Ikea'd

It is a thing you do between Christmas and New Year: visit Ikea. We buy a high chair for me for the holiday home.

Bisj poles

There is a museum right around the corner from my house, the Tropenmuseum, but we haven't been there yet. There is a lot to do for children in the museum, I like watching the children. Above you see the bisj poles exhibition. These Bisj poles are made by people that live in a very large forest and they give their dead people a place to rest.

Curious

I am very curious. And I like cords and dangly things. The black thing in front of mama's face has got both. Whenever she has the thing before her face, I quickly crawl up to her and grab the cords.

How I cry

Boxing Day

Boxing Day my Aunt Hannie celebrates her birthday and Christmas, too. The papa's watch us while Simon and I play.

And then we eat our Christmas meal: spinach!

I am very tired then and I sleep in Grandma's bedroom.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you all!

Montreux Christmas market

I asked my papa and mama if we could go to Switzerland before Christmas, so that we can visit the markets. I like the lights and the people and the bretzels and sauerkraut. My papa and mama like the warm wine. Something for all of us.

We visit the markets in Montreux and Monthey. Here you see us, eating, drinking and shopping around. In Monthey Santa Claus gives me an apple.

Standing news

I have other big news for you: I can properly crawl, I can also sit and even stand a bit now! Suddenly I realised how all this works, and one thing led to another. I can barely keep up with it. I hear mama and papa gasping for breath too!

When we left Amsterdam, I could do just a few proper crawls on my hands and feet. And now I can move around and get up as I want. Sometimes I still loose my balance. I see papa and mama running for me, but alas, usually too late! And then I have to cry.

Sometimes I also cry, if my efforts are not successfull. Then I get angry. But when I get up and stand I am so proud of myself.

Here you see me standing, and I climbed up all by myself using my hands and feet.


But I am getting better and better, and I remember all the table corners, chair legs and door posts, that I have banged my head against. Only once and then I know. I also have found out that there are stable and unstable things. Unstable things you should not use for climbing. My mama and papa are very impressed that I learn these things so fast. They say I am much cleverer than they are!

Snow world

My holiday to Switzerland was so exciting. And cold. And white. The white was blinding. I didn't like it in the beginning, when I still had to get used to the snow.

The first thing my mama and papa did, was buy me a snow suit, snow goggles and a sleigh. The sleigh was very necessary, because my mama told my papa that he shouldn't carry me, just in case he would slip.

Look at me here in my new toys!!

Nearly every day we made a walk through the forest. The skies were blue and the snow white. It was so funny to hear the snow 'knirps' under papa's shoes. It is good snow, my mama said.

One day we even reached a mountain farm. The farmer sold us warm Minestrone soup and bread and Swiss cheese.

What I liked best was going back home: down the mountain, very fast. Here you see the mountain farm in the background and me with goggles on the foreground. But sometimes I got tired: one day I fell asleep in my sleigh!

And then a drink in one of the pubs to round the forrest walk off.

Back home!!

Hello! I am back home! Well, we came home two days ago, but I am a bit trying to settle down still

Merry Christmas to all you readers.

Here a picture to start of: me at Schiphol Airport.

My mama says that I was a good partner for flying. I behaved very well everywhere. We flew business class, so that made it easier. My papa drove of with the car full of my toys early in the morning. Mama and I flew in the afternoon.

When we left Holland I was a bit sniffy. And I had fallen off Mama's bed that morning, so I had a bruise on my head. Still I was in good spirits. The train to the airport I found already a lot of fun, and then the lady at the checkpoint tickeled me!! The stewardesses were all excited about me, while I played on the ground and when we landed I was asleep. I did not cry at all!!

At Geneva Airport we had to stand in a large crowd before the passport checks: a bomb was reported and they searched the airport. But then the all-clear was given, and we met papa again. When I woke up again, we were driving in the white mountains: -15° and snow everywhere!!

To Switzerland!

I won't be posting for the next two weeks: we are going to Switzerland again!! My mama and I are flying, how exciting! Papa drives the car and we'll meet at the airport in Geneva. Mama and I wish him a good drive.

Fast and strong

I don't like clothes. I prefer to go around in the nude. Freedom! And I make mama or papa work really hard when they change my diapers. They usually let me freewheel a little bit and I love that. No brace, too!

I show off what I can: look, I can sit on my knees. And I can nearly push myself to sitting as well. But I am so fast: my mama nearly can't get me on the photo.

These pictures were taken in the swimming pool, where we still go every Tuesday.

The frown

And after the Tafelberg we drop in on Auntie Jule and Uncle Daan, we want to see Koen and Loes again, of course! They are both asleep when we arrive, I have of course again refused to sleep in the car. When Koen wakes up, he studies us. When he studies people, he always has a frown of concentration, says his mother. You can check for yourself on this picture. But he is so sweet!!


I finally fall asleep in the Baby Bjorn during the visit, but just for 15 minutes: can't afford to miss more, there is too much to play!

Tafelberg revisited again

Mama and I have both been a bit ill on and off. That is what you get in the winter. Still everyday we go outside. Today it even doesn't rain!! Wrapped up in my mama's shawl we go. My papa wants to see forest so we go back to the Tafelberg. The sheep are also outside.

On the way there I refuse to sleep in the car, so my mama feeds me cookies to keep me happy. They make crummies everywhere and the crummies stick to my mouth.

The Xylo-phone

We are going to aunt Hannie and uncle Frank to celebrate my grandfathers birthday: 81!

Also Sinterklaas visits us again and Simon and I get presents. Here we play together with Simon's dingel-dongel phone. Simon knows how to do it: you put the orage bit to your ear and you taddadidadadidada a lot. I know how to press the buttons to make the music going.

Sharing a toy is still a bit difficult for us, but we try!

On my own feet

I see the other children move so fast and I want to do the same. But how do they do it? I can only crawl backwards so far. But now I can stand on my feet! This is surely a step on the way forward! So far, I am only going up, but I keep trying. And my mama tells me it is important I get strong arms, so I can get up all by myself. You'll see, I'll beat my brace!!

Demolishing kids club 2

I am organising the shopping bags for my papa and mama.

Sinterklaas

Tonight is the big night: Sinterklaas goes around the houses and gives gifts to the children. This afternoon my papa, too, came home from work. So we celebrate Sinterklaas together. I have received a big toy horse with lots of wrapping paper. Now I am stuck under it.

Hotel Arena

It is a rainy Sunday, cold and wet. So we walk to Hotel Arena. I like the rain in my face. In Hotel Arena we sit and watch people and listen to the music. There is lots of space so I can "tiger" around.

I've gotta have it

Demolishing kids club

I am joining the ranks of the demolishing kids club. Without fail I find the faults in my mama's home remodelling. She never fixed the doorstep and now I have a good toy. And the things I find underneath make good tasting.

I have grown

It is time for my nearly monthly checkup. I am eight kilo's now. My mama says she can feel it! She says I should learn to walk because I become too heavy for her. I am trying, but for the time being I am more than happy playing on the ground. They have good toys at the doctor's.

Shopping Car

This feels good: my own car! The world is better from wheels and from up high. And perhaps I can shop a bit from here!

Animal farm De Grote Hout

Even though the weather is horrible, we want to go to the animal farm in De Grote Hout in Haarlem. Grandpa is not afraid of the cold either. All the animals are very tame: it is feeding time. Just like I am when I am hungry, they can't wait! Patience Patience my mama says, but what that means??

Too fast

Simon and I crawl so fast, it is hard to catch us in one picture. Although crawl neither one of us can. We just make do with our arms and legs and move forward. It gets us where we want and we get there fast!

Simon and I eat

Aunt Hannie and cousin Simon are also dropping by at the grandparents.

Simon is eating really well if he can play with me. And I help him eat his bread. My mama still needs to get used to all the things I can eat. She says she was just getting used to the fruit mashes, and now there is more, but for me nothing is too crazy!

I've got places to go

This is how you will mostly see me these days: reaching for something. I have to excercise and I want to see and feel everything!

This weekend we stayed overnight at the grandparents, because my mama had a party to go to. I was a good girl, she said, only I should not want to play at five am. And especially not bang the toys hard on the floor at that time. But that is when I want to play and I want to play hard!

Playing hard

I have been playing hard, and now I need to sleep hard. Or rather sleep fell over me.



These days I am always on my belly. I want to crawl and move forward, and even when I sleep, I want to sleep on my belly.

And tears

And then I had to cry a bit. Mama went to get a fresh cup of coffee, but I like it when I can see her.

Winter sun

Just a nice picture from me. Sunday morning there is a brief ray of sunlight, but a cold polar wind is blowing. So we are only shortly sitting on our balcony, mama drinking her cup of coffee and me eating my cookie.

An American visitor

I am taking my Saturday afternoon nap when I hear a voice with a twang. That is a different sound! It is Richard, mama's collegue from Louisiana, America. He is visiting us for the afternoon. Mama and he talk a lot.

We go for a walk to the cafe and drink a beer. And then they continue talking while I have my dinner and go to bed.