Super Syd!

Here she is! Our gorgeous little baby Sydnie Jolene Nelson. She's already a month old, born on 9-21-2011. She weighed 6 lbs, 9 oz and was nearly 21 inches long. At our one month doctor visit, she weighed 8 lbs, 13 oz, so she's growing well...as you can see in the progression of pictures. We are predictably, blissfully in love with baby girl. She's an angel, sometimes sleeping 6-7 hours at night. We are spoiled, but so is she!

Paco puts the smack down

Now that our ambitious Dr. Nelson has begun his residency, he's more official than just an intern, however, he's still the new guy and subject to abuse. Por ejemplo: he spent the month of August up at Westchester Medical Hospital Center in Valhalla. The chief resident put him on call two days in a row, and then every third day/ night for the entire month. Its a high trauma month, meaning they get extreme cases from all over the county, nearly 24-7. Consequently, he didn't get much sleep and was logging nearly 100 hours a week. Working over 80 hours as a resident is against the law, so he was basically set up to fail, no matter what he did. He agonized over the situation all month. Should he lie about the hours? He'd done some of that at Brooklyn and at St. Luke's, but the difference was how much the chief resident cared about him... and the fact that he was hoping to get into those other programs, thus more likely to take hits for the team. At Westchester, the chief brazenly didn't put himself or the other chief resident on the schedule. At all. By dumping most everything on Peter, and not seeming to care, the chief had clearly communicated his interest in cruising through his final year by abusing the underlings. Peter, though, was pushed to the edge, and finally said something to the program director (who was unaware of the situation b/c he works down in the city full time and doesn't provide much oversight up in Valhalla). Everybody had to report their hours personally to the director and he had to approve the upcoming months' schedule. Mission accomplished. Feathers were ruffled, but Peter remained unmoved and happy with his choice. Oversight will increase and the other underlings (called GPR's = General Practice Residents = basically ppl just out of dental school who have to do one year in a hospital to get their dental license in NY) received a copy of the law from Peter to prevent future abuse. When the chief finally stopped giving him the silent treatment and the stink eye, Peter asked him, "are you mad at me, or are you mad at yourself?" Ouch. Someone got SPANKED!
Isn't it disturbing to think that there are senior residents with years of experience trying to get out of working (ie. attending to vulnerable patients with oral/ jaw problems) by passing it all on to the new, inexperienced residents? Wow, this whole world is changing my paradigm on healthcare.

Anything Goes

Ah, the price we pay for cheap theatre tickets.

Yesterday morning, I got up at 5:30am, took the 6:03 train to Grand Central Terminal, walked to the Steven Sondheim theatre (4 blocks) , and got in line (6:49am). I was the 2nd arrival and the girl ahead of me got there at 6:30am. Yikes! Another girl joined us at 7:05am, and others trickled in over the next couple of hours. By 9am there were 25 people. At 9:30am a guy came out and announced that there were only 9 "rush" tickets. That means that only a handful of us early arrivals were getting tickets. Yippee! At 10am when the box office opened, I bought my two for $30 each. Last row on the upper level. I texted my friend Sara, told her we were on and went to work. Exhausted. Seriously, what was I thinking!? 7 months pregnant and my feet ached. It was hot and humid morning, and I didn't get much sitting or walking time while in line - mostly just standing. Ugh. Oh well, my energy recovered as the day went on and by 6pm, I was excited about the show. Met Sara for a quick salad and the show started at 7pm.

Anything Goes was excellent. No wonder it won the TONY for best revival. Sutton Foster is extremely talented - her dancing, singing and acting were all superb. Joel Gray was darling and so funny! The tap dancing numbers were explosive. "Blow, Gabriel, Blow!" When we got out at 9:40pm-ish, I ran to the train station to catch the 10pm train to Yonkers. What a day! I do not regret the "price" I paid to see this show, esp knowing that when Sydnie comes, my ability to do things like that will be limited!

"Very Passionate about Ward Clerkdom"

So, the new ward clerk says to the outgoing ward clerk: "What was the name of that former clerk you were talking about who had the great system of keeping track of things? I'd love to talk with him about some ideas." To which the old wark clerk responds: "His name is Peter Nelson. He just moved to Yonkers. He is a super friendly guy and very passionate about ward clerkdom, so I think he would love to explain his system to you." Awww.... ain't it the truth. Thats our Paco! [The above quotes were taken directly from an email exchange].
Peter and I moved out of a very large ward in Manhattan to a very small branch in Westchester county. On a good Sunday, there are 30-40 people at church. In RS, we have about 8-9 sisters total, including the presidency. We combine with EQ regularly for the third hour, about 50% of the time. We haven't gotten callings yet, but we're speaking in two weeks. This will be a new and different adventure for sure. And if Peter finagles correctly, he may get to employ his passion for ward clerkdom in our new branch. And that, for Paco, would be "livin' the dream."

Pictured here, he is taking a break from oral surgery & clerkdom to enjoy the park adjacent to our old digs.

Over-advertising

Friday, August 5, 2011
Dear Great Courses Customer Service Department:
Last year, I made one purchase from your company and since then, I have been inundated with marketing & advertising materials. I am happy with my product, and I like and appreciate what your company is all about.
However, I think you should know that the excessive amount of advertising I have received literally pains me – as it wastes paper and cheapens your products. It saddens me to see so much paper being wasted and the environmental consequences. Further, there’s a desperation communicated in the repeated outreaches to “capture” me back as a customer. I would have much more respect for your company and your products if I received significantly less advertising. Again, its excessive, desperate, wasteful and repulsive. Your over-advertising has turned me off to your company and your products, rather than the effect I’m sure you’d wish it to have. In all honesty, at this point, the more you advertise to me, the less likely I am willing to purchase anything.
Kindly note my request to be removed from your mailing lists, your email lists, and any other list I may be currently on (niche/ marketing/ target individuals, etc). I know where and how to find your products and will reach out to you on my terms when I am ready and interested in making any further purchases.
Best Regards,
Allison Nelson

Blueberry Picking in CT

Went blueberry picking at a farm in CT last weekend. Peter was on call all day Saturday and he had to stay at the hospital the whole day, so I figured.... play date w/ girls! It was a 2 hour drive north. I was on "Laela duty" in the back seat; I got to entertain 11 month old Laela, the daughter of my friend Kamilah. I think you'll agree with me that she's beyond adorable.

We leisurely picked for 3 hours. Sarah got 20 pounds; Kamilah and I picked 10 pounds each. $2.50/lb. Not bad. We snacked a few as we went along... they were big, fat and fresh. Peter was in heaven when he opened the fridge and saw the box waiting for him.

I think its going to become an annual tradition!

Cause We Don't Play

Moving is one of the most stressful things a person can do. Peter and I have moved five times in our first six years of marriage!? Yeah... the only good thing about moving is that one must purge one's things and thoroughly clean one's environment. And sometimes things go smoother than others. This last time around was a doozy.
All the things that went wrong:
1. Our realtor was 2 hours and 11 minutes late for the appointment to get the keys on the Friday night before the move. Excuse me!?
2. Our movers were two hours late late b/c their truck broke down on moving day
3. B/c our movers were late, we surpassed the 5pm deadline for using the elevators in the new building
4. The Board President came by to introduce herself at 6:11 pm and threatened/ promised that we would be fined $1,000 for surpassing the elevator deadline of 5pm... b/c as she said, "cuz we don't play." Whatever that means. We'll be quoting her for months and laughing through our tears.
5. The moving company required a payment of cash only (how did we miss that?!) and we had to make a desperate, last minute trip to the ATM, only to be rejected by our daily maximum allowance. We had to talk them into taking a personal check
6. There was no fridge in the apartment, although we'd been asking about it for a few weeks
7. We iced our condiments in the cooler for three days until the fridge finally arrived, which is a little bit embarrassing. And then we threw them out anyway because, well, EEWWWWW...
8. We discovered that neither bathroom has a single electrical outlet, a fact that that seems impossible to have overlooked in retrospect...
9. The ceiling fan in our bedroom has no switch, no remote or no little pully thingy.... Mgmt says this is not their responsibility
10. The oven was dirty; we're required to have 80% of our awesome wood floors covered with "carpet" asap; and the man above us moans every 75 seconds as if he's being tortured or has fallen off the bed and can't get up (ear plugs are the best way to survive the nights). Its tragic, but we've heard someone conversing with him (a nurse?), so we know he's not alone.
Apart from the above mentioned items, this apartment is big and beautiful and we LOVE it. Our address is iconic NY: We live on Bronx River Road in Yonkers, NY. We have two bedrooms and will have a nice nursery for baby Sydnie come October. And about that $1,000. We are so not paying it. We will fight back. And we will win. Cuz, seriously lady, we don't play.
Pictures coming soon!!!

Baby Products - Necessary or Superfluous?

Hello to my handful of readers out there. If you're a mom, can you provide some baby product advice? Peter and I will begin acquiring baby stuff next month when we're in our new place. What was/is a must have for you? What is superfluous/ unnecessary? What do you swear by - best product ever? What did you never use and took up too much space? Recommendations, please!

Father's Day & Baby Kicks

Peter got to feel the baby kicking for the first time last night. On Father's Day. She was pretty active as I was ready to fall asleep, so he got to feel her fight! Very cool and very surreal.
Peter started his residency orientation TODAY for New York Medical College (comprising Westchester Community Hospital in Valhalla & Metropolitan Hospital on the upper E side of Manhattan). He'll split his time between these two hospitals for the next four years, which is why we're moving to YAWN-CUZ (Yonkers), smack dab in the middle. This past weekend was his very last working/ "on call" for St. Lukes - Roosevelt. YAY! Big day for us.
Probably even bigger than Father's Day because the residency is real and the baby still seems like a dream.
Reminiscing...I'm grateful for an exceptional father who always played with us and taught us the value of hard work. He worked hard, but he played hard too, so we had an excellent example to follow. My dad was always the "cool" dad at the community swimming pool, throwing us around and off his hands, etc. He also built us bikes and took us on adventures. He always took the time to play board games with us and to talk about our problems. I remember many fun daddy-daughter dates growing up. I am extremely blessed. Pictured here is my dad 'n me on his May 2011 visit to NYC. Can't wait to see Peter as a daddy!

BELLY!

Here's me at 22 weeks along (blue shirt with pink shoes); 23 weeks (Brown sweater/pants with pink shirt), and 24 weeks (Red stripes/ black). So far I've gained 16 pounds. Yikes! Not over the target weight but we havent even hit the last trimester and my appetite is growing. Today I ate an entire footlong from Subway with Doritos!!! YUMMY.

Memorial Day Weekend 2011

Saturday was our marathon apartment hunting expedition. We left the house at 7:30am, had our car serviced and washed, got new keys made, and spent hours exploring neighborhoods in the E Yonkers/ Mt Vernon areas. It was exhausting and we only viewed 5 apartments! Finally, at 7:00m, a realtor called us as we were almost home. He offered to show us an apartment at 8pm, and we reluctantly agreed, not wanting to drive back up north. Ugh. We were glad we did, though, because this was the best apartment yet. We actually started the application process and hope our searching is over.
Sunday we went to a ward in New Rochelle (N/E of the city) to meet with members and ask questions. Our prayers were answered, as the first lady we met was extremely helpful and let us quiz her for nearly 40 minutes. Turns out she was on Primary bathroom duty, so she was fine to be a hall monitor and talk with us. We observed the Sabbath and had a restful afternoon, finishing off the evening with Root Beer floats and a card game with our neighbors.
Monday we relaxed and had my definition of a perfect day off:
Slept in, mopped the floors, went biking along Riverside Drive with Peter on his roller blades, explored the Hi-Line Park (a new park created from an old railroad station - last used in 1980), dined in Chelsea Market, got sun-burned, enjoyed the outdoors, konked out for a nap while reading an excellent book, went maternity clothes shopping and spent too much money, ate Mahi mahi burgers and watched a movie with Peter. A perfect holiday!

I Heart Hondas

Paco bought us a car last weekend. Its a 2002 Honda Accord, 4-door, 61K miles, black with gray leather interior for the mere price of $8,000. We were told that parking is much easier after Columbia's graduation in mid-May when many of the students leave, so we waited until then. Although Peter did spend an hour the first night trying to find a parking space when he first brought it home, we are hoping that it won't always take so long. We have to move it twice a week for street cleaning (either M-Th or T-F) around noon, so luckily Peter works close by and can do this on his lunch break. We need the car to go apartment hunting in Westchester county. We'll be glad to get out of the city to bypass the tedious parking situation! I never even saw the car before he bought it, just heard the specs and saw the pics. I've owned two Hondas, so I knew that it was a quality investment. Paco took care of the insurance, registration and licensing. I heart Paco!

Christie Brinkley starring in Chicago and/or why I regret my decison to go see this show

I should listen to my gut more often. Not pregnancy cravings, although I am really digging on chocolate/yogurt pretzels these days, but my gut reaction on how something is going to turn out. Take Christie Brinkley starring in the Broadway Musical Chicago, for instance. She's not a vocalist or an actress, I knew that; she is a supermodel. So I knew that her voice and her acting would be mediocre before I even went to the show. And I was right. Grrr... it reminded me of how I felt watching Pierce Brosnan starring in Mamma Mia! the movie and having a SOLO as a non-vocalist. It was absurd and awful to say the least. If you saw it you know what I mean. Ridiclous. A slap in the face to talented singers who may not have as much box office appeal as pretty boy Pierce. So, its obvious that CB was used for the same tactic - marquee power, name recognition, etc. Whatever, it is what it is, enough of that. My even bigger regret is having gone to the show at all. I never saw the movie, aiming to stay away from the lewd dancing and celebration of crime and adultery, and yes, I considered myself somewhat pious for doing so all these years. In a moment of what we'll call weakness my curiousity got the best of me and with a friend in town and Anything Goes not available at the discount box office (TKTS), we voted on Chicago. Yeah, again my "gut" and/or what we know as a conscience and the Spirit told me that it would be exactly that - lewd and not uplifting. Sure, great music, great acting, great choreography, funny story, feathers and fluff, but the point is that I knew that going in it would somewhat disappointing. $85 dollars later...

The next morning we had Stake Conference and Elder Eyring spoke about going to the temple more often to truly progress toward perfection. He referenced the commandment to "deny yourselves of all ungodliness" and it hit me like a ton of bricks. My friend and I didn't take the time to go to the temple this past weekend but we did find the time to see Chicago. Ungodly? Somewhat. Pretty much. My priorities need to shift and I need to work of self-mastery and developing an appetite for spiritual things and suppressing the appetite for worldliness. Just my own personal impressions of course. And not to blow this into something bigger than it was - just a mediocre performance and a reminder that our time on earth is precious so why am I not making better use of mine? We should have gone to see Rock of Ages after we'd gone to the temple. Then my weekend would have been more satisfying.

Its a Girl!

We had the anatomy ultrasound this morning and they confirmed the gender of our new Nelson baby. Its a girl! Sydnie Jolene, I love you so much already!!! Thanks to a loving Heavenly Father for this gift. I've waited a long time for you. Hopefully your brother, Jonah, will be next and coming along shortly. Peter, is of course, disappointed that we aren't having a "man child"... just kidding.

Christianity is not for Pansies and/or my reaction to Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking recently proclaimed that heaven doesn't exist, and that its essentially is a "fairy story for people afraid of the dark."
Well, its pretty obvious to us believers that such ignorant comments are misguided. SH clearly has no experience with the Holy Ghost and with the grueling path along the straight and narrow. While there are many religions out there and some are fluffier than others, I speak to the consecrated Christian experience, which I have found to be hard core! For people truly interested in following the Master, it can be an intense exercise in self-discipline, self-mastery, sacrifice, toil, agony, patience, charity, etc, etc. Have you ever tried suffering LONG and then being kind to your tormenters? Turning the other cheek? Forgiving someone seventy times seven? Praying for your enemies? Trusting God enough to show willingness to sacrifice your own son (Abraham as hero)? Refusing to curse God despite what he takes from you (Job as hero)? This stuff is not for pansies. Au contraire mon frere!
Consider the profundities of the below quotes by Neal A. Maxwell:
1. “It is one of the great ironies of human history that some mortals with incorrect understanding of God and life's purposes sometimes scold God because of the abundance of human misery and sufferingwhich, indeed, lies all about us. Such individuals almost dare God to demonstrate His existence by straightening things outand at once But He is a much different kind of Father than that. Surely it is requisite to eternal life that we come to know God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent (see John 173).”
2. “We should not assume however, that just because something is unexplainable by us, it is unexplainable.”
3. “Some find it easier to bend their knees than their minds. Exciting exploration is preferred to plodding implementation speculation seems more fun than consecration, and so is trying to soften the hard doctrines instead of submitting to them. Worse still, by not obeying, these ... lack real knowing. Lacking real knowing, they cannot defend their faith and may become critics instead of defenders”
4. “How could there be refining fires without our enduring some heat”
5. “At times Gods best pupils experience the most rigorous and continuous courses. Eventually those who prove to be men of Christ will thereby become distinguished alumni of lifes school of affliction, graduating with honors.”
My experience with Christianity has been that consecration and sanctification often require periods of darkness, when God tests our faith and patience (see Mosiah 21:23). Further, He requires a willing heart, all of our resources - temporally and spiritually - and He will have a humble people. All of this stuff goes against the natural man, so its no picnic for those who sincerely welcome chastisement and correction. We surely didn't invent the idea of heaven to make us feel better. The more uncomfortable we are right now, the more progress is probably being made. Just sayin'...

A Nightmare of Sorts

I've had a personality conflict with a co-worker for a while now, and we have a good altercation every other month, at least. The only times we don't altercate are when I am submissive, obedient and obsequious to her tyrannical wishes. Well, sometimes the snark in me just comes out and I dare to discuss something with her (a petty injustice), to which she becomes belligerent and it goes from there.

After said exchange this morning, here's the email I sent to my "bosses":

My apologies for the altercation of sorts this morning in our department. I understand your frustration that there is sometimes conflict between us, and I know that the bottom line is that this doesn’t affect work/ production from our department or at Prisma.

I feel that I should express my point of view for your reference.

TK has a naturally domineering personality and she likes to be in charge. I’m okay being a follower and most of the time we do have a peaceful working relationship.

L's strategy is to let everything go and to perpetually submit to TK’s stronger personality. I find that when I submit to doing everything this way then there is peace, but its not practical or sustainable. I have leadership qualities and opinions, and I think it would be to the benefit of Prisma and all to demonstrate these as appropriate.

One of the recurring triggers for conflict is that TK often feels threatened when I attempt to take a leadership role or bring up real work issues that may implicate her performance in any way. Examples include: when she forgets to take the UPS, if she doesn’t cover certain tasks for me when I’m out of the office, and/or if I send her a reminder about something she becomes hostile or defensive. Most of the time I ignore these oversights because its not a big deal. Conversely, she brings all of these things/ issues up to me and makes me accountable if I forget to do something. She also reminds me of various tasks very often throughout the day/ week. But I feel like I can’t communicate the double standard or she would be angered. I sometimes feel suppressed into silence and compliance to keep the peace with her.

My primary frustration is that TK, although not here five days a week, functions as a virtual boss in our department, although we are all equals. When I attempt to communicate about real work issues she can view these as attacks to her personally. If I just let everything go, submit and let her be in charge, things are fine. I often ask myself, however, is that really a healthy or sustainable working relationship?

I enjoy my job at Prisma and I want to work well with TK. I don’t think she realizes how domineering she can be or how she’s not truly open to criticism or change. I believe that I am open to constructive criticism and positive change, and I welcome your ideas on how I personally can improve.

Thank you,
Allison Nelson
Prisma Capital Partners
One Penn Plaza, suite 3515
New York, NY 10119
212-590-0827
__________________________________________________________
They never got back to me. Just sent a calendar invite for tomorrow morning when we have yet another mediated conversation with the HR gal. If everything goes as it always does, my point of view won't be validated or understood and I will be expected to submit in order to keep the peace. HR hates contention, so they'd rather stick their head in the sand than deal with the liability. Our other co-worker sacrifices all dignity and principle for peace, so I seem like the problem child b/c I actually, occasionally speak up against the repression.
Yes, I lied about enjoying my job. The cash flow is too good to walk away. And I can't believe its me in my own life sometimes. Sheesh. What a nightmare. And I have to keep suckin' it up for five more months until I can take maternity leave.

Polling All Post-Pregnancy People

So, I'm tempted to schedule a C-section instead of trying to deliver naturally, which may inevitably result in a C-section anyway. There are pros and cons to both options, of course. Scheduling would allow me to shower, clean my house, pack my hospital bag, ensure that Peter were present, enable my mom to purchase her plane ticket in advance and even be there for the delivery... naturally, recovery time would be lengthened, I'd feel nauseous after anaesthesia, and I couldn't hold the baby very well for a while. Oh yeah, and they tell me I couldn't drive for a month. Who cares? Mom will be in town to take care of me... hmm.... Going it naturally allows for a quicker recovery time, but I may tear, go through hours of labor pains, get hemorroids, and end up having a C-section anyway. Can you tell which way I'm leaning?
If you've given birth, what are your thoughts? I welcome any and all advice, chiquitas!

The Pete goes to Utah

Peter was able to go to UT last weekend for a plethora of family events: Patrick's graduation from BYU (good job on the MBA Patty!), Nate & Erica's wedding in the SLC temple (apparently Elder Bednar performed the sealing b/c he knows Nate), and Arianne & Ben's baby blessing (Eleanor Coltraine). Peter met Trey & Autumn for the first time (McDonald nephew and niece) and was amused by Trey's antics, esp his stealing of Autumn's binky and sitting on top of her; stayed with Patalie in Provo one night; and generally had a wonderful time reconnecting with everybody. I was sad to miss these significant events, but so happy that he could go.

Three teenage girls, three adult women, one bathroom, five days... = mayhem. It also spells giggles, shopping, exhaustion, FUN, chaos, and slumber party. Peter wisely left for the weekend. In fact, the first night he was around, but he cowboy'd up and spent the night in the "call room" at the hospital. When I asked him how it was he said, "hot and dirty." So, he was a real trooper. Once we got rid of him, the party started.

Party guests included my sister Teri and niece Miranda from CO Springs; my cousin Leann and her two daughters Morgan and Macy from southern central CO (SanLuis Valley). We did it all!

We shopped til we dropped; glammed it up at Sephora; signed up for and won the Wicked lottery (so Miranda and Morgan could see it. Thanks again Macy for so graciously obliging); ate at Planet Hollywood; ran away from crazy people in Times Square; went to the temple to do baptisms; stood in line for four hours to get on the Regis & Kelly show (I was too tired and bowed out, but the girls said it was wonderful); pigged out on NY cheesecake; walked until our feet hurt; saw the Easter Parade on 5th Avenue; relaxed by Harlem Meer in Central Park; saw "Million Dollar Quartet" on Broadway; went to church on Easter Sunday; saw the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island; shopped at Macy's; saw Madison Square Garden and the view from the 35th floor at One Penn Plaza (my workplace); ate pastries in Grand Central Terminal; ate Italian food in Little Italy; spent a lot of time and money in Duane Reade pharmacy (sadly, Teri had a bad cough the entire time); walked up 5th Avenue; discovered H&M; shopped at Macy's; enjoyed the Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn Promenade; happened upon the Easter Parade and enjoyed the random costumes; bought uber amounts of $5 sunglasses, scarves and tee-shirts; avoided most of the rats in the subway; slept little; ate at TOM's RESTAURANT; saw celebreties in the Wax Museum; and gave money to a few street performers with surprising talent and entertainment value.

And now they're gone and I'm having girl withdrawls. But I'm so happy to have the Pete back!

Thanks ladies for a fantastic weekend! I laughed until it hurt and can't wait until we do it again.

Separate vacationers

Peter and I have a "long" history of taking separate vacations. We don't enjoy being apart, but we're both so independent and what with work/ school constraints, its often works out that way. For example, in mid March I went to AZ for a week. He was supposed to come with, but some scheduling conflict at the hospital pushed his vacation to April... when I was working. So, Peter went up to New Hampshire for 7 days to visit sister Amy and family.

In 2008, I went to Italy for seven weeks, practically abandoning Peter that summer. Good thing for Skype and email to keep us connected. Last summer, I went to UT without him for a Nelson Family Reunion because he had to work. I can't count how many trips to AZ I've taken by myself over the past few years... maybe 3 or 4? Next January I hope to spend a month in Arizona with our new baby! I hope Peter can come out mid trip for a week. It'll be his turn for diaper duty and midnight feedings. No, actually we're toying with the idea of blessing our baby in AZ. Maybe at his parents' home in Scottsdale, Sunday afternoon, private party to include both sides of the family? TBD. The important thing is that in the future, we hope to take more vacations together! This is our family goal.

Here are some pics/ highlights of our recent separate vacations:

AZ - March 13-21 (Allison): The weather was perfect (between 76-90 degrees for the high). So, I took long walks daily and went hiking a couple of times. The hike with Wade, Jake and Meredith on Saturday night was the funniest memory (you three know the story). Let's just say that it was a "Super Moon." We went to a Cubs Spring Training game on Tuesday and got a mild sunburn, but you never care when you're eating hotdogs and peanuts. The best part was of course spending time with my family. I got to goosh on Meredith's little guy Quinn daily. He has a growing vocabulary and a friendly "Hi" for everyone he meets; eventually he called me "Alf." He's not quite two. I got to do puzzles with niece Livvy, learn all about nephew Wyatt's video games, and to take walks to the park with Theron. Sadly, I kicked the ball right on nephew Theron's head on one occasion of a kickball gathering, much to the amusement of certain adults and much to the fright and horror to Theron and his mother. Poor little guy. He eventually forgave me. I got to play trains with Weston, relax and sleep in, not to go to work or even thing about it, get a pedicure with the girls, laugh raucously at Olive Garden (just like the commercial), throw the softball with Wade, and chat at length with Mom and Dad. I enjoyed gourmet Italian cooking with fresh salad from Wade's garden; Meredith's homemade cinnamon rolls, Diane's perfect pie crust, and fresh squeezed orange juice from my parents' tree each morning. I relish the memory of telling Chari that I was pregnant, with her big hug and tears of joy. She made the evening so special and memorable.

I enjoyed dining with my father-in-law Steven and getting to see the new house they are purchasing in Scottsdale. Wow! Its huge and unique, there's even a party hut (picture Gilligan's Island) next to the pool in the backyard. I can picture myself throwing many parties here....

I didn't have spare time to see many of my dear AZ friends because I was only there a week and I hadn't seen my family in so long. Therefore, I prioritized family, but next winter, I will be calling all y'all.

(AZ pictures coming soon...)

NH: April 2-8 (Peter): took the Fung-Wah Chinatown bus from NYC and survived; played Barbies with nieces Cope, Brynne and Paige; went running with Amy and Paige (who technically got pushed in the stroller); took Nelson to karate lessons; recited poetry for Amy; had lunch with Gregor and attended the Priesthood Session of General Conference; did yardwork; has snowball fights; worked out at Proctor Academy gym; slept in; ate too much; bonded with Amy and generally had an uber-marvelous time! For a more indepth coverage of Peter's trip, see Makechnie's blog/ link - "A Post, A Toast to Petey."

Boy or Girl?

We may be able to find out if our baby is a girl or a boy on Tuesday, April 19, which is exactly 16 weeks along. If not, we'll have to wait another few weeks. My gut reaction when I took the pregnancy test on February 7 was BOY. Mary agrees. My mom and a close friend JB say its a GIRL. What do you think it is? Guess with me. So far our name choices have progressed to: Sydnie Jolene Nelson - girl; Jonah Patrick Nelson - boy. Course Peter says I'll find out the name at the baby's blessing when he, the MAN, tells everyone what it is. Yeah, bout that...

H.M.S. Pinafore

What, never? No, never! What, never? Well, hardly ever...

Last month, a nice lady was badly bitten by a dog, and ended up in the Emergency Room at St. Luke's Hospital. Peter was on call, so he repaired her face. She liked the said Dr. Nelson, of course, and as the Assistant Director to an upcoming production of Gilbert & Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore, she offered us complimentary tickets as a thank you gift.

I'd never seen it before and was not familiar with the lyrics. Peter, however, grew up with the music because Mother Mary indoctrinated her children with Gilbert & Sullivan. Thus, Peter practically sang along! The show was darling and witty, and really gave a flavor for British humor in the late 19th century (the show first opened in 1878 in London). We had a fabulous time.

It was a gorgeous day in the city, and we walked to and from the theatre (El Teatro of El Museo del Barrio) across the northern swath of Central Park, alongside the Harlem Mier. Purdy!

Peter liked the character "Dick Dead Eye" who wore an eye patch; I liked the songs about the sisters, and the cousins and the aunts. Its a classic. Now I want to see the Mikado and Pirates of Penzance.

I used to say that Peter never took me to musical theatre productions, but the truth is "hardly ever."

Miracles - the REAL News of the Decade

In early February, I was sitting in Sunday School and the lesson was on Christ calling his Apostles as well as a few of his early miracles. My mind sometimes wanders during these lessons, and I was pondering Peter's words to the Savior when asked to let down their nets, yet again, after a feckless night of fishing. Luke 5-"And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
6And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake." For whatever reason, and you will know the reason soon enough, I was overcome with the Spirit, and with peace and comfort. I thought how indeed I could relate to these fishermen! I have been toiling here in NYC at tedious jobs, for a long time now, visiting fertility clinics and adoption agencies, trying to figure out what the heck is going on with my life, and I got nothin' to show for it! AAARGH. And yet, at the Lord's command (His timing), the nets were filled, just as my own personal family "net"work will be filled someday when the Lord wills it. This fleeting moment helped me to let go of anxiety and to feel the Lord's power. It was a beautiful spiritual experience.
The following Tuesday, I finally started wondering why I'd been so tired, nauseous, sore, and cranky for the past couple of weeks... this was new (well, not the cranky part). A random thought struck me and so I took a pregnancy test and boom! There it was - my own personal miracle. I still can't believe it. Its incredible. Every day I'm still in shock. And I'm 12 weeks along as of March 22, thus our baby is due October 4. We weren't even trying (is that TMI?) This is my rescue from the bondage of menial jobs, its my rescue from the bondage of slaving away to pay the NYC rent without feeling real purpose and/or any vision. The Savior is truly the SAVIOUR - he saves us from our own types of bondage in miraculous ways.
So, there you have it. We are so excited and so blessed. We could use your faith and prayers that everything will go smoothly and that we'll have a new, healthy baby Nelson later this year.
What names do you like? We're leaning toward Sydney (girl) and Jonah (boy).

Peter is so flippin' hilarious

My husband does not enjoy giving his opinion on my wardrobe, my hair, my shoes, or my lipstick color. Maybe he feels cornered. Perhaps he doesn't want to offend me. He simply exudes a gushing, flattering response just to get past these types of questions as quickly as possible. For example: "Oh yes, yes, that skirt is sooooo flattering honey!"...with his eyes turned toward the tv... You get the idea.
This morning, I tried a new "do" (which is actually sort of my old "do") by flipping my hair out instead of under in the traditional A-line. My hair is getting long and I'm at that critical decision point, keep growing it out or cut it short again in the A-line. So, I naively thought I'd ask the Pete, since there's no one else around the apartment at 8am... he was dozing on the couch after an early gym visit. "Peter, give me your honest opinion- do you like the flippies or do you prefer it under, like before, in the A-line?" Peter (with one eye opened): "Oh yes, it looks wonderful like that; I love the A-line." ? A: "which one do you like better, A-line or flippies?" P (other eye opened): oh yes, such nice, nice hair!" A: "Nevermind. You don't know what an A-line is, do you Peter?" P: "Hmmm....such nice hair! So pretty!" I had wasted 5 minutes of both of our time.
Then, this afternoon, he sends me a goofy text message: "Did I tell you how beautiful you looked this morning? I mean, how can I slumber when the flippies look so smoking? It revvs my engine, its flippin hot!" I smiled. And laughed. out loud.
The thing with Peter is he just doesn't spend a lot of time on his hair or his clothes and his personal opinion is that "women" shouldn't spend so much time obsessing about their appearances, that we are encumbered about with trivial things. So, he doesn't want to encourage me or others in our vanity. Its not that he doesn't care. And deep down, he knows what I really want more than anything is a good chuckle. This, he delivers everytime.
So, does anyone else think my husband is beyond hilarious? Or is it just me? I'm still laughing.

Swan Lake

Unexpectedly, I got the invitation to attend Swan Lake last night at the Lincoln Center. The gal whose ticket I snagged had a sick baby, so she needed to stay home with him. Poor baby, lucky me! We had 4th tier seats, row N, but the view was still quite good. Girls Night Out! It was a mesmerizing production to say the least. And Peter, the birthday boy? He stayed home to check Facebook and email, responding to all of the birthday wishes. He was content, he says, because he got some indexing done (family history), plus he doesn't like cake.

Visiting Teachers

I'm kinda bugged lately. At my so-called visiting teachers. They never come. They never write. They don't even say hello to me sometimes at RS events or at church. Six weeks ago one of them approached me and apologized for not doing anything with VT, but it was an awkward exchange because I think she almost wanted me to make her feel better for neglecting me and her assignment. "Oh Allison, I'm your VT. And I feel so bad because we haven't ever visited you."
What am I supposed to say to that - "oh, thats okay. Don't worry about it. Don't feel bad...."
The truth is, she should feel bad! Its an important job. Everyone needs a shepherd. I know, I know, I can be an idealist and its hard not to expect that from others. Honestly, I'm a pretty good visiting teacher. I write cards, I visit every other month. I make cookies. I babysit. I say hello at church and RS events and sincerely try to create a caring friendship. I even threw a baby shower for someone I vt'd last year. Sigh....
Part of my frustration is that right now in my life I really need visiting teachers. I'm still relatively new in the ward, I've got no family in the vicinity, I'm not a part of the young mom club (75% of the RS), and I'll be moving soon. It'd be wonderful to feel cared about, overtly included, to have help moving, and to have visitors at least every other month to share a spiritual message. I guess not this time around... my task now is to not resent the situation and to let it go.
Like Peter says, many people suffer from failed perfectionism. They think they have to do something perfectly or they won't do it at all (visiting every month). So, instead of saying hello or dropping me a simple email or a card, they don't do anything. And everytime they see me, they feel guilty and anxious because I'm a reminder of their neglect. As opposed to feeling warmth, friendship and kindness.
My apologies if I sound harsh, critical or judgmental. I just wish my visiting teachers recognized how much I need them. This whole situation is helping me to be aware of the fact that everyone needs visiting teachers and that the program is inspired!!! AARGH!!! or should I say AMEN!
What are your thoughts and experiences with VT?

News of the Decade!

Dr. Nelson has been accepted as a resident into the Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Program at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, NY (about 40 miles north of Manhattan). He begins the program on July 1, 2011, and we will be moving up there towards the end of June. We are thrilled. Peter has paid a very steep price to follow his dream of becoming an oral surgeon. A few of his colleagues have not yet been accepted into OMFS programs even after internships and other similar grunt work as GPR's (general practice residency - one year positions in hospitals as dentists). So, we are very grateful and very blessed. The best part about this whole thing is that 1. Allison gets to quit her job and 2. she gets to own a puppy! Westchester is a more affordable place to live with more wide open spaces. We'll have to buy a car, of course, so its ironic that we just got rid of ours a year ago. After four years of dental school, two years of internship, and the upcoming four years of residency, this is truly the news of the decade! Congratulations Peter on all of your hard work, dedication and persistence. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. :)

The Joy Monster

Last night Peter exclaimed aloud, "this family history indexing is really bringing a lot of joy into my life!" Is that an adorable quotable or what!? He's been online frequently this past month, indexing names and learning everything about his new calling - Family History Coordinator/Supervisor. He has three people he coordinates with, trains, and "supervises," in addition to working with the family history missionaries in our ward. He is planning a training meeting next week, but plans on working one on one with new members or anyone who is interested. His biggest accomplishment to date? Getting ME signed up to index names! I enjoyed it as well, and hope to lend some reconnaissance to deciphering Italian, French and Spanish surnames from the Census. There's even a point system for indexers: so far I have one point and Peter has 300. Thus, he currently has more joy than me. Watch out - as he'll be contacting you soon!

MLK Day

Six years ago on MLK Day, Peter came to AZ to visit me to check out the "love connection," as we'd been emailing for months and hadn't seen each other in almost 5 years. We hiked Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale. It was unseasonably hot - a record temp of 81 degrees (in January!?) The heat must have sped things up because we ended up having our first kiss atop the mountain. Peter's still embarrassed that it happened publicly. Ah, the memories. It was a perfect day.

This year our definition of a near perfect MLK Day is a bit different: We slept in, went to the gym, attended a waffle brunch and pigged out (amazing syrup recipe below), then Peter took a nap while I watched a BBC mini-series (highly recommended: Berkeley Square, 1998), then we took a walk, went to a birthday party, walked home, ate some supper and I finished watching my mini series until late while Peter was on line. Fabulous! :) How was your holiday?

Marcus Bowers amazingly sinful syrup recipe:

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter

Bring these three to a boil, then add 1/2 tsp. baking soda + 1 tsp vanilla; stir

Voila!

More Mama Mary pics...

Mama Mary in Manhattan

Many of you may be aware that my mother-in-law was here to visit us the week before Christmas. Oh, what a blast we had, frolicking and scampering about the city! We went to the Statue, Ellis Island, Wall Street, the Brooklyn Bridge, 5th Avenue, the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center, Times Square, several Cathedrals, Trinity Church, St. Paul's Cathedral, City Hall, Waldorf-Astoria, Tenement Museum, the MET, Central Park, the United Nations and out to dinner! Peter and I were so blessed to have her here. Peter didn't like the Rockettes but Mary and I loved it! Maybe the cost-value ratio didn't equate ($69 a piece). Anyway, one particular adventure involved Mary and I stumbling into St. Patrick's on Christmas Eve, 45 minutes before the Children's Mass - an annual tradition involving a procession of kids taking baby Jesus to Bethlehem. It was pretty cool, even though we were stuck in the very back and couldn't see much. We enjoyed the familiar Christmas hymns and scriptures. It was an international experience in typical NY style, as Christians from all over the world were in attendance. Thanks for coming Mama Mary! XOXO

Girl Fight on the Subway

Crowded subway, very crowded subway. Thursday morning, 8:15am commute. Two girls standing behind me, discussing who knows what. I'm reading my book, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Cannot help overhearing conversation because its happening 14 inches from my ear.

Her: "What the $%^@ am I going to do? I mean, F- %$^&, $%#^ F- (0!l;@l, #3$%@@^$%; so then he was like, F- $%@1!8&5, and I was like$%@$!!&*4%. F-------
ME: "Nice Vocabulary."
Her: Excuse me!? F-%^#&^*!@!2K! repeated three times.
Me: There's no need to be hostile, I simply requested that you watch your language.
Her: Its a free country. I can say whatever I want.
Me: Well, I'm just sad. For you. And your vocabulary.
Her: Go on back to reading your book, or we'll show what we do to girls in Brooklyn (clearly in reference to my book title)! $%!#@4F-K%^. Sniggering obnoxiously with her friend.
Me...staring: Seriously? WOW. You really should consult a dictionary and get over the unnecessary hostility to polite requests.
Her: #$56@787W#45@#........ you get the idea.

Yes, I know I was self-righteous. Yes, I know that I didn't handle it very well. Yes, I know that I should "get over" the F-bomb being dropped every 3 seconds all round me as a part of the NYC experience. Or should I? Hmmmmmmm..... I just had to vent. And I can't help but think of President Kimball's experience in the hospital when he asked the nurse to not take the Lord in vain. What would the prophet have done in this experience? Its hard to know what to do in these situations that perpetually disturb my peace with very belligerent people. AAARRRGGGHHH. Thats all I really wanted to say. Please validate me. :)