Autumn sunshine

Friday 13th

I'm not normally superstitious, but yesterday was a day of bad luck. It started off with me pouring coffee all over my desk first thing in the morning, which was fairly minor compared to the rest.

I went to get Vera at around 4, with view to go shopping and then home to cook dinner when Mark got in. When I arrived at nursery, the nursery manager Richard was there and said "we were just about to call you, Vera's had an accident". At that stage, your heart just stops and you think "oh my God, what's happened?"

Apparently she'd been running into a room and run straighth into a small, wooden children's chair. She had bumped her head into the chair and bit through her lip. The accident had literally happened 5 minutes before I arrived.

She was sitting down on the floor, saying "I am big girl. I am brave girl" with a quivering voice. Apparently she'd only cried for two minutes and she had been very brave. As the cut in her lip (under her bottom lip, about a third down her chin), was quite deep, they recommended that we'd go to the hospital to get it checked out and maybe glued.

Now the next problem, I didnt know where the hospital was! Well I knew roughly that it was near Mark's work, but not exactly. But Richard printed out instructions and gave me the post code and I have to say that Sat Navs are brilliant, as after about ten minutes drive I was there at the Sheffield Childrens Hospital:
http://www.sheffieldchildrens.nhs.uk/

Mark arrived literally just after and we were told to go straight to A&E. We got seen initially by a nurse who gave Vera som paracetamol, got her weighed (15,7 kgs, but this is with shoes and holding a teddy bear too!) and checked out. Then we had to wait to be seen by a doctor. That took about 45 minutes-1 hr, but as it was a Children's hospital, they had a soft play area, were showing BBC Children's TV, lots of toys and funny mirrors, so for Vera it was like a day out!

Vera chilling out in the waiting room

Finally got to see the doctor and Vera was ever so good, sat absolutely still when the doctor inspected the cut. The doctor didnt think it had gone through, but that the bottom teeth and cut through the inside of the lip and the top teeth the outside of the lip. In any case, she said that they normally didn't do anything about the inside, but she recommended that they glued the outside.

When the doctor asked if Vera had any brothers and sisters, Vera declared "Sausage"  and then later "and Chips". We can only assume she was hungry! Then she declared to the doctor "I am pretty!"

After about 20 minutes we were seen by a nurse, who glued the cut, and declared that we weren't to get it wet at all for 5 days, as it could open up. If we did, we should come back to hospital or go to our GP.
Good luck with that and a two year old!

Well, once at home and while eating dinner (Vera's favourite, pasta!) we could see a bit of blood again, but decided to leave it. Too late to go back and Vera needed her sleep.

It looks ok this morning though and I'm sure nature will take care of it. Vera's not bothered at all, not in pain, just tempted to fiddle with it.

So all in all, a Friday 13th to remember...

Good Day

Today has been a good day. When I went to pick Vera up today it was pouring down with rain, but it was great to be met by all the children playing outside in the rain. I'm glad they play outside regardless of weather. The children aren't bothered at all, probably more fun with puddles to jump in!

Also, today the nursery had had a scheduled visit by a fire engine and some fire men. All the children had, understandably so, loved it and each got to take a picture with a fire man. Isn't that great! That the nursery had organised it and also that the fire men took time out to meet and be photographed with the children!

Working from home means less time stressing in traffic and more quality time for us as a family. Yesterday Vera and I even had time to bake banana muffins after dinner. A rear treat. I'll enjoy this until I know what the next job holds in store.


Vera is chatting so much these days. It's basically a monologue from the time I pick her up until she goes to bed. Bed time is never an issue and some nights, like tonight, she surprises us even further by declaring "I need to go to sleep" and "I need to brush my teeth, I need borsta tänderna". At 7:30, before her normal bed time. We're very lucky!

Teddie's Nursery

This is Vera's nursery, Teddies Nursery. Today when I picked her up, the nursery manager Richard, who was leaving with his daughter said, "Vera's had a brilliant day! She's got a lot of energy!" She was out playing and another staff member, who works in the Big Bears room, and she said "I can't believe this only Vera's first week! It's like she's been here for weeks or even months! She interacts with all the other children and staff".

Very great and reassuring for me to hear that she's enjoying herself, eating well and sleeping well.

Weekend in our new home

So we're starting to settle in, in our new home town and house. On Friday we picked Vera up at 4pm, but she was more disappointed than happy to see us. She wanted to go out in her wellies and play with all the other children. It's a good sign I guess!

At home I finished off a few conference calls (it's been busy, but good so far working from home) and then we headed across the road for a quick meal at the Beauchief Hotel  (which incidentally is pronounced "bee-cheef", beats me?!). All children under eight eat free, so Vera had sausage & mash with lots of peas followed by ice cream - Friday treat!

On Saturday morning we headed across the Peak District to IKEA in Manchester, we drove along the so-called Snake Pass, which is not one for winter!
http://www.drivingroads.co.uk/snake-pass-peak-district

We started off with an early lunch and then went to look at few bits and pieces. After about five minutes Vera got fed up sitting in the trolley and wanted to walk. It was ok for a little while, then all of a sudden she had completely disappeared! We started looking and after a few minutes I went and spoke to one member of the IKEA staff. They were so professional, took down her description and before long there were staff running towards us and then went looking for her in all directions. I had to stay put. It was absolutely horrible. During those fiive minutes, everything goes through your mind - she's been abducted, you name it... In the end, it was Mark who found her, she'd run back towards the entrance.

After a lot of hugs and kisses, Vera said "Vera's been silly", "Vera ran away", "Sorry mamma, sorry"

Things picked up later. On the way back we stopped in the very picturesque Castleton
http://www.castleton.co.uk/
http://www.visitpeakdistrict.com/Castleton-Castleton/details/?dms=13&venue=6060494

We had a walk around the pretty village, walked up to the caves and said hello to some sheep. Definately one to return to later for a proper walk. And very close to home!

 Vera and I in Castleton

 Vera in her new poang chair and hat

Castleton

Today, we've been for a walk to the park and played and practiced our balancing skills! I've also re-joined the gym and been for an induction, so that feels very good too. Apart from that, I've had a bit of a cooking frenzy, roast butternut squash soup, meatballs, mini quiches and finally a roast chicken for dinner. But that's my way of relaxing!

New nursery

or new dagis as Vera calls it. Vera has started at Teddies Nursery, which is part of the same Bright Horizon chain as the one at Sanger. It is a good nursery, but since it is in a converted house in a residential area, it's not quite the same setting as her last nursery...

All the staff are lovely though and have been very welcoming. We have had three settling in days. On Monday we spent 1 hr there and Vera was on her own for 30 mins, on Tuesday she spent 2 hrs on her own in the Big Bears room, while I was sitting upstairs and yesterday the same thing, while Mark was sitting in the staff room upstairs.

Today she started her first proper day and she was there from 9 to 1 and had lunch and a sleep/rest. Every Thursday they have a dance teacher who come and they have a dance class, which Vera had loved apparently. Not surprised!

Tomorrow she starts her first proper full day, I know she has missed nursery and all the other children and stimulation and she is very excited to go every day. Long may it continue!

A few photos from the last couple of weeks

So what's new??!!

So where to begin! It’s been an eventful couple of weeks to say the least!

We moved house 12-13^th August and everything went according to plan. If you fail to plan … and all that! We spent the weekend before doing some final clear outs and on the Sunday Ana & Mark kindly looked after Vera so that Mark and I could attack the attic. On the Monday, we took Vera to the nursery for her final day there and at 8:30 the removal men turned up. After inhaling a cup of tea each, they set to work and packed up the whole house in less than two hours. By 12:30 they had emptied the house and packed up the lorry. Ok, I know we had a  small house, but they were fast! For anyone moving, I would highly recommend the packing service, takes so much stress and time out of it. After lunch, Mark and I cleaned the house, left a card and a bottle of bubbly and went to pick up Vera. It was really sad leaving nursery. She’s had such an amazing time there, enjoyed all her walks and activities and developed into a confident little girl.

We drove up to Sheffield that afternoon and stayed one night in the Beauchief Hotel, just across the road from the house. We had dinner at Pesto restaurant followed by an early night! The removal van arrived the following day at 9:30am and by 11:30 they had unloaded the van and assembled the furniture. After a quick refreshing drink, they were off down to Cambridge again. We spent the afternoon unpacking and managed to complete about half the house before we had dinner and drove down to east Midlands Airport. We stayed the night in an airport hotel as we had such an early flight the morning after.

On Wednesday 14^th August, we flew out to Malaga and were picked up by Catrine at a busy Malaga airport. She drove us around 40 mins to Puerto Banus where we met Magnus, Åke and Folke! We had an amazing ten days and I will post some photos later. Highlights include hanging out by the pool, visits to Casares and Marbella and leisurely lunches and dinners! And a few glasses of Cava and Rioja of course!

We got back on Friday 23^rd Aug and it was a bit weird to drive north to Sheffield as opposed to south to Cambridge, but not as weird as I had expected. I guess we had had so much time to get used to the change! Mark had shown Vera photos throughout the holiday, so there were no issues at all returning to her new home! She recognized all her furniture in her room and has asked to go to bed in her room, pretty much every evening since we got back. Amazing how easily they adapt!

It was a long weekend, so we unpacked all our stuff but made sure we had time to explore the neighbouring Ecclesal woods and Abbeydale Park. The latter has a fantastic play ground, which Vera has been enjoying lots! On Tuesday 27^th I started back at work, remotely, which has been fine so far!

On the Thursday night we flew out to Ireland to attend a wedding in Wicklow, which I will write more about shortly! For now, I just wanted to show a sign of life!