.. love
Category Archives: friends + family
4 weeks
Filed under friends + family
6 Comments
These first 4 weeks have flown by but somehow I can’t imagine a time without him. I won’t pretend to know what I’m doing yet or try to sound like I know what I’m talking about – but I do think we’re finding our way slowly but surely. Having a baby is definitely humbling. We face new questions every day and what the ‘manuals’ can’t tell us – the visiting public health nurse is only too happy to help us with. She arrives on a bicycle and totes a hefty knowledge.
We’ve had quite a lot of visits from friends and family now that I count them up – and here I’d thought we’d be more cut off. There are a lot of things that aren’t like I’d thought they’d be. I also thought I’d crave a babysitter. Now I can’t imagine letting anyone else take care of Thor. No one else knows him like we do and well.. I don’t want to miss out on anything.
In Denmark the public health department arranges a mother’s group for you with five other women living close by who’ve had a baby around the same time you have so that you can meet up once a week to drink coffee, compare notes and offer/receive a bit of support with the million questions, feelings and challenges that come with all this change. It’s ideal. So far our group’s met once and agreed to add fitness activity to our meet-ups: at the gym or for some kind of swimming. Even more ideal.
The pace overall is slowed way down (which is so not me), my to-do list is horribly neglected and my hair probably needs a wash. And I’m smiling.
Thor
Filed under friends + family
7 Comments
We’re home now, the three of us. Safe, healthy and so beyond happy. We’re all snuggled in for the next weeks: dark stormy weather outside and candle-light-cozy indoors. Add to that the dreamy bliss of a new baby and we might as well admit that we’re happily tucked in for the season.
We can’t get over how lucky we’ve been – what with everything leading up to Thor’s birth – we’ve been blessed with this little person: so lovely and healthy and absolutely gorgeous (as his parents we are allowed to think he is the most beautiful thing ever). We’ll no doubt have stared ourselves blind by month’s end. The first week has flown by incredibly quickly, despite savouring every single second of our days so far as parents. We just can’t get enough of him. Also thinking that a Star Trek transporter would be just the thing right now to reduce the distance between Copenhagen and Vancouver so that we could introduce him properly to grandparents and aunts back home. In the meantime – thank goodness for Skype.
Had a quick visit from Jen (a dear close friend from our university years together at SFU) a couple of days after we checked out of the hospital – great timing with her conference in Malmö. The woman is everything I love about Canada: open, smart, grounded and true. And a little bit cooky in the very best way. So fantastic to see you Jen. We’ll definitely be visiting you in Newfoundland – our hiking boots on and little Thor strapped to our backs ready to go.
And thank you to everyone who’ve wished us good luck in the days leading up to Thor’s birth, and to those who’ve wished us well afterwards. Your positive thoughts have meant a lot.
Farewell Bedstemor
Filed under friends + family
1 Comment
Lost a woman of big importance in my life today. Missing words.
10 Things I Love About This Girl
Meet my sister Katrina. She turns 24 today (13 years my junior.. I know.. hard to believe.. but true) and in thinking of her throughout the day, a few of the things that I adore about her quickly come to mind (it really wasn’t hard). In no particular order:
1. Her quickness to forgive. The girl lets bygones be bygones, takes note for next time and moves on. Grudges and Katrina just don’t mix.
2. Her creativity. Check out her photography!
3. She wants the best for people. Period. She’s no doormat but she’ll sure as hell do what she can if she can find a way to help.
4. She’s genuinely happy for other people. I’ve yet to hear one jealous word come out of her mouth – which is so refreshing. When she’s happy for people, she lets it show. I love that.
5. Her style sense. She has this (much coveted) talent for layering. We may not always have the same taste, but whatever she puts on looks great – especially when she’s not even trying and just throws something on to grab coffee with her seriously fashion impared sister. And to her credit, she seemed to have side stepped the cringe-worthy resurrection of parachute pants. Hammer’s had his time, people.
6. Did I mention that she can dance? And did I mention that I like, no, LOVE mortifying her with my “stir the pot” moves?
7. Her energy. It’s such a huge part of her personality. Oh – and if she’s got a great piece of gossip – the OMG gesture that precedes the story is brilliant. Jan immitates it all the time, but don’t tell him I told you that.
8. She’s a cry baby… as sentimentally weepy with goodbyes as I am. Thank you for not letting me be the only one. Oh who am I kidding – we’re all pretty bad, what can I say. Although.. I do get the quiver-chin when I see complete strangers at the airport saying their goodbyes, and I did cry at Who’s The Boss (a pretty bad tv show) once, which really takes the cake. Maybe we shouldn’t tell anyone about that one either..
9. She’s packed full of potential. Talk to her 5 minutes and you know she’ll do great things – affect a lot of people in a really positive way.
10. She’s a one off. When she was a baby she’d collect fuzz bunnies and tuck them onto a shelf she made with her upper lip and fall asleep. She also used to strip in protest. Try explaining that one to stunned onlookers at the grocery store.
I love and miss this girl in a huge way. Hope you’re having a great birthday Katrina, without too much protesting.
Malmö Sweden
Just over the bridge for the afternoon, a fresh walk and a coffee before my parents head home to Canada.
Gilleleje Havn
Great to have visitors and extra reason to play tourist in our own back yard. After a lovely drive up the coast we spent the day in Gilleleje, the most northerly town here on Sjælland. Off-season visit and short time frame aside (sun sets now at 16:30!) – it was a good little walk through the misty fishing village and a perfect excuse to stop in for a cozy pub lunch.
Tante T + Afternoon Teas
Friday afternoon tea at Tante T in Vesterbro with my friend Corrine (gorgeously 9 months pregnant). You can buy their teas online, in Kødbyen (the meat packing district) or at the new Torvehallerne near Nørreport station, but we especially love their cozy tea room @Viktoriagade 6 – full of antiques and decor just the way a fine aunty would have arranged it. Homemade cakes and amazing teas (Cool Mint’s a favourite here at home) + an afternoon of catching up was just the way for a couple of ladies to round out a crisp Autumn week in Copenhagen.
Gråsten + Flensburg
Spent the weekend in Gråsten (Southern Jylland) with Jan’s family – round birthday’s being good for assembling the masses. Funny how people, dynamics and expectations are so different yet so much the same across families, including my own.
A cozy lunch and a healthy walk in the sunshine in Flensburg (Germany) made for a good little afternoon adventure.
Sunday brunch + flea market
Sunday morning brunch with the girls at Mandela in Vesterbro – October 2nd and we could still sit outdoors – followed by a good poke around the local flea market (both at Onkel Dannys Plads, very handy). I’m always in awe of friends equipped with a sharp eye for little treasures and ‘just right’ vintage wears – a talent I definitely can’t boast. Love people watching on afternoons like this.
{Edit: Even the dog looks suitably second-hand..}