Sorry it has been a while since I last wrote. I decided to take on a Graduate level course this semester even though my Master's is a ways off. IT'S HARD! I mean, it's not hard like Algebra was hard , but I am swamped with work. Miles' mom is also visiting from Vermont. It's going well, though I am hoping that we are doing a good job of giving her the Germany experience :). We've had to take buses and public transportation because Miles has been too busy at work to pick out a car for himself (I am not sophisticated enough in the way of BMW Beaters to do the picking), so when he's at work, we are otherwise stuck. It's not too pricey though and I am learning the public transportation here. The thing that doesn't help is that my German is a joke (literally, people make fun of it).
Roscoe is still rotten. He managed to kill an entire nest of birds including one parent. I have NO idea how this took place, but it was quite sad. I have taken to blowing bubbles for him because he likes to kill those before they can touch the ground. Lea gets a kick out of it. She doesn't judge her homicidal big brother.
We went to our local toy store the other day and got Lea a few choice items. A rocking horse, a pink chair with the classroom-style desk coming out of the arm, and those mega block things (think big legos). Talk about hours of entertainment! She'll sit and build these huge structurally unsound towers. When they fall, she laughs hysterically and says "oop, it fell down!" It's pretty cute.
We are working on weaning. Actually, Lea is working on NOT weaning, but I have gotten her down to a nursing before her nap and before her bedtime. With the pregnancy, things are a bit sore, having her latched makes nauseous and dizzy, and I just feel that it's time. She is 20 months old. My goal is to have her totally weaned by the time she turns two. It'll be nice to have my chest to myself for a few months before the baby comes.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Germany is a nice place. It is a beautiful country full of resilient people who work hard on everything they do. They don’t have a lot of poverty, they concentrate (big time) on alternate energy, they are efficient and their homes are beautiful.
Germany doesn’t hold a candle to America.
No, it’s true. I have never lived by any rules aside from those that exist in “the land of the free”. Really, people bitch and moan about this and that in America, but even this place is suffocating compared to our country. Stores here are mandated by law to close every Sunday and all 50 or so German holidays. They close every day between 12 and 2 for “siesta” time. Lastly, they close between 6 and 7 at night because of German law. Why? It doesn’t matter—it’s the way it is. Gas here costs about $6 or $7 per gallon because they are taxed 60% for research into alternate energy. The people get no say in this. Grocery items and goods are taxed at 19%. The women generally don’t have children until their mid to late 30s (and sometimes well into their 50s) because they are totally career driven. There is so much more, but I’ll stop there.
Some would say their way is the best. Sure, it works for them, but you know what? I miss 24 hour Walmarts and fat juicy steaks (don’t get me started on greasy diner food. . . yum!). I miss a place where gruff indifference is considered to be rude. I miss a place where the children aren’t schooled in a way that’s one step from a caste system. I miss America so much.
I would gladly live here for a year to pick up on the culture, travel around a bit, visit the cathedral in Cologne, etc. But three years? Not so much. This is why Miles and I decided that he’s putting in his packet for Flight Warrant. That would be flying helicopters. It’s something he has really wanted to do and it would put us in Alabama for a year while he went through training. The process of getting accepted is long, but if he puts a hustle on it, we may be out of here in a year. So yay. Germany is spectacular, but it’s not HOME.
Germany doesn’t hold a candle to America.
No, it’s true. I have never lived by any rules aside from those that exist in “the land of the free”. Really, people bitch and moan about this and that in America, but even this place is suffocating compared to our country. Stores here are mandated by law to close every Sunday and all 50 or so German holidays. They close every day between 12 and 2 for “siesta” time. Lastly, they close between 6 and 7 at night because of German law. Why? It doesn’t matter—it’s the way it is. Gas here costs about $6 or $7 per gallon because they are taxed 60% for research into alternate energy. The people get no say in this. Grocery items and goods are taxed at 19%. The women generally don’t have children until their mid to late 30s (and sometimes well into their 50s) because they are totally career driven. There is so much more, but I’ll stop there.
Some would say their way is the best. Sure, it works for them, but you know what? I miss 24 hour Walmarts and fat juicy steaks (don’t get me started on greasy diner food. . . yum!). I miss a place where gruff indifference is considered to be rude. I miss a place where the children aren’t schooled in a way that’s one step from a caste system. I miss America so much.
I would gladly live here for a year to pick up on the culture, travel around a bit, visit the cathedral in Cologne, etc. But three years? Not so much. This is why Miles and I decided that he’s putting in his packet for Flight Warrant. That would be flying helicopters. It’s something he has really wanted to do and it would put us in Alabama for a year while he went through training. The process of getting accepted is long, but if he puts a hustle on it, we may be out of here in a year. So yay. Germany is spectacular, but it’s not HOME.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Breast is still best
So there I was, reading Men's Health Magazine (hey, it has great food info for a dieting husband. . . okay, and the occasional eye candy), when I ran across an article discussing soy intake and how even moderate amounts taken consistently over time can cause VERY high estrogen levels and breast growth in men. The article had a blurb about infant formula made with soy and how it can cause immunodeficiency in babies along with high estrogen levels in young males. To say that I thought this was disturbing would be putting things mildly. I think that parents hear "soy" and think that the super-food is what is best for their growing infant. Anyways, here are a couple of articles I found on the matter:
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/infant.html
http://www.leaflady.org/soy.htm
From what I understand, this is old news. I didn't know it though, so I am sharing.
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/infant.html
http://www.leaflady.org/soy.htm
From what I understand, this is old news. I didn't know it though, so I am sharing.
Monday, June 8, 2009
I know that it has been a while since my last blog and I left off with potentially bad news. The fact is that until this morning, I didn't know how things were doing with the baby and I didn't want to get redundant about my many worries. The signs that things aren't all what they should be are persisting. . . after more than 2 weeks. So I FINALLY talked a doctor into giving me another ultrasound (gotta love the Army health care system). I went in this morning and there was an 8 week old fetus in there! The gestational age was under by a couple of days, but I was told that it's normal. So yay. Everything is okay for now.
I also took the test for my German driver's license last Friday and I passed. A lot of people don't the first time, but what can I say. . . I am lazy and I had three months to learn the crap. No speckle smarts here. But hey, I can now leave stagnant little Dansenberg to go off and get sick of other places.
I just finished reading the BEST book that I have gotten my paws on in a long time. The Name of the Wind rocked my socks off. If you even have a slight interest in fantasy, you will love it. After reading Patrick Rothfuss' blog (author) I decided that I have a big crush on him and we're going to have chubby hairy babies one day. Sorry Miles. He has pretty brains.
Lea is doing really well. She got sick this past weekend and had the Unbreakable Fever from Hell. But we're past that now and on to bigger and better things. Like throwing fits in the middle of grocery stores. And biting. And kicking. Really though, she is a complete joy as long as she's getting her way. . . which she does as long as her way is my way. The talking has picked up to the point where her wants are not the slightest mystery to me. She'll say them until she screams them. We're actually backtracking and working on being subtle ;). Really though, she is so smart and sweet. She throws the occasional fit but they really aren't too bad. I am so proud of my sticky mcmonster.
I also took the test for my German driver's license last Friday and I passed. A lot of people don't the first time, but what can I say. . . I am lazy and I had three months to learn the crap. No speckle smarts here. But hey, I can now leave stagnant little Dansenberg to go off and get sick of other places.
I just finished reading the BEST book that I have gotten my paws on in a long time. The Name of the Wind rocked my socks off. If you even have a slight interest in fantasy, you will love it. After reading Patrick Rothfuss' blog (author) I decided that I have a big crush on him and we're going to have chubby hairy babies one day. Sorry Miles. He has pretty brains.
Lea is doing really well. She got sick this past weekend and had the Unbreakable Fever from Hell. But we're past that now and on to bigger and better things. Like throwing fits in the middle of grocery stores. And biting. And kicking. Really though, she is a complete joy as long as she's getting her way. . . which she does as long as her way is my way. The talking has picked up to the point where her wants are not the slightest mystery to me. She'll say them until she screams them. We're actually backtracking and working on being subtle ;). Really though, she is so smart and sweet. She throws the occasional fit but they really aren't too bad. I am so proud of my sticky mcmonster.
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