Naughty or Nice???

Hi Everyone! I am writing from America!!! The countdown to Christmas is running and I cannot wait to see what the packages under the tree have for me. Nils is getting some presents too and even mom, dad, Grandma and Grandpa. Guess we have all been nice...or St. Nick is just a really generous fellow! Speaking of St. Nick, here are a couple shots of me on St. Nicolaus day, December 6th.

Although the holiday is not normally celebrated here in the US, Grandma and Grandpa had a few gifts for Nils and I prepared. See that cool bench? Well, Gramps had that built for me. It is so cool!

I have been having a great time playing with all of my mama's old toys and dolls. And even trying on Uncle Eric's liesure suit.

Pretty cool, huh?

We have also had some snow here in Kansas. Not sure that we will have a white Christmas, but at least I got to put on my snow suit for a bit and play at the park.

We have been really busy Christmas shopping for everyone. That has been so fun. The stores in America are really big and have lots of cool things to look at. We don't have that much to do around here when Grandma and Gramps are working, so we go shopping a alot. We also did a 5 day road trip and drove 1300 miles (thats over 2000 km). We got to stay in a hotel every night and saw lots of friends and my Great Grandpa and Great Grandma. That was really cool. Nils and I were super good travellers, say mama and papa. I think that we were more patient than Mama sometimes.

I have also had a great chance to bond with my Grandma and Grandpa. They might be spoiling me a bit, but I don't mind! My Grandma and I made homemade playdough and made ornaments from it. That was really fun. There are always enough hugs and kisses for Nils and I. That makes us really happy.

And finally, a short update on Nils. He is getting his first tooth. A tiny little dot of white is sticking out. That is really exciting for us all. And, as you can see from the next picture, he started eating carrots. He has done a good job considering he is just learning. On a not so positive note, Nils had to go to the Doctor yesterday. He has a respiratory illness of some kind (probably viral) and has to have a nebulizer for a few days. He bascially has a wheezing cough...but it looks like he is getting better. Other than his little cough, he is fine. Laughing and cooing like always. He can even sit now!

Well, I better wrap it up. I have some cats to chase and need to look at the Christmas tree some more. I will update again after Christmas.

Love to you all!

Zoe

Trick or Treat!

Happy (late) Halloween!

Nils and I had a great time on Halloween. Nils was a very cute little pumpkin and I was a beautiful princess! We went to a fun Halloween party with lots of other American and British kids. It was fun (and I got some candy). Then we came home and did a bit of trick or treating in our neighborhood. I wanted to show all of my friends how cute we were and I got some more candy too!!!

We are getting really excited about America. I might even bring my imaginary friend, Impfl, along. Although he might have to stay home. I guess we will see. Impfl spends lots of time at our house. He is sometimes 20 and sometimes 2 and he is in the kindergarten already. He drive a bike and sometimes even a motor bike. He likes to wear a dress with pants and has short hair. And he also does things to help me get out of doing the things I don't want to do. For example, he put a spider in my Cheerios this morning so I didn't have to eat it. Too bad mom just gave Impfl a lecture (and I helped give him a lecture) and he took the spider out of my Cheerios. Good thing too as I was hungry afterall. :)

Have a great week!
Love,
Zoe

Busy as a bee!

Hello Everyone!
Sorry that I haven't written in a long time! My family and I have been so busy with all sorts of things. In September we went to Italy for a long weekend. Papa took a few days off of work and we hung out on the beach and filled up for the last time this year on sand, sun and yummy Italian food. Our friend Reini came with us and that was really fun.
When we got back to Graz fall had started, but lucky for us it has been really nice lately and we have been able to spend everyday playing outside. A few weeks back we went to Schöckl (the "house" mountain of Graz). We rode up in a cable car and I loved it. It was a bit cold, but I was dressed for the occasion. I took my baby with and she rode in a "tragetuch" (baby wrap) just like my brother rides on Mama and Papa. There was a really great playground up at the top and I had a great time swinging and sliding.





Speaking of Nils, my brother is getting really big and cute by the day. He smiles a lot and keeps us all in a great mood. Mom says he is a pretty "laid back" baby. Not sure exactly what that means. It doesn't make much sense to me, becuase he likes to sit the whole day. But it seems to be a good thing. :) He has a cool cowboy outfit from Uncle Bill's mom and dad and its really cute. He also has a girlfriend....my baby, Lora. We tried to tell him he is too young, but he really likes her.








Any my VERY VERY VERY biggest news:
I got a "laufradala" (balance bike). I have been wanting one for a very long time and worked really hard to learn to ride my trike because Mama and Papa said when I could pedal on my trike I could get a balance bike. Well, I have one now and I am really fast. Mama says its good exercise for both of us. She tells everyone how fast we can get from school to home now..twice as fast as when we both walk!

We are getting so excited about our trip to the US. Just over one month until we leave and then we get to stay with Grandma and Grandpa for one month...do you think they might spoil my brother and I???
A last little piece of news: my Papa is now Dr. Maletz. Yup....he finished up his work at the University in Germany and now he has a published book (Integrated Requirements Modeling: A Contribution towards the Integration of Requirements into a Holistic Product Lifecycle Management Strategy). We are super proud of him!!!
Have a great fall. Love,
Zoe

To America and Back!!!

Hello Everyone!
We are back in Austria, but had a GREAT trip to the US. Mom says I was a super good traveler and that she was so proud of me for sitting so long in the airplane! Dad brought a few surprises along and when I was good for a while I got one. I got a little baby, a tiny cup ( i love tiny things!!!), a music box, a game, and a chocolate.



We had so much fun in America! I was a really pretty flower girl and had so much fun playing with my aunts, uncles, grandma, grandpa and all the other people that were there.


We got to go to a restaurant and eat pancakes for brunch and I got to go to the Zoo with my Aunt Betsy. I ate a really big hot dog there!
Now we are back in Graz and I am starting back at preschool today. I missed all of my friends and it is a bit boring at home with Mama and Nils. Papa is going to Germany today and Mama says when he comes back he will be a doctor. Huh??? I don't get it, but both Mom and Dad are really nervous today.
Have a great week and enjoy the pictures of me and my family!
Love,
Zoe

I am a big sister!!!!

Hello Everyone!
I am a big sister now. My brother, Nils Thomas Maletz, was born on June 24 at 3:29 p.m. He was a big boy weighing in at 9 lbs 1 oz and was 21 1/2 inches long. The birth went really smoothly. I was visiting my Oma and Opa in Carinthia and met Nils the next day. My dad says my mom did a great job and my mom says she has never felt stronger in her life (pushing out such a big baby is hard work!!!).


We are all really proud of Nils. I love to hang out with him, give him a bath, hold him, cuddle him. I am doing a good job dealing with all the changes and not even too jealous (yet....).

We are so excited about our trip to the US. We are counting the days until we leave.
Take care! xoxoxo
Zoe

School Pictures

Here are my first ever school photos. Mom and Dad are really excited about how cute they turned out. They each have a key chain with my photos on it and proudly show everyone that will look.



Mom is doing pretty good, but this heat is starting to get to her. She says she can't wait to hold me again without her big belly. And she can't wait to carry me again either. She can't do either one of them very well anymore, so I am also looking forward to having my somewhat thinner mom back. :)




Dad is just about done with his doctorate thesis and is going to turn it in next week. We are so proud of him!!! We have so much going on right now,but still find lots of time to play outside, celebrate birthdays, go swimming, and have lots of fun together. We are looking forward to the 4th member of our family. We can't wait to see how much fun he will bring us!


Talk to you all soon.
xoxoxo Zoe

Petting Zoe, BK and Italy!

Hi Everyone!
Here are a few pictures from the last couple of weeks. On the 11th of May we celebrated Mother's Day! I got to go to a petting Zoe with Mama and Papa. It was so much fun and I even got to pet a little monkey. That was so cool!!!!
On the way home we stopped to get a bite at BK. I like to go there becuase I always get a crown and get to sit in a throne to eat my dinner. And this time I got some pretty nifty sunglasses!




This last weekend we went to Italy with my Oma, Opa, and two Aunties. It was the last vacation before my brother, Nils, is born. It was fun, but unfortunately the weather was not perfect. We still got to go for a couple boat rides, play in the sand and I got to hang out with my Aunts. They are lots of fun and take good care of me.

We are all just busy waiting for Nils to get here. I am looking forward to when my mom can hold me on her lap a bit better and when she might be able to carry me again. And I really just can't wait to meet my brother. Maybe next time you hear from me I will already be a big sister.
Love,
Zoe

Birthday Party!

Yesterday my friend Emily had a birthday party. She just turned 2!!! Just like me. We had so much fun playing that I didn't want to go home.

She was nice enough to let me tinker around with some of her birthday gifts. Plus she has two big brothers who spent lots of time playing with me.

Another of our friends, Katie, was there too. We all had so much fun, although we had a few tiffs over the dolly strollers and other toys.

We had really good cupcakes with PINK!!!!!!!! frosting and then for dinner we had hamburgers, American style, right off the grill. They were so good that I had 1 1/2 hamburgers. Everyone was pretty impressed that I can pack in so much meat. (Sorry Aunt Betsy and Uncle Bill, but I am afraid I won't be going Vegan anytime in the near future!!!)

Here is wishing everyone a wonderful Mother's Day!
xoxoxo
Zoe

Hi Everyone! Hope you are all well. I am doing great! Summer is approaching and I have been enjoying the beautiful spring weather here in Austria. As you can see, I am getting bigger and bigger and am certainly no longer a baby. (Although, I pretend to be a baby when I want more attention or just am too lazy to walk or feed myself).
I love music, as you can see above. I am attending a Monday afternoon music class for toddlers and love it. We learn lots of songs, try out different instruments and mostly just get to have fun playing with other kids.

You might also notice that I can be quite the sleepy head sometimes (together with Mama). If Papa snores too loud then Mama joins me in bed (ok ok it has only happened once but....). It is nice to have someone to cuddle with in my bed. I have lots of stuffed animals, but Mama is lots bigger and warmer.

I also have a great time just being a silly goose. I love to wear big girl underpants and am really good about using the potty when we are at home. I have also just discovered that kids can pee outside if its too far to a potty, so I have a good time doing that too. I am getting really excited about Nils, my new brother. I have the feeling we are going to have so much fun to together. I already know that when he cries I will hug him to make him feel better. And I get to help bathe him and when he is a bit bigger tickle him. I can't wait! I also can't wait to see my American family in just 3 months.
Have a great Mother's Day (I have lots of surprises planned for my Mama!)
xoxoxo Zoe

Easter and My New Rain Boots!

Happy Easter (a little bit late) Everyone!
I had a great Easter here in Austria! I got some pretty cool new gifts from the Easter Bunny. I got a new little Carinthian (part of Austria where my Oma and Opa live) jacket, a new bike and sunglasses and lots of chocolate. Plus I had lots of fun spending time with my family. It was very Christmas-like at Easter. It snowed everyday! And at Christmas it didn't snow at all. Now, I am not very old, but I from what I hear that is backwards.
Last week I got to go shopping with my mom and dad. I needed some new spring shoes and I also got a new pair of rain boots. I LOVE my new boots. My mom told me it is going to maybe rain today and that after I get home from preschool we can put on my new rain boots and my rain suit and go play in the rain. I can't wait!!!!!

My brother is growing in my mommy's belly. Sometimes I have to sit on Daddy's lap because my mom's belly is too big. My mom and dad are pretty sure that my brother is going to be named Nils Thomas. It isn't 100 percent sure, but they are really leaning that way. I am getting excited about the arrival of my brother.
I hope you are all well. I can't wait to see you all again soon.
Love,
Zoe

Palm Sunday!

I have been very busy lately. A few weeks ago my friend Amelie and her family came to eat dinner with us. We had so much, mixed with a bit of arguing. Amelie is one year older than me and I like to do whatever she does. If she doesn't eat her dinner, then I won't either.

Then a week later we went to visit my friend Luisa and her brother, Moritz. That was really fun. We had a great time playing with the instruments. I like to play the triangle and Luisa is pretty good on the guitar.

Unfortunately I got sick last week. I had the beginning of an ear infection and a pretty high fever. Mom had a doctor's appointment on Friday after (the baby is growing and he is doing great!!!) so Dad came and worked at home. I, of course, helped him by tracing his hand over and over. I like to be just like my mom and dad!!!

On Sunday we went to Palm Sunday church. I got to take the two "Palm" branches that I made. I made the bigger one at school and the smaller one at home, with mommy's help. I was really proud and had a great time at church. Now I am looking forward to Easter. I think the Easter Bunny has some big surprises in store for me. I can't wait!

I hope you all have a Happy and Blessed Easter. I will write again soon. XOXOXO