36 Weeks!

Wow! 36 Weeks! Only one more of these monthly updates left!

-The highlight of the last few weeks was my last doctors appointment. We had a growth ultrasound (I didn't think I'd have any more ultrasounds after 20 weeks) and it was so neat to see our baby boy (definitely a boy!) and get an idea of how he's doing. He had hiccups during the ultrasound which was fun to see while I was feeling them. He liked having his hands right up by his face but the doctor was still able to show us a 3D view of his cute profile which was a great mix of adorable and creepy.

-The movements have been big and strong, he likes to shape-shift my whole belly. I also feel his hiccups usually twice a day. The doctor said they are strengthening his diaphragm and getting him ready for air breathing. :)

- I got my first "How did the baby get in your tummy?" question and was glad the cute little questioner's mom was there to handle the answer.

-I'm having lots of Braxton Hicks, and convinced myself I was in labor one morning when they were just a few minutes apart and consistent. Paul was in Portland, Oregon for a conference so I think I was being extra paranoid. Luckily, no more flights/travels are in his near future.

-Growth is the only real change I am noticing now. My belly sticks out a little more everyday, and based on the ultrasound, we've got a good sized baby in there! My belly button is now a partial outie and is off center by a good half-inch.

-The big non-pregnancy news is that we are moving! Paul accepted a position to work at the Smithsonian in Washington DC, so we will be moving there at the end of December. We are excited for the next few weeks to prepare for a baby, enjoy the holidays, and then a move! A lot is going on in our Frandsen family to end 2014 with a bang. :) Wish us luck!

Science and Cyclocross

Some very exciting news...

Phylogenomics resolves the timing and pattern of insect evolution

Paul's research was published in Science Magazine today! Science is the #1 peer-reviewed research publication. This is huge for his research and his career and is the culmination of years of work by over 100 scientists around the world.

They also landed the cover, which we will be printing and framing. :)

They have been getting a lot of great press coverage on the research:

WIRED

NBC News

Reuters

(and many more)

In other Paul news... a few favorite 2014 cyclocross shots:

photo credit

This photo captures so much of what I love about cyclocross. Paul - working hard, being exhausted, but still loving the race. Supportive family members coming along to cheer, ring cowbells, take pictures, and show him some love. Look how proud we all are!

Some more of Paul riding through heat, mud, rain, and pain the past few months:

32 Weeks!

32 weeks! Can you believe it?

Sometimes I think this pregnancy is going by really quick and other times I realize that I've been pregnant most of this year and still have months to go. Most of the time it feels "just right". 

 Here are the highlights (and other lights) of the last few weeks:

• Nice long walks have become my favorite form of exercise. I've been enjoying walking around our pretty campus, especially in the morning and at sunset. I've been trying to get out for one everyday, because sitting at a desk at work is just no bueno and my back feels so much better when I can get moving.
•  The baby's hiccups! It almost feels like a pulse, but stronger and a little bit irregular. One time they lasted for a good 15 minutes!
• Capturing some good rolls and kicks on video, and having sister-in-laws and nieces feel him show off. I feel his moves all day everyday, but it's usually this little secret going on inside of me. I love the chance to share it and have other people join in the experience of this happy moving baby. Yesterday I described the movements to Paul as a pinball game with a giant ball going on in my stomach.
• One day I had swollen feet and ankles and felt so sad that that symptom had finally hit, but then it went away and hasn't come back! Crossing my non-swollen, wedding-ring-wearing fingers for that luck to continue.
• My one and only pregnancy "craving" (or I guess you could call it an addiction): Orange Dream Machine smoothies from Jamba Juice.
• I actually like getting dressed more now than I did a month or two ago. Even though the belly is bigger, I feel like it's easier to flatter than when it was smallish/in between.
• Last Friday I only woke up ONE TIME the whole 8 hours of sleep. It was a miracle.
• I've been having really itchy ankles, especially at night. (NOT a highlight). Has anyone else had this in pregnancy?
• My parents bought plane tickets for the little dude's arrival! I am so happy they will be able to meet him and help us out in those first few weeks. Having a baby due around the holidays is tricky so I'm grateful they were willing to make it work!
• I got my flu and tDap shots - I think vaccines are a miracle so I thought I'd mention them here. :)
• I turned 27 years old!
• This was my favorite (and maybe the only?) stranger conversation of the past few weeks. There is this lady, typically very ornery, who makes the Italian cream soda I get once in a while at the student center. I guess she just loves the pregnant ladies because her mood changed quickly when she saw my belly sticking out. Word for word:
• “Oh! You pregnant?!”
  “Yeah! I am!”
  “How many months?”
  “Seven”
  “You SMALL for seven!!!”

• Getting a few nice pictures of this maternity stage with the "real" camera. First, I had Abby (sister-in-law and photographer extraordinaire) take a few when they were visiting on birthday weekend. We just laughed the whole time about how awkward maternity pictures are - I am just the worst model and can't be serious in pictures. We didn't have great lighting but Abby made it work! I also took some 1-year-old pictures of my friend Kristin's baby girl this past weekend and when the lightening was nice I handed over the camera to Kristin and had her snap a few shots for me.. Even though it feels pretty awkward, I think it's a neat and important stage of life to document - especially with those pretty fall colors to back me up!

(Weeks 0-12, 16, 20, 24, 28)

Goodbye Beautiful Bonn!

One more post about our amazing summer in Germany - this time featuring the city we loved and spent the most time in (because we lived there!), BONN!

The last few days we were there I tried to really soak up all the best things that we had enjoyed, and one day I brought my camera along to document some of my favorites.

This was a pretty typical morning for me: an hour or so at the botanical gardens, a bike ride down Poppelsdorf, under the train tracks and past the crepe stand, the bike route to the museum (passing our 610 bus and my favorite red and yellow house), and then the museum where I'd meet Paul for the outdoor lunch barbeque.

We are so grateful we had this amazing opportunity to work and live abroad for a little while. Just today Paul texted me from a conference he's at and said, "Traveling really makes it easier to relate with people". Paul and I grew so close through the experience and we met some great people and experienced so many new and exciting things.

We miss you Bonn!