Baby Kicks, Preparation and Patient Waiting

It's another blissfully, lazy Sunday here in Scotland, with the horizontal rays of sunshine streaming through my window and the on-again-off-again snowstorm (hopefully) finished for the weekend. I've got a steaming hot mug of hot chocolate and not much planned for the day besides a bit of grocery shopping, grading, and possibly a nap. I know that these are the moments I am going to look back on fondly once our little Wriggles arrives. I soak in the quiet moments, with only my click-clack typing and Paul's snores through the ceiling breaking the silence. Looking around at my moderately clean, tidy living room I take mental pictures of how clutter-free it is. I know it won't be this way in a few short months, and I couldn't be happier about that.  

Although I understand that you can't really know being a parent is like until you have your own children, I hope that I am more prepared than usual. I've spent the majority of my life caring for children - first as a babysitter, then as a nursery worker, then an au pair, then a teacher. I eat sleep and breathe children every day, only at the moment it's 24 little people who need my complete attention. I have to be honest, I'm looking forward to just meeting the needs of one little wriggler. "It's different when it's your own," everyone says, and I'm glad for that. I love my students and I want the best for them, but not the way I loved the little girl I was an au pair for, or the children on my block that I watched grown from helpless little infants to strong, independent young adults. And now I'm ready for that bigger love, the one that's stronger than anything else. Even only 18 weeks into my pregnancy, I'm already feeling it. I'm so protective of my little bump, and I want to hug it every day (and I do!). I'm not hoping to race ahead to the end of my pregnancy because I love how protected and cared for my little Wriggles is right now. I already love being a mother and I still have months to go before I hold my little one. 

On the baby front, I have finally felt my first tiny kicks from Wriggles. It felt like everyone said it would - popcorn popping, bubbles, butterflies and all the rest. I was sitting in a teacher in-service and there it was, clear as day at 18 weeks exactly. I cracked a huge smile and rubbed my tummy savoring this little moment between me and my Wriggles. A few days later, I had a routine midwife appointment to check up on everything, and as she was trying to find the heartbeat with the doppler, the baby wouldn't stop kicking her! "Bang, bang bang!" instead of a heartbeat we were just hearing the kicks! When she could find the heartbeat, it was only for a few seconds before the baby would spin away and she'd go hunting for it again. Then she commented on how very active the baby was with all the flipping and kicking and I told her about our name for our baby - Wriggles - and she said it was very appropriate. I only hope it doesn't mean we'll have an incredibly active little toddler to chase!

We've had a quiet few weeks at home here, recovering from our long, wonderful trip to the US, preparing for the baby, and getting back to work as usual. Yesterday we got the playroom ready by organizing the book shelves and moving the nursing chair into its place. In a few weeks time we'll be having all the rooms repainted with durable paint (the kind a baby can finger-paint on and still have it wiped clean), then meeting with a personal nursery expert to try out strollers and car seats in our car and start thinking about the baby furniture and nursery themes. I even started in on Wriggles' baby book, the part that you do when you find out your pregnant and as the pregnancy progresses! There's so much time before the baby comes, and I know they need very little, so I'm not worried about getting it all done. However, I am a planner and I like things finished ahead of schedule, so we're tackling one task at a time and making our "to-do-before-baby-arrives" list. If you've got any pro-tips I'm all ears for them as we move through our second trimester. Wriggles will be here before we know it!

Croatia, An Unforgettable Trip

I haven't had a moment since September to really update on here. Well, that's not exactly true - I've had many moments but it never felt like enough time. Plus, I was holding onto a big, exciting secret...

It's been a longer road than we would have liked to get this little miracle, but finally we're on our way to holding our own bundle of joy!

But first I'd like to back up a bit and reminisce about my trip to Croatia because it plays a pretty important role in the big exciting news. After having worked nearly a month at my new, lovely school, I decided that I had earned a little vacation. I wanted somewhere warmish, safe, but also close to adventure. With so much time spent in Europe, things can start to feel repetitive and even though I enjoy returning to my favorite cities I was hoping for a unique experience. After scouring the internet for cheap flights, hotels and ideas, I chose Dubrovnik. Paul couldn't get the time off without a promise of reliable internet, so I opted to go on my own. I do love adventuring! Before I knew it I was on my way to King's Landing, er, I mean Dubrovnik!

My first day there I was pleasantly surprised by the walled city on arrival. It looked so charming and ancient! I just couldn't wait to get in there and explore everything the town had to offer.

I quickly made friends at my tiny but bustling hostel, and we began exploring immediately - there was good weather and there's no time like the present!

A view from the walls into the city

 

We took a hike around the walls that surround the city, soaking in all the beautiful views towards the sea and of the buildings. A new friend Renee and I decided then to take a Gondola to the top of the mountain to drink wine and watch the sunset. It was the perfect end to a perfect day of sunshine and memories. 

Daytime view from the restaurant at the top - not cheap but worth it!

The gondola cables disrupted the sunset, but it was still breathtaking

Mmmm.... wine!

On the way down the Gondola and the city is glowing

The city walls illuminated from the outside

The main entry gate, normally stuffed full of people, is eerily quiet for this early at night 

The pedestrian-only streets inside the walls are so well worn that they are shiny and smooth

 Day 2 was no less adventurous, as we expanded our group of new friends to include Australians, Canadians, and a few more Americans. We decided to take the local ferry to the closest island to have a little wander around. It was another sunshine day and we headed out early so as not to waste too much time. There were no sand beaches, but the semi-flat rocks with ladders descending into the sea made many areas great for laying out, catching some sun and swimming. I took a lunch and beer break, a dip in the water, then a walk around the island. The water was warm and clear and gorgeous!

 

The next few days were decidedly less sunny, but there's always a plan for that! We hiked up to the fort (though didn't pay the terribly high prices to get in), ate some yummy food, and checked out the Game of Thrones "Iron Throne". We especially loved all the little coves, stairs and doors that you couldn't get to at high tide!

 

All the new friends I had made were only staying a few days, so this left me on my own for the last part of the week. It was A-OK with me, as I was looking forward to some reading, drawing, thinking, ME time. I started it off with a bang on this cliff-side bar where I wasted a few hours before sunset just enjoying being present in the moment and not working. As I watched the sky change from light grey to orange-gray, I was so grateful to be living in Europe and to have places like this at my fingertips.

The next two days had trips planned and were going to be jam-packed. First up, my one day trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina. We had to cross 6 borders that day (Croatia --> BiH --> Croatia --> BiH and then back again), and stopped in several interesting, historic, and scenic places. My favorite place was Mostar, with its iconic bridge, winding cobbled pedestrian streets and delicious and extremely cheap food. I first climbed up a minaret to get a view of the city, then took a riverside view of the bridge and surrounding quaint (but very touristy) town. It was off season, so it wasn't so busy and we got great seats!

Crossing the bridge

View from the minaret

Not a perfect place for vegetarians! 

View from the restaurant

Famous bridge - people jump off this for money!

Pretty as a picture

We stopped at a small medieval town and I climbed up to the top of the ruins. What incredible views!

Oyster farm in Ston on the way back and I can't wait to go on my trip there the next day!

More gorgeous sunset, this island streaked country is just so photogenic

After a long but exhausting and information full day, I got home and collapsed into bed. I had another tour the next day, also with a rather early start. It was the tour I had read about and honestly just couldn't wait for - wine and oysters!! While not the cheapest tour on the market, I had read so many reviews that said the price was well worth it - and I was not disappointed. The next morning a small mini-bus from Dubrovnik Wine Tours picked me and we started our 45 minute drive to Ston. The weather was miserable and we were told that we may not be able to go out on the boats, but once we had arrived the fishermen were keen to try. We all boarded a flat, wide boat and headed out towards the lines and lines of oysters. With a rather noisy engine, the boat pulled along side some buoys, and one of the fishermen started hauling up a line. He held the whole thing up for us, then placed it on the table to start cutting off the oysters. One by one he scraped them, cleaned them, then sliced them open. In the meantime our guide had begun discussing the wine we would be tasting (a white one), and while it was 10am, I was ready! He reminded us to chew the oysters (not just swallow) to get the full taste, and we tried the flavor of the wine before the oysters and after, and what a difference it made!

 

The freshest oysters you'll ever have!

Wine and oysters in Croatia - what a dream!

Next up was the wine tasting! We were bundled back into the mini-bus and whisked away past the old village of Ston, which used to be a huge producer of salt. Salt was so important in those days that they had built a huge wall around the city to protect this resource from being stolen or raided. Being right on the sea was good for trading, but they were often seen as easy targets. Each stop seemed to get better, with tasting choices and food pairings the norm. The white options paired with sharp and creamy cheese, the heavy reds paired with dark chocolate - it was a taste explosion in your mouth over and over again. I gave in and bought cases to be sent home and bottles to be shared the next day at the hostel. It was all too good! The last stop was a slow-cooked-in-the-fire-meat-feast from a local family owned restaurant, of course serves with jugs of even more wine (like we needed more!). Then we all took contented naps in the mini-bus as we followed the windy roads through the peninsula and back to Dubrovnik. 

Delicious food and wine pairings

Quick picture break on this gorgeous coastline

Having been set to cook at 9am, by the late afternoon the meat was falling off the bone and so delicious!

With all that excitement, I had a quiet and easy evening. I took a nap, then wandered up and down the curving streets in Dubrovnik to find dinner. The fresh sea-food that is prevalent throughout the city makes for a tempting choice if you can avoid all the very touristy spots. I found a perfect sushi place and tried everything I fancied on the menu, and I was not disappointed! The next two days were thankfully planned to be stress free as I was hoping for a nice rest before returning home.

I woke up early the next morning with an achey back, and insatiable thirst, and a funny feeling that something was just a bit different. Well they sure was...

As I was on my own and in a hostel, I had no one to share the news yet, but I didn't want to tell Paul over the phone! Instead, I just took a lot of excited pictures and kept looking at the test - I couldn't believe it! Finally! That day I took it easy and wandered to the nearby beach for a rest and a bit of sunshine. I stayed until the weather turned, and then headed back in for a nap and a bit of reading. 

 

My soon to be not-so-flat tummy!

Such a gorgeous beach! It's a shame it was so rocky and windy, but perfect in its own way

Before I knew it, it was my last night in Dubrovnik. The time had just flown by and I was ready to be home to see my sweet husband, but not ready to let go of the relaxing holiday. I wanted my last evening to be perfect! After much indecision, I found a great place to have dinner on my own with an enchanting sunset view. I savored the meal, the non-alcoholic drink (what a change!) and the time to just start thinking of all the exciting times ahead. 

The day I flew back, I couldn't wait to tell Paul! Due to an accident on the motorway, we decided to stop for lunch instead of braving traffic to go straight home. To tell him, I gave him this onesie as his souvenir...

"It's too small for me!" he said. 

He didn't quite get the reference as quickly as I had hoped. Okay, I do have a habit of buying baby clothes, but I thought this one was pretty clear. I had to actually get out the test to convince him! Then he was over the moon and maybe a bit surprised - but we were both so excited for the time ahead.

The next few weeks passed in a blur, with work being so busy, and Christmas vacation coming up fast. We got an 8 week ultrasound that showed ONE tiny baby and a strong heartbeat, then our second ultrasound that showing a very squirmy wriggly baby that wouldn't stay still and made mama (me!) laugh uncontrollably. There's a real (small!) baby inside me, and we are just so overjoyed. Now I couldn't wait to tell my parents. 

 

 I wasn't about to wait until I got home, so at about 7 weeks I sent them shirts that said, "Promoted to Grandma 2016" and "Grandpa est. 2016" and had them open them on Skype. I couldn't have asked for a better reaction of screaming and crying :)

Then the flight time came to the US and the family Skip-Bo party fast approaching. My mom and I went maternity shopping and picked out a stunning dress. Thanks to Pinterest, I knew just the thing to share the news without having to say a word:

Family reactions are priceless!

My time home for the holidays was priceless, but that will have to be saved for another post. For now, I'm four months pregnant, finally (mostly) out of the nausea, and mostly going about my life as usual - busy as every but excited for this new year! Bring it on 2016!