Palesa meets Grandma Nancy!

Grandma Nancy could hardly wait to see Palesa when she picked us up from the airport.  She was excited to see us too.  Ralph immediately noticed the resemblance to Grandma.

Our first plane trip!

 

Unlike previous trips with just Osei and I, we packed in advance, so getting ready to leave town wasn't too stressful.  We have an entire suitcase full cloth diapers, by the way.  Anyway, I put Palesa down at 10:00.  She was awake, but I turned the radio to static and she put herself to sleep.  Major success.  Osei and I went to bed around midnight, exactly when Palesa woke up again to eat.  And eat.  And eat.  And poop.  I tried putting her down, but she makes all kinds of cute noises, and I can't sleep when she's awake.  Finally, at 2:30, she and I both fell asleep, at last.  And at 4:45 am, the alarm clock rang.

We made it out the door and to the airport without incident.  Palesa spent most of her time in the Moby wrap, and she did wonderfully on the flight (a 5 hour flight from Boston to Denver).  She nursed during takeoff, but I couldn't wake her up to nurse for landing.  By the time we landed, she needed a new diaper and was pretty hungry.  She didn't cry until the plane landed, which I consider a major success.  Unfortunately, I didn't get much sleep on the flight- just a few short cat-naps.

Mom and Ralph picked us up from the airport, and were so thrilled to meet their new granddaughter!  It is hard not to fall in love with Palesa as soon as you set eyes on her, and just as we predicted, they are both smitten.

Eventually, we put Palesa on the dining room table while we ate dinner.  She was our centerpiece.

30.5 weeks

Hello all,

Here are two more pictures from about 30 1/2 weeks. Last weekend Osei and I flew to Pittsburgh for a wonderful family reunion. On our flight, I had to dress carefully so that I looked pregnant enough to get priority boarding on the airplane, but not too pregnant that anyone would question the safety of me flying (according to the airline we flew, I can actually fly up to 72 hours before my due date without a doctor's note).

In Pittsburgh, we got to visit my grandpa and many cousins on my mom's side of the family, as well as spend the afternoon with Osei's Aunt and Uncle, and a few of their kids. Friday night we all went to an old Pittsburgh landmark- the historical amusement park, Kennywood. I learned that there are NO rides recommended as safe for pregnant ladies, so I ignored the warning signs and went on the carousel 3 times (as well as a few other pretty tame rides). I definitely missed the roller coasters this year though! Osei seemed quite proud of what he called my "horseback riding adventure." Our weekend trip away was incredibly special (time spent with family is always special, and we are definitely blessed with amazing family!)

We had another prenatal this week, and Baby Omee is doing great, and definitely growing "on schedule." My blood pressure and vitals are all excellent, and my iron levels have actually increased since my 12 week blood test! I attribute this to floridex iron supplements, but mostly, the efforts of Osei to cook lots of iron (and protein) rich meals for our growing family.

I hope everyone is doing well. Love and hugs to all!

Blessings,

Amy, Osei, and baby Omee

28.5 weeks- Third Trimester!

Hello all,

This picture is from nearly a week ago, at 28.5 weeks, taken last weekend in Canada.

Osei and I spent a very romantic weekend in Quebec at a little mountain lake (Lac Morency) in a town called Saint Hippolyte, about an hour north of Montreal. We stayed at a timeshare, given to us by my very fabulous in-laws as a wedding present. It was the perfect blend of staying in a nice resort (hello- jacuzzi in our room! I'm sold), and being outdoors in an incredibly beautiful and natural setting. We envisioned using a timeshare for a honeymoon, but then life got too busy and it never happened. So instead we had a babymoon! Osei and I had a wonderful time- canoeing in the lake, hiking in the mornings, swimming in the pools, and of course, wonderful time spent together. We love getting to visit friends and family all over the country (and we love using that as an excuse to travel), but this was the first time when we traveled just for us, with no errands to do, people to see, or activities to attend.

We had a perfect blend of cooking meals ourselves in our condo and enjoying some delicious meals locally as well. It is possible that each of us are still full from the amazing brunch we had last Sunday. On Monday, we also spent the day in Montreal before driving back to Boston (only about 6 hours away). We made a slight detour on the way home to visit the Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory in Vermont. Though we didn't take the tour, we certainly enjoyed some ice cream!

Baby Omee is doing very well. We had our prenatal this week too, and baby is growing and moving as much as ever. I love seeing my belly move from the outside, and the movements have become so much more defined that sometimes I feel like I'm being tickled from the inside- it makes me jump!

I hope everyone is doing well too! We are thinking of all of you!

Hugs and blessings to all,

Amy, Osei, and baby omee.

27.5 weeks- this pointy belly could poke your eye out!

Hello all,

It is now 4:30 in the morning, and I figured now is as good as any time to send this email out! Last night we had a delicious and filling meal of orzo, swiss chard from our neighbors garden with onion, and Korean bbq chicken, deliciously prepared by my adoring and talented husband, Chef Osei. For dessert, we then ate homemade ice cream (vanilla with chocolate chip, toffee, and walnut) that we created in an ice-cream maker we're currently "babysitting" while a dear friend of ours is out of town. Despite all of that, I woke up in the middle of the night absolutely famished and had to get a snack. In fact, given the way my mouth is still watering as I'm thinking about last night's dinner, it might be time for round two of the middle-of-the night snack!

Actually, hunger right now doesn't seem the least bit surprising, because Omee has been growing so much this week that I can actually see the difference in my belly! Plus, all week, I experienced lovely stretching and ligament pain from my belly getting bigger. Indeed it is, and is getting nice and pointy too!

This past weekend Osei and I started construction of our co-sleeper, which is a 3-sided bassinet that will attach to our bed. Right now we just need to put on the legs, make the mattress, adjust the height of the mattress, and attach it to our bed. We'll make the mattress out of felted wool sewn together (which is both water and fire resistant). The co-sleeper is very big, but Osei and I wanted to make it tall enough that the baby could potentially sleep there for as long as we didn't mind the company, without the risk of falling out over the sides! We'll send pictures soon, but probably not until it is finished.

This week starts the 3rd trimester! Things are starting to feel more and more real, but we also feel like we still have a lot to do to get ready for this little baby! This coming weekend Osei and I will be going to Canada, just outside of Montreal, for a romantic 3-day weekend to ourselves. It will be nice to have no agenda to accomplish other than time with each other!
Love and hugs to all,

Amy, Osei, and Omee

Very late pictures- 23.5 & 24.5 weeks

Hello all,

Sorry for the massive delay in sending pictures! I'm now 25.5 weeks, so this is really late! Anyway, here is a picture from 23.5 and 24.5 weeks during our trip to Colorado. Super cute maternity clothes thanks to the lovely Tamara Hopkins, mother to two beautiful daughters.

Osei and I spent 10 wonderful days in Colorado for vacation. The trip was actually way too short, and we unfortunately didn't get to see many wonderful Colorado people we'd hoped to connect with. However, we spent a great day camping up at Rocky Mountain National Park, saw fireworks in Loveland, and hiked Royal Arches at Chataqua. My very talented sister, Suz, of In Harmony Studios (http://www.inharmonystudios.com/) took some professional maternity photos of us, and we had a fun little baby reception.

Now, we're back to reality in Boston... a lovely summer to come, hopefully full of lots of blowing fans and air conditioned places to visit!

Love and hugs to all,

Amy, Osei, and baby Omee.

Thanksgiving trip to Colorado

Osei and I sampling teas after a factory tour of Celestial Seasonings Tea Company


Osei, Bryan, and I helped Suz with an outdoor photo shoot


Suz and Bryan looking hot and Colorado-outdoorsy, as usual

Osei and Amy before my 10-year high school reunion. Yes, you're probably wondering. I graduated high school when I was only 12 years old.

Weekend at the Shore, Madison, CT

My husband and I actually had our second date here at the Shore when he came up to visit for the day. See how we're awash in golden, glowing light? And, of course, a beautiful sunset we couldn't resist.

The wooden dock behind Home Comfort cuts through the salt marshes...

Boats docked on the Neck River...

Beautiful.

Classic old truck next to the barn, just across from the Cottage.

Storms over Northern Wyoming- Honeymoon Day 1

On our honeymoon, a 9-day road trip from Colorado to Boston, we first drove through Wyoming on our way to Mt. Rushmore.

Wearing our purple "we got laid" leis and with our rental car (free upgrade for the newly weds!) packed with wedding gifts and luggage, we left Johnstown and drove about 6 hours to Custer, South Dakota. Trust me though- we weren't sideways. Feel free to comment and tell me how to fix this.

.

We bought gas in an old trading outpost with a population under 200. We stood out.

We saw the landcape change over time.... from completely flat fields to completely unpopulated land dotted with buttes, rolling hills and trees.

The East-Coasters visiting Colorado for the wedding teased me when I insisted that Northern Colorado had been largely developed over the past few years, because I remember when there was "nothing" between Boulder and Ft. Collins. I laughed when we drove through Wyoming.

We were stuck in a little bit of road construction watching this amazing rainstorm develop. Outside the opposite car window the sky was still blue and sunny. The air smelled heavy with rain, manure, and farmland.

A little wrench never hurts anyone...

Especially like a blizzard in Colorado.  My mom's first flight yesterday was cancelled in advance of the snow that started yesterday morning.  All the school districts closed for a snow day.  Now, in New York (tri-state area), people kind of panic when it starts to snow, and they will cancel or delay schools because the WEATHERPEOPLE ARE PREDICTING SNOW.  No matter if it is currently 70 and sunny, if the forecast is snow, schools are cancelled.  

In Boulder, where I grew up, the rule of thumb was that unless the school buses were literally buried in so much snow that they couldn't physically LOCATE the buses, our education was more important. 

But they closed schools yesterday because the roads were so bad.  In fact, the highway itself was shut down, and my mom couldn't GET to the airport.  So for a few hours during the day, the trip was off- we figured we'd re-schedule for April or May instead.  It broke my heart to imagine not getting to see her, but yeah, a blizzard legitimately fits into the category of "things we can't control."

I even offered to my boss the Broadway tickets we have for Saturday night for The Thirty-Nine Steps.  French people, however, do not like Broadway.

BUT... the story has a good ending... we got her on an 8:00 am flight this morning (He-llo 4 am airport shuttle!) arriving this afternoon.  

Good thing this trip didn't end up BORING or anything!  

Darn those spring snowstorms!

My mom is visiting me from Colorado this weekend (my birthday is next week, and well, that's just what mom's do!)  She emailed me last night because there is a big snowstorm en route to Colorado and they cancelled her flight...

But the excellent news...she was booked on a different flight arriving 2 hours later!  See, not even Colorado spring snow can get in the way of a mother visiting her daughter in NYC!

Post-Marathon Siesta in Barcelona!

I'm honestly not sure if this is a photo or a drawing.


After the Paris Marathon on April 5th, I'll work one day at company headquarters and then take 3 vacation days.  We have that Friday off for Good Friday (the only Capital Markets holiday that is not also a Federal Banking holiday), so I get an extra day before the weekend.  

Today I bought a flight for Barcelona for a ridiculously cheap price.  My plan is to bring my backpack (for backpacking, not school books), stay in a cheap hostel in a cool location, explore on my own a city I've never been to but have heard is amazing.  

I am incredibly grateful to get to stay in a nice hotel in Paris, but you have a totally different kind of adventure when you backpack like a college student on a budget.  And I can't wait!   

If the weather were warmer today, I'm sure we'd all eat popsicles on tanks

...all wearing our Ironmaiden shirts too.

A little cottage in the woods

Just before driving back to New York.  

The pretty red roof

Our cottage in Vermont sat on a peninsula

I used to build (less elaborate) versions of the neighbor's house when I was a kid with Lincoln Logs

Let's cook breakfast!

Our cottage in Vermont had an amazing gourmet kitchen.  

We had our own gourmet chef.

I got to be the sous chef!

Come Visit us in Vermont!

Though I should be packing to go to Vermont, I'm doing the next best thing and writing about it!  We'll drive up from Serge's house tonight (it should take almost 7 hours!)

Funny thing too, because I've been listening to several different Russian language tapes and podcasts, and they all mention Vermont in the dialogues and vocabulary lists.  

For example, Christy tells Alseski that she is from Vermont.  She was born there and her family lives in Vermont.  She then goes on to say that her family has a house in the country (but not a dacha), but that she lives in an apartment.

Aleski asks Christy, "Does your apartment have all the modern conveniences?"  

"Yes," she says, "We have hot water, a bathroom and a toilet in our apartment!"  

"How interesting!" says Aleski.

"Come visit us in Vermont!"

Flushings, Queens

In New York City, a trip to another country is just a quick train ride away

Come ride the pink dinosaur!

Does it really even matter what is being sold here?

Chinatown in Flushings, Queens, before a day at the Korea Spa with a group of Russians

I've got a special place in my heart for fresh produce, in whatever language

My Little Ponies

I got this set in Stockholm years ago.  I'm pretty sure I have a "thing" for things that are blue.

The Little Cabin in Vermont

Our little cabin... Valentine's Day/ President's Day weekend in Eden Mills, Vermont

No TV, no cell phone coverage, but a fireplace and a gourmet kitchen

We're assuming the lake will be frozen mid February, with less fall foliage

The entire slideshow is here 

Apparently Nike thinks my "perfect run" is perfect

I participate in a number of product and running related surveys for Nike, and they recently asked me to describe my "perfect run." This is actually a blend of 3 or 4 actual real runs combined into a single perfect one. Nike asked me to make this into basically a video essay, which I'm pretty excited about. And if it is good enough for Nike, it is good enough for my blog.

My perfect run... in a European city I've never been to before. My purpose is to explore and intentionally get lost. As quick as I can I first head towards some sort of park, or walking trails, or castles, monuments, or vistas.  Doesn't really matter. I just point myself in the general direction away from the city and just go.  Eventually the crowds thin out and I know I'm going the right way. There are still people around, but few other runners- mostly really only tourists snapping pictures, and none of the people I come across are accustomed to seeing many runners, especially not a girl running.

I'll run along a river, until I come upon a massive set of steps. Naturally, I do what anybody in my situation would do and join a team of soccer players, young tanned men with their shirts off, sweat glistening in the sun, huffing and puffing up the same steps for their workout.  I try to make like I'm not breathing heavy and just sort of effortlessly keep on running past them, smiling, when they stop at the top of the stairs and watch me go by, and I know slightly stunned to see a girl so... sweaty... who also just dared to race them up the steps and then continued running.

At the top of the steps and down a little valley a ways away is a wooded park area- there are groomed dirt trails along the perimeter, but soon I notice blazed trails ("guidelines" really).  Splotchy blue targets spray painted on trees, aiming you in a general direction to run. I hop over creeks, tree-logs, mud puddles, and within minutes my calves are caked with mud and they sting a little from the scrapes of unavoidable blackberry bush thorns. I know if I keep veering to the right, I'll come out the other side of the woods and *should* be able to get back to the city. But I don't want to turn around yet because I'm curious about what is on the other side, so I keep going--maybe I'll hit cobblestone, or an old abandoned area covered in vines and crumbling stone buildings.

Eventually I glance at my watch, and wouldn't you know it, I've already been running for almost as long as the total elapsed time I was planning on running - and I still have to find my way back to the hotel, not to mention actually get there. I snap out of the discovery mode and start travel adventure mode-breakfast at the hotel is about to close, and we have a travel connection to make that day.  I'm also brushing up against the maximum limits that I can squeeze out of my non-runner travel buddy waiting for me, who already so graciously accommodates my running habit. So that means if I turned around 5 minutes ago-- with my quick mental time zone adjustment for watch time versus real time--I'm supposed to be back...now... so I start to RUN. Back to the river, towards town, towards another bridge or monument or distinctly decorated building, or an old statue I captured in a mental note on the outbound journey.  But wait, did I see that old bronze guy already or was that a different statue? Each time I spot something I think I recognize, I run faster... but I'm already late, so no time to slow down and I can't afford to doubt my sometimes-spot-on but occasionally-its-a-miss sense of direction.

Plus, I'm thirsty-the sun starts to bake.  I'm running now on old stone sidewalks with gorgeous low buildings, but little shade. Despite the hat & sunglasses, the sweat mixed with sunscreen stings my eyes, and I worry that my shoulders are burning because I've been outside so long. And I'm hungry too... but then suddenly I know exactly where I am... and my hotel is right there.

I share the elevator ride upstairs with a group of tourists speaking in hushed tones in a language I don't understand, whose eyes all follow me when I get off the elevator on my floor. I dig my room key out of the little pocket in my running shorts, and untie my shoelaces to avoid tracking excessive mud inside my hotel room- I already pity the housekeeper who finds these running remnants- but I'm not quite sure what to do about the layer of mud firmly adhered to my calves through multiple layers of sweat and dirt. Just imagine my fellow hotel guests- shocked- they came to see old European Cathedrals, and instead I subject them to an elevator ride fresh with miles (or kilometers, rather) of exploration, adventure, and the most-effective free sightseeing tour you'll never find in any Lonely Planet guide. They'll scratch their heads... "did you SEE that crazy American runner girl? Who could imagine going out to run, just for fun like that! And covered in all that mud and sweat? So un-lady like..."