Zoo time!

Weekend round up

Weekends go so quickly, but we’ve had a lovely one! After a week that had been up and down from a sleep perspective, I seemed to be incapable of a sleep in on Saturday, so was up at 7, baking bread and speaking to Catrine for an hour before Vera surfaced. Vera and I had a great Saturday morning and went into town to buy some new shoes. We took the Park & Ride from Trumpington and Vera was beyond excited to go on a bus. I had a nappy, a drink and some emergency raisins in my hand bag, but it was so lovely to be able to go into town with her without dragging a pram or a changing bag. We went to John Lewis to have her feet measured again and they were 5,5 F. They recommended buying 6 upwards for her

http://www.kidsshoes2u.co.uk/static/Shoe_Size_Guide/ We bought a cute pair of Cath Kidston basket ball shoes, but as the shop was so busy, I’ll figure I buy some more “proper” shoes online, now that I have the size and the width.

Walking through the toy department and book department was a challenge! We bought some plasticine for £2 that she could carry something!

In the afternoon we had our first BBQ! Finally! It was too chilly to eat outdoors, but lovely to eat some summer food. We kept Vera up later on Friday and Saturday night and she slept through with only minor crying at bed time and no waking up in the middle of the night. Hopefully it stays this way as she’s more energetic when she’s had a full night’s sleep in her own bed.

On Sunday, we had a really lazy morning with a nice brunch/late breakfast and in the afternoon we met our NCT friends in the Cheeky Monkeys play barn. Great to see all of them again!

Mark is better too and back at work. Here's Vera during her usual pit stop in the restaurant on the way to the bus home

Sun and new shoes!

Antibiotics and Spring

We got back and sickness hit. Poor Vera was not herself at all and last Monday (8th April), Mark took Vera to the doctors and she had two perforated ear drums and was given antibiotics. No wonder she screamed on the last flight and no wonder she's been a bit cranky. Poor little girl. The antibiotics kicked in however and the energy levels returned! It's been a challenge at bath time with cotton wool in her ears and we have to go back in around six weeks' time for a hearing test to ensure her hearing has not been affected.

Over the weekend, we managed a trip to IKEA and Mark complained that he was not feeling great. Things went rapidly downhill and on Sunday he was out for count. I took him to the doctors on Monday and he was diagnosed with tonsillitis and a problem with his ears so is also now on antibiotics. poor him! He's been like a zombie ever since so Vera and I have tried to keep the spirits up.

Vera is developing at rocket speed. Even at nursery they mentioned the difference before and after Easter. She is now using three- and four- word sentences like "that's your egg Mamma", "come over here" etc. Apparently she's a right little bossy boots at nursery (wonder where she gets that from!?) and when they're out for walks, she repeats all the teacher's instructions to the rest of the group, like "everyone over here", "not so fast" etc etc.

She talks non stop and loves singing. We must listen to "The wheels on the bus" 15 times every day!

Since she was ill, sleeping has been a bit up and down. She slept in our bed for a few nights when she was poorly, plus her routine was out of whack after Sweden, and now she does not want to sleep in her bed at all. From going to bed quietly with no protest, she now screams for at least 10 minutes "Mamma" "I want cuddle" etc, VERY difficult to listen to. She also wakes up a couple of times every night and same thing, a LOT of crying and screaming.
I'm finding it very difficult not to give in, she looks so desperate when she stands in her bed, at the same time, I dont want to create any bad habits that will be even more difficult to break later on. So a couple of tough tonights behind us and ahead...

On a good note, Spring is finally here and we've had glimpses of sun and that spring smell in the air. Flowers and trees are starting to come out and I cant wait!

Easter in Sweden

I know we’ve been back for a few days and I still haven’t written my summary on Sweden.

We all managed to get various colds and bugs and that coupled with a return to reality with a bump, means that I just haven’t sat down to properly write yet.

We left on Wed 27^th March and as at Christmas we flew from Birmingham and everything worked very smoothly. Vera even slept for a bit on the  first flight to Stockholm.

It was a bit of a rush to get to the domestic terminal as it was a busy travelling day and a long queue at security, but so lovely to finally land at Frösön and see morfar Jean!

Vera was a little bit shy for the first few minutes but from thereon it was all mormor and morfar!

We spent Thursday playing cousins Åke and Folke and auntie Catrine who we’d missed so much since we saw them last. As Vera was fighting germs, she was quite tired, but managed a few runs with the sled.

On Good Friday we went to Frösö Skidlek, an outdoor activity area aimed at kids (big and small) and the whole family, including Magnus, enjoyed the slopes, the sun and the snow!

Saturday morning, Vera and I met lots of dear friends and their children on the ice next to Badhusparken in Östersund

http://www.vinterparken.se/parser.php?did=1:1 complete with sun loungers on the ice!

A few precious moments catching up with friends from near and far who we see far too seldom.

On Saturday afternoon we also enjoyed a traditional Swedish Easter spread, the cousins got dressed up as traditional påskärringar, and got to feast on Easter sweets! The latter which Vera helpfully took from the sweet bowl and passed to Åke.

It was such a joy to see the three of them play so well together. Vera  nearly self combusted when she heard them arriving and was jumping up and down with excitement. They were doing lots of dancing together and jumping on mormor and morfars bed. Vera’s Swedish has also picked up when she’s been more exposed to it and she is talking a lot about mormor and morfar and Åke and Folke. She even walked around looking for them once we arrived back home L

On Sunday we went for a walk with Charlotte, Roger and Axel (who is a few months older than Vera) as well as another dear friend Anna, with her beautiful family Cory, Freya, Denali and baby Amaya!

Once in from the cold the children were painted eggs, another Easter tradition that I grew up with.

Monday saw more illness in the clan and Mark, mormor Gunnel as well as Catrine and the boys having to decline an invite to Anna’s parents Alice and Lennart’s house for fika (coffee and cakes). It was so lovely to see them all again.

Alice is a great baker and had prepared a mountain of goodies for us to enjoy!

Our last day in Sweden, Mark and I went into town for some shopping and then had the added bonus to see Anna and the children again for another fika – such a great institution!

We had fun catching up and checking out the escalators with Denali.

As always, a week goes too quickly and it was tears when we had to leave our loved ones – sister Catrine & family and my mum and dad.

But we’re lucky to have family and friends to visit and just need to be better at skyping so we can see each other and keep up the Swedish.

Spring!?

We're back from Sweden and I will write a lengthier blog post about all our wonderful experiences shortly.
Unfortunately we all managed to pick up colds so have been a bit out of it since we got back on Wednesday afternoon.
Here's Vera in her new spring coat and hat, from Sweden