Considering the Lilies

Ellen's New Talent

2012-01-24T12:59:00.000+02:00

Today is one of those days... you know, the kind where coffee is your best friend. Ellen is stuffy so we can't go outside and she is spending the day inside being cranky and refusing to nap properly. And on top of it, we're having crying fits at regular half-hour intervals because Ellen is determined to perfect her standing skills today and keeps falling down. I have to constantly keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't hurt herself too bad with her attempts at walking along furniture.

But it's hard to get too annoyed since she's so proud of herself:

Whenever I look over at her and see how well she's standing, she breaks out into a large smile!

Noteworthy Quote #30

2012-01-20T10:37:00.000+02:00

"The heaviest of burdens crushes us, we sink beneath it, it pins us to the ground. But ... the heavier the burden, the closer our lives come to the earth, the more real and truthful they become. Conversely, the absolute absence of a burden causes man to be lighter than air, to soar into the heights, take leave of the earth and his earthly being, and become only half real, his movements as free as they are insignificant.”

-MILAN KUNDERA (from The Unbearable Lightness of Being)

Noteworthy Quote #29

2012-01-19T10:00:00.000+02:00

“Be content to seem what you really are.”

-MARCUS AURELIUS

First Addition to Our New Home

2012-01-14T18:10:00.001+02:00

I'm excited! We've technically bought our first piece of furniture for our new home (I say "technically," since we've bought a sofa as well, but it still hasn't arrived). I like to search through tori.fi for old furniture that people are trying to get rid of and came across this cute little side table. Matias went to pick it up today, so it's officially our first addition to this home.

Now, the side table is eagerly waiting for the new sofa to get here so that it can snuggle up next to it!

Noteworthy Quote #28

2012-01-12T10:31:00.000+02:00

“All men who have achieved great things have been great dreamers.”

-ORISON SWETT MARDEN

Things I Like - Part 3

2012-01-10T10:28:00.000+02:00

As is expected when one moves, I've developed an ~~obsession~~ interest in looking at pictures of other people's homes and decorating websites. One website in particular that I keep going back to is Eichholtz furniture. A few years ago I saw one of their lovely chairs at Stockmann and ended up getting it. Then, less than a year later, I fell in love with another of their armchairs and we ended up getting that as well. Both have definitely been worth the price and are some of my favorite pieces of furniture.

Since then, I've developed such a liking for Eichholtz furniture. Their furniture is sturdy and functional, and many of their pieces are classically designed that they can be used for years to come. Even though they have many "trendy" things I don't like, there are some pieces that just make me swoon with love for furniture. I pretty much went through their whole website the other day and here are some things that especially caught my eye:

~ 1. Crossed Chair ~

(click here for info)

I've taken a huge liking to chairs such as this and have been seeing them all over the place. And Eichholtz just happened to have such a design as well. The combination of the crossed back, netted seating, and curved legs is just lovely!

~ 2. Tulip Vase ~

(click here for info)

They even have an old-fashioned tulip vase! How great is that? This I might actually have to really inquire about from Stockmann.

~ 3. Highbury Estate Chair ~

(click here for info)

Leather chairs like this are great, especially in library type rooms and this one just has everything such a chair needs: good color, slightly distressed leather, ornate legs, and enough plump to make you want to settle down in it.

~ 4. Warwick Globe ~

(click here for info)

And what else does every such leather chair need? Why, a beautiful globe to go right next to it!

~ 5. Norfolk Side Table ~

(click here for info)

Then there's this side table that seems simple and clear-cut at first, but after a longer glance turns out to be more intricate than first meets the eye. I love the carvings on the legs, the strategically placed book drawer, the side "walls," and the interesting pull-out compartment. This would be a perfect nightstand!

~ 6. Old French Coatrack with Mirror ~

(click here for info)

Everything about this coatrack is amazing! It must be based on some older design, because it looks like it was rescued from the estate sale of some musky Parisian home.

~ 7. Portman Dining Table ~

(click here for more info)

If I was going to dream up a perfect dining table, this would be it. The table is usually shorter and has four legs, but comes with an amazing extension piece that turns it into a six-legged table that seats twelve people. Let's just say that there has been some discussion going on in our household about this table ever since I got a price quote from Stockmann...

~ 8. Spindel Dining Table ~

(click here for more info)

In addition to the Portman, there is this. It doesn't have the same oval shape, but it has many of the same lovely features, as well as a spindle for lengthening the table. I can imagine Ellen having fun with that later!

~ 9. Frank Lloyd Lamp ~

(click here for info)

Since we currently need new lamps, I couldn't help but notice this Frank Lloyd one that was on Eichholtz's website. They are of a really simple and interesting design and I wouldn't mind having a few of them hanging in our living room.

~ 10. King William Cabinet ~

(click here for info)

While those other things were lovely, this really makes my heart throb. Three beautiful bookcases with a ladder! Does it get any more perfect than that? No, it doesn't. Well, unless you have a whole room lined with those.

Ahh... there you have it. Some little pieces of furniture perfection!

Snow Day

2012-01-08T10:37:00.000+02:00

Finally, we have some snow! After a very gray winter, there is some white on the ground and hopefully it is here to stay. I walked over to the nearby Etola and got Ellen her first sled yesterday and we had to test it out right away. I'm sure this will be a common activity this winter.

And, of course, we had to get a video of it as well:

Noteworthy Quote #27

2012-01-07T21:21:00.000+02:00

"Man has places in his heart which do not yet exist, and into them enters suffering in order that they may have existence."

-LEON BLOY

Ellen Update

2012-01-06T13:26:00.000+02:00

Can you believe it? Our little Ellen is turning nine months tomorrow. And what a difference those nine months can make. Somehow, she went from this:

to this:

She's a funny little girl. About a month ago, she learned to quickly drag herself throughout the house and instead of "properly" crawling, she does this army crawl around the house instead. The lady at the neuvola said that she probably won't ever use normal crawling as a method of getting around since she's so fast at belly crawling and will just go straight to walking from there.

This week, she's learned how to stand with her feet and hand on the ground and is determined to walk around like that (kind of like a chimpanzee does). So far she hasn't managed to master even a few steps in that manner, but is practicing hard. She is also getting better at pulling herself up against furniture and standing against them.

So basically, what all this means is that she needs constant supervision because either: a) she hurts herself trying to do baby aerobics, or b) she gets away from me and tries to break something in our home. If I leave her alone for a few minutes, I'll eventually hear some kind of clang or clatter as something or other is pulled to the ground. Or a loud bang as Ellen comes tumbling down.

She definitely is turning into an active little girl and is keeping her mommy and daddy very busy!

Noteworthy Quote #26

2012-01-01T12:55:00.000+02:00

"The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things."

-HENRY WARD BEECHER

The Bare Bones of a Home

2011-12-31T12:39:00.001+02:00

Things have been busy here lately. Christmas Eve was spent at our new home, so the past few weeks were a mad rush to get everything relatively in place before then. I managed to have our home looking presentable, but now that the season's celebrations are over, it's time to really start getting things in order. Technically, things are where they should be, meaning that furniture is in the best possible places for now.

Yet, nothing feels as it should. There's none of that lived-in feel that I so love. There's just furniture and decorative things thrown about, creating the bare bones of a home, but not the heart of it. It's a bit frustrating because I'd love to do stuff, but everything is at a standstill.

All the things that make our living room cozy (the paintings and shelves and decorations) will have to wait in storage until our new couch arrives. Then, the entire room will get a complete make-over as everything is once again rearranged. And other room's paintings and little things will also have to wait until then, because all of the nicest things tend to wind up in living room and then trickle down to other rooms from there.

So for now, we'll just have to deal with having slightly colorless and curtainless and knick-knack free rooms.

So there you have it: the "before" pictures. There's a lot of decorating to be done, but at least that's something I enjoy!

[ps. Notice that part where I said we ordered a new couch? Well, that means our current one is going to be for sale soon. It's from Asko and part of the Foxxy series where you can create your own couch. The pieces together cost about 2800€ last time I checked the price, so if you're interested, let's chat. We're flexible with the selling price!]

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T09:02:00.000+02:00

Christmas Eve, the most festive holiday day in Finland, is just around the corner. So before the cooking and cleaning and activities overtake all my time, I wanted to go ahead and say: A very merry Christmas to all!

As you can see, Ellen is already waiting for her presents:

Maybe next year, her letter to Santa will be a bit more legible.

Noteworthy Quote #25

2011-12-21T10:47:00.000+02:00

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."

-MARCEL PROUST

Ellen's New Twin

2011-12-15T22:41:00.001+02:00

Ellen discovered the floor-length mirrors in our entryway and they kept her occupied long enough to give me a chance to unpack a few boxes.

"Hi! Who are you?"

"Let's play!"

"You're funny."

They must be twins since they both have the same crazy hair-do!

At Least We're Here

2011-12-14T10:28:00.000+02:00

We're here in our new home and have been for the past four nights, though to say that the moving is over would be horribly premature. There are still some things at the old place that need to be brought over and many boxes to be unpacked and countless things to be put away. And that's just the very tip of the moving and relocating iceberg.

Moving Day

For me, the first year in a new home is such a contradictory time. On one hand, it's so nice to have the things that caused you to move in the first place. For us, those were: more rooms, more nature, and more distance from the Helsinki center. And the second we officially stepped through the door as residents of this home, those benefits were added to our life. But I also really dislike the first year since that is about how long it takes for me to start getting things settled within the new home.

Even if someone comes over in a month or two and things seem to be in place and look nice, it takes me much longer to get the home looking and feeling the way I want it too. It takes longer to make "a place for everything" than it takes to have everything in order. And that I'm not looking forward to.

But at least we're here and every step taken is a step forward, unlike when you're packing up an old place and know the work results are just temporary. I am tempted to say that I hope we won't have to move again soon, but the last time I did that, life took some surprising turns and I was moving again less than two years later. So this time around, it seems safer to say that I hope we move again soon (and to secretly wish we get to stay here at least until Ellen starts school).

Noteworthy Quote #24

2011-12-12T07:55:00.000+02:00

“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.”

-WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

Goodbye, Ullanlinna!

2011-12-10T08:19:00.000+02:00

The time has come! We're moving now. And, so, it's time to say goodbye.

Goodbye, our old house!

(where we made our first home)

Goodbye, living room!

(where we spent so many evenings together)

Goodbye, kitchen!

(where many meals were cooked)

Goodbye, dining area!

(where those meals were enjoyed)

Goodbye, bedroom!

(where our little baby slept when we brought her home)

Goodbye, little office nook!

(where much writing was done)

Goodbye, Ullanlinna

(where we became a family)

I am feeling sentimental, but it's time to move on...

Noteworthy Quote #23

2011-12-09T10:01:00.000+02:00

"Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow.""

-MARY ANNE RADMACHER

In the Midst of Moving

2011-12-07T14:47:00.000+02:00

I'm just packing, packing, packing. And instead of things getting neater, they're just turning into more of a mess as drawers and closets are emptied and moving boxes are stacked everywhere. All this moving is making me so scatterbrained, I hope I remember to take the baby as well. At least she's already in her moving box and ready to go!

I am really happy that this move is happening this week, not just because then it will finally be over, but because Ellen is getting so mobile now that she is getting into everything and exploring our old home. Today she figured out that she can pull herself across the floor for longer distances as well and has been going around on her own. This means that she thinks all the moving stuff is really just her new toys. Luckily, in three days we'll be gone from here and I'll have a place to hide all this stuff from the baby!

Noteworthy Quote #22

2011-12-06T22:29:00.000+02:00

"In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer."

-ALBERT CAMUS

Things I Like - Part 2

2011-12-04T16:18:00.002+02:00

~ 1. Heavenly Scent Homemade Goods ~

In Pitäjänmäki is a wooden house that looks quite normal on the outside, but inside lives Lori whose treats are quite extraordinary. Last weekend, our whole family went to pick up some marinated carrots, cranberry chutney, apple pepper jelly, and strawberry rhubarb jam:

Matias was complaining because we ran out of Lori's apple sauce, so I had to go stock up our kitchen cupboards. Since the open house was a such a success, Lori's treats and other handicrafts are for sale every weekend until Christmas. (click here for more info)

~ 2. Gloomy Weather ~

I know one of the prerequisites of living in Helsinki is that you're supposed to complain about the wet gloomy weather at this time of the year and grumble about how you want to move to a lighter and/or warmer place. But I can't help but enjoy the gloominess, because this year the city lights seem so gorgeous to me, especially in the midst of the grayness. I love going to the center in the evening and admiring the lights as I go from one place to the next. I like wearing wool socks and puffy coats as the rains trickle down from clouds and tree branches. Maybe it's because the weather is so warm this year (not even at freezing point yet), so it seems more enjoyable. Or maybe it's just that I'm starting to develop a greater appreciation for all the different seasons. Just like I wouldn't want it to be daytime all the time, I wouldn't want it to be summer all the time either. I need some gloominess every now and then. I remember when Sister Marianna once told me that the people who are the most at peace with themselves are also the ones who are most able to withstand the gloominess of Finnish winters. At the time, I thought she was just talking nonsense, but now I'm beginnig to think she had a very good point...

And to document this wintertime beauty, some evening I'm going to take my camera with me when I go Christmas present shopping and take some pictures of the vast array of lights gracing our streets!

~ 3. Mason Jars ~

One of the things I like about Pinterest is that you start to see a pattern emerge for the things you like and this can help you if you're trying to make some decorating (or related) decisions. For example, when I looked over my dining room board, I noticed that most of the rooms just look like variations of each other and that helped me decide what direction to take with our new dining room (we need a bigger table and more chairs, so a make-over is up ahead). But my taste in dining rooms wasn't very surprising, but what did surprise me is that I seem to have some strange fascination with mason jars. I've pinned all sorts of them from decorations to drinks:


(picture from here)

(picture from here)

I'm not sure what is causing this fascination. Maybe it's the simple and aesthetically pleasing shape? Maybe it's the versatility? Maybe it's the warm country feel they evoke? Either way, apparently, I really like mason jars.

ps. Did I mention that I also like Pinterest? ;)

Noteworthy Quote #21

2011-12-02T11:33:00.000+02:00

“Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles... it empties today of its strength.”

-MARY ENGELBREIT

Focusing on the Good Things

2011-11-30T11:48:00.000+02:00

This morning, I felt tempted to write a blog post full of a lot of complaining and whining, mainly because of how exhausted I am. I'm tired. I have a hard time getting myself out of bed in the morning. I haven't had a full night's worth of sleep since my second trimester (a year ago) and a road full of tiredness just seems to stretch out before me. Our upcoming move is taking its toil and trying to work on my writing project while entertaining a baby is nearly impossible. Everything just seems to be happening at once and our life is in some kind of upheavel as we uproot and rebuild. So, I'm just exhausted, alright?

That was pretty much the gist of what I was going to write, but in a more drawn-out and self-absorbed way. And then, as I was going about my morning activities of drinking way too much coffee and cleanng up baby poop, I had a mini-revelation that went along the lines of:

What the hell am I complaining about?

Every complaint of exhaustion that I have is a result of something good being in my life. The sleeplessness is caused by my baby whom I adore despite her driving me a bit batty most days. The packing frenzy is caused by the fact that we've found a new home to build into a place for our family to live. And the writing project that I rarely have time to write is none-the-less being writtten because I finally have my Master's degree and can focus on other things in the meanwhile.

So instead of complaining, I just need to remind myself daily to focus on gratitude. One day, Ellen will be old enough to sleep properly through the nights and to entertain herself throughout the day. I don't want to miss out on these days of many hugs and endless moments spent together. I don't want to look back and realize I was just focused on the negative aspects. Instead of focusing on the exhaustion, I need to keep in mind the words of the wise Greek philosopher Epicurus: "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." There is always something to be longed for (sleep!), but our longing can cause us to miss the beauty of the present if we're not careful.

Ellen the Bookworm

2011-11-23T12:10:00.001+02:00

As is to be expected from a bibliophile, I'm trying to make sure that Ellens learns the joys of reading as early as possible. So far, our mutual explorations into the literary world have been a success:

As you can see, she is really developing a taste for books!

ps. The funny noises she's making mean she's super excited!

Noteworthy Quote #20

2011-11-22T15:41:00.000+02:00

"There are some people so poor, that the only thing they have is money."

-ANONYMOUS

Things I Like - Part 1

2011-11-21T10:51:00.001+02:00

Since a happy life often seems to be made up of being surrounded by a conglomeration of little and seemingly insignificant things we like, I thought I'd take a minute to share what those things are for me right now.

~ 1. My New Rubber Boots ~

I loved my old rubber boots so much that I wore them out from years of heavy-duty work, up to the point that they started getting holes in them, which kind of defeated the whole purpose of having shoes made out of rubber . Luckily, I found these just as my old pair was falling apart and Matias got them as a spontaneous present for me.

Timberland wellies

They're super comfy and seem quite durable. I can now confidently waddle through all puddles that come my way and I have a feeling I'll end up becoming very attached to these rubber boots as well.

~ 2. for the love of a house ~

I usually don't find blogs by non-friends that I like, but I'm really into this one right now: for the love of a house. The woman who writes it has excellent style. Here's just an example:

Picture from this post.

I rarely like the many decorating blogs that pop up all over the place, mainly because it looks like all the styles could be replicated by walking into a decorating store. In our home, the majority of little items cluttering the place were not chosen by us, but have been passed along by family or have some story attached to how they were rescued from some dusty store corner or another. Hence the reason I like this blogger's home, since it looks like she has found beautiful pieces along the way and put them together to make an elegant and very aesthetically pleasing whole.

If I had to pick one person to re-do my entire home right now without any input from me, she would definitely be the one I choose!

~ 3. Blogging ~

I'm really liking blogging in general as well right now. Once upon a time, before the dawn of Facebook, many of my friends had blogs that they wrote just for their friends and family. Then, as all these social medias began to take over the world, blogging became too much of a hassle and people moved on to status updates, myself included. But there is something about snappy updates about what you had for breakfast that doesn't allow you to stay in touch the same way. At some point, as my dislike for Facebook grew, I reopened my blog and started afresh and it seems some other friends have been doing the same thing, which makes the online experience a whole lot more enjoyable. I really hope this is a growing trend!

~ 4. Kotiliesi ~

If I was ever of write a "real blog," it would probably have to be called Tales of an Unhip Mother or something along those lines, since I seem to deviating further and further from the well-dressed and well-groomed mothers who live in my neighborhood and dress their children in matching Gant outfits. I, on the other hand, was still recently prancing around in my raggedy rubber boots and my maternity t-shirts. Even within the confides of my home, life is very unhip. I've taken to using Nivea cold cream on my face and regularly reading Kotiliesi, a magazine designed for women in a much older age group.

A vintage Kotiliesi.

Because seriously, it really is the best magazine out there! Great recipes, pretty pictures, and interesting articles! I'm even thinking about getting a subscription.

~ 5. Pinterest ~

After hearing about Pinterest from here and there, I decided to give it a try. And I must say, I love it! You know, how you see nice pictures, good recipes, and interesting ideas online and then forget about them unless you specifically save the link? Well, forgetfulness is no longer a problem, because you can "pin" the pictures to your own boards and go back to them whever you need to. It also allows you to revel in some prettiness.

You can click here to see my pins.

That's all for this time in the chronicles of happiness! Have a happy day!

~ The End ~

Noteworthy Quote #19

2011-11-15T11:01:00.000+02:00

"In my deepest wound, I saw Your glory and it dazzled me."

-ST. AUGUSTINE

House Hunting: The End

2011-11-13T21:08:00.000+02:00

A new home has been found and we will be moving in December! And I must say, I am very relieved. The whole process went from "it's so much fun to look at new homes" to "this is a huge pain in the rear end." And then, luckily, we found something we really liked and decided to end the annoying process there and then. Next month, we will be moving from here:

Ullanlinna

(picture from here; our home is on the left )

to here:

Munkkivuori

(picture from here)

What a change that will be! We will be moving from our 1910's Jugend neigborhood to 1950's functionalism in Munkkivuori, which is quite a leap for us. The beautiful architecture, the close proximity to the center, and the picturesque shoreline will soon be gone. And, I must say, that brings an ache to my heart. I've loved this home so much and leaving it behind causes a sense of sadness, even though I know it's very necessary to get more space and to live in a child-friendly area.

I still remember that afternoon almost two years ago in January when I was having lunch with Matias and friends, and the real estate called to tell me that the owners picked me out of a long list of applicants to be the one to live here. I was happy because I was quite in love with the place and moved in almost immediately. The home felt very large, but then Matias moved in that summer making the space feel cozy and not-so-large. And the following spring, Ellen joined us, causing the space to feel quite restricting as her crib and toys and chairs and stuff began to fill the space as well.

Soon, we will have more breathing room though as our living space expands with two more bedrooms and twenty extra square meters to live in. I can't wait! The building itself is quite an unattractive example of early sixties style, as is common to the whole area. But luckily, everything else about it makes up for it. We will be living at the end of a street, so the forest trails begin outside our door. Nearby are the Tali Golf Course and allotment gardens, as well as the shore of Munkkiniemi. And for our shopping, our closest place will be the Munkkivuoren ostari, which happens to be the oldest shopping center in Finland (built in 1959) and has all the basics of what we need. So, needless to say, life will be a lot more family-oriented.

Now, all that is left to do is to begin packing! And what a job that will be. I'm not looking forward to going through all that hassle with Ellen, but it will all be worth it in the end when we get to enjoy living in a bigger home and quieter area. So one more month before we become official residents of Munkkivuori!

Into the "Wilde-erness"

2011-11-08T20:54:00.001+02:00

There are so many puns to be made in regard to Oscar Wilde's name that I just had to begin this post with one of them. My apologies for the cheesiness.

What is causing all this silliness is my recent academic ponderings. Usually, I don't discuss things online until they are completely decided on and the ink is good and dry. But now, there is something I have been thinking about a lot and discussing with Matias a lot. In short: I'm thinking about going back to the university to be a Wilde scholar. Or to at least do my PhD on the spiritual ideology and progression within Wilde's writings.

Academically, everything looks good. My pro gradu advisor has agreed to sponsor me and look over whatever work I do until I officially apply. But after talking to him, I feel like this might not be the best time. There is a two-year seminar that I would need to take part in at first and I would really like to get through the two years without interruptions. But right now, with all the changes going on and all the things we're planning, two years seems like a long time. I don't think I want to start until I can make such a long initial dedication.

Despite not starting officially yet, I should get back into the habit of reading Wilde so much that I dream of his words and thoughts, just like while writing my thesis. Wilde managed to write a lot in his too short life and I need to get through all of it. This is not a small task and it is not something I would do if I was not in love. Yes, I said it, I am in love with a dead author. Well, maybe not with him, but with the thoughts he puts forth and the painful struggle that his life was.

Even today, while I was thinking about how much work a doctorate would be and how I was exhausted right now, I began randomly reading his "Poems in Prose," one of which I quoted in my thesis and I was once again astonished by how much his words could draw me in. I guess I have no choice but to at least pursue this academic option. And if everything goes well and I don't become completely tired of my topic, I can always apply for a teaching position within the university as well.

And, to end this, I couldn't resist but inappropriately throw in another cheesy pun:

"Oh baby, baby, it's a Wilde world."

Noteworthy Quote #18

2011-11-08T09:32:00.005+02:00

"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth."

-OSCAR WIDLE

Ellen the Sumo Wrestler

2011-11-01T09:57:00.000+02:00

When I was practicing Ellen's Halloween hair and make-up one day, I realized that she would also make a good sumo wrestler.

But the outfit would probably have been a bit chilly, so we decided to just go with Pikku Myy instead.

A Very Moomin Halloween

2011-10-31T10:43:00.000+02:00

When Matias and I decided to organize a brunch get-together for Halloween weekend, I immediately began planning our costumes. Since Ellen always looked so cute in her Pikku Myy ponytail, we decided that that was the character she should be. From there, the natural choice for me was Mymmeli since she is Pikky Myy's mother in the Moomin books. And then, we decided that Matias should be the Police Officer of Moomin Valley (who officially has a crush on Mymmeli) to complete the Moomin trio.

Mine and Ellen's costumes were relatively easy to make and mainly involved a lot of buttons, but Matias's was not so simple. It involved more complicated sewing and measuring proportions and all that. To help me along the way, I decided to use this Moomin stuffed toy to help me decide on the details and a suit jacket of Matias's to help me figure out the size and all that. Well, somehow, I managed to put together a pretty decent looking coat and hat, even though I had to stay up for many a night to finish it on time. Next year, we are all going to be something that requires minimal sewing!

Either way, here are pictures from this year's party:

OurPikku Myy

Mymmeli - Pikku Myy - Poliisimestari

Scary treats (thanks to Annina, Eero, and Aura)

Eyeballs (also thanks to the above)

A pumpkin head.

A ghost baby.

Ellen even got to play with the big kids.

And take part in some book reading.

So this year's Halloween was a success and I am already looking forward to doing it again next year!

A Proper Sugar and Creamer Set

2011-10-28T12:10:00.041+03:00

One of the great tableware dilemmas in my life has been that we did not have a proper sugar and creamer set to go with all our dainty little cups and saucers. We did have a very basic ceramic set that didn't really go with our fancy dishes and I didn't want to replace it unless I found something I really liked. Well, just when I thought I was going to be stuck with using the not-so-nice set for a very long time, the very friendly lady who runs the secondhand store downstairs from us put something I really liked in her window. I admired them for a while and finally asked Matias what he thought about them when we were out for an evening walk. Since he agreed they were lovely as well, I decided to go ahead and get them.

And so I did. But just to prove how nice our neighborhood store owner is, I have to tell this little story. I had forgotten that she doesn't have a credit card machine and went to look at the set without enough cash in my pocket. I didn't realize this until she had already wrapped the dishes in a used Tiffany's bag, so I apologized and told her I would have to come back later. Instead of keeping the dishes, she handed the bag to me and told me I could take them and pay her later! That is the kind of local business that we don't have enough of these days. But it is nice to have at least one store owner who remembers me and is willing to open up a tab in my name.

So, without further ado, here is what I found:

Coincidentally, our sugar spoon, which I found in Rome a few years ago, has some flowers on the end that match the flowers on the sugar and creamer set!

So now, we can properly enjoy our coffee and tea moments since we don't have to worry about the impropriety of using an improperly matched sugar and creamer set with our fancier dishes.

Noteworthy Quote #17

2011-10-28T11:40:00.000+03:00

"I take literally the statement in the Gospel of John that God loves the world. I believe that the world was created and approved by love, that it subsists, coheres, and endures by love, and that, insofar as it is redemmable, it can be redeemed only by love. I believe that divine love, incarnate and indwelling in the world, summons the world always towards wholeness, which is ultimately reconciliation and atonement with God."

"When I said ealier that we live in a world that was created and exists and is redeemable by love, I did not mean to sentimentalize it. For this also is a fallen world. It involves error and disease, ignorance and partiality, sin and death. If this world is a place where we may learn of our involvement in immortal love, as I believe it is, still such learning is possible here because that love involves us so inescapably in the limits, suffering, and sorrows of mortality."

-WENDELL BERRY (from The Plain Reader)

Noteworthy Quote #16

2011-10-25T01:31:00.000+03:00

“You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.”

-ANNE LAMOTT

Two Simple Steps to Mindfulness

2011-10-23T21:24:00.001+03:00

(picture from Duda Daze)

I live in my head too much. Sometimes this is nice when I'm having a boring moment waiting in a long line and I conjure up little stories to keep myself occupied. Sometimes this is also a very good thing when I have to use my over-active imagination to do a bit of storytelling. But mainly, I notice that this is a bad thing since I spend so much time stressing about things I can't influence in that moment or planning a future that is far removed from my daily life.

I tried all sorts of mindfulness meditations and exercises that never really worked in the long run. And then, I realized that mindfulness can be achieved in two simple steps:

Ask yourself: Where am I?
Ask yourself: What am I doing?

I find that when I focus on these two things, I am once again grounded in the present and able to at least momentarily keep my attention on what I'm doing. And if I find my attention wandering after a while, I just repeat the two steps again.

It really is that simple!

Carnival of Lights - Take Two

2011-10-19T09:29:00.003+03:00

This year, we went back to Linnanmäki's Carnival of Lights for some more autumn excitement (click here for last year's pictures). Last year, I was pregnant, so the list of rides I could go on wasn't very long. This year, things got a bit more exciting because I was able to go on a few rides with Ellen. However, I think I was more excited than she was.

To me, everything looked a bit more scary this year. Maybe it's because we went at a later hour this year so it was already a lot darker or maybe I was looking at it through a baby's eyes and hoping the costumed workers and crazy lights didn't freak her out. But as you can see from the pictures, her expression barely changed while we were there.

Back into Writing Mode

2011-10-18T09:15:00.003+03:00

(Used with permission from Debbie Ridpath Ohi at Inkygirl.com)

Well, that is not really how life is right now since Ellen obviously is a tad too small for school, but the last frame does give a perfect picture of how I feel whenever she falls asleep and I am able to get back to tapping away on my laptop.

About a month ago, I began writing again--just for fun this time--when the words could no longer be contained in my head. Now, one month later, I have about 15,000 words of text, which is not very good considering that I have completed NaNoWriMo a few times and am capable of typing out 50,000 words a month as long as I have some space and time to write.

But with a baby on my hip and an overflowing laundry basket overtaking all our walking room, I have no choice but to stop often and write seldom. This is not as bad as I first thought it would be. Rarely being able to write as much as I want means I am always inspired to come back for more, even if means getting out a sentence or two.

Most importantly though, I feel that the wheels in my mind are beginning to turn again and the new rush of excitement this causes is exhilirating. So exhlirating, in fact, that I am beginning to yearn for a bit of adacemic writing, namely the kind that leads to a doctorate. But for now, being at home and doing a bit of leisurely storytelling is all I have the time or energy for.

Noteworthy Quote #15

2011-10-16T10:51:00.001+03:00

"How can you make your family a school for compassion, where children learn the value of treating all others with respect? What would life be like if all family members made a serious attempt to treat one other 'all day and every day' as they wished to be treated themselves? How would life be improved, for example, if everybody made a consistent effort to avoid speaking too hastily? We know that people brought up in dysfunctional families find it difficult to make good relationships in later life; they can have psychological problems that cause them to increase the sum of pain in the world. Creating a compassionate family life is one of the ways in which we can all make a constructive contribution to a more empathic society in the future."

-KAREN AMRSTRONG (from Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life)

A Rainbow in the Sky

2011-10-15T10:56:00.000+03:00

We came across a very pretty rainbow while driving to Ikea.

And despite driving in the general direction of its other end, we did not come across a pot of gold.

Ellen's Reaction to Goat Cheese

2011-10-12T10:09:00.000+03:00

I like to give Ellen little food samples to make sure she becomes accustomed to different flavors at an early age. So yesterday while we were eating at a quickie pizza and pasta place, I let her try a little bit of my pesto sauce and she seemed to like it a lot. So then I gave a tiny bit of the soft goat cheese on my pasta and this is how she reacted:

I'm not quite sure what this means since her weird monster sounds are her common reaction to everything nowadays, as well as her favorite form of communication. It could mean anything from "What is this horrible taste in my mouth?" to "Give me more cheeeese!"

An Autumn Weekend in Tampere

2011-10-10T09:07:00.000+03:00

We had a terrific time in Tampere this weekend visiting Matias's parents. Not only did they make good food everyday (that ranged from cod and shrimp to moose and horse), but Ellen had a chance to properly hang out with her grandparents and she had so much fun! While there, we also visited a food market that featured stuff from French sellers who had brought their cheeses and such to Finland, as well as some local farmers. We bought some roe sausage and wool socks to take home, and some fresh licorice and baguette and lamb "hot dogs" to try out on the spot. There is something about autumn that makes me crave proper meat, especially the wild kind. So this weekend was very generous to my taste buds! Since it was also Ellen's first time traveling on a long distance train, we had to take a bunch of silly pictures as well.

At the train station.

Our very happy conductor.

Passing by Hämeenlinna castle.

Going to visit the food market.

A local farmer's stand.

Pretty leaves.

Berries on a bush.

A naked statue.

The river running through the city.

Beautiful architecture.

More berries, but of a very different sort.

Autumn decorations.

A large acorn.

Ellen playing with her second cousin.

Taking the train back home.

Every time I go to Tampere, I end up liking it more. If we had to live somewhere other than Helsinki right now, I think it would definitely be the city I choose!

Ellen's Half-Way Birthday

2011-10-07T11:17:00.000+03:00

Our little baby turned six months today and is no longer quite so little. She has already doubled in birthweight (plus a little more) and is taller by the day as well. One of the most fun things at this point is that her unique personality is beginning to emerge. So far, it seems she is a bit of a shy baby, though very demanding when just mommy and daddy are around. If she wants something, she does not shut up until she gets it!

The other day, I gave her a Pikku Myy ponytail, though hopefully she won't turn out to be as temperamental as the Moomin character.

Happy half-way birthday to my little munchkin!

Noteworthy Quote #14

2011-10-05T10:46:00.000+03:00

"When your tongue is silent, you can rest in the silence of the forest. When your imagination is silent, the forest speaks to you, tells you of its unreality and of the Reality of God. But when your mind is silent, then the forest becomes magnificently real and blazes transparently with the Reality of God."

-THOMAS MERTON (from The Sign of Jonas)

Ellen the Quality Tester

2011-10-03T11:14:00.001+03:00

Ellen is already thinking about her future career options and, right now, her top choice is to be a quality control tester of various objects. She is already practicing really hard.

"This bottle withstands licking."

"And biting."

"Yes, I am very pleased with this bottle."

So far, items tested include: her own toys, edges of tables, the bedroom door, Matias's finger, and my nose.

The Rose Party

2011-10-02T11:57:00.001+03:00

When I moved to Finland in May of 2006, my childhood friend Cathy (who I went to international school with the four years that I lived here) moved back to the Helsinki area as well from England with her then-boyfriend Simon. We reconnected over many cups of coffee and have gone through so many life changes together over the years that we have been back in Finland. During the time, Cathy and Simon have had two lovely children and I, of course, have met Matias and had a little baby as well.

But now, the Roses are moving to Canada for a while and they organized a party so all their friends could get together and see them one last time before they make the move. The party was held in Cathy's parent's backyard which holds a lot of memories as well, most significantly from Cathy and Simon's wedding which was held in the garden one July evening. We spent the night before setting up and decorating, and the next day, I witnessed their marriage as a bridesmaid after an hectic morning of putting together flowers and place settings and such. But it was a memorable day and a memorable night as well as the bridal party celebrated into the night with sparkling wine around an open fire.

Well, now the Roses will be leaving soon. Life has changed so much in the five and a half years that we've all been in Finland together and this feels like an end of an era, as everything in my life is so different now as well. So Cathy, Simon, and kids: best of luck to you in Canada! You will be missed!

Me and Matias with the Roses.

The Lepojärvi rooster.

Ducks.

And some bunnies.

Fun on the trampoline.

Birds on a bench.

A different kind of rose.

When we left the party, we decided to walk home from the train station instead of taking the tram and at Esplanadi, we came across those birds sitting together on a bench. It was quite a lovely sight!

Best Silver Cleaning Product.... EVER!

2011-09-30T12:31:00.000+03:00

I hate all kinds of harsh cleaning products, not just because the thought of them seems yucky, but also because I'm slightly allergic to them and a day of cleaning involving such prodcuts leaves me sneezing and constantly wiping my runny eyes. That is why our cleaning closet is made up of mostly gentler and more environmentally friendly products that can take care of regular household messes. And when I have to tackle tougher stains or built-up grease, I use the puhdistuskivi, a "miracle" product that can clean anything, even if you have to do a little bit more work when using it (it requires water and wiping off).

So when cleaning our silver, I try to not use harsh chemicals either and prefer the method involving baking soda, salt, aluminun foil and hot water. But that can be a messy and drawn-out process, especially when you only want to do a little polishing. Well, now I have found stumbled across a website (sorry, don't remember which one) that revealed a silver cleaning trick I hadn't heard before. It turns out that the best silver cleaning product ever is toothpaste. I was skeptical until I tried it and realized how easy it is to use and how well it works. Case in point:

I have been using this small silver plate as a candleholder on our windowstill, but the combination of beeswax and sunlight had caused corrosion on the surface. However, just using some cotton pads and toothpaste got the plate looking all shiny and pretty again. Even though toothpaste isn't exactly a "natural" cleaning product, it is safe enough to be put in your mouth, so I figure it's safe enough for cleaning dishes and silverware.

I am pretty excited about this cleaning discovery. Maybe it has been common knowledge already, but I was unaware of it and am happy to have found it. Not only does it clean well, but it does so incrementally, which means that it is possible to control the color of the silver. If you prefer a more antique-type look, you can easily stop cleaning as soon as you've achieved the desired look, such as I did with the plate. So, let the silver polishing began!

Revisiting the Flow

2011-09-28T16:18:00.000+03:00

When I was pregnant, I already had a list of activities in mind that I was sure I would miss the most when the baby arrived. At the top of the list were sleeping and dining out. Being the hibernational creature that I am, I was sure that sleepless nights and frequent awakenings would drive me a little bonkers after a while. In addition, I knew I'd miss visiting restaurants and trying different dishes and enjoying the luxury of not only having someone else cook, but serve you and take care of the cleaning up as well.

When Ellen, was born, the first three months did suffer a scarcity of these two things. But as life settled down and my sleep deprivation began to wear off, I noticed that I didn't miss them as much as originally expected. Sleeping through the night and sleeping in are vague memories of a distant past, one that has taken on a fairy tale quality these days. Vast quantities of sleep seem like a beautiful story that I've read, but don't really believe exists. It's an enticing thought, but living without it isn't too horrible. Coffee and weekends when Matias takes care of the baby in the mornings make life bearable. In addition, I've even had the chance to dine out a few times and, each time, doing so felt decadent because of its rare and much desired nature. In fact, I think I enjoyed dining out post-baby more than I did pre-baby. I even had a chance to try out Kämp's new restaurant Signé where I got to taste local meats and some delicious Finnish cheddar and white wine from a winery that began its production in 1058AD.

A lovely flow-type moment.
(by Albert Edelfelt)

Therefore, the things I thought I would miss the most were not as significant as I thought and, instead, what I long for the most was a surprise. I found myself missing the way that I could throw myself into the moment with abandon and - as pop psychology likes to say today - be in the flow. I don't remember where I first heard that term, but I do remember thinking about it a lot when reading a book called The How of Happiness. The basic premise of the book was that a great deal of our happiness levels is determined by genetics, but that there is a large happiness quota that we can influence by our own actions. In order to help the reader find out how to maximally increase their happiness levels, there was a test to determine which activities were most beneficial for that person.

For me, the two highest scores were in "savoring life's joys" and "doing more activities that truly engage you." According to the book, savoring life's joys basically means enjoying the present moment, while doing activities that truly engage you is about the flow experience. This phrase was originally coined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and means becoming so absorbed in your current activity that you don't notice the time or anything else. Personally, I wasn't surprised that these two things were my top results because I was conscious of my preference for such moments and activities. All of my "hobbies," whether reading, writing, collaging, crafting, or scraping, are all things I like to do because they allow me to get lost in the activity and expand my creativity and thinking at the same time.

Though I was aware of how positively this type of experience affected me, I didn't realize how much I would miss it afterwards. Even though I can do all the same things now that Ellen is here, I find that I can't really focus the same way anymore. There is always a nagging in the back of my mind saying, "Is the baby going to cry soon? Is the baby going to wake up soon? Will I be interrupted now? I wonder if I can finish this or will have to continue later..." And so it goes even now as I write this blog post. Half of my brain is focusing on typing out the words, while the other half is listening for any noises coming from the crib and thinking about how I should be tidying up the home instead. Though this might sounds like a complaint, it's really not. Every phase of life has its trade-offs and, right now, I get the luxury of being at home with my baby, but have to sacrifice some of my own artistic tendencies.

However, I got to revisit the feeling of flow last night. I was working on undoing a ton of stitches after Ellen went to bed. The task took longer than I expected because of the delicate fabric and immense amount of stitches to undo and before long it was my bedtime as well. When Matias went to sleep, I decided to stay up to finish the work since I knew that the morning would be full of feeding Ellen and getting her dressed and keeping her entertained, so any unfinished projects would have to be put on hold. So I sat in the silent apartment with scissors in hand and repeated the rhythmic pattern of pulling and cutting. For once, I knew that Ellen would not be waking up soon and there was nothing else that needed my attention. The only worry was the time and the thought that I should be getting some much needed sleep, but I put that out of my mind.

And it was wonderful. I got to focus on a simple project with all my attention and see it completed and test out the results. It was a delicious moment and I wish there were more ways to recreate it, especially with my writing projects. I feel that there are so many words and thoughts swirling around my head, but I rarely have a chance to write, let alone get as much as I want out of my head. Luckily, blogging gives me a bit of a literary release, but it doesn't allow for the freedom that "real" writing does. There are so many things that can't be said on a blog and so many ideas that can't be fully developed. But for now, I am happy I got to experience a bit of abandon, even if it was only for one hour on one quiet night. Hopefully, I will find a way to give myself time to do more of the things I most enjoy. Maybe losing an hour or two of sleep on some nights wouldn't be such a bad idea if it gave me a chance to work in peace.

Noteworthy Quote #13

2011-09-23T10:32:00.000+03:00

"Mother-love involves affective love; it has a powerful hormonal base but it also requires dedicated, unselfish action 'all day and every day'. A mother's concern for her child pervades all her activities. Whether she feels like it or not, she has to get up to her crying infant night after night, watch him at every moment of the day, and learn to control her own exhaustion, impatience, anger and frustration. She is tied to her child long after he has reached adulthood; indeed, on both sides, the relationship is usually terminated only at death. Maternal love can be heartbreaking as well as fulfilling; it requires stamina, fortitude and a strong degree of selflessness."

-KAREN AMRSTRONG (from Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life)

Silver Bazaar Finds

2011-09-22T11:34:00.002+03:00

While I'm on the topic of dishes, I might as well go on about silverware as well. Matias and I are quite old-fashioned in the sense that we appreciate the value of real silverware, as in silverware that is actually made from silver. That is why we have a cupboard drawer of full of silver serving pieces and small coffee spoons, most of which are presents from both of our grandparents.

Yesterday, we attended a silver bazaar with my mother where we made two interesting finds that I liked because of their ornate styles.

~ 1 ~

The first is a set of these rose coffee spoons. My mother has an identical set as well and I have been admiring them since childhood. And since I liked them so much, she kindly bought this set for us as a present. I think the rose detailing on them is really beautiful and I also like the coloring of the spoons.

~ 2 ~

In additon, I also found this really interesting and intricate serving spoon while rummaging through a box of silver pieces. I'm never seen anything quite like it. It's probably not the most practical piece, but I had to make sure it came home with us as well.

At the bazaar, there was a really lovely antique silver coffee set as well, but the pricetag on that was way too hefty for an impulse afternoon purchase. But a set like that has been one of my longtime dreams as well. While living in Kauniainen during the middle school years I spent in Finland, we lived next door to Carl Gustaf Mannerheim, who was the nephew of the famous Finnish president (if I recall correctly). Me and my sister would often run over to their house and he would serve me coffee from a similar set. I remember feeling so elegant and grown-up, instead of like an awkward thirteen year old, that I never mentioned I didn't like coffee yet.

Since then, I have wanted one as well, since a silver coffee set symbolizes the epitome of domestic luxury for me. Oh well, a girl can always dream...

I Dream of Dishes

2011-09-21T10:32:00.001+03:00

I've always thought that being an expert on certain collectibles or antique items would be one of the greatest jobs to have. I wish I had that special knack for being able to remember details and years and being able to spot the truly valuable pieces from among the rest. I especially have a fondness for old Arabia dishes and have been dreaming about having a Myrna coffeeset for years now.

Well, that wish finally came true:

Also, recently, I was able to fulfill another longtime dream and get an Arabia saucedish as well from the Hietalahti flea market:

I was pleased with this purchase, especially when I saw the same piece on sale at an uppity secondhand store for twice the price. So now we have a rather eclectic set of tea and coffee dishes. Our teaset is this blue Asian one that once belonged to my parents:

And as espresso cups, we use Matias's grandmother's old coffee set since the cups are so small:

And I have to admit, sometimes I walk more slowly in front of our cupboard because I like admiring our dishes so much. (Yes, I know that sounds a bit nerdy.)

Now, I am already dreaming about dishes again. I would love to have a set of some old Arabia plates and bowls, but I can't decide on a single type to collect. So I am leaning towards just buying pretty plates and bowls as I come across them and having a unique mix-and-match of dishes on our dinner table.

There are so many pretty dishes out there, it feels impossible to limit yourself to just one kind! And it would give me yet another excuse to keep on visiting all the fun antique and secondhand stores.

Sunday Self Portraits

2011-09-19T09:57:00.001+03:00

I am in love with weekends these days. After five days of trying to get stuff done while constantly being interrupted and of Matias being gone for the majority of the day, it is lovely to spend weekends together and to actually get stuff done. So after a Saturday full of cleaning and entertaining and tying up the loose ends of different chores, we spent the majority of Sunday lounging around and relaxing. While hanging out, I played around with the camera a bit and took some family pictures.

Now it is Monday again, which always feels a bit dreary after the weekends. But I am hoping that after a few cups of morning coffee, I'll feel more motivated to tackle the huge pile of laundry in need of ironing while Ellen rolls around on the floor and attempts to (once again) bang her head on the door frame.

Ellen's Piggyback Ride

2011-09-16T09:30:00.000+03:00

Ellen loves playing with Matias and now that she can sit up a little, she especially likes riding around on his shoulders.

This picture makes my heart melt.

Suomenlinna Sea Fortress

2011-09-11T19:06:00.004+03:00

One of the great things about living in Helsinki is that you are very close to nature even when in the city. During the warmer months, there are numerous ferries and boats that take you to the surrounding islands for a miniature escape from the city. And thanks to this weekend's crisp blue skies and mild temperature, we had a great opportunity to take the ferry to the nearby Suomenlinna Sea Fortress.

Our orginal purpose for going was to look for the exact location of the painting of Suomenlinna that hangs in our living room. Despite a few chats with local guides, we didn't manage to find it, but we had a lovely day of walking around, picnicing along the shore, and having coffee at one of the island's many cafés. And, as always, Ellen enjoyed the ferry ride and staring out at the sea. At this rate, she is turning into a regular little seafarer.

A Different Kind of Autumn

2011-09-07T10:25:00.000+03:00

Autumn has arrived. It may be in the early phases still, but there is an undeniable yellow tint to many leaves and the air smells of a new season. The rains have been pouring lately and temperatures have slightly dropped, making it easier to live in a home without airconditioning.

The arrival of autumn is definitely my favorite time of the year. It usually brings about with it a certain kind of feel that borders on nostalgic sadness. It whispers of a bygone era. Of sitting in front of a country fireplace with a good book as the fogs gather outside. Of picking mushrooms. Of wearing rubber boots. Of rustic walks along crimson lined streets. Autumn reminds us to enjoy the simple things in life.

A lakeside autumn view.

For most of my life, autumn has also meant a return to school--either to the pulpet or to the lecture halls. A year ago, I began my last official semester as a university student with the secret knowledge of a welcome pregnancy. I delved into the academic study of literature for the very last time. Now, that time of studying is upon us again, but this time, I am no longer returning to school.

And so, a different kind of autumn begins. This year autumn means family life and being at home with my baby. It's strange, but it seems that nostalgic feeling that autumn usually brings about feels like a reality this year. Not because we are in the country drinking evening cognacs in front of the fireplace or romping through the woods searching for the season's final chantarelles, but because life is centered around the home and the symbolic hearth. I feel like I have gone full circle and have arrived back at the type of family life that exists when small children are involved. Though this time, the small child happens to be my own and, unbelievably, I am the mother.

And it feels quite good. With a baby to enjoy the season with, it is easier to take advantage of all the best that autumn has to offer. As the excitement of summer winds down and there is no more school or work to attend to, I have the liberty to be the homebody that I really am. So though this autumn may seem a little boring from the outside, I am enjoying it more than any previous ones that have passed. For me, this is the best possible type of auutmn I can imagine right now.

Noteworthy Quote #12

2011-09-04T16:40:00.000+03:00

"Loving our neighbors and our enemies is perhaps the very hardest thing that Christ demands. It’s almost impossible to love one’s neighbors and enemies. It’s almost impossible to feel that degree of total giving to other human beings. To practice the daily love of neighbor and enemy calls into question one’s smallest and greatest competitive feelings, one’s common angry reactions to slights both great and small. In sum, the will to love all human beings must pervade every thought, word, and deed. One has to love the rude salesclerk, and the foreign enemy of one’s country; one has to love those who are “patently wrong” in their judgments of us. One has to love those who despise us openly and write and tell us so by e-mail. One has to love the employee who steals from you, and the murderer excoriated on national television."

-ANNE RICE (from Called Out of Darkness)

Ellen the Messy Eater

2011-08-26T12:36:00.002+03:00

This is why lunchtime at our home is also naked time*:

But at least she enjoys eating her mashed potatoes and carrots!

(*For the baby, I mean.)

House Hunting: Part 2

2011-08-22T13:22:00.000+03:00

The search for a new home continues, though still tentatively and quite casually. But as Ellen gets slightly more bigger and we keep looking, I notice that we are a lot more inclined to move to the country that we were before. Maybe it is also the beginnings of autumn that influence this decision, but it would be nice to walk outside and be greeted by trees, instead of the tram and Tehtaankatu traffic and shoppers and tourists. My walks outside with Ellen consist of walking along the busiest streets in the city and, sometimes, I take her shopping at Stockmann because it's a lot more amusing than walking down Freda for the twentieth time.

The nearby countryside.

And as these walks take place and the noises of the city drift in whenever we open the window for fresh air, I can't help but feel the longing for more space. Not necessary the more space to live in (though we need that as well), but more space to breathe and think and move. But as before, the need to live in a communal area is still a huge criteria. We could move out to the outskirts of Helsinki and have a little house and a yard surrounded by fields, but would probably get horribly lonely in a month or two. So if we do move further out, we will need to have services and people nearby.

The more I get annoyed with the city, the more I can't help but romaticize the countryside. However, there is the fear that it will be horribly dull to live there and nothing like stepping into a Country Living magazine. So if anyone has any experience of the surrounding areas, please let us know! Have you made the move away from Helsinki and enjoyed it?

Helsinki City Marathon 2011

2011-08-21T10:57:00.002+03:00

Matias and Jason ran the marathon this year, both for the first time. We went to cheer them on at two different spots since the marathon passes a block from our home twice. Ellen was super fascinated by the runners and could have watched them all day long!

The coordinated numbers are a coincidence.

Matias coming over to say hi.

And taking off again.

There's Jason on the right.

Passing by at 27km.

Matias was aiming for four and a half hours and beat that time by a few minutes (4h22min). So now things look good for next year's marathon in Stockholm that he'll be taking part in with some relatives to celebrate his great-grandfather winning silver while running at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics.

Noteworthy Quote #11

2011-08-16T22:39:00.000+03:00

"Long ago, the patriarch Jacob had encamped, and during the night, someone had entered his tent and wrestled with him until daybreak. Jacob accepted the combat, even knowing that his adversary was the Lord. At morning, he had still not been defeated and the combat ceased only when God agreed to bless him.

The story had been transmitted from generation to generation so that no one would ever forget: sometimes it was necessary to struggle with God."

-PAULO COELHO (from The Fifth Mountain)

At the Mattolaituri

2011-08-08T14:26:00.000+03:00

Four steps to a cleaner rug:

#1: Soak it.

#2: Scrub it.

#3: Wring it.

#4: Dry it.

Day Trip to Porvoo

2011-08-06T11:55:00.002+03:00

We traveled to Porvoo with our friend Mia on the J. L Runeberg yesterday. The trip there and back was longer than the time we spent in the town, but it was nice to slowly watch the coast go by on an old steamboat (minus the steam). Here are a few snapshots from the day:

If the last three pictures look like they don't really fit in, it's because they don't. But as we came back to Helsinki, there was a gathering of American cars in the Market Square, so I had to take a few pictures of that as well.

Ellen the Ice Cream Enthusiast

2011-08-02T13:08:00.004+03:00

We promised Ellen that she could eat as much ice cream as she wanted... if she could eat it on her own. She tried very hard to do so!

Ready...

Set...

GO!!!

So far her great ice cream tally is: ZERO BITES!

House Hunting: Part 1

2011-07-23T12:08:00.001+03:00

Matias and I officially have a new hobby: house hunting! We've started looking for a new home, as well as a new area to live in. Browsing through ads of homes that are for sale has always been a favorite pasttime of mine, but now I am actually doing so for a reason other than curiosity.

Ullanlinna: our current neighborhood

Ullanlinna is a perfect place to live when you don't have children, but now that Ellen is here, it's not exactly ideal because of the lack of any kind of yard of our own. And even if we wanted to stay, it's too pricey when looking for a two-bedroom apartment to buy. Just to get an idea of the prices here, I recently did an oikotie.fi search and was quite flabbergasted to find out that the cheapest two-bedroom on the market right now is the same size as our current home, but costs 450,000€ (that's about $650,000 for you Americans). After that, prices jump up again and range from 550,000€ to 1,900,000€ for a two-bedroom (about $800,000 to $2,700,000). Needless to say, owning instead of renting is way more expensive in this area! So we definitely need to find a new place to live.

The two major things that we're looking for are:

1. Our Own Old Wooden House
Not surprisingly (if you know me), I've dreamed of owning my own little wooden house with an old yard, a vegetable garden, and a root cellar ever since I was little. Old houses have so much more character than new ones as well as details that aren't added anymore. And there's just something so nice about the way that materials, especially wood, began to live after a while. It adds an organic feel to old houses that can't be found in new homes. In addition to this, old homes come with old gardens that are twenty times better than new ones, especially if they include some berry bushes and an apple tree or two. Add a root cellar and what else do you really need?

2. A Home in the Vanhakaupunki Area
The most ideal area for us to live in would be the Vanhakaupunki area which is within bicycling distance of the center. We've been looking at homes there, especially in the Käpylä, Kumpula, Koskela, and Toukola areas, but these areas are quite small and the homes rarely are for sell and they tend to be quite pricey as well because of the popularity of the area. But the areas are beautiful and full of old wooden buildings and gardens. But the main reason we're considering the area is that especially Kumpula and Käpylä have a community feel that is hard to find these days.

The only problem is that these two things combined are really pricey. We could either buy an old wooden house, but it would not be in the area we want or we could move to the area and down-size our wishlist for our home. Right now, the area is looking more tempting that owning a house.

Käpylä puutalo-osake (picture from here)

But luckily, Käpylä and Kumpula have a lot of good "compromises." We are actively viewing puutalo-osake homes in the areas (I don't know what the translation for that would be, but they are large wooden houses that are spilt into different homes which all share a common yard). The good thing about them is that you get the benefit of having a yard and garden, even though you live in an "apartment" of sorts. And the people who live in them tend to be very neighborly, which is a good thing if you're sharing a yard and maintaining a house together.

But who knows where we'll really end up. We're pretty much open to a lot of different options, as long as they're child-friendly and have a yard to play in. We're also not in any hurry to move and can easily live here for another year. But we're already looking at different options and viewing houses to get a feel for what the neighborhoods and prices are like. So the search is officially on!

Decorating Highlights

2011-07-18T15:05:00.036+03:00

With all the time that I spend at home these days, I've become a lot more interested in all sorts of domestic activities, especially decorating. Usually, I rarely buy anything purely decorative for our home and, in fact, doing so is apparently such a big deal that I even posted about it last time as well. But lately, I have made a few purchases that add some excitement to my home life.

~ 1 ~

One of my latest decorative purchase was these rhinocerous bookends that I came across in a store window. Sure, they're probably some mass-produced Chinese ware, but I couldn't resist.

And, luckily, they now have a practical purpose as well, which is housing books that I mean to read soon or have already read and still want to copy quotes from. It's a lot neater to have them in one place instead of littering lots of different tables and drawers.

(And yes, those are a set of Graham Greene books that I saw at a used book store when I went in to get a book for Matias. Can't wait to read them!)

~ 2 ~

And while testing out Ellen's new baby carrier and walking aroud the block with her, I came across this display of insects and butterflies in a nearby antique store.

The store was closed, but as I was standing around admiring the box, the owner came to unlock the doors and gave me a really good discount, so I had to get it Though this was a bit of an impulse buy, I had been looking for butterfly boxes for a while, so it was a semi-planned purchase.

~ 3 ~

Also while randomly browsing through neighborhood stores, I found these hand-crafted knobs that made our china cabinet look a lot more unique than before.

So that concludes our latest decorating purchases for now. I don't dare buy anything else because Matias is already convinced that our home is way too full as it is. And he does have a point...

Which means we'll probably have to move soon to make room for more exciting decorating finds.

Midsummer Celebrations

2011-07-05T10:32:00.002+03:00

We recently returned from a nearly two-week stay at Matias's family's island cabin. Getting away from civilization and technology was nice and a much needed break. And while there, the highlight of our stay was the juhannus celebrations that went on. This year, the celebrations included:

a little Midsummer fairy

salmon

herring

vodka

dining

rubber boot throwing

a contestant who needed some extra help with her boot

misty skies

and a bonfire, of course

And now that Midsummer is over, it means that we'll once again begin moving towards darkness. But it's a gradual change, so we should have plenty of sunlight and warm weather ahead...

Island Flora & Fauna

2011-07-01T20:41:00.005+03:00

Our Little Bo Peep

2011-06-30T21:35:00.001+03:00

At Matias's uncle's sheep farm, Ellen got a pile of wools all to herself which made her super excited.

Luckily, her grandfather bought one for the cabin so the fun continued for much longer!

Matias's 30th Birthday

2011-06-15T11:19:00.001+03:00

My two favorite people on Matias's birthday:

This one knows how to smile for the camera.

This one is still working on it.

Congrats to Matias for turning 30 this month!!!

Noteworthy Quote #10

2011-06-13T22:20:00.001+03:00

"The taste of modern society is sweet today in people's mouths, but it is causing severe pains in the stomach. None like the stomachache, but few are willing to give up the sweet taste."

-ELMO STOLL (from The Plain Reader)

Winter Birds Cross-stitch

2011-06-08T15:07:00.002+03:00

(click on the picture and then
enlarge to see it properly)

Last autumn, I started working on this Marjolein Bastin cross-stitch which made for some amusing entertainment while pregnant. I had to put it aside occasionally to work on other projects and finally finished it this week. I really like how it looks and the muted tones of the colors!

Noteworthy Quote #9

2011-06-07T10:27:00.001+03:00

“What a strange creature fear is. It exists only when there is resistance to its existence! When you stop and open to what you have resisted throughout time, you find that fear is not fear. Fear is energy. Fear is space. Fear is the Buddha. It is Christ’s heart knocking at your door.”

-GANGAJI

Final Thoughts on Graduating

2011-06-03T11:55:00.015+03:00

On Tuesday, I received my Masters degree from the University of Helsinki. A lot of work went into getting that piece of paper, the greatest bulk of which was my pro gradu thesis. Unlike most people, I actually really enjoyed my thesis topic and was interested in it. When I was trying to pick a topic, I decided to focus on something that I loved instead of what I felt like I should do. I remembered how much I enjoyed reading Oscar Wilde's collection of fairy tales The Happy Prince and Other Tales and decided to start from there.

At first, my research topic was that collection and the following one he wrote, The House of Pomegranates, but the further along I got, the more I realized that to fully explore both collections would require the writing of a book instead of just a thesis since the ideologies within them were very different. So I decided to leave out the The Happy Prince and Other Tales collection and just focus on the The House of Pomegranates since Wilde's tales within it are not as easily decipherable. Though Wilde has once again become an interest of researchers, his fairy tales are largely ignored by scholars, which meant that I didn't have to worry about others' opinions and could start building up my own views from a blank slate. After a few complete rewritings, the structure that I ended up with was this:

(click on the picture to enlarge if you're having trouble reading the text)

Or if you are interested in reading up on it in more detail, click on the picture below:

Though finishing my thesis is in itself an achievement, what I am most proud of is the fact that I finished before Ellen was born. Working on my thesis for more than an hour each day became physically painful as I moved into my third trimester and sitting in a normal chair became extremely uncomfortable. So I had to move my books and laptop to our very comfortable armchair and work from there in between contractions. And somehow, despite pregnancy aches and exhaustion from sleepless nights, I managed to string together enough coherent thoughts and sentences to finish. And as mentioned before, the timing was extremely perfect, because the day after I officially turned in my thesis, I had to go into the hospital because of pre-eclampsia (which helps explain why I felt so sick towards the end of my pregnancy).

Now, to answer the question I am sure many people are wondering, my grade was eximia cum laude approbatur. Though I am, of course, happy to receive such a good grade, I am slightly dissapointed because if I had a few more months, I think I could have brought it up to a the laudatur level since the lacking parts and how to fix them were glaringly obvious to me. But I will content myself with the current grade since having an eximia gradu and a baby are a better combination than just having a laudatur gradu. And if I ever do decide to get my Ph.D. in the same subject, I can work out the kinks then. But for now, I am very happily saying goodbye to academia and focusing on my baby and other interests instead!

[PS. If anyone happens to be super interested in the topic, Wilde's views on the Individualistic Christ and the Romantic Christ are discussed in "The Soul of Man Under Socialism" and "De Profundis." I just wanted to share those because they make for really interesting reading!]

Playtime

2011-06-01T13:26:00.001+03:00

Master of Arts in English Philology

2011-05-31T20:25:00.000+03:00

Today, I received my Masters degree from the University of Helsinki! Yay!

Ellen's Baptism

2011-05-28T08:48:00.003+03:00

Our daughter Ellen Maria was baptized in St. Henry's Church on May 21, 2011. Here are a few pictures from the ceremony, as well as the party at home afterwards.

Ellen wore the same gown that I did 28 years ago.

It was made by my grandmother and worn by

my sister and cousins as well.

The baptism.

With Father Marino and her godmother Miira.

Walking back home for cake and coffee.

Cakes and sweets made by my grandmother.

Ellen hanging out with Matias and his parents.

With my mom and her parents.

Redefining Life

2011-05-23T14:49:00.097+03:00

About a month and a half ago, my life went through a major upheaval. On Monday, April 4, I was a university student going to officially drop off the final version of my Master's thesis at the University of Helsinki. Since there was over two weeks until my due date, I thought this meant that I would have a transition phase, a nice "vacation" of sorts to recover from all the brain work and prepare myself for the birth that was up ahead. But instead of a break, I got a phone call the following day (Tuesday to be exact) and was informed that I needed to come in to the neuvola for a few tests because my lab results weren't quite right. The tests ended with me being sent to the hospital where it was confirmed that I had pre-eclampsia (raskausmyrkytys in Finnish) and I was admitted as an overnight patient for more monitoring.

This meant that I ended up spending April 6, my 28th birthday, at the hospital. Matias was teaching his last lessons of a course that afternoon, so my mom came to hang out with me and I had some company for my birthday. I can't quite remember what the order of events was after that, but I think that once Matias arrived that evening, it was clear that they were planning on inducing me. The only question that remained to be decided was whether they would wait until the next morning or start the induction that night. Luckily, they decided on the next morning, because that meant I got to spend the night sleeping well and gathering my strength for the next day. On the morning of April 7, the doctor on duty broke my water and within a few hours, I was in full labor. And from then on, things happened fast, resulting in a quick, but intense and painful labor and birth of our daughter Ellen.

After that, all that was left to do was recover from the pre-eclampsia, recover from giving birth, learn the fine art of breastfeeding, and take care of a newborn. And it also meant that exactly a week after I dropped off my thesis, I was back at home, but with a baby and as a stay-at-home mother instead of as a university student. So needless to say, my life changed a lot in that one week. Before the baby was born, I didn't even try to imagine how things would be or try to plan what our life would be like. And though I let everyone's chidrearing advice go in from one ear and swiftly out the other, there was one piece of advice I did hold on to, which was given to me by my mother: "Live according to the baby's scehdule at first, instead of trying to mold it into your own" (loose translation from the Finnish).

So that is what our life has been like for the past six weeks, which means that my life has revolved around two major things so far: a sleeping baby and breastfeeding. At first, I didn't quite know what to do with myself since Ellen spent the majority of her time sleeping and only wanted to do so while being held. I, on the other hand, would have preferred to be doing something while she napped, such as laundry or cleaning. But instead, I couldn't really get anything done at all. But then, I realized that this was exactly the "transition phase" vacation that I'd been hoping for after I dropped off my thesis. So with a very clear conscience, I put off all housework and unfinished projects and concentrated on doing two things I tremendously enjoy: resting and reading.

After such a long time of university-related reading, it has been wonderful to read whatever I like at whatever pace I like without having to focus on remembering details and over-analyzing as I go along. Currently, after reading The Red Tent (which I really enjoyed), my interests have revolved around biblical fiction. Right now, I'm reading Paulo Coelho's The Fifth Mountain, a disappointing and quite boring re-telling of the prophet Elijah's story. And after that, I plan on reading Mary of Nazareth by Marek Halter and Mary, Called Magdalene by Margaret George. In addition to these speculative semi-historical novels, I'm developing a sort of sensationalistic interest in life-after-peak-oil theories (I think to the amusement of Matias). Though I have very little interest in the oil-related aspect, I love their theories on what life will be like after the peak oil. Next thing you know, I will be trying to convince Matias that we need to buy a cabin out in the middle of the woods, start growing our own potatos and vegetables, and learn how to live without running water or electricity during the winter. Note how I say "during the winter," because the majority of Finnish people know how to do so during the summertime due to our mökki culture.

But while we're still living in the city amongst people and with modern amenities, the most drastic change in life has been the ex tempore nature that it has taken on. Days can't really be planned, yet despite my usually organizational nature, I've been quite good about not stressing about stuff (except when it gets too dirty at home and I kind of flip out about it). If I haven't felt like me and Ellen are quite ready to do something or go somewhere, I just say so, despite what other people think we should do at this stage. Thanks to that, life is relatively relaxing and I don't have to stress out about situations. The only problem is the lack of sleep, but I guess that can't be avoided. Every week seems to get a little easier though and I'm hoping that one day the lack of sleep will just be a faint memory. Until then, we'll just continue with taking things easy and spending days lounging around after tough nights.

In addition to nights getting better, Ellen is becoming more alert and making more contact (and, thereby, becoming a whole lot cuter and more fun to be around). But thanks to her longer awake periods, I feel like we're having to redefine our life again. The two of us are having to learn new schedules and routines as we adjust to spending the days at home together while Matias is at the university. And as we learn to spend our days in increasing new ways, I'm slowly getting a bit more time to myself. Instead of only being able to read when I'm alone with Ellen, I can actually get stuff done and even work on some crafts and such. As our life slowly changes again, I realize how trememndous the changes have really been. I really don't have to study anymore. I really am done with university life. I really will have my Masters degree in my hand next week. And someday, Matias will be done with his dissertation. Which means that we can pretty much do whatever we want after that.

The choices after that are endless, but I'm kind of still rooting for moving out into the middle of the woods. Now if only I could convince a few friends to come along and start a community with us out there...

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-14T15:33:00.001+03:00

With my mother and daughter.

Ellen's First Month

2011-05-08T13:41:00.001+03:00

Ellen's first month naturally consists of many "firsts" and a lot of eating and sleeping. Here are a few pictures we captured along the way:

Matias giving Ellen her first bath.

One day old.

All the lovely flowers and presents we received.

Going home from the hospital (in her way too big

outfit that I was worried would be too small).

Testing out her new bed.

First bath at home.

Ellen's favorite sleeping position.

Chatting with daddy.

Taking a nap with Onni.

One month old!

Noteworthy Quote #8

2011-05-06T17:29:00.001+03:00

"We do not have to die to arrive at the gates of Heaven. In fact, we have to be truly alive. The practice is to touch life deeply so that the Kingdom of God becomes a reality."

-THICH NHAT HANH (from Living Buddha, Living Christ)

Ellen the Academic

2011-04-14T15:23:00.002+03:00

Helping daddy grade exams.

Poor baby... Only a week old and she's already immersed in university work.

Introducing Ellen

2011-04-10T22:27:00.002+03:00

Time to take this baby home!

Name: Ellen Maria
Birth date: April 7, 2011, 6:26pm
Weight: 3,720 kg
Height: 50 cm

Almost Parents

2011-04-03T20:16:00.001+03:00

I realized recently that there are no pictures of me and Matias together where I look "properly pregnant." But luckily, some of our friends came over today and Jura took a picture of us together before it's too late:

I think the proportions here are hilarious because Matias is clearly a lot taller than me, yet I have all this extra mass to make up for it further down. It kind of makes me think of Pekka and Pätkä.

Noteworthy Quote #7

2011-03-28T10:35:00.004+03:00

"Wisdom enters through love, silence, and mortification. It is great wisdom to know how to be silent and to look at neither the remarks, nor the deeds, nor the lives of others."

-ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS

Pregnancy Update: 35 Weeks

2011-03-21T08:51:00.000+02:00

Well, I've made it to week 35 and I believe that Dickens had this phase of pregnancy in mind when he wrote: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" (no?). This really is a horribly painful and achy time, especially when you're retaining fluids at the rate that I'm doing. But... wow... it's pretty awesome as well. Now, it's so obvious that there's a baby in there that the reality has set in, as has the extreme happiness.

Here are a few pictures of what's going on:

35 weeks and 2 days

I spend a great deal of my time now-a-days thinking about giving birth and pain. Actually, I spend quite a lot of time thinking about pain, mainly about my back injury pain which makes me more nervous than giving birth pain sometimes. During the early parts of pregnancy, back pain was what I feared the most, but now that my back hasn't been a problem, I've mostly put that out of my mind. But I do still remember how painful the months leading up to my back surgery were and that kind of freaks me out. I just have to keep reminding myself that debilitating nerve pain is not the same as labor pain. Giving birth is a pain that you can work with. It's not the kind that causes you to faint or shut down. And yet... that back pain still haunts me and I'm worried it will return though I have no reason to fear that now... Can you tell I'm a little traumatized?

Other than that, I just feel big and fat, but no worries... I won't complain about that. I already complained about the pain aspect enough. Mainly, life right now feels like a tying up of loose ends so that a new phase can begin. There are so many little things to take care of, especially related to my thesis and school stuff. But everything is coming along as planned and even on schedule, so I am extremely grateful for that. We have pretty much everything we need for the baby, so as soon as my thesis is officially printed and turned in, I'll finally be ready for the baby to get here.

Exactly one more month to go until the due date! Hope it won't feel too long...

Noteworthy Quote #6

2011-03-18T10:50:00.001+02:00

"You ask me for a way of attaining perfection. I know of Love - and Love only! Our hearts are made for it alone.."

-ST. THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX

My Baby Shower

2011-03-13T09:02:00.002+02:00

Yesterday was my baby shower, which means there were:


decorations

and yummy food

silly games

and amusing moments

presents to be opened

and friends

and more friends

and my mom, of course.

I had a wonderful time getting to see everyone. Especially since I'm usually just stuck at home, it was really nice to be able to catch up and hang out. And I got a ton of lovely presents as well! Thank you everyone!

A Musical Moment

2011-03-04T11:55:00.004+02:00

We've gotten into the habit of playing this musical frog for the baby whenever we remember (Matias remembers to do so about 90% of the time). It plays Frère Jacques and I figured that it would be interesting to see if the baby "learns" the song and responds to it later.

Right now, it is definitely inspired to start moving or kicking when it hears it, but I'm not sure whether they're happy dance moves or just frustration at having to listen to annoying noises.

Noteworthy Quote #5

2011-03-02T12:27:00.002+02:00

"Now it seems to me that love of some kind is the only possible explanation of the extraordinary amount of suffering that there is in the world. I cannot conceive of any other explanation. I am convinced that there is no other, and that if the world has indeed, as I have said, been built of sorrow, it has been built by the hands of love, because in no other way could the soul of man, for whom the world was made, reach the full stature of its perfection. Pleasure for the beautiful body, but pain for the beautiful soul."

-OSCAR WILDE (from De Profundis)

Into My Hermitage

2011-03-01T10:30:00.001+02:00

Well, this is it... goodbye friends and goodbye social life! I'm pretty much at a point right now where my plans have to be kept to a minimum and seeing people, except on the rare occasion, isn't really an option. I still try to walk outside some, but that's about all the physical activity I can do right now.

Why the retreat into my home? Because I can't go anywhere without getting really uncomfortable contractions, which means I then need to come back home anyway to rest to make them go away.

So me and my big belly are stuck at home most days. And to be honest, it's actually reeally boring. But it's also a good way to get tons of thesis writing done everyday. I've gotten to the point where I'm fed up with my thesis, so I'm working on it all the time, just so I can get it done and out of the way. My goal is to have the whole thing written at the end of next week (by March 11). Then, some editing and proofreading will need to be done, after which I'll be able to turn it in to my thesis adviser for his final comments. Then, more editing and proofreading. So all in all, I hope to have it submitted to the department by the end of March.

It's a tight schedule, but doable as long as I stay healthy, the baby stays in my belly, and I don't get stuck. Just three "little" factors that I'm hoping go as planned...

Noteworthy Quote #4

2011-02-16T10:28:00.002+02:00

"Too long a sacrifice
Can make a stone of the heart.
O when may it suffice?"

-W. B. YEATS (from "Easter, 1916")

Pregnancy Update: 30 Weeks

2011-02-14T14:27:00.000+02:00

30 weeks and 3 days

I'm 30 weeks into my pregnancy, which means there's only 25% left to go. And I'm definitely showing a lot! But everything has been progressing nicely and there haven't been any major problems, except for the typical aches and pains. Sometime around 6 weeks ago, I started to get tired of this being pregnant thing, but I'm still not ready for the baby to get here though. But I know once I turn in my thesis, I will be more than ready. But right now, the discomforts of my third trimester are less daunting than the idea of having a baby while my thesis is in such disarray.

As my pregnancy continues, I notice that I'm having to slow down more and more. With the icy streets slowing down my pace, my travel time (when walking places) is now doubled, but I don't mind because instead of rushing from place A to place B, I'm using the time for practicing mindfulness. It's amazing how much more beautiful Helsinki looks when you observe the buildings and people, instead of living inside your head and not really noticing what's going on around you. One of my goals this year is to try to be more aware of the present moment and this very informal form of walking meditation is great for that. And I'm sure that having a baby will very much help out with that as well!

My pillow fortress

In addition to being more aware, one of the great joys in my life right now is the pillow fortress system that I've developed. I sleep crammed between two large pillows, which means I have proper support on both sides no matter which way I turn at night (and it also means that I take up 2/3 of the bed). While this might not seem like significant news to everyone else, I am in love with my pillow system and the added sleep it gives me. I already wake up way too often in the middle of the night as it is, so it wonderful to not have to wake up because of pillow or support problems as well.

Other than that, there is not much going on. Life is feeling deliciously good right now and I am enjoying this wonderful phase. And to add to the joys, I really feel like we're having a real baby now. At first, it was kind of hard to realize, but being able to feel little feet pushing up against you makes it seem real. With the amount of activity already going on inside my belly (kicks and turns and hiccups), I can't even imagine what it'll be like when I get to the end of my third trimester. I guess I'll find out soon enough...

Noteworthy Quote #3

2011-02-02T12:46:00.001+02:00

"There is a joy, and it is the joy of existence —
not what is happening in existence.
They are two different things.
There is the joy of existence,
and then there is the joy of what is happening in existence.
What is happening in existence we try to control and manipulate.
Sometimes things go our way. Sometimes they don't.
But then there is another joy.
That joy has been there through all the years of your life,
waiting to be discovered.
And that joy will be there for as long as you live.
It is the simple, simple joy of being alive."

-PREM RAWAT

A Movie-Filled Sunday

2011-02-01T09:49:00.000+02:00

We hosted a movie watching symposium on Sunday where the theme was Japanese animation movies. Here are a few pictures that our friend Jura Jukola took that day:

The furriest guests

Getting everything ready

Matias & guests

Me hanging out online while people are over
(I really did have something important to look up).

And I had to add this picture, because there's our baby's crib!

The movies we watched were Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi and Gedo senki, since they're safe bets for people that people who haven't seen Studio Ghibli movies before. But a lighter classic would have also been good to mix in...

A Potpourri of Weekend Pictures

2011-01-17T11:24:00.004+02:00

Below is a conglomeration of pictures from this weekend:

Getting bigger! (26 weeks and 3 days)

A surprise birthday party

Our first family portrait (me, the baby, and Matias
as the three "bears" and Goldilocks up on top).

Playing with the panorama option on my new camera
(and proof that we do occasionally watch television).

It was a pretty great weekend. Lots of fun birthday parties and places to go, but also lots of time spent at home relaxing and resting. And I got a new camera that I'm trying to learn how to use, which might take a while, but I should have it figured out by the time the baby gets here.

Now it's time to settle back into the weekly routine...

Settling into the New Year

2011-01-07T11:11:00.002+02:00

The new year has begun and the first week of it has definitely been calmer than the end of last year. All my courses eventually did end and that means that I no longer have to go to school except once a week for a two-hour seminar. And I must admit, I love going into Weboodi and looking at my online transcript and all those completed credits. I can't believe that my university days are coming to an end.

But it is much nicer having these days at home now. Mainly I spend my days tidying up around the apartment and then working on my thesis which is coming along at a nice speed. And while I'm at it, I keep mentally planning what little decorating things I want to do. Maybe this is just some nesting stage, but I can't stop trying to get the apartment in order and am slightly obsessed with throw pillows and paintings right now.

So 2011 is beginning nicely and even though I don't usually make New Year's resolutions, I did make a few this year. The first was to get back into the habit of keeping a journal, which I haven't done for a few years now. But with all the exciting changes going on, I thought it would be nice to look back on some day. There's also something nice about writing with a pen, instead of typing all the time while staring at a lit screen that's constantly creating some kind of slight humming or buzzing. I feel that I keep getting more and more tired of the computer and am turning towards paper instead.

And second, I didn't so much as make a resolution, but was very resolute about something--finding a way to fall asleep at night and sleep better. Since I can only sleep on my side nowadays, I tend to be numb and achy all over, which leads to me not being able to fall asleep and then waking up all throughout the night. I tried sleeping with an extra pillow between my knees, but that barely helped. So I decided in a very resolution-y fashion, to conquer this problem, even though finding a solution would be a matter of luck instead of determination.

Then three nights ago, as I was trying to fall asleep, I realized that the huge decorative pillows that are on the bed during the day are large enough to provide plenty of support, but still thin enough to not be awkward. Since this revelation came to me, sleeping at night became a lot easier and more pleasant. It takes longer to rearrange the pillow when I wake up and have to switch sides, but is definitely worth the improvement in my quality of sleep.

So, armed with a new sleep technique, I'm really looking forward to this year. There is so much in store for it and I cannot wait to see how it unfolds. I am looking forward to finishing my studies completely and meeting the baby and many other things, but I am also very much enjoying the relaxed state that life has taken right now.

And to end, some words of advice from Walt Whitman's preface to Leaves of Grass, which is always worth re-reading as a new year begins:

This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul; and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body…

O Christmas Tree!

2010-12-22T16:21:00.000+02:00

We weren't planning on getting a Christmas tree this year because of the hassle, but then I found some old childhood ornaments... And my mom had a stand she didn't need... And Matias noticed they were selling trees in the park nearby... So we did end up with one after all!

Our tree and presents.

Snowflakes in the window.

Our little Christmas town.

I couldn't get a proper picture of the tree and the town without using a flash, but at least you get the idea. Now I'm off to bake some Christmas cookies!

Decluttering and Reorganizing

2010-12-21T15:49:00.001+02:00

It's that most wonderful time of the year when the semester finally ends. I sent in an essay on Sunday and that e-mail marked the end of the school year for me. But unlike all other semesters, it's weird because I won't technically be "going back" except for my thesis seminar. So in a way, this is a new phase of life for me as my life will no longer be planned around when and where I'll be studying. It feels so surreal. And very gratifying as well.

Now I am celebrating by taking part in one of my very favorite activities: the annual job of decluttering and reorganizing. This for me is not a chore, but a very fun and pleasant thing to do. To explain why, I should say that I am a huge fan of feng shui (yes, laugh at me if you want). I'm not even going to try to act cultured and pretend I like some refined ancient form of feng shui. I'll just be frank and admit I love all that over-popularized and over-Westernized interior design stuff having to do with the flow of energy in your home. I like it because it makes me feel like I'm not the only one who needs to clean and declutter because it feels like the "energy" of places is getting stagnant.

So I go through cupboards and boxes and everything else looking for things that I never use or things that could be organized in another way. I carefully evaluate items using the famous words of William Morris as a guide:

“Have nothing in your house that you do not

know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”

And after the decluttering is over, the end result is always the same: a strangely tranquil and centered feel. Each year, the process gets easier because based on the things I get rid of, I'm able to pinpoint the areas where I shop mindlessly and make bad purchases. And though in most areas, I seem to be doing fine, there are two things that I can never seem to get a grip on: books and clothes.

Books are my obsession. I love them and I love to buy them. But unfortunately, I do not love to read everything that I buy, no matter how interesting the subject matter may be. I always seem to buy books that are fascinating so that I won't forget about them and can read them at a later point in time. But usually, that point in time never arrives. So then when decluttering, I make a list of all the books I have that I've never read and decide to read them before buying more books. As expected, that never happens, but it's still a useful list, because I end up realizing that I own a lot of books that I don't want to spend my time reading. And those go into the donation box. And then when out and about, I am not as tempted to buy books because I don't want to add them to the list. This method is slowly working. When I first started it, I had hundreds of books on the list. Now, I have under twenty. Not a great amount, but still a lot of progress.

And then there is the issue of clothes. I used to buy way too many of them and thankfully those days are over. But I doubt I'll ever be one of those people who doesn't make impulse buys or only buys what they know they'll use. I think the appeal of buying clothes comes from their ability to easily transform. A new outfit can change one's image so much, give a quick boast of confidence, and is just simply fun to buy. But I notice that almost all clothes that I buy from want end up in the donation bags a lot faster than clothes that I buy because I specifically need them. The clothes that are mainly there for outer appeal, eventually just began to feel not so satisfying when they're not not fulfilling some specific practical purpose as well. So now I try to only go shopping for clothes when I know I need something, such as a new pair of jeans, and to not have more of an item than necessary. This system has been working really well and I find that most things I buy end up having long-term value.

At this rate, I'll should be on the road to becoming a decluttering and organizing guru soon.

And It's a Girl

2010-12-07T17:11:00.001+02:00

We had a very long and detailed ultrasound at the Kätilöopisto and, first and foremost, I was interested in knowing that everything was looking good so far. Which it very thankfully did! And second, I was interested in knowing whether we were having a boy or a girl. And we found out that we're having a little GIRL! The nurse seemed pretty sure, so there probably won't be any surprises when it's born. I was expecting it to be a girl, so I wasn't very shocked, but still pleasantly surprised anyway. Of course, a boy would have been just as great, but I kind of wanted a girl because:

a) Ashley and I "planned" on having babies at the same time when we were in elementary school and now, twenty years later, that really is the case. Since she's having a girl, I thought it would be cute to compare how our little girls were doing as the years went by and that when they met, they would be friends as well. :)

b) Aura had a baby girl in 2009 and less than a year a later, Wilma had a baby girl in 2010. Since it was "my turn" to have a baby in less than a year next, I thought it would be pretty nifty if we all had girls. And looks like we succeeded pretty well at keeping the pattern going!

c) I have a couple of girl names that "feel" like they would really work, but can't think of even one good boy name.

d) I kind of might have already bought a dress.

So, I must say, it was a very happy and exciting day! But mainly, I am happy to know the baby was looking healthy.

Santa Claus Came to Town

2010-12-07T16:32:00.001+02:00