Does Size Matter?

I found out this week that a marketing/admin job opened up in SK's department at the hospital and the doctor said he'd be happy to have me on board. I'm feeling especially blessed because they're willing to hire me even though I'll have to quit in January before the baby arrives. But also because I'll be working at an office a five minute walk from our apartment. Also, I'll be working in a hospital so, should I go into labor while at work, I'll only need to be carted off in a wheelchair to another part of the building!

So, with the news of my new job, I started thinking about what I was going to wear. I have tons of work clothes, but only for a non-pregnant body. I also have some maternity wear, generously donated by RBK, but some of it might be too casual for the office. I've actually started wearing some of the pants just because the elastic waistbands are so comfy! Hee hee!

Anyway, I went to a few maternity boutiques yesterday to try on some clothes and was pretty disappointed. Besides Target, the clothing was pretty overpriced and ill-fitting. At Target, they had a few cute items in the Liz Lange line that were really well-priced, but not a lot of options and nothing in my exact size. Frustration!!! I even went to two different Targets.

Finally at the most expensive boutique I visited yesterday, I asked the salesgirls for help since the sizing varied wildly from brand to brand. When I told the two salesgirls when I was due, they both looked at me wide-eyed and open-mouthed. Both of them were pregnant also, and one of them had a due date a couple weeks earlier than mine. But she was MUCH bigger than me! Her belly was nice and round, like a cute little basketball. On the other hand, my belly looks like I've just been eating too much pizza or digging into too many late-night pints of Haagen Daaz. I think I might have belly envy.

I know everyone carries their baby differently, but I do have a small seed of doubt in the back of my mind. What if my baby isn't growing fast enough? And am I ever going to get big? I just didn't fill out most of the pregnancy clothes I tried on.

On a good note, I'm feeling very healthy these days. I realized that I was really tired during my first trimester. These days, I feel full of energy from the moment I get up in the morning. It's great!

Family Visit

RBK, lil' GMK, KCK and my mom visited last week. I had so much fun just hanging out with them, even though it was tiring. One thing that really struck me, especially with the news of my own pregnancy, was how life really switches focuses once you have a child. I'm feeling that more intensely these days and mentally preparing for it. Doing anything and going anywhere with a child is a bigger production, even a trip to the store. It was tiring for everyone keeping up with GMK during the week. By weeks end, I was especially appreciative of my sis for making the long trek out to Cali.

But oh, the joys that babies bring! It was amazing to see GMK toddling around and learning to talk. She is like a little sponge, just absorbing everything in around her. It's amazing to me that she's reached the stage where she expresses her likes/dislikes and preferences.

For example, at the dinner table, she practically knows how to order her own dinner. Blueberries? Yes. Green beans? No, but please pass the milk. She communicates through her baby signing, vigorous nods and body shakes of course.

It's also amazing to me that I'm going to have my own version of GMK so soon!

All in all, it was a great visit. You can read more about it at RBK's blog.

SURPRISE!

i'm preggers!

sk and i were not planning on having a baby this year, but i guess it was just meant to be. we call the baby our "love child".

we're both still in shock since, not only were we surprised by the pregnancy, but how far along we are in the process! apparently, i've been pregnant for quite a while and the baby will be here much sooner than we could have ever imagined! sk and i went to see the OB/GYN on wednesday and afterwards, we were both in a daze.

how is it possible that i didn't know i was preggers? i feel rather stupid for not really knowing my body better, but there are LOGICAL reasons for why i've been so clueless. long story...

anyway, sk and i are both elated and excited about the little one on the way. but really, we're still in shock.

i love otters

sk and i went down to Monterey for the weekend. while we were there, we visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium and saw the cutest little sea otters. i guess these otters are native to the waters near Monterey. Here's a picture of an otter just swimmin' on its back and munching on some lunch. so cute! this picture does not do them any justice, but it was the best we could do through the plexiglass display window.

it was a beautiful, intelligently-designed aquarium -- much better than the one in Baltimore -- and perfect for families with kids. i think as an adult, i can fully appreciate museums while when i was a kid, i'd inevitably be bored out of my mind! there were a ton of kids at this aquarium and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves. sk and i were oohing and ahhing right next to them.

the Monterey Bay itself must be some kind of wildlife sanctuary, because there was quite the variety of wildlife just out in the open. just peering into the water, you could see starfish latched onto rocks in shallow water, tons of different kinds of birds, and seals just lazing about in the open right next to the aquarium. it was pretty cool.

the other cool part of our trip was just driving around the coast. for you golfers out there, Monterey is also home to world famous Pebble Beach, as well as at least a dozen beautifully groomed public golf courses. sk was practically drooling on the car window as we passed by all the perfectly-manicured greens.

i was drooling over the multi-million-dollar estates/houses that were built on the golf course, overlooking the ocean. we checked the real estate prices, just for fun, and saw that the range went from about $1.5 million (for a 2 bedroom cottage) to $22 million (and up). gee, just in our price range!

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less than one week until GMK and co. visit us in San Fran! i'm pretty excited to see my family! woohoo!

Labor Day Shmabor Day

I don't see what the big deal is about Labor Day. Especially now that I'm not working. Although, it'll be nice to have SK around for another extra day during the week. I suspect however that he has a fantasy football draft on Monday....

We're leaving tonight for a short trip to Monterey. We hope to see lots of sea lions and fishies at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We sure do seem to be into sea wildlife these days, huh? I guess that's kinda strange.

Speaking of labor, I'm in the midst of a job search. I'm in this weird situation because we don't know where we're going to be in a year. So, do I just take any old job and quit when SK is done with his fellowship? If I'm going to be working at all, I'd rather take a job that I won't be bored with. Otherwise, I'd rather sit at home and be bored.

Here's a picture from our wedding reception. This is during our first dance. We had practiced the foxtrot to a Sinatra song for months. We even took a series of dance lessons (which cost a pretty penny). But when all eyes were on us, we forgot all the little details and finesse we had worked so hard on, and just slogged through the dance. SK was quaking like a leaf and I kept whispering to him, "Calm down, you're doing fine."

People said it turned out great, but we were just happy to have gotten through it without tripping over ourselves and being candidates for "America's Funniest Home Videos".


Happy Labor Day to my small but devoted group of readers!