First tooth!!!

Today we finally could see what we have been feeling (palpating) for few days, the first tooth (d.81) and it is a beautiful tooth! I brushed it immediately and tried to take a picture of it...

Well the photo didn't turn out, but it is there and he is very willing to apply it to anything you allow him to stuff into his little mouth.
Tonight at 10:15pm it finally is dark enough that the street lights come on, but the night here at north is short and the sun is coming up soon.. and our bedroom is flooded with light from 4am onwards if not earlier.. Today I installed the last of our curtains to block all the light coming into our bedroom.. I cant wait to sleep till morning without having to think.. Gosh is it really midday already.. Now i will be able to just think.. wow, wonder how long the sun has been up..
Tomorrow I will get my TEM samples embedded and ready for Florida, hopefully everything will go well with that as the whole process is little different than usual...
Hope everybody had a great Easter and are fully joyous of the fact that Jesus lives!

P

Among the easter eggs a baby was found!

Here is our latest find! a baby cute as button was found at a local store among the colorful toys.. we picked up a bargain that very moment and made a run for it. It was totally worth it.. From the same store we actually bought some curtains to block out the sun that is shining into our bedroom from 5am onwards and making our baby a really early bird... One curtain installed one is still waiting for installation.. :)

Here is Peregrine in a barber shop the first time ever.. "thin it from the top and layer it from the sides please" oh wait he needs hair before it can be cut... perhaps next year.. :) Halle got a new really nice haircut while I waited anxiously with the baby.. and put him sitting in different places as I tried to read for my exam.. which I passed with flying colors.. :)
Hey  summer is here (I dont believe in the existence of spring here in Finland, there is just winter and the other weather styles.. ) Warm sun is heating up our balcony and making things grow... like grass and hopefully soon some flowers..

Good Easter to all and blessing to your weekend and coming week!

P

Today

Finland woke up to a new political atmosphere, our baby started eating more than before, weather keeps getting warmer and we saw the first insect of the year. Summer comes along with such certainty that nobody ever tries to slow it down, yet we feel here that it is never quite fast enough. Japan earthquake threw the planet of it's axis for a fraction, yet summer makes it's inevitable arrival even here up north.
I started preparing my samples for Florida, it is all such slow progress, but exciting at the same time as the culmination of the work comes in an "instant" when we get the image from the samples onto a computer screen.

I read about a mother who said that her children test her every now and then asking, "What did I just say?", her writing was all about staying in the moment with children like when they were small and every new face, movement and sound got her heart racing. I feel the same with many things that last for a long time, like my school, marriage, life, sometimes exams even. I have to concentrate and remember that life only happens now not in the future. I try to be present now and enjoy every breath God has granted me on this earth with the amazing people who I am here with.
All the best to everybody!

P

Oh my Gosh Kopenhagen!!

We arrived to Copenhagen in the morning, as we left from Oulu at 6am.. trying to feel more awake than we actually were. Our journey took us to the lovely city of Copenhagen by metro (there is only 2 lines in a y hape track..) and a local train (s-tog). We got told that it was too early to get into our room, so we went for  walk and asked the UNICEF canvasser for directions to a local eatery with a local feel.. he directed us to a place called "bliss" it was lovely and cheap as we found most of the things here.. even though locals think everything in Denmark is expensive.. I don't think so.. The food was fresh and hot elderflower drink was great!
The room 222 at the Best Western Mercur is not ok!! it is so noisy that we asked them to change us to a different place and we got a much quieter room, thank you very much!

Then Wini came and I took off to the Bella Center, which is the Copenhagen center for congresses and happenings. A great big low lying barn with now new Bella Sky, tall freaky looking building right next to the center.
I hung up the poster I had created specially for this student competition, got my allowance from Dentsply representative and headed back to the hotel.
The next day we presented our posters in the session to the judges, and answered some questions, everybody in turn. It was great fun, I think the PhD persons great moment is when people are willing to listen to you about your research project!! At least I enjoyed it greatly. After this we attended an evening dinner at Restaurant Paustian, where the winner of the competition was to be announced. The 6 course meal was amazing!! everything was just melting in the mouth!!!
In the beginning of the whole competition thingy, I had aimed for the second prize, 600$. it would nicely buy us a dishwasher as I am starting to be ready to hand that torch to a machine form my righty and lefty.. We all lined up and waited for the announcement.. The second prize goes to.... ACTA people from Holland.. my heart sank.. no dishwasher... and the first prize winner is Pekka Mehtala.. Oh my word... I am going to travel to Las Vegas to present my poster again.. It was great to win but at the same time distressing to think I need to travel over 10h to present my poster again... Thank you everybody who helped me with my poster design!
So here we are, ready head home, little mermaid and much of the city seen. Thanks Wini for keeping Halle company and spending time with us.

We decided on the picture which we can take of our baby traveling to different countries... so we can collect them in a book to show him how much he travels.. as we believe he is going to be quite a little pilgrim, Peregrine.. here he is during his first foreign trip.

Sending a card to grandmother! Happy lent and spring and early summer to everyone!

P