Life is a Saturday

While we were traveling the US a couple of years ago, Tumi and I stayed with a couch-surfing host in Cleveland who showed us a movie called "A Map for Saturday." The film was a documentary made by a guy who was traveling the world for a year. It's a good movie, and you should see it. In the film, he made the keen observation that when you're traveling, it feels like it's always Saturday...On maternity leave it feels like everyday is a Saturday, too. Days blend together, and it's hard to remember what you did a few days ago, or even yesterday, since each day is so similar to the next and the last. Gotta love motherhood...

When such is the pace of life, visitors are a refreshing blessing! We've been lucky enough to have several guests so far, and many more on the way. Blake and Courtney stopped by last month on their way back to Seattle from Sweden. Jeremy was here for a vacation...he, Tumi, and Atli went for a hike in the Westfjords for a few days and came back with wonderful stories of arctic foxes, boat trips, and sheep chasing. Ryan and Jessica Thody are here now, and have just left for a trip around the country. Unkka Riley comes next for his summer adventures with SEEDS. He gets to stay here all summer long! Then, the rest of the fam (Gramma J, GPa Frank, and Unkka Thomas...*nicknames are works in progress*) is coming in mid-July. Brandon and Robin are paying a visit in August. Then, Great-Bapu and cousin Liz are stopping by at the end of August...Wow! There will be plenty of action to write about in the coming months!

As for now...

Elsa grew out of her little new-baby cradle....

...and moved into the spacious crib in Mama and Pabbi's room!

Elsa helping Mama make scones...it's SO nice to wrap her up and have both hands free!

The family at þingvellir National Park; our first stop on the 'Golden Circle' tour with Ryan and Jessica Thody!

Elsa bustin' a move at the waterfall:

Wrapped up with Mama at Geysir...How exciting!

Friends visit from Seattle and introduce Elsa María to a classic American pass-time...Go M's!

Making faces with Pabbi at the summerhouse

Elsa, who hid your hand under the blanket?

Elsa's first trip to the hot spring by the summerhouse...she slept the whole time.

Icelandic elf baby visiting the hot spring

Leaving the couch

Elsa María is officially 2 months old today, and my life is slowly moving away from the couch. When she was a brand new teeny tiny baby, it was hard to imagine life going on as normal outside our cozy apartment. Gradually, I've been getting small pieces of regular life back and moving away from life on the couch.

Aunt Gunnhildur came back from school in the US last week, and quickly became Elsa María's new biggest fan. It was clearly love at first sight, and Elsa is very lucky to have such a beautiful aunt to teach her how to sail, climb on glaciers, play the violin, and do backflips! We are all very excited to have a summer to spend getting to know one another...

Gunnhildur and I just started an 8 week long Crossfit course at the gym. I am really looking forward to having something active to do not only to help me get back in shape after pregnancy, but also to help me get off the couch and practice being away from Elsa for a couple of hours. I've also been given permission to use Tumi's card at Yoga Shala for the summer, so I can go there for a yoga class whenever I have time. With this access and the workouts with Gunnhildur, I'm well-set of an active and fun summer!

In other random bits of news...

My thesis is at the print shop and will be officially handed in this week. I'll show you a copy if ya want. I am very proud.

My nipples have healed (yea!) and I now have some gnarly battle scars from my breastfeeding woes. I'll wear them proudly cuz I'm a tough lady.

Elsa can bring her hands together....which I guess is a thing.

The wind in Iceland changed direction, so ash from the volcano has shown up in Reykjavik. The cars are dusty, and we're hoping for a good hard rain soon.

I think oil spills royally suck, and we should learn from our mistakes!

Had my first freak-out about what to do with my career since finishing grad school. Trying to relax and hope for good things while the universe does its thing.

Tumi is preparing for a hiking trip in the Westfjords next week, and Elsa and I are preparing to hang out with just the two of us for a few days.

Click here to see Elsa María learning how to "bitho" (and don't worry if you have no idea what that is...it's a Davidson thing!)