Zurich Street Parade

Once a year Zurich goes WILD. I passed on taking Chase down into the madness; Brian braved the crowd to get these pictures for the blog.

Weekend Away: Klosters

We decided to spend the weekend in Klosters, a well-known ski resort close to Davos.

Recognizable to Britons as the favoured winter getaway of Prince Charles, Klosters sits about 9km northeast of Davos. Klosters is peaceful and quiet, with lovely dark-wood chalets and a village atmosphere.

Klosters is a destination in the Summer for hikers, bikers and outdoor types. There are magnificent vistas from cable cars and gorgeous Alpine hikes. We were lucky enough to be offered keys to a friend's place. The drive out was beautiful. We were so looking forward to a weekend away.

When we got there the clouds and rain set in (which is why half the pictures are in color and half are in black and white). We ended up only spending one night, as it was quite chilly and wet, wet, wet outside. We headed home a day early ...















Small mountain town:















View from the apartment:















Out on the town (we had about 15 mins between rain storms):

Daddy's Little Girl

The Kiddie Park

I have taken a real liking to the local kiddie park. It's filled with mums and kids of all ages. It's a large green park with a sandbox, a wading pool, swings, play structure, etc. I find it extremely entertaining to watch people there (an inexpensive, amusing way to spend a day). Following are some of the characters I've come across. I really wanted to take pictures but it just wasn't appropriate. Maybe I should look into secret spy gear.

The man with the orange nike sneakers (white swoosh): Looks like a secret agent. Mousy. Dark glasses. Mysterious. Looks around constantly, as if to see if anyone is watching him. Pushes stroller to a bench, sits down, looks around. Reaches into stroller. Pulls out a newspaper. (I'm wondering if there is a baby in there or if he is a pedophile). Looks around. Nervous. Reaches into his pocket and pulls out cigarettes. Starts smoking. (Are his hands shaking?) Looks around. Reads paper (pulling up paper high to cover his face). Still smoking. Baby cries (so there is a baby in there after all). He extinguishes his cigarette. Picks up the baby. Takes off his glasses. Coos and kisses baby. Behaves like normal, loving father for about 5 mins. Then puts baby back in stroller. Glasses back on. Paper goes back into stroller. He looks around again. Pushes baby in stroller out of the park. (I haven't seen him since)

The family with red scarf hats: Three women. Seven children, all with red scarves for hats. Brian thinks it's a way for three women, with separate husbands, to keep track of their kids. I think it's a way for three women, with one husband, to keep track of their kids.


The pregnant man: okay, so he's not really pregnant. But the first thing I saw was two expecting women, pushing strollers, and then just behind them came a man with a bit of a gut, pushing a stroller. Hence, I have dubbed him the pregnant man.


The naked circus performer: A boy about 10 years old. Buck naked. On the swing set. First sitting normally, then getting adventurous and twisting his body about so his feet are up in the air, his back arched on the seat of the swing, his head so low that his hair just sweeps the ground.


And those are just a few...

*Nike orange shoe photo is courtesy of www.commotionworld.com
*Photo of red scarf woman from www.allparty.co.uk
*Beer belly photo from abc.net.au
*Swings picture from Cirque du Soleil

The "Crib"

After doing quite a bit of research on cribs, I decided to move forward with the "Montessori bed" (a mattress, on the floor, with no rails).

I thought the concept was a good one (although it terrifies some people I know). The child has full visibility and complete freedom of movement. When the child wakes up, she can amuse herself by exploring her room or playing with her toys. This approach is supposed to foster independence and creativity in the child.

As the child gets older, you slowly increase the distance between the bed and the floor.

Note: The key to "Montessori bed" success is your ability to childproof.

Play Time

I never used to understand why I stopped receiving pictures of my friends after they had children. It was like my friends just dissapeared. While I have certainly enjoyed watching their children grow, I have always wished they would send more pictures of them.

Now I'm beginning to understand.

Exhausted. Dark circles under the eyes from lack of sleep. Wish I could lose just 5 more lbs. And the baby is just so darn cute...

Future Pen Pals?

Addy Hall (London, England)
*Made possible by John and Allison Hall
*Special thanks to Addy for the donation of her stylish newborn - six month wardrobe











Damien and Sophia Berry (Boston, MA)
*Made possible by Jeff and Gabriella Berry









Mitchell and Calvin Carswell (Boston, MA)
*Made possible by Allison and Craig Carswell











Jack and Olivia Donahue (Boston, MA)
*Made possible by Victoria and Jeffery Donahue















Callia Ward (London, England)
*Made possible by Isaac and Elaina Ward













Bianca and Alexa Daly (Boston, MA)
*Made possible by Albert and Nayla Daly
**Bianca was born just hours before Chase!















Colby Carstons (London, England)
*Made possible by Anne-Marie and John Carstons











Charlie Howell (Portland, Oregon)
*Made possible by Sarah and Andrew Howell




















Maura and Carter Alfrey (Portland, Oregon)
*Made possible by Whitney and Matt Alfrey















Felix Bond-Roberts (London, England)
*Made possible by Emma Bond and Emerson Roberts












And more to come ....

> Sarah and Zack Jarvis (30 November 2006)
> Chrisanne and Jason Gayl (31 December 2006)
> Jenny and Charles Turner (31 December 2006)
> Lynn Lawrence Brown (January 2007)

Choices

Chase has started making her own decisions.

What to wear... (purple pants with flowers)
Which toy she wants... (stuffed puppy dog)

One thing we're still not sure about is which hand she will choose to use. She swings easily between left and right - and likes to use both when possible.

On The Move

Zurich Fountains

The water here is so clean you can drink from any city fountain - and the fountains are beautiful!

Best Friends

If you look closely you will see that she has grabbed Dagney and is holding on tight!

Time With Daddy

Walking (With A Little Help)

First Flight

Desperately Seeking DHA

Lesson of the day: DHA is an Omega-3 fatty acid. DHA, I've recently learned, is not only important for adults, it is essential to provide your child a "smart start." DHA is found naturally in breastmilk. Other popular sources of DHA are: salmon, sardines, and tuna. Eggs and organ meats have a small amount of DHA in them, but the healthiest source of dietary DHA is seafood. Two 4-ounce servings of omega-3-rich fish per week should yield a sufficient amount of omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA. Besides fish oils, vegetable oils (primarily flaxseed, soy, and canola) are also rich sources of omega 3 fatty acids, with flaxseed oil being the best. The two F's, fish and flax, are the top brain-building foods for growing children, and adults.). DHA is available in most formulas in the US and the UK.

So what's the big deal? DHA has been shown to improve brain function, memory, stress response, immune response, allergies, asthma, as well as learning and behavioral disorders. In addition, DHA has been linked to a decrease in Alzheimer's, obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance, adult onset diabetes and stroke.

Just how important is DHA for brain development? Consider these research findings:

• Infants who have low amounts of DHA in their diet have reduced brain development and diminished visual acuity.
• The increased intelligence and academic performance of breastfed compared with formula- fed infants has been attributed in part to the increased DHA content of human milk.
• Cultures whose diet is high in omega 3 fatty acids (such as the Eskimos who eat a lot of fish) have a lower incidence of degenerative diseases of the central nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis.
• Experimental animals whose diets are low in DHA have been found to have smaller brains and delayed central nervous system development.
• Some children with poor school performance because of ADD, have been shown to have insufficient essential fatty acids in their diet.

Still not convinced? Fats can also influence brain development and performance, especially at either end of life -- growing infants and elderly people. In fact, there are two windows of time in which the brain is especially sensitive to nutrition: the first two years of life for a growing baby and the last couple decades of life for a senior citizen. Both growing and aging brains need nutritious fats.

The most rapid brain growth occurs during the first year of life, with the infant's brain tripling in size by the first birthday. During this stage of rapid central nervous system growth, the brain uses sixty percent of the total energy consumed by the infant. Fats are a major component of the brain cell membrane and the myelin sheath around each nerve. So, it makes sense that getting enough fat, and the right kinds of fat, can greatly affect brain development and performance. In fact, during the first year, around fifty percent of an infant's daily calories come from fat. Mother Nature knows how important fat is for babies; fifty percent of the calories in mother's milk is fat.

(Information above courtesy of askdrsears.com)

So.... Did NHS provide me with any idea of how important it is to consume DHA while pregnant? (No) Did the midwives tell me how important it was to look for formula with DHA? (No) Did we move to the only country that does know the benefits or include DHA in its formula? (Yes) Did I ask our pediatrician here if I should be concerned that I could not find formula with DHA and he said no (Yes) Am I determined to find a way to add DHA to Chase's formula? (Yes)

So I asked a friend, who is currently pursuing her PhD in Nutrition, as I was concerned the current fish oil supplements would introduce trace elements of mercury and lead into my daughter's diet (which I was not about to do). My friend recommended Flax Seed Oil/Linseed Oil, but later we discovered that one's body needs to do several conversions to turn this into an Omega-3 fatty acid.

My mom, meanwhile, was on the case in the US and reported back that our pediatrician in Oregon indicated it would be okay to add several drops of Cod Liver Oil to Chase's formula.

So off I went to find Cod Liver Oil. Do the drugstores here have it? (No) Do the naturalpath stores have it? (No) Did they try to tell me I didn't need it? (Yes) Did they try to sell me Halibut oil? (Yes) Did they try to sell me pure Vitamin D? (Yes) Did they shake their heads disbelievingly when I told them I needed it for my daughter? (Yes)

Long story short, I am still trying to find cod liver oil in Switzerland. The good news is, my Sister-In-Law and mother will both be visiting this month, so I will ask them to load up their suitcases with it.

I just wanted to share my research, as I found it both interesting and informative.

Swiss National Day

Unfortunately, I came across the following information (from Swiss.com) too late in the day to take advantage of the local farm feasts! Bummer...

National Day

August 1st is to the Swiss what July 4th is to Americans, or July 14th to the French. Swiss national day is only just over a century old, and it was only in 1993 that the hardworking Swiss agreed that they could all take the day off, but the event it commemorates took place 700 years ago, and at the heart of the celebrations is a custom which doubtless goes back into the mists of time. The day was chosen because August 1st 1291 was the date on which three Alpine cantons swore the oath of confederation, an act which later came to be regarded as the foundation of Switzerland. The representatives of Schwyz, Unterwalden and Uri met on the Rütli field, high above Lake Lucerne, to swear a bond of brotherhood, and agree to act jointly if their freedoms were threatened by outside aggressors. So it's not surprising that the official part of the August 1st celebrations take place on the Rütli even today, with a public gathering addressed by the Federal president. Indeed, it's a day for speeches, with politicians at all levels, from Federal councillors to the heads of communes, addressing meetings all over Switzerland.

Fireworks and feasting
For most people, August 1st means bonfires and fireworks and barbecues in the garden or brunch on the farm.

Long before the government decided in 1891 to declare the day Switzerland's national day, people had celebrated summer by lighting bonfires. Indeed, the custom of lighting a fire on June 24th, St John's Day, is known all over Europe. But for the Swiss, bonfires had an extra significance. For centuries they had built beacons on mountain tops which they lit when danger approached. One legend told of both Lake Geneva and Lake Biel relates how hordes of invading barbarians intent on conquering the ancient Swiss tribes turned back when they saw the lights reflected in the lake waters, thinking they had come to the edge of the earth and were about to ride off into the sky.

Whether in remembrance of this event, or just because it is fun, every Swiss commune now lights its own bonfire and sets off fireworks, and children parade through the streets with paper lanterns - often decorated with the Swiss cross or the symbols of the cantons - and people light candles in their windows.

And since no celebration is complete without a feast, many people mark this festival of fire by cooking sausages over a barbecue and enjoying them with friends.

But in recent years an alternative feast has been gaining in popularity: brunch on the farm. The idea was launched in 1993, as an initiative by the Swiss Farmers' Association. Visitors are served fresh farm produce and get to see something of farmers' lives. In 2005 about 430 farms took part, serving brunch to about 200,000 people.

Forbidden

We have learned many things are "forbidden" in Switzerland. While Zurich is the closest thing to the Garden of Eden, I still find it hard to believe the Swiss are forbidden from doing so many things - like mowing their lawns on Sunday.

Ready to dip her toes in the lake