Ruskin left on Monday and Matti is back with us today: our family just keeps shifting shape. Its lovely in a way because we really look forward to having everybody together, and then the relative calm afterwards isn't so bad either. Seeing Ruskin at the moment is exciting because he is changing about as rapidly as when he was Neve's age. Waiting at the bus station to go to the airport I had one of those great moments when you hear your teenager handling everything the right way. A woman of a certain age was really curious (this happens a lot) about us, so started quizzing Ruskin. These conversations follow a set pattern beginning with siblings, through father's job, to the crucial (stroke the Turkish ego) 'What food is better, Turkish or English?' And Ruskin did me proud by answering (in pretty decent Turkish) 'Oh, Turkey has the most wonderful cuisine in the world. I enjoy the food here so much.' Now, I know that this is a complete untruth, Ruskin couldn't care less if he never sees another meatball or green bean salad, and he much prefers his rice without added fat. So my pride came from him having the maturity to lie. Well done, son. And I certainly don't mean to disrespect the food here. I wouldn't dare (and it can be fantastic).

For the first time since I arrived three years ago, I met up with a group of expat mothers. I have decided that I need to make sure Anton is mixing with other kids a bit more as the unwanted attention his blonde hair brings is making him painfully shy. We met up in one of those padded play areas, and as it was nice and empty, Anton managed to spend two hours without interacting with another child. Oh well, I'll keep at it. At the moment, with the cheek pinching being so chronic, Anton wants to go to England or Finland a lot. He talks about all his grandparents every day. I so much want him to slip into the three different cultures he spends time in with equal happiness, and would be really sad if he started making comparisons. He is starting to use a bit of Turkish so I hope that helps. So far he has been working out who is to be trusted by whether they speak English or not. Not exactly what we were aiming for. But he is delighted that we are going to England and Finland this summer, and I don't mind either.

It has got so hot here, its hard to be walking around with the kids too much. Apart from going swimming a lot I think we end up inside more than during other seasons. I still don't feel that I have mastered being in the house with children all day. Maybe I won't, and this time will just pass. The problem is that time gets divided into such small pieces by their various needs. I remember  moaning to my sister once that Mum never sat down with us to watch TV but hovered around. I now get it completely: its much worse being asked to get up again (because Anton needs a lift operator for his garage, or wants to do action rhymes, or have me click something on youtube, or, or...) if you are sitting comfortably. I am really surprised that Neve is so massive as I am not sure she has ever got to the end of a feed. The day usually starts well with the energy to play but I always end up bored and a bit frustrated at not being able to engage with anything for more than a minute and a half. Its bound to happen I suppose, the days are long. And mostly I love it.

Neve is growing so fast.