Yeah, this weather isn't doing anyone any favors. Snow, wind, cold. And it's almost April. Here's what's getting me through: thinking about all the fun plans we have coming up!
photo via Kustur Club
The first thing we have planned is a trip to Turkey to this resort at the beginning of May with two other couples. Beach, pool, tropical drinks - I can't wait!!!
Then, at the end of May, we are off to Berlin to visit Nicole one last time before she takes off on her big trip.
via www.paulmccartney.com
In June, we are heading to Warsaw, Poland, to FINALLY visit Artur's relatives and, also, see Paul McCartney live in concert on his first tour date of his World Tour! So excited.
The view from the Lake House!
Finally, in August we are off to the US for Beth's wedding in Virginia (cabins!!!) and a classic summer vacation at my Grandma's lake house on Lake Winnipesaukee.
Thinking about all that fun and sun makes the snow seem not SO bad.
What thoughts are getting you through these last (!!!) freezing days?
We spent last weekend in Vienna visiting my dad as he coaches a team at the VIS Moot. (PS: He sings at the opening ceremony. Law songs! Here's a video from a few years ago)
We had a great time, despite the fact that it was FREEZING cold.
We started the weekend by taking the train from Munich to Vienna - a pleasant 4 hour trip that luckily coincided partially with Charlie's afternoon nap.
After we arrived, we checked into the Classic Hotel Wien and then went out for our first Vienna staples - Würstel, coffee with Schlag and Cake. Yum.
Flea Market/Naschmarkt on Saturday morning. Perusing the stands, oogling fruits and vegetables and the amazing Jugendstil buildings surrounding the area.
After a lovely dinner of Schnitzel and Gulasch, we returned to the hotel to sleep and gear up for our Saturday. The morning began with an AMAZING breakfast buffet after which we ventured out to the Naschmarkt for the huge Flea Market and market stand perusing. We also snapped some photos of the beautiful Art Nouveau building surrounding the area.
Then, we ventured over to the Museumsquartier for lunch at Die Halle and a visit to the Zoom Children's Museum - unfortunately the exhibit was sold out but fortunately the entryway was filled with giant foam blocks that Charlie loved. Also, Charlie found this adorable little 3 year old girl and decided that the LOVED her and proceeded to crawl after her and hug her at every opportunity he got. It was so so so so so cute.
After a quick shopping tour in the city (we HAD to stop at Meinl) We had just enough time to walk over the Palmenhaus for dinner. It was the perfect place to go with a baby - they were so friendly, had highchairs and a changing table, and the ceilings are so high that a few high pitched toddler shrieks didn't hurt anybody. And the food was delightfully fancy and delicious! (I didn't take any photos. Too busy Charlie wrangling).
We concluded the evening with a drink in the hotel bar. Perfect!
The next day it was SNOWING. Ugh. So we actually went back to the children's museum, asked to be put on the waiting list, and got into the exhibit! It was called "Ozean" and was SO COOL! Pillows shaped like marine creatures, a fake boat, slides, climbing areas, flags, ropes... and more. Charlie's favorite part by far were the BUTTONS TO PUSH.
We had lunch at a pub and then braved the cold at the Altwieder Ostermarkt to pick out our eggs for this year - a tradition. Then we warmed up with coffee and cake (I swear I weighed a kilo more after I left that place) at Café Griensteidl.
We had just enough time to relax at the hotel before we had to jump on our train back to Munich. What a trip! It was great and Vienna with a baby is totally doable and actually quite enjoyable - even with freezing temperatures.
It appears that I mostly blog when big changes are happening - my last entry was about losing my job, and now I am writing about getting ready to start my new one!
In the meantime, I was able to enjoy the rest of my maternity leave with Charlie and get him started in daycare. I have reevaluated my priorities and have taken a part time job at a small tech company doing administration work. I am so happy with this choice, as it will give me the hours and flexibility to spend lots of time with Charlie while still offering me career opportunities for the future (and a salary which is, let's face it, the main reason I am working...)
Charlie is already going places
I am ready for this next step. Excited, even. It's been wonderful being home with Charlie all this time, and I am so grateful to live in a country that offers me such generous paid leave. But the money is finished and honestly, it's time. Charlie needs more structure and routine, and so do I. So here is what I am looking forward to about going back to work:
showering and getting dressed every (weekday) morning
unadulterated me time on my morning commute. Bus knitting, phone surfing, book reading, music listening, or just plain napping.
new inspiration for life - new people, new responsibilities, new hobbies
more structure for all of us
And let's be honest - I always did my best blogging work in my free time (or lunch break) at work - perhaps I will be posting lots more on here soon! Until then, I am off to enjoy my last week of "freedom".
This is Charlie sleeping in a ridiculous position. CUTE no?
I can't stay away from blogging. I feel like I need to blog again and I have been bloghopping for so long that I felt good coming back here and starting to write again! Lots has happened! A short summary:
Got a new job as a social media manager
worked like crazy, tried to fit job between baby and husband and life with only 12 hours of childcare a week
weeped many tears, because job was failing miserably
lost job, felt instantly better
and here I am
So that's it. I worked, and now I am not working - thanks to the goodness that is the German welfare state I will be receiving at least another 3 months of parent support and then... well that is the question, now isn't it.
What next?!
I have learned a lot. I have learned that when you have a baby, going back to work is not uncomplicated. It is NOT the same as before. Priorities change.
I have learned that I love the job of Social Media Management, but I did not like the company I was working for. And that is ok. And also? Trying to work 40 hours a week with only 12 hours of childcare? Not a good idea! (duh).
We went to the US a couple of weeks ago, and stayed with my parents. And for the very first time in my seven years abroad, I experienced aching homesickness when we came back. I moped around for days after we arrived. I was not happy to be back. This had never happened to me before! What to do?! So we talked about IT. The big it. Moving. And now it is a possible reality. Crazy? Maybe. Walking away from all these benefits and this good life and the delicious beer? NUTS? But another adventure? A US citizenship for Artur? Living near my parents? Shopping on Sunday and Target and Steelers games and little league for Charlie and and and... Yeah, I think we are ready for something like that.
So there it is. Our life right now. An amazing little boy, a lot of turmoil, varying degrees of sleep, and lots of decisions coming our way. I'll keep you posted right here!
Have you ever moved your family to another country?!?!
Well, Our Charlie is almost 6 months old, it's summer, we have started solids and lots more. Here's a summary and I bit (ha!) about Charlie's schedule (if it can be called that).
I have been meeting up with the women from my birth prep course. Multiple babies of the same age on a blanket? PRICELESS!
Charlie is super fun. We crack up with him every day. Also, he is eating solids - both purees and finger food at the table with us - and making a giant mess. Hilarious.
What else is new? Well, I love our "routine" if it can even be called that. It consists of waking up between 4-6am to feed Charlie, then waking again at 8 to feed again and hoping (and praying) that he goes back to sleep. Which he usually doesn't, so we put him in bed between us and take turns hitting the "snooze button" i.e. sticking in the pacifier, waving a blanket, giving him a toy until one of us can't take the screeching and gets up. This is usually by 9:30. Then I/Artur go shower, switching off with Charlie, and then I try to get the house back in order (we do not clean up in the evenings. Evenings are for hanging out) while Charlie plays (or screeches...). Charlie goes down for a nap around 10:30 so I finish the cleaning and do daily chores while he sleeps, and when he wakes up we head out for errands (also to give Artur a break from all the screeching.) When we come back it is usually lunchtime so I prep Charlie's food and feed him and then Artur stops working for lunch so he takes Charlie while I prep our lunch. We eat together at the table with Charlie, who gets finger food bits of what we are eating.
After lunch I clean up the (disaster!) mess from lunch and putz around, playing with Charlie and nursing him depending on needs. He goes down for another nap around 1-2 so we do that, and then I take advantage of the nap to either get to-dos done (computer/job application stuff or housework) or I nap with him (my FAVORITE!) He wakes up around 2-3 (if I nap with him, he sleeps longer) and we head out for our daily activity - sometimes we meet friends at the park or we go shopping or for a long walk - depends on our mood!
When we get back (around 5-6 pm) we prep dinner (if possible) or just play and hang out and try to bug Artur into stopping with his work. He usually stops around 7, Charlie and I usually bide the time with feeding (he gets fruit and grain puree in the afternoon) and playing, but Charlie goes down for his evening nap around 6-7 but it's unpredictable so if we're lucky it coincides with my dinner prep but not always. Sometimes he skips the nap altogether and we just invite him to eat with us at the table and bedtime is early. If not then we eat together (depending) and he goes down around 9pm.
After 9 the two of us either cuddle up on the sofa or disappear into separate virtual worlds on our various devices. It sounds cold but it's really lovely and kind of romantic. And super relaxing. Wine or beer is always in the mix, since the next nursing isn't until at least 4am. Ah.
Yup. So this thing happened. I had a baby. Then I took full advantage of the amazing German maternity leave laws. Oh, and also the further laws that allow me to stay at home for a year (or 14 months.. that's another post...) with my baby. Actually, I am still taking full advantage of those laws. BUT. I am looking for a new job. So tonight, I got out there!
My baby is almost six months old so I dusted off my old button downs (they fit now!) and did some ironing, after which I left my husband with the baby (and a few bottles) and headed to a little old network meeting.
This was something I was so happy to have done. It was one of those things, kind of like a keystone habit, that just sets off a chain reaction. Maybe I didn't meet anyone crucial to my new career tonight, but who cares?! I got inspiration! I remembered how to chat in a business setting! I spend an evening away from my son. All baby steps, but in the right direction!
So now you can find me giving myself a bit fat wine on the couch pat on the back. Because that's how we roll around here.
So I have to admit something. I have a bit of a stroller complex. When I see another mom or dad with a baby in a stroller, I look first at their stroller, then at their baby, then at them. It's horrible! I saw my friend Nicole the other day with her baby, but it took me a full minute to see her because I went through the stroller - baby - person list!
our stroller
our second stroller :D
When we bought our stroller, we had no idea what we would need. Honestly, the process overwhelmed me. There were so many other things to think about - which hospital, what stuff to buy, how to set up the nursery etc etc that the stroller decision just totally completely overwhelmed me. I was one of those (naive! I know!) people who always thought - well jeez these people with these tricked out strollers - so annoying! I don't want to be one of those people. I want something slim and sleek, and the rest of the time I will just carry my baby. You know, like on my back or something. They're small.
Riiiight. Fast forward to now. I totally get it. Strollers are amazing. And having a good one? A godsend. I love walking around with Charlie. It makes me feel free and fit and I totally enjoy it. And now, knowing what I know- I would buy a different stroller. (kinda like everything in life, right? you live, you learn and then you realize you now know how to do it perfectly, only it's over. I would totally kick high school's butt now. btw).
We have the Baby Jogger City Mini. It's THE stroller in the US. I was all smug about being different and all American and wow it fold with one hand. And really, it's a very nice stroller. We like it very much. Except for one thing. Once Charlie outgrows the bassinet (which really he has already as he has to rest his FEET on the outside but I am in "my baby is totally still a tiny baby" denial and refuse to remove it) he will face away from us. Totally normal, right? But it turns out, there are a whole ton of stroller producers who make strollers that face TOWARDS mama. Yeah. missed that boat. And now - STROLLER ENVY.
You see I think that in most of the USA, people drive. They drive their baby, take them out, and snap them onto the stroller in the carseat or put them on the shopping cart. But here? We walk around with Charlie all day!!! I go to the park, to the grocery store, walk around the city, meet friends in the Biergarten - and we don't have a car. So that stroller is the only mode of transport we have. And gosh darnit, I want to look at my baby while shuffling around the city.
Which leads to - I bought a second stroller. A Quinny Buzz. It's used and we got a great price. But cmon. We have two strollers? Artur jokes that it's like having a second car. Totally ridiculous. It's embarassing, but it gives me piece of mind, knowing that I can look and my baby, talk to him and babble away, on our long strolls.
I hate realizing after the fact that I have made a mistake. I am just that proud. But for now, we are ok with our two strollers. The funny part is, I am starting to get really into baby wearing. We have mastered a number of back carries and who knows, maybe we will even be stroller free in a couple of months? For now, I'll take my double stroller situation and continue to stare at other strollers of babies with families. In that order.
