Christian's Berlin

Christian has been telling me since Tate was born that he wanted me to see HIS Berlin.  As I've been to Berlin 3 times since 2004 (to visit Susan while she was living there 3 years with her hubby and kiddos), I thought this was endearing.  I always intended to take Tate to visit Christian in Berlin, but he didn't ever take me seriously.  He seemed to really think I had no interest in seeing where he lives, how he lives and really try to understand WHO he is as opposed to the guy he is when he's visiting us...on holiday Christian.  However, I knew that I probably wouldn't really see Christian's Berlin...why?  Because I have a 2 1/2 year old.  A 2 1/2 year old who goes to bed by 7:30.  A 2 1/2 year old who is a picky eater with food allergies.  A 2 1/2 year old who is not entertained by cafes and simply walking around.  A 2 1/2 year old who is 2 1/2 years old.


Monday morning found Tate up before 6 as usual.  It also found Christian asleep until almost 8 when his mother woke him up because we had a translation issue :)  Tate wanted an Oma popsicle (she made his day, his month, his trip with her popsicles).  I had given over to letting Tate have one whenever he wanted as this was something he would eat (along with the yummy egg and gluten free cookies she found for him which he LOVED!).  And I was trying to tell her he wanted one, but she didn't understand me, and I didn't know how to say popsicle in German :(.  Christian was awakened, and Tate finally got his popsicle.  


We packed up and Oma drove us to the train station.  We had hoped Tate would sleep in the car, and he dozed for about 20 minutes.  Once we arrived at the station, there was too much commotion and he woke up, but at least he napped for a bit!


I've posted about the train ride earlier...I'll just include a few pictures.  We did meet a young German woman traveling with her bi-racial daughter.  She is white, and works in Africa doing mission work (kind of like Doctors Without Borders).  Her daughter's father is moving up in the government though in Darfur (if I remember correctly), and they rarely see him.  So, she is sort of a single parent.  We talked about Christian and my situation and she shared some of her story with us.  Tate played a bit with her daughter and the trip was a huge success!!  4 1/2 hours with no fussing, no meltdowns, a couple of pees and poops in the potty and lots of smiles and giggles.  And Tate was thrilled to be on a train who I named Javier :)

Me and the sweet babes

We're in Berlin!

We arrived at the station in Berlin and finagled our way off the train with ALL of our STUFF!!  We had a ton of luggage!  :)  Christian got Tate and me situated in a cab with directions to his flat, then he was off to get his car.  Tate and I sped along the streets of Berlin in our car, and he was enthralled with all the trains he saw!  He wanted names for all of them, which I happily made up as we went along!  LOL!

I saw several sights that I've seen before.  We passed the TV tower, the 2 churches, the Berliner Dom, the street Unter de Linden to name a few.  So weird to be back there with my son.

Here's Tate in our cab.  We didn't have a carseat, but this cab was outfitted with a carseat that comes from under one of the back seats...pretty cool.  They need these in NYC.

We arrived on Christian's doorstep a few minutes before he arrived, so I took the opportunity to take a couple of pics of his place...

Christian pulled up in his cute Mini Cooper about 5 minutes after we arrived.  He was a trooper and somehow managed to carry my huge suitcase, his 2 duffel bags, his backpack and my duffel bag up all FOUR flights of stairs (in the non-air conditioned stairwell) all at once.  I huffed and puffed with my purse and Tate did a jig as he maneuvered the stairs with glee.  

Christian's flat is just perfect for him.  It's a one bedroom, but it has a lovely small balcony overlooking the garden and a school.  There seem to be four buildings that are connected in a square with a courtyard in the middle where people park their bikes etc.  

As you walk into the flat directly in front of you is the kitchen.  Directly to your left is his bedroom (where Tate and I slept; and he had procured a pack 'n play for Tate to sleep in from one of his friends!).  Next to the bedroom is the bathroom.

If you look to the right as you walk in the front door you will see his quite spacious living room which he turned into his bedroom for while we were there.  Off the living room is the balcony overlooking the garden, and there is a small eating area right there off the kitchen which is actually 'part' of the living room.  (I cannot believe I did not take one picture of his place!)

We got settled initially, then ventured back down the stairs (meaning we would have to come back up...sigh).  We walked the 3 blocks or so to his local grocery store and loaded up on some food, mostly for Tate...yogurt, milk etc.  Tate had a blast and just sat back in his stroller and enjoyed the ride.  I am beyond glad that Tate loves being in his stroller so much...he asks to ride in it.  Makes my life so much easier.

We finagled the stairs again and Christian and Tate took their manly bath together.  Amazingly enough Tate was in the PNP just after 7!  He didn't fuss or anything; he went straight to sleep.  Thank goodness.

Christian and I hung out and ordered some pizza for dinner.  I'm such a picky eater myself, and I know this stressed Christian out in addition to Tate's feeding issues.  I do not care for Chinese or any other -ese food for that matter, nor do I eat Indian or Thai.  Not at all.  So pizza it was as neither of us were in the mood to cook.  We ate out on the balcony and enjoyed the gorgeous evening, me with a glass of wine, Christian and his tea.  It was probably the most relaxed we had been together since my arrival, as Tate was asleep and he wasn't having to translate every other word for me or someone else.  We were able to just be.  

And we were both absolutely exhausted.  And I was on pins and needles worried that yet again I would not get a good night's sleep, that Tate would have a difficult time adjusting to another bed, another room, another city.  I showered and climbed into bed as soon as I could, but it was still later than I wanted.  

Around 10:30 I simply called it a night.

Don't you want to know how Tate slept?