One Cool Week

Olivia and her parents have come and gone, and I only wish they could have stayed longer. Considering we doubled the population of the house, we did very, very well.

I was a bit nervous as to how much Olivia might have changed, or what she may or may not remember about our time in Denmark. I shouldn't have worried. The moment she got off the train, it was like we'd never been separated. It was awesome. We only managed one art project together, but it was still a great week.

Olivia just finished a two-week intensive ballet class, so I was treated to several very serious recitals in the living room. She has the same knack for dance as she has for singing. Her ability to sing with such wonderful phrasing carries over to her dance, so it was honestly a treat. I'm thrilled her parents don't push her; she really enjoys music, and they let her enjoy it. She still remembers singing to the Mamas and Papas back in our Nobel Parken apartment, and remembered the John Denver tunes as well. (My favorite is still "Take Me Home, Country Roads"; she really belts out the chorus, which at the same time is kinda funny, coming from a little Finnish/Swiss girl.) Noah loved being sung to, in whatever language Olivia chose.

Given the choice, she still always wears pink.

We started with Niagara Falls, then spent one day shopping and another day at the Albright Knox art gallery. Then we went to Chautauqua, where we managed to squeeze in one winery, a boat ride, a beach trip, and a few walks. It was a crazy week weather wise, with temperatures ranging from the 60s to almost 90.

Of course, it was nice to see Olivia's parents as well. It all brought back memories of Denmark, just as I was starting to let go. Oh, well. I have a feeling we'll be visiting Denmark sometime in the next few years, anyways. A lot will depend on when we're brave enough to fly that distance with Noah. When we do, I have a feeling that at least one of us will be taking a few days in Helsinki, just to see a certain girl in pink. I somehow managed not to cry when they're train left. At least, not much.

The good news is that since we all seemed to weather the week well, it might take place again some day. I'm already looking forward to the next visit.