So long...

Well, this is the swan song for my blog. I have prayed for a lot of things - things that I never imagined would actually come into fruition. But, they have.

I know I haven't been giving this blog the attention that it deserves and I don't expect that to change soon.

My business has taken off and is on the crux of going global (well, global-er...I already have one international distributor).

I'm staying home with my baby, but being a very active mom. We have playdates and I'm meeting other mommies in the area. Also, she's having some sleep issues and I've completely devoted my evenings to that (which is when I usually blog).

And I'm running the shit out of this household - if I must say so myself.

I have surprised myself with my capacity to multitask and excel in so many areas of my life at one time. I am honored that I can get everything done in one day - and that includes having dinner ready for hubby when he comes home.

So, I will use the 6 or 7 extra minutes I have in the day to read all of your lovely blogs instead of maintaining my own.

Thanks for your attention and support these last couple of years.

Peace out!

Jersey City, Week 2

Jersey City has a feral cat problem. Cats are everywhere. The alleyways all smell like cat piss - which makes for an unpleasant walking environment. And if its a muggy evening and you have your alley-facing windows open, guess what your house smells like? Did I mention how much I hate cats?

Ladybug and I met up with a group of other stay-at-home and work-at-home moms. Consider it attempt #1 at making new friends. We had a good time and enjoyed the company. I am now officially a member of this group. Let's call them the Stepford Wives. Noone was pretentious or flighty. Everyone has a college degree and most of us are just taking brief vacations from the working world to cater to our bambinos, or working from home offices.

I'm still trying to get adjusted to things, but I finally had a normal day. Got up (a little later than normal because ladybug slept in), spent some time with ladybug, worked for a couple of hours, then capped it off with a nice long nap-inducing walk.

I spend most of my days grumbling about how noisy it is on the block. Why, oh why must they cram so many houses on one block on the East Coast. I miss my southern sprawl.

I stepped on the scale yesterday to weigh the baby (I weigh myself, then weigh myself holding the baby and do the math). Was very pleasantly surprised to find myself back down to my ideal weight!!! Yay! I guess the magic formula for post-natal weight loss is:

(b)(dw)
--------- = weight loss
x

(where b=breastfeeding, dw= daily walks and x=living w/o a fridge b/c the store botched the delivery date)

Jeez, I must miss the classroom because I just derived a formula...for fun.

Superhubby is off to Vegas for work all next week so I'll be single-momming it. Because moving across the country and still unpacking boxes and living in a new place is not stressful enough.

Well, I'm off to Google Reader to mark all as read and start fresh tomorrow catch up on some blogs I follow.

I'm baaaack!

Since I last posted, I've quit my job, cut off (almost) all of my hair, and moved to New Jersey for a fabulous new career move for my hubby. I'm trying my hand at being a work-at-home mom which has its own unique set of challenges. It's only been a week and a half and I'm still not sure if I know what I'm doing. For instance, it has occured to me that I don't know what to do to get my daughter to take a nap. She's a nosy little booger and doesn't just fall asleep like other babies I know. It takes work. I find myself emailing her day care teachers once or twice a day for advice. Somehow, staying home all day gives me less time than ever to do anything. I just recently joined a mommy group so I'm hoping these ladies can give me some pointer. Has someone written a "How to be a full-time mother for dummies" book yet? Let me go check amazon.com.

Anyhoo - welcome to Chapter 5 of my life

I'm still alive!

I'm enjoying a quite unplugged vacay. I promise to post next week when we get to Jersey.

Part 2: Hope

Sorry, I didn't intend for it to be so long between posts but life happens.

Hope is defined as someone (or something) on which expectations are centered.

Hope is underrated. We hope for things all the time and don't take it seriously. Hoping I get a spa day for my birthday is not as serious as wishing for a spa day for my birthday. I don't think we ever really notice how important "hopes" are until they are dashed.

I had hoped to be finished with my PhD in 5 years. No pressure, just a hope. Imagine my disappointment when the 5th year came and went... I had a life planned for that 6th year after undergrad, but I had to put it on hold to finish my education.

Anthony and I had hoped to make Seattle our home, at least for the next 5-10 years or so. Life happened and now we're moving across the country to New Jersey. We're sad to leave this beautiful place that we're finally starting to feel completely comfortable in - but we are looking forward to this new chapter in our lives.

But, if I have to place my expectations on anything, its that we can make a good life for ourselves in NJ. That my baby will be happy and culturally-aware. That I can find a yoga class that I like. That there's a good Indian restaurant within walking distance from the house. That we can finally be in a position to be still. But, if not, then we will adjust. We'll roll with it. Our hopes might be dashed, but we will create new ones.

Faith, Hope and Love

A friend of mine was out-of-sorts. Her well-planned, perfectly-orchestrated life was falling down around her. Her personal life was in shambles, her job was in jeopardy and she was on the verge of a mental collapse. I prayed with her and talked to her about faith. Ironically, my meditation for this morning was from I Corinthians 3, which talks about faith hope and love. In thinking about these three, I realized what a strong role each plays in my life.

I’m feeling quite introspective lately, so I’m dragging you – friends of this blog – through it with me.

Part I – Love

This weekend was H-O-T in Seattle. Like 80s and 90s hot. That may not sound bad to my Texan and Oklahoman friends, but in a place where central A/C is not standard that is hawt!

Normally, on hot days like this, I will turn on the window fan in Baby K’s room at about 4pm and let the breeze from the lake work on cooling her room down. That way, by the time she’s ready for bed at 8pm or so, we can be in there comfortably and she can be swaddled without sweating to death.

Yesterday, we were at the zoo all day and didn’t get home until near 7. I turned on the fan right away, but knew it would be hours before the room cooled down. So, we started our bedtime ritual and when she was ready for the crib, I stripped her down and lay her in there. She slept in fits and starts (because she wasn’t swaddled) but I stayed in the room with her so that I could shhhh her back to sleep whenever she woke up.

Finally, near 9, the sun started its decent behind the ridge and the lake breeze was able to replace the hot stuffiness in her room with coolness. I swaddled the baby and put her to sleep. Then for the next 30 minutes, I was sticking my nose in her room to make sure it didn’t get too cool in there.

To make an already too long story short, I slept on the floor in front of my baby’s crib because I wanted to make sure it wasn’t too cold or too hot for her. I woke up as needed through the night adjusting the fan level, cracking and closing the blinds and gently touching her ears and shoulders to make sure she wasn’t cold or hot.

What little sleep I got was restful and I woke up at 5 feeling ready for the day. Not because a one-blanket pallet on the floor was particularly comfortable, but because I knew Baby K was safe and sleeping well.

That, my friends, is what love looks like. If you would have asked me 5 years ago if I loved someone enough to sleep on the floor at their feet just because I would have looked at you like crazy.

Up next… Part II - Hope

Just checkin in!

Geez Louise! It's been month since I've written. I would like to say its because I'm very busy with motherhood, work, business and married life.

The truth is, the weather has been gorgeous and Seattleites can't bear to waste any daylight hours inside (the sun actually doesn't set here until after 9PM).

Anyhoo! Don't worry, there's something a-brewing in the Fuller camp (and its not another baby...yet). Details to follow.

Happy Birthday, DaVida!

My how times change

As I was unloading the backseat of all my work and Kennedy's daycare stuff, it occured to me how different my backseat and storage space is.

Not too long ago, I had the following in my trunk:
*a fully stocked overnight bag(because one never knows what the night has in store
*a couple of bottles of water, (sooo refreshing after 4 hours of dancing in the club)
*a swimsuit in the summer (impromptu pool parties and trips to the lake/beach are a drag without a swimsuit on hand)

Now, my trunk carries:
*a fully stocked emergency diaper bag
*a stroller
*reusable shopping bags
*a blanket (impromptu picnics and trips to the park are a drag without a blanket)

Wow. What a difference a couple of years makes.

Yep, she’s a genius.

Yesterday, Kennedy and I had a fantastically fun-filled lunchtime visit at the day care. As I was leaving, I put her in the bouncy seat so that she could hang out with L while she prepared lunch for the older children. Then, what did my little genius do?

She deliberately reached up and grabbed one of the toys. I was quick enough to snap this picture on my camera phone. If I had video, you would see that she was gurgling happily and kicking in celebration of her achievement.

MBF seeks Gal Pal

This post is inspired by my soul sistah over at Omigosh, Let Me Tell You...

I had never had more than two or three close girlfriends at a time until I got to grad school. Then, God poured out the blessings and I got a whole crew of girls who I honestly considered the very best friends I've ever had (with the exception of the ever-fabulous C in Houston). A whole crew of girls! Four girls who were my age, at the same stage of life as me, living in my city, sharing all my hobbies. It was fantastic! Then we all scattered across the country. Even though I'm in constant contact with them, they are not here. I think I've mentioned before what a difficult time I've had in WA making friends. I have made a couple of friends here, but they are not my girls.

If I had the balls (and the money), I'd rent billboard space in Capitol Hill and Bel-Red with the following advertisement:

Married Black Mom of One seeks Gal Pal. Must be available for hanging out on nights and weekends, and during the day for Facebook/texting/email communication. Need not be married, but must have mentally outgrown her 20s. All income brackets are welcome, but she will be expected to trade at least one round of drinks. Must be sassy, funny, witty, philosphical, brainy, nerdy, silly, athletic, easily entertained and thoughtful. Should be able to switch from Mean Girl to Nice Girl at the blink of an eye and must be a "stunna". Should be into fashion, but not ruled by fashion. Must be able to talk at length about celebrity gossip, sports or scientific advancements. A dedicated yoga practice is not required, but highly recommended.Must have reliable transportation and live within 15 miles of Bel-Red. Must be willing to drive out of town for the perfect ice cream cone or catfish dinner. Serious inquiries only.

I miss the Hot Girls.

Juggling Acts

Well, today is my first day back at work after my 6 weeks of maternity leave. And even though there are 350 unread emails in my inbox, plus a stack of mail that overran not only my box, but the unclaimed box next to it. The 8-5 world is SO much easier than the full-time mommy world. I can answer the phone when it rings, check my Gmail. Eat snacks. I had so much fun taking care of my Little Lady Bug full-time, but am so glad to be back in the world of adult conversations and professional attire.

I feel like I've been out of the country for the past month and a half. I haven't had much time to watch the news and reading the paper or cnn.com was completely out of the question. So, I'm having to get up to speed, not only with what I missed at work, but what I've missed in the world. Its overwhelming, but I'm up to the task.

As I step into this new role as a Modern Mom, I am excited to see how I will manage to keep my career on track, nurture and care for my baby and keep my entrepeneurship afloat (I've had to hire staff!). I have no clue what I'm doing, as they don't write manuals for this stuff. But, I do believe that I am an awesome person and will figure out how to get it done. We'll see!

Another reason for me to hate the state of Mississippi

I have been to Mississippi once and it left a bad taste in my mouth. I've only been to Jackson, but I figure, if that's how it is in the state capitol then the rest of there is no hope for the rest of the state. My impression is that the place got stuck in 1953 or so and just never moved on. One of my favorite blogs summed up my feelings for MS well:

Surprise! Who knew Mississippi was still a state? We just assumed that after the Civil War and Trent Lott, America would just kind of let the lease run out.

Well, I read this little jewel in this month's issue of Essence Magazine:

George Lambus, a Black republican running for mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, says he's tough on crime - and thinks the best way to fight it is to bring back the hanging noose.

Go figure.

Speaking of Former Hot Girls...

The last time I was in NYC, I spent the entire weekend eating Chinese food in dank basement restaurants, manuevering the back alleys of Chinatown for the best knock-off designer bags, going for falafels at 4 in the morning and sipping martinis in swank bars.

I'll be heading back in June, but this time, I must make sure that any restaurant I eat at is stroller-friendly, I'll be sending my mother through the alleys while I bargain via text message, and the only 4 am feedings will be in a hotel chair, by lamplight with one or both breasts exposed. Yes, Little Miss and I are taking her first vacation to the Big Apple to meet my mom there. Mom & I are going to see the Broadwar revival of The Wiz, while Little Miss gets to know her aunt, uncle and cousins.

A new friend of mine asked me if all my Yelp! posts from here on out will be about the family-friendliness of restaurants instead of how quickly my drinks arrived from the bar and how late the restaurant stayed open (and served quality food). I think she may be on to something. Now, I'm more concerned about whether or not restaurants have those cool carseat slings and family restrooms than what the food might actually taste like!

Its a brand-new life for me. A completely alien one. But, I love it! I have to rethink the way we vacation (I guess nude beaches and adult-only resorts are out for now), the way we shop (if I'm going by myself, I have to time it between feedings), the company we keep (cuz there are only a select few I will let touch Little Miss) and our activity schedule (don't want to over-stimulate her). Now, the search for a travel nanny begins.

4/18/09

Where have I been? Eyes glued to this little beauty. marveling over tiny fingers and toes. Counting baby breaths as she sleeps at night. Swaddling. Snuggling. Amazed at how smart a newborn person is. And strong! Falling in love with each gurgle, gassy smile and glance my way.

Tids and Bits

The other day, I found one of hubby's new-ish shirts in the trash. I pulled it out and gave it a thorough once-over. I didn't see anything wrong with it, so I asked him why it was in the trash. Hubby's response was "A button came off." My husband lost a button on his shirt, so he thought the shirt was somehow ruined. I offered to sew a new button on and he was absolutely amazed that I knew how to sew a button on a shirt. Apparently, that's a skill that only serious designers and seamstresses have.

Bizarre.

Meanwhile, while he was throwing away buttons on shirts, I made this memo board to replace the vision board that was up in the baby's nursery:



It was my first attempt at such a memory board and I think it came out perfectly! Also, you might notice that there are 5 buttons sewn into this memory board.

Insomnia!

I was sleeping along just fine and them - BAM! - my eyes sprung open. All of the sudden I was wide awake. My body took a 5 hour rest and decided it had had enough. I was so disappointed because I was actually in a very comfortable position (which is hard to maintain when you're 9 months pregnant).

So, after laying there for 30 minutes or so, I thought I should get up and make good use of the time. Figaro and I went to the kitchen and had a snack. I washed dishes, I prepped some of Baby K's cloth diapers. I wrote a letter. I finished the novel I had been reading.

At 4:15, I thought I'd give sleep another chance and snuggled under the covers to see what would happen. I fell asleep almost immediately. Then, of course when my alarm went off at 6:00, my brain was screaming "NOOOOOO! NOT YET!!!! WANT MORE SLEEP!"

I dragged my arse out of bed and got my day officially started. Sheesh! False labor on Saturday night robbed me of about an hour of sleep, then this! I wonder what tonight has in store?

In other news, my BFF, Christy, came up for a short weekend trip and threw me a virtual shower. It was very cool to host a shower on the internet and have my friends and family all over the globe tune it. I loved it and everyone had fun playing games and interacting online. Technology - I am so ahead of the curve!

This working woman has got to work!

So, time is ticking down to the arrival of our little bundle of joy! At my last appointment with the midwife, she said that Baby K was in good position and even though my due date is still a few weeks off, just consider ourselves at "any day now" status. How exciting!

Well, now that I am clearly walking around with a stomach akin to a regulation size women's basketball under my shirt, I'm getting lots of questions from strangers about my worklife. People are amazed that I'm still able to get to work everyday (but not so amazed that I can manage to walk around a mall or up and down the streets). Then when I inform them that I am only going to be off for 6 weeks post-partum, they are completely flabbergasted? Six weeks?!

Apparently, around these parts (and maybe its a West Coast thing), women go on maternity leave 3-4 weeks before their due date. Why? What the hell am I going to do around the house all day other than watch Judge Judy and play don't-blink contests with Figaro? How boring! It would be nice to only be on a half-day schedule, because I start to get a little tired around 2:30, but nothing to run home about!

Also, women generally will take off 6 months to a year after the baby is born. I think that's nuts! Of the 13 moms in our childbirth classes, 1 was not returning to work at all (which is completely reasonable to me - though not my style), 1 is returning to work after a year, 8 are returning to work after 6 months, 1 after 3 months, 1 after 8 weeks and myself after 6 weeks. The rest of the class thought us two "short-timers" were completely nuts. How could we even imagine to manage that we would be able to return to work so quickly. Won't we miss the baby? Won't the baby still need us to be home with them?

After explaining (not that we needed to) that some of us need two paychecks to run a household, their scorn turned to pity that our poor husbands can't provide for us. Of course they didn't say as much, but you could see it on their faces.

I'm sick of these crazy people around here making me feel bad about my mothering before the baby even gets here! I don't think I'd take off more than 8 weeks even if I could! How boring (in my opinion) for me to be sitting around the house with no companionship other than a baby. I need the stimulation of adult conversation. I need work day lunch with my favorite coworkers. I actually love my job and will miss it while I'm on leave (though, I won't miss the actual working part of it). I am blessed in that Baby K's daycare is about 150 yards from my office, so I can go and see, cuddle, snuggle, spy on, breastfeed, kiss, and hug my little one whenever I please.

But sheesh! Give me a break! Sorry, just had to vent about that. Meanwhile, Purdue broke my heart (as expected) last night by losing. We always get sooooo close!

Relaxed and refreshed!

My husband is awesome. He sent me an email Thursday afternoon with the confirmation # and check-in/out times for an overnight stay in a very fancy hotel suite this weekend. When I called to ask him the reason for this romantic getaway, he told me that it was for me - by myself - because he thought I deserved the rest. And you know what? I did! I packed a very small bag with necessities only, a novel I've been meaning to start and my pregnancy scrapbook and headed out Saturday afternoon. The first thing I did was bolster myself on all 6 pillows on the bed and sleep for an hour. My hubby came by and took me out to dinner, then politely dropped me back off, took of my shoes for me, got me settled on the couch, and went back home to hang with Figaro for the rest of the night. I spent my hours sleeping, reading, cutting/pasting and watching the NCAA tourny. It was bliss and I am blessed to have a guy like that.

Today, its back to real life. Back to work. No more room service. No more maid service. No more made-to-order breakfast (made by someone else). But, I feel rested and renewed and am ready to tackle the week!

So, what have you done to honor yourself, or how have you been honored by a loved one lately?

Oh! You would never guess, but I absolutely lurve wrestling. Not WWF wrestling, the real deal greco-roman wrestling. Fell in with it in highschool when my cheering activities required attendance at matches and never got over it. I happened to catch the final match of the NCAA wrestling tourny on Saturday and watched a brutha from NC State take the 149lb title. It was a history-making moment and I was proud to have witnessed it.

When it's time to take a stand...

Man, I haven't written in quite awhile!

I had a huge project at work and it has consumed all of my time! Now it's over (and turned out to be quite an amazing piece of handywork, if I must say so myself) and my days are my own again. So, I have reclaimed my 15 minutes of blog time!

I know a woman. She always seems to be caught up in conflict. Most of this conflict has to do with her race and/or gender. Sometimes I agree, sometimes I don't. But, I never judge because who am I to say what personal impact one's statements or actions may have on another. Right?

Well, she's trapped in another mess. This time, she's innocent. She tried to stay away from trouble and trouble came and found her anyway.

She has asked me to stand with her as she fights back. I am embarrassed to say that I am a bit torn. I don't want to be lumped in the same "troublemaker" category that she is in. I don't want to jeopardize my relationship with others because of their impressions of her. I don't want to risk being alienated as she has been for the last several years. I also don't want to live a sister hanging out to dry at no fault of her own.

So, I have to do some soul-searching. As much as I want to be there for her "in spirit" and otherwise stay out of it, she is pushing me to step up or shut up. I'm just not sure I can rise to the occassion...

Lent

I was reminded after reading Nilsa's recent post at Somi that I didn't post what I (finally) decided to do about Lent. Lent has been a hard decision for the last 5 years or so. Going on Atkin's all but diminished the need to give up Dr. Pepper (my former favorite addiction) or sweet stuff. So, I had gotten creative - giving up procrastination one year (I'm happy to say that is a sacrifice that was so beneficial, I adopted it in my everyday life after Lent).

Well, this year, with the baby on board, it was even more difficult for me to decide. I'm not craving sweets - mostly pasta and fruit. I'm not drinking anything carbonated other than the occasional caffeine-free rootbeer. I'm still getting in my daily exercise and devoting more time in my day to prayer and meditiation. So, what's a girl to do?

Well I finally decided - at the very last moment - to commit to practicing my labor pain management exercises and kegels every day. It may seem minisule, but its something that I haven't been really making time for more than once or twice a week and I really need to do better about getting my practice in so that I can be well-prepared. I want this labor to go as smoothly as possible, and these exercises are about the only thing I can do to add to that aim.

What have you chosen as your Lenten sacrifice?

From the Vaults

I have kept a journal for as long as I can remember. Writing is cathartic and has been my most reliable stress-reliever/problem-solver for a long time. I was digging through an old journal over the weekend and found this little gem:

"Things I Must Never Do To My Kids" - by Karla Smith, 1998

1. Give my kids nicknames with repeating syllables (ie. Mee-mee, Shay-shay, Tee-tee)

2. Call my children into my grown-up party to show everybody that they can do the latest booty dance.

3. Run loose around any store or restaurant.

4. Let them sit around the house all day and get fat.

5.Let my adolescent daughter dress in adult clothing.

6. Be seen strolling with my kids on Bourbon Street after dark.

7. Bring my kids to a sports bar to watch games. Kids do not belong in sports bars.


Okay, now that I've posted this, I will have to hold myself to it, right? Ha! We'll see. I'm really going to try!

Etiquette and The Chimp Debacle

Okay, I have two etiquette questions here. As a former debutante, I pride myself on being appropriately proper in most circumstances, but I had a moment of etiquette confusion yesterday (Where's Ms. Manners when you need her?)

So, I was at the bus stop and there was a 20-something guy sitting on the bench. I joined him. Then, an elderly lady and another 20-something guy walking with a cane approached the bus stop. Now, the bench only fits two adults comfortably. The kid sitting next to me made no motion to get up. After a minute, I asked him if he wouldn't mind giving his seat to the elderly lady. After looking at me like I was a complete idiot, he offered her the seat. Then, I felt bad for the guy with the cane. I felt like I should offer him the seat, but does a pregnant lady (who was extremely worn out from the day) have to defer to a physically handicapped person? Is pregnancy a handicap? When I wasn't pregnant, I always offered my seats to pregnant ladies.

Oy! Some people stress over the economy or world peace - I, on the other hand, fret for a whole day about bus stop etiquette. Go figure.

Now, about this thing with the New York Post chimpanzee editorial cartoon:
Racist undertones aside, am I the only one that thought it was insensitive and much too soon to be making fun of the chimp attack that almost cost a woman her life and may have cost her the structure of her face? There was nothing remotely funny about that chimp attack, a woman could have died and another woman lost her beloved pet companion. Whatever. I've been really disappointed with the Post lately.

Rants and Vents

We are hosting a transfer fair here at my beloved community college today. Bank of America sets up a solicitation table in our cafeteria every Tuesday. They were there today, smack-dab in the middle of the college tables taking advantage of the unusually high volume of student traffic.

As I ate my lunch, I grew increasingly frustrated watching them hawk their credit cards to students with promises of frequent flier miles and 0.1% cash bonuses. They downplayed fees and associated costs and encouraged students to "Just apply! You can always reject the card if you get it!"

B of A has already had their hand out for my hard-earned TARP tax bucks and I really don't appreciate that they still do business in a culture of risky lending practices. I was upset that they were pressuring students into these high rate credit cards when so many are already struggling financially.

I'm pissed that they get the bail-out when use regular folk could do such a better, wiser job of managing that money. Our students are at this community college most likely because they can't quite afford 4 years of university. Why not bail them out? Reimburse their tuition and books. Give them money to invest in themselves and then a bit more to reinvest in the economy. Not to these stupid banks who haven't learned a damn thing from the credit crisis.

In other disappointing news, I listened to an academic advisor dispell the lies the Army Reserve told one of her students. This student was born and raised in the US, but speaks English as a second language. The recruiter told her that she could join the reserves and only have to serve one weekend a month. They failed to mention that that one weekend a month was the minimum committment; and that, recently, reserve groups are being deployed for 14 to 20 month assignments in Iraq and Afghanistan. They told her that after 2 years in the reserves, they would pay for medical school, but failed to mention the part of the contract that required a re-payment of medical field work in an active zone after medical school completion. I listened as this student cried because she thought she had found the answers to her family's financial problems and a way to serve her country, get an education and stay close to home.

What is it the deception. Is this the new American way?

Feet? What feet?

This is a view "from the top" of me at 28 weeks - me looking down at my belly. That flat white panel at the top of the picture are my gigantic boobs, My belly is the roundish portion below. Notice that my feet are not present in the picture. Yeah, I haven't seen those standing for about 2 months now.

Was that a great Superbowl or what? I made too much food, then proceeded to eat too much food. So, it was a good day all around.

I have a confession to make...

I cry during sporting events.

There. I said it.

Game-winning hail marys, the puck in the net in the last second of overtime, photo-finishes on an outdoor track, you name it! Normally, I can keep this little problem in check (I don't think my hubby has ever 'caught' me crying). I usually find some excuse to leave the room. The pregnancy has kicked my hormones into overdrive and now I can be reduced to sobs instantly. I'm lucky if I can manage to hold it to a few trickles of tears.

Why am I writing about this? Because Super Bowl Sunday is coming up and I that's a tough gig for me. The National Anthem always induces tears (well, if its well sung). And watching the winner celebrate with their teammates and families is a beautiful thing. I barely made it through the Winter X Games last night. How in the heck am I gonna outlast the Super Bowl?

Obama Cupcake from Trophy Cupcakes

It was so worth the $4 price tag.

Happy Inauguration Day

I have decided to watch the inauguration festitivies at work with my students and co-workers. We're all assembled in 3 locations on campus (I'm in the cafeteria). Everyone is happy and there is a definite buzz in the air - an electric feeling. Baby K (who is very close to getting a name) is ecstatic and bouncing around in my belly. I have my box of tissue and my laptop hooked up on wi-fi. This is arguably the most important day in the history of the US during my lifetime. I am so blessed to be able to witness it! My God, what a great day - not only for the US, but for the world!

GObama!

Well, the weather is back to normal here. No more frigid temperatures, torrential rains or freak snow storms. Gone are my fears of slipping and falling on ice (which I managed to do, but at least it was only once and I was already close to the ground).

This week, my college is celebrating the legacy of MLK with a bevy of invited guest speakers and performing arts ensembles. Its a great time to be on campus because there is so much activity going on. Plus, on the eve of the inauguration of President Obama, there is a sincere feeling of hope and excitment of things to come. The mood is infectious and I find myself smiling for no reason other than being glad to be a living witness to this time in our history.

I've identified my areas of focus for 2009. Last year was a good one, but it was a bit overwhelming and I think I put my mental needs to the side to be sure that other important areas of my life (ie. my marriage, my career(s), my family) where well taken care of. Well, now that I'm confident that things won't fall apart on account of l'il ol' me, I can take care of myself.

The areas that I need to focus on are:

1. My spirituality - Without a local church home and the absence of my ashtanga yoga practice have left a void and my relationship with the Divine has suffered because of it, I think. Good news is I'm pretty sure wer've found a church home and I've carved out 2 hours on one day a week to continue to my yoga practice. Because if there was ever a time for pranayama (breath and control of mind through breathing) then this pregnancy and the impending labor is surely it!

2. My ability to multi-task - This has never been an issue for me, however, I've never been a mommy before (and I'm assuming that my raising of Figaro the wonderdog doesn't count). So, I need to be sure that I can balance parenting, my career, my small business and being an attentive wife all at the same time. This will mean that I must remember to say no to some volunteer activities and try to keep at least an hour of "me" time each week in there somewhere. "Me" time is so important for us only children. We really suffer without it.

3. Having "unplugged" moments - Between my desktop, my laptop, my handheld and the phone at home I rarely get a minute of peace. And when I do find myself with sometime, I'm always scrolling through the DVR list to see what my dear recorder has captured for me while I was preoccupied with something else. Thanks to the writer's strike, I broke it off with quite a few tv shows I used to follow. I'm down to about 3 hours of tv a week and I don't feel so bad about that. Anyway, the more minutes I can spend without logging on to something, I'm sure the better off I will be.

I think if I can master these areas, I can handle whatever 2009 throws my way with a minimum amount of stress and worry. I want to be able to devote most of my energy to my family and I'll be no good to anyone if I don't have a leash on my own special brand of crazy.

Baby K's blog is up and running

My new goal

One of my favorite bloggers, Nilsa, has just signed up to run a half-marathon. Oh, no biggie...she's done marathons and 5Ks and such before - she's a runner (take that, Nilsa!). However, I was inspired by her committment and have decided to make one of my own.

I will also begin training. Even though I don't have the benefit of months to prepare, I am going to start on a strict regimen. I will stop eating chocolate frosted donuts. I have a visit with my midwife on Thursday and I have a suspicious feeling that she is going to schedule my gestational diabetes screening. I don't want to have gestational diabetes, so I'm going to wean myself from chocolate frosteds. I have been indulging in chocolate frosteds about once a week (but 3 at a time!) for the last month or so. The buck stops here. Well, after I eat the 2 that I picked up this morning on my way in to work...

Thanks, Nilsa for being my inspiration. I will continue to look to you for motivation. If you can run in Chicago, in January, outside - then I can bypass WesternCo donuts on Saturday morning.

Happy New Year, Y'all!

Back at home, back at work, back to 6am walks through a spookily dark park with The Figs. I guess the holiday is over.

Oh, but it was time well spent - I ate my weight in Lemon Meringue Pie. My growing belly was sufficiently cooed over by future grandparents and great-grandparents. I finally got that GPS I've been wishing for. I wish I had more QT with my cousins, but I'm thankful for every minute - particularly since one will soon be deployed. I made it through the night in DFW without being harrassed, molested, or robbed. Lucky me!

I should be back to my blogging self next week. Cheers!