I just want to share some snapshots of Amelia, and how I see her today.

No, we didn't skip her birthday this year...  This is the first time I haven't posted about Amelia' birthday right away, but I think it's somewhat understandable, since it was all in the midst of total chaos for us as a family.  Although I did not capture the pictures I'd hoped for, I do want to record the event, since this is the closest thing I do to scrapbooking or keeping a baby book.  Life is so full, and I want to remember these times.
Amelia turned five!  Her two requests for her birthday were a crown and gluten-free chocolate cupcakes.  We made those things happen, and quite a lot more!  In addition to a tiny party at her grandparents' house, we wanted to take a day in Portland to do all of her favorite things, just as we had done the three birthdays before.  It seemed especially important since we don't know when we'll be in Portland again for her birthday.
We started the day with friends at Slappy Cakes, where you can make your own breakfast right at the table.  Our other child guest was Chloe, our former neighbor, and she and Amelia had a blast.

 Waiting for the party to start, Amelia all dressed up in her crown, and she has a big fluffy tutu under her dress.  She loved the amount of attention her crown generated, and had lots of opportunities throughout the day to announce her birthday and soak up all the attention and good wishes.

 We ordered some bottles of gluten-free pancake batter and plenty of toppings, and then Amelia and her buddy both made pancakes and commissioned some special ones, like this kitty cat.  After lots of pancakes and syrup, the staff also came out with a gluten free banana fritter, which she dug into, and this is sort of where all that left her:

 She recovered and let the sweets work their loopy magic on her and Chloe-- their antics were really hysterical!

 This is my favorite picture from the day, with Chloe laughing so hard at her shenanigans!

 That was fun, and we had a great time with our neighbors.  Next, it was off for our birthday tradition-- this was Amelia's fourth year to ride the sky tram on her birthday.

 While we were riding up to the top where OHSU is situated, our tram conductor radioed to the staff at the entrance that there was a little birthday princess on her way.  They met us with stickers and a little pair of binoculars!  That was so sweet.  We walked up to the park area up there, where a farmer's market was being held.  Amelia sampled everything and received plenty of birthday greetings.  A few days before her birthday, she had befriended someone in a bookstore.  This lady found out that Amelia's birthday was coming up, and pulled two dollars out of her purse and gave them to Amelia to buy herself a gift with!  So Amelia spent that money on a fresh-squeezed orange juice.  It was a hot day, so we soaked our feet in a fountain and rested.

 We basically spent the rest of the day visiting fountains all over Portland-- I think five, total.  We also went to Finnegan's toy store for Amelia to play for a while.

 After so many little stops, it was finally time to meet our friend Elie for our main gift to Amelia: a Moroccan dinner! Amelia has always loved experiences more than things.  We have tried many times to think of toys or presents she would actually play with, but it always ends up being a bust.  What she loves is stories, food, going new places, and learning things about other parts of the world.  Could we have a child more compatible for the life we've been living?!  So she had been really looking forward to eating Moroccan food, getting her hands washed with orange flower scented water, sitting on poufs around little tables, etc.  It was dark, so I didn't get many good pictures, but this is a sweet one with Elie.

Amelia's birthday is my favorite holiday of the year.  She is such an interesting little person, and I love to just take the time to delight her and do all of the things I know she likes.  It was a long day, but it was also great to make time in that crazy week to spend our energies on her, and Jeff and I had a blast too!

Meine Kleine Ballerina

I had fun taking pictures of Amelia at her ballet class this afternoon.  Seriously, it was more like a pink and purple circus than actual dance class.  Hilarious!  Adorable!








 

It's the "First Day of School" Post.

Somebody is very excited.

Ever since we arrived, we've all sort of been waiting for that magical moment when Amelia would start going to school. She does so well with lots of variety in her days, and plenty of social interaction. I do so well with solitude and less excitement. It was a very long wait. But now we have entered that wonderful season of morning routines, busy days for Amelia and quiet, productive times for me. She is SO excited about her school!

This is our "front door" to our apartment, although it's shared by several others.

She has come home very happy every day. It's hard to figure out what exactly goes on over there, since she has always been very tight-lipped about the events of her school day. But there is lots of snacking on fresh fruits and vegetables. They serve herbal tea, very diluted juice, and water. Eating and drinking have always been the main-events of Amelia's days. There is a little dining room where she eats lunch, that looks like a kids' restaurant. No one speaks English well there, but she comes home each day with a few new German words.

I love crossing the bridge each morning.
Here, she is getting really tired of me snapping pictures, and just wants to get there already. I'm glad she humored me anyway.

The walk to school each morning is really wonderful. It is at the same time as one of the church's bells toll for morning mass, and we pass by the big beautiful doors as all the elderly ladies line up outside and coo at Amelia passing by.

I love the above picture. Amelia's in school six hours a day now, and it seems like such a big change. Even though the kindergarten is very play-based, it seems like she's really started her school career.

Her adorable classroom. I think she spends most of her time in this play kitchen.

Exciting times for all of us!

Sassy Pants...

Amelia was in fine form tonight at dinner. Here are a couple of snippets.

"Some moms don't really make very good food for their kids. But Mama, you are doing very well with your cooking."

Amelia: Papa, tomorrow YOU get to take me to school!
Jeff: I'm excited-- I've haven't been there before.
Amelia: Yes, and I will even show you the bathroom.
Jeff: Could you show me the snack room?
Amelia: Sure! But you can't eat in there. The food is just for the kids.
Jeff: But what if I'm hungry?!
Amelia: (Firmly) Well, then you can eat your saliva.

Also, I think we need to watch the way we talk to her, because when she talks to us, everything comes out as super condescending.

About the food...

We are in a unique position to really find out what food is like here, since we have no kitchen and must eat almost all of our meals out. It has been very hard to find a bad meal here! We eventually did at an Italian place, but I suppose it's our fault for deviating from the great Bavarian offerings here.

It's funny, because when I read descriptions on the menus, even in English, the entree usually sounds fairly unappetizing. I guess they don't mince words much. I have generally been very surprised and pleased by what shows up on my plate. As I have mentioned before, the salads are really good and fresh, with great flavor combinations-- like one with curried chicken and fresh oranges. There are a lot of deep fried items on the menus, and schnitzels and bratwurst, and many items are accompanied by fries. None of these are things I would usually eat, but there have been plenty of other options. And, the quality of the meats and everything is so good that the meals don't feel as heavy as you'd think. The other night, Jeff and I had steaks that were just amazing, accompanied by fries. I don't know what they did to those fat little wedges, but I swear that they had almost a butterscotch flavor to them-- also enhanced by some kind of dipping sauce that was more like hollandaise than aioli. Salads come with a lot of pickled vegetables, which I love. And I thought I knew what sauerkraut was, and really enjoyed making my own, but it is nothing like what they make here. First of all, they serve it warm, and it is heavily spiced, with allspice and cloves, for example.

Restaurant food seems to cost about the same as it would in the US. Maybe a little cheaper, even, but of course we did most of our eating out at happy hour, and I don't think they have those here. Wine and beer is very affordable, and of course very good! I'd never had a German red wine before, and I really can't understand why! They are delicious, and remind me very much of California reds. A local recently confirmed this impression, telling me that many of the original vintners in CA were German, and brought their vines over to propagate. Ironically, what we need to keep under control when we eat out is our water consumption. It is unheard of to serve tap water at the table, and so we have to pay for our bottled water-- almost always carbonated. I find myself drinking a couple of glasses before we go out so I can save a few euros!

The style of service is also very different, but I kind of like it. Waitstaff are generally paid a reasonable wage, and tipping is very minimal. No one is overly eager-to-please, trying to get everything just right for a higher tip. You seat yourself, and the table is yours for the evening-- no trying to rush you out the door so someone else can sit there. Someone will come and bring you a plate of napkins and silverware for you to place for yourself. Service is a little slow, and food doesn't typically arrive all at the same time-- so the rule is to just eat yours when it comes, and don't wait for the others. It all seems so laid back, with the emphasis being on the food. But of course everything is also very clean, which is extremely high on my list. So far, we've eaten most meals outdoors-- it will be a slightly different experience when the weather changes.

I have yet to go to a real grocery store. We don't have a car yet, but we'll rent one on Saturday and I will finally be able to put some substantial food in our fridge. Fortunately, there is the daily open market that I mentioned previously. I have bought a lot of produce there, and it is all great. And, I think, quite a bit more affordable than in Portland. This is very satisfying to me-- that we can afford to actually shop from farmers, and to do so on a frequent basis. Today I also bought some dairy products from the local convenience market, and all of it was both organic and very affordable. This is fantastic!! I will have so much fun cooking here.

The greatest challenge with eating here actually has nothing to do with local food. We had Amelia's food allergies tested before we left Portland, ostensibly to simplify matters once we arrived here. She has had so many limitations that I hoped we could find out some good news and eat more freely now. Well, there was good news but also some bad. She had graduated from many of her old allergens, including eggs, corn, bananas, melon and tomatoes. However, she has since developed a severe allergy to peanuts and almonds and.... the dreaded GLUTEN. Believe it or not, she hasn't had a bit of bread since we arrived here! The only way this is possible is because there are so many other good options for her, including potatoes, which are served everywhere. The hotel we're at has a crazy-extravagant "continental" breakfast. There are plates of cheeses and cold cuts, desserts, weird salads-- even one with oysters-- sausages, eggs, breads, an assortment of mueslis, fruit salad, and a range of yogurts. Amelia really packs it in, usually eating a bowl of muesli (with fruit juice in it,) three breakfast sausages, two slices of ham, and fruit. She is a very happy camper! And she has also had more meat on most days than she used to have all week! She doesn't mind of course, and I keep watching for a big growth spurt!

We were told that people here really like to eat sweets, and boy!-- They weren't joking! People hand Amelia candy all day, and there are bakeries on every corner selling cakes and danishes. I am trying to just be flexible and not make it a big deal. Also, the portions are huge! I think I've probably finished everything on my plate only a couple of times. Even salads are hard to finish. I have heard that Germans do not like to waste, and my sources confirm that they do indeed finish their portions. I'll work on it-- it shouldn't be too difficult!

The Birthday Report...

I can't believe I'm mother to a four year old! Jeff and Amelia spent the weekend camping with his folks, but got back in time this morning for a full day of celebration.

We started by going to Amelia's favorite breakfast place, where the staff (one guy in particular) adores her and treats her like royalty. They bought her abelskivers and mint chocolate cake. We made sure there was ham involved to help her cope with the day's festivities.

Next stop, a long-anticipated manicure and pedicure. We had been thinking for a while of what Amelia would love, and settled upon a memorable experience. I told her a month ago that she would get her nails done, and she has been SO excited. She kept announcing to people in the restaurant that she was getting a manicure and pedicure. The event did not disappoint, and she sat perfectly still waiting for her nails to dry. We let her play at a children's store nearby, then she conked out hard for a long nap.Queen for a day...
Yep, that's Jeff in the background, joining in the festivities!

We woke her up and went out for a sushi happy hour, followed by the second most anticipated event, now a tradition: the SKY TRAM. We parked downtown and walked to where the tram is. She soaked up every minute the ride, took in all of the scenery, and announced to everyone that she is a traveler. Then, it was home for a bubble bath. Whew! What a day for a little girl. It was really nice to just have a day full of family fun!Waiting for the Sky Tram to come pick us up...

I love this picture!
Happily returning home, all birthdayed-out.

It's That Time Again...

Birthday Season! Yesterday it was my mom, today it's my cousin, and Tuesday it will be Amelia. Mine comes a week later, then we take a little break, move to Germany, and celebrate Jeff in August.

I've been thinking hard about what to do for Amelia this year. Of course there will not be any new "stuff" added to the mix. She doesn't really play with toys anyway, and doesn't seem to enjoy working with art supplies yet. But what she lives for is a good story. I tell her one true story every day as we're driving to preschool. She is obsessed with snorkeling and food stories, but also loves to hear about travels in other countries. Jeff tells her a story about every other night at bedtime. She cannot get enough. I'm not sure what took me this long, but I finally went to the library and got her the Mrs. Pigglewiggle audio book for her to listen to in her room whenever she wants. Such a big hit! She goes up in her room, sits in her little rocking chair with a blanket across her lap, and just listens.

So, for her birthday, I'd like to ask family members and friends who are interested to record a story as an audio file and send it to us. You can either be reading a story, or telling a story of your own. She will be getting a little iPod for her birthday with stories on it, just in time for the long airplane ride. Of course, it's too late for most people to get something to me before her birthday, but if they trickled in over the summer that would be so great too!


I am looking forward to writing a longer post about her soon.

No wonder my daughter hates eating her leftovers...

She is sitting on Jeff's lap with rapt attention, being read a cookbook, adding her own ideas and applauding good combinations. They've been reading for a long time, but she just keeps asking "How 'bout another one?"

Let's Talk About Mimi...

I know, it's been forever since I have posted. Things have been a little wild around here, but I have been thinking a lot about how Amelia is growing, and I've been wanting to share some things.

After she turned three, we went through a real rough patch. Part of it was the fact that it was summer, and she wasn't in preschool anymore. Amelia and I have very different needs in terms of being with people, and being in public-- she would love to spend every day out and about town, meeting new people and especially eating out everywhere she goes-- not too practical! Jeff is on a year round schedule, so although he has a lot of time off overall, I often felt pretty stuck-- at home trying to keep things reasonable. Amelia had a baseline of miserable and demanding, and I was constantly overwhelmed with the feeling that there is no way in the world that I can possibly meet her needs. I actually started to get sick again, and spent the first half of summer repeatedly visiting my doctor, trying to figure out what was going on.

Then, along came Summer Bible Camp at a church five minutes away. I decided to go for it, and although she was really anxious about the new situation, she ended up loving it. Attendance was low, so she had someone one-on-one with her the entire time. This special person, it turns out, lives walking distance from our house and was looking to do babysitting jobs all summer! She is 17, really down to earth but fun, and charges $4 per hour. We offered her $5, and asked her to come twice a week for three hours. That way, I had more time to work and someone was there to just devote undivided attention to Amelia. It worked out great! And now we have a babysitter that we can actually afford when we need it. She was able to give Amelia something she needed, but that I had just run out of resources for. Whew!

We are into our fourth week of preschool now, and it feels good to be back into a routine. Amelia has had a harder time adjusting this time around, but she is getting there. Something that has become very apparent in the last few months is that she just really doesn't like children. It is really hard and terrifying/ exhausting to spend the day with them, so I can see why she might not feel like going to preschool some days. Her school is wonderful, though, and has been very supportive of her. She basically just shadows one of the classroom aides all day. When other kids are out on the playground, I know I can probably find her inside helping with some kind of task that needs to be done by the teachers. I am glad that she can be socialized in a very orderly, predictable and respectful environment-- otherwise, I don't think preschool would be a good option for us at all.

Something fun about Mimi is that she is an exceptional conversationalist. She is great to take to parties, where grownups often forget proper "getting acquainted" ettiquette. She introduces herself, asks their name, says "Nice to meet you [Name]" and then asks a relevant question, like "Who's mama are you?" or comments on their attire. She loves to hear stories, and has SO many questions about the tale she just heard once you finish. She has also gotten pretty good at telling them. Here's one of my favorites:
Once upon a time, I was standing on the big stool by the oven making pancakes. All of a sudden, I heard a "creeeak." It was the gate opening! And then! I heard a "crackety-crack"-- it was a firework! It came in the door and climbed up on the big stool and hugged me all over until I broke into pieces. And then it helped put me back together and I was OK. The end.
By the way, scary stories are her favorite.

Besides being social and polite and loving narrative, Amelia is very emotionally considerate. Sometimes it is so surprising to me that she is so kind and sensitive. The other day, she was just waking up from her nap, and making her way down the stairs. (She often has a hard time dealing with life when she is coming out of a nap, and isn't always glad to see Jeff, who usually comes home from work around this time.) Jeff peeked around the corner to say hello to her, and she yelled "No! I don't like you!" Jeff was disappointed but understanding, so he just left the room. Amelia came down and snuggled with me a little bit. I told her I loved her, and she returned the sentiment. Then I said, "You know how it makes us feel so good inside when someone says that they like or love us?" She nodded. "How do you think it makes someone feel when we say 'I don't like you?'" "Not good," she said. Then, "I didn't mean to say 'I don't like you.' I meant to say 'no thank you.'" She slid off the couch, ran into the kitchen and apologized to Jeff and told him she was sorry for making him feel bad. She reiterated that she had meant to just say "No thank you." We both got a little teary-eyed that she had done this completely of her own accord, and that she had the maturity to reinterpret her feelings and apologize! She is constantly noticing other peoples' emotional states, and is very concerned. What a sweetheart!
She also is always thanking people for everything. Thank you for helping me with that! Thank you for taking care of me. Thank you for having me over to spend time with you. She will often thank someone again for something that happened weeks or months ago.


In the last few weeks, I feel like she has really turned a corner in personal development and independence. Previously, she had an extremely difficult time entertaining herself. She would rather watch someone else do an activity than try it herself. It seemed like she couldn't do anything without someone else engaging her. I consulted with a pediatric naturopath about this, and we did some homeopathic remedies for her temperament. I think this really helped her make the shift. I have also had her get some bodywork, and it seems like she has just broken through some barrier in her development. We have been noticing lately that she is getting very creative about finding things to do, and is playing all the time. Hurray! I didn't know if she'd EVER figure out how to play! She is happier and more independent and I can tell this has really helped her confidence.


Amelia loves to talk on the phone, and remembers everyone. If you ever want to have a conversation with this little girl, please call us! I'll show her a picture of you, and she'll take it from there with lots of questions about what you're doing, eating and wearing. Isn't she great?

Overdue: Amelia's Birthday Party Photos

OK, so this is really late, I know. I shared party pictures on Facebook, but I know there are some yet who haven't seen them. I decided that last year's party was such an easy success that I would just have the exact same one again for her this year. We invited friends for breakfast at the park, and had coffee for all of the grownups while the kids played. It was a lot of fun, and super easy. Maybe we'll do it again next year....
I made the cupcakes, cake, hard boiled eggs and fancy juice and then Joy made some awesome muffins and Amy brought strawberries. We bought some good coffee and called it breakfast. I wish I had a picture here of the lanterns hung up in the trees-- decorations for the birthday girl who was terrified of balloons!

She loves matryoshka dolls, so I put the tiny one from her set on the cake...

Something unique about Amelia is that she LOVES to anticipate an event. So we were talking about her party a month in advance. Every time I asked her what she wanted for her birthday party, she said, "A chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting and a strawberry on top." I think she enjoyed all of the other aspects of the party too!The little birthday clip and apron were made by her grandma.

Enjoying her sugar high.