back to reality

We are finally back from Miami. We returned with a bit of a suntan, lots of jetlag, a bigger and rounder pregnant belly, a whole bag full of adorable baby clothes we bought and lovely presents we got at the surprise baby shower for our little girl, and many extra kilos in our own suitcases. M caught my sister's flu, meaning we had to postpone our return flight to the 18th. He's never sick, but when he is, he gets the whole nine yards!

The vacation however was great. Spending time with my family felt wonderful. We shopped till we dropped with my mother, dined to our heart's and stomach's contempt with my father and his wife, and did a few excursions all together on the weekends such as renting a boat for a day. The return to reality is being quite hard, with the jetlag, the temperature change, etc. but thankfully M was prescribed sick days till the end of the week, so we can slowly readapt together to our normal german life. Don't know if it's all the vitamins I'm taking to fight M's virus, or if she's also jetlagged, but our little girl is doing aerobics in my stomach these days. Let's see if we can get rid of it - it being the jetlag, although getting rid of the aerobics would please me as well - before Nat comes to visit this weekend...

Miami vacation

The long awaited February 5th is finally almost here. Tomorrow morning we'll be off to Miami for a 10 day family/shopping sprea/relaxing beach vacation. I have to admit I am bit nervous about the long trip and the possible complications it could have on the baby and I, but I also know that everything should work out fine. It is after all the best moment to travel. I'll wear those horribly tight stockings that prevent thrombosis as ordered by my gynecologist, and follow her advice to move/walk often and drink lots of water during the flight.

I am certainly looking forward to being there, and have no doubt I will enjoy every second of this last-vacation-before-the-baby-is-here. See you when we get back!

May the shopping begin!

I had my appointment with the specialist for the organ diagnosis today and M. came with me. The baby is healthy and everything seems to be functioning correctly. It measures 26 cm and weighs 400 gr, which apparently is in the standards. Also, the specialist was able to see that it's a girl, which confirms what everyone seemed to be thinking. I am extremely happy and will celebrate it by getting a much needed haircut today. Instead of a good bottle of wine, as I would have done in the past.

Oh! and of course by buying some adorable little baby things for our daughter. May the shopping begin! So been looking forward to that!

Week 20

We did go to the doctor yesterday, both very eager to find out the sex of the baby. However, it kept its fetal position, legs tight, thus refusing to let us see whether it's a girl or a boy. We'lll hopefully find that out next week, as we'll go see a specialist who'll make sure all the baby's organs are functionning properly with an ultrasound. Hopefully, as I'd love to know if I should buy cute pink little dresses or blue overalls when shopping in Miami in three weeks...

Anyway, the most important thing of course is that the baby is doing good, which it is, as well as the mother, and I am. Other than the 5 kgs gained in the last 5 months that is. My belly is showing more and more each day, which is obviously normal. A bit more bothersome is the fact that it is not clearly recognisable as a pregnant belly, meaning I just look fat to people who don't know me. Got to get get used to that I guess. Could definitely get used to M's proud and happy father face as he stared at our baby on the doctor's screen. That's also why I asked him to come with me again next week.

Over the Christmas holidays

We're back from Switzerland, where I spent 2 1/2 weeks and M joined me for the last 7 days. The skiing conditions were extraordinary this year with lots of snow, cold temperatures and a terrific blue sky. Too bad I couldn't enjoy them, skiing being too risky when pregnant. Instead, I met friends, spent time with my mother and Yaya, did lots of Christmas shopping and preparations, and grew a small belly in the meantime. That's it: can't close my pants any longer, although I still am able to wear them thanks to the discovery of the Belly Belt invention. I must say I can't wait till my gynecologist appointment next week when M will come with me for the first time and we should find out if it's a boy or a girl...

Already

Thankfully, I have been able to visit Sus yesterday and today, and I am pretty sure I was thus able to help her feel better, even if only by keeping her company, making her think about something else or making her laugh. She's the one who made me realize I should be slowly but surely starting to make some decisions, such as choosing my midwife and registering for the classes I want to take. She made the mistake to wait until late in her pregnancy, and she thus was quite limited in her choices. Indeed, by the time I come back from the Christmas holidays in Switzerland, it will be January, and I will be in the 20th week, so if I want to take the yoga class for pregnant women for example, I should at least find out when the classes begin and register before the class is full.

As for the midwife, I really hope I find one who speaks either english, french or spanish, which would make me much more comfortable. But another wish I have, is that she can be present during the birth, as here in Germany your gynecologist is not in charge of the delivery. You choose the hospital, and pray that you'll like the gynecologist in charge that day/night when the baby decides to come. So if at least the midwife would be there, I think I'd feel better about having that familiar face around, other than my husband of course. Meaning I would need to choose a midwife who works at the hospital where I want to give birth. Meaning I need to be choosing the hospital... already!?!?

... three important decisions I need to be taking very soon, although I thought I had all the time in the world ahead of me. Any advice is more than welcome.

Troublesome phone call

I don't know if it is because I'm pregnant and am therefore maybe more sensitive to bad news these days, but the phone call of Sus' husband today really affected me. He began by canceling our dinner plans and proceeded to explain that Sus is in the hospital, being operated as we spoke, due to a pneumothorax (collapsed lung.)

It's not a big operation, although we all know that any operation implies risk, and she'll be fine. She will have to stay for at least a week in the hospital however, and they have therefore canceled their trip to Italy this weekend, and called Sus' mother to take care of Gabriel in the meantime. I might not even be able to visit her as apparently Sus might still be contagious from her intestinal flu, so the doctor said. But it is just shocking me how quick things can happen, how our lives can change in seconds, maybe more so knowing that I will soon be a mother. Sus is always so healthy and so full of positive energy. I wish I could be there for her.