Just a quick clarification, the last post wasn’t meant to be about how hard my life is or how depressed I am – it was more about the bullshittiness of Facebook. I do appreciate everyone’s concerns, flowers and calls – but I’m okay (I’m pretty much Dutch remember, we are always ok)….. Please keep flowers, texts and calls coming though….
So, the last post was a bit of a ‘debbie downer’, and of course, the next minute it all turns around.
Miss E is now on a string of 7 days sleeping through until 645.
Miss A has started school and loves it. On the walk home the other day at least 4 kids screamed out “Hoi Miss A”, letting me know that she’s going okay.
The Festival of Miss A’s Birthday is over. This involved a party on her last day at preschool (which was her actual birthday and involved me making 20 little presents to give to her friends). Then the very next day, first day of school, then another day and her birthday party. All done without the husband.
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| Dutch tradition of ‘traktaties’ on your birthday |
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| Final day at Preschool – she gets to sit in the Birthday Chair, they all sing to her and listen to her talk about what gifts she received (cue parental guilt as we hadn’t given her anything just yet) |
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| First Day at School – seriously, she grew up overnight! Can you imagine how many Frozen bags were hanging up in the classroom when we got there!? |
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| Birthday Party proper, where we paid someone far too much money to entertain our children. I promise not to be pregnant next year! |
The weather has turned and we’ve had 5 days of blissful sunshine – still cold, but sunshine. This means playing outside, reconnecting with the neighbourhood kids. The other day I watched 4 children for over an hour before any parent came looking for them.
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| Drawing on the sidewalk is a thing here. All good by me – in a few weeks, I’ll assume the same position but with a big fat glass of wine! |
Miss A is now competent enough to cycle around the block by herself, and confident enough to knock on the neighbouring kids doors to ask them to join her. Makes my life easy – I sit out the front in the sun with Miss E and just watch.
Dave has finished travelling for a little while, so he’s home, which obviously alleviates my anxiety, and now I feel ready for this little baby to arrive (as ready as one can be).
I’ve made more friends at the school gate, with a couple waiting around to talk to me. One chick I see all the time, actually stopped her bike and chatted with me for half an hour, and of course I saw her at the playground that afternoon, and again when she rode past – so she stopped again.
Oh, and I am enjoying driving the Prius! Got my first Dutch speeding fine today!
ClarkterstraatNL 
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