Easter visit from the Betson´s

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This is the second Easter we have been lucky enough to get the Betson´s over for a few days.  The Betson´s right now consist of Simon (papa), Gill (mama), Mayah (3 years 9 months) and Ruby ( 2 years 4.5 months)…but there will be a new arrival in 4 months time!  As per the last few times they have visited, the weather went from glorious to pretty bloody miserable.  In fact since they have been coming with the kids, we have never done the normal Barcelona kid stuff (beach, ciutadella etc) as the weather has been too crap!   But in the end it did not matter….we all had a great time.  Especially the kids.

 

 

There were trips to the ludoteka followed by a donut shop stop!  The next day was CosmoCaixa (which i think was a bit advanced from some, but they had a great time anyway), followed by peek-a-boo (www.peekaboo-play.com).  Friday brought more rain, so it was off to the aquarium, but luckily it cleared up and we could enjoy the Easter amusement park…all of the kids had a ball there!  Finally the sun shone on saturday, and after a great egg hunt on the terrace (easter bunny gill had left eggs filled with surprises) we went to tibidabo.  For Luca the slides in tibidabo is one of his favourite things to do..and it is free!  The girls loved the trains and old merry go round (their 5th in 3 days!!).  And we got to relax and have an ice cream.

 

Alina and Mayah are becoming friends, and it was great to see them get on so well.  Ruby and Luca are still young to be hanging out, but all the kids got on well and had fun together.  Hopefully that will continue for many years to come.  As for the parents, unlike other years we were all happy to just chill at home and chat over a wine (or alcohol free beer in gill´s case).  We did go for dinner in Momo´s (LOVE LOVE LOVE this place) but that was the extent of our socialising.  And you know what, that was perfect.  After all the kid day activities, we were not able for much more anyway!

We had such a great time. The kids and I are a little lonely now they have left.  Looking forward to our next meeting…hopefully with sunshine!

 

The kids sayings!

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23.3.12 Alina “mama, look how many willies that dog has!”…said about an obviously suckling female dog.

21.3.12 Alina turned and said to her friend, who i was speaking Spanish to, “fiona no habla espanyol” (fiona does not speak Spanish!!)

Feb 2012 overheard Alina in the toilet saying “out you come caca” then in a different voice “but I don’t want to
Come out”, then “you have to come out now”!!

Weekend away in Zaragoza

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Heading home from our yearly trip to visit dani, sylvia, nico and cloe in zaragoza. We have been visiting, and getting spoilt, by these friends for over 10 years, and now our kids are having as much of a great time there as we do. It is just so relaxing! No rush to do anything, no mad parties or planned activities. Our weekend away generally consists of eating and sleeping, with a trip into beautiful Zaragoza also on the menu, where we eat more delicious food! No wonder i am 2kilos heavier!! But it is oh so worth it. I also feel like my batteries are recharged.

Times have changed from our first trips..then it was all about going out and partying. 4 kids later and now we don’t go out at all. We go to bed early, and relax on the couch, stuffed, beforehand. Then again we are also up much earlier!

Nico is 7 now, and Cloe has just turned 4. The girls are both princesses, so sometimes the 2 of them in the one place leads to competition (Cloe “tu eres fea” (you are ugly), Alina “no estoy fea, tu estas castigado” (I am not ugly, you are punished)). Luca follows Cloe’s commands readily (for a while) and so there are no issues there. Alina has always fancied Nico, and this time was no different. She is very happy to sit on the couch beside nico watching tv. This time though there was more communication. Alina now speaks Spanish quite well and luca understands a fair amount of the basics! The kids loved the amount of toys (nico is a boy boy, so plenty of cars, cloe is a girl girl so lots of make up and dress up stuff…suited our two perfectly). They really had a great time. And it has been wonderful to watch their relationships develop each year.

So as we head back – full, relaxed, and happy – we look forward to our next visit, and to many more to come! Thanks guys!!

New experience

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This week I did something I would not have believed possible the week before, I went on a breathing course!! A friend who i trust, had done it sometime before and told me I would enjoy it.  At the time I dismissed it. However 11 days into a migraine, with a horrible chest infection hanging over me for months, I decided it was time to maybe try something different. Also if I am honest, I have felt strange vibrations in myself and the surroundings recently, and the need to experience something new, to open my eyes more, led me to (at the very last minute), decide to do the course.

First let me say this is a practical course. Without much sharing of personal experiences. No religious stuff. No moving through the birth canal or anything like that!!! For 5 days, from 9am to 1pm i joined 7 more people and learnt to breath :-)

Well i learnt breathing techniques to use at different life situations. To relax, to get energy, to release toxins, to calm nerves, to feel great! There was also some meditation. Twice per day we did a short meditation after some breathing exercise. There were short talks from our facilitator, Patricia. Some group work. And a few games thrown in. In Spanish! We also were asked to detox when doing the course – out went meat, fish, processed foods, caffeine and alcohol. In came lots of fruits and veg and water.

I had a fantastic group. All different people. All young (25 to my age!!). Mostly Argentinians. And all lovely people.

After day 3 I was feeling great. On day 4 after leaving I was smiling like a lunatic at strangers. And by day 5 I felt like a new person. Really.

The week flew and it was a little sad leaving the group. I really hope that I continue with the 30minute exercise per day. As to be honest it is the best natural high I have had since my pregnancy happy hormones!!

I also feel less stressed, my headache is gone, I lost some weight without feeling hungry, I feel more centered, had more patience with the kids and maybe most important I feel happier!

The class is called breathing part one and it is from el arte de vivir/the art of living.  At least in spain it was inexpensive (€150 for the 5 days).  http://www.artofliving.org/ar-en  The guy behind it all is pretty famous too http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravi_Shankar_(spiritual_leader).

I highly recommend it.

Our son…his fathers pride and joy

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Yesterday Tim was letting Luca play with the iPad, specifically the talking robot.  The conversation went like this:

Luca: “Luca” Robot: “Luca”

Luca: “Mama” Robot: “Mama”

Luca: “Alina” Robot: “Alina”

Luca: “Papa” Robot: “Papa”

Having run out of family members, Luca thought really hard about his next word…and came up with:

“BOOBIES”!!!!

Great friends

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There have been times over the past 2 years 1 month and 17 days, that i wondered why i only have 1.5 years between my two little ones, but lately more and more i have been thinking how lucky i, and how lucky they are, to have such a short age difference.

And tonight was one of those special times.  Tim was away working.  I had the two all afternoon, and there was shopping to be done….never an easy task after school.  They were definitely a bit on the excited side when we got home.  Food and pj´s went smoothly, but when Dora was over and it was bed time, alina announced that it was play with playdoh time.  And both were running away from me, insisting they were not tried and “no bed”.  I reminded them that tomorrow was friday, the last school day, and that the next day was St. Patricks day and we were having a party and so they needed rest.  They laughed at me as they dived under the table.  I threatened no dora tomorrow night….”we dont like dora”.  And then i said, “ok if you go to bed now, you can sleep in the same room”.  Alina grabbed luca´s hand and they both ran down to her bedroom.  I entered to find them both jumping into alina´s double bed (having first tried the single).  They were both roaring laughing and having great fun together, and as i left to make luca´s bottle, i was thinking….there is no way in hell this will work!  As i walked down the hall with the bottle, things were calm.  I entered the room, and luca was lying listening intently as alina read him a story from a book….the lights were off!  10 minutes later all was quiet.

I just went to check – Alina has her arm stretched out touching luca, and luca has his feet touching alina.  They look like 2 perfect angels, and in a way they are.

I think they are so lucky to have each other, as in truth even though they do fight, and even though they have very different personalities, they are really great friends.  Alina minds “my baby brother” and luca copies everything alina does.  And they both really love hanging out together, laughing at their private jokes, and driving their mum and dad just a little bit mad at times! And sitting here tonight, all that comes into my mind is a wish….I wish for them a lifetime of wonderful friendship and love for each other.  As there is nothing in this world like family.

 

 

Loosing the pram

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So last week, Sylvia, Alina´s teacher had a little word with me.  She said Alina is too big to be going to school in the pram (I use the double phil & teds to get them both to school).  I was a little put out by this, maybe she is a tad big for the pram but the alternative is just too unpleasant.  Here is why Alina is using the pram:

  • It takes 20 mins to get her to school in the pram (me walking fast).  It takes 45 mins if we go by public transport.  And it takes an hour or more if she walks.  As we have to be there before 9.30, we would have to leave the house at 8.15…this is when i normally get her up!
  • Luca does what she does.  So then i would have 2 trying to walk to school!
  • She is a slooooowww walker.  Everything Alina does, she does at her own pace.  Running or rushing is out of the question…my daughter strolls!
  • She is a bit lazy…she does not like walking.  Even when we dont have the pram, she will often try to get me to lift her!
  • She is often tried, and will fall asleep in the pram a few times a week.

So here is the thing, at 3.5 (just) is she too old to be in the pram?  What is the age they should stop using one for longer distances? As of now, she walks the last bit (3 mins!) to school and walks home most days, and as far as I am concerned that is fine!

 

 

Alina´s 1st school review

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So we had our first review with Alina´s teacher yesterday.  All the children were having it.  It was quite insightful.  Even though there were no surprises, we know our little daughter, it was also strange to hear some of her characteristics spoken out loud.

Firstly Sylvia (teacher) is very happy with how she is getting on.  Alina is relaxed and happy there, participates in all the activities, and is doing really well with German.  We asked if there was any favourite activity, and it seems to be singing, dancing, and reading.  While she is happy to paint and make things, having seen her artwork, my daughter is not “that way inclined”….like her mother and father before her!

Sylvia was very impressed with her German, she says that Alina is talking to her in German, even repeating phrases that she may have heard only once.  The Catalan teacher says she understands everything and is speaking well, and thought that Spanish was her first language!  Sylvia definitely felt that languages is Alina´s very strong point.  I am so impressed with how she has fitted into a school where they speak two languages she did not know (German fully in class, and 2 mornings of Catalan with another teacher).

Another thing Sylvia commented on is that she is perfectionist.  We also knew this.   She likes everything to be just so…including the helm of her tights.  She gets nervous around new situations, and but once she is familiar with it, she relaxes and enjoys it.  She likes plenty of encouragement…the Leo in her?

Alina is an observer….she takes everything in before she commits or passes her judgement.  She is very independent and likes to do things for herself.  This means she is also slow at doing things…and she will not be rushed.

She eats well, even things that she does not love, she will try to eat.  She likes to finish her food, but if she says she is done, she is done.

And then the area of concern….friends.  Alina, while fitting it (no bullying or being bullied),  is perfectly happy to play by herself.  All the time.  While there is one girl she plays with on occasion, she does not really have friends…and this does not bother her at all.   I knew this.  And yet i found it hard to hear.  My daughter is reserved.  Happier in the company of adults she knows, her baby brother, or just by herself.  Even kids she knows, she will not make a huge effort to integrate with.

There is no doubt she takes time to warm up…to all adults and new situations…but she does warm up.  She is quite shy initially, which given her aura of confidence, this can be seen as aloofness at times.  Sylvia said it was important for us to arrange more play dates and encourage her to hang out with kids.  She also said she needs alone time with us…something we also knew (i have a half day with her during the week while i leave luca at school),  but it is good to have it reinforced.

Sylvia said she has a strange mix…she is timid, but yet with a very strong character.

All in all, I think the above is very accurate.  My daughter is happy and kind, but also reserved and nervous.  She is gifted at languages and not so gifted creatively.  She is polite and does not misbehave, and is happy to toe the line unless it is something she is really uncomfortable doing.  Alina is a perfectionist, independent, and advanced but also really needing praise and encouragement.  She can be a bit of a loner, happy with her books.  She likes to be in her comfort zone, and needs time to warm up to new people and new situations, but will try anything (that does not seem scary!).  She can be self conscious.  She also loves having fun.

My Princess is nearly 3 and a half, and in many ways she really does remind me of my Granny Garvey at times.  I am so proud of my happy, independent, thoughtful, easy, little lady.  Of course there are always areas that we need to help and encourage her with, but overall the review went very well. We are incredibly lucky.

alina in the park, jan 2012