“Mama, can I have some money?”
“Why, sweetie?”
“I am saving money so I can go to Austria when I grow up.”

While blowing out the dinner candles:

“I wish I could see a shooting star. And I wish they didn’t kill Baby Jesus.”

“I’m trying to be the best little baby in the whole wide world so that people will call me Baby Jesus.”

Tom was considering taking Chiara to see The Lorax, which was her first movie in a theatre.

Tom: “Do you want to go to the theater and see a movie as big as a whole wall?”
Chiara: “No, I’d rather go to Las Vegas and see a show. I like the acrobats.” (Cirque du Soleil)

“Mommy, we need to go to Italy when I am still little.”
“Why when you are still little?”
“Because I’m going to Austria when I am big.”

Yes, this little girl has big plans!

After several technological complications with my previous blog, I’ve now moved everything over to http://rbahrman.wordpress.com and updated it with my most recent experiences. I’ve immensly enjoyed my life here in Salzburg, and I hope you get a chance to look in on my life and see Europe through my eyes.

Before I know it, it will be Chiara and Liesl who are off playing with their friends. Inconceivably, we celebrated Liesl’s half birthday on Friday. How did she get to be six months old? She is noticing her surroundings much more, enjoying some oatmeal and sweet potatoes (along with a bit of frosting!), and continues rolling around the room. And my little pirate baby is talking up a storm…many “Arrrghhs” in her deep, gravelly voice.

Well, at least they have feet in their shoes…

And speaking of going, Becca just finished a three-week tour of Greece and Italy. She is busy updating her blog and will let us know when it is ready for publishing. Needless to say, she had a wonderful time.

I counted the hours until the girls would be asleep (for at least a while) and I could go to bed. I wondered how Liesl’s diaper would be changed because I didn’t have the energy to get up and do it. I wondered how Chiara would get dinner because the thought of food (or sitting up with her while she ate) made me feel even worse. Thankfully, Liesl napped and Chiara played so I could rest. The hours passed until finally the girls were in bed (with clean diaper and dinner in their bellies!).

The next morning I began my countdown again. But having slept and taken something for my fever, I was certainly feeling better than the day before. Without an agenda, other than making it until bedtime, we began our day–a day which ended up to be quite enjoyable.

Chiara set the pace. We lounged in our pajamas, made flower fairies, read books, drew pictures and made lists (of things we can and cannot do: e.g., we can dance and sing; we cannot climb up walls or fly to the moon). And the television and iPad, those God-sends of a babysitter, remained off all day. Not once did Chiara whine or cry, and Liesl too seemed quite happy. I stopped checking the clock and counting the hours. And before I knew it, Tom called to say he was catching an earlier flight and would be home by 4.

When 4 o’clock rolled around, Chiara was just getting dressed so she could ride her bike to the park with Daddy. As they went down the street, I sat holding Liesl and marveling at what a wonderful day we had had. I could not remember the last time Chiara seemed so content. Nor could I remember the last time I had spent an entire day without agenda other than being with my two girls. The laundry remained in heaping piles, the clean dishwasher stayed loaded, there was no dinner prepared. I even felt too tired to check email or read. I simply played with Chiara and Liesl and, in the end, had one of the best days we have had in a long time.

I’m hoping that next time it doesn’t require my being ill to remember that other things can–and should–wait. My girls are little only for a short while. Sure, laundry still needs to be done, and most nights dinner needs to get to the table. But every once in a while, it does some good to forget everything and simply focus on playing.