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WHAT GOT ME OUT OF BED EARLY THIS MORNING

Usually kaemon wakes up and we let him babble while we duck under the covers. But this morning, amidst the "ba-bah-ba-bwa" (which douwe in douwe's opinion is "papa") there was a pregnant pause and then.......MA-MA! Sleeping-in may be a thing of the past but it's not always bad.

Visiting Timo

Tapas in Rotterdam

We went to a great tapas party with GREAT food created by Marjolijn and Ruud, but strangely I didn't end up with photos of food, just babies!

This is the afterparty room where the young ones and their carers hang out (i.e. the babies lost stamina and had to go to bed)

Morroco Calls

On the menu: Tuna&beetroot salad and beef tajine with caramelised onions. So happy :)

BBQ season

We seem to be stretching the BBQ season out for as loooooong as possible. Even when it's getting chilly, and the guests complain that it's cold, we just bring out the blankets. Sadists? No, just desperately seeking summer. We let them eat inside, but refused to turn on the heating. Because that's what you do in winter and it's NOT WINTER YET (&*&^%#!#_!!!! Apologies.

One small crawl for baby, one big big step for mankind....?!

Maybe it was putting him in the stunt suit, maybe it was dangling boobies out of his reach, who knows, but he started crawling (forward) last week.

Our nation's capital

Weekend wanderings brought us to amsterdam (lunch at the newly engaged Dorien and Joris')


and then to the Vondel Park where 28 years ago Douwe also spent many hours just like this on his father's shoulders (Is kaemon checking out that chick?!!)

Itadakimasu

One of the good things of living on this side of the country is the possibility of getting almost anything you want....so 25 mins drive, and we were in little japan, an area of amsterdam with a japanese supermarket, hairdresser, lunchroom, cleaning agency, laundromat. Inspired, we had our favourites sushi and cold soba


and introduced kaemon his japanese side. He's becoming a real noodle boy,

the sushi...

...disappeared with (barely) a trace

Yog(i)hurt Bear

He's learning to drink from a cup! We can sell him to the circus soon!

Princess Jen of Denmark (formerly of Manly) on state visit to Princess Kelly of the Netherlands (formerly of Yeppoon)/It was Hoogly!

She brought her dutch-aussie entourage and it was so good to have an Australia Day in September!


We bbq'd for lunch and dinner-

BBQ'd banana&choc dessert....MMMMMMMMMMMMMM melted chocolate in warm banana on ice-cream. We ate them so fast there are no pictures.


The next day we went to den Haag and I discovered my beloved 5 euro/dollar roast pork and rice exists here too!!!!!! JOY!!!

Entertainment on a Saturday Night for Parents

We have a laugh at kaemon...

Yesterday...

...2 years ago, was the day we stepped into the marital boat. We marked the occasion with (among other things) going to the beach only to find they had closed it down for renovation (yes, the whole beach!) and later out to dinner. with kaemon. Ever seen in the zoo how they keep the chimpanzees stimulated and occupied by hiding their treats and food (e.g. peanut butter in a tube)? Money well-spent on Discovery Channel. It was relatively peaceful thanks to a yoghurt-smeared jar lid and a dazzling array of toys :)

Week in Eindhoven

Due to bathroom renovations (when we moved in: "yes the shower leaks but you can't get a new bathroom". 6 weeks later: "Don't you want a new bathroom? The house looks like it's unpacked and clean so we can tramp cement and paint though it.") kaemon and I spent a week in Eindhoven with family and a working shower.


Obachan telling Kaemon to hang loose


Bum Crack!

Back to Nijmegen

We made a quick return to our hometown Nijmegen, where more than 12 weeks ago we left in a flurry and landed bewildered on the other side of the country. We warmed Leon and Cindy's new house,

I attended Neva's vrijgezellenfeest,

where we had the best tomato soup I ever tasted

and broad bean, ricotta and mint ravioli with oven roasted tomato sauce. Making your own pasta is therapeutic and satisfying. I do it about once a year! I guess the rest of the year I'm neurotic and cranky.


dropped in for coffee at Samir's

and lunch at fleur's, picked up the mail from the old house. That's all we had time for in 24 hours.

Kaemon is a Beach bum

We introduced kaemon to sand, and surprisingly he didn't eat it! (everything else goes in his mouth)

Isn't he the cool one?

Me explaining something very complicated and intellectual about twinkle twinkle little star, and the mysteries of what you are.

BALLS!! He's discovered them. The lifelong fascincation begins.

By the way, all this happens while Douwe works from dawn till dusk and studies from dusk till dawn. This blog is also for him to keep up with what we do....
Douwe, today kaemon had yoghurt and liked it.

See you on the weekend!

Return of the Whitesides!

With the Whitesides living just across the channel, it has been (almost) just like being in the same city again with lots of visits! What we do when we get together:
EAT

The spectacular couscous made by dave recreated by eliza

(the mysterious "yoghurt dessert").

PLAY


get out and about


Hang about at home


Pose for pictures

wrestle with cheapo kites