a love like ours should never end

I've been having a really intense, whirlwind romance with the television program, "Friday Night Lights"--serious 18-year old crap where you can't tear yourself away from the person (TV) for any length of time because the you feel SOOO good around them (it) that every second away is an eternity. Needless to say, I am nearing the finish line with only 9 episodes to go! (where there is a will, there is a way). It's a good thing it's TV and not something like crack or alcohol. My love affair is destined to end soon (possibly in two days if I really put my mind to it), so maybe I can get on with my life. In the meantime, I have had so many thoughts on so many things, and I've written many of them down! But for tonight, I will leave you with some deep thoughts on babies and home invasions.

First, the events of last week, when a homeless woman literally walked into our house at 5:39 am and asked to borrow some pants. We normally lock the door, but for some reason we didn't that evening, which led me to wonder if she had been trying to enter our house unsuccessfully for a while now. In my just-awakened haze, I ended up politely asking her to "please leave" in a weak and soft voice. NWB then started yelling at her, which is a more effective tactic for convincing home intruders to leave. You'd think that this event (first ever home invasion) would keep me awake and ready to start to the day. Sadly, you'd be wrong, as I went back to sleep within about 10 minutes.

Second, Babycenter has been consistently awesome (in its suckiness). Here are a few of my favorite headlines in the March 2012 birthing forum.

Are you going to eat the placenta?
I ate a marijuana brownie on accident
Delema
Shaving your va jay jay
Babyzilla
Stripper at baby shower?
Baby is do March 18th

Finally, I find great comfort in knowing all of the celebrities who are pregnant at the same time as me (You know which is the only one that matters!):
Hilary Duff
Beyonce
Jennifer Garner
Jessica Simpson
Sarah Polley

clear eyes, full heart, can't stop watching this TV show

#usingbloggerastwitter

Also,
1. Why did I not start watching FNL sooner?
2. TIM RIGGINS.

sophie giraffe

So I guess it’s becoming more and more certain that we will have a new, tiny little roommate in a few months. Although he won’t pay rent for at least another 16 years, I’m still pretty excited about it. The decision to have a baby feels quite haphazard and impulsive. I mean, there are so many rational reasons NOT to have one (overpopulation and the environment, the stress of modern life, too old, happiness levels might decrease according to many studies, the emotional damages from facebook, etc.) and one overarching reason TO have one (biological imperative), that in the end, one can’t help but feel a bit of educated woman guilt with the decision. This is not to say that I also don’t feel incredibly lucky to be able to actually have a child at the shriveled up old age of 34 but still, it’s not quite as easy a decision as it is when one is young and naïve.

Notes about pregnancy so far:
--Before I even met my obstetrician, I was handed a pamphlet on genetic testing at the registration desk. At that point, I wasn't even sure what in the world was happening to my body, and it really rattled me to be handed a leaflet containing information about things that could be wrong with the baby (a "leaflet of worry"). Little did I know that this was just the beginning of various tests/scans that literally drive one to the brink of insanity. The medical care received during pregnancy seems to focus on one essential question: What's wrong with your baby? All of the medical establishment focus on potential problems makes ME obsess about them as well.

--It's weird being 34 and sitting next to a 20 year old in my first pre-natal class. Quick math confirmed that I was indeed old enough to be a grandmother, had I made different life choices.

--I never knew I would turn into one of THOSE people--totally paranoid and obsessive about pregnancy, which might be related to point the fact that I never knew that I could find such pleasure in spending hours on the babycenter.com forums.

--The fact that the first trimester utterly sucks came as a total shock. I'm glad it occurred when I was not working because otherwise I might have quit my job.

Some first trimester highlights:
--nausea at the mere thought of many delightful things, including gelato, eggs, pasta, water
--needing >14 hours of sleep a night
--not able to read books
--only capable of sitting, staring and sleeping
--barely forming sentences
--not wanting to talk to or touch another human being (including hello and handshakes)

On the bright side, now my mom has someone with undiscriminating taste to shop for!

Things I have purchased so far for the baby:
1. New shower curtain with the alphabet and cute animals on it

2. Charley Harper posters (2)

3. Sophie giraffe (#1 baby toy on amazon)

4. 6-12 month tardis onesie (NWB is a Dr. Who fan)

I THINK I’M READY.

(What’s that you say? None of those things are actual baby necessities? You mean I might need things like a thermometer and baby wipes and a stroller? Doesn’t a baby come with those things?)

cold case: summer

I’ve been sick and in bed for most of the weekend, and recently hit my limit in the number of breaking bad episodes I can handle (about 3 to be honest--that show depresses the hell out of me), so what to do now but blog (in between naps)!

Here, I present the last group of photos from our epic European summer vacation:

After our month in Vienna, NWB and I made our way to Italy via train and then bus. Our first stop was magical Venice. Due to my delicate condition, riding ferries all day and being on streets that rocked was not very fun. But Venice! It’s the most romantic place in the world. The Eiffel tower has nothing on a water city of decay and crumbling facades. We roamed the streets, took pictures of interesting door handles, ate our first ever $200 lunch and rode many, many ferries.

We stayed on the island of Murano, which was quiet in the evenings and much cheaper than staying in Venice proper.

Staying on Murano meant that we had to take the ferry into Venice to start our days.

Canals, canals.

The most charming canal I saw!

St. Mark's square from the cathedral.

Venice is insanely crowded at the height of the tourist season.

It's the details that make it such a charming place.

The Rialto bridge.