A Pregnancy Rant and and Update of the Past Two Weeks: Part 2

I decided that the posts needed to be broken up into parts. There was no way to keep two, relatively different topics cohesive in one blog post. That being said, can ya'll believe that July is just a few months away?

Robert and I have been busy wrapping our head around this. The last two weeks have been spent touring hospitals in Panama City. There are four private hospitals we were considering and wanted to see in person. We took a tour of three of the four, as the normal tour guide for one was not available.

Although the day was informative, it was also exhausting. There are certain things that we were curious about. Neither of us have much to compare with. I know plenty of friends back in the US that I could ask questions to that have given birth in US hospitals. Most new moms are supplied with peri bottles, the fashionable mesh underwear, and are given a stash of other freebies in the US. Are hospitals in Panama ran the same way? The answer is that it depends on the hospital. While the stash of freebies wasn't a make or break deal, it is still important and useful on what to bring when baby decides to arrive.

Source 

Source 

I had a list of questions on my phone, but both of us were also asking questions neither of us had thought of until we got to the hospitals. One tour was in English while the other two were in Spanish. Talk about learning a whole new vocabulary! I cannot speak for Robert, but my brain was pretty fried by the third hospital. Luckily the guides were kind and understanding. We were all laughing when hand and body gestures were being used. Who says you can't have fun while making a fairly big decision?

Nothing is decided yet on which hospital the baby will be born. We started this process assuming it might take some time to make a decision. Fortunately enough we are in a position where we can not only pick the OBGYN, but we can also decide which hospital the baby is born. Having that kind of flexibility is nice since I know that isn't always the case back in the US.

Next on our list is finding a pediatrician. This whole introduction to parenthood is pretty intense with a lot of decisions that need to be made. While it is just the start of a whole new us, the journey so far has been amazing. Undoubtedly the next three months are going to fly by and we'll be holding our son or daughter in our arms. Did I really just say that?! 

A Pregnancy Rant and and Update of the Past Two Weeks: Part 1

I have been debating on what I should talk about in the next blog post. There are two things that have been on my mind lately. One is kind of a pregnancy rant. The other is an update on what we've been up to in the last two weeks. Can the two be combined into one post? Let's see!

One thing I have been asked a lot lately is to post pictures or send pictures of my baby bump. Although my bump isn't the size of a beach ball (yet), it's hard to ignore my baby bump, even if I am lounging around in an oversized shirt.

My pregnant body seems to be changing daily in one way or another. Bending over to pick something off the floor is getting more difficult. It seemed relatively easy two weeks ago. Now it is becoming kind of a chore. Take a deep breath and squat/bend. Stand and exhale. Needless to say, some of the internal dialogues in my head can be pretty interesting on whether it is necessary to pick something up.

I am not the only one noticing my growing body. Others tell me their observations too! Well meaning people will tell me how good I look. In fact, I do not look over "three months pregnant," or tell me that I am barely showing. Others joke asking if I am having twins or triplets. One person, not Robert, commented on how my breasts are growing. While I try to smile and take it in stride, biting my tongue is not always easy.

I have never been one to really enjoy hearing comments on my body. Being pregnant has only reinforced some of these feelings. I get it, and it is something I try to accept. I am not against my photo being taken or published on social media. However, that doesn't mean I am posting belly bump pictures from the side either. If a blog post relates to me needing to be in the picture then I'll gladly post it. Just do not expect any side selfies from me any time soon!

Easter and Semana Santa in Panama

We hope you had a good Easter. We did! Traffic can get chaotic around here as people that live in Panama City spend part of the week in the countryside; aka, where we live. Beaches, roads, and stores get crowded. It makes for a great excuse to binge watch a tv series or work on a project you've been putting off.

All government offices were closed by Thursday at noon. Good Friday is a national holiday. I have read that government officials figure most of their workers are already absent mentally the day ahead, planning their trip and their holiday festivities.

Robert and I did all of our grocery shopping ahead of time. A typical 10 minute drive can easily be tripled when traffic hits. I read today that somebody's normal 10 minute drive took roughly 60 minutes. Yikes!

Somebody had too much fun. Traffico Panama

We tried watching some of The Divergent movies. I like some of the main actors (Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, and Ansel Elgort) in other movies. What did we have to lose? The first movie was okay. We barely made it through the second movie and never discussed attempting the third.

I focused my attention on making cloth wipes to go along with the cloth diapers we plan on using. It has been years since I touched a sewing machine. Cutting two pieces of fabric into squares and sewing them together seemed easy enough, despite my lack of sewing abilities. It was, once I got a rotary cutter that had a sharp blade and I figured out/remembered how to use the sewing machine. It's safe to say that I will not be quilting any time soon. Haha!

My first two wipes finished and ready for duty.

Robert stayed busy as well. He helped me cut some of the squares. He also did some miscellaneous projects around the house and read. The weekend was mostly about relaxing for him, which is exactly what it should be.

Easter weekend is the last major holiday in Panama until November. Things are quieting down as snowbirds (people who live here half the year) from the US and Canada are heading back. Walking the beach for a kilometer or two (0.5-1 miles) is possible on the weekday. The rainy season should also start in the next couple of weeks. Time to enjoy the peace and tranquility of Panama.