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. 

Daily Jamie

Lids

My mom ordered a bunch of hats from Sarianne and Mama Swede's kids' clothing company (you can find them on the Facebook page "Mini- mössor och annat fint") to donate to the children's hospital in Cleveland.  The hats are super soft and the fabrics so fun and colorful that I almost hate to send them away, but I'm sure they'll be even more appreciated by the kiddos who get to wear them.

Daily Jamie

October 29th

October 30th

Animals

 I can't decide which I want to cuddle more.

Göteborg By Stroller

The Swede had to go to Göteborg for work this week and since Jamie and I are on a year-long vacation, we tagged along.  It was rather short notice, but I had hoped that we might be able to get together with Isa and finally meet little August.  Luckily enough, they are also on a year-long vacation and were able to pencil us in to their schedule.  We walked all over Göteborg while Isa filled me in all on the fun stuff to come (August is a couple of months older than Jamie) and imparted some great mama tips.

Later in the evening, The (Poor) Swede was still at work so Jesper and Isa hosted Jamie and me for a taco dinner.  August dragged himself all over their apartment while Jamie looked on, surely longing for the day when he will be able to scoot himself, and the grown-ups filled up on as much guacamole as a girl could ask for.  

It's a shame they live so far away because this family is awesome, but I have a feeling the boys are going to be great friends regardless. 

Daily Jamie

October 26th

October 27th

October 28th

Daily Jamie

Heaven In A Bottle

Last week at Kista Galleria I got super thirsty so I took a swing by the juice bar.  I was so thirsty, in fact, that I didn't even really make a decision about what I was going to drink, I just pointed at the first thing I saw and passed my kronor over the counter.  And boy, did I get lucky because what I got just happened to be the most delicious non-coffee beverage ever to cross my lips.  My enjoyment was short-lived, though, as I soon realized that I had never, ever seen Sanpellegrino Aranciata Rossa in a store or restaurant before.  "Oh, grrrrrreat," I thought, "I've just discovered beverage nirvana outside of Starbucks and I'm never going to find it again."  But guess what?  They have it at a coffee shop right in my very own neighborhood!  Hot dog!

Daily Jamie

Just A Little Off The Top

My husband, who missed his calling as a lumberjack, if his recent obsession is any indication, celebrated the glorious autumnal weather yesterday by clipping the hedges.  He has an electric hedge clipper, which, as you can imagine, is a joy for him to use, but there's no power tool for the second part of the job: the clean-up.  So he's out there this evening, gathering up the clippings with his bare hands (well, gloved hands, but you get the idea) and it just doesn't look like fun at all.