Nicolaas' Accomplishments

Well, you all may be wondering just what is on my head?? Well, since I am potty trained, I wear big-boy underwear all day! I just had to try some other usages for these cool new underpants. I even go all by myself now too. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of me. My present basket is almost empty, and my sticker chart is right full! So I guess I am quite the big boy now! Almost every morning I beg Mommy to make fresh squished orange juice. I get all the parts of the juicer out, and put it all together too. I can do it ALL by myself!! Mommy just has to peel the oranges, and turn it on, and plug it in... It is the best orange juice you have ever tasted! Thank you Aunty Joella for the great juicer!! It's been great growing up.. I love learning new things too. My imagination is great. I drive around downstairs in my orange car, and go to the store for Mommy. She loves my blueberries, turkey, tigers and elephants. Mommy always asks me what I want for lunch or supper.. My answer is always the same.. TURKEY!!! I love to use the phrases that Mommy (oh dear) uses on us boys.. "Oh come on child!" Except I wanted Oma to come downstairs to play.. she wasn't coming quick enough.. oh come on child I said to her. Boy was she surprised.. she said she didn't remember being called a child for a long time!! I love putting puzzles together, and I am quite the whiz at it Daddy says. Any craft activities are high on my list too. Mommy and Daddy think I am pretty special, and sweet as pie!

Noel's Chatter

Were you wondering who this alien, cool, hip, punk baby may be???? Yep you got it! It's me Noel!! And yes I do have hair!! See???!!!! Mommy is considering on cutting it.. but she is a little skeptical of me changing my baby face to a older boy face... Did you notice my lovely teeth? I only have 5 right now.. but another is working it's way out.. I just wish they would hurry up about it! They really have been bothering me.. I drink like a fish.. and am up in the night.. sigh. But on the brighter side, I am LEARNING to walk. Everyone kept telling me I needed to learn because I am getting to heavy to carry. (Pretty much 21 pounds I think) I took a couple of steps a week ago, but on Nicolaas' birthday I took 6 steps to Oma. Then this morning I was banging on the door for Mommy to get out of bed (I do this to her every morning) and when she opened the door, I took 7 steps to her! She thought it that was pretty neat to get out of bed for! The gate from the stairs has to be closed though.. Mommy likes to supervise me.. About 3 weeks ago I learned how to go up and down the big stairs. Mommy was proudly videoing while Daddy watched. I sat up in the middle thinking I was done, and proceeded to tuck and roll backwards the rest of the 7 steps.. Mommy even has it on video! I will go up on my own some days, but going down is still a little scary now. Maybe I should be in gymnastics!
Yep, I am car crazy!! I saw this while Nicolaas was mini-golfing and just had to go in it. I used every word and action I could think of for please.. yep.. I got in! I can say pssss-psssss (please) and sign please. My favourite thing to say is 'It's stuck!" as clear as a bell. It pretty much started at Oma's when the cars on the race track kept getting stuck.. that got everyone running to help me! :o) Yep I am sooo cute! I love to charm, and I know it! I love making elephant sounds. Pretty much spit ends up in anyone's face that is close by, but it's pretty neat. Especially since I love my stuffed elephant so much! Oma and Opa Van Ee got me this cute elephant towel for Christmas.. My new thing is really chattering. It is so cute. I make all these great sounds, with a few words I know spicing it up. I am trying to tell a story, but i am not sure if everyone gets it right away.. They just copy me, and I laugh and laugh! Tonight at supper Mommy blew off the broccoli for me, so I was telling Daddy about it.. when I started to blow, then everyone understood.. that was great! I think I am going to start a new language club!

Double Fun!!

Making sweet music to Mommy's ears with the recorders from Oma Van Ee. Noel can actually blow pretty good! Very cute!
We love to be pulled around in the laundry cart.. the more times the better!!
We found this cool car at the Mall.. problem was it didn't drive. I think we would have been terrified to drive it anyhow. It was fun to jsut sit in there since Noel is car c-r-a-z-y!!Mr Doctor Nicolaas making sure Noel is doing well...
Yep you are Noel, here is a kiss to make sure about that.
Drivin' through the town, going up and down with Noel, driving in the car (From Noel' s music)
Noel really does drive his own car.. he is safer there!Well Mommy had built us a fort.. but she isn't really an engineer, so when Daddy came home he made a safer one.. Boy we love forts. The more cushions off the couch, the better!! Noel thinks it's great too, cause he can actually climb on the furniture then with out any effort!!

Happy 3rd Birthday Nicolaas

Wow!! Time sure goes fast! I just turned 3 on Saturday! Happy Birthday to Me! I sadly asked Mommy why I would never be 2 again. But we all grow up and get older I guess. I woke up and when Mommy said happy birthday I was excited that it was finally the day. I helped Mommy bake my cake and ice it, now I was excited to finally eat it!!
We decided to have a Lightening McQueen theme party. This cake was Mack, the truck that carried McQueen. I love trucks and trailers. I love to drive my little orange car around downstairs and pretend I am Lightening McQueen. Noel always chases me in the little red car. Mommy has to pull him with a rope... (a.k.a Daddy's housecoat belt.) But the best of all, was Daddy came home from Philadelphia. He was home in the wee hours of the morning, 4 am!! Not so fun! He was stuck there b/c of the bad weather in Toronto. Mommy had us boys on her own from Monday to Saturday. Daddy was supposed to come home on Thursday already. Mommy and Daddy even missed their 5 year Anniversary on Friday. But at least Daddy was safe in a hotel across the country. Any how, we had such a fun day. Daddy made my new puzzle with me in the morning, and then I got to play with my new 24 colours of play dough. Then we went mini-golfing!! It was so much fun. A few of my friends, Haylie, Avery, and Matthew, along with Great Grandpa, Oma and Aunty Heather, met us there. I had been once before, and now I could wack at that ball like a pro! I think I am going to be a pro golfer like Opa Arnoldussen. I only threw my ball in to the water a few times. I even got a hole in one!! Otherwise I would hit at the ball a few times and move it closer to the hole. Right on Par. Noel tried golfing too. But he was mostly interested in holding the ball and trying to throw it.
When we got back home some more friends joined us. Stefan, Katrina and Tyler and Opa. Jonah came and even brought his brand new, 3 day old, sister!! So cute! I wonder if my little sister will be that tiny too?? Thank you everyone for coming, and making my day so special!

Grow baby, Grow!

Well, I am sure you are all saying "it is about time!!" Instead of the boys perspective, I thought I would write a little something. Life has been full of blessings, excitement, and business. God has been very good to our family. Our new little member... even though still well protected and growing, has been an exciting addition so far. I love to have my hand over her as I sleep.. I know I should be on my side .. but she doesn't mind being on the back yet... I will call the baby a 'girl' even though we really don't know. The heart rate has been average 150, and the boys were 140.. so maybe this baby is more active, or maybe it's a girl. Nicolaas is still adamant that the baby is a girl... Q1 Q Q QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ ( A side note from Noel) Noel loves to crawl up to be and lift my shirt... I think he is curious why my belly is growing. ;o) Nicolaas has been raising interesting questions of late too.. "Does the baby come out of your belly button?" "The hole is too small for a baby to come out." "Where does the baby come out of you?" "The baby is under your skin?" (Oh for wisdom) Welll..... The baby comes out by Mommy's legs... "OH!! " He inspects my legs... " I don't see any holes in your legs!" Well, God will help the baby come out, I told him. That seemed to satisfy him for now... It's been so amazing to feel this precious little baby moving around. Little kicks here, little punches there. So far she seems quite calm too. Maybe she will be just as easy going as her older brothers.Here is our sweet little peanut at 18 weeks... Dennis was checking out the ultrasound for certain parts... he was sure it was a girl. He didn't see any appendages. ;o)
My baby belly at 20 weeks....
I am now almost 23 weeks, and my belly circumference is 99cm across the belly button. Very close in range as I was with Noel at this time. Of course I think I look huge... but the snow is melting, and I can pull out the double stroller once again. That should keep me from gaining in the wrong places.. of course it would help if cut out allllll unhealthy foods too. I was only a bit nauseous in the first three months. So I can eat what ever I feel like. Now I really need a nap every day, or I am pretty much drained.. Maybe it's the interrupted sleep, or maybe it's just having two other little ones... I definitely am more tired this time around. If I don't get my sleep I am, shall I say a little, or a lot irritable! But we are sure excited on meeting our sweet baby this summer.