boo!

so i thought i was going to have this week off, stay home, write. i'm so burnt out on lab work - espec. b/c so many things aren't working. i just need a break. INSTEAD i will be helping my two students finish up their projects that they informed me a week ago they must present on monday. so it looks like last minute experiments all week. not really even my experiments. BUT this weekend, jack and i are headed up to DC for the cherry blossom festival (never been - very excited) and some much needed together time. then i will take NEXT week off to write. hopefully. we'll see.
i spent the last hour searching strollers online. my parents are obsessed with getting me one now, so they keep nagging me about it. i wanted this one:

but it is super expensive (the bugaboo bee). my dad suggested i get those little plastic fold out strollers. i had to inform him i was having an actual baby and not a doll baby.
anyway, so after searching (i really like the reversible handle feature of the bugaboos) i found the mia moda:
which is about 200$ cheaper and actually had way better customer reviews. so we'll see if this works for my dad. and kate and maryann sent over bins of baby clothes and diapers - so it looks like i'm set in that department.

in other news, jack's car has died. which sucks b/c he uses his car for work (not just to get there, but to make his runs). so i am now driving a ford f150 pick-up, courtesy of mike hwile jack uses my car. we're super lucky to have someone lend us a car until we get some sort of permanent solution, i just have to get used to driving something twice the length of what i'm used to. so that's fun.

i found this on ohdeedo: artisan bread in 5 minutes a day. I've been dying to learn how to make good homemade bread for about 3 years now. i just don't actually have the patience to really get down to it and make it. what i love about this (among the many things) is that it literally is something you do ahead, stick in the fridge and can let it sit for two weeks until you're ready to bake some. and they have a bunch of different recipes online (so you don't even have to buy the book). AND the guy that wrote it has a science background, hence the logical - how can i make bread quick and easy-break down. i'm sure it will still take me a few tries to get it right, but the idea behind it is exciting. when i have time.....
i was hoping to post some pics from the britney concert, but my phone's camera was not as good at that as i had hoped. shawn took some good pics and video, so i'm thinking those should be up on his facebook soon.
and friday:
for some reason it REALLY bothers me that she wears these shoes about 90% of the time she's photographed. for someone who dresses the way she does, you'd think she could change up her footwear. i feel like i probably have more shoes than her. i'll be on the lookout friday. and i'll call her out on that shit. i'm not scared.

so much to do....

the next few months are going to be CRAZY for me: i'm trying to finish up experiments and get out of the lab ASAP. i'm also writing my thesis, which on the one hand is a good thing b/c i'm really in the mood to write (which is rare for me), but i feel like i have no time to sit down and do it. i can think of a million other things to do - which is always the case. luckily i have jenny taking care of many things for the baby room so i don't need to worry about that. and jack has become a champion at doing odds and ends around the house so i don't have to worry about those either. the problem is i get home from work and am so burnt out i don't want to do anything but zone out. so i'm going to try to slow down and concentrate on writing, b/c the faster i get that done, the better. so needless to say, that want to hang out that i was having for so long also has to be put on the back burner b/c i just don't have the time.
my new "symptom" of pregnancy: i am hungry ALL THE TIME. i wake up in the middle of the night starving. i can't eat enough. its fun, since i love eating but also slightly annoying. my world revolves around finding something to eat. and since i've been SO bad about exercising, i have to find healthy things to eat. which is hard when i'm craving sweets all the time.
i finally picked a fabric for the curtains and bumper for the baby:






and a fantastic fabric for the moses basket (my all time favorite that jenny carries - the "babushka"/russian stacking dolls print). and we decided this would make a great mei tai sling: there are so many fabrics i love and i was running out of things to make so i bought amy butler's little stiches for little ones. so now i must learn to sew well so i can make all the cute things in there. just one more thing to do.... i forsee more sewing classes in my future!

in addition to work and baby related things to do - spring is so close to being here (well, technically already here, but its still too cold for me to actually believe it) and we have no time to get out to the garden and get planting! i've started quite a few seeds:
tomatoes, peas, beans, corn, peppers, herbs, and some poppies thrown in. we'll have a little bit of a different garden going on this year - i want some cucumbers again though. and a few more hot pepper plants. the tomatoes were such a disaster last year, i think i'll avoid trying that many this year. and of course, some raspberries and blueberries (in honor of the blueberry). so now we just have to make the time to till the garden, put some compost down, and get this stuff outside. the peas are already getting pretty tall and need to be moved.
and one last thing on my agenda for this week:
see you and your bits tues brit!

stealing ideas

it's finally sinking in that i will have a daughter soon. it seems so weird to say. but now i'm thinking of all the ridiculously girly things i want to do with her - espec when she's at the age where she still believes in fairies, happily ever after...i'm building a reading list in my head of all the books i want to read together (incl. the tomten - i was reminded of by soulemama, who also has a fantastic christmas eve tradition that i am going to steal).
meanwhile it seems as though my baby truly enjoys sweets - b/c thats all i want and normally i don't like candy, cookies, or cakes. i want this:
chocolate wafer ice box cake - basically just chocolate wafer cookies and whip cream (found on angrychicken). or these:
make-your-own ice cream sandwiches (found on tartlette who had so many things i wanted i had to stop looking). the cold weather is kind of deterring me from actually making these things for myself - yet another reason i'm craving warmer weather. i mean, who wants an ice cream sandwich when its 30 degrees outside?
although jack and i have been treating ourselves to hagen daaz sorbets (the peach is AMAZING). we make our own trios (a la can can's) using raspberry, lemon, and peach.

now that we know its a girl i'm very excited to find fabric and get to making curtains and bedding (or paying jenny to make them!). this is my favorite so far:

i'm able to go a little more girly (although not too froo froo), so its a little easier to find stuff i like that will work. now i just have to be careful i don't go overboard with different patterns and the room just looks ridiculous.
i made a new batch of pregnancy tea - MUCH better this time. if you recall, i made a huge batch of it and it was gross. it took me two months to finish b/c i couldn't bear to throw it out - i just mixed it with juice which helped a lot. i'm still mixing the juice and tea together, but this one is less bitter.

i've been keeping up with this new blog: fourfour who has the BEST blogs about america's next top model. i'm kind of getting over the show, but the blog makes it worth it (especially the screen shots and gifs). and i caught lil' kim on dancing with the stars - and i was actually impressed, and also confused at how different she looks from a couple of years ago. no more plastic surgery!!
oh and if anyone has the fourth twilight book - i'm going into withdrawal and need it. i even finished the midnight sun excerpt online. please someone feed my addiction!

its a girl!

and everything looks good - no down syndrome, no cleft lip, good heart, good kidneys, legs in the 60th percentile (how that happened??)...

so we've had name suggestions from katie:
In order of importance:

1. Katie, Kate or Katherine. No Katelyn or Kathy, please.
2. Mia
3. Leonarda
4. Britney. You can spell this in a variety of ways, Brittney, Brittany, Britnay, take your pick.
5. Beyonce
6. Lourdes
7. Jupiter
8. Kelly Taylor
9. Gwen
10. Millie. You think Blair would be upset?

and blair, malissa and shawn have decided she will be the next star of toddlers and tiaras.

i'm just happy she's healthy and seems to have no major problems. jack was, i think, a bit in awe of the whole thing. it was almost as fun to watch him as the ultrasound.

spring fever

so spring is finally here. this has been the most perfect week - 9 inches of snow and then 80 degree weather to melt it all away. unfortunately it will be cold again the end of the week - but having the windows open has been so nice the past few days.
jack and i were driving home from my parents the other nite when we saw the white goat! the white goat is a richmond legend - he was once a pet of a family that lived in my neighborhood on the river and when they didn't want him anymore, they just set him free. people have been seeing him hanging out on the cliff near the river (actually at the very end of my street), but he's never been caught. years ago, i used to drive home over the powhite bridge and would see him hanging out on the side of the river. but i hadn't seen him in awhile and thought maybe he had died. and then...there he was - hanging out on the side of the hill! Jack had never seen him and frankly didn't believe me. so when we passed, of course jack missed it - i gt off the exit, back on the powhite and proved it - that goat is real! i wish i had a picture.
my ultrasound appointment got moved up, so we'll find out the health and sex of the baby on wed! i'm so excited! it will be nice to focus and not just imagine some blob hanging out in my uterus.
i've had a couple of interesting conversations about the way we're having the baby (no hospital, midwife, etc.). i guess since i'm usually surrounded by people who have either been through it, or know about it i haven't really had to explain or defend my position. its interesting b/c to some, this subject is almost as touchy as a religion discussion. and i'm happy to do it - b/c it is such an important decision and so many are not informed, its nice to be able to expose others. and i like Shawn's questions best.
we went to see a birthing movie last week, the orgasmic birth. at first i thought it would be similar to the business of being born (and it ended up being similar - even a little more factual), but i found out the basis is women who have actual orgasms while having babies. right. i'm sorry, i can see where you may want to have a more pleasurable than painful experience but i NEVER want to associate the two. i know i know, thats exactly where babies come from. but its not what should happen when the babies come. no judgements, just not my thing. anyway, the opening scene was a little...sensual. then the movie got good - showing different labors, a c-section, and various expert interviews (including one from the former director of the women and children's health section of the WHO, marsden wagner who was great). the last girl, autumn, was way too much to handle - a little creepy and way too excited about the orgasms she had during her birth. so besides the first and last scene a really great movie, if you like that kind of thing.
and its official - i am now in maternity jeans. as much as i hate to admit it - they're really comfortable and i just pull them on and off - no buttons, no zippers. sweet.

nursery update

so here's a picture of the nursery:

i know, i know the color is BRIGHT, but we'll be hanging tons of stuff on the walls to break it up, so it should be not quite so overwhelming. i never read up on the right colors to put in a baby's room (i'm sure there some feng shui type method to it), so this color may give the kid nightmares, but it can't be worse than a giant butthole over the crib - right blair? (actually i think the creepy old babydolls are way worse than a butthole, but thats just me)
anyway, we have this great rocking armchair:


but the upholstery is not so great. i'd love to re-upholster it - anyone know how to do that? i don't mind doing it the tuck and staple way i once saw Todd oldham do on that old decorating show he had on mtv.
and Blair has introduced me to this great website for home design, which has links to ohdeedoh (the children's room decorating site - oh i love it!!), apartment therapy, kitchen stuff, and a diy-techy for the home site. i haven't even begun to be able to look through it thoroughly, but as blair said - "its like crack". i found this post that is about re-greening your space in which they tell you how to compost your toilet! gross. seriously. we compost but never would i do that. it smells bad enough.
so as soon as we find out what the baby is (mar 16!!) i'll continue my quest for curtain and bedding fabric. i think it will just be easier that way. neutral is very hard to find apparently - especially when you aren't looking for animals or clowns all over it.

worst/best two weeks

after one of the worst weeks ever, i am now having one of the best weeks ever (so far...). last week i had a committee meeting, which went ok. then i had a "job interview" for this new lab i was hoping to get into as a post doc. i say "interview" b/c it wasn't a typical interview - i had to present my data to the lab, then meet with each lab member individually. the actual process was low stress, but the day before it was revealed that this could be a competition for the position between me and one of my best friends, whom i had recommended to the guy! what a predicament!! anyway, it all turned out well, he called me today to offer me a job (which i, of course, accepted). its a raise (not much but still...), great hours, and a great lab! i'm super excited and super relieved i won't have to worry about this come summertime.
AND it snowed! and it snowed like 7 inches! i absolutely love the snow and its like a winter wonderland outside.
i took yesterday off (there was no way i was driving) and got so much done around the house it was kind of incredible. i had worked all weekend (both in lab and at alchemy) and i think i really needed this day off. i got a lot of the nursery set up (jack painted this weekend - its bright but i love it!), we're starting to get the other back room taken care of b/c it was a big shitty mess, and i started organizing pictures to re-hang in the hallway. i still need to get to the thrift store to get some more picture frames cheap.
i tried on all the maternity clothes i've ordered/had given to me and have decided one thing about maternity clothes: they are the stepping stone to mommy clothes. i see why women end up trapped in mommy clothes - b/c they're wearing pseudo-mommy clothes (paperbag waist jeans, weird button downs) for six months before the baby and are brain washed into thinking those things are still cute after the baby is out. NOT me!! you'll never fool me maternity clothes! mommy clothes are NOT cute. and really, neither are most maternity clothes. oh well. nothing else fits right now, so i am trying to make due.
this morning i went into to work late and jack didn't have to go in until the afternoon, so we made a pregnant snow mama. she's got big boobs, a big belly and a big butt (i hope the neighbors don't find her too vulgar). she also has a sweet wig and headband a la alice in wonderland. it was so fun and there was so much great packing snow! oliver had a great time playing in it too (mia, not so much).

i've finished the first three books of the twilight series and all i can say is i'm starting to really dislike bella. this whole bella/jacob thing REALLY annoys me. bella really annoys me in general. however - edward is quite enjoyable.
we have andrew and em's engagement party this weekend - which should be pretty fun. luckily we decided to make em blueberry and lemon cupcakes (her colors are navy and yellow), since she's given up chocolate for lent. i'm kind of excited about these cupcakes - 1) b/c they will be delicious and 2) i can use up some of the cupcake boxes left over from our wedding. i will not be stamping them however, sorry no time!
and countdown to britney begins: 21 days.