3 Weeks!

Hey Everyone!

I hope you are all well! I can't believe that I have been here 3 weeks already! It really seems like it's been longer, which is good. I feel very comfortable here so I am glad. I've been getting into the regular routine and it's working out. I've been waking up before the kids everyday, I have to get Charlotte's bottle of milk ready for her and I give it to her when she wakes up, it's like her cup of coffee in the morning, she won't function until she has had it. I get her ready, do her hair and bring her downstairs, then off to her daycare for a few hours. I wish she didn't have to stay at the daycare regularly, I feel like I'm getting paid too much to be doing so little. I have a lot of free time through out the day. I'm used to driving here and even though it's basically the same, there are some differences. All of the cars are SO tiny! The car I drive isn't too small, it's bigger than the others but if it were in the U.S., it would be considered tiny. I am also the parallel parking master! If you don't know how to parallel park in Europe, you're kind of screwed! They don't have huge parking lots like we do, only at a few places, a lot of grocery stores have parking garages and all that, it's weird. When I pick the kids up from the daycare, parking is always the biggest hassle. There is construction going on at a building right beside both of their daycares, so parking sucks. If a handicap spot is available people take it! It's nuts. I guess when cops don't have anything to do here, they don't try to screw people over and set speed traps and all that crap, it would be nice if that happened in Richmond Hill.. but anyway

The kids have been good.. lately Charlotte has been testing me more and it's killing me! Sometimes I think she hates me, but then again I don't know, I'm not mean to her or anything, but she is 3 so I guess it's the way she is for now. Sven was talking to me about disciplining the kids and not to be shy if I have to yell or use a really stern tone. Nicholas and Charlotte were chasing each other around the living room and he told them to stop a few times and they didn't, so then he yelled, and when he was done I told him that I'm pretty sure he said what every Dad would have said, but if I was ever yelled at in German, I'd probably pee my pants. He laughed and said he sounded like the typical German Nazi guard.

Today Graziella, Charlotte and I went shopping in a town like 3o to 45 mins away. It was in this huge mall that was pretty much like any mall in the states. It was unbelievably crowded! I got a little down though, it's no fun shopping alone I guess. I know Graziella couldn't really shop with me because she had to keep an eye on Charlotte, but I did get a little lonely. So I came home and took a 3 1/2 hour nap! I have this schedule that works for me and I love it! I wake up at either 6am or 7am, get ready, get Charlotte ready, take her to her daycare. I take a 2 to 3 hour nap in the afternoon before I get her, so I can stay up later and talk to friends in the states and still be able to wake up on time. I'm happy it works. My Dad was worried I'd stay up all night and talk to friends, but I have it worked out :). I am also SO happy, it's been snowing here for the past 2 days and more snow is expected to come tonight and tomorrow. I love it, I haven't seen snow in a few years so I hope we get a ton. Well I feel like I am rambling at this point, so I'm going to end it here! Take care everyone!

Jess