Daddy is home!

On saturday afternoon we got to see Daddy again! It's been 3 weeks since we left Montana, so it's been a long wait for us to get Dad back "home". This time at least I didn't feel it was as sad to leave for 3 weeks. The perpective of being apart for a short while has changed since we experienced almost 2.5 month apart over the winter... Anyway, it felt really good to be a complete family again!. Natalie was so happy over having Daddy back so he could to read and put her to sleep.. She has been couting the days each night before bedtime...

This last week we have been pretty busy! Both girls went to daycare/preschool to visit and prepare for staying a few more hours each week, depending on how much we are going to work. Natalie is already familiar with her preschool and all friends there so she's happy to see them again. Jamie has met her teachers and the other small kids for short whiles that eventually got longer and longer without me there. Usually the kids has a period of 1-2 weeks of shorter days before they are considered to be ready to fully attend preschool/daycare. ( Which means as many hours you are working). Jamie has been happy the whole time! It is a smaller preschool with only 10 kids for 3-4 teachers so I feel it's a calm environment. Natalie did go to this preschool when she was 1.5-3.5 year old so we already knew some of the personel and knew it was a good and safe place to put Jamie in. I can say it's still hard for my mama heart to see my youngest little girl run around all independent.. but it wasn't as many tears I had to hide this time compared with when I left Natalie for the first time! I guess everything is a bit different with your second child....
The last day of this "tryingout-period" Jamie stayed between breakfast and when they woke up after the lunch-nap. She was a happy girl the entire day, so now she's ready for longer days when we are in need of that. I'm going to substitute some so the hours they'll be there will vary.  A full day will never be longer than 3.30 pm and that will probably not happen so often. I feel ready to work, but it also feels good to know that I dont have to leave Jamie for 7-5 days to start with... The price for having two kids at the preschool/daycare including all meals when they are there is about 2000 SEK / month, so app. 300 USD for both. The prices for daycare/preschool are highly subventioned from the government (well of course it comes from tax money but anyway ...) and pretty much the same for everyone no matter how much yearly income you have.  The maximum fare differs slighty from one location to another, but in general max 300 USD for two...  I've understood it's quite a lot cheaper than the same set up in the States. I can also say that it use to be a lot more expensive here when me and my brothers were younger...

Now I'm getting ready to leave for my interview at the American embassy in Stockholm. It will be a quick daytrip to the beautiful capital of Sweden!

I'll put up some pictures later! I got my camera back, so soon I can update with pictures from Sweden and our days here! I'm also going to get a new phone with a decent camera in so it's easier to put up some snapshots again. Unfortunately my old one completely broke...I liked it so I think I'll get another Samsung and not an Iphone this time either.