Fall and sickness

During these last few weeks we have been battling all sorts of sicknesses at home.  From a common cold to teething and a stomach bug, it seems that we can't catch a break! Nico has been feeling down and we are doing the best we can to keep him healthy, but being in touch with so many kids at daycare only increases the amount of viruses he is exposed to.

It hasn't helped that it got cold and dark really fast here in Norway.  The days are really short and we have been lucky to see the sun maybe three days this month.  Rain and clouds surround us and we are all longing for some sunshine again.

I have been at home with Nico more days than at school this month.  That means that i'm a bit behind on transcribing interviews and analyzing my data.  I am going to have to be extra efficient when Nico feels better.

Today me and Nico had a stay-at-home day.  Since he's been too sick to go to daycare, I postponed school and we spent the day reading books, watching cartoons and napping.  We took a walk to catch some fresh air and we were pleasantly surprised by some fall sunshine.  I had to take pictures of him since its been so long since we had nice weather.  So here they are!

For Halloween this year Nico was a Ninja Turtle.  We celebrated with a group of international mothers in Oslo and also with our neighbors.  I couldn't take a picture of Nico on the actual party because it was outdoors and completely dark.  So I took a picture of him in his second costume:

It has taken about an hour for me to write this post because this sick baby keeps waking up.  It really sucks to have a sick kid and not be able to offer much help.  He doesn't understand why he feels that way and there is nothing I can do now but cuddle him and help him back to sleep.  It's going to be another long night.

A few interesting things that happened this month:

-First hair cut
-Top teeth appeared, finally!
-Learned how to say "moo" like a cow
-Second visit to the emergency room
-We got tickets to Ecuador! We're coming all of January 2015 :)

A one year old

This past month we have been through lots of changes.  Nico started kindergarden, I started school again and a part-time job, the weather changed and we even got into a new schedule.  My little monkey boy is full of energy and only wants to walk, walk, walk.  We have already gone through one pair of shoes!

Life with a toddler is very different than life with a baby.  Strolls in the city have become rare.  Instead we take trips to the park or playground to let Nico run around and interact with other children and cuddle dogs.  We don't count on two naps a day to get things done anymore.  Nico sleeps once at kindergarden and that's it.  All house chores must get done while trying to prevent Nico from chewing the computer cords, eating potato skins or diving into the toilet.

Yet, life with a toddler is filled with laughs and love.  It is amazing how much it can mean to you that your baby runs into your arms when he sees you come home.  Or how wonderful those wet toddler kisses are.  It is unbelievable how much I have stopped caring of how I look in the mornings when I leave home because I spend all my hair and make-up time making puzzles with my bebe instead.

Since my parents seldom get to see Nico by Skype because of the time change and since it'll be a while until they see him in person, here are lots of pictures for them:

A d1nosaur party!

Nico turns 1 in 2 days! I am extremely proud of my little baby boy.  He has started kindergarden and loves it.  So far he only has 3 classmates that he plays with, so its a pretty small group.  They spend most of the day outdoors playing with sand and toys.  I pick him up early right after I am done with interviews, reading or whatever i've proposed to myself as a daily task.

This past weekend we had Nico's birthday party with friends and family.  We chose Dinosaurs as a theme because I love dinosaurs.  But also because we call Nico Nicosaurio or Babysaurio! So it was perfect. I spent a few days planning his first birthday, and here it is:

Hand made sign and onesie 

Marsipan dinos for the smash cake

Decorative dinos 

The cutest!

Muchos cakes! 

Nico wearing his onesie before it was destroyed

The next day we had fun playing with his gifts and trying on his clothes. After cleaning up the house and breaking a blender, we came back home and relaxed.  Everything was great and I can't wait to his second birthday party!

Master's Thesis

I started my fieldwork for my research project that will eventually lead into a thesis.  I am both excited and nervous about it! Both because I had never left Nico for so long and because I had to use my norwegian skills while gathering data.

I conducted a survey to the attendants of the Hove and Øya music festivals, along with some interviews and notes/pictures.  I am hoping to find a relation between music festivals and their power to communicate sustainability.  I think that festivals are a great tool to promote sustainable living, so I am hoping to find positive results in the end.  So far I have nothing but great things to write about them.

After camping for over a week in a tent without showers, real bathrooms and my baby, I was more than happy to see him! Christian joined me at the festival the last two days and then we drove to his family's cabin for summer vacation.  Unfortunately, its not very summery here and it has been constantly raining.

But, today my brother and his family arrive! We haven't seen them in months and they are spending four days here with us. I am so exited to go pick them up from the airport and show them around the west coast of Norway.

By the way, Nico starts kindergarden in a month! He is way too big.  Almost a year old, his teeth are finally popping through and he is a very active monkey.  We are going to enjoy our week of summer vacation even if its grey :)