Changes!

I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight, meaning I've gained some weight in the past few months (5 pounds or so). I decided to join my coworkers in a Biggest Loser contest that started today. I could win $600 if I lose the largest percentage of weight.

Coinciding with the Biggest Loser kick-off was my first physical in over a year. My new doctor is amazing! I really didn't like the reception area, the huge number of people in the waiting room or the parking situation. Before I met her I had already decided I would have to find a different doctor. She changed my mind right away! She's from Haiti, sophisticated, matter-of-fact. She told me I'm super healthy except my weight. I need to lose 20 pounds!

Day 1

I ate very well today. Started with fruit and yogurt, coffee with soy milk and no sweetener. Lunch was some chicken salad, snap peas and a clif bar (okay, it wasn't as healthy, organic, or well-planned as I wanted, but it's a huge first step. I have an apple I will have as a snack after I run and pick up Elliot. I will do 5 pullovers, 10 pull ups, 20 pushups, frog jumps, lunges, calf raises and leg lifts.

Stay tuned!

162 lbs

That's my son

 

11 Things

My friend Lisa posted on her blog a list of 11 questions with all sorts of rules.  I don't have the capacity today to follow all of the rules of what is essentially a chain letter (fun, sometimes), so I'm just going to answer her questions to have something to write about.

1. What’s your favorite meal?  I love lobster claws with a bowl of butter. Cole slaw, corn or some other boring side dish needs to be present but only to highlight how incredible and extraordinary the taste of the lobster is.
2. Dogs or cats?  Cats.
3. If given one million dollars, how would you spend it? I'd go on a month-long, multi-country excursion with Ben.  Someone else would plan the basics and I'd be in charge of the rest.
4. Do you prefer biking or walking as a mode of transportation? Biking!
5. What’s the fitness goal you’ve accomplished that makes you most proud? I completed an Ironman, hence the blog name.
6. What is the best dish that you make? I just learned how to make manicotti from a book Ben gave me for Christmas.  I froze some three weeks ago and had some for lunch today.  It was still great!  I also make some great risotto.
7. Which kitchen utensil do you use most often? Wooden spoons.
8. Brussels sprouts: friend or foe? Amazing!
9. Would you wake a sleeping baby? Yes, and I do.  If Elliot is asleep for a couple of hours and we have somewhere to go, we get him out of his crib and hope he falls back to sleep in the stroller.  He rarely does.
10. Can you recite the alphabet backwards? Nope.
11. What’s your first memory? It's hard to know if I remember things because I've seen photos of the event (like burning my finger on my first birthday candle).  One of my fondest early memories is having been put to bed and my parents having a dinner party on the deck below my window.  The muffled sound of friends having a good time, crabs cracking open and feeling very well protected and loved is something I think about often.

Charter School Sub Teaching

Twice now a teacher at my school has been absent unexpectedly and I've been asked to step into her classes. She often comes late to school and other teachers have to absorb her students into their classes. For a while she was the only teacher who had keys to one of the two seventh grade classrooms, and often the student would have to start class in the hallway until she arrived. The extra time with my students has helped foster relationships with them and I enjoy the extra teaching when I have the chance to teach them. However, I wonder when it's appropriate for me to take days off like this and when it's okay for me to come in late.

Sent from my iPhone

I have a wedding dress!

I've spent a total of a couple of hours looking at wedding dress styles online.  Having a reservation at Kleinfeld's for a few months I knew I would have to bring my top 5 dresses.  Over the last few months I've saved a couple every week to my favorites on their website.  I hadn't found any I knew would look great on my muscular, womanly figure.  Then, a couple of weeks ago I was browsing and found one that took my breath away.  I saved it to my favorites and took a look at it again a week later.  I loved it enough still to put it in the top 5 I would take to my appointment.  I figured it would be a good starting point for the consultant to bring dresses for me to try.

We waited on chairs in the lobby for 20 minutes before being greeted by Antonella, one of the consultants on Say Yes to the Dress.  I was excited to meet her because she is one of two consultants whose names I knew, and I knew I liked Antonella's demeanor with clients.  I showed her the three dresses I loved from their website, a ball gown that I thought would be fun to try on, and a Pnina Tournai that was in the $10K+ price range.  I told her how much I loved the one dress and she went to find a few to try in the range of styles I'd given her.  She returned with my most favorite and then went right back out to find more dresses.  My friends helped me shimmy into the dress, tightened it up a bit and got me on the pedestal.

I didn't think I'd buy into the 'you'll know when you've found your dress', but I held back tears.  I didn't want to let on how emotional I was, so I continued with the trying-on process.  Five or six dresses later I knew how the appointment was going to end.  I was going to buy the dress.

I said Yes to the Dress.  Now we need to choose a location.

Smelly Ear

Last night Ben, Margo and my mom announced that Elliot had a smelly ear.  It smells mildewy but not rancid.  I called the doctor and she asked if we could bring him right away.  My mom and I had just picked up my friend Sarah from the bus stop in Manhattan and we were looking forward to catching up with her.  Ben and I made plans to meet with potential landlords of a condo we love, so the logistics of getting Elliot to the doctor and meeting these people conflicted.  My mom offered to take Elliot to the doctor and Sarah offered to help.  They just took off in my VW to find the doc in Park Slope while Ben and I introduce ourselves to our (hopefully) new landlords. 

As for the smelly ear, updates will come soon. 

Back on the Trampoline

I've been coaching on and off for 18 years.  I've been employed by Trapeze School New York since 2008, and have taught the Intermediate Trampoline class at the New York location for almost a year.  I have a small group of regular students and enjoy watching them progress to new skills, overcome fears and discover new joys.  I took a break for a couple of months and started up again tonight.  My three regular students, Lauren, Chiara and Naomi, were so excited to get back to bouncing.  We welcomed a new intermediate level student, Emma, who seems to have more talent than she realizes.  These girls (they're all over 25 but I can call them girls if they wear silly outfits and roll around in my presence) are all excited to learn, encourage each other and have a ton of fun. 

My goal when teaching is to arrive a bit early or stay a few minutes late to do some strength work.  I've become complacent not working out, when I used to do everything I could to get in a training session or a workout. 

Thoughts on Being Productive

I don't teach science to my students on Fridays.  I have so many things I can spend my time doing, and I don't feel like my follow-through is excellent in any area right now.  I'm not lazy, and I'm not a slacker, I just want to do a little bit of everything.  My task list right now looks like this:

1. Learn more about my students, how they learn, how they interact with the world and what they think about their futures.
2. Select a textbook for students to use this school year.  We're in January already, and I've been using a textbook from my last year teach in Virginia.  I have one copy, so I'm making copies of chapters to use in class.  The challenge is, once we have textbooks I'll only have one copy for each student to use in class, so if I want them to do homework using the book I'll be stuck making copies again.  If we order enough books for each student they'll have to carry it to and from school, which poses several challenges.
3. Create a curriculum for technology use in the middle school.  There isn't a dedicated time to teach technology right now, so the curriculum will be integrated into classes.  Some students know how to save to a flash drive and have typed a few documents for teachers this year, which is an indication of where we're starting.
4. Create a cohesive curriculum for the middle school.  Our school encompasses 5th through 7th grade, with 8th grade being added next year to complete the school.  Fifth grade has science twice a week and sixth grade has science 3 days a week right now.  I teach my 7th graders four times a week.  Next year they will have to take the eighth grade state test AND the Earth Science Regents Exam.  I've recently realized the students covered only some of the topics in earlier grades, so I need to play catch-up with the current 7th graders and also make sure there is enough background covered in earlier grades moving forward so we can build on a solid foundation in 7th and 8th grades.

So here's my son in minute one of his life on earth. I don't think he'd taken his first breath before this photo was taken. I constantly think of things to write about here and can't seem to find the few minutes it takes to type with both hands. It seems I always have only one hand free. I have so many things happening and don't know which to focus on, so my newest initiative is to blog a sentence or two about whatever is on my mind each time I log on.

Mothering: I feel like Ben and I are the most blessed/luckiest people to have this healthy, solid, strong, joyful creature. Elliot sleeps all night and has been so easily pleased.

Working: My new job changes daily and I'm still trying to figure out whether it's a long-term option for me. I'm a SMART Trainer for an A/V company in Manhattan.

Commuting: I commuted by NY Subway for the first two weeks and it nearly killed me. Over an hour door-to-door to travel 5.3 miles, including a 20-25 minute walk from the subway. Every morning I thought "I could bike much faster than this". So I got my bike out of storage and started riding. I hadn't ridden since month 5 of pregnancy, and I wasn't excited about the riding part, but getting to work faster was appealing. On day one I got lost trying to find the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge (I live half a mile from it and hadn't been on it yet) and then again on the other side trying to find the Hudson River Trail. In my defense, it was very foggy and I got turned around following the signs for the bike trail (don't trust those signs...they lead you in a circle). Even with the two detours, I arrived in under 50 minutes; 15 minutes faster than the standard commute on the subway. I rode every day for the past two weeks except one day, and the average time is 27 minutes!

Living in NY: As the weather gets warmer I like it better here.

Biking in NYC

I took a long time off from cycling.  I decided at the end of my 2009 triathlon season to take a break from cycling until I enjoyed it again, to let my neck and shoulders heal and to go a bit easier on myself.  I did P90X, flying trapeze and stretched a lot.  Then I got pregnant, did little else but walk, had the baby (who is perfect in every way, a miracle, and made of pure magic).  Yesterday, on a whim, I got my bike out of storage, pumped up the tires, and rode to work.  When I realized it was raining and in the mid 30's I was undaunted.  I wanted to ride!

With my Medela breast pump, a change of clothes, shoes, and my lunch stuffed into my North Face backpack, I left my Brooklyn apartment with a general sense of how to get to work.  I've been taking the subway for the 2-1/2 weeks I've been at this job, and being crammed into a full subway for 35 minutes before walking nearly a mile across town has added a lot of stress to my already-stressful day.  Because I've been under ground I haven't learned the lay of the land...er...city, so I relied on the fact that the Brooklyn Bridge leads to Manhattan and the Empire State Building is uptown. 

Unfortunately, the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge bike path is three blocks before the bridge starts and is obscured by barricades and traffic, and the Empire State Building was hidden by fog.  I got turned around after taking several one-way streets and following signs to "Hudson River Trail" that ended at a building.  Fortunately, being lost under the bridge and heading south before I headed north only added 10 minutes.  I got there in 40 minutes.

It's been quite an adventure.

I went five days past my due date after an emotionally intense and life-changing pregnancy.  My fiance and I moved from Arlington, Virginia, to New York City and lived with his mother for two months while we searched for an apartment in Brooklyn that fit all our needs.  We did not find the brownstone with a backyard we sought, but a high rise that has all the amenities new parents need for surviving the first year or so.  Our car is in the garage in the building, although at quite a cost, we can have groceries delivered to the cold storage room, there's a gym, and a host of new parents with whom to share our experiences. 

I left my comfy teaching job with one of the best school systems in the country in hopes that my certifications in Virginia and Maryland would transfer easily to New York.  That wasn't the case.  I've had to take two courses in order to be certified in New York, and hope there will be a job available in a school that suits me in February/March when I'm ready to go back to work.

Last Friday, December 3, I awoke at 4:30AM to some quick, fairly intense cramping in my lower abdomen I couldn't quite diagnose as 'contractions' but I was suspicious enough to look at the clock and get a sense of how far they were spaced.  In my dreamy state I gathered that they were coming at 6 minute intervals.  I went back to sleep between each one and didn't wake Ben, knowing that if it really was the start of labor it was going to be a long day and Ben would need to be well rested order to support me.  I called my OB at 8:30 and she told me that waiting game had started and that she'd check in with me every two hours.  Contractions progressed throughout the day until about 1:00, when the grandmothers called and I told them things had slowed down.  They brought lunch and by the time they arrived I was once again in serious pain.  I thought at the time that if the contractions continued to give me pain at that level I would certainly be able to give birth without an epidural.  I was using breathing and relaxation techniques, but not as effectively as I thought I would.  I cried a lot.

My doula came over shortly after that and once again the contractions lessened.  They were sporadic and not very strong.  We were getting tired already and I was hoping I wouldn't have to go another night without having a baby.  At 8:00 I went to be thinking I'd have mild contractions all night and wouldn't sleep well.  Between 8:00 and 9:30 I had just that.  I timed, slept, timed, slept, and then was hit with the most severe pain I'd felt all day.  I yelled for Ben, who did his best to calm me down and get me to breathe and relax.  When we realized the waves were coming at 3 minute intervals we called the doula again and she came over.  She said, "We don't need to hurry, but we're going to the hospital now."  Ben took our dog out for a final walk and pee, and Jen thought I was far enough along to call Ben and ask him to come back right away.  We made our way to a Manhattan-bound cab and climbed in just as another contraction started.  I had several on the way to the hospital (NYU at 31st and 1st) and the cabbie took it in style.  He even got out when we arrived to help me out of the car.

Two hours later I was still only a disappointing 3 cm dilated and in more pain than I could have imagined.  I don't know what I expected it to feel like, but it was on a magnitude I could not have prepared for.  The delivery nurse Wanda told me my contractions were particularly strong, especially for only being 3 cm.  The obstetrician said it could be several more hours of labor, enough to suggest I go back home.  At 1:00AM I decided an epidural was necessary for me to maintain my sanity.  I was able to doze in and out after the epidural, and when the doctor checked me again at 6AM I was a surprising 8 cm.  At 6:20 I started pushing, and since the epidural didn't knock out feeling from a small stripe of my lower body I was able to feel when the contractions were coming.  Since I'd felt like a passive participant through the whole process (trying to relax, let the pain 'wash' over me, etc) I was glad for some action.  I felt tightening, then pain, then I got to push!  For the first hour and a half the pushing resulted in the baby dropping only slightly in the birth canal.  Several times I looked at the OB and she was making "I don't think this is going to work" faces at the support staff.  While this wasn't confidence inspiring, she wasn't telling me I needed a C-Section, or that things weren't progressing.  Her style was to scream at me in attempts to get me to push harder.  She stepped out periodically and the nurse would take over, coaching me smartly and making more progress than with the doctor.  If you're lucky enough to deliver at NYU and get nurse Wanda, you are certainly in great hands.  She deserves a medal for her support, both emotionally and physically. 

An hour later the doctor said she was amazed at how much progress we'd made, and that it wouldn't take much more.  I wasn't prepared for the last 20 minutes to be the hardest of the 30-hour experience.  I'll spare the details for now, but know that 10 days out I'm still having trouble with stitches and swelling.  I believe many people go through similar recoveries, but I truly wasn't prepared for the physical trauma that follows giving birth.

And the teaching comes to a standstill once again...

When I started a long-term sub position teaching 8th grade science, Health and Forensic Science, I was thrown into the classroom without warning (the teacher went on maternity leave the day I was supposed to start observing her) and found that my usual fall-backs (make some quick worksheets that correspond with related materials) were useless.  There was one textbook for each class I was teaching. ONE. TEXTBOOK. I had never met the kids and didn't know about their teacher's expectations, rules, grading policies, disciplinary procedures.  NOTHING.  So there I was, with one textbook for each subject.  Assuming I could make copies of a page or two so I could work some literacy magic, I set out to find the copy machine and realized there were TWO for the entire 5-story school (which, thanks to Joel Klein, is broken up into 3-soon-to-be-4 schools with different administrations, rules, procedures and schedules).  Both of those copy machines have no service contracts and are often broken.  For a few days I got by making copies on my home printer, but knew I couldn't keep that up for 7 weeks.  I tried other strategies that were not up to par and struggled without a copy machine for about three weeks.  Lo and behold, one day I decided to try the copy machine designated for the teachers (the other one is by Reproduction Request ONLY, and you have to submit your big jobs a few days in advance and hope the person making copies that week gets the request, reads it and actually makes the number you request.  Then you hope to find the pile where they left the copies...I gave up on that after the second day).  Anyway, lo and behold, I tried the teacher machine and it worked.  So, for the past couple of weeks I've been, in my mind, a more successful teacher and the students have enjoyed class more because I'm more in my element.  Today I copied half of the 60 copies of a test I'm giving tomorrow and the machine gave up.  I have half the number of tests I need.  I now have to either pay for copies at Kinko's or make them on my home printer.  Both of these are viable options, I just wanted to share my experience for the day.

Thoughts for Friday

1.  The baby in my belly sleeps every 3 days.  He moves constantly, like a shark in a little bag, for 3 days straight, and then I don't feel him move again for a day or so.  I was worried until I recognized the pattern.  If that's any indication of what's to come, we're in for it.

2.  I have an offer to be a long-term substitute teacher for a woman who will go on maternity leave October 15.  The job will be October 18-January 31.  I meet the principal and teacher next Friday.  At what point in the conversation should I point out that I too will be having a baby, right in the middle of the teaching assignment?  Will they still let me teach for a month and a half?  Is it discrimination if they tell me they'd rather hire someone who can work the whole 3 months?  Update next Friday.

3.  I go back to teaching trampoline next Wednesday.  It's something that makes me feel like myself.  Several people have asked me whether I'll be able to teach.  Do I have to be able to demo a fliffus to teach tuck jumps? 

4.  I can still do a handstand...31 weeks pregnant!

5.  I'm taking an online course on literacy in content areas for secondary students.  The instructor posted the syllabus, which includes the first assignment, due Sunday night.  Yesterday she commented that the assignment drop box contains a grading rubric and I checked it out.  It's TOTALLY different than the assignment she posted in the syllabus.  I'd already done the research and started the first project, and when I emailed her she said she'd be grading based on the rubric and to follow those guidelines.  Also, I'm the only one in the class.  I'm not sure about this online thing yet.

Discussion Question for my Reading Class (I needed a place to share)

I have always had a wonderful relationship with books.  My earliest memory of reading is taking trips with my mother to the local library.  I loved everything about it, from the cold water fountain to the welcoming librarian who placed no limits on the number of books we could take out, and even the smell of the place.  I went back last year and it still smells the same!  We took out at least 20 books every time we visited. 

I was at the library as an early teen when I discovered the 'Junior High Readers' section, and Sweet Valley Twins books.  They totaled more than 100 books and I read every single one. 

In high school I developed negative feelings toward my textbooks and read just enough to get by.  I attempted to read chapters that were assigned but never really acquired any information from them.  As Chris Tovani says, I read it but I didn't get it.  I spent my high school years moderately successful and fairly confident about my intellectual abilities, but shying away from actually reading the texts.  I still loved reading novels and fiction, but history, science and other nonfiction texts were not a part of my learning experience.

In college I had the same attitude I'd had in high school.  I attended most lectures and took notes, talked to the professor and participated in discussion sections, but I barely gave the textbooks a glance.  I knew I had a mathematical brain, and making an outline of a text worked for me, but it was so difficult for me to make sense of 60 pages of material, so I avoided doing that too.  I finished college and joined the circus, not having any real academic interests.

Several years later I took a Reading in the Content Areas course for my certification and realized I'd never really learned how to read nonfiction.  At 27 years old my eyes were opened to the world of conventions of text, when for the first time I read titles and subtitles with purpose, and my love of science began to unfold.  Reading Chris Tovani's book changed my life.  It's meant to teach educators how to teach reading in all subjects and to promote literacy with basic modeling, but it taught me how to read.

Frustrated that I'd never been taught reading strategies for nonfiction, I incorporated modeling strategies in my philosophy of education, and I have used that in my 4 years of teaching in a very real way.  I love that I can teach a skill to students that transfers to other subjects and to the next level of their education.  Their feedback tells me that I am doing a very good thing.  After reading the first assigned pages at the beginning of the school year, I ask the class to close their books, and then for a show of hands: Who thinks they can give me the TITLE of the section.  What was it about?  Very few students can do that.  Then I ask them if they ever try to read at night and end up reading the same paragraph or sentence over and over.   They're hesitant at first but the discussion turns to one where everyone acknowledges doing this, and reading the words but not gathering the ideas.  This initial discussion opens the floor for a school year of open feelings about reading, allowing me to model my own reading and for us all to share in the experience of 'learning to read'.

I have since pulled out my textbooks from college, cracked the bindings (they were almost brand-new!) and have learned more in the past few years just reading on my own than I did in high school and college.  Being able to access information with just a few strategies has caused a paradigm shift for me.  Perhaps I can attribute that to maturity and growing up, but learning how to read in my late 20's was an exciting experience that opened my life to unlimited knowledge.

Life in New York

I went to the DMV at Herald Square today for the 3rd attempt at getting my New York license.  The first time I hadn't read the instructions carefully and ended up without 'Proof of Birth', which isn't actually listed in the bullets of items needed, it's in the paragraph at the top.  My fault.  On the second journey I walked in proudly with my passport, birth certificate, transcripts and original social security card, only to find a line out the door (estimated wait: 4 hours).  I waited about 15 minutes, when an announcement informed us that the  whole state computer system was down and that we'd have to return the next day.  That was two weeks ago. 

Today I returned.  The line snaked halfway to the door, indicating a wait of about 2.5 hours.  I was armed with my book, two New Yorkers, my blackberry and some snacks.  About 40 minutes into my wait I was ready to sit down (I've gained 20 pounds, 29 weeks pregnant).  I received a long-awaited phone call from the Department of Education (that's a whole other story) and as I was talking to the woman (despite signs that say "NO PHONE ZONE") a young-ish woman interrupted me, asking if I was pregnant.  I'm clearly pregnant and wondered why she was butting into my conversation to ask me that.  She walked across the room and got a security guard, announcing to the line that pregnant women don't wait in line.  He escorted me to the front.  What a gesture!  I quickly finished my phone call but not in time to thank the woman who had saved me from hours of waiting.  Where ever you are, THANK YOU! 

Some furniture ideas...just trying to sort some stuff out.

Some rug styles I like...perhaps too busy for a living room rug?  Too dark for a dark couch? I seem to be in a geometric mood tonight.

The chunky, oversized but clean-looking couch from Pottery Barn.  I don't like the white but any darker color will do...browns or greys are great.  "Everyday suede" is 100% polyester, which I hear is easier to clean.

Here's a link to another sofa I like.

Coffee table: found

That's right...a coffee table designed to look like a diving board over a pool.  

And this coffee table that has a unique idea...

Media station with storage.  I'm not thrilled about the finish but I love the idea.  Simple and functional.

Running

I went for a run yesterday.  I am officially 27 weeks and 4 days pregnant, and 20 pounds heavier than normal, and haven't felt comfortable running since about week 12.  My biggest problem is that I feel like I have to pee all the time.  I managed to run a grand total of a block.  I assume it's the basketball-sized addition to my gut that presses on my bladder and actually bounces up and down while I try to jog.  I still enjoy the thought of running and hope to be able to return to it soon after baby boy emerges.  It'll be winter when my running pursuits begin again and I'll have to convince fiance to watch the baby.

Back in New York

Ben and I spent the last 16 days exploring Paris, Rome, two hill towns in Umbria and Tuscany, and two small towns on different parts of the Italian Mediterranean Coast. 

Some highlights:

1.  Ben asked me to marry him!  We did that slightly backwards, considering we decided to have a child in February, got pregnant in March and I'm now 7 months pregnant.  But we're engaged!  How many people get to combine a baby shower with an engagement party!?

2.  We drove the ENTIRE length of the Amalfi Coast.  This was not planned.  Ben's friend, Michele (pronounced Mick-kay-lay) suggested a route for us to take that minimized our driving on twisty, windy roads.  We took a detour to Pompeii for a few hours and when we got back on the highway we just missed the next turn that would send us to the coast and then require a drive along 1/4 of the Amalfi coastal road.  We figured we could take the next major road and drive north along the route, which meant driving the other 3/4 of the way north instead of south.  The road was barely wide enough for two cars, and in some cases was not wide enough, necessitating backing up and honking of horns.  To make matters worse, the motorinis and motorcycles zip in and out of lanes and cars from both directions, around hairpin turns that overlook 1000 feet drops to the sea. 

3.  In Paris the concierge found it ridiculous that we were avoiding restaurants whose draw was a fabulous wine list.  I was obviously pregnant and he and I had actually had a conversation about my being pregnant the night before.  His confused look and the comment that followed showed an obvious cultural difference.  He asked why we didn't want a great wine list, and Ben made the big belly gesture, to which the man replied, as only a Frenchman can, "Woooiinnee...wha...?"

In another "our country has a much different view on pregnancy than yours" moment, an Italian police officer stopped us for a random check along the Amalfi Coast, and when he realized I was pregnant he suggested to Ben that I remove my seatbelt.  Pregnant women in Italy are urged to not wear their seatbelts.  I've read that you should be more careful about the placement, and of course to make sure it's not too tight, but I supposed the baby is safer if I don't get ejected through the windshield.  I kept my seatbelt on.

Week 1: New York City Life

Some lessons I've learned in my first week as a New Yorker:

1. New Yorkers are friendly, helpful, honest and patient. As long as they're not driving. My car is living in New Jersey at my uncle's house and I'm really glad to not be a driving New Yorker.

2. People who have found a seat on the subway don't care if you're pregnant or handicapped. I've found that I am more capable of standing for the ride than many of the people sitting down. I'll start asking for a seat when I really need to.

3. Many people in the city are terrified of a dog on a leash. I've seen people create a 10-foot buffer between themselves and Bailey. Do they really think I'd walk my dog on Broadway if she spontaneously bit people or posed any threat to society? Come on.

4. You can be surrounded by thousands of people and still feel lonely.

5. I'm sending my dog to camp tomorrow. Ben and I are going to Paris and Rome for two weeks and Bailey (the dog) needs a place to visit. To avoid putting her in a kennel or having to make two trips for drop-off and pick-up to Annapolis (my parents) we've decided to try out Glencadia Dog Camp. They do free pick-up in Manhattan on the sidewalk, take her to a farm in New York outside the city and let her romp and play on the property with the other boarders. They sleep in a barn. I'm hesitant because I've never left her with someone I didn't know and in a place I've never seen. Reviews of the place range from 'amazing, use it frequently' to 'horrible, never again'. I'm not sure who to believe, but there were enough good reviews and return users that I'll give them my furry child for two weeks. Supposedly they send video updates via email. Fingers crossed.

6. I'm slow. I'm seriously slow. I'm 6 months pregnant and my joints have relaxed, my hips hurt, my feet ache, my hands are swollen, my brain doesn't function correctly, my belly feels like there's a bowling ball pulling on the ligaments when I step, my thighs rub together, I get out of breath easily and I get lightheaded every time I stand up. I'm hungry all the time but can only eat a small amount at each sitting before I feel full and sick. I want to put salt on everything. I've gained 16 pounds (from 163 to 179) and have been told I should gain no more than 25 pounds, since I started out a few pounds over normal. The hardest thing to get used to has been limited movement. I'm an endurance athlete! I run marathons, I do triathlons, I'm flexible, I'm more active and capable than the average American! Walking up the steps from the New York subways I'm passed by people with canes and walkers. I will NOT take the elevator unless I have to, but it's a mental struggle. These are my complaints. I'm not a whiner, I just want it to be known that people should be more patient with pregnant ladies. This is a struggle.

7. Now for the good stuff: I love being pregnant! People smile at me more. People ask me questions all the time and want to know about what it feels like. This little boy lets his presence be known any time I sit down. He's constantly swimming and flipping around. He's as long as an ear of corn and I watch him kick and punch, beginning to feel the joy of movement. When he's quiet I can't tell whether he's sleeping or just observing. I know that he has working ears, so we talk to him frequently. I like to think that when Bailey waits for me on the stairs it's because she has some superpowers and understands that it's her job to protect not just me, but the growing boy inside me. I think she knows there is something magical happening in our lives right now. I imagine Ben holding this tiny person with his big strong hands and my heart melts a little.

8. Ben and I have been searching for the perfect first-floor Brownstone in the center of everything in Brooklyn for the past three weeks. We want the place everyone wants, and apparently when one finds a place like this they don't ever leave. We have seen only two places out of 20+ that we really liked and they were both a bit too pricey for right now (I don't have a full-time job yet). Our next move may be into a high rise in Downtown Brooklyn, which has attractive amenities and brand-new everything. It's not our first choice but it's looking more reasonable every day. There's a gym in the building, a spectacular view, washer/dryer in the unit, a speedy elevator and more closet space than a couple knows what to do with. Baby's room may be what the rental company calls a 'home office', which is a 6'X 8' open area next to the 'foyer' with a gigantic closet. It's not a room for a kid, but a year in this high rise will give us more options later, my job situation will be secure, we'll have a better network to help us look for our brownstone-with-backyard, and we won't be in a rush to get our stuff out of storage.

Observations from the dog park

I walked Bailey, my black lab, to the Shirlington dog park yesterday.  Upon entering, a woman was commenting on a muscular-looking dog.  She mentioned he 'must not be able to jump' because he had such muscular legs. 

The same woman went on to talk about her dog, the one she was holding, and someone asked how old the dog was.  She then asked the dog in a baby voice, "How old are you?   How old are you?" as if asking a toddler who will one day hold up two fingers and be able to babble, "two and a half".  Yuck.

As I exited the dog park, I smiled at the 5 or six people who passed me on the trail, including a man on a bench who looked to be late-20's.  He got up immediately and asked if he could talk with me.  I said sure, as long as I can continue to walk my dog.  His first comment was, "I'm looking for a girlfriend".  I told him I was taken and good luck in his search.  Ummm...strange.