Friday, October 31, 2008

Happy Halloween!

Ah, Halloween. One of my favorites holidays as it provides an excuse to dress up in the most provocative clothes imaginable while simultaneously stuffing one's face full of candy. In the past, I have used Halloween as an opportunity to show off my "assets." When I first moved to San Francisco, my girlfriends and I dressed as "Hos from different area codes" which basically means we put on the shortest skirts we could find and taped our home town area code across our bums. I dressed up as G.I. Jane one year... camo mini skirt and knee high black boots were all I needed. I dressed up as a dirty nun a couple of years ago and Joel dressed up as Moses. Joel enjoyed parting the sea of people at the bar.

This year, I can't fit into any of my provocative clothing and quite frankly, I can't even bend over to zip up my boots. Thalia suggested that I dress as Sarah Palin's pregnant daughter, Bristol. I'm thinking about picking up some "I Heart Alaska" iron on letters on my way home and making a tiny t-shirt for the occasion. The kids may not get it, but at least the parents may get a good chuckle. Instead of rocking out at the bar, Joel and I will be rocking the candy bowl tonight. Our new suburban lifestyle comes complete with a neighborhood full of kids so we're expecting to be busy!

Speaking of Halloween, Heather sent me over this photo of baby Alexander this morning. His monkey costume is so cute and I couldn't resist posting it:


Have a safe and happy Halloween and if you're in town, stop by for some candy!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

No Win Situations

I pretty much feel like I'm in a no win situation these days. The doctor wants me to stay seated or lying down as much as possible with my feet elevated to deal with the swelling in my feet and legs. However, what the doctor's don't tell you is that every time you sit or recline, the baby kicks really HARD in my ribcage. It actually felt like he had managed to hook his foot into my ribs at one point last night. This no win situation brought me pretty close to tears last night and finally, I retreated off to bed where Joel gave me a nice back massage while we watched some really bizarre show about some dude and his girlfriend that live with a pack of wolves (Kelly, if you ever become one of these freak shows, I'm not sure we can still be friends).

This morning, I started feeling some pressure and cramping when I got out of the shower. All of my books tell me that this is the precursor to early labor and I'm figuring this is just another pain (in the crotch) that I may as well get used to.

Oh yeah, Joel informed me last night that I have a beauty mark in the middle of the inside of my belly button. Three cheers for body parts that we have never seen before!

My last major dilemma is the winter coat conundrum. Currently, due to the belly situation, I cannot button my winter coat. In the last three days, it went from a balmy 75 degrees down to a frigid 35 degrees last night. At one point today, someone actually said it was hailing outside. I only have about 15 more days of work, so I don't want to buy a new, larger winter coat for three weeks of wear. What to do? Is it a fashion faux pas to wear my husband's fleece jacket to work? Its comfy, warm and it fits, but I'm sorta pushing homeless person status in it. I may as well put on my slippers and my ripped pajama pants while I'm at it! Sigh. This fashionista is suffering in flat shoes and unbuttoned coats.

The two positives: Joel bought Halloween candy (yay Junior Mints) and the countdown calendar says 39 days to go!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

I know this blog is meant to be a place to post updates on the pregnancy, our house, etc. I have been chastised by my lovely husband in the past for waxing poetic on politics and since then, I have tried to keep this blog focused on the family. Today, I just have to meander off the beaten path for a moment.

Joel and I have talked several times about our wishes after we die. Joel is a traditionalist with a firm belief in being buried in a Jewish cemetery with family members that have passed on before. I, as you probably can guess by now, tend to deviate from the norm wherever and whenever possible. Early on in our relationship, I told Joel that I didn't want to be buried in a cemetery. I want my ashes to be spread somewhere warm and sunny, with ocean breezes and the taste of salt air. See, despite my astrological fire sign, I'm a water person. I could never live in a landlocked state. I love the feel of the salt water on my feet. I want my friends and family to be able to "visit" me in the place where I truly feel at home. My only real cemetery experience has been where my grandparents are buried. A Jewish cemetery in New Jersey over looking the interstate. It doesn't speak to how my grandparents lived their lives, in my mind. My grandfather should have his ashes spread around his favorite places in New Jersey. The deli, the stationary store, the shore, Atlantic City.

I have mentioned my mentor, Leroy Sievers before on this blog. He passed away in August and since then, his wife Laurie has kept up with the cancer commentary on NPR.com. Her entry today discusses the spreading of ashes and I thought it was beautiful and poignant. Perhaps its just proof that I'm not as crazy as I think I am.

In Maui, Signs From Leroy
Leroy and I have talked many times about how special Maui is in our lives. This trip is no different.
Except this time, without him at my side, the signs of Leroy made it all the more special.
I know not everyone believes in those "signs", and I can understand that, but let me tell you, when you walk and talk with his Maui friends, who are so spiritual and mystical in their beliefs, it's hard not to believe.
There was the sunset Tuesday night. More brilliant and stunning than any other night. That afternoon, we had scattered Leroy's ashes. That night, it looked like the Maui sky welcomed him with a color-splashed banner of oranges and golds.
The next morning, the celebration continued with a vivid rainbow over the ocean. A rainbow with a beginning and an end.
Sea glass is plentiful here in Maui. The Pacific gives back her glass with softened edges and newly formed shapes. There on the sand, waiting for me, was an amber, heart-shaped piece of glass. Thank you, Leroy.
And the "Leroy" sign that really caught my breath? Driving back to the hotel, I glanced in the rear view mirror, and there it was.
You guessed it ... an orange Jeep.
That secret wave means so much more now

Monday, October 27, 2008

Baby Shower Weekend

Yesterday was my/our baby shower and I have to say, Baby Harvill made out like a total bandit! First and foremost, my sister, Allyson, did an amazing job as hostess and party planner. She put together the most beautiful floral arrangements (more beautiful hydrangeas, just like my bridal bouquet), the food and cake were so yummy, and the water bottles and bars of chocolate that she and my mother made were so cute!

I'm working from home today, so I spent a little time this afternoon going back through all of the goodies that we received. My co-workers, Joanne, Naya and Jennifer gave me these fabulous lavender scented slippers and I've been wearing them all day. These things are a total must-have as you can microwave them and they do such a great job of soothing tired tootsies. Baby Harvill got some very cute and trendy clothes and some of the softest blankies (Kelly and Heather, I think Joel has already claimed the large green blankie as his own) and stuffed animals that I have ever felt. He also will be blessed with the sharpest kicks in town... two pairs of Converse All-Stars so that he can follow in the footsteps of his Grandma Elaine. My sis-in-law AJ also made sure that our little bundle will be rooting for the right team (in her mind, at least) and got us the cutest Redskins outfit. I may have to get him some Pats gear too just so he is well rounded :). My mom took the cake with her alphabet quilt. I think its her best work to date and its going to be hard for me to use it as I'm so afraid of ruining it!

I have already decided on Baby Harvill's coming home outfit. Thalia gave us the sweetest fleece outfit, complete with a little hoodie with ears.

Needless to say, Joel and I are so amazed with all of the gifts and we really, really appreciate the generosity of all of our family and friends. THANK YOU! Once we complete the nursery, I will post some photos!

I had my 34 week doctor's appointment today. My legs and feet are totally swollen and the swelling is now starting to migrate to my hands. I'm up 5lbs (unbelievable) since my last appointment just two weeks ago. Dr. Kelly is getting close to giving me a doctor's note to work from home, as she really wants me to sit with my feet elevated to reduce the swelling and that just won't happen in my officle. Dr. Kelly wants to wait until my 36 week ultrasound in two weeks to come up with a plan of action, though. By that point, we should have an idea of how big Baby Harvill is and we can make a determination where to go next. If the baby is averaging normal or small in size, he'll continue to "bake" for another couple of weeks. If he's looking large, they may induce so that we don't run the risk of preeclampsia (although my blood pressure is still really low). Needless to say, I am now starting to feel the pressure to get everything wrapped up at work and at home in case they do induce at around 37 weeks. Two weeks and we'll see.

Otherwise, I'm feeling pretty large and in charge. Sleep is now a luxury. I think the more annoyed and exhausted I get, the faster Joel manages to fall asleep at night. My back is really starting to hurt and I pretty much no longer feel comfortable. Seeing the calendar say 41 days to go gives me joy, as I'm ready for the pregnancy portion of this journey to be over and the mothering part to get started. More later...

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Belly Pic Updated

For all of you waiting patiently for this week's belly pic, here you go:


Someone at work told me today that it looks like I've already dropped. Then, another person told me that I haven't. I think I look the same, just LARGER.
Off to dinner... more this weekend.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Baby Harvill Plays a Cruel Joke

With 47 days left to go until our due date, Baby Harvill decided to play a mean joke on us. He stopped moving. Usually he's very active late at night and early in the morning, so much so that I typically complain (a lot). Well, after all our travels, I was pretty exhausted last night. Joel and I were on the couch watching football (go Pats!) and I noticed that there wasn't much movement going on. I ate a couple of spoonfuls of ice cream and chugged some water. Nothing. I determined that perhaps he too was exhausted and was just sleeping more than normal.

I woke up this morning for my usual 5am pee and still nothing. I poked and prodded around until about 7am when we finally decided to call the doctor. Dr. Kelly told me to drink something cold and sugary and then to stay still for 2 hours while counting kicks. She said that if I could count 10 good kicks in the 2 hour period, we were good to go. Joel got me a nice, hefty glass of Coke (nothing like a little Coke for breakfast to really make you want to throw up) and we sat and waited... and waited... and waited. Finally, after about an hour, Baby Harvill started practicing his soccer kicks again. Slowly at first and then more regularly after about 2.5 hours. We were able to count the 10 kicks in just under 2 hours. Yay! We called the doctor back and the nurse instructed me to do the same exercise following every meal for the remainder of the day.

So, here I am counting. I feel like a poster child for Sesame Street. He's been pretty active this afternoon and my assumption is that we'll be back to normal by this evening. I've given Baby Harvill a little talking too as well. He now knows that even though Halloween is a few days away, he does not have the right to scare mom and dad like that.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Carolina On My Mind

We're home from our whirlwind weekend in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Constantine and Allison's wedding was something right out of a movie. The wedding was held in a beautiful chapel in the center of town and the reception was on the 18th hole of a picturesque golf course. The night was crisp and cool, they both looked fantastic, and everyone partied the night away. Joel did a great job as Best Man (he didn't even drop the rings) and he looked fab in his new blue suit.

Here's a really crappy photo of the happy couple and the groomsmen (Nick, Matt, Eric, Allison, Constantine, Joel, Andrew and John). I think this group wins the award for tallest bridal party.



The big hit of the evening (aside from the boat races at our table) was the 80s cover band that they hired. Best. Decision. Ever. What could have potentially been a stuffy setting quickly turned into the party scene from Animal House (I was actually waiting for someone to sing "I Gave My Love a Cherry"). Unfortunately, my camera battery died off at the chapel so I wasn't able to snap any photos of the chaos (I'll post some as they are e-mailed to me), but here are a couple of highlights:

1. Bride, groom and the majority of the under 40 men removed their ties and wore them around their foreheads instead.
2. Three Brown alum sang 99 Red Balloons while wearing red scarves that they stole from... somewhere... for the entire crowd.
3. Nick seemed to shed an article of clothing for every hour that passed during the night.
4. The Red Sox won and we met a cool bunch of locals (read: they were all wearing loafers and no socks) at the bar who decided to join us for part of the party.
5. The "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" moment when Constantine's entire family danced to traditional Greek music while the bridal party shouted "Opa!"
6. Slam dancing. Lots of it.
7. Polish (Matt) thought I was 22 years old. I lurve him for this comment (yes, it came after he had imbibed 47 drinks) and will happily set him up with any of my single girlfriends.

I have to admit, being pregnant at a wedding does not entirely suck when there is so much entertainment. I will also admit that by 11pm I was ready for a nap, so Joel removed his tie from his forehead and took me back to our super cool hotel, the Magolina Inn. The innkeepers here are a funky couple from Boston/Connecticut and the food there was fantastic.

So, we survived our wedding tour and are now happily settled in back at home. I'll take a belly picture once I get the camera charged. This week, I'm pretty much looking forward seeing my mom, who arrives Friday and my shower on Sunday. I can't believe I only have 7 weeks left...

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Doctor's Visit Update

Here's a quickie update following my 32-week doctor's appointment from yesterday.

1. I have managed to gain 3 lbs in 19 days. I swear this baby weighs 30 lbs and I've really only gained 5 lbs of fat.
2. My blood pressure is still coma-style. The swelling is not a sign of preeclampsia (yay) and at this point, I'm good to go for our flight to North Carolina on Thursday. Dr. Kelly did tell me that the majority of weight I'm gaining now is water weight and Joel and I are determined to cut back on our sodium intake (excuse me while I shove some more salty peanuts in my mouth... just kidding). She hooked me up with a cool doctor's note in case the flight attendants think I'm further along than I really am.
3. Dr. Kelly told me that I should be prepared as early as November 16th for this baby to make his grand appearance. Yeah, that's in like, four weeks. I'm totally not ready for that at all as we don't have a couple of necessary items and well, I still have five weeks left of work.
4. Our last "external" appointment is scheduled for October 27th. After that, the fun internals begin and we've scheduled our last growth ultrasound for November 10th. I guess at that point we'll be able to tell how big Brice really is. Feel free to place your bets now. Perhaps I should get another poll going.

That's all for now. I'll update when we get back from North Carolina on Sunday!

Monday, October 13, 2008

Back in CT... for three days

We just made it back to our house after a wonderful weekend in Bethesda. I have to say, David and Catherine's wedding was absolutely beautiful and we had a fantastic time. The Ladd family really knows how to throw a party. Their wedding, which took place yesterday, also marked my parents' 35th wedding anniversary. I'm hoping that its a symbol of good luck for the Ladds (although my dad joked that their divorce papers must have gotten lost in the mail many years ago).

On Saturday, we headed about an hour out into Virgina with the wedding crew to visit a couple of vineyards and do a little wine tasting. I took in the sunny day, the fabulous scenery and, well, I treated myself to a sip or two of the chardonnay. Here are some photos from the wine tour:

Here's the beautiful vineyard and the mountains in the distance.
Grapes still on the vine.Here's David and the rest of the wedding crew after enjoying some wine.


I know most of you read this to get an update on Baby Harvill and to hear my funny take on pregnancy so here's my story of the week. We got back to Joel's parents house in Bethesda after the wine tour and had about 30 seconds to change and get out the door before the rehersal dinner. I kick off my shoes and my jeans and look down at my feet and realize that they are swollen... not just a little swollen. To me, they look like pig's feet (Kelly, you can probably relate here) and they were SCARY looking. Perhaps the quickie stop at McDonalds wasn't such a good idea? I was clearly retaining a ton of water but at this point, there was nothing I could do. I tried to shove my feet into my lovely new high heels. It totally wasn't going to happen. I asked Joel if he could help me with my knee-high boots. We couldn't even zip em up. I had to resort to wearing my silly flats again.

Once at the rehersal dinner, I cornered David's mother who happens to be an OBGYN. Here's how our conversation went:

Me: Jill, I think something's wrong. My feet look like pigs feet.
Jill: Ah, you're experiencing the glories of pregnancy.
Me: No, you don't seem to understand. I don't want my feet to look like this.
Jill: The swelling is pretty normal. You'll just have to deal with it for the next two months.
Me: I'm sorry to say this, but I'm not going to accept that as your final answer. There's gotta be something I can do.
Jill: Well, you could try putting you feet in a bath of cold water and then sleeping with them elevated.
Me: Now you're talking.

Joel and I ran home after the dinner and rehersal and I proceeded to cool my feet off in a nice cold shower. I then sat my butt down on the couch with my feet elevated on a stack of about 18 pillows and proclaimed that I would not move until the swelling subsided. I'm being serious when I say that I even slept in this position.

The next morning, no more swelling! Wahoo! I was able to dress for the wedding like a normal person and even rocked out in my 3-inch heels all night (one wedding guest thought that I was going to go into labor while dancing the Hora). Here's a quick shot of me and Joel all fancied up (and the belly at 32 weeks):


So, we're back in Norwalk until Thursday when we head to North Carolina for Constantine and Allison's wedding! Busy month!

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Single Digit Weeks

We have reached the 31 week mark. I looked at the calendar today and saw just 63 days to go. That's two months, people. Crazy how the time is really starting to fly. It is now taking me longer than ever to get ready in the morning, in part because I can no longer reach my feet. Yesterday, I got completely dressed, coughed, peed in my pants and had to start from scratch with a fresh outfit. At least I was still at home... I'm thinking I may have to carry spare bottoms with me in the car in case of emergency.

I've started getting the rude comments from people in public places. At Home Depot, Joel and my conversation with a man in the kitchen cabinet department went something like this:

Random Old Man in Dirty Orange Home Depot Apron: Wow, you're not going to give birth in the store, are you?
Me: No, I've got two months to go. I think there's a pretty good chance this baby won't be born while we wait for you to price cabinets for us.
Random: Wow, you're pretty big though. I wouldn't be surprised if this baby came early.
Me: Are you trying to tell me something about my weight? This kiddo has two more months to bake and I'm really not trying to rush him out.
Random: Seriously? There's no way you're making it to December.
Me: Thanks again for your vote of confidence. It really makes me feel great. Since you are apparently psychic, can you use your infinite wisdom to tell us how much the cabinets will cost?

At this point, a look of utter panic washes over Joel's face (and not because the cabinets will cost us a fortune). For the first time we both realize this baby could come at some point next month. We sit down at the table with another "sales associate" so he can measure out what our cabinet needs would be. The lady sitting next to us starts up the same line of questioning. I tell Joel this is what I'm faced with EVERY DAY. Every person I see has a perspective on whether I'm huge or tiny, how great I look or how I look like crap. Its as if all normal social boundaries are broken and strangers have the right to comment on my body all they want.

I invested in my first pair of flat shoes today. I'm conducting a scientific experiment to see if flat shoes make my nighttime back aches go away. I'll report results later. For now, I'm getting used to being 8 inches shorter than Joel and realizing that my pants are really, really long.

Tomorrow I'm heading into New York to conduct our media day with Troy Aikman. He's got 23 interviews slated between 6:30am and 1:30pm so it is shaping up to be a busy morning. This is my last celebrity-driven media event before maternity leave, so I'll be doing a little dance tomorrow night as I check this off my "to do" list. Maybe I can get Troy to autograph my big fat belly? Maybe not.

Here's a picture of the week for you (yep, those are the flats):
We're headed to Bethesda Thursday morning for David and Catherine's wedding (we can't wait) so I'll try to update with some photos of us all fancied up when we get back on Monday.