The afternoon in Vevey

Baby K and I have had a productive couple of days, getting things done around the house, as well as out and about. Today we spent the afternoon in Vevey; it's just a six minute train ride from Montreux. We went to get lunch and do some shopping, but as it was a picture perfect day here, we also strolled along the lake for a few minutes and wandered through the shops by the lake.

Just wanted to share some pictures from today:

The fork in the lake outside of the Alimentarium

Walking along the lake

Some of the shopping

A pedestrian only street

Part of Vevey's Visual Arts Festival

Make-shift beach; when the sun is out the Swiss are out

After we finished our shopping, Baby K and I hopped the train back to Montreux. I didn't do a ton of shopping, but I keep meaning to post a picture of the hill that we have to haul everything up to get back to our house. This picture so doesn't do it justice. It's a great workout for me, especially considering that I'm usually either pushing Baby K up in the stroller or wearing her! I asked BK if it was a 45 degree angle. He said not quite, but probably close.

Train station is just down to the left

One last pic, of Baby K of course. One thing I got today was a new attachment for her highchair. She's now found her place at the table with BK and me!

Excited about her new spot

Gruyere, but no cheese!

Today we spent some time exploring our new neck of the woods.  We initially wanted to go to Rochers-de-Naye. Google maps said it was an 18 minute drive from our house in Montreux. No problem, a quick car trip to a nice hike for the afternoon...or so we thought.

We should have known to nix this trip when we literally pull out of our garage and are stopped by a police officer for going the wrong way on the street. It seems that overnight they have changed our street to a one way street due to construction. We initially thought they were telling us we weren't allowed to drive on the street and began explaining that we lived here, so we didn't have a choice. But that wasn't it. The officer had BK get out of the car to show him the no left turn sign in front of the driveway. Oops. BK told him that the other cars were going that way, so he thought it was fine. The police officer's response? "If all the cars drove into the lake, would you follow?" Really? Who says that? Swiss police officers, apparently.

After all that (and somehow absconding a 100 CHF fine) we were off. The problem now was that navigation was saying that it was close to a 50 minute drive, and we could not figure out how to get to where we were going. We tried a couple of different routes, but kept ending up on roads that weren't open or ones that we were not supposed to be on. So ultimately we changed plans and decided that we should go explore the Gruyere region instead. Off we went! We felt like we should make the most of the beautiful weather.

BK thought that we would be going to somewhere on a lake, so when we weren't headed that way, we really were not even sure as to where we were headed. No worries though, we got there. Gruyere is a no car town, so you park outside of the city walls and walk up to the medieval town center.

Headed up to the city

BK has Baby K in nearly all of the pictures included in this post, but he can't seem to get enough of her on the weekends. Of course, I love and appreciate this a lot!

Right off we stumbled upon a bike race happening inside the city walls.

Bikers headed up the hill

When we arrived it was time for an afternoon meal for Baby K, so we walked around a bit and found a restaurant to stop in. Before stopping though, we found one of the three museums in Gruyere- the alien museum. Weird, just weird, and totally out of place in this cobblestoned medieval town. We didn't go, but neither of us are big sci-fi fans.

Outside of the alien museum

We also ran into these guys on the way to finding somewhere to eat. They were doing a concert in the main plaza. It was a very Swiss experience.

Headed to their concert

We stopped for a snack for us and meal for Baby K at one of the little restaurants in the main plaza that had a view into the pre-alps outside of Gruyere.

Fun times with Mom and Dad

After we all ate, we headed up to the castle, which is the main attraction in Gruyere. You may be wondering, what about all the cheese? The cheese is spread out through a region. At the end of our outing we found a sign that detailed a two hour hike you could do, taking you to various fromageries. But inside the walls, no cheese.

Gruyeres Castle

The castle was nice to explore and walk around. It's your typical Swiss medieval castle. It is very well preserved and they provide you with good information about the various exhibits and rooms.

Touring around the castle

Gruyere is really a small village. As we were leaving the castle and discussing what to do next, I mentioned that I thought it would be weird if we came here and didn't even try any Gruyere cheese. BK agreed, so we set off to find a fromagerie.

The only one we found that was still open at 5:30 in the afternoon was just outside of the city walls. It looked like a really big place. We went in and contemplated going on the tour, but after we saw that we could do a two hour hike and go around to various fromageries, we decided against doing cheese today. This is only 25 minutes or so from our house, so we'll be back soon to do that. We both agreed this would be a place we would bring visitors for a day trip as well. 

I see lots of these little day trips in our future. Tonight we were discussing where we wanted to travel this fall, so I'm sure we'll be off on new adventures soon. For those of you who thought this would be about how great the cheese was today, at least we took pictures of some of the aging cheese...

Shelves and shelves of Gruyere

Some days she rules my world

I've had numerous family members mention to me that I need to keep up the blogging, that it makes us feel not quite so far away from everyone in Texas. So here it goes, a little about our day today.

Let's be honest here, Baby K rules my world every day- it's just that some days I actually feel like I'm the one in charge. Today was not one of those days. Looking back, I'm not really sure why, but this day felt like a real grinder. Numerous times I found myself thinking, "I really need to move finding a nursery school up my list." Does this make me a bad mom? No, just one who occasionally wants to do something besides carry a jet lagged and fussy Baby K around all day.

We get a little upset at the end of the day

Speaking of jet lag, Baby K is slowly but surely recovering from the time difference. Right now it seems like going from Switzerland to Texas was much easier than the other way around. She's been waking up twice a night after we put her to sleep at 7:30. Twice a night might not seem so bad, but she's been waking up zero times per night since she was eight weeks old, and I am so ready for that to make a reappearance!

Funny thing is, one of those times she wakes up is typically before BK and I even go to bed. Tonight she woke up a little after 8:00. You might think this is a good thing so that we (okay, me) don't have to get up in the middle of the night, but when she wakes up at this time she cries the entire time she's awake. She wants to get up and she is mad that we're not coming to get her!

The grandparents may not want to read this next line...we typically let her cry when she wakes up at this time. She wants to get up to play, but I want her to know that it's not play time; it's sleep time. I think I have this fear that she'll develop a habit of waking up and wanting to play at night. Note to Baby K...no can do.

I seemed to have skipped to the end of the day. The thing is, our day was fairly uneventful. We primarily stayed around the house, doing things to get settled in the house and back in the swing of things. I somehow managed to triple-task, ironing, pumping and sporadically nibbling on pizza for lunch. I'm also working on stitching some ribbons onto four play mats that BK bought for Baby K so we can make one huge play mat for her. It has taken me all week to do this, and somehow I still have five left to go.

The dogs think BK bought this for them...

On a different note, the dogs learned the joy of licking Baby K's hands and face when she eats. I'm telling myself that they are just helping build her immune system up. I don't let them lick long, as it does kind of gross me out, but she seems to find it funny too.

Baby K is happy to have the company

In the end, would I change anything? Probably not. But still, when you're going through it, these days can seem long. The thing is, when I look at this cute face, how can I be anything but in love, doing whatever it takes to give her anything and everything I can.

BK and Baby K during the last feeding

And when we end our days like this, I'm immediately reminded just how fortunate we are, how much love we're surrounded with and how tomorrow's always a new day for everyone.

**Note: I wrote this after my day on Thursday, but as I needed to sleep, do stuff, and take care of Baby K, I'm just finishing it.

A new normal?

Where to start, where to start?

I can tell a huge difference from my visit to the US in December and our visit in August/September. Surprisingly most of these things don't have to do with Baby K, but more just differences I am noticing being 18 months in now, versus nine months in last time. So here are a few random observations about our time in Texas.

1. Holy crap it's hot. I say this like all of my years prior to Switzerland weren't spent in Texas, but seriously. You pretty much have to get anything outdoors done before 10am and after 8pm. I think I may have taken this for granted when I lived here since I worked indoors in the frigid air conditioning.
2. There really aren't that many foods that I crave from here anymore. I used to have a list of places I wanted to hit, but now it seems that I'm really not all that concerned. I actually found myself wishing for a meal that I'm used to in Switzerland. Everything is just so heavy here and not necessarily fresh. 
3. On a related note, I cannot bring myself to eat pre-sliced sandwich bread. After all these months of having a fresh loaf every few days, the pre-sliced stuff just isn't right. Just thinking about what they have to put in that (and the majority of food) to keep it fresh kind of weirds me out now.
4. You really have to work to get walking in over here. I try to make a point to walk with Baby K each day. I think it's good for her to get out and obviously good for me. But if I'm going to come anywhere close to my goal of 15,000 steps per day, I better get out there and get to walking.
5. DFW is like a concrete jungle. I feel like there's no green space. But please don't take this observation as a desire to move to the country or the 'burbs- the city is the place for me.
6. My social schedule has shifted to be heavier during the day. Everyone wants to meet Baby K, and most of them have kids, so lunch is easier for all of us. Around dinner we all get into bedtime, bath time and baby sitters, so lunch has been easier. It seems like I had a lot of free evenings; hopefully I'll learn to manage things better as we make additional trips.
7. It seems like drivers are really aggressive and pretty rude. In my short time driving in Switzerland, things appear to be more orderly (as is everything) and less aggressive. Driving in Texas, I just want people to relax a little and not be so white-knuckled all the time. I mean, is it really going to kill you to let that person in when the lane merges?

I think those are the big ones that stuck out for me; just a few thoughts. Baby K and I arrived back in Switzerland safely and were met with a very excited BK. It's safe to say, he missed us just a little bit. The boys were also excited to see me and Baby K, but were probably just happy to be back home, as they spent a record 32 days with the boarder. Yikes!

I'll be back soon to update you about traveling abroad with Baby K, and how the whole international flight and time change went with her. As she's still not sleeping "normal," I'll wait for things to settle down a bit and then report in with the whole story.

A fierce love

Since having Baby K, and continuing to write on this blog, I've had times when I've had a hard time identifying how I would describe my love for Baby K. That may sound weird, but it's true. Now you may think to yourself, why would you even need to do that? It's not that I need to, per say, but I've just read lots of other mom blogs and heard lots of other moms talk about the love they have for their children, but I just couldn't quite pinpoint it for myself.

During our visit I've had numerous people ask me how I've taken to motherhood and how BK has taken to fatherhood. Generally people follow that question up with the fact that it looks like it's going well based on all of our traveling and other activities.

He's a natural

I'm quick to reply that I actually think that BK took to fatherhood much quicker than I took to motherhood. Of course I love her, but it was different for him. He was a natural and was immediately smitten. It was like his heart grew and you knew that was it for him. Even before she was born, he talked much more to her and loved on us a lot. 

Me on the other hand, it took me a minute, and it kind of felt like I had to grow into motherhood. I think after being pregnant for nine months, then in labor for 15 hours, the reality of our tiny human being finally being here takes a while to process. And with the fact that now this tiny, helpless person is relying on you for EVERYTHING, it's kind of a lot. But as Baby K and I have worked together figuring things out, we grow closer by the day. And something sparked for me on this trip; I finally figured out what my love is for Baby K: fierce. 

Figuring things out

Fierce. Some may perceive it as negative or mean, but it's the only word that fits for me. I can't think of anything else that would describe the way my love feels for her. I feel it in my entire being; it's all consuming. I would do anything to protect her; do anything to help make her dreams come true; do anything to help her figure out what makes her happy in life. But I think that's what happens when you become a mother, right? Maybe not for everyone, but for me.

So there are my thoughts for today. They've been rolling around inside my head since I figured this one out- just wanted to share.

By the way, this was my take on his story; if you want his side, you'll have to go to the source.

15 years later things look a little different

The night before BK and I got married

Just so you know, when I say 15 years later it makes me feel a little bit old. Yes, 15 years ago, around this time, I moved into Colby Hall at TCU with Carkel (on the right). Mollypoo (on the left) didn't technically live with us, but she might as well have considering all the time she spent in our dorm room, including a not-so-brief stint on a queen size air mattress that easily took up every inch of floor space we had. Our freshman year was the only one we spent not as a formal trio, moving into an apartment together after that and remaining together.

Carkel and I even continued to live together after we both moved separately to Austin, then back to the metroplex, where we were reunited for a fifth year of living together. We went potluck as roommates at TCU, and later in the college years when I would see other girls who lived on our hall, they would ask, "Are you and Carkel still living together?" Yes was my reply, and surprise was their reaction. Yes I know, it's strange when your potluck roommate is the only person you've lived with, outside of your parents and husband.

I was actually advised against living with Mollypoo prior to both of us going to TCU, due to all of her "ups and downs". It was thought that she might be a tad too dramatic for the two of us to be successful together. I took this advice, probably believing it because the first time Mollypoo and I met at the age of 15, she cried over a boy for the entire plane ride from Texas to West Virginia (I think that's where we were headed...somewhere in that general vicinity). Good times.

At Mollypoo's wedding

How the years have changed us. Majors changed, friends cycled in and out, boys came and went, the three of us have had our ups and downs, and now careers, weddings, babies...but through and through the three of us are still here together. We don't talk every day, not even every week, but each of us knows that the other two are waiting in the wings when something happens- good, bad, or otherwise. When they're on my mind, typically a Friends quote will come through on our group text message, starting a convo, not long, but there.

There are a million stories I could tell about our adventures together. But BK sometimes reminds me when the six of us get together (us + husbands), we're really just doing it for us, so the three of us can reminisce and laugh about random stuff that happened before them. The night also typically includes the three of us quoting Friends endlessly and laughing about those too.

It's near impossible to get a good picture of five kids, age five and under!

The eight of us (us + kids) got together over Labor Day weekend for a swim at Carkel's, with many observations being made about how different it was from our pre-baby lives, as the late afternoon included scheduling around nap times, bottles, sippy cups, kid-friendly food, one-piece bathing suits, floaties and just a little bit of wine (as opposed to a lot in the past). I think I would have laughed if someone would have told me that this was what us getting together would look like some day. And I still find it amusing now.

Fun is still being had by the three of us together...it just looks a little different now.