Our Swedish Easter

I'm a little late on the Easter post, but here are the pictures nonetheless. The girls really enjoyed their first Påsk Ägg. In Sweden, the Easter Bunny doesn't deliver Easter baskets but large Easter Eggs filled with goodies. Easter at church was a completely different experience for us. The church was really empty because so many of the students that regularly attend had gone home for the 5 day Easter break. No one else seemed to be extra dressed for the occasion, except for our girls who received 2 sets of beautiful matching Easter dresses.

On the eve of Easter, friends of ours invited us over for a traditional Svensk dinner. We had 3 kinds of Sil (pickled herring), hard boiled eggs with shrimp, låx (lox = salmon), köttbular (Swedish meatballs), potatoes and some other yummy dishes. We all enjoyed the meal (really, we liked everything), especially Sonja who just loves Swedish meatballs.









We also received an Easter package from Uncle Andy and Kelly that was greatly enjoyed.

Copenhagen

Well, we took advantage of the long Easter holiday to make our first out-of-Sweden trip. We decided to go to Copenhagen for a couple of days because it is not too far from us (just about 1 hour on the train). The first day we arrived just before noon. The train ride was really fun for the girls. I packed snacks so we could have our fika (Swedish word for a coffee break) on the train.


Waiting for the train



After dropping off our suitcase at the hotel we went to visit Tivoli Gardens. It's an amusement park but not quite like the kind you find in the US. It's not as family/theme park oriented as Disney, not as honky-tonk as your average carnival and cleaner and prettier than a Six Flags. It is expensive, but we really enjoyed it. It has lots and lots of flowers and outdoor cafes/restaurants. Linnea especially like riding the carousel and also enjoyed the old-time cars and Storybook ride. Linnea also developed a taste for cotton candy. Sonja developed a taste for my crazy ice cream cone, which consisted of 3 scoops of ice cream in a cone with soft serve on top, then marshmallow creme, then a chocolate covered marshmallow thing, then a little strawberry syrup on top!











Our second day in Copenhagen we visited the castle and grounds where the crown jewels are kept. Then we took a really nice canal boat ride through the city's canals. We really lucked out with the weather as it was beautiful the whole time we were there.





Although we really enjoyed our time away from home and visiting a new city, we were very glad to get back to Sweden. There is something about it here that isn't like the rest of Europe that I've visited. It's quiet, clean and green.

The girls are doing great. Sonja is walking most of the time now and really enjoys going outside to play. Now that the weather is nice, we even take our lunch outside sometimes and eat on the back patio. Linnea got some good news last week. She'll be able to start school in May. She is very excited! Both girls never cease to make me laugh. Sonja is always climbing up something or trying to fit into little hiding spots. Linnea is speaking some English some Swedish these days. She doesn't say "no" anymore, now it's just "nej" and she mixed sentences like "I'm a blooma". Blooma is the Swedish word for flower. She was saying this while wearing a big flower on her head. She also likes to see what she can get away with these days too. The other day I told her to go use the potty. She came back, obviously too soon and said she had gone. I said, "No you didn't Linnea. Go back and go potty." "Oh, alright." Stomp, stomp. And then later, "Mama, how did you know that I didn't go potty?". "Because I'm the mommy and I just know."

We are still anxiously awaiting our first visitors, whomever they end up being. Right now June 15th (the day we have to move out for the summer) doesn't seem that far away! We are going away for about 5-6 days in May to Germany for Kirchentag (church day) and are starting to look forward to that trip. I'll need to brush up on my German though as they don't speak as much English there as they do in Sweden.

Look forward to another post shortly of our Easter Sunday here at the house. And as always, we love to hear from our friends and family!

It's Official - Sonja's a "Walking Baby"

Even though Sonja took her first steps awhile ago, she hasn't really been what I would call walking until this past weekend. It started on Friday where she would take more than 3 steps at a time and last night Matthew and I counted about 20 steps in a row before she decided to sit down. Now she walks about half the time and still crawls the other half of the time, but I know it won't be long at all before she's running after Linnea.

This past Saturday was an absolutely beautiful day. We took the bikes (and the wagon) into the city and enjoyed the sunshine. It was so fun having a picnic lunch on the grass and playing at the playground where there was actually warm sun.

Here are some pictures of the past week.


Playing Doctor's office. Linnea is the patient and Sonja's the doctor.


Goofing off like usual.
















And this is what happens when you give your baby sister a chocolate cookie on the way home from the grocery store (which is less than a 10 minute drive).

Yard Work and Wheelbarrow Rides

This weekend we spent some time doing some much needed yard work. Sonja just loved it because every time we delivered a pile of leaves to the leaf-pile she got a wheelbarrow ride. It was fun to watch her get so excited and "all smiles" when we'd wheel her around. But every time we took her out to dump the leaves she would start screaming. Since we would then put her back into the wheelbarrow after we dumped the leaves I figured after a couple of trips she'd get it and wouldn't scream when we took her out. No such luck, after at least a dozen trips, she still cried when we took her out. I guess some things are harder to grasp than others!




Linnea has been in a mood lately and doesn't like to have her picture taken. So there aren't any pictures to post of her, just the one where she is holding her Doodle pad in front of her face. That is when we were at the yummy pizza place down the street on Saturday night. I really wanted to get a picture of her because I cut about 3 inches off of her hair and it looks really cute (just like her friend Eleanor she says). Maybe I'll get a shot of it this week.



So, the other morning I was up and could her Linnea whimpering in her room. After a little while I went in and asked her what was wrong. She said "I don't have any makeup." Whimper, whimper. "All I have is chap stick and that really isn't real makeup. I want lipstick and the stuff that you put on eyelashes." I had to try very hard to hold in the laughter. It is so funny because if you know me, I rarely where any makeup at all. I don't know where she gets it from.

Here is Sonja checking out the happenings outside. I don't know what's cuter, the chubby cheeks or the chubby tummy!



The little sneak getting into her favorite hiding spot!

E85, A Few Steps, Drafting, Hiking, Sightseeing, Puking and Sandcastles

Last week was an exciting week. First I put E85 (ethanol) in the car instead of regular gas. I wasn't really paying attention. Actually I was distracted by making sure I wasn't putting diesel in and watching the kids in the car. Turns out, it's not too big of a deal, we didn't have to siphon it out or anything, just need to put more gas in as soon as possible. Doesn't help me feel like less of a dummy though!

Sonja has been cruising along holding on to hands like crazy now and even took a few, very cautious, steps. They were more like sideways shuffle steps but still very exciting. She's also been busy stacking blocks and copying big sister, especially at the dinner table. Sometimes they get into this endless feedback loop where one starts something like shaking her head, the other follows suit and then the other one copies and on and on. It is pretty fun for all of us.



On our drive on Saturday Linnea was doodling with her magna-doodle and showed me a picture of her hair brush she had drawn (the top one in the photo). I said that it was very good and could she draw me a picture of the brush as if she were looking at it from the side (not other prompting) and then she drew the one on the bottom. Pretty good for a 3 1/2 year old I think. But then again, she's got some engineering genes.



On Saturday we went out for a hike at some trails around a castle (in Torup). It was a lot of fun and we were glad to have our jogger/trailer stroller. We had packed a picnic lunch and actually got to eat it outside because it was nice and warm, in the 40s.












We hadn't mentioned this before, but on every Saturday road trip that we've taken since being in Sweden, Sonja pukes in the car. Our little girl takes after her Mom and her Dad and gets car sick easily, especially on winding, country roads. We first thought it would get better once we switched her car seat around, but that didn't seem to help. Now at least we know when it is coming and can stop the car and minimize the damage! Linnea on the other hand keeps thinking she's going to catch the car sickness. Here they are before this weekend's puking event.



And here we are at the beach. A little cold but at least you can still build sandcastles and collect rocks!

Sonja's Party

Sonja's birthday was a lot of fun! Linnea and I made carrot cake for the exciting event.

Linnea took this picture of me filling a cupcake.



Here is Linnea filling up some more cupcakes.



The birthday turned out to be an all day affair! In the morning Sonja had her birthday breakfast.



In the afternoon we went to Mom's group at church and we sang "Happy Birthday" to her there and played with balloons.

For dinner, I made spaghetti with meatballs and Linnea made fruit salad. Then after dinner we wore party hats and had blowers, we sang again, had cake and ice cream, and then opened presents. Needless to say, the girls were pretty hyped up last night. But it was a good thing, it was all in all a very fun day!
















Sonja was a little bewildered by all of the excitement and attention, but she really seemed to enjoy her first birthday.

Today we went to Öppen Förskola again and had a great time. There were 3 other 3 year old girls there for Linnea to play with. One who speaks Swedish but can understand English because her father speaks to her in English (he is Swedish but wants her to learn English), one who speaks French but can understand English and the other who speaks English and Swedish. The little girl who speaks Swedish and English just moved here with her family from Australia in January and will be staying in Sweden for a year. Sound familiar? I exchanged information with her mom and we are going to get together sometime soon to play and watch "The Wiggles".
In addition to all the little girls, there was also a mom and 1 year old son who are from Austria and speak German! A very international place!

Sonja Turns 1 Today!

Today is Sonja's birthday! We are all very excited that she is turning one. I just can't believe it's been a year already. Linnea thinks that now she should be able to walk and has now graduated to a "walking baby". Tonight we will have a birthday dinner (spaghetti and meatballs) and carrot cake and ice cream for dessert. She already had her birthday breakfast this morning. Cottage cheese, avocado, knackebrod, banana and grapes. All her favorites, yum!
I will post pictures of the event later on. For now, here are some pictures from last week! Enjoy!