Zzzzzz

I have so much to blog about. I made a list during what we like to call my "sleep intermission" last night. Speaking of which, today I will write about sleep.

Sleep. Oh, sleep.

I have to think that at week 5 of my pregnancy, it is simply too early for my sleep patterns to be so messed up.  Perhaps this is just my body's way of training me for the inevitable sleep deprivation that will happen in 8 months. In any case, as someone who believes that sufficient sleep is the cornerstone of health, I am not too pleased with how things are going right now.

I realize that as the pregnancy progresses, sleep will become more and more - shall we say, challenging. But for heaven's sake, I am 5.5 weeks. This is nuts! Over the past week, most nights I find myself waking up (and staying awake) in the middle of the night. So frustrating.

I don't know what is going on. Saturday was pretty funny as I was so exhausted that I fell asleep while cheering for the sprint, then I slept through the entire pre-race talk, then I took a nap at the hotel. I was then out like a light by 8:15 (but then I was up from 1-3 am).

I love sleep. I believe in sleep. I am convinced that getting enough sleep is essential for maintaining one's health and it is a very high priority for me. Yes, I know this will soon change :). Here's hoping that I can get some good sleep between now and the due date. I know I'm really going to need it.

Sorry for the suspense

Greetings from Ithaca, New York. If you're keeping track, you know that Wednesday was the big day. The much anticipated pregnancy test.

I am thrilled to report that cycle 2 was a success and I am PREGNANT! I mean, really pregnant. Unlike last time, when my hCg level was 14, my first beta was over 1,000. Holy cow!

The plan to surprise my mom kind of backfired. I gave her a gift bag with some yarn (she had talked about knitting a baby blanket) and a book about being a grandma. She totally didn't get it. Looking back, it was kind of funny...but lets just say it wasn't the reaction I was hoping for. Since I kept the whole transfer thing a secret, it was more like stunned disbelief than overjoyed, but the joy and excitement came eventually.

When we called my sister, she cried and exclaimed this is the best thing to happen to her in her entire life. :) The future big brother and sister (the Knight's kids, my terrific step-kids) seemed genuinely happy to hear the news. My step-grandparents (my stepfathers parents) were really happy to hear about the baby on the way but they were very resistant to the whole idea of being great-grandparents. Funny, since they're 91 and 94. For that matter, my stepfather is having a hard time grasping that he will be a grandfather.

We are pretty excited! It feels so surreal... More later, I promise.

It's Thursday Again!

Here are my thirteen updates for today:

1. No news to report on the IVF front. The embryo transfer last Friday went well. The pregnancy test is scheduled for next Wednesday (7/13). Fingers crossed!
2. To be honest, I’ve had enough of the injections. I look and feel like a pin cushion. My backside is all bruised and my butt feels like I slipped on some ice or did a really tough glutes workout.
3. I’m also feeling the effects of the hormones – mostly just physically in the form of PMS symptoms.
4. I’m midway through the required post-transfer no exercise week. (Sorry, I don’t consider walking exercise.) I have been walking the hills of Lake Barcroft and really enjoying it.
5. The job situation is still the same. It is so incredibly frustrating. My office tried another approach to hiring me and hit a another brick wall.
6. I love holiday weeks! I love how Thursday feels like Wednesday, and Friday is here before we know it.
7. I am really in a good place mentally. I have so much to be happy about and I choose to focus on those things instead of the challenges.
8. More vacation news: I am super excited to report that less than a week after coming home from our fabulous transatlantic adventure, we have another trip to look forward to.
9. The Knight, the lovely stepdaughter, and I are headed back to Disney for the Wine & Dine Half Marathon. Hopefully I’ll be okay to run (slowly) at that time.
10. We, okay I, offered to pay for the lovely stepdaughter’s registration if she wanted to do her first half marathon at Disney. A week after we booked our trip she took us up on it. We were so excited to suck her into our madness – I mean, introduce her to the joys of running - that we couldn’t say no.
11. It will be a whirlwind weekend but it is going to be fabulous.
12. The race is called Wine & Dine because it coincides with the Epcot Food & Wine Festival. Can you think of anything more fantastic?
13. The only disadvantage – from my perspective – is that the race begins at 10 pm. As a morning person, I’m not thrilled about this but I’ll figure it out.

Thanks for reading!

Thursday Thirteen: Favorite Eats

It will come as no surprise to those who know me to see me admit that I’m a foodie. While I generally dislike that term, it is the best word I know to describe that I like food and tend to plan around eating, think about eating much of the time, and generally enjoy everything that has to do with food.

This is not a new development. I think back to the 9^th grade, when I was given the choice of a wide range of electives, and I chose “European Cooking.” It was a great course and I learned to make pasta from scratch. Life was never the same.

Going back even further, I remember the stories my mom loves to tell. She said that when you asked most young kids about their favorite food they would respond pizza. Apparently, my kindergarten teacher had never before had a child answer “artichokes.”

There is also a story about the day that my mom accidentally mixed up my sister and my tuna sandwiches and I refused to eat it my sister's sandwich because it didn’t have capers. True story. So yeah, it is clear that my love of food goes back pretty far.

Anyhow, I love to eat, so it is fortunate that I also love to run and I manage to force myself to work out most days. I also try to eat very healthfully at least 80% of the time, so when I want to enjoy a decadent meal, I can. Just not every day. 

Without further delay, here are my favorite foods that I’ve eaten out in local places the past year (in other words, this doesn’t count the many delicious foods I’ve enjoyed at home or on vacation)

1. Stuffed Pepper Chicken (Hong Kong Palace, Falls Church)
2. Seared Salmon Belly Nigiri (Kaz Sushi Bistro)
3. Fleur de Sel Caramels (Artisan Confections)
4. Prince Edward Island Mussels (Radius Pizza)
5. Dark Chocolate Frozen Yogurt (Red Mango)
6. Spicy Tuna Tartare in a Sesame-Miso Cone (The Source)
7. Crispy Calamari with Yuzu Dip (The W Hotel/J&G Steakhouse)
8. Cupcakes (Bakeshop)
9. Creamed Spinach  (Ray’s the Steaks)
10. Pan-fried Pork Dumplings (A&J)
11. Vegetarian Platter (Etete)
12. Dark Chocolate Mousse (Ray’s the Steaks)
13. Lobster Burger (Central)

YUM! Right?

Here’s more info.

Stuffed Pepper Chicken (Hong Kong Palace, Falls Church)

Hong Kong Palace, or HKP as we call it, is by far the best Chinese restaurant I have ever been to. When you sit down they bring you two menus: one is the standard Americanized Chinese food that you’re used to seeing. It’s fine. The second is the authentic Szechuan menu and it is full of amazing dishes.

My favorite dish, the Stuffed Pepper Chicken, is actually not on either menu. It is on the specials wall in Chinese, and we’re told that it doesn’t really have an English translation (some call it Mouth Mouth) but to ask for the Stuffed Pepper Chicken.

II absolutely love this dish. Crunchy, Spicy, Sweet bits of dried peppers stuffed with a sesame mixture, combined with tender, juicy bits of fried chicken. The other top items that we love here: Cumin Lamb (or Cumin Ribs), Chengdu Salt & Pepper Shrimp, Yang Zhou Fried Rice (made with house-made bacon).

Seared Salmon Belly Nigiri with Soy-Lemon Sauce (Kaz Sushi Bistro)

I love sushi and one day I’m going test my theory that I could eat sushi every day and not get tired of it. My absolute favorite sushi bite in the area is the seared salmon belly at Kaz.

Fleur de Sel Caramels (Artisan Confections)

As you look at my list, you’ll see that I love chocolate; especially dark chocolate. If I had to pick one chocolate to eat for the rest of my life, it would be these – and I didn’t like caramel until recently. The Fleur de Sel caramels are little squares of soft, buttery caramel, covered in dark chocolate and lightly sprinkled with flakes of salt. Mouth-watering!

When (not if) you go to Artisan Confections, be sure to say hello to the owner (and my friend) Jason, and try the other wonderful flavors, too. You won’t be disappointed. The chocolates are really pretty, too, so they make good gifts. Yes, to me, but also to others.

Also, if you like salted chocolate type things, check out the Chocolate Salty Oak cookie at Teaism.

Prince Edward Island Mussels (Radius Pizza)

Here’s another thing I didn’t think I liked: mussels. But once I tasted Chef Wiss’ mussels, served in a tomato broth, I was hooked. These come with big pieces of toasted bread  - ciabatta, I believe - and a smoked paprika aioli. Mmmmmm.

I like to spread the aioli on the bread and top it with a few mussels. Heaven!. Unlike other mussels I’ve tried, these are plump and juice, and are not fishy. These are even better in the summer months when they use fresh tomatoes instead of canned.

I highly recommend checking out Radius Pizza. The pizza is amazing (we like the Ducati, and any special the chef has on the menu), but the real stars here are the specials. They change frequently and are almost always out of this world. You won’t believe what this guy does with soup. And pasta! I had a special pasta dish here before I PR’ed at the Shamrock marathon and I swear it helped. I will never forget those wide paparadelle noodles with house-made bacon and figs. Outstanding!

Dark Chocolate Frozen Yogurt (Red Mango)

When my friends recently asked me what I miss about living in Clarendon, my first answer was that I missed them. In a close second place was the ability to walk over to Red Mango on a whim. The frozen yogurt here is like nothing else I’ve tasted. It is so intensely flavorful. Another plus is that it is made with all natural ingredients. Out of all the flavors I enjoy, dark chocolate is my top pick. The toppings here are great, too. Why not have some ghiradelli dark chocolate mini chips on your yogurt? Or some mochi or popping boba? You’ll have to go there to find out what those are. They also have a ton of delicious fresh fruit options and ordinary candy/cereal.

Spicy Tuna Tartare in a Sesame-Miso Cone (The Source)

Wolfgang Puck’s only DC restaurant , The Source, is a hit with me. In my opinion, the best item on the menu is the tuna cones. A wonderful combination of spicy, sweet, tender, salty and crunchy. I just wish they weren’t so pricey.

If you’re a tuna tartare fan, also check out the tuna sliders at PS7’s. They’re awesome as well.

Crispy Calamari with Yuzu Dip (The W Hotel/J&G Steakhouse)

If you like calamari, you need to try the calamari at the W. It is battered with an incredibly light coating (almost like tempura, but better). It served with a delightful dipping sauce that tastes like whipped mayonnaise doused with the essence of citrus. The chilies in there don't hurt, either. Just wonderful.

Cupcakes (Bakeshop)

Oh, cupcakes! I love cupcakes! I know that not everyone understands the trend, but what’s not to get? Most cupcakes are a perfect size for an individual serving and offer the ideal ratio of frosting to cake. Yes, I’ve done a cupcake tour where I have gone around to many different shops to compare the goods. I have a lot of favorites, but the best shop overall is definitely Bakeshop.

I admit that Bakeshop's frosting isn’t my favorite. I like sweeter, denser toppings on my cake. However, the whole package here is just right. The cake is the moistest, most flavorful cake around, and Justin’s frosting perfectly complements his cakes. This guy knows what he's doing. I can’t even pick a favorite flavor because they’re all so good. He also offers a range of other baked goodies, but you really can’t go there and not have a cupcake.

As a side note, also in Clarendon (next door to Red Mango, actually), is Crumbs. Their cupcakes are big and pretty and have cool names. Compared to Bakeshop, however, they are totally tasteless. Please, please, please - if you're in Clarendon, walk down Fillmore Street to Bakeshop (and Artisan, next door to Bakeshop) and don't waste your money or calories at Crumbs. Thank you.

Creamed Spinach (Ray’s the Steaks)

My mom once referred to the creamed spinach at Ray’s as “spinach to a higher power” and if you taste it you’ll know what she means. I like to challenge people who say they don’t like spinach to try this spinach, and so far all of the spinach haters have been converted. It is just that good! Not heavy or gloppy; just creamy, simple, and flavorful. The best part is that it is free (along with mashed potatoes) with all entrees. No, wait, the best part is that they frequently (though not always) include some extra creamed spinach with your leftovers.

Pan-fried Pork Dumplings (A&J - Annandale)

A&J in Annandale (they also have a Rockville location) is a total hole in the wall and off the beaten path. It features a range of dim sum items, which are available all the time, and not just at special hours like most places. It is a bargain, too. The item I order every time is the pan-fried dumplings. Unlike what you’d expect, they are long and thin, and frequently stick together. They aren’t served with a sauce, so you can mix up the condiments on the table to taste (I like the vinegar, soy sauce and chili peppers).

Vegetarian Platter (Etete)

If you think you don’t like Ethiopian food, I urge you to give it another try. Go try a vegetarian platter and then tell me that you are not in love with this cuisine. The basis of Ethiopian food is the bread, called injera. It is spongy, sourdough-like bread that resembles crepes. You tear off pieces and use it to scoop up the food.

What comes on the vegetarian platters varies between restaurants, and often at the same restaurants on different days. At a minimum you’ll usually find some kind of split peas, greens, potatoes and carrots, tomato salad. It is a rainbow of deliciousness.

My favorite local Ethiopian restaurant is Etete. Meaza is close to my new house and is good, but inconsistent.

Dark Chocolate Mousse (Ray’s the Steaks)

Yes, another item from Ray’s the Steaks. One day I’m going to go there and just order spinach and mousse. Okay, maybe I’ll get a side of mac and cheese, too. Seriously though, this is the most phenomenal chocolate mousse I’ve ever had. They also offer milk chocolate and white chocolate varieties, but for me, of course, dark is the way to go.

I know I should be raving about the steaks at Ray’s; it is of course their feature item. Don’t get me wrong, I love the steaks here more than I love steak anywhere else, but I think I naturally lean towards being a vegetarian or pescetarian. Is there such a thing as a chocolatarian?

Lobster Burger (Central)

a bunch of chopped lobster meat compressed into a patty. It is more like two lobster tails intertwined and slapped on a delicious bun with a buttery potato tuille. It is a bit pricey, but totally worth the occasional splurge.

In case you’re wondering, I am always available to accompany anyone who would like to try these, or any other, delicacies.

Ice

In case you were wondering, the ice DOES help. Last night's injection burned a lot more going in than it did the night before.

What helps the most is the post-injection massage with a warm washcloth. While the Monday night injection site is still sore (we didn't really take the time to do the massage), last night's injection site is totally fine. I think the rubbing made a big difference.

In less than 48 hours, the little snowbabies will be ready to nest. I'm so excited!

Biking and Pizza

Biking! What? You didn't know I bike. Yeah, well, what feels like a long time ago, I used to blog about my adventures in training for an Ironman. I used to do quite a bit of this cycling thing.

Since I still own my bike (you may remember that her name is Ms. Piggy), lately I've been testing myself to see if I still remember how it works. Yup, I do. I can even clip in and out, pedal, and everything. It is quite wonderful...

I was never fast, but having taken so much time off from the bike, I've gotten even slower. Oh well. As long as I am not trying to keep up with anyone or climb any ridiculous hills, I really enjoy being on the bike.

This weekend I persuaded the Knight to do his 20-mile recovery ride with me. As soon as I passed the entrance to the Bluemont Junction trail I had a brilliant idea. Pupatella!

Really, it was a brilliant plan. Once I caught up with the Knight, who has always been a speedy biker, I convinced him that we needed to refuel with pizza before heading home.

I cannot explain how much I love this place. The pizzas are so simple, but so incredibly delicious. How can so few ingredients taste so good? It is the essence of good food. I highly recommend that you try it. Start with the "REAL MARGHERITA DOC" and go from there.

I realized that I could really increase my bike fitness if I rewarded myself with Pupatella after (or during) every ride. I would ride all of the time.

It is half a block away from the end of the Bluemont Junction trail (right off the Custis trail) - just west of the intersection of Wilson Blvd and George Mason Drive. Let me know if you need more details.

Mangia!

Funny IVF Thoughts

Last night was Progesterone in Oil (PIO) day 2. It really isn’t horrible, but it is certainly not fun.

I got to thinking; this is supposed to be an intramuscular injection, right? Yeah, so whose idea was it to inject my butt? I don’t know about you, but I don’t really feel like there is a whole lot of muscle on my butt. There’s something, but it ain’t muscle.

For that matter, who thought of the idea to put hormones in sesame oil? I mean, really! Do we really need to inject MORE fat into my butt?

And how did they come up with this whole idea, anyhow? As it turns out, the whole IVF idea is pretty old, and the first test tube baby was born in the 70s. How did the process get to this point where tens of thousands of women are (mostly secretly) going through this procedure?

Don’t get me wrong. I am grateful that IVF is an option, and am even more grateful that I am in a position to avail myself of this technology. But if you really think about it, it is kind of crazy.

***

In case you’re wondering, PIO #2 went a little better than #1. I received a couple of very helpful emails from friends and I combed the internet. Here is the current drill:

1 – 5 minutes before, ice the injection site. [I am not convinced this is important, because I think that it is to numb the skin to desensitize it for the needle prick. The needle prick generally doesn’t bother me, so I think I’m going to try skipping this next time.]

2 – Fill the syringe with the PIO and heat it for a few minutes. The Knight puts it under his arm and it gets good and toasty. [Apparently, warming the oil makes it thinner and easier to inject.]

3 – Lay face down or find a position that takes the weight off your legs. The person giving the injection places his thumb and index finger together at the injection site, and then spreads the skin taut; then injects the PIO.

4 – Afterwards, lightly massage the area and then apply a warm washcloth.

5 – Most importantly, last night I resumed the post-injection cookie ritual. It was totally helpful and I highly recommend this. ;)

One more tip – if you happen to have a little bit of blood at the injection site (totally normal), it is best not to wipe the blood off and then touch the white duvet cover. I’m not saying who did this, but since one of us was lying face down on the bed eating a cookie, I’ll let you guess. :)

Thursday! Already?

Don’t you love it when weeks fly by? I certainly do. I had to check the calendar three times, but yup, it really is Thursday. Hooray!

When I thought about writing up a Thursday Thirteen, the first thing that came to mind was the trip I’m planning, so I might as well write about that since I am currently vacation-OBSESSED.

1.         As a cruise lover, I convinced the Knight to take a 3-night Disney cruise after the 2010 Disney Marathon and he was an instant convert.

2.         We both got spoiled by Disney. I finally understood the hype and why people would be willing to pay more for a Disney cruise. They definitely go the extra mile and it shows.

3.         When we started looking at fall vacations, taking a cruise was on the top of our list. I love researching travel and I came across a fabulous deal that I couldn't pass up.

4.         For around the same price as taking a 7-day Caribbean cruise on another cruise line, I found a 14-day transatlantic cruise on the Disney Magic that offered an incredible military discount (the Knight is a retired Naval Pilot). For a little more, we could have a balcony cabin.

5.         We decided to go for it.  Our final cost is roughly 81% off the brochure price, and roughly 55% lower than the best available price for the same cabin without the military discount. Disney doesn’t frequently offer the discounts, but when they do, they’re great.

6.         Airfare is almost as much as our cruise fare. Oh well.

7.         We’re getting a 14-day trip, which essentially includes all of our food and entertainment, for less than we paid for our 7-day vacation to St. Lucia last October. Score!

8.         I almost forgot. Our itinerary:

• Barcelona
• At Sea
• Gibraltar (UK)
• At Sea
• Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
• At Sea (x 5)
• St. Maarten
• Tortola, British Virgin Ilands
• At Sea
• Castaway Cay, Bahamas (Disney’s private island)
• At Sea
• Port Canaveral, FL

9.         Assuming that the upcoming embryo transfer sticks (it will!), I will just be entering my second trimester during the early part of our trip. It is excellent timing - I think.

10.       According to the online IVF due date calculator, a singleton baby will be due on 3/17/12 (my 37^th birthday), or twins would be due on 2/23/12. Cool!

11.       Would it surprise you to know that I’ve pretty much finished my packing list?

12.       This trip will (potentially) be our last real vacation before baby. Wow!

13.       I am burning up all of my leave for this trip, so I am probably going to have to cheer for Ironman Arizona and Ironman Cozumel from afar. Sniff, sniff.

Schedules are for sissies

This morning I was brushing my teeth, and guess what I remembered. Even though it was on the calendar, and we had discussed it earlier in the day, both the knight and I forgot last night's injection. Oops!

This was my third injection for this cycle. At this point, I'm getting injections every three days, which kind of makes it hard to remember. I guess I need to set a pop-up reminder on my calendar so we don't forget again. This was the second shot the Knight gave me and it went better than the first. Don't get me wrong, he does a great job. But after the first one I could tell how hard it was for him - even though it didn't really hurt. What gave it away is when he said, "It is really tough for me to do this to you." I actually think it is really sweet! This morning (for our 10-hour late injection) he seemed decidedly less stressed, so that's good.

Starting Sunday the real fun begins... injections every night. Party! The progesterone in oil is supposed to be somewhat unpleasant. I'm not looking forward to it, but it is nothing I can't handle. Right!?!

Vacation News
On a different note, I am really excited this week because today we will book possibly our last big child-free vacation. I found an insanely good deal for a cruise so we're going to do it. More about that later, but let me just say to my single lady friends, you can add this to my long list of reasons to marry a military man. The Disney military discount! Love it! :) [And it was implied that I am anti-military because of my battle with veterans preference rights...psshhhh.]

Yes, really!

Those of you who follow my on facebook got a hint of last night’s adventure when I posted this from my iPad shortly after 6 pm last night:

“Omg! I am locked inside the Ben Franklin post office. No one is picking up at dc police non-emergency number. Help!!!”

Yes, you all really enjoyed that. My sister is the only person who called me to see if she could help.

I feel obligated to include a picture in this post

(even though that isn't really the actual post office, but the Old Post Office Pavillion next door)

It was most definitely a freaky situation, and I still can’t really believe that it happened. Here’s the full story.

Some time between 5:30 pm and 6:00 pm last night, I entered the lobby of the Ben Franklin post office in order to mail Fathers Day cards to my stepfather and grand-stepfather. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this particular branch, located on

Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

at

13^th Street

, it is a large post office that is connected to two office buildings. It has a grand, marble lobby/hallway that stretches between the two buildings, and behind that lobby, behind glass doors, is the actual post office. There are also mailboxes and a ton of post office boxes which are accessible from the lobby. In many post offices I have been to, the mailboxes and post office boxes remain accessible when the post office is closed, so I had no reason to think that they would locking me in anytime soon.

When I arrived, the branch was closed, as it is only open until 5 pm. However, the lobby was open and I sat down on the set of three steps in front of the mailbox to write out my cards, address, and mail them. I put my cards in the box and having some time left to kill before meeting my friend for happy hour, I sat back down on the stairs and read my iPad for a little while. Several other customers came and went while I was there. Around 6:10 I heard from my friend that she was on her way and I walked to the opposite side of the lobby to exit. Imagine my surprise when I found the doors dead-bolted, with me inside. I stayed calm, and walked to the opposite side of the lobby, thinking that they must use the other set of doors for exit at that hour. Nope. Those were locked, too.

At the same time, a lady and her daughter were approaching the glass doors. There was a small gap between the doors, and the lady asked me if this was a working post office. I explained that it is during working hours, but it is now closed and I was locked inside. I asked her to look around and see if she could find any police officers. While she went to look, I looked up the police non-emergency number and dialed. I got a recording and was on endless hold.

I checked back in with the lady and she was unable to find anyone. After a few minutes she sought my permission to leave and of course I told her to go. There wasn’t much she could do for me at that point. Meanwhile, I failed to find anyone around the entrances to either office building (on two different sides of the long lobby), and couldn’t use the elevators.

Finally, I was able to find a corridor behind the lobby of one of the buildings. I found an emergency exit, but since it said it was alarmed, I was hesitant to use it (though I would have if I needed to). I kept walking and located a janitor, who, without saying a single word to me, led me to another emergency exit and let me out.

The whole thing incident was a maximum of 10-15 minutes long, but of course it felt like much longer. What I can’t figure out is how the heck it happened? I mean, really!? How does someone get locked in a post office? And it isn’t like I was hiding in a corner somewhere. The whole thing is quite ridiculous. 

I would really like to exaggerate the story, but that is it. I made it to happy hour on time, and by that time I really needed a drink (and I don’t really drink). 

Until next time….