Back to normal

Dear friends,

just a short note that I'm back from Germany, girls go to school again, I'm attending a few lessons as well as I still work part time at the rehab-ward and one day a week at a local babystore.
Much to do!

I still had no time to spent for sorting out some nice pictures and I don't know when I will be able to do it; but if you want to see Júlíana, you have the chance to admire her as the breastfeeding week's cover girl. Surf on over to

www.brjostagjafavika.org

Read you soon!

Very First Harvest

As I told you in spring, I've never done gardening before.
In german there is a saying, wich could be translated like this: "The dumbest farmer harvests the biggest potatoes". Seems as if there's some truth in it, because I digged up some really big ones the other day!













And Júlíana loves her new girly-pink colored "toys". She examined the potatoes throughly before petting them. The real stuff is as usual much more interesting than any plastic toy one can buy in a shop!


This is today's work after one hour plocking berries with the girls: 4 jars black currant jam (left w blue locks), 6 jars red currant jam (right). Sooo yummie!!

Verónika is Driving Me Crazy!

Verónika seems as if she doesn´t know what to do with her time. She is walking through our flat and preferably does one, or the other or both options:
- shee pees everywhere she sits and plays
- she cuts apart (with scissors) or carves into (with knifes) everything she finds interesting.

Our wax tablecloth already has several holes, the sofa as well, even her favorite clothes have holes because she cut out the flowers printed on them. The children´s room smells pee (and we don't know where it comes from...), she carved into her wooden bunkbed bedframe, and today she carved a hole in the linoleum floor of our living room.

For the first time, today I felt the strong urge to land her some good slaps in the face.
I have no idea what to do or how to react to this kind of cutting and carving drive of hers. Suggestions anyone? (Only those who have kids reply please.)

*GAAARGGG*

Finally back to blog

Ok this is just a formal posting, letting you know we're back home and I wanted to break the ice concerning my blogwritings. Strange enough, it's quite difficult to get one going again after a long pause.
In short, Siggi's school ended may 20th, Jóhanna's last day in school was june 10th and Verónika left kindergarden for good june 30th. After enjoying hanging around at home endlessly in their pyjamas, we went north to visit my german friend Elsche on her farm and Siggi's family, wich means his sister Jóhanna in Akureyri and his mom in Svarfaðardalur (a valley southern of Dalvík). I have to admit I really liked the idea of going back home from holidays - or at least something that would be labelled as "holiday", but which in my opinion is something really different. The relaxing factor was missing completely and I felt really crappy most of the time.
As we moved several times and changed our location, Júlíana never got completely secure and familiar with a new surrounding. She was so busy during the days, that she was more or less nursing all night and I felt quite drained in the mornings. So being back home meens back to familiar environment, usual routine and own bed. That's quite something!

We took lots of summer pictures and I still have to prepare an album for you to take a look at.

But now I'm back to work as well, taking housekeeping tasks more seriously than ever, trying to organize school and leisure time activities in advance as well as working for my little knitting business - that's a lot I admit, but I like it.

Read you soon!

New Homepage

I have been working a lot on my new homepage recently, where I introduce my little company for the always growing cloth diaper fan club.
The site is not complete yet; I'm letting Siggi reading over the pages, because I want a professional look and not loosing customers due to grammar mistakes.
The page is (still) only available in Icelandic, but you can take a look at the pictures and see what I'm doing. I'm also preparing an english summary.

www.123.is/kindaknus

If you see something you like, send me a line and we can negotiate about a price.

Today, I'm going to bake and prepare for Jóhanna's birthday party. Wizards are invading our flat tomorrow. Julia and me are planning a rallye, sending them through the neighborhood to fetch things we need for a potion. Parents will be gladly fetching tired kids! Pictures to come during the next weekend.

Updating My Page

Yesterday and today, I've been working at my blog page. I uploaded some new photos for the girls' tickers and rewieved the "about me" section. finally I can announce, I got an ICQ, Yahoo messenger and AIO nick, so there are several ways to contact me. For keeping track of all different messenging names, I downloaded a nice little tool called Trillian (www.trillian.net), where one is able to chat with different instant messenging programmes. Very neat.
Now everybody, send me all your nicks and numbers, and chat with you soon!

Three Molars And My First Working Day

Last night, I only slept for two hours. Júlíana was restless squirming over me, couldn't sleep because of her stuffed up nose, had fever to a kind of boiling temperature and was sucking my breast constantly for comfort. At four o'clock in the morning I've had enough and went over to sleep in the girl's room for getting at least some rest.
I got roughly two hours sleep until 6:15 h, when I had to get up to take a shower and get ready for my first working day at the rehab ward. Interesting enough, everything went smoothly, though I felt like a sleep-walker and had difficulties to keep my eyes open. But a nice nurse's aid took me with her today and supervised me about two patiens we were caring for.
When I came home, I felt extremely drowsy, but stayed awake to keep track of the girls, who were packing bags. Jóhanna and Verónika went to stay overnight at my friend Birgit's and her daughter Daniela. Jóhanna has never dared to visit someone for a sleep-over, so this is a real premiere for her. She was very excited and felt ready for this experience. (And now (22.30 h) I just got a SMS, that kids are sleeping.)
Siggi and I had the plan for using our almost children-free evening to do something nice together, but in my state of being it was completely out of the question to do something else than go to sleep. I nursed Júlíana and gave her some fruit mash, when I suddenly saw a few white edges in her mouth. I took a closer look and felt with my finger, and discovered, that three molars were palpable in her mouth. No wonder she had difficulties sleeping last night!
When Siggi went off with the girls, Julia took care of Júlíana (who didn't sleep either during the day) and I had a "nap" until 21.00 h.
Now Siggi sleeps at Júlíana's side and even I'm longing for my bed again, to catch up with my sleep deficit.
But I have to tell you about my little company next, everything is going smoothly!

Job Interview

Siggi and I decided, we'd need more money and I'll work part time during his summer holidays.
I found an interesting job advertisement at the rehabilitation ward of the university hospital (Endurhæfingardeild LSP Grensás) and talked to the head nurse. She was very interested and asked me to pay a visit just the next day. I took my school papers with me and went to see her.

Nurse: Welcome to our ward. We are very interested in summer jobbers.
Elena: Well, I can work from the 1.may until 16. august.
N: (scribbling) great!
E: But I'd like to work short shifts, from 8 - 13 h because of my arthrosis and my baby. And only three times a week.
N: (taking notes) Uhuummm.
E: During school time until the end of may I can only work tuesdays, fridays and saturdays.
N: Sure.
E: And I need 3 weeks off in july, because the kindergarden is taking summer holidays.
N: No problem. Let me see your papers.
(Reads my grades from school, takes a copy.)
E: It's in fact two years ago I worked at the geriatric ward, I need training on the job again...
N: Fantastic, I hire you.
E: (surprised) Er... ??? Are you sure?
N: In the mornings we have most to do, and you'll have an interesting learning facility here. I'm happy I have you here!

In fact I was really surprised she wanted me with all my special needs requests... But hey, they always need staff at the university hospital. This ward cares for and rehabilitates people after a stroke. They are half paralyzed and need to learn again daily life activities (ADL). Fine training area for me to polish up my practical knowledge.

Yesterday I went to my ward again, got a locker and working clothes, and another nurse's aid showed me all facilities in the house.
Next friday I start working. I'm happy to say I'm really looking forward to it. Having a working place again, getting to know new people, friendly co-workers already welcomed me. I'm determined to use my time to learn as much as I can.

Jóhanna's Greatest Victory

It's unbelievable, how much medication can change.
Jóhanna has been taking her anti-depressivum for 4 months now and seems to be a completely different child.
She plays happily in the garden, on the kindergarden playground across the street or walks the doll pram around in our neighborhood.
Om wednesday last week, she decided she'd be very brave and walk alone to school!
What a change!
Now, she also walks alone back home, but still calls from school to check wheather we are at home, waiting for her, or not. (Of course we are, but she needs this last inch of security.)
We are all so happy and proud of her!

using the next ten minutes...

... until our soup is done.

Finally we bought a compost bin. I'm really proud to say that I'd like to try out something I've never done before: gardening.
I told Siggi I'd like to try out and plant some vegetables, and as we have so much eco-waste I convinced him it would be great if we compost ourselves.
Now the girls have a rewarding programme going on; if they give a helping hand in the household, they'll receive a star. After 15 stars they may wish an activity and spend time with me alone. So, taking waste out is a big sport nowadays.

Yesterday, I spent the whole afternoon in the garden and began to cut trees and branches - muscles hurt today. My aim is to plant some carrots, potatoes, raspberries and perhaps parsnips as well.
But as we haven't worked in the garden the whole 8 years we live in our flat, there is a lot to do, before I can even dream about sowing.
But I'm very enthusiastic, worked a lot and I'm very proud of myself.

Soup done, write on later.

So much to talk about...

... so little time to write!
But now I try to run over the last two weeks in (hopefully) not more than 20 minutes, I need sleep!

22:13 h
First of all, we celebrated Júlíana's birthday on sat. 5th april (or was it the 6th? my brains are still missing.)
We had a nice big ricecake with pears and vanilla cream, something Júliána loves of course.

Jóhanna crafted a birthday crown for Júlíana with a lot of fairies, and forgot almost to write "Júlíana 1 year" on it.

I got a gift, I got a gift! So... what to do with it?

Unwrapping? How does that work? Aaah, ripping and tearing, my favorite... I can do that already!



And we had guests of course; my friend Birna with both of her daughters and Verónika's godmother Birgit with her partner and daughter.
Verónika demanded, that we'd play the chocolate game again, and everyone had fun.

left to right: Verónika, Birgit, Birna, Birta Clara, Erna Cari, Jóhanna at the edge.


left to right: Erna Cari, Jóhanna, Albrecht, me


22:36 h, twenty minutes over.
Blogger always needs such a long time to upload images... Promise to write more tomorrow.

Juliana's First Birthday (Postponed...)

Júlíana one year old!

Unbelievable, how fast time is passing! Our little girl already celebrated her first birthday!
It seems to me as if her birth took place just yesterday...

We spent a nice day (but windy) more or less outside, as she enjoys exploring the park. When she fell asleep in the afternoon, I grabbed the chance to bake chocolate muffins, and she liked them a lot - though I used dark chocolate in the dough and almost no sugar!

Concerning a little party, we plan to invite some guests next saturday.

On april 1st we had to show up in the clinic for her birthday check.

Sitting on the scale, which reads 9,585 kg.
She is now 77,5 cm long and wears size 80 / 86.

But due to an accident on sat. 29th we had no time to organize presents or baking in advance etc. Siggi's mother payed a visit south, because of the confirmation of Siggi's nephew. She stayed at her sister's, who was a textile's teacher in the old days. I promised both old ladies I'll take them on a trip to town, with the intention of visiting a few handicraft shops, and both elder girls wanted to follow us.
All was well so far, until we went on our way back to the car into the handknitting association's shop, when Siggi's aunt fell down two stairs and wasn't able to walk on her own. The outing ended at the emergency ward with Siggi's aunt waiting in a wheelchair, his mother keeping her company, and we all together had a picnic with coffeebread... Now, his aunt had her hip broken twice and is still staying in hospital. Need to pay a visit soon.

On sun. 30th we were invited to Siggi's brother Gunnar to an afternoon tea, because of his son's confirmation. These cakes were so yummie - and Verónika shared her blue- and strawberries with Júlíana.
(Yes, you see right, I finally got my hair cut. My horsetail was so thin I decided I'd better cut it off.)

Keeping Kids Busy During Easter Holidays

I guess you've been waiting for new posts, isn't it?
I've been busy taking pictures of the girls and needed time to write a few sentences - now I'm sitting in Siggi's school and try to update my blog.
So, here are the newest family pictures.

During holidays, I often went to the park with Jóhanna and Verónika (to make them tired, to be honest...). Jóhanna wanted to excercise with her inline-skates, while Verónika is preparing her muscles for cycling - and vice versa.
It still looks quite grey outside, no new grass in sight. Some park impressions:



































Here, they changed places. Verónika with her first try on inliners.











Definitely more practice needed, but she was very content with herself.










Júlíana enjoyed being with her big sisters all day long. And they also spend time entertaining their little sister.

Here one of my plastic containers on wheels doubles as a pram, Verónika stuffed with couch pillows.


Brushing Jóhanna's teeth in the evening.

Reorganizing Life

Now, as the kids are healthy and go to school, rsp. kindergarden again, and also the sun is rising (though spring is not exactly on it's way up to now), I got a kind of frustrational moment when I realized all the mess in our flat.
First thing I did on sunday evening was to reorganize our day schedule with Julia. Now she keeps Juliana out of my way before noon, so I can swirl around uninterrupted.
Yesterday, I finally took care of my cooking books in the kitchen, which were piling up on the counter, leaving almost no space to work. I was so proud of how it looked like afterwards! I have to admit, I'm such a messie with a very high caos threshold.
Next step was to reorganise my bookshelves in the livingroom, which were overflooding in every corner, and to sort the books, I want to keep, and those I want to give away. Look at the mess - much more book piles were around today in the afternoon:


And here are the shelves downstairs. I've been emptying quite a lot and sorting - the huge pile in the background consists of icelandic fiction, I'm going to donate to the scandinavian language departement at Cologne University, the smaller one are swedish books, which are probably going to the Nordic House. Around the corner, I deposited all german books, I want to get rid of, almost as many as the icelandic ones. I'm going to take them to the german library in Hafnarfjörður next saturday.
I still don't know what to do with some course books from university (theology, law, scandinavian studies, some dictionaries, grammar books etc). I think, I offer them to the university library here, perhaps they want them...

Books are precious to me, I just CAN'T throw them away.

More of organizing concerns my school and work plans. I decided to cancel my nursing lessons; it's far too stressful to me driving twice a day through the whole city to school, training and organizing play dates for Jóhanna and thinking for all the rest of the family as well.
Jóhanna likes going to the "Cool Kids Program" at BUGL; she is by far the youngest participant, but she seems to meet the intellectual requirements.
At home we introduced a rewarding system for both of the girls, and the reward is to spend some time alone with me - which is really luxury. Jóhanna got her 15 stars last friday and her wish was to pay a visit to the local farm animal zoo. We were so lucky to see a newborn goat kid and six weeks old piglets. So cute!
Verónika likes more active events and wanted to go with me to a swimming pool, when she completed her 15 stars on sunday. We had fun together in the pool and outside in the hot pot as well - and of course she fell asleep directly when we came home.

Instead for attending school, I'm making plans for my new business. I already have a name for my company, and labels (with picture!) have already arrived; but I'm still expecting some other corporate design stuff I ordered online.
I bought a lot of terry cloth and flannel for the fitted pocket diapers. I feel the tickling in my fingertips! But I promised myself to clean up my book mess first and wait for more essential stuff to arrive. Good excuse for not beginning instantly.
Siggi took a shot of me at my new working place.

Here you can see my soaker design in white/light blue, not completely finished though. Jóhanna's real baby size doll (56 cm) is wearing the newborn size soaker I knitted recently over cloth diapers in origami fold.
I bought a lot of wool for all of my thousand ideas, and I feel I should negociate with the producer about a discount.
When I have finished cleaning up in the livingroom, I intend to take my knitting needles to the next museum and work on a project there (museums run by the municipality are free), because at home one can never really concentrate on the task to do - there is always something disturbing around... like laundry, cooking, cleaning, and chocolate!

That's it for today, pictures of my sleeping beauties in the end:





Good night!

Fighting against steptokokkus...

In my entire career as a mother I've never had that before: Almost the whole family is sick at home with streptokokkus inflammation. Jóhanna began last week feeling rough, I had a sore throat for weeks as well as Siggi, Verónika has a cold with extensely running nose and Júlíana sounds a bit hoarse since the last weekend...
That's why I ordered a family time at our local clinic for a strep-test. The result: I need penicillin, Jóhanna needs it and Júlíana gets her dose through my milk (for better luck I'm still nursing).
Then the hunting for medication began. We learned, that almost every pharmacy runs short on penicillin and after visiting 4 (!!!) pharmacies, we finally had our pills. We were told, that more or less the whole town lies in sickbed and the wholesaler has difficulties supplying enough medication to the pharmacies. It would take one week ordering our medication!
Today, Siggi went with Verónika to take a strep-test at the clinic, and, she as well is positive and needs penicillin. I learned from yesterday's fault and called various pharmacies, before I drove away to fetch the medicine.
And now, Julia is feeling sick as well. Together we are hanging around, trying to keep the kids busy, and not moving around to much...
The first time in my entire career as a mother I used the blessing of having a TV and parked my big girls in front of the screen. My bad conscience keeps within limits.

Business idea taking form

On wednesday, I went to a promotional visit at the baby store and showed the owner everything, I've been knitting and sewing so far. She so was delighted, she ordered the whole range of what I'm doing - soakers, longies, diapers, as well as pullovers and hats later on. Everything in sizes birth to three years.
When I came home, I thought about a name and a logo for my label and designed something nice. (Don't say the name yet and how it looks like.) Next tuesday I already receive the ribbon I can sew onto my goods. Tralala :))) I'm so happy!
Besides I've been deciding I cancel my pharmaceutic lessons during the day. I feel quite stressed by spending my time driving through the whole town in the middle of the day, attending lessons, driving back, fetching Jóhanna, driving with her to BUGL, driving up to school again for evening lessons...
Ghee, I'd better like to take it slowly and enjoy my time with my girls.

She walks!!!

Now Júlíana takes her first steps alone! That's why we bought shoes for her on wednesday, because she really wants to go outside and check out what's on the streets.
Now she has fine red shoes with two velcro tabs each and was proudly looking at them while she wore them. Still need to take a picture of her.

Wanted - Dead or Alive: My Brains

Those who have significant information about their whereabouts,
will be rewarded with eternal gratefulness!

My brains are gone. Completely. Unbelievable, but true. I personally think, they just packed their bags and emigrated to a warmer country down south, as there was nothing to do for them the last ten months or so. Isn't that the literal meaning of "braindrain"? -But now I need them, and I can't find them. Any suggestions where they might be?
I have to write an assignment for evening school about Erik Erikson and his developmental theories, but I just can't get anything down to paper (or into the laptop). I have to hand it in on thursday evening and it counts 20% of my final grade. Now I'm getting slightly nervous, but I feel completely empty. No ideas. At all.
Hmmm... brain-drained...
I think I'll just go to sleep now and try to find out tomorrow what I'll do. Still thinking about cancelling my school studies, at least a part of them. Because there are tests to be written next week, both in surgical nursing and pharmaceutics, and I don't have a clue. And no time to catch up with all contents we learned so far.
It's far more exciting to make plans for my WHAM ("Work-At-Home-Mom") enterprise... It's tempting, because I can handle sewing and knitting without brains!

Finally Breaking the Ice

New year, new challenges!

The Teuffer-family welcomes you back on mom's blog after a far too long computer absence after the christmas holidays. Our newest family picture was taken jan. 12th at granny's little hut in Svarfaðardalur, North Iceland.

That was a not intended visit, but a trip to a very sad occasion:
Siggi's father died jan. 6th at Akureyri after only 12 hours at the hospital. He had stomac cancer and nothing could be done after he vomited blood.
The whole family went north to attend the funeral. Siggi drove with the big girls through snow and ice and was eight hours on the way, while I had the easier part and took a flight with Júlíana, which took only 45 minutes. We stayed at Siggi's sister Jóhanna's house in Akureyri.
After we discussed dieing and being dead intensely, we took the girls to the chapel, where we could see granddad the last time. I asked what's different with granddad now. Jóhanna: "He's cold." Verónika: "His glasses are missing." Kids always practical thinking. *lol*
We took them with us to the church and the graveyard; Jóhanna helped Siggi to lower the coffin into earth, Verónika payed attention to the caterpillar, filling the hole with earth again.
I think it helped them to be with us in the whole process; no bad dreams or thinking that granddad comes back as a ghost... or what else kids might imagine.

Here is Siggi's mother with her four children. From left to right:
Jóhanna (eldest), Siggi, grandma Elínborg, Gunnar, Anna Sólveig (youngest)


It came as a sudden shock to us, when we were informed about my father-in-law's being at the hospital. We knew he had a stomac operation three years ago, but as we only travel north once a year, we are not exactly up-to-date about his well being.
Now, when I learned he had cancer, I suddenly dicovered, how many persons I know between 40 and 60 years old are fighting against their unwelcomed pet. Far too much cancer around me these days. It depresses me somehow, but one gets a different view on life and realizes, how fragile it is. One can in fact loose the people one loves almost in seconds.

I was so busy during the rest of january, I wanted to spend more time with my girls than in front of my laptop. I intended to write a kind of report what's up and what's going to happen the next months, but could never force myself to sit down and think about something witty.
As you perhaps have already seen, I published two new albums. One about Verónika's birthday and the other with pictures about christmas. You find them on the right link-bar.

As you also might have noticed, Júlíana turned 10 months in the end of january. We had again a check at the clinic (no shots this time), newest figures: 75,5 cm and 9140 g.
She has already 6 teeth, no. 5 approaching jan. 2nd, no. 6 arrived jan. 13th. Now she is really quick standing up and walking alongside furniture, supporting herself with only one hand. The newest goal is to keep balance, when standing unsupported, and she already takes one step alone! I'm always trying to capture this on a photo, but she is so quick turning away (still the flash problem), that I mostly receive moving pictures or odd faces not worth publishing.
Here she's learning to use a straw, but splashing around with the water in my elephant cup is more interesting!

Showing the how to's.

Yes, straw belongs into the water...


Now it works.






But splashing is most interesting!

Verónika is all in a sudden grown up, I feel. Yesterday she went to a friend for a sleep-over, just waved good-bye and went playing. My little motherheart was almost sad, leaving my little girl behind. I told her it were ok if she felt homesick and wanted to sleep at home, we would fetch her. Now it's next morning, no-one called, only I checked my cell phone once or twice to see weather the girl's mother sent a SMS... Mom's nervous. *g* But I'm so proud of my independend girl!





And, very important, she missed her first baby teeth! In January, she told everyone, she's a shark, because her new grown up teeth came up in a second row:


But on jan. 9th her teeth finally fell out and she was of course very proud showing her gap!

Jóhanna is doing well and getting better with her medication. She is more relaxed waiting outside on the pavement, walking alone up and down the street, taking part in school activities and visiting friends. It´s really something new that she stays upstairs, while I'm downstairs putting Júlíana to sleep and doing the laundry (as yesterday). She used to check on me every 5 minutes, wich was really nervewrecking, but yesterday she stayed in the livingroom, entertaining herself.
Next week a training group for anxiety kids and their parents starts at the children and youth psychiatric ward (BUGL). There kids and parents learn separated in groups to handle the anxiety and to train appropriate behaviour. As Siggi is teaching at that time, he can't attend with me.

Here a few scenes from family life:

Big girls having fun together

January gave us a lot of snow, and I mean A LOT! Júlíana on her first ride in our baby sleight.

Siggi's ladies in good mood

Playing cards with granny, when she visited after the funeral.


This spring semester, Siggi has a very bad timetable and is teaching until 18.00 each day!
As he is leaving almost every day at 7:30, we barely see each other until in the evenings. I've been very annoyed about this fact lately, but well, we can't change his teaching schedule, and it's only this semester, it'll be so busy, I hope.

Usually I hate Valentine's day with all it's kitschy gifts... But this year Siggi was very tasteful, in the basic meaning of the word, and gave me strawberries (flown in from Ethiopia, is that environmentally ingenious?) and a chocolate bar. Yummie!

However, I've always been organizing family life, sparked myself through the health care system to find treatment for Jóhanna last year; now I'm in (evening-)school again, trying to take three courses for my nurse's aid diploma, need to hand in assignments in time, babyfood cooking, breastfeeding, driving to school 3x a week during the day, grocery shopping, fetch Jóhanna from school, I should be translating the 6th book of my crime series ... -- it's been more stressful than ever, I feel exhausted, and I find barely time for myself. Lately I've been thinking weather I should cancel the school again, I have a lot of energy, but not endless... We'll see.




At least, our lovely Au Pair Julia stayes with us until the end of june and is a great help. She walks the girls to school and kindergarden, drives with Jóhanna to Art School, feeds, plays, changes and takes very well care of Júlíana while I'm in school. Here she is with our little punk after bath.

But funny enough I've found some spare time and started sewing and knitting again. I like designing, playing with colors, try out patterns - that's my way of recreation. Take a look at my latest productions here (german and icelandic text only):

Handarbeiten

I've even got an offer from a baby equipment store to start "mass producing" and they'll sell my woollen soakers, longies and fitted diapers for me. Might be a good idea stocking up on towels and yarn to start a business! At least I'm a member of the handknitting association now, fair enough I get 20% off at their store. Very nice! I love that shop and could stand endlessly in front of the shelves and enjoy the colors...

Well, this writing extended by far the short note I intended to post, but now you are all up to date what's going on for all of us. And I promise, I'll be writing more often again!