Catching up in a nutshell

Here are a few things we have been up to the last few weeks/months
1. Potty training Es (Part 1): We started in January and it went well for the most part. For almost 2 months she rarely had an accident and had diapers on only during nap and bedtime. Then Es and I went to visit my cousin in Philadelphia for a week and little Miss Es decided she had had enough and so went the potty training down the drain. (Update from Philly at a later date)
2. While Es and I were in Philly, my dear husband, back in Mpls, stripped the carpet upstairs and replaced it with wonderful, hardwood floors. Yeah! They look amazing and we are soooo glad to have that nasty carpet out of here ("Mean wife" story and pics of floors also at a later date!)
3. Potty training (Part 2): So, now we are trying potty training again. We gave her a break of a few weeks and today was "Take 2, Day 1". Not a great day for all of us, unfortunately, and Es had no interest throughout the day, but we were persistent. I was hoping/praying for one successful potty incident before she went down for the night and my prayers were answered. Who knew peeing in the potty could bring on such cheers :-) "Take 2, Day 2" tomorrow!
4. Jonas has been keeping busy with construction jobs here and there, by God's grace and I am busy with school. Actually, I am counting the days till the summer. It's been kind of a long semester already and it's time for it to end! Es is growing up fast and we will be celebrating her second birthday in about 10 days. 2 years - we can't believe it.
5. Priya, my niece had her second birthday a few weeks ago and for a month before that I practiced singing "Happy Birthday to You" with Es so she would be able to sing for Priya. Now Es thinks that the birthday song is "Priya's Song" and she asks to sing Priya's song almost everyday. So now we have been practicing singing Esther's song, Dadda's song, Mamma's song and I think she is finally getting it that the song belongs to everybody.

Other random thoughts...

Last summer in Sweden I got to taste Smultron, a wild strawberry that is super tiny. They smush in your mouth and give you a mini strawberry jolt. Last week I was at Costco, a wholesale store where you buy things in bulk and I can across some giant strawberries. The huge strawberries were surprisingly yummy as well. Compare the sizes using my nail as a guide! Wheeew!

One of my friends lent me a maternity skirt. I just threw it on the other day and Es came up to me and started yanking it off and saying off, off, inget, inget. I explained to her that it was Mamma's skirt, but she seemed traumatized so I finally said ok, love, I'll take it off. As soon as I did she started saying, on, on! And so I put it on her and cinched the elastic band in the back so it looked like a dress and here is my little hula dancer :-)