I am on track!

Life has been good these last few days. I keep my parents and Oma busy, but we also have a lot of fun. They took me to Birth to Three again today and I gained another pound. I am currently 9 pounds (4000 g). The lactation consultant said that Mami and I now have the breastfeeding figured out!

But let me tell you what one-month-year-old big boy like I am able to do:

• I am gaining weight like a champion (still).
  
• I enjoy being in the Baby Bjorn and enjoy when my Mami or Papi carry me around.
  
• I like cuddling with my parents.
  
• I also enjoy talking with my Oma and sitting on the window seat.
  
• At night, I like to frustrate my Papi by screaming whenever he tries to put me down in my crib. It is only my Mami's milk that calms me down.
  
• When my Oma keeps me awake, I sleep for a long time at night (last night, I slept from 9 until 1.00 pm).
• I enjoy looking around and checking everything out.
  
• I also like to go for walks.
  

Oma is here !

We had a busy weekend. On Saturday, we drove up to Portland to spend the night with Annie and Brandon. On the way, we stopped at the Outlet Mall in Woodburn and I never was as fast in deciding on some new clothes. The timing was perfect and I learned that there is a "nursing station" at the mall. Andrin was drinking like a champion and the women nursing right next to me was surprised to hear that he was only a month old and already nursing so well. Thank you, stranger, you just made my day and gave me a big self-esteem boost! In Portland, Annie prepared a wonderful dinner for us and Andrin was able to sleep there without too many problems.

On Sunday, Brendon made us a wonderful breakfast. Clemens never had Biscuits and Gravy before and Brendon knew that I am a sausage person. After a leisurely breakfast, we took a walk through the neighborhood and met with Christof and Ursina, our Swiss friends that just relocated from Santa Fee to Portland (welcome!) for some coffee and tea. We had another beautiful fall day and enjoyed the walk through the neighborhood.


After that, we were off to drive to the airport to pick up Andrin's Oma. The timing was perfect and Oma just got off the plane when we arrived there. She had to wait a little while to hold Andrin in her arms though, because he decided that he was hungry (once again). We were able to drive all the way back home to Eugene without any problems. Just as we were pulling into our street, Andrin woke up and started crying because he was hungry. If that was not perfect timing on our part :) And then we had something like Christmas at the end of October. Oma had filled her entire suitcase with presents. I think I will have to reorganize all the clothes for Andrin soon to make more room and get an overview of all the different clothes that he has. Welcome, Oma, and thank you for coming to visit us!

We love you, Papi!

If you do not like to hear about big feelings, you probably should not read this blog!
Andrin and I just wanted to let Papi/Clemens know how much we love him! He has been a wonderful help for Mami, never complaining when he has to get up in the middle of the night, keeping the household clean, cooking, and taking Andrin out of her arms as much as he can. For Andrin, he has been a wonderful "human pillow", gives lots of kisses and cuddles, and explains the world to him. At night, he always tells Mami and Andrin a good night story that he makes up. It helps Andrin (and especially Mami) to fall asleep easily. He told us the story of the little Filbert and his friends, the squirrels. He already mentioned that the next story will be about a big salmon!
Papi/Clemens, we love you! Thank you for everything!

Tummy Time

This morning, I was wide awake after my Mami breastfeed me and then Papi went to work. Mami decided to play with me and we had tummy time. I did not enjoy it before, but I really enjoyed it today and it was great to lift my head and turn it around. Overall, we had a great day today. My Mami is getting our routine down better. I slept a lot last night. First, I slept for four hours and then twice for three hours. I once woke up and was really upset, but Papi was able to calm me down quickly and then I was ready to nurse. After my breakfast, I usually stay awake until my ten o'clock snack. Then I have to take a nap because I am getting tired. I wake up for lunch again and then usually have a lot of complaining and fussing to do until I get my afternoon snack. Usually, my Mami then packs me up and we go somewhere. Today, we went for a long walk with Rachel and Loic to Hendricks Park. It was beautiful and I enjoyed some nap time in my stroller (which Mami got fixed, we had a flat tire :) When we got home, I was ready for my afternoon snack and then had a little nap. I woke up because we had visitors, Beau and Becky with Hazel and Matt. Hazel showed us how she is able to walk now and then helped my Mami take care of the recycle able paper. They brought the Baby Bjorn since Mami and Papi have been struggling with the sling. We will see how that will work out.

Birth to Three

Andrin got a lot of compliments about his good looks today. He was even wearing matching socks:)

Today, Andrin and I went for the first time to Birth Connect, a service through Birth to Three in Eugene. Every Wednesday morning, they offer free lactation consults, weighting, and just the chance to talk with other new parents. We will definitely go back next week. It was so empowering. The lactation consultant was so helpful and we are doing wonderful. Andrin gained another 14 ounces since his last checkup at the doctor (for all the Europeans: 400 g). The lactation consultant was happy and encouraged us to continue doing whatever we have been doing. Even though it was getting late, we decided to go for a walk. We mailed all the birth announcements and then also stopped to see Papi at the lab. He was surprised to see us and hear that we were able to enter the building without any problems. Well, we know how to get around there now ...
Clemens is sitting downstairs with Andrin. Andrin probably will get his last "milk sandwich" for the night pretty soon and then we will give him a bath and hope that it really will make him sleep better :)

I am three weeks old today!

Well, I am three weeks old today. I know, we have been a little bit quiet late, but I have been keeping my parents busy. They thought that they had it pretty much figured out with me ... but I showed them differently. If you ever hear them complaining about being sleep deprived, I think they have something worse to add to their list ... Mami trying to nurse me in the middle of the night and me not being in the mood for it. The time was right and everything (I have been on 3-4 hour sleep routine between being breastfeed during the night), I also was hungry, but I just decided that I had to cry first for an hour before I decided that I felt like eating ... And since they seemed to be surprised about my new move, I repeated this pattern again. Mami seemed to get desperate and Papi also complained about not being able to sleep!

But besides that, we actually had a good and quiet weekend. We had visitors from Illinois. Mami's host sister, Kris, and her daughter, Alex, came to visit. They knew how it is to have a baby in the house since Kris has with her husband three children (!). The special thing about their family is that Dad stayed home and just had the first month of being home alone without any children there in eleven years! Kris, thank you for all the honest advise! I guess we are in for the long haul! Alex was happy to get some pretty cool souvenirs from Eugene (a pair of dye-died socks and an Oregon sweatshirt). For Alex, the visit was also quite the experience because she got to eat buffalo meat (she is a big meat eater). From now on, everything yummy will be called "buffalo."

Kris was not surprised that we did not see the sun this weekend. She spent a summer selling educational books in Eugene 18 years again and tells you that it was raining the entire summer ... When the sun was setting Saturday evening, Kris was jumping up and down outside our house to get a glimpse of it. Shortly after their plane left, my Mami had the impression that the sun was breaking through the clouds!

Something else really exciting happened today. My Mami dropped Kris and Alex off at the airport and since she just nursed me before they took off, my Papi decided to stay home with me. I think Mami was a little bit worried about us, but we had a good time. I cried a little bit, but then I enjoyed my "human pillow", that means my Papi's chest for a nice and good nap. When Mami got home, she found us happy and content. Mami, please do not worry as much, Papi and I are doing great when you are gone for a short while (I mean until I am hungry again:)

Fun with Mami

We went for a long stroll today, to the bank at the Duck shop (I felt a little bit awkward walking with the stroller through the hoards of College students) and also stopped to say "hi" to Papi in the lab. He had to give his son all the kisses in the world, but Andrin seemed pretty unimpressed by it and slept through the entire ordeal :)

Just wanted to share this wonderful picture of Andrin in his "Swiss outfit." It was perfect since there was a little wind going today and by the time we were out of the door, the sun had disappeared behind the clouds.

Andrin has been more alert and has long periods of being awake. I was cooking a soup for Clemens and myself and he was just happy and content watching me (or probably more smelling the soup :). I am always amazing by all the different sounds that he is able to make now. I read everywhere that you can tell from the cry if your baby is hungry or if something else is going on. To be honest, I did not believe this. But I am amazed how I know exactly what Andrin seems to try to communicate and verbalize. He just discovered a new shriek and I just love it!