The truth about pregnancy (from my point of view)

Holy cow! Pregnancy has been a crazy ride so far. From the highs to lows we are so blessed with this little baby that continues to grow. 

Everyone has their own pregnancy story, and trust me everyone wants to tell you theirs. They are either one of three things 

1. "I never got sick during my pregnancy, you poor thing"

 or 

2. "I was sick the entire pregnancy I hope that's not the same thing as you."

or 

(my favorite) 3. "you should get better by ____(filling the blank with the week, which never has happened) 

I hate that one because it gives me hope and the second I hit that week and I'm still puking I wanna cry.... And sometimes I do. 

 

Don't get me wrong I am so blessed that we are having a baby, (and on the first try at that) because I know there are so many people out there who are unable to have their own children, or who struggle to conceive. Which is something that I have to tell myself every day as I'm getting sick (still) and fighting all the pains of your body changing. No one ever tells you how dry your eyes will be and that your contacts will hate you, and how stuffy your nose will get. They only tell you the happy things like "oh wait until you feel the baby kick." 

 

So let's be real for a second. Pregnancy is hard! It's a joyous ride but it's hard. It may not be as hard for everyone but think about it, you were growing a little human inside of your body. Your body is working harder than a mountain climbers on a daily basis. Talk about exhausting and trust me you will feel it. I just pray that you're blessed to take as many naps as I do.

A new symptom that has hit this week is insomnia there's nothing worse than being wide-awake at 4 o'clock in the morning and literally starving. And for me that burst of energy that they promised would happen the second you hit the second trimester it never happened!! The only thing that changed is I don't feel like I'm going to fall sleep at every stoplight. 

Onto the exciting parts of pregnancy first maternity clothes are actually getting cute so no worries about looking like a huge whale in a trash bag. But I will say during the "awkward stage" dresses are your best friend. There's nothing more uncomfortable than trying to fit into a pair of pants that are smooshing the baby and it's screaming "hey help me out I need room to grow." Another great thing about pregnancy is getting to hear the baby's heartbeat it's something so unreal and like nothing you've ever imagined before the fact that there are two heartbeats inside of you. And don't get me started about the ultrasound! That is like the coolest thing in the whole wide world to actually get to see a baby moving around inside of your belly, yet you can't feel it yet, but it's the most amazing thing to know that you created that and there it is inside of you growing and getting bigger every single day until the day you get to meet it. One thing that I wasn't sure that I would like, because in the "non pregnant" world you would not like your belly getting bigger, but when you're pregnant it's the most exciting thing to wake up in the morning and see that your belly is growing! Just knowing the fact that because your belly is growing means that your baby is healthy and your baby is growing.

I'm one of the most impatient people. And I can totally admit that. So when they say "will see you in four weeks" it's the longest four weeks ever, and when they say "you can't find out what the baby is until 20 weeks at your ultrasound" it's the longest 20 weeks of your life. Because honestly the truth is all the fun stuff starts after you know the sex of the baby especially if you're going to find out. Because then you can start shopping, and you can start registering for doing all those fun baby things. There are definitely ways around finding out what the sex of the baby is before 20 weeks, but besides genetic testing and pain to send off a blood sample, there's really no easy way. We decided against all genetic testing because of too many false positives. We didn't want the extra stress on our pregnancy just because we were too anxious to find out the gender.  So now we are in the waiting stage again. In four weeks we get to find out the sex of the baby, and I'm ecstatic! I have literally done every wives tale there is in the book to determine the gender. Let me just tell you it's all over the board, it's not clear whether it's a boy or girl so I guess we will have to wait until the ultrasound. I know Brian and I both have our suspicions on what the baby is but at the end of the day we only pray that it is a healthy baby.

So as the countdown continues, only 25 days until we find out the gender of baby T. 

BABY ON BOARD

There has been so much excitement going on around here lately.

1. Finished Directorship in Qualification and am officially a Mary Kay Sales Director.

2. Earned my first Mary Kay career car, and was able to use the money (instead of taking the car) and buy a 2016 Mazda CX-5.

3. Found out in June we were expecting in February 2016. 

When we were in Prague, we saw these large babies that are by an artist named David Black. It is said that if you touch the babies butt you will become pregnant within the year. Of course I touched the babies butt, and what do you know, a few weeks later we were pregnant.  :-D

We began by telling all the family around 8 weeks, and then decided to tell "Social media world" at 11 weeks. By this time we had been to the dr, seen the baby and heard the heartbeat and all looked great. 

We have been so excited yet I have been so sick :-(

Im really hoping that in the next few weeks I began to feel better because as of now we are going to be 14 weeks in a few days and I am still getting sick, taking Nausea meds and feeling super sleepy. :-(

At our first Appointment when we got to see the baby it was pretty neat because they actually did a 3D scan which was really neat because you can see so much more. Although I was only 7 weeks at the 1st appointment you could still see the main parts of the baby, like the head and spine, and then small nubs for the arms and legs. 

At 12 weeks I was really hoping to feel better but unfortunately, that just did not happen. :-( The belly has begun to grow, part is obviously bloat, and some is constipation, then the rest is uterus. 

Today was my 12 week appointment, at 13 weeks and 6 days. When we got into the Dr.s office I was a little nervous. My blood pressure was good, but my heart rate was over 100 so they had a hard time finding the heart rate. They decided to go ahead and do an ultrasound. It was very exciting because we were able to see the baby. It was neat because it was moving around a ton and it had the hiccups so I felt kinda bad. I have had hiccups the whole pregnancy and they have been painful, so I thought it was cute that the baby did too. Brian was excited to see the baby, and for it to look like a real baby and not a blob.

Things We Have Learned

Brian and I have learned so much from going on this trip. Here is a list we compiled. 

1. Men carry purses- yes they look silly if you as Us 

2. Foul language happens on the radio

3. Europeans are liberal- 

      There is not really a drinking age meaning kids (like 16) can drink

       There is not really a speed limit, they are posted but not really enforced, except in the tunnels in Switzerland. 

4. Google rocks- we used google maps to help us everyday.

5. Bicycling is great, maybe even a must

6. Public transit is your friend

7. People in Paris and Prague are not rude, they just don't make eye contact and smile

8. Places to eat everywhere with outdoor seating and no wait

9. Water is more expensive than beer

10. Wine is super cheap in France and very yummy but hard to find sweet wines outside of France 

11. Groceries are cheaper than in US but restaurants are more expensive (except the Czech)

12. Switzerland is super expensive but super beautiful

13. Traffic is crazy in the city and people drive like they are crazy

14. 70% of the people speak a little English

15. Europe cities seem less crowded than US cities 

16. Figuring out money exchange in the Czech is confusing

17. Seems to be less poor people in Europe 

18. People eat and walk a lot, because there are lots of "take away" shops (bakeries and cafes)

19. There is subways all over Europe! Crazy because the bakeries are so yummy and they have awesome sandwiches. 

20. They put butter on lunch meat instead of mayo 

21. Cheese platter is desert

22. Alps are gorgeous everyone needs to see

23. May is the best time to go to Europe

24. You have to pay to pee in public places. 

25. Guys pee on the side of the road

26. I pay 8 Koruna and Brian pays 5 to pee because girls use toilet paper

27. Cell phone data is more expensive 

28. Portion sizes are smaller but you always get bread

29. Tips included everywhere except the Czech where you tip 10% 

30. Tunnels everywhere in Switzerland and you can only drive 80.

31. Gas is $6 a gallon on the cheap side and all cars are super tiny and hatchbacks

32.Doing laundry in a trash can is not too bad 

33.German ICE trains in first class are super nice and only $10 more per ticket. 

34.Belgium's think beer is good for you. They believe it has medicinal benefits

 

35. Cheese is served at every meal: even breakfast 

36. Coffee taste way better

37. Starbucks are in Europe 

38. Have to ask for the check when you eat out in Europe. You have to say "the check" 

39. Public smoking is allowed anywhere. Airports have glass rooms to smoke in and the smoking age 16

40. No ac on public trans or trains or some hotels 

41. Difference between trip and vacation. Trip- busy with activities and less relaxing, vacation- more relaxing than activities. This was a trip

42. Thankfully we didn't get sick of one another, and our love grew even more if that's possible. 

Coffee Shops, and Art Museums

On our last full day in Amsterdam, we decided to start the morning with a hot chocolate from a coffee shop.  Let's face it you can't go to Amsterdam and not at least experience the "coffee shop." We enjoyed a normal hot chocolate because not everything in the coffee shop has pot in it. 

It was an interesting experience. I would have been bummed if we left Amsterdam and didn't experience a "coffee shop people watch." 

In the afternoon we went to a really neat museum called the Stedlijk museum. It is the modern art museum. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. 

One of the most memorable exhibits for me was one called The Kiss. You enter a very dark room, where you can literally not see in front of your face because it's so dark. As my eyes began to adjust I realized there were hologram type things in the middle of the room acting out (very slowly) the words that were being projected from the speakers. As I inched my way closer into the room, my eyes continued to adjust. It was hard to tell how many holograms there were in the room. Since they were moving so slow it was hard to make out who was watching and who was a hologram in the exhibit. At one point someone, or a hologram, started walking quickly towards me and I wasn't sure if it was a bystander or a hologram so I turned around and ran out of the room into the light, just to find out it was someone who was also checking out the exhibit. Although I was embarrassed I was intrigued to figure out how they were doing the holograms, so I went back in. This time I got about 1 1/2 feet away from the holograms and began to watch them move. They seemed to be naked and rolling (very slowly) on the ground on top of one another. I began to look around the room to try and locate the projector but couldn't find one. Just then the holograms began to very slowly stand up, and CCRRRAAAK! the female holograms leg popped as she stood up. "HOLY CRAP THEY ARE REAL! THEY ARE REAL FREAKING PEOPLE," as it hit me I realized just how close I was standing to the naked PEOPLE! I quickly, very quickly exited the room while my face was blushing red. It was like nothing I have ever seen before. 

The next really neat exhibit was to one by Ed Adkins. This was one of those exhibits that you could sit and watch all day yet you don't really know why because it's a little messed up. 

This was a series of videos of an avatar who talked about things like love, sex, and death. Most of the time you didn't really understand whats going on until the very last few seconds. We really enjoyed this exhibit, because again it was like nothing we had ever seen. 

We had a nice lunch at a cute cafe that was right outside of the flower market. As we were eating we did a lot of people watching. There were so many plants, bulbs, and flowers at the market. They were so pretty. What was really interesting was the fact that they sold cannabis plants there as well. In Amsterdam each household can have 5 plants of their own as long as they are grown in sunlight. Crazy! 

We took an afternoon train to the airport to check in to our final hotel. We enjoyed  an evening and morning of relaxing before heading home. 

Amsterdam Adventures

Amsterdam is one of my favorite places from this trip. It is also the youngest European city. I think I enjoyed it so much because it was the most "out of my comfort zone" I have been on the trip. 

From stepping off the train and smelling the "Pot-pouree" (Brian and I's nickname for the pot smoke smell throughout the town), to walking through the Red Light District, my eyes were opened to a whole new world. Let's just say I learned a lot. 

We arrived in Amsterdam by train in the late evening and promptly went to our hotel. We were exhausted. As we began our walk to the hotel, which was .3 miles away, we passed 3 "coffee shops". (In case you didn't know in Amsterdam a coffee shop is not a place to buy coffee, that would be a cafe, but a coffee shop is a place to buy and consume cannibus items from drinks, edibles, and forms to smoke.) The coffee shops are everywhere. When you think about it its just be like having Starbucks here. They sell coffee, treats, and tea at the coffee shops too but some are "special".

When we made it to the hotel, we realized it was our least favorite hotel. We were on the basement "garden" level and had no wifi, and no ac and a very tiny window to open that didn't help much. The room was very tiny compared to what we were used to so far. We were thankful to only be staying two nights. 

Our first full day in Amsterdam we rented bikes to get around because people here treat bikes like cars. 

We then took them on a really great Bike tour with Mikes Bike Tours and again it was awesome! 

This was our third bike tour of the trip and honestly they were all great in their own ways. 

The views of the buildings and the water in Amsterdam is so pretty. Each road is its own set of houses that are connected, some tilting forward, and their own little canal. 

We had a really great tour guide who we really enjoyed. Everyone, including him, from Amsterdam is so laid back and nice. 

During our safety talk for the bikes, which we all needed because driving a bike there is crazy, he had so many funny jokes. 

Tour guide: "if you happen to look up and realize you are no longer with the group do not try to come and find us, stay where you are."

Group: (all listening intently)

Tour guide: "I'm a firm believer in the Stop, Drop, and Roll method"

Group: (puzzled states)

Tour guide: "Stop where you are, drop your bike, and roll a joint"

Group: laughs

Tour guide: "I'm serious, that way you have a gift for your tour guide when I find you"

Very funny guy. It took us all a few seconds to realize that he wasn't necessarily encouraging us to smoke but to be prepared because he would need a smoke. Lol

On the tour we got to see a lot of cool places and learn the ends and outs to Amsterdam. 

One of the most interesting stops we made was in Vondel Park. This park has a ton of history. In the 1960s when Amsterdam first legalized pot all the hippies flocked to Amsterdam, and because they didn't have any money they would just camp out all over the town. This made the locals made so the city said all the hippies had to go to Vondel park. This park had tent after tent pitched during the 60s. There were so many people they formed their own mail carrier system. After the hippies started stealing the local people's milk from their porches in the early AM, they kicked them all out of the park. When this happened they went to abandoned buildings and claimed squatters rights, which went to court and was passed and they were all able to stay rent free. To this day there is still squatters laws in Amsterdam. 

The park has two very interesting laws. The first is that there is not allowed to be any drum playing in the park EVER, the hippies ruined that one. The second is although there are no drums allowed, public sex and nudity is allowed, only in the park. (Weird) 

We went to Anne Franks House (it's the one on the middle). The line was at least 2 1/2 hour long. We had no interest in going in so it worked out, we just wanted to see it. 

There was a cool church next to Anne Franks house. 

We did make a quick stop in at the Red Light District during the bike tour. It was really hard for me because my heart ached for those girls. Whether they were there by choice or not it's still so sad. I learned a lot about prostitution in Amsterdam. 

1. It's a legit profession

2. They pay taxes

3. They are part of a union, which requires them to go to the Dr once a month.

4. They have a pension plan

5. They get benefits

6. The union owns a hotel, clothing store, and restaurant for the prostitutes to work in so they have an opportunity to get out of prostitution someday. 

The bike tour was very informative and well worth the money and time. We really enjoyed it and our tour guide. 

We finished our night off with a fun pizza cruise along the canvas. We met some really nice people that we say with from LA. Their names were Amy and Chaz. They seemed to be very similar to us and after Brian and I both had the thought that we wished they lived in Indy instead of across the county. 

Brussels Sights

We only had one day in Brussels so we had to make the best of it. Our first stop was the Brussels Palace.

It was very pretty and the garden was spectacular. There were gardeners out working as we were there and it appeared they groomed the garden at least weekly, if not sooner. 

Even the gate to the palace was nice. It was rod iron with gold accents. This place was heavily armed. They had guards just like at the cathedral in Prague. 

Across the street from the palace was a really nice garden. Brian and I took a nice little stroll through the gardens to see all the landscaping. At the end of the garden there was a pretty fountain, that we stopped at and found a nice bench to relax for a few. 

Just a quick walk from the gardins and we arrived at the beautiful St Michael and Gadula Cathedral. 

This church looked similar to the Notre Dame again. It was built in the early 9th century. It had awesome stained glass windows inside. They all seemed to tell a story, and had such great detail. 

In the afternoon we went to the Grand Place Market. The buildings there were really neat. 

We also got to see the Belgium "mascot" the manneken pis statue. I kept seeing replicas of the statue all over like in front of the waffle shop:

And all over, so when we arrived at the statue you can imagine my shock when I saw a teny tiny statue. 

After using the zoom as far as I could I got a close up. 

After seeing the statue we decided to go on a brewery museum tour. 

We got to see some old brew tools and learn how the beer is made. 

We even got a free (included in price) beer! We went to the bar and the bartender asked light or dark beer, Brian said dark and I said "no thanks," and when I did I got the stare of death as he said "what?, what beer do you want." Since I'm pretty sure I offended him I quickly said light. Brian said he is sure no one has ever turned down a beer before with that guy. 

I took a drink because the guy watched me the whole time, and it was..... BEER! I hated it and could barely choke down one drink. So I learned to do the fake drink then when the guy looked away Brian drank from my cup. 

Brian thought it was really funny so he took a photo. 

After our brewery tour we went to Hard Rock Cafe for lunch. While we were there we saw Elvis cap from the Army. 

The Beers of Brian

Brian has really been enjoying all the very cheap beer in Europe. While we were in France the drink of choice for us both was wine, and as soon as we got close to Germany Brian switched to beer. 

It's hard to not want beer because it's cheaper than water, no joke! I mean in Belgium they believe beer is actually a necessity. They believe it has medicinal benefits. Beer is everything here! Out of all the beers his favorite was the Falcon beer that he has in Schaffhausen, Germany.