For my 30th birthday last August (and for our “babymoon”), my husband and I spent a few days in Charleston and on the nearby Isle of Palms. We chose Charleston mostly because of cheap flights, and because we’d heard the food was good, but truthfully I went into this trip already disappointed (which sounds like the brattiest thing ever). I was six months pregnant and we had just moved back from Europe, and I was kind of hating the United States at this point.

Yes, yes, I know this is the epitome of first world problems, don’t worry! But mostly I’m telling you this because I wasn’t that excited for Charleston and oh my gosh, did I love it. Even in the August heat and humidity (although I think a different type of year might be a little better, ha).

Charleston is completely charming, full of great history, close to beautiful beaches, and full of the BEST. FOOD. I was looking forward to the food and it was so much better than I expected. I would seriously consider moving there, just for the food!

I’m no foodie, but these, in my humble opinion, are some of the best places to eat in Charleston:

Poogan’s Porch for brunch.

Magnolias for lunch. Get the fried chicken!!! And the pecan pie.

Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit. We had to try more than one, of course!

Husk. (the bar). We tried to get a reservation into the famous Husk and sadly could not–but we got an insider tip to just go next door to the bar area, which has open seating and a smaller menu. Amazing!

82 Queen (dinner). Crab cakes!

Pawpaw…for beignets!

Okay, okay, enough about the food!!  We did do more than eat there, I promise–but not much.

We started out with a few days at on the Isle of Palms, not too far from Charleston (we used Uber to get around). The resort is huge and has a lot to do–but mostly we just hung out on the beach, slept, had breakfast in bed, and listened to their live music. Also I got a massage…I mean, that’s essential for your 30th, right?

After a few days of straight relaxing, we went to Charleston for the rest of our stay. We spent a few nights at the great little Elliott House Inn–really cute and great breakfast, and a good location!–and then moved to a bigger hotel closer to the airport for our last night.

In Charleston, we mostly did…just eat, ha…but we also toured the Nathaniel Russell House, walked to Waterfront Park, and visited the Instagram-famous Rainbow Row.

The majority of the time, we wandered the streets, with a lot of breaks because OMG THE HEAT (have I mentioned that going to Charleston in August, while pregnant, was probably not my best idea…?), and soaked in the history. There is so much!

Also if I win the lottery I am buying a house in Charleston. Who’s with me??

My visit Charleston marked my first foray into the American South…and it was quite an introduction! Honestly I’m not sure how the rest of it will measure up…maybe I should have saved Charleston for last ;).

The post Charming Charleston appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

Before she even officially entered the world, our little Adelie was surprising us and proving that you can’t plan much when it comes to parenthood. Her birth, and the first few days of her life, did not go at all as I had hoped. On the other hand, though, she surprised us in so many good ways. She has these amazing dimples that come out when she cries (and although she’s not quite there yet, they will come out when she smiles, too!). Seriously. Cry dimples! Who even knew that was a thing? They are ridiculously adorable.

After a rough start, now that Adelie is a month old and I’ve had a chance to (mostly) recover, I absolutely love being her mother–way, way more than I ever thought I would!–and we have settled into more of a groove. You guys, parenthood is fun. Sure, I’m more tired than before, and sometimes this little human is a baffling puzzle that is screaming for no reason I can figure out, but truly, it is a joy. She is a joy!

So, welcome to the world, Adelie Laine! We are so happy you’re here.

The post She’s Here! appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

Here’s more of life lately!

// An old friend and her sister threw me a wonderful baby shower! Since we’ve been living all over the place, and are living in Montana temporarily, I did not expect a baby shower at all. It was so amazing–and our little babe got totally spoiled.

We all decorated onesies and people got quite creative…

and I put on normal clothes and took off my glasses for the occasion (although I couldn’t mask the fact that I’m puffing like a marshmallow, am about the size of the moon, and always look tired nowadays).

// I’ve been hanging out with my parents’ dogs, as usual! Their little faces always cheer me up.

// I celebrated Halloween–my first in the United States for a long time!–by wearing a shirt with a pumpkin, passing out candy to cute littles, and carving a pumpkin!

// The day after Halloween, winter officially arrived with about a foot of snow! Since we didn’t get much snow these past few years in Europe, E and I are loving this weather. Although it does make driving more interesting.

// We’ve been slowly getting ready for the baby. I feel like we’ll never truly be ready, which is stressful, but part of that is because we have no idea what we’re doing. And, can you ever really be ready for such a huge life change?

Although I am thoroughly sick of being pregnant, I’m also pretty nervous about the next part. E and I are trying to soak up all the just-the-two-of-us time we can! Can any other pregnant ladies or moms out there relate to the sadness I feel saying goodbye to this just-the-two-of-us life?? Not to say I’m totally unhappy–the baby is on track and looking good still, and that makes me over the moon!

// I joined Amanda for the Bake Off Bake Along with choux buns (cream puffs in American-ese).

I made these Caramel Apple Cream Puffs (it was Halloween when I made them, so they needed to be somewhat on theme and appropriately autumnal!), and they were very delicious.

However, as it was my first foray into choux buns, I was mostly proud of the buns themselves! You just never know how these things will turn out in high altitude.

But they puffed so beautifully.

The recipe calls for this caramel sauce, and at first I was hesitant. They already were plenty sweet with just the apples and the cream filling, and I was worried the caramel sauce would make them sickly.

However, it was Halloween, and in the United States, that means sugar and decadence so eventually I ended up covering them in the caramel. It didn’t make them sickly–just more delicious, as salted caramel sauce is wont to do–but it did make them a bit harder to eat.

But that didn’t stop us from eating them up!

What’s life look like for you lately? Did you celebrate Halloween where you are? 

The post Life Lately + Bake Off Bake Along Week 9 appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

// Did you know your body can develop issues when you’re pregnant? Issues that everyone has to get tested for, like liver problems and diabetes (that is specific to pregnancy?). Or, if you have negative blood type, you have to get a shot so you don’t start rejecting your baby, if said baby might have positive blood type? And some of them can happen no matter how healthy you are before and during said pregnancy? CRAZY. I’ve been poked more since I got pregnant than I’ve ever been poked–and not just because I’ve had prenatal care in two countries and had a few repeat tests.

// I’m officially 30 weeks as of yesterday! Which means I could have this baby in 7 weeks…or 12 weeks. Quite a range, my friends!

back when I was 20 weeks and thought my bump was “huge.” AND was still fitting in my clothes, sob. 

// I’m proud of the fact that I’ve managed to become more minimalist these past few years, but I think I’m a marketer’s dream when it comes to baby stuff. Firstly, all the baby stuff is so cute. Secondly, I’m anxious and feeling out of my league, so everything they are trying to sell me seems like a necessity!

// I don’t know what it is about pregnancy, but so many random strangers will talk to you. Or family members will tell you things you never wanted to know, like specific details about their own child’s birth. I’ve heard so many birth stories–from random strangers and actual people in my life. One good thing about it, though, is that every story is so different–I’m usually able to forget the scary ones (like the ones that involve twelve-pound babies–of which I’ve heard multiple stories, c’mon people!) and just assume mine will also be unique. Plus, most of them have a happy ending that gets them a baby! Trying to focus on that part of the stories ;).

// Pregnancy has also made me realize how little I know my body (and how little I retained/listened in biology class).

// Let me just get mushy and say that watching E prepare to be a dad is one of the best things. He’s one of those people you just know will be an amazing father. I think he will be a more natural parent than me!

// I know pregnancy brain is a cliche, but I practically have to be supervised in the kitchen these days. I keep having to open the trash to count the eggs shells because I can’t remember how many I put in!

// Speaking of the kitchen, my baking this week for Amanda’s Bake Off Bake Along was inspired by my current pregnancy craving: Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies. I haven’t had one of these in years and I have no idea where this craving came from–but it’s a bummer, because for a while I was craving fruit mostly (except for a few days of sugarsugarsugar and that one night where all I could think about was steak). Now it seems like I’m craving comfort foods and sweet things as opposed to healthier stuff.

Since this week was “biscuit week” on the bake-off–which translates roughly to cookies in American-speak–the choices were sandwich biscuits, fortune cookies, or a giant board game made from biscuits. (Yes, a board game, complete with biscuit dice and playing pieces!)

As much as I’m hoping to challenge myself with a showstopper, I just could not justify making a board game. And since I’m not a fan of fortune cookies (except for the fortune) to begin with, the obvious choice was sandwich biscuits!

Then, enter in my current craving, and the timing is quite flawless.

I decided to make these Mini Maple Oatmeal Cream Pies, because fall is most definitely in the air here (if you follow me on Instagram you’ll see that it’s already snowed!) and I can’t resist those autumnal flavors!

Admittedly I did not think through the beauty aspect of oatmeal sandwich cookies–I think these would be called “rustic.”

Rustic, but delicious!

In a weird turn of events, my favorite part is the cookie, not the inner-frosting. So much so, I ended up only frosting about half before deciding to leave the rest plain. Who am I?

The post Pregnancy Rambles + Bake Off Bake Along Week 2 appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

baby bumpin’ in Iceland

(Well, kind of. It could still be um, three months or so…)

Everyone tells me the time will fly by but to be honest, when you’re counting days and weeks like you do during pregnancy, the time does not always go quickly. A part of me feels like I’ve been pregnant for yeeeeears (and will continue to be pregnant for years). I am not one to catalog my symptoms or cravings for the internet, but I will tell you that pregnancy is a roller coaster! You feel horrible for weeks–then you feel great. Then you feel so-so, then horrible, then great, and the cycle goes on. This goes for physical and emotional feelings. It’s a wild ride!

Besides the normal (or, totally weird until someone says “Oh yeah, that’s a pregnancy symptom”) aches, pains, weird relationship with food and a hit-or-miss sleep schedule, I feel lucky that I’ve had a pretty healthy pregnancy so far. At our last check-up, our little babe was pronounced “happy, healthy–and cheeky!” which is just so incredible.

Part of the emotional roller coaster part, is, I’m sure, the fact that my life has been in upheaval the last few months–and really, since we found out about the baby in the first place! At the moment, E and I are staying with my parents in Montana. We’ve been all over America since we got back in July (after traveling all over Europe), from Montana to Washington to Texas to South Carolina. Our plan was to come back to the States, get healthcare (which we still haven’t managed to do, I mean really America?!?), and decide where we wanted to live from here.

Well, along the way, E got a fantastic job opportunity–in ANOTHER COUNTRY.

Prenatal care in three separate countries, man.

Well, after weeks of hoping, that plan fell through. Our visa was taking longer than we hoped and we decided that E will work for this new job remotely until the spring. (So stay tuned for that announcement! I don’t want to say anything until we know for sure another move is happening).

To say that I’m disappointed would be an understatement–it’s hard to be in limbo while you’re pregnant! And this new country is one I’ve always dreamed of living in–but fingers crossed, it will still happen.

Still, we’re trying to make the best of things. This means we’ll get to be close to my parents (and hopefully E’s!) when the baby comes along–and we’ll get to be here for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, which hasn’t happened in, well, ever.

Another way to for me to make the best of things?

Join up with the lovely Amanda from Rhyme & Ribbons for the yearly Bake Off Bake Along!

(If you haven’t heard of the Great British Bake Off, click here!)

Last year I made an amazing chocolate bread, a perfect pumpkin cake, a classic lemon drizzle, a Victoria sponge cake, these disastrous pastries, weird Yorkshire puddings, crazy difficult Viennese whirls, and E was a guest-baker with these lemon delights.

My first bake last year–the classic lemon drizzle–was not a huge success, although I found out later I was using the wrong kind of flour (blame it on the Hungarian translation!). The first week is traditionally cake week–this year, a fruit-based cake, chocolate mini rolls, and an illusion cake. I chose to do a fruit-based cake, to hopefully start this year off strong!

I made this sour cream blueberry cake, as kind of a last homage to summer (but only because it’s still so warm–I am more than ready for cooler temperatures, fall flavors, and my favorite season!).

It also felt appropriate to use a recipe from the BBC…since it’s the Great British Bake Off and all. Of course, I forgot the measurement system is not the same here (why, America, WHY?) and coupled with my current high altitude, and lack of kitchen scale, my cake was definitely not perfect.

In fact…I would say it’s more informal than anything else (miss you, Mary Berry!).

Still, it was fairly delicious and that’s half the battle, right?

The post Third Trimester + Bake Off Bake Along Week 1 appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

one of baby’s first trips–Scotland! 

I admit that I’m struggling with what my life will look like–and what my identity will be–after babe. Traveling has been such a part of my life and such a part of me–it’s almost always been one of my number one dreams and goals–that I’m not sure what my life is going to look like going forwards.

Many people assure me that you CAN still travel with a baby, and I am really crossing my fingers that we are going to make it happen. In true form, I have many ideas on where we could go with a baby in tow–and here are the top ten places I want to go with my child!

TOP TEN PLACES I WANT TO TAKE MY BABY

France.

The last few years, I’ve really wanted to do a road trip around France, mostly in the countryside. I think we could base ourselves one or two places and still see a lot. It seems like road tripping with a baby might be the best way to travel with one! But correct me if I’m wrong??

see more France here. 

Spain.

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Some of our favorite friends moved to Spain, and I’m dying to visit them! I’m sure the baby will want to meet them, too ;).

England.

I think both my parents would love to see England, so I have (lofty) dreams of gathering our family there, and showing my baby the English countryside. Plus, more people = more babysitters!

see more England here. 

Iceland.

I just feel like Iceland must be really nice to babies, although I have no evidence of this, except that I know IcelandAir is. Plus, two one-night layovers there is just not enough time!!

see more Iceland here. 

Peru.

I studied abroad in Peru during my university years and I’ve always wanted to go back with E–and now our child!

see more Peru here. 

The Oregon coast.

One of my favorite places on Earth, and probably the first place our little one will put those cute little feet in the sand!

see more Oregon here. 

Hawaii.

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I don’t know why I think this, but Hawaii seems like such a fun place to take your baby. Of course, I’ve never been, so that’s a plus. I really want to go to more islands in the South Pacific, and Hawaii seems like a good place to start!

South Africa.

source

Okay now we’re getting crazy, because that would be a long trip for a little one. I won’t make my goal of getting to Africa though before I pop, so it will just have to include the new member of our family!

New Zealand.

source

I’m pretty sure one of the longest flights in the world might be hell with a baby…but I have a feeling New Zealand would be completely worth it.

Japan.

source

Japan has been at the top of E’s list for years. I think it would be fun–if chaotic–with a little kid!

I need your advice, parents–best places to take a baby? For the childless, would you still want to travel with a baby in tow? 

Linking up with Adventures of a London Kiwi, SilverSpoon London, Follow Your Sunshine and Erin Out and About for the monthly travel link-up! 

The post Top Ten Places I Want to Take My Baby appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

If you can’t read German or have never seen a pregnancy test, the above photo might be confusing…

but to confirm,

YES, I am pregnant!

(And for some reason, at first, here in Budapest we could only find German pregnancy tests).

I announced the news yesterday on Instagram and was overwhelmed by the love and excitement E and I received from all over the world! This is one lucky little babe already.

I am just over 16 weeks pregnant–the baby is expected to arrive at the end of November, around Thanksgiving (in America, anyways). Which means we exclusively refer to it with all the fall fruits and foods we can think of, including Lil Turkey.

Anyway, that’s why it’s been so quiet around here! I can’t believe my last post was in APRIL!!

Mostly the radio silence is because the first trimester left me nearly comatose every day. The fatigue and morning sickness (or, all-day sickness, really???) really threw me for a loop. I was so nauseous all the time, that some clothes I wore during that time make me feel ill. Our spring break trip to Macedonia–two days after we found out I was pregnant–is still hard for me to think about, even though it’s a beautiful country. I just feel sick again at the memory!

Add the “morning” sickness and fatigue to teaching every day?? I practically had to crawl home and not move again once I got there.

Tomorrow is the last day of school (so many feelings!!) and while I love my job and my students, I am so grateful for a break. I do not understand how teachers teach until right before they have the baby.

^^one of my first-graders drew this picture of future me…pregnant and in London. Apparently he thinks I’m British, ha! 

Although I shared not long ago that we would be staying for another year in Hungary, after our little surprise turkey news, E and I decided that going back to the States–for the time being–would be better for us.

There are a few reasons for this:

First, family! It would be nice to be a little closer to at least ONE member of our family when our little babe arrives.

Secondly, the healthcare here is decent–dare I say better than in most of America, unfortunately?–but even at the private clinic we go to, there is quite a language barrier. We always have to furiously Google both during AND after the appointments to figure out what exactly is happening. There is also a protocol in Hungary (and perhaps in the States?? I’ll find out soon!) for prenatal care, and with the language barrier, half the time I’m not even sure why they’re taking my blood or giving me another ultrasound. Since it’s my first pregnancy, I’m a bit of a hypochondriac, and I already had a small complication at the beginning of the pregnancy, I really want a doctor who can help me understand my pregnancy and baby.

Another reason we are leaving is because our visas are tied to my job here–and since I would get at least a year or so off with maternity leave, this would also impact our visas and make it harder to stay.

Another minor issue? Even if we did have the baby here, it wouldn’t have Hungarian citizenship since we are both American–a perk I did want to give my child, but doesn’t seem to be happening this time around :).

So, what’s next?

Next, my parents come to visit–they arrive TOMORROW, in fact!–and we are going to Poland! After they leave, E and I will be traveling some–Lviv in Ukraine, Amsterdam, Scotland and Iceland, to be exact!

That will take us into the middle of July, and we’ll fly back to the States then. We’ll stay with my parents for a few weeks, and then…who knows!

A big fat question mark is still in my mind about where exactly we are going to have this baby and what we’re going to do. I’m planning on teaching online for the rest of my pregnancy and then taking time off to enjoy my new baby before getting another job. E, who works for himself from home, will probably find a more full-time (but hopefully still remote!) job that will give us benefits (because healthcare, besides the English thing, is NOT A PERK OF MOVING BACK TO THE UNITED STATES).

But really, we have no idea what will come next.

And that goes for parenting!

Truthfully, my first trimester was so rough, emotionally and physically, and my pregnancy was quite a surprise–and along with the fact that we have to leave my beloved Europe–I have been so up and down about this new adventure of ours.

Now that I’m feeling a bit better, with a summer of family and travel is ahead of us, and now that I even have a little baby bump!, it feels more real and more exciting.

I am so excited to show our little one the world! We hope to live abroad again and give our child that experience, but first we will have to adjust to being parents. Whoa!

I hope you’ll join me for this next chapter in our lives, too :). Thank you so much to everyone who has reached out and shared their excitement with both me and E–it means so much to us!

Do you have any questions about my pregnancy? Do you travel/live abroad with a child? Share your wisdom!  

The post Schwanger’d + A Little Life Update appeared first on Amy and the Great World.