Michael and I will be heading to Edelweiss Lodge and Resort next weekend for a marriage retreat hosted by the Army. We have been on one of these before and we absolutely LOVED it! It's so nice to escape the hectic Army life every now and then, and spend some quality time together as a family.

Last time we headed out to Edelweiss I was about 7 months pregnant, so we couldn't do everything we would have liked to. For example, I couldn't spend 8 hours a day snowboarding with Michael or get in the giant hot tub that they have! It's outdoors and it's bitchin'!

We were able to check out Neuschwanstein Castle, also known as the Disney castle. This castle was the inspiration for Magic Kingdom's Cinderella Castle and it is beautiful.

Neuschwanstein Castle - Yes, we saw this live and in person. We even went inside!

Taking the carriage ride up to the castle, and checking out the view from the front. We did get much closer to the castle than this, and even toured the inside. No pictures allowed of the inside though :( 

You can read more about our last trip here!

 

 

This time around, we are going during the holiday season, so they offer a few different things. Michael and I will be able to take Mikey on a horse and carriage ride through downtown Garmish, hit the Christmas market, go night sledding, and take the Partnach Gorge Night Tour which is lit by torch. I'm sure this time around, since childcare is offered, Michael and I will be able to do a little snowboarding as well. He really loves snowboarding.

Innsbruck Christmas Market, probably the most festive thing I'll ever do IN.MY.LIFE!

 

My favorite event from the trip will be the scenery, I'm sure of it. As I was searching the ***** website, I ran across a little nugget of information such as this ...

You can bet your sweet behind that we WILL be getting Christmas card photos taken here! HOW INCREDIBLE to show the beautiful scenery of Germany with our friends and family on a holiday card! It's so festive and wonderful and I absolutely can not wait! There is a ton of possible locations that are absolutely breathtaking and it's a great way to remember our time in Germany for years to come.

I've been planning outfits, searching Pinterest high and low for photography ideas, and absolutely dreaming about the wonderful Christmas cards that we will be sending this year. I'll be posting soon about some of my Christmas card photography inspiration!

FA LA LA LA LA!

Thanksgiving Centerpieces - SOLDIER APPROVED!

Thanksgiving is only 24 days away, I can't believe how close it is!

We have been slowly preparing our house for the festivities that are upon us for the holiday season. In the meantime, our FRG leader has taken leave and went back to the United States, so I have stepped in to help with some of the event planning and meetings that take place.

One of these events is a Thanksgiving Potluck for all of 16th STB. Our FRG is responsible for providing the decorations for the event, and the Commander has so generously donated the time of his soldiers to arrange centerpieces. I thought to myself,

"Where am I going to find a festive centerpiece that a bunch of soldiers can assemble?"

and then it dawned on me, KIDS CRAFTS! I searched high and low for some Thanksgiving kids crafts, and ran across this little gem ...

Source here!

 

I thought this was so cute, and since we are providing decorations for over 300 people, this cute little turkey would be easy and quick to assemble (and soldier approved!). We can slap these things on all the dining tables and call it a festive centerpiece :)

 

What are your favorite centerpieces for Thanksgiving?

Meal Planning and Grocery Shopping How-To

I absolutely hate grocery shopping!

I guess I shouldn't say I hate it, I should say it absolutely stresses my husband out more than anything in the world so he's mean and it's miserable.

Seriously, that's how it goes when the Rotundo clan heads to the grocery store. Michael and I both know it's about to be miserable, so we just expect the worse.

I don't know why it stresses him out so bad? Michael isn't really a planner, so the fact that I'm the Grocery Nazi and have a plan and a list and a calculator and coupons galore kind of stresses him out, I think. I don't know.

Anyways - Grocery shopping is a serious process for us.

Step 1: Meal Plan

This can be overwhelming for somebody who has never made a meal plan before, so if your a first timer, start small. I began meal planning by just simply developing themed nights. This is how it first looked:

Monday - Crockpot Night
Tuesday - Chicken Night
Wednesday - Pasta Night
Thursday - Breakfast for Dinner Night
Friday - Homemade Pizza Night
Saturday - Grill Night
Sunday - Leftovers

Themed nights helped me get an idea of what I was cooking for the month. I knew I needed a few pasta dishes, some things I could throw in the crockpot, things to make pizza, etc. I have stuck true to my themed nights, even though I have advanced from beginner to total professional in the meal planning department.

Once you are comfortable with meal planning, start by making a specific plan for the whole month. Michael and I plan out every meal, but this is what our calendar looks like for the month of August.

We have made a detailed plan for lunch and dinner, and I pre-make breakfast and freeze it so Michael can eat it when he wakes up at the crack of dawn to head to PT. I also pre-make snacks. Goldfish, fruit-roll up's, pizza rolls, etc.

Step 2: Shop in your own kitchen!

Once I know what I'm making for the month, I start inventorying my own kitchen. Why buy marinara sauce if I already have a jar? The goal is to save money, so by inventorying my kitchen, I know what I don't NEED to buy. Once I know what I have, I'm ready to look through my recipes and start constructing my grocery list. I use these templates to create my inventory:

You can download these in my etsy shop here!

Step 3: Make your list!

Michael and I don't do the whole only-going-to-the-commissary-one-time thing. It's too craycray for us. We go once every 2 weeks. This cuts down on time, after all, Mikey isn't all too excited to go to the grocery store and Michael is about to explode by the time we leave so the quicker the better! I reference my meal plan, and recipes for the first two weeks of the month, as well as my kitchen inventory and make a grocery list accordingly. I know this all sounds like a long and drawn-out process, but once you get the hang of it, it takes no time at all! Knowing what I have and what I need is really helpful.
TIP: Never, ever, ever, ever go to the grocery store without a list! You will forget something you need, or you will buy things you don't need. Take the time now to make your list instead of wasting your time later making trip after trip to the store because you forgot something!

Step 4: Shop!

Don't forget your coupons! After you know what you're eating and you've made your list, it's time to collect your items. For us, it's easier to go together, but some people prefer to shop alone. I'm sure as Mikey gets older, I will want him to stay home so he isn't begging for oreo's or fruit roll-up's or something. (Michael totally still begs for those things!)

We are able to stick with our budget easily using this method. Seriously, this has saved us so much money! Meal planning has cut down on our fast food spending by more than 75%. Michael and I used to take the easy way out and head to McDonald's (because it's the only thing here) instead of taking the time to cook dinner. I think we did this because we simply didn't know what to make. I used to roam the aisles of the grocery store clueless as to what I needed to make a "meal". Now we know, and we eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at home. We go out once a month, on the 29th. It's our anniversary as well as the date that Mikey was born so we go out as a family to celebrate!


Now that you have the tips and tricks, start planning mi amigos!

GUEST POST: Finding Your Dream Job After The Military

Hello Blog World! I'm really excited to share this guest post with you today! My friend, Emma over at Smile as It Happens Blog has been so kind to share some of her knowledge and information about the transition from the military workforce to the civilian workforce. Please check out her blog, and show her some love! :)

 

If you're transitioning from the military into civilian life, then it can seem overwhelming, particularly when it comes to finding a great job. With a recovering economy and uncertainty about where your next steps might be, you might be tempted to stop short in your job search and settle for something less. Rest assured that you can find your dream civilian job after the military, and I'm here to help. First, you need to be aware of some common myths associated with finding a job and the truth behind them. That way, you can enter the civilian workforce with confidence.

 

Myth #1: You're so used to following orders that you might as well continue in the civilian workforce by working for someone else.

Truth: You might be great at following orders after your military career, but that doesn't mean you won't make it as a leader in civilian life. Many veterans opt to start their own businesses or purse management tracks at large companies because of their service and experience in the military. Taking directions could lend itself to a better understanding of what it means to lead, which is why so many veterans make great leaders. If you need help getting started, then check out the excellent resources offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration, which helps veterans develop and hone entrepreneurial skills.

 

 

Myth #2: Employers just don't care about applicants.

Truth: In today's civilian workforce, employers care deeply about hiring good employees who will contribute to their overall success as a company. As such, they've streamlined the hiring process while also adding attractive perks and incentives for new hires. Some top companies use mobile recruiting platforms like JIBE, which allow you to post your resume and other documents right from your smartphone. Other companies invest in incentives like onsite gyms, yearly performance bonuses and company cars.

 Myth #3: As a veteran, you don't have many options for employment, and it's hard to find a good job.

Truth: There are a variety of organizations and programs that will help you find a job such as 100,000 Jobs Mission, which is designed specifically to help connect veterans with employers who need their skills and traits. This organization includes many top employers across the country, and you can access information like pay rate, necessary degrees and open positions.

Myth #4: Nobody's hiring.

Truth: When you first start looking for a job, it might seem like no one is hiring. In reality, you may not know all the tricks to using job boards and other sites. Try broadening your focus to the industries you enjoy as well as related careers. The economy is recovering, which means that many top employers are expanding their practices and may offer jobs that didn't exist before the recession. The healthcare industry, for example, is almost always hiring. You might also consider freelance or contract work during slow periods; many employers hire these types of workers to fill vacancies while their business recovers.

 

 

Emma is a mid 20-something year old with a passion for life, love, fitness, and helping others. She loves to be active and get involved in as many sport and community activities as possible. Emma is currently studying to become a Career & Life Coach, and loves to network with people from around the world! Check out Emma’s blog at http://smileasithappens.blogspot.com/! 

Hospital Packing List!

We have started packing for the hospital, and I had no idea how stressful that was! After looking online for suggestions on what to bring, I was shocked when I found about a million different answers and none of them seemed to match the previous. I took it upon myself to create my own list of things that we THINK we are going to need ...

As a first-time mom & dad, I am sure our list isn't perfect. But this is what we came up with.

We think we have covered all of our bases. I'm sure after the experience, we will have a better idea of what to add, what to subtract and what we completely forgot about!

Our Family Binder

Being organized is the purpose of my entire life. Okay, maybe not, but I spend a lot (understatement!) of my time looking for ways to get organized and stay that way. With our busy schedules, Michael and I have to be on the same page and sometimes, we aren't able to communicate during the day so organization is key to maintaining a "got-it-going-on" routine in our house.

So, while I have this full supply of "nesting crack" running through my veins, I've decided to take the opportunity to organize our family binder. We never actually had a family binder because it wasn't so difficult to keep track of just the two of us, but with Mikey making his grand appearance, I have a feeling that it's about to get a lot more difficult to keep track of where my car keys are, not to mention all the meal planning, Army schedules, important phone numbers and addresses in order. This was the birth of our Family Binder.

Without further ado, I am proud to introduce to you the Rotundo Family Binder! I'm sure this will grow as our family grows, but for now, it has 5 sections. (1) Emergency Contacts and Information (2) Mikey, (3) Meal Planning, (4) Important Dates and (5) Daily Routines and Schedules. The purpose for this? Not only organizing everything into one central location, but for quick access if (god forbid!) there was ever an emergency and a caregiver needed the information, if Michael needed important information to the hospital and I was MIA, and every possible scenario in between. Let's not talk about what could possibly happen!

The Binder Breakdown -

I wanted to first section to house things that we may need quick access to. A pen/pencil, tape, scissors, tape, stamps, etc. These things may be needed for other sections and are easy to access!

SECTION 1 - EMERGENCY CONTACTS

I wanted this section to include everything that may be important in case of emergency. Here is a template of the printable I used to house this information.

 

SECTION 2 - MIKEY

Although he hasn't said HELLO WORLD! yet, in this section we store all of our important documents for when that time comes, as well as some helpful resources in our first few days of parenting. You best believe this binder WILL be an essential in our hospital bag!

 

SECTION 3 - MEAL PLANNING

It's no secret that I "suffer" from OCD, so this means that I NEED to know what we will be eating each day of the month and what our grocery list is going to look like. Most of the time this is well planned out before the month has even begun. So in this section I house my meal plans, coupons, sales ad's and anything else that may save us a penny here or there!

 

 

SECTION 4 - IMPORTANT DATES

Every family has a list of important dates, and 9 times out of 10 somebody happens to forget one of these dates, so behold, the important dates section! Here I list out all birthdays, anniversaries, commitments and appointments we have. If a family member needs to know what's coming up, just check out the binder!

 

NOTE: This does not replace the family calendar which is proudly displayed on our refrigerator.

 

SECTION 5 - DAILY ROUTINES AND SCHEDULES

We all have a routine, schedule, whatever you want to call it. In this section, I have listed out our daily routines for myself, for Michael and soon-to-come: Mikey's schedule. This way, if Michael and I find ourselves baby-less for a night and a babysitter has taken over, a schedule for Mikey is right there for him/her to follow. These schedules and routines are helpful to know where each family member is in case of an emergency, the best contact information to use, and helpful to anybody who may be offering care to pets, babies, or our home in the rare case that we may be gone for an extended period of time.

THE BUMP

If you have been following us for awhile, you remember our weekly board that documented the growth of the baby bump. The board was hi-jacked and we never got out to buy a new one, but the bump has grown quite a bit since the last picture.

SEE WHAT I MEAN?!

At 23 weeks, I have only gained a total of 8lbs, which technically makes me underweight for this stage of pregnancy, but the doctors aren't worried, so I'm not worried!

I measure about 37" around and our bouncing baby boy is growing quicker than ever. Daddy loves to feel him kick at night!

More pictures to come.

Making Progress!

We are making progress on the nursery! Now that I have returned from my trip with all the new baby purchases in tow, we are finally able to do some real work on the nursery.

We started by simply painting his name on the wall, which I did free-hand, and let me tell you, it wasn't easy! We have more details to add, but here is what we have so far ...

We still have plans to add some airplanes and trucks on the wall, but we're taking baby steps!

 

We have also put the bedding on, it looks great! We also finished the wall, which I'm kind of obsessed with.

We have been doing some other crafts to give our new addition an original nursery, so I got to cleaning out a pickle jar and painted it to store pacifiers and we found some fabulous plastic bins to store swaddles and clothes.

Things that we still need to do -

1. Sort through all the "stuff" - this room was previously a storage room, so we need to clear out the junk and make room for our newest addition! We've made some progress, but there are still things to be done.

2. Find room for all the clothes! This boy has more clothes than Mom & Dad combined, so we are clearing out closets and finding storage solutions to make room for all the fun baby outfits.

3. Accessorize! As surprising as this way, this is Michael's favorite part. He loves adding small details and decorations to the room to make it warm and welcoming for the arrival of our son!

The list is much longer, believe me! I'm coming up on my 3rd trimester so we are looking forward to finishing up the room soon!

Trucks and Trains and Little Airplanes!

On December 6th at 4:15pm, we found out the gender of our sweet baby, and we are thrilled to say ....

IT'S A BOY!

 

 

Because Michael was unable to come back to The United States he had to hear the news after the appointment, but we were both so thrilled to know that Baby Rotundo is in fact, Michael Nicholas Rotundo III. But here comes the hard part, what are we going to call him!?

For almost all of Michael's life, he went by Mikey, until he got older and decided he wanted to be Michael. I call him Michael, but there are still quite a few childhood friends and family that still call him Mikey. Making it difficult to decide what we should call our little bundle of joy to be able to seperate between father and son. We also considered calling him Nicholas or Nick but that was short lived and quickly taken off the table by good 'ole Dad. So after much thought and consideration, we've decided to go with Mikey! The name is ready to be painted on the nursery wall.

 

I've also been doing a TON of shopping these last few days, and I've included some of my favorite finds for our little baby boy!

Oxford Button Up - White - The Children's Place, so cute for dressing baby boy up for a night out!

Buffalo Plain Flannel Shirt - Gymboree, He'll look just like his daddy in this button up!

Snowman Thermal Tee - Gymboree, I couldn't even get enough of this cute thermal!
Wooden Toggle Coat - Gymboree, We bought ours in Navy, but he will look just like a little Michael in his new coat!
Flannel Cuffed Pull-On Jeans - Gymboree, mix-and-match set!
Tow Truck Body Suit - Gymbore, too cute for a baby boy
Blue Stripe Bodysuit - Target, fabulous for those snowy nights in Baumholder
Falls Creek City Fleece Swaddle - Meijer, Falls creek baby bedding
Falls Creek 4-Pack City Swaddles - Meijer, Falls creek baby bedding
Falls Creek Fleece Airplane Baby Blanket - Meijer, Falls creek baby bedding
Falls Creek City Crib Sheet - Meijer, Falls creek baby bedding

Nursery Re-do

Michael and I have been spending a ton of time lately preparing the nursery. I know we still have a decent amount of time before the baby arrives to prepare for things like this BUT you never know what the Army might do, so it's better to prepare now while you can than to be stuck doing it by yourself because they sent your soldier to some unknown place for 3 weeks to shoot a gun! So, we've started.

 

Not knowing the gender of the baby makes it difficult at times, but because we have chosen yellows and gray's to stay gender neutral, either way, it works. We also picked out a yellow and gray bedding set, but after thinking about it, how muh yellow and gray can one baby have?! We need a little bit of life in there! So we opted to go with something with a little more color to spice it up a bit.

BEHOLD, THE NEW BEDDING SELECTION ....

It still fits out yellow and gray walls, but the greens and oranges add a bit more color the the place! It's nice that it remains gender neutral as well.

And we found this little gem with the help of my mom, thank's Mom!

 

This little blanket is PRECIOUS and perfect for the bedding set! We have also started making some custom art for the walls, and yes, Michael is even getting a little artistic too! The crib is up and we are just waiting on a few more additions before we are able to reveal the nursery.

 

UP NEXT - COMPLETED NURSERY PHOTOS!

Daddy Appreciation Day!

So many times as I scroll through Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, or check out a fellow bloggers post, I see a reoccuring trend, Mommy Recognition. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about MomPower, and I am more than happy to praise a great mother, but what about Dad? Dad's don't get as much credit as they deserve, and I know in my house, without my husband and "Dad" I would be quite frankly, psycho!

So I want to dedicate a day as Daddy Appreciation Day!

Here is my fantastic husband and the father of my child ... Michael!

Picture 1: Is "Army" personality, very professional. Picture 2 however, is the complete opposite, this is really Michael, silly and outgoing!
He is so loving, laid back, considerate, kind and without-a-doubt the funniest person I know. I have known this handsome man since I was 4 years old, and from T-Ball days on, he has always been the life of the party! I couldn't ask for a better husband and best friend to build a family with.

BECAUSE Michael is so wonderful, I am creating a Daddy Day Basket, with all of  his favorite things in it (including the new xbox game he has been DYING to have!) Here are some idea's of what to include.
1. XBOX game of the week .... I'm not sure what that is this week so I'll have to do some digging.
2. Beef Jerkey
3. Jameson Whiskey
4. Coca-Cola
5. Packers Playing Cards
6. Miscellaneous Candy (he's a sucker for kitkats!)
7. His favorite magazine
8. A new personalized glass for his Jameson and Coke
9. A "Daddy's Little Cheesehead" Onesie that he can dress our baby up in on gameday.
10. Packers pacifiers to match the onesie
11. Giftcard to McDonald's
12. and finally, a batch of homemade cookies from a recipe that his mom gave me!

I haven't constructed the basket yet, I'm waiting until I find the perfect game before I give him his basket, BUT I'll be sure to post a picture as soon as it's ready!

I wanted to be sure that through all the attention that I am getting for being pregnant, Michael doesn't feel left out or forgotten. He is just as important in the life of our child as I am, and I want him to know that I appreciate him for all that he does to support and love me, and our new family!

The Whiteboard Theif Strikes!

Wow! Has it been awhile since I posted or what?! We have been busy with the holiday season already. Shopping for family and friends and making sure everything arrives on time before December 4th when we will be headed back to America to celebrate the Christmas season with family and friends. We are very much looking forward to that !

On Halloween, I was 13 weeks pregnant, and we were ready for the picture and everything, but the person who had allowed us to borrow the whiteboard needed it back because they are leaving Germany, so the pictures had to stop! :( I immediately ran to the PX to buy another white board, but conveniently enough, the PX is sold out and won't have any until after Christmas. BUMMER! Sorry guys, we were really enjoying the white board count down. We have transfered our energy from the board, to the nursery. I am so excited about decorating the most precious nursery, and Michael has been such a help! We have successfully painted the walls, assembled a crib (which took FOREVER), and hung a few wall decorations in anticipation of finding out if BabyRotundo is wearing bows and bling or trains and trucks! I'm still hoping it's a girl, and Michael is still hoping it's a boy but in less than 4 short weeks we will know for certain.

We will post pictures of the nursery soon! We have almost completed the entire thing, and have made a few major equipment purchases as well. Picture are coming!

I have also started creating a list of all my favorite baby things so far, and I plan to take pictures and post them on here to share with all of you! We have found some of the most precious baby items ever!!!!

As for now, that's all I've got. Michael and I are celebrating a 5-day weekend (hip-hip-horray!) but we have canceled our trip to London. :( We canceled due to inconvenient timing, and plan to travel very, very soon. I hope you all enjoy your days.

Until next time friends!

Practice Makes Perfect

This week, I began substitute teaching at Wetzel Elementry School here on post, and let me tell you, it has been a blast!!! Although my Agricultural Education Degree focuses on a high-school setting, I had no idea how much the youngsters enjoy learning. They are all so excited to be at school everyday, which is a drastic change from the high-school setting that I've been used to. NEVER LOOSE THAT LITTLE KIDDIES!

Within my first week, I have learned so much about the students, what they like, what they don't like, their learning styles and personalities. It's been wonderful. I've worked with the SureStart preschoolers all the way up to the big 6th graders, and each grade in between. I have already learned so much from these little people that I can't wait to finish out the school year with them.

Another great benefit to my new position is all the practice it gives me when parenting. These kids require attention 24 hours a day (or 7 hours in my case) and their everyday trials and triumphs are great insight to what parenting a toddler all the way through childhood years might be like. They say practice makes perfect, and right now, I'm getting lots of practice!

On another note, today marks 12 weeks pregnant! We are almost to the second trimester and looking forward to our upcoming appointments. Baby is growing quickly but the baby bump hasn't shown up yet! Baby is fully formed, all organs are working and s/he weights about 0.5 ounces. WOW, that's small! Approximately 196 days to go before we meet the little bundle of joy!

SO BRING ON THE PICTURE ....

12 weeks, 0 days!
We finally got back on schedule around this place!

How far along? 12 weeks, 0 days!

Baby is the size of a: Prune

Total weight gain/loss: +4 lbs.

The Bump: Nothing exciting yet, but I'm sure there will be some big stuff coming soon!

Symptoms: More energy than before, no symptoms lately (knock on wood!)

Food Cravings: The usual Frisch's Big Boy. Thats a lifetime craving though, nothing new to pregnancy.

Sleep: Normal, finally!

What I miss: Family and friends and the Frisch. (seriously, I have a problem!)

Wedding Ring on or off: On!

Any Names Picked Out: Hadley Anna and Michael Nicholas III.

Gender: Won't know until at least 18 weeks, but we're waiting!

Movement: Too early to tell, but they say baby can kick, and hiccup.

Maternity Clothes: None yet, but I'm looking into it.

Labor Signs: N/A

Best Moment of the Week: Sub teaching with the Kindergarten kiddies was so much fun! That age group is so interesting!

What we are excited about/looking forward to: Gender reveal! And visiting home in December. We will be in London in less than a month so we are excited for that as well! 

11 Weeks {4 days}

11 weeks and 4 days along, ALMOST TO THE SECOND TRIMESTER! The first trimester has been a breeze so far, but I don't want to jinx myself with morning sickness. Our next OBGYN appointment won't be until mid-november ... about 16 weeks along. After that, we will be headed home to visit family and friends the first week of December to celebrate baby and catch up! While we are home we will find out the gender of the baby. We can't wait to share with all of you.



Here's the weekly photo ...

I'm pretty sure I was talking when he took this? ....

How far along? 11 weeks, 4 days.

Baby is the size of a: Lime

Total weight gain/loss: +4 lbs.

The Bump: Still nothing major, but it's coming.

Symptoms: Still no morning sickness, but I pee every 15 minutes and I get more and more restless every night.

Food Cravings: Nothing lately. Milk sounds extra good right now, but that's a first.

Sleep: As often as I can, but the tiredness is wearing off.

What I miss: Family and friends ..... aaaaaand the big boy.

Wedding Ring on or off: on, horray!

Any Names Picked Out: Hadley Anna and Michael Nicholas. Alternate names coming soon!

Gender: Counting down to December 5th ...

Movement: Too early to feel.

Maternity Clothes: Maternity pants on sale at the PX .... woohoo!

Labor Signs: N/A

Best Moment of the Week: Nothing major in babyworld happened this week, HOWEVER I did find the perfect stroller and carseat, and right after that, I found the matching bouncer in a thrift store downtown. That was a score!

What we are excited about/looking forward to: Still looking forward to London, finding out the gender of baby Rotundo and visiting family and friends as soon as possible!

 

10 weeks { 4 days }

Sorry people, it's been a wild week so I am a little behind on the weekly photos, but don't worry, we won't let it happen again (or we'll try not too!) This week we had our first appointment with an actual doctor, and we were able to experience our first ultrasound!

Hello Baby Rotundo!
It's still a little too early to find out if it's a boy or a girl, but we will be finding out in about 18 to 20 weeks.

And here is the weekly photo ...

10 weeks! Sorry ya'll .... I was not in the picture taking mood this week! But I promise to take a picture for week 11.

and the promised survey every week ....

How far along? 10 weeks, 2 days

Baby is the size of a: Prune (yuck!)

Total weight gain/loss: +0 lbs

The Bump: A very, Very, VERY small sign of a baby bump is starting to show up.

Symptoms: No morning sickness still ...and unlikely to have any! However, I have been much more tired lately and I have some bitchin' headaches. Oh, the joys of pregnancy!

Food Cravings: Still craving meat and some really buttery popcorn. I think Michael and I might make a trip to the movies tonight just for the popcorn :)

Sleep: All the time! I think I actually stayed up until 9pm 1 days this week, other than that, it's pretty much early bedchecks for me!

What I miss: Still dying for Chipotle and Frisch's. Thank god they have Chipotle in London, but Frisch's will have to wait. BOO!

Wedding Ring on or off: Still on, still too big :(

Any Names Picked Out: Still Hadley Anna for a girl but boy names are debatable. Michael Nicholas obviously still stands but we are considering Bryce Thomas or Tristen Thomas.

Gender: Still too early to tell, hopefully finding out in a few short months though!

Movement: Baby is kicking and apparently can hiccup but it's too early for me to feel anything.

Maternity Clothes: I was checking out some stuff online but they aren't necessary yet!

Labor Signs: No. But the sound of the man singing in the house underneath us sounds like he's in labor (does that count?)

Best Moment of the Week: Our first ultrasound. We got to see baby for the first time!

What we are excited about/looking forward to: Going to London. That's not really baby related but it will be our last single trip before baby arrives so we want to enjoy ourselves!

A Day in Idar-Oberstein

Because Monday is Columbus Day (or something?), Michael has a long weekend. YAY! Lucky for him, he is off from Friday-Monday, which leaves us a little more time than usual to get out and explore our new home and all of the beautiful surroundings.

Originally, we were planning to head to a Medieval festival near Idar-Oberstein, however, once we arrived, the festival was a bit less than we expected so we decided to skip out on the festival and check out downtown Idar, which is beautiful. One of the most unique parts about this small town is that there is a church built directly into the side of a mountain overlooking the entire city! It is also one of the largest cities for jewlery making, so we did a bit of window shopping through the street-market (another really common thing in Germany is street vendors and outdoor markets, FABULOUS!) The entire city is beautiful, with tons of buildings, tunnels, churches and shops to take a look at. Here are some of our pictures of the trip ....

After sightseeing in the wonderful city, we took off to a chinese restuarant that my boss is constantly reccomending, China Dinistie (the weirdest spelling ever!) The restuarant is buffet style chinese, and smelled delicious, however, baby R was not a fan of the food, so Michael was the only one who really got to enjoy the food. It was good while it lasted!

Our next major trip will be traveling to London during late November. We finalized reservations today! We will be sure to post as many pictures as we can possibly take of the UK! Hopefully we'll run into some famous people while we're there!

BOY OR GIRL? YOU CHOOSE!

Living in Germany comes with many great perks and benefits, BUT being away from our families and friends can be difficult ... especially during a major life event ... and having a baby is most definitely a major life event! Not only do our friends and family have to miss out on many of the wonderful memories of this time, but we also have to miss out on having a baby shower. BOO! :(

With the help of my FABULOUS mother, we have been able to tentatively plan something from a distance. I've been looking at some fun idea's for a shower as well, and one of my favorite idea's is the Gender Reveal Party. Michael and I won't be home before we know the gender of the baby, but we will find out WHILE we are home, allowing us to have a gender reveal baby shower! We thought this might be fun because (1) It's not your typical baby shower (2) We don't have to call all 900 people and tell them what the sex of the baby is (your phone bill can get pretttttty high with international calls!) and (3) Most of the items we like for baby are gender neutral, so it could work! Here are some fun idea's I've seen while "Pinning"

 

Tally your loved one's votes and let everybody pick a side! Reward the winning side with a prize!

 

Very cute props! Mustache for boys and Lips for girls!

 

What a fabulous cake! Very gender neutral.

 

What a great party favor. Simply color HE or SHE with a permanent marker.

 

Very cute ideas for decorations and foods!

 

 

Another very, very unique idea I have found was this fabulous guestbook from Guestbookstore.com

With this website, you can order custom guestbook pages for your guests to fill out, instead of just writing the name! What a fun idea! Here is a sample of the pages that can be ordered ....

 

 

HIHO! HIHO! It's off to the doctor we go!

Hello everyone! As promised, we will post every Wednesday with the newest pregnancy timeline picture, and more information about our experience. It is very important to both Michael and myself that you all feel included in this exciting time for us. We want each and every one of our family members and friends to enjoy this experience with us,  no matter how far away we may be. So .... on with the picture!

Exactly 9 weeks today!
I swear one of these days I will remember to dress appropriately for these pictures.

We had our first OBGYN appointment today at Landstuhl (about 45 minutes from Baumholder) and let me tell you, it was an experience. Not so much because of the appointment, but because the post is so large and it is one of the only American hospitals here in Germany. Finding the post wasn't difficult, HOWEVER, once we got through the gate, we were lost (and the gate guard was absolutely no help!) After about 30 minutes of driving in circles and searching building numbers, we finally found the clinic and arrived for our appointmnt ........ 15 minutes late! :( Lucky for us, the staff was very understanding and helpful.

During the appointment, the nurse told us that I am very healthy, with no risks for the baby. Both my red blood cell and white blood cell count is high, iron and calcium levels are good, and overall we are doing a wonderful job taking care of Baby Rotundo! The clinic gave us a ton of information on classes we can take to learn more about parenting, the birth process, and many other things! Because this appointment was strictly informational, no ultrasound. Sorry folks, but next week, October 10th, we have scheduled our first appointment with a Doctor. During this appointment we will see baby for the first time, hear a heartbeat, and learn more about baby's development. We'll be sure to post an ultrasound photo as soon as we get one :)

We've also decided to include a pregnancy survey each week to talk about what we're feeling and experiencing during this time! Here is a survey we (I) found online ....

• How far along? 9 weeks, 0 days
• Baby is the size of a: Grape! Weighing less than 1 ounce
• Total weight gain/loss: +2 lbs!
• The Bump: Nothing significant yet. They estimate me to start showing somewhere between 3 - 4 months, so in a few more weeks I'll be showing some signs of a baby in there!
• Symptoms: No morning sickness still! (Fingers are crossed for that to hold off!) My eating habits have changed as well, I am eating much more than I was before, and finding myself drawn to anything with meat in it (gross!)
• Food Cravings: Like I said before, meat. Sometimes sweets, which is strange because I have never been a big sweet eater, and lots and lots of milk! I've been staying away from deli meats, but sometimes it's pretty difficult to pass subway up.
• Sleep: I've been sleeping a lot lately. Some nights I can go to bed at 6pm and not wake up until 6am the next day!!!! I don't feel overly tired but once we begin to wind down for the day, I feel exhausted!
• What I miss: Nothing yet, except Chipotle and Frisch's .... but that has nothing to do with pregnancy!
• Wedding Ring on or off: On! I doubt I'll ever have to take mine off, since it's already a little too big. Yay!
• Any Names Picked Out: Yes, that was very easy for us! We have picked out 2 boy names and 2 girl names. For a boy - Michael Nicholas III or Abel Thomas. For a girl - Hadley Anna or Kendell Nicole.   * Funny story, Michael's middle name is Nicholas and my middle name is Nicole, so we had to incorporate that in some way!* 
• Gender: Don't know yet. I don't want to find out, but Michael does. We will be able to tell around 20 weeks during our Anatomy Screening. (December 5thish)
• Movement: Too soon to tell!
• Maternity Clothes: Not yet. Hopefully never, but the PX does sell some pretty cute stuff!
• Labor Signs: Good lord I hope not!
• Best Moment of the Week: Our appointment today! Michael told me that he felt much better after our visit to the clinic. After being told I was healthy and baby was doing great made us both feel much better.
• What we are excited about/looking forward to: Our next appointment/First Ultrasound. Michael is also very excited to find out the sex of the baby (he's hoping for a boy!)

The Pregnancy Project

Today I am 8 weeks pregnant, and after much pinning, Michael and I have developed our own little Pregnancy Project (more me, less Michael, but you know what I mean!) We are going to track my pregnancy, week by week, through pictures and a little creativity, of course. Every week I will take a picture next to a white board documenting how many weeks along I am, and what I am experiencing during this week of pregnancy. After all the photo's are complied, we will have a visual timeline of our very first pregnancy, and a wonderful timeline for our family members and friends who can't experience this time with us.

 

So we started this week!

 

During week 8 of pregnancy, I can say that I'm missing chipotle more than ever, and Frisch's is still my favorite place in the world (but not much has changed there!) Our first appointment is October 3rd at Landstuhl, and we will have our first tour of the hospital. We will not be meeting with a doctor, but will be going through processing. After this appointment is complete, we will be ready to schedule our first appointment with an OBGYN, and our first ultrasound will be during our next appointment!!!!! Don't worry family, we get unlimited prints so we will be sure to mail them all home!

 

When I asked Michael how he was feeling within the first 8 weeks of pregnancy, he says "uhhhhh? very excited! but stressed, because I know the stresses of pregnancy are coming soon for you." WHAT A CONSIDERATE BOY!

 

More updates to come soon folks! Love and miss you all!

Baby! Baby! Baby!

Hello all!

It's been quite awhile since Michael and I have posted, however, we've been awfully busy! In the last few weeks, Michael has been playing in a Flag Football Tournament here on post. The final game is this evening. If they win, they will then move on the the championship! Good luck 504 Company!!!! Also, we have been planning a few new travels. We plan to fly to London in October, and visit the Black Forest by the end of this month!

We recently recieved some big news! We are having a baby! We found on on Friday, September 14th that I am 6 weeks and 2 days along. My estimated due date is May 7th, which is my grandfather, Tom's, birthday! As of today, I am 7 weeks and 1 day. We have been attending informational appointments here at Baumholder, and later next week, we will be attending appointments at Landstuhl, the hospital where we will deliver! We will be sure to keep everyone up to date on this exciting news!!!

We love and miss you all, and promise to keep our blog up-to-date!