Mini Resolutions

Because I started off my List of Things so well this year it has inspired me to make mini weekly resolutions.  I have created a list of things I want to accomplish every day of a given week. For example my first week goal is to do Gym Week. So starting Monday I will get myself to the YMCA every day, even if it's just for a half hour I will get there. I'm already looking forward to music week where hopefully I'll see the cello again!

I am happily nearing another cross-off on The List! Last Sunday I really sat down and devoted the day to my first quilt project. I am actually quite proud of it!
Take a look from pieces to the finished front.

Yeah! Now to piece on the back and batting in the middle. I wanted to put a little sailboat in the lake but...eh. Maybe I'll sneak a dog in there to finish it off well!

Hooray for projects!

My Trip to NYC

Pictures from my trip to NYC! Now, I really, truly tried to play tourist with our new camera, however I failed! I managed a couple of shots but after awhile sort of gave up on the documenting thing.

I had so so much fun staying at my old apartment in Harlem and seeing the girls again :) I am happy to say it really felt easy to jump back into the swing of things. It would be great if the whole family makes a trip again soon, maybe in the fall to cheer on my ex-roomie in the NYC marathon!!!

First off I'll start with the pregnant picture where I am "framing" baby. I'm hoping to look more natural and maternal as time goes by....less awkward! Oh- this was taken today, so I'm 22 1/2 weeks. After this photo shoot we hit up Babys'R'Us and started the overwhelming process of registering...I have a lot of research to do!

I went to Times Square! Even though I avoided it because of the slow moving crowds I decided why not? Lucky for me I went early enough where things were just opening up. Places like Toys'R'Us where I bought....

hehe

Two reasons I love this picture. #1 My teacher friends from IS 52 met me for a delicious brunch for my birthday! #2 this restaurant appears to be named Sex, in fact it is Essex, my bad for missing half the letters

Kerry, Ilya and me at Liza's going away party. So glad to have seen her before the big move! Yummy pizza here too!

This is were my son would play if we got to live on the UWS right by Central Park! It was actually a beautifully warm weekend, not so drizzly at it appears here.

Note to self: get myself a haircut with bangs :)

I was so happy to see Emilia at the end of my trip, she just got in from Miami and we decided to hit Max Brenners for some chocolate!

 Yum :)

So there it is, my record of NYC in pictures :) I'm already getting excited for my next trip!

Downtime

The good and bad thing about working part time for the YMCA is that I have a big part of off time in the midday. This can be goood- I can be productive. Today I met with my Dad for coffee and a chat. He is thinking about getting some chickens for his backyard. I love this ide :) Now I am home and going to get a real start on my first applique quilt for the baby. I have al my design cut out but am really just winging the process of putting it together. Fingers crossed :)

End of a short week! NYC really refreshed me and has motivated me to use my midday for good! I certainly had a tendency to use it for naps and t.v. earlier. I was so so tired for weeks! Feeling a lot better now. And I finally told my boss about baby! I'm not sure why I put it off so long...

Oh! And since it passed my birthday I am now officially on to my new To Do List of 26 Things to Do While 26! Here they are in no particular order;

• visit New York City :1/15/10-1/19/10 birthday weekend!
  
• have a healthy baby : 5/21/10 @ 1:01am 
• travel to a new destination
• go on a sister's weekend 
• lose all baby weight: November- 2 lbs under my starting weight!
• make a quilt: January 2010, a play quilt for baby 
• cycle a century (100 mile bike tour)
• scrapbook for my past lists of Things to Do While __
• go on a babymoon with Jonathan 
• attend Katie's graduation from Western Michigan University
• volunteer somewhere in Grand Rapids  8/28; bike aid station for Ronald McDonald House
• join a sport league  in Kentwood with a team I met on craigslist 
• complete monthly sewing projects: shirt, Mandy's baby quilt, knitting projects
• take guitar lessons
• go camping
• move to a nice apartment
• create a list of baby friendly places around the city : Grandville Library Babytime, Baby Beloved Mothers Support Group
• go on a girl friend vacation
• decorate the baby room : finished in May 
• complete a post baby race : 10/30 Alger Heights Halloween 5K; 30:08
• cut credit card debt in half : December: paid off 1 card and paid down 1/2 of another. Now 1.5 cards left
• take a dancing class
• take a college class (Spanish, art?)
• attend a concert 
• cycle to Lake Michigan 
• get a job : 10/26 ESL paraprofessional at National Heritage Academy, Ridge Park 

26 Years Old!

Today I am 26 years old, officially past the mid twenty mark. It is a little weird I guess. I remember turning 16 and it just doesn't feel like that long ago...
Well, to celebrate my day my Jonathan bought me a ticket to one of my favorite places, New York City. It would have only been better had he been able to come with. Not only for flight support ( I am really just a terrible flier- but hopefully with every flight I get just a smidge better) but for running around the city.

As soon as I landed in LaGuardia it just felt so familiar. Navigating to the city via the rumbly M60 bus and walking to the beautiful apartment at 116th/Lenox I began to feel like I hadn't really left. The only underlying feeling in my gut that wasn't totally embracing the return was that I feel that incompleteness that comes along with living away from loved ones. And although that feeling can be lessened over time or pushed away for a bit it never fails to resurface and nag at me once more. Jon and I did this separate living (not by choice) for 6 months of the first year of our marriage and that achy feeling was always present with me. My lovely friends and the new living situation helped get me through that and have the best experience here that I could, but always that ache would be waiting for me.

I will always love this city, the handful of special people that I have shared such experiences with, but I think Grand Rapids is really where I should be this year. I know I have been there for the past 6 months but for a lot of it I wasn't ready to let go of living here, in the city. But I think this lovely, full trip will help assure me that it will be here waiting for us and hopefully many more trips to come :)

Baby Boy

We're having a boy :) The ultrasound was crazy and amazing to watch. Our little weeb woke up from a nap just as we got started. He posed for a couple power shots but then got so squirmy and bouncy the tech couldn't get his feet or profile without his limbs getting in the way! It was a little funny to watch :) He's already tumbling!

Now I get to take my sweet pics to NYC to share with my friends and celebrate my big 26! What a perfect birthday/Xmas present from Jonny. I will take a lot of pictures and really play tourist as soon as I land at LaGuardia. Also I am so lucky to stay at my old beautiful Harlem apartment thanks to my friends!

Hooray for baby boys and birthdays :)

Big Day of Anticipation

Today, in a few hours, we will get our first glimpse at the weeb Randall. Will he/she be healthy? Will they be flipping around or taking a nap?
I haven't seen the little one yet, I guess it would've been cool to see the little heart flicker early on, but that's just not the practice here. So we will see a 21 week old Randall baby instead :)
She/he has been kicking a lot lately and has been making me smile.

Here's too a healthy baby and a surprise :)

Running around

Today is just a beautifully clear and crispy Michigan day...I should be outside enjoying the sun and getting some movement. Because I work for the YMCA I get a free membership but I don't seem to use it as much as I should. Plus with lovely days I should take advantage of the outdoors! Maybe I'll get Jon to walk with me along the Kent Trails. Mom and Dad bought me some great Nordic Walking Poles which I want to use more.
Yesterday we had a 2 hour school delay at my site which meant I still needed to be there by 6:30am just had to stay an additional 2 hours on top of the normal schedule. It really wasn't even that snowy. So after I got done, instead of heading home to GR or errands elsewhere I decided to stay around the area and keep busy. I started at Target where I quietly looked through the maternity section. It was nice and empty because it was midday. I grabbed a bunch of stuf and headed for the dressing rooms. It's weird to see yourself looking differently in a mirror. I have taken double takes of myself because the Laura in my mind's eye is supposed to look a certain way and the mirror-Laura is morphing into something different. I think I'm in that chubby looking stage where you might not ask me if I'm pregnant out of fear that I'm just packing on the holiday pounds.
Anyway, I found some good, comfy finds. They seem to make maternity clothes from the softest fabrics! I bought 2 long sleeves and a dress that could pass as non-maternity too. Very comfy :)
After Target I drove to Field's Fabric, used my Xmas gift certificate to by 3 fabrics to make into a mobile. I am trying to work on monthly sewing projects and a mobile is first because it doesn't have to be perfect and I won't feel depressed if the animals are a little strange looking :)
From Target to Subway- yum. Then to the Library to read some favorite magazines (People, Psychology Today, Real Simple), I love it because I'm not buying them or having to deal with the recycling after they phase out.
Then finally back to finish out the after school care at the site. I didn't feel at all bad about putting in Aladdin for the kiddos to watch for the last hour, even though I know my boss is anti-movies. Friday movies are a good treat.

Oh Boy (or Girl)!

Back to the blog...after yet another hiatus. Each time I say I want to stick it out and write with regularity it always ends up slipping my mind.
It's a new year with a big beginning to it. Jon and I are expecting our first child on May 26, 2010. A May baby, my doctor said that was a lucky month :) But because it is so far at the end of the month I'm banking on June. Who knows, not me.
A big surprise for us. We found out a long time ago (it fels like it anyway) and told our parents at dinner at my house. They are over the moon of course :) My Mom and Dad are busy clearing out the old upstairs computer room. They are starting to think about what they need to do to make it a little nursery for the little "weeb" as my sister has called baby Randall. Right now it's the only place being prepped for baby! Our apartment in Heritage Hill doesn't feel baby friendly and we certainly don't plan on staying here onger than the year lease. I really like the location and access to the city but it is pretty old...
So here I am, 20 weeks along. We were trying to brainstorm likeable baby names last night but we could only come up with a few. Lack of inspiration I think, and just a long day. We are going to the ultrasound appointment next tuesday and with any luck will get to know who has been throwing tiny punches in my tummy. The feeling has been strange but comforting. I think he/she likes citrus fruit. After I eat one they do a little squirmy dance.
I had a check up yesterday and all looks on target. They're measuing up to my belly button now and I am past uncomfortable in my pants :( So after the appt I went to their Baby Beloved store and bought a BellaBand. Last week I brought my mom to the mall to find maternity wear and I hated every minute. I am not the girl who loves the curvy weight gain (yet anyway). It has eliminated my pant selection! But happily, I love love love the band and got to wear my nice dress pants to work this morning without feeling chunky.
Baby is doing well :) Heartbeat holding around 140. All the myths have me thinking its a boy. What to do with a boy!? I've only had sisters! Well, either way we'll be surprised and happy. And hopefully a little more prepared by the end of May...