Flashback: Starbucks

While going through my draft posts this week, I stumbled upon this gem that I wrote a year ago. Things have changed a lot in just a year. Anyway, I'm sharing my flashback with you. Enjoy.

or, the only place I can find a stinking blueberry muffin in this country.

Blueberry muffins hold a special place in my heart. They are on a short list of foods that help my morning sickness. The others are Kraft mac and cheese, fast food, and fried chicken.

So I'm basically in hell. None of these foods are easy to come by here. For the past week I've been surviving on McDonalds and Burger King. Somehow I have still managed to lose 2 kilos. That is a mystery.

So this morning, after I had puked in the sink, I said enough is enough! I pulled myself together, put Marion in the car, and headed for the Starbucks located a couple of towns away.

We arrived and I got four blueberry muffins. Pregnancy does weird things to women. I no longer cared that the muffins were 3.90CHF a pop. I just needed them.

So I got one, and it was good. And now I can't figure out what to eat for lunch.

Sisterly resemblance?

Just a bit.

Betti is home!

And we are all thrilled. Especially Marion, who is enamored with her "bootiful baby sister."


I think we'll keep her.

Just one little piece missing now

I was discharged from the hospital today. Typical recovery time in the hospital here for a c-section is a full week. However, since I feel pretty good and my time in the hospital was being spent sitting on my butt surfing the net instead of bonding with my new baby, I decided to ask my doctor to release me. And he agreed.

So I am home now and Betti is not.

But there is hope that she will be with us soon. Since going to the other hospital for observation very early Friday morning, Betti has been all over the place. Saturday night was a bad night, with her needing to be put back on continuous oxygen. Last night was an excellent night. They removed her oxygen and feeding tube. She has continued to improve and stabilize today, breathing on her own. Betti has a little bit of jaundice but nothing too bad. If she continues on this course, she should be coming home with us tomorrow!

In the meantime, Marion's been hanging out with Grammie and Brian's been super dad and husband. Sure it's been a little crazy, but what isn't these days? At this point, I'm hoping for a little more craziness in the form of a six pounder on her way home tomorrow.

My turn

I'm so jealous

Brian visiting Betti last night.

My contribution's in the syringe. :-)

And now, introducing Betti!

Brian waiting a very long time for me to get my spinal so he could join me in the OR. Watch out McDreamy.

Getting pinker and just adorable!

Proud papa.

I got to hold her briefly, which was really great.

Her chariot awaits.

Ready for her ride to the other hospital for observation.


Brian, Grammie, and Marion got to visit Betti this morning and I called to check up on her. She is doing really well! They have taken her off oxygen and she is holding her own. It looks like she will be back with me this weekend!!! In big sister news, Marion is in awe of her "little baby Betti sister" and loved touching Betti's back. I think I may have a great little helper on my hands!

We are proud to announce the arrival of...

our beautiful daughter, Bettina Lynn!

Betti arrived last night, weighing 2.85 kgs and measuring 46 cm long. She is a tiny little thing and, because of that, has been transfered to a local hospital to be observed for low oxygen levels in her blood. She looked great last night when she left so we are hopeful for her swift return!

The short version of a story goes soemthing like this: Our normal day turned into a crazy one yesterday when I started having contractions around 1 pm. I was resting and drinking water and instead of them going away, they became more frequent and stronger.

We went into the hospital around 4 pm and the contractions started coming regularly and were rather strong. So, after much discussion, my doctor, Brian, and I decided to do the c-section last night.

The long story will be written soon, I'm sure. I have a lot I want to write about the experience!

In the meantime, I wanted to let you know that Betti is here, the guessing game is officially over (Congratulations Ms Lisa!!!!), and ask for prayers that Betti comes back from her little excursion soon!

You don't realize you miss something until you can't find it

I've been craving chocolate milkshakes. Really badly. As in, I want one NOW!

Homeade always tastes better and satisfies the craving quickly. However, I have run into a little bit of a problem.

I can't find chocolate ice cream without chocolate chunks.

Weird, right?

Now, I don't normally discriminate against chocolate ice cream. But sometimes a girl doesn't want chocolate chunks in her milkshake. Chocolate chunks ruin things in this scenario. I end up chewing my milkshake. I want to drink it.

I started this mission at Migros. I noticed the chocolate chunks on the front of the ice cream container but I didn't care. I needed the milkshake that badly.

Today I continued my mission at Coop. I was delighted to find Coop brand chocolate ice cream with no chunks in it! Yay!!!! And then I got home and opened the darn thing. Chocolate chunks galore. I was foiled by a misleading picture on the container.

Two stores down, no success.

If you know where the chocolate ice cream without chocolate chunks is, please let me know. I could really use a smooth chocolate milkshake.

Pregnant and uncomfortable

I am officially more pregnant with this baby than I ever was with Marion. I passed that milestone on Sunday at 11 am.

Now I understand being uncomfortable at the end of a pregnancy. I roll everywhere. I have a hard time getting out of chairs that are too low. I get terrible heartburn at night which sometimes leads to visting the porcelain goddess. We resolved this issue by using the adjustable Ikea bed slats. I now sleep at an angle and put up with my husband laughing at my geriatric-ness every night.

Blah blah blah, typical stuff, I know. But now I feel part of the pregnancy club, the one I missed the first time around when I gave birth five weeks early.

Yay for being part of the club! Now let's get this baby out already.

Updates

Well, we spoke with our management company about our concerns. After some back and forth, we now have our final bill and it is a QUARTER of the first one! What a difference, thank goodness!

On the pregnancy front, I am closing in on 35 weeks this Saturday. I'm experiencing all of the typical third trimester fun stuff- braxton hicks, not being able to get comfortable, etc. Oh, and I still puke every morning. Fun, fun!

My next appointment is tomorrow morning. We are hoping for the all clear so that we can go on a little trip this weekend. Please knock on some wood or do whatever you do- I need a little get away! I feel like I've been on pregnancy lock down for 8 months!

I'll close with a little pic of me at 34 weeks (from last Saturday). I actually put some make-up on and got dressed up for a shower for two of my friends. We all left the husbands and kids at home and had a wonderful time!

32 weeks!

I had my 32 week appointment this morning and it went really well! I promise I feel a lot better than I look in that picture...

I have been experiencing some Braxton Hicks all weekend but things are looking right on schedule. My doctor wasn't too happy when I confessed I wasn't taking my magnesium when I had the contractions though. That magnesium stuff is nasty.

After we discussed hospital options and some other things, it was ultrasound time. I love how the doctors here do an ultrasound at every appointment.

The baby is head down. Way way way down. The doctor had a hard time getting a good picture of the head for a measurement. But when he did, oh boy! The head is measuring two weeks ahead right now!

Abdomen is measuring right on schedule, as it has been the entire pregnancy. And the baby's legs are now measuring one week ahead, instead of the almost two weeks last time.

The doctor was also able to determine why I feel the baby move so much and all over the place. This baby's movements have been extremely uncomfortable for me. Marion moved a ton but pretty much stayed in the middle of my belly. Baby #2 moves a lot and manages to find my hip bones, my spine, various organs, and all of my ribs. And now I know why! The baby is in a frog position. Hands out to either side towards my hips and feet splayed across the upper portion of my belly towards my left and right ribs.

That's a new one for me. I guess this little one likes his or her space?

The doctor also estimated that the baby currently weighs 2 kilos and will be around 3.5 kilos at birth for all of you playing the guessing game. Remember, it was an estimate!!!! This sounds about right since Marion was a little more than 2.9 kilos at 35 weeks. I've also put on a total of 18.5 lbs this pregnancy, not counting the four pounds I puked up the first trimester.

So, a fantastic appointment! No complications and things are moving along. But not fast enough for me!

Our next appointment is in three weeks, right before we are supposed to go to a nearby ski resort for a family ski weekend with Brian's work. I'm knocking on wood that this is one trip we won't have to cancel.

Probably should learn German pretty soon

I received a huge stack of paperwork from the hospital where I plan on giving birth. I assume it is my registration paperwork. I've heard from other mothers here that you have to register with the hospital beforehand so they know who I am, who my doctor is, etc.

I say I assume that this is the registration paperwork because all of it is in German. So I am not entirely sure that is what it is.

All I do know is that it is from the hospital, has my name on it, includes a lot of papers as well as an envelope to send forms back, and is entirely written in German.

I've got a lot of translating to do!

27th week pregnancy appointment

I had another appointment this morning to check on baby 2.0. This appointment was different than the others- it was quick and easy. What a great change of pace!

The baby is healthy, measuring right on schedule, and his head is down. No wonder I feel a lot of kicks along my ribcage.

Everything else is also going well. I'm within all the normal ranges for everything and I've gained 6 kilos since the craziness began. I think that has something to do with my eating habits. After my appointment I went to Jo's house and had three helpings of her salad and quiche. Dear god, I have to stop eating like that.

The doctor also gave me the okay to go to Brian's work sponsored ski weekend in March! With some qualifications of course- that I feel okay, things are going smoothly, and that I don't go up on the ski lifts. Apparently the ski resort we would be going to is at a very high altitude. But I don't care, I just want to go!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course this will probably mean I will go into labor the week before the trip or while on the trip. Hahaha, at least I can prepare and laugh at my horrible luck.

Happy New Year!!!!!

I hope everyone is enjoying 2009 so far. We have had some busy holidays here in Switzerland. My family has come and gone. My mom is gearing up to go home tomorrow after being a huge help for two months. Don't worry, she'll be back in mid-March to help me take care of Marion when this little one comes.

I have a lot to catch up on. I've been enjoying our visitors, venturing out, and attempting to be a functioning member of my family all while neglecting my blog. Feel free to give me a swift kick to my big pregnant bum.

There ya go. That was me on December 23, before we went out for a girls night (my mom, two sisters, and crazy toddler) dinner at a local hotel. I was around 24 weeks pregnant at the time. The look on my face is the result of several things. First, I had put a dress and make up on for the dinner which prompted a lot of "Wow! You look so nice!" comments. This immediately made me wonder what I look like on a typical day. Must be a pretty horrible sight. The word slob comes to mind. Hmmmmmmmmm. Second, my husband was having fun with my SLR camera and clicking away happily. I think I have ten pictures of me in various poses. During this, I was instructed to put my hands under my belly to show just how huge I am.

Hence, the "What the hell is going on here?" look on my face. Note to self: try a bit harder on regular days. Just because I puke every morning isn't a reason to ignore my lipstick. My family should not be as surprised as they were when I put a dress and make up on!

Anyway, I do have a lot to catch up on so keep an eye out for lots of posts this week. And enjoy your new year!

What a little stinker!

This baby, baby #2, is a little stinker.

Exhibit 1: Just last week I mentioned that this baby has not moved as much as Marion did. Then *WHAM!* she moves all. the. time. She keeps me up at night, she makes me uncomfortable. Somehow I had forgotten about this part of the pregnancy. It feels like there is an alien trying to break free from my stomach. She moves so much that...

Exhibit 2: the resulting nausea I'm experiencing from the beating on my stomach is awful! I was just getting into the swing of puking every morning. Now I am back to taking things slow again because of the internal beating my stomach is taking. At this point I'd rather take the beating on my bladder! Then I wouldn't feel sick in the evenings as well as the mornings.

Ahhh, minor inconveniences to be sure. But these bumps make it obvious to me that I would fail as a pregnant woman if they handed out grades for this sort of thing.

I'm on to you number 2!!!

All is well

I had my 22w pregnancy appointment last Friday. And it was the best one yet!

Everything looks good and is where it should be. To say I was shocked is an understatement. I've gotten used to going in and hearing about the latest complication.

Friday was wonderful in that respect. It was like a regular pregnancy apointment and I was relieved. I've put on weight, the baby is healthy, the placenta is where it should be. Yay!

Despite that though, my doctor agreed it wasn't the best time for me to be flying across the Atlantic. I continue to have some dizziness and Braxton Hicks. I also still puke at least once a day. Better to be safe than sorry. And with our luck, why push it?

The best part of the appointment was the extended ultrasound of baby 2.0. The doctor measured the head (right on schedule at 22w5d), the abdomen (measuring a week behind at 21w1d), and a femur bone (measuring 24w1d!). The doctor and I both gasped at the last measurement. Then he looked at me and said, "You have a very long family!"

Finally, we tried to get a picture of this little one. The baby was buried in my hip bone so it was a little difficult, but we were able to get some. Here's the best shot. It's a picture of the head (profile shot) and the baby is holding his hands in front of his head (hands are at the top of the shot).
Try squinting, then you'll see it. And a disclaimer- we do not know the sex of the baby. So I switch in and out of using he and she, you'll get used to it! ;-)

All in all, a good appointment. Thanks so much for all the well wishes and prayers, I truly believe they made a difference!

Oops

So I did it again. Went and stopped blogging for awhile. Sorry!

I guess I should start at the pregnancy appointment. Had my 20 weeks check up last Friday and everything looks good. I am technically off of bedrest but still am having some pain everytime I attempt normalcy and I continue to feel faint often so I'm taking it easy. Mom's sticking around until January to help me until I feel better and become less worthless. Despite things progressing well we had to cancel our Vienna trip and our trip home for Christmas because I can't seem to get this pregnancy thing right. It sucks to be missing out on more of our planned trips but that is what is best for right now.

Side note: a word of advice- buy trip insurance. Because those airlines don't refund everything, even with a doctor's note.

Some good news is that we are halfway to my due date. I'm so ready to have this baby and not be pregnant anymore.

In other news, I continue to have problems with my laptop. I've only had this thing since February 1 of this year. Not really a ringing endorsement for Dell laptops, eh? I've contacted Dell and they are going to pick up my laptop and take it to their repair facility where, hopefully, all the problems will be solved. I'm not going to hold my breath though. So if I'm absent for a little bit, that is why. Go ahead and send Dell some nasty-grams for me, k? ;-)

Finally, we still have not rented our old apartment. We have shown the place to five people, with the sixth coming tonight. We've handed out four applications. Nothing. It's really frustrating to have to pay two rents but our third bedroom is coming in really handy right now with Mom here. In the grand scheme of things, we are trying not to get upset about it. There really isn't much we can do. And our focus is on the baby. But, still, it is frustrating.

Oh, one more thing. It snowed here again this weekend. Several inches on Saturday with another healthy dose on Sunday. It was gorgeous and Marion loved getting out there and playing in it with her Aunt Colleen, who visited for the weekend. They built a snowman and then Colleen showed her how to throw snowballs. Grammie was the main target. There are a few positive aspects to feeling like crap and laying on the sofa!

Good news!

Brian and I went to see my doctor today and check up on my placenta.

Good news! The placenta has started to reattach itself. According to my Google searches, this was not possible. That'll teach me to Google this kind of stuff!

Anyway, it isn't completely attached yet so I'll be on bedrest until Monday morning. Then the doctor gave me the okay to resume a regular routine. My next regular pregnancy check-up is the following Friday so we'll be able to see then how things are going. In the meantime, my mom is headed over here from the US to give us a helping hand.

Phew, what a roller coaster ride this pregnancy has been so far! I'm knocking on all the wood and particle board we bought from Ikea that this is the last of our pregnancy complications!

To bedrest I go

I've been having some aches and pains all week. I've also felt faint if I stand for too long. Nothing really out of the ordinary but, since they weren't going away, I figured I should contact my doctor.

I called him up this morning and he was able to fit me in after Marion's pediatrician appointment. She's still trying to get rid of a cough she's been working on for almost six weeks now.

After a short trip to Marion's doctor, we headed over to my doctor. Marion was in a rare foul mood. Very anxious and everything set her off. She was hysterical most of the morning. A great time for us to be out and about.

The doctor came out and witnessed some of her tantrums. He looked at me, shook his head, and said, "This is the cause of your cramps, no?"

I tried to explain that she is normally a very happy child. But the screaming, bumbling, crying mess behind me didn't really project that image.

One of the nurses watched Marion while I went into the examining room. Marion was much happier with her anyway.

First, the good news. No more placenta previa. Yay!

Now, the really bad news. My pain was caused by a portion of the placenta tearing away. Normally I'd include a link here explaining what this is in more detail but googling information on it is pretty scary. No need to spread that cheer.

My doctor asked me if I could go straight to the hospital. But with the little terror in the next room and Brian at work, that was a no go. So we devised a plan that includes me going on immediate bedrest, taking it easy, and trying to relax. I go back on Monday to check the status.

Obviously baby 2.0 is already conscious of being the second child and does not want to live in Marion's shadow in any way, shape, or form. Hey, I can understand that. But couldn't we have gone the normal pregnancy route? That would have been nice.