big girls

... don't cry.
We know. But sometimes they do...

Earlier this month, Mama and Charlotte's babymoon (from labor day to Labor Day) ended. On September 6, Charlotte turned four months and Mama returned to work. Quite the change.

But over the last few weeks we have all fallen into a happy rhythm.
Daddy loves his morning time with Charlotte. She enjoys songs, walks, and play with our lovely Marie. Mama is excited for baby lunch breaks and afternoon fun together. And in the evenings, Penny shows her little sister a good time on the beach...

Because after all, girls just want to have fun!

feeling anything but blue

 

Last year, we had the best anniversary gift: a day after celebrating our first year of marriage we went for the first prenatal visit with our doctor who confirmed that we had little Charlotte on the way!

gape

 Who said baby life is just tiring for the parents?!

freudensprünge

Vor zwei Jahren haben wir beide unsere Freude so ausgedrückt. Heute haben sich zu unserem Glück eine Menge Schwanzwedeln und Babylächeln dazugesellt...

ash wednesday

Well, it was Tuesday... when Penny couldn't help her silly self and bumped into a car exhaust while sniffing around a curb. For the rest of the day, she wore her exploratory mark proudly - and her (two-legged) friends at the beach were musing if she is an observant catholic or in search of an Indian husband!

[And this little accident had us finally give Penny a long overdue bath again. Note: Dish soap removes soot!]

runaway bride

Since it's our anniversary week and so much fun going down memory lane by browsing our wedding pictures, we'll post some of them over the next couple of days in addition to the baby and doggie updates.

[Troy did catch me eventually]
 

affenliebe

Charlotte liebt diesen Affen heiss und innig... so sehr, dass sie ihm leider ganz schön die Beine stramm zieht - aber wofür hat man denn Gummibeine?!

five years later

Well, it has only been two... Today is our anniversary and at our wedding in 2009, a guest predicted we would have two kids and a dog five years from then - with Charlotte and Penny, it seems we are well on our way! Check back in 2014 :-)

sunday = fun day

 

Sundays are lazy in a baby household... but one thing always gets us all out and about: Penny's (almost daily) beach walk in the evenings. And while we all know that Penny loves them, we have recently noticed that they are becoming a highlight in Charlotte's day too. Despite all the people try to smile with her, she only has eyes for the doggies running around, jumping through the water, and playing with each other. That does not just get a smile out of her - but a good chuckle! [Time to bring the (video) camera to the beach sometime.] 

the world around us

While Charlotte continues to practice new tricks every day ...

[The latest fun is rolling from her tummy onto her back, and then looking at the newly gained perspective and world view with enormous amazement, followed by a satisfied grin!]

... it's nice for us to see how far our little one has come already.
When Charlotte was two months, she started to discover the world of objects around her (besides Mama, Daddy, and Penny's occasional wet nose) ...

... ever since she's loved to grab and play with her rattles. And take a good taste of them, of course.

The world around us is fascinating - especially in the eyes of a baby.

Thanks for letting us take a new look, Charlotte!

they sure start early in California

Charlotte received some of her first mail today. Dr. Donna Kashani, M.D., child and adolescent psychiatrist, is interested in her business. What Dr. Kashani intends to get from putting Charlotte on her couch is beyond me. And, for that matter, how Dr. Kashani found out that Charlotte is in the market for psychiatric services is beyond me. Perhaps she routinely solicits for suggestions at shopping malls, grocery stores and dog parks. More likely she gets a list of new additions to the county every month. But surely she must know that Charlotte was added to the county roll by Scripps Memorial Hospital. Even the slightest bit of deductive reasoning should suggest that Charlotte isn't likely to open up much, no matter how skilled of a snake charmer Dr. Kashani fancies herself. Then again, getting Charlotte to talk months ahead of time may indeed be money well spent.

rotkäppchen

first class

Speaking of crossing the ocean...

Charlotte knows how to travel in style: When we went on her first flight ever and transatlantic trip to Germany, she promptly got upgraded to First Class!

While Charlotte enjoyed a good snooze in the extra wide seats, mom and dad loved the fancy food and service.

We knew, having a child (or enough miles) would eventually pay off...

old sail ears

Charlotte is now over four months old and she's long past due for a nickname.

While reading her favorite book, The Runaway Bunny, I couldn't help but notice her resemblance to one of the sub-stories.

In one scene the little bunny plans to turn itself into a sailboat so that it can sail away at sea.

It's a good thing Charlotte doesn't understand the little bunny's plan: with those ears she wouldn't even need to turn herself into a boat to sail away with the wind.

(The photo is from her German passport application.)

out of africa

We recently got a save-the-date from dear friends for their wedding in Tanzania next summer. As you can see, Charlotte has been ready and excited for that safari! Dreaming of all the fun animals she'll see...

a year of difference!

They say it happens very fast with babies... the same seems to apply to puppies: We have forgotten - or did not even notice! - how small Penny was when we got her, and how quickly she has grown up.

This is our little rascal about a year ago.

prinzenträume

ready - set - go

Charlotte has come to love walks even more than before - now that she is not just enjoying the fresh air and many naps in her stroller but can sit in her carrier and look out into the world.

To explore the Wild West, our little Cowgirl just dons her sun hat and off we go!

Hearing Mama & Daddy talk about all the exciting things she sees is quite interesting. And especially the beach excursions with Penny are great fun for Charlotte - she is fascinated by the ocean and waves, smiles at all the doggies, and enjoys the bopping walks through the sand.

immer am ball bleiben

In Sachen wachsen, lernen und entdecken bleibt Charlotte spielerisch am Ball: Alle möglichen kleinen Dinge in den Mund stecken und ablutschen ist natürlich schon eine lange Zeit toll... aber dieses Wochenende haben wir gemerkt, dass grosse Dinge in Angriff nehmen auch sehr viel Spass macht!

Sie ist halt auch ein Strandkind ;-)
 

california dreamin'

On sunny afternoons, Charlotte loves to lie outside on the terrace and daydream into the sky. Looking at the leaves blowing in the wind and seeing the shadow and light reflections seems to make her very happy. She gazes up, smiles and laughs, wiggles around, kicks her feet into the air, and is all around content.

Wouldn't we all be, with such a happy view?!

hello world

Charlotte is four months old already!

(We'll put up some updated pictures in the coming days.) It's actually fun to alternate posting up to date and older pictures of her, to see the changes.

Looking at the different pictures we have taken over the past months, we are amazed by how much our little one has developed from her newborn days.

After the first four weeks, Charlotte really started opening up to the world - becoming more aware of her surroundings, engaging with people, and cognizant of her body.


Since then she's loved smiling, pushing herself up, rolling around, babbling and grabbing for things.



For her 2 months birthday, she had quite some fun with this little photo shoot.

run penny run

Penny is a beach dog.

Since her puppy days, she's enjoyed nothing more than
running wild & free along the ocean.

hand me down

While in Germany, Charlotte got to sleep and nap in the crib that Mama, her uncle Marcel, and cousins Johanna & Katharina have already enjoyed snoozing in.

When checking it out, she was almost too excited about it to fall asleep... but good Westerwald air and loving grandparent care did her in for the rest of the week!

heimat

Charlotte's erster Deutschlandbesuch war voll schöner Momente und Begegnungen mit Familie und Freunden. Sie hatte sichtlich viel Spass und freut sich schon auf ein nächstes Wiedersehen!

penny lane

♬ ... is in my ears and in my eyes... 
... WET beneath the blue suburban skies... ♬

(one of penny's favorite past times!)

nackidei

Daddy sagt immer die Sommer in Deutschland sind kalt und regnerisch... gar nicht! Bei Oma & Opa auf der Terrasse konnte man es nur in Windeln aushalten!!

♬ 

Der Eber sagt zu seiner Frau
hörzu du süße kleine Sau,
wir machen heut ne Schweinerei,
und gehn mal wieder Nackidei.

Nackidei Nackidei alle sind heut Nackidei,
Nackidei Nackidei und keiner findet was dabei,
Nackidei Nackidei alle sind heut Nackidei,
Nackidei Nackidei und keiner findet was dabei.

Dem Schaf wird in der Wolle heiss,
und von der Stirn rinnt ihm der Schweiss,
doch nach der Schurr sagt es:
Ja mei des is Fantastisch - Nackidei.

Nackidei Nackidei alle sind heut Nackidei,
Nackidei Nackidei und keiner findet was dabei,
Nackidei Nackidei alle sind heut Nackidei,
Nackidei Nackidei und keiner findet was dabei.

Das Kücken hält es nicht mehr aus,
will endlich aus dem Ei herraus,
zerpickt die Schale 1 2 3
plums da liegt es - Nackidei.

Nackidei Nackidei alle sind heut Nackidei,
Nackidei Nackidei und keiner findet was dabei,
Nackidei Nackidei alle sind heut Nackidei,
Nackidei Nackidei und keiner findet was dabei.

Dem Karpfen fall´n die Schuppen ab,
er guckt und guckt und lacht sich schlapp,
was schwebt da an der Schnur vorbei,
ein Wurm und dann noch - Nackidei

Nackidei Nackidei alle sind heut Nackidei,
Nackidei Nackidei und keiner findet was dabei,
Nackidei Nackidei alle sind heut Nackidei,
Nackidei Nackidei und keiner findet was dabei.  

 ♬

flower girl

Charlotte had her first field trip while in Germany:

The federal flower & garden show took place in Koblenz this summer.

Charlotte loved exploring the flowers, gazing at all the colors, and taking a ride with the cable car over the Rhine

Hopefully she'll find school as exciting one day!