staying busy, being relaxed

April 19, 2021

The real countdown has begun. 10 days til due, but it can be any day now… or it can be in 2+ weeks, baby decides. I hope baby will come before May but so far it doesn’t really seem like it. Baby has definitely run out of room in there though. I thought baby was moving non-stop before, but that was nothing to what I’m experiencing now, holy moly, kicking all day and all night and now it’s really really big movements. Last night I was in bed at 10pm but awake and baby was so active. Then J came to bed at 11, baby still active and at that point it felt like a golf ball was rolling and bouncing off my ribs like if it was a pinball machine. At 11:50pm I was still awake cause baby was still kicking like crazy. That’s when I put a sleep mediation on in my headphones, no idea when baby stopped moving. In a way, I don’t mind it, I kinda like it, it means that the baby is healthy. Even if some of the punches and kicks are a bit uncomfortable these days (my bladder seems to be a fun toy), this is still something I will miss once baby is out. 

This weekend was once again a good mix of being really busy and relaxing. On Saturday we went for some errands. I should be in complete quarantine now, but oh well. We drove to the Scandinavian Butik. They were very serious about safety there. Only 3 people allowed inside, facemasks had to be worn of course and they wanted us to wear plastic gloves the whole time. I had called before we got there so I knew they had what I wanted. Then a quick stop at the grocery store across the street. At home, I washed some of the new baby gifts that has arrived, J installed a baby monitor and we went for a nice longer walk. 

Safety in our elevator. We want to see more stuff like this! 

Yesterday morning around 9am, J and I drove to Mill River Park in downtown (normally I would walk there but these days it’s better to drive). The trees were still kinda blooming but had already started to shift to green, but we still got some cute last minute maternity photos I think. I’ll show you more another time:)

We came home, had breakfast and then decided to go for a walk. We ended up walking behind a girl from our apartment and forward. All of a sudden we see her legs give up and she falls straight forward. Luckily she caught herself with her hands cause that was a pretty bad fall. Once on the ground she started shaking. I grabbed the leash and J ran up to her and rolled her to her side to check that she was breathing. I told J to stay with her, picked Thor up in my arms and ran inside to the pharmacy (we were right outside RiteAid). I somehow figured they had some sort of medical training in order to work there. The guy didn’t really seem to care but called something out in the speakers. I just left and ran back. Two older people were there now, the woman was on the phone getting an ambulance. J got the girl, probably not older than 15, to sit up but had to hold her so she wouldn’t fall back. Thor was freaking out of course, he reacted to her fall as well. The girl was responsive the whole time but didn’t speak. Soon the ambulance and a firetruck came. I think she said a few words to them. One of the guys asked Jim some questions, they put her in the ambulance and we went for our walk. She seemed to be ok.
If I had been alone and this would have happened, 9 months pregnant and all, I would have of course gone to check on her but then tried to get other peoples attention to help. Also, here in America it is apparently really insanely expensive to call for an ambulance which makes me question myself in emergency situations. I don’t actually know how it is in Sweden, but in my mind, you always call for help and an ambulance will come. But here, you kinda have to be careful cause it can end up being really expensive for the person who needs help. This girl was not at all dying or anything, my guess is that she had some sort of epileptic seizure and then was in complete shock, but I still think it was a good idea to get her an ambulance, what else could any of us do?
I’m just happy that she seemed ok. I hope I see her walking out here again at some point. 

My heart still hurts every time I look at him, he’s just the cutest♥

Our walk was really nice and warm. On our way back from downtown I was however struggling a bit to walk. I woke up with some discomfort in my groins and with the situation with the girl and me picking Thor up and put him down over and over, I guess my body was a bit tired. We sat on the couch to relax once we came home, the boys fell asleep. Then I was up again and was doing stuff around the apartment for several hours. Guess if my groins was tired after all that haha. Finished our weekend with a movie. 

Here in America you get a free breast pump through your insurance. I appreciate that! They are not cheap. My insurance had 10 dif ones to choose from and after some research I picked this one. I read that in Sweden you have to buy your own or you can rent one from the pharmacy. 

Baby is the size of Thor

April 15, 2021

Every Thursday when I wake up I check the different baby apps on my phone (I have a few). Today one of my apps said that “Lilliput” is about the size of a pomeranian. Hopefully baby isn’t as fluffy as Thor but just as cute♥

We’ve had some nice and warmer days this week, today is a bit gray and it might rain though. Outside our apartment they are setting up to film a movie. Haven’t had that since we lived on Manhattan. A couple of weeks ago I saw a job listing online that they were looking for artists in Stamford. Since I’m pregnant I didn’t care to apply for anything. I might however walk past the set later to check it out. Maybe I spot some movie stars:)

The cherry trees and all the other trees are finally blossoming. I’ve been waiting and waiting. Hopefully the rain won’t destroy them for the next couple of days, I have a dress that I would like to take some cute last maternity photos with by the beautiful trees. 

I have asked Jim to take me (and Thor) for evening walks now every day leading up to birth haha. I can of course walk by myself but it’s just better to have him with me in case something happens:)
Plus it’s a nice family activity before Lilliput is here

Yesterday I saw my doctor again (I’m 38 weeks today). Bump measures good, heart beat was 155 which is good, but no signs of labor yet but that’s ok, I have a couple more weeks til due date. But in the end it’s up to baby when she/he wants to come out. I’m hoping to have the baby in April cause I really don’t want to be induced, but we’ll see. Baby decides. 

I always sit in the back going to places cause T isn’t exactly calm then
But going home from somewhere he is super happy and calm so I sit in the frontAnd he sits on bumpie 😀

9 months pregnant dance

April 14, 2021

I uploaded a video of me dancing at this very same spot one year ago. Interesting how one year can change so much. One year of pandemic, one year of isolation and almost 9 full months of pregnancy. And much longer than a year since we saw any family or relative in person. Still so happy about that we got to talk to so many loved ones during our virtual baby shower. 

Milk Bath

April 13, 2021

Good Morning! A couple of weeks ago I decided to take some “Milk Bath” maternity photos. I’ve seen these kind of pictures floating around the internet for years and honestly think it’s kinda weird hahah. But, I can also admit I think it’s pretty. I wasn’t sure I really wanted these pictures done but when hubby came home with flowers for Valentines Day I thought why not, I don’t want to regret it later. However, those roses died before I felt like doing the shoot haha. But then when we went to Costco, they had so many beautiful flowers and it just felt like the roses were calling me:) 

I think it turned out quite cute considering they were taken in a regular unfancy tub in an apartment 😀 My hubby did a good job. 

So what’s the deal with the milk bath? Well, according to google, they say that Cleopatra used to bathe in donkey milk and scattered rose pedals over it and that’s how she got her beautiful skin. I also read that the milk in the maternity photos symbolizes the milk that nourishes the baby and the hard work that the mother has to put in to breastfeed her little one. Who knows if any of this is true, I think people mostly just like how beautiful the flower pedals are next to their bump and the white creates a nice cleaner look for the photo. 

Our weekend, April 10-11

April 12, 2021

Happy Monday! Hope you had a good weekend! We had a lovely weekend mixed of both relaxing to the max and being really busy. 

On Saturday after our morning coffee I suddenly felt really tired and out of energy. It’s weird how when I don’t sleep that well I have tons of energy all day every day and after I’ve had a really good night sleep, like Saturday, I’m exhausted. In an attempt to give myself some energy, the three of us went for a walk. Walked around downtown and I was soooo jealous of everyone enjoying their brunch on the outdoor seatings. The image I had back in 2018 of me being pregnant included brunches, dinners and coffee breaks both indoors and outdoors with hubby and friends feeling all cute in my big belly. The few times we have been eating at places during this pregnancy (like on our babymoon) I’m not particularly very relaxed cause I keep thinking about having to sanitize my hands and put my mask on whenever someone else is coming near me. But my new wish is that before we leave Stamford this summer I might have got the vaccine and we can sit outside to brunch somewhere with the stroller next to us. I would love to stroll around Central Park as well one more time before we leave:) 

When we came back home the weather was really nice, so we decided to spend the afternoon on our terrace in the sun. A bit cloudy and colder wind, but the 18°c felt amazing, I’ve been waiting for this! We both got a little tan. We watched a movie in the evening and that’s really all that we did this day. We got nothing important done other than relax and enjoy each others company, which in a way is more important than anything else really. 

I don’t have much clothes that fits me anymore, I’ve been living in this sweater haha

On Sunday at 8 am,  I woke up by a kiss on my cheek and J told me there’s breakfast. He and T had went to get coffee and a tuna bagel for me. Just the best way to wake up:) Around 10 we both got off our butts and started to do stuff around the apartment. I gave J some tasks here and there (like vacuum, clean the bathtub, take recycle out and go through a box of computer stuff) while I went through the boxes in the storage room. My original wish when we still lived in NYC was that we will get rid of basically everything we own when leaving the north, but I’ve realized it’s stupid to get rid of all of it, I don’t feel like spending that money again, plus the things we have is stuff we like. And then I have soooo many books which is very hard to pack. Movers usually don’t seem to like moving tiny boxes but to fill big boxes with books is just not ideal since it’s so heavy. What is the smartest way?
After lunch, we sat down to do some tasks together, like make two playlists for the labor. One is filled with ambient calm music and one has more fun and pop’y music in case I feel that I need that:) Then we watched the Sox game and I finished making my very first crochet bunny that I have been making for “Lilliput”. It’s not perfect in any way but I am pretty proud of myself, it’s very cute. I do think the black nose and eyes kinda destroyed it though, it’s a bit harsh. I wanted to leave it with no face but that could also be a little creepy. Eh, whatever. It was fun to make so who knows maybe I’ll make more:)
After the game ended we listened to a hypnobirthing track together, it’s kinda like a meditation practice to prep yourself for giving birth. Jim fell asleep though haha. And then we didn’t do much, I watched some reality show and stretched my body and J played games on his computer. 

My idea was to hang it on the stroller bassinet for the baby to look at but I don’t have a good clip for it.
Any ideas?Thor got a haircut last week, he’s so cute

I have started to feel like a ticking 💣 now. I have no signs of being close to the birthday of my little love but I know it can change exactly whenever from now on. So this week and all the upcoming weeks I’m just gonna take each day as it comes. Preferably she/he will stay in there for a few more weeks, but we’ll see:)