The Road to June 19, 2010...

listening

2012-01-30T10:42:00.002-06:00

obsessed.

my music criteria has shifted in the last 9 days. songs are now downloaded based on suitability for nursing rather than running.

i'm happy with the change.

thanks to my sister, ellen, for the introduction

thirty-nine fortieths

2012-01-24T16:13:00.003-06:00

20 Weeks

25 Weeks

30 weeks
35 weeks
36 weeks

37 weeks

38 weeks

39 Weeks - January 21, 2012

Edmund "Eddie" George arrived on January 21, 2012 at 7:00 pm!

Weight: 8 pounds, 0 ounces (whew)

Length: 21 inches

I'm taking a little break from posting to hang out with my two Eds and hopefully get a little sleep. Back soon with baby and nursery updates!

Nursery DIY #1 - The Dresser

2012-01-19T12:13:00.009-06:00

Hard to believe it was a month and half ago, but here's where I left off with the nursery dresser. I had purchased the dresser and some new drawer pulls and was just waiting for it to miraculously put itself together.

It turns out that I underestimated Ed's handiness and patience for IKEA construction because over the course of Christmas weekend he assembled the entire thing.

And now, the finished product:

I am THRILLED with how it turned out! The drawer pulls give so much character to what is a practical, but unremarkable, dresser on its own.

And they're actually quite helpful for organization. There is a clearly marked place for everything, a feature that is highly valued in this house.

Using the font "Traveling Typewriter," I created labels in Microsoft Word. The template is saved on my computer so I can update as necessary when Eddie's clothing and diapering needs change.

Those drawers now sit filled with tiny washed and folded pieces of baby paraphernalia just waiting for their owner to arrive.

nineteen twentieths

2012-01-18T15:24:00.005-06:00

20 Weeks

25 Weeks

30 weeks
35 weeks
36 weeks

37 weeks

38 Weeks - January 14, 2012

Baby fruit size: Watermelon

Milestones: The respiratory system continues to mature in preparation for that big first breath of air. Other than that, all systems are go and he's pretty much just growing from here on out.

Sex: Boy. Interestingly, on 3 separate occasions this past week, strangers have commented on my belly and said, "Let me guess, you're having a boy?"

Sleep: Sleep hasn't gotten much better, but I'm hoping to use my pre-baby maternity leave to play catch up on naps.

Stretch marks: No new discoveries since last week.

Weight: I've gained just about 21 pounds at this point.

Food cravings: ORANGE JUICE. Fried calamari. Grilled artichokes. Diet pop - this one came out of nowhere and I feel guilty every time I succumb to it thinking of the artificial sweeteners making their way into Eddie.

Food aversions: Nothing.

Other symptoms: My outie belly button is so sensitive! If it brushes up against something, I get that same creepy sensation as when you touch the inside of your belly button. Lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, nothing painful, my entire belly just gets tight and rock hard. Not a symptom, but at my 38 week OB visit, she gave us the option of scheduling an induction next Monday when I'd be 39 weeks and 2 days. Ed and I quickly decided to pass on that and wait to let him come on his own. The next possible induction date would be February 1 at which point I'd be 4 days overdue. Looks like one way or another, we'll have a baby 2 weeks from now!

Movement: He has definitely slowed down this week. When he does shift, though, I can feel it from my ribs all the way down into my pelvis.

Best moments: Last day of work! Celebrating the news of 2 friends' pregnancies with babies due this summer. The lobster roll and waffle fries at Sixteen.

What I miss: My old clothes. Bending over to put on my own shoes.

What I'm looking forward to: The excitement and surprise of feeling true labor signs and realizing it's all really happening. Making cupcakes this weekend.

Reading: Your Pregnancy Week by Week, What to Expect When You're Expecting, Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child and The Nursing Mother's Companion.

365 Project - Week 46

2012-01-16T09:00:00.003-06:00

January 4 - Walk home from work #1

January 5 - Newberry Library #2

January 6 - Eddie's take-home outfit

January 7 - Map 1 of 5 hanging in our apartment

January 8 - Driving near O'Hare

January 9 - Bulls game. Wondering if every night out is our last...

January 10 - Walk home from work #2

waiting game

2012-01-13T13:47:00.006-06:00

Like she did about a year ago for my nephew's birth, my sister set up an online baby pool for our family and friends to guess Baby Eddie's arrival date and time and birth weight and length.

Despite warnings that I would no longer speak to anyone who guessed his weight to be over 9 pounds, several people did it anyway, my own husband and mother included.

The earliest guess has him coming on Sunday. Whoa.

looking back

2012-01-12T09:00:00.005-06:00

May 20, 2011 at 5 am is when I found out I was pregnant. Determined to come up with a fun way to tell Ed, I kept the news all to myself for several hours. I can't even describe what it feels like to walk around and live your normal life with a brand-new secret like that taking over your brain. By the time I told Ed, I was near ready to explode...

Lucky for me, Father's Day cards were available all over. I grabbed one from Walgreens, signed it and wrote the estimated due date on the envelope.

We were both working from home that day, so my plan was to leave it on his desk when he stepped out of the office. Unfortunately, the opportunity never arose and I was left sitting around trying to contain my nervous excitement.

I thought I had my chance midday when Ed left for the gym. I ran out to grab lunch for both of us and hurried home to sneak in the card. But he beat me back to our apartment and foiled my plan again.

So I changed tactics and slipped the card inside a stack of the day's mail. I watched on the edge of my seat as he quickly flipped through the envelopes and managed to completely overlook the card. Seriously?!

Realizing direct action was now required, I set the card right in the middle of couch where it couldn't be missed. Immediately upon walking into the living room, he saw it and said, "What's this?"

"It's for you - open it."

7 1/2 hours after my positive pregnancy test, he looked at the date, looked at me and said, "You're pregnant?"

It was worth the wait.

thirty-seven fortieths

2012-01-10T15:01:00.015-06:00

20 Weeks

25 Weeks

30 weeks
35 weeks
36 weeks

37 Weeks - January 7, 2012

Baby fruit size: Watermelon, YIKES.

Milestones: 37 weeks is considered full term, so this week comes with a lot of relief and the sudden sense that this little guy could arrive at any time. He's gaining about half an ounce each day and spending his time practicing for the outside world - "breathing" amniotic fluid, blinking and possibly sucking his thumb.

Sex: Boy

Sleep: One weekend morning last winter, I remember lazily rolling over to face Ed and declaring, "Our bed is the most comfortable place on Earth." One year later, it's torture. To describe my sleep as tossing and turning is too graceful. Grunting and flopping would be more accurate.

Stretch marks: While shopping for nursing bras last week, I found myself half-clothed in a dressing room with 3-way mirrors for the first time in months. This resulted in the discovery of my first stretchmarks on my lower back. Which then resulted in a shopping spree much longer than intended.

Weight: 19 pounds for me. 7ish pounds for Eddie.

Food cravings: Orange juice. 1-2 gallons a week. I also had Chipotle for dinner 4 nights out of 7. It would have been 5, but they were closed on New Year's Day.

Food aversions: Nothing.

Other symptoms: My appetite has returned and I'm feeling hungrier all the time. Good news, because that means he's dropped and is no longer squashing my stomach! Bad news because it means he's now resting on my bladder. So when I thought my water broke at work last Friday afternoon while stuck on a call at my desk, I was wrong. Turns out I had just waited too long to go to the bathroom. Pregnancy is quite dignified.

Movement: Still moving a lot. My mom said she noticed we all got very calm and quiet leading up to birth, like we were resting for the big event. If that's the case, he's not coming any time soon.

Best moments: Prenatal massage. An hour long foot rub from Ed. Finishing washing and prepping all Eddie's clothes, blankets and cloth diapers.

What I miss: Being comfortable. My out-of-town family.

What I'm looking forward to: Last week of work before maternity leave. Finally completing the nursery (only 2 small things left to do). The upcoming arrivals of 3 friends' babies, all due in the next 1-2 weeks.

Reading: Your Pregnancy Week by Week, What to Expect When You're Expecting, Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child and The Nursing Mother's Companion.

365 Project - Week 45

2012-01-09T09:00:00.001-06:00

December 28 - Reminiscing about how impossibly tiny he was back then.

December 29 - On what planet does this make sense?

December 30 - A little nursery sneak peek!

December 31 - morning view

January 1 - Newberry Library #1

January 2 - Sunshine in January?

January 3 - I intended to pick up some books for Eddie, but was transported back to 2nd grade instead.

pregnancy survival guide

2012-01-05T18:56:00.008-06:00

As I ~~glide~~ waddle through the last few weeks of my first pregnancy, I must share with you those things that I couldn't have lived without these past 9 months. Clothes, food and stool softeners...it's all here.

Gap ribbed tank - I'm obsessed. The fit is long (still covering my belly at 37 weeks) and slim and they keep their shape and don't get stretched out. I wear them all the time for sleeping and layering, as the 7 I own can attest to.

Colace and Metamucil - Self-explanatory

Hair ties - Thanks to these guys, the only maternity pants I've purchased are two pairs of jeans. They've kept me in regular work pants the entire time.

Vince riding pants - Oh, what dumb luck these were. I purchased them 2 years ago in what turned out to be a size too big and never bothered to return them or have them altered. They're finally paying off because I've worn them no less than 3 times a week since October. More substantial yet just as comfortable as leggings, these have been a pregnancy lifesaver.

Clarisonic - Becoming pregnant meant I had to give up my cocktail of adult acne medications. Based on the recommendation of my almost-sister-in-law, I gave this a shot. I'm not exaggerating when I say it's life-changing. I have no post-baby plans to refill any of my acne prescriptions!

Pregnancy journal - I've been keeping weekly updates since finding out I was pregnant. It's amazing how quickly I've already forgotten things from the 1st trimester.

L'Occitane Almond Skin Oil - Who knows whether or not it works, but it sure feels nice to cover those stretchmark-prone areas in this yummy-smelling oil.

Chipotle - To be specific (and because a certain father-to-be can never seem to remember), a vegetarian salad with extra veggies, black beans, mild salsa, hot salsa, light cheese, guacamole, sour cream on the side and a bag of chips.

WTE Pregnancy Tracker iPhone app - Weekly and daily updates that provide just enough information to be helpful and not overwhelming.

Systane eye drops - Who knew that dry eyes were a symptom of pregnancy? These come to the rescue every morning when I wake up to find mine dry, red, irritated and puffy.

tightbodwithapod.com - Such a bummer that this website has been down for the past few months. I used it mostly for the trimester-specific strength training workouts. If it ever gets back up and running, I highly recommend!

Moms and moms-to-be, anything else to add?

nine tenths

2012-01-03T16:17:00.010-06:00

The end is fast approaching, so I'm switching to weekly updates.

20 Weeks

25 Weeks

30 weeks
35 weeks

36 Weeks - December 31, 2011

Baby fruit size: Crenshaw melon. Whatever that is.

Milestones: Baby should be experiencing a slow down in his growth to store up energy for delivery and also to ensure he can fit when the time comes! Just had my 36 week (and 3 day) appointment and found out I'm 1.5 cm dilated and his head is already positioned pretty low. In the words of my sister-in-law, Jess, "I know I'm not supposed to get excited by that...but I am!"

Sex: Boy.

Sleep: What's that? I counted 10 bathroom breaks last night.

Stretch marks: None.

Weight: My total weight gain is now 20 pounds, which, if you do the math, means I added 4 pounds this past week. Thank you, Christmas cookies and 3 am peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Any quiet worries I had about not gaining enough weight this past month have been allayed.

Food cravings: Still PB&J (see above). Still Chipotle. And this one is pretty embarrassing, but I can't stop thinking about a beef 'n cheddar sandwich from Arby's and probably won't admit when I finally cave and get one.

Food aversions: None.

Other symptoms: I'm pretty sure I'm having Braxton Hicks contractions now - noticing random tightening and hardness in my abdomen throughout the day.

Movement: Same as last week - hiccups and squirming. There's not much room left in there for him!

Best moments: Asking my brother and Ed's sisters to be godparents. Making tons of progress on the nursery (updates soon). Getting comments from strangers, ranging from very nice ("Pregnancy suits you.") to pretty amusing ("You got 1 or 2 in there?").

What I miss: A full night's sleep.

What I'm looking forward to: Having this baby!!

Reading: Your Pregnancy Week by Week, What to Expect When You're Expecting and Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child

365 Project - Week 44

2012-01-02T09:00:00.019-06:00

December 21 - According to my dad, the best flavor of the best ice cream on Earth. And we just discovered where to buy it in Chicago!

December 22 - Christmas on Michigan Avenue

December 23 - "Happy Birthday then under that in red Sharon."

December 24 - It's just not Christmas without buckeyes

December 25 - Things That Make Me Cry These Days #1,417

December 26 - I continue to be shocked by how long it takes to fold one basket of teeny, tiny baby clothes.

December 27 - Is OCD hereditary?

seven eighths

2011-12-29T09:00:00.007-06:00

20 Weeks

25 Weeks

30 weeks

35 Weeks - December 24, 2011

Baby fruit size: Honeydew melon. Really? They must be referring to some county fair record-breaking honeydew melon.

Milestones: Baby has settled into a head-down position and is getting pretty cramped. His digestive system is ready to handle breast milk and his immune system is prepared to protect him from infection. He's accumulating body fat and should go from his current 15% to 30% by birth. His eyes close during sleep and are open while awake and he can sense night and day.

Sex: Boy. Confirmed once again at my 32 week ultrasound.

Sleep: It's getting bad. When I sleep on my side, I get pains under my ribs and when I sleep on my back, it feels like someone is sitting on my stomach. Add acid reflux on top of that and I now expect to wake up and stay awake for a couple hours each night and forget what it feels like to get a full night's sleep.

Stretch marks: Still nothing, although I just read some women get them after delivering when their skin contracts very quickly. I'm not out of the woods yet.

Weight: My total weight gain is 16 pounds, although I know I've lost a lot of muscle weight in the past few months, so I think that's a bit misleading. Based on the most recent estimate from my OB, "little" Eddie is most likely 6+ pounds of that at this point. I'm preparing for an 8 or 9 pounder.

Food cravings: CHIPOTLE. (Several times a week. They know my name, they know Ed's name and they know the baby's name.) Butter. Grilled cheese. Orange juice. Hot chocolate with whipped cream. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Food aversions: Nothing.

Other symptoms: As the picture above clearly shows, I have an outie now. My belly is feeling very full, heavy and hard, making it a workout to bend over to put on pants and shoes. Puffy, dry and red eyes. Bruised feeling in my pubic bone which hopefully means that his head is moving lower. CRAZY dreams, like the one the other night where I had quadruplets. Probably means I should lay off this until after the baby is born.

Movement: I feel him squirming and shifting regularly throughout the day, especially early morning, late afternoon and late at night. Finally felt hiccups for the first time a couple days ago and it was just as bizarre as everyone says.

Best moments: Falling asleep during a pedicure. Wonderful showers in Cincinnati and Chicago. Quite a few foot rubs from Ed. Ed's last day of work travel before the baby. Meeting Mike Wilbon in the elevator and discussing Eddie's potential NBA career. My only regret is that I didn't start our conversation with "Pardon the interruption..."

What I miss: Being able to sit and lie down comfortably. SLEEP.

What I'm looking forward to: Last day of work before maternity leave. Staying in and spending New Year's Eve in my pajamas on the couch with Ed. Seeing Eddie's face for the first time.

Reading: Your Pregnancy Week by Week, What to Expect When You're Expecting and Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child

365 Project - Week 43

2011-12-26T09:00:00.011-06:00

December 14 - Collection

December 15 - Pregnant, stubborn & a little ghetto. Or, what happens when you refuse to buy maternity pants.

December 16 - Looking forward to the winter solstice

December 17 - In the words of Ed, we're now Street Legal

December 18 - DIY 5-ways. Thanks, Mom.

December 19 - The view has certainly changed.

December 20 - Eddie's -1 Christmas

Pregnancy Dialogues #4

2011-12-23T09:00:00.006-06:00

After waking up from a particularly long and deep football nap together this past Sunday...

Ed: So what will Eddie be doing when we take naps like this? Is there some sort of container we put him in next to us on the floor?

Terese, silent for a moment while trying to gauge whether he's serious or joking.

Terese, recovering: Well, I don't think we can both fall asleep like this if he's awake. We'll have to nap when he does.

Ed: Oh.

This is going to be baptism by fire, you guys.

30 for 30 - a progress report

2011-12-22T09:00:00.002-06:00

What have I learned in the last 10 months? That I clearly spend too much time organizing things at home and not enough out exploring Chicago.

I. Ed, Friends and Family

Plan one date or activity a week to do with Ed outside our normal routine -This month we celebrated Thanksgiving in Ohio, had a final pre-baby dinner with friends at Roka Akor, took breastfeeding and CPR classes at the hospital and had an embarrassing number of Chipotle/movie nights on the couch.
Procreate - 1 MONTH!!
~~Have a 4 am girls-only dance party~~
Call my grandpa more often
Babysit our godchildren – Ryder (+ Ava), Maddie and Liam

Bonus: Send 1-2 handwritten non-birthday notes a month to friends and family

II. Work and Hobbies

Work on photography – take more photos, read Understanding Exposure and take the Intermediate Digital Photography class at the Chicago Photography Center
Complete the 365 photo project
Learn Lightroom
Take One to One classes at Apple
Redesign blog
Complete current event planning job with Sharon and discuss future ones
Read Creative, Inc.

Bonus 1: Buy and learn InDesign
Bonus 2: Set up Etsy shop

III. Travel

~~Travel to Argentina~~
~~Visit my friend Maria in Charlotte, NC - revised to visit Betsy in New York.~~
Take long weekend trips to new U.S. cities (Seattle, Portland, Palm Springs, New Orleans, Jackson Hole, Charleston)

~~Bonus: Take a race-based running trip with Ed’s family~~

IV. Home

Buy a house
~~Switch from chemical to non-toxic cleaners (yes, including Windex)~~

~~Bonus 1: Clean out makeup and toiletries and buy new where necessary~~
Bonus 2: Host a holiday or annual party that becomes a new tradition

V. Food and Cooking

~~Organize recipe binder~~
Go to the Green City Market early on a Saturday and buy food to make dinner
~~Eat at Alinea~~
Cook at home 1-2 times a week (including 1 new recipe)

Bonus: Try new restaurants that allow us to explore Chicago’s neighborhoods and ethnic cuisine

VI. Health and Fitness

Take regular yoga classes
~~Run at least 2 half marathons~~
Ride my bike more, including riding the North Branch bike trail

~~Bonus: Break previous Shamrock Shuffle record (36:20)~~

VII. Chicago

Go on Frank Lloyd Wright tour in Oak Park, IL
Spy on Rick Bayless's garden
Visit at least 6 Chicago museums and cultural institutions (MCA, Art Institute, Field Museum, CSO, Lyric Opera, Chicago History Museum...)

Bonus: Go to Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues

VIII. Organization

~~Purchase and fill photo albums for 2008~~; create photo books for 2009-2011 - 2008 is complete and I'm working my way through 2009 and 2010.

~~Bonus: Organize and donate/throw out grad school and old teaching materials~~
Bonus: Clean out Yahoo email account and unsubscribe from unnecessary emails - almost done!
~~Bonus: Clean out the six plastic tubs at my parents’ house that are full of grade school through high school papers and mementos~~

IX. Giving & Volunteering

Come up with a charitable giving plan for 2011
Volunteer for Girls on the Run

Bonus: Serve food on Thanksgiving at a food pantry or soup kitchen

365 Project - Week 42

2011-12-19T09:00:00.003-06:00

December 7 - Oh, the irony of reading this while awake at 3 am with pregnancy insomnia

December 8 - DSLR Christmas tree

December 9 - Neighbors

December 10 - A crazy Saturday night these days: staying awake for Weekend Update

December 11 - iPhone Christmas tree

December 12

December 13 - Like spray painting, glittering also requires strategic timing

floorplan II

2011-12-14T15:27:00.014-06:00

Most of the big things I chose for the nursery (rug, crib, sofa, bookcases, dresser) were purchased online. Because I am absolutely, positively a visual learner, I had to see how they all would look in the room before I could pull the trigger. So I unearthed some graph paper from my newly organized paper/craft/office supply closet (NESTING!) and sketched it all out.

What can I say, I'm a creature of habit.

Here's the empty room to jog your memory. The sofa is being delivered on Friday and I'm still excitedly waiting (definitely not nagging) for the dresser to be assembled. Once that all happens, the rest of the nursery should come together quickly. It better, because my little homeslice is scheduled to arrive in just 45 days!

365 Project - Week 41

2011-12-12T09:00:00.005-06:00

November 30 - Winter #1

December 1 - NBC Tower

December 2 - Winter #2

December 3 - 1 for me and 1/2 for Eddie

December 4 - Babyland

December 5 - Ed is looking forward to getting an early start on his son's hip hop education

December 6 - Pretty notes

inspired by campaign chests

2011-12-08T11:06:00.019-06:00

Oh man, am I ever kicking myself for not acknowledging campaign style furniture a bit sooner. Because how perfect would these chests be in a boy's nursery? I just love how strong and masculine they look.

Sources: {1}, {2}, {3}, {4}, {5}

Of course as quickly as I fell in love, I also quickly realized I was too late to the game. Countless bloggers' pronouncements of finding crazy deals on old chests on Craigslist and at garage sales were a thing of the past. I even set up alerts on Craigslist for a couple months that produced absolutely nothing.

I briefly considered DIYing something myself...

...but soon decided it was best to move on. I couldn't forget about that brass hardware, though. So that's how I ended up taking on my first (albeit minor) IKEA hack. Little Eddie's dresser/changing table will be this

with the plain knobs swapped out for these drawer pulls.

And now Ed is in charge of putting it all together. But seeing as he is finishing up his last 2 weeks of major pre-baby work travel and we don't own a drill, I can pretty much guarantee he'll be throwing some cash at a maintenance guy in our building who has access to power tools and a higher tolerance for Allen wrench assembly.

So while there is no "after" reveal right now, I do have this very lame MS Paint mock-up I did to help visualize my plan prior to ordering the hardware:

One of these days I'll come home to a completed dresser, I just know it.

365 Project - Week 40

2011-12-05T09:00:00.003-06:00

November 23 - Road trip back to Ohio.

November 24 - Liam's 1st Thanksgiving and 5th tooth. Don't mess with him.

November 25 - Black Friday shopping really isn't so bad.

November 26 - Testing out Cousin Eddie's new hat.

November 27 - Back to the city.

November 28 - New rug!

November 29 - 8 weeks left and I'm running out of things to organize.

white slipcovered sleeper sofas...

2011-12-02T13:44:00.020-06:00

...are not so easy to find. Surprised?

Since the nursery will double as a guest room, we needed a sleeping solution that would fit into the not-so-big space already bursting with baby gear. From the moment I laid eyes on the picture below, I was set on a white sofa.

Easy enough, right? Sure, but add in the requirements of a pull-out bed and slipcover (the only way I could ever see managing white upholstery with a baby) and your options quickly become limited. An exhaustive search produced these 5 results:

2

3

4

5

After stopping by all the stores to see them in person, Ed and I agreed that 1, 2 and 3 were more cottagey and shabby chic than we were going for. Ultimately, we decided on 5 - the Metro from Room & Board. Specifically, the 75", 2 cushion, full sleeper sofa. It even came with an unanticipated bonus. The sofa itself didn't have to be white, so we were able to choose a different fabric that will hopefully help transition it down the road from the nursery to another part of the house.

So the sofa will look like this...

...and be slipcovered in this bright white fabric.

And now we wait patiently for the expected Christmas Eve delivery date!

(Of the sofa, hopefully NOT the baby!)

Pregnancy Dialogues #3

2011-11-30T12:00:00.001-06:00

Ed, calling work at the end of the day yesterday: What time are you leaving? Do you want me to pick you up?

Terese: No thanks, I can walk home. Pregnancy isn't a handicap.

Ed: But it's really windy out there. I don't want you putting my son in unnecessary risky situations.

Terese: What, you're afraid I'll blow away? Don't forget that I have 15 plus additional pounds keeping me anchored to the ground.

Ed: Good point, I didn't think about that. I'll see you when you get home.

yellow rug roundup

2011-11-29T10:34:00.021-06:00

Back to the nursery! Where did I leave off? You saw the before shots and the painted walls and got a terrible iPhone peek at the crib.

Next on my list was covering the floor. At some point, I got it in my head that I wanted a yellow patterned rug*. After scouring the internet for a few hours, I had it narrowed down to these.

Geometric patterns

Moroccan Style

Stripes

Flora & Fauna

Which one won? Wouldn't you know it, the one I pictured in there all along - the Andalusia rug from West Elm. I'd seen it in their catalogs for awhile and loved it in this room from Secrets From a Stylist.

And thankfully I'm loving it just as much in the nursery!

What are your favorites of the bunch?

*Ed, when shown my final choice: "I like it, but you need to make sure this nursery doesn't look like our wedding." Have no fear, more color is coming soon!

Sources:
{1}, {2}, {3}, {4}, {5},
{6}, {7}, {8}, {9}, {10},
{11}, {12}, {13}, {14}, {15},
{16}, {17}, {18}, {19}, {20}

365 Project - Week 39

2011-11-28T14:59:00.032-06:00

November 16 - Neighborhood demolition

November 17 - Someday I'll have one of my own

November 18 - Ohio shower invitation courtesy of Aunt Jess

November 19 - Ed has designated the den as stroller parking

November 20 - Sending Cousin Kristin off for 6 months of travel and volunteering in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines and who knows where else!

November 21 - It's the most wonderful time of the year

November 22 - Slowly making progress on getting the new apartment settled

three fourths

2011-11-23T09:00:00.008-06:00

20 Weeks

25 Weeks

30 Weeks - November 19, 2011

Baby fruit size: Butternut squash

Milestones: The brain is quickly developing and he is using all 5 senses; he responds to movement, sound, light and the food I eat; there are established sleep cycles, including dreaming; he's making faces, hiccuping, swallowing, breathing and sucking his thumb.

Sex: Boy.

Sleep: It's been OK. The last couple of weeks I've been waking up like clockwork at 5 am, unable to fall back asleep for about an hour. The occasional middle-of-the-night charley horse has provided some unwelcome wakeup calls also. But otherwise, sleep is still pretty comfortable.

Stretch marks: Still nothing.

Weight: About 15 pounds gained so far. The baby is about 3 1/2 of that.

Food cravings: Toast with butter and strawberry jam. Baked sweet potatoes. Bacon, egg and cheese biscuits from McDonald's.

Food aversions: There's nothing that I don't want to eat, but the way my uterus has been smooshing my stomach lately, it's tough to get through a full meal without feeling like I'm going to burst. 7 months pregnant Thanksgiving is not going to be as much fun as I anticipated. Besides that, heartburn has arrived. I now carry Tums in my purse.

Other symptoms: At about 27 weeks, I started experiencing sharp pains in my butt and tailbone that progressed to the point where I struggled to walk. A trip to my OB and a physical therapist resulted in a diagnosis of sacroiliac joint dysfunction, common in pregnancy. Their advice - stop running, do Kegels every day, get PT twice a week and wear this really awesome belt while walking. I'm happy to report that it's working and at 30 weeks, things are so much better. Other than that, I've been incredibly emotional - like cry when I watch The Office and hear Hark the Herald Angels Sing playing emotional - and have an addiction to online shopping. Can I blame that on pregnancy?

Movement: Lots of moving around in there. My most recent appointment confirmed that he's head down already, so those are definitely kicks I'm feeling right under my ribs!

Best moments: Making progress on the nursery. Girls' weekend in New York with Betsy and Maria. 20 minute massages at the beginning of every physical therapy session. Childbirth class at the hospital with Ed.

What I miss: Running, working out and feeling athletic and strong.

What I'm looking forward to: Upcoming showers. Thanksgiving in Ohio. 32 week ultrasound. The season premiere of One Born Every Minute.

Reading: The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy, Your Pregnancy Week by Week, What to Expect When You're Expecting and Baby Bargains.

30 for 30 - a progress report

2011-11-22T09:00:00.002-06:00

I've definitely slowed down on my list lately. #2 is starting to consume more time and energy than I anticipated (a glimpse into the rest of my life, I suppose)!

I. Ed, Friends and Family

Plan one date or activity a week to do with Ed outside our normal routine - Even though we were in separate cities for half of the month, we managed to find a great new Mexican restaurant in our neighborhood (and eat there twice), run the Hot Chocolate 15K together, celebrate a friend's 40th birthday with karaoke at Louie's and have an early Thanksgiving with Ed's family.
Procreate - 2 months to go!
~~Have a 4 am girls-only dance party~~
Call my grandpa more often
Babysit our godchildren – Ryder (+ Ava), Maddie and Liam

Bonus: Send 1-2 handwritten non-birthday notes a month to friends and family

II. Work and Hobbies

Work on photography – take more photos, read Understanding Exposure and take the Intermediate Digital Photography class at the Chicago Photography Center
Complete the 365 photo project
Learn Lightroom
Take One to One classes at Apple
Redesign blog
Complete current event planning job with Sharon and discuss future ones
Read Creative, Inc.

Bonus 1: Buy and learn InDesign
Bonus 2: Set up Etsy shop

III. Travel

~~Travel to Argentina~~
~~Visit my friend Maria in Charlotte, NC - revised to visit Betsy in New York.~~
Take long weekend trips to new U.S. cities (Seattle, Portland, Palm Springs, New Orleans, Jackson Hole, Charleston)

~~Bonus: Take a race-based running trip with Ed’s family~~

IV. Home

Buy a house
~~Switch from chemical to non-toxic cleaners (yes, including Windex)~~

~~Bonus 1: Clean out makeup and toiletries and buy new where necessary~~
Bonus 2: Host a holiday or annual party that becomes a new tradition

V. Food and Cooking

~~Organize recipe binder~~
Go to the Green City Market early on a Saturday and buy food to make dinner
~~Eat at Alinea~~
Cook at home 1-2 times a week (including 1 new recipe)

Bonus: Try new restaurants that allow us to explore Chicago’s neighborhoods and ethnic cuisine

VI. Health and Fitness

Take regular yoga classes
~~Run at least 2 half marathons~~
Ride my bike more, including riding the North Branch bike trail

~~Bonus: Break previous Shamrock Shuffle record (36:20)~~

VII. Chicago

Go on Frank Lloyd Wright tour in Oak Park, IL
Spy on Rick Bayless's garden
Visit at least 6 Chicago museums and cultural institutions (MCA, Art Institute, Field Museum, CSO, Lyric Opera, Chicago History Museum...)

Bonus: Go to Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues

VIII. Organization

Purchase and fill photo albums for 2008; create photo books for 2009-2011

~~Bonus: Organize and donate/throw out grad school and old teaching materials~~
Bonus: Clean out Yahoo email account and unsubscribe from unnecessary emails
~~Bonus: Clean out the six plastic tubs at my parents’ house that are full of grade school through high school papers and mementos~~

IX. Giving & Volunteering

Come up with a charitable giving plan for 2011
Volunteer for Girls on the Run

Bonus: Serve food on Thanksgiving at a food pantry or soup kitchen

365 Project - Week 38

2011-11-21T09:00:00.010-06:00

November 9 - Someday I'll start cooking again.

November 10 - Everyday life, no camera-readying required. Thanks to Ed, everyday life really is this neat.

November 11 - 11:11 on 11/11/11

November 12 - Fall moon

November 13

November 14 - Survival kit for Cousin Kristin's 12 hour flight to South Korea.

November 15 - Michigan Avenue

Chelsea Gray nursery

2011-11-16T12:01:00.008-06:00

Saturday morning we left our apartment just as the nursery walls were being taped. Upon returning in the early afternoon, Ed and I peeked around the door to find this...

Cue a sigh of relief (even will all my due diligence, I was still a bit nervous about filling the room with dark gray) and smiles. I couldn't be happier with the color and how the room feels. Now it's time to start filling it up!

By the way, if any Chicagoan out there needs a painter, I would highly recommend our guy, Armando. Over the past 5 years or so, he's done a lot of work for many of our family and friends. Not only does he do a great job for a great price, but he's an unbelievably nice person. His phone # is 847-338-2086. I told him to expect some phone calls!

cribs

2011-11-15T11:51:00.019-06:00

For a short while during the early stages of nursery brainstorming, I attempted to talk myself into a modern crib. Something simple and sleek. Clean lines. Oval perhaps? Or maybe acrylic?! But try as I may, my mind kept going to back to my clear favorite that I discovered while helping create my nephew Liam's nursery last year...

...the sweet and vintage-looking Jenny Lind style:

Then it was just a matter of choosing a color. Oh, the options! White, ebony, cherry, espresso? Painted gray or gold?

sources: {1}, {2}, {3}, {4}, {5}, {6}

I eventually decided on the dark brown espresso finish.

And then last night Ed and I reached that great soon-to-be-parenting milestone: we assembled our baby's crib. At one point I glanced at our reflections in the window - Ed on his hands and knees securing nuts and bolts and me holding two pieces together while trying to keep my (rapidly expanding) belly from knocking it all apart - and thought, "Well would you look at us? We look like a mom and dad."

Of course it didn't take long for Ed to mass text this photo along with "Crib assembled, call me Bob Villa!"

And, yes, those are the newly-painted nursery walls in the background. More photos coming up!

365 Project - Week 37

2011-11-14T09:00:00.012-06:00

November 2 - Fall

November 3 - I hung 4 in a grid above our bed. I'm embarrassed to admit how long it took to get them evenly spaced and level.

November 4 - Trump Hotel

November 5 - A Saturday night grocery run. I'm a pregnancy cliche.

November 6 - Abigail Josephine's christening

November 7 - 2 tickets in 2 minutes. It was that kind of day.

November 8 - Concentric

GRAY

2011-11-10T08:46:00.020-06:00

Deciding that the nursery would have gray walls was easy. Choosing the perfect shade of gray, however, was not.

I knew I wanted a neutral gray - nothing too blue, green or taupe. I started off perusing blogs, taking note of people's favorites, and then went to the Benjamin Moore store and grabbed some possible contenders. OK, maybe I took home every single gray card they had.

I narrowed them down to my favorites and taped them to the wall to be examined under different light throughout the day.

After a day or two, I realized this first pass wasn't going to work. They were all too light*. I really wanted dark and dramatic walls. One, because I like how they look and two, I'm hoping a darker room will help my sleeping baby during those bright winter mornings!

A second trip back to the Benjamin Moore store resulted in these swatch cards. (The white paper is hung over the other shades on the cards which made my eyes cross every time I stared at that wall.)

Finally I narrowed it down to my top 6 and had tester pots** made for each. Ed threw them up on the wall and we stood back to make a decision.

The middle 2 were quickly eliminated for being too green and too light. The top 2 we liked, but they were still not quite dark enough. So it was between the bottom 2. I hemmed and hawed for a bit and then decided against the one on the left because it was a little too blue.

Puritan Gray, Sweatshirt Gray

Storm Cloud Gray, Pilgrim Haze

Whale Gray, Chelsea Gray

And so we had our winner: Chelsea Gray HC-168.

I'm hoping to schedule the painter*** in the next week and can't wait to see how it looks! Until then, I just ogle Chelsea Gray in other rooms...

images from: {1}, {2}, {3}

*If anyone is looking for a lighter shade of gray, my favorites were: Gray Haze, Sea Haze, Coventry Gray, Stonington Gray, Platinum Gray and Silver Half Dollar.

**FYI, if you order 4 or more samples on the Benjamin Moore site, you get free shipping and a sample brush for every 2. This was a much better deal than purchasing them at my neighborhood store.

***The paint will be Benjamin Moore's Natura line, which is zero-VOC even after tinting.

The blank canvas

2011-11-09T12:36:00.018-06:00

According to the countdown app on my phone, there are 80 (!!!) days until my due date. Boy, do I have a lot to get done in those 80 days. Thankfully, the nesting urge kicked in a month ago when we moved and I've been in nursery mode ever since.

Our new apartment is a 3 bed, 3 bath. One bedroom is our master, one is Ed's office and the third will be the nursery/guest room. Here's what we're working with:

Entering the room (with a partially visible linen closet to the left):

Right wall:

Window wall:

Left wall:

Another view of the left wall and part of the back wall (with the walk-in closet):

The rest of the back wall and view out to the door (the open door on the right is the bathroom):

I really love the room - it's a nice size (although definitely not the 12 1/2' x 12' they claim on the floorplan), gets good light and has beautiful views of Lake Michigan (and some not-so-beautiful views of our neighbors in the building next door, if I'm honest. Hopefully we've moved out of here before Eddie knows what to make of the woman who eats ice cream naked in bed.). There are some tricky aspects, though:

The room is definitely big enough, but the wall of windows limits furniture placement. Locked 45th floor windows or not, there is no chance I'm putting the crib along that wall.
The windows face directly east, so it is BRIGHT during the day. And those apartment-grade blinds aren't very darkening. So while the light is good, I need to make sure my little guy is able to sleep in there when the sun is out.
Since we're unsure how long we'll be in this apartment, I struggled with how much to actually decorate. I ended up on the side of doing the full-blown nursery, the idea being that everything I do here could transition to a future house. And if I hate something this time around, I can change it in the 2nd version!

So that's the room. Now, where to start? This is what I know so far:

There are 3 main pieces of furniture that need to make it into the room. A crib, dresser/changing table and sleeper sofa for cuddling, feeding, taking naps (me), and hosting overnight guests.
The crib will be Jenny Lind style.
The walls will be gray.
Accent colors will be mustard yellow, peacock teal, white, black and gold. (Amazing, almost 2 years later and I still love gray and yellow?)

First thing on my list: choose a wall color and get the room painted.

365 Project - Week 36

2011-11-07T09:00:00.015-06:00

October 26 - Holy Name Cathedral

October 27 - Is there anything worse than fluorescent office lights?

October 28 - ORD to LGA

October 29 - I heart NYC?

October 30 - Nursery paint testers

October 31 - Your Pregnancy Week by Week. A visual reminder of how soon the baby will be here.

November 1 - Glucose tolerance test. The nurse's instructions: "You have 5 minutes to drink this in front of me. Go."

A Housing Timeline

2011-11-04T11:35:00.014-05:00

July 2004
Ed and I meet.

July 2004 - 2005

We do the cohabitation dance of many new relationships. Separate apartments and lots of sleepovers.

2006

I unofficially moves into Ed's apartment, motivated by (in no particular order) love, its proximity to my office and in-unit laundry. I spend one night that year in the apartment I pay rent for and share with Betsy.

End of 2006

With our leases both ending the following spring, Ed and I discuss moving in together and housing options. I want to buy a condo and Ed wants to rent. In fact, he asserts that real estate is currently a terrible investment and predicts housing prices will fall much, much lower.

April 15, 2007

Ed wins and we move into a 2 bedroom apartment. I should note that one bedroom is solely devoted to Ed's office, so there is no guest room.

April 16, 2007

Ed states he could rent in a highrise for the rest of his life. I begin an almost-daily routine of checking Redfin.

April 2007 - 2008

Highrise apartment life is dotted with occasional Lincoln Park, Bucktown and Roscoe Village open houses and frequent impassioned debates on the financial and emotional reasons for buying vs. renting.

Fall 2008

Damn, Ed is right.

February 2009 - June 2010

Wedding planning saps all our time, energy and money. Househunting is put on hold.

Fall 2010

With apartment walls and piles of wedding gifts closing in on us and plans for a baby in the near future, househunting gets more serious. It's clear that Ed's love for me outweighs his love of being a homeowner.

September 2010

We stumble upon Dream House. Even Ed is excited. We schedule several showings, stroll through the neighborhood, get financing in order and I start mentally decorating.

December 2010

We wait too long. Dream House goes under contract. With another buyer. I cry. Dream House is now referred to as The One That Got Away.

January 2011 - May 2011

Half-hearted househunting. Everything is compared to Dream House. Since we're renting, there's no motivation to settle for anything less.

May 2011

She's having a baby! Aaannnddd, we have motivation. Just in case we didn't, my mom announces she will not be happy if she has to stay in a hotel while visiting her future grandchild in Chicago.

Summer 2011

Househunting resumes in earnest. We get a Realtor. School districts start to trump countertops in our criteria. It's official - we're grown-ups.

July 2011

We get an email from the selling agent of Dream House. The builder is looking into a similar project in Old Town and wants to know if we'd be interested. Interested?! HALLELUJAH!! Ed commends me on my poker face.

July 2011 - September 2011

There are meetings with Realtors and builders. City zoning, neighborhood and historical approvals are sought. Floorplans are drawn up. Negotiations drag on. In summary, this project is taking a long-ass time. Meanwhile, nothing else on the market is catching our eye.

October 2011

The Dream House #2 project is still uncertain. If it does happen, we won't be living there for at least a year. Knowing the holidays are around the corner and that the housing market will slow down for the winter, we're not hopeful of finding anything else in the next couple of months, either. On top of that, my January due date is hurtling towards us like a runaway train. Bottom line: we need an interim solution.

So, long story long, that's how we found ourselves the 2nd weekend of October moving all our earthly belongings up 4 floors to a new 3 bedroom apartment. The last few weeks have been spent unpacking, cleaning, hanging, painting, organizing, donating and throwing things out. Pregnancy nesting is no joke!

The best part? I have a nursery to decorate. So stay tuned till next week - there's so much to share with you!

Argentina Part 4: San Antonio de Areco

2011-11-02T19:00:00.004-05:00

Previously...

Argentina Part 1: Palermo, Provoleta & Parillas
Argentina Part 2: Futbol

Argentina Part 3: Recoleta

Our last 3 days in Argentina were spent about 120 km outside the city. We wanted to finish off the trip with rest and relaxation. We found exactly that in the town of San Antonio de Areco and in particular at the La Bamba de Areco.

The drive from the city out to the countryside took us across the legendary pampas - grassy plains dotted with cows, horses and gauchos.

Every so often the wide open land was broken up by a farm or estancia, usually only detectable by a roadside gate and a seemingly endless eucalyptus tree-lined lane that led to its front door.

It was at one of these estancias, La Bamba de Areco - a working polo horse farm/bed and breakfast, that we stayed. To say we were transported away from real life is an understatement.

While there, we did a lot of nothing - reading and napping in Adirondack chairs on the expansive grounds...

...sharing our first mate...

...and eating. From dulce de leche at breakfast and lunchtime asados to meat and cheese plates and empanadas in the afternoon and intimate dinners shared with the owners, staff and other guests, we ate shamelessly well.

We also did a little bit of something - took long walks around the expansive polo fields...

...and toured the town of San Antonio de Areco, including visits to leather and silver shops, the church of San Antonio de Padua and the lauded chocolate shop La Olla de Cobre for a taste of alfajores.

Oh, and how could I forget. Ed went horseback riding. Yes, that's right, Ed rode a horse. Sadly, my pregnant belly kept me grounded for this activity. But lucky for Ed, it gave me ample time to document his experience.

And that, friends, is how we babymooned.

365 Project - Week 35

2011-10-31T09:00:00.001-05:00

October 19 - Fall #3

October 20 - White cars

October 21 - Walking home from work

October 22 - A trip back to 2004 via Ikea. Betsy's and my first dining room table.

October 23 - Celebrating Sharon's engagement!

October 24 - October sunset

October 25 - A much-frequented section of Barnes & Noble

best

2011-10-28T09:00:00.006-05:00

A few days ago, I received this in the mail. The New York girls' weekend we've had planned for months just got a lot more exciting.

And embarrassing, if I allow myself to focus on these old photos. Future Terese shakes her head at too blond and too tan Terese of 10 years ago. But hey, who practices moderation in college anyway?

Thanks, Betsy and Maria!

Argentina Part 3: Recoleta

2011-10-26T19:00:00.001-05:00

Previously -
Argentina Part 1: Palermo, Provoleta & Parillas

Argentina Part 2: Futbol

For the next part of our stay in Buenos Aires, we moved from Palermo to the Recoleta neighborhood. Even though it only took us a few minutes to travel from one to the other, they were worlds apart in terms of character and energy. As we drove, it quickly became clear why Recoleta is known as the Paris or Upper East Side of Buenos Aires - the buildings got taller, the streets got cleaner, the architecture changed and the homes, storefronts and restaurants seemed more posh. Goodbye hipster, hello old money.

Our home for the next 4 days was the Alvear Palace Hotel, also much different from our previous accommodations. The Alvear was built in the 1930s and has a grand and bustling feel. Some may complain that it's old and stuffy, but we both were happy to experience the opposite (luxurious) end of the lodging spectrum.

We packed quite of bit of sight-seeing, leisurely meandering and cafe lounging into our time in Recoleta...

Some mornings started with a run. Every morning started with coffee.

We roamed the streets of San Telmo, known for it's tango and Sunday market. While there, we window-shopped antique stores...

...watched pop-up tango...

...and spent an afternoon people-watching at Bar Plaza Dorrego.

We viewed the Casa Rosada...

...took in the colorful sights of La Boca...

...marvelled at the modern architecture of Puerto Madero...

...and decided we could most definitely live in this city.

We strolled towards the city center and saw the Teatro Colon...

...took a reading/photo/nap break in Plaza de la Republica...

...and discovered the lively Calle Florida.

We shopped the ubiquitous polo stores (think authentic Ralph Lauren times 10) and the Al Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore.

We joined a tour of Recoleta Cemetery...

...got lost in the maze of mausoleums...

...heard many interesting stories and urban legends about their inhabitants...

...and saw Evita's tomb, of course.

The only thing we missed was seeing tango at a milonga. My pregnancy bedtime was fully to blame. Each day it sounded like a good idea, but each night after dinner my pajamas won the battle. I guess it gives us something to return for!

But wait, I'm not finished. Did you really think I'd leave food out of a travel post? As we did in Palermo, we ate well in Recoleta. Italian at Sotto Voce. Torrontes, meat, potatoes and provoleta #3 (anyone counting?) at Fervor. Lunch at the famous La Biela.

And of course ice cream. Chocolate suizo (chocolate ice cream, dulce de leche swirls and chocolate chunks) at both Freddo and Un Altra Volta.

Finally, my 2 cents: As much as I love to tackle a new city by foot, somehow Ed and I have made it a travel must-do to take a big bus tour any place we visit. Travel snobs may scoff at this, but it really is a reliable way to gain a good perspective of an unfamiliar place. Not only does it help you get your bearings, but the hop on/off factor makes it an easy and efficient mode of transportation for an entire day. Plus you get some tourist-geared facts and stories thrown in for good measure!

Next up: Our final leg at Estancia La Bamba de Areco

five eighths

2011-10-25T11:20:00.016-05:00

This is a little late, but here's an update from 25 weeks. My musings on 20 weeks can be found here.

25 Weeks - October 15, 2011

Baby fruit size: Eggplant

Milestones: Blood vessels are forming in the lungs, getting him ready to breathe air. His grip has developed and he can clutch onto the umbilical cord. Fingernails, eyelashes and eyebrows are fully formed.

Sex: Still a boy.

Sleep: All good. Thankfully, I rarely have trouble falling back asleep after the 2-3 bathroom breaks I take in the middle of the night. And sleeping on my stomach hasn't gotten terribly uncomfortable yet, so I still take advantage of that preferred position. My energy during the day has been great, too.

Stretch marks: None (knock on wood, apply a variety of potions and oils and repeat). On a related note, I did spy the first faint showings of the linea nigra this week, a couple of inches below my underwear line. Wonder how prominent that's going to get over the next 15 weeks?

Weight: Up just about 12 pounds. Almost 2 pounds of that is baby at this point.

Food cravings: Soup and grilled cheese. Chipotle salads (4 in one week, no lie). Pumpkin spice lattes (although this is probably a symptom of fall more so than pregnancy).

Food aversions: After the 1st trimester, I've been such a disappointment in this area. Truth is, I eat absolutely everything.

Other symptoms: My hair has just started going a little crazy. Short, wispy baby hairs are showing up all over and my hairline has new cowlicks. My belly also bumps against the waist-high bar on the treadmill when I run. Neat.

Movement: Little dude is moving all the time now. It feels more roly-poly, like he's completely rearranging himself in there as opposed to the flutters and thumps I first experienced. I notice it mostly in bed just before waking up and falling asleep. Eddie hasn't been very willing to perform for others, though. This week he had 2 very disappointed aunts who sat with their hands on my belly for 20 minutes without feeling anything.

Best moments: Moving into a bigger apartment! NESTING. Having my 2 brothers, sister-in-law and nephew in town to visit. Watching my friend Casey run her first marathon.

What I miss: With the 3rd trimester almost here, I've been thinking less about the wine and abs I've given up and more about how much I'm going to miss being pregnant. As Ed jokes, "You think you own this baby, don't you?" While that's not exactly the case, I will miss the private connection I have with this 9 month miracle and the feelings (both physical and emotional) that are all mine right now.

What I'm looking forward to: Slowing down for the months of November, December and January (hopefully) and spending time relaxing and hanging out with just Ed. Completing the nursery. Spending long winter mornings in bed with both of my Eds.

Reading: The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy, Your Pregnancy Week by Week, What to Expect When You're Expecting and Baby Bargains.

365 Project - Week 34

2011-10-24T09:00:00.006-05:00

October 12 - 2nd trip to Midway in 6 days to pick up a visiting sibling. I'm a lucky sister.

October 13 - Good thing we picked up Chipotle. Otherwise I would have eaten him for lunch.

October 14 - Liam's first Ferris wheel ride

October 15 - He just turned 8 months old. Wonder how much longer he'll humor us with these photo shoots?

October 16 - Paint swatches (a nursery teaser)

October 17 - Fall #1

October 18 - Fall #2

30 for 30 - a progress report

2011-10-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

I. Ed, Friends and Family

Plan one date or activity a week to do with Ed outside our normal routine - This month we saw Foster the People in concert, MOVED, had family over our new apartment for pumpkin-carving and chili and took my nephew Liam to D4 for the first time. He's now their new mascot.
Procreate - 6 months down. Less than 100 days to go. Anxiety about completing the nursery and acquiring all Eddie's baby gear has officially commenced.
~~Have a 4 am girls-only dance party~~ - Hmmm, I'm going to cut myself some pregnancy slack on this one and consider it done. My high school and college friends and I celebrated our friend Vicky's wedding at the beginning of the month. There was serious dancing at the reception and then I stayed out at the bar with everyone till almost 2 am. I fear that's as good as it's gonna get unless I invite the girls over for a dance party during a 4 am feeding in February.
Call my grandpa more often
Babysit our godchildren – Ryder (+ Ava), Maddie and Liam

Bonus: Send 1-2 handwritten non-birthday notes a month to friends and family

II. Work and Hobbies

Work on photography – take more photos, read Understanding Exposure and take the Intermediate Digital Photography class at the Chicago Photography Center
Complete the 365 photo project
Learn Lightroom
Take One to One classes at Apple
Redesign blog
Complete current event planning job with Sharon and discuss future ones
Read Creative, Inc.

Bonus 1: Buy and learn InDesign
Bonus 2: Set up Etsy shop

III. Travel

~~Travel to Argentina~~
Visit my friend Maria in Charlotte, NC
Take long weekend trips to new U.S. cities (Seattle, Portland, Palm Springs, New Orleans, Jackson Hole, Charleston)

~~Bonus: Take a race-based running trip with Ed’s family~~

IV. Home

Buy a house - Full disclosure updates on this next week.
~~Switch from chemical to non-toxic cleaners (yes, including Windex)~~

~~Bonus 1: Clean out makeup and toiletries and buy new where necessary~~ - There's nothing like a move to get you motivated to organize and throw things out!
Bonus 2: Host a holiday or annual party that becomes a new tradition

V. Food and Cooking

~~Organize recipe binder~~
Go to the Green City Market early on a Saturday and buy food to make dinner
~~Eat at Alinea~~
Cook at home 1-2 times a week (including 1 new recipe)

Bonus: Try new restaurants that allow us to explore Chicago’s neighborhoods and ethnic cuisine

VI. Health and Fitness

Take regular yoga classes
~~Run at least 2 half marathons~~
Ride my bike more, including riding the North Branch bike trail

~~Bonus: Break previous Shamrock Shuffle record (36:20)~~

VII. Chicago

Go on Frank Lloyd Wright tour in Oak Park, IL
Spy on Rick Bayless's garden
Visit at least 6 Chicago museums and cultural institutions (MCA, Art Institute, Field Museum, CSO, Lyric Opera, Chicago History Museum...)

Bonus: Go to Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues

VIII. Organization

Purchase and fill photo albums for 2008; create photo books for 2009-2011

~~Bonus: Organize and donate/throw out grad school and old teaching materials~~ - Hooray for moving-induced motivation! Although it was sad to say goodbye to the physical evidence of all that hard work and my former life as a teacher.
Bonus: Clean out Yahoo email account and unsubscribe from unnecessary emails
~~Bonus: Clean out the six plastic tubs at my parents’ house that are full of grade school through high school papers and mementos~~

IX. Giving & Volunteering

Come up with a charitable giving plan for 2011
Volunteer for Girls on the Run

Bonus: Serve food on Thanksgiving at a food pantry or soup kitchen

Argentina Part 2: Futbol

2011-10-20T12:00:00.008-05:00

Previously -

Argentina Part 1: Palermo, Provoleta & Parillas

There was no way Ed was visiting a South American country without seeing a soccer match. After a bit of research, I learned there are two main teams in Buenos Aires - River Plate and Boca Juniors* - and of those, Boca Juniors were the ones to see. Unfortunately, we were unable to see them play in their home stadium due to scheduling conflicts. This was a substantial disappointment because their stadium, La Bombonera, has been named one of the top places in the world to watch soccer. We settled for next best and travelled out to the suburbs of Lanus to watch them play.

For ease of getting tickets, travel arrangements and security (although I never felt unsafe at all), most travel guides recommended attending the game with a tour group. So we hopped in a van with a few Americans and some rowdy Australians and headed to the evening match.

The first thing we noticed is that we were seated in a special section full of tourists, older folks and small children. Everyone near us was pretty tame, while the rest of the stadium was on their feet cheering and singing the entire time.

We witnessed quite a pre-game production as the most devout fans got everyone else riled up.

Like us, the Boca Junior fans (hooligans!**) had their own section. Surrounded by empty seats. And police guards in riot gear. They also have to wait 30 minutes after the game to leave the stadium, allowing all the home fans to peacefully exit first.

Although no alcohol is sold in the stadium, there was always a vendor close shouting "Cafe! Cafe!" and ready to dispense shots of espresso into tiny plastic cups from the pack he carried on his back.

Not surprisingly, coffee eventually leads to a bathroom break. Surprisingly, this trip to los banos required a personal escort from our guide. Sporting events are always more interesting with an added element of danger!

All in all, it was quite a unique and exciting experience. And Ed was in heaven.

*To see these two rivals play each other (it only happens a couple times a year) has been named the #1 sporting event to see before you die. Can you imagine?

**When our guide first referred to them as hooligans, I assumed it was just an awkward word choice due to our language barrier. Apparently not, as Ed just explained to me last week before giving me a lesson on football hooliganism.

Next up: Recoleta and beyond.

Argentina Part 1: Palermo, Provoleta & Parillas

2011-10-19T11:39:00.022-05:00

It's been a month since we babymooned, so how about some recaps?

First off, I must say: if you have a dream list of travel destinations, put Argentina on it. This trip was originally conceived before our baby was, well, conceived and we had grander plans of exploring wine country and Patagonia. Although those got scrapped, we found no shortage of things to keep us busy in Buenos Aires for 9 days. I can say with almost certainty that we will make a return visit in the future and venture into the rest of the country.

Our first few days in Buenos Aires were spent in the Palermo neighborhood, northwest of the city center. This area of the city is so charming! As you wander down the tree-lined streets, there are cafes, shops and restaurants everywhere you look. Very hipster. And relaxed. (Although that could just be because everyone is still sleeping by mid-afternoon since they were out till 9 am the night before.)

We stayed at the Krista Hotel on a friend's recommendation. It was a sweet little bed & breakfast with only a handful of rooms. The style was very eclectic with modern and vintage furnishings that played off the architecture of the 20th century home. Best of all, it was situated perfectly within Palermo, allowing us to walk everywhere.

Surprisingly, I didn't have too rigid of an itinerary planned for us, so we spent much of the next two days doing just that - walking everywhere, exploring the streets, shopping and eating...

We visited the daily arts and crafts market in Plaza Serrano and stumbled upon a farmers' market in Plaza Palermo Viejo and watched as locals shopped for fruits, vegetables, grains, seafood and even dog food!

I dragged Ed to visit the Evita Museum, which he even admitted to enjoying.

We SHOPPED. I'm not normally a big shopper (in real life or travel), but something about the abundance boutiques got us both itching to spend some pesos. We browsed paper, book, maternity and children's stores (which, by the way, there are a ton of - they love their pregnant ladies and babies down there!). And then we bought boots, jackets, shirts and even our first purchase for Eddie - a stuffed #10 Argentine soccer player.

We spent our mornings and late afternoons studying the cafe culture of Buenos Aires. Depending on the time of day, this involved sitting in the sun at a sidewalk cafe and partaking in any of the following: espresso, cafe con leche, malbec wine, Coca Light, medialunas, newspapers, books, my journal and people-watching.

And of course we ate. We dined on pizza and had our first taste of provoleta at Romario. We had lunch (and more provoleta) at Minga. And experienced an Argentine parilla at La Cabrera Norte. It was there that I had my first glass of wine since May and first ribeye ever. The pure bliss that resulted from this culinary combination cannot be described. Ed swears my eyes rolled back in my head at one point. On top of that, they served about 20 different tapas-sized sides. Everything from potato, squash and red pepper purees to creamed spinach, marinated artichokes and chimichurri. A seriously good meal.

One thing to note about dining in Buenos Aires - they eat late. In real life, we usually go out to dinner around 8 o'clock. But if you show up to a restaurant in Buenos Aires before 10, the place will be dead. I was a bit nervous how my pregnant self would handle this, but it actually allowed for the perfect daily schedule. We could run around all day without feeling rushed and still get in a substantial nap before dinner. The late mealtime even kept me awake and out till about 1 am every night!

So that's Palermo. Next up: soccer in Buenos Aires!

365 Project - Week 33

2011-10-17T09:00:00.002-05:00

October 5 - Eddie's first concert - Foster the People

October 6 - Packing

October 7 - The first of countless luggage cart trips moving into our new apartment - 4 floors away.

October 8 - By the end of Moving Day #2, my brother Ryan and Ed declared they were leaving school and corporate America to start a moving company - "REd & Sons." I stopped listening when they discussed having their employees wear red jumpsuits.

October 9 - Even though we couldn't wait to leave #4103 at the end, it was still sad to say goodbye. Lots of good stuff happened here in 4 1/2 years - birthday parties, baby showers, bachelorette parties, holidays, engagements, weddings and baby-making.

October 10 - The new view

October 11 - Michigan Avenue

365 Project - Week 32

2011-10-11T21:05:00.004-05:00

September 28 - Babymoon travel journal

September 29 - A future project? Fingers crossed.

September 30 - Watching the crazy hail storm roll in

October 1 - Mark & Vicky's wedding at the South Shore Cultural Center

October 2 - Frozen pizza at 2 am. Apparently there's no difference between the late night eating habits of a pregnant person and a drunk one.

October 3 - Current craving

October 4 - 1st day of tutoring for the new school year

Analysis of a Half Marathon: Pregnant vs. Not

2011-10-04T10:26:00.011-05:00

On September 11, I ran the Chicago Half Marathon. I'd been planning on it since before getting pregnant and after doing some research and talking to my OB, decided it was still a perfectly fine idea. My plan was to take the race slow and easy and really listen to my body. If I needed to walk, rest or quit altogether, I was prepared to do so.

That Saturday, I was almost out the door to pick up my race packet when Ed (who's barely run over 4 miles in the last year) stopped me. He declared that if I was really going to do this, then he'd run along with me because watching from the sidelines would leave him worrying too much.

(If you know Ed, you're not surprised by this at all.)

So that's how our little family of 2.5 ended up running our first half marathon together.

I've completed at least 10 13.1 mile races, but this one was quite different from all the others...

Nerves and anxiety about making a time goal:

Pregnant - not at all

Not - every single time

Food eaten before, during and immediately following the run:

Pregnant - banana, cereal bar, Rice Krispie treat
Not - nothing

Walk breaks
Pregnant - at least 5 (I lost count)
Not - 0

Porta Potty stops

Pregnant - 3

Not - 0

Dirty looks from Ed to anyone who came remotely close to bumping into me

Pregnant - at least 5 (I lost count)

Not - 0

Finishing time
Pregnant - 2:15:41
Not - 1:41:12

Post-race kicks of approval from the babe
Pregnant - a lot
Not - none

Races finished with ed
Pregnant - 1
Not - 0

Like Ed said, this will probably be my slowest half marathon, but definitely the most memorable.

365 Project - Week 31

2011-10-03T09:00:00.002-05:00

September 21 - A catnap in Plaza de la Republica

September 22 - My 2nd favorite ice cream in Buenos Aires

September 23 - Cafe in San Antonio de Areco

September 24 - Ed wanted to bring these home with us. I think the parallel rows and neat arrangement relaxed him.

September 25 - Tiny, baby alpargatas, the Argentinian shoe that TOMS are based on.

September 26 - We now have a fully assembled jogging stroller hanging out in our bedroom. In the words of another pregnant friend, "Shit's getting real."

September 27 - Paper Source, it's been awhile.

365 Project - Week 30

2011-09-26T09:00:00.002-05:00

September 14

September 15 - Halfway through flight #1 to Buenos Aires

September 16 - Canopy of trees over the streets of Palermo

September 17 - Inside the Museo Evita

September 18 - Boca Juniors vs. Lanus

September 19 - Lunch in Plaza Dorrego

September 20 - Tomb entrance in Recoleta Cemetery

30 for 30 - a progress report

2011-09-22T09:00:00.002-05:00

I. Ed, Friends and Family

Plan one date or activity a week to do with Ed outside our normal routine - This month we went to Roots, StreeterFest, Food Truck Social, D4, q and Nookies with my parents and sister, spent a long weekend in Las Vegas with Ed's family and are currently mid-babymoon in Buenos Aires and San Antonio de Areco, Argentina.
Procreate - Over halfway there.
Have a 4 am girls-only dance party
Call my grandpa more often
Babysit our godchildren – Ryder (+ Ava), Maddie and Liam

Bonus: Send 1-2 handwritten non-birthday notes a month to friends and family

II. Work and Hobbies

Work on photography – take more photos, read Understanding Exposure and take the Intermediate Digital Photography class at the Chicago Photography Center
Complete the 365 photo project
Learn Lightroom
Take One to One classes at Apple
Redesign blog
Complete current event planning job with Sharon and discuss future ones
Read Creative, Inc.

Bonus 1: Buy and learn InDesign
Bonus 2: Set up Etsy shop

III. Travel

~~Travel to Argentina~~ - Check!
Visit my friend Maria in Charlotte, NC - Change of plans. Maria just got a new job and moved back to Ohio. Travel plans have been altered and we're now visiting Betsy in New York.
Take long weekend trips to new U.S. cities (Seattle, Portland, Palm Springs, New Orleans, Jackson Hole, Charleston)

~~Bonus: Take a race-based running trip with Ed’s family~~

IV. Home

Buy a house - There is still something hopeful on the distant horizon. Until then, we're relocating to a 3-bedroom in our current building to make room for baby and the subsequent ~~free childcare providers~~ houseguests.
~~Switch from chemical to non-toxic cleaners (yes, including Windex)~~

Bonus 1: Clean out makeup and toiletries and ~~buy new where necessary~~
Bonus 2: Host a holiday or annual party that becomes a new tradition

V. Food and Cooking

~~Organize recipe binder~~
Go to the Green City Market early on a Saturday and buy food to make dinner
~~Eat at Alinea~~
Cook at home 1-2 times a week (including 1 new recipe)

Bonus: Try new restaurants that allow us to explore Chicago’s neighborhoods and ethnic cuisine

VI. Health and Fitness

Take regular yoga classes
~~Run at least 2 half marathons~~ - The Chicago Half Marathon was a success. Race details coming soon.
Ride my bike more, including riding the North Branch bike trail

~~Bonus: Break previous Shamrock Shuffle record (36:20)~~

VII. Chicago

Go on Frank Lloyd Wright tour in Oak Park, IL
Spy on Rick Bayless's garden
Visit at least 6 Chicago museums and cultural institutions (MCA, Art Institute, Field Museum, CSO, Lyric Opera, Chicago History Museum...)

Bonus: Go to Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues

VIII. Organization

Purchase and fill photo albums for 2008; create photo books for 2009-2011

Bonus: Organize and donate/throw out grad school and old teaching materials
Bonus: Clean out Yahoo email account and unsubscribe from unnecessary emails
~~Bonus: Clean out the six plastic tubs at my parents’ house that are full of grade school through high school papers and mementos~~

IX. Giving & Volunteering

Come up with a charitable giving plan for 2011
Volunteer for Girls on the Run

Bonus: Serve food on Thanksgiving at a food pantry or soup kitchen

playlist

2011-09-20T09:00:00.035-05:00

The little one's sense of hearing is pretty developed now, so much so that he can hear not only my voice, heartbeat and stomach rumbles, but also sounds around me. To get this baby's music taste started on the right foot, I had Cousin Kristin make him an in utero playlist. If she had her way, I'm sure she'd be toting Eddie to all of Chicago's music festivals next summer.

BTRKT feat. Sampha: Trials of the Past
James Blake: The Wilhelm Scream
TV on the Radio: DLZ
Radiohead: Fake Plastic Trees
Wilco: Muzzle of Bees
Van Morrison: Someone Like You
The National: Green Gloves
Talking Heads: This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)
Foster the People: I Would Do Anything For You
Foster the People: Warrant
Frightened Rabbit: Swim Until You Can't See Land
Frightened Rabbit: The Loneliness and the Scream
Frightened Rabbit: The Wrestle
Frightened Rabbit: Skip the Youth
Frightened Rabbit: Yes I Would
Friendly Fires: Jump in the Pool
Fleet Foxes: Your Protector
Cold War Kids: Hospital beds
Bon Iver: Skinny Love
City and Colour: Sleeping Sickness
The Naked and Famous: Punching in a Dream
The Naked and Famous: Young Blood
The Temper Trap: Sweet Disposition
The Temper Trap: Rest
Foals: Electric Bloom
Michael Jackson: They Don't Care About Us

365 Project - Week 29

2011-09-19T09:00:00.011-05:00

September 7 - Driving home/Dirty windshield

September 8 - Preparing for the opening day hordes at Topshop

September 9 - Operation Combat Pregnancy Face

September 10 - Running for 2

September 11 - Just before the 7 am start

September 12 - We'll be longing for these colors in a few months

September 13 - Smelly stuff

Pregnancy Dialogues #3

2011-09-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

Ed: I don't think I need all these father books. I'm going to parent by my gut.

Terese: Oh, I see. So I'll do all the reading and research and then when you have a question you'll just ask me what to do?

Ed: I'm going to parent by my gut.

halfway

2011-09-14T09:00:00.013-05:00

Hi there, Terese. Remember a few weeks ago when you were lamenting the fact that you didn't really look pregnant yet? That is all changing now. And quickly.

Here's my midterm report. 20 weeks down. 20 weeks to go.

5 Weeks - May 28, 2011

20 Weeks - September 10, 2011

Baby fruit size: Cantaloupe

Milestones: Arms and legs are in proportion. Cartilage is turning to bone. Baby is yawning and practicing sucking and swallowing. Body fat is now forming.

Sex: BOY

Sleep: Like the dead. No problems here.

Stretch marks: None yet, knock on wood.

Weight: Up 7 pounds since finding out I was pregnant. A little less than recommended for this point, but I'm working against the few pounds I lost in the 1st trimester due to aversions to, well, food.

Food cravings: Orange juice, cereal and milk, Amy's frozen veggie lasagna, Kashi frozen Tuscan veggie bake, Panera chicken noodle soup, California Grille sandwich from Corner Bakery, veggie sandwich from Potbelly, real fruit popsicles, French fries, goldfish crackers, anything Italian, Smart Dogs wrapped in a slice of American cheese (Ed hates this one), Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread, frozen waffles, Starbucks iced passion tea lemonade

Food aversions: These were mostly contained to the 1st trimester: vegetables, scrambled eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese and cream cheese. Coffee and peanut butter are the only two things I haven't had much desire to consume during the entire pregnancy.

Other symptoms: Boobs that won't stop growing (awesome) and constipation (not awesome). Pain in my pelvis as the muscles stretch to make room for the baby. Congestion all the time and dizziness on occasion. Tension headaches were a problem a few weeks ago, but I think those have gone away.

Movement: On Saturday I was enjoying a lazy morning in bed. Ed had just gotten up to shower. I was resting my hands on my belly and noticing that I could feel my heartbeat. Suddenly, there was an off-beat thump against my hand, just below my belly button. It was a kick! I was shocked because I didn't think I could feel it this early. I yelled for Ed and he ran back in time to feel another kick just as I felt the movement inside. Seriously the most amazing thing I've ever experienced.

Best moments: See above. Also, last week I had my first stranger ask if I was pregnant - a more exciting and momentous occurrence than I would have guessed!

What I miss: Running like I used to. Mimosas on a Saturday afternoon. A glass of red wine while cooking dinner. My jeans. The tuna tuna salmon roll at Mirai.

What I'm looking forward to: Our babymoon in Argentina. Preparing the nursery. Cuddling a tiny baby in January.

Reading: The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy, Your Pregnancy Week by Week. My favorite bloggers who are also pregnant - Julia, Emily, Gaynor, Kate, Jesica

baby missoni

2011-09-13T14:24:00.007-05:00

My plan was to spend some time this morning filling up my online cart with the new Missoni for Target goodies.

Apparently the rest of the world had the same plan.

Frustrated by the hours it took to access the site and then disappointed by the absence of boys' baby clothes, I made one selection and then got the heck out of there. Several of these cuddly sweater one-pieces are on their way to my door. They'll be filed away for gifts or future baby girls.

But let's be honest, if Ed would let me, I'd probably dress little Eddie in this too.

find it here

365 Project - Week 28

2011-09-12T09:00:00.007-05:00

All iPhone photos this week, folks. And 3/7 of them are of food. I've really outdone myself this time.

August 31 - Bedtime snack #1 - an old standby from college

September 1 - Bedtime snack #2. It's very telling that I couldn't wait until after the photo was taken to have a bite.

September 2 - Ed's bathroom set-up within minutes of entering any new hotel room. After 7 years of traveling with him, I now regard this as normal. It only takes a picture like this to remind me it's not.

September 3 - How a pregnant lady parties in Vegas.

September 4 - Downtown Las Vegas

September 5 - More proof that I'm a sentimental better.

September 6 - looking down for inspiration

It's a...

2011-09-09T10:08:00.027-05:00

Since finding out I was pregnant, I'd dreamt up big plans for how we would learn the boy or girlness of our baby. I knew I wouldn't be satisfied simply hearing the words from the ultrasound tech. I needed pageantry. My favorite idea was to have the baby's sex written on a piece of paper to take to a bakery and have either a pink or blue cake made, hidden by neutral icing. Imagine the suspense as you cut into that cake! My heart would race just thinking about it.

Ed, on the other hand, wanted the news ASAP. He couldn't handle waiting out those hours in between our morning appointment and dessert. Admittedly, I was also getting impatient. So we compromised.

On my way to the doctor's office, I picked up two cards - one for a boy and girl - making sure to get the same envelopes for each. During our ultrasound, I gave them to the tech and told her our plan.

Over the next hour, we saw the heart, spine, nose, lips, brain, hands and feet. When it came time for her to scope out the boy or girl parts, she had us look away for a couple minutes. I kept my eyes fixed on Ed to make sure there was no peeking.

The suspense continued a while longer. After the ultrasound we had to meet with my OB who, upon walking into the exam room, handed us this sealed envelope. For the rest of the appointment, Ed's foot was tapping away as he sat gripping the envelope and half-listening to the doctor.

Finally we left the office and, after an agonizingly long elevator ride, found ourselves standing on the sidewalk in the sunshine with lunchtime crowds rushing by around us.

"Should I open it now?" Ed asked.

I just smiled and he began to peel back the envelope flap. The card had been inserted face down and when I saw the white back, I thought, "Of course. Just as we thought. The Chinese were right."

But then he pulled the card out and I saw flashes of yellow and blue on the front. Tears instantly sprung into my eyes. Ed, not realizing what each of the cards looked like, stared at me for confirmation.

"It's a boy!" I said. "We're going to have a son."

His mouth fell open and then transformed into a huge smile.

I think we made a minor scene on that sidewalk for the next 10 minutes. We hugged, we laughed and we called the grandmas.

Suddenly everything seems very real. I will have an oldest son. A mama's boy. I can't help but picture our life years from now with this little man we will raise together.

But first things first. Time to run to the bakery. Somebody owes me a piece of cake.

Eddie or Jane?

2011-09-08T09:00:00.012-05:00

In about an hour, we should know if this baby is a boy or girl. I've not been this excited for a day to arrive since Christmas 1987 when I was pretty sure Santa was bringing me a life-size Barbie kitchen.

(I wish I could illustrate this excitement with a photo of me on Christmas morning posing with said Barbie kitchen, but the joy in my face is overshadowed by my footless footie pajamas. It's still too embarrassing.)

Since knowing the sex means we can confirm the name, now is a good time to reveal the options for both.

If it's a boy, he will be named EDMUND GEORGE. Meaning "prosperous protector" and "farmer." Although he won't be a Jr., Edmund will be named after his father, grandfather and great-great uncle. And George is both Ed's grandfather's first name and my grandfather's middle name.

If it's a girl, she will be named JANE MARCELLA. Meaning "God is gracious" and "young warrior." Jane was my great-aunt's name and Marcella was Ed's grandmother's name.

The naming discussions between Ed and me were surprisingly short and sweet. No poring over baby name books here. We both knew what we wanted and easily agreed on the four above. That being said, I do have a long list of additional girls' names that I adore:

Anne

Caroline

Charlotte

Claire

Eden

Eve

Julia

Lila

Mae

Nora

Rose

Vivian

I'm clearly on the granny-chic bandwagon!

28

2011-09-07T09:24:00.026-05:00

I spent Labor Day weekend in Las Vegas, a trip originally planned for just Ed's mom and sisters. Then the rest of us - brothers, wife, fiance and boyfriends - decided to tag along without Ed's mom knowing.

We surprised her in shifts at the airport and hotel bar. I thought she was going to die of shock and happiness each time.

The next 60 hours were spent soaking up sun at the pool, enjoying great dinners, gambling at slots, black jack, keno and poker, seeing "O," walking along the strip, placing football bets, visiting downtown Las Vegas, ziplining, people-watching, napping, eating gelato every day and raiding mini-bar snacks.

(OK, so the last 3 were just me.)

We also played roulette. After lunch on Sunday afternoon, our group of nine settled around a roulette table at the Golden Nugget. Cash was quickly handed over for chips, our first bets were placed in a flurry and the ball was dropped. Seconds later, it landed in the 28 slot. As you would expect, this was followed by some groans and a couple of cheers. I, on the other hand, was kicking myself. Standing beside Ed (as his Roulette Advisor), I couldn't believe I hadn't told him to bet on 28. It's our baby's due date! And I'm nothing if not a sentimental gambler! Ed was equally disappointed in himself for missing it and from then on out, he bet on 28 each time.

Play continued for 20 or so more rounds. Everyone else won a little and lost a little. Except for Ed, he won very little and lost a lot. But every single round he bet on 28. It was hard to argue with his dedication to our child (even as he chipped away at his or her college savings). It was so bad that everyone joked the way to be successful at roulette was to bet the exact opposite of Ed.

Eventually he reached his stop-loss point, made a final (losing) bet and backed away from the table in surrender. After this, the unspoken consensus from the rest of the group was that they would play one more round and then call it quits themselves. Ed and I could only observe while the rest of his family placed their final chips.

As the wheel spun and the ball rolled around, I heard Ed's mom from the other end of the table trying to get my attention:

"T, what's the baby's due date??"

Up until that point, she'd been playing 1 for January, but for her last shot, she stretched across the table and put $10 on 28 just before the dealer waved his hands and declared, "No more bets."

Do you ever let yourself envision a perfect outcome to a situation? Even though you know full well it will never happen, you revel in the ideal "what ifs" and "if onlys" that seem to be reserved for TV and movies. In that instant, I'm sure all of us were thinking, "If only it would land on 28..."

I bet you can guess what happened. The ball stopped on 28.

By the way all 9 of us leaped in the air, shouted and hugged, the tables around us must have thought we'd won $360,000 as opposed to $360. But it wasn't about the money at all. With a few dollars, a bit of luck and perfect timing, Ed's mom had written a story that is sure to become a family legend and be recounted to her grandchild many, many times in the future. In a weekend full of good times and memories, this one tops them all.

365 Project - Week 27

2011-09-06T12:10:00.014-05:00

August 24 - New Rx sunglasses. They make losing my first pair to the bottom of Green Lake almost bearable.

August 25 - Moody sky

August 26 - After dinner drinks with my parents at Roots. Not to be left out, I had a virgin tequila shot.

August 27 - Proof that Ed once rode a city bus

August 28 - Waiting to say goodbye to Mom and Dad after a great visit

August 29 - I've walked past this building hundreds of times and have never seen the sun do this.

August 30 - Clase de español

Pregnancy Dialogues #2

2011-09-02T09:00:00.002-05:00

Ed: If this baby is a boy, we'll name him Rambo and he'll play football for the University of Iowa.

Terese: And if it's a girl?

Ed: She'll be locked away in a tower at the top of our house.

It's finally time to start talking about the nursery, Part II

2011-09-01T10:17:00.015-05:00

And now for all my GIRL nursery ideas...

These first 2 photos aren't nurseries or even children's rooms, but I think the color palettes are so perfect for a little girl - pretty, but not obvious.

Then there are the actual nurseries I've bookmarked over the past year

Too bad there's not a better shot of this nursery because from the little I can see of the curtains, rug, dresser, crib and crib skirt it's very sweet.

Love all the colors used here:

The poms hanging in the corner are a little much for me, but otherwise I'm in love with this room!

As for furniture and accessories, I'd love to include a painted vintage dresser and...

...a touche of ombre.

Hmm, it's pretty clear that I'm drawn to bright and airy rooms with muted gray, tan, peach, aqua, pink, yellow and violet colors. That little bit of focus should help when it comes time to actually make some decisions!

Sources:

{1}, {2}, {3}, {4}, {5},

{6}, {7}, {8}, {9}, {10}, {11}

It's finally time to start talking about the nursery, Part I

2011-08-31T17:41:00.000-05:00

I'm coming up quickly on the halfway mark of this pregnancy.
Ed and I are in the process of moving forward on some housing decisions.
I just looked at my calendar and realized I have only 5 free weekends from now until the end of the year.

1 + 2 + 3 = NESTING.

For the past week, I've come home from work and had to fight overwhelming urges to deep clean the freezer, order our bookshelves by color, organize bathroom cabinets and pack up my closet in boxes. While these are all admirable housekeeping aspirations, they're not the most timely or productive activities right now.

Instead, I'm channeling my energies towards preparing for the baby and planning the nursery.

And though the 1/2 pound mango in my womb is already a boy or a girl, I still have to wait 1 week, 16 hours, 18 minutes and 15 seconds to find out*. So I'm daydreaming about nurseries for both.

First up, BOY inspiration. Admittedly, it's a bit light. If necessary, this will be expanded upon post-ultrasound.

*However, mother's and father's instincts and the Chinese gender chart have had us thinking girl since the beginning.

Pregnancy Dialogues #1

2011-08-30T15:05:00.004-05:00

June 9, 2011 - First OB appointment

Dr. Beyer: That's about it from me. Do you have any questions or concerns?

Terese: Actually, yes. My biggest concern right now is the eventual size of this baby. Ed and his 3 siblings were all over 9 pounds. Out of my mom's 5 children, I was the only one under 9 pounds and I was born a month early. MY BROTHER WEIGHED 12 POUNDS, 13 OUNCES WHEN HE WAS BORN.

Dr. Beyer, after 5 seconds of silence: Oh. Wow. OK. So I'm just going to write that down in your chart here and we'll keep an eye on things as you get closer to your due date. If it looks like the baby is measuring big towards the end, we can discuss your options at that time.

Terese: Thank you. Very much.

365 Project - Week 26

2011-08-29T09:00:00.015-05:00

August 17 - Lunchtime photo walk

August 18 - My library

August 19 - Ed's birthday gift from his siblings - an antique children's rocking chair

August 20 - Only in the Midwest can you order a dessert this size

August 21 - Thunderbirds

August 22 - In what percentage of couples do you think the wife is messier than the husband?

August 23 - Night lights

Green Lake: A Photo Album

2011-08-26T09:00:00.005-05:00

Maybe I'm just getting old, but the 10 days I spent in Wisconsin surrounded by family, water, trees, fresh air, wide open sky and PEACE and QUIET made for one of the best vacations I've ever taken.

Let me tell you about it...

Home Sweet Home - Carver's Cove

Vacation houses are much better when they have names, don't you think?

We were located on the northeast side of Green Lake.

Personalized koozies for everyone. "GREEN LAKE 2011" was printed on the other side. I think I've fallen into a trap where it's not a party unless there are custom koozies.

Each day started early with coffee and reading on the back porch.

By Day 2, Katie and I had claimed our spots. Between the two of us, 6 books were started and/or finished.

Unfortunately, some of us were too distracted by the stock market to read.

Late morning meant a walk to town, 2 1/2 miles each way. Some days we had breakfast and some days we went straight to ice cream.

Favorite games to play along the walk: "Avoid the roadkill" and "Which house would you buy if you had a couple extra million dollars laying around?"

Then it was time to get on the water. It was the first time I was brave enough to drive a Waverunner. If I brag about getting up to 58 mph, I'll most likely get nasty emails saying I shouldn't be doing that while pregnant.

So I won't.

A lot of soccer and catch were played. It would be embarrassing if I mentioned that my right shoulder was sore for 3 days after throwing a baseball.

So I won't.

And then it was time for ~~Round 2 of reading~~ naps in the afternoon.

There are regular naps and there are pregnant naps. And then there are pregnant naps with a cool breeze and water lapping in the background. Those are as good as it gets.

Evenings were spent in the kitchen with everyone (except Ed) cooking. Our menus included kebabs, tzatziki and Mediterranean salad, ribs, coleslaw and cornbread, homemade pizzas, roasted tomatoes with pesto and fish tacos.

We ate a ton and then Ed cleaned up.

Somehow each night's sunset was better than the last.

We celebrated August birthdays with the first cake I've ever made from scratch.

Followed quickly by a second dessert course around the fire.

I'm thankful to Ed's dad, brother, sisters, their fiance and boyfriends for making it such a memorable trip.

(Too bad Sharon and Andy were already gone when the couples photography session began.)

I'm already looking forward to next year when there will be a 7-month old addition to the group.

Although, is there anything about these two that makes them look prepared to parent?

Credit goes to Kate for taking most of these photos!

365 Project - Week 25

2011-08-23T09:00:00.001-05:00

August 10 - Celebrating National S'mores Day

August 11 - Last day on the boat

August 12 - Peaceful night on the lake

August 13 - Final Green Lake sunset

August 14 - Light

August 15 - Southern view from my office

August 16 - If I had a coffee table, these would be my coffee table books

30 for 30 - a progress report

2011-08-22T09:00:00.001-05:00

Halfway there!

I. Ed, Friends and Family

Plan one date or activity a week to do with Ed outside our normal routine - this month we had our 1st anniversary dinner at Alinea, got massages for Ed's birthday, went on the boat for the Air & Water Show, went to the Taste of Lincoln, spent a week at Green Lake, WI and had great dinners at Coco Pazzo Cafe, Quay (truth be told, that one was just OK), q (this one, however, was awesome) and Marigold.
Procreate - 4 months down, 5ish to go.
Have a 4 am girls-only dance party
Call my grandpa more often
Babysit our godchildren – Ryder (+ Ava), Maddie and Liam

Bonus: Send 1-2 handwritten non-birthday notes a month to friends and family

II. Work and Hobbies

Work on photography – take more photos, read Understanding Exposure and take the Intermediate Digital Photography class at the Chicago Photography Center
Complete the 365 photo project
Learn Lightroom
Take One to One classes at Apple
Redesign blog
Complete current event planning job with Sharon and discuss future ones
Read Creative, Inc.

Bonus 1: Buy and learn InDesign
Bonus 2: Set up Etsy shop

III. Travel

Travel to Argentina - I'm planning away and getting excited. We even watched an old Argentina episode of No Reservations last night.
Visit my friend Maria in Charlotte, NC - spending time with old friends and this city guide have me very much looking forward to this trip.
Take long weekend trips to new U.S. cities (Seattle, Portland, Palm Springs, New Orleans, Jackson Hole, Charleston)

~~Bonus: Take a race-based running trip with Ed’s family~~ - while there was no formal race completed on our Wisconsin trip, we did all walk 5+ miles together every day. I'm considering this goal accomplished.

IV. Home

Buy a house - There is something hopeful on the horizon. That's all I can say for fear of jinxing it. On a related note, you would think real estate professionals would be motivated to move a bit more quickly in this market, right?
~~Switch from chemical to non-toxic cleaners (yes, including Windex)~~

Bonus 1: Clean out makeup and toiletries and ~~buy new where necessary~~
Bonus 2: Host a holiday or annual party that becomes a new tradition

V. Food and Cooking

~~Organize recipe binder~~
Go to the Green City Market early on a Saturday and buy food to make dinner
~~Eat at Alinea~~
Cook at home 1-2 times a week (including 1 new recipe)

Bonus: Try new restaurants that allow us to explore Chicago’s neighborhoods and ethnic cuisine

VI. Health and Fitness

Take regular yoga classes
Run at least 2 half marathons - just signed up for the Chicago Half Marathon on September 11. I plan on doing a combination of running and walking, depending on how the babe and I are feeling. It will be nice to enjoy a relaxing race rather than have a time goal in mind.
Ride my bike more, including riding the North Branch bike trail - we finally got our bikes out of storage for the first time since 2008. The plan was to ride them a ton in Green Lake. Although that didn't happen (save for a few laps around the driveway to make sure I hadn't forgotten how to ride), I'm hopeful to use mine a lot the rest of the summer and fall.

~~Bonus: Break previous Shamrock Shuffle record (36:20)~~

VII. Chicago

Go on Frank Lloyd Wright tour in Oak Park, IL
Spy on Rick Bayless's garden - The good news: I just learned last week that there are guided tours offered of his garden, so I may not have to sneak around on the Bloomingdale Trail hoping to catch a glimpse. The bad news: they're sold out for 2011, so I'm on a wait list for 2012.
Visit at least 6 Chicago museums and cultural institutions (MCA, Art Institute, Field Museum, CSO, Lyric Opera, Chicago History Museum...)

Bonus: Go to Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues

VIII. Organization

Purchase and fill photo albums for 2008; create photo books for 2009-2011

Come up with a charitable giving plan for 2011
Volunteer for Girls on the Run - I'm doing the Chicago Girls on the Run 5K on November 12. I'll be a Running Buddy, which means I run the race with a girl who is part of the program and offer any support she may need along the 3.1 miles. I'm also looking forward to volunteering as a coach for the spring season.

Bonus: Serve food on Thanksgiving at a food pantry or soup kitchen

comparison

2011-08-17T14:54:00.002-05:00

This quote has been on my mind ever since I read this post yesterday.

I've been guilty of succumbing to this in various aspects of my life up until now - as a student, employee, daughter, friend, wife, runner, etc. but something about being pregnant and the ensuing parenthood seems to take the internal scrutiny to a whole new level.

Add that to the fact that I have 5 friends (3 real-life, 2 blog) all due within 13 days of me. A definite blessing when it comes to sharing experiences and getting advice, but unfortunately it also lends itself to direct comparisons. From weight gain and choice of OBs to diapers, bottles, Bumbos and whether or not to go back to work - it's way too easy to question whether or not I'm doing it "right." And occasionally it does suck the joy right out of this (mostly) wonderful time.

I believe it stems from good intentions - wanting to do things the best possible way.

(After 30 years I'm still learning how to live peacefully with my inner perfectionist.)

But I'm realizing more and more that for sake of myself, my husband and our growing family, I need to chill out. As a good friend once told me, the only thing I can be judged on in the end is not whether or not I was the best, but rather the best Terese.

A good reminder for all of us, I think.