January

January is a long month...

The days are ticking along and we’re in that stretch of January where spring and summer feel very far away. Vera is getting on well at nursery, but has been really upset a couple of mornings when I’ve left her. I think it may be linked to the fact that we were off for such a long time over Christmas and then went back for a few days and then she got a bit of a tummy bug and was home for nearly another week. Whereas she loves nursery, her friends and all the activities but some days she says she would rather stay home on the sofa. To be fair, how many of us wouldn’t want that from time to time. We’ve started potty training and it’s going well-ish, a few accidents of course but a lot to learn. Vera loves being a big girl though and wearing pants (trosor). She gets a sticker every time she successfully goes on the loo or on the potty, and they’re adding up on the fridge! I think she’s going through a bit of a development phase, figuring out who she is as a big girl, if that’s makes sense. From time to time she’s quite clingy and wants me all the time. At bed time, we read a lot of stories and gets really upset when I finally leave the room. At other times she’s fiercely independent: wants to choose all her own clothes (and starting to have a penchant for pink… fascinating, but more on that another time) and put on all her own clothes. A big bucket of patience needed on my part, especially if we’re in a hurry to get anywhere. Once she’s asleep in her bed she usually stays there all night, but has started to wander into ours at 5:30-6-ish in the morning. Roots around, makes herself comfortable, usually wakes us up and then when our alarms go off it’s “shhh dada, I need to sleep”! I am conscious though to enjoy every bit of it as time goes very fast! We’re starting to feel really at home here, I love our house, the street and the area. Mark is slowly “de-beigeing” the house and has ripped up the hall carpet, sanded the floor and varnished it so it looks great. I’ve started to get a bit of a social life, which I also greatly enjoy. I have met some really nice Swedish women and we’re starting a book club next week, I’m a member of another group of (slightly older) women who do dinners regularly and next week we’re off for some chocolate tasting! http://www.cocoawonderland.co.uk/. Finally, I have joined the WI! But before you get visions of elderly ladies, homemade cakes and jam and the film the Calendar girls: this is a much younger group, pretty much all my age, with a very varied programme. Last night there was a talk by a female Chief Super Intendant: the most senior female police officer in South Yorkshire. Very interesting to hear what she’s been through in a very male dominated world. The group is called the Seven Hills WI, named after Sheffield's seven hills. Local folklore insists that, like Rome, Sheffield was built "on seven hills The last piece of the jigsaw for me is a new job, as my contract runs out soon. This has proved probably the most difficult. A very different and slow (and low paid!) job market here – very different from the south. I have a few potentials though, so will hopefully have some good news soon! I’m very pleased it’s Friday again, a quiet weekend for us, ahead of a busy couple of weeks. Vera has a party on Sunday, so she’s looking forward to that! Speak soon! PS: Anna – yes the plate is made by Vera. Before Christmas they decorated plates and Christmas Tree decorations at nursery that the parents could buy.

Christmas 2013

"Sgusty"

This is Vera's favourite word these days, short for disgusting. She sometimes, although thankfully very rarely, uses it about food she doesn't want to eat. She must have learnt it at nursery as I would never use that term relating to food. Vera is a very good eater, but sometimes require a bit of coaxing. We are trying to make eating as drama-less as possible, as I dont want her to get an issue with food. We're trying to serve healthy and varied food and focus on the fact that she'll eat when she's hungry. During the December she was a very good eater, as she knew that she'd get to open one of the drawers in her advent house after dinner, where she would usually find a little chocolate. Of course, Christmas came with lots of treats in general and she does have a sweet tooth for chocolate in particular. It has been lovely to be able to spend so much time together and being relaxed, probably the most enjoyable part about Christmas and New Year and our time off. Santa brought Vera a new big girls bed, we've not been wanting to get one before, with all the moves and changes. But now she was ready for it and apart from being a little restless when going to sleep, it's been no issue whatsoever. She gets up at 8.15 - 8.30 and walks into us and climbs into our bed. All very civilised! We celebrated Swedish Christmas on 24th and started the day with tomtegrot (santa porridge, like rice pudding) sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon and of course hiding an almond. Vera had some, not bad for a first time. In the evening we had the traditional Swedish fayre, including ham, meatballs, herring, salmon, jansson, beetroot salad, red cabbage etc. I have really enjoyed all the baking and cooking, in a way, I just wish we had more people to share it with! After dinner, which we had in our newly cleared dining room, we skyped Sweden and watched mormor, morfar, moster, Magnus and the cousins dance around the Christmas tree! Before bed time we prepared a plate with a mince pie and drink for santa and a carrot for the reindeers. Christmas Day morning came with lots of presents and was followed by a lazy day cooking a traditional turkey with all the trimmings. And very lovely it was too! Shame we were too full to eat the home made chocolate mousse I had made! Weather has been a bit so and so, so we've spent a lot of time indoors, but enjoyed playing and watching films. We have managed a few outings though, including a play date in the park with Lily, my friend Emma's daughter, as well as a visit to our neighbour's where Vera played with Aurora and Leo. Mark has been putting together some of the new furniture we've bought and ripped up the carpet in the hallway. The whole house has the same cream carpet throughout. It is just an accident waiting to happen and not very hygienic. Whereas I can live with it upstairs, it just isn't very practical downstairs, especially not in a hallway. During winter. With child/ren (and me!) going in and out! The original floor boards underneath (the house is from the 30s) look ok, so the first step is to hire a sander and sand them down and varnish. Hopefully it will come out well! Now it's back to work for all of us and Vera was so excited about going to nursery this morning and playing with her friends and she was delighted to be met by her friend Evie when she walked in!