thump thump thump

i heard the heartbeat today. it's hard to believe that tiny, little barely formed thing already has a beating heart...but it does. i heard it.

hello oslo!

Oh my god...you know what? Norway isn't as in-the-middle-of-nowhere as I thought. Hooray. We're in Oslo now and it's actually a normal city...with restaurants and bars and shopping and markets and people...lots of people. And you know what else? Most of these places are open on Sundays.

I AM SO HAPPY TO BE BACK IN CIVILIZATION. woo hoo...

I'm going out now...to walk around the city...

so long steinkjer

We're leaving Steinkjer tomorrow morning and heading to Oslo to spend a few days with friends before we head back home. I feel a bit melancholy, though, because it just doesn't seem right that my in-laws only get to see their grandson once a year. I don't know...maybe I'm just feeling a touch emotional (hormones), but I feel terrible about taking Ole and leaving tomorrow. It's gonna be so quiet around here without us...and as I type this I'm starting to realize that it's not necessarily a bad thing. They'll probably be able to breathe and relax once they get rid of us.

Anyway...Oslo should be fun...but I don't know what kind of internet access I'll have where we're staying, so this could be it until I get back.

CIAO...

weather haiku

it's lovely today
21, sunny, blue skies
that's celsius. duh.

also my neck really, really hurts

i'm pretty sure i have meningitis...but it could be west nile virus too...or maybe i have a cold and i slept wrong...

in any case...this is what i found on www.webmd.com

Meningitis Symptoms
Symptoms of bacterial meningitis usually develop suddenly, while those of viral
meningitis may develop suddenly or gradually over a period of days. For example,
the symptoms of viral meningitis after mumps may take several days or weeks to
develop.
The most common symptoms of either form of meningitis
include:
Fever.
Severe and persistent headache.
Stiff and painful
neck, especially when trying to touch the chin to the chest.
Vomiting.
Confusion and decreased level of consciousness.
Seizures.
Other
symptoms of meningitis include:
Sluggishness, muscle aches and weakness, and
strange feelings (such as tingling) or weakness throughout the body.
Eye
sensitivity and eye pain from bright lights.
Skin rash.
Dizzy spells.


The incubation period—the time from exposure to the infection to
when the first symptoms develop—depends on the type of organism causing the
infection.
Babies, young children, older adults, and people with other
medical conditions may not have the usual symptoms of meningitis.
In babies,
the signs of meningitis may be a fever, irritability that is difficult to calm,
decreased appetite, rash, vomiting, and a shrill cry. Babies also may have
bulging soft spots on their heads that are not caused by crying, and a stiff
body. Babies with meningitis may cry when handled.
Young children with
meningitis may act like they have the flu, cough, or have trouble breathing.
Older adults and people with other medical conditions may have only a slight
headache and fever. They may not feel well and may have little energy.

gag me with a tonsil

Fair warning for those of you who do not want to hear me complain about how sick i am...

Anyway...one of two of you may have noticed that I've missed a couple days here. That's because Tuesday...we spent the day in Trondheim. That's the town where Rune went to college...also where Jim Taylor spent some time this summer. Jim tells me he saw a young lady walking down the street wearing a t-shirt that read, "I like to fuck." He said it was then that he knew he loved Trondheim. Rune's brother goes to college there now...so we went to see him. The reason I was so excited to go (other than to visit my brother in law of course) was because there is a pretty sizable H&fuckingM there!! Woo hoo...h&m all around... Trondheim is about a two hour drive from Steinkjer (where I am now), so we were gone all day.

Then, yesterday, I was so sick I couldn't get out of bed ALL DAY LONG. Pathetic. I think I may have a sinus infection and tonsilitis (is that how you spell that?)...because my throat hurts like hell and my tonsils are so swollen I feel like I'm gagging all the time. I keep thinking about Becky and Laura - who gag when they brush their teeth - and how they would totally die if they had this. I must have had a fever or something yesterday too because all I did was sleep really. I feel better today in that at least I could get up. I still, however, feel like I'm constantly gagging. Fun, huh?

I've decided that this is god's way (or whoever) of equalizing. I don't get morning sickness when I'm pregnant. I just get sick. This sucks!

OK...enough complaining.

I did make it out of bed and out of the house today. We went bowling again. Ole bowled a strike on his very first throw. I think the people at the bowling alley thought we had a little bowling genius on our hands...until the next throw when he hurled the ball over the bumper and broke the lane divider. We had a pretty good time.

Weather here is not a whole lot different than when we arrived...rain, rain and more rain. It's not as cold though.

overheard

I just had this conversation with my son...

"You know why I fart, mama?"
"Why Ole?"
"Because I'm so happy..."

heated bathroom floors

That is so cool. They have heated bathroom floors in this house. Feels so good to stand there in bare feet...especially when it's so god damn cold outside. Although in pondering the greatness of these floors I have thought of one MAJOR drawback; there's no where to put your face when you're really drunk. There has been more than one occasion where no place has been as soothing as the bathroom floor...the cool tiles against my cheek...ahhhhhhhhhh. That aside...it is a lovely thing to have.

Ok...so Rune's parents have saved, like, all of his toys from when he was a kid. They're up in the attic in boxes. Does anybody else think that's weird...or is it just me? I mean...he's 32 years old for god's sake. Ole, however, thinks it is the coolest thing ever that his grandma keeps coming down from the attic with box after box of cool stuff to play with. It's like Christmas around here (without the reindeer for dinner). Ohmygod...that reminds me; Rune's mom put out this salame-like stuff the other day while we were eating. I asked what it was and Rune starts reading the label: pork, beef (ok that's normal enough), moose (getting a little bit icky), HORSE, SMALL WHALE (whatthefuck?!). I was sure he was kidding and asked him if it also had cute bunnies and baby seals in it, but here's the thing. He was not kidding. EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW... I'm gonna try to bring some back from my Uncle Davey and Melrose. Those two will appreciate a thing like that.

I wanted to go to H&M today...but nothing is open on Sundays around here. Where am I???

36 Degrees and Raining

That's the weather that welcomed us when we arrived. When I say raining...I mean fucking pouring. And 36 degrees. What the fuck? It stayed like that yesterday too, but today it's better. Still cold. Still rainy. But you can see blue sky periodically and the rain is only intermittent.

Ole went out and picked plums with his grandfather this morning. He follows that man around wherever he goes...even if he just leaves the room. It is god damned cute. Later, Ole went out with his grandma and picked berries. They'll make jam. He's napping right now. That's because he woke up at 5:30 this morning and did not go back to sleep. He had many things to say at dawn; what's your favorite fruit, mama? When can we get up, mama? It's not nice when I hit people? Where's Mimi? Papa, what's your favorite fruit? Mines' watermelon. It's juicy and red like a fire truck. He was talking in total stream of consciousness ( i have no idea how to spell that word).

I'm hoping to go back to H&M asap...there are coats everywhere at that mall. Many coats and cute sweaters and boots. I am now in such a fall state of mind. I even bought tights to wear with my boots and skirts. I want more coats. Many more coats. Does anyone know how much 1195.00 kroner is?

hello from the land of the vikings...

Just got back from H&M...god I love this country...but first; the trip over.

Got on a plane at SFO at 11:35PM and flew for seven and a half hours to Iceland. I gotta say...it was a much shorter flight than I thought it would be...and it felt like it. Ole was a travel pro...again. After dinner, we fell asleep for FOUR HOURS (he may have had a little synthetic assstance), so when we woke up we only had another hour and a half or so left on the flight. It was a breeze.

We had about two hours in Iceland...just enough time to walk around and have a soda at a cafe. Then we got on a flight to Oslo which took about two and a half hours. Again, Ole was a freakin champ! We ate and then he fell asleep; this time all on his own. We had about an hour and a half in Oslo before our 40 minute flight to Trondheim. Ole and I slept most of it.

When we finally arrived in Trondheim it was about midnight local time. Norway is nine hours ahead. After that, we had an hour and a half drive to Rune's parents' house. Phew, we made it. I have to admit, it was the easiest quickest trip over here we've ever had...although I guess it was about 20 hours door to door.

We went to sleep at who knows what time, but we did sleep until noon. ALL THREE OF US SLEPT TILL NOON! Can you freakin believe that?

So, in short, we had a pretty smooth trip and a lovely visit so far. That's all for now.

Off to Norway...

This is where I'll be for the next two weeks. Well..not exactly there...but in this lovely country...

raspberry

Your baby still appears to have a small tail (actually, it's an extension of his tailbone), which will disappear in the next few weeks. But that's the only thing getting smaller. Now almost half an inch long — roughly the size of a raspberry — he has elbow joints and distinct, slightly webbed fingers and toes. In his oversized head, both hemispheres of his brain are developing. His teeth and the inside of his mouth are forming, and his ears continue to develop. Eyelid folds partially cover his tiny peepers, which already have some color, and the tip of that nose you'll be tweaking someday is emerging. His skin is paper-thin and his veins are clearly visible.Your little one also has an appendix and a pancreas, which will eventually produce the hormone insulin to aid in digestion. His liver is busy producing red blood cells, and a loop of your baby's growing intestines is bulging into his umbilical cord, which now has distinct blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to and from his tiny body. You can't feel his gyrations yet, but your baby is like a little jumping bean, moving in fits and starts around his watery home.

heard on my way to work this morning...

I wear my sunglasses at night
so I can
so I can
Watch you weave then breath your story lines.

And I wear my sunglasses at night
so I can
so I can
Keep track of the visions in my eyes.
While she's deceiving me
it cuts my security.
Has she got control of me? - I turn to her and say:

Don't switch the blade on the guy in shades oh no.
Don't masquerade with the guy in shades oh no
I can't believe it!
You got it made with the guy in shades oh no.

And I wear my sunglasses at night
so I can
so i can
Forget my name while you collect your claim
And I wear my sunglasses at night
so I can.
so I can.
See the light that's right before my eyes.

While she's deceiving me
she cuts my security
She gots control of me I turn to her and say . . .

Don't switch the blade on the guy in shades
oh no.
Don't masquerade with the guy in shades
oh no
I can't believe it!
Don't be afraid of the guy in shades
oh no
it can't escape you

cause you got it made with the guy in shades
oh no.
I said: I wear my sunglasses at night.
I wear my sunglasses at night
I wear my sunglasses at night.
I'll say it to you now: I wear my sunglasses at night

I wear my sunglasses at night
I wear my sunglasses at night.
I cry to you: I wear my sunglasses at night. I wear my sunglasses at night

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

This is all I have to say about that:

I was at home on maternity leave that day. Ole was about 3 1/2 months old. Rune woke me about 6:30 in the morning and told me two planes had crashed into the World Trade Center towers. It took me a minute to realize what he said. "On purpose?" I asked. Oh my god.

I turned on the TV and couldn't stop watching ALL DAY LONG. Every time Ole would get a little fussy and restless...I would just shove my boob in his mouth (he was nursing, duh!). That poor kid ate so much that day. I went out for a walk at some point in the afternoon...and it felt weird to me to just carry on with my life, while this was going on in New York.

I remember laying in bed that night and occasionally hearing an airplane in the sky...knowing it was a military jet. It felt very strange. I'm not sure how else to describe it...completely unsettling. It took a long time before I could look up and see a plane flying overhead without thinking about those four jets on that September day four years ago.

ultrasound pics

i'm lucky to be pregnant at a time like this...when new technology exists which enables me to see pictures of the baby when it's still the size of a poppy seed...or a sesame seed. you can even tell what it's thinking...

woo hoo!!!

Congratulations Jason and Sarah!

Charlotte Elaine Tama

September 5, 2005; 12:43AM

7 pounds, 9 ounces; 20 inches

overheard...

Diana: "Frni...I hate to be an asshole, but..."
Frni: "I have Aleve."
Angela: uncontrollable laughter...degenerating into a coughing fit.

Frni: "What...? I thought you said you needed an aspirin..."

pro bowler

worth a thousand words...