WEEK 16 – AVOCADOS AND SNOW

We have now hit the 4 month mark. Time is moving so quickly! Week 16 was greeted with the largest snow storm I have seen to-date in NYC. Saturday brought about 12-14 inches of snow to blanket the streets with perfect white powder. We got outside in our boots Sunday morning to explore the winter wonderland and buy a few last minute Christmas presents.

View from our bedroom

Hudson River Park

As for the baby, it is now the size of an avocado. It may be coincidental, but we happen to eat avocado twice over the weekend because the Chelsea Market (TT) had some fabulous looking ripe Haas variety flown in from somewhere warm. Anyway…my reading tells me that I should brace myself for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks our baby will double its weight and add inches to its length – hello maternity clothes. Right now its head is more erect than it has been and its ears are close to their final position. The little sprout even has toenails. Crazy. As for me, I am feeling fab and am excited to head back to California for the Holidays. We have our second ultra sound on Wednesday, just before we fly out. Rumor has it we will find out at this appointment if it is a boy or a girl. We plan to have the technician write it down the results in a card so we can save the ultimate surprise for Christmas morning. I’ll keep you posted. Happy Holidays and safe travels!

I WISH

This morning on my way to work, I looked up as I passed a Starbucks to see a slew of winter-ish slogans in the window. The one that stuck out to me read, "I wish grown-ups could remember being kids (TT)." Looking back I remember thinking the same thing and all the things I would try to remember when I became an adult. Things like:

• Its okay to go play in the rain, even if I get a little wet
• A mid-night snack is always fun
• Staying up chatting at a sleepover is expected, even if I am grumpy the next day
• The world just sounds better with music in the background
• Most drinks taste better out of straws
• Grass stains aren't the end of the world and are evidence that I played hard
• French braids rock
• Always add extra cherries wherever possible
• Cleaning my room can wait until tomorrow
• Travel size hotel shampoos from adult trips make bath-time extra special
• Nylons are uncomfortable and nerdy
• Car games make the road trip go faster
• Build forts
• The best time to swim in the ocean is in the late afternoon, when it is almost time to go
• Ocean swims are the best with dad
• "Life's not fair" is not what I want to hear when I'm upset
• Sitting on wax paper while going down slides makes you go super fast
• Babysitters are cool - parents should go out alot
• Things that are a slightly dangerous often make for the best adventures
• S'mores
• Sleep outside in summer time
• Adults should save adult clothes (particularly dresses) for kids to play dress up in
• A little sand indoors never hurt
• Bubble bath
• No one is to old for hide-and-seek
• The more Christmas lights the better
• Bike riding is a vehical to freedom.
  
  I am sure there are many more things I thought over the years, but no longer remember. As I am about to become a mom, I hope I can look back and remember what it is like to be a kid and put myself into his/her shoes. Life as a kid is magical - remember to be a big kid at heart.

WEEK 14

So today marks week 14 for the little sprout. I thought I would post a pic of my progress, since I am now beginning to show. It is getting tougher to dress for work, which means I will likely break the news very soon to my boss (rumor has it she is on to me anyway)! According to my pregnancy books, our baby is about the size of a peach. Sprout is beginning to practice inhaling and exhaling motions in the womb that send the amniotic fluid in and out of the lungs. Our baby’s arms have reached their final proportions to the body and it is easily testing out its newly found reflexes. As for me, last night was my first episode of heart burn after an over-indulgent dinner at the Spotted Pig. I probably should have skipped desert, but the banofee pie (banana-toffee) was way too tempting and delicious.

READY TO ROCK

This past weekend we made our first baby purchase. We found this antique grandfather rocker at a vintage furniture warehouse behind the naval yard in Brooklyn. We thought it would be a perfect addition to our living room and the perfect piece to rock the baby to sleep. After a little clean up with my favorite wood miracle, Nanchez solution, our rocker is ready to rock.

RAINBOWS AND UNICORNS

Well…rainbows at least! The only unicorn we saw was on the crust of the apple pie (courtesy of a cookie cutter ) at Thanksgiving Dinner thanks to Celsea and Carly. The beautiful horses are a few of Diane and Michael’s Arabians. After a long walk around the property to help burn off some of the leftovers, we ended up in the pasture to feed the horses some carrots. Pictured above are Kim and Ron Vandenburg (TT’s) and below more of the Thanksgiving crew…