Baby Updates
Hello friends! So I think haus maus is going to turn into the baby maus blog for awhile. Or I guess you can say a more family-oriented expat blog. Which I'm happy to do because I was getting really bored here, barely posting, and didn't feel at all inspired to write. Now that I have a baby coming, I feel NOTHING BUT inspired to write on haus maus because this is the stuff I don't want to share on decor8. decor8 is focused on decorating and creativity and the last thing I want for it to become is a mommy blog because that's not the direction I'm looking to go in career-wise. So haus maus is officially a blog about me, my husband, our expat life AND now... having a baby (and raising one) in Germany. How's that?!
Okay so let's see... Where to begin. I will start by just answering some questions that have been arriving in my inbox and over on Facebook lately.
How far along am I?
Today is August 20 and I'm at week 17 of my pregnancy.
How do you feel?
I feel so good - I am not 100% Holly yet but I'm definitely moving around, eating light, exercising regularly and seeing my friends and going out every few days.
I heard you were really sick, what happened?
I was on bed rest from weeks 6-16 and lost 20 lbs (12 kilos), so yes, I was sick! But I didn't have standard morning sickness... It was extreme. I was dehydrated, in and out of the doctor's office and absolutely useless for 10 weeks - couldn't eat, clean, do laundry, cook... Nothing. I was in bed exhausted, throwing up every second and unable to do anything at all - I couldn't even work on my laptop or computer because sitting upright made me so incredibly ill. What I went through was debilitating - though I wasn't depressed AT ALL which shocked me because everyone said that depression is common during the first trimester if you get really ill. So that is the good part.
How did you manage your home and career?
Thank goodness my husband is such a champ and was there for me each day running errands and managing our home. It also happened when our house cleaner took her summer vacation back to Poland so for 10 weeks we had no cleaning help. In fact, she came back today for the first time since June. When the doorbell rang, I hugged her and wanted to kiss her feet. It was the happiest moment to see her face and have that domestic help again after watching my husband maintain everything for 10 weeks straight. As for my career, I had about 1 hour each day when I could sit up and move. So I would take that hour to shower, turn on my computer and blog one post, read some emails and then quickly head straight back to bed.
Do you like being pregnant?
Now that I'm back to normalcy again, YES I love it! I can actually ENJOY being pregnant for the moment. And I can talk about being pregnant in Germany as an expat and all of the ups and downs in addition to my nursery decorating ideas and the products I may need your help with here on haus maus so I hope you are in for the wild ride. :)
Are you having a boy or a girl? Do you have a preference?
We will find out in September - the moment we know I'm going to post about it on decor8! I don't have a preference either way - I just want to have a healthy baby - to me, that's the greatest blessing. Gender isn't important to me at all. On one side I'd LOVE a baby boy because it will get me into colors and styles and "things" that I haven't explored yet. It will also help me to learn more about boys and behavior and things I'm curious to know that I already know about with girls. On the other side, having a girl would be more affordable because all of my craft things and lots of my decorating stuff could be used much better by a girl than a boy. I also think with a girl, I could really go all out with dressing her up and I have so many dolls and things I've collected over the years that I would love to pass onto a daughter. Also with a girl, she could wear the first dress home from the hospital that I wore at birth - a creamy yellow dress that I still have and cherish. But again, either way I will be completely IN LOVE with my child regardless of gender.
How are YOU doing? Anyone out there pregnant, planning to get pregnant or who just had a baby? I'd love to know!
xo,
Holly
photo: vogue magazine
Okay so let's see... Where to begin. I will start by just answering some questions that have been arriving in my inbox and over on Facebook lately.
How far along am I?
Today is August 20 and I'm at week 17 of my pregnancy.
How do you feel?
I feel so good - I am not 100% Holly yet but I'm definitely moving around, eating light, exercising regularly and seeing my friends and going out every few days.
I heard you were really sick, what happened?
I was on bed rest from weeks 6-16 and lost 20 lbs (12 kilos), so yes, I was sick! But I didn't have standard morning sickness... It was extreme. I was dehydrated, in and out of the doctor's office and absolutely useless for 10 weeks - couldn't eat, clean, do laundry, cook... Nothing. I was in bed exhausted, throwing up every second and unable to do anything at all - I couldn't even work on my laptop or computer because sitting upright made me so incredibly ill. What I went through was debilitating - though I wasn't depressed AT ALL which shocked me because everyone said that depression is common during the first trimester if you get really ill. So that is the good part.
How did you manage your home and career?
Thank goodness my husband is such a champ and was there for me each day running errands and managing our home. It also happened when our house cleaner took her summer vacation back to Poland so for 10 weeks we had no cleaning help. In fact, she came back today for the first time since June. When the doorbell rang, I hugged her and wanted to kiss her feet. It was the happiest moment to see her face and have that domestic help again after watching my husband maintain everything for 10 weeks straight. As for my career, I had about 1 hour each day when I could sit up and move. So I would take that hour to shower, turn on my computer and blog one post, read some emails and then quickly head straight back to bed.
Do you like being pregnant?
Now that I'm back to normalcy again, YES I love it! I can actually ENJOY being pregnant for the moment. And I can talk about being pregnant in Germany as an expat and all of the ups and downs in addition to my nursery decorating ideas and the products I may need your help with here on haus maus so I hope you are in for the wild ride. :)
Are you having a boy or a girl? Do you have a preference?
We will find out in September - the moment we know I'm going to post about it on decor8! I don't have a preference either way - I just want to have a healthy baby - to me, that's the greatest blessing. Gender isn't important to me at all. On one side I'd LOVE a baby boy because it will get me into colors and styles and "things" that I haven't explored yet. It will also help me to learn more about boys and behavior and things I'm curious to know that I already know about with girls. On the other side, having a girl would be more affordable because all of my craft things and lots of my decorating stuff could be used much better by a girl than a boy. I also think with a girl, I could really go all out with dressing her up and I have so many dolls and things I've collected over the years that I would love to pass onto a daughter. Also with a girl, she could wear the first dress home from the hospital that I wore at birth - a creamy yellow dress that I still have and cherish. But again, either way I will be completely IN LOVE with my child regardless of gender.
How are YOU doing? Anyone out there pregnant, planning to get pregnant or who just had a baby? I'd love to know!
xo,
Holly
Comments
Das ist wahrlich eine spannende Zeit, ist bei mir schon etwas her :-), aber immer noch gut im Gedächtnis, vielleicht, weil ich auch nur ein Kind habe. Ich weiss noch, ich war sicher, ein Mädchen zu bekommen, dann hiess es, es wird ein Junge. Ok...Jetzt finde ich das absolut toll. Aber wenn es anders gewesen wäre, hätte ich es sicher auch toll gefunden :-) Schön, dass es jetzt besser geht. Zum Glück hatte ich nie was, außer am Ende, das war nervig, weil er so gar nicht kommen wollte und man ständig in die Klinik musste. Genieße die Zeit, sie ist toll, erst recht, wenn man die ersten Tritte spürt!
LG
Tinka
I am always so intersted in the cultural differences in pregnancy and childbirth in different countries. I could tell that Germans really value children when we were living there.
I am wishing you a really peaceful and joyful pregnancy, and look forward to reading all about it!
Und eine wunderschöne Schwangerschaft - den nicht so schönen Anfang, hast du dann bald vergessen!
Ich bin schon sehr gespannt, was du aus dieser neuen Lebensreise machst und uns zeigen wirst!
Lieben Gruß
//Marie
congratulations! Such great news! Seems like there are some creative babies on the way in Hanover. We expect a little PomPom Fairy end of this year, so we are just a little ahead in time. ;)
I look forward to reading your haus maus blog!
All the best for the next weeks!
Irka alias PomPom Fee
It was a very interesting experience being pregnant in another country, in a language other than your birth language. Every culture has their own traditions, superstitions, and myths around birth and child rearing and there are also universal isms. Listen to your heart, make decisions as a couple that are best for you, and tune out the static. The very best of luck with every part of the journey!
So enjoy your 2nd trimester before you get so big that you can't wait to get the baby out! LOL!
Take care!
Alles Gute und genieße das zweite Trimester!
I'm a French-German expat in San Francisco, CA, and I'm exactly 17 weeks pregnant, so how funny to read your post. I was really sick like you, but it's getting better now... although the prenatal care is great here in the US (and comes at a certain price :-( ) I really miss the Mutterpass...
I'm excited about your future posts!
Congratulations again, take care!
Its very hard running after a 9 momth old (i fell pregnant while breastfeeding when my daughter was 4 months old!!shock )while feeling heavy and tired from the 2nd pregnancy.
I am embracing it though, becuase we lost our 1st baby a few years back and i found out this 2nd one is a boy! so one of each, very blessed indeed.
i really looking forward to you baby news on haus maus and wishing you all the best. Ive got loads of tips on newborns so shoudt if you need any! ;)
debbie
My sister in law was also a bit sick in the first months...could hardly eat...nauseas...and so...
As much as I'm happy for anyone having babies, I'm shocked by your undermining of gender to colors, crafts and stereotypical activities for boys and girls.
From someone living a life of multi-cultures, inspirational career like yourself I'd expect a fresher/moving way of looking/telling this whole new experience.
I hope you will have a baby who will get to become a true unique person to ad color to this life we know.