Thankful For The Slide

Linda took over the camera for a few minutes at öppna förskolan to record Jamie's first slide.  So, in honor of the Thanksgiving tradition of over-indulgence, here are way too many pictures of this milestone for your enjoyment.

At least someone had fun.

Daily Jamie

I Earned It

So apparently I shop at H&M a lot.  A whole lot.  I have an H&M Club card that I scan every time I buy something there and, while I can't say I especially enjoy knowing how much I've spent since I got the card, I'm sure appreciative of the five-hundred kronor in free shopping I've just earned myself.  That's, like, eighty bucks, which'll getcha, like, up to ten items!  All that hard work has really paid off, and just in time for the holidays.     

Daily Jamie

The Good Old Place

Jamie and I stopped by the old neighborhood on our way home from an appointment this morning.  It was decorated for Christmas and all the people out and about gave it a city feeling that Kungsängen, for all its charm, never has.  And my heart hurt a bit, because as wonderful as life is right now, it was also really, really good those two years in Sundbyberg.

Daily Jamie

Flirting

Jamie and Sukai got together again today and it seems that the latter is finally starting to notice what a hunk my son is.  I say this because the moment he sat down next to her, she began engaging in some pretty major flirting, trying to hold his hand and stealing his pacifier.  Like a dude, Jamie was oblivious.  It's clear that I have my work cut out for me in teaching him about girls.  And Sukai could use a little instruction on playing it cool.

Daily Jamie

November 19th

November 20th

A Very Cabin Thanksgiving

It was back out to the cabin this weekend, this time with an extra special element for me: Thanksgiving dinner.  I don't cook for others often, especially folks who are used to Mama Swede's awesome cooking, so I was rather nervous.  I was representing American food in general here, after all, for six people who haven't been to the States yet, so the pressure was on.  I made sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing and opened a can of cranberry sauce, plus pumpkin pie for dessert and Mama Swede made the turkey and gravy.  Everything turned out great and everybody said that they enjoyed the meal, though they were a little out of it thanks to a major dose of tryptophan.  Nerves aside, it was a lot of fun for me and sweet of everyone to indulge me.

Daily Jamie

Matching Pippi sweaters by Mama Swede.

I've Never Done This Before

I've made pie before, but never the crust.  I'm very nervous.

Daily Jamie

Pounding

Dudes, I have a headache.  It may be sleep deprivation.  At any rate, I just don't have it in me to try to be clever today, but I'll catch you back here tomorrow!

Daily Jamie

Are you mad?

Thanksgiving Pilgrimage

Jamie and I woke up earlier than usual this morning, bundled up and headed to the other side of Stockholm to get some supplies for Thanksgiving.  I did some research online first so that I was sure that we would be able to find what we needed and I'm glad I did because from our door to the door of The English Shop took one and a half hours.

But, as you can see, it was worth the trip because we got the canned pumpkin, condensed milk and stuffing that you can't find anywhere else, plus some other fun items.  And please don't judge me for using Stove Top Stuffing, okay?  I'm not an awesome cook.  Also, you can't call me cheap because it cost about $10 a box.  Yeah.

Oh, and P.S. they apparently LOVE Jamie Oliver at The English Shop. 

Daily Jamie

Daily Jamie

Cuteness In The Aisles of Ikea

Jamie and I swung by Ikea again today because I stupidly forgot to pack a curtain rod I had purchased on Saturday.  Thank goodness it was super cheap and fit easily on Jamie's stroller, so it was no problem to go get a new one.  Since we had all the time in the world, we decided to check out the new grocery section, which didn't have anything particularly special, except for these cute alphabet crackers that only had the letters I, K, E and A.  Clever, Ikea.   

Daily Jamie

Father And Son

It's Father's Day here in Sweden, so thank you to my husband for being the best role model I can imagine for my son.

Daily Jamie

Kid-Sized Ikea

The Swede was the sweetest husband ever this morning.  He drove me to Ikea and then killed an hour window shopping with the baby while I went buck wild.  It was the longest I've ever been away from Jamie since he was born (the kid is insatiably hungry) and as luxurious as that totally selfish hour was, he was still on my mind, as evidenced by the baby-sized Ikea bag I purchased for him.  You know, in case he ever decides to pitch in and help out with the copious loads of laundry he is so adept at creating.

Daily Jamie

Anniversary

A year ago today our lives changed forever when we learned that we were going to become parents.  We thought it was great news at the time.  Now I know it was The Best News Ever.  

Daily Jamie

Wonderland

There is a magical place in our community called open preschool where parents can bring their babies and kids to play and learn.  It's essentially a fully-outfitted preschool, stocked with all the toys and arts and crafts materials you can imagine.  They have a kitchen and dining room that can be used freely, special areas for playing along with quieter rooms... everything.  On top of which, they offer classes on things like baby massage, cooking nutritious food for your children, and language development, which I signed up for today.  I had been there last Friday for the daycares' portrait day and gotten a little taste of what they have to offer, but today I got the full experience, including a tour.  Linda invited me to meet her there this morning and we sat in a circle with a dozen other moms and babies and sang songs and made a toy out of an empty soda bottle, glitter and beads.  It was an awesome place to meet up and it's only going to get better the more the babies are able to move around and play, so I have a feeling I'll be spending much more time there in the next several months.

Daily Jamie

Bumbo Babies

Several years ago, when my niece Hayden was just a baby, my sister sent me this photo of her sitting in a Bumbo seat.  I had never heard of Bumbo before, but this picture was just about the cutest thing I'd ever seen and from that point on I knew I needed to have children, if only for the Bumbo.  Fast forward almost five years and I finally do have my own Bumbo and, more importantly, the sweet little munchkin to go with it.

Daily Jamie

When I Hate Loving Sweden

Jamie and I went for a walk to watch the sun set.  At 2:30 in the afternoon.  I don't know if I'll ever get used to this.



Daily Jamie

On Predictability

The Swede was home sick from work today so Jamie and I decided to give him some peace and quiet with which to get better and headed off to the mall.  Jamie fell asleep in his stroller just as my tummy started growling.  With at least fifteen free minutes and a plethora of choices, I embarked on a luxurious lunch at the food court.  I could have whatever I wanted!  They have EVERYTHING at the Kista Galleria food court.  I wasted five of my minutes just walking around trying to decide, intoxicated by the options available.  And then I made the most boring choice imaginable: a salad at the Texas Long Horn.  But get this!  They had grape soda!  GRAPE SODA, y'all!!!  Since it's not on my list of things I absolutely must eat and drink while visiting the States, I was in danger of going the rest of my life never having tasted grape soda again.  And no, of course it wasn't that good because grape soda just isn't that good, but it was an amazing experience on principle.

Daily Jamie

November 5th

November 6th

November Fifth, Minus Funfetti

Yesterday was my twenty-ninth birthday and we celebrated with my in-laws at the summer cabin.  I opened some fabulous gifts and we ate the fish soup that Mama Swede made by special request.  My family here always go out of their way to make me feel at home, especially on my birthday, but the scene below proves that, as the only non-iPhone-owner, I'm still an outsider.  Yes, the three-year-old has one too.  Oh, wait!  Jamie is still holding out.  Stay strong with me, Jamie boy, stay strong.

You may be wondering where the Funfetti cake is.  Well, I had purchased the mix and the frosting when we were in Cleveland in September and was super pumped for my yearly fix, naturally.  But then, when we got to the airport to fly home, we made the terrible discovery that our luggage was too heavy.  Cake mix and frosting being the heaviest and cheapest of all of the magical things we bought in the States, I was forced to dump them in the Cleveland Hopkins Airport ticketing hall.  I couldn't bring myself to actually put them in the trash, though, and instead set them on the wide edge of a nearby garbage can and then went back to my open suitcase to dig out something else heavy and expendable (apple cider mix, if you must know, so that I could prove to the Swedes that cider is a warm, G-rated autumnal treat and not a cold malt beverage).  When I went back to the trash can a second time an elderly woman and her husband, who had apparently been watching the tragic scene unfold, asked in a thick eastern-European accent about the cake mix and frosting.  I told them, quickly, since The Swede was getting a rash on his eyeballs because of the whole affair, that it was the best thing they'd ever taste and insisted that they take it home with them, wherever that may be.  And they did.  So even though I wasn't able to enjoy a Funfetti cake on my birthday this year, I feel consoled by the fact that a little babushka somewhere on this continent got to experience the glory of Funfetti for the first time, and that her family now thinks she's an even better baker than she probably already was.  The End.

Daily Jamie

Kid Chaos

Today was picture day at Mama Swede's daycare as well as the two other community home daycares.  Jamie was invited to get his portrait taken and to sit with his cousins Elin and Julia for a grandkids portrait.  They started with a shot of the three daycare providers and their kids and, dudes, it was hilarious.  The photographer waited for everyone to settle down, but at least three kids were screaming at any given moment.  It went on forever.  Every time they would get one kid calmed down a new one would start and the parents just stood there watching the chaos unfold.  It was magical.  I sat smugly to the side with my quiet little sweetie, who promply threw a fit when it was his turn.  'Cause that's apparently how kids roll.

Daily Jamie

A Regular Van Gogh Up In This

Jamie's room came with a blackboard on the closet door and ever since we bought the place I've been dreaming about him sitting in front of it, surrounded by chalk, creating masterpieces that will then be easily replaced by even more masterpieces.  But that's a year or two away and in the meantime I wanted to do some drawing of my own.  I had hoped to have written a message to Jamie before his arrival, but couldn't find chalk anywhere.  Weird, right?  But then, yesterday, I found chalk at Ikea.  OF COURSE they have chalk at Ikea.  I should have looked there first, right?  That's why they call me Duh-mara.  Anyway, Jamie watched and waited patiently today while I broke in the ol' blackboard for him.

Daily Jamie

Little dude fell alseep watching cartoons.  I'm going to try not to get attached to this parenting technique.

So 1998

Dudes, I got my learners permit!  Now I can learn how to drive!  Just like I did thirteen years ago!  But seriously, as silly as it is that I have to go through a rigorous and expensive process to get a Swedish license even though they let me drive legally for the first year I lived here, I'm pretty excited because this is the first step toward the daily trips to Ikea I've so longed after.

Daily Jamie

Morning People

Among the many reasons I feel incredibly lucky to have found The Swede is that he, like me, is a morning person.  That's not to say, necessarily, that we especially like getting up early or anything, but that when we do wake up we're both in a great mood, just as ready to laugh as any other time of day.  And I'm happy to report that our dear son (who does like getting up early, incidentally) has inherited this trait and will chatter happily with himself or anyone who cares to listen directly upon waking each morning.  It's really cute.  It's happens all too early, but it's really cute nonetheless.  Now the whole family really needs to work on waking up from afternoon naps.  'Cause whenever we do that we wanna cut ya, each and every one, so stay out of our way.