Christening

So it has been confirmed that the christening is going to be the first weekend of August, here in Sweden.  I do not know if it will be Saturday or Sunday, but we will be sending out an e-invite closer to the time with more details.  This is more of a "save the date" message and book your flights message!  I really hope lots of family and friends will be able to join us, both for the christening and for the party afterwards :)

The twins are doing really well :)  Eva is learning new things every day.  Her latest thing is firing her dummy out of her mouth and sticking out her tongue.  She smiled at her own feet for the first time this morning.  Things are happening so fast now that I don't want to miss a second.

Emilia has had a bit of a tough ride of it!  Ha ha, what am I writing and thinking!  What I mean to say is that I have had and am still having a tough ride of learning what my daughter needs and is trying to tell me. I think she has been having a great time :)  She really is the picture of health, rosy cheeks and so so smiley.  I am just so hung up on feeding her and just think she is hungry all the time.  I am getting better though and am going to try and focus on helping her sleep more and then hopefully the rest will fall into place.  For the past few weeks I have recorded every single meal she has eaten, the time and how much.  Even on days when it has been a struggle (or I have been trying to feed her when she isn't hungry) she ends up eating the same amount!  Telling me that she knows exactly what she needs and that I just need to chill out!  New week, new plan :) Oh and Emilia has now hit the 5kg mark :)

Toni bought me a wonderful birthday present, a book called Momma Zen.  She wrote in her card that she didn't think it would come close to my pram charm, ukelele books and dinner service.  To be honest, I didn't think so either.  Oh, how wrong I was.  This book, I can recommend to all new Mums as it puts things into perspective in such a wonderfully, uplifting way.  It has helped me to see how this time is a gift to be treasured and not hurried away.  It is easy to focus on the never-ending feeds, nappy changes, lack of sleep etc, but mixed in with all of that are the smiles, the new things, the cuddles and all the small triumphs.  It has made me want to be a better Mum and person - the best gift ever!

My Mum came for a visit last week and we had such a lovely time. Here are a few pictures from our precious time together :)

A year ago

A year ago I celebrated my birthday with all my lovely friends; the last time I really partied since all this began.  I remember taking it easy as I had an incling that I was pregnant.  You just never know how life is going to turn out or what challenges lie ahead.  It is so true that so little of what we worry about ever happens, and the things we don't that knock us off guard and floor us.  But what a year!!  So much joy clouded by so much worry - it just makes me shake my head in disbelief when I think of it all.

Eva is currently in a trance looking at her new favourite toy - Ivan!

I made a decision yesterday to christen Eva, something which I find a little bizarre but there is something in me telling me it is the right thing.  During Emilia's christening there was an energy, it was almost magical.  I turned to religion in my time of crisis and I refuse to be a hypocrite.  So in my time of joy and happiness I am going to celebrate my healthy twins and give all the people I care about and love a chance to share in that.  The church seats 150 people and I want to fill it!!

There is a beautiful little church here in Partille by the river which I walk past a lot when I take the twins out.  I want to do it when my Mum and Dad are here in the beginning of August; more info to follow on dates etc.

So as my special birthday gift, I get to take the twins to the hospital for their RS immunisation.  I am meeting Mandy at the bus station, who is kindly coming with me, and then we are walking to the hospital.  It is pretty far and we may not survive, but if there is one thing we like it is a challenge.