Yes, Helen is pregnant again!
It is still early days, only 4 weeks, but after what happened we felt we couldn't wait letting people know.
And even though we will always miss Balthazar, it helps a lot to know that we now have a new one on the way.
And we have settled for a new bump-name: Casper :)
Tuesday 30 December 2008
Monday 15 December 2008
100wordbooks.com
Helen has built a new website http://100wordbooks.com
It is a website where anyone can post and read summaries of books, you can write anything you want about any book you want, the only limitation is that you can't use more than 100 words :)
And if you register your Google AdSense ID we will even share the advertising income with you!
It is a website where anyone can post and read summaries of books, you can write anything you want about any book you want, the only limitation is that you can't use more than 100 words :)
And if you register your Google AdSense ID we will even share the advertising income with you!
Wii
This me with our Wii, on our Wii Fit balance board, wedding presents from Helens family. And our new big TV, all of it placed in front of our other exercise equipment :)
Exercise
After we lost Balthazar we decided it would be a good time to get fit, so we invested in a treadmill and in an elliptical trainer :)
Friday 12 December 2008
Albums of Balthazar
Helen's sister Debbie came here to Durban for our wedding, and she is a scrapbooking wizard of the 57th level, and had created a scrap-booking album for us as a memorial of Balthazar. It is such a beautiful album. Debbie, you're a star!
Helen has photographed the pages of the album and created a small movie with them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z72Aa8NTz5M
And Helen's mother Tessa who is a professional photographer has created an album with photos:
http://www.pbase.com/tessajoughin/gallery/baby_victor__a_fleeting_moment_in_our_lives
Helen has photographed the pages of the album and created a small movie with them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z72Aa8NTz5M
And Helen's mother Tessa who is a professional photographer has created an album with photos:
http://www.pbase.com/tessajoughin/gallery/baby_victor__a_fleeting_moment_in_our_lives
Sunday 23 November 2008
Gilboa
Helens uncle Noel has a farm, called Gilboa, where he keeps some animals, antelopes, zebras, gnus and rhinos!
The have 3 adult rhinos, and this spring they had a rhino baby, and in November they had a second rhino baby.
We went there on the 23rd of November and we were very lucky, we got really close to them.
This is me and Helen, look at those two rhinos in the background, only 50 meters away. I can assure you that the door to the car was open and the engine running :)
This is me and Helen, with some zebras and gnus in the background.
The have 3 adult rhinos, and this spring they had a rhino baby, and in November they had a second rhino baby.
We went there on the 23rd of November and we were very lucky, we got really close to them.
Here we have both mothers with their babies :)
This is me and Helen, look at those two rhinos in the background, only 50 meters away. I can assure you that the door to the car was open and the engine running :)This is me and Helen, with some zebras and gnus in the background.Friday 14 November 2008
pictures from wedding-day
Tuesday 11 November 2008
Wedding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Helen and I got married this morning at 10.00 :) It was just a quick procedure in the registry office, fill out a few forms and sign them.
Helens parents, sister and brother+Amy were there for moral support :)
Tonight we are having dinner in the country club here in Durban with Helens relatives, this was set up with quite short notice, and I wanted to keep it low-key and simple, something that Helens mother and sister have managed to change over the last few days :) Now all of a sudden we have to have flower arrangements and organise seating plans :D
Anyway, we have rings on our fingers and love in our hearts, so all will be good :)
I will put plenty of photos here tomorrow :)
Helens parents, sister and brother+Amy were there for moral support :)
Tonight we are having dinner in the country club here in Durban with Helens relatives, this was set up with quite short notice, and I wanted to keep it low-key and simple, something that Helens mother and sister have managed to change over the last few days :) Now all of a sudden we have to have flower arrangements and organise seating plans :D
Anyway, we have rings on our fingers and love in our hearts, so all will be good :)
I will put plenty of photos here tomorrow :)
Sunday 9 November 2008
pictures from stag/hen-party
We had a mixed stag-party/hen-party (bulls party/kitchen tea) Sunday afternoon, 9th November, and they made us wear weird clothes :)
I wore my favorite t-shirt "Success means never having to wear a suit"
If I could I would add "Or anything ironed! Ever!" :)
Helen just wore the same clothes as always :)
Saturday 1 November 2008
I'm an uncle again :)
My brother and his wife has just had another baby, a wonderful little girl :)
http://services.ltblekinge.se/webbis/?id=2154
http://services.ltblekinge.se/webbis/?id=2154
Monday 20 October 2008
Wedding
On the 11th of November Helen and I will get married.
It will just be a two-minute procedure, signing a document at the home office here in Durban.
We will celebrate in the evening with a small dinner in RJ's, with Helens immediate family.
We decided to not have the big celebration that we originally planned for early February next year, since that was mostly intended to be our family union ceremony celebrating the birth of Balthazar, and without Balthazar that would just be a sad day.
It will just be a two-minute procedure, signing a document at the home office here in Durban.
We will celebrate in the evening with a small dinner in RJ's, with Helens immediate family.
We decided to not have the big celebration that we originally planned for early February next year, since that was mostly intended to be our family union ceremony celebrating the birth of Balthazar, and without Balthazar that would just be a sad day.
Memorial ceremony
Last Saturday we had a small memorial ceremony, just here in our home with some of Helens relatives.
We played some music and said some words and there was a lot of tears.
But it was a sort of closure anyway, and things are a bit lighter now.
Helens parents went home yesterday, they have been here for a week and have been a tremendous support.
Today is Monday, and both me and Helen have started working today, we both think it is better if we can get into some routine again.
We played some music and said some words and there was a lot of tears.
But it was a sort of closure anyway, and things are a bit lighter now.
Helens parents went home yesterday, they have been here for a week and have been a tremendous support.
Today is Monday, and both me and Helen have started working today, we both think it is better if we can get into some routine again.
Tuesday 14 October 2008
Sad news
The morning of Saturday 11 October I was sitting in a Starbucks in London, I couldn't get an internet-connection, but I wrote the below blog-post and thought I'd post it later.
--Start of post--------------------------------
This week I have been in London, to meet with my colleagues in getmein.com. I have also met up with some old friends, had some nights in pubs and walked around a bit in my old neighbourhood. Last night I met with a lot of me ex-colleagues from OTC/lastminute.com, and that was great, so many nice people and so many memories, stories and laughs. My head was a bit sore this morning :) I missed a few people there though, where were you, Tim, Colin, Rob, James, Shan, Alan?
It's only been three months since I left London, so many things have changed, and even though my life was great before it is simply even better now :) I am a very happy person :) I knew that before, but it became so much more clear last night when I was telling my old friends about all new things in my life.
But coming back to London, going to cosy pubs, walking in my old streets and favorite (book)shops, also made me realise how much I love London and the life and the pulse here, and remember all the fun I've had here. For the current, new stage in my life perhaps London is not the best place to live, but I wouldn't be surprised if I we'll move back here again sometime later in life :)
Last weekend I was at my brother's house and I was playing Playstation with his 6 year old, Simon, and I was just thinking that this is so great, this is what I want to do, play and do things with my child, a small person that I get to try to mold into a human being :)
I may not be an exemplary role model in everything I do, but I'll make up for that with enthusiasm and love :)
--End of post--------------------------------
Now when I am posting this it is Tuesday 14th October, I am in Durban, and everything has changed.
There are many details, many emotions and feelings, and I won't go into all of them here, but late on the Friday evening Helen went into labor, from the Saturday morning I was kept informed of the events, during the Saturday they tried to suppress it, but on the Sunday morning (as I was flying back from London to Sweden) things got worse and Helen had an emergency Caesarean and a boy was delivered at 9.07, in the 28th week of pregnancy, only 820 grams. Normally there is a very good prognosis in this case, but the baby was also suffering from an infection, had probably been for more than a week, and three hours later he passed away.
At this time I was in my mothers flat in Malmö. At 20.00 Sunday evening I flew out from Copenhagen on a lastminute ticket, for what must have been the longest and most terrible journey of my life, and arrived in Durban at 13.00 on the Monday, where Helens dad picked me up and took me to see Helen in the hospital.
Helen is doing physically ok apart from being sore from the surgery. Emotionally we are of course both struggling, but it is so much better now when we can deal with this together. Being so far away as this happened was the worst experience I've had.
So in those 24 hours from Saturday to Sunday my perfect world changed dramatically.
Now, after the initial shock has passed, I realise that there are still many very good elements left in our lives, it is not all falling to pieces. And the doctors have assured us that there is no damage at all to Helen, and nothing should stop us from having another baby.
I've seen him now in the funeral home, and he is a perfect boy in all ways, he looks very much like me.
He was conceived while we lived in the Victoria area of London, so we have decided to give him the name Victor. But in our hearts he will of course always be Balthazar :) *Dan smiles in between all the tears*
I managed to tell some of my friends and family before I left Sweden, and I have received many friendly and encouraging messages, and I thank you all whole-heartedly for those. I will get back to you all over the course of the next few weeks.
--Start of post--------------------------------
This week I have been in London, to meet with my colleagues in getmein.com. I have also met up with some old friends, had some nights in pubs and walked around a bit in my old neighbourhood. Last night I met with a lot of me ex-colleagues from OTC/lastminute.com, and that was great, so many nice people and so many memories, stories and laughs. My head was a bit sore this morning :) I missed a few people there though, where were you, Tim, Colin, Rob, James, Shan, Alan?
It's only been three months since I left London, so many things have changed, and even though my life was great before it is simply even better now :) I am a very happy person :) I knew that before, but it became so much more clear last night when I was telling my old friends about all new things in my life.
But coming back to London, going to cosy pubs, walking in my old streets and favorite (book)shops, also made me realise how much I love London and the life and the pulse here, and remember all the fun I've had here. For the current, new stage in my life perhaps London is not the best place to live, but I wouldn't be surprised if I we'll move back here again sometime later in life :)
Last weekend I was at my brother's house and I was playing Playstation with his 6 year old, Simon, and I was just thinking that this is so great, this is what I want to do, play and do things with my child, a small person that I get to try to mold into a human being :)
I may not be an exemplary role model in everything I do, but I'll make up for that with enthusiasm and love :)
--End of post--------------------------------
Now when I am posting this it is Tuesday 14th October, I am in Durban, and everything has changed.
There are many details, many emotions and feelings, and I won't go into all of them here, but late on the Friday evening Helen went into labor, from the Saturday morning I was kept informed of the events, during the Saturday they tried to suppress it, but on the Sunday morning (as I was flying back from London to Sweden) things got worse and Helen had an emergency Caesarean and a boy was delivered at 9.07, in the 28th week of pregnancy, only 820 grams. Normally there is a very good prognosis in this case, but the baby was also suffering from an infection, had probably been for more than a week, and three hours later he passed away.
At this time I was in my mothers flat in Malmö. At 20.00 Sunday evening I flew out from Copenhagen on a lastminute ticket, for what must have been the longest and most terrible journey of my life, and arrived in Durban at 13.00 on the Monday, where Helens dad picked me up and took me to see Helen in the hospital.
Helen is doing physically ok apart from being sore from the surgery. Emotionally we are of course both struggling, but it is so much better now when we can deal with this together. Being so far away as this happened was the worst experience I've had.
So in those 24 hours from Saturday to Sunday my perfect world changed dramatically.
Now, after the initial shock has passed, I realise that there are still many very good elements left in our lives, it is not all falling to pieces. And the doctors have assured us that there is no damage at all to Helen, and nothing should stop us from having another baby.
I've seen him now in the funeral home, and he is a perfect boy in all ways, he looks very much like me.
He was conceived while we lived in the Victoria area of London, so we have decided to give him the name Victor. But in our hearts he will of course always be Balthazar :) *Dan smiles in between all the tears*
I managed to tell some of my friends and family before I left Sweden, and I have received many friendly and encouraging messages, and I thank you all whole-heartedly for those. I will get back to you all over the course of the next few weeks.
Thursday 2 October 2008
Babypreparations
We bought our first piece of baby-furniture, a travel-cot.
Since our lease expires and we will move two months after the birth of Balthazar, we won't buy any "proper" furniture until then :)
And no, the baby is not going to be called Balthazar, it is just a working name, sounds better than "bump". We also don't want to find out the sex of the baby, it will be a surprise, for Christmas :)
Since our lease expires and we will move two months after the birth of Balthazar, we won't buy any "proper" furniture until then :)
And no, the baby is not going to be called Balthazar, it is just a working name, sounds better than "bump". We also don't want to find out the sex of the baby, it will be a surprise, for Christmas :)Roadtrip
Friday 5th September Helens parents arrived, with lots of boxes filled with babythings that Helen has collected over the years :) Winnie the Pooh-party, yay!
That Saturday we went to the babyshower for Amy, and on the Monday we left with Helens parents to go to Ficksburg where Helen grew up, it is a good 6 hour drive, very beautiful.
Helens younger brother Matt and his wife Helen (how is that for confusing) were also in Ficksburg, and after 5 days we left together in their car to go to Cape Town where they live and stay there for a week.
Ficksburg to Cape Town is a good two days drive, on a road with many crazy drivers.
We stopped for the night at a rather posh bush camp, where we had rented a "hut". There were lots of antelopes grazing right outside, and in the morning I found this by the door:
We had a great time in Gordon's Bay (Cape Town), had a look at properties around there, visited Helen's aunty Babs, and one day went for a drive around the Cape, and we passed through Simonstown, where I bought a cute present for my nephew Simon :)
That Saturday we went to the babyshower for Amy, and on the Monday we left with Helens parents to go to Ficksburg where Helen grew up, it is a good 6 hour drive, very beautiful.
Helens younger brother Matt and his wife Helen (how is that for confusing) were also in Ficksburg, and after 5 days we left together in their car to go to Cape Town where they live and stay there for a week.
Ficksburg to Cape Town is a good two days drive, on a road with many crazy drivers.
We stopped for the night at a rather posh bush camp, where we had rented a "hut". There were lots of antelopes grazing right outside, and in the morning I found this by the door:
And at breakfast Timon passed by:
We had a great time in Gordon's Bay (Cape Town), had a look at properties around there, visited Helen's aunty Babs, and one day went for a drive around the Cape, and we passed through Simonstown, where I bought a cute present for my nephew Simon :) And here is me and Helen at Cape Point:
Sunday 31 August 2008
Rain!!
This evening it rained for the first time since I came to South Africa, two months ago precisely!
We have been robbed!!!!
We've been robbed!!!!!
Description of thief: Small, hairy, with a funny walk.
Description of stolen goods: a number of tasty bananas.
We took a picture of the crime scene:
And even though the thief himself ran away, a number of his "accomplices" (alleged) was just hanging around outside (and on) our kitchen door. We managed to get a few of them on camera:
Full story:
I had left the our kitchen door open to get some fresh air and only left the burglar bars locked. But the monkeys have no problem getting through the burglar bars, and when we were not in the kitchen they discovered our tasty bananas on the kitchen table. Helen heard some strange noises from the kitchem and discovered the monkeys feasting. After they were chased out we saw that there was a whole troop of upto 20 monkeys right outside :) Now we can't leave the door open anymore, because now they know we have food and they'll just come back again :)
Description of thief: Small, hairy, with a funny walk.
Description of stolen goods: a number of tasty bananas.
We took a picture of the crime scene:
And even though the thief himself ran away, a number of his "accomplices" (alleged) was just hanging around outside (and on) our kitchen door. We managed to get a few of them on camera:
Full story:
I had left the our kitchen door open to get some fresh air and only left the burglar bars locked. But the monkeys have no problem getting through the burglar bars, and when we were not in the kitchen they discovered our tasty bananas on the kitchen table. Helen heard some strange noises from the kitchem and discovered the monkeys feasting. After they were chased out we saw that there was a whole troop of upto 20 monkeys right outside :) Now we can't leave the door open anymore, because now they know we have food and they'll just come back again :)
Mamma Mia the movie
Yesterday we went to see Mamma Mia the movie!! The musical is still better, but anyone thinking about what to buy me for christmas need look no further.
And I had a great idea: The prince Charles cinema at Leicester Square has for many years been running sing-along "Sound of Music" and "Rocky Horror Picture Show". Now perhaps they could expand that repertoir with Mamma Mia as well :D
And I had a great idea: The prince Charles cinema at Leicester Square has for many years been running sing-along "Sound of Music" and "Rocky Horror Picture Show". Now perhaps they could expand that repertoir with Mamma Mia as well :D
Friday 29 August 2008
More pictures :)
There is a baby inside :) 21 1/2 weeks! Past the half-way marker!
This little turtle lives in a small zoo just around the corner from our flat
And this one just came to visit for the weekend :)
And don't forget everyone, the "Mama Mia" movie is opening in cinemas!!!! Life is great :D
This little turtle lives in a small zoo just around the corner from our flat
And this one just came to visit for the weekend :)
And don't forget everyone, the "Mama Mia" movie is opening in cinemas!!!! Life is great :D
Saturday 16 August 2008
Grey skies today
but no rain :)
Today I have been here in Durban for 7 weeks, and it still hasn't rained once :)
By the way, we now have a postbox, so if anyone wants to send us anything :), then send it here:
PostNet Suite 45
Private Bag X504
Northway
4065, Durban
South Africa
Today I have been here in Durban for 7 weeks, and it still hasn't rained once :)
By the way, we now have a postbox, so if anyone wants to send us anything :), then send it here:
PostNet Suite 45
Private Bag X504
Northway
4065, Durban
South Africa
Friday 15 August 2008
Views from our flat
Sunrise over the Indian ocean, from our bedroom window.
(And you can see the stadium they are building for the 2010 World Cup)
A troop of monkeys live in the trees across the street, here they are playing on the roof of the hous across the street.
Mory baby-pictures :)
From the scan 14th August
Baby in profile
"Hello, world"
A hand with all digits :)
Baby in profile
"Hello, world"
A hand with all digits :)
Wednesday 2 July 2008
In South Africa
So, on Saturday morning, after a night of drinking, I finally packed my last things into my suitcase, and then I repacked it twice, until I was only slightly above my weight allowance (for my suitcase that is).
I wrapped my suitcase in cling wrap with the help of a friend, and checked out of the hostel, not without a moist eye.
Then it all went smoothly, went to Heathrow, slept most of the way to Cairo, bawled a bit as I watched an awsome movie (Autumn Rush), hung around Cairo airport for 5 hours and then slept all the way to Johannesburg. Typical, when I for once fly with airlines that actually offer free meals, I manage to miss them by sleeping, as I also did on my last one hour flight from Johannesburg to Durban.
Helen's brother Ross met me there and I spent the afternoon with him and his family until Helen arrived.
Monday morning Helen's parents arrived and we went to have our first ultrasound. Wow! Very powerful, to see that little being, waving hands and legs. And now we know that there is only one :)
Now we spend the rest of this week in Helens family's holiday house, and this weekend we will move into the flat that Helen found last week. I will post images of that then.
More news to come soon :)
I wrapped my suitcase in cling wrap with the help of a friend, and checked out of the hostel, not without a moist eye.
Then it all went smoothly, went to Heathrow, slept most of the way to Cairo, bawled a bit as I watched an awsome movie (Autumn Rush), hung around Cairo airport for 5 hours and then slept all the way to Johannesburg. Typical, when I for once fly with airlines that actually offer free meals, I manage to miss them by sleeping, as I also did on my last one hour flight from Johannesburg to Durban.
Helen's brother Ross met me there and I spent the afternoon with him and his family until Helen arrived.
Monday morning Helen's parents arrived and we went to have our first ultrasound. Wow! Very powerful, to see that little being, waving hands and legs. And now we know that there is only one :)
Now we spend the rest of this week in Helens family's holiday house, and this weekend we will move into the flat that Helen found last week. I will post images of that then.
More news to come soon :)
Monday 23 June 2008
Always a start
I haven't really bothered to keep a blog previously, but now since I am in state of transition (to put it mildly) I thought this could be a good point in time to start logging what happens in my life a bit more regularily.
I will keep this blog to more actual facts and events concerning me, and will instead air all my opinions on various other topics on my other blogs http://www.dansdictionary.com/ and http://www.dansthoughts.com/.
As time goes by I will also do flashbacks and write about my life before this point.
But right now I will start by describing my situation as it is today.
Today is the 23rd of June 2008, and in five days I will move from London to South Africa, where I will get married to my pregnant (by me) girlfriend Helen.
Pretty much sums it up, doesn't it? :)
Helen landed in SA today, and in a few hours the moving company will come to pick up our 17 boxes of things from the hostel where I have lived the last 4 1/2 years. Exciting!
Our baby is due December 19th, and we have our first scan in one week. Stay tuned :)
In South Africa I will continue to work for my current employer, getmein.com, remotely.
I will keep this blog to more actual facts and events concerning me, and will instead air all my opinions on various other topics on my other blogs http://www.dansdictionary.com/ and http://www.dansthoughts.com/.
As time goes by I will also do flashbacks and write about my life before this point.
But right now I will start by describing my situation as it is today.
Today is the 23rd of June 2008, and in five days I will move from London to South Africa, where I will get married to my pregnant (by me) girlfriend Helen.
Pretty much sums it up, doesn't it? :)
Helen landed in SA today, and in a few hours the moving company will come to pick up our 17 boxes of things from the hostel where I have lived the last 4 1/2 years. Exciting!
Our baby is due December 19th, and we have our first scan in one week. Stay tuned :)
In South Africa I will continue to work for my current employer, getmein.com, remotely.
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