mamaAyanna

come flying like a bird

A plane passes by ...

"Ooohh zoooeeeeefff, opa zoef, oma zoef, Ja? to Ayanna? ja?"  and then she has a big smile on her face. Soon opa and oma will come "zoef" with a plane from Europe to Ayanna and she is very excited.

But today is not the day. So we talked about the plane flying like a bird and I folded her a bird from a paper.

 

When I was young someone gave me an origami book and I tried everything, loved it, but the bird (crane) I made out of every little paper I could find. Even when I was older, drinking cups of tea in little cafes around the world, I made many teabag covers into these birds. It became a habbit, something to keep me creative even while talking.

I am pretty sure I could fold one with my eyes closed.

So the plane is like a big bird. That made me think of a fun project for a special occassion.

Today opa (my father) has his birthday!!

Opa, I think, would like to fly like a bird and opa always arrives here with the plane.

So we made opa a special bird mobile. Ayanna's painted square papers were folded into birds and we hang them all together.

 
Happy happy birthday lieve lieve lieve papa/opa! You are SOOOO special!

This mobile will be waiting here for you (to come flying to us like a bird.) We can hardly wait and will be eating cake on arrival.

While making one, we made another special one for our friend's birthday today as well... lots of birds!

 

xox

little artist

 
 
 
 

 

Little artist big mess...

 

party queen

She had a fabulous second birthday.

Simple, sweet, EARLY, homemade breakfast in a decorated kitchen.

A birthday shirt, singing and candles.

We went swimming and the senior swimming class  in other pool all sang " Happy Birthday " to her.

We watched a movie with Shirley Temple, while baking cake and baked beans.

She wore a handmade (by oma) dress with matching dresses for her babies. (Gorgeous, will have to make some more photos soon!)

Then we also had some friends over and painted faces, ran around, played, ate and sang!

At night she wanted to wear her birthday pyama's again as if she was thinking

 "let's do this all again tomorrow."

She is a real party queen, this big girl.

two years worth of sweet memories in little boxes

She makes us smile many times a day.

She is mama's meissie and papa's girl. 

She is funny, caring, sweet, loving, smart, interesting, pretty, special.

She loves her babies, books, dogs, cats, monkeys, dancing, singing, drawing, skyping, family, friends, parties, shopping and "pretties".

She is always in for snuggling, giggling, walking, reading, tea parties, sushi, avocado, ice cream and tickling.

She is our baby girl, but she is turning two years old today....

And soon she will be the big sister.

We talked about how we wish we could put every face, stage, memory in a little box and keep it forever.

So here are some of them "boxed up".

Ayanna, we love you!

We are so proud of you and so thankful to be your parents.

You made us become a family, you give us joy daily.

We pray you stay your joyful funny self and will continue to love and care around you....

Happy birthday, Ayanna Ella. Let's party today!

xox

 

three friends

When Josiah and I went on a date Ayanna was with her friends. Last night their parents went on a date and the girls stayed with us.

It was a rainy night, so we spend it inside.

We giggled our way through dinner... girls... 

Then we did some fun art and I loved seeing their character shine through in that. One was done in 5 minutes, the other fully concentrated for an hour or more. I wish I had made a photo of each of their mobiles, as they were both so artistic and unique.  

and Ayanna? Well, she just decorated one heart and then needed papa's help for another heart, while she ran off to play. 

I soon found two jumping on the bed.

Bathtime; more water outside the bath than in, but fun.

I loved seeing all the happy faces and observing their play, communication and imagination. Isn't it just wonderful to be a child?!

 
 

The summer of nesting

As I mentioned before I have been spending much time in the house...

NESTING:-)

Getting the kid's room ready for two children.

Washing, folding and sorting those teeny tiny baby clothes!

Tackling all other little projects one at a time.

I would like to see every little drawer and corner de-cluttered.

I would like to see everything practical and organized.

I would like to see all things done.

I keep on moving things around.

Pregnancy hormones are not that bad, I sure will be grateful afterwards.

At the same time I have many moments that I realize this is not the most important.

Baby and us will be very okay in a less organized home.

So we work and meet up with many friends, see many playgrounds with swings and try to just enjoy summer.

On my fun wishlist is;

-fruit picking with family

-Lake beach day

-another date with Josiah

-visiting some flea markets (to find things to clutter my home again;-)

-some more art days for me

Still somehow I can't help it...

Crossing out things on my list to do seems most awarding and freeing.

Only about 5 weeks until due date! CRAZY.....

 

Love date

We went on date night, just Josiah and me. We had not done this, despite various offers by friends and family to watch Ayanna, in months (many).

It was lovely!

We did not find the sunflower fields we were looking for,

We did see many deer driving through the country.

One jumped right in front of the car and we thankfully missed hitting her by a second.

We picked up some nice useful things on the side of the road (love America!),

strolled along the canal , which always reminds me of the Netherlands with the boats and life along the water.

We ate outside at one of our favourites Alladin's natural eatery  overlooking the water

and talked and talked without any child interruption! (Although the table right next to us included a little girl, just like Ayanna, with curls, same silliness and same "no ... mine." So we were reminded.)

It was just so lovely, so fun and relaxing.

And Ayanna...was missed by us, but she had wonderful time away as well with friends.

Maybe we should take all those offers for watching her after all!!