I am growing up and slowly slowly I can start playing with my sister. She is of course much faster and stronger than I, but with the bal I can keep up!
Or if my sister helps me with my song book, the song book that Sinterklaas gave me.
Look, mama! I can get around the world!
I roll back to belly and on the back again. It is not perfect, but I get around. Now you see me here, then you see me there!
The children's doctor has said that I better still sit in the 'wipper', not in the real chair. So, I am back on the table.
But I am more grown up now, and just sitting is not my thing! Gotta have the things on the table. Ooops, what is that flying by? The bread plastic bag. I can grab it!! I just have the lean over a bit.
Aunt Klara has been very busy again for Christmas, and look what we all got: beautiful shawls for the women, and the boys a cuddly toy!
Grandpa and Niessia are busy people, and they fit us in their schedule later in the day. I get some personal attention!
I can tiger around! It is hard work, I roll and pull myself. But if I want, I'll get there! Like the mirror that is now in front of me.
And the best is the objects that I find on my way. I like grabbing things. It is not so much the holding, but the grabbing. Mama's photo camera!!
Peekaboo is a funny game! I put the diaper on my eyes, and mama says: 'Leon! Where are you??'. and then I pull away the diaper, and mama says: 'Peekaboo!!'. And that about twenty times!!
Sinterklaas is visiting at mama's work. For me it is a bit too much to go, and who is Sinterklaas, by the way?
My sister Ces knows Sinterklaas very well! And she gets to go. On the way out there, she considers that Sinterklaas is at the same time driving in a car. Of course he doesn't come on his horse or boat to an office in the middle of town!!
Like last year, there are games and arty crafts to do. And then we sit in the audience, waiting for Sinterklaas. There are some naughty Pete's, but in the end everybody gets a present.
For Ces it is very exciting. She has brought some presents for Sinterklaas: a book and drawing. She nearly crumples it all in her sweaty hands. But in the end, she gets to hand it over.
And now Sterre also turns four and goes to school! Time for a birthday party! It is a party with a delicious chocolate cake and the theme is balloons!
I just watch it all in amazement and enjoy the food: applesauce, french bread and papa's beer!
The Sinterklaas news is clear: the big red book is lost, and without the names of all the children, there is no gift night! Luckily my sister Ces makes all sorts of things. Also up to three Sinterklaas books. With the names of herself and all her imaginary friends!
I am so happy. Mama has decided that bringing us in the morning with the car, isn't fun. So now I get to go with the bicycle to day care. I love going with the bicycle, I sit on mama belly with the carrier bag, Ces sits on the rear seat. I feel the wind in my face and look around on the street.
But we need warm clothing, we have dry weather for weeks, but sometimes frost in the morning. My sister Ces is nicely dressed in Aunt Klara's hat and shawl.
My mama says that I don't fit in my play box anymore. My legs sticks out one end, and my hands the other end.
So I may play on the ground, just like my big sister. But it is still touch work, playing on my belly and holding my head up.
Grandpa's birthday, and we're going to eat pancakes on the highest point in the west of the Netherlands: Bloemendaal. A lovely viewing point where Ces and Simon dance!
While they eat their favourite pan cakes, I eat my favourite fruit: apple and banana.
Today the dance lesson is open for viewers again, and I get to be one of them! Look how Ces flies through the air! I love the dancers and the mirrors!
I put the cloth on my face, and then I pull it aside. Peekaboo!
I like it best if Mama says: 'Leon! Leon! Where are you?'. That makes the game even more fun!
Ellen is so sweet to me. She pities me for crying, so she carries me, while mama cooks for all of us.
We have gone to the market, pram, foot and bicycle. We pass by a very tempting wall, and Ces needs to run a few rounds!
We have made a stop at a local italian cafe and enjoyed the italian urban style and lovely food! The Italian maestro knows how babies should be treated: with a Grissini. Mmmm. So luxury!
At home, I continue to sleep.
My sister Ces is so good at inventing things to draw and paint. She is now copying Princess Pocahontas onto paper, so she can color it. See how careful she does that?
Ces is inspecting mama's sari collection. They have such beautiful colors and sparkles.
And they make excellent stage for dancing. They are so long!!
No papa's, so Simon, Alex and Aunt Hannie are visiting us. Fun! We are so lucky with the weather again, so we go to the playground. Not the big one, Ces says, just the small and quiet one around the corner. It is fun: the leaves on the ground are a soft bed and also great to run into! I am watching everthing carefully from the bench.
Then we decide to have lunch in town, in the sunshine. What to eat? Mmm, ice cream of course!! It is not even too cold for ice!
Ces is dancing. Next we are allowed to watch her, but this week mama and I enjoy the sunshine in the park. Is this really November? The leaves on the trees are colored, so it must be autumn, but other than that it is beautiful! I like the sound of the wind through the leaves.
And Ces is working on another project. She thinks of so many projects!! This is a mush room. We don't toss out toilet rolls anymore. They make far to usefull project tools.
Ces school has a project: box for Africa. We make a box with pencils and workbooks. And a cuddly toy. Do you think the children of Africa know Elmo? Is there a Sesame street in Africa? Will there be a television in their street?
I am nearly six months old, so my mama says that I can try eating fruit! So exciting, I want to hold that spoon too! Brrr, what was that in my mouth? Strange, but kinda nice.... I'll try again tomorrow.
