I know it's been forever since I posted on the blog and I'm finally coming out from under my rock! We've had a crazy/busy few weeks. I was crashing on a couple big deliverables at work that kept me away and, as many of you know, I also recently took my GMATs. Add that in with the holiday, and that brings us to nearly 3 weeks without any blog posts. Now that my deliverables are done, and the GMATs are over, I hope I can post more regularly!
My first non-baby update is with regards to my GMATs. Most of you know that I'm a horrible horrible procrastinator and though I had good intentions of studying in advance for this, it didn't really happen. Instead, I crammed all my studying into 4, 2 hour study sessions the Monday - Thursday before the exam. By some small miracle I managed to surprise myself and do really well. So now with that out of the way, I have resolved to not procrastinate too much on my applications that are due on January 15....we'll see how that goes:P
A very awesome recent baby update is that I have finally begun to feel the baby move (I think). I've been debating whether or not it's been actual movement for a couple weeks, but I'm pretty sure I felt a small kick or punch as we were driving up to PA for Thanksgiving, and I have definitely felt something similar since, so I'm gonna go with movement. It hasn't been anything consistent, but definitely a very very exciting development!
And for another exciting development, we have our anatomy scan tomorrow!! We are so so sooo excited to get to look at the baby again and are hoping that LGR cooperates with the tech so we can find out the sex. Speaking of which, when Eric's mom saw me this weekend, she changed her guess from boy to girl, so now I think we have more people thinking it's a girl instead of a boy. We really eventually want at least one of each, so as Eric keeps saying, there's no pressure either way on this one! But really, as long as our baby is healthy, we'll be happy! Some days, I really can't believe we're already half way through the pregnancy...it feels like April is going to be here before we know it and each day I get more and more excited to meet the little person growing inside of me:)
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
We Have a Nursery!
Well, at least we have the furniture! That was one of the biggest baby-related accomplishments of the weekend. After a fabulous lunch with our cousins Tasanee and Adam, we headed out to Babies R Us. We have done tons of research on just about every baby item imaginable and were just tired of guessing what we'd like. So we decided it was time to test our top picks in person, plus Babies R Us had a sale for 20% off nursery furniture plus 10% back on all purchases until November 24 so we figured it was as good a time as any to start. Our intention was to spend about 1 - 2 hours checking out the furniture we liked and some car seats and strollers. We ended up spending about 5 minutes looking at furniture (we loved our first pick in person!) then spent 3.5 hours debating the merits of the Graco SnugRide, Chicco Keyfit, and Peg Perego Viaggio infant seats and whether we wanted a travel system, a stroller frame, or a really nice stroller with an infant carrier attachment. If you're confused by all that, don't worry - we were too...for 3.5 HOURS!! It was so much easier to narrow it down in the research than in person. I HATED the Graco SnugRide carseat - it looked like cheap plastic and I didn't want to have to walk around carrying that thing. I loved the Chicco Keyfit, but the colors and style didn't seem to go with any strollers other than the Chicco ones. And finally, I loved loved LOVED the Peg Perego Viaggio - by far my favorite. It was so stylish and aesthetically pleasing and it looked sooo fabulous with the Baby Jogger Citi Mini stroller and with the Peg travel systems, but it is a bit more expensive than the other car seats (go figure - I fall in love with the most expensive car seat :P).
After car seats came strollers. Our original plan was to get a Snap n Go stroller frame where you can put in any infant car seat and it becomes an instant stroller. It would work for about 6 months, then we could go see what the baby really liked in terms of strollers and get something fancy and nice that would last through the toddler years. Well, turns out, we don't like the way infant car seats look on the Snap n Go - it just doesn't look right and there is no way either of us wanted to be seen pushing that around for even 6 months. We had initially vetoed the travel systems b/c they seemed really bulky, but we gave them a look anyway. Turns out we were right - we felt that most of them were really heavy and while they matched the car seats perfectly, they just didn't seem feasible for the long run. Next, we checked out another option - the nice fancy strollers with a car seat adapter. We could use those as travel systems while the baby was small, then go straight to the stroller once it could hold its head up. We LOVED these ones - the strollers were fun and fashionable and functional, and we even found some that were reasonably priced. We've narrowed it down tot he Citi Mini and the Peg Perego SI - both are really light weight and the Citi Mini collapses with one hand - you just have to pull the snap! It's awesome! And you can buy a car seat adapter. It only took 3.5 hours and a bit of frustration, but it was well worth it to finally figure out what we liked and didn't like in person. We'll call it a success. We'll also give Eric lots and lots of points for DVRing the Penn State game so that we could go baby shopping:)
I have to say that first experience in Babies R Us was totally overwhelming. We walked in and I had a mild panic attack. There was so much stuff, and what really makes it scary is that most of it really isn't for the baby. It's for the parents. Because let's face it - my child isn't going to care if it's in a Graco car seat or a Peg, it's not going to care if it's in Bugaboo or a Snap 'n' Go and it's definitely not going to care if it's furniture is a $1000 crib from Restoration Hardware or an $80 one from Ikea. All those items have to meet basic safety requirements and the cheapest item will definitely serve the function of the most expensive item. The difference is what you as a parent feels is a reflection of your own style and lifestyle. And that, I've realized, is how all of these places make crazy amounts of money - lots of parents (myself included) want to still feel fashionable, trendy, and cool. When your designer bag must be replaced by a diaper bag, your fancy jeans are covered in toddler food and spit up, and your sexy dress from last year just doesn't seem to fit the same no matter how many crunches you do, it's really hard to feel fashionable and trendy and it feels like one way that you can still get that feeling is by choosing baby items that reflect your sense of style and taste. Now I'm not saying this is how you should get that feeling back, but just my sense at how a lot of baby items are being marketed, and why a lot of people spend a lot of money on a lot of things that are completely unnecessary. I am 100% sure a lot of the purchases we will make will be more expensive than they have to be, but the way I look at it is that a lot of these purchases are going to be my accessories for the next 2-4 years, so I might as well get something I enjoy looking at (as long as we can afford it:P)!
After car seats came strollers. Our original plan was to get a Snap n Go stroller frame where you can put in any infant car seat and it becomes an instant stroller. It would work for about 6 months, then we could go see what the baby really liked in terms of strollers and get something fancy and nice that would last through the toddler years. Well, turns out, we don't like the way infant car seats look on the Snap n Go - it just doesn't look right and there is no way either of us wanted to be seen pushing that around for even 6 months. We had initially vetoed the travel systems b/c they seemed really bulky, but we gave them a look anyway. Turns out we were right - we felt that most of them were really heavy and while they matched the car seats perfectly, they just didn't seem feasible for the long run. Next, we checked out another option - the nice fancy strollers with a car seat adapter. We could use those as travel systems while the baby was small, then go straight to the stroller once it could hold its head up. We LOVED these ones - the strollers were fun and fashionable and functional, and we even found some that were reasonably priced. We've narrowed it down tot he Citi Mini and the Peg Perego SI - both are really light weight and the Citi Mini collapses with one hand - you just have to pull the snap! It's awesome! And you can buy a car seat adapter. It only took 3.5 hours and a bit of frustration, but it was well worth it to finally figure out what we liked and didn't like in person. We'll call it a success. We'll also give Eric lots and lots of points for DVRing the Penn State game so that we could go baby shopping:)
I have to say that first experience in Babies R Us was totally overwhelming. We walked in and I had a mild panic attack. There was so much stuff, and what really makes it scary is that most of it really isn't for the baby. It's for the parents. Because let's face it - my child isn't going to care if it's in a Graco car seat or a Peg, it's not going to care if it's in Bugaboo or a Snap 'n' Go and it's definitely not going to care if it's furniture is a $1000 crib from Restoration Hardware or an $80 one from Ikea. All those items have to meet basic safety requirements and the cheapest item will definitely serve the function of the most expensive item. The difference is what you as a parent feels is a reflection of your own style and lifestyle. And that, I've realized, is how all of these places make crazy amounts of money - lots of parents (myself included) want to still feel fashionable, trendy, and cool. When your designer bag must be replaced by a diaper bag, your fancy jeans are covered in toddler food and spit up, and your sexy dress from last year just doesn't seem to fit the same no matter how many crunches you do, it's really hard to feel fashionable and trendy and it feels like one way that you can still get that feeling is by choosing baby items that reflect your sense of style and taste. Now I'm not saying this is how you should get that feeling back, but just my sense at how a lot of baby items are being marketed, and why a lot of people spend a lot of money on a lot of things that are completely unnecessary. I am 100% sure a lot of the purchases we will make will be more expensive than they have to be, but the way I look at it is that a lot of these purchases are going to be my accessories for the next 2-4 years, so I might as well get something I enjoy looking at (as long as we can afford it:P)!
Friday, November 5, 2010
A Change of Plans
The past week or so I've been doing a lot of thinking. As most of you know, I'm applying to business schools and while this is definitely something I want to do, I simply haven't been super motivated. So, I sat down and thought about why that was the case. Was I trying to force myself to get an MBA because it is what I am supposed to do? Am I not applying to the right schools? With all this thinking came a very sudden realization - I WANT an MBA, but I was very very concerned about how we were going to move somewhere completely new, have Eric quit his job, hope he finds a new one wherever we move to, live on 1 income for two years and still find a way to raise a baby. Before we found out I was pregnant, grad school seemed like it was going to be this romantic adventure - we could live in a 1 bedroom or a studio, we'd get by however we had to and we'd get to explore a new area. Now that we're throwing a baby into the mix, we just don't have the same flexibility and that is what scares me - we need to have a 2-bedroom apartment, we need a new car so we can fit baby+dog+us for all of our trips, we need to buy diapers, and books and spend time with our child much more than we need to go out with friends on Friday and Saturday nights. All of our priorities have suddenly changed - that's not a bad thing, but it is a change that I hadn't fully thought.
My conclusion from all of this thinking was that I want to get an MBA and I want to get it by the time I'm 30, but I need to find a program that allows me some flexibility. The more I thought about it, the more a part-time MBA program seemed to fit my new needs, especially a program in the area. It would mean that Eric could keep his amazing job, and I could still work part time which would allow us to save some money while I'm in school, cut back on childcare costs, and let me spend more time with the baby. Now, I don't think doing this will be easy by any means, but I think that going part time gives me the piece of mind to know that I can still make sure we're financially taking care of our future while I get my degree (and ultimately, me getting an MBA is really an investment in our financial future). It also gives me some piece of mind to know that our families won't be so far away and that our parents will be able to see their grandchild on a regular basis (and maybe even babysit a weekend or two so Eric and I can go to a movie or dinner or something:). I feel so much better and more energized after thinking this through and coming to my decision about part-time school. I am still going to apply to Harvard and Wharton and if I get in, we'll cross that bridge, but I'm happy to say that I've come to a point in my life where I don't feel like the place I go to school defines who I am. Just because I don't go to Harvard or Stanford or Wharton doesn't mean I'm not as smart or motivated as people who get their MBAs from there and it doesn't mean I'll be any less successful. My priorities are becoming completely different right now and I am finally OK with that and it's an amazing feeling. What feels even better is that Eric has been so supportive during all of this and not once did he weigh in on my decision - he made me make it myself, and told me that we will do whatever we need to do so that I could go to school wherever I wanted to - whether that was full time in Boston or part time in DC. Such a smart man - now he knows I have no one to blame but myself if I end up regretting my decision later (which I don't think I will!).
In other news, we have one more change of plans, but this one, we're not as excited about...we got a call earlier this week saying we'll have to postpone our anatomy scan until after Thanksgiving! We were so excited to see the baby again and find out it's sex, but looks like we'll have to wait an extra week. Now the big day is on November 30. I was soooo hoping to do some Black Friday shopping for the baby, but I guess I'll have to wait :P Plus, we had a really cute plan for telling our families the gender, so now we'll have to think of something different since we won't know when we see them around Thanksgiving. Hmmm.....time to get creative!
My conclusion from all of this thinking was that I want to get an MBA and I want to get it by the time I'm 30, but I need to find a program that allows me some flexibility. The more I thought about it, the more a part-time MBA program seemed to fit my new needs, especially a program in the area. It would mean that Eric could keep his amazing job, and I could still work part time which would allow us to save some money while I'm in school, cut back on childcare costs, and let me spend more time with the baby. Now, I don't think doing this will be easy by any means, but I think that going part time gives me the piece of mind to know that I can still make sure we're financially taking care of our future while I get my degree (and ultimately, me getting an MBA is really an investment in our financial future). It also gives me some piece of mind to know that our families won't be so far away and that our parents will be able to see their grandchild on a regular basis (and maybe even babysit a weekend or two so Eric and I can go to a movie or dinner or something:). I feel so much better and more energized after thinking this through and coming to my decision about part-time school. I am still going to apply to Harvard and Wharton and if I get in, we'll cross that bridge, but I'm happy to say that I've come to a point in my life where I don't feel like the place I go to school defines who I am. Just because I don't go to Harvard or Stanford or Wharton doesn't mean I'm not as smart or motivated as people who get their MBAs from there and it doesn't mean I'll be any less successful. My priorities are becoming completely different right now and I am finally OK with that and it's an amazing feeling. What feels even better is that Eric has been so supportive during all of this and not once did he weigh in on my decision - he made me make it myself, and told me that we will do whatever we need to do so that I could go to school wherever I wanted to - whether that was full time in Boston or part time in DC. Such a smart man - now he knows I have no one to blame but myself if I end up regretting my decision later (which I don't think I will!).
In other news, we have one more change of plans, but this one, we're not as excited about...we got a call earlier this week saying we'll have to postpone our anatomy scan until after Thanksgiving! We were so excited to see the baby again and find out it's sex, but looks like we'll have to wait an extra week. Now the big day is on November 30. I was soooo hoping to do some Black Friday shopping for the baby, but I guess I'll have to wait :P Plus, we had a really cute plan for telling our families the gender, so now we'll have to think of something different since we won't know when we see them around Thanksgiving. Hmmm.....time to get creative!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Success!
Lately, I've been feeling pretty overwhelmed at the whole thought of parenthood and juggling work, applying to business school and preparing for motherhood. Add on top of that the crazy mood swings that seem to have come out of nowhere and it's made for some pretty interesting times around our house. Thank goodness Eric is so understanding and patient and loving...I seriously don't know what I would do without him:)
This weekend was the perfect way to put behind all those crazy feelings and anxiety and really feel fabulous! Saturday was wonderful and my my husband gets an extra gold star for awesomeness- first we went to Loehman's in an attempt to find some much needed support for my ever growing chest, and to find some shoes that don't have 4 inch heels. Poor Eric was holding 4 bras, a belt, my jacket, and my purse as I tried on a pair of shoes...I wish I had a picture! Luckily, everything fit, looked cute, and was super on sale...success number1 for the day! Next we went to Fair Oaks Mall to check out Gap Maternity...remember how I was complaining that I couldn't quite fit in regular clothes, but maternity clothes were too big? Well, I no longer have that problem! My jeans, that buttoned (snuggly) last week, would barely stay zippered! On the advice of Baby Bargains and friends, I decided that we needed to check out Gap Maternity. Sooo glad we did, b/c I found an amazing pair of jeans and a really cute dress. I am sooo excited to have comfortable jeans again and they look so cute, plus, they're the perfect length for my new lower heels:) I've also decided that I am going to try and wear maternity jeans to Thanksgiving every year from now on...that stretchy panel will be clutch after all that eating:P We wrapped up a wonderful day with a movie and dinner with my parents - a very nice way to start off the weekend.
Sunday also was fabulous! I met up with Liz, who recently moved back to the DC area and has a gorgeous one-year-old daughter. It was so great to meet up with her and her daughter, Audrey, and Audrey was just so much fun to watch and play with...it made me really excited to be able to see and hold and play with our little baby! Plus it was so nice to get some advice and get answers to all those random questions first-time moms have (thanks, Liz!!). Since we're the first one amongst our close group of friends to have kids, it's hard sometimes to find the right people to go to for advice. Of course our moms are awesome sources of advice, but sometimes you just want to talk to someone your age to figure out if the newest gadget/gizmo is worth buying, and where the heck you can go to find cute maternity clothes that don't make you look like you're 40 years old. After meeting up with Liz, Eric and I headed to DC for a quick photo session. Our cousins Tasanee and Adam got us a Groupon for a photo session as a gift and we couldn't have picked a better day to use it! The weather was gorgeous, and we had some great foliage in the background. After photos, I ran around for the next couple of hours doing errands, grocery shopping and the like, while Eric made an incredible chili which we then enjoyed in front of the TV as we watched some football. It was the perfect end to an awesome weekend.
This weekend was the perfect way to put behind all those crazy feelings and anxiety and really feel fabulous! Saturday was wonderful and my my husband gets an extra gold star for awesomeness- first we went to Loehman's in an attempt to find some much needed support for my ever growing chest, and to find some shoes that don't have 4 inch heels. Poor Eric was holding 4 bras, a belt, my jacket, and my purse as I tried on a pair of shoes...I wish I had a picture! Luckily, everything fit, looked cute, and was super on sale...success number1 for the day! Next we went to Fair Oaks Mall to check out Gap Maternity...remember how I was complaining that I couldn't quite fit in regular clothes, but maternity clothes were too big? Well, I no longer have that problem! My jeans, that buttoned (snuggly) last week, would barely stay zippered! On the advice of Baby Bargains and friends, I decided that we needed to check out Gap Maternity. Sooo glad we did, b/c I found an amazing pair of jeans and a really cute dress. I am sooo excited to have comfortable jeans again and they look so cute, plus, they're the perfect length for my new lower heels:) I've also decided that I am going to try and wear maternity jeans to Thanksgiving every year from now on...that stretchy panel will be clutch after all that eating:P We wrapped up a wonderful day with a movie and dinner with my parents - a very nice way to start off the weekend.
Sunday also was fabulous! I met up with Liz, who recently moved back to the DC area and has a gorgeous one-year-old daughter. It was so great to meet up with her and her daughter, Audrey, and Audrey was just so much fun to watch and play with...it made me really excited to be able to see and hold and play with our little baby! Plus it was so nice to get some advice and get answers to all those random questions first-time moms have (thanks, Liz!!). Since we're the first one amongst our close group of friends to have kids, it's hard sometimes to find the right people to go to for advice. Of course our moms are awesome sources of advice, but sometimes you just want to talk to someone your age to figure out if the newest gadget/gizmo is worth buying, and where the heck you can go to find cute maternity clothes that don't make you look like you're 40 years old. After meeting up with Liz, Eric and I headed to DC for a quick photo session. Our cousins Tasanee and Adam got us a Groupon for a photo session as a gift and we couldn't have picked a better day to use it! The weather was gorgeous, and we had some great foliage in the background. After photos, I ran around for the next couple of hours doing errands, grocery shopping and the like, while Eric made an incredible chili which we then enjoyed in front of the TV as we watched some football. It was the perfect end to an awesome weekend.
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