On Pregnancy

It's been such a relief to share our news with the world about our pregnancy. While it gives me the slightest bit of apprehension (What if something goes wrong?!) I have faith that everything will work out the way it is supposed to.

Earlier in my pregnancy, I was really ill and the last thing I wanted to do was bother writing blog posts. Still, I put together a few so I could have a diary of sorts to remember these days.

I haven't decided yet if I'll be sharing them, but most likely those will appear on the blog in the next week or so. It's sort of hard to explain how I've been feeling (except for the nausea, of which I penned a very long post on) but right now it's a mixture of hope, fear, excitement and wonder.

When we were planning our wedding I was very blasé. To me, the most important thing was the ceremony and the reception was not going to be the most important thing that would happen in my life. In hindsight, I could have put a little more effort into our wedding. It gains more significance as the years go by and relatives who were there pass. The photos and memories become more precious.

With Baby Martini my feelings have been the opposite. I feel a great purpose in living and honestly think this is the most exciting and important thing I've done in my life. We tried for some time to have a child (not a terribly long time-- we were very very very lucky), but long enough to have an unbelievable appreciation for friends and family battling infertility. I have so much hope for them and pray they, too, may realize their dreams.

I know all I've been posting about lately is the baby, but whatever. I don't care. It's all I want to talk about, all I'm thinking about and all that is on my mind. Surely I'll look back at this post someday and laugh at the intense absurdity of my emotions but right now I'm just immensely grateful, thankful....and happy.

As always, thanks for sticking around and giving me a reason to keep writing. 

The {Not So} Great Gatsby

I was REALLY EXCITED to see this movie. I reread the book a few weekends ago and I was ready to be dazzled. Not wanting to be swayed by any early reviews, I made sure to see a noon showing on Saturday so my opinion would be my own. Clearly, I had heightened expectations this film was going to blow me away.

It wasn't a BAD film, by any means, I just felt like The Great Gatsby sort of missed the point. Baz Luhrmann, famous for his flashy style and unique editing, seemed to be focused on the glitz and glamour and the decadence and decor of the era rather than what they symbolized in the story.

Without giving anything away, the Great Gatsby is not an uplifting story. From beginning to end it's really rather depressing and while it reads beautifully, there is nothing happy about the plot. I don't think Mr. Luhrmann tried to make it uplifting, but I also think he may have been ditching class the day they explained the book in school.

It seemed to me that he read a Cliff's Notes on the novel without really thinking about the themes or symbols. Yes, the green light across the bay. We get it. As with any book that is turned into a film, there was so much left out that added to the story.

For me personally, the library scene, altered greatly from the book, is a pivotal moment in the story and symbolized so much about Gatsby. Conversely, the accident in front of Gatsby's house seemed to be completely glossed over and integrated into several other plot lines when it too symbolized many things and deserved its own moment.

This is me being nit picky but I didn't like the words appearing on the screen during the film. It was just hokey. Also, I had no idea Tobey Maguire was such a terrible actor.

The movie was entertaining and filmed beautifully. I just really think Luhrmann phoned it in and never had a deep understanding of the themes of the novel. Quite frankly I think he knew it had a lot of popularity and was attracted to all the showy aspects and thought, "Let's make it NEW and FRESH with a SLICK soundtrack and lots of marketing to push it!"

Music should never be something you notice and recognize in a film. It should lend a mood and always remain in the background. Several times during the movie I thought, "Oh, I know this song....what is it?" No bueno.

My final criticism lays in the endless marketing attempts. Town and Country magazine was tweeting quotes from the book/film a good solid WEEK before the film's release. I don't think someone on the staff just happened to be really excited about the movie. The Brooks Brothers collaboration is lovely but it's all just a bit much. I work in marketing but even this I think is overkill. They also tweeted about the film many many times. Tiffany & Co. had a hand in the film, producing some of the jewels. Jay-Z was an executive producer on the film and you could tell. The marketing push the soundtrack got was unreal. It's also not a coincidence that he's on it as well as his wife Beyonce (who did a lovely cover of Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" that was really distracting during the film but I enjoyed nonetheless).

I give this movie a B.

It was a very pretty film, but if you're a purist or understood the deeper symbolism of the novel, don't expect to be enthralled. I saw it in 3-D, which is not necessary. It's not an action film and I think the 3-D may have been distracting. I will not be buying this on DVD but if a friend bought it, I might borrow it sometime.

It's a.....

........BOY!

 

Boy, oh boy! We're having a BOY!

 

It's funny how things work out. I did want a girl....but mostly for the matching Lilly dresses, pink, hair bows, and lace. I'm not disappointed at all. My little man is going to be MINE all MINE and we can't wait for his arrival!

 

Knowing he is a HE makes everything so much more real. I'm anxious to reach that halfway point a little over a month away and then after that I'm anxious to get him born!

 

Get out the bow ties, madras and Nantucket reds....the Guinnesses' are HAVING A BOY!