Ulricehamn Tidning Birthday Announcement

Montessori & Birhtday Revisited

Dear Elzora,

Sorry I haven't written anything in the last couple of weeks! Mommy and daddy have been busy trying to figure out where and when you are going to start preschool. We put you on the list for a school just 2 weeks after you were born, knowing that we needed a place for you when you turned 1 year old. After some surprisingly frustrating moments, I'm happy to inform you that in February you will be starting at the beautiful Montessori school just down the road from our home. Mommy and daddy just fell in love with the little school when we went to visit and we know that you will just love it there, too. The best part is that mommy will get to stay home with you until February... so the fun continues. I'm just thrilled to have this time with you, my little princess girl.

I didn't write anything about your actual birthday day, but it was just fantastic. I woke you up singing Happy Birthday, which you weren't too pleased about but we had a delicious scrambled egg breakfast to make up for it. Then we were off to the baby singing group. They sang Happy Birthday to you in Swedish and we had a super good time. After, that we went with Jessica and Baby Becca to Rhodos and you had some of your very own cheese pizza and so did Rebecca. After the pizza we went to the toy store and I bought you a little toy cell phone that you really loved and a metallic stuffed frog that is very very heave and really not meant for anyone under 5, but it was so adorable I had to get it. After we walked home, you got a book club order with some really cool books that you loved (one book had a toy horn that actually honked) and we went out to dinner at a restaurant on the lake. You barely made it through dinner without falling asleep. I think it was the combination of all the heavy food, new tastes and fun... but it was your first birthday and I wanted you to go crazy. Or maybe I wanted to go crazy. I'm not sure. But it was a great birthday day and you looked so cute in your little Juicy Couture outfit and pink Converse. You are the most beautiful little girl inside and out.

By the way, the ultrasound for Baby Yeah Yeah (your name for the new baby) was awesome. I could have watched the screen forever. He/She looks happy, healthy and cozy. The midwife says she is due to arrive on March 22nd, but they predict that I will go over the due date again, like I did with you. So maybe your new little brother or sister will arrive in April? It would be nice if Baby Yeah Yeah arrived on the 22nd, because it's Pascha's birthday. Mommy's birthday is March 30th, so that would be fun, too. We are all very excited.

More soon.

Love,

Mommy

PS You have a whole bunch of teeth coming in now!

Baby Vampire Girl

Dear Elzora,
I wanted to let you know that both of your fang teeth are coming in just in time for Halloween.
Spooky!!!
Love,
Mommy

1st Birthday Party! Party!

Dear Elzora,
On Saturday we had your very first birthday party extravaganza. I know that you won't remember it, but let me tell you that it was a party that many others will not forget, especially mommy.

The day started out a little rough, because you dropped a gigantic Buddha statue on your foot and I thought you had broken a bone or something. But luckily I was wrong and you just bruised the tip of your toe and your little nail bleed a little. Ouchie!

I can't believe the Buddha statue fell on your toe on your 1st birthday party day! We have always called you our Little Buddha Belly and we even bought you a gold necklace for your first Christmas with a Buddha charm. After you werer born, Auntie Liisa gave us some info about people born in the Year of the Pig: "People born in the Year of the Pig have a splendid quality about them.... Their energy grows and accumulates. This is often expressed in a rotund figure, even a little pot belly. In traditional Chinese culture, as in the figure of the Laughing Buddha..." So I'm considering it a kind of a cosmic crash. Auntie Liisa also gave you a Buddha birthday card. Maybe you will be a Buddhist?

Speaking of religion, during your party we also had your name giving ceremony. Most babies in Sweden are baptized when they are born. Making a commitment to a specific religion is a a huge decision and mommy and daddy weren't prepared to make that decision for you. Besides, it was perfect the way we did it and true to us. I wrote the ceremony down on paper and you can read it one day. And we also captured it all on video. You can see how nervouse mommy was and tease her about it.

During the ceremony we announced that Oskar Karlsson is your god father. Oskar's father is daddy's god father and it was very important to him to keep up this tradition. And mommy likes it, too. Oskar gave you a very beautiful angel necklace that was made in Finland. It's just perfect. It is something you will have forever.

You got sooo many cool presents! You are actually playing with the wooden train made of blocks that you got from Oskar's parents as I write this. You got lots of blocks and Legos which have been keeping you very very busy. Farmor and Farfar gave you lots of gifts including a hot pink CD player for your pink and black room. Linda, Morgan and Siri also gave you lots of wonderful gifts including a little doll named Faith that a little girl in South Africa designed. Linda also made you a book that people cool write in to commemorate your first birthday celelbration.
Daddy gave you a wooden ant that holds and egg that you can pull around. I think Auntie Liisa had the same one. Liisa and Jer sent you a Juicy Couture outfit from the US... and I'm totally jealous. You'll be wearing that on Thursday, your actual birthday day. And who knows, maybe you will even get more presents?

One of the most interesting presents you received at your party came form Suzanne, Erica and baby Molly. They gave you your first tennis racquet! Suzanne is a pro tennis player and she has vowed to teach you how to play. Mommy is very excited. I hope that it is something you enjoy.
On the day of your birthday party Suzanne and Erica came home form the hospital with baby Molly. So you also got a new little friend for your birthday. Welcome home, Molly!

You looked so cute at your party. You had a little pink ballerina outfit. You looked like a little baby princess. Unfortunately we didn't take very many pictures at the party, but we videotaped the entire event. I will check with Auntie Linda to get some pictures to send to everyone.

Thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate Elzora's first birthday. We love all of you so much. A special thank you goes out to Wilgot and Rebecca for helping Elzora open all of her birthday presents. And an extra special thank you goes out to Farmor, Farfar, Linda, Morgan and Siri for helping us not only with the party but helping us so very much all the time. We love you.
And Liisa, you know!!

Love,

Mommy

PS Don't feel bad that you don't like cake or sweets. :) We'll try again on your next birhtday.

A Poem for Elzora

Dear Elzora,

You've changed the way I measure time.
Hours, minutes, seconds...
no longer exist. Only
first teeth, first words, first smiles.

And each new sunrise electrifies
the sky with colors
I see for the first time.

Autumn, Summer, Spring
don't bring snow, rain, or changing leaves
but a chance to see
your pumpkin cheeks rose-red
on a crisp winter morning.

And like you, I feel new, too.
A new soul. A new heart. A new being.

Thank you, Elzora, for the re-awakening
to the celebration
that is this life,
our life,
our family.

I love you.

Mommy

(I wrote this for your name giving celebration and first birthday party tomorrow night. I'm so excited. I'm leaving now for my ultrasound appointment.)