Down Under with Jan Mikaela Nora and Ella

Hurray, Morfar (Grandpa from Sweden) is back in town! He’s here for a couple of months to help out with all the jobs that need to be done in and around the house.  He’s a true handyman, fixing all you can think of, like the floor boards, electrics, plumbing, the pergola and everything in the garden. Every day when we leave for work his radio is turned on and off he goes. And when we come home from work it’s always pleasant surprise to find what’s new or fixed. For Nora his visit has all kinds of benefits. Morfar is there to play with, to assist when he does his jobs and to boss around when she gets bored. And she got some nice presents. This week he fixed her a sandpit. Think of how much fun that will be, walking the sand into the house on the new floor-boards!

Hip Hip Hurray, it's Mummy's birthday today !

Nora learned a new word at childcare: 'Up'. See how she explains it ...

Spring has finally arrived. After the coldest, wettest and longest winter in decades, South Australia is finally enjoying the good life again. What a joy. The upside of all that rain is that Adelaide Hills are looking beautiful, green and lush. This also goes for our garden through, so lots of work to be done. But hey: who cares? The bees are zooming and the birds are singing and we’re practically living outside in the backyard all day. Nora loves to be in the garden and play on her slide, or chasing the lizards. She likes it so much that she keeps on moving all her toys outdoors. Mum does her runs every morning in the sun and in the weekend Dad goes out on his bike through the vineyards, the bush and the green hills. It’s sooo relaxed here on this side of Mt. Lofty. And you know what the best part is? This is just the start of the summer. Not until end of April do we have to worry about moving the outdoor furniture.  Yep, life is tough Down Under ;-) By the way: have you seen ...

What a glorious week we had at the Queensland Gold Coast. Sun, sea , beach and with 25°C it surely beats rainy Adelaide this time of year. Daddy was on a work conference with some colleagues , and the family could come along. We’ve been touring around to Byron Bay and Mt. Tamborine, have visited some of the big theme parks like Sea world and Dream world, and been on the beach and in the pool every day. Oh, and of course daddy has been working really hard as well ...

Its official now: Nora is no longer a baby, but a toddler. So much has changed in the last couple of months. At childcare they upgraded her to the toddler room, and that’s where she truly belongs. This little lady is walking and talking, interacting and communicating, crying and manipulating, listening and understanding.  She’s learning with the speed of light, and keeps amazing us every day. Her favourite word now is ‘shoes’. She just got her first real pair the other week, and if it was up to her she’d go to bed with them. First thing when she wakes up is ‘shoes, shoes’, and she’ll fetch them for you. And next comes the jacket, because her other favourite thing is going outside. In the garden we have installed a climbing tower with a slide. Round and round our little girl goes, until Mum and Dad can no longer keep up. Tell you what: she is one active and energetic lady! Click here for a new slide show on how Nora developed since her birthday in March (yes, yes, it was about ...