On my way to bed

Today felt like a long day. My back's been hurting- I've got to go to yoga on Saturday. Last night I awoke to a rain storm in my house at about midnight- the air conditioner is apparently leaking. Luckily turning off the air prevented another dumping. So no air tonight even though it's about 80 in the house (though only 71 outside?). I've eaten really well the last couple of days until about an hour ago- unfortunately I can whip up a small batch of fudge really easily. Gave into temptation, but at list I ate less than half of it (I made a small batch so not that much to begin with).

We're moving floors tomorrow at work. My new location says a lot about my status in the current hierarchy. I'm in Siberia. But at least Siberia has its own exit to the elevators- ha!

TGI almost F. Going to peak in on my little boy and then crash.

I've been terrible

Over 6 weeks without a post, no good excuse really. During that time, we've moved into our new apartment and leased our old one (for 2 years- yay!). It was a hectic month, what with the showings and coordinating all the painting, moving, lease execution, wires, unpacking, etc., but we survived. Couldn't have fallen at a better time in my pregnancy when my energy was really at a peak. I got a 15-month contract at work and found out my company's old maternity policy applies, so I'll get 12 weeks at full pay. Wonderful news!- though work is tough for other reasons and I try to put that in the back of my mind and just be so thankful to be able to relax a little on the financial front and ENJOY the last few months of this pregnancy.

I entered the 3rd trimester this week and I'm doing well. Trying to slow down the weight gain a little- I've gained 14 pounds so far- at 28 weeks. I want to cap my gain at 20 so that means trying to do 1/2 pound a week instead of the pound a week (and a little more) I've been packing on over the last 6 weeks. More gym time and less takeout should help.

The B is so big now- I swear I came home from work one day and felt like someone had taken my baby and left this little boy. he is talking so much and developing a very cute and silly personality. Went through an episode with the nanny on Monday that I'll try to blog about some other time. I swear this pregnancy has made me more anxious about the B, but luckily I am pretty calm about the pregnancy itself. Though my anterior placenta is causing me to have some days where I hardly feel any movement. I know this is normal, and the OB said that in a couple more weeks it should be better as the baby gets stronger.

I am trying to throw the nursery together and it's hard. The boys will share a huge room. The B's nursery in our last apartment was about 7x7. This new room is 18x15. It will be big enough for both boys and will function as a great playroom as well. I just need to get a rug picked out, order some sort of small sleeper sofa, and figure out the bedding. OK, I have to basically still decorate the whole thing! I have to incorporate the old stuff (which wasn't much) in the new design. I'm sure I'll get there, but it's stressing me out a little.

I need to blog more, I like the record I have of the first trimester and want to record my thoughts leading up to the arrival of the new baby. I am definitely not as freaked out about the small age difference as I was previously, and I can tell my excitement is really going to build over the coming weeks. I am trying to be more social as well as I know that the first three months with the newborn will be very isolating, especially given the fact that it's winter. So making plans with friends and having a babysitter every other week is going to become part of the regime I think.

12 more weeks, can't really believe it!

Checking In

First off, the big u/s last week- we're having a boy! I did have a slight millisecond of disappointment at the thought that it is likely I'll never have the girl I've always imagined (okay a few milliseconds throughout the day, especially when I passed a bridal shop on the way back from the appointment), but of course I was just thrilled to get a healthy report and know that the B will love having a little brother so close in age to wrestle with. They did note that my placenta is low (only 1 cm from my cervix when they'd hope to see 2-3 cm), but told me not to worry because it has time to move up. So of course a few times today I have a passing thought and worry but I'm trying not to let it become too much of a concern. Will see my doctor in two weeks and hopefully it will look better then.

We had our first weekend upstate and the house and the land it is on are spectacular. Though the house sits on just (ha!) 10 acres, the surrounding lots are undeveloped so you have like a 50-acre spot to yourself. Just lovely and exactly what you need when you spend your everyday life in a constant crowd of people. (I love the city, don't get me wrong, but breaks are good!) The B had so much fun running around on the big wrap-around porch (that has sliding rails so we can can give him free reign without having to stress), and pulling everything out of the kitchen drawers- that is really what made his weekend! The house is a restored farmhouse and the owners really did an amazing job. I wish it were mine! They have a great room that is 25x25 with a perfectly designed kitchen, a huge corner couch and a breakfast table. Plus just tons of space around- we gated the B in and spent the majority of our time in there.

We had a not so fun drive up- the B threw up about 25 minutes in to the trip. We had really bad traffic on the westside highway and I think it was too much for him. We stopped at the nastiest carvel/subway combo around Yonkers somewhere- I walked into the bathroom and walked right back out again immediately- though I did grab some towels and wet them. Luckily there was a hose in the parking lot so my husband made some progress with the car seat while I changed the baby- the puke was only on his clothes so he wasn't all that hard to clean-up. By the time we arrived it was 10:45. We thought we'd get there around 9:15. Ugh! The ride back was smooth sailing, though the B wouldn't eat when we made a pit stop so I'm thinking he has some car sickness issues (he hasn't been in a car for more than about 40 minutes since he was 9 or 10 months old, and he didn't eat all that much back then). I guess he takes after mom-

Good news continues to trickle in on the apartment front. We signed our lease last week, it starts August 17. Don't have a move date yet, but probably the 19th or so. Today we accepted an offer for our apartment right where we'd expected to rent it- but for a 2-year lease, which really is great. The lease starts 9/1- it gives us plenty of time to paint and do some other minor repairs. Plus they are paying the broker fee. For all of those lucky enough not to be familiar with renting an apartment in NYC, it has been the rule in the past for the renter to have to pay a broker's fee equal to 1.8 months rent (yeah, absurd). Given the current recession, it is now a renter's market so often times the landlord has to pay the fee. But is is also a tough market for brokers now, so I was able to get my broker to agree to reduce her fee to just one month. And the renters will pay that, yay! They lived in our building before, renting a 2 bedroom, so I think they will be very likely to get quickly approved. Fabulous!

Hope the good news continues and I can report very soon that my work contract has been renewed. Have a good week everyone!!

yeah!

they are going to work with us- agreed to let us buy a large planter to keep a folded stroller in.  signing the least tomorrow.  this is one happy momma tonight.  off to bed-

Bad news on the apartment

They said no to the stroller request. I am heartbroken. We were just there this weekend taking measurements and I was falling more and more in love with the place, picturing our family there. The B was running around and loving all the extra space. I wish I could find a way to make it work, but I know that I can not ask my nanny to drag a double stroller, a newborn, and a toddler down a flight of stairs. It just wouldn't be safe. And I know that there are other apartments, but this one seemed like a home and was just prefect in so many ways. I basically sent one begging email back about an hour ago. No response, but I would kind of expect to just not hear from the management company any more. They probably consider me time wasted.

Due to pregnancy hormones, I am having a hyperbolic reaction to this more than typical NYC experience; there's an intensified instinct to find a home given my new one on the way.

On a more positive front, thinking we were moving to this other place has caused us to get the ball rolling on renting our own place. Engaged a broker and photos are being taken today. We have it listed as available 9/1, so I better get a move on and find something else. We'll probably end up in a high rise cookie cutter apartment. And life will be fine, more than fine. And one day I'll say- aren't I glad I didn't end up in the second floor walk-up, what a pain that would have been, even if I could have kept a stroller downstairs....

The apartment and second thoughts **updated

So they took my offer (damn, I should have offered less), though they're making me move in a little sooner than I'd wanted (mid August)- so I am getting my place on the market immediately. Hopefully I can have a tenant ready for mine by September 1.

This is what I am confused about. Is getting an apartment on the second floor of a brownstone crazy if I can't get them to agree to let me keep a stroller downstairs? Will this be the straw that breaks the camel's back in the early months, the hassle of getting the babies out? I am really confused. In my mind I know I can do it, but is it an unnecessary hardship? Thoughts?

I tend to have a superwoman view of myself that I apply to everything, but I think I need to just really think about how hard having a newborn and toddler will be- this could push me over the edge-

**application is in. thinking I'll bring up the stroller issue when we get to the lease stage. If they say no then I'm not going to rent the apartment. And I need to remember that until a lease is signed no deal is done. So I continue to look at apartments online a few times a day.

The weekend

The husband and I had a wonderful romantic date night on Saturday. We have vowed to get a sitter every other weekend until the baby comes, to be able to enjoy some some time out before we're in for many months. The weather was perfect, and because it is summer and nyc is pretty dead on summer weekends, we were able to hit one place for appetizers, then a "hot spot" for our meal, and finally a cute little dessert cafe. By the time we got to the last place we were a good 30 blocks form our apartment, so we took a cab home. It was just one of those nights that makes you happy to be you, you know what I mean?

I think the B may be reaching the terrible two's at 14 months- and after a little googling it seems like they come at any point during the second year. but in his defense, he also has tons of teeth coming in- 3 molars, and the last of the 4 top front teeth. Poor guy! No wonder he's so cranky. He's also going through a big daddy streak- he's always been a bit of a daddy's boy but the last few days he wants his daddy, frequently called "Da-Gee" (hard G)- and by frequently I mean all day every minute. Last night while we were watching Trueblood (so trashy, so good) he called out "daggy" in his sleep, and I went in to his nursery and found him sitting up but asleep. I gently laid him on his side and rubbed his back, he flipped over and was soon back to sleep. But the whole thing was so cute I couldn't stand it. He is just the sweetest most precious boy and seeing him sleep just melts my heart. Anyway, just a great weekend all around.

Apartment Update- Well, I emailed an offer to the management company this morning. When I didn't hear from them (either in response to Friday's email or today's), I followed up with a phone call (way to play hard to get!). Apparently they will probably move on price but maybe not as much as I asked for (well duh! I didn't offer my max price- that's negotiation 101). She's waiting to hear back from her boss. They could have another interested party and they are stringing me along- whatever it will either work out or it doesn't.

The broker who will likely be marketing our apartment is supposed to be coming by tonight. Curious to hear her thoughts on the market rent, and really hope it covers our monthly outlay.