Monday, January 26, 2009
Update on my grandparents
We just got the news from my Mom that my grandma went into a coma this morning and that the ambulance came. Luckily, this time it was "only" because her blood sugar was too low (she is diabetic and has not been taking care of her insulation shoots). I am glad that my Mom decided to go to the Netherlands and help them out.
Four-month checkup
Just a quick bragging note:
Andrin was 15 pounds and 7 ounces today (7 kg) and 24 inches (61 inches). According to our pediatrician, he is doing wonderful!
Andrin was 15 pounds and 7 ounces today (7 kg) and 24 inches (61 inches). According to our pediatrician, he is doing wonderful!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Has it been a week?
I already have been asked if our Internet is causing problems again ... Well, if that is not a sign that it is time to post another blog. We have been busy this last week and I will tell you what we have been up to in just a minute.
But first, some sad and troubling news ... My Dutch (maternal) grandparents are not doing well. We suspected that my grandma got dementia and it is getting worse and worse. So far, my grandfather always was able to keep the household running (they live in a duplex on their own with some extremely step staircases ... I am not exaggerating on this :) But last Sunday, my grandpa fell out of bed and we still do not really know what happened. He is supposed to go to the hospital tomorrow to be observed (he has been on a waiting list). The same day, my Oma seemed to give up as well and she has not been eating and is only laying in bed all day ... I wonder if she sensed that my Opa is overwhelmed and thus does not want to go on. My parents will be there the middle of February (right now, my aunt is there helping out) and hope to get some things arranged. Just thought that I would let you know that it has been on my mind lately .... Here we are with a baby that is at the beginning of the life span and then we are reminded of our eternity so quickly. When we left Switzerland three years ago, I somehow had the feeling that we probably would not see my Oma alive again ..
But now let met tell you what Andrin, Clemens and I have been doing this past week (I certainly will include some pictures to document it).
I am showing off the new hat that I got from Cara (another knitting Mommy-to-be) and my jacket from my Godfather John.
We started the week with a traditional Swiss Sunday bread, called "Zopf." Clemens had dropped a hint that it might be time again to bake it ... As as a devoted and dutiful wife, I went to work right away ...
On Monday, we usually have our Baby Sign Language class. This last Monday, it was cancelled because we celebrated Martin Luther King day. Andrin and I went to Old Navy to get him some new clothes. It is amazing how quickly our little boy grows. We have his four month checkup tomorrow and I will let you know then where he is at right now with weight, height, and so on ... They had an amazing sale at Old Navy. I did not get a shopping high like some people did, but I was not unhappy to see the great deals that I got.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Andrin and I went to work. He spent two hours in daycare in the morning and I saw some children in that time. On Tuesday, he slept 20 minutes up there and on Wednesday, he did not sleep at all up in daycare. Whenever I pick him up, he wants to nurse right away and then is a happy boy again (which of course makes Mami feel good and needed). Work is keeping me busy. I had to write some reports and I am pretty proud of myself because I was able to write them at night as soon as Andrin went to bed. It seems to help him when he still hears us around and as some of my coworkers joked, he must have heard a lot of fast typing when I was pregnant with him. Being back at work is good. I enjoy the change and being able to feel like I am actually doing and accomplishing something. Andrin has been wonderful, even though he seems to like to voice his opinion whenever we have meetings. I had to leave the clinical team meeting because he was just tooooo loud. He was happy, but he was loud .... At the moment, his favorite distraction is being in front of the mirror. It always makes him laugh.
I am blowing bubbles and drooling ... a sign of some teeth coming through?
Since I am drooling so much, I am also learning how to take care of it myself.
On Thursday, Andrin and I go to Sparkplug to dance and socialize. He loves to move around and he even feel asleep during the folk dance (there was a lot of bouncing and jumping involved). After that, we had a big day with lots of errands: getting gas, car wash (which seemed to calm him down), shopping at Safeway, going home for lunch, then shopping at Market of Choice, then visiting Papi at the lab and picking up some paperwork for the Swiss retirement fund.
On Friday, we went in the morning to the library. Andrin (and Mami) do not really like the lady who does it right now and there was some fussing ... but also a nap while Mami had coffee/tea with Becky and Madelyn.
Somehow, this person looks different, but she still has this wonderful milk ...
On Saturday, we went to Newmans Fishmarket to get some Halibut. We had invited Keiko and John, the godfather, for dinner. Unfortunately, they were not able to come because John got sick. We all hope that he is feeling better today.
Playing with Papi ...
Today, we had a lazy day. It has been raining on and off and we will go for a walk in a little bit.
But first, some sad and troubling news ... My Dutch (maternal) grandparents are not doing well. We suspected that my grandma got dementia and it is getting worse and worse. So far, my grandfather always was able to keep the household running (they live in a duplex on their own with some extremely step staircases ... I am not exaggerating on this :) But last Sunday, my grandpa fell out of bed and we still do not really know what happened. He is supposed to go to the hospital tomorrow to be observed (he has been on a waiting list). The same day, my Oma seemed to give up as well and she has not been eating and is only laying in bed all day ... I wonder if she sensed that my Opa is overwhelmed and thus does not want to go on. My parents will be there the middle of February (right now, my aunt is there helping out) and hope to get some things arranged. Just thought that I would let you know that it has been on my mind lately .... Here we are with a baby that is at the beginning of the life span and then we are reminded of our eternity so quickly. When we left Switzerland three years ago, I somehow had the feeling that we probably would not see my Oma alive again ..
But now let met tell you what Andrin, Clemens and I have been doing this past week (I certainly will include some pictures to document it).
I am showing off the new hat that I got from Cara (another knitting Mommy-to-be) and my jacket from my Godfather John.
On Monday, we usually have our Baby Sign Language class. This last Monday, it was cancelled because we celebrated Martin Luther King day. Andrin and I went to Old Navy to get him some new clothes. It is amazing how quickly our little boy grows. We have his four month checkup tomorrow and I will let you know then where he is at right now with weight, height, and so on ... They had an amazing sale at Old Navy. I did not get a shopping high like some people did, but I was not unhappy to see the great deals that I got.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Andrin and I went to work. He spent two hours in daycare in the morning and I saw some children in that time. On Tuesday, he slept 20 minutes up there and on Wednesday, he did not sleep at all up in daycare. Whenever I pick him up, he wants to nurse right away and then is a happy boy again (which of course makes Mami feel good and needed). Work is keeping me busy. I had to write some reports and I am pretty proud of myself because I was able to write them at night as soon as Andrin went to bed. It seems to help him when he still hears us around and as some of my coworkers joked, he must have heard a lot of fast typing when I was pregnant with him. Being back at work is good. I enjoy the change and being able to feel like I am actually doing and accomplishing something. Andrin has been wonderful, even though he seems to like to voice his opinion whenever we have meetings. I had to leave the clinical team meeting because he was just tooooo loud. He was happy, but he was loud .... At the moment, his favorite distraction is being in front of the mirror. It always makes him laugh.
I am blowing bubbles and drooling ... a sign of some teeth coming through?
Since I am drooling so much, I am also learning how to take care of it myself.On Friday, we went in the morning to the library. Andrin (and Mami) do not really like the lady who does it right now and there was some fussing ... but also a nap while Mami had coffee/tea with Becky and Madelyn.
Somehow, this person looks different, but she still has this wonderful milk ...On Saturday, we went to Newmans Fishmarket to get some Halibut. We had invited Keiko and John, the godfather, for dinner. Unfortunately, they were not able to come because John got sick. We all hope that he is feeling better today.
Playing with Papi ...Today, we had a lazy day. It has been raining on and off and we will go for a walk in a little bit.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Three (short) years ago
On 1/20/06, Clemens and I arrived in Los Angeles to start our new life in the Northwest of the United States. As most of you know, we had traveled almost around the globe. We left Switzerland on a snowy November day and traveled to Singapore, New Zealand, Fiji, Rarotonga, and then Eugene, Oregon. Since we arrived in Eugene, a lot has changed. I am not talking about changes in Eugene itself, but changes in our lives. The most recent change is having our wonderful boy, Andrin, in our life. We (or should I say "I" since Clemens was almost more optimistic) almost had given up on our wish to have a baby and then we discovered the day before our appointment at the local fertility clinic that I was pregnant ... I did not really trust it ... also knowing that this joy can switch to sadness quickly as we discovered before. Andrin has brought so much joy to our lives. And yes, we are not sleeping through he night. But I also know that this is normal and I just accept that this is Andrin's way and to be honest ... these cozy nursing moments during the night are also not to be missed (expect that Clemens found another reason why we will have our next baby in the spring: it can get quite cold when you have to get up during the night at this time of year; I also already found out that it would be easier to nurse Andrin when he is overcome with an unpredictable feeling of hunger while we are on our daily walk when it would be nice and warm outside ...).
Clemens' new found love is clearly fly fishing. Living in the Northwest gives him many opportunities, even if he goes down to the Willamette that runs through town (he was down there yesterday in freezing temperatures improving his spey casting skills ...). But Clemens does not just enjoy being outside, he also likes to tie his own flies and read and learn all about fishing.
I am still enjoying knitting, sewing (not so much with Andrin around at the moment), but then also discovered rubber stamping. And yes, if you got a card that might look like you are not able to buy it in a store, it is most likely that I made the card myself.
Clemens and I together enjoy camping, hiking, discovering our new environment that clearly feels like home after three years. Yes, it is was difficult in the beginning and we would frequently talk about Switzerland and felt homesick. But now it is different, we feel like we have wonderful friends here, know our way around, and also enjoy our jobs. Of course we always feel like foreigners, and we will never loose our accent (there is actually scientific proof to this :), but that does not mean that we can feel like we belong here for now.
And this of course leaves me with a question that we hear a lot (especially lately :): When are you coming home? Will you go back to Switzerland? Let's make it easy: we do not know yet. Clemens just applied for another grant and we will see what the future will bring for us. But I know something for sure: where ever we will end up, we will be fine since we will have each other!
Clemens' new found love is clearly fly fishing. Living in the Northwest gives him many opportunities, even if he goes down to the Willamette that runs through town (he was down there yesterday in freezing temperatures improving his spey casting skills ...). But Clemens does not just enjoy being outside, he also likes to tie his own flies and read and learn all about fishing.
I am still enjoying knitting, sewing (not so much with Andrin around at the moment), but then also discovered rubber stamping. And yes, if you got a card that might look like you are not able to buy it in a store, it is most likely that I made the card myself.
Clemens and I together enjoy camping, hiking, discovering our new environment that clearly feels like home after three years. Yes, it is was difficult in the beginning and we would frequently talk about Switzerland and felt homesick. But now it is different, we feel like we have wonderful friends here, know our way around, and also enjoy our jobs. Of course we always feel like foreigners, and we will never loose our accent (there is actually scientific proof to this :), but that does not mean that we can feel like we belong here for now.
And this of course leaves me with a question that we hear a lot (especially lately :): When are you coming home? Will you go back to Switzerland? Let's make it easy: we do not know yet. Clemens just applied for another grant and we will see what the future will bring for us. But I know something for sure: where ever we will end up, we will be fine since we will have each other!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
My new high chair
Mami has been searching for the perfect high chair for me and she found it! It will grow with me when I get bigger. Whenever my parents are eating, I just want to be closer to them and do not enjoy to sit in my bouncy chair on the floor anymore (even though that is still my favorite place to watch them cook and bake in the kitchen ... and open the fridge). Yesterday, we got the high chair and this morning, I enjoyed sitting in it for the first time. I think Mami does not really trust that I won't fall over, but I actually was doing a pretty good job with it.
Our new roof
The roofing company worked for three days on our roof and it is done. Clemens is really glad because he was worried every time that it rained that we would get rained on. The roof looks nice (as nice as a roof can look, I guess) and I think that it actually was a good company that they picked! We will see what happens during the next storm!
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