Thursday, November 08, 2012

Fresh from the press...



Every year we wish all our family and friends all over the world the famous words Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...this year IS NO DIFFERENT!

With this card that Niels just finished drawing and coloring, we would like to wish all our family and friends around the world (Philippines, Belgium, Poland, Hungary, India, US, and everywhere else)...

A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS 
AND A SPELDID NEW YEAR!

From our hearts,

Neri, Nico, Niels and Nina

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Makayla turned 2!

 

HAPPY HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY
COWGIRL MAKAYLA!
 
We love you and miss you!!!
 
Lots of Hugs and Kisses,
 
Ninang Neri, Uncle Nico, Niels and Nina


From: Ben Palacio
Sent: Wednesday, November 7, 2012 4:53 AM
Subject: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAKAY
 
 
JM, Geli and Makayla came last night for the latter's sober 2nd birthday celebration.

Before they arrived your Nanay was preparing the round table at the dining room while I was in the old garage with Temi. Suddenly a cold refreshing gust of wind swept through and the Jasmine flowers' inviting scent pervaded the area.

We took the hint.

The green plastic rectangular table was brought in, bright lighting installed, and Nico's mosquito spray applied. And the table was set near Temi who continually bid us BABAY, TAO PO, PANGIT then whistles the Nico tune. Makay was overwhelmed by the delightful sight and then discovered that she could enter and exit the dining room by simply opening and closing the door. She did this probably a 2 dozen times. Then I remembered Bambino doing the same thing at his first Philippine visit at the same age.

KFC chicken, Susan Spaghetti, Conti's Cake, Cheese Royale Ice Cream and Cold drinks lined our intestines.

The birthday celebrant thoroughly enjoyed the evening by singing Happy Birthday, blowing the 2 cake candles then splurging on gelatine.

A sober celebration by the kid.


Lolo

Saturday, October 06, 2012

Nina is 2 fast 2 soon!


Nina is already 2!

Once again I'm being intimidated by the speed of time. My children are growing too fast for me. Nina who I still saw (a few days ago) as my little baby, has turned 2 and that is quite surprising.  If I just stay still for a moment and start to ponder, she can actually do lots of things already like any other 2 year old can. 

I'm probably denying that fact "unconsciously" cause I just want to enjoy her babyness a lot longer ;-)

The week before her birthday, I was flipping through the pictures from the past years...I actually saw how big she already became. And I have to say, that moment I told myself to accept the fact that she is already 2.

After I (bitterly) passed that phase of denial, I suddenly started daydreaming: I see her going to school next year, walking hand in hand with Niels or with the other kids from Petteflet on the way to school, becoming more independent, becoming a bigger girl, AAH! Time why do you do this to me?

On the other hand, its nice to see that I can witness all of this growing-up-experience first hand and up close ;-) To close probably that I didn't see it in the beginning. I should say, I love it, love it a lot.  The feeling that my kids are growing healthy and wise (all fingers crossed) is underscribable.

To Nina, my sweet baby girl, you have proven a long time already that you are not a baby anymore, now that you turned 2, Mama has to accept that fact and treat you your age. And you are worth it...you are already a big girl.

But always remember, we have said this to Niels as well, that you will both remain mama's baby forever :-) 

We LOVE you Nina!

Here are some picture of Nina's birthday party here at home:

Opa and Nina's cake

It's opa's birthday as well!

Nina got Julleke as gift from broer Niels

Oooh, a big kiss from Niels

Niels helping Nina open her next gift

Another gift from Niels

And some pictures from 't Speelboerderijtje:

With my youngest visitor: Emiel

Opening her gifts

Eating pancake with Papa

And having a looot of fun!

She slept good that night, a good sign ;-)

Friday, October 05, 2012

Nina's Evolution from 0 to 2





Happy 2nd Birthday Little Princess Nina!


We love you so...

Mama, Papa and Niels

Sunday, September 30, 2012

De Nina...het meisje die nog geen 2 jaar is...




Het meisje die nog geen 2 jaar is...
(The girl who is not even 2 and...)

...En kan al tot 20 tellen!
Dus als je van plan ben om verstoppertje te spelen...moet je zeker goed stil kunnen wachten tot ze gedaan is met tellen tot 20!

(And she can already count to 20!  So if you are planning to play hide-and-seek with her you better be ready to stay still for quite a while until she finishes counting to 20!)

...En is al sportief ingesteld
Elke keer als ze wilt lopen, positioneer ze haar eigen als in het echte competitie en zeg ze daarna...”Ready, Get Set, Go!”
En ik moet ook mee, dan zeg ze waar ik moet staan...”Mama, andere kant” zeg ze dan.
            Elke keer als ze boven de trap van ons speelhuisje wil, zeg ze “1-2-3 Start!”
           
(And is already sportminded.  Everytime she wants to run...she positions herself first into her running position like how they do it in a real competition and then she says ready, get set, go!...well I have to run with her too everytime and she tells me where I should position myself..."Mama, other side", she says.  Also everytime she goes up the stairs of the playhouse she say counts 1-2-3 Start!)


Nina doing Ready - Get Set - Go! with Opa
 
...En is al met de mode bezig
            Ze weet 100 procent wel wat ze wil en niet wil aan doen.
            Als het een mooi kleedje is, dan zeg ze “Nina mooi”
Als het kleedje of tshirtje haar niet bevalt dan moet je echt niet proberen want je gaat gewoon verliezen met het kattengevecht!

(And is already a fashionista!  She knows 100% what she wants and not want to put on.  If her dress is nice, she says, "Nina pretty".  If she doesnt like the dress or the tshirt then you dont have to try to put it on, you will never win the cat fight anyway)

....En kan stukjes kleren al zelf aandoen of uitdoen
Broekje, schoentjes en laarsjes, (en mama en niels schoentjes ook) kan ze al zelf aandoen, en jasje uitdoen...maar met de sokken sukkelt ze nog een beetje.

(And can already put on or out pieces of clothing.  Her pants, her shoes, her boots (or even mine or Niels' shoes) she can already put on herself.  And her jacket she can take out herself as well.  She would love to be able to put her own socks on but its still a little bit difficult...she never gives up trying though)

Nina putting her shoes back on

...En kan al een hele boek van kinderliedjes zingen!
Ook ABC en Twinkle Twinkle in het engels kan ze al heel goed!
  
(And she can already sing a whole book of children songs...even ABC and Twinkle Twinkle in english is sang perfectly!)



...En kan het verhaalboekjes van Piet Piraat kunnen navertellen, met alle correcte belangrijke details!

(And can already tell stories from Piet Piraat's book correctly and not omitting all important details of the story)
 
...En ze kan alle namen van Niels zijn vriendjes van school zeggen terwijl ze op het juiste kopke op het fototje van de bende wijst.

(And can distinguish all of Niels' friends from school while pointing to the right face on the pictures and she met most of them only once)

Niels and his friends during the opening of the playhouse
 
...En ze kan Niels al heel goed plaggen
Elke keer als Niels “Ja” zegt, zegt ze “Neen”...voor geen reden...alleen puur om Niels te plaggen!  En deugenietje, dat is zeker!
Maar niet vergeten dat ze ook samen heel goed kunnen lachen en spelen ;-)

(And can bully Niels quite good. Everytime Niels says YES, she says NO instantly without any reason...just to purely bully Niels.  But dont forget that they can also play and laugh together very good...so sweet to see when they do)

Niels and Nina...mijn bengeltjes!

...En is al even gek als Niels. (And is already crazy as Niels)





...En ze kan soms een heel lang verhaal vertellen

Ze begint met wat is er met haar gebeurde op die specifieke dag en ze eindigt met het beschrijven van welke paar schoenen heb je aan...

Een voorbeeld (Nina vertelt tegen Oma wat is er met haar dikke lip gebeurde)

Nina vertelt "Nina vallen glijbaan...lip pijn...boven en toen vallen...aaah! boeg! (ze maakt ook nog een echt geluids effecten)...dan...een beetje boven..en dan crying...oma...sandaltjes aan!"

 (And she can tell...I mean narrate...quite a long story without a pause!.  She begins tellign what happened to her that day, how it happened, how it begun and ending up describing what you are wearing!

 One time Oma and Opa visited us and she had a swollen lip, so she started telling:

Nina fell slide...lip pain...upstairs and then fell...aah! boog! (she even makes true-to-life sound effect)...then...little bit upstairs...then crying...oma...sandals on!)

Je ziet wel...voor ons lijk het wel dat ze een 3 jarig is die in een huid van een nog-geen-2-jaar-meisje zit! Al zeker klaar voor school volgend jaar! 

Well you see, for us it looks like she is a 3 year old girl trapped in the body of a not-even-2-year-old-girl.  She definitely is already ready to go to school next year!