Thanks Elisa for cleaning the toilet for Daddy!

View from my kitchen balcony

Having a kid has made me realize that heretofor every thought I ever had has has been primordially selfish.

It suddenly dawned on me today that I am going to spend 50% of my free time over the next couple of years cleaning up after the baby. Elisa seems to have a knack for wrecking rooms. She likes to empty out drawers, flip over flower pots, clear bookshelves, and smear food over a 3-foot radius when she eats. In this picture you can see the desire to make a mess in her eyes.

Get me out of here!

Elisa loves to play in the dishwasher and then she's like, "Pick me up, Daddy!"

Right now it's her first major way to communicate.

This is the view from my living room window one year ago today. That building is Söder Station. The time is 12:00 noon. There was a lot more snow last year. Stockholm is  having the warmest winter on record this year. Right now it's 2 degrees and raining. I am becoming more like the Swedes. I do not go outside in weather like this if I can help it.

Sweden Memes

More Swedish memes here but they are not as funny as this one

No waving yet but a clap

I could get Elisa to clap today. But it took like an hour. I gave here a Cheerio as a reward. The Cheerios in Europe are much sweeter than the Cheerios in the States. Why do companies have to put sugar in everything? I guess because so many people have sugar addictions.

Papaledig

I am home papaledig for 7 months with Elisa. She is 1 year old. It's the second day. I am trying to teach her to wave to me. Now when I wave and say "Winka til papa!" or "Wave to daddy!" at her she gives me the dog-watching-a-card-trick stare. I guess it takes a few more months of development.

I will teach her to wave eventually.