Easter Weekend

Josh and his friend, Fita
Josh and Heidi

We had a fun weekend! Saturday we went to a Gospel Brunch hosted by the Christian Business Students Association at Josh's school. They catered in Wolfgang Puck food, brought in a gospel choir called Journey Song (really good), and had a special speaker. Guess who it was? Father Pfleger- that guy that caused a lot of controversy around his statements about Hilary Clinton. He had some good points, but it was really kind of bizarre to listen to a white priest speak in black vernacular?! We especially enjoyed the Gospel Brunch because our old friends Roger and Keyla were in town visiting from New York and got to join us for it.

On Easter day, after a good church service, we hosted an "orphan easter dinner" for random people that didn't have family around and watched the Master's (golf) tournament. All of the food turned out good and we enjoyed hanging out with a mix of people.

I was happy to purchase my Green Tea Latte from Starbucks this morning after having given it up in a spirit of Lenten discipline. It was so good!

We're eagerly awaiting baby Marin, due in 6 weeks...

Too Much To Say

Ok- I have one complaint about pregnancy thus far: The constant comments (and looks). It's like all of the sudden it's not rude for people to give you daily assessments of their appraisal of your progression and size in pregnancy. Strangers, co-workers, friends ... words like "big," "small," "tiny," "butt," and other descriptors come in to play on a daily basis. Most of the comments are really nice, like you look great or you don't look pregnant from the back... things you like to hear. But then- there are the (usually not in good shape themselves) people who feel that it's completely appropriate to comment on the size of your rear or let you know they find you "huge."
Then the looks. I know I did this too. We are curious about things that are different or for me, it was just a sense of longing when I was looking at other pregnant bellies. But it's hard not to feel like you're constantly getting sized up. My favorite are the muscle guys in the gym who are perplexed as to why this person with the basketball stomach is lifting weights. Just wait until I'm 9 months!
I promise I'm not being overly sensitive because I know that I am healthy and am totally happy with the way my body has responded to this pregnancy. It just amazes me that things that were once taboo are now socially acceptable, at a time in a woman's life where she probably is feeling more emotional and less attractive than normal.
So- from now on, I will keep my own experience in mind when addressing my pregnant friends (or strangers).

29 1/2 weeks down, just a few more to go!

Heidi

March Updates

March is here, but not the nice spring weather (yet) that goes with it. I'm 28 weeks, so it's officially the third trimester. Nothing really to complain about. A little heartburn here and there, but I'm sleeping well and going to the gym 4 times a week.

Josh and I had a formal with his school this past weekend (in case you're not on Facebook, you might not have seen the pictures) and had a good time, though no drinking on my part make the $80 a person ticket price hard to swallow.

Our good friend Micheal Donegan had a conference in Chicago, so he stayed with us for three nights and we really enjoyed having him. We introduced him to the "joys" of public transportation and to our favorite burger place, Epic Burger.

It feels like we're "counting down" to a lot of things around here: baby, Josh graduation, moving, etc. Lots of life changes ahead, so we're just taking it one day at a time.
Heidi

26 Weeks

26 weeks today... Pregnancy really hasn't been bad so far. Minor fatigue and sleeping problems, etc. but nothing to really complain about. I am so happy to be pregnant after waiting so long to get to this point, that I really don't care that much about the symptoms.

It is such a weird place to be, the baby to be here in only a few more weeks. I feel like I am on the edge of the unknown. Something good is coming, something I can't understand completely yet, but it will turn my life upside down and I will end up being ok with it. It's exciting.

I worry about labor because I want to do it intervention-free, but really I need to just realize in the moment, I will get the strength I need. Mostly, I can't wait to be face to face with this baby girl and look into her eyes and kiss her. I also can't wait to see Josh with her. Then we'll understand what you other parents know already.

Love, Heidi

PS) The pics are from this morning... me with my tummy, and my shoes to prove that pregnancy doesn't have to be frumpy!

Internet Sites Not to be Ignored

Could anything have been more influential in recent decades than the Internet? Seriously, I love it. I think that's because I love information. I want to share with others my favorite Internet sites not to be ignored, most are free.

1. Pandora.com-
I adore this one. Free Internet radio. You make "stations" by adding your favorite genres and artists and they play similar bands/artists. I have found new bands I love this way.

2. Skype.com-
Keep in touch with friends and family free over the Internet, all you need is a web cam. My dad is obsessed, but it is really cool.

3. Allrecipes.com-
You'd never need another cookbook again- all the recipes you'd want (besides family gems) are found here.

4. Opentable.com-
Earn free certificates for dining out, as long as you make your reservations through them.

5. Facebook.com-
Social networking at it's finest, or worst?

6. TruthforLife.org
Download free podcasts by Alistair Begg, a great preacher of the Word.

7. 1154Lill.com-
Make (not free at all) custom bags on-line. It's fun just to play around with the options if you want to exercise your creativity.

8. Etsy.com-
Support the crafting community where handmade (and beautiful) goods abound.

9. Drudgereport.com-
This one is Josh's mainstay. Interesting news consolidated into one site. Nowhere to be found are local "news" stories about things like cats
getting stuck in trees and other trivial tidbits.

10. Shutterfly.com-
If picture management isn't fun- make it fun by using Shutterfly. Upload your digital pics and turn them into prints, magnets, calendars... you name it.

What other great sites don't I know about? You tell me!

This Weekend

We had a full weekend of fun-capped off by a Super Bowl party at our house. I hadn't been up for much entertaining so it was fun to have a crowd over. We did pulled pork in the crock pot (which turned out great) and lots of other fun side dishes. I made cupcakes on Saturday and being a little more absent minded in pregnancy, added two sticks of butter instead of the called for one stick. Whoopsie. Let me tell you though, they tasted great! One of the party attenders brought 3-D glasses for everyone, so that's the picture. Don't all the University of Chicago students look nerdy? After everyone left, Josh and I laughed about how weird we are after our house was perfectly spotless literally 34 minutes after everyone left. Just how we like it. It's easier when both spouses tend toward the same bent for household management, and we definitely do...

Hi Again

Just when I thought I'd given up on blogging again, I decided maybe it'd be worth it with a bambini on the way... I have a lot more to talk about with her on the way and once she gets here. So maybe, I will, half-committed, start this again.

So I am getting enough of a belly that people on the bus offer me their seats occasionally. However, so far, it's only been women. At first, I thought that was pretty rude, but then decided that men probably just don't notice that I am preganent because they aren't that detail oriented, nor do they maybe feel confident enough to infer that I look big enough, so I must be pregnant. Anyway, I always turn the offers down because by 1/2 way through the ride, enough people have cleared off and I get a seat.

Yesterday was my birthday and I had a nice day. I went to work, because who wants to stay home alone on their birthday?, and last night Josh took me for dinner and then to see Jersey Boys. It was really good, we both enjoyed it. Ok, enough of this for now, since I'm at work. I'll try to be better about this... I think?

Heidi