So I haven't updated in ages, so here we go...

Eric is approaching his first birthday. We took him to get professional portraits done two weekends ago, and they turned out nicely! I will be picking up the CD today, so I will post a few later.

Eric would really love to walk, but he hasn't quite mastered standing. We'll catch him standing (after he's pulled himself up) and he won't realize it. He's definitely mastered crawling, and if he's determined, he can scoot across the floor in just a few seconds. He loves climbing the stairs, and he'll go right for them if he sees someone go up or down.

Eric has three "words" down: uh-oh, and food and peek-a-boo (in Korean). He's been saying "uh-oh" for a couple months now, and sometimes the timing is so perfect!

Anneli is just Anneli. Her obsession with her cars has plateaued, and her interests now include My Little Pony and Disney Princesses. She will be turning four in a few weeks, and she's so sure she'll really be a big girl when that happens.

Also, I came across this, which really made me wonder why exactly this country is against socialized medicine: Finnish maternity package. Imagine the impact that this could have on new, and especially young, mothers. I'd be willing to bet that fewer babies would be abandoned to die, just because their mothers were able to save money on clothes and buy food instead. The one parts that make me laugh are the fourth image from the bottom--"condoms 6 inserts"--and the last image--a box that "can be used as crib."