Day 508

December 31st

Happy New Year! Very happy today that everyone in the family is feeling healthy again.

Isaac and Emma fed Alexander lime. He thought it was sour, but kept tasting it.


We made lasagne (spinach, eggplant, zucchini, artichoke hearts, bell pepper, tomatoes, and feta cheese). Alexander helped mix things up.


Eating dessert, vanilla custard with fruit (raspberries, blueberries, mango, passionfruit, pomegranate, and lime).


I love Alexander's eyelashes in this picture.


Alexander stayed up till midnight. Lasse, Isaac, and Emma went out at midnight and shot off rockets. Alexander and I stayed inside and watched the fireworks from the balcony doorway.

Day 507

December 30th

Both Mommy and Alexander were totally out of it today. Stomach flu is such a drag, but at least it doesn't last too long. Thankfully, Lasse stayed home so I was able to rest. He and Isaac started on a gingerbread castle, which Emma later helped decorate.

Alexander took two very long naps, but felt better in the evening and colored a bit.

Day 506

December 29th

Alexander threw up again in the morning, I started feeling sick in the afternoon.
On the floor in Emma's room, looking a little green I think.

Day 505

December 28th

Seemed to be feeling better in the morning.
Playing with a Christmas present.


Alexander found a box of hats and tried on one of Emma's old hats and he was cute.


When Alexander was sick yesterday, he kept falling down and he got a couple of bruises.


Hanna, Alva, and Peter came to visit, I hope they don't get sick.

Day 504

December 27th

I didn't have to work today, which was good because Alexander was sick. He woke up and threw up all over Mommy and continued to have a fever and diarhea and no appetite. He did eat some yogurt, but when we added bread he threw up again.

Ready for bed after a long hard day :-(

Day 503

December 26th

Alexander had a fever, and didn't feel too great.
He was cheered up by a visit from Farmor and Farfar who came and ate a partial Christmas dinner (turkey breast, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and kale, which for some reason is only available in Sweden at Christmas).


Checking out Isaac's iPad

Day 502

December 25th

Merry Christmas! We had a nice relaxed day, Isaac and Emma didn't wake up until 9 am. We started the day with tea and opened presents

Look! A giraffe in my stocking.


Here is a picture of Alexander playing with his favorite present, a shoe house that his aunt/uncle/cousins gave him.

Day 501

December 24th

God Jul! We celebrated Christmas Eve with relatives in Västerhaninge, about an hour away on the commuter train, and we all had a very nice time. Alexander slept for half an hour on the train and managed to stay awake and in good spirits all day/evening long.

Alexander enjoyed meeting another baby, and trying out his carseat.



He also enjoyed climbing up and down the stairs and did so about twenty times.


Santa Claus came and handed out presents!



We also ate a lot of good food, and just hung out.

Day 500

December 23rd

Alexander loves bread. I held up a loaf this morning and asked, "do you want a piece of bread"? He got happy and did a little excited dance, bending his knees, and then he went and opened the cupboard, pulled out the wooden cutting board which we cut bread on and gave it to me :-)

Hanging out with Daddy


before heading out sledding:


Made meatballs, with lots of garlic, basil, and parmesan cheese.


Alexander thought they were yummy, he has one in each cheek.

Day 499

December 22nd

Cousin Hanna came to visit us today. She is one of Alexander's favorite people (along with her sister :-) and Alexander was very happy to see her.


Alexander is enjoying playing with his Duplo animals, especially the panda bears and horses.

Day 498

December 21st

Happy Solstice! The shortest day of the year didn't seem too dark because it was a nice clear day. We looked for the lunar eclipse this morning, but didn't see it.

I took Alexander to the doctor because he is still coughing and wheezing and she said he has cold-induced asthma. He seems to be getting better though; he hasn't woken up coughing at 3 a.m. for a while.

Back home, I was leafing through the newspaper and Alexander caught sight of and was enchanted by this picture of Alexander Stubb, the Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs.



Mommy taped the picture onto cardboard and we played "peek a boo".

Day 497

December 20th

Sledding!


Isaac protected Alexander from the snow.



Heading home; Alexander's cheeks were getting purple.

Day 496

December 19th

Lasse and Alexander and I went to town around 10 am. Isaac and Emma were still sleeping! I thought we could show Alexander the Christmas windows at a department store, but it was REALLY cold and there were a lot of people in town and he is probably a little young to care anyway, so we skipped it. But he enjoyed the Kulturhuset and sat and ate lunch and watched people. Emma wanted to go to the English shop with me, so she eventually joined us when she finally woke up. I love cell phones!

Alexander helped Isaac wrap a present for Emma.

Day 495

December 18th

We went shopping for food and we waited a long time for a bus in the cold. On the way home we gave Alexander a box of raisins which he thought was fantastic.


Not feeling so well in the evening, runny nose, cough, and a fever.

Day 494

December 17th

The Christmas tree is a great vocabulary builder since we have a lot of unconventional decorations. Yes, Alexander can find the Santas and the angels, but also the cow, fish, tree, bells, parrot, bunny rabbit, teddy, etc. There is a decoration with a man playing a trumpet and when he first noticed it he got very excited and made me follow him to Isaac's room to get down the plastic recorder. I love seeing him connecting his thoughts.


He got SO angry at me when I took the phone away. He kept pushing the numbers "1" and "2" and I didn't want him to dial 112 - the Swedish 911 number!


Was quite cranky today, not feeling 100%, but was happy after his bath.

Day 493

December 16th

A lot of pictures today.

Alexander putting a spoon away. The first time it fell through the holes, the second time he carefully balanced it across the bars so it wouldn't fall.


We got him a sled for Christmas, but there is too much snow to wait! Emma came home from school and also wanted to go sledding.


and she made a snow angel:


Alexander enjoyed going down this little hill; he had a big smile on his face before I took the picture.


In the evening he wanted to play with the microwave lid.

Day 492

December 15th

Alexander's big sister is officially a teenager. Happy Birthday, Emma 13 years old!

Up early, giving Emma breakfast in bed and watching her open presents.


A very typical Alexander expression.


Wearing a sweater that Farmor made for Isaac back in the day.

Day 491

December 14th

Today was the last day of the drop in preschool for stay at home parents for this year. Many of the kids were dressed up as Gingerbread boys/girls or Santa elves, and one boy was dressed up as a dinosaur. We sang and listened to songs and had a snack.

Alexander has found his favorite spot to sit in the living room. He climbs up and settles down and looks very pleased with himself.


He doesn't want to sit still too long though, and finds interesting ways to climb down.


Lasse was sick and came home from work in the afternoon, having gotten through the morning thanks to Dayquil. Alexander looks a bit suspicious.