Tomorrow is December

I'm making my "new month" post tonight because I just can't believe I am going to wake up in December. For many weeks now, Dave and I have been hoping our baby stays in utero until December... and it looks like she has. Tomorrow morning I will officially be considered "full term" which is 37 weeks along. That means the baby is no longer a premie and can be born at any time without needing special interventions... assuming she's totally healthy of course. Basically, December 1st is a huge milestone for us with this pregnancy. Here we are entering the month that our daughter will be born. It's such a trip. We can't wait to meet her.

Holy sh*t it's November!

So, normally my "new month" posts are happy and optimistic. But, on this first day of the month I woke up in a total panic. All throughout my pregnancy we've been saying things like, "we'll get to that in November, or we'll do that in November..." and now here we are. IT. IS. NOVEMBER. The baby is coming next month and it feels like there is so much to do and she'll be here in the blink of an eye!

October was all fun and games... a visit from my brother, the wedding of our dear friends, two baby showers, and of course, the best holiday ever, Halloween, ending the month in a grand finale of candy and little kids in costumes. Now, November is all work and no play. We have to build her crib, install her car seat, attend child birth prep classes, go on a hospital tour, meet with our doula, oh, and don't forget Thanksgiving. Hopefully, the stress of that holiday will be low and I will win the competition with the turkey for plumpness without much of a fight from the bird.

I guess there will be one moment of (much needed) relaxation and escape. Our 2-year wedding anniversary is in the middle of this month and we're slipping away to a little B&B on an organic farm not far from Monterey. NO COMPUTERS ALLOWED. Now that should be nice.

So, here's to November... go easy on me, will ya?
 

October, my favorite month

Happy new month, my faithful blog readers! October is my favorite month and I'm so excited it's here! Let's run down why it's such a great time of year.

Well, in general I simply love fall, but fall has many stages. In September things are still cooling down from summer, and in November things can start to feel more wintery as Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations seem to go up earlier and earlier. But, in October things are just right. The leaves are changing, the weather is cooling down and my absolute favorite holiday is upon us... Halloween. There are very few things that please me the way that the combination of candy and small adorable children in costumes can. Also, I love dressing up. This year I am going to go as Juno! It seemed like a natural pregnancy costume for me.

Specifically this year, October is a very exciting month for us because we have a lot going on. I've entered the third trimester of my pregnancy, so we just started in on the home stretch. Plus, we begin our child birth prep classes this month! Egads.

My brother is visiting us over this first weekend, good friends of ours are getting married in the second weekend, we will be in San Diego during the third weekend for my out-of-town baby shower, and we're hosting our own non-traditional co-ed baby shower at the end of the month here in the Bay Area... with a Halloween theme of course.


Here's to my favorite month of the year!
 

Overdue New Month post

Hi everyone,

Sorry my blog has been silent for a few days. I am currently traveling (the East Coast and Minnesota) and trying to stay offline a little more than usual (easier said than done). Anyway, I had been looking forward to writing my "new month" post for September because September 1st marked a huge milestone for my pregnancy. On Sept 1st I hit the 24 week "viability" mark. That means that if the baby is born any time after Sept 1st the doctors will do whatever they can to keep her alive. If for some tragic reason she had been born before 24 weeks, they would not have performed any interventions to save her. Now, I'm not concerned about her being born any time soon. She's doing well, I'm doing well, she's tucked in there very tight. But, it was still a big milestone for me to reach.

Be looking for future posts about our adventures at Bessie's wedding in Connecticut and then our time with my in-laws in Minnesota. We took the baby to her first Twins game!
 

Already loving August

It's August 1st, and that means it's time for a "new month" post. WOO HOO! July zoomed by, as we knew it would, and now we're here in August. And, actually, I'm already loving it. I'm almost half way through my pregnancy, the Bay Area hasn't been excruciatingly hot recently, and I have all sorts of exciting things lined up for this month.

Today we kicked off the month with a visit to Stern Grove to check out the FREE Sunday concert of the week. As many of you regular readers know, this is one of my most favorite San Francisco summer pastimes. I go every summer, at least once. For the last few years I dreamed of taking my baby there some day, so I'm excited that the bump was able to join us this afternoon. I wonder if Ellie could hear the tunes!?



If you enjoy looking back on good 'ole times, check out previous summer visits to Stern Grove:

2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
 

Ok, it's July

Time yet again for a "new month" post. For the past few months I wanted to talk about my pregnancy in these "new month" posts, but because we hadn't announced it I could only refer to it indirectly. Now, it's out in the open.

Why not more things on the blog about the pregnancy, you ask? I have a separate private blog that I'm keeping as sort of a pregnancy diary, all about the development of the fetus, little clothes I'm buying, and changes I'm going through. Anyway, as the pregnancy progresses I'm sure you'll be seeing more about it on this blog here, so never fear, it's coming.

As for July, we have a big month planned. Now that I'm in my 2nd trimester we're going to be doing some traveling, so stay tuned for that. And some time this month we should find out the sex of the baby and I should start feeling him/her move. I can't wait for that.

Alright, enough from me... I know most of you prefer just pictures to all of these words. :)
 

May, I'm not ready for you

Dear month of May,

I know by the time you come to an end everything will be great, but right now you're a very overwhelming month to deal with. (FINALS!!!) I'm not sure I'm ready for you. But, if I have to get through you to get to June, then so be it.

Please go easy on me, May.

Hello April!

OMG, was it March FOREVER or what!??? No April Fool's jokes today... just glad you're here April. Bring it.
 

A quote for the new month

“Expecting life to treat you well because you are a good person is like expecting an angry bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian.”
- Shari R. Barr
 

December, what does it mean?

Why do I love the first of the month so much? I don't really know. Maybe it's because I get to turn the calendar page and see a new picture? Maybe it's because a fresh new month is like a tabula rasa... I get to have fresh hopes and dreams for what the new month will bring? Either way, whatever the reason, whenever a new month comes around it invigorates me.

However, this month is extra special. Why, you ask? Well, it's December 2009! In this month we celebrate our one year anniversary of living in Amsterdam. And, in this month we are also saying goodbye to Amsterdam and returning to California.

As our final weeks here slip away I am starting to feel slightly mixed about leaving (as opposed to last month where I wasn't feeling mixed at all... I was ready to leave). However, more than any other feeling I am excited to escape the daunting Amsterdam winter and return to our families, friends and Mexican food back at home. We'll be soaking up the warmth and sunshine in less than 4 weeks!
 

New month... fall turns to winter

At the start of this month it is still fall... I have a feeling that by the end of this month it will be feeling like winter. Here's to November in Amsterdam!

It's October... it's fall

September was a gorgeous month here in Amsterdam (possibly my favorite month since we've moved here), but as it came to a close the grey clouds, cool breeze, and rain drops returned. October is here and so is autumn in full force.

Men are wearing sweaters and the ladies have dusted off their trendy euro boots. It was still mostly dark this morning around 7am when we woke up. Winter is not too far away...

Realization from the new month

As a page of our Jewish calendar was turned this morning I saw not only one new month, but the next four all on one page. This is very common for a Jewish calendar because September (sometimes October) is when the Jewish New Year falls. However, it was a realization for me that we only have these last four months of 2009 in Amsterdam. And, now all four of them are staring at me in my kitchen, reminding me that our remaining time here is so short. But, we're going to make the most of it!

July 1st in Amsterdam

Today really felt like summertime. We ate lunch under a windmill and I got a sunburn. Today Amsterdam was amazing.

happy belated new month

sorry for the delay in my typical "new month" post.

the start of june means we've lived in amsterdam for almost 6 months. it also means the start of summer.

the start of summer means hot weather, sitting in cafes for long lunches. it means many of my local friends will be away traveling back home or around europe. it means more visitors, a journey to france and a journey to portugal. it means visits home to see family and friends, and it means celebrating friends' upcoming weddings.

most importantly, the beginning of june means...

I'M GOING TO LA TOMORROW!

best friend, burritos, whole foods, real cupcakes... i'm on my way!!!
 

YAY for May!

When a new month rolls around, and the weather is gorgeous, and you go out and buy a BBQ, and you "accidentally" have too much beer, what do you do? You have an impromptu BBQ with all of your friends, that's what!!! Thanks again for having us, Jenn and Danny!






Gimme that egg!

So excited for April!!!

I finally realize why it is so exciting when April comes around! When you live somewhere with a wintery climate, April is the first month when things are actually nice. Look at the little green buds on the tree right outside our window. YAY for spring and warmth and sunshine!

First of March AND the first Sunday of the month means...

...free museum day in Paris! We went to the Orangerie museum to see this awesome Monet exhibit.






Au Revoir Paris!

It's still cold here

Happy New Month! Happy February! We've been in Amsterdam for almost 2 months now. I keep waiting for it to stop being so cold, but there is no warmth in sight.

Here is a picture that will be going up on my photo blog tomorrow. Why should that blog get all of the colorful fun pictures???

NEW New Years Resolution

I started a tradition a few years ago that at the start of each new year I would think up a new cooking goal for myself. This year I am breaking that tradition, hopefully just for this one year, and instead giving myself a NEW new years goal.

Due to the fact that I will be living in Amsterdam for one entire year I plan to keep a photo blog of sorts similar to an "Amsterdam Daily Photo" kind of thing. No thoughts and feelings and silliness (like there is on this blog). I have lots of plans for this new photo blog so make sure to check it out!

Drumroll please... now, introducing, Torrey's new photo blog:

One Year in Amsterdam

Hope you like it!