Staying up with rutabegas, beets and sweet potatoes

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. And I am getting food ready today so that tomorrow is less hectic. I've boiled, pureed and floured some sweet potatoes and they will sit over night and become imelletty perunalaatikko for tomorrow. Rutabegas are still boiling and I'll get that ready now to go into the oven tomorrow. I remember always skipping these dishes as a child, but now I'm preparing lanttulaatikko and rosolli, of which I'd only take the obligatory spoonful not too many years back. Perhaps my taste is more refined now... or perhaps I wish to torture my family with barely edible foods.

Abuelo Johnny, Rauno & Ruusa

Rauno's "gator" mittens took only three days to make. I'm so excited to knit something other than scarves and uneven dishcloths.




Ruusa is wearing Mummo's project.

Rocket and Princess 2008

Halloween 2008 at Preschool and at Boo at the Zoo

Bathroom Rug 11/2008

This will warm our feet in our cold tiled bathroom. Good use of all that yarn I got for two dollars at a yard sale.

First Crochet Project: Dish Cloth 10/2008

Imperfect Purse 10/2008

Scarf for Iiris- September 2008

Ruu is in glasses!

I'm so pleased to that this transition is going smoothly. We picked up her glasses today (+2.5 in each eye) and she covered both eyes when we went in the store and whined. The owner was kinda like "let her go home and put them on there." But I explained to her that these were HER very own glasses and gave them to her in the box (and they were going to get popsicles, m&m's, skittles and ice cream for agreeing to wear them!). Then. She let me put them on her. In the car, she took them off. Before going into Publix, I told her she needed to wear them if she wanted the goodies. We got to the door of the store. And Rauno pitched a massive fit about the kind of buggie they were going to sit in. Ruusa wanted a yellow bench-like one; Rauno wanted the green car. I explained that we can forget everything and go home. Both kids out and into the store without a buggie. Seemed to be working. In the candy isle she took the glasses off again. And I told her the only way she'd get THESE skittles was by wearing the glasses. That was the last time I had to mention it. At the Steiner Home there was so much distraction that she happily ate her popsicle and played. I have to say this was as successful transition into glasses a two-year-old can have.

Not so much of a crisis... POTTY-TRAINING SUCCESS

So, now that I've written a post full of melodrama ... I'll try to stay away from those for a while! I'd much rather write something superficial people enjoy reading. :)

Ruu is POTTY-TRAINED! At 25 months! I must say that I'm pleased. And this is not the kind of potty-training (like what we did with Rauno who was in a night diaper for MONTHS); she doesn't wear one at night either! She announces "piss" or "kakka," and we rush to the toilet, day or night! Today she even said "hata" to announce her "emergency." Now, if someone puts a diaper on her, she'll crap in it. I'm sure this isn't new news: Best method for potty-training... keep the kid out of diapers.

Angela's post about The Dis-Service We have Done to Husbands.

Personal Crisis in Motherhood

I think most of us go through this every once in a while. I can candidly admit that I have struggled with this mothering business for a while. Well, perhaps for the last few years since becoming a mother of two. (On a side note, I doubt my great-grandmother complained about the crisis of being the mother of fifteen or so kids several decades ago... but I'm sure life wasn't exactly easy then either.) The root cause may be the birth, the manner in which many people in American society view "young women" having kids (even Barack Obama, who, defending abortion, said that he didn't want a baby to "punish" his young daughters if they get pregnant), the lack of respect for domestic work, my personal need to get started on a career, financial struggles, or gasp, -- marriage struggles. So, I didn't birth my children; instead I was immobilized on an OR table with a needle in my spine having my abdomen and uterus cut open. I took on two part-time jobs four months ago. I suppose I felt the need to financially support the family, because I couldn't do so on any other level. The disconnectedness and the frustration were suffocating me. I wasn't raising my children. Soon, I would wake up, and they would be big. It would be too late to raise them.

Fast-forward to August 28, 2008 (a day before Ruusa turned two). I decided to quit my teaching job, so that I'd be more available. For the last month, I have finally ENJOYED the domesticity. Rauno seems satisfied with play school, Ruusa is developing, and I have finally become comfortable with my role. I still harbor angst for the way government refuses to support families by not requiring a decent year-long maternity leave, by not offering fathers paternity leave, by not paying women for the first three years to stay home caring for their children (like some governments around the world do...), and by not making decent health care available for people. Well, I've come a long way in a short amount of time. Now, I've got to go turn on the light in the kids' room so that Rauno won't be afraid of going in.

Family Dinner -- What's that?

A week ago I read the writing of Rauno's friend's grandmother in the Gainesville Sun. She wrote about how important it is for families to dine together. We have not been doing that lately. In fact, there may be only 1 or 2 instances during a week recently that the four of us eat together. So, inspired by Geoff's grandma, we've made the effort to dine together for the last 4 days or so. Forgetting the fact that Eelhard has to study for tests, run a group and its events on campus, work and finish dreaded take-home exams, I've devised a plan that should allow for dinner together most days. Eelhard is to come home for dinner at 6 PM and leaves back to campus after dinner to finish whatever he's doing. If he cannot come for dinner, I pick up take-out and drag the kids to his office. Today I got hamburgers and fries and the kids enjoyed running around on campus for a while. We'll see how this goes. I may have to put together portable food from home, so that this doesn't get pricey. Maybe we'll have to take the bus too...

I cut it again...

Beth did a great job on my hair last week, but she also told me not to be afraid to cut it. Having done this before, I had no fear and cut it this afternoon in the backyard. Not too bad for a one-woman job. :)

2008 Birthdays

Trilingual Code-Switching

"Saanko chocolatitoja, please?" Rauno -- 9/18/2008

Hair cut!!!

Play School Update

Preschool began three weeks ago. I thought the little man would never get used to the idea of it, but I think those days may have come. He would whine in the mornings that he didn't like his school and he didn't want to go. He would begin the whining in the evenings actually. We told him matter-of-factly that it's OK not to want to go. Mom doesn't always like going to work, and dad doesn't always like going to class. But we have to go anyway. In the car on the way there, he would begin the whine-cry and tell me he was afraid! And I would tell him these feelings are normal (I felt that way too), and he would protest: "It is NOT normal!" So, what's a parent to do? We continued knowing this would happen now or in a year or two when he begins. We continued to have the rooster lay some coin "eggs" in his books every afternoon. (It's the alphabet rooster that "lays" these eggs... make sense? ... Ok, sort of.) Finally earlier this week, Ms. Nita sent home some pictures of Rauno in action in school. They're on the fridge, and he is so proud. He's had a hard time remembering what he did at play school - and even that he went there. It must have been traumatic! Now he remembers that they baked cookies, decorated sunglasses, sang He's got the whole world..., planted some seeds and more! I send his snack to school everyday and try to tell the teachers that I've brought it today, so they give him that instead of the cookies and Ritz crackers. I'm sure I'll forget all these details and what nervous wrecks we were.

Knitting Project Finished

Only smaller projects for a while!

First Day of Preschool

Today was the first day of preschool for Rauno. Or so we thought. He went to sleep late, woke up early... and cranky. We thought "it's no big deal." But all of a sudden, he's sitting on the couch, and he begins puking. We decided this was a psychological thing. He was nervous, and thus, he became physically ill. We started driving to school. He pukes again in the car. I drove back home immediately. At home he was fine. No more vomiting. I have never seen anyone become this ill-seeming because of being frightened or nervous. Tomorrow we will make a second attempt. There will be no speaking about "play school," which is what we call it to make it seem less intimidating. And no fussing about getting him to eat his breakfast; no confirming that he knows how to ask to use the bathroom; nor making a deal about getting him dressed. We will be calm and cool and easily ease him to school.

We're looking happy here:

Pacifist buys toy soldiers for son

Yep. I got him some toy soldiers. Or rather, I believe they're toy cops. But some of them are carrying guns so it's the same thing for me -- they're violent figures. Call me a hypocrite, but I'm just a desperate mother.

The Most Horrbile Household Catastrophe... Times One-Thousand

Horrible photo describing my disgust

So, after cleaning the kitchen and living room this morning of maggots, I thoroughly want to bathe in a tub full of bleach. Lesson learned: Use smaller kitchen bags and take the fucking trash out more often. This really felt like a nightmare come true.

With two hungry kids and not even having had a cup of coffee by closer to 9 AM, we had breakfast at IHOP and spent the morning at grandma's house.

Look! Look! Look!

This is humorous but can get kind of annoying at times too... Practically every other word that
comes out of Rauno's mouth is "MIRE!" or "KATSO!" (I don't know why he uses the Usted form in this case.) Let's see how many years this goes on...

Ruusa is doing cute things, like nursing her baby dolls. She's formed a few two-word utterances too, like "tissi maito," but is still mainly still babbling and mainly using about a couple dozen words. Here's a short list off the top of my hear: taas, mas, kaka, kakka, piss, mama, papa, papi, aiti, pippi (for Peppi Longstocking), si, no, hi, mia or miu (for miuku), hau, hauku (for haukku), koi (for lentokone or koira), sessa (for princesa), auto, nena, pos-i (for poski), caii (for caido or kaatu), anni (for anna), makku (for mekko), ama (for omena), nami, kasi (kaii for kadet), nakki (for nukke or nakki).

Yesterday, someone told me that she replied "tank you" to "you're welcome." And she likes to command dolls to "sit" and commands the dolls and the neighbors kittens: "no! + babbling."

This is great that I'm recording some of this stuff here, as her baby book is quite neglected compared to Rauno's.

Fireworks last night on campus were nice.

The Mooncup

Friends and family, put aside the "oh, gross" and "how disgustings." Check out the Mooncup! The revolutionary, sustainable product for menstrual hygiene!

New Job Update

So the new job is going fine. I accept that I will not please all the students and so far everyone has been nice. And I think I've taught them a few things already.

I am getting a raise at my initial office rat job. Get this, it's a 50 cents an hour raise. I've been there 11 months. I'd jump for joy, but I just can't. Maybe one day I'll earn a salary.

New Job Title: Office Assistant AND English Instructor

Well, I just got offered a part-time position as an English Instructor at Kaplan, the testing center. I will teach a TOEFL class and a general English language conversation class. This is very exciting and all, but I am wondering how I will be able to depend on people so much more now with child care. THE BOTTOMLESS GUILT PIT OF MOTHERHOOD!

My first project: a little purse

More Finland Pictures

Mummo and Rauno in Tampere

Russian onion church

Strawberries at the market




Suomalaisilla.

Two Weeks in Finland

I have already blocked the 24-hour trip coming back out of my mind. We had a good time and I already miss it. How do I convince Eelhard to move there?

Rauno was amazed that so many people actually spoke Finnish and that it is not just a little secret language that only mom and Mummo speak.

Well, the kids got to experience a sauna for the first time. Ruusa didn't really like it, and Rauno had reservations at first. He wasn't that excited until he got to pour water on me. And at first he showed some frustration about not knowing what a sauna is in Spanish.

We got to go to the Halmari island. Rauno used an outhouse for the first time. Ruusa slept in the main cabin and Rauno played in Henri's sandbox.

We made a visit to Muumilaakso, a museum devoted to Tove Jansson's Muumi stories.

The kids warmed up to Ukko after about half a week. And Ruusa began calling him "Kukko" -- "rooster." They got to meet Maija and Isoisoisa and more extended family, and they got to play with Mummo everyday. Iita-Tati was a big hit too for the first week, as well as Emmi. (Tino, tall with long hair and a beard, was a bit scary though.)

I was really impressed with the family-friendliness of Finland. Every bank, restaurant, even the airport, has a kiddie area. (You don't really notice these things until you have wiggly toddlers to deal with.) And I don't mean there is some toy machine you put money into at these places. There are wholesome little play areas. Every public toilet seems to be equipped with a baby potty. Even the flea market toilet had its own little potty. And buses and trains have a place for strollers. Every apartment building has an outdoor play area, usually with a swing set, sandbox and slide. You do not have to drive 8 minutes to find a park. Here at home, I have never seen a bank with a kid's play area, and I know only a handful of restaurants (other than fast food joints and Chuck E Cheese) that provide more than crayons and activity sheets to entertain kids. I have never seen a baby potty in a public restroom in America. And I don't get paid here to stay at home to care for my toddlers, and I didn't get paid to study.

Enough bragging about the family friendliness... i was not impressed with the new massive construction -- Ideapark -- with its 200 stores and restaurants. It really wasn't far from an American mall. Little shops really suffer as a result of these shopping meccas. However, the "mall" too, had an impressive outdoor play area.

After this wonderful trip... We're back in Gainesville... I'm back to work. The kids wake up at 4 AM ready for the day and fall asleep for the entire afternoon. Eelhard is happy to have us back. And I have FINALLY gone by bike to work for the first time. Sure feels good to get a little exercise, save money on gas, not give my money to the greedy oil companies all over the world, and most importantly, not contribute as much to polluting. (Luckily, I don't care if I sweat.) I'll get off the soapbox now. And tomorrow I'll bike to work again.

Testing out photo booth on the Mac

Pippi Longstocking

I have a new hero... Pippi Longstocking. As a kid I don't remember much about her, although I know we were read her books and it "all came back" when reading my old Peppi book to Rauno. She sleeps with her feet on her pillow, has a monkey, and bakes cookies on the floor. She's stronger than the strongest man in the world, and she's a real smart ass. She assertive, talks back to adults, and is NOTHING like I was as a child... I was very good at following rules (and I think my kids are pretty good at that too... most of the time). Ruusa demands that we watch the Peppi movie two or three times a day (only for a short while), and that's what prompted this post.

We're going to Finland!

So, for the last two weeks of May, I will be in Finland with the kids and my mom. I have pondered whether this trip is a good idea for months, probably half a year or more now. The tickets are my graduation present from when I finished school in August of 2006. The kids will get to see Ukko and meet YGH, Maija and a million other people they have not met before. Rauno is excited and Ruusa has no idea that she is facing 14 hours of sitting on a plane... Why the heck isn't there a direct flight from Orlando to Helsinki anyway? I just checked the weather there and it is cold; it does not get past 13 degrees C in the day now and by the evening it is freezing. I suppose I didn't realize that we'll have to bring coats and stuff. :)

Poor Eelhard will be in Florida taking classes and working. The good news is that the course load will be much more doable in the fall and spring because he is studying through the summer. We will really miss him though.

Governor Crist Observes Cesarean Awareness Month

I will come off as the crazy cesarean lady for the rest of my life, but that's OK. Earlier this month I sent a proclamation to the Governor's Office in Tallahassee in hopes that Charlie Crist would sign the thing and send it back. I wasn't expecting anything. Today, they sent it back! What this means is that now we will try to get the press to bite and make a story out of it.

"Cesarean rate is 36.64 % in Florida! Let's quit slicing bellies open and let women birth the normal way!"

However, it's been re-worded a little and watered down. Instead of "proclaiming" or "declaring" April 2008 as Cesarean Awareness Month, he "hereby extend[s ] greetings and best wishes to those observing April 2008 as Cesarean Awareness Month." It seems that he's signed and sealed the thing, so that if he does nothing, it doesn't come off as bad PR. He's also not pissing off any pro-cut physicians by simply sending us greetings.

On top of my editorial being published in the Gainesville Sun last Friday and our Chapter getting a picture and summary in the ICAN newsletter, this receipt of Florida CAM acknowledgment has left me with a sense of accomplishment. Maybe someone will read about it and think twice next time they hear about someone getting their abdomen cracked open... or when it happens to them.

Peppi Pitkatossu

Ruu absolutely LOVES Peppi Pitkatossu. She hums the song from the video and even
agrees to wear braids for a few hours.

Saturday Yard Sale Finds

The kids and I went to a few yard sales this morning and we found some wonderful stuff. First, Ruusa got a doll and a wooden crib for it. Rauno got a "kontrolli auto" or remote controlled car. And the children got a finished wooden dining table with chairs. All for 30 bucks. Never know what you'll find. Eelhard got to sleep in, since he was up until 4 AM studying.