may 27

for most of my 31 years, i've had a slender, athletic looking body that slightly resembled that of a 17 year old boy...

but NOW, i've got humps, lumps & curves galore. it is sooooooooooo cool.

plump rump? check!
lady lumps w/ cleavage!!??! check!
baby bump? check!

i think fergie said it best... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs4_-xKTDP0

may 26

i believe they were called "yuppies" back in the 80's... those Young.Urban.Professionals who were often seen briskly walking through downtown in their power suits and reebok lace-ups.

well fast forward twenty-something years and here we are, breaking out the tennie's on our lunch break. we are well aware of the fact that this is a fashion DON'T, but there are somethings that you are willing to overlook when you can combine a) sunshine b) 2.5 miles of exercise c) a trader joe's run all within the course of an hour.

some call it a power hour, but we like to call it brilliant.

may 25

week 23.

baby! you are the size of a large mango.
...and you do the tango in my belly.

hope you're having fun in there because you sure are starting to take up a lot of space.

loving you more than anything.

may 20

music fascinates me. it has moved me ever since i was a little girl. so much is felt, expressed, and experienced through music. this is only amplified when you get the opportunity to see a band perform live, stripped of all remastering and editing.

tonight i got the pleasure of seeing rock-n-roll legends fleetwood mac. i have to say, for a bunch of 60 year olds these guys put on an AMAZING show. not only are they uber-talented musicians, but they are a group of rockstars who have had their highs & lows and have so much history and emotional attachment that it oozes from them.

couple of notes:
- lindsay buckingham and stevie nicks' history/chemistry/tension/torrid love for each other is insane.
- mick fleetwood is beyond rad & one of the best percussionists i've seen.
- stevie nicks has still got it.
- mick fleetwood is beyond rad...wait, did i already say that? i heart him.

seeing them really makes me wish i had been in the city during san francisco's musical hay-day. what a trip it must have been.

may 18

week 23.

hi baby... you are now as heavy as a large mango... and if we could weigh you, you'd be one whole pound!

i swear that sometimes i can feel my tummy growing bigger, but it doesn't matter...it is so satisfying knowing that you're growing happily inside me. daddy and i feel you moving around a lot more and we can sometimes even see you moving and pushing from inside my tummy. it is crazy cool.

momma is still trying to stay active, but i'm starting to feel winded a lot sooner than i normally do. i can only imagine what's to come in the weeks ahead.

xoxo.

may 17

i am a fan of street art. i think it takes imagination, skill, and the use of all sorts of creative thinking to execute correctly.

here is a wall down in the mission that made from cut paper that is then plastered to the brick wall. so intricate. so delicate. and a true exercise in both talent and patience. a testament to what can happen when the right side of your brain is unleashed.

may 16

in a state as health conscious as california, it is good to see donuts making a bit of a resurgence.

i am all for wheatgrass and whole wheat bagels, but every once in a while you have to indulge your inner craving and enjoy the calorie-ridden goodness of a (enter favorite type of donut here) donut.

meet dynamo donut. http://dynamosf.com/ not your average old-fashion/sprinkles/sugar donut maker. these are "gourmet" donuts and are made with only the most fresh, organic, and local ingredients available. we missed maple bacon donut day, but we did sample FOUR of the daily flavors: meyer lemon huckleberry, vanilla bean, caramel/fleur de sel, and stawberries & creme. yikes...these were some tasty cakes, especially strawberries & creme. To top it off, they served stumptown coffee, which i found during my stay at the Ace Hotel- Portland. so good!!!http://www.stumptowncoffee.com/locations/ace

glutonous temptations and a really delicoius way to start your saturday morning.

may 12

i'm down in LA today and got to spend the evening with cori and adam.

i happened to come across this piece of masking tape in the restroom of the restaurant we were having dinner at. i thought it was an odd place to be reminded of such a nice compliment.

i washed my hands, did a little primping, and walked out of the restroom feeling refreshed and confident, rocking my pregnancy glow.

you are beautiful.

...makes you smile doesn't it.

may 11

week 22. spaghetti squash.

hi little guy. my little squash. my little squirmer. you are the coolest science experiement to ever happen to my body. you are moving around SO much now and even daddy can feel you do your karate chops.

they say if we could see inside my tummy that you'd look like a little human now. your eyes, nose, ears, etc are all in their right places and your tooth buds are even starting to form. you go little dude.

we love you.

may 10

look at us... me and my godchild, in god's house.

can't you tell what a spiritual and guiding light i will be in little lyla's life?

it was quite an honor to be there as she was accepted into god's loving arms.
there was no crying or fussing. she was calm, cool, collected and looked GREAT in her christening gown.

godfather and i have big plans for this little one.

xoxo weewa.

may 4

week 21. hello chiquita banana.

little dude is starting to wiggle around quite a bit these days. keith still can't feel the kicks, but i think he should start to feel the thumps any day now.

my tummy seems to be on an accelerated growth chart, but as of this moment (knock on wood) the cocoa butter seems to be doing its job and stretch marks have not yet made their debut.

i have officially taken the plunge and made a few maternity purchases... and YES world, i like to wear the elastic waste band up and over the belly. it makes me laugh every time.

may 3rd

these little toes are broke.

at first, SOMEONE didn't remember HOW they got broken, but a quick x-ray down at the local ER confirmed that when you start drinking at 10am and don't come home until 3:30am the next morning you can indeed end up with broken body parts.

thankfully on monday, after the hangover subsided & with the help of some people who were with this person (who shall rename nameless) when the breaking of the toe occurred, the events of the evening were pieced back together again and will remain a vivid memory for the next four weeks while this person lives the life of elevating, icing, and wearing a hospital velcro bootie around town.

poor little toe.

april 29

i took today's picture in honor of my mom.

today was her last day of radiation. this in itself is huge because it consumed her every day for six weeks, but more than that it signifies the end of the horrible journey she went through in order to recover from breast cancer.

momma, you did it!!! your strength, positivity, and sheer gut got you to this day.

you are my hero.

i got teary when i saw the sunset...it was almost like the heavens shined down and gave us a perfect sunset to mark how far you've come and to help you look forward to the beautiful days ahead.

april 28

week 20.

we're at the HALF WAY point, folks!!! and we're dressing things up a little more from here on out. no more belly pictures of me in my p.j.'s... THAT is my promise to you.

belly continues to get rounder, and it is hard to tell here, but my belly button now pokes out on an all-the-time basis. i am trying as best i know how to embrace it and treat it as the latest & greatest accessory to have on your tummy, replacing the belly button piercing.

i also think my secret is out to the masses... i have moved beyond looking like i've sucked down a few too many slices of pizza and now officially look pregnant. the defining moment here was on a bus ride to work when two ladies both offered me their seat. it caught me off guard and i respectfully declined their sweet offer. i figure i should stand while i can because come a few months from now i'm going to be doing jedi-mind tricks on people to get them to give up their seats!

april 25

i love weddings, but after having my own, i think i have learned to love them even more.

by going through the process you gain perspective and can fully appreciate the blood, sweat & tears that go into the planning, the creative details, and most importantly the mood, ambiance, and energy that the bride and groom want their day to entail.

each wedding is unique, yet they are all magical... which in turn makes me inevitably mushballish at each one that i attend. yes, mushballish.

congrats, carisa and eddie. your day was beautiful.

april 24

...wow, what a day!!!

here is the first picture of our little BOY!!! little g is now officially a little dude!!!

keith and i spent the morning with phyllis, the ultrasound technician, going over each and every body part of our little baby to make sure everything was there and accounted for. it's absolutely amazing to see, and you just don't want the appointment to end. it is weird to think it's the last time we'll see our baby before he enters this crazy world!

rather than find out the sex while we were sitting in the room, we had phyllis write the baby's sex on a piece of paper and seal it all up in an envelope. we then drove as fast as we could to breakfast where we appointed our lovely waitress to open and read aloud the good news.

keith jumped out of his chair when he heard & i couldn't help but smile my biggest smile...my dream of having an oldest boy is going to come true!!!

april 21

week 19.

meet my large heirloom tomato. i think little g sounds quite delicious.

joke for you...

"what did the momma tomato say to the baby tomato who was running behind her??"

momma g's tummy is becoming rounder by the day, but it makes me happier than a clam to know that a little somebody, who is going to be so special to us, is cooking away inside.

p.s.- momma tomato said, "ketchup...ketchup."

april 14

week 18.

baby bell pepper.

just one more week until we know if we have a girl pepper or a boy pepper.

april 19

nothing like a quick jump rope session to warm you up for a half marathon. there are athletes and then there is gio.

april 17

meet bosco. aimee and i met this little pup as we sat outside of eastside west to enjoy some friday afternoon sun.

cutest dog with a rad owner, a sassy older lady (pixie haircut, tattoo on wrist, impeccably dressed) who stopped to chat and casually mentioned that she was just out picking up a couple bottles of wine, then drove away (with bosco sitting shotgun) in an all black sequoia.

aimee and i were 100% in awe and envy of the whole situation...we can only HOPE we'll be that cool when we grow up.

april 15

today geenz and i walked home and as we crossed van ness we came across this pair of musical lovebirds.

perched atop a couple of newspaper stands he played his guitar while she watched intently, mesmerized by his every strum.

young, bleached blonde hair, acid washed jeans, great accessories, black jackets...totally rebellious and totally smitten with each other.

i couldn't pass them up without snapping a shot, so i hid in the bus shelter and captured their musical moment of love.

april 13

in a city where parking is limited, people often opt for public transportation or a smaller, more convenient, vehicle to help get them from point a to point b.

vespas are my most favorite of these smaller modes of transportation. and if i only had enough confidence in maneuvering myself thru fast moving traffic with only a helmet to protect me, i might be the proud owner of one.... this PINK one that is named Buddy.

unfortunately, i am too much of a ninny and must just continue to ride around within my imagination on my make believe pink vespa that i look bad-ass on.

april 9

whenever i wear black, i have to lint myself once i walk out of the house to make sure no kitty hair (or the littlest amount possible) comes to work with me.

this morning i noticed a little red thread had rolled itself off of me, onto the lint roller, and into the shape of a heart.

ahhhh, cute... right?

april 7

week 17.

hello baby turnip.

you must definitely be picking up speed in your week to week growth because it seems like my belly is starting to get bigger and bigger every day.

still a few weeks away from finding out what you are... wish i could fast forward.

april 4

it feels good to volunteer. especially when you volunteer for a cause that hits close to home, or in this case, a friend's home. and i feel lucky to have a group of friends who i can support and who support me thru the good, bad, and ugly.


megs and i got up at the crack of dawn this morning (5:30am on a saturday) to head down to kron studios to support dial-for-dollars, benefitting leukemia & lymphoma.


not only was it a memorable morning of funny-had-to-be-there type of incidents, but when we walked out of there after our shift we realized we raised over $1700 between the two of us!!

all that AND we got free donuts too!!!

april 2

quick day-trip to LA for work turned into quite a delightful afternoon.

- got to go with cori to nicole miller to see her try on her wedding dress...she's going to look like a knock-out.

- had a delicious lunch with cori, jess & little baby harley

- topped it off with frozen yogurt from pinkberry...complete with white chocolate curls and all.

...more afternoons should be like this one.

april 1

tonight geenz and i took a field trip (via public transportation) all the way down to mtn. view to hear heather armstrong, blogger of the popular dooce.com, do a reading from her new book... it sucked and then i cried.

i am happy to report that the author is just as witty, random, and funny in person as she is when she writes.

what took me by surprise and frightened me a little is the blog community that follows her. i like heather & think she is a make my belly hurt from laughing kind of writer but i do not classify myself (or gina) as part of the "fan club".

i mean, i love the support & enthusiasm they showed... and one can only wish that they could support a family from the revenue her blog and book have made, but some of these people were W-E-I-R-D. like spend too many hours online, intertwining themselves within interactive communities rather than branching out into the real world kind of weird.

but again, more kudos to heather and her band of weirdos because it was that fan club who just helped her book reach the NYTime's Bestsellers list...nice work.

march 31

week 16.

yep, that's me. my growing tummy, and my very strawberry matching thermal pj's that i adore.

little g is the size of an avocado this week. this makes me very happy because that means i will most likely get to hear keith do a daily interpretation of bear grylls eating an avocado. it makes me laugh every time.

march 30

for those of you who had the pleasure of knowing my grandma, you understand the countless reasons of why i hold her so near and dear to my heart.

today marks the four year anniversary of her leaving us to hang out in heaven, and although there isn't a day that goes by that i don't think of her, it is this day each year that i try to do something in her honor.

my grandma lived around the corner from a marie callendars and would walk over there on a regular basis to have herself a "frisco burger". she called the place mary pie and she ordered her burger with meat & cheese only. she's usually ate half and then opted for some delicious fudge sundae type dessert before walking the block and a half back to her house.

it's weird how just a few bites of this burger made it seem, if even for the moment, that she was here.

march 29

being a bride is tough work because planning a wedding (sans help of an $$$ event planner) takes a lot of heart, organization and dedication.

it is all worth it when the big day arrives and all your hard works pays off in a wondrous togetherness of all your most favorite people in the world.

...another perk is the gifts that appear at showers and your doorstep. here is a peek at the lovely packages that will help transform barret and ashley's house into a home.

march 27

suze and i took a quick trip to the mall today and were busy shuffling through the racks, doing our thing when i looked up and noticed miss sadie james hanging out at the accessories table...clearly doing her own thing.

it's pretty amazing that at 2 1/2 years old a little girl can have her own tastes in style and fashion...and from what i can tell sadie's got a definite eye for hot trends, stacked bangles are a hit!

march 24

week 15.

APPLEbottom jeans, boots with the fuuuuuuuur, the whole club was lookin' at her...

i am not sure why that song came to mind, but you are the size of an apple this week.

the books say you can sense light right now. your daddy LOVES the thought of this, so much so that he wants to conduct an experiment...

he wants to flash a flashlight onto my belly to see if i can feel you squirm away from the light. not sure where you'll squirm to, but the thought of that is kind of funny.

march 23

this is boo! she's a maine-coon (thank you nadine for knowing that!) and is probably one of the raddest gatos that i've ever known.

she's big and furry & a total spaz, but also totally shy around people she doesn't know. she gets spooked by the littlest thing but also likes to act big & tough. she plays fetch, she makes weird noises and sprints around the house, and loves to cuddle come nighttime.

she has a crush on keith. he's not much of a cat lover and chooses to rough-house with her like she's a dog... and she lets him. and whenever he's laying in bed reading a magazine, she loves to walk up and under the magazine so he has to pay attention to her. i caught him in a moment of rare cuddling and couldn't resist snapping a photo.

march 20

i met tara for lunch today and was cracking up at the white paper signs that were posted everywhere in the thai restaurant.

it reads:

the economy is so bad!

save your money!

enjoy free first thai ice tea/ice coffee/hot tea

compliment of the owner

it's a very simple gesture but thai people are among the kindest, most thankful people that i know and i just couldn't get the image of this little thai owner man brainstorming a way to keep his patrons coming in to spend money, but to also give back to them as a thank you for sucking down pad thai in a SO BAD economy. too cute.

...thank you thai restaurant owner.

march 19

i took a walk this morning and stumbled across what might be the longest game of hopscotch that i have ever seen.

this picture doesn't quite do it justice, but if you look into the distance you will notice that the chalk seems to infinitely continue.

i imagined the little ones who must have put hours of effort into creating this masterpiece. i wish i could have been there to see them hard at work and then filled with glee when it was finally complete and the hopscotching could begin.

and of course, i couldn't resist... but phew! was i winded by the end.

march 17

week 14.
hey baby, we made it to the 2nd trimester! nice going.

they say it's smooth sailing from here... until some time in the 3rd trimester when you grow so big that you take over most of my insides and make me really uncomfy.
...but until then let's focus on the great things, like:

- i have more energy
- my eating habits are back under control
- i had to buy new pants because my belly is starting to become a bump
- boobs are growing!

and you're doing great things too! i think you can pee (kinda gross when you think about it) and you can suck your thumb now (pretty damn cute since you're only like 3 1/2 inches long!).

you're rad.

march 14

okay... so CLEARLY i have become a victim of my January 1 post.
it is mid-march and what was a daily moment has slipped to be come more of a some time's moment.

please forgive me.

from here on out, posts will be more intermittent but just as wonderful a time waster as always.

march 13

torture. beautiful, majestic, white fluffy torture.

i missed all but one day of last winter due to my two knee surgeries, and now i am missing this entire winter for the greater good of having a bun in the oven.

i get it, there will always be next winter (trust me, i am counting down the days), but for now just let me have my pity party.

i am in tahoe for a girls weekend away in a ski-in/out house. i can not ride. i can not sit in the lodge and drink the day away. i can not fully indulge in apre ski festivities. i can not sit in the hot tub and relax my muscles after spending all day on the mountain. i am basically useless up here.

after a few tears and a failed attempt to rent snow shoes, i decided that come hell or high water i was going to feel the snow under my feet. so there i went, on my own adventure... walking up the bunny hill past all the flailing beginners, past the chairlift drop-off and up the hill above it. i climbed and i climbed until i was out of breath, then i just sat...watching the people fly by me, and i smiled.

it wasn't my perfect day, but it did the trick. i just needed to feel that aliveness that only a day on the snow brings about.

march 12

spring has not officially sprung, but those cute little tiny flowers that sprout up in patches are blooming!

...and that, along with this ridiculously nice weather we've been having are enough to make me say, "so long winter, helloooooo spring."

march 12

i love thursdays for the sole reason of coming home to a clean home.

keith and i splurge to have our housekeeper come and work her magic on a weekly basis...it's a definite luxury, but one that i find really worth it.

clean sheets, a freshly made bed, and our mcrosky mattress make hitting the hay quite the treat.

ahhhh.....

march 11

week 13. bye bye lime, hello baby lemon.

last week of my first trimester...adios to feeling icky at night and falling asleep before sunset. it also means chances for miscarriage drop significantly...good job baby, you made it!!

we also have started to tell everyone about you... people are thrilled and can't wait to meet you. right now most people think you are a baby girl, but a few people are betting pretty heavily that you're a boy...can't wait to find out AND...i can't wait to be your momma.

march 10

for those of you who live and work in san francisco, you are familiar with loud, LOUD noise of the disaster alarm that sounds every tuesday at noon.

this annoying alarm system (see the 4 big speakers stacked on top of each other in the center of the columns) can be heard anywhere in the 7x7 miles that san francisco covers...and quite frankly i'm sure you can hear it from even further away. the alarm sounds at noon each tuesday and is supposed to be a testing of the system in case of an emergency.

...the thing is, what's the point? if there is a disastrous occurrence in the city won't we all know about it anyways? is the signaling of the alarm supposed to put us all at ease by confirming that whatever the heck just happened was indeed catastrophic? just weird.

but for now it will continue to serve its purpose as my cue that it's noon and that i should get out of the office and get some lunch.

march 9

there is nothing better than that fresh, sexy, want-to-flip-my-hair-back-and-forth-lots-of-times feeling that you get after a great haircut.

i might be feeling chubby, and my clothes are definitely fitting tighter, but this evening you made me look and feel really pretty.

thanks girlfriend!

march 8

i love springing forward. we may lose an hour of sleep but it is well worth it.

time was approximately 7:21pm when this picture was taken.

7:21pm and it is not pitch black...you gotta love daylight savings time.

it's this time of year that people start to come out of their winter hibernation... when they feel that there is a life to be had after work hours... you can feel the energy of people taking walks with friends, sitting outside at happy hour or dining al fresco.

it's spring... and the city is alive.

march 6

this picture is a little much... i know.

not only am i very UN-tan right now, but i have a bump starting to protrude out of what was a fairly flat stomach not too long ago.

but here i am WEEK 12, with a little lime growing happily and steadily inside me.

...all 10 of my toes can still be seen and are accounted for. i wonder what week they will disappear.

march 5

everyone needs inspiration...little bits of art, fashion, music, and miscellaneous bits that strike an inner chord and slowly weave their way into our lives.

to help keep track of the treasures that i find i keep an inspiration board above my nightstand. i start with an empty board at the beginning of the year and then collect and reflect over all the treasures that end up on the board.

every so often i will sit and take a closer look at what's made it on the board... some things have sentimental value, some clippings are of items i covet or desire, but most items end up being art, craft, or design based, and it is those items that inspire me most.

i think that is because the amount of creative talent in the world truly amazes me. and an individuals will and ability to express themselves and share that reflection of with the world is inspirational. we all have a creative side, but the confidence it takes to put yourself out there and make yourself vulnerable to both criticism and praise takes gusto.

gusto that more of us should have...

...gusto that i don't mind sharing in small groups but one day hope to share with the world.

march 4

rob ryan is a talented artist based out of the uk who specializes in detailed and beyond amazing papercut works. i can only wish that i had the patience, eye for negative space, and exacto-knife skill that he must possess in order to do what he does.

i long to own an original papercut piece, but for now i have settled for two of his screenprinted tiles (waayyyyyyyyyy more affordable).

this is not one that i bought, but the little yellow egg on this one gave me a chuckle and made me smile on the inside because i too am going to have a baby.

to see more or shop for yourself visit rob here: http://www.misterrob.co.uk/

march 3

sorry to scare you... but tonight i went to a "girlie party" at MAC and was transformed into some sort of half geisha-half hoochie looking version of myself.

unfortunately,this picture does not do justice to the caked-on-didness of the foundation, concealer, powder, bronzer, bright pink blush combo that was layered on to my face.

it is also does not accentuate the deeply stained plumy matte-ness of the lipstick shade i was wearing.

i came home dying to see what wise comments keith would have to say about my new look and after bowing to me several times, saying "konichiwa" and calling me a geisha, he kindly asked if i would go down stares and transform back into his wife.

glad he likes the real version of me better because i'm not sure i could do this to myself on a daily basis...phew!

march 2

keep calm and carry on. this slogan and graphic element was first created in london at the onset of world war ii and was meant to help maintain order and routine amongst the people in london.

this graphic image has resurfaced over the past couple of years and is quite fitting during these difficult times. lately i've seen it posted in homes, at work, in magazines, and in this case a storefront window.

i love it because whether it's a recession, lay-offs, breast cancer or just an all around crap day this sign quickly grounds you and gives you perspective and the gentle optimism to know that this too shall pass.

keep that in your back pocket for next time you need to talk yourself out of a panic attack.

to read more about the history of this click here: http://www.keepcalmandcarryon.com/pages/history

march 1

many of you know that when i grow up i'd like to own a little shop that is part storefront (which would house an abundance of little treasures, paper goods, and inspirational crafts for people to purchase) and part creativity shop (where services such as custom invites, gift wrapping, etc) would be created.

this will happen...but until it does, i keep myself going by offering to do invitations and little projects for my friends who are having birthdays, weddings, or babies.

here is my latest project for one of my lovely lady friends who will be getting married this summer to the boy who has served as my older brother for the past 20 years or so.

these invites are for her bridal shower... and because i sometimes feel i share a brain with the bride i figured hot pink and hearts would make her smile.