me at all while he was looking around in there, and when he was done he tossed a folded paper drape in my belly, told me to clean up, I was done, and walked out.  Very weird.  He did say that everything looked good, once he was finally able to see what he needed to.    I did learn three new things about the hospital where I'll be delivering.  1: The whole area is under construction because they are building a new hospital wing.  So if I were going to deliver in 2012, it'd be great!  2:  The place is a freaking labyrinth!  I kept expecting some troll or David Bowie to pop out from behind a corner and switch the signs around just mess with my head!  To get from the parking garage to the professional building was no fewer than 6 blind turns.  I had a street address, but that isn't posted on any of the interior signs, now is it...  Then I decided I'd go find the Labor & Delivery back in the main hospital, glutton for punishment that I am.  A long hallway, two rights and a left, and then follow the signs for Elevator E which take you at least a half a mile from point A down a creepy corridor with blind corners and dead ends.  Then I had to navigate back from there to the parking garage.  Luckily there was a nice and knowledgeable lady on the elevator to point me in the right direction.  3: There is a perk to wandering for so long, the Atrium.  Tasty temptations at Au Bon Pain. Needless to say I splurged on an iced tea/ lemonade & oatmeal cookie after my walking workout before heading back home. Yum! (I'll try to post some pics once I get them scanned in...)

Hobbit Habits

There are definitely times that I feel like a hobbit...

See the quote below from Fellowship of the Rings:

Aragorn: Gentlemen, we do not stop till nightfall.

Pippin: What about breakfast?

Aragorn: You've already had it.

Pippin: We've had one, yes.  What about second breakfast?

Merry: I don't think he knows about second breakfast, Pip.

Pippin: What about elevensies? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper?  He knows about them doesn't he?

Merry: I wouldn't count on it.

There's something to be said for grazing your way through the day!

Officially a craving

The other day, I had what I would term my first official craving.  It started about 5pm, and I ignored it, thinking, "No, don't eat that.  Eat the food you have in the fridge already made for dinner."  I woke up and it was still there.  Ate breakfast, tried to suppress it, munched at lunch, but just wasn't satisfied.  So at 3 o'clock the next day, I find myself pulling in to the local IHOP because the need for sausage and pancakes had become overwhelming.  I need to put in a plug for the 3 o'clock time slot.  The restaurant was nearly empty!  I even beat most of the early-bird specialers! A business meeting was walking out, (yup), and one older couple followed me in.  I walked in, ordered, was served, ate 2 eggs, 2 pancakes, 2 sausages, and hash browns, paid, and walked out in a little over half an hour.  It was heavenly... 

6 month check-up

So I had my 6 month check-up today.  All is well with our little girl.  Her heartbeat is strong and fast, I'm 24 inches from belly button on down, and she's quite active.  I have to go in for another ultrasound actually, because she was so active that they didn't see everything they needed to on the first try.  Now for the bad news.  From month 1-5 I gained 10 pounds, right on track, no more, no less.  Then school got out... Apparently sitting on the couch, watching t.v., eating ice cream and Potbelly's sandwiches can actually lead to gaining a potbelly!  Who knew?  Now that I am not walking around all day, wrangling third graders, having small sensible snacks every few hours, I'm not burning as many calories.  Let me tell you, stepping on that scale was a rude awakening!  I don't care how many people say, "It's okay! You're eating for two!"  It's not okay to gain TWELVE POUNDS in one month!  That's more than a whole baby gained in four weeks! My doctor doesn't think it's so great either, since I've been told to come back in two weeks so he can check up on me.  A pound tops by then!  So if anyone feels like going on a nice long walk, followed by a large greens salad with lean chicken chunks, give me a call!  Also, if anyone wants to claim two nearly new quarts of double churn low-fat chocolate cookies & cream or mocha silk swirl, they're in my freezer and yours for the taking!  Please get them away from me!  I think I've proven I can't be trusted...