Times they are a changin'

Ben Aylesworth April 6, 2017

So I finally came to the realization that if I was waiting to have time to post updates in chronological order I would never get to the present and that deterred me from sitting down to write when I had a second.

Let's jump ahead and start with the fact that we need a new tab besides "Germany, Ava, and everything else" perhaps a fitting new title would be some like "Toronto, Ava, Charlie, and everything else". Yes, we are on the move again and the next step of our crazy life adventure takes us to Toronto, Canada with toddler in tow for an amazing next step within Bayer for Ben, and also another 8 month pregnant move. Just like with any new city it takes at least a year to fall in love and right as we were hitting the sweet spot with Berlin we were presented with the opportunity to look into another international posting. This wasn't our intention when we left NYC two years ago, but we have so enjoyed the experience to grow our little family from new places in the world that we decided to take the jump! When on Valentine's Day Toronto came up as the chosen city we were pleasantly surprised, I wouldn't say we were ready to leave Europe but we knew with another baby on the way that maybe getting back to our side of the Atlantic was a good choice. I must say when Ben broke the news to me showing me a picture of the CN Tower in Toronto, my mama brain thought it was a postcard showing the TV Tower in Berlin and accepted this as a perfectly fine Valentine's Day gesture before turning back to feeding Ava dinner (oh how times have changed). Once I realized that this was in fact "news", Ben said I took it very well.

After our Christmas visit to the US we knew we wanted to fit in one more trip as a family of 3 before leaving Europe. We made the short trip to Madrid in March and visited Ben's old study abroad stomping grounds from college. Needless to say I think this trip involved a few more visits to the park and playgrounds that when Ben was there in 2002! We got the word in Mid/Late March that we were in fact approved and slated to move by May 1. The news was bittersweet. Exciting for things to be happening, and quickly like the last move, but also sad to be leaving friends and a city that we have greatly enjoyed.

As we roll into the final weeks of The BIG Move 2.0 right before Baby 2.0, I try to stop myself and remember to breathe. It's all going to be okay; we did it once before and we can do it again. Change it always difficult, especially for me, but without change I wouldn't have experienced the things in life that I hold so dear, my partner in everything, our adventures, our families, and my precious baby girl, who is not at all a baby anymore!

Catch you on the other side of the pond,

The Aylesworths

The Aspalathras White Hotel: Folegandros, Greece

Ben Aylesworth November 17, 2016

Oh Greece your sunshine, your food, your summers, how I miss you during a November afternoon in Berlin!

After a year of traveling to see friends and family in the states we made the decision that maybe it wouldn't be too selfish to have one relaxing vacation just for us to soak up the last weeks of summer. We took a quite flight in and out of Athens and reveled in the fact that we needed a much smaller toy and snack bag for Ava! We spent the weekend in Athens staying at the Hilton (our go to hotel in new cities). Ben had been to Athens before but this was a first for Ava and I. We really only had one full day to take in the city so it was packed with attractions. First up was hiking up to the Acropolis and Ava, a true darling, napped the whole way up in the carrier. After taking some time to check out the Parthenon and other sites, we spent the afternoon at the Acropolis Museum. In between we wandered through shops and markets while always in search of the best local meal.

We left early the next day for our ferry to Folegandros. The trip was fairly uneventful, like the Staten Island ferry but longer and with food that left just as much to be desired! We arrived on the island and were welcomed by sunshine and a driver to take us to the hotel. It took us a little while to take in the scale of the island (it was so tiny) and definitely off the beaten (rock) path, but soon we adjusted to the rocky landscape and began to take in the views of the sea and discovered the charming village of Chora. Being on a short 3-4 minute walk from the edge of the village we found tiny shops, restaurants, and even a cocktail bar. We spent most of our days playing by the pool, laying by the pool, or trying to keep Ava from falling in the pool. Sometimes we think Ava stands out in Berlin due to her obviously American parents, please imagine a toddler in Greece covered in sunscreen, a sun hat, her UPF 50+ long sleeve sun shirt, AND a US Coast Guard approved neon pink life jacket, you can't be too careful.

The week was truly full of relaxation! We quickly realized in the first day or two that we could walk from one side of the village to the other, up the small mountain, and back around in less than an hour. Perhaps we would have to think about how to "relax" more, as this was very much and island were one should just "be" and "take in" and less about doing. However, after talking to the hotel we realized that we could rent a car and hike to many of the beaches on the island that are not accessible except by boat or hike. This seemed right up our alley. One of the most memorable days is hiking to the Agios Nikolaos beach. Taking the stony foot path down towards the water and seeing all of the shady trees just 50 yards from the water. Taking Ava down in to the water and then eating fresh fish, beet salad, and 2 euro glasses of white wine for lunch in a tiny restaurant with no electricity right on the beach. Ahhh, it was a change for us to spend so much time relaxing, but reflecting on it the week was fabulous.

We capped off the trip with a terrifying windy day of travel on the ferry from Folegandros back to Athens. We witnessed 20 foot waves smashing into the sides of the boat and felt ourselves free fall as the boat smacked into the water below. As the hours stretched on we worried less and less about missing our evening flight from Athens to Berlin and just hoped we would arrive safely. It was one of those life experiences that one will likely never forget and luckily for us doesn't seem as terrifying now that it has passed.

Wishing you sunshine in November and only small waves,

The Aylesworth Trio

America the Beautiful: Summer Recap 2016

Ben Aylesworth November 17, 2016

So apparently after Ava's first birthday our life flew into fast forward and here we are almost at the start of the holiday season and I see that there have been so few posts for so long, who is in charge of this thing?

So I take us back to our June/July USA Extravaganza. We rode on planes (2 round trip long haul flights in fact), we drove in cars, we rode on trains, we hiked up mountains...no need to state that this was a very active and busy vacation. We started our flying into NYC and then on to SFO before driving to Yosemite National Park. Ava was a traveling champ as has become typical and we just tried to sleep when possible and enjoy the scenery. We meet with the Aylesworths Sr, including Aunt Sandy, for a week of swimming, hiking, and gorgeous mountain sunsets. Ava spent most of the week practicing her newly found walking skills and discovered how much fun a set of stairs could be. One of our most memorable evenings was driving with Sandy to watch the sunset from Glacier Point and then stopping to check out bears, or was it a deer, on the drive home?

After a few days in nature we headed north towards Lake Tahoe for Ben's cousin's wedding. A great weekend in a more relaxed setting where Ava got to meet a whole different extended side of the family, in fact after 8 years together I was meeting many relatives for the first time too. We finished up the West Coast portion of the trip with a night back in San Francisco where we got to spend a fun night catching up with Matt&Josie and Hilary&George. One of the benefits of reaching your 30's is having friends spread out all over the country and beyond for impromptu visits!

Now it was East Coast time, we flew back into JFK and Ava was able to meet the darling Rynn Twins while the parents had a blast catching up with Erin and Joe. There is nothing like looking at your best friend of the last 17 years and sitting there in awe that you are both parents together (and then opening a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and grilling for the evening). While we were having a lovely time in Nyack, NY we felt like we couldn't miss the opportunity to drop down to MD for a quick visit with family and friends (what is another 4 hours in the car when you have flown over the Atlantic and the distance of the US in the last 10 days). It was great to spend some time with Ava's cousins, Tyler and Chloe and spend July 4th with Ben's sister, Mary Beth and Beau. We even dropped in on the Smith's for a night before shuttling back up to NYC for our return flight home.

If you are wondering when in this vacation we relaxed Ben would say while hiking and driving in Yosemite. Megan would agree but also say, "Stay tuned for Greece coming in August"!

Love and best wishes,

The Aylesworth Trio

Das Baby ist Ein Jahr alt!

Ben Aylesworth June 6, 2016

The day has arrived and passed, our baby is no longer a baby. She is a toddler 100%. It seems that Miss Ava had a few tricks she wanted to master just in time for her birthday week. She is now using the sign for "milk" and Daddy is working so hard to get her to use "more". Ava will take 3-4 steps on her own when encouraged. She now says "dada", "mama", "wawa", and "nana" for banana. She likes to make animal sounds and has a pretty scary "roar" and a snake "ssss". She is now clapping and waving and so enjoys the praise she gets from adults when she does this. On the subway, she looks around after waving as if to ask, "Why are you not all smiling and waving BACK at me?". In Barcelona she spent a good bit of the subway rides cheesing it up for strangers and getting lots of attention, it seems that that is when the habit was formed! She is just dying to walk on her own, but continues to use anything and everything near by to help her, the walls, the furniture, her walkers, the laundry basket, a lone step stool etc. We will see if she is running in the park by the end of the summer.

In true Aylesworth tradition, Ava had a bit of a birthday week (plus more). Her festivities started in Barcelona celebrating with Nana, Papa, and Aunt Christina and will continue well into July when we visit with her Grammie, Pop Pop and Aunt Sandy out in California. However, for her Berlin big day Ava had a quiet sunny Wednesday with Mom and Dad. She opened a new tiger scooter and "blew out" a birthday candle stuck into her blueberry pancake. Her birthday party was this past Saturday at a beach club around the corner from our apartment called BeachMitte. Friends and families from playgroups here in Berlin and from Ben's office joined us for a day of fun in the sun with cupcakes, chicken nuggets, and fries. The one picture that we did not get was of Ava's first trip over to the water pump still wearing her birthday onesie as we didn't expect or plan for so much water play. Within a few moments her white long-sleeve onesie is soaked with water and full of sand. Her diaper is sagging but she is overjoyed. She is standing right under the spout of the water pump as the bigger kids press the button, freezing water is shooting out and Ava doesn't want to miss a drop. It's hard to imagine what is in store this summer for our little water baby, much less in the next year; however, she has stolen our hearts, transformed our way of life, and we couldn't imagine waking up to a morning without her!

Happy Birthday Ava dear! You are so loved!

Viva Barcelona

Ben Aylesworth June 6, 2016

I will start by sharing that once Ava and I arrived in Barcelona on Tuesday I left most of the picture taking and childcare in the hands of my parents and sister, Ava's Nana, Papa, and Aunt Christina. Ava might have seen more of the city than I did, as I took up the offer to just enjoy some downtime in the gorgeous Barcelona sun. We took lots of walks, enjoyed some playground, and of course saw the main sights: the beach at Barceloneta, Park Guell, Segrada Familia, and the view from Montjuic.

Once Ben arrived on Wednesday, we also had the opportunity to participate in all the pre-wedding activities of our good friends Carlos and Carla. This wedding was especially memorable after being a part of Carlos and Carla's civil wedding ceremony two years ago. Thursday morning bright and early we headed out of the house to join some other wedding go-ers to visit Valonga Winery which is about 2.5 hours to the north of Barcelona. This happens to be Carla's family's winery and it was a beautiful day to tour the property and check out the more than 20 peacocks that roam through the lawn and trees around the buildings. Thursday evening we attended the welcome dinner and enjoyed tapas with Carla's mother hosting the night.

Friday didn't have any wedding events, but it was Megan's birthday. I was spoiled with a baby free lunch and afternoon massage followed by a visit to Segrada Familia with the entire family. Friday evening Ben, my parents, and I went out to an Argentinean Steakhouse and had likely the best steak since moving to Europe. By Friday we had embraced the Spanish sense of time and lingered over our three hour dinner with plenty of glasses of wine.

Saturday evening was the wedding which took place in a cathedral followed by a reception at Hotel Miramar on Montjuic, which is a hill/small mountain near the water in Barcelona which had unbelievable views of the city with mountains in the distance. As is typical, Ben and I are lovers of good food and we had possibly one of the best cocktail hours to date outdoors on the grounds of the hotel. The evening continued with memorable speeches, laughter, and lots of dancing.

We spent Sunday with my parents and Ava at the hotel pool enjoying the sun and cabanas. If it was up to me we still might be lying in the grass next to the pool. It was a fabulous day to rest, recover, and sneak in some grass and water fun with baby girl. Nana even managed to get some of Ava's first steps on tape. Monday we headed back to Berlin and back to real life. My first trip to Spain is one I won't forget and Ben discovered a new love of Barcelona himself!

My baby is almost a toddler!

Ben Aylesworth May 19, 2016

In true almost-toddler fashion, we are much too busy for times of reflection. I can no longer figure out where nap times go and why we aren't as productive as we used to be. None the less here is the ELEVEN month update, even though sweet Ava will be one year old in less than 2 weeks!

Spring has arrived in Berlin and it is gorgeous. Knowing now what we do about the long winters, we have tried to take every opportunity to be out and about when it is sunny or warm. Ava has spent many afternoons on bike rides in Tiergarten and is learning now to co-exist with sand as it is in all Berlin playgrounds.

The facts:

SLEEP - This area is pretty much the same sleeping at night 7-7 with some random short lived early morning wake ups. She is still taking two naps a day but at times is slow to settle in the mornings. Perhaps we are in the beginning of the 2-1 nap transition. Hopefully we can hold on to the morning nap throughout the summer and make the switch closer to 15 months.

FOOD - It is amazing looking back at 6 weeks ago how much Ava has developed. She is now a pretty competent eater with the full variety of food. She is happy to eat (most) anything we eat. Ava still has the early dinner so she is mostly dining alone but is happy to eat leftovers from the night before. Some of her favorite fruits right now are grapes and bananas and she likes chunks of bread (especially in the stroller while running errands!). Ava drinks from her sippy cup on her own and likes mostly to feed herself. She will eat food off of a fork, but isn't able to stab the food on her own. She is happy to have yogurt or other soft food spoon fed. Mommy hasn't braved letting her try to feed herself with a spoon quite yet.

ACTION - Ava's favorite toy is still her walkers. She is able to walk/run behind them and can steer and make turns. She now uses her walker to get down the long hallway from the kitchen/LR to the bedrooms, crawling is for babies! She has become more adventurous in her around the house navigation. She can now climb off the couch and can climb off the beds with a spotter.

We have finally hit some separation anxiety this month. It tends to be worse in the late afternoon if Mom leaves the room, especially if we are out of the house. We are continuing to use the same babysitters and just giving Ava a little extra time to adjust before we leave.

We are gearing up for a summer full of visitors and travel. The NYC crew arrives tomorrow for a long weekend and then we are off to Barcelona for a week trip where we will be joined by Megan's parent and sister, Christina. In late June Began+Ava return to the States for a 2 week whirlwind trip mostly on the west coast. We finally get to meet the cutest Rynn twins around for a July 4th celebration. In August we are hoping for a quiet/relaxing family vacation and then in September we will traveling north for a week in Sweden. Never a dull moment around here.

Wishing you all the best!

Love from The Aylesworths

TEN month update

Ben Aylesworth April 11, 2016

Way too many things have happened in the past 5 weeks. Our little baby hasn't been a "baby" in quite some time, but now she is officially on her way to becoming a toddler. While Ava has changed a great deal over the month of March, we have also had a lot of excitement with three international trips and two sets of visitors. Here is month ten, ready, set, go:

We started the month with a trip to Vienna, Austria. Gorgeous weather and historical sights. Accompanied Dad on a work trip and did well on two solo flights with Mom.

Next up was a visit from Grammie and Pop Pop. Spring was just beginning here in Berlin and we were able to make many trips to the park and visit the Zoo for the first time. Ava was about three feet from a brown bear cub and loved putting her face up to the glass when looking at the giant fish in the aquarium.

Towards the end of the month we took the train to Prague, Czech Republic for Easter. Again gorgeous weather and so warm. We had our share of delicious food and beers. Ava mastered waving. We visited Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge and then spent Easter Sunday afternoon lying in the park, taking in the sunshine.

A few days home to regroup and then Uncle Jon flew into town. Our first weekend with Jon was spent in Poznan, Poland. We were able to spend part of Saturday at their art museum and Ava especially like the ancient Egyptian artifacts. Who doesn't like mummies?

Okay so with the facts of the month cataloged, here is what Ava is up to:

Sleep - About the same as previous months. She is sleeping 12 hours at night, still not quite an all star when we travel, but gets back into the routine once we are home. She is taking an AM and PM nap for about 1.5 hours each. She is becoming more flexible with afternoon naps in the stroller when we are on the go.

Food - Ava is now tasting all types of food. This month she had a few new meats trying chicken, rabbit, and salmon. She is beginning to strongly prefer feeding herself and switches between a careful pincer grasp and not so gently smashing a fist of food into her mouth. Things she likes to eat by herself include chunks of fruit, pieces of cheese, cheerios, and small squares of bread with hummus. She continues to like pasta of any sort and spaghetti.

Movement - This has been a big month for Ava on the go. She is now standing on her own for around 5+ seconds. She is walking/running (almost) using her walker toy. She is able to crawl with a purpose to get something and is able to crawl up and over things. She can pull herself up to stand using anything (even a flat wall) and then can cruise around furniture. Mommy thought she maybe took a first step, but we will have to keep watching for the official confirmation.

Well that is our last month, fun & busy, and certainly never dull. Wishing all is well with our friends and family back home. We are looking forward to six week of "normal" spring here in Berlin with a break from visitors and travel. Coming up at the end of May we have the NYC crew coming for a visit and then we are off to Barcelona for Carlos and Carla's wedding where we will be joined by Megan's parents and sister Christina. We are hoping to make a summer trip back to the USA, but plans TBD.

Much Love from the Aylesworths

Our NINE month old

Ben Aylesworth March 2, 2016

It's official Miss Ava is now nine months old and moving, moving, moving! She seems to be constantly on the go: crawling, standing (with a little help), exploring, and getting into trouble. She seems to have gained more control of her movements, whereas last month she was just beginning to develop these new skills. Now Ava can stand up using a toy, table, couch, etc and then slowly sit back down. She is able to move with fewer tumbles, which makes Mommy happy. I suppose we will just wait until walking begins and we start over with the daily tumbles.

Ava had a few rough weeks of naps and nighttime sleep when she was mastering these new physical skills. Now luckily she is back into her pattern of an AM and PM nap and sleeping at night from 7-7. She is still feeding 4x per day and is eating more table food at lunch and dinner time. Big improvements since last month when she was still coughing and gagging when given solid foods. She is now able to get bits of food to her mouth with an improving grasp and when that doesn't work she uses an open palm to smash the food in (or near) her mouth. This month she seems to really like bananas, mango, and avocado.

Ava is playing more with sounds, much to her parents delight! When we were traveling to Milan the end of January, Ava said "dada" for the first time in the taxi. Now in the second half of February her "mama" skills have caught up! She isn't so much using these as words or label to call us, but I think that is just around the corner. She likes babbling and has recently started squealing and yelling when she wants more to eat. I am patiently working to teach her the "more" sign, but right now vocalizing appears to do the trick.

Ava has also started to develop some "hobbies" haha. She is still taking a music class on Thursdays with Mom and has now started baby swimming on Tuesday mornings. She seems to love the water and I know Dad can't wait to take a morning off and join in on the class. We also finally got around to getting bikes here in Berlin! Our used bikes from NYC have served us well for the past 5 years but it was time for a small safety upgrade. We decided to add a bike seat for Ava and because we are now "responsible parents", helmets for 3. We are hoping to use the bikes a great deal this spring and summer to get around to parks and restaurants that are not as subway accessible. Ava is slowly growing to love the bike, I think the helmet will take a little more time!

This weekend Ava and I will join Ben in Vienna for a short weekend trip and next week the Aylesworth's Senior arrive for a 10 day visit in Berlin. After this weekend Ava's country count will be at 5: Germany, England, USA, Italy, and Austria. Before her first birthday we hope to fit in trips to the Czech Republic, Poland, and Spain. Thus far we are following through on our 2016 resolution to travel more with Ava. We shall see how the solo flights with Mom go this weekend!

Much love,

The Aylesworth Trio

EIGHT month update

Ben Aylesworth February 5, 2016

Our sweet little Ava is on the go! She is in the midst of a major "developmental leap", haha. This one is actually observable as we have seen her start to really crawl this week. Not only is she crawling but she is playing around with movement whenever she can. She reaches for toys then sits back up. She goes down to her belly, rolls over a few times, then reaches for what she wants. She uses toys, furniture, and Mom and Dad to climb on and pull up to standing. I had read about LO's getting stuck standing up in their crib and not knowing how to lay back down during this particular learning phase. Well yesterday Ava actually fell asleep sitting up in her crib and then when she woke herself up, she had a hard time getting back to laying down. The fun part of this is now once she is awake in the morning, she sits up and waits to "get up"!

Ava has had many other changes this month too. Mid January we started a gentle nap transition to get her ready for 2 naps a day by 8 months. Ava is now taking a morning nap and an afternoon nap, usually both around 1.5 hours. She is sleeping at night from 7-7 and during the past month we eliminated the dreamfeed, so Mommy has a full 12 hours off after bedtime begins.

Ava has tried a few new foods this month. She still doesn't seem to mind being fed mostly with a spoon, but we have tried to add in some mashed foods rather than just puree textures. She is working on picking up small bits of food, but can get frustrated with the slippery ones like bananas. She is still advancing in those fine motor skills and figuring out how to get the Cheerios in her mouth when smashing a fist towards her mouth doesn't work.

Ava had her first fever this month that was accompanied by some not so fun cold symptoms on top of that. She was out for 2-3 days with lots of resting, Tylenol, and extra cuddles. Now she seems to be feeling better if the never-ending runny nose would finally depart.

No big trips planned for February, but we are looking forward to our March visitors (Aylesworth's Senior and Jon Matzke) and beginning to plan for a family trip to Spain in May for Carlos and Carla's wedding. We are hoping that the Matzke's Senior and maybe Christina Matzke will be able to join us for a visit.

Happy Winter!

The Aylesworth Trio

Bambino a Milano

Ben Aylesworth January 27, 2016

We left the US in January after the Christmas visit saying, "We must travel more in 2016". Within a few days Ben realized he had a meeting in Milan and we decided a spontaneous trip to Italy was just what we needed. We booked a quick flight and within a few days we were on our way. We are getting the hang of flying with Ava and luckily both flights were not very crowded so we had lots of extra space. We stayed near the Central train station in Milan and therefore had close access to the subway, street cars, and buses. On this trip we had many opportunities to play "where to put the baby" so that we avoid going to bed at 7 pm. Luckily Friday night after we arrived, we were able to rig up a baby monitor between our iPhones and head down to the lobby for a quick dinner.

Saturday was filled with exploring. We toured the Duomo from top to bottom with all levels equally interesting. The Cathedral was huge and magnificent. The lower level burial grounds were fascinating and the roof top, while chilly, had amazing views of the city from all angles. Ava can even say when she gets bigger that she had lunch overlooking the city of Milan. We walked through the Galleria Vittorio and found a place for lunch. We decided to go with Italian staples and had steady diet of pasta, pizza, and gelato most of the weekend.

Sunday we enjoyed another sunny day and walked around the train station, through many of the parks, and went in search of The Last Supper. After a great afternoon walk, we made it to the Basilica di Santa Maria only to find that advance tickets were needed to enter. After a quick stop for more gelato we were on our way. We found that with Ava some of the best ways to see the city were with diaper bag, baby carrier, and stroller in tow; it was cumbersome but then we were prepared for most anything and could stay out for a longer period of time. Sunday night we switched hotels and stayed at LaGare, we tucked Ava's crib into the bathroom, ordered Chinese food, and caught a soccer game on TV. Early Monday morning Megan and Ava headed to the airport and Ben started his work trip.

We are looking forward to more travels in the next few months. Already on the calendar are visits from the Aylesworths Senior and Megan's brother Jon!

SEVEN months and a bit (Jan 1)

Ben Aylesworth January 11, 2016

Ava is now seven (almost 7.5) months old now and it seems that it month it gets more difficult to remember to write down what she is up to on the first of the month. This month we have an excuse though, as we were just coming to the end of our two week trip home back to the US. We had another great trip and Ava was loads easier to travel with at six months than at four months. She is a sleep champ and took the jet lag in stride switching over to her normal naps and night sleep within a day. That seems to make everything about traveling just a little bit easier! We enjoyed traveling along 95 again with a flight into NYC, two nights in Baltimore, first Christmas down with my family in Richmond, second Christmas in DC at Ben's sister's house, a little more time in Baltimore, NYE with the Smith's in MD, and then we closed the trip spending a night with the Rynn's in NYC. As with each trip we arrive home exhausted, but realize that it is a good thing that we have such wonderful family and friends to keep us busy.

So Ava's Seventh Month in brief:

Sleep: Ava is still taking 3 naps each day and sleeping from 7pm-7am most nights. A recent change here in January was that Dad lowered her crib as she is going to be pulling herself up to stand any day now. Also the mobile didn't stand a chance as little fingers were grabbing at it constantly!

Play: Ava loves a new stacking toy that she got for Christmas. She is also becoming an expert "peek a boo" player which is only to Mommy's dismay during diaper changes when she wildly kicks her legs while covering up her face. She is also very motivated lately to grasp for toys out of reach. This gives her good practice going from sitting to tummy to back and even a little "pre crawl". Ava can stand up when holding onto someone's hands or holding on to a toy. She is even standing on her own on the rare occasion for a second.

Food: Always the lover of food, Ava tried pouches over the holiday (they became necessary going to so many different houses!) and there wasn't a food she didn't like, even green beans and corn were a hit. She is drinking water out of her sippie cup and milk from an occasional bottle. Thanks to new bibs from Nana for Christmas, clean up is easier than ever.

Ava seems to have learned in the last month the general meaning of "mom" and "dad". No one could have explained what a fabulous feeling it is to have her little head rest on your shoulder or watch her face light up in a big smile when she hears our voice. We know as soon as she is crawling things will change yet again, but for now, I think we will keep her!

1/2 Year Old (Dec 1)

Ben Aylesworth December 5, 2015

Our little peanut is six months old! Winter has arrived in Berlin and Christmas is coming! While the weather has been mild so far, we still had the chance to show Ava snow. Last week when she woke up from her nap there were perfect huge flakes falling. We took her out to the balcony in her snowsuit, but she seemed more confused that amazed. Good thing we will likely have more snow experiences soon.

The big news this month is that we have a sitter and a roller. About two weeks ago Ava started to sit up unassisted for short periods of time. Now she prefers to sit during playtime and is able to reach for toys and right herself again without falling over, most of the time! She seems to love her new view of the world. And very recently, as in yesterday, Ava has started to roll over in her crib. We had been waiting for this, knowing that the day was coming soon. She hasn't yet rolled back over to her back so she either gets stuck on her tummy and is a little upset or has just fallen back asleep on her stomach which make Mommy very nervous! But with all new tricks, this one will take some getting used to.

Ava continues to expand her palate trying new foods little by little. The big hit in the past few weeks has been Greek yogurt. She likes eating this by itself or mixed with fruits or vegetables that she has already tried. She is also practicing how to drink water from a sippy cup. She has also started to eat whole pieces of fruit through a mesh feeder, which ideally should be a solo activity, but she prefers to have Mommy hold it in her mouth!

Ava is interacting and communicating with her laughs, smiles, coos, yells, and impatient whines. Mom and Dad are both anxiously waiting to hear more babbling and that coveted first word! Will be me "mama" or "dada"? Ava is getting better at playing "Peek-a-boo", likes her toys that squeak, and has a new set of stacking cups that she can knock over like a pro!

This month we had to part with Ben for a week as he headed to Chicago on business. It was hard to have him away but we made it through the week with daily FaceTime sessions and a spontaneous trip to Berlin from Grammie Aylesworth! We only had two days here in Berlin with Ben's mom but managed two fit in two visits to Christmas Markets, here called Weihnachtsmarkts, and plenty of play time!

We are getting our Christmas tree today and are so excited to share the holiday season with our little love! Every thing seems more magical when we get to watch her join in on the holiday "firsts". Who is ready for the baby in only a diaper and Christmas lights picture? I know I am!

We travel home to the East Coast in two weeks and will be staying in VA, DC, MD, and NYC for two weeks. We are excited to see friends and family and if we missed you in our October visit we would certainly love to see you this trip! Be in touch.

Christmas Cheer and Gluhwein,

The Aylesworth Trio

Funf Monate (Nov 1)

Ben Aylesworth November 7, 2015

Little one is now over five months and yet again I am rushing to write something down before nap time ends! I know we are a little biased but this girl is amazing. She is so alert and there is so much that she can do now.

Play:

Ava now has two middle bottom teeth that a part way through, so her play involves putting everything in her mouth. She grabs and reaches for toys, diaper clothes, and rattles and it all goes in. She looks for toys that she wants and reaches, while on her tummy or back, to get her toy. She seems to be on the verge of rolling from back to stomach, she turns onto her side and just sort of hangs out there. I have noticed, through rigorous monitor observation haha, that she even seems to sleep on her side some of the time. She also moves around in the crib like crazy and will often turn 180 degrees before settling down to sleep!

Eating:

Ava is enjoying her solid foods. She has now had carrots, sweet potato, two nights of avocado, pears, and apples. Avocado is the only food that hasn't agreed with her so far. However with Mom and Dad being huge fans, she is going to have to get used to it! We will try it again in a few weeks. Ava sits in her high chair and opens her mouth wide at dinner time she is even starting to understand "all done". We are using a few baby signs with Ava that consist mostly of: "milk", "all done", and "more".

Sleeping:

Ava is a sleep champ. She is doing well with sleeping through the night. She is down from 7pm to 7am and gets a dreamfeed at 11pm. She did well with the time change on our trip to the States and mostly transitioned after a few days, but with all of the newness still woke up most nights when we were away. Ava is taking 3-4 naps per day and napping in her crib when we are at home.

Ava is an absolute joy. We are looking forward to seeing her finally roll over, start making consonant sounds, and become more steady when sitting up. We will have to see what comes in month SIX.

XO, The Aylesworth Trio

Homebound: America the Beautiful

Ben Aylesworth November 7, 2015

So our first trip back to the US of A with Ava was busier than I think we could have imagined. In 10 days it went a little like this: NYC to Baltimore to Richmond to DC to NYC. I think Ava had the pleasure of sleeping in 5 different pack n' plays and we are so thankful to all of our friends and families for hosting us and welcoming us back home.

The flight over was fairly uneventful. We had booked the bulkhead seats freakishly in advance to make sure we had a bassinet for Ava, as you may guess she spent a total of 5 minutes in this box hanging from the wall and slept in it not at all. However, she was a pleasant baby and preferred to walk the aisles mixed in with a little in seat playtime. She was a great traveler but Momma was quite tired at the end of the nine hour flight! Phase 2 of long distance travel, get a rental car at JFK and drive on to Baltimore. This is where Ben was the star and stayed awake and drove the 4 hours south before we could sleep! Ava was lovely and slept the entire drive. This driving sleep is new to her and we finally understand what new parents say about driving around to help the baby fall asleep, hmmm "maybe we should buy a car in Berlin?" I know I said more than once. We were welcomed by The Aylesworths and treated to a lovely meal before falling fast asleep.

Part 2 - RICHMOND

Our initial reason for making the October trip was to see my little bro get married. Jason and Sam had a lovely outdoor fall wedding on October 17th. The weekend was filled with friends and family and extended family, with almost everyone meeting Ava for the first time. One of my favorite pictures from the trip is Jason's wedding day where Granny is holding Ava outside before the ceremony. The wedding was lots of fun and topped off with a pie bar! We learned to be more flexible with Ava and even stay out past her bedtime! With many family members staying at my parent's house it was a non-stop visit until we departed for DC on Monday afternoon.

Part 3: DC

We were able to spend a night with Aaron, Sam, and Layla when we first got to DC. It was lots of fun for Ava to meet a new friend who is almost exactly a year older than her. We can always exchange stories and get the tips on what is to come. We had a fabulous rib night with Aaron manning the grill, smoker, and other cooking devices required to make our feast. The visit was topped off with a trip for Dim Sum in the morning. We can only hope at 18 months that Ava is as adventurous in her eating as Layla.

The rest of our time in DC was spent with the Aylesworth/Strachan clan. Ava got to meet her cousins Tyler and Chloe and see her Aunts and Uncle. The highlights of the visit were long daytime walks to enjoy the warm fall weather, family cooking at night, and a Gonzaga football game. While it seemed like everything about this trip was too short, it was really nice to fit in so much!

Part 4 - NYC

From the moment we drove through the Lincoln Tunnel it was surreal to show Ava bits of "old life". It may be wishful thinking on my part, but I think she was looking at the construction on 10th avenue with wonder in her eyes! We were graciously hosted by Erin and Joe, who even had a pack and play ready for us given that they are expecting twins in February. That Friday Ava was squired around Manhattan in her Bjorn while we visited all our old spots: the dentist, 505W37, the High Line Park, and Chelsea Market to meet Shep for lunch! I think the receptionist at the dentist and our old doorman Jose were equally excite to meet the lil munchkin. Friday night, thanks to the Rynn babysitting team, Ben and I got to enjoy a grown up dinner with the old crew at Wolfgangs (and what they say is true, you really can't get a good quality American steak abroad). Saturday brought more adventures with a group picnic in Central Park at the Friendship Tree, while it was a little chilly we were excited to visit with so many people. Funny that were never noticed in our past life that lounging, eating, chatting, and drinking wine in the park is a tad more difficult with a baby who forgot to nap! But, we wore Ava out and before we knew it, it was time to cab to JFK for our return flight home.

Ava must have been as tired from the trip as we were, she plopped down in the bassinet soon after take off and slept the entire 7 hour flight! We can wait to see everyone again over the holidays when we are home for 2 weeks in December.

XO, The Aylesworth Trio

1/3 of a year old plus a little (Oct 10)

Ben Aylesworth October 7, 2015

I say it every month, but it's unbelievable how big Ava is getting and how much she has grown and changed. Here is the simplified version before little one wakes up from her nap:

Play: Ava is now grasping at toys and picking them up easily. She has mastered getting rattles and basically everything that she can get her hands on, into her mouth. At her last doctor's visit the pediatrician said that she has a tooth in the gum at the bottom middle. It is still difficult to see but surely this contributes to the joy of everything going in the mouth. In the last week or so she has started holding on to toys longer and shaking them as well!

Feeding: At the pediatrician's suggestion we started with pureed foods when she turned four months. We started with selecting a high chair that would "fit the decor" of the dining room. Ava loves her space egg and usually sits in it happily with a toy or two while we eat dinner. Her first food was carrots and she was happy to try this. She prefers the method of lapping at the spoon and using her hand to shove the food into her mouth rather than taking the small bites that Mommy gives her. The next food on the menu was sweet potatoes and carbs are Ava's jam. She could not get enough of these and was quite happy when Dad's big spoonfuls kept coming. Ava recently cut out her nighttime feeding and is now eating 6 times per day in addition to her puree snack at dinner time.

Sleep: So much as changed from looking back to the sleep training post! Ava now takes all of her home naps in her crib and when we are out will take little cat naps in the stroller or carrier for about 30 minutes. She is sleeping in the morning and midday for 1.5 hours each nap. Ava goes to bed on her own at all times in her crib and has totally adjusted to the consistency of her nap and nighttime routine. She falls asleep on her own in the crib at night and has been going to bed around 7:30pm. When Ava turned 18 weeks old she decided to give us a big gift by sleeping through the night! This wasn't entirely unexpected as we had been working the week before to cut back the 3am feeding little by little. We hope this good sleep continues!

We are headed on our first trip back the USA next week for Jason's wedding and visiting friends and family in NYC, VA, and DC/MD. It will surely be a busy and exciting trip with many new people for Ava to meet. Details to follow!

Adventures in Sleep Training (Sept 5)

Ben Aylesworth September 9, 2015

When we had a baby we dreamed of her being a great sleeper. For the most part she has been, taking regular naps, following a schedule since early on, and especially loving her Mamaroo swing. However, in the few weeks leading up to 3 months she became a little bit finicky and Mama especially started to notice that she was creating some bad habits. Sometimes it takes going a few steps to far and maybe Dad's shared perspective before you realize that you don't want to have to rock your baby to sleep at every nap and you would really like to avoid getting up in the middle of the night only to replace a pacifier. So these observations, coupled with Ava getting a bit older and recently discovering her favorite activity of sucking and chewing on her hands and fingers, we decided it was time to Sleep Train.

We started on a Saturday night after checking into our baby books, reading articles online, and transcribing our own family Sleep Plan (yes, we are huge nerds). The first night was tough, we decided to start with bedtime and then slowly added night time feedings and then nap time (still partially in progress). The first night Ava cried for 45 minutes and it nearly broke her Mama's heart. You think that you would be able to remain rational and remind oneself that this is a week of torture that will help your baby to be an independent sleeper for years to come, but it was tough. Luckily Dad stood strong and we checked on her at 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes and then she was out! During the two feedings that night she was back to sleep after 11 minutes and then the second time she didn't cry at all (likely she was exhausted from this change in sleep style!).

We are now on Day 4 of sleep training and there is certainly observable progress. For one our baby genius knows the nighttime routine and as soon as songs + sleep sack comes out she starts this pitiful whimper. However, she is falling asleep at bedtime in 15 minutes or less and only fusses for a few minutes before putting herself back to sleep in the middle of the night. Naps are still a work in progress, some happen in the crib and some happen in the swing. But I can say that we are making progress and consciously reminding ourselves that she needs to be given the opportunity to fall asleep on her own. Sometimes it is so hard and it already seems like she is getting so big! The silver lining this week is with the naps in disarray she is extra snuggly in the evenings.

Updates to come and the countdown is on...10 days until Began takes their first night apart from Ava! Thank goodness she will be in good hands with Nana and Papa Matzke!

Our 3 Month Old (Sept 1)

Ben Aylesworth September 2, 2015

It's unbelievable that our newborn is now three months old. Here are some of the main happenings from the past month:

-We traveled by plane to Manchester, England and we traveled by high speed train to Hamburg, Germany. Ava has taken the journeys in stride and for the most part been a joy to travel with. She enjoys seeing new places from the viewpoint of her stroller and often sleeps better in the hotel pack n' play than here at home!

-Ava is getting to be so strong! She loves "standing" and will pull herself up holding on to Daddy's hands with only a little help. We introduced the jumper recently and she likes to sit and bounce in the doorway with someone sitting close by. She has just started to hold on to toys given a little guidance and is a pro at the activity gym, batting a toys and grabbing on to rings. Her eye contact is improving as she stares at the toys and will look from one to the other.

-When playing with Mommy and Daddy, Ava is usually all smiles. She is now starting to laugh and continues to coo and gurgle, especially in the morning and after eating.

-Ava is still napping 3 times a day and occasionally taking a catnap between dinner and bedtime. She still prefers to nap in the Mamaroo swing and on walks in the stroller more than sleep in her crib. She is still swaddled at nap time and has now caught on to the routine of swaddle/goodnight song/nap; she occasionally shares her disapproval with a few tears. At night time Ava is going to bed between 8:30-9pm and wakes up like clockwork very close to 7am. She sleeps in her crib at night time and Mommy and Daddy are still working hard to increase those night time hours and cut back on feedings!

-Ava is an absolute pleasure to be around and is looking forward to her Nana and Papa making their second trip to Berlin this month. She can't wait for her first trip home to the US in October when she will see Grammie and Pop Pop again, as well as meet the extended Aylesworth and Matzke families. We look forward to spending time in NYC, MD, and VA in late October seeing both friends and family.

Off to Manchester...Ava's first flight(s) and international experience (Aug 16-19)

Ben Aylesworth August 21, 2015

Between my overwhelming desire to nap most of the time and Ava sleeping less of the time, these posts seem to take longer than anticipated! Here is the run down of our first international trip:

-We flew KLM and had two flights Berlin to Amsterdam and then Amsterdam to Manchester. Ava now has her first stamps in her passport. She did great on the flights either sleeping or eating and by the return trip she was awake and took the landing like a pro with no tears.

-Our stay in Manchester was filled with family breakfasts, Dad putting in a few hours of work each day, and Mommy and Ava "exploring" the city. Our explorations included visiting the library, walking through many parks, taking naps in the stroller and in the hotel bed, and watching some much missed English TV.

-Our dinners included some great Indian and Chinese dinners, which are two cuisines that we are really missing in Berlin, and early bedtimes. The joys of sharing a hotel with an infant is lights out at 9pm.

Two months has come and gone... (August 10th)

Ben Aylesworth August 10, 2015

Today Ava is 10 weeks old. I have been meaning to write her two month update for the last week, but time has gotten away from me. Ava is becoming such a little person and is changing so quickly, I have to make it a priority to put it down in writing.

Ava starting smiling around 6-7 weeks. She is generally a happy baby when she wakes up, but now even when she starts to cry she will often break into a smile when she sees Mommy or Daddy. She is cooing and making gurgling sounds all the time. She is able to "communicate" and take turns making sound back and forth. Megan is try her hardest to hold off on playing "speech therapist".

Ava's play has changed and developing unbelievably in the last month. She looks for minutes at a time at the toys hanging in the activity gym and has become much more coordinated with her arm movements to reach out and hit the toy. Occasionally, she is even able to grab onto one of the rings. Ava's has also discovered her hands and typically prefers sucking on her fingers or hand rather than a pacifier.

She is able to entertain herself for short periods of time and will lay on the tummy time blanket, in the activity gym, in the crib looking at the mobile, or even on the couch and look out the window. This has improved Mom and Dad's ability to eat dinner or take care of quick tasks while keeping a happy Ava. Ava is sleeping more at night and is now in her crib from 9pm to around 7-8am. She is waking up for a few feedings at night, but certainly picking up on "the schedule".

Ava is now gearing up for her second trip and first time outside of Germany. As a family we are headed to England next week to make a short getaway out of one of Ben's work trips. The short flight will be good practice before our transcontinental flight home to the US in October. Updates and more pictures to follow!

Baltic Sea Bound: Stralsund and Rugen (July 11-12)

Ben Aylesworth July 20, 2015

We had our first opportunity to take an overnight trip outside of Berlin, Ava was almost 6 weeks old and it was early July. We thought a trip north to Stralsund and the island of Rugen along the Baltic Sea would be a great first location. The trip was organized through Bayer so all we had to do was show up and hop on a bus. We of course wondered if we were crazy trying to take a tiny baby on a coach bus for 3+ hours, but when we arrived we saw many other families and most with young kids. Ava was a dream on the bus, sleeping almost the entire way. Ben and Megan took in the sights which consisted of frequent wind farms and a surprising amount of rural land starting directly outside of Berlin. A highlight was seeing the occasional Porsche fly past us in the left hand lane and disappear out of sight in seconds; our bus didn't travel quite so quickly.

We arrived in Stralsund about 1pm and boarded the Gorch Fock, an old ship that previously trained sailors. We were treated to a lunch of Fischbroetchen, a fish sandwich with pickled herring which Ben of course enjoyed. Megan went with the cheese option. After lunch we decided to begin exploring the town. We wandered through the the cobblestone city streets and stopped in the town square for a giant cappuccino. Ava continued to show off what an excellent traveler she was by sleeping continuously with only small breaks to eat. We were able to visit the old churches in Stralsund: St. Marienkirche and Nikolaikirche surviving since the 14th century. Before we knew it, it was time to head over to the island of Rugen via ferry where we would arrive at our evening destination, The Lindner Hotel and Spa.

The ferry had great views of the sights of Stralsund, as well as the shores of Rugen, the largest island in Germany. When we got to the hotel we quickly checked into our room before dinner. This was our first time experiencing the twin beds pushed together to make a joint sleeping area complete with individual down comforters. The hotel was able to provide us with a crib for Ava, but seeing that it came with a plush comforter and pillow, we decided she might need a harder surface. We headed downstairs for a buffet dinner including some regional fare: pork and sauerkraut always seem to make an appearance as well as a custard with fruit compote on top that Megan has also found in other restaurants. After dinner Ava got to take a quick peek at the Baltic Sea before bed. It was enjoyable but busy first day.

On Sunday we woke up amazed that Ava seemed to stick to her sleep schedule despite the change of location. She promptly went back to sleep after a quick bath and Ben and Megan were eager to check out the breakfast buffet. Highlights of the regional fare included jams and jellies of all varieties, rolls, croissants, and all of the deli cheese and meats you could imagine. After getting our fill the bus took us back to Stralsund for another half day in the town before heading home. We took a tour of the Ozeaneum which was equal parts aquarium and Stralsund Baltic Sea historical museum. After carrying the stroller up and down multiple flights of dimly lit stairs we made a promise to ourselves to make better use of the Bjorn carrier on our next trip. After the aquarium we wandered around town and got a quick bite to eat along the water before our bus ride back to Berlin.

While our first trip was a bit short, we proved to ourselves that we could travel with Baby, ate some great food, and met some new people. We look forward to our next adventure sometime in August.