August 20 - a recap of the big day

Two months and a day after Layla was born, I can finally sit here and write about it. I just got a baby monitor and she's finally starting to sleep more than 1 1/2 hour blocks. I'm looking at her little black and white image on the baby monitor right now. She's starting to squirm -uh oh. Nope, we're good. Back to the birth story...

On Wednesday the 19th, I had gotten my IV with pitocin, epidural, and a balloon inserted to help with dilation and move things along. I had my water broken, but the young doc that I think was an intern, didn't quite break the bag, and after several hours, another doc had to break the bag. I had barely dilated 4 cm after that. By late in the evening, it became obvious that I wasn't going to give birth on Wednesday the 19th. My awesome nurse's shift was up and I was bummed that she wouldn't be delivering with my doctor. So a new nurse came in and she was nice, and young and chatty. So she hung out and chatted and told us about concerts she'd gone to. The anesthesiologist was a young Iranian guy that was totally cool and hung out a little too. My mom wanted to set him up with a nice Iranian girl. It was a really fun casual environment. The best part was if I felt any pain or discomfort, I would get more pain meds and more attention. I never got to the point where anything was intolerable which was great.

By 7am, the 2nd nurses shift was up and I got a 3rd nurse, Keya, who was awesome. I was getting close, 10 cm but the baby hadn't dropped enough to be in a good place to start pushing. So my doctor was called, she was in surgery at the time. The big concern was the baby's head was not in the best position for me to push her out. She was "sunny side up" which meant that I would be pushing out a bigger diameter of the head, which is tough to do and often results in a C section after hours of pushing. Earlier in the morning, a midwife had come in and they tried different things, like making me lie on my side in a lunge position. I couldn't feel my legs at all and could barely move my legs at this point because I had had an epidural for 20 hours. At 9 am my doc came in and checked me and just sort of told me to start pushing. It was very informal, no stir ups, no real big deal. Then she left to get breakfast while I pushed and my nurse did the coaching. So when the doctor came back in at 9:30, I told everyone I was going to get the baby out by 10:30. Apparenlty, they got a kick out of that. I don't think they thought I could do it.

I didn't know that the sunny side up head position was as much as a problem as it was because I felt NOTHING. Cary was holding my left leg, Sher was holding my right leg (and refused to look at my coochy pop), and my mom held the pillow behind my head. When it came time to push, I would push with my legs, my chin against my chest, and Keya was actually pushing the top of my stomach. I have never focused on something so intently in my life. It was really hard to push, because I couldn't feel what I was pushing. The doc and nurse helped me try to feel where to push from and I just closed my eyes and with every contraction gave it all I had. I just had a feeling that she needed to get out of there as soon as possible.

Cary had asked if he could catch the baby and/or cut the chord. This was fine and dandy till Layla's head popped out and the chord was wrapped TWICE around her neck. The doc immediately told Cary that she's got to do it herself ASAP. Cary said it was a really scary moment, though I had no idea. He said it looked like she had an umbilical chord turtle neck. She was purple and not responsive, but after the doctor wiped her off and placed her on my tummy, she was on her way to being fine.
Layla was born at 10:25 am, 5 minutes before I said I would get her out. I didn't get to see her for very long because the docs and nurses scooped her up and worked on getting her oxygen and getting fluids out of her lungs. After the doc was done sewing me back up, and Layla was done getting checked out, measured, weighed, and swaddled in a blankie, I finally got to hold her.

I get teary eyed every time I see this picture. I'll never forget that feeling of "Oh my God, she's here, she's mine, she's my daughter, I'm her mother".

I love this picture. Two mommies and their babies. What an amazing day.

August 19

So this is my first attempt at journaling what happen the day before Layla was born till now. We checked into Cedars at 10 am and I got hooked up to the best epidural ever. I wasn't allowed to eat anything except clear liquids and Popsicles which sucked because it would be a full 24 hours before Layla was born and I was so hungry.

I think Mom was more nervous for my epidural than I was. She had a bad experience when delivering me. Poor Papoo!

These are the socks I wore the whole day and when Layla was born. Everyone says to buy white socks to wear during delivery and then throw them away because things get messy. Things never got messy and I thought my socks were too cute and sentimental to throw away. Now they're my favorite socks.

Here is my AWESOME delivery room with a view of the Hollywood Hills, Griffith Observatory, Hollywood sign and surrounding Beverly Hills area. This picture doesn't do it justice. My amazing nurse Kendra hooked me up with this room, which she also delivered her baby in a few years before.

There's mom and Cary trying to see if they can find Mom's house from the delivery room window. I need to go back and read the emails I sent to various friends and relatives because I can't remember much more from that day! How sad, my memory is already fading. I really need to blog more so I can look back on this and have the memories saved to share with Layla some day.

Where did September go?

The Daily Ruby should be called The Monthly Ruby, at the rate I've been slacking! Needless to say, I've had my hands full. I keep meaning to back post, but at this rate I'm so far behind that I wouldn't be able to catch up to present day till 2010.

I had probably the best labor and delivery of anyone I know of (that has ever explained their experience to me). It was almost entirely pain free thanks to an awesome epidural. It was almost a festive atmosphere with Cary, my folks, and Shashar in the room. I gotta say, I was pretty proud of myself for popping out my little angel. I also probably had the most painful recovery of anyone that has ever explained their experience to me. Not because of extenuating circumstances, but probably because no one really tells you in detail what happens down there after all the trauma. It won't go into detail, but lets just say that it was a good 2 weeks before I felt like I was even 50% healed and on my way to recovery. It's such a distant memory right now, and probably for the best.

Layla is awesome. She turned 8 weeks yesterday. She just got over a 5 week long diaper rash that turned into skin ulcers. So sad! This doubled our sleep deprivation because she required extra care. I never found out or understood the cause of it, and never got solid instructions on how to fix it. Each of the 3 pediatricians we talked to had a different plan of attack and kept saying we should see improvement in a couple of days, which never really happened. The most effective thing we could do was leave her diaper off completely and let her hiney air out. That sounds good and simple except that newborns don't poop 2 to 3 times a day. They poop in little or big squirts ALL DAY LONG! Needless to say, Cary, me, my Mom, Sher, all got pooped and/or peed on. Not to mention various walls, floors, and bits of furniture in our home. The worst part was she would poop, it would burn her raw skin, and she'd get upset and bare down and poop some more. Plus we had to keep her clean so the wounds wouldn't get infected. It was really challenging and it suuuuucked. It would get better, then worst, and finally 2 days ago it looked about 95% gone. Today I'd say she's about 99% good, knock on wood. Her poor hiney has scars on it though. It was that bad.

Then this morning, Layla seemed to be getting her first cold. Stuffy nose, watery eyes, dry cough. Thankfully no fever. She's sleeping an awful lot. I should be happy that she's sleeping longer and deeper, but any change in her behavior due to a possible sickness freaks me out. I called the doctor and she gave me some things to do and look out for. So now we wait and see what happens.

Aside from all the worry about these simple, relatively nonthreatening health concerns, she's the coolest thing that has ever happened to me and Cary both. She's just now smiling and making a few new sounds. This morning she (unintentionally) said Mama while she was mumble-whining. Both Cary and I got really excited even though we full well knew that it wasn't for real. Oh well.

I've taken probably 700 pictures of her and a decent amount video and I keep meaning to post the good ones. I might go back and do some back blogging, it's been 8 weeks and 1 day since my last post! Yeah, there's too much good stuff to not back blog....

It's about to happen

I had my last prenatal doctor's appointment yesterday. I say last because we decided to go ahead and induce today at 10 am. I'm 1 cm dilated, which means my body is already starting the process on it's own, and judging by how uncomfortable I had been through out the day yesterday I may have dilated even farther. My doc will be on vacation this weekend and I've been really uncomfortable these last couple of weeks. Plus, because I have a larger amount than average of amniotic fluid in my tummy, the baby doesn't settle down in the pelvis to help move things along. She's just floating around. If she did settle down, that would help things progress faster. When the doc was trying to listen to her heartbeat this morning, she had to chase the baby around my tummy because she wouldn't lie still. Meanwhile Cary could see a foot/knee/head poke out at different corners in my belly as I lied on the table cracking up. She was toying with the doctor.

Yesterday was a good day, all in all. Better than the day before. On Monday I got a call from the doctor's office to schedule the induction on Wednesday morning and almost had a panic attack because I wasn't sure if I really wanted to induce. Ideally I would have liked for my body and my baby to decide on her birthday date and time. What if she was meant to be a Virgo instead of a Leo? But after my exam and talking to my doctor who I really trust and since she left it up to us to decide, we choose to go for it.

I emailed friends and family. I got a lot of supportive calls and emails which was great. Mom came over and helped me do the final things in our apartment then took me to get my nails done and to have some lunch at the Grove. We sat by the fountain and shared a stuffed baguette and chicken salad. I couldn't have enjoyed it more. I couldn't believe how relaxed I felt considering what a wreck I was the day before. Poor mom was nervous. I hope she feels better today. Afterwards I got my car washed and Cary took me out to dinner at The Whisper Lounge. I started to have some serious pains, so I got up and left and Cary got my truffled mac and 3 cheeses to go and we left. He thought I was going into labor right then. I think it was just really bad Braxton-Hicks again.

So now it's 5:30 in the morning, and it's 4 1/2 hours till my scheduled appointment at the hospital. I'm all packed. We got cute outfits for the baby to wear home (I think there are like 5 or 6 in our suitcase!). I can't sleep and am hungry and just Googled if I could eat before being induced. Apparently whatever I eat for breakfast might be the last thing I eat till late tonight depending on when the baby comes....yikes. I had a small piece of toast and peanut butter to hold me over till breakfast. With the amount of peanut butter I've eaten during this pregnancy, the baby might come out in a peanut shell with monocles and a top hat.

My relaxed mental state from yesterday is giving way to nervousness. I was nervous on Monday for what I would have to go through and endure. The needles, the pain, the uncertainty. Now I feel OK with all of that and feel like I can do this, thanks in large part to my doctor and Cary's support. But I'm worried about the baby and if she will be OK. There's no reason to feel that she wouldn't be, but I just want her so badly that I couldn't handle if she wasn't OK. It's a tough journey for a little girl to come out into the cruel world after having this giant aquarium-sized tank to swim in for so long. Beyond that, I haven't even wrapped my head around the notion that I'm going to be a parent. This is just so sureal.

Nesting

It's not an urban myth. Nesting is a real and imminent part of pregnancy....for the mommy and daddy both. I've got 1 week and 4 days till my due date. Cary decides yesterday to start painting the baby's room. There was a bit of a battle, but in the end I gave into Cary's nesting needs. He's got good design taste and has bought a bunch of really unique decoration for baby girl's room.
This was taken 10:30 last night. The baby's room isn't anywhere near done. We haven't figured out a final layout for the furniture and haven't put away any of her clothes or things. Her clothes have all been washed,with Dreft, and are sorted into age groups (0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6+months). The bedding has been laundered and even ironed. I would never iron my own bedding- what the hell?

While Cary painted the wall, I lined the dresser drawers with fabric. Why not with contact paper? Because I didn't like the smell of the adhesive and was scared that it would give the baby cancer, or rob her of the new baby smell when all of her clothes smell like contact paper glue. Not only have I lined the inside of the drawers, but I've gone and bought an assortment of cutesy (expensive) knobs for each drawer. I got these from Anthropology:
The lining and knobs will make up about 40% of the cost of the drawer by the time I'm done. It's taken me about 8 hours to do 3 drawers so far, with one to go still. Crazy, you ask? I'd say it's temporary nesting insanity. Did I mention I stripped all the couch cushions and threw the covers in the wash for the first time in the 4 years we've owned this couch. I also bought organic cleaning products so that we are more chemical free in the apartment. But everything I clean with the products smells like patchouli and reminds me of hippies. So I'm not feeling it.

I wake up every single morning around 2-4am. It's driving me nuts. I wake up many other times during the night, but I can usually go back to sleep. I always have trouble going back to sleep at least one time in the night and have to come out to the living room and make myself a cup of cereal and watch TV till I go to sleep. Everyone says it's practice for the late night feedings for baby when she's here.

Mom and Dad are coming over to take the foozball table from our apartment so we'll have more room for baby. I'm hoping to rearrange the baby's room one more time while they're here because I just don't like the layout and am really obsessed with it.

37 weeks and counting

This is the absolute longest I've gone without blogging. I'm not sure what's happened this year and these past two months that I've totally neglected it. The obvious thing is that I'm pregnant, but you'd think I'd want to be even more diligent with journaling my life. I've written notes and taken pictures, so I do plan on back-blogging at some point.

Right now I'm in the throws of nesting. I've got 2 weeks and 5 days till my due date. I'm huge and have been pretty uncomfortable. I've experienced some severe Braxton Hicks contractions.

Meanwhile, for the past 4 weeks, Cary and I have been taking the Groundlings Basic class. It's not been easy, especially since I'm so big and have to do physical space work. But I absolutely love this class, the teacher, the students, the whole experience. We've become a mini-improv family. I should post pictures at some point.

Other than that, I've struggled with what stroller to buy, what baby furniture to buy, have buyer's remorse for what I did buy, trying to wrap things up at work, trying not to get too nervous about the labor part that is eminent, and trying to enjoy the last few days or weeks with my baby girl in my tummy.

I'm so grateful that my pregnancy has been as enjoyable as it has been. With the exception of the first few weeks of nausea and the last couple of weeks of discomfort, the rest of my pregnancy has possibly been the best time of my life. That's the first time I've ever phrased it like that. I love my belly and the little angel inhabiting it. I wish I would have taken weekly pictures of my belly. I can't believe how incredibly active she's been, even now with less space for her to move around in. I can't wait to find out who she is. I'm madly in love. So is Cary.

I don't know how I'm going to share her with the world. I like having her all to myself.

Cute Sheila-isms, and a crib for Just Baby.

Shashar, Jack and Sheila came over today with Sheila's crib for Just Baby. We spent last weekend and this weekend clearing out our second bedroom so we can make room for Just Baby when she gets here. Needless to say, with Sheila in attendance, there were stories to tell. She is the most entertaining human being I've ever known. She kept all 4 of us cracking up the whole time. I wrote down a few cute Sheila-isms to remember.

"Whatever Aunty Katy eats, the baby eats too."

"What color is YOUR peepee, Aunty Katy?"

"I poopoo-ed AND peepee-ed in your house, Aunty Katy!"

"Why do some of your shoes have shoe laces and some of them not have shoe laces?" Sheila asked Cary this while the two of them hid in our closet from the "bad tiger" (which was Jack at the time). Cary's shoe section was a mess when she was done with it.

"Don't worry baby, I'll protect you." This was said as Shashar, Sheila and I hid in the closet from the "bad tigers" (Jack and Cary this time). She would then pat my tummy to make sure the baby new she was protecting her.

Shashar emailed me this additional story:
As we were leaving your house Sheils stopped walking and stared at four young boys walking by with a basketball. She's staring, staring, staring and they just walk by and continue to do their thing. Then Sheila says to me and Jack, "Why they didn't say hi to me? I want to play with the basketball." I explained to her that if she wanted someone to say hi to her she should say hi first. So as two people were walking down the sidewalk Sheila floated over to them and said, "Hi." And the lady said, "Hey there, you're so cute, etc, etc" And Sheila just kept floating around them with a big smile on her face until it was time to go to our car.

26 weeks and counting...

Today marks my 26th week of pregnancy. This is the last week of my 2nd trimester. I can't believe how fast it has all gone by.

I had my monthly doctors appointment yesterday. When the doc measured my uterus, using a measuring tape, and feeling above my belly button to see where my uterus extended to, she said (judging by the size of my uterus) that I've got a big baby growing in there. I was in kind of a daze because I had taken the glucose blood test earlier and had fasted for 12 hours. The "big baby" observation didn't sink in till later that night. I forgot to mention it to anyone at work or to Cary. But when I told Cary last night, we were both really happy to know she's growing so well. Probably explains why I weigh 159 lbs already and why someone thought I was 8 months pregnant instead of 6...

Pass!!

This morning I got the email from the Groundlings stating "YOUR RESULTS: Pass (Eligible for Basic Level One)"!!! I started jumping up and down at work and Aunty Zarin was worried I was hurting the baby (so was I) so I stopped. I was so happy and then instantly nervous again to find out if Cary passed (even though he did a much better job auditioning than I did, but I wanted him to pass more than I wanted me to pass). So I keep calling and he doesn't pick up. Finally he calls and says he passed -yay!!!! We are so happy!!

Cary sent an email to our 3 friends to see if we were 5 for 5. We were shocked and sad to find out that two of our friends, who did an amazing job (better than me), did not pass. The auditioner doesn't give you feedback, so I have no idea why I made it and they didn't. It's really bittersweet. Ultimately, I really wanted Cary to make it in so he can advance in the writing ranks. It's just frosting on the cake that I made it. But so so bittersweet that the five of us are not moving on together. We plan to keep in touch with everyone anyway, but it would have been nice to be able to see each other on a regular basis during classes. That and I really wanted us all to be celebrating together.

I don't know how actors do it. If I had to audition on a regular basis, I would not last long at all. It is so unnerving. Just knowing that my friends didn't pass is heart wrenching.

For now, we'll just take it a day at a time, a class at a time, and enjoy it. I feel Cary and my little family has grown in the Groundlings together. We signed up for the first class before I knew I was pregnant (I was barely 3 weeks along) and I've been pregnant through out this whole experience. I'm so happy that baby girl has been kicking away through out this experience. She's already a part of our life before we become parents.

Last class, maybe?

Today was our last class for this session of Improv Workshop B. We are still waiting for results from our audition yesterday. If we don't get in, who knows if we will have it in us to audition again in 6 months. Biting my nails isn't helping with the nerves. It's funny how you grow attached to people in your class. It was a really warm and supportive group of people. Even though I'm not best friends with everyone, I'll miss seeing them all once a week.

All in all, this has been a priceless experience. I'm not sure how to explain what practical skills I've learned, but I've definitely learned things about myself that I may not have otherwise. Maybe I've gained a little confidence, maybe I've exercised my creative mental abilities that would have otherwise gone unused. Bottom line is that I had a blast and I got to do it all while I was pregnant. Someday, I hope that little girl will read this and know that I was thrilled to include her in this special and unique part of my life. I'm a little worried that when she leaves my body, I will lose some of what I absorbed during the class. If she gains every ounce of it, I will be thrilled.

After class we walked over to the Groundlings theater and Cary asked if they had any results from the audition. Apparently the lady behind the desk asked if any one of us had submitted a "weird headshot" (we had to submit a headshot and resume when we auditioned). I didn't have a head shot, so I used a picture of Cary and I, and put 5 post-it notes over Cary's head and body because it was a really nice picture and I didn't want to cut the photo in half. Cary used a picture where I was kissing him on the cheek....and he cropped me out of the picture!!! That's much more cruel, if you ask me. I thought for sure that since she remembered my "weird headshot", that she was hesitant to tell us who was in and who was out because the person with the weird headshot was out. I am totally sweating it!!

After class, with some post-audition-dazed feeling, Cary and I drove to Skye Taco on Pico for some lunch. The turkey tacos are the best!! And they have this drink called sorrel that is sooo good! They serve their sorrel and lemonades in a mason jar, which I love.
I couldn't eat my second taco, which was beef. This giant mastiff was tied to the fence post behind Cary and when I was about to bite into my beef taco, I saw the long strings of saliva hanging down from both corners of the dog's mouth and almost vomited. I have a high tolerance for getting grossed out while eating. Still,I had to spit out the first bite I took of the beef taco and I couldn't eat anything after that. Bummer.

Drink a glass of water and hold your breath, maybe?

Little girl has had the hiccups since Sunday. It's gotten stronger everyday. Last night Cary and I watched my stomach bounce and jiggle as she hiccuped and kicked/punched/headbutted. It looked like there was a wild animal tied in a burlap sack inside of my belly. I love my wild animal. She is so cute.

Daddy can't wait!

Not totally sure, but we think Cary felt a kick tonight. After a busy day at work and hanging out with mom, I came home and plopped on the couch not expecting to feel much because she's not that active at night. Baby Girl started kicking up a storm, and Cary thinks maybe he felt something with is hand on my belly. Since you can feel my pulse anywhere on my belly, its hard to distinguish her kick from my pulse for someone other than me. A pulse will beat over and over, what Cary felt was a single bump and then nothing. So we think it was a kick. Its just so strange that a little monkey is dancing in my belly. Strange and wonderful.

Hump Day

It's an extra special Wednesday today. It just so happens that this hump day is also the hump day of my pregnancy. I am 20 weeks along and have 20 weeks to go. Now that I'm over the hump, my baby bump is getting bigger and bigger and this little kung fu queen is karate chopping my belly more and more everyday. It's my favorite part so far. Cary's jealous that he can't feel the baby. She's not quite strong enough to poke through so you can feel her on the outside of my belly. But not for a lack of trying!

Small Perks

Century City mall. Top floor of the parking lot. When you come in from Santa Monica Blvd, enter the parking structure from the left lane (will keep you on top floor), once in make a left and then another left and this spot will be waiting for you right next to the escaltors. It's always open. Just for me! I love it!

Adding new posts

I've written a few posts over the last 3 months, but not published to the blog yet because, well, you'll see. So in order of intended post date here they are:

No way!
Oh, that's what it's like.
Our first family photo
Learned my lesson.
First day of no nausea!
Grateful
First headbutt, I think?

You'll understand why I didn't post them after you read the first one.

I'm still behind on Norouz posting and Tarde de Nenas yesterday. Not to mention Sheila's 3rd birthday. As soon as I post those, I will link them here. Then I will be on track.

First headbutt, I think?

While sitting at home, chillin' on the couch , I realized something is going on in my tummy. It's different from stomach rumblings or gas, and more central and in the same general area in my stomach. So I put my hand on my tummy, and I'm almost sure I felt a headbutt. It was too large a movement to be a hand, foot, or limb, especially since the limbs are still so little and the baby's bones are still soft like cartilage. It was a distinct movement against my hand, and then it was gone. So it wasn't my pulse which is what I mostly feel, I can take my pulse anywhere on my abdomen, it seems. Amazing how something so small can make me so completely happy. Jumping up and down happy, which can't be good for the baby. So I stopped jumping and just laugh like a dork.

What the huh?!

Possibly the weirdest thing that I've ever been asked, was asked today. I had my montly doctor's visit and am 4 months pregnant now. I'm pretty sure I actually look pregnant and not fat or bloated. Feeling all glowy, I wore a sweater that hugged my belly's curves and walked around proud of my rotundness.

I walked into Border's book store at the Century City mall today. Out of no where this chubby, long haired, tatooed guy comes up to me and starts showering me with compliments. "Oh my God, you are just gorgeous. I've never seen anyone as beautiful as you. I just can't believe how gorgeous you are. I have some methamphetamines. Do you want want to get together and party?" as he motions towards the door, like I'd really turn around and walk out of the book store with him. I let him know I'm 4 months pregnant and that its probably not a good idea, trying not to crack up to much. He says he couldn't even tell I was pregnant and continued with the shower of compliment, then turned and walked away.

I continued to walk in a circle around the same isle of books over and over, in a daze, wondering if that really did happen. Then I noticed that my friend was sitting down at the coffee shop area of the bookstore, drinking a coffee and flipping through a magazine. You'd think he'd want to get out of there in case I called the cops on him or something. Apparently he didn't think I was a narc. Good stuff.

Grateful

Monday was one of those days that we'll talk about for many years to come. The day started out miraculously. That's the only way I can describe it. We got to hear the baby's heart beat for the first time and got a video of the ultrasound. I didn't go to work today and was basking in the the glow of excitement, hope, and happiness. My baby was safe and snug in my belly, jumping around and moving. I've watched the DVD of the ultrasound 11 times already.Mom, Dad, Sher, Jack, and Sheila came over for dinner to watch the video of the little jumping bean. Cary had to work late. He called that he was on his way home, around 10. Then two minutes later he calls to say he just got jumped by 4 guys in a minivan and they took everything he had: his wallet, laptop, checkbook, iPhone, iPod, Bose headset, laptop bag, keys. One of the neighbors near by hear Cary yelling and let Cary use his phone to call me. Cary is fine, we're all very grateful he is OK. I went and picked Cary up after he gave the police a report, and then had the apartment security search our apartment because they had our keys and address. We had our locks changed that night. We slept with the lock, deadbolt, and chain on. I added the chair for good measure. Today was a great day, possible the best day, and I really mean that in every possible sense of the word.

First day of no nausea!

I couldn't believe my luck when I woke up Saturday morning and for the first time in weeks didn't feel sick. I wanted to seize the day, so I decided to go to the South Bay for some lunch with girlfriends. I hadn't seen anyone in a while because I've been holed up in our apartment feeling lousy. It was gorgeous weather. I met Megan, Ashley, Sheila, and baby Grant at La Sirena Cafe in El Segundo. Really yummy. Surprisingly I didn't take a single picture of food. I did get some cute kiddie pictures though. Grant is such a good boy. He slept through the whole lunch.Sheila tried to convince us to crash a kids birthday party with her. We almost did, but I just couldn't muster up the hoss (hoss is short for hosseleh, new Persian word that I will post at some point).

We went to this cutesy Japanese clothing store near La Sirena. How cute is this little shopaholic! Ms. Ashley picked out a cute shirt she liked. I got a matching one for Sheila too so that some day I can get a picture of the two of them wearing it.Miss Ashley was kind enough to model the shirt for me. Is she squishy or what?

I got a little nauseous towards the end of the day, but at least I got some reprieve and made the most of it.

Learned my lesson.

After my severe morning sickness during the first Groundlings class, I decided to come prepared for the next one. I packed a peanut butter sandwich cut into 3, an apple cut into pieces and a banana. Its all about finger foods and small quantities with this nausea. I can't eat a lot at once without feeling sick, but I have to get some food down or I'll feel sick. I also had a Sprite and a granola bar not pictured below. I just hope I don't vomit, especially in public, that my biggest fear.

After class we've been going house hunting. Sundays end up being my most active day because of class and house hunting. I'm so tired when I get home. And a little grumpy. Poor Cary.