Hello World!

Finally, things or rather a certain young lady started moving. And boy does she know how to get things moving! It went fast, fast as in Hollywood-movie-fast. Arrived at the hospital at 4.00 in the morning and the water had not yet broken. The hospital staff considered sending us back home but we stayed, which was a wise decision because at 5.30 Zhenya was ready to give birth, at 5.45 the water broke and at 6.10, Abigail was born. Big girl: 52cm and 4110g.



And my wonderful Zhenya did a terrific job. Just look how happy she was afterwards:

Merry Christmas

We managed not to burn a duck, stay 3 + 2 cats and get lots of strange, great and just presents.
It seems like David enjoys this holiday, even that for my side of the family Christmas means only a free day. But he gets presents anyway, mostly as a reward for a good, and they were very good, grades from school.
It is the LOOOOOOONGEST day of the year, as one has to wait for SOOOOOOO long time to get to the tree and present. Even our cats got presents from Santa this year.
And, of course, Mortens "Shark t-shirt" was the best, so good that David forgot to breath for a moment or two.
Well, on behalf of our family we would like to wish you Merry Christmas.
Ho-Ho-Ho

A stock or an albatross

David thinks that babies arrive with the help of a stock, you know all that Dumbo cartoon confusion.
Why confusion, because apparently our second one is planing to arrive with the help of an albatross. She is there, we can see them, but it takes extra time and efford to land in time and at a certain place.
We are still waiting...

UN

To my huge surprise I, the most average person on the planet, got a traineeship not somewhere but at UN, statistics department in New York City starting in the middle of January.
Great opportunity and bad timing!!!

5 horses!!!

OK, this can't be true, now I am going to complain.
2,5 weeks ago I have noticed that David was eaching quite a lot. We were at a hairdresser and while waiting for Davids tur I have decided to get a closer look at him and his hair and I have caught lice.
In a panic we went to the nearest drug store and bought all the necessary stuff. All the clothes, bed stuff were washed, poor Shamu (sea whale from San Diego) got to live in a freeze for 2 days, didn't take David to school the following day, gave a notice to school and the teacher. In other word I did all I could do.
So... a week later I have found out that one of the mums in a class did nothing with lice for 6!!! days. Her son had them as well, but her excuse was that she didn't have time. Didn't have time!!! What is this!
We are spending money (11 Euros per shampoo for 2 treatments), efford, time and why? They are keep coming back.
I am so neurotic that I am checking Davids head everyday now. Even yesterday I have checked his hair in the morning and have sent clean and nice looking boy to school, no animal what so ever. And in the evening we ended up catching 5!!! horses in his head. They came with David from school. I am not sure what to do anymore, since David begins to develop a rash on that chemical shampoo and what is the point if we seems to be the only ones who thinks that this is the problem.
So now I am sitting and writting a complain to the director of the school, hope that will help.

(This is not!!! David hair and will never be!!!)

Picasso

Why do I get a perfectly healthy child to school and pick up a Picasso picture?

what will you do?

Yesterday I got a ring from Davids friends mum. I got informed that her car broke down and she asked me if I could help her.
Well... What will come into your mind. To pick up her son, to help him to get home, something like that, right.
NO, NO and NO.
She has asked to help, so that her son and his little sister could live at our place for a week!!! or so until she will get her car back as it will be too hard for her to manage to get kids to school. A WEEK OR SO?! US!? RIGHT NOW?!!!
So me and Morten began to imagine that my water breaks down during the night, we get myself, 2 - 6 year old boys, 1 - 3 year old girl into the car and off we go to give brith all of us. Well, I good lesson for all of them, I am not doubting about that.
What I don't understand what on earth she was thinking. I personally have a problem to ask someone to pick up David from school if I am at the hospital and here...
p.s. there is a direct bus from their home to the school

Two for the price of one

and we are still two for the price of one.
But... for the past 3 days I have been asked 4 times about the quantity of the human beings in my belly....
ONLY ONE!!!
Today she has missed her chance to be born. The next available spot is on Saturday.
Think about it when do I have time to do to the hospital.
Tuesday: David - violin
Wednesday: David - parent meeting
Thursday: David - violin
Friday: Christmas party (all three in the family, not including David)
Sunday: Kids Christmas party at grandparents work (parents need to be there)
Only Saturday is available, so far.

Not so magical after all

Today we went to Tivoli in the center of Copenhagen. At this time of year they open the gates again after decorating the amusement park for Christmas. It is usually quite nice but this year it seems like something is missing: the Christmas spirit.

It is a little difficult to pinpoint but the decorations are not as good as the other years, as if they haven't had the same amount of time to prepare it. Also, what struck us this time is that they are really going after your wallet and they are not trying to hide it. 50 kroner ($10, €6.5) for a small cup of hot chocolate and a waffle. We are not kidding! We are talking about cafeteria style with hot chocolate in a styrofoam cup, not fancy cafe with a waiter (which would have been cheaper).

There were many other such examples and it just diminishes the experience. What it felt like for us was like going to Tivoli on a regular day except it was drizzly. David got his mandatory number of trips in The Flying Trunk (he just never gets tired of it - a testament to the durability of the fairy tales of H. C. Andersen) so he was happy.

Only a few more weeks to go (and there is only one!!! inside)

Little miss Abigail is due in a couple of weeks now. David has a firm belief that she will be born December 14, no sooner, no later. We think it is going to be somewhere between that and New Year but only time will tell.

And did I say little miss Abigail? Sorry, that's not quite true anymore. Abigail is huge! She is going to be a big one just like her dad was. My darling Zhenya complains about her (Zhenya's) size but I don't quite understand her. I think she looks absolutely beautiful. Some women get pregnant all over the body whereas she is pregnant in front only, so when she is standing with her back to you, you can't actually tell. Yes, she is big but only in the places she is supposed to. This is the way it should be in my opinion.

Of course, trying to convince a pregnant woman she is wrong is a lost cause but I will continue to tell her she is beautiful.

Eyes wide open...

We have found something incredible. Something that gets David's attention. His full attention. No, more than full attention. So much so that he put down his Gameboy voluntarily! We know, we know, now you are thinking we are pulling your leg.

Last night we went to a nearby Turkish restaurant with good and cheap food. At some point during the evening, the lights were dimmed slightly, the music cranked up considerably and out of nowhere appears a scantily clad belly dancer. David was completely mesmerized by this woman. If only we had some good pictures of the look on his face...

David's adventures in English

Ever since being paid top dollar (well, one dollar to be exact) by Chris in San Diego for playing violin, David has been very interested in English as obviously there are great business prospects if one knows this language well.

Yesterday David and Zhenya got into a mild argument and as he was quickly running out of arguments, he decided to express himself in English for the first time. We will of course always remember this, just like one remembers the first steps, and we will ensure to remind him of it when he gets older. The memorable words were: "SHUT UP!"

David now knows that these words were not the best he could have chosen... No math for a week! (Yes, he thinks this is a severe punishment.)

misleading with the homework

Everyday David gets his homework.
One of the episodes of our daily life:
I see:
8 - 3 - 0 - 10
4 - 7 - 6 - 1
Straigh away I demande from him to solve the problems!
So, he begins to solve them step by step (without my help! but with the help of fingures):
8 - 3 = 5
5 - 0 = 5
5 - 10 = -5
Writes: 8 - 3 - 0 - 10 = -5
4 - 7 = -3
-3 - 6 = -9
-9 - 1 = -10
Whites: 4 - 7 - 6 - 1 = -10
I am very pleased with him.
About 2 hours later, I am beginnig to think that it was wierd to give such a homework in CP1. So I have decided to look again and to read the assignment (for the first time).
And the assignment sounds like:
Range les nombres du plus petit au plus grand: 8 - 3 - 0 - 10
Range les nombres du plus grand au plus petit: 4 - 7 - 6 - 1
Do you have any idea how bad I felt, when I realized that I have not even bothered to read the assigment but mislead the poor kid.
Well, he did it correctly anyway, but right now he is in the stage where he thinks that he is 100% right (which he is, in this case), but the other students in his class think that there is nothing above or below 0 to 10.

Frederiksberg hospital

Today I was suppose to be at Frederiksberg hospital for the regular check up of my belly.
Well, we took the car, as I had to drive Morten to DTU afterwards. We got there but then it took us about 10 minutes to find a parking spot. We have tried everywhere, even next to emergency room. And no luck. (Don't give birth or get injuries at around 10 a.m. or at least don't come to the hospital with our own transportation). We couldn't even find a spot on a grass or just somewhere in order to park.
So the result was... we came 10! minutes late. We thought that it is not such a big deal, as for the past times we were waiting for about 45 minutes for the appointment.
But... Of course... not today. Our midwife was on time. And she had happened to have only 10 minutes for us today, due to the birth preparation class straigh efter. So the appointment was cancelled.
And it is when I have entered week 38 and so bloody tired that it is almost impossible to care myself around.

A sea lion in the family

Judging from the noise coming out of David the last couple of days, you'd think he was trying to imitate a sea lion. Unfortunately, he is not. The poor kid suffers from pseudocroup so last night he came to us and we had to ensure he was not lying on his back because when he were, he just stopped breathing until his nervous system kicked in and made him cough.

What to do about it? Go outside in the cold! Doctor's orders!

one day I will be Daddy, too...

David is paying a great attention on the way I do things right now. Today I have decided to take a nap. My boy, who haven't been taking naps since age 3, joined me and we slept together for an hour or so.
It gets hard for me to go up the stairs and so does for David.
Yesteday we were at the Childrens store, where we were looking for things to Abby. On the way back David took the catalogue and began to circle all the necessary stuff for her (like baby bed, bottles, etc.). He agreed with me that potty is too early at the present moment.
So on the way back I've asked him about his interest in babys stuff. The answer followed: "one day I will be Daddy, too. So I need to know stuff"

David is 6 years old!

Davids life from 2001 to 2007!
2001
Less then a month old, Denmark

2002
I am so happy, Bulgaria

2003
Basgetti, that is the food, Spain

2004
My first violin concert, Denmark

2005
Airplanes on the way to Chicago, USA

2006
Interesting..., Turkey

2007
Pussy cat? Thailand

2007
My birthday boy!!!

Davids Birthday

 

 

 

 

Yep, we made it. The Birthday Party was a success and we are still alive.
There were 5 boys (Ukranian, Latvian/Danish, Swedish/Danish, Danish/Dutch, Danish/Cameroon), 3 girls (American/Indian, French/Danish, French/German) and of course (Russian/Danish) David. Common language happened to be Danish, as all the children were either born here or have been living here for quite some time.
We managed to get everyone to the airport, where we saw some planes (a huge experience for 5-6 year old ones), and then it was McDonalds time.
Morten was great! So great with children, that I had to asked him that maybe he should change his occupation and work with children on daily basis. Don't worry, he is not going to but our children are going to be blessed to have Morten as Daddy.
I can say as well that Niels, Davids dad was present and both Niels and Morten managed to play cool during the party, which I believe was not easy what so ever.
Anyway, it seems like all the kids enjoyed the party, food (some ate 2 Happy Meals!!!) and excursion into McDonalds' freezer(!).

oh, Abby, Abby, Abby

Yesterday, out young lady has scared us pretty badly. Because of a very bad backache we were forced to go to the hospital where I was checked pretty good.
Finnaly have been told that she is fine and it is my back that gives me pain and not Abby.
But... doctors are so surprised to find out that I have so many blue marks inside of me that they can't believe how active she is. and she is!!! Believe me!!! It was so funny to observe curves when I was monited at the hospital. her heart rate was something like 140. and then... 145...150...155...160... AND....... a BIG, not HUGE PUSH!!!!
What is most important, our precious girl is fine and we are so happy. The doctors still dessagree about the date but she will be here [14;27] of December.

Davids eyes

Yesterday Morten has taken David to an eye doctor. We have noticed some changes in Davids way of watching TV since the last visit to the doctor in early June. He was trying to look like "Asian people". We were not sure if he does that because of the bad sight or it was just a bad habbit. So yesterday we got an answer.
In June David har -1,5 on both eyes, not in October it is down to -3. My poor boy. The doctor and Morten told me not to worry, since David is in a growing stage right now and the effects can be different, like on his eyes.
Now we had to reduce all GameBoys, Computer Games, television and even homework (just a little).

our sons girlfriend

Do you know how hard it is to have a girlfriend visiting you when you are only 5?! Probably not.
After performing at violin concert David decided to invite Sabine over. Well...
Look how happy we are...

and this is what you need to deal with when one girlfriend treats you as a patient...


The result of a date was...

P.S. I admire people who have twins. It is very hard to have 2 five-year old ones at the same time.

violin workshop

Saturday, Sunday and Monday... From 9:00 to 15:00... 3-4 violin lessons a day...

Poor me, I have to make sure that David makes it til the end of every day.
So far it is going quite good, only couple of hysterical moments and no "dead" Davids yet.

Davids group (B) had 2 teachers from Finland that were trying to teach poor kids not only violin but how to count til 3 in finish. Funny but teachers from Finland are using a lot of words, they are trying to explain things 5 year old kids. making their and kids lives very hard, full of misunderstandings. think about it. the teachers tells the children: "Those who can play with fingures "ABC" should stay up and play, those who know how to play but can't follow with the tempo should play on an open string and those who haven't learnt that should clap". 5 year old kid doesn't even know where he/she is, so I am not talking about trying to understand
the sentence and try to figure out which of these 3 group one should be in?

We have realized that teachers from Finland find it easier to teach 25 kids the word "down" in English then to say the same word in Danish....

Above all bilingual kids one of the teachers loves to choose David and one Chinese boy to help, they both can speak more then one language, just not quite English....

I don't understand some of the parents. there are so over their kids that once in a while one begins to think that it is dangerous for these kids to be near the others because of their parents.... One of the moms keep moving other kids away from her daugther... after 3rd time in 20 minutes, I couldn't take it anymore and since I can get away with murder (hormons, pregnant women), I told her everything I thought about her attitute towards other children. That didn't help, so I was forced to tell the director of the workshop, so lets see what will happen tomorrow.

and what do we do during the breaks? Right!!! Homework!!!

P.S. the girl in pink is Davids violin-girlfriend.

9 weeks, violyn and job

It is getting quite hard to be between university, work, Davids school and activities. I am getting so big that it is hard to get into the door, at least it feels that way.

Efter todays rutine check at the hospital we have found out that that naughty little girl of ours was hurting me so much that I am having bruises inside. It is painful but I will survive.

But the most important thing is our little sunshine is doing fine, enjoying her time swimming in me and getting used to all the surrounding noises.

David has been asked to go to Liverpool on the 31st of May to perform on the annual Suzuki concert. So far we said yes and all of us will try to go. But the way, when he found out that Liverpool in England, the first thing he announced that Chris should come with dollars but pounds will be excepted as well.

http://www.europeansuzuki.org/_Documents/Suzuki%20A4%20Poster.pdf

What else? Morten got a job... jep.jep.jep. In the area where noone would ever expect him to work. Job will involve to manage a lot of people, just like me in a desert conditions.

news in the family

Well, so me and David are back from our trip to Thailand.
Thailand was great but not as great as it could be if Morten could come with. I enjoyed Bangkok and Krabi. Hotels, food, shopping are wonderful. But how it is hard to travel with a five year old by yourself!!! That is a challange.


David has started at CP1. He is enjoying it, (well it helps to be in the same class with ones girlfriend) but there is a lot of homework for a five year old one, so I have to learn French.
We are on the 27th week so it is not so long til ms. abigail is going to be born. the doctor moved us to the 14th of December (the plan was on the 27th). Funny but 14th of December is a big day in Denmark. It is a Chtistmas party day. F.eks. I am having a Christmas party at my work that day, so the idea is to eat very good, dance as much as it is possible and to get drunk, then everything will go very nicely and smoothly.

And the biggest news is that Morten proposed me. Jep. In the most unromantic matter (typical for him, unfortunatelly) but it is just great to have a fianceé. We are not sure when the big day will happen, too many thingsl unfortunatelly at the moment. We have to find a place to live, get sorted out our Masters, our kids, etc.

Roller coaster

While children, pregnant women and people with heart problems were staying on the ground... one of us... got so excited that he paid 6 dollars and got on a ride.

 

 

 

 

It was very funny to hear him saying efterwards: " that was nothing special really " and to remember his 100% excitment in the eyes before he got on roller coaster. Sorry, sweetheart...

that's the way to do it

 

 

 

 

what will you do, if you need to get a parking place and there isn't one. You can follow our advice.
1. Hire Chris to drive.
2. Get Morten out of the car (if you can, get out of the car together with him).
3. Let Morten give Chris instructions and don't even interfere (mans talk).
4. If you didn't manage to get out before now is the time. The way you do it is up to you, but probably the smartest and easies is by climbing out using the back of the car.
5. Get Chris out.
6. Hope that it will be sunny and not rainy.
Have a nice trip.

San Diego Zoo

So, while Morten was at the conference I had to take care of David and to make it fun and we have decided to do to the "Soolosisk haven".

And the main mission was to find THE HIPPOES!!!!

Hippoes? No, but the Boog bear seems happy.

Hippoes? No, at least we are on the right continent. Right, Timon?

Ups, we made the wrong turm and we are in Asia? At least there were movements...

No movements here.... in the Aussi part of the zoo.

and finally. we have found her. The most wonderful creature in the world. A hippo. Look, how cute she is, how beautiful... Aha.....


And Morten hasn't seen that, and Morten hasn't been there.