Merry Christmas! 2015

"Why can't we have Christmas the whole year around?" Those are lyrics from a song on one of my favorite Christmas cassettes (yes, tapes!) that my parents have. And this year, I'm spreading Christmas as far as it can go... to the end of January ;) Partly because I haven't had a chance and partly because if I wait any longer than I may have a newborn in my arms and then it will truly NEVER happen. So, Christmas continues...

My parents had a beautiful, slender tree this year. They have so many ornaments, that not all of them made the cut, but it was a gorgeous tree! Ian spent a good deal of time looking at all of their ornaments and Äma happily obliged and talked to him about each one.

 The biggest joy of this Christmas was watching Ian enjoy it so much. He loved all of the new books and stories that came out for the season, he loved the singing, he loved being around family, and he loved opening presents!!

 Mom & James were the chefs. On Christmas Eve they made a delicious baked pork, sweet potato, and apple meal. My mouth still waters thinking about it.

We were fortunate to have Jim around for a few days around Christmas. We drove up to my parents' home on Christmas Eve and stayed for two nights over Christmas.

 Christmas morning we awoke to a 60 degree F day... what?!?

Ian wore his new onesie from Äma that said, "Santa's Little Helper" and he was such a joy to watch throughout the morning. He carefully ripped each gift open and played with each toy until it was his turn to open another gift. We always start with the youngest member of the family and lap around and around again.

It was such a pleasure to spend Christmas morning with him. We couldn't soak up enough of him. It's amazing to think that next year there will be two little ones sitting on that braided rug under the tree.

As per family tradition, we hiked up to Paris View on this very foggy day. 

 It was the first time we've EVER done it in shorts and t-shirts. I can remember one time I thought I would die of wind chill... this was definitely not the case this year.

 Ian hiked most of the way up and down, but here are a few cute shots of this inseparable duo.

We timed our hike perfectly because as soon as we stepped inside the house, it poured down rain. Whew!

Grumps wasn't feeling up to the hike, but he happily snuck away for some reading & playing after our amazing roast beast and yorkshire pudding feast.

 After dinner and before dessert we sang carols. Ian immediately resumed his perch on the stool (where he sits every time Grumps plays for him) and listened to all of us sing carols. It was a really heart-warming time for me, singing these songs with my siblings on either side and my son in rapt attention.

 And, once again, he took his spot behind the piano after Grumps left it vacant.

 He had obviously been carefully observing Grumps' stance. He looks so much like my dad here!!!

On Boxing Day we headed home after a delicious raclette lunch. Thank you, Mom & Dad, for hosting us and for the amazing meals!! What a wonderful visit.

Ian napped while Jim and I enjoyed lots of time to chat and enjoy each other's company. Car rides have a nice way of lending themselves to conversations and purposeful time together.

Late that night Jim's parents arrived to celebrate Christmas with us. The next morning, as usual, Gramee was up with the sun and ready to read and play with Ian!! He was happy to show her his huge stack of library books that sit next to his bed and they read through each and every one of them.

We ate breakfast and then hopped straight into opening Christmas gifts!! We saved our big one for Ian to open at home. Here he is with his new barn!! A home for all of his animals.

Gramee & Grandpa brought their gifts and Aunt Erin & Uncle Russ' gifts with them, so the tree was, once again, full of presents!!

I love watching Ian stick his tongue out as he concentrates. It has always made me think of my grandpa, who did the same thing. John, Jim's dad, commented that Grampy always did that when he was focusing... so, he gets it from both of his great grandfathers!!

Ian was blessed to receive so many wonderful presents, toys, clothes, and books from all of our loving family members. It was an amazing Christmas for this two year old!!

Such a focused little man.

As I mentioned before, we didn't take for granted that Jim had a few days off to enjoy with us. Ian LOVES rough-housing, chatting, and working with his papa.

Gramee & Grandpa came with us for a nice outing to the playground in the morning.

I love this picture of the two of them.

That afternoon we went for a walk on the Huckleberry to stretch our legs and enjoy the weather.

The next morning we had breakfast and then John & Kim headed back to Pennsylvania and Jim started back to work. Thank you for a great visit! Thank you for our wonderful gifts!!

Two days later, Christine arrived and we had our third Christmas!! See, why can't we have Christmas the whole year around?! Once again, we had a lovely gift exchange. It's so fun to have Christine visit and stay with us for a while. She gets into our routine, enjoys doing things in our area, knows many of our friends, is such an easy house guest, and a welcome companion for me & Ian during the day! We're so glad she feels so comfortable with our family.

In the middle of her stay she watched Ian for two nights while we went on our babymoon (already posted about this). THANK YOU SO MUCH, Christine! Our friends Chris & Jess ended up having them over for dinner on Friday and Anna & Steve invited them out to dinner on Saturday. We're grateful for the friends who make up such a great village here.

And that's a wrap on Christmas, 2015!

Next year we'll have another child in the mix. Our baby will be about ten months old by that point and that's crazy to think about right now.

Rabbits!

As promised in our Christmas card, we adopted bunnies. Some people may be dismayed at the fact that these bunnies aren't for "pets." We've adopted two breeding mamas and a large papa. When we brought them home from our friends' home, there was a litter born quite a few weeks before.

One of the bunnies, in particular, was quite sweet and lovable and so we brought it out for Ian to meet. I'll never forget his glee when we pulled up in the driveway and he saw bunnies in the hutch for the first time. Oh, the incredulous squeals that commenced!!

 Last week we added a few rabbits to our freezer for the first time. Remember how I told you that Jim's very interested in permaculture? Bunnies' poop is great for compost and gardening. Multiple purposes on a very small scale in our backyard downtown.

Like father, like son.

A new endeavor that won't probably get much documentation here, 

but needed some acknowledgement. This is, after all, our family journal.

Babymoon

It's hard to explain the residency existence to people who aren't living it. Life is unpredictable, although overly scheduled, and family time is limited. We do our best to make the most of the time we get, but it always leaves us desperately wanting more. The hope lies in that it is a season and this season will end.

We scheduled a little "babymoon" for a week after Christmas and went to an Airbnb in Staunton, Virginia. It was such a perfect place for a little get-a-way. Only two hours away from home, it's a great town with charm, a thriving downtown, a world-renowned theater, and plenty of good restaurants. Although we'd normally be up for more adventure and activity, the fact that I was 34 weeks meant that this wasn't really an option for us.

Jim organized the entire trip, which was really special.

Our first night there we went to the American Shakespeare Center for a production of The Importance of Being Earnest. The actors are so very talented and the whole atmosphere is incredibly enjoyable. Plus, it's such a fun play. I love that Jim enjoys live productions and music. It's fun to have a partner who climbs mountains with you, but also is content to enjoy a night of theater, while holding hands.

The next morning our hosts laid out the red carpet for us with a delicious breakfast! They were stellar hosts and really good cooks. I have yet to try it, but included on this plate were brussels sprout shavings that were out of this world. Kind of like hashbrowns, but green. YUM!

We went to a spa for massages. I've had a few massages, but this was the best one EVER. It was Jim's first massage and I don't think he'll be satisfied with anyone else. She targeted the knots and went for them. I've never seen Jim so transformed and relaxed as he was after he came out. As a pregnant lady I was a little concerned that she would take it easy on me, but it was fantastic and just what I needed.

We spent the rest of that day exploring the shops, eating gelato and meals, and enjoying each other's company. Much-needed. 

Jim particularly enjoyed the Staunton Olive Oil Company.
You could taste as many olive oils and balsamic vinegars as you wanted, with bread.
It was really fun (although I tried a few too many and had to sit down for a bit!).

It's not often that Jim asks me to take his picture.
But when the man finds an ax like this, he needs a picture.

The next day we, again, had an amazing breakfast before it was time to hit the road and head home.

 We took the scenic route and stopped in Lexington for some lunch, before returning to our dear boy. He had stayed with Aunt Christine for the weekend- we are so very grateful for this wonderful gift! She did a wonderful job with him.

The next morning, we woke up to find our first snow on the ground!!

 Ian was pretty excited!! He's definitely our child.

Having a weekend away as a couple was huge for us. It was the first time we've ever done it since having the parent status and it won't be our last. It may be a little while before we can do it again (what with baby #2 arriving soon), but we plan to make it a priority when the time comes again.

Thanks, Hon, for planning this trip! It meant so very much to me.

Since returning he's had to work night shifts almost every day... back to reality. So glad we had that time.

The Perfect Tree

Welp. This is going to be totally out of order.

Remember when I told you we had a super fun day choosing our tree and then decorating it? Yes. Long ago and before Christmas... we had a really wonderful family day.

We drove halfway to Floyd to a tree farm that sells any size tree for only $10. Limited to a tree that's not terribly tall, we searched and searched until we found the perfect one (for us). Here it is on the right of Ian :)

 Ian walked all over that farm with us until we found the tree, and then he hitched a ride with Papa.

 I just love watching these two together.

 The owner couldn't find our flagged tree on his first round, so he invited us to ride along with him. Ian was on cloud nine.

 And then, not only did the owner saw down the tree for us, he strapped it to our car, too. Talk about service! All for $10. I love where we live.

 That night we decorated the tree. This is actually our first, real tree as a couple and a family. Prior to this Jim and I had a Norfolk Southern Pine and another little potted pine tree. Last year we didn't even get our own tree because we were living with friends in Richmond. This year, we had the real deal and therefore purchased our first stand, too.

 Next year we'll upgrade to a tree full of lights, too. Ha! We were so content to just have the tree and our ornaments this year. The most fun I've ever had decorating for Christmas was with this little man. He was so excited each time we unwrapped a new (to him) ornament, found a hook, and got to hang it on the tree.

 Jim & I just sat back and soaked in all of his amazement. It's a joy to marvel at the wonder of a child.

 Yowzers. We haven't taken many pictures of me this pregnancy. When I uploaded these pictures I was shocked to see how massive my belly is!! I was 30 weeks in these pictures.

 We found the ornament we made for Ian's first Christmas and compared his growth! He thought that this was really neat. For the rest of the season he would point to it and talk about how it was his foot as a baby. Every guest got the full tour (his mistletoes from PMO, his Christmas wreath from PMO, his Christmas tree made at PMO, his CD ornament with his picture from PMO, his "boot" that he made in a nursery at the church in Philly, the cinnamon ornaments that he mixed and then painted with me... I think that might have been everything).

 One of his favorite books to read this year was this incredible book my mom gave me when I was teaching kindergarten. It's The 12 Days of Christmas with pop-up pictures on each page. He found this to be mesmerizing and we sang through it often.

Tomorrow we plan to take down our decorations. It's always hard for me to do, but it will be January 7th. Our tree has had a good run. What fun it was to share this holiday season with our little man!

Stay tuned for family visits & Christmas pictures.

Happy New Year!!

A year in review, of sorts.

The year 2015 was a pretty big year for our family.

We traveled to Germany & Switzerland for the first time ever as a unit and a family. We visited my cousin, Marianne, and her family in Hannover, Germany for about a week. While there, we fell in love with the sauna and can only dream of having one like it nearby. Next we went to see my host parents from when I student taught abroad in Erlangen, near Nuremburg. What a fun, loving couple Meg & Mark are! I was so blessed to spend time with them in undergrad and then loved sharing my family with them for a few days this year. We left their home for Switzerland, where we met my friend from high school for a tour of Bern before spending a couple of nights outside of Frauenkappelen with Marianne and her family and Phoebe & James. Here we visited with my great aunt Lizzy, explored the countryside around their home, had dinner with our extended Swiss family, and then walked around Solothurn (seeing the place where my grandpa was born & lived before coming to America). It was a full and busy two weeks! Ian was a champ of a traveler, even at nineteen months old.

 When we returned home, we brought a flock of chickens into our family. It's been a year of learning, loss, eggs, and fun as we watch Ian help with the chores of caring for these birds.

We've recently adopted rabbits from our friends and this will be our next "homesteading" adventure. We're enjoying dabbling in minor animal care and gardens. Jim's dream is to one day have a permaculture haven. Right now we're dabbling and collecting books & knowledge, but one day it will happen. Stay tuned :)

 Jim transitioned from intern to a senior resident in his family medicine program in June. The end of 2014 was quite difficult, having had most of the toughest rotations stacked in that fall, but the spring of 2015 brought much more family time and room to breathe. The fall of 2015 has also brought much more family time and opportunities to pursue his passions.

His biggest thrill has been joining the Blacksburg Rugby team. With a couple of practices a week and games on the weekend, his love for competitive sports and a chance to spend time with friends in and out of the medical field have proved to be an invaluable asset to him and our family. Ian & I have loved going to games both at home and away; it's fun to have a family sport to rally behind.

 In June we became pregnant with our second child and expect to welcome him/her in February 2016!! We cannot wait to meet our little one and give Ian a sibling. Our excitement is balanced by a desire to soak up as much time with Ian as we can during these fleeting days and weeks.

As you can imagine, the pregnancy and Ian have consumed my 2015 year. I love nurturing our family through outdoor activities, seeking to provide healthy & nourishing meals, and attempting to hold down the fort during the busy months of residency. I absolutely love this purpose in life: being a mama. Each day brings such anticipation and joy as the person Ian is becoming gets unlocked minute by minute.

The biggest lesson and gift I've been given this year has been the gift of time. This summer a space became available for Ian in a local Parent's Morning Out (PMO) program. With two weeks to wrap my head around it, we decided to go for it and he started going two mornings a week. He absolutely adores his teachers and thrives through interactions with other children, fine & gross motor activities, outside playtime, and creative, process-oriented art projects. It's a joy to watch him feel so secure and comfortable in their care.

During the times when Ian's in PMO, I have tried to be very purposeful about making the most of these gifts of time. In the beginning, I was trying to get all of the cleaning, housework, etc. done and realized that this was leaving me a bit drained and not pouring life back into me. Through a MOPS talk I learned and was given permission to choose to make this time my own, doing only activities that would actually be life-giving.

It's been an exciting shift in perspective for me. I've started putting myself first during this time and have gone swimming a whole lot (what an amazing activity for a pregnant woman!), sat and journaled, sat and read, pursued other errands and activities I wouldn't be able to do as easily with Ian in tow, and I've even just sat, closed my eyes, and relaxed. It's been HUGE for my outlook.

When our second baby comes, this will once again move into flux, but I hope and pray that the lessons I've learned during 2015 will pour into the upcoming year. Tasks & stuff can wait... and they normally get taken care of faster and more efficiently when I've taken some time for myself.

 Where to start with Ian? WHOA. What an amazing kid!! We are so proud to be his parents. His enthusiasm for life, drive to tackle and complete challenges, and his ever-multiplying vocabulary keep us on our toes and in rapt attention throughout the days. His language has just exploded over the course of this year to the point that he is now speaking in complete sentences, using correct tenses and pronouns.

He loves to sing and listen to music (live and on the radio), complete puzzles, run ("Ready, run Papa/Mama?"), throw the ball for and tackle Leif, listen to/read books, study animals, color and paint, laugh with friends, help with our chickens and observe the rabbits, build with blocks, play with and set up trains, play with toy animals, and hike & play outside. Among many other things...

Ian speaks about our baby often and lifts up my shirt to point to where he/she is. He has felt the baby move within my belly and he sings songs to him/her sometimes. I'm sure there will be a transition, but he seems excited about being a "big brudder."

 This year, in particular, we've felt a strong sense of community in our area. It's wonderful to have good friends to walk with through this season of our lives. Our residency and parenting journeys have been enriched by sharing tables, trails, tears, and laughs with people in the same stages of life. For this, we are eternally grateful.

 Thank you for following our family this year. Thank you for your encouragement and love as we prepare to welcome our second child into the family. We hope our paths cross often in 2016!!

The adventure continues...

Much love,

Käthe, Jim, Ian & Baby