Parched

File these under "weird and wacky" things that pregnancy does to your body:


1. You're SUPER thirsty. Crawling through the desert, and only ice cold water will do. You stumble into a Starbucks and can't fathom why anyone would want that awful coffee concoction, YOU need a Venti ice water. Exotic. Or you're finishing your shopping trip at Target and realize that you absolutely can not make it to your car for your water bottle. You need to grab a bottle from the mini-fridge at Target and drink it ALL right there in Aisle 3. Which brings me to my next topic...


2. Peeing. For some reason, you don't really have to go THAT bad until you STAND UP. Then suddenly everything in your belly shifts and "holy crap that's my bladder IN PAIN get out of my way people I need to go NOW!"


3. Your belly bumps in to things. Yep, I have opened the closet door and hit my belly with the door. For the last 3 years I've known the distance between me and the door, but not now! Same can be said for unraveling the curling iron cord and wacking myself in the stomach. And leaning forward towards the tray under my desk that holds my mouse/keyboard, and wondering why I'm suddenly typing many hundreds of "spaces"....uh huh...it's because my belly was resting on the space bar.


4. Enormous boobs. Enough to make one worry that perhaps they may never stop growing, and could potentially someday explode.


5. Pregnancy Brain. Ask me something before 10 am or after 4:30 pm, and I may not have a coherent answer for you. In fact, I may have no idea who you are.


6. Sharp pains in your belly and private parts for no reason what-so-ever. This has caused me to stand on the street corner doubled over and rubbing my belly while laughing at myself for looking so dumb.


7. Restaurant Issues. "I'll have the salad please. With no onions or peppers. Add goat cheese...wait, is it pasteurized? Oh, and chicken...well done. Extra dressing. And a lemonade. Wait, is it fresh? And could you bring some bread? Like, right away? And I'll need a refill on my ice water. Oh, my husband? He'll have a cheeseburger. Nope, just a cheeseburger."


8. Sleep. Lack of. Too much of. Inability to. I need a certain pillow behind my head, a special pillow between my knees, part of a pillow under my belly, and then another one when I'm propped up to watch TV. And I still wake up in the middle of the night feeling like someone is driving a stake through my hip sockets. Or flat on my back with no pillows in sight.

Attention Target Shoppers!

There is a father-to-be in Aisle 4, and he has picked out the CUTEST baby stuff for his little guy Max!
Sean and I went to Target this afternoon to look for some plastic bins for our garage, and while I wandered off to the maternity clothes section, Max's Dad was sucked in to the vortex that is the "Newborn Aisle"!
I could not stop smiling when he came around the corner with a sheepish grin on his face, and said "Look what I found. Some shoes for Max and his first Wooby!"

Notice the orange trim on the stylin' baby sandals, and the adorable blue sneaks! The "wooby" (LOVE that Sean calls it that!) says "Wild Thing", which we love because it reminds us of "Where The Wild Things Are", the famous children's book where MAX is the main character!


Max's Dad has great taste......AND a soft spot for the newborn aisle ;)

Oohs and Aahs....

The more pregnant I get, the more thankful I am for a few simple pleasures in life. Let's call this my "Happy List":


1. Dove Cream Oil body lotion. Who needs sticky, smelly, fancy "Strech Mark Lotion" that costs a bundle? This brand smells and feels divine.

2. Mavi maternity jeans. Low rise, wide leg, with room in the belly so Max can still do his little dance.

3. My hairdryer/curling iron combo contraption. I can have long blown-out curly hair (hurray for pregnancy hormones making my hair thick!) until Max arrives, when I will only wear ponytails.

4. Crack Calamari. For those of you who know about the "Crack Bacon" that Sean makes, this is a close second. Fried, sweet, spicy, sticky, and 2 blocks from my office.

5. Old Navy's new line of yoga wear. Tank tops with built in bras, thin racerback sports bras, comfy, no wires, breathable stretchy material, soft soft soft. One word. Aaaaaah.

6. Narcissus flowers and happy smells that don't make me gag.

7. Raspberry Italian Sodas. No caffeine. Refreshing. Bubbly water that settles my stomach.

8. Comfy fake-cashmere lounging pants from Target. Drawstring waist and super soft. Yippee!

9. Our do-it-yourself heartbeat listening machine. It's a baby doppler, and the best $35/month I've ever spent. When I'm nervous, or worried about Max, or think it's been a while since I've felt a good strong roooollllll in my tummy, I can take a nice long listen to his "galloping horses" heartbeat and everything is right with the world again.


10. My husband and his tireless efforts to keep me comfy. Like the other night, when he brought me the camera to upload some photos. And then the power cord so the computer didn't die. And this past weekend, after cleaning the entire house top to bottom, and PAINTING the walls he went out to get us chinese food for dinner because I was starving and didn't want to go any where. Could I have gotten my a** off the couch to do any of those things myself? Yes. Is he wonderful and giving and sweet because he's doing them for me? Absolutely.


Things that I SHOULD like and will try VERY hard to like (and do) now that I'm halfway through my pregnancy:

1. Prenatal Exercise. Swimming? Or at least water aerobics. Yoga? Pilates? I mean, I do walk from my office all the way up Fillmore and back at least twice a week (hey, it's up a HILL and MapQuest says it's over a MILE round trip!)


2. Protein. It's a damn shame there's no protein in macaroni and cheese.


3. Fiber. Don't ask.


4. Trying to be a better pen-pal/friend/email returner/blogger. Especially because when I come home after work each day, all I want to do is sleep. Mmmmm.....sleep.

5. Work on being nicer to my husband. He makes my life sooooo much easier, and I have everything in the world I've ever wanted. A husband who talks to the baby in my belly, brings home cookies after he picks up dinner because I'm pregnant and I might want them, lets me scream at him about stupid things when I have a hormonal pregnancy fit of rage, swears that my ass really isn't getting any bigger (only your belly, babe), and sticks up for me when our conservative doctor doesn't give me the answers I'm looking for.

That's the list folks. Stay tuned for more "oohs and aahs", preggo style.

Belly-Touchers

At 21 weeks, I have officially progressed from the "Wow, did that girl eat way too many tacos last night?" looks to "Awww...what a cute pregnant belly!" glances. Yes folks, I'm pregnant....that is not a beer gut, that is a baby.


However, being visibly pregnant means that I have also fallen in to the strange black hole that somehow changes all social etiquette when I walk into a room. People touch my belly. People comment on my pregnancy. People remark about how I've "popped", or how I'm so much more pregnant this week than last. Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind the attention if it comes from someone that I know. For instance, all of you who read this blog are in the "inner circle". Please feel free to touch my belly. Please don't hesitate to comment on my pregnancy. Please tell me as much as you can about what I can expect for the next 4 weeks/months/years. BUT, if you are someone in my enormous office whose name I DON'T KNOW, touching my belly and telling me your pregnancy/conception/delivery story is just plain weird. If you only know I'm pregnant because we happen to pass each other in the hallway every day on the way to the staff bathroom, please do not stop me for TEN minutes in the middle of the hallway to talk to me about how you never thought you'd be able to concieve and then thought about terminating your pregnancy until your best friend talked you out of it and your husband made you promise not to. I'm not kidding. I don't even know her name, beyond "Lady who Drinks Tea from A Red Cup". The same goes for you "Curly Hair who Works Downstairs". I felt a little violated when you asked what my baby's name was going to be. And "Phone Lady"....reaching out to rub my belly when I walk past you to greet clients in the lobby....SO not appropriate!


Now don't get me wrong, there is MUCH to celebrate about being pregnant. It's impossible to shower too much affection on a baby, or have too many congratulatory smiles thrown your way. And really, for the past 4 months I've LONGED for SOMEONE at the grocery store/hair salon/sandwich shop to give me that "knowing glance" because my pregnancy glow is so darn unmistakable. Just be reasonable people! If you don't know my name, it is not ok to rub my belly. My belly is just way too close to some other very private parts, and when would you EVER rub anyone's BELLY unless they were pregnant? It's just plain weird.

Go Eagles!

This weekend we received the sweetest gifts from Dad and Pauline....tiny Eagles gear for little Max! Now, when Max is cheering for his favorite team (on the couch, next to Dad, beer in one hand, chips in the other---Dad's hands, not Max's!) he'll be representin' his team like the big boys do! The clothes were purchased with the upcoming season in mind....they're the size that Max WILL be at the first kick-off. Although Sean did say that he'd love to bring Max home from the hospital in the Eagles sleeper.....but if our child fits in "size 3-6 mos" when he's born, then please leave me in the hospital!

Thanks Dad and Pauline!

Attention Target Shoppers!

Attention! There is a pregnant woman on Aisle 4, and she is frozen there! She's completely stuck in the newborn aisle, fingering the soft fabric on the tiny little onesies. She has a wacky grin on her face, and she has been comparing blue and white striped booties to little froggie socks for the last 15 minutes. With one hand on her belly and one hand clutching a set of 4 yellow and green burp cloths, she is standing in the middle of the aisle oblivious to what is going on around her.

Attention Target shoppers! There is a pregnant woman who's having her very first "Oh my god, I'm gonna have a baby, and it's a boy, and he's gonna fit in all these miniscule little outfits, and he's gonna be soooo cute, but he's gonna need ALL these things, and I just HAVE to get him these booties and while I'm here Diego needs the same exact pair, and what if I register for the Boppy and no one gets it for me, so I may need it right now, and oh look...there's What To Expect The First Year and I have NO idea what to expect so I need to buy that book TODAY and start studying immediately because I really don't know when you introduce solids or when babies get their shots, and while I'm here I think that this little robe would be perfect for Max because he could be cold after a bath, and wait...this shirt with the trains and cars on it would be adorable on him, then again it's long-sleeve and he'll only fit in it in the summer so I shouldn't get it, oh damn....how will I know if he's too hot.....oh my god, I might not know...I really do need this other book Your Baby: Week by Week because I'm sure there's some huge differences between when he's 5 weeks old and 6 weeks old, like these bottles over here....some are short and some are tall, he'll probably need both, and then look at those mobiles they're SO adorable, oh this one can clip on to a car seat, oh wait...the car seat.....I should probably think about what size/style/color we need and then.....look at those tiny little beanie hats, don't all babies need one of those when they come home from the hospital, even if it is going to be the middle of summer???????????" moment.

Attention Target shoppers: Please ignore the pregnant woman on aisle 4!!!!!!!!!!!

Movin' On Up...

According to the pregnancy websites, and my doctor, right about now my uterus is about even with my belly button.....which means......

There's a dance party going on in there right now! Max is growing bigger every day, and it's a virtual bounce-house in my belly! What was once little flutters are now turning into some tumbles, rolls, and maybe a moon-walk here and there. Now, I know that this is nothing compared to the elbow jabs to my ribs and the soccer kicks to my bladder that I can expect in the months to come, but for now, this is pretty amazing! Something is ALIVE in my belly, and doing some Michael Phelps swim moves on a regular basis! I can't wait for the moves to get stronger, so that Sean can feel them too!

This is clearly my husband's child, because Max is on the move all the time! I can feel him when I wake up, in the afternoon, and then again each evening! They say that babies sleep 16 hours in utero, and are awake 8 hours....similar to their sleeping habits once they're born. If that's true, then we're in for some looooong nights! And why should this come as a surprise? Sean is exactly the same way! He's up the stairs, down the stairs, cleaning the kitchen, outside, inside, on the phone, pacing back and forth as he's talking talking talking. Our little nephew Aaron has the same great energy....apparently he paces back and forth when he's on the phone, just like Sean does! So I guess I'm not surprised that Max is on the move.....dance it up in there little guy....we love it when you make yourself known!

Max Aidan

Now that we know we're having a boy, we wanted to share a little more about him with all of you. We are excited to announce that we are leaning towards the name "Max Aidan" for our little boy.

"Max" comes from Sean's beloved grandfather Max (Vinnie's Dad), who was a huge part of his life growing up. Sean has always known that he would name his first son "Max"...he even told me this when we first started dating! We think that it's a strong, creative name....and it's been made famous by the wonderful children's book 'Where The Wild Things Are'. "Aidan" follows the Jewish tradition of using the letter of the first name of a loved one who has passed. "Aidan" is for Kim's amazing Baubee (Ann, Barbara's mom, who was creative, full of energy and a sense of humor, and had a beautiful singing voice) and two of Sean's Great-Grandmothers (both Anna). Max's initials will be MAS, which (Disclaimer: this may be TMI) stands for Massachussetts, where we took our beautiful vacation in Boston and Nantucket, and where we conceived little Max.

So please join us in trying out the name "Max". We'll be practicing here on this blog, and in real life, and slowly the reality of welcoming our little boy into this world will take shape. We may still use Tucker every once in a while, but for now, WELCOME TO MAX'S BLOG!!!!

President Obama

Dear Tucker,

Today we witnessed the beginning of a new world, as we watched the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, President Barack Obama. You will learn about today in your history classes, but my hope for you is that you learn about the changes happening in our brave, ever-changing world on a daily basis. I hope that the world you grow up in is one where it's citizens are fearless and strong, where they help their neighbor and listen to the needs of their communities. I hope that the world is a safe place for you, filled with bravery and everyday heroism. I hope that the world that you live in is one that breeds acceptance and learning, and one that promotes healing and helping. I want you to know the importance of making change, and asking questions, and daring to be different, and seeking freedom for all people. I want you to see the beauty in different kinds of families, different races, creeds, and religions. My hope for you is that today was only a beginning in this great country of ours, and that the history books begin to tell a bold new story for your generation, and the generations to come.
For my entire lifetime, I have watched the speeches given by past presidents and world leaders. They have all been "old, white men". Not today, Tucker. Our president, your new president, is changing the face of history. He is a father, a leader, an African-American, a great orator who has inspired the country to mobilize for change. Someday you will learn about the millions of people who joined together to chant in unison, "Yes, We Can". But for today, I want you to know that our new president spoke to the troops at an Inaugural Ball about the White Sox vs. the Cubs. He talked about how the young people of America changed the course of history, and learned to participate in politics in a way that this country has never seen before. This is a different America now Tucker, this is your America.

Love,

Mom

PB Girls

Today, Tucker was finally able to "meet" my dear friend Tori, who I've known since Junior High. There's something pretty crazy about sharing your pregnancy with the person who has known you since you were 13! Tori and I used to drive around PB together and dream out loud about what our lives would be like when we grew up. It is so exciting to be "all grown up" together now, and Tori brought some wonderful gifts that brought back so many of my own childhood memories.

Along with some great Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein classics, she also gave us Free to Be, You and Me. Tori and I grew up with the wonderful music and great, feminist stories in this amazing book, and I can't wait to read it with Tucker! Thanks Tori, for reminding me again about where I came from, and for being a part of this crazy new journey with me!

A Few Gifts....

We have received some wonderful gifts in the past few months, as people help us to celebrate our upcoming arrival. Now that we know more about who Tucker is, it is a total mind trip to hold tiny little baby boy clothes and imagine OUR SON in them! Here are our very first "wearable" gifts: An adorable little sleeper from Ann and Barry, a mini A's hat from Sus and Matt, and some teeny socks from Kerrin. Thanks everyone!

20 Weeks!

We're officially half-way there!!!



And what better way to celebrate, then to have found TWO pairs of maternity jeans! Other than the bulging belly, you can't even tell that these aren't my favorite pair of Lucky's. I also discovered that Mavi makes maternity jeans too...and bought another pair that is (almost) like my favorite comfy jeans from the pre-baby era. There is something magical about finding boot-cut, dark wash jeans (the second pair, as modeled here) that fit my 20 week belly and actually made my rear end look pretty cute. After a pedicure and slipping on some cute summer platform sandals the other day, I actually felt like......MYSELF again! Oh what a difference pink nail polish and embroidered back pockets can make!

It's Raining Men!

From our dorm in Yosemite Hall at Cal Poly (13C) to the future moms of two little boys....what a fantastic journey this has been!

A Sneak Peek....

Disclaimer: This will be the ONLY time that we will post our child's private parts on the web for the world to see. I feel a little protective of Tucker's privacy, and it sort of goes against everything I believe in to post a picture of the poor little guy's "pee-pee" for EVERYONE to see....but, considering the circumstances, we felt you just HAD to see this! And when Tucker is 10, or 17, please don't mention that this ever happened.






















Here are a few profile shots....look how cute his little belly is!



























Tucker with his mouth open....




















Thumbs up! Go Eagles!

Boy oh Boy!!!!

It's a boy....and boy was he all too ready to show us who he was!

What an amazing day this has been! We started the day with our 20 week ultrasound appointment at John Muir in Walnut Creek. I must say, the doctors and ultrasound techs there are the kindest, most professional, wonderful folks ever! We have been so impressed with them every time we have been there. The tech began the ultrasound, and talked us through every step. Immediately, we could see the baby's back and spinal cord, looking incredibly human and adorable. The tech took a close look at every part of Tucker, showing us the brain, every chamber of the heart, the bladder, the lenses of the eyes, the nose and lips, and so on. Then Tucker gave us a little wave, and we could see each little finger. Somehow, we got on the subject of Eagles football and the Super Bowl (ahem....Sean?!) and it turns out that the tech's husband was from Voorhees, NJ (one town over from where Sean grew up!)and they had lived in Mt. Holly. Soon we (they?) were talking at length about the Eagles, Route 38, and WaWa. Umm....hello, people? I'm up on the table here, with my belly covered in ultrasound goop, and we're getting a birds-eye view of our child's insides, and you're talking about the Super Bowl?? And then it hit me....yep, we must be having a boy! Then little Tucker's hand floated up, and gave Dad a "thumbs up"....go Eagles!
And then....the tech said to us "Here's baby's butt...." and we said "uh-huh" and she slowly turned her head and looked at us, with a questioning smile. "And here's the baby's legs...and what's this, right here?" It was amazing, she let US say "It's a boy"! And it sure was! There was our son, legs spread wide open as if to say "There's no mistakin' this folks....I am all boy!". Or as Sean lovingly said, "He was in the "kiss my ass" position"! Some babies need some time to uncross their legs in the ultrasound. Some are a little shy, and squirm away. Not our son! In fact, when the doctor came in to verify everything that the tech had done, he said to us "Do you know what you're having?" "Yes, I think" I replied, just to test him. "What do you think?" I asked. "I don't think, I KNOW" he laughed. "You are definitely having a boy!" The doctor went on to tell us that our little guy looked great....very healthy....the tech even said that all of the health checks looked "fabulous". Our son, OUR SON, is thriving and doing well, moving around and getting comfortable for the home stretch. Ultrasound pictures will make their debut later today...

After the appointment we were on Cloud 9. After many hugs and smiles of shock and joy in the doctor's office, we walked out in to a beautiful summer day (in January!) We sat in the courtyard, hugged some more, and jumped on our cell phones to share the great news with everyone. I think that the construction workers nearby were trying to piece together why we were both standing there, screaming into separate cell phones, saying things like "and then, there was his penis, for all to see!"

We had some lunch, and then took a long walk in downtown Walnut Creek. We continued to chat with family and friends, and got some wonderful congratulatory calls and texts. To add to the celebratory mood, I even found not one, but two pairs of maternity jeans at A Pea In the Pod. Our little boy needs to have a stylin' mama....more on that later!

Then we went to Dublin to do a little research on a fun (huge) surprise that I won't talk about on this blog just yet. For those of you who think you know what it could be....yes, you do.

After that, we headed over to Susie and Matt's to share the great news with them over dinner. And guess what folks, SUSIE AND MATT ARE HAVING A BOY TOO!!!!!! A few choruses of "It's Raining Men" later, we were off to Stacy's restaurant for some food....I mean, we do have growing boys to feed! We had some great laughs about what the rest of our lives would look like, offended everyone in the restaurant with some (loudly shared) hypotheses (from the dads) about just how one goes about "making" sons, and then when the Dads were well into their umpteenth cocktail and high-five about how they could now store their sports memorabilia in the nursery....we headed home.

What an amazing day, and what a wonderful milestone in this incredible journey. Sean and I will be the parents of a son. A little boy. We'll have afternoons racing through the park, and weekends spent at Little League games. We'll have cute little tees and sneakers, and first bikes with training wheels. Sean will have a little buddy to watch the game with, and our child will grow up having a best friend who was born at nearly the same time that he was.

The dreams that we have imagined for so long are finally starting to take shape. Welcome to our family, little guy.

The Big Reveal

Tomorrow is the day when we will finally know so much more about this tiny baby who is already so much a part of our lives. Right now, Tucker is a mystery....a wonderful, unknown, fantastic dream of the possibilities to come.

I hope that Tucker is healthy. And beyond that, whatever we find out will be a blessing like we've never experienced before. After tomorrow, we will know if Tucker is going to be our son or our daughter. I've been looking for "a sign" that we're having a boy or girl, but that's not an exact science. The woman next to me in the nail salon yesterday walked in with her twin daughters, and yelled after one of them "Maddie!". I asked, and she was a Madeleine. I had a dream that we had two babies, who were like kangaroo or koala babies that came out miniscule and then grew to real size in their mom's pouch. I held them in my hand (in contact solution), and realized that they had penises. Then a little girl caught my eye today when we drove by, and locked glances with me, and smiled a knowing smile. So maybe we're having a girl? Or perhaps a boy? Or maybe it's twins? (Ok, it's definitely not twins, but I WAS looking for a sign).

Whatever happens tomorrow, Sean and I will be strong together, and will move forward together. We will welcome our little boy or girl with open arms, and after tomorrow we will know so much more about what kind of family we will become. We are so thrilled by the possibilities, and awestruck by this amazing miracle of life.

Baby Loves The Bachelor

For about a week now, I've been feeling random little thumps in my belly every so often. Not just the little flutters that I had been feeling before, but something bigger. I was listening to Tucker's heartbeat last week, and as I pressed the doppler wand against my belly I felt a resounding "THUNK". What was that???!! Must've been nothing. But then last night, while I was watching two hours worth of The Bachelor on Tivo, circa 11:30 at night, I felt something again. "THUNK". "Thunk, Thunk". What was that??? I put my hands on my belly....the feeling was coming from one particular spot, right in the center of my lower belly....right where I know the baby is. I told myself that if I could feel the kicks from the outside, then I'd wake Sean up so he could feel. But.....no such luck. These "thunks" are strictly between the baby and I at this point. I sound like I'm losing my mind, right? I am not imagining this, people.

But then....today when I was getting a pedicure, I had my legs propped up on the chair and felt.....THUNK. ROLL. Thunk. What??!

I think that Tucker is trying to tell us something! Maybe it's "Hey Mom and Dad, I'll give you a wave on Friday when you're peering in on me at the doctor's office". For now, I'm content with some resounding "thunks" here and there. Keep 'em coming little one!

What??!

Does anyone else think that the new "baby" picture that pops up on the right hand side of the blog is really creepy looking this week? Why is the baby's foot right underneath it's chin??? There is something very wrong about that picture.

Oh well, this coming Friday we will be getting a REAL picture of Tucker at our 20 week ultrasound appointment. I doubt that he'll (she'll????) be playing Twister like the wacky baby in the widget box!

Nearly Nineteen Weeks!

Look how far we've come! I'm nearly 19 weeks, and 19 weeks is practically 20 weeks, and 20 weeks is half-way there people!!




I love this dress.....for the very first time I actually feel VERY pregnant! Or as Sean said so sweetly this morning "Wow....your belly is bigger than your rear end!". Thanks. I think?

That's Love

This is how much my husband loves me:


There's nothing wrong with using food to measure love. Pork tenderloin with apple cider gravy, and baked apples stuffed with cornbread, brown sugar and sage. How did I get so lucky?




Tonight, Sean's making french toast with caramelized bananas and cinnamon sugar butter. Tucker is doing a little dance. Really...I can feel so many flutters now, and they usually coincide with food. Tucker is SUCH a Simon!

Happy New Year!

We hope all of you had safe, happy, healthy New Year's Eve celebrations!

As for us, we spent the whole night at a raging dance club in the city. We stumbled home around 3 am, and then posted all of our exploits on Facebook.

Actually, we didn't.

I fell asleep on the couch around 10, and woke up approximately three minutes before midnight. We were hard-core partiers.

We did enjoy some great food last night...in the Simon family tradition we had crab, shrimp, bread, and lots of cheese. Sean bought some fabulous desserts, and we toasted with a nice white wine (OK, sparkling cider for me). But then it was only 9 pm. So we watched the ball drop on East Coast time (the Hillary and Bill Clinton "embrace" kinda killed the romance of the night for me). We talked to some of our Simon relatives on Skype. And then I passed out.

By the time I woke up we could half-see the fireworks in SF from our window, through the thick fog that had moved in.

And now, we're having a bacon and eggs breakfast. With pasteurized goat cheese. Hooray! Happy New Year!

We're hard-core people, WATCH OUT!