Don't Hate Me Because ...

Remember those commercials? "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful." I always wanted to finish the sentence with, "Hate me because all I care about is being beautiful."

Anyway, don't hate me because I'm going on a vacation to Puerto Rico. Tomorrow Eric and I will be leaving NYC for San Juan to go to his cousin's wedding and then to relax and enjoy ourselves. So, I will be out of commission for a week, but I hope to come back with pictures and highlights of our trip.

Unrelated Thoughts and Events

I went to the doctor yesterday for my monthly prenatal exam. I don't want to explain the reasons why, but I had to get a shot. I was shocked when the nurse told me she would give it to me in my butt. I haven't had a shot administered in that way since elementary school.

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One good reason to have a husband when you're pregnant: He's there to hoist you up after a long bath!

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Everyone should see the documentary "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price". I always knew that Wal-Mart was evil, but I never knew just how far they go to make a ridiculous profit. They are the true 'Evil Empire' and I take back everything negative I've said about the Yankees (well, almost).

People Passing Me By

I'm officially a slow walker, and I'm completely blaming this on my pregnancy.

This morning, I nearly missed my bus. I left at exactly the same time I usually leave, but I managed to loose a lot of time on my walk there. Most of the time I was thinking about the ache in my hips, lower back, and feet (from swelling), and about having to go to the restroom even though I had just gone right before I stepped outside my door. Very annoying.

Anyway, I turned the corner and saw my bus approaching, but I was still about a half block away. I tried to run, but my feet failed me, so I flailed my arms about in an attempt to get the drivers attention. I must have looked ridiculous, but it worked! Thankfully, the bus driver came to where I was and stopped to let me in. What a nice guy. My old bus driver was such a meanie and would never have done that.

Once I got to my stop in Manhattan, I noticed (as I've been noticing lately) that everyone keeps passing me by on the street. I use to be the one with a swift stride, now I must look like I'm out on a leisurely stroll with no place in particular to head towards or be. It's a little unnerving to see old men and women pass me by, but it's even more annoying when I see young girls with a bounce in their step pass me by. Why? I guess because I remember when that use to be me, and I never thought I'd be the one with the slow gait.

Wise Words from John Lennon

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the Beatles. My interest in their music began in the 8th grade and has remained ever since.

This morning I was listening to John Lennon during my commute to work and was reminded of one of my favorite quotes of all time. Now, I'm not much for quoting, but this one is awesome. And no, it's not from "Imagine". It's actually from a song called "Beautiful Boy" that John wrote for his son, Sean. In it, he sings about how beautiful his little boy is and how he's looking forward to seeing him grow up and experience all the stepping stones of life. In fact he says "I can hardly wait, to see you come of age, but until then we'll have to be patient." In a lyric buried in the middle of the song, he later says "Life is what happens to you when your busy making other plans." That's the line that gets to me.

I've often thought about how true that is, and it's especially true now. In the midst of all of our planning and dreaming about our baby, I really don't want to miss out on the everyday joys of life right now. I want to enjoy every kick I feel, every call from my parents who want to share in the excitement of this time, every conversation with a good friend, and even every bus ride to work. Because, after all, we really don't know how much time we have on this earth and life truly is the everyday things that happen to us.

Sadly, within one year of writing "Beautiful Boy", John Lennon was shot dead in front of his apartment building. He wasn't able to see his son "come of age". Still, I think he was wise enough to recognize the beauty of and fully enjoy the time he did have with his son.

Are You Having a Good Time In There?

I've been wondering lately what my little girl likes to do in the womb. I often feel her moving around, but I'm not sure why she's moving. Is she uncomfortable? Did she hear something that scared her or peaked her interest? Does she aspire to be a gymnast? I just don't know.

I also wonder if she's bored in there or if the sounds of my digestive system and the beating of my heart keep her sufficiently entertained. Eric and I talk to her sometimes - maybe she finds us amusing. I certainly do my fair share of singing - does she like it? Hopefully, she'll find our voices familiar when she enters our world.

Wouldn't it be cool if we could remember what it was like to be in the womb? But, maybe it's better that we don't remember. Maybe we were completely bored and didn't know it.

Bravo Ann Curry

Precious little has been said about the genocide that has been taking place for years in the region of Darfur, Sudan. I, for one, stumbled upon hearing about it quite by accident nearly one year ago. Once I found out some details about how many people have died and have been displaced, I immediately wondered why this was not at the forefront of our news broadcasts, and why so many powerful governments seem to be letting the violence continue unchecked.

I still don't have an answer to the latter part, but at least we're starting to hear about Darfur in the news. Yesterday, Ann Curry delivered a special report within the first 30 minutes of the Today Show (and later on the evening news) about the genocide in Darfur and how it is now spreading to the bordering country of Chad. I thought to myself "finally we're hearing about this in a prominent way". Katie Couric even thanked Ann Curry for relentlessly pursuing this story even when their network discouraged her from covering it.

So, that's way I say bravo to Ann Curry.

www.savedarfur.org

The Perfect Husband

Could it really be true? Do I have the perfect husband? While I know there is no such thing as perfection, Eric comes pretty close.

As of late, Eric's work schedule has been a little unusual. For example, he had Thursday and Friday off this week rather than Saturday and Sunday. What does he choose to do on his days off? Clean the house, do the laundry, clean the litter box, go grocery shopping, and run errands for both of us. Isn't that amazing? And, if that weren't enough, he even tried two new recipes and made sure that dinner was waiting for me when I got home from work on both nights. Plus, in anticipation of my birthday (which is today, by the way), he bought flowers and displayed them on our dining room table with my present and a card. He is just too wonderful for words. He would make an awesome househusband!!

Of course, leave it to me to think of an ulterior motive for his perfectness. Could it be that he is modeling what he expects from me when I become a housewife? I mentioned as much to him and he just laughed. Not exactly a denial, right? I did remind him that I'll have a newborn to take care of as well, so hopefully he'll cut me a little slack.

The Runner

Somehow I inadvertently took off the ability to post comments to my last two entries, but it's fixed now. So, comment away!
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Since I moved up to Riverdale, I've noticed a woman who runs regularly. I usually see her in the mornings when I walk to my bus stop. She's not like most runners who look like they enjoy running. She always has a look of extreme pain mixed with determination. Actually, she looks rather comical. Do you remember in Rocky (I think it was in Rocky), when he runs up and down a huge outdoor staircase as part of his training? Well, she does that, only we don't have huge staircases, so she runs up and down the two or three steps that lead up to apartment buildings and nursing homes. How much does that really help her workout?

Still, I can't help but admire this woman. She has consistently run for about two years now, and it certainly shows. She is disciplined in a way that I have never been. Right now, the only thing I'm disciplined about is taking long, hot showers twice a day and applying a honey butter lotion to my belly that is suppose to prevent stretch marks. Does that count?

My Kitties

I love cats, and I can't understand people who don't. Over the years, I've had the privilege of having many cats, and they have all been special to me. Right now, Eric and I have two precious kitties - Henry and Chester, pictured above. Henry is to the left, and Chester to the right. Eric was initially hesitant about adopting cats, but has since called our kitties "the best investment we've ever made". They truly bring joy to our lives.

So, here are some of my favorite moments with Henry and Chester:

1.) The night Chester brought in a chipmunk from our balcony and gently presented him to us in our living room. The chipmunk, naturally, ran to find a hiding place behind our TV, and Eric and I had the pleasure of coaxing him out of there and getting him back outside where he belongs - no easy feat!

2.) Watching Chester and Henry groom each other. It's so precious to see the bond they share as brothers.

3.) Watching Chester and Henry fight, which is another part of being brothers I guess.

4.) Coming home every night and seeing Henry jump up on our bed and roll over in the cutest way just to get attention.

5.) Waking up every morning to Chester's hunger meows. He always thinks I'm going to forget to feed him.

Soon, Henry and Chester will have to get use to a little baby in the house and I'm sure they won't appreciate the lack of attention they'll receive from me. For now, I'll just smother on the love!

Mourning

I have to admit that I've been having a hard time dealing with the changes in my growing body. So, I've decided that I should just mourn over the youthful body that I am losing. Yes, it sounds silly, but it's true. I am fully aware that this is a trivial matter.

A few nights ago, Eric 'caught' me looking at old pictures of myself from college and earlier New York days. He asked me what I was doing, and I told him I was looking at old pictures because I was sad about how big I've become, and how much bigger I'm going to get. He reminded me that this is all for a good cause, which I completely recognize and am happy about. And yet, I can't help but feel sad for what I'm losing.

I use to be thin without even trying, but I think I'm going to have to start working for it after the baby is born. From everything I've read, most women do lose the baby weight within a year of giving birth, but their bodies never return to the way they were before. True, some women look amazing after having children, maybe even better than they did before, but their bodies will never be exactly the same again.

So, I think it's time for me to mourn. I think it's ok to do that.

Eric and I spent a wonderful night at the Thayer Hotel in West Point, NY last Friday. The hotel, which is registered as a historic hotel, is absolutely beautiful and is actually on the grounds of the military academy. Our room had a gorgeous view of the Hudson River. Despite the cold, we were able to enjoy ourselves. For me, it was just great getting out of the norm to enjoy each other in a different setting. Plus, we really want to take advantage of these last 3 months before the baby comes and do things we probablly won't be able to do for quite some time. Hope you like the pictures.

From Yellow Cabs, to Gypsy Cabs, to ???

I was just thinking this morning about my first apartment in New York. I lived on East 12th St. in Manhattan, which was a very cool place to be. Since then, I've moved on up (geographically, that is) to three other apartments. My second was on West 113th St. in Harlem, my third on West 157th St. in Washington Heights, and finally, my fourth in Riverdale, at approximately 256th Street in the Bronx.

It's amazing the differences in options for cabs in each neighborhood. When I lived on East 12th St., I was always able to find a yellow cab, which meant that I was assured a fair (relatively speaking) rate and a reliable driver. Once I moved up to Harlem and Washington Heights, it was difficult to find a yellow cab. You see, they didn't like traveling to these "undesirable" neighborhoods, but preferred to stay in the land of tourists, which is anything below 110th St. So, if I wanted a cab from my apartment in those days, I had to search out a gypsy cab. Gypsy cabs are easy to find once you know what to look for. They're basically full-sized, dark colored cars like a Towne and Country. It's completely illegal for livery cab drivers to pick up passengers from the street, but it happens all the time. The downside to gypsy cabs is that you have to negotiate the fare BEFORE you accept the ride if you don't want to over pay. They don't have meters in their cars like yellow cabs do.

Now that I live in the Bronx, I've encountered a new phenomenon. There are no yellow cabs, and gypsy cabs are scarce. So, creative thinking Bronxites have taken it upon themselves to solve this problem. Many 'regular' people bring their 'regular' cars to the last stop on the subway and discreetly offer their driving services to anyone who needs a ride past where the subway goes. This is extremely illegal, but I think they provide a valuable and necessary service. Last night, for example, I was not keen on the idea of taking the city bus to my bus stop and then walking 10 minutes to my apartment. For one, it was cold and it had just snowed. Two, I'm 24 weeks pregnant and I just didn't feel like walking. So, I took the ride offered me.

This experience is not new to me, but it always feels a bit strange. The drivers want you to sit in the front passenger seat so it looks like you're a friend, not a paying passenger. Sometimes they'll take a few other people with them as well, to maximize profits. I'll admit, the first time I took one of these ??? cabs, I was a little scared. After all, why should I trust these people? Now, however, I'm so grateful to them. They are there in all kinds of weather, and they offer a reasonable flat fee to anywhere in Riverdale.

What to Say?

This is (obviously) the first entry of my blog. I'm not sure exactly what to say, so I'll just start blogging about things that are happening.

The most important thing going on in my life right now is that I'm pregnant - 24 weeks to be exact. We've found out that we're having a little girl, and I can feel her moving inside of me now. It's such a wonderful feeling. I can't help but think that this is how my mother felt when I was inside her. Life is so cool that way.

OK, I'll keep the first post short. Maybe I'll be inspired to post again soon.