Some updates on our life in BKK

Although we have been in Bangkok since end of January of this year, we only started to feel settled starting in September.  I think for Mike things felt quite settled sooner because he is at work and has a routine set up, but for me and the boys we had many changes since January that prevented us from having that feeling.  We were home without school and day care, then preschool started but only for two months, then we went to Canada for six weeks, and then we came back to Bangkok and the new routine started but my mom was here.  Now our schedule and routine are set and it feels great.  I think the kids are really starting to feel at home and most importantly Cristiano and Adriano love their schools.

Cristiano goes to an international school called the NIST.  Their early years' program is very impressive, and frankly so is the school.  The playground and class rooms have so much available for the kids to do and that's important because they follow a play based system.  They even swim twice a week and learn water skills while playing.  It took Cristiano a few weeks to feel settled and comfortable at school.  Although his teacher is a wonderful teacher and a caring person and although he seems to have nice kids in his class and like I said, an amazing play space, I think he needed some time to adjust to the size of the school and to taking the bus to and from school.  Now he is very excited about going to school and is even excited about inviting his classmates to his birthday, which is in January by the way!  Cristiano from what we are told is doing really well in school and is the student the teacher says she would like all the other kids to be like.  She relies on him for help and guidance in the class.  Other than school, Cristiano goes to cooking class takes piano lessons, takes French lessons twice a week and plays soccer on the weekend.  We are very impressed with his soccer school and so is he because he has so much fun.

C first day of school

C with his school mates at Wai Kru (teacher appreciation day) wearing traditional Thai clothe.  He was picked to be class representative and present his teacher traditional flowers 

Adriano goes to the preschool they both went to back in the Spring.  We were very worried he would have a difficult time adjusting to being in school without Cristiano, especially because he kept telling us he wanted to go to Cristiano's school.  To our surprise, it only took Adriano about a week or so and he started telling us "I love my school".   He has made friends and is so excited about that.  His teacher tells us he is a very caring person and is very attentive in class.  He has been learning a lot and loves showing us his new skills.  The school he goes to is amazing.  It is only a ten minute walk away from home so I walk him to and from school every day and I love our daily walks.  Other than school Adriano goes to a Lego building class, has French once a week and plays soccer on the weekend.  We are lucky him and Cristiano play soccer at the same time and on the same field but with different groups.  Adriano has grown and changed a lot!

A walking to his first day of school

Walking to school in the rain

On the weekdays we don't usually go out because the boys are typically exhausted by the end of the day.  On the weekends we try to have one activity for them, going to snow town, the trampoline place called Bounce, to the park or going to a zip lining activity.  Following tradition we had in Canada, we also go out once a weekend for breakfast and sometimes we go with our friends Tracy and Jean, and the kids love that!  Tracy and Jean are family for them.  We also started "Friday night movie and sleepover night" as a new tradition.  The boys always ask us if they can sleep in our room and so I came up with the idea of doing that once a week.  We all love this tradition.  Most evenings during the week are rushed so we don't get to sit and cuddle with them. Friday nights now allow us to do that.  We cuddle, we laugh, we fight over who will sleep beside who and then we put them to sleep and sneak out to watch more TV on our own!

A doing the zip lining activity. The place is set up in one of the gorgeous malls here in Bangkok in an open area on the fifth floor

C doing the zip lining activity

They really love it there and so do I because I get to explore the mall while they play

M and I at snow town

Trying out snow for the first time

They love it here but they are really missing snow in Canada

You probably thought I forgot to update about Michael, but I have not.  Michael is a little monster.  Now he is walking and feels very proud of himself.  He goes from room to room in the house and sometimes we can't find him.  We are so excited that he reached this milestone because it will help us when we are out and about when he wants out of the stroller or our arms.  He communicates what he wants, but does not talk yet but he understands EVERYTHING.  Like for example, I tell him "hit daddy on the head"...he does it!  haha. He plays with his older brothers and they play with him and those moments are the best moments.  Thankfully when I am alone with him he has no issues playing by himself.  He spends his time trowing balls in a bin, playing with little farm animals, and stacking things.  I can also leave him with our house keeper when I have to go out on my own, but although he really likes her and she him, he gets really mad when I leave him.

The flowers from our trees keep them very busy.  Poor A, M always breaks what he is working on.  He likes to pick on him a lot.

They were very excited about his walking that they were helping him around

Giggles!

Daily wrestling matches

Watching A play at school and really wanting to join

Fun times

C making sure he is taller than everyone...this all while I try to make some zaatar pies for them

He just wants to hang out with the big boys

Stealing dad's imported Ruffles' All Dressed chips

We can't eat ice cream without getting a cone for M

Fun times outdoors

Waiting in the lobby for C's bus to arrive.  M really loves A, especially his ears!

Mike is very good. He loves his work and has been traveling quite a bit during the week days.  I'm also very good.   I spend my days and nights preparing for the day or for the next day.  I also get to sneak out to do some speed shopping which is always nice.  Mainly I love to discover the stores they have here.  So many cool and nice places!


The weather is getting better.  It is rainy season and some weeks it rains every day.  Luckily rain here usually means a couple of hours of rain and it usually happens in the late afternoon or evening.  But it is raining less and less and it is getting a little cooler. It doe snot mean cool like what you believe cool is, it just means it is 26 degrees instead of 29, but trust me it makes a difference.