First day of school

Posted on September 2, 2013 by admin

Today was the big day — Liam’s first day of preschool (“Kindergarten” in German) and B’s first day of kindergarten (“Vorschule” in German)! They’ve both been so excited for the past few days, and they woke up with enthusiasm this morning, too — B exclaimed, “It’s the first day of school!” as soon as he woke up this morning, and Liam, after scowling at him groggily for a moment, asked, “Do I get to go to school too?” followed by “Yay!” when we were finally able to answer yes.

After a whirlwind of morning preparations, and a failed attempt at non-blurry pictures, we were out the door and on our way. As soon as we stepped off the bus at the correct stop, B announced, “Liam, we’re at your school!” even though we couldn’t see it yet (he repeated the announcement once we actually could see the building).

They were so excited to be there together. B wanted to walk Liam to class, but he was so anxious to get to his own class that, after a quick glimpse at Liam’s classroom door, B was ready to get to his own class and we all went to drop B off at class first. B was so happy to be there. He gave his teacher a gigantic hug and then ran off to play with just a quick hug for me before he was off.

Liam was just as enthusiastic. He greeted his teacher with a “Guten Morgen!” and shook her hand (we’ve been practicing), and then he changed his shoes and hung up his coat and backpack. He was so happy. He jumped right into playing with cars, then trains, then Legos, then balls. He played happily with the other children (although he had no idea what to do when someone took a toy he was playing with) and even announced to a little girl, after they’d been playing together for a while, “You’re a friend!”

I think he’ll do great. In addition to making a new friend, we discovered that there are at least 2 other English-speaking kids in his class (one of whom is B’s best friend’s little brother) so that should help. After playing for an hour or so, Liam told me, “I love playing at school!” I’m so glad that he does.

We only stayed for about an hour, and I stayed with him the whole time (just for today). But when it was time to go, he didn’t want to leave. He can’t wait to go back tomorrow. His teacher gave him a little gift in honor of his first day, and he carried it home himself.

And B is in Vorschule now! He was so excited to get to play with some of the toys set aside for the bigger kids — he got to play with two of the Vorschule toys today (although, when I asked, he couldn’t remember which ones they were). He was so happy to see his friends and teachers again, and to get to play outside. He looked for Liam in the garden, but we’d already left by then. They’ll get a chance to play together soon.

Tomorrow, if all goes well, Liam and I will stay and play for an hour, and then, if he’s still happy, I’ll go away for a short bit before coming back to get him. We shall see how things progress. But, for today, I have two very happy, grown up boys. It was a great first day!

The end of an era

Posted on August 30, 2013 by admin

So, this is it — my last day for a while at home with both of my boys (not counting weekends, holidays, sick days or vacation . . . and then, of course, once we’re back in the US, Liam will probably be back at home with me again while B starts elementary school). I know it’s true of life in general, but I feel like it’s even more true since I’ve become a parent — as soon as I get comfortable with a routine, it’s time to change everything and start again. And that’s what this will be like. Nearly my entire life here in Austria has been ruled by the routine of B going to school and Liam being home with me. It’s my only point of reference, it’s the only way I know how to frame my experiences here. This Monday, things change.

And, although this particular set of circumstances is brand new, I’ve been through enough changes to know that this, too, will come with unforeseen challenges and unexpected happiness. I’m sad and worried to send my “baby” off to preschool (He’s so little! He doesn’t speak the language! How can he be away from me?!?) but I know he’ll be fine. We’ll weather the challenges that come up, and help him through. He’ll grow and learn and be awesome. And B (How can he be in Vorschule already?!? He doesn’t really speak German! What is he missing by not being in the States and having a “normal” kindergarten year?!?) is set to be a star. He told us at dinner last night that with all the stuff he’s going to learn this year, he’s “going to be a German machine!” Indeed.

Life goes on, and as it does, it changes. If there is one thing I’ve learned is that joy can be found in every new situation. It’s a choice, to be happy, to set worry aside, to not go looking for strife, but to choose peace. So today, on this last day of this routine, of this particular chapter in raising my kids, I’m choosing to enjoy this moment and to face what comes next with enthusiasm. Monday is a big day, but right now, I am so grateful for THIS day, and I feel so fortunate for the 5 years I’ve spent at home with my boys. Life is so good.

Getting ready for school

Posted on August 27, 2013 by admin

I still have lots of stories to recount from our recent trip to England, Scotland and Ireland, but I’m taking a break from that today for something much more immediate — school starts again next week. For Liam, this will be his first time going to school, but I suspect that his experience will be very unlike Benjamin’s. (B struggled through the first weeks and even months, taking a long time to adjust to being away from me. I give Liam 3 days before he’s running off without looking over his shoulder.)

They are both so excited. B can’t wait to see his friends and teachers again, and he is so excited to be a Vorschule Kind (kindergartener). Liam can’t wait to go to school “with Benjamin” (even though they will only see each other every so often, since they’re in different classes — I’ve tried to explain that to Liam, and I hope he understands). We’ve been busy with all kinds of preparations for going back to school, and this is the kind of stuff that’s always an extra challenge to do in German.

Over the weekend, we went shoe shopping — along with what seemed to be every other parent in Vienna. The shoe store was crowded with impatient parents and busy salespeople, and kids were leaving with lots of shoes. (We saw one girl leave with shoes, house shoes, rain boots, snow boots and socks. Busy day!) We were all a bit frustrated at the wait, but the kids were excellent. Once we’d gotten their feet measured, they each tried on just one pair of shoes they wanted (B chose his in the first minute we were in the store, while Liam had to consider the selection for a few moments) and declared themselves satisfied. We also got Liam his first pair of house shoes!

Today was for hair cuts. B is a seasoned expert, but it was Liam’s first salon haircut . . . and the English-speaking stylist was out, so we did it in German. B did great, selecting his desired hairstyle, climbing into the seat and sitting peacefully for his haircut. I was nervous about Liam — worried the stylist would cut off his curls, or that he’d become unruly and have to be left partly finished, or worse, that he’d squirm or thrash and get hurt. He was awesome about it, though — he sat quietly, followed instructions, tolerated the hair clips she used (to protect his curls!) and actually almost fell asleep near the end. The only person to get scolded all day was actually me — the stylist said, “Mama, nicht schneiden!” (Mom, don’t cut!) I’ve apparently been cutting the sides of his hair a bit short, and she’d like to let it grow out a bit. (No problem — I’m more than happy to retire my scissors. I’ll be the first to admit that I was unqualified, and also probably the most relieved.)

Over the next week, preparations will continue — we need to get house shoes for B, pack up ALL of the stuff for the first day (extra clothes, sunscreen, hats, diapers for Liam), choose outfits for the big day, and continue to prep Liam for the experience (both with regular information like how the day will go, plus a crash course in basic survival German). We’ve got a lot to do.

I’m excited because they’re excited, and because I truly believe that this is a great experience for both of them. B gets to be back with his friends, this time as one of the biggest fish in the pond, and learning more than ever. Liam gets to embark on a whole new adventure of friends, school, German, and playing outside . . . but all of it without me. I’m a little excited to have some free time for myself each day — not having to schedule my showers for only the hours when Dan is home, and being able to run errands unencumbered — but mostly, I don’t know what it will be like to be without either of my boys for part of the day. I’ve never done this since I’ve been a mom. It’s a strange sensation, and I’m hoping that a little more free time will be good for me (and thus, good for all of us).

It’s strange, too, to think about how different this week would be if we were living in the States right now. B would have gotten on the big, yellow school bus yesterday to start full day kindergarten (in English) while Liam stayed home with me. Having B at school for only half a day, with the same friends and teachers he already knows, feels right. Liam getting to go to school and experience this part of life in Austria, learning German and making friends, feels right, too. Right now, I think what we’re doing here is best for us. But for me, although getting some early “time off” will be nice (I didn’t expect to have free time until Liam starts kindergarten, in 2016), I doubt it will be as nice as spending the day with my little ones. I’m going to miss my guys.

Pilot and copilot

Posted on August 19, 2013 by admin

I can’t say for certain, but I’m pretty sure that we travel a lot more than average with our kids. My boys have each already logged more airborne miles than I had by the time I was 30. But for some reason, we’d never done the whole “visit the cockpit” thing — I’m not sure why. It might be that we haven’t flown airlines that are likely to invite a child to stop by, or that we often have felt stretched pretty thin while flying, or that we were always supposed to be the ones that suggested it, and it never occurred to us. (Is it something that even happens anymore in the US these days?)

A few months ago, a friend posted pictures of her grandson sitting in the copilot’s seat of an airliner, and it seemed kind of odd to me that it was something that my boys hadn’t yet experienced, so I made a mental note. But I didn’t know how it would work. Who should we ask? When? The first day of our most recent trip involved too much stress and literal running to even think about it (besides, one plane actually waited at the gate for us while we raced through the airport and had our Legitamations cards scowled at by German passport control, so they’d already done plenty for us).

But on the second day of our trip, early in the morning, we were the first to board, the cockpit door was open and the flight attendant was immediately friendly to the kids, so we asked. She said we couldn’t do it before takeoff, but she asked the pilot and he told us to come back after landing. B was so excited. He started telling me about how he couldn’t wait to see the front of the plane, and how he needed to learn how to fly it because he’s going to be a pilot one day (the first time I’d heard that particular aspiration) followed by Liam’s enthusiastic, “Yeah!”

After a quick trip to Edinburgh, we stopped by after landing. The pilot (who looked closer to Benjamin’s age than mine) was happy to have both boys visit. The kids were so happy. B was a little overwhelmed by all of the buttons and levers, but Liam wiggled his way right in and started pushing buttons and flipping switches. I was afraid they were going to do something catastrophic, but the pilot assured me that everything was off and that as long as the parking brake stayed on, we were good. After a moment, both kids had made themselves at home and were completely thrilled by the experience. They loved it.

We had such a good time that the next time we flew, B asked — all by himself! — if they could go in again, and again, they got to go — they even got to bring their dinosaurs along. This time, the pilots seemed a bit wary of Liam’s desire to mess mostly with the big red buttons (the ones that seemed like maybe not the best choice for operation by a 2 year old), but they were still great about showing the kids around, and even demonstrated what all the warning lights looked like. (We tried again after our next flight, but they said no — and I was impressed at how well the boys took it. They seemed to completely understand.)

Both boys already love flying, and I have the distinct impression that this is something they’re going to make a habit of. I expect that flight attendants around the world will now be subjected to the sweet, polite, super cute requests of Benjamin and Liam.

Paddling pool

Posted on July 24, 2013 by admin

Our first summer here, we bought the kids an inflatable wading pool for use on our terrace. I can no longer remember what motivated the purchase, but, in retrospect, we should have realized that it would have been better in theory than in practice.

Back then . . .

That first summer, it caused more stress for me than I had anticipated. In addition to having to blow it up myself (always on a very hot day, of course — the best kind for such an activity), I then had to fill it by hand with a pitcher, taking dozens of trips back and forth between the kitchen sink and the pool on the terrace. At this point, the kids were naturally interested in what I was doing, so in addition to trying not to spill the water, I had to try to wrangle both kids in order to keep them in the house and out of the pool while I was filling it. (Liam, at this point, was not yet walking, and I could not have left him in or near the pool for even a moment while I walked back and forth.) When I would finally get the pool full of too-cold water, coax the kids into swimsuits and get us all out there, I was exhausted. Then, I had to keep a hand on Liam the whole time while worrying that B would slip on our slickly wet tile terrace. And, after we were done, I had to reverse the entire process — kids inside and dried, floor mopped up, and pool drained and emptied so the pigeons didn’t turn it into a massive bird bath overnight. The kids loved it, I didn’t, and we only got it out a few times that first summer.Such was my trauma at the hands of the paddling pool that we didn’t set it up even once last summer (although I kind of regretted that by the time it was fall). Yesterday was hot here once again, so I bravely decided to take on the paddling pool challenge once again.

. . . and now!

It’s as much of a pain to set up as ever — I had to inflate it, and then carry each pitcher of water (I needed over 20 to get a reasonable amount into the pool) from the kitchen to the terrace, trying not to drip on the hardwood floor. But, the kids are a little older, so the distraction I provided with the tv kept them from discovering my plans for a few minutes, and even after they did, simply asking them to give me a few minutes to get it set up actually worked (more or less). But, once I got it set up, it was an entirely more pleasant experience this time around. The kids actually participated in getting dressed, and they helped me find and collect the toys that they wanted. Once I got them in, they mostly wanted to pour water on each other and splash like crazy. At first, I tried to get them to keep the water IN the pool (I was a little too bitter from carrying it all from the kitchen to watch it go down the drain so quickly), but then I simply told them I was done filling the pool for the day, so they could splash as much as they liked as long as they didn’t expect a refill. It became not so much “playing in the paddling pool” but rather “gradually emptying the paddling pool”, but that was fine with me. (It also made for less emptying for me to do later!)It was glorious. They played together, splashed like crazy, got water everywhere, and I got to sit *in a chair* and watch them. Other than retrieving a few wayward toys that came near me, they needed almost no intervention on my part. They played for an hour, and had a great time, and only came in when they got chilly. (Actually, only Liam got cold — B would have stayed in longer.) They had fun and cooled off, and I got to just sit and watch them play. It was fantastic, and made every trip from the kitchen with the pitcher totally worth it. I think the paddling pool will return again soon.

Benjamin’s 5th birthday

Posted on July 18, 2013 by admin

To my sweet 5 year old boy —
Benjamin! You are 5! Happy birthday, wonderful, darling child of mine. What an amazing guy you are, and I am so excited to be celebrating your 5th birthday. Every single day, I enjoy being with you. You are a great kid, and I love you so very much.

It is so wonderful to watch you learn and grow. I swear that you get taller every day — I feel like every time I look at you, you can reach new things. You are so fast, too! And you are developing amazing skills — even at 5, there are quite a few things you can do better than I can. You learn new things all the time. You’ve always been eloquent and precise in your speech, but this year, your sentences have become longer, more detailed and increasingly polite (very impressive!). You’ve always been a pleasure to talk to, but, amazingly, I find that I enjoy our conversations more and more. You say amazing things — you notice so much of the world around you, you take in so much information, and then you ask the BEST questions about what you see. You are so thoughtful and insightful, and you are so genuinely interested in learning more and solving the puzzles in your mind. (Although I am surprised by how often — VERY often — you ask questions that I can’t answer simply.) And you are so brave! As you grow up more and more, I see your enthusiasm and willingness to try new things, and to persevere at old things that pose a challenge.

And as you learn new stuff and conquer new challenges, you are still, without question, the wonderful YOU that you have always been. You are, as always, such a kind and sweet kid. I see this most in the amazing love you have for Liam. You a fantastic big brother. And while you guys may not always get along perfectly, you are always thinking of him, concerned for him, and (usually) happy to share with him. You guys are great friends, and you take really good care of him. It is my most favorite thing as a parent to see the love and fondness the two of you have for each other. And it’s not just with Liam that I see your kindness. There are so many ways that I get to see your awareness of others. You care about the younger kids in your class at school, you always look out for Bailey, and you always think about everyone in your family and everyone around you. You love to be in touch with your friends and family, you think about how actions or events might affect people or creatures in the world, you empathize with the characters in books and movies. You are a truly sweet kid.

This year has been a great one. We’ve travelled a lot, seen many new things and met lots of new people. I love to hear about your favorite places in the world to visit, and your favorite memories of each destination. You’ve also had a wonderful year at school, making great friends and learning so much. And this coming year, you are so excited to be one of the Vorschule Kinder! How grown up! I am so excited for you. You are starting to be able to recognize words and “read” just a little, and you’ve been working on your writing, too. Your drawings have become really neat this year — I love to see the detail and thought in the pictures you make. It is just fantastic to see what you’ve accomplished this year.

I am so grateful that I get to be your mommy. I really feel like I have the best luck of any parent in the world to get to have you in my life. I’m also glad that although you’re getting bigger, stronger, faster and smarter all the time, you’re still not too big to snuggle with. I love to give you hugs, to hold you in my lap, and to cuddle with you. No matter how grown up you get, you will always be my baby, and I will love you forever and ever and for always, no matter what. You are a truly lovely person, and a wonderful kid. You are so big and strong and smart and kind and brave and loving — wow, that’s a lot of great things!

Benjamin, I love you so much. Thanks for being my guy. Happy birthday, sweet boy.

Summer outing: Starbucks

Posted on July 16, 2013 by admin

We’ve spent 2+ weeks of being housebound with various illnesses, but today we made our first trip out of the house of our summer vacation. Destination: Starbucks.

It may not seem like the most exciting, educational or cultured of choices for an outing with the kids, but, for the first trip out in weeks, it was a good choice. The kids have wanted to get out of the house and do SOMETHING for about a week, and I’ve held off because Liam wasn’t yet quite better, and I didn’t want him to get sickER again before Benjamin’s birthday party last weekend. Also, Benjamin has gotten a stuffy nose and a cough over the last few days, so I didn’t want to push him, either. (I’d rather spend our summer inside watching movies, but give the kids the rest they need, than let my frustration about *still* being stuck inside keep me from taking care of my little guys if they need to recuperate from something.) I wanted to get out of the house, too, especially because the weather today was just so beautiful (perfect blue sky and about 75 degrees). I just needed to pick a destination.

Benjamin was actually the one with the idea. I go out (or try to) twice a week and take an hour to drink a coffee and read a book, usually at Starbucks. The boys always want to come with me, and I almost always say no (because as sweet as they are, and as much as I sincerely enjoy their company, two hours to myself every week is the minimum I need to keep my sanity). Last week, Benjamin REALLY wanted to come with me, and he suggested that “sometime soon” he could come along. When I asked if he’d mind if Liam came, too, he thought that was “even better”, so I tucked that idea away and decided to pull it out the first day with great weather that I couldn’t stand being stuck in the house any longer. And today was that day.

The boys really wanted to ride the bus, so we did. (I love hanging out with my kids. To grown ups, the bus is just transport, but to the kids, the bus is a grand adventure.) When we arrived, Liam got a lollipop, B chose a cookie and I had a coffee. I had the boys order their items themselves (Liam loved it, B was nervous, but did great) and they got to choose our table. (Another great treat for a 2 and 4 year old.) They chose a table for two, and sat across from each other, and I sat next to them. It was a very grown up adventure.

We really had a great time. It seems like such a small thing, and kind of a trivial adventure, but for three people who have barely left the house in 2 weeks, it was excellent. We even stopped at the drugstore on the way home and did a little shopping for the house. A fun and functional journey — perfect!

Over the next couple of weeks (until our big vacation at the end of July) and then, for the last few weeks of August (after our big vacation) it’s my plan and intention to go on a variety of outings with the kids. Our collective energy level will determine how adventurous we are — more trips to Starbucks, or a day at the zoo? We shall see. For today, it was GREAT to be out in the sunshine, enjoying a little bit of Vienna with my boys.

Birthday party, international style

Posted on July 15, 2013 by admin

We did it! Benjamin’s birthday party went very well on Saturday. We had 11 kids and 9 adults — 2 kids who hadn’t RSVPed (including 1 we didn’t actually invite, the older brother of an invitee . . . but if we’d known he had an older brother, we would have invited him), 1 child who said he was coming but didn’t, 1 set of twins whose parents dropped them off and left (which surprised me, but as one of my friends observed, it was 2 fewer people to entertain), 2 kids and 1 parent who spoke absolutely no English, 2 kids who barely spoke English, and 4 different nationalities represented (and no other Americans, aside from us).

It was great. The kids all seemed to have a good time, including, most importantly, the birthday boy. The whole party was Angry Birds themed, just like B wanted — cake, decorations, games, and all. I think it ended up being quite festive. I was able to visit with each of the adults a little (and thus even practice my German a bit!), and play a lot with the kids. We played games, had cake (which was beautiful, tasty and plenty big enough) and ice cream, and even opened presents. (I had planned to skip opening presents, but was persuaded to do it. I’m glad we did — it was fun for everyone.)

Mostly, I’m glad that Benjamin had a good time. It was his first time hosting his school friends at his house, and since we hadn’t hosted a play date at home in a while at all, having a house full of friends was a real treat. Liam had a great time playing with everyone, too. He also gets credit for the sweetest mistake of the party — he misheard Leonie’s name as Lambie, has been persistently asking when “Lambie” is coming back to visit again. We all had a great time, and I think we managed to be reasonably decent hosts. At the very least, we didn’t create any kind of international incident. It was a success.

Party prep

Posted on July 12, 2013 by admin

So, this is it — 24 hours from now, my house will have been full of 2-6 year olds and accompanying parents for several hours, and, probably, they’ll all already be headed home. How many will be here is still a mystery, although we have gotten 2 more “yes” RSVPs and one more “no” since last week. I checked with some Austrian friends (a grand total of 2), and they report that I shouldn’t put too much stock in the RSVPs I have or have not gotten — people who have not responded will probably show up, and it’s equally possible that people who have said they’ll be here won’t come. So, we’ll see. We could end up with 5 kids here, or we could end up with 15. I’ll know tomorrow. (Note for the next party I throw in Austria — inviting fewer people makes things much simpler.)

Right now, coming down to the wire, I feel like I should be more stressed than I am. An unknown number of people are coming to my house tomorrow. Many of them may be people I’ve never met before (parents of B’s classmates) and I may not be able to communicate with all of them. We’re crossing a lot of cultures, and I truly have no idea what kinds of expectations people might have of a 5 year old’s birthday party in Austria. (I’ve only been to one birthday party since I’ve been here.)

But I’m actually feeling ok. It will be whatever it will be, and if I break every Austrian etiquette rule, well, I’ll continue to play the “not from around here” card. Actually, recognizing how out of my element I am is incredibly liberating. It’s another one of those moments when I accept the probable imperfection of the situation, which allows me to relax and focus on what’s really important. Do we have balloons? Check. Cake? Not yet, but Austria is the land of cake, so even if something goes awry with our ordered-and-to-be-dropped-off-tomorrow cake, we’ll be able to figure something out. Will there be kids here? I think so. Do we have enough snacks and drinks? Close enough, I think. Will Benjamin have a good time? Most likely, and that’s what really matters.

We’re all really working together to make this party happen, which is making it fun just even to prepare. We spent much of last weekend getting the house ready — cleaning, mostly — so that we would have less to do today and tomorrow and might have enough energy and good cheer left to actually enjoy the party. The boys have been amazing at helping me get ready. (Really.) We’ve been working together on the decorations and the games we’re going to play: Angry Bird basketball (regular basketball, but using Angry Bird stuffed animals as the ball), Angry Bird bowling (rolling/throwing stuffed Angry Birds at paper “bowling pins” with pictures of pigs on them) and a wall of repurposed cardboard boxes, at which we’re going to throw stuffed Angry Birds, thus knocking down the blocks. The boys have done most of the “artwork” for the game supplies, and Benjamin came up with the idea we’re using to make the paper bowling pins keep their cylindrical shape. They have also been entirely in charge of deciding which toys go in the “off-limits” room — the door will stay closed and no one will be able to play with anything inside — and for actually putting them away in there. It’s been pretty amazing.

We’ve still got a fair bit to do this evening and tomorrow morning, but it’s not overwhelming. I’m pretty sure we’ll be ready in time for our first guest’s arrival (which, considering this is Austria, will probably be very prompt). In some ways, it really does feel like a lot of pressure — hosting a party for so many people, including so many that I don’t know, and having truly no idea what people will be expecting or how it’s going to go. But, really, we can do what we want. We’re the foreigners here, so whatever we do, we get to make it truly ours. We can let go of anyone else’s expectations, and do it the way we want. My greatest hope is that we allow ourselves to enjoy the day. (I hope that Benjamin has a great time, of course, but I can’t guarantee that, either — it’s hard to know what expectations might still lurk in the mind of an almost 5 year old.) We’ll see!

Stir crazy

Posted on July 11, 2013 by admin

Tomorrow will be the end of the second week of our “summer break”. We’re keeping B home from school during July and August to give us all a break from the lengthy back and forth commute to school, and to spend some fun summer time together. Of course, it hasn’t gone like that at all yet, because from the day before our first day of summer break, Liam has been sick.

When he first got sick, I was sure it was strep — actually, I was sure it was scarlet fever, because his sore throat and high fever were accompanied by an all-over rash. Turns out it was “just” a virus — he recovered from the sore throat and fever within a few days, but even though today is the 11th day of his illness, the rash has stuck around. I think we probably *could* go out and do stuff. The pediatrician assures me he is no longer contagious, but I feel like if he still has a rash that resulted from an immune reaction, then he’s probably still having the immune reaction on some level, and it probably won’t hurt anything (other than my sanity) to take a few extra quiet resting days at home. Plus, Benjamin’s birthday party is on Saturday, and I want the boys to be able to enjoy it, rather than being miserable from being sick.

So, we’ve been housebound for ALL of summer vacation so far. The weather has been beautiful (if a little warm some days), and with both kids feeling relatively well for the past week or so (not counting the rash) we’ve all been itching (pun intended) to get out of the house. But, no luck so far. Keeping the kids happy and occupied over the past couple of weeks has been a challenge. It’s like being snowed in, except that it’s tantalizingly beautiful outside. We’ve watched every movie we have about a million times, and I recently resorted to putting on TV shows that they don’t like very much, because the ones they don’t like they haven’t seen them in a while, so they’re still relatively interested in what happens. We’ve built about 1000 Lego cars, put together every puzzle we own, colored, painted, and gone out onto the terrace to blow bubbles. We’ve staged indoor basketball, soccer and football competitions, and we assemble the Matchbox cars for a daily “car party” each morning.

We’re actually having a pretty great time, considering we’re confined to the house during such a perfect time of year to be outside, but really, we all just want to go out and play.

A Mommy Abroad

Our big adventure, as a family of three.

Category Archives: Kids and Parenting