One good thing is that I've done my last foreign travel before baby arrives. My work trip to Marseille was really great - I got to catch up with some of my favourite people, our conference was fabulous and we've set some new things rolling (just in time for me to wander off into the sunset for a year!) However, it was super-tiring, and I realised that pregnancy is catching up with me a bit now, and I can't do the early mornings and late finishes like I used to (carpal tunnel syndrome and a baby dancing on my bladder are playing havoc with my sleep patterns!) The train journey was a breeze - much better than flying, and once I got onto the Eurostar everything was very smooth (I had a few delays on the UK side, but fortunately not enough to cause me to miss my connection - although it was a close run thing!) The TGV was also great - very comfy, and very convenient. In fact, I think I'll be doing more rail travel in Europe even when I'm not pregnant - anything to avoid the dreaded Charles de Gaulle airport! I have to say though, I'm glad to be home. I had a little scare on my last morning in Marseille when I tripped and fell in the street after getting my feet tangled up in a piece of wire. Although I landed on my side, rather than directly on my bump, it was a frightening experience, and made me feel quite vulnerable to be so far from home and my brilliant doctors. A lovely gallant French chap rushed to my rescue and picked me and my shopping up - there was lots of waving and gesticulating, and he was evidently very cross that 'such a dangerous piece of wire' had been dropped in the street to trip up poor pregnant ladies. My French wasn't quite up to all of the nuances, but I was grateful for the sentiment all the same! I took myself back to my hotel room for an hour or two before I had to head off to the station, and luckily for me the baby obliged with some wriggling, squirming and kicking just to let me know that he/she was okay. I boarded the train relieved to be heading home though...
Here's a snap I took in Marseille of the view from our conference room window - it's amazing that anyone did any work at all! Although the weather looks great, and it was beautiful, it was also pretty cold, and we were surprised one evening by a couple of hours of heavy snowfall.
Since getting home from France I've reached two very exciting pregnancy landmarks. Today is the beginning of my third trimester - I've arrived at the 28-week point, which means I probably only have another 10 weeks to go (eeeeek!) However, my favourite moment of the whole pregnancy came in the early hours of this morning (1 am) as S and I were settling down to go to sleep. For as long as I've been able to feel the baby moving (ie. since Christmas Day), S has been putting his hand on my belly whenever I tell him that the baby's moving, and has been trying to feel it from the outside (so to speak). Last night he felt the littl'un for the first time -which was a magical moment. We went off to sleep full of excitement for what's to come. We're already a family, but baby will seal the deal.
Tomorrow I have another hospital antenatal appointment, and another scan, then on Friday a trip to the physio to discuss my carpal tunnel syndrome, and on Wednesday of next week I'll be seeing the midwife. I'll post again when I've had my appointments...
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