reflections
So, this is somewhat unusual. It's sunday evening which means its the end of the weekend; the second in a row where we haven't really done much, seen anyone, or had any plans. It feels a little bit strange to be honest! Maybe it shall do us good, though I doubt it will become the norm haha =)
This week in general hasn't been very ''normal'' - Maia has actually been poorly and off nursery with a stinking cold and eye infection and successfully managed to make mamma and daddy poorly too! Mark and Maia are ok now, but I'm still suffering and feeling more miserable than usual ; glad there is only 4.5 weeks left until D-Day!
Speaking of which, I am now officially on leave! Feels great knowing I will be able to take things easier and at my own pace ( or as much as I can with Maia in tow + the cold I have at the moment ) but it also feels strange to not be going to work tomorrow.
It feels different to going on maternity leave last time. Back then, it was a relief, a big whoop-di-whoop at finally being on the home stretch to becoming a mother, romanticising about beautiful lazy days spent with my newborn baby, becoming a yummy domestic goddess, having coffee with friends and being oh-so-good at socialising my little bundle at all the playgroups to avoid the dreaded unsociable monster child that can't be taken anywhere...
The rose-tinted spectacles are well and truly off. My dream of being that yummy mummy domestic goddess ,that not only bakes and cooks her husband a lovely meal each night, but does everything with gorgeous hair, polished pinkies and a killer outfit, is gone. Not so much gone perhaps, but taken a turn down the more realistic path ;)
I don't enjoy cooking. I rarely paint my nails. And the definition of a killer outfit...well, put it this way, like all new mothers experience after the first flush of newness, a little bit of sick on your jumper, or a loving cuddle turned snotwipe on your shoulder, isn't the end of the world.
It will be an interesting journey, transitioning from mother of one to mother of two, our fabulous family of three to four. One I am very much looking foward to, without as much dread as I had anticipated. After all, twice the amount of kids = twice the amount of love.
I wonder how Maia will take to it all. Not alot of things seem to faze her, she takes it all in her stride bless her :) If anyone has any tips on how to best deal with any jealousy issues please pass them on ;) Personally I think she will make a great big sister, but ofcourse I am biased!
Mark is really looking forward to watching the kids growing up, interacting with eachother, ganging up on us, and seeing them becoming their own persons. He's already planning for when he takes them on their first rafting trip, and can't wait to show them and teach them all the practical things that he loves. If they turn out even half as good as their daddy with regards to practical things I will be one more than proud mother <3
This weekend I have been reflecting alot on our lives and the directions they are going in. I'm sure I am far from alone in doing this, after what has happened in Oslo and Utoya. Our thoughts are with the poor families affected, words just seem to fail when trying to describe how hearing about a situation likes this makes you feel. I hope that man wakes up to reality and is tortured by his guilt for the rest of his life, and maybe then he can have an inkling of the pain and suffering he has afflicted on so many people. Loser!
Hope all is well with everyone, take care!
<3 Kim
nesting, creating, livin' & learning..
After my midwife appointment yesterday I've been feeling a whole lot of things, tired mostly. It's ever so exciting knowing that we are now only 6 week away until madam is due, and hearing her little heartbeat thudding away is as amazing everytime as hearing it for the first time. Can't believe these 9 months are almost up!! Just wish the next few weeks will hurry the hell up and for everything to be a-ok. Turns out, she is very comfortable lying sideways, even with the midwife trying a little bit of gentle pursuasion, she was wanting to stay put.
I'm not sure what the guidelines are back in the Uk, as it was never an issue with Maia as she was engaged from very early on, but here madam has until week 36 to turn the right way else it will be a more than gentle pursuasion to try and get her the right way. Funsies. Cue then, an already emotionally charged mother, thinking the worst and imagining all sorts of worst case scenarios involving a c-section! gaaaaaarrrrrghhh!!
Now it all feels rather silly, trivial even, seeing it written down in front of me. I do know that the main thing is that we are both happy and healthy and growing as we are ment to. But I figure, an over active imagination never did anyone any harm ;) ...and anyway, life is about learning and living through whatever is thrown at you, and this can all be put away with the rest of the luggage we accumulate over time =)
Mark has been very much engrossed in his new bit of stuff...a Canon EOS 1100D no less ;) He's been out and about here in Holmsund honing his photography skills and having plenty of fun mucking around shooting pictures of Maia, who loves it as much as daddy does! With all these possible new masterpieces, I shall have to find some more wallspace to display it all. I already have a collection of frames waiting to be filled with pictures of our foursome...
Maybe this one will be one for the wall, we're also trying to get the hang of PS CS5 to be able to edit the photos all nice =)
Mark was very pleased with this shot, I call it beginners luck, he says its a latent talent of his coming to life ;)
I think this weekend will be devoted to taking more shots, perhaps I will get a chance to play too and try be all artistic like my wonderful husband. He really deserves an award this week for putting up with me! I tried making it up to him by cooking some dinner this evening, but I never seem to make it taste as good as he does?! Saying that, he enjoys it, and i endure it. It's one item on my to do list- not to necessarily enjoy cooking, or even like it, but to not hate it would be a start ;)
Maybe that will be a weekend project too!
Whatever you all may be doing, hope you enjoy your weekends! Mine starts tomorrow ;)
Take care & love to all,
//Kim
Hello world!
Created firstly as a base and more personal area to keep our friends and family updated on our new lives in northern Sweden, but who knows what it may turn out to be !
We hope to chronicle our journey that is now about to start after our first year here, settling into jobs, nurseries, and preparing for the much longed for arrival of darling daughter no2, due August 24th =)
This first year has been a real adventure; for Mark more so I would think. He's taken on the challange of learning a new language, doing incredibly well, and I think maybe he suprised himself with how blimmin' clever he actually is!
He's gotten his full Whitewater Rafting licence, spending lots of time away in Ekorrsele which has also introduced him to the varied and beautiful wilderness of the wild north. He's munched on moose/elk, reindeer, fish caught fresh from the river he rafts, and learnt abit about authentic nordic cuisine. He's also got himself a skidoo licence, so a snowmobile is now high on the wish list!
His next project involves a turn to the artistic rather than the practical... perhaps the creative side of him was stirred when we had our intensive sewing phase, which has been somewhat put on hold as he & I both are very busy now over the summer months!
It's been a big year for Maia since moving here, she's learnt to crawl, walk and even talk! my oh my, where the heck did the time go?!
To be fair, it would have been a big year for her anyways ;) The whole process of growing up, every month, week even, bringing a new challange and phase for her, learning new things all the time.
We were so incredibly lucky when it came to the time of her starting nursery. Originally, she was in a queue for the nursery along the road that we live on, but they are a very popular nursery, so she got a temporary placement with a childminder who also lived near by.
As chance would have it, her childminder had led a swenglish life herself for some time, so knew through personal experience what it is like trying to raise a child with more than one language. I had been a bit concerned with how Maia might have been percieved if she was babbling babyspeak in english rather than swedish and been labelled as ''slow'' !?
I needn't have worried though, its fascinating to see her carrying out tasks whether we ask her in swedish or in english, and listening to her speaking is great =) There isn't a massive range in her vocab as of yet, about 15-20words, most she knows in both languages and to me, thats pretty great!
For me, this year since last july has been one big rollercoaster! Especially in the last few months....
Pregnancy the second time around hasn't been as easy as when we were expecting Maia. Nausea up until week 18/19 and juggling work with a busy homelife and energetic toddler = more tired and emotional mamma this time around! I am incredibly grateful that I have such a caring & considerate husband haha, thankfully he's not told me to bugger off and that he's sick of me =)
I got to start off gently into the role of being a working mother, puzzling together working hours as to when I could get a babysitter for Maia, which was shared between my dad and brother thanks to their flexible working days. Over here, the parental leave is very different from the Uk, and therefore it's almost unheard of for a child needing to be in a nursery/childminders before the age of one, I think the average is around 18 months once mums and dads have used up all the available days to stay at home.
It was really fab having the chance to ease myself into it, so once it came to Maia starting with her childminders at the end of november I felt ready to start working fulltime again. Now I have only 2 weeks left until I go on parental leave, and I am well and truly on the countdown as working during a hot summer heavily pregnant is taking its toll haha, lovely swollen feet that ache all helps that special glow you're supposed to have ;)
Take care friends, much love to you all =)
<3 Kim
