The Tovington Post

She did it. She did 20 days of Peto. She could do more, and possibly should do more.
Tova was VERY naughty today, she couldn't focus for the majority of the day. She's excited about going home this weekend. We will go home this weekend. Unless I change my mind last minute of course. And I can if I feel like it. But I think, this time, we will do the 20 days and next time possibly do more.

I officially feel totally gross from eating so much unusual food. Unusual for me, the food was great, but I don't usually eat this way. It was really fun at the time, but knowing I'm going home makes me quite aware.. hmm. The Conductors were saying that Tova has put on weight here. I think they are too polite to say it about me too. haha.

I was sad saying goodbye today. I don't do goodbye well. These people are amazing and always have a big impact on me. Tova was just happy to hear the words Melbourne, Aba and Nissim.

I'm going to miss this place. All of it. Budapest is beautiful, the people are great, the peto is good for Tova and I've really had a nice time working and being here. Most of the day the entire place smells like fabric softener, at peak hour it doesn't, it smells more like toilets with un breathable smog, but once that goes away the world seems to be all sweet smelling. And all the leaves falling from the trees covering the ground is really pretty. I'm not sure whey people rake it all up. But they do.

This evening I've spent my time cleaning the flat and packing. I love that I had food from the peto cafe and didn't have to cook. I even had hot chips today for me, and some strange cabbage stuff for Tova with Hungarian gnocchi.
So. We are pretty much ready for our weekend journey across the world. I miss our boys, Tova misses our boys too we are looking forward to seeing them so much, and the rest of the family of course.
I can't believe I havne't seen Nissim for a month. My perfect little boy!

Thursday... already. Tova had a good day again. Her walking has improved and her eating is completely different. We are getting closer to my dream of making a sandwich for school lunch. I actually had come to terms with that never happening. I shouldn't ever do that. Tova is always a big surprise.

My boys.. I miss our boys. Tova misses our boys. We were talking about Aba today and the piano and Tova was telling me that Nissim was at school. It's hard to explain to her that at home it's the middle of the night and Nissim is actually probably asleep while we are eating lunch.

Today at Budapest School, one of the conductors took down the spring/summer decorations and started putting up snow flakes and winter themed decorations. So funny to think of it being cold in December. Especially considering how hot it is in the building too. And even the weather here this November has been amazing. Blue skies, 18 degree days. Nice... I am ready for summer though, lovely Adelaide summer. I suppose I should probably stop eating cake now in preparation for summer. Not that body image is important, or maybe it is, perhaps being comfortable is important and the amount of cake and food I have been eating has made me feel quite warm and fuzzy, yet not comfortably cool and fresh for summer.

I'm going to be sad tomorrow. Gawd. Pass the waterproof mascara.

MAYBE Tova and I will go out after school and go check out the pretty lights and festive vibe of the city tomorrow early evening. Not sure.. I've still got to pack and clean the flat... hmm... Maybe we will save the pretty light at night time for next time, when we are here with the boys.

I had another look for things for Nissim today. REALLY, there is nothing.. well there are a few things, but they are plant based.. so I won't be able to bring them into the country. I guess I'll get something at the airport. I almost got him lego the other day. But we can get lego at home.

Tova is very excited about seeing Aba (Yuval) and Nissim. She is counting down the days. Each morning she tells me the day and then counts down to going home day. Very cute.
Tova was a good girl in class today. I didn't hear any complaining and the Conductors all mentioned how good she did today. It seems that she doesn't like Monday and by Wednesday she is in the zone. I watched her do a few summersaults today. She is very impressed with herself.

The Israeli family are back, but they weren't there today, Aaron (the little boy) is sick.
For the afternoon it was Tova and one other girl from Ukraine. The mum and daughter are lovely, and they like Vegemite, so I gave them what is left of what I had with me.
The Irish family were supposed to be back today, from their few days visit back home. But they weren't there. Perhaps tomorrow.

It's a nice community. It's a nice group of families. I love meeting people that I possibly otherwise never would. I'm not even sure where Ukraine is.. Close to Russia from my understanding of things. But I couldn't point to it on a map. I love meeting people and seeing how we are all the same. So, very, very the same.

I had a meeting with one of the conductors today about the program etc. She is love and it was nice to have a talk one on one. There was no guilt put upon me for not personally doing enough for Tova, which is put on me quite a bit at home, possibly by myself the most. It is what it is.

I worked in the class room again, not wanting to be alone. I love it. It's a great office. Very uncomfortable, but a good environment.

I got our take away dinner again. omg, it's fantastic. The food isn't anything I would usually eat at home but it's just wonderful to not cook, and Tova loves it. It is however VERY, very salty, even Tova asks for a drink of water half way through. We are enjoying it. It also means that next time we come here we could actually stay in a hotel room with no kitchen if we wanted to. That has potential to save lots of money. Today the food for the day cost me $5 for both of us. This is because meals are included in the fees that I paid for Peto (meals for Tova) and I just eat soup for lunch. Breakfast is oats and fruit.

Yuval would love this food.

I'm going to let Tova stay up till 8.30 tonight. Hopefully that will help with the crazy, and veyr hillarious door knocking, sheet hiding, naked making Tova. grr.

Tova was less 'sad' and 'grumpy' today. I sat in the room again, working (I can't actually see her from where I sit, but I can hear her).
At the end of the day I watched her for 20 mins. She's funny. It was good to see her get completely frustrated and finding an activity very hard. She didn't want to do it, because it was so hard. I love that. I love that she is being challenged. The activity was walking backwards. The conductor working with her was outstanding. He is softly spoken and gentle, with the patience of a 'something very patient'.
She really didn't want to walk backwards, it's hard for her. Once she finally made it to the next activity she was very happy. Side stepping in a ladder on the floor and then crawling along a bench seat like a doggie. She likes activities like that, obstacle courses.

The photos I took of her today were of her watching Mr Bean in her lunch break. But for some reason they haven't syncd to my cloud and I'm too lazy to do a manual file transfer. So.. no photos yet.

Most evenings here in Budapest Tova has been so annoying. It's unusual. At home she pretty much goes to be at bed time. Maybe a bit of fussing, but nothing we can't handle. But here. omfg. I want to slap her. She takes the sheets of the beds, she bangs on her door, kicks her door, shouts, takes her clothes off, hides her bedding and so on.
I usually go in and put things back in order, if I move the bed from the wall to tuck the sheets in, she goes down the side between the bed and wall with delight. If I shout at her, she laughs as though it's the best joke ever. If I beg her and fight back my tears, she thinks that's great too.
I make the bed, put her back and tell her to stay.
I leave and the process starts again.
Some nights I've just let her bang on her door for 20 mins (sorry neighbours), other nights I get up and put her back. Tonight after the 4th time I couldn't take it any more. I didn't make the bed again, much to her disappointment and told her I was going to smack her (She was nodding yes, she loves the idea of being smacked, maybe because she doesn't understand what it means to actually be smacked..)
She was so sad that I didn't make her bed again, she even showed me where she had hidden her sheets. I also told her she wasn't getting the ipad or tv tomorrow and I walked out... She fussed for a while, but it was about 10pm by then, so.. she fell asleep eventually

I hope this is just a Budapest thing. Yuval, she is all yours, every night for a good month if she's like that these days. I really can't take it.

It's my birthday!
Yesterday at bed time I talked to Tova about tomorrow it being my birthday and that she should come into my bed in the morning and sign 'Happy birthday Imma'. She took it all in and understood. It was very cute. So.... This morning I woke up with a Tova next to me (she'd come in at about 3am). When she woke up I said "is there anything you want to tell me?"
She took a while and then signed 'Happy birthday'. So sweet. And then she asked about cake. Cake, cake, cake, cake. Can we have cake?

We got cake on the way to school and at her break we at it together.

I got my soup for lunch and a take away pack of food for tonight's dinner.. omg. I love not cooking. And I love that they give us enough food for two for about $3.

Why did I still have so many dishes?

After school we walked up to the shopping centre. I wanted a scrolly cinnamon thingy. So we got one of those, some other cake and bananas. And walked home... in the dark.. at 4.30pm...

Got home.. and ate.. cake... and that dinner. and cake.

At peto today the Israeli family are back. The dad was there today. It was nice to hear Hebrew. It made me miss Yuval, who actually says quite a bit of Ivrit at home.. Hmm. I never really thought much of it, but every time the dad said a hebrew word that Yuval says frequently I missed yuval. And Nissim. Wow. Nissim is great at Hebrew.

I worked all day, in the back of the class room again, not wanting to be alone.

Tova was in a sad and grumpy mood all day. I could hear her from where I was sitting. I couldn't do much about it because I'm so busy with work. I felt guilty, but I also feel gulity to not work.. I know she is in good hands. And there are no other hands to do my work.. so.. well. this is life.