This is it, son. It's going to be over soon. Your babiness is slipping from me.
Even though you haven't slept in our room for a year, I could never bring myself to break down your bay bed. Yes, I know, you're almost two but I'm beginning to think I have a serious mental problem. I distinctly remember the first night home from the NICU that you slept in it. For over a year it was used only to collect clothes that weren't exactly dirty enough to go into the hamper but shouldn't be hung back in the closet. I recently found the heart to at least remove it from next to my side of the bed and into the living room. I threw a blanket and some pillows on it and now you refer to it as "Eddie's Towtch" (Eddie's Couch). Phew! At least I was able to procrastinate that one for a bit longer.
While grocery shopping, I rarely have the need to go down the Baby Aisle. When I do, for your favorite pre-bedtime pudding or for more diapers/wipes, I pause in front of the baby food jars. There was a time when I stood here for what seemed like hours picking and choosing, replacing it on the shelf, picking it up again, and reading the labels. These days, the jars almost feel foreign to me. The empty glasses no longer fill my recyclables.
I still rock you to bed at night - because I can. Sometimes, while swaying in my arms, you look me in the eye and say "Bed!" I reluctantly place you in your crib but I suppose I am thankful for those few minutes where you laid peacefully in my arms. Sometimes, after you get snug in your bed, you dismiss me from your room with a "Mama, raus!"("Mama, out!"). I thought I still had a few more years until that would happen. I oblige but, little do you know, I sneak back in later just to lay eyes on you just one more time.
I breastfed you for 14 months. I only stopped because we were trying to give you a sibling and I needed to inject hormones again. Had I known that it wouldn't work even a year later, I'd have breastfed you longer. That day, I knew it was the last breastfeeding session. I cried through part of if. I filmed the rest. To this day, I won't delete it from my phone. No matter how many times I'm reminded of low storage on my phone, that video always makes the cut! I watch it every couple weeks too. We were such a good team.
The onesies are disappearing. Not only are you outgrowing them, they're beginning to become impractical with potty training. I'm trying really hard to squeeze you into some of them. They're adorable! I just can't part from them. I purposely don't put them in the dryer so that they don't shrink or become too tight. I know with 1 you became a toddler but the day I pack away your last onesie will be the official end to your Baby Stage. Promise me I won't have to!
Please, God, if you insist that he leaves this baby stage...bless me with another! The ache is unbearable at times.
And now, some "Then and Now" comparisons from our Christmas photo session with JF Photography!
390. So you now how in America before you take an exit off the highway there is a sign that lets you know at about what speed you should take the off ramp...yea, rarely the case in the Land of Deutsch.
391. I was born in 1984. In the US, I would say I was born in the 80s but apparently in Germany they would say that I was born in the 90s. I suppose it is similar to gestational week counting. When a pregnant woman is 34 weeks + 2 days we say that she is in her 35th week.
392. In English we say "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" but in German they say "supercalifragilisticexpialigetisch." Throws ya through a loop for a sec.
393. In Germany (and Switzerland) if during your vacation from work you become ill, your employer will give you those days of vacation back to take again at a later time.
394. I have 5 weeks (+5 days) of vacation. I think in America we were guaranteed 2.
395. It is not possible to take FMLA here but you do receive a certain amount of sick days if your child is ill.
395. There is much less respect for the military in Germany. No disrespect, just less respect.
397. I never heard of someone getting sued here. Imagine that!
398. Political campaigns are publicly financed in Germany. Imagine that!
399. Germany/US size comparison.
Even though you haven't slept in our room for a year, I could never bring myself to break down your bay bed. Yes, I know, you're almost two but I'm beginning to think I have a serious mental problem. I distinctly remember the first night home from the NICU that you slept in it. For over a year it was used only to collect clothes that weren't exactly dirty enough to go into the hamper but shouldn't be hung back in the closet. I recently found the heart to at least remove it from next to my side of the bed and into the living room. I threw a blanket and some pillows on it and now you refer to it as "Eddie's Towtch" (Eddie's Couch). Phew! At least I was able to procrastinate that one for a bit longer.
While grocery shopping, I rarely have the need to go down the Baby Aisle. When I do, for your favorite pre-bedtime pudding or for more diapers/wipes, I pause in front of the baby food jars. There was a time when I stood here for what seemed like hours picking and choosing, replacing it on the shelf, picking it up again, and reading the labels. These days, the jars almost feel foreign to me. The empty glasses no longer fill my recyclables.
I still rock you to bed at night - because I can. Sometimes, while swaying in my arms, you look me in the eye and say "Bed!" I reluctantly place you in your crib but I suppose I am thankful for those few minutes where you laid peacefully in my arms. Sometimes, after you get snug in your bed, you dismiss me from your room with a "Mama, raus!"("Mama, out!"). I thought I still had a few more years until that would happen. I oblige but, little do you know, I sneak back in later just to lay eyes on you just one more time.
I breastfed you for 14 months. I only stopped because we were trying to give you a sibling and I needed to inject hormones again. Had I known that it wouldn't work even a year later, I'd have breastfed you longer. That day, I knew it was the last breastfeeding session. I cried through part of if. I filmed the rest. To this day, I won't delete it from my phone. No matter how many times I'm reminded of low storage on my phone, that video always makes the cut! I watch it every couple weeks too. We were such a good team.
The onesies are disappearing. Not only are you outgrowing them, they're beginning to become impractical with potty training. I'm trying really hard to squeeze you into some of them. They're adorable! I just can't part from them. I purposely don't put them in the dryer so that they don't shrink or become too tight. I know with 1 you became a toddler but the day I pack away your last onesie will be the official end to your Baby Stage. Promise me I won't have to!
Please, God, if you insist that he leaves this baby stage...bless me with another! The ache is unbearable at times.
And now, some "Then and Now" comparisons from our Christmas photo session with JF Photography!
Germany vs. America
390. So you now how in America before you take an exit off the highway there is a sign that lets you know at about what speed you should take the off ramp...yea, rarely the case in the Land of Deutsch.
391. I was born in 1984. In the US, I would say I was born in the 80s but apparently in Germany they would say that I was born in the 90s. I suppose it is similar to gestational week counting. When a pregnant woman is 34 weeks + 2 days we say that she is in her 35th week.
392. In English we say "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" but in German they say "supercalifragilisticexpialigetisch." Throws ya through a loop for a sec.
393. In Germany (and Switzerland) if during your vacation from work you become ill, your employer will give you those days of vacation back to take again at a later time.
394. I have 5 weeks (+5 days) of vacation. I think in America we were guaranteed 2.
395. It is not possible to take FMLA here but you do receive a certain amount of sick days if your child is ill.
395. There is much less respect for the military in Germany. No disrespect, just less respect.
397. I never heard of someone getting sued here. Imagine that!
398. Political campaigns are publicly financed in Germany. Imagine that!
399. Germany/US size comparison.
