Our Miracle

We were a little surprised with the news of having another baby.  After my surgery last year, we were unsure if having another child was possible.  We are so grateful she is part of our family!

 We had family pictures taken when I was 20 weeks pregnant.  Kate had just turned two and we wanted to document the new addition to our family.  Jessica Mann was our photographer and did a amazing job.   

 20 weeks ultrasound of baby girl

24 weeks

This is when I really started to notice I was pregnant.  One day, I just sort of "popped".

26 weeks

30 weeks

33 weeks

37 weeks

 38 weeks

40 weeks + 6 days

After swimming with our friends all morning, I watched Brave Heart and bounced on the yoga ball.  I had had some contractions early that morning, but they didn't continue.  While I was bouncing, I started counting my contractions and they were 2-4 minutes apart.  By 4:30, I had to call my friend Maggie to watch Kate because they were getting closer together and stronger.  We arrived at the hospital around 5:30 and walked around just to make sure I was really in labor (I would hate to be turned down).  When we went to the labor and delivery unit, they asked for my "Mutter Pass".  I had totally forgotten it at home and Bryan had to drive the 30 minutes there and back to go get it.  Thank goodness for the autobahn! I was worried he wasn't going to make it and panicked.  Don't worry.  He made it.  When he came back though, he had all this paperwork to occupy him and I was laboring on my own.  Kind of sucked.  At about 8 pm, I asked him if he was done yet because I felt like I needed to push.  The midwife came in and checked, and I was only at 8 cm and she told me not to push.  I did.  My water broke and about 2-3 minutes afterwards, out came the baby.  I had to wait for contractions with this child because I hadn't eaten lunch or dinner, plus I played at the pool all morning.  I was exhausted!

 Jane Brooklyn Ahlborn

18 July 2015

20:27

Regensburg, Germany

4200 grams 55 cm long

or

9 pounds 4 ounces and 21 2/3 inches

6.5 hours of labor

 Big sister holding little sister for the first time.  She was so excited to get some gifts from baby Jane.  She got a princess purse, princess "tiger" snacks, chalk, a big sister t-shirt, and princess books.

9 days

Jane is very different from our Kate.  She has olive skin and dark hair.  Oh, and she is 2 pounds heavier! Jane's newborn pictures were taken again by Jessica Mann.  We will be taking family and sibling pictures next week and can not wait to get them all back!

Fourth of July Weekend

Over the fourth of July weekend, I wanted to keep things close and simple.  We went to Potterstein and hiked to a castle, rode on the rodelbahn, walked the biking paths, toured the Devil's cave, and ate at a trout farm.  It is about 45 minutes away from our house.  Lots to do in the area that is kid and adult friendly.  

 The hilltop close to the castle.

 A bear or "dinosaur" in the cave.

 Kate actually likes fish.  She had some of my smoked trout and asked for seconds!

On the fourth of July, we went to our local swimming pool, napped, and then went on base for the festivities.  They had pie eating contests, american burgers, bouncy house and slide, face painting, and crafts.  I hate that the face painting line is so long.  Kate loves to have her face painted, but I am not really willing to wait.  Sad.  The fireworks didn't go off until 10:30 pm as it doesn't get dark until about 10 pm here.  She loved watching the show and really liked the purple fireworks.  We love her so much!

Sesame Street

The USO sponsored Sesame Street to visit all the European Army bases.  Kate has just started getting into characters from movies and shows.  Her favorite character is Abby Cadabby, which wasn't part of the show.  She did, however, think the character Katie was Abby Caddaby and was content with that.  Kate was super cute and dancing to the music.  All her friends sat around her doing the same routine.  They loved it. 

Colton, Emme, and Kate

Kate, Colton and Chase

Dresden, Germany

Sometimes the weather really puts a damper on your planned trips.  We only spent two days in Dresden because I knew I wasn't going to enjoy much sight-seeing being 9 months pregnant.  Bryan sometimes thinks being pregnant is a walk in the park.  Silly boy.  Dresden is a beautiful city in eastern Germany.  Almost everything is rebuilt because it was bombed so badly during World War 2.  The main church Frauenkirche is beautiful and different than many of the other churches we have visited.  It is decorated with pinks and flowers and cherubs.  

 This is the largest porcelain wall in the world.  It is called the Procession of Princes.  

 Beautiful gardens.

Kate is being silly in this picture.  She has now come to the age of not wanting to take pictures or not looking at the camera when taking pictures.  In this picture, she decided to pretend to be sleeping. We went on a steam boat ride on the Elbe river.  It was fun, until it down poured on us and everyone scattered for shelter at the bottom of the boat.  We also went to a famous dairy store called Molkerei Pfund and had all types of cheeses.

The next day we hiked around the Saxon Switerland National Park and walked across the famous Bastei bridge.  It had unbelievable views.  I definitely want to go back and hike around more of this area.  And enjoy it more because I am not pregnant.

Waiting for Jane

We have had crazy weather this summer.  One week it will be 90-100 degrees and then the next it will be in the 50-60s.  Germany doesn't have air conditioner, so it is pretty miserable being pregnant and hot.  We have spent the afternoons napping in the basement or sitting in front of a fan trying not to touch one another.  Kate doesn't really seem to notice.  

 Bryan tried to win a spot to do the 10 mile run in Washington D.C., but was beaten to the six opened spots.  The male who crossed the line first did so in 52 minutes.  And I think the number six was 58 minutes.  Crazy fast.  Bryan broke his personal best and crossed the line at 1 hour and 11 minutes.  He is usually around 1 hour and 20 minutes.  He did awesome!

We have been spending a lot of time at the pool. It is right around the corner from our house and has 4 different pools- diving pool, lap pool, wave pool, and kid pool.   We got a pool pass and it has been well worth it with the heat waves.  Kate is learning to not be so picky with the water temperature since the pool never really warms up, unless you are in the baby pool!

Triberg, Germany

We really enjoyed our time in Triberg.  We hiked up the waterfall- the highest waterfall in Germany. 

 The hike wasn't that far or hard, but while we were hiking we thought we had so much more ahead of us and I was starting to get worried being 9 months pregnant.  But we made it to the top and even hiked to the monastery and lake near by.

 One of the seven waterfall tiers.

 The whole family at the top.  

One of the main attractions of Triberg is the coo-coo clocks.  Bryan and I were totally set on not buying one, but we found a not-so-pricey one and bought it.  It is super cute with a little girl on a rocking horse with a water mill and dancing people.  Kate loves watching the clock every hour it goes off.

 We stayed at a fun little farm house with kittens and cows and pigs.  Kate looks super cute in this picture, but she is pretty much strangling this poor kitten.  She really does love animals though, just a little rough with them.

This is our first time doing the rodelbahn.  I can't believe that let me go 9 months pregnant.  The guy was pretty funny asking if I paid for one ticket or two tickets.   

 Kate and the cousins loved the ride.  She went three times with Bryan and raised her arms the whole way.  She is definitely a thrill seeker.

There was a festival going on that weekend and Kate really wanted to get her face painted.  The painting was free and is a picture of a pony.  My brother thinks it looks like the pony has magical barf.

Rheinfels Castle Ruins

After Belgium, we all traveled down to the Germany to visit the castles on the Rhine.  This castle was by far the coolest castle ruin we have visited.  There were secret tunnels that required flashlights and crawling.  It was pretty fun for the kids.  

 Jackson running through the castle.

 My cuties!

Beautiful Rhine River.  It would be very fun to do a river boat tour.