Getting ready to move in to the new house, almost

September 23, 2004

The boys are down for a nap and we have just returned from a Mum’s and Tots meet about Halloween plans – I have volunteered to help out at the party 10 days after we return from SA. I am starting to enjoy the group and the women there, I am still a bit grumpy about the culture shock, so probably aren’t the best company.

I think the boys enjoy the weekly get-togethers, where they have a change of scene and new toys but they tend to stick together or play on their own. They don’t seem to have much interest in the other children, they generally just stand and watch without engaging with them. The other kids try but the boys just don’t seem to be interested.

There is one rotter of a child there who is really aggressive toward the other children, when she aims at the boys they get quite upset and don’t really understand. They are trying to get away from her but she wont let them. They are used to battling with one another, not other kids I think they just look really confused. There doesn’t seem to be any reason for her to lash out other than mum has a new baby, so maybe she is just really frustrated and mum doesn’t have much spare time to give her the attention she has had I guess.

As usual, quite a lot has happened over the last week, Stuart has been in NY for the last 4 days, back this morning. Our furniture has cleared customs, is back in Rotterdam and ready for delivery but as this is Holland, it cannot be delivered today as planned, as the doc is on strike. All going well, we will have our furniture tomorrow we then have two days to unpack before leaving for SA. The house has been cleaned including the carpets yesterday and the wall is painted and looking good.

We have moved the two new beds over and set them up in each bedroom. The boys were very busy helping Stuart setting them up and very keen to climb up on them. They were so much happier to have something to do and be involved in the process than trying to keep them away. It takes ages to get anything done but at least we don’t have tantrums from them. Oliver is now sleeping well on the bed but every now and then throws some toys into his cot and wants to climb in. I guess there is security in there for him and he seems to need his private time out.

Benjamin is still in a cot as we don’t have an extra room here. They are settling better at night being in separate rooms, although last night he wanted to sleep on the bed with me. Once I put him on our bed, he went to sleep for the rest of the night. Now they are separated they seem to be settling into their own sleep routines.