Hope everyone's having a good weekend. We had an unexpected night out on Friday, when a friend asked DD2 and DS if they wanted to stay overnight (DD1 had already arranged to stay overnight at the neighbours'), and went out for a meal at a Greek restaurant down the road. It's the first time in years and years that both of us have been able to go out and drink as one of us is normally driving, and we got through a whole bottle of wine. 
(I realise how pathetic this sounds, but anything more than a glass is normally too much for me!)
Spent most of yesterday working as I'm snowed under at the moment, but hoping to limit myself to just a couple of hours today as I managed to get ahead a bit yesterday. The DDs have been invited to a birthday party this afternoon and my friend texted me last night to ask if DS would like to go too to keep the birthday girl's little brother company, so we'll get another three hours of child-free time today. 
teacake We also moved over to Austria from the USA (DH is Austrian but worked in Pennsylvania for a couple of years). I think the shop opening times were the biggest shock to the system, after being able to go shopping whenever we wanted! It was good to move back and be closer to our families, though.
I'm about half an hour south of Vienna and there are a couple of other posters in Vienna itself (platanos and coco), although neither has posted for a while.
Thatis Well indeed, no expensive English courses necessary for our DC. (Although they're getting behind now as our neighbour's DD is learning French.) But I didn't think DS was particularly late learning to swim either. The swimming courses where the DDs learned to swim only take children from 5, so I was going to take him there in the summer - although if he learns to swim now (Saturday afternooons at a nearer pool are much more convenient), so much the better.
Gator Yes, we have the same contradiction here - children are seen almost as "losing their freedom" when they start school and even KiGa to some extent. Was talking to some neighbours last week about children starting school at 5 (i.e. a year early) and the general consensus was that you should gönn them that extra year of freedom. Honestly, you'd think you were sending them to prison. My SIL kept her DS at home until he was four, so I felt quite selfish about sending all the DC to nursery at two for the sake of my sanity. Then again, she did have my MIL to look after her DC while she was at work.
Sleeping through the night will give them brain damage?! I've heard some ridiculous things here, but that's a new one on me. The advice that your mum gaves you sounds excellent, and you can probably safely ignore anyone else (I also found myself ignoring certain medical professionals, although not the doctor) - certainly most of the advice given to you last week by someone who has less experience than you! We flew with DD1 to and from the USA when she was 9 and 15 months btw and she was fine both times (the only difference is that she didn't fit in the bassinet when she was 15 months!). The only thing I've heard about flying is that you should wait until the baby is about 4-6 weeks old unless it absolutely can't be avoided - the actual length of the flight doesn't make any difference, I don't think (although a longer flight may obviously be a bit more tiring for you!). Fifteen months is probably quite a good age as he's likely to be walking so you can take him for walks round the plane to pass the time, you can give him most types of food, he can occupy himself with toys for a bit longer, etc.