Womb Guilt

I just read an article entitled: "Do you feel guilty when cussing while pregnant?"

Me: HELL, no.

My Mom always said people who cuss, do so because they're too unintelligent to find the proper word to replace the cuss word with.

I disagree. Sometimes a good cuss word is JUST WHAT my sentence needs to better express myself.

Stupid article.

Under Construction

Sorry for the MIA of posts lately. We are currently in the process of switching our bedroom to the former living room/dining room, since we will be housing two new people in our room very shortly and needed more space.

Ugh, I hate chaos. And that's exactly what I've been living in lately. It makes my brain itch.

We just got rid of our old couch, and have a new one that's a little more kid-friendly (leather). But we still have yet to get Emma's new closet, and move her old drawers into our "new" room. Bring the old crib and rocking chair into our room, move the 2 closets our of our "old" room and into the new one. Swap Emma's clothes into her new closet, wash and pack the Twins clothes into the drawers. Oh, and bring the changing table up from the basement and into our room. And of course I need to add some FLAIR to this all.

It's truly impossible. Even more so because after sitting at this computer for 10 minutes I'm EXHAUSTED! Carrying this belly weight is truly tiring. And I finally admitted to Christian that riding the bicycle (yes, I still do it) is now starting to become a bit difficult. I can't properly pump my legs because my LOWER belly gets in the way. Womp womp. :(

Did I mention my In-Law's are here? Well, only MIL right now. But we had both for a few days, and then FIL went to Mexico City for 2 weeks. He's back on Monday.

Oh, and don't ask for a photo of me. My husband has yet to take ONE picture of me despite my multiple pleas. I've tried taking them in the mirror, but the flash F's it up every time.

I wake up about 7-8 times a night to pee. Every position is awkward and uncomfortable. I can't take deep breaths because there's no room for my lungs to expand. Yes, I'm at the end. Both physically and mentally.

So that's where I am right now.

Under Construction.

In every sense of the word.

Happy Valentines Day to my Forever Valentine

Valentines Day doesn't mean much over here. But it means something to me...

It's considered pretty much everything you hear about being a "Hallmark Holiday". Although we made little Valentines for Emma's classmates, no one really celebrates it too much. YES, you can still buy the obligatory heart chocolates, but they are not strewn around the stores like they are in the U.S.

Christian and I really don't celebrate it much. I guess by celebrate I mean "exchange presents". Last year I got him some much needed replacement Hugo Boss underwear he had been needing. (Sorry, hun!) He didn't get me anything. I am ALWAYS digging him whenever we pass by the many flower shops on the streets here, "Oh, look how beautiful!". His response, "let's walk faster". It's definitely a joke with us - of course I would like him to bring me home some flowers one day "just because". But I'm not a fool, and I know he's probably not going to do that. In the end, I'm totally okay with that, because my own reality is: I CAN BUY MY OWN DAMN FLOWERS WHENEVER I WANT - AND OFTEN DO!!! And occasionally I will get a nice, Thai massage and thank him for his "gift". He's always happy to do so!

But just because we don't celebrate it the traditional way, doesn't mean that it is a meaningless holiday. I view it as one (of many other) special days to remind yourself you are with your partner for a reason; and to be damn thankful about it!

Christian is my best friend. I was so lucky to meet him, fall in love with him, marry him, and now have children with him. He takes such good care of me, even when I'm as stubborn as a mule and try to be angry with him, or do something stupid and try to justify my way out of it, or as in the case lately, can't do hardly ANYTHING, and he has to do almost EVERYTHING.

So, for my Forever Valentine, thanks for loving me - faults and all!

OMG, she's so young here!

The Inseparable Duo!

p.s. I would love to post one of my favorite pics of JUST him from our wedding, but as many of you know, Emma so nicely decided to play Guitar Hero on my laptop and all my photos went bye-bye. So the next best thing is my two favorite Valentines together!

Ayurvedic Solution to my Stuffy Problem

Have you heard of the Neti-Pot? Here's a picture of what one is:

You can also read about it here. I absolutely love mine! It has been the only thing that can clear up my sinuses that seem to clog up overnight. Eww, I know...but I think it's something that's related to the pregnancy, because I do not have sinus issues when I'm NOT pregnant.

It looks a bit strange, and can even be a bit overwhelming to concur a "perfect pour"; however with not being able to use nasal sprays or medicines to help with this problem, the Neti-Pot has come to my rescue everytime! They are available in a variety of materials (ceramic, plastic, various metals), but I recommend the ceramic one - I think it's the easiest to keep clean and dry in between uses.

You use it with a special Nasal Salt and warm water to flush out the "impurities" that live in your sinuses. It's safe to use multiple times a day, but I just need it once in the morning. I know people who use it everyday even when they DON'T have sinus issues because it's such a great method of cleaning out ALL impurities that you breathe in (think smog my L.A. homies!).

There are many instructional videos on Youtube that were helpful to me in the beginning.

Here in Germany, you ABSOLUTELY CANNOT buy medicine in the typical drugstores. You must go to an Apotheke (pharmacy) for everything - even just regular Aspirin! I've never been a HUGE medicine taker. I would always much rather try to "wait it out" or try other traditional ways to get rid of a problem (headache, stomachache, sinus problem), so it hasn't been too hard a transition for me to get used to this medicinal output of only buying in a pharmacy.

So the bottom line, if you suffer from stuffiness: Give this little ceramic wonder a try!

Pour your problems away!

Yeah, me! I got a Pedicure!

Does this pedicure make me look fat?!?

I love L.A.

The snow is back. Which means I'm off the bicycle again...yes, I'm still riding my bicycle to work. 8 months pregnant and rollin' folks!! Maybe once the snow is gone I'll have to post a video of that, hmmm?

So because I'm longing for the winter days of 75 degrees...I thought I would "Cali Up" my house.

I made this little pillow in about 3 hours on Sunday. It was a fun project for me, and about 3 hours cutting fabric, hand-stitching felt, and behind a sewing machine is about all I can stand at the moment.

I think it came out pretty cute! The fun fabric, and heart over L.A. says it all far better than I can!

I LOVE L.A.! (cue song here).

Printed out a map of California,

then traced that onto cardboard

making it easier to trace onto a thick piece of felt

- leftover from another project

Hand-stitched the red heart (over L.A.),

then the Cali map onto the fabric

Finished product!

Fits perfectly into our hallway, beneath my "Wall of Fame"