parting thoughts

Two years. Two incredible years of our lives we've spent living in an apartment in Aachen, Germany. When we first moved here, I cried. Alot. I sat in the bathroom floor and bawled my eyes out. I had left almost everything behind to come to a place where I knew no one, had no job, and didn't speak the language. I was five months pregnant, and I missed my dog. Writing it now makes me chuckle, but the struggle was very real at the time.

Here, I grew a child inside of me. Raised a tiny infant into a rambunctious toddler. Endured sweltering heat at 7 months pregnant with no air conditioner in a top floor flat. Where Miles learned to crawl. To walk. To run. Where he first said mama and dada. Where he had his first taste of solid food and learned to eat with utensils. 

Learned (a very little bit of) a new language. Stepped way (way, way) outside my comfort zone. Traveled to so many new places - by plane, by train, by automobile. Spent Christmas Eve looking at the Mona Lisa in Paris and cooked pasta in Florence for my 30th birthday and reenacted scenes from The Sound of Music in Salzburg with a lifelong friend. Cruised the canals of Amsterdam and ate pintxos in San Sebastian and took a selfie with Big Ben in London.

Daily walks in the park, stopping to watch the ducks and laying out a blanket in the grass listening to the monotonous sound of the fountain as the water rises and falls. Gelato on hot days and picking up flowers for our dining table at the weekly farmer's markets. Walking everywhere. The store. Dinner. I usually get in a car once a month. Late spring - when we open the windows and let the fresh air sweep over us as we listen to the chorus of birds. The month of December - when our little piece of Germany becomes a magical Christmas village filled with craft vendors and mulled wine.

There are many things I won't miss about Germany: the lack of Mexican food and air conditioning topping the list. But damn, if you haven't been good to us. It's not goodbye, but see you later. Until next time.

18 months with Miles

Whew! You guys. I don't know how two months got away from me, but here we are at the end of May. Between three weeks worth of visitors, having to get my computer repaired after it took a nasty fall, preparing to move home to North Carolina, and keeping up with a rambunctious toddler, the time for writing has been limited. I've got a ton of stuff to catch you up on, including our trips to Spain and Austria and some great books I've read, but I thought I'd jump back in with an update on our baby boy who just turned a whole year and a half old!

Here are a few things he's been up to lately...

Making teeth! His total count is up to 12 now that he's cut four mean molars.

Wants to do everything himself. Climbs in his stroller on his own and can almost get it buckled. Assembles his straw cups. Pretends to put his lotion on himself after baths. Tries to dress himself and will sit on the bottom stair in our apartment to try to put on his socks and shoes. 

Always requests to go outside. Loves spending afternoons at the park playing in the sand, going down the slide, and picking flowers in the grass.

Has gotten the hang of "riding" his little balance bike his Grammy bought him on her visit and cruises all over the house on it. Unless he's asleep or eating, this kid NEVER STOPS MOVING.

Is still a great eater and can now eat bigger versions of things - for example, he can take bites out of a whole sandwich instead of me tearing it up into bite-sized pieces for him. Has discovered the joys of "dipping" foods. Is a pro with a spoon. Prefers using a real fork to the toddler version.

Has a huge vocabulary - some favorites are "owside" (outside) "i keem" (ice cream - which he requests almost daily), "Monty" (who he asks to see anytime we FaceTime one of my parents), "airpane" (airplane - he's become slightly obsessed since our last flight), "pees" (please - usually more like a demand than a request), "Josh" (which he thinks is hilarious to call his daddy since he hears me saying it), and so many more. Recently added his elbows and knees to the list of body parts he can identify. Is slowly learning his colors and numbers, too!

Sings the "bom, bom, bom" line of Sweet Caroline and the "woohoo" part of the Duck Tales theme. These have been my proudest achievements in parenting thus far.

Also, can someone tell me how my baby has become such a big boy?! How do I slow it down? While I love this new stage of learning and getting to experience so much through his eyes, it all seems to be happening too quickly!

It's hard to believe that the next time I update on this dude, we'll be back in home sweet Carolina! Our house, our wonderful bed, our friends and families.... oh Germany, you've been so good, but I. AM. READY. 

Watch out for lots more posts coming soon (hopefully!), and enjoy this last expression I'll leave you with...

childhood milestones: miles's first haircut

Well, we made it more than 16 months, but after having nearly every stranger we've encountered for the last month think he was a she, I finally gave in and decided it was time for a trim. It was Josh who was initially hesitant for the cut when I wanted to do it around his first birthday, but I'll admit a pang of sadness overwhelmed me as I snipped away those sweet baby curls. What's next?! Kindergarten? College?!

Nap hair. Don't care.

Experienced in cutting Josh's hair, I decided to brave doing it myself. Admittedly, I was pretty nervous about how a toddler was going to cooperate as I wielded sharp metal instruments near his precious noggin and semi-essential features like his eyes and ears. Armed with snacks and Sesame Street with daddy in charge of keeping him cool in his highchair, I can honestly say it was not bad at all. Actually, it went more smoothly than I could have possibly hoped. 

My favorite. 

There was only one injury, which was me snipping my finger, and though I had to move much quicker than I normally would, I think the haircut turned out pretty good. Just look at my big boy!