turn baby turn

So about a month ago we learned our little baby girl was breech.  As most of you probably know, a breech baby nowadays results in an automatic c-section.  Wanting to avoid this fate at all costs, I quickly researched all the ways we could help encourage her to flip head down.

I pulled out all the stops.

Sitting on a ball at the office:

Seeing a chiropractor.

Practicing inversions:

Laying on an ironing board with my head down

Doing handstands in a pool.

Putting ice on the top of my belly.
(Apparently baby heads don't love cold.)

Acupuncture.

Asking her to flip.

And perhaps weirdest of all: moxibustion - a traditional Chinese medicine therapy where you burn a stick of charcoal (known as moxa) by your little pinky toe for 15-20 minutes a night for 10 days.

I know, I know.

Ridiculous.

But I was desperate!

After all of my "voo-doo" as Stefan so fondly called it, we tried medical intervention: an External Version where a doctor uses his hands to try and manually turn the baby from the outside.  Unbeknownst to me, this technique has been used for quite some time and has about a 50/50 success rate.  

Unfortunately, baby girl would have none of it.  With her butt tucked down on one side and her legs outstretched and pressed up against the other, anytime they tried to move her, she simply pressed her feet forcefully into the side of my stomach to maintain her position.

I think the real issue is that she has inherited by hideously huge feet (as displayed so beautifully in the above pictures) and their size would not allow her to make the moves necessary to get head down.  That or she's got my stubbornness (determination?) to have things her way.

While I was at first fairly devastated by my c-section fate, I've decided to fully embrace it and get even more excited about what will no doubt be a spectacular day.  While she could by some miracle flip herself around, the chances are unlikely given her dwindling space in there and her propensity to stay put.  In some ways the outcome is perhaps better suited to my plan-aholic personality.  More details to come.

xoxo

KK

cravings

Sadly (or perhaps thankfully), I haven't had much in way of pregnancy cravings, with the exception of an insatiable desire for mangoes.  
(Although I must admit this tropical-fruit-predisposition was ever-present pre-pregnancy as well. Though I have been happy to milk the baby-in-the-belly rationale for my unruly appetite for them.)

Venezuela, circa 2010

Speaking of mangoes, did you know they are the most consumed fruit in the entire world?  Here I was thinking I was so original in my fruit favorite (not an apple, orange or banana), but alas - I'm just like everyone else.

I've also been consuming unthinkable amounts of watermelon and strawberries.

A few weeks ago I was in the car on the way to a meeting with a colleague who told me that according to Chinese wisdom, the three worst things a pregnant woman can eat are - you guessed it - mango, watermelon and strawberries.  
I didn't comment on the fact that she was telling me this after having watched me eat breakfasts consisting of these exact three evils for the past 6 months.  

One of the most surprising things about being pregnant is how opinionated people are about what things are good and not good when you've got a babe in the belly.  We've had people tell us I should absolutely avoid nuts at all costs or end up with a severely allergy-ridden child destined for peanut-butter-sandwich-free lunches, and then we've had others tell us nuts must be consumed at least once a day to avoid the exact same fate.  

Sorting through the (often-conflicting) advice and trying to determine which rules are actually worth following versus not can be somewhat overwhelming.  

For anyone who is expecting (or thinking about it at some point), I highly recommend disregarding most all pregnancy books in favor of one: Expecting Better.  Written by an economist, the book goes through all the hard facts, studies, and data to give you all the evidence you need so you can decide what you do and do not want to do while preggers.  The book gave me the confidence I needed to feel comfortable disregarding all sorts of traditional pregnancy rules while deciding to adhere to a few.  Mango consumption remains intact. :)

xoxo
KK

the sutro baths

As many of you might know, San Francisco summers tend not to be the hottest.  For most of June and July, our little part of "sunny" California is cloaked in a thick syrup of fog.  I guess it's only fair after the majority of the nation had to suffer through horrid, never-ending winters while we paraded around joyfully soaking up 70-degree days, but still - you begin to crave a little sunshine come this time in the cloud cover.

So a few weekends ago when the fog finally did lift, Stefan and I decided to take a spur-of-the-moment adventure to check out some of San Francisco's history: the Sutro Baths ruins.

Adolph Sutro - a self-made millionaire who wished to provide a healthy, recreational, and inexpensive swimming facility to San Franciscans - opened the Sutro Baths as the world's largest indoor swimming pool establishment in March, 1896.  Sitting directly on the Pacific Ocean, the Baths filled a small beach inlet right below the Cliff House - another historic icon built by Sutro right around the same time.

Then:

from here

Now:

With seven seawater pools (from ice cold to steaming), a stage, trampolines, flying rings, slides, swings, toboggan slides, diving platforms, and seating for thousands to observe the going-ons, the Baths were a full-service attraction for all ages.

The Baths could accommodate 10,000 people at one time and had 20,000 bathing suits and 40,000 towels for rent!

from here

Unfortunately, after Sutro passed away, the Baths came under tough financial times.  His heirs struggled to keep them afloat through the Great Depression.  Eventually, the Baths got closed down in 1966 with plans in place to convert the site into a residential development.  

Not too long after, however, the Baths burned down in a rather suspicious fire.  Apparently the structure had a sizable insurance policy that was paid out post-fire leading many to speculate that there had been some foul play involved.  Plans to rebuild the site were abandoned, and in 1973, it was included in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and - lucky for us - opened to the public for exploration.

Then (with then Cliff House in background):

from here

Now (with current Cliff House in background):

We explored the grounds, including a spooky tunnel leading down to the water.

We did some hiking along the trails lining the ruins, taking time to soak up the sun and enjoy the strong sea breeze.

We even got a little peek at the backside of the Golden Gate, popping up from behind the rocky cliffs of the Pacific. 

All in all, definitely worth a visit the next time you're in San Francisco! 

xoxo

KK

home stretch

Given that we've entered the final days as just the two of us (t-minus 4 weeks!), Stefan and I have been trying to do all sorts of things we think may not happen quite as frequently once we've got a third family member in the picture.

Like fancy dinners out at hot new San Francisco restaurants.

With CFA studying, then lots of work, and then loads of traveling (Stefan more than me), we haven't had much time to check out San Francisco's new culinary offerings.  But last Thursday, Stefan told me to get dressed up in my finest before he whisked me off on a surprise date at a mystery spot.

Obligatory belly shot in baby's room pre-dinner:

We headed to aveline, which opened in early June and is spearheaded by Chef Casey Thompson, Season Three Top Chef Finalist.   

The interior was fresh and modern, yet welcoming, with an open kitchen so you could see exactly how the magic happened.

for more deets

I went for the vegetable garden... 

which actually looked like a vegetable garden

(the turtle bean, chicory soil was weird but oh-so good)

...and Stefan went for the avocado to start.

which came with an avocado ice cream - 

again: weird, but delish

Then we both opted for Sea Bass as mains, which - I must say - was a total slam-dunk.  Melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness that you definitely don't want to end.

Hopefully we'll have a few more of these before Baby Fischer decides to join us for the fun!

xoxo

KK

a baby BBQ

The other oh-so-exciting event of the past few months was an adorable baby shower my sister, best friend and mom hosted for Stefan and I at our new place.  

While I was excited to celebrate this soon-to-be babe, I wasn't into the whole traditional ladies-sitting-around-talking type of baby shower so I asked if we could make the event co-ed (Stefan did play a rather large role in this whole thing...) and super casual.  

They opted to throw a BBQ-themed, red-and-white soiree that was absolutely perfect and right up our alley.

There were lots of delicious beverages - copious amounts of wine and beer for most everyone and sparkling lemonade for the pregnant ladies among us.

They decked the place out with lots of personalized, red-and-white touches...

...and orchestrated some fun, little games for guests, including a guess-the-due-date-and-weight contest.  We always love some good competition. :)

With an August 5th due date, the jury was tipping towards a late delivery (and a big baby!).

Stefan and the guys grilled up assorted sausages (pork, chicken, vegan, you name it) and my fabulous friend Claudine - chef extraordinaire and founder of Stiletto & Spice - did all the salads and sides.  It was a top-notch menu that made this soon-to-be mama very pleased.  We were all too busy chowing down to get any shots, but let me tell you: it was as beautiful as it was delicious.

Some shots of me with the fabulous party-hosting crew:

The bump was clocking in at around 28 weeks, or for those of you who don't talk pregnancy-speak: 7ish months.  

Overall, it was a total slam-dunk of a party that made this baby girl feel very loved!

xoxo

KK

a (much-needed) date

So another reason for my lack of posting of late has been due to the complete and utter time-suck that is studying for the CFA Level II.  For those of you unfamiliar with this beast of an exam, it is absolute misery.  With a pass rate that hovers around 30% (!!) and with experts warning that any less than 300 hours of studying and you might as well not bother, it pretty much ruins your life for 3-5 months.  

Weekends of late (with the exception of a fun bachelorette weekend off!) have been mainly studying, an occasional walk, and simple, less-than-10-minutes-to-prepare meals at home.

This past Saturday night, however, Stefan decided to pull me out of my CFA hole for a date night out for the first time in what seemed like ages.  He made 9pm reservations at a new spot we have been meaning to try and I even got dressed up for the occasion (also a rarity these days).  

I ended up ditching the shoes (SF just wasn't made for heels), but the dress stayed on: it's one of my absolute favorites.  I've had it for ages and you've probably seen it around these parts many times before:

In Australia

with the same necklace to boot!

My 27th

I'd say I'm looking decently pregnant (no?), but interestingly, not a single American has dared make a comment to me.  It's only the foreigners that will jump in with a "when are you due?", "boy or girl?", or sometimes just a blatant: "are you pregnant?".  Our Vietnamese waitress at dinner was all about the questions and even brought us extra bread for baby.  I was pleased.  

xoxo

KK

red and white

Many have told me that their favorite posts here tend not to be those about the happy days, but rather the ones about the ridiculous missteps or silly-stupid moments that are inevitably a part of everyday life (at least for this gal).  Case in point.  

Luckily for you, I have lots of those, so I figured I'd try to incorporate them whenever possible for your reading (laughing) pleasure.  

One such incident occurred just this past weekend whilst I was in Florida for my dear friend Charlotte's bachelorette.  As already told, I arrived in early Friday AM and spent the day pool-side with Char and her sisters.  It was decently overcast with a touch of sun here and there but I opted to do 55 on my face, chest and arms and 30 on everything else.

The 30 happened to be a spray, which I quickly spritzed on my belly and legs, in an effort to get back to catching up with the bride-to-be.

1

That night, however, it quickly became apparent that my spray job had been perfunctory.  

I had a nice red-and-white pattern cloaking my entire lower half.

While normally I would be beyond thrilled at the prospect of a beach photo shoot (I LOVE playing supermodel) which was our scheduled Saturday afternoon activity, the thought of documenting my sunscreen faux pas and exposing my tender Northern skin to any more rays seemed unbearable.  What was a girl to do?  

Luckily, the bride lent me one of her beautiful beach cover-ups that allowed me to hide all traces of the incident while still allowing some sun on my upper half.  

No one was the wiser.

Except you. :)

xoxo

KK  

bacharlotte!

This past weekend I headed to sunny Florida to celebrate the last nights of maidenhood for my dearest friend Charlotte.  As far as bachelorette parties go, this one was a total slam dunk: just the right mix of activity and relaxation with enough bachelorette-y type festivities to check all the boxes.

Wanting to take full advantage of my trip down there, I took a red-eye Thursday arriving in Friday AM in time for brunch with Charlotte, her sisters, and her mom.  The afternoon was spent doing some ample sunning at the pool before the rest of the girls arrived that evening for a casual BBQ.  

The next morning (in true Charlotte fashion), we headed to a high-intensity work-out class decked out in matching neon t-shirts (compliments of Char's youngest sis and co-maid-of-honor).

The class involved lots of cycling...

...as well as copious exercises that have left me walking gingerly even 3 days later.

the bride showing off her crazy strength with some weights

After that, we headed back to the house for a decadent brunch of eggs, toast, fruit and yogurt.

again - right up this healthy, wholesome bride's alley!

The groom's sister - who is also getting married this year and lives in LA - couldn't make it to the festivities, so she opted to surprise the bride with an extra special afternoon activity: a beach photo shoot for her and all her friends.

en route to the beach with all of our "props" - compliments of the groom's sister

More (professional) pictures to come!

That evening, it was time for more traditional bachelorette activities: 

a lingerie shower

(details concealed!)

Cocktails with Penis Pretzels 

(homemade by the Mother of the Bride!)

We then rented a stretch limo and headed out for an evening on the town.

Bride with her two sisters / co-maids-of-honor

The next morning people were up early for runs and walks before a relaxing yoga class and then brunch at the club.

en route to brunch!

All in all, a fabulous weekend!  Congrats Charlotte!

xoxo

KK

florida bound!

It's been busy week around these parts trying to wrap up for a VERY special weekend away.  Tonight, I'm off to Florida for the bachelorette party of my very best friend: Miss. Charlotte VanWagenen.  

She's marrying this sweet gentleman this June and I could NOT be more excited to celebrate with her!

Normally I'm a pack-several-days-in-advance type of girl, but this week I ended up waiting until the last minute (now!) to toss my stuff together.  Luckily, warm weather and sunshine doesn't call for much:

Shades and a fresh pedicure*, 

heels, purse and jewels for a night out on the town,

and work-out gear for some serious exercise 

(because this bride is ripped!) 

*By fresh, I mean one month in which is one and the same for this gal.

I've also mastered the ideal red-eye attire to make going from airport to sleeping-on-the-plane to airport to enjoying your day as comfortable and effortless as possible:

Jeans and a black stretchy shirt 

is perfection even with a bump!

That's 22 weeks with a cantaloupe-sized baby.  

xoxo

KK