We are here in Sweden! Our travels were long, but for the most part uneventful. Odin was a champ on the airplane nursing his way through six changes in altitude. We were worried his ears would make him fussy, but no, he remained happy. He didn’t sleep much on the long flight from Chicago to Stockholm. He was too interested in flirting with the folks sitting around us. (Of late, Odin has been very free with his smiles charming most everyone he meets).
Upon arriving in Umeå, our friend, Kenneth picked us up and amazingly found room for our five suitcases, jogging stroller, car seat, and 3 carryon’s in his car…oh, and 3 adults + baby! Mom was extremely exhausted and dad wired on many cups of coffee, but we somehow managed to stay awake long enough to turn ourselves around and sleep through the first night. We also have our friends, Kenneth and Anita to thank as they made a wonderful dinner for us and prepared our apartment with a bed fit for good sleeping!
During our first full day in Umeå we purchased a few household items from the thrift store and started to organize our apartment. Our apartment is wonderful; very open with lots of sunshine. Although only about 700 square feet, it feels spacious…probably b/c we have very little furniture Later that afternoon Odin started to get sick. For the first time in his life he vomited and could not keep anything down. After several hours of vomiting and not retaining any liquids mom and dad got worried and decided to go to the hospital to have him checked out. In Sweden children less than a year old do not have to wait in the ER, so we were quickly escorted back to a room where a nice doctor, Magnus, saw Odin. Dr. Magnus checked Odin over and was completely swept by him b/c between pokes and prods Odin gave him big smiles. We were sent home after some blood work and told to give him this special drink (sort of like Gatorade for babies). Magnus told us to come back in the morning if Odin continued to vomit all liquids. Fortunately this was not the case. Odin loved the special drink (he grabbed at the spoon and forced it in his mouth) and he managed to keep it down. He seemed to keep about 1/3 of the milk he drank down too, so we decided he didn’t need to go back to the hospital. Odin started to feel better right as mom got sick. We figure mom started giving him some of her antibodies. As of today we are happy to report that Odin is happy, healthy, and just about better (but mom feels horrible).
Pictures soon to come…
