Day off at Djurgården

By "day off", what I really mean is a day on for me. We've had a couple of gorgeous fall days when I've felt that all I wanted to do was run around with my babies - so that's what we did. I've done this three times now - kept August home from dagis and taken the boys on some sort of outdoor adventure. This last Monday we went to Djurgården to visit the aquarium and see what else we could find.

Both kids liked the aquarium, but it's quite difficult to have two-under-twos in a small space with lots of other people. August loved running around and finding all the different fish, while Leif mostly clung to me. As stressful as it may have been, I loved watching them experience new things and have fun.

Leif makes the most beautiful little "ooo" face when he sees something exciting; his lips form a perfect O. It's not great, but here's a profile shot:

After lunch we found a beautiful picnic spot on a carpet of yellow leaves:

Both kids sat on the bench and ate, ate, ate:

I loved seeing them sitting together (holding still!):

And then running around:

The books took a stroller nap while I walked and walked and walked, finding new views:

And I finally found the perfect arrangement for the double nap:

After the nap we found a little playground before heading home:

I was exhausted by the time we got home - I thought I was going to fall asleep driving, thank goodness we'd picked up James to keep me awake. I'm hoping to get in 1-2 more adventures before the weather turns too cold to be outside all day.

Little engineer

Driving a train at a local park:

Sleeping beauties

We all napped this afternoon, me with Leif and James squeezed in with August in his tiny bed. 

Searching for trolls at Sigesta Gård

Today we went to a beautiful farm a couple short (car) ferry rides away, Siggesta Gård. We go less for the animals and more for the food and attractions. August (and Leif) played mini-golf for the first time today! And we walked a short forest trail searching for trolls.

The troll hunt:

This guy would have much preferred to start the afternoon at the cafe. The trolls terrified him!:

But this guy had a great time, leading the way on the trail and finding all the trolls (sorry, didn't get any good pictures of them!):

James got him to kiss the little animals and high-five the trolls:

Mini golf was a success if you measure by fun, but not if you measure by actual amount of mini-golf played:

This was after lunch, so Leif was totally happy to join in:

We didn't let them get this close to each other with putters again (no one was hurt):

Two snapshots

Sorry for the recent silence. Two little snaps to make you smile. 

Leif's first birthday (early)

Today we had a very small celebration for Leif's first birthday - just the four of us and our neighbors. We ate, drank champagne, opened presents, chased bubbles, and played outside - I think it was perfect for Leif.

Agneta made the (ice cream) cake, a hedgehog in a forest scene with (marzipan) mushrooms, berries, snails, slugs, and green frogs. It was beautiful, and I'm afraid Leif is going to be disappointed for the rest of his life when he sees what I make.

An egg shaker! A perfect gift:

August looking at his new book with Hanna:

The birthday king, wearing the crown his brother wore on his first birthday (here too, and see James donning the crown here):

Playing outside:

The school escape artist

If we can't catch him, we can't take him to dagis. 

And some shopping help yesterday: 

A day at Hornstull

Today was a beautiful autumn day, so we decided to head into Stockholm and run around our old neighborhood. We had such a lovely, laid-back day.

In this picture, he's telling me stop taking his picture. "It makes me angry."