Philly Row Home

Pregnancy Sucks

2012-09-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

No joke. Pregnancy does not agree with me. As I'm now 41 weeks pregnant, I have forgotten a lot of the horrors of those first 25 weeks. Yep, 25. Not the 12 weeks of morning sickness that they advertise, but 25 weeks of all day, I'd-rather-be-dead sickness. The details are growing fuzzier, but I specifically recall being convinced that:

1) I will never have more children

2) If fighting a terminal disease is more challenging than pregnancy, I do not have that "fight" in me. I would give up on day 2.

I didn't have normal pregnant lady symptoms either. Well, I had heart palpitations, headaches, exhaustion and I did my fair share of gagging and throwing up. But I didn't have food aversions or cravings. Instead, I had this horrible feeling in my stomach that was only improved slightly by round the clock eating. A saltine wasn't going to cut it either. I was downing cereal, beef vegetable soup, fruit, and lean cuisine meals all before lunch time. The soup and cereal were pretty key to my survival. I also had this awesome sensitivity on my stomach and neck. I couldn't stand for any pressure on my abdomen or anything coming anywhere near my throat. I walked to work (unclear how I managed that) with my winter coat down around my waist. People surely thought I was crazy as I was speed-walking past them gagging.

I was lucky to have the amazing support of Beau and my family. Otherwise I would certainly have never left the bed. My parents visited us every weekend, stocking our fridge with food to sustain us through the week and helping Beau catch up on laundry and cleaning. Poor Beau took care of me around the clock and never complained when I woke him up every morning at 4am for some cinnamon toast crunch in bed.

So after that long, sad saga, here is my list of things that I could not have survived without:

Herbal Tea

Cinnamon Toast Crunch - best at 4am

Beef Vegetable Soup - best for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Boppy - sleep lifesaver but I can't even pin point why

Burts Bees Foot Lotion - for the dry feet that woke me in the middle of the night

Water Bottle with Straw - Cosco brand from JoAnns are the best

Disposable Face Wash Cloths - for when you are too sick to wash your face standing up

I'll have to remember to stock up on these for next time...because a "next time" doesn't sound quite so scary anymore. I'll be hating myself for that one, later. I'll add pretty pictures to this post later...

I'm Baaaaaaaaack!

2012-08-31T09:32:00.000-04:00

And pregnant! I'm not sure where to begin or how much information to share... In the interest of over sharing, I'll start at the beginning. We learned I was pregnant on December 18. I was only 4 weeks. I had taken a test that morning and left it out while I crawled back in bed. When Beau got up a little later, he called to me that it was negative. A minute later he said, "you can barely see the second line". I flew out of bed, knowing that any piece of a second line meant it was positive. Beau was a little startled by that revelation and we were both a bit skeptical of the results. Two more tests over the next couple of days confirmed our Christmas surprise. The timing was perfect to share with our parents over the holidays, but we were both very nervous that I'd miscarry, so our enthusiasm was a bit reserved. I have a way of taking the fun out of things ;)

On Christmas Eve, we asked my parents if we could give them some early Christmas gifts. I gave my mom the book Someday by Alison McGhee. She's read the book before and knew right away why I'd give it to her. Inside I wrote a note, "Merry Christmas Grandma, see you in August!" To my Dad I gave a few wood-crafting, toy books. Hint hint, get crafting Dad! They were both a little caught off guard by our news, but the tears came quick. Happy tears, I think, even from my dad who is not exactly a fan of kids.

We spent the rest of the Christmas holiday enjoying time with family and counting down the days until we were out of the 12 week miscarriage zone. If only we had known what little time we had to revel in the excitement of the pregnancy before I was hit by the morning sickness bus just one week later! To be continued...

Wise Words

2012-01-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

I discovered this website today. It is full of smart advice and words of wisdom passed down from grandparents. Enjoy!

Pretty Lights

2012-01-06T08:00:00.001-05:00

I've been seeing this photo, from Domino magazine, circulating all through the blogosphere.

I love those lights, but they don't seem incredibly practical or helpful over the bathroom sink. I'm pretty sure I'd hit my head, daily. You can find them at Shades of Light. I think they'd make for some pretty amazing bedside lamps. At $319 a piece, I'll keep ~~dreaming~~ looking for a knockoff.

Vacation Dreaming: Hopetown, Bahamas

2012-01-05T08:00:00.002-05:00

Another cold, dark day calls for a little vacation dreaming. Hopetown is my go-to dream. I traveled here with my family when I was younger and have idolized the beaches, water, and adorable town, ever since.

Hopetown is located on Elbow Cay in the Abacos. It's not a popular tourist destination because it's a bit tricky to get to. All the better. Visitors fly into Marsh Harbor and take a short ferry ride to Hopetown. Once there, locals travel by foot, boat, or golf cart.

If Beau and I were visiting, I think we'd stay in one of these teeny tiny bungalows. This one sits right on the beach.

This one sits on a small island just outside of Hopetown. It includes a boat with rental.

This place sits right in the harbor, with a great view of the anchorage.

This place is a little more expensive, but on the gorgeous Tahiti beach with a private dock.

We'd do lots of fishing and snorkeling, and spend the afternoons at Abaco Inn, where I recall they make a delicious Pina Colada.

I had a virgin colada the last time we were there, but I'm sure it would be just as tasty the traditional way!

Happy New Years...A Little Belated

2012-01-04T08:00:00.002-05:00

This was supposed to be my big year. 12 is my favorite number. I was expecting big things. Unfortunately, the cold from hell kept me from fully enjoying the entrance of my year. I'm sure things will only improve from here, right?!

2012 deserves lots of champagne toasts and plenty of resolutions. My personal resolution is to learn how to use photoshop. It's a pie in the sky type of goal, but it is my year, so I have high hopes. I'm also making a resolution for Beau. His pie in the sky goal is to finish the new house. While I'm at it, I'll make a resolution for Sugar Pie. Sugar Pie is going to stop eating all of the food she can find when we're not watching. She already had a slip up on the 2nd, eating an entire bag of dog food, which made her incapable of walking or lying on her stomach. Not a strong start, but plenty of time for improvement, I hope.

What's your resolution? Are you having as much luck as Sugar?

Under the Weather

2011-12-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

My brother's girlfriend gave me her cold for Christmas. I'll probably survive thanks to my new electric blanket.

I really don't know how I survived so long without one. And yes, I'm 100 years old.

New Years Treats

2011-12-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Champagne Cupcakes

We'll Be Home For Christmas

2011-12-23T08:00:00.005-05:00

Tonight we're leaving the big city for the perfect Christmas at home with our family and friends. We'll be arriving in style.

Or maybe more like this.

Nope, this will definitely be us. Minus the cute car.

I'm wishing you all a very merry Christmas! I hope you eat lots of cookies, enjoy the lights and festivities, and find something unexpected in your stocking!

Dreaming of a White Christmas

2011-12-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

Today is the first day of winter. I hate the winter. Except for maybe, this one week of the year. Snow is only good if Santa is around. I'm not going to complain about today's 60 degree temps, but I would love a little of this for Christmas day...

Christmas Tables

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Sugar Pie's Christmas Wish List

2011-12-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Sugar Pie asked Santa for lots of pie and beer this Christmas. Her two favorites. I've expanded on her list, just a bit.

Pie, Coach Leash, Sierra Nevada Beer, Duck, Chuckit!, Cable Knit Sweater, Beaver, Bone, Coach Collar, Illuminated Leash

Christmas Inspiration

2011-12-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Cookies

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is what my weekend looks like. Cute outfit not included.

Source

I'll be making these, in order of importance (to me).

Russian teacakes are the reason for the season, in case anyone is wondering. I make mine with crushed walnuts and roll them in not 2, but 5 coats of powdered sugar. They are deadly if the sugar is inhaled, but totally worth the risk. If they're not your favorite, stay away. No other cookie can really compare to the teacakes, but the lemon bars and peanut butter blossoms accent them nicely. Next up, the standard chocolate chip cookies. This is a new recipe for me. I'm always disappointed by homemade chocolate chip cookies, but I have high hopes for these. I've never made the chocolate crack cookies, but I don't see how they could possibly be bad. Definitely worth a try. Thumbprints are a Christmas staple, like sand tarts. Unfortunately, I won't be making sand tarts, or anything else that requires rolling. Ever. Back to my thumbprints. I'll be using homemade strawberry and peach jams. Now these last two, the stump of my Christmas, cookie, tree pyramid. The oatmeal raisin are my parent's favorite. I think they taste like forest floor with raisins. And those weird globs? Those are butterscotch haystacks. They were a request by my brother's girlfriend. I hold no hope for them. I'm planning to bake double batches of each, maybe a triple batch of the oatmeal raisin. Oh deary me (and Mom's kitchen).

Santa's Workshop: Last Minute Christmas Crafts

2011-12-15T08:00:00.003-05:00

I love making homemade gifts, especially for kids. Here are some of the many gifts I've made in the past. Click on the links for easy tutorials!

Heating Pad with Cover

Rattle Balls

Napkins

Crayon Alphabet

Christmas Decorating

2011-12-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

Since our lives are in chaos this year, and we won't be decorating, we're making up for it with plenty of Christmas movies to get us in the spirit. These are some of our favorites.

Meanwhile, I'll be staring at these trees to hold me over until we visit our parents.

Sewing and Soup

2011-12-13T08:00:00.002-05:00

Tonight I'll be sewing up some stocking stuffers for friends and family and cooking up a yummy batch of soup. I've been dreaming of this one for awhile now. Looks like I'll need to bake some bread to go with it.

Stay warm!

Making Winter A Little Warmer

2011-12-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

My 15 minute walk to work is getting a little brutal. It's time to make some additions to my wardrobe.

For starters, I need a winter coat that is warm. Why does it seem impossible to find a coat that is both warm and stylish? Here are the front runners in ~~ugly~~ warm coats.

Top: Lands End, London Fog, Kenneth Cole, North Face
Bottom: Patagonia, Lacoste, Lands End, Lands End

Which wins least ugly?

Next up, I need a pair of gloves and ear muffs. These would allow me to keep listening to my music and playing Words with Friends!

Top: American Eagle, Jcrew, Mod Cloth, Echo
Bottom: Echo, Juicy Couture, Michael Kors, Ugg

Dream Land: Beds

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today I'm dreaming of beds. Here are some of my favorites, in no order, whatsoever.

See any you like?

Mattress Shopping

2011-12-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

Beau and I have never had a real bed. We've spent the last 5 years alternating between sleeping on a sofa and an antique horse hair mattress. There is no excuse for the horse hair mattress. Our best bet suggests that it is over 100 years old. That's gross. The "mattress" is in the shape of a taco. You have to sleep uphill if you want to avoid rolling into the center. It's a skill Beau still hasn't acquired. He also swears the hairs poke him in his sleep (they don't). And last but not least, it's impossible to move. Because it lacks all structure, you can't grip it and it folds in strange places like it's filled with dead bodies. It's ridiculous. We're ridiculous.

This is a Hasten's Horsehair Mattress...$60,000 on sale for $49,500

The sofa, however, was not something we could have avoided. Due to the limitations of a stairwell, the only bed we could hope to fit into my parent's basement was crafted from pieces designed to form a sectional or LoveSac "sactional". Yeah, it's not a great name. Anyways, due to the size of the sactional pieces, the only bed we could form is HUGE and has multiple crevices.

Long story short-ish, we're due a new bed. The bed is actually the easy part, I think. I'll get to that tomorrow. My question is, how do you shop for a mattress? Our experience doesn't exactly lend us to knowing what we like. No tacos or crevices, please. And it would be awesome if normal sized sheets actually fit. I'm intimidated by the ridiculous sales and the fact that every store seems to carry the same brands, but gives the styles/models different names, making it impossible to compare prices. All I know for sure is that we want a queen, innerspring mattress, firm, no pillow top, and the more coils the better. I've read great things about The Original Mattress Factory, which sells their own mattresses, without funky names, and doesn't offer any sale gimmicks at all. Sounds perfect. Unfortunately, the closest store is 4+ hours away. Road trip?

Ugly Rainy Day

2011-12-07T17:10:00.001-05:00

This

Hunter Boots & Welly Socks, Michael Kors Double Breasted Trench, Totes Bubble Umbrella

plus this chicken chili

makes this day a little more bearable.

Early Christmas Present

2011-12-06T12:00:00.001-05:00

The only thing I really asked Beau to get me for Christmas was a good cleaning for my car. In fact, I've asked him for the same gift for the past few years. Let's just say, he's no Santa.

As it's our only vehicle and we use it to transport everything from concrete and wood to large furniture, it has withstood a lot of abuse. And it shows. Thanks to a great deal from Google Offers, Car Concierge will be coming to our house to wash and detail our car on-site. I'm very, very excited. They're even going to wash the carpets. Gross.

The offer also says they'll clean and condition my leather seats. If only I had some of those... Here's hoping they clean upholstery as well.

Happy Birthday Dad!!

2011-12-06T00:01:00.001-05:00

Wishing we could share some pineapple upside down cake and celebrate!!

Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

Shopping, shopping, shopping...

2011-12-02T08:00:00.004-05:00

I'm hoping to finish my Christmas shopping this weekend. I still have a pretty long list, but I have high hopes. I love shopping, but I'm really looking forward to making my piles and start wrapping. Here's what I'm asking Santa for this year.

Tory Burch Dee Dee Slippers $68 , West Elm Tassle Throw $69, Jcrew Cable Knit Sweater $79, Sealy Best Fit Sheets $99, Coach Ash Boots $238, Michael Kors Women’s Classic Watch $170, Mettler Thread $27, Sajou Scissors $72, H&M Chunky Knit Scarf $18, Penguin Classics $12, Nikon D3S $5,500, Nikon 50mm f/1.4G $439, Roberts Revival Radio $199, Cath Kidston Oilcloth CosmeticBag $46, Blue Nile LoveKnot Earrings $140

I hope Santa won the lottery! What are you asking Santa to leave you under the Christmas tree?

Pretty Picture

2011-12-01T08:00:00.002-05:00

I love this! Such perfect composition. Looks too perfect to be a photograph.

By Alison Shaw