Walk-through tour

Hi all!
We are back online finally. After the shakes and dizziness wore off from the internet withdrawal, I was able to make this video of our apartment. Originally, I had planned to clean the apartment, put away dinner dishes, etc, but then suddenly it was bedtime for Eliot and I still had to pack and give Ivy a bath and... you get the idea. So ignore the mess.

Also, this was going to be a lot funnier. I had spent countless hours lying awake at night, thinking up witty commentary for the video to the effect that Frederic and I are responsible for a significant percentage of the clear cutting of Sweden's native particle board forests... that only a 5'2'' female with a degree in physics could assemble our computer desk in the closet (or a very well-trained monkey)... but alas, I got stage fright once the camera was rolling. Or maybe I was just too tired.

Anyway, wish me luck as I will be flying solo with the two kids tomorrow. Frederic's doctor is still not 100% on board with him flying after his recent asthma attack, so he's going to do the prudent thing and stay here. No Chipotle for him, poor guy.

To all my California people, see you soon!!!

All boy

And now, a video of our other adorable kid! I wish I could keep a microphone and camera on this guy all day- he cracks us up constantly! He is very imaginative, and so his more basic wooden toys have experienced a bit of a renaissance of interest, as they can turn into castles, trains... and about a million other things. And I find myself much more willing to sit down and play with him when we're using his wooden toys and not all the plastic ones!

Ivy has definitely turned the corner on her colic this week. In fact, now I wonder if she was ever really colicky, but was perhaps just on the fussy end of normal newborn. At any rate, her daytime napping has become a lot more regular, and I've been making a concerted effort to help her in that area. So now, we are in most days in the mornings for her first nap, then the kids nap at the same time around noonish (me too, usually). Then, her afternoon nap is usuallly in the carrier, since I can't keep Eliot inside all day and Ivy's afternoon nap is hit and miss anyway... she will definitely sleep longer if I am wearing her. Evenings are still hit-and-miss, but overall better than before, with less fussing and more drowsing.

I do still need to lay down with her at the beginning of her naps and bedtime, otherwise she will wake up as soon as I set her down. And she is still in our bed with us, as even the basinette right next to me is just "not the same". In fact, in Ivy's ideal world, she likes to fall asleep immediately after or during nursing, and then snuzzle her little face into me until her cheek is comfortably pillowed on my boob... I guess she just wants to sleep knowing that her food supply can't be tampered with while she's got her eyes closed. At any rate, as much as I'd love to accomadate her every wish, my arm or leg or entire lower body will eventually go numb while maintaining this position without moving, so I do eventually move over slightly to allow blood flow to my extremities. And yes, sometimes this still wakes her up and I start all over again!

Also new this week... Ivy is talking! See video below..