Breaking the Silence

So things over here are good.
I had to work for two and a half months during my maternity leave in March and April and a part of May - and when you've got a few month old baby and a toddler on your hands as well, you don't really have time for anything else!

But we had general elections here yesterday.
Our democratic parties won big which is good - a new party got in with 4 men in the parliament (we've got 63 total) and women count a total of 27, 43% of electives. Which is great news!

As for family - things are going well. Everbody is healthy and has been all winter.
Trausti is getting so big - he's a long and slender type just like his dad, but he slept through the night last night which is wonderful!

Snorri is getting so big.
I asked him if he wanted a banana the other day and got the answer "yes dude" - and no I'm not paraphrasing or translating. He actually used the words yes dude.
And then he informed me what yellow means in Icelandic!

Alive and well

In spite of the silence over here, things are going well with everybody.
Trausti doesn't much like sleeping during the night, but we are hopefully getting past that fairly soon.
Snorri is doing so well. I really expected more drama from him, not that he has to share the attention with a brother - but he's really good with the baby and is very concerned that he drink enough milk and sleep enough so that he can grow big and strong.

Things change when you have child #2. Things you were worried sick about last time seem not so important now - and things you didn't even know about last time, but you have now and wonder how you could ever be without.

Example of the latter - clothing diapers and the Moby Wrap. (or any kind of baby-wearing gear I assume).

Lets start with the diapers.
It's so easy. It really is very easy, very cost efficient, very environmental and very comfortable for Trausti. We love it.
- and as a proof I'll offer a pic.


The Moby Wrap. What a genius invention. - as I suspect all wraps are. We did have a sort of a baby carrier with Snorri, but he didn't like it until he was about 8 months. After all the sleepless nights and the crying because of stomach cramps I knew this was IT when I saw it!


- and one of Snorri who is so big by now that it scares me. We'll have to start thinking about which school to send him to soon!!


- oh and I'm putting up pics on my smugmug again,

Trausti Daníelsson
So the little one got his name today, and his name is Trausti.
It is a very solid icelandic name and we are very happy with it.

It means trustworthy, solid or strong. So- no pressure!

Pictures to come.

Brothers

Christmas cards are a big tradition in Iceland, and we were attempting to get a good picture of them together. We were able to snap a few - most of them are fairly good. But look at them! Aren't they adorable ??

A baby boy is born

December 1st, at 3:19 am - after about 7,5 hours of labor. We were at the hospital at midnight, and I was already dialated 6cm at 00:30. After an hour or so I went into the glory that is the birthing pool and at around 3 am I was fully dialated and he was born at 3:19
This went so much better than expected, I didn't suffer any complications at all - and neither did the baby. He was measured 3575 grams and 54 cm - not as heavy as his brother but 2 cm longer. So- just like his dad, long and thin.

We came home last night and things are going well. Snorri doesn't seem too interested in this little bundle already but he's very busy just being himself as usual, so as of now we haven't gotten any pictures of them together! -Big brother is way too busy for photoshoots!!

40 week picture

... really we are at 41 weeks right now... that picture will have to wait a bit!

40 weeks 3 days - and more to come

So, I had a checkup with my midwife yesterday and there really isn't anything worth reporting. She even gave me a new appointment next Monday! - Which, in fact is the day I've always said that I would deliver. December 1st is a big day in Icelandic history, used to be a national holiday- and it would be excellent to add to the December birthday calendar.

No pics today. My trusty PowerBook is about to kick it, and with the Icelandic economy- the virtually non existent value of the Icelandic krona computers don't come cheap these days. Not that macs ever did, but ... now. MAN, I don't think I'll ever purchase a new mac... I'm currently working on Daniel's linux computer, which is fine. But I don't put my pics on here...

I'm knitting Christmas presents for the family and then baking Christmas cookies - as well as sleeping when ever I feel like it. Not a bad life at all!