Catching Up

It seems like this fall has flown right by. There are a couple of reasons for that:

• I am pregnant (right now 34 weeks so). I had forgotten how pregnancy is a kind of time warp of keeping track of weeks, frequent doctor's appointments and lots of glorious naps. We're (baby and I) both doing well. Baby is measuring right on target and has been head down for the last several appointments. I might be in a little bit of denial about just HOW pregnant I am. For the longest time and still occasionally I keep thinking, but I'm not all that far along. Now, I'm that far along - we only have six weeks to go!
• During this time I completed my yoga training. This has long been a goal of mine and I am so proud of myself for finishing it. I look forward to continuing to learn and grow as a teacher, but the first major step is done. The year-long training experience was amazing - a wonderful opportunity for personal growth and reflection. I had moments of doubt throughout, but I am so glad I did it.
• We have done several really fun family things this fall - hiking in southeast Ohio, pumpkin picking, apple picking, days at various parks and fall festivals. Milo is such a joy right now. He's easy going and fun. He can communicate and reason. It's been a great season together.

So that has been our fall - it's been a beautiful season in both the literal sense and the this time of our life sense.

Boys, Boys, Boys

Last week's (actually, two weeks ago, eesh time is speeding by) ultrasound revealed there is a healthy, flexible and quite possibly stubborn little boy growing in my belly. My little yoga baby was curled up with legs crossed in lotus position facing my back and unwilling to move around. We couldn't see much other than his spine, but at one point the technician could get a clear indication that the baby was a boy. Next month will be another ultrasound to just make sure everything we couldn't see (heart, brain) is looking good. We'll get confirmation of the boy parts then, but I am not expecting it to change.

I wasn't surprised to hear the baby is a boy, but it still threw me for a loop. On some level, I thought since I already have a boy that I would just naturally have a girl next. It clearly doesn't work that way. I'm also not disappointed to be having a boy. I love being a boy mama to Milo and can't wait for this little guy to join in on our adventures. And I have a feeling there are going to be plenty of adventures waiting for my little men and me to discover.

Baby Milo is Born

Milo James was born on March 16 at 9:32 p.m. It's taken me a little bit to process his birth and really think about the details. For some of you, this all might be too much information and if it is, that's fine, just skip this post. I'm sharing the story because writing it down will be cathartic for me and I want a record of how Milo came to enter the world.

Last Saturday night I was having contractions through the night which were close together, but not really strong. I was having some spotting so I called the doctor who said I could head to the hospital or wait for the contractions to get stronger. I decided to wait and the contractions eventually spaced out and then disappeared by mid-morning on Sunday. I took a nap to make up for the sleep lost the night before and Chris and I went for a walk. Later that night, we headed to our weekly Sunday night dinner at my parents house. We played a few rounds of boccee because it was a beautiful spring day outside and I thought the walking and bending over to pick up the balls would help get things moving. In fact, I was feeling contractions and they were getting stronger, but they weren't regular. After heading home and going to bed, the contractions did start back up again around 3 a.m. and they were stronger and steadily getting closer together. I spent some time walking around the house and bouncing on the exercise ball. I also spent a fair amount of time cowering in bed. By about 6:30 a.m. I decided it was time to head to the hospital and get checked out.

At the hospital, I was certain I would have progressed from the centimeter I had been dilated at my last appointment, but I wasn't. I was really surprised to hear that, but was told to walk around the hospital for a little bit and report back in an hour. Chris and I started walking the halls of the hospital and wondering if we would meet our little one that day. After reporting back to triage around 9 a.m., I was dilated to 2 cm and was admitted to the hospital. In the words of our nurse - Let's Go Have a Baby.

We were told to keep walking around the maternity area, which we did, stopping every couple of minutes to squat through a contraction. I wasn't having a lot of trouble breathing through the contractions as long I focused and kept moving. We would walk for a half hour and then I would sit on the birthing ball for a half hour. During our half hour activity rotations, they manually broke my water. I kept making progress and it was looking like we would meet our little Olive around 5 or 6 that afternoon.

Around 1 p.m., I was in a resting phase which meant laying on my left side. This was, even though I was exhausted, the most painful of all the phases. By this time I was dilated to a 5. Also at this time they came in to insert an intrauterine contraction monitor. Because the baby was resting right up against my cervix, this was difficult for the midwife to find space to get this in and consequently hurt like hell. All day the nurses had been asking me to rate my pain and this was the first time the pain was unmanageable. I was left shaking and crying on the bed and asking for an epidural. The anesthesiologist came and within minutes I was feeling no pain. At this point I also consented to having an IV of pitocin which I wouldn't allow all morning. The pitocin and a little rest progressed to from 5 cm to 8 cm and then the trouble began.

I stopped making progress at 8 cm. The doctor came by and suggested we do a vaginal bypass. He wouldn't say the words, but I knew he was talking about a Caesarian section and I immediately said no, if the baby and I were still doing okay, let's wait it out. He said he would come back in an hour. That hour passed and since there was no feeling in my legs, my only option was to stay in bed on my side but we did try to use pillows between my legs to lengthen the pelvic floor. No progress was made in that hour. I talked him into another hour of trying to progress on my own and at this point it was getting to be a battle of wills. The nurses were great though and really worked with me to try to and progress. We tried all types of positions in the bed including hands and knees and a couple of others. Still no progress was made and at this point they told me the baby's head was beginning to swell because he was pressing into my cervix. The nurses also let me know that the baby seemed to coming out crooked.

The whole pregnancy the Olive had been hanging out on my right side and it was no different during labor. At one point when the nurse looked, you could clearly see the back of the baby way off to the right of my abdomen. He just wasn't lining up correctly and was getting stuck on my pelvis bone.

At this point, I was scared, tired and couldn't stall any longer when the doctor came back in asking for consent to do a c section. Chris and I talked it over and decided it was the safest option for the baby because of the swelling, but I couldn't stop crying as I was being prepped for surgery. The day was turning out so differently than I had imagined and prepared. I was wheeled into the operating room and Milo James was born at 9:32 p.m. more than 12 hours after we had been declared in active labor.

Although I am very blessed to have a healthy baby and to be a mother, I am having a tough time coming to terms with the surgery. For one I feel like I should have held off longer on the epidural as I think that slowed things down. I also feel like I could have been stronger with the doctor because I really felt pushed into the surgery. It was hard for me to hear my baby cry after the delivery and not be able to do anything for him or even see him.

Throughout my stay at the hospital and I as continue the recovery, I still cry when I think about how Milo came to be born. I can't really pinpoint why I feel so sad about it because I know it isn't how the child comes into the world that makes a mother. I'm also beginning to realize that I probably made the safest and best choice for my baby and myself with the information I had at the time. In spite of those things, I just can't shake the feeling that I failed at my first responsibility of being a mom.

As each day passes, I'm beginning to move past those feelings and enjoy my new role as mom. We're doing well now that we're at home. Breastfeeding is going well and for the most part our little guy is living up to the meaning of his name which in the German translation means peaceful and calm.

A Reprieve

I feel like my posting for the last month(s) has centered around descriptions of end-of-pregnancy woes and where is that baby anyway musings. These things are pretty much my life these days, but still it doesn't make for interesting writing (or living, for that matter). I work and I come home, do baby-related tasks and then go to bed.

However, today I tried to have a normal and fun Saturday afternoon; to get out of the house and do something we would have done pre-pregnancy and won't have a chance to do as often post-baby. So we headed to German Village for the afternoon. After actually finding a parking spot and a short walk through the brick streets of the Village, we met my brother for coffee (well I had tea) and hung out at Cup O Joe for a little bit. Then we headed next door to the Book Loft. The Book Loft has always been a favorite stop of mine in Columbus. Loving books as much as I do, it's a little piece of heaven to wander through the rooms and rooms (32 to be exact) of books. After much discussion, we picked out two books for our little Olive. Since we were in a hurry, I didn't have time to look for a new book for myself, but I understand I won't have much time for reading in the next several weeks anyway.

We then walked down the street to Katzinger's for lunch. It's been Dine Originals Restaurant Week and I've been too tired to really partake this week, but I wanted to participate at least a little bit. I also really like Katzinger's which is a great deli and famous sandwich shop, but don't make it there too often. They were running a great special for the Week, and the turkey flight (!) of sandwiches didn't disappoint. It was fun to try three different sandwiches in one basket - my favorite was a grilled one with delicious tangy mustard (#11).

After all the afternoon activity, I have to admit, I headed home to take a nap. I guess you can't take the pregnant girl off the couch for too long.

Showered

The countdown is still happening here and at 38 weeks and a handful of days, it is getting closer with each day. Other than that pesky hospital bag I need to pack, everything is all ready for our little Olive. The nursery is set and ready to go, the clothes are washed, blankets folded and the car seat installed. All we need is the baby.

Most of the adorable baby gear and clothes came from the wonderful baby shower a few weekends back. The shower was held Valentine's Day weekend and had a heart / olive theme. It was so much fun and so nice to share the day surrounded by women who already love our little Olive.

My work family also held a surprise shower for me and the Olive this past Friday. It was another showing of support for which I was so grateful.

Plus both events had cake and this pregnant woman loves cake!

I've said from the beginning that this child will be very loved and that has been so evident. Friends and family have been extremely kind and generous as we've prepared to welcome our little one. It's something I've been telling the Olive a lot lately as I've been trying to convince the little guy or girl to come out. I let the Olive know that there are a lot of people who are so excited to see him and welcome him to our world.

Let's hope she's listening...

The Proverbial Straw

I am officially full term in this pregnancy...at 37 weeks and a couple of days, the Olive would be good to go if he or she made an appearance. It would, of course, be better for him if he stayed put for at least one or two more weeks, but knowing he would be considered full-term has me very excited...and counting the days until we actually meet.

In spite of the litany of pregnancy woes - mainly back pain, being super tired, feeling HUGE and occasional heartburn, I was doing okay and was still quite happy being pregnant until last week. Last week marked the beginning of the swelling where I can no longer identify my ankles as separate from my puffy feet or legs. I also look like an unwed mother most of the time since my rings no longer fit my pudgy hands. Again, although not pleasant, I could totally deal with the swelling until the carpal tunnel started. Due to the swelling, I can no longer feel my hands for a good portion of each morning. I wake up at night with an uncomfortable pins and needles feeling burning through my hands and up my arms. Seriously, pregnancy induced carpal tunnel syndrome was not something I was expecting and I'm not at all fond of it. It is really the symptom that has me being over being pregnant and ready to move on to being a mother.

Different

I've mentioned before how important yoga practice is to me in general and how it has been a source of comfort throughout this pregnancy. It's been a growing experience for me, to accept what this changed body can do and work with that rather than forcing movement that just isn't possible right now. I've had to breathe my way through poses that in the past would have come much more easily, but having to work within my new realm of body and mind has been more beneficial than just arriving easily in poses. I certainly look forward to getting "my" body back and moving more easily, but this time of moving for two and sharing my body has been enlightening.

This picture was taken about two years ago after a morning of hiking near Las Vegas. I remember pushing effortlessly into full wheel and having little problem holding the pose (on a rock, none the less) while the picture was taken. While my form isn't exactly correct, I've always found it to be a gorgeous pose.

Now, I wouldn't even attempt wheel (not only could I not do it, but it wouldn't be safe), but do find that reverse table is a passable substitute. The form here is not ideal in the least, but then I'm 36 weeks pregnant and not going for ideal. I just want to maintain some strength and flexibility as I prepare for labor, birth and motherhood. Nothing comes without effort these days, but the very act of making the effort is part of the practice and part of accepting where I am and where I am going.

Spring

Each year, I tend to jump the gun on the spring season. I was reminded of this when for some reason I received a magazine from the American Horticultural Society at work the other day. It featured veg gardening tips and I immediately got excited until my boss reminded me to wait until at least two weeks after I want to to actually start planting. I know that is the best thing to do, I just get so anxious to get out there and start the garden.

This morning as I was gazing out the window, trying to balance a 9 month pregnant belly in tree pose and focusing on the real trees for inspiration, I noticed buds on our Tulip Poplar. Then I remembered that the spring equinox is only four weeks away...it's March 20, the same day as Olive's expected due date. And suddenly I am even more excited for spring this year.

A Space for the Olive

While I've been concentrating on providing a safe and warm home for the Olive in utero, Chris has been working on the space for once the little guy or girl makes an appearance. He ripped out carpet, laid cork floors and painted the walls of the nursery. He also put together the furniture. Then I stepped in for the decorating portion of the Olive's room. The nursery is now pretty much finished, so here are some pictures. I just love the room. The light reflecting on the walls is just amazing and the vibe is serene. There will be plenty to stimulate baby, but it is also a calming, reflective space. I often find myself just wandering into the room and gazing at all the baby gear. I've noticed Chris and Prada doing the same thing. It's a welcoming room and we are so excited to share it with the Olive (at least Chris and I are, not sure what Prada thinks of the whole business).

The Olive is lucky enough to have not one, but two pieces, of original artwork in his space. The one above was done by my Mom and I simply adore the little birdie and the swirly tree. The piece of art below is by my cousin Tara. She gave it to us for our wedding...it's titled Leap of Faith and if marriage is a leap of faith, then having a baby certainly is, too. The monkey is beautifully done and I'm glad we have found the a good home in the Olive's room. I hope both of these pieces of art inspire our little Olive to be creative and whimsical as she grows up.

This little owl we found at a local Clintonville shop. His name is Ernie and he's handmade out of a recycled sweater. For now, Ernie, is keeping the crib warm.

Below is the view of the room from the door. The hanging quilt features animal faces. It's so cute! I can't wait to teach the names of the animals to our little Olive. This shot also shows a little bit the great light in the room. At certain times of the day, the sun coming in through the curtains onto the yellow walls is just gorgeous.

And finally the feeding corner. I'm sure the glider will get lots of use. This picture also shows the scope of the room...it's cozy, just perfect for a little person who doesn't need a lot of space anyway.

A New Outlook on a Basic

Cat / cow was a yoga pose I typically would rush through in the past. If I was practicing at home on my own, I would sometimes skip it all together. If I was a participant in a class, I would do the motion, but not really be in the pose. When I was leading class, I would demonstrate the movement and then watch the participants do the pose rather than continuing to do it myself. There was just something about the slowness of the movement that I had trouble connecting with. If I was in the mood for a tough practice, I would rush through it to get to something where I could feel the burn and build heat with. If I was doing a relaxing practice, I still wouldn't concentrate on cat / cow and would instead opt for deep leg stretches or hip openers. Sure, I would do lip service to the pose, as I knew it to be a great way to warm up the spine, but it just wasn't on my top 10 list.

Now, however, eight months into a pregnancy where my only real physical complaint is back pain, I can't get enough of cat / cow. I do it almost each morning and each night. Sometimes at work, I hang out in a bathroom stall to do a standing version of the pose. Where I used to abhor the pace of the posture, now, I adore the slowness of the movement. The release through the back is amazing as I slowly round and arch the spine. I concentrate on starting the movement in the tailbone and visualize each vertebrate separating and releasing, ending the movement with my head. I of course, knew this was the point all along, but now something has clicked and I actually feel the movement. Oh, and it really helps the back pain too.

Love it or Hate it

A question I get quite often is if I am loving or hating being pregnant. This question usually comes from women who have had already children. Often they will ask the question and then look at me with breathless anticipation awaiting my response. It seems they are waiting to check me into their club or the other club. Some women loved being pregnant and will tell me about how they felt great for 9 months. Some women hated being pregnant and will tell me all the reasons why.

The truth is, I'm somewhere in the middle of the two camps. At first, I was too tired to really explore my feelings on the condition of pregnancy. Then for a long time, I didn't feel pregnant and really had no opinion on the matter, other than that I knew we were having a baby and was happy about that. After that, I began to feel the baby move and there were more outward physical changes. During this time I was in the loving it camp - I had energy, I could still see my toes and I felt really good. Recently, though, I can see why there is a hating it camp. I'm not quite there yet, but I certainly don't feel like myself any longer. My back almost always hurts, for the first time in my life I know what heart burn is and I'm ready for bed by 8:30 each night.

Still, though, even with these (and other) psychical ailments, I can't really put myself in the hating it camp. I still feel flashes of amazement and love when I get a strong kick. There are a couple of minutes a day when my back doesn't hurt and I don't feel like a whale when even I think my huge round belly is cute (these are very fleeting moments).

So I am not really sure which camp I'm in, but I'm a lot closer to loving being pregnant than hating it, because in the end, I have to think that it is all going to be worth it.

Too Much Excitement

I knew this coming week would be exciting one. How could it not be, starting off with a vacation day and then moving right into the inauguration and the series premiere of Lost. All three are much anticipated events for me and I was looking forward to the excitement surrounding each.

However, today I think I crossed over the threshold of anticipation officially into TOO much excitement. This morning as I was enjoying my day off, practicing yoga and eating oatmeal, I didn't notice The Olive moving at all. I drank some cranberry juice and laid on my left side and again felt nothing. Usually if I give this kid some sugar, there are kicks and punches and a general dance party going on in my belly. So when I called my doctor's office to get a new vitamin prescription, I mentioned the no movement thing in my message. This was a little before lunch time and I didn't expect a call back until later, so I decided to fit in a pedicure. On my way to the pedi place, the office called back and told me to go straight to L&D at the hospital. Uh, what? I didn't think it would be that big of a deal, but after talking with Chris and my Mom, decided it was better to err on the side of caution and have them check me out.

I'm happy to report that the hospital I'll be giving birth in (not until March, please) is very nice and the nursing staff are quite lovely. My nurse hooked me up to a monitor, where we learned the baby was doing fine. I, however, was having a few contractions. These just felt like back pain to me, but they were strong enough to warrant some type of test to see if I was secreting some type of protein that signals labor in the next few weeks. The test came back negative and I was sent on my way home.

I left feeling a little silly about the whole thing. Baby was good, and there was nothing really wrong with me either. The nurse, Chris and my Mom all assured me I did the right thing by going in and getting checked out, if for nothing else than the peace of mind. I still feel like an overreacting first time mom, but I'm glad to know everything is fine.

So Lost and the inauguration had better pull out all the stops to live up to my expected level of event anticipation.

Suddenly So Real

Last Friday marked 30 weeks of pregnancy for me. Which, if you are keeping track at home, means there are only 10 weeks left in this journey. Now I know full well as a first-time mom, I could go late (let's everyone send me deliver on or before my due date vibes, m'kay). Still, there are less than 10 weeks before we meet our little Olive and while March 20 seems so far away, it also seems so close.

Almost each morning, either Chris or I will remark that the belly has grown overnight. Suddenly, the belly isn't going to be ignored any longer. It can't be hidden under a cardigan or with a scarf and when I walk into a room, the belly precedes me. The growing belly reminds me of our growing family.

The movements from Olive are also getting a lot bigger as the baby gets bigger and stronger. There are times when we can see the belly move as the Olive is having it's own little party. By the end of each work day, the poor little Olive has bunched up on the right side of my womb, making my belly look very lopsided. The Doctor says there is more room over there, but I am liking that our little Olive already has very real personality quirks.

Today I got an e-mail from the HR department asking about my maternity leave plan. I have to figure out how much vacation, sick and short term disability I want to take to equal out to my 12 weeks off work. Making plans for my being away work makes it clear this is actually happening.

I had said I wanted to have the nursery set up early so Prada would get used to the idea, but in reality I think I am the one who needed to get used to having a whole room in our house and a space in our lives for a baby. As I waddle to the bathroom each night and glance in at the lovingly put together crib, it all becomes so very real.

Danger Ahead

To a pregnant woman, what is even more treacherous than an imported cheese platter, is listening to soft rock radio. It's like a field of sappiness, loaded with landmines the likes of Rod Stewart and James Taylor. Inevitably, Forever Young by Rod Stewart comes on and there I am driving down 670 a blubbering mess of tears and hormones. This has happened more than once, as it seems the lyrics of the song really get to me when I'm pregnant and I'm powerless to stop the tears.

The other night I was having dinner with clients and there was a couple there who were very concerned about the career choices their adult was son making. I sat there listening to them, making sympathetic noises and thinking this is what people mean when they say I won't sleep for the next 40 years because I'll constantly be worried about the The Olive. And on those future sleepless nights, I'll do well to remember the crying mess I was each time I heard the Forever Young song, especially these last couple lines:

And when you finally fly away
I’ll be hoping that I served you well
For all the wisdom of a lifetime
No one can ever tell
But whatever road you choose
I’m right behind you, win or lose

Body Issues

I have friends who worry out loud about the changes pregnancy will have on their bodies. Before getting pregnant this just wasn't a worry to me. I've never been small and have always had curves, so I didn't think adding on a few pounds would mess with my head too much. After all, the weight gain and the physical changes are for the purpose of nurturing a new life and if pregnancy teaches you anything, it teaches you not to be selfish.

So it's been surprising to me these last few months, to find that gaining 20 pounds in 6 months really has messed with my head. Having the full baby belly is very cool and life-affirming, but having the full baby thighs, butt and arms is a little less miraculous. I really didn't think I would react this way to the weight gain, but it's been challenging to stop 15 years of worrying about the number on the scale.

As always, my old friend yoga really helps me get through the days I just feel huge. Breathing, looking inward and focusing on what my can do is a reminder that it's about more than physical and superficial changes to the body. And if I get too wrapped up in my head, a gentle kick has the power to remind me that the weight gain just doesn't matter.

Cozy

As we move steadily into December, I've started the nesting process. To me this means making a batch of soup each weekend. Minestrone, chicken or turkey noodle and black bean have all been recent favorites. I've also been baking quite a bit. Maybe it's the time of year, or maybe because I love how my kitchen smells while whipping up a batch of cookies or quick bread. The smells of soup and baking just seem like home.

Chris and I have been trying hard to create a home since we've settled into this house, but that sense of home is even more important that it's not just for us anymore. We've been trying to keep things neater and clean up areas that haven't been organized in years. On some days, when the hormones are just right, a junk drawer or closet doesn't stand a chance around me. I've purged, organized and labeled what feels like war zones of closets and cabinets. I still have more to do and wish I had more time and energy to do it.

My goal is to have the house baby-ready by Christmas. That way, we'll be all ready in case anybody shows up early (though God forbid, that early) and I can just try to enjoy the third trimester. Chris has been working hard painting and rewiring the nursery. We chose a beautiful buttery yellow paint with white trim for the room. It's classic and soothing. I can't wait to spend time with the Olive in that room. It will be such a cozy space for him to be welcomed into our nest.

A Time to Give Thanks

Last year around this time, I was finishing up last minute wedding details and trying to reflect on the true meaning of the holiday. And although I am in a totally different place this year, I am still enjoying the Thanksgiving season. I love that Thanksgiving centers on food and family. Really, those are two of my favorite things.

On Monday of this week, we celebrated our first wedding anniversary with traditional paper gifts and a fancy schmancy dinner out. This year has gone so fast, and I'm so thankful for everything that has transpired in it. The little Olive who is steadily growing inside of me is a testament to the love we share and the life we are building together. And that is a lot to be thankful for this year.

A Boy?

This week we had the ultrasound to check on the growth and development of the baby. The Olive has come a long way since he earned that nickname back in week 9! We could now see a fully formed and strong spine, all the chambers of a strongly beating heart and a cute little button nose. Chris and I were both on a ultrasound for the rest of the day Thursday and couldn't stop smiling.

The first ultrasound at 8.5 weeks was interesting and it did a good job of confirming that, yep, there is something growing in there. But this ultrasound at 22 weeks was absolutely amazing! At this point, I've bonded with the little guy and am getting used to the feeling of movement inside of me. I know what positions or food are likely to get a reaction and I know to expect a lot of movement around 4 p.m. each afternoon.

We watched the Olive swallowing and moving arms all about. I had had a few sips of coffee at lunch before the appointment and the Olive looked to be enjoying the caffeine high because there was very little sitting still. The doctor had us turn our heads while he was checking out the lower half of the Olive. I might have sneaked a quick peek before both the doctor and Chris reminded me to turn my head again. What I saw was inconclusive, but I still have a strong boy feeling.

For those who like to guess about the gender based on the size or location of the belly, have at it:

Halfway Point

Friday marked my 20th week of pregnancy. In some ways it has seemed like a long journey since I stared in disbelief at that home pregnancy test back in July. In other ways it seems like not much has changed, except of course everything is now different. Time has flown, time has dragged by and time hasn't passed at all.

Our little Olive is now the size of a small cantaloupe and I can feel the movement as he flips through my day. She is also making her presence very known as my waist widens and I find myself reaching for the stretchy pants each morning.

In another 20 weeks, we'll (fingers crossed) have met our little Olive. I can't wait to get to know her, to share our world with him and to show the Olive what a loving family he was born into. If the first 20 weeks of this experience went so quickly and so slowly at the same time, I'm looking forward to uncovering the joy of the next 20.

Happy Hour for the Pregnant Girl

Upon entering the working world years ago, I came to treasure the magical time known as happy hour. Gathering with friends or co-workers at the end of a long working day quickly became my favorite way to spend the 5 - 7 p.m. time frame. We would catch-up, commiserate and gossip over pints of beer, glasses of a wine or fruity cosmos. A particularly tough week would call for an extra dirty gin martini and some extra half price appetizers.

Clearly, since the Olive has been on board, my happy hour time has decreased dramatically. Sure, when I need to make an appearance at a corporate event, I'll go and sip water and trade stories, but the happy hours with my friends have pretty much totally ceased. While I might miss the taste of a particular drink, it's not the alcohol itself I actually miss, but the time spent catching up and celebrating the end of another work week.

Luckily I have good friends and we have found a work around. Later this month, a couple of us will meet up for candle making and gossip (and they will have wine). Last night I met up with a friend for massages at a spa. We were able to catch up in our robes while sipping tea and then we both got all the kinks worked out. While I didn't leave with a buzz, I did leave very relaxed.