Major renovations

I spent a few months doing some big renovations to Simone's old place. We moved in last month. I also created a scale model of the place complete with little versions of us, including Tasha and Leo. It was interesting working with the place this way to even incorporate bits of Feng Shui into the placement of our furniture and objects.

Great visit

So, Patty and Brad came to visit in March and we had a great time. I think Germany is looking for a couple of engineers to move over. That's what I hear. Really.


Victoria loved hanging out with them so much that she had special names for them immediately - Pitty and Him-Him. She really had a great time, as did we all.
We went to Heidelberg at some point during the trip, and toured the castle there. It's a beautiful place and a fantastic example of a fortress type castle with an amazing 'courtyard'. The courtyard is huge, and it's actually a whole area to walk around. The town is also unique in that it has a very international university. Actually I've read it is the oldest university in Germany. So the school also gives the already fascinating city an intersting twist, as do the remaining US soldier barracks.


Great visit and we hope to see them again soon!

Long time no post

So, I'm going to try get some updates going here. Been busy and lazy all at the same time in regards to the ol blog. The laziness, that is.

Winter Strolls

We get bundled up pretty well for the walks these days. Victoria never likes just RIDING in the stroller. Usually she wants to PUSH the stroller. But if she must ride, I like to find the bumpiest patches of road to roll over. Or even better, if we go off-roading. The bumpier the better.

Holidays

Christmas and New Year's here were good. I haven't posted in so long I feel the need to post a pic or two from that time now. The first is the tree, after we had unwrapped about half of the gifts. We do half on the 24th (German Beier tradition), and the other half on the 25th (US Blankenberger tradition). The second pic is of a music box that, with the aid of the candle heat, rotates the propellers at the top and the scene inside spins around like a carousel. It's nice. Never seen one in the US.


Oh, New Years. Oooh, always tough for the dogs. The tradition here is to let off fireworks. They are legal, and every household lets em rip. On the hour and then at midnight comes the big stuff. Tasha especially has a hard time, but Leo isn't a fan either.

Simsalabim

Just about a 20 minute drive from here there is an indoor playground for kids called Simsalabim.
This morning (and afternoon) we took Victoria to check it out. We met some friends there who have a toddler Victoria's age. It's great because, aside from being cool people, they are raising their girl bilingual as well. The dad is English and the mom is German.
Here are a couple of pics of this place. It's huge! Just ginormous. They have a few different play areas set up for kids of different age groups. There is also a bit of a restaurant/cafe in there for the parents to sit and chat or whatever, even a couple of pool tables. There was a go-kart area, train, small carousel, several trampolines, a giant playland in the center with ladders and bridges and nerf-ball machine guns, giant slides, giant inflated castles, and so on - you get the idea. It's a big place.
Victoria's favorite was most likely the big slide we went down (together), but she was really eye-balling the go-karts. She kept trying to run over there and get in a car. She's much too small still but that certainly doesn't stop her.
Here are a few pics of the place to give you an idea of the layout and size.


And here is a nice shot of Victoria coming over for a short break. A very short break.


And here is mommy and kiddo with our friends.


All in all a very good day. Victoria had a blast discovering so many things. I think it'll be our new haunt - particularly on cold winter days.

Winter in southern Germany

The winters here are milder than those of Chicago's. It usually hovers around 35-40 or so during the day and rains most of the winter. But on somewhat rare occasion, it drops below freezing and the rain coming down decides to solidify a bit and turn into the white stuff.

Anywho, we had a chance recently to take Victoria, Tasha and Leo out into the yard for some sledding. This was Victoria's first sledding adventure. She loved it, of course.

Vroom Vroom!

Victoria's ever-expanding vocabulary definitely consists of a few favorites. But of course those change quickly too, just like everything. At any rate, she loves to say 'Auto!' and then 'Vroom Vroom!' It's usually accompanied by 'Ahdah', which means outside.
'Ahdah. Ahdah. Auto. Vroom Vroom!'
By the by - She's quite the little vroom vroom herself. She is walking around the entire home now very well, and all on her own.
Here is a nice shot with Simone, Victoria and Leo hanging out in the playarea.

Sitting down for a little ND action

Here we are sitting down to watch Notre Dame football - me in my home jersey and Victoria sportin an ND cap. Simone took this photo on a fine Sunday morning. Of course the games are not shown here, but I've got my ways...

Driving up to Hanover tomorrow morning, very early. Better get some shuteye.

Hmmm...What'll it be for dinner tonight?

Looks like it'll be rice and veggie patties, Italian flavor. Hom mommmm! (Victoriaspeak for 'food' or 'hungry')

Zipping all around

Victoria is really taking off now. She zips around the home like nobody's business. She is rather speedy and is practically running sometimes. It won't be long before she doesn't need any helping hands, either. She also climbs the entire staircase in this picture with ease. But she does wait to make sure one of us is behind her. She also walks with her car around the place. Tasha and Leo must think she's a terror sometimes.

Here is Vicotoria riding IN the car (usually she wants to walk it). Complete with bubbles and her 'Las Vegas Baby' t-shirt.

Wilderness Park

We took Victoria to a Wilderness Park in the springtime. She liked seeing all the different animals. Even saw some really big bears, which I believe were Kodiaks or the like. I just noticed this...If you look closely, the goat behind them is taking caring of business. How nice.

Choppers update

Lil' Peppa now has a total of 11 teeth with the 12th breaking through as we speak, but Mommy's keeping her as content as can be.

Swimming class, or was that splashing class?

Victoria really took to her swimming class. She attended over the early summer, before she was a year old. Simone and I had a lot of fun taking her, and Victoria had a lot of fun discovering the joy of splashing.

Photo Shoot, take 2

Victoria had a chance to go to a photoshooting, her second time through it. She was just over a year old for this one. She had an ok time with it, but it wasn't one of her best days when we went in, so it was a bit tough getting her in a good mood for the shots. She's wearing a nice little outfit Grandpa picked up for her from the States.

Tasha and Leo with Baby V

Tasha and Leo are really doing great with Victoria. Actually better than we had hoped at this stage. Simone thinks it's gotten even better now that Victoria likes to feed some of her own food to Tasha and Leo from the dinner table. I think she's on to something.

Case in point -

Yesterday Victoria was crawling around, and started heading for the staircase to go downstairs. Tasha quickly walked over to the staircase entrance, stood between Victoria and the the stairs, and gave her a little nudge so she would crawl elsewhere. I couldn't believe it. I was absolutely amazed. So very sweet, too.
They are still getting used to her, and getting used to having to move down in the pack by one spot, but they are doing better each day. Our hope is that as Victoria gets older and can do more 'with' them as opposed to 'to' them, the three will become the very best of friends. Here is a pic of T and L in the backyard plotting on how to get rid of that little thing called Victoria...

Jeep

Victoria loves to climb over ANYTHING. She's quite capable actually. I call her lil Jeep when she's in action.
So, she has already taken on our staircase, which is a full staircase - twisting, wooden and open. She has climbed the entire thing a few times already. It must look like Mt. Fuji to her...but without the snow.

Choppers

Two more for the baby Victoria.
She now has four up top, four down below.

More birthday parties

Since Victoria was just in the US, she naturally had a birthday party there while with my family. But, we also wanted to have a party here with Simone's family as well. So we did just that. Oh, and we also had a small party on the ACTUAL day with her friends Lasa and Andy and their moms. See, in Germany you are NOT supposed to celebrate your birthday early. If it falls in the middle of the week, which hers did, you are supposed to wait until the next weekend to throw a party. So the actual date we had her friends over:

Victoria had a very nice time playing with the boys. That's Lasa's backside, and Andy is looking at my guitar. Yvonne (Lasa's mom) is with her camera, and Astrid (Andy's mom) in on the left. Victoria is looking very, very Adorable. She's wearing her outfit Aunt Amy picked out. She also wore it at the final party...

Next was her party with Simone's family. It was quite a few people actually. We had a good time entertaining, and Victoria got to enjoy more attention yet again. I don't think she minds that at all.

We had her party on a Sunday. Oma and Opa made it, as well as Aunt Liane and cousins Thomas and Yvonne, along with other extended family and friends.

We have liftoff

Shortly after returning home from her big adventure in the US, Victoria decided it was time to STAND. She has been crawling now for a good couple of months and I think she just said to herself - Enough of this. I want to try something new. So here she is trying something new. And hanging out with her birthday present from Uncle Ken - classic Winnie the Pooh.

She's gotten quite good at standing and gently sitting back down. She very much enjoys walking around the edge of her playpen as she holds onto the railing. Walking around the home is just around the corner.