I've Moved...

You can now find me blogging about typical, semi-crunchy mom things over at: TheMedianMommy.com

Be Well!

8 Reasons Why I LOVE Cloth Diapering!

We cloth diaper our son, Declan, and I have become somewhat of an advocate for cloth.  We prefer cloth diapering the old-fashioned way, using prefolds and covers, but have a bunch of pocket diapers in our stash (I think we’ll be using the pockets closer to potty training time).  Since cloth diapering has seen a bit of a revival in recent years, I’ve decided to share some of the reasons why I love cloth diapering (and hope to convert some nonbelievers):

1. Good for the Environment

If you’ve ever had the desire to become ‘crunchy’, or even just a tad ‘granola’, cloth diapering is a great way to start.  Not only will you sleep better at night, knowing that you’re not contributing to the massive amount of disposable diaper waste in landfills, but you’ll be reducing your carbon footprint (thereby earning the right to call yourself a little bit ‘crunchy’).

2. Healthier for Baby’s Sensitive Skin

Disposable diapers contain chemicals that are, in my opinion, not healthy for sensitive baby skin.  I use natural fibers, so there is no chance for bleach or other stripping agents to be in the diapers and irritating D’s skin.

3. No Smell

Honestly.  Disposable diapers have a yeasty urine smell to them when dirty – yuck!  Cloth diapers smell like buttered popcorn when wet.  No really, they do!  I recently visited my best friend out-of-town and she and her kiddos did the smell test --- buttered popcorn!

4. Fewer Blowouts

I can count on one hand how many explosive breast milk poo blowouts we had in those early days, each attributed to the position Declan happened to be in at the time.  Other than that, cloth diapers, and diaper covers, do an AMAZING job at containing those messy poos!  Speaking of which:

4a. Cloth Wipes

            One wipe can clean up even the messiest of poos!  For the wannabe ‘crunchies’, cloth wipes reduce your carbon footprint even further.  Also, repeat number 2 – no chemicals going onto baby’s sensitive skin.  (Early on I used a homemade wipe solution, but now just use water)

5. Little to No Diaper Rash

Yup.  I don’t know why it is, but since 3-4 weeks old, Declan has not had a trace of diaper rash. 

 6. It’s Inexpensive

After your initial investment, you’re done.  No more spending money on something that you’re throwing away.  No more last minute store runs because you’re out of diapers.  We’ve spent under $400, and we have everything we need to diaper Declan until he potty trains.  AND, the diapers we have now will diaper any other children we might have.  Too good to be true, right?  Nope!

7. Cute Designs

Nasty rubber pants are a thing of the past.  Nowadays, there are a TON of cute and funky prints to choose from.  I recently came across this super cute “Hungry Caterpillar” one:  http://hyenacart.com/Greenbumkin/mt/2940/27278/Hungry-Caterpillar-Scrappy-AI2-All-in-Two-Cloth-Diaper-

8. Fosters Creativity/ Ingenuity

I was running errands early on (when I was changing diapers every hour) and was out longer than expected.  We arrived at my husband’s office for a visit and had no more clean diapers!  This could have been a catastrophe if I didn’t cloth diaper, but I was able to fold a receiving blanket into a makeshift diaper and secure it in his diaper cover – crisis averted!

It’s interesting to reflect upon how the decision to cloth diaper has affected my philosophy of childcare.  I breast feed Declan and was a baby-wearer early on (he’s a little big to do it now).  I make all of his food so that I know exactly what’s going into his body.  This, in turn, has caused my husband and me to eat even healthier (no packaged food!).  I try to use only natural and organic products for him (i.e. he’s currently fighting a cold, and we’re using a vapor rub made of organic essential oils).  The best part?  By cloth diapering I am a member of a community of like-minded individuals that provides a great deal of resources regarding child-rearing.  If you don’t cloth diaper, then I hope that I’ve at least encouraged you to consider it!  

I've recently moved.  You can now find me blogging about typical, semi-crunchy mom things at: TheMedianMommy.com.

What a Long Strange Trip It's Been...

...and continues to be.  I can't believe it's been 6 months already!  During my pregnancy, I smiled and nodded politely when older people told me that they enjoyed being grandparents, more than being parents, because they got to enjoy it more.  I get it now!  The past 6 months are an absolute blur!  I've been blessed with a child that doesn't sleep a lot, so I've not spent much time in REM sleep in 6 months - my memory is atrocious and I bring a whole new level of meaning to the terms 'dazed' and 'ditzy'.  But you know what?  I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Some reflections, musings...and things I've learned since becoming a mom:

• Being up every 1-3 hours a night for 6 months turns a person into a zombie and can result in killing phones, unintentional injuries, perpetually losing items, (extremely) short term memory loss, a short temper and a myriad of other things that, frankly, I can't think of right now.  (i.e. I left my keys hanging in the front door for half a day just a couple of days ago -- only realized it when I opened the door to check the mail. *sigh*)

• Just when I think I've gotten his routine down, Declan changes it.

• Just when I think my boobs can't possibly get any bigger, they do.

• a.) Declan will find a way to shoot pee on me, even fully diapered, and b.) there is such a thing as projectile poo and it will happen, unexpectedly, in the dark, at 2am.

• I will make list after list after list...and forget to bring them when I go shopping.  I will eventually not have the ability to organize my thoughts enough to create a list (I'm there now).

• I spent an inordinate amount of time, those first few months, getting acquainted with the backseat of my car in random parking lots, as I couldn't run an errand without D wanting to nurse!  That creepy lady hanging out in the backseat of her car?  Totally me ;)

• I will, after spending an hour grocery shopping, be in line with a full cart...and a baby in a sling screaming while trying to gnaw a hole through my shirt.  I never knew what anxiety felt like until that moment.

• I will deal with a collicky baby for weeks...until I realize that all of the dairy, soy, wheat and caffeine I'm consuming are the culprits (but the fully caffeinated coffee tasted SO good!).  *sheepish grin*

• Having no idea what you're doing as a new parent is perfectly acceptable.  I will 'wing it' until I 'get it' (if I ever do).  Thank goodness for Google.

• I try to be grateful for every moment I get to spend with D, especially those difficult moments.  We're lucky to have such a cool (and weird, in a cool way) little guy! 
• I can't wait to see what the next 6 months will bring!   

• I look forward to growing our family more!

When a Beloved Pet is Laid to Rest...

Just a couple of hours ago we put my dear kitty, Chaucer, to sleep.  Surprisingly, I'm more at peace with the decision than I had ever thought that I would be.

I adopted Chaucer from the Humane League of Lancaster County in November 1998.  She was an adult cat, they guestimated between 1-2 years old, and was a day away from being euthanized.  A beautiful calico with the sweetest meow (more like a 'coo') - that's what attracted me to her.  So, I left that day, without the cute little kitten I had planned, but with the sweetest adult cat I had ever encountered.  This would not last for long!

I was in college at the time, enthralled with medieval literature, so her name came easily.  I even planned on one day adding a sister or sisters that I would name Bronte and Austin (yes, I was that lame!).  The moment I got Chaucer home, she ran and hid.  In fact, she would eventually try to escape several times in those first few weeks, and would remain aloof and hidden for almost the first year I had her.  I was heartbroken.

Over the years, Chaucer was my study partner, my distraction, she would make many moves with me and was my constant travel companion.  Nicknamed "Toonces," Chaucer endured the long drive for the move down to Florida, and the long drive back up to Erie for graduate school.  She traveled well, and even helped lower a speeding ticket for me because of HER good looks (and not mine)!

Simply put, Chaucer and I became the best of friends and she became the most loyal and unique cat I've ever known or had.  She came when I called her and always greeted me when I came in the door.  She was an alpha cat with more attitude than a diva :)  When she first got sick in 2008, I was scared to take her to the vet.  I did, and she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, very common in cats.  Chaucer was prescribed medication to regulate her thyroid and metabolism, and was on it twice a day.

I've had several friends whose cats' health took a turn shortly after the birth of their first child, and subsequently passed away or had to be put to sleep.  It's as though these sweet kitties, our first 'kids', hung in there for us until we had our own children to love and care for.  I prefer to believe that this was the case with my Chaucer.  Her health began to go downhill from the day we brought Declan home.  She began vomiting more frequently (than normal) and losing weight, and it was becoming more difficult to regulate her meds.

Last night Declan pet Chaucer for the first time and loved it, all smiles.  This morning, Chaucer was exhibiting signs of kidney failure.  I wasted no time in making the decision to put her to sleep before she began to suffer.  She gave me so much joy (and attitude!), and was there for me during some of my most difficult moments, licking tears away, rubbing against me, or making me pet her head.  I am at peace with my decision because she went with the dignity she carried during her lifetime.  How wonderful she made my life while she was in it - I will miss you so, my Chaucer :)    

Birth of a Spider Monkey

On July 6th, my husband and I welcomed our first child into this world; Declan Patrick Stevens weighed in at 7lbs. 4oz. and measured 19 inches.  What a joyous, crazy, scary, unbelievable day that was!

For three months, stubborn Declan remained breech while I tried almost every method I could to flip him -- inversions, frozen veggies/flashlight, weekly pregnancy chiropractic adjustments -- but he decided he was comfy right where he was until the very end.  Two weeks before my due date, I ended-up scheduling a c-section while at my weekly appointment with my midwife.  It took me a long time, and a lot of tears, to be okay with the fact that the birth of my child was not going to happen naturally, outside of a hospital.  I'll be honest and say that I truly felt 'robbed' of the opportunity to give birth to my son.  However, I've now come to terms with the fact that a.) my body (uterus) was just not equipped to allow enough space for Declan to turn and b.) all of this was entirely out of my hands and out of my control -- what was going to be would be.

I can not stress enough how wonderful it was to have my midwives as advocates for me.  Not only did my midwife prepare me for the procedure, she scheduled my c-section with a surgeon she recommended and worked well with, allowing her to assist with my surgery.  Before surgery, my midwife came in and sat with me, talking me through what was going to happen and answering any last minute questions I had.  When the time came, I walked two doors down to the OR and was astounded how quickly everything went (did I mention that I was scared to DEATH!).  My husband was brought in in the nick of time (they almost forgot him -- again, my midwife spoke up on that matter) and had the privilege of not sitting behind my head, but rather, sitting right at the curtain divide.  He. saw. everything.  I mean everything.  He now knows me more intimately than I know me!  I knew at the time that he could see everything by his nervous talking and his Monty Python reference (only the anesthesiologist caught the reference - he was also the only male assisting in my surgery) -- they did, in fact, have 'the machine that goes ping'!  Afterwards, my husband commented about the fact that while he knew that my midwife would be assisting in the surgery, he had no idea that she would be as hands-on as she was.  Yes, yes, yes - I wouldn't have it any other way!

Declan was 'born' at 9:54 a.m. on Friday, July 6th.  If I were to have a complaint about having a c-section, it would be that I wasn't able to see him or touch him for about 20 minutes or so.  My husband was able to see him, and I could hear his cries, but they had a difficult time getting his temperature to stabilize and he had a lot of excess fluid in his lungs that needed to be suctioned.  I wouldn't change a thing though, because he was well cared for and healthy as a result.  Another area where my surgeon worked with my midwife and myself with our birth plan, was in the fact that I requested no separation between myself and my baby.  Sean was able to hold Declan near my head while they finished sewing me up, and they actually stayed with me and walked with me I was wheeled into my recovery room.  To avoid any possible separation, a warming table was brought into my recovery room to continue to stabilize Declan's temperature, which is where he was placed after I nursed him for the first time.  One of my nurses later commented on how lucky I was to have that type of treatment, and that she wished it was the standard for all c-sections.  I am so unbelievably grateful for that experience.  It completely changed my opinion of a c-section and how sterile and detached the procedure has been known to be.

At the end of my surgery, when they were doing the routine exploratory exam, both my midwife and surgeon remarked on how beautiful my heart-shaped uterus is!  I now know that my uterus is 2/3 of the way septate, but have been reassured by my midwife that a surgery to remove the septum would allow me a great opportunity to have a VBAC with our next child (that and the fact that my surgeon knew that I wanted more children, thus ensuring that her incision would be conducive to a VBAC).  While this is great news for a little later, right now I'm just focusing on healing and enjoying our beautiful little boy (aka - Spider Monkey)!

Tired of the Mannerless Masses

As a child, I was taught right from wrong, a respect for my elders, and to treat others as I would like to be treated.  Being pregnant has proven to be quite a social experiment, illustrating the general lack of etiquette in many of the people I encounter in public.

I work part time in a bookstore, so I deal with the public on a regular basis.  I am absolutely amazed and disgusted by how rude and thoughtless people are nowadays.  And it's not just me - I've had this discussion with others.  I just can't believe how often I find myself, at eight-and-a-half months pregnant, holding the door for people (inadvertently, as they bust through the door towards me), moving out of other people's way, or stopping for a car to pass as I walk across a parking lot.  I'm not infirm, nor do I wish to have any 'special' treatment because I'm pregnant, I just wish common courtesy still existed.  The capper occurred yesterday, when my husband and I stopped at Jim's on South Street for, what would be, my first ever Philly cheese steak.

I'll preface this by stating that I've been going to a pregnancy chiropractor for about a month now, with excellent results.  She happened to be on vacation this past week and I was unable to get adjusted as I usually do.  Thus, my back has been hanging on by a thread since Friday, making standing, sitting, or walking for long periods of time extremely painful until my adjustment tomorrow.

So, Sean and I decided to head into town to grab some lunch, taking advantage of the lack of traffic due to the majority of people being 'down the shore' for the holiday.  Never having had a cheese steak, Sean decided to take me to Jim's.  When we arrived,  the line extended out the door and around the corner in the 95 degree heat (apparently we weren't the only ones with this idea).  After about a half hour of standing in line, my back was killing me, so I decided to head upstairs to grab a table, as we were close to being able to order.  I made my way through people and headed towards the stairs, only to be told by an employee that I was not allowed upstairs without food.  I repeated his statement to him, and he affirmed.  I went back to my husband at the head of the line, in clear view of the employee, told him I was not allowed upstairs and get the keys to the car so that I could have a seat and wait.  Once I got to the car I broke into tears.  It truly was the straw that broke the camel's back.  I've had enough of inconsiderate people.

A couple of days ago, I had a customer come into the store with her young daughter, and was witness to her  being 'forced' to hold the door for a woman as she burst through the door without even a 'thank you'.  Seeing that I witnessed the event, the woman came right up to me and started a discussion about how rude people seem to be nowadays.  As I said earlier, it's not just me.  Please know I'm not writing this to complain, I merely want to share my observations, and hopefully hear that of others.

I really began to notice this 'dip' in manners and consideration with the rise of cell phone culture.  More and more people are attached to their phones, oblivious to their surroundings.  Too often, I almost trip over people or hit them when driving because they are preoccupied with their phones.  I tend to believe there is a correlation between cell phone etiquette and general manners.  This is not to say that I've not had anyone be polite or courteous to me while pregnant, I have, but I have had more rude and inconsiderate encounters than positive ones.  It really disappoints me and makes me lose faith in the kindness of the general populace.  I would love it if my experience is a complete anomaly, but am really interested to hear from others about this issue...  

The Fun of Spinning a Baby...

Oh, the joys!  I thought it a bit odd when my midwife mentioned getting our breech baby turned a month and a half ago.  Surely, it was too early to be thinking about that - we had PLENTY of time, right?  No.  I had completely forgotten that with my bicornuate uterus, space for little man would become an issue in later pregnancy (thus the risk of preterm labor).  As our guy is currently residing in one-half of my utero duplex, our midwife wanted us to have the baby turned by 31 weeks - that's next week.  Ack!  Between vacation and work schedules, we've just not devoted time to trying to spin the guy around.  We now find ourselves at the point of procrastination, my forte in both undergrad and grad school years, but maybe not so much in this case.

I've learned a couple of things over the past few weeks.  First, the incidence of breech babies appears to have a genetic link.  If this is the case, Sean and I may end up fruitless in our attempts to spin our little Stevens, as both my sister and myself were breech, as were my nieces.  The second thing I've learned is that our little guy's personality has shown itself in utero, and he appears to be every bit as stubborn as his father and myself.  From day one, little guy has not budged in attempts to get him to shift his position, be it in the doctor's office for measurements or at home when I'm trying to get him to kick or punch a 'hello' to his dad - he does what he wants when he wants to.  Ah, karma....

You may be asking yourself - how does one 'correct' what nature seems to be dictating on its own?  And, is it really possible to turn a breech baby?  Apparantly so.  Thankfully, my midwife directed us to a website for 'spinning instructions': SpinningBabies.com.  Thus far, we've tried using inversion to get our stubborn ignats to flip - no dice (and really uncomfortable, I might add).  Last night, we decided to try our midwife's first, joking suggestion - frozen peas and a flashlight.  We thought, what the heck, why not give it a go?  I splayed myself on the bed while Sean grabbed a bag of lima beans and refreshed the batteries in the mag light.  The idea here is to make the little guy's toes chilly down low whilst annoying him by shining the flashlight up high by his head.   Let the silliness and hilarity commence!  I could NOT stop laughing!  I developed a nervous giggle because I felt so bad messing with him this way, however, Sean kept reassuring me that we were doing this for HIS own good, not OUR own entertainment. Boy did we tick the little guy off.  I have never felt him kick with such gusto as he did then, the bag of beans jumping like crazy off of my lower belly.  The sensations I felt brought me almost to the point of nausea, as it felt as though he was rolling around in there - ugh.  After all of that, the kicks once again descended below my belly button, we were unsuccessful in our attempt.  I can almost see our little guy in there, shaking his little fist at us with a triumphant look on his face.  No worries little man, we've got plenty more bags of frozen veggies to try - we're not giving up yet!

Stay tuned for my next entry - Fun with a Rebozo!

I Fired My Doctor...

...at 6 months pregnant.  That's right, you read correctly.  So, a lot has happened since I last updated the blog...9 months ago!
     Sean and I moved to Philly, Sean settled-in at his new position, I interviewed with publisher after publisher...and then some, to no avail.  Then, I got pregnant.  Not a real shocker, as we were trying, but a real game-changer in our newlywed and newly-moved life.  When the test came out positive, we looked at each other in wonderment, excitement, and a great sense of bafflement.  I had spent so many years trying not to get pregnant, that I had no idea what to do when I actually did get pregnant.  Having found out on a Friday afternoon, I had a couple of days to let the information sink in before I placed a call to my OB/GYN on Monday.
     I did what the majority of American women do - I sought prenatal care through my OB, I assumed that that was just what women did.  Knowing that I had a bicornuate uterus, I was given a 'high risk' designation and referred to see a specialist in addition to seeing my regular doctor.  From day one, I was unhappy with the care I received from both offices, despite the fact that I was having appointments up to three times a month.  When I had a question during the 3 minutes of my OB appointment, they cheerily referred me elsewhere, as I was seeing a specialist.  Well no, I only saw the specialist for my first appointment and consultation, but regularly saw the technician for the three ultrasounds I had per month.  My specialist's office did not even take direct calls if an emergency question did arise -- I would need to leave that as a voicemail, with the message happily telling me that my call would be returned within 48 hours (one time I did need to leave a message to change an appointment time, my call was returned 3 business days later).  The one time I did ask a question at my specialist's office, the technician referred me back to my OB.  And so on, and so forth.
     Fast forward to the 4 1/2 month mark - a beautiful time in my pregnancy here (insert heavy sarcasm).  I had followed my doctor's advice and consented to have sequential screening done.  Why?  Because my due date falls two weeks into my 35th year, I am considered to be in the first block of advanced maternal age (the second, more 'serious' one occurring in your 40th year and after), and thus being at a greater risk of having a child with Down Syndrome.
     While at work on a Friday afternoon, I get a message from my doctor, informing me that she has my test results and that I should call back to speak with her.  The warning bells went off - typically, negative test results would just be left on my voicemail.  So, I call back and the doctor (whom I can't even place because I've seen 4 of the 10 different doctors in the practice) informs me that she is very sorry, but the baby has tested positive for the neural tube defect known as Spina Bifida.  She tells me that I need to call the specialist's office and tell them that she wants an ultrasound scheduled immediately.  I'm in shock and in tears, at work, and she tells me again that she is 'very sorry' and leaves me to try to get an appointment on a Friday afternoon.
     I frantically call the specialist's office, on the 'special' line my doctor has given me, in hopes that I would actually reach a human.  I leave a message and cross my fingers for a call back.  When the office calls me back, there is mass confusion as to why my doctor is ordering this ultrasound, none of which I can explain because I'm just following the doctor's instructions.  They decide to compromise, scheduling an appointment with a genetic counselor on Monday.  We go to the genetic counselor, who explains what we've been able to research over the weekend, tries to 'sell' us on different testing, and basically orders the ultrasound my OB had asked for because of things being 'inconclusive'.  We go in for the ultrasound...and everything is clear - no  sign of any abnormalities in the spine or stomach.  The u/s gave us a look with 90% accuracy, and the risks associated with amniocentesis were not, in our opinions, worth the additional 5% it would give us.  Thus, a week and a half of hell with no explanation at all of why the test came back with a 1 in 4 chance of our baby having Spina Bifida.  That's 1 in 4, not to be mixed up with 1 in 40, or even 1 in 400.  At 6 months pregnant, we have an active baby boy, growing right on target and no explanation for the test results.  (I had asked about the possibility of retesting, but the genetic counselor declined that because with results as high as mine, she saw no possibility for a mistake).
     Around this time, I began researching childbirth methods in preparation for the big day.  I instantly connected with the Bradley Method and began reading a book about it.  The more I read, the more I realized that I had way more choices than I had imagined, in regards to all aspects of my pregnancy and childbirth.  The more I read, the more I realized that I did not want a doctor overseeing my pregnancy and childbirth.  I asked a few girlfriends about their childbirth experiences and whether they had delivered naturally.  It wasn't until I met an old friend for coffee, and heard about her experiences delivering two of her children naturally, that I became convinced that a.) it was possible to deliver without medication, and b.) this was the route that I wanted to pursue.  (Thanks, Karen!)
     After discussing with my husband, reading more, and watching two documentaries, I was sold.  I was going to try to find a midwife to take over my prenatal care and help me deliver my child.

      Today, I had my first appointment with a midwife at Valley Birthcenter.  As soon as I walked in the door, I could feel the difference.  This was a warm, inviting, and peaceful place.  I met with one of the two midwives at the practice for 30 minutes.  Read 30 minutes, not 3 minutes!  We talked about my pregnancy, my diet and exercise regimes, and most importantly, she bonded with me and my unborn baby.  Not only did she treat me like a human, she acknowledged the baby growing in my body (which was hard not to, as he insisted on kicking her repeatedly while she was trying to listen to his heartbeat!).  I can actually say that I'm looking forward to my glucose test in a few weeks, as I am truly looking forward to going back.  With any luck, we'll even be able to deliver our baby there -- in the quiet of the house, without being hurried or having medication foisted on me, without an IV or hospital gown, and possibly in the jacuzzi.  I'm so glad that I fired my doctor, and I can't wait to continue to build a relationship with the midwives who will be assisting my husband and I to bring our little one into this world.

Final Days in Baltimore

Monday was Memorial Day, a heatwave, and marked my last hike on the Robert E. Lee park trail.  I will miss my time on the trail and seeing it throughout the seasons of the year.  I'll especially miss my hiking partners, Stacey and her labradoodle, Jameson.  We've had some wonderful talks during our time on the trails, an unspoken place to relax, catch up, and vent about the frustrating things going on in our lives -- many a plan has been 'hatched' there!  Some of my favorite memories include hiking right when the frogs 'hatched' - what I thought were tiny bugs on the trail were actually tiny frogs the size of the tip of my pinky finger.  Another time, Stacey and I decided to go on a winter hike when a storm came rolling in.  By the time we turned around because the conditions were worsening, four inches of snow had fallen.  I loved the muffled quietness of the trail at that moment, as though we were the only people in the world (we were the only people on the trail, to be certain). 

For the past three years, I've watched county and city officials try to block off the park at the trail's end (where it linked into the park), watched the conditions of the park become overgrown and deteriorate while officials decided who was responsible for paying the upkeep, and rebuilding the bridge where park-goers entered.  Now, there is a new bridge, and a new path, catering to those who use the back trail to link up with the park.  Areas have been cleared of overgrown weeds, and the old ranger station demolished.  Voted best dog park in Baltimore, because this is a place where dogs can go unleashed and frolic in the stream with other dogs.  Just under 6 miles of trails to explore and enjoy. 

I'm happy, however, that there is a nature trail within walking distance, just around the corner from our new house.  I can't wait to explore a new area, to just get lost in nature.  I have a lot of things to think about in the coming weeks, and believe that this is going to be just the place to get lost in those thoughts.  I love the fact that the sign, in the above picture, has been altered by hikers to say that the park is 'not' closed.  Officially, the park has been closed since I began hiking the trails 3 years ago, and no attempts to block it off have worked.  I'm glad, as I would not have been able to enjoy countless hours on those trails, losing myself in the beauty of nature...

The Joys of Moving

From the time we found out that Sean was taking this new position, just one month ago, things have been an absolute whirlwind.  Scouting areas equidistant between Sean's workplace and the city, touring potential properties (or in our case, doing drive-bys after we toured, and loved, the house into which we are now moving), tying up loose ends at both of our respective workplaces, and for me, continuing to forge the path of self discovery and growth I began last fall.  Needless to say, I awake each morning remembering my crazy dreams in vivid detail! 

With just a little over a week left in Maryland, our pace has picked up considerably.  I can't imagine undertaking this move without my husband (and, of course I wouldn't be because we're moving for his job)!  I've been using Craigslist non-stop, getting rid of large items we have, and it takes time to respond and schedule times to meet people between my busy evening meeting schedule.  There is insurance to be taken care of (I've FINALLY scheduled my engagement ring on this new policy - shame on me for waiting so long), utilities to be set up, logistical planning for the new place (now that we're moving from a one bedroom apartment to a four bedroom house), working with our new landlord (who is a busy teacher with 4 children all playing sports right now), new draperies to be purchased (for the bazillion windows in the new place), no-damage nails to be sought out for hanging artwork, not to mention the organization involved in my new foray into extreme-couponing (had to throw that in for a laugh).  That doesn't even begin to cover all of the items Sean is taking care of on his end, as he works with his company for our relocation.  Today was the walk-through with our moving company - did I mention we have Sean's 3-bedroom house contained in two storage units...in addition to our apartment?! 

All of this is to say that I am ready as I'll ever be for this move!  I'm truly excited to embark upon this next chapter with my husband, building a home together and starting a new life together in an entirely different place (I'm totally going to be nesting over the next month!).  I believe that everything happens for a reason, that there is a higher power out there looking over Sean and myself; a higher power that will guide us through these next few hectic weeks, and one that will look over us as we journey into this next chapter together...

No Time for a Yardsale? Try Craigslist, eBay or Half.com!

When Sean and I planned to merge our households last year, we knew we both needed to get rid of a lot of household items.  Selling some of the items we no longer used would also be a great way to raise some money to put towards our wedding expenses.  We were lucky enough to find a volunteer firehouse near Sean's house that was hosting a flea market.  So, we spent time sorting through items and organizing piles to sell.  We got up early, set up and things went really well -- Sean was able to make two additional trips to his place to get more items to sell, as the flea market was well attended AND people were buying!  The best part of it is that we didn't bring anything home with us!  At the end of the day, we were able to donate our unsold items to the firehouse stand -- they would store those items until their next flea market and sell them from their own booth, all proceeds contributing to their fund.  A win-win for everyone!

This time around, Sean and I don't have the time to plan a yard sale or search for a flea market - we're moving in 2 1/2 weeks!  So, I've been busy advertising items on a number of online sites.  Craigslist has been invaluable, as we've been able to sell our left over wedding items AND make a little money!  Pretty soon the Whole Foods around the corner is going to start charging me a fee, as I've been using their parking lot to meet people buying our wedding items!  However, since this is a form of recycling, I don't think they would mind too much!  :)

Before working for my current company, I was in outside sales for a commercial publisher, so I invested a lot of money in my wardrobe.  Well, I've not worn any of my suits in a few years and they are all high end brands of great quality - why not try to sell them and make a little cash?  Hello eBay!  This week I was able to sell a lot of that clothing!  And lastly, what to do about all of my multimedia items?  That's where half.com comes in.

Half.com is a division of eBay with a couple of differences -- you can only sell multimedia items and there is no auction, the items stay listed there in a quasi-store.  Having two degrees in literature, I amassed several hundred books over the course of my studies.  I've been able to whittle my collection down over the past few years by selling off those titles through the site.  The downside is that you have to be willing to store them in the interim -- I typically sell the majority of my books at the start of each semester.  I also used to be a music enthusiast, so I had hundreds of cds (that I no longer listen to).  Thanks to half.com, I've been able to pare down my book and music collection, while recouping some money in the process. 

So, there is hope if you need to simplify your life and get rid of some of your material things.  Be prepared, however, because online selling does take a bit of work.  Lastly, anything I don't have time to sell through any of my online routes I drop off at Goodwill -- there are always options!  Hello feng shui and qi!

New Beginnings...

It's official - we're moving!  I'm so happy and proud of Sean - his new position will allow him to grow and will challenge him in so many great ways!  It's also a relief to have been able to submit my resignation, as I've known that this move was most likely going to happen.  Sean and I had agreed to go full force with the relocation back in early March, so it was as though I had been holding onto a secret for well over a month until he had a finalized contract!  I'm excited to be moving back to my home state AND to be moving to a new area.  We're moving to Ambler, Pa and will live a block or so from the train station, so I am able to walk to catch the train into the city for work (no more hour long commute by car)!  We are also within walking distance of a newly revitalized downtown area, with amazing restaurants, an arthouse theatre, yoga studio and more.  Thus, our transition to 'suburbia' will be more of an easing out of city life, rather than a shock to the system!

I've had a few people ask me how married life has been treating me and how I was liking being a newlywed.  Well, I can't say that we've really had a chance to enjoy it, as our relocation planning started with me pursuing a new position the week of our wedding and it's been full force since then!  I do feel, however, that once this transition takes place, our married life together will begin to settle down and we will have more time to enjoy each other (and, hopefully, start a family).  Let the official moving preparations begin...

Seeing the World in an Entirely New Way

I just purchased a new camera several weeks ago -- one that I've wanted for a few years now.  I'm calling it my 'big girl' camera!  Photography is a hobby of mine - I love to play around with it, but have never taken a class (although I've wanted to for many years, I never make the time).  I enjoy hiking and traveling, so most of my photos come from those trips and escapades.  I'm extremely drawn to the textures and 'architecture' of natural elements, and primarily work in black and white.  I'm going nuts, however, because the weather, and our busy schedule, has not been conducive to playing around with my new camera!  So, I've been stuck indoors with my kitty, Chaucer, as my guinea-pig (she only minds when I use the flash).  However, there are only so many photos one can have of her pet!  I swear I'm not (that much of) a cat-lady!

The weather decided to turn itself over to spring yesterday, so I'm excited to get out there!  If only I had done a little better research -- the stock lense that came with the camera is not the lense I need to do what I want to do with my photography.  I knew that camera equipment was expensive, but had no idea that I would be in want of a lense...that costs more than the camera itself!  For now, I will just have to satisfy myself with learning everything my camera can do, and being 'creative' in testing my current lense to it's limits.  *sigh*  I just can't justify buying that lense right now.  I feel like a little kid saving his/her allowance in anticipation of the 'toy' s/he has been wanting for ages!      

Ch-Ch-Ch-Cha-Changes!

I've been remiss with my blogging, but for good reason!  Things are happening rather quickly for Sean and myself - he's checking out an opportunity in Philly this week, then I'm in Philly next week regarding an opportunity for myself!  If all goes well, we should be moving sometime in the next couple of months, and that I am definitely excited for!  No more cramped attic apartment dwelling for us.  Sean will be finally be reunited with his two storage units of possessions (basically the contents of a 3 bedroom house and an insanely large vinyl collection), and we will be able to use all of the wedding gifts we received, in addition to those household items we've been itching to purchase.  Simply put, I can not wait for the time when a simple shopping trip doesn't clutter our entire living space!

As much as I've enjoyed living in Maryland these last 5 years, I've wanted to move back to Pennsylvania for some time (not necessarily the Philadelphia area, but hey, that works too!).  Not only is the real estate market less inflated, but the education system is a great deal better -- something very important to factor, as Sean and I would like to start a family in the near future.  In the past, I would have asked people to wish us good luck, but I now realize that luck has nothing to do with it.  If this is the right path for us, then it will be (not without some hard work on our parts, of course).  I'm looking forward to the next couple of weeks...

A Worthy Cause

Upon my engagement, and having worn my hair short for several years, I decided to grow my hair for my wedding 'do'.  The problem with my hair is that it is naturally curly/wavy, and I like to wear it straight.  Well, the longer my hair gets, the more difficult it is to straighten.  I digress.

As my wedding approached, and I had run out of creative ways to style my long hair, I kept telling people that in addition to getting married, I was excited to get rid of all of my hair!  I don't know how it came to mind, but I decided to donate my 'wedding hair' to Locks of Love.  Knowing that my hair would go to such a wonderful cause made me even more excited to cut it all off! 

Around Thanksgiving of last year I had had enough -- I couldn't do ANYTHING with my hair because it was so long!  I went to the salon and was determined to do whatever I could to be able to style/straighten my insanely long head of hair.  Out of sheer frustration,  I had quite a bit of length cut off and tons of layers put in...putting my hair donation in serious jeopardy.  While I felt disappointed that I might not be able to donate, I was now able to do something with my hair :)  (However, I still had months to go before my wedding.)   

My wedding day came much faster than I ever would have imagined (after a year of planning).  On my wedding 'to do' list was scheduling my post-wedding hair appointment.  Eager to get it done (especially before leaving for my honeymoon a week after the wedding), I scheduled an appointment for 3 days after my wedding. 

During my wedding weekend, I found out that a family member of mine had been quietly battling stage 3 ovarian cancer.  While Locks of Love is an organization to help children with hair loss due to any medical condition, I couldn't help but think about my aunt -- my donation became so much more important.  Finally, the day of my hair appointment came.  I sat in the chair and held my breath while my stylist measured my braid...10 INCHES exactly!  I found myself crying in that chair, out of relief that I had met the minimum length for donation, and out of the joy and happiness of being able to donate. 

Thus, I happily sent in my donation with a note, stating that I hoped that my 'wedding hair' helped make a child as happy as I was on that day.  When I think of all of the ways people can help others, I think this one is the easiest.  It doesn't take time from your schedule, if you don't have any to give, and it doesn't cost anything but a haircut and some postage.  If you have the hair to give, I would encourage you to do it -- you'll be helping put a smile on a child's face AND you'll love your new 'do'!  www.locksoflove.org/donate.html
  

April Fools!

Happy April Fools' Day!  A year ago today, Sean and I announced our engagement.  While not planned that way (to my knowledge), the timing couldn't have been more perfect.  One of the many things I love about Sean is his sense of humor -- much of our relationship centers around laughing together.  I'm still amazed when the two of us can encounter a situation, turn to eachother, share a knowing look, and burst into fits of laughter (we both have such warped senses of humor).  So, when Sean proposed to me on March 31st of last year, I was in a love-induced state when I announced our engagement on April 1st -- some people actually did think it was an April Fools' joke!

What I love about us is that we tend not to take things too seriously.  When we do have disagreements, we often use humor to diffuse what could turn into a heated situation.  Then, there are those times when we're just downright silly -- this happened right around the time of our wedding, when we were running on a lack of sleep and were pushed to the limits with stress.  While I can't remember any specific stories relating to our sillyness, I do know that we became scarily goofy together!

So, I encourage you all to take some time to celebrate today with a joke or two, and always remember to add a little laughter to your day...

What's in a Name?

As a female newlywed, I have a lot of work to do AFTER the nuptials have been exchanged.  To change my name, or not to change my name, that is the question.  And, this is a question I had thought long and hard about over the years.  In my twenties, my early feminist days, I was absolutely going to hyphenate - no question.  When I actually got engaged (in my 30s), my thoughts on this had changed.

I love my husband dearly, and am so proud and honored to be his wife.  Heck, the icing on the cake was that I actually got to MARRY my partner and best friend!  Simply put, I WANTED to take his name.  But, what to do about my maiden name?

My maiden name is a 10-letter Polish name, ending in 'icz' (it's pronounced 'its', in case you were wondering).  I used to dread the first days of school, when roll call would cause a bout of apoplexy when teachers came across my name -- it wasn't until college that my last name was pronounced correctly, and without the mildest of hesitation from professors.  In some ways, however, I think I'll miss finishing for people when they attempt my last name.  My maiden name has been my identity for 33 years, and it's not so easy to give up.  Everything I've worked for professionally is linked to that name, and that is definitely a difficult thing to let go.

I debated about changing my middle name, despite it being a family name, to my maiden name when taking my husband's last name.  While it wouldn't be hyphenated, my pre-marriage identity would still be there.  I wish I could tell a great story about me weighing pros and cons and going deep into meditation to aid me in my decision, but I can't.  The reality is this: I had the social security card paperwork at my desk, and when it came to the blank where I had to fill in my name, I simply shouted to my dear colleague (whom I trust in such important situations) over our cubicle divide, "Should I change my middle name or just change my last name?"  The response?  "Just change your last name.  Trust me, it will be a lot easier in the long run."

And that, my friends, is exactly what I did.  No flip of the coin.  No meditation.  No agonizing and going back and forth.  I am now in possession of a new social security card and my new, married identity.  I'm sure it will take time to remember to sign my married name and heck, even respond to 'Mrs.', but I'm happy with the decision.  And hey, if I feel an inkling of regret, I can always devise a plan to convince my husband to take my maiden name, right?   

The Dining Experience of a Lifetime: Espuma Restaurant in Zihuatenejo, Mexico

Where do I even begin?  For the last night of our honeymoon, Sean and I chose to eat at a restaurant, outside of the resort in which we were staying, and we chose Espuma.  Wow!  I had read about Espuma in a magazine provided in our room, but had NO idea what we were about to walk into.

We walked a short distance from our villa to the restaurant, which was pretty on the outside - nothing much to look at.  But, when we stepped through the doorway, we were immediately transported to another world!  Architecturally speaking, the restaurant is a work of art in itself (that's apart from the food!).  We were escorted to our table, which literally sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking the bay.  The way the table was situated, it created the illusion that the cliff dropped off just past the edge of the table.

Upon further inspection, we found that we were surrounded by art.  Fountains ran throughout the restaurant, and even in the trough, just past the edge of our table where the cliff began.  From the neutral tones to the modern decor, every single detail was intricately planned.  We looked up to find a projection of moving art high on the main wall above the lounge area.  The film was shot in sepia tones, and included people around the world (a man diving underwater and swimming with manatees, a woman in India frollicking with elephants, etc.).  Beautiful New Age music was synched with the film as it played.  Both Sean and I agreed that at that moment, we felt more relaxed than when we got a couple's massage on the beach a few days earlier!

Back to our table.  As the above photo shows, our table was cut from quartz (we think) and lighted from below.  This was the only light provided...and it worked!  The menu was a 5-course tasting menu, each ingredient so well thought out as to create both a harmony and balance of flavors in every dish.  This was, for me, the most incredible dining experience I've ever encountered.  With each course, our waiter would shine a flashlight onto our plate to describe the dish and then poof!  we were left to eat in the dark.  This only served to heighten the experience and ensure that EVERY one of our 5 senses was tuned-in to the experience.  All I can say is wow!  My resident foodie, Sean, ranked this in his top 5 dining experiences (which is saying a lot).  At the end of the day, this non-foodie was unbelievably proud to have picked the restaurant...!

A Break from the Norm: What We Read on Vacation

I work in publishing, selling books for a living, so much of my time is spent reading books for work.  Vacation is meant to be a break from work, so I try to allocate that time for reading books that I don't sell, as well as competitor titles.  I was happily able to read some wonderful books over my vacation! 

I started prepping for the tropics by reading J. Maarten Troost's, Getting Stoned with Savages.  (I should add that I love to read travel and food writing when I'm taking a break from fiction)  Wickedly funny, I found myself chuckling as J.M.T. catalogues his misadventures in the South Pacific.  If you're looking for a non-fiction read, by an author with a wonderfully self-deprecating sense of humor, you should check this out!  After reading, I brought it along on vacation, as I knew it would be something my husband would enjoy.

I was just getting started with Jennifer Egan's, A Visit from the Goon Squad, as I was leaving for vacation AND when it won the National Book Critics Circle award (great choice on my part!).  This is one of those times when I was GLAD to have left my electronic reader at home.  I quickly became enmeshed in the characters' stories, and took a brief glance around when other air passengers were told to turn off their devices -- those poor souls -- I got to continue reading!  I picked this title up at a client's recommendation, and was so glad that I did.  I got lost in the nostalgia of the 80s and 90s, and loved the sci-fi twist Egan adds to the (immediate) future.  If you haven't already, pick up a copy for yourself - you won't regret it!

My next read was Kristen Cashore's Graceling.  Graceling had been on my 'To Be Read' shelf for almost a year, after I picked it up while shopping at one of my favorite independent bookstores, Browseabout Books, in Rehoboth, Delaware.  I will begin by admitting that it took me about 100 pages to get into this book.  I'm not a huge fan of fantasy, but when it's done well, and has a strong (and believable) heroine, I tend to enjoy it.  Needless to say, after 100 pages I was hooked.  So much so, that I couldn't wait to get stateside to find a bookstore carrying the next book in English! 

Speaking of which, I was OVERJOYED to find that they had a Borders Express in the Phoenix airport (where we had a 5 hour layover)!  While they did not have Cashore's next book in the series, Fire, I was able to check out another, older title, from a competitor (I've been remiss in my reading) -- Scott Westerfeld's Uglies.  I had the opportunity to see Scott at last fall's Baltimore Book Festival and was impressed with his wicked sense of humor.  After reading just a few pages of Uglies I was hooked!

In between finishing Graceling and beginning Uglies, I picked up Kate Taylor's Going Hungry, which is a collection of essays by various writers (including Jennifer Egan) about their experiences with eating disorders.  While I thoroughly enjoyed reading the experiences of others who have battled the disease, it is not exactly 'light' reading (better to pick up, read an essay or two, and put back down).  So, I was in desperate need of some lighter YA fiction when I started Uglies!

What did my husband, Sean, read?  Well, Sean works long hours in the restaurant industry, and is a bit of a foodie (HUGE understatement), so reading is a bit of a luxury for him.  Don't get me wrong, Sean enjoys reading, and he's even co-written a book, but finding the quiet time to relax with a book is difficult.  At any rate, he picked up an advance copy of Gabrielle Hamilton's Blood, Bones, and Butter...and absolutely LOVED it!  In a nutshell, Sean described it as the female perspective and writing equivalent of Anthony Bourdain.  Well, I'm definitely sold on that!  I love Bourdain's writing and sardonic sense of humor -- I even used an excerpt from A Cook's Tour in my Masters thesis!

While my vacation is over, I already have a 'To Be Read' pile started for the next chunk of time that I have off...

Back to the Grind

This past weekend marked 3 weeks since getting married, and one week since returning from our wonderful honeymoon in Zihuatenejo, Mexico.  Thank goodness for that relaxing week, as both Sean and I hit the ground running when we got back.  Not only was I playing catch-up from being gone for so long, but we announced the release date of a highly anticipated title at work (= craziness).  Needless to say, I spent all of last week feeling as though I was trudging through mud (the pile on my desk, thankfully, has dissipated!).  Sean came back to an offer for a wonderful job opportunity with his company...in the Philadelphia area, so this has led to many conversations regarding our future.  There's still a lot we don't know (and are in the midst of discussing), so I don't want to say too much here, except the fact that this is a tremendous opportunity for Sean and, well...for the both of us in our new life together.  The only thing we can do, at the moment, is to sit back and see where the cards fall.  We are both confident that everything will unfold the way it's meant to happen for us...