vignettes from the year's end
Thursday, 4. January 2007, 17:20:13
As we approached our first Christmas in Norway, the glittering hoarfrost was driven back by a light warm rain, no snow in site.
Before the thaw I saw two boys standing on an ice covered brook banging holes into it with a large branch. This seems unwise but they survived without crashing through.
In our new apartment with so many fun toys still wrapped and hiding underthe tree, I made a cardboard and foil sword for our tiny Mulan/Pirate/Robin Hood/Peter Pan/Princess-with-Attitude. Many a duel resulted in her triumphant cry of "Touché" and my writhing on the floor in the gravest of mock-agony death scenes.
Unlike most Norwegians, we chose to celebrate our presents on Christmas morning. H woke up very late crying and uncomfortable and generally ill. For a 3.75 year old to express no interest in Santa or presents, we knew this to be a serious affair. After some comforting and falling back into a tearful sleep, she rose bright-eyed around 1:00 for lunch a lovely afternoon of present opening.
Gifts from America and from Santa and from her parents were all met with glee; each one considered and played with and enjoyed before moving on to the next. She loves her puzzles and pirate ship and tinker toys and dress-up doll and the "I'm Not Cute!" book has become required bed-time reading. She warmed quickly to the book of Van Gogh art and we were pleased that upon receiving her first Barbie branded toy, said "look, a dolly" and mostly she just ends up as a hostage to the pirates.
Our amazing neighbor had given us each a gift that was personal and thoughtful and chosen or made specifically for each of us.
A few days after Christmas we went to a colleague's apartment for an amazing dinner. The couple are amazingly well-read and well-travelled and basically among the most well-rounded geeks available. H took quite a while to open up but eventually the two lovely kittens, Ada and Linus (did I mention that they are proud geeks), drew H into their play. What had been an easy-going and fun night out took a turn as we realized that one of the kittens had gone missing. The small apartment was turned over and as we realized that there were no hiding places left, the only possibility remained that he had managed to get outside. After searching and searching on a bitterly cold evening we eventually left, worried and unsure whether this baby cat would survive. That night signs were posted and our hosts didn't sleep but, ever resourceful, Linus appeared late the next morning. He was even warm having found someplace to hide.
We spent our 5 year anniversary with another couple. We went out for Vietnamese/Thai. When H was around 19 months old she loved Pad Thai and adopted it as something of a battle cry. She would run around the house yelling "PadThai!" but now she's fairly cool on the idea and reported that this was too spicy. The owners of the restaurant were throwing a big birthday party for one of their friends or relitives and there were asian children running around everywhere. H was intrigued but rather than chasing after them, played with our friends and wanted very much to go home with them.
On S's birthday, also known as New Year's eve, we celebrated with pancakes, lingonberries, and a trip to the park. But I should explain that New Year's eve in Norway is unlike anything you may have seen before (unless you are Norwegian). The park seemed attractive to us as it is a wonderful high vantage point over much of the city in all directions but to the local residents it is the front line in their drunken battle against order, quiet, sobriety, and an injury free existence. Hundred and hundreds of over-dressed urbanites flocked to the park with the sorts of pyrotechnic explosives that any other country would ban and set them off at all angles and with no semblance of a strategy. If someone was not actively standing on a spot, then that spot was used to set off a massive missile. It was the loudest place I have ever been. It was also startlingly beautiful to be in the middle of this fussilade, mis'fires going off at eye level, intentional low flying trajectories. The dogs were so good in doors that we took them with us but the incessant booming and chaos of drunken packs of people terrified them and I raced them back home where their shakes could subside.
I spoke to my sister on her wedding day. They were headed to Costa Rica for a honeymoon and required visits to his family there. While sad to have missed it, I am happy for them and wish them all the best.
And now, while there is more to say , I have said enough and will head home to entertain my most silly and amazing child with pirate ships and dueling and broccoli power versus candy power battles.
PS: there's holiday pics in the Photos section
Before the thaw I saw two boys standing on an ice covered brook banging holes into it with a large branch. This seems unwise but they survived without crashing through.
In our new apartment with so many fun toys still wrapped and hiding underthe tree, I made a cardboard and foil sword for our tiny Mulan/Pirate/Robin Hood/Peter Pan/Princess-with-Attitude. Many a duel resulted in her triumphant cry of "Touché" and my writhing on the floor in the gravest of mock-agony death scenes.
Unlike most Norwegians, we chose to celebrate our presents on Christmas morning. H woke up very late crying and uncomfortable and generally ill. For a 3.75 year old to express no interest in Santa or presents, we knew this to be a serious affair. After some comforting and falling back into a tearful sleep, she rose bright-eyed around 1:00 for lunch a lovely afternoon of present opening.
Gifts from America and from Santa and from her parents were all met with glee; each one considered and played with and enjoyed before moving on to the next. She loves her puzzles and pirate ship and tinker toys and dress-up doll and the "I'm Not Cute!" book has become required bed-time reading. She warmed quickly to the book of Van Gogh art and we were pleased that upon receiving her first Barbie branded toy, said "look, a dolly" and mostly she just ends up as a hostage to the pirates.
Our amazing neighbor had given us each a gift that was personal and thoughtful and chosen or made specifically for each of us.
A few days after Christmas we went to a colleague's apartment for an amazing dinner. The couple are amazingly well-read and well-travelled and basically among the most well-rounded geeks available. H took quite a while to open up but eventually the two lovely kittens, Ada and Linus (did I mention that they are proud geeks), drew H into their play. What had been an easy-going and fun night out took a turn as we realized that one of the kittens had gone missing. The small apartment was turned over and as we realized that there were no hiding places left, the only possibility remained that he had managed to get outside. After searching and searching on a bitterly cold evening we eventually left, worried and unsure whether this baby cat would survive. That night signs were posted and our hosts didn't sleep but, ever resourceful, Linus appeared late the next morning. He was even warm having found someplace to hide.
We spent our 5 year anniversary with another couple. We went out for Vietnamese/Thai. When H was around 19 months old she loved Pad Thai and adopted it as something of a battle cry. She would run around the house yelling "PadThai!" but now she's fairly cool on the idea and reported that this was too spicy. The owners of the restaurant were throwing a big birthday party for one of their friends or relitives and there were asian children running around everywhere. H was intrigued but rather than chasing after them, played with our friends and wanted very much to go home with them.
On S's birthday, also known as New Year's eve, we celebrated with pancakes, lingonberries, and a trip to the park. But I should explain that New Year's eve in Norway is unlike anything you may have seen before (unless you are Norwegian). The park seemed attractive to us as it is a wonderful high vantage point over much of the city in all directions but to the local residents it is the front line in their drunken battle against order, quiet, sobriety, and an injury free existence. Hundred and hundreds of over-dressed urbanites flocked to the park with the sorts of pyrotechnic explosives that any other country would ban and set them off at all angles and with no semblance of a strategy. If someone was not actively standing on a spot, then that spot was used to set off a massive missile. It was the loudest place I have ever been. It was also startlingly beautiful to be in the middle of this fussilade, mis'fires going off at eye level, intentional low flying trajectories. The dogs were so good in doors that we took them with us but the incessant booming and chaos of drunken packs of people terrified them and I raced them back home where their shakes could subside.
I spoke to my sister on her wedding day. They were headed to Costa Rica for a honeymoon and required visits to his family there. While sad to have missed it, I am happy for them and wish them all the best.
And now, while there is more to say , I have said enough and will head home to entertain my most silly and amazing child with pirate ships and dueling and broccoli power versus candy power battles.
PS: there's holiday pics in the Photos section
I'm writing up a bug for two links to the same photo set
By anonymous user, # 4. January 2007, 21:53:15
Hope you had a nice break.
By balzac, # 5. January 2007, 08:53:50