And now for the big announcement

I am pregnant.

Twelve-weeks, told-my-bosses, had-an-ultrasound, wearing-maternity-clothes pregnant.

Due right around the BusyBee's 4th birthday.

I am very happy about this baby. We're as ready for a 2nd child as I think we can be. But right now, I'm mostly feeling frustrated.

My biggest issue is maternity clothes and how I feel like I need more of them. I hate the thought of wearing the same few shirts over and over again. Being plus size means there aren't many options out there, particularly in tops that will be good for work purposes. I did luck out on a shopping trip a few weeks ago and bought some things, but am still feeling under prepared.

Then there's my commute. My regular train route is being altered for the summer to accommodate track work, and they are busing. This is bad enough. But today was the kick off of my "Give me your seat, I'm pregnant!" MBTA campaign. So far it's People Who Pretend Not to Notice - 1, pregnant me - 0. I had to stand on both the train and bus portions of my schlep home. This is not fun.

I want a new purse too.

Am I feeling a bit emotional, slightly irrational? You bet. It's going to be a long six more months.

PS: The BusyBee is very excited about the baby. She has lots of logistical questions about taking the baby to stores, school, etc. She also thinks it's hysterical that the baby "eats" my food and "drinks" my water. She can't wait to be a big sister, and I am happy for her.

"You're welcome."

I don't know why, but I have the hardest time uttering those three syllables. Whenever I accomplish a task for someone, especially a boss, I reply with "It was no problem at all, really." I guess I don't want them to think there's anything I can't handle. But the truth of the matter is that some of these tasks are rather difficult/time-consuming/boring. I should be able to accept their gratitude with a simple "you're welcome" instead of insinuating "sure, feel free to give me all the junk you don't feel like doing, I'll take it on no matter what." I don't even know how I developed this pattern, but lately, I've been very conscious that I'm saying it, and yet I can't seem to stop. I've never been very good at accepting compliments either.

In other news, this stuff about the computers crashing on the space station is rather scary. It's not getting much press what with all the Paris Hilton prison musings and all, but I really wish people cared more about these things. I feel for NASA and the Russian space program, partly because I have studied some of their bigger disasters in business school (which might explain why I am more aware of this issue than some). The idea of solving this problem is so daunting to me: the experts aren't there with them on the station, and they have such limited ability to fix things from a distance. Indeed, they have no real way of knowing just what it causing the error with so much technology involved. Who knows what tiny aspect is throwing everything off?

I guess if they can successfully pull it off and the station does not need to be evacuated, we all owe them gratitude. Hopefully they'll know how to say, "you're welcome."

Different MBA Perspectives

After a three-plus year break, I am currently taking an actual Finance course. I have tried to take more of the courses relating to organizational behavior and strategy, and I think this has given me a good understanding of how companies work.

In the Finance courses, learning is much more narrow in scope. I am taking a course on fixed income investments, and, to be frank, it's kicking my ass. I'm having to invest a lot of time for what I consider to be very little return. Somehow, I guess I forgot to do the present value calculation on this course before enrolling.

(Actually - I didn't have many options. Seeing as this is my very last class in the program, I've taken almost everything. And summer offerings are always slim.)

I could have done a concentration in Finance, and I think I would then understand a lot about how to finance company operations. But would I have such a universal view? Would I know how to motivate the people behind the spreadsheets and debt offerings? Would I understand the operations and marketing pressures? I'm not sure that I would. Hopefully, someday I'll have an opportunity to use this broader knowledge base.

We'll soon be heading to a Village Day celebration in our town, with some of our neighbors. Their five-year-old son is so good to the BusyBee, incredibly patient with her. He doesn't seem to notice that she's three, and can't quite keep up with him. He'll be a big brother in the coming weeks, and his dad says it's good big brother training. The BusyBee won't need any big sister training - she's raring to go.

A Long Weekend

I love three-day weekends, especially one like this one. There is just so much more time to get things done, and I don't feel like I have to sacrifice fun activities for laundry and homework. Not that I've gotten very far on my homework yet. But I did get new shoes and a haircut for the BusyBee, both of which have been necessary for a while now.

Not much else of note has been happening, just busy as usual. Class two nights a week is a major time drain. The BusyBee also attended back-up daycare for two days this past week, while her school was closed for Shavuot. The extra schlepping of her and all her stuff is hard on me, but the change in routine is much harder on her. Fortunately, she handled it like a pro. Funny how sometimes she can roll with the punches, and other times is totally inflexible.

Tomorrow we're planning to attend the Hopper exhibit at the MFA. Should be a good way to avoid a rainy day. And there's still that homework to get to.

Enjoy the start of summer.

On Being Sick

I have had a very bad cold this week.

I felt lethargic all day Monday while at work, and on Tuesday I woke up without a voice. I stayed at home on the couch all day Tuesday and most of Wednesday (had to attend the BusyBee's Mother's Day breakfast at daycare). I even had a fever.

Being sick is not such an unusual experience for me. I seem to get run down and worn out more and more often. At first I would chalk it up to germs brought home by the BusyBee, but this time, I think I just got sick on my own.

The hardest part is the coughing. My coughs can sometimes drag on for weeks. Co-workers tend to get very annoyed, but it's not as if I can stay home with just a cough. The second issue is everyone giving me advice on how better to take care of myself. I try to be nice about it, but I hate that part of being sick more than the rest of it combined.

While colds are a universal experience, there is truly the mother of universal experiences that trumps it. When I was pregnant with the BusyBee, I was stunned by how universal pregnancy is. Even men had comments on my situation. My favorite interaction was in a CVS when Mr. Bee and I stopped to pick up a few things. As I was paying, the clerk noticed we were buying Tums, and assumed they were for a very pregnant me. She told me that heartburn meant the baby had a lot of hair. Well, the BusyBee did in fact have a lot of hair when she arrived, but I don't think it was causing Mr. Bee's upset stomach.

For Mother's Day, the BusyBee made me a great frame with a cute picture of herself at daycare. The frame is purple, of course, since that is her favorite color. It show her "smile-on-command" face, which results in very squinted eyes. I love it.

Happy Mother's Day, everyone.

Almost Graduation Day

On Tuesday night I finished my fifteenth graduate school course as I work towards my MBA. I have just one class to go, and will officially be done with school in July.

It will have taken me four and a half years.

I'm planning to attend the graduation ceremony in a few weeks, though I won't know most of my fellow graduates, having been in the part-time program. I never thought I'd go to the ceremony, but as it got closer I realized that I needed a moment to celebrate this accomplishment. Obviously, it wasn't easy.

I have been applying to or enrolled in grad school for my entire married life. Mr. Bee has practically earned a degree of his own by coaching me through this and handling some of the details of life (and a lot of childcare) that I couldn't attend to while working full-time and taking classes. He needs a moment to celebrate this too.

I have also been lucky to have two employers that recognize the importance of graduate education and have paid all of my tuition (and in one case, fees and books too). To have gotten a free degree is really unbelievable.

Many others have supported and encouraged me along the way as well, and I thank you all for it. Whether you filled out a survey on bread pudding, advised on my leadership skills, or just put up with my schedule and having less free time to spend with you, I appreciate it.

Soon on to the last course. I just have to remember that I'm not totally finished yet. :)

A Few Hundred New York Minutes

Last weekend Mr. Bee and I took our long-awaited trip to NYC. Mr. Bee had purchased tickets for us to see "Wicked" last October (for my birthday) and Sunday was finally the day. We left the BusyBee with my sister- and brother-in-law, and took the train there from New Haven.

After lunch and a little shopping, we saw the show. It was absolutely wonderful. I can't get the songs out of my head. I'm a big Broadway fan, and while I haven't seen everything I'd like to see, I try to go when I can. I've been a fan since I heard the first haunting strains of "Phantom of the Opera" in seventh grade. I can vividly remember singing from the sheet music in the choir room with my three other best friends at the time.

One of those best friends actually had a Broadway role in "Wicked." He was one of the supporting characters, and while watching it, and listening to the CD since then, I can totally see him playing the role (he left the show last summer). In my mind, he's made it. We're not in touch any longer, but I'm proud of him still.

The most amazing part of the day was a totally random, but very New York, moment. We were in Union Square and walked past a movie theater that was screening the new movie "Waitress," starring Keri Russell. She happened to step out of her town car as we walked by. "Felicity" in the flesh. That show was one of my favorites, especially having been a college student myself when it first aired. So that was definitely exciting.

The BusyBee reportedly had a great day too. I felt bad about leaving her (we got her the program from "Wicked" and she's learning all the songs) and can't tell you how many times I thought of her while we were gone for those 10 or so hours. But as soon as we got to NYC, Mr. Bee and I were already planning our next trip and to bring her along.