HELLO 2013!!
We rang in the new year with some great friends & watched lots of fireworks! Germans sure do love fireworks! We stood on the front porch of our friends' house & had fireworks to view in every direction, including right on the street & directly above us!
Ah! A new year to start new things in our lives! 2012 was a great year with lots of changes for us:
1. We moved across the ocean to Germany! This has been a huge life-changing experience! Adjusting to a completely different culture 1000s of miles from family has been tough, but we've done a pretty good job so far!
2. We celebrated our first wedding anniversary! We decided to keep it simple since we'd just gotten to Germany so we explored the Landstuhl Castle & got some awesome pictures of the beautiful view overlooking the KMC!
3. Found out we were expecting our first little one! As if the craziness of moving to a new country wasn't enough - just a few months later we found out I was pregnant & we would be having a baby! It's been an exciting 8 months of dreaming & planning what is to come that I can't believe it's almost time for him to make his appearance!
4. Greg went to ALS - Oh what a stressful time that was for him. It challenged him mentally & physically but of course he came out on top & did awesome! His graduation was just a few weeks ago & I couldn't be more proud! When he goes back to work tomorrow, he will be SSgt Greathouse!
2012 has been a big year & I can only suspect that 2013 will top it! Just about a month & a half until our little guy is to make his appearance! We will get to experience & celebrate all of the holidays with a new perspective! Things are no longer about us, but our little one! Greg starts working after his promotion & will surely have plenty of new duties & responsibilities to excel at! Hopefully some awesome Euro trips in the near future - hey, France isn't even an hour away!
I will leave you with a weekly belly bump update!
How far along? 34 weeks
Total weight gain: about 20 pounds
Maternity clothes? Oh yeah! Jeans, tees, & tanks with cardigans!
Stretch marks? Not yet & hopefully never! Still keeping my fingers crossed!
Sleep? Eh! Each night is different - some nights uncomfortable & others very sound!
Best moment this week: Getting the changing table put together & buying the dresser! Oh & my awesome German baby shower thanks to my friend Megan & the lovely ladies who came!
Miss Anything? Wine & Amaretto Sours, & having energy to do lots of things!
Movement? Yes all the time! He's an active little baby! Keeps shifting & kicking my ribs!
Food cravings: Nothing outrageous really!
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope!
Starting to show yet? Absolutely!
Labor Signs: Uh some Braxton Hicks, but nothing serious yet! Still have about 5 weeks until these should really show up!
Symptoms: Heartburn & big belly making it harder to get around!
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to: My next appointment next week! We should be touring Labor & Delivery! Plus putting the dresser together & washing his clothes to put away!
Greg getting his graduation certificate
So just last week, Greg graduated from his Airman Leadership School class that he was taking. It was 5 1/2 long weeks for him of school work, papers, tests & additional duties that he had to complete. The general idea of the class was to teach him how to excel as a leader once he becomes a Staff Sergeant!
Well, needless to say, I was very proud of him for all of the hard work & dedication he had during the class! I was always so used to doing schoolwork & being stressed & hadn't seen him go through that in a long time! So I was very sympathetic &, though pregnant, I did try to help out as much with things as I could! But he's a champ & kept up with class stuff & helped lots around the house! He's such a great husband! I am way too lucky!
Greg will put on Staff Sergeant & officially become an E-5 in the USAF on January 1st, 2013! That's one day short of 5 years from the date he left for Basic Training back in 2008! It's been a long journey but one that he's excelling & doing great in! I can't wait to see what the future has in store for his career & our life!
Commander, friend Dave, fellow grad Josh, Greg, his supervisor & Superintendent
Greg & I with Josh & Amber - so proud of our grads
Ah! Time is flying by! I cannot believe we have less than 9 weeks left until our little guy's arrival! Each day that goes by I get more & more excited!
How far along? 31 weeks
Total weight gain: about 22 pounds
Maternity clothes? yes! I didn't buy as many as I anticipated! I wear a lot of my regular shirts still!
Stretch marks? Not yet & hopefully never!
Movement? Yes all the time! He's an active little baby!
Sleep? Pretty well! Toss & turn some & still wake up at random times to pee! Thanks little one for thinking my bladder is a comfy place to chill!
Best moment this week: Receiving some gifts that were mailed!
Miss Anything? Wine & having my clothes fitting me well
Food cravings: Potatoes & juice of all sorts
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope!
Starting to show yet? Absolutely! My belly grew tons right around Thanksgiving!
Labor Signs: Having what I believe are Braxton Hicks contractions here & there but nothing serious at all
Symptoms: Heartburn & baby sitting on my sciatic nerve!
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to: Decorating the nursery, picking up the crib & getting it put together!
I cannot believe I'm 31 weeks along already! I feel like we still have so much to do & yet have a bunch done at the same time! Our crib finally came in! All we need is someone with a truck to go with us to pick it up! Can't wait to put it together & start getting the nursery organized! I have also been working on painting the wooden letters of his name to hang on the wall! They're almost done & drying as I type! We also got the stroller Greg's parents bought us! It goes with our car seat & is super sweet! We got it out & opened up & the travel system set up!
Stroller - Green & Grey
Stroller
The stroller & car seat together!
On another note we decorated for Christmas last weekend! I love the holidays & everything that comes along with them! Hot cocoa out of a snowman mug, Christmas lights, music, movies! Last weekend, Greg & I definitely watched 5 Christmas movies in one day! Awesome!
Here's some of our decorations!
Coffee table with runner & good-smelly candle
Santa!
Christmas tree welcome sign
Our end table - lots of holiday candy & candy canes! Yum!
Our snowman family with the stockings & sign I made
Christmas tree!!
Gosh I love Christmas time! It's different being in Germany with different traditions & far from family! But we are working on making traditions for our little family that we can continue once our little guy is finally here for the holidays!
