{"id":17807,"date":"2018-03-28T13:11:58","date_gmt":"2018-03-28T13:11:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/?p=17807"},"modified":"2018-03-28T13:12:34","modified_gmt":"2018-03-28T13:12:34","slug":"eleven-round-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/eleven-round-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"Eleven (Round II)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Celebrating his first ever snow day. Bavaria doesn’t do snow days!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Slightly later than hoped, but better late than never as they say…<\/p>\n

A little birthday tribute to my (all of a sudden – how did that happen?) 11 year old.\u00a0 Obviously I can’t really refer to him as Small Boy for much longer, but whilst I can still get away with it)…<\/p>\n

\"Santorini<\/p>\n

I could regale you with many a tale of how he’s made me laugh over the years, from his earliest days as a chubby baby, to his first few days of international nursery in Copenhagen – where tiny but determined he gained a strange “King of the Cats<\/a>” title on Fastelavn one year (wearing his crown for days afterwards)!<\/p>\n

\"Kyoto
Just before the loudest alarm in the world began…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

His impressive and somewhat imaginatively drawn family portraits<\/a>\u00a0that were given pride of place on Danish Nursery walls are also something I can laugh about (now!).\u00a0 \u00a0Later memories that still make me laugh include his family of imaginary friends<\/a>,\u00a0 observations on Italian Hotel bathrooms<\/a>, swimming with “Ewoks”<\/a> whilst visiting Thermal Lakes, his being slightly terrified on top of a windy volcano incident<\/a>\u00a0(as the arms of his plastic rain mac blew off in to the distance), closely followed by his accidental setting off of deafening alarms at famous Japanese palace<\/a> adventures.\u00a0 \u00a0Then there’s the packing his own hand luggage which resulted in a beyblade being mistaken for a gun<\/a> incident, closely followed by the things we probably laugh at as a family the most – getting his finger stuck up a lion’s nose<\/a> (a statue obviously) or the time he got his head stuck through the railings of Copenhagen’s Rundturn high about the city (although for a few moments, it really wasn’t funny. Well not that much).\u00a0 I made sure to take a picture of this building to send to him as a momento when I was in Copenhagen<\/a> recently…<\/p>\n

\"rundturn
Imagine getting your head stuck through the bars at the very top of this!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My brain could go on churning out such memories (and laughing about them), but one thing’s for sure.\u00a0 Although he’s grown in years and stature, the one thing that has remained unchanged is his sense of humour.\u00a0 This past year though his humour wasn’t perhaps as prevalent initially as he mourned the loss of one country, and has tried to adjust to the one we call “home” for now.\u00a0 \u00a0 But, as his humour has flickered through, showing itself more often of late, I know he’s OK and I can breathe again slightly more easily.<\/p>\n

He celebrated his actual birthday at school (which he was utterly disgusted about!), packed off with the requisite homemade millionaires shortbread for his classmates (I think he was secretly disappointed that he didn’t get the emergency Krispy Kremes that I had to opt for last year when faced with a true baking disaster!) and with “Bonkers” Granny coming to stay as a surprise (I might refer to her as that from now on on the blog!), she arrived in time to pick him up from school, waiting in the car with the toddler whilst I ran in.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ever the small policeman (he is quite German after all!), he was utterly furious that I had left the toddler in the car on his own (this was all part of the plot by the way, there is no way on this planet I would ever really do such a thing!) whilst I collected him,\u00a0 and it was worth every last second of deception to see his cross little face melt into happy surprise as he realised the toddler wasn’t alone, but was with one of his favourite companions!<\/p>\n

We went on to meet his Dad and Sister in town for a birthday meal (he approves of Chinese restaurants in the UK at least!), followed by a few board games back at home and of course, obligatory birthday cake…\u00a0 \u00a0This year he had a small person insistent on helping him blow his candles out, and kindly and gently he let him sit on the chair with him to “help” him quite a few times (before the novelty wore off and the birthday boy just wanted to eat his cake!)…<\/p>\n

\"big
big brother, little brother – beach inspecting<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A little note to him directly as is now a BavarianSojourn tradition…<\/p>\n

As you may learn yourself one day, being a parent means there’s always something to feel guilty about (they don’t warn you about that part!), and I for one feel very guilty about how much you still miss your old life and your friends in Munich.\u00a0 \u00a0Recently things have been made slightly easier as a few of these friends have now repatriated to their own countries (to Argentina and Seattle –\u00a0 now both very much on our visiting list!), and I think that’s probably really helped you in turn.\u00a0 \u00a0Fitting in to an English school (albeit an international one) has thrown up a few challenges\u00a0 and opportunities (both good and bad)\u00a0 along the way, but although it was hard at first, I think you would say you have mostly enjoyed it.\u00a0 \u00a0 It has been secretly funny watching you get used to things you have never dealt with before, such as uniforms, “weird games with sticks” (hockey and cricket!) and enjoying all manner of “exotic” English food at lunchtime – (hula hoops, dairylea, and spaghetti hoops to name but a few!) !\u00a0 You are still understandably fiercely loyal of your old home, and have fought hard to retain the German you have learned over the years, which will stand you in good stead one day I am sure whether in a job or travel capacity or should we return one day…<\/em><\/p>\n

Whilst we ummed and ahhed as to what to get you for your special day, only one present truly made sense.\u00a0 \u00a0 You and your Dad will pop across to Bayern to visit your best friend and his family (and hopefully catch a bit of late season skiing) for a weekend very soon.\u00a0 \u00a0I am sure you would say this is your favourite present of the lot.\u00a0 \u00a0 And best of all?\u00a0 I get to send you along with a big case to bring back everything Deutsche I have run out of.<\/em><\/p>\n

We will move again in a few months, and I hope this gives you a chance to put some roots down and feel more settled in a part of the UK that you are more familiar with, and with friends and family much closer to hand (plus you finally get to decorate a room of your own which you are busy planning.\u00a0 A true novelty after all these years!!).<\/em><\/p>\n

If we venture to a few more beautiful English places along the way, we might get you to feel a bit more at home yet.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"lambs<\/p>\n

Love you my sweet. Enjoy being eleven. x<\/em><\/p>\n

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