The next phase

Annika turned four the other day. For months she has been talking about a birthday party so Hugo and I finally decided to give her one. Second child seems to probably not get as much as the first. Isabel had some great parties back home in Sydney. We decided to book a room at the YMCA and to cater it ourselves. Birthday parties here in Manhattan take children’s parties to a totally new level. What seems  so baffling to me is that the simplest of parties can easily run a bill well into the thousands?

After attending quite a number of parties here I have slowly learned the protocol or should I say the differences that kid’s parties have here to back home in Australia.

We had pizza and juice boxes which are what we have here. Unfortunately Annika has never had a party pie or sausage roll so they were not on the menu.

The room had a play-center so the kids just ran wild in the comfort of air conditioning. It so happened to be a hot and humid day so I am sure the parents were glad it was held at this venue.

We are also approaching our long awaited Vacation to Atlantis in the Bahamas. It’s a dream come true for Isabel who was memorized when arriving here and watching a commercial on TV.

http://www.atlantis.com/default.aspx

We come back and it then gets close to the school. This is now my “next phase”. Annika will commence Pre-Kindergarten which will be five days a week 8.30am till 2.00pm.

I have not had that much time away from my children since before having Isabel nine years ago. It’s such a milestone for me as I really feel that both my babies have now learned to fly. I am also proud of my accomplishments and that I was able to always be there for them during their very young years.

I am thinking of going back to fulltime work as I feel the girls now don’t need me as much as they did.

I am so glad now I waited till they were ready for school.

 I am really enjoying my work with Cultural Care and establishing some wonderful relationships with my host families and my au pairs.

So again this is a new phase in my life……………and again I venture in to uncharted waters. Will keep you all posted as I slowly navigate through it.