Park at Your Own Risk

Well...since I last blogged, I had my BABY!!! He was 9 days late but worth every minute of the wait. I will blog soon about giving birth in Switzerland. I imagine it is mostly the same as the USA, except for all the German. More to come on that soon.

Back to the topic at hand.

When we first moved to Basel, we rented a car. It was a silver Mercedes SUV-type car that I had never seen in the States. It was really nothing fancy (even the garbage trucks here are Mercedes). We rented the car for a month and on this particular weekend, we were scheduled to return it to the airport on Sunday. The Wednesday before, my hubby was traveling and I had been out running errands and parked the car on the street. That was the last day I drove the car that week since I mostly take the tram around town.

Michael came home on Saturday and we had a cultural training taking place at our home. This woman was American and so great. We talked all morning about cultural values and customs in Switzerland and then decided to walk to the corner restaurant for lunch. On our way home, we walked by where I had parked the car...but there was no car. I did a double take and then kept looking over my shoulder back at where I thought I had parked the car. Finally I said something to the effect of "I think I parked the car there on Wednesday but it's gone." This led to my hubby asking me a million times if I was sure. Now, at this point I'm 36 weeks pregnant so I was pretty sure but the pregnant brain being what it is, I began to doubt myself.

Michael walked all over the neighborhood looking for the car and even checked our parking space in the garage. No car. The cultural trainer looked at where I parked and said it was perfectly legal to leave the car there and so there would be no reason to tow it. Finally, Michael hopped on the tram and went to the Police station to report the car missing. They made him drive around with them for 2 hours in the neighborhood looking for the car. Finally they received a call that there had been a bad accident that morning and the car was hit!!! The car was totaled and towed. So crazy. I was just thankful that I didn't lose the car. :-)

That was accident #1.

So, we got a new rental car (we're still waiting for our car to be ready) and yesterday I grab the baby (hah hah. It took an hour to get out of the house) and head to the bordering town in France to pick up my hubby's dry cleaning (it's cheaper there). I am parked in a space on the street. I put the dry cleaning on the left side of the car (facing the street) and go around to the other side and strap baby J in his car seat. On the way to the driver's seat I notice that the dry cleaning was not hanging straight and I, not wanting it to get wrinkled, open the door to straighten it. As I am halfway in the car straightening this dry cleaning, A CAR HITS MY DOOR!!!! Come on people. This is killing me.

Of course I am in France where no one speaks English and I am 2 weeks postpartum. I will skip all the drama but let's just say there were a lot of tears, a realization that I left my cell phone at the dry cleaners, a tearful call to my husband and another realization that my car key fell off my key chain while I was getting the baby situated. It was not the best hour of my life.

That was accident #2

The most amazing part of this all is in both accidents the car was parked!! I was not even driving. My friend joked that I am safer behind the wheel than parked on the street. It sounds crazy but at this rate, it's true. Today I just have to laugh about it and be thankful no one was hurt. I hope we have better luck with rental car #3!

My Fairy Mother-in-Law Has Arrived!

It was about a month from my due date and my hubby and I head to the hospital for a check up and to meet our delivery doctor. Unfortunately, she got called into emergency surgery but we met another very nice doctor who talked to us about our wishes for labor (Switzerland is awesome in this regard. You can basically do whatever you want!), who to call when labor begins, where to go and on and on. My hubby pops in and out for a few work calls (typical) and returns to ask some pointed questions about when our little babe will arrive.

Husband: So, most first babies are born after their due date, right?

Doctor: Some are yes, but there is no way to know.

Husband: But if she went into labor right now you could stop it right?

Doctor: The baby is full term so we wouldn't stop labor at this point.

Husband: Well, first births typically take longer, right? So if I'm out of the country (within Europe) I'll have time to fly back and make the birth.

Doctor: First babies typically take longer but I delivered a first baby the other day and the woman was only in labor for 3 hours. There is just no way to know.

I could see the panic set in. This big belly of mine could potentially produce a baby any time now but my hubby still had a week long trip planned for work. Me giving birth alone in a country where we've lived for 8 weeks was just not an option. So, after much discussion, my husband called his mom and asked her to come stay and babysit me for 10 days so he could meet his work responsibilities and know that I would be taken care of. And let me tell you, this woman has taken care of me!

She arrived last Friday morning and immediately got to work in the house. She unpacked box after box after box until yesterday afternoon the boxes were no more. She spent last night hemming curtains that were unfinished and I awoke this morning to her loading the elevator with boxes that needed to go down to our storage room. She has cooked dinner every night and a dirty dish has not sat in the sink for longer than 2 minutes.

The help has been truly amazing. There was no way what my head wanted to get done and what my body could actually do was going to happen but now it's a possibility and for this I am truly, truly thankful. But more than that, I have really enjoyed her company. This is a woman who has lived a life much like mine is turning out to be. She gave up her career and left all of her friends so her husband could be successful then made the best life for herself and her family while doing so. It is a complicated journey that is judged by some. It can be filled with the deepest loneliness and the greatest fulfillment one can experience all at the same time. We began working at 9am yesterday and talked and talked and talked until suddenly we realized it was 3pm and we should eat some lunch! I have so much enjoyed hearing about her life and it gives me perspective on where my husband came from and maybe some insights into my own future.

Her visit has been a true blessing and I can actually take a deep breath and say "ok baby, you are allowed to born anytime after your dad gets home next Tuesday. We are ready for you."

Trying to Keep Baby -- and other things -- Off the Brain

I know -- this is a very exciting time in one's life. We are 20 days away from the birth of our little bundle of joy and when I think about it I can hardly sit still from all the excitement. This little babe will change everything we've thought of the world up till now and I can't wait for all of the happiness, frustration, delight and sleep deprivation he will bring.

These are great thoughts to be having and 20 days away from the babe, I should be having them but this past week was overwhelming in a way I'd never experienced. Moving threw a huge wrench in my "yay we're having a baby" story. When the hubby first approached me about moving I took all the usual factors into consideration. Yes, I would be 8 months pregnant but what that actually meant in terms of moving I had no idea. WELL, when the 700 boxes arrived on our doorstep on Monday I thought I was going to die! It's not nice to do that to a pregnant lady who is nesting and needs a clean, organized environment to do things like wash baby clothes and sterilize baby toys.

I immediately began unpacking. I was on a roll until Thursday when I hit a wall at 100 miles per hour. My mind and body would not let me go on. Completely shutting out the reality of my situation was the only option. So, I took 3 naps, skyped with my family and snacked all day in bed (side note: I'm sure there are women who have done this pregnant AND have jobs so I realize the luxury of my situation most days but still...). It was this day I realized I am not a superhuman pregnant lady, I can't do it all and some things will just have to wait until the following day, week, or whenever we get to it.

So, this is a lesson in "one thought at a time" for me (forget one day at a time). If I think about how soon the baby is coming, I freak out and feel like I need to finish his room right this minute!!! This is when taking deep breaths and letting myself know it will all get done is the only thing I can do. I need to think no other thought than "it will all get done, it will all get done" and focus on the one task in front of me at any given moment because it will all get done and when it does I will have baby on the brain 100% of the time and it will be great! The end is in sight... :-)

The Swiss Way

We've been in Switzerland now for about 7 weeks. It's been rather interesting as an American who lived in a bustling city in Asia of 4 million people and now coming to a small city of 100,000 people in Europe. At first glance, things seem more familiar here than in Asia. For example, grocery stores sell familiar products (not American brands but western type food) and a department store is exactly what you would see if you were walking into Macys (in Singapore you never knew what you would find in various stores and malls). So, when we initially arrived it was less of a cultural shock for me. I kind of understood what was going on (minus the fact that everything is in German, small detail).

The more days I spend here the more I realize a lot of things may look similar to what I know about living in a Western cultural but things are drastically different than what I am used to. Here are a few examples:

1. EVERYTHING closes on Sunday. You can find some restaurants that remain open for limited hours and a small grocery store at the train station but other than that the city shuts down. Sunday is considered a non-working day so you're not even supposed to do anything in your house that would alert your neighbors to the fact that you are indeed working like wash your windows, vacuum or do laundry. Even the largest stores, like IKEA, are closed. For a family coming from places that were open 24/7 and relying mostly on the weekends to get things done, this has been a challenge. Our Saturdays have been filled with errands from morning to night and we've had to be extremely organized about taking full advantage of those hours which the stores are open.

2. Taking breaks and time out for lunch is extremely important. The majority of places close down from 12pm - 2pm so workers can take their lunch. This includes grocery stores, dry cleaners and the post office. Then they close around 4:30pm (except certain grocery stores might stay open until 7 or 8pm). It's really amazing. This was especially evident with the movers over the past 2 days in our home. About every 50 minutes the house would get very quiet and I wondered where they were. I then realized they were on a break. After being in the house for 2 hours, they all took a 40 minute break followed by a very leisurely lunch. It drove me a little nuts (being 9 months pregnant and all) but I had to realize this is very much a part of their culture. There is no point in stressing yourself out because there is always more time tomorrow. Very unAmerican and unAsian culturally speaking.

3. Getting someone to come to your house and do work (no matter what type) takes weeks and is ultra expensive!!! There is no "we'll be there tomorrow." It's all "I have an opening 2 weeks from now." Really??? And any kind of labor is very, very expensive. A housecleaner makes $35 an hour plus vacation and sick leave (at the expense of the employer). Waiters make the same thing so customer service is not an issue. They are not there to make tips. If you eat there or not, they still make their money. And dry cleaning? It costs at least $12 for a pair of pants and $7 to launder a shirt and it takes over a week to get your clothes.

4. Please indulge me for a minute while I go on a small rant. NO houses come with closets or light fixtures. Our house in Austin has beautiful closets in each room. Our apartment in Singapore had beautiful closets as well. Lots of shelves to store things and lots of room to hang up your clothes. Our beautiful apartment here, no closets. Not one. So we decide we will buy some closets from IKEA because when we move home we will not need to take these with us. First, they make you pull these massive boxes off the shelves yourself (can you imagine? Me as pregnant as can be and my poor husband lifting these things all by himself). Then, they charge you 10% to deliver the thing and if you'd like someone to put them together, you have to pay $65 an hour per worker with a minimum of 2 workers. This all seemed very outrageous to me. We put together the closets ourselves and it was a massive, massive project (that is not done yet. ugh). In Singapore, if you bought furniture from IKEA they pulled it off the shelves for you and you paid 5% for delivery and assembly. Such a difference.

So...those are just some of the differences between the Swiss way and the American and Asian way. I'm sure many more will pop up the longer we live here and I hope we're here for a longer stay because darn it, those closets were expensive and hard to put together and we'd like to enjoy them! :-)

"Home"

On Monday our house will begin its transformation into our home. "Home" has taken on a new meaning to me over the last 2 years. I've decided it is not a certain location but where I find me and my husband in the same place at the same time (well, I should say where I find me and my husband in the same place some or most of the time depending on his travel schedule). That aside, we have spent the last 5 weeks with our clothes and a few pieces of rental furniture in a beautiful, empty apartment and it will be nice to have some of our own things.

It's been interesting. While we were still in Singapore they told us our things might not arrive until November depending on our visa approval. I had a good pregnant woman cry when I heard this because it dashed a few of my dreams of setting up the nursery and I thought of trying to get things in order with an infant around. Not ideal. Then I got over it. The baby wouldn't know any better and some things are just out of my control. I would have to make it work. Thankfully, our visas were approved rather quickly and our things were cleared to leave Singapore around the same time we left. They have been on a ship ever since and our ship has come in!!!

I have thought a lot about how people in the world live with a lot less than what we currently have: a bed, a couch, a tv, some dishes and a few lamps. I just can't complain. But I have to say, it will be refreshing to finally sleep in my own bed with my own pillows (because ladies in their 9th month of pregnancy need a lot of pillows!). I'm excited to see the nursery come together and to hang pictures on the walls knowing that for however long we are in Switzerland, this is where our family will make some wonderful memories.

This will be the place we call home and for the first time it will be as a family of 3. That alone makes this home the best one we've ever had! :-)

Move #2: Switzerland

We've successfully completed move #2. Well, almost. Our belongings are still on a ship somewhere on the sea and (keeping all fingers crossed) will be delivered to us the first week of October.

I remember first moving to Singapore and really experiencing culture shock. Everything seemed completely foreign. The weather was hot and humid and Asian culture was very different from anything I'd experienced. However, everything was in English and everyone spoke English. Now in Switzerland, the culture is very similar to the US but everything is in German and you hope with all hope that someone behind the counter will speak English in whatever store you're in. We already had mail in our mailbox when we arrived but it was all in German. I had my first German lesson on Friday and oh boy. This will definitely be interesting.

Leaving Singapore was tough. I learned a lot about myself and was able to explore a part of the world that I never imagined I'd go. I met friends who I will treasure forever and who taught me so much about being a wife, a mom and an individual. Singapore will always have a special place in my heart.

Now it's time to move on to a new journey. I know it will bring new excitement and challenges. Especially now that in 8 weeks we will add our little bundle of joy to the Johnson clan. I'm hoping for a wonderful experience and I look forward to all that Europe has to teach me!

Nesting and Moving: The Perfect Combination

The pregnancy books do not lie. This feeling of "nesting" (feeling of wanting to prepare a home for the upcoming newborn) has completely taken over my body. I lie in bed at night wondering how I can further organize my closets, drawers and anything in the house that can be put in a clear plastic container with a label on it. This feeling works in favor of most pregnant women who get their nursery ready, put baby items (like the crib, swing, play gym) together and wash and fold baby clothes. This is exactly what I want to do except we're MOVING! Ugh. Deep breath.

We're moving to Switzerland 3 weeks from today. That would normally be ok since our baby is due in 12.5 weeks. However, through a series of unfortunate events and legalities, it is possible that our things will not arrive until after our sweet bundle of joy has entered the world. When I first heard this news I broke into tears and then went to sleep (it was 5:30pm). Slowly I've come to accept that my baby will be born and my nursery won't be ready.

So, I am channeling this extra energy and focusing on organizing the house for the move as much as possible. Moving overseas comes with a whole host of things that must be done. For example, the entire house must be inventoried for insurance purposes and each item assigned a dollar value. I spent all day today counting each item of clothing I own. Also, every book, cd (of which my hubby has about 1400 of them) fork, spoon and knife has been counted. It's the perfect chore for a pregnant lady who has the urge to get as much done in the house as possible. I also packed a large suitcase for the baby, which made me feel very happy and prepared. He'll have clothes, a toy or two and lots and lots of love from his mommy and daddy.

At first this move seemed so overwhelming. A big change followed immediately by another big change. This happened with our move to Singapore. We got married and moved 3 days later. Now we will move to Europe and have a baby a few weeks later. With each day that goes by, I feel more and more prepared. This is a new adventure. It almost makes sense that we'll be bringing a new life into our new life. So, Switzerland here we come. All three of us.

Endless Summer

For as long as I can remember, mothers have shared their stories of being pregnant. A topic that always seems to come with those stories is the weather. Were they 9 months pregnant in the middle of July with no air conditioning and unwilling to move from the fan by the couch or was their sweet bundle born in December allowing them to skip the torture of carrying another human being in the dead heat of summer. Each story is deeply personal and now I know why.

Since I became pregnant, I have received many of these weather related comments like "thank goodness your baby will be born in October. You won't have to be hugely pregnant during the summer months." It sounds good and normal to any American who is used to 4 seasons (or 2 seasons in the Bay Area). To me, I can only dream of one day being pregnant in anything but 95 degree weather with 100% humidity.

Unlike the good USA, Singapore only has 2 seasons: hot and humid or rainy, hot and humid. The weather can fluctuate daily here from 85-105 degrees and 60-100% humidity. And since we chose not to get a car here, walking in this heat is a daily part of my existence. At 18 weeks pregnant, the heat is already beginning to make me crazy. I can't imagine what 40 weeks pregnant will look like.

As I walked to the grocery store this morning, I was thinking about how I can embrace this heat. I've decided to take advantage of our amazing pool and start swimming everyday. It seems to be the only option me and my unborn child have to help us beat the heat. So, here's to an endless summer. It will be filled with lots of swims, relaxing in the AC and hopefully some yummy BBQs!

Babymoon

My hubby and I had been planning a trip to the Maldives for a while now. The Maldives consist of 1192 islands of which only 200 are inhabited. Everyone we know in Singapore said it was so beautiful and we HAD to go. My friends joked late last year that maybe we would go as two and return as three :-). Well, we ended up going as three and therefore decided this would be our "babymoon," a trip you take together before baby arrives and those trips become few and far between. So we packed our bags and off we went.

After a 4 hour plane ride, we arrived in the capital city, spent the night then boarded a sea plane the next morning. The sea plane ride alone was beautiful. Sitting in this tiny plane with 6 other people, we looked out on tiny islands and crystal blue sea. 45 minutes later we landed in the middle of no where at a gorgeous resort with about 50 other people (occupancy was low thanks to the volcanic ash!)

This place was more than incredible. It reminded me of how many beautiful places there are in the world that I have no idea exist. I had never heard of the Maldives until I moved to Asia, nor had I imagined ever being able to go there. For a couple who had seen each other about 5 whole weeks since the year began, this was the best place to explore and hang out with very little do.

Michael was able to go scuba diving, which I couldn't do because of my delicate condition. But, like a good wife, I went with him to hang out on the boat and take pictures. About 10 minutes after he went under the water, I noticed some fins off in the distance. The boat crew noticed them too and the captain steered the boat towards them. Before I knew it, I was watching 30 dolphins swim around our boat. It was so amazing!!! Seeing so many dolphins swim in the wild was a wonderful surprise. They were pretty incredible up close.

We spent much of the week laying on the beach, boating, fishing, reading and just doing nothing. It was the perfect place for a babymoon. Who knows when we'll be able to do it again but I'm glad we had the opportunity.