Time to catch up with life

"So, last time I blogged little Julius was 5 months old. Fast forward to may 2013, and we are a family of four! Julius is almost three, while Max (old crazy little monster) is already 1,5 years old. Blogging stopped pretty much around the time I got pregnant again - the constant vomiting plus a 7 month old was a bit too much to handle. I thought it was a good idea to have babies with little age difference - and really NOW I think it's super, but doesn't leave much time for anything else. So, literally I feel like I blinked and here we are.

                             The guys taking a nap together    

                                                                                                              

On May 31 I packed the kids toys and clothes, and some of mine too and we took our first trip to Tanzania. Tonny was already here, starting his export business (more details later) so it was me, load of luggage and Julius 2,5, and Max 1,5. Since I haven't been blogging for a while some details about the boys are necessary.       

                                                                                                                                      

Julius is a kind, loving and a happy child. He is very rule oriented and loves music, dancing and currently Cars movie and anything related to it. We struggle a bit with his health, he is allergic to birch and now it seems detergents too (more about this too coming up), so traveling to a new country for the first time poses some challenges and involves a lot of preparation for the worst case scenario. But he is hands down the easiest child on this planet. He  has been eating by himself from six months (around 1 year with a fork, at two fork and a knife). He still takes 2 hour nap at noon every day and sleeps 12 hours a night. Little things like clean laundry put into the closet nicely and baba coming home at the end of the day make him smile like he is in heaven. That joy makes any day seem a lot better.

                 

Mr. Max on the other hand is very much full of life and love. Interested in everything and up for anything. Every person he meets is met with an open heart and complete trust. His curiosity gets him into trouble all the time, the poor guy is constantly bumping his head, or falling on his but. And he is not the kind to take failure as a clue that maybe this is something I can't or shouldn't do yet. He tries, and tries, and tries and tries a good hundred times at least, most of the time finally succeeding in the end. Resilience will get him far in life. On his quest I spend endless hours saving him just in time or telling no, you can't climb on the stove for the hundredth time. Watching little Max, I finally get the story of myself at 1,5 climbing on a construction ladder to the roof... I see me in him, that crazy I can do ANYTHING attitude.

                

So these two in my arms we made our way through Helsinki -Amsterdam - Nairobi - Dar es Salaam. I was prepared with toys, snacks, medicines, extra clothes, diapers. pretty much anything and everything I could think of. So in Helsinki we had some ice cream and boarded our first flight. Julius slept the whole way, while Max watched Lorax on the IPad. But surely this could not be this easy... Enter Amsterdam, six hours of waiting, so we crab our pram and head to the play area at schipol. The web site had described it as a wonderful forest in doors, and while it was a little more for bigger kids the guys enjoyed hours playing there. I really enjoyed watching them interact with other kids, without a common language. Kids have that special way in them, no need for small talk lets just get to the "business". Max couldn't climb the ladder so he decided to climb the slide. For someone this might have been the harder way, but it worked for Max. 

                

They really enjoyed their time and it didn't really feel like we were stuck in an airport. The only thing I wish they would add is a fence... Max tends to run off, and the routes to take at an airport are endless...

 

We had dinner and then some games again. I had deliberately chosen the flight that would make the departure for the long flight at bed time so by the time the flight we were boarding Max was already asleep and Julius watching a movie on the IPad. (Boy it's a useful thing to carry around...) 

                                                                                 Little Max about to fall asleep.                                

Max slept until the early morning breakfast an hour before landing and Julius, while still awake during boarding slept until we were in Nairobi. Quick plane change and one hour flight, during which both of them slept through the whole thing.. The disaster happened after landing. I had gotten us visas ahead of time so we could just walk to customs, but for som reason they didn't have the immigration forms in the plane so Somehow, I had to hold two tired kids one crying and one screaming, write down the details of our stay, on three separate forms no less while checking for the info from our passports and my phone. We survived and with some help of airport personnel got all the luggage and headed out. Tonny was there so after that, I could say I survived. Without the last disaster it would've been no trouble, but one meltdown during a 24 hour trip is not bad at all.

Next up, wonders of Africa...

Dancing boy

Julius finally started moving around at nine months. And now he doesn’t stay still at all.

Even when he sleeps, he sleeps with his butt up in the air so when the eyes are open he is ready to go :).

He stopped breastfeeding by himself a little over a week ago. He is eating super good though, so we are only giving him food now, with lots of water and some mouthfuls of milk. We tried to give some formula few time but they just made him vomit so I’m doing it my way now, and he seems to be happy. He loves his porridge and eats it in the morning and before going to sleep. Blueberries are his current favorite and he could eat them as long as we would just keep giving them… :)

At the same time as he stopped breastfeeding he started sleeping through the night - at least most of the time. In his bed. I know this might change at any time but while it lasts I’m taking an advantage of it and sleeping a lot myself.

Julius loves to dance and puts on his own music and gives us his moves. I can’t wait until he realizes he can dance while standing up too. He still is a very happy baby, and just looking at him fills my heart with peace and happiness.

Time is running.. too fast

I don’t know where all the time goes nowadays. Some in my family refers to me with “she’s on holiday” attitude, and while I might not need to get up in the morning to go work, I feel like I don’t have any control of my life now. Not that I’m complaining… Julius is a wonderful distraction of all the “business” stuff in my life - but the negative thing is that I feel like that time goes by way too fast.

Julius is over 8 months now. Summer is coming and he is loving the out doors. Sitting in his pram and playing on our back yard. Today we tried the slide and swing for the first time. He loved swinging - and just leaned back and closed his eyes while the warm breeze cooled his face.

With the slide I don’t think he even noticed what happened - too small for him (big enough for mom to worry about her little boy).

I think this summer will be filled with hanging outside in different parks all over the city… And I’m going to love it!!!

(post written in May… forgot to publish…)

5 months and counting

I know. I’ve said it before and I will keep saying it again. Where is all the time going??? I got a call and an email from work last week on my thoughts on going back.. ME??? To WORK?? Hello, people I just had a baby. But the thing is, Julius is already over five months old, and time is running. Decisions to be made…

As in many other families it comes down to money. After the first nine months at home the income government supplies drops down dramatically. So, now it’s time to do some math and figure out if I’d be able to stay home until the end of this year. That would be my dream. That would put my heart at ease. But we will see.

Toes are the new favorite thing..

Chose his sport already...

Update on the little boy:

Or not so little as it seems. Julius had his 5 month appointment and weighed glorious 8680g and was 69,5 cm tall. In comparison, Daniel was a kilo heavier when he was born but at 5 months only 7 kg’s and 66 cm. So Julius likes food - or my milk is some super hormone juice that makes him grow abnormally fast. (Maybe I could bottle it up and sell it on Ebay :) ) He also is super social (african genes) and already into playing drums (again, purely african). Loves loves loves taking baths and attending his swimming class. He still sleeps nice, on a normal night anyways (NOT last night, though - I had to get up like four times, which is alot to me). And his starting to have his daily rhythm down.

My beautiful baby boy...

Wake up 08:30 - food

Playing with äiti until 10:30ish then nap

Napping for 2-4 hours and food again

Play time until 17-17:30 then down for a short nap

And again playing until 20 when another short nap

21 bath

22 bed

I still wish he’d go to bed a bit earlier, but I think when the long day time nap becomes shorter, he will start doing that. And I think after he starts getting some other food than my milk, I will also make it a bit easier to structure the day.

He a big boy already… Again, where did the time go????

Julius Mandela and Waiting for X-mas

Finally on Father's day our little boy was baptized. Julius Mandela is the name officially. Julius comes from his babu (grandfather on daddy's side) and Mandela of course from Nelson Mandela - to respect his amazing work for human rights - against racism. Felt suitable for our little mixed family. And sounded so soft and flowing when all the names were put together.

Julius started out smiling and laughing to the Priest Ville but at some point became fussy and started crying - and cried until the thing was over. After that he was his normal self. I love this picture. Julius is looking straight into Ville's eyes - and it was the part he was being told that today he will be baptized.

Getting ready for Christmas season is not simple. We are trying hard to keep

it as relaxed as possible but it seems impossible at times. We started by doing a photo

shoot of Julius and I will turn the photos into cards and at least our friends and relatives get

a small Christmas wish from us incase my head explodes before the actual date.

We will be having the family over for a late lunch and then we will go to my mothers for

the rest of the day.

It's a magical time of the year. I just wish I had more energy to deal with it... But I guess the

most important thing is to be with family and friends and that's one thing I know I'll be able to manage :D

He turns...

Julius started moving around around two weeks. I tried to place him on his bed on his side (that's what is the recommended position) but he disagreed and always managed to turn to his back as well as back to his side. When he was less than a month he somehow managed to turn fully around. I was shocked and I knew it was a pure mistake but anyhow he did it, and of course since then the only place I can leave him alone (so I can use the bathroom) is on the floor.

In the last two weeks lying on his back and kicking toys on his play mat became more fascinating, so he hasn't been practicing too much. Today I realized that he hasn't been lying on his stomach unless its on top of me or Tonny much, so when he woke up from his nap I decided it's a good opportunity to do some head holding exercise. Julius disagreed and decided to do some turning exercise instead!!! He repeated it so many times that I was able to grab this (i know bad quality) small video with my cell. I'm so proud!!!