Frühlingserwachen - spring finally seems to have arrived in Germany and Austria...

[LinzerTorte]

... or at least I hope so.

For everyone in Germany and Austria, and anyone else who would like to chat!

thanks for sharing similar stories. could your ds dress up as Cameron Diaz for the interview, westvan? I sent an apology and rectified the application letter.

The pie looks so yummy...please don´t throw it out admylin! your dc look very cute too.

oh Linzer, that is rude. I think you are right to expect an apology. Especially as you only spoke to the dad 5 mins earlier. I am not sure whether people in Vienna are unfriendly, I wouldn´t say so. But I met a British woman who had lived in Berlin for ages and said how unfriendly people were here in comparison. I find it hard to judge - come across all sorts everywhere.

westvan- have you got a recipe for the Bienenstich? It´s one of our favourites but you don´t see it round here very often. We have to drive to Krems (about 60 km?) to get a piece in a Cafe there. Hope the cakes and celebrations go well

bebe...I felt for you as I read about your ordeals. I was then relieved to read you had a good night´s sleep. I hope today is going smoothly too...

canella.oh no, what a nightmare. dd1 has an open invitation to stay at a friend´s house but we have not let her yet because she sometimes wets the bed and she gets anxious at bed time. I don´t fancy having to go to get her in the middle of the night. did you get the bike?

Admylin - that pie looks delicious!
*trying to eat healthily but now craving pie :)

admylin - the pie looks delicious. I love pastry, but it doesn´t seem to be as popular here as in the UK.

Linzer - Cameron was a name I considered for ds, but dh refused saying he thought it was a girl´s name. Shame about the play date. I think you definitely deserved an apology.

bananas - that did make me smile. I once had to file medical records away and couldn´t work out whether some of the names were first names or surnames eg. Wilhelm Bernardt. I ended up fiing them randomly and hoping noone would need to find them again.

That's interesting about the woman who'd lived in Berlin, bananas. I lived there for a couple of years and definitely had far more negative experiences with unfriendly people than I've had here (but can only compare it with B. rather than Vienna). OTOH we went back to Berlin for a long weekend last year and I was quite surprised at how friendly everyone was - maybe I just remembered the place as worse than it actually was!

bananasbananas - I don't have a specific recipe at the moment. I've never made it before so I'm looking at about 10 different ones on the internet and trying to piece one together from that. Some of the recipes on the Dr. Oetker site don't look bad but the filling ingredients vary and I don't know which one would be best. I made a Donauwelle with a buttercream made of vanilla pudding and butter once and it was much too rich for us. I'll probably do something with whipped cream and some of that instant pudding stuff to hold it together.

We always have the Copenrath und Wiese frozen Bienenstich on birthdays! It tastes really good. It's the topping of caremalized almond flakes that I wouldn't know how to do.

Half way through my ironing now - trying to get ds to stopplaying ping pong ball against the wall and revis efor biology test. When that's done I have to go back out to get paper as have just seen that the printer is empty.

Is ds2 just staying home for his birthday? Did he not hear back from all the places he applied to? We've got Zukunftstag in a months time. Dd wants to go to her friend's dads workplace - he's a teacher at a Berufsschule and I'm sending ds and his friend to dh's engineer (the one with hayfever) to see something different. LAst year they all went to the experimental lab with dh but he's too busy this year and just in his office most of the time at the moment.

Posting pictures of food when there's pregnant women around is high irresponsible!

Today is ok.
Cannot get dd out of the house for love or money tho...it's because I cannot find her shovel. She will not go (how old is she!) you'd think I have more control??? I got her to the ground floor with her screaming and flailing about when I thought (forgive me) F this. And brought her back upstairs. I opened the door to the balcony again and put her new play tent out there with a few toys and she's been running in and out all day; I've turned down the heat and put on sweater (she's still in her outside clothes)...currently she's got the ice cubes out of the freezer and has them dumped all over the living room rug (but I've given up for today -my internals hurt a bit from dealing with her earlier- so I don't really care and don't really see the harm besides the wet -dh would be livid)
In reference to drink (dd's not mine )
I've been trying to limit her drink for the past couple of weeks as it was way out of hand before and today she's maybe had 350ml which is VERY low for her (with the new rules it's 200ml breakfast, 200ml snack, 200ml lunch and then again at supper and then 350 of milk for bed... so really it's half what she'd normally have by now). Hoping it makes a difference with the damp. (when we got here she was easily drinking 350ml at least 5x a day -but was not having wetting problems at first)

Bebe - good that you got a decent night's sleep. I'm also convinced that dd sleeps better when she's had plenty of fresh air exercise.

BananaMad - glad to hear that your pregnancy is nearly out of the worrisome first trimester.

Admylin - I'm a bit of a fanatic about drinking tap water. When I was pregnant I started demanding tap water at my PIL's and they started buying still bottled water for me. It really wound me up, especially when they offered me the already open bottle from my last visit several days later. Fortunately they eventually accepted that tap water was safe and they let me drink it now. DH also likes his water fizzy, so I bought him a soda stream .

Westvan - hope the cakes turn out. I'm always amazed by pictures of cakes my friends have created on FB. At least dd isn't old enough to demand fancy birthday cakes yet. She'd probably want Upsy Daisy or Biene Maja.

Linzer - you've made me slightly worried that I haven't kept enough paperwork from my uni time. Can't be bothered to actually check though.

Right, have to go and have a shower. I came down with dd's vomiting bug yesterday and have spent most of today asleep, but have to go teach in an hour.

And just to prove to you even tho I'm complaining again how rotten she is... this happened earlier:

Freezer door scrapes.
Moo get out of the freezer! I thought we were playing with the Lego?
Fine YEW High Keems!....and then it's dropped in my lap with a bowl and spoon (both of which are clean and from the dishwasher)

however she wouldn't put the ice cream back in the freezer once dished out ;)

-I think my problem is I encourage/reward her independence a little too much ;) But it was too cute, I couldn't resist giving her a spoonful.
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Ad - yes, he didn't want to have a party or anything this year although he may go to a movie with some of his pals at a later date. We sent out three applications on Tuesday and that one was the first reply. He also applied to an advertising agency and Saturn so we'll see what comes up. Ds18 did his practicum in a lawyer's office and he said it was dead boring.

So I need to ask:
AIBU -don't want to post on the real AIBU because they're vicious!

MIL called last night and was all upset that we're away for Moo's 2nd when we didn't have a 1st. 'we're just missing out on all her formative milestones!' fn hell woman walking is a milestone, talking is a milestone...a birthday party is NOT a formative milestone.
She's also nagging about me and Moo coming to visit them as it's 'going to be just so long before we see her again and we were just starting a relationship with her' -this really truly irritates me because MY parents don't get to see Moo for at least 6m at a time, and there have been times it's been a whole FN year since I've seen them...but this just doesn't matter to her and it's sounding a little too much like her 'well you ought to come live in the UK because your parents have 5 kids and I only have the 2 so I'd miss out more' when dh and I got married (tho at the same time I do understand what she's saying abt Moo-I just hate that she's really trying to guilt me into it)....anyhow
I told her I'm just not fit to travel alone with Moo right now because of the pregnancy sickness and that I have very strict dietary needs currently which I don't feel comfortable imposing on other people/dealing with outside the 'home' I mean I have enough troubles when we go away on the weekends for drives...I just cannot see myself dealing well at their house and during the travel. PLUS, the fact that Moo is not sleeping thru the night and I need to have dh around at night to support me. She said they'd be happy to do it, but it's just not the same. As Moo wouldn't won't settle for them I am positive, and it's not like she'd be in their room to deal with...I'd still be having to get up by myself to settle her, and while yes, they could deal with her during the day and I could get some rest, I'd not really be comfortable with that, and she'd (moo) not want to go anywhere with them without me because she's just really not that comfortable with them yet. Last time we tried them dealing with her by themselves at their place she was hysterical the whole time and we had 2 weeks of clingy behavior and nightmares... tho it was 3m ago now.
Anyhow (again) I reminded her we were coming home for Easter most likely and then if they were coming to visit in June and then we'd be back the end of July it really wasn't that long in between visits and moo seeing them.
AIBU? Should I be making more of an effort and it's just my lack of sleep causing the annoyance/ feelings like it's just not possible right now?

bebe No, YANBU - my MIL is also very good at making us feel guilty about things, but even she's not that bad. I don't think a birthday party is a milestone either (we never had birthday parties for the DC at that age) and if we haven't been at my parents'/ILs' for the DC's birthdays, have just celebrated with them afterwards - no one has ever minded. I can understand why you don't want to travel back at the moment; I find it stressful enough travelling with the DC on my own, none of whom are toddlers any more and I'm not pregnant either! Easter really isn't that long away either; perhaps it's just because your PIL are used to having her around, or at least closer to them, and feel like they're missing out now. If you're uncomfortable about going, stick to your guns; you really don't need the extra hassle of having to travel/be away from home when you're feeling unwell and sleep deprived.

silken Did you study in Germany? I think my degree certificates are the only paperwork I have (well, I probably had a letter to say that I'd been accepted at university but the certificates should prove that!) and the only thing I've kept otherwise is my masters thesis. DH has accumulated a massive amount of paperwork, all of it quite official looking, not to mention all his lecture notes, etc. (folders and folders of the stuff).

Must get DD1 to redo her homework now; she did it earlier, but not correcting all the mistakes she'd made and her handwriting was awful. She eventually agreed to redo it, but then we had to leave to pick up DS so she's still got most of it left to do. I could say that it's her own lookout, but I know that if I don't get her to redo it now, DH will make sure she does it when he gets home - which will mean yet another later bedtime.

My goodness, bebe YANBU. Are the PIL still working or retired? If they are retired I can't believe they are asking you to travel so they can see dd. Also they are getting to see her twice within the next 4 months. I'd pass this one on to your dh if I was you and try to make them come to their senses!

Linzer dh has those schein things from university too and a few certificates. The most important ones seem to be the proof of registration - is it immatriculation ones. It's to do with the Rentenversicherung I think. I hope we've sitill got them somewhere but I remember the rentenversicherung people already asking him about all that when we moved to Berlin. I wonder, when you turn 65 or whatever age you retire at, if you really have to present all these Nachweise to get your pension.

They're retired, but they watch S/BIL kids because they're both teachers.
SIL just FB me and said about the same thing as MIL...Mum just called saying how upset she was about not being able to see Moo so often, maybe you should come and visit. You could stay here with us if you want...
(Moo knows them even less then PIL unfortunately because they're so busy)
Sigh

That's virtually emotional blackmail bebe - I agree with admylin that you should pass this one on to your DH.

admylin Yes, it's proof that he was enrolled at university every semester. The Pensionskasse has just asked him to send in the documents, so hopefully he won't have to do it again when he's 65.

Have just been perusing the Lakeland catalogue and wishing that postage to the continent wasn't so expensive. I also like the sound of this MN wine tasting, but I had an e-mail from the company selling the wine to let me know that they don't deliver to Australia.

Bebe, yanbu at all. If Moo is having difficulty settling into your new place, then the last thing she needs is more upheaval with travelling. My parents don't see dd very often either, but we skype regularly and dd recognizes them immediately when she gets to see them in person.

I didn't realise Moo wasn't 2 yet. When's her birthday? She must be very close in age to my dd (2 in May).

2 on 3rd of April.
I just emailed and asked if they minded when we came for Easter if we had a late 'party' for her...

I am really annoyed to be honest.

so much so that i forgot to eat before 5...
grrr

just quickly bebe...YANBat all U. more later because dinner is cooking I already burnt dinner on tuesday due to MN habit!

Dh is livid, I blurted it out the second he got in the door which wasn't the wisest probably. He said I was not to worry about it at all and he'd talk to her and his sister about it. He said they were being unreasonable and were not really considering what trouble it would be for me/us. and it was the last thing I should be thinking about/worrying about right now.
Unless, he said, you really want to go back and leave me all alone for a week or so... runs in the family

bebe...glad that dh agrees with you, how could it be otherwise! you have enough to get on with without a trip back home. And anyway you will be back for Easter and they can see her in June. Hope you are able to be gentle but very firm and the subject does not come up again.

silken - did you make it to the class okay? hope you are feeling better, hate those bugs and how contagious they are.

Thanks westvan...your cake making skills sound far more advanced than mine so I shall be searching the freezer section for a Bienenstich, thanks for the tip admylin.

linzer..so, it is true that some people get Austria and Australia muddled up then? When we first got here I was puzzled about the "No kangaroos in Austria" t-shirts, stickers etc. After posting that about the British woman I emailed her, turns out she has moved back to Berlin as she was offered her old job back. Her husband travels lots and they have no children. She is very happy to be back in Berlin!

I must go to bed. I woke up at 3.30 last night , or this morning, or whenever...and could not fall back asleep and am feeling it now. Good night all, esp to those with little ones or bed wetters.

Thanks, bananas. I am feeling better, but still tired. Fortunately it seems to be a short-lived thing. DH came down with it as well last night, so has been on the sofa all day watching cricket writhing in pain. He's determined to go back to work tomorrow though.

It wasn't a class that I had to teach, but a music student. As sod's law would have it, he brought daddy the big important surgeon to the lesson instead of the nanny, because he goes to school in Bayern (local school not good enough) and they're off this week. I was trying not to touch anything in case I passed on the bug, but the kid couldn't get the reed into the oboe and so gave it to daddy to try. The dad tried to twist the thing in and obviously (to me) damaged it in the process. The poor kid could barely play and there was nothing I could do without trying the reed myself. Should have just cancelled.

Anyway, I have to play a concert tomorrow, so need to get to bed.

Hi - can I join you all? We live in a little village about 45 mins drive north of Munich, have been here just over 3.5 years. I have 2DC (5 and 3 years old) and number 3 due at the end of next month.
Have just read through the thread but it is hard to keep everyone straight in my head upon first encounter - hope to do better next time I look at it!

Bebe you have my sympathy - it is my mum who does the emotional blackmail in our extended family rather than MIL so much, but you are totally right not to put her needs before yours and your DC's! I take it that it is not that long since you moved? My DC1 stopped sleeping (she had never been a great sleeper) when we moved over here too - she was 19 months at the time and I was 6 months pregnant, and spent my 3rd trimester sleeping on her (wooden) bedroom floor as she was such a wriggly sleeper bed sharing just didn't work! At 7.5 months pregnant again now though I can't think how I managed sleeping on the floor last time! It did all settle very soon after DC2 was born - no idea if it was co-incidence or not that it happened then. Hope your little girl keeps up the good night she had the other night.

wow this thread moves fast - i cant keep up with all the news!

welcome 2and1ontheway - should i say what everyone said to me when dc3 was born - wow you'll have your hands full!!!! but its amazing how you just get on with it isnt it! Are you german? How are you finding life in germany?

Bebe - these family dynamics are hard - its hard to keep families happy when you're not in the same country. But it sounds like you're dh is dealing with it.

silken - hope you feel better today. I've heard people here in Bayern raving about how good the school system is but think they mean at gymnasium level since it doesnt seem extraordinary to me at the moment. I just find it very pressured especially for the little ones. dd is in the 4th class just now and to get to go to the gymnasium or realschule they have to get a grade better than 2.66!!! with 2.7 in Hessen you can go to a gymnasium! Really think the system here favours the cleverer children.

linzer - hilarious that they mixed up austria with australia - never heard that before!!

westvan - belated happy birthday to your "daughter" cameron!!! i love the name and thought of it for ds2! hoep he had a good day!

Got the bike yesterday - and some inliners for the other 2. dd has gone off all things pink (not cool anymore!!!!) and her old inliners were pink as well as being a bit too small. so she's now getting some black ones so i can pass them on to the boys later!

spoke to the mum of the sleepover girl - she couldnt sleep cause dd has a nightlight in her room! fair enough but dh turned it off when they went to bed! so still no wiser as to why she didnt sleep - they hadnt had an arguement - dd was asleep already!! dd was a right grump yesterday since she was so tired - sent her to bed yest at 8.30 (normally later since its half term) and she's still asleep!!!

well better crack on with some housework altho i really cant be bothered! taking the dc and a friend and her dc to a big soft play place this afternoon - my dc love it there and we can be there for 5 hours and still have to drag them home! only problem is its a 50 min drive away but think that makes it more of a special treat since we dont go so often!

Hope you all have a good weekend!

nips into say hello
as Im on housework strike