January
This year was all about adjusting to life as a four. We did not embark on any big travels or trained for marathons but the year seemed to have sped by in a flash.
Basti continued to go to nursery three days a week so that Marita had some time to spend with Hannes. He was (and is) very jealous of his brother.
Dave started his two weeks parental leave mid January, after Marita’s parents left having spent a whole month with us.
February
Dave’s sister Debra added to the growing Sinden clan – Emily was born 19.2.2018
March
Marita’s sister visited us in Sunbury with Basti’s and Hannes’s cousin Adele. Basti and Adele are very fond of each other due to being almost the same age, and enjoyed each others company. Unfortunately, the visit was overshadowed by Adele contracting scarlett fever that was so bad that she had to spend some time in a UK hospital.
April
We went back to Marita’s parents for Easter. It was Hannes’s first flight and we noticed that unfortunately he does not travel as well as his brother. (This is because, unlike his brother who is often asleep before the plane takes off, he does not sleep on flights – which makes even a short flight, such as the flight to Frankfurt, feel very long.)
At the end of April Marita’s parents came over and we all went to visit the Isle of Wright for a few days for a wedding of Marita’s cousin, Cynthia to Andy.
May
Hannes celebrated his christening on the 13th of May – a big event to which Marita’s parents, sister and brother and their partners flew over. David’s family came from Essex, Cornwall and Reading. The event coincided with Basti’s 2nd birthday the next day so that it felt like one big celebration.
June
End of June we flew back to Germany for two weeks for Marita’s brother Julian’s third wedding (to the same woman, Dong). The first was in Copenhagen last year, the second in Vietnam in February and the final church wedding in Julian’s childhood hometown in Schwalbach. We were unable to attend the first two so we were very grateful to be able to celebrate this time.
July
July seemed to be a very long and hot month in the UK. It was difficult to cool down in Sunbury so that we were very happy to be able to visit David’s father Trevor in Bridport, Dorset.
End of the month Marita’s sister Eva and her daughter Adele came for another five days and the kids spent most of their time trying to cool down in the paddling pool.
August
The heatwave in England lingered so that we went off and found our way back to Dorset again. Basti and Hannes enjoyed their time at the beach and their grandparents.
September
Basti and Hannes started their first term of forest school – a weekly outdoor woodland playground and they really enjoyed it. Basti particularly enjoyed cooking in the mud kitchen and grilling marshmallows over an open fire.
Marita started taking Hannes to Baby Sensory, a singing class for babies which he really likes.
October
End of the month we were back in Frankfurt, but this year not for a marathon, just a visit to Marita’s parents house.
December
Even though we have not had any exciting long travels this year, the close of 2018 seem to all of the sudden creep up on us. Hannes turned 1 on the 12th of December, and we had a little family gathering to celebrate. He is not walking yet but exploring the world on all fours.
For Christmas this year we flew back to Germany to spend it with Marita’s family. We will stay here until the first of January.
Next year new challenges will await us as Marita is going back to work 3 days a week and Hannes will join Basti in the nursery at Dave’s work.
