Tag: babies

Babies Bonding

Published on by Grace2 Comments

These past few weeks, I consider myself lucky to  have been visited by good friends.  On my last entry, I mentioned about the Swiss family that visited us.  This past week, our good friends from Innsbruck came by for a visit.

My friend Melba, with her daughter Nat, came and stayed with us for a couple of days.  Nat and Michaela were born a few months apart.  It was the first time they met.

IMG_6279

It was fun seeing the girls bonding with Jakub.

It was also interesting to see them talking to each other in their own little world.

IMG_6317

We got them identical bows, and placed them together in a mat for a photo shoot.

But it was a little bit difficult to get them to stay still and look at the camera.  Something else is always more interesting.

IMG_6316

Until finally….

IMG_6318

…Bam!  We eventually managed to get the coveted shot.

But more than anything else, the visit was more valuable for the mommies.  It was very therapeutic for Melba and I to talk about our experiences in raising kids in a multicultural household, adjusting to life in a foreign land, and most especially about adjusting to life as a stay-at-home mom.

We never got the chance to visit a lot of places due to the weather and to the children’s moods, but I had a great time just chatting with Melba and seeing our kids playing together.

At the end of their visit, Nat’s dad and her grandma picked them up.  Obviously, they have been missed.

IMG_6350

 

Luckily, we managed to get a group shot before they left.

I wish we were closer so a visit like this can be done more often.  But I can’t complain.  At least we get to see each other almost every year.

 

M’s first Visit to Grandparents

Published on by Grace3 Comments

Last weekend, we visited my in-laws in Moravia.  It was Michaela’s first visit to her grandparents.  The trip took us 2.5 hours one way and  it was her longest car trip yet.  Both her and her brother behaved so well.  She was sleeping most of the time which made it a very smooth one.

When we got there, she immediately warmed up to her grandparents.  Here she is playing with grandpa….

IMG_5966

…and posing for a shot with grandma.

IMG_5988

It was also my father-in-law’s birthday celebration, so the following day most of our family came by.

She was quite apprehensive with Aunt Romana and Grandma Marta (mom-in-law’s sister).

IMG_6005

But she comfortably fell asleep in Aunt Hanka’s arms.

IMG_6007

The boys didn’t care much about the new baby.  They were busy doing their thing — running around.

IMG_6010

This is the usual scene.  The usual suspects in action.  Where am I?  Doing what I like best —taking pictures!

And of course the day is never complete until somebody cries.

IMG_6012

But all in all, the visit went very well.   Our little princess was happy for the most part.

IMG_6015

I hope your weekend was great as well.

My Pretty Girl is Pretty Fat

Published on by Grace4 Comments

Perhaps the biggest advantage of being a stay-at-home mom is that you get the see your children grow up.  I am experiencing it now.

My little girl is growing up fast.  At 3 months, she is now 6+ kg.   They say that breastfed babies are less heavier than their formula-fed counterparts, but this one is quite the contrary.  She is heavier than her brother when they were both at the same age.  Just for comparison, here are photos of them in the same outfit.

This was Jakub at 3 months.

IMG_3035

And now this is Michaela.

IMG_5823

Being a second child, she gets to inherit her brother’s hand-me-downs.  I hate throwing away such good stuff, so I am making her wear Jakub’s old outfits.  Although, I bought a couple of headbands to give it a little feminine touch.

Even though she is heavier, she is still within the ideal range, so I’m not so worried about setting her up for obesity.  I’m pretty sure that when she is able to run, she will be as active as her brother and will easily lose all those baby fats.

Jakub was pretty chubby when he was a baby too.  But now he is very lean because he’s getting taller.  I actually wanted him to gain a little bit more weight, but can’t really complain because he is very healthy.

Here’s both of them now.

IMG_5847

Anyhow, I am happy to have this chance to stay home with them.  I will never trade it for anything else in the world.

My Little Comic

Published on by Grace10 Comments
A few days after he was born, he already knew how to pose.

Don’t you just love the innocence of a child?  Here are a few snippets of my encounters with my almost 2yr old boy.

One morning after getting out of bed, Jakub picked up his toy cellphone and said:  “Babi, mlecinko is gone.”  (Grandma, milk is gone)

To stop him from climbing the cabinet, I told Jakub:  “Don’t climb this or mommy will be mad at you.”  I then went to his bedroom to ventilate his windows.  When I came back, he was already carrying a chair so he can open the cabinet.  Knowing that it was still wrong, he looked guiltily at me as he exclaimed:  “Mommy, ne mad at you.”

Tommy, Jakub’s cousin who is the same age as he, has blond hair.  Whenever he sees blond-haired boys (which is 50% of all the boys in the playground),  he calls them Tommy.

To lure him to sleep, I told Jakub that I will make palacinky when he wakes up.  I then proceeded to ask:  “Do you like palacinky?”  He responded:  “Ne.  Ice cream”

Jakub calls our car “taxi” because he gets to sit in the back.

So I can do household tasks, I oftentimes let Jakub watch educational videos.  On a Barney show, children were pointing at things and identifying what they were: “it’s a bird,” “it’s a rainbow,” “it’s a plane….” Jakub, tugging his diaper said: “It’s kaka (poop).”

Who needs to go to a comedy club when I have a comedian at home.

Who’s Your Daddy?

Published on by Grace4 Comments

Spring is certainly here.  This past weekend was so beautiful, we had to be out and about.   Armed with my camera, I was a trigger-happy mamarazzi for some unsuspecting men in Kolin and their kids.

I love weekends.   It is my time.  After taking care of my son the whole week, I always welcome the time when my husband takes over.

Like father, like son.

But it looks like I’m not the only happy mom in Kolin.  As we were walking to Kmochuv Island this past weekend, this is what I saw.  Dads were doing their share of the whole childcare thing.

“Daddy, daddy, watch me ride!”  I can almost hear this little child say.

“Don’t go too close to the river.  Otherwise you’ll fall.”  I suspect this is what this other daddy is saying.

This is my favorite shot.  I think you know why.

I highly admire a man who is not afraid to look silly.     Fatherhood is pretty much like motherhood.  One is a transformer.

So you may be wondering, where the moms are?  It’s ironic.  I was looking for a beauty salon to get a hair treatment but all of them were booked!  Question answered:  That’s where the moms are.