Making Room for Baby

The last few weeks have been filled with the insanity that can only be brought on by moving. But we're not moving. Well, someone is moving in, in just about 10 weeks. And apparently she needs a whole lotta stuff. That's kind of how I've been thinking of it lately...there is someone coming to live with us. It's so strange to think of it in those terms. We've been on our own here for 3+ years, quite settled in our ways. I've been warned hundreds of times, but I know there is no way to mentally prepare myself for the changes ahead. So, we'll start by preparing the house.

I've been explaining it as "the domino effect" and that is really what it felt like. We decided to turn the office into the nursery, which meant that the office had to join with the guest room. Which meant that the guest room closet filled with china and nonsense had to be emptied to make room for the office closet stuff. It literally gave me a headache for weeks trying to figure out where everything should be relocated. But finally, after two long weekends of movement, organization and re-organization we've pretty much got it figured out. I don't want to post pics of the nursery until it's finished. The furniture is in and I love it. But it's not decorated, so you'll have to wait for that.

When I asked Steve to "smile" for this picture, he said "what's there to smile about?" I guess putting up shelves in a dusty space in the garage isn't all that fun.

The "Before" pictures of the office:

Hop to the Peninsula

We had such a nice Easter this year hosted by Steve's Aunt Valerie at her house in San Mateo. She was kind enough to include my parents too, which is so great and convenient for us! The highlight of the meal for me were the raviolis that Noni prepared. They were so good and I was thrilled to learn you can buy them in the store. It's a local company and rumor has it you can make your own filling, take it to them and they'll make the ravs for you! Genius. Chocolate ravs anyone?

Home Maid Ravioli

Too many cooks in the kitchen!

Adorable placecards

If my camera is around and Andrea is around, there will surely be some shots.
She's trying to capture the "best Facebook Profile pic" ever. This is a cute one!

Not our best pic, but proof that we were there and that I was, in fact, pregnant on Easter.
I do feel like an egg.

Showertime

This past weekend Gillian and I flew down to LA for a fun-filled weekend that included my first baby shower. Many months back I thought it would be a brilliant idea to drive down so that it would be easy to transport back any shower gifts. Thankfully Steve talked me out of that because I'm certain I would have been miserable sitting for so long and having to stop every 30 minutes to search for an icky rest stop bathroom. So, bright and early Gillian and I hopped down to Burbank Airport armed with our two small suitcases and three big empty suitcases to carry home all the possible loot. At the curb, Stacy arrived to pick up Gill and Susie swooped in to pick me up and we went our separate ways. They headed East to do some things for the shower that included much traffic and manual labor. Meanwhile, the newly betrothed Susie and I had a lovely day of wedding related activities and more throughout the San Gabriel Valley (aka Pasadena). First, we visited Susie's recently acquired wedding dress. Beautiful! I will not post photos because it will ruin the effect when I post photos of the wedding in October.

Susie poses outside the adorable dress store.

But needless to say, I'm very honored to be a matron-of-honor in Susie and Curtis's wedding! Even though I despise the word "matron"...it actually goes quite well with the size dress I had to order in anticipation of post-baby weight retention. The dress itself is not at all matronly, it's a beautiful style and color from J Crew. We'll just say I will need to get my act together quickly! After the dress and a mandatory stop at Coffee Bean for an ice blended we visited Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge where the ceremony and reception will be. Such a fabulous venue, I can't wait!

I could have stayed all day at Descanso taking pictures of the new blooms. But I think I was boring poor Suz.

Then we headed to visit Vicki and her new addition, Kyan (Kye, for short) who live in San Gabriel. We had a lovely visit with sleeping Kye and a very well adjusted new mom of 3 weeks. She gave me the nitty gritty on birthing and I just have to say, I can't wait! Yes, that was sarcasm.

I can only pray that Piccolina is this serene!

Saturday turned out to be a nice, warm day in Glendora where Stacy opened her home for my shower. The hostesses did a bang up job putting everything together. They should really start a "Virtual Shower Planning" company - since they did all the planning over email. Brunch was delish, the games were hilarious, dessert was amazing, favors and invites were adorable and of course the company was the best.

Shower throwers: Amy-Jo, Marie, Stacy, Bridgette, Gillian, and Susie

This is what happens when you let me pick out my own balloon. Isn't it cute??

Brunch prepared by Susie - yum!

Probably the reason I failed my glucose test this week.

Some of the crew ready to play "Shower Gift Bingo"

Thanks girls! And thanks to everyone who made the (for some LONG) trek to Glendora. It meant so much to have all of you there.

Irish I had a beer

This was the first St. Patty's Day in many years that I've spent sober, at work and without my partner-in-crime Gillian. In years past, I've trekked up to SF the night before, spent the night and then dragged Gillian to the Irish Bank at the crack of dawn to enjoy the Alice Radio morning show parties. We typically would stay all day, attempting to pace ourselves while meeting many interesting characters. But, since I couldn't justify missing a day of work while saving up for maternity leave and since nobody likes a party pooper, I decided to stay home and enjoy St. Patty's Day as a grown-up would. I stopped at Starbucks, went to work, then had a lovely cornbeef and cabbage dinner at my in-laws. Just my (current) speed!

Week 25 photo donning the green.

A poor substitution for an Irish Coffee. Thanks to Gillian for the very appropriate button!

May babies bring March showers

I've been pretty forgetful about bringing my camera places lately, and even if I do remember to bring it, I forget to take pictures. But luckily I remembered to snap a couple of shots at the recent baby "sprinkle" that Claire threw for Arlene Vaccaro on March 1st at California Cafe in Los Gatos. Arlene and Paul are expecting Gabriella's baby brother in early May. He will have wonderful manners, be able to drive a manual and make a mean pizza - and therefore will be a potential suitor for Piccolina.

Arlene opens her gifts, including the Tonka Dump truck complete with "Chicks Dig Me" bib from none other than Julie Albanese.

I didn't get a shot of any of the guests, but I did get the important stuff on film. Also, Claire made a great CD of current hits as the shower favor. So clever that Claire - I'm so excited she's throwing me a shower too!

Rocky Mountain High

Working for a high school has many perks...the best of these being the insane number of holidays we get. Although we didn't get the entire "ski week" that some schools had last week, we did have a lovely four-day weekend. My cousin Jennifer had been encouraging us to visit Denver for the past couple of years and I finally decided to leave Steve at home and take her up on the offer while I am still in a good state to travel. Of course, a trip to Denver would not be the same without our long time family friend and adopted big sis Sandy who "met me from St. Louis!"

Sandy and I imposed ourselves on my Aunt Pam and Uncle Jim's home in Greenwood Village, a lovely suburb of Denver.

Sandy and I thought we were so clever by pre-paying for our rental car gas because gas stations around Denver airport are few and far between. Then we promptly went out to the parking lot and picked a Prius. We later realized that it probably would have cost us about $2.50 to fill up the tank. I won't mention that it took us 10 minutes to figure out how to START the Prius. The manual was consulted.

Girls night out! Amy, Sandy and Jennifer on our way out to see "Confessions of a Shopaholic" and have a lovely sushi dinner to celebrate Jennifer's birthday.

On Sunday night the Quin's hosted all of the Denver family for Family Fondue night. It was great to see all of the family who has immigrated to the Denver area! The Griffiths, Bacons, Henningers and Quins all gathered to celebrate Jennifer's 29th birthday (again!) and to introduce the foreigners to all of the children (JD & Kara Bacon) and fiancees (Nicole) that have arrived since we last visited.

Kara (age 6 months) is destined to be a Texas Longhorn.

Tad & Nicole - getting married in Hawaii in August!

Elisabeth (age 5) shows off her new bling, direct from Sandy's wrists.

Cousins J.D. (age 3) and my flower girl Abigail (nearly 9) who is all grown up!

No trip with Sandy is complete without scouting out the nearest coffee joint...a few times.
The "Xdry Cappuccino" is definitely not mine.

Thanks Quins and Henningers for a great trip! We can't wait to return!

The Halfway Point

In theory, I love the idea of documenting the growth of my belly. I enjoy seeing the pictures when my friends do it. I know I will enjoy looking back in a few months and gawking at how "small" my belly looks. But when it came down to it, I just didn't really want to see myself on film (film? what's that?) in something even remotely snug. I'm giving into peer pressure since no less than 20 people have asked me if I'm taking these photos and some far away friends I don't see very often have been curious. So, without further ado and without additional self-pity, here I am at 20 weeks. Halfway to baby!