Halloween, Lanterns and Weekend getaways

Since we got back from America I have been very busy. I am going to school everday from 8-2 and then have the whole afternoon to play with my mom. In school Iam learning a lot and get to do lots of crafts. Mom and I made two Jack-O-Lanterns for Halloween and I dressed up as a Bumble Bee. My friend, Emily, invited me to a Halloween party and we got lots of candy and even got to go trick-or-treating. It was so fun!!!

Then in November we had the Lantern Festival at my school. I made the lantern myself and my teachers even put a real, burning candle in it. We went on a walk around the block and sang some songs. My favorite song right now is "Ich geh' mit meine Laterne" which is the main lantern song. I am still singing it even though we are in Advent now!
At the end of November mama, papa and I took a trip to Tirol and met some family friends there. Kathrin, Jörg and baby Anna. I had a great time wth baby Anna and got some practice for when my brother or sister arrives. Yup, thats right! Mama is going to have another baby. In June I am goingto be a big sister. I am not sure I really understand what that means, but I am still looking forward to it.
Right now I am really excited because I have an Advent Calendar and I get to open it everyday. Inside there are chocolats and other small gifts. I am really interested in Santa Claus and Christmas. I think I am really going to enjoy it this year. I am talking up a storm and repeat everything mom and papa say. I am also really loud and sometimes when things are going my way I am capable of throwing a bit of a tantrum. It can just be so frusterating when I can't communicate what I want or need!
I hope that you are all having a wonderful Advent and that we will hear from all of you soon.
Bye-bye!

Home again, home again!

Hello Everyone!
Sorry it has been so long since you last heard from me. I was just too busy in America to get around to writing.
We had a great time visiting my Family in America.

I saw my Aunt Betsy & Uncle Bill and Uncle & Aunt Jess in Wahsington DC I got to go the Zoo, ride the Subway, eat at the bakery where Aunt Betsy used to work, going to the beach in New Jersey and lots of other intersting things. I also got to meet my Aunt Christine for the first time. I was happy about that! It was just great spending time with all the people who love me and getting spoiled with attention.

Our next stop was Wichita where my Grandma and Grandpa were waiting for me. I had a good time there too.

We also went to the Zoo, did lots of shopping, played at the church with the other kids and helped in the garage. I even helped with mowing the law. Grandma and Grandpa have three cats who were fairly patient with me while I was there.

We took a long road trip to Webster where I saw my Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa. It was good to see them and I had a good time there as well. I also met mommy's friends Carrie and Jake. On the way to Webster we stayed in a hotel in Lincoln. We had dinner with Karen, Jim, Anne and KC and the breakfast the next day with Katie. It was all so much fun. Mom says I was a really good girl on the long trip in the car.

I had a great time in the US. It was sad to leave my American family and come back to Austria, but I was excited to start pre-school. I have already gone 3 days and am having a great time...even if I don't eat much of the lunch they serve me. Mom says she hopes I will start eating more soon.
Well, that is it for now. I better get to bed and get rested for school tomorrow.
xoxoxo

Zoe

Italy!

Well, we are back from a wonderful week in Grado, Italy. We took the boat to a small island everyday and went swimming. I had a very good time playing in the sand and water. We all got a nice suntan and enjoyed spending so much time outside. I had such a good time with my two Tantes, Julia and Katharina. I spent most of the days chasing them around and calling their names out. They took good care of me and spent lots of time playing with me. I really love them a lot. The weather was perfect...almost a bit too hot. Now we are back in Austria and its gray and rainy. We are all glad to be home again, but are already looking forward to our trip to Italy next summer.
Mom and Dad are getting really excited about our trip to the US. I am too, but I am not really sure what is going on. For the time being I am happy to be in Graz and going to daycare again. I sure missed all the kids. I hope you enjoy the pictures from our vacation.
See you all soon!
xoxoxoxo Zoe

Summer!

Hi! Well, summer is here and has been for a while. It has been SO hot here in Austria.

Mom and Dad take me swimming pretty often and otherwise I get to run around next to naked. Helps to keep me cool. I have had a couple of exciting weeks. Mom was gone to Italy and I had a great time with Dad. And then friends come to visit for a day and we went swimming. I also got to go to a birthday party for a little friend of mine and went to my new daycare for a morning to try it out. We played in the little swimming pool at the birthday party.

The birthday boy got a tractor for his birthday and I got to play with a little bit. A few things I love: tractors and cars, peanut butter, being naked, playing in the water, reading books (A big fat Hen is my favorite book right now), watering the flowers, and learning new words. I can say a lot of words and Mom and Dad are impressed with the new words I learn daily. Some new words: tractor, baum (tree), bitte schön, danke, thank you, please, PB (peanut butter), malen (color).

I am still a bit of a picky eater, but the things I love to eat are: meat (including chicken, turkey, pork chops, and anything off the grill...mom and dad say I am really Oma and Grandpa's granddaugther), cream of vegetable soup (mom makes it for me...otherwise I don't really care for veggies), noodles, rice, yogurt, apples, rice cakes, peanut butter (but no Jelly, please), chocolate (and again, mom says I am really grandma's grandaugter).
I am counting the days down until we fly to America. Or I guess I would be if I knew how to count. Mom is really excited, Dad too, which makes me really excited. See you all soon! XOXOXO

Fun with clips and other stuff!

Hello hello hello!

Things are going great here in Graz. I am growing like a weed, or so my mom says. And am getting smarter everyday. I can say lots of words now. About half german half english. I think it's a pretty good combination. I say: owie, teller (plate), la-la (empty), beppy (betsy), tractor, milk, wa-wa (water) and many other things. I love to look at books, especially before nap and bed time. I like to color pictures...mom says it's like modern art. I also like to play with clothes pins. They are fun to put on my nose. I also keep busy with my friends and going to day care three times a week.
Mom is going to Italy with two girlfriends this weekend. I think she needs the break and so does she. Dad is staying here to take care of me. I think it will be a pretty fun daddy-zoe weekend. Mom is pretty nervous about leaving me. Not because doesn't have faith in daddy, but because she is going to miss me. She has never left me before and maybe, just maybe, she is feeling a bit bad for having fun without me.

I also got a cool new haircut, which you might notice in some of the pictures. Papa says I look a little like a boy now. Mom doesn't think so. But I am not so sure. Some old man on the tram told me what a cute little boy I am. Mom said, 'Nein. Sie ist ein Mädchen'. But that's the first time that has happened since I was a little tiny baby. So there must be some truth to it...me looking like a boy, that is.

I hope you all have a good rest of the month. A big, fat Happy Birthday kiss to Aunt Beppy!

Ba-Bye!

Mommy got a 2!

Hello Everyone!
I just want to share the good news with you all:
Mommy got a 2 on her German test. A 2 is the second best...only a 1 is better. I guess I can let the 2 slide since she is always doing such a good job taking care of me.
The weather has been, mostly, nice here in Graz. We have had some rain, but mostly during the night which doesn't keep me from going outside during the day. I am still going to daycare this summer, which I think is great. Mommy thinks its good too!
We are getting excited about our trip to the US. Mama and I are flying into DC on the 4th of September and then meeting Papa later on in the month in Wichita. We get to stay until the 13th of October. So much time to learn and practice my English. I am really excited!!!!
My two Tantes, Katharina and Julia, are the US right now with Grandma and Grandpa and from what I can see they are having a great time.

Happy 4th of July to everyone!

The things I love.....

Well, summer is here and I am loving it. Summer is just one of the many things that I love.

I love peanut butter!

I love shoes!

I love my new chair!

And I love to color!

Things are going really good here in Graz for all of us. Papa had lots of days off of work in May. In Austria they like to have holidays. Mommy is busy preparing for her german test and is going to take it on June 25. Let's all try to think of her on that day so that she passes it. I have been spending lots of time outside, but mom and dad always forget to take the camera. I hope to hear from you all very soon. xoxoxooxxo BYE!

Swimming on the neighbor's Terrace

Hi Everyone!
I know it's been a while since I have written and really that's due to my mother's laziness. Here is a short update for you.
It has been extremely warm here in Graz. We are talking 30 degrees (or for you United Statians thats 86 degrees). I love being outside and getting to run around in next to nothing. Mom says I have to keep my diaper on so I don't potty all over the place. It's totally unfair!
We had visit from one of my mom's best friends, Maria. She brought me a really cool stuffed dog from Norway and she brought chocolate too. I LOVE chocolate. After Maria went home another friend came, this time from Germany. He and I got along really well.



This week the building company has been working on our neighbors terrace because it leaks into our apartment. It actually started dripping in the kitchen and mom and dad were pretty upset about it. Anyway, they fixed the problem, or we all hope so, and then flooded the terrace to make sure it was leak proof. I was visiting my neighbors yesterday and mom let me swim on the flooded terrace. It was SO fun and it sure helped beat the heat.


We also celebrated Mother's day about 2 weeks ago. I got my mom some cool stuff including a little heart that I made for her at daycare. She was really impressed.
I hope you are all well and able to keep cool wherever you are. I miss you all very much. You probably won't recognize me next time you see me because I am such a big girl now...and a jabber box according to my mom. But she's to blame for that anyway. xoxoxoxo Bah-bye

No more mommy Milk!

Hello Everyone!
I have some big news: I am no longer drinking mommy milk!!! As of yesterday I no longer need mommy's milk to go to bed. It was a big change for mommy and me, but we did it and we are both happy about it. After 14 months and 1 week of drinking my mom's milk we decided that it was time to move on. We are both very proud that we made it so long and I think that we made a great team. :)
I am still going to daycare 5 times per week and I love it more and more each day. I love to play with the other kids. Sometimes I don't even want to go home with mom or dad when they get there to pick me up.
I am talking a lot more now too! I can say ahp (apple), hallo, zoe (sort of), ba- nah-nah (banana....usually need a few tries to get it) . I can also point to my toes, my nose, my eyes, my ears and mouth. It seems like I am learning so much each day.
I spend the days, when I am not at daycare, playing outside in the sand box, with a ball, at the park and riding on the back of mommy's bike. I also LOVE to dance. I think Modest Mouse is a good band and can really jam out to their music.


I miss you all! Hope to see you all very soon. xoxoxoxo bah bah

The Easter Bunny came!

Well, the Easter Bunny was here and is gone again. But he left me lots of goodies behind. I got a new broom, a wheel barrow and a sand box at my Opa and Oma's house in Eberstein. I sampled a bit of sand. Not so tasty!

When we got home there was a package here from America. I got a really pretty new dress and lots of clothes for the summer including a bikini. I can't wait to try it on!

I also ate an chocolate Easter bunny...or maybe a few of them. :) All I can say is YUMMY!!!!

Now spring is here and I am enjoying all the time I get to spend outside and on our balcony.
I get to take my ball house on the balcony and that keeps me very busy. Life is good...

Here comes the Easter Bunny!

Well, the snow is all gone and the sunshine is here. Mom says this time spring is here to stay. We'll see....
I have been really busy lately. Mom has her German course everyday and that means I go to daycare everyday. I love it there and most of the time I don't really want to go home. There are lots of cool toys and I keep myself very busy following the bigger kids around. By the time I get home, I am pretty pooped and after lunch I take a nice, long nap. Then it's mommy and Zoe time and I love that.
This week and next week mom has a break from her German class which means I don't go to daycare as much. I still am going a few times so that I don't forget how much I love it.

I am getting really excited about Easter. I have already been sampling various chocolate Easter bunnies and eggs and am really hoping I will get some more. We are going to Eberstein, where my Oma and Opa live, this weekend and I have been promised some goodies. I am certainly looking forward to it. I also heard Mom say there is a package coming from America! I can't wait to see what is in it. My grandma usually does a great job finding things that I like.
I can say lots of things now, which makes my life a lot easier. My favorite thing to say is 'Ba-Ba' which means bye bye. I am really good at saying it and waving at the same time. I also blow lots of kisses and, when the opportunity is there, I give lots of kisses to my mom and dad. Well, thats it for now.
I will let you all know how Easter goes. 'Ba-Ba'

It's raining, it's snowing???

Guess what? It finally snowed!!!!! I got to put on my snowsuit for the first time and walk around in the snow. Mom says the snow probably won't stay for too long, but I am enjoying it. Now I know why mom was so disappointed that it didn't snow all winter. I am still hoping it will snow a bit more so I can finally try my sled out, but it looks like I am probably going to have to wait until next winter. For now I will have to settle for snowy walks.

We're gonna party like it's my birthday....

We finally had my birthday party. It was so much fun!!! Over 30 guests came and helped me celebrate my very 1st birthday. 10 of my little friends came by and played with all my toys, ate some cake and left a lot of cleaning up for my parents. My mom and dad were so surprised at how well behaved all of the kids were. No one cried or fought and eveyone had so much fun playing together. I got some really cool presents from my friends too. All in all it was a great party, but my mom and dad say they are glad it's over. :)