See ya 2011

While 2011 has been a good year, filled with visits from/to family and friends, learning how to write and keep our hands to ourselves, and making new friends, it's also been a good year to say good-bye to. Hopefully in 2012 Daddy (and everyone else) keeps all his organs in his body, doesn't need to visit urgent care (even though we had great fun with Holly while Mamma took care of Daddy this morning), and all bugs and rodents find someone else's house to live in. 2012 will be the year of good fortune. And time to update photos. Right?

Princess

It rained last night.

M: Nina, why aren't you opening the car door to get in?
n: The door's wet. I don't want to get wet.

Bye Bye Mormor and Morfar

(in the car yesterday driving away)

n: It was nice having Mormor and Morfar here. I'll miss them.

School photos

You may have to tilt your head sideways.

Bye bye NeeNee

Thanks for leaving us your clothing and glasses. I knew you'd be back on Wednesday!

Squirrels

e: Squirrel!
Mormor: What kind of nuts do squirrels eat?
e: Donuts!

Why are NeeNee and Mormor crying?

n: When does NeeNee leave?
NeeNee: Tomorrow.
n: And when does Mormor and Morfar leave?
Mormor: The day after that.
n: I'm going to miss you both. Lots. I wish you could come back on Wednesday.

Love or money

n: I'm going to marry a prince. And we're going to live in a castle. But I just want a prince for his money and his house.

n: When I live in a castle, it'll be jail.

GOD JUL!

e: It's not Christmas. There's no snow.

GOD JUL!

WE GOT PRESENTS! AND I GOT MY PRINCESS DREAM CASTLE THAT I ALWAYS WANTED.

Christmas Eve

8:00 and Nina's still sleeping. And I'm all snuggled up with Mormor and Morfar playing in the playroom. A room full of presents and stockings? Oh, yeah, I know all about that. But my real present is playing with my grandparents!

Grandparents

The best present ever is having all of my grandparents for Christmas. And maybe eating chocolate too.

Sleeping arrangements

I've made the sleeping plan for Christmas. Mormor and Morfar will sleep on the papasan chair in my room. And NeeNee will sleep on my floor. But they have to be quiet and not wake me up.

NeeNee NeeNee NeeNee NeeNee

She's here. We're so excited. We have to show her all our skills and tell her all the things we know and give her hugs every 5 seconds and not let anyone else talk because she's here to see us.

(after talking herself for a solid 15 minutes without interruption)
n: NeeNee, don't talk. It makes me dizzy.

Mamma's best batch of Bedstemor's pepparkakkor

n: Can I get some butter on these? They taste yucky.

Testing the limits

Santa won't really care if I'm naughty, will he? I've seen him, he's a nice guy. I'm sure he won't mind if I torment my parents by getting out of bed over and over and over, and by not listening, and by hitting my sister, and by throwing toys, and by screeching at the top of my lungs. HE'LL understand it's all excitement about Christmas.

Potty potty potty

Signs of readiness for potty training...
Tells when poos: check
Can stay dry for 2+ hours: check
Pulls down pants: check check check
Can sit for 5 minutes on potty: will 5 seconds work?

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas?

60'F two days in a row? Flowers blooming? Are you sure Santa will know it's Christmas?

Bonding

Sometimes siblings need a little alone time.

Tonsils

We may have superhero identities, but Daddy is the true superhero for getting his tonsils taken out. Poor Daddy. He's sick. He needs hugs.

Decorations

Now that we FINALLY have our tree, it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. We love to pull down all the ornaments and put them back up again in different places, and to hunt for our favorite ornaments. Daddy helped by resting on the sofa.

This ought to be worth an extra set of presents from the great-grandparents

n: I'm excited that NeeNee is coming in a few days.
M: And then about 5 days after that Mormor and Morfar come.
e: And Bedstemor. And Bestemar (sic).

Superheroes

I'm Dragonfly Boy. And Nina is either Butterfly Girl or Badger Girl. But shhhh. They're our secret identities.

Money

Yesterday's advent calendar present was money. $2! Mamma suggested putting it in the bank, or contributing it to my teachers' presents, or buying a toy. Once Mamma explained that all the toys we wanted we couldn't afford, we decided to donate to our teachers' gift fund. Hugs from teachers and parental pride come cheap for $2.

No more bedbugs

Mamma and Daddy had nice people come and kill all the bugs in our house. All I know is that they made a mess of my room. And that the house was really hot so I slept in summer pjs. And I couldn't go to sleep until 10:45pm because I kept asking...

e: Who made a mess of my room?!

Lost in translation

Bedstefar says that "fart" means "speed" in Swedish. These speeds are just for him.

But I won't eat herring

M: Nina, what's your favorite flavor of ice cream?
n: All of them.
M: And Ewan, what's your favorite ice cream flavor.
e: Doughnut. I like doughnut ice cream.

What happens when you're raised with no religion?

(shopping at Target)
n: I want toys!!!
M: We're here to buy gifts for other people. Christmas is all about giving to others. And if you're good, Santa gives you presents.
n: No it's not!
M: So what's the meaning of Christmas?
n: Nothing!

Party party party!

I had a girl day with Mamma. First we went to my friend's birthday party, and then we went shopping. After that, I had a pseudo-slumber party with Ewan and our friend Max. Mamma and Daddy wanted us to go to sleep, but with a movie, Ewan the party-animal, and crackers in a big bed, there was no way we were falling asleep! By 10:30pm Mamma and Daddy gave up.

Smorgasbord

The Blue Store had a holiday smorgasbord and a Santa Lucia children's choir. I was dancing and grinning and thought they were the best thing ever. Nina thought they were beautiful. The 20 minute line for food was kinda boring. And there was no way I was eating the crazy foods. Just give me lingonberry juice, meatballs and princess torte. A perfect meal!

Holiday spirit

(Enjoying seeing the holiday lights on people's houses)

n: Oooh, what pretty lights. There's pink and white lights. We need more lights on our house. And candy canes. And stickers on the windows.

Dear Santa

What's the average number of times a day that I ask Mamma and Daddy to ask Santa for a Disney Princess Dream Castle? If you're Daddy's students, they'll tell me 'geranium'.

Lessons you lovingly learn from uncles

e: Shut up!

Trains

Who wants to wait in line for a train ride? I'd much rather look at choo-choos going around and around and around. Ooooh, pretty lights.

Misses

(yesterday)
n: I don't want Uncle Yo to come back for my birthday.
M: Why?
n: Because I want him to come back now.

(today)
n: I miss Uncle Yo.

e: I go wake up Uncle Yo.

Bonds

Uncle Yo left today.

Ambidextrous

M: (whispering) Noah, look, Ewan is drawing with his left hand.
e: (switching pen from left to right hand). This is my right hand.

Morbidly oooold

After swimming class...

n: My fingers are bumpy. But my hair isn't grey. So I'm not going to die yet.

Gender confusion

M: Are you Daddy's little boy.
e: No. I'm Mamma's little girl!

Advent calendar

Toys or candy every day until Christmas? I'm not sure I remember what Christmas is from last year. But what I'm learning from this year is that I'm going to love it. Thanks Mormor for our really cool calendar. Will you please tell Mamma and Daddy that I can open all the presents now.

Nutcracker

If this is a nutcracker, I'm scared to see the nuts.

A new leaf

I get it. I finally get it. I can use my words to get what I want instead of hitting. How cool is that? Now why didn't someone explain all this to me before?

Modeling

I'd call the local talent agency myself. But I'm too busy playing.

Swimming

Splash!

Uncle lessons

It's been so long since we've seen Uncle Yo, there's been so much we've had to teach him.
Like how to do fun drinking tricks.
How to do MacBensen gang signs (we're still working on him learning that one).
How to hang on safely while Mamma is driving.
How to spot clothing trends among the young.
And how to have a great time at the zoo.

Generosity

Yesterday Uncle Yo took us to the story toy. I'm currently in Ninaland heaven playing with princess toys. Today at the zoo he bought us more toys!

n: Do you know Uncle Yo's middle name?
M: What is it?
n: Santa Claus!

Black Friday: 9am

n: Can we go to the story toy? (meaning toy store)

Thanksgiving

We missed most of the Macy's thanksgivings day parade in TV. But we caught the end. We waved at Santa. He didn't have his reindeer with him. They were just toys.

Thankful

I love family and friends. We went to my friend Max's house for dinner. But mostly we played and drove cars and watched movies. I preferred dessert over dinner (Mamma and Daddy and Uncle Yo couldn't eat enough of both). I'm thankful for fun people.

SURPRISE!

Uncle Yo came when I was sleeping. And he says he'll take me to Toys'R'us in exchange for hugs. That sounds like Santa. But without the long beard.

n: What's his name?
M: Johan Esbensen.
n: That rhymes with your name! Who is his Mamma?
M: Mormor.
n: That's my grandma!

Gingerbread

I'm thinking it's looking a lot like Christmas. Candy, cookies, and more candy!

n: I bite his head off. Ooooh, no! He can't talk.