Gone fishing

So this is my last day before going on vacation. I will somewhere in Sweden fishing, without internet. How will I survive? Well, there will a lot of card games and reading of course. I have borrowed four books by Virginia Andrews, have gotten half through the first book, Flowers in the Attic. It's awesome, terribly sad but awesome. I think I have found another favourite author.

I will not update until I'm back from my fishing trip so I'll see you in like a week or so!

And we're in week 13

And the belly keeps growing. A new picture from yesterday, after a large meal at McDonald's so it's larger than it really is. But you can really tell I'm pregnant now. Not that anyone has dared ask yet, but I'm sure they will after my four week vacation.

Fetal development in pregnancy week 13: This is your final week in the first trimester and your little weed continues to grow and grow and grow. Of the three trimesters, this one has been the most important for your little one’s development. Assuming you’ve carefully adopted a healthy diet, continue to exercise and get ample rest, your little one is set up perfectly for even more growth and development in tri-two! Way to go! He or she now weighs about 2.5 ounces and is roughly 3.5 inches in length. Little hairs, known as lanugo, will start to cover their body this week, as their sense of taste and smell are further refined. Their cozy little amniotic sac is also increasing in size and mass as it continues to fill with more fluid.

And how's mom doing? Congratulations on a successful first trimester! A lot has happened (and there’s a lot more to come). You should be proud of your hard work and sacrifice. Giving up lattes, soda, and wine is not easy. Even if you snuck in a few of these goodies over the past 13 weeks, don’t dwell on it—there’s a lot to look forward to. The good news is some fashion designers are realizing that being pregnant doesn’t mean you can’t look sharp, sexy, sporty, or whatever your particular style might. Besides, now is the perfect time to rededicate yourself if you have had a few lapses. Remember, every day and decision is an opportunity to improve your eating and exercise habits—your baby and your body will thank you in the long run.

If you’re the planning type, you can celebrate the beginning of your next trimester by purchasing some choice maternity clothing to fit your elegantly evolving new shape. The good news is some fashion designers are realizing that being pregnant doesn’t mean you can’t look sharp, sexy, sporty, or whatever your particular style might be. Cruise the online stores for a preview of the range of fashion out there for pregnant women—even if the local shops are still stuck in the nineties, you can always hit up some chi-chi online store based out of NYC! If you’d rather wait a few more weeks (until you really start to show) before making any purchases, then get ready to dig out your sweat pants, over-sized t-shirts, and any other comfy loose fitting clothes you’ve got at your disposal. At the very least, just unbutton that top button on those pants that still “almost fit”. Come on, you’re pregnant! This is definitely not the time to suffer for fashion.

So now it's really official

I kind of told the HQ that I'm pregnant today. I was asking for the day off for my ultrasound the 31th of July and added that it was because of the ultrasound. After 12 minutes I got the response that I gotten the day off and congratulations. I was so worried that they would be angry or something. But no, just congrats and hoorays! I'm shocked, and happy of course. Glad to have that away before my vacation on Friday. And well, to be honest I don't like to sneak around pretending to just be fat... I'm glad to have it out in the open. :) I'm now in week 13 going on 14 and it's getting harder to hide the growing belly...

No summer without cold blooded murder

(pic from The Guardian)

Yes! For the eleventh summer in a row (or something close to that anyways) Midsomer Murders returns to the Swedish television. The first episode airs tomorrow at SVT 1. It's really a miracle that there is still people left to kill in the county of Midsomer. 130 suspicious deaths - including 110 murders, six suicides, five natural deaths and eight accidents has struck the county since the series started. Since SVT started airing the series I have been a fan. It has just the right amount of horror and excitement. Cold blooded murder is what makes my summer. How will I survive next Tuesday when I'm off on vacation without television or internet? Fortunately my father in law has one of those digital boxes that you can record on!

Now onwards we venture towards the darker times...

So that was that Midsummer. An old "pagan ritual" we have here in Sweden. Usually a good excuse for drinking excessive amount of alcohol and just getting pissed. The lightest night of the whole year. Now it's only getting darker again. Not very positive am I? Says she who is to give birth during the darkest time of the year. Midsummer was a relatively calm affair at our country house. Good company and tasty food. Even if the day was a bit delayed and the pickled herring lunch was ate at 5 pm and dinner at 12 pm. Well, these things happens. It felt really odd not to be cheering in snaps but had to resolve to fizzy drinks. The others drank for me, so it evened out really.

The game of Kubb

Some kubb, Trivial Pursuit and cards made the evening. Felt real grown up in some way. I'm beginning to realise it's really time to grow up, I'm going to be someone's mommy. In about six months time there is going to be another little person in my life, someone who is really dependent on me. Scary thought really...

Now I only have one week left before going on a 4 weeks holiday. It's going to be awesome to be off work for so long. I haven't been free for more than three weeks at a time since I left school!

Friday the 13th

And it's raining cats and dogs. The thunder is gathering force on the horizon and we are sitting inside and feeling quite cosy. I like when it rains, well as long as I am inside anyways. So right now it doesn't matter.

It is so wonderful that is finally Friday and weekend. I feel so tired and absolutely exhausted. Perhaps one gets used to it, it comes with the territory I suppose. The weekend was supposed to include a barbecue at my darling's former colleague's house, but since it is Euro 2008 and they could not promise that the only tv they had was available, due to some obsession with the game Sing Star so we have to skip it. My darling felt it was quite unnecessary to go 20 metric miles for like two hours. It must be better to go over another time when we can stay longer.

Euro 2008 is what is going down right now. Especially when Sweden plays. One CANNOT miss it. Not after the beginning of beating Greece in the first match on Tuesday.

(Pic from aftonbladet.com)

Magical week 12

We are finally there! In magical week 12. The biggest risk of miscarriage has decreased radically. *phew* I still feel much better than I ever thought I'd do. I had of course expected the worst, being a hypochondriac as I am. But no vomiting, a slight nausea and tolerable ache in the breasts.

It is still a bit unreal that little Peanut is growing in my belly, but the belly is undeniably growing. Soon it will be too big to deny a pregnancy. ;) Not that it is a major secret anymore, but it's just not something you go around screaming about in the street. I think it will be more real when I feel the first kick or at the ultra sound. I'm longing to see Peanut!

Brand new pic of the belly. Doesn't it begin to look more like a preggo belly?

Yes, I am pregnant

It is true. A little alien has moved in in my belly. :D Finally! After 8 months of trying (well, practice makes perfect)! I'm now in week twelve and the secret is kind of out.
This t-shirt my dear mother made for me. I do look quite larger than I am, but i blame the photographer, my dear darling. ;) ok, I might just be making my stomach larger than it really is. I so long for the real pregnant belly! Due date as for now is around the 28th of December, but I really hope Peanut will decide to stay until 1st of January.

Micke and Cissi's Wedding 080531

The Saturday was sunny and warm. The best imaginable for a wedding. The sun was shining and there was barely a cloud in the sky. We went to Carro and Foppa for lunch and preparations. Then off we went to Täby Kyrka for the wedding. A very pretty little church. The service was beautiful with piano playing by one of the bride's maid's husband. He played För Kärlekens Skull by Ted Gärdestad, and there was not a dry seat in the church. A really beautiful song. Outside the church we waited for the bride and groom armed with soap bubbles. Then there was a lot of hugging and congratulating. The bride and groom got into their limo with best man and bride's maids and we other guests got on the bus to van der Nootska palace in Stockholm.

We had a drink in the little garden. Very nice and cosy, good choice of a reception location. Me and my darling has been there before for a ball a couple of years back. It was very tasty with champagne in the sunshine. After that it was time to be seated at the table. The name tags were attached to a Kinder egg which was wrapped in fabric. The kinder egg has a very long history with Micke and Cissi, Micke tried to put the engagement rings in an egg but couldn't put the wrapping back on. Micke and Cicci also used to bring Kinder egg as dessert when coming over to dinner. On the tables they had put little bells for us to ring whenever we felt the urge of seeing them kiss. As a starter we got a zucchini and mozzarella cake on salad tossed in balsamic vinegar. It was very good apart from the mozzarella which I didn't dare eat because of little Peanut in the belly. As the head course we got breast of duck with orange and chili sauce and potato salad, also very tasty. But the alcohol free wine we got was nasty. Not very tasty at all, too sweet for my taste, but since Peanut has moved in, I do not have that much of a choice. The dessert was a white chocolate cheese cake with lime marinated strawberries, it was heavenly!

During the dinner there was a lot of speeches. Nice anecdotes and a few embarrassing stories. Something that kept on coming up was the fact that Micke told everybody that Cissi was also a fan of the team Djurgården when they first met. That was a very important fact. Of course we all kept on ringing the bells, so a lot of kissing was done. Almost too much thought Micke and Cissi, but hey, they asked for it! ;)

Then it was time for the wedding cake and coffee. It was not easy to fit the cake in after all that food. But it went down and it was very good.

After that it was time for the newly weds to take their first dancing steps together. They had learned a wiener waltz. They looked so sweet together.

The rest of the evening was spent on the dance floor, some had cigars and more dancing. A lot of variations were found on the dance floor. We followed Foppa and Carro home for a night cap. Per, the best man, and his girlfriend Karro accompanied us, but Karro had a head ache so we drove them home after an hour or so. I was the designated driver for the evening and we got home at half past four in the morning. A very nice Saturday spent!