still waiting...

the due date came... and went, and still no baby in our arms. from day to day we are getting more and more impatient and stairs are starting to be really, really annoying. this is one of the first things that i cannot plan, no matter what. although annoying, it's also teaching me a lot about patience and having to take things the way they are. she's going to show up when she wants to and when she is ready and there is nothing i can do about it but wait. maybe she's waiting on her grandpa, or she knows how windy and cold it is outside and she wants to enjoy her last few days in the warmth that has been provided for her since day 1.  IF she is waiting for my dad, i hope she'll wait until sunday to be born so that he can arrive and get his things in place first before having to rush to the hospital.

dad on the 10th, new apartment on the 19th, vanessa on the 27th, and fabian's new job on jan. 2. we've got a lot ahead of us, including moving and christmas.. oh and a birth. we seem to have everything we possibly can planned, but with a baby, everything will always be different than what we thought - i am already mentally preparing myself for that (easier said than done). i'm sure we'll be able to handle it just fine with as much help from everyone as possible..

that's about it for now, nothing else new.

much love.

caroline&co.

due date inching closer...

tell me if it's getting annoying, all this talk about the pregnancy and the baby etc. i wouldn't want to bore anyone. but its such an exciting time for us.

new job, new apartment, new life really. we went to look at an amazing loft style apartment in 'Wangen an der Aare'. it's in the old town and has a kitchen that fabian fell in love with, skylights, and a wood burning oven. 150 square meters and behind the house, there is a field and the river  -  perfect for dog and baby walks and swimming in the summer.  it would be so cozy if we got it. IF we do get it, it would be for the beginning of January but we would get the key beforehand  -  'good will' they say  -  so that we could start moving all of our things already and see if we can get someone new for our apartment for the beginning of January as well  -  or else we would have to pay 2 rents until March because we have to give our current agency people 3 months notice before we leave. but everyone thinks it won't be a problem ( vanessa you can help move ;) ).

4 weeks until the due date and as the days grow shorter, there is heightened anxiousness in our little household. we are going to ikea to get the baby furniture on Monday and once everything is standing, i would be absolutely ok with an early baby arrival. i'm 36 weeks, so she's full term and technically ready to say hi whenever she wants. . . !! ( even if the due date is officially December 3rd )

that's about it  -  there isn't much else that's new here.
hope all is very over yonder and keep in touch

much love
caroline.

what a year!!

so much can happen over a 12 month period. from making the decision to stay in switzerland, to finding a job, a boyfriend, getting a dog for my birthday and getting pregnant. 

april came and went. same with may, june, grindelwald in july and italy in august. its already september and there are only 12 weeks left until our little bundle of joy is going to join us. preparations are being made but there are so many things that still need to be taken care of before december comes around. baby things, looking at bigger apartments or small houses, and looking to see what other options we have where the car is concerned.

italy was amazing. hot days, warm evenings and seafood to die for. family outings and walks on the beach. oh and two pregnant women - bickering about the heat and walking for hours. well, not actually bickering, more like keeping it to ourselves because we wanted everyone to enjoy the vacation and not worry about us. 

soon after italy, mom came to switzerland with a leg the size of a - who knows what. 10 days of being in bed isn't really the ideal trip to switzerland, i'm guessing. and then dad came. he came, saw his little grandkid kick and heard its heart beat, and went again. work started, drama followed, as it always does. hospital information evening at the salem hospital was a great success - i think we're going to choose that one. its seems homey and with such beautiful views from every room of the münster, there is almost no way anyone can say no. but we've still got some things to decide, we'll see what happens.

now its september, the leaves are going to start turning, the mornings are already getting cooler and darker, and the days are shorter, which only tells me that december is coming oh so much faster than i can imagine. i made a little belly timeline, in pictures. its only half finished, but id like to share what i have so far since you are all so far away and aren't really seeing how it's developing...

its not professional or anything, but i think its interesting to see how fast she's growing - especially from week 20 to week 26.. amazing miracle really.!!

i hope all is well, and all of you on the east coast are doing ok with all this hurricane drama you're experiencing. and everyone else, enjoy colorful leaves, pumpkin season and new york fashion week - i know i will, from afar.

much love

caroline and family.

april already..

it has been a while, and so many things have happened since i last wrote. everything around us is truning green, flowers have bloomed and the pollen has taken over every surface on our balcony.

i recieved my birthday present from fabian a but early, but that's ok. he's rowdy and just like a little child, but he's a lot of fun. he's adventurous and knows that peeing inside isnt a good idea. i think he's finally understanding that peeing outside is the best option possible, and that doesnt include doing his business on our balcony. 

linda and mom are here right now, and i love knowing how close they are at the moment. they met fabian, and rico, of course. and they seemed to like them both (correct me if i'm wrong). both boys are taking their nap at the moment. one of them just has lunch and the other just got back from work. meanwhile, i keep making sure that i wear as much of my favorite summer clothes as possible before they don't fit me anymore.. which will be a little while i hope. we'll see.

i'm thinking of going to visit gabriela in london this summer before it's too late. i know i should be saving, but i can't pass up the opportunity to go to london. it's one of those places that i've always wanted to go to. maybe i'm romanticizing a bit? probably.

that's about it for now. not much else has been going on except for keeping up on what's happening in my tummy from week to week.

i'll keep you all updated.. wow it's almost may...!!!

much love.
♥ carolineli.

already march...

i seem to write in this blog less and less, and for that, i apologize.

so much has happened this year already, it's amazing, and i've enjoyed everything that has come my way so far. today i officially moved out of the place in Jegenstorf - although i haven't really lived there since December - with the help of Fabian and his friend Fabio. Susanne and Sara were home and Sara was a great help while the guys went to buy dinner at the Coop.

but lets rewind to January - if i can even remember that far back.. the year started out wonderfully, not only has work been going smoothly, but the first few weeks the weather was beautiful as well. almost 50° in January is NOT what i'm used to. January flew by and soon the countdown was down to 2 days until i leave for my visit to you all. (mike, i hope they sent you the chocolate and gum, its to (try) to hold you over until you come and get some more!!). while everyone at work was planning their day trips throughout our vacation, i was already packing for my trip to the US. there were many people who thought that a trip to the states wouldn't be worth it if i was only going for one week, but i knew different. at first i was skeptic about the trip, not knowing whether i was going to be torn back and forth about whether moving to switzerland was the right idea or not, but after a week,, my all i could say that i missed about the states, was you guys, my family - and the city of course. although there was a (un)expected down during my stay (i.e. lauren), my trip was an overall success and i am so glad that i came over to see you all. i've missed you more than i thought, and seeing you made my february that much better. when i got back, i landed eary and fabian was in traffic in zürich (damn morning traffic) so our timing was off, but he still surprised me with a rose (it WAS valentines day) and the most beautiful drawing ever (mom saw it).

since i got back, work has been ok (my boss is acting like he's got PMS lately), and i was sick last week with what felt like bronchitis. on tuesday after work, no one could understand me because my voice was pretty much non-existant. i stayed home wednesday and thursday and worked the late shift on friday, which was ok but by the end of the night i was caughing again and my voice hurt... again. saturday i worked late again and it was ....ok.

today is fabian's birthday, and fabio just came by with champagne (they really are best friends), and i just signed the altered rental (i just had to use the dictionary for the word 'rent' ..i forgot it!!) agreement for the apartment stating that i am now living here. i love it. i know this is the right decision for myself. i'm happy here. with him.

i'm excited for linda and mom's visit in the spring and am looking forward to everyone else coming to visit me ...sooner rather than later.

and congratulations to vanessa for making finals!!!!!! i♥you so much!!!!

until then,
i love you all so much!!!
much ♥ carolineli.