Marshalls Abroad

John Shea Life zagreb

Babes in Zagreb

Our precious babies!

I’m happy to say that Zagreb is a baby-friendly city — we can’t go anywhere without grandmothers or nuns stopping us to look in the stroller at both of them, awing over them.  Every restaurant we’ve been to has been very accommodating. Like any big city, it has it’s challenges to getting around with kids… pushing a double stroller up cobblestone streets (I leave that to Cam, haha), busy intersections and markets or crowded public transportation (though we almost always stick to walking or driving our car — parking in most areas is only 75 cents an hour!). If you ever come to Zagreb with children, our favorite spots for John Shea to run around inside the city are in Kaptol — in the large square at the Zagreb Cathedral, often full of unsuspecting pigeons to wildly chase, St. Mark’s Square (the photos above!) and in all of the parks and green spaces.

Aren’t they the sweetest!? I try to sneak in a little extra sleep in the morning with Gracie (thanks to my Cam) after the long nights of John Shea being up for most of it + nursing, and he comes in every time to pat his sissy good morning and wakes me up with a kiss on the lips. Unreal!

I’m writing this from our hotel room in Italia and tonight has been one of the few times since moving to Croatia that he’s gone to bed (in a big boy bed no less!) without fighting his Daddy. Let’s hope his up-all-night streak is coming to an end:) Gracie is pure joy, smiles and chub.  She is the easy-going, peacefulness to John Shea’s high energy. She has the biggest, sweetest smile that lights up her whole face. Cam and I could really use some good ol’ sleep (maybe when they’re 18?!), but we go to bed each night so darn happy and thankful…  we’re two years in to parenthood (on September 8, happy almost birthday baby doll!) and even after the especially exhausting days while they continue to adjust over here, we shake our heads in amazement that we get to keep these two. Our hearts ache we love them so much!

PS: I read this recently…  “Children change us in a way we desperately need to be changed. They wake us up, they wet their diapers, they depend on us utterly. Willy-nilly, they knock us out of our selfish habits and force us to live sacrificially for others.” (from the book, On The Meaning of Sex, found in a great article here at World Magazine)


Comments

  1. Caravan Sonnet says

    Oh my goodness ADORABLE. John Shea is getting so big!! And Gracie is as sweet as can be!! Love hearing how things are going for y'all (and continuing to pray for sleep for y'all too!!)!! Sending hugs friend!
    Blessings,
    Rebecca 🙂

  6. brittany says

    oh. my. gosh. these are THE dreamiest, prettiest photos i have ever seen in my liiiiife… and john shea!! how is he so grown up?! that little sweater is so so handsome on him! he is so handsome!! and okay, that baby girl sleeping all sweetly like that. precious. she is so pretty. you make the best babes. and a hotel room in italia sounds fab. i hope his sleeping gets better! that is so so hard, isn't it! i feel like we JUST got to a good place with maddalena's sleeping in time to have a new baby and shake it all up again, ha!! xoxoxo beauty

  9. LoganHelen says

    oh those sweet smiles! how fun! loving hearing about move and the photos of john shea running around the city. reminds me my teagan running around barcelona recently chasing birds. oh how they love to run after those birdies 🙂 glad your latest adventure is off to a beautiful start. praying for you guys and for sweet sleeping babes. and in the absense of more sleep that you will nonetheless wake feeling refreshed and rested. thinking joy of the Lord and refreshing living waters from within. life as a toddler mama is quite the adventure, isn't it?!

  11. Bailey Schneider says

    Oh my gosh! I LOVE Croatia! A group of my girlfriends and I went on a fun girly trip in 2010! We stayed in Vela Luka – you have to go to Korcula and in Dubrovnik! Absolutely beautiful!
    I'm catching up on your blogs… Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful baby girl! What blessings!
    Love Bailey
    x

  12. Colleen says

    So glad to hear that the sleep strike may be over. My youngest little girl is about a month younger than John Shea. We went through the same sleep strike all through July… no naps and up all night. It was brutal. I think she was cutting one of her molars. But now she is back to our sweet, happy girl who sleeps through the night! So hang in there! This too shall pass. Until then there is lots of wine, coffee, and moral support from afar.

    • Amanda Marshall says

      Oh gosh. Yes, that is exactly how it's been. I'm so glad she's back to herself! I hope we'll get there soon too 🙂 Thank you for that support from afar – I appreciate it!

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