Week 37

 

 

Well, we finally made it to the lake for beach day!  I mean it's only mid-July after all.  Chicago summers just seem to keep getting rainier and rainier.  The day these photos were taken we almost had to turn around because we started feeling drops.  After many failed attempts at beach day though I was determined to make this one work.  It was a bit chilly, and way too cold to swim, but at least the rain only lasted a little bit and we were able to enjoy ourselves and relax. 

 

 

 

 

I got my maternity swimsuit from Target (and I really hope that I'm able to wear it more than once).  It's a cute design - I'm really loving the simple black and white stripes.  However, it's like the person who designed it put all of their time into the shape of the belly and forgot about everything else.  Like, maybe some snaps or hooks on the bottom for easy access in the restroom?  Or a much, much more supportive built-in bra?  Seriously Target.  Come on.  The dress in the above photos is also from Target's maternity line.  As for that one I have no complaints.  It's navy and white nautical stripes are perfect for summer.  The sleeves are a nice touch and the skirt hits at just the right length.  So in the end I did break down and buy a few maternity pieces.  Only a few though.

 

With only three more weeks to go I'm not 100% sure how many more of these posts I'll be able to do.  I went to the doctor last week and was told that I was 1 cm dilated.  Eeeeeekkk!!  I was freaking out after I got this news.  Did it mean I was starting labor?  I'm not ready yet, there's still so much to get done!  I quickly found out that there was no need to worry and that most women are 1-2 cm dilated for several weeks.  Phew.  I felt so relieved.  However that same night I woke up in the early hours of the morning in pain like I have never experienced in my life.  At first I thought that I was straight up giving birth right then and there.  I had awful contractions and I could feel the baby's head against my pelvis.  There was so much pressure and discomfort that I didn't know what to do.  My tongue was really sore as I must have bitten down on it really hard while I was sleeping.  Also, one of my hands was so swollen that it looked like a cartoon glove.  I just lied there and moaned, unsure of what to do.  I was so tired and didn't want to be going into labor.  The moaning helped with the pain.  I also tried to work on my breathing which helped to calm me and keep me from screaming, "I'm in labor!!!" and waking up Roibeard.  After a little while the contractions settled down and became irregular again, so I knew it wasn't the real deal.

 

Still, that whole day gave me quite a scare and ever since I keep worrying that I'm going into labor.  Hopefully Micheal decides to wait a bit longer so I have a little more time to prepare for his arrival.  I'm just worried that the last few weeks are going to be so full of these random pains and that I'm going to find myself not wanting to do anything for fear of going into labor too far away from the hospital.  I've already had to tell Roibeard I couldn't accompany him downtown for that very reason.  I'm probably just extra paranoid, but since this is my first one I have no idea what to expect.

 

Soooooo....we'll see what happens...my next post could very well be from the other side.  See you there.

My 10 Year Journey as a Barista

 

This post is coming a tad bit late as my last day at the café was at the end of June.  Things have just been so crazy lately that I haven't had time to update.  I've been working a bunch at the cinema, preparing the nursery, running last minute errands, and Roibeard and I just threw a potluck to celebrate our final days before we officially become *gasp* parents!

 

My café job was in the west loop, which was a 50-60 minute commute for me 5 days of the week.  Once the baby gets here I'd like to be a little closer to home, so I'll need to find a new job after I've had a little time to recover.  I'm not entirely ruling out another barista gig, but I am going to keep my options open and do what I can to get a job that will be stable and best allow me to support a family.

 

Oh and I apologize for the blurry quality of these photos.  Roibeard had to take them while I was "in action", so the focus isn't exactly the best.

 

 

 

 

So first of all, I should probably explain what exactly it is that I do.  This has been especially confusing to my family over the years who are still convinced that I am a waitress. 

 

To clear things up:

 

I am not a waitress, although I sometimes am required to offer table service when a large group comes in.

 

I do not work at Starbucks.  I do not speak Starbucks lingo.  If you want to talk about coffee with me I'll do so for hours, but the second you mention a non-fat, decaf, venti frappuccino, you've officially lost me.

 

I do not work in fast food.  Not that I'm criticizing anyone who does work in fast food.  It's just not what I do for a living.  There is no magical button that I press to prepare your drink.  Instead, I prepare your drink with patience, skill, and love. <3

 

My job is sort of a cross between being a bartender and a wine connoisseur...but with coffee and espresso.  First and foremost it's my job to know my customers and to make them feel welcome.  Got the Cheers theme song in your head yet? Good.  You're on the right track to understanding what I do. 

 

Second, it's my job to know my stuff.  I am an officially certified barista.  I did my training in San Francisco, and they take their coffee culture seriously over there.  It's my job to know things like what flavour notes are typical of various regions, how long an espresso shot can sit before it dies, what is going on chemically with the espresso when you are extracting a shot, when a shot is over or under extracted and what this will mean in terms of a drink being more bitter or sour.

 

Finally, my skills are what will result in your smooth, velvety milk that will expertly integrate with your shot and form a beautiful drink.  Baristas need to know all about texturizing, aerating, and expanding your milk.  We need to know which milks work best and how to work a steam wand around milks that have less fat and more sugar. 

 

Does my job require me to be pretentious?  I don't consider myself "pretentious", but I do consider myself picky.  I want your drink to be perfect.  You probably paid upwards of $5 for your drink, right?  So please don't ask me to make you a large cappuccino, make your drink extra hot, or rush me when I'm making your pour-over.  These things will ruin your $5 drink.  I will do all of the above with a smile/grimace if you ask me to.  On the inside though...I will be crying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't get me wrong, it took me awhile to become queen bee on the espresso bar.  I first starting making specialty coffee drinks because the cinema that I worked at had a working machine and it was part of my job.  I really didn't know much back then and more or less made everyone the same drink regardless of whether they ordered a cappuccino or latte.  It was all the same to me.  As time went on I got better.  I learned how to tamp and how to steam a bit better.

 

Then I moved to San Diego and had one of the craziest jobs ever.  I worked at a place that was a café, wine bar, cigar shop, antique store, and tea room all in one.  We offered wine tastings and hosted tango nights.  The owner was very eccentric, fond of Turkish music, and a bit of a creeper.  He also was very specific about the way in which his drinks were to be served...extra dry cappuccinos with foam exactly four inches above the cup and a small sprinkle of cinnamon for instance.  Coffee and espresso drinks at this location were a form of art, but not a skill.

 

It wasn't until I arrived in San Francisco that everything that I had learned up to that point was just thrown upside down and my world was rocked.  I did my training with one of the top roasters in the country.  Looking back I'm so grateful for that as I've since learned that classes like those actually cost around $500.  Mine were all free though because it was part of my job.  (Yay!)  I almost....almost....walked out on the first day of training.  We did a cupping and learned how to do pour-overs and I just thought the whole thing was ridiculous. 

 

The truth is though that I couldn't have been happier that I decided to stick with it.  I'm a very process oriented person.  It's why film appeals to me, why I ended up being good at baking, and how I came to be obsessed with coffee and coffee culture.  I just loved learning all of the chemistry behind making an amazing drink, I loved all of my little latte art creations, and most of all I loved meeting so many wonderful and amazing people during my time as a barista. 

 

If this is the end, then I can certainly say that I've had a good run.  <3

 

 

 

Week 31

 

Ahh, there's nothing quite like a simple white dress in summer.  I got this dress at my favorite vintage shop in Michigan when I was in town for my baby shower.  I love it so much!  Although I have to say it is not the best choice for trips to the neighorhood ice cream shop.  You don't want to see the aftermath of these photos.  Trust me.  Ice cream disaster.

 

Doesn't my hair look pretty awesome in the above photo?  It looks like I'm rocking some serious feathered bangs.  Yuck.  I feel like you have to include the goofy photos as much as possible though.  My hair isn't great (damn you wind!) but it's all in good fun. I was happy in the moment and that's what is important.

 



It's weird, a few weeks ago everyone was doting over my belly and now all of the sudden everyone has become increasingly judgemental of it.  I haven't really been around too many pregnant women to know what is and isn't normal.  My doctor is happy with my weight gain and has told me I'm well within the healthy range.  That's what matters to me.  However all of the sudden everyone I come across seems to feel the need to tell me that I'm huge and either my baby is coming way before August or that it's going to be a gigantic baby. 

 

There are a few things about the weight gain that I am not too fond of - cellulite in places where it never existed previously for instance.  Other than that I am just mostly amazed at the fact that my body has the ability to stretch and grow so much.  I love my pregnant belly.  I mean it's just so incredible, especially now that I can actually see when the baby is moving and kicking. 

 

I've been reading a lot of pregnancy blogs and articles lately and I keep coming across all of these "belly shaming" ones.  They list all of these tips about staying "healthy" during pregnancy.  "Work out just like you normally would every day...run 2 hours on the treadmill the day you go into labor".  "Stick to a strict diet, don't give into cravings".  "If you are committed you shouldn't gain more than 15 lbs and should be back to your old body a few days after leaving the hospital."

 

I'm sure this is all well and good for some people, but the part about these articles that I find shocking is that the alternative to following these rules, in their opinion, is becoming obese.  Which is just straight up blasphemy.  I practiced yoga regularly up until about my 10th week of pregnancy.  All of the twisting, bending, and constant flow of movement started making me feel really sick.  The last session I did I spent the night throwing up.  My body was telling me it was done, it needed a break.  Did this mean I was destined to become obese? Heck no.

 

After yoga failed me I tried to remain active in other ways.  I was still working about 8 hours a day on my feet up until my second trimester.  I was also walking 30 minutes to and 30 minutes from my second job about 4 times a week.  But you know what?  I now work 4 hours a day on my feet because if I work more than that my hips, back, legs, and feet all give out and I'm stuck fighting back tears as I talk to customers.  For my other job I now have to take the bus to and from work because again...hips, back, legs, and feet.  Does this mean that I am destined to become obese?  Heck no.

 

As far as eating habits go I was always "mostly" healthy before my pregnancy.  I followed a vegetarian lifestyle.  I cooked most of my own food.  I tried to avoid foods with additives and ingredients that I cannot pronounce.  I even rarely drank soda and other sugar heavy drinks.  However, just having my menstrual cycle is enough to throw all of that healthy eating out the window.  Add the fact that I am actually growing a little person inside of me and I feel that it's understandable if my eating habits are a little different than those of a health food fanatic.  I've had pretty bad morning sickness and food aversions throughout the entirety of my pregnancy.  Yet I find that if I don't eat once every two hours I get equally as ill.  Oh, and the baby loves sweets.  Does this mean that I am destined to become obese?  Heck no.

 

So far I've gained between 20-25 lbs.  If I continue to gain 1 lb/week that means I have 9 more lbs to gain.

 

To any other pregnant women out there if I could give you any advice it would be to not try to hide your pregnancy or aim to never have a bump.  Embrace and love your new body.  It's  beautiful and completely amazing. <3

 

 

 

 

 



Week 30

 

Oh my gosh - only 10 weeks left!!  Eep!  It's so soon! I feel like we still have so much to do and so little time.  I've reworked my work schedule a bit so instead of working from 7am-11am at the café and then 6pm-11pm at the cinema I'm now working 12pm-6pm at the cimema.  So my work day starts around 7am and ends around 6pm and afterwards I am free to do what I wish.  Which, after working for 11 hrs isn't very much.

 

I'll only be working at the café until the end of June though.  I cannot stress enough how much I am looking forward to a bit of a break.  I work on my feet at the café, which isn't as terrible as it sounds.  It's actually a great way to get my daily exercise in.  Some days are more difficult than others but overall it is getting to be just to much.  My goal was to remain at the café until the end of July.  I usually don't get many shifts at the cinema this time of year because for indie cinemas the summer is actually the slow season.  However, since we're short staffed at the moment I've been getting a lot of shifts which means I can leave the café and only work the cinema job for the remainder of the pregnancy.

 

 

 

Way back when I first found out that I was preggo I remember being happy that I would be delivering in the summer.  I wouldn't have to buy a new winter coat, try to stuff my huge feet into my boots, or waddle through the snow.  I am still grateful of the fact that I will not be delivering under those conditions.  However...all of the pregnancy books, articles, and classes have not lied when they have said that summer pregnancies are a b****.  My feet, legs, and ankles are swollen all of the time.  All I want to eat are popsicles and ice cream (okay, to be fair that actually applies to most summers).  I cannot breath.  Roibeard has told me that I sound like Darth Vader when I sleep at night.  Add 80% humidity to the list and you'll get one miserable preggo.  To make things worse I am over heated 90% of the day.  You know how amazing that first blast of air conditioning can be on a really unbearable hot summer day?  It has absolutely no effect on me.  None.

 

 

Okay, okay, I don't mean to sound too negative on here.  I don't want to scare anyone with my tales of misery.  It's just that when I'm out and about and talking to people and they ask me how I feel I know they are not asking for a laundry list of my symptoms.  So I have to smile and tell everyone I'm alright as I swallow a bit of my lunch that has crept back up due to my wonderful acid reflux that I'm now experiencing.  This is my place to vent and vent I shall. Also, I just think it's good to be open with this stuff.  Making a baby is hard work.

 

I tend to be a hopeless romantic in all aspects of life.  I once volunteered at a flower shop over Valentine's Day because I thought it would be adorable and a lot of fun.  I even got all gussied up in my pink and red outfit and heels.  Big mistake.  After spending eight hours in an unheated room with blood dripping down my hands from shoving wire up rose stems I learned a valuable lesson...Valetine's Day is the worst.  Oh yeah, and things usually don't turn out as glorious as I picture them in my head.  I've always imagined pregnancy as a magical time in a woman's life.  A time that is full of belly rubs, amazing glowing skin, and all the food you can possibly eat - guilt free.  Oh man...I was so wrong.

 

On a more positive note, the biggest plus I can think of about having a late summer baby is he'll be here just in time for autumn to start.  I'll have three months of (hopefully) great weather to explore the city with my little guy and it will all have been worth it.  Plus....adorable baby Halloween costume.

 

Also, on a more random note - sometimes it really is the little things that help to get me through the rough patches.  The other day I went to see Love & Mercy, which for those of you who don't know is a biopic covering the life of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys.  It really was a great film and I fully recommend it.  Anyway, one of the reasons that my experience watching it was so positive was because every time the music would start up little Micheal would start dancing around in my tummy.  It made me smile every time. :)

Week 29

 

Roibeard recently cleared off our balcony so that we can use it for summer activities.  I've had back decks before, but never a balcony over-looking the street. I love it so much.  As of right now we only have the one plant, but we hope to get more soon.  The cats love it but require a little supervision.  Mostly they sit on their cat tower inside and just enjoy the cool breeze and sounds of the chirping birds nearby.  However every once in a while they venture out and try to get up onto the ledge.  So we just have to be careful.  The above photo isn't the best.  The over exposed areas drive me crazy.  I see the "zebra stripes" everywhere, haha.  Throwback to film school right there.  However I decided to post it because what I DO like about it are two things - Panthro's intent stare as he overlooks the street and NES poking his head out the door in the bottom of the frame.  I'm loving it.

 

 

 

Well, I'm at 29 weeks now and working my way up to week 30.  Just a little under 11 weeks to go!  That is just so crazy!  The nursery is starting to look more like a nursery (I'll post photos after the crib arrives) and everything is becoming just a little more real.  I feel like I've finally gotten a handle on this pregnancy thing.  Every day has its own challenges, but usually I can find a way to work around them.  However, when I think about the fact that there will be a little baby here soon I go right back into freak out mode and have no clue what to do or expect.

 

I finally decided that I'm going to bite the bullet and start paying for prenatal yoga classes.  I've held off because I wanted to save the money, but I think being around other pregnant ladies will be a good thing for me.  None of my friends or co-workers are at a point in their lives where they are ready for a family.  Some of them know for a fact it's something that they never want.  So sometimes I feel a bit of a loner when it comes to all of my fears of being a new mom.

 

It's weird because I feel like I have been quite clearly showing for awhile now, but only in the past two weeks have people actually taken notice.  All of the customers at my job have been like, "you're preganant?!  Wait, when did this happen??"  Which amuses me a bit when I tell them how far a long I am.  I think the fact that the weather no longer requires jackets, sweaters, or other layers has helped to reveal my huge baby bump.  Also all of the sudden people are giving up their seat on the bus for me.  Well, not the the 20 year old hipsters.  They are too cool for that.

 

Other than a giant belly I am also sporting giant hobbit feet these days.  I just need to glue some hair on the top of them and I'm pretty sure I could fool just about anyone into thinking that I am a real life very tall hobbit.

 

 

 

 

The little ones are starting to realize that something is going on.  Okay, in truth I think that they have known for a while.  They look so cute and innocent in the above photo, but do not be fooled.  The other day at 5:30 AM when I woke up for work and was in "grumpy sleep monster mode" I found that they had "poopy-trapped" the nursery.  That is no typo.  There was old poop from the litter box (which they dragged from the other side of the apartment) strategically placed in all of the places that I need to step.  I had been poopy-trapped.

IRELAND! Cong

 

I thought that I would take a break from maternity posts for the moment and revisit my trip to Ireland from last year.  It's so hard to believe that it has been a full year since we were there.  I miss it so much and the fact that Roibeard and I have decided to postpone our wedding only makes it worse.  We were scheduled to get married in October.  When baby Micheal came into the picture we decided to put it off, but it was too late as his family had already made the payment at city hall.  For the past few months we've been trying to convince ourselves that we can do it all...just for the sake of not losing that money...

 

Now that everything is getting closer though we've both spent a lot of time talking and thinking it over and have come to the decision that putting it off for a year is just the best thing for us to do.

 

Planning a wedding in a different country, worrying about visas, worrying about taking additional time off right after my maternity leave, trying to find a new job, recovering from giving birth, and traveling with a two month old baby is just too overwhelming for me.  For both of us actually.

 

Don't get me wrong, it really sucks that we are going to lose the deposit that was put down at city hall, but looking at the big picture...we haven't spent any money on vendors or the reception yet.  We never sent out save-the-dates because that's not a thing in Ireland. I haven't yet bought a dress (due to not knowing what size I would be two months post birth).  We haven't booked our plane tickets or spent the money on a marriage visa. So in the long run we are saving ourselves from unnecessary stress and we'll have some extra money set aside for when the baby comes.  Plus we won't be losing money from booking off work for the wedding.

 

But...it means not seeing the Emerald Isle again for a whole year... 

 

 

 

 

 

Cong pretty much captures the image that pops into my head when I think of Ireland.  Stone walls...green hills for miles and miles...sheep...a cool breeze...and clouds that always have the slightest threat of rain.  It's certainly a very romantic image and dramatically different from what Roibeard's image of "back home" entails. Even so we both found ourselves awed by the charming little village of Cong.

 

Although the bus dropped us off right outside of the downtown area finding our b&b was a bit of a hassle.  Like most places in Europe, Ireland isn't the best at posting street names.  So of course we started off by walking a mile in the wrong direction before realizing that we should have found the b&b by that point.  So we headed the mile back to where we started passing by all of the serene farmland on the way.  Then we had a walk a mile or two in the other direction before we finally found our place of rest.  Only when we got there we were informed that they had accidently overbooked and we would have to stay at another b&b five miles down the road.  Our hearts sank at that point.  Five more miles of walking?  With all of our luggage?  NOOOOO!  Luckily the hostess offered us a lift to the other place.  Phew!

 

We ended up staying on a farm with the cutest elderly couple.  The husband tended to the farm duties while the wife ran the bed and breakfast.  They were a good team and really helpful.  They told us a back way of getting into Ashford Castle (where we didn't have to pay...hehe...) and offered us a lift to the bus station once our stay was up.

 

 

 

Cong is located in county Mayo on the western coast of Ireland and is just a teeny tiny little village with a population of 185 people.  Its claim to fame is that it is where the 1952 film, The Quiet Man was shot. 

 

Its other main attraction is Ashford Castle, a 13th century castle that was built by the Anglo-Norman House of Burke.  Today it is a luxury hotel.  That's right...you can actually spend the night in the castle!!!!  (As touristy as that sounds....I was really into the idea...that is until we discovered one night there costs around 300 pounds...)

 

Roibeard and I spent our day there exploring downtown, the old abbey ruins, the castle, and the castle grounds.  For such a little village there was quite a bit to do and see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately our camera battery ran out just as we made it to the castle, so we ended up with very few actual photographs of it.  I really wish we could have gone inside and explored all of its secrets.  Oh well.  Next time. ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 28

 

Wow, I have been a terrible blogger lately.  It's just so difficult with working two jobs and having a broken computer.  The computer is kind of sort of working now which is why I am able to update. 

 

Anyway this post is a bit of a mishmash of photos.  The photos above are from our trip to the lake during the first really nice day that we had in May.  It was around 80 and sunny and it was absolutely gorgeous by the lake.  Roibeard and I set up a blanket and lied back and discussed our excitement and fears of upcoming parenthood. 

 

 

More maxi love!  Seriously, the larger I get the less I want to wear clothes altogether.  Since I hear that's illegal in the state of Illinois I tend to settle for flowy maxi dresses.  I wish I had a few more to get me through summer, but I don't want to keep spending money on clothes that aren't going to fit me in a few months.  Hmmmm....maybe I'll just do one more trip to the thrift store?  I'm so bad.

 

I did actually just get an adorable white vintage dress while I was home in Michigan this weekend!  Which takes us to...the baby shower!

 

 

 

This weekend Roibeard and I hopped a train to Detroit to celebrate our baby shower.  The forecast threatened rain and storms all weekend but it ended up being beautiful.  My family did an excellent job hosting everything and I was so pleased and grateful with the outcome (thanks again guys!).  Unfortunately I was only able to get a shot of the table set up before the decorations were added, but we had a cute little "under the sea" theme to match our nursery.  I really hope little Micheal grows up loving the sea and has an innate desire for travel and adventure just like his parents.

 

I booked the rest of the week off from the cinema to give myself a little time to rest and set up the nursery.  I'm still working part time at the café this week, but it's still a little bit of a breather from my usual hectic and busy work days.

 

It's so hard to believe there's only 12 more weeks to go...