Maren and Troy taking some sun at a Le Pain du Châtelain with my parents (just out of the shot)
Maren rocking with my dad, aka Papie
Maren snoozing with my mom, aka Mamie
My parents' visit consisted of quality snuggling time with Maren, plus lots of help with grocery store runs and good Southern cooking, doctors appointments and errands. We also got to open up the entire SUITCASE of loot they brought along!!! We did have one big outing, however, on Maren's one month birthday -- Troy found out about the Rosarium Coloma, an amazing chateau and garden about 20 minutes from Brussels that has thousands of different varieties of roses!
Howells at the Rosarium Coloma
The 15 hectare park is free and features formal French-style gardens and wild English cottage-style gardens, plus internationally-themed plantings, historic varietals, climbing roses, and sculptural topiaries.
My mom is an avid gardener and rose lover, so between Maren and the roses, she was in heaven.
Little Miss and Papie aka The Maren Whisperer
It was super hard saying goodbye and their two weeks flew by, but we didn't have much time to mope as 3 days after my parents' departure my sister arrived.
Napping with Auntie B
In addition to the pleasure of her company, Blythe was an enormous help doing chores and helping take care of Maren. And she didn't run for the hills despite my foolish choice to head to the grocery store at 6 pm on the Monday night of the rentrée. We were trapped in Delhaize with a crying baby and no way out except through the check-out lanes (can anyone say fire hazard?!?) which were all 8 people deep! Rookie mistake, but thankfully that's what sisters are for. Maren just loved her Auntie B, and we wish she could move here and be our nanny!!!
Us three girls having a glass of wine at Gaudron
Like Papie, Blythe was The Maren Whisperer
B captured this great shot of Maren happy in her swing!
On Maren's 7 Week birthday, Auntie B decked her out in a headband
Like with my parents, we had one big outing with my sister. The Saturday before she left was a spectacular 80℉ sunny day, and we went to Gent as she didn't get to see it on her last visit.
Blythe on a canal in Gent
At the old port of Gent
Thanks B for the lovely family photo!
The morning Blythe left was a scene of woe as she, I, and Maren were all boo-hooing. Troy said it would have been funny if it weren't so sad. However we were able to distract ourselves that evening with the company of our friends, Oliver and Karel, who were in town at the end of Blythe's visit. We had fun spending time with them, but somehow failed to take a single photograph during their visit. Boo. The week following everyone's departure was quite lonely and especially hard as Troy had to commute to Germany Monday through Thursday (an ongoing, semi-monthly arrangement, unfortunately for us all). Luckily, however, that Thursday my friend Eva was in town from Düsseldorf and paid us a visit. Eva's visit was short, but sweet, and we are hopeful that she can come back soon.
Eva and Maren
Last, but not least, that following weekend our final visitor arrived. Troy's brother Todd has an office in London, and was able to pop down on the Eurostar for the weekend. He and Troy visited the Cantillon Brewery on Zwanze Day, we visited a neighborhood brocante, and had a lovely lunch out at Gusto, a great Italian place in the 'hood. His visit was a short one, but it was still nice introducing Maren to one of her uncles.
Lunching with Uncle Todd at Gusto
We so enjoyed seeing everyone and frankly all got used to Maren having an entourage. This is how we felt when everybody left:
But, this is how grateful we are that everybody made the effort to visit:
Maren Weeks 4-8 Photo Album - Click Here
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