Winter Wonderland

We've landed safely in Sweden to celebrate Christmas with my family. It's white. It's beautiful. And it's fckng cold!! This morning we had a whopping -19ºC. Brrrrrr!

Checking in at 28 weeks pregnant I realized most airline's cut off for traveling is just that, so going home I'll be breaking some rules while hiding my expanding waist line.

Merry Christmas to all of you, may the Holidays bring peace and happiness, and the new year be filled with wonderful promises.

Marching in to the third trimester

I've had a hard time sitting down to update this corner of the world lately. So much is happening and I want to talk about it all, but somehow I can't find the energy to transfer all those thoughts and moments into words. I want to tell you all about how we've started buying things for Bubba, and how we've rearranged our house to make room for the nursery. I want to show you the things I've made, the theme of the room, the stacks of clothes in the drawers. I also want to tell you about our trip to London to see traditional Swedish Lucia being celebrated. But it'll have to be another day, because today I march in to my third trimester and it's time for a preggo-update.

How far along?

28w

Bubba's chunk-o-meter: 

Apprx. 15 inches / 38 cm, 2.2 lbs / 1 kg 

My total chunk-o-meter: 

13 lbs / 5.9 kg

Stretch marks? 

No, but I'm wondering how much more my skin can actually stretch. 

Belly button status? 

Poking out a tiny bit, can be seen through shirts now. Not sure if I like it or not. 

Counting sheep? 

Waking up EVERY time I change position, followed by trying to convince myself I don't need to pee, only to realize I REALLY have to pee and then get out of my warm bed just to dribble. 

Foods I can't live without: 

Tomatoes and avocados. Trying to slow down the carb intake since I was only two points away from failing my 1h glucose test. Having withdrawals from my newly acquired habit of eating a big bowl of whole grain pasta a day.

Foods I can't stand: 

Food - mmmmmm! Any food. All the time.

Best moment this month: 

Moving our office and guest room to make room for baby. Getting some nursery furniture and a stroller. Realizing this is actually happening, our lives are about to change for good.

Worst moment this month: 

Experiencing some strong Braxton Hicks that came and went for about an hour. Not painful just sent me into a panicked state of wait-is-that-a-contraction-omg-what-if-i-go-into-preterm-labor-mind

Movement? 

Lots and lots of kicks, rolls, pokes and prods. Daily kick counts usually takes  less than a minute (10 movements in 2 hours).

Symptoms: 

TMI alert: There's odd stuff happening with the boobies. It looks like dried milk in the now ginormous cracks of the nipple... I've decided to take it as a good sign, but really? Ew.

Restless legs! How come when I'm exhausted my legs are full of energy?

Gender? 

I have a tiny penis in my uterus.

What I miss? 

Raw fish, creamy delicious unpasteurized cheese, and red wine.

What I'm looking forward to? 

Bubba cooking up a storm. Pregnancy photo shoot with my sister for Christmas.

Monthly Wisdom: 

If my temper takes an unexpected turn for the worse, walk away.

Milestone: 

Moving into the third and final trimester. Passing the glucose test - if only barely.

Emotions: Violent, sudden aggression towards inanimate objects. It's a miracle my Mac does not have a hole in it. 

Haven't taken the 28 week picture yet, but you get the idea, I'm getting chunky :) 

A lot of you have asked about the week signs - I made them out of cardboard and they look much fancier in the pictures than they do in real life.

Mundane Moments

In a world of little things
How can you find words big enough

How do you describe the anticipation
of folding a mountain of small outfits
or buying your first set of newborn diapers

How can you explain the joy
of fingers aching from hours of carefully stitching
a less than perfect quilt

How can you tell the story
evoked by movement only you're aware of

How do you define the love you feel
for someone you've never met
or even laid your eyes on

Tiny moments like these fill my days
and although at first they may seem mundane
they carry a lifetime of longing

Happy

Thanksgiving!!
I'm thankful for my husband coming home today after a 10 day business trip to the US.
I'm thankful for the soft kicks letting me know Bubba is awake and that today makes 25 weeks.
I'm thankful for our and our family's wellbeing.
And I'm thankful for all of you.
Gobble-gobble!

Getting on the preggo-status-train!

How far along?

24w, 3 days

Bubba's chunk-o-meter: 

Apprx.12 inches / 30 cm, 1.32 lbs / 600 g - was told at our 21w u/s he's in the 68th percentile

My total chunk-o-meter: 

7 lbs / 3.2 kg

Stretch marks? 

Nope

Belly button status? 

Still in, but my long healed piercing scar is now all on the outside and I can feel the "button" poking a little bit.

Counting sheep? 

Toss and turn, pee twice a night, crazy dreams, wake up with tousled hair.

Foods I can't live without: 

Tomatoes and potatoes! Mmmm carbs!

Foods I can't stand: 

Hmmm... that's an unfamiliar concept...

Best moment this month: 

Diver Dude and Mamma feeling the first movements around 21,5 weeks.

Worst moment this month: 

Diver Dude spacing out on my birthday. Long story. Good ending.

Movement? 

YES, this is a wild little guy. Every morning and night. Seems to not like me driving or sitting down wearing jeans as he kicks right where the waist band hits :)

Symptoms: 

Almost embarrassed to say I hardly have or have had any major symptoms. Frequent nose bleeds. Stuffy nose.

Gender? 

We're having a son :)

What I miss? 

Sushi and Cabernet.

What I'm looking forward to? 

Getting bigger while Bubba's cooking.

Monthly Wisdom: 

Don't worry, be happy.

Milestone: 

Movement felt on the outside, finding out we're having a boy and reaching viability.

Emotions: Calm as a cucumber. Mood swings, what's that? Seriously though, my anxiety levels seem to go down every week.

365 days in between

November 12, 2008, I was flying to England for our big move across the Atlantic.

Last year on this day, I was driving myself to the Emergency Room to find out if I was miscarrying. 

Today, after taking Kona for a walk, I plan on going nursery shopping with my mom.

I'm dumbfounded at what a difference a year makes. 

Next year, some time during the day, I simply hope to be building a tower of colorful building blocks for my son, only to watch him push it over with a big smile. 

Early in the morning

In the distance I can hear water falling into a bowl of water, a steady stream ending with a soft tinkle.
Gently I adjust the down pillow and ignore the fact that I too may have to pee in a very near future.

Diver Dude crawls back into bed and wraps his warm arm around me.

A wet nose touches my hand. 

Slowly I open my eyes to look into Kona's asking brown.

I let one leg fall over the side of the bed, followed by the second and then rest of my heavy, sleepy body sits up. 

With searching limbs stretched out in the dark I find my fluffy slippers and the big robe. 

I walk through the hallway guided by the faint glimmer of distant stars and open the front door.

Kona goes outside to do his business, a quick pee and a big gulp from his blue plastic water bowl.

Back in the bedroom Kona lays down after spinning around twice and letting out a content sigh.

I continue in to the bathroom to empty a full bladder in hopes of adding another few hours to the night.

After dropping the robe on the floor I climb back in under the soft, warm covers and wrap Diver Dude's arm around me.

The alarm goes off.

Bubba greets the loud noise with a few startled movements and then continues to slowly roll, poke and prod.

I roll over to kiss my sleepy husband good morning.

A new day has started.