A Work of Art

Hammie has discovered her creative side. Her abstract works of art are a "symbolic representations of humankind's struggle to overcome their animal instincts without compromising their own existence" (her words, not mine). She is sooooooo deep. Next she will be hanging in jazz clubs and snapping her fingers for beat poets in dark shades and berets. I personally think the whole thing is a charade to get clueless socialites to buy her pieces at exorbitant prices to show they "get it".

Here is the master at work.

"You just don't get it Dad"

Being ambidextrous mean you can crank out drawing in record time.

On the Road

Blueberry Addict

Hammie's blueberry habit has gotten out of control. Her voracious appetite is never sated and keeping her supplied with her "happy berries" has become a full time job. When Lina and I weren't picking fast enough Hammie decided to take things in her own hand, grabbing a couple buckets and heading to the forest. We think she has a problem but she is reluctant about enrolling in "blueberryaholic anonymous".

Hammie sprints into the forest looking for a fix

Blueberries located

Small fingers are great for picking

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Hammie really likes blueberries

Yet another picture of Hammie devouring blueberries

Hammie eats as fast as she can when there are other little people to compete with

Hammie displays the velcro properties of diaper s

Birthday Blast

Uncle Peter and Grandma Ingela visited to help celibate Hammie's birthday. The party lasted two days and included piggyback rides, ice cream, one candle, big fish, golden pillows, a rib dinner, and of course blueberries.

Birthday cake

Ribs are Hammie's new favorite food

Princesses lounging on golden pillows

Fish

Peter makes a pretty good horse

Happy Birthday Hammie

One year ago after an exhausting 22.5 hours of labor Hammie came into this world. She came out the color of a blueberry before a few tiny lung fulls revealed a more natural hue. Incapable of lifting her little head, we took an immediate liking to our worthless ball of meat and discovered a level of love and affection we previously couldn't fathom.

It took three weeks of getting to know Hammie before she received her legal name but she continues to go by a different moniker and will until she tells her dad she doesn't like it. We've watched Hammie become her own little person, possessing a shining disposition with occasional lapses were she becomes the little monster princess (or Hamzilla, Velocihammie, Hammisaurus Rex, etc, etc..).

A lot has changed since we first met our little girl. Her dark hair lightened and her toothless grin has slowly gained a few pearly whites but her blue eyes and kissable cheeks have remained intact. Special little mannerisms seem to come and go, enriching our lives and getting their own names (frog face, skruntchy face, drama queen, etc...) before being replaced or out of fashion.

At one year old Hammie is quite mobile with a sable walking style that has been compared to zombies, robots and sumo wrestlers. She walks best when she's calm and collected as over excitement tends to break her rhythm and sends her to the floor. In no time I'm sure she'll harness her exuberance and be running on her little legs leaving mom and dad scrabbling after.

Hammie talks a lot but is only understood when she resorts to grunts and hand-gestures. Nothing says "I want what you're easting" like aggravated grunts and outstretched arms, fingers raking the empty air in the direction of dad's icecream.

The year has flown by, marked with countless milestones, a few scares and lots of smiles. We feel extremely bless not only to have our wonderful little girl but to have wonderful friends and family who reciprocate our love and enrich our lives. Thanks you many times over. We are looking forward to the many years that will follow and the memories and joys collected along the way.

Happy Birthday Hammie and Happy Birthday Lina (it is after all her birthday too and mothers should remembered on there occasions).

Hammie on the day she was born

Hangin' with the Jutfelts

Our good friends Fredrik and Ida recently bought a house an hour north of Gothenburg in the Bohuslan region where we are hoping to move in the future. They invited us for the weekend and after Hammie got a taste of country life she didn't want to leave and opted to stay for an extra day. I tagged along with her to keep things from getting out of control while Lina went back home for work making it the first night mother and daughter have been apart. Both my girls dealt with it quite well.

Hammie and Siri take a break from country life to be wowed by Fredrik's Iphone

Fresh blueberries. Mmmmmmmmm

Siri stands on her grandmother while Hammie seems puzzled