They allow us to have children

Happy Halloween

1st Days Home

Enzo was able to come home on Friday the 4^th, Zuzu’s Birthday!

Our baby girl turned 8!  So of course the next day we had a house full of obnoxious, germy kids for Zuzu’s party. Somehow he slept through the whole thing!

Here's Zuzu and Enzo on party day

At first he had his days and nights mixed up. He would sleep for 4-5 hours chunks during the day and get up every two hours at night. We slowly tried to fix that but with his gassy tummy, feeding frenzies and latching problems it was slow going.

Apart from the party, his first few days at home were pretty relaxed. He liked looking at the Christmas tree. It was up and all decorated before we even went to the hospital (unlike when we had Zuzu).

Oh and we went to see the real Santa at the end of November so we would be sure and get there. This is the same guy we’ve always taken our kids to see (the the exception of the last few years) As much as I would have loved to have one with little sleeping Enzo, a trip to the Mall of America with a brand new baby was not on the top of my list.

Here are a few more pictures, because that’s really all anyone wants.  

Proud Grandma

With Zuzu.  Again.

With Mama

Sleeping

Wide Eyed

Sleeping in bouncy seat

Alison finally held him for the first time when he was 2 weeks old.

With Grandma. 

There is no lack of loving arms for this little guy.

The Arrival of Enzo

Wow, we had another baby. After a very long time, we had another baby. At 40 years old, we had another baby. It’s still hardly set in and I am only now surfacing from the newborn baby fog. It has been quite an adjustment having a newborn in the house again. It seems almost as unlikely as living in London for the past 3 years. You occasionally get that surreal feeling, usually during the middle of the night and all of a sudden it seems like we just moved into the house with our little baby Alison. Did the last 10 years actually happen? Well they happened and we did just move into the house after being out of it for 3 years, which makes it all the more strange.

Here's a silly picture of me and the girls on December 1st, the day of my 37 week doctor's appointment.  They didn't see me again until after school the next day.

And a little over 15 hours later.  Like a good Christmas baby, Enzo arrived about 3 weeks early, just like his sister. I’m just glad he wasn’t born on her Birthday! This is what happens folks when you plan to NOT have December babies.

At 12:07 am on December 2^nd, Enzo Dennis arrived. We named him Enzo because it’s cool and who knows, maybe someday he’ll drive a Ferrari, and Dennis, after my Dad who passed away in 2012. He was 6 pounds, 10 ounces, 19 inches long and absolutely perfect! I sobbed in relief to see just how perfect he was. There was a brief moment after we first saw him when the doctor said “huh, look at that” and the room went quiet. There was a “true knot” in his umbilical cord. A wave of all of my worst nightmares flashed through my head, which added to my sobbing that everything was ok, because it very well could not have been.

Thankfully my Mom was here for his arrival. She and my Dad missed Zuzu’s coming by days (because she was so early). I’m so glad she was able to be here for her bonus little grandchild.

Next up were Alison and Zuzu. Alison came directly to me of course and Zuzu went straight for the baby. She was just beaming with big sister pride.

Both were thrilled to meet him.

Here he is the next day in his candy cane hat, when he finally opened his eyes.  He looks so much like his Daddy.

All stretched out.

Making cute faces.

In his little "baby tank" as Zuzu liked to call it.

And getting ready to go home, on the 4th, just in time for Zuzu's 8th Birthday.  Let the adventure begin!

Happy Valentine's Day

From 3 of my favorite Valentines. 

I am aware of how har behind I am here.  I'm only now starting to emerge from the newborn baby fog - it has been a difficult couple of months.  I'll catch up when I can.

Loves

Happy Thanksgiving and a Baby Update

This will be our first Thanksgiving celebrated on actual Thanksgiving Day for 3 years. Here are the girls in our morning Thanksgiving SNOW! It's not a lot, but it's been nice to watch. The girls didn't really go outside to play in it yet as Alison is just getting over some sickness and Zuzu has strep throat - they only snuck out for a second to take the picture. 

As for a Baby Update, it's countdown time. I'm almost 37 weeks!! Baby is still doing great and we have verified that it is indeed a little BOY. I've been pretty uncomfortable but other than that I'm doing well too. Technically I'm due on December 20th but Doctor says she will induce me at 39 weeks. However, based on my last appointment it doesn't look like he'll make it that long. Alison was born at 38 weeks and Zuzu at 37.  I'm hoping to hold on until after Zuzu's Birthday party next Saturday but if for some reason I cannot, my wonderful mom and lovely best friend will have a great time entertaining all the children I'm sure.  When the big day comes, Chris will post something here or on facebook. Stay tuned.

Happy Halloween!

Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter of course.

And another of Luna because it's so perfect - complete with Quibbler and radish earings!

The girls are super excited to Trick-or-Treat for the first time in 3 years.  Happy Halloween.

First Day of School!!

Well yesterday was the first day. . . 

Zuzu 2nd Grade and Alison 5th.  

Alison was happy to get back to her old school and excited to be going because there's still not much to do in our empty house.  Zuzu was pretty worried but did great.  At dinner the night before we let her in on a little secret - we told her that school in the UK was a lot more serious and school in the US is more fun.  We didn't dare tell her that before now, he he he.    

Also for the first time in 3 years they could go to school with their hair down!!  On top of that there's a 99.99% chance they won't get head lice!!  Hooray!!

Copenhagen, Denmark

I’m so far behind at this point, but I may as well start somewhere.

Back in April, for the kids’ term break we went on a Nordic adventure.  We began with a few days in Copenhagen! 

One of the first things we came across was the “Happy Wall” an analog interactive pixel screen made up of 2,000 boards that can be flipped to change color.

We had to do names of course.

While we were there we explored the downtown, waterfront area.  Ali liked this giant anchor.

We even went on a canal tour.

Here are Zuzu and Daddy on the boat - it was pretty chilly.

We had real Danishes.

Some were the size of your head.

Then we climbed the 399 steps to the tippy top of the Copenhagen Cathedral. After all these holidays, you'd think I'd be in better shape!

Actually Zuzu and I chickened out part way up these smooth, outside stairs, when we looked up and the gold ball looked like it was swaying in the wind.

But Alison went to the tippy top of course- crazy pants.  She's actually beyond the stairs and her head is touching the underside of the platform for the big gold ball!

Finally, the view from the top.

It was a lovely time and from there it was off to Norway.

It's Time

It's time I make this post before somebody else accidentally breaks the news.  Just know that this is as much a surprise for us as it is for you.

We are expecting baby number 3!  It's ok to laugh.  This was not at all planned and came in spite of some pretty slim odds.  Chris had the nerve to tell me that I've come out of retirement for this one (no, he does not value his life much).  Now that the initial shock is over, we're getting prepared and excited.  Zuzu is absolutely thrilled! 

In 2 weeks, I'll go for my 20 week ultrasound and hopefully we'll be able to find out if it's a boy or a girl.  Then it's our big move back to the USA, to repurchase all the baby gear we got rid of when we moved here and to move back into the house that a family of 5 won't even fit in. . .  More on all of that later.  To add to the madness, baby is due at Christmas time, because why not.

We are off to Germany today for our last European adventure and I realize I am so very behind on the blog but I was sick for 3 months solid and have only recently come back to the living.  I'll try my best to catch up when we get back.

Harry Potter Studio Part 2

There was so much to show that I couldn't fit it into one post.

As promised, The Hogwarts Express!!  The actual train is there now!  They appeared to have made this a more permanent tourist attraction and have added a lot of new things, most importantly the train!

You can even walk through it!

And of course they had Platform 9 3/4.

There is a proper eating area now and they changed the recipe for butter beer!  This time it was only poured out of one tap and they added whip cream to the top.  Last time there were only a few tables outside on the back-lot and the butter beer was a combination of two liquids that when poured, kept foaming and growing and spilling over if you couldn't drink it fast enough and none of us could because it was so over the top sweet - Zuzu was the only one that like it.  This time however it wasn't as sweet and we all enjoyed it.

The Knight Bus!

Number 4, Privet Drive.

The Hogwarts Bridge.

The Ford Anglia.

Hagrid's Motorbike.

The Special Effects Room.

Buckbeak - he even moves!

Diagon Alley.

The Castle - which is one of the coolest things on the whole tour.

The Wands.

The girls each tried on the Sorting Hat in the gift shop.

And finally some souvenirs, Zuzu chose Hedwig and the little Pygmy Puff this time - the wand and Crookshanks were from a few years ago.

We're all a little Harry Potter crazy in our house if you hadn't already guessed.