Adventures with Grandma

Really, everything is an adventure when you put my mom and I together.  

There is a wild animal park about a mile from our home.  They specialize in birds of prey, but also have hogs, donkeys, goats, horses, guinea pigs, moose, etc.  Pretty random grouping if you ask me...  Austin loved the donkey.  He walked all the way around his pen next to Austin, probably because he was being fed.  Austin kept whispering to him "It's ok, I'll take you home with me."  

(The goats also love to be fed--- really, really, really love to be fed- as in head but you out of the way to get what they want hungry.  I feared for Tyler's life.)

 We unintentionally let half of the goats in the pen loose into the wild park.  We were able to bribe most of the smaller goats back into the pen, but there was one old grey goat that was so stubborn.  Once she was where she wanted to be she would not budge an inch!  In the picture you can see that she stood in the threshold of the gate so it couldn't be closed.  Stinker.

Mom, thanks for going with us even though you hate the zoo.  

Moving on and in

Our new home in Germany.  It was very welcome after 3 months of living in hotels.  We have quite a bit more room here than we did in Texas and about half the stuff.  Lots of things didn't come that were supposed to... like the toys.  

Here is our incredible view.  (Not me 8 days after having a baby)

 Our street.  At the end there is a park with swings, a slide, teeter totters, and a soccer goal.

My sweet mom came to Germany for a month to help us get settled.  I am so so so grateful for her.  I made fun of her for making lists for me the whole month, but am secretly grateful.  (see the list?)

Having a baby in Germany

 Having a baby in Germany is a little different than the US.  IF we have anymore children- I think I will wait until we get home to the USofA.  The quality of care was exactly the same, but it is much more luxurious in Texas.  (you get steak dinner, and to send your baby to the nursery at night, private rooms/ bathroom, etc.)  

About 2 hours after delivery I was transferred from the labor and delivery room to a shared room.  I had requested my own private room (for a fee,) but there were none available.  It was there that I found out Andrew couldn't stay the night with me.  I shed a few tears and repeated "I can do this" over and over.  Luckily, roommate spoke a little English and was very very kind.  She was very patient with me as I kept turning the light on and off and was a huge help in communicating with the night nurses.  It was really hard to communicate with the night nurses.  Thank heavens for translation apps.

 The next morning I got a new roommate and she was not as nice.  Thankfully, a private room came available that afternoon.  

 Here are some pictures of my hospital room the 2nd night.   The thing hanging from the ceiling is a warmer for when diapers are changed.  Zach would scream unless the warmer was on.  He really hated having his diaper changed.  One of our "lost in translation stories" was about wipes.  I had run out of wipes and was trying to ask the nurse for more.  She then proceeded to use receiving blankets to wipe up the mess.  They do use wipes... so I have no idea what she thought I was asking for.  Luckily, another nurse brought me some wipes. 

 There was also a bottle opener in the room.  The Germans love their drinks, especially their beer.  

 The babies are not swaddled, but instead put into sleeping bags.  Most of the ones I saw were pretty ugly.  Speaking of ugly, the babies are also put into these white jumpsuits that rival straight jackets.  I wish I had taken a better picture, but the one below is the best I have.  

 Usually people stay in the hospital for 7 days, but after 3 I was finished.  I couldn't take it anymore. Since this was our third time around having a baby the doctors agreed that we were fine to go home.  

Zach's first home was the Wiesbaden Army Lodge.  How many kids can say their first home was a hotel room?  How many kids actually want to say that?  Yeah.

It was kinda nice having somebody come in and clean our room and change my sheets every day.  That was better service than I got in the hospital.  Maybe I'm onto something...

 We all love our new little guy!