Sunday Morning

I was going to write a post about how this was the worst start to a spring break I've ever had. The past week, Timmy wasn't sleeping well at all (after 5 weeks of being great) and he was fussy and I was sick and all my friends were going to Australia and Mexico and Hawaii and I was home with a baby feeling like crap and tired and all. (I like run-on sentences to express my anguish).

But then today has been great, so I'll write about it instead. Last night Timmy slept for a 7 hour stretch, then almost 3 more and has been the happy baby we know and love. We decided it was a good day to take him to the other farmer's market. I was happy because on the way there, we stopped at Urth Cafe for coffee ... this totally doesn't violate my Lent resolution because it's not Starbucks or Coffee Bean).

We usually go to the smaller Farmer's Market on Arizona Avenue near the third street promenade, made famous when Old Man Weller crashed his car into it. That one is on Saturday Mornings, and is great for picking up delicious fruit, veggies, nuts and flowers, but you can't really hang out there.

Anyway, this Main Street Farmer's Market is awesome...much more of a place to hang out and enjoy the scene. In addition to the fruit and vegetable stands, there are omelette bars, crepe and pancake stands, and places to get fresh OJ, lemonade, corn on the cob, and tons more.









Families congregate in the center lawn, picnicing and catching up with friends.




Sometimes there are little pony rides for kids, but today there was a petting zoo.






There is a band every week, so there are always little kids dancing in front of them like groupies.



Today we also saw a clown (?) making balloon animals.



Apparently, the earlier, pre-nap crowd also features something for the adults. This morning, we saw Damian Lewis (I had no idea who this was, but PJO was super excited about it because he was in Band of Brothers). Then Helen Hunt strolled by with her daughter, and she was just as pretty in person as on the big screen.

Then we ate breakfast next to, and had a conversation with Dermot Mulroney and his family. I have kind of thought he was dreamy ever since My Best Friend's Wedding. He wasn't exactly hot in person, but he had that cool vibe that you just can't fake. And he was very nice. His son told us that Tim was a good name because it fits a little boy and a grown man (thanks, I thought so too!).

Timmy was great the whole time, and he ate when we got home, then needed an outfit change. Of course it was only then that I realized I had the perfect onesie for him to wear today:



Maybe next time...

Santa Monica, the Town That I (mostly) Love

I think most places have positive and negative aspects about living in them, and Santa Monica is no different. The downside to living here is that there are constantly tourists everywhere, you can't walk anywhere without running into homeless people begging for food or money and there aren't very many conveniences like there are in the suburbs (i.e. I need to take the freeway to get to a Target, GASP!).

But the benefits make it worth it to live here. I love the weather and being close to the beach and bike paths along it. I love living in/near the big city but in a place that has a much more mellow vibe. I love being able to walk to everything that I really need, including the grocery store, shopping, restaurants, the post office, etc...

And ... I love the library! The new public library was just finished less than two years ago, and it's by far the nicest public library I've ever been to.



It's huge, with two stories, built around an open atrium. The tables/desks are big, with plenty of room to spread out all your books and notes, plus there are lots of private study rooms you can reserve. Everything is nice, new and clean. There is free wi-fi for everyone.
The atrium / courtyard has a cafeteria in the middle, plus lots of tables to sit out in the sun, and a little stream that runs through it.



I can walk there in about five minutes, but if I drove, parking is pretty convenient (a rare thing in our neighborhood where meters and permit parking are the norm).
It also has a great selection of books, magazines and DVDs that you can check out for four weeks, no limit on how many you can check out each time!

The other day, I went with Timmy and we checked out a few picture books (black and white), Horton Hears a Who, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, and Goodnight Gorilla.

I have studied there for finals before, and I get a lot done. I think it's mostly because I'm too afraid to leave my stuff alone once I get a seat, so I don't take as many breaks. I'm pretty sure this is also going to be my primary study spot for the bar this summer. I think it will work out nicely to walk over in the morning, study for 4 hours or so, head home for lunch and to pump, then come back for another 4 hour chunk or so.

Superfluous Decision

I guess it's better to have choices rather than be tied to one option whether you like it or not, but usually it just makes things harder. We toured the second hospital last night, and I still have no idea where to go. Mostly because they're exactly the same!

We ruled out Cedars-Sinai (you know, the celebrity hospital) because it's far away (12 miles) and the other two options seem just as good.

Choice #1 - UCLA Santa Monica - Within a mile of our apartment, brand new, all private rooms, NICU on premises, lactation consultants available every day.

Choice #2 - St. John's - Probably 5 blocks further away from our apartment than UCLA, brand new, all private rooms (maybe 20 sq. ft. bigger), NICU on premises, lactation consultants available every day.

Ya, so basically the same. I was trying to figure out the differences that might be relevant to us:

* UCLA has a better reputation...or at least I thought so. But as between this particular hospital and St. John's for labor and delivery, I think they're either the same or St. John's might be better. (From what I have heard, UCLA has more of an institutional feel and is busier while St. John's is more quiet and home-y)
* My doctor works out of St. John's, so she has been pushing that one from the beginning. If I really preferred UCLA, I wouldn't care... but if they're the same to me, maybe it makes sense to pick the one my doctor prefers? Maybe there will be a slightly better chance she'll visit earlier or more often if I'm there?
* While both hospitals have nurseries, it seems that UCLA advocates new moms to use it more if they want to get sleep, while St. John's seems to have it there more for show (and if I want to sleep without the baby in the room for one last night, then I don't want to feel guilted into having the baby with me).
* St. John's says you are entitled to visit whenever you want after the birth for consultations with lactation consultants for free.
* The administrative / scheduling offices seem more organized at UCLA, which I love of course.
* Parking - at UCLA, there is a $5 per day option at a nearby garage. St. John's - $12 valet parking... hmm, or we could WALK!!!

So ya, they're the same. I'm thinking St. John's, but if anyone has any insight on this that I'm missing, let me know!

Oooooh, and then time to pick a pediatrician. At least then, you're picking a person rather than an just an institution, so there are real, tangible differences to base a decision on.

Home Sweet Home?

After a long and mostly frustrating search, I think we finally found a new apartment! It has almost everything we were looking for: 2 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, PJO can still walk to work, a nice/new kitchen and a washer/dryer inside the unit, a balcony for a BBQ, allows pets and it's clean. It's about a mile from where we live now, and while we like the area we are in currently better, this will be nice too. As long as our application is approved, I think we'll be moving the first weekend of august, the day after I finish working. I can't wait to move, but it's crazy to think that we have to pack up everything in our apartment in a few weeks!

**Update**
We were approved a few hours after turning in our application (ahhh the benefits of having a lawyer's salary on your paystub!) It's so nice to have that off our to-do list, and be able to start planning and packing. It's crazy to think how much our lives will change during the year of our lease term at this new place ... we will have a baby, I'll graduate from law school and take the bar exam, plus who knows what else.

Apartment Living

I really hate it.

Happy Easter!

This past Sunday we got to celebrate Easter with some of LEO's family. Originally both of her brothers were going to come up, but due to school, her youngest brother was stuck in the studio.

It was an incredible day outside, we started the day walking over to Church (St. Monica's). There was a huge line already and we got bumped from the Church due to a bunch of people behind us sneaking into the building. Seems a little odd people would do something like that on Easter...at Church, but oh well, it is Easter!

Church in the "B" room was not too bad, the music in the school's auditorium was a lot better than what we have experienced in the main building, so we enjoyed it. After Church we walked back to the apartment where LEO and I had cooked a ton of food and had a nice brunch. Below are some pictures from the brunch.

LEO opening up our Easter basket from her mom

Her brother opening up his basket

LEO with her mom

No brunch is complete without mimosas