Birthday Stress

My oldest turns five tomorrow (and ohh the anticipation). I had totally forgotten the focus and weeks of dreaming that goes into the expectations of birthdays at this age. He is almost too excited to sleep. 

 Was all fine sailing (apart from the fact that since we moved here he only has made friends through school- and only a few at that, and those few I really don't know very well). There is a very different culture here it seems.. not as common to have the spontaneous play dates after school. This wasn't the cause of stress though, it was the fact that it didn't dawn on me till yesterday that the party expectations are higher now

oh dear... do we really need to do the whole party favour thing..... already.. can't it still be simple...           ...think we are definitely breaking the rules here in Malta by having a casual picnic at the beach and not a Disney themed party at 'palace of dreams' .  Will he notice?? Will  those who show up be totally disappointed??!!  Are there any games I can quickly think up that will make it a perfect party to remember. 

Will I somehow be able to make the Wall-E looking cake he has been asking for, begging for.... for WEEKS. The pressure we parents put ourselves under for our children's birthday - day is.... ridiculous... (actually my husband doesn't seem all that worried) maybe its more a mom thing. 

side note

As the food obsessed parents we are, we have planned all sorts of different summer salads, dips, drinks (more aimed for the adults present admittedly). What terrible parents.

  

Perhaps

It was a mistake to name my youngest daughter Stella..  a more fitting name we have come to realize  would have been DESTRUCTO, she is so sneaky and fast! Turn your back for a moment like a did this morning and she managed to find the permanent pen and was heading (cap off) towards the clean folded laundry basket when she was thwarted from her artful vision.  Next it was dumping out first all her brothers train tracks (this was while I was washing dishes) a second later it was the box of wooden blocks and last but not least as I was trying to pick up the 101 domino blocks she escaped from view (thirty seconds) next I found her emptying everything out of the baking drawer- (while taking handfuls of prunes from the container and jamming them into her mouth) brown sugar,  nuts, flour, packets of yeast...EVERYWHERE  and the house honestly was clean for once lasted from precisely 7:30 -7: 35.

 Chaos unfolded with the help of her siblings a tent underway in one room and drawing and cutting projects begun (solo rambo style- get it yourself) by her 3 year old sister ... I think they have come to realise that when I say 'in a minute...' it means not for a long while..... 

All this just as I was pouring a cup of coffee and had my Maltese homework laid out to begin... hah ... what was I thinking??!!! Moving to a new country, three kids under five and the decision to go back for a post graduate course in teaching (a  full time course), (as well as taking evening Maltese classes) was just a little ambitious. 

Ode to Maltese 

I have decided to share a few of my favourite Maltese words- 

Zunzana = wasp

Haffef = to hurry up

Tinkwetax = don't worry

(the 'x' is pronounced like a 'sh') 

The thing about Maltese that at points boggles my mind and makes me think- I will never truly get my head around this language are words like this- 

Ghamilthomli =  did you make them for me? 

or 

bghatthulux = you didn't send it to him?

Yes, in many cases one word here is like three or four words conjugated (in more than one place) and stuck together. For a new ear.. fat chance that in hearing this I would be able to pick it all a part and understand it. But I've got to try...the kids are getting ahead of me in their Maltese by leaps and bounds! 

Am a sucker for a picture with every post so here is one thing I love about Malta- you are never more then two minutes away from fresh (and very good) ricotta, bread (delivered nearly hourly in most places) or a cannoli (this photo was taken at a very small shop across the street from where we live, actually there are three such places within our block). 

Off to try and study!

Back to University next week!

Can't help but share

Ok, so I admit every once in awhile when we lived in the UK we watched this show, not that I miss it but my other half came across this (guess it is from last week) just thought I would share it. Britain's got Talent.