Morfars hidden talent

Not many people know, but my dad has a music ear. He can listen to a song, and then play it on the piano. Here is a video of him playing a Frank Sinatra song. The name of it escapes me. How I wish I had this talent! I at least hope that it may have skipped a generation and that Noelle will get it instead! We filmed in secret, so he doesn't know this exists, nor that I would post it on the blog.

Trip to Stockholm

This past weekend we went to Stockholm to visit some friends. Noelle met some new and old friends. She got to play with Petter, who is about 7 months older, and they had fun together (after a while). We also met Milla and her parents Emma and Johnny who we knew in Chicago. Milla is 23 hours younger than Noelle, and they were running up and down Kulturhuset in Stockholm. Noelle and I also met Milla and Emma on Monday for a play date! We missed Viggo and Emma (and their mothers too).

Noelle also got to play with mormor and morfar who were delighted to have her in their house!

Magic Carpet Ride

Derek took Noelle and Petter on a carpet ride. They loved it. Note how Petter falls off and then crawls back to the carpet again. So cute!

Noelle being Noelle

Ok, here are two long videos. I am just warning you. They're really about nothing, just her walking and stuff... They are really cute though :)

Sentimental Thoughts

This morning, Noelle went down for her morning snooze as normal. She woke after about 45 minutes, crying. I picked her up and held her against my shoulder. She fell asleep again, and slept with her nose nuzzled into my neck for about 45 minutes. We don't get these times very often anymore, and I remembered when we took these kind of naps all the time. I remember thinking then, that this is a good time when I can get things done, and let her sleep in her bed. Today, I was thinking - this is the best feeling ever! No way I will put her down in bed again. I will enjoy this as long as it last. Yes, I should be looking for work, or cleaning, or this or that, but, really - life is too short.

Noelle is one active little girl. She is not a lap baby, where you can sit down and read a book - she is constantly on the move. Yesterday, we went to "open daycare" again, and they have a music section the last half hour. All babies are sitting in their mom's or dad's lap, except one toddler who is standing in the middle dancing and waving her hands and having a grand-all-time - you can only guess who that baby was. She enjoyed it, and I enjoyed it. These days, she only remains in Derek's or my lap, when she is a little sleepy, otherwise she is really bussssyyyyyyy. And I wouldn't want it any other way! Apparently, my parents told me, I was the same way!

Attached is a picture when she just woke up from being nuzzled in with me. I know she has her hair in her eyes, but I clipped it back as you can see in the other picture. And no, it does not cause lazy eye, I asked the pediatrician as well as my eye doctor. It's all hereditary, so thanks a lot Drake (and me as well).

Our little busy bee.
You can see the lines from my cardigan...

Lots of Happenings!

Hi there!

It's been awhile since I updated the blog, but we have moved and didn't have Internet for a couple of weeks. Lots has happened since I last wrote.

We had visitors from WI - Grandma and Grandpa came and stayed with us for a week. We did some touring around Goteborg and they also saw a couple of castles in the surrounding areas of Goteborg. Derek was busy with school, so unfortunately he didn't get to spend much time with them. He did, however, go to a practice of the Gothia Basketball team with his dad, and came to the conclusion that he should probably join the team to help them out (for those of you who don't know, Derek is from a HUGE basketball family).

They also had the pleasure to wish Noelle her first happy birthday! We had a big party for the birthday girls - I turned 30 and Noelle 1 - worth a celebration I think! Noelle also got to try her first sweet! Her cake was delicious and her second cousins kept feeding her cookies. She was very happy for the sweets, not to mention all the delightful gifts that we received - both her and myself!

Another visitor came as well to join the celebration, and that was my best friend Louise, who is Noelle's godmother as well. It was so nice of her to come, and I can't ask for a better friend!

Noelle has now also left her baby phase - she is now a toddler as she walks pretty much all the time. We video filmed her"last" crawling since Derek was getting a bit emotional... he was concerned that we didn't have enough video of her yet... yeah right.

So attached are some pictures of the events for the last couple of weeks. I will post a video of Noelle crawling, and walking soon...

Please be patient with me, as when I am not taking care of this little girl, I am looking for work as well as an apartment. So my time for blogging is very limited :(

Talk to you soon!

And little Selma, so precious!
Trying to crawl up the slide.
On the big fish slide with me!
At the playground with Paula and Selma at Tradgardsforeningen.
Our little cutie!
Our big red tomato! Noelle got this gallong outfit from her mormor, but she has some troubles moving in it. She'll get used to it. She really has no choice, since it could be a bit wet here...
Skansen Kronan in Goteborg.
Noelle with her godmother Louise, who came from Stockholm for the weekend!
Bohus Fastning.
Hmm, I wonder if Sara is cold?
Sara cracking some crab...
Dick cracking some crab...
Derek took his parents and Noelle on a day trip to Marstrands Fastning and Bohus Fastning.
Birthday girls!
Family!
Mmm, cake.
What the heck is this? And I can eat it! Wow. Delicious!
Gifts, so many gifts.
Birthday pretty! This is the dress that my aunt (my mom's sister), knitted for my first birthday, and I wanted Noelle to wear it too!
Jewelry from her dad, that her mom could wear instead. He is so thoughtful that man :)
Noelle's birthday!
Different types of fish at the fishmarket.
Ouside Feskekorka - a famous fishmarket in Goteborg. It was a church that was redone to become a fishmarket instead.
Grandpa is enjoying some vino, cheese, and shrimp!
Grandma and grandpa are helping Noelle down the stairs.
Pushing the stroller on her own these days.
Grandpa and Grandma Diener came for a visit! Noelle enjoyed them very much! And, yes so did Derek and I (but do we really count anymore:))
Derek and my dad were taking down a big pine tree, my dad is sawing...
... and Derek is pulling the rope... he failed to yell "tiiiiimmmber"