Tobias

Tobias, four days old

The last week has been quite eventful. We started out with a night in the hospital waiting for the contractions to kick in for real. The next morning we went back home to wait, because things had calmed down a bit. After half a day with more and more painful contractions for Marianne, we went back to the hospital just before dinner was served back home. Three hours later Tobias could rest on his mother's chest, while we all sighed with relief and thankfullness. We are greatly blessed.

Tobias is a healthy boy, robust and hungry. He seems to eat and sleep well. Unfortunately, he also has strong lungs, just like his sister :o) Rebekka is very proud of her little baby brother, and allows us to borrow him occasionally. She's surprisingly gentle with him, gives him hugs and cuddles. Since her cousins have been visiting, she has had a lot of practice bossing them around, telling them what is forbidden to do. Looks like we only have to raise Rebekka, and then she'll handle Tobias :o)

Check out my new baby!

After Tobias' birth last Tuesday, Marianne and Tobias spent two nights in the hospital, while Steinar and Rebekka visited and went back to Mumsmum and Mumsdad's (as we say in Norwegian) place to sleep. Thursday afternoon Marianne and Tobias came home to a Christmas prepared  house, a few hours before Marianne's brother and family arrived.

A nativity scene as an advent star in Mumsmum's window

Our gorgeous family on Christmas Eve

Dadsmum knited this amazing folk costume

We had a brilliant Christmas at Mumsmum and Mumsdad's, with great food and company. The kids got a bunch of gifts and the parents had more than enough chocolate and Christmas cookies. We didn't dance around the Christmas tree, though, but it is a perfectly sound and silly tradition among most Norwegians, just not at Mumsmum and Mumsdad's :o) The tree had to serve only as decoration this year.

We've also had quite rough weather in Norway the last days. A hurricane hit the coast two nights ago, and even in the eastern parts we lost power several times during the night. Fortunately our family and friends are all safe and sound, but other people have been evacuated, lost boats, houses, cars and whatnot to the hurricane. No wonder Norwegians talk about the weather...

Beautiful clouds and turbulent weather

Christmas is aproaching

It is nice to be in Norway at winter time. Last year we would not have thought that this Christmas would be spent in Norway, but we don't control everything. Luckily. We spoke some Chinese the other day, to and for Rebekka. She just lit up and copied what we said and clearly remembered something. That was nice:)

Dady and Rebekka playing

I have read in the newspapers that Australians are sick of the Christmas song "All I want for Christmas is you", well all we want for Christmas is for our baby to be born. But as it is with a lot of things, we don't get to decide. We just enjoy playing with Rebekka while we wait.

Rebekka has had a lot of company this week, Steinar's two younger siblings have visited us here, and all though it was raining for some parts of the visits we got to show them some of Marianne's hometown. Rebekka loves company, so when we have visitors it doesn't take long before she wants to play.

Have you ever tasted snow as good as this?

In Norway you decorate for Christmas late in December (23rd if you have the time), so it is still mostly advent decorations here. But the red is starting to come out slowly. It is very nice to look at a snowy landscape and be inside with nice red flowers and slowly getting the feel of Christmas. On Sunday we left Rebekka with Marianne's parents so we could go and listen to a Christmas concert. Norwegian Christmas songs are great! I hope all of you will have a blessed holiday! 

It really helps to blog:)

Rebekka loves playing in the snow.

Last week we were missing snow, and the next day we got it:) It was so wonderful and we have truly had some winter wonder days here. It has gotten milder again so it has melted a bit, but hopefully the cold weather will return and we will have a fantastic winter.

Below 10 degrees, crisp and clear.

Blue sky and white trees, can you beat this?

For those of you who wonder why I write so much about the weather, well in Norway that is always an appropriate topic. In Yinchuan and other places around the world it would be a boring topic, but here the weather changes so much that I will say most Norwegians talk and cares about it.

Rebekka and her cousin looking out at the snow.

Rebekka's sleep is a bit shifting, but mostly a lot better than when we left China, so that is really nice. Her Norwegian is also improving a lot. She can say a lot of words, or we can guess a lot of her words easier than before:) She has also kept one English and one Chinese word she says bye bye, and waves and she points to the ear and says arwo, with tones! (close enough).

Rebekka and her dad playing in the snow.

 Steinar is a bit tired and stressed, he has a lot to do tomorrow, and his wife is giving him almost no time to prepare. And since the baby is not here yet, he has to go (In Norway the father gets two weeks off immediately after the baby is born). But it will be ok tomorrow. Marianne's dad will help her with Rebekka and Steinar will be gone the whole day to talk to students and others, what a great chance.

This is so much fun!

We are having a few visitors before Christmas, which is nice. Marianne's sister was here last week and Steinar's youngest sister is coming Wednesday evening. In the weekend Steinar's brother and his wife + some friends will come. It will be busy, but so nice to spend some time with family. Marianne won't have time to lay in the hospital for long:) That is if the baby decides to come.

It is getting colder:)

As a lot of you know Marianne was complaining last year that it was to bright outside and not cold enough. Well Norway has been very dark but the cold has not quite set in yet. It is barely below zero, and in December, this is disappointing. It did however snow a little bit yesterday and if it stays cold and snows about 30 cm more, I think we will be happy:) Yes we are picky about the weather.

It's colder, but still green.

Rebekka has been a bit sick this weekend, but we had to go visit her cousins. So finally all the cousins on Mariannes side got together. They all had times where they were a bit upset because of to little sleep or not getting their way, but all in all we had a great time.

Rebekka and her younger cousins.

Rebekka is also getting very good at baking. So when we come back to China we will have to keep making buns. She is a good helper a lot of the time with bringing cups to the kitchen, setting the table or "helping" with the laundry. We are very proud.

Not much has happened with the parents. We are still waiting for our baby boy and trying to spend our time and energy right.

Ready for bed.