resistance is futile

So, I wasn't going to turn this into a baby blog, thus my long silence here. But it seems that is where my life is right now. Baby-fever. So why fight it? Hope you visitors don't mind too much!

impression

After a long nap, Max left handprints on my chest. Here is one.

from waiting to waiting

Max was born September 29th. I went from waiting for him to come to waiting for him to breathe/sleep/wake/eat. I could not stop staring at him.

waiting

37 weeks

the baby's room

the doorway is to our room

and this door to the bathroom

everything nice and close together! Having everything set up, unpacked, and pictures on the wall makes us both relax quite a bit.

sun after rain

The weather here seems to shift rapidly and dramatically. One minute it's dark and raining, the next minute the sun is shining.

cup o' tea

There is a light on the stove that warns of "hot stovetop". It doubles as a cool effect, no?

time to go

We inherited a bird's nest with freshly hatched chicks hanging in the planter outside our door. Over the course of the first week we occasionally peeked in at them as they grew. On the day our movers came these baby birds decided to leave the nest. We watched as first one then the other hopped (or was pushed by its mom) down to the pavement and stumbled confusedly off to safety as the mother and father flew nervously nearby. All while our things were being unloaded from the moving van and into our house. 

the movers finally arrive

After a week of waiting, our things finally arrive Sunday morning at 7:45am. Nothing about this process has been convenient for us but at this point we just don't care anymore and are pleased to have our things -- especially our bed and our own chairs to sit on.

the view

33 weeks

The day before we move to Utica! 33 weeks and counting....

a momentary break

Even cleaning out the fridge can provide a lovely surprise once in a while!

packing continues

We've been packing forever (ok, 5 days) and it feels like we haven't even started. Jon is doing the lion's share of the work since I can't lift or climb.

30 weeks

brothers

baby shower!

My fabulous sisters and sister-in-law threw me a baby shower this weekend, which was wonderful! So many thanks to Carmel for hosting, to Laurie for coordinating, Celine for providing food, and activities (advice books!), to Florence for making adorable party favors, and to Simcha for her chairs and being the kind of awesome "kid" I hope I have someday. Also thanks to everyone who came, there were a lot of happy women from 9 years old to 90, just what pregnant women should be around, in my opinion. We missed my Mom, and sisters Angela and Regina, who couldn't be there, but I got to see them in June and it was like we had a mini-shower that lasted all weekend when they were here, so it's ok.

Here are a couple pictures from the always wonderful and nurturing Judith Thorpe, another role-model mom.

Laurie, the awesome cake she brought, and me.

The present-opening marathon, much helped by Paloma.

Me and Carmel, the amazing hostess.

Me, Carm, Celine (sitting on floor)

(and Carrie Strine all the way from Queens, NY and Janet Pritchard all the way from Mansfield, CT are in the background. Ladies also came from New Haven, Worcester, Wellesley... 

I have such wonderful friends and family!)

Since I was the one opening presents I didn't get much of a chance to take pictures, but this is the crazy amount of gifts I received -- so many it required the dolly to bring them  upstairs! 

Northampton relaxin'

For Jon's 50th birthday we went to his favorite hotel, the Hotel Northampton, in one of his favorite towns. I took advantage of the balcony just outside our room. The morning was quiet, the view was lovely. This was right after the heat wave broke and it was actually possible to be outside!

exhausted artists

J.R. Uretsky had a killer one-woman performance of her new piece "Bromance" at the RISD Museum as part of the huge "locally made" show going on this summer and fall. There were cannons, pom-poms, costume changes, huge video, puppets..... It was epic. And this picture is what happens after an epic performance -- you crash -- at 10pm. Emmy and Jamie, ready for sleep.

my kick-ass niece

As part of the RISD Museum's "Locally Made" show, my niece Simcha Davis (remember that name, she'll be famous someday soon) designed and made 12 of these benches as well as tables, to be put around the museum. Not a bad thing for your resume when you're merely 19 years old. To be fair, she did have major help in the construction phase, her old mentor and friend Jeremy, from AS220 and now RISD.

Yeah, that's a Cy Twombly on the wall.

what Max will see a lot of

new bikini

I've never had the confidence to rock a bikini just any old time and place but since being pregnant I no longer care about my belly looking fat. After all, there is a baby in there, it's supposed to be big! I now wear a bikini with pride. So I asked Jon to take a picture of me wearing it, in the ocean. Unfortunately, I-phone cameras can only get so close... Haha

baby bump

21 weeks and looking pregnant. Barnes and Noble bookstore bathroom.

Easter egg

dog kisses

19 week ultrasound

It's a boy! Jon was right! His name will be Maximilian Andrew Lombardi-Petro. And look at that profile...

best PB&J

fun with onions

blueberry waffles

Need I say more?

12 week ultrasound

We don't know if it's a boy or girl, but Jon thought he saw boy parts! All we know that it's a cute perfect baby so far.

reunion

Jon lives in NY while he attends Hunter. I came to visit with my recent good news and to interview for jobs at CAA.

Vince's place

Momo

Carm and Dave got a new puppy! He's a Wheaton Terrier and only a few weeks old. Bites everything, is adorable.

Bowie and Momo face off, 

play until Momo gives up,

then pass out. 

Paloma can't bear to put Momo down.

Bowie wants to play now. She put the ball on my leg then put her paw on my leg and gave me this look.

big snow, part 2

The power went out at my house so I headed over to Carm's and played with the boys and dogs, spent the night, so much snow!!!