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.