Michelle Elena

En las ultimas semanas del embarazo me estaba ya muy pesada la barriga, y ademas la nena no paraba de saltar, bailar y estirarse ahi dentro, lo que dolio mucho. Asi que estaba intentando de todo para que saliera ya, pero no habia forma. Nos fuimos a ver el castillo de Seebenstein, a media hora lo menos para arriba en la montana, pero nada.
Una amiga nuestra que es matrona, me dijo una infusion y un baño que se podia preparar con ciertas hierbas para acelerar que viniera. Asi que eso lo empeze, el dia que cumplí, el 17 de agosto. Me hubiera encantado que naciera ese dia, porque es el cumpleaños de mi abuela que se ha muerto el dia 1 de agosto. Bueno, pues el viernes, diecinueve, por la mañana, tiré el tapón mucoso, y a las horas empezé con contracciones muy leves. Pero como las tenía ya antes y despues pararon otra vez, no pensé mucho de ello. Cociné para los misioneros todavia, que vinieron a mediodía, y ya un poquito mas fuerte, pero todavia no creí que fuera a algo. Por la noche desde las 8 o algo ya eran algo mas notables, y ya a las 10 dije que alomejor sería bueno, que mi madre se viniera a dormir, por si acaso, para estar con Lorena y Nerea.
La llamé y dijé que no habia prisa, pero que a lo mejor que se viniese. A los 15 minutos se vinieron ya ella y mi hermana, que estaba con ella en ese momento, para ver si podía hacer algo. En ese momento tenía ya las contracciones algo mas fuerte, pero nada regular. Mi madre dijo, pues iros a ver si hay algo, y sino nos volvieramos otra vez. Asi que a las 11 y media mi hermana nos trajo al hospital y se fue para su casa (tiene 15 minutos de camino). La matrona estaba un poco esceptica cuando le dije que queria ver si estaba ya, porque no habian contracciones regulares, pero como le dije que ya era la tercera, pues nada. En explorarme estaba ya casi de 5 centimetros y me dijo, bueno que empuja muy fuerte, esta.
Las contracciones en ese momento, eran ya para concentrarse o sea, bastante fuertes. Y nada, a lo poco ya tenia ganas de empujar y casi no llegué al paritorio (que era al lado) y 3 empujones y la nena ya salio. Eso era a las 0:09, 40 minutos despues de que hemos entrado por la puerta!
Me era mas facil que con Nerea, la verdad. Me pusieron a la nena enseguida en la barriga y no cortaron el cordón umbilical hasta un buen rato despues.
Cuando JoseCarlos llamó a mi madre y mi hermana que ya estaba el bebe, no se lo podieron creer! Mi hermana no habia llegado a su casa no hace mucho!
La verdad que puedo decir, que para mi, dar a luz es una experiencia única y maravillosa! Me parece increible cada vez que miro a Michelle, que ese ser estaba dentro de mí, que se desarrolló de una semilla pequeñisima, y luego sale una personita!
Solo se puede decir que Dios es grande que nos permite como mujeres compartir con el en la creación de las personas. Y es increíble el amor que se puede tener por esos seres!

Le pusimos Michelle por nombre y por segundo nombre Elena, en honor a mi abuela Helene, que falleció 20 dias antes de conocer a su bisnieta en vida (seguramente se conocieron en el cielo!) y era/es una persona maravillosa y bella, la perfecta abuela!

In the last weeks of pregnancy I was already very uncomfortable, and also the baby would not stop jumping, dancing and stretching in there, which hurt a lot. So I was trying everything to get it out as soon as possible, but there was no way. We went to see the castle Seebenstein, at least half an hour up in the mountains, but nothing.
A friend of ours who is a midwife, told me of an infusion and a bath that could be prepared with certain herbs to speed up the birth. So that's what I started, the day I turned 40 weeks, on 17th of August. I would have loved it if she would have been born that day, because it is the birthday of my grandmother who died on August 1st. Well, on Friday the 19th, in the morning, I threw the mucus plug, and the hours I started with very mild contractions. But as I had that before and afterwards they stopped again, didn´t think much of it. I still cooked for the missionaries, who came at noon, and the contractions were already a little stronger, but still did not think it was anything. At night from 8 or something it was getting a bit stronger, and at 10 I said that might be good that my mom came to sleep just in case, to be with Lorena and Nerea.
I called her and said that there was no hurry, but the best thing was probably to come. 15 minutes later she came with my sister, who was with her at that moment, to see if she could do something. At that time already I had stronger contractions but nothing regular. My mother said, to go anyway to see if there was something going on, and if not we could always go home again. So at 11:30 my sister brought us to the hospital and went home (she has about a 15 minutes drive). The midwife was a bit skeptical when I told her I wanted to see if it was already, because the contractions were´nt regular, but as I said it was the third, she was okay. When she explored me I was nearly 5 cm and she said, that the baby was pushing really hard.
Contractions at the time, were now quite strong. And after a little while I had desire to push already and almost did not get to the delivery room (which was next door) and 3 pushes and the baby was out. That was at 0:09, 40 minutes after we entered the door!
It was easier than with Nerea. I immediately got the baby on the belly and they didn´t cut the umbilical cord until some time later.
When Jose called my mom and my sister to tell them that Michelle was already here, they couldn´t believe it! My sister only just came home!
The truth is that I can say that for me, giving birth is a unique and wonderful experience! I find it amazing every time I look at Michelle, that this being was inside me, that it developed from a tiny seed, and then becomes a little person!
You can only say that God is great that we as women can share with the creation of people. And it's amazing the love that you can have for these creatures!

We put her Michelle by name and for a middle name Elena, in honor of my grandmother Helene, who died 20 days before meeting her great granddaughter in life (probably they met in heaven!) And she was / is a wonderful and beautiful person, a picture-perfect Grandma!

Embarazo / Pregnancy

Pues, ha sido muy largo el camino hasta ahora, por lo malo que siempre me siento en el embarazo. El primer trimestre practicamente pasandolo entre la cama, el sofa y el aseo para ya sabeis. Lo unico que en este embarazo note al bebe la primera vez ya a los 12-13 semanas! El medico no me creia, pero es verdad. Y despues ya me empeze a sentir mejor. Hasta fue a un baile en la capilla y lo pase tan bien que no me creia la mejoria del todo. La comida es lo unico que me frustraba un poquito. No podia comer casi nada que disfrutaba, y comia solo para no pasar angustias. Perdi 4 kilos en los primeros 3 meses y no ganaba nada de peso despues. La gente cada vez mas me decian que hay pastillas que podia tomar para reducir los acidos del estomago (los cuales me impedian comer lo que sea) y al final fue al medico de cabecera y me ponia un simple protector de estomago! Yo estaba asombrada que con eso se me quitaria el problema, y estaba bastante esceptica. Pero empeze a tomarlo y todavia no me deja comer de todo, pero ampliaba mi dieta muchisimo!! Hasta me comi dos boles de tiramisu de fresas ayer (que es mascarpone, nata, fresas y bizcocho-todo cosas que no podia comer antes)!!!!!!!!!! Yupiiiiiii!!!
Me siento muy bendecida con la ciencia que hay hoy en dia y con medicos que se preocupan de verdad y buscan una solucion!
Bueno, al final queda por decir que esperamos nuestra tercera princesa con mucha ansiedad ya, aqui os mando un video de la ecografia en 3D hace un mes aprox.

Well, it has been a long road so far, feeling as bad as I always feel in the pregnancies. The first quarter almost always between the bed, sofa and toilet for you know what. The only thing is that I noticed in this pregnancy the baby the first time 12-13 weeks! The doctor didn't believe me but it's true. And then I started to feel better. I even went to a dance in church and I felt so well that I couldn't believe it. The food is the only thing that frustrated me a bit. I could not eat almost anything to enjoy, and I ate just to avoid being sick. I lost 4 kilos in the first 3 months and after that I gain any weight neither. More and more people told me that there are pills that could be taken to reduce stomach acid (which prevented me from eating anything) and finally went to the family doctor and he put me on simple stomach protector! I was amazed that it would remove the problem, and I was pretty skeptical. But I started taking it and still doesn't let me eat everything, but it expanded my diet so much! I even ate two bowls of strawberry tiramisu yesterday (which is mascarpone, cream, strawberries and cake - all things that I could not eat before )!!!!!!!!!! Yipiiiiiii!
I feel very blessed with the science today and doctors who care for you and seek a solution!
Well, needless to say that we expect our third princess with great anxiety and, here I send you a video of 3D ultrasound from about a month ago.

Bebe / Baby!

Bueno, por fin parece que lo hemos logrado! Despues de mucho intentar y unas perdidas, vamos a tener otro miembro en la familia! Este va a ser otro bebe de verano, nacera para mitades de Agosto y por sentimientos queremos que sea niño. Ademas es lo raro, que con las chicas siempre me venian ideas de nombres de chica y no podiamos elegir un nombre de chico. Y ahora es al revers, todo lo que me viene a la mente son nombres de niño. No se si eso tiene que ver algo, asi que ya veremos lo que va a ser.
Pero estamos ilusionados! Lorena y Nerea ya estan diciendo lo que van a ayudar de cambiarlo y bañarlo y enseñarle a andar, etc! Estan para comerselos! Le ponen musica a la barriga, le dan besitos, para que crezca sano y fuerte!

Well, it seems that we finally made it! After a lot of trying and a few losses, we are going to have another member in the family! This one is a summer-baby too, it will be born in the middle of August and we feel like it's going to be a boy. The funny thing is, that with the girls I could only think of names for girls y we couldn't decide on a boy's name. And now it's just the opposite, the only name I can think of is boy's names. I don't know if that makes sense, so we'll see what it will be.
But we are excited! Lorena and Nerea are already saying, that they're going to help with the changing and the bathing and teaching him to walk, etc! They're so cute! And then they come and put some music for the baby and give kisses on the tummy, so it will grow and be strong enough to come out!

Cumple Nerea / Nerea's birthday

Se que no hemos puesto nada en mucho tiempo, pero ahora me tengo que poner las pilas otra vez. Nerea ya cumplio 3 años y queria una fiesta de Little Einsteins. Asi que nos lo curramos y al final salio bastante bien. Venian muchos amiguitos y el suelo al final estaba cubierto de juguetes y niños.
Gracias Nerea por estar en nuestra vida y ser tan alegre que siempre nos haces reir, aunque estas enfadada!

I know we haven't been very good lately in updating this blog, but I want to start again. Nerea turned 3 the other day and wanted a Little Einsteins party (which is pretty hard over here I found out, because in the stores they don't have a lot of things). But we crafted up a few things and in the end it turned out pretty good I think. A lot of friends came and in the end the floor was filled with presents of new toys and kids.
Thank you Nerea for being in our family and for being you, always making laugh, although you're mad!

Excursion con los ponies / Ward-outing with ponies

Como una chica del barrio tiene dos ponies y los tiene en un establo en medio del bosque verde precioso que hay alrededor de Viena, nos invito a pasear con ella. El tiempo estaba medio que pero pasamos un buen rato y los ninos ni te digo. Disfrutaron mucho turnandose subir a los ponies o correr por todas partes. Jose Carlos lo paso bien tambien, hasta el momento que le dije que habian garrabatas aqui que mordian a los humanos y hay que ponerse proteccion (normalmente hay que vacunarse, pero no lo hemos hecho todavia), entonces ya no le gusto tanto. Pero bueno, pocas veces pasa que te muerden. :)

One of the girls in our ward has 2 ponies and her stable is in the middle of the forest around Viena, and so she invited us to ride with her for an afternoon. The wheather was a bit funny, but it was ok and the kids had a good time anyway. They had fun taking turns riding on the ponies and running around. Jose had a good time too, until I told him that there were ticks that bit people (and not just animals) and that we should put on some protection (normally you would get vaccinated, but we didn't do it yet). Then he didn't like it that much anymore! :) But oh well, it doesn't happen that often.