Super Kid!

Wednesday, April 23rd, was International Book Day. Tipton was supposed to bring his favorite book to school and dress like one of the characters in the book. His favorite book is Bad Guys Beware! It's got these cards that you can change around to create a 'different' story. Kind of like Mad Libs. He loves it. The hero of the book is Super Kid (the villian is Crumball.) So of course Tipton had to be the hero. Super Kid wears a red suit with blue patches on the elbows, blue gloves and a purple cape with a yellow lightening bolt on it. You really only ever see Super Kid from the back/side. So we took a little liberty with his costume... His snow suit from last year was red, and while it was a little too short to wear as a snow suit, it worked fine as the basis for our Super Kid costume. I bought some blue oval shaped iron-on patches for the elbows. We already had some blue Rescue Heroes gloves. I bought some purple fabric (looks kind of like crushed velvet - required no hemming) for the cape, and some gold lamee fabric for the lightening bolt. We fastened the cape with some velcro (borrowing from my good friend, Amy's, idea.) I cut out a ligthening bolt and Mom sewed it on the cape. We had lots of the gold fabric leftover, so I cut out two smaller lightening bolts and we sewed them onto the gloves (over the Resue Heroes emblem.) Then I cut out another ligthening bolt and sewed it onto the front of the snow suit (over the little snowman emblem.) Add to that Tipton's blue snow boots and voila! I present to you, Super Kid!

Three Years Old!

Lilli turned three on Sunday, April 13th. We celebrated with a fun-filled day of presents, walking along the harbor, lunch at her favorite pizza place and a little party at her favorite playground. Here are the pictures of her big day:

Lilli started the day with her favorite breakfast - cheerios. One day Lilli will turn into a giant cheerio. Here she shows how old she is now.

After a fortifying breakfast, it was time to move on to the presents! And boy, did she rake it in! Among other things, Mommy and Daddy gave her some Duplo Lego blocks.

Grandma Suzie gave her lots of little things, like a Fairy Princess Party puzzle,

and a little Eva doll (Lilli loves her little dollies),

and a fairy princess magic wand,

and Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty magnetic dolls (that now adorn our dishwasher).

Grama Kay and Papa gave Lilli a Water Play Table

and a take-along Playmobil Dollhouse!

A friend of mine has two girls and has been passing along clothes as they outgrow them. In the latest bag of goodies was a mermaid dress. We gave it to Lilli for her birthday. I think she likes it.

Here Lilli shows the horse that came with the princess duplo blocks that we gave her.

Here Lilli is putting the blocks on the tips of her fingers. Too funny!

Grandma Suzie and Tipton teach Lilli how to play her new Shopping List game

Lilli arranges the furniture in her dollhouse. (Check out her pink, sparkly shoes!)

When we were finally able to coax Lilli out of her mermaid costume and into some "real" clothes, we went down for a stroll along the harbor.

Strongman Daddy holds both kiddos at once! (Tipton says Daddy's superpower is super strength. Mommy's superpower is finding things. And making cookies.)

There are several artistic fountains down near/along the harbor. This is the kids favorite one. The giant balls of marble (marbles??) actually move/spin/rotate. And you can change the direction they turn just by touching them.

Daddy got a picture of Tipton in the reflection on the marble.

This is SUCH a Lilli face! She is showing how many years she is and playing with some new playmobil toys while we wait for our pizza to be ready.

This is also SUCH a Lilli face!

And here is happy Tipton. He's got such a great smile! (And looking more and more like Daddy every day.)

Lilli with Grandma Suzie. (I really wish I had gotten more pictures of Grandma Suzie. I'm just so used to only taking pictures of the kids...)

At the park! John Ericsson park (at least, that's what we call it because it is on a street called John Ericsson.) Lilli is getting so big, and so Daring!

Lilli's favorite thing to do at this park is to go down the big tube slides.

Her expression says it all!

And of course it wouldn't be a party without cake! (Ha ha - it looks like the Ninja Turtle on her shirt is reaching for the cake! Have I mentioned that her favorite movie is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?)

And pretending to blow out the candles. We couldn't actually light the candles because it was too windy (we went through half a box of matches trying!) Lilli didn't seem to mind - she just wanted cake.

At the top of the slides! Aaron, Tipton and Lilli.

See that bird? Another one of Lilli's favorite things to do is chasing the birds.

Lilli in action! There are no birds in this picture because she just ran up to them, screaming and giggling.

Lilli loves playing in the sand. (Lilli loves doing anything that will require her to get dirty.)

Playing in the sand is hard work - so she's gotta lie down in the hole she just dug. (See that bird? It's tiptoe-ing away from Lilli, trying to go unnoticed so she doesn't run up to it screaming and giggling...)

Lilli is growing and changing so quickly. Just the week before she was afraid to go across the chain bridge, and here she navigates it like a pro.

Our friends, the Scotts (Sam, Ian, Selena and Aaron) gave Lilli a ballerina dress up costume for her birthday. It was a HUGE hit. And now, Lilli performs the birthday ballerina dance for your enjoyment.

The Magic Word

Lilli: "Momma, I wanna watch a video."
Me: "How do you ask?"
Lilli: "Can I watch a video?"
Me: "What's the magic word?"
Lilli: "Princess!"

She's just a little obsessed with Disney Princesses.

Mom's visit - Week 1

My Mom came to visit. She arrived the day of Tipton's birthday party. Lilli and I met her at the airport. We took the train back to Malmö, then drove to meet Dave and Tipton at McDonald's for lunch. (Tipton had judo that morning.) From there we went home to ice Tipton's birthday cake, then to Little Gym for the party.

The next day Mom (aka Grandma Suzie) started pulling out treasures from her suitcase. She brought some Knights Legos for Tipton.


She also brought them some more 'crock-like' shoes. Two pairs each. Tipton got white ones and blue ones.

Lilli got green ones and gold ones. Mom told them that the brand of shoes is called 'Dawgs' to which Lilli replied "No, I'm a cat!"

Later that day we drove to Lund, to tour the Lund Cathedral. Very old and beautiful and interesting. Legend has it that there is a giant in the crypt!

The next day, Monday (the 7th) we took Tipton to school, then walked to Cafe Amarant for a snack. Afterwards we walked to Ronnehomsparken (aka 'the wooden park) to meet Lilli's daycare. It was one of her 'off' days, but her teachers had invited us to join them at the park. While there, Lilli had some sort of freakish allergic reaction to something. Her cheeks swelled up and turned bright red, and were covered with large, white welts. Very strange. I called the vårdcentralen and was able to get her an appointment for later that morning. The one place I was hoping that I wouldn't have to show my mom (the doctor's office) and yet that's where we were going on the second full day of her visit! Of course by the time we got there the swelling had gone down and the welts were almost gone. The doctor prescribed some cortison and a prescription for a benedryl-type medicine in case it happened again. The nurse that gave Lilli the cortisone asked how her brother was doing. (You know that you've had a rough year when the lab technicians/nurses recognize you by site and ask after members of your family that aren't even present.) Mom also got to experience the swedish Apoteket (drugstore.) Where I had to wait for 45 mintues to get Lilli's prescription filled. Later we went to Hörnan (the fancy toy shop) and Mom bought Lilli a pink princess crown.

On Tuesday (8th) we took Tipton to school, then walked Lilli to daycare. Of course, Lilli had to wear her new pink princess crown to 'school.'Then walked on to Cafe Gustav for chai lattes. From there we went to Ikea. Somehow Mom and I never made it to Ikea when she was here last year. Sam went with us. We had lunch in the cafeteria there. We had mom get the Swedish Meatballs - for the full Ikea experience.

On Wednesday (9th) we took Tipton to school. Then as we were going back to the car Mom tripped and fell! Totally freaked me out. I was yelling. Sam was waiting for us at the car and she came running. Heather had just gotten to her car across the street and came running, with her daughter still strapped to her chest in the baby bjorn. We managed to get Mom up. Fortunately, nothing was broken (but Mom's pride, she said.) Although she was bruised and we were all a little shakey. We came home so Mom could change clothes and take some ibuprofen, then Sam and Lilli and Mom and I drove on to Lund. I felt kind of like a creep, making Mom walk all over Lund after falling, but it was probably the best thing for her - she didn't just sit at home and stiffen up. Anyway, we parked near the train station and walked to the Expresso House for a restorative chai latte and a snack. Then on to the pedestrian mall! First we went into Sländan, the yarn shop. I did really good and only bought two balls of sock yarn. Mom bought a few things for herself and some souveniers for friends. Then on to Tiger (closest thing to a dollar store we've got over here.) Spent way too much money in there. Then we went to Jätekul, a toy store. Looked for a possible birthday present for Lilli. Next stop, lunch! We ate at a turkey place (cannot for the life of me remember the name.) While we were there, Lilli got those wierd welts on her cheeks again, but not nearly as bad. Then back to Malmö and Bladin's to pick up Tipton. Then on to the Little Gym for the kids classes.

Thursday (10th) we took the kids to school, then hurried home to do a bit of house keeping before my swedish lesson. I'd woken up with hardly any voice, which made our swedish lessons very, um, challenging. Tipton had Samba Football practice (soccer with samba music playing in the background) that afternoon. We walked down to the pub for dinner.

Friday (11th). Took Tipton to school. Went to Toys R Us and to Jätekul to buy Lilli's birthday presents. Had a swedish lesson. That afternoon we went to John Ericsson park to play. Sam and Nami (& kids) went with us. Then home for dinner - pizza & a video night! (Watched TMNT, of course.)

Saturday (12th). I made Mom pittypanna for breakfast. Dave took Tipton to Judo and Mom, Lilli and I went to Lidl. We had lunch at McDonald's in Lund, then went on to Samantha's birthday party. The kids had a great time, of course. Samantha's grandmother was also visiting, from Mexico! Here is Tipton and Samantha with Samantha's grandmother.

Tipton's Birthday Party

Tipton had a 'joint' birthday party with his friend Keisuke on April 5th. Keisuke's birthday was towards the end of March. We had their party at The Little Gym. My mom (aka Grandma Suzie) came to visit and arrived in the morning the day of the party.

We had a 'Knights' theme for the party. I found knight t-shirts for Tipton and Keisuke, and also knit them crowns to wear for the party. (Originally I was going to knit crowns for all of the party guests, but my intentions were much better than my ambition, time and organization.)

So without further ado, party pictures!

Tipton and Lilli wait for the party guests to arrive. Lilli's just a little excited.

The guests have arrived and have been lined up against the wall to listen to the Little Gym rules.

(L-R: Feline, Tipton, Keisuke, Mazime, Sho (Keisuke's older brother), Aaron, Lilli, Samantha, Elina, Catherine...)

One of the instructors ask Keisuke and Tipton what sort of things they want to do at their party.

Lilli is explaining something to the instructors. I have no idea what, but she is just so expressive.

Birthday cakes! I was trying to make a castle. And I needed enough cake for 24 kids, so in true Swedish style we also have the 'summer home.' They may not look like castles, but man were they tastey! Chocolate cakes with cream cheese frosting.

In keeping with the Knights theme, we had little Playmobil knights to 'deocrate' the cake. The silver one with the black hair represents Keisuke and the gold one with the blonde hair represents Tipton. They got to keep their knights.

The kids played with the big parachute. (L-R: Keisuke, Samantha, Lilli, Gabriel.)

L-R: Feline, Alexander, Tipton, Maxime.

Tipton shows off his skills on the balance beam.

What the dads did.

The kids also got to play "tennis." Here Lilli is playing with one of the instructors.

Of course, Tipton and Aaron were parthers. And as usually happens, they did more talking about playing than actual playing.

Lilli needs a quick snack. Nami (Keisuke's Mom) is putting the finishing touches on the table.

Waiting for cake.

Back row, L-R: Catherine, Eren, Elina, Selena, Lilli, Aaron, Samantha, Tipton. Front row, L-R: Gabriel, Maxime, Ines (Maxime's little sister), Feline, Alper, Felicity, Viljami.

Back row, L-R: Finnoula, Sho, Catherine, Eren, Elina, Selena, Lilli, Aaron, Samantha. Front row, L-R: Keisuke, Nora, Alexander, Finn, Gabriel, Maxime, Ines, Feline, Alper, Felicity, Viljami.

Happy Boy! I think he's enjoying his party.

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Tip-ton! Happy Birthday to you!" (We sang Happy Birthday to Keisuke first - he got the castle, Tipton got the summer home.)

Yummy cake!

Mmmmmmm!

He takes after his father...

Bye! Thanks for coming to our party!

After the party we went home and had dinner. And as usually happens, the cell phones came out. Can you tell they're related?

Not only are Dave and Tipton playing games on the cellphones, Lilli is too. The apples really don't fall far from the tree, do they?

It was a great party and I think everyone had a wonderful time.