Sophia reading in the baby's room

Sophia reading in the baby's room
Video sent by moyamz

Sophia has been enjoying exploring the books that are now in the baby's room. Yesterday I found her very comfortable on the couch, making up her own stories to the books that she used to know by heart. She asks almost every day if the baby is going to come, but I'm not sure if that is because she wants to have a new sister, or if she is just looking forward to Nana & Papa coming back!

Happy St Patricks Day!

We actually spent early yesterday afternoon at the St Patricks Day festival - and parade - before the rain hit later in the day. It was amazing to see people lining the streets drinking Guiness out of GLASS pint glasses... I bought a beer for Troy, and had a couple of celebratory sips as we heard the pipe bands coming down Leopoldstrasse. It was quite a small parade, ending at Odeonsplatz, with Bishop Patrick leading the way.

I got a bit teary eyed when all of the pipers gathered in the square, but it was such a large space, that for once the children around us didn't cry - Not even Sophia!

Baby Z update...

We met with the dr at the Frauenklinik today, and it looks like it will be an efficient, but slightly different birth experience compared to our experience at Swedish in Seattle.



2 big issues for me:



1- The doctor said since I have already been "stretched" that I would most likely not require an epidural. (Can you hear me screaming with the thought of the pain already!)



2- Group rooms. There are some private rooms at the hospital, but for the most part I will always have at least 1 room mate. I know that as an American, I have a slightly puritanical (prudish) view of privacy in comparison to the rest of the world. However, I don't really think that my reaction to this news is outside of the ordinary if the thought of being kept awake by my own newborn at 3 in the morning doesn't fill me with a slight panic - given that I'm not sleeping really well right now anyway - the thought of being kept awake by someone elses child sends me a little bonkers... So we will see. If there is a room available, it is an extra 50 euro per night. Sleep will be worth every penny.



So, onto other news, the baby is growing well. Estimated to be almost 5 lbs at this point, with just under 5 weeks to go. She is amazingly active, and quite strong, so that when she moves and gets the hiccups it is such a surprise, and literally takes my breath away.

She has very bony feet, and loves pushing off of my ribs, which causes her to shoot down onto my bladder.

Her favorite thing to do when I lay down to go to bed is push & kick against the mattress. If I flip to the other side, so does she... She also has the hiccups almost every night.



Sophia is getting very excited to be a big sister. We have been reading lots of books trying to get the mindset ready, but she is just really looking forward to "playing" with her sister. She walked around all afternoon with a pacifier in her mouth (you know the british call them dummies?!), and crawling like a baby. It lasted until she started rolling around & slammed the back of her head on the hardwood floors as she rolled over. After that she decided riding her bike in the hall was much more fun!