Having always had perfect eyesight it was with great regret that I had to accept a few weeks ago my eyes were no longer up to scratch. I went to a new opthalmologist (you all know how I disliked the Eye guy, we're now all at a new practice) expecting to just get glasses for reading but instead landed up with glasses to be worn all the time. Needless to say the new glasses have a flex frame as the girls love to play with glasses so my glasses need to be hardy. I dread the day someone says either Ciara or Enya needs glasses, it was mentioned by the orthoptician the last visit we had and we have the next visit to their new opthamologist in 2 weeks so it is geting a bit acute again.
Talking of doctors, I felt like a real Munchhausen by proxy mother ordering 7 doctors referrals for the girls. In the next few weeks we have appointments for opthamologist x2, cardiologist x2 (to check on their Atrial Septal Defects), neurologist (Enya for EEG check) and Preemie clinic x2 (for their play therapy). All important and necessary appointments but considering how healthy Ciara and Enya are, it feels excessive that they need so many medical check ups!
21 Apr 2010
20 Apr 2010
Bilinguilism in practice
As you are all probably aware Ciara and Enya are being raised bilingual. When I was pregnant I ordered a book on raising bilingual children, to be honest I still haven't read it (what can I say my pregnancy wasn't as long as it should have been!), but I think we are doing an okay job so far even without the "professional" advice.
We speak mostly english at home, although I will repeat mself in german if it is very important. If I'm not around Z will speak german with them and when we are out we also usually speak german especially if we are with friends. So far Ciara and Enya have had no problems at the various play groups making themselves understood, but then most adults understand english well enough to get the gist of what is being said. It will be interesting to see what happens in kindergarten where the child/child interaction is more predominant- if the girls then only speak german or if the other kids pick up a few words of english.
Because Z and I mix our languages up when we are speaking to each other (we often swop languages multiple times in a conversation, heck multiple times in the same sentence!) I was very concerned that the girls would also pick up that habit. There are some signs of that, "ich (I) do it" being a prime example but for the most part when the girls are with me they speak english, with a few german words interspersed (because they don't know the english words).
Then every so often I see a demonstration of their awareness that there are 2 seperate languages: Enya was telling me something about her Igel (hedgehog), I understood she was speaking about the Igel, but didn't get the word she was saying before (it sounded like she was swearing!) after the third time I asked her to repeat herself she gave me an exasperated look as if to say "you stupid woman" and said hedgehog clearly. She tried to get me to understand her by repeating herself in the other language which I found amazing!
Z and I have already agreed once the girls are well settled in their kindergarten we will move to both only speaking english with the girls at home, as we don't want them to forget their english. We will still read both english and german books to them at bedtime as well.
We speak mostly english at home, although I will repeat mself in german if it is very important. If I'm not around Z will speak german with them and when we are out we also usually speak german especially if we are with friends. So far Ciara and Enya have had no problems at the various play groups making themselves understood, but then most adults understand english well enough to get the gist of what is being said. It will be interesting to see what happens in kindergarten where the child/child interaction is more predominant- if the girls then only speak german or if the other kids pick up a few words of english.
Because Z and I mix our languages up when we are speaking to each other (we often swop languages multiple times in a conversation, heck multiple times in the same sentence!) I was very concerned that the girls would also pick up that habit. There are some signs of that, "ich (I) do it" being a prime example but for the most part when the girls are with me they speak english, with a few german words interspersed (because they don't know the english words).
Then every so often I see a demonstration of their awareness that there are 2 seperate languages: Enya was telling me something about her Igel (hedgehog), I understood she was speaking about the Igel, but didn't get the word she was saying before (it sounded like she was swearing!) after the third time I asked her to repeat herself she gave me an exasperated look as if to say "you stupid woman" and said hedgehog clearly. She tried to get me to understand her by repeating herself in the other language which I found amazing!
Z and I have already agreed once the girls are well settled in their kindergarten we will move to both only speaking english with the girls at home, as we don't want them to forget their english. We will still read both english and german books to them at bedtime as well.
19 Apr 2010
Farm visit
Yesterday we took advantage of the best weather we've had all year and went to visit a show farm. Unfortunately there were not many animals to see, in fact apart from some goats protected by a huge glass window, we didn't actually see any animals. The day was however not a complete flop as they had a very good restuarant and a nice playground for the kids too.
I honestly believe kids should come with an off button, for those moments when as a parent you just can't keep up with your everready bunnies anymore...
The girls had a great day, especially considering the fact they didn't have a midday nap. They also slept fantastically last night after their go go go day, for which I am very grateful!
Trampolining was a big hit with Enya she just couldn't get enough. We couldn't get Ciara to even put her hands on the trampoline, even we were right there with our hands next to hers! It's okay though, by the same token Ciara loves swinging and Enya...loathes it with a passion
Ciara preferred climbing on the logs, I don't call my girls monkeys for no reason.
And Enya enjoyed using the straw bales as an obstacle course...
With so much hard "work" being performed, everyone deserves a drinks break...
All in all a fantastic spring day!
I honestly believe kids should come with an off button, for those moments when as a parent you just can't keep up with your everready bunnies anymore...
The girls had a great day, especially considering the fact they didn't have a midday nap. They also slept fantastically last night after their go go go day, for which I am very grateful!
Trampolining was a big hit with Enya she just couldn't get enough. We couldn't get Ciara to even put her hands on the trampoline, even we were right there with our hands next to hers! It's okay though, by the same token Ciara loves swinging and Enya...loathes it with a passion
Ciara preferred climbing on the logs, I don't call my girls monkeys for no reason.
And Enya enjoyed using the straw bales as an obstacle course...
With so much hard "work" being performed, everyone deserves a drinks break...
All in all a fantastic spring day!
15 Apr 2010
Daddy work
When Z comes into the kitchen in the mornings to put on his shoes, both girls start yelling daddy work daddy work.
This morning however we had a variation on this theme... Enya started yelling daddy airport. Do you think we may have been overdoing the airport visits just recently and it's not over yet. Z is off to the US again in a couple of weeks and my little sister is coming the week after for a quick visit. We will once again being doing the airport runs, now if only I can find a good spot to watch the planes taking off and landing, for some reason the Frankfurt and Cologne Airports don't seem to have viewing terraces (we do actually enjoy going to the airport!) . The girls are fascinated by all vehicles and I'd love to see (and photograph) their faces while they watch planes taking off and landing.
PS While Z is in the states I will for the first time have the girls all to myself for more than a long weekend, I really hope we all survive!
PPS I have already got my orders in what I want from the US, 2 more pairs of the super comfortable Levi jeans I bought last year when I was in Houston. They cost 3 times as much here in Europe!
This morning however we had a variation on this theme... Enya started yelling daddy airport. Do you think we may have been overdoing the airport visits just recently and it's not over yet. Z is off to the US again in a couple of weeks and my little sister is coming the week after for a quick visit. We will once again being doing the airport runs, now if only I can find a good spot to watch the planes taking off and landing, for some reason the Frankfurt and Cologne Airports don't seem to have viewing terraces (we do actually enjoy going to the airport!) . The girls are fascinated by all vehicles and I'd love to see (and photograph) their faces while they watch planes taking off and landing.
PS While Z is in the states I will for the first time have the girls all to myself for more than a long weekend, I really hope we all survive!
PPS I have already got my orders in what I want from the US, 2 more pairs of the super comfortable Levi jeans I bought last year when I was in Houston. They cost 3 times as much here in Europe!
13 Apr 2010
12 Apr 2010
400th Post and other stuff
Go me! I can't believe I've had so much to say.
While my mother was visiting, we started playing around with potty training and Enya began to show a real interest in it. Now don't get me wrong, we aren't talking miracles, we were just happy that she was wanting to sit on the potty for longer than the 5 sec we'd been managing up to then. However this morning we had a minor breakthrough- after Ciara had sat on the potty, Enya asked to sit on it too, so after duly stripping her off, onto the potty she went and then she PEED. She asked to go on the potty and then performed! Last night she peed on the potty as well but that was just lucky timing- we were getting them ready for bed and sat her on the potty before putting on a fresh nappy. This has really raised my hopes that we WILL get both girls potty trained before they start kindergarten in August. Ciara has also accidently gone once on the potty, unfortunately though she remains quite uninterested in the whole potty thing.
Now I just need the weather to warm up a bit so I can start putting the girls into dresses or shorts and make the getting to the loo in a rush a whole lot easier!
While my mother was visiting, we started playing around with potty training and Enya began to show a real interest in it. Now don't get me wrong, we aren't talking miracles, we were just happy that she was wanting to sit on the potty for longer than the 5 sec we'd been managing up to then. However this morning we had a minor breakthrough- after Ciara had sat on the potty, Enya asked to sit on it too, so after duly stripping her off, onto the potty she went and then she PEED. She asked to go on the potty and then performed! Last night she peed on the potty as well but that was just lucky timing- we were getting them ready for bed and sat her on the potty before putting on a fresh nappy. This has really raised my hopes that we WILL get both girls potty trained before they start kindergarten in August. Ciara has also accidently gone once on the potty, unfortunately though she remains quite uninterested in the whole potty thing.
Now I just need the weather to warm up a bit so I can start putting the girls into dresses or shorts and make the getting to the loo in a rush a whole lot easier!
10 Apr 2010
What we've been up to
I've really enjoyed having my mom here this week. We didn't pack the days too full but at the same time everyday there was something happening, the girls got to spend lots of time outside as we finally had a stretch of decent weather
Picnic in the garden
We also had friends over for tea, the girls love playing with other kids and older kids always have such fun ideas....
like emptying every toy the girls own out on to the floor
putting stockings on their heads
stripping off (I'm told they were stripping off to go for a swim)
And climbing up the furniture
Unfortunately all good things do come to an end and we took my mom back to the airport today. After a really rough night (Ciara and Enya are both waking up multiple times during the night and while they don't need much soothing before they go back to sleep, they also don't stop crying until we come into their room and at least lay our hands briefly on their backs) which has left me (and my mom) exhausted I didn't feel like cooking dinner tonight. Instead I ordered in pizza and this is all the girls left of a 12 inch pizza. They've lost their appetites and found a donkeys! Finally!!
Picnic in the garden
We also had friends over for tea, the girls love playing with other kids and older kids always have such fun ideas....
like emptying every toy the girls own out on to the floor
putting stockings on their heads
stripping off (I'm told they were stripping off to go for a swim)
And climbing up the furniture
Unfortunately all good things do come to an end and we took my mom back to the airport today. After a really rough night (Ciara and Enya are both waking up multiple times during the night and while they don't need much soothing before they go back to sleep, they also don't stop crying until we come into their room and at least lay our hands briefly on their backs) which has left me (and my mom) exhausted I didn't feel like cooking dinner tonight. Instead I ordered in pizza and this is all the girls left of a 12 inch pizza. They've lost their appetites and found a donkeys! Finally!!
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