Dear Mini-Me,

you're six months old today. It's become so wonderfully normal to have you around that I almost missed your half-year birthday today.

The past 181 days have been the loveliest, most exciting, tiring, funniest, most beautiful, delirious, sleepless, hilarious, heartbreaking of my life.

Never have I been more happy than with you. Thank you for being here.

♥


Photo: Carolin Weinkopf

Mini-me will be 6 months old next week and since we were so lazy looking for options on child care while I was pregnant since he's been born, we decided to give it a shot and try to find a kind human who'd be willing to spend some time with him a few hours a week, to push the stroller through Kreuzberg, to carry him in the Ergo by the canal, to have lunch with him, to watch movies while he's sleeping or to calm baby-fever.

A. is a fun, friendly, stress-free baby that only crys when there's a good reason, loves lots of attention and is really, really curious for new places, things and people.



If you know someone, male or female, old or young, international or German, who can spare a few hours (4 - 10?) during the week, loves babies and wants to lend us a helping hand when I have photo shoots or need to run errands and who might give us the option to have occasional date nights, please >>shout<<.

Salary is a question of negotiation and we also have a spare room if necessary. I might also need someone to travel with me for short trips occasionally, if that's a plus (not a must). Interviews start now!

The best thing I have ever made.

All photos: Carolin Weinkopf

Mini-me turned one month old today. Can't believe how time is flying. It feels like he has just arrived. I dearly hope he'll never leave again.


Photo: Carolin Weinkopf

I'm working on finding a routine in this whole new situation. While I am desperate and mostly sleepless, enjoy the images of Anton's first bath last weekend. It appears he really knows how to relax, doesn't he?

(It's amazing how efficient I can be chosing and editing photos when I have the pressure of a (maybe not so long) sleeping baby on me...)






All photos: Carolin Weinkopf

Mini-me is here. His name is Anton, he was born on September 25 around coffee hour and he's perfect, super healthy and fine and now one week old.

We're smitten and proud - yet still completely overwhelmed, speechless and so, so exhausted. It will take us a while to adjust to this new situation - so please give us some time.


Photo: Carolin Weinkopf

Dear Mini-Me,

for weeks I was hoping to hold you a bit earlier than calculated. I was wishing you would decide to go on your big journey when you were still slim and sporty, so it wouldn't hurt as much (shoot!).



Now, I decided your time hasn't come just yet. Please hold tight to your umbilical cord and stay in there until everything is set and ready for you. The floor in your room is getting its 15th layer of white paint right now, because I couldn't describe what I wanted to the construction guys (and because they immortalized the dog hair of the previous tenant in it, which I didn't accept).



Your bed is not there, neither a matress, nor anything else basically. I haven't washed any of your clothes and I haven't decided for any decoration just yet. To be honest, we are not even sure about your last name.



I'm still not really aware you will be here soon, so please give me two more weeks to realize (plus, just think of all the advantages of being born on Germany's national holiday!).



Once you're here, we'll throw konfetti and roll out the red carpet for you. Just give us this tiny bit of time. Deal?!

Thank you.
Carolin

All photos: Carolin Weinkopf

The past months have been an exciting bundle of time, of joy and aches, of hopes and fears. I'm pretty much relaxed concerning the last tiny bit of this pregnancy (week 35 today...), so let's be optimistic it stays this way.

My greatest concern is finally out of way: N. and I have an apartment! And what an apartment, I can say! It's not what we planned for (as >>that<< had to be cancelled), but this way it turned out to be this kick-ass alternative (who can say anything against CHARMING, a balcony, an oriel and a VIEW?). There's still some little construction going on, but just for the good vibes, we've already brought some of our dearest stuff up there to make it feel a bit like home.

We've cried some tears out of awesomeness on the balcony together this weekend and can't wait for what's to come. N. will be moving back to Berlin within the next two weeks as well and it will be into this, into our place.

(We can also cross one of my wishes from the >>last post<< off of the list. We will have a bathtub! One that can fit the whole soon to be family!)

A huge thank you to our friends U. and R. who have helped us with this and them and the rest of our great new neighbours. I couldn't think of a greater environment to spend my days. Ever!

Oh yes, and I have to admit I bought a stroller as well. Finally found my choice in used for an incredible price in the outskirts of Berlin and had a lovely friend help me pick it up in his big car. Thank you, B. And isn't it the prettiest stroller - ever?

(Mini-me is jumping in excitement. And so are we.)

♥









All photos: Carolin Weinkopf via iPhone

It's week 34 and today I collapsed during my acupuncture session. And I didn't sleep all night. I cooked a kick-ass vegetable soup but couldn't really eat any of it. As I am writing this, mini-me is trying to kick the macbook off of my belly. WTF?!






All photos: Carolin Weinkopf via iPhone