Merry Christmas...

...everybody, and a happy new year!

Just wanted...

...to share this with you!

Halloween...

...was fun, even in France! For those of you not familiar with Belgian comic culture: Rubens was disguised as Tintin! Look it up!

How lazy...

...we've become about updating our blog. We'll be more diligent - promised! Meanwhile Ruby turned 1 year! Besides a bunch of really sweet presents, he also got some that were less fun: 2 new teeth (painful, little sleep, grumpy), angina (more painful, less sleep, grumpier) and otitis (most painful, no sleep, grumpiness at its peak). We hope he still had fun on his very first birthday.

Beach time...

... first time for Ruby!!!

2 and a half years...

...Kati hadn't been home! It was high time for a visit in Germany and so much fun to see family and friends. The grandparents had a blast with Ruby. It reminded Kati of how much she missed grandparents when she grew up. My aunt turned 60 (or 20 for the 3rd time, according to her). My oldest childhood friend had a beautiful little baby boy. Family is good. Period.

Have you been wondering...

...why Ruby looks neither like Guim nor Kati? Here's the answer. He jumped a generation and decided to look like his German grandpa. Proof:

(on the left: Kati's dad in 1942, imagine the blue eyes)

Turning 30...

...didn't prove to be so bad after all. Thanks to Guim's fabulous birthday surprise! He abducted me (blindfolded and all) to a vineyard near Bordeaux, home to the hotel & spa Caudalie: http://www.sources-caudalie.com/US.html. I had 2 days of "Vinotherapy": Red Vine Bath in a barrel, Merlot Wrap, Hot&Cold Stone Facial Treatment, Crushed Cabernet Scrub and Exhilarating Massage. All of this with came with a night in a 4*hotel and French culinary excellence in the most beautiful setting. I lost the last effects of pregnancy and five years of age! Thank you so much Guim! I love you!

Hello Sakai Family...

...Ruby had a chance to wear his cute Japanese baby outfit on vacation. Proof below. Thank you very much again. However, we are all dying to know what the Kanji means?!

Yes, we're alive...

...we just had a rough start into the new year. Rubens has been sick on and off since early January. Ahh, the pleasures of parenting. Between a hospital stay, doctor's visits, working, and not sleeping much at all, it was a little difficult to find the time to keep you updated. But here we are, happy and finally healthy. For Christmas and New Year's we had Kati's parents and spent a few days in the Pyrenees Mountains. First time in the snow for Ruby - though he slept through most of it.

2 weeks ago, Max came to visit and finally saw his godson for the first time (he accepted without knowing what he's getting into ;)).

We've just come back from a week at Centerparc Sologne in the center of France. Relaxed lots and enjoyed time as a little family. Ruby had a blast with us in the big swimming pool.

Other news in a nutshell: Kati started working again and has had nothing but trouble. Hurray for employers that pay their employees - Kati's doesn't, or only with 6 weeks delay! She started teaching German again, too. Forgot how much fun it can be. Ruby has met his nanny - the best nanny in the world, by the way - and stays with her 3 to 4 evenings a week. He's still growing very fast and discovers something new every day. He'll soon be sitting by himself. His vocabulary includes about 100 words by now - but the corresponding language will still have to be invented. He's a cutiepie and a lot of fun.

Guim's finally breathing after the rush at work. He's still looking for a new job though. It doesn't look good in Bordeaux, so we've set our eyes on Brussels. Big city, lots of jobs, closer to Max. Sounds like another year full of changes...