Science mixed with F-U-N

At the start of "our summer" (which is the day we set foot in the United States), Katie and Andrew received 10 caterpillars and a few dozen ladybugs from their Grammy and Grumps. ( In kits, of course)

As most of your know, when we are in the US, we travel a lot. Well, so did the caterpillars and ladybugs. They went from New York to New Hampshire to Pennsylvania to New Jersey. It wasnt the easiest of things. Neither could be in direct sunlight, get any condensation on their habitats or, of course - be dropped or manhandled.

We were very happy that almost all of the ladybugs matured into adult ladybugs and that all 10 caterpillars turned into Painted Lady butterflies. It was a great learning experience for both kids, but especially Katie. She checked her bugs every morning and told everyone about how they had changed. Did you know that ladybugs don't look like ladybugs until they are in the adult phase? I didn't. Before the adult phase they look like ordinary black little bugs, almost like an ant. We watched the caterpillars turn into chrysalids and hang from the top of the cups and then carefully moved them to the netted cage (picture below). The first cocoon hatched (?) on the drive from New Hampshire to Pennsylvania. It was VERY exciting! (I was relieved that I hadn't screwed up and killed them, honestly)

We set them free on our last day of vacation in New Jersey. It was a great end to "our summer."

Happy Birthday to Grandma!

My parents, brother, sister in law, nephews and our family were lucky enough to be together again for my mom's birthday. Third year in a row. Celebrating 60-something!

Andrew, Katie and Charlie
(I have no idea why Katie has that on her head!)

Fish!

Katie has always LOVED swimming. When she was just 18 months old, she would jump off the side, go under, pop back up with a huge smile on her face and then swim to the side of the pool. (with a swim bubble on). Three years later, she is still enjoying the water and swimming unaided.

Swim lessons in the Netherlands, like everything else, are different. So, I decided when we were back she would take lessons. She took lessons Monday through Friday at 8am the first two weeks we were in New Hampshire. Yep, 8am, but I figured that we might as well since we were all up between 4-6am due to jet lag! She was the youngest and smallest in her class but the best student, most determined and the one with the least amount of fear!

Katie in the lead!

Here she is jumping off the diving board. The other children - all boys, all older, all taller - either did not jump at all or had to have the instructor walk out with them and talk them through it.

That's my girl!

Two and a Half

Andrew turned two and a half on July 24th. We landed in Boston July 23rd so it has taken me this long to get around to updating the blog!

At two and a half, Andrew weighs 24.4 lbs and is 34.5 inches tall. He is at about the 50th percentile for both.

He is a very curious, energetic and active boy. And, with those traits, he almost always has a bump or bruise somewhere on his body at all times. Just this past month he chipped both of his front teeth! His knees are both scraped up at the moment. On top of being very busy, he is also very chatty. He has been talking in full sentences for a long time but still confuses his pronouns. "Me want to go to the playground, me not tired, me no do that" Very cute, in my book :)

Andrew and Katie play very well together, but also fight extremely well together. Andrew is quick to tell me "Katie started it." I think I will be hearing this (both ways) for many many more years!

Here us a picture and a short video clip from our family celebration on his Half Birthday.

D, D, D, D Dora!

For those of you with preschoolers know "D, D, D, D Dora!". Well, Dora is here in Holland on Nick Jr. Same channel, but ah.... slightly different. See for yourself!

In the US, as you are very aware, Dora speaks English and teaches children Spanish. Since we have been doing a bit of traveling, we have learned that Dora speaks mother tongue in her home country, be it France, Germany, Netherlands and so forth and teaches children English.

What a hoot!

Mini Break

Last weekend we traveled about 2.5 hours north of Maastricht to Den Haag, Netherlands. We stayed at a Eurocamp called Duinrell. Ned and I both commented that we dont know of anything like in the United States. It is a huge campground of sorts. There are mostly mobile homes for guests but also places for rented/bring your own tents. We went with the mobile home option for three nights. Just the five of us (Tucker too!) in a "cozy" 3 bedroom. The campground has a big indoor water park and an amusement park. It also has trails for biking, supermarket, and various playgrounds. We made use of all amenities.

Katie and Andrew's first cotton candy at the amusement park

Spinning mushroom

We went to one of the biggest tourist attraction in Holland, Madurodam. Just about 15 minutes from our lodgings. It is a miniature Holland. All outdoors and over 100 exhibits. I wasn't sure it would hold the kid's attention, but they surprised me. Katie loved following the route and the numbers associated with each exhibit. You could put in a 10 cent piece into most of the exhibits and make them move. Andrew loved the miniature train that zoomed everywhere...there was even a Thalys high speed train! Both kids liked the Mars plant that brought out chocolate on a truck. Schipol airport in Amsterdam was pretty cool too. But, the best was a couple miniature Maastricht buildings.

Katie next to a windmill

Ned and Katie next to the Onze Lieve Vrouwe Basiliek in Maastricht

What big shoes you have!

There was a nice beach only 4 km from the Eurocamp. We took the kids there each night after dinner. The water was cold, as expected, but we had a lot of fun digging in the sand, building sand castles and finding treasures.

Daddy's girl

Katie writing in the sand

She wrote her name. She was so proud!

Beauties

Just a random picture of the kids at the Aachen Animal Park last week. They were being silly.

First you Mow, Then You Rake

Sleep Habits

We moved Andrew to a toddler bed in mid April. He was two years old and three months. We had to because he was climbing out. One night I counted -- he climbed out 15 times in one night! I chalk it up to, yet another, thing Katie never did.

We do the same routine we have always done. PJs, brush teeth, read books, turn out the light, sing songs, say goodnight. Only one thing is different - there is a gate on his door (for obvious reasons).

Since April. Three months now. He chooses to fall asleep on the floor. Here are a few pictures I took last week.

I have to wonder - If you have this cozy bed with a big pillow and duvet, why on earth would he choose to sleep on the floor?!

Happy Independence Day

The kids sported their red, white and blue (in our garden)

Face painting at the MIP Family picnic

Katie and a fellow American friend showing off their flags

You Scream, I Scream...

We all scream for Popsicles?

Yesterday the ice cream man payed a visit to our street. Andrew I figured would opt for a pop instead of ice cream, but was surprise when Katie made the same choice.

It was yummy just the same!

Gullible?

Listen closely, you can hear Katie say to Andrew: "Come here, I need to tell you something."

Father's Day

We were going to start with breakfast in bed, but due to the fact that Andrew was pulling a marathon of early morning wake up calls (around 2 or 4 am) for Mommy for 6 consecutive days straight, Daddy so nicely got up first and let Mommy remain comatosed in bed for another half hour. (Thanks Ned!) Once I was awake, we had bacon, fresh made muffins by the munkins and gifts that the kids were dying to give! Homemade ones and store bought. According to yahoo.com, Dads don't appreciate the homemade gifts from their kids....I think Ned did.

The kids and I made tee shirts with fabric paint earlier in the week
Katie's says: I love Dad
Andrew's says: My Dad is Rad

We also made clay figures.

Andrew made a rock and painted it.
Katie made, well, Daddy.
The clay hardened and then we painted them.

Aardbeien Plukken (Strawberry Picking)

It doesn't feel like summer until you have gone to a U-Pick Farm (or two, or three). Last year we picked strawberries in the Netherlands, blueberries in Belgium and apples in New Hampshire. Fruit from all over the globe!

Today we started our picking adventures at a little farm in Maastricht. The weather was chilly but clear and we had a good time, once again.




Katie, by nature, is a collector. Always has been since about 18 months old. It started with rocks and then moved to acorns. She has a great attention span and just loves to find things, always seeking the more perfect one.

The only way I got her to leave the farm was if I promised to bring her back this week! Guess we are going back in a few days!

Our pretty little four and a half year old

It took Andrew about 10 minutes to get the hang of the picking. Like usual, he was just happy to be playing outside in the grass and dirt. And, he was very impressed by the two tractors in the field. He said, "ooo wook (look), a tractor" over and over...

Once he did get the hang of it, he also found out that one of the perks of picking your own - sampling the crop! They were delicious.

Yum - my

Break a Leg

Katie was in her first musical, The Goblin Next Door. She was a butterfly and did a dance with the other woodland animals of Junior Kindergarten.

It was adorable, but quick. She had been rehearsing for weeks and her favorite part of the dance was shaking her "bum bum" (as she called it) at the tail end of the number (ha ha, get it?).

Andrew was so excited to see Katie on stage. Before the show, he said. "Me see Katie, and me clap."

Katie, the shortest one

To celebrate, we got ice cream downtown.

Ya Know What?

June 10th we will be closer to having a five year old than a four year old. Katie turned four and a half today, June 9th.

So far, four has been pretty good. We hit the "princess phase" with full gusto and I think are starting to come off the high. We dont seem to talk about which princess goes with which prince and who wears what color and so forth as often. Now, she is showing interest (to my dismay) in Barbie and Polly Pockets. I knew it was inevitable, but here we are. More little tiny shoes to find nestled in the carpet!

Katie is still a little on the shy side, but makes friends very easily. She has a boyfriend and talks about marrying him almost daily. His mother and I have even caught them kissing. Which, of course, her suiter very quickly wipes off! She started full time Junior Kindergarten in January and although tired some days, she loves school. She looks forward to seeing her friends each morning.

As of a few days agao, Katie is stuck on the phrase "ya know what?" followed by a silly story about some made up friends or relatives. It is pretty funny. Exhausting, but funny.

Here are two videos I took today of she and I have a conversation. Actually, it is a one sided conversation - all her! This may give you a taste of why I treasure the silence once the kids are in bed :)

Happy Half Birthday, Katie!

Kos, Greek Island