This day was funny

Today was good, and seemed funnier to me than most (though truly, it was pretty ordinary). Suddenly I look around and our baby is gone, and we have instead two big boys running around being hilarious. I miss Sebastian when he's at Kindergarten, but it's also been really good to have that time with Bruno. It gives me a chance to go at his pace, and interact with him more and observe his quirks and humor. This time with him has been accentuated in the last few days because one of the wheels to our stroller broke. I would be lying if I said that having Bruno on foot with me hasn't been extremely challenging, but we're getting into the swing of things, and I am pleased to say that not only are my biceps growing, but my patience is, too (and let's not forget Bruny's muscly legs!).

We started the day by taking Seb to Kindy. For a long time, the only friend he talked about was Mia, but last week he connected with a little boy named Yanik, and when I left this morning, that is who he was playing with. Seb told me later that he has lots of Freunde (friends) at Kindergarten that he loves.

After Kindy, Bruno realized that his tricycle was still parked there from Friday! Of course that meant we had to take it to the grocery, where mama promptly got a cart... and buckled him in. No stroller means I am taking every chance I can get to have a break from chasing this crazy man down! He was not amused. (Actually he didn't mind at all. I brought rice cakes along).

On our way out of the grocery, we purchased bread at the bakery. Bruno quickly gave me his half-eaten rice cake and started begging for "Kek kek?" which means Keks, the word for cookie. Well they were all out of Kekse today, so the nice lady gave him a little sample of one of their pastries. He was fine with that arrangement, as seen below.

He snacked while I struggled home with two bags and a 20 mo. old (who is practically the size of a 3 yr. old) on a tricycle. Along the way we found a cat, which Bruno most frequently calls a "Mau" (his pronunciation of the sound a cat makes). Later we saw a similar wall and Bruno said, "Mau mau?? Mau mau?"

We then walked to the library. When we were finished up at the library, we still had 30 minutes before we needed to head back to Kindy to get Seb, so we stopped at the cafe right next to the library. It's actually a mini cafeteria with great windows that is housed within the Reutlingen community college called the Volkshochschule—which literally means "the people's college."I had always thought it looked nice, and today was the perfect time to try it out. We ordered a Butterbrezel and a coffee, and Bruno flirted with the ladies behind me the whole time. A good time was had by all.

Then on the way to Kindy, I gave Bruno two poisonous flowers to take home... How did I not know know that Crocuses were poisonous? No worries. We did some prompt hand-washing, and we're all still alive to tell the tale. He sure was cute with his "Bumge" though (Blumen, the word for flowers).

After lunch, Bruno went down for a nap, and Seb and I watched "Eine Möhre für Zwei" (A German series made by Sesame Street that totally rocks, in case you're wondering). Seb and I then did some crafting. I am taking notes about which crafting books I want to get here. I know there are a lot of ideas floating around on the internet, but am I the only one that gets really annoyed with the fact that to do practically anything these days, you need to look it up on the internet? I hate that. I need me some good old fashion crafting books.

After Bruno woke up, the boys found all kinds of funny things to do together, and pretty much melted my heart so much that it was in a big puddle for a full 30 minutes until Cody came home.

Bruno tried to give Seb a turn, but despite Seb's expert coaching and encouragement, he was unsuccessful. 

Seb is really into patting Bruno on the back when he wants to make him feel better. Bruno, our touchy-feely guy, loves this and just lays on his lap.

This day was funny, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

9/52

Joining Jodi's 52 Project with "A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Quiet moments at home, I love observing them. We are outside so often that our time spent inside is a very rewarding kind of rest. A completely refreshing flip from life before Germany.

Sebastian | He has always been terribly observant, and studies things with intense focus. I love catching him during times like this. We visit the library multiple times a week, and Seb always hunts down the bag when we get home and spends a good long while going through the new books by himself before asking me to read some to him. It's the perfect way for him to decompress after being at Kindy in the morning. Also, Seb's Kindy celebrated Fasching on Friday, so all the kids dressed up. Sebastian wanted to be a "sport guy," and was thrilled with his outfit, though it was admittedly much less elaborate than most. God bless him for not noticing.

Bruno | I am working to figure out how to keep the influence of the German language very present in the lives of our boys after we return to the states. This laminated map was one of my most recent purchases. Look at this guy, already studying up, and first thing in the morning, too! Good man. I've realized this week that Bruno really does understand German, and maybe even as well as English. As his vocabulary develops, we are hearing an increasing mix of German and English words. Vogel, Blumen, and fertig (bird, flowers, finished) are some of his newest ones. But he hilariously sticks stubbornly to the words key and hi, over the German counterparts Schlüssel and Hallo. 

8/52

Joining Jodi's 52 Project with "A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Sebastian | True quiet found outside. Wearing Daddy's hat.

Bruno | Feeling and throwing sand in the Spring sunlight.

Children's clothing in Germany

One thing I have loved about living in Germany for nearly 6 months now, is that I've experienced enough of this life and culture to really pick up on things. My senses have been heightened since moving here—driven by a desire to soak it all up like a dry sponge. At first, despite my efforts, it was hard to find a lot of differences. In my (and Cody's) experience, growing up in southern Ohio must be a lot like growing up in Germany. Not much surprised us when we moved here, and I mean that in a really good way. Of course, there are still a plethora of differences, but it has taken a while to notice them, to sort them from the random occurrences or sporadic elements of life here.

One such difference, which will come as no surprise to many, is in the way Germans dress. Oh how we American's love to hear about European style. Particularly, I want to talk about Children's clothing, not only because children's clothing is downright adorable, but because it hits on a really practical topic for parents. I do love it when I strike upon something that eases the stress of parenting, don't you?

A German child's wardrobe at first struck me as being unlike an American child's, but the particulars of "why" and "how" escaped me. I embarked on a visual journey in which I tried to sort through what I saw in order to find the common threads of style. And then, after not too much strenuous observational research (I assure you I don't wile my entire life away thinking about clothes, though it is fun), I realized that the perfect word to describe a German child's wardrobe is practical. Of course, this is Germany we're talking about—order, punctuality, no-nonsense, practical. Realizing this made me love this country even more, because what should children's clothing be, if not practical? I, too, am bewitched by the siren call of unnecessary frills and useless, outrageously cute clothes, but with kids, I cannot justify it even a little bit—unless they're outrageously cute and practical.

Simply put, children 1) outgrow their clothes very quickly, and 2) wear their clothes very thoroughly. A German child's wardrobe addresses these problems well. They also address the problem of keeping little ones warm and dry, which I think is paramount. Individuals and families are active here. People are simply outside more often and for longer periods of time, which necessitates having weather-appropriate clothing.

So here I offer a quick break-down of some of my observations. I'd love to know what you think of this. Do you dress your kids like this? Very differently? Do you put much thought into your child's style? Have you always put outerwear at the bottom of your list, like me? (Note, this is NOT me anymore! Thank God for Matschosen!)

Specifics:
Natural fibers—wool for winter is non-negotiable
Mix and Match, hand-me-downs, consignment, and the ever trusty H&M
Handknits. I have seen so many marvelous little girl sweaters, it's ridiculous.
Leather shoes, rain boots, winter boots and house shoes. These people are serious about their shoes.
Tights and Leggings—for boys, too! I love this so much, I tell you.
Matschhosen/mud pants.

Now that I've laid out the basics, here is how we have taken these elements and woven them into our kids wardrobe. The first principle is embrace quirky. Don't buy pre-selected sets, but look for good pieces, and mix them, or let your child mix them, in whatever way you like best. I have put some pretty crazy combos on our kids, and end up absolutely loving how fun these outfits look. It's not about perfection or matching, it's about buying interesting items, following your child's cues, and building their wardrobe in such a way that you and they can mix their wardrobe freely. The problem with most clothing sets is that they clash with basically everything else, resulting in an incredibly inflexible wardrobe that leaves no room for individual tastes. It also necessitates a larger wardrobe. My children each have 1 small drawer for their clothes, share 1 small drawer for specifically "nice" clothes, and share 1 small drawer for socks, underwear and pajamas. We do laundry twice a week, and if I'm honest, I'll admit that they actually only regularly wear 2/3 of their wardrobe.

I have fairly simple tastes when it comes to kids style, so these principles work well for us (It may sound strange, but I love to see my kids when I look at them, not the clothes). But I am not suggesting these things as anything more than basic principles. Many parents—and children—will want more flair, more fancy, or more whatever, and that is great! Especially when it's what your child wants! Seb, so far, has simple tastes like me, and would wear the same solid or striped shirt with suspenders and jeans every single day. I get a lot of compliments on Seb's wardrobe, but honestly, at this point, he puts his outfits together with only a little help sometimes.

Now, if you don't care at all what your kid swears, all of this is still for you, because it's about a lot more than looking nice. My reasoning is that it's good to be intentional about the way we live, and these principles and tips that I've shared have helped us simplify the process of clothing our children. We have saved money, and also allowed for Seb to have room to exercise independence and creativity by dressing himself.

However, we also realize that we will receive gifts that don't fit with what we would normally buy, and we are incredibly grateful for those things, too. A principle laid out by Gretchen Rubin, and taken from Saint Therese of Lisieux, is "Receive a gift in the spirit it was given." This principle makes my heart sing, as it's been a lifelong struggle for me, and has encouraged us to live our lives with an extra amount of grace and thankfulness, because loving the people around us is more important than how we dress, or most anything else. It is often disheartening to see the way in which parents begrudge gifts, and otherwise make rules about what others can give them and their chidlren. We have been guilty of these things, and it saddens me to think of the times I've made others feel that their careful offering to our family wasn't good enough or appreciated.

So here you have it—a little snippet of some ways Germany has changed us for the better, and, I hope, some food for thought for you parents who have struggled, like me, to manage your child's wardrobe. I'd love to here your thoughts and own tips!

P.S. After writing this, I went on a search for photos, and realized I hardly have any photos of my kids wearing anything but Matschosen since like Chrstmas! Oops! Hurry up Spring! The photos I above are from our trip to Castle Hohenzollern a couple weeks ago.

7/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Sebastian | Always the color blue. Budding confidence, a new and deepening friendship (and a blue heart sticker warn proudly on his chest to prove it). His expressions are deepening with that of the maturity of boyhood. He'll be turning 4 years old in 3 months and I am soaking up these last days that still carry a hint of the toddler years—just a hint. And at the same time am wildly excited for his mind and body to continue in this path of growth and maturity.

Bruno | Twenty months old this week and deep in the throes of learning and yearning. His vocabulary is blossoming, his independence is growing, and his opinions are becoming more defined. This picture captures perfectly some of the frustration of these days. Don't worry, buddy, you'll have the words you need soon!

6/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Sebastian | It's easy for me to get frustrated with Seb for doing things like plopping himself down in the middle of a castle courtyard, getting dirty, and for who knows what reason. But then he so often has a response to my, "What are you doing?" that stops me dead in my huffy tracks: "I'm fishing, mama!" His imagination is blossoming, and I don't want to squash is curiosity. Here's to letting our kids get dirty, make messes, and try knew things. So often I find myself trying to "entertain" my boys, only to realize that the best way for me to do that is to facilitate their own imaginations and desire to discover. They know how to do the rest.

Bruno | He's a thrill-seeker. The park in Tübingen has an incredible slide, and while my brother and his family were visiting, we took them there. Bruno can't get enough of slides these days, and this look of pure joy is the absolute best.

5/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Last week brought more visitors, and a new hard drive for my computer. Both of which have brightened our lives. Cody just finished getting the new hard drive in, which is why 5/52 is showing up during 6/52. But I figure it's okay because it was due to technical difficulties + the portraits are from last week, so I didn't cheat or anything. 6/52 will show up in the next couple days.

We have experienced an extremely mild winter. More mild even than the North Carolina winters we're accustomed to, which has been quite a shock for us. However, what we've gained in warmth has been challenged by our high latitude and dark days. Suddenly, the light and clean Scandinavian decor makes so much sense, and it's not nearly as dark here as it is there. Fortunately, we've discovered the balm of walking, playing—being outdoors.

And now for the #1 secret of German parenting: Matschhosen (rain pants/mud pants). If you're interested in finding out how to get some in the U.S. I'll hook you up with some links. You'll here me talking of the sheer brilliance of Matschhosen many times over, I'm sure.

To the portraits:...

Sebastian | Exuberant. Joy-filled to overflowing. My teacher.

Bruno | His grin. Growing up so fast these days, and now that his verbal skills are improving, I love the addition he is to our daily conversations.