Made in Reykjavik: Silence

´Silence´seems an appropriate title for this blog post. It is what has been heard on this blog for the past several weeks. It is what I have craved in the middle of the night as both children are adjusting to the time difference between the west coast of the US and good ole´Reykjavik, Iceland. And, ´Silent Night´is the lullaby of choice for the kiddos these days, so SILENCE it is!

We had a marvelous trip to the US over the holidays. That was our 3rd year in a row in the US for Christmas, so certainly next year we will stay at home in Reykjavik. It is time to start our own holiday traditions as a family :)

We spent most of our time in Tacoma living the life of a family with two very young children. We made excellent use of the new playground just down the street from Gramma and Grampa´s house. Elsa and Pabbi paid daily visits to the pet store down the street to check in on the puppies and chat with the parrot-in-residence, called Magoo. We connected with all those loving relatives Elsa has been learning about from a distance via photo albums. I miss family already.

In developmental updates, Elsa is speaking both Icelandic and English. She knows her ABC´s and can count to tíu/ten. She is the bossy-big-sister in our house, and enjoys telling any adoring grown up who is willing to listen where to sit and how to draw and what to play with and what to fetch her to drink and eat. She had a fabulous time tinkering around with her Grandma Julie´s iPad. She has a new best friend, a microwavable stuffed Tiger that smells like lavender which she has named ´Sushi´. Our trip to the US gave me an opportunity to introduce my little lady to some classic American kid food that is hard or impossible to come by in Iceland...Mac and Cheese, goldfish crackers, graham crackers, peanut butter, string cheese...all fine delicacies for the preschooler´s palate!

Finn learned to crawl in the US, much to the delight of his aunties uncles, grands, and cousins. He now eats (and eats and eats and eats) solid food, sometimes spooned-out mashed-up versions of grown-up person food, and sometimes grab-able bits with his own chubby little fingers! When we arrived back home in Iceland, he started pulling himself up to standing...so now begins the era of big falls, bruises, and Mama´s fear of all sharp edges and wobbly bookshelves...

Now I can hear Finn starting to wake up, so I´ll do the rest in pictures :)

Getting ready for our flight out to visit Gramma and Grampa!

Tumi and me with Lil Brother Thomas at our first ever midnight Rocky-Horror Picture Show. Thomas was Riff Raff that night. Strangest. Night. Ever.

Finn napping at Shirley Street with Marley standing guard.

Happy little boy on our trip to the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle

And Elsa at the zoo!

Hanging out with Hiro in the U Village

Elsa helping Grandma Julie decorate the Christmas tree!

She calles them Kissmaslies, and they do NOT go in your mouth!

Hola, Senor!

Baby boy blue eyes

Skyr-face.

So nice to hang out with UNCLES! (and pizza to boot!!!)

Real live somewhat larger version of Sushi-Tiger. There are now 2 tigers at the Point Defiance zoo...this one, and one in another enclosed area. When I asked the zoo volunteer why they were not together, she explained that this one is the Mama of the other one (who is just about as old as Elsa) and he got to be too energetic for her to handle, so they moved him to another cage so she can rest. How well I understand her situation....