Time for a game of Who Has the Best Family. Oh no wait! We don't have to play because I already know it's me. Thanks for the sign Donahue family - it meant a lot! I miss you all very much.

Friends!!

My past couple of weeks have been pretty dang good. Julie (gasp)... hugs me willingly now! All of her own accord, I swear. She cried when I left the house today. I've never been happier to made a kid cry.

I suppose we've just been mostly chilling. We went to the beach a few times and to the zoo. Julie went crazy for the tigers and kept growling the whole day. It's been an exciting past few days because Julie is starting to potty train! She's doing a pretty good job too. She doesn't speak yet (she's 18 months) so she goes "shhhhhhhhhh" when she needs to go. Then she claps and claps when she's done.

Last weekend Sarah and I went to the women's marathon that took place on the last day of the World Athletics Championships here in Berlin. It was great! There were so many people and everyone was so excited. The finish line was Brandenberg Tor which made it seem all the more grand (as if the World Championships needed a boost). Fun fun fun.

Friday night Sarah and I decided to have some more fun. We met up with another au pair named Vanessa and went out. What I learned:

1. Always be up for an impromtu pub crawl.

2. People from Panama are excellent.

3. When a self-absorbed though nice British boy starts talking to you about his own conceptual art that involves "lots of stolen gold" and is exhibited in found places you can just smile and say "yeah" a lot. Don't worry, he won't ask you anything about yourself.

Best of all, I really mean it when I say things are looking up. Julie's great AND MY PARENTS ARE COMING NEXT WEEK! Hallelujah. Eight freaking days until I see my mother!

It's my nephew's birthday today. Happy birthday, Evan!! Congratulations on making it to two.

London was sooo wonderful. I did the same old stuff, really - coffee, museums, meandering - but I think it was a much needed trip.

I stayed in a hostel in Victoria and while my roommates were not the greatest, I did meet a girl called Christina. She's from Austria and was so fun! Friday I got up early and headed to Borough market followed by yet another amazing performance of As You Like It at the Globe. Saturday I went to the Tate Britain and saw a movie at Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square. It was called In The Loop and if you haven't seen it you should really try and go! It is gut-wrenchingly funny. I've heard it described as The Office meets The West Wing. The plot is all about confused relations politics involving the UK and the US after a dim-witted minister states matter-of-factly that a likely upcoming war is "unforeseeable." The movie is hilarious but also incredibly angry - thanks mainly to the Prime Minister's foul-mouthed Director of Communications. The whole thing is smart and makes you feel uncomfortable and self-conscientious - a la Curb Your Enthusiasm- and I think it's my favorite movie the year so far. Sunday I did a little shopping and walked all around. And I sat in parks! Four of them. Oh, how I miss the parks...

Being back in Germany this week has been okay. Julie really is getting a lot better when it's just the two of us - but I also think she's getting worse when one (or especially b0th) of her parents are home. Oh well. Hopefully it will get better.

Now I just can't wait to go back to the UK with my sister in October!

Now before anyone campaigns for me to have my blogging rights taken away you should let me explain myself. I have an excuse this time. A pathetic one, but a valid one nonetheless. I haven't been able to find my camera cord for over two weeks. Now, I thought this was because I had irresponsibly misplaced it. I've been pulling my hair out trying to find it. Imagine my surprise, then, what is discovered while picking up in Julie's room today. Yes, that's right, at the bottom of her toy basket is my trusty cord. Thanks Julie! You're a gem.

Maximilian is SO cute. If I were prone to hyperbole (which, okay, maybe I am sometimes) I would say he is practically the cutest baby ever born, second only to one Evan Breidel. And he's such a good baby so far. Barely any crying at all. I love him a lot already.

Julie and I have been having a good week so far. Monday we went to a nearby beach. She's crazy for the water. Today we went to the German-American festival, which I was excited for although I'm not sure why. I hate fairs even in the US. I think I was just starved for something familiar... The website described it as an event to celebrate German-American relations. I thought there might be something cultural going on. "Experience the northwest in our American village with painted and printed highlights based on the Northwest theme." Or, in other words, come to a crowded carnival with lots of German food and candy apples. I think Julie had fun though. She sure had fun laughing and pointing at the many depictions of fat Americans. Um, JUST KIDDING. Jeez. She's not even two.

Tomorrow I leave for London! Three full days in the holy land. You could call me excited if you wanted to.

Anyway, happy August everyone. I'm off to dream of the Queen and custard cremes.