Nicolas Oliver Schneider

So Nicolas arrived on Saturday the 24th of July 2010!!
He was nice and early like a good little German.

I started having contraction at 5am in the morning... which just made me feel uncomfortable really and unable to sleep. By 6:30am Benedikt and I were both wide awake and counting the gaps between them. It was 10 mins at that stage. Benedikt got up and went for his ride with a friend... he stayed close by and was back by 9am, excited to hear that my contraction were by then 5 mins apart. I'd decided not to go to the forest with the dogs which in retrospect was a very good thing. Those contractions were stopping me in my tracks. They were getting really sore. Like really really bad period pains.
My gynie recommended we got to the hospital to establish whether or not I was in real labour, not just false labour. So we made the trip to the hospital that we'd been anticipating for 9 months. Bags all packed, camera loaded, baby outfits ready and doggies bidden farewell.
By 9:30 I'd had my fist internal examination which showed that I was 2cm dilated. I decided to stay at the hospital until my next check which was at 1pm. Good job I did because we got a lot organised! Eg my original doula was busy so we got her back up, we settled in to my room, I sms'd the world telling everyone what was going on, and we bumped into friends from the lamaze course we'd done (she had had a C section 2 days prior) and they lent me their Tens machine. Which is a machine that generates electrical pulses through 4 pads on your back, the pulses help disperse the pain somehow. It did help but boy did I still feel the pain big time.
Then my one o clock check up showed that I was 5cm dilated - YIPPEEE!! It was REAL labour... Nicolas was coming!! Although I wasnt THAT happy... the contractions were coming thick and fast by that stage and the pain when the contractions came stopped me dead, it was UNBELIEVABLY sore. I was ADAMANT to have an epidural. In between I the contractions I would recover fully and felt as if nothing was wrong. It was bizarre! I could still chat to my mum and sister (which was divine) and send sms's and even try and doze... but boy when those contractions came I had to jump out of bed and get my team into action. Imelda (my doula) had to do her special back rubbing and guide my breathing. Benedikt had to turn up the tens machine and give me moral support. And when the midwife was there she would feel my belly to judge the size the contraction.

Anyway, the midwife and my doula eventually convinced me not to have the epidural. They said my cervex was very thin and which would make the whole thing quicker and easier. And the epidural would drag things out and make the pushing really hard. Seeing as I had been keen to do it without an epidural for the entire 9 months I was easily swayed. But I was super scared. The pain was really overwhelming by that stage and it was set to increase! In the end I was REALLY REALLY REALLY glad I didnt have the epidural as things did move very fast. And yes, the pain did escalate and I battled big time to cope... but at least I got him out fast and I was able to feel the pushing.
Its funny, the hospital in general is quite against giving epidurals. I'm not sure why. Possibly because they don't do very many and don't feel confident? I dont know.

I did however have a pethadene injection. It made me super drowsy and spaced out which I didnt like. Although the drowsiness did make me feel a teeny bit more relaxed in between the contractions.
So by 2pm I was in the delivery room. Benedikt had some calming music playing and I was instructed to rock from side to side on a pilates ball whenever a contraction came as the baby hadn't turned quite enough. My team was excellent in those few hours before he came. I was SUPER bossy and barked short orders at everyone. As a contraction started I was ordering the tens machine boost, the gas, my back rub, breathing help, hand massage (my hands had lost all the feeling in them for some weird reason) and of course, 100% empathy from all. If anyone dared keep me waiting with these services I would get cross!
By 4pm I was 8cm dilated and by then 'my team' consisted of 6 people: My gynie, my doula, the midwife, the nurse, our paediatrician and Benedikt. And suddenly by 4:15pm I was fully dilated and ready to push. So it began. I felt SO out of things by then that the last 30mins is a bit of a blur. I just remember ALL 6 people around my bed shouting 'PUUUUUUUSH'. Quite comical really. The paediatrician kept giving me lots of instructions which I simply couldn't follow... it was difficult to concentrate. My breathing was all panicky and I kept throwing my head back instead of tucking my chin in. So the paed got Benedikt to shove my head down while he put his weight on my stomach to push Nicolas out. After like 20 mins of pushing he wasnt coming out and I was EXAUSTED. And totally totally totally out of it. I was in a daze. And the pain was extreme. So my gynie made the decision to use the vacuum and hey, whadya know, the next push he was out. He was born at 4:35pm. It was a very confusing time I must say. One moment I was pushing and the next thing I have this warm wet little body on my chest and everyone is going mad! Benedikt was OVERJOYED. He was very emotional at that point. Not that I noticed, I had that constant feeling that I wasnt in the moment, it was weird. So SPACED OUT!
Oh ja, and I also had to be cut. Twice.
Little Nicolas came out with his hand against his ear. Thats why I was finding it so tough to push. I remember I kept saying 'I can't' and 'I can't do it anymore' and 'I just want this to be over!' The whole gang kept telling me I could do it. And to relax. And to slow down my MAD breathing. I really battled to cope in that last 30 mins. I mean after going through ALL that pain all day and you are still expected to use your whole body power to push at the end... its a lot to ask!
So after the placenta was out and I was stitched up by my lovely gynie (I'll never forget her smiling, comforting face during the pushing) I was wheeled back to my room. Benedikt in the mean time had gone with the nurses to measure and weigh him and see them stick things up his nose and mouth and make him cry :-( He weighed 3.28kgs and was 47cm long. A good size and weight. Not too small and not too big. PERFECT!
The 3 of us relaxed in our room for a while, trying to absorb everything that had just happened. And me trying to focus on the here and now. I was a bit apprehensive to hold Nicolas as I didn't trust myself.
There was a lamaze class being shown around the maternity room just then and we allowed them to come into our room. I had to tell them about my experience! Poor girls I think I really frightened them with my VERY fresh recollection.
It was very funny having all these couples stare at us and our 1 hour old baby. They all just stood there open mouthed and scared. :-) Good! They must be scared.

So ja, its 6 days later now and the memory of the pain I went through is definitely subsiding... thats why it was important to write about it asap. I want this to be a reminder of just how unbelievably, overwhelmingly, shockingly, totally painful the whole ordeal was. There should be a word that is especially used to describe labour pain. No other pain will surely come close.
Note to self: DO NOT PUT YOURSELF THROUGH THAT AGAIN

Enough already

The TDF is (basically) over, the world cup is over. So now its baby time. Ahem. You can come now Cecil. I'm bored.

In theory I am due on Monday the 26th... just 2 days away. But according to my first dating scan that I had at 12 weeks my official due date is 2 August.. thats a whole week and 2 days away. My last few scans showed that I was a week ahead all the time... so they would indicate that I am 40 weeks now.... and that my theoretical due date is correct. And that IT IS TIME.
BUT the very last scan I had on Monday showed that Cecil was only 37 weeks in size!!! Apparently these scans can be out by up to 10 days though... but that still doesnt make me 40 weeks!
And my gynie is adamant that my due date is still the 2nd of August.
All these scans and dates and sizes have me obsessing over when this blerrie baby is coming.

He is huge already though.... he weighs over 3kgs. And I am huge - the measurement of my belly is 3 weeks bigger than my actual weeks. In the evenings I get pretty uncomfortable now.... so I just go to bed. And I know its good to get my sleep while I can.
But dammit, the longer he stays in the bigger he will get and the harder is gonna be to get him out!!

I do still have a little bit of work to do. And I'd like to go for a haircut. And a manicure. And Benedikt and I must still get to the movies one last time.
So wednesday or thursday next week would be very good days. Lets see!

I'm not blogging again until I've had this blerrie baby. Nothing else really seems worth writing about at the moment anyway.

We've been here over a year now

I year 1 month 2 weeks to be exact.

What we like
- Our friends. We have a GREAT bunch of friends here. Its easy to get close too as everyone is in the same boat: away from home and family and looking for a social life! Cycling was our initial way of making friends but we've made a fair amount from just going to parties etc. Its been easy! Everybody loves us of course.

- The weather. Nairobi has SUCH a fantastic climate. It never gets cold. And it doesnt get too hot. It rains enough for everywhere to be green and lush and pretty all the time.

- Our Lifestyle. We live in a great big house in a really nice area, we eat out a lot, we go on holidays a lot, we buy things for ourselves when we like, we've picked up some great furniture, we go for massages and pedicures when we like, we go to lotsa parties and entertain a lot. Life is good here!

- Help in house. Lynette, our housekeeper is GREAT. She works really hard and really well. And does so many extra little things. Its such a pleasure to never wash dishes or do ironing (not that I ever have!) and to always have a house that is spic and span.

- Help in shops. When I go to the green grocers I dont even push my own trolley. You get a prsonal helper! He packs everything for you and puts it in your trolley. You just wave your diamond encrusted hand around and tell him you'll have that strawberry and that aubergine. He then does everything at the teller for you. Waits while you pop into another shop and then carries all your the car where he ties the bags and packs them nicely. Very often in nakumatt as you arrive at the till with your full trolley, a guy will just come and unpack it all for you. And of course pack it and push it to your car car. Then once I am home, the askari unpacks my car and Lynette packs it all away. AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH, now that is the life!!!

- Help in garden. Well, not exactly help, I do nothing and Josephine does everything! She fills up the bird feeder, picks up the dog poop, washes our cars and plays with the dogs. Plus all the gardening work of course. She even waters and weeds my veggie patch for me.

- Help with our baby. We dont have a nanny yet obviously. But we will soon! After my parents have been here and I sit with the baby alone for a week or two, then she will start. I will NEED her! I will need to go out for a run each day and nip out to the shops and meet my friends for coffee and I will need to SLEEP!!! Nannies here are SO cheap. And there is an abundance of them. Good ones too. So ja, life is gonna be easy with the baby man! She will live in the SQ so she will be able to babysit at night too. YAY!!

- Cycling here is excellent. Even though I am obviously out of it right now... I do miss it. There is amazing scenery and never ending unexplored routes. There are very few fences up between farms so its easy to ride where you like.
And we have made some awesome friends via our cycling of course.

- The view from our house. I will never get tired of it. We look into a valley which is ALWAYS green and lush and full of trees and birds. Even the swamp at the bottom is pretty.

- Vanilla yoghurt. They have the BEST vanilla yoghurt here. We eat a tub a day, its divine! And tree tomatoes. A fruit I was never familiar with until I came here. Its so tasty. We drink fresh tree tomato juice alot

- Our dogs! And the forest that I take them too daily. I enjoy it as much as the dogs do. We always see plenty of moneys (colobus and sykes) and dik diks and deer and ducks and lots birds and spiders. And Mahindi just LOVES to swim in all the little lakes. Our dogs have a fantastic lifestyle here too. They have friends where they go on play dates. And there is always someone here to play with them. If its not me then the guards or the gardener.



What we dont like.
- The roads.

- The driving.

- The traffic.

- The car fumes.

- The lack of safety on the roads.

- The lack of rules on the roads.

- No signs, no traffic lights, no control!!

- The potholes and disintegrating roads

- The abundance of dodgy trucks and lorries that are 100 years old taking up the roads

I know we go on about the roads.... but they really are that bad. You seriously risk your life each time you go out by car or by bike.

- Benedikt battles working with kenyans. In general he finds they lack initiative and drive and they need ALOT of hand holding and checking up on. Work is not Benedikts favourite place.

- Missing our family. I have REALLY been missing my sister and my mum lately. It would have been so nice to have seen them during my pregnancy... its such a unique time. At least they are coming once cecil is out. My parents for a whole month. Yay, help with the baby! But I do get envious of our fiends who have their family here too. Families are irreplaceable!

- Cycling. As great as the cycling is here it also has big drawbacks. Safety is a big factor, cos of the roads (even the off road tracks have bad drivers on them!) but also cos of the lurkers out there who want to rob you.
Also what is sad is the way the environment is not respected. Trees are cut down willy nilly, rubbish is tossed everywhere and anywhere, water is polluted and foul and fires are made wherever and whenever. Uno, after our recent reminder of the amazing green thick lush forests and the beautiful alps and the general respect that cyclists get in Europe - even though its a lot less off the beaten track, the quality of cycling is much better there.

- Cycling training. There are SO few cyclists here that to get decent training rides done is hard. Yes, there is a cool group of guys that we go with on weekends that do decent mileage. But none of them push Benedikt and none of the cycling is particularly hard and fast. We were totally spoilt in SA the way we could pick and choose who to train with DAILY. The places and routes we could choose were endless and of course the race calendar is so jam packed that you can get a lot of excellent training done at races far and wide.

- Getting stuff. This isnt such a big problem, its just frustrating. Nakumatt (the supermarket chain) is great and we would be totally stuffed without it.... but boy are they bad at restocking their shelves. They run out of things ALL the time! And generally when nakumatt doesnt have something, neither do the little stores, so for example there has been a shortage of sparkling water, gelatin, condensed milk and cinnamon in nairobi of late! Nothing life stopping but still... you know the stuff is not there cos someone hasn't done their job properly and the systems in place are weak.

- Getting baby stuff. Fair enough Nakumatt has a whole row of baby goodies and you can get all the essentials you need. And there is one baby store about 10kms from us. So 2 hours driving :) And there is a street in town apparently which sells lots of chinese imported baby stuff.... but wow, when we compare whats available in Germany and south africa.... there is just nothing here! And whatever is available here is SO expensive its ridiculous. Thank goodness we were able to baby shop in germany and that my parents are coming next month from SA!



All in all I love it here. I dont have to spend much time on the roads at all. And I have a cushy life working from home and doing what I like. For the next week or so anyway! Benedikt loves weekends here... but his weekday life is a strain. So in general he is not so happy here. Good job we aren't here forever!

My Baby Shower

So our good friend, Sabine, organised a baby shower for me yesterday. She put SO much effort and thought into it I was really touched. And it was her first one she'd ever organised... Germans and Europeans in general don't do such things as baby showers. Sabine and the other virgin baby shower-ers had to google alot to get ideas!
They made me do some silly things of course... but in between I got to open presents. Wow, I got a lot. And such a wide range of goodies, no one got the same thing, very well co-ordinated girls!
I got:
- 4 cute little petit bateau baby grows and a stunning organic necklace from Petra.
- INDUSTRIAL ear muffs (which I am def gonna use) and a cool and funny book on babies and toddlers from Kiran.
- A mozart CD especially for kids (which is really lovely, I'm listening to it now) from Julia, plus a really cute book on motherhood.
- Piles cream, laxatives, breast pads and a cabbage from Jo who has a warped sense of humour
- Lots of pampering goodies for my hospital stay from Sabine. Plus nappy rash cream, nappy bags, nappies, wipes and a really nifty baby grooming set and compact baby lotions set. Plus her VERY cool moses basket which comes on a stand and has very tall & elaborate netting over it... its so pretty. Cant wait to put put our perfectly sleeping baby in it!
- A really cool baby carrier thing which you can swivel the baby around on... so carry it either my sides or my front. It seems really comfortable too. Thanks Ruth!
- An awesome chair from Sabrina and Debbie for when Cecil/Nicolas is 6months and older. It fits on any normal chair (or just on the floor) and it will work up until he is 2. How cool. Plus Debbie bought me some Elizabeth ann goodies and 2 REALLY cute bibs.
- I got some very cool fisher price toys from Carien plus cute little toothbrushes and nappies and a soft book that will hopefully entertain the little one for hours.
- A very cool dangly fish mobile. Which I'd already eyed out at this cool shop that sells all colourful wooden products for kids rooms... so great choice Lesley!
- The curtest teddy bear ever from Emma. He is blue and fluffy and so soft and Cecil is going to love him!




Benedikt is doing a 12 hour ride with his buddies on Sabine and Mikes farm today. From 12 noon to 12 midnight. I'm super envious... riding at night is sooooooooo much fun.
But they are doing an approximate 5km circuit which I know they are going to get super bored of. Either that or the hippos from the dam that they ride next too are gonna stampede them at night when the hippo family goes foraging. Rather him than me then!

We're engaged!!!

Benedikt popped the question last Saturday! And believe it or not, I said yes! Me, Miss Anti Marriage... you'd think I was pregnant or something ;-)

I was having a really uncomfortable Saturday - I was convinced I was in labour. The pains were coming every 2 mins! But they turned out to be nothing. In fact, I've been in fake labour five more times since.
Benedikt was especially nice to me all day that day - I SO should have suspected something. He was asking me how I was feeling and helping me to do things and was making me sit down and relax... and in the evening he lit a fire (cos its so terribly cold here.... NOT) and we made sushi together and he even gave me a foot massage! I cant believe I didnt see it coming!! Anyway he disappeared with Mahindi upstairs for five mins and when he came down he had a huge grin on his face. I noticed something around Mahindi's neck as she came straight to me with her little present.... bless! I thought how cute, he's tied a rose around her neck with a pretty ribbon. I took the rose and let her jump on her blanket on the couch. Then Benedikt said to look around her neck... and there was a ring on the ribbon!!!
I shrieked and asked him if he was going to ask me to marry him! Poor dude. How to kill a guys moment. So I was proposed to by our dog. How novel!
Actually, Benedikt said some really cool things about how amazing I am and how much fun it is with me and how amazing I am and how beautiful I am even though I'm a ham patty... and how amazing I am. So how could I say no?! Especially with a kid on the way!
ha ha ha... Bendikt says he would have asked even if I wasn't preggers.
So there you have it.... Jetzt sind wir verlobt.
We'll first get this kid thing out the way before we even start to plan our wedding. But whatever we do, it will be a small wedding. So prepare yourself now for not cracking the nod :-)

So ja, Benedikt had a good weekend all in all. He scored a fiancée and Germany won their match on Sunday. We had some cool SA friends over for the match which was lotsa fun. I'd said I was supporting England (seeing as I am half brit) but found myself cheering for the Krauts almost immediately. The cheers for them came from me involuntarily and by half time I'd swapped allegiance. But I can do what I like, I'm 8 months pregnant so there. So tomorrow when Germany play Argentina I'll be supporting them with gusto!

Oh and my due date has been bought forward to the 26th of July. Well, actually I have a 'due week' - Cecil can be expected anytime between 26 July and 2nd of August. So I have just over 3 weeks to go!! I am waiting for the uncomfortable stretch to kick in cos I still feel great. I ran 21km yesterday and went for 100km ride on my road bike today even. Plus I am still walking every day for an hour in the forest with the doggies and going to yoga and gym. We have booked our room at the hospital now and I am going to see the gynie every week from now on. Things are getting close!



I'm joking about the running and cycling. Obviously