I really get a tummyache when I read about terror threats, especially when they mention London. Im going there on the 20th of november on a childfree holiday with my mum and a childhood friend. Have been looking forward since my mum and I were there a year ago but all these threats really freak me out. I think about the time when they blew up bombs in the tube and on coaches a couple of years ago. Hate to say it but I feel worried about my own safety, worried that I will not see the kids again.....I hate the way these people can make you feel scared so that you almost feel like you cant go on your well deserved holiday!

After having dropped off A at school and R at the airport (for some ground training) I took J for some shopping. She insisted on staying in a trolley that is like a car and then she kept calling "super fast" and patting on her knees Little Einstens style. Couldnt stop smiling!

In june the kids were supposed to have gone to see a dentist for the first time but at that time we were all unwell with gastrics so obviously we didnt go. The next available appointment was for february (or if it was march!) but we put A in a cancellation list so that they would call us if they had an opening and yesterday they called and asked if we wanted to come in the afternoon. A was rather sceptic but we talked about it and read our two "dentist books". The dentist was perfect, calm and careful. We had chosen to go privately so that they would see a pediatric dentist so that they would have a postive feeling about dentist. She started talking about how to take care of the teeth, what to eat and what not. Nothing new for me and I couldnt resist telling her how I have already implemented all the things she suggested. A then got to press the button to take the seat down, he climbed up in it and I got to sit next to him while the dentist looked in his mouth. Then she asked if she could clean them a bit (to get him used to someone doing things in his mouth) and he nodded. She showed him all the tools and equipment and tried them on his hand first and and he also got to try them himself. An assistant got J close so that she could see what was happening to her brother. When he was ready J also wanted  to test drive the chair, she climbed up in it and opened her mouth wide for the dentist that had a quick look just to make J happy. Since they had both been sooo good they got a small toy to take home and A spent the whole day showing off his white teeth :D When we left he also told me that he loves the dentist. Well invested 35 Euros if you ask me!

Last Thursday R turned 30. My darling husband can finally stop teasing me for still being below 30 :D

A friend of mine who lives in London blogs about her life with her son, check her out if you have some time to spare.

Yesterday I must have been extra confused, I blogged in swedish on the enligsh part and english on the swedish part. Here is yesterdays post

J complained a bit when she understood it was time for school this morning but no tears in the car and none when I dropped her off. She didnt look too happy but she didnt cry, that felt good.

I was supposed to go for a walk with a friend that recently moved down to Malta but the rains we had last night put a stop to this. It was really pouring down and afterwards I realized that some department had given the advice not to leave the house! We managed to get to school without problems though there was loooots of traffic and we moved really slow. The roads were not good for walking but we got some nice chatting time instead!

Yesterday A had his first session of skola sport. He really didnt want to go, was looking hesitant and we thought he was going to cry when R left him with his group on the sports ground. The weather was beautiful and I had promised him I would stay and look at him if I was allowed. Other parents stayed to I sat down in the sun observing him. He slowly got used to it and when it was finished he told us he had sooo much fun. We were obviously happy to hear this, he has not been showing any interest in sports before and we are hoping that this will help a bit. He doesnt have to love a particular sport but I´d like for him to see that its fun and nice to do things that doesnt involve his parents being with him.

The week that passed has been tough in many ways. A bit down mentally, visit to the doctor, bad rumours about R's workplace, R turning 30 and baking for A´s birthday party just to mention a few things

R went to work after lunch today, first to Zurich before spending the night in Catania to fly from there tomorrow evening and come back home again on tuesday morning. Newspapers writing about the company, major resturcturing and R is saying that we will be lucky if it means pay cuts cause rumours are saying that they will sell planes and fire ppl. Its not easy to find jobs in the market right now. If they get a pay cut will we get by financially? Will I have to start working? If I work, what will we do with the kids? After all, they only spend 3 hours at school. How will we have time to go back to sweden for our visits as often as long as we want to go if I work. Many questions, few answers.....

Its crazily windy right now. We´ve had thunder and rain but I quite like it. I think its great when I finally start WANTING to wear clothes, not sweating 24/7.

Today we finished the invites to A´s birthdayparty and I planned what to bake. Because of the weather I took the opportunity to bake the first thing together with my little helper. Of course its going straight into the freezer, party is not for another month but i´d rather avoid the last minute stress. R has got his simulator that same week, the cake has to be made fresh and I also have to make the cupcakes for A to take to school. Tomorrow im borrowing a rolling pin to make some glutenfull cinnamon rolls for the first time in my life. I´ve always made them glutenfree and even though I dont eat carbs right now I dont want to mess up my glutenfree rolling pin. Some time in the future I would probably like some glutefree stuff again....

....but oh how nice!

We were up early and went to the playground at Ta Qali with rainy clouds coming in. Thought the kids would have time to play just a bit before it started but just as we walked through the gates the first drops started to fall. Kids did play for a little bit, it didnt rain so much and there is a sort of roof on the climbing frame. After a little while we went home again, didnt want to risk getting soaked since they already have runny noses and we didnt want to invite more colds. At home we had some hot chocolate with whipped cream and Mary Poppins. After lunch R took the kids to his mum, I had some time to myself and also managed to do some exercise. Now we are waiting for the food to be ready, chicken legs with cold blue cheese sauce. Lovely!

Yesterday J had school again. She started crying already in the car on the way there after her brother stated that he didnt want to go to school and neither did his sister want to. I stayed with her for a while, thinking she would recognize the place and remember how much fun she has there but no...she stayed withing an arms length of me and every time a mother came to drop off a child she started crying again. When I finally left she cried sooo hard and tried to reach out for me as I closed the door behind me. When I came to pick her up at the end of the day she very happy and didnt want to leave! She had ciried for a while after I left and on and off during the day asked for me. I think I will send her for an extra day on monday so that she gets used to it and understands that I WILL come back for her.

Also had a talk with A, he has so much fun in school and there is no need to complain EVERY morning about going to school. Obviously it affects J into thinking worse of school than she already does.

While waiting for J to be ready to go home A´s teachers from last year came out to talk to him. He was very shy and didnt want to hug them. They told him how much they miss him and still love him and in the car on the way home he told me -, about to cry, that he misses them too. My little one....I told him that its normal and that he can come talk to them when we pick up J.

With both kids in school, R and I managed to clean really fast and had time to enjoy an episode of Bones before I had to go for the kids. R has been standby wed, thur, fri and half today but not been called once so we have had lots of time together, perfect!

Argh! It took 2 weeks for A´s school uniform shorts to arrive, with only 1½ weeks to go until its time for winteruniform. We thought we´d arrange for his winteruniform to make sure we would have it in time for november. They didnt have any in stock and not even from other schools so we could try the size. They expected us to order, without having tried the size, pay deposit and if the size was not good  we´d still have to pay or loose the deposit! Obviously we didnt accept and left without having ordered a winteruniform. We wrote a letter of complaint to school and we will see if they will do something about it, its not acceptable to be treated like that!

Today was the first time R came with me to drop off the kids at school and for the first time J cried when I left. I "blame" the fact that R was there, she is a daddy´s girl. Saw that she just started crying when I picked her up too  but that could be explained by most other children being picked up and she hadnt seen me. I start by picking up A since that is fastest and then I go for her. Today though it took extra time cause R was with me and he met  A´s new teacher for the first time. Anyway, it was really hearbreaking seeing her cry and I hope it will get better. I know she has loads of fun inbetween her missing me.

Today I exercised, that alone would be enought to make me feel good about today. Add to that the fact that our car passed the VRT and R fixed the skirting in the kitchen that has been missing since we moved in. We had to start by getting a new dishwasher since the old one turned out to be broken. Even though the new one was the exact same size as the old one the dishwasher door couldnt be opened all the way down because of the skirting. We removed the skirting and it became a project for the furure to fix it and today, more than one year later it was completed. A man that has a garage a few doors down appeared to be a carpenter so R went there to ask if he could help us and it was no problem. Great!

Today was one of those in between days, it was grey and rained mixed with some blue sky. R was standby until noon so we stayed home playing in the morning. After lunch the whole family went to the cinema, first time ever for J and second time for A. We saw Shrek and the kids really enjoyed it and on the way home we stopped for some playing in a playground. While the kids had their bath I also managed to squeeze in some exercise. Feels good!

Today started early for me, A has a blocked nose and woke up at 5.30. We stayed in bed until 6 but then got up. When the rest of the family woke up we had an early b´fast and then left for the playground in Ta Qali, you have to be there early if going during the weekend, it gets really crowded. We had planned to visit the bookboat that is here but since R and A managed to get themselves soaking wet in the playground we had to go home and change clothes. We decided we were better off staying home, preparing lunch without stress and go to the boat in the afternoon instead. When R went up in the washroom to get some meat from the extra freezer he found that the door had not been closed well so we had to try to save what could be saved and defrost the freezer. We had to throw some stuff, what was at the front had started to defreeze but we are re arranging the foodplan. Froze the meat we had bought yesterday and try to eat as much as we can from the semi unfrozen stuff. After lunch we did go to the bookboat and found some good stuff for the kids.

Since they didnt have the right size shorts for A´s school uniform  we had to make an order. The suppliers are really lousy and never have things in stock even though they have a contract with the school to have. The shorts were supposed to be ready by the end of this week but when R called they told him "on wednesday". Great....the summer uniform is to be used for less than a month more (until end october). Anyway, I was going through what we have winteruniform wise (since I thought we were going for the shorts I thought we would get the winteruniforms done) and even though I KNOW that we had 3 sets for A last year one pair of trousers is missing. Dont understand anything, how can things just disappear? I know that J will be using them after him so I wouldnt have gotten rid of them, but where can they be?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For winter we had thought it would be good for A to start some sort of activity once a week, preferably outside of school so that he will at least hear some more maltese. I have been a bit negative though, feel most sports become so serious here so quickly, you have to have all the equipment and it ends up costing you lots of money when you dont even know if your child will like the sport. A 4 year old should have the chance to try many different sports, see what you like and THEN get the equipment. Anyway, we heard about something called "skola sport", here they let you try different sports every time so it sounded like a good place to start. Its run by the government, is not very expensive and therefore its hard to get a spot. Its first come first served and we´ve been hunting them for an application form (they werent out yet). It came by post on friday and we filled it in and sent it back hoping for the best. On thursday we got a letter stating that he was accepted (its only open for kids from 4 years and up). We were very happy, I hope it turns out to be something good so that he can come to like sports a bit, he seems to be much more into music for now.

Its been a hectic week, therefore few blog posts. On tuesday J continued her settling in, I stayed about an hour until I left, she was totally fine with me leaving. Felt I didnt have enough time to go home before having to come back to pick them up so I stayed at school, read a book in the shade under the trees and saw the kids playing outside. Cosy day really. When I picked up J was in a brilliant mood and didnt want to go home but the teachers told me that she had cried for me a bit when other mothers and children started going home a little bit earlier. Makes sense if you ask me, of course it would affect her to see other children going home with their mothers and hers was not there.

Wednesday we went to play in San Gwann in the afternoon and took the opportunity to shop at Lidl (their sausages are outstanding).

Yesterday was clearing up day and today we cleaned the floors. How booooring! J had another day in school today, no problem to leave, she waved happily and called "bye mum" when I left but had cried a bit around lunch time. I guess she misses us a bit when they have some quiet time.

When I picked up A I talked a bit to his teacher and as I had suspected the school bag I had bought was not good enough. We had gotten a list of things we had to get him before school started where a schoolbag with space for an A4 folder was one of the items. I made lots of research, didnt want to get him something with a cartoon character like "all" maltese children have got but something neutral. Found a very nice blue and grey one with some stars and a spaceship but when I tried to fit in the folders I realized they didnt fit. The size of the bag was big enough for an A4 paper but not a folder :( Today the teacher told me that the bag needs to be bigger so that they can fit all things when they have to send lots of stuff home and possibly books too, which they cant fold. Found a decent, but slightly big Nike bag but it will have to do. A was happy with it and now he can have it for at least another year in school.

Kids sleeping, R and I are in the sofa relazing, lots of football on tv tonight. He is standby until midnight, hope they dont call him!

On Monday was finally J´s first day of school, she has been looking forward for so long. She was sooo proud when we put on the school uniform. I stayed with her all day and it went reallyw ell, she enjoyed herself a lot.

Today we are having a wedding recovery day, R is working and me and the kids are taking it easy at home. We didnt go the the church for the wedding, it would have been too much for ask of the kids. Reception was held at the Hilton hotel. I didnt really enjoy it, kids were complaining of being tired from the moment we walked in and J fell asleep in the pushchair shortly after that. A couldnt fall asleep in his pushchair and inside the actuall "hall" the music was so loud you could barely keep a conversation. We went through lots of hassle to find the hearing protection for the airshow and I think it would have made more sense to have them at the wedding! This resulted in me and the kids (J still sleeping) staying outside the room on some comfortable chairs. Me and A had quite a nice time, eating a few things, having drinks (water and orange juice). Every now and then R, my sister in law, father in law etc came out to check on us and sit down for a bit. This is where we were the bride and groom came back from having been away from the hall for a few moments and we exhanged a few words. When they left A and I talked about how pretty the bride was and what a beautiful dress she wore. Yes said A, and it was haning on the floor (she had a train) cause it was sooo big :D Then he went on to tell me that she also wore a hood (the veil)! How sweet they reason at that age <3 We were home at about midnight, everyone went straight to bed.

Today we needed broccoli so we thought we´d try out the new "Farmer´s Market". Before greengrocers have been travelling the villages selling fruit and veg but apparently they pay peanuts to the farmers and pocket loads of money themselves (cause its not cheap!) The farmers had enough and started this Farmer´s Market twice a week where they sell their own stuff. Nice idea BUT we can conclude that it was so little cheaper and no fruit that we probably wont be going back. The broccoli was 1.50 (eur) instead of 1.75 that we paid in the supermarket a couple of days ago. If you then have to add the price for the petrol to get there it doesnt make sense at all. Maybe if they make it bigger by adding fruit too it will work out. Im guessing the farmers have to start importing fruit if they want to compete with the green grocers.

We have just rested a bit, I had hoped we would manage a little bit longer since we have the wedding tonight but we have to make the best of the situation. Im going to take a footbath and paint nails, preferably do my exersice too. Had to stop the jogging, unfortunately my dad was right when he told me it was to early. I have to loose more weight first, my knees started hurting a lot, just like he predicted. Have to stick to the crosstrainer, powerwalks and the weight program for now.

Now that school started the days pass even quicker and they are all more or less the same. On Tuesday we had to get the new school uniform, but they didnt have his size bermuda shorts, surprise surprise. They never have anything! We also found white P.E shoes and a pair of brown really cute shoes for J. Wednesday afternoon R worked so the rest of us had a relaxed afternoon. Thursday while A was in school we cleared up the house, I dont understand how it can get so messy! We also disassembled the cot. J Has slept in her "big" bed in the bedroom she shares with her brother. It felt a bit sad, it has been used for almost 4 years (A is turning 4 in november) and I cant believe that my kids are so big!

Yesterday we finished the cleaning by doing the floors. R worked hard while I took A to school and then on for some food shopping. It was the first time J came with me to drop of A this term, and she got sooo upset and was going to cry when we left A and I told her that we would go do some shopping. She wanted to stay and play! We went down to the pre-nursery room to have a look, it was freshly painted and looked very nice and on monday she finally gets to spend a whole day!