:: une promenade en famille ::

:: l'amicizia ::

Friends help make life a more beautiful shared experience. There are friendships that develop over years of growing up together or going through school together, through sharing the same workplace, church or through various groups that we join with our children, among many other places. Some friendships naturally fade over time as we move in different directions,  and some pick up instantly when we're face to face again, even if years have passed in between. Then there are the friendships that are built through walking through unique but very similar experiences that involve a roller coaster ride of joy, fear, tears and celebrations. This is a friendship we share with a precious family and it is one that means a lot to me.

Four years ago, when our tiny little girls were just over a month old, I was with Elise one morning in the highest level of intensive care in the Neonatal unit. She had just been transferred back there, being re-intubated and in isolation with a possible infection. During that morning I noticed a couple come into the room to visit their newly born twins. While I didn't want to invade their privacy of such a precious moment of their first interactions with their tiny little boys (weighing just around a kilo each), there was something about what I observed in those minutes that I identified so closely with, that it was quite emotional. It touched me because it seemed that their experience of these first moments was so close to our own only four weeks earlier. It's hard to describe with words those moments of joy mixed with fear when we first glimpse our fragile, perfectly miniature little babies fighting to breathe and to live when they should still have been inside for many more weeks.

I can't remember much of our interactions during the following days and weeks, and whether or not we actually talked, except that often when we passed we would catch each other's eyes and smile. In the neonatal unit there were babies there for all sorts of reasons. Some parents would make eye contact and we would talk, others would avoid any contact - which was more than understandable given the circumstances. We lived in a studio in an apartment building that belonged to the hospital. Renovation work was about to begin and we learned that we would be moving into other hospital apartments just 5 minutes up the road and we would be sharing an apartment with another family. When speaking with the social services staff I asked if it might be possible that we could share with this couple. She immediately laughed and said that they had just asked if they could share with us! And so began our friendship...

For the next several weeks we shared a little apartment together. Eti and Joe travelled back and forth between jobs at home and the hospital and Cindy and I spent our days between care times with our babies and resting, eating and doing various jobs that more than filled our days! They came from the Italian part of Switzerland, so our little home was filled with the sounds of Italian, Spanish, French and English, as each of us had a different mother tongue. We shared meals (they're amazing cooks!), small gifts from time to time and daily updates about how our babies were doing. There were good days and hard days, but it really was a gift to walk through them together, sharing an understanding of what it meant to experience the rollercoaster of Neonatal life. There were tears when our babies were struggling, and celebrations when they were doing well. There was also a lot of laughter (including a late-night incident when my mum had to kill a big spider because neither I nor Cindy would dare go near it!). Amélie and Gabriel came 'home' to live with us around the same time, while Elise and Manuel had a much longer road before they were able to. These moments were what helped make some really good memories in what was a stressful time.

We've caught up with each other several times since we parted ways and went home with our babies almost four years ago. We lived over 4 hours from each other here in Switzerland, but we visited each other in our homes, or when they came back to the hospital for check ups. (You can see some photos from our last visit to their home over two years ago here). This past February they flew all the way to New Zealand and spent a month travelling around the country, staying with us for several days at the beginning and the end. And we have just spent the last four days with them in their beautiful part of the country.

Our children are now four years old and those early days seem like distant memories. But our friendship has continued despite the distance and time. It has been a lot of strength for me over these first few years to have friends who know what it is like to fear for your child's life, to know what it's like to protect them against sicknesses that are ok for most children but very risky for those born prematurely. They know exactly what it has been like to battle to get others to understand those risks and to tread very carefully on behalf of our children in the early years. Thankfully many of those risks are over as the years have passed although, for them especially, there are still fragile lungs to protect. But overall it's incredible to see our children now, running around and full of strength of character, and to think back to where they have come from! It's fun to sit back sometimes and listen to the chatter of Italian, Spanish, French and English, to not understand the children but to speak French among ourselves (the one language we have the most in common). Eti and Joe often laugh at the 'French' that Cindy and I speak or write together, but we understand each other well enough ;o)

So we returned back to Eti's parents' home last night after spending a long weekend with Cindy, Joe and their boys. They treated us with the wonderful generosity and hospitality that they have shown us from the moment our friendship began. I wish we could repay them as generously, but in reading this, Cindy, know that you all mean a lot to us and we look forward to all the future visits we will have together :o)

We visited many beautiful places in their part of Ticino/Tessin, the Italian part of Switzerland. It has quite a different climate to our mountain village here - warm, almost tropical and as beautiful as Switzerland can be! We visited the old city of Locarno, took the gondola up to Cardada, the three castles in Bellinzona and briefly re-visited the stunning clear waters of the Valle Verzasca before our departure, in between being filled to the brim with delicious food and specialities from the area.

Until next time! A la prochaine :o)

:: la suisse ::

We are back in Switzerland! As it often is when one returns somewhere familiar, it feels like we haven't been away for so long and it is really good to be back in a place we love and are familiar with. I could even race through the supermarket the other day and find everything I was looking for in their usual places...including the croissants au chocolat :o)

Our jet lag is slowly fading. We've had nights of wide-awake children at crazy hours, and day naps that have stretched a little too long, but I'm optimistic that tonight will be much closer to normal again. It was a very long trip with Amélie who fell ill the day before we left and the others who went downhill during the travels. Needless to say there was some very blatant bribery on my part going on in an effort to get the medication in to help keep little bodies comfortable. The promise of Swiss chocolate or choosing their own stories at the supermarket worked very effectively! The little ones did brilliantly overall and did manage to fit in several hours of sleep scattered throughout the flights.
 

Our first days have been relaxed, which has been great. We had to visit a pediatrician (all children here see pediatricians rather than GPs) with Elise and Théo who became ill with high temperatures and horrible coughs. We had to then make a small visit to the hospital for a chest x-ray for Elise to check for pneumonia, which thankfully was all clear. Both had bronchiolitis and Théo also pharyngitis and bordering on an ear infection. So it's been a rather eventful first week! But thankfully both have bounced back to their normal happy little selves.

In the meantime we've been enjoying the small things - being back in this little neighbourhood, surrounded by forest and chalets, gruyère cheese, saucisson, baguettes, croissants, hearing the cow bells! And of course catching up with friends! Eti's parents and some good friends of ours organised a pizza day on Saturday and we made delicious pizzas in their wood-fired oven while enjoying time with friends who could come and spend time with us throughout the day. Even the weather cooperated and treated us with beautiful sunshine.

The girls have been enjoying their time with their grandparents. Grand-Papa, especially, has two little shadows that accompany him everywhere, and he has acquired a third who has quickly been drawn to his warm, fun nature. No wonder when there are plenty of adventures on electric skateboards, picking raspberries in the forest, making cabanes (huts) in the back yard and playing for ages with the Duplo, among other things!

It's great to be here and we're trying not to let time fly too fast, as we fit in what we can. We're looking forward to heading over to Tessin, the Italian part of Switzerland to spend time with our friends there in a couple of days. Until then, enjoy your week out there!

:: 33 : 52 ::

"A portrait of our children once a week, every week, in 2014."

A & E: There have been lots of requests to watch something this week and I have allowed because these bugs, while diminishing are still lingering. It feels like we haven't done much other than go to the doctor's once a week and have the odd trip to pick up or drop off Superma over the last almost-month! I guess that's winter for us. We are, however, getting very very excited about our closely-approaching holiday to Switzerland, so we're trying to take care of ourselves and get well before that date arrives. I had a lot of fun visiting several shops in the city yesterday collecting fun things for you both to do during the flights and long-ish layover in Sydney. I couldn't resist showing you (!) but now we all have to be very patient for another three weeks ;o) 

T: You love playing with the kitchen utensils, but I've noticed since last week's visit from Lucy (who now feeds herself) you have been doing a lot of stirring in bowls and insisting on trying to feed yourself too! It's very cute. We have a little progress to go yet, but you are very focused and sweet to watch. You've also stood on your own a few times for several seconds, so it can't be toooo long before you realise how close you are to walking. In the meantime you busy yourself in finding any possible exit into the hallway to get to the laundry to watch the washing machine or eat Katie's cat biscuits, or alternatively make a beeline for the toilet. If the doors are shut, then pulling the heater plugs out or going for the kitchen drawers and cupboards are much-frequented destinations, but the jammed fingers not so fun :o( Constantly moving, discovering and finding things to play with these days!

:: 32 : 52 ::

"A portrait of our children once a week, every week, in 2014."

Our little guy's birthday week! What a wonderful gift it is to celebrate one whole year of spending life with you! You are much loved by us and we had a fun week celebrating you :o)

A: Your brother's teepee was occupied with pillows and blankets and girls within minutes of being set up! Thankfully at this age he was quite unaware ;o) I'm sure this will be the centre of many adventures to come.

E: Sweet girl - a photo taken by one of your favourite people in the whole wide world - Aunty Jomine :o)

T: The birthday boy! This photo was taken with some very stealthy crown placing movements by mummy followed in quick succession by funny distractions because boy, you are fast to remove anything that gets put on your head! Your birthday gift of Duplo has been strategic in ensuring you also get to play with your sisters...seeing as you own quite a large share of it now!

We had a lovely little celebration among our northern family this weekend, complete with two of your favourites present - Oska and cousin Lucy - and enjoyed yummy treats in the winter sunshine. And, though you still have ear infections, your happy self returned on your birthday and your colour is back - though the sickness is still sticking around.

:: 31 : 52 ::

"A portrait of our children once a week, every week, in 2014."

The bugs have continued with us throughout this week, so with wild wintery weather included, we've spent a lot of time indoors! Much time at the table making beautiful pieces of art ;o)

A: You always have an entertaining, enthusiastic running commentary as you draw. We were drawing faces for the first time. I drew the circles and you filled in the details. It's always fun to see what you create and how different you both are. 

E: Quietly creating and adding wacky hairstyles to your faces. You're so sweet to watch, engrossed in your artwork. 

T: This was a pretty tough week for you, little guy. Two ear infections and a croupy cough - it was no wonder you looked so pale and were not your usual happy self for several days. With necessary medications we hope you'll be back to your smiles by your birthday in a few days!

:: 30 : 52 ::

"A portrait of our children once a week, every week, in 2014."

We've been plagued by winter bugs this week. Pale faces, runny noses and tired little bodies. 

A: Engrossed in a video. Your recent favourites are Arthur and Berenstain Bears, after books we've been reading. The enduring favourites are anything Veggietales, Tchoupi, Petit Ours Brun, among others!

E: For you, our water-loving girl, it doesn't get much better than a spa! It's been a treat to have one in the garden, however a mystery leak has meant it is now empty and waiting to be fixed (Papa has hopefully solved the mystery!). 

T: Our ever-moving, adventurous boy. One of your favourite spots is here - playing with the handle of the fire door. Thankfully only within reach when it's open and being cleaned out or set up for a new fire - not when it's hot!