22 Weeks...18 to go!

I am now 22 weeks pregnant and I feel great! This is the best I have felt since week 5. I have more energy during the day, I am not feeling nauseated and eating is quite enjoyable lately. The energy is coming from finally getting active again. Now that I feel good, I can actually do some exercising. Our school is doing a Fit Challenge right now and I love it! It is exactly what I needed to get my butt in gear. The goal is to get 10, 000 steps a day or 70,000 steps a week. I use to come home from work and nap or just lay around. Now, I come home and walk. The challenge keeps me motivated and makes me want to walk. I started slow with just walking the perimeter of our compound once. According to my Nike app that is about 1.7 miles around. The next day I did 2 laps and then even walked 3 times around (more than 5 miles) a few times. It has gotten cold the last few days so I moved to the indoor track, but am still walking at least 3 miles. It has also been nice seeing friends out and about and joining them. The more you talk, the faster it goes by. I met my goal last week and was so proud of myself. I am hoping to do the same this week. We get tickets according to how much you walk and then we are entered into a drawing for prizes, which is extra motivation. It has really been wonderful and the timing could not have been better. Travis runs in the mornings, walks a ton throughout the day at work and goes for walks with me most days after school. Needless to say, he has a lot of steps each day!

Here I am at 22 weeks. Belly is growing, baby is moving, I am feeling good and loving it right now!

21 Week photo:

It has been two weeks since my last post, so I will fill you in on what has been happening over here in Riyadh. I really can't believe it has been two weeks already. This year is flying by! Anyways... shortly after we returned to the magic Kingdom, I got sick. It was just a cold, but it hit hard. The combination of being pregnant, having jet lag and getting sick was terrible. I was quite miserable. I had to leave work early one day and then took the next day off. It took a while to get over the cold and am feeling pretty normal now. I really hope I do not get sick again for a while! I went through so many tissues and drank a ton of hot lemon, honey water. 

I also did some shopping. When living on a compound, it is easy to get stuck here and not leave for a week, sometimes longer. I often feel like I want to stay here and don't want to go into the outside world. However, every time I leave, I feel better. I feel like a normal person. The first weekend we were back, I went shopping with two girlfriends, Tracy and Josiane. We all needed to get a gown for the AIS-R Black Tie Gala that was the next weekend. We had a great time shopping and eating. It was a nice girl's day out. We even got to try on clothes at the mall! Here in Saudi that is not normal. At most places you have to buy clothes, try them on outside of the store at special designated areas and then return them if you don't like them. We went to Kingdom mall though, and they have a special floor dedicated just to women, so you are allowed to try on clothes right in the store in a normal dressing room. It was great! We tried on loads of dresses and were very successful finding what we needed and wanted. 

Then the next weekend was the Gala. It was on a Thursday night after work and I was worried that I would be really tired. The night ended up being fantastic! The event was outside at the British Embassy and the weather cooperated. It was not too cold and we stayed warm by dancing! The evening included a four course meal catered by The Four Seasons Hotel. The food was amazing. I had such a great time. After, we were invited to the British Ambassador's house. His wife is our high school principal, so she asked us to stay a bit longer. We didn't end up getting home until 2am! I was really proud that I made it so late. I was doing really well until about 1am and then I pretty much demanded that we go home. Everyone understood and we ended the night. Travis and I slept until 11am the next morning! It was so nice. We need to sleep in while we can!

Here is a picture of a picture of us at the Gala. You cannot take photos inside the embassies so this is all we have of the evening.

Other than that, Travis has been golfing with some other men and is loving that he can do that year round. We continue to be busy with school, but are settling into some routine now. This weekend we are going to Bahrain for some professional development. The next two months are really busy at work. It will be April before we know it and then May and then baby girl Klump will be here! We can't wait!

Mama and Baby this week:

• Mama feels great!
• Mama can feel baby girl move!
• Mama is craving fruit, tomatoes with salt, ice cream and pasta.
• Baby has eyebrows and eyelashes (and probably a lot if she is like daddy!).
• Baby is developing her sense of touch.
• Baby's sense of sight is also improving. She can sense light if we shine a flashlight on my belly (this is crazy to us!).
• Baby is over 1 pound now and 10-12 inches long.
• Baby is the size of an ear of corn.

Hello 2015!

It’s unbelievable to me that it is now 2015! That sounds just crazy. When I reflect on 2014, I can’t help but smile. It was such an amazing year for both Travis and me. We started the year in Shanghai, and we definitely lived up those last few months there! I love looking back at pictures. It makes me smile and cry at the same time. I enjoyed those last days and told myself to look ahead and that I would never go back. But, just last night I was telling Travis that we should take a trip there next year! I couldn’t believe those words came out of my mouth. I thought it would be perfect though, since we will still have a few friends there, we can eat all the amazing food we miss and shop til I drop once again! Anyway, then came summer 2014, a fantastic break at home. We spent endless hours on the lake and with family and friends. My favorite part was buying our own home! I can’t wait to spend time there this coming summer. Then we started a new chapter of our lives in Riyadh at a new school. Finally, we learned we were having a baby! It truly was an amazing year!

It ended on a high note with this Christmas break. We headed home for the quick two weeks. The time we spent with family was awesome! We had numerous family gatherings and even more shopping trips. It went by a little too quickly for me though and I had quite a meltdown as we began to pack. It was the worst packing up and leaving for me to date. When we first left for China I was a mess too, but not like this. I cried the night before as we packed (and maybe yelled a little too!). I cried the morning of leaving, in the car and of course at the airport as I hugged my mom and told her I would see her in a few months. I don’t know if it’s because I still have not fully adjusted to life in Saudi, my pregnancy or both, but it was SO hard!

So here we are in 2015 and I am halfway through my pregnancy. It feels like I just found out I was pregnant and at the same time I feel like I have been pregnant forever! I love the attention of being pregnant and at times I feel like a celebrity. However, I am really looking forward to May when we meet this sweet baby.

Here is my 20 week bump, she is growing and growing!

I realize I am way behind with pictures! I do not have an 18 week picture, but I do have a 19 week one. Here it is. I should really learn to stand facing the same direction each time!

In other news, Travis spent a lot of time at our little blue lake house over the break. We made a lot of (unplanned) decisions and he worked on the demolition of a lot of it. One reason we picked this house was because we didn’t have much to change. It was fine how it was. We just wanted to update it a bit. Well, as you can see from the pictures, we have changed our minds a bit. We are changing EVERYTHING, including the siding. So our little BLUE lake house will not be blue anymore! Here is a little peek at what is happening.

 French doors moved to bedroom wall (there is also a window on either side of the doors now) and the screened porch is now a part of our living room and has the amazing new door wall that takes up the whole wall!

 Three new (reused) windows added to the side of the house for more of a lake view from the living room. That green is what was under the siding they removed. The new color will be tan.

This is inside the living room, looking out to the lake. All the drywall was ripped out.

We cannot wait to see the finished product in June (or July, depending on baby girl)! So that is all for now, until next week…

Mama and Baby this week:

• Mama’s belly and boobs have taken over her body.
• Mama craves fruit, juice, ice cream and sour candies.
•  Mama has LOTS of new clothes!
• Baby has LOTS of new stuff too!
• Baby is not kicking mama yet.
• Baby is more than 6 inches (10 inches from head to toe!) and is the size of a mango (YUM!).
• Baby weighs 10 ounces.
• Baby is developing more layers of skin.
• Baby girl’s uterus is fully formed and her ovaries are holding 7 million primitive eggs.

Blue or Pink, what do you think????

Week 17

December 15, 2014

Since I learned I was pregnant I have felt like baby Klump is a girl. I’m wearing a pink shirt in this picture (taken before the doctor’s appointment) because I am thinking pink! I really don’t know why. I have never had a dream about it, like most do. I think I am just afraid to have a boy. I have many nephews and they are definitely movers! Girls seem a little less crazy, except for my niece Emily. She never stopped moving when she was young! I also think I want to be like three of my older sisters. They all had a girl first. And now, my sister in law Marcie just had a little girl, so I have been hoping that little Addie won’t be alone with all the Klump boys. So, blue or pink, what do you think???? Keep reading to find out.

This last week has been a mix of feeling good and feeling not so good. Generally, I am not sick. However, mornings are pretty rough again. I wake up really hungry and when I wait too long to eat, I get really nauseated and feel like I am going to get sick. Then, breakfast takes forever to finish. I have found that I need to eat at least every 3 hours and now I need to eat a little more than I used to eat. Meals and snacks are becoming a little bigger, just in time for Christmas! My belly continues to grow and every night it feels like it doubled in size from the morning. I can’t wait to get to America and eat Jet’s pizza, bacon, sausage and home cooked food!!!

Here I am at 17 weeks:

Today we went to the doctors. I have been patiently (or impatiently) waiting for this appointment for five weeks! I love to be planned, prepared and organized. I always knew that I would want to know the sex of the baby ASAP! So today was really exciting for both us. We had boy and girl names picked out, well, narrowed down to a few favorites. Now we know that Baby Klump is a…

 Girl! I knew it! Travis had to run to the grocery store tonight and found this balloon. :)

Other than baby news, we have had a lot of holiday celebrations this week. Last Wednesday I had my book club Christmas dinner and book exchange. It was held at the high school principal’s home on the British Embassy. We sat outside talking, eating and exchanging Kindle books. It was such a great night! Then Thursday Travis and I went to our friend Marcelle’s house with Tracy, Ian, Allison and Derrick for a delicious Christmas dinner there. I ate so much, my stomach hurt. Friday was our staff winter party back at the British Embassy. It was amazing food, great entertainment (teachers dancing) and perfect company. Saturday was another party filled with some amazing food at our friend Josiane’s home. We played games, ate and had a gift exchange. Finally, Sunday I went to our friends’ Liz and Jon’s house for some Christmas caroling. It was a really great night. I just love this time of year and can’t wait to make more memories in Michigan.

Maher, Marcelle, Tracy, Ian, Travis, Christy, Derrick and Allison

Staff Winter Party

Tracy and I ready to go to the staff party!

Mama and Baby this week:

• Mama has a bigger belly and it makes getting comfy at night a little more difficult now.
• Mama craves fruit, cheese bread, cupcakes, hot chocolate and cheeseburgers (thanks Laurie!).
• Mama gets needs to start exercising again! She gets out of breath way too often!
• Baby is a girl!
• Baby is slightly more than 5 inches and is the size of a pomegranate.
• Baby’s cartilage is hardening into bones now.
• Baby is practicing sucking and swallowing.
• Baby girl has a ovaries full of eggs already.

16 Week Update

It’s been a while since my last update. I’ve been trying so hard to do one each week, but by the time I went to write the week 15 update, it was closer to week 16. I decided to just combine them. A lot has happened over the last two weeks. We have been really busy with fun stuff and work stuff. Here is a little recap of that time.

First, I am feeling really good lately. I eat more and sleep a little less. My belly is growing and my pants were not fitting. Luckily, Krystle has let me borrow lots of clothes! It was so much fun trying it all on last weekend. The jeans are my favorite! I feel like I will never want to wear regular jeans again!

Today Travis and I were supposed to head to the doctors and hopefully find out the sex of baby Klump. However, Travis was unable to come with me. Luckily the doctor allowed us to reschedule to next Monday. I will be further along, which makes it a better chance of seeing boy or girl parts! And of course, Travis will be with me. I really wanted him to come to all the appointments. I am really happy it all worked out. Stay tuned to next week’s update to find out if baby will be wearing pink or blue!

Here I am at 16 weeks:

On to life in Riyadh…Thanksgiving this year also happened to be UN Day at school. It was a great combination of one of my favorite American holidays and my favorite international day. I went to school all dressed in my American clothes and colors and enjoyed seeing some of my students dressed up in their home country traditional clothing. The big celebration was planned to be outside. But, just as school was starting, the sky was darkening. Before we knew it, the desert looked more like a rain forest! It was pouring rain and the pavement started to flood quickly. It was only one hour until the celebration was supposed to begin. It didn’t look like it was going to happen. However, the rain stopped fairly quickly and the amazing workers cleaned up the water, put out new rugs and had it ready for the school almost on time. It was amazing! We heard speakers, watched dancers and sang Wave Your Flag! My eyes filled with tears many times. I always cry when I see so many different cultures in one place. It’s one of my favorite things about living and working abroad. You learn so much and see such pride. It was an amazing morning!

That evening we celebrated Thanksgiving with some friends. The food and company were perfect. It’s hard being away from family during the holidays. Luckily, when you teach abroad, everyone is away from family so we celebrate with our new ‘framily’ (friends that are your family abroad). We had a bird, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, salad and pumpkin cookies for dessert. When the night was over, my belly and heart were full. It was a perfect evening.

The celebrating didn’t stop there though. Saturday was the Turkey Trot and AIS-R Thanksgiving celebration. Travis and I woke up early to head over to the race area on the compound. The social committee planned, organized and set up the route for us. You could choose a 2.5K, 5K or 10K. When I signed up I thought I could do the 5K since I have been running for a few years now. However, between working a lot, sleeping a lot and feeling sick a lot, I haven’t run in a LONG time. I was still hopeful that I could jog and walk the 5K. After the half way mark, you could stop or keep going. I decided the 2.5K was enough for me. I jogged almost the whole thing, so I was happy. Shortly after I finished, Travis finished his 5K. It was a fun morning. 

Later in the evening we had a big celebration with a lot of teachers on our compound. The school provided the turkey and stuffing and everyone brought a dish to share. It was honestly some of the best food I have ever eaten! It was such a good time.

Then things got REALLY busy at work. I may or may not have had a few break downs… This time of year is always crazy, but being at a new school makes it even crazier. We are trying to finish up many assessments, grades and report cards. I was really overwhelmed at first and didn’t think I could possibly get it all done. Once I calmed down, I prioritized and planned out how I was going to get it all finished on time. I am impressed with how much work I have done and I am no longer stressed. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!!! Ten more days and we will be in Michigan!

In other fun news, it was also Krystle’s birthday last week. We decided to do a little mini celebration on the actual day, December 3. Travis and our friends the Jeffersons always bowl on Wednesdays and we all wanted to help Krystle have some fun that day. So we all went up to the bowling alley (on our compound). Krystle and I did a little bowling. We ate some food and then went to Tracy and Ian’s house to eat some cake. It was a fun night. Then Friday night we went to the Winter’s house for some more celebrating.

That’s it for us. A new update will be coming next week…ballet shoes or soccer cleats????

Mama and Baby this week:

• Mama has a bit of a belly and maternity pants make her happy!
• Mama is feeling SO MUCH better now! Certain foods are exciting to eat again and I feel like I have more energy.
• Mama craves fruit, juices, cheese bread and salad.
• Mama gets headaches and dizzy sometimes.
• Baby is nearly 5 inches and is the size of an avocado.
• Baby hears external voices. I should really sing more often now!
• Baby sleeps and dreams.
• Baby knows how to breathe.

Week 14 & life in Riyadh

Week 14

November 24, 2014

It’s officially the second trimester! Can I get a woot, woot!?!?! I am still not feeling great everyday, but there are many more good days than bad now. Everything I have read says that this is the trimester that is the best. Supposedly I get more energy, nausea continues to retreat and my belly won’t get that big yet. Sounds great to me!

Here is what’s happening this week…My pants don’t fit, nope, not at all. I cannot zip them all the way up. I rely on hair ties and belly bands. Luckily, I do have some work pants that I bought this summer that are bigger, so those fit. I am looking forward to getting some maternity pants and jeans over the Christmas vacation so I can really be comfy and can look a little better.

Some days I definitely have more energy than others. This weekend was busy and I was able to stay up past 10:00! That is a first since September. However, last night I was in bed by 8:15. These last few months have really worn me out. I have never been so exhausted in my life. I know most of it has to do with growing a baby, but I have also not worked this hard in my life! This school year has been a lot more difficult than past years. So, needless to say, I am looking forward to Christmas Vacation!!! Luckily, I don’t have to wait long. Three weeks from Wednesday we will be on a plane headed to snowy Detroit! Hopefully it will be just a little snowy. I don’t want to jinx it like I did last year. 

In other news, our home is starting to feel much more like MY home now! This past weekend Travis and I did some shopping and decorating. We went to IKEA Thursday night, which is always a treat! I will NEVER, absolutely NEVER go there on a Thursday night again. First, it took us an hour and a half to get there! This was because we missed one turn and then it takes FOREVER to be able to turn around and get to where you meant to go, there was a ton of traffic, we missed the exit and had to go to the next one and then there was a grand opening at a store near by so there were cars everywhere. Then, once we got inside it was a zoo! I have never seen more people in one store. You could barely walk. It was so frustrating. When it was all said and done, round trip was a 4-hour adventure. We managed to get a new coffee table, end table and TV stand though. I guess it was worth it. Then Friday night we went to the Clock Tower Market. Another teacher and her husband took us. It was a great trip. It reminded us of markets in Asia, but nicer and more expensive. We bought a dining room table cloth, pillow covers and I got a new Pashmina. It was great! Travis and our neighbor Ian then put together our tables from IKEA that night. The next day we decorated for Christmas. I love being home now. It is so cozy and comfortable. It took a while to get there, but it feels good!

We also had the International Festival at school this weekend. This was similar to the International Food Festival we use to have at SCIS, which was my favorite day of the year! This festival had less food from different countries, but did have some shopping. It also had some great entertainment. It was a lot of fun.

That’s all from over here in Riyadh. I hope all those that celebrate have a great Thanksgiving! I am looking forward to the fun we will have here.

Mama and Baby this week:

·      Mama’s pants no longer fit!

·      Mama still hates eating breakfast and loves eating in the middle of the day the most.

·      Mama still craves fruit and juices a lot!

·      Mama gets heartburn sometimes, headaches often and gets dizzy sometimes.

·      Baby is the size of a lemon or beet (3 ½ inches).

·      Baby has fur-like lanugo covering most of her body to keep her warm.

·      Baby’s weight has doubled since last week!

Week 13

Week 13

November 18, 2014

For those of you just finding out about Baby Klump, I have been writing an update each week. I write about how I am feeling, what I am doing and what is happening with the baby. Quick catch up- to say that we were excited when we found out we had a baby on board is an understatement! We are beyond thrilled for this new adventure. Each week I will write a post to tell you all about what is happening. So if you are interested, check back weekly. It is hard to be so far away from our family and many friends during this exciting time. Because of that, I thought weekly updates would help everyone understand the fun stuff and everything else that comes along with pregnancy. Be happy you are tuning in now. The first trimester was FULL of whining and complaining about how sick I felt. :)

I am officially in my last week of the first trimester and feeling pretty good. First, I feel like I have a LITTLE more energy. I asked Travis if he thought I was staying up later and he said no, but I totally disagree. I have stayed up until after 9pm a few times lately! This is a huge improvement because I was falling asleep after school and then again on the couch at around 7:45 each evening! I never knew I could sleep so much. Also, nausea has definitely gone down a lot. I am still eating every 2-3 hours and so far I am good. A friend here in Riyadh also shared a little treat called Preggie Pops. Those help in the mornings when I don’t want to eat breakfast.

The highlight of this week was our exciting weekend in Jordan. I cannot wait to tell you that story! That will have to be it’s own post though. You should look forward to hearing about me crying hysterically at the airport, yelling at Travis at the airport, freaking out about a 3 hour drive because I pee every 5 seconds, holding on to my uterus with one hand and holding the “truck” we drove in with the other hand, mountain climbing, floating in the Dead Sea and overeating! It was a great weekend. I will write that post this weekend.

So that is really it for this week. The real story will come with the Jordan post…stay tuned!

Mama and Baby this week:

·      Mama continues to feel better!

·      Mama still eats a salad after school almost everyday.

·      Mama craves fruit and juices a lot!

·      Mama’s pants are getting VERY tight and uncomfortable!

·      Baby is the size of a peach.

·      Baby has tiny bones forming in his or her arms and legs.

·      Baby’s body is trying to catch up with the size of his or her head!

Only in Saudi...

Or that is what I think anyway. I could be totally wrong, but the two things I am writing about today probably couldn't happen anywhere else. If they can, let me know. I am curious to know if there are other countries as strict as Saudi.

The Bank

We are not in America anymore...Here is my story about going to the bank for the first time. All new hires are taken to the bank, two at a time. Our HR director can't go with women because we have a different door and section. So, his secretary took us. We ended up leaving later than expected and it was a bit of a drive. Once we got there, I was just shocked. I don't know how or why I still get surprised by these things, but it is just so out of my 'ordinary'. We walked in through a back door and up some stairs to the Ladies only section of the bank. It was just so bizarre. Only women in this area. Why? I don't understand why women can go to the same stores as men, covered, but not the bank. If someone knows, fill me in! :) In addition to this, the workers were not covered. They were wearing regular everyday work clothes. Their hair was not covered either. However, all the customers were wearing their Abayas. It was very odd and not what I was expecting. Something else to get use to I suppose. It's the little things that I miss right now, like wearing my clothes and not an abaya, to go out.

My First Restaurant Trip

I finally went out to eat! Yes, we have been here for almost two months and it was my first trip to a restaurant. We have had take out, but I have not ventured to a restaurant until now. One of our staff members that is Lebanese set up a girls night out to go to a Lebanese restaurant. We all met at the parking lot of school, put on our abayas and set out for the evening. It was a fun bus ride, chit chatting with friends. The restaurant was a little farther out since we live in the middle of nowhere. Once we got there, I felt like I was somewhere totally different. The street, which I now call restaurant road, was beautiful! There were palm trees that lined the middle of the road, lit at night by colored lights. The buildings were all new, clean and gorgeous! There were so many restaurants on the road. I can't wait to go back! Getting back to dinner now...As women, we again entered through a back door for the family section. In Riyadh there are men only sections and family sections. Within the family section there are also curtained tables so that women can uncover their faces as they eat with their families. All of us ladies sat at an open table and dined with our abayas on. That was very strange! However, the food was delicious! Also, there is no alcohol so you get asked if you want some juice. I had a mint lemonade that was fantastic. I ate so much I felt sick. It was some of the best food I have ever had. Amazing!

So, I just wanted to paint a few more pictures of what life is like over here in Riyadh. As fall sets in, I am feeling a little homesick. I always loved the fall in Michigan. It is still about 100 degrees here everyday. I look forward to the cool down, which is supposed to come in November. I also miss rain. I don't want a lot, just one day with one thunderstorm. I am not quite sure I will get that! :)

In other travel news, we cancelled our trip to Ethiopia and are officially on our first staycation in 5 years! We plan to relax, go out to eat, have some pool time and hit the malls and markets. It should be a nice week of sleeping in! We have also booked a trip to Jordan in November. We have a three day weekend, so we are going to Petra. I cannot wait! We will be going home for Christmas, which I am also looking forward to. Travis will be able to work on the lake house a bit and I can hang with my mom, sisters and friends! Then we booked a trip to Byblos, Lebanon in February for a long weekend.

The year is already flying by! I can't believe Christmas is only 2 1/2 months away. I am ready to sing Christmas songs and make cookies. ;)

That's all for now.
Christy