Toothmeat

First two teeth about one year ago

It is teething time again.

It was a bit over one year ago, when Fräulein got her first two teeth. The first eight surfaced quite easily. She didn't seem be bothered about them during day time, but she was awake whining for one to two hours in the early hours during one night for each tooth.

But when it was time for the first molars, the problems started. As one molar tooth is like four smaller ones, she was awake for four nights for each tooth.

In the beginning of December, a couple of friends were visiting us. One of them has had her first child while living in Switzerland, so she was able to share a tip, which I have been very grateful of!

In the pharmacies, they sell some anesthetic gel especially for teething pain!

If you are from central Europe or UK, you probably think "yeah, so what's new?". But this is something you cannot find in Finland!

For about 4 euros, you can buy such a great relief! You just apply a small amount to the baby's gums. With Fräulein, I only do this before her bedtime. And I have later noticed that they sell this gel also in our local grocery store, Rewe!

After Fräulein's four molars, there was four month break in teething. During the last couple of week, she has had her first two eyeteeth. So, two more eyeteeth and four molars left from this baby teething period!

But what was the subject of this post about?

Well, one of my favorite German words is Zahnfleisch, which means gums, but is literally 'toothmeat'.

This just makes me giggle...

*****
Fräuleinille on taas tulossa uusia hampaita. Reilu vuosi sitten hän sai ensimmäiset etuhampaansa ja jouluun mennessä hampaita oli 12. Nyt muutaman kuukauden tauon jälkeen vuorossa ovat kulmahampaat.


Vaikka hampaiden tulo on ollut suhteellisen kivutonta, etenkin poskihampaat valvottivat tyttöä. Onneksi sain ystävättäreltäni vinkin, että täällä myydään apteekissa puudutusgeeliä, joka on tarkoitettu avuksi juuri hampaiden puhkeamiseen! Itse asiassa geeliä myödään myös tavallisessa ruokakaupassa, hinta n. 4 euroa.


Ja mitä postauksen otsikkoon tulee, yksi saksan kielen lempisanojani on ikeniä tarkoittava Zahnfleisch (kirjaimellisesti "hammasliha").

Home Alone

Finally an update about Fräulein's start in the daycare!

I guess it is a common practice here in Germany, that children start with the daycare veeeryyy sloooowlyyyy.
According to the stories I have heard from Finland, the practice is to go and visit the daycare place once or twice and after that the child is left there possibly for the whole 8 hours.

But not here.

During the first three visits, I was present the whole time and we played there for an hour.

On day 4, I went to the hallway for 20 minutes. Fräulein was first crying a lot, but started to calm down slowly. The Tagesmutter (child minder) told me later, that the crying started again whenever Fräulein spotted my handbag and remembered her mum...

The following three times, we played together for 20-30 minutes and then I went outside for half an hour. What a freedom! I spent the time at the local cafe.

All those times I left Fräulein there crying, but she had always calmed down quite quickly with the help of her pacifier and some cookies. Fräulein uses her pacifier normally only when sleeping, but I think that, in this case, the end justifies the means.

This Monday was the first big day, when I actually drove home! What a funny feeling to be home alone! Fräulein spent two hours at the daycare. After one hour I got an SMS telling me that Fräulein was not crying but playing with the other children.

When I went to pick her up, the Tagesmutter showed me some photos and a short video she had taken of the children playing. It had been better than I could have hoped for!

Is that a smile behind the pacifier?

Today is the second day when Fräulein spends there the 'whole day' (from 9am to 1pm). And I am proud to inform you that I have actually done something useful with this free time that I have! I have seen a dentist (subject for another post) and, ummm..., now I'm writing this...

And I have already made plans for next week: visit the bank, dye my hair, and stop by at the post office to send a baby-gift, which I have had ready for ages...

If the baby girl who will receive this package is reading this (or her mum),
don't be disappointed if it won't look as nice as this,
because I'll need to open the package in order to fit it into an envelope...

*****
Fräuleinin päivähoito on alkanut mukavasti. Hitaan alun jälkeen olemme nyt päässeet rutiiniin kiinni. 
Ja minulla on kovasti suunnitelmia tämän vapaa-ajan täyttämiseksi...

Let It Rain

After several days of bright sunshine, today was totally different.

Rain, rain, rain.

And when I thought it couldn't get any worse, it began to thunder.

So, we spent most of the day inside.

In the afternoon, I thought we could visit a toy store, so that Fräulein could do her daily running around and exploring. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only parent who had thought of that...

But she was able to consume some of her never-ending energy.

And she didn't have to leave the store empty-handed (ball 0.99€, still quite cheaply pleased!).

 *****
Kaunis auringonpaiste vaihtui tänään loputtomaan sateeseen ja välillä ukkostikin. Päivä kului siis pääosin rauhallisesti sisällä.
Iltapäivällä kävimme "ulkoilemassa" lelukaupassa. Fräuleinin kanssa noista reissuista selviää onneksi vielä halvalla (pallo 0,99€)!

The Sunny Celebration Of May 1st

Germans don't really celebrate May 1st like Finns do. I guess the day is here more for (not so civilized) protests, even though I haven't witnessed one. 

But even though we didn't have any 'sima' to drink or donuts to eat, we did some decorating with streamer and balloons.

Thanks to our Finnish visitors, our balcony is now clean. And Fräulein has spent most of the sunny days there. That is where she wants to go as soon as she opens her eyes in the morning and it is really difficult to get her back inside.

We had lunch at Schloss Biebrich (yes, again - it is really becoming a regular place for us).
There are always free seats outside, both in the sun and under the shades.
The food there is tasty. Usually we order their Flammkuchens, but now we enjoyed the asparagus menu.
And there is plenty of place for Fräulein to run and explore while waiting.

The royal wave.

No Finnish flag, but...

Walk in the Schloss park after lunch.

And back on the balcony.

*****

Vappua ei täällä Saksassa vietetä ihan samaan tapaan kuin Suomessa, mutta yritimme päästä tunnelmaan ilmapallojen ja serpentiinin kanssa. 

Söimme aurinkoisen päivän kunniaksi lounasta jälleen Schloss Biebrichissä. 

Ja Fräulein jaksaa keksiä tekemistä Suomi-vieraidemme siivoamalla parvekkeella...