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.

29w3d

...3...

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.

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.

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.

9w4d

As part of the IVF process, I have to have my blood drawn every week to check hormone levels. For those of you who haven't done IVF, this is because the normal hormones are shut down during the cycle and have to be supplemented until the body can take care of it on its own. I went off of the supplemental hormones a while ago, but they need to keep an eye on the levels until they are sure that the placenta has taken over and is doing its job.

I just got the call from the clinic - no more weekly blood tests for me! Yet another milestone we've never reached before.

9w3d

Today marks the furthest we have ever made it in a pregnancy. I celebrated this morning by finding the heaviest spotting to date. Still brown, but WTF?

I was in Aachen over the weekend for a conference and while there I took a bit of a spill on a slick ramp - maybe this had something to do with it. I also had to schlep my suitcase and conference materials (and tins of special Aachen Christmas cookies called 'Printen'), so maybe it was the repeated lifting?

Doesn't matter - I promised myself no freakouts unless I see red.

8w4d

Minor freakout last night. I'd had all of the usual pregnancy symptoms for some time, and last night they all went away. Poof. Of course my scary pregnancy books and Dr Google told me to go to the doctor right away. The RE's office wouldn't see me as I'd already been released from their care, so I went to my OB's office. They were so patient and understanding, but I could still see that they were worrying about me as a patient. "Oh boy, another one of these worriers who will be on our doorstep any time she gets the hiccups or sneezes too hard."

I don't want to be that patient, so I'm going to take a few steps back and force myself not to worry unless I see blood.