Pappa!

In my post the other day, I shed a particularly unkind (albeit deserved) light on Stockholmers. I'd like to amend that to note that the individual Swedes we've met and had personal conversations with are almost all kind, charming, and friendly. We've received many invitations to people's homes for lunch or dinner, we've been given toys, a fantastic stroller blanket, and a winter suit, and James has been heartily welcomed at work. So I want to clarify that I'm not saying that everyone here is terrible; it seems that there's a distinct split between how Stockholmers treat strangers and how they treat friends. We've met so many kind, hospitable, and fascinating people through James's work, and we are grateful for that wonderful network of international friends and colleagues.

Something else that I quite appreciate about Swedish society is how active both parents are in raising the children. From what I can gather, it seems that the mother usually takes the first year of parental leave to be at home with the baby, and the father takes the remaining 5-7 months. I cannot imagine, anywhere else in the world, fathers being so encouraged and committed - and expected! - to raise babies.

Nor can I imagine anywhere else in the world where would you find a slick, glossy magazine called "Daddy"!

How cool are Stockholm's children's libraries?

Eating his first whole pear, sporting some serious bedhead: