It's so rare to get a good picture of both kids at the same time that I have to share. This is Luke and Julia yesterday at the local Dinosaur Park.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Saturday, June 21, 2008
The ideal place to live???
Ever wonder where your ideal place to live would be? Since we move around so much and have no idea where we may end up next it's a thought that's definitely crossed my mind. Greg and I both took the quiz at http://www.findyourspot.com/ to find out what it thought our ideals places to live would be. We took the quiz independent of each other but strangely enough we ended up with the same result. Our ideal place to live......Phoenix!!! See, I knew I was meant to go back there!
My top 3 were: Phoenix, Tuscon and Las Vegas
Greg's top 3 were: Phoenix, Scottsdale and Charlston, SC
Seems to me we were meant to live in the desert. Check it out and let us know what your ideal spot is.
My top 3 were: Phoenix, Tuscon and Las Vegas
Greg's top 3 were: Phoenix, Scottsdale and Charlston, SC
Seems to me we were meant to live in the desert. Check it out and let us know what your ideal spot is.
Friday, June 20, 2008
My Take on Travel with Kids and Pix of Julia's "Boyfriend"
Now that Julia is nearly 4 y/o and Luke is 4 months, I want to write a little about what it's like to tote them along as we see this great continent. It's tough to put into words but I guess the opening lines of A Tale of Two Cities is appropriate: "It was the best of times and it was the worst of times."
On one hand, the kids are great so long as we hit up places they would enjoy. So in other words, parks and gelato are in while museums and nice dinners are out. Case in point: Last week we tried to celebrate Fathers Day at a nice Italian Restaurant in Niedermohr called il Pirata. The place was gorgeous and the food was phenomenal. The kids—well—that’s a different story. We made it about five minutes before Luke started to get restless. Then Julia started to squirm. Mind you by this time the waiter hadn’t even taken our order. I knew it was going to be a difficult one. After a few more minutes of this stuff, Jen and I took turns taking the kids for walks outside so the other could eat. Wasn’t pretty. Looks like we’ll be eating al fresco for the next few Fathers Days.
On the other hand, the kids enrich our travel experience. For example, when Luke was getting crabby at the restaurant mentioned above, we took a walk around to calm him down. As we did the Italians who ran the place took turns passing him around and playing with him. Before the night was through, Luke was helping out behind the bar, taking orders, and seating customers. It was too cute. The same thing happened during our trip to Cinque Terre. Europeans (especially Italians), love the Bello Bambinos. In a way, the kids are a great cultural icebreaker. When we were in Paris, Julia played with a cute little French Homme while in a park just off of the Champs Elysees. When I take Luke around our neighborhood here in Bann, the otherwise reserved Germans beam a huge smile when they see him. It’s fantastic.
Obviously we would have a much different experience if we were here without kids. Romantic dinners at sunset, afternoons looking at Rembrants and Matisses, etc… These will have to wait. If anything, this just means we are going to have to come back here when the kids are grown up and off to college (Julia at ASU and Luke at ND of course). Until then, you can find us at the park, at the zoo, and at playground eating gelato…and having a blast doing it.
On the other hand, the kids enrich our travel experience. For example, when Luke was getting crabby at the restaurant mentioned above, we took a walk around to calm him down. As we did the Italians who ran the place took turns passing him around and playing with him. Before the night was through, Luke was helping out behind the bar, taking orders, and seating customers. It was too cute. The same thing happened during our trip to Cinque Terre. Europeans (especially Italians), love the Bello Bambinos. In a way, the kids are a great cultural icebreaker. When we were in Paris, Julia played with a cute little French Homme while in a park just off of the Champs Elysees. When I take Luke around our neighborhood here in Bann, the otherwise reserved Germans beam a huge smile when they see him. It’s fantastic.
Obviously we would have a much different experience if we were here without kids. Romantic dinners at sunset, afternoons looking at Rembrants and Matisses, etc… These will have to wait. If anything, this just means we are going to have to come back here when the kids are grown up and off to college (Julia at ASU and Luke at ND of course). Until then, you can find us at the park, at the zoo, and at playground eating gelato…and having a blast doing it.
Now for some more pix. First, here is a pix of Jen and the kids at the entrance to a gem mine in Idar Oberstein...
And the best part of traveling with kids...
Friday, June 13, 2008
My German hospital experience (warning...it's a long one)
Greg's been after me for a while to write about my experience going through my prenatal care and birth with Luke at the German hospital. It was definitely a 180 from my experience with Julia and from most people's experiences so here it goes.
We found out we were expecting on our 8th anniversary, May 22, 2007. While Greg and I were both really excited I was a little nervous about where the baby would be born. We had our first prenatal appointment (more of a consult) at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the Army hospital down the street. Needless to say the nurse at LRMC did not give me the warm fuzzies. In fact I walked out of there in tears. I was really torn as to where to turn next. Greg looked into the possiblility of me going home to CA to have the baby. My biggest concern with that is that he would miss the birth. So we were off to St. Johannis, the local German hospital also in Landstuhl.
When I met my doctor, Dr. Buchler, at my first appointment I was kind of shocked. He's a bit of a hippy and wears birkenstocks most of the time. Looks can be deceiving though and his bedside manner could not have been better. He reassured me that all was well and showed us our first pictures of little Luke. The technology in the hospital was second to none. My prenatal care was fantastic. I had ultrasounds, including the 3D version at every appointment and the staff was amazing and caring.
When I was about 7 months along we took the tour of labor and delivery. This was a huge shock. The hospital where Julia was born in AZ was like a resort. This was nothing like that at all. There were contraptions of all kinds in the room (i.e. birthing balls, strange things to hang on and a weird bed that didn't look like a bed at all). There were bathtubs in a couple of the rooms as well. I was okay until they told me that all the recovery rooms were shared and there are no curtains in between. Talk about no privacy. Also, the Germans use olive oil instead of wipes to clean up the baby's poop. I was really upset again on the way home. It was just too unlike what I was used to. At that point, I really didn't have choice. I should have skipped the tour...Ignorance would have been bliss.
On to the delivery and after care. Luke took his time coming. We walked and walked and basically did everything to try to evict him, but no luck. Finally one really cold Tuesday night I started having contractions and they came fast and furious. We were really worried about the ice on the roads and getting to the hospital in time so we headed down the road to St. Johannis. It was quiet in the delivery area. Just us and one other American couple. They hooked me up to the monitors and checked the dialation then we were free to do whatever we wanted. I chose to take a nice relaxing bath. I would later realize that this would be the reason I would not get an epidural in time. The bath was so relaxing that I had no idea that the contractions were getting closer and closer together and more and more painful. By the time I asked for the epidural it was too late. Luke was born about 45 minutes later, drug free! The midwife was amazing!!!! Dr. Buchler didn't expect Luke to come so quickly and didn't end up making it to the birth.
I was moved into my hospital room about 2 hours after Luke was born. It was a shared room and even though Luke slept soundly, the other baby in the room screamed all night long!!! I didn't get one once of sleep even though I was exhausted. I finally fell asleep in the morning and in came food, then cleaning people, then nurses. At the point I was about to lose it I was moved into my own room.
Once I had my own room things were amazing. The nurses pretty much left me alone unless I needed something. Luke and I were able to spend lots of time bonding and cuddling. After Julia's 20 month stay in our bed I swore I would never sleep with another baby, but there I was cuddling Luke in my bed all night. A nun brought me my meals and oogled Luke. The staff was absolutely amazing in every respect.
I can honestly say that having a baby in a German hospital was an amazing experience that I will never forgot. Before Luke was born I could have gotten on a plane, left Germany and never looked back. Now I will always have a little piece of this place with me.
I leave you with a list of the differences between having a baby in an American hospital and a German one.
1. In Germany there are no hospital gowns. I labored in yoga pants and a tank top.
2. There are no traditional beds for birthing. They are designed to give birth in various interesting positions
3. Oil olive instead of wipes.
4. Babies are swaddled in towels and cherry pit bags are used in the bassinets to keep them warm.
5. The nurses are really hands off. No interrupting sleep for vitals, etc.
6. I had to bring all of my own toiletries, including towels and hand soap. Nothing is provided for you except the basics.
7. Dinner was cold cuts and bread served around 4 p.m. Thank God for the refrigerator in the room and my amazing husband to bring me munchies.
I'm sure there are more, but I can't remember at the moment.
We found out we were expecting on our 8th anniversary, May 22, 2007. While Greg and I were both really excited I was a little nervous about where the baby would be born. We had our first prenatal appointment (more of a consult) at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the Army hospital down the street. Needless to say the nurse at LRMC did not give me the warm fuzzies. In fact I walked out of there in tears. I was really torn as to where to turn next. Greg looked into the possiblility of me going home to CA to have the baby. My biggest concern with that is that he would miss the birth. So we were off to St. Johannis, the local German hospital also in Landstuhl.
When I met my doctor, Dr. Buchler, at my first appointment I was kind of shocked. He's a bit of a hippy and wears birkenstocks most of the time. Looks can be deceiving though and his bedside manner could not have been better. He reassured me that all was well and showed us our first pictures of little Luke. The technology in the hospital was second to none. My prenatal care was fantastic. I had ultrasounds, including the 3D version at every appointment and the staff was amazing and caring.
When I was about 7 months along we took the tour of labor and delivery. This was a huge shock. The hospital where Julia was born in AZ was like a resort. This was nothing like that at all. There were contraptions of all kinds in the room (i.e. birthing balls, strange things to hang on and a weird bed that didn't look like a bed at all). There were bathtubs in a couple of the rooms as well. I was okay until they told me that all the recovery rooms were shared and there are no curtains in between. Talk about no privacy. Also, the Germans use olive oil instead of wipes to clean up the baby's poop. I was really upset again on the way home. It was just too unlike what I was used to. At that point, I really didn't have choice. I should have skipped the tour...Ignorance would have been bliss.
On to the delivery and after care. Luke took his time coming. We walked and walked and basically did everything to try to evict him, but no luck. Finally one really cold Tuesday night I started having contractions and they came fast and furious. We were really worried about the ice on the roads and getting to the hospital in time so we headed down the road to St. Johannis. It was quiet in the delivery area. Just us and one other American couple. They hooked me up to the monitors and checked the dialation then we were free to do whatever we wanted. I chose to take a nice relaxing bath. I would later realize that this would be the reason I would not get an epidural in time. The bath was so relaxing that I had no idea that the contractions were getting closer and closer together and more and more painful. By the time I asked for the epidural it was too late. Luke was born about 45 minutes later, drug free! The midwife was amazing!!!! Dr. Buchler didn't expect Luke to come so quickly and didn't end up making it to the birth.
I was moved into my hospital room about 2 hours after Luke was born. It was a shared room and even though Luke slept soundly, the other baby in the room screamed all night long!!! I didn't get one once of sleep even though I was exhausted. I finally fell asleep in the morning and in came food, then cleaning people, then nurses. At the point I was about to lose it I was moved into my own room.
Once I had my own room things were amazing. The nurses pretty much left me alone unless I needed something. Luke and I were able to spend lots of time bonding and cuddling. After Julia's 20 month stay in our bed I swore I would never sleep with another baby, but there I was cuddling Luke in my bed all night. A nun brought me my meals and oogled Luke. The staff was absolutely amazing in every respect.
I can honestly say that having a baby in a German hospital was an amazing experience that I will never forgot. Before Luke was born I could have gotten on a plane, left Germany and never looked back. Now I will always have a little piece of this place with me.
I leave you with a list of the differences between having a baby in an American hospital and a German one.
1. In Germany there are no hospital gowns. I labored in yoga pants and a tank top.
2. There are no traditional beds for birthing. They are designed to give birth in various interesting positions
3. Oil olive instead of wipes.
4. Babies are swaddled in towels and cherry pit bags are used in the bassinets to keep them warm.
5. The nurses are really hands off. No interrupting sleep for vitals, etc.
6. I had to bring all of my own toiletries, including towels and hand soap. Nothing is provided for you except the basics.
7. Dinner was cold cuts and bread served around 4 p.m. Thank God for the refrigerator in the room and my amazing husband to bring me munchies.
I'm sure there are more, but I can't remember at the moment.
Soon I'm going to try a post on what it's like to live over here as an American. You might be suprised at the differences!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Takin' to the streets
Last year I was thumbing through the Stars and Stripes and I came across an article about off-beat things to do in Paris. The "Paris Roullier" event caught my eye. Come to find out that the 
Parisians shut down many of their main streets on a given summer night and turn it over to the hordes of rollerbladers. What a cool concept! Imagine, rolling through the streets of Paris on a pair of rollerblades with a few hundred kindred spirits.
When I learned the city of Kaiserslautern decided to follow suit, I was in! It turned out to be an unforgetable experience. I met around two hundred other rollerbladers in the city center and at 8:30 PM, we were off. The 15K course was really easy and very scenic. We cruised past hundred year old churches, post WWII construction apartment blocks, beautiful parks, and even a US Army barracks. What a blast. The 82 degree weather didn't hurt either. Unfortunately my new phone isn't sync'ing up with my computer so additional pix will have to wait.
On a different note, I have to brag about my son Luke for a few minutes. I know this isn't really travel related but I can't contain myself. Luke is too cool! Unlike his sister, he absolutely loves daddy time. Luke, Reagan and I go for long walks through the forest when I get home. It is turning out to be one of live's simple pleasures. Honestly, the nature walk I had with my boys today easily topped my lame trip to Cinque Terre last week (but then again, that didn't take much).
The pix to the left is one of my recent favorites. It's tought to tell from the pix but Lukenheimer's shirt reads, "Dad's Team". That's my boy!
Finally, a big THANK YOU to all who read this blog! Until I wrote the article on Cinque Terre, I honestly thought no one actually read this drivel. So many people commented on that one posting that it became obvious that there is a nice little audience out there. Good times!
Parisians shut down many of their main streets on a given summer night and turn it over to the hordes of rollerbladers. What a cool concept! Imagine, rolling through the streets of Paris on a pair of rollerblades with a few hundred kindred spirits.When I learned the city of Kaiserslautern decided to follow suit, I was in! It turned out to be an unforgetable experience. I met around two hundred other rollerbladers in the city center and at 8:30 PM, we were off. The 15K course was really easy and very scenic. We cruised past hundred year old churches, post WWII construction apartment blocks, beautiful parks, and even a US Army barracks. What a blast. The 82 degree weather didn't hurt either. Unfortunately my new phone isn't sync'ing up with my computer so additional pix will have to wait.
On a different note, I have to brag about my son Luke for a few minutes. I know this isn't really travel related but I can't contain myself. Luke is too cool! Unlike his sister, he absolutely loves daddy time. Luke, Reagan and I go for long walks through the forest when I get home. It is turning out to be one of live's simple pleasures. Honestly, the nature walk I had with my boys today easily topped my lame trip to Cinque Terre last week (but then again, that didn't take much).The pix to the left is one of my recent favorites. It's tought to tell from the pix but Lukenheimer's shirt reads, "Dad's Team". That's my boy!
Finally, a big THANK YOU to all who read this blog! Until I wrote the article on Cinque Terre, I honestly thought no one actually read this drivel. So many people commented on that one posting that it became obvious that there is a nice little audience out there. Good times!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Photos of Cinque Terre
Left Pix: Here's Jen, Julia, and Luke chillin out during our hike to Corniglia. We both agreed that this bar in the middle of the trail has a 1 million euro view from their window seats.
Right Pix: Here we are waiting for our stinking train to arrive. What I like about this one is that it isn't your typical picture...you know...the one where everyone strikes a lame pose and stands at attention.
Good stuff. There are lots more pix at Jen's snapfish page. Go to snapfish.com and search for user jlbaldwin66. I'm a photobucket user and I'm not sure how snapfish works but I think you may need to be "invited" to view pix. If so, send me or Jen an email and we'll make it happen. Otherwise, take a look. Some good ones on there.
So, Jen and I have both agreed that we are going to take it easy for a while when it comes to long distance traveling. We are really excited to have some great friends and family come out this summer and are going to focus on showing them a good time. What we hope to do is to go beyond your "typical" sights you might find in some Frommers Guide. We want to show everyone the places only a local would know. For example, we have a lake down the street from us called Gelterswoog that is absolutely incredible. Its got a beer garden, incredible views, a sandy beach, and great hiking. It may be nothing special to a tourist on the whirlwind two day tour of 16 countries tour of Europe but this place isn't to be missed.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Damn, I Need a Beer...
...It all started out so well: We headed back down to Italy for a long weekend in Cinque Terre along the Italian Riviera. The weather was great, the wine was aflowin', and amore was in the air. THEN THE FREAKING ITALIAN TRAIN STRIKE BEGAN and it was all downhill from there. After a couple days in this Italian paradiso, we found out that most of the trains were "sopresso"--on strike--no go--so sorry. Come to find out that this sort of thing happens damn near EVERY TIME they have a long weekend. It was right about then I was longing for Germany where you can set your watch by when your train leaves the station. Long story short, we missed our flight out of Milan and got only a few hours of sleep last night. After an extra five hundred dollars and a half day of missed work later, we finally made it back to Germany.
Okay, the truth is Vernazza and the rest of Cinque Terre is great. The hiking was incredible, the people were very warm, and our son "Lucca" was the Prince of Vernazza for the weekend. I'll be sure to post pix and some more positive commentary when I get a few minutes. The bottom line is, however, this trip was one I would rather forget. Hopefully in a few years I will be able to sit back and have a good laugh at this travel nightmare. We'll have to see. Until then, I'm going to sip my German beer in my German house with my German gummi bear of a son back here in Germany where the train workers don't extend their fiesta an extra day by going on strike.
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