Yeah!

Tick, tick, tock

So, here we are again. We're waiting, I'm typing. The big test is tomorrow - we find out if round #2 worked. Some days I'm sure it did, other days I can't imagine it could have.

Here's a weird tidbit - I find myself looking at twin strollers with envy. I never wanted twins. One pooping, vomiting, cuddly bundle of warm neediness is plenty of work as it is, thank you. So why do I think I want a total of 4 kids? We, of course, can't have 4 kids. We have no place to put them, and I'm pushing 38. So there's that. But if we end up with twins... well, that would make a total of 3 kids. Kind of a nice compromise. (Still don't have enough space for 3, but we could deal with that.)

We ended up with 3 viable embryos this time, all of which were transferred. For most people, twins would be a possibility. But this is us. To get Lene, we transferred a total of 9 embryos - meaning 8 didn't make it, for a whopping 11% success rate. For baby #2, the current count is 5. Let's just hope one decides to stick around and not get greedy wishing for 2.

Oh yeah, we're still here

If you're still there, here's a little update. We're trying to have another baby. Round 1 was a big, fat bust. Round 2 is in progress. Keep your fingers crossed and I'll try to maybe keep this blog updated.

Fit for the Queen

Lene has become the queen of the household. Want proof? Here's a shot of the flagpole at her grandparent's home. The top flag is the flag of Fehmarn (the German island where they live), the next is the German flag, and of course the stars and stripes underneath that.

We are parents!

Annelena Rose was born on May 30th at 11:19 am. She's been an amazingly good baby, letting us sleep for hours at a time. Aunt Emilie is going to be so proud of how strong she is, and Aunt Erin of how strong-willed she is.

Her nickname is Lene, pronounced like the classic film star Marlene Dietrich, minus the 'Mar'.

Love to you all from the 3 of us!

31w0d

The wallpaper! The border isn't up yet as Ikea is still out of picture rails, but at least you get the idea of what it will look like.

30w3d

Nursery is now wallpapered. Picture rails have to wait as Ikea was sold out.

Photos soon.

29w5d

...1...

29w4d

...2...

29w3d

...3...

Irish law and the rights of embryos and (potential) moms and dads

Whether you are pro-choice or pro-life, this is an interesting read.

http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2010/03/18/ireland-force-women-mothers-cant-force-fathers

The dichotomy is rather astounding, eh?

27w4d

I've been bitching and moaning about the fact that I don't have a recognizable bump. Apparently, that is no longer the case.

Martin and I were babysitting a 4-year-old last night, who told me, "You look like you are going to have a baby because you have a fat tummy." Thanks for noticing, Mayzie!

27w3d

I haven't had much to post lately, as I wanted to keep this blog focused on Myrtle and she's been fine. I will post a bump photo soon - there's finally a little to see.

Other than that, I've been trying to do all of the things that I know I won't have time to do after she's here. Invitation to dinner - why, yes! Movie on Wednesday - of course! The next few weeks are packed with social activities.

We're also considering doing a small renovation in our bathroom. We have no bathtub right now, although technically the bathroom is big enough for one. The previous owner redid the bathroom with a stupid layout, so we have a few choices:

1. Redo everything into a sensible layout. Lots of work, lots of money, lots of dust involved to essentially swap the location of the toilet and the shower drain and move the washing machine connection. It would mean cracking up the floor and opening the walls. We won't be doing this.
2. Change the direction the toilet is facing (e.g. move it from one wall in the corner to the adjacent wall in the same corner), then get a 160 cm tub. This might be possible and would only involve opening the corner of the wall and possibly a few centimeters of the floor. The tank is in the wall, like this:
   
   
   This is the most likely option, depending on quotes from the plumber.
   


3. Get a 140 cm tub, but that means that Martin's knees are at his chin when he sits in there.

Also got up crazy early on Saturday morning to go to a kids' flea market way out in bufu. So worth it - I scored a €130 high chair (the one I'd been coveting) for €10 and a €70 bouncy seat for €12. Also: many clothes.

I guess I should save a little content for next time - I'll share about my mom's shopping madness soon.

24w4d

Lots of crap going on around here. Too many docs, too many stressors. Not to worry, Myrtle is fine.

Sigh. February has sucked for so many people and so many reasons.

23w2d

Hug your loved ones extra tight.

21w5d

So far (aside from her kickboxing training as I'm trying to go to sleep), Myrtle is a perfect baby. Two separate docs confirmed it at the anatomy scan today. Fingers, toes, liver, kidneys - everything right where it should be.

The next appointment is in 8 weeks. I'm used to seeing her every 2-3 weeks, but now that she's moving so much it's easier not to worry. Martin did find a doppler at the baby store over the weekend that lets you record the heartbeat - and it ended up in our basket. I talked him into shopping around a bit more (this one says it's for the 7th month and beyond) - boys and their toys.

We did take a bit of video, and if you can actually see anything from it, I might post it. Half-assed and all, don't count on it. ;-)

21w4d

Today's mood: damn skippy.

Tomorrow: anatomy ultrasound. Oh yeah.

20w3d

I forgot to add my vacation days to my maternity leave, so my last day is actually on March 31st instead of April 29th. My bosses were a bit shocked, which I can understand. I have no replacement yet, and now I'll be leaving in 2 months and 6 days (not that I'm counting).

Any English/German bilinguals with software experience out there looking for a job???

20w0d

Halfway!

I have too much to do at work today and have plans for this evening so I doubt I'll get a proper post in today (yeah, there's a reason this blog is titled the way it is), but I did want to mark this momentous day with at least a little whoop. WHOOP!

19w0d

Wow, who woulda thunk that we'd make it to 19 weeks. I went to a meeting for my ex-pat women's club last night and a few people that I don't see very often were surprised to hear that I'm pregnant. Yup, that's how little I'm showing. I suppose I should be enjoying my mobility while I can, but I also know that acquaintances think I've just been hitting the fast food a bit too much and that's why I'm thicker in the middle.

Martin got to feel Myrtle kick a few days ago. When she gets going, I really think she's learned to mosh already. They grow up so quickly.

A Time for Retrospection

A friend from a very long time ago answers a year-end list of questions every year. You can read his answers here:
http://www.blood-and-thunder.com/index.php/2010/01/05/blue-blooded-girls-of-independent-means/

I think I'm going to start doing this. I'll see if I can get around to it this weekend, but I love the idea of collecting these answers.

17w5d

Well, looks like Horst is really a Myrtle! The doctor is 80-90% sure that it's a girl.

And I think I felt her move for the first time this morning. What a fantastic day.

17w3d

Still not showing. I look like I had too many cookies chased by too many beers, but I definitely do not have a proper bump. I was a bit fluffy to begin with anyway, so I'm looking forward to having a belly instead of a spare tire.

The visit to the family was the best I can remember in a long time. I miss my family and have been weepy with the thought that they are going to miss the pregnancy and lots of Horst's first year. Have to get Skype up and functional, I guess.

For those of you not friends with me on Facebook, let me share some jeglagged wisdom with you: Air France sucks sweaty donkey balls.

16w2d:



17w3d:

14w4d

The ultrasound yesterday went well, but the doc is less sure now that it is a boy. Either way, he/she is a very healthy baby. Yeah!

I have to brag a little now - my wedding band is getting a bit tight so my sweet husband surprised me last night (sigh) with a sparkly ring that will definitely fit throughout. I'll post a photo later.

Back to work now - much to catch up on after vacation.

13w3d

A quick post to say that I'm not going to be posting right now. A friend is in town from the States and I have about 5 minutes of computer time a day. Updates next week.

12w6d

Welcome to the 2nd trimester (almost)!

This morning's scan went really well. And it looks like we're on Team Blue!

11w6d

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'll bet you can guess why I'm thankful this year, so I'll spare you the cheese.

I think Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It has all of the warmth and togetherness of Christmas without all of the consumer crap. Every German/Brit/other I've invited to celebrate with us has immediately taken to the spirit of the holiday. I love the preparation, the familiar and homey smells, and of course sitting around a big table and seeing all of my friends' faces in the candlelight.

I usually do the big dinner on Saturday as we don't get Thursday and Friday off here (boo), but we have plans this Saturday so I'm making mini-Thanksgiving for Martin and I tonight. I'm not sure if there will be turkey, but my favorite part is the side dishes anyway, so we're going to have chestnut stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and Brussel sprouts. Finished off of course by pumpkin pie.

Guess I get to pardon my own turkey this year. :)

11w4d

It's our 3rd wedding anniversary today, and it's quite astonishing to think of all that we've been through already. I talked to a friend of ours who did 3 rounds of IVF and then decided to adopt (her son is adorable), and she said that when you go through IF it either welds you together or tears you apart.

It hasn't been easy, of course, but I think that's because we were in different stages at different times. When I felt like I was going to implode after the miscarriages, Martin wasn't in a place to understand it. Other times, he was frustrated and down and I was in suck-it-up-and-get-on-with-it mode. Yet through it all, we've managed to figure out how to be together even when we are worlds apart. When we are living on the same planet (which is most of the time now), there's only one word: bliss.

10w6d

So - the question: why Horst?

Horst is a real name, but it's seen as old-fashioned. We could have called him Dudley with a similar effect.

It also has a second meaning - when someone does something stupid or uncouth, you might say he's made a real Horst of himself.

Of course, this is just our silly nickname for him. We have to call him something other than 'baby', but 'snuggiewuggums' is just too cutesy for us. We couldn't decide on a nickname for the other ones either, so we called them by a new, ridiculous name every time. Humperdink, Ethel, Fritz-Peter, Gertrude, etc. This time, Horst just kind of stuck.

9w6d

Another scan today. Horst (his pseudonym for now) is measuring 1 day ahead with a lovely heartrate of 154. My OB is fantastic - Martin couldn't make it to the appointment today so she took me to the super-duper machine one floor up so that she could print out better sonograms for him.

I also got two of my three midwives arranged. Have I mentioned lately how much I adore socialized medicine?! Insurance pays for one midwife for the birth preparation courses, a second midwife for the birth, and a third midwife who visits you at home for a couple of weeks to help with anything you might need. A doctor doesn't step in unless needed. I imagine this ends up costing significantly less than a US hospital birth, but I guess I'll never know as I won't see bills for the birth. :)

Next scan on Dec 3rd - official start to the 2nd trimester.