30 December 2016
19 December 2016
Otso: 3 Years, 2 Months
Summary
When he is tired or hungry, he is terrible to be around. But mostly he is cheerful and quite observant.
Learning/Development
He knows that the letters O, T, and S are in his name and claims them as "his" letters.
This month he learned that he has a middle name (we have told him before but this is the first time it seemed to sink in) and that it is John, and that Grandpa is also named John.
We bought him some bigger underwear and leggings (size 110-116 from H&M) and since they are not as tight, he can get them up and down more easily by himself. We are working on this.
Language
At Thanksgiving, everyone is enjoying his parrot capabilities. A favorite was "preschool scholar", which is the title of his exercise book.
He had a great time with his cousins and grandma in Georgia, but his language really blossomed with all the one-on-one time he got in Florida. There we were 3 adults and two kids, and Grandpa and Mama Dollie indulged Otso's chatter and engaged with him. He got braver and better about describing what was going on.
He still has trouble pronouncing consonant blends like "gr" and "th" and "thr" and so on (the color green is "been", "thr" is "f", etc).
Toys/Games/Other
Favorite toys: legos, marble run, perler, anything Paw Patrol
Our Christmas calendar this year is building a Lego set, and adding stick-on googly eyes to the Christmas monster. Each day we alternate who gets to build Legos and who sticks on the eye. Last year Lumi was jealous of the eye sticker, but this year both kids are most interested in the Lego set.
Social
20.11 we're staying at grandma's house in Ball Ground GA. Uncle Troy and the cousins are here.
He enjoyed the cousins and especially Samari. The day they left he kept spontaneously saying "I miss Samari."
29.11 he stayed the day with Grandpa and Mama Dollie while Lumi and äiti went to Disney world. He had a great time.
He bit a kid in barnehage during a fight. He can go from peaceful to enraged very quickly. He also bit Lumi once while they were fighting. When he gets frustrated at someone he yells as loudly as he can and then starts hitting them.
He also (when he's feeling petulant) grabs Lumi's things just to irritate her. For example, if she is getting dressed and working on her shirt, he will grab her pants and take them to another room. When he gets called out on this, he insists that they are his pants.
Eating
Very weird eating in Georgia. He refused many favorites. Even ice cream! The only thing he liked was Hershey kisses.
In Florida, he has resumed eating. Not always the healthier stuff (large amounts of Ritz crackers, etc) but at least his mood has improved.
Sleeping
At grandma's house, he shared a bed with äiti. Same in Florida.
We had a rough time switching back to a central Europe time zone, but he sleeps most of the night in his own bed, but most nights he comes to sleep next to äiti at some point.
Health
8.12 in the early hours of the morning, he vomited a huge amount (unfortunately, he was in the parents' bed at the time so all 3 of us were affected). but then he seemed perfectly fine and ate a normal amount at breakfast.
While in the US, he used the regular toilet with the help of a stool and an adult. So now that we are back home, we're encouraging this too. It makes getting to the toilet a bit annoying for everyone else, though!
Stats
Clothes: size 104/110. Shoes: size 26.
Teeth: 20
Weight: 15.8 kg on 31.7
Height: 96 cm on 9.9
Events
24.11 Thanksgiving
26.11 Troy and family left
27.11 drive to Florida
30.11 Blue Springs Park, St John River cruise
1.12 Legoland
2.12 Christmas steam train (with Santa!)
3.12 flight home
4.12 arrival home in Oslo
10.12 muskari, playing at eino's house
11.12 christmas market downtown: ferris wheel and carousel
13.12 Lucia day
17.12 visit Nelli
18.12 visit Helena's new baby
Random
He called his big candy cane his 'lolli-cane'
He has moved from wanting to be carried everywhere (because he is so heavy that it's not even comfortable for him, i think!) to wanting to hold hands. But he doesn't say "hold my hand", he says "hold me" instead.
He was watching an airplane in the sky and a bunch of birds flying "near" it and determined, "the birds are gonna get it. And one has to eat it!"
When he is tired or hungry, he is terrible to be around. But mostly he is cheerful and quite observant.
Learning/Development
He knows that the letters O, T, and S are in his name and claims them as "his" letters.
This month he learned that he has a middle name (we have told him before but this is the first time it seemed to sink in) and that it is John, and that Grandpa is also named John.
We bought him some bigger underwear and leggings (size 110-116 from H&M) and since they are not as tight, he can get them up and down more easily by himself. We are working on this.
Language
At Thanksgiving, everyone is enjoying his parrot capabilities. A favorite was "preschool scholar", which is the title of his exercise book.
He had a great time with his cousins and grandma in Georgia, but his language really blossomed with all the one-on-one time he got in Florida. There we were 3 adults and two kids, and Grandpa and Mama Dollie indulged Otso's chatter and engaged with him. He got braver and better about describing what was going on.
He still has trouble pronouncing consonant blends like "gr" and "th" and "thr" and so on (the color green is "been", "thr" is "f", etc).
Toys/Games/Other
Favorite toys: legos, marble run, perler, anything Paw Patrol
Our Christmas calendar this year is building a Lego set, and adding stick-on googly eyes to the Christmas monster. Each day we alternate who gets to build Legos and who sticks on the eye. Last year Lumi was jealous of the eye sticker, but this year both kids are most interested in the Lego set.
Social
20.11 we're staying at grandma's house in Ball Ground GA. Uncle Troy and the cousins are here.
He enjoyed the cousins and especially Samari. The day they left he kept spontaneously saying "I miss Samari."
29.11 he stayed the day with Grandpa and Mama Dollie while Lumi and äiti went to Disney world. He had a great time.
He bit a kid in barnehage during a fight. He can go from peaceful to enraged very quickly. He also bit Lumi once while they were fighting. When he gets frustrated at someone he yells as loudly as he can and then starts hitting them.
He also (when he's feeling petulant) grabs Lumi's things just to irritate her. For example, if she is getting dressed and working on her shirt, he will grab her pants and take them to another room. When he gets called out on this, he insists that they are his pants.
Eating
Very weird eating in Georgia. He refused many favorites. Even ice cream! The only thing he liked was Hershey kisses.
In Florida, he has resumed eating. Not always the healthier stuff (large amounts of Ritz crackers, etc) but at least his mood has improved.
Sleeping
At grandma's house, he shared a bed with äiti. Same in Florida.
We had a rough time switching back to a central Europe time zone, but he sleeps most of the night in his own bed, but most nights he comes to sleep next to äiti at some point.
Health
8.12 in the early hours of the morning, he vomited a huge amount (unfortunately, he was in the parents' bed at the time so all 3 of us were affected). but then he seemed perfectly fine and ate a normal amount at breakfast.
While in the US, he used the regular toilet with the help of a stool and an adult. So now that we are back home, we're encouraging this too. It makes getting to the toilet a bit annoying for everyone else, though!
Stats
Clothes: size 104/110. Shoes: size 26.
Teeth: 20
Weight: 15.8 kg on 31.7
Height: 96 cm on 9.9
Events
24.11 Thanksgiving
26.11 Troy and family left
27.11 drive to Florida
30.11 Blue Springs Park, St John River cruise
1.12 Legoland
2.12 Christmas steam train (with Santa!)
3.12 flight home
4.12 arrival home in Oslo
10.12 muskari, playing at eino's house
11.12 christmas market downtown: ferris wheel and carousel
13.12 Lucia day
17.12 visit Nelli
18.12 visit Helena's new baby
Random
He called his big candy cane his 'lolli-cane'
He has moved from wanting to be carried everywhere (because he is so heavy that it's not even comfortable for him, i think!) to wanting to hold hands. But he doesn't say "hold my hand", he says "hold me" instead.
He was watching an airplane in the sky and a bunch of birds flying "near" it and determined, "the birds are gonna get it. And one has to eat it!"
18 December 2016
11 December 2016
05 December 2016
Lumi: 5 Years, 10 Months
Summary
Fun month ; half of it was on vacation in the US. She is socially confident and fun to be around.
Social
4.11 barnehage teachers said that she is friendly with everyone , and can play with everyone . It felt so good to hear that !
20.11 we're staying at grandma's house in Ball Ground GA. Uncle Troy and the cousins are here. Zoe and Lumi have hit it off.
Leisure
She is currently in full out Paw Patrol obsession.
She loved playing school with Sophie as the teacher.
She competed in her first race on Thanksgiving day in Atlanta : the 50 yard dash.
She enjoyed the magic kit at grandma's house, and it has affected her imaginative play. Things become her "magic" tools. And since she went to bed holding her toy and when she woke up it was on the night stand, she insists she can do magic.
She enjoyed Disney World. She liked the junior roller coaster a lot. Other favorites were the Little Mermaid story and Splashdown Mountain.
Learning
Reading is on the back burner again. She has fun looking for letters and such but sitting down to practice reading books isn't interesting for her.
Language
During the US trip she really explored the fact that her name translates to a word in English. She pretended to be a cat named Snow Rose Mountain. And when people had trouble with her name, she explained that it was Finnish for snow.
Food
She is pretty good about eating these days. She had a hard time at first in Georgia finding things she liked.
Our first morning in Florida, Mama Dollie made French toast. After much encouragement, Lumi tried a tiny piece. Then she was hooked! She requested it every morning and mama Dollie indulged her.
Health
She likes to sleep in her sleeping bag. We made a rule that she can do that on the weekends .
14.11 Stayed home from barnehage because she had a light fever.
14.11 we saw the tip of her new tooth coming through the gum.
Stats
size: 116 (6 in US size). She has long limbs and needs the extra length. size 30 shoe.
height: 112 cm on 9.9
weight: 18.2 kg on 19.11 at airport
favorite color: "rainbow"
Events
5.11 muskari
6.11 Ola's birthday party
6-11.11 äiti gone
10.11 Emilia's birthday party
12.11 Adrian's birthday party
13.11 Suomikerho
19.11 flight to the US
20.11 go to Grandma's house, see cousins
21.11 science museum
24.11 Thanksgiving, race
26.11 Troy and family left
27.11 drive to Florida
29.11 Disney World (just äiti and Lumi ; no little brother)
30.11 Blue Springs Park, St John River cruise
1.12 Legoland
2.12 Christmas steam train (with Santa!)
3.12 flight home to Oslo
Random
When I was telling her about going to see manatees she asked "Is it with skin or just bones?". Sounds like too many museums and looking at fossils and not living animals. :)
30.11 she went to bed holding her little Ariel toy, then when she woke up it was on the bedside table. So she claimed she can "do magic!" and spent the day bragging about it.
1.12 claimed she wants to ask Santa for a wheelchair
Fun month ; half of it was on vacation in the US. She is socially confident and fun to be around.
Social
4.11 barnehage teachers said that she is friendly with everyone , and can play with everyone . It felt so good to hear that !
20.11 we're staying at grandma's house in Ball Ground GA. Uncle Troy and the cousins are here. Zoe and Lumi have hit it off.
Leisure
She is currently in full out Paw Patrol obsession.
She loved playing school with Sophie as the teacher.
She competed in her first race on Thanksgiving day in Atlanta : the 50 yard dash.
She enjoyed the magic kit at grandma's house, and it has affected her imaginative play. Things become her "magic" tools. And since she went to bed holding her toy and when she woke up it was on the night stand, she insists she can do magic.
She enjoyed Disney World. She liked the junior roller coaster a lot. Other favorites were the Little Mermaid story and Splashdown Mountain.
Learning
Reading is on the back burner again. She has fun looking for letters and such but sitting down to practice reading books isn't interesting for her.
Language
During the US trip she really explored the fact that her name translates to a word in English. She pretended to be a cat named Snow Rose Mountain. And when people had trouble with her name, she explained that it was Finnish for snow.
Food
She is pretty good about eating these days. She had a hard time at first in Georgia finding things she liked.
Our first morning in Florida, Mama Dollie made French toast. After much encouragement, Lumi tried a tiny piece. Then she was hooked! She requested it every morning and mama Dollie indulged her.
Health
She likes to sleep in her sleeping bag. We made a rule that she can do that on the weekends .
14.11 Stayed home from barnehage because she had a light fever.
14.11 we saw the tip of her new tooth coming through the gum.
Stats
size: 116 (6 in US size). She has long limbs and needs the extra length. size 30 shoe.
height: 112 cm on 9.9
weight: 18.2 kg on 19.11 at airport
favorite color: "rainbow"
Events
5.11 muskari
6.11 Ola's birthday party
6-11.11 äiti gone
10.11 Emilia's birthday party
12.11 Adrian's birthday party
13.11 Suomikerho
19.11 flight to the US
20.11 go to Grandma's house, see cousins
21.11 science museum
24.11 Thanksgiving, race
26.11 Troy and family left
27.11 drive to Florida
29.11 Disney World (just äiti and Lumi ; no little brother)
30.11 Blue Springs Park, St John River cruise
1.12 Legoland
2.12 Christmas steam train (with Santa!)
3.12 flight home to Oslo
Random
When I was telling her about going to see manatees she asked "Is it with skin or just bones?". Sounds like too many museums and looking at fossils and not living animals. :)
30.11 she went to bed holding her little Ariel toy, then when she woke up it was on the bedside table. So she claimed she can "do magic!" and spent the day bragging about it.
1.12 claimed she wants to ask Santa for a wheelchair
03 December 2016
21 November 2016
Otso : 3 years, 1 month
Summary
He is alternately charming and moody.
Learning/Development
No news here : he counts and knows a few letters and so on.
Language
When asking a question, he doesn't seem to have a handle on the word "do". For example, when playing Go Fish, he asks "Are you have any of this card?"
He has developed a funny way of adding an extra syllable to his English vowels, like "peas" becomes "pe-es". it seems to occur most often with a long E sound.
Toys/Games/Other
Favorite toys: legos, marble run, perler
Otso got a bunch of toys for his birthday and he is enjoying most of them. He is enjoying the marble run a lot.
He likes the Paw Patrol versions of Go Fish and Old Maid ("Go Pup" and "Old Bone").
He seems to have developed an attachment to the little stuffed animal wolf from the Tromso souvenir shop. He sleeps with it most nights.
He refused to participate in pottery painting.
Social
He is doing fine and is friendly with most kids at barnehage.
Eating
27.10 we roasted beets in the oven, and he enjoyed the yellow and white beets. but then after dinner he claimed that he doesn't like beets, and we aren't sure that he understood what he ate.
He still compares delicious things to "ice cream and watermelon "
Ritz crackers are a good fallback when he is sick.
Sleeping
The weekend of 22-23 October he actually got naps, and he was a much happier person (despite claiming often that he is "not tired"). So now our challenge is to get over his mental resistance to naps.
Health
Like Lumi, he prefers that Isä wipe his bottom after a poo. He does a bridge so we can wipe.
First week of November he wet his pants every day at Barnehage . Everyone is stumped as to the reason .
10.11 Feverish and coughing - stayed home for 2 days
14.11 home again
He still really hates medicine and has to be force fed.
Stats
Clothes: size 98/104. Shoes: size 26.
Teeth: 20
Weight: 15.8 kg on 31.7
Height: 96 cm on 9.9
Events
25.10 K gone for the day
29.10 Halloween party -- he went as Doc McStuffins
30.10 out to paint-your-own-pottery -- he refused to paint
6-11.11 äiti gone
13.11 suomikerho
19.11 flight to USA
20.11 brunch at Meredith's
Random
16 November 2016
09 November 2016
What Do You Hear?
This is one of Otso's favorite books, and here he is "reading" it to me.
Note that he calls the leopard a "caterpillar".
03 November 2016
Lumi: 5 Years, 9 Months
Summary
One of the biggest changes this month is an emphasis on being a big girl. She now sees this as a good thing -- and that it comes with privileges as well as responsibilities. She is eating better ("so I can grow bigger than Isä!"), which is a huge relief to us, and also she is more flexible with allowing Otso his toddler indulgences.
Also this month were a couple big milestones: she lost her first tooth and read her first book!
Social
She enjoys her friends, and thinks of them when they are not there.
We were impressed to hear her reserve special things for her guests (example: "I'd better not take the blue plate because Helmine is coming and she is the guest and she likes blue. I'll take the pink instead.")
Leisure
Favorite toys/activities: marbles, beads, random toys she gets in Kinder Eggs
She likes to sing, and when left to her own devices she comes up with lots of original lyrics. She can sing her way through hours of playtime.
She and her friends did a little puppet show for the parents on 9.10.
She is gradually getting more interested in longer books and isn't so dependent on the pictures. She still likes pictures, but seems to like the story too.
30.10 she and otso were fighting over doc mcstuffins toys so she used the stickers and scissors to make her own paper doll versions. She enjoyed the activity a lot, and also it was kind behavior toward her brother.
Learning
She has been practicing reading with the Bob books, but most of the time she was just looking at the pictures and guessing (correctly most of the time, because they aren't complicated) instead of reading the words. But on 5.10 we were looking at them and I pointed out what was happening, she said "but i can't help it -- the picture is right there!". We came up with the idea to hide the picture, and it made a huge difference -- she was reading! Not guessing, not just going from the memory of which words go with the pictures, but actually deciphering the words and letters on the page. It was great to see. She is starting to have a couple "sight" words (words she knows on sight without having to sound them out) -- "has" and "cat" and "and".
They made a volcano at barnehage and she was really interested.
Language
The week without Isä took a small toll on her Finnish.
She is starting to ask explicitly about the meaning of new words in English, in order to clarify things. This means that reading is sometimes interrupted, but also it means she is really getting a handle on the language.
She still skips the word "until" in English, like "how long is it my birthday?"
Food
She likes the various fish meals at barnehage : fish cakes, fish balls
We started a tradition of going to McDonald's after muskari. All the happy memories of the play area seem to be affecting her and now she will eat chicken nuggets without too much resistance (she still isn't interested in french fries but we get the carrots instead plus milk to drink).
27.10 she devoured a bunch of oven-roasted beets. she claimed that she wanted to eat all the beets in the world.
She has started requesting the "grown up" bowl or plate (ceramic instead of IKEA plastic).
She got to chop carrots during a barnehage outing to an organic farm and now she wants to help in the kitchen. On 2.11, she helped Isä chop the parsnip and carrots to roast in the oven.
Health
10.10 a wobbly tooth! Left lower incisor.
18.10 dentist visit. Lumi was very cooperative and seemed to enjoy the whole experience. The dentist said we should be using flouride tablets and also Lumi can start flossing.
20.10 the tooth came out! it was a big event for all her friends at barnehage and they excitedly showed the tooth to their own parents. 😃 The tooth fairy came that night and left 10 kr. Lumi used the little plastic box she got from the dentist.
Stats
size: She is moving out of size 110 (5T)! She is still quite skinny but her arms and legs are long enough that she needs a 116 in many brands. size 30 shoe.
height: 112 cm on 9.9
weight: 17.7 kg on 31.7 (but then 16.9 at the pool on 14.8)
favorite color: blue
favorite food: watermelon
Events
4-7.10 isä gone
9.10 toni & helmine & amalie over to play; suomi kerho
10-12.10 isä gone
14.10 helmine spent the night
15.10 muskari
18.10 dentist visit
20.10 otso's birthday, and the tooth came out!
22.10 muskari
25.10 K gone for the day
29.10 Halloween party -- she went as a witch
30.10 paint your own pottery -- she loved it!
Random
We have noticed that she enjoys little chats with strangers, especially the elderly. When we are out and about in town on the weekends, she sometimes asks why someone is doing something and we encourage her to ask them herself. She often does, especially if they are elderly, and then proudly translates back to us whatever the explanation was (for example, "what kind of bush are you planting?" "a bush with white flowers that will smell really nice next spring").
Sometimes people overhear our English dialog and since most Norwegians speak at least some English, they like to try their hand with Lumi. The reality is that we end up being approached often by drunks, probably because their inhibitions are lowered and they are feeling braver at testing their English. The result is that Lumi often gets into conversations with drunk old men. Naturally we stay alert, especially with the drunk ones, but happily most of the time the interaction is friendly and not threatening. And so we get to hear her questioning people like "why aren't you sitting at a table? why are you only drinking and not eating?"
So...in Lumi's world, drunks are approachable and friendly; the only people to be scared of are doctors and nurses (although to be fair we haven't been to a doctor or nurse in many months, and the dentist visit went smoothly for Lumi, so maybe next time we go to a checkup it will go very smoothly too).
31.10 at dinner she turned to me and said "do you know what you and i forgot today?" then she pulled the elastic of her pants down and said "my panties!"
One of the biggest changes this month is an emphasis on being a big girl. She now sees this as a good thing -- and that it comes with privileges as well as responsibilities. She is eating better ("so I can grow bigger than Isä!"), which is a huge relief to us, and also she is more flexible with allowing Otso his toddler indulgences.
Also this month were a couple big milestones: she lost her first tooth and read her first book!
Social
She enjoys her friends, and thinks of them when they are not there.
We were impressed to hear her reserve special things for her guests (example: "I'd better not take the blue plate because Helmine is coming and she is the guest and she likes blue. I'll take the pink instead.")
Leisure
Favorite toys/activities: marbles, beads, random toys she gets in Kinder Eggs
She likes to sing, and when left to her own devices she comes up with lots of original lyrics. She can sing her way through hours of playtime.
She and her friends did a little puppet show for the parents on 9.10.
She is gradually getting more interested in longer books and isn't so dependent on the pictures. She still likes pictures, but seems to like the story too.
30.10 she and otso were fighting over doc mcstuffins toys so she used the stickers and scissors to make her own paper doll versions. She enjoyed the activity a lot, and also it was kind behavior toward her brother.
Learning
She has been practicing reading with the Bob books, but most of the time she was just looking at the pictures and guessing (correctly most of the time, because they aren't complicated) instead of reading the words. But on 5.10 we were looking at them and I pointed out what was happening, she said "but i can't help it -- the picture is right there!". We came up with the idea to hide the picture, and it made a huge difference -- she was reading! Not guessing, not just going from the memory of which words go with the pictures, but actually deciphering the words and letters on the page. It was great to see. She is starting to have a couple "sight" words (words she knows on sight without having to sound them out) -- "has" and "cat" and "and".
They made a volcano at barnehage and she was really interested.
Language
The week without Isä took a small toll on her Finnish.
She is starting to ask explicitly about the meaning of new words in English, in order to clarify things. This means that reading is sometimes interrupted, but also it means she is really getting a handle on the language.
She still skips the word "until" in English, like "how long is it my birthday?"
Food
She likes the various fish meals at barnehage : fish cakes, fish balls
We started a tradition of going to McDonald's after muskari. All the happy memories of the play area seem to be affecting her and now she will eat chicken nuggets without too much resistance (she still isn't interested in french fries but we get the carrots instead plus milk to drink).
27.10 she devoured a bunch of oven-roasted beets. she claimed that she wanted to eat all the beets in the world.
She has started requesting the "grown up" bowl or plate (ceramic instead of IKEA plastic).
She got to chop carrots during a barnehage outing to an organic farm and now she wants to help in the kitchen. On 2.11, she helped Isä chop the parsnip and carrots to roast in the oven.
Health
10.10 a wobbly tooth! Left lower incisor.
18.10 dentist visit. Lumi was very cooperative and seemed to enjoy the whole experience. The dentist said we should be using flouride tablets and also Lumi can start flossing.
20.10 the tooth came out! it was a big event for all her friends at barnehage and they excitedly showed the tooth to their own parents. 😃 The tooth fairy came that night and left 10 kr. Lumi used the little plastic box she got from the dentist.
Stats
size: She is moving out of size 110 (5T)! She is still quite skinny but her arms and legs are long enough that she needs a 116 in many brands. size 30 shoe.
height: 112 cm on 9.9
weight: 17.7 kg on 31.7 (but then 16.9 at the pool on 14.8)
favorite color: blue
favorite food: watermelon
Events
4-7.10 isä gone
9.10 toni & helmine & amalie over to play; suomi kerho
10-12.10 isä gone
14.10 helmine spent the night
15.10 muskari
18.10 dentist visit
20.10 otso's birthday, and the tooth came out!
22.10 muskari
25.10 K gone for the day
29.10 Halloween party -- she went as a witch
30.10 paint your own pottery -- she loved it!
Random
We have noticed that she enjoys little chats with strangers, especially the elderly. When we are out and about in town on the weekends, she sometimes asks why someone is doing something and we encourage her to ask them herself. She often does, especially if they are elderly, and then proudly translates back to us whatever the explanation was (for example, "what kind of bush are you planting?" "a bush with white flowers that will smell really nice next spring").
Sometimes people overhear our English dialog and since most Norwegians speak at least some English, they like to try their hand with Lumi. The reality is that we end up being approached often by drunks, probably because their inhibitions are lowered and they are feeling braver at testing their English. The result is that Lumi often gets into conversations with drunk old men. Naturally we stay alert, especially with the drunk ones, but happily most of the time the interaction is friendly and not threatening. And so we get to hear her questioning people like "why aren't you sitting at a table? why are you only drinking and not eating?"
So...in Lumi's world, drunks are approachable and friendly; the only people to be scared of are doctors and nurses (although to be fair we haven't been to a doctor or nurse in many months, and the dentist visit went smoothly for Lumi, so maybe next time we go to a checkup it will go very smoothly too).
31.10 at dinner she turned to me and said "do you know what you and i forgot today?" then she pulled the elastic of her pants down and said "my panties!"
30 October 2016
23 October 2016
20 October 2016
Otso: 3 Years
Summary
Our little baby is 3 years old! He is still cuddly and needs lots of love. But he is also revealing a stubborn streak, and these days it seems he gets angry at small things.
Learning/Development
His counting is consistent. He likes to practice drawing letters (mostly just the letter O), but sometimes T.
He often mixes up 2 and 5 when he sees them.
Language
He still parrots Lumi, which means he gets lots of English practice at home with her. He wants to speak Finnish, and Kimmo is making a conscious effort to speak more slowly with him so he can get it even with the limited exposure.
He likes the color green but can't say it right. It comes out like "bean". That said, he gets frustrated if we say "bean" and we mean green, so he can definitely hear the difference.
Toys/Games/Other
Favorite toys: cars, little figures, legos, geomag
He loves Legos. He is showing signs of creativity with them, and will build his own designs (mostly airplanes).
Social
He has friends at barnehage! He is starting to be more social in his play, and he plays consistently with the same friend most days. She is apparently a handful and lots of fun. He mentions her when he's getting ready for barnehage, like "Should I show her this shirt?" And even toward the end of this month, there is a little crew of buddies that run around together.
He loves to give a " smooch " to Lumi, äiti, or isä. He often does not give a warning, and instead comes at you like he's about to bite you. Then if you pull away he sadly says," I was going to do a smooch!" But also before he leaves for the day, in addition to a hug, demands "äiti! smooch!"
He really resists muskari (finnish music class) for some reason.
Eating
He is still good at eating protein and vegetables. He doesn't like sandwiches, which makes his "tour day" lunches trickier for us. We make muffins and include one, which seems to help.
4.10 he wouldn't even try fish cakes
15.10 getting a bit more flexible about having raisins or chocolate chips in a cookie or bun. He really enjoyed the raisins in his pulla on the way to muskari.
We started a tradition of going to McDonald's after muskari. He likes the french fries and the milk to drink. He doesn't like the breading on the nuggets.
He likes fish sticks but he often peels the breading off.
Sleeping
He has been resisting naps for quite some time, so we decided to go ahead and say "no naps" at barnehage, unless he requested it (previously we had asked that they really try to get him to sleep). Then on 24.9 he slept right through muskari and missed the whole thing.
2.10 he slept until almost 8. It was incredible.
He mostly goes to bed without too much effort, and then comes to sleep next to Äiti at some point during the night.
Health
mid -month he was recovering from a cold, and was coughing a little and was a little snotty. He doesn't usually like to blow his nose, but sometimes he cooperates.
Stats
Clothes: size 98/104. Shoes: size 26.
Teeth: 20
Weight: 15.8 kg on 31.7
Height: 96 cm on 9.9
Events
21.9 soiva Sammakko teatteri
25.9 Eplets Dag
2.10 Nelli over to play
4-7.10 isä gone
9.10 toni & helmine & amalie over to play; suomi kerho
10-12.10 isä gone
14.10 helmine spent the night
15.10 muskari
20.20 birthday!
Random
24.9 Isä was [unwittingly] sitting on otso's paper airplane. otso kept asking about his plane, and kimmo couldn't see it, and they discussed it for a while, while otso got increasingly frustrated (because he knew it was under kimmo). finally kimmo said "mitä sitten tehdään?" (translation: what should we do?) and otso replied "i want you to get off your peppu and look under there!" :)
october 8-9 was a rough weekend, for reasons unknown. he had several tantrums in response to very small triggers. ugh -- same with the next weekend.
He can get very frustrated with his sister when she involves him in games and he doesn't want to be involved. She put an imaginary medal around his neck when he won a race and he got furious. If she walks by and touches him on the head or shoulder, he will scream "DON'T DO THAT LUMI!" and then try to hit her.
He doesn't understand or like pet names. If you say "hi, cutie" he will respond "i'm not a cutie, I'm Otso."
20.10 after a bite of birthday cake, he happily said "it tastes like pizza!"
Our little baby is 3 years old! He is still cuddly and needs lots of love. But he is also revealing a stubborn streak, and these days it seems he gets angry at small things.
Learning/Development
His counting is consistent. He likes to practice drawing letters (mostly just the letter O), but sometimes T.
He often mixes up 2 and 5 when he sees them.
Language
He still parrots Lumi, which means he gets lots of English practice at home with her. He wants to speak Finnish, and Kimmo is making a conscious effort to speak more slowly with him so he can get it even with the limited exposure.
He likes the color green but can't say it right. It comes out like "bean". That said, he gets frustrated if we say "bean" and we mean green, so he can definitely hear the difference.
Toys/Games/Other
Favorite toys: cars, little figures, legos, geomag
He loves Legos. He is showing signs of creativity with them, and will build his own designs (mostly airplanes).
Social
He has friends at barnehage! He is starting to be more social in his play, and he plays consistently with the same friend most days. She is apparently a handful and lots of fun. He mentions her when he's getting ready for barnehage, like "Should I show her this shirt?" And even toward the end of this month, there is a little crew of buddies that run around together.
He loves to give a " smooch " to Lumi, äiti, or isä. He often does not give a warning, and instead comes at you like he's about to bite you. Then if you pull away he sadly says," I was going to do a smooch!" But also before he leaves for the day, in addition to a hug, demands "äiti! smooch!"
He really resists muskari (finnish music class) for some reason.
Eating
He is still good at eating protein and vegetables. He doesn't like sandwiches, which makes his "tour day" lunches trickier for us. We make muffins and include one, which seems to help.
4.10 he wouldn't even try fish cakes
15.10 getting a bit more flexible about having raisins or chocolate chips in a cookie or bun. He really enjoyed the raisins in his pulla on the way to muskari.
We started a tradition of going to McDonald's after muskari. He likes the french fries and the milk to drink. He doesn't like the breading on the nuggets.
He likes fish sticks but he often peels the breading off.
Sleeping
He has been resisting naps for quite some time, so we decided to go ahead and say "no naps" at barnehage, unless he requested it (previously we had asked that they really try to get him to sleep). Then on 24.9 he slept right through muskari and missed the whole thing.
2.10 he slept until almost 8. It was incredible.
He mostly goes to bed without too much effort, and then comes to sleep next to Äiti at some point during the night.
Health
mid -month he was recovering from a cold, and was coughing a little and was a little snotty. He doesn't usually like to blow his nose, but sometimes he cooperates.
Stats
Clothes: size 98/104. Shoes: size 26.
Teeth: 20
Weight: 15.8 kg on 31.7
Height: 96 cm on 9.9
Events
21.9 soiva Sammakko teatteri
25.9 Eplets Dag
2.10 Nelli over to play
4-7.10 isä gone
9.10 toni & helmine & amalie over to play; suomi kerho
10-12.10 isä gone
14.10 helmine spent the night
15.10 muskari
20.20 birthday!
Random
24.9 Isä was [unwittingly] sitting on otso's paper airplane. otso kept asking about his plane, and kimmo couldn't see it, and they discussed it for a while, while otso got increasingly frustrated (because he knew it was under kimmo). finally kimmo said "mitä sitten tehdään?" (translation: what should we do?) and otso replied "i want you to get off your peppu and look under there!" :)
october 8-9 was a rough weekend, for reasons unknown. he had several tantrums in response to very small triggers. ugh -- same with the next weekend.
He can get very frustrated with his sister when she involves him in games and he doesn't want to be involved. She put an imaginary medal around his neck when he won a race and he got furious. If she walks by and touches him on the head or shoulder, he will scream "DON'T DO THAT LUMI!" and then try to hit her.
He doesn't understand or like pet names. If you say "hi, cutie" he will respond "i'm not a cutie, I'm Otso."
20.10 after a bite of birthday cake, he happily said "it tastes like pizza!"
16 October 2016
daycare playground
norwegians are amazing -- this seems like a super-dangerous thing to have in a daycare playground, where toddlers play all day in icy conditions for several months of the year. but the adults are amazing, so clearly they are doing something right.
09 October 2016
06 October 2016
03 October 2016
Lumi: 5 Years, 8 Months
Summary
Same as usual: she is growing and gradually understanding more of the world. We are pleased with her kindness most of the time, and pleased with how she is learning to control her temper.
Social
At the theater performance, she was very vocal and participated a lot.
She enjoys her friends and seems to be friendly with most kids at barnehage. It's wonderful to see. She is generally kind, as far as we can see.
Leisure
Favorite toys/activities: legos, crafts
On 18.9, we went to the grünerlokka market day. Lumi went on a trampoline, strapped into a harness with attached bungee cords. She was able to jump very high into the air and loved every second of it. She kept saying "I'm flying!". Then she went on a giant inflatable slide, and also had a wonderful time.
Kimmo showed her a bunch of domino art videos on youtube and she was fascinated.
Learning
She told Grandma that she wants to read. She is focused on letters a bit lately, and told Kimmo that reading/writing is easier in Finnish (editor's note: she is correct).
11.9 we sorted through her coins, and discovered she had almost enough to buy a lollipop for her and Otso. Kimmo and I made up the difference, and we went to the Joker shop to do it. She was quite proud, especially when Otso thanked her for the treat.
She has lots of interest in gravestones and graveyards lately, which gave way to a hilarious response on 25.9 when we asked her what we should put on her gravestone: You guys are going to be dead before I'm going to be dead. Maybe my kids will put something on it. " And then she told us that she would die before Otso, and he then insisted that he would be dead first before Lumi. :)
Language
She has been working on her Finnish, and it shows. It seemed to flow a bit better when mummu was here.
Food
Favorite foods : berries, melon
She claimed to not like restaurants, but then requested to go to the Nighthawk Diner. We went for brunch on 18.9 and all enjoyed it.
We have had a couple weeks now where food isn't a big issue for her. It is wonderful from our point of view. She still doesn't like most things we serve (e.g. she claims to hate all soup) but she will suck it up and eat a few pieces of protein and vegetables.
28.9 Barnehage trip to Geit Myra, where they cooked their own lunch. She touched a fish tail and fish bones and chopped carrots and beets "with a sharp knife".
Health
5.9 big bump on the head, had to be picked up early from barnehage
18.9 maybe a UTI? we treated it with red & black currant juice and it seems to be cleared up.
We have adjusted bedtime to front load it with tasks (starting at 18:00 with clean up, then right to yogurt and teethbrushing). The idea is that then we don't have to deal with too much resistance with the tooth brushing around 19:00, when they are so tired. Luckily Lumi isn't too problematic in this regard (though she can move very slowly sometimes).
Stats
size: 110 (5T) or bigger in most clothes. 29 shoe.
height: 112 cm on 9.9
weight: 17.7 kg on 31.7 (but then 16.9 at the pool on 14.8)
favorite color: blue
favorite food: watermelon
Events
4.9 Friluftsdagen at Sognsvann
6.9 mummu here!
8-9.9 barnehage closed, stayed with mummu
10.9 muskari
11.9 suomikerho, mummu left
18.9 grünerlokka market day -- trampoline and bouncy slide
21.9 picture day, soiva Sammakko teatteri
24.9 muskari, McDonalds with Leon & co.
25.9 Eplets Dag
30.9 dinner at Toni's house
2.10 Nelli over to play
Random
She loves looking at herself in the mirror. She flips her hair around and twirls her skirt. We have been insisting that she has to wear it braided or something contained like that, because of lice incidences at barnehage. She seems to actually enjoy wearing her hair in more interesting styles (nothing too crazy -- just braids in different patterns).
28.9 "it's good that Otso is becoming a big boy. I don't want any little boys in my house."
Same as usual: she is growing and gradually understanding more of the world. We are pleased with her kindness most of the time, and pleased with how she is learning to control her temper.
Social
At the theater performance, she was very vocal and participated a lot.
She enjoys her friends and seems to be friendly with most kids at barnehage. It's wonderful to see. She is generally kind, as far as we can see.
Leisure
Favorite toys/activities: legos, crafts
On 18.9, we went to the grünerlokka market day. Lumi went on a trampoline, strapped into a harness with attached bungee cords. She was able to jump very high into the air and loved every second of it. She kept saying "I'm flying!". Then she went on a giant inflatable slide, and also had a wonderful time.
Kimmo showed her a bunch of domino art videos on youtube and she was fascinated.
Learning
She told Grandma that she wants to read. She is focused on letters a bit lately, and told Kimmo that reading/writing is easier in Finnish (editor's note: she is correct).
11.9 we sorted through her coins, and discovered she had almost enough to buy a lollipop for her and Otso. Kimmo and I made up the difference, and we went to the Joker shop to do it. She was quite proud, especially when Otso thanked her for the treat.
She has lots of interest in gravestones and graveyards lately, which gave way to a hilarious response on 25.9 when we asked her what we should put on her gravestone: You guys are going to be dead before I'm going to be dead. Maybe my kids will put something on it. " And then she told us that she would die before Otso, and he then insisted that he would be dead first before Lumi. :)
Language
She has been working on her Finnish, and it shows. It seemed to flow a bit better when mummu was here.
Food
Favorite foods : berries, melon
She claimed to not like restaurants, but then requested to go to the Nighthawk Diner. We went for brunch on 18.9 and all enjoyed it.
We have had a couple weeks now where food isn't a big issue for her. It is wonderful from our point of view. She still doesn't like most things we serve (e.g. she claims to hate all soup) but she will suck it up and eat a few pieces of protein and vegetables.
28.9 Barnehage trip to Geit Myra, where they cooked their own lunch. She touched a fish tail and fish bones and chopped carrots and beets "with a sharp knife".
Health
5.9 big bump on the head, had to be picked up early from barnehage
18.9 maybe a UTI? we treated it with red & black currant juice and it seems to be cleared up.
We have adjusted bedtime to front load it with tasks (starting at 18:00 with clean up, then right to yogurt and teethbrushing). The idea is that then we don't have to deal with too much resistance with the tooth brushing around 19:00, when they are so tired. Luckily Lumi isn't too problematic in this regard (though she can move very slowly sometimes).
Stats
size: 110 (5T) or bigger in most clothes. 29 shoe.
height: 112 cm on 9.9
weight: 17.7 kg on 31.7 (but then 16.9 at the pool on 14.8)
favorite color: blue
favorite food: watermelon
Events
4.9 Friluftsdagen at Sognsvann
6.9 mummu here!
8-9.9 barnehage closed, stayed with mummu
10.9 muskari
11.9 suomikerho, mummu left
18.9 grünerlokka market day -- trampoline and bouncy slide
21.9 picture day, soiva Sammakko teatteri
24.9 muskari, McDonalds with Leon & co.
25.9 Eplets Dag
30.9 dinner at Toni's house
2.10 Nelli over to play
Random
She loves looking at herself in the mirror. She flips her hair around and twirls her skirt. We have been insisting that she has to wear it braided or something contained like that, because of lice incidences at barnehage. She seems to actually enjoy wearing her hair in more interesting styles (nothing too crazy -- just braids in different patterns).
28.9 "it's good that Otso is becoming a big boy. I don't want any little boys in my house."
02 October 2016
01 October 2016
29 September 2016
Sippy cups
I got these sippy cups out yesterday to prep them to give away, but they kids wanted to drink water from them.
24 September 2016
20 September 2016
Otso's 35th Month
Summary
Otso is generally easy going and happy. He still adores his sister and parrots almost everything she says, but when he is grumpy she is also the victim of random hitting, etc.
Learning/Development
22.8 he easily counted 8 things in both Finnish and English.
He can count to 10 now with no issues in English. I'm not sure about Finnish or Norwegian.
Language
He often speaks English to Kimmo, instead of Finnish. This seems to be due to Lumi's influence -- both the example and the exposure to English.
When Mummu was here, he made some leaps in his Finnish. He is saying some more common words in Finnish now when he is talking to Kimmo, like "missä".
Toys/Games/Other
Favorite toys: cars, little figures, legos
He wants us to play with him a lot, and will ask "can you play with me?". He often wants to play "cars", which is basically rolling them around. He also loves playing hide-and-seek with Lumi, where she hides an object and then he has to find it.
He likes games a lot, and is enjoying the Sequence game that Grandpa and Mama Dollie brought.
He is enjoying a Lego "Naboo Star Fighter" that came in the magazine that one of the grandparents bought him. He likes to take it apart and rebuild it using the instructions.
Social
The kids and Grandpa/Mama Dollie have been really enjoying a daily countdown leading up to their visit on whatsapp. Each day they send videos back and forth.
He is getting to be more social at barnehage, playing with peers.
He is buddies with "Bampa".
Eating
He often compares good things to either ice cream or watermelon, or both. ("This tastes like watermelon and ice cream!")
Sleeping
He keeps going back and forth between the crib and the bed. He is still resisting bedtime a lot, claiming to be "not tired" and asking to stay with us.
About midway through the month, we removed the crib from the bedroom. Now he consistently starts the night in the bed, but then often wakes up in the night and comes to the parents' bed.
He sometimes does not nap at barnehage, though we have asked that they really try and that we really prefer it.
We have adjusted bedtime to front load it with tasks (starting at 18:00 with clean up, then right to yogurt and teethbrushing). The idea is that then we can put Otso to be early if he hasn't napped, and that we don't have to deal with too much resistance with the tooth brushing around 19:00, when they are so tired.
Health
A little sniffly toward the end of Grandpa and Mama Dollie's visit.
18.9 coughing and a bit snotty and feverish
19.9 stayed home from barnehage
Stats
Clothes: size 98/104. Shoes: size 26.
Teeth: 20
Weight: 15.8 kg on 31.7
Height: 96 cm on 9.9
Events
21.8 Indonesian Angklung workshop
26.8 Grandpa and Mama Dollie arrive
27.8 "hopp i høyet" festival
28.8 trip to Drøbak
30.8 visit with Tom
31.8 mini golf
1.9 Grandpa and Mama Dollie leave
3.9 played all day with Helena & fam
4.9 Friluftsdagen at Sognsvann
6.9 mummu here!
8-9.9 barnehage closed, stayed with mummu
10.9 muskari
11.9 suomikerho, mummu left
Random
He often says "You want it or not?" very aggressively.
11.9 complained a lot because it was sunny : "there is sun in my ears!"
Overheard: Otso's dialogue between two Lego constructions :
Piece 1: you cannot get me!
Piece 2: I can get you!
Otso is generally easy going and happy. He still adores his sister and parrots almost everything she says, but when he is grumpy she is also the victim of random hitting, etc.
Learning/Development
22.8 he easily counted 8 things in both Finnish and English.
He can count to 10 now with no issues in English. I'm not sure about Finnish or Norwegian.
Language
He often speaks English to Kimmo, instead of Finnish. This seems to be due to Lumi's influence -- both the example and the exposure to English.
When Mummu was here, he made some leaps in his Finnish. He is saying some more common words in Finnish now when he is talking to Kimmo, like "missä".
Toys/Games/Other
Favorite toys: cars, little figures, legos
He wants us to play with him a lot, and will ask "can you play with me?". He often wants to play "cars", which is basically rolling them around. He also loves playing hide-and-seek with Lumi, where she hides an object and then he has to find it.
He likes games a lot, and is enjoying the Sequence game that Grandpa and Mama Dollie brought.
He is enjoying a Lego "Naboo Star Fighter" that came in the magazine that one of the grandparents bought him. He likes to take it apart and rebuild it using the instructions.
Social
The kids and Grandpa/Mama Dollie have been really enjoying a daily countdown leading up to their visit on whatsapp. Each day they send videos back and forth.
He is getting to be more social at barnehage, playing with peers.
He is buddies with "Bampa".
Eating
He often compares good things to either ice cream or watermelon, or both. ("This tastes like watermelon and ice cream!")
Sleeping
He keeps going back and forth between the crib and the bed. He is still resisting bedtime a lot, claiming to be "not tired" and asking to stay with us.
About midway through the month, we removed the crib from the bedroom. Now he consistently starts the night in the bed, but then often wakes up in the night and comes to the parents' bed.
He sometimes does not nap at barnehage, though we have asked that they really try and that we really prefer it.
We have adjusted bedtime to front load it with tasks (starting at 18:00 with clean up, then right to yogurt and teethbrushing). The idea is that then we can put Otso to be early if he hasn't napped, and that we don't have to deal with too much resistance with the tooth brushing around 19:00, when they are so tired.
Health
A little sniffly toward the end of Grandpa and Mama Dollie's visit.
18.9 coughing and a bit snotty and feverish
19.9 stayed home from barnehage
Stats
Clothes: size 98/104. Shoes: size 26.
Teeth: 20
Weight: 15.8 kg on 31.7
Height: 96 cm on 9.9
Events
21.8 Indonesian Angklung workshop
26.8 Grandpa and Mama Dollie arrive
27.8 "hopp i høyet" festival
28.8 trip to Drøbak
30.8 visit with Tom
31.8 mini golf
1.9 Grandpa and Mama Dollie leave
3.9 played all day with Helena & fam
4.9 Friluftsdagen at Sognsvann
6.9 mummu here!
8-9.9 barnehage closed, stayed with mummu
10.9 muskari
11.9 suomikerho, mummu left
Random
He often says "You want it or not?" very aggressively.
11.9 complained a lot because it was sunny : "there is sun in my ears!"
Overheard: Otso's dialogue between two Lego constructions :
Piece 1: you cannot get me!
Piece 2: I can get you!
17 September 2016
10 September 2016
03 September 2016
Lumi: 5 Years, 7 Months
Summary
Though she still has some wild moments, overall she is happy and fun. She is getting braver and more confident in her abilities.
Social
This year they renamed the groups at barnehage, and instead of the "forskolegruppe", lumi is in the "5-års klubben". She seems happy and comfortable, no doubt because she has her group of cronies there and she knows the environment.
21.8 at the barnekunst museum's Angklung workshop, she boldly responded when the host asked "does anyone know what an angklung is?" lumi's answer was a confident "no". she was the only person brave enough in the room of 50. 😃
The kids and Grandpa/Mama Dollie have been really enjoying a daily countdown leading up to their visit on whatsapp. Each day they send videos back and forth.
Leisure
Favorite toys/activities: crafts, Pikku Myy game, riding her bike or scooter
She is enjoying the Sequence game that Grandpa and Mama Dollie brought.
She loved the rock climbing exercise at a festival we went to, and likes to try it at the playground too.
Learning
3.8 She was super-polite at dinner, asking nicely for things and so on.
Grappling with life: we assigned her an additional chore of putting the silverware away when we are emptying the dishwasher. She has really resisted, claiming it's too boring for her.
Language
She continues to speak English to Kimmo instead of Finnish. Her Norwegian seems fine and so does her English.
She does that thing now that is so common to kids her age: she wants to use the correct words and describe everything well, but word selection takes a long time. This means that she can take what seems like a very long time to describe something simple. Äiti needs to be more patient with this.
Food
Favorite foods : berries, melon
She has been gradually more adventurous and likes to "impress" us by requesting funny combinations, or sparkling water at breakfast.
Health
21.8 bit of a runny nose. she said she needed to rest and stay healthy so she wouldn't be sick when Grandpa and Mama Dollie come. 😃
We have been pleased to notice that she is better at sleeping in. She's getting to be more human and simply continuing to sleep when she is tired (instead of that crack-of-dawn thing that toddlers do).
Stats
size: 110 (5T) or bigger in most clothes. 29 shoe.
height: 112 cm on 12. 7
weight: 17.7 kg on 31.7 (but then 16.9 at the pool on 14.8)
favorite color: blue
favorite food: watermelon
Events
5.8 äiti's birthday (out to dinner)
7.8 very rainy picnic in the park with lumi's friends
10.8 playdate with helmine
14.8 swimming, suomikerho
15.8 Lekern after bhg
20.8 Mela festival
21.8 Indonesian Angklung workshop
22.8 playdate at Leon's house
26.8 Grandpa and Mama Dollie arrive
27.8 "hopp i høyet" festival
28.8 trip to Drøbak
29.8 first movie in a theater! "Finding Dory" with Mama Dollie
30.8 visit with Tom
31.8 mini golf
1.9 Grandpa and Mama Dollie leave
3.9 played all day with Helena & fam
Random
Her hair is now long enough that when it falls out it is getting in the drain and it's noticeable.
We started using an Australian kids' meditation app called "Smiling Mind", listening to a meditation exercise before sleep. She loves it, and requests it.
28 August 2016
21 August 2016
Otso's 34th Month
Summary
This month consisted of the trip to Finland (and his first week without äiti), and then start of a new barnehage year. He seems stressed with the changes and we see some significant separation anxiety.
Learning/Development
He can count consistently to 5 and maybe a bit higher (but not consistently). For example, if we ask "how many apples are there?" he will count the apples and report the number.
Language
He still copies most things that Lumi says.
The final "n" doesn't come easily (e.g. ice keem, lightning mckeem).
When they came back from "kielikylpy" (language bath) in Finland, Otso's finnish vocabulary is definitely expanded. English is still dominant but there are words that come in Finnish first (and some that he doesn't really know in English yet).
He seems more verbal than before, especially with us. It is very important to him that he tells us what is going on (even if we already know). He also really knows his colors in English now and he likes to inform us about what colors things are.
Phrase of the summer : "I did a maali!" (maali = goal)
7.8 when he didn't like something, he said "ei oo kiltisti".
After dinner he has been politely thanking us with a blended expression : "Kiitos for maten!"
Toys/Games/Other
Favorite toys: cars (especially the racing track at the mökki), little figures, balls, Pikku Myy game
He's getting better and better at memory games. He even tried to trick Vaari by telling him a pair was in a certain place, when he knew it wasn't.
He still loves the Fantorangen app.
8.8 we rented a Dora video from the library and he loves it. He shouts along where you are supposed to.
Social
The kids and Kimmo were in Finland for a week without äiti. This is the longest yet without äiti. It went well, especially in Nakkila where Mummu was there to guide and provide extra love.
He started in the "big kids" group, Mango, at barnehage.
He seems to be experiencing significant separation anxiety and cries like hell when äiti or isä leaves, or when we drop him off at barnehage.
Eating
Favorite foods: watermelon
He isn't eating the summer peas in Nakkila, but is happily eating everything else.
6.8 first milkshake (McDonald's)
15.8: Happily drinking milk : "this tastes like ice cream!" Minutes later, happily eating ice cream : "this tastes like watermelon!"
Sleeping
Some days he goes without a nap and it's not too bad (though he can be really cranky in the evening). If it works for our schedule, perhaps we will stop the nap on the weekends.
He is, however, back in the crib. He seems comfortable and safe there. We have had a couple incidences where we didn't get there fast enough to take him out and he peed in the crib in the morning (standing up by the side).
Health
first week of August: wetting his pants at barnehage a lot. They are implementing a system where he has to try every hour and hopefully this will fix it.
He is refusing sleep a lot and shouting "not tired!" right at bedtime. He also really wants äiti to stay with him.
Stats
Clothes: size 98/104. Shoes: 26.
Teeth: all 20! the last one came through sometime in the last week of July (right upper second molar)
Weight: 15.8 kg on 31.7
Height: 93.5 cm on 1.5
Events
23.7 trip to Heureka science museum
24.7 äiti left, travel to nakkila
29.7 MuuMaa
30.7 drive back to Helsinki
31.7 fly home
1.8 back to barnehage!
5.8 äiti's birthday (out to dinner)
7.8 very rainy picnic in the park with lumi's friends
14.8 suomikerho
20.8 Mela festival
Random
4.8 (to äiti as she was running the food processor) : "you are doing loud!" 4.8 "what's going on?"
6.8 when checking out a Christmas movie at the library, he pointed to Santa 's sleigh and asked "where are the kangaroos?"
A: what?
L: he means reindeer.
A: otso, are you asking about Santa's reindeer?
O: Yes.
He has a new-ish habit of cupping someones face with his hands. Often this is how he wakes äiti up -- by gently but firmly grabbing her face.
15.8 when i was trying to soothe him and remind him of all the people who love him (Äiti, Isä, Lumi, grandparents, cousins, etc) he enjoyed the recitation of the names but then after i finished the list of family members he kept going like this: "... and my blanket loves me, my hair loves me, my shirt loves me, ..."
This month consisted of the trip to Finland (and his first week without äiti), and then start of a new barnehage year. He seems stressed with the changes and we see some significant separation anxiety.
Learning/Development
He can count consistently to 5 and maybe a bit higher (but not consistently). For example, if we ask "how many apples are there?" he will count the apples and report the number.
Language
He still copies most things that Lumi says.
The final "n" doesn't come easily (e.g. ice keem, lightning mckeem).
When they came back from "kielikylpy" (language bath) in Finland, Otso's finnish vocabulary is definitely expanded. English is still dominant but there are words that come in Finnish first (and some that he doesn't really know in English yet).
He seems more verbal than before, especially with us. It is very important to him that he tells us what is going on (even if we already know). He also really knows his colors in English now and he likes to inform us about what colors things are.
Phrase of the summer : "I did a maali!" (maali = goal)
7.8 when he didn't like something, he said "ei oo kiltisti".
After dinner he has been politely thanking us with a blended expression : "Kiitos for maten!"
Toys/Games/Other
Favorite toys: cars (especially the racing track at the mökki), little figures, balls, Pikku Myy game
He's getting better and better at memory games. He even tried to trick Vaari by telling him a pair was in a certain place, when he knew it wasn't.
He still loves the Fantorangen app.
8.8 we rented a Dora video from the library and he loves it. He shouts along where you are supposed to.
Social
The kids and Kimmo were in Finland for a week without äiti. This is the longest yet without äiti. It went well, especially in Nakkila where Mummu was there to guide and provide extra love.
He started in the "big kids" group, Mango, at barnehage.
He seems to be experiencing significant separation anxiety and cries like hell when äiti or isä leaves, or when we drop him off at barnehage.
Eating
Favorite foods: watermelon
He isn't eating the summer peas in Nakkila, but is happily eating everything else.
6.8 first milkshake (McDonald's)
15.8: Happily drinking milk : "this tastes like ice cream!" Minutes later, happily eating ice cream : "this tastes like watermelon!"
Sleeping
Some days he goes without a nap and it's not too bad (though he can be really cranky in the evening). If it works for our schedule, perhaps we will stop the nap on the weekends.
He is, however, back in the crib. He seems comfortable and safe there. We have had a couple incidences where we didn't get there fast enough to take him out and he peed in the crib in the morning (standing up by the side).
Health
first week of August: wetting his pants at barnehage a lot. They are implementing a system where he has to try every hour and hopefully this will fix it.
He is refusing sleep a lot and shouting "not tired!" right at bedtime. He also really wants äiti to stay with him.
Stats
Clothes: size 98/104. Shoes: 26.
Teeth: all 20! the last one came through sometime in the last week of July (right upper second molar)
Weight: 15.8 kg on 31.7
Height: 93.5 cm on 1.5
Events
23.7 trip to Heureka science museum
24.7 äiti left, travel to nakkila
29.7 MuuMaa
30.7 drive back to Helsinki
31.7 fly home
1.8 back to barnehage!
5.8 äiti's birthday (out to dinner)
7.8 very rainy picnic in the park with lumi's friends
14.8 suomikerho
20.8 Mela festival
Random
4.8 (to äiti as she was running the food processor) : "you are doing loud!" 4.8 "what's going on?"
6.8 when checking out a Christmas movie at the library, he pointed to Santa 's sleigh and asked "where are the kangaroos?"
A: what?
L: he means reindeer.
A: otso, are you asking about Santa's reindeer?
O: Yes.
He has a new-ish habit of cupping someones face with his hands. Often this is how he wakes äiti up -- by gently but firmly grabbing her face.
15.8 when i was trying to soothe him and remind him of all the people who love him (Äiti, Isä, Lumi, grandparents, cousins, etc) he enjoyed the recitation of the names but then after i finished the list of family members he kept going like this: "... and my blanket loves me, my hair loves me, my shirt loves me, ..."
17 August 2016
Numbers
The "aquadraw" has some numbers on it and Otso likes to "draw" them. Note that "six" in Norwegian is "seks" -- you can hear him pronounce it both in English and then Norwegian.
10 August 2016
summer picnic in norway
We had a picnic with some friends on Sunday. It poured rain, but we soldiered on and had hot dogs and roasted marshmallows and cheesecake.
03 August 2016
Lumi: 5 Years, 6 Months
Summary
Lots of fun this month, with a grandma visit and a trip to Finland.
Social
She and grandma have a special bond, but she is really missing her barnehage friends. She and Otso have fun together, but in many ways he is still a baby and doesn't understand games.
We saw some terrible behavior on her part during our visit to Finland. But we also saw some great behavior.
The kids and Kimmo were in Finland for a week without äiti. This is the longest yet without äiti. It went well, especially in Nakkila.
She was so happy to be back with her friends at barnehage, and in the big kids group. And she helped Otso get settled in Mango. (I was very proud of her for this kindness, as it meant so much to Otso).
Leisure
She is enjoying games more and more. She played some toddler board games in France and now is playing Go Fish and Memory with grandma. We got "Ensimmäinen Alias" in Finland, plus a Muumi game from Hesburger.
In Saimaa, she had fun collecting chanterelle mushrooms and berries. She loves swimming in the lake and then warming up in the sauna.
Learning
She practiced paddling the canoe in Saimaa.
She is learning to write letters a little bit better and a little bit more.
Language
She is really trying to speak finnish with her grandparents and it's definitely coming back.
However, the cousins are mainly speaking English with her, which is a step back.
31.7 while on the train in Oslo, she spoke to the train conductor about her ticket in 3 languages: first Finnish (she said she forgot she wasn't still in Finland), then English, then Norwegian.
It looks like the break from using Norwegian language didn't affect things and she slid right back into it.
Food
Favorite foods : berries, melon
At Heureka science museum, she really dug in her heels about not eating a meatball and refused to eat anything on the plate that contained the meatball. This lasted over 30 minutes, and eventually she agreed to eat on the condition that I feed her. I did, and she cheered up a lot.
Health
Her scalp seems quite dry, but it's more noticeable since we didn't pack her hairbrush in Finland. It seems we need to travel with the hairbrush from now on.
Stats
size: 110 (5T) or bigger in most clothes. 28 shoe, maybe 29.
height: 112 cm on 12. 7
weight: 17.7 kg on 31.7
favorite color: blue
favorite food: watermelon
Events
4.7 last day of barnehage before summer, Grandma arrived
9.7 long hike from frognerseteren to sognsvann
15.7 grandma headed home; we flew to finland
16.7 play with August and Hilla, then playground with Asher, Emery, and Gaia
17-21.7 mökki in Saimaa
23.7 trip to Heureka science museum
24.7 äiti left, travel to nakkila
29.7 MuuMaa
30.7 drive back to Helsinki
31.7 fly home
1.8 back to barnehage!
25 July 2016
Canoe Time!
At the mökki, we had a great time. Vaari took the kids out in the canoe and they loved it.
Lumi even got to try her hand at paddling.
20 July 2016
Otso's 33rd Month
Summary
It has been a month of vacation - - first Mazan, France, then two weeks with Grandma at home, then to Finland. He is happy and healthy.
Learning/Development
He is getting better at coloring. He chose colored pencils when grandma let him pick out a toy.
Language
He likes to talk about Lumi's treasure box, but it comes out something like "feavver box".
The common language for the kids in Mazan is Norwegian and it's fun to hear him speak it.
He is speaking a lot, but most of that is repeating whatever Lumi says. Sometimes it seems that she is his primary English teacher.
11.7 Charmingly blunt: when Lumi was doing a craft he kept trying to interfere and begged to "mess it up!"
In Finland, he is still speaking a lot of English to his grandparents. Often it seems that he isn't even aware that it's not the right language to use. But he uses Finnish when we supply him with the correct words.
Toys/Games/Other
He doesn't want to swim.
He is enjoying the yard immensely in Mazan. He likes petanque, Frisbee, Foosball, and just running around on the grass. He also likes to throw a ball at the trees.
We went to a flea market to replace the kids' lost clothes, and picked up some cheap dress up clothes for all the kids to play with. Otso has been wearing the shawl from the Beauty and the Beast costume.
He found some beads and wanted to keep them in a private area. I guess we need a special treasure box for him too.
The car racing track in Saimaa is lots of fun. But he still doesn't want to go to sauna.
Social
He has been playing with most of the kids in Mazan : Adele, Clemence, Marie, and his sister.
Eating
Favorite foods: ice cream on a stick, watermelon
He hasn't been eating much in Mazan. He doesn't enjoy bread with toppings.
He still won't eat berries. Even fresh blueberries in the forest.
Sleeping
He hasn't been going to bed very easily in Mazan, but fortunately it is a relaxed atmosphere so he can stay up a bit.
We have seen a lot of erratic sleep from him in general, even after we are home. It could be the light or it could be that he is ready to give up his nap. We are waiting a bit but taking advantage of some nap-free days on weekends.
With Grandma he has been missing his naps a lot.
Health
He got a fever on 3.7 (as did Lumi). Perhaps they picked it up on the plane.
He's having a lot of pee accidents still.
Stats
Clothes: size 98/104. Shoes: size 25 or 26.
Teeth: 19, cutting the last one too!
Weight: 15.1 kg on 8.5
Height: 93.5 cm on 1.5
Events
22.6 sommerfest at barnehage
24.6 flight to Paris
25.6 train to Avignon, loss of suitcase, arrival in Mazan
1.7 train back to Paris, dinner with Mama Dollie and Isabel
2.7 flight home to Oslo
4.7 last day of barnehage before summer, Grandma arrived
9.7 long hike from frognerseteren to sognsvann
15.7 grandma headed home; we flew to finland
16.7 play with August and Hilla, then playground with Asher, Emery, and Gaia
17-21.7 mökki in Saimaa
Random
He sneezed and said "I have bless you!"
At the mökki, he keeps calling Lake Saimaa "the pool".
13 July 2016
Summer evening
Me: guys! Guys? Can you just stand next to isä for a second so I can take a picture? Guys?
10 July 2016
03 July 2016
Lumi: 5 Years, 5 Months
Summary
It is now summer, and Lumi is really enjoying it. She loves to swim and loves the ease of throwing on shoes and heading out the door (instead of putting on an additional couple layers).
She has real moments of kindness with us and with others, which is encouraging to see.
Social
14.6 she told me that she spoke with one of the boys in her class who is a delayed speaker and he happily responded as much as he could and she said "so i'm a little bit friends with him". we are so proud of her -- this is a kid who is picked on a lot by the older boys.
In Mazan, she and Adele really got along. Unfortunately, it was at the expense of Clémence, and they left her out a lot.
At barnehage, Toni and Helmine are her best friends.
Leisure
Weeks 23 and 24 were friluftsliv uker here in Oslo, so they have trips every day. It's great that she gets to do all these different things, but one effect is that Lumi is quite tired every day.
She doesn't have any favorite toys lately. Her area of focus in the living room is her "treasure box" which is full of interesting things like beads she finds. It is out of Otso's reach and it holds an aura of mystery and excitement for him.
We went to a flea market to replace the kids' lost clothes, and picked up some cheap dress up clothes for all the kids to play with. Lumi liked them all: Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, and snow white.
She really loves the pool in Mazan. We need to plan swim time for her in the fall, even if it isn't organized lessons.
She's into Star Wars now! we have read the Lego kids' book of A New Hope, and watched most of Phantom Menace.
Learning
We're doing some fun games where we make up stories together. Like "...and then they saw a big hairy ..." and she has to fill in the noun.
28.6 she made up a great story to accompany her drawing. it was very creative and we were impressed.
Language
Since the other kids we are staying with in Mazan speak French, Norwegian is the common language. It is fun to hear her speak it so comfortably.
She loves those activity magazines for kids, so Kimmo had a friend get a couple in Finnish to keep her Finnish strong.
Food
She still isn't a terribly enthusiastic eater for most things. Watermelon and berries are notable exceptions.
30.6 she declared the grilled steak "the best meat in the world"
Health
Now that it's warm, she has been wearing shorts more, and therefore skinning her knees more.
She got a fever on 3.7 (as did Otso). Perhaps they picked it up on the plane.
Stats
size: 110 (5T) or bigger in most clothes. 28 shoe, maybe 29.
height: 110 cm on 1.5
weight: 17.9 kg on 8.5
favorite color: blue
favorite food: watermelon
Events
5 - 9.6 isä gone
6.6 helmine joined us for dinner
11.6 helena joined us for dinner
18.6 Maja birthday party
19.6 Raija birthday party
20.6 toni joined us for dinner
22.6 sommerfest at barnehage
22.6 sommerfest at barnehage
24.6 flight to Paris
25.6 train to Avignon, loss of suitcase, arrival in Mazan
1.7 train back to Paris, dinner with Mama Dollie and Isabel
2.7 flight home to Oslo
Random
22.6: "I'm going to be a pizza man when I grow up. Or a trash man! And every day when you guys put the trash I will get the trash. "
20 June 2016
Otso's 32nd Month
Summary
Otso is straddling the line between baby and kid. He likes to play with his sister and her friends, and isn't interested in baby toys. But he loves to cuddle and this month he has regressed to sleeping in a crib.
21.5 play with Helena
22.5 tram museum, over at Helena's house for Joachim's birthday
28.5 Victoria's birthday party
29.5 play date at Oliver's house
5 - 9.6 isä gone
6.6 helmine joined us for dinner
11.6 helena joined us for dinner
18.6 Maja birthday party
19.6 Raija birthday party
20.6 toni joined us for dinner
Learning/Development
Both kids have been enjoying a new chore: throwing the trash bags down the chute. kimmo closes and ties the bags and then leaves them in the kitchen. the first kid who finds it is allowed to throw it out (open the door to the service elevator closet, open the hatch to the chute, put the bag in the hole, and close the chute).
He is learning colors. His current toothbrush is blue and red and often when he points out something blue he says "like my toothbrush."
30.5 we had a meeting with the barnehage teacher (Frank). Otso seems to be progressing at the normal rate across the board. We did some troubleshooting about the potty accidents, and agreed that next year he will go upstairs to the Mango group instead of being in Kiwi with the babies.
Often when he doesn't understand something you say, he'll repeat it with a questioning voice.
- me: You probably want to use a spoon to eat that.
- otso: "use a spoon to eat that?"
It's usually very polite and cute.
" Shrek " is " feck "
"Lightning McQueen" is "Lightneen McKeem"
After he recently saw the movie "Cars", Kimmo produced toy McQueen and Sally cars. Otso thinks he is McQueen and Lumi is Sally, and often he makes a point of bringing the toy Sally to Lumi. Lumi sometimes likes this but often does not and it can get very frustrating for both of them because Otso continues to try to hand it to her even after multiple "I don't want it!" statements from Lumi.
28.5 we watched Cars 2. He yelled at the screen almost the entire movie, enthusiastic about seeing characters: "there's my car!" "there's lumi's car!" "there's Mater! " He was very loud and the rest of us don't know what happened in the movie because we missed most of the audio due to Otso.
He has a couple favorite teachers at barnehage (Signe is the #1) and doesn't seem to like some others. He still isn't really interested in his peers.
At the birthday party on 28.5, i got to watch him with his peers from barnehage. He took a while to warm up, but eventually spent a very happy 20 minutes with a little group on the balcony, tossing balloons over the railing to the ground below and pretending to be very sad about it (until someone retrieved a balloon for them, at which point it was merrily tossed over again).
Eating
23.5 enjoyed burgers, but with lemon pepper on them
23.5 enjoyed burgers, but with lemon pepper on them
22.5 offered cheesecake -- he was very upset and refused to try it
since it's warmer, kimmo has been buying melons to share with the kids in the evenings. they love it.
He still is resistant to going to bed and staying in bed. Some nights are harder than others.
And almost 100% of the time he comes to sleep with äiti at some point during the night. Then he gets restless, and I take him to pee. Then he relaxes and sleeps well until morning.
5.6 skipped nap and slept easily at bedtime, right through morning.
When he was sick he was so restless that we set up the travel crib for him. He seems to like it.
31.5 Mouth hurting. Maybe that last tooth is coming.
9-10.6 sick and stayed home from barnehage
Clothes: size 98/104. Shoes: size 25 or 26.
Weight: 15.1 kg on 8.5
Height: 93.5 cm on 1.5
He says red is his favorite color.
28.5 after story time, Lumi and Otso were sweetly hugging each other and saying good night, when Otso grabbed Lumi's arm and asked "Can I eat this?"
He hates wearing pants/shorts/underwear. At the first opportunity, he usually takes them off. Our rule is that he has to have some layer of fabric on his bottom to sit on the sofa or at the kitchen table. Because of this, meals often start in tears because we have just forced him to put some underwear on.
16.6 update to this: he has had several days where he keeps his pajama pants on at night (a positive development!) but then one of the first things he does upon awakening in the morning is take his pants off.
Evening quote from 13.6 : "I want to hit Lumi. I want to watch TV. "
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