Jenn and Sean's Christmas Party

Last night was simply amazing. Andy and I got a babysitter for Amelie so we could enjoy a night out sans kids. I love that we both realize the importance of getting out without Ame. We know that we need time away from her to recharge our batteries and actually miss her. Our relationship has to come first for our family unit to work. When kids are around there is that added worry about them at all times.

I bought a red dress for the party and wore some cute heels. It felt nice to dress up. I forget the last time I have even wore heels. Doing this made me feel special, confident, and just plain old happy. Andy looked nice as always. I mean he is metrosexual, what do you expect? It is also nice to leave the enormous small flat we are in day in and day out. When I am home I think of all the things I should be doing...It is refreshing being in someone else's home and have them do all the work.

Jenn and Sean hired 2 babysitters for the kiddos to hang out in the back rooms. For everyone in Switzerland we know this is a good chunk of change. So sweet for them to do this. The Christmas tree was up with both fragile decorations and hand made ones. The lighting was that kind of lighting that every woman dreams of. No flaws to see. No pimples. No bronzer lines. It just puts you in the mood to drink. And that we did. The prosecco was flowing, well at least it was in my cup. There were all my favorite Basel people in one place. Everyone was dressed to impress with what seemed to be no care in the world. It was magical, Christmas time usually is. I started getting very excited about going back to Indy for Christmas. Nothing better than family around for Christmas. That is what it is all about.

It was a night to remember. A night out with my love away from my 2nd love. :)

Ame goes to Austria

I am a little late on posting this but as we all know life gets crazy. Andy, Ame and I got a group together to go to Austria for our friends, Heidi's opera. She puts together an Opera every year and it is fantastic. The setting is a ski village in the middle of Austria. The view is breathtaking. Obviously it is during summer so everything is green as can be. This view is up there with the most beautiful I have ever seen. Right out of a postcard.

We stayed at a friends Bed and Breakfast. During ski season they rent it out to a ski company but during the summer they run it for barely any money. We are very blessed to know them and be able to stay in such a beautiful place. There is a waterfall on the mountains behind the hotel. It doesn't get much better than that. Ame was 8 weeks at the time. Yes you heard that right. Sometimes I think how crazy we were for going and doing so much, but we really didn't even think twice about it. She was on us all day everyday anyway so why not go have fun while she is attached to us. The ergo is the best invention ever. That invention allowed for us to go on with our adventurous crazy life. It is funny because on this trip Heidi's mother in law said we were lucky to have the carrier. Back in their day they had nothing of the sort so were made to stay home. I actually do think of this often. How blessed we are to be able to just go and do with baby in tow. We really have not slowed down.

During this time I still had a bit of anxiety because Ame's sleep patterns were all over the place. I am used to getting so much sleep so night was still hard for me. I wasn't just tired from lack of sleep at night but also holding her all day and breastfeeding really took a toll on my body. Again, I cannot believe we did all of this. The human body is capable of an insane amount. We would go out all day everyday and not return home till about 11pm and then do it again the next day.

One day we hiked  took a gondola up the mountains to the highest point. Umm scary is an understatement. To fall in one of those things is certain death. Although I tried to just take everything in and realize how blessed we are to be able to do something like this. There was snow up in these mountains and boy was it cold. We were able to see 5 different countries. CRAZY!! As I have written in my previous blogs I always feel close to Heaven when I am up this high. I just want to lift my hand and reach it to our Heavenly Father's hand. It just all is surreal. Breathtaking views that we may never see again. I try to take in every moment.

One day the group went tubing in the river, which I did last year, but I had Ame this time :) It is okay Ame I didn't care to do it. Rita, our friend got sick on the way to the river so she stayed behind to keep me company. We were able to make our way to this cool Alpine Lake to have lunch. Everyone was swimming and going down this enormous slide while Rita and I ate our delicious food. I ordered the lake fish. Yummy. Ame slept the whole time on me. Shocking, I know. The group had a great time tubing and said the water was very calm. Last year when I went the water was crazy, of course. The group didn't believe any of my stories. :(

The Opera was on Friday night. It was such a beautiful night. We reserved a table for all of us so we could have food and just enjoy ourselves comfortably. The Opera is in German so reading the playbill is a must (even then it is hard to follow) Ame was with us and any time we thought she was going to make a sound we would run to the back of the restaurant building with her. It was quite comical. Life with a baby is definitely crazier. Nothing is really easy anymore. It is all a new normal that I am just now getting used too. Afterwards we partied inside the restaurant with all the members of the Opera. It was a blast. Ame was sleeping on me the whole time. Another mom there was shocked that I was here with an 8 week old. She asked if I was still in the fog, I answered yes rather quickly. About 11 we headed home. Ame and I went to bed and the gang drank more downstairs. It was a fun filled weekend. Mommy left being very exhausted though!

Just another day

Amèlie. You make my heart so full. I pray daily for time to stop. You are my joy, my happiness, my little buddy. When I am with you I feel like there is no place I would rather be. Obviously I want Daddy home too to complete it but you know what I mean. I adore you almost too much. I always heard that the love for a child was unexplainable but I never believed them. Now I get it. Your heart gets so full it could just burst. Today I picked you up at Stucki, the indoor mall here, and you just beamed. You were so happy to be picked up from the stroller. You started just staring at me. Then you do this thing where you get shy and hide your face in my arms or chest. It is my favorite. It is almost like a form of peek a boo. You only like the stroller if it is moving. Otherwise you scream to get out. You want to be in our arms as much as possible. When you get into our arms you are the happiest baby ever. We have been told by many people that you are the best baby they have ever seen. Makes us grin from ear to ear.

Never been so happy. This family of 3 truly does complete me. I love you Ame J .