Alexander Valley - Sonoma

Last weekend I left the craziness of the NY party boys and had a wonderfully relaxing and beautiful weekend in Healdsburg for SarahG's bachelorette getaway. Just what the doctor ordered really - R&R. All the girls were so sweet and nice and it really is great to meet these girls before the wedding so I know more people and get a new perspective of Sarahg's life.
Smesh and I got there Friday afternoon and it was blazing hot out. The house was gorgeous, on top a of a hill overlooking vineyards - felt like Tuscany. There were 4 bedrooms and 3 levels with a hot tub and a huge deck. Two of the girls made meals throughout the weekend - and all I did was help eat and cleanup. Lots of deer and wildlife and the quietness at night was blissful.

Saturday morning the we had a scrumptious breakfast and made sandwhiches for lunch and the stretched limo picked us up at 10am to begin the wine tour in Alexander Valley. It was fun riding around from winery to winery - checking out the beautiful landscapes and catching up on Sara's life and connections. By late afternoon, we were all slowing down, even those of us who weren't drinking... and a nap ensued at Striker's winery on their fountain while we waited for the drinkers to return. The weather was extremely warm with a soft breeze - making it very difficult not to stretch out somewhere and snooze.

When we finally got home late afternoon early evening, I was ready for a real nap on the couch and woke up to a beautiful dinner of Dr. Pepper drumsticks on the deck watching the sunset. Ahhhh, quite the life. For dessert, we ate warm chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven with a milk chaser - yum. Then spent the rest of the evening being silly and fully enjoying ourselves with the latest hollywood gossip and a game of thumbs up or down for certain celebreties. By midnight I was out of steam.

In the morning, Jeannee made a delicious breakfast buffett of chocolate banana waffles made from scratch, fluffy scrambled eggs, bacon and hashbrowns with a huge fruit salad. While some of the girls left to commute home, 5 of us stayed and checked out downtown Healdsburg, the church where Sarah will be married - the restaurants - the little nooks and stores that made up charming downtown. We ate lunch at a cafe along the road and I felt as if I was in another country. It felt so summery and idyllic - not always the feeling that you get in SF. Before I knew it, the weekend was over and it was time to head back into the city. Back to life in the fast lanes and stress at work and going through the list of to dos that must happen before September. Oy!

Father's Day Weekend

A whirlwind 5 day weekend in Portland for Father's Day weekend, celebrating Al Gluck's retirement and 65th birthday, checking out my dad's new house in Vancouver and answering the same 4 questions all weekend: (1) how are you feeling? (2) when are you due? (3) do you know the sex? (4) have you picked out a name? They were all so sweet, but I think I'm ready to have the attention focus less on me and more on someone else - Martini perhaps?
We took the fathers out to dinner at Yen Ha on Sandy Blvd - and had ourselves a Vietnamese feast. It was nice going back to some homemade Vietnamese dishes. All the parents are doing well and of course super excited about all that's going on. We even got to hang out with Mark which was so nice. Monday afternoon before the airport, the moms took me to a cute little baby store to check out my interests for Martini, Mark got us a really cute little orange and brown outfit. I'll have to post that some other time.



It's so good to be home though. The last several days of catching up on sleep, hanging out with some friends and being here in our home. Today - I pick up Smesh in a couple of hours to drive up to Napa and celebrate Sara G's remaining bachelorette days. It's gorgeous and hot out and there's 4 boys staying with us from NYC (Andy's friends). At first I was not wanting to leave, but after last night's late night upstairs festivities and drunken activities, I'm more than happy to leave AG and the girls with the NY boys and head to a quiet and warm retreat in Napa with some women. Life is good, can't complain.

Week 27 - 3rd Trimester!

I think the information posted on BabyCenter re what's happening during my 27th week is hilarious. It says my breasts are going to increase up to 4 times: huh...

"Toni, as you mark the days of your third trimester off the calendar, your body will continue to change and grow. You will gain weight more rapidly than in your first or second trimester, and your breasts will increase in size and weight - up to four times larger and heavier. By the time you deliver, your total weight gain will probably be between 25 and 35 pounds. Keep in mind that your weight gain is not just the baby; about 75 percent of your new weight is due to increased bodily fluids (such as blood), the placenta, and the increased size and weight of your breasts.

Your baby weighs approximately 2 pounds and measures about 9.6 inches from crown to rump (or nearly 14.5 inches from head to heel). Her facial features are almost fully developed and synchronizing enough that she may make faces that are visible on an ultrasound. Your baby's skin is becoming thicker and fleshier and increasingly wrinkled, thanks to the amniotic fluid. The skin will remain wrinkled for the first month or so after birth. During this week, the brain continues its rapid growth, and the lungs continue to develop."

Food: So I've gone full circle today and had a Salisbury Steak for lunch. But this time, it wasn't frozen. Again there has been a little switch in my diet. The last two weeks I had no appetite. Enjoying some fruits - but have taken on more interest in Jamba Juice. Still loving pineapples and watermelon, branching out to peaches and plums now that they are in season. Blueberries and raspberries are also at the top of the list. Ordering a cup of coffee and sesame bagel in the mornings for breakfast. The major switch has been in the meat department as it has taken on the intensity it used to have for me. Am looking out for the best chicken wings, had eaten complete orders of Mongoloian beef by myself, and of course today, the infamous salisbury steak. I'm now moving away from Asian food more; although this weekend AG and I ate Japanese food several times. I'm enjoying sushi - mostly tuna. Of course, sweets are back on the menu - cookies, candy, pastries.

Guilty pleasures: there have been some wonderful things I'm enjoying about being pregnant which I need to post. First, it's been exciting, to have little Martini growing and kicking inside of me. Knowing her every kick, squirms, movements - it's like a little secret between her and I and I love it. I have a sense of her that no one else has. I'm noticing her reactions to music, food and to my own movements. She's in my thoughts constantly. When I'm working or forget for a moment that I'm pregnant, she reminds me quickly with a swift kick. If I don't feel her movements within that hour, I start to wonder if she's sleeping. When she does move, it's as if she's communicating to me. I know it's all projection but it's a lot of fun.

Another pleasure is the response I get from men and women. I actually like how men notice my condition and open doors for me, or ask me if I'm alright when a homeless person bumps into me. It makes me feel that people do care about others - that we aren't living in our own small world, that we are all connected. Mushy mushy mushy - I know - can I blame it on the hormones? And AG has been the best of course - helping me get up on my feet, carrying my bags, opening doors for me, keeping me warm when I'm cold - even giving me his jacket when I'm already wearing two and he has none, rubbing my belly, talking to little Martini, making me laugh - but all in all allowing me to be cranky or to continue pushing myself, having faith that I know my own limitations and restrictions. I have never had such support from a partner - and this journey has been so much fun because of his support.

The kinks: Of course pregnancy comes with some discomfort - more so for others. I've been fortunate so far. I've had a couple of issues - should I dare mention them? For the other mothers who are reading the blogs and the ones that aren't far behind me - here they are: (1) 1 bad case of heartburn early on; (2) 1 very bad case of (gasp) hemorroids - god it was painful to walk for 4 days; (3) backaches; (4) inability to sleep through the night; (5) constant bathroom hunting; and (6) wedgies; but the worst has been (7) the constant constant leakage. It's annoying, causes uncomfortable itchiness, unashamed public scratching and panty readjustment and worry that others notice the huge block of wetness. But really, all of these kinks are nothing, absolutely nothing compared to the amazing feeling of having her grow and kick inside of me and knowing that I'm making a little person that will look like me and AG. It's magical.

I'm not sure what's in store for me as I enter my 3rd and final trimester. I'm hoping for the best but know that at best I'll be uncomfortable the last 2 weeks before she's born. Already it's been uncomfortable sitting for long periods of time - rolling from one side to the other when sleeping was a freaky experience. There's a 10 second delay as she shifts and her weight is redistributed, meanwhile, steamrolling all my organs in the process. Advice: hold on to the belly while rolling from side to side.

Even though work has been demanding and stressful, there really hasn't been a better time in my life to have our little Martini. I'm enjoying her every movement and growth. I'm also at a point in my life where money isn't bountiful yet, but we're also not scraping by either. So there's room to enjoy my pregnancy and not worry too much about how we'll take care of her. AG and I have a comfortable life with loving families and a community of friends who are excited to welcome her. She's making me feel young and old at the same time - young enough to reproduce, old enough to take on the responsibility of a life besides my own.

NY to NJ - Jeven and Sashilya's Wedding

How very interesting the way the picture were posted. Of course there are tons of wedding pictures on flickr. But we flew Thursday night redeye to NJ - took a train straight to NY and to the park near AG's office to hang out in the sun and enjoy the weather. I slept on AG's lap on a bench in the sun.

It was hot out and with little Martini on my bladder, we found a bathroom every 1o minutes. Good game. That evening we headed back to NJ to hang out with Jen/Ven/Jeven. He is so cute and so awake. For a 1 month old, he was alert the entire time we were there. Most babies sleep the first couple of months. And he's such a big boy too.

AG and I had a lot of fun holding him and we had some special times catching up with Jen/Ven.

Saturday morning we checked into our hotel in NYC - strolled around the block a bit and got ready to meet the wedding crew on the lower east side for some hip hop dancing. I stayed out until 2am. My feet were killing me by the end of the night, so I had to call it quits... But AG got some steam and met up with Brimeeza to other clubs until 5am. We had a nice Sunday morning together before checking out and driving to NJ to check out XT's place. It was 15 miles from the wedding - and we met her cute Presley. I didn't take pictures, but what a character. It was great seeing where she lived and her surroundings. Although we never caught up while there, I was glad to have checked out Oradell - her town. It was rainy heavily but the East coast NJ lushness was gorgeous in a small town feel.

The wedding was beautiful and fun - and I caught up with all the girls from Mexico. They were excited to see little belly Martini - since the last time they saw me - she was just a red line on a a pee stick. Gosh it was nice to not think about work - to get away from SF and to be with friends.

Next weekend we'll be in Portland for Father's Day and see our families. This month is going by fast.