A free weekend in the city.

What would you do if your husband's company was paying for you to spend a weekend in New York City? Go to a show? Eat lots of great food? Maximize your time on someone else's dime?

Me? Oh, I would spend the weekend getting food poisoning and barfing while driving all over Long Island looking at ridiculously old and dirty apartments that cost more than any human should pay to rent.

Although it was a weird weekend where I threw up more than I have in the past ten years of my life combined, we were successful in locating a cute and clean (albeit tiny) apartment in a great neighborhood in our budget. It only took us every last second of our four days there to secure it. We did escape to the city one night and enjoyed some walking around and great pizza, but I was disappointed we were not able to do more because of our lack of apartment finding skills and my unruly digestive system. At least we know we will be able to come back in the future.

Best news of all...we are like fifteen minutes from the beach. Hip, Hip Hooray! And we will have a washer and dryer! There was no way I was lugging our laundry plus a baby's to a laundromat every few days.

Here are the few paltry pictures taken. Bear in mind, my camera is lame, so I gave up on pictures pretty quickly  and figured I will get good daytime ones in the future.

Although this is a horrible picture, I thought it was kind of cool because these lights are so distinguishable that you can still tell it it is the Chrysler Building.

I would love to see the Rockettes at Christmas.

I am such a New Yorker.

Well, folks, there is no denying it now.

This senorita is pregnant!

25 weeks.

The bump is in full force these days and apparently other people think it is real cute, so I am good with it. I like that I now look obviously pregnant (either that or word has spread far enough at work) that people feel comfortable asking me about the baby. She moves and grooves all day, especially after lunch, which must be when she practices her aerobatics. It is now visible from the outside when I am being used as her personl punching bag. Chris was freaked when he first saw it.

I also had a rude awakening last week that is was time to bust out the maternity clothes. There is just something about a very pregnant women trying to wear her old clothes that reminds you of a 45 yr old in a miniskirt. Time to give it up, Grandma. And time to retire those pre-maternity clothes for a few months, even though they "technically" still fit.

All else is well in the Herman household. I leave for NY tomorrow to try to find a home that costs less to rent than a semster's tuition at BYU. Pray for me.

Friday nights, what a concept.

On Friday afternoon I got a call from Chris telling me that the heavens had parted and we would actually be able to spend a Friday night together. This would be the first time this has happened in six months, thank you very much, Mr. Traveling Consultant.

Every year, we decide that we really want to do a corn maze and every year we leave the corn maze wondering what exactly we just spent $20 on. You think we would learn. All in all, however, it was a good night and nice to be able to spend it doing something besides watching Office reruns and waiting up for the mister's flight to come in.

 

And welcome to Utah.

This post is mostly for Chris since I don't think he believed me when I texted him this morning that there was snow on my car. I am sure he was thinking something along the lines of "ok, dear, 1/16 of an inch of ice/slush is not snow."

Au contraire, my dear. There is, in fact, snow still stubbornly sitting on the ground.

Here are the pics to prove it.

Yes, I took these pictures while driving...in a school zone...in the snow. Best driver of the year award.

Current temperature on Long Island where Chris is--75 degrees. I think we will move there.

Progress

I hate to admit it, but I am officially over the growing waistline. I see no reason why I must get any bigger. I think we can just stop here. Yes?

I am starting to feel soft in many places, which I am sure is normal, but still not cool.I just keep reminding myself that it as all for a good cause, and that I really have not seen anything yet.

21 weeks. So excited when Chris took this picture and I looked way smaller than I did in real life.

Fancy-schmancy self portrait in the bathroom at 22 weeks. I have no idea why I feel the compulsion to take a picture every week, but I do, even if it means resorting to this.

23 weeks. Don't mind me while I try to seduce you with my new curves...seriously, am I undressing Chris with my eyes or what?

Nothing says October...

...like some caramel apples. Mine is the one that looks like a five year old spilled nuts and caramel on it by accident. Chris's--the one with copious gobs of caramel.

Oh so tasty.

Wedded

The blessed day came and went and now these two lovelies are forever wedded.

Is it too soon for me to say that I am glad the wedding is over? Poor taste? Probably.

Our house turned into wedding planning headquarters (nuff said). Combine this with a lack of sleep, too much estrogen, and an ever expanding waist and hormone level and I was not the loveliest of people to be around by the end of the week. I think two emotional breakdowns (over who  knows what) is not too bad, right? Yes, I realize I was not the bride, but we all have our moments.  

The upside was Chris was home for 10 blessed days!!! It was incredible. We also got to see all of the Herman family, including my newest niece who runs screaming in the other direction if I look at her the wrong way. She'll learn.

The wedding was beautiful. The couple was stunning. The company couldn't be beat. I have slept a full eight hours the last few nights and my sanity has returned. 

All is well.

Some pics from the day. (I have noticed that my face is filling out. Oh joy)

The bride and her bridesmaids. I heard one of them was knocked up...scandalous.

We were all very impressed with these shoes. I was mostly impressed that I survived.

BFF's

Chris was concerned with how short he looked next to me with my monster heels, so he stood on a planter for this picture.

Me and my mother-in-law. Love her.

The end.

Cougs

Way to go Cougs for pulling a win out of the hat, when quite honestly, we were all betting against you.

So much so, that Chris is out five bucks to his dad because of the upset. I am just glad they won since we had Chris' family in town and this was probably the last game Chris and I will attend for the foreseeable future.

Rise and shout. 

Halfway and a Birthday

We celebrated the hub's big 2-6 with a trip to the OB. Every man's dream.

We spent the rest of the day wedding planning and picking out tuxedos for his brother's wedding this weekend. I would say it was pretty much his best birthday ever.

Here is the obligatory 20 week picture. Yes, I am wearing maternity jeans (although I don't usually wear them with a see-through shirt) and I an in love. I may switch to an elastic band policy for all clothing here on out--pregnant or not.

We got to see the babe at this appointment during our in-depth ultrasound.

I am happy to report that Baby Herman is happy...healthy...

...and very much a GIRL! We were shocked. I had the tech check again and then still couldn't believe it. I was 100% convinced it was a boy. I have absolutely no maternal instinct.

Here we are after the happy news. Parents-to be.

Potty Emergency

Does anyone remember the episode of the Animaniacs entitled Potty Emergency? It is the one where Wakko is about to explode but cannot find a bathroom anywhere (what a great show). For some strange reason, this episode is engrained in my memory.

Maybe it's because I knew that someday my life would become a potty emergency. It is an exaggeration to say I have to go to the bathroom every five minutes. But seriously, not by much. Maybe every thirty. Every time time I stand up after sitting for longer than five minutes I have to go. I always thought this was an exaggeration on the part of pregnant women, but no, it's true and quite ridiculous. I am not even that big yet--I think I am in for a world of hurt these next few months.

On a completely unrelated note, I realized today that a shirt I have owned and worn religiously for years, I have been wearing backwards this whole time. I like it a lot better facing in the correct direction. Go figure.