Bathing and Eating in Budapest

There's so much to tell you about Budapest that I don't even know where to start! With it's gorgeous architecture; stunning vistas; steamy Roman baths; and delicious pastries, it quickly became one of my favorite cities. The fact that we got to see the city all decked out for Christmas was just icing on the cake.

Let's start with the baths. I've never been to Roman baths before, and I was worried about whether we could bring Zahara with us. Turns out I worried for nothing. This was one of the best experiences of the trip.

We researched the various options in advance to see which bath would be best for us. We decided upon the Szécheny baths, which are supposed to be a bit less touristy than the Gellert baths. The building and pools were stunning, and we saw plenty of locals proudly sporting their speedos. We sprung the extra $2.25 for a private changing cabin. The baths were pricey ($40 total), but we spent hours there. We spent most of our time inside, but of course we had to check out the outdoor pool that was heated to around 95 degrees. Zoey could not get enough splashing in the fountain! My favorites spots were the hot sauna (there were two temperatures to choose from), and the 100˚ F pools.

Check out the steam!

Another huge highlight for me was the food. Who's surprised? Of course I was a big fan of the desserts in Hungary. It's so hard to find anywhere outside of Eastern or Central Europe, but I just love poppy seed filling! One really fun dessert place we stumbled upon was called Jegbufe. It's basically a dessert cafeteria! It took me a while to understand what was happening inside, but I finally got it. You have to order at the cashier and then bring your paid ticket to the counter where they'll grab your dessert for you to take away. Sounds straightforward, but do you know the Hungarian word for  poppy seed and cherry cake? Me either. I ended up having to bring the cashier to the case and point to the one I wanted. We got there in the end though.

Hungary has a very active Jewish population and actually has several kosher restaurants. We ate at Carmel to experience a traditional Hungarian meal. Unfortunately they were out of veal so we couldn't get a weiner schnitzel, but we did get cold chicken crackling as an appetizer. It was delicious, as long as you don't spend too much time thinking about what it really is--fried chicken skin). I loved how crunchy and salty it was and the raw vegetables balanced it nicely.

Another fried favorite was the, for lack of a better word, giant latke at the Christmas market. I think the German word is kartoffelpuffer, but it's the same thing: a fried potato pancake. This was one of the best ones I've ever eaten. The seasoning was incredible. It was pipping hot and topped with cold sour cream. Yum!

Stay tuned for more Budapest highlights!

Read about our other stops in Central Europe:
Bratislava

Final Trip of 2013: Central Europe

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you are feeling rested and renewed. Dan and I had a great New Year's as new parents. We put Zahara to bed, had a cocktail (!) and were asleep before midnight. It was perfect. Before we get too far into the new year though, I should tell you about our last trip in 2013. It was epic; One week, three countries and too many pastries to count. We definitely did this trip right.

Living here in England is like living in a bubble in which everyone you know is as well-traveled, or more-so than you. It makes for amazing dinner conversation and I get inspired travel tips daily. The best thing about this swapping of travel stories is that destinations that I may not have given a second thought to previously are moved up to the top of my to-do-list. Case-in-point: Budapest. Before moving here I could (barely) point to Hungary on a map, but that's as far as my knowledge or, frankly, interest went. Yet everyone I know who has been to Budapest swears that it is one of the best cities they've been to. I can now agree. It is amazing.

Budapest

We figured since we are in the area, we might as well see another city that gets rave reviews: Vienna. Dan's parents were there over the summer and loved it. My parents absolutely hated it, but you can't win them all. People here told us the best way to do Budapest and Vienna is, oddly enough, to fly into Bratislava, Slovakia where you can find some cheap flights. Bratislava is only an hour from Vienna and three hours from Budapest. Since Dan and I never turn down the opportunity to add another country to our itinerary, a trip was born.

Bratislava

We viewed Bratislava simply as a jumping off point to get to the real "meat" of our trip. You only need a day (or less) to see the sights, but I do wish we had spent just a little more time in the Christmas market. It was small, but the pastries there looked amazing. We skipped them thinking we'd get plenty in Hungary and Austria, but I regret that decision. We should have had at least one poppy seed strudel!

We took a self-guided walking tour of Bratislava courtesy of Rick Steves. We borrowed his travel guides for Budapest and Vienna and both had chapters on Bratislava. As I said, the city is small, but very easy to get around. They are on the Euro, which makes things easier too. The Holocaust memorial near the former synagogue was a poignant reminder of the city's past. While it once hosted a vibrant Jewish community, only a fraction of the population survived the Holocaust.

Bratislava today is a quirky town. It has become a bachelor party hot-spot, much to the chagrin of locals. My favorite part about Bratislava is all the quirky statues. Most of them have no history at all and are there just for fun.

After a quick chestnut cake (verdict: interesting, but not my favorite), we made a mad-dash to the train station to catch the train to Budapest. It was one of the most comfortable train rides I've been on; we had a cabin to ourselves. Before we knew it we had arrived! Stay tuned for tomorrow's post on Budapest.

Read about our other stops in Central Europe:
Eating and Bathing in Budapest

Dear Zahara: 6 Months

Dear Zahara,

A very merry unbirthday to you, yes you! It's so hard to believe that you are already six months old! Although you are still a baby, in many ways you are already so big. This was a month of big changes for you--the biggest of which is that you started solid food! You've only been eating for a couple of days (we started on Christmas), but the verdict is in; you LOVE it! Daddy and I were amazed at the ease with which you began eating. You knew exactly what to do with the spoon that was offered to you. You grabbed it out of daddy's hand and put it right in your mouth.

Since you're such a good sitter now (you can sit by yourself pretty well!), we put you in a high chair for the first time. You loved being at the table and part of the action. It's great for mummy and daddy too, because now we can use both hands to eat without having to hold you the whole time. Yay!

Another big development this month is that you can roll both from your back to your tummy (which you learned last month), and from your tummy to your back! You've been a lot less frustrated at night now that you can roll yourself back to a comfortable position. Speaking of which, you are a bed hog! We traveled a lot this month--you saw your fourth, fifth and sixth countries!--and we ended up with you in our bed a lot. You were only able to sleep if all of your limbs were splayed out like a starfish. You definitely are your parents' child. That's how both mummy and daddy sleep too.

You are so fun to play with these days. I love hearing your high-pitched squeal when we play peek-a-boo or when I'm tickling you. It melts my heart when you reach for me and "kiss" my face. We need to work on your kisses though. It's a big, sloppy, open-mouthed affair with a lot of grabbing and pinching. Still, it's a sweet sentiment and I love it.

Zoey, you are the best thing to happen to daddy and I and we can't imagine our lives without you. Happy half-birthday. Here's to the next two hundred!

Things I Love: Clarks Boots

I have a pair of Clark's boots that I absolutely love. They are perfect. They have a low heel with a rubber sole, so they are comfortable enough to be my every day shoe even when traveling; but since they are a leather knee-high boot, it still looks like I made an effort.

I wear these boots so much (especially here in England where every season is boot season) that I wore out the zipper. I stopped in to my local Clark's store to see what they recommended and I found another reason to love the company. Their policy is to either give me £20 toward the cost of fixing the shoe, or allow me to buy a new pair at half price! I didn't even buy the shoes in that store in the first place, but it didn't matter at all. I chose to buy the new shoes since it would have only been around a £10 difference. What an amazing policy for an amazing pair of shoes!

Update: Sadly, I no longer love these shoes. The zipper went out again when I was already back in America so I couldn't get them fixed. What a bummer.

Baby Essentials: 0-3 Months

The first three months of a baby's life are often called the fourth trimester. The baby is so helpless, relying completely on you for everything. To be honest, this was not my favorite time. Yes, Zahara was an absolute gift and I tried to cherish every moment because they are fleeting. Lovely sentiments aside, the first few months are hard! No one really tells you how hard. The baby has no sense of day or night; for the first few weeks (unless you are one of the lucky ones whose baby innately knows how to sleep well), you are in a weird limbo with no real schedule. 3:00 in the afternoon might as well be 3:00 in the morning, and vice versa.

When I was pregnant I read a ton of "must-have" lists to help me prepare for the new baby. Each list was different than the next. Some bloggers' "must-haves" were other bloggers' "least used." I combed through each one; read countless reviews on Amazon; spoke with my mommy friends; and put together the end-all-be-all of baby registries. It was absolutely perfect and had everything I could possibly need for Zahara's first few months. Then Zoey came and I realized how impossible it is to actually prepare for a baby. Every baby is different, and what works for one will not work for another. So, with that caveat, here's my list of essential baby items for 0-3 months.

Muslin- I've already told you about my love for muslin, but seriously these things are the greatest. I still do not leave the house without one. An absolute must-have for me are the aden+anais swaddle blankets. Yes, they are a bit pricey, but they are worth it. They are huge and so soft. Grab a few packs of cheap ones too though.

Onsies- Zahara lived in these, and these only, for the first few weeks. Granted, she was a summer baby so she didn't need a lot of other layers, but these were the most convenient one-piece outfits. We bought a bunch of cheap ones from the grocery store to start us off, knowing that she would go through several a day. We had a couple of newborn size, but she was in size 0-3 pretty quickly.

Nursing Cover- Dan and I have a very active lifestyle, and we wanted to include Zoey in that as much as possible. Obviously life with a baby is different, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be able to get out and about. Since I'm breastfeeding, it helps to have a great nursing cover to allow me to feed comfortably anywhere. My mom got me this awesome one from Pea and the Pod. It's soft, lightweight and provides excellent coverage.

Moby Wrap- For the first few weeks when Zahara was so little, it was wonderful to be able to wrap her up and carry her around. She felt safe and secure, and I liked having my hands free. Dan loved wearing her too. As she's gotten bigger, we've transitioned to the Ergo, but the Moby was a great first carrier.

Phone/Tablet- With a newborn, you won't have a lot of "down time," but you will have a lot of time where you are forced to stay in once place in relative darkness. You'll be feeding her or trying to get her to sleep (probably on you). Having some form of entertainment that you can use one-handed and in the dark will help keep your sanity.

Baby Bathtub- This is the easiest way to clean your baby. Yes, you can use a sink or a regular bathtub or a laundry basket, but I like that this one has a little seat for her to sit in. When she was a newborn, she used the mesh sling and it kept her from getting in too deep. It was a big comfort for us new parents.

Hooded Towel- Yes, you can use a regular towel for your baby. But, I like the hooded ones because they keep her head warm while I am dressing her. Plus, how can you resist the cuteness?

Fisher Price Cradle N' Swing- This thing is a miracle worker. Even today when we're trying to get Zoey down for a nap, I'll stick her in here. It rocks her, plays music; has a moving mobile; and has a mirror for her to look at. It is a great place to put her when you are trying to grab a bite to eat or a shower.

Britax B-Agile Stroller- We did a lot of research on which stroller to buy, and the end went with this one since it was so highly rated on Amazon. I don't regret it at all. It is really sturdy and handles bumpy pavement well. It's incredibly easy to fold (one handed!), and it's light weight. We also got the Britax car seat that can clip directly into the stroller. Love it!

Moses Basket/Pack n' Play- For the first three months, Zahara slept in a moses basket next to our bed. I had never heard of these before moving to England, but they are really convenient for the early months when you want the baby close by. A pack n' play or other travel crib would function the same way.

Boppy- I really loved my Boppy for the first few months. I loved wrapping the pillow around my waist and resting Zoey on the side while I fed her. It took the weight off me and allowed me to have my hands free. It also helped me make sure she was positioned correctly.

Summer Infant Changing Pad- We opted not to get a traditional changing table, and instead get this portable changing pad. What a great decision! I love that we can move it to whichever room we happen to be living in at the time. We bought a microfiber cover for it, which is really soft and easy to clean.

How does this list compare to yours? I'd love to hear your experience!

Zahara's First Holiday Party

I have been lucky enough to make some great friends while here in Harrogate. I am especially grateful for all the friends I met through my pregnancy yoga class. One of my American friends recommended the class to me as a way of learning how to cope with pregnancy and labor, but also as a way to meet other pregnant women. She said many of her "mom" friends are women she met in that class. I feel exactly the same way.

It is so wonderful to have a group of friends who are going through exactly what you are. Two of my friends' babies were born just days away from Zahara (one is two days older, the other two days younger). Of the seven of us who see each other regularly, the largest age gap for the babies is only twelve weeks!

Last week we all got together at our friend Kristiina's house for a little holiday party. All the babies dressed up, she put out a delicious spread and we had a fun Secret Santa exchange. Zoey was the only one in a non-holiday-themed outfit, but she put on her best party dress.

Everyone had a great time, until we tried to take a group picture. We lined up all seven babies on the couch. Six of the babies were absolutely fine; one was screaming her beautiful little head off. Can you guess which one?

This is my favorite picture. It looks like Chloe (the elf on the left) is saying to Olivia, "What's up with this baby?"

Bear-y Christmas

Harrogate put on its second annual Christmas market a couple of weekends ago, and it was even bigger and better than last year. There were tons of stalls with hand-made crafts, jewelery and adorable hand-knit baby clothes. Unlike last year, there was also a food tent with local sweets, meats and mulled wine.

Live reindeer

Zebra burger?!

It was a little chilly out, so we put Zoey in the cutest bear suit. That's really the point of this post, to show you how adorable my little bear is. Enjoy!