Ethan sings "Happy Birthday" Ceebeebies style

Happy 2nd Birthday Ethan!!!

We are continuously amazed by how fast time flies and now it seems we’ve hit yet another milestone!

Our little Ethan is turning 2 today and is no longer a baby or a toddler but a little boy who is now also a very proud big brother!

In true Harrison-Helin style, pancakes were on the menu this morning and this afternoon we’ll go out hunting for cake and a playground to conquer.

Birthday party to follow…

You are all awesome!

Over the course of the past week since Hudson’s arrival we’ve received so many nice messages and well wishes from around the globe and we would just like to take the opportunity to say a quick but heartfelt Thank You! to everyone who has sent flowers, called, texted, emailed or Facebooked us!

Another huge Thank You! goes out to our friends and family to continue to spoil us and the kids (yes, plural!) in any way they can. You know who you are... :)

Thank you very much everyone!

The Harrison-Helin brothers

Impromptu photoshoot at the hospital

Cool underground tunnel and treasure map-style directions that took us from the baby hotel to the hearing screening department

Mommy and Hudson...

...and Daddy and Hudson

What do you know - Another family self-photo!

Think Superman's Ice Castle with a touch of orange
Think baby Superman's space pod from planet Krypton.

Midsommarafton Kallhäll 2011

Eftersom det är svensk Midsommar så tänker jag skriva detta på svenska. If you want to understand this use Google translation.

Jag heter John och jag är bror till Peter, farbror till Ethan och Hudson. Svåger till Shaena, Son till Stefan. Nu sitter vi här i familjen Harrison-Helins lägenhet i Kallhäll i Järfälla kommun. Vi har ätit klassisk midsommarmat precis som man gör på midsommar i landet lagom. Ikväll så har jag slagit personligt rekord i att hålla en ung människa. Två dagar är Mr Hudson. Vi kom bra överens han och jag. Jag är helt övertygad om att vi kommer att vi kommer att ha intressanta konversationer framöver.

Ethan som i skrivande stund ligger på rygg med nyborstade tänder och en vällingflaska i munnen, han verkar känna sig lite konfunderad över vad som händer, nu när det har kommit en till person som folk verkar bry sig om. Han får inte all uppmärksamhet. Han gick fram till Hudsons knyte på soffan, tittade en stund utan att säga ett ord eller ett ljud. Sedan gick han sitt rum för att dra ut sitt stora täcke och göra ett likadant knyte i soffan bredvid Hudson. Snart två år är han och han vet redan att det inte finns någon anledning till att inte ha det lika bra som någon annan, det är bara att skapa sig förutsättningarna.

Jag tog med mig lax och matjessill, makrill mm till detta kalas. Jag hade en viss osäkerhet om hur detta skulle mottas av Michelle som är på besök från Kanada och av Shaena som dock verkar ha blivit någorlunda acklimatiserad i den svenska matkulturen. Det var visst succé.

Nej nu tror jag att jag fortsätter och sippa på min Whiskey som jag har fått under min näsa och tar någon klunk kaffe då och då. Jag hoppas att ni har det lika fint som jag och att ni har en fortsatt trevlig afton eller en skön bakis dag, om ni läser detta imorgon.

Hudson's first 24 hours

Our first family photo with 4 family members!

Huddy Buddy

Huddle Bug

Hudder Butter

Great Grandma got first dibs on our little bundle of joy

A very proud daddy and a very sleepy son

World – meet Hudson Eskil!

At 9:07am today Wednesday the 22nd of June after a very quick labour, our lovely little Hudson Eskil decided to show his face to the world! We are of course over the moon excited and very, very happy that everything went really well and that little Hudson is a healthy, alert little boy! This little trooper weighed in at 3920 grams (8.64lb) and measured 53 cm (20.8 inches).

Hudson made his appearance just in time for Great Grandma to get a chance to meet him before flying home to Canada tomorrow morning and Shaena and Hudson are now relaxing at the hospital hotel in their own room. For those of you who have followed this blog for awhile, you may recall that the exact same thing happened back in 2009 when Great Grandpa Jean Noel only just got to meet Ethan before flying home to Canada the next morning. Good timing boys!

Speaking of Ethan; he also got to meet his little brother for the first time this afternoon and he was, as expected, a little bit hesitant and didn't know what to make of the whole situation and could not really figure out why a little baby had suddenly appeared from nowhere. Not to worry though; we are 100% certain that Ethan will figure it out real soon and that he will be a fantastic big brother to Hudson!

We are so impressed with the care that we’ve been given by all the staff at the hospital, Danderyds Sjukhus, here in Stockholm and are very thankful for the thoughtfulness, helpfulness and professionalism that the midwives and nurses have shown us! Their professionalism and fantastic bedside manners made this otherwise nervous and stressful experience feel very much under control.

Since Ethan was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, we also have firsthand experience from both countries and I must say; the care over here beats the UK equivalent by miles! Such a difference!

D-Day and no sign of H2...

...so instead, we've been out touristing some more.

This time; the Drottningholm Royal Palace where the Swedish Royal family live:

Pretty, eh?

" Baow! Baow!"

The Golden Gate?

A postcard from Great Grandma to all her friends

Ethan has a knack for befriending strange men (ehm!)
This time: A very excited Japanese tourist! Well done, son!

Ethan is pondering: "Is this what all my future tax money will go towards!? Jeez..."

"You done resting yet mom?"

Remember the belly shot of 2009 before Ethan was born? Well, here's another one!

Royal tea and royal coffee... and pre-made brought-from-home cinnamon buns.

A tower in the Royal park

"It's Timmy Time!"

All in all, a very good day out! Tomorrow: Grandma Michelle arrives!

"Exschcuse me officer Ethan, may I have another raischin!?"

"I think you've had a few too many tonight, buddy!
You are way over the legal limit!"

"...but you are lucky though. I am going to let you off with a warning, just because I am in a good mood today, but don't let it happen again!"

Grannie - Ethan's Savior!!

As you can see in this photo, Ethan is definitely taking to G.G. like a duck to water. Being chased around the house by Daddy means that he will run into her arms for protection. So cute!

Touring Stockholm Stieg Larsson style!

Great Grandma ready to snap, snap, snap some Millennium landmarks

G.G is in charge of the camera and I am in charge of Google Maps on the iPhone.
All set for the hunt for Millennium landmarks!

Old town by the water. Notice the girl in the inflatable ball on the water!

Lisbeth Salander's local 7-eleven
"Where Lisbeth would buy her frozen Billy's Pan Pizzas and cartons of Marlboro Lights" - according to the tour website
The Millennium Magazine offices where Mikael Blomqvist works

Another Millennium-spot: The offices of 'Milton Security'

Changing of the guards at the Royal Palace

Ethan snacking outside the Royal Palace

Ethan plane-spotting outside the Parliament

Yours truly

Shaena, G.G and Ethan on their way to the Parliament and Old town

Stockholm Central station

"Appy!!!"

Big boys get their own seat on the commuter train

"3, 2, 1... angry face!"

"Quit teasing! Give me those raisins, mom!"