Christmas in Madrid

Click on above for some festive xmas shots!

We spent the end of 2010 with our lovely American/Canadian/Argentinian/Scottish friends! Was lovely mixing lots of traditions and enjoying the comfort of not being snowed in at some airport!!

David stayed 'not ill' for the xmas celebrations which must have been a nice change for the little trooper, it was certainly a joyous 5 days for him mom and dad! Now just knuckling (that can't be the right spelling) down for the 3rd bout of bronchitis... bring it on!!!

Hope everyone else out there felt the love this xmas, as for new years.... we'll be watching other people partying from the comfort of our couch... my how times have changed!

LOL,
The Ms

Merry xmas all you peeps out there!

Click below for our 2010 xmas greeting...

http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/3z3Vx4KGOIYlN8AF

xoxo

David dances to Dad's Birthday card

I think David enjoyed Mike's Birthday card way more than he did!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN :)

From a very serious looking vampire!

Yesterday David's daycare 'buddy' bit him in the face, I guess he got overexcited about fancy dress but didn't get the memo that they were vampires Friday not Thursday.

Well so far it's been a really 'spooky', 'terrifying', mainly 'annoying' Halloween week for me - first my wallet got stolen from under my nose and today I got backed into by a lady pulling out of her parking space. Seeing as bad things come in 3s I am seriously thinking of exiling myself in the flat this weekend!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Update: Nr 3 was a parking fine for 90 Euros... ouch.

David's New Uniform

I love David's new school uniform - for me it's easy to dress him each morning, he gets in a great mood as he seems to realise it's time for daycare and plus it feels so soft and squidgy it makes you want to cuddle with David all the time!!

In the picture D is holding his school diary where they write every day what activities they did that day (e.g. today we played with cars, sang a song in english about parts of the body, etc etc), what he ate and when/if he took a poop and if it was normal in consistency (I find this amusing which tells you something of my mental age).

Mike was initially outraged about the uniform part - I think because it brought back his British school experiences as a small boy. He seems ok with it now as since it's introduction David has not been kicking and screaming like he did.

Although is he really over it? When I suggested a British school for David I got a very firm "no way". So Spanish school for David? American? Swedish? Hmmm I guess we have to think and discuss this a little more...

Segovia Trip

Nothing like the best trip ever to send you crashing into some serious Monday blues! Sign of a good weekend though :)

Thanks to the top trip planners Jen and Ric we went to Segovia for the weekend. We seemed to spend quite a lot of time in various wonderful restaurants eating and drinking like kings. When not eating we were busy entertaining the two adorable little monkeys David and Sadie who were angels the whole time - mom and dads even managed a dinner alone undisturbed on saturday night!

We can't wait for the next trip, click on the below picture to view the album.

September in Madrid photos

Click on photo for album!

David at Daycare

David just started daycare in Madrid 2 weeks ago and on a daily basis I have the following 'feeling swings' (as opposed to mood swings, those are due in about 4 days time according to Mike who keeps track).

I am happy to say that he is happier than ever and you really see the benefits of him going. But it is heartwrenching that he does a little boo hoo every time I drop him off. Then it's relief when I look through the window 30 seconds after I leave him and he's following the teacher around having a merry old time.

Cheeky monkey, "first let's punish mother for her insolence and now... where are those cars I can push around and those new motorbikes".

What will David become?

A Telly Tubby

Deep Sea Diver

Walk in his dads footsteps

Lawyer (or something to do with paperwork)

(That pics for you Lo)

These are my current bets for David's likely future proffession:

Footballer - ball crazy that he is.
Football Hooligan - hits anyone who is short enough over the head with things.
Party Annimal - Loves to boogy in front of MTV, the radio and the evening News.
Rock Band Guitarist - borrowed guitar from a friend and proceed it to bang it repeatedly onto the ground really hard as if trying to break it in half.
Mountain Climber.
Stand-up Comedian - he makes me laugh every day.

David's First Week

What's the secret?

What's in the water? What are they smoking? I have no idea where I got the impression that the Madridians (I doubt that that is the correct way to describe "one from Madrid" but whatever) would be really unfriendly, serious and dark - particularly to a foreigner with barely recognisable Spanish (it's been a few years). Might have been from my time in Barcelona where I felt generally foreign, unwelcomed and unliked by the locals.

But no, the Madridians (it's got a ring to it, I hope it is a word) are not only friendly, chatty and eager to help - they also seem genuinely happy with themselves and life... all the time. I thought I would have to join an expat group (which of course I still want to) to have the remotest chance of speaking to another person, but so far all 'acquaintances' I have made so far are Spanish. Really nice Spanish people.

The gardeners in the park stop working for a chat and let David play with their garden tools. One gardener had an iPhone which he was taking pictures with while working I wanted to ask "What is going on, why are you so happy, did you have a really fun weekend or something?? You're a 'gardener' you should be miserable and have an LG phone!?" Even the police drive by slowly and pull faces at David to make him laugh like they don't have a care in the world.

So ok, the weather is brilliant, the food (even green peppers which I normally hate) tastes devine and the people are lovely... is this Europe's best kept secret? I think so.

I guess it reallly does help to speak some Spanish (just like in Italy or France), that coupled with the fact that the coast is far away is probably the reason more people haven't discovered this gem.

Once I get over how content they all are here I am going to try and be a sponge and have as much of it rub off on me as possible. I mean I consider myself quite laidback and mainly happy go lucky, but these guys have got it mastered. Respect.

Day 1 in Madrid

The above implies that I will write a daily update - this is unlikely bearing in mind I have a 1 year old and have just moved countries, but thought it was a good title anyway.

First day in Madrid was FAB! Everything has exceeded expectation.

What I thought --- VS --- What we got

A studio apartment --- Lovely large 1 bedroom with kitchen, livingroom and bedroom!
Nowhere for David to play --- A huge park 50 meters away with loads of different childrens play areas.
A LONG 4 hour flight --- David was an angel the whole way as where the 2 guys behind us who played with him for 4 hours.

I also thought Spanish women aren't too fond of Swedish blonde girls (or maybe I'm old enough to call myself lady now? nope not a chance.), turns out they love one year old blonde boys. David to the rescue again.

Madrid is beautiful - it has awesome architechture like Stockholm and the hugeness (can't think of the right word) of London. We drove through copies of Leicester Square and Marble arch and saw every retail outlet I could dream of - Starbucks* (I missed you), H&M, Oscar de la Renta... but that was nothing until Mike showed me some shopping malls. oh - my - god.

* I missed you but Spanish coffees are better.

Plus we visited a rather LARGE supermarket, I became quite overwhelmed, got the shopping sweats and we forgot half of the stuff we went for. In the supermarket you could buy everything from TVs to baby buggies to new car tyres... good stuff too, not crap. So cool. As a self confessed shop aholic this will be my greatest challenge as well as my greatest adventure.

Madrid downsides:

Tap water isn't really drinkable.

I'll take that downside.

Love, the Ms

Superpowers

If was a superhero I would have the power of invisibility and the ability to make David sleep through until 7am. You never really realise how much these little monkeys will take over your life until you have one - you'll do ANYTHING for them and you'll also try ANYTHING to get them to sleep through the night. Then you have one lucky night and stupidly announce "we've cracked it!!" and then have your 'baby alarm' go off at 5am the next few days.

Every mother wants their babies to eat right so they can be happy, healthy, perfect, tall, smart, etc, etc. Ha ha ha. David recently refuses to eat normal food and has put himself on the "liquid diet". Slimming for summer? Who knows. Even so, I have spent the last hour and a half cooking all manner of meals that will hopefully please David - or "Baby Ga Ga" as 5 year old Flynn next door affectionately calls him. He will only eat fruit, yoghurt and liquid porridge. Lesson Learnt: I will no longer look down upon moms with babies who are fussy eaters. Serves me right.

David 1 year.wmv

David Turns 1!

What an overwhelming attendance to David's 1 year old Birthday party! So many cool toys and so much love in da house!

David very much enjoyed his first sugar rush but was a trooper as I could not spot any signs of any "come down". His best buds bathed nude in the "jaccuzi" and ate themselves stupid on baby junk food.

Michael (biggie smalls) kept up the party tempo with streaking which was much appreciated by the crowd. The star present has been used all day today!

David loved meeting more Mestertons Richard and Inger... he even dropped the "I'm shy" persona and grabbed Richard's hand like he'd known him for years. I refused to let them upstairs as I had only cleaned downstairs - I hope they can forgive me. Thanks for making the long journey to see us, for the presents and the cool Mesterton tartain... tartan, tarton... however you spell it!!

Asplund was hesitatant on eating the "catmuffins" but I am told he thought they were good... although I found one hidden under a plate which better not have been yours Peter!! Great filming.

Mom no 2 to David - Stephanie - turned up with the "big" (ha ha) kids - thanks for the "mommy" gift and the "well done" I was genuinely touched :) As we invade Stephanie's house daily - David had already seen his football present, but he had forgotten all about it and was delighted and surprised all over again.

Richard and Jonna I think I have played the most with your farm truck - David thinks you have to kick it to get it moving and I protectively take it away from him.

Åsa made me feel really bad about moving - as well as being joint best neighbour with Stephanie she left us with a piccie of David's buddies "the twins" so that he would not forget them - how CUTE!

Johanna and "waterboy" Gustav were first to arrive and last to leave - good work!! David was knocking on your knock knock book today which was AWESOME! I underestimate these little monkeys all the time. Thanks for the unused sausages and bbq. Let me know if you want to see David kick a football again??

Stacey, Stacey, Stacey. We are just so thankful for the seemingly endless packages of cool stuff from the other side of the pond - oh my god! It's getting embarrassing but we love it! Donna and Vegar thanks to you also for David's 1 year pressies - so kind!

Thanks for all the phone calls and presents for those who couldn't be there!!