20 WEEKS!! :)



How far along?  20 weeks
Total weight gain:   about 6 pounds
Maternity clothes?   I mostly wear my regular clothes still, but throw in some maternity tees, leggings & jeans here & there. My Bella Bands are my saviors! 
Stretch marks?  Not yet! I bought some stretch mark cocoa butter with tons of stuff in it so hopefully that helps minimize them!
Sleep? Eh! Between allergies, having to constantly pee, 2 dogs that take up too much room & currently a husband who is gone, it has not been going so well! My body pillow helps some, but somethings gotta give! 
Best moment this week:   My ultrasound!! :) Greg got to be there & we found out not only is baby healthy & big, but also a BOY! 
Miss Anything?   Wine & Amaretto Sours, sleeping through the night & having energy to do lots of things! 
Movement?  I believe so!  I think I am starting to feel his kicks from the outside every once in awhile! 
Food cravings:   BBQ sauce & orange juice! Yes, at the same time! ha
Anything making you queasy or sick:   nope! 
Starting to show yet? Absolutely! 
Gender:   BOY!! So excited about our lil man! He measured 14 ounces & in the 98th percentile! Whoa buddy! 
Labor Signs:   NO! And I hope I don't have any for a long time! 
Symptoms:   Heartburn for like the first time in my life! Peeing a lot & not sleeping so well! 
Belly Button in or out?   In
Wedding rings on or off?   On
Happy or Moody most of the time:   Mostly happy! A little down since Greg's been gone for a few days, but it'll get better! 
Looking forward to:  Buying more things for lil man & starting to decorate the room! 


 
In case you missed it... Our gender announcement! 
My favorite pic of lil man! Love his hands up by his face! He played with them during the whole ultrasound! 

Whole body profile pic! Check out that spine! 

 Marshmallow Lovers!! Pregnant girl's heaven in the morning!         

Onesies I bought for him! I couldn't resist! Orange & brown football! 

Well Greg is in the field so I've been going a little stir crazy in our house alone! Luckily I have some loving [though sometimes crazy] dogs to keep me company! Got plenty of cleaning done. I wanna organize the baby's room, but that takes so much more energy than I think I want to expel! So I shall wait until Greg is back & we can work on it together! There's a bunch of stuff in there that needs moved out before we get too much more, including his crib! 

And now that I have finished off what seems like half a bag of BBQ chips & ranch dip, I'm off to work on laundry & get ready for dinner with some lovely ladies! 


 

18 Weeks




How far along?  18 weeks
Total weight gain:   no idea! scales are the devil
Maternity clothes?   I've been rocking a few H&M maternity t's, maternity leggings & jeans, & got some Bella Bands! It's all just more comfy that my regular clothes, especially for work
Stretch marks?  Not yet!  Buying some Vitamin E or Cocoa Butter to just make me feel like I'm doing something to prevent them!
Best moment this week:   Got a bunch of awesome stuff on sale last weekend for the baby! Oh and lil one has been moving like crazy all week! 
Miss Anything?   Coffee & wine mostly
Movement?  Definitely! He or she likes to do karate chops already & the other day I almost thought I felt some steady kicking outside of my belly but who really knows! 
Food cravings:   Grapes, BBQ sauce & bagels with strawberry cream cheese
Anything making you queasy or sick:   nope! 
Starting to show yet? Absolutely! 
Gender:   Still don't know! We have 12 days until my appointment! Let's hope lil one decides to cooperate so we can tell!! 
Labor Signs:   NO! And I hope I don't have any for a long time! 
Symptoms:   Sleeping has become more difficult but that's mostly it! Got most of my energy back! No more mid-day naps! 
Belly Button in or out?   In
Wedding rings on or off?   On
Happy or Moody most of the time:   Mostly happy! I only get moody when I am really tired so I nap & I'm better! 
Looking forward to:  My next ultrasound & finding out if we're having a lil boy or a lil girl! 

We got a bunch of stuff this last week for the baby! We couldn't help it - the BX had crazy Labor Day sales & lots of baby stuff was around 50% off! We bought an awesome carseat & a super cool video baby monitor! We also ordered our crib! The selection here for American style stuff is very slim so we had to order it from online & have it sent to the store here for us to pick up! But its super cute & I can't wait for it to come so we can put it together! Not to mention I got the package from my mom with my Bella Bands in it & adorable onesies from my sister!! 

Our new car seat! 

Sweet video monitors 

Onesies from my awesome lil sister! 

I scheduled my appointment for my next ultrasound & couldn't be more excited! Only downfall is Greg will be in the field, which, I know, is only 45 minutes or so away. Hopefully he will be able to break away for a few hours to meet me for the appointment! I'd hate for him to miss the second of only 2 ultrasounds I get! I will probably reschedule if he can't be there, but that means waiting longer to find out the sex! Decisions, decisions! ha 

It started to cool down the other day & I got pretty excited! I cannot wait for fall & everything that comes with it - leaves changing color, cool weather, fall wardrobe, holidays & delicious food consisting of tons of pumpkin everywhere! Just wish we had Starbucks here so I could get a Pumpkin Spice Latte! Let's pray for this country's sake that the cafe on base has pumpkin flavoring or I WILL go crazy!! 

But for now, I will just cuddle up on the couch with my blanket, husband & puppies & watch a movie! I love days off & getting to spend plenty of time with my little family! 



Gaia &Dexter

16 weeks!

16 Weeks



How far along?  16 weeks
Total weight gain:   about 4 pounds
Maternity clothes?   I just bought some tees and maternity leggings from H&M and some stuff from a flea market
Stretch marks?  Not yet!  Hoping this doesn't change!
Best moment this week:   Having Greg at my appointment & us both getting to hear the heartbeat! Oh & getting to hear it again 2 days later unexpectedly! 
Miss Anything?   Starbucks & wine & margaritas & my energy still
Movement?  I know they're moving around in there since we heard it on the doppler & lil one moved from Monday to Wednesday to new spot but I'm not sure I've felt it, unless I didn't realize it! 
Food cravings:   Juice lots of the time, BBQ stuff and cheesy potatoes
Anything making you queasy or sick:   not really anymore! Pretty much able to be around anything nowadays
Starting to show yet? Check out the pics! I would say so! & So far everyone realizes its baby & not just me eating too much! ha
Gender:   Still don't know! We have to wait until 19-21 weeks because that's when the military does the scan
Labor Signs:   NO! And I hope I don't have any for a long time! 
Symptoms:   Exhausted a lot of the time & having to pee way too much! 
Belly Button in or out?   In
Wedding rings on or off?   On
Happy or Moody most of the time:   Mostly happy! I only get moody when I am really tired so I nap & I'm better! 
Looking forward to:   Starting to feel the movement &finding out the gender so we can start buying the stuff we like and decorating! 

Ah so it's been awhile! My appointment this last week went well! We are doing a group OB program the hospital here offers so there's about 10 couples who are all due in February 2013 that meet up every 4-5 weeks for monthly appointments. They're more hands on than normal appointments, as we take our own weight & blood pressure. We each take turns using the doppler so we get to hear the heartbeats still and then the midwife goes through a bunch of information for around the time in the pregnancy we're in! Plus, we get to meet other people here in Germany in the military that are expecting too! 

And I mentioned last post that I was going to an everything baby flea market. It wasn't as big as I imagined it would be, but I still walked away with some pretty good stuff! Got some gender neutral onesies, towels, changing pad covers, a baby carrier, some clothes for myself, a pack-n-play and a high chair! It looks like more than when I list it and I only spent $78 total while the pack-n-play & high chair retail EACH for about $150! 

The high chair - its got blue & orange & a lil elephant with the dark wood! 
Collection of baby goodies! Stuffed animals, shoes, pacifiers, baby-proofing stuff, books, albums, etc. 

The clothes basket of baby clothes we've gotten so far! 
Pack-n-play opened up! Navy with little white squares! Even has the infant attachment for when they're super little & can't stand up yet! 

The room is still pretty bare, but we plan to deck it out after we find out if the lil one is a he or a she! Hopefully we buy the crib soon and can find matching furniture that we like! 



14 weeks



How far along?  14 weeks 1 day
Total weight gain:   not sure, been avoiding scales, but I am guessing 4 pounds or so
Maternity clothes?   I've bought some but haven't really worn any yet, my regular clothes are still fitting. Waiting on my Bella Bands to get here though! :) 
Stretch marks?  Not yet!  Hoping this doesn't change!
Best moment this week:   Hitting the second trimester! 
Miss Anything?   My energy, coffee & alcohol 
Movement?  I swear I've had some feelings in my belly like the baby is swimming around, but not sure yet! Hoping its not my imagination! 
Food cravings:   Still wanting potatoes a lot & I could drink orange juice all day
Anything making you queasy or sick:   not really anymore! Pretty much able to be around anything nowadays
Starting to show yet? Definitely looking chubby & people keep asking me if I'm pregnant, especially at work
Gender:   Not sure yet! Only about 6 weeks until the gender scan! Should be making the appointment for it on Aug. 20 at my next OB appointment
Labor Signs:   NO! And I hope I don't have any for a long time! 
Symptoms:   Exhausted a lot of the time & having to pee way too much! 
Belly Button in or out?   In
Wedding rings on or off?   On
Happy or Moody most of the time:   Mostly happy! I only get moody when I am really tired so I nap & I'm better! 
Looking forward to:   My first group OB appointment & feeling definite movement & the Everything Baby Flea Market I'm going to next weekend! 


Things are coming along great so far! Feeling pretty good & time seems to be going relatively quickly! I just can't wait to find out what we're having so I can start buying awesome stuff for the baby. Oh and I am going to be on the lookout for a cute frame to make a bigger chalkboard for my tracking so its easier to read! Stay tuned - craft stores aren't as easy to find in Germany! 

10 Weeks

I promised I would keep everyone up to speed on how things are going! My awesome camera's battery is currently dead & with the voltage difference here, I am not able to charge it. This makes it quite difficult to take the pics I want to take! I have to convince Greg isn't lame to take the pic for me!

 I FINALLY heard back from HR here & they got my paper from Charleston so I should be in-processing this week & hopefully start soon! I've been waiting so long & have been so impatient! This job better rock!

 I decided that along with the belly pics with my chalkboard drawings, I wanted to fill out the form below! It asks a lot of the questions that everyone wants to know & I think it's a cute way to kinda keep track of it so I have it in the future! So here goes my first one! *Picture coming soon*

How far along?  10 weeks 3 days
Total weight gain:   maybe 1-2 pounds 
Maternity clothes?   nope! But I did buy some stuff from a thrift sale for $.25 each! And they're not too big so I can wear some of them even now! 
Stretch marks?   Nope! But my belly hasn't grown much either... Let's hope I don't have to answer yes to this! 
Best moment this week:   It was really last week, but having my first appointment! Seeing our lil baby moving around & hearing the heartbeat was amazing! 
Miss Anything?   My patience & wine! ;)  
Movement?  Not yet! 
Food cravings:   Potatoes a lot of the time, apple juice, purple grapes & BBQ sauce! haha Random! But I don't eat them together!
Anything making you queasy or sick:   sometimes milk & cheese, ranch dressing & most veggies - been pretty fortunate & not been very sick!
Gender:   Not sure yet! We should know in less than 10 weeks! But I have a feelings it's going to be a boy
Labor Signs:   NO! And I hope I don't have any for a long time! 
Symptoms:   Tired almost all of the time! Sometimes I feel like I could fall asleep while standing in the middle of a store! Oh and my boobs are killer! Huge & sore!
Belly Button in or out?   In
Wedding rings on or off?   On
Happy or Moody most of the time:   this is a funny question! I would say happy, but Greg would probably say moody! I have some knarly mood swings that kinda come out of nowhere! Good thing he loves me & knows its just the hormones!
Looking forward to:   My next appointment & finding out the gender so I can start planning the nursery & buying stuff!  


Our Little Peanut

The story of how our little peanut came to be!

A few weeks ago, as Greg was getting ready for work, I decided it'd been awhile since that evil Aunt Flo had made her appearance so I took a pregnancy test. I didn't sit & watch to see its result, I just went on with my early, early morning - I was making Greg some eggs & toast and did not let the test stop me from doing so. I just noted the time & continued on with breakfast. About 5 minutes later, after almost forgetting about the test, I strolled to the bathroom expecting to not see anything significant and low & behold, there was a second pink line. Surprise!

I had always thought about finding some cute way to tell Greg when this happened & it was kinda a spur of the moment thing that, well, that didn't happen. I walked upstairs, trying to be calm, & just said "hey, I need to show you something." Then proceeded to display the pregnancy test with the clear second line to him. He did not know what to make of it at first & even asked "does.. that mean you're pregnant?" Oh boys... haha. Yes! it does!

I went to the lab the following day & got my blood test which confirmed what I already knew, that I was pregnant! I was so excited & found it hard to contain my excitement, as I was out with a friend & wanted Greg to know before anyone else!

We decided to make the news public to everyone [family & a few close friends knew sooner] with an adorable picture I half way stole from Pinterest. Greg had the idea to use the shoes we wear all the time instead of the ones we have & never touch but happen to match the baby shoes I bought for it.

Baby Converse - how cute! :) 

Well, as cheesy as some may think it is, I am probably gonna do belly pics as I progress through the pregnancy. I've seen several people who've done it, on Pinterest &/or blogs, and think it's a cute idea to track & share with family. This will be a nice way to stay connected with everyone back at home since we're so far away! 

I had Greg take my first belly pic the other night with my decorated chalkboard, which was given to us by my awesome Sis-in-law Nikki! I'm thinking of making a larger one just because then I can draw on it a little more & my handwriting is GIANT! haha 

9 weeks 1 day

I had originally calculated that my due date would be 1 February 2013. Well, after my OB appointment today, I was measuring 8 days smaller so now - Official Due Date 9 February 2013!! Crazy because that's only 4 days before I was due when my mom was pregnant for me! :) 

Below are the ultrasound print-outs I got at my appointment today! The first is my favorite, because it actually looks like a baby & not just a blob! ha

9 weeks 3 days - I have hands & feet & like to wave at mom & dad

I have a heartbeat of 188 or so! 

Am I a boy or girl?! 

Feeling great after my appointment today! Got reassured that everything is normal & good with the lil one! The doctor asked what we think we're having - I said "No idea!" She guessed, even early, that it's a... boy! Obviously it's too early to tell but that's the feeling she has! Chinese gender prediction, my craving of salty over sweet food & little to no nausea suggests a boy as well! Guess we'll see in about 10 weeks or so! 

Life is... interesting?

Hello world! I have been gone for away being busy getting everything situated here in Germany! Life is, like the title says, interesting! Germany is a good deal different than the US. Still trying to get used to the changes & the adjustments we are needing to make that we were not all completely prepared for!
Some things to note about Germany:

1. It looks kinda like the Appalachian Mountains everywhere! I say this because it's very hilly, covered with trees & just downright beautiful! We drive down the road to go, well, anywhere, and my ears are pretty much guaranteed to pop!

2. Technology isn't as prevalent. Cell phone companies in the states have tons of plans & options, but most here only have 1 or 2 to choose from & when you get it, service isn't always the best everywhere you go! Point 2 on this - its going to take 2-3 weeks for stuff to get to us for our home phone & internet! What?!

3. Exchange rates suck!! The dollar isn't doing to hot right about now, which wouldn't be a problem, but it costs us like $1.30 or so per euro! That adds up quickly & this is not being nice to our bank account!

4. Cars last a whole lot longer here! Case in point - our rental car when we first got here was a 1995 BMW & it ran like a car that is like a 2000 or so in the states would run! Tons of cars out here are from the 90s & no one thinks second about it & they work! Yes, loooots of people drive the German cars - BMW, Audi, VW & Volvo - they're everywhere! But it's almost as common to see any one of these car brands from the 90s or early 2000s as it is to see a brand new BMW rolling around!

5. Germans are crazy drivers! The autobahn is not exactly like we imagined! Yes parts of it don't have a speed limit but where we happen to live does. 130 km/hour. Sounds fast right? Not so much. That's only like 72 mph or something. German drivers are very aggressive! When they have the right of way, you watch out cause they will run you out of their way! & on the autobahn, if you are going too slow & they're behind you, they'll come up & tailgate you basically until you move out of their way!

Those are my observations at the moment that I've been mulling over! I have some more but I'll save those for next time! Working on getting my phone to work again & figuring out how to charge my camera since my charger is not 220v capable! [Amazon anyone?] As soon as I get it figured out, I will take some pics & post them, mostly of the house with the stuff in it!
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