Merry Christmas!

We're headed to south Germany so Jay can snowboard, hope you all had a great Christmas!

Growing like a weed

Hayden is officially out of his newborn-sized clothes and hanging out comfortably in his 3 months gear. I can't wait for his appointment in January to see how much he's grown. He looks much more like a sturdy, solid baby instead of a fragile newborn. I was certain he was going through a growth spurt the other day, because he was eating around the clock. I SWEAR he got bigger overnight! It's so awesome to watch him grow and change.

We survived our road trip to Ramstein with little events. Hayden slept most of the way there, and so did I! I rode in the back so I could take care of him if the need arose, since it's hard to stop on the autobahn. We napped while Jay drove, which was nice since Hayden didn't go to sleep until 6am and we got up at 8. We shopped and ate at Chili's, shopped a little more and headed home. Oscar is still at the farm; we decided to extend his vacation by a day to give us a little break and to give him a little more running time.

Last night we decided to let super-cuddler sleep in our bed, since he'd been in the carseat most of the day on our road trip. Sure enough, he slept pretty solidly, waking up once to eat. He woke up again at 4:30 and stayed up about a half hour, then back to sleep he went! We slept off and on downstairs this morning, but life is much easier when we get some sleep!

It's so much fun watching his little smiles, I can't wait to catch one on camera! He is making lots of gurgling and cooing noises that are terribly adorable as well. We're hoping for a white Christmas but it's not looking promising so far. We're excited for our first Christmas as a family, even though Hayden won't remember it.

A few "firsts"

Hayden is smiling! I had convinced myself that it's just gas, but we went over to Val's for a short visit so I could return maternity clothes, and she and Bennett got to hang out with Hayden for a few minutes. They were leaned in talking to him, and he smiled in response to them. Even if they are just gas, they're the cutest gas smiles ever!

Jay gave Hayden his first bottle the other night! Normally feeding is mommy-Hayden time since I'm nursing, with Jay on burping duty. But we decided to introduce a bottle once he was four weeks old so he could start getting used to it, and so I could have a little gym or errands time. Hayden seems a little leery of it, but I think once he figures out it's the same thing, just in a different "container", he'll be fine.

Hayden is also a super cuddler as of late. He'll sleep longer at night, but only if someone (read: mommy) is holding him. So we spend a lot of time curled up on the couch together, and in the bed once Jay goes to work. He's so sweet and I definitely don't mind his tiny little warm body. This weekend we're taking baby's first road trip to Ramstein, so wish us luck! It's about a 3 hour drive, so we'll see how it goes! That also means a trip to the farm for Oscar, who is in desperate need of some good running and playing with his friends. It's win-win. We also hope to go to the Christmas markets before they close for the season. Today is Jay's last day of work until the first week in January, so we're planning on making the most of our time together!

This week we also started using more of Hayden's "gear", his tummy time mat and little play gym. He doesn't care for tummy time much, but he seems to be entertained by his gym. And of course, it gives mommy plenty of opportunities for pictures (and potty breaks).

For my new-mom friends

A lot of my mom-to-be friends have asked if there are things that are more helpful than others, and after four weeks this is what we've come up with!

1. Avent 0-3 months translucent BPA-free pacifiers. Hayden seems to like this brand and shape most, and I like that it doesn't get all sucked to his face and leave marks.

2. Kiddopotamus swaddling blankets. These are GREAT for swaddling, virtually idiot-proof and help him stay asleep when his arms want to flail. They're also lightweight, which is awesome for my hot-natured baby.

3. Fisher Price Itsy Bitsy Bouncer. Hayden loves to hang out in it, and it's great for calming him when he's cranky.

4. Gerber newborn undershirts. I put these on under his pajamas when we go out, they're great for layering and he's just so darn cute in them!

5. Carter's baby mittens. They have just the right amount of elastic to stay on his hands no matter how much he fights to try to scratch his face.

6. Graco quilted Pack N Play sheet. Hayden spends MUCH of his time sleeping in the bassinet level of his Pack N Play, and this sheet keeps it soft, cozy and comfortable. It's thick and warm on his little skin too!

7. Huggies Newborn diapers (though Hayden is long since out of them, I thought they were worth mentioning!). They have a color-change strip that makes it foolproof to see if there's a diaper change needed.

8. GAP 0-6 month sized socks. Cushy and thick, and they make mommy worry less about him having cold feet!

9. Aveeno baby wash and baby lotion (unscented). Super gentle, tear-free and makes him super baby-soft!

10. Crane Adorable Frog humidifier. Cool-mist, easy to assemble, clean and fill and helps his little nose stay clear!

11. Fisher Price Baby Papasan Cradle Swing. He loves to swing, and seems to like the music and bird noises.

12. Diaper depot. We have three changing stations since we have two floors, and it makes diapering so much easier. Hayden hates being wet, so the sooner we can get off a wet diaper, the happier we ALL are. The ones we have are inexpensive and simple, with room for diapers, wipes and assorted diapering supplies, and make a huge difference.

13. Diaper Champ. I like the system of simple disposal, and the fact that I can use any bags for it. It's amazing how many diapers he can go through in one day!

When Hayden allows, I'll add my list of books I couldn't/can't live without!

Four weeks and counting!

Well life has been busy, but we're all hanging in there! We've survived Hayden's first (mini) illness and all came out virtually unscathed. He had a little cough and a bit of a runny nose, but I think we're all better now. As a result of his cough, I am now in love with and forever indebted to his adorable frog humidifier.

Nights have been in a word, challenging. Hayden would sleep for about two or three hours after dinner, and 10 or 11 pm is when his night really started. Unfortunately for me, nights wouldn't end until around 4 or 5 am, so I was exhausted. My trial and error process never seemed to produce the desired effect (sleep) for very long, so we've been a tired house! I had a pretty strong moment of clarity about a week or so ago, realizing that Hayden is in general probably pretty stressed out about his life. For nine months, he was in this cozy little haven, eating and sleeping anytime he wanted, with perfect temperature control and no dirty diapers or spit-up to deal with. So being out has probably been a giant culture shock for him. I realized his absolute helplessness was making him cry whenever he needed something, and that he is completely dependent upon us to fix whatever is making him cry. So while it may be stressful for me, nights are probably torture for him.

The problem with nights was that I literally had to be "on" and active for four hours in the wee hours of the morning. Feeding, burping, changing, rocking, bouncing, swaying, dancing, singing...trying to figure out what he needed to be calm and to sleep. Of course, Jay turned the lightbulb on for me yesterday when he gave Hayden his pacifier. I've been pretty resistant to the pacifier, until I discovered my baby is a "super sucker", meaning the sucking reflex is probably what calms him the most. I had tried a few times to give him the pacifier and he resisted, so I gave up pretty easily. Yesterday I watched Jay hold it in his mouth for about 10-15 seconds until he stopped crying and immediately started sucking on it. I realized I just needed a little more perseverance. Sure enough, a few more seconds of waiting and he LOVES this tiny piece of BPA-free plastic and silicone!

The big test came tonight after he went "down for the night", which is a joke for a four-week-old breastfed baby. Two hours later, he woke up and I fed him. After the burp, I reached for the pacifier, and the skies opened up. Back to sleep at 1am with little effort! He still has a little trouble deciding what's night and what's day, but the quiet at 3am (with a little help from his bouncy seat, our lifesaver right now) is priceless. I imagine there are about a million more hurdles to sleep in our future, but for now I will take this victory! I'm starting a new book, Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, that many of my fellow moms swear by.

Jay and I spent the day cleaning and once we tackle a few small tasks tomorrow, we'll be back on track with a presentable house. Life seems much easier when I can walk in a clear path in my living room, and when I'm not tripping over shoes in the bedrooms. Things are looking up, and we're finding that we can do this parenting thing!

Hayden's first doctor's appointment

Yesterday I took Hayden to the clinic for the Army's first look at him. He's gained almost a pound in two weeks, so he's up to 9 lbs, 8 oz! So apparently nursing is working out for us. They measured his head and his length (he's proportionate!), and we met Dr. Garde, the pediatrician on post. Unfortunately there's only ONE pediatrician, so for our next appointments we may be going off-post. But we'll wait until January to see!

Dr. Garde checked his heartbeat and breathing, his belly button and abdomen, his circumcision site, and basically poked and prodded all over while he slept the sleep of babies (especially the ones who have just been fed, burped and changed). I learned we have to get another "heel stick" because the American standard is to check for about 22 disorders and issues, while the Germans only check for about half of that. We also have to get a shot of Vitamin K, because in the states it's administered as a shot and here in Germany it's given at birth as drops, which aren't absorbed as well. We would have gotten both of those done yesterday, but the lab and immunization section were both closed from 1200-1300 and of course, our appointment was over at 11:45. She also gave us some vitamin D drops, which are given to breastfed babies. We've been giving him the tablets that the german hospital gave us, but you have to dissolve them in water and they're a terrible pain, so we'll see how this goes.

I asked lots of questions and Dr. Garde assured me Hayden's development is all "perfectly normal" and that he's doing well. No immunizations until his two-month check up, so I have from now until then to steel my nerves for that. We'll be going back tomorrow for them to stick his heel and give him his shot, and then running about a million errands to get lots of paperwork done. I spent an hour yesterday getting his German birth certificate, which we'll need for his passport, only to find out I also needed the International birth certificate in order to enroll him in the Army's system. Bummer! So tomorrow we'll be going back for that as well, and possibly taking his passport photos. There's lots to be done to get him all squared away, and not a lot of time to do it, so wish us luck!

Tis the season!

December is here, which means we're preparing for Hayden's first Christmas! We got our first "real" tree, and we're so excited about it. It only took us a few minutes to find one we liked, and luckily Jay had already made room in the trunk (and tested said room by getting IN the trunk), so we paid, loaded up and headed home in the cold winter air. We had picked up lights and a tree stand, which completed our tree project. We got home and Jay trimmed it up to even things out and then we realized we didn't know where to put it! Both places the tree had been in Christmases past wouldn't work, thanks to the addition of Hayden's swing and playpen, so we set out moving furniture. Two hours later, we were sitting on the couch, drinking hot chocolate, watching "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" and admiring our fresh-smelling, decorated tree. Since Hayden is so small, that means one more year without worrying about ornaments getting destroyed! Oscar manages to break or disfigure one or two over the course of the holiday season, but he's getting used to things. We got Hayden a "Baby's 1st Christmas" ornament this weekend as well, so our tree is officially ready for the season!

Hayden also had his picture taken with Santa Claus! He's sleeping in his picture of course, but hey, at least he's not crying. Unfortunately we'll have to get it scanned before anyone can see it, but trust me...it's adorable!

Getting into the swing of things!

I'm happy to report that we all survived Hayden's first real bath! Not without incident of course, because we're new parents. Jay was hanging out with Hayden while I got the bathroom ready for his bath. Diaper, wipes, bath towel, washcloths, check the water temperature, soap, turn on the heater, close the door. Finally we're ready, and strip off his diaper. Jay goes to sit him in his baby bathtub, and is certain the water is "just too cold". I assure him I used a thermometer, and it's just right. He insists I check it again, and lifts Hayden out. So what happens when you put a baby in water and take him out? Of course, he pees. What happens when your six-foot-tall husband is holding him? Of course, he holds him right over your shoulder. So we all got a little wet, and as it turns out the water was the perfect temperature. Lesson learned! But we had fun washing him and rubbing his little baby lotion and getting him ready for bed, so it was worth it.

Thanksgiving was Hayden's first holiday, and we finally got our first family picture (minus Oscar). We spent it with our friends, The Pollards, and said goodbye to the Millers and Lambsons who are headed back to the states. Turkey, all the trimmings and of course, video games for the boys. The kids all had a blast playing with each other, and Hayden somehow slept through all the crazy noise. Oscar enjoyed the leftovers, and some much-needed attention from the kids and adults. He's been a little neglected since Hayden got here, but he's taking it well.

We continue to get used to Hayden at home. Some nights he sleeps two hours, wakes up to eat and goes right back to sleep for two more hours. More often, he wakes up at 2:30am to eat, and is awake until at least 5am before he nods back off. So we still have our days and nights mixed up, but we'll get there! He makes the best faces in his sleep, and we love to look at his little arms and hands. Like mommy, he kicks the covers off his feet, and like both of us, he likes to lay his head on his arms. He has so much personality already!

Life at home

Well we've officially survived our first week at home! What a week it's been though. Hayden still prefers to sleep during the day and be awake at night. But now his awake time at night is a little quieter. He's alert but not crying, so we'll take it. We move around, from the bassinet to the rocker to the bed to the swing downstairs, depending on what kind of mood we're in. We have NO schedule to speak of, which is made easier by Jay's 10 days of paternity leave (thank you, Army). He signs back in tomorrow, just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, so when it's all said and done he'll have had two whole weeks with us. And the Christmas holiday is just around the corner!

A big thanks to Leigh, Amanda, Judy and Megan who were Hayden's first visitors in the hospital! Since then he's been lucky enough to meet the Meyers, Millers and Pollards, but most importantly, Oscar! Everyone has been asking how Oscar is doing with the baby, and truthfully he just kind of tolerates him right now. He likes to sniff him, understands that we need to give the baby lots of attention, and is fine as long as we share some of that attention while the baby sleeps. I think once Oscar can lick him and play with him, he'll be just as smitten as we are.

So far it's been a busy life for little Hayden! We have survived our first sponge bath; took our first trip out of the house (in the snow!) to visit the commissary and the Pollards, which of course included our first round-trip in the car; we've tested out the swing and come to love the bassinet-level of the playpen; and mommy even managed to cut and file his nails without a tranquilizer (for me!). Hayden's umbilical cord stump fell off rather quickly, as did his plastibell cover from his circumcision, so we're ready for our first real bath! We're also learning the tricks of the trade to avoid getting peed on, but he can be tricky. I did have to wake Jay up in the middle of the night once this weekend to change Hayden's clothes while I changed the sheets in the bassinet.

Next week starts our rounds of paperwork to get Hayden firmly entrenched into the military system. This week, however, we're still just relaxing and looking forward to Thanksgiving with our Army family!

A baby story: Part III (going home!)

Tuesday morning came early, since Hayden doesn't really sleep much at night. Neither do I, and I want to look at him when he sleeps, so tired was the name of the game. I was so anxious to get home, it seemed like the day was dragging. When they came in at 6, luckily I didn't have to get out of bed since we'd be leaving that day. They told me the pediatrician would be there at 8:30 to see Hayden, so I waited until a decent hour (7am) to call Jay and tell him when to be there. He had been up most of the night himself, doing his own "nesting" by doing dishes and vacuuming so the house would be ready for us.

I got us dressed and ready, leafed through my book a little while time draggggged on. Seriously, slowest morning of my life. Dr. Stadlbauer stopped by to give us some going-home rules (I did NOT know I still can't take a bath, what a bummer) and said he'd see us in 6 weeks for my postpartum appointment. The nurse finally came to get Hayden to see the pediatrician a little after 9, and Jay had just called to say he was on the way. I wheeled Hayden down the hall and met the pediatrician. He had to do an ultrasound to check both of his hips, and I know how cold that gel is, so it was no surprise that Hayden howled and howled. I have a feeling I will NOT be any good at consoling him when he gets shots, as I will need Valium to just get through it. What a terrible sound, to hear your baby wail like that. He checked his circumcision, looked him over and we were all done.

We got back to the room and Jay was waiting for us. We packed up, and headed upstairs to "check out". For a decent sized hospital, I was surprised that there was only one person working to sign people out. We waited about 15 minutes, then I went in to finish up the paperwork and head on out. We took our little man to the car, strapped him into the carseat, and were on our way. I sat in the back to watch him, while Jay drove at an unusually slow speed for him. Babies make you more careful drivers, that's for sure. We got home, laid Hayden in his playpen (it has a little bassinet attachment that is AWESOME) and sat on the couch, just taking it all in. I have never been so happy to be home (though my run-ins with Space A travel come a close second), and was so grateful for my little family. All that was left was Oscar, but we decided to give ourselves a day to get used to Hayden at home before adding him to the picture. Besides, he never minds an extra day at the farm!

A baby story: Part II

Well our first night was long, but fairly uneventful. We all slept in the same room, with Jay in the other bed and Hayden in his little nursery crib. They took him away for a few minutes to check his vitals and whatnot, but for the most part he hung out with us. Since it was Sunday when we woke up, we were guaranteed a pretty relaxing day as the Germans don't do anything on Sundays. We hung out mostly, trying to rest and get the hang of nursing, and Jay left for a bit to take Oscar to the farm and get stuff from the house. He came back to hang out with us, and I took what was probably the best shower of my life while Jay held Hayden and read one of my baby books. All in all, our first full day of being parents went by pretty quickly and without much going on.

Monday came early, because the nurses wanted to change my bed at 6am. While I was still in it. Nothing if not efficient, those ladies! They kept coming to check my belly with their very cold hands, and taking Hayden every once in awhile to check on him. Possibly the hardest thing to get used to is German food, or more accurately, the meals. Germans eat a light breakfast (bread, coffee, a little cheese), lunch is the main cooked meal, and dinner is usually more bread and cheese. No one told me how hungry I'd be after having a baby, so Jay was in charge of bringing me extra food and lots of water. I was also very thirsty, and luckily the hospital had a water dispenser with normal (non-bubbly) mineral water.

That morning around 10am, they came to take Hayden for his circumcision. It was quick and painless (so they say) but I still felt pretty bad for my little guy. The nurses said I needed to let them know when Hayden peed, so they knew everything was still in working order. So we waited and waited, but nothing was happening. By that evening, I was getting a little worried. They told me if he didn't pee, we'd have to give him some tea (from a bottle) which I was very leery of. They say if you're nursing, not to introduce any pacifiers or bottles until you both have the hang of it, to avoid confusion for the baby. But pee he did not, so they brought him a tiny bit of water to get things moving, and gave him a suppository. Boy did he not like that! A little bit later I checked his diaper and there was plenty of poop, but the nurse said no, he hasn't peed yet. I was way stressed at this point, and started to change his diaper with a million thoughts whirling about, hoping my little man was okay. As I was changing him, he decided now was the time to pee, and proceeded to pee all over EVERYTHING. Luckily, most of it missed me but hit the bed, his clothes, the wipes case, the whole 9. I called the nurse back in (who was surely irritated at this point) and she walked in to me up to my elbows in urine, changing him. I said "He peed", and she took a look at the bed and everything around us. She chuckled, and said "He is fine", and walked out still laughing.

By Monday night, Jay was going a little stir crazy in this empty house. No me, no Oscar, pretty boring apparently. He now has a new appreciation for what I did for 15 months while he was in Afghanistan. But we had one more day to go, since the pediatrician wanted to check Hayden out the day after his circumcision, which couldn't be done on Sunday. One last night, and we'd be homeward bound!

A baby story: Part I

It's still so hard for me to believe I gave birth. But here's how it all happened, with some details left out in good taste and for the squeamish.

Saturday morning around 11:30 Jay and I were walking around the PX, running some errands. I noticed some slight cramping in my belly, and assumed we were dealing with Braxton Hicks contractions. I mean, I can't be in labor, that's silly. We walked around some more and I was getting increasingly uncomfortable, so we headed home. Jay had a ruck march planned with some of his soldiers, so he headed out but not before I made sure he had his phone. I told him I was a little nervous, and just wanted to be on the safe side. He assured me I'd be fine, but to call him if I needed anything. He was pretty sure I wasn't in labor, just had gas. He blames the egg salad.

I spent the next two hours laying around, eating a little, and trying to pay attention to the clock to see if there was any regularity to these contractions. None whatsoever. When Jay got home I was still uncomfortable, but didn't see any need to go to the hospital. By 5pm, I told him I thought we might go to the hospital at some point this evening, just to check things out. I'd rather be sent home than give birth in my living room, after all. By 7pm I was in more pain, and laying down was about the only option to be somewhat comfortable. Jay came upstairs and finished packing mine and Hayden's bags, and we finally left for the hospital around 8:45pm.

We checked in to the maternity ward around 9pm, and hung out in the waiting room for about 15 minutes. At this point, I was bent over an ottoman because my back hurt so much with each contraction. Jay was rubbing my back and I was certain this had to be labor; if not, I told Jay, HE was having this baby. The midwife came to get us and took us down the hall. She hooked me up to a fetal heart rate monitor that also measured my contractions. She checked my cervix, and to my surprise, I was dilated to 7cm. Basically almost there! I think it was then that Jay and I fully realized this was happening tonight. The midwife also told us she could feel lots of hair.

This is also when we realized my internal debate over the epidural had been solved for me, as I was dilated too far to have one. They gave me a little something in my IV to "take the edge off" which made me sleepy more than anything. Turns out another doctor was already there, so it wasn't technically necessary for my doc to be there, unless this labor progressed past midnight when he would be "on call" again. Since my water hadn't broken, the midwife did it for me. My friends have all talked about this hook-like contraption that was used to break their water, so I was pretty terrified. Apparently they do things differently here, because she did it by hand, which was literally quick and painless. The contractions started coming closer together, and I was definitely experiencing what is known as "back labor". This means Hayden's head was pushing on my spine during contractions because of his position. This also meant we had to try to shift him around a little for delivery. She had me basically get up on all fours on the delivery table, which was probably one of the worst parts of my delivery. I got extremely nauseous, and thought I might vomit, which is pretty miserable when you're in labor. Luckily I didn't stay that way for long.

It wasn't too long before they told me it was time to push. I think my midwife thought I wasn't trying hard enough, but the tiny busted blood vessels on my face after delivery say otherwise. After about 15 minutes of pushing, the doctor told us he was worried about the baby's heart rate. It was plummeting during my contractions and he said there was a possibility the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck. Pretty scary! He said we'd try a little bit longer, and would use a tiny vacuum to help the baby out. He was so close, but just not wanting to come out. Two more pushes, and they told me to stop pushing, and to look at my baby. He was out! A messy little thing with tons of hair, but he was beautiful :-)

They handed Jay the scissors to cut the cord, and we heard a strong little cry come out of our baby and knew he was fine. They cut the cord, gave me a shot to induce a quick contraction for delivery of the placenta, and we were DONE. During my pregnancy, I had joked to my friends that I didn't want to hold my baby until he was all clean and pretty. But when they handed him to me still covered in, well, everything, I could not have been happier. At that moment I knew I was holding the most beautiful baby in the world, dirty hair and all. They let me hold him awhile before we got all cleaned up and worked on nursing. They gave him a little bath, weighed and measured, took some pictures, dressed him and handed him over to the happiest parents in Germany. That's when Jay looked at the clock and realized it was after midnight. So he had to ask "Was it today or yesterday?"; Hayden was born on November 15th just in the nick of time, at 11:59 pm.

In Germany, they take a much different approach to birth. It seems that they favor natural deliveries unless c-sections become medically necessary, they do not favor the epidural, and they adhere to the policy of skin-to-skin contact as soon as possible instead of handing you a more aesthetically pleasing version of your baby. They wholeheartedly endorse nursing, rooming-in and overall a more natural approach to birth. Turns out it was pretty much exactly how I wanted to have Hayden.

While the nurse was cleaning him up, she did say she thinks my due date was wrong. Had he been really two weeks early, she told us, he should have been more covered in vernix, and smaller. Later when she escorted me to the restroom and saw me standing up straight for the first time she said (in broken English), "Ah, now I see this was very big baby for you". Forgiven, for thinking I wasn't working hard enough. We hung out with our 8 lb, 9 oz and 20-inch long baby in the delivery room for a little over an hour until I was moved to my private room. We requested a private room with a bed so Jay could stay, which is not standard procedure but certainly possible in Germany. Hayden was right next to me in his little plexiglass crib, and would stay there unless I requested otherwise.

So that my friends is the story of Hayden, the little (big) baby that could (and would), and of his proud parents. I have to say that I didn't think it was going to happen for awhile, and it never would have without the amazing support of my wonderful husband who, as it turns out, is a pretty awesome dad too.

When I have more time, a little more about our hospital stay and what life is like at home with Hayden!

He's here!

Welcome to the world, Hayden Alexander!

He was born at 11:59 pm on Saturday, November 15 by natural delivery. At 37 weeks, 6 days he measured an impressive 8 lbs, 9 oz and 20.4 inches long. He has a full head of blonde hair, and is more amazing than we ever dreamed.

We just got home from the hospital today, but when I have more energy I'll give a play-by-play of what's been going on since Saturday! For now, we're getting used to each other and are so glad to be home. Jay is glad to have us home too; the house was lonely without us!

Just a little fun

Hayden has some SERIOUS hiccups right now, and it makes me giggle.

Our baby has some seriously cute stuff he's obtained, but I think Jay and I have decided the absolute cutest thing he has. Surprisingly, it's his newborn diapers! Have you ever seen these tiny things?? They look like they'll fit a doll. Most books tell us not to buy too many of them, since most babies don't last long in them. So we have a handful, and I started setting up changing stations this weekend and pulled out a few to stock. I squealed my "look how cute this baby stuff is" squeal, which Jay has probably come to abhor, but he takes it well. He looked up, and agreed that they are pretty darn cute.

Good news! Amazon is re-shipping our lost wipes warmer, and we have a Diaper Champ on teh way as well! I finished my book on nursing and haven't decided what to work on next, but suffice to say my brain is FULL of information I'll most likely forget at the first real contraction. More baby progress this weekend (hopefully) along with some relaxation time for us, and an appointment on Monday. We'll keep you updated!

Movin' right along

Busy weekend in the Rogers' house as usual, but Jay did have a four-day thanks to the Veterans' Day Holiday, so we spent some time relaxing, sleeping in and being bums. I figure we have to take advantage of those lazy weekends while we still can!

I'm starting to feel a little more pressure, especially when I stand up. This past weekend I started experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions, according to my book. I was having some intermittent cramping and looked it up in my books and on Babycenter.com, and am pretty sure that's what's going on. They don't last long, they're completely infrequent with no rhyme or reason, so I guess my body is just gearing up for the big event. Lucky me!

We also started doing more getting-ready-for-baby stuff this weekend, which was awesome! Jay put together the swing, the pack n' play and the bouncy seat. I tried to help, but Jay assured me it was his job to put this stuff together, and my job was to have the baby. Glad we got that cleared up! He also wanted nothing to do with having his picture taken, but I told him I didn't want our baby thinking some strange man put his stuff together! So now he'll just think his daddy is silly. We moved around some furniture, and continue to pick up essentials for Hayden (more baby wipes, vaseline, etc.) and I'm working on packing his diaper bag and my hospital bag a little at a time.

I also started a new book, So That's What They're For, about breastfeeding. I really like it so far (I'm about halfway through) and it helps me feel a little more comfortable about nursing. I'm having a little more luck lately with sleeping, depending on when we get up and how much we do in a day. We set up one of his changing stations downstairs, and are waiting for our changing pad to get here to finish up his room. Pictures when it's clean! We ordered a wipes warmer from Amazon a long time ago and never received it. I sent an email to their customer service last night, and they're sending us a new one to replace it! Super excited. Germany is cold and the heating system is a little different than that of the states, so we don't want him to be cold downstairs. I'm sure we'll have no problem keeping his little room warm, and we have some great swaddling sleepers.

Seems like my belly keeps getting bigger! Just a few more weeks and he'll be out, and I think we'll both be grateful for the extra moving room :-)

Doctor's Appointment 36 weeks, 3 days

I'm a little behind, since my appointment was Monday! We did the fetal heart rate monitor for 30 minutes again (but it seemed like much longer this time!) and Hayden's heart is pumping away. No contractions, and I'm starting to like this 30-minute relax time.

We did a quick ultrasound and found that he's measuring about 6 lbs, 7oz right now, so he's right on track. "Not too big" was the word on his head size, which is good news for me! He was very active for most of my appointment, as he usually is while I'm laying down. Quick check of the cervix (no dilation yet) and swab for Strep B and we were all done. No ultrasound pics, because Hayden has pretty much settled into a head-down and turned-around position, but he's doing fine in there.

I'm getting very excited and also feeling very unprepared at times. This weekend Jay has a four-day weekend so we'll be getting more organizing done, and maybe putting the car seat base in the back of the car. I'd like to get some packing done for the hospital, since our time is running out. It's not easy when Hayden wants me to sleep, but only at weird hours of the day and NOT at night when Jay sleeps. In my "fun time" these days I'm reading, but also catching up on the scrapbooking I'm SO far behind on. But it's moving quickly, and would move a bit faster if the post office would ship my stuff as soon as I order it. The things you don't get used to here, even after 2.5 years...but it's a lot of fun looking back at the fun stuff I did last year with some of the great people who have come to visit.

Now it's off to clean while I still have the energy!

What a productive weekend!

Well yesterday Jay and I decided to tackle our crazy messy house and get down to business. We're in one of those catch-22 situations where it seems like we can't do one thing before doing another, but something else has to be done before we can do that. So, like any expectant parents, we've just been doing nothing :-) I did tons of laundry for all of us while Jay got to work on his and Hayden's collective room. Our chair we ordered three months ago FINALLY got here on Saturday, so we got that set up and half of Hayden's room is now ready. Pictures forthcoming, once we turn the dresser into his changing table. We also finally got his humidifier, the cutest little frog you've ever seen, and tried it out last night. It's a shame we didn't purchase one for ourselves, with our stuffy noses in this dry German air!

This morning I spent some time shopping online for some of the smaller, essential items we haven't yet procured for him. Time is coming fast (four weeks left!) so I figured we should get it all ordered and here. I was very excited to compare consumer reports and customer reviews for things like thermometers and playpen sheets. It's funny how impending motherhood changes things. I remember the same excitement for a sale at White House Black Market, and how my shoes used to be so cute. Now it's all about soft blankets and little socks!

We still get a kick out of watching him move around in my belly, and are getting more and more excited about meeting this little fellow who has already changed our lives so much. Doctor's appointment later today, and maybe some packing of diaper bags and whatnot. We'll see!

Busy busy!

We're pretty busy in the Rogers house these days! Last week I had a mini-baby shower lunch with some of my favorite ladies and it was fabulous! We're pretty stocked on diapers for awhile, and my ever-so-crafty friend Susie made my nursing cover and matching burp cloths. Hayden will be so stylish in his green stripes! A lot of our friends are moving to new duty stations in the states, so we're in the midst of saying goodbye, seems like every week!

Last Saturday we had an adults-only Halloween party so as not to interfere with trick-or-treating this weekend. We had it at the same pub we did my baby shower at, and it was tons of fun. I was a lady bug, as one of the only costumes that would accomodate my belly, and Jay was the super creepy puppet from the "Saw" movies. We ended up in the emergency room for a short stint, as one of the boys cut his fingers pretty badly, but other than that it was a good time had by all.

Today saw our first snowfall of the year in Germany! It didn't stick of course, and it only lasted a few hours but it was still exciting! Oscar loves the snow, so I let him chase snowflakes for awhile before we were both too cold to stay out any longer. Looks like we might share our first White Christmas with our baby! It's gearing up to be a cold winter over here, so I'm glad we're stocked up on warm blankets, super soft snow bunting, a snowsuit and baby thermals. A few more hats and socks and we'll be good to go! Cold-weather babies make me a little nervous, especially since Jay and I are so warm all the time. Looks like we'll be getting used to warmer temperatures in the house! We did order a wipes warmer since Germany is colder than where we usually live, and will use it at our downstairs changing station (if it ever arrives, that is!).

This weekend we are trick-or-treating with our friends on Friday and hopefully spending some time organizing the house and basement. We've gotten a little slack on the cleaning this week, and our basement is a wreck from digging stuff out for some of our friends that are moving. I'm very anti-clutter these days, so hopefully we'll make some progress! Four weeks left and we can hardly believe it!

Thanks, Jen!

One of my friends from college is a crafty girl, and made this sign for Hayden's room! It matches his bedding (once it's out of the package and in his crib, which we won't have until we get to the states) perfectly, and we LOVE it!!

Once we get his room cleaned up a bit, I'll be able to show you what it looks like on the wall. For now, Jay's holding it up right after we took it out of the box, in our dining room.

Doctor's Appointment, 34 weeks 3 days

Seems like I'm always going to the doctor now! We showed up a little early, I peed in a cup and sat in the waiting room for only a minute until they told me to go to the "first room". I've never been in there, usually I'm in the second room (for ultrasounds) except for my first two appointments when I was in the third room (for exams). Turns out they wanted to hook me up to a fetal heart rate monitor, which they'll do for the rest of my appointments. It takes 30 minutes, which we weren't expecting, but it was fun laying there listening to his little heart beating so fast! I had to lay on my side with the monitors on both sides of my stomach, with my head on what looked like a giant Boppy. The FHR monitor measures his heart rate and my contractions (if any, but none yet!) to make sure we're both doing well.

After that, we went into the room I'm used to for the rest of my appointment. Weight (not much change from my last appointment), blood pressure (a tiny bit high but nothing to worry about) and ultrasound. I think Hayden had just shifted that morning into a more vertical position, because my belly felt not so lopsided for the first time in awhile. He's settled a little more with his head down near my pelvis, but continues to move like a little wiggle worm with what room he has left! He's about 5 lbs, 7 oz right now and is growing just fine. Heart rate, amniotic fluid, blood flow to the umbilical cord are all fine, so we're just trucking along. He wasn't in a good position for an ultrasound pic for us, neither the regular nor the 3D. So no pictures this time, but it's just as well since our master scanner, Dandy, has already shipped her household goods including her scanner!

Today I'm having a mini-baby shower lunch with some of my fun ladies today and I can't wait! Jay should have a long weekend so we're ready to relax and have some fun. We also have a halloween party this weekend and can't wait to wear our costumes! Oscar's been a little sick lately so I think we're all ready for a little break.

Crazy? I might be

So I'm having a huge internal debate about getting an epidural when Hayden makes his entrance. If I were in the states, the question would be less difficult, and I would just make the judgment call when I needed to. But here it's different.

Most of my friends who have delivered in Germany and have had an epidural say that the pain was only slightly dulled, and that basically it was turned off at "crunch time". I know that the epidural basically slows down labor, and the Germans are nothing if not efficient. My friends who have had babies stateside speak lovingly of their epidurals, that allowed them to only feel a slight pressure when the baby was delivered.

By now you probably also know I have a fear and hatred of needles. I was never a huge fan of the idea of a giant needle being pushed into my spine. Now I'm starting to think that it's a risky procedure that just may not be worth it if when I need it most, it's turned off. I think it will turn out to be a decision I make in the moment, but for right now I think I'm going to try it without the epidural, and see how it goes. Then again, the best laid plans of mice and men...

Doctor's Appointment, 32 weeks, 5 days

What an exciting appointment! We did the usual pee-in-a-cup, weight, check blood for iron, blood pressure. Everything was fine. My blood pressure was a little low but the doctor wasn't concerned so we aren't either.

He spent a lot of time on the ultrasound, measuring and whatnot. Hayden is already 5 lbs! Hard to believe because for so long he was just a wee little thing and now he's almost a real baby! Well, you know what I mean :-) Our doctor said he's a little bigger than average, by about a half pound (I blame Jay) and is measuring about a week ahead of my due date. So he may come a little earlier than November 30th. It was hard to get a good 3D visual this time, but it was fun for Jay and I to see him in there.

After we finished up, we headed to the hospital. The hospital where I'll give birth, St. Joseph's, is about a 3-5 minute walk from my doctor's office. That's good news, because if it's in the middle of the day my doctor can just walk right over when Hayden's ready to make his entrance. He showed us where to go in and where to park, where to check in and into the maternity ward. It's a lot different than I thought it would be! The ceilings are high and lofty, so the whole section of the hospital seems very roomy. He showed us the two rooms where I can hang out when I'm still a bit away from delivery, to relax and listen to music or watch tv. The maternity unit is staffed by nurses and midwives, who will examine me to check dilation, contractions, etc. But the whole thing seems pretty laid back. He showed us a delivery room, which is very un-hospital like to me. It's not white and sterile looking, but has dimming lights, a bathtub (not for birthing, but just relaxing) and a bed, monitors and a scale. He said after delivery I'll spend about 2 hours there to make sure the baby and I are okay.

After that, there are the rooms I'll spend the rest of my hospital stay in. The rooms are set up for single or double occupancy. We have the option to reserve a single room when we get there, for a small fee that our insurance doesn't cover. In addition, we can also pay out of pocket to have Jay stay the night. We discussed it, and think we'll reserve a private room, and have Jay stay the first night. After that, we figure he can be at home with Oscar and getting us the things we need and visiting us, but sleeping in our bed. Basically they prefer to have the baby in the room with the mother for 24 hours a day, unless mom needs a break! Then the midwives will take them to the nursery and bring them for feedings.

The midwives are also staffed to help assist mothers with nursing and other new-baby things. Typically, if everything goes well with the baby and the mother we'll spend about 2-3 days in the hospital and then head home. If we have an unscheduled C-section we'll be there about 4-5 days. Europeans do not favor the c-section or the epidural, and seem pretty laid back about birth in general. Now that we've seen everything, it's even more exciting, and definitely more "real" as Jay pointed out.

We have another appointment in two weeks, where we'll continue to see how Hayden is growing and where we stand. It's getting close!

Getting ready for baby!

What a busy few days it's been for us! We got three giant boxes of all kinds of baby stuff from Jay's family in VA, so much that it filled up four washers! I washed crib and bassinet sheets, onesies and booties, blankets and pajamas. I was on a roll, so I went ahead and washed all his other clothes and sheets and towels (a few more washers full!) and as of right now, everything is clean. Well, until Jay checked the mail. But it's not as much this time!

Jay went on a cleaning spree and we moved around the furniture for his sort-of nursery. Our February move and recalled crib mean that his room is a little sparse. We have his dresser and bassinet, and are still waiting for my chair to get here from the PX in Ramstein. And my friend Jen from college made a sign with Hayden's name on it that should be here soon! He's teaching us to be minimalists, that's for sure.

In addition to washing all of Hayden's stuff, Jay finally unloaded his duffel bags from Afghanistan. That plus our regular laundry means I did TWENTY loads of laundry in THREE days. We spent most of the weekend finally getting some things in order, and I spent all day today cleaning. I think it's less "nesting" and more "the house has been a mess since Jay got home". There's always more to be done, but it's coming along.

Congratulations to Mary Hilliard and Pete, who welcomed Edward Grayson Moran on Sunday at 8 lbs, 8oz. Little blessings everywhere!

I'm in the third-trimester no-sleep phase apparently, and have a hard time falling and staying asleep at night. That makes for long days, even when I get a nap in. Oscar naps with me, on his couch, because he's not sleeping well either! After a few weeks of complete freedom, we've had to reign him in a little, and now he sleeps upstairs again until he can control some of his chewing urges. He'll get there soon, I'm sure. And it'll be easier with clean floors and tables.

Less than nine weeks to go and I can't believe it's almost here!

Doctor's Appointment, 30 weeks

I went to the doctor Thursday for a check up and all is well! We did the usual pee-in-a-cup, weight, blood pressure, and everything is normal. We did the ultrasound, and baby is growing well. He checked Hayden's head and abdomen size, the amniotic fluid and placenta, and the blood flow in the umbilical cord. That was pretty cool looking! Then he switched to 3D view, and we got to see a little bit more of what he looks like! Jay thinks he has my nose. All of this just makes us way more excited to meet him!

After that, it was time for the Rhogam shot I've been dreading. Really it's just because I'm a big ol' baby when it comes to needles. I rolled up my sleeve, and imagine my surprise when my doctor informed me it doesn't GO in my ARM. That's right, drop your pants little lady. Shocked, I said, "WHAT?? Why?? I've never had one there!" He explained it is too much to go into the muscles in my arm, so I turned around while Jay laughed and laughed. I felt a little pinch, but then it kept pinching, and Jay told me that he had to move the needle around once it entered my skin to make sure all the fluid didn't go into one spot, which would cause a giant lump (like a penicillin shot). He assured me there would be no side effects, put a band-aid on it and we were good to go!

We also asked about visiting the hospital, and our doctor is going to take us on a tour! From now on my appointments are every two weeks instead of every four, so we have an appointment on Oct. 9th at 5:30. After our appointment, we're going with Dr. Stadlbauer to see the hospital facilities, and I believe we can pre-register too. That way when it's time for Hayden to be here, we don't have to fill out paperwork in between contractions. 9 weeks to go, and we can't wait!!

My baby shower!

My fabulous friends threw me a baby shower last weekend! We had it at this little pub on post that's really only open when you have an event, and it was adorable! We had lots of great food, and played some hilarious games. Normally I'm opposed to baby shower games, but these were cute! We all wore nametags with names related to baby, and you had to call everyone by their new baby-name. Otherwise, you had to put money in Hayden's piggy bank! He made $8.51 and 7.20 in euro. He's rich!

Dandy had frozen wee little pigs in styrofoam cups, and each person was given one. The object was to melt the ice, or "break the water" by any means. Some people got very creative! We played another game where our guests divided up into two teams and everyone was given a balloon. Each person had to blow up and tie the ballon and put it under their shirt, and be "pregnant". Once each member of the team had become pregnant, it was time to deliver! They had to pop the balloon, and once the last person had "given birth", the team wins! We played the toilet paper game, where each guest had to guess how many squares of toilet paper it would take to go around my belly. The magic number? 10!

After all the games we opened presents, and Hayden and I got tons of great stuff! Clothes, blankets, books, toys, nursing aids for me, and some great advice from all of my friends who are experienced moms. Best of all, the dads watched the kids so ALL the moms could enjoy themselves for a few hours! A huge thanks to Dandy, Amber and Sam for a great shower, and to everyone who came and made it so much fun!

Bummer!

We discovered last week that the crib we purchased has been recalled! There's a defect in a tiny piece of it that causes the drop side to come down on its own, so we returned it this weekend. Our new plan is just to wait until we return to the states and get one, since Hayden will still be in the bassinet when we head out of Germany. But a bummer nonetheless! Then again, I've never been upset about buying new furniture, so now we have another adventure that awaits us in just a few months!

29 weeks

Jay and I went to our first wedding in Germany, and it was great! The ceremony was at a beautiful church in Geldersheim, and the reception was at a castle! German weddings are very different from the weddings we've been to in the states, but it was an awesome experience.

The belly continues to get bigger, here's a look at us in the courtyard of the Schloss Mainberg! I haven't been in a dress and heels since Megan and Gene's wedding, so I was excited to get dressed up. I paid for it later, since German receptions last past midnight and the ceremony was at 1, but it was well worth it!

Learning is fun!

What a great week for learning more about our baby! I started a new book, The Happiest Baby on the Block, and so far it's one of my favorite baby books! It's very logical, and since I'm a "why?" person, it's answering a lot of my questions. Reading more about babies makes me more and more excited to meet our little boy!

I also went to a class at ACS (Army Community Service) on post yesterday, the "OB Orientation". I thought I'd never get to it! They recommend this class at the clinic when they tell you you're pregnant and start making your appointments. It's basically an overview of your pregnancy and the German hospital system, as well as a look into all the paperwork you'll need to submit once the baby is born. I found out I was pregnant in March, and the class had already taken place. In April, I was in the states; in June, I had morning sickness. I was all set to go in July, and Jay came home early...the day before the class! In August we were on leave, so FINALLY it worked out this month. And boy am I glad it did! Much of the second half of the class was repetitive from the classes I've already done and books I've read, but the paperwork section was most helpful (and overwhelming!). There's so much we have to do once Hayden is born to get his birth registered in Germany and the United States, to get his passports, to get his health insurance taken care of, his social security card and to make sure all our ducks are in a row to move back to the states...all in three months! But now that we know exactly what we have to do, it's nice to be able to start getting it organized! I also discovered today that the German government can actually reject our baby's name on his birth certificate! They have a book of names, and if it's not in there we actually have to contact the consulate (via the Army) to get a memorandum to have the name we want put on his birth certificate. We can actually "consult the book" before he's born, so at least we can figure out if they're going to tell us no. Can you imagine such a thing in the states? What would celebrities DO??

I discovered yesterday that if we want to tour the hospital, we can do so with the Army's program for newcomers (even though we've been here two years!) or with our own doctor. One of the girls in my class has the same doctor I do, and said if we make our appointment his last appointment on a Thursday, he goes to the hospital to check on his Friday surgeries, and would be able to show us around. We're excited to see where all the magic will happen, and to pre-register to speed up the process when it's go time!

Finally, Susan sent me a great article about kids and nutrition from the NY Times. I highly recommend it for my gestating and parenting friends!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/15/health/healthspecial2/15eat.html?em

I'm looking forward to finishing up my book this weekend, and starting a new one! I also made homemade chocolate chip cookies last night for my grateful husband, and they turned out great. Fall is in the air in Germany with cool temperatures and very chilly mornings for Jay to get up to at 5:30. Luckily, Oscar and I don't venture outside until much later, when it's warmed up a bit. Looks like we're in for a cold winter, so I'm getting ready to start stocking up on cold weather gear for Hayden. It gets more exciting all the time!

A little reality

Most of my friends that read this blog have kids, are pregnant or are considering being pregnant at some point. So in the interest of full disclosure and honesty, I thought I'd make you my own top ten list of things that are not so great about being pregnant.

Disclaimer: All of the unpleasantries of pregnancy are immediately outweighed with every kick, ultrasound, heartbeat and very existence of little Hayden. But let's be honest, some of this 40-week gestational period isn't so fun!

10. I can't wait to fit back into my normal jeans and bras.

9. I miss brie, gorgonzola, feta and all the other soft, unpasturized cheeses I can't eat.

8. I get up to pee at least four times at night...in eight hours, even if I haven't had anything to drink.

7. Acid reflux. It's always there, mainly when I don't eat. It has replaced its sibling, heartburn, so at least I can eat spicy food.

6. Prenatal vitamins make my hair and nails grow much faster, which means I have to cut them both much more frequently to avoid looking like Teen Wolf's sister, or at least second cousin.

5. The effort it takes to get out of the car and out of bed is mind boggling!

4. The emotional roller coaster is under control, but still exists. Those of you familiar with my personality know that bursting into tears over a shirt not fitting is not how I operate.

3. Hayden's little kicks have turned into full-scale war on my insides. Lately he likes to roll a limb (not sure if it's a leg/foot or arm/fist combo) from one side of my belly to the other, and it's weird!

2. Lower back pain. All the time.

1. Wine. Red, white, sparkling...all of it that I can't have. Technically (especially in Europe) the doctors say you can have a glass and be fine, but I figure "better safe than sorry" is a good approach.

In a few months, I'll counter this post with a top ten (or twenty) things I love about being a mom, I'm sure. But for my pregnant friends who worry that having negative thoughts about the short-term effects of the baby on their body and mind, and for my friends who want a realistic view of what it's like, this is for you!

Living green

The green craze has taken over Hollywood, so a few months ago I bought a few books on "living green" and trying to extend the life of our planet. It's amazing to think how wasteful we are as a society, and the impact we're making on the planet. It's also incredible to think of how simple it is to take steps to reduce that impact.

One of the things I love about living in Germany is that they recycle literally everything. At our house alone, we have the ability to recycle paper, plastic (including styrofoam and the milk-carton-paper-plastic that they can't in the states), metal; and we have a bio can for food (which means our trash can doesn't stink!), grass clippings, leaves and yard waste. But ON post we can also recycle glass, old electronics, light bulbs, bulk household items (like mattresses), old clothes (that are donated to needy organizations)...so really there is VERY little that actually gets thrown away in our trash can. Also living in Germany, they don't sell weed killer, so this spring I got a chance to use my homemade weed killer from my "Gorgeously Green" book.

Being pregnant I have a much bigger stake in making sure our house is more green, because it's more healthy for all of us! I don't think I'm brave enough to try cloth diapers, like the Binkleys, but I would like to try the chlorine-free diapers by Seventh Generation. Luckily, I discovered this week that shopping my registry earns me free diapers from Seventh Generation...good work, Amazon! We bought some of their wipes, now that our commissary carries the brand, but don't have a baby to try them out on yet! We've looked at a few organic cookbooks for toddlers, and have switched to many "green" cleaners in our house to reduce the amount of chemicals we're putting into the water. Thanks to all the press that "living green" has gotten in recent years, organic products have exploded onto the market and are affordable, so we don't have to be rich to help save the planet! There are also a ton of baby clothes out there made from organic cotton, many of which encourage free trade in developing countries, so really everyone wins.

Even Oscar is helping! We've looked at some biodegradable bags to pick up after him with, and his organic puppy shampoo is awesome. It's less expensive than the shampoo we used to use, it smells fantastic and gets him super clean. I picked up some eco-friendly trashbags last week, and if I could find paper towels made from recycled paper we'd be set. Luckily, I don't even have to stop using the dishwasher since we don't have one of THOSE in Germany either. There will be a lot of things that will be easier to change when we get back to the states, but for now we're doing our little part to extend the life of our planet for Baby Hayden, and his grandchildren!

28 weeks

Well somehow we've flown right to the third trimester! It's gone by so fast but we still have so far to go, it seems.

Hayden is crazy in his activity lately, bouncing all over the place. He feels much bigger as well, and continues to wake me up in the middle of the night (several times) to use the bathroom.

Next weekend is my baby shower with my Anvil troop ladies, and I can't wait! My friends are awesome, and I'm excited to spend some fun time with them amidst ducks, frogs and dinos! As a result I've been put on baby-shopping-hiatus so there's something left for my friends to buy for Hayden! We got Hayden's Itsy Bitsy Spider seat from Heidi last week, and I can't wait to put him in it. Thanks, Heidi! We also got some cute new clothes from one of Jay's soldier friends, David, and it seems like baby clothes get cuter and cuter. It's hard to resist the urge to wash and organize everything, but I'm trying to put that off until closer to the end.

Now seems like a good time to start making and finalizing lists...packing list for the hospital, our birthing plan, our contact list, etc. We've also decided that Oscar should get a new bed right before Hayden gets here, so he doesn't feel left out. It's fun getting the house ready for all my boys!

Moving around

It still startles me every time I feel Hayden move. And he is an active little fellow! He's very responsive to Jay, who likes to poke and push to make him move around. His favorite time of day is of course, whenever I lay down. I thought it was only at night, but Jay and I took a nap today and discovered that as soon as I'm laying down and still, he takes the cue to start bouncing around in there.

It's so hard to imagine that in a few months, this little guy that does all this moving will be our wiggling, breathing little boy. But it gets more exciting every day.

Oscar is definitely more protective these days, accompanying me every time I go down the stairs and especially the basement. He used to be content laying at the door, waiting for me to come back; but now he likes to trot ahead of me and look around. He's my little shadow, until Jay comes home and then he's attached to Jay. He's doing well roaming the house outside of the crate, except for a few mishaps with socks and tissues today. But overall, he's acting like a grown up!

Congratulations to Bryan and Elisabeth, who welcomed Camden Anthony Watts this week! He made his debut a few days later than expected, but I'm sure it was worth the wait!

Sleep!

Throughout this pregnancy, I've discovered sleep to be a most precious commodity. During my first trimester, I slept ALL the time. Went to bed early, napped often during the day and early evening, sometimes Oscar even let me sleep in!


Lately, there has been no good sleep for me. Jay and I have decided we definitely need a new mattress, because ours is sort of sinking in the middle which causes us to roll towards it. Besides that, I've had to get used to sleeping with a pillow between my knees to take some of the pressure off of my back. It's hard to roll over with that, and I switch sides pretty often while I sleep. Finally, I wake up about every 2-3 hours to pee. That's something that's been hard to get used to. But three more months, and it will all be worth it!

Tonight I'm up late and can't sleep (again) but I'm hoping getting back to our normal routine will help with that. We'll see!

Our trip to Rome

What an amazing trip! Rome was our big destination while Jay was on leave, and it exceeded every possible expectation we had.

We took a late flight Friday evening and were in our hotel in Rome, just west of Termini (the main Metro/Bus terminal) by 11pm. We got up early Saturday morning and headed to Vatican City. A quick run through security and we were inside St. Peter's Basilica. Truly the most remarkable of the 900 churches in the vicinity, we saw Michaelangelo's Pieta, the statue of St. Peter, the incredible dome, and marveled at the sheer size and magnitude of the historic basilica. We braved the steps to the top of the dome (320 of them, AFTER you take the elevator halfway up) and it was worth every bit to see all of Vatican City and much of Rome from the top.

The Vatican Museums were closed early on Saturday, so we visited the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. We had some amazing salads for lunch, and gelato of course!

Sunday morning we faced the lines at the Colosseum, which we bypassed mostly thanks to our Roma pass! We marveled at the sheer size of the monument, and spent plenty of time walking around and looking at the exhibits inside. We toured most of the ancient city including Palatine Hill, Circus Maximus, the Roman Forum, Il Vittoriano and Piazza del Campidoglio. The heat sent us inside after lunch, and we went back out in the evening to enjoy the city and take some night pictures and to eat some fabulous Roman pizza!

Monday morning we headed straight to the Vatican Museums to view the masterpieces inside the Sistine Chapel (the one place you can't take pictures), after an hour and a half wait to enter. We grabbed paninis and went back to our air conditioned hotel room to get out of the heat for a bit. After that, it was to Centro Storico to see Il Elefantino, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. Unfortunately Bernini's "Fountain of Four Rivers" is undergoing extensive renovations to remove years of weather and environment from the masterpiece, so we could only see it through the fence. But we enjoyed the Piazza, and had a fabulous pasta dinner at sunset. Later we had wine and dessert (well, Jay had wine) and espresso at a cafe near our hotel, which was a fabulous ending to our Roman vacation.

Tuesday morning we boarded a plane to head back to Germany, pleased with our Italian adventure but certainly ready to be back in our house! It was such an amazing experience, and I'm so glad we finally got to go. Special thanks to the State Department, who somehow managed to get Jay's passport finished in EIGHT days without a rush order, which was the only reason we were able to go. It was definitely the trip of a lifetime!

26 weeks

We had another doctor's appointment on Wednesday. This one was an early one, since I had to do the blood glucose test for gestational diabetes. Basically I had to show up at 8 on an empty stomach for them to test my blood. Then I had to drink a GIANT cup of sugar water and have my blood tested again in an hour, and in another hour. The test is to see how my body is processing sugar. After the long two hours, we're good to go with no gestational diabetes!

Our ultrasound did not produce any good pictures, since Hayden was in an "impossible position" which means his back was to us. We got to see his little feet and hands, and also checked the heartbeat since Jay hadn't heard that yet. He is growing well (but not too big!) and hopefully our next appointment he will be in a different position so we can do the 3D ultrasound.

My weight gain is moving along steadily, which the doctor said is fine since I didn't gain much at all in the beginning. At our next appointment I'll also get the Rhogam shot (since I have A- blood and Jay has O+), which will be on the 25th of September. For now, all is well though!

Hayden moves around all the time, most often when I eat. He has taken recently to kicking in rapid succession, which feels funny for both me and Jay. It's like little flutter kicks, so maybe he's trying to rival his daddy's six-pack before he comes out!

We also got Hayden's stroller in the mail this week (thanks Gloria!) and put it together. Now all we need is the baby to put it in! It gets more exciting with each passing week, but we're glad he's still in there growing and getting big. This week I went to the PX in Ramstein (about 2.5 hours away) and they had our crib assembled in the baby furniture section. It was exciting, since we won't actually be able to put our crib together until we move back to the states. Right now most of his stuff is in the basement, waiting patiently to either be put in the nursery or be packed and shipped to GA.

Only three months to go!

Our trip to Garmisch

What a busy and eventful trip! We started out the trip with a convoy south with our friends the Flemings and the Pollards to Neuschwanstein castle in Germany. There are actually two castles in Schwangau, but the Neuschwanstein is most well-known as the "Disney castle", as it was the inspiration for Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle. I had visited it once before this past December when Susan and Shane were here, but it's completely different in the summer time! We hiked up to both castles but chose not to actually go inside, as most of the rooms are unfinished and you can't take pictures inside. This time the Marienbrucke (a bridge overlooking the castle) was open so we hiked up there as well for the "fairy godmother" of all views! It was amazing, and even the kids did well on the long hike!

Monday we headed to Partnach Gorge for a walk through the picturesque rock formation, complete with waterfalls and raging rapids. Another good hike, but worth all the exercise for the views! The gorge is just outside the Olympic ski jump stadium, which is being used again in 2011 for the Alpine Ski Championships.

Jay got in a few holes of golf while I napped, which was nice for both of us! We figured we needed to get in a little relaxation on this vacation! We spent some time at the pool and the hot tub (just feet in the hot water for me!) and enjoyed some time just hanging out with each other and with our friends.

On Tuesday we broke from the group a bit and took a drive to Salzburg, Austria. We spent a little while there, touring the city and taking in the scenery. The Hohensalzburg Fortress was most impressive, and quite a ways up! From there we headed to Berchtesgaden, home of the Eagle's Nest. All that remains of the one-time resort created for Adolf Hitler is a restaurant, but the view is spectacular nonetheless. We opted for the bus ride as opposed to the four-mile hike up the mountain, and it was worth every (euro) penny. Jay has wanted to see the Eagle's nest for a long time, so it was awesome to finally see it. We tested out the Thai restaurant in Garmisch (not bad) and Jay got in some slot machine and German beer time back at the hotel. Again, early to bed for me!

Wednesday was our full-on lazy day. We slept in, ate breakfast in the room and did a little shopping before my FAVORITE part of our vacation: our massages! Jay got a hot stone massage and I enjoyed an hour-long maternity massage. Just what we needed! It was a great way to cap off our week, followed by a nice dinner and a walk outside in the Alps.

Thursday we got up and checked out of the hotel, and headed to the Dachau Concentration Camp memorial site. I had visited Dachau last summer but Jay hadn't yet been, so I was glad to give him my mini-tour from what I remembered and had read. We saw a few things I missed on my trip last June, so it was worthwhile for both of us.

Now we're back home and getting ready for our next trip, Rome! We fly out tomorrow evening, taking advantage of the time I can still fly and the places we haven't seen in Europe yet. So far, Hayden has been pretty cooperative and I've tried to be hospitable with extra water, good walking shoes and always a snack on hand. Wish us luck!