The bags are packed...

This is an old post that never got published. I just found it going through my unpublished posts. This was written in late November when I was 8 months pregnant.

Alrighty. I have some long overdue and promised pregnancy posts that I want to get out before I switch into mommy mode and am thoroughly distracted from this theme, so here we go.

So today I want to talk about packing your bags for your hospital stay. Obviously this varies greatly especially considering I am overseas, but hopefully this will be of some help to some first time mommy's in Germany.

Sundays in my city- Baby recap

Hey guys,

As promised I am back with Sundays in my city. I am gonna start with a recap of life with baby Luca thus far and end it off with a recap of our day and some photos.

I will be posting weekly updates about the baby on Wednesdays, this week I will also recap his birth story and the first 2 weeks in upcoming posts. I will continue with Sundays in my city and meal plan monday as well as my normal frugal living, expat, and homemaking posts. So while there will be baby posts of course, no need to worry the conent I wrote before will also remain :D

So just to recap baby Luca was born on December 22nd at 7:31 am. He was 53cm long and 3640g. He was born via c section under full anesthesia after 16 hours labor, 2 failed inductions and a failed epidural. It was a very traumatic experience to be honest not due to having a c section but the care I recieved was subpar and I will go into details later, but I have come to terms and I think I needed to take the time to do so before sharing my story. I am now at peace with what has happened and can only refocus my energies on the outcome a beautiful little boy, the way he arrived is trivial. 

After 6 days in the hospital including Christmas we headed home. Over New years my inlaws came down to meet him. And my mom has been an amazing support and help during this time. 

We have had some struggles with breastfeeding which I will likely talk about in another post, don't worry I will have big warnings before any topics that I feel people may want to skip over. But he is doing well. He just crossed the 4 kilo mark this week and is growing like a weed. He is so strong. He kicks and has just started discovering his arms and hands. He can even lift his head, don't believe me?? Well check out the evidence below.

All in all we are doing well. Daddy went back to work last week and my mom flies out this Friday. Next week will be my first week alone and I am scared to death to say the least, but I am sure we will do fine. 

So now lets talk about my Sunday. 

Today was a pretty quiet day at home. I worked on catching up on housework and hanging out with baby Luca. We had a pretty uneventful day until baby Luca lifted and held his head. Before he was bobbing a bit but now he holds his head up. I know you think I am mad but I assure you it happened. We had taco ring for dinner and are getting ready to do babies hand and foot prints. 

Here are some photos from our day:

Make sure you stop by www.unknownmami.com to check out everyone elses day.

Teenie ist da...

Just a quick update I will write more later

After 20 hours labor including 2 failed attempts at induction, a failed pda and failed spinal baby Luca was born via C section under full anesthesia Wensday morning at 7:31 am.

He weighed 3640 grams and was 53 cm long.

I think hes perfect, check back for updates. 

Sundays in my city- 40 weeks can you believe it???

40 weeks, 40 weeks can you believe it??? It sure is hard to believe it. Here it is my 40th week. I was hoping to have some baby photos to share but little Luca has decided today is not the day. That is unless he changes his mind in the next 2 hours.

I am hanging in there. It is great having my mom here with me. My next appointment is Tuesday if nothing jump starts on its own, and c-section has been laid back on the table as an option after the baby weighed in at 9 and a half pounds on the last scan. Scans are not fool proof in weight projections, but even with the margin of error he will be a big boy.  Which explains the gnarly pressure I have been having on my pelvic floor. Otherwise no progress since 2 and a half weeks :(

So here it is week 40 in all its glory

 We will just ignore that hair mishap :P

 My battle scars which luckily are not anywhere I could easily see them so it has not caused me much duress. I am at the point now where I have come to terms with pregnancy in all its glory :)

 We have had some wild weather.

 As well as some late nights taking a toll.

 But we have had a lot of fun too.

Not that I am biased since I won or anything :P

So that was my Sunday in my city. My due date come and gone. Here's hoping for some new smiling faces in next weeks photos.

Thabks for joining me and make sure you check out everyone else over at unknownmami.com

Schlecker Baby Club Begrüssungspaket

Next one arrived today from Schlecker's Baby club  and this one was pretty cool too. Have I mentioned that surprises, things in the mail and freebies are a few of my favorite things?

This set had:
* A sample of NUK Spül Reiniger (bottle and nipple wash)
* A pouch of Tetesept Entsoannungs Bad (therapy bath)
* A sample 50 ml bottle of Bübchen kinder shampoo
* A full sized Shogetten Vollmich-Schokolade (Candy bar)
* A copy of Leben and Erziehen magazine (living & parenting) with a special offer supscribe to the magazine for 23.88 and get a free 20 euro schlecker gift card, so in the end 43,88 in value for 23,88.
* A pair of socks from Pampers
* A mullwindel (German gauze diaper)
* A packet of Hipp Feucht- Tücher (babywipes)
* A small ,25l Frucht Tiger apfel-erbeer juice
* A 3 euro gift card
* A 40 ml sample bottle of Penaten Intensiv Lotion
* A schlecker baby product catalog
* An advert for some random baby items clothing
* A coupon book valued at 31 euro in savings

The coupon book had the following coupons:
* 10€ off 22,95 fr an a4 hardcover photobook
* ,50€ off Babay smile Nature Gesichts- & Pflegecreme 75ml (Face and body cream)
* ,50€ off Babysmile Sensitive Panthenol Hautschutzcreme 100ml (skin protection cream)
* ,50€ off Babysmile Kopf bis Fuß Waschgel 500ml (head to toe baby wash)
* ,50€ off MAM My first Silikon pacifier
* ,50€ off Erstes Zähnchen Baby Zahnpasta (baby toothpaste)
* ,50€ off Nenedent Kinderzahncreme 50ml (Childrens toothpaste)
* ,50€ off HIPP Babysanft Washgel Haut & Haar 400ml (Hair and body wash for babies)
* ,50€ off HIPP Babysanft Intensivcreme Wnd & Wetter 50ml (wind and weather cream)
* 1,00€ off Bübchen Baby Bad 1000ml (Babybath)
* 1,00€ off Bübchen Creme Pflegebad 400 ml (creamy bath)
* 1,00€ off Bübchen Baby shampoo 400 ml
* ,80€ off Bübchen Calendula Gesichtspfelege 75 ml (face cream)
* ,80€ off Bübchen Wind & Wettercreme 75 ml (wind & weather cream)
* ,50€ off Penaten Stilleinlagen 30er (nursing pads)
* 1,00€ off Penaten Bad & Shampoo Kopf bis Fuß 400ml (head to toe baby wash)
* ,75€ off Penaten Pflegecreme Gesicht & Körper 100 ml (face and body cream)
* ,50€ off Penaten creme 50 ml
* ,75€ off Penaten Shampoo Gländes Haar 250 ml
* 1,00€ off Penaten Plege Öl 200 ml (Baby oil)
* ,75€ off Penaten Lotion Tücher 4er Vorteilspack (lotion wipes)
* ,75€ off Penaten Sensitiv-Tücher 4er Vorteilspack (sensitive wipes)
* ,50€ off NUK Kühlbeißring-set (cooling teething set)
* ,50€ off NUK First Choice Flaschensauger Latex Verschiedene Größen (nipples Latex)
* ,50€ off NUK First Choice Flaschensauger Silikon verschiedene Größen (nipples silicon)
* ,50€ off NUK Genius Beruhigungssauger Silikon verschiedene Größen (pacifier silicon)
* 1,00€ off NUK Junior Cup mit Push-Pull-Tülle
* ,50€ off HIPP Bio-Milchbrei Kindergrieß 500 g (Organic childrens oatmeal)
* ,30€ off HIPP Gemüse 190g verschiedene Sorten (baby veggies)
* ,50€ off HIPP Tee 400g verschiedene Sorten (Tea)
* 1,00€ off Humana Folgenmilch 3 500g vershiedene Sorten (Forumla)
* 1,00€ off Humana Schlummermilch 500g (Forumla)
* ,40€ off Humana Brei ohne Milch 250 g verschiedene Sorten (Dairy free oatmeal)
* ,40€ off Humana Milchbrei 350g verschiedene Sorten (Oatmeal)
* ,40€ off Humana Schlummerbrei 250g vershiedene Sorten (some variation of oatmeal)
* 1,50€ off Humana HA 2 500g (Forumla)
* 1,50€ off Humana HA 3 500g (Forumla)
* 2,00€ off Humana Folgenmilch 2 100g Sparpack (Forumla)
* ,20€ off Humana Babywasser 1,5L  (water)
* ,50€ off Edelweiss Milchtucker 500g (milk sugar)
* ,30€ off Kölln Schmelzflocken 250g (oatmeal of some sorts)
* ,50€ off Alete Greisbrei Vanille oder keks 4x 100g
* ,50€ off Alete Mahlzeit zum Trinken 2x 200ml verschiedene Sorten

All good through 12/31/2011

Babysmile is the Schlecker house brand offering a variety of baby products and diapers. Check out their prices on my diaper price comparison, and coming soon my baby care products price comparison.

The baby club is free and you can sign up on their website here

Check out other freebies for expecting and new parents here

Sundays in my city- 39 Weeks!!!!!!

All right its that time again, this time we are celebrating 39 weeks, only 7 days to go holy moly!



As promised meet my mom :D

We took her down to check out the wintermarket today. It was the last day so it was beyond packed.  We had pizza and bratwurst from the food stands and enjoyed a kinder glüwein (alcohol free warmed punch). Toni enjoyed a steak brotchen. We found some goodies. I got a special Christmas gift for my dad. I cannot share now as he reads my blog, but it is something I know he will love. My mom found some wooden hand carved ornaments, and a gift for my cousins family as well as some special gifts for her step kids.

We had a pretty quiet afternoon, more naps both Mom and Toni. Toni's prep for the terror that lies ahead :P and mom's attempts to overcome the jetlag, so I spent the afternoon catching up on some final baby prep.

And here it is without further ado..... 39 weeks.

I am tired and uncomfortable to say the least but in good spirits. Excited and terrified the same. But so ready to meet him. I have a feeling he will make his appearance this week. We will have to wait and see what lies ahead for next weeks post.

Thanks for spending Sunday with me and my mom in my city. And don't forget to stop by www.unknownmami.com to check out everyone else's weekly adventures.

DM Schwangerschafts Paket

Dm is now offering a pregnancy club in addition to the baby club. You can sign up during your pregnancy for freebies. At the time of sign up, after confirming your account, you are given a coupon to take into the store to pick up a gift box.

I just got mine and it included:
* A full sized house brand pregnancy massage cream (Babylove Mama Massagecreme)
* 5 Euro gift certificate (no minimum purchase)
* A welcome letter
* A info brochure with pregnancy tips and product suggestions
* A coupon book valued at over 15 euro

My coupon book included:
* ,60€ off 2,95 Babylove Mama Massagecreme (massage cream)
* 2,00€ off 9,95 Weleda Damm-Massageöl (Perineum massage oil)
* 1,00€ off 4,75 Bübchen Massageöl für Schwangere (massage oil for pregnant women)
* 4,00€ off 19,95 Hipp natal Nahrungsergänzung (Prenatal dietary supplement system)
* ,60€ off 2,95 Abtei Calcium *d3 Lutschtabletten Nahrungsergänzungsmitttel (Calcium and d3 suppliment)
* ,70€ off 3,25 Taxofit Vitamin B-Komplex Nahrungsergänzungsmittel (Vitamin B supplement)
* 1,00€ off 4,45 Dopelherz aktiv Vitalstoff für Schwangere + Mütter Nahrungsergängzungsmittel (Vitamin supplement for pregnancy and motherhood)
* ,80€ off 3,95 Paradontax toothpaste
* ,60€ off 2,95 Nivea Natural oil shower gel
* ,50€ off 1,55 Dove visiblecare shower cream
* 1,00€ off 4,95 Mein Öl
* 1,00€ Guhl Prachtvoll Lang oder KOpfhaut Sensitiv Shampoo
* 1,00€ off 4,95 L'Oreal Paris Dermo-expertise hydra active 3 skin care series
* ,70€ off 3,45 Spee sensitive laundry soap
* ,40€ off 1,85 Lenor sensitiv fabric softener
* 10% off kodak 20x 30 cm Poster

all valid through 31.3.2012

Overall I thought this was a pretty cool set, it was one of the ones I was most excited about due to the 5 dollar gift certificate. Thats almost a full pack of house brand diapers.

I am excited to see what they offer in the baby welcome packet.

Check out more freebies for expecting and new parents here

Sunday in my city 38 weeks

Today is a very special Sunday in my cite. We got our maternity pics taken by a very special friend and fellow American expat. These are just a sneak peak straight out of the camera not yet edited, but I could not help but share they are so beautiful.

Today marks 38 weeks. And next Sunday there will be an addition to these photos my mom. I last saw her August 16, 2008. She flies in Saturday morning.

I am filled with so many emotions right now and all I really now is that my life i about to be changed forever, but I am ready to embrace that change.

So a very special thank you to my friend. This is the greatest gift anyone could have given It is memories that will last a life time.

And not only is she an awesome photographer shes a super cook. Make sure you stop by her blog A Mama with Flavor and tell her how awesome her pics turned out :D



And do not forget to stop by and check out the other ladies at www.unknownmami.com

Sundays in my city 37 weeks

Today marks 37 weeks, meaning that the baby is officially considered full term and could make a healthy appearance at any time. I am feeling well but sluggish, otherwise in good spirits My mom flies in the weekend after next and that is super exciting. Next weekend a friend will be coming down to take my maternity pics.

Otherwise, I plan to use the next few weeks (assuming he stay in place that long) to precook some freezer meals, finish prepping the baby items, prewrite some blog posts to coast through the time my mom is here and baby is first home. Though I will post new Sundays in my cities and meal plans each week in addition to the prewritten posts, if anyone is interested in writing a guest post I would love it please email me :)

Yesterday we went and checked out the Christmas market a bit. Today has been a pretty quiet day at home working on the house.

Those grey pants and black sweatshirt are new I got a package from my mom :) I think I might live in these pants the next few weeks.

Make sure you stop by and check everyone else out at www.unknownmami.com

Rena's baby pool

Update: Use the measurements you are accustomed to, pounds or kilograms :)

After a very disheartening experience on one of my commonly used forums, I decided to place my baby pool here where I have absolute power (Insert the big brother voice from ET here).

No really though, I never understand the negativity and hostility of some people in this world but we will save that for another post and another day. This is supposed to bring back the fun :)

This is teenie as of Sunday at 36 weeks, as you see his is not so teenie anymore.

Rumors are a swirling that that there are suspicions of an early appearance yet others swear first babies are always late. So lets see which ones of you have the magic foresight :P

So here are the facts as we know them:
Baby boy name Luca
Due December 19, 2010
First baby

Now it is your turn:
Date of birth....
Time of birth....
Length of labor....
Natural or epidural....
Weight....
Length....

So lets get this party started.

When the time comes

I hope to have a post shell that Toni will be able to just fill in the details. The length of stay in the hospitals after birth in Germans is very different then the US in one day and out the other. For a normal birth without complications the length of stay various between 3-5 days by cesarean up to 12.

I had hoped to be able to come online with UMTS but Toni said the hospital will not have a signal. So we will work out another way to update everyone. I also plan to update my facebook status as well.

That said, there will not be a bunch of calls to people back home, family aside, due to the International calling rates. Cell phones charge ,75 cents a minute, and I am sure the hospital phone (as cell phones are not allowed) is far more and that is in Euros so about a buck a minute.  They charge even for local phones, it is not a included commodity.

So only people in Germany and of course my dad back home will get the call nothing personal. I look forward to talking to people after I get back home.

If you are one of my friends in Germany and want to visit me in the hospital you need to get in contact asap to get on the call list. :)

As of next Sunday the 37 week mark, he is considered full term and can come any day :D

Sundays in my City 36 weeks

Teenie is not so teenie anymore. Only 4 weeks or 28 days left to go. I know the chances he will be born on that day is pretty slim, but its still exciting none the less. And to top it off my mom is flying in 19 days. I am so excited. Now if she would just get her bags packed I would stop worrying :P

Today was pretty uneventful except that we did a whole bunch of housework. Our TV is now broken so the landlord will have to come in to fix the cable and it had needed to be done anyway pre baby and house guest and it was a huge relief. I still have decluttering to do, but nothing major, so the overwhelming aspects are gone, just need to keep it up. Next weekend we will clean out the car and Toni will do some spot painting and small repairs.

So here it is the 36 week belly.

Make sure you stop by unknownmami.com and check out everyone elses lovely adventures.

It's been such a long journey its hard to believe it so close to an end.