Liam's first (play)date . . .

So today Liam had his very first play date! But before I get to that, I must explain that I have been getting out and about by myself much more in the last couple weeks. On Friday Liam and I went to the IWCE (International Women's Club of Eindhoven) monthly potluck. There were about 30 women there and all kinds of delicious international foods to share. Liam did great, sleeping in his tricot slen sling for most of the afternoon, but then was awake for a while while some friends got to hold him. : )

What made this outing memorable is that I didn't have cell service when leaving, so I couldn't use the GPS on my phone to find my way. I was able to follow my friend Megan out of the neighborhood, but then I was a little lost from there. AMAZINGLY, I found the highway and figured out ON MY OWN how to get home. I never used the maps app, never called Keith, kept calm, and carried on. : )  I told Liam how proud I was of us for figuring it out! The reason I start with this story is because it gave me the confidence to hustle out the door today . . .

Things I've learned . . . (3 & 6 weeks)

I've learned a lot as the weeks have passed by, about babies and how to be a mom and how to not go insane . . . I think I will continue to jot these things down as Liam and I go through all the stages to come. I started this list a while back, and already things have changed; but for right now, here's what I learned when I was a Mommy to a 3 week old:

You've Got Mail!

Well, actually WE got mail . . . two packages arrived from the States yesterday and it was so fun to open them! We got a care package from my stepdad that had a beautiful fleece blanket his wife had made for Liam, complete with his name embroidered on the corner, and lots of American goodies that we can't find here in the Netherlands. We have enough Oreos, taco seasoning, and Texas Pete Buffalo Wing Sauce to last us the winter! I can't wait to make my first batch of buffalo chicken dip for one of our football Saturdays! Thanks guys!

Week One as a SAHM

One week down, a lifetime to go (hopefully . . . haha, just kidding honey, if you're reading this). Life as a Stay at Home Mom (SAHM) is as hard as any job I've had. Actually, just being a parent is, whether you work or not, I believe. Keith and I were saying that having Liam is harder and more wonderful than we were warned. It is hard in the sense that we get much less sleep than before (and the hours we do sleep are broken into small increments -- even when I get to sleep for 5 hours in a row because Keith is giving him a bottle, I still wake up every couple hours and think about how they're doing and if Keith needs anything and if Liam is sleeping . . .  the curses of mommyhood . . . I digress). But the benefits package that comes with this job is amazing (more on that below).

Meeting Gramps . . .

Liam meets his Gramps for the first time

Well I can't believe the week is over already. My dad arrived last Saturday and it was a wonderful seven days. The first thing he did was hug and kiss me, and then sat holding Liam until his next feeding. He was in awe. And Liam found the perfect place to rest this week -- my dad's chest.

I remember . . .

Even though we are living in the Netherlands, my thoughts and heart are in the States today. I remember that day so vividly in my mind, and can't believe ten years has gone by. If I were teaching today, I would be reading the books September 12th, The Man Who Walked Between the Towers, and Fireboat. So instead, I sent an email to Liam to tell him about my memories of that day because I think it's important that we remember not only what happened, but how we recovered.

~Jessi

. . . good sleep and a great friend

I need to get this post out before my very busy weekend commences -- my dad arrives tomorrow morning and we have college football to watch this weekend! And this week has been pretty awesome as well . . .

First off, one of my very best friends from the States arrived last weekend to meet her hubby in Amsterdam (Spencer, from my last post). So they did the 'Dam touristy stuff over the weekend, then Jane took the train to Eindhoven Monday morning to spend two days with us! As soon as she got here she ran up the stairs to see our sweet boy, and pretty much held him for the next two days. : ) I fed Liam shortly after and then the four of us headed to lunch at La Place in the winkelcentrum. Keith got his haircut afterwards as Jane, Liam, and I walked around and poked our head into some of the shops. I have really been missing my friends so it's hard to describe how it felt to be with Jane again. We have worked together and talked/seen each other on a daily basis for over 6 years now -- this will be the first year I haven't taught with her, which may not seem like a big deal to most, but I think being able to work with your best friend is a rare thing and one we didn't take for granted. I have missed her so much these last few months!