Adjusting

When my previous company was acquired a few months ago, I was forced to give up this perfect lifestyle and get a new job where I am commuting, at least initially, over an hour each way five days a week. (See this interview post on OneHotMama for more about juggling my current lifestyle and my mommy style.)

This is an awesome job in so many ways, and I love working in the city again for so many reasons:

• Lunch at the Ferry Building
• Walking along the Embarcadero
• Happy Hours
• Finding time to read again (some book reviews to come!)
• Feeling like I have my own personal identity again
• Knowing Grandma is taking great care of Ava (and cooking and cleaning--I know I'm spoiled)

But, as with most things, there are also things I don't love about working in the city:

• Time wasted on the commute
• Less than sanitary public transportation
• All the extra time it takes to get ready in the morning
• Loss of control in running my household (I don't want to sound ungrateful because trust me, I know how lucky I am and I'm sincerely appreciative, but there is something comforting about knowing exactly where everything is in your house because you put it there... and I'm a bit of a control freak)

The biggest challenge, of course, is spending so much time away from my precious little angel baby:

Flying

That is a placemat she is wearing. Don't ask.

Moving on to my sweater. At least it's clothing.

She can walk in these better than I can. And her pretty pearl bracelet from Kristen that she wouldn't take off for days.

(Why does she never have clothes on when I get home?)

Spending just an hour or so with this sweet little morsel in the evenings is not going to cut it for long.

But even beyond that, this new lifestyle has required some serious adjustment. This is what I've been feeling:

• Exhausted
• Bloated
• Nauseous from the urine and homeless funk on BART
• Swollen feet
• Rapid weight gain
• Anxious sleepless nights
• Getting up to pee several times a night

Which is what led me to finally bight the bullet, accept the odds (while slim at best), and do this (I was in denial about it for way too long even though I'm sure it was glaringly obvious to you after reading my list of symptoms above):

And just like that, the first trimester is almost literally over before I even know it.

Going for the Gold

Ava's playgroup held a Mini Olympics celebration this weekend,
and this little athlete was definitely in it to win it.

A professional photographer was on site to capture all the moments of deep athletic intensity.
Sadly, her watermark is very inopportunely placed. (I know it's her profession to make money from the
pictures she took, but I am not paying $75 for a digital file!)

Ava, in her little pink running shorts, is a world-class track and field superstar.
(Even if she was mainly just chasing after balloons and bubbles.)

She loved standing on the balance beam. She wasn't quite ready to take a step, but it was a good start.  

Victory!

She wears her gold proudly, satisfied with all her athletic training and endurance that got her where she is today.

And we rewarded her with more playtime at the playground where she went down the slide about a trillion times, each time giggling as she ran to climb the ladder to do it all over again.

The Intern

I am sad to announce the departure of my sweet baby sis.

She's heading back to school after an internship in SF that allowed her to stay with us for the last few months so we could commute together (and also because staying at my place is much more fun than staying with our parents).

She's the cutest and most stylish accounting intern you'll ever see. (Even her casual Friday is classy.)

We had a couple fun lunches together in SF, like this one where we enjoyed sushi-roll style "burritos" at Sushirito.

Left: Geisha's Kiss; Right: Salmon Samba -- both incredible!

And she even cooks!

Her own special recipe turkey burgers and sweet potato fries. (I'll update with recipes later.)

And I just found out she received an offer at the firm where she intered after she graduates in the Spring and I couldn't be a prouder big sis. 

So huge congratulations and farewell Sister, I'll miss you!