Happy Fourth

No, it is not the 4^th of July or Sam’s 4^th birthday. Today we celebrated his FOUR MONTHS! Can you believe that our Sammy is already 4 months?

My mom started this tradition of celebrating every month leading up to the first birthday with Maxwell and it has kept going with Sam. I don’t think we blew out candles on his 2^nd month (but that is my fault) because we were traveling. Today Luka assisted his little brother in blowing out four candles on a delicious apple pie…yummy! The pie is more for us than Sam.

I really like the tradition because it forces you to capture a picture or video at that moment. Then by month 12 you have a well-documented account of your baby’s progress during his first year. Thank you Mom for this great idea!

Okay, back to Sam. Yes, our little man is 4 months and it is amazing to see how much you have grown in the last couple of months. The changes are amazing and everyday is a new adventure. Let’s see what are you up to these days…

You still only like to breastfeed. Everyday we try to give you a bottle and everyday we are reminded that you are a baby that loves mommy’s boobs. Okay, we have to talk about this…Sam, you have to try. It will give mommy a break and you might even like it. I hear it is much easier to drink from a bottle than a boob. But I will tell you a little secret…there are times that I actually like that I am the only one that can feed you and it is our special time together. Nothing beats that look of satisfaction that you give me when you have filled up your tummy. But don’t tell anyone I said that and yes I still want you to learn how to drink from a bottle.

At four months your facial expressions have also changed. You don’t like taking naps during the day and when you do you fall asleep, on the rare occasion, it is with a big frown and you almost look mad because you are missing out on something. Your smile and laugh are contagious at this point. You have started to laugh out loud at your silly parents and your smile is bigger and more beautiful than ever. You also have a new cautious face that I see every time your big brother jumps on the bed to lay down next to you and play. It looks like you are telling me, “Mommy, please don’t let him hurt me.” Luka loves you so much but doesn’t realize that you are still just a little baby.

As far as playing you are now grabbing your toys and like to stick some things in your mouth, but your hands are still your favorite. You tolerate about 10 minutes in the Baby Gym and just this week you started to sit in your Exersaucer/Activity Chair. You seem to like it, but I am guessing that in a month when you are a little bigger you will enjoy it even more, as I suspect you will be bouncing up and down at that point.

One thing that has not changed since we brought you home is your love of bath time. We have our nighttime routine that starts off with a warm bath and as soon as I lay you on the bed and start to take off your clothes to get you ready you start to laugh and get this look of anticipation on your face. Daddy and I still give you a bath together every night and we love it! We are still using the portable bath we bought in South Africa and to tell you the truth you are a little big for it now. You seem to kick all the water out of the tub by the end of the bath, but just wait…when we move into our new house next week you will have a big bath and I suspect you will have more room to splash around.

Sammy, it has been a crazy four months with all the moving, hotels, visiting families, etc. You know you have been in seven countries (South Africa, Mozambique, Portugal (airport only), Holland, United Kingdom (airport only), United States & Bolivia) since you were born. How many four month olds can say that? I really thought you were going to have a tougher time, but you have been a trooper. You have adapted so well to each place (even La Paz at 3,800 meters) and slept through the night in every country. Sleeping through most of the night makes up for your aversion to naps during the day.

We love you Sammy and can’t wait to see how much you change in the next 30 days!

To see photos of Sam during his 4^th month click here.

Here we are blowing out the candles of your cake. Please don't mind your mommy's hair...it was a long day:

Our First School Picnic

Today was the ACS (American Cooperative School) Family Picnic. It was our first official school event with Luka and he had a blast. He bowled, fished, tossed rings, bounced in a castle, played on the monkey bars and even got a fake tattoo. I think he took advantage of all the activities/games being offered.

It was also great to meet new families from the school and from around town. We still don't know a lot of people so JJ and I were extra friendly and got to meet some new folks. Do we really have to make new friends every four years? This making friends thing is hard work. It is like starting a new school every time...oh, yeah that is what Luka & Sam will have to go through...poor babies.

You can see all the photos by clicking here.

Liking the New Couch

I think Sam is more excited than us with the new couches. Here he is in the new apartment just after they arrived. I am not sure if he likes the couches or the plastic on the couches. In any case the van Herksen family hopes to be in their new home this Friday....whooo hooo!!!!

Just in case you were curious...here is a photo of what our new couches really look like! The picture doesn't do the couch justice. We got two couches and a chair. I will post photos once the living room is done.

Catching Up on His Favorite Book

I caught Sam holding his first book and concentrating as he was reading a novel. I just had to take a photo.

I bought this little plastic book in Holland. It is meant for the bath but Sam likes to play with it all day. It is actually one of the few toys that catch his interest at his ripe young age of almost four months. It is a Nijntje book (in English he is called Miffy, but in our house it is Nijntje). It is a Dutch creation and I think one of my favorite characters around. I love the simplicity of the drawings and the bold colors! We have shirts, books, toys and videos. Click on this link and enjoy!

Happy Birthday Grandpa & Papi

Dear Grandpa -

I wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday. I am sorry that I woke you up so early, but I wanted to be the first one to sing to you on your special day. I asked mommy like 100 times to go to Miami for your birthday. I really want to go to your birthday party and blow out all those candles with you. Mommy told me they were a whole lot of candles, but she said I have to wait a little while before we fly to Miami again.

I hope you have a great day and tell everyone I said hello.

Love,

Luka

PS Sam, Mami and Papi also send you a big hug

Like Mother, Like Son

Recently my parents emailed me some photos of when I was a baby. These photos are great and my dad says there are more coming. They bought some sort of machine to digitize all their film and slides....I can't wait to see more!

Here are the first ones I got. First of all doesn't my mom look great and man...she was so young. And did you see the awesome blue car! And third of all (although my husband does not agree) doesn't Sam look just like me! Sam is just the blond version...don't you think?

Scenes from Our Sunday

Today was a great day. What a beautiful Sunday in La Paz. We started off this afternoon with a trip to the city's Golf Club. We were invited by Stephan's (Luka's classmate) parents.

As the taxi driver kept driving up the mountain I kept wondering...where the heck is this golf course...there is no way there could be a golf course here! I mean we were in the freaking rocks and the road to the club seemed as it if was carved out of the mountains for the sole purpose of arriving to the Golf Club. But low and behold and we drove up to the main gate you saw the green fields. It was amazing! It is the highest golf course in the world. So, let's see....I live in the highest capital of the world. We flew into the highest airport in the world and today we had lunch at the highest golf course in the world! Wow, that seems like a lot for two weeks. ha ha ha.

Here is a photo of the golf course:

After lunch it was off to see the Lion King...or should I say El Rey Leon. Boy, was I impressed! The show was great and Luka kept on singing and dancing when we got home. I think now I have to download the soundtrack for him. He loves the music!

Here we are as we just arrived to the theatre...which happens to be at his school...they rent it out to the local production company.

Sam's Stats

This week Sam and I went to the doctor for his three month check up and he passed with flying colors. This boy is in the 95% for height!!! He weighs 6.7 kgs (14.8 lbs) and is 67 cm (26.4 in.) long...and isn't he so cute to top it all off. Here is a photo of him hanging out in the hotel.

Spending the Day with Luka's Class

Today was Student Appreciation Day at Luka's school and they had a day full of fun activities for the kids (magicians, BBQ, games, etc). I thought it would be a good day to hang out and spend some time with my son at school. I asked the teacher and she said it would be fine. Well, it was a BAD idea. Who knew that your child turned into someone else when you were in the class? I was feeling really bad and a little embarrassed, but then his teacher came to me and told me that it was completely normal for your child to act up if you in the classroom. Sorry, Luka mommy won't be spending the day in your class anytime soon!

It wasn't all bad. It was fun to see Luka and his classmates interact and I did get some fun pictures.

To see the photos from Student Appreciation Day click here.

Maputo on the Front Page of CNN.com

(photo taken from here)

It is a pity that Mozambique has made the front online page of CNN.com for these reasons. Mozambique is hardly ever on the international news scene and now it is a negative story. You can see the story entitled Gunplay in Mozambique Streets by clicking here. I hope all my friends in Mozambique are doing okay. In 2008 we also had riots for the same reasons - rising food, fuel and transportation prices - but they seem to be worse this time.

Click here for yet another article.

My thoughts and prayers are with my friends in Maputo.

What have the boys been up to?

Life in La Paz has been pretty filled with activities. We have made some friends through school and here you can see Luka having fun at his first birthday party. We were invited by Candela and her mom Maria that we know from Maputo. Luka had a great time, but I also had some fun talking to adults. I have been pretty much hanging out in the hotel with Luka and Sam and this party allowed me to socialize with adults...FINALLY.

Sam has also changed so much since we got here. He continues to grow like a weed. He is already wearing things that are for 12 months. That boy is LONG! Tomorrow is our 3 month check-up and I will be able to tell you how big he really is. Now he is turning all over the place and as you can see from this picture he prefers his hands to the pacifier. He also tries to talk to us and he likes to try and stand up. We hold his hands and he uses his leg power to stand up. Is that normal for a 3 month old? I try to give him as much tummy time as possible but he just likes to be held standing up.

Oh, I almost forgot...yesterday Luka took his first ballet class. It was quite an experience. Of course he was the only boy. Was it naive of me to think that other mommies would bring their boys to Baby Ballet to help strengthen their balance and coordination!?!?! Luka seemed to keep up well in the class, but he did have outbursts now and then when he would yell, "Mommy, I want a pink dress too. I want you to buy it NOW." I explained that boys wear pants for ballet, but that answer didn't seem to satisfy him. Here is a photo of his debut class. Next week we will try gymnastics and if he likes that better we will stick with that. It is up to him.

Hug Somebody Today

Thank you to my friend Ana for sharing this video with me on Facebook. I thought it was great. Have you ever really stopped to think how much a good hug can accomplish? Don't you just love a genuine hug. Go hug someone you love today!

See more about the Free Hugs Campaign here:

Sam Loves to Read

Okay, well maybe he is not actually reading yet but he does know how to hold a book and these books I found are great. I am in love with Indestructibles. On our recent trip to Miami I made a trip to Books and Books with Luka for Storytime. I found these books on the table and was intrigued with the title and the fact that they were "chew proof." I had to take a closer look. Well I did and I fell in love with the illustrations. You will fall in love with them too. Just take a look on their website.

I have Jungle Rumble and Mary Had a Little Lamb. Sam is in awe of the photos and likes to stare at the pages and try to rip them apart, but he can't. Isn't that awesome. Oh and Luka loves them too because he can "read" a book to his little brother. He sits with him and uses his imagination to invent text to go with the photos. The books don't have any words, just beautiful pictures.

Well, I just wanted to share my little find with you and I can't wait to collect them all.

Bloglivia

Well, there it is...a new title for the blog. I miss the other one! I will update it with my own photo as soon as I take one. What do you think of the name? Thank you Edgar and Charles for suggesting it via facebook.

Bienvenida Vicky

Vicky started working with us two days ago. She started warming up to Sam today. Luka really likes her, but that is because he thinks she is his playmate. She seems really nice and has a good aura. She reminds me a lot of Elizabeth, who worked with us in Mozambique. Man, I miss her and Clotilde (her daughter). Just today Luka was asking about them. He wanted to know if they could come over and play. These things are so hard to explain to a three year old....what do you say? I just hope that I am not lying to him when I say that we will see them again when he is older.

For now let's hope that Vicky likes us and she blends into our family and it all works out.

Greetings from La Paz

Wow, we are finally here...in La Paz! It has been a while since I have been able to write on the blog. From the moment we arrived in Miami I was alone with the two kids (JJ was in Spanish classes all day) and I just couldn't find the time. My two little boys are very high maintenance these days...ha ha ha. I have so many thoughts and photos to share on our Miami visit. I will try and post later this week.

Right now it has been less than three days since we arrived in La Paz and it is the first time I have sat down with the laptop. Luka and Sam are asleep and I am still awake. Usually I would be collapsed in bed right about now...but today I kept looking forward to bedtime so that i could cozy up to my Mac and tap away checking email, uploading photos, etc. I really enjoy my "me" time with the computer.

Let's see...what can I tell you about La Paz. First thing is first...the city is freaking high. Luckily the four of us have adapted pretty well, but we have had headaches and get winded just walking up the steep streets. But I have to admit that we feel much better than what I was expecting. I was really nervous about the altitude...but so far so good.

Luka started classes at the American School and he loves it. Above you can see the photo of him pointing to his name on the door. He was really proud! To see photos from his first day click here. We also love the school. We were very impressed with everything! Here is a photo of the whole family when we dropped him off at school on Monday.

We have also been house hunting...so far we haven't found anything that we love...but we are hopeful that something will pop up soon. The four of us can't wait to finally have a "home" again. We have been "homeless" since the beginning of June. Here is a photo of Sam...he has visited every house with me. I don't think he is too picky....he hasn't shown any preference so far.

About the city....the mountains are everywhere. You can't escape them. Everywhere you look you see the landscape. It is a constant reminder of close you are to the clouds here. Here is a photo of our hotel and the street right outside.

The weather is insane...or I should say the SUN is crazy. I thought it was going to be cold...and it is a little chilly in the morning, but by the afternoon the sun has baked the city and it is quite warm. Then later in the even it gets cold again. You have to dress in layers to make sure that you are dressed for any weather you may encounter...especially if you are gone more than a couple of hours. The temperature really drops at night. This is another reason that house hunting is tricky. 90% of the houses don't have heating so you need to find a house that has sunlight for most of the day.

The people are super polite. Everyone is really nice and I love that I can speak Spanish (That is one thing I don't miss about Mozambique - the Portuguese). I haven't had the time to explore the city and really talk to the locals...I hope to post some interesting photos very soon and give you more insight into La Paz.

Okay, I have to sign off for now and read a magazine or watch some TV before I fall asleep. I am not sure when is the next time I will have this "me" time.

Sammy is on a roll...

Today Sam rolled over for the first time. He is growing up so fast! I don't know who was more excited...me or him. Can you see the pride in his face?

Truly Inspiring

I just discovered that one of my close friends, Wendy, has started a blog for children's books. Just at two "posts" old this blog is truly inspirational and it is 5:30 am and I wish Barnes and Noble was open so that I could rush over and buy the first two books she has reviewed.

If you have young children take the time to click on her blog, you won't be disappointed.

http://thereadingteepee.blogspot.com/

Wendy, where do you find the time? Wendy is an architect, professor at the University of Miami, photographer, graphic designer, excellent party planner and A+ mom...well I could go on with her many talents....and now this blog. Thank you Wendy for taking the time for making us part of your literary world. I don't know how you do it.

Neneca

Neneca is what they call it in Mozambique when you carry a baby with a capulana (fabric tied around your body.) Well, I had to leave Mozambique to finally get it right.

Today I learned how to carry Sam "neneca" style. He was so cozy and really loved it. I have three baby carriers...a sling...an ErgoBaby and a Baby Bjorn and this is his favorite! I used an old black scarf and just like magic I had a baby carrier. Just goes to show you that I am a sucker for baby products and you don't really need so many things for a baby. I mean if all the women in Africa don't need a Baby Bjorn why do I?

Day of Male Bonding

Today JJ, Luka and Opa Jan Erik (JJ's dad) spent the day in Schiermonnikoog. It is an island and a national park in the northern park of the Netherlands. You can click here to find out more about this island.

It was a relaxing day of biking and laying on the beach. Here are some photos from their male bonding day...

Luka & Papa on the beach

Luka & Opa on the boat to the island...look at how Luka looks at Opa....what a cutie!

Luka on the beach sporting his Elmo underwear...JJ, did you take a proper bathing suit in the backpack?

Typical Dutchmen riding their bike.

Luka wiped out with all the "male bonding."

Our 12 Week Traveler

Sam is 12 weeks today and he has basically been travelling since he was born. He was born in South Africa...then we drove back to Maputo packed up our house...then we moved into a hotel for a couple of weeks...packed up again and traveled to Holland. We are here now...in a couple of days we will head to Miami. Then FINALLY to our new home in Bolivia. I think Sam will have more stamps in his passport at 3 months than I did by the time I was 18.

Sam is doing great...growing by leaps and bounds. He has really started to interact, play with toys hanging in front of him and discovering his hands and feet. It is really cute to hear him try to talk. And just today I noticed that he can move around on his own. If I lay him on a mat he will use his legs to move his whole body up. I didn't know he could do this and I layed him on a playmat and went to the kitchen...when I walked back into the room Sam was on the floor. He must have really strong legs!

He is also doing a good job still sleeping through the night...thank goodness.

We love you Sammy!

Babies & Buggies on the Bus

We met Marinke (JJ's cousin) Evert and their new baby Quinten (same age as Sam) today in the city. We had a delicious lunch at a bagel cafe (yummy!). Here we are in the bus riding along with the babies in the buggies. JJ couldn't hold the camera still, but you get the idea.

Here is photo of the two boys...

Good Friends, Good Food, Great Sunday

Today we spent our Sunday in Bedum with some special friends. JJ has been friends with Niels and Ted since college and it is always great to see them together. It was also fun to hang out with Ines and Khadija. Ines and Niels are expecting a baby in October and Khadija and Ted will be getting married soon.

Although, I think that Luka will put up a fight for Khadija. Those two get along so well...he even wanted to go home with Khadija today. She is wonderful with him. You can see thier mutual admiration in all the photos.

In addition to the great company, JJ's dad made delicious food. I am always in awe of him and his cooking skills. He is so relaxed. The food is always delicious and he always makes the EXACT amount for the number of people. How do you do that? Thank you Jan Erik. Today's menu was Groningen Mustard Soup & Jumbalaya....Yummy!

Here are some moments from today...Mommy & Sam:

Sam & his aunt Marlotte

Sam with Oma Coby & Opa Jan Erik

Look at that face...almost 12 weeks old now.

To see more photos from today click here.

Sunday Morning Treat

Luka enjoyed a pamper morning with his Oma Coby this morning. He was loving soaking his feet in the water, exfoliating and the foot massage. I think Oma was having fun too.

Pancakes for Dinner

In Holland everyone for the most part eats very healthy. When I walk around town I see very tall thin people. But they do have some food traditions that I find very interesting...and very yummy. For example...

Did you know that it is very common to eat french fries for lunch when you are on the go? You can buy them at stands on the streets with a big glob of mayonnaise. They also like bread with butter and chocolate sprinkles for breakfast. I really like that one.

But my favorite has to be pancakes for dinner. Yes, you read right...pancakes. Well, they are a little different from the pancakes you get at IHOP. You can eat them with syrup, sugar, Nutella or something salty like cheese, ham, salami, etc. They are delicious....

Luka loves them as well and he made them with Oma for dinner. He ate three pancakes that night!

Happy Birthday Grandma

The four of us want to wish my mom a Happy Birthday today, but Sam as the newest member of the family wanted to say Hooray and Happy Birthday Grandma! See you soon...

Family Time in Holland

We have been in Holland a couple of days and I have lots of stories and photos to share, but I am not sure where the time goes. We wake up in the morning and before I know it it is time to put both of the boys to bed. Where does the time go? I promise to update the blog soon with some of our outings and adventures in Holland. But for now we are enjoying the time with the Dutch familia and Sam is busy meeting everyone...

Here is a photo of Luka and his cousin Benthe the day we celebrated Oma Joke's Birthday (JJ's mom).

Napping in Daddy's Arms

I just couldn't resist posting this photo of Sam napping in JJ's arms...doesn't he look delicious?!?!?!?

McReunion

Yes, that is JJ & our good friend Bastiaan at a McDonald's in Den Haag. No, we are not really excited to be at the golden arches....we were really excited to see our best friends from Maputo. They left Maputo in mid-June and we had really missed them and will miss them in Bolivia. But we got the chance to meet up with them for a couple of minutes before they embark on thier Brazilian adventure. They will be moving to Brasilia (close to Bolivia.....yeah!)

Paty, Bastiaan, Max and Nynke have been a constant in our lives the past four years. We would see them everyday (sometimes twice a day). They were our neighbors in Maputo and Luka and Max played together all the time. Check out Luka's reaction when we surprise him:

Happy Birthday Oma Stolk

Today it was Joke's (JJ's mom) birthday and we were in Holland to celebrate it. We started off the day at Neenord (a kid's park) and then we had lunch at a restaurant on a nearby lake. It was a great day. To see all the photos from the day click here.

Happy Birthday Joke!

Happy Birthday Maxwell

We missed Max's party at Chucky Cheese...Luka is really upset about that. But we will be in Miami soon and Luka and Max will have time to celebrate. Here is a photo of him at his birthday extravaganza.

Thank you Dad for sending me all the photos.