Anders' Super Seventh

Hi there, long time no blog.  In all honesty I haven't wanted to blog for months, between starting a new job, entering a stressful accreditation process, and balancing all the wants and needs of my kids. But this sheltering order is a little bit of a gift, nudging me to reflect on all the good in my life and giving me the time to put it into words and pictures.

Our darling Anders turned 7 in January, and in the family tradition we threw him a party at the park and invited his whole class.  In classic Anders style he went in 100%, even dressing up as Super Mario.

Party prep (food, decorations, and man power) was a true Swedipino collaboration (as usual). While we always prepare for a rainy day, the unusually dry February provided both warmth and sunshine.

People only needed to come inside once food arrived-- delivery Filipino fusion burritos!

I gave up on homemade and decorated cakes years ago when I learned that Whole Foods has a cake decorator. No one seems to miss that tradition, which freed up my time to continue the piñata tradition. Anders' choice: a Yoshi egg. No one was hurt in the smashing of this piñata, another tradition I'm glad to report we followed.

Anders fits into the classic third child mold: both charming/affectionate and loud/demanding, he's quick to take risks and is rewarded with the admiration of friends and family. He's competitive at everything he does from suffers from a big ego paired with thin skin. Mattias and I are constantly shaking our heads and putting him in his place when we hear "I'm the best at ________!" or "I'm the strongest kid in this _______!" Even though we really wanted a girl, we're so happy we ended up with our beautiful, sweet Anders.