Christmas Firsts

So many new Christmas experiences for us this year.  For starters we were not at home with our families, but thank God for technology as we were able to Skype with almost everyone or talk to them on the phone which certainly makes the 4,000 plus miles between us seem less.

Then the most exciting of all, Hannah's first Christmas!  She loved the wrapping almost more than the gifts, which was to be expected, but she really enjoys the few little toys that Santa brought her.

After singing about her every year - I finally got to be the "mama" kissing Santa Klaus underneath the Christmas tree.  We had a great time celebrating this holiday with our new family and are looking forward to creating new traditions and many great memories.

Grandma & Grandpa arrive on Saturday, which will be the greatest present of all.  Makes missing them over the holidays bearable.  We will be celebrating New Years Eve here in Frankfurt, which I am really anxious about because everyone lights off fireworks - so it should be very entertaining.

Happy Holidays!

Baby Proofing

The time has come and it seems so fast, but the little squirt is rolling, scooting, commando crawling, and pulling her way wherever she deems fit to go.  So the baby proofing has begun!

 The glass table has been covered in this plastic material from IKEA and covered with a more attractive table cloth - wishing we would not have went with a furnished apartment, but we will make it work.  Baby proofing supplies have mostly been found at IKEA (baby gate), DM (everything you need at a fraction of the cost compared to BabyWalz) and thanks to my dear mother-in-law for sending us some foamy corners, which are coming in very handy.  And of course, there is the rearranging side of the baby proofing - everything breakable, destroy-able and dangerous moved up higher out of the hands of the very capable little destroyer - you would think it is her job.  Her curiosity and development is amazing to watch.  She has the attention span of a flea most of the time and when she wants something - it is definitely going in her mouth.  And the teeth....they hurt!!!

So the little roaming destroyer does not stay penned up for long - but Mama's got to type!  The ever interesting tale of our lives continues to unfold with free entertainment provided by Hannah.  I will have to do a post with pictures of all of her expressions - as they say...priceless.

Baby Foodie

So we've begun the slow incorporation of "solid" foods into Hannah's diet and she loves it - most of it so far.  As evident in this picture she is curious, independent and wants more peas please.

Mostly I am making her food from scratch and it is really easy.  First, I start by steaming a vegetable, then blend it using an immersion (hand) blender and mixing a drop of Raps oil.  Here in Germany they use the Raps oil as it is void of much flavor and helps the body absorb vitamins and nutrients.  Olive oil can be used as long as it is not cold pressed.

Yesterday, I made applesauce to mix with her cereal and she really enjoyed this concoction.  I started with zucchini and worked my way through the stage one vegetables before introducing the sweeter fruits.  My theory is that by mainly feeding the vegetables she will develop a taste for them and in the end hopefully a more versatile palate.  Contrary to her father's desires - we are waiting to add hot sauce or any spices for that matter!

Since, my sweet daughter got her first two teeth at four months old she likes biting and chewing on everything, which led me to buy soft rubber spoons.  Not only was she high-jacking the spoon and shoving it into her mouth she was biting down on it and I worried about her first teeth and gums so I found some basic soft spoons that will not inflict any damage, but are still susceptible to high-jacking by little hands.  She is loving the exploration of new foods, playing with her tongue and learning how to feed herself.

In Germany they start by introducing vegetables and then cereals and from what friends back home have told me they usually start with cereals first in the USA.  So we are doing both.  Typically a vegetable for three to four days then cereal for three days (sometimes with a bit of fruit in it).  Hannah is responding to this really well and doesn't seem to be having any digestive issues, except with sweet potatoes she seemed to spit/throw up more the next day.  Maybe they are too rich.

For cereal and the one jar of pears, I bought them at Alnatura - my favorite bio (organic) grocery store.  The baby food products as well as some of their dry goods can be bought at the DM (German equivalent Walgreens/CVS/RiteAid) stores as well.  For information on making baby food and what foods to start with I am using Wholesome Homemade Baby Food website, which is full of information.

I am not a pro by any means, but I am learning that so much of parenting is based on common sense and then there is the other half that seems to be the guessing game.

Post Natal Gymnastics - Rückbildungsgymnastik

After having a baby your body is not what it once was with nine months of gestation and then labor having morphed different areas and scared others.  There is good news (and your insurance might pay for it)....the post-natal gymnastics course for mothers and babies (Rückbildungsgymnastik) is a must take course.  From my experience most women take a course and highly recommend it and now I can see why.  Once I had the 6 week check-up OK to go back to normal activity I was eager to try this gymnastic class.  Luckily, the prenatal instructor informed us of her upcoming course in English, which she told us about at our "class reunion" in April.  So I enrolled and now Hannah and I are enjoying our weekly class and lunch with other moms and babies.

Hannah playing footsie with her new buddies
(center of photo in the red &  white stripes)

The class is great for several reasons...We meet once a week for two hours.  The first hour is dedicated to exercises for the moms while the babies play barefoot in the center of the room in a circle.  The last few exercises (baby kiss push ups, the diaper sniff, and a modified airplane) are with baby, which Hannah loves - especially the airplane in which she lays on my shins as I circle her around quietly asking her to not spit up on me. It is great to hear all these babies giggling as I struggle to do push-ups. 

Hour two of the class is devoted to discussion.  Each week has a topic based on the mom's input.  This week we discussed weaning and transitioning to solid foods, granted Hannah is one of the youngest (oldest being six months) but this reinforced how fast she is growing and time is going!  Of course there are always added questions that are brought up the end.   

The class is a great resource not just for learning the best exercises to get your mid section back into shape, but also for these weekly discussion.  Plus, the connection made with other young mothers is priceless.  Usually after class a group of us go to lunch at a nearby restaurant, which really lends to the camaraderie and our very hungry bellies.  

As far as I know, the post-natal gymnastics class and the prenatal class in English are only offered by the Familien GesundheitsZentrum in Frankfurt.  Both are very helpful and I highly recommend taking them (this is not an advertisement!)

Hannah enjoying class and watching her buddies!

Reporting Birth Abroad

Having a baby in a foreign country - in Germany anyway - involves much paper work.  Before leaving the  St.Marienkrankenhaus hospital after Hannah was born the hospital registration office sent in all the paperwork to the city of Frankfurt including our passports, marriage certificate and birth certificates.  This initial step at the beginning of the paperwork process was super easy.  I requested two official (stamped) copies each of Hannah's birth certificate and report of birth abroad - in total costing about 35 euros.

Approximately one week later I picked up all of our original documents and her birth certificates, which made it very easy as I did not have to go the city and navigate the process with my elementary German.  There they gave me a listing of all the other information and offices for Kindergeld, Elterngeld, Mutterschaftshilfe, Religiöse Zwecke, and Meldebehörde - more on these later.

The next step was reporting birth abroad with the US Consulate, applying for a social security number and a US passport.  As we are both US Citizens, Hannah has US Citizenship and passport - not dual.  In order to have dual citizenship at least one of the parents needs to be a German citizen.

US Passport picture and requirements are the same for babies as adults.  So I was very nervous about getting her passport photo taken and meeting the requirements.  Fortunately, my dread was unnecessary!  The neighborhood photo shop were we had our biometric pictures taken was perfectly prepared for VISA/passport pictures for babies.  The photographer had a white pillow to lay Hannah on and I was able to capture her attention long enough to hold her head straight and he snapped the picture.  So for 10 euros, no pain or problems we had four copies of a sufficient picture.

Once we had the passport picture and completed the required paper work I made the appointment at the consulate. You must have an appoint to enter the US Consulate in Frankfurt, which is done online through their website.  The appointment gadget on the web page is somewhat frustrating and required daily checking to see if appointments had opened up, but finally booked an appointment two or three weeks in advance.

We arrived at the consulate early (because there is always a line) with every document that they might ask for and copies of those documents just in case.  What they required - originals only;
-parents passports
-marriage certificate
-parents birth certificates
-child's German birth certificate
-divorce decree of any previous marriages
-CASH as the credit card machine may not be working

***A prepaid, self addressed, DHL envelope was required, however the website does not indicate this part, but I received an email a few days before with the information.  Some people never got the information and were thus running out to get the envelopes, which also meant going through security again.

Both couples ahead of us were missing documents - proof that they lived in the US even though they were US citizens - in each case the wife was American and the husband was German.   I think because they were married to German citizens they had to prove they lived inside the US with college transcripts, past taxes, or any qualifying document listed on the website.  As we are both US citizens we did not have to prove living in the US, I am not sure how they decide if you need to show proof or not.

Once in the consulate we only had to wait about 20 minutes and then our number was called.  Reporting Hannah's birth and applying for her passport were easier than anticipated.  I can not stress reading through the website to make sure you have all the necessary documents.  The whole process took about a half hour.  Did I mention that everyone was really nice.  Hannah's passport and American birth certificate arrived about two-three weeks later!

Applying for a social security number was super easy.  The Social Security office is in the same building just down the hall, but they have short hours.  The whole process there took about 10 minutes at most.

More on the German side of paper work tomorrow......

Citizenship!!!

"Hey, that wasn't so bad!"

Nugget is officially a U.S. Citizen!  What a process and judging by other peoples reactions - we breezed through.

First, Lovebug and I both read over the U.S. consulate website to make sure we had everything they required and more.  Apparently some of the folks ahead of us had not read through all the requirements -there are many- and as one might guess they don't accept copies only originals.  Before making the appointment I made sure I had all the required documents and even emailed the consulate to make sure a copy of one of the documents was OK.  Thank God, they said it was fine because the original is deeply buried in our over stuffed storage unit in Michigan.

Secondly, we brought cash because you just never know and good thing we did as the credit card machine was not working.

Three days before I received an email stating that I needed to bring a prepaid self addressed DHL envelope and well everyone in front of us seemed to have missed that email.  Ironically, I got the email as I was walking out the door heading to the DHL store.  Several spouses were out running to the DHL store nearby.

Throughout the whole process leading up to the appointment I will admit my bit of concern about having Nugget's passport photo taken.  Why they put in a picture of a 7 week old baffles me since the passport book is good for five years???  Regardless, we went to the neighborhood photo shop and he was all set up to take passport pictures of babies.  Yes!  Surprisingly, Nugget did well and it only took a few shots before the photographer snapped a decent one.  The standards are still the same for babies as they are for adult U.S. passport pictures - hence my worry as they can be so particular.  The picture above was taken right after our official photo shoot - beaming with success and a bit of relief on my part.

After providing all the documents and paperwork and forking over about 160 euros.....Nugget is officially a U.S. citizen!!!  Now her passport needs to arrive before we leave for Michigan at the end of June....should only take 4 weeks.      

Welcome Baby Girl

On March 14, we welcomed our little Nugget, a baby girl into the world and what a miracle.  She is perfect, precious, and the sweetest thing.  Now my days are consumed with eating & sleeping - for her and me.

My Mom, a very ecstatic Grandma, made her first trip over seas to come meet her first grandchild and lets just say she didn't want to leave.  I am so grateful that she made the journey and appreciative of her help.  Now that she has gone, eating, sleeping, and getting things done around the house are bit more interesting.

We are adjusting to life quite well and really enjoy our afternoon naps together.  There have been some great diaper changing moments for both my husband and myself.  We watch her facial expressions like a great movie and listen to her grunts and various noises like they are our favorite musicians.  Bath time is always interesting and dinner time is a juggling act since it is, of course, her most wide awake time.  I am looking forward to this journey and teaching our little Nugget about the world.

People can tell you that having a child is a miracle, but you never know what they mean until you experience it for yourself.

Nugget's Nest Complete

I've taken procrastination to a whole new level....Finally, I finished the mobile for Nugget's room.

The paper mâché creation was a drawn out process that I most likely could have completed in a couple weeks - however I took the path of a couple months instead - perfection takes time.  We hung the creation last night, only days before we are expecting our little bundle of joy.  I really enjoyed making the mobile and am now conjuring up new ideas, new creations, new reasons for making phenomenal messes!

6 DAYS!!!

Only six days left before our little love Nugget arrives...time is flying!  At every doctors visit in the last trimester they have done a routine fetal heart rate monitor and it is the most amazing half hour of listening to the heartbeat and the sounds of movement.  Also, learned some interesting facts while being pregnant.....

-Average human adult heart beats 90 times per minute and while in the womb the heart beats on average 150 times per minute.
-A pregnant woman has about a 40% increase in blood during pregnancy.
-One drop of breast milk contains approximately one million white blood cells.

The female human body is incredibly amazing!  I won't bore you with any more facts, but there is so much to learn and experience.

Even though I like the German health care system so far, there seems to be one universal rule no matter where you are in the world....you must be your own advocate, you must educate yourself and make sure that you are getting the care you want and deserve.  As much as I like my OB doctor here, I've had to remind her about two important standard tests done during pregnancy, which I would not have known if it were not for all the reading and research that I've done so far. Mind the old cliche knowledge is power.

Baby Mania Minimized

REALIZATION:  The urge to impulse purchase adorable, colorful and tiny articles of clothing for our baby to come is subdued by the fact that we are not finding out the sex.  So many people are surprised that we not peeking, but I like surprises.  Maybe -at least for me- it is also exercise in realizing that as humans we have little control over life and the urge to micro manage life can be a waste of energy.

BENEFIT:  I've saved lot of dollars & euros!  Hopefully, there will not be a huge pile of clothes there were only worn once or never fit in the first place.

There seems to be less gender neutral colored baby clothing here in Germany with the exception of tan & white so this has aided in limiting indulgent buys.  Now after Nugget is here we will see how much of a hit my wallet takes as I make up for lost time!    

Papier-mâché Mobile

If for no other reason at least I get to make a mess and have fun doing it....

When I first found out that I was pregnant I decided I was going to make a mobile for the baby.  Finally, my idea is coming to fruition.  Now there are nine brightly painted papier-mâché balls of varying sizes drying on the window sill.  Next step will be to paint different designs and patterns on each - I'm really looking forward to this part - not as gooey and messy, but looking forward to getting creative.






Papier-mâché paste recipe:
1 cup all purpose flour + some
1 cup water
pinch of salt


*As always I don't really measure, but sort of guestimate!  
Slightly more flour is best as it will be thicker, easier to work with and most importantly strong.  The salt will help to prevent mold.  Make sure each layer completely drys all the way before adding the next.  I used balloons as the base for this project. 


The paste lasted for awhile covered in the refrigerator and when needed I would add more water, flour, and bit of salt and whisk together.  


Each sphere seemed sufficiently hard enough after three coats of pasted newspaper.  Be sure to remove the cut edges from the newspaper before making strips as they will not mesh and end up creating a seam.   


The interesting part will be suspending and hanging these colorful orbs!  


Today while applying a second coat of paint, Nugget & I were listening to Xavier Rudd...love sharing the music and the moment!

hold that thought

Please bear with me as I attempt making some minor changes to my blog in order to better organize entries.  I am not a technologically inclined person, but using Blogger is pretty straight forward.  It should not take too long and please let me know what you think.....

I want to thank all who take the time to read and browse through my blog.  Your readership, comments, and input are greatly appreciated!!!

Enjoy the adventure.....

For those who keep asking....A picture of my baby bump!
Never thought I'd be posting these on the Internet...

Share The Music

We are starting Nugget out young, sharing music, loving music, and dancing (when no one is looking) - thanks to my friend Erin who gave me this awesome gift....Sound Beginnings.  Basically, it's a tube top with built in speakers and a pocket for your iPod or any mp3 player.

As I type - we are listening to Paul Simon.  Actually, I am listening to Internet radio, but I do have the option of plugging my headphones and listening to the same music as Nugget.  Gone are the days of holding headphones to your baby bump.  Plus, the fabric band can hold up my pants as well!  This was possibly the most awesome gift - very unique and much easier than the old fashioned method.  Love sharing music with Nugget - I pray that he or she is blessed with rhythm, unlike me!

8 months & jammin'

30 Weeks & Counting

The weeks are flying by and it's hard to believe that I'm already in my third trimester.  Being so far away from home, family, and friends I've found comfort in some books that seem to have all or most of the answers.  I want to feel as prepared as possible, but know full well that once the reality sets in all the reading & theorizing may fly out the window.  Knowledge is power...right?

Books:
What To Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel this is a great book loaded with information that was given to me by my doctor's office back in Michigan.  I've referenced it countless times and found it very useful.  There is also a website - click on the link above.

The Baby Book by William Sears, M.D., and Martha Sears, R.N. with Robert Sears, M.D., and James Sears, M.D. was a Christmas gift that I was wishing for and possibly the closest thing to manual for a new baby.  The couple also has several other books on more specific topics regarding babies & children.  Another great resource full of information and they have a website - click on the link above.

The Breastfeeding Book by Martha Sears, R.N., and William Sears, M.D.  Even though our little bundle of joy is not yet here, I am still trying to learn as much as possible before hand and this book definitely has all the info a Mom-to-be will want to know about feeding her new baby.  I have not yet ventured down the road of finding a lactation consultant or anything, but this book has been very helpful so far.

FYI:  Even if you are not expecting or planning on future children - all these books, especially the first two make great shower gifts - as much as we swoon over the adorable clothing and miniature sizes these resources are priceless and useful for a long time.  Just an idea!

Websites:
http://www.babycenter.com/

http://www.whattoexpect.com/what-to-expect/landing-page.aspx

http://www.askdrsears.com/

American Academy of Pediatrics http://www.aap.org/en-us/Pages/Default.aspx


For those living abroad, specifically in Germany, I recommend using the Toy Town English forum http://www.toytowngermany.com/ when trying to find English speaking doctors and parent meet up groups or meet ups in general.  If you are a living abroad somewhere else there is a good chance that there might be an American Women's Club branch in the area - you do not have to be American to join, just English speaking.

Life is a great adventure - enjoy it!

Prenatal Courses

It's hard enough to move to a new country, but it's another story when you move to a foreign country while you are pregnant.  Thankfully....Germans have babies too!  And surprisingly so do many other expats, many of which speak English.  Therefore, finding a prenatal prep course given in English was not that difficult.

We are very lucky, as one of the courses we found is not even a block from our flat in our great neighborhood filled with kids, trees, and parks.  Familien GesunheitsZentrum, www.fgzn.de, offers several different course, but most importantly for us they offer a prenatal course in English.  At first I was worried that the course would all be about breathing & relaxing during birth and since I know that I must have a Cesarean that would not be helpful for me.  However, when I called the instructor, Gabriele, she reassured me that the course covers more information and so I enrolled us in the seven week course.

The class meets once a week and is very informative.  Gabriele is a wealth of information and such a peaceful soul.  I am so glad that our paths have crossed and to have such a kind person offering you help and guidance during such a transitional time is comforting.  Now we have tons of information on having a baby in Germany and the differences between German practices verses other countries.  The class is populated by couples from all over the world and at different stages in their pregnancies.  A great experience so far!

One of the biggest differences about German healthcare is that generally practitioners are more knowledgeable and accepting of holistic medicines, which is awesome.  Also, for pregnancy & birth, the focus is relaxation not just breathing, although breathing is plays a big role in relaxation.  So far, I like the differences that I've noticed in German health care & insurance.

Now we just have to tour a couple of the hospitals - there are many in Frankfurt - and decide where we want to have the baby.  So much information and so many decisions.  Not to mention, all the necessities that we must purchase before the baby arrives.  There are so many products and options out there it makes my head spin.  So I've decided on a process of elimination to evaluate if we really need something - I just think about carrying it up our five flights of stairs!