Showing posts with label Pontus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pontus. Show all posts
October 11, 2008
Kindergarten
Much earlier than expected we received a letter that Pontus will get a place in the kindergarten of our choice from beginning of December. We had applied very early because we thought that there was no way we would get a place right in time for his first birthday (which is the required minimum age to attend Kindergarten here), but they did the impossible. My husband had wanted to stay home with Pontus in December and January so we will have to discuss what we are going to do now: take the place but maybe only have him there for a little while every day or ask to be assigned another place later on.
August 25, 2008
The boy wonder
Pontus has been making quite some progress lately. Not only has he learned how to sit up by himself, he has also started to crawl around. It is maybe not crawling in the traditional sense, but he gets around. He has one knee on the ground and uses the foot of the other leg to push himself forward. Depending on his mood he either pushes himself up with his hands while he moves or, alternatively, slides around with his face flat on the floor (very entertaining!). He also seems to have warmed up to his stroller a little more as the last few times we were out did not end in the expected screamfest.
But the best has to be that he started sleeping through the night about a week ago. He usually is asleep by 20:30 h at the latest and then sleeps through until the next morning, in his own bed. What we essentially did was to organize our days, make sure that he does not sleep too long in the afternoon and follow an evening routine. It is really as unspectacular as it sounds - but what a difference it has made.
But the best has to be that he started sleeping through the night about a week ago. He usually is asleep by 20:30 h at the latest and then sleeps through until the next morning, in his own bed. What we essentially did was to organize our days, make sure that he does not sleep too long in the afternoon and follow an evening routine. It is really as unspectacular as it sounds - but what a difference it has made.
July 29, 2008
Child endangerment
My husband was home on Monday, so we took the chance to run some errands together. He put Pontus in the car and we got on our way.
We had barely made it to the main road when my husband suddenly stepped on the brakes, turned off the engine and jumped out of the car. And in that same second I realized where the very refreshing draft I had been feeling had come from: we had driven off with the car door on Pontus' side being wide open. WIDE open.
I know that my husband has the memory span of a goldfish (he has proven that more than once), but this has to be his masterpiece.
We had barely made it to the main road when my husband suddenly stepped on the brakes, turned off the engine and jumped out of the car. And in that same second I realized where the very refreshing draft I had been feeling had come from: we had driven off with the car door on Pontus' side being wide open. WIDE open.
I know that my husband has the memory span of a goldfish (he has proven that more than once), but this has to be his masterpiece.
July 18, 2008
The self-entertaining baby
In my effort to be as lazy and irresponsible a mother as humanly possible I have come up with a great new way of keeping Pontus busy.
I present to you: the self-entertaining baby!
You just take a suitable mobile, preferably with a plastic ring like this one from IKEA, and put it on the baby's head. There is always at least one colourful toy dangling right in front of the baby's face that it can play with and chew on. By trying to shake off the mobile the baby can even make the figures dance. It is not only good, safe fun but also a great way to improve the baby's 3D coordination.
I am sure this will become a huge trend soon, I am thinking worldwide really, with my own "The self-entertaining baby" brand. All the celebrities will want to have one and I get ridiculously famous and then I get to be on Oprah and I will hang out with all the stars and I make tons of money and everybody knows my name and then I record an album which doesn't even make it into the Top 100 and I say that it was just for fun anyway even though my heart is broken and then I try to become a movie star instead but all of my films flop and then people start to look at me funny and stop returning my calls and then I have a breakdown which makes me remember my roots and I return to my old life.
Okay, whatever, just remember you heard it here first!
I present to you: the self-entertaining baby!
You just take a suitable mobile, preferably with a plastic ring like this one from IKEA, and put it on the baby's head. There is always at least one colourful toy dangling right in front of the baby's face that it can play with and chew on. By trying to shake off the mobile the baby can even make the figures dance. It is not only good, safe fun but also a great way to improve the baby's 3D coordination.
I am sure this will become a huge trend soon, I am thinking worldwide really, with my own "The self-entertaining baby" brand. All the celebrities will want to have one and I get ridiculously famous and then I get to be on Oprah and I will hang out with all the stars and I make tons of money and everybody knows my name and then I record an album which doesn't even make it into the Top 100 and I say that it was just for fun anyway even though my heart is broken and then I try to become a movie star instead but all of my films flop and then people start to look at me funny and stop returning my calls and then I have a breakdown which makes me remember my roots and I return to my old life.
Okay, whatever, just remember you heard it here first!
Plumber's crack
We bought pull-up diapers for Pontus but there seem to be some issues with the fit, because every time he leans forward we see this:
I am pretty sure I shouldn't be seeing that much butt cleavage.
So either we change back to our tried and trusted diapers or I get him a butt bib from buttbibs.com:
Just when you think you have seen it all...
I am pretty sure I shouldn't be seeing that much butt cleavage.
So either we change back to our tried and trusted diapers or I get him a butt bib from buttbibs.com:
Just when you think you have seen it all...
July 07, 2008
Going, going, gone
Today we moved Pontus' crib out of our bedroom into what will ultimately be his room. With my husband's snoring and Pontus' late-night concerts and monologues people never got a good night's rest.
I am people. Tired people.
We will test this for a couple of days now and see how it goes. Ideally everyone should be able to sleep better and with less interruptions. If not, my husband has to leave the bedroom as well.
Because I am also everyone. Seriously.
I am people. Tired people.
We will test this for a couple of days now and see how it goes. Ideally everyone should be able to sleep better and with less interruptions. If not, my husband has to leave the bedroom as well.
Because I am also everyone. Seriously.
June 30, 2008
Pretty in pink
This is what it looks like when Pontus helps me open presents:
Shredding paper always puts a big smile on his face.
Or maybe he is so happy because of the big bow I put on his head. Maybe he believes that he won 1st prize for his outstanding shredding abilities. Maybe he likes how the material of the bow feels against his head. Maybe he thinks that he looks especially pretty in pink. Maybe he just laughs back at his silly mother who had so much fun seeing him like this.
Or all of the above.
Shredding paper always puts a big smile on his face.
Or maybe he is so happy because of the big bow I put on his head. Maybe he believes that he won 1st prize for his outstanding shredding abilities. Maybe he likes how the material of the bow feels against his head. Maybe he thinks that he looks especially pretty in pink. Maybe he just laughs back at his silly mother who had so much fun seeing him like this.
Or all of the above.
June 13, 2008
Pontus and the Chocolate Factory
I always had a feeling that Pontus resembles a big movie star. And today it hit me:
He already has the short stature and with some make-up, courtesy of Hipp (Noodles with Vegetables and Ham), Pontus looks just like an Oompa-Loompa!
He already has the short stature and with some make-up, courtesy of Hipp (Noodles with Vegetables and Ham), Pontus looks just like an Oompa-Loompa!
June 10, 2008
Doctors galore
In the afternoon I had to take Pontus to yet another doctor, this time to check the x-rays we took at the hospital about 1,5 weeks ago. You might be wondering if my child is coming apart at the seams, considering how much time we spend running from doctor to doctor. Pontus is, in fact, a perfectly healthy baby. It is simply the ineffciency of the Swedish health care system that turns routine check-ups into multiple consultation events over the course of weeks or even months.
We finally left the doctor's office for good at around 15:30 h.
Another day well spent...
We finally left the doctor's office for good at around 15:30 h.
Another day well spent...
"However..."
People living outside of Sweden tend to think that the Swedish health care system is wonderful and provides great service to the people here.
People living in Sweden who depend on that very health care system know better.
Let me tell you the story of a growth. It is a tiny little growth right at my son's left ear, close to the tragus. It was the first thing I saw when they put him on my chest after he was born. I knew right then and there it had to go. "No problem", the doctor at the hospital said during the exam. "All they do is put a piece of really thin string around it and pull it right off", she said. "However, we don't do this here. The pediatrician at your BVC (medical center for children) will take care of it", she said.
The pediatrician at our BVC turned out to be a very young woman who looked like she had just graduated med school a month ago. She too took a look at the growth. "No problem", she said. "This can definitely be removed", she said. "However, I have never done this, so I would rather have a more experienced colleague take over", she said.
A couple of weeks later we met another doctor, again at BVC. He was only slightly older than the woman we had met last time and only there for the day, because the attending doctor had called in sick. He looked at the growth, just like everyone else before him. "No problem", he said. "This can definitely be removed", he said. "However, I am only helping out here for the day, so I don't know if I have all of the equipment. I will refer you to an ENT doctor who will remove the growth."
Pontus is now 6 months old. Today I went to meet the ENT doctor. After having waited for 20 minutes he took a look at the growth and said: "That is nothing dangerous and can definitely be removed. However, I will not do that. It really isn't that big and he is still so small and I am worried about how he will react to the local anesthesia...". Then he talked about how the growth was something natural and could stay where it was and that he might have done something about it if Pontus was 10 years old, but that he did not feel now was the right time.
Do I need to say that I lost it?
I told the ENT doctor that I had come to him today to have the growth removed, not to listen to the same monologue again and that I had no intention of waiting another 9,5 years until he felt ready to do his job. "I understand", he said. "I am sorry that everything has taken so long", he said. "What I can do is refer you to Karolinska hospital and then in 3 or 4 months you might be called to a doctor there to surgically have the growth removed while Pontus is completely under anesthetic", he said.
Four doctors and six months later this tiny little growth has apparently turned from something that could be taken off with a piece of string to a medical problem that requires surgery and anesthesia. If any of these so-called "health care professionals" had ACTUALLY DONE what they all acknowledged was DEFINITELY DOABLE, this problem would have been solved months ago. Instead I am off to meet yet another doctor...
People living in Sweden who depend on that very health care system know better.
Let me tell you the story of a growth. It is a tiny little growth right at my son's left ear, close to the tragus. It was the first thing I saw when they put him on my chest after he was born. I knew right then and there it had to go. "No problem", the doctor at the hospital said during the exam. "All they do is put a piece of really thin string around it and pull it right off", she said. "However, we don't do this here. The pediatrician at your BVC (medical center for children) will take care of it", she said.
The pediatrician at our BVC turned out to be a very young woman who looked like she had just graduated med school a month ago. She too took a look at the growth. "No problem", she said. "This can definitely be removed", she said. "However, I have never done this, so I would rather have a more experienced colleague take over", she said.
A couple of weeks later we met another doctor, again at BVC. He was only slightly older than the woman we had met last time and only there for the day, because the attending doctor had called in sick. He looked at the growth, just like everyone else before him. "No problem", he said. "This can definitely be removed", he said. "However, I am only helping out here for the day, so I don't know if I have all of the equipment. I will refer you to an ENT doctor who will remove the growth."
Pontus is now 6 months old. Today I went to meet the ENT doctor. After having waited for 20 minutes he took a look at the growth and said: "That is nothing dangerous and can definitely be removed. However, I will not do that. It really isn't that big and he is still so small and I am worried about how he will react to the local anesthesia...". Then he talked about how the growth was something natural and could stay where it was and that he might have done something about it if Pontus was 10 years old, but that he did not feel now was the right time.
Do I need to say that I lost it?
I told the ENT doctor that I had come to him today to have the growth removed, not to listen to the same monologue again and that I had no intention of waiting another 9,5 years until he felt ready to do his job. "I understand", he said. "I am sorry that everything has taken so long", he said. "What I can do is refer you to Karolinska hospital and then in 3 or 4 months you might be called to a doctor there to surgically have the growth removed while Pontus is completely under anesthetic", he said.
Four doctors and six months later this tiny little growth has apparently turned from something that could be taken off with a piece of string to a medical problem that requires surgery and anesthesia. If any of these so-called "health care professionals" had ACTUALLY DONE what they all acknowledged was DEFINITELY DOABLE, this problem would have been solved months ago. Instead I am off to meet yet another doctor...
June 05, 2008
Baby bondage
Pontus has a new favourite move: leaning forward. This is especially helpful when feeding him. I essentially just need to hold the food in front of his face and sooner or later he will throw himself forward and swallow the spoon and everything on it.
He both gets nutrition and a chance to train his gag reflex.
Pontus has also understood that leaning forward makes it possible for him to reach for things on the table and that almost everything makes a noise when it hits the floor. And if the item itself does not make a noise, I certainly will at the sight of it lying on the ground. So either way Pontus wins. Adorable, isn't it?
No, seriously, I need to buy restraints. Think Hannibal Lector in "Silence of the lambs" - lots of straps, little movement, that's what I am going for.
He both gets nutrition and a chance to train his gag reflex.
Pontus has also understood that leaning forward makes it possible for him to reach for things on the table and that almost everything makes a noise when it hits the floor. And if the item itself does not make a noise, I certainly will at the sight of it lying on the ground. So either way Pontus wins. Adorable, isn't it?
No, seriously, I need to buy restraints. Think Hannibal Lector in "Silence of the lambs" - lots of straps, little movement, that's what I am going for.
June 01, 2008
Baby on wheels
On Friday I took Pontus to Södersjukhuset (SÖS) to get his hands x-rayed. The department actually has a special waiting room just for children, complete with tons of toys, books and colourful murals. There is however no blanket, pillow or rug - anything one could lay a little baby on. For a second I considered putting him down on the linoleum floor, but then I found this:
It is essentially a yellow plastic box with wheels and a short handle, like a little cart for children. Pontus fit in it perfectly. Then I just threw in some bricks and he sat and played until it was our turn...
I wish it was always this easy!
It is essentially a yellow plastic box with wheels and a short handle, like a little cart for children. Pontus fit in it perfectly. Then I just threw in some bricks and he sat and played until it was our turn...
I wish it was always this easy!
May 23, 2008
My movie theater moment
Have you ever gone to see a movie and then found yourself sitting close to the guy with the big bag of popcorn? The kind of bag that makes you realize instantly that you will most probably not be able to hear anything of what's being said in the movie?
I attract these people like cow dung attracts flies, so I have had my share of encounters of the rustling kind. And yesterday I had another one, but this time baby-style.
Hoping to get some much-needed rest I lay down with Pontus on the beds in what currently is our guest room. He seemed content, looking around the room, so I closed my eyes. The next thing I know is that he has somehow gotten hold of a plastic bag that had been lying on the other bed and is happily playing with it. How he did it - I don't know. But when I tried to take the bag away from him he started to scream. So I lay beside him as he tore at that plastic bag with all of his hands and feet, while regularly turning to me to check that I had not managed to fall asleep anyway. 15 minutes and a pounding headache later I gave up.
In the fight of "Man vs. Plastic bag", the plastic bag came out a clear winner!
I attract these people like cow dung attracts flies, so I have had my share of encounters of the rustling kind. And yesterday I had another one, but this time baby-style.
Hoping to get some much-needed rest I lay down with Pontus on the beds in what currently is our guest room. He seemed content, looking around the room, so I closed my eyes. The next thing I know is that he has somehow gotten hold of a plastic bag that had been lying on the other bed and is happily playing with it. How he did it - I don't know. But when I tried to take the bag away from him he started to scream. So I lay beside him as he tore at that plastic bag with all of his hands and feet, while regularly turning to me to check that I had not managed to fall asleep anyway. 15 minutes and a pounding headache later I gave up.
In the fight of "Man vs. Plastic bag", the plastic bag came out a clear winner!
Stuntbabies
Yesterday morning I left Pontus with Muddiz because I needed to go and do some serious grocery shopping before Saturday's BBQ. This was the first time somebody outside the family took care of him and I could not possibly have picked a more suitable person....or could I?
I had barely made it through her door when a loud "DUNK" from upstairs announced that her son had woken up and made his way off the couch. And it was apparently not the first time that had happened. Of course one could think that there is some carelessness involved, but I have another theory: Muddiz is probably one of these pushy showbiz moms who wants Milton to become a world-famous stuntman and starts training him early.
Did I have any doubts to leave Pontus with her? Hell no! He has been so horribly cranky all week that the prospect of taking him with me on an intense shopping tour was actually more terrifying than that of him spending time alone with the mother of all stuntmen.
And I am happy to say that things worked out very well, probaby because Pontus did not come there unprepared. He too has special abilities, such as extreme pooping powers and an ultraforceful super spit-up, and with those he kept Muddiz busy until I returned.
Well done, boy wonder!
P.S.: Maybe I should get him a shirt that says "I survived Muddiz and all I got was this lousy t-shirt"....
I had barely made it through her door when a loud "DUNK" from upstairs announced that her son had woken up and made his way off the couch. And it was apparently not the first time that had happened. Of course one could think that there is some carelessness involved, but I have another theory: Muddiz is probably one of these pushy showbiz moms who wants Milton to become a world-famous stuntman and starts training him early.
Did I have any doubts to leave Pontus with her? Hell no! He has been so horribly cranky all week that the prospect of taking him with me on an intense shopping tour was actually more terrifying than that of him spending time alone with the mother of all stuntmen.
And I am happy to say that things worked out very well, probaby because Pontus did not come there unprepared. He too has special abilities, such as extreme pooping powers and an ultraforceful super spit-up, and with those he kept Muddiz busy until I returned.
Well done, boy wonder!
P.S.: Maybe I should get him a shirt that says "I survived Muddiz and all I got was this lousy t-shirt"....
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