Rodrinski

Teo's first birthday

2011-02-22T10:00:00.003+01:00

Teo has turned one!

As of today, he has 3 teeth and is walking. One of the boys favorite things to do is play peek-a-boo using my legs while I'm in the kitchen washing dishes or making dinner. Teo hides behind my legs and Alex hops around "surprising" Teo. It gets them into a fit of giggles.

Cuteness

2011-01-19T12:17:00.000+01:00

Alex Turns 2

2010-09-20T20:07:00.004+02:00

We had a very low-key birthday celebration for Alex - just us and 30 balloons. In case anyone out there wonders what to get a two-year old for his/her birthday try balloons. It kept Alex entertained all evening (Thanks Daddy).

Can anyone explain how a toddler wakes up one morning and realizes he needs to move into his terrible twos on his birthday? All day today was "No" and then he whined and cried the whole way home from daycare. I had to laugh because he was saying "down" the whole way home but it sounded just like a cat whining.

Alex is also enjoying his bike. We almost got all the way around the block before he got tired!

This weekend was beautiful! Just an awesome picture of where we live.

And I have to include a few cute pics of Teo. This is why one should always strap a baby into a swing. Because one day you will turn around from chopping veggies and almost have a heart attack wondering if he'll tip over. (He didn't.)

Teo is sitting up really well by himself now. I love this pic with a little saliva bubble on his chin - he is teething in earnest and I hope one of them breaks through soon.

Summer Catch Up

2010-08-22T14:29:00.008+02:00

I've been extremely lazy with the blog this summer. I hope all these photos are worth waiting for.

I have some wonderful photos of the boys along with a few from when Luisito was here this summer.

Alex loved having Luisito here this summer. The weekend before Luisito left, we were out for a walk. I look behind me and the two boys were walking side-by-side with their hands in their jacket pockets. Times I wish I had my camera. Adorable.

Alex has mastered going up and down the stairs this summer. This was my only goal this summer and Luisito helped out tremendously. Luisito would help Alex up the stairs each afternoon. Towards the end Alex insisted on doing it himself!

Daddy brought out an old helmet and the boys had so much fun. This photo reminds me of Spaceballs;)

Alex is also talking in phrases now. I don't always understand him, but that's okay. It's fun to hear "Bye-bye moon" and "rock heavy".

Teo is growing up so fast. Here are just a few of his newer accomplishments.

Alpine Adventures

2010-07-24T16:15:00.003+02:00

The last couple of weekends have been wonderful and we've hit the mountains for something new. We went up the Alpspitz to see this new landmark - AlpspiX. Luisx2 went out on it - the landings sway in the wind and it looks out over the whole valley.

It was a nice afternoon.

The following weekend, Luis x2 went paragliding off the same mountain.

And here's a movie of Luisito jumping off the mountain

Cute Pics

2010-04-17T13:18:00.003+02:00

Just some cute photos we've taken over the last couple of weeks. Alex is a character, when he's not throwing a jealousy fit.

Teo has begun to smile and it's adorable.

While my parents were here, they took this family photo on our way to dinner one night.

Grandparents Visit

2010-04-17T12:49:00.002+02:00

Grama and Grandpa Szopinski visited this past week.

They really enjoyed their week here. They did a couple of day trips: Munich and Innsbruck. They also helped us out a lot watching the the boys while we ran errands. We also got a bunch of good pictures. I love the one below where Teo found his nose.

Mom and Dad returned to the States at the right time. They thought they might get stranded in Europe because of the volcanic ash from Iceland. Luckily they got their flight changed and are in NY to celebrate my brother's Master's degree art show.

Teo's 1 Month Birthday

2010-03-26T14:10:00.003+01:00

Teo had a well-baby check-up today. I decided to make a morning of it, since Alex was at daycare. So after the appointment we went downtown. Did some shopping for Alex, as he is slowly outgrowing his current clothing. Unfortunately, I didn't find rain gear for him, so I'll eventually have to shop again. Blah. We also went to the farmer's market and got some delicious fruit and gawked over the spring flower displays.

Here are some recent photos of Teo. Had to include one of him upset - it's adorable as long as he doesn't cry too long.

Teo is starting to spend time on his own. Up until now, he's wanted to be held and fed if he was awake. But now I'll put him on a play mat and he'll be happy for a good 10 minutes. I'm able to get a meal put together in one session. I've also gotten 3 nights in a row where I only have to feed him twice! It's good to have a bit more sleep.

It is amazingly hard to get a good photo of both boys together. Normally, Alex moves away right as I'm taking the picture.

Alex has finally gotten over his sickness (and now I have it). It's great to watch him and Luis wrestle/play in the evening. Alex loves being tossed about and jumping on Daddy. Here are a few pics of Alex that I love:

Changes

2010-03-17T09:19:00.002+01:00

Alex has his first case of pink eye. This is one of those illnesses I wasn't sure what to look for. Luis came home at lunch time yesterday and said we needed to take him to the doctor. Apparently, this is very common in young kids. They wipe their runny nose upward with their hand into their eyes. So we are wrestling Alex three times a day to give him eye drops.

Another interesting Alex development - he's gotten interested in his toes, spreading them apart every time he sits down.

Teo seems to have found a schedule - waking up by 7am, nice long nap around 11, and in bed by 9:30 pm. He's also getting more control over his neck muscles.

Luis and I have gotten tired of our regular dinners. Just not enough variety. So I've started picking a new recipe to make every week. Last night was a beef and ale stew from Jamie Oliver. Quite good, but next time we're adding potatoes to the mix.

Week 2

2010-03-06T12:38:00.002+01:00

Just some random thoughts and happenings from this week.

A few more photos of Teo - chewing on a finger and really enjoying his nap.

I've been wondering how the boys will be the same and differ. So far, Teo doesn't have the evening crying fits that Alex had and he doesn't spit up as much as Alex. He's also fairly content to just lay in his crib staring at the wall or a toy. This might just be a second kid thing, since I need to give Alex attention as well.

I'm feeling a little more comfortable with taking care of both boys on my own. The tough part is if I decide we're going out. Getting two boys up or down the stairs is a challenge and if I have a grocery bag as well...

Here are some pictures of the boys.

This morning Alex brought me the cats' empty food bowl without any prompting. I don't normally involve Alex in feeding the cats except to say - leave the cats alone, they're having breakfast. Kind of cool.

Alex has been adjusting pretty well. We've had a few rough afternoons where he will cry the entire time I'm feeding Teo. But he's getting better, as am I, making sure he's got a snack or I try to engage him by singing a song or encouraging him in whatever he's doing.

Alex vs. Teo

2010-02-27T12:10:00.003+01:00

Thought it would be interesting to compare Alex and Teo. Teo is on the left. Alex is about a week older in this photo.

Definitely brothers, but I think their noses are different and Teo has an angular chin.

We have to work on getting a picture of the boys together.

I've been home for two days now. I knew we'd have to teach Alex what gentle actually means, but I didn't expect to have to kick him off the couch. We've let Alex jump around and play on the couch. It's just not safe now, when I have Teo in my arms and Alex decides to go pillow jumping.

This morning I thought I was doing pretty well, getting both boys ready and breakfast done. But at the last moment I had to change Teo's diaper and clothes again. Teo's crying because he doesn't like being undressed and Alex is crying because he saw his breakfast and wants it now. Thankfully, Luis got out of the shower at this point and took Alex.

And this is only the beginning...

It's a boy!

2010-02-27T11:41:00.002+01:00

Here is Teo Xavier Jose Rodriguez...

He was born on Monday, 22 February at 12:54 pm. He weighed 3,480 grams (7 lbs, 6 oz) and 52 cm (20.5 in) long.

Here are some "action" shots. He already has the Rodriguez furrowed eyebrows!

The birth day story:

I had a doctor's appointment on Monday morning because I was scheduled for an induction the next day (10th day past my due date). As I was getting breakfast ready, contractions started. At this point I wasn't really sure they were contractions, so I headed off to my appointment. By the time I got to the doctor the contractions were 10-12 minutes apart, but still fairly light. The midwife examined me and said to come back later in the day when the contractions were more intense and a little closer together. I made my way back home, stopped by Luis' office to let him know what was going on, then picked up Alex. Luis' parents had come up on Sunday, so I got them all set with Alex. I figured I should have something to eat. Luis got home at 11:30 and I told him to get something quick to eat and change. He was trying to convince me not to go to the hospital too early, but I was ready for some medication by this time. We got to the hospital around 12:00. The midwife examined me again. I was at 8 cm and couldn't get any medication. I was disappointed, but by the time she got me all prepped it was time to push. Crazy fast. This picture was in the delivery room. The doctor was finishing up with me, so Luis was holding Teo, who was all wrapped up like Mother Theresa.

Waiting

2010-02-06T13:05:00.003+01:00

I've been feeling like I'm in a holding pattern the last 2 weeks. Just waiting for the new baby to arrive. Which is not too bad - staying around home, trying to rest more, not too much on our agenda. We're both ready to see this baby though.

In the meantime, here's some fun Alex photos.

With Valentine's Day coming up, remember to have some fun with chocolate.

On weekend mornings, it's usually Alex and I for breakfast. So, while I'm making the food, Alex has been discovering the cabinets.

Mr. Bucket Head

2010-01-04T21:15:00.001+01:00

... says Happy New Year!

Pictures

2009-12-27T11:27:00.003+01:00

Some good ones with the Grandparents.

Alex found Grandma's hat and was posing with it.

And I've been wanting an Alex and Mom belly photo for awhile.

Alex is just tall enough to see over the table. Here he is with Auntie Jessie's gift. We are starting to work on rolling the ball instead of throwing it, like he did after this picture was taken.

Here are some more Christmas photos.

Christmas

2009-12-25T13:09:00.003+01:00

We had a fun morning and since Alex is sleeping off the excitement I thought I'd update you all a little. Luisito gave Alex this cool truck - he even dances to the music it makes. Grama and Grandpa Szopinski gave him some beginner Legos.

They also gave him some musical instruments with a perfect torture device - a jingle bell bracelet! A wonderful, tracking device.

Grandma and Grandpa Rodriguez are up here in rainy Garmisch for the holiday. It has been fun having them and we have all enjoyed Grandpa Lou's cooking.

Luis and I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Enjoy your holiday time with family and friends.

Updates

2009-12-24T13:33:00.003+01:00

Alex has been growing in leaps and bounds. Here are a few short clips.

He's also been a slobery mess as he is getting some molars. Double click on the photo to see it!

Driving in Europe

2009-10-25T16:13:00.002+01:00

I had this revelation today, driving back from the Munich airport...

I grew up driving in the States. Roads are generally constructed in a square/grid pattern. And I feel comfortable driving and finding my way is not too hard.

European roads were constructed around the city center - generally a circle. So you have these spokes radiating out from the center. I never feel comfortable driving here and get lost very easily.

Today was the first time I drove back from the airport and didn't get lost!

Lake Garda, Italy

2009-10-25T15:54:00.004+01:00

We went to Lake Garda while my sister, Jess, was here. Grandpa Lou was wonderful and came up to Germany to watch Alex for the weekend.

Jess, Luis, and I had two days of a cooking class with Andreas and Lara, two very knowledgable folks and Andreas has quite the sense of humor.

The first day my favorite dish was the gnocchi. Typically too heavy for me to truly enjoy, but this recipe was wonderful. One the second day my favorite was spinach ricotta stuffed ravioli. I really enjoyed the pasta making. The best tip was to add a little olive oil to garlic or rosemary before you start chopping so you don't have flying herbs.

We also visited a few of the tourist towns around - the attractions being the lake and shopping. Despite all the shopping Jess was unable to find a gnocchi roller. I'm still looking around for one. Maybe the next time we go to Vicenza, Luis' parents can help us out.

+1

2009-10-04T16:50:00.003+02:00

Let me introduce you to our new little one expected in mid-February:

The hospital got a new ultrasound machine so the first two are 3-D. The third profile looks like another copy of Luis. Go figure - dominate genes.

Luis wanted this baby to be a surprise so we're waiting to find out the gender.

The doctor says the baby is healthy and normal. And I'm feeling the baby more and more. Luis finally felt him/her this week.

Alex Turns 1!

2009-09-20T12:39:00.003+02:00

Alex had a fun birthday celebration this morning with Mom, Dad, the Iniguez's, and Aryn. He was a bit hesitant with the icing at first, but then dug into the carrot cake cupcake (thanks Auntie Jessie for the recipe!)

Alex figured out how to rip off wrapping paper and enjoyed all the toys.

Alex has finally passed out but enjoyed the sugar, toys, and company. He says "Thanks!" for the presents and cards.

Pictures

2009-09-19T12:53:00.004+02:00

Here's some photos Luis took with his new camera.

A good shot of his teeth! And no we didn't pose him.

I got out his halloween costume from last year. Fits likes spandex so I guess we'll get something else for this year. But he had fun parading about in his monkey suit.

Latest Videos

2009-09-05T19:18:00.004+02:00

Some dancing...

...and Alex's first steps that we witnessed.

Ft. Walton Beach, FL

2009-08-27T04:24:00.014+02:00

So, I am in Florida for a language seminar. It's a beautiful area with lots to see and do. Here are a few pics of the beach from the hotel. Don't be jealous =)

A sand zamboni?

Here is my "No shit there I was story". While I was out getting the best pizza ever from Papa John's (Spicy Italian), I took a few pics of the area where the store was located as I was waiting for my order. I walked around a bit snapping shots of random things then put my camera in the rental car and waited for the pizza. Apparently, taking pictures of things makes people nervous and causes them to call the cops. As I was waiting near the entrance to Papa John's, two police officers approached me and asked if they could have a chat. They proceeded to ask me questions as to why I was taking pictures of stores and the area. I guess the person that called the cops thought I was casing the area to rob it later. At first I was annoyed at being questioned and having my ID ran, then I understood where the store owner was coming from after the officers said there had been a few robberies in the past. It was still weird to be questioned in that manner. Here are the pics I snapped. Not sure what someone would want to steal from there =/

Chiemsee

2009-08-23T20:48:00.002+02:00

We went to Chiemsee a couple of weeks ago. It was a nice Saturday. We escaped rainy Garmisch and enjoyed a gorgeous day exploring Herrn and Frauen Islands. Herrn has a gorgeous castle and during the tour Alex had a little fit that sounded like a huge fit because it was so echo-y. Frauen Island is this little fishing and artisan village. We walked around the island, then went to their fest. I had their fish on a stick - delicious but not quite worth 10 Euros.

I love the 2nd photo of Alex enjoying the water. The boat behind him is a traditional Chiemsee sail boat.

Family Pictures

2009-08-10T20:42:00.007+02:00

Our friend, Aryn Lockhart, was kind enough to spend part of her July Sunday morning with us to take some photos. Here are some fun candid shots:

...of Alex hitting Luisito

...of Luisito posing and Alex's scowl

...of the boys wrestling

And here's my favorite photo of the boys.

Vacation in Minnesota

2009-06-11T16:45:00.006+02:00

Alex and I had a fun time in Minnesota. Grammie and Grandpa Szopinski had a blast with the babe

And Alex had plenty of love for Auntie Jessie

Besides lots of family time, I got in some good shopping. I was able to catch up with a college friend and meet her daughter while chowing down on some delicious Mediterranean food. While some of the Szopinski clan was up, we went to Como Park and Conservatory and down to the Mills City farmer's market and the Guthrie theater.

Luisito is here

2009-05-30T15:23:00.004+02:00

Luis' first day in Germany.

And here is Luis reading to Alex.

Catching up with Alex

2009-05-27T21:41:00.005+02:00

Alex has a third tooth popping through so I thought I should get a picture of his 1st two on here before he has a mouth full of teeth.

And here are just a few cute pictures over the last month:

Last, but not least, a video. Crackers are a wonderful thing when you have a baby that wants to eat jetzt sofort (right now). Plus he's just plain cute chomping on it.

Learning to crawl

2009-05-18T15:45:00.002+02:00

Table Food

2009-05-16T14:02:00.007+02:00

Alex had his first "meal" of table food yesterday - strawberry yogurt, 2 Ritz crackers, and mashed bananas. On pizza night he really enjoyed his introduction to pizza bones.

Today Alex was trying out a few crawling motions - stepping his arm forward and then trying to move his knee. Not quite coordinated but he's getting there. It'd be nice not to have to try to clean the line of dirt off his belly after his play time. Milo loves to sit with Alex on his mat. He takes a lot of abuse when Alex "hands" him toys or tries to "pet" him.

This week all of our students are gone on their field study trips so I took advantage of the downtime to take a 2-day intermediate Access course. I thought I might be in over my head as I've only been a passive user of Access - pulling up information and sorting it. Luckily, the class was right at my level and I learned the basics of building a database and creating queries and forms. A good class.

Teeth

2009-05-02T12:39:00.004+02:00

Alex has two teeth! A week and half ago they finally broke through after I had just about given up on them after 3 weeks of whining. Right now he's working through a case on tonsillitis (sp?) - his first use of antibiotics.

Here's a few pics - the flowers are all over the mountains in this area. I think they're beautiful.

Alex has been enjoying pounding on the exercise ball.

I came back into the living room after putting Alex down for a nap one afternoon and I find the kitten had taken over Alex's play mat.

Alex is Movin'!

2009-04-20T20:19:00.002+02:00

This and that

2009-04-20T20:03:00.004+02:00

Alex and I have started hiking. The weather has been wonderful these last 3 weeks. Our first hike was up to St. Martin's Hutte. I put Alex in the Baby Bjorn, facing outward, and he just entertained everyone we past as he talked to himself and chowed down on a teething toy. We had a Pretzel at the restaraunt and I had a Radler (though Alex is a good German baby and he was gnawing on the beer stein). This past weekend I pushed the stroller up to Aule Alm and then over to Riessersee and back down in one big circle. At least this time around my back didn't hurt at the end. I think I need to invest in a good baby backpack.

I've been putting together tourist information for the students' website at work. Today I came across this tidbit of history about BMW: At the beginning of the century, the Oberwiesenfeld served as an airstrip -the first in Munich - where the present day BMW Welt and Museum is. Twoflight pioneers founded their companies here: Gustav Otto with his"Flugmaschinenfabrik" ("Flight Machine Factory") and Karl Rapp with his"Motorenwerk" ("Motor Works"). Theses two companies merged in 1917 to formthe "Bayerische Motoren Werke" ("Bavarian Motor Works"). The first recordedsuccessful flight took place as early as 1919. Powered by a BMW IV aircraftengine, the plane achieved an altitude of over 9,760 metres - a world recordat the time.

And some Alex pictures:

Scootin'

2009-03-25T20:38:00.002+01:00

You know you're a Mom...

2009-03-22T10:46:00.004+01:00

I forgot to mention yesterday that Alex also got cut off from the boob for good yesterday. Plus we moved his crib from our room to his own room. Lots of changes for the 6 month old.

So I've been thinking about the things that you do as a mom that you never would otherwise. Here's a few:

You know you're a Mom when you take note of your baby's diapers and discuss them with your significant other, other Moms, and the daycare staff.

You know you're a Mom when you spend some of your weekend on stroller maintenance. I realized last month that I need to treat the stroller like a bike - inflate the tires every so often, clean it up, make sure there aren't any squeaks. The stroller is the one piece of baby equipment that I decided to spend money on because I walk most everywhere and it runs so much better when the tires are inflated.

Last one:
You know you're a Mom if you spend all your vacation time on your baby. I have taken a lot of vacation time since Alex has been born and not one hour of it has been for me. Thankfully I haven't had to completely deplete it. I'm looking forward to going home in June.

Alex's 6 Month Birthday

2009-03-21T15:21:00.003+01:00

Alex turned 6 months yesterday and as a "present" he got some immunizations. We also went out to a birthday party at Bei Marcus and he got to stay up late and spit up on several people. That's my boy! (I do give everyone that holds him a warning that he's a spitter.)

Here's a picture that I took today. He's growing up!

On the first day of spring we were expecting something wonderful as it had been warm for the last week. It had gotten to that ugly point in spring - when there's still a few snow piles left that are brown and more ice than snow and everything's just brown. But lucky us - we got a nice snow storm that day. So frustrating when all you want is sun and warmth.

Happy Spring everyone!

Walk-a-thon

2009-03-17T21:29:00.002+01:00

This past weekend Alex made his first international trip! We headed down to Vicenza, Italy to visit Luis' parents for a day (and of course indulge in Taco Bell). Alex did well with the 3 hour drive and we planned his meals better on the way back so he slept the whole way back. It was hard coming back to high-30's and rain after the warmth and partly sunny weather in Italy.

I've started keeping track of what I eat and how much I walk/exercise. I'm keeping track for about 2 weeks and then start on whittling down some of the baby fat. It's an eye-opener! I'm too embarrassed to talk about my caloric intake, but yesterday was a light walking day for me and I walked almost 3 miles. Today was a normal day and I finished up at over 4.5 miles.

Cute Alex thing...lately he's been coming home from daycare just revved. We play on the floor and he just kicks and squeals and scoots and turns himself around and every once in awhile laughs.

Gaining Independence

2009-03-08T17:17:00.006+01:00

I've started weaning Alex. He holds his bottle all by himself, some of the time. I was telling one of the caretakers at daycare about this and she said he's been doing this for awhile. Alex also recognizes his bottle and reaches for it when he sees it.

He's also started figuring out how to sit up by himself. Half the time his belly does all the work, but he's learning.

Alex is doing well. He had his 6 months well-baby check-up on Friday and the doctor says he sounds wonderful. Thank goodness.

Hell Week

2009-02-28T20:47:00.006+01:00

Before I begin my storytelling take a look at the video of Alex and I playing Peek-A-Boo. It's the first time he's really giggled.

Hell week began last Friday, but I'll get to that later.

Saturday morning came and I took Milo to the vet because he was still limping really badly from an earlier incident. Came to find out that he broke two bones and would need surgery right away. So I said goodbye and left him at the vet.

Saturday night Alex slept maybe all of an hour. Luis stayed up with him until 3 or 4 then I took over. I woke Luis up at 8 a.m. to call our insurance to take Alex to the Emergency Room because his breathing was starting to freak me out. Luckily when you have an infant in the ER, in Germany, they examine the baby as quickly as possible. After the exam and X-ray, Alex got admitted. And confusion began. No one spoke English well and by mid-afternoon my brain wasn't functioning in German because of lack of sleep and the fact that Alex hadn't stopped crying since the evening. We were being told to give Alex this medicine without being told what was going on, why, or what the medicine was. We went home at 9 p.m. I had been an emotional wreck for a couple of hours by then and went straight to bed.

Monday morning came and thank God for the sleep. We went back to the hospital and started to figure out what was going on and the German system. In the Kinderklinik, the parent's are expected to be the caregivers, to include giving all the medicine and making sure everything in the room is stocked (diapers, papertowels, spit clothes). We still weren't being told much as to what Alex had besides that it was a bronchial virus. But I did slowly find out what medicine he was getting.

It wasn't until Tuesday, when the head doctor came by did we find out Alex had RSV (common in the winter and hits infants and the elderly really bad), that it's contagious (I felt sorry for the other baby in our room), and that they were going to do more tests just to make sure. By Wednesday we found out from the 2nd X-ray that he also had the beginning stages of pneumonia. Alex was on oxygen, an IV, cortizone, inhalants, nose drops, and coughing syrup. And added`to that was something to help release all the air in his belly (we began to have a stinky boy).

Wednesday was also the first day the doctor really saw an improvement. Thursday, the oxygen was lessened and the IV taken out. Friday the oxygen was off and the time between medicine lengthened and today he was released with the provision we continue his medication and have a follow-up with our pediatrician on Monday.

It is so good to be home and Alex was so animated - his toys to play with and room to play, plus cats to grab at.

During this week we also had a snowstorm that shut down work and transportation for the majority of the day.

****Warning - explicit breastfeeding paragraph follows****

In addition to all this last Friday I had knots and severe pain in my left breast. I massaged it a lot and used heat and by Saturday morning the pain was gone. It reappeared on Tuesday and this time was accompanied by the shivers and achiness (like the flu) for one night. The next day I saw the doctor (just down the hall from Alex). After his exam and an ultrasound he declared there was nothing wrong. So why the pain? He said to use ice after feeding and if it still hurts to come back. But basically if the pain doesn't go away my option will be to stop breastfeeding. I still don't know what's going on but at least the pain has lessened to managable levels. I was going to start weening Alex next month, but changed my mind to start now. I expected breastfeeding to be painful in the beginning while I was getting used to it, but there has been a lot of extra pain that I never expected - raw nipples, pulling, biting, and then this last thing.

****End Warning****

In addition, Alex is starting to teeth. His gums are somewhat white and instead of just sticking things in his mouth he is now chowing and biting on them. Today I read up a little on teething and it said one, out of the many, things that could signal teething was pulling on the ears. And just the other day Luis told me to look at Alex while he was holding/pulling his ear.

One positive thing - I got to read a lot in the past week. I picked up one book from the library (the first one that sounded good) The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. I've really been enjoying it - all about storytelling and what make s a good story.

To end on a good note take a look at the quilt my Mom made for Alex. It's wonderful!

Carrots

2009-02-16T21:06:00.005+01:00

We've been slowly introducing food to Alex. This past week we introduced carrots.

Some mornings Alex doesn't go back to sleep after I feed him at 5:00. When that happens I put him in his swing while I make my breakfast and get bottles ready. Every once in a while he falls back to sleep.

Ginny

2009-02-16T21:01:00.004+01:00

This past week, I was walking down the hallway past our conference room and just glanced in. Noted to myself that the lady looked very familiar, but I continued and heated up my coffee. As I was walking back I took a second look and stood there for what seemed like a minute. It was Ginny, whom I swam with in college. Crazy! I invited her over for dinner. Ginny braved the snow storm (which had lasted 2 days at that point) and we had the chance to catch up. She just recently got married and is a founding partner of a jewelry company that supports and employs women who are victims of human trafficking. Check out Wonderfully Made.

It's finally stopped snowing here. Up until 8 Feb we were having warm, beautiful weather and almost all the snow had melted. Then the snow hit. For a full week. It's finally stopped. The snow looks absolutely beautiful and I take little moments to just stare at the beauty.

BTW, I went to the dentist today. The exam room I was in had one wall that was all windows with a wonderful view of the mountains. Have I said how much I love living in Garmisch?!

Look What Daddy Taught Alex...

2009-02-09T19:23:00.003+01:00

...this weekend. Luckily he hasn't done this at mealtime, but I'm waiting for it. I also tried to capture Alex holding both his feet, but wasn't successful.

I've started feeding Alex sweet potatoes this weekend. He likes them, which is good, but what an orange diaper! I will also need to start protecting myself at dinner time - sweet potatoes stain.

My Birthday

2009-02-06T18:13:00.003+01:00

I thought I had remembered everything, but I left out my birthday. Which is strange because it was a wonderful day. Work went especially smoothly even though we had in-processing. After everything was done my office mates brought in ice cream cake. Plus they gave me a gift certificate to Bei Marcus - an awesome restaurant.

I had my baby shower at Bei Marcus and haven't made it back. It's a small place, only a few tables. The menu is short but changes frequently with the seasons and the chef is big on local, fresh foods. Delicious. Can't wait to introduce Luis to it.

Back to the 3rd. Once I got home Luis took me out to eat. As a surprise he arranged for a babysitter for Alex. It was great to take our time eatting and catch up with each other. We went to Drei Mohren, a bavarian restaraunt in Partenkirchen. We had never been before, but a lot of Marshall Center courses go there for a final dinner. We had the same dish - pork in a mushroom sauce with broccoli and spaetzl all in a cast iron pan. Dessert and coffee to top it off.

Alex even gave me a gift - he went to bed early and slept all the way through the night!

-And she got a nice amethyst necklace to boot!-

Book Recommendations

2009-02-06T12:19:00.002+01:00

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson is a wonderful mystery novel! It was Christmas present from Luis and I can't say enough good things about it. When I think back on it, it was a slow moving story, but I didn't notice that while I was reading it because the characters as so interesting and the story so mesmerizing that I just wished I had more time to read. The basic story line is a finance reporter who recently got sued for libel and steps down from his job for a year. He takes a job from this business tycoon to write a family history and find out who killed his niece 30 years ago. I don't want to say too much more, but if you're in the mood for a good mystery book, pick this one up.

I'm currently reading Girls in Trucks by Katie Crouch. I wasn't sure I'd like it because it sounded like a chick novel from the good reviews I'd read. It's quite good and, although the host of characters are all women, it is by no means a chick novel.

Cat Antics

2009-02-06T12:10:00.004+01:00

The kittens have been going crazy. This morning Gordita found this green neck pillow and decided it was hers. So she carried it all over the apartment and finally got it into the cubby hole on the cat playground! I’ve seen the kittens do this with hand towels and socks before, but nothing that is the same size as they are.

And here’s a cute picture of Henna enjoying the heated window ledge.

Alex making out

2009-02-06T11:36:00.003+01:00

Last month I got a craving for margaritas and Luis was kind enough to make some for me. He ended up making a lot and putting the leftovers in the freezer so we could enjoy them on another day. We had a glass on Ground Hog's Day and Alex was very interested in the glass. So I brought it within reach and this is what he proceeds to do.

I thought it might be some teething thing since the glass was cold. But then, yesterday he did the same thing. Watch the video ;)

Pictures of Alex

2009-02-06T11:16:00.009+01:00

I'll start out with some cute close ups...

Alex is enjoying his tummy time lately. He's sneaky about rolling over, though. Normally he rolls when I've got my back turned.

This is Luis singing to Alex. Luis was quieting him down while I was trying to get some chores done. Alex was mesmerized...for a short time.

Last, but not least, Alex has started to grab onto his toes in the last couple of days.

Inauguration Day

2009-02-06T11:13:00.002+01:00

January 20th was so exciting. I actually turned CNN on 2 hours early to watch all the commentary and arrivals. This is the first time I've really wanted to see an inauguration. It was amazing to see all the people on the Mall. I wished I was still living in Maryland - I would have stood outside all day with everyone else, just to be a part of the excitement. Even over here in Germany people are excited about this new administration.

As a bonus, Alex fell asleep right before the inauguration so I could watch the whole thing without interruptions.

Time to catch up

2009-02-06T11:10:00.003+01:00

I'm at home today because Alex is sick, again. It's very similar to last time - stuffy/runny nose, horrible cough, some wheezing. Luckily, he doesn't have a fever on top of all that. He's currently napping so hopefully I can update everyone on what's been happening in our neck of the woods.

Waiting for Students

2009-01-11T20:55:00.002+01:00

It's Sunday evening and I'm sitting in our office in the residence hall waiting for students to arrive from the airport. And I'm back at work full-time. This is the part of the job I don't like - waiting on a weekend for students so I can give them keys and meal cards.

This past week has gone well. Alex is doing well in daycare and is even sleeping a bit - quite amazing when you consider there can be 8 infants at time in the room and no one is on the same schedule. I've been using my lunch hours to feed him and play a little bit. It's a wonderful break from work. It's also amusing to watch the other kids play. On Friday, one of the ladies had a big exercise ball out and was slapping it - then the kids would pound on it, laughing hysterically. It's funny what kids like to play with.

Two Firsts

2009-01-02T19:12:00.002+01:00

I brought Alex to work with me today. He was lying on his tummy playing and I was telling Amy, my coworker, that he's recently figured out how to support his weight with his arms. He then proceeded to gracefully rollover to his back!

When I got home from work, Luis was playing with Alex. They were doing the boy thing with Luis making farting noises and out pops a short laugh!

So much fun!

New Year's Day

2009-01-01T12:41:00.002+01:00

Alex discovered how to hold up his head using his arms to support his weight! Normally he just uses his back muscles so he looks like Superman with his arms, head, and feet up in the air. He looked like he might roll over at times, but he didn't. Soon enough.

Here's a cute picture of him watching Biathalon on T.V.

New Year's Eve

2008-12-31T12:31:00.000+01:00

We went to the ski-jumping competition today. It is part of the four-hill tournment and today was the qualifications. Tomorrow is the finals. This New Year's jump competition is held every year in Garmisch and I wanted to take advantage of the winter opportunities here in snow country.

We took the bus out to the Olympic Ski Stadium. We were running late so it wasn't too crowded. We ended up seeing the last bit of the first round of jumps and then we stayed for the second round. We got to see Harri Olli jump 129 meters!

There are advantages to watching ski jumping on TV - you see the jumps up close and from the side. But it was cool to be in the crowd with all the people waving their country's flags.

Alex slept the whole time in his Baby Bjorn. I thought it might be difficult outside in the cold with him, but he was a good kid.

NPR story

2008-12-27T14:45:00.003+01:00

I love baking cookies at Christmas time - a favorite memory of growing up. In fact, my Mom taught all four of us kids how to bake and cook from an early age. It was a tie between Jon and Jess as to who made the best chocolate chip cookies in our family. I was the brownie maker, and Jeremy was more of a cook than a baker; he makes amazing mashed potatoes.

I remember badly burning spaghetti sauce once. That was a horrible meal, but ever since I've remembered to stir my sauces.

Today, I was reading NPR and they had a good story on Christmas cookies - the history of them and some recipes. Take a look.

More Xmas Pics

2008-12-26T21:52:00.000+01:00

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T11:52:00.004+01:00

We want to extend a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone who follows this blog! We wish you joy and happiness in this next year!

Cookie Baking Party

2008-12-25T11:39:00.003+01:00

I hosted a Christmas Cookie Baking Party this past weekend. On the

menu was Pistachio-Cranberry Biscotti, Peanut Blossoms, and Ritz Peanut Butter sandwiches dipped in Almond Bark. Aryn, the lady pictured here with Alex, got in the spirit early and brought over Thumbprints, Fudge, and bite-sized Pecan Pies. It was so much fun to have a girls afternoon. Plus it was the only way I was going to be able to actually bake cookies this year.

Winter Vegetables

2008-12-19T15:31:00.007+01:00

I'm obsessed with winter root
vegetables right now. The other night
I did roasted fennel, potato, and sweet
potato. This afternoon I did carrots and
beets. Nummy!

And roasting is so easy, just need to stir it every once in a while.

Random Thoughts

2008-12-17T17:58:00.002+01:00

One bonus of daycare is less laundry. I was doing laundry just about every other day so I had enough burp rags.

Now that Alex is at daycare, I pump while I'm at work. Pumping is a practice of meditation (of sorts). When I imagine Alex there with me, there's more milk in a shorter time frame.

Speaking of meditation, have you ever tried it? For the longest time I thought it meant to empty your mind - impossible really. When I was at a yoga teacher training they said it was more slowing the brain waves, or thoughts, down. At first all these multitude of thoughts go through your brain. You teach yourself, when you notice your brain running away on you, to concentrate on one thing. The more you do this and practice, the less your brain runs away on you. Thinking about meditation this way helped me to be less frustrated with the process.

Firsts in Daycare

2008-12-14T14:06:00.004+01:00

This week Alex got his first scratch in daycare. Those 2 seconds when someone isn't looking. He's all healed now.

On Friday, I called a girlfriend, intending to go visit her and her new little baby. She was going to have a lot of visitors so I decided to wait until next week. It's a good thing too, when I picked up Alex he had a gross, runny nose. Wouldn't want a new baby to get a cold.

I recently decided that the only photos I publish are cute ones. So here's one of Alex screaming for some food.

Have I Mentioned...

2008-12-09T19:59:00.002+01:00

How much I love this part of Germany? I love being surrounded by mountains. They are gorgeous in the winter all covered with snow. Every morning I stare at the mountains as I walk to work.

Garmisch is a small town. I consider myself a city girl, but I enjoy Garmisch with it's easy public transportation, weekly farmers markets, and friendly people. The only thing I would like is a baby store.

Garmisch is also right inbetween two large cities, Munich and Innsbruck. So when I'm craving city life, an English movie theater, or museums it's an hour and a half train ride.

Our Tree

2008-12-09T19:52:00.006+01:00

Yesterday I went out and bought a Christmas tree. I went with the intention of small tree, about half my size, and ended up with one that is taller than me.

Today Alex and I decorated the tree. He was fascinated as I hung the lights. It was fun hanging up the ornaments, showing him each one. I'd forgotten what ornaments I had. We haven't done a Christmas tree for a couple of years so it was fun rediscovering a tree.

Pictures

2008-12-07T21:23:00.004+01:00

Just some cute pictures of Alex. One of him sleeping with Milo

and the other is him strengthening his legs.

The other things we've been practicing is sitting and saying "Mama". Luis and I are competing to see if Alex says Mama or Dada first.

Innsbruck, Austria

2008-12-06T21:10:00.000+01:00

I dragged Luis down to Innsbruck today to see the Christkindlmarkts (Christmas Markets). We ate at this little Italian place that had all of 5 tables. Luis and the waiter were talking about the menu - they had one meal already prepared or we could order off the menu and wait for our food. We went for the meal of the day with this nice appetizer of cured meats, olives, cheeses and dried tomatoes. The main meal was shrimp and zucchini spaghetti - a little salty but very tasty. Here's a picture of Luis teaching Alex how to scowl.

The markets were wonderful and I found what I was looking for Christmas presents. About half the stalls were selling food - roasted chestnuts, gluhwein, and sausages. Here's a picture in front of the Goldenen Dach (golden roof) - a famous site in Innsbruck.

Flu Shot

2008-12-05T15:25:00.002+01:00

Today I got the flu shot. When I went into the office, Alex started crying hard. You'd think he was the one getting the shot.

This was my first week back at work and I've got to say I'm tired. I'm only getting about 5 hours of sleep a night. I hope Alex figures out it's okay to fall asleep before midnight pretty soon. I can't imagine working full-time with only 5 hours of sleep. Other than that it's nice to be back at work. I enjoy my coworkers and job. The one thing I didn't miss was meetings.

Alex and Santa

2008-12-02T14:25:00.005+01:00

We went to the base Christmas lighting celebration last night so that Alex could get his picture with Santa. As part of the celebration a group of school kids sang some carols and the Gebirgsmusikkorps played as well. A nice evening.

Haven't had a whole lot of photos with me so here's drool-y Alex and me.

First Day Back at Work

2008-12-01T15:32:00.002+01:00

I went back to work this morning. I'm doing half days for December trying to ease back into the swing of things. I set my alarm for 5 am so I could feed Alex. Thankfully he went back to sleep so I could shower, eat breakfast, and get ready to go without too much fuss.

I dropped Alex off at day care at 7:15, staying a half hour to talk with the care providers and feed him one more time.

I got to work by 8 am (on time!) and started going through emails. I don't feel like I got too much done, but I'm all ready for student chaos now that I'm caught up with emails and have the nursing room set up.

I must say it was nice to have a few hours without having to worry about Alex. But his fun hours are in the morning - when he's awake and happy and willing to play. Hopefully he'll have a second burst of fun this afternoon when he wakes up from his nap.

More to come...

The Peanut

2008-11-29T15:38:00.003+01:00

Alex has begun to grab things (notice the peanut in his hand). Not all the time and not so acurately, but it's progress. He's starting to enjoy his butterfly toy with krinkly wings.

Alex and Henna

2008-11-29T15:08:00.001+01:00

Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T14:52:00.005+01:00

Luis' parents, Lou and Millie, came up from Vicenza, Italy for the holiday. Lou cooked a wonderful meal with turkey and pork, rice and beans, potato salad, other odds and ends. We had two Marines come over. The Marines brought some Georgian wines, which were wonderful. As a consequence, we went through three bottles of red wine.

And you know it's the start of the holiday season when we make Coquito (Puerto Rican eggnog).

Kiev Part II

2008-11-26T09:39:00.003+01:00

Luis was fascinated by the fashion - all these women wearing stilleto boots in the cold and snow. He personally witnessed a few wipeouts. Here's a few selections from his 30 odd pictures of women's boots.

Kiev, Ukraine

2008-11-26T09:09:00.004+01:00

Luis got back from the Ukraine on Monday. Here are some pictures from his trip starting out with his hotel.

This is a two part memorial downtown Kiev - the Archangel Michael watching over the city.

This statue is part of the World War II memorial.

And this is a church. I love these two photos because it looks like two different churches whereas it's just two different sides of the same church.

It's still snowing

2008-11-22T16:38:00.002+01:00

This morning I woke up to snowplows. I had to go find the shovel in the basement. Alex fell asleep about half way through shovelling the sidewalk.

Luis is enjoying his time in Kiev. Here's a picture he sent of rush hour on the subway. Hopefully I'll have more to tell when he gets back on Monday.

Alex and I are going to go to Culture Night for dinner. This is a fun night for the students at the Marshall Center to show off their culture and food.

Current Playlist

2008-11-15T14:23:00.003+01:00

Luis left for the Ukraine this morning. He'll be there for week practicing his Russian and touring Kiev. Alex wishes him a safe trip and lots of fun.

Here's a list of music I've been listening to lately. Kind of mellow music, but I need that to counteract a crying baby.

Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst

Jesca Hoop - Kismet

Beck - Modern Guilt

Chris Walla - Field Manual

Kate Walsh - Tim's House

Jesca Hoop and Kate Walsh are new to me and I love them. I bought these two after reading some good reviews - not always a guarantee of good music, but I was lucky this time around.

I Live with Boys

2008-11-14T14:15:00.001+01:00

This morning I almost woke Alex up by laughing really hard. I had just finished feeding him and he let out this loud, reverberating belch (not a burp, but a belch). I'm surprised he didn't wake himself up.

We know when Alex is waking up by all his farting. Such a boy! This is Alex waking up by doing this superman thing.

Winter is here

2008-11-13T17:43:00.008+01:00

I woke up to snow this morning and it has continued all day long and is forcasted to snow tomorrow too. Hopefully Luis' bike doesn't rust.

This was nap time at our house this afternoon. The cats love to join in!

In the baby chronicles...I thought we were getting Alex onto a pretty good schedule. For the last couple of days he was going to bed around 10pm, getting up once during the night, then at 8am. Then last night hit. I finally put Alex in his crib at 1am after feeding him for about 2 hours. I was going to close my eyes for a bit and see if he settled down. Next thing I knew it was 6:30am. Kind of cool that he slept for so long but I so wish he would go to bed earlier. Babies saving graces are being so cute. Here's a picture of Alex hanging onto a rattle. He doesn't grab it himself yet, but he'll hold on.

Nursing Mother, Working Mother

2008-11-12T13:59:00.003+01:00

I started reading Nursing Mother, Working Mother by Gale Pryor and Kathleen Huggins today. Just reading the Preface got me thinking. We have come a long way in America but there are still stereotypes and glass ceilings to break through. I don't consider myself a crazy feminist, but I do think women should not be penalized in the job arena if they decide to have children. When I was deciding to have a child one of my biggest obstacles was deciding whether I'd be willing to sacrifice my career. Which doesn't have to happen, but when you work in a mostly male office it's hard to judge how coworkers and bosses will react. I feel like I've been extremely lucky in that department as my office is really supportive.

So this book got me thinking.

I work for the U.S. government in Germany. German's pay outrageous taxes but some of their benefits are wonderful. Among other things parents get up to two years leave from their jobs with a monthly stipend and new mothers not only stay in the hospital on average for 5 days but they also have midwives come and visit them at home. Not that I'm proposing the U.S. copy this but to be able to stay at home for 6 months or have a flexible and/or reduced work day without career penalties would be wonderful. One thing I don't like about working for the U.S. government is no paid maternity leave. Active duty military get 6 weeks paid maternity but government civilians get none?! (And quite honestly I think the military needs longer than 6 weeks.)

Have I gone on enough? I'll stop for now, but I do recommend this book for moms, dads and anyone else interested in parenthood and breastfeeding your child.

For Jess

2008-11-11T13:04:00.002+01:00

My sister requested a few more pictures of the baby. The first picture is Alex working on his neck and back muscles. And there's two of Luis and Alex in their evening smiling lessons.

Election Morning

2008-11-05T16:46:00.002+01:00

This was the first time I was happy my infant woke me up at 2 am to eat. It was the only way I would have caught a bit of the U.S. election. By the time I woke up this morning at 7:30 Barack Obama was declared the new president!

I miss being in the U.S. for the election. In the past I've gotten together with friends on election night and watched the election results while playing some board or card game. Not going to happen here in Germany when results don't start until midnight/1am.

I am looking forward to the next four years!

The Last Chinese Chef by Nicole Mones

2008-11-04T16:09:00.000+01:00

This is a great book. If you are looking for something good to read pick this up. The main woman was widowed a year prior and she finds out there's a paternity claim against her husband in China. She travels to China to settle the dispute. While in China, she interviews a Chinese American chef. This chef came to China four years prior to learn how to cook and he is now participating in a cooking competition. The novel follows their stories and relationship.

There are two things I really enjoyed about the book:
1) Although it is about these two characters, the author artfully introduces the other characters and their histories. So there are a lot of characters, but you don't get confused as to who is who.
2) Lots of descriptions and stories about Chinese food. Is there such a thing as a Foodologue (similar to a travelogue)?

Halloween

2008-10-31T22:00:00.000+01:00

Here's a photo from yesterday's snow fall. This is looking behind our building. You can see all the TV satellites.

For Halloween the base was open to the public. Not only did we have all the kids on base trick or treating but also a lot of German kids too. I went down to and handed out candy with our neighbors until I ran out of my 3 bags of goodies. It only took 20 minutes.

First Snow of the Season

2008-10-30T13:08:00.004+01:00

We had our first snow fall of the season today. Nothing stuck on the ground where we are, but I'm sure the mountains have a good bit. Unfortunately, there's a lot of fog so this picture from our balcony is the only bit of mountain I can see today.

On another note, we had a fire alarm go off in our building. One of the kids from the other stairwell burnt his toast. We had the MPs and fire department come out for burnt toast.

The Thumb

2008-10-27T09:03:00.000+01:00

In the last few days Alex has found his thumb. Normally he would suck on his whole hand or on my arm.

New Shoes

2008-10-26T09:10:00.000+01:00

Luis has new running "shoes". He wants to see what barefoot running is like. With the cooler weather he's commented that he should have bought the winter version, since socks are not recommended.

U3

2008-10-24T11:18:00.000+02:00

Alex had his Untersuchung 3 (Checkup #3 - the first two are in the hospital) today. He is now 55 cm (21.6 in) long and weighs 4,340 g (9.6 lbs). Although he's only grown 1 cm in length, his head circumference is 3 cm bigger! The doctor said everything is normal.

One interesting thing the doctor did was a hip ultrasound. Apparently, the ultrasound was developed in Germany and they like to use it. (This is what the doctor said, I have not fact-checked this tidbit)

Grandparents' visits

2008-10-22T10:57:00.000+02:00

Grandma and Grandpa Rodriguez came up to visit the day after Alex was born. They cleaned our place (Thank You!) and got to see the sights as well as meet Alex, their 4th grandchild.

Grandma and Grandpa Szopinski came over the second week of October. They waited about 30 minutes after they arrived before picking up a sleeping Alex. They also got to visit the sights while here. Alex christened them both with spit up during their visit. Mom stayed a few extra days and got to help us out with our move to a new family housing unit. Having a 3rd adult around was so helpful.

Welcome Baby Alex

2008-10-01T12:21:00.000+02:00

Alex Rafael is here! He was born on 20 September at 15:44. He weighed in at 3,600 g and was 54 cm long, which converts to...um....7.9 lbs and 21 inches. We went into the hospital at 2 am. Although labor was long, it eventually ended with a beautiful baby.

I love this picture. He stared at us for what seemed like 2 hours (I had no concept of time at this point of the process).