The Daycare Gang

Ella and her friends at daycare go to the park in the afternoons. Here they are coming home from their the park at 3:45 PM in mid-December.

Ice Skating

We rented skates and Ella tried ice skating for the first time. Karen and Willa watched, and Daddy helped Ella skate at the Jääpuisto rink in Helsinki's railway square.

"Baby Willa gets older and bigger, play with Ella"

Ella already likes to play with Baby Willa.  She's a great big sister.

Tonttulakki päässä

Ella wore her elf's hat to swimming class on Saturday the 13th, and we all wore our hats at breakfast.

The Snowy Day

Helsinki's record snowfall (biggest 36-hr. dump since 1961) melted within a week, but Ella got a chance to "play in 'no," and we have been talking and reading about snowy days since.

It Won't Stop Snowing

It has snowed around 10-12 inches during the last 36 hours in Helsinki. Ella played in the snow with her friends at daycare today. "Couldn't go in the swings." Here are Ella and Andy on the way home from Ella's daycare in Itä-Pasila. Karen took the picture.

Face of the Day

Willa has a "little tiny nose," says Ella.

Getting Ready for Baby

Happy Birthday Mommy!

We ate mushroom soup for Karen's birthday, and put a fork in forty years. Ella blew out the candles.

Trip to the Zoo

Today we rode the Zoo bus to Korkeasaari, Helsinki's zoo. We saw lions, a tiger, a leopard, a snowy owl, ibix, a Eurasian owl, baboons, bison, a sloth, kangaroos, emus, bears, gray seals, and many other animals. Ella saw "Baboons eat bananas." Karen made a lunch for us, and the weather stayed sunny all afternoon.

Ella and Karen on the Zoo Bus (#11)

Ella saw the baby kangaroo, and the baby kangaroo saw Ella

First Day of Helsinki Daycare

Ella went to daycare for the first time Monday October 6th. "Boys and girls talk Finnish," she said. Her teachers are Merja, Tiina, and Marja. Each day the group goes to a park from 9-10:30. They eat lunch at 11:00. Nap is from 11:45-1:45. They play inside, then have a snack at 2:30. They go out again from 3:00-4:30. Ella has to dress in warm clothes.

High Heels

We started dance class last week at the High Heels dance school. Today we went for the second time. Dance class is fun! Our course is called PikkuBabyBailatino (Little BabyBailatino). We dance, walk backwards, bend over, touch our toes, and do other moves to latin music. The class meets for a half hour every week.

Showing Marcia and Grandpa Around

Grandma (aka Marcia) and Grandpa came to see us in Helsinki. We visited our favorite haunts: The Museum of Natural History, Cafe Esplanad for korvapuusteja and milk, and the steps at Senate Square. In this picture we're on our way to Senate Square after running around the halls at the University of Helsinki.

A Present Came in the Mail

A present arrived in the mail yesterday. It came in a red envelope, and was fun to open.

Jellyfish and Ladybugs

On Sunday we took the tram to Helsinki's best beach, Hietaniemi. It was a mild and sunny day. Some other walkers pointed out a jellyfish to Ella, who had seen jellyfish at Helsinki's aquarium Sea Life. After lunch Ella saw a ladybug in the sand, and a second ladybug next to a slide later.

Carrots again

Ella and I stopped at the garden on the way home from swimming lessons this morning. Ella decided to wait in her stroller while I found the last carrots and pulled them out. Ours are the small ones -- the big one we picked from the local grocery store.

Pizza Thursdays

On Thursdays we go for Pizza. Last night we ate at Pizza Ulpiana, a pizza place on Mäkelänkatu, a ten-minute walk from our apartment. We knew it must be good when we saw a man eating pizza, drinking a glass of milk, and watching the Olympics last month. Since then we've eaten there several times.

Gardening

Our landlords have let us harvest from their garden since they're no longer around. We have picked carrots, lettuce, chard, and squash. One evening, Ella and Daddy picked chard, which Mommy cooked up for dinner.  Note the rainwear--its pretty much rained since we got here.

Helsinki's Playgrounds

Helsinki's playgrounds usually leave everything to the two-year-old's imagination. They often consist of a grand total of a swing (often not one for a two year old), a sandbox (always--they love the sandbox here), and a play structure only fitting for kids who climb (i.e. not two year olds). This playground at the eighteenth-century island-fortress Suomenlinna actually had a sort of play house. We made sand cakes!  

We're In Helsinki Now

After six weeks in Finland, we've adopted some of the ways of the Finns. Ella and Daddy take a sauna on Monday evenings. Ella has just the right robe. 

Goodbye Seattle, But Not Quite Yet

We're leaving Seattle for Helsinki on July 29th, just as we've begun to receive our reward for six soggy months of winter and spring. A picture from breakfast in our backyard with Vivi and Theo.

Ella, Vivi, and Theo (l-r)