Chicago L, Red Line. Next stop? Addison.

Our kid has gotten some really awesome gifts.

I mean, tons of them. Store bought, hand made, everything in between. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little jealous.

Today we got an exceptionally thoughtful gift. Paul's co-worker, Sarah, who is having her first baby just a week or two after us, gave us this with a red skirt and pair of pants:

Addison is an actual stop on the Red Line for the L in Chicago (blue line too, but the red line takes you to Wrigleyville).

I'm sorry, but if you know anything about Paul and I, you know how unbelievably appropriate this is. Chicago, kiddo's name, public transit. Check, check and check.

And I guess that it doesn't hurt that just a few blocks away from this station you come to the corner of Clark & Addison, a.k.a. the entrance to Wrigley Field. Last week a product representative visiting my office that was here to show us some new fabrics made a joke about us naming a future son Clark. Would be quite clever, no?

Luckily, Paul likes the Cubs, but doesn't love them.

this morning

Phone in purse? Check.

Wallet? Check.

Keys? Check.

Teeth brushed? Check.

Snack for the day? In my purse.

Coat on.

Work papers grabbed.

Door locked.

Car unlocked.

Down the porch stairs.

Thought in my head, "my feet are surprisingly warm this morning for being in flats."

Looked down and saw these:

And although very comfortable and my favorite shade of pink, way inappropriate for work footwear. They really didn't even coordinate remotely with what I had put on for the day.

Up the stairs. Door unlocked. 5 minute search for some suitable shoes and then my feet we're freezing.

2011: The year where EVERYTHING about our lives is going to change.

Resolutions. I don't hate them, I don't love them. They are what they are. Paul doesn't make them (and never has) but I try to at least put some thought into what I'd like to accomplish over the next year even if they aren't firm plans or goals. I'm never a fan of sharing them with people though. It's an open invitation for criticism on what's important to me and written proof that I failed when I don't achieve them. So why would I want anyone to know what they are? I had resolutions last year, some of them I met, some of them I didn't. For the ones I didn't meet, some of them became less important to me over the year and others I just lost track of time.

But for 2011, I think I have created a good mixture of concrete goals and some more subjective ones. Some are about our home, some are about our marriage. Some are about me physically, others about me emotionally. I especially like the second one. I think that's something that just might be achievable this year and not only that, it'll be probably my first one off the list.

Now pretend I'm writing this next part fourteen days ago:

So here is to 2011. A year where nothing will ever be the same and we'll be totally OK with it. 

Catching Up

We're fourteen days into the new year and I have yet to post a single thing. Not only have I not posted, I have not written.

It could be that we traveled way toO much for a woman who was 8 months pregnant. It could be that I'm feeling out of my skin and a little out of control of my current life or it could be that I am overly consumed with thoughts on what is about to occur in my life. Take your pick.

Paul and I have not both been at our home for a Friday through Sunday weekend since two weeks before Thanksgiving. We've been to Texas multiple times for holidays, weddings and showers, Kansas City, Michigan, Florida and Chicago.

My brother got engaged to a wonderful girl while we were all vacationing in Florida and we surprised her by having her family come too.

We shopped in Chicago, exchanged tons of presents on Christmas day, ate too much, walked too much and enjoyed ourselves a nice dance party in a friend's amazing basement on New Year's Eve.

We've been showered, over and over, and we are so thankful for all of the wonderful people in our lives and how excited they are for our first baby's arrival. With a shower left to go, I'm not sure where we're going to be able to put everything, but that's a wonderful problem to have.

Speaking of which, her room is almost done. There are still a lot of things that need to be done, but I've resolved that it probably won't be done by the time she gets here and I'll just have to deal. She won't know any different and to be completely honest, once she's here, neither will I. We're still waiting on our rocking chair and a few other purchases to arrive, I'm debating making another couple of online purchases and there are still some sewing projects that need to occur.

Our around the house to-do list and preperation list is four typed pages long and color coded. We're knocking things off slowly (read: VERY) but surely.

I've set my last day of work with my manager to be Friday, January 28th which will give me a weekend and two days at home to finish any last minute things, or to rest before we're scheduled to induce on the 2nd. Which means, unless she decides she'd like to be here before that time, three weeks from this past Wednesday, Paul and I will be having a baby. I do secretly hope that I go to my appointment next Monday, the 17th, my favorite day/number, and my doctor is ready for us to deliver, but I know that's not practical and not necessarily good for me or her. So planning for February 2nd.

Talk about freaking out a little.