Sunday, June 24, 2012
Memories of Norway
Walks in the woods...Aidan knowing the names of and identifying several plants and flowers...expensive, warm winter wear that allows us to play outside whatever the weather....hearty Norwegians braving the elements in their expensive, warm but lightweight clothing...brown cheese...Northern lights...Frognerseteren in Oslo, our beautiful wedding there....17th of May celebrations....superb social welfare system which keeps people out of deep poverty...the births of our two wonderful kids....
Moving
As we prepare to move from Oslo to the USA, my heart is full of feeling about what we will leave behind and what is to come. We sold our home a few weeks ago, and it was a tough process. Preparing the place for photos and viewings was quite an experience, and we even had a home stylist come to us and tell us how to decorate our place for the sale! We had to buy in new pieces of furniture and make the place spotless and perfect. We even renovated the bathroom. Aidan commented that the place looked like a hotel, that´s how sterile we made it!
Daniel has had a tough time lately with his gastrointestinal issues, but I think he will turn a corner soon. It seems that 10 rounds of antibiotics and a possible milk protein allergy might be our culprits. And we are committed to a better diet for him and the entire family. We´ve dropped refined flours and bread, and will try and eat less sugar, more veggies and fruits, and of course no dairy products for Daniel. He has had a really tough time with lots of sickness, and it has affected his mood and patience. My heart goes out to him when he´s hurting, and I can´t wait for things to get easier soon for him!
Daniel is a funny and smart little guy, and we adore him. He is slowly adding words to his vocabulary, and can understand almost everything. He loves trains, and still calls them "vuggas," although he also says "frain" now. He loves his stroller, a Mountain Buggy from OTH, and often asks to sit in it. He calls is "wogen," as in the Norwegian "vogn."
Aidan is doing well, but is nervous about moving and starting school - especially since we don´t know which school he´ll be going to yet. He had a really sweet kindergarten graduation party at Årvoll Gård, a nearby farmstead, and we´re so proud of him! Here he is at the party.
Daniel has had a tough time lately with his gastrointestinal issues, but I think he will turn a corner soon. It seems that 10 rounds of antibiotics and a possible milk protein allergy might be our culprits. And we are committed to a better diet for him and the entire family. We´ve dropped refined flours and bread, and will try and eat less sugar, more veggies and fruits, and of course no dairy products for Daniel. He has had a really tough time with lots of sickness, and it has affected his mood and patience. My heart goes out to him when he´s hurting, and I can´t wait for things to get easier soon for him!
Daniel is a funny and smart little guy, and we adore him. He is slowly adding words to his vocabulary, and can understand almost everything. He loves trains, and still calls them "vuggas," although he also says "frain" now. He loves his stroller, a Mountain Buggy from OTH, and often asks to sit in it. He calls is "wogen," as in the Norwegian "vogn."
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Skauen Barnehage :)
Aidan has spent the last two years at Skauen (slang for "The Woods") Kindergarten here in the Tonsenhagen section of Oslo. It´s been wonderful. The kindergarten overlooks a huge field and is near the woods, which they frequently visit and learn about nature.
They build bonfires, build tree swings and visit tadpole ponds while singing and playing amongst the rocks and trees. I love that he´s had this great opportunity to be so close to nature, and it´s wonderful when he comes and shows us various leaves and can identify them by name. We passed some wild plants recently, and he commented that they look like wild strawberry plants. How awesome is that?! They had no sign of the berries, so he was going by the look of the leaves alone.
Kids are expected to be fairly disciplined here, and there are rules for mealtimes and playing and many other things. They sit down and eat and are expected to sit quietly for 30 minutes or so, with only quiet conversation and calmness around. They all help clear the table, and a spirit of cooperation and mutual responsibility in cleaning up and keeping the peace is fostered in the kids.
Aidan is the oldest boy in a group of 18. The ages are mixed, and some of the kids are as young as 2. The kids in his age group are all girls, and it´s been interesting to watch him foster his own interests among three same-age girls who are very, well, girl-ish. I´m not at all hung up on sex/gender as an all-important differential, but when all three girls define themselves strongly in terms of traditional roles and interests, it does seem to impact in some way. Going to a more evenly mixed gender, much larger first grade classroom will probably be a big adjustment at first for Aidan. I´m sure he´ll manage just fine with time.
Skauen, especially after an awful kindergarten the year before, has been a wonderful gift in all of our lives. When Aidan first set eyes on Skauen prior to starting there, the first thing he said was, "What a beautiful place!" And it is a beautiful place. We´re eternally grateful to Elin, Vigdis and Monica (plus Lisbeth and Kine who have worked there as subsitutes) for their wonderful and hard work to make Skauen as fantastic as it is!
They build bonfires, build tree swings and visit tadpole ponds while singing and playing amongst the rocks and trees. I love that he´s had this great opportunity to be so close to nature, and it´s wonderful when he comes and shows us various leaves and can identify them by name. We passed some wild plants recently, and he commented that they look like wild strawberry plants. How awesome is that?! They had no sign of the berries, so he was going by the look of the leaves alone.
Kids are expected to be fairly disciplined here, and there are rules for mealtimes and playing and many other things. They sit down and eat and are expected to sit quietly for 30 minutes or so, with only quiet conversation and calmness around. They all help clear the table, and a spirit of cooperation and mutual responsibility in cleaning up and keeping the peace is fostered in the kids.
Aidan is the oldest boy in a group of 18. The ages are mixed, and some of the kids are as young as 2. The kids in his age group are all girls, and it´s been interesting to watch him foster his own interests among three same-age girls who are very, well, girl-ish. I´m not at all hung up on sex/gender as an all-important differential, but when all three girls define themselves strongly in terms of traditional roles and interests, it does seem to impact in some way. Going to a more evenly mixed gender, much larger first grade classroom will probably be a big adjustment at first for Aidan. I´m sure he´ll manage just fine with time.
Skauen, especially after an awful kindergarten the year before, has been a wonderful gift in all of our lives. When Aidan first set eyes on Skauen prior to starting there, the first thing he said was, "What a beautiful place!" And it is a beautiful place. We´re eternally grateful to Elin, Vigdis and Monica (plus Lisbeth and Kine who have worked there as subsitutes) for their wonderful and hard work to make Skauen as fantastic as it is!
17th of May celebrations at Skauen
Henriette, an adorable little friend of Aidan´s
Elin, the awesome kindergarten director
Aidan bought lottery tickets to try and win some paintings the kids made. The money went to the childrens hospital unit at Ullevål Hospital. I hoped to win one of the four paintings to take with us as a memento to New York.
Aidan won two of the four paintings, including the rainbow one I was hoping we would win, and he gave one to his buddy Amanda :)
Vugga!
Daniel calls trains "vuggas," and whenever we see a train or a tram, including tracks or even trucks that look like trains, he squeals with delight and exclaims, "vugga!!" He sleeps with his toy trains, and calls out in the middle of the night sometimes for them if he loses his grip on them while sleeping :)
He also calls anything with a flashing light a "babboo," which is the sound sirens make in Norwegian. He calls out babboo excitedly whenever he sees flashing lights on fire trucks, police cars, ambulances or construction vehicles. it´s very cute and fun to see the exuberance and joy in such things in a small child. Love it :)
He also calls anything with a flashing light a "babboo," which is the sound sirens make in Norwegian. He calls out babboo excitedly whenever he sees flashing lights on fire trucks, police cars, ambulances or construction vehicles. it´s very cute and fun to see the exuberance and joy in such things in a small child. Love it :)
Daddy and Doddy
Daniel now calls me, Sarah, "Doddy." Since I returned from Copenhagen a few weeks ago, that´s what he´s been calling me. When I correct him and tell him I´m Mommy, he says "uh uh" with some indignation. Sigh. Did my trips to Jerusalem, London and Copenhagen, all within a span of 6 weeks, upset him so much that he decided that I don´t deserve my Mommy title anymore? Or is it just that he feels that it´s easier to call both parents by almost the same name so that when he calls, one of us will more likely come?
Hehe, it´s cute and funny. But I do hope I get my name back sometime soon. I do think Daddy would like exclusive rights to his title as well :)
Hehe, it´s cute and funny. But I do hope I get my name back sometime soon. I do think Daddy would like exclusive rights to his title as well :)
Moving from Oslo blues
We´ve made the big decision, at least it´s a big one for us, to move from Oslo to New York.
It´s been a torturous decision to make, as Oslo is a great place and we love so much about living here. Oslo is a safe and beautiful city, and Norway´s social and political system is among the finest in the world.
The welfare system and humane policies regarding the poor, labor laws, and healthcare are fantastic and provide all citizens with protections that assure that no one falls below a certain level in society. Everyone has access to superior healthcare at all times, no matter whether they are employed or not, and although there are high taxes here, everyone benefits from the fact that very few people are desperate. Crime rates are relatively low, and Norwegians take the attitude that prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to social problems. They prefer to rehabilitate rather than punish, and prefer to handle potential problems aggressively before they become bigger - such as providing great amounts of resources to children at risk.
We´re set to leave Oslo in about a month from now, and are very nervous about the move. We don´t have jobs in New York yet, and economic times are tough. Jobs are hard to come by. We´re hoping for the best, and decided that rather than waiting to move until one of us found a job, we´d just do it and go. Getting a job in New York while living in Oslo is a tall order, and we might never move if we wait for that to happen.
It feels a bit irresponsible to go as a family of four with no jobs. Sigh. It´s a conundrum. We don´t feel that Oslo is our forever home, but at the same time we´re highly aware of what we´re giving up by leaving this wonderful country that gave us two beautiful kids, a gorgeous wedding, 2 years living in the woods in an 18th century farmstead, a Fulbright Scholarship for Sarah, interesting experiences working for a time in the foreign ministry as an English teacher for dad, and some great friends and great memories.
Aidan´s reaction to the move seems to be a combination of curiosity and concern. He´s not looking forward to first grade, and says that he doesn´t want to grow up and doesn´t want to be any bigger than 6. He´s well aware that growing up brings with it increasing demands and responsibilities, and he doesn´t think it´s all fun and games to get older. We talk about it alot, and I try and assure him that there are many positives and that we´ll still have fun and make time for relaxation and play. And that even in school there´s time for fun and play. He watches the kids series Arthur Reads alot, and the third graders there seem a bit intimidating to him it seems. He´s fascinated by them, but also sees the social struggles and the academic demands reflected there, and it seems daunting. I´d like to show him what first grade is like, but there´s not much out there on YouTube or otherwise that shows that. Hmm, a book about first grade might be a good starting point. I´m going to look for a good one or two for him.
Daniel is doing well after having a gastroscopy last week. He has chronic stomach pain, and we´re trying to figure out what´s behind it. The initial results were normal, and the suspicion is that he´s allergic to dairy protein. I suspect that other foods may also be problematic, so we´ll probably do some elimination diets to try and figure it out. He´s definitely reacting to the changes in the air. Our entire apt. looks totally different than normal after putting it up for sale. Here in Norway, when you sell your place you need to make it look perfect, like a furniture showroom, without personal items around and in perfect condition. We renovated our bathroom, painted and renewed the furniture. We even bought 22 plants and flowers to have around the place for the viewing, to make the place look fresh and woodsy. Aidan said that the place looked like a hotel :)
Lately, wherever I go I seem to meet someone I know. Even at Daniel´s gastroscopy, I met a friend from school. I met a former colleague yesterday at Linderud Center, and met friends from Aidan´s kindergarten at a concert yesterday. Oslo has become home, almost. New York is more my home, but it is still with a heavy heart that I leave this cool place for my other hometown, the one that feels 60% like home.
Here´s one of our moving boxes, with Aidan inside :)
It´s been a torturous decision to make, as Oslo is a great place and we love so much about living here. Oslo is a safe and beautiful city, and Norway´s social and political system is among the finest in the world.
The welfare system and humane policies regarding the poor, labor laws, and healthcare are fantastic and provide all citizens with protections that assure that no one falls below a certain level in society. Everyone has access to superior healthcare at all times, no matter whether they are employed or not, and although there are high taxes here, everyone benefits from the fact that very few people are desperate. Crime rates are relatively low, and Norwegians take the attitude that prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to social problems. They prefer to rehabilitate rather than punish, and prefer to handle potential problems aggressively before they become bigger - such as providing great amounts of resources to children at risk.
We´re set to leave Oslo in about a month from now, and are very nervous about the move. We don´t have jobs in New York yet, and economic times are tough. Jobs are hard to come by. We´re hoping for the best, and decided that rather than waiting to move until one of us found a job, we´d just do it and go. Getting a job in New York while living in Oslo is a tall order, and we might never move if we wait for that to happen.
It feels a bit irresponsible to go as a family of four with no jobs. Sigh. It´s a conundrum. We don´t feel that Oslo is our forever home, but at the same time we´re highly aware of what we´re giving up by leaving this wonderful country that gave us two beautiful kids, a gorgeous wedding, 2 years living in the woods in an 18th century farmstead, a Fulbright Scholarship for Sarah, interesting experiences working for a time in the foreign ministry as an English teacher for dad, and some great friends and great memories.
Aidan´s reaction to the move seems to be a combination of curiosity and concern. He´s not looking forward to first grade, and says that he doesn´t want to grow up and doesn´t want to be any bigger than 6. He´s well aware that growing up brings with it increasing demands and responsibilities, and he doesn´t think it´s all fun and games to get older. We talk about it alot, and I try and assure him that there are many positives and that we´ll still have fun and make time for relaxation and play. And that even in school there´s time for fun and play. He watches the kids series Arthur Reads alot, and the third graders there seem a bit intimidating to him it seems. He´s fascinated by them, but also sees the social struggles and the academic demands reflected there, and it seems daunting. I´d like to show him what first grade is like, but there´s not much out there on YouTube or otherwise that shows that. Hmm, a book about first grade might be a good starting point. I´m going to look for a good one or two for him.
Daniel is doing well after having a gastroscopy last week. He has chronic stomach pain, and we´re trying to figure out what´s behind it. The initial results were normal, and the suspicion is that he´s allergic to dairy protein. I suspect that other foods may also be problematic, so we´ll probably do some elimination diets to try and figure it out. He´s definitely reacting to the changes in the air. Our entire apt. looks totally different than normal after putting it up for sale. Here in Norway, when you sell your place you need to make it look perfect, like a furniture showroom, without personal items around and in perfect condition. We renovated our bathroom, painted and renewed the furniture. We even bought 22 plants and flowers to have around the place for the viewing, to make the place look fresh and woodsy. Aidan said that the place looked like a hotel :)
Lately, wherever I go I seem to meet someone I know. Even at Daniel´s gastroscopy, I met a friend from school. I met a former colleague yesterday at Linderud Center, and met friends from Aidan´s kindergarten at a concert yesterday. Oslo has become home, almost. New York is more my home, but it is still with a heavy heart that I leave this cool place for my other hometown, the one that feels 60% like home.
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