The Alps

Weekends

Last weekend, my friend Kathy came to visit while Joerg was away in Berlin. We had a great time at the market, out to breakfast, and just hanging out with Emma on the half-finished balcony. And Kathy knitted Emma the cutest yellow hat and booties (Mommy picked out some green yarn for another hat, too.).

This past weekend, we went to the English afternoon on Friday (which Emma slept through) and made some new friends who are just around Emma's age. When we left, though, it was raining cats and dogs and mommy got soaked on the walk home! On Saturday, we had to take the car to the mechanic, then we headed into town to do a little shopping and get daddy a haircut. It was also the city festival, but since it was raining, it wasn't so much fun and Mommy wasn't feeling too well....long story short, now Mommy has a sore throat and a runny nose. So we spent Sunday lazying around the apartment and didn't get anything done....so the plants still aren't planted on the balcony and things are a little messy, but, oh well.

Here's the view from the balcony and a funny picture from the construction phase:

7 hours of sleep .... for Emma

Okay, so this is my new sunbonnet, but I was sleeping, so it didn't stay on right...

Yesterday, Emma had a relaxing day. She was in a good mood and took some longer naps. And, then, she slept from 9pm to 4am without nursing! I don't know if this is a good thing or not, but maybe she's finally working into a nighttime rhythm. I, of course, didn't sleep well, because I kept waking up to check on her and make sure she was okay - I guess I am used to sleeping much less! She nursed at 4, then was back asleep by 5am and slept till a little after 7am! And, now she's been sleeping again since 8:30 and it's now 10:10...

Emma in her mummy costume on the sofa - nap time:

The question is, is this her new routine - the new Emma, post growth spurt - or is this just a day to tempt mommy and daddy and to make them think it's going to get a little easier???

We're going to try to go to the English-speaking parents and kids cafe that's not too far away today, but we'll see if we actually make it. We skipped the last two Fridays for a nap and then for a haircut, but hopefully we'll make it there today.

Tomorrow we pick up our "new to us" Honda Jazz, aka the Honda fit in the US, and then we've got some errands to run. I finally get to buy some plants, etc. for our balcony (which is not completely finished, but good enough to buy plants and to be able to sit outside!). I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do, though, since it is already a little late in the season to start planting, but I am sure that I will find something. I think Emma is going to stay home with Daddy tomorrow afternoon and Mommy gets to go off on her own - wooohoooo! But, we'll have to see how it goes. Nursing every 3-4 hours is getting on my nerves, although I know that I can't expect any better. And breast milk is best.......if only breast milk came in a bottle from the grocery!

Oh, and Mommy tried to see if some of the 3-6 month onesies might fit me already so she wouldn't have to do so much laundry since I keep spitting up, but, um, they're still a little too big!

SLEEP, Please....

Well, Emma is almost 5 weeks old, and she nurses about every 3-4 hours (as to be expected) and sleeps in between, but I can't help but feeling TIRED. I want some sleep - and not just for ca. 2 hours between feedings! I guess we'll soon have to give in and I will pump some milk so that Daddy can take care of feedings every now and then and mommy can SLEEP!

I think this is totally normal for newborns and newborn parents, especially the ones like me who have not learned the trick of falling asleep quickly after the baby and taking naps with her, but if anyone has any other tips, they'd be much appreciated.

We were just in town for lunch (met Daddy at the Irish pub), but it was too darn hot to stay in town and go to the park like I planned - it's in the 90s today, so it's too bad that we can't go to the swimming pool! And that our balcony is still NOT finished - big surprise there. Emma's slept all afternoon, but let's hope she wakes up soon so she can nurse and then we can both have a nap!

Daddy caught us napping the other morning after 'breakfast'.

I fall asleep in the swing that I inherited from my cousin Niall, but I wake up as soon as the rocking or the music stops!

Count my fingers....now where is my thumb?

Just for my sister, Emma's Aunt Abby, Emma has apparently learned to suck her thumb. Hopefully she'll un-learn this habit - she's only done it a few times. I keep trying to give her a pacifier when she starts sucking on her hand, cause I figure it will be easier to wean her from that than from a thumb which she has permanently attached to her hand!

Otherwise, we had a good day today. Emma was relatively peaceful and had a long (almost five hour) nap this afternoon, which meant I got to have lunch out with Daddy, pick out a new (used) laptop, hit the drugstore and the bookstore and the organic grocery store and walk home before she woke up!!! And, she let me vaccuum even though she was awake. In exchange, however, she peed on the changing table twice while I was trying to change her diaper...more laundry. Hopefully the nap this afternoon doesn't mean she won't sleep well tonight....we'll have to see if she stays in her basket or manages to make it back into our bed tonight, again.

First Post

So, giving into the pressure from across the ocean, I am attempting to create a blog. That said, there are NO Promises! Emma is sleeping at the moment (big surprise), so I actually had the chance to sit at the computer. Don't ask me why things are in German - I don't know how to change those settings. I changed the language setting to English, but it didn't change the instructions on the blog site. If anyone knows how to change this, let me know.

We're having a lazy day around here. Just laundry and cleaning on the list today - and chances are that Emma won't sleep long enough for me to get either accomplished! I'm still trying to adjust to not having a cleaned-up (and clean) house all the time. And, it's 1pm and I still haven't had a shower. I guess this is life with an almost one month old baby.