3 months

Already 3 months! It has gone so fast this time, and I can count the number of difficult days on one hand. Who knew that it was possible to actually enjoy having a baby. Alice is over her cold and has been a happy little girl again. Spring is finally here, and we have been going on a little walk every day down all the roads in our little neighborhood. It is still a bit chilly, but the sun has been shining and the birds singing.

She is feeling her hands. This week she started looking at them as well. She has also mastered the art of sticking them too far into her mouth so she gags.

Dad took a photo with a bright flash and she was utterly stunned.

Getting a new diaper and her PJ's on. Alice loves the changing table and the mobile over it. She talks to her little bugs and smiles at them frequently, and kicks her legs excitedly.

Her favorite place to have a conversation with Mom and Dad.

12 weeks

Alice was helping Stefan do one of his favorite pasttimes: reading the ads that come in the junk mail.

Alice came down with a cold today. Her eyes and nose are runny and she has a cough. Everytime she laughs she starts coughing instead. She is still in a pretty good mood despite it.

When babies attack...

Haylie wanted to burp her sister. It quickly turned from a nice cuddle to Alice trying to eat Haylie's face like she was rabid.

Weekend in Stockholm

We had to go to the US Embassy in Stockholm to take care of the paperwork for Alice's citizenship, passport, etc, so we did some fun stuff for Haylie while we were there. We took the ferry to the mainland (with our car) on Thursday morning, and stayed at Kungens Kurva. We were at a really cheap hotel. No frills, but the price was right. We went to IKEA on Thursday and picked up some stuff we needed, and then O'Leary's for dinner at Heron City.

Friday, we got up and went to the Embassy. The security is even more rigorous than airport security. We took care of all the red tape, and then went to nearby Junibacken on Djurgården. It has a play area, stage shows, and a storybook ride, all based on Swedish children's books.

Here I am, coming out of the Mumin trolls' house.

Haylie and Alice were riding Lilla Gubben, Pippi Longstocking's horse.

Haylie was intently watching the show with Lennart Hellsing characters. Alice had a hard time settling down, since she doesn't much like being held a lot. She finally got to sleep once we left, and slept all afternoon and evening.

Friday night, we met one of Stefan's childhood friends and his family for dinner near our hotel. Haylie and Alice fell asleep that night with their heads touching. It was really cute.

Saturday, we drove down to Södertälje and went to the pool there. Haylie had a good time swimming with Stefan. Alice fell asleep on a sun chair after a little dip. Here she was when she woke up, playing with her fingers. They are her favorite toys at the moment.

We drove over to the ferry at Nynäshamn. Alice was sick of sitting in her carseat, so she got fussy. Haylie was sick of putting her pacifier back in, so she got crabby. We had to go into the ferry terminal and wait, so we brought Alice's stroller bassinet. As soon as she got to lay down, she was calm and happy again, and was busy kicking her legs. She just can't relax unless she is laying down.

Haylie got to buy a long-awaited ice cream cone, and so she was happy too. Then we slept on the ferry the whole way to Gotland, getting home just before midnight. It was so nice to be home in our own beds.

Just a few pictures...

Today we had Alice's 2 month checkup. She was almost 5,6 kg and 58 cm long. She was in a very good mood while we were there. Haylie reminded me of her Grandma Taryn, messing with all the equipment. I think she is sick of people asking how she likes being a big sister by this point. Next month, Alice gets her first shot.

2 months

2 months already, and time has gone quickly. We are really enjoying having a baby this time.

Today we went to Visby to get Alice's passport photos taken for her American passport. It was a challenge, but thankfully the photographer liked babies and was patient. We had to get her head just the right size, her hands kept getting in the way, and Stefan's shadow was in the way.

This is the first one from 4 weeks. I couldn't get her to wake up for the life of me. So we decided it was safest to try again, in case they didn't approve it with her eyes closed.

Nice shot, but head was too big.

Once again, head slightly too big.

Finally, her head was the right size, and her hands were only slightly in the shot, and not mostly in her mouth. If she could fit both fists in there, she would. Not for lack of trying, however.

Relaxing with dad, while big sister is playing with a friend from the neighborhood. I made brownies, and we had a little "fika".