Time sure does fly.

​So it's been now about 1.5 weeks since I've been back in Seattle, after being away for about 5+ months living in San Francisco working out the the 500 Startups accelerator for GiftStarter.  As a company, we're just not the hardcore city people - so San Francisco was great in so many ways, but just not who we are.  We embraced the concrete and tall buildings for several months.  We loved the weekly field trips to Palo Alto or Mountain View, just for a chance to breathe non-city air and see some green.  Nonstop hustle pushed us along in the startup grind, some from the manic energy of the city, the push of energy of the startup community, and having to juggle working on a startup company and balance it with the accelerator commitments.  From the time we wake up to the time we sleep, it was nonstop GiftStarter.  To/from the office in SoMa. The Uber drivers that refused to take me on my trip made me so mad.  SanFran has a major homeless challenge on its hands.  The traffic is crazy, especially when there's a conference in town (which happens often). ...  Then, there was Jin Mi, a gem of a Korean restaurant we went to at least 1-2 times a week (it's that good.)

We all left San Francisco a couple weeks ago and landed back in lives outside the hustle and bustle of the city.  For me, it was like landing in a warm blanket of love --- Seattle, the green trees, the moisture in the air, the lake by our house, home cooking (!!!!!!!!), sleeping in my own bed, seeing my dog (!!!), seeing my husband, ...   Having access to our printer, a desk to make handmade cards.  Caught up on finances and accounting.  Access to my own food that I prefer any time of the day.  The team went heads down into product, growth, the business of taking care of our company.  We experience a little bit of anxiety as we landed from being separated after being in the heightened sense of constant angst while in SF.  Now it's getting used to being in a state of calm focus.  Yes.  Calm + focus.  

A big baby ball of love.  Thank goodness for family and friends.  Until last week, the only thing we had ready for Lentil was a pair of cute baby Converse shoes.  Now, a BFF from LA is helping with the Baby Shower.  There's a baby registry (GiftStarter!).  We got tons of hand-me-down baby clothes.  He's got a car seat and baby monitor already.  Friends are reaching out with all kinds of advice.  As a soon-to-be first time mom, there's SO MANY resources out there... AND at the same time, there's NO CENTRAL resource out there.  I'm reading the Baby Center, What to Expect, the Bump, ... Google.  I just learned about the CricketCircle.  I have my friends that had babies a year ago....  questions about what laundry detergent, should I get a breast pump now or later, doula or not, what doula, hospital bag, to have a crib or not, ... there are so many decisions to make....  

And Baby Lentil is doing great.  Head is down already.  He's got a steady heartbeat.  He likes to kick over on my right side underneath my ribs - so sitting gets to be awkward.  Our favorite positions are for me to be leaning back surrounded by pillows with laptop on my lap, or on my side.  No other worries - we eat everything and are eating really well.  

--Arry

Little Lentil.  Our baby boy.  ... Now officially a baby ball of love shifting in my abdoment, day and night.  At first, when he moved (was about 16-17 weeks when I first felt him), it felt like a little sparrow splashing in a puddle or like a little gold fish swimming around in there.  Now....  Lentil feels like a... baby.  It's weird.  A real baby is in there!?  His butt sticks out every once in awhile - he will shift from the left side to the right side and back.  If I lay on my left side, he'll also adjust himself to a comfortable position in there.  I roll onto my right side, and he shortly will adjust.  He hates it when I sit up straight or slouch forward towards my computer.  We both hate car rides and seat belts. ...  I've learned quite a bit about pregnancy so far, though my perspective may be different than other pregnant moms...  I don't know.  With less than 8 weeks to go, we haven't done anything yet at home to get ready for Lentil (mostly because I've had my nose in the startup grind living away in temporary housing and hotels the past several months in San Francisco).

10 Bits I've Learned in my version of being a pregnant woman:

1. First, that the process of creating new life, is a miracle.  A blessing.  It is jaw-dropping humbling of an experience.  For us, my husband and I, after miscarriages, we are at our knees in humility and gratitude for our Lentil miracle.
2. The mother-hood instincts kick in as soon as you think you might be pregnant.  I stopped all drinking and intake of unnecessary nonhelpful substances.  Cold turkey on coffee.  No more cocktails.  Religious about taking prenatal vitamins.  I track what I consume every day to make sure I have a nice variety of nutrients.
3. There's a sense of horror and delight at watching my belly grow.  I go through... "no way.....", to "OMG! He's such a cutie lil ball in there." ...  I love sharing the process of leveling up with my doting husband and family.
4. I'm ultimately creative and frugal with my clothing now.  I'm down to a rotation of 10 articles of clothing in a constant mix-n-match rotation now.  Normally, I think I'd be horrified at the lack of diversity in my wardrobe as it is today - pregnant me is generally happy as a clam.  All I care about is looking somewhat cute and being comfortable.  There are 2 pairs of flat shoes in rotation now.
5. Hygiene is a ritual.  Flossing teeth,  Brushing teeth.  Keeping the fast growing nails trim.  
6. Men are maybe a bit MORE excited than women about me being pregnant.  I was really surprised by this.  Construction workers on the street coming up and asking if I'm carrying a boy.  People giving up seats on the train.  Strangers grabbing my luggage for me when the plane lands without me even asking.  Colleagues at 500 Startups asking me if they can ask me questions about the pregnancy, touch my belly, ... the curiosity.  Actually, the best is the extra treats everyone gives me in the form of chocolates, cookies at the accelerator.  
7. A sense of camaraderie that's suddenly there with other women who are moms.  Like they understand....  The Uber driver this morning telling me to take it easy as she helped me in and out of the car.  Asking me how I'm feeling.  Offering tips on what belly lotion to buy.  It's incredible.
8. My family, particularly my husband and in-laws, treat me like a princess.  No... actually that's not that much different than when I wasn't pregnant - they've always treated me so lovingly.  It's just MORE now.  
9. Running a startup and being in an accelerator, I don't feel disadvantaged.  I do notice the acknowledgement.  I don't necessarily notice any disadvantage because I am pregnant.  I can share more on this in another post.
10. I love this child already.  Before it was instinct and duty kicking into gear.  The third trimester has been different... I am for sure in more pain, my belly aches, my back aches like no other.  I snore like a broken Harley Davidson.  Everything's swollen....  What's different is that I actually feel a sense of love for Lentil.  Just love and excitement for him.  I love this baby ball....  I don't love being pregnant - however, I can see myself missing the baby ball being with me 24x7 when he finally has his exit into the world.

xo,
Arry