Sinterklaas kapoentje!

Sinterklaas kapoentje

gooi wat in mijn schoentje

gooi wat in mijn laarsje

DANK U Sinterklaasje!

Woh!!!! A colorful-looking-moving-big-tummy-thing welcomed us when we entered the hall...Mama siad its called a clown...but what is a clown? They laugh weird and look weird...but they are totally funny!

Mama, me and the so-called-clown

There are 3 of them and they were teaching all the children (including me of course) .some songs and dance steps. It was fascinating to see looots of children! I thought I've seen already all the children in the world at my daycare center! I was totally wrong! There are a loooot more of them!!!!

Me sitting with Celeste, Mama, clown and the other children

And then...the clown said...the SINT has arrived on his horse and with Zwarte Piet also! My my my, who's Opa is he? He is oooh sooo old! And Zwarte Piet is oooh sooo black! He gave me a candy though! Yum yum!

with Papa and Zwarte Piet

And then it was time to seat on Sinterklaas' lap...the clown called my name and Celeste's name...then I saw Mama and Papa running with a camera. Then the clown gave the microphone to us...and Celeste started singing..the mic was kinda heavy so I helped Celeste hold it up...but still who's Opa is Sinterklaas???? He has sooo much white hair!..while my Opa doesn't have any!

Me and Celeste on Sinterklaas' lap

But to tell you the truth I had lots of fun with everyone! And I also proved to them I can also be a clown! See below...I can make faces too!

Papa and my weird laugh

Opa and my drunken laugh

When we got home I slept immediately. I was so tired with all the dancing, singing, laughing and walking! But I slept with a biiig smile on my face :-)

Happy Niels

PS..Sinterklaas gave me a treasure box for my toys...but really..who's Opa is he?

Hasselt Winterland!

Cold cold winter has started...Mama, Papa and I went to Hasselt Winterland last weekend. Although I should say, I was sleeping the whole time we were in Winterland...

Giant Santa Clause

small Mama with the giant snowman

Me...sleeping :-)

Trapped!

inside my toy basket...ehem...anybody HELP please?

My days in Balen

Every thursday...my destination..BALEN.

And I have loooots of fun there I assure you! Although I broke already 1 ceramic puppy and 1 ceramic cat...I just gave them my cute smile and wink and Oma and Opa forgave me already...I will just buy them a replacement when Im older.

Here are some shots Oma made:

Playing with Opa's vroem-vroem Jeepney

Playing with Oma's throwpillows

Me trying to cross under the table..phew! difficult!

My First Snow...

WHITE! Thats the best way to describe it! Last saturday morning it was totally white outside our house when Mama and Papa opened the curtains. But we had to leave then soon to go to Hasselt so I didnt have the chance to really look deep into this new phenomenon.

But last sunday, Oma and Opa were in Paal to plant some "beuk" hedges and it started snowing! I was banging on our big window to call them back IN but they didnt hear me! So I gave up...I just went upstairs and slept. And...and..and..when I woke up after 2 hrs...they were still outside! I thought we had 2 live snowmen playing outside but it was just Oma and Opa.

Anyway, would just like to share with you my first SNOW experience!

Brrrrrrr.

Happy Birthday Mama!

Excited Niels

Now its Mama’s turn to celebrate her birthday and we (especially Papa!) prepared a lot of surprises for Mama!!! Yuppeeeee!!!!

Boquet of Roses

Delivery: A big boquet of red long roses sent to Mama at work
Last night Papa and I planned to send Mama the roses to her work. So I reminded Papa yesterday morning before he brought me to the daycare to NOT FORGET to call the flowershop and order the flowers. He did and it arrived just the way it should be! Mama was so surprised when he saw that flowers arrived for her from Papa and me.

It’s a big boquet so I don’t know how she managed to bring it but when she got home last night, she has the boquet in her hands…although I should say..I didn’t see Mama immediately cause the boquet was bigger than her!

A warm bubble bath under the candlelights
Hmmmm, sounds relaxing isnt it? Exactly! That was the plan. To give Mama a relaxing bath before she gourge the next surprise! Papa convinced Mama to enjoy first a warm bubble bath under the candlelights! Papa prepared her bath with lavander oil to help her relax even more. And with no hesitations Mama jumped in the bathtub!

A 7-Course-Menu Dinner from a 5-star-Chef-Cook
Of course of course, we still had a surprise for Mama! Papa prepared a very vast dinner! 7-courses!

Papa started with some mini appetizers...

First was a small glass with layers of puree sundried tomatoes, fresh cheese and pesto.

(no available picture yet, check again blog tomorrow)

Second was a spoon with grilled gambas, a slice of sun dried tomatoes with a sauce of cream and spinach.

Grilled Gambas with spinach cream sauce

Third was a version of the second one but instead of the spinach cream sauce, the gambas were grilled with green pepperballs.

Grilled Gambas with Green pepperballs

Two warm dishes coming up...
The first warm dish was grilled salmon steak on a bed of various vegetables garnished with dashes of pesto

Salmon Steak

The second warm dish is Baked Ox steak in mushroom cream sauce and steamed potatoes garnished with parsley

Ox Steak

Dessert Finale...
My mouth is starting to get watery again! Yum yum, time for dessert!!!



Papa prepared 2 desserts.
First one is a trio. It’s a plate of passion fruit sorbet, sliced mango, and melon sorbet with a drop of whipped coconut cream! Heavenly!

Sorbet Trio

And last but not the least….creme brulée! Yup! Papa even bought a kitchen torch just to be able to perfect this dessert! It simply melts in your mouth!

Creme Brulée

It was a perfect ending to a tiring-cooking-night for Papa and a happy-birthday-night for Mama. Although I should let everyone know, I didn’t witness the dessert part anymore cause I was already upstairs asleep before they even finish their Ox steak. I was so tired. I need the early rest cause I also have no voice for the moment…ehem…and I have “snot/sipon”, a little bit cough and slight fever…but what more can I say???

What a Papa I have! For me and Mama he deserves not only 5 stars but 100 stars!!!!! He is our very own 100-star-chef-cook!

Mama, Papa and I hope you enjoyed our surprise and we want to let you know how much we love you so!

And oh…I loooove birthdays!

Party-Animal-Niels

Splash splash splash!

Ho ho ho!

Look how I enjoy my bath! Mama and Papa cannot do much but to let me play. Its so delicious to play in my warm water! And also I got to get used to it since beginning december I will start my baby swimming lessons...so plons!plons!plons!

See you next time! Gotta finish my bath still...

Warm Niels

A dialogue with Mama

Hello everyone,

Here is a video I want to share with you. While Niels was talking to me one sunday morning.

Enjoy!

Mama Neri

Aside from being 10 months...

Hello everyone,

After 10 months of being a baby, Im trying now to show Mama and Papa that I wont be a baby for long anymore. I will soon turn 1 and Im preparing myself for that!

1. Sleeping in Balen

Last week thursday I have to sleep with Oma and Opa in Balen. Its the first time I will sleep without Mama and Papa close by. Mama told me that she was crying on her way home thursday evening whenever she remembers that I will not be there when she gets home. So, Mama and Papa drove to Balen thursday night to see me and calm Mama down.

So at 21u Mama put me in my pyjama, brushed my teeth and tucked me in to sleep. Didnt take that long though....when Oma and Opa decided to sleep around 23u...I decided to wake up! It wasnt fun waking up in some other place than my own bedroom. But Oma has a trick to put me back to sleep...she walked around the house with me in the buggy! And I slept in my buggy until the morning! Oh my, sorry Oma and Opa to keep you awake...but I will get used to sleeping in Papa's old room. I promise, next time I will sleep better.

2. Walking with only 1 hand support

I like walking while being held on 1 hand only. If Mama or Papa tries to hold both my hands, I take my other hand back. I can balance! They should learn to accept that!

3. Stepping to 7!

Last night before I slept, I said good night to Papa...then I walked towards Mama...7 steps!

4. Hide and Seek

I loooooove playing hide and seek...I hide and they seek for me. When they catch me they tickle me. Sometimes I do the other way around! I tickle them! But because Im just 10 months, I dont know the difference yet between biting hard and tickling hard! Poor Mama and Papa!

5. Bday parties and pies

And last sunday we celebrated Meter Vicky's bday! And you know what??? Opa let me taste his apricot pie "abrikozen taart"! Yummy!

Till next time!

8-toothed-Niels

1-2-3 Yupeeee!

Hello everyone,

The last week has been very very busy. For Papa with his work, for Mama from taking care of me and for me from trying all these new things I have discovered I can do :-)

I can sing! But I dont understand why Mama asks me "What's wrong?" every time I sing. And when she looks at me she comments..."Ah you are just singing" (with a smile in her face). Do I sound awful when I sing? Is it in the family??? Could anybody in the family tell me please???

I can dance! Music on and Im SHAKING!

Aside from my singing and dancing talents...ehem...yesterday I also did my Very First 3 Steps alone! Woooooh! That was exciting! It felt like I was walking and balancing on a hanging bridge! The only difference is, im not on a real hanging bridge, there is no empty space below me where I can fall, and that Mama was on one end and Papa on the other. What an adrenaline rush..also for Mama and Papa I guess he he he.

It was fun and I want to do it all over again!

Stepping Niels