37 Weeks - Officially Full Term!!

We are spending the day hunkered down, trying to stay low key as Hurricane Sandy barrels down on NYC. Wish us luck!

36 weeks!

Pretty Lady

Hipster Alice

35...

Missing Daddy

Sicky

Heaven (as always)

 

Sadly, Michael had to work today. But Alice and I enjoyed quite an adventure. We went to the Bronx Botanical Gardens to enjoy the Haunted Pumpkin Garden and it was fabulous! We did some "rock climbing" and watched some characters dance around and enjoyed some time with ducks and rode the tram around the gardens and ran around among the roses and enjoyed some hot chocolate.

 

Days like today make me so sad to be working, or to not have more time at home with Alice. I'm so looking forward to maternity leave to be able to enjoy adventures with both our little ones. 

 

There have been some very special days with Alice over the past two years. Days like today. And our trip to the Botanical Gardens last winter to see the trains. And our trip to the beach in Staten Island this summer. And so many more. 

I hope to remember these days forever.

Ballet

Last night, Anna and I took our big girls to the ballet. The New York City Center was hosting a fall dance festival, and tickets were reasonable enough that Anna and I agreed we wouldn't feel horrible if we had to leave after 5 minutes.

The girls were absolutely amazing. Both Naomi and Alice were mesmerized, and stayed reasonably quiet throughout the whole experience. We stayed for three of the four performances - an Indian dance, a ballet and a modern piece. I was surprised by how interested Alice was in the modern dancers. I was taken (unsurprisingly) by the romantic pas de deux. Anna and I both talked about how pleasant it was to be taking in some city culture.

It was a beautiful night, one that we will remember for a long time.

Alice, Naomi, Anna and I just before the lights went down.

Anna, Alice and Naomi after the first performance.

Alice covering her ears as the train pulls into the station. "It's too loud, Momma!!"

34 Weeks! And yes, there's only 1!

 

Seeing how huge I am... well, it makes me feel better about being a hormonal mess. I've had a few days of just being in a bad mood regardless of what I could do. Miserable.

I can't wait to meet this little love. He's super active in my belly. Sometimes his feet are pressed up against my stomach and I can tickle him. It is such fun. It will be more fun when he is healthy and here.

Yup

Tired Bubba

Efforts

I've been in my new job for a couple of months now and, I must admit, I'm really enjoying it. It's been great to think about new things, to deepen my analytic skills, and to try my hand at something different.

But, it's difficult. I'm exhausted. I'm really pregnant. I'm grouchy. And I have a family waiting for me at home.

The reality is I need more time in my life to dedicate to my job and my family. This week I know I will have to work late on Thursday, so when I left the office 45 minutes later than normal, I still had at least 2 hours of work that I should have done. I can't seem to find enough time - nor, let's be honest, the stamina - to get my work done at the level I want.

It's frustrating how women's professional and personal lives demand the most at about the same time. I'm grateful for a husband who cares about my career, who understands when I need to work late, who can trade nights in the office with me. And I'm really relieved to have this new-found energy for my job, to feel more energetic about the tasks ahead of me. I just wish there were enough hours in the day to do what needs to be done.

Ah, life. I'm so blessed.