Nope...

Well. No baby yet - BUT here is her crib! :)

I think the pink birds are too cute. See there are a mommy and daddy bird and four baby birds. :) We got the little crib/bassinet for downstairs. It's like an odd in-between size of a bassinet and a crib.

As for my hopes of baby coming tonight - not too good. I haven't felt a thing all day (aside from her kicking and squirming). So moving on...

A new family (english speaking) moved in around the corner from our house just a five minute walk! It gets better... They have two girls who are 10 and 8! How great is that?!?! They moved here with Pauls' work and will also be going to the same school and everything. Cute kids and nice mom - so needless to say we are happy. We only met them 28 hours ago and have been to each other houses to play and the girls are getting along great.

One of the other moms at school said something that I wouldn't have really thought of. She mentioned that she really enjoyed the "ex-pat" community... meaning "the group of people who are relocated from their normal lives into a foreign place and trying to survive". At first I thought she was nuts to actually enjoy it, but I now totally agree. In the year we lived in Portland I met maybe a few moms... and never really got to know any of them. Here I have made some friends that I know will I will keep forever and I've only been here for nine months.

Of course being here I've had to put forth effort. I've called people and instigated playdates and outings etc... Where as in Portland I was the "new mom" and assumed others were supposed to "welcome me in". Back in the States I couldn't even imagine myself just calling one of the girls' friends' moms on the phone and inviting them over to hang out for the morning. But here if I sat back and didn't try to be involved I'd die of boredom and drag my kids down with me!

SO. I too prefer the small little group of families who are all "stuck here" rather than a giant public school with nameless parents everywhere. :) Here we all appreciate each other much more - even the kids appreciate each other more. To have a new family move in is actually something that everyone is really excited about! More friends! So that said - our wonderful friends will all gradually start returning from their holidays this weekend and by mid-August everyone should be back in time for school to start on the 13th. YAY.