Old Man in the House!!

Yes, Joe had a birthday! Sadly, Joe rang in his 30th year (yep, he's 29!) without much fanfare. But he did enjoy a birthday burger at Fuddrucker's with me, Nate, Lori, & Reese. He also enjoyed a spectacular carrot cake I made for him! Mmmmm it was good. Grating all those carrots was sooo worth it! Here's Joe contemplating his birthday wish while listening to our terrible singing. We started a new tradition with the Millers of doing a terrible, off-key rendition of happy birthday and let me tell you, it's a lot of fun. Way less awkward and more entertaining!!

Joe had no problem with the 29 candles.

And here's the birthday boy with me & the baby. Almost a cute little family of 3. Almost!!

Side note: Joe has introduced me to a number of his colleagues at work recently, and each time it goes something like this: "I'd like you to meet my wife ... and here's my child!!" (pointing to the belly) It's cute. :)

Hope you have a great year, Joe!!

Mission: Accomplished

It's been quite an ordeal (really, a surprisingly big ordeal), but I finally have both the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccinations. I know, I know ... it seems like people are making way too big a deal out of the "swine" and all that. It's just the flu, after all! But all I can say is that when you're pregnant, you start seeing things from a different angle and pay a lot closer attention to all the possible complications and dangers to you and your baby. And, since the fierce parental instinct to do anything you can to protect your baby has long since set in, it's not a matter of what you're going to do, but how you're going to get it done!

Getting the H1N1 vaccination in Maryland has been tough. Joe lucked out and got his a couple weeks ago ... he happened to be doing his ER rotation when the VA vaccinated its ER workers. When the announcement was made, he was the second person in line, and after saying he had a pregnant wife at home, the needle went right in. Then we had to find one for me. Two Saturdays ago we left the house at 7 a.m. to get in a line for vaccinations which would begin at 10. Sadly, we got there around 7:30 only to turn back around - the line was already over a quarter mile long, and with guests at home we couldn't really stand the thought of waiting in the rain for 5 hours with the possibility of going home antibody-less.

So we kept at it. I made numerous calls to my OBGYN and regular doctor with no luck. Then I figured out how to get on the county list for appointment-only vaccinations. When some clinics opened up a few days ago, I called about 60 times before getting through and then kept my phone within inches of me for an entire day waiting for a return call to set up an appointment. (Actually - I made the mistake of missing the first call because I was in a meeting and had to repeat the calling process to get back on the list, so I made sure not to miss it again! My goodness!)

Anyway, now that I'm vaccinated I feel a tiny bit more at ease, but I know it doesn't provide comprehensive protection by any means. Almost every day I feel so utterly exhausted, out of it, and not like myself that I think I must be coming down with something (riding the metro with all kinds of crazy people just adds to my anxiety). So far, though, I've always woken up feeling better the next morning. We'll hope it keeps up. Try to help me out by staying away from me if you're sick. We have to keep our baby growing healthy and strong for 74 more days!!

Visitors!!

We were excited to have Joe's brother Dan & his girlfriend, Jade, come stay with us last week. Dan was interviewing and checking out the dental school, so we tried to show them a little bit of Baltimore and what living in Maryland has to offer. Luckily it only rained 2/3 of the time they were here ... which was okay since we still got to enjoy the Amish Market (indoors) as well as the spectacular drive there, plus lots of football-watching. What can I say, Jade & I just couldn't get enough.

Sunday turned out to be a beautiful day ... we walked around the DC temple and then gave a driving tour of DC (it was getting late, and Dan & Jade took the train in to tour around the next day). All the fall colors were soooo pretty.

I sure am sporting quite the baby bump now! And I'm happy to have made it to my third trimester :)

Unfortunately the rain returned for our night down in Inner Harbor with Nate, Lori, & baby Reese. But we still had fun, and it made it that much easier to hurry home for SYTYCD!! Dan, you better keep watching, or ELSE!!

It's that time of year . . .

After much anticipation, the weekend before last we headed out to Baugher's for our annual day of apple and pumpkin picking. I was so very excited about the apples. Lori was so very excited about the pumpkins. All in all, there was a lot of fun to be had. Joe and I picked almost 12 pounds of apples, and it didn't take long for us to devour them (I eat an average of 2-3 apples every day). I can't exactly remember how many we ate while we were picking ...

Reese stayed cozy in her sling ... and my little guy stayed extra cozy in my belly. ;)

After the apples we went to get our pumpkins. There were so, so many and it proved to be quite a difficult decision. But Joe and I aren't really too over-ambitious, so we settled on a medium sized one which had some character. We still haven't found time to carve it yet ... but we were hoping this would be the year. Guess we'll see.

We especially loved having Joe's sister Angelica here to enjoy the day with us.

The rest of the gang ...

And since all this blogging has made me hungry ... I think it is time for apple #3!

Night at the Ballpark

Don't mind the fact that I look so scary and Joe is smiling like a dork .... but I had to post about the fantastic time we had at the O's game last weekend. We had awesome 5th row seats behind the O's dugout (thanks to the Harbertsons for winning the tickets and taking us along!!)

We were excited to get to a game because we hadn't been to any yet this year, and usually we make it to a least a couple. And it even happened to be a game that the O's won!! We saw several home-runs so that was fun. The only downside was that it kept raining on me ... basically whenever I would decide it was done and take my hood off, it would start up again.

And, I can't forget to mention the most surprising part of the night: Joe and I making it on the KISS CAM!! It was hilarious. We were all watching intently as couple after couple kissed for the camera, and all of a sudden there we were!! I totally screamed and looked like a psycho person before turning to Joe and going in for a kiss ... so awkward!! What I don't get is how everyone else just turns calmly to their significant other and does a nice little kiss .... I was so shocked I had no idea what I did. Good times. :)

Just 1 more month!

Until I get my bar results, that is. :) I know, I have already been waiting for 2 months ... but at least I can now say that there is nothing else but those results standing in the way of me becoming a lawyer! On Thursday I completed my last requirement which was to have a "character interview." The lawyer who has been in charge of my file throughout the process (sending numerous requests to my references, past employers, high school and university registrars, as well as to me when such requests are ignored) had me come to his office for a little meet and greet. I'll admit I was a little worried about the fact that I didn't have a suit to fit my 24 week belly, but I did the best I could with this cute fall maternity dress my parents were kind enough to give me. In preparation, I re-skimmed my 67 page bar application to remind myself just how many accidents I told the Board of Law Examiners that I'd been in, how many tickets I'd had, and that kind of thing. I really had no idea what to expect, so better safe than sorry.

Turns out the interview really wasn't a big deal. I was dressed much more professionally than the attorney, and he said that I was basically a shoe-in but he was just required to meet me and give me a little pep talk (which basically consisted of "you can be forgiven for drug and alcohol problems and petty crimes, but don't touch other people's money or you'll get disbarred"). Good to know!

Anyway, I'm actually waiting much less impatiently for these results than I did for my LSAT score and grades after each semester. Although I was genuinely worried (um, terrified) going into the exam, after taking it I felt pretty confident. And if for some reason things don't turn out as expected, you just take it again! The idea of me failing the bar pretty much seems laughable to me right now, but I have a feeling that if it happened I wouldn't be laughing. (12 hours of testing on more than 12 different areas of the law wasn't exactly what I would call fun.)

The part I am anxious for?? Actually getting sworn into the bar and finally being entitled to call myself a lawyer! (You see, if I did so now, I would get, you know .... disbarred.)

Update on the Prego

Well here are a few pictures from 23 (almost 24) weeks for those of you who having been asking (Mom!). They hardly do the growing belly justice, but that's okay.

Basically, I'm feeling pretty good overall! If you by chance want more info about how I'm liking pregnancy, you can read my little "best and worst list" below (subject to modification, of course, during the next 16 weeks).

Best things about being pregnant:

1. Feeling the little guy move. How could this not be someone's favorite thing about pregnancy?? I first felt him at a little less than 17 weeks (although it was really soft and would only happen right before bed). Of course his movements have become much more obvious since then and a few weeks ago his kicks were already so strong I started to worry about pushing out a too-big baby. Now, when he has mellow days where I don't feel much I worry like crazy that something is wrong. (See "worrying" under the 'worst' list.) Joe has been able to feel him multiple times, starting at 22 weeks, and we love feeling his body parts pressing up against my skin (although we can't really figure out what they are yet). Basically, I am never going to complain about too much kicking; I love every single reminder that he is in there and doing well.

2. Fast Sundays. Need I say more?

3. Joining "the club." While I was in law school, it was more challening to find things I had in common with other people (making friendships and conversations a little bit harder). Now I am part of the club and can talk forever about pregnancy & babies, which any mom or mom-to-be is eager to do. Finally!

4. How much I love my baby. I was have trouble thinking of anything else postive to say, but then I realized that this is one - seeing all the ways am I already changing my daily way of life, just because I am constantly thinking about my baby. For instance, I am listening to a lot less of my normal music (although not bad, it is usually fast-paced and annoying, I'll admit) and more classical music. I have started reading baby books aloud. I am constantly trying to make sure I am eating the right amount of the right thing (although this is a tough one and I am definitely not perfect at it ... should probably go on the 'worst' list, actually). Also, I feel horrible if I yell or say a bad word because my baby can hear me! Although most of the time I just go on with my daily life and don't really comprehend what is happening to me, there are times when it sinks in just how much I love this little guy and how excited I am to hold him once he gets here.

Now on to .... My least favorite things about being pregnant:

1. Worrying. Like I said, this happens a lot. Joe, being the rationally-minded guy he is, doesn't get it. My mom says the worrying won't be this bad once we get him here. I have my doubts about that, but I hope she is right!

2. Sleeping. I have had trouble with this one for as long as I can remember, and unfortunately being limited to side sleeping and having to get up for several bathroom trips a night isn't helping much! Man I can't wait to sleep on my stomach again (I know, it's a little early to be getting too excited about this).

3. Exercising. I had to learn early on (when I was bleeding) to alter my routine (basically, stop running) but I have been trying to keep doing as many other things as possible without over-doing it. However, I can already feel my body slowly wanting to do less and less. It just takes some getting used to ... and it someday it will be nice to exercise as hard as I want to without having to worry about anyone but myself. :)

4. Unmentionables. There are a few other small complaints I have that aren't exactly blog-appropriate (as well as a couple things on the plus side). Overall, though, I know I am pretty lucky to have had an "easy" pregnancy. Regardless, I am amazed at all the junk we women have to go through to birth our children. Fortunately we are all obsessed with the little person we are doing it for and that makes it all much, much rosier!

And now, three more pieces of news:

1. Stretchy pants. I finally found some maternity jeans and have started wearing them! (Boy was that a challenge.) Joe calls them my 'stretchy pants.' About a month ago when I was wanting to start looking for some, Joe absolutely did NOT believe that pregnant girls actually wore pants with stretchy-fabric waists. He thought the idea was totally laughable and insisted that I should just get a "bigger size" of my normal jeans and all would be well. I had to have several of my close friends assure Joe that yes, normal people wear such articles of clothing, and would be up a creek if they didn't. Boy was that funny!

2. People are noticing. I have had two strangers comment on my pregnant belly so far. First, a lady at the AT&T store who had just had a baby 3 months ago, and second, a Food Lion cashier. It is fun to finally be looking pregnant instead of fat!!

3. I have to go to work on Monday. I've had a couple months off since the bar exam, and now things are finally worked out so that next week I'll be starting to work full time. I'm pretty sure this will help solve my exercise complaint (no more time or energy) and will make the food thing a bit more tricky (Joe you better be ready to help cook because I am not going back to cold cereal!) I'll post more on this later .....

Oh, Baltimore .....

The few of you who used to ride the 'A train of the metro' (sadly the 'A train' driver retired several years ago) will recall the little farewell spiel he used to give at the most popular stops. It was pretty lengthy but part of it went something like this - telling you not to forget your "cellphone, keys, umbrella, chicken bones, chicken boxes, the husband, the wife, and the kids..." (Imagine it with a nice, thick southern accent. He went on and on and was actually pretty entertaining.)

Anyway, the whole chicken bones and chicken boxes part might not make a lot of sense unless you've ever stepped foot into the "World Famous Lexington Market," which is this huge food market next to the metro stop we got off at to go to school (and now, to work). Sounds exciting, right? Wrong! I think we both tried it a couple of times when we were fresh and naive. But after walking right by that place and breathing in the smell of rancid oil, secondhand smoke, and other foul odors for 3 years (over 4 now for Joe) Lexington Market is an establishment we avoid at all costs. (Probably a good thing since it is also the place to get handguns at a potato chip stand, 'loose ones' (single cigarettes), as well as perhaps some percoset or other goodies and services ACORN would call the "performing arts.")

The other day I went downtown for a meeting and saw a guy drop this fresh chicken bone right in front of me. We always joke about how you can't walk more than a few steps through the Lexington Market parking lot without coming across a discarded chicken bone (gross, I know) and so I was inspired to whip out my camara and go detective. The evidence is as follows:

You can understand, right, why although KFC may have been an acceptable tailgating snack every once in a while before we moved to Baltimore, we now won't touch the stuff. Somehow, it just represents the epitome of B-more ghetto-ness. I mean every place sells the stuff, even Wendy's!! Plus the smell - it's everywhere! You see people eating it on street corners, then throwing their bones into the gutter. Even one of Joe's patients asked immediately after receiving his denture: "Can I eat fried chicken with it??"

To sum it up: the day we start to crave fried chicken is the day it is time for our Baltimore chapter to come to a close.

(P.S. Don't be too scared of Baltimore. Some parts are really nice!!!!)