Moving On

Where this past month has gone, I do not know. We've been home for a month and it seems like mere days. It has been a fun-filled, hectic month...and a month that has brought yet another change to our family. D has officially started as a doctor working in a local hospital and I have officially adopted the role of staying at home. While it will take some adjusting, I know we both love our new roles.

Do you see my handsome man's new work attire? He readily stuffed those pockets full of all the necessary items needed to survive being an intern. He's in the middle of his first on-call night as I write this and he has people's lives in his hands. I know he's doing quite well, but it's a daunting task for anyone. D is liked by the senior doctors already. We were at the Welcome Picnic on Tuesday and not one but TWO attending doctors came to sit at our table with us for dinner. They recognized David from orientation and from interviewing months back and they liked him enough to sit with us. A few other doctors came over to talk with us throughout the night, which just shows how much D is liked already. But that's no surprise, EVERYONE loves David. I swear my own family likes him better than me. Oh well, could be worse.

And I am LOVING this staying-at-home thing. I didn't know what to expect since I need to be occupied at all times, but time flies and I am able to get a lot of things done that I don't know how I ever got done before. The bed...it even gets made in the morning! Other tasks that I have now assumed: making D's lunch, doing laundry (including drying and folding...sometimes even hanging it on the line outside!), washing dishes, and just generally being a more relaxed person. I am so grateful that I am able to stay home and will be able to continue to do so after our baby is born.

Speaking of Baby, he's a mover and a shaker and a hiccuper. Those are the three big category of movements this little guy partakes in. He's also very social. More likely than not, when anyone puts a hand on my belly, he will give it a firm kick/tap. It might take a second, but he'll even move over to where the hand is and tap out a greeting. Yesterday I was reading and he was in the middle of a big move and it must have took a lot out of him because he just stopped. And in that position, something hard was sticking out just to the left of my belly button. I was a bit uncomfortable, but I wanted to see how long he'd keep it there, so I just watched. Nothing happened, so I tickled this protruding something and it promptly moved. And it was followed by a rather large kick. I guess he was in a comfy position and didn't like being messed with. Also yesterday, when D was getting ready to go to work, he leaned over the bed to kiss my belly and the timing couldn't have been more perfect. The baby hit him square on the lips as he was giving him kisses. He is a stinker already! I told D that we'll need to use at least two of those swaddler blankets at any given time if this child is to get any sort of sleep. My belly is his playground and he enjoys using up all the available real estate...and then some. I don't mind, though, I like personality.

And finally, we haven't said much, but we are in the beginning-middle of buying our first home not too far from Ryan and Yana and not too far from Mom and Dad. Everything is going well so far, but it's not ours until the closing, which hasn't happened yet. I'm thinking we won't be in there before the baby comes because we want to do a few things to it that'll be easier done before we move all of our stuff in. But I don't mind, I want to be around someone when I go into labor and with D's schedule that wouldn't necessairly be the case. So anyway, more to come as the situation progresses.

I tell people how far along I am in weeks because it's just easier for me. Inevitably, though, I have to convert so I start by saying, for example, that I'm 29 weeks out of about 40. So I have about 10 more weeks to go. If that doesn't satisfy them, then I have to roughly convert to months, which is approaching seven at this point. So, not too much longer to go. I was telling people at the wedding that everything on our family's To Do List has been checked off, except for the baby. Now, we wait!

I decided to let D in on this picture, since it is his child, too, and all :)

Wow, I'm behind on some posts. I didn't think I'd be so busy, especially not working and all. However, get a lot of relatives in town for a certain brother's wedding and time just flies by. We've been having a good ol' time visiting with everyone and the wedding itself on Saturday was beautiful. Baby wanted in on the action because he was moving/kicking throughout the entire ceremony and then he was relatively calm the rest of the day. He's social already! D looked so handsome in his tux, as usual. And I was more than comfy in my size 14 bridemaid dress. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, which made for awesome outdoor pictures. Really, the whole day went so well. After the festivities, some family gathered back at our house for more visiting...until we fell into bed exhausted.

David planned and perfectly executed a one-night stay at an inn and spa near the CT shoreline last Thursday to Friday. It took us less than an hour to get there, which was really nice considering all the driving we had been doing and the ridiculous price of gas. It felt like we were in a different state, though, nothing and no one was familiar. We had wanted to go someplace, just the two of us, before D started residency with a busy schedule and this was the perfect getaway.

We left Thursday morning around 11:30 and arrived with plenty of time to catch our Thimble Island cruise out of the local dock. If you clicked on the link, you will know it's a 45-minute tour of the island cluster right off the CT shore...complete with fun stories and all. We had never even heard of them before D started researching the CT shore, but it was a gorgeous day to be out on the water so I'm glad D is a good researcher.

(If an annoying message appears and you can't see the slideshow, just click the "x" in the top righthand corner.)

Check-in wasn't until 3pm, so we had some time before we needed to be anywhere. There was this cute little (and I mean little) beach we passed on our way to the dock, so D got our books and we sat on the beach and read for a good while. It was so relaxing: the waves, the sunshine, D, reading.

We checked in and I headed straight for a nap. D toured the place a bit more, then came back and napped with me. It's tiring being so relaxed. We got up and ready for dinner by 5:30 and walked to the center of town to Pasta Cosi. It's a cozy little Italian place recommended by the innkeeper and it didn't disappoint. After dinner, we took our time walking back to the inn, enjoying the sights of the Town Center. When we got back, we got our books out again and headed to the upstairs porch to read. D made himself some tea first. I guess this is a good time to tell you about this place. It's an old Victorian house converted into both an inn and a day spa. There were only three rooms in the inn part (there was another spa room around every corner, it seemed). We started out as the only guests, but another couple checked in later that evening. The room was small, but cozy and had everything we needed. We didn't have to pack a bathroom bag because the bathroom had the most stuff I've ever seen stashed in a bathroom. The rooms didn't have TVs in them, so we had to go out to the TV room, which was also part of the spa area. We did end up watching TV later at night, so there wasn't anyone around in the spa, which was kind of weird. There was also a room with a fireplace that doubled as the spa's waiting room during the day, but had snacks and tea setup throughout the night. They provided a continental breakfast in the morning up on the inside part of the porch, which was very yummy. After breakfast, we got ready for the day and checked out by 11am. The place was well worth the cost and we felt really comfortable there.

We had appointments at the spa for later in the afternoon, so we had to hang around the area. We went to Chili's for lunch since we had a gift card and then we walked around town a bit more and found the...library! D was more than happy to be able to check his email... I think he was going through bit of a withdrawal. The weather couldn't have been more cooperative and Baby enjoyed the fresh air and exercise.

And we enjoyed spa treatments. D got a 45 minute Deep Tissue massage and I got a one-hour pedicure. The room they did the pedicures in was surrounded on three sides by floor-to-ceiling glass windows so you could look out and enjoy the view. And the pedicure itself was amazing. D enjoyed his massage, too, although next time he said he'll go for a Swedish massage which is a bit more gentle. But he did like the Deep Tissue and he also picked up some new techniques from which I have been benefiting. We got on the road shortly after we finished. D did have to stop in the waiting room for some tea and snacks before we left, but I didn't mind because Baby liked the snacks.

So that was our one-night away. I'm sure we'll do more of those in the not-too-distant future.

This is what my belly looks like with a 15-inch, 2-pound baby inside it. I get mixed reviews: "Woah, you're tiny for 6 months" or "My goodness, you are huge! I think you're having twins!" Fortunately I went to the doctor right before we left PA and I measured right on target. So, sorry people, I'm not tiny and I'm not huge. Just right...D said I sound like the Three Bears when I tell this story.

I have officially entered my third trimester. It wasn't hard at all, arriving at this point. It was, actually, rather easy I am pleased to report. And I've survived this crazy 90-degree heat wave with a constantly-filled glass of ice water and a few dips in the pool. My parents have their central air up and running, which is also a great help. I've been meaning to try and capture Baby's acrobatics on video, but I haven't tried really hard which is why it hasn't happened. My belly changes shapes throughout the day and last night we all felt some pointy body part that he decided to stick out for a while. I'm glad he's getting to hear so much commotion because it's only going to get worse when he gets out! I scheduled a tour of the hospital this Saturday (when I know D is still free), so we'll be doing that for an hour. I also scheduled child birthing classes, well actually one all-day class on a Saturday because D will be able to make it to that versus six other random days when he'll probably be working. Third trimester is getting kind of busy!

In other news, D starts residency (orientation) one week from today! He's taking me on an overnight getaway to an inn and spa near the CT shore tomorrow, so I'm totally psyched about that. He even scheduled some stuff at the spa! Should be lots of fun before he works his crazy schedule. Well, I'm going to see what the pool temp is, Baby really likes our swimming exercises!

My father has worked oh-so-hard to get this pool open for us. And by us, I mean me and Baby. He didn't want to open it at all this year, but when he found out my long-term summer goal (to float/swim/exercise in their pool), he felt a bit pressured to do so. So, in the midst of this 90+ degree heat wave, D, Grandma, Baby, and I decided to take full advantage of the sparkling waters of the pool. It was a cool 82 degrees, but it was not cool at all once we got used to it. It was the perfect temperature, considering the thermometer read 106 degrees in the sun and the breeze was almost hot.


It wasn't all fun and games today, though. The reason why we were so hot was because we were house hunting. We even saw a few we really liked and might bid on. Although, I'm liking the setup we just settled into now and wouldn't mind a few more months of it. But a few of the houses we saw were really cute and we could totally picture ourselves as homeowners. So the fun continues!

In the midst of organizing and unpacking, D's parents took us out to a celebratory dinner at Dakota on Thursday night. It was nice to have something to look forward to besides unpacking! D's dad picked us up on his way home from work, since we live so close to the hospital, and we picked up his mom and Peter...then off we went!

I wasn't one for red meat before getting pregnant, but now Baby likes hamburgers and a steak always seems like a good idea. I think this is the first steak I've had since being pregnant, but I'm always thinking about one it seems. And this one did not disappoint! Teriyaki steak, no less. So yummy. D had the Sirloin steak and enjoyed that as well, along with their salad bar, Buffalo bread, and a side of your choosing. We also got dessert (which we never do): a brownie sundae. I can't remember the last time I had a dinner like that!

While at the restaurant, by complete coincidence, we saw the family I used to nanny for years go...right before we got married. I lost touch with them, as busyness gets in the way, but it was wonderful to see them again. The kids have grown SO MUCH. It made me feel so old. The boy is so much taller than me now! Crazy. Of course, the mom was thrilled that we are expecting and grilled us with all the usual questions. They were like my second family for years and years, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing them again. Actually, it was quite ironic. I told D, as we were entering the restaurant, that the last time I was here was with that family. And that got me thinking that I haven't talked to them in a while and that I should call and see what they were up to. Anyway, what a fun evening all around!

Oh, and D's mom made this cool collage of graduation pictures:


Very clever. D put it up in our room right we got home that night! (We framed his diploma, by the way. It looks very sharp!)

In other news, we are almost all settled in. I'm thoroughly enjoying this not-having-to-work thing. I got my second-to-last paycheck direct deposited into our account yesterday. All the rest (besides one) will be from D now! :) I'm also enjoying D's company. We've obviously been spending a lot of time together before his hours get crazy. I'm expecting not to see him much this year, but then everyone said that about med school and I saw him all the time, so I'm not really sure what to expect. I know some months/rotations will be busier than others, but I'm sure we'll see plenty of each other. And he gets an entire week off when the baby comes on top of his four other vacation weeks. But that's a big reason I don't mind living with my parents for a while. This house is ALWAYS abuzz with some activity. I can't believe how fast the days fly by. I look forward to just reading and that doesn't even happen every day. So it's fun and we both really enjoy it here because it's never boring! Like last night, the girls went over Yana's mom's house and the guys stayed here and we had our respective "nights."

Well, off to get stuff done. The baby's awake now, he was nice and sleepy after my walking around so much. This kid packs a punch/kick, have I mentioned that? Off to do some more walking around...

As promised, a new blog title and layout has taken effect starting today. D thought I should explain our new title, so I will...kind of briefly.

Our lives have changed a bit drastically and there didn't seem to be one word that encompassed the few directions we will be going in, so D thought "moving on" simply and accurately described what we will be doing in general. More specifically:

• We have moved out of PA, our home for the past four years. It wasn't hard because we were coming back to all of our friends and family, but it's still a big move. We are very excited about not having to make the four-hour trip anymore...we visited quite frequently and with gas and tolls and hours in the car, it just wasn't our idea of fun anymore. But we will miss the friendships we made and our little routines we had and the overall great time we had while there.
  
• D has graduated medical school and has moved on to Doctor status. He's enjoying a few weeks off now, but he'll be transitioning from student to intern very shortly (and he'll be getting paid!!). From books to patients...I'd say that's quite the transition.
• I am not teaching anymore, my last day was Monday. No more getting up and rushing out the door and rushing the rest of the day. I'm glad I was able to work, but I totally am not cut out for a 9-5 job and am quite happy about staying home with our baby. I have a tutoring business plan in the works, but I won't be doing that for a long while. So I have moved on from teaching.
• And we are both moving on from married couple status to married couple with a baby status, aka being parents. That won't officially happen for a few more months, but D is already a great daddy...reading our pregnancy book, going to dr appointments, wanting to feel the baby move, talking to the baby, giving his opinions on stuff in the baby dept, and always helping me with things and telling me how beautiful I look. I, simply, endure the CONSTANT kicking and flipping and punching that this child loves to engage in. I love it and think it's quite funny the personality that is already shining through, but when I'm up from 5:20am to 7:20am with a tummy in constant motion, one can get a little...tired. Fortunately, I can also sleep in til 10am so I can't complain too much.
  

So this is it. We are going to tweak a few things here and there over the next few days. With D being a computer nerd and all, everything has to be just so and I don't mind! We won't be changing the URL, so the address will remain the same for everyone's sanity. Off to continue the moving process by unpacking!

D's graduation party was a huge success thanks to the many hands that went into pulling it off. D's parents were a huge help, my parents were a huge help, and D was actually a big help, too (he set up the tables, chairs, and tent with his brother). I wasn't too sure about the weather, but it was a nice blend of clouds and sun. When it started getting a bit chilly, the sun came out and when it started getting a bit too hot, the clouds rolled back in. Basically everyone who said they'd be there was there...even some people who I didn't know were coming were there. All in all it seemed that everyone had a good time socializing and eating, eating, eating. Mom and I counted at one point and there were at least sixty people. I, for one, had a very enjoyable time and was excited to see all of our friends and family again in one place! :)

Now for the pictures...

I just noticed that I never got around to posting D's graduation party pictures. That'll be the next post, I promise! Just wanted to let everyone know that our crazy weekend has finally come to an end and has ended on a wonderful note: we're residents of CT once again!!


Friday night we had some friends over to help pack up the big yellow Penske truck and they ended up doing it all that night. Since there wasn't anything in the apartment to sleep on, D and I stayed with friends. On Saturday, we went back over to the apartment and packed up the stuff that was going in the car that was being towed behind the truck and then D left. I was sad to see him go mostly because I was worried about him driving the truck and car four hours all by himself...but I was going to miss him, too. He arrived there safe and sound, thankfully, and friends and family in CT helped D unpack there. I had three different categories of boxes: storage at D's parents' house, storage at my parents' house, and "leave out" boxes. Color-coded and all. It worked out well, thank you very much.

D was such a trooper this weekend...he had such a crazy schedule. He packed Friday night, drove the truck and car up Saturday, unpacked when he got to CT, woke up early on Sunday and took three trains to get back to PA so he could drive me and the Volvo back up to CT today! He is awesome!!!

Anyway, my friend and I stayed and cleaned the apartment Saturday morning into the early afternoon. It felt so good to finally return the keys and make one last dumpster run before driving out of the apartment complex for good. I was sooo beat after that, though, I literally just sat or laid around my friends' house the rest of the day. I'm used to go, go, going, but I guess you just can't do that when you're also toting around a six-month baby belly. But I recovered nicely and had great fun spending time with our friends while D wasn't there. When D came back on Sunday, I picked him up from the train station and we spent the rest of the day and overnight at our friends' house again. What a blessing their hospitality was! I was over there for three days and three nights (D spent two days/nights there), which would have been a pretty nice hotel bill. However, I am happy to have our own room and our own space now.

I see a few hours of unpacking and rearranging in our future, but we are here and we are staying for more than a long weekend!!