Monday was actually a very calm start to the week. Steph and I had a gentle day at home doing jobs interspersed with playing with toys. After a busy weekend we needed a quiet day but I'm also trying to start being ''more at home and less on holiday''. The first couple of weeks have had a very holiday type feel to them as we explore and just enjoy where we are but I feel now we need to start moving slightly back into reality. If for no other reason than Steph needs some calm days as well as holiday days. Also reality kind of hits when you realise that house work does actually need doing, even if it's with a hoover that's cable is only 4m long max!
Tuesday morning was story time in the library, which was based on a theme of music so lots of singing, during which time my daughter kept saying 'No mummy, no!''
We decided to brave the Boulder bus system during the afternoon! While Steph was having her nap I had a look on Google and discovered that the bus routes here aren't numbered but given names; Hop, Skip and Jump for the main three routes! I was entertained by this.
Our plan was to head to Boulder main library with Olivia and her three children as there was an author doing a performance / talk there that looked quite good. We had a lovely afternoon. The author was very entertaining and the library was a fantastic place to explore. They even had some clown fish in the fish tank so Steph was happy to see Nemo.
Our day was complete when we came home to find our Social Security Numbers had arrived in the post :) This meant we could sort a car, driving tests, finalise bank account details and click the button to go on the Health Insurance along with many other things. We could start living here properly :)
Wednesday was a big day for us as Steph was going to Nursery for a trial day. We'd chatted to her and prepared her as much as we could. She and I had been shopping earlier in the week to buy her a cool bag for her lunch, as they have to take their own, and that morning we packed it together. We were ready.
Andy and I dropped Steph off together, she seemed very happy to go in, slightly hesitant at the door but easily distracted until she was asked to put her lunch bag on the shelf! She didn't want to let her food go!I believe the lunch bag spent most of the morning in her hands.
Once Steph was happily playing at nursery Andy and I headed to another house viewing. Wow! Goldilocks moment - this one was just right :) It was a lovely detached house with a big garden. There were three bedrooms upstairs and a forth one in the basement, with a bathroom, which for us is ideal, as it means guests can come and stay and not be disturbed by the baby or Steph. The living space was fantastic too, wrap around lounge, dining and kitchen with a great big room in the basement for Andy. Rapid emails asking for referees were sent off following this visit so we could apply to rent this house. By Friday morning all checks had been done and references provided and we confirmed that the house would be ours come mid-August. So, for anyone planning to visit, we will have space for you and you're more than welcome :)
The rest of Wednesday passed in a blur. I kind of expected that without Steph I'd get loads of things done but I didn't. By the time I'd been to the few shops I needed to and chatted to Mum there wan't a lot of time left!
Steph had a great day a nursery, she needed some reassurance but generally joined in and played with everyone. When I got there she held her arm out to the room and said 'Steph's new friends!'' A success! It may be my imagination but I felt that Steph was also a little happier that evening, as if her world was slotting back into place. A successful trial day meant that I could now book her in for two days a week. We shall see how it goes and re-evaluate in a few weeks time. Another advantage for us is the nursery is 5 minutes from the new house.
Thursday saw me heading to the doctors. With the arrival of the SSN's we were on the way to sorting the medical insurance so I could finally see someone and get bump checked out. Wow! I had been recommended to go to Boulder Women's Care which specialises in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. It's run by 5 women doctors and a team of nurses and was a really lovely experience. The 5 doctors all take it in turns to be on call so one of them will definitely be with me at birth. Once there, I had to fill in lots of paperwork and then they gave me a quick check. I was really surprised as I thought they would want to re-do most things I'd had done just to make sure but they were very happy with my UK notes and felt there was nothing more they needed to do at this time. I was able to chat to them about where I go for the birth and all the other details and came away very impressed and happy that I now had everything sorted. The only thing I had to do was ring the hospital and book a tour - this I did and upon hearing that I was already 33 weeks the lady I spoke to offered to give Andy and I a private tour this week as the official ones are all booked up. I can't wait to see how it compares to the UK.
The rest of Thursday was taken up with Google's summer family BBQ. We drove out to another new place, Lyons, where we were fed and watered in a beautiful setting, surrounded by mountains with a river burbling next to us, that could be paddled in. Yet another opportunity for meeting new people. We had a great time and came home exhausted.
Friday was another busy day, Steph went back to nursery and I was on a mission to price up and sort out cars. Several hours of sitting in garages talking to salesmen later I had all the info I needed and headed to the Off Licence in search of wine! Wow, a very good off-licence, they didn't just have American wines, they had a very good selection of European wines too. I was very pleasantly surprised.
Saturday started with a walk. Again a very picturesque location. We walked up part of a canyon that has a river / stream running down it where paddling was a must. A very pleasant mornings walk and paddle was had by all.
The afternoon saw us head to the VW garage to buy ourselves a car :) After going over my collection of numbers from the previous day we had decided that we would like to get a VW Tiguan. It's not as uneconomical with fuel as some of the 4 x 4's but it's still a 4 x 4, which is needed during the winter and if we do much exploration of the mountains. A mostly sensible decision! ( We did have more sensible cars on the list and other, more fun cars on the list.......) All paperwork is now going through and hopefully we will have a car by the end of the week :) Something that entertained us was the disclaimer VW here in Boulder have had to add onto their current stock of cars; Apparently during the massive thunder storm the other week, when it hailed huge hailstones, most of their stock got dented by the hail! The dents are quite impressive.
And so we come to Sunday. We headed to The Butterfly Pavilion this morning and had a brilliant time wondering around looking at the various tarantulas, millipedes and other bugs they had there and looking at all the beautiful butterflies. Steph was very taken with Rosie, the tarantula, who was sitting with a member of staff waiting to be held by visitors. Unfortunately Steph was below their age limit for touching her but I suspect if allowed she would have done.
The final part of Sunday was some Daddy / daughter bonding time. Andy took Steph to the local climbing wall where she was on great form apparently and thoroughly enjoyed herself, judging by the tantrum given when it came to taking the climbing shoes off at the end of the session. They have an area specially for smaller people where Steph was quite happy climbing 6ft walls. I suspect she will be doing lessons there once she hits 2.5 and is old enough.
So looking back over the week many steps have now been taken towards settling down and making a life for ourselves here and moving away from the holiday feel. It's all been quite exciting but emotional as we really are settling. Now we have a house we are very keen for our container to arrive and move in. Much as we have appreciated the use of the house we're in, it's not ours and it's not our stuff and I think we will feel much more at home once we are surrounded with our things again. In the meantime let the holiday continue.......
Very glad things are beginning to fall into place for you, I'm enjoying reading!
ReplyDeleteSorry to have missed you before you escaped.
Very best wishes
Alistair