Cheese farm 't Geertje

My grandpa and grandma have important business this afternoon, so my mama comes to pick me up for the afternoon. A good opportunity to do something farm. Do you want to go to a farm? mama asks. Yes! I say, a children's zoo! No, not a children's zoo, a real farm!

As we come to the farm after lots of winding roads (I fell asleep), there are several stables. First the goat stable. We get a cup of food and I get to feed the goat!! Amazing, these goat just nibble my fingers with their tongue, they are sweet natured!!

This is really fun!

We see also chicken doing fun things, and pigs and cows and a hay stack to rump around in!

And then we warm up with a pancake. So, that is dinner done, too!

More writing

Writing is fun! I am trying to write o from olifant (elephant) and v from vleermuis (bat). It is hard to make the two ends of the o meet!

Emma, Victor and Alex

Emma, Victor and Alex have visited me when I was very little. I don't think I can remember it.
Well, we are prepared for a fun evening: we have some d-i-y stuff. Emma quite likes it, but Victor is more of the music stuff. He wants to Djemba.

And while Victor shows me how to play the Djemba, Emma shows what she has learnt in Theater School.

And Alex? He checks out every single toy that I have!

Drinking my milk bottle

I don't drink much, but in the morning I like my bottle with milk. I drink it in my baby rocker, which it feeling a bit wobbly underneath me these days.

Drinking my milk has a strict routine. Mama takes the bottle out, in the kitchen. I stand on my step next to her and help her count the scoops of powder. Mama adds water and I put the lid on, mama shakes the bottle. Then mama brings the bottle to the chair, while I grab a soft animal. And holding my animal - any animal, everyday a different one. Today I have added sun glasses for a bright view.

Making ice cream

We are going out for dinner. Mmm, those lovely olives! Papa and mama are enjoying their food in a lazy way too. The waiter of the restaurant remembered us, when we walked in. After all, the cook has the same name as I: Cesco is his name.

'Do you want to make your ice cream in the kitchen?', the waiter asks. Yes! Ice cream. Without even so much as acknowledging my parents, I accept his hand and follow him to the kitchen. Not shy at all, this time!!

Just untill the kitchen. Then I am suddenly shy, and I can't tell Cesco if I want chocolate icecream or vanille. The waiter hops out and asks my papa and mama. I definitely get chocolate ice cream!! It is gone before you know it!

Kangaroo in pouch, too.

I told you about my kangaroo book. I like the thought of the pouch. Especially because it is a game of parental engagement and nice and cosy.

Climbing my lamp

I need proper light above my table, so I get a new light. I am still mountain goat, and I help papa hang my new lamp.

Sterre's birthday party

We have lots of parties these days: today Sterre celebrates her second birthday, and that is going to be a lot of fun. So, I want my party dress on again!

As we come there, Sterre is sitting on her cushion (photo shortly) and receiving the congratulations and gifts in royal fashion: with friendliness and a gentle nod for everyone. She looks a little bit overwhelmed, perhaps. We sing her a song and I give her her gift. I am curious what is in it too: papa bought the gift. And then I go off to inspect Sterre's toys. And while there is chaos around me, I am happily trying the toys.

Then it is time for some of the wonderfull food: lots of fancy bites, but I like the bread best. While eating we chat and look around. I recognise some kids from last year: Iris, but others are missing, like Thomas. They are not feeling well and it is the time of the year for that.


Later I play with Sterre and with Iris and Sterre and I eat our mashed apples with saucages on my mama's lap.

Then Sterre is tired and I pour a cup of tea for everyone from Sterre's tea set.

I have had a lot of fun at this party!

Large, small, smallest

In the sun shine of today we work on our window sill again. Papa has fixed it, but now it is dry enough to paint it too. I help him, because I know now very well how that is done - after all the house maintenance I have done.

I put the tape on the window. 'Mama, look!', I say, 'Large, small and smallest'. It is the newest word I have learnt: smallest and it means smaller than the rest. I can see the different sizes now.

Then mama and I put a taller one there too: 'long' I say.

Grandpa's birthday party

Grandpa has turned 83 and that is worth putting down in photo! We have hired a real photographer to put us all together in one picture: Grandpa and grandma, Simon and his family and my family. We have to smile a lot in the camera. And a picture of the grandchildren only. But it is not easy to get three children to look into the camera. Lots of waving hands.

In the end Simon refuses to make any more pictures and that is the end of the session. Simon wants cake!! And that is a good idea.


While the grown-ups are chatting, we take grandpa out to the corridor: we want to run and do pretend-tigers and pretend-sleep. But Simon mostly wants to run. I keep up with him for a long time, but I am getting tired and start to wobble on my feet: he is too much for me! Mama calls us back into the living room.

Sinterklaas is back in town

Sinterklaas is coming into my town! Yes, we will welcome him in.

His black Pete's indeed arrive with the boat I saw last week. But Sinterklaas missed that boat, because he took care of his horse. Sinterklaas arrived by police speed boat.

Over papa's head I strain to see him and wonder about the fuss.

And for all you foreign readers, here a picture of the old man and his Black Pete.

O is for elephant, v is for bat

And in one of the magazines was a game with letters: pieces of paper with o or v on them, and pictures of an elephant or bat. I had to recognise the names: o is for olifant and v is for vleermuis (=bat). I like playing puzzles with mama, so now I am learning letters.

Now when we read mama's newspapers, I pick the o and v out. Or I try to write an o. It is still difficult; sometimes the d looks like an o, but I am learning.

But cutting the letters is the best!

Mama's birthday party

This morning my papa says: "When you are back from music lesson, we are going to celebrate mama's birthday." Yeah! I like birthdays: sing 'Happy Birthday', wear a hat, give gifts and eat cake. All good stuff. And now it is a real birthday, not one of the ten fake ones I have each day.

When mama and I get back from music lesson, we see the garlands! Yeah, I am very excited now and run in. Papa is just finished hanging them.

I find the scotch tape and do my own garlands.

And then we do the full program as it should be. Song, hat, gift and cake.

While eating our cake, papa and mama are talking. They get on the subject of house maintenance. There are window sills to repaint. Good opportunity because it is a dry sunny day and I can help then sanding the paint. But when we get there, we see there are holes in the wood. Hmmm, the wood needs replacing. A good excuse for shopping in the hardware store.

Kangaroo has a pouch

I have now two books about Kangaroo's. I know that Kangaroo mama's keep their baby in a pouch. In one book the baby Joey has become too large for the pouch, but he doesn't want to leave his mama's warm pouch. Untill he sees another kangaroo and they play together.

Pouches are funny! When I was little I sometimes sat in mama's 'pouch', my baby bjorn carrier.

But now we can play the pouch game even better. Here my little chicken is in my pouch. And sometimes mama makes her cardigan to a pouch for me.

Puzzle of Frog

I can make my frog puzzle all by myself!

And when the puzzle is made, then I take it apart again: why keep it together? The fun is in the making.

Chocolate milk

Chocolate milk is my new favourite drink. And I want it from the new coffee cup that arrived in mama's boxes. It looks grown up. Papa and mama are wondering how I know what the saucer is for.

Chocolate milk always shows on the face. I won't be able to hide what I have been drinking, will I?

Walking and watching boats

For the first time since I've taken ill, I am going outdoors. Mama, who has been away to sing, says it is lovely weather, and I have healed enough to be able to get a fresh nose.

We will walk a little bit: just TO the bridge, not over it. But in the river before our house we see a boat. A jolly boat with coloured flags and a steam pipe. It is just a boat like Sinterklaas could take!! Sinterklaas has arrived in our country from Spain: it was on the television yesterday. Will this be the boat that he comes to my town in, next week?

Mama and I are telling the colours of the flags: red, yellow, blue. I know quite a few names of colours now, but sometimes I am confused about which colours belong to which names. It is difficult and I have been trying to learn this for a couple of months already.

Then we walk on, to the bridge, not over it. I am disappointed, because I wanted to walk to Gabrielle, just like the last time. But it is too late and far, mama says. We take a circle tour and walk by my wind mill. Sniff, sniff, mmm, that smells yummy: Indonesian food is being cooked in the restaurant below the mill. Why not eat there, papa says! Yes!! that is a good idea. And so, what started as a little walk, ends in a lovely meal. Easy evening and a celebration of my recuperation.

Leaves

I am ill with the chicken-pox, so I can't go outside today. I don't feel bad, nor do the spots itch too much. But still.

So that I still have some autumn, mama brings me some autumn leaves from our plane-tree. They are huge. We have learnt a leave song with music lessons: 'beautiful leaves, red and yellow, beautiful leaves, they are so many!' While you sing it, you have leaves on your hand, at the end you blow with your mouth, so that the leaves fly away. The lady says this exercises the breathing and strengthens the mouth muscles. Us kids just find it fun to collect the leaves.

A day in the garden

Mama is working in the garden. 'Mama! I am coming to help you with my shovel!'.

First we are digging in the hedgehog house, it needs to be burried under the leaves, behind the bushes. We are crawling on our knees to it. We have a little plate with food to tempt the hedgehog. But how will we ever know if the hedgehog has slept the winter with us?

Then we are going to rake leaves, and so many, we may as well take a jolly ride in the wheel barrow.

Faster mama! I yell.

Mama goes with Karen

Mama is going with Karen, but first we take a walk through the forest around Soesterberg. It is exciting, because there are lots of fungi and we even see a red one with white dots. "On a large toadstool, red with white dots, sat robin Thinnylegs, rocking back and from. " is my favourite song, because I can tumble when robin Thinnylegs tumbles off the toad stool!

Then mama goes with Karen.... while papa takes me to the Zoo!! First I get a pancake with so much candy that I can't eat the pancake!
It gives me a good base, for a long hike through the zoo: past the tiger, the lion that yawns, and searching for the rhinoceros. We also see a sailing monkey!

When we meet mama and Karen again, we are tired and they are well rested from the sauna. Time for another pancake - but no candy this time!!

It has been such a fun day, weeks later I still say: mama go with Karen, Casa with papa.

The school I will go to

I am now two and a half and when I turn four, I will go to school. Today we are going to take a look at the school in my street. The school is about 1 km away, on my side of the street, so I will only have to cross the side roads. The school is called De Windroos. We look around the school and it looks very inviting. I like all the toys I see in the school: can I stay for a lesson?

Another me

During dinner I like thinking of playing games. Mama and papa have undivided attention - if they are not talking with each other: 'mama and papa talking'.

Now I am playing with my napkin, and suddenly look like a different person!

writing and reading o

I am intrigued with the writing. I understand now that with letters I can read and write. I like reading newspapers and magazines with mama. And while we read, we pick out the o's. I know what the o looks like.

Now I am sitting with my papa and we are writing notes: he writes Francesca, because I ask him. And I write mama and papa back. It is still hard to write, but I do my best to make the smallest wriggly lines.

O-ooh!

O-ooh! I tried to play with the red lentils, but they fell! O-ooh! Mama lets me play for a little bit with them while they were spread out on the floor, but in the end we will have to clean it up, unavoidable! I am mama's great little helper!

Grandpa turns 75

We continue partying in the afternoon. My grandpa turns 5 and then seventy, but what that means?? I have never heard of that number.

But he celebrates it in fashion again and while outside the winter starts in whoops of rain and wind, we sit on top of a hill overlooking the river Rhine and drink our high-tea. Lots of great chocolate cakes and I can eat as much as I want.

Grandpa also has a gift for all us grandchildren: a horse to run around with. Yeah!

There is also a little dog. In the beginning I think he is big, and I am a bit afraid. But later I just think he is fun!

Simon turns three

Simon turns three! Mama and I have wrapped the packages together yesterday. I know what Simon is getting and I like it! First I want to sing for Simon. But Simon doesn't like us singing!! That is strange? We quickly sing anyway.

Simon got a little house, that is fun! The house topples easily, so sometimes we roll with the tent. I like closing and opening the door best.

Later we play with Rose in the backyard, eat pancakes with blue berries and we write mama on a piece of paper.

While Alex doesn't want to sleep and sits on my papa's knee.