City Baby in Deutschland

Alrighty, so in my last post “And then…” you heard the nightmare trip we took to get over here. Well, despite our jetlag and exhaustion, the next day we jumped right in with both feet, eager and ready to start enjoying time with my parents.

My Dad and Michelle live in a cute little German village called Harzelt. It’s situated in what is known as the Tri-Border region. So named, it’s the area of Europe where Germany, Holland and Belgium all butt up against each other. It is not at all uncommon to drive around in this area and continually pop in and out of each country without even realizing it.

The village my parents live in is surrounded by multiple other little villages, which are ultimately clumped around the NATO Base where my Dad works. It’s a beautiful little area, which perfectly personifies what you would imagine European Country to be. Little red brick houses, quaint churches in the middle of village squares, twisting narrow cobble stoned streets and of course fields of animals and agriculture which have been tended by the same families for centuries.

In short, it’s like living in a postcard. Here are a few pics to give you an idea.







These were taken today, while Dad, Madeline and I were on a bike ride around the nearby villages. My parents are BIG TIME cycling enthusiasts and Dad couldn’t wait to get the Munchkin into an infant seat on his bike.



We got this one a few villages over in a larger city called Sittard, located in the Netherlands. It’s my Dad’s opinion that if you need anything to do with cycling, you go to Holland. He’s sure that the Dutch are born able to ride a bike. He often says first the bike comes out, then the baby.

Backing up a little, on our second day here we went for a walk around Harzelt, so Madeline could see all the local farm animals. I mean what is more exciting to a toddler then farm animals? Especially a City Baby like Madeline.

Although, Madeline saw lots of animals this year at the county fair, that experience could in no way compare with seeing cows and horses and ducks and chickens, and even emu in the fields. Running around, mooing and neighing and quacking and clucking and…. well… whatever emu do… Madeline was in heaven.

My Dad had a blast seeing her delight and reactions to the animals. She would point at the cows and exclaim, “Oooooooooo!”



This was both an utterance of awe, as well as what she believes a cow says. My daughter can manage to yell “MO!” at the top of her lungs, but when it comes to the sound a cow makes it’s “Ooooo”, not “Moo”. So, now whenever we are driving down the road and we see a bunch of cows (not a bunch, a herd… that’s just for you Dad), she squeals “Oooooo” until someone acknowledges, the cows. Needless to say, this happens quite frequently as cows are EVERYWHERE over here.

The day after our farm animal safari, it was time for my little City Baby to experience some real country playtime. Where better to have a little down and dirty fun then, in the dirt!

My Dad purposely left his garden unattended at the end of the summer, so that Madeline could have some fun playing and digging away to her heart’s content.

She dug…



And helped Grandpapa dig…



And looked at worms…



And eventually gave up on a shovel, cause her hands worked better.



Then she ran up and down the hill in Grandmaman and Grandpapa’s back yard.



Get a load of that dirt! I always thought I had a girly girl on my hands, but I guess she’s a little bit city and a little bit country.

And I think I like that…

I think I like that A LOT!

No better way to tell your kid had fun then this,



Good Times,

Mandy:)