Our BIG boy!

Inspired by an email from a friend (thanks, Dana and Owen!) we decided about a week ago to give the potty training a big boost. At this is our proud achievement: Day 3 without any accidents and no diaper! We were off to a wonderful start and a happy and proud Andrin. And then we had a horrible second day, but ever since, Andrin has been making steady process. We are even venturing outside without any diapers. Tomorrow will be the first day with no diapers at daycare (even though he decided last time that he already did not need diapers because his new friend is not wearing diapers anymore).
We are so proud, Andrin!

Practicing letters with Papa. Andrin decided after a while that he rather would write "Os".

Another invention ... A lot of yarn was involved ... 

Practicing the accordion and figuring out all the different ways to get music out of that instrument ... 

At the moment, Andrin is the happiest when he can paint, draw, craft ... Today, he choose to do some water painting. I am always amazed how still he can sit when he is immersed into paining. He was so proud to have a new smock (from IKEA, Mami's newest discovery:)

Andrin's face when I called his name ... 

(The other night, we talked about the day and I told him once again how proud I was about him not wearing diapers anymore. I asked him how he did it and he looked at me with his wise expression and said with a matter-of-fact tone of voice: "Well, Mami, I just learned it!")

It snowed ...

We were excited to get up this morning and see that the snowflakes that had been tumbling down from the sky throughout the day actually accumulated to something like a white "foam" on our neighborhood. It is pretty unusual to get snow where we life. There is a saying that it has to do with all the chemical industries that are located here ... but my Mom told me the "true" reasons the other day: 1. we are pretty low in elevation, 2. we are usually under the influence of the northwestern winds that usually do not bring cold weather and snow. But well ... not today. It continued to snow throughout the entire day. We ventured out to to zoo in the afternoon and enjoyed seeing all the animals in the snow (after we were at home in the morning, waiting for our dish washer to be fixed (finally!). 

Our  boy in the garden, shoveling snow. It was shortly after 8 am and there was no way that he was going to stay inside and just look at our snow. 

After some work in the back garden, he decided that our steps needed some winter service as well. I was not entirely sure what the sticks had to do with it, but well ... 

Little sister observed the entire situation from inside, still in her pajamas (oh, by the way, she said another word today: it was eat (of course in Swiss German). Surprised? I was NOT!)

Bigna - almost one year old ...

Next month, Bigna will already be one year old. Time goes by so fast and then also slow at times. It is funny because it seems so long ago, when we went to the hospital for Bigna's birth. But that might just be due to the fact that so much happened during her first year of life ...
But I just wanted to share a few pictures of her from the last couple of weeks. She has been so funny, intelligent, cute ... but that is no surprise, right?

 

Bigna loves to be pulled around in the little Radio Flyer. Here, she is accompanied by her brother on his cow. 

Bigna loves to ride her horse and is getting really skilled in doing it herself. She loves to rock it back and forth, back and forth ...

Making her way through the tunnel. She was not timid at all and went right for it. 

Bigna has been observing her brother and loves to organize and put things away. Here, she loaded all the pens in the Radio Flyer, all by herself. 

Another of Bigna's favorites: The wagon for the wooden blocks. She figured out that she can sit on the blocks and then will ask to be pushed around. She likes to move, our little girl. 

Today, she amazed me by pretending that she was on the phone. She was blabbering away like a champion. And another of her favorite things: taking off her slippers ... 

Enjoying bath time. I love her smile. 

We had visitors today (thanks for coming:) and Andrin got paint for the bath and of course we had to try it out. Bigna was not entirely sure what to think about it. Here, she is trying to rub it off her hands. 

Skiing vacation in Bergün, Graubünden

No real Swiss adventures without some skiing and play in the snow. Since we hardly get any snow in Basel where we live, we had to travel to the Eastern part of Switzerland for some snow and cold temperatures (it was REALLY cold, sometimes around -18°C/-1F). We stayed in a beautiful hotel, the Kurhaus Bergün. It is the place where uncle Jorrit and aunt Nicole got married and it was really child friendly. We had an apartment which gave us the freedom to cook whenever we wanted to. It also was a little bit a family reunion since uncle Felix joined us at the beginning of the week and Opa Jumbo was there with us the entire time.

Andrin said when we departed that he really liked to "live" there and that he would like to go back. Andrin loved the movies at night (they had twice a child movie at night, "Heidi" and "children of Bullerbü"), being able to go out and about with the sled, skiing down the hill with Papa, and going swimming with Mama in Bad Alvaneu (a sulfur spring).

But get ready for lots (I really mean it:) of pictures ...

There was lots of snow ... They had to clear it off the roofs (he was secured with a rope:),

The little village of Bergün. 

Is there anything more fun than to sled down the street with Papa?

Andrin is getting a lift up the hill by uncle Felix. 

Mami and Bigna join Andrin on the sled. 

Enjoying some snack (and drawing) in our little kitchen. 

Andrin and Bigna loved to run/crawl down our hallway on the red carpet.

View from our room. 

Bigna is ready for Andrin to hit the slope.

Our little man before his first time on the skies. 

The first day, Papa and Andrin just went up and down a little slope a couple of times. Andrin lasted for about 10 minutes!

Taking a break on the sled. 

What a priviledge to make up the slope - on Papa's shoulders. 

The Cabernard clan ...

View from our room. We had beautiful weather for most of the week. 

Close by, there is a famous sledding path. You take the train up the mountains to a little village called Preda (they just stop for the sledders) and then you take a fast journey back to Bergün. It took us about 15 minutes for the 6 km (4 miles).

Bigna joined us the first day. But she did not enjoy the cold ride and we thus decided to stay home and warm the following days. 

Opa Jumbo making his way down to the mountain. 

Day 2 on the skies. Andrin even skied a little bit on his own and lasted already for 30 minutes!

Taking a break from skiing in the snow (yes, he is eating snow...).

Papa and Andrin skied all the way down to the bridge. How to get back up the hill?

Opa Jumbo is coming to the rescue ...

Bigna joined us in the BOB and was warm and cozy. Once we were outside, she fell asleep right away!

Andrin is working and building in the snow ...

Another gorgeous day!

Andrin in the train to go sledding ... he is taking a quick nap after being on the skies all morning. 

Day 3 on the skies ... They are hitting the lift ... Andrin really got into it and asked to go up and down the slope! He was on the skies for about 90 minutes!

Listening to one of Opa Jumbo's stories.

 

Well ... our little girl can eat ... She ate most of the time more than Andrin ...

Our hotel ...

The day of our departure ... it was snowing outside and Andrin was glued to the window!

Rolling around in our laundry ...

Thank you, Opa Jumbo, for such a wonderful time (and thank you, uncle Felix, for joining us as well). We are planning to be back next winter (if not before for some hiking).