Today I felt at ease. I said no to something very important to be able to focus on celebrating the second birthday of my son properly.
It meant that I could keep my sanity all day and my focus on the celebrations. As it should be. But it wasn’t like me before, it’s my new me. In the past I would had squeezed in all the things came in my way, before prioritising myself and family.
Today I felt good with the progress at home and preparation. It’s far form perfect, but it’s right for the current season of our lives.
The Birthday Boy
After a long nap, our little boy was his happy self again. He went on exploring all the new ‘tidy’ layout, that he found at home 😃 It doesn’t happen often.
I could tell that he fully understands that all the fuss around the house and kitchen is for his celebration.
Grannies were invited for dinner at six in the evening. Allowing some quite after school time for the eldest and a short nap 💤 time for our daughter.
Dinner
Fondue 🫕 with steamed potatoes, fondue bread, some meat and pickles. The latest is my son’s absolute favourite. He can eat half a can for one meal.
Grandma prepared a masterpiece birthday cake. It was not only stunning to look at but delicious 😋 as well.
Birthday cake
Presents and glowing balloons 🎈 made everyone happy for the rest of the evening.
My Birthday Wishes
To my lovely youngest boy: your smile warms my heart immediately! I wish you keep your gorgeous smile forever and ever. Stay healthy and strong always. I love you to the moon and back.
In conclusion
And with that we close a huge era in our lives. No more babies. We take a short break before preparing for grand babies to come 🤗 But until then, look out for more adventures.
To my dear daughter with infinite love and respect from your Mother.
Today we (your parents) got some news about your gorgeous self. We were told your mind works in a special unique way. It may take us some time to catch up with you and join you in your very special world. We will learn ways to connect and you will learn to express yourself in many ways soon.
With anticipation we are looking forward to seeing you grow and develop. The highs are going to get higher with time and the lows may get lower. But as long as we grow together as a family in our community, it’s all going to be just fine.
Together we can tackle everything you need us to face together.
We love you all – your personal cheerleading team.
Today my world has turned around! Have you ever felt that something just had to be heard / read / seen at the right time, at the right place?
Quote
The quote that struck a spark in me this time, was found while mindlessly scrolling through my insta feed. It is something super simple but very powerful. It doesn’t even matter what image, music, and captions accompanied the meme. The message that it holds is important and it sounds like this.
A says: We only live once. B’s response: WRONG! We only die once. We live every day!
Community
What a change in perspectives! Me being a huge procrastinator, I need to live every day! Get accountable and do something every day for me, my husband, my kids, my environment.
I cannot wait to integrate into this new community. Making friends is not easy, but it’s definitely worth the effort. It’s important for me to help my family building a network of friends / people around us in our new home, to grow together.
Fitness v. Fit-less
Another way this quote influences me is to get in shape. I am a year postpartum today. I feel weak but motivated. Building a stamina would mean more playtime with my kids. I would like to fully live every day with them. At this point I am sleep deprived, my hormone level is imbalanced, and I go through waves of energy tides few times a day.
New habit
Today my eldest found joy in using a toy that he got about two years ago (way too early to his age back then). It is perfect now. It works like a slide-projector, if you remember those. You must choose a slide / image and place it inside an apparatus that will reflect it onto a canvas.
We then draw the image on the canvas and then coloured it in. After completing two of these arts with my son, he carried on alone while listening to some nature documentary on the TV.
Before I knew it, he brought his notebook with 7 images drawn and coloured in. He then explained that each image is part of his weekly calendar that will commence tomorrow. He asked his dad how to write the word DAY. Then wrote day 1, day 2, etc., next to each image.
I suggested we turn this into a journal. He preps 7 days worth of image. Then during the week we can write ‘HIGH, LOW, BUFFALO’ of the day around the image. But why stop there? We can add the date, name of the day in all the languages we speak at home. Furthermore the weather, and any ad hoc events worth looking back on. My son is interested in learning to write. He often asks us to spell a word for him, so he can write it down. The opportunities are endless.
Sirens are wailing, you follow the instructions from the authorities. It may instructs the population to seek shelter as soon as possible. Should you live in a house that doesn’t have private bunker, where do you go?
It is a good idea to prepare your family for emergencies. The Swiss civil protection system ensures that all residents have access to shelter space across the country. Therefore this post is dedicated for anyone interested in finding out where to seek shelter in their areas.
1 – Contact Your Local Authorities
Municipal Office: Gemeinde (DE) / Commune (FR) / Comune (IT) This should be your first point of contact. The local municipality office will provide you with the necessary information on what to do and where to go in case of emergency.
Civil Protection Office: Protezione Civile (IT) They can provide detailed guidance on shelter locations and emergency protocols. There are over 370,000 shelters across Switzerland.
2 – Consult the Official Shelter Directory
In 2011 the law to incorporate bunkers in newly built houses have changed. It is no longer a requirement. However, if the new building has no private shelter, the owner is required to pay a one off fee of 1400 fr. This fee is spent on the expansion or renovation of the public shelters nearby.
There is a comprehensive directory of public shelters. However, in case of emergency the authorities will inform each resident on the dedicated location. This cannot be planned in advanced. As people are relocating, and the population is ever changing, the detailed emergency plan is prepared as and when necessary.
The Swiss shelter industry is world-wide-known. The in depth specialised knowledge and components are exported to various part of the world.
The shelters come in all sort of sizes. It is planned to allow one square meter space per person. Shelters are designed for single use, for a group of seven, or even larger 25 / 50 people. They are equipped with beds and a dry toilet. They have ventilation system and an armored door.
3 – Use the Alertswiss Platform
Website and App notification (source: FAQ on Alertswiss website)
Description of the incident and existing danger
What area is affected Instructions or recommendations on what to do or what measures the authorities have taken
Additional sources of information, for example hotlines, websites or contact points
Name of the competent authority or authority responsible for sending the alert
Types of notifications: There are three different levels of notification: alerts, warnings and information. An alert is the highest level of notification; information, the lowest.
Alert: used when the authorities inform you of an immediate danger and issue mandatory instructions on what to do.
Warning: reports a possible danger or an event for which the authorities provide non-binding recommendations.
Information: reports on an event that is relevant to the protection of the population, but does not present imminent danger.
4 – Community Resources
Some community centers or public buildings are designed as emergency shelters.
Also, look out for notice boards and signs.
5 – Stay informed
Especially as an expat, it is essential to integrate to the local community. When settling down in a new village, town or city, there are compulsory steps to follow to register. This process opens many doors to newcomers.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and discover local groups that can help your integration process to be a smooth.
By taking these steps, you can ensure that your family is well-prepared and knows exactly where to go in the event of emergency. It is good to have a family emergency plan in place known by all family members.
Three kids, two grown ups, and many stuff squeezed in an estate set off to Poland Monday morning.
We romanticised to leave around 8 am, although we felt it might be too ambitious. By the time we packed up it was almost 10 am.
We had to make some last minute shopping on the way and fuel the car. We left Ticino in 12 degrees Celsius, just to arrive in -4 degrees Celsius at 9 pm. We called it a day around Leipzig and booked a room on the way.
Day 1 Golino – Leipzig
The kids had better sleep in the clean and fluffy bedding then they have at home. It was hard to wake them up. Second day we set off at 9 am. We had breakfast in the car as we brought plenty of left overs with us.
Day 2 Leipzig – Elblag
We stopped along the way for lunch in a McDonald. The usual small kids play area was designed into a kids gym. It had two spinning bikes, a basketball loop with many balls and an maze with obstacle course incorporated in it. It felt like we were in an indoor playground.
1650 km in two days. But we made it to Elblag by 4 pm New Year’s Eve.
New Years Eve
After driving most of the day, we couldn’t wait to get our bodies moving. The old town is lit up with various light compositions at this time of the year. We knew as we visited it two years ago when it was just the three of us.
New Year’s Eve at Elblag
Keepsake Huge Bauble
After a brief walk the little ones were ready to be tucked in. Our eldest stayed up with us to welcome the new year. 2025 arrived with a spectacular firework display which we could watch from the dinning room. I could barely keep my eyes open but it was worth every second of it.
Baltic Sea
Snowy seaside
Seaside splash and dash
After two years we have finally returned to the seaside in the winter snow. It is such a surreal sight when sea meets ice, ice meets sand, and sand meets snow.
It was a brief visit as the first large wave knocked M off her feet and she got soaked in ice cold water. We picked her up and managed to dry her quickly at our friends nearby apartment. Seemingly it did not shook her up too much. It all happened so quickly, that I am not sure how much she noticed at all. On the way home we visited more family members. Unfortunately, all three kids fell asleep at the danger nap zone time. So when they woke up, the two elder were crying (like babies) while the baby enjoyed all the attention he could get. M and I tried to console the kiddies but waking up from the late nap is hard on their bodies. They were too disorientated to be bothered about any manners they usually have when we are visiting family and friends. By the time they calmed down we had to move on and get back to M’s parents for dinner. Of course all is good when they have food. 🙂
Friends & Family
Four full days were just right to meet all the friendly relatives and friends. There is a lot to catch up when you meet once a year. But honestly with three tiny kids it gets a bit ‘hit and miss’. We can only move with their rhythms and it’s often unpredictable how much catching up we can actually have 🙂
Overall, they make every reunion much sweeter. Their curiosity and niceness is welcomed by everyone.
To Switzerland
We decided to leave half a day early, after lunch on Sunday. The idea was to make the same journey as on the way to Poland. But nature had a different idea.
About 3 hours into our road trip we found ourselves in a snowstorm on the motorway. The traffic slowed from 140 km/h to 80 km/h. The motorway was covered in snow and the temperature was dropping sub zero.
Snowstorm in Poland
We quickly made new plans and booked a room near the German border.
Day 1 Elblag – Boczów
We had an early start Monday morning with the aim to get ourselves home by bedtime.
There was sun, snow, and rain along the way. The snowstorm after St. Bernardino was beautiful. I cannot remember traveling in such a snowfall before. It was exciting to descend from the mountain. Most of the cars were driving super slow with a few random daredevils flying past us. M drove the whole time and got us home safe.
Mom cooked us dinner and brought a Panettone. It was lovely not to think about feeding the family straight after arrival and to be able to relax after a two days journey.
The days are flying by super fast. We welcomed 2025 in Poland with the in laws. It’s been 3 days and many precious time spent with people who we rarely see throughout the year.
The year behind us
I never close the year that has just passed. But I would like to change that. I am thinking to start a new tradition this year with the kids, but more on that later.
For now, what made my 2024 are the following:
New Year’s Day trip to the Christmas Garden at Mainau Island near Konstanz
Meeting our son, Oliver
Grateful for all emergency services that helped to keep our family safe
Easter fun with the Puha family
Visiting the Lindt Chocolate factory near Zurich
Trip to Swiss Miniature in Lugano
Trip to Säntis with Mother’s Day breakfast at the peak
Random sightseeings around Bodensee
Testing out the first Rugelreise in Thurgau
Trips with the Andrusiewicz family
Moving to Ticino, leaving Thurgau
New kindergarten for B
Electric scooter purchase
Nature walks
Halloween party with Kindergarten friends
Visiting Brissago Island
Visiting family in Italy
Andrusiewicz fam visiting in Ticino
Advent Walks and kindergarten party
Cousin and family visited for Christmas
Trip to Poland
New Years Eve
We made it to Poland around 4 pm on New Year’s Day. Just enough time left for a brief stroll around the old town before tucking the little ones to bed. Then popped a large Prosecco and kept our eyelids open until the midnight fireworks had begun. It was worth the wait and the bonus that we got to watch it from the dinning table.
The year ahead of us
I have good feelings about 2025. I read that it is a very mathematical year and that the last time such year occurred was is 1936. (45 x 45 = 2025) The next perfect square year will arrive in 2116. I don’t think I am going to live 129 years to experience that.
So this year I would like to focus on three things mainly when it comes for parenting.
Being outdoors
Being present
Being grateful
Firstly, being outdoors as much / as often / as possible. Last year, I joined the 1000 hours outside challenge. But soon I have lost count. Although my vision did not change for the year, the circumstances did not allow me to focus on this objective throughout the year. This year, I would like to give it another go and involve my eldest son in the recording process. The attractive aspect of the challenge is the visual recording of the time spent outdoors. I am a sucker for hitting goals so I think this is a win-win situation. A nice recording sheet on the wall will be coloured hour by hour after spending time outdoors. There are a lot of trackers available online. Click on the link to see some of them!
Secondly, I would like to make a school day goal to spend time with each of my kids (at least on school days) individually. Weekends are for collective fun because there are no extra curricular activities yet in our lives. One ‘game’ per day per child. It is just too easy to overlook even though it is so so simple. Often it doesn’t take longer than 10-15 minutes due to their short attention span. However, it means a lot for them and even more for me. I need to stay connected to them all on a personal level. It is way too easy for me to find one more thing that needs to be done around the house with the endless chores and tasks to complete. These need to take a second place and stop running my days.
Thirdly, I may have mentioned it before that Alzheimer runs in the ladies side of my mom’s family. We talk about it with my mom from time to time. We are both terrified to end up one day not remembering all the nice moments of our lives. I am even considering to film our adventures for my future less attentive self. I think it will be nice to watch back the videos to help remembering better. I am not video maker but I feel passionate about learning this new skill. Keeping it private takes the perfection-pressure off my shoulders. Another activity I used to do (and I loved) was bullet journal. It kept me sharp on things that were happening around me and allowed me to be more present. This time my issue is that every time I sit down with some paper and pen, my effort to record things is being overwritten. My daughter does not yet understand the concept of having a notebook or paper for each of us. She will eventually get in my notebook and takes over the pages like she has to finish the whole book in one day 🙂 I tried digital trackers, but the complexity of the tracker makes the experience utterly non-enjoyable and after a few weeks of logging the program breaks down.
In summary there are two things to focus on. Creating memorable videos of our adventures (that are in the nature) for personal use and to get back to daily bullet journaling, which also ties in nicely with being more present rather than move with the tide.
there’s always at least one upset, and if not, it’s just the calm before the storm.
In theory
My go-to approach is to get them outside to burn off all the excess energy they may have. The 2-month-old falls asleep in the buggy in no time. The 21-month-old usually enjoys the view from the bike seat behind me. And the 5-year-old races me from roadside pole to pole.
Sounds like a winning recipe right?
Reality
I was worried that my little one would be upset with the sun shining in his face as I couldn’t find the cover for the buggy’s basinet. However, to my surprise, he was absolutely fine and seemed to enjoy feeling the warmth of the sun on his face.
My nearly two-year-old was already upset about getting dressed up. To make matters worse, she wasn’t allowed to play near the pond in the garden, which was the final straw. It’s not easy to say no to a toddler without them having a full-on meltdown. I thought putting her in the bike seat behind me would cheer her up, but I was wrong.
My five-year-old did everything in his power to return to base. 2 minutes after leaving the house, he wanted water. We have done this journey many times without any hiccups. But today he needed water, a snack, and tissues and he was too hot. So he needed another stop to take off half of his clothing just so he could re-dress himself. This was followed by a drink stop every 100 meters.
In Conclusion
Did we race? Yes. Did anyone enjoy it? No.
What has changed? Nothing. Spring has sprung 🌸
I hope with this trip the winter moodiness has evaporated. And I keep my fingers crossed for better trips to come.
This week wasn’t about getting out and about. It is by far not about spending time outdoors in the nature. This week is something that nobody is ever prepared for. It has tested us to a great extend, I wish, it will not happen to anyone. It has made us stop and appreciate every tiny help and assistance.
Last week I ended my post, by writing about all three kids being ill by Sunday. Well, the saga doesn’t end there. This week has brought more sorrow that my heart could handle. This illness has taken over control in our family.
RSV infection
I am being told that this is all over the news. But I stopped listening to the news when the last pandemic hit the media. So I haven’t heard of this virus before. Now I learnt that the smaller the child, the sicker they get . So having three kids 5 and under mixing with the virus has brought us to our knees.
Our eldest was poorly for two days last week and he then carried on with simple winter cold symptoms. Heavily runny noise and coughing but good mood overall.
Our one and half year old had a fever for 6 days. Her temperature stayed just under 39 degrees but enough to make her feel weak. Coughing is causing the biggest problem for her as she can barely sleep at night. She cries and coughs when she should be resting, and she is not in a good mood during the day. Friday she was finally fever free and her appetite has came back to some extent.
But our youngest got the worst of it. He started to cough on Sunday, he stopped drinking Monday night. Tuesday morning he throw up the milk, he got from the bottle. Immediately, I called the paediatrician, however it is Sports Holiday in Switzerland, and the call went to voicemail directly. So I called the hospital and they said to bring him in along with my daughter (who at this point had fever for three days and a bad chesty cough).
In the First Hospital
When we arrived, we were seen immediately. Our three weeks old was attended by the nurse pronto, while the doctor was asking all the questions. Filling in the registration forms with the translator app, answering all the questions to the doctor, while trying to keep our daughter in the room when she has no intention of staying, was not ideal.
Luckily, my husband managed to leave work and follow me to the hospital. So he caught up with us at the emergency room and he took over our daughter’s examination with the doctor, while I attended to our son and his nurse. Our daughter was cleared by the doctor from further tests and they were happy to send her home based on the fact that she was walking around and drinking water.
By this time, our son’s blood test confirmed that he has RSV infection. He was put on the monitor to keep an eye on his oxygen level. The sensor showed 100%, then it went down to 62%. Then it went up to 100% then down again. We got a room on the ward and we were prepped to stay for a couple of nights under close observation of the nurses and doctors.
However, his condition has deteriorated, in a matter of couple of hours, to the point that the head of the ward had to look for another hospital with an ICU unit. It was challenging due to the holidays. St. Gallen and Zurich hospitals were at full capacity, so we were prepped to be transferred to Chur.
By this time our son’s body was massaged by the nurses to keep his heart pumping, while the helicopter arrived. It felt like hours by the time the crew has arrived. Unfortunately, the fog was so thick above our canton that the helicopter had to land elsewhere and the crew came to the hospital on an ambulance. The doctor and the nurse, who flew from Chur, have prepped our son for the journey and gave us instructions on how to make our way to the hospital where we can reunite.
In the Second Hospital
Upon our arrival, the doctor and nurses had already done what they could to comfort our son. However, to maintain his stability, they had to sedate and intubate him. According to the doctor, the procedure went well, but I can hardly recall anything aside from being a walking fountain of tears. It was a scary experience, and everything seemed to happen so quickly that I could barely grasp the gravity of the situation. I was going with the flow, hanging onto every word that the doctor and nurses spoke.
Waiting for it to peak
We were fortunate enough to get a room to sleep in. However, the next few days were as hard as we expected them to be. We were told that the virus peaks between days 5 and 7, so we prepared ourselves for the worst. His oxygen levels were unstable, even on the machine. Fortunately, the machine was able to provide him with the much-needed oxygen when his little body was unable to. The machine also kept his lungs inflated to make it easier for him to breathe. The aim was to reduce the amount of energy he needed to take a breath.
His temperature was up and down, which meant that some further blood tests were required. Luckily no further infection was detected. This virus turned his saliva into a gluey, stretchy structure. It would have been impossible for him to cough it up, even if, he had had energy to do so. So it had to be sucked out for days.
Meanwhile at Home
When one is poorly and taken away from the tribe, the worry settles in to every family members mind. Our eldest son told me he is worried about his little sister as she keeps coughing at night and doesn’t want to play during the day. Meanwhile his younger brother and mommy are only visible on a video call twice a day. It is hard enough for a grown up, let alone to a young boy who is just starting to gasp more complex situations of life.
As reality settles in, we brace ourselves for a couple of weeks separation and sorting out the logistics of supplies, making sure that everyone carries on as ‘normal’ as possible.
Awakening
Saturday brought hope, as he was expected to be ex-tubated. His oxygen levels improved and apnea decreased throughout the week. When I was told on Friday, that the next they his tube will be removed, suddenly my world was shaken again. I only just got used to what I saw and heard and everything seemed to improve slowly but steadily. Now, an aid is being replaced and he will be woken up. As much I longed to see his eyes again, I couldn’t shake off the worry of the unknown. How is he going to react and what to expect? Nobody could tell us in advance exactly.
‘We take one step at a time.’ I am being reminded. And I know, deep down that he is at the best place possible. With that thought I settle in for the night once again exhausted but full of hopes and worry at the same time.
The newborn-moon period is over. It’s time to work on a new system that caters for all. Unfortunately, my husband’s paternity leave has ended, and he is back to work. Our eldest child, B, was back in kindergarten. At least he was at the start of the week. However, on Wednesday afternoon he started to feel under the weather. It became clear that he was ill when his temperature 🤒 went up. We gave him Calpol twice that day and he slept through the night. The next two days, he spent at home resting. And of course by the time weekend came around, he was getting better 🌟
Then Saturday afternoon, our daughter woke up crying with high fever just before midnight. Quick Calpol, many hugs and we tucked her back into her cot. Here comes Sunday and all three kids are poorly. The smallest one is only 17 days old, but he also got the cough and runny nose. Days like these are truly appreciate the fact that we live in a multi-generational household. I always think about all the single parents out there with the deepest respect. If it’s you, I salute you!
System Building
This week I wanted to concentrate on building a flexible system to guide me throughout the day. I am trying to balance many things around the kids schedule without going crazy. I would like to keep some space in our days for my wellbeing, so I can recharge my batteries and be a better person. There are only x amount of hours within the day, so I have thought hard how to balance everything. Can certain tasks be combined and carried out simultaneously? In theory, the answer is yes! As long as it involves everyone, why not, right? Well… we shall see in the coming weeks.
Schedule
6:00
7:00
8:00
9:00
10:00
11:00
Old Morning Routine
Coding
Wake up kids
Breakfast
Morning walk
Cleaning
Cooking
New MorningRoutine
Morning Walk
Wake up kids
Breakfast
Morning walk
Decluttering / Cleaning
Coding
I would like to start the day with a morning walk, just like I did while I was pregnant with my daughter. Now that the days are getting longer, I can soon start going out before the kids wake up. This walk is all about me and some music or podcast I choose to start the day with.
After breakfast ideally I would head outside with our daughter for a little bike ride, or just messing around at the local playground. She is happy to stay in the cold outdoors, for about 30-40 minutes. Then we go inside, where I go through a zone per day to eliminate things I no longer use or need. Meanwhile, I wait for our daughter to give me some signs when she is ready for her nap. Mostly, she is down by 11 am but it all depends on what time she wakes up in the morning. Once she is asleep I can focus on my coding journey. I am currently learning some JavaScript for the millionth time 😦 .
This is my second golden hour: My daughter is usually asleep and my son is not yet back from kindergarten. By eliminating the lunch prep task, I can free up this sacred time for my benefit.
Schedule
12:00
13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
Old Afternoon Routine
Lunch
Quiet time
Gardening
Outdoors
Outdoors
New Afternoon Routine
Lunch
Coding
Outdoors / Gardening
Outdoors / Gardening
Outdoors / Gardening
After lunch time while my son has quiet time, I can carry on coding. Once my daughter is up from her nap time, and she filled up her tummy, we can head outside. Currently it is hard to handle the two eldest outside alone. One would like to play football, frisbee, or tennis. While our daughter just want to go, go, and go. If she decides to do something, nobody and nothing can stop her. I hope it will change soon, as it would be fun to show her things, and do some activities together with his brother.
In general, it would be great to spend most of the afternoon outside, however this time is purely led by our children. I listen to their needs, while I try to extend the time we are outside. I plan to do some gardening while they are playing, but not sure how it will work out. Previously I separated gardening from outdoor time, but I hope this is something we manage to do side by side and the kids will eventually get inspired by nature and growing things.
Schedule
17:00
18:00
19:00
20:00
21:00
Old Evening Routine
Prep dinner
Dinner
Bath
Bed time (kids)
Coding
New Evening Routine
Dinner & Lunch prep
Dinner
Bath-Story-Bed
Blogging
Unwind
In the evening, I plan to prep dinner as well as lunch for the next day. With a little forward thinking, one hour should be enough to prep for both mealtimes. After dinner bath and bedtime. Once the kiddies are in bed, I spend some time on the blog, while hubby plays a bit on our son’s Nintendo Switch 🙂 We both like to watch some limited series on Netflix to unwind at the end of the day.
1000 hours outside
My personal goal is to increase my daily step count to 20K. I hope to shed some weight without any special workouts. Walking perfectly fits with my commitment to the 1000 hours outside challenge this year and sneakily I hope to inspire my kids to be outdoorsy ‘like their Mom’ or even more.
Two weeks after the operation my step count was finally over 15K for the first time since our baby boy was born. What an achievement. I was so nervous about third time recovery. I have never in my wildest dreams imagined that I will be so active a couple of weeks after re-re-section.
Overall, we logged 9 hours for the second time this year. As you can see on the photos, snow covered the fields at the beginning of the week. Then by Saturday we were enjoying the warmth of the sunshine on our skin. I am looking forward to next week. It is sports holiday, which means there is no kindergarten and more time to spend in the nature.
Language skills
Nearly a year ago, we moved from the UK to the German-speaking part of Switzerland 🇨🇭. It is beautiful here and we love the area. However, we don’t speak German 🇩🇪 YET.
Our eldest just started kindergarten in August last year. He has two mini German lessons a week with the school’s English teacher. It is more like a friendly chat/game than a formal lesson.
I want to help him as much as possible, but unfortunately, I don’t know how to speak German. To ensure that I don’t teach him anything incorrectly, I am thinking to focus on passive learning. Just playing with words should be fun. He is asking more and more questions about how to write specific words and how to read certain signs / phrases.
This month’s payday gift was a letter game. Letters are displayed on tiny wooden dice and there are multiple dice of the same letter. In German language every noun has a gender, similar to Italian. So I am thinking of coming up with a vocabulary game that compares nouns, so he can connect the words he already knows in one language or another. I am thinking to use day to day topics of activities he does during the day.
In our family we speak many different languages. Sometimes one of us will struggle to remember a word in that particular language we use at that moment. Then we would ask the other person to help by saying it in another language (whatever form it is remembered). And this whole dilemma ends up with a discussion of this of word in all the languages we speak and any other way we know but not necessarily speak.
I will let you know how it goes after a couple of times weeks.
This week brought us another wave of snow outdoors. Before moving to Switzerland, I always imagined that the winters are generally white across the country.
But now I know that this isn’t necessarily the case. We dedicated most of our time to bonding, and getting to know each other, and ourselves as a family of five / seven.
We live under the same roof with my parents, so I cannot leave them out of the equation, of course. Living in a multi-generational setting means we are never outnumbered with the kids. It also means more type of relationships, and more possibilities.
Hubby was still home with us (on paternity), which was very special. The kids love being woken up, and put to bed by him. He is going back to work next Tuesday, after being off for almost a month. It will be strange not have him around during the day (especially in the morning times).
Outdoors in sub zero with little kids
It was M’s first time being outside for some free roaming in proper snow and ice conditions. She’s been walking, running, falling for 2 months now. She is generally quiet happy to spend 90 minutes outdoors exploring and playing. However, in this week’s sub-zero temperature her limit to play outside has shrank to about 30 minutes.
There are many contributing factors to the shorter threshold:
Too many layers – reduces mobility
NO! – she says to gloves:
gloves on – she cannot hold or touch anything
gloves off – well, cold hands
Slippery ice – many falls
Deep snow – of course with such tiny legs, the snow gets to her knees
Failed attempt to pull her on the sleigh – it tipped over and she fell head first in the fresh powder snow
Despite all the odds, she is keen to head out every day – preferably twice a day. Often she picks up her little shoes at home and brings it to me. “Hey, Mommy! It’s time to get going!” – I imagine she would say if she would be verbal.
Longer walks
This week I managed to sneak out for a longer walk with Dad. Courtesy of Mom, who volunteered to stay with my eldest in front of the house playing with the ball. He is not keen on walking, I guess it is boring for a five year old to walk and talk, and not to play with something on the journey. Luckily, he is content to stay close to the house and play in the garden or on the porch. Mom is similar, she prefers to do something rather than getting lost in the forest or in the countryside. On the contrary, Dad and I could walk and walk and walk, day and night.
We took the youngest member of the family in a carrier with us. O was nice and cosy on my chest. As soon as I put him in the winter overall, he is fast asleep.
1000 Hours Outside challenge
Weekly total 4:36 min in the fresh air. One day indoors, but all other days we managed to get out a little. Time spent outside varies from 24 minutes to over an hour.
Overall, we spent about 38 hours in the nature since we started the challenge back on the 8th December. I am happy with the result so far. I know it is not too much but under the current circumstances it is better than I thought it would be. I know that once winter is over, we will be able to spend much more time outdoors.
Expat Mom Journal 