And now for the big announcement

I am pregnant.

Twelve-weeks, told-my-bosses, had-an-ultrasound, wearing-maternity-clothes pregnant.

Due right around the BusyBee's 4th birthday.

I am very happy about this baby. We're as ready for a 2nd child as I think we can be. But right now, I'm mostly feeling frustrated.

My biggest issue is maternity clothes and how I feel like I need more of them. I hate the thought of wearing the same few shirts over and over again. Being plus size means there aren't many options out there, particularly in tops that will be good for work purposes. I did luck out on a shopping trip a few weeks ago and bought some things, but am still feeling under prepared.

Then there's my commute. My regular train route is being altered for the summer to accommodate track work, and they are busing. This is bad enough. But today was the kick off of my "Give me your seat, I'm pregnant!" MBTA campaign. So far it's People Who Pretend Not to Notice - 1, pregnant me - 0. I had to stand on both the train and bus portions of my schlep home. This is not fun.

I want a new purse too.

Am I feeling a bit emotional, slightly irrational? You bet. It's going to be a long six more months.

PS: The BusyBee is very excited about the baby. She has lots of logistical questions about taking the baby to stores, school, etc. She also thinks it's hysterical that the baby "eats" my food and "drinks" my water. She can't wait to be a big sister, and I am happy for her.

"You're welcome."

I don't know why, but I have the hardest time uttering those three syllables. Whenever I accomplish a task for someone, especially a boss, I reply with "It was no problem at all, really." I guess I don't want them to think there's anything I can't handle. But the truth of the matter is that some of these tasks are rather difficult/time-consuming/boring. I should be able to accept their gratitude with a simple "you're welcome" instead of insinuating "sure, feel free to give me all the junk you don't feel like doing, I'll take it on no matter what." I don't even know how I developed this pattern, but lately, I've been very conscious that I'm saying it, and yet I can't seem to stop. I've never been very good at accepting compliments either.

In other news, this stuff about the computers crashing on the space station is rather scary. It's not getting much press what with all the Paris Hilton prison musings and all, but I really wish people cared more about these things. I feel for NASA and the Russian space program, partly because I have studied some of their bigger disasters in business school (which might explain why I am more aware of this issue than some). The idea of solving this problem is so daunting to me: the experts aren't there with them on the station, and they have such limited ability to fix things from a distance. Indeed, they have no real way of knowing just what it causing the error with so much technology involved. Who knows what tiny aspect is throwing everything off?

I guess if they can successfully pull it off and the station does not need to be evacuated, we all owe them gratitude. Hopefully they'll know how to say, "you're welcome."

Different MBA Perspectives

After a three-plus year break, I am currently taking an actual Finance course. I have tried to take more of the courses relating to organizational behavior and strategy, and I think this has given me a good understanding of how companies work.

In the Finance courses, learning is much more narrow in scope. I am taking a course on fixed income investments, and, to be frank, it's kicking my ass. I'm having to invest a lot of time for what I consider to be very little return. Somehow, I guess I forgot to do the present value calculation on this course before enrolling.

(Actually - I didn't have many options. Seeing as this is my very last class in the program, I've taken almost everything. And summer offerings are always slim.)

I could have done a concentration in Finance, and I think I would then understand a lot about how to finance company operations. But would I have such a universal view? Would I know how to motivate the people behind the spreadsheets and debt offerings? Would I understand the operations and marketing pressures? I'm not sure that I would. Hopefully, someday I'll have an opportunity to use this broader knowledge base.

We'll soon be heading to a Village Day celebration in our town, with some of our neighbors. Their five-year-old son is so good to the BusyBee, incredibly patient with her. He doesn't seem to notice that she's three, and can't quite keep up with him. He'll be a big brother in the coming weeks, and his dad says it's good big brother training. The BusyBee won't need any big sister training - she's raring to go.