Mökki and Palju

Aleksi learned two important Finnish words during our second week here:  mökki and palju. 

here and now

I have been more so recording life events rather than journaling how I feel about life. Both of them are important but I just love reading back to the times when I truly wrote down how life was for me rather than just talking about what we have done. 

Tonight I feel very content. The kitchen got cleaned and the floors mopped. The rooms upstairs are mostly clean. I was able to finish putting mulch down yesterday so the backyard is one step closer to being finished. While I have never been perfectionist, it can really make me feel frustrated when things are unfinished. 

This week has been good. Monday started with Troy staying home and working on the garage shelves with his parents. I was able to go to gym and not worry about getting the kids into Villakids and whether Miio would be happy there. Aleksi was in heaven and in a good mood all day as he got the attention from Grandma and Grandpa. Miio took three amazing naps and was happy except when the saw was being used. He spent a lot of time with Grandma which made her and Troy and I very happy. It is important to us that Troy's parents and dad and Paula really get to know our kids and have a relationship with them.

For some reason, I had felt very angry and resentful towards Troy the previous week. Maybe it was the sleep deprivation, we had some awful nights with Miio, maybe it was the lack of personal time and space together as Troy's parents were here, maybe it was the stress of life and the constant noise. I'm not usually an angry person but I just felt angry and unhappy. However, we talked about it. It didn't resolve over night but this week I have felt happy and loving and not angry at all. It has been a big blessing for all of us. 

Miio is such a sunshine in my life. Yes, he can be demanding at time like tonight when he sort of fussed the whole time we were at Missie's for dinner. But when I sing to him or talk to him, he gives me the biggest smiles. He loves baths. He nurses and then looks at me with me biggest smile.  It is amazing how quickly he calms down in my arms and while I don't have any desire to do that multiple times a night, it is such a sweet thing to be that comfort to him. Miio sometimes "sings" when I sing to him. 

Aleksi is loud and demanding and funny and learning all the time. He is all boy.  He loves to show his butt, and say the word butt. He loves to be outside and ride his skuut bike. He is wanting to be a big kid so bad. He loved Grandpa and handled Grandpa's teasing well. He is in the tough spot of not really napping but also not really doing well without napping. He loves to stall and be distracted when you want him to do something that he isn't a fan of. It can frustrating.  He keeps talking about all the things that he wants for his birthday: monster truck, nerf gun, roller blades, pocket knife, green bunk bed, fidget spinner. 

Eerika is sweet and she is fire. She has been emotional this week. She hasn't really complained but by the end of the night, she can get very tearful about things that shouldn't warrant tears. She is liking Spanish Immersion. She wanted to read scriptures tonight on her own and did great.  She truly wants to help and sometimes she pushes her help so much that she and the person who does not want her help end up unhappy. 

Saku has been doing really well in many aspects. He learned a lot of responsibility from swim team this summer. He had two meets where he raced the 25m free style and backstroke. He has mastered rollerblading and has enjoyed bike ramping with Isaac. He loved rafting and even went tubing in the river. His anger burst as fewer and he has described his school days as "awesome" with the immersion. 

When Little Moose became Miio Eemeli

Little Moose finally got his name. We chose to name him Miio Eemeli. We had thought of doing Olli or Tomi or Niklas but I just didn't love any of them. Then Troy mentioned Miio four three days after he was born and I felt that it was so right. 

Since family came to town on Wednesday night, Miio has had a rough time. Or maybe I am more conscious of it. 

Miio seemed to cry on and off all of Thursday. I felt like I tried everything possible. Finally after a Primary Presidency meeting and getting some gas drops, he seemed to settle down and took a long nap. Troy, Barb and the kids ran errands while I watched TV shows in bed. 

I didn't write down the blessing words and now I can't remember it at all. It is pretty sad but I have to remember that the blessing is for Miio and those promises will hold true whether I wrote them down or not. We had a mic issue as there was no microphone so people couldn't really hear the name well. 

Overall the blessing day was a bit stressful. EVen in the evening, I went for a walk with dad and Paula and Miio and he cried the entire time we walked. It was a bit hard to relax and enjoy the day as I was so self conscious of his crying. 

He wore the same outfit that Saku and Aleksi wore on their blessing day. Now as I am writing this down, it is crazy how much he has changed.

We kept the blessing day within the family. Kyle and Jen and the girls plus Grandma and Grandpa, Ukki and Mummi.

My family was very surprised by the name. I just love the name and often call him "Mighty Miio".

Sunday Evening Outings

Sundays can be exhausting. It takes work to get the kids ready for church. Primary can be tiring as a calling. And when you get home and you would need some time for yourself, you don't really get it because it is too late for Aleksi to nap. And Miio might sleep or he might not, depending on how napping happened at church. Plus we are just tired at this point in our life with four kids. 

So it is easy to get impatient while the kids are just being kids and sometimes bedtime seems far away. So we have tried to do Sunday evening outings. Go and explore some part of Colorado Springs where we can be outside. We aren't distracted by electronics. There isn't a need to take care of things. The urge to nap isn't there. It is just easier to be happy, make memories and be together. 

We explored Lincoln Open Space. We hiked about two miles all together and overall it was a success. Troy got a good work out for carrying Aleksi on his shoulders. There was some competition who could be the leader. Saku drew pictures of plants in his notebook. 

Miio slept pretty much most of the hike which was nice. 

When Miio was just one week old, we hiked up Helen Hunt Falls. It was Miio's first time in the wrap and he slept the whole hike.  The kids had the craziest outfits for the hike; leather jacket, church shirt and shorts, and Hello Kitty dress. 

We did have to pull over on our way home as Miio had a bit of a freak out and needed to be fed. Even when Miio was brand new, I tried to keep a perspective and remember that our life must go on and getting out and fresh air would probably keep us all happier. 

Ukki and Mummi's visit

Dad and Paula's visit for Saku's baptism and and Miio's baby blessing was very short. However, I feel like we really used it well.  

Miio had a rough weekend and cried a lot. However once Monday came around, he settled down and I was able to go to the gym while the kids stayed with dad and Paula. Dad shoveled some rock and mopped the floors. They cleaned the kitchen after each meal. We went out to dinner at Zoup. Dad went to Saku's swim practice and worked on his tan. 

They studied their mission material and took naps.  We went to Fox Run park twice and the kids loved the nature while we chatted. 

I had been stressed out about Miio's crying and it was so nice to feel like I could leave Miio with dad and have dad and Paula hold him and not feel stressed. 

Dad gave me a beautiful blessing. The following things were part of the blessing.

When things are hard, think of all the blessings and gratitude will fill my life and bring the HolyGhost which will give me strength.

Be united with Troy in parenting and in love and nothing in the world will come between us. 

Somehow I can turn to mom and get strength and advice from there.

With challenges, I can find answers to Miio's health or sleep from places that are not usual. 

Knowing the Godly nature of my calling as a mother, vene when I am so tired that life feels empty of spiritual things.

Know that my kids need specific things from me and I am the mother to them. 

I was very sad when they left. I know we will see them but there is a big chance in all of our lives with their calling.