Flensburg, Germany

A while back, before Xavier joined the family, we booked a trip to Flensburg, Germany for 5 days.  A German friend recommended it as a cozy village where we would be able to get into the woods and enjoy the harbor.  It was a little bit of those things, but mostly we learned that we no longer want to travel.... 

Flensburg is just 7 kilometers from the Danish border, nestled on a fjord in the Baltic Sea.  It was scenic and quiet, but a newborn and a sick toddler made it difficult to fully enjoy the peace.  Woody battled a nasty ear infection the whole time we were there and none of us got any sleep. 

 

The highlight of the trip was definitely a reunion with our friends, Emi and Andre.  It had been 2 years since we saw them last (in Hawaii!) and they were a bit surprised at how our family has grown in that time. We became friends in Japan and have kept in touch since they moved to Munster, Germany around the same time we left for Denmark.  We had tapas at a Spanish restaurant and huge plates of schnitzel with them at a local brewery. 

James brought back this local treat from a fish market one day.  Pickled herring, skin and all, with too many onions.  

Woody had some happy times during the day, but mostly we spent a lot of time in the apartment to help him recover.  But that wasn't relaxing for any of us, since we had to constantly prevent him from destroying the furnishings.  Seriously, this guy can take a place from clean to disaster in 6 seconds flat.  

 

Xavier was a peach the whole trip.  He's growing so quickly.

And finally, back home, just after visiting the doctor and getting medicine for his ear infection.  

We were so so tired after this trip that we swore we would never do it again. We could probably tell at least 10 more stories of woe from this trip (complete with flooding apartments and severely overcrowded trains), but I'd rather not recall the trip...it was that exhausting.  I'm sure we will travel again in the future, especially if we continue to live in cold, dreary Denmark, but I just hope it isn't with a sick child and in a place that isn't so kid friendly. 

These days...

Two weeks down with two under two by myself.  Phew...this is hard.  Each day is a blur of logistics, making sure both kids are safe, fed, slept and played.  That usually means keeping Xavier in the playpen where he can't be reached by his brother's loving (?) hands and Woody entertained so that he won't throw books and lego into the playpen.  Man oh man.  

Xavier is now an official US citizen!  Cutest passport photo ever?

Two cute boys asleep on me.  Everything else can wait when this happens.

X modeling the sweater I knit for him this summer. 

It's amazing how quickly this scowl can turn into....

...total and utter meltdown.  In the rain, on the street, in the bike, at nursery...toddler tantrums know no boundary.  Woody has become a full-fledged toddler, complete with messy hands, loving hugs and a permanent runny nose.  

We try to keep him as busy as possible.  He sure loves "dack-dors"!