These days.

Lately I've been absent. Not only from this blog, but also the country (traveling around the UK) and in some ways from my normal self. I am doing a lot of self analysis, and feel good about it, and not so good sometimes. I know that it is helping and I can sense a change coming that will be good but is just not quite here. I just have to be patient.

I stumbled upon a new blog, that I am now reading from beginning.. And decided to borrow a nice post idea:

Making : kittens.

Cooking : 3 minute noodles, due to lack of inspiration and people to eat with me.
Drinking : white wine atm.
Reading: Blogs. 
Wanting: to move out already,
Looking: Forward to winter.
Playing: a lame game, can someone suggest a good click-and-point game to me?
Wasting: time on FB, how horrifying?
Sewing: a doll for Ylfa... very slowly.
Wishing: dor courage to go to that Yoga class.
Enjoying: slow mornings with my girl.
Waiting: for moving day.
Liking: the heavy rain.
Wondering: all the time.
Loving: my sister's coffee breaks, spent at my kitchen table. 
Hoping: all will be good.
Marvelling: at how intelligent my little one is. 
Needing: more time with M.
Smelling: the wildflowers Ylfa brought me from her walk with her dad.
Wearing: homeclothes, most of the time.
Following: advices.
Noticing: changes in communications.
Knowing: I need more focus.
Thinking: way to much.
Bookmarking: future Master programs?
Opening: my blogger account for the first time in a while.
Giggling: all the time Ylfa talks. She is too funny.
Feeling: everything will be good.

Is anyone still here?

Things | For Her - For Christmas.

Or should I say "For ME."

I should be writing an essay or reading over a lecture, but I ended up photoshopping my Christmas wishlist. So much more fun than studying on a Monday night!
I don't know if I have mentioned that before, but the holiday season is my thing. I can't get enough of it! I love every single aspect of it! Except the exams that usually happen right in the middle of my otherwise favorite month. I have always been like this. You know when you were little, and you couldn't wait for Christmas, and you got so excited that you puked.. That's me.. Still.. Even at 23 years of age. I love the cold, the food, the songs, the decorations, the traditions, and the presents! I can't lie, I do like opening up my own presents, but most of all I love carefully choosing gifts for my family and friends. I always try to find the perfect thing for each person. Usually I start forming ideas over the summer, and add to the idea list throughout the fall.

For myself this year I would really just like some cozy things. A warm wool blanket, and a cute moomin cup to drink my morning coffee. A candleholder to light up the darkness that lingers long into the day. We recently started collecting vinyl records and bought my brother-in-law's collection, so we have a decent amounts already, but I would love to add to it my favorite album of all time, I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning by Bright Eyes. Finding some jewelry under the tree would not be bad either.

Marinó actually just bought me a Samuji dress yesterday, so I could cross that of my list.. but I always want more! They are just so pretty.

Happy December everyone!

Hringa ring | Moomin cup | Bright Eyes Vinyl | Samuji dress | Tina Ratzer blanket | Kubus candleholder |

23.

Today I turned twenty-three. 

When I was younger - thanks to an Icelandic movie - I though that was the age to start to feel old and depressed, because life was almost over. Fortunately I am not depressed and I really don't feel that old. I think I have accomplished quite a lot compared to my age so I really can't complain. I feel happy in my own skin, I have a wonderful family and I can feel that I still have a lot ahead. 

For fun I wanted to make a fact list about, so here are 23 facts about yours truly;

1. I was never a princess girl when I was a kid.. Instead my favorite cartoon character was always a weird support character. Timon from Lion King was and always will be my all time favorite.

2. I never step on a line on my way to and from the laundry.

3. I didn't start drinking coffee until 2010... Way after everyone I know.

4. My favorite animal is an elephant. My first tattoo was a tiny elephant on my right calve.

5. I have five siblings. Four brothers and one sister.

6. When I was seven I tricked my grandparents into giving me chocolate pudding for breakfast, every day for a month.

7. Me and Marinó got married in the old Nordic religion. The one with Odin, Thor and Loki.

8. I have had two pets called Stígur (Strider)... and two called Hneta (Nut). Yes I am very original with pet names.

9. I looooove white chocolate.

10. I have been called three different names in the three different countries I have lived in; Auður in Iceland, Adi in Denmark and Audrey in USA.

11. My husband was a Hollywood movie star when he was five years old. 

12. I have read all of the Harry Potter books over 10 times.. and have now started to also obsess over A song of Ice and Fire. 

13. I believe in ghosts, nisser and hidden people.

14. It has been my dream to work for Disney or Pixar since I was eight years old. I am still working on that. 

15. Until last year, the only thing I knew (barely) how to cook was pasta. Now I love cooking new things.

16. I can speak like Donald Duck.

17. I inherited the weird talent from my mother to learn lyrics to songs in no time.. and the talent of not knowing how to sing.

18. I collect children's books. 

19. I am a Waldorf child.

20. My grandfather is my most favorite person in the world (after Ylfa of course). 

21. I love watching people play video games. Marinó really likes that quality in me.

22. I am terribly afraid of the dark. I blame my uncle Gunnar for that!

23. I have never been as content and happy in life as I am right now.

Essentials.

When I was pregnant with Ylfa I loved looking up baby essential lists on blogs. I can't say I'm an expert on what is best for a baby and I think everyone has different taste and needs when it comes to their babies. But I really wanted to share with you just a few of the things that made the most difference for me and Ylfa.

SIT - I actually did not look into many possibilities when it came to picking out a high chair. I knew exactly what I wanted. I never had a Tripp Trapp myself when I was little but both of my younger brothers had one and I used theirs on daily basis when I still lived with them. The chair can be used from the time a baby starts to sit until it dies from old age. It is a very comfortable chair even for adults. It comes with a harness and for extra safety and comfort we added both the baby set and a cushion.

SLEEP - When my nephew was born a friend got him the cutest little blanket she had knitted for him. It was made with 100% merino wool and it was so soft and warm. When I was 27 weeks pregnant with Ylfa I went back to Iceland and had nothing to do all day every day, so I decided to knit a similar blanket for my baby. We have used it so much! When she was tiny I wrapped her in it for breastfeeding, we use it in the stroller when we go out and she has slept with it so many cold nights. I found pattern for the same blanket on the Purl Bee.

SOOTHE - I think this made the most difference out of everything. She instantly went from fuzzy to calm when I put her in the Moby wrap when she was a newborn. It was also perfect for that period of time when she wanted to be held all the time. I could just pop her in the wrap and have my hands free. We still use it if I need to go somewhere in the city by my self, and she always becomes so happy if she sees me put it on.

STROLL - We looked into a lot of strollers before we got set on the Bugaboo Bee. In Iceland we borrowed an Emmaljunga and we were thinking about buying one of those but after using it for a while I realized that we really needed something much lighter and compact for San Francisco. After much research we found the Bee would be the right choice for us. I could not be happier! It has been so easy and comfortable to travel around the city with it. It is the perfect city stroller. When I need to take the bus somewhere I can just press two buttons and it folds completely together and put it on my shoulder while carrying Ylfa on the other hip or in the Moby wrap. The extra good thing about it is that it also grows with the baby so we don't need a new one when she gets bigger.

Things | For me.

This morning Marinó took Ylfa and I got to sleep in. I slept until I heard the kettle scream "coffetime!". When I came downstairs there was a delicious breakfast waiting for me! Cup of coffee, two eggs sunny side up, two slices of toast, goat cheese and blood oranges. My husband knows how to treat his lady. That wonderful start of the day got me into a self-pampering mood. Teehee. So here are a few things I've been longing for.

1. I've started collecting these beautiful wooden tops. So far I have one.

2. School is starting soon so I'm in need of a new bag. A Cambridge Satchel would be perfect if I was not taking classes where I need a much larger bag. 

3. I only have the original Daisy one, but I really love the smell of the Daisy Eau So Fresh.

4. A cosy warm wool dot throw would make my sofa look much better. 

5. This quartz cluster necklace!

6. I NEED to stock up on some shoes. Like I said couple of posts ago, most of my shoes don't fit my post-pregnancy feet. I NEED these Swedish Haasbeens.

Everyone needs some pampering now and then.