My Kind of Town...

This weekend I visited my sister and her family in the "land of good food" a.k.a. Chicago!!!

I arrived on Friday just in time for lunch. A Fattoush Salad at Cedar's Mediterranean Kitchen. Amazing.

Later for dinner--I never leave Chicago without a slice of heaven from Giordano's. My brother-in-law also brought home some authentic jerk chicken and red beans and rice. It was hands down, the best I've had since I was in Jamaica and tasted like it was smoked on applewood. Wow.

Other food over the weekend included a Chicago Pizza Puff (first timer), an Italian Beef (first-timer), and the usual Chicago Dog--or "Magnificent Char Dog" from Gold Coast Dogs...


The next morning I got my first taste of what it may be like to do Charm City Baby's hair when she's two years old, when I volunteered to do my niece's hair and get her dressed for the day.This was really fun b/c she LOVES the camera.

Here's the before...

She told me in her two-year old voice she has "Wild, Wild Hair" quoting one of her favorite children's books by Nikki Grimes.--a book every little brown girl should have, in my opinion.

Anyway...after 20 minutes of hearing her say "ouch" and "finished yet?" and responding "I'm sorry!" and "almost!"we had a finished product (and a smiling face!)...

And just because she LOVES to pose...all dressed in her High School Musical jogging suit...

This was good practice for me. I think I did a good (not perfect) job, but I accidentally did her hair while she was still in her pajamas and had to force her head into her t-shirt without messing up her do--no easy task--but a lot of giggling.

All and all--a great time in Chi-town. I can't wait to go back!

Make Way for Baby...

It's official! Our home has begun its transformation in preparation for the arrival of Charm City Baby.

This weekend I had a successful shopping trip where I found a zebra rug for $129 at HomeGoods! I also found a shadow box frame of real butterflies which compliments the monarch butterflies in the framed turtle scarf, nicely. With turles, zebras, and butterflies, I'm starting to see a secondary theme to my modern nursery. Hmm.

Yesterday, the hideous 1980's floral wallpaper was removed by an appropriately named company "Take It Off!"

Next steps:

- skim coat the plaster walls and prepare them for painting next month

- order the custom roman shades (takes 4-6 weeks).

Btw, JCP's annual window event(65 +10% off all custom drapes and shades) is going on in stores right now. Get thee to JCP!

Boy or Girl?

About a week ago a colleague told me that when her daughter was pregnant she had an ultrasound at a private baby imaging office outside of her normal OB office. Until then, the thought had never crossed my mind.

Soon after, I mentioned it to Charm City Daddy focusing on the idea that we could get a 3D or 4D DVD of baby between 25-30 weeks. And then he asked the question I should have known he was going to ask..."Can we also find out the baby's gender a little earlier?" (Background: We're not supposed to find out with our doctor until March 30.) That immediately spurred a frenzy of searching for a local office and an appointment, and Friday the 13th at 4 p.m. was our big day.

Both of us confidently went into the appointment with pure and utter confidence of the gender of our baby. This ultrasound was only confirming what we already knew--at least that's what we told ourselves.

As CCD flew through rush hour traffic going 80 mph and weaving in and out of cars, I inhaled some chocolate pudding to get Charm City Baby moving for the camera. Seconds into the appointment it was apparent that either the pudding had worked or Charm City Baby also shared in my terror of the skillful, but scary driving of CCD. CCB was kicking all over the place--and by "place" I mean my bladder over and over again.

But the good news is, it provided a great view of the very telling "money shot."

It's a GIRL!

At first I could've sworn I saw a little penis, but clearly there is no penis there.

CCD's reaction was priceless, too. Keeping in mind this is the first sonogram that he has experienced he was thrilled to be seeing the baby in action. He was laughing, pointing, and at one point talking into my belly in his "daddy voice" telling the baby to move a certain way. :) (we don't tell him baby can't quite hear him yet).

When CCD found out it was a girl, he laughed, then smiled and then put his hands on his head and had what we'll call "a moment."Basically, he realized that's really going to have to parent our little girl and not just rumble and tumble as he had planned with a boy.

I was also shocked about having a girl too, particularly because all of my symptoms or non-symptoms had pointed to boy. Though I hoped we would have my parent's first grandson after 3 granddaughters, I must admit, I'm a bit relieved. As a parent, I definitely know how to do the 'girl thing'--at least I think so.

We are both so thrilled and can't wait to meet little OLIVIA!!

Check out her nose! It's her daddy's nose..."bulby." lol. I love it!