First there is an introduction which I won’t translate.
ML: It was so natural, When Leah arrived it was just like it was supposed to be, Maud has dealt with it very well. She has been very kind towards Leah right from the birth, she caresses her and says “Good Morning” and “good bye” And she takes care of who is allowed to carry Leah, not every one is allowed you know, sometimes Mummy may do it, other times daddy shall do it
Two children in two years, Princess Märtha Louise and Ari Behn is a “nuclear family” (kjerne familie) The last flower in the bouquet lies next to mummy in the sofa. Leah smirks her eyes that are still deep dark blue; Maud Angelica is still in kinder garden.
ML: Being a mother has made me calm, now I prefer to be home with my children and relax, and it has done something to my heart. I did not know I could be so in love with someone until I had children. When I had Maud she opened my heart in a new way, when there came a second one it opened even wider. It is wonderful to discover that there is enough love. I don’t take my love for Maud Angelica and give it to Leah; I have even more to give. Maud is more active than Leah; she is very extrovert and has been awake a lot during the nights. It seems like Leah is calmer. She craves contact. Lately she has started to be more awake “haven’t you? And then you are very present”
Leah smiles to the hand that touches her cheek
Q: what is the most difficult thing about being a mum?
ML. It is being fair and firm with the rules. Also keeping track of where the children are. They change so fast. The image the parents have of their children is so fast outdated, but still we talk to the children like they were last month. “Then you did that, why don’t you do that now?” You slept last week, why don’t you sleep now? I think that is the most difficult challenge, to see the child where it is. And now Maud Angelica is in the difficult age and has screamed for two hours then I don’t know what to do.
Of course the Princess is exhausted sometimes. It’s a lot she says; luckily Maud Angelica is no longer awake 3(!) hours every night. She kept doing that until the month before Leah was born. Had she kept doing that it would have been awful? You discover how important sleep is; it has so much to say for how I am as a person. Now we are lucky, Leah just wakes for food and then goes back to sleep. It is fantastic!!
Q: How do you get Maud to sleep?
ML: We sing to her
Q: What
ML: Different things, songs I learned as a child
Q: Is there something else from the childhood the princess wants to give to her daughters?
ML: Letting the children play without watching over them all the time. Not saying that everything is dangerous. My mother was very good that way “Get in the threes” “Go Outside” “it’s important to fall and hurt yourself sometimes” It was never that we should be careful. The world gets very dangerous if all you hear is that you have to be careful all the time. You need to find your own limits. Of course you don’t want anything bad to happen to your children. You don’t want them to balance on the fence or discover how it is to get a snake bite.
She laughs: Yesterday Maud Angelica wanted to go into some stinging nettles we have in our back yard: There are nettles there and it will hurt but you may go there if you wish I told her. She did and when she cam back it was AuAuAuuuuu. But she wanted to go back to see if it would happen again and of course it did. But this way she learns for herself instead of us running after her all the time
[…] With two children do you and your husband have time for each other?
ML: we are lucky, since my husband works at home so we see each other for lunch and dinner and breakfast, often in calm situations. Then we talk together about who we are as people and update each other. We don’t just talk about the children and what we struggle with, but also about what is great and not so great. It is important to do thing just the two of us, to have time to be a couple. [….]
Q: Has Ari changes after he became a father
ML: He is more “homey” He does not want to travel abroad on adventures any longer, the small things are important to him, everyday he discover something new about his girls and that is big for him. Ari is a dotting daddy that plays a lot with the children, he throws them in the air and goes on expeditions with Maud Angelica and makes her wooden flutes.
Q: Maud Angelica is an explorer?
ML: Yes she is very adventuress; I think he gets it from the both of us. Both I and Ari was like that also, climbed threes and fell down, Ari hit his head several times; we are a little worried how far Maud will take it when she gets older, she laughs, but it has gone well so far.
Q: Why is she in kinder garden?
ML: She is so social and extrovert so she started getting bored at home, she loves getting input and does things. She blossomed when she got to spend time with other children. She loves it in her nature kinder garden with horses, rabbits, chickens and a pig named Harald (!) She comes home very happy and VERY dirty.
