September in Madrid photos

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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.