Strollers.

can we talk about this? and yes, i think this topic deserves its own post.  i mean, besides a car seat, this may just be the most important baby purchase we make. am i right, or am i right? a stroller can really make or break our experience of taking our baby to restaurants, out shopping, gallivanting in san francisco, and even running.

i want our stroller to have good suspension (just like a car) so that the baby won't feel every lump, bump, or crack. i also want something with good handling, particularly one that i can maneuver easily with one hand.  weight is also of concern.  we don't want anything super heavy or bulky.  and one that can fold up relatively easily.  my first choice was...

the ever popular city mini. at $249.99
it's an awesome deal.

i have spoken to many moms who have owned this stroller, and they only had great things to say about it.  plus, when i went to new york last year by myself, the city mini and the UPPAbaby were the only 2 strollers i saw around manhattan.  now, i don't know about you, but if a stroller can cut it in manhattan, you know it's a keeper.

of course getting a BOB crossed my mind, particularly because john and i like to run.  however, i got to thinking about our dream of hopefully having more than 1 kid.  and considering it took me a whoppin' 2 whole years to get to this point, our plans of "trying" for a second bambino will start soon after this one is born.  so, with that in mind, i wanted a stroller that could easily convert to a double stroller. these were the 2 contestants:

the phil & teds explorer stroller.  the navy one is on sale
right now for $374.99 at diapers.com

the city select is $499.99.
i realize it's on the more expensive side, but i think it's
worth it.

after much deliberation, research, and conversations with moms who own both. the city select is the winner.  let me just show you all the features this stroller can do.  versatility is an understatement.

luckily, we have several 20% off coupons for buy buy baby which will knock off ~$100.  for the quality and the versatility of the city select, i think it will be worth our money.

do you have a city select?  if not, which stroller did you end up buying?

Why are maternity clothes ugly?

even the bras are a site that can make your eyes sore.  check it:

image via

image via

see? i told ya?

remember when i wrote about my birthday plans?  since then, i've been on the hunt for a maternity dress, or at least a dress that will flatter and accommodate my growing self.  i'm not opposed to buying a non-maternity dress, but i hate how the front of those dresses become shorter in the front because of the big belly. as for maxi dresses...although i think they are cute, i'm just not into them.  thinking ahead and reasoning to myself the need to buy a maternity dress is that i also have 2 weddings to attend this year.  so, i figured i could spend the money on buying something that i could get a few wears out of.  cue in asos.  low and behold, they have a cute maternity line that is affordable.  plus, free shipping both ways...bingo!  i think i have my store ;-)

here are some dresses i've been eyeing:

$60.36...not bad, but not great.

$77.61
this one would be definitely a splurge.
but i really like it.

$68.98

$36.22
now we're talkin'.

$51.74
i really like this one too.

as always, i'll let you know which one i end up getting and how it fits.  while we are on the subject of maternity dresses...what are your thoughts on above the knee dresses for pregnant ladies...chic and sexy or tasteless and down-right-inappropriate?  do tell.

Exercise and pregnancy.

once i was cleared by my doctor to start exercising again i was more than eager to get back into some sort of exercise routine. i knew i had to listen to my body and not over do it.  so with some caution and a big smile on my face, i started to jog and take my boxing and kickboxing classes again.

when i tell people i still go to my boxing and kickboxing  classes and jog i either get, a "good for you" and a high five or a "oh...you do?" and a crazy stink eye that i'm sure means "is that safe for the baby?".  i really think some people think that if you exercise when you are pregnant, it does more harm than good.  isn't that nuts?  what do they expect me to do all day, all 9 months, sit on my butt, eat, and sleep?  i mean, does pregnancy = sick? not in my book!  i totally understand that if i was not active before, then i probably shouldn't be trying to do a roundhouse kick or a jab-jab-straight-hook combination. but i've been taking those classes religiously for 4 years now and could run 7 miles (with hills, i might add) before i got pregnant.  so just sitting and not being active would do me more harm than good.

what are your thoughts on the subject of exercising and pregnancy?

and now for some pics from around the web:

i'm all about squats, but this is nuts.

ummm...amazing...or down right crazy?

i agree...this is kinda over doing it.  you won't see
me lifting anything remotely heavy.
i don't want to go into preterm labor!

non-pregnant me could barely do a
pull up. i'm not about to try now.

this i think i could do.

i love push ups.
but my knees would have to be bent.

all images came from babble.

Super excited for my birthday.

this year i'll be turning 34.  is that considered mid-30s???? oh my, how time flies...<sigh>

although i'm not too keen on getting older, this birthday is going to be a doozer. you see, i'll be 19 weeks by sept 28 which means...dun-durarun...we can find out the sex of the baby!!! in my mind, the perfect birthday day would be as follows: a nice jog around lake merced when i wake up, ultrasound appointment late morning, finding out that we are having healthy baby boy or girl, then lunch with john so we can laugh and giggle with pure joy and excitement about the amazing news, head back home to rest and to get ready for a night out in san francisco.

to top it off, john made dinner reservations to cotogna. for those of you who aren't in the know, the chef and owner of cotogna is michael tusk, who is also is the chef and owner of the ever popular quince, who just happened to recently win the james beard award for the best chef in the pacific.  if everything goes according to plan, i'll be one happy and lucky girl come the end of september.

here are some pics of cotogna

is that a fire roasted pizza oven? i say yes please!

leg of lamb on a spit with grilled vegetables underneath to catch the drippings?  heck ya!

bomboloni with ricotta, blueberries, and limoncello sauce.
fancy!

i'm planning to go all out that night. pizza, pasta, grilled vegetables with lamb, and dessert. no carb/calorie watching for me.  of course i'll let you know how it all goes down.

next up, finding a cute dress to accommodate my ever growing belly.

Where's the beef?

well, you aren't going to find it over here.  beef has been the culprit of many sleepless nights.  it causes major gas, indigestion, and bloating for me.  if i eat large quantities of meat, it seems to take me at least 2 days for it to digest. so far, the safest bet during this pregnancy has been the good 'ol trusty chicken.  it's strange, because non-pregnant me would normally pick a juicy medium rare steak any day over boring chicken. so while my taste buds would normally go nuts over...

this

lately, i seem to best stomach...

this.

particularly...

this. 

in case you don't know what this is, it's chicken katsu.  and what's even more perplexing to me, is that normal, non-pregnanat me doesn't care for hawaiian food. go figure?!  so far, chicken katsu has been the only meal i have fully enjoyed and not have had to endure any miserable repercussions.

Capturing emotion through photography.

my favorite types of photos are ones that capture a spontaneous moment, expression, feeling.  i realize that staged group pictures are a necessity particularly during large get togethers.  however, it's not very interesting to look at or admire, unless of course you are in it ;-)

here are a few of my favorite photos i took when john and i went to san diego.  what do you think...did i capture emotion?

this one was not taken in san diego.  but i wanted to include this photo
of my niece.  i have a feeling she's thinking of her
wish right before she blows out her candles.
she turned 11 on 9/1/2012.

Blanqi?

so far, feeling sexy and radiant have been far from my reality.  in anticipating the weeks and months ahead, i wanted to ask you...have you heard of the blanqi?

apparently it's supposed to give pregnant women great support for their back, lift the "girls" up, and smooth out any lump or bump that may have popped up during pregnancy.  since i'm not that big yet, i don't feel the need for support wear. but for those who have gone through pregnancy before, was support wear an everyday staple?  just wondering...