Wednesday, July 22, 2015

New England Summer

Some miscellaneous images from our very first New England summer.
Summer started with the best roommate and every day bringing another excuse for desserts.
Baseball screams summer to me and its even better to enjoy the games with friends.
My New England stint of the summer was remarkably lazy. I didn't accomplish a whole lot which is big news for me. I spent days in air conditioning and binge watched my fair share of Netflix. But even if I don't have lengthy to-do lists crossed off or anything to show for my time off, I'm not necessarily mad with how I spent my time. I relaxed. I enjoyed a lot of me-time before it become near impossible. I did crafts, shopping, research, and reading to get myself excited for this little girl and that's fine by me. We are in South Bend now and are excited for three weeks in the midwest. You know I'll keep you posted, three weeks ex post facto.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Be Warned

If you've ever awoken to your alarm after a night of hectic sleep with two bathroom breaks in an air conditioned room with a thermostat that reads 71 degrees and already have sweat through your pajamas because the weather app tells you said air conditioner is a liar and that it's actually a high of 92 and your hormonal self starts crying because you don't know how you will survive the next 12 hours until the sun goes down (although let's be real that doesn't change anything), be warned you might just be 7 months pregnant in the summer.

So you want to know how to survive this? Well let me provide some expert advice (if you can call a first timer an expert):

1. I will not judge you, your husband will not judge you, any woman who has ever been pregnant in the history of ever (that includes you Princess Middleton) will not judge you if your home becomes a pants free zone for the next 3 months. Pants are restricting and sweat inducing, nobody needs that. But just to prove the life is not fair and there is a limit to the pregnancy-sympathy of strangers, this still doesn't apply outside of your own home. I cannot emphasize that enough!

2. Drink plenty of water. You really don't have a choice in this matter because you'll constantly feel so dehydrated that you'll laugh at your first trimester self's need for water to be ice cold to be worthy of your lips. Fair warning, your ratio of water intake to bathroom trips builds exponentially. One glass of water, pee once an hour. Two glasses of water? Pee 4 times an hour. Three glasses of water at 6PM? Are you planning on sleeping tonight between those bathroom breaks?

3. Costume changes. I used to think that I wasn't that much of a sweater. It takes a long time for my not pregnant self to pit through shirts and my hands are generally dry. I even used to go so far as to be grossed out by moist hand holding at the Our Father. Well know that I am grossed out with myself when I admit that I go though many outfits in a day. I live in my pajamas until I need to leave the house and then I get dressed for the day, that is until I start to smell and then I get dressed for the day again. And right after dinner I deem it's time for pajamas again and, if I'm lucky, I won't sweat through these before I actually fall asleep. All this to say that the advice is to be prepared with many outfits and to be comfortable and confident with things that once disgusted you.

4. I bag of mixed frozen berries can go a long, long way. Rest the bowl on your belly for a nice cool down and enjoy the dessert for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. I mean your 7 months pregnant, no one is judging you for how much you eat!

5. Buy. More. Tank Tops.

6. Find a friend with a pool. *Note: I'm still looking; any takers?

7. Embrace the double standard. Your back is killing you? Find a seat and prop up those feet. If anyone sees your discomfort and offers any help, take them up on that offer immediately. There is no shame in people (read: your husband) bringing you ice packs, food, water, foot massages, etc. That said, there are also times when you have done nothing but sit all day long and you're looking for a break. Go on long walks to the ice cream store, push that heavy cart through Target and when people try and tell you to take a break or prop up your feet, embrace the double standard and go on about how you are still a capable woman.

8. If you are planning to leave the house for the day, do it either early in the morning or late in the evening when it's a little cooler (ha!) so you can get your productivity out of the way and not feel guilty about holeing up in your bedroom (the one room in the house with AC) with Netflix and prenatal yoga for the rest of the day.

So what do you say to this expert advice? And if anyone so much as thinks about mentioning the idea that it's only going to get worse over the next 3 months, off with your head.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Let Freedom Ring

The Fourth of July weekend was a good one for us. It was hard not being with family but it was good being with Tim. Tim's and my families both do big things for the 4th weekend and it was never worth it to make a decision as to who's family we were with so instead we would always divide and conquer. So this was my first Independence day with him and I have to say, I rather liked it.
Tim had the day off on Friday so we hosted our friends for Pulled Pork sandwiches and grilled desserts. If you haven't yet grilled peaches this summer, I highly recommend it. 
On Saturday we took advantage of our time in arguably the most patriotic city in America. And I've spent a July 4th in DC so this is saying something. We packed lunches and books and enjoyed the company while camping out a location to see the show.
 Every pregnant lady's dream; water on tap.
Family photo. My sisters have informed me that I am huge so I'll take that...
 Just because I know you saw that last picture and wanted more, here's a more risky one without the jacket.
 There was a surprise guest of the leap forgers, these are Navy seals that jumped out of an airplane and did some crazy tricks while falling through the air. I am nauseous just thinking about it.
 And what we all really care about, the Boston Pops in the Hatch shell. 
One more with lighting and effects just because it's my party and I do what I want to.
 It was a phenomenal performance with sets of Patriotic sing-alongs, John Williams hits, the Best of Billy Joel and more. There were real cannons timed during the 1812 Overture and at the finish of the last song, confetti!
 The downside of really enjoying the concert is that your view of the firework show is obstructed by trees and with the absence of a breeze the smoke made it even more difficult but we still enjoyed seeing the sky change colors.
Happy 4th of July folks! I've loved my time abroad and enjoying the cultures of other countries but I am really happy to be bringing my daughter into this world as a United States citizen, even if that means that my maternity leave is laughable by comparison.

Sunday, July 5, 2015

California Babymoon 3

A school teacher with summers off quickly forgets the luxury that is. The ability to travel to California for a week from a Wednesday to a Wednesday for cheaper flights is the cats meow. But you forget that when you travel, that doesn't mean that everyone else is also on vacation. So we had two full days, namely the weekend, where everyone was free and ready to take some bigger adventures. When planning for our week and for those precious two days Tim had one request. That's right ladies and gentlemen, my husband is the one who insisted on dragging his pregnant wife along to four wineries in Napa.
I would go further to say that it was cruel, and in some ways maybe it was. But when you get to see the views and the wineries and learn so much you really can't complain.
Our first stop was Elizabeth Spencer, a Kenney family favorite that is the old Post Office turned tasting room.
Then we went to a vineyard that was new to everyone, called Round Pond. The drive up felt like a movie and I relived my childhood dreams of becoming Hallie Parker and craved Peanut Butter and Oreos all day long.
While we waited for the wine tasting they let us wander the gardens, olive groves, and part of the vineyards, what a burden.
Wine and grapes as far as the eye can see. Do you feel slightly bad for me? This trip ensured that in about 11 weeks or so, I will have my first alcoholic beverage since finding out I was pregnant and that will be a dry dry dry red wine. I would say that it needs to be a fancy red wine and make my husband buy it for all of the wine I watched him drink from Napa, but the reality is that it will have been so long since I had wine that I won't care what it tastes like.
After leaving the most beautiful vineyard of the day, we head across the street to their little factory and olive oil mill for an olive oil tasting.
The olive oil was short, and good thing because we had more wineries to visit. 
The color coordination is on point.
This one apparently had good wine but no chairs so this pregnant lady took her mother-in-law and found a bench outside to wait it out. (The distortion of my body and the horizontal lines of this dress make my belly look like the foreign creature I am starting to believe it is...)
Our last stop was the Mumm tasting for some sparkling wines. I'm telling you though, Napa Valley was gorgeous and these lovely people grew more and more chatty as the day went on so really I had a great time. I'm already planning our next trip, when I'm not pregnant...
The last stop was also the best of the day because they actually had an alcohol free Wine Country Soda to offer that didn't taste too much like sparkling Welches.
On the way home we all stopped for In-n-Out (second of three times for the trip) and everyone go to benefit from my extra poundage.
Monday and Tuesday as people started trickling back to work we enjoyed some recovery days around Santa Clara (without crazy long car rides) for movies, enjoying cable television, home cooked meals, and Judy taught me how to sew. I'm sure I'll share some of our her projects soon, to be continued...

We had the best week in California. It was good to get away from Boston for a bit and really feel like it was summer. We were also so glad to be able to spend quality time with Tim's family before Lady Kenney steals all the attention.

Friday, July 3, 2015

California Babymoon 2

On Saturday of our California adventure we took a drive south. We started by heading to Monterey and then we did the 17 mile drive to Carmel by the Sea. It was an unbelievable kind of beauty.
This was at a cove in Monterey (just past the aquarium) to see the sea lions. Mostly, I think they just look like lazy slugs but there were a few that were bopping around in the water that transformed into cute little guys.
The 17 mile drive is the coastal route between these two cities and you just have the opportunity to get out and walk around wherever you'd like along the drive. Are pictures doing the trip justice? Because it really was beautiful.
The Lone Cypress, this lone tree, is the icon of the drive/ neighborhood/ golf courses.
Leave it to Tim and John to both be dressed like the Notre Dame bookstore and to find this at Pebble Beach.
We also got to see the 18th hole at Pebble Beach. I'm not much of golf person but even I knew that this was a big deal.
Up at the putting green they were setting up for a charity event and creating their very own putt-putt course.
Once we left the 17 mile drive we went to dinner downtown in Carmel. It was such a quaint downtown that I think I'd love to go back to some day when we had more time.
Finally, on the way out of town we stopped by the original California mission. They were just closing  up the doors inside so I didn't get to snag a picture but I did get to say a brief prayer. Carmel is the original Mission church and this is where the brothers were based. Blessed Junipero Serra is buried under the altar at this stunning yet humble church. Blessed Junipero Serra, pray for us.