Week 2 in Geneva

Week 2 in Geneva is proving slightly less stressful; for one thing Emma is no longer vomiting, the garbage chute is empty and clean (which means I can use it for nappy disposal - yay!!!), the shower drain unplugged and the washing machine running again. (That all added up to a LOT of stress last week!!)

Emma and Will have also gradually gotten used to spending more time together, sharing me as well as a bedroom and attention from family and friends. I am getting used to managing them all on my own - even if it means getting up extra early to shower and get at least a sip of coffee before having to answer a million questions as to what we will be doing today and who we will be seeing all the while trying to persuade William that honey puffs taste just as good when eaten with a spoon. 

Emma seems happier and less anxious and is at least expressing jealousy openly now (I want to stay with XX alone and you take Will to the park!) which I think is a positive sign. 

Also, we have gotten into more or less of a routine here I guess and while we go to a park or pool every day I am working hard on managing a bit of "me time" whether it's a phone call or meeting up with a friend or stopping by a shop I like or walking a bit.

Today the weather was really heavy and cloudy but we stopped by the Carouge fountains after ice-cream at Gelato Mania to cool off a bit. 

Steph is due to join us on Friday and we will be flying back together. Phew! I hope things will continue to improve and go smoothly throughout the summer.

Update from Geneva

So, the weather has not been as awful as the weather man had predicted, but it has been humid and heavy and we are looking forward to the predicted storm to break the tension in the air. 

Other than that, Emma has turned into William's Mum - sometimes helpfully but often annoyingly as she is obviously not equipped for the job at the grand age of nearly 5. This frequently results in her fighting his growing independence; not letting him put "his" groceries in the fridge or his things in the laundry basket but taking them from him and doing them in his place which ends up in William having a massive fit.
I am finding this exhausting and no amount of explaining that helping is good but that he needs to also learn to do by himself/ he has a Mummy/ asking her to do her own "jobs" is getting through. 

I think part of it is jealousy (because he is requesting more attention) and part is wanting to compete with me or replace me (as in be a Mummy herself - don't all girls play that?) which I think is part of development of push/pull loveyou/love you not in between a mother and daughter. But I am struggling to have enough praise and energy to fill Emma's cup on my own. It's as if no matter how much I listen, answer, explain, encourage. play, tease, tickle, it's never enough - she always needs more of me. And then I just can't anymore. 

Will on the other hand is increasingly independent and so requires running after and catching and also frequent saving from the mischief he has gotten himself into.  Actually, I often need to save a house-hold object from Will as he unplugs/dismounts/ opens everything! 

Oh well. 

 Anyway, Will decided to poo in the potty all by himself for the first time yesterday. 

Here he is just afterwards

and here are Emma and Will on the merry-go-round in the centre of town

Tomorrow is Friday and Steph will be joining us for the week-end! Yay!!!!

Thank-you & have a great summer!

Today is the last day of school and so yesterday Emma, William and I made some thank-you cards for their teachers and other staff. 

The top row are William's and below are Emma's.

Tomorrow we fly to Geneva! Boarding at 6h20 am!!! AGH!

More pics of Emma's end of year show

Emma's french group performed the hare and the tortoise fable - Emma played the totoise.

Emma's Pre-birthday party

Today Emma celebrated her birthday at kindergarten ahead of time so she could spend it with friends and classmates and have chocolate cake with them. She is now (pretending to be) 5.

End of year shows

Last week-end was choc-a-block with end of year shows. William's was on Saturday and Emma's on Sunday. In fact we have yet another one today in French! Here are some pics from the kids shows:

 Emma on stage - one of the purples of the rainbow - she did not like the bright lights!

Here is Emma at home reciting part of the text one of her teacher's read out before the children sang the rainbow song. I was amazed to hear that she knew it off by heart.

William's nursery performing their end-of-year songs

 William decided it was over before it was over so I joined in a bit

to go or not to go?

Is it really a good idea to head for Geneva in 11 days?

I hope the weather seriously improves by then!!!

end of year shows: Emma's swimming gala

We have a whole bunch of end-of-year events lined up in the coming weeks, the first of which was Emma's Swimming Gala. It took place in the Olympic Swimming Pool last week-end and was a very colourful celebration.

Emma is wearing her Peppa Pig striped swimming costume and her red and yellow "cat" swimming cap. As you can see she was very proud. At the end of the show all the children received medals and enjoyed the applause of parents and friends.

the Olympic pool was decorated with balloons galore

Emma waving to the public

the children are lining up to greet the public before the show

a very serious Emma

Emma swimming with her friend

the children line up to receive their medals

Gorgeous!!

a short film (iPhone) of Emma receiving her medal