Welcome to the World, Eleanor Jane!

We are excited to share that on August 29th at exactly 5:00pm, our daughter, Eleanor Jane Bowling, was born! Weighing in at 7 lbs 8 oz and measuring 21 inches, she has 10 perfect little toes and 10 perfect little fingers!

Overall, my entire labor and delivery story is quite short. Everything went so smooth and progressed surprisingly quick (for a first-time mom). From the moment my water broke to delivery, only 9.5 hours passed. Eleanor is already very much like both her parents...no patience! :) If I had to do it over again, there really isn't a single thing I would change! Our nursing staff was amazing as well as the anesthesiologist and doctor. 

 Dustin and I snapped this picture shortly after I got my epidural and was feeling better- last picture of just the two of us!

She was so alert right after being born, her big blue eyes were absolutely stunning!

Probably my favorite picture from the day! As soon as they put her on my chest she was just staring at me with such love in her eyes! The feeling running through my heart is one I'll never forget- it truly felt like she knew I was her mama and was looking at me, telling me I did quite alright. :)

Of course once we got settled into our postpartum room, I had to snap a few hospital pictures to remember the hospital visit and how our precious our angel looked in her hospital beanie. 

We are now nearing Eleanor's 2-week mark in the world and words can't describe how that makes me feel! This little lady makes me so happy and grateful to be her mama, I can't imagine my life being any different. Seeing Dustin talk to her and smother her with kisses is probably the absolute cutest thing I have ever seen; I'm constantly counting my lucky stars.

Eleanor Jane, you are so loved!

Maternity Photo Shoot

Last week we were finally able to take our maternity photos! Dustin was TDY the entire month of July so we knew we needed to schedule it for the first week he was back. On Tuesday I officially entered full term/36 weeks so I figured that was a perfect time to take them anyways. Close enough to the finish line but not quite 100% miserable and swollen. :) We are extremely happy with how they turned out, our photographer friend Robert did a great job!

Anytime now baby girl, we are so ready to meet you! :)

Dress: Altar'd State

Necklace: Charming Charlie

36 Week Bumpdate

>>How far along? 36 weeks, 2 days

>>How big? almost 6 lbs, about 18.5 inches long

>>Total weight gain/loss? absolutely no idea, but still feeling very good about my size!
>>Maternity clothes? Pretty much the ONLY thing I wear. Occasionally will put on a normal shirt, guaranteed to be stretched out.
>>Sleep? I certainly am to the stage of being uncomfortable about 98% of the time. I always wake up for a pee break, then have a hard time going back to sleep due to the long list of random things that need to be done before her arrival.
>>Best moment this week? Dustin and I attended a Baby Basics class! Learned how to swaddle, change diapers, bathe the baby and a bunch of other helpful things. It was a lot of fun passing the pretend baby back and forth!
>>Symptoms? I get motion sickness every time Dustin drives, which sucks because driving is the last thing I want to do. I also am to the point of being only able to eat really small meals every 2ish hours. If I don't eat often enough, I get stomach pains.
>>Food cravings? No crazy cravings still!
>>Food aversions? Same as it has been, too much meat=no bueno.
>>Labor signs? I thiiink I have felt Braxton Hicks contractions. I read that they just feel like bad cramps and while I've never had really bad cramps during periods, I'm pretty sure that's what I'm feeling.
>>Belly button in or out? Still in, I'm convinced it will never poke out like some women's.
>>What I miss? Alcohol. Sleeping on my stomach. Laying on my back. Being skinny during summer. Not feeling guilty if I eat zero vegetables in a day.
>>What I'm looking forward to? Meeting our princess of course!
>>Milestones? Since I officially hit 36 weeks, I am eligible to deliver on base. (Since there is no NICU on base, if you are less than 36 weeks you must deliver at the Pordenone hospital.) The ONLY reason I could still possible deliver off-base would be if all 3 labor & delivery rooms were occupied with other mamas in labor. Fingers crossed that does NOT happen!

30 Week Bumpdate

>>How far along? 30 weeks, 3 days

>>How big? She is 3lbs, about 16 inches long and the size of a large cabbage!
>>Total weight gain/loss? Up a whopping 23lbs...holy moly!
>>Maternity clothes? The only thing I wear now, especially to work.
>>Sleep? still sleeping like a rock!!
>>Best moment this week? We officially have both a car seat and a stroller! She can technically come at anytime and we will be able to actually bring her home from the hospital. Obviously, we are hoping she bakes quite a bit longer though.
>>Symptoms? I get a little bit of side pain when I slouch in my seat but nothing else.
>>Food cravings? The chocolate craving is a real deal now. Every afternoon around 1pm I need something sweet; if I don't get it, it's the only thing on my mind until I do!
>>Food aversions? Still can't really eat steak and not feel sick. That's about it.
>>Labor signs? None. 
>>Belly button in or out? Can't believe it, but still tucked in just a bit!
>>What I miss? Being able to bend down to put on socks and shoes without huffing and puffing!
>>What I'm looking forward to? Going to the States on Saturday for TWO WEEKS! Can't wait to see family and for them to feel baby girl kick!
>>Milestones? We had a class this week to start the paperwork for her birth certificates, passport and soggiorno. Also, got to tour the labor & delivery unit at the hospital. Everything is starting to get very real!

Weekend in Cinque Terre, Italy

This past weekend, Dustin and I spent 3 days exploring Cinque Terre! It's located on the western coast of Italy, overlooking the Ligurian Sea. Cinque Terre literally translates to "five lands" because the area is made up of five little towns set right on the coast. Each town is quite small with an average of about 10 restaurants and streets that are strictly off limits to cars. 

We arrived to the southern most town of Riomaggiore Friday afternoon to check into our apartment. Best part of our room? The view:

We walked around and explored the town for quite a while and ended up having dinner at a restaurant called La Lampara. Our meals were pretty good (seafood spaghetti and risotto with prawns and zucchini) but for dessert we ordered the tiramisu. One word...heavenly. The cake was so fluffy and not soggy in the least bit, a trait that unfortunately seems to be quite common among most tiramisus. After dinner we did some more exploring and enjoyed watching the sunset over the horizon. It was so peaceful and a great way to end our first day.

The second day we woke up bright and early, got dressed and headed to Vernazza. This town is the second-most northern of the five and probably ranks number 2 in overall size. 

We ate breakfast at a little cafe our hosts recommended call Il Pirata. The owners are two Sicilian brothers who make fresh pastries and canolis every morning. We ordered a plate of bruschetta, a chocolate pastry and a canoli. Lucky for me, this was my first experience trying a canoli and it was absolutely to die for!

After breakfast we headed out to start our hike. Between all five towns are coast trails that you can buy a national park pass for and hike throughout the seasons. We chose to hike from Vernazza to Monterosso. The first 30-45 minutes were a brutal up-hill climb of about 87 flights of stairs (or so my FitBit later told me) but the view at the top looking back at Vernazza was completely worth it!

Once we snapped a gazillion postcard-wothy photos, the hike was relatively easy, staying level for the next 45 minutes. As we neared Monterosso, we began the long decent back down the hillside. Overall, the hike wasn't too bad considering I'm nearly in my third trimester. I told Dustin as we were headed down and people were huffing and puffing past us on the way up that I felt like I was inspiring them. They had to be thinking "if that preggo lady can do this, it can't be that bad!" ;) We both agreed though, we descended much more than we climbed so we were happy that worked out!

Upon arrival in Monterosso we went directly to the beach to jump in the clear, cool water! The rest of the day we spent lounging under our umbrella on our beach chairs and soaking up the sun. 

I'm about 26 weeks, 5 days in this photo, you can certainly see my preggo belly and wannabe outtie belly button!

We ended up eating dinner in Vernazza at a restaurant right in the marina square called Taverna del Capitano. I ordered the gnocchi with shrimp and Dustin got ravioli in scampi sauce. Both were amazing and enjoyed with the setting sun as our background. After dinner we stopped and got the best gelato we've had in Italy, then headed in for the night.

Sunday morning we woke up to a rainy forecast so we weren't able to do anymore hiking. Instead we rode the train one stop north to the town of Manarola. We weren't here too long but made sure we got another postcard photo despite the conditions. 

We ended up eating dinner Sunday night with some friends at the same restaurant in Vernazza as the night before. I ordered the trofie in pesto sauce, Dustin has an amazing muscle soup; they ordered tagliata pasta and eggplant parmesan. All were excellent and the plates were practically licked clean. Overall, a great time spent with friends to end our vacation in Cinque Terre!

Even with the increment weather, we had an amazing time in Cinque Terre. We wish we would have been able to hike a bit more because it really was breathtaking, both exercise-related as well as the views. Vernazza was most definitely our favorite of the five towns, however, we didn't get the chance to explore Corniglia. As much as we wish we could go back before we move, we know there is just isn't enough time left. We definitely recommend it to anyone thinking about visiting Italy! Its just a quick train ride from Genoa on the north or Pisa/Florence on the south.

24 Week Bumpdate

>>How far along? 24 weeks, 4 days
>>How big? Size of an ear of corn
>>Total weight gain/loss? Still hanging around 14lbs
>>Maternity clothes? yes, yes and most definitely yes. It really seems that my bump has sprouted big time over the past few weeks! I looked at picture we took when I was 12 and 14 weeks (back when I thought I had a little bump) and couldn't help but gawk at how much our girl has grown!
>>Sleep? all good still!
>>Best moment this week? Dustin felt her kick on Mother's Day! It was so awesome getting to experience that with him. :)
>>Symptoms? Nothing new.
>>Food cravings? I came back to the states this week/weekend to visit my grandaddy and got to have Chipotle so I'm a happy mama!
>>Food aversions? Nothing new.
>>Labor signs? None. 
>>Belly button in or out? Still has a little tuck that is in! 
>>What I miss? 
>>What I'm looking forward to? Buying a crib! I think thats the next major purchase we will be making. I guess you could say we have been dragging our feet because NO WHERE ships cribs to APO addresses. We pretty much have to chose between IKEA cribs (which are made for tiny little dolls and don't seem very sturdy) or the 1 single white crib sold at our BX. YEAH. Talk about a meltdown for the lady pregnant with her first baby who wants everything in the world! ;)
>>Milestones? Will be getting tested for gestational diabetes before out next appointment so really hoping that goes well and I test negative. Also, fabric for her bedding has officially been ordered and will be in the works over the next few weeks! :)

Weekend in Pictures

This weekend the weather was forecasted to be absolutely gorgeous so Dustin and I decided to take full advantage. Saturday we rented kayaks and headed down to the beach! We really would have liked to kayak down a river but since there are rocks and sometimes little rapids, we were advised against it (since the possibilty of me flipping and hitting my tummy on rocks is present). Overall, it was a great time and we can't wait to take them out again!

 Hello there bump!

 While baby girl has yet to make her debut, Dustin still wanted to celebrate Mother's Day a little so he surprised me with a framed ultrasound picture, a card and chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast! After that, we headed to base and he played 9 holes while I sun tanned from the golf cart and read my book. It was a great morning spent outside enjoying each others company and a beautiful view of the Dolomite mountains. So hard to believe next year we will have a little babe with us!

Hope your weekend and Mother's Day was wonderful!

23 Week Bumpdate

>>How far along? 23 weeks, 3 days

>>How big? Size of a large mango  kebab! Officially 1 foot long and weighs 1 pound!

>>Total weight gain/loss? Up about 14lbs! I'm hoping to only gain ~30lbs throughout this whole thing (recommended is 25-35lbs)

>>Maternity clothes? Barely fitting into any normal pants, starting to stretch my tops.

>>Sleep? No complaints yet, I know those will come as my waistband increases.

>>Best moment this week? I finally felt baby girl kick on May 1st! We were laying down for bed and I was on my left side so the mattress was kind of pushing on my belly. I’ve been trying every night to devote time to holding/pushing my belly to try and feel something so at first I wasn’t sure. But then it happened again and again so I knew! Dustin was so happy but I could tell he was a little jealous that he wasn’t able to feel it.

>>Symptoms? Nothing new.

>>Food cravings? I’m to the point where I have to have chocolate at least once some point in the day. Luckily there is a little gelato shop about a ½ mile from our house that we have been frequenting since the weather is so beautiful.

>>Food aversions? Nothing new.

>>Labor signs? None. 

>>Belly button in or out? Barely in! 

>>What I miss? With the beautiful weather outside we keep on trying to think of outdoor activities but it seems there is a lot that I can’t do…so that’s sucks. It seems the only “no-risk” activities are sitting or walking.

>>What I'm looking forward to? I have been ordering a bunch of nursery items and CANNOT wait for those to get in!

>>Milestones? Biggest was feeling the kicks!

We also had our 22wk appointment on May 4^th. We met with our doctor and she went over the ultrasound images we had taken a few weeks ago. She informed us that all of baby girl’s organs are the size they should be and she is growing equal to my due date. She also let us know that our quad marker test came back negative- that was such a relief to hear! Since it is an optional test, Dustin originally did not want to take it. After we talked a little more about it, we decided to go ahead with it and I’m so glad we did. It’s a nice relief to have that little piece of our little nugget figured out. When we told the doc that I felt kicks she was super excited. She said that I have an anterior placenta which means my placenta has set up shop between the baby and my belly button, because of this, it acts like a cushion and can be the reason I haven’t felt any kicks. Women with posterior placenta (between baby and spine) tend to feel kicks in the earlier weeks.  Otherwise nothing more to report! 

I cannot believe we are already in the month of May. These weeks seem to creep by but with the turn of the new month, it means we have known about this little bun for over 4 months and she has been baking for over 5! Looking at the calendar and the upcoming months, I know they are going to fly by too but know that in the blink of an eye, we will be welcoming our baby girl and our lives will be forever changed…for the better.

21 Week Bumpdate

>>How far along? 21 weeks, 4 days
>>How big? Size of a banana
>>Total weight gain/loss? Up about 10lbs
>>Maternity clothes? half and half still, my flows work shirts are still working fine but it won't be long until I'm starting to stretch them.
>>Sleep? I miss sleeping on my back so much! Dustin constantly wakes me up in the middle of the night because I roll back and need to stop.
>>Best moment this week? nothing baby related but Dustin finally got to fly in an F-16! He has been waiting about a year and a half for it. He loved it!
>>Symptoms? every once in a while I get a pain in my lower back but otherwise nothing crazy. Hoping I never experience pregnancy heartburn!
>>Food cravings? I've really been wanting some gorgonzola gnocchi lately and also prosciutto!
>>Food aversions? nothing new, meat is fine not as long as it's a small portion.
>>Labor signs? None. 
>>Belly button in or out? Still rocking the innie although Dustin loves to point out its desire to be an outie! ;)
>>What I miss? it's wine touring season...so of course being the DD is already getting old. Also, being so close to bikini season is making me feel like a whale even though it's just baby girl growing.
>>What I'm looking forward to? Beyond ready to feel the baby girl move!! Everyone tells me to enjoy the calm before the storm but I can't!
>>Milestones? figured out nursery plans and will be getting the ball rolling on linens and decor!