A new toy

At my local second hand dealer I found something just in the right scale for my two resin children.
It's perfect for Toivo's little tractor.
"What do you have here?" - "Mom brought it. It's a farmhouse. For my tractor."

"That looks like fun! It's just the right size. Does the tractor go through the door?" - "Yes. It's really perfect."

"Let me play with the tractor, too! Please!"

"No, that's mine. And it's something for boys, you know?" - "That's not true, and you know that."

"Don't be so mean. Let me loan it. I can play with tractors, too. One day I'll get my own, I'm sure."
And then Toivo let her play with the tractor. She was very careful with it, for she wants to loan it again. Until she gets her own, of course.

"Mom, this farmhouse is lot of fun! We need animals for it. And hay. And..."
I knew, they would come up with more toys they would demand.

The waiting for and arrival of Inkeri

Finally I found a sister for Toivo in that big, famous auction house on the internet. A LittleFee Ante. I sneaked around her for some weeks and she didn't find a new home. So I asked for a private layaway and that was what we did.
Toivo was excited to get someone to play with. He liked her from the pics.
The wait were some months, and I used the time to get everything ready for her. First thing was not something to wear but something to cuddle.

I knitted her a doll. An itty-bitty-tiny doll. I am awfully proud of that.
She would need a tunic and a blanket, too.
Toivo spend his time playing with the tractor I bought him,

or playing soccer.

One fine day I went to the customs office and picked her up.
Toivo got the scissors and waiting more or less patiently to me getting Inkeri's stuff.

We were both eager to get her out of the boxes.

"Wait just a minute! It won't take long!"

"Hurry up, mom!"

"So much paper."

"Mom, help me! She must be in here."

"I'll open the zipper. Are you okay in there?"

"Let me give you a helping hand."
After unwrapping her, putting her hands and feet on and the tunic, she was standing there.

"Welcome, Inkeri! Will we be friends? Would you like something comforting?"
Yes, that was a good idea. It was a long journey from the US to Germany, and being in an unknown surrounding can be quite intimidating.

Having a soft, cuddly doll feels very comforting. And having a sweet big brother is not bad either.

A playdate

Toivo took his canvas chair and walked over to my daughter's room. Ha had a playdate with Rosenglöckchen. She is a Paola Reina doll.

They had some fun, talking and playing family.

A looooong weekend at the North Sea

At the beginning of may we spend a long weekend at the North Sea, in North Friesland. We had a small vacation home on  a farm quite behind the dike. Of course there were sheep. And cows.

On a meadow there were sheep with newborn lambs. Toivo was fascinated.

We walked some steps onto the dike and enjoyed the view. Surrounded by - yes, you guessed it - sheep.

Toivo wanted to get down and walk a bit of himself. He collected some wool, the sheep had lost.

"There is a sheep directly behind you, darling." - "Mom, get me up, please!"

The farm is in Schobüll, which is a part of Husum. It is a small town, the famous Theodor Storm was born there.
When we arrived (by foot!) it was ebb.

We had something to eat and drink at a restaurant ship.

In thhe meanwhile the water had turned and the tide came in.

Toivo was very interested in the ships. He studied the emergency information in cases of drowning people very thoroughly, too.