Aspen: Two Months and Growing Like a Tree...

We are finally settling into life with Aspen; at the end of the two month mark life does not feel as overwhelming as the first month. The big news this months is that we made some progress on the colic adventure. We hired the local "zone therapist" to pay us a visit, who had come highly recommended by our midwife and a few Finnish friends. Zone therapy is otherwise known as foot reflexology. She visited us August 1 and again on August 5. The first session was grueling...as the therapist massaged the stomach and neck areas in her feet, Aspen screamed at the top of her lungs. It was rough to watch. But, the therapist assured us that her response was a good indication of what was to come. The second session we had a totally different baby, Aspen laid calmly throughout the session with the exception of a few cries for milk. After the second session the 3-4 hour colicky sessions slowly decreased to maybe 30 minutes every so often. Who knows if the zone therapy was the cause of colic reduction and/or if her digestive system matured...but, we are convinced that the zone therapist helped. 

Here are a few other thoughts about the second month:

1.) Charlie went back to work and it has been a major adjustment for me. Now I have to master the art of baby juggling solo...how to go to the bathroom, take a shower, make breakfast and lunch, clean the house, etc. with a baby who does not sleep much during the day. I decided very early in the second month I am not cut out to be a stay-at-home mom, but will attempt to enjoy nine months of maternity leave.
2.) Aspen's birth certificate and passport arrived this month. Time to prepare for her FIRST trip abroad (to meet the grandparents) at the end of August.
3.) Baby acne and cradle cap (on the eyebrows) made an appearance (and luckily a disappearance) this month. Nothing like a beautiful baby with a few blemishes...poor thing! I kept calling her "lizard" as the skin on her eyebrows continued to layer up and flake off.
4.) A close friend of ours had her baby baptized and now we are discussing whether we should do the same. The problem is that I am more spiritual than religious and do not belong to a church. Charlie belongs to a church, but has not attended in numerous years.
5.) We took our first walk (outside) with Aspen "baby dangling" from the Baby Bjorn sling. She actually enjoyed it (and fell asleep) and did not scream from the top of her lungs. Woohoo...good practice for our big trip abroad.
6.) Our doula came over and again we discussed the birth in more detail. She did tell us that during the pushing session Aspen's heartbeat took two very large dips (neither Charlie or I knew this). Now, we understand why the head midwife busted into the room all frantic.
7.) I had my six week check-up and all was good although that deep pain in my derriere region is likely to be a bruised tailbone from the birth. It is supposed to slowly heal on it's own time. In the meantime, I look like I am 90 years old when I slowly get up from sitting.
8.) Aspen is smiling and cooing and giggling in her sleep: precious!
9.) At the end of the second month Aspen has officially grown out of her newborn clothes.
10.) Now, time to begin packing for her FIRST international trip and airplane ride. Woohoo! Bring on month three!

A Greek Blessing

Our favorite Greek family came over to visit and brought with them a Greek blessing for Aspen.

They asked to use a blanket of Aspen's for the blessing. 

First, they spread cotton on the blanket symbolizing longevity.

Next, they placed an egg on the cotton symbolizing fertility.

Finally, they poured sugar on it wishing Aspen a sweet life and happiness.

Then, they placed the blanket in Aspen's bed (the Finnish box).

The next day when Charlie was frantically looking for a towel to wipe up Aspen's spit-up, he grabbed the blanket and sugar, cotton, and the egg flew all over the bed and the floor. I am not sure the blessing was intended to literally go all over the place, but we think that spilling it brought out the strength of the blessing.

This is Where We Live (Video)!

A better view of where we live...

Lakeside Livin'

The large balcony.

In June we moved to the lakeside neighborhood, called Lutakko, in Jyväskylä. At first I was a little reluctant to move to the other side of the railroad tracks because it was a little further away from the city center. But actually I have become very fond of our new neighborhood and I LOVE our apartment. 

The living room.

The flat has two bedrooms (one that operates as our office/baby room), an enormous balcony, hardwood floors, and an abundance of natural lighting (in the summer that is). The sauna and heated floors will make the bathroom a favorite spot during the winter months. The lake is right outside our front door which makes taking Aspen on a walk so convenient. Luckily, this summer has given us a fair share of sunny and beautiful days, so moving here has certainly paid off...already!

The bathroom with a sauna (shiny doors) and a heated floor.

And, the 15 minute walk to the city center has been a good way to burn off those extra baby kg/lbs.