Private School vs Public School

Giddy up for Fridays! What a busy week - I am in definite need of a couple days off. And by "days off" I mean me most likely still working because I have a hard time not working for any length of time. I had my 32 week check up yesterday. Doc says Dominic still sounds great, heartbeat was 150 and he is still measuring perfectly for his due date. But I'm not surprised - this is one perfect child in the making!

Among many other things, I've been putting a lot of thought into Dominic's education. Yes, I'm fully aware he's not even here yet and he won't be going to school for another five years after that. But it's always good to have a plan for the future even if that plan changes along the way. I've been looking into private schools all over the country so I can see what all of his options are. I have nothing against public schools. Hell, I went to public school and got along just fine. But quite frankly the state of some public schools these days scares the hell out of me. And who knows where the education system will be in another five years when Dominic is ready for school. As long as I have the financial means when the time comes, I see nothing wrong with giving him an opportunity I didn't have. I always wanted to go to private school growing up, I even went and interviewed at Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut when I was in 8th grade. It just wasn't feasible for me to be able to go. Before anyone gets started, I'm well aware that there's a fine line between encouraging Dominic to be successful and pushing my dreams on him. I'll support him no matter who he is or what he decides to do. And no, I don't want him to ever been one of those spoiled rich kids who gets everything handed to him on a silver platter. Nothing annoys me more than people who have a sense of entitlement. But is there really anything so wrong with giving him all the resources possible to be successful? And what's so bad about hoping he goes to Harvard!? ;)

“It is one thing to show your child the way, and a harder thing to then stand out of it.”

I'm Not Prissy, But...

Today I took my tour of the maternity ward at Crouse Hospital where I'll be delivering Dominic. Overall, I didn't learn much more than what I already knew from my doctor and the hospital website. However, I was a bit disappointed with the way the labor/delivery and patient rooms were set up. Most of the hospitals I've encountered up to this point have evolved, complete with birthing suites where the patients deliver baby and stay in the same room, sans a roommate. But much to my chagrin, I found out I will be delivering in one room and staying in another, which may or may not be private. Apparently the hospital does have some private maternity rooms, but they are first come, first serve and there is no way to reserve or pay more to guarantee one. Way to burst my bubble! I'm normally not picky or snobby, but I sure as hell don't want to share my first days with Dominic with some stranger who is separated by a curtain. The whole thing seems a bit antiquated to me. And with the amount of money the hospital will be getting on the deal, I want a private room damn it! On the bright side, I'm at least thankful that the hospital does encourage rooming-in, where Dominic will stay in the room with me as much as possible, barring any complications. I guess for now I'll just keep my fingers crossed that I don't deliver at the same time as a hundred other expectant mamas, and that a private room will be available when Dominic decides to greet the outside world.

I'm not going to go on another big tangent about crazy people who stalk me, because I've already had that rant. However, I will say thank you - the attention is very flattering (albeit a little frightening). It's reassuring that some people find my business sense and life so amazing, they find it necessary to mimic my behaviors literally to a point of quoting me verbatim and passing it off as their own. Next time you're trying to pass for me, quote this, "It is far better to be a first rate version of yourself, than a SECOND RATE version of someone else." :)

Baby Showers, Boutiques & A Beautiful Weekend!

Wow, what a weekend! Although it was very tiring, I have to say this weekend was the perfect combination of fun, busy, productive and exactly what I needed. I had my baby shower yesterday and I'm super thrilled with the way it turned out. Everyone loved the brunch theme and the caterers did a great job with the food. The venue was nice. The cake tasted great. Had a pretty good turnout. My mom even ordered me a beautiful bouquet of sunflowers so I could have a little something to remind me of my best friend there with me. And that's not to mention all the adorable baby gear I got for my little protege. Thanks so much to everyone who came - it was great to see everyone and I'm very appreciative of the lovely gifts. Pictures will be posted within a day or two!

I had my fall boutique & fundraiser today to sell some of my items from TT's Attic and raise money for team "There Is Always Hope". I didn't have a very big turnout but I fared decent with those who did show up. On the bright side, at least the weather was nice and I was able to make some good connections with other people in the area. I'm very much looking forward to the next few months and the new direction the boutique is taking. The launch of the new and improved TT's Attic is going to take a little longer than I anticipated but that's ok because I would rather wait for everything to be just perfect. I'm thinking I will unveil everything just in time for January 2012. Here's a few hints; we will still be carrying the same affordable, edgy merchandise that you love. Our vision of caring and giving back to the community has and will not change - 20% will still be donated to a different charity every month. The new and improved TT's Attic will offer a more personalized fashion experience for our fans. And most importantly, our innovative idea will set us apart from our competition and we know that you'll absolutely love it! Thanks to everyone for the support since our inception last December - I can't wait to show you all what we have in store! “Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely.”

I have another busy week ahead, but I'm happy with that because more stuff is getting checked off the "to do" list everyday. I have 3 new contractors starting tomorrow for The Alpha Omega Solution, so that should help with some of my workload. Another baby doctor appointment is scheduled for Thursday, and I've finally managed to work in some much needed "ME" time. I managed to set aside a couple hours to get my hair cut and styled this week - yay! Who'd have thought I'd ever get so excited over something that used to be routine for me. It seems like I haven't had my hair done in forever because I haven't had the time and quite frankly it hasn't been a priority. I'm very much looking forward to my grooming.

As the days pass by, my anxiety and stress is slowly becoming replaced with an increasing level of excitement.  I just can't wait to see my little man. I keep wondering what he's going to look like. I picture him with dark hair like mine and big brown eyes. I can't wait to hold him and kiss him and read bedtime stories to him and get his pictures taken and have Christmas with him. I could go on forever. All I need to do when I'm having a bad day is think about Dominic and it makes me smile. It's still hard to believe I'm capable of feeling such emotions! Only 8 1/2 more weeks - bring it on baby!

Bitch Mode - ON

My overwhelming need/desire to bitch and rant is likely related to my aforementioned pregnancy mood swings, but regardless of the underlying reason, that's what this post is dedicated to. So without further ado, I now interrupt your regularly scheduled Baby Mama Chronicles with an airing of my grievances. Any similarities to actual moronic persons is completely intentional.

Grievance #1) Sometimes as adults, we come to a point in our lives when we choose to no longer be friends with certain individuals or groups of people. It may be due to disagreements, lifestyle differences or simply growing apart . There is no reason why situations like this can't be handled in an adult-like manner. Acting like a 14 year old PMS'ing high school bitch does not change the situation or make you look good. When you bad mouth the person to others and continue to stalk them 8 months after the friendship has ended, you are not only wasting your time, but you look like a giant pathetic douche. Call me crazy, but I'd prefer to take the more productive, mature route and move on with my life, look back fondly upon the good memories that took place with the person, wish them the best and let bygones be bygones.  Perhaps if some people didn't exert so much negative energy towards others, they'd lead a more fulfilling life. And their business wouldn't be failing miserably. Oops, did I say that out loud? If you don't like me, then don't join my fucking fan club but constantly stirring the pot and making me the center of your world is completely unnecessary.

Grievance #2) I know how the world turns and it's highly unlikely you'll succeed at pulling the wool over my eyes. This goes for friends, acquaintances and potential suitors. If you're fake, phony, and always tell me what I want to hear that's a huge red flag. I don't have the time or energy to play games so don't attempt it. I'm typically not one to bash on guys because truth be told I relate to guys far better than women in many ways. However, I've heard some epic lines of bullshit recently that both annoyed me and made me laugh. Telling me I'm beautiful or amazing does not make up for acting shady and disappearing 50% of the time. If you're interested, you'll make it a priority to talk to me instead of making excuses as to why you can't. Sending me "maintenance texts" every so often to string me along gets you nowhere. I invented that game and you won't win. Bottom line - actions speak louder than words so if you're interested, shut your damn mouth and SHOW me. Don't waste your time with feeding me a line because I won't bite. Mean what you say and say what you mean. I've been around the block a few times and I've seen this behavior a time or two. Don't flatter yourself - you're not THAT good and I will catch on. And when I do, expect to be called out on your bullshit. "Believe none of what men say, and all of what they do."

Grievance #3) If you don't know how to be a good friend, take a hike. I've learned one too many times that someone can be here today and gone tomorrow. If you love me or care about me, show me. Don't assume I'll always be around. I'd much rather have a handful of close friends than 100 half-assed "friends of convenience." People can say what they want about me, and I'm well aware of my faults, but I'm the friend that will be there to help you move, be a shoulder you can cry on, invite you to Thanksgiving when your own family has turned their back on you and go with you to the doctors when you have a scare, among other things. I just expect the same in return. If that's more than you have to give, kindly remove yourself from my life. I believe true friendships can last over long distances and over many years. If I'm gone for 6 months and you can't find the time to  pick up the phone even once or at least return my call, good riddance. I'm one of the busiest people I know and I ALWAYS make time for the people I care about, no matter how near or far they are. I deserve the same in return and I'm no longer settling for anything less.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming. Thank you and have a splendid day! :)

Happy Birthday to Me!

It's my birthday, it's my birthday - woo hoo! Actually this is the first birthday I can ever remember not celebrating the entire month, or at least week.  Last year I spent the day shopping, having lunch and drinks with friends and ending the night with some ever memorable karaoke, (I've posted a picture from last year's festivities). This year it just doesn't seem like I have enough time to set aside a whole week for celebrations. I have more important things to focus on - baby, work, upcoming non-profit events, etc. Regardless of my birthday plans or lack thereof, I can't believe I'm 24 already. It seems like just yesterday I was turning 18. Next year I'll be a quarter century old, man that sounds scary! Guess this year I'll just settle for an evening at home with family and cake, and possibly a girls night this Saturday after my baby shower. Maybe birthdays are overrated after all.

Less than 10 weeks left to go until Dominic makes his debut! I can't believe how fast time is flying by. I still feel great, and I've yet to wear maternity clothes. I'm still wearing my normal clothing, although my jeans are now held together by a hair tie. Physically, my only complaint would be the occasional insomnia. Other than that, I'm still carrying on my life as usual - working away, exercising before bed, going out and doing things when I feel like it. The only notable difference over the past couple weeks is the mood swings. This has been a relatively problem free pregnancy, but I did get moody for about 4-5 weeks during the first trimester and I think it's happening again. I've been getting frustrated and annoyed more easily than usual these days. In fact, the only thing that hasn't annoyed me over the past couple weeks is Dominic. Feeling him move or kick always brings a smile to my face no matter what kind of mood I'm in. Here's to hoping everyone else can put up with my grumpy ass over the next 10 weeks without locking me in a cage!

Still making progress by leaps and bounds for both businesses. Not quite where I want or need to be just yet, but everyday I see notable changes that keep me moving forward.  I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel, which is better than where I was 3 months ago! I've started looking more seriously into moving to San Diego. My goal is to move out of NY by spring, so now is as good a time as any to start checking out apartments and office space. At the very least, my search has given me an idea of what's out there and gives me something to look forward to. I'm excited to see where my little man and I will be in 6 months! "Success doesn't come to you. You go to it."

I'm Baaack!

As you may have noticed, I took a bit of a hiatus from posting this week. I had a million things going on and no time or motivation to post by the time I was done with everything at the end of the day. I finally feel like I'm back on track after today. The last half of this week I had horrible insomnia which led to me being relatively useless and not as productive as I'd have liked. I get cranky when I go three days without sleep. But I got caught up on my sleep last night and now I'm back in the game!

Finally scheduled the tour of the maternity ward at the hospital and got my baby shower invitations out (well, all but 5 of them that need to go out Monday). Sometimes I'm such a procrastinator. The shower is next Saturday - how exciting! I can't wait to see how it all comes together. My 24th birthday is this Tuesday, so I'll probably also celebrate my birthday on Saturday after the shower. Hopefully I'll be able to make a trip to the casino with the girls. Then on Sunday, I'm having my TT's Attic fall boutique sale and fundraiser. The goal is to get rid of as much inventory as possible so I can put the money into the plans for the completely revamped TT's Attic, and also to raise money for my Out of the Darkness team. If you're in the central NY area, please stop by and help us raise money for a good cause!

Had a 30 week checkup yesterday and according to doc, Dominic still looks/sounds great. His heartbeat is strong and steady. And I didn't gain any weight since my last appointment two weeks ago, so I definitely can't complain about that!

I think I've started nesting. I used to think nesting was a made up thing that pregnant women conjured up. But starting about a week ago, I suddenly started to feel very pressured to get everything done. I feel almost as if I'm working under a deadline that wasn't there before. I feel pressure to get business ramped up, I feel pressure to get everything in Dominic's nursery arranged perfectly, I feel pressure to finish the remaining things on my "to do" list. Barring an early arrival, I have 10 weeks left and still a ton of stuff to do.  Here's to hoping I can get it all done and not lose my mind in the process. Before I know it, I'll no longer be an expectant mama, but instead a proud mama. I can't wait to see my little man and I just want everything to be perfect!

“Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.”

Another Crazy Weekend For Baby Mama...

So I took a much needed weekend off from work yet somehow still ended up being crazy busy.  There are never enough hours in the day - where does the time go!? Over the weekend I went and supported my uncle and grandfather at the Republican Committee pig roast and was able to (almost) finish Dominic's baby shower invitations. All in all, I'd consider it a pretty successful weekend. I was going to order the shower invitations custom made to match the skull decorations and theme, but I procrastinated so long that I wouldn't have had time to order them and send them out in time before the shower. I thought handwritten baby shower invitations bought at the store just seemed tacky and cheap, so I custom made each invitation using card stock, velum and ribbon. They didn't turn out too bad! The project was time consuming, but I only have a few finishing touches left to make and then I should be able to get them out by Monday or Tuesday. Woo hoo for checking one more item off the "to do" list!


Dominic gave me a bit of a scare yesterday. I'm well aware that I've already become a paranoid, overprotective mama but I can't help it! My baby doctor told me to start counting his kicks twice a day starting at 28 weeks. Normally I haven no problem counting the kicks as Dominic is usually very active. But yesterday he decided to take an extra long snooze for about 12 hours and made me a wee bit stressed out. I tried drinking cold liquids, hot liquids, laying on my side, eating candy to give him a bit of sugar and nothing worked. Finally I hopped on my mini stair stepper for about 15 minutes as a last ditch effort before I went to bed, and he woke right up. So there I was, finally ready for bed after stressing out all day, and he was ready to play! I laid awake in my bed for about 2-3 hours after that just feeling him kick. I'm sure if anyone had been able to hear me they would have thought I was insane - laying in my room alone at 1 AM, laughing out loud every time Dominic kicked and talking to my belly. I never thought I'd see the day when I started acting like my overprotective mother, but I think it is happening. Someone save me! (Love you Mom! ) "Making the decision to have a child is momentous.  It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."

Just Another One of My Rants...

I debated internally as to whether or not I should post this, but per usual I said, "what the hell, why not?" I'm sure this post will likely piss off at least one or two people, but that's nothing new. In talking to a friend last week, I realized just how much I despise lazy people. Not that I didn't know before, but it really kinda dawned on me during the conversation that lazy people absolutely disgust me. Especially lazy pregnant women. Now before anyone gets all worked up, I understand pregnant women need to reduce stress and get rest during pregnancy (myself included). And this obviously doesn't apply to women who have a valid medical reason for being on bed rest.  However, in most situations, carrying a child doesn't give anyone the right to turn into a useless pile of crap for 9 months. There is absolutely no reason why pregnant women can't continue on with normal lives, work, run errands, socialize with friends and do most of the activities they did pre-pregnancy. I also feel the same way about pregnant women who think it's okay to just eat fried grease for 9 months because they are "pregnant not fat." You all know the type of person I'm talking about. The same pregnant girl who can't lift a finger around the house because she is "with child." Don't get me wrong, I love my chocolate cake as much as the next pregnant girl and I've never dieted in my life, but use some common sense and make good choices for your child. Turning into a heffer is NOT a prerequisite for child birth.  My point is, some people take the whole "I'm pregnant" excuse to an extreme. In my opinion, it's pregnant women like I just described that give pregnant women everywhere a bad name. Pregnancy is a wonderful, beautiful thing, yada yada yada but it shouldn't make anyone feel entitled to act like a raging lazy moron. Bottom line, if you can't get off your ass and make healthy choices and stay active during pregnancy, how the hell are you going to do it for your child once he or she is here? Something to think about...
"Human nature is above all things lazy."

He's a Growing Machine

Maybe I'm just crazy, but it feels like my child has doubled in size and strength over the last week. What were once small subtle movements at random intervals throughout the day, are now powerful kicks and punches all day (and night) long. He just loves to kick me in the ribs. I can only imagine what these movements are going to feel like as he continues to grow. With just over 11 weeks left, this shit is about to get real!

I took the advice of a few friends and signed up for some "mommy" meetup groups last week. It will give me a chance to socialize with other people while I'm here, and bring Dominic on little play dates once he's born. How exciting! I plan on meeting with the group coordinator next week, and hopefully it will be just what I was looking for.

I'm making some progress on my "to do" list. I finished the book about Talese that I wanted to make for Dominic, now I just need to finish working on the book about my step dad Steve. And I still need to schedule the hospital tour, my prenatal yoga classes and send out my baby shower invites. But I'm making progress so that's a plus. One day at a time...

I've finally given in and decided to hire some contractors to do some "busy work" aka menial tasks for me. If only I had enough faith in other people to allow anyone to do some of my more time consuming, difficult tasks I'd be golden. I suppose I'll evaluate how the contractors do with the easy tasks and take it from there. It's a step forward towards achieving my ever-increasing goals at least. I may not go about business (or anything in my life) the conventional way, but I always end up getting what I want and that's what matters. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not going anywhere and success is my ONLY option! "Unless you're willing to have a go, fail miserably, and have another go, success won't happen."

I'm Having a Baby!

Oh my God, I'm having a baby! Not that that wasn't obvious or anything. It's just started to hit me a bit more the past few weeks. As my belly keeps growing and Dominic keeps getting stronger, it's becoming much more apparent that I'm carrying a tiny human around. I actually had a hard time painting my toenails this morning. When the hell did that happen!? My belly isn't that big in comparison to other women as far along as I am, but with a 2 pound child lodged in my mid-section, bending down still proves to be challenge. It's a good thing I'm flexible and can lift my legs up to shave them, otherwise I'd be in bad shape. Now accepting applications for personal assistants to paint my toenails and buckle my sandals. Any takers?

I actually ended up having a good time on Friday when I volunteered for the Susan G. Komen breast cancer prevention booth at the fair. The other volunteers were around my age and seemed to have quite a bit in common with me. Perhaps I was wrong - maybe there are some decent people around here. There is hope for my social life yet! It was also nice to hear some of the inspiring stories from people who have beat cancer, and to hear some of the reasons behind why other people volunteer. It makes me happy to know there are good people left in the world, no matter how few and far between they might be. "A fellow who does things that count, doesn't usually stop to count them."

In other good news, my mastiff Trixie went to her new home today! I miss her so much, but I'm just glad she went to a good home where I will still be able to visit her. Thanks again to my good friend, Eric Ray, for getting me in touch with his sister who happened to be looking for a big dog. Trixie's new owners sent me over a couple pictures earlier today and she's still so damn cute! I hope she likes her new home and that everyone loves her as much as I do.

<3 Talese Turner <3 10/28/76 - 09/04/10
"There Is Always Hope"

Hello September!

Wow, I can't believe how fast the summer flew by. But for once, I'm actually looking forward to fall and even winter. Call me crazy, but I think it mostly has to do with my increasing excitement about meeting Dominic. He's getting SO big and his kicks/movements have become much more pronounced in the last couple weeks. We had our 28 week checkup yesterday and they said everything still looks/sounds great! Lets just hope Dominic turns into a head down position within the coming weeks, as he is laying sideways right now. It's still hard to imagine that in the coming months I'll be holding a child of my own. Time to get the last items on my "to do" list done so I'm not stressing out when the time comes to deliver Dominic. The chair I was planning to reupholster doesn't fit in the room with his other baby furniture. I guess for now I'll leave it in the garage and hopefully when we move in the spring, I can find a place with a bigger nursery for him.

Tonight I'm volunteering at the Susan G. Komen "For the Cure" breast cancer awareness booth at the NY state fair for 4 hours. Hopefully I'll be able to meet and network with some other great people! If you're going to the fair tonight stop on by and say hello from 6 to 10 PM.

My birthday is also this month, on September 20th. I can't believe I'm going to be 24 already. I feel so damn old! Can't I just stay this age forever? Getting old scares me. Ah well, you're as young as you feel I suppose and right now I feel fantastic! I think perhaps a trip to the casino is in order for my birthday festivities. It won't be quite the same without the cigars and Jack Daniels, but I'll take it. Oh how I love me some craps and blackjack...

My week "off" was relatively insightful. I came up with some great ideas for the businesses on top of the few things I already had in the works. It's going to take time but I know there's tons of potential. My biggest problem is I really really need help. Even if I didn't sleep at all ever, there aren't enough hours in the day for me to physically do everything that needs to be done. Time to start searching more seriously for some employees, freelancers and even investors. Hopefully by getting out and socializing a bit more, I will meet people who might be able to help in one way or another. Because half the battle with any business is knowing the right people. I still have a lot to learn and a long way to go in reaching my goals but what I do know is I'm making progress everyday, I'm still not giving up, these businesses are going to be HUGE and no one is going to see me coming! “All progress occurs because people dare to be different.”