Yugowife's (and family) journals and bits and bobs

All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten...

2012-01-30T16:09:00.001+01:00

Yummy cupcakes

2012-01-18T08:23:00.001+01:00

Ok, fine, the only yummy thing about cupcakes is the topping and sometimes only the look of it -but the kids loved the idea of going out for cupcakes and it was freezing outside so it was a good option. The only backlash was the sugar buzz we had to work off at the park before driving back home.
Next time I have to film William's unique way of eating them - head down straight into the icing!

William's new love

2012-01-18T08:12:00.000+01:00

William and his wheeled backpack

2012-01-12T08:32:00.001+01:00

In high school, one of my ex-boyfriends used to help a group of us study for history exams but then consistently got the worst grade whereas we all came through with flying colours. In French we say, le cordonnier est toujours le plus mal chaussé of which the English equivalent is apparently "It's always the baker's children who have no bread". Well in my case, it's always the cook who is not fed.

Let me explain; Emma is going through a horribly picky phase with food. And by that I mean that she will only eat bread, some cheese, yogurt, hard boiled egg, pasta, sandwiches, salami, cucumber and sometimes yellow peppers. Oh and of course chocolate and ice-cream and any junk food served at birthday parties.

I realize that by some standards this is not so bad and she is not too skinny, but her past appetite and willingness to eat seems to have vanished and she has been looking rather pale. She has even gone to bed without dinner a few times in the past few weeks after refusing to eat risotto, quinoa, various soups, mashed potatoes and roast, rice, carrots and peas and much more. Our take on it has been to not give her anything else but what is served for dinner.

We figure if she is hungry, she will (finally) eat and so she now only gets fruit (and maybe a tiny cracker) in the afternoons so as not to ruin her appetite for dinner and in the mornings oats or granola with milk or toast, jam and egg. I place a sweetie or chocolate in her lunchbox that she can have if she finishes her lunch (these days raw veggies, egg, dark bred or soup, greek pasta salad or pasta and home made ragu). And I am going out of my way to make healthy and nutritious meals for her and us.

Despite this, she is going to bed on an empty stomach quite regularly.

At midday, I cook for our evening meal and then often end up getting myself a sandwich for lunch as I don't want to eat what I have just cooked and plan to have for dinner. But then, at dinner, my tummy too tight with stress from Emma's whining, negotiating and moaning (and sometimes spitting, throwing up in her plate, crying...) ends up being filled up with ice-cream at 10pm in front of the telly! Not healthy at all!!

On the positive side, William and Steph are eating well!

At first we thought it might just be a phase, but now it's been going on for some time and I worry about her health. And mine!

Most of the things I have read on the Internet about this kind of attitude in children has to do with control - they exert it where they can - and Emma definitely likes to control her environment. In fact she can be quite bossy at times or "likes sharing her strong opinions" as they put it in her school report.

So, I really try giving her a choice; On more than one occasion have made her exactly the dinner she had requested only to have her refuse it. I have also tried taking her food shopping and giving her choice in many other situations such as which clothes to wear, what park to go to, what game to play or music to listen to, film to watch, book to read, parent to take her to bed etc. But there are still many occasions where we need to tell her what to do when asking isn't enough; to get into the car, to put her shoes and coat on, to put her slippers on, to stop badgering William, to empty her mouth before talking, to stop interrupting, to wait... I mean she is 4,5 years old!!!)

Also, I have tried "playing it cool" and just saying "ok" when she says "I don't want this" and asking her to just stay seated until William finishes. This I find really hard. Mainly because she is ruining every single meal these days and I really am beginning to resent it.

I also think there might be a bit of jealousy involved as William is taking up more space these days as he grows older and more independent but also makes his wishes clearer too. Emma is gradually losing all the "big sister" privileges as William is increasingly capable of doing more and more (taking the school bus with her, playing more games...). Undeniably he is also demanding more attention because he gets up to mischief in the bat of an eyelash and also needs help in learning /attaining his goals. I think Emma is resenting this as well as the very little time she gets to spend alone with me. Once open and happy to see him enter her room she now closes the door and says she does not want him to make a mess in it. We always try to respect her wishes when it comes to her room/space/things but when they are in the play-room and he has got hold of a toy first, then she is asked to wait her turn to use it if they cannot share it. This is a major battle. Umph.

Anyway, going back to the food issue, any ideas or suggestions?

new doctors and William at 20 months

2012-01-06T07:01:00.001+01:00

One of the key things to find when you move especially if you have any sort of medical condition and kids - are good doctors. Hopefully I have started tackling that mountain.

Yesterday I saw 3 doctors!!! It just so happened that I got some references and my act into gear and appointments all bunched up.

The first was a gynaecologist; he was lovely as well as German, fluent in English, married to a Greek woman pediatrician, father of 3 kids, trained in Munich and ready to take the time to explain all possible contraception that might work for me. I nearly had the impression I had gone for coffee with a friend.

The second was a very renowned endocrinologist (for my thyroid) and although I am a bit wary of the "very renowned" as they can be professor-ish and not good with patients, I really liked this one. He also took a lot of time to explain things and checked my thyroid (with his hands) and prescribed blood tests that made sense. We talk on Monday.

The third was for William - we saw his pediatrician, Poppy, for his pneumococcal vaccine. We also measured and weighed him and so we have some numbers.

William, 20 months:

86 cm tall
12,5 kg
very smily and happy and still not very talkative except for:

Mamaaah
Papap'
Mameuuuh
nez (nose in French)
teuk (take or tiens we are not really sure and perhaps neither is he)
ça (this in French)
up (for pick up, put up, go up the stairs but also sometimes for open)
"co" for "encore" (more in French)
"haa" for hot
Aema (Emma)

In our case, girls are really faster talkers than boys!

What else?

nods his head for "yes", shakes for "no"
points and pulls you and shows you where to sit if you are not sitting in your usual place
brings you his plate when he is hungry
loves emptying the dishwasher and putting things away (only one glass broken so far!)
still has the cutest walk (kind of swings his hips and shoulders like a tough bodyguard)
at bed-time in his bed, tucks my arm under his body so I can't leave. (heart melting)

William this morning in the kitchen playing with the serving spoons

Food glorious food

2012-01-04T08:57:00.001+01:00

Just skimming over the last couple of posts here and realized that after having announced the holidays in one pic it was over by the next.

So what did we actually do over the past two weeks here with the kids?

Christmas and palm trees - what a change from Christmas in Vienna!

We did a lot of drawing and crafts, made some Christmas drawings and cards, some bicycling, lots of going to parks (indoor and outdoor), we read and played and got dressed up in party skirts and shoes.

William at kindergarden

William wearing his new helmet on our street (they have nearly finished - the srteet lampsare due up in January)

William at the park having fun on the sea-saw

On the food front we tried some lovely new recipes of which the festive and super easy Wibbly Wobbly Clementine Jelly (by Jamie Oliver) and the no less yummy but more refined pear and rosemary crostini on white as snow goat's cheese. Mmmm.
Emma, despite her absolutely maddening impossibly picky attitude to food (But I don't like that Mummy! as soon as she hears we are not having pasta or rice) thankfully liked both. Phew! (more on that perhaps in another post)

We went to the kids first Christmas shows (Emma wanted to be Mrs Claus but ended up quite happy to be an elf), we reassured that Santa did not need snow to come to our home, wrapped presents, watched Santa videos and opened presents - Emma opened one before we were all around the tree and then cried and pouted with disappointment for it was not what she had asked from Santa. Luckily we had that one too but it got us off to a rather emotional start on Christmas day.

Emma watching her personalized Santa video before breakfast

My yellow car arrived!

Steph bought some new cool eye-glasses

We had some horrifically junk-foodish crêpes

We went to a man-made lake

and saw some reindeer and bambi!

We attended a Greek Orthodox Christening and after party (I was Godmother to the very cute and chubby baby D. who made it very clear she did not like being dunked in blessed water one bit, but who was over it within a couple of hours whereas both her mother and I needed a stiff drink!) and I enjoyed a nice girly afternoon bubbly the day before with baby her Mummy and auntie A.

Baby D. in Mums arms at Salumaio

We had a yummy home-made Christmas lunch (noix de veau with pancetta, lemon and milk, mashed potatoes and green beans) which we all enjoyed except Emma (what child does not like mashed potatoes???); a lovely Christmas tea with friends (Italian style with Panettone and desert wine) and a day-after Christmas lunch (Greek time, meaning we were famished when we sat down to eat at nearly 3pm!!) but it was worth the wait.

For New Year's Eve we had a lovely catered dinner at neighbour's house and the kids were all very well behaved despite going to bed much later than usual.

We even managed to have early lunch with the kids at a typical Greek taverna with lots of lovely meze; aubergine cream and tzatziki, zucchini balls, mint meatballs and roasted peppers and yoghurt with honey for desert. Delicious and garlicky. William absolutely loved it (eating the aubergine cream with a spoon and licking it off the bread) and even Emma had to concede that the tzatziki and meatballs were delicious. (Phew! again!!)

We happily managed to avoid too much hectic shopping and survived the crazy Athens traffic despite 2 Mercedes crashing into our cars in three days!

So I guess for the most part it was about a lot of food and festivities, creativity (in the kitchen and with the kids), gifts and entertaining and sharing. Hope your was fun too!

Oh and Happy New Year!!!

Going

2011-12-31T08:18:00.001+01:00

William is not yet fully comfortable using his balance bike... so he carries it!

First day of holidays

2011-12-22T16:25:00.001+01:00

William the cat (2)

2011-12-18T12:33:00.001+01:00

William the cat

2011-12-18T12:32:00.001+01:00

Emma the butterfly

2011-12-17T10:58:00.000+01:00

I'm a third culture kid!

2011-12-08T05:57:00.000+01:00

and it looks like my kids are also!!!

A definition I liked of a Third Culture Kid (TCK) is "a child who spends a significant time of his/her developmental years outside of the parents culture. The TCK builds relationships to all of the cultures while not having full ownership of any."

If you think you might be too or that your kids are, then please listen to this interview with Ruth Van Reken.

It's great actually to have a name to this "I come from nowhere and everywhere" identity of mine. I always felt that living all over the place made me feel kind of "rootless" because I was always different even if what I knew and what I had seen, learned and experienced was practically always presented in a positive light, for me there has always been a sense of not belonging and loss that I have found hard to manage. When I am here, I feel from there, and when I am there I also feel foreign.

It was kind of comforting for me to hear this person say that because everyone is always talking about the positives, you feel almost ungrateful when you express the losses or the fact that your identity is full of holes bigger than any cheese. She also talks about the unresolved grief which was a total slap in the face it felt so true to me.

When people ask me where I am from, to this day I try to explain in the truest possible manner the entirety of my origins because I cannot say that I am "only" Swiss/ Slave/ South African-English/ a world-citizen/ a little bit of all 9 countries I have liven in. When asked what my mother tongue is, I can only truthfully say my mother's language is English or that I spoke 3 languages at the age of 3; my mother's, my father's and Italian since at that moment, we were living in Italy. It's as if I need to explain my lack of belonging or my links to all the different places that are part of me. Maybe kind of crazy?

... to be continued

In the meantime, here are some related links:

tck world
tckid
International family transitions

N.B. I started writing this post three days ago then got interrupted by my third culture kids and their international musical requests on youtube!

Recent Emma-isms

2011-12-04T20:05:00.001+01:00

While brushing her teeth with a new minty toothpaste
Emma: Mummy! it's too spicy!!

***

On our Sunday afternoon walk:
E: Mummy, I want to go back to the car now.
Me: Yes, Emma, we are walking back to the car now.
E: But Mummy, we must hurry up before it gets dark.

***

Also during the walk:
E: No, Mummy, Willy wants to hold my hand, not yours!

***

While putting her to bed:
E: Where are you going now Mummy?
Me: Downstairs
E: what are you going to do there?
Me: Have dinner with daddy. Good night now sweetie. I'll see you in the morning.
E: When will it be morning?
Me: at 7 o'clock. Nightie night.
E: but Mummy! I will wake up when you have dinner.

***

After waking from her nap Sunday afternoon nap
E: When are we going to have breakfast Mummy?
Me: Tomorrow morning. Now it's tea time.
E: Mummy? What's for lunch?

***

While walking:
E: Mummy, shall I tell you something?
Me: Yes, Emma
E: Concombre! (cucumber in French)

***

In the car:
William: aap, aap!
Emma: Mummy, William is saying apple!

The count-down begins

2011-11-30T06:08:00.001+01:00

Emma has already started asking "How long until Santa comes? When will it be Christmas?" A way to countdown the days helps her manage her impatience. I think. Or maybe it's just getting more sugar into her system. ;-(

Last year we painted Christmas tree shaped boxes and numbers to create our home made advent calendar. Some of the boxes are now tough to open and/or close but it still looks pretty and it's usable. Here are some cute ideas of some home made advent calendars to help you manage the countdown to Christmas! (and keep them busy while making them this afternoon).

Oh! how I miss Creatopia and Libro just down the street from where we used to live in Vienna.

In front of our house

2011-11-29T09:21:00.001+01:00

they are making a paved street (paid entirely by the resident owners) and finishing the neighbour's house

a lot of dust, a lot of noise and some sunny blue sky

Hopefully by December the street will be done!

This week's happy and or victorious moments

2011-11-25T05:57:00.001+01:00

This week's happy and or victorious moments

our new cleaning lady: "Ma'am, uh, why do all French people have only beige (in their) houses? I clean for many French ladies and everything is beige. Why??? My house blue and white, your house orange, red, colourful...why only beige?"
Emma loved her swimming lesson this time around! SO much can change in just a few months! She will now be going on Thursday mornings in stead of art. It's a shame she will miss art class but I do think she needs to learn to swim (or at least tolerate the water) before hitting the pool and Greek beaches this summer AND I welcome any kind of physical activity for her since we are no longer walking anywhere! I REALLY miss walking around neighborhood parks and shops. ;-(
I dragged my butt out and had coffee with 2 Mums (separately!!) and still managed. Although dinners this week have been quick pasta, rizi-bizi, fish-fingers, scrambled eggs and soups after a number more elaborate dinners (chicken rosemary and rice stew, Italian chunky soup, home made hamburgers...) were totally rejected by my kids.
With the help of one of the above-mentioned Mums and Vodaphone I got my iPhone voicemail menu to speak English!! Yes!
Having started this in Vienna with impressive results I have made an appointment to continue IPL treatment on my legs! I really want smooth legs that do not require daily/weekly/monthly care in the Greek sunny weather!! Yippee!
William's new "nickname" (by the neighbours' three boys) : "Microscopico William". This is the equivalent of "little one" or "piccolino" in Italian but to my foreign ears it sounds like he is as tiny as an insect or bacteria to be viewed under a microscope (of course!). It makes me smile every time I hear it.

That's all for now!

Olive picking time

2011-11-21T12:12:00.001+01:00

Olive trees are being shaken down for olives in fields and street corners by owner's and passers by. It's olive picking time!

Siblings

2011-11-20T19:53:00.001+01:00

Emma and Will on the kitchen floor. It's great watching them play together ;-)

Clickety-click they go

2011-11-18T07:02:00.000+01:00

William at his new kindergarten

2011-11-16T10:14:00.001+01:00

And I forgot to mention another favorite activity of his in my recent post; William loves emptying the dishwasher!

Athens in the rain

2011-11-13T20:44:00.001+01:00

Today it was raining, 5° and really windy so we took the metro out of our privileged neighbourhood to the centre of Athens - we got off at Omonia and walked to Monastiraki. It felt like a different world.

William 18+ months

2011-11-13T19:58:00.001+01:00

November 2011, William in our Athens kitchen having some juice.

He loves dancing, music, eating ham/salami/cheese/bacon/carbonara/clementines/grapes, running, playing, incessantly re-arranging my muffin moulds, books, being tickled, playing with Emma, laughing, hiding, hanging his coat up/putting his coat on, baths, playing with water, climbing, slides...

He hates waiting for dinner, car-seat straps, having his nappy changed when he is in the middle of something, being stopped.

He eats using a fork and spoon quite well but sometimes helps himself with his fingers. He pulls his bib off and hands you his plate when he is done. He does not hesitate much.
He has super sensitive skin and the bluest eyes.

He says Mama and Papa and something that sounds like Emma, ah (with many different tones), oh, oh-oh, ugghhh, he clicks his tongue, he can carry a tune. To answer questions he nods his head and laughs, he shakes his head and laughs. He understands absolutely everything we say in French and increasingly more in English but he does not talk - still prefers grunting, shouting, sighing, laughing...

He is the sweetest funniest darlingest boy. He is stubborn and curious, he is enthusiastic. He is provocative and charming.

Lonely but wanting to stay snuggly home

2011-11-04T09:57:00.000+01:00

Sitting at Starbucks having an English breakfast tea by myself. Reminds me of many caffe latte's in Izmir's Starbucks with my friend I. Hoping some time soon I will be having a chatty visit to Starbucks here too. Still pretty lonely here.

Will is gradually adapting to his new Kindergarden although he is still unhappy when I leave. Also one of his back teeth is pushing through which does not help.
I am feeling REALLY tired despite going to bed early. Also having head aches. An article I read about listening to your intuition recommended you stop and examine how you feel repeatedly throughout the day and said that tiredness and headaches are a sign of your compass being off. Indeed... My body seems to just want to stay snuggly home away from the wind with a warm blanket and a good book or movie. I think I am going to head home after the food shopping and do just that.

Will's favorite passtime

2011-11-02T09:53:00.000+01:00

Taking things out of cupboards and arranging them in a row.

The Help - go get yourself a copy!

2011-10-29T06:32:00.001+02:00

Last night I finished reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I am so going to miss Aibileen, Skeeter and Minny! and even little Mae Mobley!

It is truly one of those books that takes you into them, away from your day to day and into a different time and way of life.

If you haven't read it, go get yourself a copy!

vomit, alarms, good news and a dreamy hotel

2011-10-26T06:56:00.000+02:00

Things have been a bit hectic; on Monday night, alone with the kids as Steph was traveling, William drank his milk to fast laughed and then threw up the milk and his dinner all over my new American Vintage sweater and his clean pajamas. Just as I had him changed and ready for bed, Emma still singing in the bath-tub where she was making her millionth soup, the fire alarm went off for the first time. Let me tell you it even took me a while to figure out what was ringing so loudly as just the previous day William had managed to set the alarm on his day clock!! It went off 3 more times as I was putting the kids to bed. Each time, shortly after I or the landlord managed to switch it off and reset it, it went off again. In the end, he graciously called the electrician for some instructions, I got some screw drivers and we killed the damn thing. Phew.

Wouldn't you know it, now that we no longer have a fire-alarm, I burnt my pizza in the oven yesterday!

Anyway, just as a quick update to yesterday's post - William got the place at the International School of Athens' Nursery. I'll be starting induction with him there next week when his bum rash has cleared and everyone is back from school holidays.

I am happy but so sad he has to leave the place he is at now where he seems quite at home with the Greco-French atmosphere. I cannot say how much all these changes break my heart for him. I realize some of my feelings must be from my past as a child who changed schools and languages a lot for they are so strong and brutally intense. That and I am a very protective Mum. I am sure William will cope with English quickly and make new friends. But I cannot tell you what a toll it takes on me having him hide behind my legs for one hour, how much I miss his playfulness and smile during this time, how much I will myself to be positive and playful to ease things for him while my gut hurts.

Today William and I will be taking Emma and her friend F. to French lesson after school. First time with 3 kids in a car and this stressful traffic and sidewalks where you cannot walk side to side. A bit daunting, I must admit.

Yesterday, I received an promotional email from a hotel we once stayed in, in London. I cannot tell you how much I wanted to be there - no kids of course- to relax, drink, eat, shop, watch movies, just ENJOY.

first interview

2011-10-24T20:53:00.000+02:00

I have not been able to find a French speaking kindergarden for Will and as of Tuesday he can no longer go to his current one.

On Friday I visited an Anglo-Greek bilingual kindergarden - which is near by and offers a home cooked hot meal - but although I liked the director I was not fully convinced by the teachers. I decided to give Emma's International School a call and ask them about making an exception to the "2,5 year old minimum" rule. On Friday they told me that since William has a sibling in the school it should not be a problem but that they would call me back on Monday.

Today they called me to tell me they could offer him a place in January (in 2012 he will turn 2 years old so I imagine someone wants to tick a box) but I insisted and so tomorrow we plan to show them how mature and capable he is. William's first interview at 18 months for a 2 year old's place at the International School of Athens. If family experience is anything to go by, my first job required a minimum of 5 years experience and I got it anyway. My Dad had a similar experience. Plus, when William turns the charm on who can resist?

Seriously, I do think he can manage and be happy in a group of 2-3 year old children. And I really really REALLY don't want to change kindergarden again next year or in 6 months and this one seems good with a great team of teachers. We were planning on sending him there anyway later on so he could follow the same English speaking program as Emma, but I really don't want to have to change him again in 2 months time so if this falls through tomorrow I don't quite know what I'll do...

So, FINGERS CROSSED, GOOD VIBES, HOLDING THUMBS, PRAYERS AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU'VE GOT OUR WAY FOR TOMORROW PLEASE! Thank-you!!

First fun Saturday in Athens

2011-10-23T06:56:00.000+02:00

This week-end, since the weather was once again sunny, we gave the "settling in" a break and went out a bit; on Saturday morning to Kifissia for coffee in a retro style bakery-come-café. I was thrilled to find this authentic place. Have a look!

At midday we went back home for lunch and William's nap (our midday break!) and then headed off to Attiko Parko, the zoo!

Happy William in the morning

2011-10-20T10:55:00.001+02:00

Just before breakfast this morning - happy dancing and drawing William.

Kicked out of kindergarden

2011-10-19T06:27:00.000+02:00

On Saturday the owner of Will's kindergarden sold it because she is leaving Greece.

Yesterday as I was dozing on the sofa (still sick and feverish) she called to give me the news.

The new school will not welcome the under 2,5 year olds and hence as of November 1st William will no longer have a kindergarden to go to unless we find him a spot somewhere else.

I am furious shocked outraged but it does not help. The fact that we have a signed contract does not help. I am angry that William will have to make another change after having just adjusted to his new environment following our move from Vienna 3 weeks ago - this too does not help.

Right now, a part from the strikes, the no sidewalks, the crazy unlawful driving and heaps of garbage everywhere this countries ways are pissing me off. But I guess I can count our blessings for we are all ok.

Today I will try to hunt down a free spot in another french speaking kindergarden. Fingers crossed please!!!

Emma's giant puzzle

2011-10-14T18:45:00.000+02:00

The way you make me feel

2011-10-11T11:09:00.003+02:00

William's face us exactly the way I feel at times... Only It's not acceptable for an adult to show it... Pity that, I could do that Waaaahhh !!! quite well I'm sure.

Today isn't going that great;
Emma said she did not want to take the school bus and then asked when this holiday was going to be over. When I asked her what she meant she asked me "when are we going back to our other home in Wien?" ;-(
There is an electricity outage today so I had to rush to get my car out if the garage bright and early (luckily the neighbor / landlord reminded me or I would have been stuck at home with Will all day!)
The electricity outage set the alarms beeping like mad.
I left the garbage out front last night (not in a bin since we don't yet have one) and the cats tore it to bits meaning we were greeted by a carpet of garbage as we opened our front door this morning. Yuck!
The garbage men are apparently on strike.
Another strike looming (truck drivers I think) as we have been told to fill up on petrol! The nearest shell station was packed and the queue was blocking road traffic this morning as I drove Will to Kindergarden.
As if having two kids in a foreign country wasn't stressful enough...

First week in Athens...

2011-10-10T20:40:00.000+02:00

It's been an eventful first week.

On Monday, after a 30 minute sit-in in her kindergarten class and a 30 minute recess in the park, Emma decided she wanted to stay at kindergarten so we had to improvise a lunch box and leave her there. William's first morning at his was only a stop over of 10 minutes to apologize and reschedule. Yay! Emma! for being so brave and enthusiastic!

Emma holding her lunch box and Will - ready to head off to school

Then just as William and I were about to leave home to pick up Emma I managed to lock ourselves out on the second floor balcony!!! (the sliding door's handle flipped up and locked!). And of course no phone on me. Screaming at the top of my lungs I caught the attention of some workmen who called our neighbor who was just boarding a plane who called my husband who drove home like a mad man not knowing if William was with me or stuck alone inside. Phew! Then Steph picked up Emma and I had a drink.

Emma in her school (kindergarden) uniform and William with his lunch box

On Tuesday afternoon Emma told us she wanted to go to school with the school bus so for the first time on Wednesday she went to school and back in a yellow ISA school bus. So lovely and happy. Only thing is every morning she does not want to wear the "same again" (her uniform).

Her school Passport (contains notes from teachers to us since due to the school bus we don't see them everyday) says she has made friends and is very happy and participates in class. Indeed she has been singing new songs and has mentioned a little boy called Phillip...

In the meantime, Will has once again charmed all female presence at his kindergarden and has although he initially only had an hour, then breakfast and 2 hours play there, by Friday he had had lunch and a mid-day nap there too.

On Thursday we had a fuel leak in the house but luckily the smell alerted us in time and the workmen cleaned it all up and repaired it. Phew!

Technical problems such as no phone for me due to iPhone being blocked so we cannot use a different carrier than the one we had a contract with in Austria are proving quite difficult to resolve and I really do need a local number! Despite my best efforts to jailbreak the phone I had to give in and by a new phone in the end. Ugh.

The admin is absolutely mind boggling. Every day Emma brings back more paperwork with lots of forms to fill out and sign. I need to organize a health check and still decide whether or not we wish her to have tennis or swimming lessons although I would prefer something a bit less technical where she can just run and jump and use up some energy.

Once the children were more or less settled, the next priority was finding a cleaning lady (partially done now) and to finish unpacking boxes (also moving ahead...).

Ugh the dust (from the dirt road and the neighboring houses still being worked on) and the clean laundry are piling up. And whose brilliant idea was it to have a school uniform with a snow white top??!!

Over the week-end we discovered a couple of parks with lots of fun for kids.

Emma and Will driving together

Will held by Steph and Tata-yéyé on our was to have an ice-cream

How do we feel?
the kids seem to be doing great and the only things that seem to bother them are:
- that the house is on multiple levels and so a) we always seem far away if we are not right there b) it's a bit dangerous for distracted Emma and tiny Will as there are many stairs to fall down.
-the distances are greater than in Vienna and Mummy sometimes gets lost so we spent more time in the car (finding the park) than in the park.

As for us, well, since the kids are ok, we can now focus on the house and ourselves a bit. It's hard to believe we only left Vienna a week ago. It feels like forever. For us it's been a tough move - the first as a family of four - and despite being super organized and having head at hand there is only so much you can do with kids around. Still, all in all we are doing ok. We have Internet, heating, phone numbers and kids at kindergarden, a near by supermarket and a GPS on my mobile phone. We're sleeping and eating ok and most days it's sunny. Today I even had a neighbor and her kids over for a while and tomorrow I am going to a newcomers meeting organized by some francophone "oldies" .

First breakfast in our Athens home

2011-10-02T09:56:00.001+02:00

Alive and (nearly) kicking in Athens

2011-10-01T21:08:00.003+02:00

We made it! We are here, there are lots of boxes that still need unpacking but tonight we are spending our first night in Athens and in our new home - all four of us.

The movers were great and we had the precious help of G. (another one!) a Russian lady who cleans at our neighbors and who came over to help us. What a wonderful, quick, positive woman. And I got to practice my Russian!

As I write everyone is in bed and I am totally exhausted having unpacked and put away lots and lots but happy to be here.

Tomorrow we might go to the sea and take a break from "the move".

More news soon...

Nightie night!

Last post from Vienna (unless we come back?)

2011-09-30T21:49:00.003+02:00

So this ia a quick update on the last post:

It's now nearly 10pm and the children are fast asleep. Their farewell parties went well, they both received t-shirts with their names on them and Emma also got a hand-made photo album with lots of children's quotes and drawings. Absolutely lovely.

Both the kids and I received a lot of love today. Lots of hugs and kisses, presents and kind words, happy wishes and compliments. I was able to say goodbye to everyone I intended to and we even managed a last ice-cream before coming back to the hotel!

I've been so busy trying to be positive for the kids and just so busy, I haven't yet felt too sad so far - only cried a bit once - I am still floating on all the love and functioning in efficiency mode so in a way, I can't quite fathom that we are about to leave all this behind... but I know that soon enough, in a week or two, maybe sooner, I will land and sadness and nostalgia will set in (along with frustration at a million new things not going smoothly).

All part of the (expat) life I guess. On the other hand, we would not have experienced lovely today if we were living here permanently. I wonder can one get addicted to this kind of life with arrivals and departures, intense reunions and good-byes and relatively short commitments? Oh but that's another subject... Nightie night!

Last everything in Vienna

2011-09-30T13:52:00.002+02:00

Last coffees and lunches, last playdates, last Genusspfads at the market, last burgers at Orlando's, last Pilates class, last drop off at Kindergarden, last proseccos, last gathering of fond memories here...

Tonight is our last night in Vienna.
I'm now off to pic up the kids at Kindergarden here for the last time... (I hope their goodbye parties went well) then off to the park and perhaps a last ice-cream on Tuchlauben... Oh! So sad!!!

Our moving team

2011-09-23T10:38:00.000+02:00

Jeeves please!

2011-09-20T12:55:00.000+02:00

Emma had trouble getting her rain boots off yesterday and as soon as his own shoes were off, William jumped to help her. They thought their heartfelt grunts were hilarious as they took turns pulling on the boot. It was really a wonderful sight!

Sunday morning

2011-09-19T06:58:00.002+02:00

Feeding the ducks

Aren't the park and pond gorgeous?!

the count-down has begun!

2011-09-16T07:56:00.003+02:00

The countdown has started! This time next week the packers will be here! and this time in two weeks will be out last full day in Vienna and Emma will have her going away party at the kindergarden. Then on Saturday October 1st we fly off to Athens where Steph and our furniture will hopefully be waiting.

At times, I have a hard time really comprehending it all, and at others I just want to drink in all of Vienna while I still can.

It's hard thinking that my now home will no longer be my home in about 10 days. I know I go through a process of feeling slighty homeless and un-rooted before I can feel at home again in my new home.

Emma and I play a game where we list all that will be new and all that will be the same; new friends, news school, same Mummy, Daddy, William, Emma, new car, new house, same toys, same furniture... you get the picture. This is my attempt to prepare her for what is coming and so far she seems to be taking it well. In fact a couple of her kindergarden friends' Mums have told me that their son/daughter was very sad, crying, upset about Emma's departure and asked when they would see her again. Interestingly enough Emma has not yet had this reaction or question. I am not sure whether this is good or bad.

I asked her favorite kindergarden teacher to sound the waters with her to see what she was feeling and she told me that Emma was generally quite open about the move if apprehensive about the new kindergarden and friends.
Timing wise it's a shame for William too - he now feels so happy and at home in the kindergarden here. And it's lovely that they are both in the same one and can see each other at break time and when they are outside. In Greece, they will not be in the same Kindergarden at least for the first year.

I am glad that Emma and Will's aunt, Tata-yéyé, will be with us when we hit the ground in Greece to soften the blow and make it more fun and also that Emma has met some of the neighborhood children already. Hopefully this will soften the blow.
The "but when are we going home?" is the question I find the most daunting because I also find making a new home difficult.

Friday morning playing

2011-09-16T07:42:00.002+02:00

Will's favorite kitchen cupboard

Still sleepy Emma and the lego doll house

Emma's improvised jam session

2011-09-12T08:50:00.003+02:00

Here's the full session

Singing Emma

2011-09-12T08:34:00.000+02:00

Dear So and So

2011-09-08T14:52:00.005+02:00

Dear So an So handbag designer,
how is it that you have not yet figured out that making the inside of handbags black, dark grey or brown makes it IMPOSSIBLE to find anything! Please consider using bright pink, yellow, orange, green, silver or tobacco colored lining and do your clients a favor.
Thank-you,
me

***

Dear So and So packaging designer,
how about making it clearly visible on your packaging when the lotion is a body lotion and NOT a baby bath gel. Or when your butterkeks are "diät" instead of regular. Distinguishable packaging will not dilute your brand equity or image, only make your buyers and users happier instead of frustrated. Plus you might have an accurate idea of what product is actually being bought because we like it and not by accident.
Yours, with gratitude,
me.

***

Dear So and So (you probably won't recognize yourself),
When I say "no" or "not now" -although the reason might not be obvious to you, please respect my answer. You do not know it all. I am anything but unhelpful but I am not at your service either and I do have a life. Not being heard and respected is what makes helpful people become unhelpful.
Truly,
me

***

Dear Emma-sweetie,
When I insist you wear socks and long-sleeves in the morning it's because it's now 12° outside and your nose is sniffy. I know you like your summer dresses but it's no longer summer and it's too cold. Please understand I do not want to torture your arms and feet only keep you warm and healthy.
Love,
Mom

Dear Emma-chérie,
Could you please make an effort to dress in less than 45 minutes in the morning? We would then have more time to have breakfast together instead of me sitting through breakfast with Will and then rushing it with you (while trying to stop Will from climbing through windows/into the dryer/ dismantling furniture or emptying the bookshelf).
I hope you nevertheless have a happy day at school.
Love,
Mom

La rentrée or the moving blues

2011-09-05T12:43:00.008+02:00

Today was the first day of school here (la rentrée in French means the start of the new academic year around which also marks the beginning of the French political season) administration and so there was absolutely NO parking spots to be had near the kindergarden.
Plus the actual street the kindergarden is on was absolutely blocked with traffic and an empty tram that could not move ahead due to a very badly parked SUV. Then the fire-brigade showed up and had to move it. We had to park a mile away and actually ended up walking a longer distance than if we had walked from home.
Anyway... what I wanted to write about was that it's the first day of school and there are little kids running around everywhere still slightly tanned, carrying new school bags, books, pencil cases and sprouting large smiles. Little groups of 16 year old boys and girls in shorts and large handbags. Umph. I am not nostalgic of being 16 even if I am nearing 40! It's just that I used to love the first days of school and buying all the new stationary stuff and catching up with friends and kids form school again.

And now -although my kids are not school kids yet- I am wondering whether we will be able to order the last CD of kindergarden pics and reading about parent evenings and kindergarden outings that will take place when we will be gone (to Greece) and all this will be going on here without us. Isnt' that weird? And I don't mean that in a we-are-the centre-of-the-world-how-can-it-all-go-on-without-us? way. Just that we have been to the parents evening every October for the past 3 years and now we won't. We will be in Greece. Probably trying to find a decent coffee and a parking space. And not understanding anything.

Ok, that was my grumpiness for today.

On the happy side, we had a lovely week-end visiting friends in their new house
and enjoying the Montmartre party at Turkenschanzpark (we usually miss this due to our habitual week in Croatia).

William had his first ever train ride and hot-dog (!!) and Emma got a new sun-dress which I love and jumped her heart out.

that's all for today!

Nearly stepped on some angels

2011-09-02T21:36:00.004+02:00

Yesterday as I was walking down the street I came across some angels. No, really, angels at my feet.

I wondered who had placed them there and what their story was. In any case, it was kind of neat to come across them like that.

To swim or not to swim and managing expectations

2011-08-30T09:15:00.007+02:00

Yesterday was Emma's first swimming lesson (of 10 as the course takes place every week-day over 2 weeks). Parents are not allowed to stay so that the teacher is the sole authority & the kids concentrate on the task at hand.

For the first two lessons they ask you to stay in (or near) the building so that you can take your kid home or intervene should things go totally south.

No call while Will and I walked around the neighborhood; 10, then 15, 20 and 30 minutes went by. I began to feel confident that Emma was doing fine despite the fact that on Saturday she had refused to swim when we went to the nearest public pool with a friend of hers.

10 minutes before the end of the lesson I went up to the waiting room and then to the changing room with the other parents. Emma was not long.

She came through the door and told me she had not swum. The swimming teacher confirmed that she had spent the hour sitting on the edge of the pool, watching, despite repeated invitations to join the others in the water. "Keine Chance" were his exact words.
Plonk. (the sound of my heart sinking)

I was really sad that she had not enjoyed herself and participated. Then as I drove home and rushed to make dinner quickly so that we would still make Will's bed-time I began to feel extremely annoyed at Emma. Tout ça pour ça (all that for nothing as they say in French).

I know this is me being impatient and frustrated and not her fault. My expectations, my hopes. She was fine. She even told her Dad that she had been swimming. I told her it was ok and that we would give it another go. She could not care less. She just wanted dinner to be served and to play with her dolls.

I realize it's not going to help if I push her. But in all honesty I was angry that she had not even given it a go.

This is a recurring thing; both Steph and I are impatient and quick. We tend to want to move on with things. And because Emma is such a big girl in many aspects as well as enthusiastic and bright we do expect a lot of her. Also, especially initially, she seemed even more mature in comparison to William. But Emma likes to take her time, gaze into space, walk slowly. Stall. Make excuses. Ask us to wait. Tell us she "just has to feed (my) baby".

Emma needs to take her time. She walked at 18 months. It took her ages to poo in the toilet and not her nappy. Honestly, I was despairing. At gym class (Turnen) it had been the same. She had spent lots of time watching kids first and only then did she timidly try herself. Often screaming for help in the middle or saying she could not do it. Only encouragement, loads of praise and patience helped. And the fact that she was doing the class with friends meant she truly enjoyed her gym classes. Unfortunately, no children of her kindergarden are doing the swimming course at the same time as her.
Recently she went to the forest on a school trip and screamed when she realized the ground under her feet was soft. She asked to be carried. Eventually her kindergarden teacher calmed her down and convinced her she could not be carried. But she did tell me that Emma had seemed panicked. She totally dislikes leaving her comfort zone.
I have to learn to deal with my disappointment and not make her bear it. She has her own timing - however annoying it may be to me, I have to respect it and let her learn at her pace. Somehow I have to keep in mind that she is a little girl and that she wants to stay little - which is ok - for some things, a little longer than I would like. I have to respect that.

I must say though, especially in the light of this last episode, that I am really apprehending the move and the changes it will bring and that I will have to somehow manage.

As for the swimming, I think we will try again tomorrow and hopefully she will feel more confident. If not, to hell with it, we have other things to do and enjoy in Vienna before we leave in a month.

Fun at the park

2011-08-26T15:44:00.001+02:00

Emma

Emma art

2011-08-24T10:21:00.003+02:00

Last Spring Emma drew some faces. I thought they were brilliant so I framed and hung them on the wall. (Click on the pic to enlarge and get a better look)

Don't they look terrific?!

Emma's fourth birthday

2011-07-31T20:09:00.009+02:00

Emma has celebrated her birthday 3 times this week; once in kindergarden with her friends and teachers on Wednesday (strawberry cake), once with Will, Steph and I yesterday at home with a home-made chocolate cake and again today at the Family Fun park with friends and their parents with a strawberry cake, a mountain of nuggets and fries and lots of fun!
She is very happy about this and I am really glad we stayed in Vienna for her birthday this year so she could celebrate it with her friends. I think we managed to make it all about her this year and I think that's exactly as it should be. ;-)

Tomorrow morning really early we head off to Geneva!

Here are some pics of Emma's birthday celebrations:

Chocolate cake for breakfast! Yeah!

Discovering her new IKEA kitchen

and her pram, nearly as big as Mummy's

here she is wowing at her impressive candle

William enjoys the balls at the family fun park

after the cake, chicken nuggets and fries and a huge bowl of ketchup!
Emma and friends eating

That little boy in the blue t-shirt is Will enjoying the fries ;-)

Emma's last day as a 3 year old

2011-07-29T08:55:00.000+02:00

Back from Greece; the good, the bad and the ugly

2011-07-21T09:12:00.010+02:00

We are back from Greece and in Vienna it's pouring and windy and a mere 15°C. Quite a shock after the near 40° we experienced in Athens for 5 days. But -although it complicates things with the kids- the weather is quite in sync with my mood and the a/w clothing catalogs that are already landing in my mailbox.

I 'm in the mood for autumn. I am liking being inside while the rain drizzles down the water pipe and tap taps on our outdoor table. I am liking wearing my thin cotton scarf and feeling my feet are safe and dry in my big bright rain boots. Right now, I don't want to live in a permanently hot & sunny climate. (Is it rejection time already? )

I think a lot of this is a back-lash-mood-reaction to our visit to Athens. Here it is in a nutshell.

The good:

the house will be done in time for us to move into and will be a nice place I think
The neighborhood is green, friendly and there are lots of children
Our neighbors are very helpful, hospitable and open-hearted
We have our own little swimming pool which will literally save us from drying out on summer afternoons
People love children
The food is yummy
I probably won't be needing to go into town very often and can manage on the neighborhood shops (still driving distance though)
We already have a Greek pediatrician who speaks English and does house calls (see "the ugly" below)

The bad:

kids rule! To the point of being utterly spoiled. Regular bed-times (or anything regular and routine-like for that matter) are not done. Ugh.*
Emma and William will not be attending the same kindergarden and then when Will could move to Emma's, Emma will be moving on to another building, possibly another school. This means two school runs (and/or two buses)
Mummies provide lunch for everybody (even hubby) in lunch-boxes!
I can say good-bye to nice little shops/boutiques of the 18th bezirk and hello to air-conditioned, huge Malls

The ugly:

I was totally sick to my stomach during the first 24hours of my trip
then Steph was ill
then William got sick and had 39° fever until yesterday
we passed the virus on to the kids of the family we were staying with
Emma learned to eat cookies for lunch and honey sandwich for dinner walking around or sprawled in front of the TV which was blasting cartoons as of 7am for her and our hosts' kids
Emma loved this new modus vivendi

* perhaps I should put this one in the ugly. No routine is horrible as far as I am concerned. My kids absolutely thrive on routine and I love knowing the time of lights out is the same every night and that after that I (we) have my (our) evening time off...

Here are some pics taken by our host during our stay.

As you can see, we don't look unhappy. I hope that my current lack of enthusiasm is at least in part due to having experienced all this while ill, away from home at nearly 40° C. ...

Wishcasting Wednesday: what I ask for

2011-07-13T06:56:00.003+02:00

Today I discovered Soul Biographies and in particular watched this beautiful film. An inspiring woman. Truly. Not the fake "ah, life is GREAAAT!" Truly seemed so happy and at ease. Light as a feather in herself.

On this blog, today is Wishcasting Wednesday. And today's prompt is "What do you wish to ask for?"

Well... I wish to ask to know what my deep desires are. How am I going to make them come true if I don't know what they are?

We are moving to Greece in a couple of months - in fact we are heading down there on Friday to visit kindergarden's and the "home to be" - and our kids will soon be wrapped up in a new language, making new friends and we will all be learning about living in Athens.

So a thought comes to mind. With the moving comes a chance to take classes. Language classes yes, but also something that might open other possibilities. Fact is though, I have no idea what area to explore. I so want to know what my passion is, or my "thing" is, or what I am truly good at... but in all honesty, right now, I have no idea. It's just all so scattered.

The trouble with moving around so much, for me, is that a lot of time and energy is spent on getting used to /getting around / meeting new people / finding the new dentist/ pediatrician / hair dresser that will not put me through misery. And then, usually, just as I start to feel that I am now comfortable enough in a city to explore me, well, it's time to move. I am hoping this time, the settling in phase will take less time and that I will be able to find what I really want to do with my life. What do I wish to do with me?
So that's my wish today; I wish to ask to know my purpose in this life.

My sweet funny faced boy

2011-07-11T15:52:00.001+02:00

This week's moments of joy

2011-07-09T17:51:00.002+02:00

Joy pockets of the week - "No matter what is going on in our lives finding the little moments that bring us some joy reminds us what we are here for...to love life" .

Inspired by Monica

This weeks Joy Pockets

trying out a new desert recipe (poached rhubarb) and finding it delicious
our new painting was delivered and we love it! It is so happy!
long morning hugs with Emma
a chatty lunch on a terrace with a friend while it was pouring with rain
ice cold ice-tea in the searing heat
dancing with my kids in the morning
warm shower to wake me up in the morning
a "gentle" sleep-in (to 7am!)
enjoying feeling at home in Vienna

Emma quotes

2011-07-09T07:30:00.003+02:00

It's early morning, Emma has plodded down the corridor from her room onto my lap for her morning hug. We just stay for a few minutes and hug, then I ask her if she slept well, tell her it's Friday, what our plan for day is etc.

After a little conversation I tell her we should go choose her clothes for the day and I should go shower.
Emma: "but I don't want to make a hug by myself"

****

In the car, we are driving back from the airport, just back from 7 days in Croatia and 3 in Geneva. Emma asks if Tata yéyé will be there. We explain that Tata yéyé, Grand-papa François, Pata and Gogo live in Geneva and that we will visit them again soon. Emma says something about them not being in our home so we ask her where her home is.
Emma: "where my other shoes are"

Emma is turning 4 on July 30th.

Friday morning

2011-07-01T08:14:00.001+02:00

Will helping to prepare breakfast

2011-06-29T07:50:00.000+02:00

Get closer - What a difference a hug makes

2011-06-17T07:45:00.001+02:00

Love this video

Studious looking Emma

2011-06-15T09:56:00.001+02:00

Here she is drawing in a friendship book of a kindergarten friend.
Such a big girl in so many ways already and yet she is still only three... Sometimes I forget.

I love living in Vienna

2011-06-09T14:19:00.001+02:00

I don't think I have ever written about it on this blog, but I do. I love living in Vienna.
Since we are 'soon' to leave, I am going to try to share more if what I love about living here as it comes to me.

Here is installment 1:
I love, for instance, the way coffee is served on silver trays and with water nearly everywhere you go.
And of course that it's really good coffee!

Walking William

2011-06-08T21:52:00.003+02:00

William started walking on June 1st. He still prefers walking with the help of one hand or wall or chair but when he falls down he gets right up again and tries again. What's more, he seems to enjoy doing it!

Soon he'll be running away from Emma in the garden...

Federer or Djokovic?

2011-06-08T15:57:00.003+02:00

After all he is of both Swiss and Serbian descent (among others)...

He just LOVES these rackets!!!

I just love this pic

2011-05-31T09:00:00.001+02:00

William sharing his biscuit with Daddy

Smiling heart and children's laughter in a village

2011-05-27T05:39:00.006+02:00

Yesterday morning I finally went to pick up a cake plate that I had left at an acquaintances' house 2 year's ago after an Easter tea party and egg hunt for the kids. (2 years!!! It's great to have the time to do these non-priority things again).

She has also had a second child (4 months old) and is feeling rather frazzled although her second is a calmer one than her first. Anyway, this lady is going back to her full time job next week and will be traveling and has brought-in live-in help from her home town. She told me that she finds it crazy that in Europe us mothers spend so much time alone with our children; caring for them, entertaining them, cooking and preparing, transporting... Leaving us exhausted and drained with little energy to see friends or do things for ourselves - which is in fact exactly what we need to do so badly in such times might I add!
She went on to say that this is why we feel burdened by them and that we would love our children better and more if we were not so alone in caring for them. Indeed, in French we say that you need a village to bring up a child. And in the olden days. when families lived in the villages or cities - sometimes in the same house - everybody would pitch in and care for the little ones who benefited from all this various interaction.

(I definitely know that I am a more fun and relaxed Mum when I have had time for myself for Pilates or coffee with a friend or had enough time and energy to be creative. Not just squeezing stuff in but real time to do more that what just absolutely needs to be done).

For us expats with grand-parents, aunts and uncles seeing kids once or twice a year, there is no village at an arms reach and that can be really hard.
But sometimes you are lucky enough to create a little village - if you stay in one place long enough and find the right people and have the right attitude and energy...- of friends and their family who can help with the kids.

Just the other day Emma spent the afternoon with Nonna - the grandma of her very best friend- who often has her over to play with her grand-daughter. Emma knows of course this is not her own grandma, but it's so great that this woman's heart was big enough to include Emma in it and that Emma found her way in.

Yesterday there was a Genusspfad down at our local market. A kind of food fair where all the shop owners got their tables and chairs out and offered special tasting menu for 1.- 3.- or 5.- Euros. There were cheeses and breads, curries and wines, salads, gratins, various Italian antipasti, organic fruits and juices, desserts... all mouth watering, scrumptious and colourful. (I totally could kick myself for not having taken any pics!!!)

Anyway, to come back to the subject (sorry! I hope you are still with me!) when I had seen this advertized a couple of weeks back I had emailed a pic to some Mummy friends from my phone - don't you just love modern technology! - and suggested an early dinner with the kids.

So yesterday 6 of us Mummies and our kids (who all go to kindergarden together) went down to the Genusspfad and enjoyed each others' company as the kids continued to play in the little park, occasionally popping by to taste an "Erdbeer knödel" or fill up on some "semmel brot" or apple juice or show us a scratched knee. We even had a reserved table (they don't normally do reservations for these types of events) but I had mentioned we would be coming with our kids and I am a regular down there so they made an exception. It might sound silly, but I felt so happy and somehow proud to have thought of this and that it worked out so well - me the expat with all these (mainly) local Mums at a local event and a table with a "Sandra 16h00" scribbled on to bright sunny yellow paper. (Can you just imagine me smiling right noow? 'cause I am, lips, eyes and heart - a BIG smile!)

It was lovely. William was passed from lap to lap, each of us took turns running after the kids or getting the drinks or food, cutting the food for the kids etc. Each of us a Mum, each of us enjoying the banter and food and drink and company and the happy laughter of the kids in the background. The happiness of this moment is going to remain with me a long time.
It is these kind of treasures that take time when you are moving from country to country and that I miss the most when I arrive somewhere new.

Someone once told me that with each destination you get quicker at going through the initial hard stuff and moving on to the happy bits. I hope that's true.

2011-05-26T06:11:00.002+02:00

I think William will be making his first steps solo any time now.

Bits and bobs and various news

2011-05-25T21:28:00.000+02:00

What's new:

William started going to kindergarden 30 minutes a day on May 2nd and last week actually had lunch and slept there! Wooo Hooo! My mornings are now kid-free!

We have an invasion of ants! Best kid friendly solution: lemon and lemon juice. Ants hate it!

We are moving to Greece! Athens to be more exact. So we are currently planning a house-hunting trip to visit homes and schools. More on that soon.

Emma's teenage phase is over and she is once again sweet and kind and cooperative (most of the time) - Thank Heavens for that!!!

William loves ice-cream too!!

I have bought a second-hand sewing machine from a family moving to New- York and plan to make Emma a sundress and some blankets and pillows for her babies. I have enrolled in a sewing atelier to take place next month. I am totally clueless at sewing but I look forward to learning.

I am in love with ETSY!!! It's so great that people with talent can sell their creations around the world and that you can shop at 5am if you want to.

Health update: I have totally reduced my thyroid meds following my latest blood test after seeing an energy healer. Since March 28th I have been on only 50mcg (I have never taken so little) so I feel totally relaxed which is great - but I look 3 months pregnant which isn't . ;-( I've also been to see a Traditional Chinese Doctor who is helping me work on reducing and stabilizing my blood pressure (due to my fiery liver) so that I can eventually stop taking blood pressure meds. I am currently weaning myself off my antidepressants. Yay! and/but Is this a good time as we are going to be moving to Athens?! What the hell!

I am enjoying the lovely heat of the sun - finally it looks as if summer is here to stay!

Have a beautiful day!

Keeping Vienna clean

2011-05-12T20:28:00.005+02:00

Today Emma and kindergarden friends cleaned up the park nearest to their kindergarden by collecting all the cigarette butts, ice-cream and candy wrappers, newspapers etc. that were lying around.

They looked so cute in their little uniforms (which we get to keep!) and were so enthusiastic about picking up the garbage. I think it's a great way to make them aware about keeping their city clean.

Bored, restless and happy

2011-05-07T11:09:00.010+02:00

I am getting a bit bored with blogging and my blog at the moment. Actually, I lack the time to do it properly/ the way I would like to and the little energy and time I have left turn up a half-hearted unsatisfactory result.

But I actually have lots of ideas and thoughts that are interesting only they occur when I am under the shower and then get swept away with breakfast making, teeth brushing, bag packing, driving to kindergarden etc. and by the time all the other errands are done I don't have a 10th of the energy or thoughts left in me. Quite frustrating for me and quite boring for you I am sure.

Anyway, here is today's.

A while ago I read about Joy pockets and while today is not Friday and I don't think I'm going to post this every second Friday, here are my joy pockets of the week.

A lovely frothy milk on my home made latte thanks to our new Milkschäumer

Pretty Emma Pirate - I love the fact that she can be a princess fairy one day and want to be a Pirate the next

A moment on my own walking down to the market singing Gloria Gaynor's "Can't take my eyes off of you"
Tickling Emma and Will until they shriek with laughter
Receiving a wonderful new perfume and a bouquet of flowers from my honey
Smelling my husbands after shave in the bathroom after he has gone to work
A lovely warm shower to warm you up
Bright blue sky

Mmmm.
There is something about listing joyful moments (and visualizing them) that makes you feel instantly happy.

So happy Sunday everyone!

Antalya all-inclusive holiday

2011-05-01T19:24:00.001+02:00

On Saturday we got back from Antalya where we spent 10 days at the Club Med. The Turkish hospitality and love of kids, the food and the resort grounds were all super. William unfortunately decided he would not sleep through the night on most nights and due to dinner being served at 19h30 earliest we were all in bed at pretty much the same time so as to be rested enough during the day. Rest, after all, was our main objective. ;-)

Unfortunately, the sun was not always around but the sea breeze, the food, the massages and general happy atmosphere was just what the dr ordered!

Friday we traveled from Vienna to Antalya by plane and then by mini bus to the club resort in Kemer. It was our first holiday since September and we really needed it.
Our first night is agitated as William keeps waking and crying and we jump to calm him so he does not wake Emma.

Saturday is windy and a bit rainy and we are all pretty tired.
We get a bit scared when Emma disappears having followed running kids and then found she had no idea where she was. She tells the kind person who asks her where her parents are that her Mummy is lost and ends up waiting for us at reception.
We discover the grounds; beautiful green grass, palm trees, shimmering water and lots of activities for big and little alike. Food is yummy.

Sunday: I get a black eye (well, purple actually) as I try to catch Will wooshing down the water slide with Emma on my back and his head hits my brow, well, my sunglasses actually. The bruising is quite amazing and on the spot it really hurt.
Will becomes the resort photographer's star.

Monday: beautifully sunny and warmer, the Easter egg hunt, Emma has fun at the mini Club, there is a clown show in the afternoon and we are totally getting the hang of things (kids sleeping well, Emma knows her way around more...) We celebrate Will's first birthday around a chocolate cake in the sun. Emma and the wind blow the candles and Emma actually wants to eat the whole cake!
Will loves strawberries and chicken nuggets and black olives and is enjoying all the finger food.

Tuesday: We are shocked to discover people were considering whether my black eye was not due to my husband!!!!

On Wednesday it is cloudy again but Emma really enjoyed time at the mini club and we the massages, some time to talk and yummy food. About the black- eye, people started asking if it was better which I took to indicate they no longer feared it was due to my husband.
Emma was also mistaken for a boy a couple of times (by long-haired boy twins and a 20 year old looking girl and a middle-aged man). This offended her a bit so on Thursday she only wanted to wear a pink dress and kept saying she wanted long hair. Steph, William and I head for Kemer and load up on cotton t-shirts.

On Friday it's beautifully sunny again and we enjoy our last day and meals and select some pics from those taken by the photographers during our stay. We meet some Canadians living in Poland and enjoy Emma's performance in the Mini Club Show.

Saturday we landed back in Vienna after a trying trip with the kids. Phew.

It's cloudy today but we are happy to be home after a nice family holiday. The kids are re-discovering their toys and playing happily.

Here is a full overview of our holiday pics.
Enjoy!

Happy day of birth William!

2011-04-25T11:00:00.002+02:00

Wooo Hooo! It's been 1 year since that sunny Sunday April morning in Vienna when William came into our family and into the world.
Congrats Will ! Congrats to us parents for having come through the first year of many sleepless nights and days. Congrats Emma on having made room in your heart and life to share your parents and space with your little brother.

I'm afraid you'll have to wait until we are back in Vienna for pics of Will and the birthday cake as we are in Antalya and I don't have the necessary equipment with me to post a pic.

Happy Birthday William baby and happy Easter Monday everyone else!

happy and dreamy teaching us to chill

2011-04-20T21:24:00.004+02:00

At the moment, Will is causing chaos and mess within a nano second as soon as I have my back turned - pulling out parts of the dryer, clothes from drawers, tissues from tissue boxes, pans and saucepans from cupboards and drawers. Even when we are face to face and we are having dinner he manages this quite well as you can see from the below pic, it looks like a war zone below his chair after dinner. ;-)

I have become quite zen with all this, knowing it is useless to tidy up right after him if I don't want to do it 20 times a day and even giving him a full basket of clean socks to sort through when I need a few minutes to make a call or brush my teeth.

I have a bit of a theory that Emma is teaching us the value of taking one's time or slowing down (she actually told Steph "Wir haben kein Stress" when he was badgering her to get ready for school the other morning - hilarious!) and Will is teaching us the value of letting go, letting the small stuff slide and enjoying the fun of the moment (as he is only interested in having fun). These are difficult lessons to learn for speedy, objective oriented, super-efficient/organized and stress prone parents. Hopefully they will continue to be good teachers and we will learn well.

Will sorting through the paper recycling bin.

Peek-a-boo

Here I am!

Happy Will after a nice walk and play in the park

I like stripes, can't you tell?and pretty Emma

quite dreamy making do in the "baby swing"
since the "big girl" one was taken

Beautiful Sunday

2011-04-17T20:58:00.003+02:00

Love these pics of Emma and Will in our garden

I am beat so wont' write more now - but we had a lovely week-end again and really enjoyed the weather and the kids.

Emma hiding

2011-04-11T11:39:00.001+02:00

I think this is just too cute and hilarious.

On the way home, Emma and I sometimes play hide and seek - even if she often still asks me where to hide ;-) and she still thinks that if she cannot see me then I cannot see her. You've got to love that about childhood!

(Nearly) pics only - our fun week-end

2011-04-10T11:25:00.005+02:00

We had a fun and sunny week-end; at the park, birthday party and cakes, walks, ice-cream, breakfast at the market, hide & seek, skype with family, making a velvet picture, making pizza, tickles, reading, singing and new sun-dresses!

Emma and Will on the swing together

sis and bro playing on a Sunday morning

Emma the climber

Happy Sunday evening to you!

One of those songs that makes me feel happy and full of energy

2011-04-09T19:34:00.007+02:00

I love this song!

Here is the excerpt of Grey's Anatomy where I watched and heard it being sung by Sara Ramirez as Callie Torres

I love the melody, the words and most of all the wonderful energy on Sara Ramirez's face when she sings it. It makes it a lot more powerful in my opinion that when it is sung by Brandi Carlile who sings beautifully but who does not "Live" the song in the same way.

Below you can see (a wobbly film of) Sara Ramirez singing the song - not in Grey's Anatomy - and her face is still beautifully expressive.

It really makes me happy inside - what about you? Do you like it or do you find it cheesy?

Will is nearly 1

2011-03-31T06:35:00.000+02:00

William is nearly a year old. A lot of people have been telling me how fast time has gone and how they feel as if only 5 minutes ago I was still hugely pregnant. But for us, well, the first 7-8 months were forever and so tough with the lack of sleep and the stress. Since January things have improved immensely and - truth be told, although we loved him since day one, we do like him and enjoy him a lot more now!

So what is William up to on the eve of his first birthday?

Communication

He is now reaching out his hand to show he wants (to see/touch) something or wants us to go there (if I am carrying him)
He goes "bye bye" with his hand. It's not exactly a wave as he scrunches his fingers up and opens his hand again but the meaning is definitely there. We do this to say bye to Daddy and Emma as they leave for kindergarden in the mornings.
Still no real words. More like "bah" "stah" "ahh" "mam-am-am" "bah-ba-bah" "bdaaaah!" "duh, duh, doy" "bbbbrrr" (he blows bubbles) and a lot of grunting and banging his arms to show frustration. He is very expressive with sounds and facial expressions.

Physical & mobility

Weighs 10,6kg! Wearing 86cm clothes.
He is crawling faster and faster, still not walking alone but pulls himself up as soon as he can using me, a table, a pram, a chair, shelves, etc.
LOVES playing and climbing outside!

Favorites:

He likes having his teeth brushed.
Pulls the grass out of the ground in the garden.
Likes playing with balloons.
Stays still when having his finger nails cut (this is amazing to me as he is very rarely still!)
Crawls off to see other kids and adults at play-dates or when picking Emma up from kindergarden.
Loves dogs!
Loves discovering and trying things (even putting his hand in the toilet & going for the toilet brush yuck!)
Enjoys being carried and being high up.
Loves playing with doors, banging on the washing machine door when it's washing, opening boxes and spilling and pulling out all of the contents - noisily if possible
likes it when you stroke his head with one finger when he is tired/falling asleep

Character

Doesn't cry much when he hurts himself.
Is stubborn/determined as can be.
Laughs easily and loudly. So lovely!
Seems very independent yet likes to be in the midst of things and does not like being left alone much.
Absolutely hates it when you walk past him as he crawls towards you!
always wants to climb out of his high-chair - even as he is eating
Is constantly arching his neck to see what else is going on

Sleep

Sleeps nights from 7pm to 6 or 6h30 am.
Naps were from 10am-11h20 in his bed (with a little help to extend after 30 minutes) and again at 14h40-15h20 (on bed or pram). Now that we are on summer time naps take place 11h-12h30am. Then just as Will wakes, it's just about time for Emma's nap around 1pm for about an hour. So we have 3 different nap times during the day! How fun are our week-ends?!!

Keeping us on our toes

2011-03-16T21:19:00.005+01:00

William sure knows how to keep us on our toes and keep himself busy!

Climbing out of a box

emptying drawers (kitchen, bathroom, bedroom...) and book-shelves

pulling on curtains so hard that they fall to the ground

standing on his high-chair so as to check out more stuff

paying close attention to what is going on in the washing machine and dryer

Luckily he does not mind company in his adventures

or discovering new places (here in a café)

and the winner is - as it was with Emma - the remote control!

Princess Fairy Emma

2011-03-08T10:15:00.007+01:00

Princess Fairy Emma skipping across the class

Today Emma's kindergarden is celebrating Faschings or Carneval. Emma is of course dressed as a fairy princess complete with wings, a magic wand, glitter or her cheeks and a touch of pink
lipstick!

There are loads of princesses with pink tulle and frous frous galore, most of the boys are Pirates (but I did see a very convincing Bob the builder), the little ones are cats or tigers and one of her teachers, C. was dressed as a cowgirl.

Meanwhile William's favorite occupation is emptying the laundry basket (or preferably our drawers!).

Oh, and here's Emma playing the mean old fairy (scary, angry pose!)

and on our way to school

William's first shoes

2011-03-06T15:04:00.003+01:00

Because Will is so enthusiastic about walking - and gets frustrated in his pram when we are out in the park - we decided he needed a pair of walking shoes. Size 20, ankle high brown ones with a velcro strap.

Here he is taking his first steps in them in the shop.

Learning to fall

2011-03-03T09:01:00.007+01:00

William is in the process of learning to stand by himself and it occurred to me that the hardest part -now that he can pull himself up- is learning to fall. As in life, don't you think?

Learning how to manage a fall and pick yourself up is just as important as learning and being able to navigate your life.

So I am trying to show William that he will be ok if he lets go and falls, that bending his knees a little helps, that his tush is soft and sturdy enough to cushion the blow, that he will be safe.

Emma, at the good old age of 3,5 is also learning to fall. In fact, for the first time that I can recall she is falling a lot -not out of clumsiness as has often happened when she is tired - but at out actually being able to let go of her cautiousness. She is riding her balance bike - the one without pedals - and falling a lot because she is going fast! and downhill! and boy is she falling!!! But it's great to see because she is daring to do things she never dared to do before.

I think this is one of those times when I have a lot to learn from my little ones.

A break

2011-03-02T11:38:00.001+01:00

I just spent 40 minutes in this cafe, alone with my caffe latte, my pen and note book, my phone and my thoughts. I sent a text or two, gazed into space, sipped my coffee ever so slowly, wrote a bit, made a list of things I want to get done for myself, the kids, the home...( ok, so my list put the kids first but at least there was a ME list!) People watched, ordered another latte...

Wow! How wonderful to let my mind wander and have the time to enjoy. No talking, no kids, no pressure.
I really must do this more often!!!!

Emma clown and ill Will

2011-02-24T19:34:00.007+01:00

Now that Emma is fit as a fiddle, William has a nasty cold and fever and it's freezing again so we can't spend too much time outside.

Yesterday Emma did not feel like playing a game but was thrilled with my proposal to paint her face. Here she is as a clown.

And here are Emma and Will as we walk home

Despite being ill, Will has been walking (with help) and can now stand up by holding on to a table or chair. I still need to catch a pic of him doing that though. With his kind of determination he'll be walking in no time.

I am beat so that's all for now.

Health mini-update

2011-02-23T09:28:00.007+01:00

Just a quickie with my latest medical bits:
I finally got hold of the cardiologist this morning and he said my lab results were normal and we should continue the blood pressure medication for another year or so "until a less stressful time" and then maybe stop them along with a life-style change.
So I'm selling the kids and moving to a zen-bubble! ;-)

Seriously, it's good news. Even if I have a hard time with imagining the "less stressful time" because for the past 7 years my life has not been very peaceful:
2004 I announce I am getting married, my parents announce they are separating 6 weeks before my wedding date ( I'll let you imagine the rest)
2005 I quit my job and adjust to doing some free-lance stuff and we buy a dog
2006 we move to Izmir, my Dad gets cancer
2007 Emma is born, we move to Vienna
2008 Due to disaster apartment Emma and I spend 6 months in Geneva while Steph works in Vienna, we give our dog away to a family without kids
2009 pregnant in Vienna mostly ok
2010 William is born, my father dies

I'm not planning on having more kids, I only had one Dad and as for the moving, well, hopefully we will get better at managing its stresses as life goes on.

I realize that it's not what happens to you in life but the way you handle it that is key here, but I also think things add up. Here's to a calmer decade!

Must get Will up now!
Thanks again to all those who checked in and sent good vibes!

No news, good news... I hope

2011-02-20T16:25:00.001+01:00

First of all, a BIG thanks to all of you who checked in and wrote or called. I can already feel the good vibes helping ;-)

I still don't know anything more! The cardiologist took a long week-end so when we spoke on Friday he said he had not seen my latest results and that I should call him on Tuesday.

The good-news is that Emma is back! Healthy and chirpy as ever. Will, on the other hand now has fever (at 9am his temperature was 38,4° much lower than Emma's was), but it could be teething so we have to wait and see. This morning he was awake since 4h30am which means we are not that well rested. It's still grey and really cold and we are all so much looking forward to spring and sun and a holiday.

In the meantime, here are some happy pics of Will and me taken by the computer's Photo Booth.

Wobbly but hopefully on the mend

2011-02-16T19:32:00.006+01:00

It's a tough week because it's grey and cold again and Emma is ill (since Saturday) and so the three of us (Emma, Will and I) are staying in and trying to make her better without going nutty. The pediatrician said it was a virus so all we can do is nurse her, feed her, cuddle her and give her plenty of rest and warmth. And wait until her body recovers.

I always find it tough to stay in but even more so when I am not sick myself. Having said that, I kind of enjoyed taking care of Emma. I mean consciously doing everything I could to be there with her (she has never been sick this long), preparing her favorite snacks and bathing her... and we had some fun moments, talking, painting, watching a movie together, giggling over William's silly noises, and snuggling up in bed with a Mr. Man book.

Emma painting in our play-room

Happily, I have also been able to step out a little thanks to our devoted cleaning lady G. who has graciously taken over for the vacationing sitter. Hence, I still made it to the hospital and dr's today and will go to the ophtalmologist tomorrow even if Emma is still not 100% better and able to go to kindergarden. Not the most exciting outings, but at least it minimizes frustration and postponing and waiting...

Emma painting away

So what's with the doctors?
Well since December when my stress levels and migraines became unbearable and I was told that my blood pressure was not ok (by the eye doctor) I have been doing all sorts of tests (an eye test, blood tests, hormone tests, an MRI, a heart ECG, a heart ultra-sound, a 24 hour blood-pressure test happening as I write), and seen various specialists; an eye-doctor, a dentist, a cardiologist and a neurologist as well as the thyroid specialist and last but not least a psychotherapist because if my heart is pounding so hard I believe it's because it needs to be heard and I need to let it talk.
I was inclined to believe that the stress and sadness of my father's death and the sleepless nights and no-pause days (no 1 or 2 hour naps when you can step out of being a Mum in front of the telly or a book) were to blame, I nevertheless decided it was top priority to sort this out because I cannot function with migraines. Let alone entertain & look after Emma and Will.

Emma and Will crawling together

It has been a scary and stressful process - even just getting round to the doctors and appointments with my kids timetables and no grand-parents around to help. My thyroid meds have been changed, I have removed all external contraceptives from my body and have been taking blood pressure meds for 2 weeks now as well as a mild dose of anti-depressants to help me manage the emotional side. (Although the dr said that my serotonin levels were totally depleted due to prolonged lack of sleep and stress and so I needed to fill the pool up again.)

Hopefully I will have some news this week after handing in my carry-round blood-pressure measurer (which incidentally is driving me NUTS blowing up every 30 minutes!) at the hospital tomorrow. I am having a hard time not finding this annoying despite trying to be positive and humorous about my sci-fi looking accessory. I am not a good sick person. Being a sick parent is even tougher.

My fashionable 24 hour accessory

It's kind of scary having to do all this. I feel and have felt many different things; Wobbly is an understatement. Doing this made me feel ill. And weak. And in order to look after kids you need to be strong and fit. Falling short really scared me. But I also felt strong and determined to get better. It also made me think of my Dad and how he had been ill when I was a little girl and then gotten better, also of him in hospital at the end of his life and that made me sad. Ever so sad. I really wished I could pick up the phone and talk with him.

I also realized that I need to put myself first more - or last less - because I need to be well, fit and happy to be there for my family and kids. The cardiologist & neurologist (both men) told me that I need more recreation in my life, more time for me and things to to balance the stress of my son's screaming and unpredictable sleeplessness. My father would no doubt have approved.

I also felt humbled and grateful sitting in the waiting room of the hospital because I was next to people lying in beds attached to machines and at the same time I felt scared and wished I was somewhere else. I also remembered my open heart surgeries in 1997 and 1999. And the people who were by my side during those difficult times. It also made me remember that we are mortal. And fragile.

I felt angry at this world where pharmacies (and food shops and the Internet) sell things that we are made to believe are going to help us when in fact they may be harmful. I mean when you are ill, you want to be able to trust your pharmacist and rely on your doctor.

I felt very little and alone queuing at the hospital (it's huge!) and asking the administrative personnel to repeat instructions in German slowly. It reminded me of how my friend I. had been with me when I needed to find a good Obgyn when I was in Izmir just pregnant with Emma. (thank-you I. I will never forget you not letting me be alone...)

Simultaneously I was grateful that I had someone to leave the kids with so that they did not need to be there (bacteria, ill people, scared and worried people including me - once I walked out I could smile and be myself with them, but not there in the hospital). I also doubted a lot. What if... what if?

Anyway, hopefully tomorrow, or at least by the end of this week, I'll know more. And hopefully it will be good news.

All good vibes welcome! ;-)

Rockin' Emma

2011-02-10T20:20:00.003+01:00

And he goes!

2011-02-09T20:34:00.003+01:00

Nearly Spring

2011-02-06T18:06:00.004+01:00

Today was one of the first spring like days making our Sunday walk much more pleasant. It was SO welcome after a cold and gray winter!

We are really looking forward to Spring! I can't wait until we don't have to put on boots and hats, scarves and gloves and can just breeze out in a sweater, leave the doors to the garden open and eat in our garden or on the terraces that fill the streets of Vienna making so much more welcoming.

By then, no doubt, William will be walking and we will have to keep after him, but we will be able to hopefully keep him busy with balls and the sandpit.

9 month Will and 3,5 year old Emma update

2011-01-30T16:31:00.001+01:00

Although Emma has always been super sociable greeting strangers in the street and showing them her doll/bike/car/teddy/Mummy/brother she has rather stubbornly been refusing to ask for her own hot chocolate or saying thank-you in a café when brought her order... She always plays the "shy" card although she knows these people (we are talking about cafés we go to very often) and it has been quite a mystery to me as to why she was doing this.

Anyway, after explaining to her that not greeting people was impolite and could be hurtful and a few week-end morning outing just with Mummy at the café, hairdresser, in town where I stopped asking her to greet people but made a point of greeting and thanking people profusely hoping she would copy me yesterday she ordered her own hot chocolate, thanked the waitress, said good-bye as we left and even asked the pharmacist if they had hello kitty plasters all by herself. She has also been greeting the baby sitter and cleaning lady more politely, apologising when she burps and farts (this was another thing she always refused to do).

Not only that, she also used the toilet in our favorite café to poo (this was something she only did at home and at kindergarden) which I think shows increased confidence and ease with the world around her.
Yay Emma !!

Emma at the hairdresser's

Emma having a huge hot chocolate with cream at the park café.
After being out at -6° for nearly an hour we needed warming up a bit!

This week-end William also started crawling. Well, sort of. He moves forward on his own. Now the trouble begins when he is awake too. Because our little Mr. Jumpy has not been sleeping well again. In fact he is taking 25 minute naps and making our days crazy. Then, because he is over-tired, he keeps waking at night. So life is not easy. Again. I really hope that he will overcome this really soon because we have really had enough.

Good news is, he will be starting at the same kindergarden as Emma (but in the younger kids group) this summer.

Oh, and on Friday, I find out my thyroid meds (new dosages as of Oct. 13th) were making me hyper so that explains -at least in part- why I was so stressed and wanted to bight everybody's head off.

Da da da

2011-01-24T20:12:00.003+01:00

I am not sure, but it does kind of seem as if he's trying to say something...

William the demolition man

2011-01-17T16:54:00.004+01:00

Both Emma and William love building blocks.

Unfortunately, by the time I got my camera out he was no longer having the giggling fits he had had initially when demolishing my towers but it gives you and idea of the kind of fun we have.

First childhood disease for Will

2011-01-13T16:03:00.004+01:00

William is ill for the first time. Huge fever. He soaked his pajamas thoroughly last night. He's on ibuprofen when the fever exceeds 39° (which improves his mood) and is drinking lots quite readily. Also, for once, his naps exceed an hour. In fact today, he napped for 2,5 hours for the first time since he was a week old! Poor darling is, totally understandably, quite miserable.

According to the dr. it's probably three day fever which is also the first childhood disease Emma had if my memory serves me correctly.

Also, I have stopped brestfeeding him. It's been 3 days now (after 8,5 months) and I am still leaking a bit but all in all quite happy to wear matching lacy undies again as opposed to the immensely practical but not most beautiful) breast-feeding bras.
Another step ahead in the right direction. ;-)

Ah, ... and it's raining spring-like rain at 9° C! If only winter were really over... but I'm quite sure another bout of cold and snow is just around the corner.

Good-bye 2010 - update on the kids's progress

2011-01-02T10:54:00.006+01:00

The best news to end 2010 with was that Emma pooed in the toilet! Finally!!! Not once, but now that she has done it four times, I think we can assume we are rid of her nappies! YAY!! We made a huge fuss, took her out to buy a doll I had promised her she would get when she pooed in the toilet, and applauded and cheered (every time!). She even says bye bye poo as she flushes and likes using the toilet brush.

Also, we left the kids' dummies to Santa Claus alongside the cookies on his plate by the Christmas tree. The first few nights were tough for Emma as she would cry and ask for her dummy saying she didn't like Santa and wanted her "lolly" back. But every bed-time got easier and after 5 nights things were pretty much back to normal. William couldn't care less.

Will has been sleeping through his core night and waking around 6am most nights and now has 3,5 teeth out! (2 on the bottom and one and a bit from the top). He puts absolutely everything he can get his hands on in his mouth and loves things that squeak or beep back at him.
He has also become very agile at swinging from sitting to lying on his tummy and back shuffling both on his bum and on his tummy. He swirls and turns on his tummy and swings and sways backwards and forwards when on his knees and hands but no crawling yet. Basically, we better get all cables and wires clear soon as he is moving around quite well and as curious as can be!

That's all for now!

Holiday creativity

2011-01-02T10:37:00.005+01:00

Emma and I decorated the Christmas tree with Grand-Papa and Pata

and then added our home made Santas on some of the branches. These were made with felt and toilet rolls (my favorite raw material for craft activities!).

Last but not least, we made some fuzzy haired fairies that sort of remind me of Endora from the 60's series Bewitched.

Om Sri Rama, Jaya Rama, Jaya, Jaya Rama

2010-12-21T08:53:00.003+01:00

Recently, on this blog, I came across a video of a mantra that I have used to calm myself when getting stressed (like when William is crying in the car and Emma is whining and we are in a hurry to get somewhere).

I was really surprised when I heard the voice of the girl on the video because to my ears she totally sounds like me! I mean, I literally I had the feeling of hearing myself - my own voice. Weird, huh?
Well, I took it as a sign that this was the right mantra for me.

Om Sri Rama, Jaya Rama, Jaya, Jaya Rama

A rough translation: 'Om and Victory to Rama (the self within), victory, victory to Rama.'

According to this site it is "a Sanskrit mantra chanted by many Hindus and Buddhists. It literally means "Om and Victory to Rama, vistory, victory to Rama". Mahatma Gandhi chanted this mantra for over 60 years. It is intended to cleanse one of negative karma, from this life and previous lives and to take one "across the ocean of rebirth" ."

What's not to love? Plus, I really like the sound of it and I think William does too ;-)

Strong as a bull!

2010-12-17T17:41:00.005+01:00

William under the table, pulling the chairs, how fun is that?

Not crawling yet, but moving about and sliding backwards while on his tummy. Loves discovering new stuff.

happy kids - update in pics

2010-12-16T10:01:00.003+01:00

William on the kitchen counter

Emma learning to write the alphabet on the iPad

William ready to face the cold

Emma all dressed up in front of our Christmas tree

Emma at her Kindergarden Christmas Party

thank-you Santa

2010-12-14T20:47:00.002+01:00

On November 25th, I started a post like this:

"Dear Santa,
for Christmas I would like sleep filled nights for William, Emma, Steph and myself. We really are getting desperately tired."

Today is December 14th, and William has been sleeping full nights (like 11 or 12 hour nights!) for the past 10 days or so. The last time we actually had to get out of bed in the middle of the night to help him re-settle was December 4th.

Yay!!!!! Woudn't you say?

Without a doubt, the cranio-sacral osteopathy has helped tons! In fact, William's first full night was just after seeing her for the first time on Tuesday November 23rd. He then had some really bad nights, but the general trend was positive.

After he skipped the 3 am feed on November 28th on his own and for the first time, we decided he might be ready to do without so we upped the quantities of banana and apple in the day-time and stopped feeding him at night.
The first 4 nights were a bit tough with a lot of screaming and he had no prop to help him out since, as per the sleep consultant's recommendation, we had removed the swaddle and the dummy. All we did was shh and pat his back for 2 minutes before leaving him to re-settle.
I have to say, for a couple of nights I had to brace myself to stay in bed so as to not react too quickly. Steph was actually much better at this than me. (I have to say though, that following an experts instructions makes it easier because you don't keep doubting whether what you are doing is the right thing and so you feel more serene and I think that babies feel that too.)

Whatever! The key thing is we are now sleeping again! I cannot tell you what a difference this is making in our lives, our energy levels and our general mood. We have a lot of catching up to do (in sleep and other things) but I feel wonderful and grateful that we have finally started!

Also, after going totally wonky due to the increase in night time sleep, now William's naps are improving too. Although he is definitely does not need nearly as much sleep as Emma does, (je sleeps around 2-2,5 hours a day when she was sleeping at least 4 at this age!) we are gradually getting into a predictable routine which means that hopefully Emma and I will be able to have some play-dates in the afternoons (which I won't need to cancel) and that I might even get some baby play-dates with Mums and lattes! How great is that?!

Finally, it also means that we can start to leave Will with a sitter and go out in the evenings for dinner and a movie!!!

So YAY! to sleep filled nights! Thank-you Santa, thank-you B. the osteopath and D. the sleep expert. Thank-you and Yay! William!

And oh! please! please, don't let this little post jinx it all!
Oh, and Santa Baby, now if you could also help out with Emma... the nappy thing, you know? It would be great if she would finally feel comfortable enough to poo in the toilet -not in a nappy while sitting on the toilet.

Thanks!