The Stavdals

When arriving in Finland a few days ago, finally having our long awated summer holiday, we were particularly excited to see Antti and Minna's newborn baby-boy, Olli. This charming little two month old fellow made Niklas seem like a giant in comparison. The interest Niklas showed his cousin, Olli, was quite amusing as he eagerly put his arms around him to hug him. Hopefully this displays a positive character trait in Niklas as someone that cares for the small and innocent. Anyways, it was real cute to watch and I quickly took a few pictures of this tender moment.

When the cousins are together, they are seven boys and one girl. It's tempting to associate them with Snow White and the seven dwarfs, bearing no resemblance other than the actual number, may I add.

The climate around the Tampere area is quite different from what we are used to in arctic Tromsø. Whether it's sunny or cloudy, wearing shorts and a t-shirt is enough. The boys have already plunged into lake Kyrysjârvi by the town of Ikaalinen, where the Nissilä family lives. It's only a half an hour drive from Tampere. They also took part in a football practice on the well trimmed surface of one of the several Ikaalinen football pitches. This was made possible by the fact that Antti coaches one of the teams. He encouraged participation, fun through playful strategies and skills development.

The next major event for the kids is visiting Särkänniemi Amusement Park, an annual highlight of the year.

Niklas and Olli

Enjoying a bath

Playing on a nice surface in Ikaalinen