The Aveda Institute

Ever since high school I have frequently gone to beauty schools to get my hair done. The main reason is because getting a hair cut and highlighted is expensive, and I'm cheap. I've been to several beauty schools in AZ with varying experiences, including some really good ones and some really bad ones.

Since moving to Chicago it's been difficult to find a hair salon I like that doesn't cost and arm and a leg. During our first year here I tried out the Aveda Institute and have gone there a handful of times now. So far I have been pleased every time and have never had a bad experience. Today I went for a trim and was reminded why I like them.

First of all, it's a really nice modern place, it's big, it's clean, the students are friendly, it's popular (there's always a line of people trying to get walk-in appointments), and the instructors are good. I've been to some schools where the instructor simply looks at your hair before signing the student off, but at the Aveda Institute the instructors actually inspect, measure, comb through, give tips, and fix any loose ends and stray pieces. So you don't leave with a bad haircut.

Secondly, I like them because before they wash your hair they give you a nice head and shoulder massage with aromatherapy massage oil! SO relaxing. Today I used a blue minty oil that slightly tingled the scalp and felt oh so nice. Then the shampoo was also nice and relaxing, and they make your hair smell really good.

As the girl was scrubbing my scalp I was thinking about how much a difference the shampoo experience can make on your overall opinion of a place. I've had shampoos where the chair was so uncomforable and my neck was strained I couldn't wait for them to be done, where water was splashed in my eyes or face or down my back, where the conditioner wasn't rinsed out all the way, where they were rough and fast, where the water was cold, and where a large busted smelly women repeatedly bumped into my face. And many of these were at reputable, non-beauty school places! It doesn't matter if the cut or color they gave me was great, if the shampoo experience was bad I was not going back. For a good shampoo you should be comfortable and relaxed to the point where you want to fall asleep. And a nice head massage is definitely preferred!

So if you are brave enough to try a beauty school and not super-duper picky, I would recommend the Aveda Institute. If you want a drastic cut or something very particular, it might not be the best place, but if you're in search of a simple trim or color, it's great!

"Free" Picture

When I registered at Babies R Us, they gave me a coupon for a free 8x10 maternity portrait at their Kiddie Kandid's studio. Well, since I love coupons and love free stuff, I decided to take advantage of it this past week. They took 6 different poses and I got to choose which one I liked. I say it was "free" because I got suckered into buying another print for $10. I got it though because it included all the poses they took. I couldn't resist. The baby will appreciate it someday, right?

My Buddha Belly

Growing Great!

It seems like the baby has already started to take over these posts, and he's not even here yet! Just wait til he's actually here.....

Well, I had my 36 week appointment yesterday and everything is going well. My belly is still measuring small- it was measuring only 32 weeks, but the ultrasound estimated his weight to be 5lbs 15oz which puts him in the 51st percentile. My fluid level is normal too. They just said his head is really low in my pelvis, which might be why my belly measures short. I guess he's just gearing up and getting ready to come out! Everything else if fine too, and my GBS was negative so I won't need antibiotics during labor.

So, any guesses as to how big this baby will be?

For a reference point, I was 8lbs 2oz and a few days past the due date, Josh was 7lbs 13oz and I don't know if he was late or early.

My guess is going to be 7lbs 7oz.

Feel free to guess yourselves, but sorry, I don't have any prizes for the winner. :) :)

Baby Stuff

* It's hard to believe I'm less than two weeks away from being considered full term! This pregnancy has gone by really fast for me, and I haven't gotten to that "I'm-a-cranky-pregnant-lady-and-just-want-this-baby-out-of-me" state. I've really enjoyed being pregnant and feel great. I feel blessed. I think we have most everything ready that we'll need, so now we just sit and wait.

*I was finally able to get our carseat last week. The one I wanted was recently recalled so I had to wait until the new safe version came out. Here it is, it's an orange and gray Chicco brand and I love it! We'll also be getting a matching stroller to go with it.
(This picture makes it look more red than it really is)




* Since I'm getting close to the due date I'm going to the doctor every week now. This week you could say was a little more eventful than my previous visits. I had my GBS screen done (I'll know those results next week), and I also had my cervix checked and was told I was already a fingertip dilated and 25% effaced! I know that's not much of anything, but I'm hoping it means my body will go into labor on its own by 38 or 39 weeks, or if I still need to be induced at 39 weeks that it will be an easy induction. The other thing I found out is that my fundal height is measuring small now, two weeks less than it should be. I also haven't really gained any weight the past month (though I eat all the time) so I have to go get yet another growth ultrasound next weeks to make sure little Owen is growing as he should. I'll keep you posted.

*I recently finished making Owen's quilt. It's a rag quilt, the second one I've made like this. The first one I made I used plain cotton quilting fabric, but for this one I used flannel and it seemed to fray MUCH better. It's really soft too. I hope he likes it. :)

front

back

*Another reason I hope Owen comes a bit early is because it would make getting his passport and possibly his Visa SO much easier!! Ideally, I would like to get his Visa here in Chicago because there is an Ecuadorian consulate here and there isn't one in Phoenix. They make you go in person to get your Visa, which would make it hard if we were in Phoenix. I'd have to go to LA probably. But in order to get a visa you have to have a passsport, and in order to get a passport you have to have a birth certificate. I hear getting a birth certificate takes a few weeks though. I'm going to try to get the birth certificate expedited, then get the passport expedited. In the miracle that we can get those things in just a few weeks time, then maybe, JUST MAYBE, we could get the Visa here. They give you the visa the same day you go in. Otherwise, baby Owen and I will be taking a mini vacation to California in September.

*Josh just finished his first 4th-year rotation yesterday (pediatric neurology), and doesn't have any more school until next summer!! Well, I guess he still has to take his board exam. He takes Step 2 on August 1st, the same day as my last day of work! So after August 1st we are free! until baby comes of course. Josh is away right now at scout camp up in Michigan until Saturday, then when he gets back his plan is to study like a mad man. I'm sure he'll do well! It will be really nice to have him home the whole month of August. He'll be around to help me with anything I need, plus he'll have no excuse not to get up with the baby in the middle of the night. :) :) I'm also hoping we can do some fun things before Owen's arrival!

What do you do....

What do you do when it's a Saturday, you don't have to be at work and your husband doesn't have school responsibilities, it's 75 degrees out with only 40% humidity, and there's not a cloud in the sky???

Go to the beach, of course!!!

Days like these are hard to find around Chicago.

Montrose Beach.

This is a great beach, but they just happened to have a ban on swimming while we were there, due to increased bacteria levels. Bummer.

The winter turned us into pastey white midwesterners, so instead of swimming we spent the afternoon working on our tans. :)

I think I mostly just ended up getting sunburnt though.

Baby Owen Update

I had my 33 week dr. appointment this week, and Owen seems to be doing great! I had another growth ultrasound and he's estimated to be 4lbs 7oz! So if he continues to grow just grows the average of half pound a week, I'm hoping he'll be around 7 or 7 1/2 lbs at birth. Perfect. :) :) I often worry about having a real big baby. I was 8lbs 2oz, and Josh was 7lbs 13oz. I don't want anything bigger than I was. But I guess if he's healthy and comes easily I'll be just as happy. He is still head down and should stay that way now.

I have a couple ultrasound pictures, but they really aren't that great. I'm posting them mostly for family's sake.

His face. It looks kind of creepy, I know, but I think his little lips are cute. :)

Also, here's my most recent side profile shot.

32 weeks, 6 days

The Taste

Well it was that time of year again, time for the annual Taste of Chicago! We've gone every year since living here, and it has turned into one of the highlights of our summer. What could be better....over 65 restaurants coming together serving seemingly endless food options! We always leave full and happy. :)

We were lucky enough to go twice this year (so far). Last Friday we went with some friends we hadn't seen in a while, and had a great time. Then Monday we had to go downtown to get some fingerprinting done for our Visa applications, and decided to make a day of it and enjoy The Taste again! We also went to see the movie Wall*E, which was pretty cute!

Anyway, this is probably the last summer we'll be able to enjoy The Taste because we might not be back from Ecuador in time next summer, and the summer after that we will have already moved for Josh's residency. The Taste is definitely high up on my list of things I'll miss most about Chicago! My favorite things I tried this year were the empanada, the Italian breaded steak sandwich, and the chocolate-dipped ice cream cake on a stick. Yum!!

It was pretty hot and humid, as you can tell by my hair and face.

Josh wanted me to show off how much I ate. (he thought it was pretty funny, ha ha....)

We saw some street entertainers, they were great at tap dancing!

There were a bunch of Budweiser Clydesdale horses out. They are such big, pretty horses!