Saturday, May 31, 2014

Responsiblity

The other day I was having a conversation with my co worker about responsibility for kids.

There is a big cultural difference between USA and Spain when it comes to raising your kids and having them actually DO stuff.

I suppose it depends on the families as well, but I was always brought up to be pretty independent. I had an alarm clock by the first or second grade, I made my own lunches, made my bed, helped set the table, empty dishwasher, etc.

Here, it´s NOT common for kids to do anything. They are CLUELESS when it comes to doing any kind of chores.

My co worker is Spanish but she grew up in USA for many years and she has a ten year old daughter. Her daughter helps out a lot at home, helps clean and wash dishes, empty dishwasher, makes her bed etc. The NORMAL thing any ten year old USA kid would do.

She was telling me how she was like getting into a fight with another mother in her daughter´s class because somehow the topic came up and the mother was absolutely appalled that her daughter had to do all of those things. Her argument was that ¨She would have her whole life to do those things.¨  Um ya, not if you don´t teach her how. They all turn into lazy bums and do not know HOW to do those things because no one ever taught them and they were never expected to do it.

How can it be wrong to teach your child a sense of responsibility and then PRIDE because they are so proud of themselves when they do it. N is now four and she is at the age where she loves to help out. She helps set the table and just anything we ask of her she is so happy to help with. This week I started having her make her bed and she loves it!

I am going to slowly start adding more things in for her to do on the ¨chore¨ list.

It´s good for them!

Monday, May 26, 2014

mommies

It´s so interesting to me how every mom is just, different.

Some moms let their kids run around and get so dirty you cannot see their faces, while others are like ¨Junior! Do not even go near that puddle or you will never see the light of day!¨

Seville is an interesting city in that there is definitely a ¨separation of the classes¨

You have A)Pijos
                 B) Normal
                 C) Cani

Let me just tell you a little bit of each group so you have an idea.

The pijo group CAN be rich and come from money, but most of the time I think that they are not and just pretend they have it. They are the groups of people that always have a minimum of three kids, a full time nanny and housekeeper (although the mom is probably in the other room watching a soap opera) and they wear the MOST ridiculous clothing.  Dads usually tend to have Elvis like side burns, khaki pants, a polo shirt and then a sweater draping over their shoulders in case it is cold. This goes for all times of the year, even when it is 100 degrees outside. The mothers are just impeccable. They  are the women that walk out of the hospital weighing the same as before, hair and make up done, nails perfect etc. You get the picture. Ok, now the kids outfits are hilarious. I honestly think back to like 1945. HUGE prams that I have no idea how they would even get them in their cars, girls wear little bonnets, dresses that are ugly and tights. Boys wear tights until they are like seven with little onesies that have straps, it´s ridiculous! How can that even be comfortable or practical? Each of these girls dresses is minimum of like 100 euro. SO STUPID! So ya, I hate them all.

Next in group B you have....moi. Perfection.

Then group C Cani is kind of better known as the gypsy crew. The troublemakers of society.  Gold chains, kids not so clean, pregnant at a young age, neon clothing, too loud, always saying naughty words. The kind of crew that you go anywhere and their kids just keep crawling out of the woodwork and I´m always thinking to myself....WHY do they always have four hundred kids?!!!!

You get the drift.

So ya, interesting society eh?

Which group do you belong to?

Either way, going back to my original point...about mothers. My friend made an interesting comment the other day that I liked a lot. She said, ¨You are the best mother for your child. Not Jane Doe or the lady across the street, just you.¨   Me? Really?

But sometimes I ask N just to make sure ¨Do you want another mother, or Do you want to go to another family? ¨ SO FAR the answer has always been no. I´m just waiting for the day that it´s a yes.

Then I will have to look for a new mother, possibly in the ¨A¨group for her.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

42 years

Yesterday my parents celebrated 42 years married. Congrats to them! What an accomplishment that is these days.

I also was able to celebrate both sets of grandparents 50th anniversaries with them when they were alive.

I hope I have as good of a track record as they do!
Did I mention that when my mom was here a few months ago she bought me a new MacBrook Pro (Thanks Mom!) I would never to be able to afford this on my own, and now I can write on my lovely blog more often, because with an i pad it´s just too difficult to type.

She also bought N a new stroller (which we also could´t afford) I know, I know, she´s four with a stroller..that´s insane! Well, once you have lived here for about a week you would see that it´s not so insane. Most kids use them until they are six, so it´s tricky to find one for ¨big kids.¨

You see, I do not drive here. Ever. Everything that I could possibly need is within walking distance. And by walking distance I mean like a half an hour. After living here for nine years my standards of walking are much different than other Americans.

¨Far¨ for American standards is parking at the back of a packing lot and having to walk into Target. ¨Far¨ for my standards is about 45 minutes.

In comes the stroller.

When you have a four year old who wants to walk about two minutes and then wants you to hold her (she weighs more than forty lbs)  there is absolutely no way you are getting anywhere. And we walk EVERY SINGLE DAY.

So anyways mom, thanks for the stroller AND computer. They are both life savers.

Changes are a brew in´  I can feel them coming. Good changes, I think. I am excited for summer and am counting down the days. woot.

Break this...

Well, my life is complete and I could die any time now.

I finished the entire series of Breaking Bad yesterday.

For months I had seen people posting about it on Facebook or talking about how awesome it was and being the rebel that I am, I refused to jump on that bandwagon. I mean, how good could it possibly be?

Then it happened. There was absolutely nothing on TV. All the regular series I watched were over for the season, and my husband was out of town during the week for seven weeks. What the heck was I supposed to do after putting N to bed?

ding ding ding. In walks Breaking Bad.

When you watch a series every day for weeks on end you feel like you know these people. Like you have relationships with them.

So, when I finished the series yesterday I felt a bid sad. Like all those characters that I have been spending so much time with lately are gone. Forever. (wiping tears).

So, I turned to my Facebook family for the next saga that I should start.

Here is what they suggested:
Scandal
House of Cards
Homeland
Orange is the New Black
The Americans
Masters of Sex
Game of Thrones
Mad Men


We shall see. We shall see. Good thing I only have one kid or I wouldn´t be able to watch as much TV as I do.....

Friday, May 16, 2014

Well, I didn´t get the job. I tried though, so that´s all that matters.

We are in full summer mode here. It seems like spring just whirled by and now we are into summer.

It´s been in the 90s, it´s light until 10pm, and it is very hard to get a certain little girl to bed at a decent hour!

Semana Santa and Feria have come and gone and they were later year so we did not have to contend with any rain.

We did not go on a vacation this year because we are planning on going to Germany in September for a wedding. We shall see.

I am counting down the days until summer. Although I hear it is still int he 30s or something ridiculous in Indiana. Maybe I should bring winter attire?

Friday, May 09, 2014

99 valid reasons your toddler might get out of bed.

This is funny from the honest toddler blog:

99 Valid Reasons Your Toddler Might Get Out Of Bed


1. Heard a sound. 
2. Forgot to tell you about that thing. 
3. Has a question. 
4. Needs to use the bathroom. 
5. Feels a little hungry. 
6. Is scared. 
7. Saw a shadow (See: Is scared)
8. Wants a hug
9. Wants a kiss
10. Needs to report a sibling-related crime. 
11. Can't remember middle name. 
12. Needs to know how come volcanoes errupt. 
13. Foot hurts. 
14. Back itches. 
15. Wants to know what you're watching on TV. 
16. Wants to know why you're allowed to watch TV at night and they aren't. 
17. Is wondering if they can watch a little TV with you. 
18. Wants to know why you look mad.  
19. Needs you to apologize for hurting feelings with angry tone/face. 
20. Needs help teaching his/her blanket who's boss. 
21. Forgot what you looked like. 
22. Is wondering if this is a good time for you to teach her how to whistle. 
23. Wants to know why the kitchen smells like personal pan pizzas. 
24. Needs to know why your breath smells like Oreos. 
25. Is curious why your fingers are Cheetos-orange.
26. Wants to know what's for breakfast tomorrow. 
27. Is wondering if he can sample the menu. 
28. Needs you to check forehead for possible fever. 
29. Was wondering if cough sounds bad to you *cough cough* Does it sound bad? 
30. Wants to know why people need to sleep. 
31. Just wanted to tell you how much you mean to her. Some feelings can only be expressed by sharing pie. 
32. Wants to express some of those emotions through dance. 
33. Wants to know if the whole family can go for a drive. 
34. Would like you to google "do cars work at night" because your answer to previous questions sounds like a lie. 
35. Thinks monsters may live in closet. 
36. Thinks monsters may live under bed. 
37. Thinks monsters may live inside of go-gurt container and the right thing to do is free them and eat their habitat. 
38. Wants to talk on the phone to grandma. 
39. Needs to tell grandpa something via facetime. 
40. Is ready to learn how to read and wants to start lessons right away. 
41. Wants to know the name of the show you're watching. 
42. Wants to know who Olivia Pope is. 
43. Wants to know what Huck is doing to that lady. 
44. Is too scared to go to sleep now. 
45. Is wondering if he can hang out in the Big Bed for a few minutes. 
46. Wants to know why you had kids if you don't want to spend any quality time with them. 
47. Needs an answer for why the smallest person in the house is the only one sleeping alone. 
48. Peed through the Pull-up and needs a crisp one. 
49. Would like you to tell a story lasting at least one hour. 
50. Forgot a toy in the car. 
51. Current socks went out of fashion a few minutes ago and new, more on-trend socks are needed. 
52. Wants to know how much longer until her birthday. 
53. Would like to begin testing birthday cake recipes (now). 
54. There is a mark on his/her hand that needs immediate medical attention. 
55. Remembered a joke from earlier in the day that needs sharing. 
56. Heard the sound of a treat being unwrapped. Needs to investigate. 
Note: You may be asking yourself how your toddler's ears can hear snack cakes being unwrapped through four walls but can't hear their name being called three feet away. This has to do with physics and I don't have time to get into it right now. 
57. Nails hurt. 
58.  Needs a sip of water or will perish. 
59. Just wants one bite of bread please have mercy. 
60. Would like to just hug you and breathe in your essence. 
61. Is afraid of having a bad dream. 
62. Wants to hang out on the stairs. 
63. Forgot it was bedtime. 
64. Wants to know why you're mad and if you want to talk about it. 
65. Would like some milk. 
66. Can't drink milk without a straw. 
67. Wrong straw. 
68. Is very sorry and will take any straw please just one more chance if you please. 
69. (wrong straw) 
70. Is devastated about the milk situation and wants to make it right by drawing something for you. 
71. Bed feels weird. Would like a new one. 
72. Is offended by the Sesame Street bedspread as it is for babies. Would like a more mature, Jake and the Neverland Pirates sheets. 
73. Thought she heard something at the front door. 
74. One of their stuffed animals spoke their name. 
75. Has a headache in his butt. 
76. Forgot to take her vitamin that morning. 
77. Just remembered that something was scary on TV eight hours ago. 
78. Would like his bedroom repainted. 
79. Left something in the backyard. 
80. Foot feels strange. Not broken. Just strange. 
81. Has a poop situation they need emergency assistance with. 
82. Wants to know, once and for all, where the Halloween candy went. 
83. Band-Aid fell off. Needs new one to avoid infection. 
84. Feels angry and needs someone to take a swing at. 
85. Hates going to bed and wants to kick someone without looking at them because you can't get in trouble if you don't look while you're kicking. It could have just been reflexes or a muscle twitch. 
86. Wants a tour of the house starting with the Big Bed. 
87. Just wanted to ask if you were tired and were looking for someone to lie down with. 
88. Was curious if anyone is interested in some night time hand holding. 
89. Forgot to check the mail. 
90. Feels like it would be responsible to lay out the next day's outfit. 
91. Wants to know if you'd like help with the laundry. 
92. Is ready to hear how babies are made. 
93. Imaginary friend told him to get out of bed.
94. It's too hot. 
95. Had a vision (vision was about tortillas). 
96. Needs to speak to Siri about something she said earlier. Private matter.  
97. Is it too late for a bath? 
98. Hair hurts. 
99. Is it time to get up? 
- See more at: http://www.thehonesttoddler.com/search?updated-max=2014-04-08T09:35:00-04:00&max-results=5&start=15&by-date=false#sthash.vNBDR03z.dpuf

Wednesday, May 07, 2014

Pumped.

I´m so proud of myself. It´s not wrong for us to be proud of ourselves, and we all know we would like people to tell us that more often.

I had a job interview in Madrid today. A HARD job interview. And I was thinking.....even if I don´t get the job, what an incredible experience.

Most of my days are spent speaking in another language that is not mine. Isn´t that just mind blowing? And today I had an interview in a language that is not mine and I can honestly say I was not nervous.

My daily life is spent speaking a language that is not mine and living in a world that is not comfortable to me, yet it´s my home.

As I was weaseling my way through the unfamiliar metro in Madrid, I felt proud.

Proud of all that I have accomplished and all that is yet to come.

(Me pounding my chest like a gorilla)

Amen.