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Jan 23, 2015

Round Two




Yep, we're having another baby.  I know, I know...we already have a baby! But she's getting so tall and losing some of her delicious chub and is this close to walking, she's practically a toddler.  We were so excited when we found out in November that we are going to be blessed with another little person to raise and love.  Eleanor and her younger sib will be seventeen months apart--baby's due July 12--and anytime I start to feel overwhelmed at the narrow age gap, I remind myself how lucky we are to be capable of having these kiddos. So many families struggle with infertility or loss or are waiting to adopt.  I'm so incredibly thankful to have a healthy girl and, so far, a healthy pregnancy.

The baby will be born here in Scotland.  Neal's dissertation is due in August, but graduation isn't until October.  Our visas are valid until next January.  So we have some wiggle-room on when we'll head back to the States.  I think it will mainly depend on Neal landing a job back home.  He can work here full-time once he submits his dissertation, so that's reassuring.  When we moved here, we registered with the NHS.  So far, our experience with the health system has been great.  Eleanor was able to stay on her US vaccination schedule (it's just slightly different than the UK's) and I have been seeing a midwife.  I loved my OB back in Kansas, but the midwives here have been so thorough and informative and their bedside manner has really impressed me.  I have the option of having a home birth, going to a birthing center, or having the baby in hospital.  I'm 110% sure home birthing isn't my cup of tea, and I want to make sure that I'll have access to an epidural (I had an amazing experience with Eleanor...I know every labor + delivery is different, but after my epidural, I took a nap, relaxed, and voila! my baby was here!), so I'll be going to the hospital. It's called the 'Royal Infirmary', which just sounds so fancy.  I pictured the headboards of the hospital beds to be dipped in gold and majestic tapestries hanging in the doorways...but my friends who work there tell me otherwise.

Several people have asked me if the baby will have dual citizenship, and I'm almost positive the answer is 'no', as neither Neal or I are British.  But of course I'll ask about it when I get in touch with the US Embassy, because that would be awesome.  I have a friend who's American and has had two children in Edinburgh (her husband is English, so both of their kids have dual citizenship, as do she and her husband. SO JEALOUS. they can move back and forth whenever they please), and she said the process to get babies a social security number/American birth certificate/passport through the Embassy is quick and easy.

I am 16 weeks along, and this pregnancy has already been sooo much easier than my first.  I've had some occasional morning sickness, but it was so mild compared to round one. Now that I'm in the second trimester, I'm enjoying the wonderful feeling of increased energy and excitement that this really is happening. I've even felt a 'nudge nudge' from the little guy or gal every now and then.  The hardest thing about being pregnant here is that I have unsatiable cravings...Cafe Rio, Chick Fil A, and frosted animal crackers to name a very few, but it's probably a good thing I don't have access to those dangerous foods.

One craving I've been feeding aplenty--probably an unhealthy amount--is vinegar.  I make this salad (minus chickpeas, add feta) every day for lunch.  I start chopping the veggies and make the dressing around 10AM so it can soak for about an hour before I eat it (I've deemed 11AM as the earliest socially acceptable lunchtime), and the more vinegar, the better. I switch between cider/red wine vinegar for that recipe, and prefer dill over oregano.  We've also made salad for dinner two-three times a week so I can get some more vinaigrette-y goodness, but I haven't found a recipe for dressing that I absolutely love.  It's so hard to weed through the beautiful Pinterest photography and find recipes that actually taste as good as they look.  So if you have a to-die-for recipe for a vinegar-based dressing, send it my way, please and thank you! Also, salt and vinegar Pringles have been my go-to snack, but I think I caused permanent damage to my lips the other day when I ate one too many in a very short time span. 

Been hanging out in this aisle a lot lately...there's one of each in our cabinet right now.  #truth
 We are so stoked to have another baby to squeeze. A big thanks to all our friends and family who have been so supportive and excited for us...we couldn't do it without you! (PS--if you are a Lutz and didn't catch the encrypted announcement in Neal's last family letter, I told him it was way too subtle, so don't feel bad. He thinks he's so clever. ;))


1 comment:

  1. This salad is awesome!http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/chicken-bacon-avocado-chopped-salad/ Lots of healthy fats and flavor! Or you could become a stereotypical pregnant woman and buy jars of pickles and sauerkraut. As for the Cafe Rio:http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/06/my-cafe-rio-favorites-all-in-one-place.html

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