My Hungry Little Caterpillar

My little man has developed a lot during those past few weeks, especially when it comes to eating. He constantly has growth spurts and given his size (well above average), he needs good and plenty of food so that he can continue to move around the house all day. Even though Elliot had a late start when it comes to solid foods and he is definitely a Momma's boy as he rejects any bottles and only wants to be nursed, he finally got the hang of eating. 

He received his first spoonful's of solids at 5.5 months of age while we were visiting family and friends in Germany. Oma (my mom) was determined to feed her grandson some wholesome foods ,even though Elliot did not had any interest in being fed. Let's just say, he wasn't very happy about eating solids.

 

 

So once we came back from our trip, we increased his feedings and he actually started to like it. I had read about baby-led weaning, which means letting your child feed themselves from the very start of adding complementary foods’, and wanted to give it a try. At around six months, children are developmentally capable of feeding themselves proper food, in other words – no more mush! So, I started giving him pureed foods (to fill up his tummy) but also food that was prepared in suitably-sized pieces and if he likes it he eats it and if he doesn’t he won’t.

 

So far, he has eaten cooked carrots, fresh mangos, bananas and blueberries, soft-boiled apples, zucchini, cauliflower and sweet potatoes, puffs and even bread. He loves feeding himself and does very well smashing the food with his gums.

Of course, this method is very messy but it's also fun to see him enjoying his foods and sitting with us on the  dinner table like a big boy.

And today (because his first tooth is popping thru, he tried Raspberry popsicle and loved it. Just like his Momma and his sister. :)

 

 



Making a big decision

It's time to start living the life you've only imagined.

Based on that mantra and since we are tired of placing family time and seeing our kids grow up after work, we decided it is time to move. Since a few months now, we have debated and researched several options of where to move to and once we are there, what to do jobwise. I really am tired of living in this heat and humidity here in Florida so I wanted to move somewhere where it is cooler, but not too cold (i.e.: no snow shoveling and blackout conditions). Thus, we considered moving to Raleigh, N.C., Virginia and D.C. area. Unfortunately, it is either too expensive to live there or the jobs available didn't suit us and except of having more seasonal weather, it still wouldn't change the "work, work, life" lifestyle we are so tired of. Thus, my loving husband had the great idea of moving our family to (drumroll, please :)) COSTA RICA!

Yes, this is quite different what you and me had in mind but we are very excited about this new adventure. Honestly, since a while now we have been debating what it is we are looking for and when Derrick saw that documentary "happy" on PBS one day, he knew what it was. This documentary talks about of what really makes people happy.  After watching the documentary, it was reaffirmed to me that it is not money that makes one happy. Because the happiest people on earth are far away from being rich. Thus, we decided it is time for us to pursue our happiness. Happiness is defined differently for everyone, but for us it is being together as a family and seeing our kids grow up and teach them valuable life lessons. The little things in life, per se.

Why Costa Rica???  Thanks to its tropical climate, low cost of living and natural beauty, Costa Rica is considered the “greenest, happiest country in the world” and boasts one of the highest standards of living in Latin America.  Moreover, CR is known for its excellent medical care and affordable prices and has a stable government that has functioned peacefully without an army for more than 60 years. Since there is no army, the government pours more funds into education, health care and infrastructure. Unlike many Central American nations, Costa Rica has a large middle class and extreme poverty is rare, reducing crime rates considerably.  Also, CR is conveniently located and a short airplane ride (2hr 30 min) away from South Florida.  

If that is not enough, Costa Ricans (called Ticos) have a specific way of life called  "Pura Vida" (pronounces poo-rah vee-dah).  Simply translated, it means “simple life” or “pure life”.
Ticos use this term to say hello/ goodbye, to say everything’s great or cool. However, it is not the words that reflect the true meaning of Pura Vida, it rather is the way Ticos live. Not surprisingly, CR has been named one of the happiest countries in the world, mostly because its inhabitants don’t stress about things the way most foreigners do. Ticos have a very relaxed, simple way of looking at life. No worries, no fuss, no stress—pura vida to them means being thankful for what they have and not dwelling on the negative. It’s an emotion, it’s an attitude, it’s happiness, and it’s a way of life.

Thus, to experience and truly know what pura vida feels like, we decided to move to CR and be happy. We hope you will come along and read about our journey.
 

A Tooth tale Story

Today, Amelia had her second dentist visit. She did awesome! They took x-rays of her teeth, cleaned them and the dentist checked to see if everything was ok. The team at Tooth tales is really great and since there are a specially trained pediatric dental team, they have the experience and understanding to treat each patient’s dental needs with both a caring approach and a sense of fun. In addition, their  office waiting area is equipped with books, toys, and even video games geared for the young patients and Amelia thinks it is fun to wait.

 Sitting still while x-rays are being taken.

 My little princess is getting her teeth cleaned.

 And even her Lammie  had to get his teeth cleaned.

 Since Elliot is teething (a lot!!!), they gave him his very first toothbrush and he loves rubbing his gum with it.

 Say "Aaaaaa" :)

Unfortunately, the dentist did find a couple of cavities in her molars, so we will have to get those fixed. I guess no more gummibears and fruit snacks for this little sweet tooth.

On the Move

No, we are not moving yet. But someone in our family is on the move. And he is getting better and quicker at it every day. Elliot, who just turned 7 months old, is a belly creeper. He is laying on his tummy and with the help of his arms, he is propelling himself forward. Within two days, he made it from just one or two feet to creeping across an entire room.

Given his improvements in speed and efficiency over the past few days, I assume it won't take much longer and my baby boy is crawling. He is already learning to balance on his hands and knees/ tippy toes while strengthening his muscles to move around. Once he crawls, we will be in trouble. Kitchen cabinets, drawers, Amelia's toys and even the cat will be on his quest to be explored.

 Lately, he is also moving a lot in his crib around. Specifically, he likes to pull down the bumper pad and play peek-a-boo. It's too cute since he always smiles at you when he wakes up. Such a happy boy!

Even though every day I'm excited about all the new things he does and I can't wait for him to explore his surroundings, I'm also a little sad that he has grown so much in the past few weeks and months and that he is no longer my tiny little infant I can hold and cuddle for hours on end. Thus, I truly enjoy and treasure the minutes I get when he falls asleep in my arms or when I nurse him and he looks dreamingly up to me and smiles.

The Naked Truth

As I mentioned in my previous post, my almost 3-year old daughter loves dressing up as a princess. I even made her a "Princess Elsa" cape. Here she is in her princess dress. Usually, she also sports a crown or tiara and some necklaces or butterfly wings.

But as much as she loves wearing her dress-up clothes, she loves it even more to go "butt-naked", which means princess underwear and shoes. We explained to her that going butt-naked at home is fine, but in public we have to wear our clothes. Even though it is logically to us as adults to put on clothes when stepping out of the door, it is not so much for a toddler. Let's say it that way, we had quite a few arguments and tears about that. Oh, and did I mention that she likes dancing too? Of course, preferably butt-naked.

A Princess Breakfast, Birthday Party Fun and Date Night

Amelia loves to help out in the kitchen when I cook. So, on Saturday morning she decided to make us omelet. And since she also loves being a princess and wearing her princess outfit, she decided to makes a royal breakfast. A princess made us breakfast that day. Who made yours?

 And of course, every cook has to test some food to make sure it is delightful. In this case, the fresh mango from our backyard was "yummy". And so was the omelet :)

 

 

The kids also were invited to Colin's 2nd birthday party at Monkey Joe's. This is an indoor inflatable play center. They have wall-to-wall inflatable slides, jumps, and obstacle courses that Amelia really enjoys. But since Elliot is too little for all that fun, he enjoyed hanging out in his stroller and watching all the action. Such a good little boy!

 


On Saturday night, our babysitter Angela came over to watch the kids for us, so that Mommy and Daddy can have a date night (belated for our 4th wedding anniversary). We went to the movies and saw the comedy "Sex Tape". It was very funny, entertaining and just the right length. A perfect date night movie, according to my husband. And afterwards we went to a restaurant to have some wine and appetizers. This was a delightful and much needed time for just the two of us. Because as parents it is sometimes easy to forget about the relationship between husband and wife when you have two active kids and are constantly busy and out and about. Thus, I think it is even more important to make time and go out once in a while and focus on your partner and yourself.

We definitely all had a fun-filled and enjoyable weekend.

Summer, Sun and Pool Babies

What do you when it is 94 degrees outside on a hot day (feels like 102 degrees) in South Florida and not raining for a change? We go swimming. This morning, Amelia and I had fun at the Y pool. She really loves the water and jumps in with no fear and with my help swims back to the edge of the pool. In order for her to learn the right swim technique, we are starting private swim lessons at the YMCA next week. The goal is to have her swim on her own by the end of the summer.

And since the backyard was freshly mowed today, we decided to set up our pool for some afternoon fun in the sun. Elliot, Amelia and I enjoyed to cool off in the privacy of our own backyard. Elliot loves splashing. He soaks himself and everyone around him. And my little girl loves to hold her breath under water and swim across the pool. Living in South Florida definitely has it's advantage for those water loving babies.

We are the Martin's!

Hello and Welcome to our blog. We are the Martin Family: I am Franziska, my lovely husband Derrick and our two kids Amelia (almost 3 years old) and Elliot (7 months). And then we have a tabby cat, called Indy.

 

Currently we live in South Florida, but if everything works out we will be moving soon (more details coming later). Hence, the blog. Because we are looking to find our HAPPINESS. And to keep everyone up-to-date on our pursuit and the development of our kids.

 

Thanks, for stopping by.

 

Franziska