Sleep

I know that in families with small children finding your kids sleeping in odd positions and places is nothing new. But it still amazes me that kids manage to sleep everywhere….
Tuomas in our bed…. or half in our bed! I guess he fell from our bed and fell asleep half way climbing back.

Garden and the gardener

I think my little herb garden under the poor apple tree turned up quite nice. I've used a lot to the herbs in my cooking this summer. And we've had THREE strawberries so far (you see the pot behind the sage and oregano bushes?).

Mårbacka pelargoniums which Tuomas didn't rip into pieces, surprisingly. "Rainbow" seems to be upset since he's staring at the corner.
The gardener with his squirt gun. Jaakko was an eager helper whenever I watered the plants.

Reindeer

The boys the next morning after the baking session. They went downstairs, Risto got the fresh pulla from the kitchen and they were happily having a healthy breakfast when we finally got out of bed.
This is our little reindeer! Jaakko wears a bell around his neck like a reindeer. That way I can hear where he is. There are so many bushes and other places in which he can hide, so this is the best way to have some control over his roaming about. Tuomas wore the same bell when he was smaller. I've had so many comments about what a great idea (especially in a big play-ground when I have to keep an eye on three active boys...). You're welcome to copy the idea. Hopefully the sound of the bell is different from our, so that if we meet in a park we can tell the difference!

Summer and all

It's the third week back at the office for me and I seem not to have the time/energy to update the blog. But I do my best......

... to train my boys to be good house-husbands. In all honesty, Risto wanted to mop the floor which meant that Tuomas wanted, too. Luckily we have two of them. I handed them the squirt bottle with the mild washing detergent and the mops and went away in order to avoid seeing the mess they'd make. The floor ended up being quite slippery (you _don't_ want black tiles on your floor, every little piece of dirt, crumbs, sand etc. shows), I think there was a hollow *thump* when Jaakko slipped and hit his head on the floor. But actually the floor was pretty clean, the boys were happy "Mom, guess what? If you take the ends of the mop away you can use these as swords!!!".

Risto and me after the mopping session. (Photo taken by Tuomas)
Baking "pulla". The best part, in my opinion too, is eating the dough, especially if you're making cinnamon rolls and you have already spread the butter and sprinkled the sugar and cinnamon. And those yeasty burps afterwards..... Can't really deny the boys that joy since I like it, too (the eating part, not the burping!). Hmm, my hands look slightly odd in the background...
Before

After....

God sons

DH and I have 5 god sons. Our first is my cousin's third son, born in 7/01, just 5 months before Risto. The second one is DH's cousin's third son, 6/02, 6 months after Risto. Then comes Outi's son 2/05, then my sister's son 4/06 and finally our friends' son 11/06. (I hope I got the dates right and didn't forget anyone!!! Hmmm, maybe I should be in bed sleeping at 11:04PM rather than updating my blog and infesting it with typos....)Celebrating our first god son's 6th birthday in June. Ilari, the birthday boy is leaning to the table between Tuomas and Risto. DH and Jaakko waiting for their piece of the cake.

These five boys, our god sons, are all cute and small, but boy did I feel old when my god son from Norway came over for a short visit. When you have to look UP to see the eyes of your god son you know you're not a spring chicken any more. Here's Ole Markus, my Norwegian cousin's son, born 4/91, 180 cm tall.

First Risto wanted to take the picture of us, but he left our heads off the picture. So then he wanted to be in the picture itself.

Seeing Ole Markus gave me some idea what my life will be like with 3 sons. I know that in about 10 years or so I'll be looking UP at my boys.

But they'll always be my babies...

Even if they don't obey my "stay still" commands!

Summer, part II

And we spent a day with our friends in an activity park, Puuhamaa. This is how Tuomas will look like as an obese, fed-up teenagerI hope he'll never look like this! He was jumping on a trampoline! Funny what gravity can do to your cheeks!Looking better here! He was all red on his face by the time he stopped jumping.

Jumping up and down on a trampoline and throwing the ball to each other. It sounds like a running wheel for hamsters. But they loved it.

Jaakko and DH coming down a slide, a long but not too fast one. Risto wanted to go on this ride and I, stupid me, volunteered. Each of us had two buttons to choose from: either the cabin would turn up-side-down with your face first or with your back first. The first minute was fun, but the last 6 (it seemed to go on for ever!!) were not. But, boy, did Risto enjoy teasing his mother!

Summer

Summer is almost gone. DH has been back to work for a week, I'm back at the office on Monday and boys in day-care.
Our vacation was busy! We came back home Thursday last week (and he went to work the next day) and DH's comment was:"Great vacation. Next summer we'll stay at home!"

And what did we do:

Sister's family spent a couple of days with us. We took the boys (she has 2 boys, 5 and 1 year olds) to a farm yard. And what did they want to look at: Cousin Vincent and Risto on the vintage tractor.Jaakko played with this car for at least half an hour.

Tuomas was interested in the guinea pigs.

Axel, our god-son, 15months, on my back.

"They're not looking. Let's run! I'm sure they can handle 5 boys if they can handle 3. Oh, but I can't move fast with this belly. We'll just walk fast and quietly!". Sister and her DH.
*piano string smile* "Shoot, they saw us. Ok, it was a good plan, but we were too slow."