Melting ice around our apartment complex
Since the "snow-cation" last week, it's been good to get back into our regular routine: work, school and socialising.
Notices in Isabella's school bag came in thick and fast, ranging from fundraisers, to father-daughter dances and a Parent Teacher Organisation meeting where the First Graders were lined up to sing a few songs. The PTO meeting clashed with a night Dave was working back and I didn't feel like dragging the Recalcitrant One out of the house at 6pm, but Miss had a meltdown when I suggested that we might have to give this one a miss, so I soldiered on ... Just as well, as the concert by the first graders - a nifty way to ensure at least 1/6 of the school families attend each meeting - was pretty cute, and lo and behold, Isabella had a starring role, playing percussion in one of the songs! When I asked her why she didn't tell me she was playing an instrument when I was contemplating not going, she said she wanted it to be a surprise!!
Isabella's loving school and her standard answer to the question, "How was your day at school today?" is "Greaaat!!", which is think is reflecting how her teachers speak - in lots of superlatives. I must admit, it makes a nice change from "good", which was her standard answer during her prep year.
I've been keeping my ears peeled for any little linguistic interference from school. So far, Isabella's started pronouncing "t's" as "d's", so her teacher's name "Ms Stewart" has become "Ms Stewad". I guess that's the beginning of her assimilation, and we'll have to let that go, but it was a bit more challenging to let her get away with "ly-berry"?!?? My hairdresser informed me that this was probably one of her little friends', rather than the teacher's pronunciation.
Daniel's also enjoying school, for the most part, but occasionally does a "tap dance" at drop-off, which apparently lasts about 30 seconds. He's milking the Terrible Twos for all they're worth, having full-on tanties whenever and wherever he feels his needs and wants are not being met, so we've had a few unpleasant moments when out and about. He's also going through an interesting food phase - eating a hearty breakfast of at least 3 weetbix but sometimes 4, skipping lunch especially at school, but enjoying snacks as long as they're dry biscuits or apple, and occasionally eating dinner. It's very irritating, but he doesn't seem to be fading away, and he's sleeping well, we're hoping it's just one of those annoying toddler phases, and it will soon pass.
If only Rosie were around today to help out with the RV!
Over the last couple of weekends, we've tried to get out and about and sample a few of the local restaurants and cafés around town.
Last week, we found a chain called Red Lobster, which, from the outside is as uninspiring as most other roadside diners here, but actually had lovely seafood and great Key lime pie!! Dave and I each had a garlic butter grilled lobster tail with scallops, shrimp (prawns), and wild rice pilaf - it was delicious, and was one of the best meals we've had since arriving. Without sounding melodramatic, it actually gave me hope that tasty and healthy food (if you forget about the garlic butter, which I didn't!!) can be found here, amongst the southern fried chicken, and greens devoid of chlorophyll!!
Lobster, scallops and shrimp, with wild rice pilaf and broccoli that's green!!
We also tried out a local cafe where Daniel enjoyed the books on offer.
I promise you, he chose this himself - much to Daddy's delight!!
Isabella enjoying her raspberry sorbet
Mummy and Daddy Meltdowns have also occurred from time to time over our last 2+ months in captivity, and while not as pretty as the snow variety, have certainly had their colourful moments ... So we're very very happy to be moving into our permanent digs in just over a week!! Yee ha!!
Living out of suitcases and not having our "stuff" - or more to the point, not having the kids' stuff, has been a bit of a trial, so I expect it will feel like Christmas in February when we finally take delivery of our air freight and get to unpack all our "old friends"!
Our little girl will be flying over the same week, so we'll be off to Atlanta International Airport to collect her ... hope she travels better than we did!!
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