This past weekend we had a party. I'm feeling a bit more like myself now that we may get to entertain people once in awhile. I've been in a bit of withdrawal. I will have to say, it was not the same as The Lanes parties back home, but it was a good one.
We had Olivia's entire class and all their families over for an 'End of the Year' bash. It was really just a good excuse for us to insert ourselves and make friends. I think it worked. The party started at 3pm and the last guest left after midnight. That would be Barry. Our friend that likes to cook as much as me. The last few 'families' left after 10pm. Needless to say, the kids all slept well that night.
On to the 'Lunch Box' story....just had to share this.
I was standing in the kitchen with one of Olivia's teachers, Mrs Beth. She turned to me and said, 'I have to ask....who makes Olivia's lunches?' Uh-oh. I was a little worried. Not a question you typically get asked....especially by the teacher. And, on top of that, it's a frequent discussion topic between Kyle and I as we have struggled to come up with ways to keep her lunch 'exciting'.
So, I replied, 'Um...actually that would be Kyle'. The truth. Every morning, that is his least favorite job in the world. He l.o.v.e.s Tuesday's. It's pizza day. We pay $4 and they order in pizza's for all the kiddos. He doesn't have to pack the lunch on Tuesday. He can't wait for summer as there are no more lunches to be packed.
Beth, 'I have to tell you....Olivia has THE best lunches in the whole entire school. I get hungry just looking at her lunch box every day!'
Holy smokes! Really??
Beth, again 'Yes. She has more thought put into her lunch than I've ever seen. She has the best selection of any kid and no matter what she picks out to eat, they are all great choices. Whether it's the sandwich or hummus or a cheese stick or fruit. It's not the crap other kids have in their lunch boxes.'
We then continued the conversation for a little bit, as the thing Kyle struggles with is that Olivia doesn't eat a lot of her lunch. Beth reassured me that is because no one eats and the kids can't slow down long enough to really think about eating. But, Beth said that we should be happy knowing that whatever does eat, it's the best thing in the class. And, she can tell a lot of care goes into making it. I was so proud of Kyle!
It took all my restraint not to run out to Kyle and share my exciting news! However, I held back. After all, he was in the middle of 'guy' talk, smoking cigars and having a beer. I did NOT think that he would appreciate me sharing my good news at that particular time. Would not help his manly image. Nor will this if he reads my post!! Shhh.....
27 May 2010
19 May 2010
Oh So Glamorous....
That would be the joys of business travel. I'm in Bermuda. Here's my story of how I got here.
Flew out of Miami yesterday. Miami has to be THE worst airport in the world. And, I really do mean that with all sincerity. People hate DFW because there are so many terminals. But, at least the 'friendly folk' in TX make it easy to get from one to the next. Miami...well, they just make you walk. Like 3 miles to get to your gate. And, if you're leaving from Terminal E, you have to check in at Terminal D...and then walk. The only entrance into Terminal D is at Gate 25. It ends at Gate 51. There's no tram, buses, moving sidewalk or anything of the sort to help you get there. So, at 6 months pregnant and still traveling, I decided to check my bag. (Can you see the suspense building already?)
Boarded at 12:50pm for a 1:20pm flight. Get on board, check email on iPhone and get email that says we're delayed until 2pm. Hmm??? Why did we just board. Flight attendant taking a dead-head next to me, so I ask. He asks. Weather in NY and they are staging our landing. Nice. Why, again, did we board. I'll get on with the story....
So, we're delayed about 1 1/2 hrs getting out of Miami. They make up some time in the air and we land only 30 min late. This means that I only have 30 min to make my connection at JFK. Make it. Worried now about bag making it. Not to worry though....we were delayed 2 hours. Once we boarded. Again. At the gate. So, because I have a window seat, I can see all the last minute bags being loaded. Feel better. Start heading to runway and see that there are 15 planes in front if us. Oh....the joys of travel.
Land in Bermuda after 10pm. And....of course. Every bag makes it off, except mine and a couple's from Montana. Here's the great thing about travel to Bermuda. There's one flight a day on American from JFK. One. One, I tell you. And, it lands at 9pm every night. (when on time). I have a business meeting at 9am...that means right away, I know I'm in trouble.
I'm also in Bermuda. Have I told you that? The highest GDP country in THE world. A 24 hr Wal-Mart doesn't exist. Nothing's open past 10pm. It's now 11am. There's no Target so save me. So, I accept reality and we head to the hotel.
We get to the hotel....and, they overbooked. We're the last ones there drawing the short straw. So, we get 'reassigned' to the property on the other side of the island. We take the trek over there. It's late, we're tired. I have nothing. And, I'm very aware of it. Thinking already how I'm going to look presentable in the morning for this meeting. No makeup, no hair stuff. no brush. All I get from the hotel is a toothbrush, razor, toothpaste and a comb. I'm not a man. That won't work.
So, it's after 1am when I get settled. I set my alarm for 715am. At 6am, I wake up to the smell of bacon. They put me right above the kitchen. I really like bacon. And, would enjoy it for breakfast. But, my idea of waking up....not to the smell of bacon seeping in my room.
I checked the website and the 'lost baggage' number all day long. No sign of my baggage. I finally got a break in the day. (Meeting went well and lost baggage always makes for a good ice breaker). Turns out the benefit of being stuck in Bermuda without baggage is that there's a Benetton down the street and it actually has a Maternity section!! Who knew?? Turns out it's about 5 items, but enough for me to get an outfit for the dinner I have tonight. Bermuda is also not a cheap place to lose your luggage. $200 at Benetton. $20 at the drugstore just for mouse and hairspray. These are not fancy toiletries kiddos. I was able to get all the essentials to at least tide me over until I get to NY tomorrow. Once there, I know I'm in good shape...except for my contacts. I wear daily disposables and I'm just praying they make it the three days. And, the prenatal vitamins I need. Small things, right?
Funny part too. I finally get to take a shower after running all my errands. Could not wait!! Get in....the housekeeper decided mine was a good room to play a trick on apparently....After all, everything else was going right. The 'shampoo' and 'conditioner' that I saw in the shower were actually shower gel and body lotion. Really??? Soaking wet, I have to get out and call down to housekeeping for them to run up the actual products one would use in the shower!!
So, for all of you out there (ahem...Kyle...are you listening?) business travel definitely has it's perks. Today is not one of them.
Flew out of Miami yesterday. Miami has to be THE worst airport in the world. And, I really do mean that with all sincerity. People hate DFW because there are so many terminals. But, at least the 'friendly folk' in TX make it easy to get from one to the next. Miami...well, they just make you walk. Like 3 miles to get to your gate. And, if you're leaving from Terminal E, you have to check in at Terminal D...and then walk. The only entrance into Terminal D is at Gate 25. It ends at Gate 51. There's no tram, buses, moving sidewalk or anything of the sort to help you get there. So, at 6 months pregnant and still traveling, I decided to check my bag. (Can you see the suspense building already?)
Boarded at 12:50pm for a 1:20pm flight. Get on board, check email on iPhone and get email that says we're delayed until 2pm. Hmm??? Why did we just board. Flight attendant taking a dead-head next to me, so I ask. He asks. Weather in NY and they are staging our landing. Nice. Why, again, did we board. I'll get on with the story....
So, we're delayed about 1 1/2 hrs getting out of Miami. They make up some time in the air and we land only 30 min late. This means that I only have 30 min to make my connection at JFK. Make it. Worried now about bag making it. Not to worry though....we were delayed 2 hours. Once we boarded. Again. At the gate. So, because I have a window seat, I can see all the last minute bags being loaded. Feel better. Start heading to runway and see that there are 15 planes in front if us. Oh....the joys of travel.
Land in Bermuda after 10pm. And....of course. Every bag makes it off, except mine and a couple's from Montana. Here's the great thing about travel to Bermuda. There's one flight a day on American from JFK. One. One, I tell you. And, it lands at 9pm every night. (when on time). I have a business meeting at 9am...that means right away, I know I'm in trouble.
I'm also in Bermuda. Have I told you that? The highest GDP country in THE world. A 24 hr Wal-Mart doesn't exist. Nothing's open past 10pm. It's now 11am. There's no Target so save me. So, I accept reality and we head to the hotel.
We get to the hotel....and, they overbooked. We're the last ones there drawing the short straw. So, we get 'reassigned' to the property on the other side of the island. We take the trek over there. It's late, we're tired. I have nothing. And, I'm very aware of it. Thinking already how I'm going to look presentable in the morning for this meeting. No makeup, no hair stuff. no brush. All I get from the hotel is a toothbrush, razor, toothpaste and a comb. I'm not a man. That won't work.
So, it's after 1am when I get settled. I set my alarm for 715am. At 6am, I wake up to the smell of bacon. They put me right above the kitchen. I really like bacon. And, would enjoy it for breakfast. But, my idea of waking up....not to the smell of bacon seeping in my room.
I checked the website and the 'lost baggage' number all day long. No sign of my baggage. I finally got a break in the day. (Meeting went well and lost baggage always makes for a good ice breaker). Turns out the benefit of being stuck in Bermuda without baggage is that there's a Benetton down the street and it actually has a Maternity section!! Who knew?? Turns out it's about 5 items, but enough for me to get an outfit for the dinner I have tonight. Bermuda is also not a cheap place to lose your luggage. $200 at Benetton. $20 at the drugstore just for mouse and hairspray. These are not fancy toiletries kiddos. I was able to get all the essentials to at least tide me over until I get to NY tomorrow. Once there, I know I'm in good shape...except for my contacts. I wear daily disposables and I'm just praying they make it the three days. And, the prenatal vitamins I need. Small things, right?
Funny part too. I finally get to take a shower after running all my errands. Could not wait!! Get in....the housekeeper decided mine was a good room to play a trick on apparently....After all, everything else was going right. The 'shampoo' and 'conditioner' that I saw in the shower were actually shower gel and body lotion. Really??? Soaking wet, I have to get out and call down to housekeeping for them to run up the actual products one would use in the shower!!
So, for all of you out there (ahem...Kyle...are you listening?) business travel definitely has it's perks. Today is not one of them.
16 May 2010
Where do you go when you get in trouble?
We decided this kind of time out works best. What do you guys think? Cruel and unusual punishment or 'misery loves company'?
Like all kids discovering something new, Olivia decided that Eddie's cage was a great place to hang out. He's quite fond of his 'house' after all, so why not? In all seriousness, we kindly told her that his cage is not a place to play. Feel relieved?
However, I have decided that the picture above is the perfect analogy for how I feel these days with my pictures.....CAGED IN!! I have gotten SO far behind in my digital 'upkeeping' that I don't even know where to begin. I just found all these cute pictures...going all the way back to Olivia's birthday party. I guess I just write off the past 6 months and start now. But, there are some really good ones. Who knows? I keep telling myself that my upcoming maternity leave is going to be my time to 'catch up' on all this stuff. Yeah, right! Because a newborn and a pre-schooler do not take up ANY of your time. Maybe I should just decide now to take a sabbatical.
Does anyone out there have good plans in place for maintaining all this stuff? Inquiring and 'Caged In' minds want to know???
14 May 2010
Six Month Update
I'm totally confused by the 'pregnancy' math. I'm technically 24 weeks today, which would put me at 6 months. But, my due date is Sept 3rd, which is a little more than 3 months away. Regardless, we're getting close!! I have an 'app' on my iPhone that tells me week by week what's going on. I was reading it to Kyle last weekend and it said 'You're 23 weeks and have 17 weeks to go'! Panic. We're on the downhill now. Uh-oh!
As with most 2nd (or 3rd or more) pregnancies, we are SO not prepared like we were with Olivia! This baby better not come a day early or it will be going home with whatever wipes and diapers we can steal from the hospital, along with the standard pink and blue blanket they give you when the baby is born!
I do have the bedding. That part is done. Funny side story about that - I love the it makes people uneasy that we don't know what we're having! Our neighbor was over for dinner the other night and I said 'oh, you have to come see that bedding for the crib'...in all honesty, she replied with an astonished look, 'You have the bedding?? How?? You don't know what you're having'....I know. Completely foreign idea to people, but it works!!)
But, the crib eventually needs to go up for the bedding to be applicable! I know, we have some time. But, it was so much easier when we had 4 bedrooms. I could still have a guest room AND put the baby's bedroom together with leisure. And, with Olivia, I just had to worry about her room and her bedding. Now, I'm moving beds all around, trying to make the baby's room a pseudo guest room and a baby's room. Trying to make Olivia's room a little less 'toddler' and make it possible to be a guest room when people come visit and Olivia gets to 'camp out' in our room. So, I'm getting 3 new bedding options, accessories, furniture, etc. And, trying to be very cost efficient with this endeavor! I know....the same problems everyone faces in this situation.
So, enough of that part.
As for the pregnancy, I'm trying to enjoy this pregnancy as much as I did Olivia's. There are parts of it where I truly am doing that. I enjoy being pregnant. Olivia is talking to the baby every day and putting her hand on my belly at night when we read stories in case she feels 'Shim' (part 'she', part 'him) move. There are days I feel cute.
Then, there are the other 6 days of the week. I just feel huge this time. I didn't with Olivia. I'm about the size I was when I delivered Olivia and I have three more months to go!!!!! I've been trying to work out more. I haven't been craving the daily Dairy Queen Heath Blizzards that I did when I was pregnant the first time. In fact, my biggest craving this time has been grapefruit. Who craves that??? Funny part is, Olivia is now hooked on them and the two of us have one apiece each morning. Good mother/daughter bonding time over a grapefruit.....She likes them so much, she uses a straw at the end to suck out all the juice. (My other biggest craving is a margarita, but since I can't have that....no need to talk about it.)
I am SO thrilled to be entering prime summer months here in Miami with all the Brazilian-model-like beauties walking on the beach. I can't wait to continue getting bigger and bigger with each scorching month. This is going to be fun! The best part is, the bigger I get, the more Kyle shrinks!! He's started doing this program called P90X. It's a DVD workout program if you haven't heard of it. He's getting in prime shape and I'm gaining every pound he's losing. Fabulous!
I also have 6 weeks of solid travel left. I think this is the part that is so hard this time. Here's my lovely trips each week from now until the end of June - Bermuda, NYC (get to have dinner with my mom!), Dominican Republic, Minneapolis, Jamaica, San Diego and Dallas for Lili and Kenneth's wedding. I'm very excited about a few of the trips (seeing my mom and going home to see everyone), but I'm done. I'm tapped out.
Now for the fun part. We had a sonogram two weeks ago. Now, the 3D technology is a normal part of the process. When we had Olivia, you had to go somewhere private to get that part done. And, our sonogram tech loves playing around with the new technology, so we get to see some cool things. Here's a little video of 'Shim'. I know, it's probably more 'weird' than 'cute' at this point, but still had to share. We go back at 32 weeks for another one. (DeeDee - surprise! You and the kiddos get to come as you'll be here that week. I already checked and the lady said that all Latin families bring a crew here, so not a problem!)
This baby has the exact same nose as Olivia! That's Shim's arm in front of it's face.
As with most 2nd (or 3rd or more) pregnancies, we are SO not prepared like we were with Olivia! This baby better not come a day early or it will be going home with whatever wipes and diapers we can steal from the hospital, along with the standard pink and blue blanket they give you when the baby is born!
I do have the bedding. That part is done. Funny side story about that - I love the it makes people uneasy that we don't know what we're having! Our neighbor was over for dinner the other night and I said 'oh, you have to come see that bedding for the crib'...in all honesty, she replied with an astonished look, 'You have the bedding?? How?? You don't know what you're having'....I know. Completely foreign idea to people, but it works!!)
But, the crib eventually needs to go up for the bedding to be applicable! I know, we have some time. But, it was so much easier when we had 4 bedrooms. I could still have a guest room AND put the baby's bedroom together with leisure. And, with Olivia, I just had to worry about her room and her bedding. Now, I'm moving beds all around, trying to make the baby's room a pseudo guest room and a baby's room. Trying to make Olivia's room a little less 'toddler' and make it possible to be a guest room when people come visit and Olivia gets to 'camp out' in our room. So, I'm getting 3 new bedding options, accessories, furniture, etc. And, trying to be very cost efficient with this endeavor! I know....the same problems everyone faces in this situation.
So, enough of that part.
As for the pregnancy, I'm trying to enjoy this pregnancy as much as I did Olivia's. There are parts of it where I truly am doing that. I enjoy being pregnant. Olivia is talking to the baby every day and putting her hand on my belly at night when we read stories in case she feels 'Shim' (part 'she', part 'him) move. There are days I feel cute.
Then, there are the other 6 days of the week. I just feel huge this time. I didn't with Olivia. I'm about the size I was when I delivered Olivia and I have three more months to go!!!!! I've been trying to work out more. I haven't been craving the daily Dairy Queen Heath Blizzards that I did when I was pregnant the first time. In fact, my biggest craving this time has been grapefruit. Who craves that??? Funny part is, Olivia is now hooked on them and the two of us have one apiece each morning. Good mother/daughter bonding time over a grapefruit.....She likes them so much, she uses a straw at the end to suck out all the juice. (My other biggest craving is a margarita, but since I can't have that....no need to talk about it.)
I am SO thrilled to be entering prime summer months here in Miami with all the Brazilian-model-like beauties walking on the beach. I can't wait to continue getting bigger and bigger with each scorching month. This is going to be fun! The best part is, the bigger I get, the more Kyle shrinks!! He's started doing this program called P90X. It's a DVD workout program if you haven't heard of it. He's getting in prime shape and I'm gaining every pound he's losing. Fabulous!
I also have 6 weeks of solid travel left. I think this is the part that is so hard this time. Here's my lovely trips each week from now until the end of June - Bermuda, NYC (get to have dinner with my mom!), Dominican Republic, Minneapolis, Jamaica, San Diego and Dallas for Lili and Kenneth's wedding. I'm very excited about a few of the trips (seeing my mom and going home to see everyone), but I'm done. I'm tapped out.
Now for the fun part. We had a sonogram two weeks ago. Now, the 3D technology is a normal part of the process. When we had Olivia, you had to go somewhere private to get that part done. And, our sonogram tech loves playing around with the new technology, so we get to see some cool things. Here's a little video of 'Shim'. I know, it's probably more 'weird' than 'cute' at this point, but still had to share. We go back at 32 weeks for another one. (DeeDee - surprise! You and the kiddos get to come as you'll be here that week. I already checked and the lady said that all Latin families bring a crew here, so not a problem!)
This baby has the exact same nose as Olivia! That's Shim's arm in front of it's face. 08 May 2010
What Envy and Success Look Like....
Success!!! the Medal Olivia received from swim school. She accomplished a lot in one week. She is now a full-fledged fish! We cannot keep her out of the water. Every night when she comes back from swimming lessons, she just wants to go straight into our pool. She's doing cannonballs (not sure who taught her this??), swimming freestyle (the form has a ways to go) and can almost swim all the way across the pool without stopping. On her last day of class, she even floated on her back and kicked on her back all the way to the side with her hands above her head. Awesome! This makes my heart happy.
Here's envy. I talked to the coach for a bit today. To all you who wrote back saying I should 'bare my belly' and get in the pool (ahem....I fully realize by the way that you are not pregnant and not having to experience the embarrassment yourself, but I'll take the good advice for what it is....!), I'm one step closer. First, the coach said there's only 3 or 4 Master's people there swimming after the club kids finish up. Great news. And, his wife swam up until she delivered with two of their kids. So, I'm going to call my OB and get his permission. Then, provided (and that's a big provided) I can find a maternity workout suit, I'm going to try it. I'm pretty excited about it actually. The exercise will be great and I can do it through the last trimester, whereas this heat is starting to kill me in my attempts to workout outside. 90f and 90% humidity do not fare well on 'ol preggo!!
05 May 2010
My Inner Fish....
Olivia started swim lessons this week. She's doing great and is on her way to becoming her own fish in the water. She adores 'Molly' her teacher and even says she wants to go every day for the rest of her life. This makes me very happy.
The problem is me. See, she takes lessons at a nearby high school that happens to have 'club' swim practice going on at the same time as her lessons. The pool, which is outside, is packed with kids. Swimming, practicing, doing drills, going up the lane on the right doing a flip turn and then back on the right. Practicing all the strokes. In swimming 'terms', that would be 'butter, back, breast, free'. It's beautiful! I'm drooling with envy watching these kids. I want to be there. In. the. pool. Practicing. Swimming. Getting a great work out in.
Shortly after we moved here, I researched pools to join so I could continue swimming. There's a program called 'Master's' swimming that is for anyone over college-age that wants to continue practicing in a competitive and coached environment. Traffic is horrendous and I could not find any pool that was even remotely convenient to work or home. So, I gave up. I looked for a gym with a good pool, but they are usually shorter than competitive pool lengths and that gets a little annoying. The minute you get your momentum going in the lane, you have to turn around.
Well, two things.....the 'coach' of the club swim team happens to hail from UT. Yes, he bleeds orange and is a Longhorn. He gave me the 'Hook 'Em' the other day as I was leaving. So, today at Olivia's lesson, I went up and asked him if he knew of any Master's groups nearby.
Guess what?? They have it at this pool!!! It's literally 1 mile from our house. I'm not kidding. They practice in the morning from 4:45am-7:30am and again in the evenings. Evenings don't work for me because that's family time. But, the morning is perfect!!! I can go work out, come home and get ready and then head to work. I couldn't ask for a better scenario.
Except....I'm almost 6 months pregnant!! Do you think it would be a little odd if all of a sudden I show up for the first time with a protruding belly? Swimming is supposed to be great for you when you're pregnant, but you're also only supposed to continue what you were doing before. I wasn't swimming. Not for the past year, that is. And now with the extra weight, I'd be out of breath in one lap.
Long term, good news. But, that doesn't solve the fact that I now have this burning desire to get in the pool and get a good swim in....and I can't! I can't even contain the drool when I'm there. Today, Kyle turned to me and said 'Are you even watching our daughter in her lesson? You just seem to watch the other kids swimming.'
Envy. That's what it's called.
The problem is me. See, she takes lessons at a nearby high school that happens to have 'club' swim practice going on at the same time as her lessons. The pool, which is outside, is packed with kids. Swimming, practicing, doing drills, going up the lane on the right doing a flip turn and then back on the right. Practicing all the strokes. In swimming 'terms', that would be 'butter, back, breast, free'. It's beautiful! I'm drooling with envy watching these kids. I want to be there. In. the. pool. Practicing. Swimming. Getting a great work out in.
Shortly after we moved here, I researched pools to join so I could continue swimming. There's a program called 'Master's' swimming that is for anyone over college-age that wants to continue practicing in a competitive and coached environment. Traffic is horrendous and I could not find any pool that was even remotely convenient to work or home. So, I gave up. I looked for a gym with a good pool, but they are usually shorter than competitive pool lengths and that gets a little annoying. The minute you get your momentum going in the lane, you have to turn around.
Well, two things.....the 'coach' of the club swim team happens to hail from UT. Yes, he bleeds orange and is a Longhorn. He gave me the 'Hook 'Em' the other day as I was leaving. So, today at Olivia's lesson, I went up and asked him if he knew of any Master's groups nearby.
Guess what?? They have it at this pool!!! It's literally 1 mile from our house. I'm not kidding. They practice in the morning from 4:45am-7:30am and again in the evenings. Evenings don't work for me because that's family time. But, the morning is perfect!!! I can go work out, come home and get ready and then head to work. I couldn't ask for a better scenario.
Except....I'm almost 6 months pregnant!! Do you think it would be a little odd if all of a sudden I show up for the first time with a protruding belly? Swimming is supposed to be great for you when you're pregnant, but you're also only supposed to continue what you were doing before. I wasn't swimming. Not for the past year, that is. And now with the extra weight, I'd be out of breath in one lap.
Long term, good news. But, that doesn't solve the fact that I now have this burning desire to get in the pool and get a good swim in....and I can't! I can't even contain the drool when I'm there. Today, Kyle turned to me and said 'Are you even watching our daughter in her lesson? You just seem to watch the other kids swimming.'
Envy. That's what it's called.
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