So I am finally resorting to a homepathic remedy for a clogged milk duct. Luna and I had our last nursing two weeks ago, and now I have a clogged duct. I've been doing everything I can to get it to go away, but I finally decided to buy some cabbage today to use a cabbage leaf compress. The last thing I want right now is mastitis.
So anyway - my point is... I understand why Germans eat so much saur kraut and coleslaw, now! The cabbage heads here are HUGE! The smallest one I could find still weighed like 600kg!
POST DR. update - Luna has gained 100kg herself!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Updates...
Hey everybody- just wanted to post an update so that you all know what's going on here lately...
Luna gets a booster shot today. Poor thing - she doesn't know what's coming.
We get the keys to our house tomorrow. YAY! We don't plan to move in until October, but this way we will get everything ready before we move in. This includes painting at least 4 rooms and installing new carpet. The paint in there currently is pretty dark, so we will likely have to do a couple base coats first. Fun. But worth it! At least we have lots of time!
We got a new TV last weekend. Got a good price on a 32" LCD (can't believe what we spent on ours only 2 years ago!) Hopefully we can get that in stalled early as well, so that we have the satellite all figured out once we are ready to move in. They use PAL here, so we're not sure if teh one we already have will work w/ teh satellite or not - but we need 2 anyway, so we can figure out teh American one later. We will have 2 satellites, so that we can get English TV from GB, and Dutch TV from NL.
We should be picking up the Subaru on Monday. It will get temp plates, and inspected that afternoon - then the following day we will take it to get the conversion work it needs done (headlights, etc.) So hopefully we will have that by the end of next week!
Going to a party tomorrow with the new friend I met at the grocery store. Will be nice to meet her husband and have Bas meet them, too!
Next week one evening I will be going to the IWG charity workshop. Bas gets to stay home with Luna!
Bas's parents are coming the weekend of his birthday. (The 21st.) Looking forward to seeing them again, and will enjoy a break from all the painting!
Expect we will get eth carpet installed the week after that, and schedule the moving truck week 1 October - as well as making a big Ikea purchase on furniture, and hopefully finding a good deal on a washer and dryer before we need it in teh new house. Hopefully we will have the keys to this apt until 10/15 to make that transition a little easier!
Oh - and Luna is walking all the time now. Barely crawls anymore at all. Even if she falls, she gets back up and walks. (She falls alot! 2 bruises on her face!) Apparently she has some competition in her little cousin Jake, so she's working hard! She's a very busy girl!!
Gotta run off to the pediatrician - but also wante to mention I just finished this book called "The Amateur Marriage" by the same author who wrote "The Accidental Tourist" which I've never read, but I found this in eth very small English speaking section of teh library here. Anyway - absolutley loved it. A bit sad, but a very beautiful chronicle of 60 years for one couple. Extremely well written.
TTFN!
Luna gets a booster shot today. Poor thing - she doesn't know what's coming.
We get the keys to our house tomorrow. YAY! We don't plan to move in until October, but this way we will get everything ready before we move in. This includes painting at least 4 rooms and installing new carpet. The paint in there currently is pretty dark, so we will likely have to do a couple base coats first. Fun. But worth it! At least we have lots of time!
We got a new TV last weekend. Got a good price on a 32" LCD (can't believe what we spent on ours only 2 years ago!) Hopefully we can get that in stalled early as well, so that we have the satellite all figured out once we are ready to move in. They use PAL here, so we're not sure if teh one we already have will work w/ teh satellite or not - but we need 2 anyway, so we can figure out teh American one later. We will have 2 satellites, so that we can get English TV from GB, and Dutch TV from NL.
We should be picking up the Subaru on Monday. It will get temp plates, and inspected that afternoon - then the following day we will take it to get the conversion work it needs done (headlights, etc.) So hopefully we will have that by the end of next week!
Going to a party tomorrow with the new friend I met at the grocery store. Will be nice to meet her husband and have Bas meet them, too!
Next week one evening I will be going to the IWG charity workshop. Bas gets to stay home with Luna!
Bas's parents are coming the weekend of his birthday. (The 21st.) Looking forward to seeing them again, and will enjoy a break from all the painting!
Expect we will get eth carpet installed the week after that, and schedule the moving truck week 1 October - as well as making a big Ikea purchase on furniture, and hopefully finding a good deal on a washer and dryer before we need it in teh new house. Hopefully we will have the keys to this apt until 10/15 to make that transition a little easier!
Oh - and Luna is walking all the time now. Barely crawls anymore at all. Even if she falls, she gets back up and walks. (She falls alot! 2 bruises on her face!) Apparently she has some competition in her little cousin Jake, so she's working hard! She's a very busy girl!!
Gotta run off to the pediatrician - but also wante to mention I just finished this book called "The Amateur Marriage" by the same author who wrote "The Accidental Tourist" which I've never read, but I found this in eth very small English speaking section of teh library here. Anyway - absolutley loved it. A bit sad, but a very beautiful chronicle of 60 years for one couple. Extremely well written.
TTFN!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
The Welcoming Committee
So when Bas and I first got here we started going to a little gasthaus that is just one little town over from the town our temporary apartment is in. We live in Munchaurach, and the next town over is named Falkendorf. We can even walk there quite easily. We found that the gasthaus had great schnitzel, and a nice place to sit outside. There was always a group of locals there as well, drinking beer, doing shots and smoking - mostly old men, but some children with them as well. We felt a little like we were under the microscope - after all Falkendorf probably has a population of a couple hundred or so, but like I said - the food was good, and the service pretty decent. And we felt pretty confident in our ability to be friendly and speak decent German.
When Bas's parents came for a visit we decided to take them there on their first night here. So we drove up and parked and made a bt of a spectacle of ourselves when we had to flag down his parents in the street so they didn't drive by - but were very excited to share an authentic Franconian dinner with them.
Bas went in to ask for the "kinderstuhl" which we had taken outside both times before. Bas returned soon and announced that the highchair was broken - AND we were going somewhere else. Turns out that the proprietor informed him (I imagine with a smirk) that it was broken. Bas got the message... we weren't welcome.
Honestly - it didn't surprise me. I guess the scrutiny we seemed to have attracted on our previous visits made it almost seem expected. So we went somewhere else - and had a very nice meal. And of course decided that we wouldn' be checking back to find out when the highchair got fixed. Too bad - they had great schnitzel. We even joked about it when we would drive by - talking about how the little town was probably like the one in Texas Chain Saw Massacre or one of those horror flicks, and that if we tempted fate we'd end up being tortured in some dingey basement and becoming the latest delicacy du'jour for the locals or something!
So it shouldn't have been a surprise when I noticed yesterday that high up on almost every single light post, where no one could possibly tamper with them, was a sign for a political party called the NPD. The signs are red, black and white, with a big Nazi-esque X on them, and proclaim "Sozial geht nur Nazional!" (my spelling is off I'm sure.) So ofcourse I googled the NPD when I got home. Turns out they're the neo-nazi party of modern Germany, very conservative, very anti-foreigner, and basically insane. (Look it up on Wikipedia - they even have a picture of a similar propoganda sign) I can't even believe that there are really people like that out there, let alone enough to fill a small village! Guess that explains the kinderstuhl. And even though I keep thinking about their schnitzel, I guess we definitely won't be going back for more - for fear that an angry mob of local villagers show up at our door in the middle of the night with torches and pitch forks! So much for the welcoming committee...
When Bas's parents came for a visit we decided to take them there on their first night here. So we drove up and parked and made a bt of a spectacle of ourselves when we had to flag down his parents in the street so they didn't drive by - but were very excited to share an authentic Franconian dinner with them.
Bas went in to ask for the "kinderstuhl" which we had taken outside both times before. Bas returned soon and announced that the highchair was broken - AND we were going somewhere else. Turns out that the proprietor informed him (I imagine with a smirk) that it was broken. Bas got the message... we weren't welcome.
Honestly - it didn't surprise me. I guess the scrutiny we seemed to have attracted on our previous visits made it almost seem expected. So we went somewhere else - and had a very nice meal. And of course decided that we wouldn' be checking back to find out when the highchair got fixed. Too bad - they had great schnitzel. We even joked about it when we would drive by - talking about how the little town was probably like the one in Texas Chain Saw Massacre or one of those horror flicks, and that if we tempted fate we'd end up being tortured in some dingey basement and becoming the latest delicacy du'jour for the locals or something!
So it shouldn't have been a surprise when I noticed yesterday that high up on almost every single light post, where no one could possibly tamper with them, was a sign for a political party called the NPD. The signs are red, black and white, with a big Nazi-esque X on them, and proclaim "Sozial geht nur Nazional!" (my spelling is off I'm sure.) So ofcourse I googled the NPD when I got home. Turns out they're the neo-nazi party of modern Germany, very conservative, very anti-foreigner, and basically insane. (Look it up on Wikipedia - they even have a picture of a similar propoganda sign) I can't even believe that there are really people like that out there, let alone enough to fill a small village! Guess that explains the kinderstuhl. And even though I keep thinking about their schnitzel, I guess we definitely won't be going back for more - for fear that an angry mob of local villagers show up at our door in the middle of the night with torches and pitch forks! So much for the welcoming committee...
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
More pictures...
So yesterday while we were out and about I picked up this little toy stroller for Luna. She has taken a strong interest in her stroller (like when I let her down at the playground (spielplatz) she just wants to push her stroller) and I found this one for only 8 euros. She LOVES it. I also wanted to get some pictures of her in these adorable little tights she has on today. It's been hard to find dresses for her here, but I did manage to find these cute little shorts that look a bit like lederhosen - although their corduroy.
The drawing is a little art project we did yesterday. I couldn't find any really big tablets of paper for her to draw on, so in order to save the floors here I got a big roll of craft paper. I did the outline obviously, but she did most of the scribbles. She was more intersted in eating the crayons, though!
The drawing is a little art project we did yesterday. I couldn't find any really big tablets of paper for her to draw on, so in order to save the floors here I got a big roll of craft paper. I did the outline obviously, but she did most of the scribbles. She was more intersted in eating the crayons, though!
Monday, September 1, 2008
Pictures
Here are some pictures from this weekend. Luna got some new shoes I'm really excited about. Since summer is over, soon we won't be able to go around barefoot, otherwise old ladies at the grocery store will tell me she needs shoes... We needed something leather so that she can't destroy them by crawling. And they needed laces, or elastic - not velcro, so that she can't pull them off. So I've been looking and looking here, and even sent my Mom off to get me some from the states, bcause all the leather ones here are at LEAST 30 euros - but the good ones are even 60! (Don't worry Mom - if you sent any - we'll still get good use out of them!!) So we found the ones in the pictures on sale, in her size for 20!
The pictures of buildings are downtoen Herzo, as are the ones of Bas and Luna in the playground. The lilly pond and frog are from the botanical gardens in Erlangen.
The pictures of buildings are downtoen Herzo, as are the ones of Bas and Luna in the playground. The lilly pond and frog are from the botanical gardens in Erlangen.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Need Advice!!
On feeding a one year old...
so we've been giving Luna wieners here. We're getting ready to try chicken, but for now it's been all about wieners. We're also trying hard to get two servings of vegetables and fruit a day. But lately Lulu has taken to throwing EVERYTHING on the floor.
I know this must be totally normal. I'm sure she loves the response she gets when we say "No!" So I've tried positive reinforcement - saying "Eat!" with a big smile when she actually does it and responding "Good! Good!"
I know that a baby's diet frequently dips when they hit the one year mark. So I've tried to think, "It's OK, she's just not hungry." But then she's so small...
So, it's been really frustrating me. Last night I put her on the floor with her food so she could eat it from there. :) And today at lunch, I just took it away after she threw half of it on the floor. I thought she would want it after she knew there wasn't any left - but no - she was perfectly happy to get down. And I know if I had given her banana or strawberries, she would have eaten everything...
so does anyone have any tips? Should I just feed her fruit, bread and milk products - or am I right to just put her down when she acts like this? Or is this just a phase that she will get through eventually? I've been trying to give her the veggies before the wiener, since she's most likely to get sick of the veggies first. But today at lunch I gave her cheese first, while we waited for the wiener to be ready - and I wonder if that isn't why she ate only 2 pieces.
Any other ideas for good first table foods to try (that are easy for her to self feed and aren't too messy or hard to prepare?) Right now we mostly do:
1. yogurt
2. bread
3. cheese
4. biscuits
5. wieners
6. steamed broccoli or green beans
7. lunch meat
8. noodles
9. bananas
10. strawberries
HELP!
so we've been giving Luna wieners here. We're getting ready to try chicken, but for now it's been all about wieners. We're also trying hard to get two servings of vegetables and fruit a day. But lately Lulu has taken to throwing EVERYTHING on the floor.
I know this must be totally normal. I'm sure she loves the response she gets when we say "No!" So I've tried positive reinforcement - saying "Eat!" with a big smile when she actually does it and responding "Good! Good!"
I know that a baby's diet frequently dips when they hit the one year mark. So I've tried to think, "It's OK, she's just not hungry." But then she's so small...
So, it's been really frustrating me. Last night I put her on the floor with her food so she could eat it from there. :) And today at lunch, I just took it away after she threw half of it on the floor. I thought she would want it after she knew there wasn't any left - but no - she was perfectly happy to get down. And I know if I had given her banana or strawberries, she would have eaten everything...
so does anyone have any tips? Should I just feed her fruit, bread and milk products - or am I right to just put her down when she acts like this? Or is this just a phase that she will get through eventually? I've been trying to give her the veggies before the wiener, since she's most likely to get sick of the veggies first. But today at lunch I gave her cheese first, while we waited for the wiener to be ready - and I wonder if that isn't why she ate only 2 pieces.
Any other ideas for good first table foods to try (that are easy for her to self feed and aren't too messy or hard to prepare?) Right now we mostly do:
1. yogurt
2. bread
3. cheese
4. biscuits
5. wieners
6. steamed broccoli or green beans
7. lunch meat
8. noodles
9. bananas
10. strawberries
HELP!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Luna's New Tricks
Not sure if I have mentioned any of these in a post but here are some of Luna's new tricks...
1. Saying Momma and Pappa (although, she's forgotten this skill as of this week! Now it's just MMMMa - whether she's referring to me or Bas! Sure she'll get it back together soon!)
2. Trying to say "Uh Oh" when we drop something.
3. Pointing to a nose or mouth when prompted.
4. Shaking her head side to side. (So funny!)
5. Giving a kiss when asked for - even directing whether it should go to Momma or Papa.
6. Putting things into and taking things out of (like little drawers and compartments on toys)
7. Walking 6-7 steps all by herself (when no one is looking ofcourse!)
8. Eating all table food and no more baby food.
9. Down to one nursing a day (1st thing in the AM - I can't imagine fixing this one yet, since it's frequently 5AM, although we're close!)
10. Going to bed quietly without a huge fuss, with Papa, after a book, a snack and some milk.
11. LOVES rocking in her car seat. We don't have anyplace to hide it, and she just crawls into it, stands up and rocks - like she's surfing or something. Yes - this is going to be an adventurous little one! It makes me so nervous - I started turning it over so she can't do it recently!
1. Saying Momma and Pappa (although, she's forgotten this skill as of this week! Now it's just MMMMa - whether she's referring to me or Bas! Sure she'll get it back together soon!)
2. Trying to say "Uh Oh" when we drop something.
3. Pointing to a nose or mouth when prompted.
4. Shaking her head side to side. (So funny!)
5. Giving a kiss when asked for - even directing whether it should go to Momma or Papa.
6. Putting things into and taking things out of (like little drawers and compartments on toys)
7. Walking 6-7 steps all by herself (when no one is looking ofcourse!)
8. Eating all table food and no more baby food.
9. Down to one nursing a day (1st thing in the AM - I can't imagine fixing this one yet, since it's frequently 5AM, although we're close!)
10. Going to bed quietly without a huge fuss, with Papa, after a book, a snack and some milk.
11. LOVES rocking in her car seat. We don't have anyplace to hide it, and she just crawls into it, stands up and rocks - like she's surfing or something. Yes - this is going to be an adventurous little one! It makes me so nervous - I started turning it over so she can't do it recently!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
New Baby Buggy
Here's the "Fahrrad Anhaenger" that we bought today. Everybody uses them. Found it on a sight similar to craigslist w/ classifieds over here. It was only 55E. compared with like 500E. for new! Since I want to be able to ride my bike to the grocery store, this should provide ample space for Luna and groceries!! (Fortunately it's not too far) It will also be fun for picnics and "wandern" as they say here! And will definitely help us save on gas!! (As long as it's not snowing!) We had a lot of fun fitting it into the Micra - had to put Luna into the front seat (yikes!)
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Grocery Store Socials...
So I met a woman with a baby at the Rewe in weisendorf today. It was funny, because I couldn't decided whether to go to the one in Herzo or in Weisendorf, and I finally decided on Weisendorf because I knew I could get some filets there. Guess it was providential...
I was finished with my shopping, and waiting in line at the bakery, and a woman came up behind me, also with a baby in her cart, and she was talking to Luna and making "sweet" with her. And so I started resonding, as best my German could afford, and asked how old her baby was (still no idea whether her baby was a boy or girl - but boy I think.) Turns out the baby was 2 weeks shy of 1 year, so I told her that Luna was 1, as of 08/07 and she soon figured out that my German wasn't good, but she was still coaxing Luna to say Mama and having fun with her. So I made my purchase, said Tchuess! and went on my way.
But then I ran into her again in the parking lot, as I was on my way to return the cart, and she told me (in very good English) that she would be very happy to meet again, if I wanted some company (after asking how long we're here, etc.) So she gave me her number and I told her that I would call her next week. She lives in Buch, which is a tiny town, very close to Weisendorf.
Her name is Jana. It will be so much fun for Luna to have a playmate, and for me to be able to have someone to practise my German with!
I also found out that most small towns have a sports center, where the town can go for classes and exercise. Apparently they usually have a kinder-mutter "turnen" which is like gymnasium for the kids - there is one in Herzo at 9:30 on Friday's that I know of, but think that there will be one in Weisendorf as well. Won't find out until September when it's open after vacation again - but I think that will be fun, too! Seems like a great way for Luna to be around other kids, and another way for me to practise my German!
I was finished with my shopping, and waiting in line at the bakery, and a woman came up behind me, also with a baby in her cart, and she was talking to Luna and making "sweet" with her. And so I started resonding, as best my German could afford, and asked how old her baby was (still no idea whether her baby was a boy or girl - but boy I think.) Turns out the baby was 2 weeks shy of 1 year, so I told her that Luna was 1, as of 08/07 and she soon figured out that my German wasn't good, but she was still coaxing Luna to say Mama and having fun with her. So I made my purchase, said Tchuess! and went on my way.
But then I ran into her again in the parking lot, as I was on my way to return the cart, and she told me (in very good English) that she would be very happy to meet again, if I wanted some company (after asking how long we're here, etc.) So she gave me her number and I told her that I would call her next week. She lives in Buch, which is a tiny town, very close to Weisendorf.
Her name is Jana. It will be so much fun for Luna to have a playmate, and for me to be able to have someone to practise my German with!
I also found out that most small towns have a sports center, where the town can go for classes and exercise. Apparently they usually have a kinder-mutter "turnen" which is like gymnasium for the kids - there is one in Herzo at 9:30 on Friday's that I know of, but think that there will be one in Weisendorf as well. Won't find out until September when it's open after vacation again - but I think that will be fun, too! Seems like a great way for Luna to be around other kids, and another way for me to practise my German!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
IWG - International Women's Group
I decided to check out an Internation Women's Group here in herzo which I found about in the relocation information. They have a coffee every month, and so I contacted the woman who was hosting yesterday to get directions - and she said that I was the first person who had RSVP'd - so i was a little woried that the group wasn't what I was expecting, but I just got back from the coffee. It was very nice, and Karin, who is the president of the women's group was there. Sure enough - everybody is on vacation. She said that normally it is around 10 women.
They have an event coming up in September to start organizing a charity fundraiser. The fundraiser will be a ball on October 11th. Think that will be lots of fun! I was just thinking this morning that it was a pity I don't have any reasons to get dressed up anymore. Husbands are invited of course. They also told me about lots of activities for children, such as a toddler gymnasium and swimming lessons - which will be good for the winter. And they also told me about German lessons that you can sign up for which is paid for by the federal government. Since Adidas will pay for lessons at first, I can probably do that twice a week after the Adidas lessons run out!
They also had great resources for finding a babysitter, so that will be a great help, too!
SO sounds like there will be plenty to get involved in - I plan to fill out the registration and become a member!
Here is a link to their website... http://www.womensgroup.de/
They have an event coming up in September to start organizing a charity fundraiser. The fundraiser will be a ball on October 11th. Think that will be lots of fun! I was just thinking this morning that it was a pity I don't have any reasons to get dressed up anymore. Husbands are invited of course. They also told me about lots of activities for children, such as a toddler gymnasium and swimming lessons - which will be good for the winter. And they also told me about German lessons that you can sign up for which is paid for by the federal government. Since Adidas will pay for lessons at first, I can probably do that twice a week after the Adidas lessons run out!
They also had great resources for finding a babysitter, so that will be a great help, too!
SO sounds like there will be plenty to get involved in - I plan to fill out the registration and become a member!
Here is a link to their website... http://www.womensgroup.de/
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