Pregnancy Post: 28 Weeks

-sorry I forgot to take a photo this week-

Weekly Pregnancy Questions

How far along?  28 Weeks! Which means 7 months!! Which means 3rd and final trimester!!!

How big is baby?  2 1/2 lbs, 16inches however at my apt this past week, baby is measuring a little smaller in the head, longer in the legs, etc.
Names?  Aaron Falco Johnson. We even received our first baby present. A blanket made by our dear friend with baby Aaron's name embroidered on it; so it's official:)
Maternity clothes?  Umm.... yes, definitely  

Weights gain?  I weighed in at 58kg, so 127lbs for a total of 15lbs gained thus far. Much better than I did with Maddix, but we are pretty sure now that I had many undiagnosed symptoms from my thyroid that we didn't even know about... like weight gain, and swelling!

  Feeling the baby move?   All the time. In fact, Maddix was never one to lay high in my stomach; he was always lower and made my belly go egg shaped. This little baby however, has just decided to stretch himself out and I am now experiencing that up-in-the-ribs pain that many women talk about. Oh boy, I don't like when he pushes those little feet into my ribs!  

Food cravings:  Not this past little bit. Well, Orange Juice always, but I haven't been too hungry.
Happy or moody? Happy! But how could I NOT be with Spring having just Arrived! Everyday is literally sunnier than the last and the grass really is becoming greener on the other side. 
Sleeping?  Once again, I am not a side sleeper, enough said.
Best moment(s) of the week? Not sure these count as "bests" but definitely most awkward thanks to little baby:) 

• I went to the gym this past week and first off, Polish women do NOT work out pregnant, and second, they really just stick to the treadmill and bike area. So when I walked into the weights room in a bright Neon Pink shirt, smuggling a beach ball sized belly under it you should have seen the jaws drop. All the meat-head men just stared as if to say, "does she KNOW where she is?? Do you think the KNOWS what state she is in (the state of pregnancy, duh, I think I know). And better yet, the personal trainer who decided to take extra good care of me, placed me on a machine, front and center the rest of the room and I basically felt every eye on me like I was leading a class! Anytime I glanced into the mirrors in front of me about 10 guys turned their head, while a few more just kept staring. Then the next time at the gym I hopped on a machine and the trainer came over and said, "no this one is not for you... (he could see my annoyance)... but that is just my opinion as a trainer... and I've been training for 35 years." Do you think I stayed on that machine? Of course not. 
• Secondly as I mentioned baby is up in my ribs recently and I had to go to the bathroom when all of a sudden I had a deep sneeze come on. I knew what was coming but I couldn't stop it and as I sneezed the baby jammed his heels into my ribs vigorously; and yes, I peed a little if I'm being honest! 

Anything making you queasy?   Fish smell, and banana chips, and the garbage is starting to smell more pungent these days

 

How is the bump?  It's leaving the cute stage and becoming a mountain 

Missing anything?   My clothes fitting, tying my shoes and shaving with ease, sleeping on my back, being able to jump up and down without my back hurting for days, miss bending over easily.  

Belly button?  Tiny, but still in; what a trooper

Looking forward to? Maddix being able to hold his little brother. Having it actually feel real that Im' having a 2nd child, receiving that adorable blanket I mentioned before, knowing all the worrying over my pregnancy levels has all been worth it.

Dad?  Has already begun teasing the baby by chasing him around with a flashlight, shifting my stomach around, pressing his hand on my stomach (because the baby does NOT like the presence of Trav's hand; neither did Maddix). He also teases my through the same actions to get the baby wiggling because HE thinks it's funny:) But really through it all is Still such a gentleman in the way he treats me in being a pregnant woman. Love his guts really.

~Arrival of Spring!!!~

I can't tell you how much we've been loving the transformation from Winter to Spring; it doesn't even bother us that it rains for a little bit every day because ANYTHING is better than the SNOW:) We've even switched from our Winter wear to the inner shells of our coats. We've been in the 40's and 50's, yeeha! After enjoying a dinner at Anna and Arek's on Thursday after our Doctor's appointment, we woke up Friday and "went to school."

He was just too cute during Art time
I had to snap a photo

Friday Night Fun (Maddix was after the "Monkey")

During Recess we played with the Balloon

Saturday I woke up and went to the gym with Anna and was pretty pleased with the  progress I made with my work out and when we finished she was so nice to take me grocery shopping. I ended up saving some money on my groceries thanks to Anna reading labels and helping me choose cheaper brands. The morning was pretty much perfect except for the guilt I was feeling in the back of my mind thinking about poor little Maddix just sitting at home in the apt while Travis studied away, probably just watching a movie; all the while the weather outstide was GORGEOUS. So when I got to the car and found a missed call from Travis, I was extremely pleased to find out that Travis had taken a break from studying so that he and Maddix could have a ~Father-Son morning~

They went for a walk to the castle

Playing at the Castle Grounds Park

LOVING his morning out

While they were playing at the park Travis said there was a little Polish girl that Maddix played really well with; he said Maddix went up to her and said, "I'm Maddix," and she repeated "I'm Maddix." Then she told him a Polish phrase, "Ja tesh" and he repeated it to her. Apparently they had so much fun together but then she had to leave. When Travis tried to get Maddix to leave, he was obviously in NO MOOD to go so Travis quickly whipped up a bribe; Ice cream. And funny enough there was the little girl with her parents, getting ice cream... glad to know Travis wasn't alone:)

On their way home they called to see if I was back yet, which I wasn't, and Maddix blurted out, "We bought you flowers!" I wasn't sure if I heard him right, and he repeated what he said and I could hear Travis in the background telling him it was supposed to be a secret... something he's not good at yet:) So when I got home I was greeted by my boys, and Maddix was holding my flower.

They were quite tasty

Travis said they had been walking past all the freshly opened flower shops when he asked Maddix if he thought Mommy would like some flowers. Maddix was all too excited to buy some and he kept going to the arrangements and smelling them saying, "not this one... not this one... These!" And those are the ones he chose; they are tulips straight from Holland. Then all the way home Travis said the boy kept saying, "Mommy's going to be SO HAPPY!" And he could barely hang in there until he could show them to me so they had to call. Do I have the best boys or what?! Then Anna, Arek, and James stopped by and brought us some freshly made pastries from his mother, who is ALWAYS baking up cakes and pastries... and since Anna doesn't eat sugar, we often get sent the tasty treats:) It's a bit of good and bad situation for me ;) They were so pretty this time I just had to snap a photo:

They were shaped into flowers even
with jam centers. 

Mommy, Maddix Day

Travis has gone back to school, and we miss him during his studies. However, with the sun shining, Maddix and I have been able to enjoy some outdoor time! So yesterday we enjoyed a little Mommy-Son Date!

Has a reputation of being the fastest
banana eater in Lublin. I think
he took it to heart when he ripped it
in two and tried eating them at
the same time

Just goofing around

Creep o and Creep o Junior

Super Silly

We started out our morning with a cuddle during his cartoon. Later we moved onto our school time, but we got lost in playing with Playdough and about an hour later we finally moved on to recess, where we played soccer. After Maddix's nap we prepared to go for a walk (hence the mirror pics above) into the center of town to run an errand. I was so proud of how well Maddix did. He walked by himself the whole way, and once again made friends with the people around him; he flirted with a group of girls, then had a conversation with an older lady that stopped to shake his hand.

When we got home we happened to meet Travis at the bottom of the stairs as he was coming home from school and Maddix was SO happy to see his daddy:) The rest of the night was spent building a comfy floor bed while watching A Bugs Life, and eating Homemade Pizza.

I think Maddix had a pretty good time; I know I did. 

P.s. We received a surprise package from my Aunt Julie full of some fun coloring books for Maddix, and some cute earrings for me. It's funny how happy getting something unexpected can make you. Thanks for the package Julie! Maddix has already colored the Woody photo, and smashed the yellow marker into pieces; he works fast:)

Rest of Spring Break/ Conference Weekend

Maddix built himself a fort

Well we woke up this morning with a bitter-sweet feeling: After a wonderful 10 slow days as a family trapped in snowy Lublin, we had to send Travis back to school... to be a good student... and learn. So on the one hand, Maddix and I miss him already, and on the other hand Travis says he feels good being back in school. Also the sun is out and starting to melt all the snow; we're actually at 40 degrees today, feeling like 37. I have the window open because it feels so nice! 

Trendy little Euro Boy

 Travis Built a fort

Cuddly little boy with his daddy

They melt my heart

So over the rest of our break last week we stayed in our pj's all afternoon, got in a snowball fight, stayed up for a late night family movie all snuggled in our blankets... and eating strawberry oreo shakes; on another snowy night we made taco soup for lunch and ate it all day long (it was the first time we've had it in over a year); watched some cartoons, haircut for Maddix, walked around Lublin, purchased plane tickets for my Gma and cousin to come out next month, made cookies, danced to music, talked with family, went swimming a few times, went to my first Polish Gym, and really just loved each and every minute together!

The cakes

 And for Conference Weekend we were fortunate enough to enjoy Sunday evening with many friends to celebrate Anna's birthday (which is today) and watch the 3rd session of conference.

All of our friends we've made here!

We cooked all weekend and the end result was the most perfect Cafe Rio salad with homemade lime rice, homemade salsa, fresh grilled Chicken, and the choice between the traditional cilanro-ranch dressing, or their other cilantro-lime dressing. We knew we had done well when Jasmine (our Taiwanese friend, who barely eats anything) went back for 2nds, then 3rds; or when Anna and Arek asked if they could go get more as well. By the end almost all the food was gone, we were able to hear a few talks from the session, and then prepared to bring the cakes out (Cody and Jasmine brought one, and Anna and Arek brought a sugar-free fruit cake). Maddix saw the cake Cody and Jasmine brought and wanted to tell everyone so I told him it was a secret, and to not tell anyone. He agreed, put his finger to his lips to whisper, then ran into the other room to E. Finch and yelled, "Hey it's a secret, it's a secret! I have a secret about the cake. Everyone there's a secret about the cake........" so we just brought them out once the cat was out of that bag :)

She was so happy!

Maddix is a BIG fan of Polish Cancles

Back Row L-R: E. Finch, Arek, Anna, Maddix, James, Jasmine, and Travis
Front Row L-R: E. Peacock, Me and baby, Grace, and Cody

Pregnancy Post: 26 Weeks

Thanks to Travis being on his Spring Break, today I will be pregnancy blogging with a quick blip on yesterday and today thus far.

Weekly Pregnancy Questions

How far along?  26 weeks today

How big is baby? 2lbs and the size of a pot roast:) 
Names?  Confident that little baby will be- Aaron Falco Johnson
Maternity clothes?  YES! In fact in the picture is my new maternity outfit and I LOVE wearing pants that fit everyday! Thank you Travis. Weights gain?  No idea since I have no scale. I will find out at the next appointment

 Feeling the baby move?   Oh yes. Especially if I lay on my side or at night time  

Food cravings:  I just have the munchies. Nothing specific. Just constantly want to be snacking
Happy or moody?  I feel like I've been much happier lately, and since starting this new diet I feel much better with a lot more energy
Sleeping?  I rotate which side I'm sleeping on several times a night and always wake up on my back, which I know I'm not supposed to do at this point in the pregnancy, but man I'm not a side sleeper.
Best moment(s) of the week? When I hopped out of bed quickly in the middle of the night and the baby was completely on one side of my belly, like a log, and then I just watched him squirm and shift his way into his normal position as if I'd just woke him up.

Anything making you queasy?   Banana chips. They were terrible during my first trimester and I ran across them recently in my granola and realized they're still terrible. Also my disdain for eggs is at a high. 56 eggs a week is enough to make anyone not like them, right?   

How is the bump?  Like a mountain, but truth be told I love it.  

Missing anything?   Feeling normal.  Being pregnant in Poland is like being a Unicorn, you're rare and everyone stares... especially if you work out! Went to the grocery store after a work out the other day and I could have flagged less attention had I walked in naked! Pregnant women don't work out here. They don't do anything:)  

Belly button?  Hanging 'in' there!

Looking forward to? Third trimester so I can feel justified at how tired I still am, how often I'm using the restroom, etc. Second trimester is the golden time, and i definitely feel 100x's better than before, but sometimes I feel like I shouldn't have any complaints because this is the best time of the pregnancy, you know? Does that make me sound like I just want to be justified in my whining?... :)

Dad? Dotes over me, never lets me carry the bags, and tries to be patient with the entire pregnancy experience. 

Now to yesterday and today.
Yesterday snowed again, which led us to be afraid of staying inside all day. After sleeping in and taking the early afternoon VERY laid back, we received a call from the Elders whom were on their Pday with absolutely NOTHING to do. I don't know if you know this about Europe, but if there is a holiday they take a few days off before, and then a few days after to recover as well. So Monday was more dead outside than even Easter itself. So we had the Elders come over for a light lunch and boardgames, and were surprised when we received a call from Kossi  who had prepared a dish of couscous and ended up coming over as well for lunch and some games. Then we said goodbye to the Elders and Travis, Maddix, Kossi, and I went to the pool (which thankfully was open) with Anna, Arek, and James. We stayed for quite awhile and had such a great time. When we came home it was 8:30pm so we fixed some quesodilla's and put the boy to sleep.

When we woke up today we knew we needed to decide whether or not we were going to stay in Lublin or travel to Krakow for a couple of days, and when we just couldn't handle the idea of sitting on a train for 5hrs to get there, we opted to stay. Not to mention, I don't know if we stayed up too late, or if we swam extra long, but we are all zombies today. So today we've cuddled in bed, watched morning cartoons, gave Maddix a big boy hair cut, and then went and walked around Lublin for 3 hrs in search for Black Beans we will be using for our Cafe Rio Salads this Sunday. We looked at a couple of stores before making our way to the Olymp Mall where we found several cans of beans.. which led us to come home and put the boy down for a nap and make 7-layer beandip (we ended up with 5 layers, which I think was good for being in Poland:) I snoozed for a little bit, and now Maddix just woke up so we're going to go play Legos as a family. 

Morning Duck Tales double as a distraction

The before process

Our results

So hansom with his new big boy haircut.
I almost cried while I swept up the giant pile
of curly baby locks.
Blame it on Pregnancy Hormones

Then there's this beauty just as he was waking up. I tried to get a pic
while he was still asleep because his head was hanging clear off the bed,
but last second he rolled over and opened those little green eyes; it's a keeper.