NORWAY: Pregnant. Or, not.

I started this article many, many months ago, (and finished it a couple of months ago… only now do I feel ready to have it published). Perhaps, you know what it is like. You get the news, and you are just so excited and just want to shout it out loud!

But, as you are not supposed to say anything until week 12, I thought I’d put it into a blog post to be published at a later date. That way, I felt like I shared the news without giving away this “secret”, after all…

I wrote about how I discovered the news: (more…)

Astrid Warren (Norway)

Astrid is a Norwegian thirty something, married, working mum to a wee lad who is almost three and a baby born in 2012! She grew up in Norway, but moved to London, England after she met her husband. After living there during her twenties, she has since returned to Norway and settled down in her nation's capital of Oslo to raise her family. She finds herself slowly turning into her own mother as her free time is spent reading, walking, knitting and meeting up with other mums for coffee. (Ok, she still secretly loves going to the pub, too!). However, there isn't much time for any of the above, as she now enjoys spending most of her time crawling around on the floor, while playing with her children! Check out her blog, Quintessentially Burrows. She's also on Twitter @MrsSWarren.

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NORWAY: The Next Phase: Nursery (Child Care)

The wee lad is approaching one and a half years old, and we have finally been given a space for him in a nearby nursery (childcare).

After going back to work in January (when he was one) we have had what we call a “day mummy”, a lady who comes and looks after him for us in the day time. She has also looked after one other little girl of the same age and at the same time in our flat.

We were hoping to get him into a nursery in January, but we couldn’t find one. So, this was our only option. (more…)

Astrid Warren (Norway)

Astrid is a Norwegian thirty something, married, working mum to a wee lad who is almost three and a baby born in 2012! She grew up in Norway, but moved to London, England after she met her husband. After living there during her twenties, she has since returned to Norway and settled down in her nation's capital of Oslo to raise her family. She finds herself slowly turning into her own mother as her free time is spent reading, walking, knitting and meeting up with other mums for coffee. (Ok, she still secretly loves going to the pub, too!). However, there isn't much time for any of the above, as she now enjoys spending most of her time crawling around on the floor, while playing with her children! Check out her blog, Quintessentially Burrows. She's also on Twitter @MrsSWarren.

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NORWAY: EYE ON CULTURE: National Day

Royal Palace in Norway

Today is Norway’s National Day, which we Norwegians just call, “17th May”! This will probably sound strange, but this is a day where most Norwegians dress up, some in national costumes. And then, we head into the town centers, walk around in parades with marching bands, while singing and shouting “hurra” (hurray), to be followed by the eating of hot dogs and ice cream!

This is the day we celebrate our Constitution, which was signed in 1814.  The traditional way of celebrating this day is a children’s parade. The holiday is recognized throughout Norway, and I am sure that wherever there is a school, there is a celebration going on!
When I was a child, this was, next to Christmas and birthdays, the highlight of the year. Let me explain… (more…)

Astrid Warren (Norway)

Astrid is a Norwegian thirty something, married, working mum to a wee lad who is almost three and a baby born in 2012! She grew up in Norway, but moved to London, England after she met her husband. After living there during her twenties, she has since returned to Norway and settled down in her nation's capital of Oslo to raise her family. She finds herself slowly turning into her own mother as her free time is spent reading, walking, knitting and meeting up with other mums for coffee. (Ok, she still secretly loves going to the pub, too!). However, there isn't much time for any of the above, as she now enjoys spending most of her time crawling around on the floor, while playing with her children! Check out her blog, Quintessentially Burrows. She's also on Twitter @MrsSWarren.

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NORWAY: Mummy or Mamma?

As some of you may already know, I am Norwegian, and my husband is English.  So, our wee lad will have to learn both, Norwegian and English, at the very least, to communicate amongst our families.

But, learning these two languages is also the norm for all Norwegian children, as English is taught early on in our school system.  I also hope  that he will speak French, Spanish or Italian, as well, some day.

I have read that it is easy for children to learn two languages, but also that they may start to speak later than other children. No wonder! Learning to talk is hard enough, but having to learn two languages at the same time can’t possibly make it any easier! (more…)

Astrid Warren (Norway)

Astrid is a Norwegian thirty something, married, working mum to a wee lad who is almost three and a baby born in 2012! She grew up in Norway, but moved to London, England after she met her husband. After living there during her twenties, she has since returned to Norway and settled down in her nation's capital of Oslo to raise her family. She finds herself slowly turning into her own mother as her free time is spent reading, walking, knitting and meeting up with other mums for coffee. (Ok, she still secretly loves going to the pub, too!). However, there isn't much time for any of the above, as she now enjoys spending most of her time crawling around on the floor, while playing with her children! Check out her blog, Quintessentially Burrows. She's also on Twitter @MrsSWarren.

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NORWAY: Food for Thought

Even before the wee lad was born, I felt bombarded with information about how important it was for him to get the right food. This meant that I had to eat right, when all I felt like was dry biscuits and apple juice. Then, it meant breastfeeding.

There is so much information about how breastfeeding is the best thing for your baby and how it is the only thing you should do, which I don’t doubt. But, when breastfeeding doesn’t work, you start to question yourself: maybe I don’t love my baby enough…?

What other reason can there be for not being able to feed him naturally? And, you feel guilty because you have to use formula instead.  Here in Norway, there is a warning on the packages that say you need to consult a doctor before giving formula to a baby, followed by a reminder that breastfeeding is better for him. (more…)

Astrid Warren (Norway)

Astrid is a Norwegian thirty something, married, working mum to a wee lad who is almost three and a baby born in 2012! She grew up in Norway, but moved to London, England after she met her husband. After living there during her twenties, she has since returned to Norway and settled down in her nation's capital of Oslo to raise her family. She finds herself slowly turning into her own mother as her free time is spent reading, walking, knitting and meeting up with other mums for coffee. (Ok, she still secretly loves going to the pub, too!). However, there isn't much time for any of the above, as she now enjoys spending most of her time crawling around on the floor, while playing with her children! Check out her blog, Quintessentially Burrows. She's also on Twitter @MrsSWarren.

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