Can we talk about how...well... lovely this movie looks?
Movie trailers are so full of promise. They are one of my favourite things about going to a movie (I would never miss the trailers) and I'm so very glad that the world has evolved to the point that I can watch them whenever I want, in the comfort of my own home, without having to buy overpriced snacks.
One of my secret dream jobs is to be the person that gets to edit movie trailers together. Despite my lack of film experience, I can't help but think that the basics of good editing would translate from the page to the screen. Mmmm... third career maybe? As long as I don't have to live in LA!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
20 week scan
It was the fastest 45 minutes of my life and here's the result:
Our little baby has ten fingers, ten toes and was apparently a little bored by all the attention, because he/she yawned for us. Twice.
The tiny little vertebra took my breath away, but what really got to me - what made me shed a little tear - was the heart. We could clearly see the four little chambers all working hard and beating like a champion. I couldn't help but think that this is the little heart that is going to love us first, but it's also the heart that we won't always be able to protect.
After I wiped all the gel off my belly (although I found a little hiding in my belly button tonight), we had to sit around for a half hour waiting for the doctor to look at the scans. But it was worth it when they handed us a sheet covered with my favourite new word: Normal.
Who knew how good that word could be!? (Although, to be honest, I was hoping for at least one "fantastic" or even a "really good." I mean, the baby's femurs looked excellent to us! And the humerus - top notch!!)
I won't know more until my follow up appointment on Thursday, but for now we are ecstatic.
Our little baby has ten fingers, ten toes and was apparently a little bored by all the attention, because he/she yawned for us. Twice.
The tiny little vertebra took my breath away, but what really got to me - what made me shed a little tear - was the heart. We could clearly see the four little chambers all working hard and beating like a champion. I couldn't help but think that this is the little heart that is going to love us first, but it's also the heart that we won't always be able to protect.
After I wiped all the gel off my belly (although I found a little hiding in my belly button tonight), we had to sit around for a half hour waiting for the doctor to look at the scans. But it was worth it when they handed us a sheet covered with my favourite new word: Normal.
Who knew how good that word could be!? (Although, to be honest, I was hoping for at least one "fantastic" or even a "really good." I mean, the baby's femurs looked excellent to us! And the humerus - top notch!!)
I won't know more until my follow up appointment on Thursday, but for now we are ecstatic.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Hanging with the girls
Such a lovely lunch date today, with a fantastic group of women and two adorable little girls with personality plus. Here's a few pics:
At one point they even held hands!! But I had the old camera and it takes FOREVER to reset itself between shots, so I missed some magic moments. You know, my birthday is just a month away now and I'm thinking it's time to add a digital SLR to this family. Because there will be roughly a million pictures to take in the next couple of years! Particularly of the person in this next shot that isn't exactly recognizable just yet:
PS. People who design maternity clothes have an absolute obsession with horizontal stripes!
At one point they even held hands!! But I had the old camera and it takes FOREVER to reset itself between shots, so I missed some magic moments. You know, my birthday is just a month away now and I'm thinking it's time to add a digital SLR to this family. Because there will be roughly a million pictures to take in the next couple of years! Particularly of the person in this next shot that isn't exactly recognizable just yet:
PS. People who design maternity clothes have an absolute obsession with horizontal stripes!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Busybusybusybusybusy
Okay, SO much going on in my life right now! In addition to a constantly overflowing (and still growing) inbox at work (along with all my colleagues), we almost bought a house this week. Twice.
We thought we'd found the place on Friday morning before heading out of town for the weekend. We told our agent and called our mortgage broker. Then we had a few days to think about it. And worry about it. And I woke up in the wee hours of Sunday morning and was unbelievably stressed. I had to wake up the Husband and talk to him about it and then I still laid awake until dawn.
So instead of putting in an offer last night, which had been the plan, we went to see another house. It was charming, in an amazing location, but teeny tiny with no parking. Then we went back to the other house. And we saw all the potential again. We told the agent (a different one, since ours is on vacation this week) that we'd put in an offer today.
I didn't sleep very much last night, either, but out of excitement this time. I mean, buying a first home is super exciting!!
This morning in our email, there was another house. A good looking one, closer to a more desirable area of the neighbourhood. We emailed the agent and asked if we could see that one first, before we put in an offer on the other. She set it up and we met at the new house this afternoon.
I really like it. The husband - not so much. Although we could both see the benefits of this one over the other one, his gut feeling just wasn't there. BUT the things that I loved about this one - particularly an open concept on the main floor and the proximity to more amenities (which is the whole reason to live in the city) finally convinced me that the OTHER one isn't the one.
So, after many lost hours of sleep and some serious stress, the search continues...
After all, we have to find a first home for the ever growing kiddie. This is last week's 18 weeks shot:
We thought we'd found the place on Friday morning before heading out of town for the weekend. We told our agent and called our mortgage broker. Then we had a few days to think about it. And worry about it. And I woke up in the wee hours of Sunday morning and was unbelievably stressed. I had to wake up the Husband and talk to him about it and then I still laid awake until dawn.
So instead of putting in an offer last night, which had been the plan, we went to see another house. It was charming, in an amazing location, but teeny tiny with no parking. Then we went back to the other house. And we saw all the potential again. We told the agent (a different one, since ours is on vacation this week) that we'd put in an offer today.
I didn't sleep very much last night, either, but out of excitement this time. I mean, buying a first home is super exciting!!
This morning in our email, there was another house. A good looking one, closer to a more desirable area of the neighbourhood. We emailed the agent and asked if we could see that one first, before we put in an offer on the other. She set it up and we met at the new house this afternoon.
I really like it. The husband - not so much. Although we could both see the benefits of this one over the other one, his gut feeling just wasn't there. BUT the things that I loved about this one - particularly an open concept on the main floor and the proximity to more amenities (which is the whole reason to live in the city) finally convinced me that the OTHER one isn't the one.
So, after many lost hours of sleep and some serious stress, the search continues...
After all, we have to find a first home for the ever growing kiddie. This is last week's 18 weeks shot:
Monday, July 26, 2010
Here we go
I realized something today: I am totally at the bottom of the mountain.
What the hell am I talking about? Well, whenever there's some task that seems huge and impossible in front of me, I get this feeling like I'm standing at the bottom of a mountain, just looking up. Helpless. Totally at a loss as to how I'm ever going to be able to scale it. And right now, there's the house hunt, the start of a new issue of the magazine and the pregnancy. (Yes, I'm about halfway through and still feel like I'm at the bottom of the mountain, mostly because I'm so completely unfamiliar with everything that's still to come.) All of that work and effort and stress is just waiting there in front of me.
I think that's why I'm feeling very protective of my downtime right now. Why I spent a good chunk of the weekend hibernating at home with the cat, napping and hanging on to my precious energy stores.
But it's okay. Because the very fact that I recognize that I'm at the bottom is SO much better than not realizing why I'm feeling the pressure. Because logic and experience tell me that if I just keep plugging away, putting one foot in front of the other, nose to the grindstone, I'm going to be halfway up that mountain before I know it. And then the peak will be in view. And the view will be worth it.
What the hell am I talking about? Well, whenever there's some task that seems huge and impossible in front of me, I get this feeling like I'm standing at the bottom of a mountain, just looking up. Helpless. Totally at a loss as to how I'm ever going to be able to scale it. And right now, there's the house hunt, the start of a new issue of the magazine and the pregnancy. (Yes, I'm about halfway through and still feel like I'm at the bottom of the mountain, mostly because I'm so completely unfamiliar with everything that's still to come.) All of that work and effort and stress is just waiting there in front of me.
I think that's why I'm feeling very protective of my downtime right now. Why I spent a good chunk of the weekend hibernating at home with the cat, napping and hanging on to my precious energy stores.
But it's okay. Because the very fact that I recognize that I'm at the bottom is SO much better than not realizing why I'm feeling the pressure. Because logic and experience tell me that if I just keep plugging away, putting one foot in front of the other, nose to the grindstone, I'm going to be halfway up that mountain before I know it. And then the peak will be in view. And the view will be worth it.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Saturday evening musings
*I've got my iPod on shuffle as I write this post, so I'll fill you in on the random songs that come up as they come up.
"Birth of the Blues" by Sammy Davis Jr.
Having a fantastic rainy Saturday! After a quick hello phone call with the Husband who is away in Huntington Beach, California, for work, I ventured out for brunch. I've really been trying to expand my repertoire of restaurants in this city, so I suggested a little place called Saving Grace on Dundas St. West. It was a little off the beaten track for me, but nowhere TTC couldn't take me!
"Don't Know Why" by Norah Jones
I walked over from Bathurst in the soupy humid morning and was so pleased to see my lovely brunch companion already waiting for me, even though I was ten minutes early. (Can I just say - I heart people who are early and/or on time. I SO appreciate punctuality!!) As I'd suspected from some online reviews, we had to wait about 15 minutes to get a table in the teeny restaurant, but we were busy catching up so it was all good.
"How Insensitive" by my old friend Leah State!
What I neglected to consider on this incredibly humid morning was that the charming little neighbourhood spot would have neither air conditioning nor a cross-breeze once we were seated! Plus, you know, there was a KITCHEN going full tilt a few feet away. So it was hot. But the food was completely delicious. Oh, the beverages, too! I had blueberry lemonade and my companion had fresh lime soda water that came with a little pitcher of sugar water, so she could sweeten it as much or as little as she wanted. Nice!
"River" by Joni Mitchell (My iPod is feeling low-key, apparently)
Anyway, lovely meal and a stroll through Trinity Bellwoods Park led to some browsing along Queen Street where we stopped in to say hello to a fellow classmate and friend at her place of employment. But it was just so humid that I was happy to come home and park myself in front of the air conditioner for a while.
(Air conditioner installation = a really, really, really good idea!)
Been lazing around since then. Watched two episodes of Friday Night Lights, which is my current television obsession.
"Hlohonolfatsa" by Soweto Gospel Choir
Also had a big old nap, because I felt like it and had nothing so pressing as to get in the way of just going for it. Isn't there something so awesome about being able to give over to fatigue in the middle of the day? Like, most of the time that the feeling hits us, we have to quash it because we're working or something needs to get done, but sometimes you can just enjoy it. Which I did!
"Hard to Say Goodbye" from the musical "Violet"
Other stuff I wanted to catch you up on! We saw five more houses early last week, bringing out total up to 13. Loved about 80% of one of the, including an amazing kitchen and backyard, but the location totally sucked. Not within walking distance to any city conveniences, on an undesirable street and right off a very busy main street. Sigh!
"Closer" by Only By the Night (This is one of those mysterious songs. I don't know what it is or where it came from... Skipping now.
"No More" from "Into the Woods"
I also realized that the house and location are going to have to be pretty terrific in order for me to want to leave our neighbourhood here. I love where we live. I don't love living on the top floor of an apartment building in an apartment that's already a bit small for us, but I love being so close to the subway and the Beltline trail and the whole area. I love being able to walk to three grocery stores and a movie theatre and all sorts of great shops. It's going to be a big transition to leave.
On a more fun note, I went to see some musical theatre this week with a friend that was there every step of the way during my musical theatre years. We saw "Legally Blonde: The Musical."
"Keep Holding On" by the Glee cast
It wasn't a show I ever thought I'd want to pay to see, because I have a chip on my shoulder about musicals based on movies. But we got a really great deal on the tickets, so I thought, why not? I'm so glad we went! I happen to be a fan of the movie, I'm not going to lie. And the show was just as frothy and fun as the movie, with a few genuine laughs and some awesome talent. One actress, the one that plays Brooke Wyndham, belted out an amazing number WHILE JUMPING ROPE THE ENTIRE TIME! Seriously. When I was seeing the personal trainer, I dreaded the few minutes of jumping rope that she would have me do, because it was so hard. And this chick was breezing through it AND singing. Amazing.
"Someone to Watch Over Me" by Frank Sinatra
That's pretty much it over here. Except, of course, the 17 week belly shot:
Also, I SWEAR I have some music on my iPod that would actually be considered current, but apparently it doesn't feel like playing any of it right now!
"Birth of the Blues" by Sammy Davis Jr.
Having a fantastic rainy Saturday! After a quick hello phone call with the Husband who is away in Huntington Beach, California, for work, I ventured out for brunch. I've really been trying to expand my repertoire of restaurants in this city, so I suggested a little place called Saving Grace on Dundas St. West. It was a little off the beaten track for me, but nowhere TTC couldn't take me!
"Don't Know Why" by Norah Jones
I walked over from Bathurst in the soupy humid morning and was so pleased to see my lovely brunch companion already waiting for me, even though I was ten minutes early. (Can I just say - I heart people who are early and/or on time. I SO appreciate punctuality!!) As I'd suspected from some online reviews, we had to wait about 15 minutes to get a table in the teeny restaurant, but we were busy catching up so it was all good.
"How Insensitive" by my old friend Leah State!
What I neglected to consider on this incredibly humid morning was that the charming little neighbourhood spot would have neither air conditioning nor a cross-breeze once we were seated! Plus, you know, there was a KITCHEN going full tilt a few feet away. So it was hot. But the food was completely delicious. Oh, the beverages, too! I had blueberry lemonade and my companion had fresh lime soda water that came with a little pitcher of sugar water, so she could sweeten it as much or as little as she wanted. Nice!
"River" by Joni Mitchell (My iPod is feeling low-key, apparently)
Anyway, lovely meal and a stroll through Trinity Bellwoods Park led to some browsing along Queen Street where we stopped in to say hello to a fellow classmate and friend at her place of employment. But it was just so humid that I was happy to come home and park myself in front of the air conditioner for a while.
(Air conditioner installation = a really, really, really good idea!)
Been lazing around since then. Watched two episodes of Friday Night Lights, which is my current television obsession.
"Hlohonolfatsa" by Soweto Gospel Choir
Also had a big old nap, because I felt like it and had nothing so pressing as to get in the way of just going for it. Isn't there something so awesome about being able to give over to fatigue in the middle of the day? Like, most of the time that the feeling hits us, we have to quash it because we're working or something needs to get done, but sometimes you can just enjoy it. Which I did!
"Hard to Say Goodbye" from the musical "Violet"
Other stuff I wanted to catch you up on! We saw five more houses early last week, bringing out total up to 13. Loved about 80% of one of the, including an amazing kitchen and backyard, but the location totally sucked. Not within walking distance to any city conveniences, on an undesirable street and right off a very busy main street. Sigh!
"Closer" by Only By the Night (This is one of those mysterious songs. I don't know what it is or where it came from... Skipping now.
"No More" from "Into the Woods"
I also realized that the house and location are going to have to be pretty terrific in order for me to want to leave our neighbourhood here. I love where we live. I don't love living on the top floor of an apartment building in an apartment that's already a bit small for us, but I love being so close to the subway and the Beltline trail and the whole area. I love being able to walk to three grocery stores and a movie theatre and all sorts of great shops. It's going to be a big transition to leave.
On a more fun note, I went to see some musical theatre this week with a friend that was there every step of the way during my musical theatre years. We saw "Legally Blonde: The Musical."
"Keep Holding On" by the Glee cast
It wasn't a show I ever thought I'd want to pay to see, because I have a chip on my shoulder about musicals based on movies. But we got a really great deal on the tickets, so I thought, why not? I'm so glad we went! I happen to be a fan of the movie, I'm not going to lie. And the show was just as frothy and fun as the movie, with a few genuine laughs and some awesome talent. One actress, the one that plays Brooke Wyndham, belted out an amazing number WHILE JUMPING ROPE THE ENTIRE TIME! Seriously. When I was seeing the personal trainer, I dreaded the few minutes of jumping rope that she would have me do, because it was so hard. And this chick was breezing through it AND singing. Amazing.
"Someone to Watch Over Me" by Frank Sinatra
That's pretty much it over here. Except, of course, the 17 week belly shot:
Also, I SWEAR I have some music on my iPod that would actually be considered current, but apparently it doesn't feel like playing any of it right now!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
The joys and worries of week 16, plus roomies and roadtrips
Introducing, the week 16 official belly shot:
For the most part, I am really enjoying being pregnant now. I love sticking my little (but getting bigger) belly out, especially after I've eaten a big lunch. When else in life do you get to flaunt a bit of a bloat? Now that the Baby can hear stuff, both the Husband and I have started talking to it, which is like a dry run at parenting. This morning the Husband actually tried some discipline when I explained that the baby wanted pancakes! He won, but only because we didn't have any syrup in the house. (Note to self: buy syrup.)
But the hormones. Oh but they get ya! For example, this was an actual conversation today:
Husband: "What's the matter?"
Me: "My hair is making me cry!"
Seriously.
Also, I'm not even quite halfway through the gestation part of being a mom and there is already so much stuff to worry about. We need to figure out if we're going to hire a doula. Then we need to find time to meet some and choose one. There are some prenatal classes that we need to book, but with the Husband's work schedule being completely unpredictable and involving so much time away from home, how do we plan in advance? And the biggest concern for this being who is only the size of an avocado thus far: Daycare!
Sigh. All of my very smart friends who have children in this city keep stressing to me that we need to get on some daycare lists NOW if we want our little one to have somewhere to go when I go back to work in January 2012. So even though I don't know this child of mine - whether it's a boy or girl, what it likes, what it doesn't like - I need to choose the strangers to hand it over to when it's a year old. Oh, and then there's the fact that we have no idea where we'll be living in January 2012! So my laid-back attitude around finding a house is slowly eroding into, "WE NEED TO FIND A HOUSE!"
Don't worry. I'll make it. Deep breaths. (Don't want to flood the baby in my stress hormones!)
On a lighter note, I had a fantastic day yesterday. One of my college roomies and I took a road trip to Welland to visit the third roomie of our trio in her gorgeous new house. It should have taken about an hour and a half to get there, but between crazy traffic, three bouts of the kind of insane rain where you can't really see the road, one hailstorm (!!!), and a few little lost moments, we made it in just under four. Luckily that still gave us time to get in a great visit and enjoy a beautiful summer's evening in her newly acquired backyard gazebo and comfy lawn furniture. And, as always, we snapped a pic to remember it by:
For the most part, I am really enjoying being pregnant now. I love sticking my little (but getting bigger) belly out, especially after I've eaten a big lunch. When else in life do you get to flaunt a bit of a bloat? Now that the Baby can hear stuff, both the Husband and I have started talking to it, which is like a dry run at parenting. This morning the Husband actually tried some discipline when I explained that the baby wanted pancakes! He won, but only because we didn't have any syrup in the house. (Note to self: buy syrup.)
But the hormones. Oh but they get ya! For example, this was an actual conversation today:
Husband: "What's the matter?"
Me: "My hair is making me cry!"
Seriously.
Also, I'm not even quite halfway through the gestation part of being a mom and there is already so much stuff to worry about. We need to figure out if we're going to hire a doula. Then we need to find time to meet some and choose one. There are some prenatal classes that we need to book, but with the Husband's work schedule being completely unpredictable and involving so much time away from home, how do we plan in advance? And the biggest concern for this being who is only the size of an avocado thus far: Daycare!
Sigh. All of my very smart friends who have children in this city keep stressing to me that we need to get on some daycare lists NOW if we want our little one to have somewhere to go when I go back to work in January 2012. So even though I don't know this child of mine - whether it's a boy or girl, what it likes, what it doesn't like - I need to choose the strangers to hand it over to when it's a year old. Oh, and then there's the fact that we have no idea where we'll be living in January 2012! So my laid-back attitude around finding a house is slowly eroding into, "WE NEED TO FIND A HOUSE!"
Don't worry. I'll make it. Deep breaths. (Don't want to flood the baby in my stress hormones!)
On a lighter note, I had a fantastic day yesterday. One of my college roomies and I took a road trip to Welland to visit the third roomie of our trio in her gorgeous new house. It should have taken about an hour and a half to get there, but between crazy traffic, three bouts of the kind of insane rain where you can't really see the road, one hailstorm (!!!), and a few little lost moments, we made it in just under four. Luckily that still gave us time to get in a great visit and enjoy a beautiful summer's evening in her newly acquired backyard gazebo and comfy lawn furniture. And, as always, we snapped a pic to remember it by:
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