To Ormond To Miami To a Birthday party

Vi left Jackie and Doug by lunchtime and drove back to Ormond. It went well with the children. Alex had gotten a lot of work done while he had been in Ormond one day without us. Back in Ormond Marlee and farmor took a walk on the beach. I came down a little later to join them. It was pretty windy but nice.

While being in Ormond we also went to a playground by the water and we had Thanks giving dinner with two of farmor's sisters. A big yummy buffet! Marlee found a lot of good things to eat and Noah was being smiley and quite as always. He has been the happiest baby here! After the finner we went to see Gammelfarmor (farmor's mum). It was good to see her, Nancy, again!



I found small boot-prints in the
sand when I came to the beach.
Made it easy to know which way
Marlee and farmor had gone :-)



Marlee and farmor on the beach in Ormond

Barefoot!

Playground in Ormond

Sunset by the playground



Nice walk on the windy beach!


Yesterday (Friday) we all went back down to Miami. Everyone except farmor who stayed in Ormond to clean the house. Thank you farmor!! Noah and Marlee were very good in the car down!



Noah in the car



Marlee in the car

 Today: Birthday party for Lucas and Lucia!!! It was a great event with lots of children, a bouncy house, cotton candy, lots of good food and Piñata.Marlee was totally exhausted after and so was Noah. I must say that I am pretty tired, too :-) We all had a great time!! Thank you Alex and Jorge for throwing such a great party!!

Birthday kid 1: Lucia

Making cotton candy!



And eating it -)



In the bouncy house (Marlee in green shirt)

Piñata, getting the candy!!



Candy!



A big bag of candy for Marlee!!!

A very nice birthday cake, made of cup cakes
Birthday kid 2: Lucas (in the yellow shirt)

 Marlee doing the Piñata



Back to civilization (Internet)

We left Madison this morning and went to Jackie and Doug for a yummy dinner! Me and the children are staying the night, as well as Kathy. Alex and Buddy left for Ormond after dinner. That way Alex can get some work done tomorrow and we get to spend some more time with Jackie and Doug :-D Both children are sleeping like babies now and I am taking the chance to update the blog with some pictures! More details about our last few days will come along with the pictures.

Dinner with Alex, Jorge, Jessica and Lucas

(Lucia was sleeping when we arrived)

Thursday night we went over to Alex's and Jorge's to have dinner. We ordered yummy pizzas from a local pizza place. Jessica (studied in France with us) was there, too. Marlee and Lucas played good. Little Lucia was sleeping when we got there but I am hoping to see her next time!

Marlee and Lucas playing

Watching something on Jessica's phone

The Pee hole and going to Ormond

Friday started out as a nice day but by the time me and the small guys were ready to leave the house to go the pee hole the clouds had gathered and we even got some rain drops on our head while being there. In the afternoon we all went to where Albert works, a garden where they have all kinds of trees. Some trees that hardly exists anywhere else in the world!! Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my phone nor my camera so I do not have any pictures...

There are silly rules by the Pee hole. You are not allowed to wear any "floating devices" except life wests so Marlee could not use his little swim ring and arm puffs. We god to borrow a life west however from the life guards



By the Pee hole




Noah while Marlee and I went swimming



Miami down town in the background

In the evening we all took the car to Ormond where farmor and farfar were waiting for us

Driving to Madison to meet Jackie and Doug
As soon as we got ready in the morning (Saturday) we left the house in Ormond. Marlee was complaining about stomach ache all morning. He does that often but I noticed that he seemed worse this time than normal. In the car he threw up all over himself and his car seat (that we have borrowed from some neighbours of Alex's parens..). Luckily we were at a gas station when it happened and had plenty of paper available and room to throw clothes and the car seat cover on the ground when cleaning. After that Marlee had to go in the car seat without any comforable covers but he did not complain one time He did feel better after threwing up

Marlee in his stripped car seat

I wonder what you get if you sound your horn, a beer?

When we got to Madison Alex was stopped by the police and they said that he was not wearing his seatbel (which he was!!!!). We god a nice little ticket on 111USD because of a lying policeman!!!

Our property in Madison County
Our property in Madison County is really beautiful I think, and peaceful! We have a little pond and a trailer to live in when we are there. Jackie and Doug have made it all very nice with running water from the well, electricity and bathroom. They recently built a shed for the golf cart and other things that we have there.

The oaks from below

Running the golf car (I do not know how
Marlee god so dirty in his face!!!?)



Making waffles with Jackie in the moring



Alex and Doug
(with the pond in the background)

Part of our property

Marlee and Jackie running the golf cart

Doug is pulling Marlee :-)

Madison County

We have been without Internet for a few days. Right now we are just visiting a Burger King with wireless. Unfortunately, I do not have any new pictures on the computer to put on blog but I just wanted to let you know that we are up north, in Madison County, where we have some land with a trailer on it. We are enjoying good company (farfar, aunt Jackie and uncle Doug) and nice weather. Hope to add some pictures soon!

Noah's first real loud laughter!

We had dinner with Alex, Jorge, lycas, Lucia (sleeping) and Jessica today. When Alex (lucas' mum) coughed Noah started laughing a lot, loud. It was so funny and we all started laughing. Unfortunately we did not get a good video of it but maybe next time it happens.

Marlee and Lucas (4 years old) played very good together and we all had a very good time.

Swim!

We are still struggling with the jetlag. Noah is doing good but Marlee keeps waking up early, around 5-6 in the morning whick could be normal for a lot of children but not him :-) And i prefer his normal morning time which is around 8. I have waken him up from his nap but so far it has not made him sleep longer at night.

Yesterday we spent the morning at home. Marlee went swimming in the pool. It was the first time he dared to go on deep water in his swimring, on his own!! Without any problems! I am so proud of him!After his nap Kathy, me and children went to the grocerystore and then to "gammelfarfar", Kathy's dad to show him his latest greatgrandchild.

Today we started the day by walking to the playground. It is pretty far but Marlee was fine walking there. Once there the rain came but that did not cause us any problems. In fact Marlee had a great time running in his diaper in the rain. It is probably only crazy Swedes who lets their children do that. I am happy to be a crazy Swede, and I believe Marlee is, too ;-) Noah and I was watching Marlee from under a roof and did not have to get wet. I only had to run out in the rain once, when Marlee rode down a slide which had been VERY slow before but got very slippery when being wet. Marlee rode with his head first and flew out when he reached the end. Luckely he landed on a soft surface and got probably more scared than hurt.

After lunch and nap Marlee went swimming in the pool again and we had a good time! He is so good in that water! Maybe I dare to go in soon, too.

I have not written much about Noah, but he is doing good. He has realized that ceiling fans are a lot of fun and he smiles and laughs a lot, when watching fans or when watching Marlee or us.



Playing with the "bubble gun" by
the playground (before the rain)



- I've got you!

Playing in his diapers only (in the rain)

Playing soccer with farmor (after the rain)

Pool boy!

Noah chilling on the floor

The swimmer!
I do have one more video but it was too big to upload. I will try tomorrow again.

Our first day in Miami

The children woke up around 5.30 this morning, so we (Alex and I) did too. It was not as bad as it sounds because of the time difference but we had only slept about 6,5h. Noah did not wake up during the night so that was a very nice surprise. After some breakfast I got to go back to sleep and Alex stayed up with Marlee. Noah had gone back to sleep. Later farmor and farfar woke up too and helped out with both Marlee and Noah. So far it seems like both Noah and Marlee have adjusted good to the time difference but my experience is that the first day is normally ok but then it gets worse, before it gets better again. Let's wait and see...

Except trying to adjust to the jetlag we have been out walking, had friends over (Mario and Albert) and been to the near by playground with farmor. It was pretty dark when we got there but Marlee really enjoyed it. We have to go there again soon when it is not dark. On the way to the playground Marlee fell on the asphalt when running in the street and hit his face. He started bleeding from his mouth and hurt his cheek. Now he has a fat lip and a red cheek...

When we went for a walk before lunch Marlee saw some cocoanuts on the ground and said: "Look, big acorns!" :-)

We finished the day with a good dinner and a nice shower. Marlee did not go to bed until nine (three in the morning Swedish time), but then he almost fell asleep before I finished reading his story.

Noah chilling outside in the stroller on the porch

Marlee filling up the water in the pool

The "abused" face after the fall
(Marlee is eating toasts and apples)

Going to farmor and farfar!!!

Yesterday was spent travelling. It was a long trip but the childen were doing good. The flight beween London and Miami was 10h and that was hard for Marlee. He was mostly jumping, running and climbing. Having to listen to his parents going. "Don't do that, don't do this". Poor thing! He did make some friends on the plane however, a Danish girl and a German boy. He was definately the most energetic of them :-) Hope he was charming most people on the plane and not bothering them! ;-)

Noah found a friend, too, a lady from the UK, Hilary, who took care of him for a few hours. A good help for me and Alex plus Noah got full attention which he is not very used to :-).

As I mentioned in the last post Noah has a temporary passport. It is a long story but his name was not registered in time so I could not make a normal passport in time (takes up to a week, which is not long, but too long right no). It is a very cute passport (I wish I had one like that!!) and unfortunaly the border control will take it when we get back to Sweden again... It is only valid for this specific trip.

When we arrived to Miami Marlee was totally exhausted, he only slept about two hours on the last plane and it was passed midnight (Swedish time) when we arrived to Miami. But, when he saw farfar he ran (to farfar)! :-D In the car on the way to farmor and farfar he fell asleep, but just to wake up again when he met farmor. Leon, Doreen and Kristy were at the house to to meet the children (guess it will be long until someone comes to meet me and Alex again ;-) Kristy was going back to N.Y the next day and had no other chance to see  Marlee and Noah. Eventually, around two in the morning, Swedish time, Marlee went to sleep, but only because I told him to. According to him, he was not tired...

Noah's temporary passport. Note the cute Swedish picture
and the little plane in the lower right corner :-)

Camp Arlanda. We were chilling and having breakfast at Arlanda
when we realized that we were actually in a hurry. Running with
two children to a plane is a challenge, but Marlee is the best
runner his age. Noah just had to hang on! ;-)

Noah at Heathrow, London

I am playing with Marlee at the airport in London
(I am not strangling him!)

Brother love at Heathrow

On the plane between London and Miami we got the
seats with space for a "baby crib". Made things
easier for us and Noah happy!

Marlee sitting still on the plane for a few
minutes. I am happy I got some proof
of that! ;-)

Alex also got a little relax-time while the
children were happy "on their own"



Hilary, our great nanny on the plane between
London and Miami



At the Miami airport waiting for all the bags