Warm Adventures: To Stuttgart and beyond...

We have been having some really sunny warm weather the last few days. But I am getting ahead of myself a bit since it has been a while since I last posted. So going back a week or more. The weather had been a bit crappy - rainy and cold with short sporadic sitings of sunshine. It reminded me a tad bit of Florida - you would see sunny skies and think OK we can go out now but then realize at the same time it was raining. A good old fashion Florida sun shower. Well needless to say we didn't get out much over the last week and half.

The Friday before last was our day of big firsts. Alison had her first doctor appointment. It seems English speaking pediatricians are hard to get appointments with here in Lenzburg so our insurance company set us up with a practice in Aarau which is a short ten minute train ride away. It was a really good experience and I am glad we went (Although I am pretty sure Alison would say otherwise is she could). The doctor was very nice and spoke English quite well. He wanted us to come back next month when Alison will be 18 months and they will conduct a more thorough physical and developmental exam. After the doctor visit it was raining out or we would have walked around Aarau since it is a bigger town. So I decided to treat myself and Ali to lunch at the Burger King in the train station. It was our first time hitting an American fast food establishment since we moved here. $16 for one chicken nugget meal that Alison and I shared - unbelievable how expensive everything is here.

So our big news is that we finally got a car. It was a big decision but we finally settled on the fact that it will just be easier to go places on our schedule with two kids and a car. It is a Subaru Legacy diesel wagon and gets really great gas mileage. Which is a good thing considering gas is pushing $8 a gallon here (so is milk). It is basically exactly what we wanted last year when we were shopping for a new car in the States but couldn't find it. When will car companies realize that there are some out there wanting roominess and good gas mileage? Anyway it is super nice, super comfy and we can fit so much in it. I really like it and am happy with our decision. I look forward to exploring Europe in our new ride.

Learyn, Madison and Alison at Beer Festival

Ali and Madison at Beer Festival

Erik pick up the new wheels Friday before last and the salesman spent over an hour with him showing him all the bells and whistles. They even found an English owner's manual which is nice to have. So we took it for test drive the very next day, up to Stuttgart Germany to visit Erik's friends who live there. We had a nice weekend although the weather was less than cooperative (cold and rainy). The car did great on the Autobahn and we were able to fit lots of stuff from the PX into it for the ride home. Our friends in Germany just had a baby in January so it was so nice to visit with them. Their new little one Learyn, is just adorable and the most mellow baby I've ever seen. Alison really loved playing with Madison, their 4 year old and did very well around the new baby also. Besides getting some much needed toys and baby items at the PX we were able to go to a beer festival on Sunday in an adjacent town before we headed home. I definitely see more trips to Stuttgart in our future if the Walls don't mind the Warms visiting every so often.

Ali and Ollie playing at animal park

This past Thursday the weather finally warmed up and Alison and I met our friends Rachel and Oliver at the Roggenhausen Wildpark in Aarau. It was a really nice place to walk around and have lunch and let the kids play. Alison and Oliver could not be more opposite though. Alison has no fear - she enjoyed feeding the pigs, playing in water fountains and jumping on rides and slides she's never been on. Oliver is a bit more subdued and tends to stick close to his mommy. I think they are good for each other.

Ali showing the pigs her belly

Ali is so tired at lunch with Daddy

On Friday we met Erik for lunch at his office, my first adventure driving the car myself and navigating the narrow roads between our house and Holderbank where Erik works. We should have seen the signs Friday that Alison was coming down with something. This picture is of her at lunch with Daddy. She was so tired. She has been fighting something for the last week or so and just hasn't been herself.

Beautiful day

This past weekend we had an amazing time as again the weather was super nice. Sunshine, blue skies and highs in the high 70's. On Saturday we headed to Hallwilersee which is just a 20 minute drive south of us and a big lake with lots of cute little towns around it. It was so clear that you could see the alps at the end of the lake. We walked around the Castle and the lake for a bit and then took a boat ride around the lake. Alison was still a bit under the weather and didn't care much for the heat (hence why she isn't smiling much in these pictures). But we couldn't resist being outside all day. She did seem to enjoy her first boat ride. After the boat ride we decided to just drive around a bit through all these farm towns, where we stopped at the sousmost stands (most sweet) and had some of the yummiest apples I've ever eaten. Sunday was suppose to be rainy but it was another really nice day. So after our normal pancake breakfast we went for a hike around our town and took Alison to this really neat playground that had a zip line. I think Alison finally met a slide that scared her a bit - it was pretty tall and steep and the look on her face coming down the first time was one of fear. Good to know she has a little of that in her. Again a very enjoyable weekend, so many people out and about enjoying the sunshine and warm weather. I really hope it is here to stay for a while. Although I must say it has been a bit warm in the evenings in our apartment with no air conditioning. I think we are going to have to buy some fans this weekend before it gets any warmer.

Lake with Alps in background

Well two more weeks and my mom will be here. We can't wait. Erik has this Tuesday off for May Day so I am hoping we can get some things done around the apartment as the weather is not suppose to be too nice. I am entering week 35 of my pregnancy - can't believe how fast it has gone by, so that means weekly doctor visits now. Still not sure exactly where we will deliver the baby. The birthing center may not be an option as it is closing and reopening the week I am due. Things are a bit different here as the OB's aren't on call for your delivery. You just go to the hospital and typically midwives administer to you and the doctors are around just in case you need them. The good news is you do get to stay in the hospital if you wish for at least five days and then a midwife comes to your house for a few weeks afterwards. Should be an interesting experience.

I will say something interesting that I admire about the Swiss in their regard for women's health care during pregnancy. Of the two women I know who are currently pregnant both were put on significantly reduced work schedules at least two months prior to their babies due date. This is apparently standard practice and doctors orders, so their employers have to honor it. One of the women from our playgroup was saying how she worked part time up to 10 days before her due date like that was something ridiculous. I laughed as I remember being at work the day I went into labor. The US definitely has it backwards in regards to women's health issues. Which reminds me - I must say with some guilt and shame - I haven't been paying much attention to US news or politics. It is actually nice to be removed from all that stuff but at the same time I do care about my home country. Every once in a while when I have a free minute or two I will check out the latest headlines on CNN or some other internet news slot. It just seems like the Republicans are going all out to try and tell women what they should be doing with their bodies. Are there not more important things going on in that country than a bunch of men trying to pass legislation about women bodies? I just don't get why they are so afraid of us making our own decisions - it feels a bit medieval. As most of you know Erik and I have somewhat differing political views but often find common ground in many issues and this is just one where we both shake our heads in disbelief. Anyway enough political rant from me.

Also wanted to give a shout out to all my April Birthday peeps - Happy Birthday to my Aunt April, Brother Aaron, my niece Hannah, my sister-in-law Nancy and my best friends Kristin and Carrie. Also big congratulations to my dear friend Mary and her new hubby Dave on their nuptials as well as Hollie and Dan - wish I could have been there to celebrate all these big events. Also thinking about our friend Belinda over in Afghanistan and her family back home. Please know that we think of all you often.

As always we miss everyone dearly and would love to hear from you. I will keep up the postings as long as I can.