On Parenting -(what else?)



First time parents tend to be very picky I was told the other day. We had some wine on Xmas afternoon with friends and since pretty much everyone there had kids we hit the topic instantly.



I completely fit her "first timer description"....



"Now go to the hospital for example...You'll see parents running and playing with their children - those are the first timers...the ones reading the newspaper - those have at least 2 kids!"



Totally true...And so, have decided I need to also learn how to let go ...at least for a while...



Happy New Year Everyone!



Carmen

..a month ago I promised I'll upload some more photos...Andrei's surgery threw our lives into chaos...Mom and Andrei slept in the hospital for 2 weeks, which apart from day 1 after surgery when and the tests before (shots and tests) were loads of fun...The hospital was equiped with huge play areas...plus loads of kids...twas great! By the 3 rd day Andrei was running in the halls while mom and dad were trying to manage the drainage tube.

anyhow, things are back on track...and the only real scar we came home with was the scare of white, cause nurses kept waking us up to check the BP, temp, the works...

we're on holiday now...planning to go to Khao Yai NP for New Year....

Andrei first word : MAMA

Andrei's second word : PAI (let's go in Thai)

Andrei's third word : Buuuurp (laughin his heart out in anyone says it in Eng)

Andrei's forth word: variations of HAIDA (da da da)

Later. Carmen :)

Best Toys


We did it. We bought a whole bunch of wiggly, buzzy, singing toys only to have Andrei play the entire day with a plastic bottle or spoon, a balloon or a soft ball.


He looves books, anything with couple of pictures on and he's entertained for half an hour. I said to myself : I gotta get him those fancy touchy feely 3D baby books. He'll like those. Paid 10 euros per book only to have him toss aside in 2 min and pick up one of the free marketing leaflets.


Spoons, bottle and lealflets make also EXCELLENT traveling toys...


Stick to the basics folks!


Starting off with our BEST sea side picture.

Just a quick note to let you know...we're back from the beach...had a fabulous time...Working hard at the next photo and video batch...until then, enjoy some of our favorites from Romania.:) Carmen

Dear All,

Life not all roses...but is still pretty amazing...

Well we've had a really INTENSE month...among the endless working hours we've come to find out that Andrei will need a preventive surgery...The urinary valve on the left side is weaker and causes what's called a urinary reflux...That was a hit way below the belt, but we're coping...

We're all set up for 26th of November...Met the surgeon and put our minds at ease. He's this incredibly calm guy...a Thai Preston Burke sort of.

Meanwhile...we're going to the beach after 2 months of FULL ON ... Bangkok...Gotta shake some of it off...first time for Andrei...we're crawling, trying to walk and grabb everything that comes in reach...

9 months is really really a golden age...i'm loving it...and I get to be called MAMI first time in my life...it's great!

Hugs, Carmen, Ake and Andrei

Jam Packed...

1 - Lots lots of work....man...I'm really beat!
But I gotta tell you...I love my job! I love the kids and I looooove my long holidays...

2 - 2 days. I'm gonna be 30 and can't even feel it....Andrei's gonna be 9 months...that I can definitely feel...He's starting to walk and we're literally doing the marathon around the house...I'm hoping this will do wonders for my weight loss plan...

3 - People told me while I was pregnant: " Go ahead, get fat, round and happy...you'll loose it like THAT once the baby comes..." Do not deceive yourselves ladies...it's HARD WORK...!!! And under no circumstances DO NOT gain more than 10 kg...(ok...make it 15...)


Andrei...Botanical Gardens...Cluj -Napoca...Romania...

NEW


Hi, everyone! Good news! We have bought our very first domain...very excited...


It not up and running yet...give us a minute!:)
http://www.ctrl-alt-del.biz/


Back to our Romania trip...here's a glipse of the city and us wondering on the streets...

Mothers at war...

Last week we went to the biggest baby/kid sale in Bangkok. The event happens every year, and it's packed with kiddies dragged around by their parents to buy all sorts of stuff. Within minutes the place turns into a regular stampede...no, really...no joke...:)...

You've got mothers fighting for car seats, grabbing 10 things under arm just to make sure no one else gets it...It gets ugly. :))

A mom (holding 4 carriers in hand with only 4 carriers left to sell)...

B mom: Com' on woman ,pick one, so the rest of us get something too....

A mom: I'm gonna buy these...

B mom: So, go and pay!!!!

At this point we cleared the boxing ring...:))

Socializing .....in the hood...

I guarantee it, there are at least 2 grandparents and a dozen neighbours missing Andrei now...






The perfect play area, that was. Good weather, toys and kids galore and loads of attention! Ake was as usual the funny man, doing silly tricks to the kids, who by the end of our stay were knocking at the door to either ask for Andrei, or 'the magician' to come out and play. :)

Back from Romania ...

Hang on to your shorts guys...we'll be posting like crazy...

Grandparents House

We had an absolute blast in RO! However, none of that sleep until lunch undisturbed ever happened. In fact Andrei kept waking up around 6 am every day, so that's when the day began for all of us...

The first thing on the list was visiting my grandparents...Andrei's great grandparents!

Rural Romania was as charming as ever....Here's some of the gang...





we did it all...drink fresh cow milk...feed the chickens...bathe in the sun...We had to! There were 43 c in the shade!

...go in the fields...I can never understand why granny complains of old age...we barely managed to keep up with her...city kids!!!

...cool ourselves with Pepsi in the evenings....