Getting ready

Mama and I have prepared ourselves to go out of the door. We went to the bathroom and brushed our teeth. Then we put day cream on and make up for the eyes. I put make up on as well: on my cheeks. I like doing what mama is doing but the exact location is a bit difficult still.

Then we put warm socks on. I like socks; so much better than those horrible tights that mama makes me wear everyday. And of the socks, I like mama's socks best. And these are mama's largest socks: ski socks!!

Quick, let's water the plants before we go out the door. And so you see me with the water can, eye make up on the cheeks and large socks on my feet.

Papa is home

Papa picks me up from day care. Surprise!!

We go home early to cook for mama. But papa gets a few calls from work. Still we make a lovely meal for mama.

Gabrielle

There are a couple of kids at day care who are in my age: Gabrielle, Amber, David, Moussa. Since a week or so, I know how to say their names: 'lele' is Gabrielle, 'ber' is Amber and 'mous' is Moussa. I also know where their coats are hanging close to my coat.

I play a lot with Gabrielle these days. We sit next to each other, we run together. And we play 'eating' together.

Grandpa's big birthday party

Grandpa has turned 74 and is throwing a big party, we even get a theatre play with it! Mama and I sit at the back and watch it. The beginning was interesting, but then the play turned a bit boring, and I wanted to talk with mama about what we were seeing. We went downstairs to discuss the play.

After a while the other people also came down to discuss the play. It was very busy with uncles and aunts near and far. I eat chips, peanuts, two chocolates and drink a lot of apple juice.

While mama talks with Aunt Resi, I make some pictures of what I see.

My great grandmother Franka is there too, for a little while.

Djoeke and Anouk

Mama and I are staying over for a night very far away. We stay with Djoeke and Anouk, they are the daughters of mama's friend Ingrid. They have three dogs, two great Danes and a little rabbit catcher. I have never seen so many dogs and from so close! The great Danes can bark!! Wafwaf, I say. But they are really quite friendly.

I really liked the big girls to play with. Even though they were sitting on mama's lap, which is really my spot and I find it hard to share.


On Friday night we all three go into the bath together: that is a lot of children in one bathtub! And then they help me read the book before I go to bed.

They also have a horse and on Saturday morning we are going to watch the horse running. Djoeke and Anouk go on their own bicycle and I go with mama on the other bicycle with children's seat. Djoeke has to peddle real fast with her small bike, but she does really well.

And after that it is already time to leave again, a pity because I was really excited about being with them.

Shopping with my own trolley

Youknow I like shopping for groceries, and you know I like helping Mr Heijn with organising his shop. But I don't think you have seen me when I shop with Mr Heijn's kids trolleys. That is such good fun! I race to the things, and mama races after me, to hold the trolley just before I hit the people. Then I load in the things we need.

Winter

Snow drops. They are in the back of my garden, hardly visible. My mama and I look at them. Later I point out more snow drops to mama: you only have to show me once!! For all you avid cesblog readers: my mama now also has a Garden blog. It is sooooo boring, but help yourself: http://gardensonnie.blogspot.com/

Growing up and etiquette

I am tall and I surely can use a knife to put the spread on my bread. It is actually quite difficult. But it makes me feel good and tall.

I wish the knife would be sharp, but mama always needs to hack to get through the crust of the bread. I help her with my fork.

The things I can do already!!

Bolts and nuts

And after the Ikea shopping, there is the Ikea working. We are putting together my new kitchen table. Since last Friday night, mama thinks it is handy to have a table for me in the kitchen.

We are building the table together. I show mama how to turn the little tool for the screws. Mama was very impressed that I could do this! But then it became tough, and mama had to make the last turns. In fact, the little tool from Ikea was far too little, and she went and got some real tools from papa's shed.

Ikea friends

But after the long wait we go to Ikea!!! Yes! I don't go yet into Smalland, but shop with mama. At the children's department we stop and I run around. There is a fantastic slide that I can take head first on my belly! Wow, that is fun! And there are lots of other kids also being 'aired' by their parents.

One of the girls I like especially. We play for a while together: sitting together or stepping on and off the slide together.

Then I have to leave to stand in the queue for the restaurant: a few other parents decided to have dinner here!!

Waiting

We have a busy afternoon. Mama's new laptop is faulty and we are going to return it for a new one. The laptop shop is nice, but the 'service desk' is a dreary small cold office. We wait for an hour with lots of other people.

Mama and I sit on the floor and stare at the other people or read magazines. Mama says that I am a good waiter. You know, I don't mind, as long as mama is close and I can play with her cardigan buttons, or cardigan zipper.

Stuck in the farm

Mama is vacuum cleaning. Trringgg, the phone goes: it is grandmother Franka. While mama is on the phone I play with my farm. I wanna go into the stable with my horses, sheep and cows.

But then I can't get out anymore. Mama! I say. But mama talks. MAMA! I say. But mama talks. MAMAAAAA I cry. Mama makes a 'you you' (photo) of me, with the phone in her hand! Now I am really angry!

But then she helps me.

Friday evening

It is Friday evening, and we know it. I am hungry and tired, and I won't let mama get away for more than half a meter. Better, I hold on to her, her leg, or be lifted up in her arms. Ces, mama says, I have to cook, or else we stay hungry! I can't cook with you around my legs.

Then mama drags my table into the kitchen and I can clay in the kitchen, while mama cooks in my eye sight.

I am very happy now, and concentrated on the clay. My tongue comes out!

Pottering

Simon really liked the clay that I gave him with Christmas. If it is that nice, mama gives me clay too. I love the clay! It is blue, red and yellow and we are rolling balls, crocodiles and generally punching it, for example with my fork.

Going with the elevator

On Mondays I am with Grandpa and grandma. After work mama comes and then we eat with the four of us. After dinner, mama and I go back home.

Here you see us when we go to the car to go home. We are standing in front of the elevator. I like going into the elevator. Grandma is carrying all my things.

Eating with daylight

We have been ice skating today again! Today I really loved it. I have gotten used to it, and today I enjoyed watching all the kids. Now I see: ice is fun!

After dinner we will go to Grandma and Grandpa. They have been very busy this week with their new grandchild Alex, or rather with taking care of Simon, so we give them a rest and don't come for dinner.

We dine with daylight, which is special in the winter. But the view is so nice from our second dining table. We enjoy it. Even with the rain!

Mama has made mashed potato with cabbage, but I eat the onions. I love cooked onions.

In the movie you can hear me say onions, 'uitje'. And I also say 'jij jij'. That means 'you you' and it is the camera, because mama always says: look, there is you! So, the camera is you you!

More ice skating

It is a little bit warmer again: -1°C, and everybody is ice skating. I like it, but I don't smile. Just look around me at all the kids. And after two rounds, when mama says we go back to the car, I utter my only word all this time: 'auto' (car). Perhaps it is what I like best about it all?

The rabbits are warm in the house

It is now so cold, that we think the rabbits are too cold outside. Mama has brought the rabbits inside. This is good fun! In the morning we let the door open and the rabbits can go in and out as they please. The 'travelling rabbit' is out the cage quick, but the other one, 'Miffy', does not go out at all!! She eats food. I like playing with the rabbits. I carry them food and run around with them.

Winterfriends

While it is so cold outside we have lots of winterfriends visiting our garden.

Lots of birds trying to find food, and cats on the prowl - they know mama won't spray them with water now! And this herron comes to check our ponds, but the ponds are frozen solid, I don't think there is much for them!

Alex is there!!

Yesterday my aunt Hannie still had a big belly, and today she calls and says: he is there!! My new cousin Alex is born! We go and pay him a welcome visit, because we are happy that he arrived save and sound.

He is soooo little, we can barely see him in the bed of Aunt Hannie. But then he needs a clean nappy and we get to see him in full. Such a pretty boy!


You know, I like babies, I can also say 'baby'. I am very intriged by this very small baby.

Rose in ice

From our garden balcony.

No, no, no

I say No, no, no. Whatever you want, I say no. Now it is no to getting dressed. Luckily it is nice and warm at my grandpa and grandma's house. I run around like this and that is good fun!

Kooken

You know I like cooking. I pour water from one glass into the other, then pretend drink, and then pour the water back.

Here my mama has given my some 'baby milk powder' (flour). I spoon it from one cup to the other. I spill some: 'Mama, this needs to be cleaned'. Mama and I clean the bench and I cook on.

Loetbos

The ice is smelting, we cannot skate anymore. But the sun shines so we decide to go to the Loetbos, near Krimpen aan den IJssel. We have never been there, and are curious. It is a nice old forest, but we forget to make pictures.

Afterwards we have lunch. I like the restaurant, because they have a children's play corner. And I drink apple juice from the bottle. My mama and papa are impressed: they could only drink from the bottle when they were grown-up.

Ice skating

It is now very cold, which is always good for nice white pictures. But it has not really snowed, only frezing. This is good for ice skating! My mama really wanted to ice skate, and she found a nice spot for us. We don't have a sledge, but we have my car! With a rope. And off we go.

I love it!! I glide over the ice with no effort. I get to see all the other kids trying to skate and twirling. With my red suit I am not cold either.

Checking the drawers of the kitchen

I am a curious little girl and I like playing with all the kitchen tools. So, I position my stool well and inspect the drawer. Curious long forks and chinese sticks are in this drawer. The big meat knife is gone?? The last time I stood like this I fell: the drawer is not good to hold on to!! But I have learned, and now I hold on to the kitchen bench.

Later I help mama make my bottle.


Happy new year to you all!!