Video and more pictures

Sophie is proving to be an engineer, poet, and athlete. She builds towers and organizes cupboards. Each morning begins with a lovely oration of profound thoughts from the night. She also holds the apartment record for dashing from room to room in les than five seconds. All this at age one!

Sophie also likes to share, be it her food, clothes or books. When we're at the library, she'll bring me or another child a book--fun! I love snuggling with her and reading together. While at Grandma and Grandpa's house, she discovered the piano. Hee hee hee.

She's an adventurer--practicing climbing on the bed and sofa (Lynn Hill and other climbers, watch out!). While we won't be ready for Yosemite for a while, we'll surely enjoy scaling the boulders in the park come summertime. She loves to walk around town looking for dogs and familiar faces. Her new quest is to find Christmas trees, bright lights, and flags flapping in the breeze. Her favorite flower is still the sunflower.

Our girl is a Nature Girl--likes the colorful leaves and the feel of fresh air, goes a bit nutty if cooped up too long inside or in shops. I'm looking forward to camping and adventures outside. We're experiencing a bit of Toddler Brain these days, as the teeth continue to come. Fortunately a trip to the park or beach helps mellow us all out. A warm meal helps, too. Recently at the beach,she discovered sea shells, volleyball, and sea gulls. Fun! She loves the waves. I won't be surprised if she decides to surf or boogie board!

Check out the video of her building a tower:

Fun at Half Moon Bay

It was sunny and warm on Sunday, so we hopped in the car and drove to Half Moon Bay. The drive is a delightful 30 minutes, winding through cypress and eucalyptus groves, past pumpkin patches and Christmas tree farms, ending at a lovely sandy beach embraced by high wind-blown cliffs.

Sophie likes the ocean. Our little beach babe kicked off her shoes and made a beeline for the waves. The frigid water didn't seem to bother her; when back on dry ground, Sophie played a bit to appease us, then scampered back to the water's edge.

We played and played. There's nothing like the beach to relax and renew the spirit. I'm particularly fond of the Pacific Ocean and the Northern California Coast. The air tastes fresh, the redwood studded hills tumble down to meet the sea, the grainy sand massages the toes. sometimes we see dolphins, whales, seals and sea otters. Sophie found some pretty shells, all worn smooth from their underwater tumbles.

Time to head back. Dan and Sophie fell into a deep sleep while I enjoyed a few moments to myself. We then met the rest of the research team at a burger joint for greaseburgers, milk shakes and curly fries. Yum.

Soon it will be time for a vacation, once all this crazy fabulous research is over. Maybe we'll find another charming beach town with a beautiful stretch of coastline, or maybe we'll return to this one. How lucky we are to live so close to paradise.

Lessons from my daughter

Sophie is a wise girl. Everyday she teaches me something new and reminds me about what's important in life. Here is some of her 11 month-old wisdom:

* Eat with gusto. Spoons and fingers are fun.

* When Papa (or someone else you love) comes home, stop whatever you're doing and give him a smile. Then a hug.

*It's ok to bury your head in Mama's lap when you hurt or are sad.

* Laugh often. Laugh with your whole being. Laugh so your eyes and face sparkle.

* Play with a friend. Understand that if they walk away for a minute, it's nothing personal--there might be a bird or a football to look at.

* Be honest.

* There's nothing like a good trip to the bathroom.

* Splashing in the tub is a great way to end the day, especially with colorful starfish toys.

* How lovely to fall asleep in the arms of someone you love and trust.

* Ask for what you need. If you don't get it right away, have a little patience, then keep on asking.

* Stop and smell the roses.

* Sing to the sunflowers, doggies and kitties.

* Staying up past bedtime is ok to do when there's a fun party happening.

* Spend time in nature everyday, often. Find a favorite tree and watch it change.

* Share. Say please and thank you in whatever language you speak.

* Breathe. Sing. Pray.

* Call things by name, like "nanana" and "cado" for banana and avocado.

* Read interesting books. Ones with lots of pictures are fun, but the ones with lots of words are good too.

* Nap--it makes Mama happy. :-)

* Sing "good morning day!", even if it's 5 am.

* Kick off your socks and shoes, and wiggle those toes. Hee hee hee.

* Keep on loving and learning. You might make someone's day with your sunshine.

* What matters most is family and God.

* And...be yourself. Who cares what the others think! You are wonderful just as you are.

Pumpkin Time

Autumn is here in the Bay Area (Yep, we're back in beautiful California; more on that later). Time to take our little pumpkin to a pumpkin patch.

Lita, Sophie and I went to one near Half Moon Bay. We bypassed the super cheesy ones with inflatable rides and noisy bouncy things, and honed in on one with lots of flowers, wooden structures and pumpkins. Sophie loved all the colors and textures. There's something to be said for crawling on the hay and running little hands all over gourds.


Enthralled by their shape and color, Sophie still points at pumpkins and squeals in delight. This makes our walks delightful, especially when she's snuggled up in the Moby wrap. Here's this cute kid with big blue eyes and a great smile, wearing an orange hat with a butterfly on it, pointing and "ooh! Ooh! Ohh!"ing at pumpkins carved and plain. Linus would be proud; he might think he found a companion to search for the Great Pumpkin come Halloween.


Speaking of October 31, Sophie went to her first Halloween party. She dressed as...what else...a pumpkin. She had a ball. So many colorful lights, sparkly things, and interesting people. Who knew that Jesters, Candy Corn, and Teletubbies lived nearby?

She also went trick or treating, and was more interested in picking the lemons off of the neighbor's tree than touching That Strange Stuff Called Candy (good girl, Soph!).


We bought two little pumpkins, and would like to make them into pie. However, that would take away Sophie's two new favorite toys--she picks them up by the stems and rolls them across the carpet. Hmmm....maybe it's time to take her to a turkey farm? :-)

Spring and Sophie Pix

Spring is here in HH. The flowers twirl in a kaleidascope of color, birds awaken us and sing us to sleep, there is a general feeling of delight (relief?) that the cold winter is but a faded memory. folks seem friendlier--shopkeepers make small talk, moms smile to each other on the street, the bicycle-riding grandparents call out "hellos". It's nice. A few weeks ago, we decorated the Easter Tree. Germans hang colorful eggs on the branches of a budding tree. Around Easter Sunday, the blossoms bloom, and spring is celebrated. Sophie was intrigued by the fuzzy buds and the smooth eggs. Sophie started eating carrots on Saturday. Loves them, especially steamed, and pureed with mama milk. She also has a new "game" that I probably should discourage, but it's sooo cute...when she has finished breast feeding, she looks up at me and laughs. Hee hee hee. This makes me laugh, which encourages her to laugh more. Soon we're both shrieking with delight. What fun. Her whole face lights up when she laughs. Sophie's gymnastic and yoga prowess continues to develop nicely. She can touch her toes, roll from left to right, and reach out and clutch a favorite toy both on her back and on her tummy. She also gives sweet "concerts" at around 6am...lots of la-la-las and ooh-ooh-oohs. Her voice is sweet and slightly husky, and reminds me of a jazz singer. She has two friends--Ace (who is five days younger), and Vesa (who is three days older). Here she is with Vesa at the ice cream parlor. Sophie also loves to read! She helps turn the pages of "Brown Bear", and snuggles in for "Goodnight Moon" at night. Can you tell that we love her? She went to a cafe with some friends from my German class. Everyone loved it! Dan and I were happy to help myself to the brunch buffet while our daughter basked in the glow of our friends' arms. Sophie is so cool. How did we get so lucky? So come on over to HH and spend some time with Sophie before she grows up. :-)

Baptism and More

Sophie is growing and changing before our eyes. What a delight!

On March 22, she was baptised at her American grandparents' church in California, St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Coincidentally, this date marked the 50th anniversary of her German grandma's confirmation, and the name of our church in Hamburg is St. Paul's. I love those synchronicities... :-)

We celebrated with a small family gathering that included yummy California cuisine and German cake. Sophie wore a hat that her great-great Grandma Annie made and a dress from Grandma.

This week's milestones include:

* deliberately grabbing for Rocket, her favorite purple bunny
* laughing when Dan plays peek-a-boo with her
* picking up Rocket and other toys
* holding her spoon...and choosing the colorful wooden one over the plain white plastic one
* staying in the classic tummy pose for about a minute, and lifting herself up when she's tired
* lots of singing to the bears
* sleeping for four hours at a time at night, sometimes, but more often in three hour stretches
* entertaining herself with the purple and pink elephant dangling toy while we ride the train
* full laughs when we play "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" and "Way Up In The Sky"

She's even-keeled and lots of fun. I savor every minute of the joy and the snuggles for she's growing more independent and self-confident every day. She's now a proper little girl...not a newborn...she's growing up before my eyes. And I love her so much.

Here she is with her great-Grandma Love, Grandma Patti "Grammy Crackers", and Mama.

Citizenship

Sophie is now a US citizen!

On February 2, our star-spangled daughter traveled to the consulate in Berlin, and now holds dual citizenship in America and Germany. She got her passport, social security card, and first flag. Although I'm not usually that patriotic, I can't stop humming "You're a Grand Old Flag", "Yankee Doodle" and "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain."

What makes this event so exciting? Partly the sense of community--our little daughter is now one of our national tribe. She gets all the privileges and responsibilities that go with citizenship. She'll learn the importance of voting and voice. She is inextricably united with other Americans culturally. And because she'll learn American English, her language and national cultural values will make more sense to her.

That said, she's also a citizen of Germany, a member of the European Union. She also has those rights and responsibilities, too. Again, she'll learn German and absorb all its implied values and biases. She will be able to work anywhere in the EU, study at the university without paying tuition, travel on a German passport, and be influenced by European ideals.

How will Sophie reconcile the differences in these cultures? How will she make sense of the world? Will she, like her parents, build a foundation based on similarities and trust, bridging the two norms?

As I watch our sweet daughter blissfully sleep, I wonder if the time has arrived to truly set aside the ideas of borders and nations. The world is becoming more blended, and human culture will undoubtedly change, for what does it mean to be German, if one lives in America, or vice versa? Or both? The face of Sophia reflects the face of the world--united, new, and beautiful. The best of all cultures.

Farewell, Stormy

On Friday, January 23, our sweet hamster Stormy passed away. She was an extraordinary being, and brought great joy to our family. We will miss you, little one.

Born in October 2007 in Oakland CA, Stormy was the smartest of the litter. She was the first to venture from the nest, the first to hop out of the shoebox while we cleaned the cage, and the first to climb the cage bars. She loved to scamper across our bathroom counter and explore the apartment in her ball.

Defying all hamster textbooks and websites, Stormy enjoyed being held and petted. She knew her name, and would venture from her hut when called (perhaps enticed by a sunflower seed or some other treat). Her cage was on the kitchen window ledge, and she "joined" us at every meal.

She knew that she was part of the family and grew lonely when we were away; after a two-week vacation, Stormy changed her schedule to spend time with us, staying awake during the day and sleeping at night. Sometimes she would forgo eating in lieu of being held and petted. This bond was the deciding factor in moving her to Germany.

Stormy was a hearty traveler. Not only did she venture from Oakland to Southern California twice, she may very well be the first hamster to cross the Atlantic in an airplane, business class. The "hamster with a passport" charmed the security officials at LAX and Frankfurt; one inspector even knew her species (Russian Dwarf) and offered tips on how to reduce her stress for the last leg of the flight (wrap a t-shirt around the travel container).

Stormy loved to eat plain yogurt from her own spoon. She was fond of apples, pears, cucumbers, broccoli, and Joe's O's cereal. She loved chewing on molasses bear treats and would wrestle with one for hours.

She fainted once in the living room. Our furniture had not yet arrived, and we thought it was a perfect play area for a small hamster. Dan carried her in; Stormy twitched her nose, and promptly passed out, tongue out, paws limp. We tapped her nose, took her outside for fresh air, and revived her by splashing water on her face. Although the cause was unknown, it could have been the lack of furniture--do hamsters have some sort of radar? She also experienced a mild concussion when she fell off my shoulder onto the kitchen floor.

Her nickname was "Flo Jo" as she endlessly ran in her wheel, often at great speed.

When Sophie arrived, Stormy adapted. She learned to squeak for attention, mimicking Sophia's cries. She cherished the time together in the kitchen, performing acrobatic feats of upside-down paw dangling, climbing over her wheel, and zooming through the tube.

She was Dan's first pet, and reminded us about the importance of unconditional, continual love.

Rest in peace, dear one. We feel your spirit, and look forward to seeing you in the afterlife.

Sunday at the Krupunder See

Let's be honest--"cold" does not do justice to the recent weather here in Hamburg. For the past two weeks, the average temperature hovered between zero and minus seven.

The upshot of living in an icebox is that snow sticks to the ground and lakes freeze. And when it's a sunny Sunday, everyone in Hamburg flocks to the local lake for an afternoon of merriment.

We decided to walk to the Krupunder See, our little local lake. We were not alone, for nearly 200 people were playing on the ice. Granted, there were signs posted saying that activity on the ice was prohibited, but try enforcing that to a 10 year-old with a new pair of ice skates or a grandma with a soccer ball. Hockey games were in full swing, several mountain bikers cruised the lake, an ice-wind-surfer glided across the middle of the lake. It was unbelievably fun.

Before anyone calls Child Protective Services, rest assured that we weren't the only ones with a stroller on the ice! Ok, maybe we had the youngest little one, but we were only following local custom and tradition. What kind of mother would I be to deny my child a truly German experience of playing on a frozen lake?

We threaded our way between skaters and walkers to slide on the ice. Whee!! Sophie practiced for the 2025 Olympics in the new sport of Ice Buggying. You can check out her debut on this video: youtube Sophie on the ice


Someone recognized a grand business opportunity and offered Gluhwine, hot chocolate and juice.

However, we didn't get a chance to sip the sweet treats as the police came by and gently but firmly announced that we all needed to get off the ice: Achtung, bitte--it was verboten to play on the frozen lake. :-(

About 100 of us slunk to the shore while the other 100 or so continued frolicking on the See. The police car drove away, then some of the crowd ebbed back to the frozen playground and warm refreshment stand. We headed home; Sophie would be getting hungry soon, and our hearts were full of childlike joy.