The Circle of Life

Today, my family and I are driving to attend my Pop Pop Ted's memorial service. What my mind struggles the most to wrap itself around is the fact that all of my grandparents have now passed away. Granted, he lived to be 93 and full of his wits, so I take comfort in the longevity that projects for my daddy. (I still maintain that he and Mom will live forever because if it can happen in movies, then why not in real life?)

Presumably, this little lady of ours will inherit some of her great-grandparents' wonderful traits, so their memories live on in us. Her kicks, tumbles, and frequent dances remind me that the circle of life continues to rotate. I can only hope she gains the strength of the remarkable people who came before her. Most of my close friends tell me she will be strong like her momma (despite my inability to bench press the bar in high school), and I pray for her sake that she develops a strength of her own. My bladder, sciatica, and round ligament will tell you one thing: her kicks sure are strong. Keep growing strong and healthy, Vincenza. You have a world just waiting to see all of the wonderful qualities you have to share with it.

Oh, by the way, here we are enjoying 6 months pregnant on Wednesday.

 

Cardigan (old): New York & Co. 

Flats: Aerosoles

Top: Gap Maternity

Jeans: Old Navy Maternity

Pregnancy is...

Pregnancy is...

* Mapping out the locations of the nearest bathrooms and realizing that you will eventually stop caring whether or not they're clean.

*Assuring every male who works with you that the grunt that just emanated from your entire being was a reaction to a head in your ribcage, not an S.O.S. requiring immediate medical attention.

* Accepting the fact that you might end up needing someone to wheel you to your destination in a desk chair because a tiny dancer is holding a recital on your sciatica.

* Learning how not to pee when you sneeze...or at least learning how to pack another pair of pants...or how to own the wet spot. (Billy Madison tells us only cool kids pee their pants.)

* Consulting webMD to verify that your strange symptoms are frighteningly common and normal.

*  Engaging in pep talks with your closet full of clothes that now pose creative obstacles.

*  Embracing the ugly cry. On an hourly basis.

* Pregnancy is realizing that those familiar spaces you once navigated with ease are now riddled with obstacles in the form of your increasing klutziness and growing belly. Seatbelt? Torture device. Student bookbags and computer cords? Land mines. Shoe buckles? Pointless inventions. Couch? Quicksand. Bed? HAHAHA, SUCKER.

Dress (recent): Old Navy

Shirt: The Limited

Cardigan (recent): Old Navy

Sandals: Franco Sarto via DSW

Noises

Our neighborhood makes very little noise. Considering most of our neighbors have reached the "it does not matter what the age minimum for a senior discount is, I get one anyway" age, all is eerily quiet on the home front. In fact, one of our adorable elderly neighbors jokingly called out to my husband this weekend, "you know, Jeff, it was quiet around here until you moved in." I think he appreciates the young blood livening up the place. That's what happens when a spry, young guy who likes to climb trees (for the purpose of trimming them, not building forts...yet), crawl under trucks, lean under car hoods, and tackle just about any home improvement project moves in across the street.

This weekend, we also realized that our house, situated a short distance from the major concert venue in our state, allows us to hear concerts. For free. We stood on our porch last night and listened to The Offspring. I might be a total dork, but my house is super cool. We took a walk to the pond in our neighborhood, and we could really hear the music. Who wants to come visit and go fishing while listening to live music for free? 

We started playing a lot of music in the past few weeks because we want Vincenza to appreciate it as much as we do. Since she has turned into quite the tiny dancer recently, I guess our plan is working. We stopped watching TV during dinner and decided to turn on music instead. (We even have her seat at the table all figured out; she'll sit across from the window so that she has a nice view of the outdoors while she munches.) I stopped watching TV while I get ready in the morning and put on iTunes radio instead. Jeff also sings songs to her on a regular basis. Enjoy the tunes, tiny dancer.

Cardigan: Old Navy

Scarf: Target, I think

Top: Gap Maternity

Jeans: Motherhood Maternity (Jeff picked 'em out and brought 'em home.)

Shoes: Sole Society

I also wore the pants this way: