We have sad news, Grandma Franka has passed away. We are missing her already. After all, she was Ces´s friend!
This morning was her funeral. We have remembered her this morning by eating pancakes. Furthermore she choose a beautiful day for her funeral. And she always like Holland in the sunshine!
It is truely an amazing day: end of September and it is Summer hot. We drive by Simon's beach and dive in. Mmmmm, lovely water.
Well, actually, I don't dive. Mama says I am a bit too small for diving in this coldish water. It is for the first time I see a water surface this large. I study it carefully from papa's lap. On the way home, it is my bed time, and I fall asleep.
And Raphael turns 4 too! Ces is invited to his party, and it is a great party: cake, pancakes, games, everything! Raphael's uncle Willem is taking care of entertainment, and he knows how to make a play! (He is a drama teacher). When everybody has left, we are invited for dinner. But before that, we need to enjoy the sunshine.
This climbing device has become a ship and we are sailing to China. That is where Raphael's grandfather is at the moment. His grandmother likes that!
Other classes in Ces's school have made a bee. Now Ces decides to make a bee too. All by herself.
I sleep outdoors a lot. Ellis and Nel from day care often let me sleep on the sunny patio. And mama let's me sleep under our leavy trees, after we come back from a walk. Hmmm, it sleeps so well with the sounds and fresh air.
Papa is home, and when my papa is home, it will be his birthday, mama has told us (well: we celebrate his birthday, when he comes home, but that is only a slight difference). Yes! we love birthdays: cakes, guirlandes, gifts, singing!
And tall grandpa is visiting us, that is a good coincidence. After Grandpa has handed over the candy, he is strongly urged to read a book for Ces. Tall grandpa plays a lot with us children, and we are enjoying that!
It is fair time and mama takes Ces while I am at day care. Look how she loves the carousel!! And then they eat ice cream and pick me up. I get to ride on the bicycle with them, in the baby bjorn (belly carrier bag)! Wow, I love that. They can go to a fair every day, if I get to go home like that! Unfortunately no photo.....
We are visiting Karen and Wybe. They have a beautiful new kitchen area. With a lovely soft bench. Look at me! I can really lift my head! Mama should not have told the children's doctor that I can't do it, and I show her!
Karen always knows nice things for Ces, and she is happy too.
My sister is so grown up! And sometimes a bit wild. But today she is singing a song for me: "25 years, 25 years, Miss Truus is with my school, for 25 years!". She learnt the song for the party for Miss Truus, who likes tea: we all gave her a special personalised tea bag.
On Fridays we go to dancing lessons for my sister Ces. It is a building in a park, and the park is very popular with brides.
Ces now knows that brides wear white and carry a flowerbunch. This plastic wrapping makes a good flowerbunch. You see her 'nail polish'? It is made with lip stick because mama only allows real nail polish in the school holidays.
I am going to the children's doctor again. Growing nicely with 6.7 kilo and 64 cm's. Slightly below average length and slightly above weight. And another jab. Au!!
When Grandma and Grandpa are here, on Wednesday afternoon when papa works, then we have dinner with them. Everybody is talking, and there is lots of noise, but lots of fun!
Today they are married 45 years!
I have never been to Simon's and Alex's house, and finally I get to go. Wow, are the boys active! It is impressive. We go out for a walk, but never get any further than the second play ground. There is a nice tree to climb in, excellent for my sister, the little climbing mountain goat.
I sleep through all the climbing, nice in the outdoor! And uncle Frank has made another culinary highlight with vegetables! I like visiting Simon and Alex.
It is nice weather and we are lying in the garden. I like watching the leaves move against the blue sky.
Shall we come? Raphael asks. Of course!
It is another sticky day, but my sister Ces and Raphael know what to do with that! A water ballet, is the right thing! Splasing the other person is fun, but getting splashed is less fun!
My sis has been to dancing lessons, and now we are walking home through the sun shine. With her special dancing attire my sister attracks lots of attention of by-passers. The belly dancing skirt makes a nice tingling sound.
Look! We have guests for the weekend! That is fun! Andrew and Protea. They are always full of good stories, and we like that. Andrew has a nice shoulder for me to rest my head on. And Ces shows how well Dora has taught her to count in English.
I push my leg and lift my bum. Oh, nearly ready to roll over to my belly! Or so my mama thinks. She is waiting for the photo, but now I don't like that game anymore. I just play with my toys.
My sister comes up with crafty projects. She has cut a blue paper in two and asks mama: 'Shall we make birthday cards for grandma?'. My mama is impressed with that sweet idea and off they go and make it.
Ces want to write Congratulations (Gefeliciteerd in dutch). How do I spell Gefeliciteerd..... Ge... starts with a g sound, so Ces writes a g. Oops, a bit too large, she writes it smaller. And then the f sound, so she writes a v, and then it all gets a bit difficult.
And then they add guirlandes and cake pictures. Surely Grandma's birthday is complete with these cards!
On Saturday morning we often go to the market. The best way to go is by bicycle, but I cannot go on the bicycle yet. So, mama walks, I ride and Ces
cycles. She has a meandering way of progressing, so by-passers have to fend for themselves.
Today is a nice warm day, I lay without my blanket. We have to wait for the bridge to close, so we cross. We are sometimes wondering if the bridge is more open than closed.
Whenever mama picks up Ces, she finds her outside, sometimes playing with sand, sometimes dancing, but mostly turning around the bar. She can turn around the high one, or the low one, just as easily. And one turn after the other.
