Off to Switzerland

On Bank Holiday Monday Alistair and I  flew to Geneva stay with Kate and family.  I  talk to the children  on Skype but it had been some months since I had spent time with them.  Bella was now quite the little schoolgirl and Sebastian's language skills had really developed. 

Kate and Malcolm were back at work on Tuesday so we had a quick update and then we were in charge. We had to sort out our routine promptly as Marisa would be joining her cousins later that day. Nick and Michie were going to the mountain apartment for a few days skiing on Wednesday and leaving Marisa with us.

Tuesday was the first day of Bella's swimming course so armed with satnav and swimming gear we strapped the two children in the car and headed into the hills.  We had to find out how everything worked as the next day Marisa would be joining us on the swimming expedition.  Once we got the hang of the entrance system we had fun in the well equipped pool and then got dressed ready to drive back home with two hungry children

....well if I could  fasten Sebastian's car seat straps we could ...... 

Alistair had to take the two of them for a walk whilst I sat in the back seat and tried to work out the mechanism!!!  Most annoying as I had fastened it when we set out without any problem.  We got home eventually and Alistair found some paint to mark where the parts fitted together.

Here we have Bella surfacing from under the water which was not her favourite part of the lesson.  Sebastian on the other hand just loved leaping in the water, bobbing up and climbing out to do it again and again and again.....   

On Wednesday there were three car seats to do up for our trip in to the hills but when I had three children showered, dried and dressed after swimming in the pool I felt quite a sense of achievement.

The changing room had large drier fans that could be pulled down to just above child height and the children were dry in no time.  After getting dressed hair drying was no problem.

During the next few days Bella and Marisa enjoyed doing girlie things together and Sebastian and Marisa played well together when Bella was away on a playdate. Team Nanna and Grandpa were kept busy with a brief respite when Sebby and Marisa had naps after lunch. Luckily the weather stayed fine all week so the children could play outside and we could get out and about to visit local playgrounds.  At the end of the week I realised that the only make-up I had had time to apply was moisturiser. 

 Marisa is used to some older boys at her nursery who like to play sword fighting and Sebastian was a little suprised to be poked with a twig when they were playing in the garden and he was using his stick for digging!

This being Switzerland we did meet a very large Lindt Easter Bunny in the supermarket!!
Bella is wearing her cardigan on her head for some unknown reason and Sebastian is about to tip the rabbit's trolley by sitting down. 
We were leaving anyway................