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!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
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!!
Friday, September 26, 2008
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! Monday, September 22, 2008
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!
Friday, September 19, 2008
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!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
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!
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!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
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!
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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)