Spring

Spring has sprung in Tirana; the acid-green mimosas are in bloom by the lake and hawkers amble the avenues selling big bunches for a few lek. I'm told they're late this year, probably because the rains were late as well. It's so nice to have some warmer weather at last.

But my photo stock is still replete with indoor shots, so here's a healthy dose of Indoor Cuteness to get your Friday started off right.

This last photo is from the day a few weeks ago when we did NOT go on the cable car to Dajti. Some friends with a boy V's age had invited us to go along with them but it was a Saturday and an absolute madhouse. People were bussing in from all up and down the coast to see the snow! I had bundled the kids (and myself) up in layers upon layers of warm clothes, packed a picnic lunch, sent Terry back when I forgot the camera and their sunglasses, and then in the end we got to the cable car station and V threw an epic screaming hysterical fit and refused to get out of the car.

Hm. Awkward.

It didn't feel right to force her to do something she so clearly didn't want to do, and it wasn't just toddler stubbornness - the kind where they refuse to do ANYthing you ask, just out of sheer cussedness. It was specific to the cable car. Which was weird because she used to LOVE it.

Anyway, so we left our friends to wait in line for their tickets (almost 2 hours, it turned out later), and instead took the kids to a little park for a snack and then to Kolonat for pizza. Which was fine except that I was SWELTERING in all my layers of warm clothes.

I talked about it later with V and it seems like she's scared of the loud noise that the machinery makes at either end. I don't know why it was an issue this time when it hasn't been before (we've been at least 4 times) but maybe the last time we went she noticed it particularly for some reason. I've noticed before that she's very sensitive to loud noises, so I'm guessing that's what was up. We role played for a long time then going on the cable car with Dada holding her and helping her cover her ears when we go by the noisy part. I think next time the opportunity comes up I might be able to persuade her to go. But we've missed the high point of the snow.

~::~

We're surviving ok without Terry; nights are the toughest. A good night is one in which Valerie sleeps straight through without waking up. A bad night is one in which they both wake up at the same time and then keep each other awake while I try to get everyone calmed down and settled in to one bed. I wish I knew why G is such a restless sleeper. Hopefully he'll outgrow it like V did.