PJ Room Upgrade

I'm the best decorator out there. I enjoy letting my home slowly gather the flavor a home does over time. It works - but at first the rooms tend to be pretty sparse and white. Added to that, it's hard to tangibly include my family into PJ's life. While he enjoys an afternoon with his Oma and Opa each week; irregular visits with his German aunt and uncle; and skypes more or less regularly with his American family - I know that my family wishes they could play a more day-to-day role

Enter Grannie!

While she was here she painted PJ's walls. A fun, tangible, long-lasting project that remains with PJ. She did this all freehand (which continues to blow my mind). She worked on this for a couple of days and when it was finished PJ got to enjoy the full view.

Above his bed, she painted a big red tractor that is similar to one that he sees on a children's show about once a week. As soon as he saw it, he tried to get as close as possible, yelling out "Tractor! Tractor! Tractor!"

Grannie helped him get even closer.  

 

Then he noticed the trucks on the other side of the wall. At the time he called everything a "tractor", now he points to the different types of trucks and either yells their names or "truck!"

The trucks are actually stickers that come off the walls pretty easy. It will be very interesting when PJ realizes that.

I have to say, Grannie did one hell of a job. I'm positive PJ will enjoy his artwork for many years to come. Especially as he started to play with all those stickers! It has been over a month and he still points at it, smiles, and he knows that "Annie" (Grannie) painted it.

That's one proud Grannie, wouldn't you say?

xo

Happy 4th of July

Today is the 4th of July when my home country, the United States of America, celebrates a pretty nifty document that led to our independence from the British monarchy. But considering how many people woke up insanely early to watch Kate Middleton and Prince William tie the knot ... I'm not completely sure everyone got that whole "down with the crown" message.

And, yes, I did record it. Just to see the dress. Really. Okay, not really. I watched some of it, pausing frequently at shots of the dress.

Anywho...today was PJ's first 4th of July. Last year I was still desperately awaiting him to give notice on his one-room apartment. This year, as an outside baby and as a little American, we had to make sure that he learned the purpose of the 4th of July as early as possible: HAMBURGERS and FIREWORKS and FLAG WAVING.

Sadly, PJ is a little too young to stay up for the last ever American firework celebration in our area before the soldiers move on to greener pastures. (insert sad face here) But the Mr. made sure that PJ enjoyed some very yummy, homemade, grilled hamburgers with all the toppings. And I made sure he got the chance to wave his flag.

The Mr. getting ready to make magic happen on our deck.

Little man getting friendly with his flag.

Soon the flag was waving away.

"More hamburger! More hamburger!"

"I said, more!"

This was our first meal on our new house's deck - which kinda means it is OUR deck, but I'm still working on that mindshift - and it was fabulous. On a warm day, we were cool, surrounded by green, and part of a symphony of neighbourly sounds.

The American-German family celebrating the 4th of July.

Life. Its good.



xo

10 Months!

Our little guy has entered the double-month-digits: 10 months today!!

This blog entry is a bit of a cheat because we have been on an amazing family vacation for over a week that has left no time for blogging, so I'm skipping ahead but I promise I'll get back to those goodies. Til then...

Our little man got to celebrate his entry into the double-digit months with some of his American family in Ohio.

10 months and totally comfortable in a good bar for a good lunch.

Then we got to catch up with the single non-relative that is my age and that I've known since I was in diapers. We have pictures from when we were just months old until we were about 15ish years old. But then we lost touch for a long time until FaceBook got us back in touch. It turns out that we just happened to have our first babies just months apart.

And now we have pictures of our babies just months old. How great is that?

We like flip flops.

Happy 10 months, PJ! You are surrounded by good people.


xo

English and German Lullabies

Ever wondered to yourself: what's the difference between English/American and German lullabies? Yeah, me either. Well, until recently when little PJ arrived on the scene. Turns out that the vast majority of the melodies are the same. The sentiments, however, are not.

Lets take, for example, the lullaby set to Johannes Brahms wonderful melody. You can hear just the melody here on youtube.

The German version is:
Guten Abend, gut' Nacht
Mit Rosen bedacht
Mit Näglein besteckt
Schlüpf unter die Deck'
Morgen früh, wenn Gott will
Wirst du wieder geweckt
Morgen früh, wenn Gott will
Wirst du wieder geweckt

Guten Abend, gut' Nacht
Von Englein bewacht
Die zeigen im Traum
Dir Christkindleins Baum
Schlaf nun selig und süß
Schau im Traum 's Paradies
Schlaf nun selig und süß
Schau im Traum 's Paradies

Guten Abend, gut' Nacht
Mit Rosen bedacht
Mit Näglein besteckt
Schlüpf unter die Deck'
Morgen früh, wenn Gott will
Wirst du wieder geweckt
Morgen früh, wenn Gott will
Wirst du wieder geweckt

For those that don't read German - you can hear a translation of the actual German into English by the lovely Dean Martin (also from Ohio, by the way) also on youtube. If you're not into hearing the entire song, no fear! Keep reading.

The English version is:
Lullaby, and good night,
With pink roses bedight,
With lilies o'erspread,
Is my baby's sweet head.
Lay you down now, and rest,
May your slumber be blessed!
Lay you down now, and rest,
May thy slumber be blessed!

Lullaby, and good night,
You're your mother's delight,
Shining angels beside
My darling abide.
Soft and warm is your bed,
Close your eyes and rest your head.
Soft and warm is your bed,
Close your eyes and rest your head.

Sleepyhead, close your eyes.
Mother's right here beside you.
I'll protect you from harm,
You will wake in my arms.
Guardian angels are near,
So sleep on, with no fear.

But lets take a closer look, shall we? Do some comparative analysis (and for my English professor friends here, cut me some slack, I haven't written a paper in about 10 years and this is my tongue-in-cheek blog).

The first verse ends in German with (translation here):
"tomorrow morning, and if God will,
you'll wake up again"

The first verse ends in English with:
"Lay you down now, and rest,
May thy slumber be blessed!"

So the German version is something like (watch out: emotional translation!): Okay, little baby, its time to go to sleep and if you are really lucky and God likes you and everything maybe you'll also wake up.

I don't know about you guys, but I don't think those lyrics would really help me feel safe, secure, and lead me to sleeping peacefully. Sure the song sounds nice but I'm imagining a final prayer along the lines of: "Um, God, please, pretty please let me wake up tomorrow." Then a private, "oh, shit, I really hope she didn't see me leak poop; pull mommy's hair; poke my little brother; stick out my tongue; and so on." And finally a desparate promise, "God, if you let me wake up tomorrow I prooooomise I won't .... "

Hello, insecurity!

Whereas the English version is more like: Okay, little baby, its time to go to sleep and recharge your batteries because you and your sleep are so special and under God's watchful eye.

Yeah, those lyrics give me a warm, fuzzy, lets-go-to-sleep feeling. A little huggy, huggy feeling. A stretch-and-smile kinda feeling at the end of a day.

Hello, self-confidence!

The Mr's response to this? A very loving: "You and your American, politically correct crap."

Pause, cue goofy grin and then a sly: "Babies have to toughen up."*

Ahhhh, the differences start way early and last forever.

xo

*The Mr. claims he never said the second statement. He so did and it was hilarious.