Happy Christmas!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy 2012!

November catch up

Keeping up with a blog and two children seems to be more than we can handle right now. We'll try to improve for 2012!

Here are a few shots from the past two weeks. Isaac is trying out solids for the first time and Calvin is wearing us all out. I wish I had that energy!

grandparents visited several weeks ago!

My parents came by for a couple of weeks at the end of August. It was nice- lots of hanging around Cambridge, a few small trips, and typical British weather. It's taken a long time to write about it because we continue to be really busy and tired and full of screaming kids. Here's a fun fact: Rose was going to write a guest blog while she was here, but couldn't find the time to do it because Cal is very full of energy. So it's not just us being lazy.

So, here are pictures from their visit. There's a castle in there, nice views of Cambridge from above, screaming babies, and a horse. I'm off to Rome for a week starting tomorrow, good luck Sam!

busy, busy, busy

It turns out, and I wish someone would have warned me about this, that everything gets slightly more hectic when you have a toddler and an infant. So we haven't been doing anything much except trying to keep up. Typical day: Sam spends two out of every three hours nursing while Calvin yells about dinosaurs and trains and apples, and I'm off living the high life at work. Basically the same as the last update, just more so. Isaac continues to grow larger. Some pictures from the last month or two are here.

settling in, sort of

We've had family staying with us since Isaac was born, which has been a tremendous help. We've been able to ease into caring for two screaming charming kids. I'll be on paternity leave next week, and then I'll probably say something like "see you later Sam, good luck with the 'kids' thing!" and head off to work.

It's been pretty good so far. We're tired but not delirious, Calvin is sweet with Isaac most of the time, and the weather has been good. So not too bad at all. Pictures from Paul and Beth's visit iver the last two weeks are here.

Isaac's 1st week

We're all home from the hospital now and settling into life as a family of four. For pictures of Isaac's first week, look here.

In the meantime, bring on the first set of grandparents! My dad and Beth will be here on Sunday and my aunt Mary will be here until Tuesday. She has been an absolute godsend to us this past month.

the brothers moeckel version 2

Calvin and Isaac encounter each other.

Isaac Hector Moeckel!

Isaac was born early in the morning on Saturday! He and Sam are doing well, although they're both still in the hospital. They want to keep them there until the feeding bit gets a little smoother- he spent the first day sleeping instead of eating, his first meal was huge, and everything is just a bit crazy. So a couple of days in the care of the NHS and their fantastic midwives. Everyone is tired!

An English Wedding

My second cousin, Rachel, got married over Memorial Day weekend (it's also a bank holiday weekend here) and she was kind enough to invite the three of us. The ceremony and reception were held at an old manor house called The Danesfield. In a few words, it was gorgeous. Nick and I can honestly say it is the most picturesque wedding we've ever been to. Which was great since Nick ended up chasing Calvin around the manicured gardens most of the afternoon. I was the only one who got to see the ceremony since as soon at the bride had walked down the aisle and the quartet had stopped playing, Calvin yelled out "Emo song" which is his way of saying more music! Apparently our son is a fan of classical music. He even was dancing to it later on during the mingle before dinner.

Calvin was sitting next to me at the start of this photo

The other spectacular event was the groom's present to the bride; a Spitfire aerobatic demonstration! And it wasn't a short thing. It probably lasted about 10 minutes and was really impressive. Calvin loved it, especially since he remembers going to the Imperial War Museum with Grandad recently.

Calvin running around with the ceremony program

We didn't get to stay much past dinner since we needed to drive back to Cambridge and put the exhausted boy to bed (and the exhausted pregnant lady too). But we had a wonderful time. I just wish I could have worn a hat or fascinator like the other guests! Then I would have truly felt British. All of our pictures are here.

Dad and Cal skipping the ceremony

the train engineer

This seems to be the only hat that Cal might wear this summer. He is SO in love with trains. And he doesn't seem to want to smile for the camera anymore either. In fact, he starts saying "No" and shaking his head when I pull out the camera. Regardless, I think he looks like a model in the second photo.

April pics

April has been an amazing month of weather here in the UK. We've had a lot of sun and there have only been a few days where it's been cloudy. I can't even remember the last time it rained! This isn't usual but we're enjoying it while it's around.

And I'm still pregnant! I'm almost 32 weeks along now and about two months away from the due date. I'm feeling a lot better than I did before my dad came to visit. His help for most of April really got me over the worst part. So June, here we come!

In other news, we found out that we have to move...AGAIN. We knew this could happen but were hoping it wouldn't. The owner of our flat was hoping to be away in Malawi for two years doing field work but she found out she didn't get the funding for the second year. So we're hoping to move before Bertie arrives...wish us luck!

Here are some pictures from the last two weeks. And I'm sorry to say, but our wedding pics didn't turn out. There were too many hats in the way. (and because I'm terrible at making jokes, I will say we watched the wedding from our couch in our pajamas...it was a late morning)

Testing out his old car seat for the new baby

Into climbing trees now

An Easter weekend picnic along the River Cam (and belly pics)

More Easter weekend walking with an ice cream treat at the end

First chocolate bunny

Bob the Builder (minus trousers) getting a story read to him

trains! choo chooooo!! trains!

Cal is mildly obsessed with trains. We can see a track from our house and he gets pretty happy when they go by. I taught him to call the trains Thomas, like Thomas the Tank Engine, but Sam didn't know I'd done that and she thought we were letting him watch too much TV. So I stopped doing that.

We were told about the Cambridge Model Engineering Society, which is a group of train enthusiasts who among other things make small, working steam engines. Once a month they give rides around a track out near where we used to live, so we went and checked it out.
It was pretty cool, most of the engines burn coal and seeing the older guys dressed up like engineers hammering little pieces of coal to burn was fun.
It was a beautiful day, and it was a hit with Calvin. We bought tickets for six rides and took turns taking him on the trains, probably a five minute ride or so. He was freaking out from excitement as soon as we parked the car, and as soon as he got off the train he was rushing to get on the next one. Some pictures:
That last one is when it was time to go and he really wanted to go on another train. We laughed and laughed, and then grabbed him away from the fence and rushed to the car as he plaintively whimpered 'choo chooo' over and over.

My awesome dad

Last week, my hero, my dad, flew out here on 4 days notice to help me take care of Calvin. I have been having a stressful pregnancy for the past 4+ weeks and to help make sure Bertie stays in the womb longer than Cal, my dad came out here to give me a rest and wear out the little guy every day. Cal has turned into a sprinter (perhaps a future 800m runner?) so it's great that my dad is able to chase after him while I waddle along at 28 weeks pregnant. I was having strong and frequent Braxton-Hicks contractions at 23 and 25 weeks pregnant but thankfully, they have subsided due to my respite. My "vacation" lasts until my dad leaves on the 18th of April but by then, I will be 30 weeks along. I'm still trying to be positive that Bertie will be a June baby but at least he is out of the 24-28 week preemie zone.

Here is a picture of Cal actually sitting still. Not many of those these days.

first bicycle

For his 2nd birthday, Calvin received his first bicycle from Mom and Dad. Unfortunately, he needs to grow about another inch before he can sit on the seat and have his feet flat on the ground. This is one of those beginner bikes that teaches a child to balance first, so it doesn't have any pedals. He loves it, even though he can only straddle it and waddle along. He especially likes the bell.


I went away last weekend for a girls' night in London with my aunt Mary and cousins Kath and Helen. We had a wonderful weekend and saw the musical "Jersey Boys" on the West End, which was really enjoyable. I wish I could see them (my cousins and aunt, not the Jersey Boys) more often. It's funny, I thought living in England would mean it would be really easy to drive to Wales for a quick weekend but that has turned out not to be the case. The driving does seem to take longer than it does in the US. Or maybe I'm becoming an "island-minded" girl?

I should mention that the weekend in London was also thanks to Nick, who looked after our little dude. This picture shows a happy chappy but he wasn't always so angelic for Dad. Then again, he did have a nasty cold. So thank you for the much needed break Nick!

Two!

Well it's happened...Calvin turned 2 on March 3rd and fully committed himself to being a toddler. My parents (Grandad and Nan) came out to visit for the week and to spoil their grandson. He loved it.
Unfortunately, I didn't take a lot of pictures and my usual photographer was busy (being a brilliant scientist, of course) but here are a few that capture the week. The grandparents visit was VERY short (especially for me!) but I am thankful they could make it out for Cal's birthday and will be coming back in June for the new arrival. I'm calling him "Bertie" for now, after Bertie Wooster of whom the phrase "Tinkerty Tonk" comes from. And it sounds very English too.