1st family vacation:Holland!

This week we went on our first overnight trip as a family (minus Kona, who held down the fort at home). We're about 3.5 hours from Holland, so it was a good distance, not too intimidating with the baby. We stayed in a seaside town called Noordwijk aan Zee. It was very walkable- the hotel was maybe 300m or so from the beach and there was a little pedestrian area with shops and restaurants, too. We arrived late afternoon after stopping at Delftse Pauw, one of the original makers of authentic Delft Blue pottery. Because of the weather, we just did the tour, picked up a piece for myself, and proceeded to Noordwijk. The weather cleared up not long after we arrived and we took a short walk through town. Unfortunately, we were pretty pooped after the drive (or rather, due to the great nights' sleep one gets with a newborn in the house) so we skipped sunset- I am sure it would have been gorgeous.
My Delftware :o) Pretty bridge on a canal in Delft.

Here is the top of the pedestrian zone in Noordwijk aan Zee:

Most of the homes that we walked or drove past had these big picture windows in the front. I personally wouldn't want people looking in my front window, but I must admit, I did. There were some great ideas for window dressings/decorations!! Plus, these places are so charming!



Windmills! I was so excited to see them randomly thoughout our drive.

And when on vacation to a foreign land, one must comment on the food. OMG it was amazing. This here is a cheese filled croissant-type pastry/bread. I don't remember the name of it, but let me tell you it was heavenly.

And in Keukenhof Gardens, there was a stand to get waffles. This one was sooo good- strawberries and whipped cream. The waffle had a doughy sort of texture and tasted amazing. Hands down, the best waffle I've ever eaten.

Here are some pic's from the beach in Noordwijk...

"My first trip to the beach!"

And here are some photos of the beautiful flowers at Keukenhof. Everywhere you looked, millions of flowers were in bloom. It was the perfect time to go.

Keukenhof has an American theme this year to commemorate the relationship between the 2 countries. Do you remember your american history- Henry Hudson landed in NYC (orignially called New Amsterdam) in 1609. Did you know that Wall Street is named after the (Dutch) Waal River? Seeeeee, you learned something today!

(Statue of Liberty)

(Nice cheeks, Luisa ;-) She's really growing! )

And, of course, wooden shoes!

One of the buildings had an orchid show going on..

These are from a nearby field we drove past.

And this is why I think everone should make this trip at least once. Simply gorgeous.

7 Weeks Old!

Today marks Luisa's 7th week. We saw the pediatrician for a check-up this week and her stats are: 4180g (9lb 3oz), 56cm (22in) long, head circumference 37cm (14.5in). She's still eating like a champ and the only setback we've been having is TERRIBLE gas, poor gal. Hopefully this passes (no pun intended) soon!!!

Here are some recent photos for your viewing enjoyment!

Jason's mom visited us at Easter time. One day we went to Koblenz and walked around a little, of course stopping for a treat at the BEST ice cream shop in Germany. As you can see from the long line, we're not the only ones who hold this opinion.

"No ice cream for me?"

Bathtime Fun!

I planned ahead and put on my bathrobe for bathtime---> This little lady enjoys splashing in the water!
"I'm cute and I know it."

Happy Easter/ Frohe Ostern!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

1 month old!

My, how fast a month has flown by! I cannot believe that our little angel is a month old already. We measured Luisa and she's grown 4cm in length and gained a kilogram since birth! She's now 53cm (21in) long and 4kg (8lb 13oz). I am happy to know she's within the weight limit to break out the Baby Björn- something new to try now that the weather has been so gorgeous. We've been taking more walks with our spiffy stroller, but it can be a bit bulky. Plus many shops aren't easy to get into, with up to 3-4 steps to manage.
Luisa loves car rides, stroller rides, chilling out in the bouncy chair and swing... anything moving. So she's been fairly portable. Today I ventured out to a flower store to work on my window boxes. It required a little planning (their shopping carts wouldn't accomodate the carseat, but a store across the plaza did...) but she slept right through.
She's also beginning to have some random smiles. She's smiled in her drowsy sleep since birth, but it's fun to see her do it while alert. Her neck is also getting stronger, holding her head up here and there. I've been trying to incorporate more tummy time into our days but she doesn't like to be put down much. So it's primarily been while holding her on our chests. Luisa is also beginning to track objects and look at different things around her. I can't wait to get her to giggle and smile as a reaction to funny faces :o)

We've received more wonderful gifts this week. Everyone's been so generous! I know Luisa will love each and every present, but I just wanted to show a couple unique gifts. Here is a custom made bottle from one of my mom's clients in Switzerland. I never even met this person!

And here is a handmade sweater from my Aunt Betty (and Uncle Henry- though he's not the avid knitter-type!). It is so beautiful , I just had to share. We've also been given a few knitted blankets, but I won't post them all here. This blog post would never end!

***If anyone knows how to correct the sideways uploading, please let me know. I am not sure if this is a Blogger problem, or a problem with my computer***