Fall has always been my favorite season. I love the weather, the holidays, football, but mostly, I love the clothes! And according to my daily emails, boot and sweater season is quickly approaching. With every buzz of my phone, I get more excited to go shopping for boots, leggings, scarves and sweaters.
There are just 2 problems with this:
1) I cannot afford new boots, leggings, scarves and sweaters.
2) I am pregnant. In those key fall clothing months of October and November, I will have the flabby body that goes along with having just given birth. Add to that, I'll have a newborn. If I do leave my house, it will most likely be in sweats and left-over maternity clothes. I will be covered in spit up and breast milk, instead of suede and knits.
Damn it.
I am upset by this. Both my mother and husband have laughed at me and told me to "just give up on fall this year." Sigh. I guess I have to. I will just have to live vicariously through all my emails from DSW and Michael Kors*.
Of course, winter is just around the corner....and if there's anything I love as much as I love fall clothes, it's winter coats!
Bring on the winter coat emails!
*I would like to add that I have been a Michael Kors fan for a LONG time. As in, before he was "Michael Kors from Project Runway" and just "fabulous women's wear designer, Michael Kors." Also before you could find his clothes in TJMaxx and Marshall's. I don't know why I feel it is important to make this distinction, especially now that I can only afford to buy them from TJMaxx and Marshall's, but I do.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
My gym days are numbered.
Before moving to Raleigh, I was never an "exercise person." In fact, I was pretty much an anti-exercise, anti-sweat person and I made sure that most people knew it. Then I moved here, where EVERYONE exercises. It doesn't matter the time of day or the temperature, there are always people out running or walking. It's almost blasphemous to not belong to the YMCA.
After watching other people be healthy all the time, you start to feel guilty. Between that and my need to find activities for Abby and I outside the house, we joined the local gym. (Not the Y, much to my neighbor Jen's dismay. It was twice the price as O2; and though I do miss the option of a pool, I don't miss the crowds.)
Maybe it's the influence of the "active lifestyle" around here. Maybe it's my desire to show my daughter that exercise is a fun (HA!) and important part of a healthy life. Maybe those "endorphins" everyone always told me about finally took over my brain. Or, most likely, maybe I just grew to enjoy an hour completely to myself a few times a week. Whatever the reason, I am now one of those "gym people" I always made fun of. Seriously. Like, to the point that the O2 employees actually recognize me, and greet Abby with enthusiasm. WHAT?!?
Up to this point, (yes, all 31 weeks!) I've been to the gym 2-3 times a week for at least 45 minutes. I'd planned on going to 35-36 weeks if I could, but only time will tell. Today was quite difficult, and I'm totally exhausted and sore after walking 40 minutes at 3.0mph. Hopefully tomorrow will be better, but I know my limits and will stop when my body tells me to. Who knows?
What I do know, is that whenever I do have to pause for the sake of the baby (and subsequent recovery from delivery), I'm going to miss it. And that's something, I NEVER in a million years thought I'd say.
After watching other people be healthy all the time, you start to feel guilty. Between that and my need to find activities for Abby and I outside the house, we joined the local gym. (Not the Y, much to my neighbor Jen's dismay. It was twice the price as O2; and though I do miss the option of a pool, I don't miss the crowds.)
Maybe it's the influence of the "active lifestyle" around here. Maybe it's my desire to show my daughter that exercise is a fun (HA!) and important part of a healthy life. Maybe those "endorphins" everyone always told me about finally took over my brain. Or, most likely, maybe I just grew to enjoy an hour completely to myself a few times a week. Whatever the reason, I am now one of those "gym people" I always made fun of. Seriously. Like, to the point that the O2 employees actually recognize me, and greet Abby with enthusiasm. WHAT?!?
Up to this point, (yes, all 31 weeks!) I've been to the gym 2-3 times a week for at least 45 minutes. I'd planned on going to 35-36 weeks if I could, but only time will tell. Today was quite difficult, and I'm totally exhausted and sore after walking 40 minutes at 3.0mph. Hopefully tomorrow will be better, but I know my limits and will stop when my body tells me to. Who knows?
What I do know, is that whenever I do have to pause for the sake of the baby (and subsequent recovery from delivery), I'm going to miss it. And that's something, I NEVER in a million years thought I'd say.
Monday, August 16, 2010
30 weeks!
30 weeks!!!
This is, of course, a big milestone for the baby. At this point, his survival rates are much higher if he were to decide he was done cooking and wanted to join the real world. But, more importantly, it means I only have 10 more weeks to go! (At the most. Though if he would really like to make Mommy happy, he'll decide he's ready after 8 more weeks. 38 weeks is long enough for me.)
10 (8!) weeks! I can do that! We've got the changing table, and Dan is going to dig the crib from storage this week. I have a ton of clothes and diapers and have put together the list of "little things" I still need. (towels, burp clothes, all the other things that are nice to have around when baby comes home.) The big things are done. Austin has a place to sleep, diapers to dirty, and I can feel my body working on the milk part.
Now, it is time to finally enjoy this pregnancy. I have a few more weeks to soak it all in and actually celebrate the fact that I am growing a baby in my belly. (Don't get me wrong, the aches and pains are still there. And Braxton Hicks. Contractions HURT.) Now, it is time to really start to think about what is coming up and the logistics of the whole birthing and bringing home a baby process. (It occurred to us this weekend that we don't really know where to go when it's "time." Yes, we know which hospital, but we have no idea what entrance, have not pre-registered and haven't even seen the inside of the rooms. Don't worry, it's on my list.)
I've made it 30 weeks! Go me!
This is, of course, a big milestone for the baby. At this point, his survival rates are much higher if he were to decide he was done cooking and wanted to join the real world. But, more importantly, it means I only have 10 more weeks to go! (At the most. Though if he would really like to make Mommy happy, he'll decide he's ready after 8 more weeks. 38 weeks is long enough for me.)
10 (8!) weeks! I can do that! We've got the changing table, and Dan is going to dig the crib from storage this week. I have a ton of clothes and diapers and have put together the list of "little things" I still need. (towels, burp clothes, all the other things that are nice to have around when baby comes home.) The big things are done. Austin has a place to sleep, diapers to dirty, and I can feel my body working on the milk part.
Now, it is time to finally enjoy this pregnancy. I have a few more weeks to soak it all in and actually celebrate the fact that I am growing a baby in my belly. (Don't get me wrong, the aches and pains are still there. And Braxton Hicks. Contractions HURT.) Now, it is time to really start to think about what is coming up and the logistics of the whole birthing and bringing home a baby process. (It occurred to us this weekend that we don't really know where to go when it's "time." Yes, we know which hospital, but we have no idea what entrance, have not pre-registered and haven't even seen the inside of the rooms. Don't worry, it's on my list.)
I've made it 30 weeks! Go me!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Make room for baby!
I didn't really "nest" when I was pregnant with Abby. This time however, I've been going a little crazy. Not crazy, as in I'm always cleaning and such, but crazy in that I have been totally freaking out about how I'm going to fit a baby and all his stuff into an already crowded house.
For a number of reasons, we've been renting in Raleigh and don't have plans to buy anything soon. The house has been a decent size for 3 people and a dog, but there's really only 2 bedrooms and a third floor (that's technically a bedroom because of the closet and the door). The third floor is the only spot we have for Austin, and it's been used as storage and was full of boxes. Needless to say, I couldn't really picture where anything was going to go, especially a crib and a BABY! Hence, the craziness.
Then, there was this weekend and my sister. Kelsey came down for the weekend and helped Dan and I FINALLY unpack/store away all the boxes. We also rearranged some furniture and now we actually have room for a crib and changing table. I have a spot to put my baby! A spot to change him! A spot for nursing! I can really picture how this whole thing is going to work now!
Today, I am spending nap time not in a panic, but in a calmer state. (Note that I said "calmer." There is still much to be done, but we are well on our way.)
A giant thank you to my sister! Love you Beth xoxo
For a number of reasons, we've been renting in Raleigh and don't have plans to buy anything soon. The house has been a decent size for 3 people and a dog, but there's really only 2 bedrooms and a third floor (that's technically a bedroom because of the closet and the door). The third floor is the only spot we have for Austin, and it's been used as storage and was full of boxes. Needless to say, I couldn't really picture where anything was going to go, especially a crib and a BABY! Hence, the craziness.
Then, there was this weekend and my sister. Kelsey came down for the weekend and helped Dan and I FINALLY unpack/store away all the boxes. We also rearranged some furniture and now we actually have room for a crib and changing table. I have a spot to put my baby! A spot to change him! A spot for nursing! I can really picture how this whole thing is going to work now!
Today, I am spending nap time not in a panic, but in a calmer state. (Note that I said "calmer." There is still much to be done, but we are well on our way.)
A giant thank you to my sister! Love you Beth xoxo
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
My new skill
Computers and I don't really get along. Well, technology in general really. My mechanical reasoning skills are great, and I can put almost anything together with only a glance at the directions. However, computers tend to break when I get near them. I went through 7 hard drives/computers in my 6 years of working. That is not an exaggeration, just ask my old partner, who was constantly amazed at my ineptitude. Right, Scott?
As a result, I've never been allowed to download pictures from the camera to the computer out of fear I would delete all of our pictures and somehow kill the computer in the process. But, tonight I was BRAVE! I attempted to download a few things while Dan was on his run and I DID IT! There are new pictures on the computer and they are still on the camera. They did not disappear into oblivion and the computer is still working.
YAY ME!
As a result, I've never been allowed to download pictures from the camera to the computer out of fear I would delete all of our pictures and somehow kill the computer in the process. But, tonight I was BRAVE! I attempted to download a few things while Dan was on his run and I DID IT! There are new pictures on the computer and they are still on the camera. They did not disappear into oblivion and the computer is still working.
YAY ME!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Abby and Daddy time
Abby and Dan have been playing soccer on Saturday mornings for the last few weeks. Originally, I'd signed them up to give myself a little break once a week but Dan was excited about it because he hoped the soccer would balance the ballet and gymnastics. Abby's been very clingy with me recently, so I was unsure how it would go. However, they have had a blast! Abby starts asking about soccer with Daddy by Thursday each week, and wakes up each Saturday morning ready to put her jersey and tennis shoes on.
Obviously, they're too young to play any sort of game. Mostly, they play a lot of red light/green light, dribble the ball up and down the field, shoot goals in a game called "bulls-eye," and just have fun. Abby listens very well to Coach Justin, and has a bit of a crush on Coach Chad (he's tall and dark, like her Daddy. She's always running up to him during drills and gives him a shy smile when he talks to her. It's quite cute.) She's learning a lot (another dad even called her "a natural") and she's having fun with her Daddy. I also get a nice break once a week and it's giving her some much needed time away from mommy.
Sorry for the picture quality, the lighting was bad in the gym and I had some camera issues. Enjoy the pictures!
Obviously, they're too young to play any sort of game. Mostly, they play a lot of red light/green light, dribble the ball up and down the field, shoot goals in a game called "bulls-eye," and just have fun. Abby listens very well to Coach Justin, and has a bit of a crush on Coach Chad (he's tall and dark, like her Daddy. She's always running up to him during drills and gives him a shy smile when he talks to her. It's quite cute.) She's learning a lot (another dad even called her "a natural") and she's having fun with her Daddy. I also get a nice break once a week and it's giving her some much needed time away from mommy.
Sorry for the picture quality, the lighting was bad in the gym and I had some camera issues. Enjoy the pictures!
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