English Chitchat, let's go!!

[swisscanmom]

Thanks for the nice welcome. We are in Peterborough, ON, small city north east of Toronto. Our plans for easter will likely include lots of time spent away from our home, as we have just listed our house for sale, so hopefully we'll have lots of lookers, but it means we have to leave every time someone comes to see and keep everything pristine, which is a real hassle.

[Mrs. Bee]

Ha, just thought it had to be you

[katreseke]

@ swissalicious: halfway through your post I also thought that this must be you

@swisscanmom: good luck with the move to Switzerland and with the sale of your house. I can understand that it's a complete hassle having to keep everything spotless and leave the house all the time.

@ me: nothing much happening. Our littlest girl is going through a difficult phase lately (=understatement, it has been going on for months now). She ist downright annoying and difficult to handle. Normally it's one of the twins that is "the difficult one" and I'm not used to it being my little one (although she is already 5 years old, she will always be "the little one"). She is getting on my nerves all the time and I have a though time trying to stay calm and reasonable... I hope it gets better when the twins start the first class in school this summer, so that the little on will maybe have again some more alone-time with mommy.
The joys of motherhood

[swisscanmom]

@Ponzonia, we will be living in the Langenthal/Olten area most likely when we move. I used to live in Berne many moons ago and it is a lovely city, one of my favourites.
@Katreseke I have worked as a Tagesmutter for the past 11 years and I find 5 generally a very difficult age, there is a lot of "becoming independent" going on.

[swissalicious]

@katreske little one is 4 now aand she is exactly as you describe your 5 year old....soooo difficult to handle. I guess it will get worse when she is in kindergarden.

[kara71]

Hello Ladies
I'm still around. Having similar issues to katareske with our boy: he finds everything 'so unfair' and fughts everything. Hope it wears off soon. Girl is doing fine. She adores her brother.

[kara71]

Just realised that my ticker needs adjusting. Baby girl is four months aleady.

[Mrs. Bee]

Oh, thanks ladies... really looking forward to that phase then. We're just about in the middle of the awful-twos at the moment (sometimes more than others, but hejhoo) and I'm really looking forward when these are over (i.e. in 20 years, me thinks). Now you're telling me it will get even more interesting. Oh gee!!

What to get for a little person who doesn't go for chocolates...??

[kara71]

Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries we've got one of those, too. Last year's easter chocolates still on the drawer.

[Ponzonia]

...and I was afraid this thread might me dead... Lol

My husband got his contract in the mail today. So it's offical!! We're o excited...
We started looking on the internet for housing, seems we will be moving somewhere around Worb, if we can find a big and cheap enough place. We'll be coming over end of May to view some apartments and explore the area.

@difficult little girls
My daughter is 3 now and still stuck in the terrible twos. Actually, she didn't get difficult until she was 2.5. when the new baby came along is when her sweet, easy going personality took a 180degree turn. I know it's a phase , but I miss my little angle dearly. Didn't help that she stopped napping around that time either...
She's going to kindergarten though, and at least there she seems pretty well behaved. Guess she saves all her tantrums for Mommy. She will be going to IS Berne in August. Anybody else's kids attending Early Learning Centre there?

@Swisscanmom
My husband still doesn't speak any German. He had this great idea that he'd learn it along with our daughter.... Needless to say that she's fluent now and he's still clueless LOL
I'll try to get him to take German classes though... It's about time.

[swisscanmom]

@Mrs Bee, not more interesting, but differently interesting, lol. My daughter is turning 10 next week, and my son will be 12 in a month's time, and I think we are in for another interesting phase as well, shortly.
Ponzonia, so excited for you! Hope you find a lovely place to live!

[Mrs. Bee]

Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries we've got one of those, too. Last year's easter chocolates still on the drawer.

We compromised on sugar-rabbits (Geltiere) and marzipan carrots. At least somewhat Eastery...
Anyone had Hot Cross Buns?

[swisscanmom]

No hot cross buns, as my hubby has celiac disease. I tried to bake a grain free Zopf, but the dough did not work out for forming, ended up with a regular bread along with our easter eggs, oh well:)

[Mrs. Bee]

Glutenfree stuff - is that difficult to get for you? We end up bringing quite some bits back from the UK for a friend whose son suffers from gluten intolerance, and she's always grateful. A) it's cheaper B) a different biscuit is a different biscuit. Always a plus for a 8 year old

Try Bettybossi online for glutenfree recepies otherwise; their stuff sounds yummy.

SPRING'S FINALLY HERE!!! YEPEEEEE

[katreseke]

Hi ladies
Hope that most of you had nice easter-holidays.
We went a bit everywhere in Europe during the 3 weeks of school holidays and we had a nice time.
Now I'm back at work and the backlog is huge

@ difficult children: the terrible two's can be indeed terrible, but they are nothing compared to what comes later It's just that the terrible two's is the first rebellion and that can be quite a shock for the parents. It doesn't get better, just different. I find my 5-and 6-year-olds much more difficult to raise than when they were younger. But on the other hand they are much more indipendent and can go to the toilet themselves, they - themselves, they can help set the table and help mommy with cleaning (assuming they are in a good mood and actually want to help), they can go out themselves to play in the garden, you can actually trust them not to mess with the cooker of the fireplace,... So the practical things become much easier and you don't have to hold their hand anymore the whole time. Every age has its problems and its joys.

[Mrs. Bee]

Katreske - what do you expect? Living the high life then you'll have to pay the cleaning price

I do enjoy little man being more independent already. Makes it so much nicer if you can actually have a coffee occasionally without having to check all the time what's going down. He loves puzzles and enjoys doing them again and again. The challenge is on as he got some for his b'day that are actually for older children, he just won't give up and keeps trying to do them

[swisscanmom]

Gluten free would not be that difficult, but unfortunately his immune system is so out of whack at the moment that he cannot tolerate any grains at all, no rice, no corn, also no sulphites, no almonds, no vegetables of the night shade family (potatoes, tomatoes, egg plants...) we are hoping this will improve as his gut heals. On a good note we are eating very healthy home cooked low starch meals, and have both lost weight, we both can afford to loose some, so it's not all bad
I think it will actually be easier to buy food in Switzerland, as the labelling laws are stricter.
Our flight tickets are booked for July 1st and we will be living in Melchnau, BE. Movers are coming June 25th. We are busy packing and selling furniture and stuff. You don't realize how much you collect until you need to get rid of it!

[Mrs. Bee]

That's an argument if I ever heard one... Blimey, quite difficult to cook like this (and I thought without eggs and nuts was at times a challenge ).
Whether it's easier in Switzerland or not: I'm not sure. It's getting better, but with allergies you're shaftet one way or the other. Best of luck and hopefully your hubbies tummy will improve.

[kara71]

Hello Ladies, I'm still around, but my kids are keeping me busy. Boy is on holiday from Kindergarten and bored all day long. I think they learn that at kindergarten Today he's got one of his friends - here and they're really busy playing together, which gives me a bit of a break. Baby girl is dong fine.
I'll catch up with you later. Have a good weekend

[swisscanmom]

Busy here, too, 2 months to go, I figure if I pack a few boxes every weekend, we'll get there. Still lots of cleaning out to do. Kids are registered at their new school in Switzerland, flights are booked.