vacation read

Alright friends, I need your help with something, and it's very serious business indeed! In a little less than 4 weeks we will be on our Caribbean Cruise and I need a good book. A vacation isn't a vacation to me if I don't get some good reading and relaxing time in. Here's the deal though, I don't just want any old book, I want a good vacation book. This is a different category of book altogether, but unfortunately Chapters only highlights it in the summertime, so I'm relying on you for some input. Think you can help? Here's what I'm looking for...


The Perfect Vacation Book - would be engaging, but light hearted. I don't want the subject to be too intense or emotionally draining because the last thing I want is to be feeling really sad or mad or something or other when I'm supposed to be vacationing. But I don't want to read air either, and I don't want reading to feel like a chore. I want to want to read the book, you know? So it has to grab my attention, and keep it. But, at the same time, I don't want to be so engaged and committed to the book that I avoid doing other fun or necessary things (like sleep) because I want to read (I have a tendency for this to happen). It's so tough, trying to pick the right book.


I was looking over my bookshelves seeing if maybe there's something I could re-read, or to get some ideas for what I may want. This book, Born to Run, would have been perfect. Too bad I just finished it (thanks Mel, it rocked!)

Or Eat, Pray, Love also would have rocked -also read it only about a year ago.

And Life of Pi also would have been good, I think. It's been a few years, so maybe I could pick that up again?


I've been considering reading the Twilight Saga, The Kite Runner, or something by Jodi Picoult. I don't know though, are these too intense? It's hard to know when you haven't read them. Have any of you read these books or have any thoughts on it?

I'd love to hear your recommendations, if you have any. Even if it doesn't fit all my Perfect Vacation Book criteria, let me know if you've read something good lately that I should consider!

Wordless Wednesday - "I can play in the band, too" edition

Prenatal visit #1

This blog is often just as much for my reflection and recollection as it is for your enjoyment. Sometimes it feels like my online baby book and general storage of life memories, and I often look back on older posts and think about times past. It's been a great outlet for me. So with that, I thought I should record my prenatal visits here too, so I can remember how this pregnancy felt and unfolded. Here's my first recap!

First 12 weeks

Generally felt extremely tired and had really tender breasts. I pretty much had to nap everyday with Asher (something I NEVER did) or else I was toast by 7PM. Nausea came in waves, and sometimes was overwhelming, but was mostly manageable. I never actually threw up once (it was the same with Asher). I haven't had many food cravings, but cheese whiz did pop it's head in there again (so gross). I found I felt nauseous if I drank a lot of water, so I turned more often to juices and teas. I did not want to drink coffee hardly at all - and usually I love my one cup a day! Pre-pregnancy weight (yip, I'm about to tell you this - yikes!) was 136 lbs. I did have the concern with the 2 days of bleeding, but everything was confirmed OK with the baby at the 8.5 week ultrasound when we saw that heartbeat and a bum wiggle!

Prenatal visit #1 - February 19

baby boo's heartbeat - 160 BPM

weight - 140 lbs (up 4 lbs already - uh oh!)

blood pressure - perfect

- Doctor said it was safe for me to try running again, just go slow.

- If I have any bleeding again, call her right away, and stop running

- 30% of pregnancies have bleeding in their first trimester (what?!?!)

- Doctor found the heartbeat no problem, even though this doesn't always happen at the 12 week appointment

- Now that I'm at 12 weeks and we have a good strong heartbeat, there is less than 1% chance of miscarriage (yippee!)

- Due date based on my last period is September 2, 2010

- Due date based on my ultrasound at 8.5 weeks is September 5, 2010

- We go with September 2, 2010 as the due date since there is less than 1 week difference between the one based on my last period and the one based on my ultrasound

- I have to go for a hunk of blood work next week and then again in 3 weeks time

- I see the doctor again in 4 weeks, just before we leave for our cruise!

- Doctor confirmed that it was OK for me to get the Hepatitis A and B vaccines for our cruise

- Doctor also confirmed that I am expected to eat as much ice cream as I want this summer

- Just joking about that last one :)

And finally, here we are, me and baby boo, at 12 weeks!

I would like to add that, even though I have a little bit of a belly going on there, I am surprisingly not in maternity clothes yet. Score. Take that you 4 lbs!

Confessions...

Well Internet friends, I have a few confessions to make. I haven't been completely honest with you all about a few things, and I think I'd just feel a bit better if I took the time right now to get them off my chest. Yes, that's what I will do.

Remember how I used to update you all regularly about my running life? And remember how I bought all this amazing gear and even started training to run my first half marathon? And actually maybe you knew, or maybe you didn't, but this past weekend I was actually supposed to run that half marathon? Well I didn't do it, and I had to drop out of the training altogether, and I actually haven't been running at all.

I know, it's terrible. All that hard work totally put to waste.

And remember how we planned this big cruise? And I told you all that it was because 2010 was a big year for us? Well it's true, it is a big year. Greg and I will both turn 30 and celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary. But there's another reason 2010 will be a big year, and another reason why it was important that we go on this cruise, well now or... not for a very long time.

Do you have any guesses? Huh, huh, huh? Do you?

Well here's a hint:

Do you get it? Do you see what Asher's shirt says? It has nothing to do with Asher being a fan of Big Brother, the reality show, like a few of you thought.

Asher's going to be a BIG BROTHER this year! We will welcome our second baby into the world! Whoo hoo!

Do you feel like this?

My mom was very surprised because she thought we were going to wait another year. But maybe you're not so surprised; I know some of you have been asking me about this for a few months now.

Well let me tell you about how this baby boo came to be (well I'll spare you some of the details!) and our journey since that time.

Greg and I had been trying for a few months to give Asher a sibling. 4 or 5 days after Christmas, I did a home pregnancy test and saw this:

2 pink lines; how glorious! We were thrilled over the moon and couldn't believe we would get the opportunity to love someone the way we love Asher all over again!

We decided to keep it on the down-low for a little while though - I think we are a little more cautious since our miscarriage 3 years ago. We told literally almost no one our news. I guess we had reason to be cautious...

At 6.5 weeks of pregnancy, I started bleeding. It was not heavy bleeding, but it was bleeding nonetheless, and that was exactly how my first miscarriage started. We were shocked and dumbfounded. I will remember that time of my life as so confusing. I didn't know what the outcome would be, and it was so hard to know whether or not to let my hope live. I wanted to believe that things would work out, that the bleeding would stop, but a deep part of me was broken just even thinking about having to grieve the loss of another baby all over again. It was such an emotional roller coaster.

My doctor was so good to us. He immediately put me on bed rest. We had appointments, and exams, and blood work, and more blood work, and phone calls, and finally an ultrasound. Even though the bleeding stopped after 2 days, he wanted to assure me that everything was OK, especially due to my history. So at 8.5 weeks of pregnancy, we got to see this:

Yes that little black circle with a kidney bean inside is our baby! And rest assured that baby is alive and well and his/her little heart beat was going strong. The baby already had little arms and legs and a head and a body and all the necessary parts to grow a healthy person. We even got to see the baby give a little bum wiggle! The ultrasound technician said that at 8 weeks the baby can start having involuntary wiggles, and we got to see one during the ultrasound! I felt like that was such a blessing, to assure us that this little person was alive and well.

We were happy to get the "official" ultrasound report which stated that the baby was the size he/she was supposed to be according to my last period, the placenta and umbilical cord looked good, and there were no visible abnormalities or problems with my uterus or the baby. We finally felt like we could breath a sigh of relief and started to share our news with friends and family. I still feel unsettled about running though, even though I got the official OK to resume my normal life. Maybe it's just me being overly cautious, but I think it's worth it considering what's at stake.

And now here I am, 12 weeks pregnant and working on growing a belly like it's nobody's business! I think now that we're just about clear of this first trimester, I feel like this is actually going to happen. Crazy! Another person in our family. Wow. This person is set to arrive on September 2, which means I get to be huge and pregnant all summer. In my books, that's a free ticket to eat all the ice cream I want! :)

And through all this, I feel as though God taught me so much about hope and trust, and I'll tell you what - HOPE LIVES! :)

Wordless Wednesday - a day at home with Marek edition

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope love was in the air for you all this weekend friends! Greg and I got to enjoy a night off while Asher was with my mom, and it was great.

In addition, my love surprised me with these flowers.

He had them delivered to the house this weekend as he and Asher were out together. When they got home, Asher noticed the flowers right away. I tried to tell him in a way he could understand that "Papa got Mama flowers" (he knows all those words). No sooner did I say that did Asher turn to Greg and say, "kind?" Melt my heart, I could have died in that moment, it was so sweet! We have been talking a lot at home about being kind - mostly as it pertains to sharing with Marek and friends - and also about being patient and helpful. I have heard Asher use these words on numerous occasions as he tries to understand what they mean, but it still blows me away when he is able to apply the idea to a new situation. I think he is actually starting to get it; how cool is that?!?!

And speaking of Valentine's Day surprises, Asher got one of his own. His Nana gave him this monkey as a gift, and he has not let go since he laid eyes on him. He especially likes to lay him down for a nap and give him hugs and kisses. Here's some pictures of him doing just that - too cute!

Now if only I could get Asher to give me even 1/10 of as many hugs and kisses as that monkey gets we'd be all set!

(PS - If you think my boy looks tired in these pictures, that's because he is. He decided that Sunday morning should start at 4AM for the day. 4AM!?!? That's still the middle of the night. Crazy kid. I'm just hoping it's not the start of another ear infection.)

This week...

... our family is sleeping better (thank God!)

... Asher is done his antibiotics for his 4th ear infection of the winter (hence the sleeping better part)

... I've really wanted nachos

... Asher has been downing apples like there's no tomorrow

... Asher has counted from 1 to 10 by himself, only forgetting the number 7 (and Greg was on the phone with us when it happened so he got to hear)

... Asher and Marek had a blast playing with water and cups and sponges at the kitchen table for over an hour

... there was a lot of water and clean up after said play - but it was worth it!

... I had lunch with old work friends at Cora's - and it was fabulous

... I had supper at my favorite Indian Restaurant

... we are looking forward to a night off tonight while Asher goes to Nana's - supper and games with friends

... we started a new session of Kindermusik class and the theme right now is trains - Asher is in heaven

... I really need to water my plants

... we've been busy getting ready for our cruise - I've bought, and returned, more pairs of guys swim trunks than I care to count

... we've been getting regular emails from our cruise line with videos and info to get us excited (as if we needed that)

... we drooled over this sample menu from Princess - I am going to be in heaven!

... Greg has spent a lot of time talking about the Google street views map (it's so exciting, I'm telling you)

... I'm loving American Idol Hollywood week, and Ellen!

... Asher's eye teeth are so close to breaking through the gums, and I just wish they would finally make their appearance (Asher is late getting these teeth, just like he was with the rest of them)

... Greg goes for his H1N1 shot tomorrow - a precaution for the cruise. I can't wait to punch him in the arm ;)

I hope you guys all had a fabulous week!

Wordless Wednesday - band practice edition

What do I know of Holy? by Addison Road

I've been listening to this song a lot lately, and thinking about what the words mean, and how I connect to them - and I most definitely do connect with them. We've had some challenges in our life lately, and sometimes in the midst of that it can, for me, be easy to forget about who God is and His goodness. I know His plan for my life is always right and good no matter how it looks in the moment, but sometimes I need reminders of that. And then He gives me one and I'm awe struck. The line "then I caught a glimpse of who You might be; the slightest hint of You brought me down to my knees" rings so true for me.

So here's a little youtube video of the song... excuse the cheesy pictures please, but this is the best I could find. Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday - shoe find edition

52 days

In 52 days from now I will be boarding the Crown Princess to begin our 7 day Western Caribbean Cruise! Less than 8 weeks! OMG! I can't believe it. I'm going on a cruise with my husband.

This is a dream. Pinch me!

All of this started when friends of our asked us about going south with them for a trip this winter. I love to travel, and haven't done nearly enough of it; Greg would rather stay home forever. This can be a problem, as you can imagine.

Unfortunately the timing didn't work out with our friends, but what Greg and I did realize is that we have a lot of reasons to celebrate this year. 2010 is going to be big for us! Greg and I both turn 30 this year, and we will celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary. If that isn't enough of a reason to cruise to celebrate, than I don't know what is! But there's more...

2009 was a tough year for us. We had some extended family "stuff" that affected us - from all directions. We also decided for me to stay home with Asher and not return to my job. That meant a lot of adjusting, in many ways, but especially financially. Greg and I, while both responsible, have different ideas about priorities with money. That certainly caused a lot of arguments, and processing, and compromise this year. Trying to figure out how to balance family life, our own individual identities and interests, and our marriage has also been a focus - and one that we didn't always, and still don't, get right. We've been through a lot together this year and our marriage has certainly struggled, and grown, because of it.

So this cruise, while about celebrating the big events coming up in 2010, is also about reconnecting with each other. It's about having fun together, relaxing together, laughing together, being us together. I'm so excited about it, I can hardly wait.

Oh sure I can't wait for the amazing food (they super accommodate vegetarians!), to sleep in, to be on warm sandy beaches, to go on fun excursions (Mayan ruins, here we come!), to be entertained. I can't wait for that. Can't wait.

And, although I'm sure it will kill me, I know it will be good to have a break from caring for Asher for a week. He will be staying with my mom, who is nothing short of an angel for taking her vacation to stay home with him. We've already started talking about it, and whenever Asher sees a picture of a boat he says "Boat. Nana." It's super cute. So of course I'm excited to have a break from the high demands of life with a toddler. Wow, a week off... that is still unbelievable to me. Unbelievable.

But the highlight for me is definitely extended time with my husband. This is such a stretch for him to go, but you know, he's actually excited about it. Why shouldn't he be, really? I really thought it would require more convincing on my part to get him to agree to this, but he went with it so easily. Greg is Mr. Practicality, and the sheer fact that we don't have 100% of the cash up front and will have to work on paying it back, would have been more than enough to shut the door on this possibility in his books. (Hello income tax return).

I'm super proud of him, for stepping out of his comfort zone, and for realizing that this time, and our marriage, and celebrating our life together is way more important than anything else.

So Fort Lauderdale, Florida - here we come!

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - here we come!

Roatan, Honduras - here we come!

Cozumel, Mexico - here we come!

Princess Cays, Bahamas (the cruise line's own private island) - here we come!

And the countdown begins!