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 couple days after my parents left, Kiefer went to farm camp for a week. Holly, his daycare provider, usually takes the week of the 4th of July off so when I learned that Red Gate Farm had a camp that week for kids aged 4-6 or "Sprouts," I signed him up. That was back in February! The camp is about 20 minutes from Greenfield. Kiefer was really excited to go and then a little nervous when it was time for us to leave him. I couldn't wait to pick up up to see how he had done. He looked so cute toting his backpack and exclaimed: "I love farm camp! I want to go every day!" He helped collect chicken eggs, learned about bees, bulls and bugs. He told me that chickens have to stay inside a fence "so predators can't get them." On the last day, they hosted a picnic of goodies from the garden and performed some songs. Needless to say, he had a great week and he'll definitely be returning next year.
