Kiefer is 4 & Vacation in CT

Oma and Opa arrived for a visit on May 24... just in time for Kiefer's 4th birthday on the 26th. Roel and I were at work so Kiefer and Saskia went to daycare. We had a little celebration that evening, but had two parties on Saturday. The first party was for his friends from play group. We held it at the park. That afternoon, his friends Yuuki, Liam and Emmett and Suzanne and Annabelle came for another party. They played in the sprinkler and enjoyed a peanut butter chocolate cake, which I made especially for the occasion.

On Saturday, June 4, Oma and Opa, Roel and Kiefer packed up the cars and headed to the house we rented for two weeks in New London, CT. Saskia and I stayed behind so I could repaint the livingroom. Plus, Roel and I had to work the June 6-8, so rather than drive back and forth, I opted to stay home until the 8th. We painted our livingroom a deep green (grapevine, I think) when we moved in 5 years ago. As much I like the color, it was time for a change. We opted for a light blue (serene sky) and we love the result. It is bright and really makes the room look bigger. I painted when Saskia was napping and after she went to bed. It took a while, but it is done! If it were up to Roel, I don't think we'd ever paint. Once every 20 years or so probably would be just fine with him!

The vacation house in New London was right near Ocean Beach Park where there were rides for the kids, a waterpark and of course, the beach. We also had access to a private beach, which is where we went most days. Kiefer and Cousin Nolan loved it. It was Saskia's first time to the beach. She, of course, explored the sand by tasting it more than a few times (got to love those grainy diaper changes after baby has ingested sand). She also loved to be in the water and wasn't at all scared of the waves.

Saskia's quite the adventurer. She has been climbing stairs since mid-April and seems to have a special sense of when a staircase is not blocked off by a babygate... she makes a bee line straight to it! When Kiefer was a baby, we told him not to climb the stairs and he didn't. We never had to put a baby gate up for him. I remember my friends would remark that it was incredible he didn't try to climb the stairs. Now I understand!

Nolan kept busy following his big (in age only... Nolan is actually the same height if not taller than Kiefer) cousin around. Whatever Kiefer did, Nolan did and he would exclaim, "Nolan ook!" It was too cute! The boys shared a love of Cars and Thomas the Tank Engine. The cousins (including baby Saskia) took baths together. We went to Mystic Aquarium, where we watched the sea lion show, the boys got to feed and pet sting rays, and we marveled at all the amazing fish! We also visited Mystic Seaport. Kiefer was convinced every ship was a pirate ship and great fun was had in the Children's Museum building at the Seaport. 

It was great to have Roel's family all together and we're very grateful to Geert & Marja for getting us all together. It was in celebration of their 65th birthdays! It probably wasn't the most relaxing couple of weeks because it's a lot of work for 6 adults, 2 kids and a baby to be under one roof!


Saskia has been growing up so fast! She weaned while we were in New London and stopped exactly 2.5 weeks before her first birthday... just like Kiefer. She also cut her third tooth while there. One of the funniest things I think she learned how to do on vacation is to give kisses. As you can imagine, with such a crowd there were lots of kisses to give each night before bed. She would give very sloppy wet kisses and make a great pucker sound.

Kieferisms:

Kiefer pointed to a cat in a Richard Scarry book and said, "That's my Facebook friend." -  April 8, 2011

When Kiefer saw the decorations for his birthday, he said, "Thank you, Mama!" You're the best!" and gave me a big hug. - May 26, 2011

A visit to Grandma & Grandmpa's

We returned today from a week in South Carolina visiting Grandma and Grandpa. It was great. How wonderful to have some extra help with the kids! Both Kiefer and Saskia enjoyed spending time with Grandma & Grandpa. Grandma had a basket full of books, activity books, stickers and crayons for Kiefer. She also cooked lots of delicious food that everyone… including Saskia… enjoyed.  Grandpa showed us how to play Wii, which was so much fun. Kiefer is a great Wii bowler and an even greater Wii boxer. Grandpa also took Kiefer out for a ride on his John Deere lawnmower (though Kiefer called it a tractor).

Kiefer’s favorite day was the day we went to the Children’s Museum. Greenville has an amazing Children’s Museum. There was an awesome two-floor climbing structure that Kiefer spent a lot of time on! There were race cars, a construction area, a farm, a grocery store and a water area. One of the funniest things that happened while we were there was in the huge “stomach.” We walked into the stomach that had diagrams of how food is digested. There was a slide to get out and I told Kiefer to slide down the slide. When he went to get on the slide, there was a big farting sound… it was a very life-like digestive system! Kiefer was so scared and ran out of the stomach. Later in the day, he laughed about it, but at the time, he was pretty scared and wouldn’t go back in.

Saskia even got to explore at the museum. There were some great mirrors set up that she could climb around. They also had a baby water table, she could sit in. After the museum, we went to Krispy Kreme for some donuts. Kiefer was in heaven. He and Saskia stood in the window where they were making them and distracted everyone with their cuteness! Kiefer got a little Krispy Kreme hat and wore it on the ride home (but he fell asleep).

The weather was fantastic while we were there. Apparently, it was the warmest it had been in months. It reached the low 70s each day and we enjoyed it very much. We spent a good amount of time outside on the deck or walking. The sun felt great. Kiefer was so confused. He asked Grandma & Grandpa why there was no snow on the ground. He wanted to go outside as soon as he woke up. In the afternoon when he would take his shirt off and only be in his shorts. Saskia spent some time in the exersaucer under the shade of the umbrella.

We also went to the Greenville Zoo. Just next to the zoo is an amazing park and Kiefer was quite content to stay there. We eventually coaxed him to the zoo and he enjoyed seeing the elephants, monkeys (including a baby monkey), lions, giraffes, and alligators.

Roel and I went out to dinner one evening while Grandma & Grandpa took care of Kiefer and Saskia. It was so nice to have some time out together, which we almost never get to do! When we came home, the kids had been bathed and fed and were ready for bed. Saskia was teething so she was a little unhappy and saying, “Mama! Mama! Mama!”

It was a wonderful week. We were so happy to spend some time with Grandma and Grandpa and I know they were happy to see us, but I think they were a little tired by the end of the week... they're not used life with a toddler and baby.

Saskia has changed so much in just a couple of weeks. In early February, she got her two bottom teeth and shortly before we left for SC, she started crawling on her hands and knees. For weeks, she had been “commando” crawling and launching herself forward. She also moved beyond pureed babyfood. She feeds herself now. We just give her little pieces of vegetable, fruit and meat. She LOVES chicken and green beans the best and has even had had ham, grapes, cheese, and yogurt. She looks so cute gumming her food. And we love it because we don't have to puree baby food or feed her.

Kieferisms:


"I have a really powerful butt!" - Kiefer after he farted. How lovely. - December 28, 2010

Kiefer's play cell phone rings. "Hello? No. It's snowing outside. Why did you call me again? Bye." He hangs up and sighs with exasperation, "Mama. You talk to them. I've had it." - January 21, 2011

Kiefer during the car ride home: "I think we should keep Saskia. And when she grows up we should call her Peggy." - January 26, 2011

I asked Kiefer to stop running around and terrorizing the cat. He said, "I'm not terrorizing, I'm running with style." - February 4, 2011