Still no news

Man I am a boring blogger! Nothing to report for this week. Oh except that we might as well be in Alaska with all this snow we're getting! Two snow delays this week at school. Matt didn't work 2 mornings because he couldn't leave the house (though I could...Hmm...) Yesterday morning I actually looked around (the sun was actually coming up so I could see) and thought "Gosh this is beautiful. If I didn't have to drive in it (or if I had my own personal snowmobile) I'd love this." Oh well.

In baby news I did FINALLY have a baby dream. Lately I've been having weird, scary, sick, frightening, or disturbing dreams. Like the kind you wake up and you're either still terrified or you're sick to your stomach. But finally I dreamt about my baby. I had just brought him (yes- it was a him...I think. I don't remember seeing anything just having that feeling) from the hospital and I was changing him on the changing table and he started having watery poo. I mean this poo was going EVERY where but I was laughing and calling for Adri (who was staying with me) telling her to come look the baby pooed like Matt and I (haha gross I know). Then I had to hold the baby above the sink while she used the sprayer hose from the sink to spray the baby off. Not that exciting I know but when I woke up I could still feel the baby skin on my hands and I could remember how he weighed and felt...it was pretty cool. It was so real that when I woke up I thought that I'd had the baby and started to get up to check on him when I realized it was a dream.

In other baby news: still no bump. My stomach is hard (rock hard right above my uterus) but no bump :-( And I keep feeling little flutters but I know it's too early to feel the baby and that it's just muscle spasms but it's still cool to think about. ;-) I also feel like a total slacker. My friend Krystal is 16 weeks (just 3.5 ahead of me) and she's got the whole nursery completed. Hutch, changing table, and crib complete with bedding. I'm so jealous!! All I've bought is a couple of outfits that were on sale! Maybe next month I'll start slowly buying stuff like the high chair, portacrib, etc. We've already picked out what we like so just gotta start buying!

Well off to clean this house. I think I said that last weekend but of course it never happened. There's so much clutter lying around- and my floors are in desperate need of mopping! Hopefully Elvis and his friend Nutmeg (our bible study leader's dog we're keeping for the night) will stay off the floors so I can clean! Yeah right...

Here are a few pix of Daddy and Elvis playing in the snow!

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All's Quiet on the Western Front!

I should be posting how busy I've been starting student teaching BUT student teaching is about 80% easier than long term subbing in a first grade class when there is NO real teacher to make lesson plans for you and there was no routines or anything in place before the real teacher left! Even so this third grade class is wonderful thanks to the teacher's hard work. There are no real discipline issues, the kids are respectful, there is a routine, and everyone really tries! The teacher said that wasn't always the case but that's even more proof of what a wonderful teacher she is! This week was mainly observing but she did let me play reading games with some LI kids. Yesterday (Friday) I also ran most of the class because there was a sub. For student teaching I have to keep a journal for my supervisor to check and the easiest way I thought to do that was in a blog. Then I can even add that to my UTT porfolio. If you want to keep up with my student teaching experiences see http://www.mrsbarristeaching.blogspot.com/ ! I'm still looking for a good Teacher background so if you have suggestions please share!
Ok in baby news there isn't much to report other than last week/weekend was pretty rough. I thought I was finally going to get sick but not the case. Last weekend we went to Ramstein where there is a HUGE PX/Mall (Air Force always get the nice stuff!). We mainly went because I wanted Chili's soooo bad but we also wanted to check out baby items. First off let me tell you I actually experienced a little reverse culture shock by walking through this area and hearing the majority of people around me speaking English. For once (well in seven months) I didn't feel so claustrophobic in a store!! Well the baby items were a disappointment except we found a high chair that matches the travel crib we want- and it wasn't $200 like the only one at our PX! Chili's was fabulous and we even met up with the Barreto's there and ate with them. They had been in Heidleburg touring the castle so that was a lot of fun. I had my usual: mushroom swiss burger with fries and a bowl of skillet queso! MMMMMM

Baby Gadi was watchin Madagascar for the 800th time!

We stayed in the hotel that is connected to the mall which is SUPER nice (brand new) and very cheap. We paid $39 for the night! Can't beat it. We also enjoyed Manchu Wok for lunch that day and Cinnabon for desert that night! The next day we walked around the PX one last time. I really need maternity pants (yes- I am that fat. And it's not the cute fat with a baby bump...its just fat. My worst fear is coming true!) but again I was disappointed so I ended up buying another pair of my favorite Levi's (the no gap waist ones) in the next bigger size (and even THOSE are tighter than I thought...I should have tried them on!) Oh well. We also looked at couches because we both want new couches SO BAD. We bought these when we first got married because they were cheap but nice looking (gotta love Big Lots) and since they are brown we figured it'd be perfect with a dog and when we decide to have kids. Well almost three years later they are getting very flattened out and uncomfortable. Plus we can't comfortably cuddle on one together like we want. Matt really wants a sectional but I don't care what it is as long as I get a recliner OR a sofa that reclines. Now doesn't seem the practical time to buy a new sofa but it's getting pretty miserable...guess that proves you get what you pay for!
In other baby news I will be 12 weeks in two days! YAY!! One more week and I am done with my first trimester!!! :-) The baby must be growing because my tummy has been sore like I pulled a muscle or something so I guess it's stretching out. I have also had more energy the last two days which is amazing and much needed. This house is a disaster!!!! I have still be looking at baby items but I am just getting so frustrated shopping online. I want to FEEL things! Oh and question for those of you going to stores- is there really no more "normal" swings anymore? All I can find are the ones that are on the ground which I'm not crazy about because a) it's drafty down there and b) we have a dog (not that he'd hurt a baby but he WOULD jump in a comfy looking swing and sleep in it!) ?? What happened to the swings that were higher up? I guess I'm just being picky.
Well baby (haha ok ok Mommy) is hungry and I've gotta get started on this cleaning while I still have the energy! My "poor" hubby is recovering from a short bout of food poisoning (we think) so he won't be grilling for us tonight. Guess I'm switching my recipes around on my menu! I'll leave you with some pix of Daddy with his first baby :-)

When Matt came home from work this is where he found Elvis- that's our bathtub lol

Daddy and Son looking at me



Daddy and Son looking at each other!

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Visiting Hospitals

So two of my friends are in the hospital and today I went to visit them. One of them just had a baby yesterday so it was really neat to hold a newborn knowing that soon I'll be a Mommy and holding my own! My friend is also such a great resource and very helpful. It was also neat to see the maternity ward of the German hospital. It's not TOO bad...not as bad as I was imagining thank goodness. It's definitely not your birthing suites at some of the nicer hospitals in Houston and Dallas but it's decent. They do have a tv (with 1 or 2 english channels) and they do have INTERNET!! YAY!! This means I can webcam (hopefully- the internet is very slow). My friend did have a roommate (a lady on bedrest) but she spoke english so that was nice. I thought it would be awkward visiting with a stranger right there but it's kind of a practiced courtesy to ignore one another. Overall I am reassured that giving birth at this hospital won't be so scary after all. My other friend was on the floor above and is having tummy troubles so keep her in your prayers! Her room wasn't as nice as the maternity ward but thankfully she didn't have a roommate (yet...) We hope she'll be out tomorrow!

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Why I haven't been posting...

So now you can see why I haven't been posting on here very often!! I've been keeping a seperate baby blog for the time being. Now I have copied all those posts on to this blog and this will be my only blog once more! My fellow Greek friend is going to post a new background she made just for me and it is TOO cute! I know I'm only 10weeks and superstitious people say I should wait until 12-13 weeks but I'm tired of waiting and...well...I guess I'm not very superstitious! Besides so many people keep guessing on their own so why not come out with it already?

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2nd Appt Today!!

Oh my goodness there's actually a BABY in there!! Matt and I were both shocked how big Baby Barr has gotten in 3 weeks! Baby is measuring 9w3d (2.64cm- 3 weeks ago it was only .4cm!) even though I am 10w today so not too far off. My actual Dr. was "in theater" which I guess means delivery?? And the midwife today didn't speak English but she was easy going and we were able to figure each other out. Today I had Dr. Peterson but I wasn't too impressed. She just had me jump up on the table and did the (normal!!) ultrasound said everything looked good, filled out my Mutterpass, then sent me on my way. Hmm. Matt and I were a little frustrated because I asked if we could hear the heartbeat but she said no. Why?? You're supposed to hear it by now and at both visits they haven't even tried! We can see it perfectly and I don't understand why if we can do a regular ultrasound would we not be able to pick up the heatbeat with a doppler? Well we did get to see it moving! At first the baby was sleeping but then she jiggled it a little and it started kicking and "headbanging" and I'll admit...that's when I almost cried! *Sigh* I was also frustrated because she had such good shots on the screen but then she printed out a not very good one :-( well I guess I'm happy we're getting ultrasounds every visit when a friend in the states said she only gets ONE! Crazy. Matt was so cute watching it- he just kept saying "Wow. Oh my God. That's crazy. Oh my god. It's a baby! Loot at it!" when the baby started "head banging" he was even "talking" to it lol. Check out a picture of Baby Barr in the photo album!

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I gave in...

So even though one person has told me to wait and not buy anything yet everyone else has said slowly start buying stuff that's on sale. I was still worried about "jinxing" it but Matt and I know that even if this pregnancy doesn't work out then we WILL be having a baby one day so why not? Old Navy was having a 75% off sale so I broke down and did some online shopping. I got myself some maternity clothes (8 things) and I got some gender neutral baby things (9 things) all for $100 with free shipping! Then my friend had sent me the link to babycheapskate so I checked that out and saw Macy's was also having a huge sale! I got 3 things (2 peice set, 3 peice set, and a 4 peice set) all for $22 with shipping!! I am so excited about that. I just know I'm going to cry when it comes in- it still doesn't seem "real"! I'll post pictures of it all when it finally gets here. We're just going to relax at home this weekend and then on Monday we will see our lil peanut again!! :-)

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Long Time

So it's been awhile since I posted- I'll explain later ;-)
We had a wonderful Christmas break. I spent most of it in my PJs which was AMAZING! It's been snowing here all week (blegh) and is supposed to snow a foot this weekend (double blegh!)

Today was my last day as the full time sub in first grade. I cried after my kids left- I'm going to miss them! Overall they are such a great group of kids. We had an assembly today which was the cutest thing ever. Have you ever heard of Flat Stanley? Well he is a paper boy who travels the world in an envelope. It started with a third grade class in 1995. They sent this paper boy to another school in another country. Those kids took pictures with the paper boy all over and wrote letters about his "adventures" which they sent back to the school. This was such a hit that they actually created a chapter book series based on this. Well at our school we have two flat wooden pigs- Wilbur (our mascot) and Schwienella (his wife). These pigs get deployed with the units from our post. Wilbur is already gone and today we bid farewell to Schweinella. They had a the Rear-D (the people who stay back and deploy last) come and show a power point of where Schweinella is going in Afghanistan (including a map of her journey) so the kids can see what they will expect. During the deployment the soldiers will take pictures with Schweinella all over Afghanistan- even with the local children (they showed pictures from Schweinella's last deployment). They will also write the school letters about her adventures. They even honored the Cav kids (Schweinella is deploying with 191cav) by letting them wear brown C's on their shirts and having them line up in a row down the auditorium and then they passed Schweinella (complete with beanie cap since its cold in Afghanistan- and here!) through each kid until she safely reached the Capt.'s hands. Too stinking cute!

Matt also received some good news today. According to his Colonel no one else except the one company is deploying. Now we don't know what he means by this- not deploying as of today, not deploying this year. What? But whatever. I'll take that answer for now I guess. I am for sure coming home when/if he does deploy though so that will be my silver lining in the bad news.

This weekend we are going to relax at home. We will probably be snowed in which is exciting (meaning we can't go anywhere- I like the snow when we don't have to drive in it!) More time to play the Wii (we got Family Game Night for it now) :-)

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3 Months Today!!

Today I am nine weeks meaning I am THREE MONTHS pregnant! That is exciting. One more month and then I'm in my 2nd trimester -- YAY!!!

I'll update next Monday after our next ultrasound. If everything looks good I think we may go ahead and make the announcement to everyone. I've already had 4-5 people private message me on facebook asking because they've figured it out from people's comments!

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Happy New Years!

Well not much has been happening the last few days. Although for a couple of days I was feeling like I had the flu and I literally stayed in bed (one day) or on the couch (next day) ALLLLLLL day. A friend who's a few weeks ahead of me told me that she didn't get sick her first trimester until her 9th week- hope thats not gonna be me! I've gotta go back to work on Monday.

Another friend who is due the exact time as I am is getting a 4d ultrasound done in her 15th week to find out the gender! I asked a friend here in Germany about that and she said our Dr. does those but usually at your 20, 24, and 28 weeks (after that it's too cramped to get good pictures. She said her previous Dr. told her the gender of her first baby at 15 weeks was a girl but then at 20 told her (Correctly) it was a boy. So she cautioned about this. But she didn't say whether or not that was on a 4d or regular ultrasound...Hmm..it would be AMAZING to find out the gender a whole month early! I will DEFINITELY be asking about that at my next appointment.

Last bit of baby good news is we've picked out our crib! The Germans have horrible cribs and most american websites won't ship them here but if we go to customer service at the PX they can order this and have it shipped to the store because it's AAFES. It's a 4-in-1 convertible so we won't have to buy this booger any more beds AND it's got a drawer underneath since we're already cramped for storage here! ;-)

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