I have been absolutely shit at writing and updating lately. New country et all.. So I thought I’ll do a sum up of 2015 – because really, it has been utterly nuts!
In January Husband got a job as a History teacher in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and then got “upgraded” to Head of History and MUN. This meant that, once again, I had to move country, not with one baby, but a baby AND a three year old. But first I had to pack a whole house of mess down, oh and finish my exams for my masters, oh and give birth.
On the 5th of February, I finished my last exams and officially went on maternity, on the 8th I celebrated the Block’s third birthday with a big birthday party. On the 16th Beano was born, two days early and early in the morning. Beautiful birth, if there is such thing. But after the Block’s birth (which left me looking like I had been fingered by Freddy Krüger), a two hour labour from start to finish is a bloody beautiful birth. I woke up Monday morning with a twang and twinge. Thought about taking a shower, but thought not to, as I was going to give birth in water, it would be silly. Went down and started to listen to my “contraction playlist” oh, yes, I had one of those, whilst rocking on my ball. Then the twings and twangs started biting a little bit more, so I chose to wake up the Husband. He made me a cup of tea and called our friend to look after Block. Out in the car, back in the house with a jacket for Block, back into the car, chase a cat out, start driving and at 7am , we were at the midwife led birthing centre. It was seriously hurting now, but I felt in control, up the stairs, surprised midwife starts to run pool, water breaks in loo. Not going in pool, up on all four on the bed and 7.28 Beano was born. Beautiful.
So that’s just January and February. Months passing, getting used to having a baby in the family. Beano is super chilled and lovely, feeds well, sleeps well and slowly the house is looking more and more empty, meanwhile Husband is trying to sort out getting buy-to-let and all that boring stuff, however boring stuff can be pretty stressful stuff.
In May we all go to Denmark to say goodbye to my family for an unforeseeable time.
July and we have finally sorted almost everything out. Saying goodbye to lovely Frome and great friends proving to be a little hard.
…. And now it is my 30th birthday. Wow. How did that happen? Pool party it is. Seemed to the only good weather day. Lucky. Farewell party as well!!
Then Tuscany with Husbands family, delicious.
August the 5th – we are officially moving. Car fully packed to go to the airport. Three big suitcases and four pieces of hand luggage, a buggy, two kids and us. And then I get a phone call about my dad having been in a terrible motorcycle accident. That day. Right there. Foot out of the door to move myself and my whole family to Malaysia. He was alive, but his left leg totally crushed and he lost ALOT of blood. He was going in to surgery. To go or not to go? At the airport I got a call, the surgery went well, but all of his left leg had been amputated. He tells me to go. Not the ideal way to start a new adventure.
Dubai – 24 hours, speaking to dad – he is in good spirit.
Kuala Lumpur – and so the adventure begins.
First month is spent finding a place to live and getting used to the heat. Eating awesome food and seeing temples. Both kids are doing well. KL is proving to be a very interesting place to be. We find a fantastic apartment, with minimalistic interior and awaits our stuff. Block starts school and the school bus picks him up every day. He seems like such a big boy. Beano is clapping and sitting and is still very happy, sleeping not so well anymore.. Teeth are coming.
Blockie is swimming!
Then came the haze. Not something we were anticipating. A lot of time is spent indoors and suddenly it becomes okay to ride your scooter around the house. Turtle lairs are built. Beano is crawling. Unorthodox method. By now I am getting serious cabin fever. KL has lost a little bit of its charm. Beano keeps getting ill, has to go on a nepuliser. Half term. We go to Cambodia for 6 days and see Angkor Wat and have an amazing time. Everything is beautiful there, the people, the place, the blue sky, and the temples. Magical. That is why we moved. To get experiences like that! We fly back and enter KL and a continuing haze. I feel deflated. Husband and I talk about it. If Beano gets ill again, the boys and I will go to Denmark. By this time the we are told that haze might last till February. Beano gets ill again.
14 hour flight to Heathrow. 3 hours wait . 2 hours to Copenhagen. Denmark. On my own for a month with two boys. Beano does not sleep well anymore. He has got four teeth and two more on the way. He is suffering. How ever, I am in Denmark and I am hanging out with with all of my severly missed friends and I love it. Haze disappeared a day after we left. Sod’s law. Husband is missing us. After a month in DK with friends and family, back to Southeast Asia it is and despite a small fright, thinking that flight was cancelled, it is changed with a 6 hours wait in Heatrow. At first, a bit of a bugger, but then Husband’s mum, dad and sister + beautiful daughter came to see us and all is well!
Back in KL. Sky is blue and beautiful. Beano is cruising and walking with a walker. It is December. Christmas is coming. I stocked up with Danish Christmas treats in DK. Trip to Thailand discussed. Blockie is saying no, he has had enough of the travelling, fair enough. We are enjoying KL. Spending time with some seriously lovely people here. We go to Batu Caves, cookery courses for the Block, The Botanical Gardens. A silly Nisse came from Denmark and turned the house upside down. Husband is on Christmas holiday.
The ugliest Christmas tree in Asia
Nissen has been & done naughty things
And here we are. After Christmas. Not yet in 2016. Parents-in-laws been and gone – to Blockie’s great enjoyment. We’ve had a lovely Christmas. Danish and English. Eating turkey, ris ala Mande, feeding the homeless, going to Out of Africa for steaks and met Asian Father Christmas.
New years eve was held in the name of the kids and mexicansk food is consumed. 10 kids and 9 adults – Blockie had a blast, of course! Stayed up to watch fireworks.
But today, the 1st of January 2016, it’s just been us. Family day. Eating left overs. Watching James Bond, mummy and daddy that is, while the Blocks were napping. They needed rest. We needed rest. What a year it has been. Bring on 2016 – finishing a Masters (by writing a dissertation), turning one and four, having great Fromies visiting in February, getting a job (for me) and hopefully lots of, lots of travelling for us.
Merry Christmas from an unexpected housewife in Malasia and happy New Year.
An unexpected housewife 