Happy Halloween!

Halloween costumes sure have come a long way since the '80's.  I can't remember ever actually buying a costume growing up.  Needless to say, I was a witch or a gypsy pretty much every year that I can remember.  That is, except for when I was a chipmunk at age 4 or 5.  I don't know how my mom came to find this costume -- I don't think she made it, but one of her friends might have.  You can tell just how homemade it really looks, can't you!! (yes, I swear it's most definitely a chipmunk and not just some other furry mammal ;) -- my cheeks surely give it away!)  Don't you like how I'm double-fisting the pumpkins...I was a real thinker!!

Hope you all had a happy and safe Halloween!!

Good things come in small packages

Snack-size, to be precise!!

What are you giving away for Halloween, and are you attempting to use every ounce of self-control to not dive into the bag like I am????? 

17 weeks

I'm going to try to document the pregnancy a bit, week-by-week.  As of Sunday, we're 17 weeks along!  Time is going by pretty quickly so far.

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 17 Weeks
Size of Baby: He/she is the size of an onion!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I like to steer clear of the scale.  I really don't know how much I've gained since my last doctor's appointment was 3 or 4 weeks ago (though it's been A LOT, I swear!  My biggest epiphany was when I realized that my home scale and the doctor's scale are off by about 10 lbs!  I was so relieved (and confused -- I am convinced their scale is wrong.  I thought I had gained 15lbs in the first trimester....when you're not even supposed to gain anything.  I think I'll close my eyes at the doc's and just weigh myself from home from now on!!)
Maternity Clothes: I can still fit into my regular workout and comfy clothes, but when it comes to jeans...as of this Friday I need to go with maternity jeans in order to be comfortable.

Gender: TBD!!  As of right now, we are going to find out -- but SB has been a little wishy-washy over whether or not he wants to find out.  I know that I want to find out (I like to plan things out), but unless he's 100% on board with that, we'll wait. 
Movement: I don't think I've felt anything yet.  Supposedly in the next 2-3 weeks I should start to feel something.  I have another doctor appointment this Wednesday where I'll hear the heart beat again!!

Sleep: I'm sleeping well.  I do flip from side to side a lot, but for the most part I'm sleeping through the night pretty easily.  I think exercise definitely helps with sleep.

What I Miss: sushi, diet coke, turkey sandwiches (though I recently discovered that if I microwave the turkey, it's supposed to be ok b/c that will kill any potential listeria -- but then there's the question over nitrates....so I'm not having it very much, but I crave Jimmy John's!!)

Cravings: Potato chips, chocolate (hellooooo Halloween candy!!!), baked goods, JJ's

Symptons: Tiredness (I haven't seen 10pm yet this week!), some lower back aches
Best Moment This Week: watching SB leave to board the team plane with the Happiest Baby on the Block book as his reading material.  I hope that some of the tough linebackers got a glimpse of that!!  Overall though, we are just so thankful and happy to be experiencing this exciting chapter in our lives together!!

Favorite start to the weekend....

1.  Dinner out with my husband on Friday night

2.  Early morning run (jog really is a better word as I'm pretty slow these days) with my husband and dogs (yes! both!  This morning was the first time we did this as a whole foursome....or fivesome if you count you-know-who!)

3.  Heading out now for a pedicure and a little shopping around.  I don't really need anything so I like to call this "recreational shopping."

I don't have many other plans in store this weekend beyond tennis tomorrow morning (I'm cleared to play till week 20 where we'll re-evaluate with the doc -- and I'm wearing a heart rate monitor which I kind of love! It tracks my heart rate constantly, which is fun to watch -- and then tells me how many calories I burned at the end of a workout.  I highly recommend the Polar FT60).  The Rams play Tampa on Sunday --- Go Rams!!

Dear Missouri Politicians:

Let me preface this by saying that I am certainly NOT a political expert.  However, I do know that your current advertising strategies have totally turned me off from a majority of your campaigns.  The mud-slinging approach teaches me nothing about your own policies, beliefs, background, etc. -- the key pieces that actually affect whether or not you will receive my vote.  I am tired of watching your awful political commercials, and at this point -- I can't wait until Wednesday, November 3rd, when hopefully all of this nonsense will end!!  I do believe that I should exercise my right to vote (as I believe everyone should -- some very instrumental women fought very hard for us to have that right!!)....I haven't paid any real attention thus far, but maybe my angst with your commercials will actually lead me to do some research and make sure that I have my new Missouri voting card ready come Nov 2. 

Stepping off my soapbox,
EmilyB.

First baby purchase

What do most women buy when they find out they're pregnant?  Sure, there's the usual pregnancy books, and probably a few maternity clothing pieces (thanks, Gap 30% off sale!!), but then what?  

I haven't bought a single baby outfit or anything.  At least that was the case until last Wednesday.  For awhile, I was nervous to "jinx" myself by buying anything for the baby  (I still am, to be honest), but last week REI had a ridiculous sale, and SB and I managed to bring home this puppy:

....and I am so excited about it!!!  I've literally been googling stroller reviews ever since before we started trying.  No idea why, but I've been excited about the stroller for awhile.  We finally decided on the BOB Revolution over the Phil & Ted's.....so hopefully I'll still be happy with this one for a few years to come!! 

Back in action....

It's been a little while, I know.  Life has been hectic in our neck of the woods.  In the past two months, there have been some exciting developments.  Here's a taste of a few of the highlights:

• SB and I went to NYC for the US Open (yes, it's really been that long since I blogged....).  We stayed with my brother and his family at their place in the West Village, and had an unforgettable experience lined up at the Open.  As a part of my niece's preschool auction, my brother "won" us the opportunity to hit with Patrick McEnroe (whose daughter happens to be in the same preschool class)!  It was awesome.  We played in the indoor courts (using the Junior Tournament locker rooms to change....talk about feeling old!!) and started by warming up with him and one of the teaching pro's in the USTA's player development program.  Then we played a few tie-breakers (SB and I managed to win one of them!!), we hit some more, then toured Arthur Ashe Stadium, and watched Maria Sharapova beat a young American from the CBS broadcasting booth (where we met John McEnroe too!).  Did I mention that it was awesome?  We went back to Patrick's seats, and watched Roger Federer win his match easily.  Here are a few pics from the Open and NYC (we saw some of our friends there too, plus an amazing Broadway show -- "Promises, Promises" with Kristen Chenowith and Sean Hayes -- they were phenomenal, feasted at a few great restaurants (including Collichio & Sons -- one of Tom Collichio's restaurants) and even sampled Magnolia Bakery's cupcakes (which weren't all that great if I do say so myself)):

• The Rams are 3-3!!  This is monumental.  Last year they were 1-15, so to have a start like this is just outstanding!  How great to see a team that works hard actually enjoy a few victories.

•  And these two have been keeping me very busy!  I have been walking them about 2.5 miles in our neighborhood every morning before work.  Last Sunday I took them on a 4 mile hike on a nearby trail.  They were pretty tuckered out at the end (so was I!).....

• Hopefully you managed to read through all of this post, because I've saved the best news for last!  One of the main reasons that I haven't been blogging is because for about 3 months I was absolutely exhausted, super nauseous, and I had a giant secret to keep!  Yes...that's right!  We're expecting!  I'm 16 weeks along today, due April 3, 2011 :)  We couldn't be anymore excited!!!