Hard Rock, Hallelujah!!

Dear Elzora,
I took this picture the other morning when you woke up and you were angry. I think it is perfect! And you do actually listen to Slayer with your daddy. Actually both you and Starla went to see Slayer when you were still in mommy's belly.
I love you.

Love,
Mommy

New Fabulous Furniture & Party Party

Dear Elzora,
Today mommy and daddy purchased new outside furniture for our backyard, and it is so nice! I just love the pavilion. It has mosquito netting so we can spend more time outdoors enjoying the beautiful, Swedish summer evenings.

Farmor and farfar came over to help us and then we had fika together. I baked banana muffins and they were really yummy (breastfeeding makes mommy super-duper hungry).

We still have a wind wall to put up and we are purchasing a Weber Fireplace possibly this afternoon. We are going to have such a fun summer just maxin' and relaxin' with our friends and family. Your Aunt Miranda might be arriving from the US before the end of the week. I can't believe it!!

After we finished with the furniture, you and papa went to Timmele for a party. Mommy and Starla stayed home and ate Chinese take-out with our favorite neighbors and watched the Swedish version of Survivor (Robinson). You and papa are now eating breakfast at farmor's and soon you will come home. I miss you!! I heard you were quite the little party girl and fell asleep at 9pm and then woke up for some more party party at 11:30pm!!

I look forward to giving you a great, big hug when you get home. And daddy, too.

Love,
Mommy

First Husbil Holiday

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Dear Elzora,
On May 1st, farfar and farmor departed from Timmele on their first voyage in the new husbil (RV,Motorhome). Luckily we were there to witness the joyous event.

Last weekend Siri joined her mormor and morfar and soon you too will travel with them to a beautiful, Swedish, seaside destination.

Congratulations Bengt & Bojan!!

Love,
Mommy

UPDATE: You spent your first weekend away from home on a RV trip with farmor and farfar last weekend (June 26 - June 28, 2009).

Happy Birthday, Aunt Jessie!!

Dear Elzora,
Today is your Aunt Jessie's birthday and I know that she would like nothing more than to spend her special day with you. On days like today it is tough living so far away from mommy's family.

Jessie has a lot to be proud of on her birthday. She is going to school, working 2 jobs, helping Grandma Mary Jo with the house and taking care of Kayla. She is becoming quite a role model for you and your sister. I admire her strength.

So, Happy Birthday to Aunt Jessie!! We love you.

Love,
Mommy

PS I think Mommy needs a scanner.
PSS Look at Jessie's feet in the photo of her playing the organ. So cute!!

Happy Birthday, Grover!!

Dear Elzora,
Today is the birthday of our dear friend Grover G-Money Johnson. She is also the founder of Bulges Gym. Mommy lived and worked with Grover for many years in Berkeley and Oakland, California. G-Money is coming to visit us in September and mommy can not wait to see her friend. Happy Birthday, Grover!!

These pictures were taken in a photo booth at Benders bar in San Francisco before it burned down and they rebuilt it. That was a fun night!! Grover, Sarah, Alex and Tracy are some fun gals. You met everyone except for Tracy when we were staying in Berkeley last year.

Love,
Mommy

Easter Revisited

Dear Elzora,
I have to confess that I have a little catching up to do when it comes to your blog. But here are some pictures from Easter at farmor and farfar's house this year. You got a totally hip outfit and some raisins. I think you liked the raisins most of all!

We had Easter dinner with Linda, Morgan and Siri. Of course, it was delicious!

Mama and papa gave you a wheel barrow and a watering can for playing outside. You love to water the garden!

I promise next year we will color as many eggs as humanly possible since we skipped that this year.

Love,
Mommy

Linda's Birthday Party!!

Dear Elzora,
We may have been celebrating Linda's 34th birthday, but you were definitely the one partying.
I am so happy that you are enjoying your life!

Love,
Mommy

PS If anyone wonders what a good present would be for Elzora, a fake cake would be a terrific choice.

Open House at Nickelpigan

Dear Elzora,
On April 23, 2009 you had the opportunity to show mama, papa, Starla, Morgan and Siri your beautiful preschool. What a wonderful, cozy and creative place!! During our visit you and Siri got to play with toys, paint, hop on the pillows, play outside and visit the big school that you might attend when you are 3 years old.

We had a great time and mommy can tell that you are loved and well taken care of on the days that you go to Nyckelpigan.

Love,
Mommy

Photos from Johanna

Dear Elzora,
Johanna, papa's cousin, just sent us these pictures.
Both the pictures and you are beautiful.
Here is the message from Johanna that accompanied the pics.
"Hon har riktigt fina ögon :) hälsningar johanna"
Thank you, Johanna!
Love,
Mommy

Scary Monster at the Biogas Station

Elzora and the Magic Sandbox

Dear Elzora,
You don't really have a magic sandbox. Well at least you haven't figured out if it is magic, yet. I had a magic sandbox when I was a little girl that my daddy built for me. It could grow cucumbers! Nobody believed me until I actually planted the seeds in the sand and the lovely green vegetables appeared just a few weeks later. Everyone was amazed but I knew that it was a magic sandbox all along.

Your daddy built you this beautiful sandbox and of course you LOVE it.
You love it so much that I couldn't get you to look at me to take a picture of you playing in it for the very first time.

I just want you to know that I am having a hard time finding the time or the clarity to write any very interesting posts with 2 little babies to take care of at home. For now I may be posting mainly pictures but I have the rest of my life to add the text. What else am I going to do when I am old besides sit in front of the computer and update your blog? Oh wait, daddy and I may be busy snorkeling and drinking margaritas when we live in a hut on a tropical island somewhere.

I love you more and more every day.
Mommy

Happy Birthday, Grandpa Ace!!

Dear Elzora,
Today is my Grandpa's birthday. I believe that he turns 92 years young today. I might be wrong so I will have to double check with Grandma Mary Jo.
This is the only picture I have of him, but I just love it (he is the one on the right). I miss him.
I hope that you can meet him someday soon. He is a very talented and kind man.
Happy Birthday, Grandpa Ace!
Go for it!!
Love,
Mommy

Mommy and her Big Grrrrrl!

Dear Elzora,
Here is one of the two of us together. It was taken on April 9, 2009. Aren't we adorable?
I think this is the day you were supposed to be the Easter witch at school, but we didn't get up in time to do the make-up and you didn't feel like wearing the head scarf. Oh, well. We'll do it up big time for next year.

Linda Love

Dear Elzora,
I was just uploading some pictures and I found this one of you and Linda from earlier this month. You love her so much. One of the first words you could say clearly was "Liiin-daah!"
Love,
Mommy

Pee Pee Power!

Dear Elzora,
This picture is actually from November of 2008, but I just love it so much, and it is an appropriate image for this blog entry.

I just have to let you know that last Friday when I picked you up from The Ladybug Ethel informed me that you had asked for the potty chair earlier that day and that you went pee pee for the first time like a big girl. So cool! The funny thing is that since you are only 1.5 years old, we haven't even really thought about potty training, but you are obviously learning a lot from the children and adults you spend 15 hours a week with at school.

As you can imagine I was feeling a little bit sad that I had missed such a big moment, but then on Sunday you were at home with me and papa and Starla and you gasped and looked at me and pointed to your baby booty. I grabbed your hand and we took off your diaper and put you on the potta (Swedish name for potty chair) and you made one little poop!

It hasn't happened again that we've made it to the potta in time for you to do your business, but I think it is just super fantastic that you are thinking about such things. I am so proud.

Ethel says you are a really nice girl at school and that you talk all the time and you are always singing. I am glad that you are so satisfied and that you enjoy life so much. You are currently obsessed with going to the playground or lekplats to "gung-gung" on the swings. You also can't wait to get to the sandbox to "kaka" or make a dirt pie.

We definitely still have some rough times at home when you get tired or hungry and you just want mommy to hold you, but I have to take care of Starla and you. But, we are getting there and it gets better every day. On some days I wish you could just get mad at me and tell me that you are angry that you have to share me, but I am sure the words will come soon enough and until then we just both have to be patient and love one another with all our hearts.

I love you soooooooooooo much.

Love,
Mommy

Dear Elzora,
I know that this is not an easy time for you. It is not easy to share mommy when you are used to having her all to yourself. But just know that I love you more and more every day. Thank you for trying to be patient when mommy is feeding the baby. I love that you want to hold her and be close to her and kiss her and tickle her. I don't love that sometimes you want to hit Starla or hit mommy or daddy, but I know that this only happens when you are over-tired or very hungry. It must be really hard for you to understand what is happening. Just know that things will calm down soon and summer will be here and we can play outside and go to the park and be together and be happy.

I still can't believe how much you love to draw and color and paint. You are so focused. I love spending time with you and watching you play and grow.

Please try to be a little kinder to daddy when he is putting you to bed. He is so patient with you and loves you very much.

I love you.

Love,
Mommy

Welcome Starla Grace Halo Karlsson!!

Dear Elzora,

Your beautiful baby sister arrived on March 23rd.
It was an amazingly wonderful experience. Thinking of you during the labor and delivery gave me such strength, knowing that I might be lucky enough to have another little baby like you.

I am the happiest person on earth today because I have you, Papa Andreas and Starla.
I love you so much.

Starla Grace Halo Karlsson
March 23, 2009
10:51 am
Borås, Sweden
3610 g (7.9 pounds)
51 cm (20 inches)


Love,

Mommy

Helping Mommy!!

Dear Elzora,
Thank you for helping mommy pack her hospital bag. You had a wonderful morning at preschool where you kissed a little boy, sat on a toilet for the first time, played with play-doh, did some artwork, made a snowman and ate a lot of soup. You are CRAZY about soup.

Your hair looks kind of wild because you just had a bath. I wanted to dry it with the hair dryer, but you wouldn't let me even get near you with the dryer. I understand.

Look how good you are at stacking!!

Tonight mommy and daddy are going to Jenny's Thai, the new restaurant that opened yesterday in Ulricehamn. Then we are going to see Changeling with Angelina Jolie. You are going to Timmele to stay with farmor and farfar.

Love you,
Mommy

A Day in the Life of Elzora Karlsson, 17 months!!

Dear Elzora,
Things are going very well. You had a PERFECT day at preschool yesterday and you are there again this morning. I can't wait to pick you up!! It's a little bit cold and snowy but I always look forward to the walk to go pick up my little baby girl.

It's hard to believe that the new baby is due to arrive in just 11 days. As I may have said before you will stay with Farfar and Farmor while we are in Borås at the hospital. I was thinking it might be nice to write down your schedule for them and I decided that some day you might enjoy reading about your daily schedule when you were just 17 months old.

Elzora's Schedule on Non-Ladybug Days

6am- 8am: Depending on when you fell asleep you wake up between these times. We eat some breakfast together and start our day. You love yogurt, toast, eggs, cereal, fruit, berries and red bell peppers. Sometimes you have some water but on the weekends I give you a little OJ and you are very good at saying the word JUICE! You love juice and the red milk, but the nurse says it is always best with water, and we know it's good for you.

10am: Unless we are leaving the house, I give you your välling as a mellanmål (between meal food or snack) around this time. I like to hold you on my lap but sometimes you like to be on your own and just kick back and watch some Sesame Street or another children's show.

10:30 Get dressed!! Unless we have an appointment or an outing planned we don't get dressed right away, and once in a while we have our pajama days where we get dressed about 5 minutes before pappa comes home from work. Mommy loves these days.

11:30 Fruit Snack

12:00 Nap!! You used to sleep for just an hour, but you've been sleeping for about 2 hours in the afternoon since starting at daycare. Quite often you sleep outside in your stroller. You have been doing this since your were little and it is what the other Scandinavian people do. It is supposed to help with your immunity. You never get sick, so it must be a good thing.

2:00 Lunch!! We always have fun at lunch. You love pasta, avocado, turkish yogurt, paj with olives, feta and tomato, salmon, broccoli, peas and soup. Since mamma is a vegetarian you don't eat a lot of meat at lunch when you are with me but you eat all kinds of other things at school, with daddy at dinner and with Farmor and Farfar.

4:00 Fika! You usually have a little cracker or a cookie and I have a cup of coffee. It's also when we watch reruns of America's Next Top Model. I know you love it because you try to turn off the TV about a million times during the program. Sorry!!

5:30-8pm: During this time we have dinner with pappa and just enjoy being together as a family. You and pappa have a dance party in your room and you start acting pretty goofy as you get tired... we all do! Sometimes you are not in a very good mood in the evening and it is a little tough because mamma and pappa are a little tired, but you are so kind and you just want to play.

8-9pm: Vitamins, Välling, Teeth Brushing, Pajamas and Sleep. We start our evening ritual at this time and I think we all look forward to it. We get our cozy clothes on and watch some TV. You generally fall asleep on daddy and then you go into your bed and sleep all night. I would love to read to you every night, but you prefer to read books on your own right now so that you can turn the pages as fast as you want. I am definitely looking forward to being able to read you all of the beautiful books in your growing Swedish-English library.

9-? Mamma and pappa stay up too late but we enjoy our time together and usually talk about you.

Elzora's Schedule on Ladybug Days: Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday

5:50 Mamma gets up and prepares välling, clothes and packs Elzora a piece of fruit.

6-7am: Eat välling, watch Dora and Wonder Pets and get dressed for school.

7am: Pappa takes Elzora to preschool on the way to work.

11:45 Mamma picks up Elzora after she has eaten lunch.

11:45-2pm: Elzora sleeps.

2:30 Snack time

3:00 Bathtime!! Your very favorite thing in the world is to take a bath. After you are finished playing I take you out and give you a nice massage. You really like this part of the day. You also love wearing your little pink robe. Sometimes you won't take it off and I have to put it on over your clothes.

The rest of the day is the same as the non-ladybug days. Sometimes on Friday and Monday we go to the open preschool at the Family Center. We will go a little bit more often when mommy has the baby, so that you can play with the other kids.

I love our schedule Elzora and I love you.
See you in 1 hour.

Love,
Mommy

PS Sometimes we don't follow the schedule on the weekends, but we I think we all enjoy having a routine. Especially when we can all take a nap together!!

PSS The picture is of the drawing you did the other day on the wall of your bedroom while mamma was in the kitchen!

Big Girl Days at Dagis!

Dear Elzora,
What a week! It is not easy being a big girl and getting up at 6am so that daddy can drop you off at preschool on his way to work. I just want you to know that I understand that you must be a little confused and frustrated and tired. Just know that mommy and daddy are sending you to the preschool for 15 hours a week, so that you can have fun playing, singing and eating with the other kids at The Ladybug. And from the pictures Ethel has been taking of you in action, you are having a blast. I know you cry sometimes, and that is okay. Just know that mommy or daddy or farmor or farfar will ALWAYS come and get you. We love you and we miss you just as much as you miss us, if not more!!

Your first big girl day at the school was on Tuesday. When I woke you up at 6:15 you were not really ready to drink välling, so I just got you dressed and you and pappa left around 6:50am.

You cried when pappa left you, but Ethel was there to help you and she said you stopped crying just after he left. She said that you cried on and off during the morning but that you enjoyed seeing the other kids and still had fun. You didn't eat any breakfast or fruit but you were really happy when it was time to go and play outside. Ethel called mamma at 10:30 and asked if I could come and get you at 11 instead of 11:45. She said that you were really tired and she was worried that maybe you were hungry, too. When I picked you up, you were outside and I will never, ever forget the look on your face when you saw me. You just kind of fell apart. I know how that feels when you just can't hold it together anymore. You are such a strong little girl.

Mamma barely got you in the stroller before you fell to sleep. You stayed asleep for 3 hours. When you woke up I fed you some yummy lunch, gave you a warm bath and then gave you a massage with your favorite lotion that daddy bought for you. Then I held you and fed you your välling. I just want you to feel how much mommy and daddy love you and want you to feel secure.

On Wednesday you went back to the preschool. We had a wonderful start to the day. Mommy got up a bit earlier and you enjoyed half a bottle of välling and you were very happy to leave with pappa. Ethel called mamma around 10 and said you were just delightful!! You loved the singing and actually went and played and left Ethel's side. You ate nearly an entire apple and you ate lunch with the other kids! You loved being outside and had a great time. When I picked you up at 11:30 you still cried when you saw me, but it was different. It was more like "Mom, I did it!"

And I am so proud of you. We will go again tomorrow, Friday, and this time we will bring some fruit for you and an extra välling just in case you need it.

And then it is the weekend and we will be home with pappa. Siri will come to our house on Saturday and we will go to Susanne, Erica and Molly's to celebrate Susanne finishing her book. We will also be celebrating her birthday which happened on March 2nd, Happy Birthday, Susanne!

I love you Elzora.

Love,
Mommy

PS I want to say a special thank you to Ethel and the other grown-ups for taking such good care of Elzora and all the other little ones. I also want to say thank you to little Tuva for being such a good friend to Elzora. You are a sweet little girl. Your parents must be so proud of you.

PSS Välling is a formula-type vitamin and mineral drink that we give to our children in Scandinavia after they stop with breastfeeding or baby formula. Elzora loves it.