Week Three

Sick. Stayed home from work on Monday. Lost one shoot but corresponded about three new ones. Told the co-workers I am pregnant. Told Yvonne I am pregnant. Let my mom tell Facebook I am pregnant. Worked 11 hours on Friday and feel asleep on the couch at 10:30. Woke up on Saturday and made pancakes. Had a discussion with Mike about houses. Agreed we are both burnt out on the process already. Took promo photos of my gift certificates and albums available through Amy Sayre Photography.

Week Two

Drove back from Michigan even though I-94 was closed in Indiana. Suffered through the Polar Vortex and highs of -15 on Monday and -3 on Tuesday. Came down with a cold. Made my first lasagna. Saw two houses. Decided not to put a bid on either. Photographed the annual Project Rescue Freezing for a Reason event. Told Kelsa I'm having a baby. Walked with Mike and T on the Sauganash trail since the temps finally reached a balmy 20 degrees.

Week One

New Years Eve with the St. Aubins at 90 Miles Cuban Cafe. Home to Michigan for my birthday. Let everyone one know we are having a baby. A fierce winter storm blew in. We got stuck in Michigan and stayed the night at Lakeside Inn in room 2. We played ball with Taylor in the great room and scrounged the kitchen for silverware to eat our dinner. We are tuna salad with plastic knives.

2013 Year in Review

I am amazed that I still have the login information to this blog saved. It's been pretty much a year since I wrote anything here. I have still been writing on a blog. Well posting photos more than writing. You can find those photos here. Over the past year though, I could not shake the feeling that I missed writing in a place. It was the thing I used to do before I took photos. I dreamed one day that I'd make my living as a freelance travel writer. I no longer have those delusions. but I still do miss penning and typing my thoughts.

I refuse to make any public declarations in this space, but I would like to make this my own personal space for sharing my thoughts. And since I didn't do any of that last year, how about a quick summary of my 2013 via this very popular internet survey:

1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?
Rode a horse in California. Went to and enjoyed going to a golfing range. Made more than $7,000 in my photography business. Fostered dogs (five total!). marched in the Chicago Gay Pride Parade. Got pregnant.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I always make 5 resolutions/goals with my friend Jenny. For the most part, I did. I never keep them all every year, but some years I fare better than others. This year was not so bad.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes, I am at the baby stage of my life. Carly gave birth to her son Xander, Amber gave birth to her son Brecon, Shannon gave birth to her son Thomas and Nicole gave birth to her son Charlie. My friends had a lot of boys this year.  Oh, and Julie had twin girls, so I guess not all boys.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, no. But my sister and Josh have decided to divorce, so that transition has been the biggest loss I have felt this year.

5. What countries did you visit?
None. My most memorable trips were the week Mike and I spent in California, Yvonne's wedding weekend in Atlanta, Labor Day weekend in small town Wisconsin and the extended weekend Mike and I spent at my parents lake house in Michigan. Hardly exotic, but still fun.

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
A baby. Oh wait. Already happening. Also, just kidding. Probably a new car or a new house. Or both.

7. What dates from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Oct. 12 - the day Yvonne got married, and I unknowingly got pregnant. And then Nov. 9, the day I found out I was pregnant.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Watching my photography business grow. I put so much work into it, and it's paying off. And that payback felt so amazing. Also, finally registering Amy Sayre Photography as the legal business entity felt really, really good.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Getting to the gym more than three times. I had no excuse for my lack of working out this year, yet I certain did not work out. Also, Mike and I were so good about controlling our diet in 2012 and we backslid tremendously in 2013. There was a lot more eating out that I would have liked.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No. My streak continues! I am continually lucky that my health has never been an issue. Also, my lack of morning sickness throughout my first trimester has been the most surprising.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A new couch!

12. Where did most of your money go?
My God I do not know. Well, actually I do, but I refuse to believe it. Mike and I spent a decent amount of money on restaurants, groceries and our greedy, no good pets. I should have so much more in savings than I do now.

13. What did you get really excited about?
Buying a house. Three times. None of those houses panned out.

14. What song will always remind you of 2013?
No idea.

 15. Compared to this time last year, are you:

– happier or sadder? Happier
– thinner or fatter? Fatter. Baby weight? So not baby weight, but my doc told me on my last appointment that he wants to see me gain a pound or two by my next appointment, so I am clearly not obese.
– richer or poorer? Slightly richer. Not as much as I'd like to be.

16. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Save money, journal, exercise and travel.

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Worry about cleaning. Walk through snow in March and April. (I had a bit of a break down in mid-March when it felt like I hadn't seen the sun for months.)

18. How did you spend Christmas?
At home. Mike and I had the most mellow Christmas I'd probably had in years. He worked Christmas Eve, and we both worked the day after Christmas. No family came to visit and I sent out no cards. I just wasn't feeling Christmas this year, and I am 100% OK with that.

19. What was your favorite TV program?
Parks and Rec, with Modern Family being a close second. (The exact same answer as last year.) I also binge watched Orange is the New Black pretty quickly.

20. What were your favorite books of the year?
I really should keep a list of all the books I read. But that should be easier next year. Mike bought me a Kindle for our first anniversary. I do know that I LOVED The Fault in Our Stars and We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves. Goodreads also tells me I liked Room and Wild. I agree with Goodreads.

21. What was your favorite music from this year?

I never have a good answer for this. I want to be hip to music, but I'm just not.I think the Pandora station I listened to most was the Of Monsters and Men station I created. So I guess I'll say them.

22. What were your favorite films of the year?
Um, I could probably give an answer to this if I thought about it for a while, but I don't really want to. I don't see a lot of movies and usually when I do I'm a year behind. So I'll save myself the embarrassment and not answer this question.


23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 32. I had drinks with Maria on Friday. On Saturday morning, I photographed the Project Rescue Freezing for a Reason event. My parents came into town and met me there. We all went out to dinner and then I fell asleep on the couch at 9:30. It was pretty lame as far as birthdays go. Mine usually are.

24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More sunlight and exercise. This was not the year of taking care of myself, even though I have no reason for that. I had time to take care of myself, but I did not make it a priority.

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Skinny jeans, tall boots, cardigans and sweaters for cooler weather. Anything that didn't make me sweat this summer. We had more than 30 consecutive days of 90+ degree temps this summer, and it was MISERABLE.

26. What kept you sane?
My mantra- "Good enough is better than perfect." This was one of my goals for 2013 and it helped me in so many ways.

27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.

The just because you are over the age of 30 and have been on birth control for years, do not believe that you will not get pregnant quickly. Lord, I thought getting knocked up would take a lot longer than it did. For the record, it took no time.