Remember when we had one child, Annika, and we thought it was so difficult? Then we had Benjamin and began to realize how easy just one was! Of course, two was difficult, until we had Christopher, and wow - what a breeze it is to just have two! I have often wondered what it would take to make me think three was easy - a fourth?
The past week, we have been back at home after two months away, the bulk of the time spent at the Embassy Suites. Somehow this week has seemed surprisingly easy, and I just can't figure it out. Maybe the kids have gotten that little bit older... Maybe after two months of playing together they have finally figured it out... Maybe being back at home with familiar surroundings has calmed things... Maybe they are just happy to have their toys back... Maybe I'm just happy to be home... Maybe being at the Embassy Suites for 7 weeks was our "fourth child"... Whatever the case, this week has been great! The kids have been playing more together and they have been more cooperative. I have even begun to feel like a parent, rather than a firefighter.
This weekend, I have only Annika and Christopher - David has taken Benjamin to Copenhagen for an overnight with a good friend, but I just couldn't handle the thought of travelling again! Annika and Christopher have been so easy - I even had time to read a bit of a book - WOW!
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Friday, August 18, 2006
Cultural Differences
I forgot how big the cultural differences could be between the US and Sweden. Two examples...
1) Critter Fest at the Science Spectrum - a big event, with tons of people, real tigers, snakes and other live things. Of course, with one adult and three kids, somebody was bound to get lost, and this time it was Christopher. I knew he was fine because we were in the basement level, and he wouldn't venture up stairs without me. After five minutes of "lost time", I saw a small crowd gathering behind the door to one of the exhibit halls - no exhibit, so a most unusual place to gather - and I knew Christopher was found.
A couple of days later, we were back at the Science Spectrum (minus critters) and I mentioned how Christopher had been lost in the crowd. Their response was a worried, "Well, we really need to have a policy about lost children - a total lockdown of all exits until the child can be found and returned." I was amazed by the paranoia. My response was that it would be useful to provide a sticky nametag with the parents' cell phone number to put on the kid's back so that somebody could call if they find them. Everyone was amazed when I wrote my cell phone number on each kid's arm... not exactly high tech, but it does wear off after a few days...
2) The Junk Food - We couldn't belive the amount of junk food, EVERYWHERE. Parents who had open drawers full of candy, shelves of cookes at kid level, chips and cokes, amusement parks that don't serve milk as an option... and the most disgusting of all, a hot-dog on a stick, wrapped in a chocolate chip pancake (which calls into question the appropriate condiment - mustard or syrup?) It is so nice to be back to our limited-selection grocery, something I never thought I would say!
1) Critter Fest at the Science Spectrum - a big event, with tons of people, real tigers, snakes and other live things. Of course, with one adult and three kids, somebody was bound to get lost, and this time it was Christopher. I knew he was fine because we were in the basement level, and he wouldn't venture up stairs without me. After five minutes of "lost time", I saw a small crowd gathering behind the door to one of the exhibit halls - no exhibit, so a most unusual place to gather - and I knew Christopher was found.
A couple of days later, we were back at the Science Spectrum (minus critters) and I mentioned how Christopher had been lost in the crowd. Their response was a worried, "Well, we really need to have a policy about lost children - a total lockdown of all exits until the child can be found and returned." I was amazed by the paranoia. My response was that it would be useful to provide a sticky nametag with the parents' cell phone number to put on the kid's back so that somebody could call if they find them. Everyone was amazed when I wrote my cell phone number on each kid's arm... not exactly high tech, but it does wear off after a few days...
2) The Junk Food - We couldn't belive the amount of junk food, EVERYWHERE. Parents who had open drawers full of candy, shelves of cookes at kid level, chips and cokes, amusement parks that don't serve milk as an option... and the most disgusting of all, a hot-dog on a stick, wrapped in a chocolate chip pancake (which calls into question the appropriate condiment - mustard or syrup?) It is so nice to be back to our limited-selection grocery, something I never thought I would say!
Friday, August 04, 2006
Lubbock - a Vacation Paradise
This was not the way I planned the summer - 8 weeks in the Embassy Suites. But... it has actually turned out pretty well for the children despite circumstances. So why is Lubbock a vacation paradise?
1) We can count on hot sunshine, every day, without fail. No rain (despite a public prayer session that attracted national news), no cold weather - just blue skies and sun. I guess that after a few Swedish summers - which can be a contradiction in terms - we forgot to expect heat and sun!
1a) A sauna is not required after a swim. The kids are still looking for the sauna at every pool, just like at home, but with 100+ temps, standing outside is plenty good!
2) Lubbock has great outdoor activities. Outdoor parks like our neighborhood Wagner has been "remodeled" and even includes spinning chairs that work so well, the kids can't stop spinning! Legacy Village is an extensive play area, and there's even a water amusement park that we haven't even tried!
3) The local wildlife is plentiful and interesting. We got to stand in a field surrounded by cows - a first for me, too! I have never felt so watched.
4) And then there's the indoor stuff to do - camps and such, that don't exist in Sweden. I almost forgot about all the summer daycamps I used to do with the museum, church, YWCA, etc., and they're still there. Even better, the Science Spectrum offers exciting classes for kids from 3 to 12 that I would love to sign up for myself. Annika did "The Science of Games" for two days, and the boys did the open days - what fun!
1) We can count on hot sunshine, every day, without fail. No rain (despite a public prayer session that attracted national news), no cold weather - just blue skies and sun. I guess that after a few Swedish summers - which can be a contradiction in terms - we forgot to expect heat and sun!
1a) A sauna is not required after a swim. The kids are still looking for the sauna at every pool, just like at home, but with 100+ temps, standing outside is plenty good!
2) Lubbock has great outdoor activities. Outdoor parks like our neighborhood Wagner has been "remodeled" and even includes spinning chairs that work so well, the kids can't stop spinning! Legacy Village is an extensive play area, and there's even a water amusement park that we haven't even tried!
3) The local wildlife is plentiful and interesting. We got to stand in a field surrounded by cows - a first for me, too! I have never felt so watched.
4) And then there's the indoor stuff to do - camps and such, that don't exist in Sweden. I almost forgot about all the summer daycamps I used to do with the museum, church, YWCA, etc., and they're still there. Even better, the Science Spectrum offers exciting classes for kids from 3 to 12 that I would love to sign up for myself. Annika did "The Science of Games" for two days, and the boys did the open days - what fun!
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
The Good Child and Birth Order
Sometimes I wonder what kind of a child Benjamin would be if he were an only child... instead of stuck in the middle. He thrives on attention, but doesn't quite know what to do to get it. Of course, he is most often sandwiched between Annika, who is so verbal and charming, and Christopher who is still so cuddly-cute, that it his hard for Benjamin to stand out.
In May, Benjamin got to travel with us BY HIMSELF to Texas for a week, in part to give him some special attention, and in part to ease the babysitting load back at home. He was still a bit difficult, as four-year-old boys are apt to be on long international flights... but what a difference! He pulled his own bag, sat calmly on the three flights, and didn't complain once when our third and final leg of the trip was canceled due to weather and mechanical problems at 11pm, which was really 7am his time, after being on the go for nearly 24 hours. When we were being issued our hotel accomodations and vouchers, the comments swirled around - "He's so cute!", "What a good boy!", "What a little trooper!", "What a great little traveller you have!" - all the comments that are usually directed at his siblings.
When we were at the hotel, it was so easy! He has always been a good sleeper, and he went to bed every night without complaint.
His view of the experience? Difficult to tell. I think he liked the one-on-one time, and enjoyed the extra attention. However, he missed the other kids, and found it a bit boring to be with the adults all the time.
As parents, we really enjoyed the opportunity to be one-on-one, and will have to try to create more opportunities as the children get older.
In May, Benjamin got to travel with us BY HIMSELF to Texas for a week, in part to give him some special attention, and in part to ease the babysitting load back at home. He was still a bit difficult, as four-year-old boys are apt to be on long international flights... but what a difference! He pulled his own bag, sat calmly on the three flights, and didn't complain once when our third and final leg of the trip was canceled due to weather and mechanical problems at 11pm, which was really 7am his time, after being on the go for nearly 24 hours. When we were being issued our hotel accomodations and vouchers, the comments swirled around - "He's so cute!", "What a good boy!", "What a little trooper!", "What a great little traveller you have!" - all the comments that are usually directed at his siblings.
When we were at the hotel, it was so easy! He has always been a good sleeper, and he went to bed every night without complaint.
His view of the experience? Difficult to tell. I think he liked the one-on-one time, and enjoyed the extra attention. However, he missed the other kids, and found it a bit boring to be with the adults all the time.
As parents, we really enjoyed the opportunity to be one-on-one, and will have to try to create more opportunities as the children get older.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Don't leave home without them!
The children are getting older, and we thought we would be able to leave them more often... but we were wrong! The statistical data sample of 3 for 3 suggests that we are still attached to our children on a daily basis!
1) Marrakech - well, so it wasn't really the kids this time, but our first weekend away from them was almost brought to an abrupt end by a failed heater, in Sweden, in mid-January. Annika has her first sick day in 6 months for a cough and cold.
2) Texas/France in March - this time, David's French trip was cut short by a babysitter who fell down the stairs and sprained her ankle. We also suspect that our three proved to be more of a handfull than fun... Annika also has her second sick day this school year for a suspicious rash.
3) Texas - David was on the ground for a mere 28 hours in Lubbock before turning around. Every parent's worst nightmare - the babysitter called that Christopher had been admitted to the hospital for observation and put on an IV. Though we suspected his condition would soon improve, we couldn't leave the babysitter - no matter how outstanding she was - with a hospitalized child.
I guess the kids will be coming with us in the future!
1) Marrakech - well, so it wasn't really the kids this time, but our first weekend away from them was almost brought to an abrupt end by a failed heater, in Sweden, in mid-January. Annika has her first sick day in 6 months for a cough and cold.
2) Texas/France in March - this time, David's French trip was cut short by a babysitter who fell down the stairs and sprained her ankle. We also suspect that our three proved to be more of a handfull than fun... Annika also has her second sick day this school year for a suspicious rash.
3) Texas - David was on the ground for a mere 28 hours in Lubbock before turning around. Every parent's worst nightmare - the babysitter called that Christopher had been admitted to the hospital for observation and put on an IV. Though we suspected his condition would soon improve, we couldn't leave the babysitter - no matter how outstanding she was - with a hospitalized child.
I guess the kids will be coming with us in the future!
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Away from the kids
I haven't been away from the children very much. Last year, after 6 years of motherhood, I think I had spent fewer than 8 nights away from the children, total. Now they are a little older, so it should be easier, in theory. Of course, D's travel schedule and the kids' activitiy level make it difficult to find a way for me to get away.
I just spent six nights away for the Baby och Barn mässa in Göteborg, and it was good, but hard. I called once when C had just been reprimanded for something, one of the times where he didn't just laugh and run away, but when he took it (too) seriously. "Ma-(sob)-Ma" he kept saying on the phone. When he calmed down, he managed "Mama come? Mama come night? Mama home?" - enough to take away that sense of freedom I felt and replace it with a few twinges of guilt.
Of course the mässa... that was another matter. As I loaded up a whole moving van of toys, display shelves, tables, bicycles, floor mats, tools, etc., I kept shaking my head in amazement. The last time I moved house without a moving service, somewhere between business school and London, I swore it would be the last time, and it was... until now. Why I felt compelled to move - effectively twice - within six days - is beyond me. And then drive across Sweden? Insane is more like it. A little physical labor is always refreshing, since I spend far too much time at the internet, but I have never been so tired!
I just spent six nights away for the Baby och Barn mässa in Göteborg, and it was good, but hard. I called once when C had just been reprimanded for something, one of the times where he didn't just laugh and run away, but when he took it (too) seriously. "Ma-(sob)-Ma" he kept saying on the phone. When he calmed down, he managed "Mama come? Mama come night? Mama home?" - enough to take away that sense of freedom I felt and replace it with a few twinges of guilt.
Of course the mässa... that was another matter. As I loaded up a whole moving van of toys, display shelves, tables, bicycles, floor mats, tools, etc., I kept shaking my head in amazement. The last time I moved house without a moving service, somewhere between business school and London, I swore it would be the last time, and it was... until now. Why I felt compelled to move - effectively twice - within six days - is beyond me. And then drive across Sweden? Insane is more like it. A little physical labor is always refreshing, since I spend far too much time at the internet, but I have never been so tired!
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Skiing, part II
Wow - another skiing holiday - this time with a little skiing for the parents!
First, it felt so wonderful to be driving up to the slopes with three "bigger" children. They sat happily for the first 250 km, sharing crayons, looking at books, and generally cooperating in ways I have never seen. A few kids songs were enough to smooth any conflicts - wow! Of course, there was the second 250 km...
We - the kids and I - managed to arrive, check in, rent skis, buy food, check in for lessons and transport four pairs of skis and boots back to the condo. We even had a lively meal at the local pizzeria. Wow - didn't know it was possible!
So... what was awesome about this holiday...
1) It was a real hill, not a mesa with a few runs down the side.
2) Everyone, including C, enjoyed the skiing. C was a real trooper, not wanting to be left behind. He was extremely proud of himself, skiing for about an hour until he was so exhausted he just put his head down on the snow, resting upside down like a tiny tripod.
3) They had a babysitting service for ALL the kids - which meant D and I actually skied together, or could have in theory... but it was hard to pass up a chance to have A with us.
4) They had "tidlig ski" so one of us (me!) could ski from 7-9 in the morning, on one run, before the rest of the mountian opened.
5) There was SO MUCH SNOW - we could hardly get into our condo. The kids couldn't get out by themselves, but had to be helped out of the hole we had for a door.
I'm ready for more - but spring is here - finally!
First, it felt so wonderful to be driving up to the slopes with three "bigger" children. They sat happily for the first 250 km, sharing crayons, looking at books, and generally cooperating in ways I have never seen. A few kids songs were enough to smooth any conflicts - wow! Of course, there was the second 250 km...
We - the kids and I - managed to arrive, check in, rent skis, buy food, check in for lessons and transport four pairs of skis and boots back to the condo. We even had a lively meal at the local pizzeria. Wow - didn't know it was possible!
So... what was awesome about this holiday...
1) It was a real hill, not a mesa with a few runs down the side.
2) Everyone, including C, enjoyed the skiing. C was a real trooper, not wanting to be left behind. He was extremely proud of himself, skiing for about an hour until he was so exhausted he just put his head down on the snow, resting upside down like a tiny tripod.
3) They had a babysitting service for ALL the kids - which meant D and I actually skied together, or could have in theory... but it was hard to pass up a chance to have A with us.
4) They had "tidlig ski" so one of us (me!) could ski from 7-9 in the morning, on one run, before the rest of the mountian opened.
5) There was SO MUCH SNOW - we could hardly get into our condo. The kids couldn't get out by themselves, but had to be helped out of the hole we had for a door.
I'm ready for more - but spring is here - finally!
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