Bode: 37 months

Dear Bode,

A week after you turned 3, your whole world changed in a BIG way.   We flew to Berlin, Germany and are living here for a month.  You handled the transition in your usual calm fashion.  It took you four nights to get on "German" time and to sleep through the night.  The hardest change for you was the milk. For some reason, it tasted different.  You would cry for your "old milk" and it would break my heart.  The first three days, you would cry, "I want to go home! I want to go home!" and I had serious misgivings about this trip. 

Somersaults with Daddy in Potsdam

We came to Berlin so that we could stay together as a family, and to have new experiences that this travel opportunity presented. As a bonus, you've grown more confident in other things.  Physically, you take more risks, such as trying new things at the park. You are outgoing, and will 'crash' someone else's sand party at the park and say "Hi!" You continue to smile even when the German children give you  strange looks in return, or ignore you completely.  Intellectually and emotionally, I think you've stretched yourself on this trip, learning about a new place (Germany), and living in a new house, sleeping in a new bed in a new room, and being amongst people who speak a different language.  

At the "Charlottenburg Castle." Our apartment is across the street (behind the blue van)

Being in Germany and away from your usual stuff in California has brought you even closer to Gianna.  I think, because you don't have the usual toys and distractions, you look to Gianna for laughs and companionship.  You are also very protective of her. Whenever we are in the elevator, you always say, "Don't forgot Gianna, Mommy. Don't forgot Gianna!"  I assure you every time that I would never forget her (or you).  But you always say this any time we are in the elevator, as if short term memory loss is going to strike your mother and leave your sister an orphan.  This statement worries me, in that I wonder if this trip has been harder on you than we know.  I wonder if you do have separation anxiety, and your statement about Gianna is your way of seeking reassurance.  Hopefully, you are just looking out for your  little sister.

At the park

Now for the not-so-pretty-nitty-gritty:  you are living on air, refusing to eat anything unless it is a "schnecken" or something from the bakery, you YELL and SHRIEK constantly and it drives me crazy, you have been wearing diapers for the past month and show no signs of wanting to be a "big boy" anymore. Dr. Sepetka believes that you reverting to babyhood has everything to do with the big changes that we've been experiencing. She thinks, once we get settled in New York, and you are in preschool, you'll be the 3 year old that you were on your way to becoming before we left for Berlin. 

I'm guessing that Daddy was "negotiating" with you when I took these shots!

Other than these small quirks, you have handled all these changes exceptionally well.  I really am not surprised. You are my happy little guy, and I think you will (hopefully) always roll with the changes.   You've got another big change coming up in a couple of weeks, when we move permanently to New York. The good news is, it is permanent and will be "home" as soon as you've settled.  I hope that this also proves to be a good change for you.  We are going to do everything we can to make it that way.

I love you, my little schnecken!

Mommy

xo