Pipo...my pet doggy

Hello everyone,

You have probably read in my birthday party blog, Peter Pan gave me a dog and he named it PIPO (in honour of our 3-legged-friendly-pinoy-doggy Pipo). Im not used to it yet but I assure you, I try to practice with it as much as I can…soon I will show you that I can bike with it!

Peter Pan arrived with Pipo in his arms

Me riding on Pipo the day after my birthday party

But then last weekend, Pipo looked terrible. I think his wheel is a little bit broken.. I have to save him and repair him immediately! So, I took the manual, read it quick and then started the repair!

Me reading the manual

(or my fake manual - its actually my first farm book hehe)

Me repairing my broken Pipo

(dont worry, it's not really broken…Im just pretending it's broken)

But he is OK again, I fixed him good! Now I can practice with him again!

Dog-friendly Niels

Wat een brave jongen!

...zeggen ze allemaal!

Gisteren waren wij (Mama en ik) naar K&G toe. Van de parking tot het kantoor heb ik zelf gelopen! Ik heb na een paar meter moeten stoppen om efkes mijn adem te halen..en daarna terug te lopen. Zodra we binnen waren, had Mama me ontkleedt (behalve mijn pamper natuurlijk!) en daarna gespeeld. Zoals gewoonlijk hebben ze me gemeten (76 cm) en gewogen (10,610 kilo).

Na mijn beurt wil ik met alle andere baby’s spelen, maar de ene huilt en de andere is te verlegen! En de rest was nog te jong. Tja! Ik heb dus alleen gespeeld...maar er is nog een jongen van 15 maanden die huilt als zijn Mama beweegt! Dus heb ik gewoon speelgoed met hem gedeeld en aaide zijn hoofd, dan was hij gerust en begon met me te spelen...hoe kan iemand zo bang worden, vraag ik me af.

Ik heb ook van ene kant naar de andere gelopen en de speelgoedjes meegesleurd...dat was heeeel plezant! Toen het labo (zo noem ik het - de kamer waar de kinderen gemeten en gewogen worden) vrij was zei ik "Hé!" tegen de mevrouw van K&G en daar binnen heb ik de kamer goed bekeken, de kasten goed geinspecteerd en de koelkast geprobeerd open te doen, maar het is niet gelukt.

En ja, nu is het mijn beurt om naar de verpleegster's kamer te gaan. Mama moet me niet dragen, ik heb daar gewoon zonder Mama (want ze moet mijn boekje nog nemen) binnen gegaan. "En? Kijk hoe flink je kan al lopen!" zei de verpleegster. En ik antwoord "Hé!" En daarna heb ik achter mij gekeken en zie ik Mama zo fier binnenkomen. Ze heeft weer dezelfde vragen aan Mama gesteld.."eet hij goed? slaapt hij goed door? brabbelt hij? doet hij nu da-da? ziekskes geweest?"...wandelt-hij-goed? hoeft ze niet meer te vragen..ik loop het hele kantoor rond en heb haar computertas nog naar buiten willen brengen! Maar dat mag niet natuurlijk en dat weet ik ook goed! Ik speel gewoon met haar voetjes!

Daarna gingen wij terug naar de speelkamer/wachtzaal/kleedkamer... wachtend tot de dokter vrij is.

Maar ik had honger, het is intussen al 19u en ik heb mijn boterham van 18u30 nog altijd niet gekregen...Mama heeft me een doosje laten zien met daarin..ja ja KOEKJES!!! Zo enthousiast was ik en heb onmiddelijk een stukje genomen...oh nee! De dokter is al vrij! Mijn koekje is nog niet op...Mama heeft me binnen gebracht en ik met mijn mond vol koekjes, heb het laatste stuk nog binnen geduwd. Amai! Dat is wat je noem EEN SNELLE HAP!

De dokter heeft me een houten doos met blokjes gegeven..en wat deed ik dan??? AWEL! De doos omkappen natuurlijk! Alle blokjes moeten eruit...zoals thuis! En dan "Alles lijkt prima, brave jongen!" vertelde de dokter. En ik - knikte.

Daarna heeft hij twee spuitjes klaar gemaakt en dat is niet voor Mama, ik ben er zeker van! Mama heeft me op haar schoot gezet, mijn armen tegen haar goed vast en de dokter aan de andere kant...een kleine "Ehe!" en het was gedaan..of nog niet??? Mama draaide me naar de andere kant en de dokter heeft hetzelfde gedaan aan mijn andere arm...een klein prikje zei hij, en dat geloofde ik ook...een klein prikje! "Amai wat een brave jongen! De eerste die niet huilt vandaag!" zei hij.

Phew! Nu is het echt gedaan..tijd om naar huis te gaan, Mama en ik hebben honger! Dus eerst snel aankleden en terug naar de auto gelopen. Dat was een druk-en-beetje-pijnlijke-maar-leuke-avond geweest bij K&G!

En op 15 April moeten wij terug gaan voor mijn laatste prikje bij K&G!

Da-da!

Brave Niels

My first birthday party

From left to right: Celeste, Nonkel Roger, Niels and Opa

My first birthday party yesterday was unforgettable! Although I bet I won't remember much of it when I grow older...but for Mama, Papa and those that were there...they will never forget it! I say a "Special day" because I was wearing something I have never worn before my whole life! I was wearing a suit (for small people that is!) as you can see in the picture.

Me, my cake and my crown

We ate delicious food, blew my birthday candle (actually Mama did), ate the cake, opened gifts and most of all played a lot! Celeste and Arthur (our neighbor) surely were there to help me scatter all the toys on the floor.

Arthur in his "paardje"

I got lots of gifts also! And by the way to my Filipino family, Peter Pan gave me a Pipo!

Peter Pan and me on Pipo

Meter Vicky was there and some other crazy family members arrived (Oma, Opa, Moemoe, Tante Mieke, Tante Mireille, Nonkel Staf, Ronald, Karolien, Nonkel Danny, Frank and Mireille)... see for yourself:

Meter Vicky and Me

Tante Nicole an Nonkel Roger

The (pregnant) Tinkerbel and the craziest Uncle you can ever have (Nonkel Romain)

After they all left, I was sooo tired that I was even saying "bye-bye" to Oma and Opa so they go home and I can finally sleep!

Tired-but-satisfied Niels

PS Lolo specially woke up last night at 2am just to greet everybody and me a Happy Birthday!

Thank you Lolo!

Happy 1st Birthday Niels!

My 1st candle

Blowing my first candle is not that easy! I'd rather touch that flame than blow it off! So Papa helped me a little bit.

My cake

Then my attention went to the cake! What a colorful yummy-looking-fruity-sweet cake! With all enthousiasm I grabbed a piece of the souse and ate it! I WAS RIGHT! It's delicious! Surprisingly, Mama and Papa were there and they were not stopping me! So I grabbed another one and put it again in my wide-open mouth!

and here is the result

I asked Mama and Papa

"Why are you laughing??? Is there something on my face?"

See you on sunday!

The Birthday Boy Niels

Proficiat met je eerste verjaardag Niels!...by Claudio and Lorena

Claudio and Lorena wrote on 06/01/2009 at 11:15pm

De dag is bijna om, dus je zal wel al in je bed liggen. Veel zal je je waarschijnlijk niet herinneren van je eerste verjaardag, en even weinig van je eerste jaar op deze wereld, maar ik ben er zeker van dat je het voorbije jaar veel gelachen hebt (veel geweend ook, maar dat hoort erbij ;-) ). Terugblikken naar deze periode zal ook nog wel komen, maar nog niet zo snel. Je eerste pasjes op de wereld (al dan niet al helemaal alleen), je eerste geluidjes en ondertussen (bijna-)woordjes, je eerste hapjes van een lepel, ... allemaal dingen waar papa en mama je later nog veel over zullen vertellen!

Op naar stage two! Rennen, b(r)abbelen, je willetje (nog verder?) doordrijven, spelen met andere "kindjes", (nog meer) vaste voeding eten en overal aankomen en (hopelijk :-p) heel veel stuk maken (maar niet té veel he :-) ). Wat zou er achter dàt deurtje daar zitten...

Proficiat!!!

Lorena & Claudio

PS Bedankt voor je kaartje Niels (en Nico en Neri :-) )

12 months ago…by Lolo Ben

Lolo Ben Palacio wrote on 05 Jan 2009 11.21pm

Hi Niels,

It was 12 months ago today when you emerged into this world with an emphatic grunt that brought smiles from Europe to Asia. Even with your eyes still closed, we were sure you could feel the devotion swirling around you. We remember the moments when you look so helpless just lying there and suddenly, you draw out a huge yawn as if telling everybody "Hey I'm just resting. Later on I'll show you what I can do". And sure enough as days turn to weeks and weeks into months, you never failed to amaze and bedazzle us with your innocent antics, naugthy dares and gritty adventures. It's an enigma that your mere facial expressions could bring tremendous reactions in opposite ways; warming up the Belgians and keeping cool the Filipinos.

Fortunately current technology could record all these. When you look back at your infant years, you yourself will smile, then giggle, then laugh. And you'll remember us for a long time for we were those you regaled. We were your audience as you weaved your magic learning to move, to grope around, to walk , to talk.

And this is just your first year in this challenging world.

Maligayang kaarawan, Bambino.

Mahal ka namin dito sa Pilipinas.

Tita Gel, Tito JM, Tita Joy, Tito Danny, Lola Susan at Lolo Dicaprio

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Brrrrrrr, the last weeks have been really cold and freezing! But this didn’t stop us from going out! Ah! My first time to walk on thick snow! Wet…cold…but fun! I can see my footsteps everywhere I go! Before I look through our window to look outside…tonight I look through the window to see the inside! I cant believe I was outside tonight!

Niels walking on the snow

Yesterday we went to Bokrijk for a Winteravond wandeling with Oma and Opa. It was cold but I was properly tucked in my buggy (although I was trying to escape at a certain moment) and Mama, Papa, Oma and Opa had their winter jackets, gloves, shaul and bonnets on so we were all pretty pretty warm. The lights were beautiful, there were lots of other kids as well…some even younger than I am. There were wood burning in different areas, barbecues grilling, warm chocolate milk and gluhwein available….yum yum!

Niels walking in Bokrijk

There was a choir singing, children dancing, musicians playing music and fireworks! Mama and I also rode a boat! My first as well. But on the other boat was a girl crying and she was shouting…”Mama out! Mama out!” I guess she wants to get out…but I was having fun, my mama was with me and I was sitting on her lap.

In the boat with Mama

But of course like any other days, it comes to an end…we have to go home. I have to drink my milk and sleep…ooooh in mijn lekker warm bedje!

Mr Frost - Niels

Nieuwjaar…New year...Bagong Taon...2009!

Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!
Happy New Year!
Manigong Bagong Taon!

2009 has started! We welcomed new year with the whole family at Liesbeth’s and Wesley’s house. Everybody was there. Celeste and Lieke also of course!

The 3 of us plotting something naughty!

Lieke en Mama Hannelore

Highlight of the night: STAIRS! It was fun climbing the stairs! It was my first time to climb one and I did it perfectly and fast! We also had photosession upstairs!

Lieke and me upstairs

My first year is almost over and the new year full of adventure is yet to come! I gladly embrace 2009, more time to spend with Mama and Papa and the rest of the family!

Mama Mia! Mmm!

Niels

Barber?!? Hair...cut?!? My first!

Children! children! Dont get scared when you hear your mama or papa say you will have a haircut...a barber is just a man with eyeglasses on, in a room full of turning chairs and mirrors, who talks a lot while he combs your hair, and at the same time makes some pieces of your hair fall on the floor. Don't worry, it doesn't hurt at all. And in fairness, he was really nice :-) And by the way, he has been Papa's barber for 10 years now. So I think I can trust him.

I had it this morning this so called haircut. First it was papa sitting on the fun-turning-chair infront of a biiiig mirror! And this guy called "the barber" was talking to him the whole time. I saw that he is doing something with papa's hair and papa's hair just keep on falling on the floor...I took the broom and swept it off! Hehe! THAT was fun!

And then it was my turn...I studied the barber...I looked at his hand and he has a comb...that I recognize...and then he also had something called scissors that I see mama sometimes use to cut that paper she used to wrap the gifts last week...and then after some time I heard a familiar sound...a shaver sound! That I also recognized!!! I see Papa use the same thing in the morning before going to work. And as I always do with Papa...I grabbed it from the barber! Hehe I WAS FAST! He didnt expect that!

After 15 minutes my turn was done. It was fun but I was full of cut hair! Itchy...but fun! The barber said I have to go back in a month! Im already looking forward to it!

Happy New Year's eve everyone!

Newly-cut-hair Niels