Happy Birthday Tineke (Oct 4)

Before you were born, Leif and Laika called you Baby Glitter. They didn't know that Glitter would actually describe you when you came out! But it does. Each and every day you delight us. You make us laugh when you do little dances, when you put shoes in the dishwasher, when you scream and clap your hands and walk backwards. We think you are a monkey when you climb onto the dining room chairs, throw a sock into the toilet or try to put underwear on your head. You are such a wonderful little friend for all of us. You are patient when we dress you up in costumes both normal and ab.

In one year you have gone from red-faced newborn to little blonde doll. You have learned to kiss, to hug, to laugh, to feed yourself and others. You can understand me when I say, "Tineke. Cough. Give me a cough." (sore throat) and you obediently try your best. When you hear the phone ring or a knock at the door you know what to do and run as fast as your little legs can carry you to the door. You get shy when you meet a stranger and hold very still with your head down, but if they are patient they will eventually be rewarded. You are so energetic and already a part of the team. You love to jump on your brother and sister and hug them, and you squeal happily when they carry you around the house. Like a little ant you grab the biggest thing you can find and try to carry it. Now you have a new game called Cirque Du Stroller. It's a little scary. You keep me on my toes!

Being one year old means walking around waving at people you don't know. It means squatting with your little bum one inch off the floor while you study a toy. It means talking in your gibberish language with a serious look on your face, and tucking a phone into the side of your neck while you wander around pretending to chat. It means you are completely innocent, you've never been unkind, and you've never told a lie.

Because you are our last baby everything seems to be going so quickly (too quickly). People don't need to tell me that I will look back fondly on these crazy days because somehow I already do. We appreciate each day of your babyhood and try our best to hold on to every moment. Thank you for making those moments so fun. You are a ray of sunshine.

We love you Tineke.

Happy Birthday.

. . . and proud of it!

Tineke's a walker . . .

It started with about one step a day over the last few weeks, and now she's full-fledged! So, like her sister before her she's a ramblin' 10 mth old. With her new ability comes a bit of an attitude, like 'keep your hands off - I've got somewhere I've gotta be!" and you may get yelled at if you try to stop her.

Anyhoooo. Here's some video so you can see (and hear) what it's all about over here! The kids are very proud of her latest accomplishment. She's one of the gang now!

ps. she hit the stop button herself as she slapped the keyboard - hence the quick ending

Toothless Wonder Learns to Wave

This afternoon I could not keep Tineke away from the window, where she was watching the guys with their blowtorches and hot pitch.  She would stand there babbling loudly.  Let go of the window and balance.  Wave at the workers.  Fall over.  Repeat.

Yesterday morning I put her on the floor of our bedroom to play while we could watch her from our cosy bed.  She was making all sorts of 'Hiya hiya hiya' noises and then she climbed up and stood over her box of toys so that she could wave at the teddy bears inside.  This was some serious cuteness.  I can't really say how cute it was, because it was way too cute.

See for yourself (and check out my awesome barrette)

OK.  Now that could have only been entertaining for about 4 people in the world, but I am one of them, thus it was posted.

Goodnight Comb. Goodnight Brush. Goodnight Nobody, Goodnight Mush

 . . . those are may favourite lines from that bizarre book "Goodnight Moon."  We said goodbye to mush about a week ago.  Tineke will still eat mushed up whatever, but it is far more fun to watch her suck on a long strip of red pepper, gobble up a triangle of watermelon, or try to balance 5 peas on her little hand.

In the same spirit of culinary adventure that I'm trying to bestow upon her I've decided to try some new foods.  There are two vegetables I love, but that don't sit too well with me (if you know what I mean).  Their names are broccoli and cauliflower.   So poor L and L are deprived, and only get to see these exotic vegetables in other peoples' homes.  

However, today we played chefs with a large beautiful cauliflower.  We examined it, cut it up, broke it apart, washed it and then tossed it with olive oil and salt and baked the florets for about half an hour - until golden.  They were quite tasty with our lunch and we all ate probably a few too many.

For supper, I decided to dish out the few leftovers.

Laika:   Oh no.  Not broccoli again!

Me:      It's not called broccoli.

Laika:    What is it again?

Me:       Caaauulliiiii . . . . 

Laika:     Oh yeah.  Caulisporin

Leif emerges from bathroom, where he's been washing his hands.

Laika:    Look Leif, more caulisporin

Leif:      Oh no.  I think I maybe like broccoli.  But I don't like the caulisporin.

That's OK.  Tineke eats quinoa and parsnips without complaint.  So we'll ride on her coattails.

Babyhood is like so '08

Tineke is now old enough to play with toys!  She sits on the floor and carefully empties out a box of toys and then bangs them around, and turns the box over and tries to climb on it.  These are all obvious signs of a superb intellect.  The best thing about it is that the kids are learning to treat her like an equal instead of a little creature.  The worst thing about it is they sometimes offer her toys which are inappropriate (not in subject matter - in relation to the size of her trachea).  What a little pumpkin.  

Oh Bumbo

Baby equipment always comes with warnings. Some which are helpful and others which just plant ideas in your head, like using an exersaucer as a toboggan. I've always been fond of the warning on powdered formula which reminds you to Add Water before feeding to baby.

On the Bumbo box it warns you to use on the floor, not on a table or chair. The Bumbo is a wonderful little baby seat and it has been great for Tineke. Before she could sit unassisted I would set her in it and she would be in the centre of the action with Leif and Laika. For some time now she's been able to use her legs like a clam uses its weird belly muscle, to squish out and push herself around the ocean floor, (living room) but the Bumbo has remained a safe place to put her when I need both arms. Well, all good things must come to an end. Yesterday as I removed a hot tray from the oven I heard a noggin-like thunk on the dining room floor. Tineke had unBumbo'd herself onto her little forehead (good thing I followed the warning on the box and she didn't fall three feet!). She was fine, but startled. See how she smiles through her tears? Now I've got one less option for keeping her confined. I've just got to deal with the fact that if she's not in the exersaucer of jolly jumper then she'll be rolling around the place dusting the floor with her sleeper and inspecting nooks and crannies for tiny choking hazards.

Spring in the City

At last Spring has arrived! The past few days have been beautiful. 

To get into the whole 'spring cleaning' mood Laika was using some handsoap and her toothbrush to clean some toys. To her credit she did this all on her own, without my knowledge. So when it came time to brush her teeth I had no idea that we had some soapy contamination going on. When she complained of the toothpaste being too spicy and hurting her throat I was confused. When she started crying and big bubbles started coming out of her mouth and the bubbles smelled a little like 'French Linen' I knew we were dealing with something a little out of the ordinary. So of course I made her hold still while I took a picture.
Here are Leif and Erik at Queen Elizabeth Park. It was so bright and beautiful. You can see the whole city. This is the park beside the building where Laika takes gymnastics. I think we'll be picnicing here for the rest of the year!
Tineke has learned that sand is a lot of fun, and has yet to eat some!
I love Vancouver in the spring. The cherry blossoms are the best, but these rhododendrons are so huge and bright that they can't be overlooked.
At the top of Queen Elizabeth Park there is a beautiful pond and fountain with benches all around. Beyond that you can see the dome. That is the Bloedel Conservatory. It is filled with tropical plants and birds and the smell of rainforest flowers.
One of our favourite Sunday afternoon destinations is Jericho beach. You can watch people learning to sail and collect shells. Often police officers drive by on little dune buggies and wave at you.
This photo of Erik and Tineke commemorates last Sunday, when she sat in a swing for the first time. She loved it! She laughed every time she started swinging forward. Auntie C commented that Tin looks like TinTin in this picture. I agree! We just need to get a little mousse in the front.
And lastly, here are Leif and Laika at Jericho hill park. They are in their PJs waiting for swimming lessons to begin. How fun it is to run in the grass in your pajamas, seeing how long your shadow has become. Soon it will be this bright after swimming lessons as well.

6 Months!

Tineke turned HalfaYear old yesterday.  Her development for the day was to start saying, "A Dadada, A Dadada"  over and over again.  This makes everyone so excited.  But don't get too excited in her face or she might start crying.  There is a stage in her crying where she starts blowing raspberries.  So at 6 months she's learning to say the same thing over and over again.  She also sits in her highchair and eats food with the family now.  She keeps her chubby little arms out like she's flying and peeks over either side of the highchair to see if someone is going to play peekaboo with her.

And Leif is learning a lot at school.  In his 'Ecriture' book he has drawn a house and labelled it 'mizo' (maison) and a castle is 'chatoe' and a bird is oiseau!  He has also learned that if you call mommy 'lame' everyone starts laughing, and then tells you not to let it happen again.

Laika has recently learned that if you pull an entire roll of toilet paper into the bath with you the water becomes full of 1000 swimming ghosties.

Sssssshhhhhhh

There was a time when Laika was little that Leif felt left out, sleeping all alone in his bedroom.  So we set up the little igloo tent in our room and when he came to visit in the night he had a cosy place to go that didn't involve taking up the entire middle of our bed. 

Sleeping arrangements are constantly changing around here.  Though Leif and Laika are pretty great at going to bed there are still nightmares, nosebleeds, trips to the bathroom and (like this morning) taps on my shoulder, "I just barfed in my bed."  I remember before having Leif my friend telling me that since her daughter had been born 4 months earlier she hadn't had more than 4 hours straight sleep.  I could not believe it.  I mean, I believed her, but didn't want that to be true.  Well.  It is true.  Though Tineke has BEEN a good sleeper, she is going through a little 6 month growth spurt or something that has her waking frequently in the night and not going down as easily as before.  I'm pretty much guaranteed a waking at 2ish and then at 4:30 she's hungry and from then on she's waking quite a bit until about 7:30 or 8.  So there is that whole 4:00 5:00 6:00 blur when I'm just hoping she won't notice the sun starting to rise.

Erik and I are both quite tired.  He's working on a new film and this means longer hours as he takes meetings and travels around the city checking out all of the locations (tech scout).  By the time he comes home we are both exhausted, but we aren't out of the woods yet.  We still need to make sure everyone is full, bathed, played with, teeth-brushed and to bed.  By 9:30 the little ones are all sleeping soundly (usually).  If I were smart I would just go to bed right then, but it's nice to have 10 minutes or so to talk to Erik.  I don't know, just to see what's going on.  A few days ago I tried going through the day without coffee.  It didn't work.

I'm not worried, I know that these things all work themselves out.  This is probably the toughest sleep time of our lives, so things can only get better!  

As for the barfing - I had hoped it was just that he had swallowed too much water during swim lessons last night, but I don't think so.  Right now Leif is asleep on couch with what I'm hoping is just a touch of a flu and Tineke is napping peacefully.  Laika is out for a walk with Chaplin and his mom and dad.  I'm taking the opportunity to wash bedding and towels and disinfect doorknobs and keyboards and light switches.  Last April we had a horrible 3 day festival of puking.  Leif and Laika each threw up every 10 minutes (NO EXAGGERATION) and Erik threw up 11 times.  I was sick once, but I was pregnant, so who knows.  Anyway.  What I did learn is that I want everything in this place to be in order in case I come down with gastroenteritis.  So, I'm off to fold towels and remake beds.

Don't You Forget About Me . . .

Tineke is almost five months old now!  She continues to enjoy chewing on her toes and clapping her feet together.  She can flip around onto her tummy in no time if there is a toy she wants, and she does want.  She still goes to bed quite easily and always wakes up in between Erik and I.  She reaches over and starts rubbing his back, trying to get him to wake up and talk to her.  She is very happy in the morning and chats and laughs with us.  She has yet to say anything funny though.  I think she's working on popping a little tooth through and I know she's working on sitting up.  I'm in no rush for either of those.  

Sunshine

Yippee!  It was Friday (or Friderday - whichever you prefer).  Leif went skating for the first time with school.  He held tightly to his cone (or pine cone - you choose) and very s l o w l y worked his way from one side of the rink to the other.  The most glamorous mom was also on the ice, and she took him for a little spin.  She is glamorous and kind both!  Leif said he loved it.   Laika was cold and didn't love watching all the skating, but it was highly amusing for those of us on the sidelines.  The best moment was when they opened the gate to let all 60 kindergarten kids on the ice.  The kids tried to flood through, but as each one hit the ice he or she wiped out, and then the next kid would wipe out and one would get back on her feet, and then down again.  The ten or so strong skaters pushed their way through and started showing their stuff.  The floundering horde were helped out by a bunch of big orange pylons.  

We went to Science World in the afternoon and checked out the Lego exhibit for the second time.  We were then inspired to buy more Lego - remember, members get a discount (this is how I justified it).  We got a box of 'girl Lego' for Laika.  It was completely worth it.  Now she is actually motivated to build when she can make a pink car with two little girls in it, or a white bunny with a flower on it's head.  We are getting quite the collection which is fine by me, because Lego is Awesome.

Our life is so busy with swimming and nightmares and school and grocery shopping and Legotime and gymnastics and cooking and cleaning and driving and playgrounds.  I am necessary in each endeavour, and Tineke is by my side through it all.  She is my little smiling, toe-sucking mascot.  There are 3 hours a week when it is just the two of us all alone while both kids are at school and she's often asleep.  The rest of the time we share the sidelines watching our big kids play.  Now she is at the point where she will watch the kids in the pool, gym or park.  They are so proud of their happy baby sister.  I learned that Laika knows how to sing "You Are My Sunshine", so we've been singing it to Tin all day.  We like to get very dramatic during the sad part.  As we sing, Tineke lays on the floor holding her toes in her tiny fingers and laughs at us.  She knows she is our Sunshine. 

Babydom

Tineke is 3 and a half months old now!  The time has passed so quickly.

She is off the charts for her height and is close to the top for weight and head.  She is a jolly little baby.  The kids have no problem making her smile, and if you tickle her a little she will give a beginner's chuckle.  She tries to talk back to us if we wait, and is constantly trying to make eye contact with you so that she can smile and reel you in.  She is able to grab her little squeaky star and bring it to her mouth.  At this point she's about 50% nursed and 50% bottle fed.  She goes to bed for the night at 8 or 9 and sleeps for 12 hours with one or two brief wakings to be nursed.  She starts off the night in the cradle my dad built and wakes up between Erik and I.  During the day she naps whenever we get in the car and if we are at home, she is pretty easy to lay down and leave.  She enjoys the bath and the kids enjoy helping me wash her.   If you let her 'kiss' your cheek, she will start sucking on it.  The kids think this is hilarious (and it is - it tickles).  

Tineke is by far the most easy going of the three kids.  I remember Leif being easily startled at this age with the sound of crinkling plastic, and Laika was not easily left (to put it mildly). 

It is amazing how quickly and effortlessly this new little person came in and made her presence an integral part of our happiness.

Happy Quarter birthday little TinTin!

An Average Day

This may not be that exciting to read, but for future reference - Here's a little rundown of the average day.

Laika is always the first one up, at about 7:45.  She comes into our room, crawls in beside me and lays down for a few minutes.  When I start worrying about her falling off, I take her out to the living room and turn on Curious George.  Then I get Leif up.  The two of them watch CG while I empty the dishwasher and put away any old dishes or clothes that got stripped off in the living room the night before.  I also prepare breakfast at this time, and they will eat it when CG is over.

Usually Tineke is still asleep and in bed with Erik.  I prod him a few times before he gets into the shower leaving Tineke all tiny in the centre of the bed.  Her little fists straight out.

Eventually we all get washed and dressed.  Erik gets hugs and kisses and then the kids give him an 'arrow' (they stand in the hall and pretend to be traffic signs pointing to the elevator) and we say goodbye.

I make a pointed effort to remain calm as I try to get the kids out the door.  They try to get ready without standing up.

Today we took Laika to gymnastics.  We watch her do her thing and then we eat a packed lunch together on a mini picnic table in the viewing area.  

We take Leif to school and play outside for a few minutes while we wait for the teacher.

Today Laika skipped preschool so that she could come to the doctor with Tineke.  Tineke was measured and weighed and jabbed today (two shots).  Laika held her little head and kissed it while she was getting her shots.  She was really excellent.  I was so proud of her.  Afterward she told me that she didn't like seeing the needle, but that she wanted to help her sister.  She also said that when Tineke cried it made her lungs sad, and she placed her little hands on her chest when saying this.

After school we pick Leif up from Ben's house and come home.  If Tineke is asleep I will start supper (even if it's only 4 - which it was today).  I find it almost impossible to make supper when all 3 kids are awake.  I like to have them playing with toys or doing art or schoolwork while I cook, and these things take help, so it makes it easier if Tineke is asleep.

We eat supper either before or after Daddy gets home.  Then more playing, and a bath, or sometimes a movie.  Tonight they just played and played so well that I decided I'd give them a bath in the morning.  Often Erik puts L and L to bed (and falls asleep on the floor) while I take care of Tineke.  Tonight however he had a script to read, so I held Tineke and sat on their floor singing lullabies until all 3 fell asleep.  It was a lovely ending to a lovely day.

First Shots

Yesterday Tineke had her first two immunizations.  She was a champ.  It is so hard to see her experiencing pain for (almost) the first time.  It catches a baby so off guard.  She's just sitting there in her diaper, her soft little thighs all innocently exposed and then a job in each one and a little square bandaid.  She only cried for a minute though.  Leif and Laika played in the waiting room and got stickers for being so well behaved.

When Dr. W. put her on the scale to weigh her she peed.  She came out at 11 pounds 15 ounces, but if she hadn't peed I think she would have been an even 12.  She's is long, heavy and has a nice round head. (95%ile) She's growing really well.

At two months old I'm so proud of her.  She is such a smiley happy little thing.  She is sleeping really well in the night, she grabs toys and pulls them to her mouth, she holds her head up and she has gurgle conversations with me.  These two months have gone so fast and even when I'm really tired and grouchy I'm appreciating every single day of having this new little baby in our lives.

2 Month Old Kids!

Here are close ups of each baby at 2 months old, in chronological order.

When I'm interacting with Tineke she feels very familiar.  And when she's sleeping or nursing it's a trip down memory lane.