I can't sing but I've got soul

Day 2

2012-01-10T13:11:00.001-05:00

The nurses wheeled, a happy and alert, Little C into my room early this morning.
She looked up at me like this and my heart nearly burst.

Sold! I'm in love.

(That was quick.)

The Final Moments

2012-01-08T15:45:00.002-05:00

4 more days
Rocking flannel pajamas and watching Dick Clark’s Rocking New Year’s Eve might seem like a pretty insignificant way to ring in the New Year; but as Andy and I counted down along with the crowd in Times Square from our couch, we knew this New Year's was anything but insignificant. 2012 would be the year we become parents – and it was here. It’s was getting really real now.

5 more minutes  
...until the bus comes. It was a freezing morning (especially when the size of your belly prohibits you from buttoning your jacket) as we waited at the bus stop during a typical Wednesday morning commute. Only, we weren’t commuting to our respective offices, we were headed to the hospital to start our brand new jobs as parents – a fact my brain still couldn't fully compute.

That's us on the 73...yup, we ended up taking public transit to the hospital after all!

20 minutes until go-time
In the pre-op room, we suited-up for the surgery and exchanged repeated looks of stunned excitement. We marveled over the fact we were finally going to meet the mystery person who has been living in my belly. What would she look like? Who would she be? And, oh my god, what if she is a he? Well, that poor little guy would be wearing a whole lot of pink for the first year of his life!

I don't get any more pregnant that this.
Andy's all scrubbed up and looking cuter than any doctor who ever starred on ER.

"Count to 10
...and take a deep breath," the doctors told me as they administered the anesthesia into my spine. Yes, that hurt as badly as it sounds. (Thank you, hypnobirthing class for helping me to relax through that one!)

Any moment now
After the curtain was raised to block my view of my lower half, Andy joined me in the operating room. During the procedure, I felt a lot tugging, jostling and pressure but no pain (how do they do that?!). When they finally lifted Chelsea up and out for her first breath, I felt 20 pounds lighter and knew she was born.

Chelsea's first breaths

Seconds later, we heard a sound that completely blew us away – her first cry. I never would have guessed the sound of a baby crying would instantly elicit a million powerful emotions but starting with this moment, everything has changed. And actually seeing her for the first time...? Well, to describe the pride, love, shock and joy you feel at the first glimpse of your baby is almost impossible but I can tell you that meeting Chelsea brought on big smiles and tears of joy.

Our first family hug.

See more images from Chelsea's Birth Day here.

January 4th: T Minus 5 Days and Counting

2011-12-30T05:24:00.004-05:00

January 4th is the scheduled delivery date!
Here's an update to our breech situation.

Acupunture: The good news, acupuncture made me feel great/so much more comfortable for a day or two! The not-so good news, the baby is still breech...this is not for lack of trying though! I think she made 2 separate attempts to spin around, which in turn, was a little sci-fi and whole lot of excruciating. For two nights in a row last week, as I writhed in pain and my belly behaved like high-tide at the Jersey Shore (yes, visually), I tried to distract myself with the fact that I must look like a scene out of a Star Trek movie –complete with bad acting and weak visual effects. Net result: 2 interesting evenings of boldly going where I never want to go again and one baby with her head up. I just don't think she can get where she needs to be....she's been growing at a good clip and I'm offering a pretty narrow turning radius these days.

Version: We decided against this procedure. With a 50% success rate and a high risk for distress to the baby, it just didn't feel right to us. We have a feeling she may be breech for a reason – not just by chance – and we don't want to mess with it. In addition, I have an anterior placenta (located at the front of my belly instead of the back, where it is more commonly found); this would add further risk as it could get dislodged or damaged since it would technically be sandwiched between the doctor's hands and the baby during the procedure.

C-Section: As long as she remains breech, we will be having a c-section. So unless I go into labor beforehand, the delivery is scheduled for January 4th. Pregnancy is starting to feel like an eternity, so it is a relief to have the end in sight. We're excited and a little stunned to suddenly know the date and time we will become parents!

The Campaign

2011-12-28T05:49:00.001-05:00

Andy's colleagues, Alexia and Quinn, have been lobbying to be our daughter's godparents for a few months now. They stepped it up recently by releasing this ad campaign, which just cracks me up.

Getting Pissed Off About Pink Toys Will Make Your Heart Swell

2011-12-26T09:05:00.002-05:00

Check out this little girl, who happens to be named Riley, as she paces around the doll aisle of a toy store telling her dad that companies "trick girls into buying the pink stuff instead of stuff that boys want to buy."

She continues, "Some girls like superheroes, some girls like princesses! Some boys like superheroes, some boys like princesses! So why do all the girls have to buy pink stuff and all the boys have to buy different color stuff?"

Uncanny isn't it? It's like (Ali) Riley on Marketing to little girls. In my opinion, this weird princess craze has completely overstayed its welcome. While I vehemently disagree with putting a focus on some passive, pretty damsel in distress, I realize a princess or two might make an appearance in our house a some point down the line....it will be ok – but it will be moderation! (Hopefully it's a butt-kicking princess, like the one in Brave, the Pixar movie coming out this summer...just putting that out there.)

Until then, amen, little Riley for your mature insight and not being afraid to admit you like toys that aren't marketed directly to you!

Chin Up

2011-12-19T12:25:00.022-05:00

The baby is breech. From what I understand, this news and the possibility of a c-section can send pregnant women – especially those who have planned to birth their babies naturally – into a tailspin of distress. So am I upset? Not really. Admittedly, the news did throw us for a loop and gave us a lot to think about at a time when more thinking is just plain overwhelming.

We've managed to reframe the whole process pretty easily though. Despite the fact Andy and I have spent a bunch of time and energy preparing for a natural birth, we're in agreement that it doesn't really matter how she gets here, as long as she gets here healthily. With all due respect, I'm not one of those women who needs to go through labor; and gosh darn it, if I don't have to pass something the size of a watermelon through an opening the size of my nostril....well, as far as I'm concerned, that's a relief.

It's funny, you'd think my kid would be just fine hanging out upside down – perhaps she did one too many somersaults and got stuck there. Speaking of somersaults, she is in the pike position (or a frank breech position, in technical terms), and every gymnast knows the pike position is more difficult to execute than the tuck position (which looks pretty similar to the fetal position). Attagirl! The fetal position is for babies!

So why are babies breech? (Fetal development and anatomy continues to fascinate me.)

The umbilical cord could be too short
The umbilical cord could be wrapped around her body preventing her from rotating (with all of the flips she had been doing, when there was more space to do them, I see this as a viable option)
My uterus may be a weird shape and not accommodating to a large body part, like her head
She's confused or stubborn or it's just a fluke and all she needs is a little coaxing

What do we do to help spin her around?

Acupuncture - This has proven to be very effective. FYI: the baby spinning button is located in the pinky toe, that's where the needle goes.
Yoga positions
Music or conversation directed at the "exit"
Ice at the top of my belly - she'll move her head away from the cold.
I'm not so sure about this one, fetal ice cream headaches just seem abusive.
Version - a medical procedure where the doctor manually, and externally, turns the baby.

If none of these options work, we will have a scheduled c-section.

-
One more thing, Pink's baby was frank breech too. So the next time I run into her at The Hitching Post, we'll have something to talk about.

Nesting

2011-12-16T15:48:00.036-05:00

This delay in blog updates has been brought to you by nesting – the next stage of my pregnancy. As I am no stranger to anal-retentiveness, I was curious how this next chapter would effect me. Yeah, it's not pretty...I would describe myself in nesting-mode as focused (read: obsessive), determined to cross stuff off my list, cleaning like a fool regardless of physical limitations while collecting necessary provisions I didn't even know I needed. I confess, I woke up at 3:00AM to make a spreadsheet...with formulas.

In all fairness, we had a lot to do – the closet/contractor snafu delayed us quite a bit. Regardless, we're at a good point now and the baby's room is pretty much done. It exudes cuteness and calmness with a good mix of safari and Muppet influences. I've been catching Andy in her room just looking around contemplatively, making snow angels on the cushy white shag rug or quietly gliding on our rocker. He's going to be a great dad.

Here's a sneak peek into the nursery:

Just in case you thought I was depriving her of pink....as you can see, there's plenty of it!

Bye, Mom. Hi, Mom.

2011-11-27T19:34:00.038-05:00

I just said goodbye to my Mom after Thanksgiving weekend in Jersey. As we got in the car, she commented, "Next time I see you, you'll be a mom." ....That was surreal. I think I finally wrapped my head around that statement hours later as we crossed over the Massachusetts border.

3 generations of the super fabulous women of my family

Discomfort Sets In

2011-11-07T15:48:00.012-05:00

Well, I suppose it’s about time. I think I’ve flown under the pregnancy radar and avoided lots of typical aches and pains due to my level of activity...well, I'm assuming it's due to my level of activity...maybe it was just luck. Regardless, I am so pleased my body has allowed me to continue to workout regularly.

When I put my heart rate monitor this morning, I was already at 100 bpm…and I was only in the locker room! By the time I got to the gym at the top of the stairs (to be fair, there are a lot of stairs) I was at 140 bpm, which is the maximum heart rate I am allowed. I'm at my max already?! I didn’t even so much as look at a bike much less start my spin class! As I waddled my way to the studio, with hips totally screaming at me, I started coming to the realization that this might be my last spin class until after the baby is born. Totally bummed but looking on the bright side – at least I made it to 31 weeks – I reluctantly entered the studio.

Pregnancy is funny. Yes, sometimes funny ha-ha. Turns out I feel better on the bike than on my feet! Perhaps it’s the power of the Black Eyed Peas but I had a great class, maintained proper heart rate throughout and am so going back next week and hopefully for the next 9 weeks! Phew!

The Babymoon

2011-10-12T02:58:00.138-05:00

Go out to dinner and a movie. Repeat. This is the pre-baby arrival advice we've been getting from our new parent friends. Seems sound to me. So we planned one final jaunt as a couple – a babymoon – to our favorite destination, California.

For the past two years, low airfares and a place to stay in Santa Monica have afforded us the opportunity to bask in the good vibes of the golden state about twice a year...yeah, we kind of enjoy it. Our visits usually revolve around active outdoor excursions, food, and of couse, wine. The focus of our trip this time around, however, would have to shift quite a bit: surf lessons and horseback riding were out; joining in with the acrobats at Venice Beach would be a no-no; and given my temporary oenophilic limitations, we kept our distance from Napa and Sonoma...that would just be cruel and unusual punishment for a pregnant Ali.

Taking it slow...the view from my beach towel.

So what did we do? We took it slow, ate, spent quality time with our favorite French Canadian friend, went to a spa in Palm Springs, finally visited The Getty, ate, went to a zoo, got caught in a flash mob, revisited Santa Barbara County for a day of wine tasting (where I was happy to be the designated driver), ate, took a tour of Hollywood and celebrity homes, drove with the top down in our convertible, spent time on the beach, and of course, ate some more. It was not our typical visit but this babymoon thing is new for us!

Check out photos from our trip here

Snack Attack!

2011-10-03T14:21:00.007-05:00

Should I be aware that my local 7-11 just had a Ben & Jerry's delivery? No I shouldn't. No pregnant woman should know this, it's just way too tempting.

Our Bouncing Baby Closet

2011-10-02T07:57:00.001-05:00

I feel like we birthed this closet renovation. During the gestation period, which was about 4 months, we wondered what kind of closet our giant hole in the wall would grow up to be, we made and revised plans for it, it wore us out, and at the very end, we were seriously uncomfortable. For this delivery, though, Andy carried the weight.

Click for more photos of the project

Back in May, we hired a contractor to combine two awkward closet spaces in our bedroom into one cohesive closet. The job would take him 2 weeks and was to begin immediately after Memorial Day. Instead of showing up to work on the first day, we got a call with some lame excuse. Ah, the start of an ugly pattern.

The no-show excuses continued at a steady pace – we got em all: car broke down, broken water heaters at other job sites, even the rain somehow affected his work schedule....he had more emergencies than the fire department. After 3 months of excuses and no end in sight, we couldn't take it any longer and fired him. It wasn’t pretty. Want to know what else wasn’t pretty? Me, pregnant and not sleeping in my own bed for 3 months...that makes for one cranky, pregnant lady.

Sans-contractor and no strangers to home improvement projects, we knew we could finish the job ourselves but we had to shift it into high gear so we could finally move out of the guest room, which will soon be the baby’s room. Unfortunately, the closet required a plethora of pregnant-unfriendly activities before it would be complete – like painting, staining and heavy lifting – which meant our usual work crew of 2 was down to 1.

Andy is a superstar. He slaved over this thing on weekends and in the evenings after work and made more progress in one month than the contractor did in three. The finished product looks fantastic!

I Like My Whole House!

2011-09-29T08:41:00.003-05:00

Andy sent me this YouTube video with a note saying,
"I hope our daughter does this someday."

Between her musicality and sense of humor with that curly hair and a propensity to climb things, I think this could be a glimpse into our future!

Gearing Up for Workouts

2011-09-19T19:34:00.036-05:00

Working out is important to me so it is crucial I maintain a decent level of fitness throughout my pregnancy...or for as long as my body will allow through my pregnancy. I've surrendered – my body is calling the shots these days.

After a prenatal personal training session, I learned monitoring my heart rate is the key working out safely. So I bought this heart rate monitor to use during my cardio workout of choice, spinning. During class, I watch the digital display like a hawk, making sure I stay within the recommended zone without exceeding 140 (the maximum heart rate). It's working really well for me and I'm glad I have this tool to keep me in check so I don't hog all of the oxygen.

When I began monitoring my heart rate several months ago, I felt staying under 140 still provided a decent workout. In the last few weeks, however, one of the (many) changes my body is undergoing is an increase in my standing heart rate. Actually, I am surprised at the significant increase happening each week when I start the monitor up in the locker room. Since I am starting at a higher rate, reaching 140 during my workouts does not take as long as it used to – which is totally fair, my body is already working pretty hard these days.

The Road Less Traveled

2011-09-12T19:25:00.022-05:00

This is the hallway to my doctor's office, her door is on the left. The first time I turned the corner to visit my new doctor and discovered this was the hallway I would be traveling down during my pregnancy, I laughed out loud...this is also the hallway to the travel clinic, that door is on the right.

Could Robert Frost be anymore apropos?

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergroth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Whose Day?

2011-09-07T05:58:00.014-05:00

Why on earth is Woman's Day magazine regularly arriving in my mailbox?! Granted, a little person will soon be calling me "Mom" but this is not my magazine, this is someone else's mom's magazine.

I included my Athleta catalog in this picture just to balance things out.

Fruity Drinks Make Me Happy?

2011-09-02T20:43:00.013-05:00

As a beer and wine girl, the world of cocktails – make that, mocktails for these 9 months – is unchartered territory. Despite my lack of hard liquor knowledge, I thought by this point in my pregnancy, I would have tried dozens of mocktails and developed a short list of favorites.

However several uncreative bartenders (one of them actually asked me what a mocktail was) have curtailed my libation experimentation.

On more than one occasion “Just make me something grapefruit juice” has landed me with juice, ice and a straw. Once it was in a paper cup. Gee, thanks, now I feel like a third grader.

I recently went out for an after-work drink (read: I'll have water) and discovered a brand new section on the menu of our local bar: Mocktails! I ordered a raspberry nojito and it was awesome. I'm kinda still excited about this...oh, how things have changed!

Halfway Done...and it Shows

2011-09-01T19:42:00.011-05:00

At 21 weeks, I'm half way there! The marination process is definitely getting more intense and seems to be kicking into overdrive. I'm definitely noticing a drain on my energy in the past week or so – the little one is supposedly quadrupling her size in the next couple of weeks.

As you might guess, I am showing more too: strangers are now just flat out asking how I am feeling, and this morning, my bus driver congratulated me as I paid my fare. So I guess it's official: I've graduated from "Hmm...did she pack on a few pounds?" to "That girl is pregnant."

I guess that's what carrying a baby the size of a cantaloupe will do to you...
Sheesh, cantaloupe – already?!

I Saw a Werewolf with a Chinese Menu in his Hand

2011-08-30T09:20:00.002-05:00

Have I mentioned that I'm completely fascinated with all of the stuff the body does to accommodate and nourish a baby during pregnancy? Yes, probably a few times...

In addition to the obvious change – my growing belly – the natural growth hormones surging through my body coupled with the prenatal vitamins are making my hair and nails grow at an alarming rate. I can watch my nails almost grow before my eyes, which makes me feel a little like Teen Wolf.

Remember that scene? I just can't shake it from my mind as I reach for the nail clippers twice a week.
(It's right around 1:11 in the clip below.)

Bedtime Reading

2011-08-29T14:58:00.002-05:00

This book is f-ing brilliant!
We just got it as a gift, it makes a great start to our library!

Baby Stores "R" Overwhelming

2011-08-22T20:22:00.001-05:00

I can't believe we're at grapefruit week already! Given the heft of this sizable citrus fruit, all signs point to one of the outstanding items on the So Your Pregnant? checklist – starting a baby registry.

BethAnn the sherpa

We had a feeling registering was not going to be easy but we had no idea it would be so overwhelming. Did you know there are over a dozen brands of baby bottles – all with different features? And that's just one aspect of feeding the little one, there's so much more to think about!

I didn't expect to be an expert when it comes to this stuff – let's face it, up to this point my expertise lays in the realm of dog gear, not baby gear – but I thought prepping for the arrival of a baby would be a little more intuitive. Yeah, it's not.

BethAnn was our savior—or should I say, our sherpa—leading us effortlessly through the dizzying aisles of Babies R Us. I seriously can't imagine doing this without her.

She would bring us to a section, present the item, tell us about the different brands available and give us her opinion on what's worked for her, and in some cases, what's worked best for TJ, Sara or Jack's needs. She even tweaked her advice knowing we need city-sized gear and like to equip ourselves at smart but minimal levels. She was efficient, organized (no surprise there), and had the stamina (and then some) for our 4.5 hour expedition. In retrospect, BethAnn, you should contract out your skills, I'll make your business cards.

A word of advice: if you're thinking about having a baby and plan on registering, don't go it alone, bring an expert. Also, keep well-hydrated.

We're Having a Girl!

2011-08-15T19:22:00.002-05:00

Actually, the exact words of the ultrasound technician were, "You're having a girl gymnast." (No, I'm not kidding.) During the ultrasound, our little girl was doing flips and moving around at a good clip, which made it quite challenging to photograph her – as you can see by the not-so-clear imaging below!

(I'll need to heavily caption these images,

they are not as self-explanatory as our ultrasound two months ago.)

This is her head with her mouth open and fist in the air, looks like she's rocking out in a karaoke bar.

Tiny baby feet are really cute and when she "kicked" the camera, it was just plain adorable. It cracks me up that this is the clearest image of the day.

What even is this? Well, if you were there, you would know this blur of an image was a nicely-executed double back flip with a triple twist. She's been perfecting it over the past week or so. We're proud of her.

My Nose Knows

2011-08-03T20:17:00.052-05:00

If you hang out with me in the next four months, I'm probably going to go into overzealous-bloodhound-mode and ask to smell your drink...a few times. I'm pleasantly surprised this technique is satiating the obvious decline of vitamin CS (Cabernet Savignon) from my diet!

Best Onesies Ever

2011-07-30T20:07:00.041-05:00

Our old friends, Sean and Amanda, surprised us with some of our first baby gifts – beer-inspired onesies! Not only do these happen to scream Andy & Ali but Sean designed them, which makes them extra special. Smart mom, Amanda, made sure to get multiple sizes in 6 month increments so our little one will know the value of good craft beers well into toddler-hood!

Jealous? Want some of these? Yeah, you should. They are from Nine Authentic Goods, a way cool store Sean and Amanda just happen to own in Glens Falls, NY. Thanks, Sean and Amanda, you guys rock!

Irises Be Gone

2011-07-30T08:10:00.065-05:00

Irises are one of my favorite flowers so I was pretty excited when our backyard bloomed purple during the first spring in our house. So for 2 weeks in late May, here's what the backyard looks like.

For the rest of the summer, our backyard is less purple and less pretty. The greenery has gotten progressively unruly during the last couple of years. On top of that, we learned the hard way these suckers don't take kindly to pruning. Ick, messy...

As much as I love irises, the unattended yard look was driving me mad, so we cleared them out. In its place, we planted a few sprigs of salvia – as not to give up on the purple entirely. We'll add more ground cover next spring but for now we'll enjoy this clean, minamalist feel.

I'll still take irises in a vase anyday!

First Flutters

2011-07-27T20:55:00.002-05:00

I felt it! It's a little early for me to start feeling the baby's movement but everything must have been aligned perfectly. There was no denying what those little butterfly fluttery wing feeling things were as they moved across my belly!

NY/NJ Sensibility

2011-07-27T19:44:00.023-05:00

Whoa, what the heck just happened? I got off the T at Copley Square and my New York City pace, which I've never lost since moving to Boston, just became sluggish and a little less “bridge and tunnel-ish”. I like walking faster than Red Sox fans...!

Oh well, looks like I'll be in the slow lane for awhile but I'll be sure to pass on the benefits of being a fast and confident walker to my little one as soon as it fits into sneakers!

Girl after my own heart

2011-07-23T19:38:00.018-05:00

Sara, my niece, asked me, "Aunt Ali, once you get your baby out, can you do flips off the diving board again?" Oh yes, Sara – I can and I will!

Here's TJ and Jack!

Baby's First Concert

2011-07-20T16:14:00.015-05:00

This week, the baby can hear sounds outside the womb. It’s perfect timing - we’re christening those newly formed auditory canals with live U2 music!

The July heatwave and our general admission tickets proved to be an endurance test but there was no way me and my bump were missing this show, which was rescheduled from a year ago after Bono’s emergency back surgery. In order to pace myself, we arrived at the stadium at a “normal person’s time,” as opposed to our crazy-fan camping-out behavior to get into the front row.

We still had a good view of the stage and braving the heat, along with the lack of seat, was more than well-worth it! They performed a killer set list, definitely my favorite of any of the U2 shows I’ve ever seen.

Our Baby will be well-versed in Achtung Baby era songs, with the surprise opener of Even Better than the Real Thing, followed by 5 songs from that album. The highlight for me though was an impromptu encore/show closer of Out of Control — one of my all-time favorites.

Here's the full set list and review.

Getting my McGyver on

2011-07-13T06:48:00.003-05:00

Unlike McGyver, I'm not saving the world with a rubberband and paperclip but I am keeping my pants up! This little maternity trick has not only been working like a charm but it is also buying me some time until it is time to invest in larger clothes.

Belly Bands and Determination (shopping part 2)

2011-07-10T20:03:00.001-05:00

With the big, plastic, pregnant bellies still fresh in my mind but determined to get a stretchy pair of jeans I can actually button, I headed to the maternity section of Macy’s.

I had no idea Macy’s even had a maternity section. To get there, I had to first walk through the juniors section and thought to myself, I could still fit into any of these slutty clothes if I wanted to. Next, I had to journey through the wedding registry section, which reminded me of the days when shopping was fun.

I took it slow as I entered into the uncharted maternity section and tried my best to employ deep breathing techniques. In my quasi-state of chill, I was able to find two pairs of denim capris to try on. Success!

It turns out the dressing room is in a totally bizarre section next to maternity, I’ll call this the geriatric plus size section....am I still in Macy’s? Feeling, once again out of place, I tucked my head down, made myself small and quietly walked towards the fitting room amongst a sea of really large clothes. Suddenly a booming voice interrupts, ”Now those look really small!”

Thinking there is no way this could possibly be directed at me, I look up anyway to find a Macy’s employee pointing at the capris I’m about to try on.

[Dumbfounded pause followed by a wave of self-doubt] Am I that big already? Have I lost all judgement of what might fit on this new body of mine? Is this woman questioning whether or not I can get these pants up past my thighs? Ack, this is worse than I thought!

She continued, “Oooh, that's because they're maternity! And you're small!”
“Uh, yeah, I hope so...” was all I could muster as I continued walking into the dressing room.

So the timing with the wacky sales lady was a wee bit uncanny given the fact I was in a bizarre place, both mentally and physically, but the pants worked out great! And I'll have you know, they were actually a little big, if anything. I’m definitely bringing my sister next time.

Diving in Head First (and drowning a little)

2011-07-10T19:05:00.031-05:00

I passed by that Motherhood Maternity store during my last visit to the mall. It was adorned with sale signs, so I decided to check it out—if I don’t have to pay full price for a maternity muumuu, all the better.

Wow, that was dumb of me...way too much, too soon. I was feeling really weird and uncomfortable as it was but the pregnant mannequin torsos threw me right over the edge. Oh man, that’s going to be me?!

Everywhere I turned there was a big, plastic, pregnant belly—displayed at eye-level—with those band things around them. Big, plastic, pregnant bellies wearing some lame shirt; big, plastic, pregnant bellies in overly-floraled skirts; and the worst one - a big, plastic, pregnant belly in support hose. (Join me in my head for a moment where this scenario is accompanied by the music from Psycho’s shower scene while big, plastic, pregnant bellies zoom in and out of my vision, causing me, my overly-active imagination and my fear that I will never regain abs strong enough to do a sit-up again, to simply freak-out.)

Exit stage left in a cold sweat and with a mental note to bring a wing-woman next time I attempt to shop for me and my bump.

Parkour!

2011-06-29T12:00:00.076-05:00

So I'm feeling good and here's more good stuff: I got my second ultrasound this morning. I can’t really describe the emotions that run through your body as you get this quick peek at a baby—your baby—in your belly. That's actually in me? It’s a moment of simultaneous laughter/tears/eyes bugging out/whoa-ness. Yeah, no words, which would make this blog post a bust if it weren't for the powerful visual below. Ohh...ahh...

The ultrasound technician said it was super active (as did the technician during my first ultrasound). The baby was moving its arms wildly and kicking its feet, even rotating away and towards the viewfinder. I think I saw it parkour but it's all a blur, really. I just hope its toes were pointed.

Here it is! Incredible how quickly it has developed from the last time we saw it. Back then, we both though it was bean-shaped and a little Stimpy-esque, but now it is starting to actually look like a baby! Fascinating and amazing!

What is parkour? Take a look at this.

You're gonna make it after all

2011-06-28T11:45:00.002-05:00

I am now in my second trimester and all of those out-of-control first trimester symptoms seem to be leveling out. It’s a really great feeling to be free from that cloud of nausea that relentlessly hovered over me. Like really great—like Mary Tyler Moore toss your hat into the air—great.

My sister told me it would be like someone flipped a switch at the 12th week, and it has been. Amen to that, sista.

Strange things are afoot at the Circle K

2011-06-22T18:24:00.021-05:00

At 12 weeks, the powers that be say I may experience some dizziness...low and behold, I’m at a place called vertigo. Since my peripheral vision was closing in as I got off the bus, I sought refuge on the stoop outside my local 7-11.

Well, my dizzy ass has been stuck here for 20 minutes, just being dizzy and feeling pretty damn pathetic that I can't make the block-and-half walk home. WTF? Didn’t I just climb a pretty tall mountain recently? So here I am, paralyzed and joining the ranks with other convenience store stoop dwellers — like our favorite, One-Dollah-Joe — until my world stops spinning.

Retreat, already!

2011-06-15T09:04:00.045-05:00

My body is making a 3-pronged attack on some unchartered territory, the space directly in front of me. Even though my instincts—honed by years of gymnastics training—tell the troops to retreat (suck in my gut), it is futile. There is no surrender in sight. I will just have to come to terms with the fact that this will be a long, slow and steady push forward.

Yeah, yeah....pregnant bellies grow. I know. It's been a tough pill to swallow as an athletic person who had control over her body throughout her life. I'll get over it and start recognizing my reflection soon enough.

I can actually do stuff I enjoy?

2011-06-14T09:01:00.002-05:00

My doctor told me some wonderful news today: Red wine is not the devil’s drink and unpasteurized cheese doesn’t need to be off-limits! I mean, all of the maternity books make it sound like you shouldn't even be in the same room with these things much less wanting them for yourself! Oh, you’re a bad mother if you actually want these things.

Obviously I can’t consume as much wine as I did pre-pregnancy but a glass every once in awhile is fine. There are even some interesting studies on the benefits of drinking red wine during pregnancy. Not only am I’m relived that pregnancy is no exception to the everything-in-moderation golden rule but that I don't have to have another truffle debacle or a bad visit to Formaggio's again!

For My Next Adventure...

2011-06-09T08:46:00.010-05:00

Does the idea of not being able to travel for awhile bum me out? Yes. I am selfish in that department. I’ll own it. However, if I don’t consider this endeavor a journey, then I’m just not paying attention. Granted this journey won’t be bookended by flying in and out of Logan airport but it is going to be an adventure. That’s how I framed it and I’m pretty happy with that perspective.

I got this card today from BethAnn—the timing was just uncanny. I haven’t told her the news yet but it feels like she knows!

Relief

2011-06-08T08:16:00.036-05:00

I had a scare today, I’ll spare you the details but I had to see the doctor right away. During the checkup, the doctor calmly went through the possibilities of what could be happening to me and the baby while Andy and I silently freaked out. The doctor said she would try to hear the baby's heartbeat even though it might be too early to detect one. It worked! Whoa. Now that was a moment, not only of relief but also of realization that there is life in me. Yeah, whoa.

It was followed up by an ultrasound where we saw it fluttering around, I guess it is an active little thing. We left the hospital in a state of stunned elation.

Kilimanjaro

2011-06-07T11:55:00.009-05:00

A year ago I stood at the summit of Kilimanjaro. Huh, nauseous then and nauseous now...

I will also add that "morning" sickness has nothing to do with the hours between breakfast and lunch—it's a misnomer and a half! For accuracy's sake, it should be called 24/7 sickness.

Apples are Good for Babies

2011-06-05T11:52:00.004-05:00

Baby monitors really couldn't be further from my mind right now. Not Andy! Bless his little geeky heart. He researched this already—thoroughly—and has his heart set on an iPad compatible WiFi monitor. So it looks like things won’t change dramatically after all, in addition to the baby, our family will still be me, Andy, and Steve (Jobs).

Formaggio's - Worst Visit Ever

2011-06-04T11:38:00.041-05:00

It is no secret that my pre-pregnancy world was filled with unpasteurized cheeses. Oh, how I miss you, my tasty listeria bacterium! It is going to be a long 9 months (see the truffle incident.)

We walk into my favorite cheese shop—make that my favorite shop of all time, for all things purchase-able—and see one of our favorite cheesemongers, Kurt, who recognizes us right away. “Oh, what do we have here?” I asked distracted by some creamy, gnarly, stinky samples on the counter. Kurt grins and says, “This is amazing stuff—and not to be dramatic—but we will never have it again. Unfortunately, this cheesemaker is retiring,” as he caressed two coveted waxed paper bricks of cheese on the counter. He added, “These are the last pieces of this cheese we have available, ever.”

Instinctively, I reach for a taste but was stopped short by some abrupt and very new instinct which forced me ask “Is it pasteurized?” (I have to say, asking this made me feel really lame—pack it in, sign me up for a minivan...life will never be as much fun as it used to be.) “No, it is raw.” *sigh* I wiped the drool from my chin and watched Andy go in for the taste without me. “Well...?” I’ll call it, the cheese-who-must-not-be-near-unborn-children, rendered Andy speechless. I guess it was simply divine. Being the good guy he is, he tried not to rub it in.

The rest of the visit was like a game of Stump the Cheese Monger. The unpasteurized options are painfully narrow. To add insult to injury, there are even unpasteurized olives. WTF?

We did end up with a few morsels of pasteurized goodness but instead of my usual exit from Formaggio’s, which often includes a skip and an ear-to-ear grin, I walked out of the store with my shoulders slumped. Defeated until January. “Andy, I can’t wait for January.” “January, huh? That’s probably only time I’ll ever hear you say that!”

Who told Miles?

2011-06-03T11:28:00.012-05:00

We certainly didn't have to, he totally knows! That just kind of blows my mind. He is sticking to me like glue lately.

Fatigued?

2011-06-02T11:26:00.014-05:00

Andy told me to have some of these, they would give me more pep.

Rodents of Unusual Size (ROUS)

2011-05-30T11:10:00.023-05:00

I’ve read that dads-to-be to be can go through all sorts or sympathy pains during their partner’s pregnancy like headaches, weight gain and nausea, the official term for this is hatching. I don’t know if what Andy is feeling qualifies as hatching or just plain guilt for knocking me up (sorry for the crude phrasing there); but he feels responsible for me as I suffer through the gamut of first trimester symptoms.

Whatever it is, I love his take on it: He feels like we’re stuck on an island and decide to divide and concur to find a way home; he sends me in one direction while he explores the other. Unknowingly, the route he sends me on is through the fire swamp (ala The Princess Bride) complete with firespurts, quicksand and ROUS. His route? A stroll along the beach.

Porn Star

2011-05-29T11:05:00.006-05:00

Really? With the boobs? Is it really necessary to be this obscenely large this soon? It’s a bit overzealous, if you ask me—I hate to break it to them but it is going to be awhile until they actually need to serve a function. I am going to have to start implementing Chinese foot binding methods to keep these suckers in check. Amongst other things, they are making it very difficult to do a Kettlebell clean without whacking into them.

Truffles

2011-05-27T10:20:00.004-05:00

Andy and I went out to dinner and I was pleased as punch to find out black truffles were on special that evening. So that’s what I ordered (duh). First, I was served a beautiful plate of pasta and then the waiter returned from special trip with a glass-domed platter containing the coveted truffles. He removed one of those fecal-looking bad boys from its tiny throne and proceeded to shave it over my pasta. OMG, the aromas made me squeal silently...at first, then it was audible. I didn’t care.

My first bite was heavenly. And to wash it down, I reached for the stem of my wine glass but instead grabbed the only thing to the left of my plate, Coca-Cola. Coca f-ing Cola! Are you kidding me? I could have paired this with several selections from the wine list that would blow my taste buds away and leave my mouth watering for weeks to come. But no. This was painful and so wrong in every way. How the hell am I going to get through nine months of this?

Horriblemones

2011-05-23T09:11:00.020-05:00

I’m assuming elevated levels of hormones don’t agree with most people. But for me, it got pretty horrible pretty quickly. I can’t even say it was an emotional roller coaster because there were no ups, it was all downs.

All of the Ali in me flew so far out the window it seemed to land in another time zone. And when you’re struggling that much, you freak out and wonder if you will ever get you back. It made me so frustrated that I would have surges of tension like a tantrum or a seizure, which happened frequently enough that we decided to call it full-body frustration.

“Are you OK?”
“Yeah, just full-body frustration again. Ugh.”

Thank god for Andy, who can give one hell of a pep talk and a whole lot of love.
This fiercely independent and (sometimes) tough chick would not have won this battle without the unwavering support of Andy. I know those first few weeks must have tested his patience and endurance as I became a super high-maintenance mega-bitch. One thing is for sure, he’s going to be a kickass dad—he’s certainly mastered the art of being a husband.

180°

2011-05-02T09:08:00.006-05:00

The direction of my blog is going to take a bit of a turn, to say the least. I’m pregnant.
Cue audio: squealing tires.

California Bliss (again)

2011-02-20T16:55:00.008-05:00

I realize this getting repetitive but here’s another blog post about California! Yes, our golden state addiction is getting tough to ignore. For this visit – our third within a year and a half – we went to Napa and Sonoma Valley. Due to the fact these are major wine producing areas, it’s really no surprise we enjoyed ourselves tremendously. It was pure, wonderful indulgence.

First, we visited Nancy and Brian in Sonoma Valley, who were fantastic hosts. Brian’s wine industry connections hooked us up with some sweet recommendations for winery visits (and did I mention the food...oh god, so good). All four of us fell in love with Dry Creek Valley in northern Sonoma Valley.

As Andy and I headed west, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about revisiting the commercialness of Napa Valley, especially since I’ve developed an affinity for the smaller, and seemingly more down-to-earth vibe of the central coast (Paso Robles, specifically). Conclusion: It’s no accident Napa Valley wine is considered world-class. It was solid. Pricey, yes, but solid.

We tasted wines in every manner we could: we went on a bike tour of the Stag’s Leap district in Napa, which specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon; we did a wine blending session at Ravenswood; tasted out of barrels; tasted on patios overlooking vineyards; tasted with food pairings; tasted in a wine cave; tasted with vineyard dogs napping at our feet; tasted in house; tasted with a mouse; tasted in a box with a fox. (Ha! Just wanted to see if you were paying attention.)

Traveling in the off-season was the way to go for us: First and foremost, there were no crowds, we were able to kick back and talk about the wine with some winemakers; we were able to get reservations at restaurants like Bouchon (Thomas Keller); we were also able to stay in B&Bs we wouldn’t have otherwise been able to afford by finding last minute vacancy each day. In fact, we found we could get a good deal by just asking for it. Very cool. Don’t feel bad for California, we did more than our share to contributing to the local economy - our wine cellar overflowth with all of the good stuff we brought back with us!

There's really a ton to say about our trip, I'll let the photos finish some of the story. Click here to see images from San Fran, Napa and Sonoma Valley!

Peanuts & Beer

2011-02-20T12:04:00.018-05:00

On the way back from wine country, we stopped in Santa Rosa to see what this Pliny the Younger triple IPA was all about. Pliny the Younger is a local favorite released for only 2 weeks annually by the Russian River Brewing Company. We got to the pub at 11:30AM and the bar was already packed, in fact, we almost didn't get a table! All in all, it's worth the hype: wonderfully hoppy and youthful, as the name suggests.

We tried Pliny the Elder as well, which is on tap all year round...let's just leave it at, this place knows its beer. If you are ever in the area, it's definitely worth a visit.

After a few rounds of The Younger, we set out on the streets of Santa Rosa, where Charles Shultz lived while he created The Peanuts comics. In fact, the city wished to pay homage to his life’s work by erecting a statue - but Shultz refused a statue in his likeness, and instead, suggested one of Charlie Brown and Snoopy. They obliged with a lovely bronze statue in the town square and since then, many others statues of Charlie Brown, Lucy, Snoopy and Woodstock have popped up around town.

The Peanuts are a huge part of my childhood (almost as huge as The Muppets) so we set out on an impromptu scavenger hunt to find as many character statues as possible. With each spotting, my giddiness grew - it was a ton of fun and an unexpected way to spend the afternoon! We found quite a few statues - check out the photos here!

Happy Brew Year!

2011-01-03T22:17:00.010-05:00

Andy is a mean home brewer, his beer turns out great every year. But this year, we tried something different and went to a brew your own place. They have all of the ingredients, specialised equipment and storage facilities to create your own brew. Best part, the not-so-aromatic hop odor doesn't permeate throughout the house (mind you, this a necessary evil and a sacrifice I was always willing to make considering the delicious outcome).

Last month, we decided to brew a Dog Head Fish IPA clone. It was a ton of fun - during the two-day process we did it all, from milling the grains to bottling our brew, which is totally yummy I might add. We called it Fuzzy Head, inspired by our very own fuzzy pal, Miles. See our cool label and more pics from the two-day process here

Out, Damned (Colonial) Spot!

2010-12-05T09:59:00.012-05:00

We appreciate the character of our old house. We had better - there's really no other option than old when you live in Boston! The antiquated china cabinet in our dining room, however, has never been something we appreciated. Really, what the heck am I supposed to do with a china cabinet?! I don't have - nor have I ever wanted - china; knick-knacks are just not my thing; and clutter makes me tense. I've been struggling with what to do/how to fill this space since we moved in.

So what to do? I was ready to take a sledgehammer to this tired, colonial-era built-in while visions of design inspiration from California danced in my head (chunky/rustic woods, exposed brick, reclaimed wine barrels) . . . but we needed to do this project on the cheap and also keep resale in mind. Sigh. Limitations can be so creatively stifling.

Confused, stiffled and sort of uninspired, we approached this project in a way we usually don't - without an end product in mind. At the very least, we thought we should clean it up a bit, after all - this thing had been caked with at least 500 layers of paint since prohibition. So we started there.

We removed the doors first to strip them and discovered we liked the cabinet sans-door. (We left the framework intact though, in case the next owners want to reinstate the doors.) Then we installed faux brick, added some more brick texture and painted it white. As subscribers to the "Candice Olson school of home improvement," we also added lighting, of course. Next we removed some of the shelves for stripping and discovered we really liked the open feel, so we kept them out. The remaining two shelves were stained the same colour as our neighboring sideboard in the butler's pantry.

My handy Andy went the extra mile to modernize the PBB-era drawers (pre-ball bearings) and completely rebuilt them so that they actually slide out easily. I am so grateful that he has spared me of the violent tug-of-war battles I had to undergo in order to access our table linens. There's nothing better than form + function!

Our organic home improvement process brought us from china cabinet to minimalist niche. We haven't found the perfect one object to put in there yet but we're loving the transformation and feel like we made it compatible with our style while also making an overall improvement to the room. See the before/after photos + the process here

(Still) California Dreaming

2010-10-24T18:19:00.005-05:00

We just can't seem to get enough of California! This time around we headed to Paso Robles for their zinfandel, which did not disappoint. We visited very small production vineyards - in a few places we tasted with the winemakers themselves. Very cool. After Paso, we covered a lot of ground, revisiting Santa Inez Valley and LA and traveled as far south as San Diego.
See photos of our trip here

Grandma Rocks!

2010-08-01T10:22:00.011-05:00

My Mom participated in the 3-day/60-mile Susan G. Komen walk for breast cancer last weekend in Boston. I'm so proud of her! In addition to cheering Mom on, Andy and I had an extra fun weekend hosting my sister, our nephew and niece, who came up for the weekend to support (and surprise) Mom. Check out the video Andy put together, which documents the moment when the kids surprised Mom along the walk route. Grandma Rocks!

Kilimanjaro Climb...yup, it's a mountain alright!

2010-07-26T09:37:00.003-05:00

I enjoy walking up hills. I enjoy being up high and overlooking beautiful views (call it a Napoleonic complex, if you must) but most of all, I like the sense of achievement you feel at the summit of any mountain.

As I watched the Kilimanjaro IMAX movie (one of my first dates with Andy), I never would have guessed that 9 years later, I'd be sleeping in those exact tents and making a journey from the gigantic ferns of the rain forest to the famous glaciers that stand at the "Roof of Africa." I'll add, I have been sitting next to the Kili sales person in our office for 4 years (repeated phone conversations describing the mountain and the climb have been quite a tease, like dangling the carrot in front of the mule kind of thing). Let's just say that Kilimanjaro has been a long time coming for me.

I climbed the most challenging route Kilimanjaro offers, the Umbwe Route. It has the steepest ascent with an aggressive trekking schedule of 5 days up and 1 day down. Rule of thumb, the more days you take to get up, the better your body will acclimatize to the altitude - you can't train for altitude and really never know how it's going to affect you.

I loved climbing Kilimanjaro and my trekking group of 10 was awesome - we had great laughs, even before we got to the mountain - and provided much needed support for one another as we made our way up. I was pleased to discover that Jersey was well-represented on the trek (2 NJ and 2 NYC trekkers) so there was a pleasant mix of familiar sarcasm sprinkled throughout the week.

I was physically well-prepared for the trek (and super psyched) and felt great everyday except the morning of our summit push. We were to leave our camp at 12:00 AM and I woke up with a bad case of altitude sickness. Trekking through the darkness that morning became a surreal, vertiginous, emotional 10 hour challenge for me...but there was no way I was coming home without having stood next to that damn sign at the summit. I tapped into my crazy determination/mental strength that I haven't really needed since my gymnastics days and thought about how badly I wanted to succeed and it worked! I made it! It was so worth the effort!

As Bono said - It's not a hill, it's a mountain, as you start out the climb, listen for me, I'll be shouting, we're gonna make it all the way to the light...

Click here for photos of my trek to The Roof of Africa!

Dispatch from the Bush

2010-07-14T08:46:00.002-05:00

It's tough to describe the incredible moments I had in Tanzania. I think the email below, which I sent home immediately following my safari, and as I was ramping up for my Kilimanjaro climb, does the best job at communicating some life-changing experiences I had.

I just woke up from a very good night's sleep - I needed that!
I am going to go to breakfast soon to meet my fellow trekkers, we will go to Arusha National Park today for some game viewing and short hike. We start the official climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro tomorrow. :)

My last stop on the safari was pretty special, we went to a very remote area just outside of the Serengeti. This was the only place I hadn't been before on safari. We had some amazing cultural interaction with the Maasai - they don't see mzungu (white people in Swahili) very often, if at all, in this part of the county. We went to a school first and the kids flocked around me to touch me and shake my hand. Shouting hello (in Swahili) - they wanted to feel what white skin felt like, so they were all clamering to touch my arms, which was the only exposed skin I had available. Also, they never quite saw hair like mine so I got several tugs on my curls. :) They were also very taken by my earrings and my bandana. It was very sweet, they were extremely excited and happy. I felt a bit like a rock star. Luckily my film crew boys were there to calm them down a bit (in Swahili) as it kind of got a bit overwhelming. You know me, I relished every moment.

It was tough to say goodbye to my film crew yesterday - the boys are students at a local (very progressive) film school. They were ready to work hard with me, as we had an aggressive schedule, and were so sweet. We were pretty much connected at the hip for just over 2 weeks.

Of course, I saw my old rafikis (friends) along the way: lions, baboons, leopards, really cool looking birds, giraffes, elephants, etc. I could watch them all day long.

One final thought: you all would love the Tanzanian spirit. They are welcoming, smiley and don't have negativity in their hearts. It's so surprising, as this is one of the most impoverished places on the planet. I wish we could all live our lives like this. I hope, for them, that they remain this way.

On to more adventures!

Tanzania Safari 2.0

2010-07-11T09:36:00.001-05:00

I've been on safari twice. Yup, twice. How did this amazing life become mine? I always dreamed about a safari - especially since I've had a fascination with big cats since I was young - but thought always thought I'd have to be really lucky to see my safari dreams realized.

Let me tell you, the second time around was even better than the first! Tanzania is amazing! It is teeming with wildlife and the people have a pure and joyful spirit that is almost unbelievable given it's one of the poorest countries.

This time around, I was directing a film crew to capture marketing footage for my job. It was fantastic being out there with my crew of two Tanzanian film students, we got along like a house on fire. My film boys (they affectionately referred to me as "My Ali") and my guide were probably the highlight of my trip. Other highlights included seeing my old friends at our Arusha office and those working at the camps, spending the day with a traditional Maasai healer, a male elephant in musk, cheetahs, leopards, and visiting the Maasai in a very remote area. I also loved talking with our guests - it made me really proud of my work, it's pretty cool that I play a part in helping people realize their dream.

Check out some of my pictures from safari here. I'll spare you the gazillion marketing photos of our camps and staff and focus on the stuff you want to see.

Burn, Baby, Burn

2010-06-28T18:53:00.016-05:00

I barely unpacked from Tanzania and I found myself into a new project! We had been thinking about making an extension off our patio for a chiminea for awhile now. Somehow, though, we got carried away while watering the garden last week...watering turned into clearing out an area...which turned into a visit to Home Depot for materials. Yikes! Put the breaks on! I still have massive amounts of laundry to do! All of the sudden, wham-o! A new paver mini-patio with a brand new chiminea. This turned out to be a way less ambitious patio than the one we built a few years ago, thank goodness! In the end, we’re feeling very Californian with more opportunities to spend in our garden. See the photos of the small patio and the chiminea in our backyard.

I'm slacking - I didn’t include a post about our new fireplace from last winter, which was a big deal for me. So, keeping with the fire theme of this post, I'll inform you that we installed a gas fireplace in our living room. This project required a ton of research and persistence on my part over the 3 winters we have spent in our home thus far...I needed a fireplace in a bad way! We finally found one that fit in our space and complied with all of the annoying Boston-area codes. End the end, we stayed warm this winter! Click on the photo to the left to see it larger.

To the Roof of Africa!

2010-05-18T21:46:00.011-05:00

I didn't have a whole heck of a lot of time to train for my upcoming Kilimanjaro trek - just under 5 weeks. Here are some photos of those who helped and motivated me through it. Since elation isn't photographic-able, which has been my biggest motivating factor, you'll just have to mentally add a photo of me beaming....yup, just like that. :) Wish me luck! My summit push will begin in the early morning hours of Tuesday, June 8th.

I'll close with words from a really wise Irishman, "It's not a hill, it's a mountain, as you start out the climb, listen for me, I'll be shouting - we're gonna make it all the way to the light...but you know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight." (I just wish I could remember that Irish dude's name.)
Click here for photos of my Kili training

Cha Cha Chia!

2010-04-25T21:18:00.010-05:00

We are lucky to have a massive and healthy bleeding heart bush in our backyard, I adore the blooms on this plant and watching it grow is one of my favorite things about spring. I have to admit though, the growth is a bit freakish...it's kind of like a Chia Pet. I decided to take photos of it every so often this past month just to prove I'm not exaggerating.
See a series of photos here - "It's fun, water it and watch it grow!"

Butler's Pantry Completed

2010-02-01T17:05:00.013-05:00

By the time we tackled our butler's pantry, we were a fine-tuned renovating team! The pantry housed original stuff to the house, but not in a cool way - it was just old and tired. Even still, the room provides lots of storage and additional space for food prep, which we love and need - so refreshing this space has been on our list of to-dos for awhile.

We replaced the original Formica-topped cabinet with a piece of furniture we modified to look like a built-in unit and later topped with granite to match the kitchen. We also enclosed the open storage nook with new cabinetry to sit above our wine fridge, which we very happily promoted from the basement. The final project was installing custom shelving for our glassware. And as always, we did lots of repair work to the walls, added new trim/molding and paint.

We got pretty creative and managed to complete this space very cost effectively: The cabinet was from IKEA (on sale to boot!); due to the unusual size of the storage nook, we were forced to get custom cabinetry but managed to find a place that builds custom cabinets by machine instead of by hand, which saved a bundle; and our slab of granite was recycled (a remnant from another kitchen) and was waaaay less expensive and a green solution, which made us feel nice.
Check out pics from the project here

California Dreaming

2009-11-14T12:12:00.013-05:00

Andy and I had an epic vacation in southern California. We visited our friend, Gilles, who just moved to Santa Monica; went on a couple of wine tasting tours along the central coast (Sideways country); played outside in the sunshine and more. We were just blown away by the scenery; the fresh and delicious food; the consistently perfect weather; and the laid-back, friendly people. We will be back!
We did lots of stuff - check out the photos!

How Fast Does Our Garden Grow?

2009-10-18T16:21:00.020-05:00

We just celebrated Andy's birthday last night and today it's snowing....this is SO wrong. So I'm hiding in the basement and using some serious skills of denial to remember/transport to our bright, green, sunny backyard:
They say that arborvitae are fast-growing plants - I needed to see just how fast, so I was sure to seize this Kodak moment with before and after photos. The summer season brought a good deal of progress to the backyard; the 'vitae established themselves and filled-out pretty nicely, I must say. Those with the thumb-of-green also say the second growing season is pretty intense. So I'm looking forward to some insane photosynthesis action next summer.
Revisit out backyard

Bono's on U2.com and so am I!

2009-10-09T18:34:00.005-05:00

I was just pursuing U2.com and saw myself! Whoa.
While checking out a couple of clips from the Giants Stadium shows, where Kristin and I made it to the front row/the inner circle, I squealed in delight to see people I recognized!

Click on the photo to the left to see it larger, or go to U2.com via this link and pay close attention to the 8 second mark in the video - that's me and Kristin (who is unfortunately blocked by our Irish flag) in all of our glory/fanaticism. Also pictured, front and center, our new pal - Jorge (he's looking crazed but is actually a very nice and gentle soul).

The Inner Circle.

2009-10-01T20:03:00.009-05:00

Kristin and I have been going to U2 shows for quite sometime and for quite sometime, we've coveted the area know to fans as "the inner circle." The inner circle is an enclosed space right up against the stage for a couple hundred people. This time around, we made it inside! It took some camping-out, careful preparation and a bit of anxiety but in the end, victory was ours! There was only 1 person between us and the stage - we were so close, we could see The Edge's eyelashes!
Victory! See photos of our tour here

Also, check out a video of the stage and the awesomeness that was the 360 degree tour.

Bring it on down to Arborvitaeville!

2009-05-10T09:42:00.011-05:00

So I stopped whining about the backyard and we got to work. We cut a new, curvy bed along the fence to accommodate 12 arborvitae trees. These little guys are supposed to be fast growers and should form a nice, thick wall of green in a couple of years. Our arborvitae bonanza took 2 weekends to complete + a Riley record-breaking 5 visits to Home Depot in one day. We're quite pleased with the results - it's better than it was before.
Grow, baby, grow....can I feed them steroids?

In Vino Veritas

2009-04-27T18:37:00.010-05:00

We visited the Finger Lakes in upstate New York for a wine tasting. You might not be aware, but the Finger Lakes are home to a ton of wineries and some really beautiful landscapes. This wine region is known for its whites and since it's a cooler growing climate, the wines tend to be sweeter. I have to commend those brave little grapes - I could barely make it through Rochester winters myself!

We had a great time with our pals, Amie and Brett and their families who were super gracious: putting us up, feeding us and driving our buzzed butts around the lakes!
Photos here!

Rant: The Neighbors are Killing Me!

2009-04-18T06:56:00.014-05:00

Our backyard was a major selling point for us when we bought this house. It's a private, well-landscaped, little sanctuary - pretty unique for such a heavily populated area. Recently, however, the privacy element of our backyard was obliterated by a chainsaw. The neighbors to our right cut down their entire line of thick, wonderful, 8' tall hedges which formed a perfect barrier along the side of our yards. Even though they weren't mine, I loved those hedges.

Our little sanctuary has been sadly exposed - instead of lush greenery, our yard now offers a disgracefully clear view of unsightly backyards all the way to the Cambridge line. I keep asking (make that whining) "WHY?!"

The same weekend the hedges came down, the neighbors on the other side decided to extend their driveway into their backyard. Not pretty. Call me a Yankee - but overlooking a pickup truck while grilling? Ick. To add insult to injury, some lovely flowering tree branches were casualties of the endeavor. All in the same weekend? It made me nauseous.

As of now, the Riley sanctuary borders a horticultural refugee camp on one side and Kentucky on the other (see for yourself) and then of course, the basement flooding neighbor at 12 o'clock...but that was last summer's project. What will we do? Well, that brings us to our next project.
See our plans for the yard here + before and current pics

Happy Amazing Birthday to Me!

2009-03-08T17:40:00.016-05:00

It all began on Friday morning when Miles retrieved/delivered a familiar yellow envelope...the rest is a fun-filled blur of a weekend. Andy planned another Amazing Birthday Race for me - seriously, I'm a lucky girl. For a quick recap of the first one, click here.

I followed clues that led me to an indoor skydiving facility in the afternoon, which was a ridiculously fun experience! We both literally flew in a giant wind tunnel (I'm flying! See photos here) The evening was capped off with a surprise rendezvous with a bunch of friends at Alibi. In between, there was lots of laughing, good friends, sundaes, beer, wine, U2 performed (on GMA), spring sprung...it was an amazing birthday weekend.
Check out the bday experience here

Safari Videos

2009-02-19T20:20:00.009-05:00

It's simple math: Ali on safari = Ali in heaven. Check out these 3 short video clips I shot while on a Thomson Safari in Tanzania last year, I think you'll find the awe in my voice to be more than apparent. :)

A long line of wildebeest run by us during a walk through the Serengeti. The sound of all of those hooves hitting the ground was nothing short of amazing. Click here for video of wildebeest on the move.

While we were wildlife viewing in the Ngorongoro Crater, this elephant decided to feast on acacia leaves a mere 8 feet away from our vehicle. I was only slightly into it, ha!
Lunchtime was never so awesome, see the video here.

The Maasai welcome visitors to their village with a dance and song. The power of their voices overwhelmed me (in a good way).
Click here for a new perspective on hospitality .

Butler's Pantry - In Progress

2009-01-23T19:19:00.016-05:00

Once he saw our handywork in the mudroom and the basement, our butler was all in our face about updating his space, the Butler's Pantry. He can so persistent sometimes...so we appeased him and demo-ed the room to started from scratch. New cabinetry and granite counter tops are all in the plan. We're pretty stoked about how our new space off the kitchen is shaping up!
Ask Jeeves, he'll gladly give you a tour of our progress this month.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-22T22:17:00.024-05:00

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year everyone!
(I sure am glad you read this because we didn't get around to sending cards this year.)

As the year closes out, Miles is quite contemplative (click on the photo to get the full effect.) December 24, 2008 marks his 2nd birthday - a pretty big deal in the doggie world as a 2-year old dog is no longer considered a puppy. Before we know it, he'll be asking to borrow the car, buy lottery tickets and walk without a leash.

Cutest.

2008-11-09T23:15:00.008-05:00

Here's our nephews and niece:
TJ, Sara & little Jack.
Yes, they really are this adorable in real life.
Keep the cuteness coming!

Decking Facelift

2008-10-29T21:10:00.007-05:00

Yup, we're obsessed with home improvement projects. We stripped and stained our front porch, our upstairs neighbors' deck and ours. This might be one of the least riveting entries into my blog...but well, it took a large chunk of our free time so it will take a small chunk of the blog. As a result, the wood looks healthier and will be protected from the harsh New England winter.
Enjoy (?) our photos here.

It's OK, We're Cousins!

2008-10-25T11:21:00.010-05:00

By the end of her visit, my stomach was sore from laughing so hard with Brit! I was so glad she was able to spend some time with us in Boston especially with her impending plans to move down south. I must say, I made a valiant effort to persuade her to move to Boston instead but that proved to be a tough sell....was it my parka?
Check out our night at Jake Ivory's Dueling Piano Bar

Dried Out, Rebuilt and Ready to Go!

2008-10-04T21:17:00.013-05:00

Our basement flooded about a month and a half ago and since then we've been on a mission to get our media room/office back to its original splendor: We installed subflooring, patched, painted, sanded, made shelving, dealt with 2 annoying insurance assessors, got half of the walls reinstalled, carpet replaced, rewired...as Andy says, and we're back! New wall colour, newly refurbished stairwell, new (and way better) carpet + an organized basement to boot. It's so good to have our space back again.
See some of the progress here.

4 Years Married + Pruney Fingers

2008-08-24T11:45:00.005-05:00

I came home on Tuesday to find 6-8" of water throughout our entire basement. Our media room and storage area transformed into an endless sea of damage...and lots of cleanup work ensued. We're really tired but getting through it. Thursday was our anniversary and you can bet that Lake Riley wasn't going to stop us from celebrating. Andy surprised me red gerber daisies (our wedding flower) when I arrived home from work. They made me smile. I said, "I'll put these in water," then Andy replied, "I have some for you downstairs..." :)
See some non-flowery photos here.

Drink This!

2008-08-06T20:54:00.011-05:00

I've been collecting corks over the past few months without really knowing what I was going to make with them (thank you for your contributions, David & Kristin and Mom & Dad). I must be my mother's daughter because I finally decided on a wreath. It's not completely dressed yet but I think it looks pretty swell so far.
See what I made here.

Parents' Weekend

2008-07-27T13:37:00.010-05:00

Parents' Weekend is usually a term reserved for autumn and college campuses but our parents were visiting for the weekend and well, PW just stuck. We were so excited to get our folks together in one spot to enjoy our home with us. Of course, eating and drinking was on the agenda (we do that really well). While we toasted to the famiglia, we also discovered the goodness that is cilantro, ate golden toast with our "French" friend and determined that a cemetery is, in fact, a nice place to spend an afternoon.
Our famigilia rocks! See photos of the weekend here.

Fence Facelift

2008-06-22T20:50:00.011-05:00

It's been awhile since our last home improvement project. Our backyard rocks but the fence has been neglected and was in need of some TLC. It's a multi-stepped process to refurbish the wood: first we applied a mildew removal solution and scrubbed each plank until our arms fell off (arduous but totally fulfilling because they sparkled when we were done). Rinse, dry and then the stain was brushed on. Unfortunately, we had to stop halfway since rain was in the forecast. Looks like we have our work cut out for us next weekend!
Major improvement! Images here!

Quelle Belle Ville!

2008-06-02T17:04:00.002-05:00

If it wasn't so close to the Arctic Circle, I would totally love to live in Montreal. This city really speaks to me with its European vibe and its mindfulness towards art and design. Oh...did I mention the food? Considering Gilles - our proud native and foodie guru - was our tour/restaurant guide, we didn't have to suffer through any mediocre meals. This city is delicious!
We had a great time! See pics here!

Welcome Jack!

2008-05-27T21:37:00.007-05:00

We've got another nephew! The little guy's name is Jack, he was born on Thursday, May 22nd. We can't wait to meet him.
See the whole family here.

Too Much HGTV

2008-04-13T19:58:00.016-05:00

We've seen it on HGTV and we went for it! Demolition, tiling, dry-walling, mitering...and we've unleashed it all on the tiniest room in our house, our mudroom. This small space started off with a really poor excuse for flooring and overly-patched, old plaster walls and now it's something totally different. Once we finished tiling the floor, the walls paled in comparison, so we tackled them next. Check out the two set of photos:
1.) FLOOR: tile install
2.) WALLS: bye-bye horsehair plaster

Happy Birthday to Me!

2008-03-06T22:29:00.005-05:00

Andy made me a totally yummy birthday dinner: cheeses, spinach and shrimp risotto, chocolate cake and a nice, big shiraz (these are a few of my favorite things). The risotto looked so good simmering on the stove, I thought I should take a picture but our camera batteries were out of juice so I snapped a few photos using our computer...we just couldn't master the self-timer thing. Note: no one was harmed during the taking of these photos, but some risotto didn't meet it's gastronomical destiny (read: it landed on the floor).
Oh, those Rileys make me giggle.

Balloon Safari

2008-02-24T21:23:00.013-05:00

Oh look, it's more photos from Tanzania....am I going to milk this one for as long as possible? You betcha. Sunrise in the Serengeti is nothing short of breathtaking, I was lucky enough to experience it from a hot-air balloon. :)
Check out one very cool morning in the Serengeti here.

Little Getaway

2008-02-15T19:13:00.005-05:00

We escaped the New England winter and headed to Florida for a long weekend. Mom and Dad are down there for a month and we were so excited to spend time with them on Hutchinson Island. I didn't think I'd like Florida but it was suprisingly lovely complete with tropical blue water. Of course, there were a ton of old people - it was like being on the set of the movie Cocoon.
Here's photos of us kicking back.

U23D

2008-02-09T16:48:00.004-05:00

U23D is just awesome. Kristin submitted a review of the movie with our photo and look where we landed! U2.com! You know who else is on U2.com? Bono. That's who.
Do you think The Edge saw us?

Get your Crampon

2008-01-12T20:21:00.002-05:00

Leaving our snowshoes and crampons at home turned a pretty easy hike into a very difficult (and perilous) walk through the woods. We immediately discovered our trail through the White Mountains to be a thick sheet of ice but that didn't stop us...hey, we'll get a good workout if nothing else (read: we'll sweat it out as we flounder around this hill)!

It was all fun and games until Andy turned around and said "Uh...Miles just slipped off a cliff." (!) We carefully scooted ourselves over to the edge and saw Miles about 12 feet below us, thankfully unscathed but crying because he couldn't scale back up the icy rock face that separated us. We eventually got to him and ended our hike short, grateful with the outcome of a very scary situation. Phew.
Photos of our grace on the mountain.

Ali on Safari

2007-12-03T21:07:00.006-05:00

I kind of hit my own personal lottery this time. My trip to Tanzania was epic - the animals, the landscape, the people were even better than I expected! I shot a bunch of photos that help tell the story better than I can type it out, check them out with the link below. (Also, stay tuned for my videos, I still have a lot of footage to edit, but it's sure to be cool. I'll let you know when it's ready. Tons of photos here!

Africa, Yay!

2007-10-27T12:43:00.003-05:00

It just keeps getting better and better, I tell ya! Andy surprised me with a going-away party...could he be any sweeter? When I arrived home after work, I was greeted with an "Africa Yay" sign at the front door while he was inside prepping yummy party food (read: cheese) and festivities. It was such a sweet surprise, a fun night and a great send-off with great friends! See party photos here.

I'm going to Africa!

2007-10-19T10:55:00.001-05:00

I'm the luckiest little traveler, ever! My company, Thomson Safaris, is sending me to Tanzania for a couple of weeks. I'll be on safari visiting places like the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire National Park. Going to Africa has always been a dream of mine...I just can't believe it will soon be my reality! I'll have loads of photos to share when I return, I'm sure.

Look at what we bought!

2007-07-29T16:32:00.002-05:00

Offer accepted, inspection completed...could this be the one? We hesitate to say it's a done deal since the past 8 months have been such a real estate roller coaster, but it's really close - that's for sure. We're excited to get into our new place and are looking forward to being homeowners. Our new place! Right here!

Salty Dog

2007-07-24T20:56:00.002-05:00

We know that Miles loves to swim, but he hasn't been in the ocean before this weekend. At first the waves scared him but it didn't take long before he was riding the waves and begging for another toss of his tennis ball.
Check out our day in Gloucester here.

Be a homeowner or just look like one

2007-07-01T20:21:00.002-05:00

Maybe we've been watching a little too much HGTV but we decided to build a fieldstone patio in our yard. Our landlords are paying for the materials and we're providing the labor. Call us weekend warriors, call us crazy...or just call us when you want to dine alfresco.
Check out our progress on the patio here.

What is the Matrix?

2007-06-13T19:00:00.001-05:00

Here's our new car, it's a Toyota Matrix. We like it: it's got a Miles-friendly hatchback, responsive breaks ;), and it's a Toyota so it'll hopefully last us a very long time. (Yes, it's true - every once in a while I find myself inspired to do a slow-motion-avoid-the- bullets-back-bend-thing ... ala Keanu Reeves.)
Click for more photos of the Matrix & Miles.

Goodbye Trusty Friend!

2007-06-10T19:26:00.000-05:00

Let's have a moment of silence for my beloved 1993 Honda Civic. On the last visit to the shop, the car doc said the cost of repairs would be more than the car is worth. I still love you, Honda, even with your leaky oil tank and duct-taped sides! How could I not love a car that trustfully (and will excellent gas mileage) has transported me many miles to see family, several U2 concerts, college, my internship, and waited for me in Mom & Dad's driveway to return from Europe (without so much as a hiccup when starting it after months of neglect). It's lived a long life and I have to move on with a new car. The Honda is getting donated to a worthy cause tomorrow.

Is the fourth time a charm?

2007-05-12T20:17:00.001-05:00

We were pretty shocked our offer was accepted and that we were actually moving along through the home buying process. (This is our 4th offer and we were getting very used to rejection!) Post inspection, however, did not prove to be so peachy for us. The seller, we found yet another weird one, refused to negotiate with us on items that needed repair. Oh well, this home will have to be someone else's little oasis/money pit.
Click here for photos of the house that almost was (check out "Italy" in the backyard.)

Miles to go before I sleep

2007-02-25T17:12:00.003-05:00

I know...I know...I've been slacking on the blog but having a puppy has got us really busy and sleep deprived! Miles is a totally cute fast learner with tons of fluffy goodness. It's a lot of work but he's worth it! Click here for photos of the last couple of weeks.
More photos here - updated 04.01.07

Introducing: Miles!

2007-02-04T22:58:00.003-05:00

Here's the "pupdate": We made our decision, it was not easy - as all of the pups were exceedingly adorable - but our little pup stood out (and happened to deliver the most kisses) so we gave him the special red collar (that means he's ours). Only 7 more days until we take him home... View week 6 photos here.