Layover

Now we're on our way home after a great vacation (more about it and travelling with a baby later). When we arrived to Washington D.C. (Dulles) around 1pm after a short delay, we picked up our luggage and planned to check in on our 9pm flight to Stockholm and then leave the airport and meet fellow Swedish blogger Annika (Life in the Suburb). Great plan! If only Iceland Air had an open check-in or ticket desk... No lockers to be found either, and I doubt they would fit two suitcases, a pushchair transport bag and three carry-ons anyway. So instead we had to haul our stuff around until check-in opened at 5pm, which meant we mostly sat around waiting, had lunch, had some Starbucks...

Now we're finally checked in and inside the terminal and Isolde can let off some steam. Luckily it's a pretty new terminal or at least the carpets look quite clean, or clean enough (but why no play area for kids anywhere?!).

Miami & South Beach

Our second full day in Miami was spent here in South Beach where we're staying (at Congress Hotel on Ocean Drive). We headed to the beach at 11 to try to combine nap time with beach time (she slept 12-13:30ish) and stayed until 3pm. It was very cloudy and at one point there was even rain drops but I still managed to get red even though I was using sunscreen and it was only sunny for 30-45 minutes out of the four hours. So no sun for me tomorrow!

This evening we checked out the shops in Lincoln Road, South Beach's "pedestrian mall" or "gågata" in Swedish, and ended up buying a few items at Banana Republic as well as Toms (shoes where for every pair you buy another pair gets donated) for Isolde and me and a pair of dressier sneakers for Peter at a shoe shop called Mixx. The street was well-designed but we thought it was going to have fancier stores as it's located near the posh hotels such as Delano. Where do the rich and famous shop in Miami?! Post-shopping we stopped by Jerry's Famous Deli for some dinner. It was approaching 8pm and Isolde was tired so we thought take-out was in order.

Yesterday, our first full day here, we drove out of Miami to the posh sticks; Coral Gables and Coconut Grove (though there are other much posher areas in Miami too!). We only drove through the latter but in Coral Gables we stopped at Biltmore Hotel where we had a really nice lunch by their super-sized pool, and toured (en voiture) the famous neighbourhoods planned and built by George Merrick in the 1920s, the first planned communities in the US, and had a quick peak at the neighbourhood's famous Venetian pool (which was overrated). Back in South Beach we stopped at Whole Foods supermarket for some baby food (and diapers, which didn't keep Isolde dry through the night so we'll try to return them - that has never happened before so it must be the diapers) and dinner from their deli and salad bar (our hotel room has a kitchenette so it's easy to heat up food or do easy cooking).

When we arrived from Key West on Wednesday it was 4pm already so our first evening here we just took a walk down to Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant where we discovered the waiting for a table was 1 1/2 hours but also that they have a deli/cafe next door where we could eat almost the same food in a more baby-friendly (but still designed and atmospheric) environment. Recommended!

Here are some pictures from the beach today (don't know how to insert pictures in the text where I'd really want them with the Blogger app?!):

Baby food

A while ago I joined Buzzador, a site for word of mouth marketing, and a few weeks ago I participated in my first campaign: I received a box of free baby food - Nestlé sweet potato and beef - to try on Isolde and also to distribute to other parents. Isolde actually liked it so much that she ended up finishing all jars herself, but I guess that's a good result if any!

Normally I'm not too keen on Nestlé's food, as I prefer to buy a Swedish brand and I also find Nestlé's food too watery once you've fed directly from the jar (like now on vacation) and want to feed the leftovers later. Instead we usually buy Semper and sometimes Hipp (German, so not Swedish, but organic). Semper also has several organic dishes, which I haven't seen among Nestlé's products (?). There's also a brand called Ella's kitchen (American I think, as I've seen it here in the US too; or British), which is organic and comes in really smart packaging, but it's a bit pricey so Semper "wins" usually.

Here in the US while on vacation we have bought the Semper equivalent, Gerber, and Isolde seems to like them almost as much even though they are a bit too much puréed for her (usual) liking and also has a lot more tomato then the Swedish (e.g. lasagna or spaghetti bolognese) kind. We've also tried a brand called (I think) Beecham Farms but they were so watery and not tasty at all according to Isolde.

Key West

A little update. Following Kristin and Doug's wedding on Saturday we left Dover* early Sunday morning and drove to Washington DC for our flight from National/Reagan airport to Key West via Miami. Even though Isolde's cold was still pretty bad she didn't seem to mind take-off nor landing. In Key West we have enjoyed the scenery and walking (otherwise we've mostly taken the car to go places) and today we first visited the Hemingway home and then went to the beach at Bahia Honda State Park. It was Isolde's first swim in the ocean ever and she seemed to enjoy it even though it was a bit cold (compared to what she's used to). After her bath she got a treat, her favourite, raspberries, and after that she tasted some sand :)

* Friday evening we did some more tax-free shopping by the way...

Tax-Free

Since we're in Delaware, the tax-free state (as in VAT; there's still income tax of course), shopping is a must. Including shopping at the outlets at the beach (Rehoboth). We were quite lazy in the morning but got to the outlets at a pretty decent hour - 11:30 - and had about four hours to spend before we had to drive back at 4pm. With Isolde in tow and fitting in meals and nappy changes we didn't do as much shopping as last time we were here (3 years ago), when we filled the whole trunk with bags, but we still managed to pick up (and spend) a decent amount.

This evening we had dinner out with (my aupair host mother) Karin and (her partner) Steve, made a quick diaper and baby food stop at Walmart and are now watching telly. Isolde played with the rocking chair and befriended the cat before she fell asleep. The cat also cuddled with Peter and slept on his lap before it suddenly threw up a hair ball on Peter and the sofa :)

Tomorrow we're going to hang out with Kristin (my aupair daughter, the real reason we're here right now as she's getting married on Saturday) and the check out the shops at the mall.

Fly Report

First morning in the States this time around. We stayed at a hotel last night but for the next few days we'll be staying with my old aupair family in Delaware. We figured it was better to stay at a hotel the first night instead of arriving after midnight. Now I'm very happy we decided to do that since our flight (to Dulles, Washington DC, via Iceland) was almost one hour late and immigration took a while (and the drive to Dover would have taken two hours).

Isolde did so well on the flight! She was her usual happy-go-lucky self and she slept at least four hours plus a couple of power naps. She even slept through some heavy turbulence that made me cry a little - did not want my little family to perish yet! We had a free seat in between us where she could either sleep or sit and play. So the adults could even enjoy the in-flight entertainment!

After the flight I was more worried about Isolde's jetlag, something I hadn't thought of beforehand, but I managed to get her to sleep better that I thought last night, even if I didn't sleep as much as I wanted, and we slept until 07:30 US time (and 13:30 Swe time). We'll see how the day goes. I think getting the meal routine going will be the trick to also get her to sleep when she should.

Family Friendly Flying

Pushchairs for loan at the airport. Things you don't know before you have kids and travel with kids. Now we don't have to use the BabyBjörn as much.

Isolde at 9 Months

And here's the 9-month post!  As we're busy packing for our US trip I don't have time to post any photos.
Right now, Isolde...

• is a fast crawler, but still flat on her tummy and not on her knees though she uses her feet and knees; she looks like she's in military training (or been injured in action). She easily crawls over doorsteps including a pretty high one to our bathroom.
• walks with the walker wagon (toddler wobbler/gåvagn). This means busy times for this mum now (so happy Peter will take over soon hehe!) because in addition to the wagon she stands up against anything she can find and walks along some furniture.  She's rather capable on her own now but I still want to be nearby just in case.  She easily entertains herself with crawling, "climbing" furniture and generally exploring, so now I have to be there for safety and not necessarily because she wants me there :)
• still can't move from horizontal to sitting up unless she first pulls herself up on her knees, then to standing and then sits down.
• has no more teeth since her first came a month ago and there are no signs of a second one coming. 
• continues to be easy-going and easy to bring to cafés and restaurants.  I have however noticed that while she sleeps well in the seat during the day she doesn't sleep well in it in the evening.  So we bought an extra Bugaboo frame (second-hand) to reattach the bassinet so we can easily switch (otherwise it's a hassle).  Not sure why I didn't think of it earlier.  Since she's pretty short she still fits in the Bassinet.  The first time we tried it she slept very well for several hours. 
• likes being read to more and more and has a few favourite books, e.g. Stina Wirséns Aj
• is interested in holding and chewing on the spoon when being fed, though not necessarily trying to feed herself.  Sometimes letting her hold the spoon or the sippy cup is the only way to get her to eat.
• is quite outgoing and forward in our mummy group but at the baby song and dance we go to when there are 20 babies she's not as "brave".  But last time we went she actually crawled up to Lotta and tried to stand up against the drum like some of the other babies do but when the others were in the way she looked a bit unhappy and came crawling back to me.  She's pretty tough though and doesn't mind if another baby comes close or tries to crawl on top of her or wants to touch her.  Instead she pushes them away if it's too much but doesn't cry.
• is still a very happy and content baby.  People are always telling us how harmonious she seems to be.  Only really cries sometimes during the night, when she's very hungry or very tired, especially if she's in the pushchair and she wants to be out and home.
• eats all the time!  Or at least it feels that way.  She eats oat cereal for breakfast (between 8 and 9am), then lunch at 11-12, snack (before crackers and fruit, now more fattening stuff such as Greek yoghurt) at 1330-1430, dinner at 4-5pm, oat cereal at 6-7pm.  If Peter's is alone with her she can go to sleep on oat cereal but if I'm at home (most evenings) I also nurse her before bedtime around 730pm (though we're planning of making her bedtime around 7pm as she's pretty tired by then.  She probably eats 75% jar food and 25% home-cooked but that will change gradually. She seems to like most food though she was a bit sceptic when there was too much dill in the fish dish I made. I rarely cook just for her but try to think also of her when I cook for us. She doesn't like broccoli and is not keen on banana anymore but she loves raspberries!
• makes lots of noises and "talks" a lot but she hasn't said a "real" word yet.  I read that some babies say "mum" and "dad" now but she doesn't seem to call out for us yet.  Except maybe at night sometimes.  She does say something sounding like "hej" (hi) sometimes and sometimes she waves at the same time.
• tinkles on her toy piano; sometimes hard and sometimes soft and slowly on one key, as if she's really trying to listen to the sound she makes.
• does well with baby-sitters.  Our friends Maria and Daniel sat for the first time last Friday, otherwise we've "hired" the grandparents.  She still has shown no "only mummy (or daddy) will do" tendencies yet or fear of strangers or separation anxiety. She likes cuddling, mostly in the morning and in the evening and tries to kiss me (which is mouth wide open and wet), but no kisses for dad yet.
• has mastered the "pincer grip" now even if it sometimes is with the thumb and the two first fingers.
• has taken off her socks for a long time now but now she also attempts to put them back on sometimes.
• used to just flop happily in her bed when we came to take her up but now also reaches out her arms and shows she wants to be picked up sometimes.
• starts games, such as making specific sounds and shouts and wants you to make a noise or shout back.  She also likes playing that game where she drops stuff and we pick it up...
• still tries to eat and chew on everything!  When does that stop??

There are really lots of things happening now both in terms of physical development and personality wise.  Fun times for a new parent!

Isolde at 8 Months

Isolde turned 9 months one week ago so this is perhaps slightly overdue but I want to keep it for my records :)  9-month report can be found above!

   

At 8 months Isolde...

• started crawling tummy-style (not up on her hands and knees). She was very frustrated around 7½-8-months before she cracked it.

• started pulling herself up against the coffee table and tried to walk along it but was quite unsteady still. I wished then that we had that padded playpen at the Children's Library!
• was able to go to sleep without being breastfed, on oat cereal alone, but when I was home (most of the time) I'd nurse her before bedtime in addition to oats. I think she can benefit from mummy milk a while longer.
• slept 1930-2000 to 0500 but sometimes woke up at 02, 03 and/or 04.  This is still her routine at 9 months. Most nights it's easy to make her go back to sleep (after 1-5 minutes) but sometimes I have to revert to nursing here before 5am, if we've tried unsuccessfully for an hour or more to get her to fall asleep again.  If I feed her at 5 or 6am she sometimes nurses for 30-60 minutes and I doze off 50% of the time.  But then she's wide awake and wants to play.  So we're usually up from 6 or 7 am and then she (and usually I) sleep again from 9 for 1-1½ hours.  She sleeps again after lunch for 30-45 min, maybe an hour.
• had not shown any sign of separation anxiety or "only mummy will do".  She had a period of frustration around 7-8 months when she wanted me to play and be with her all the time but it felt it was more because she needed help to do things than she was afraid that I was going to disappear.
• first showed her love of raspberries!  Since they are so soft it's a great dessert/snack for her with no risk of choking!
• laughed a lot  - proper laughs and giggles. She played games with you, usually imitation of faces and shrieks, whereby she'd start and we'd imitate her and then she'd imitate us in turn.

• was really studying people, both adults and other children.  She'd crawl up to the other babies and stare at them, sometimes scaring a few by making some sort of sudden noise.  She'd also sit for a long time studying a toy; she seems like an investigative girl.
• she also started (or maybe it was even at a younger age) tilting her head to the side to get contact with another person, adult or child.  Very cute!

• got her first tooth.  Her first teeting experience was a couple of days of bad sleep.  I noticed on a Tuesday that she didn't want to eat crackers (smörgåsrån) and thought maybe a tooth was on the way but didn't see anything.  But the next day her lower gums were swollen and you could see one was definitely on the way.  The following day it was through and she could eat crackers and was sleeping much better again. This was around 8 months and 1 week.
• had another phase of blowing/spitting out her food when she was being fed, again not because she didn't like the food but because it's fun.
• loved the mirror (like all babies?) and found it curious that mum could be both in the mirror and next to her at the same time.
• liked the BabyBjörn a lot even though we don't use it very often at all since mum prefers the pram, which can be piled with lots of stuff!

• remained a calm and content person; she seems very even-tempered.
• still loved water and swimming.  She'd want to play with the water and touch the taps when washing her face and hands.

• had a few favourite books.  I thought she tried to close the book all the time but then I realised she tried to turn the pages.  But chewing on the books were second-best.

Stuck in the Toy Box

And mean mum takes photos before helping...

Books Etc.

Finally I have had a chance to play detective and find out who my secret book friend is (I participated in the book exchange Pocket & prassel in case you don't remember) even though the package arrived over a week ago. I think it's Mrs E who's the culprit!

Look at the lovely content!  In addition to the book - which sounds really good - and a film that I haven't seen either, I got some tasty licorice (all gone already!), chocolate (almost gone!) and tea, a shopping list note pack, ribbon and a little gadget for curling ribbon (can't wait to try it!) and a nice card.

Thank you!

9 Months!

Today this little Miss Charming turns 9 months old!  9-month-old report coming soon (and the 8-month report which is way overdue...)!

Kavat

Of course Isolde had to sport her new shoes when we visited work (only 5 weeks or so until I go back for real) today for fika.





Via Anna's iPhone

Toddler Wobbler

Busy times for this mum now (so happy Peter will take over soon hehe!) because Isolde's new favourite is the walker wagon and standing up against anything she can find (she's done that for a while but only against "easy" furniture but now she's getting braver and braver) and trying to walk along furniture.  Luckily she's pretty careful and she has also understood that she needs to adjust her body in the right position before she pulls herself up or take care when she moves from e.g. the coffee table to the sofa.  And she's a pretty tough cookie so falling and/or bumbing her head once in a while doesn't seem to perturb her.  In the video she gets a bit annoyed when the wagon doesn't move forwards but we have tightened the screws for a reason...  In the video you can see that she also uses her mouth for extra grip.  I don't particularly like that but it's difficult to stop her...

(Unfortunately I don't know how to rotate the video around so you'll have to turn your head a little bit.)

Water Girl

Here are some videos from Isolde's swim lessons that I thought I'd show you.  She really loves swimming, and water in general.  She's taken two courses so far, one lesson a week for 7x2 weeks, and at the end of November we'll start Babysim 3.

1) A simple dive, that we have practiced many times:

2) This particular day Isolde was a very reluctant diver; it was more interesting just watching what else was going on.  But be patient, she jumps in eventually!:

3) In the third video, Isolde dives from the edge of the pool and then we return her to the edge so she can practice holding on.  She's getting pretty good at it now!  Eventually, maybe during the next course (no 3, which starts at the end of November), she'll learn how to turn around and swim back herself!

4) She has also learnt how to float and swim a little with the balance/rubber ring:

5) This water game is called the merry-go-round or the helicopter:

6) In the last video of the day Isolde tries the arm rings for the first time and it was not a hit.  It was mostly the fingers under her neck that she didn't like.  But they say the rings take a few tries to get used to.

Wednesday Morning

No sleep-in today as Isolde had her monthly check-up (we go every 4-6 weeks now) at the Children's Health Centre. Today's numbers were 7,410 gr, 66.5 cm and 45 cm (if anyone is keeping (head) count). She's proportionate but the nurse recommended we feed her a bit more at snack time and include high-fat products such as Greek yoghurt and also add a teaspoon of oil in her food at mealtime. That will give her a better reserve if (when?) she catches colds this winter. And since she's very mobile (she's crawling but still flat on her tummy, not hands-and-knees style) now she needs lots of energy.

Now this mummy is enjoying a coffee and a gossip magazine at a café while the baby is sleeping. Next on the agenda is shopping presents for my friend Suvi's little newborn son (who arrived on the 26th) and buying some more winter gear for Isolde, before we meet my cousin's wife Kristina for lunch.

Via Anna's iPhone

Blog Date

This morning Isolde and I met Marianne from Nya äventyr (New adventures), previously in Kairo and now in the metropolis Älmhult (or thereabout) for fika (coffee and cake) before she had to catch the train back to the birthplace of Ikea. I'm so happy we were able to see each other 'cause it's been a while since last time!




Via Anna's iPhone

Little Pianist

Future concert pianist in the making?

Thanks H, T, E & H for the piano (christening present)!