Scardy Cats

I'm not sure of the correct spelling of Scardy, but my 2 cats are scardy cats when it comes to rain and thunder. It's actually quite cute because they are so predictable.

Whenever it begins to rain, or thunder is heard, our cats crouch really low to the ground and run into our room to hide under the bed. And, they stay there until well after the storm has passed. Chester, who is usually the more adventurous one, goes first and stays the longest. There was a very brief storm last night and Chester hid under the bed until early this morning. Poor kitty.

Henry is much funnier in his attempt to protect himself from the rain. Maybe it's because he's a little fatter than Chester, or maybe he's just not as smart, but he doesn't quite make it all the way under the bed. He gets part of his body under, but the rest of him sticks out from under the bed skirt. It's very cute, but I wonder why he thinks he's safe in that position.

Our kitties are very entertaining to say the least. And for now, they get so much attention. Little do they know (or maybe they do) that a new little person will soon become the focus of our home, our energy, and our time.

PS: I think Chester knows that something is up. Sometimes he rests his head on my belly and feels the baby move. His eyes get big and he looks curiously up at me.

Positive Thinking

I'm trying my hardest to be positive about these last few weeks of pregnancy. In fact, I had intended to write a post about all the great things about being pregnant, but right now, I'm just a little annoyed about some things.

First of all, as I type, I'm loosing feeling in my right hand. This is because many women develop carpal tunnel syndrome in the last few weeks of pregnancy due to fluid retention. Enough with the fluid retention already! When I wake up in the morning, it takes nearly an hour for the feeling in my right hand to return, and I have to compensate by using my left hand to open the toothpaste, feed the cats, pour a glass of orange juice, and so on.

My latest complaint is an itchy belly. I guess my stomach has stretched out so much that it itches ... like crazy. I think I may go crazy trying to not scratch it!!!

Enough complaining. Now on to the positive things.

Baby Vila has now 'dropped', although it was so gradual I didn't really notice it was happening. The doctor said this is a good sign because she definitely will 'fit' through my pelvis (hooray for that, right?). I think he was just trying to be funny, but it's still reassuring.

I love the dramatic movements our little girl makes at night. Sometimes it like my entire belly is lopsided because she's decided to move more to one side. It's really cool to watch my stomach in motion, knowing that our little girl is causing it. I love rubbing my belly just to get her started.

A little positive to go along with the negative is always a good thing.

The End of Unlimited Metrocards

I think I may have purchased the last weekly unlimited express bus metrocard of my life. I always try to have at least 2 in my wallet just in case I can't get to a vending machine when my current card runs out. I now have three cards, just enough to get me through June 9th, which will be my last official day of work. It feels weird, but it will save us $41 a week. But then again, I won't be making any money, so that won't help us too much.

In any case, what this really means is that our little girl will soon be born and our lives will change in ways we cannot imagine, though we keep trying. I'm looking forward to it!

When He's 64

When Paul McCartney turns 64 on June 18th of this year, he will be single again. I am extremely sad for him. I really wanted his marriage to Heather to work out. I was not among the nay sayers, but I truly believed that he found someone to love and that would love him for the rest of his life.

After all, Paul McCartney is not the kind of celebrity who jumps in and out of relationships at the drop of a hat. He and his first wife, the very "Lovely Linda", were married for 29 years. He loved her till the end, when she lost her battle with cancer. Over their 29 years of marriage, they only spent one night apart. They were devoted to each other, some might have said too devoted. He even let her play and sing in Wings and with other bands while he was on tour - not because she was good, but because they wanted to be together. I always admired that about them and thought it was a smart move. It's not easy to maintain a relationship when you're not together.

So, when Paul announced that he was going to marry Heather Mills, I was happy for him, and like his first marriage, I thought it would last. I'm sure they both thought it would last, and that's why it's so sad that they have announced their split. Why? They say they couldn't handle the pressure of being in the public eye constantly, but there has to be more there. All I feel is sadness for the both of them.

It makes me wonder if Paul already had his one, amazing, true love in life with Linda. He wrote some wonderful songs for Linda that pretty much sum up his feelings. I'll leave you with a snippet from "Maybe I'm Amazed".



Maybe I'm amazed at the way I love you all the time
Maybe I'm afraid of the way I love you
Maybe I'm amazed at the way you pulled me out of time
And hung me on a line
Maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you

My Take on American Idol

I admit that I am a huge American Idol fan, and have been since the first season. I missed the second season entirely when I was on the Music Man tour, but I remember watching portions of it one night(when I wasn't onstage) with the security guard for a theatre since he happened to have a small TV. So yes, I'm a fan.

This year has been no exception. I was sad when Chris went home last week because he was one of the better singers there. Elliott has grown on me, but he has this annoying fluttery vibrato most of the time. I think part of his popularity (certainly for me) is that he has gotten better, and he has a quirky charm about him. Taylor Hicks also isn't the greatest singer, but I love him because he sings from his heart and always has a good time. He's confident, but not overly so, and he knows what he's good at. Katherine is my least favorite of the remaining 3, not because she can't sing, but because I think she tries too hard to be something she's not. Why can't she just sing the song instead of noodling around every note like a Mariah Carey wanna be? Her version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was exceptional, but she even tried a few unnecessary riffs in that song. Why does she think that in order to be original she has to riff at every possible opportunity? Case in point - Taylor Hick's version of "Something" and "You Are So Beautiful" were wonderful. He didn't try to add to the already beautiful melody, but he still made the songs his own.

All that being said, I would prefer a Taylor Hicks and Elliott Yamin finale. They are more endearing and more communicative with their voices. And, they're both unique, where as Katherine can be forgettable. Am I being too hard on her?

A Little Courtesy Please

I have to start this blog by saying that I love taking the Express bus to and from work. The seats are cushioned, the people are nice and quiet, the schedule is predictable, and the ride is smooth and efficient. That many nice things cannot be said for the subway and regular city buses. But, sometimes the drivers are not very courteous.

Before I was pregnant, I didn't care that they started driving to the next stop while I was walking to my seat. Now, I do care. I have a fear of falling and hurting my baby, and when the bus is moving and I'm still trying to get into a seat, I'm a little concerned. Thankfully, I haven't fallen, but I was a witness to someone else's fall recently, and I hope it served as a wake up call to the driver.

The victim was a sweet little elderly woman with a cane. The fact that she was walking with a cane should have been enough to alert the driver that she had problems walking. Plus, her daughter, who was not riding the bus, helped her up the steps of the bus. I decided to let her on before me because I knew she needed more time to find a seat. After I got on, I was right behind her and the bus started moving. The nearest available seat was still a few rows away, and she continued walking. Next thing I knew, she fell. It was one of those slow motion things. I felt so bad for her.

The bus driver was oblivious to the situation. I had to tell him to stop the bus because she fell and needed help up. Two kind passengers helped her into a seat once they saw how pregnant and useless I was in that particular situation. I then told the driver that he should have waited until she found a seat before driving off, and several other passengers echoed the sentiment. He told us that someone at the front should have given up their seat. Way to pass the blame! He could have asked someone to please give up their seat, or he could have simply waited for her to sit down.

Sometimes a little courtesy goes a long way.

Pregnant Avatar - Pajama Lover

Check out my latest Avatar. She's pregnant!! Finally, a more realistic version of the me I am right now. Thanks Little Light for letting me know about this. I also love that she's wearing pajamas.

Ask anyone who knows me well, or has been my roommate, and they will let you know that I wear pajamas every chance I get. I don't understand people who lounge around their own house in actual outfits. Why? Why not put on your most comfortable pair of pj's before deciding to relax on the couch?

My mom traditionally gets me a pair of pajamas every Christmas. This year, I got maternity pajamas, and I have worn them out - literally. The pants have a hole in them (thanks to one of the kitties), and the top has been washed so many times that it barely fits me (I'm sure my growing belly has some blame in this too).

Anyway, I love my new Avatar - I may never change her until after the baby is born!

Wonderful Week

I've just come down from the high of a wonderful week. Last Tuesday, my mom and aunt came up from Texas to visit me and Eric, and to attend our baby shower. It was so incredible having them here. It wasn't a pleasure trip for them, but we did manage to get some fun in. Mostly though, we got things ready in our apartment for our little girl. Since we only have a one bedroom, our dining room has become her 'room', although she will not sleep in there. We're using the dining table as a changing and storage area, with additional storage underneath. I brought in my nightstand and lamp for her room too. It looks cute and cozy now. It's amazing how much stuff a little baby needs!

On Thursday night we went to see my good friend in "Tarzan" on Broadway (visit www.merledandridge.com). She played the role of Tarzan's ape mother, and had several solos and duets including "You'll Be In My Heart". She was amazing, and so was the show. It was great seeing her in her element, performing and sharing her gifts with the audience. She had some of the most tender moments in the show and made me cry twice.

Then, Saturday was the shower. Many of my friends (LaCanas, Emily, Merle, Beverly, Jenny, and Hylma) got together and planned something really special. The food was great and so was the company. The hostesses laid out onesies of various sizes on tables and asked people to decorate one using markers and stencils that they provided. We got some really cute outfits out of that! And, of course, we got some great gifts. Eric and I were overwhelmed with the generosity and thoughtfulness of our friends. I tried to properly thank everyone at the shower, but I was so overcome with emotion that I could hardly get out more than "Thank You."

I'll try to post some pictures from the shower soon. I've given up on trying to look thin in pictures. There's just no hiding the fact that my belly is huge, as well as just about everything else.