Duly Noted

Those who've recently experienced pregnancy will know what I mean when I say I have feel like I have been pregnant FOR-EV-AHHH  and, simultaneously, I cannot believe that I beginning to count weeks to the "due date." On one hand, I am anxious to move without restriction, and I can't WAIT to wear something other than my pregnancy clothes (ugh!).  But, on the other hand, it is a little sad to think that I have only eight weeks or so of feeling kicks to the ribcage and waking up to disco parties in my uterus.  When I give myself a chance to pause, I am able to appreciate the miracle of carrying another life inside of my own! This week is our spring break- Mike and I have the same one this year (again! yay!).  Three years ago, I was waiting for Misha to be born.  This waiting is not so different.  It is really difficult to imagine meeting this little one and bringing her home.  Even though there are less unknowns than the first time around (for instanc...

I want to write more often.  Everyday, a least one idea runs through my head that pulls at me to write down, but I rarely do.  I plan to start carrying around a little striped moleskin I received in my stocking so I can capture these fleeting ideas. This afternoon, let's have a quick chat about routine. For me, routines are usually helpful and intentional.  These days, I eat before I run.  I run before I teach.  I make dinner for my family.  I read before I sleep.  During the school year and the work week, I have a pattern that I can count on for stability and balance. During the weekend, I have a few routines too.  I like to eat pizza on Fridays.  I run my longest run, usually with a friend, Saturday morning.  I try to go to church on Sunday. Then, there are my routines with little Misha.  We read before he goes to bed.  I sing him the same songs as I tuck him in at night.  He watches an episode of "Elmo" while he...

As a teacher, I am a creature of habit.  5:30 alarm, sleep 5:40 alarm, sleep 5:50 wake up Head downstairs, get coffee and oatmeal started. Do 8 minutes of abs while waiting for coffee and oatmeal. Eat breakfast, read emails, check weather, and toodle around feedly and pinterest 6:30 Feed Misha or prep milk, brush teeth, floss, comb hair and get dressed.  Pick out a scarf to wear. 7:15 Bike to work, enjoy the fall colors 7:45 Meet with students about essays, respond to work emails, get ready for classes 8:30-11:30 Teach! 11:30-12:00 Wrap up materials, get ready for tomorrow's classes. 12:00 Bike home, enjoy leaves again! 12:30 Home sweet home!  Cuddle and feed Misha. 1:00 Eat lunch outside on our picnic table and make plans for the afternoon. Unlike my mornings at work, weekday afternoons have yet to fall into a routine.  Although sometimes I yearn for this, I am okay with no routine with one caveat.  I need to spend some time moving, and...

Hello dear readers!  As a few of you have gently reminded me, Misha has very officially crossed the three month mark and I need to post his monthly report!  Until recently, I counted "months" as every four weeks, but this strategy doesn't pan out; Misha's "twelve month birthday" ends up somewhere in February (as opposed to April 13th)!  My dad wisely suggested counting months according to date.  So, let's say that July 13th marks Misha's third month of wonderment and adorableness in this world. Reading with Dad..."Little Blue Truck," one of his favorites (and mine!  There is a goat!) Misha really likes... Repeating sounds back and forth like in conversation (Maaaaa Maaa! Vroooo! Vrroooo!) Reading books with mom or dad Sitting independently in our tan leather chair.  He is so impressed with himself.   Being held and carried Coaching his runner mom from his stroller- "Get going mom!  Less talking, more running!" Gr...

Goodness gracious.  Misha man is two months plus a little extra something somethin.  Today was his two month doctor's appointment.  The boy is growing!  Since his birth, he has almost doubled in weight.  Misha weighed in at 11 lbs. 6 ounces.  At 23 1/4 inches long, Misha is in the 63% for length and his long legs suggest this may continue increase.  And, according to our spunky pediatrician, Misha is on the verge of releasing his first rounds of laughter! Over the last few weeks, Misha has learned some new tricks.  He... -smiles often (when awake and asleep!) -holds his hands together -smiles at colorful mobiles -pushes off of his legs when held or laying on his back -rolls from his belly onto his back -enjoys the pacifier Misha loves... -morning jumping exercises and dancing to "Gangnam Style" -listening to us read books to him and staring at the illustrations -bath time in his blue kitchen sink bathtub. -getting his d...

Since receiving my midwife's blessing to run again, I am taking a balanced approach to regaining fitness.  I am pretty sure that I could sweat out a five miler, but I've decided to ease back into the kind of training that I did pre-pregnancy to prevent injury and potential frustration at not meeting unrealistic expectations. With that in mind, I am combining walking and running- slowly increasing the running segments and warming up and cooling down with lots of walking.  I've been doing this about every other day.  On my non-run days, I have been following a post-natal strength plan that Olympic runner (and mom!) Carrie Tollefson put together for runner's world.   So far, I feel energized and strong.  I am proud of myself for adding strength exercises into my routine since, historically, I am bad at weight lifting consistently.  But, Carrie Tollefson told me that I should strengthen my running muscles before I actually start running so I am l...

This is not exactly a Misha Man update.  This is more of a Molly update.  I know; you worried "Duly Noted" suddenly became a full fledged baby blog.  Don't fret.  I am still here.  But, I am experiencing momification. As I move from stroller to rocking chair to cozy leather chair, I get my first tastes of motherhood. What's motherhood made of?  Milk and music, blankets and books, tea, baths, and meandering walks. The day is broken into fragments.  Go for a walk (or run!)...go home.  Go to the market...go home.  Sit at the coffee shop...go home.  It is much too risky to pair two outings together- however brief- if the faintest possibility of hunger (mine or Misha's) lingers. With Mike working, I surround myself with music, blankets, and books.  Blankets hang over armchairs and books pile on end tables.  With Misha curled in my arms, I wrap a blanket around the two of us and pick up whichever book I left there.  Pr...

This post marks the last weekly update of the Misha Man series.  From here on out, we are rolling at a month to month basis. Yet again, Misha's fourth week of life was an eventful one!  The family train continued as Mike's parents arrived on a sunny Wednesday afternoon.  They were ecstatic as they missed an earlier opportunity to drive northwards due to a bad cold.  Misha took to his grandparents instantly. Before the grandparents arrived, I had a couple days alone with Misha while Mike was working.  We went on several long walks to local coffee shops and parks.  I am absolutely in love with my BOB stroller- as is Misha.  It is heaven on wheels.  As Mother's Day weekend approached, a rumor spread that another Vasich might make his way up to the Twin Cities.  All were doubtful that Mike's youngest brother and his girlfriend would actually make the 12 hour drive from Bloomington, Indiana...all except Mike who knows t...

As of 9:01am today, Misha is three weeks old.   Misha's third week of life was a rather eventful one as Granmary's in town!  Granmary is known for her penchant for adventure...especially shopping adventures.  She believes in starting a kid early.   Misha and I have already had a conversation about avoiding consumerism and materialism as we examined the "target" icon in his pattern book .  Unfortunately, his mother cannot live up to this standard and her actions do not reflect her words.  Oh dear.  I am already setting a bad example.  This was confirmed when the clerk at Forever 21 oogled at Misha and said, "Wow!  What an adorable kid!  My parents took me to the mall when I was his age.  That's why I am so comfortable here!"  Cringe! In  spite of my reservations regarding mall culture, I have to admit- Granmary, Misha, and I had a blast.  It turns out that the mall is really one of the best things a n...

Yup, I am that mom.  I hope to post regular updates of Misha's growth and experiences for faraway friends and family who aren't witness to our daily gushing. Baby's Firsts (Highlights Edition)   As this is Misha's first week of life, everything is a first! -1st pediatrician appointment: regained birth weight + 5% of birth weight.  Some kind of record according to our pediatrician who swears that she "doesn't sugar coat." -1st visit from family: Uncle Chris and his superhero girlfriend, Kali flew in Monday night.  As he laid eyes on two day old Misha, Chris's face was priceless.  Over the course of their visit, Misha watched carefully as we played many rounds of 7 Wonders .  He has developed his own strategy and plans to beat everyone as soon as he can talk. -1st sponge bath.  We used the tub and accessories that Baka, Mike's grandma, sent us.  Apparently, she is the true master of bath time.  I look forward to watching her ba...

So here we are- four days on the other side of April 1st.  I have yet to start a conversation without the confirmation, "No baby."  It is understandably challenging to think about anything else. That said, I no longer support the issuing of a "due date."  It is widely reported that first time mothers typically go at least a week over the "due date."  But still, that due date lingers like light at the end of a 40 week tunnel.  When an expectant mom is turned away at the gate (I'm picturing that cranky guard in Wizard of Oz- "Who's knocking on that door?"), a new kind of waiting game begins.  I wholly recommend an institutionalized shift to the term "guess date." It's a little ridiculous to think I am edgy over a few extra days.  Soon our little one will be with us for good, for forever.  Mike reminds me that this "late" arrival is a blessing; this week is our spring break so we have been able to relax and en...

Week 37 has not been my best week but my head is above water and there is sunshine on my skin again.  I felt pretty run down thus skipping my power hour (or half hour) of sweaty glory at the gym- a combination that never improves my state- pregnant or not.  On Thursday, the tides changed when I refused to listen to my laundry list of excuses and dragged my sorry pregnant self onto the elliptical.  After "sweeping out the cobwebs" (as my mom likes to say), I felt like a new woman. I am completely aware that my mental/emotional state depends on exercise (especially in the fresh air).  It's certainly an addiction in the sense that when I go without it, I crave it, I behave differently, and I get cranky and downtrodden.  But, is that necessarily a bad thing?  It's nice to know that I can rely on movement for some positive energy.  A little sweat and fresh air is all it takes. IN OTHER NEWS...I have to chuckle at myself.  I am the WORST at IKEA....

So, what's going on at 36 weeks?  Here are a few observations. Baby... Baby is an acrobat.  This doesn't surprise me as the first ultrasound at about 6 weeks revealed the little guy bouncing up and down and throwing bows in his pod (throwing bows= dance move, throwing elbows).  Now, he thinks it is hilarious to kick me in the rib cage and let his foot linger for a while.  He likes to somersault during class discussions  and distract me from my eager 11th graders.  He is clearly displaying early signs of class clown.  This is worrisome.  He also tends to move when I (or he?) is hungry.  Instead of a 5 o'clock cocktail, I get a 5 o'clock kick in the ribs.  :)  I love it. Me... My belly bump is for real at this point.  Although, at parent/teacher conferences, several of my 11th grade parents expressed utter dismay when I said "Yup, so I only have four more weeks left...(eyebrow lift/grimace/anger)...because I am due April 1s...

Tonight, I head to my hometown- dear old Milwaukee- for a baby shower...my baby shower!(?)  I've been looking forward to this weekend since our dear family friend offered to host a gathering of all the women who have watched me grow.  "Watched" is the wrong word here- these women have been a part of my formation since I was in diapers.  I've spent countless hours in their homes and nearly all my childhood memories and stories are associated with these women.  Afternoons playing games in triangle park, fourth of July lakefront fireworks, New Years Eve parties, accidents (involving baseball bats and staircases), everyday trips to the supermarket, summertime at Elm Grove pool, 9 years at Mother of Good Counsel, endless days playing in Lake Michigan at Terre Andre... When I think about the kind of mother that I hope to be, these women come to mind- attentive, affectionate, playful, creative, calm, strict, loyal, supportive, patient.