36 weeks and still "running!"

This is a totally obnoxiously ME post. So I am hoping not too many people are reading. This is to remind myself how good I felt through the pregnancy and relish on this part! As opposed to the first five months where I just had this "I-am-going-to-vomit-on-you" face (right now!) with no vomiting actually, which made things even worse... (for me of course).

Since I don't have a picture of me running, here is a photo taken yesterday (14/09/2011) :

About 2-3 times a week, after dropping off Sebastian at school I sneak out to park my car near the Grund and run. It is getting silly for two reasons:

1) I feel a little silly telling people what I am really off to when they ask me to join them for coffee, so I just say I have an appointment. And I am a terrible liar, so they probably see that I am lying just by looking at my face. I just cannot bear  the whole "what???? running??? " and then I feel like I am showing off. So I prefer a little white lie :)

2) It's actually pretty funny to see me running. Firstly because it's no longer a run, and secondly because a lot of people point or just look at me with their mouths open. It embarrasses me a little and also makes me a liiiitle proud.

Anyway, my doctor is totally fine with me running, he is also a runner and advised me to listen to my body and to watch out for uneven surfaces. The biggest risk is to fall. It's pretty incredible how good I feel during and after my runs. Most of the pains associated with the pregnancy: back pain, sciatica, joint pain, go away. And I am refreshed and feeling cheerful.

So that's about it, a completely pat-on-the back ME post.

Just got back from my check-up and all looks well. Due date 18 of October.

- A

Little French Paradise

This year our holiday was not near the sea ... kind of disconcerting, given our history. But when the holiday planning fell in the middle of another move and a pregnancy, you just kind of go along and "jump" at the chance. Lucky us, we have really organised and thoughtful friends who happened to book a house in the Dordogne region in France and invited us three to share a holiday week with them.

We started the trip a little worried, not having really researched anything about the place. We bought a guide a couple of days before our departure!  we even underestimated our travel plans by a few hours, well between 8-10 hours of car travel, there is not much difference really.

We left Luxembourg (a dreary and rainy Luxembourg week) and headed for the South West of France. Blue skies welcomed us a few hours into the trip and we fixed our smiles and looked ahead. Sebastian, the ever good traveler, wasn't even bothered by having to sit on his car-seat for that long.

And that's how we started a week in one of the many French heavens, La Dordogne, the land of foie gras, truffle and nuts.

Our house was a few minutes from Sarlat, a medieval village with a lot of beautiful spots, shutters painted in a very special shade of blue and little corners full of surprises. We had a great encounter with a shopkeeper who gave us 4 truffles and explained us how to make a good truffle omelet.

Sebastian enjoyed the whole week, Dad made pancakes more often than usual, we all jumped in the pool and the kids chased and run around enjoying the fresh air and the forest.

All in all a beautiful week. Now are we all ready for school???

The complete album here

- A