Birthday fun

My birthday looked to be sad the day before.
Everyone was busy, celebrating others, or doing more important things.

Half through the day I thought it would be only Sophia and I, and well, she didn't even say happy birthday!
But, ten people called, cancelled then rebooked.

We ended up having my favourite dinner, then cake!

It was amazing!

Even better is that the first proper snow came - I love snow. 2 days later and it's still snowing!
Sophia played I. The snow for the first time - she was indifferent.

Tonight two good friends arrive - cassia and Yulia!
Amazing!
I am super excited!

Tomorrow is the day

I am excited.
Tomorrow I will spend my first birthday with Sophia!
I wonder what she got me! Haha...

I guess I will make a cake, a princesstårta - princess cake, my favourite.

Other than that I think Helena is coming in the afternoon.

Soon it's time to start with Christmas candy - love it.
First of advent is on Sunday, and Friday two friends arrive for the weekend - amazing!

I give you an old picture

Fatigue

I am incredibly tired. I slept fairly good at night, and after two naps I am still exhausted. Oh well... The day was spent drinking julmust and playing with baby Lego.

The other day I ordered all my christams gifts so now that's done.

Dinner and then bed

Video Update

Here are three videos.

The first one is of Sophia 'dancing' on the potty, this was shot about a month or so ago.


The second one is of Sophia laughing when my sister is playing with her, maybe two months ago.

The last one is of Sophia walking by the table. I would have wanted her to dare to take a step 'alone', but as you can see - she refuses.

Nodding

I am about to fall asleep.
I am lying next to Sophia while she naps - for some quality mother daughter time - at least for me, and I find myself nodding off.

Why can't I be this tired at night?

My mom is sick now, although she seems better already, and is listening to her annoying cd-book. I am thinking about breaking the disc one night when she is asleep, only to blame one of the cats. We will see how doable that is.

BIG News

The big news I wanted to tell you wasn't that my mom also got sick - which she did just now, but that Sophia took her first tiny steps yesterday.

SAY WHAAAT!?

Oh yeah... she took 1½ steps.

Now you are probably thinking; Well, that's nothing.
BUT you are wrong, it is HUGE!

Gotta love that little monster!

Almost 3½ months ago

Love for cooking

I have found heaven.
A website dedicated to recipes. But not a boring, ugly, badly photographed site. An amazing one.

Punchfork - since I am using the iPad I can't link to it, but I guess it's .com

It's awesome and I have found several recipes that I will be able to cook when I come back to mexico - I.e. they do not contain spices, or ingredients not available there.

Although, I think I found a place where I could buy Greek/Turkish yoghurt. I am pretty sure I saw it in a dairy store in a forgotten mall.

I really hope so since all other yoghurt a contain sugar or sweetener - both of which we have decided we want her to stay away from on a daily basis, keeping it solely to birthdays.
Which means that our suitcases will not only be packed with the new clothes and things we got her, but also majskrokar/corn puffs (Cheetos without any flavouring), sugar free tomato purée, sugar free toddler cookies, and a few other products like these.
Sadly most things in Mexico contains sugar, including baby food, and surprisingly tomato purée. I had never thought about it until a Swedish friend of mine mentioned it when she was visiting.

So, go to punchfork, if you like cooking, and finding some inspiration, this is the best place. Each recipe is both rated on a 0-100 scale, and it can also be liked. You can search for recipes either throughthe top rated, most liked, trending or new. You can also search by publisher. The recipes you have liked are saved so that you can go back and see them - awesome.

Sophia had a HUGE break through last night - I will post about that later, need to tell Memo first!

Dying

I am dying.

Fever, fever pains that makes my body scream if I move, and nausea.

Life is great

Working Late

A few of you know how madly in love with grammar I am. I am not saying I am the best at grammar, or languages in general - but I LOVE correcting.

I have been correcting work since my sister started university (2006), through Montessori 'university', through my university and random friends work.

My sister still sends me things, because she knows I am thorough, hard and a perfectionist.
So she recommended me to a friend of hers, well maybe a friend of mine too, so I will be proof reading her thesis - YAY.

Memo on the other hand HATES to have me read his work - I am too thorough, hard and too much of a perfectionist.

Ahhh, languages!
If I wasn't so stubborn I would work with them. I mean, 3 languages fluently and 1 on the way, + one basic that is a good basic.

It's fun!

I know the feeling now...

Back in Mexico I would ask Memo how it felt that the majority of his friends never bothered to come see Sophia, or that practically no one came to hang out at the house.

He always said he didn't want to talk about it because it pissed him off to badly, and made him sad. If he would have started thinking about how his 'friends' disappeared when the most amazing thing in his life came, and didn't seem to care, maybe he would reconsider the whole friendship.

I didn't understand. In my eyes, if his friends didn't even bother to see Sophia, or continuing to see him, why would they be friends? I mean, and all of you with children or who are a bit maturer should know, having a baby is the most important thing that will ever happen to you. And when you have a child you want your friends to be excited for you, come see the baby from time to time etc... Yes even men - although, they might not say it clearly.
If you don't understand, wait and see until you have a baby and those friends of yours don't show up - if they live in the same city, or far away and you even offer to help them pay the trip.

Well, karma is a bitch and I now understand him.

Re reading this I see how it comes off as only being about Sophia.
It isn't.
It is about cherishing a friendship, about seeing what is important to your friends, supporting them.

Younger, I thought one of the worse things were when you liked a boyfriend more than he liked you. Only to realise now that actually, what is worse is when you are putting more importance/feelings to a friendship than the other friend, that my dear readers really sucks.

Oh well, while some friends disappoint you others surprise you, while others are loyal as hell.

It's a question of assessing you relationships adequately.

I will be working on that

Note to Self

Asses better - it will make you happier and avoid disappointment.

Gastro

That's the word in French - in Swedish; magsjukan. In English - stomach flue maybe!?

Good times. My sister says I need to eat to get it all out, but I can't! I eat small things and they come out as soon as they hit he belly - liquids as well.

Sophia had a bit of problems yesterday but seems good today - lets hope she will make it through without getting anything.

Let this be fast!

New Safety Gear

Here's some of the new things we (read Memo) got us this weekend:

A Phil and Teds Explorer

We decided to invest in this one because when in a few years there's a new baby on it's way we can use the stroller to both children.

A Safety 1st car seat. We got this one because this brand was one of two brands with which the chair can face both ways - which for us is very important. A child should face backwards at least until the age of three - for safety reasons. This is normal and standard in Sweden, but in Mexico no one does it. I guess they don't know better.

Here's a link for you all if you don't believe me (english) - Rear Facing - The way forward

A feeling of...

Greatness.

When you have tried get a message through - that you know is amazing - that's awesome.

Trying to educate people in the importance of natural birth is so important - especially in a country like Mexico where the the c-section rate is 80%.
This is crazy, since in order for a hospital to be internationally certified the rate cannot be higher than 10ish %.

Super dangerous.

Just because it is convenient for the doctors, and the women are scared that natural birth hurt (which it of course does, for a few hours), but c-sections hurt too - for 2 weeks afterwards!

Think about it

Nationalistic

Oh, Sweden. It is days like these that I am extra proud of being Swedish.

For the third time this year, the Swedish national football team has surprised us; France, Germany and, yesterday, England.
4-2, the last goal being one of he pretties this year - not my words.

Some say it was Zlatan against England, but he couldn't have done it without the help of the rest of the team.

Although I am warm with pride I am also embarrassed, not of Sweden, but of our citizens.
I am embarrassed if those swedes who voted for Sverige Demokraterna - swedens extreme right party.
I know for a fact that the majority of voters are uneducated lower class citizens, but none the less.
Sadly I know of a few people who voted for them.

If only these people realised how important immigration is for a country, how it helps it grow and develop. What is crucial is integration.

Although, these people probably don't even realise that most people are 'immigrants' - like me, my dad came from Finland at 17.
I've personally been an immigrant in several countries - France, England, Turkey and now Mexico.

So all you people who think SD is the answer to Sweden's problems - educate yourselves - fools.

I am out!

Hoy es Miercoles

Today has been a boring grey day.
We spent loads of time cuddling, playing inside and eating.

Now Sophia fell asleep and I got a headache... ahhh - the joys of life.
At least Sophia has been falling asleep by herself for the past 2 weeks - and NO waking up until 7 am.

She must love sleep as much as her mother.

New episode of New Girl out... can't wait to see it.

Cut

I got a haircut today.
Just the tips.

I started working out a bit again. Unsung the daily workout apps, 10min abs, 10 min legs or ass, 10 min arms. Also started taking walks. We will see where it takes me!

Inspired

I was inspired to put my idea of Sophia's new room 'down on paper' last night.
It  came out FAR worse than I imagined.

But here goes

The tree and butterflies are stickers we will put on the wall.
Also, the theme is more childs bedroom than too exaggerated pink/purple and princessy. If only they had IKEA in Mexico.

Anywho, the fabric looks better than that, we will buy it in IKEA before leaving. These are the two we are choosing between:

The lamp, owl hanger, and farm are also from there.
The carpet we hope they have in Mexico and the Barbapapa we will try to have made by a carpenter.

What do you think?

Planning Life

Life is complicated.

Plans change and/or develop into something that at first wasn't even on the table.

Time passes fast, and you do not realise it until you look at Sophia. When we came to Sweden she was a bold, 2 'toothed', new crawler who did t seem to understand much of life.

And although life still probably is a mystery to her she is soon walking, lots of more hair and teeth and at least seem to know who I am.

As this development happened, I also developed, ideas developed in my mind, some disappeared, some re-appeared.

As much as I hated going back to Mexico a few months ago I am slowly realising that it probably is the best solution for us - at the moment.
Do not get me wrong. If there is any possibility for us to find good jobs here, as well as an apartment I would jump in that opportunity directly.
But sadly that is not the case.

In order for us to successfully move over here, Sophia and I need to get over here a few months before Memo.
In order to get a rental apartment in Sweden you need to stand in line for many months - up to a year or two - or 15 years in Stockholm (not even exaggerated, probably understated).
And of course, most importantly you need a fixed income.

This means that not only will it take a long time finding a place, but also I need to find a job first.
This all needs to be timed right with Sophia entering day care, to which there also is a line of a few months.
In case she enters before I find a job, I will stop receiving the maternity leave money - thus being without income completely.

All this is without considering how difficult it might be for both of us to find jobs here, etc.
So although I will still do my best to get us over here, I realise that it isn't too realistic.
I will, therefore, actively search for job a both in Mexico and Sweden starting January.

Crossing my fingers and toes I will be offered an amazing job in Sweden.

UPDATED WISHLIST

Go see the wishlist again if you are still deciding what to send the little princess.

First steps

Sophia is close to take her first steps.
She stands up, without holding on to anything, for a long time now. Lets see when she dares to actually take a small step forward.

How amazingly scary, she was just a dirty little new born on my chest in the hospital.

Time sure flies.

Silence

It's been quite here. I apologize.

We've been more or less busy, with more or less important things.

I've started watching two new shows - "New Girl" and "Happy Endings". The former is really just amazing, the latter more of an average pass time while waiting for the former.
Anywho, until I start 100 % attendance here again on Monday, here's something for you to watch



But I assure you it does not do the show justice.

Shopping

I have to admit, I have been shopping a bit.

Not only was it sales on summer clothes for Sophia last week downtown, but it was also sales on summer clothes for adults online when I ordered a belt the other day.
This means I will be two bikinis and a pair of shorts richer soon.

It was very cheap, up to 70% off.

I will take pictures when it arrives!

Can't wait!

Greatness

Finally!

Friends are coming our way soon.
November will be an amazing month.

Sophia had an appointment with the doctor this morning, she is gaining weight as she should! My big girl!

Life is awesome

UPDATED LIST

Here is the link to the post with Sophia's wishlist (<-- p="p">I have crossed the gifts that were already bought, and added a few more alternatives.

For those who missed it, each name of gift is a link to the website that sells it (Swedish yes) but it shouldn't be too complicated to click your way around - Google translate.

Ask for Sophia's address if you want to send something, like that it arrives here and she will get in on Christmas - or her birthday what ever you chose.

You will tell, they are not expensive. I would say between 10-20 Euros.

Hugs from Sophia

Proud

I am SO proud of Memo.

Yesterday he ran the Guadalajara marathon at his personal record - 3h27min.
I am so so proud.

He is now, if I understood correctly, the 5th best runner (marathon) in Atlas (the sports club).

Sophia is proud too.

Planning

The Christmas gifts are starting to be more clear.

Late today I will link to the post with Sophia's wish list, updating it with what has been 'taken'.

Otherwise I only have my mom left to figure out!

Last Day

It's our last day house sitting, and also my last sick day.
I feel better, and it also seems like Sophia does.

I have been cleaning up after the little tornado, and am pretty done with packing.

In the afternoon we are going to one of the play lands here, Leo's Lekland.
I hope it's nice.

Other than that, the response rate on Sophia's wish list was about the same as the participation rate in general on this blog - 0.
Quite funny since I can see how many people read this, and even each individual IP address.
You are quite a few, on average 70-80 on a day when I write one post, above a hundred if I am more active.

Oh well, here are some photos

Sophia's Wishlist

UPDATED LIST

This is what Sophia would like for Christmas - and her birthday.
The products are links to online stores where the products can be bought.
If anyone wants to buy her something, just ask me for her address: ahelenabjork@gmail.com, also please let me know what you would like to send her so that I can take it off the list.

Barbapapa Night Light

Barbapapa Beach Set

Barabapapa Pool Set

Skip Hop Backpack

BUT STILL: Skip Hop has many cute products that you can find here that little Sophia would LOVE


Purple Elefant

This one is on sale right now

Micki Pull-Back Car

From Zara - All clothes size 86 (1½ year)

From H&M
THE SWEATER AND ONE PIECE HAVE BEEN BOUGHT

To all Swedish people, any classical Swedish children's book is amazing.
Suggestions:
Totte
Max
Songbook
Elsa Beskow books
Rimes for Children
Pippi Longstocking

Thank You on behalf on the Princess