June 2006 Archives
Two days in a row! I have no idea where I'm getting the energy from. Today I thought I'd share a couple of illustrations I did for kids of friends. They're printed on 4x6 matte photo paper and the little girl is my favorite, though drawing the boys was a lot of fun too (the trash truck was challenging!). I keep wondering what my own little girl will look like -- will she have my stubby thighs? His amazing eye lashes? My neither curly nor straight, totally unruly hair?
I turned 35 on Tuesday. It's an odd feeling to be in my mid-thirties. Right out of college, when I landed my first job at a marketing company, my co-workers were in their late twenties, early thirties. I remember thinking "They are so old!!" They seemed to lead this sophisticated, inaccessible life full of wisdom and depth that my 22-year-old brain couldn't even begin to understand. Little did I know how un-old I would feel at this age. Yet, my pregnancy is considered "higher risk" because I've passed that 35 threshold and I've noticed that the baristas at Starbucks all call me ma'am.
I'll take 35 over 22 any day though. It's true what they say about your thirties. I feel so much more content about who I am and look back on the angst of my twenties with an affectionate sense of "good riddance". Or perhaps it's all the pregnany hormones coursing through my body, keeping me on an endorphin high.
My 35th birthday was particularly lovely and somewhat poignant in that it's my last one before becoming a mother. MF went out of his way to make it extra special. I had mentioned in passing that I used to love this particular Japanese strawberry shortcake that my mom bought from L.A.'s Japantown. It's more of a spongecake than shortcake made with the lightest, fluffiest batter filled with a layer of fresh strawberries and covered with a generous dollop of whipped cream. I haven't had it in years, but it was always my favorite. He went searching all over Seattle and finally found a Japanese bakery across town -- it was perfect.
Add a bouquet of amazing flowers, a trip to a quaint mountain-side town and lots of quality couple time, and you get a birthday weekend worth savoring. My actual birthday day was a quiet one filled with abundant journal-writing and appreciation of the well-wishes from family and good friends. If 35 is this good, I can't wait to see what 36 feels like.
It's been awhile. As you can see, I'm rather huge and have been busy eating and watching my ankles swell up. I went to see the doctor today and she's advised me to cut back on the calories...the good news is that my pregnancy is chugging along excellently and the baby's heartbeat is strong and healthy.
Everything feels surreal right now. We've got the "baby room" pretty much set up and my mom is sending me fabric so that I can launch my new career as an infant wear designer. Given that I could barely set up my new sewing machine, my little girl may end up with a lot of handmade burp cloths from the looks of things. MF and I have a couple more pre-natal classes to attend and my maternity leave date is rapidly approaching. We're gearing up towards this life-altering incredible event.
MF wants to go to the bookstore so more later.
