December Last

Thursday is bullet point day and since I haven't done one for a while I thought I'd restart this Thursday theme today.  I haven't blogged about our two weeks in Sweden over the holidays yet, nor about the weeks leading up to Christmas.  It is perhaps a bit overdue and not in anyone's interest to read about Advent and Christmas now, but for my own record here are some pics from December.

• My mum visited in early December (that weekend I got stuck in Copenhagen Thursday to Friday) and she performed her grandmother duties very well and baked both ginger cookies and saffron buns with Isolde (and I helped a little too). 

 

I brought some of the saffrons bun to work for the Christmas drink and another colleague made very delicious salmon and caviar treats = the Swedish contribution

 

• I think I mentioned this in a previous Thursday post but without any photos, so here is one of perhaps the cosiest holidays/celebrations of them all, Saint Lucia.  In Sweden we very rarely every go to church, except for weddings, christenings and funerals, and the occasional Advent or Christmas service, but when living abroad the church becomes a very important meeting place, and something that provides a sense of community and contributes to continuity of Swedish customs and cultural habits, whether or not you are a faithful believer or not.  Peter has started going to the church's playgroups, mainly with Harald on Tuesdays but sometimes also on Wednesdays with both children.

Saint Lucia with the children's choir at the Swedish Church in Brussels

• I participated in Emma's Christmas Gift Exchange again this year, and this year my Secret Santa was Petchie!  I don't know if Emma planned it this way, since she knows we are neighbours here in Brussels, or if it was just a happy coincidence :)  And I sent my gift to Emma - and it wasn't that secret for natural reasons since she organises the draw.  Well, the gift was a secret but she knew it would be from me :)  I hope she liked her present (this reminds me that I have to double-check that she received it)!

Petchie-Santa brought me a note book and a range of different cards.  She had read my letter to Santa carefully!  (Sorry about the feet in the picture!)

• In Sweden the tradition is to decorate the Christmas tree on the 23rd of December, just the day before Christmas (Christmas Eve being the most important day of Christmas in Sweden), but since we knew we were not going to stay in Belgium over the holidays, we got a tree already the second week of December so we could get into the Christmas mood (the anticipation of Christmas is the best part after all). I'm quite minimalist in terms of Christmas ornaments (the opposite of Annika haha), and we didn't bring all our Christmas stuff to Belgium anyway (though Peter brought a few additional baubles for the tree when he went home that same weekend my mum was here) so in addition to the tree we only had a few other decorations, mainly made by Isolde at school.
  

  

  A bit funny-looking, at least the top part, but it was good enough for us.

 

I really like this little Russian doll nativity set!

 

We received a handful of Christmas cards.  I wish more people would send them, but on the other hand it is better for the environment if they don't I guess.  We still send a real card, with pictures of the children.

One of Isolde's creations.  Harald was rather fascinated by it, maybe because it was even bigger than him!

Another of Isolde's creations from school, a Saint Nicholas and a mushroom (I need to google why toadstools are typical Christmas ornaments, it can't be only because they are red and white??)

And the prettiest Christmas ornaments signed Isolde, though this one I think we can use throughout the year as it is more pink than red.

• We also tried to take some Christmas portraits of the children but it was a bit difficult... In the end we opted for a Christmas card with photos from throughout the year instead.

Take 1

Take 2

Another day

Christmas card 2013

2013 Report

Happy New Year! Posts about our two weeks in Sweden coming up, but in the meantime, the 2013 annual accounts!  Illustrated by the photos we chose for the 2014 calendar.

Did you do something in 2013 that you have never done before?
Took a big life decision affecting not only myself but also my family when I decided (though of course consulting my husband), to take a job in another country.

Did any of your friends become parents this year?
Not that many, but we could welcome a few new little people.  A good mix of boys and girls - Ellna, Émilie and Ruth, and Dexter and Benjamin. 

What dates from the year 2013 will you always remember?
The top date is of course Tuesday 12 February 2013, when Harald was born.  He surprised us big time as he wasn't due until a month later on 11 March.  I also remember many dates around that time related to my new job in Brussels, as I had to rearrange interviews, etc. due to Harald arriving early :)

Harald 9 days old in February 2013

Have you been sick or injured yourself this year?
No, except for the occasional cold.  I did have a terrible case of mastitis!

Which countries did you visit? 
Not that many actually, as I was pregnant and not allowed to fly at the very beginning of the year, and then for the first few months of Harald's life we didn't go anywhere, except for a new job-related trip to Belgium in May.  In June we attempted to go to France, but only made it to Denmark (Copenhagen airport) due to an air traffic control strike.  But in July we spent almost a week in the north of Norway with dear friends Maria and Daniel, and of course, at the end of August we moved to Belgium.  I made a short work trip to Sweden in December (where I also ended up spending an unscheduled stop in Copenhagen) and we also spent our Christmas holidays in Sweden.

We also spent some time at the summer house but not as often as we would have liked.

Best buy?
The dishwasher in our flat in Brussels.  Can't believe our landlords didn't have one (although I've heard that they have started to change their minds now that they have children)!

Best project?
No DIY projects this year, except for weeding stuff and packing for the move, if that counts, but we did hire people to renovate our bathrooms (or rather, completely rebuild) in our flat in Stockholm.  We were able to enjoy them for three weeks or so before we moved to Belgium :)  Hopefully our tenants are taking good care of the shining tiles!

Did something make you really happy?
Seeing my children together, and especially in the last couple of months, from Harald turned 9-10 months old, when they have really started to play together and interacting in a "real" way.  Seeing how Harald follows Isolde around, both with his look and literally following her around the flat.  She often announces or tells us that he's there, especially in the morning or after he wakes from a nap.  "It is Harald!" (though she says it more like "that one is Harald" ;) So cute.

Together, into the future (the calendar cover)

Have you been lacking something in 2013 that you want in 2014?
Sleep!  And time.  I was on parental leave February-August and in a way, had all the time in the world, but it felt like it went so quickly!  Especially with a new baby, and with my thoughts occupied on the pending job.  And now, since we moved to Brussels, it feels like time is just slipping away.  I work, come home, feed the baby, eat dinner, hang out with the kids and/or do some chores, put the kids to bed, and the suddenly it is 10pm and where did "my time" (egentid) go?  But I guess that is life right there.  I don't really suspect it to change much in 2014 (especially since I will now be working 40 hour-weeks instead of 37½...), but it should get a bit better as we get even more into the way and routine of living in Belgium (not that it have been de facto that much different than life in Sweden, but it's been mentally exhausting I guess).  Maybe we can get our kids to go to bed a bit earlier (or Harald at least, Isolde seems to be a lost cause), so that I can go to bed earlier, after I had some egentid... Wish us luck haha!

What do you wish you could have done more?
Sleeping.  I really need to discipline myself to go to bed earlier.  But it's that egentid that I also want, and I don't feel tired in the evening but then in the morning I'm soo tired.  Both kids usually sleep through the night (though Isolde often comes to our bed, and has had some periods of worried sleep, and Harald has had a few sickness periods with cold and cough), until at least 7 am, but until recently I would breastfeed Harald at least once sometime between 5 and 7 am.  And the main problem, sorry to repeat myself, is that I don't go to bed early enough.  Falling asleep around midnight and then sleeping until 7 am, minus an hour or two due to various sleep disturbances, is not enough for me.  I can really feel (and see?) how I have aged during the past year, and I don't think it's reversable unfortunately, though I hope the darkness under my eyes is.

What do you wish you could have done less?
Felt impatient and angry with the kids and yelled at Isolde.  I guess it's normal, and kids must learn and experience anger too, but I'm asking for a larger dose of patience with a child in the terrible twos (and soon threes) in 2014.

Little Miss Mischief in December 2013

Favourite programme on TV? 
Orange is the New Black, Big Bang Theory and Modern Family and I also liked this year's julkalender (Christmas series) and Solsidan.

Best book you read this year?
I actually managed to read 10 books this year (or nine, as I read most of "How the States Got Their Shapes" in 2012), which is more than double than the year before.  It's really thanks to having a short commute to work (15 mins each way).  Of the list below I think I liked "The Bad News Bible" the most, but "Stenhjärtat" was also very good but depressing (about child abuse).

• "The Bad News Bible" by Anna Blundy
• "Chasing Harry Winston" by Lauren Weisberger
• "I minnenas tecken" by Reginald Hill
• "Karriär och köksbesvär" by Sophie Kinsella
• "Pajernas värld" by Karen Stolz
• "Guernseys litteratur- och potatisskalspajssällskap" by Mary Ann Shaffer
• "No-One Ever Has Sex on a Tuesday" by Tracy Bloom
• "The French House" by Nick Alexander
• "Stenhjärtat" by Katarina Wennstam
• "How the States Got Their Shapes" by Mark Stein

Greatest musical discovery?
I'm so bad at remembering song titles or names of artists, so though I'm sure I have heard some new and good music, I can't name it.  Instead I will answer that I love how Isolde is constantly singing (apparently I was too when I was little) and I'm amazed how many different melodies she knows!

What was your greatest success at work in 2013?
Well, it must be that I finally got the chance to work for the European Commission and work in Brussels, something I have wanted to do for a long time.

Greatest success in your personal life?

Getting that job offer is also very much part of my private life, especially since it involved moving my whole family.  But besides that, I guess rearing two wonderful little individuals. I guess they are both with their personalities but I also think they are who they are because of Peter and me.

Harald in December 2013, almost 10 months old

Biggest mistake?
Can't think of anything, at least not anything serious.

Isolde wasn't really planned when she announced she was on her way in 2010, but what a blessing!

Were you happier or more sad this year compared to previous years? 

I'm also a quite happy person and this year was no different. Maybe even happier because Harald came into our lives and I got this new job I always wanted. But also sometimes sad because at times juggling a job and the kids can be tough (but only up given for short moments, most moments at those of joy) and taking life-changing decisions are not, and should not be, easy.

Something you wished for and got? A healthy little boy and the job I always wanted.  And the little but oh so important things, moments of love and joy with my little family.

Sibling love in the spring and summer of 2013

What did you spend most money on?
Children's clothing and otherwise stuff related to the move to Belgium.  We didn't do much travelling this year, only to Norway, though relatively speaking it was an expensive trip as Norway is soo expensive!  Oh, and of course our bathroom renovation.

Something you did NOT wish for and got?
Harald has been sick much more than Isolde was her first year of life.  Nothing serious but colds that are coming and going, probably because of viruses at Isolde's (pre)school.  It makes him suffer for days with a really clogged up nose, cough and something fever, but also makes the rest of the family suffer from sleep deprivation.   I guess it is pretty normal but I still wish we could avoid all germs!  I also had a terrible case of mastitis that I could have lived without.

Best film in 2013?
I can't remembering going to the cinema a single time in 2013, but at least we watched quite a few films at home.  My favourites as I think back are "Argo", "Silver Linings Playbook".

Seen films in 2013 and rated by me:

5+
Cloud Atlas
Argo
The Lady
Life of Pi

4+
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Skyfall
Silver Linings Playbook
Hugo
Oblivion
Now You See Me

3+
Sahara
Catch and Release
The Hobbit
The Heat

2+
Poseidon
This is the End
Despicable Me 2


What did you do on your birthday 2013?
I can't remember actually, I think we were just home as it was a Monday but went out for dinner the weekend before.

About to be a big sister, two years old, in January last year

How would you describe your style in 2013?
As I was on maternity leave and/or at least breastfeeding most of the year, I would say nursing tops were my no 1 wear.  Casual style, jeans or chinos with a nursing top, until August, and after that more work appropriate clothes, however, there is no strict dress code in my new workplace.

Is there anything that could have made your year even better?
In an ideal world I would have stayed home with Harald to the end of the year at least (at least 10 months, as with Isolde) before I started working, but you can't have everything.  I'm very grateful that he can be home with Peter instead of being in daycare.  My colleagues here in Brussels do not have that choice.  Some babies start already at four months old while some can stay home a bit longer to perhaps seven months, but the maximum is 10 months (4 months at regular pay levels, but then 6 months flatrate amount, which not everyone can live on).

Harald "the Seal" in his new home in Brussels in September (sadly after he learned how to crawl he stopped doing the seal)

What made you feel good?
Being with my family - the children are so much joy all the time (okay, there are moments you almost wish you didn't have them, but then five minutes later they are sweet or funny, and you forgot all about the bad times).  And also feeling that I took a step forwards in my career (hopefully).  And of course spending time with friends and doing things that I like such as blogging and reading blogs.

Sweetness most of the time

Who did you miss?
Our family and friends who we don't see that often since the move to Belgium :(

Best new people you met?
Well, in addition to the obvious reply, our latest family addition Harald, our new friends P & O here in Brussels.  We had met P a couple of times before, and I knew her through our blogs, but we hadn't met O and the children before. 

Our happy boy in October 2013

Most proud of?
Landing a new job in terms of my own accomplishments, but otherwise of Isolde who is doing so great in her new country and her new preschool.  She just loves her school and talks about as soon as she opens her blue eyes in the  morning.  And also of how she learnt to go to the toilet and other perhaps small but still big things, like put her own jacket on.

Spring 2013

Greatest wish right now?
That we make our life here in Brussels work, especially after the summer when we're both meant to work.  Making sure we have work-life balance and the kids are alright, also once we are two people working, one child at school and one child in the crèche.

What will you do differently next year?
Several things: stop procrastinating and waiting until last minute to do stuff, go to bed earlier, stop biting my nails, do some sort of exercise once a week, tell my husband I love him more often, have more sex (with said husband of course), get all our photos organised finally...

Plans for 2014?
Stay in Brussels beyond the summer, provided my contract gets extended and Peter finds a job.  Maybe rent a house after our current rental contract expires.  Make new friends in Brussels.  Have fun!

3 Years Old Today!

Happy birthday Isolde! 

We woke her up with Ja må hon leva this morning but she didn't want us to sing (I hope it was because she wasn't really awake yet and not a reflection of our singing skills...). Celebrations will continue tonight. But in the meantime she will celebrate with her little friends at pre-school with cinnamon buns we prepared last night (treats still allowed, and even encouraged in Belgian schools). 

Catching Up Points

As you can see I missed last Friday's Gallery and I haven't blogged about anything else for almost two weeks either, but I will try to catch up with this post and a few other posts coming up in the next few days.  So what have we been up to lately?

• My mum visited two weekends ago.  As you know, her visit ended up being a bit different than what we had planned - no time for Christmas shopping mainly - due to the flight debacle, but we had a good time anyway, and we went to the Christmas market at Sainte Catherine (too much ugly knick-knacks and kitsch, and too little genuine crafts) and baked both pepparkakor and lussekatter with Isolde.  Mamma, jag lägger upp bilder vid senare tillfälle!
• At work I have been rather busy, but there has also been time for some work-related social activities, e.g. two Christmas drinks (one with my unit and one bigger event with several units) and a lunch gathering at the Swedish Permanent Representation to the EU.
• In terms of non-work related social life, we have been to two adventsfikor (coffee, cake, glögg, etc.) at Petchie's, one with just us and one with other friends of theirs, and to the Lucia celebration (family friendly version) at the Swedish Church, and we've had Petchie and family over for dinner on Nobel Day (though with four kids we didn't get to watch much of the banquet on TV).
• Last weekend I managed to get most of the remaining Christmas shopping done by taking a trip to the nearest shopping centre to us which was open even though it was Sunday (not normally the case in Belgium but around holidays they can stay open), and also on Saturday the whole family went to the local toy shop here in Stockel (and for the best gaufres in town from the local market!).
• The whole family except me have had colds on and off, though Isolde has only had the sniffles so she has been attending school every day.  Harald, poor thing, was better for a while but has a fever today.  I hope he feels better by Saturday when we're flying to Sweden.
• I have started packing for our two weeks in Sweden, but will do most of the packing tomorrow Friday when I'm not working (last working day today, yay!).  It doesn't look like it's going to be that much colder in Stockholm than in Brussels, but I'll pack the snowsuits and winter boots just in case.  I really hope there will be some snow during the two weeks, for Isolde's sake!
• What else?  I've been preparing Christmas cards and other photo-related projects, and also performed my Secret Santa duties!  Tonight Isolde and I are going to bake gingerbread cake (mjuk pepparkaka) to give to her teachers tomorrow as a little token of appreciation.
• And only two days until we go to Sweden!  Can't wait!

Friday Gallery: Advent

Annika has taken over the hosting of the Friday Gallery for the month of December (and she's permanent hostess for the FG widget) and for our first task she's given us Advent. Easy one. This is what our home looks like since last weekend/first of advent:

Isolde helped out with the advent candles:

On First of Advent Isolde and I went to the Swedish church here in Brussels to get into the Christmas spirit: 

And of course I have to bring some "adventsmys" to the office as well:

And for those who have read the below post I'm happy to report that the ordeal was finally over just after 3pm today when I set foot at home again, 17 hours after planned arrival. The 10:35 flight this morning was of course delayed twice and it wasn't until 12:45 that we left Copenhagen. Next time I will definitely bring underwear and deodorant and a few other key items on day trips just in case. And by my next work trip I hope to have stopped breast-feeding, as towards the end of the delay my breasts were rather full and painful, after not having been "used" for over 36 hours. I don't nurse as much anymore but at least once every morning and twice at night, so still regular enough to keep milk production up. 

All is well that ends well, or however it goes. Peter made it to Stockholm as planned this morning and the kids had a great time with my mum. Isolde missed Saint Nicholas at school today but luckily she's too young to care, though apparently has little friends had missed her and even cried for her sake because she missed Santa (bless'em). 

Now I'm off to bed for some very needed sleep! 

A Long Thursday

Just a quick post this Thursday. As I write this I'm watching TV (rest in peace, Mandela) from a hotel bed in Copenhagen. I flew here this morning for meetings together with the European Commissioner for Employment but our evening flights were cancelled due to a big storm affecting a big area of Sweden and Denmark as well as other countries. This was not good timing for me at all, as my mum arrived in Brussels this evening and Peter is going to Stockholm for a couple of days tomorrow morning.

I should have seen this coming last night (I knew about the storm of course and that we might be affected, but there was also another bad omen), when I realised at 11pm when attempting to check in online that my booking reservation had never been confirmed. I called our travel agent and it was sorted, but perhaps it was a sign...if you believe in those things which I don't really but sometimes you wonder...

And today almost as soon as we arrived there was talk about closing the bridge between Denmark and Sweden (we flew to Copenhagen and then crossed the bridge by car to go to Malmö and Lund). Usually the trains can keep on running in much worse weather conditions than the cars, but in the afternoon they announced there would be no trains after 16:00. At that stage we couldn't get to the train station in time so our only option was to take the ferry between Helsingborg and Helsingör (a bit further north so a bit calmer). Unfortunately the drive on both sides of the straight was longer than we thought and due to the strong winds we couldn't drive as quickly as normal (and sometimes there were falling branches hitting the car), and soon it was clear that we wouldn't make our flights. My colleagues' flights got cancelled quite early anyway, and soon my flight was cancelled too, so rather soon we didn't have to worry about catching flights anyway. We rerouted to a hotel in the city (everything at the airport was fully booked) and after dinner at the nearest place (Hard Rock Café - haven't been to one for years) and a visit to a 24/7 pharmacy for deodorants, toothbrush, etc., I'm now hoping to get some sleep despite the noisy winds outside. 

I'm booked for the 10:55 flight tomorrow, by which time the storm will have hopefully moved on, fingers crossed! 

Friday Gallery: A Feeling

When you get home from work and your baby boy says "mamama" and wants you to pick him up right away and starts crying if you delay it more than a second because you need to take your coat off.  When you've been missing him all day and he shows with his whole body that he's been longing for you too. When you see that wonderful smile for the first time in eight hours. That feeling.

Channal has been our hostess this month. Next month is Annika's and will be all about Christmas! 

Last Thursday in November

• I found out today that I have a secretary at work. Just three months after I started haha :)  I of course knew that we have a few secretaries/assistants in the unit and I recall now that at some point I received an email with list of responsibilities for these colleagues and that one of them is working mainly for me and a couple of other colleagues.  But I had assumed that they were more working on administrative tasks given to them directly by the Head and the Deputy Head of Unit, and hadn't realised I could actually give them tasks or ask for help.  I'm so used to having to do everything myself from my previous job.  So for example, "my" (i.e. not just mine, I share him with several colleagues) secretary will book my flights for the business trip I'm doing next week and take care of all the related admin.
• I have lots of work at the moment.  Many briefings to write and also many conference and seminars to attend this time of the year.  And a fair share of training courses as well (though some sessions are perhaps only two hours long).  Luckily I haven't had to work that many extra hours (and I have flexitime so if I work longer one day I can leave earlier the next day, or accumulate and take half or a full day the following month) but it is hectic when I'm at work, and I also feel quite tired, especially this week. 
• Next week I'll be going on a business trip to Malmö and Lund in Southern Sweden for a day of meetings and study visits.  One of the briefings I've been working on is for this visit actually.  Luckily it is only for a day as my mum arrives that very evening.  
• Yesterday I went to my first after work drink since I got here. Well, that's not completely true as I've been out after work when a friend from Sweden was here for work, but this was the first proper AW with colleagues from the training course I went on in October.  I was home by 9om today as I felt a bit bad for Peter who's had a couple weeks of sick kids to take care of and has hardly been out of the house.
• And this week Peter has had both kids at home yet again, as Isolde came down with fever on Monday. It was really high, 40.7 at some point, which is probably a record for her, but Tuesday it was all gone. She stayed home Wednesday too though since it's a half-day anyway and she hadn't slept very well Tuesday night. Today was a school day and she was excited about going back. Harald is still coughing quite a lot at night and his node gets blocked but during the days he's fine and his appetite and good mood are back. 
• When Isolde had that high fever we gave her some paracetamol I bought here.  My that was some strong stuff!  I bought the kind appropriate or her weight (she weighs almost 12 kg), for 10-20 kg, which is 200 mg of paracetamol here, but in Sweden the strength for 10-15 kg is 125 mg.  We gave it to her just before bedtime, and it started working right away with the result that she didn't want to go to sleep.  After having been up for a while with us she fell asleep in our bed.  An hour or so later when we were going to bed we realised she was all wet because she had peed so much (fortunately she's still wearing nappies at night) and it had leaked in the front to her nightgown and onto our covers.  And when we took her temperature she only had 36.5.  It's like she peed the fever away instead of cold sweating.  Maybe it would have happened anyway but it feels like it was the paracetamol that did it.  Next morning she had normal temperature and the fever didn't return so I guess it was just some quick thing (or those paracetamol really scared whatever it was away for good!).
• My friend H. visited last weekend from Saturday to Sunday evening.  Saturday, after lunch she and I took a stroll around our neighbour and town centre (Stockel - Place Dumon).  It was fun for me to check out the shops, as I have hardly had the chance to do so since we moved here.  Afterwards all of us headed over to our friends Chris & Jacqui for fika (they know H. as well) and in the evening H. and I went out for dinner at one of the neighbourhood brasseries.  Actually my first evening meal out since we moved here.  On Sunday H. and I attempted to do some more shopping at a members-only outlet that P. invited me to.  We each bought one Christmas present, but then later when we were going to buy some more, the queues were so long (popular shop, especially since otherwise shops are closed on Sundays in Belgium) and we had to be back at a certain time in order to go and visit a friend of H.'s.  So I will have to go back this weekend to buy what I had picked out - hopefully I can still find the right sizes.  It was nice - mysigt - to have H. over and I hope she comes back soon (but before that we'll see each other in Sweden at Christmas), both on her own and with her family.
• In terms of other visits, I'm looking forward to my mum visiting next weekend, and we're also planning for my friend Jenny's visit together with her family in mid-end January.  Jenny normally lives in Brazil with her Brazilian fiancé and their daughter but she has just arrived in Sweden to spend three months there (so I will see her at Christmas too I hope).  Will be great to have them here next year!
• Isolde and I made some advent preparations earlier in the week and I will put up our advent lights tomorrow night or Saturday so we're ready for Sunday.  Last Friday we also bought a wreath for the door and an old-fashioned advent calendar at the Christmas bazar at the Swedish church. 
• By the way, before we went to the bazar last Friday we met my cousin Fredrik who's was in town on a very brief visit after a business trip to other parts of Belgium.  After a short tour of Grand Place and Mannekin Pis, we went to a very classic Brussels place, Le Cirio, for some food and drink.  This place was actually very child-friendly and we had no problems taking the pram inside and there was even a changing station in the toilets.  It was fun to catch up with Fredrik and we hope to see him too here again in the near future, hopefully with his family.

 

Christmas Gift Swap!

It's finally time for the annual Christmas gift exchange!  Emma is our coordinator as usual.  Visit her blog for more details, but just in case you're not a Swedish speaker (and you certainly don't need to be Swedish to participate), here are the instructions in English:

All participants will receive and give a present to someone still unknown... Email [Emma] at rappapiraya@hotmail.com by 1 December and provide your address, blog url (if you have a blog - not required), tre things you like and three things that are not you.  You will then receive an email back with name and address to a person to whom you should send a wrapped present (new and not used - but I think regifting is fine) and a Christmas card.  You will be provided information about things that person wish for / like / don't like and you are free to send something you think will be appropriate!  The value should be around 100 SEK (10 euros) and you should try to post it by 7 December.

It's really fun both to pick out something for the recipient, also to wait for a package from your own Secret Santa!

Friday Gallery: Portraits in Black and White

Friday again and time for the Gallery.  Channal is our hostess still and her topics for this week is portraits in black and white.  I don't have that many photos in black and white and even fewer portraits in black and white, but I did find these among my hundreds of folders.

Moi at age 2 or 3 (and I have shown this picture before)

Me in London in 1998.  When I still had three piercings in each ear haha.

Taken by one of those beach photographers that nag you to have your photo taken, south of France in, summer of 2000

Taken and also developed by my friend Åsa, unknown year, but early 2000s



Also taken by Åsa, of me with Harald in February of this year

Thursday Again??

• How is it already Thursday?!  Time is really flying and sometimes I feel like I only do half of what I want to get done.  On the other hand I'm not the kind of person who gets stressed.  It will all be fine in the end.  No use worrying.  That's my mantra.
• Isolde is well again except for a persistent cough, and has been at preschool all week, but Harald has been very miserable, poor thing.  He doesn't have any fever anymore, or very little, but his nose is still very clogged up and he coughs a lot, so he will probably need another few days to get well.  None of us have been sleeping very well since last weekend, and this week I have only slept 4-5 hours per night *yawn*.  Can't wait for the weekend to come so that I at least don't have to get up at 7am and go to work.  I have also started coughing a little bit, and my throat is a bit sore, but hopefully I won't get it bad, fingers crossed.
• Tomorrow we're hoping to meet up with one of my cousins who's in town on business, depending on his schedule.  We plan to have fika in the afternoon somewhere in town, and afterwards, when he has to head to the airport, we will go to the Swedish church's annual Christmas market.  Looking forward to it!  A bit of a start to the holiday season!
• Almost every day on my way to one of the lunch places I pass two beggars.  At least one of them is Roma, a woman who sometimes has her baby with her, and the other one is an old man, maybe also Roma?  I never give them any money, as I'd rather help in some other way through an organisation (or if I would give them something directly, perhaps some clothes or items for the baby), but I feel sorry for them and I feel bad every time I pass by without doing anything.  I really hope that the Belgian authorities could do more for them.  In Sweden they are not allowed to beg accompanied by their children; if so the authorities steps in and remove the children, which perhaps helps, at least the children and hopefully also the parents (but I'm not at all an expert on this issue). 
• I'm very disappointed in the level of recycling here in Belgium.  For some reason I thought it was one of the more advanced countries, and as all is relative perhaps they really are, but compared to Sweden they are well behind (and apparently Belgium didn't even have a functioning waste water system until the mid-2000s...).  In Sweden we can recycle most plastic (and in soft/light plastic bags and covering where my parents live) but here it is only plastic bottles or other drink containers.  So plastic boxes/hard packaging for minced meat for example is a no but I assume a schampoo bottle is a yes, even though it is not a drinkable fluid.  Also, there is so much packaging still in this country!  Toothpaste comes in a paper carton.  Same with a tube with tomato paste.  Teabags are always individually wrapped, and often in plastic, not paper.  All bisquits and cookies come with several layers of packaging (but we have noticed that it has benefits - the humidity in this country makes cookies go soft very quickly otherwise.  I could go on but I think you get the gist of it.  At least most paper and metal can be recycled.
• We are starting to plan our two weeks in Sweden at Christmas!  So far we have New Year's Eve planned, and a brunch with my group of girlfriends (childhood friends) and their families on the agenda, and an appointment with the Swedish children's health centre (BVC) booked (3-year-old check-up for Isolde and regular check-up for Harald).  I also need to book a hair salon appointment and I also want to use some gift vouchers at a beauty salon near our Stockholm flat.  Peter and I are also planning to have either set of grandparents babysit for a day so we can go to Raison d'Etre spa (at Grand hotel, best spa in town!) and to a restaurant for dinner.  We may also take Isolde for her 3-year-old dentist check-up (first ever dentist appointment!), but it could also wait until our next home visit in March or April.  And then there is Christmas and hanging out with family of course.  And see more friends.  Can't wait!
• But before then I'm looking forward to my dear friend H. visiting this weekend!  She's coming on Saturday and in the evening we're going out for dinner, something I haven't done since we moved here!  The rest of the weekend is not planned yet, but suffice to say it will contain eating and drinking, talking, seeing some other friends, maybe doing some shopping (I need to start my Christmas shopping soon).

At a Canteen in Brussels...

The other day when I went to have lunch in one of the work canteens I was a few minutes early, as I arrived directly from a meeting.  It was 11:55 and the canteens normally open at 12 noon.  I arrived at the same time as two other colleagues (whom I don't know but I call them colleagues here) and we start picking up trays and cutlery by the entrance. 

11:55
Canteen lady 1 [calling out]: "Midi, midi" (she means "we open at 12 noon")
Colleagues: "Yes, we know." [muttering about the service and rigid time-keeping]

11:57
[Female colleague goes up to the self-service sallad buffet]
Canteen lady 1: "Madame, madame, midi!"
Female colleague: "Yes, I know, I'm just looking."
[Canteen lady 1 says something more in French, presumably again about the time, resulting in female colleague returning to the entrance (5 metres away)]

Meanwhile more colleagues have arrived and started to queue up behind us.

11:59
Canteen lady 2: "Midi, midi!"
[Colleagues mutter]

12:00
Canteen guy 1: "Bon appétit!" [making welcoming gestures with hands]


I can understand that they don't want people to make a habit of arriving 10-15 minutes early, but a few minutes early??  3 minutes??  They were all ready by the looks of it, already manning their respective food stations.  And even if they would still be getting the last bits ready (removing lids from pots or what have you), they could at least let colleagues start taking from the sallad buffet, as it is self-service anyway.  Or at least let people enter the room for god's sake.

I don't know if it's due to work regulations or a very high time consciousness, or the usual lack of service-mindedness in this country (sorry, but it is true), but whatever the reason, they could at least have been a bit friendly instead of yelling at us.  If someone says "very sorry, you're a bit early and we're not completely ready, but bear with us a few minutes..." I would gladly wait until they are ready to open.

Anyway, a glimpse of working life in Brussels :)

Friday Gallery: Complementary Colours

Tricky topic Channal has chosen for today.  Complementary colours.  I remember learning in school - or maybe I read it somewhere - that the complementarity of red and green is the reason why surgeons and other medical staff (at the A&E mostly I guess) wear green clothes, so that blood won't be as visible, but I don't know if this is the only or main reason.

I looked through several albums for a good photo to illustrate today's theme, but the only photo I could find within limited time, is this one, from a market in Barcelona taken several years ago now.

November Thursday

• Peter's parents visited last weekend on route to Nice. We didn't do anything in particular except for having lunch at one of the brasseries around Place Dumon here in Stockel. On Sunday they went to a museum but we opted to wait for them at home as the weather was very interchanging, and it turned out to be a good decision because they were very disappointed with the museum visit. Turns out the Modern museum is not the size and kind it once was and all the items are in storage indefinitely. 
• We made use of the availability of babysitters last Friday and went to a surprise birthday party our friend J had put on for her husband C. He was really surprised and hadn't noticed that almost his whole office had sneaked out to get go their house before he did. J threw a surprise birthday party for C back in Sweden four years ago (that time I almost accidentally spoiled the surprise), so now we'll wait and see in which country the next surprise party will be a couple of years from now! 
• I have recovered completely from my breast infection and have had no new symptoms since last week even though I finished the antibiotics on Monday.  Fingers crossed I never get it again!  
• Isolde has been sick for a couple of days now with a cold and fever but seems to be getting better. Now Harald has a temperature though and is coughing a lot, but hopefully it's a quick thing for him too. Isolde missed school all week though, as Monday was a Belgian holiday (Armistice/Rememberance Day) and Friday is a teacher planning day, although we would probably have kept her home tomorrow anyway. 
• Last night Harald and I were over at P's for dinner (Peter and Isolde were invited too but had to stay at home due to Isolde's fever). Their friend A and daughter L were there too and all of us had a nice meal and chat. It's great having friends just next door! 
• We don't have any plans for the weekend, though I wouldn't mind checking out the Scandinavian shop in Waterloo or going to check out the members-only outlet near us, which P invited us to, but it depends on how the kids are doing.  We bought some lights for the balcony the other week so maybe we'll put them up already this weekend, even though Advent is a couple of weeks away.
• Remember I told you about all the dog poo in the streets? Today we had some in the entrance of our building when I returned from work, and someone had posted an angry note. Later this evening it had been cleaned but the note was still there, and I don't know if it was the actual culprit, the concierge or a neighbour who had cleaned it up. 
• I'm looking forward to my friend H coming to visit next weekend! 
• Brussels observation 1: Many people in Brussels put their rubbish out in the street for collection and when I walk to the metro/Isolde's school in the mornings I always see broken bags and rubbish spread out, after some animals (probably birds, but maybe also foxes or other smaller wild animals (rats??) have rummaged through them for food at night.  I guess it's convenient to have your rubbish picked up just outside the door, but not particularly pleasant for those of using sidewalks and pathways.
• Brussels observation 2: I have noticed that there seem to be few(er) overweight people here than in Sweden, which is generally quite healthy. They do love their chocolate here, including on bread in the morning, and children eat bisquits and drink chocolate (and there's even vanilla and chocolate formula!) at an early age.  While it doesn't seem to affect their waste, it can't be that great for their teeth though!

9 Months Old Today!

Where did the time go?!

Friday Gallery: Symmetry

The second theme of November, as chosen by Channal, is symmetry.  These photos may not be completely accurate for the theme, but they seemed semi-appropriate.  Last weekend when we were in England we visited my alma mater Oxford and my old college St Antony's to see the new Gateway Building.  I had been a bit sceptic about how it would fit on the premises without taking up all of the lawn and that it would look a bit of of place, but I was pleasantly surprised.  It - or actually they, as there are two buildings - melt in among the existing new(er) and old buildings and they don't take up any of the green space (though perhaps blocking some sunlight), and most importantly, they (especially the left building) hides the Hilda Beast.  I like how their positions are streamlined - and that's where I find symmetry - with the existing buildings and the glass and bronze walls.  Before there wasn't anything special about area between the original (main) building, the Hilda Besse and the grass, it was just empty pavement, but now it feels more planned and decorated, and in many ways more green than before.  The new lodge (reception in Oxford lingo) in the left of the new buildings was closed but maybe next visit we can see the buildings also from the inside, and perhaps also go to high table.

Peeking through.  Hilda Besse at the back, flanked by the new Gateway buildings.

The old original St Antony's building to the right and one of the new Gateway buildings to the left, with the Founders' Building (where I stayed for a year), down the middle at the back.

Better Thursday

• I'm finally feeling better after having developed mastitis, a breast infection, in my right breast. I've had some problems on and off for two months since I started breastfeeding less often, coinciding with me going back to work, but this time it got worse and I couldn't self-treat it. I had similar issues with Isolde after six months (though in my left breast) but never this frequent or bad. I started having a fever and headache (though I had already had a migraine since Saturday morning, which is something I get sometimes but usually not more than once monthly or every other month) on Sunday evening as we were driving back to Belgium from the UK (more on the trip below) and on Monday I had a fever of 39,6 'C. The migraine had gone away (usually lasts 2,5 days) but instead I had a really bad headache and pain in my body, especially in my legs and my neck and shoulders. If it wasn't for my swollen and painful breast I would have been sure it was a reaction from the flu jab from the week before, but I have never had a reaction from a jab before and besides, I don't think it would come four days later. Unfortunately our doctor, which we just listed with, is on holiday this week, and we weren't sure what to do in that situation, but I tried with the other doctor who shares the premises, and he was able to see me at 5pm on the Monday. He prescribed antibiotics and rest and also provided a sick leave certificate, which I need for work from the fourth sick day.
• I didn't know it then but I would take all week to get better. I still had fever Tuesday, and slight temperature yesterday, Wednesday, and the headache is finally almost gone now, Thursday evening, as is the body pain, though I still feel a bit weak. As for the breast, it wasn't until last night, Wednesday, after two full days of three pills a day plus the first dose on Monday evening, that it started feeling better. Still not normal but not aching or super tender anymore. I've only taken half of the antibiotics so I guess I couldn't really expect it to get better quicker but for a while it felt like "I'm never going to get better!".  I'm going to stay home from work tomorrow too in order to really recuperate. Also now I'm a bit worried about my left breast, which is a bit swollen, but I don't think it's inflamed or infected, rather it's due to infrequent nursing, as one of the cures for the sick breast is to use it as much as possible. One of the reasons for my problem in the first place is exactly this, infrequent breastfeeding, as I only nurse morning and evening.
• If after this ordeal is over I'm still experiencing problems, I need to seriously consider giving it up. I hope to be able to continue because the milk is still good for Harald and I really enjoy this special time with him, especially since I'm working during the day. He doesn't really like drinking from a bottle so it wouldn't really be the same feeding him porridge or something else in the evening (of course I feed him other stuff, but you know what I mean, while in my arms). So it's important for me, but not important enough to risk my health of course, especially not at the age he is now, almost 9 months. 
• But despite me having a migraine and coming down with mastitis, we had a really lovely time visiting our dear friends in England last weekend. I was there on a brief visit (literally a few hours) in December last year, but we hadn't been together all of us since Isolde was one and their daughter Imogen was two.  And since then two babies have been born (though I met their youngest Seren in December)!  We stayed at their house, four adults and four children under four, so it was, as in Kim's words "a wonderful kind of madness".  There was a mix of great play, kisses and hugs, fighting over toys and a few tears but mostly laughter and shrieks of joy.  I will post some photos from the visit later but here's a teaser.

• From this week Isolde is attending full days (08:30-15:30)  at pre-school, though this week is a bit irregular schedule-wise, as Monday she was on leave due to us returning from the UK very late Sunday evening, and Wednesdays are always half-days here.  But Tuesday and Thursday went well, including eating and sleeping, although the first day she hadn't want to sit still at mealtime - must have been exciting for her to be in the big refectory.  She really likes pre-school and every morning when she wakes up, even at the weekend, she ask whether she's going to "skolan"?  Hope it continues that way!
• Tomorrow Peter's parents are coming to visit for the weekend before they continue to Nice on Monday.  I'm a bit jealous, especially since we didn't get to go this past summer (the strike, if you remember).  Maybe we'll go in the spring at some point, even if for a long weekend or half-week.  We don't have any plans yet for this weekend - I suspect they just want to hang out with the grandkids and eat some nice food.
• I started watching the BBC series "Ambassadors" - there are only three episodes so far but I hope they will make more!  Highly recommended!

The Harald Report: 6-7 Months

Harald is already 8 ½ months old so this report is well overdue. 

• Let's start with the figures: 6 months: 8,390 gr and 67 cm; 7 months: 8,680 gr and 66.5 cm (apparently shrunk when he came to Belgium...); 7 months & 3 weeks: 9,010 gr and 66.5 cm (hopefully he will have grown taller at the next check-up?!)
• At the six-month check-up in Sweden just before we moved to Belgium the doctor checked to see if Harald could move a block from one hand to the other, but he wasn't able to do it (it wasn't something we had practised) or didn't want to demonstrate it, but obviously the week after he was clearly doing it.  She also checked if he would look for something falling on the floor, and this I had seen him do at home, but at the doctor he just wanted to smile and "talk" to the doctor :)
• He learned how to sit around 5½ months old, not as early as 4 months and 3 weeks like his sister, but she was very early.  Here in Belgium the child health centre (called ONE) was impressed that he could sit at 7 months but isn't it quite normal to sit at that age?!
• Harald made his first attempts to crawl at 6+ months.  First he was pushing himself a little bit backwards and trying to get up on his knees. From 7 months onwards he has been pulling himself forwards and is also standing on his knees and "wagging". Sometimes it looks like he is doing push-ups as he gets up on her toes and pushes his bum in the air. At almost 8 months he started trying to combine the two into proper crawling.
• His nickname is sälen, the seal! :)

• He has two teeth that came up in our first few weeks here in early September. He bites me sometimes but he did that even before he got teeth and it's less and less lately.  However he does bite or nibble our shoulders when we carry him, which can really hurt if he doesn't only get the clothes.
• We started giving him solids properly at 6½ months when we moved here and gradually he started eating more and more. He still hasn't get how to drink from a bottle or a sippy cup and only chews on it, but somehow manages to drink some anyway. During the day he doesn't need to drink much (except a little bit of water) but sometimes when he's tired it would be useful if he'd drink some formula instead of having to fed with a spoon.

• He has continued to sleep through the night from around 21 to 6 or 7 in the morning and if he wakes earlier he goes back to sleep after a quick feed.   I remember that Isolde used to sleep through the night 21-05 but she would cry out in her sleep and more often have "restless" sleep (and still does today). He usually naps twice a day or more but only shortish naps. I think there is usually one longer session but it depends on what Peter and the kids are up to, whether they are at home and he sleeps in the crib, or whether they are out and about.  But he rarely sleep for three hours, more like one-two hours.
• Harald is almost always happy and content and he's very easy-going most of the time.  His sister can be quite rough with him at times but he mostly accepts it. He only whines, doesn't cry, when he's not content or wants something.

• He has a wonderful laugh, especially when we play baka liten kaka with him, or when his sister is tickling him or running around being the grazy girl she is.
• He has practised with the toddler wobbler since we moved here when he was almost 6½ months old but he hasn't really walked with it until recently.

• He is liking the bath tub more and more and since we moved here Harald and Isolde have taken quite a few baths together, but not every time, as Isolde likes to splash a bit too much for Harald's liking.
• He likes the swing at the playground but unfortunately there is just one playground which has baby swings around here (what's up with that, Belgium?).
• When we first arrived here Harald had a period of a week or two when he just wanted to sleep on his tummy and with his face down, not on the side.  I had to go and turn him around, as I thought it was a bit scary, but he turned back all the time. 

• He likes his friend in the mirror.  We should have probably kept the toy mirror, especially since he hasn't met so many other babies here yet, poor thing.
• I feel a bit bad that Harald hasn't had the chance to go to baby swim and baby rytmic classes but on the other hand he has a sister who is always entertaining him so I don't think he's bored.  I also realised we haven't read to him that much, mostly just Isolde's book when we read to her and he joins in, but now I try to read more age appropriate stuff for him.
• We changed from the pram bassinet to the seat at around 7 months, as he only wanted to sit up anyway. He was sleeping better in the bassinet but he didn't want to lie down anymore when he was awake.

• Harald's favourite toys are his sister toys, including her Duplo blocks, and a Lamaze octopus Isolde had when she was a baby.  Also, phones and remotes are so much fun too.  Otherwise he probably doesn't have any real favourite toy or blanket or cuddly toy either for that matter. 
• He can be very cuddly, more than I remember Isolde being at this age, especially since I started working and he's missed me all day.  He puts his little face against my neck and sniffs me.  But mostly he just wants food when I get home (as I breastfeed him morning and evening).

Friday Gallery: Still Life

Channal is Friday Gallery hostess for the month of November and for today she's chosen "still life" (stilleben).

As we're on a mini-break to England, I just have my phone at hand, but I actually found a really fitting picture. 

Have a nice weekend!