Baby Needs a Vacation

Having a baby is a wonderful time for companies to make money. So it's no surprise that the travel and leisure industry is getting into the swing of things. Have you heard about "babymoons"? This is the new effort to brand pre-birth vacations where couples can get away from it all and pamper themselves before the big arrival.

I think the term is dumb, and the actual "babymoon" packages are ridiculously expensive, but the concept is great! Of course, I've never been one to think anything but positive thoughts about travel and vacationing.

So Cletus, BD, and I are off on Thursday to Florida, partly for a baby shower, partly for our "babymoon." This will include a spa day (yes!), partying (yes!), and then lying on the beach at Sanibel Island without e-mail and cell phone access (yes!). Okay, so we'll probably have cell phone access, but that's not what I'll tell work folks.

But this also means that I won't be updating this blog. Are there any topics or things you want me to post before-hand? I'm happy to do like three or four posts a day. You can then pace yourself and read only one at a time, carrying you through the week.

Shower Power

Now that the thrill of Christmas gift-giving and gift-receiving has passed, why, I guess it's time to think about planning a baby shower! Hooray for shopping!

My mother has been a champion in helping me plan a great little get-together for friends and family. We're looking at a February 10 lunch in Safety Harbor. Though the date has been the source of some turmoil, I think we've finally gotten it settled. So, for all of you Floridians (or Floridians at heart)--save the date!

To me, the components of a successful baby shower are: yummy food and desserts (check!) and friends and family who are in good spirits (hopefully, check!). Everything else is gravy. Good weather is a bonus, but as someone who planned an outdoor wedding ceremony in Florida in February--only to have it drowned by a thunderstorm--can testify, it's not that important.

Shortly after the shower, BD and I are heading south for our final "February vacation" (an annual tradition) before the kidlet arrives. We will be chilling in a Polynesian themed family-owned "resort" in Sanibel Island for a few days, so I'm really excited about that. I know it's not a full week in Hawaii, Mexico, Turk & Caicos, or Belize (our past February destinations), but it should be great anyhow. Because I won't be at work. And I won't be in the "up north" weather. So I'm excited!

Back from a Break

Hello all! Sorry that I haven't posted for a few days. I've been in Florida, celebrating the holiday with friends and family. Here are a few musings from my days away...

1. Even the best children in the world are exhausting, especially when there are three under the age of five. BD and I definitely made some mental notes re: family planning this past week.

2. Work doesn't know how to leave me alone, even when I'm on vacation. A client made me get on a conference call one of the days and coworkers were not shy about e-mailing and calling me with questions. This does not bode well for maternity leave.

3. I look like a "sequoia" (according to my mom). And she's totally right. I'm not growing one bump on the front of my body, I growing outwards all around my waist (this translate to a special roundness in the back and sides, as well as the front).

4. It's okay when family touches my belly. Many of them did (including my brother) and this did not bother me nearly as much as when coworkers do it (or when my boss smacks me on the bum).

5. Pregnant women have insanely strong immunity systems. This is my only explanation for why I haven't gotten a cold yet this fall or winter and why I manage to miss the stomach virus that plagued my family over the past week (even my rock-solid husker of a BD fell victim to the bug).

6. Turns out I do have some pregnancy-related hormones. How else could I explain when I started tearing up on Friday, and couldn't stop until I got all cried out?

7. Not drinking still sucks.

8. Getting a carte blanche to eat all the cookies I want still rules.

9. Getting baby-related hand-me-downs is the best thing ever. Thanks to my sister-in-law and brother, we are now hooked up with: a boppy and boppy cover, a hippie sling, a "snuggle," many cloth diapers and baby outfits, socks, car-seat head huggers, a crib toy, and nursing pads galore. Cletus the Feturs really made out this Christmas. In addition to the hand-me-downs, we also got a little fleece blankey, children's books, a onesy that says "I'm already smarter than the president" (ha!!), a Bucky Badger sippy cup, and little kid leiderhosen (this from BD). We are now also appropriately funded to get a video camera to record all of the little kidlet's most embarassing moments!

and

10. 2007 is getting closer. This has always been when I was going to start really thinking and planning for baby (versus 2006, which was the year of pregnancy). And you know what? I'm okay with this. I think I'm ready to start thinking about house reorganization, lamaze classes, packing the hospital bag, picking names, etc. But we'll see... I still have five more days.

Happy holidays!