Stuck in a snowy Sweden...

...is poor Grandad. Not that he appears to mind to much, getting even more time to spoil Andrew.

With the volcano having a whale of a time in Iceland, and on top of that a very unexpected heavy snowfall today Bill will be here until Tuesday next week.

So far we've eaten loads of really nice food, apart from Andrew who had his first taste of parsnip at the Baby café on Tuesday. Lets just say he was not impressed. At all. But still ate a bit of it. To give him credit it did have a fairly bitter after taste, either from the rapeseed oil or the milk-au-mummy that didn't like being frozen.

We did a new batch the following day, free from additives and that went down a lot better. But not quite as well as the orange he tried today! He sucked and sucked and sucked, not getting enough at all. He went through the better part of a whole orange, and left for me to eat the remains of the orange once he sucked all the juice out.

Went in to Uppsala on day to meet up with the boys, and at the café we went to Andrew made a new friend in a little boy sitting next to us. They had a great chat, about what only they will know, and finished off nearly snogging each other. Very cute.

Rollin',rollin', rollin'

That's what our baby has done today!

We went with Helena and Mira to visit Sara and Isak today, and there he rolled over from back to tummy for the very first time! Once he got the hand of it it, he rolled back and forth, back and forth, back and forth - having a great time!

He really is getting so big, our little quite pie!

Tomorrow Grandad Bill arrives, so we will spend tomorrow doing a bit of tidying up and not, not to forget - baking a big chocolate cake with icing on it. The daugher in law is ever so slightly in the bad books, so I'd better make one heck of a chocolate cake! But I'm hoping on baby Andrew to charm him so much that he forgets about the hotel reservation...

Today in pictures

Napping in the pram on the balcony

Getting a doggie mouth wash...

...and foot wash

Working hard on the crawling

On the play mat I got from mormor and morfar today. It's great!!

Not too impressed with mum's attempt to capture mother & son

Doggies enjoying the glorious sunshine

Just a quick...

... post to let you know Andrew is now trying to pull his small legs up under himself to push himself forwards! He's moved forwards since he was 2 months if we held our hands to his feet, but now he does it all by himself! In the process he gets really annoyed and pissed off, especially when we put his favourite toy just out of reach in front of him so that he has to push himself forward to get it. But he does it!

And he fell asleep in his very own bed for the first time tonight! Without me singing him to sleep like I usually do. Hmm...maybe we shoud check his hearing, cause by right no living sould should ever be able to fall asleep to the sound of my singing!! Oh god, I may have damaged him for life now! He will never be able to appreciate good music, will grow up to be a mad person living in an old bus in the forest listening to nails scratching against a black board!!

Or could the lack of my singing be the reason behind him falling asleep so well? So many questions, so few answers.

And such a tired mother's brain spinning wild. Time for bed methinks.

Early morning...

...and the family is asleep. All but me. Andrew woke up fairly early and kicked me until I gave up trying to sleep, and instead we had a nice morning cuddle before a certain aroma let us know it was time to get up whether mummy wanted to or not.

As usual, after about 1,5 hours, he's tired and ready for a nap.

It's a truly miserable morning, grey, cold and wet - a day to stay inside. Sitting here listening to Today Fm and missing Ireland. Suppose it's the weather bringing this feeling on. Had I been in dear old Killarney now, I would have a fire going to make the grey outside seem a bit less grey. But over here I suppose a lit candle will have to do.

Every so often I wish that we were still in Kerry, with all our friends and family, cosy pubs and a nice cold Bulmers. But then I realise that as much as I love my second home, we would not have the life there that we have here. Yes, it's been a gruelling year and a half in many ways, but we've made it through it. And with Andrew in our family, I can stay at home with him for at least a year, then go back to work only 75% should I want to. It's a legal right.

We are entitled to child care from the day he turns one, and it won't cost us an arm and a leg.

We're both working Mon - Fri daytime only, and with very decent wages. We can actually look at buying a house!

All this added together I know we made the right decision in moving back, but still.... Ireland is my second home. I miss the people, my friends; the long walks in the park, the beautiful and ever changing scenery, walking the streets in Killarney feeling so at home, the smell of peat burning... But all of this is forever in my heart, and who knows, maybe one day we'll move back!

Till then, we look forward to Grandad Bill with the rat arriving next week, and the whole family in May for Andrew's christening.

Banana porridge!

Hmm...this blog seems to have taken on a distinct food theme lately, but what can I say - I love watching Andrew trying new things!

Yesterday and today he has eaten banana porridge, which he really loved! I really couldn't feed him fast enough in his opinion and threw himself over the spoon which resulted in porridge in his nose. But that did not deter him the slightest!

We've also been for a walk with the pram maffia, and had a nice cup of tea afterwards while Andrew, M and L were playing.

Spuds spuds spuds

This is officially the third time I'm writing this, and aim to actually have it posted properly tonight. The problem has been the little clip of Andrew eating his spud that won't upload.

Yes, our little baby has now advanced to potatoes. Much to his liking.

It's served well mashed up with a bit of milk au Mammy. Much to Liam's dislike when I made him try it.

It is quite funny watching Andrew eating, not much makes the whole journey from spoon to stomach but it's really only to let him have a taste. We're also getting a glimpse of what might be. Andrew, 4 months old, is adamant he's big enough to hold the spoon himself.

Next step, in a few days time, on his culinary journey will be mashed carrots. Happy days!