Picknick

It is too warm to cook, my mama says. We are going to picknick on the lawn. No cooking today, but just sipping in the shade.

Three little rabbits

I feed the rabbit the little round thingies I find in the grass. Then they sniff my feet or I pet them on the back.

Uncle Frank's birthday party on the beach

Uncle Frank celebrates his birthday on Simon's beach, the Strip. It is very humid and hot, that's why. Yesterday my mama told me we would go to Simon and to his beach, and I was very excited about that.

First I help Frank unwrap his present.

Roos, Simon's cousin from the other side is there too. Lot's of opportunities to run, hold hands and jump. Then we have to get out of the water: there is a dangerous algae detected.

Bummer, but we can still play on in the sand. Or jump on mama and tickle her and roll around!

Gabrielle's birthday party

My big friend from day care, Gabrielle, celebrates her birthday. She also turns two now!

We give her a present, but she is so busy playing and excited about all the visitors, that she doesn't really care about opening the presents. I, however, really like her new toy: the cup and plate set. It comes with fake ice creams!! Yeah!! Ice cream! I was a bit shy in the beginningof the party, but later I really got into it.

Everybody is complaining about the hot humidity, but we children don't mind: we get water to play with, so what more can one wish for.

Papa's gift

There is a gift on the table, and I like gifts! Especially gifts for me.

I recognise this gift. I made it. It is for my papa. I'll unwrap it for him!

But we will have to keep the surprise for him, so you can't see it yet.

The Mirrorlake

We are back at the Spiegelplas, the Mirrorlake. A hot and sunny day. Ideal to have a picknick on the beach. Mama eats the pasta salad, I eat strawberries. But mostly I run around, the little pools are fun.

There are other children too. There are three children working on a water castle. I start helping them, but it is very difficult.

When we drive home in the evening, we feel well warmed and rosy.

And sandy.

Kastel Theater

On this Father's Day we don't open papa's present, but we meet Simon at our Castle: there is a theater day. Simon goes straight to the knight's area. He is of course a knight inside, and now outside too!

Then the music starts and we dance. Simon and I run around and jump.

It is getting hot and Alex wants a rest with a bottle. Simon and I are going to listen to a story in the forrest. About a drake who wants to marry the princess. But the mouse bites him in the nose and then the drake flees.

And then we collect herbs for the deer and go to Simon's home to chill.

Going to bed routine

This is me when mama and I are reading a book. In the evening we go upstairs. I get a clean diapers, we take off my cloths and I get my pyjama on. We brush teeth, mama, papa when he is home and me. We say AAAAH and open our mouths wide. Then mama brushes my teeth. And then the best bit comes: reading a book in the big bed. Mama, papa when he is home and I sit in the bed and read a book.
After that I go to bed. We wave goodbye to my street and close the curtains.

Queen of the Alps

I forgot to tell you about my last day on holiday. We went to see the Queens of the Alps: the cows. Before they were going to enjoy a summer in the Alps grass fields, they had to establish thir picking order. And the winner would be the Queen of the Alps. It a beautiful day and we saw some really impressive ladies. It was funny, the queens were very polite when fighting: no attack in the sides and no attack in the rear.

Afterwards we drink beer, eat saucages and listen to swiss music.

Helping mama with cooking

I like helping mama. Help her put the beans in the pot. And here I help her carry the pot with beans to the kitchen. Then we are going to wash the beans.

Grandma Franka turned 95

A while ago she turned 95, but today she celebrates it in our favourite family hangout: the Tafelberg. But who ordered the rain?? We need to go somewhere else, and there is no running around on the heather fields for us kids.



Of course, there are lots of other great-grandchildren. I am shy, but this girl is very enthusiastic. Some people ask what it is on my face: I have used mama's make-up.

Going to the beach

My grandpapa has been a bit ill this last week, so today we are going to visit Grandpa and Grandma. That is fun! I often talk about 'Opa and Oma'. When I pretend-phone I say "Hallo Opa, Hallo Oma!", just like mama.

After we have seen that Grandpa is doing good, we continue to the beach in Zandvoort. It is a little bit far from my home, but close to Grandpa and Grandma's home.

It is beautiful on the beach! But today I don't like the waves, much too confusing this rolling water. And cold! The left-behind water from the high water before is much nicer. It stands in pooles and I can splash and jump and even pretend-bath!

Then we buy fish from the tractor. I have a book about tractors, so I know what they are. But we have hardly started eating our fish, when a bumblebee comes around: he stings me!! First I can see my mama doesn't believe me, but I keep pointing to my finger - while crying of course - and then she sees! What to do? What does one do with a bumblebee sting? We wait a bit. The finger starts to get bigger. Mama picks me up from the beach where I have started playing again - I am all naked, because I did a poopoo in my swimming pants - we go to the beach restaurant. They say 'suck and vinegar', which we do and get. After that we go to the surf livesaving club, where they say the same. I get a nice vinegar bandaid.

When we walk back to our towel, I feel pity for myself and repeat 'bumblebee stinged', but then we see the pools of water, I lose my vinegar bandaid, and all is
forgotten. In the evening my finger was back to normal.

Blowing bubles

I have some bubble blowing cans. Sometimes they fall.... But I can make the bubbles! The best I like is to trick them.

Walking the stairs

Today I fell down the stairs. Only four steps, but I was angry, and of course I had hurt my self. A little bit. My mama was standing below me, but couldn't catch me in time. So, she took that as a reminder to herself, to stand even closer to me.

Now it has become so dreadfull to walk up the stairs. Mama doesn't play on the stairs anymore, but keeps reminding me to keep on walking. While I just love to make up stair-games: I have mama's full attention at that time, so I love that!

Sometimes mama even picks my up and carries me!! The insult! "Self do!" I yell. And if possible, I walk myself all the way back up and down again, just do do it myself. The other day, I fooled mama, and when she looked I stood at the top of the stairs!

Red berries from the garden

The red berries in the garden are ripe! And the bush is completely covered in berries. I have tried a red berry and I love it! It is fun to pick them off the bush, and it is fun to pick them off the stem and put them in my bowl. I like picking small things. And this comes with sugar. Anything with sugar is good! My mama says I can have as much sugar as I want, if I eat berries so well. Even so, when I play in the garden I pick them too and eat them as they are.

Puppet goes to bed

You have met salt-n-peppa . Today I put salt into bed. First she goes in my sleeping bag. Then we put her in my bed. Mama kisses Salt and then we close the door quietly to let Salt sleep.

Then we walk back into the room and now it is time for my red cloth to sleep too!

Weekend with the family

It is a weekend with papa's family: grandpa and uncle Daan and uncle Dick, and all the wifes and kids of course. Yeah! A whole weekend in a converted farm over East. Of course Koen and Loes are there too, and that I think is the best part!

Grandpa brought his mouth organ and Koen plays some good tunes, I not so interested in it though.

We go for a hike on Saturday, but the rest it mostly rains. There are lots of horses, cows and sheep around and I am really excited to point them out. Then I fall asleep on papa's back.... The rest of the weekend I eat a lot of sandwiches with chocolate paste. And Grandpa treats us on pancakes on Sunday!

Slow waking

I do a little sleep every afternoon. When I wake up, it takes a little while to get going again, well, sometimes a longer while. My papa knows, and we sit on the couch. My hair is al toussled, I have rosy cheeks, I play with my red napkin and lean against papa's warm body.

What mama does

Mama reads the newspaper while I am playing in the sand pit. What mama does is cool. So I read the newspaper too.

I often look at the pictures in the newspaper.