Juledag // Christmas day

Christmas Day was a relaxed and happy day. Just look how the men all dressed up nicely in musical ties :-)

We took our time opening presents. Duncan and I gave Samuel a bike (en løbecykel) which he was very proud of, and helped morfar and Daddy to put together.

Since we had a white Christmas, most of us went out to play on the sledges just behind my parents' house. Samuel absolutely loved it. Even on the steep hill.

Afterwards there was more playing for Samuel, reading in books for the adults, laughing at the comic books, that had been given, marvelling at whatever presents we had been given, drinking tea and eating sweets.

God gave us the greatest gift of becoming our family in Christ. And o, we are thankful for our family!

Jul // Christmas

In preparation for Christmas, we took part in the family service in Vejle the week before Christmas. Samuel enjoyed - as usual - all the music, the children and danced around when the children's choir sang. His "hero" Christian played the drums, and Samuel was quite awed.

Every Tuesday since September Duncan and Samuel has spend with their friends Jaco and Joel. Taking turns to visit each other each week the four "boys" have played and had so much fun together. The two boys call each other "El", not being able to pronounce each other's names properly yet. The last Tuesday before Christmas the celebrated the end of their Tuesday meetings as Samuel is off to play school (vuggestue) after the new year.

On the 21st we went up north to my parents to celebrate the birthday of my dad on the 22nd. Samuel and I stayed with my parents and my brother while Duncan went to Vejle and Esbjerg to celebrate the services for Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve (which is the time Christmas is celebrated with gifts etc. in Denmark) we were at my parents with my mum's old Dad. Samuel quite enjoyed having his Uncle, grandparents and even is greatgrandad around. The picture below is my grandad opening the picture he was given of our little family. The ear-muffs are a form of hearing aid.

All though Samuel liked his presents and were proud of them, the best thing about Christmas, I think, was that Uncle Lasse was there for several days in a row, and had the time to play with him. Here they are reading a book about a noisy car:

Fødselsdag // Birthday

This weekend we have celebrated Samuel's second birthday - though the first birthday with us. It's been a great succes. Not that he's understood the concept - except the cakes. And the delight of having grandma, mormor, morfar AND uncle Lasse here at the same time! Presents are a new thing, and not something Samuel rushes through. He spend a long time discovering each thing he unwrapped. He loved his Postman Pat, his little play egg and the digger from Lasse. And his mum and dad loved all the clothes (Sam and Aly gave him a t-shirt which said "Little man, big attitude - to general amusement)

THANK YOU ALL for the lovely presents and cards you've send him!

And then, off course, we've had grandma visiting. Samuel was not a happy bunny when he had to say goodbye! Luckily we know she'll be back soon - next time with granddad!

Winter has come to Denmark for sure. It's white all over, and has been for a week now. Still more snow is coming. Last night it was -14 in a neighbouring town. Samuel has learned the use of wearing gloves!

Last week he and I went to visit Louie, who Samuel lived with in South Africa - we travelled home with Louie and his parents, and are seeing them regularly. At Louie's there's a little car in the garden. Big enough to fit in for the boys. With a steering wheel and doors to open and shut it's perfect for Samuel's games of coming and going. He has gone directly to it every time we've visited and been in the garden. Last time was no different.

He wanted me to push him around, which would've been no problem if the ground hadn't been covered in around 20 cm of snow. We tried to lure him to the sledge. We tried to show how much fun such a thing is - and how much easier it goes on snow. To no avail. Samuel wanted the car and nothing else.

A proud man and his car. Who cares for snow and sledge-fun when there's a car around?!

He is one cool dude. Just look at those glasses!

But not only that. He's helpful too. Just look how elegantly he lays the table:

And yes, it's only a matter of time before he's off to work. I believe what he said was: "Bye bye" and then asked to get him his shoes :-)

All will be well // Det skal nok gå

Samuel and I went with the congregation in Vejle to a small zoo near by on Sunday. We had a good time.

To day Duncan and I have been to see the adoption consultant again. She's good, and it's a great help to have someone, who understands about adoption, feelings, nervous systems, development and family relations all at the same time! We gain a greater understanding of Samuel, of our task as parents and of our selves in the new situation that we're in.

And yes, she kept underlining, it is a new situation - even if it feels as though he has always been here 5 months is not a long time. It isn't. And we know it. Yet it's so easy to forget. And therefore easy to expect a lot of ourselves: shouldn't we have a routine by now? Why is it so difficult to start back at work? We ought to be able to put him to bed.... And many thoughts along those lines.

I think she gave us a healthy perspective. And most importantly she gave us hope and confidence. All will be well!!

Too big? // For stor?

Samuel is exploring the world big time. There's no other way to get to know it. He's good at finding things to discover. And he's good at trying what we s how him: water, light, textures, food etc.

The other day he found my slumber cardigan. A huge thing I have taken from my grandad's. It's o so cosy and warm! Apparently, it's also great fun to dress up in!

Gagaerne // The Gagas

This week we saw The Gaga's off. That's how Samuel pronounces both Granma and Grandad. For a little week we had them here to talk with, play with and teach us new songs. Well, new for Samuel and I anyway. Duncan did remember once he was reminded.

It's the first time Ian has been over since Samuel arrived, so it took a little time, before he was accepted, whereas Jean was taken by the hand around the house quite quickly. Though once Grandad was figured out, playing hide and seek was a great thrill - in fact, we've had to check out the good hiding places since they've gone home.

As you can tell from the pictures granparents are good to have at hand when huge lorrys or weird slides need to be examine. Duncan and I thought they were great too for putting up lights and shortening trousers :-)

It's becoming very obvious now that we have Samuel just how far away both our families are. Luckily my parents are down next week, and Jean is back in just four weeks! Hoorraa for trains, plains and automobiles.

July//Juli

As July is over so is our holiday - almost. We have had all of July to spend how we chose. Lovely! It's not quite been holiday as we're used to - no lounging around reading books while sitting in the sun or the shade as we please. No card playing tournaments that lasted all day. Not much in the way of spontaneous outings, and definately not much in the way of sleep. Instead we've spend a lot of time playing, sleeping in shifts and enjoying quiet evenings.

As written else where our time has been split between Vejle and our summerhouse. And a little weekend at my parents' to get some much needed sleep and rest.

We've been with friends for a couple of days.

And lately we have Ian and Jean (Samuel's English granparents) visiting. We were originally meant to go and see them in the UK, but as Samuel has been reacting as he has, we decided against it.

The end of July sees the end of my maternity leave. I start work again on the 9th of August, where Duncan takes over on leave.

What have we learned in July?

Sandboxes are FUN!

A day out to a crowded place is no use for a toddler or his parents.

Holidays are still holidays - just different!

Lego really know there stuff - when the write "From 1 1/2 years" they're spot on

Samuel has a talent for building with his Dad

Duncan's too got at the card game of 500 (he wins too much)

Anne, however, isn't too anything just because she'll win the cribbage tournament

We love, love, love our little house in "the north"

So many new words from Samuel that I've lost count.

Holiday impressions // Ferie indtryk

Both Duncan and I are still off - at the moment we are sharing some time on maternity/paternity leave. (In Denmark you have 48 weeks of leave to share more or less equally between you for each child.) In about a week and a half I go back to work, and Duncan and Samuel will take care of each other.

The past weeks have been shared between Vejle and the summerhouse. In an attempt to give mum and dad the holiday they like and not taking Samuel away from home for too long.

The weather has been hot, sunny and lovely, so there's been a lot of bathing - either at the beach or in a tub in the garden. I like this picture as it looks as though even Holly thinks the splashing is entertaining - however, if you look carefully, you will see her stick hiding behind the bathtub. A stick is all it takes to make Holly happy!

Here we are on a small outing. Duncan and I thought we were going to walk for a little while, but as it turned out Samuel knew better. So here we are having our picnic.
Which, as you can see, made someone both excited and happy!!
One of the friends I have that go back to my childhood came by my parents' ahere we have been staying for a weekend to get some sleep. Samuel is having difficulties falling a sleep and sleep through the night. It can take up to two or three hours to get him off to sleep. Amazingly it seems to be affecting Duncan and I the most. Our adoption advicer has told us to think of ourselves as a couple, who has a child suffering from cholic - not the most hopeful of all things. However, he does seem to be coming in to an easier period. (fingers crossed!!)

Anyway, back to the subject. Louise came to see us with her husband and their daughter Signe. Her and Samuel played well together - and were very busy making all sorts of sandy cakes!

At the moment we have gaga (grandma) and gaga (granddad) from England visiting (Who knew Jean was Lady Gaga?! Again: Samule is the wisest). We are looking forwards to spending a little week with them both.

Sommer på stranden // Summer at the beach

It is most definately summer!! And we have so become a young-children's family: at 9 o'clock we were off to the beach.... Fully awake and everything. Only ones there except us where other young families and pensioners. See, we have become part of a whole new kind of people....

Nyt soveværelse // New Bedroom

Samuel's helping Daddy put up a new bed in the little room in the summerhouse, that has now been all restored. He didn't like the drill much, but as soon as that had finished, he ran from mum back to daddy to help out (or hinder) with skrews, drawings and measurements....

Varmt // Warm

It is incredibly warm here today. Has been all day. Samuel was so warm at one point that even his ears were sweating! So we have been in the garden most of the day - keeping to the shade. Samuel has been busy splashing in water - tomorrow we hope to make it to the beach so we can all cool off!!

Konzentrazione //Concentration

Samuel i dyb koncentration med den lille saks til hans negle. Den har sådan en sjov ting, der skal på efter brug... // Samuel deeply concentrated with the little scissor for his nails. It has this little holder thing, that needs to go on after use ...

And a lovely smile to finish off on ...

Ferie // Holiday

Duncan's off on holiday now. He has held his last service in 6 months as his holiday becomes paternity leave in three weeks. That means we now have 5 whole weeks together as a family! The only other time we have had that was the summer we got married and moved into Cliff Park in Derbyshire....

This weekend we spend at my parents' and getting the summer house ready for all three of us to stay there. My parents has invested in a sand box (?) which Samuel absolutely loved! They will now have sand all over everywhere on their patio :-)

At the house we managed to get the little bedroom ready for the bed to be build in next time we come up. So far Duncan and I have slept at the alcove above the living room, but with Samuel waking up in the middle of the night we've decided against that. Just look at those colours - aren't they nice?!

Being with family here, makes us feel the pull for family there too...