Despite the fact that it has something like 9 or 10 months since I last updated here and I feel somewhat removed from this blog, I'd rather spit out the last few posts or so this place deserves even if no one is still reading. Regardless of how long it has been since I was in Holland. This post I've been sitting on the longest and I'm really glad to finally finish it up.
I've kept this down to five tips because everyone is different. Every family is different. Every au pair experience is different. I didn't want to get too specific with the dos and don'ts, but I did want to at least provide specific or thorough exposition for each point.
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Monday, December 20, 2010
Snow, Stocking feet, and singing out of tune
The children don't have school this week which means I get three whole days of quality time with Roeland and Rosa before I leave. It has been awhile since I watched both of them together for a full day. Today was crazy. Instead of au pairing two Dutch children I felt like I was responsible for Thing 1 and Thing 2. They were all over the place and most of the time on the upper levels of the volume scale.
When my mom sent some gift packages for the children she included little toys, t-shirts from the Coca Cola factory in Atlanta, and these socks from Universal Studios.
Christmas spirit has infected the three of us. Roeland kept singing the same line over and over: "Simply having a wonderful Christmas time." Except the first few words come out as "sinty ebby..." He wore his Santa hat all day. There is a little bell on it so his first request this morning was that Rosa and I put our hats on as well and we can all sing "Jingle Bells." In the afternoon we went outside to play in the snow. Did you hear about how much snow hit Europe?
Snipped from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and scanned by my dad.
It seems one last coffee in Amsterdam is unlikely before Thursday but Europe rarely gets snow of like this. I like that I am here to witness it, even if it cancelled all the plans I had for my last weekend in Holland. I'm praying that current or future conditions won't hinder any of the three flights I am booked to take before the end of the week. Hoping, wishing, and praying.
P.S. My friend Caitlyn has a blog. She's an au pair in Brescia, Italy. She's fantastic so you should check it out! Right this way, if you please.
When my mom sent some gift packages for the children she included little toys, t-shirts from the Coca Cola factory in Atlanta, and these socks from Universal Studios.
Christmas spirit has infected the three of us. Roeland kept singing the same line over and over: "Simply having a wonderful Christmas time." Except the first few words come out as "sinty ebby..." He wore his Santa hat all day. There is a little bell on it so his first request this morning was that Rosa and I put our hats on as well and we can all sing "Jingle Bells." In the afternoon we went outside to play in the snow. Did you hear about how much snow hit Europe?
Snipped from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and scanned by my dad.
It seems one last coffee in Amsterdam is unlikely before Thursday but Europe rarely gets snow of like this. I like that I am here to witness it, even if it cancelled all the plans I had for my last weekend in Holland. I'm praying that current or future conditions won't hinder any of the three flights I am booked to take before the end of the week. Hoping, wishing, and praying.
P.S. My friend Caitlyn has a blog. She's an au pair in Brescia, Italy. She's fantastic so you should check it out! Right this way, if you please.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
A wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure.
When I woke up this morning I did not feel like P. Diddy. I had Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are" stuck in my head, which is a wonderful way to start one's day. On the way to pick the children up for lunch the flawless Dutch radio played Cyndi Lauper blended into "I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight." Its been a great day so far and, with eight days left until I leave, I'm trying to savor all these moments. I'm already starting to sense how much I'm going to miss the children. I spent Saturday in Amsterdam (adventure post pending) and felt the first wave of what it will be like to say good-bye. But, if you read on, you'll see that my adventures will not end when I leave Holland.
Less than 24 hours after I land in Atlanta my dad and I are flying up to Minnesota to join my mom and brothers, who fly up on the 21st, for Christmas. My time will be split between our hotel suite and both grandma's houses. Guess who else is coming up?
Brandy is taking a Greyhound bus up from Kansas City to join me for New Year's in the "Land of 10,000 Lakes." (Thanks, Mom!) As you can see, we're incredibly excited. To celebrate the fact that we'll see each other for the first time in person since New Year's 2008, we danced around to "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and quoted a good portion of Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
But that isn't all. I'm roadtripping back to Atlanta with Erica when she drives down to Florida to start her internship in January. The big open road, excellent company, and more great music? Yes, please.
I'll have a lot on my plate when I get back to the States. School loan payments and unemployment. I'll have a lot to figure out. And there are some other special people I want to see and spend some quality time with. So much to do and think about. But Holland has definitely helped me transition from being a "thinker" to a "doer." I'm sniffing out opportunities, savoring my last week here, and looking forward to the next chapter in my life. Now, instead of Bruno Mars, I have Ferris stuck in my head.
Less than 24 hours after I land in Atlanta my dad and I are flying up to Minnesota to join my mom and brothers, who fly up on the 21st, for Christmas. My time will be split between our hotel suite and both grandma's houses. Guess who else is coming up?
Brandy is taking a Greyhound bus up from Kansas City to join me for New Year's in the "Land of 10,000 Lakes." (Thanks, Mom!) As you can see, we're incredibly excited. To celebrate the fact that we'll see each other for the first time in person since New Year's 2008, we danced around to "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and quoted a good portion of Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
But that isn't all. I'm roadtripping back to Atlanta with Erica when she drives down to Florida to start her internship in January. The big open road, excellent company, and more great music? Yes, please.
I'll have a lot on my plate when I get back to the States. School loan payments and unemployment. I'll have a lot to figure out. And there are some other special people I want to see and spend some quality time with. So much to do and think about. But Holland has definitely helped me transition from being a "thinker" to a "doer." I'm sniffing out opportunities, savoring my last week here, and looking forward to the next chapter in my life. Now, instead of Bruno Mars, I have Ferris stuck in my head.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Old Saint Nick is older than you think
Last weekend when I returned from Amsterdam I found that the Christmas tree was up in the living room and remnants of Sinterklaas' and Zwarte Piet's surprises stored in my room.
I've been doing some research about how the Dutch celebrate Christmas and I really like what I discovered. I hope you're ready for a little history lesson because this particular holiday is a wonderful blend of Holland and the United States...
Sinterklaas. Saint Nicholas. Nicolas of Myra. Patron saint of children, sailors, and Amsterdam.
He was born in Patara (part of modern Turkey) during the third century. He came from a wealthy family but he gave his time and money to helping the poor. He died on December 6th, 347 A.D. He is commemorated on that date. He lives in Spain and comes to the Netherlands by boat in mid-November. Between then and December 6th he makes appearances throughout the country with his helper(s), Zwarte Piet(en). He keeps a very clean schedule so as not to appear in two places at once. Then, on the eve of his death, children put out their shoes with a carrot for his white horse. Sinterklaas leaves treats and gifts behind for the children. However, he kidnaps those who have had bad behavior.
Although the Dutch adapted the saint and created a tradition based on the legend, Sinterklaas isn't entirely a Dutch invention. Many elements of the story and celebration can be traced to pagan aspects. The Germanic pagan god, Wolden/Odin, rode a white horse and was honored during the Winter Solstice. Children originally left carrots for his steed near the chimney. Odin rewarded their kindness by leaving fruit or treats.
Sinterklaas was brought to America before it was officially the United States. Dutch settlers established a town called New Amsterdam in 1626. Although the city was founded by Protestants it awarded its inhabitants the freedom of religion. Catholics and Protestants alike adopted Saint Nicholas as the city's patron. In 1664, when it was captured by the English, the celebration of Nicholas was mentioned in the Articles of Capitulation. New Amsterdam became New York and for awhile the religious rights were only celebrated in the Dutch communities. In order to promote New York as a unique city with a unique identity, Washington Irving presented Sinterklaas as the patron saint of the city in his 1809 publication, The History of New York. The influence of Dutch culture in New York set it apart from other American cities.
While the United States continued to establish it's own identity, Clement Clarke Moore wrote the poem "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" in 1823. Sinterklaas became Saint Nick. He traveled by a reindeer drawn sleigh (not on a white horse), carried a bag of toys (not full of sweets), and slid down chimneys. He resembled an elf but forty years later his "Old World" appearance was shed for the figure we know today. In 1863 the political cartoonist Thomas Nast presented him as Santa Claus, a large and bearded old man from the North Pole who wears a fur-trimmed hat and red suit. At first Santa made the toys himself in his workshop with the help of his elves but as the U.S. became industrialized so did he. And as the U.S. became more capitalized, Santa was brought along for the ride. During the Great Depression, Coca Cola created an advertising campaign based on Santa. He continued to transform with American popular culture. Gene Autry released the song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in 1948 and so a niche in the music industry was created for songs revolving around Santa. At some point after WWII, with the baby boom and rise of the nuclear family, someone invented Mrs. Claus - a pleasant housewife - to take care of Santa and keep him from being lonely. It certainly helped promote him as a grandfather-like icon. A hardworking man who thoroughly enjoyed his leisure time by smoking his pipe and eating. But Santa never takes life too seriously. He is young at heart and loves all the little children. Instead of kidnapping misbehaved boys and girls like his Dutch ancestor, Santa Claus leaves lumps of coal which could actually be somewhat useful. Instead of leaving treats in shoes, his gifts go in stockings pinned to the fireplace.
In November, when Sinterklaas arrived here in the village on his boat from Spain my first impression was mixed. He looks very dignified in his bishop's robes and he carries himself in a very noble manner, but I couldn't get the image of the fat and funny Santa Claus out of my mind. Zwarte Piet, though much more approachable and happy, put me off a little too because the costume consists of black face paint, an afro wig, and red lips. And he, not Sinerklaas, is the one who does all the work. Like a slave. I instantly thought of American "blackface" theater, the Jim Crow era, and terrible slurs such as "darky" and "coon." I tried not to be offended, remembering that cultural offenses are often rooted in misunderstanding, so I waited to pass judgement based on my American outlook. It turns out I'm not the only one to have this sort of reaction.
Video originally seen on Clogs and Tulips: Six to Eight Black Men. Go to the post for more about Zwarte Piet.
Most American tourists feel the exact same culture shock. I mean, I don't think I've used the phrase "culture shock" once when talking about my experiences in Holland. And I was in no way surprised to discover that Santa Claus comes from Sinterklaas. In the past ten years or so the character of Zwarte Piet has received criticism from the Dutch and in 2006 the Dutch Programme Foundation proposed that Zwarte Piet (which literally means "black Pete") be changed to rainbow-colored Pieten. The experiment only lasted one year. I also read that his skin-color was due to the fact that he spent most of his time going up and down chimneys so he was covered in soot. But I don't buy it.
When my friend Caitlynn visited, she had the same reaction when I explained the story of the Dutch Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet. The last day I was able to stay with her in Amsterdam was December 5th so there were Zwarte Pieten all over. She was eager to take pictures, only to bring it back as proof that the Dutch really do paint themselves black and dance around passing out candy for Christmas. But at this record store near Dam Square they were handing out coffee, which I much prefer.
Also, I must admit that I prefer the American Santa Claus to the Dutch Sinterklaas. But, I truly have enjoyed celebrating and learning about this particular Dutch tradition. Who doesn't like getting free chocolate? All of this is not to say that Santa Claus is perfect. He can be weird and somewhat unsettling. I know it is friendly to sit on his lap and tell him what you want for Christmas when you're a kid but that is a bit strange. Just see this collection of pictures as proof.
Sources: Saint Nicholas, Sinterklaas, Santa Claus - From Sinterklaas to Santa Claus - American Santa Claus: Santa’s USA Timeline - Wikipedia: Zwarte Piet
I've been doing some research about how the Dutch celebrate Christmas and I really like what I discovered. I hope you're ready for a little history lesson because this particular holiday is a wonderful blend of Holland and the United States...
Sinterklaas. Saint Nicholas. Nicolas of Myra. Patron saint of children, sailors, and Amsterdam.
He was born in Patara (part of modern Turkey) during the third century. He came from a wealthy family but he gave his time and money to helping the poor. He died on December 6th, 347 A.D. He is commemorated on that date. He lives in Spain and comes to the Netherlands by boat in mid-November. Between then and December 6th he makes appearances throughout the country with his helper(s), Zwarte Piet(en). He keeps a very clean schedule so as not to appear in two places at once. Then, on the eve of his death, children put out their shoes with a carrot for his white horse. Sinterklaas leaves treats and gifts behind for the children. However, he kidnaps those who have had bad behavior.
Although the Dutch adapted the saint and created a tradition based on the legend, Sinterklaas isn't entirely a Dutch invention. Many elements of the story and celebration can be traced to pagan aspects. The Germanic pagan god, Wolden/Odin, rode a white horse and was honored during the Winter Solstice. Children originally left carrots for his steed near the chimney. Odin rewarded their kindness by leaving fruit or treats.
Sinterklaas was brought to America before it was officially the United States. Dutch settlers established a town called New Amsterdam in 1626. Although the city was founded by Protestants it awarded its inhabitants the freedom of religion. Catholics and Protestants alike adopted Saint Nicholas as the city's patron. In 1664, when it was captured by the English, the celebration of Nicholas was mentioned in the Articles of Capitulation. New Amsterdam became New York and for awhile the religious rights were only celebrated in the Dutch communities. In order to promote New York as a unique city with a unique identity, Washington Irving presented Sinterklaas as the patron saint of the city in his 1809 publication, The History of New York. The influence of Dutch culture in New York set it apart from other American cities.
While the United States continued to establish it's own identity, Clement Clarke Moore wrote the poem "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" in 1823. Sinterklaas became Saint Nick. He traveled by a reindeer drawn sleigh (not on a white horse), carried a bag of toys (not full of sweets), and slid down chimneys. He resembled an elf but forty years later his "Old World" appearance was shed for the figure we know today. In 1863 the political cartoonist Thomas Nast presented him as Santa Claus, a large and bearded old man from the North Pole who wears a fur-trimmed hat and red suit. At first Santa made the toys himself in his workshop with the help of his elves but as the U.S. became industrialized so did he. And as the U.S. became more capitalized, Santa was brought along for the ride. During the Great Depression, Coca Cola created an advertising campaign based on Santa. He continued to transform with American popular culture. Gene Autry released the song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in 1948 and so a niche in the music industry was created for songs revolving around Santa. At some point after WWII, with the baby boom and rise of the nuclear family, someone invented Mrs. Claus - a pleasant housewife - to take care of Santa and keep him from being lonely. It certainly helped promote him as a grandfather-like icon. A hardworking man who thoroughly enjoyed his leisure time by smoking his pipe and eating. But Santa never takes life too seriously. He is young at heart and loves all the little children. Instead of kidnapping misbehaved boys and girls like his Dutch ancestor, Santa Claus leaves lumps of coal which could actually be somewhat useful. Instead of leaving treats in shoes, his gifts go in stockings pinned to the fireplace.
In November, when Sinterklaas arrived here in the village on his boat from Spain my first impression was mixed. He looks very dignified in his bishop's robes and he carries himself in a very noble manner, but I couldn't get the image of the fat and funny Santa Claus out of my mind. Zwarte Piet, though much more approachable and happy, put me off a little too because the costume consists of black face paint, an afro wig, and red lips. And he, not Sinerklaas, is the one who does all the work. Like a slave. I instantly thought of American "blackface" theater, the Jim Crow era, and terrible slurs such as "darky" and "coon." I tried not to be offended, remembering that cultural offenses are often rooted in misunderstanding, so I waited to pass judgement based on my American outlook. It turns out I'm not the only one to have this sort of reaction.
Video originally seen on Clogs and Tulips: Six to Eight Black Men. Go to the post for more about Zwarte Piet.
Most American tourists feel the exact same culture shock. I mean, I don't think I've used the phrase "culture shock" once when talking about my experiences in Holland. And I was in no way surprised to discover that Santa Claus comes from Sinterklaas. In the past ten years or so the character of Zwarte Piet has received criticism from the Dutch and in 2006 the Dutch Programme Foundation proposed that Zwarte Piet (which literally means "black Pete") be changed to rainbow-colored Pieten. The experiment only lasted one year. I also read that his skin-color was due to the fact that he spent most of his time going up and down chimneys so he was covered in soot. But I don't buy it.
When my friend Caitlynn visited, she had the same reaction when I explained the story of the Dutch Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet. The last day I was able to stay with her in Amsterdam was December 5th so there were Zwarte Pieten all over. She was eager to take pictures, only to bring it back as proof that the Dutch really do paint themselves black and dance around passing out candy for Christmas. But at this record store near Dam Square they were handing out coffee, which I much prefer.
Also, I must admit that I prefer the American Santa Claus to the Dutch Sinterklaas. But, I truly have enjoyed celebrating and learning about this particular Dutch tradition. Who doesn't like getting free chocolate? All of this is not to say that Santa Claus is perfect. He can be weird and somewhat unsettling. I know it is friendly to sit on his lap and tell him what you want for Christmas when you're a kid but that is a bit strange. Just see this collection of pictures as proof.
Sources: Saint Nicholas, Sinterklaas, Santa Claus - From Sinterklaas to Santa Claus - American Santa Claus: Santa’s USA Timeline - Wikipedia: Zwarte Piet
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Christmas in November
Back in August I asked my mom to send me a few things. We went over the list multiple times, trying to trim it down so it would fit in one box and not significantly increase the weight of my luggage when I fly home. Last weekend my dad took it to the post office and emailed me the tracking numbers. Three tracking numbers, to be exact, which baffled me because I expected only the one box. "You'll see why there are three when you get them," my mom explained. I was constantly refreshing the USPS page until all the boxes had cleared customs. Then, on Friday morning, I saw the delivery man pull up outside the house.
I signed for each one and carried them into the kitchen. Rosa was just as excited as I was to open them so we set up on the kitchen table. I tried to record myself opening each one but my camera kept cutting out and some chunks are missing, but I'll edit it all together and upload it to my parents so they can see my reactions.
All of the items I requested were included in a mix of extra surprises. A plethora of candy for me and the children. A book club book my mom thought I'd like. A CD she likes. A favorite nightgown and some new pajamasn. A postcard and keychain from Harry Potter World. A gift Paul, the French foreign exchange student, left for me in my room. A purse my dad bought me in New York. And all sorts of other goodies. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. I felt like a spoiled little girl again. Especially when I found the little note my wonderful mother wrote. The giddiness still hasn't faded.
I have the best mom in the world. Proof.
Then on Sunday Sinterklaas came to the village. He comes to Holland from Spain via boat every year in mid-November. With his assistant Zwarte Piet, who disperses pepernoten (gingerbread cookies) and other sweets to the children, he parades through the streets on a grey or white horse.
Roeland watching the band.
Zwarte Piets.
Another Zwarte Piet.
First sighting.
Last Thursday was St. Martin's Day. It is traditionally celebrated on November 11th. Children go from door to door with paper lanterns and sing for candy. The weather was incredibly windy and cold so Rosa and Roeland didn't participate this year. Instead they ran around the house with their lanterns, crashing into furniture in the dark while singing the song at the top of their lungs. So, although I missed that particular Dutch holiday I still got to see Sinterklaas and I got some sweet surprises from home.
I signed for each one and carried them into the kitchen. Rosa was just as excited as I was to open them so we set up on the kitchen table. I tried to record myself opening each one but my camera kept cutting out and some chunks are missing, but I'll edit it all together and upload it to my parents so they can see my reactions.
All of the items I requested were included in a mix of extra surprises. A plethora of candy for me and the children. A book club book my mom thought I'd like. A CD she likes. A favorite nightgown and some new pajamasn. A postcard and keychain from Harry Potter World. A gift Paul, the French foreign exchange student, left for me in my room. A purse my dad bought me in New York. And all sorts of other goodies. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. I felt like a spoiled little girl again. Especially when I found the little note my wonderful mother wrote. The giddiness still hasn't faded.
I have the best mom in the world. Proof.
Then on Sunday Sinterklaas came to the village. He comes to Holland from Spain via boat every year in mid-November. With his assistant Zwarte Piet, who disperses pepernoten (gingerbread cookies) and other sweets to the children, he parades through the streets on a grey or white horse.
Roeland watching the band.
Zwarte Piets.
Another Zwarte Piet.
First sighting.
Last Thursday was St. Martin's Day. It is traditionally celebrated on November 11th. Children go from door to door with paper lanterns and sing for candy. The weather was incredibly windy and cold so Rosa and Roeland didn't participate this year. Instead they ran around the house with their lanterns, crashing into furniture in the dark while singing the song at the top of their lungs. So, although I missed that particular Dutch holiday I still got to see Sinterklaas and I got some sweet surprises from home.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
A Brief History of Hutspot
A few weeks ago Anna served what she and Robin called a "typical Dutch dinner during the winter" - a potato dish called hutspot. We had it again Monday night. It was the perfect meal on such a cold and wet day. I was looking up the recipe so I could make it for my family when I got home and I discovered that it has an interesting history.
The dish supposedly originated during the Spanish occupation of Holland. The people of Leiden were starving to death so William of Orange (of whom you can read about here) came to the rescue. He flooded the city so that his fleet could sail in and save the day. The Spanish were expelled and legend says that a little boy gathered the vegetables they left behind. Everything was mashed and cooked all together: potatoes, onions, and carrots. Thus, hutspot was born.
Unfortunately, I don't have a picture for you. Some leftover hutspot is still sitting in the fridge but after a few days it doesn't look particularly appetizing. So, to keep this post from looking so bare here are some pictures of the children in the jack-o'-lantern masks I made for them last week in the spirit of an American Halloween.
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The dish supposedly originated during the Spanish occupation of Holland. The people of Leiden were starving to death so William of Orange (of whom you can read about here) came to the rescue. He flooded the city so that his fleet could sail in and save the day. The Spanish were expelled and legend says that a little boy gathered the vegetables they left behind. Everything was mashed and cooked all together: potatoes, onions, and carrots. Thus, hutspot was born.
Unfortunately, I don't have a picture for you. Some leftover hutspot is still sitting in the fridge but after a few days it doesn't look particularly appetizing. So, to keep this post from looking so bare here are some pictures of the children in the jack-o'-lantern masks I made for them last week in the spirit of an American Halloween.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
A bit about the little ones
I don't post ever, if at all, about the children I watch. I've changed their names and won't post pictures of them with their faces showing for privacy reasons and what not. But I really should tell you a few things about them. Because despite the bad times such as messy diaper changes, whiney moods, absurd demands, and messes there are so many cute and hilarious moments every day that are just too precious not to share with someone.
Since I like making lists I've made a list of such instances where my heart melts or my belly aches from laughing so hard:
• They tend to copy many things I do or say that I never realized were habits of mine. Examples: Roeland says "Oh my goodness!" whenever appropriate and sometimes he even beats me to it. Rosa covers her mouth and giggles when I cover my mouth and giggle about something.
• Back in the summer (reality check: I've been here long enough to distinguish one season from another) I showed Roeland the movie Wall-E and he became obsessed. Then I introduced him to Toy Story and he's seen it enough now that he can sit there with me and go back-and-forth quoting it. One of our favorites is "What are you looking at you hockey puck!?"
• During the FIFA World Cup I'd turn on some of the matches during the day and we'd watch it for as long as their attention spans would hold. That is where they learned to say "miss!" whenever someone shot and missed. Well, now Rosa says it when she is putting on her shoes by herself and I tell her they're on the wrong feet. "Oh, miss!" she says and rearranges them.
• They're still young enough for kisses to be the ultimate fix to anything. A bump on the head. A tumble. A scratch from the cat. And so whenever I get hurt or say ouch they race to give me a kiss. Usually, it happens when we're playing together and one of them accidentally clunks their head against mine or something.
• Rosa has a very independent personality which I appreciate because I was/am like that, but it took her longer to warm up to me. Whenever Robin and Anna are home she still prefers them to help her with things if she wants help at all. However, these past few weeks she's shown signs that she actually likes me. Whenever I wear tights she rubs my leg and whispers "mooi!," which means 'pretty.' Yesterday she held my hand for something like 20 minutes while we were watching a movie. When I go to pick her up from pre-school her face lights up when she sees me and she runs to hug me. Today was the icing on the cake though when she turned to me and said "my Emma" while I was taking her upstairs for a new diaper.
• Roeland has become more attached as well even though he liked me from the beginning. Two weekends ago they gave me a ride to the train station and when I got out of the car he kept repeating the word "no." Last Saturday morning as I was heading out for a run he did the same thing because he didn't want me to leave. Evidentially, the week I was gone in Sweden he asked where I was a few times and when I would be back.
• During lunchtime I like to play music from my iTunes. Yesterday I put on Etta James and Rosa started dancing in her chair and humming along to "It's a Cryin' Shame." I asked her if she liked the song and Roeland, who doesn't usually like it when I play music, shouted that he liked it more than her.
Since I like making lists I've made a list of such instances where my heart melts or my belly aches from laughing so hard:
• They tend to copy many things I do or say that I never realized were habits of mine. Examples: Roeland says "Oh my goodness!" whenever appropriate and sometimes he even beats me to it. Rosa covers her mouth and giggles when I cover my mouth and giggle about something.
• Back in the summer (reality check: I've been here long enough to distinguish one season from another) I showed Roeland the movie Wall-E and he became obsessed. Then I introduced him to Toy Story and he's seen it enough now that he can sit there with me and go back-and-forth quoting it. One of our favorites is "What are you looking at you hockey puck!?"
• During the FIFA World Cup I'd turn on some of the matches during the day and we'd watch it for as long as their attention spans would hold. That is where they learned to say "miss!" whenever someone shot and missed. Well, now Rosa says it when she is putting on her shoes by herself and I tell her they're on the wrong feet. "Oh, miss!" she says and rearranges them.
• They're still young enough for kisses to be the ultimate fix to anything. A bump on the head. A tumble. A scratch from the cat. And so whenever I get hurt or say ouch they race to give me a kiss. Usually, it happens when we're playing together and one of them accidentally clunks their head against mine or something.
• Rosa has a very independent personality which I appreciate because I was/am like that, but it took her longer to warm up to me. Whenever Robin and Anna are home she still prefers them to help her with things if she wants help at all. However, these past few weeks she's shown signs that she actually likes me. Whenever I wear tights she rubs my leg and whispers "mooi!," which means 'pretty.' Yesterday she held my hand for something like 20 minutes while we were watching a movie. When I go to pick her up from pre-school her face lights up when she sees me and she runs to hug me. Today was the icing on the cake though when she turned to me and said "my Emma" while I was taking her upstairs for a new diaper.
• Roeland has become more attached as well even though he liked me from the beginning. Two weekends ago they gave me a ride to the train station and when I got out of the car he kept repeating the word "no." Last Saturday morning as I was heading out for a run he did the same thing because he didn't want me to leave. Evidentially, the week I was gone in Sweden he asked where I was a few times and when I would be back.
• During lunchtime I like to play music from my iTunes. Yesterday I put on Etta James and Rosa started dancing in her chair and humming along to "It's a Cryin' Shame." I asked her if she liked the song and Roeland, who doesn't usually like it when I play music, shouted that he liked it more than her.
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