Nathan's Second Birthday Party

Thank God for blessing us with a lovely sunny day to enioy the party. We planned to have both food and games indoors, but everyone was so eager to get out, so we packed everything and headed for lama land (opp playground) to have a picnic, and yes, outdoor games!

7 families in all. We had a great time of food and play. Poor nathan didn't get to blow any candles cos the wind was too strong. But we did have two sticks of candles and song.

My boy is TWO. Wow, many changes have taken place, speaking more words, understanding mum and dad better, and he is quite a pleaser. Whenever he does something naughty and we scold him, he would be real sad. We continue to pray for him that he would come to know Jesus for himself, and for ourselves, that we would be godly role models for Nathan.

Nathan is Two

Health chart
Ht: 83cm
Wt: 13.5kg

Mental Developments

Frequently used words:
ball
dog
daddie
bread –favourite food
duck
eyes
mimi (for mummie)
car
bus
more –for food, esp raisins
no, no, no
yes
yeah
don’t want(s)
finish
door
shoes
juice

Identifies in books and surroundings:

ele (for elephant) –hot favourite
beep (wheels on the bus) – whenever he wants to watch tv
ar (for star) – mime actions for song
eiaow (for cat)
quack, quack …-whenever he sees ducks
s (for snake)
bear
frog
croc (for crocodile)
raow (for lion)
mouse
mo mo (for elmo)
fish
sheep
clock
bump
bee
egg
sun
row, row …(song)
pear
raisin
oyoyo (for balloons)
this
there/that
milk
nana (for banana)
grass
bird
mat
teeth
nose
mouth
brow
bye
cold
please
moo (for cow)
neigh (for horse)
pig
gate
moon
press
wo wo (for monkey)

happie

Nathan's laughter is ever so contagious. And he is a charmer too, with a cute little dimple on one cheek. I'm not boasting, of course.

Amsterdam April19th-23rd

We woke up at 3.30am, got prepared, a cab picked us up from home to the train station which would take us to Stanstead airport to board the plane at 7.00am.

Accomodation
It was a 5 day 4 night stay. First 2 nights were at a youth hostel (stay okay) centrally located at Vondel Park. Basic amenities available, big spread breakfast, 3 single beds, on suite bath rm and good heating. Next 2 nights at a BnB, Hanna Penso, located on the east side of city, Keizergracht. Large rm, self svc breakfast with everything you need – juice, milk, german coffee maker, toaster hot flask, and even an egg boiler. Fresh pastries were delievered every morning. Comfortable beds, and a cot for baby.

Sight seeing
Dutch village (Zaanse Schans) highlighting 7 man-made windmills, cheese factory, wooden toy shop, clog making museum, clock shops and several other museums and souvenir shops. Things are not necessarily more expensive. A pretty village.

Keukenof Garden
World famous flower garden featuring various species of tulips, Holland national flower. Great place for toddlers to run about safely. Picture perfect destination! Many shops and stalls to buy waffles and ice creams, benches to sit and admire the flowers, and live music to liven the garden.

Museums
Van Goth – famous paintings of the crooked house, and sun flowers.
Rijkes – featuring Dutch famous painter, Rembrandt
Anne Frank – Jewish Christian girl who got killed by German soldiers during ww2 for standing up for her faith.
Corrie Ten Boom – Dutch Christian woman with her sister and dad housed and defended many jews from the germans during ww2. They were jailed, dad and sister died, but she survived the world, toured the world and testified for Christ.

Eating places
Wilhemina Dok
Take a free ferry across from central station. The only sea facing restaurant. Good for western seafood and ships watching.

Shopping
Dam Street – city centre, most happening stores and fun fair grounds. Watch your pockets! Too crowded for little ones to go on foot. You want to whisk through quickly.

What’s nice to do?
Roam the streets and canals, sit down in a café and people watch. Walk in artistic shops selling all kinds of interesting goods, from paintings to tiles, key chains, clogs, cheese, windmill, and miffy stuff!!

Encounters
Once, on the way back from Keukenof garden, we took a bus that went in the opposite direction, discovered only after 20 mins. A nice old man gave us very clear instructions on where to drop next and cross the road to the bus stop to take the ‘right’ bus back to where we started.

On a train to Haarlem to Corrie Ten Boom house, we chatted with a Dutch old man, retiree. He told us he was born in Haarlem, had 4 grand children. It was pleasant time.

Nathan was given free food in shops – yogurt milk drink from the owner, because little boy gave him a fly kiss. And a little toy dog at another shop.

The trip was made possible because of

Sunny weather
Safe journey
Smiles from everywhere

Amsterdam is a pleasant and pretty city, rather ideal for families if you like some sightseeing and shopping.

Laughing

Whenever Nathan plays with daddie when he comes home from school, he always at his best. He probably misses him for the entire day, and he knows daddie is going to play 'rough; with him. Sometimes, dad does nothing, he simply sits down on the floor relaxing, and nathan would walk around him throwing things over dad's head, and find things to amuse himself. His laughters are contagious, how delightful. Oh, he tried GYOZA today, jap dumplings, he seems to like it...

A friend from home passed by Cambridge and bought Nathan a brand new pair of shoes from Bata Bubble gummers - brown leather! They were lying around in the living room when he brought them to me to have them put on. He was happy trying them out, hearing the 'thuming' sounds from his stamping.

New shoes

Brushing teeth

HeadtoToes

Brushing teeth

We have started introducing tooth brushing for some time now. But only recently has he grown fond of brushing his teeth by himself after I placed him sitting in front of the mirror to do it. Kids enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror, so they would gladly comply to do anything, maybe that's a trick to get them eating well too... a little more cumbersome. Bring a portable mirror, perhaps that's more feasible.

Head to Toes

Nathan is quite confident with his body parts now. These are some which he could identify with at the moment. I love the one he could do most - his bottoms... amuses us so much when he smacks them. So, watch and laugh! Btw, don't mind his home - think he looks pretty gd in pink...

Pizza Party April 1st

Nope, it's not an april fools' day joke, we had a party at our place.

6 mums came, 3 koreans and 3 japanese ... how interesting.

Soo, a korean prepared the dough and ingredients. I merely provided the place, and drinks. We had a good time. These are the ladies we are trying to reach out and have decided to come for a christianity explored course coming May.

Parties are nice, and when carried out purposefully, it's even more enriching.

http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/jj168/carisbay_album/PizzaPartyApril1st/

SnowingMarch23rd