Insta-Friday: A Birth and A Name

Here are some pictures from my cell phone of what’s been going on the last couple of days.

It was St. Patty’s Day and we’d just gotten home from church. 
At 39 weeks and 4 days along, this is my very last pregnancy photo.
We ate lunch, changed our clothes and were looking for something to do.
Little did we know that our baby would be born just hours later.

I told Shawn that I thought we should go to the hospital. 
I just wasn’t feeling quite right.
So we loaded up the bags and went.
The nurse checked me and said that not much was happening, but that we should go for a 2 hour walk and then come back.  After one hour of walking around Luxembourg in the rain, I was having contractions every 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.  And they were…painful.

We walked back to the hospital and I was at 5cm.
The nurse told us not to go anywhere…we were having a baby in a few hours!

And she was right!  In about four hours from the time we started our walk,
we welcomed our second baby to our family – a boy!

And as soon as Shawn said, “It’s a boy!” and I looked at his little face,
I thought, it was you…all along it was you.

After a few days without a name, we finally ended deliberations.

Introducing Finley Robert.
(Finn for short.)
Robert was my dad’s name.
His birthday was also in March.
I wish he was here to meet this sweet blonde baby.

I love these three so much.

We’re home from the hospital and doing well. 

Hannah loves being a big sister. 
Today after school she pulled up a chair and took off her
high heels long enough to sing some lullabies to Finn.

He’s such a sleepy newborn…and we’re so in love with him!

He’s just five days old, but it feels like he’s been part of our family forever.

The Weekly Bump: 39

I was hoping that I wasn’t going to have to write this week’s post, but I’m still here and still pregnant. 

And I admit – as thankful as I am for this baby and a healthy pregnancy, I’m kind of over it.
I’m so excited to meet this little baby and to be able to start to feel back to my old self again.

Here’s my 39 week photo.
I can barely see my feet.

A bunch of the British mums at Hannah’s school have told me that the best way to start labor is to eat curry.  I sent Shawn a text and this is what he came home with the other night:

I don’t think I can do it.  I mean…ewww…I just…can’t.

I had a dr. appointment on Monday and again all is well.  There are definite signs that labor’s a startin’ but for now we just wait.  I told her again that I think the baby weighs 11 pounds and she laughed and assured me that he/she does not weigh that much.  She probably thinks I’m a dramatic American.

We’ve had some major snow here in Luxembourg this week.  So much so that yesterday on the way home from taking Hannah to school, my little car got stuck going up the hill on the way back to our house, which is exactly what one wants to deal with at 39 weeks pregnant.

What I thought was a fortunate city truck sighting turned out to be completely useless.

I rolled down my window and waved him over.
”Pardon, parlez vous anglais?” Excuse me, do you speak English?
”Non, francais.” No, French.
”D’accord.  Je suis enciente de neuf mois…je ne peux pas…ma voiture…la niege…” Ok.  I’m 9 months pregnant…I cannot…my car…the snow… (Very broken French here, folks.)
”Vouz allez a l’hopital?” Are you going to the hospital?
”Non, non.  A chez moi.”  No, no.  Home.
”Quelle maison?” Which house is yours?
”Soixante-dix.” Seventy.
Then he pretty much told me that I’d have to turn around and find another route to my house.  I’m not sure of the French word he was using, but he was motioning for me to turn around and go back down the hill. 
Geez, thanks.
Fortunately, with some fancy maneuvering and full throttle spinning of my tires, I unstuck my car enough to turn around and make it down the hill.  I then rerouted myself completely around the city and came in the back way, which provided somewhat clearer roads and less hill to climb.
All totaled, it took me two hours take Hannah to school and return home.

Anyway, we are all set to have a baby! 
The house is clean, laundry finished, meals planned for Shawn and Hannah while I’m at the hospital and my bags are packed! 

We are so excited to meet this little baby!

The Weekly Bump: 38 (And 3 Years of Blogging)

Almost three years to the day, I started this little blog of mine.
At the time, I was a girl from the mid west who had just opened an Etsy shop, worked part time in Human Resources and was mama to a 2 year old little girl who looked like this:

She was so tiny.
I can barely remember her being so little.

And today, I’m a stay at home mom to a 5 year old (who’s going on 17), have another baby due in just dayzzzz and a sweet baby in heaven.
And we moved from our small town in Ohio to Europe.

(If you would’ve told me all of this back then, I wouldn’t have believed you.
Nope, not for one second.)

Anyway, here’s what I look like today, at 38 weeks and 2 days pregnant.

There’s not much to report, really.  At this point we’re just waiting.  The baby is fully developed and just packing on weight until he or she decides to be born.

I’ve been sleeping much better at night, but it seems that I’ll have two days in which I feel really well and have energy followed by one day where I feel sore and just need to sit a lot.
Today when I dropped Hannah off at school, I saw a group of moms in workout gear getting ready to go for a run and I thought about how much I can’t wait until I am back to feeling like my old self and going for long, hard runs!

I had a dr. appointment this week and everything is just fine.  She said that the baby weighs about 7.5 pounds.  Well, she didn’t say 7.5 pounds.  She’s German so she said it in kilos and grams so of course I just stared blankly at Shawn and he converted for me, “That’s about 7.5 pounds.”  He’s accepted that no matter how long we live here, I’ll never learn the metric system.

And just for fun…

Here’s a little collage of the belly at 18, 28 and 38 weeks. 

It won’t be long until the baby is here and I am so excited to see who he/she looks like.
Hannah has always pretty much been my mini-me so it will be interesting to see if this baby looks anything like Shawn!

The Weekly Bump: 37! Full Term! And Cue the Banjos!

Last Wednesday was the day we officially became full term. 
(I know.  I’m a little behind on posting.)
I am so, so thankful to have had two healthy, full term pregnancies.

Here’s what I look like:

A number of people have been surprised when I tell them that I still have a little over two weeks left.
I can’t imagine why.
But really, I don’t think I can get any bigger.

The Baby: And finally…the baby is the size of a watermelon.  He or she can weigh as much as 6 pounds at this point.  Hannah was over 8 pounds at birth, so I fully expect this baby to pack on some weight before the big day.
Maternity clothes: I’m in all maternity clothes except for a few shirts here and there that are long enough to cover my belly.  I’ve started to wear Shawn’s t-shirts to sleep in because they are more comfortable than mine, which no longer cover my entire belly.
Movement: Lots and lots of movement still, especially at night.  Space is getting tight in there.
Sleep: I seem to be in a pattern of one night of good sleep, then one night of bad of sleep.  I have no trouble falling asleep, but I have been waking up around 2AM and having a hard time going back to sleep.  There have been a few nights where I have just gotten up and done something productive, like cleaned the kitchen.  It’s been nice that I’ve been able to take naps while Hannah is at school.  And also?  When I lay down to take a nap during the day, I sleep the sleep of angels.  Why can’t I do that during the night?
Food Cravings: No cravings, and my appetite has definitely decreased.  As they say here, I just don’t fancy anything.  Nothing sounds particularly good.  In fact, at my doctor appointment this week, I actually lost weight from the previous week.
Symptoms: More Braxton Hicks, heaviness and pressure low in my belly.  When I was pregnant with Hannah, my hands and feet were swollen at this point, but I haven’t had any swelling this time.  Maybe because it’s winter?  I’ve also been doing some ridiculous things that can only be blamed on “baby brain.”  Or the metric system.
Gender: It’s a surprise! But I’ve had two people just today tell me that they think it’s a boy based on the way I’m carrying.

Late last week, I had an appointment at the hospital where I’ll have the baby.
Here in Luxembourg, you have to meet with the nurse to “complete the file,” which is basically pre-registering and answering a bunch of questions relating to the health of your pregnancy and any specific wishes that you have for the labor, delivery and your stay in the hospital. 

It was all very standard stuff.  And I was pleased to find out that while you can opt to leave the hospital within hours of giving birth, a typical hospital stay is 5 days, as opposed to the mere 48 hours I stayed when Hannah was born in the US.

Then I had to meet with the anesthesiologist, because as I mentioned before if you have any thought of having an epidural, you have to do this.

The nurse at my doctor’s office warned me: No meeting, no epidural.
Right.  Got it. 

Anyway, the nurse that I met with was German and just darling and spoke perfect English.  She and I “completed the file,” and she began explaining to me how all of this will go when it’s time for the baby to be born.

Ya know how there are times when something strikes you as so funny, but it would be unacceptable to laugh or giggle?  So you bite your bottom lip and thank goodness that your husband isn’t with you because if you so much as turned in his direction the pair of you would exchange knowing glances and be unable to hold back all the laughter?

Well, this was one of those times because instead of delivery, she kept saying deliverance.

For example:  After the deliverance, the doctor will ask your husband if he wants to cut the cord.  Then we’ll move you from the deliverance room upstairs to your room.

It really was a struggle to keep from laughing.  
It reminded me of the time the attendant at a parking garage in the city center asked me if I had placed my ticket in my pooch and I just stared at him until I remembered that the French word for pocket is poche. 
Except this time all I could think of were dueling banjos in the background.

So, what else has been going on around here?
Well, with practically no time at all until the baby is due to arrive, Shawn has taken up the guitar.  Oh yes, he has.

I’ve been cleaning and disinfecting.
He’s been strumming.
I guess we each have our own way of nesting.

I had to go back to the Labor and Deliverance unit of the hospital to have some blood work done and Hannah came with me.  She spent the rest of the afternoon wanting to check out the baby with her plastic stethoscope.
“But Mom, I’m an English doctor.  You don’t have to try to speak French to me.”

I seem to have lost all perception of just how big I really am.  Not only did I manage to get myself wedged behind a box of Christmas decorations in the basement because I thought I could just slide by, but today my huge belly knocked a glass jar of cumin off the shelf in the pantry.  And then that same huge belly prevented me from bending over to clean it up.  So our kitchen smelled like an Indian restaurant until Shawn got home to help me.

 

So that’s about it. 
Hopefully the next time I write about this pregnancy, it’s from Labor and Deliverance and we have a new baby in our arms.

The Weekly Bump: 36

Yesterday I officially entered the 9th month of this pregnancy.
Only about 28 more days until our new little one is due to make his or her arrival.

Here’s what I look like at 36 weeks.

 

I had a dr. appointment late last week and everything was looking good.  We have an appointment tomorrow at the hospital to take a tour, meet the nurses and meet with the anesthesiologist.  In Luxembourg, if you have any plans whatsoever of having an epidural, you must schedule an advanced meeting with the anesthesiologist. 

They didn’t have to remind me twice.

The Baby: The baby is about as big as a cantaloupe, and I’ve read it can weigh as much as 5 pounds.
Maternity clothes: I’m in all maternity clothes except for a few shirts here and there that are long enough to cover my belly.  I’ve pretty much put away all my shoes but Uggs and tennis shoes.  I’m more into comfort these days as opposed to fashion.
Movement: Lots and lots of movement still!  This baby is very active, although it won’t be long before he or she runs out of room.  I was just telling someone that with Hannah, she did more kicks and thumps, while this baby is more of a glider and stretcher.  Pretty much everyday I can feel a little foot up near my ribs.
Sleep: Sleeping has definitely changed over the last few weeks.  At first I thought it was the jet lag when we returned to Luxembourg, but now I think it’s purely the pregnancy insomnia…I have no trouble falling asleep, but I wake up around 2AM and have trouble falling back asleep.  I remember this happening with Hannah and being told that it’s nature’s way of preparing you for all those middle of the night feedings.  Luckily, I have been able to take naps while Hannah is at school!
Food Cravings: Through this entire pregnancy, I can’t recall one craving I’ve had until last week.  I was getting ready for bed and all the sudden I was hungry for pancakes, bacon and eggs – like from Bob Evans or Cracker Barrel.  I told Shawn that we needed to go to the little store across town that sells American groceries but unfortunately it was too late and they were closed.  I am still drinking a lot of ice cold water with lemon or orange slices.
Symptoms:  My belly is growing and growing everyday!  I’m moving much slower and I think I’ve done my last prenatal workout.  I’ve kept them up pretty well and I know that it will help me with labor and delivery and recovering after the birth.  But at this point, my body gets fatigued easily and I just have to stop.  I’ve also been having lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, and some that can be uncomfortable.  There are certain times that I feel a lot of pressure, so I know the baby is settling in low.  Oh, and lots of “baby brain” moments.  
Gender: It’s a surprise! I just washed, folded and put away all the tiny little onsies, jammies and blankets.  It sure is a lot of green and yellow isn’t it?  All of these things were Hannah’s when she was born.  We didn’t find out if she was a boy or girl until the birth either!

This weekend I plan on packing my hospital bag and having Shawn install the car seat. 
Almost everything in the nursery is ready to go, except for some art that needs hung on the wall.  We are using pretty much all stuff that we either had for Hannah or that we pulled from other rooms in our house.  I spent the better part of this afternoon cleaning and disinfecting.

It’s safe to say that we’re in full nesting mode.

The Weekly Bump: 35 (& A Tiny Ballerina)

Well, we’re reaching the homestretch. 
Wednesday I hit the 35 week mark, which means that bebe will be here in 5 weeks or less.
In some ways it seems far off – because I’m starting to get uncomfortable, but in other ways it seems so close because there’s a lot to be done before then.

I had a dr. appointment last week and everything was great.  My dr. has moved to a new office and it’s so beautiful that I felt like I was in a modern art museum.  One of the things that is done differently here in Europe than in the US, is that during the third trimester, at each visit the baby’s heart rate and movements are recorded for about 30 minutes.  So, I get to lay down in a dark, quiet room for a half hour while the nurse monitors all of this. 

I was confused at first.

”Is this a stress test?”
 
“Oh no, we are just more control freaks here than doctors in America,” she laughed.

Anyway, she returned in 30 minutes and said that our baby looks great.
Then the doctor came in and did an ultrasound and everything there looked good as well.

I told her that I feel like this baby already weighs 11 pounds and she assured me that the baby is not a large baby, but completely in the normal range.  She gave an estimation (in kilos and grams, of course) but I couldn’t do the conversion in my head so I have no idea how much she thought that he/she weighs.

Here we are at 35 weeks and 1 day.  I’m still feeling pretty good, but the third trimester tiredness has set in and I’m not sleeping great at night because it’s difficult to get (and stay) comfortable. 

Tiny ballerina, big mama

Hannah has recently started taking a ballet class and she loves it.
It’s a class for 5 year olds right in our little town and it’s taught in English by a lovely British woman.

I just love her “ballet hair.”

This week is the half term break, or “hoff term” break if you’re British, so all of the kids are off school.  Last year, we took a road trip to Lyon, France; went skiing in the French Alps; and ended up in Geneva, Switzerland.

This year we stayed home because I’m way too pregnant to ski and we just returned from the US, so ballet class was the big highlight of our week.
(Did I mention that our trip back to Luxembourg was Hannah’s NINTH transatlantic flight?)
Anyway, we didn’t realize that class is cancelled during school holidays.
Oops.

So we got all ready and showed up to an empty classroom with no teacher.
Oops.
But it was a good time to snap some photos and for Hannah to show me what she’s learning.

(And thank you to my mom for the leotard, skirt, tights and slippers!)

We Made It Back

Well.

I’m having a little trouble blogging recently, but I got an email from a friend that said POST SOMETHING ON YOUR BLOG.  YOU HAVE BEEN SILENT TOO LONG.

Now listen, I can’t think of a time when I’ve ever been silent for any length of time, so ici il est, as the French say.  Here you have it.

We’re back in Luxembourg after a pretty uneventful trip back. 
I’m so thankful for uneventful, because the last five weeks have been anything but.
We flew Pittsburgh to JFK to Brussels and then drove the 2 hours to our house in Luxembourg.

(Oh, and I didn’t give birth on the airplane, of which I was terrified.)
I had been having some big time anxiety about taking such a long flight this late in the pregnancy, but all was fine. 
And my sweet husband booked us on business class (which we never do) so that we could have room to move about and stretch and sleep in those comfy seats that recline all the way back.  And the big pillows and down blankets that they give you are pretty nice, too.
(So is the make your own ice cream sundae cart that they bring around after dinner.)

Even though I’m nearly 34 weeks along now, here’s what I looked like at 32 weeks.
The baby has really dropped, which makes breathing so much easier.

I’m still feeling pretty good – just moving slow and awkward.
Nearly every single person who has seen me in real life has suggested that it’s a boy because of the way I am carrying – all out in front.  By the end of the day, I feel like I have a bag of cement around my waist and my hips are a bit stiff in the mornings when I get up – all normal third trimester stuff, I guess.

Remember a few weeks ago when I said that we were nowhere near prepared and had not one baby item in this house?  Well, I’m happy to report that we have an almost functioning nursery, complete with Hannah’s crib, rocking chair and all manner of baby gear that we probably don’t need.  It just has to be organized and clothes and blankets need to be washed, folded and put away.   Oh, and we need to talk about names because at the moment WE HAVE NOTHING for a boy or girl that we both love.  I’m sure something will come to us.

We spent the majority of last weekend and in pajamas, taking naps and unpacking.  Hannah went back to school on Monday, but we went in a little late because I let her sleep in because of the jet lag.  When we arrived, her friends swarmed around her, jumping up and down and hugging her.  She was so, so happy to be back.  And that makes this mama’s heart so, so happy.

While we were preparing for my dad’s funeral, we got out the old photo albums and put some displays together.  This is probably one of my favorite pictures ever, circa 1982.  That’s me in the blue - I was just a bit younger than Hannah is now.

Love my dad’s white suit. 
I’m going to guess it’s made of 100% polyester.
And some people say that Hannah looks a little like me?

Speaking of my dad’s funeral, it was lovely.  We laughed and cried and Shawn and one of my parents’ neighbors and close friends spoke.  I was so proud of my husband.  He’s a fantastic writer and speaker and story teller.  During the course of the calling hours and funeral, hundreds of people turned up to pay their respects and say goodbye.  At one point, there was a line an hour long just to talk to me, my mom and sister.  My dad was so, so loved.
I’d be remiss not to mention my dad’s best friend, Jim…when the doctors told us there was nothing more they could do and we were moving to “comfort care,” Jim pulled a chair up next to my dad and stayed there through the night, for the next 14 hours until my dad took his last breath.  He never got up once, never ate or drank anything.  He just stayed with him (and us) until the very end.  I can’t imagine a better friend. 

In some other exciting news, my little blog has won a bronze award over at ExpatsBlogs.com for 2012 Luxembourg expat blogs.

I wish I could tell my dad about it.  I know he’d be excited because he has always loved reading my blog and forwarding it on to his friends.  I know exactly how the conversation would go:

“Hey - my blog won a award for third best Luxembourg expat blog.”

”No kidding.  How many expat blogs are there in Luxembourg?”

”Eleven.”

”Eleven, heh?  It sure seems like there’d be more blogs, as big as Luxembourg is.”
(He was always joking around.)
”I’m gonna put your mom on now.  Storage Wars is about to start.  Give Twinks a squeeze for me and tell her Papa misses her.  I love you guys, too.”

I sure do miss him…

The Weekly Bump: 31, Some Updates and Wise Words (That Are Not My Own)

My sister, mom and I get so many phone calls, texts and emails asking how things are going, what’s going on and are there any updates…so I thought I’d put them all into one little post here.

The pregnancy update:
I’m 32 weeks along now and still feeling good, although I’ve had to slow ‘er down quite a bit.  I’m feeling big and awkward and I’m simply just not as agile as I used to be.  Ya know how there’s that window in pregnancy where you feel vibrant and cute? 
Well, that window has closed, friends. 
Here I am last week at 31 weeks. 

 

I had an appointment with my doctor here in the US and all is fine.  Baby’s heartbeat was 140 exactly.  Hannah’s was always higher, but my doc assured me that the heart rate is absolutely no indicator of if it’s a boy or girl.  Ha! 
We’re so thankful and excited for this sweet baby that will be here in about 9 weeks!
The shipment of baby gear that was shipped to Luxembourg has arrived at our house and Shawn has been busily cleaning out the baby’s room and assembling the furniture.  It’s been so long since we’ve had a baby in the house…it will seem funny to have a crib and all that baby stuff around again. 

 

An update on my dad:
He’s still hanging in, although we received devastating news that there’s nothing more that can be done.  My sister had returned to Los Angeles early last week, but hopped on a red eye two nights ago and is here with us again in Ohio.  We’re spending what remaining time we have at the hospital with him.  We’re all exhausted down to our bones but making the most of it.  We’ve been so, so blessed by friends and family who’ve been helping us out during this time.  We don’t know how the timing will all fall into place, but Shawn is planning on being back in the US with us later this week.

Last Saturday, my mom and I took a little afternoon break from the hospital, doctors, nurses, IV’s and talk of all things respiratory and took this little princess to see the Disney Princesses on ice. 

I had mentioned to I don’t even remember who that we were going to the ice show and what a shame it was that all of Hannah’s princess dress up costumes were in Luxembourg.  Wouldn’t you know that a few days later a package showed up on my parents’ porch that contained this dress, tiara, necklace and clip-on earrings? 

So, thank you to whomever is the fairy godmother that did this…
You made a little girl’s day, I tell ya.

I thought she looked pretty darn cute.  I sent this picture to Shawn and I think he panicked a little because he said, “She’s gonna want to get married someday, isn’t she?”

Probably.

 

And finally, a few weeks ago, someone older and much wiser than I gave these words to me.  They’re quite fitting.

Life is But the Weaving

My life is but a weaving
Between my God and me.
I cannot choose the colors
He weaveth steadily.
Oft' times He weaveth sorrow;
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside.
Not 'til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the canvas
And reveal the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful
In the weaver's skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned
He knows, He loves, He cares;
Nothing this truth can dim.
He gives the very best to those
Who leave the choice to Him.
                         -Corrie Ten Boom

Lately

I just wanted to pop on a give a quick update of what’s been going on around here.  I haven’t had any time to blog because we’ve pretty much been living at the hospital these days.  But my dad has always loved reading my blog (and forwarding the link to his friends) so I know he’d want me to continue documenting and recording.

(As an aside, in the last email I got from him, before his surgery on December 12th, he asked me to start using my good camera and quit taking pictures with my cell phone because they’re “too grainy.”  I started to reply back that that’s the point of Instagram…but then deleted it because OH NEVERMIND.)

Today is the 29th day that my dad has been in ICU in critical condition.
We’ve been given a grim outlook, but we are still very much hopeful and praying for restoration of his health.  We are fully aware that there’s only a sliver of a chance that will happen on this earth, but we know that when he wakes in Heaven, he will be restored to health.

He’s been unresponsive to us, or any kind of stimulus for the last four days or so.
We’ve lost count of how many phone calls we’ve gotten from the hospital in the middle of the night, saying that he’s taken a turn for the worst and to come quickly.

Now we’ve been told that for the next 24 to 48 hours, they are going to be aggressive, but if he continues to decline, modern medicine needs to back off.

We are comfortable with this direction.  It’s what we know our dad would want. 

For the last 29 days, my sister and I have learned more about this machine than we ever wanted.  In fact, we’re practically experts.  Go ahead, ask us anything.  They may be giving us honorary medical diplomas soon.

On several occasions, my sister has been asked if she’s a nurse.  (She’s not.)  But she did give a Gastroenterologist some information that changed the route of my dad’s treatment.  If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that you MUST advocate for your ill family members in a crisis situation like this.

In the meantime, Shawn has left to return to Luxembourg but Hannah and I are staying here in the US for the time being.  We are well aware that Shawn may need to turn right back around and come home, but he has to get back to work.  It’s just the way it is.

I’ve just hit 30 weeks in this pregnancy, and while I hate the idea of being on a different continent from my husband, I know it is what we must do right now.
And I’m surrounded by friends and family that are taking such good care of me.

I’ve seen my OB here in the US and he is comfortable with me flying until 35 weeks.  That gives me some reassurance because we know that by then, my dad will either be defying odds and on the way to recovery, or in heaven with the Lord.  We also know that the timing of all of this is not up to us, so we must prepare for every scenario.

And since we don’t know when we’ll be returning to Luxembourg, we’ve enrolled Hannah in a Pre-K class here in the US.  She starts tomorrow.  The director of the school has been so kind and flexible with us – knowing that she may only be here a week, or it could be until the end of the school year, depending on how my dad does and what happens before I hit the 35 week mark.

There’s a lot that’s up in the air right now.

And it’s exhausting and overwhelming, but we are managing.
We have so, so many people looking out for us – nearly every single day, there has been a meal left for us on my parents’ front porch.  Neighbors have shoveled the driveway.  Cards and flowers have been sent.  Our cell phones, emails and Facebook messages have been bombarded daily with offers to babysit, bring food to the hospital, take care of things around the house, or just to check in on us.  
My friends in Luxembourg have been simply wonderful – offers to bring meals to Shawn when he returns, emails and texts to check in on us, and even making phone calls for me because quite honestly, I just don’t have the energy to speak French right now. 

While all of this sounds so depressing and grim, please know that there have also been some really good times.
Last week, Shawn and I retrieved all of our baby gear out of storage and his company picked it up and shipped it to Lux for us.  We didn’t bring any of it with us when we originally moved because, you know, WE WEREN’T GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER BABY.  Ha ha ha ha.
Anyway, I came across this little outfit that Hannah wore home from the hospital and packed it up for our next baby to wear home from the hospital.  I can’t believe that will be in about 10 weeks or less.

I don’t know if it’s the exhaustion, the emotions or what…but for some reason when we’ve been at the hospital for long hours, we get to acting goofy or start laughing at really inappropriate things.  And then we take pictures like this:
 

My sweethearts and a Sunday afternoon nap.
Two of my favorite things.

And finally, because my husband ALWAYS makes me laugh…
The night before we left Luxembourg for the US, he came home with a bag of groceries.

”Hey, I got some snacks for the plane tomorrow.  Will you carry this sausage in your purse?”

”Uh, no.  It smells awful and it’s disgusting.”

”Come on.  I’ll eat it before we get to the US.  The Europeans won’t even notice the smell.”

The Weekly Bump: 26, 27 & 28 (Welcome to the Third Trimester)

I haven’t kept up well with my pregnancy updates, or the blog in general, because of all that’s been going on with my dad.  As of today, he’s been in ICU in critical condition for 22 days, I think.  It’s hard to keep track.  But, I’ve been slowly piecing this post together because we’re trying really hard to not let the stress of all of this overshadow the joy and excitement of this pregnancy.

This will have to do as my week 26 picture. 

Here’s what happened:
I had a doctor appointment and the one hour glucose test, which tastes just as awful in Europe as it does in the US.  (Oh, and I passed! I was worried that I wasn’t going to because I have been so thirsty this whole pregnancy and with the aversion to sweets at the beginning…I was thinking there was something going on with my sugars.)  Anyway, on my way out of the doctor’s office, I fell.  Now, this was the second time I’ve fallen in the last 2 months, so I’m certain that this pregnancy is making me clumsy.  I was fine, really, but the receptionist came outside to help me and insisted that she get the doctor. 
I kept telling her, “Ça va.  Ça va.  C'est gênant.” (It’s fine, it’s fine.  This is embarrassing.) 
(I don’t even know if gênant is the right word to use in this situation.  I may have unknowingly embarrassed myself even more.)

But I guess when a 6 1/2 month pregnant girl falls down outside of a doctor’s office, people get kind of serious.  My doctor insisted on seeing me again and all was fine.  Just a minor sprain that only needed a bit of ice and rest.

Thankfully, I didn’t fall in week 27. 
But I did fly across the ocean to be home in the US for Christmas. The flight attendants on the airplane were very sweet to me and kept asking me if I was drinking enough water and insisted that I get up and walk around.  I did notice that the day after we arrived, my hands and feet had a little swelling, probably from the altitude, but they’ve returned to normal.

Here we are at week 28 weeks and 5 days and the start of the third trimester!  I had a big growth spurt – my belly really popped out between weeks 27 and 28.
(Maybe because I’m home in the US and eating lots of my favorite foods?)
I’m feeling big and awkward, and it’s pretty funny to watch me get up if I’m sitting on the floor, but no aches or pains or major discomfort.  Shawn got me a pregnancy body pillow for Christmas, and I love it!  That thing is a little slice of heaven.  I’m still getting out of breath easily and eating lots of smaller meals rather than large ones is definitely better.  The baby is kicking and rolling all the time and it’s the best thing in the world!  I’m getting more frequent Braxton Hicks but still feeling great.  Monday morning I had an appointment with my doctor here in the US.  If you know me in real life, you probably know how much Shawn and I like him.  He was my doctor long before I was pregnant with Hannah, he delivered her and took such good care of me during and after my miscarriage.  Anyway, everything at the appointment was great – we heard the sweet little heartbeat and were assured that things are looking nice and healthy.   I got teary when we left the office, knowing that we’re headed back to Luxembourg shortly and because I have to admit that I’m a wee bit scared of all the unknowns of having a baby in a foreign country.

(Santa’s got nothin’ on this belly)

So today is the start of week 29 but I don’t have a picture. 
Maybe later…

I know I keep saying this – but thank you, thank you, thank you to all of our friends and family that have been so supportive in the last three weeks while my dad’s been so sick.  Things are still not looking good at all, but we are remaining hopeful. 
A special thanks to my parents’ amazing neighbors for shoveling the drive, bringing food over and spending New Year’s Eve with us at the hospital.  We love you guys.

The Weekly Bump: 25 (And We Are Nowhere Near Prepared)

Well, Wednesday, we hit 25 weeks.
I was just telling Shawn last night that I can’t believe we only have 15 weeks left, but possibly less if this baby decides to make his/her appearance earlier.  (Hannah was born at 39 weeks.)

Then we both just stared at each other and Shawn said, “Wait a minute.  How many weeks is a pregnancy?”

”Forty.”

More blank staring.

”Ok, so we really don’t have a whole lot of time, do we?  Did we bring any of Hannah’s baby stuff to Luxembourg?”

”No.  We don’t have one single baby item in this house.”
We’ve got some work to do, my friends.

This is what I’m looking like this week:

The belly is really growing!

And here’s what’s been happening:

The Baby: This week the baby weighs in around a pound and a half and is about 13 1/2 inches long.   His or her hands are fully developed and over the next few days blood vessels in the lungs will form.
Maternity clothes: I’m still wearing normal shirts if they are long, some maternity shirts and maternity jeans/pants. I did wear regular leggings this week, but they are getting tight.
Movement: Lots and lots of movement this week.  Shawn’s been able to feel the baby move for a while, but a few days ago, Hannah got to feel it as well.
And now, it’s a regularly scheduled part of our evening. 

                                     Waiting patiently for baby brother or sister to kick

Sleep: I’m sleeping pretty well. I’ve been waking up every few nights but haven’t had much trouble falling back asleep.  I’ve also been sneaking in a little nap a few days a week before I pick Hannah up from school. 
Food Cravings: None, really.  I’m still liking salty foods far better than sweet things and I’m more thirsty than normal.  
Symptoms: A big belly! I still get out of breath easily and I feel like everything is moving upwards as my belly grows.  I also feel stretching and tightness in my belly, and a few Braxton Hicks here and there, but other than that, I’ve been feeling great!  I haven’t had any heartburn, no aches or pains and I have good energy during the day.  I’m enjoying it now because I know that as the weeks progress,  I will probably start to get achy and tired.
Gender: It’s a surprise!

The Weekly Bump: 24 (6 Months!)

Today marks 24 weeks, or 6 months!

Here’s what I look like:

The Baby: This week the baby is gaining weight, lung and brain tissue.  He or she is about the size of an ear of corn.
Maternity clothes: I’m still wearing normal (long) shirts and maternity jeans/pants.  I can still wear normal leggings if I adjust the waist low below my belly, but that’s starting to be a tight squeeze.
Movement:  I feel lots of movement, but have had some days of quiet with just a few kicks and rolls here and there.  Baby must be tired from all the growing he or she is doing.
Sleep: I’m sleeping pretty well.  I’ve been waking up every few nights but haven’t had much trouble falling back asleep.  I’m still having a lot of strange, vivid dreams.
Food Cravings:  None, although I’m still liking salty foods far better than sweet things.  I’m more thirsty than normal and eating a lot of hummus and cucumbers, although I promise you when we get to the US for Christmas, I will be having Taco Bell.  Probably more than once.  I’m noticing that I feel full pretty fast, so I’ve been trying to eat a bunch of small meals/snacks instead of big meals.  I ate a lot of comfort foods over Thanksgiving so this week I’ve been snacking on veggie sticks (boring) to try to make up for it.
Symptoms:  A big belly!  I still get out of breath easily and I feel like everything is moving upwards as my belly grows.  Today I did my workout that I’ve been doing for a few months now and got tired much faster than I did just two days ago.  It might be time to adjust a bit because my body was definitely saying SLOW DOWN, SISTER.  Other than that, I feel great.  I have good energy during the day.
Gender: It’s a surprise!

The Weekly Bump: 22

On Wednesday, I reached the 22 week mark and I meant to take a picture - I was actually dressed up in something other than jeans and a tank/cardigan because I went to an event for the American Women’s Club of Luxembourg.
And then I forgot to take the picture.

So here I am today at 22 weeks and 2 days.

(I’ve really got to get my good camera out instead of taking fuzzy cell phone pictures.)

There’s no mistaking or hiding it any longer.  
That’s one big, pregnant belly.

The Baby: He or she is about 11 inches long, weighs almost one pound and is developing tooth buds this week.
Maternity clothes: I’m still in normal shirts and leggings, but I’m loving my maternity jeans.  They are so comfortable. 
Movement: Lots and lots of movement, mostly at night. I’ve noticed that the baby will be very active for a few days in a row, and then have a day or two where he or she is pretty quiet and calm.
Sleep: I’m still sleeping well at night, but I had two nights this week that I woke up and took a long time to fall back asleep.  I hope the pregnancy insomnia isn’t starting.  It’s too early for that, right?
Food Cravings: Nothing, really.  Olives and hummus are my faves right now and I’m still loving cucumber sandwiches for lunch, slathered with hummus.  I’m still more thirsty than normal. 
Symptoms: Still feeling great!  Just like with Hannah, I’m carrying kind of high, so I feel like things are moving up towards my lungs and I get out of breath easily.  (My French class is on the 5th floor of an old walk-up building with spiral stairs and I am always out of breath when I get there.  It’s embarrassing.)  Other than that, I feel mostly like my old self, but with a bump. 
Gender: It’s a surprise! 

Shawn was in Romania this week for work, so it’s just been us girls and we’ve been spending our evenings doing crafts and coloring. 
Hannah drew this picture of me and I never want to forget it.

I love that she included the baby with an umbilical cord.
(We’ve explained to her how the baby “eats” while it’s in my belly.)
But perhaps I need to do something with my hair?

The Weekly Bump: Catching Up On 19, 20 and 21

I can’t believe that I’m past the half-way point in this pregnancy.
Here are some pictures of the last few weeks:

I reached the 20 week mark on the formal night of our cruise.

A woman asked me how far along I was and when I told her she said, “Oh.  Are you having twins?”
”Nope, there’s just one baby.”
Geez. 

Wednesday marked 21 weeks and I had a doctor appointment and an ultrasound.  I really popped out this week.  Here I am at 21 weeks and 2 days.

Hannah always has her hands on my belly – rubbing it, talking to the baby.  It’s so sweet.

The Baby: He or she is about 10.5 inches long and weighs almost 13 ounces. 
Maternity clothes: I’m still in normal shirts, but I did move into maternity jeans last week. Normal skinny jeans are out of the question and although I could probably get away with wearing my normal larger ones unbuttoned with the bella band, maternity jeans are just so much more comfortable.  And so are leggings.  I see myself wearing a lot of leggings and long shirts this winter.
Movement: Lots and lots of movement,  mostly at night.  I’ve noticed that the baby will be very active for a few days in a row, and then have a day or two where he or she is pretty quiet and calm. 
Sleep: I’m still sleeping well at night, but sleeping on my stomach is no longer comfortable.
Food Cravings: Nothing I can’t live without, although olives and hummus are still tasting good to me, as well as nachos.  I’ve been eating cucumber sandwiches for lunch, slathered with hummus and they taste really good.  I did get over my aversion to sweets, but I haven’t had a real need for anything sugary.  I’m still more thirsty than normal. 
Symptoms: Nothing major.  I actually feel pretty great.  I still get out of breath easily but I have plenty of energy during the day.   In the evening, I get tired early and I’ve stopped doing exercises that involve any kind of bouncing.  Spinning is out because those little seats on the bikes just got too uncomfortable.  My body temperature has changed because I am warm all the time and end up kicking the covers off at night. 
Gender: We don’t know! It will be a delivery room surprise! During the first trimester, I was certain that it was a boy because I felt so differently than I did with Hannah.  But now, I feel exactly the same way I did with her, so I don’t have a strong sense one way or another.

We had our big ultrasound this week and everything looks good and healthy.  The baby had his/her hands up the entire time, so we didn’t get a good view of the sweet little face.  But everything measured right where it should be and I am so, so thankful for that.  When we left the appointment, I told Shawn that I feel so much more relaxed knowing that all of his/her parts are accounted for and developing well. 

The Weekly Bump: 18

This morning as I was walking Hannah into school, one of the other moms pointed at my belly and said, “You’ve got a proper bump!”

Here’s my proper bump, at 18 weeks.

The Baby: He or she is about 5.5  inches long, the size of a bell pepper.  Baby can flex muscles and his or her gender specific bits are definitely recognizable.
Maternity clothes: Not yet.  I’m still in all my normal clothes, but jeans are getting tight so it won’t be long until I get out the maternity clothes.  They’re all washed, folded and ready to go!
Movement: Lots and lots of movement!  I’ve been feeling flutters for a few weeks now, but have felt lots of kicks and jabs in the last three or four days.  It’s my favorite part and what I missed most about being pregnant after Hannah was born.
Sleep: I’m still sleeping well at night. 
Food Cravings: Still none, although I really like salty things like olives.  Sweets just do not sound good at all.  I had a few days last week where my appetite was zilch, but it seems to be back.
Symptoms: Nothing major, really! I’ve been feeling pretty good!  I do get out of breath easily (so embarrassing) and by the time I’m getting Hannah to bed around 7:30 I am ready to just lay on the couch.   I’ve also been having a lot of strange and really vivid dreams.  Last night, for the first time ever, I actually dreamed in French.  Weird.
Gender: We don’t know! Shawn is leaning towards finding out, but I’m still on Team Green!

The Weekly Bump: 16 and 17

Wednesday marked 17 weeks.  This pregnancy is flying by.
Here’s what I looked like last week.

And here’s what I look like today at 17 weeks and 2 days.  It was cold and rainy in Lux, so you get me in yoga pants and a t-shirt.  I have it on good authority (from a friend with lotsa, lotsa baby experience) that comfy pregnant ladies grow cute kids.  Let’s go with that, shall we?  And also, I think I pulled a muscle in my back yesterday, so I’ve been taking it real easy.

(When I compare these two pictures, it looks like I’m bigger at 16 weeks.  It’s either the yoga pants or the angle, because I am definitely not smaller this week.)

The Baby: He or she is about 5 inches long and weighs about 5 ounces.  I’ve read that the baby can hear now, so Hannah’s been talking to him or her a lot lately. 
Maternity clothes:  Not yet, although I did buy a bella band this week.  The other day, I ate lunch and went to pick Hannah up at school and when I sat down in the car, I had to unbutton my jeans. 
Movement:  Lots and lots of flutters, especially when I lay down at night.  I’ve also felt three or four distinct “thumps” on the left side.
Sleep: I’m sleeping well and night and still on my stomach.  I’ve always been a stomach sleeper, but it is starting to get uncomfortable so it’s not going to last much longer, I’m afraid.
Food Cravings: None, although I still am not down with anything sweet lately.  Olives and anything salty tastes really good to me and I have become a little obsessed with this hummus from a grocery store called Delhaize.  I didn’t really have cravings with Hannah, but I did eat a lot Mexican food.  But I’ve ALWAYS loved Mexican food, so I don’t think that counts.  Unfortunately (or fortunately for my weight gain) Luxembourg just doesn’t have the good Mexican food that we have in America.  (I realize how ridiculous that sounds.)
Symptoms: Nothing major, really!  I get out of breath easily (so embarrassing) and by the time I’m getting Hannah to bed around 7:30 I am ready to just lay on the couch.  Other than that (and the pulled back muscle, which is not related to pregnancy) I am generally feeling good.
Gender: We don’t know!  But I have a suspicion that it’s a boy this time…

Insta-Friday

It’s been a while since I posted pics from my phone so here’s the last few weeks from the eye of my celly.

Pregnant and jet-lagged.  This is how we spent the first few days back in the Lux: in pajamas watching movies in bed.  And sleeping.  Lots and lots of sleeping.

The Schueberfouer Festival comes to Luxembourg at the end of summer.

This is where we decided that Hannah probably shouldn’t be allowed to drive a car until she’s 30 and operate a real motorcycle until…never.


Exploring the underground passages and fortresses at the Bock Casemates. 

Someday when we have long returned to the US, and I think of France, I will think of Rodemack and our little day trips to this cute town.

We also took a trip to London, which is a whole post of its own.  Coming soon.

Pirates and Princess Day at school.  This little princess wore wellies with horses on them with her gown.  Of course she did.  And then at dinner that night, she insisted that I announce her and say, “Your royal feast is served, your majesty.” 

It was a daddy’s-off-work-ice-cream-after-school kind of day.

These two crack me up.  Watching a movie in bed while drinking the milk (juice?) from a coconut through a straw.  A few minutes later, I heard some awful racket in the garage and then the two of them returned to their movie with the coconut cracked open and they ate the inside, fleshy part.  (Is that even what the inside of a coconut is called?)

Oh hey.  See you in March.

And finally, a view of the baby from the top of the head.  Look at that wee little hand.  I think he or she is waving hello to us.

Or already doing razzle-dazzle-jazz-hands.

 

Ok, that’s it for my cell phone. 
Today I woke up with the second trimester THIS IS GREAT I LOVE BEING PREGNANT burst of energy.  With Hannah, I was feeling great at 12 weeks, so it took a bit longer this time.  
But I’ll take it.  

Happy Friday!