Big Girl indeed!

We've been back to Haifa for more than a month now and thought of updating you all on what has been happening with us lately, especially with our growing daughter Enna-Marie.

First we decided to stop the use of the pacifier which Enna-Marie used for eight months after being weaned from mommy's milk. We told her she's a "big girl" now and that "big girls" don't use paci. She agreed and got excited when we suggested to have a little 'paci-cutting' ceremony. We helped her cut the nipple of the paci, so that she would know it wasn't working anymore. She only asked for it 2-3 times without crying and she was perfectly fine since then.

Second we moved her from her crib to a big bed, we bought a guard-rail and placed it at the side so she can't fall off the bed. We are happy that she likes her new bed and she tells us that she is now a "big girl" and not anymore a baby. Of course, her newly afforded 'freedom' means that she occassionally would come out of bed when she's supposed to be sleeping, but on the whole she seems to have been dealing with this change quite well!

Then third this month, we decided to bring her to kindergarden (Gan in Hebrew). It is a privately owned nursery, and you may remember seeing some photos of the Gan that we posted earlier this year. We decided to bring her earlier than we originally planned, which is when she turns three in December, since we can see that she is very independent and is ready to mingle and socialize with other children. Also since there are two other children from the World Centre who are also going to this school for the first time, one of which is even two weeks older than she is, it helped us in deciding to bring her as we know it will be easier to adjust altogether to this new environment. So far, she is doing fine in school, meeting new friends, doing some arts and crafts, learning music and some Hebrew words, playing with friends. And most importantly, she is happy!

The last new thing that she recently learned is using her potty-going to the bathroom. She basically one day initiated it herself and has wanted to use it more and more ever since. By now she is not wearing diapers anymore during the day (oh she loves wearing panties or underpants), but only at night. The teacher and the assistants at school have also greatly helped and encouraged her in this process.

We are so happy and impressed with these milestones and we so much enjoy seeing her develop every day and watch our little one growing into "big girl" Enna-Marie.

Here are some of her recent photos...

cutting her pacifier

showing her new bed

smiling for mommy at kindergarden's first day of class

painting with her new friend Rodrigo

here she is back to Rose Garden class

swimming at the balcony with Tara & Lillian

another photo with her girlfriends at Rose Garden

imitating mommy when she saw her singing & playing guitar

happy smile

content smile after eating dinner

telling a story to mommy

eating ice cream with Rodrigo

Enna-Marie started attendng Baha'i School as well this month

snack time at Baha'i school

with friends Aliyah & Layla at Gan

Going Dutch...

During our trip to Holland we visited the past as well, and in Volendam, one of Holland's most touristic cities, we fitted some traditional Dutch clothes that have long since gone out of fashion... Except of course in Volendam! So this is what our family would have looked like if we had lived a hundred years ago :)...(You can click on the picture for a larger version).

Some more Holland pics...

We had such a great holiday in Holland visiting our family & friends. After the summer school in Groesbeek, we had an opportunity to spend some quality time with oma Ineke, Jorrit, Molouk, Nadim, Minou & baby Kian. During our last week and a half we drove around the country to visit some of our friends, & did some sightseeing and shopping as well. We really enjoyed spending time in Voorhout with Marc, Nancy & Guilia, Amsterdam with Nushin, Ruben, Mutaleni & Naomi, & Bunnik with Naghmeh, Maurice, Lua & Isa.

Mahasti, Rob & Dan, also from Bunnik, were so generous as to let us stay in their house while they were away for holiday themselves, & we used our time there to meet up with other friends such as Shirin with her two children Matthijs & Alexander, Nawid, Ramin, Cathelijne & Norah, & Arjan, Maartje, Yves & Quint. During the last few days, we visited our families in Lelystad & Velp.

A BIG THANK YOU to everyone, it was so wonderful to see you all again & without you this holiday wouldn't have been the same. Unfortunately, we were not able to visit everyone we wanted to, but we hope to see you during our next trip ;).

Dutch Summerschool

Enna-Marie having snacks at children's class

Norah

Leanne

Guilia

Maartje with Quint & Norah

story telling

reunited with papa



dancing at the tent area

Dutch kids



EM doing some crafts

with friends Edgar, Andrea & mama Ineke

singing at morning prayers

EM posing-dancing again

lunch with Ingrid & Iris

EM met friends like Carmel & Dan

children's presentation at the last few evenings

the jr. youth performing as well

Chantal with her children Jarno & Leanne

having fun at the evening programme

family lunch

kids playing puzzles, EM just enjoying her time with friends

yummy licorice candy

lovely photo of Carmel, EM enjoyed playing a lot with her in the summerschool

and Dan with her sparkling eyes

more children's presentation

choir singing

the band

Nancy & Menchie

more Dutch friends Wendy, Nawid, Nancy

cuties at the dance party

Ramin & Cathelijne partying

of course mama & EM as well!

Visiting relatives

While in Holland, we are taking the opportunity to meet with relatives we haven't seen in a long time. Maarten's aunt Willy from Edam - that's right, from the cheese - celebrated her birthday and we spent the afternoon in Edam and neighboring Volendam, a major tourist town. The next day, we met with Maarten's cousins from his father's side of the family. In the presence of these cousins, Maarten somehow seemed less tall as you can tell from one of the pictures below.

Cees, Ineke, Willy, Judith and Bert (mom's siblings)



Maarten with his brother Jorrit and their cousins. Standing l to r: Wim, Michiel, Jeroen, Florentijn, Maarten and Jorrit; sitting l to r Astrid and Ellen... Pretty average height for a Dutch boy! Quiz: can you spot the twins?

With Menchie, the cousins and children... note the tallest guy in the middle... ;)

Enna-Marie with the children of the cousins...

With oma Ineke, uncle Jan and auntie Jos...