Letters to our Children // May

I hope this is correct. To close the circle.

Since last month I wrote about Liora, this month I'll write about Mateo.

Mateo likes to describe himself as a "Super sterke, grote jongen." A very strong, big boy. Pretty good description. He looks more like a 5 year old than a 3 year old.

Right now Mateo is on his school field trip which says a lot about this guy. He goes to school 3 full days and 2 half days/week. He LOVES it. You'd think it would wear him out, but it doesn't. He is continually becoming more independent. Yesterday was the first day he let me leave before the bell rang.  Today I asked him what he needed to make sure to bring in the car when we were leaving and he answer, "Mijn boekentas." (backpack). Yes! Progress.

Yesterday afternoon he said that he just had to sleep one night before he could go to the indoor playground. He is starting to understand time. He actually is slightly obsessed with clocks, but he understands one sleep and tomorrow. "Yesterday" means anything that happened before today.

The past 6 months I feel like I have failed in writing down the kids' milestones. Liora turned 1 and it was like I forgot about that.  Mateo has definatly started talking. It was a very slow start.  Now other people besides just his parents can understand him. This week he started saying "Ik denk dat..." (I think...). He is even using the correct sentence structure in Dutch. We practice a bit of English every day by me asking what the words are in English. Often he guesses correctly.  This morning he said, "Mama. Leah is English." I was confused, asked him to repeat. He decided that Mama is Dutch for Leah. Or the opposite...I said Mama=Mama, but he didn't believe me.  Actually the playground they are going to today is called Play Beach. He recognized that it was English and asked what it was in Dutch and I said that was just the name, that it was the same. He wanted to know why...I said because the people liked English better than Dutch ;P

Mateo can ride a two-wheeler. He loves it! Scary for mommy, but I'm proud of him.

2 weeks ago Mateo participted in a Sports Camp. He really enjoyed that.  His cousin went, which was nice. He has actually 7 first cousins and 2 2nd or 3rd cousins that attend his school. I think that is pretty special. He is growing up seeing his family 6 of the 7 days of the week, if not 7/7.  He adores them all.

Last week Mateo and Liora started playing together. She started walking and climbing up the slide. It was cute to see. Finally he wasn't jealous of her or trying to hurt her. That's not every day, but it was nice to see a glimpse of the future.

What I like about this age is that everything is still exciting. We went on Saturday to see blossoms. He enjoyed it and asked this week to go again. I am guessing in 3 years he'll be complaining how boring it is.

And now some photos...

Egg Hunt with his bestie (cousin)

What we look like as a family of five

Mateo learned a bit how to use the camera. He thought it was pretty funny to photograph a sleeping papa

Copying his sister

I just love this one

Biking in the Netherlands

Limburg

We brought a friend along for him

Rain doesn't bother this guy. I think he actually enjoys it because it makes mud.

Lots and lots of blossoms to be seen...

Letters to our children - Liora

Click here for the next blog in the circle.

This month's letter is for Liora. I realized I hadn't updated her FB album since her first birthday! Oops. Yesterday Liora turned 17 months.

Loving her outfit and hair...

I think she is purposely deciding not to walk. It is NOT that she's not capable. She takes now about 8 steps then sits or lets herself fall. She sneaks up the stairs whenever possible and has now mastered climing on and off of the couch. Including climbing from it onto the end table and over onto the other couch. I also caught her one time ON the keyboard. Shhh, don't tell her daddy. That she managed to do by climbing on the amp, to the chair, and up again.

Right now she's in a stage where she is copying up a lot. We all find it pretty funny. Especially sounds. But also movements. If she sees me shaking my finger, she beings.

She is getting more apt with clothing.  She knows that shirts goes on her head and shoes on her feet. She tries in her way to dress herself. I think she's going to be pretty girly in this area. She already likes to have things on her feet. Socks, slippers, shoes. If it falls off, she brings it and sticks her foot out. She also will put things around her neck, like a shirt or blanket. Either it brings her comfort or she thinks it's a scarf or necklace.  She likes to play with hats, but not really leave them on. I guess that's normal.  I'm tickled anytime she leaves an elastic in her hair for more than a few minutes.

Most of the time I let her feed herself. Especially since I read it's good for them.  Mostly she does pretty well. Of course, she and the floor are a mess after, but I don't mind. It means I can enjoy my food and then help her when I'm finished.

The past few days Liora has enjoyed exploring the lawn. It is so cute to see! She goes in the playhouse, stands at the fence to watch neighbors' cats, she then goes to her little slide and then comes in and checks what I'm doing.

I'm afraid the time of two naps per day are nearly over...it was great while it lasted :)  But no complaints from me. She sleeps 12+ uninerrupted hours per night.

This is going to be an exciting month for Liora.  She gets to meet her great-grandma for the first time! And then she will go to daycare for two weeks. I'm sure she's going to love it.

Playing outside a few weeks ago

She can clearly communicate her wants...

Putting her shirt on

New tricks: unrolling the toilet paper, climing on the toilet

For some reason I like this one...

Little lovies



17 months! Taking a few steps

13, 14, 15

Playing a little catch-up today...

http://missamericamisterbelgium.blogspot.be/2014/12/family-christmas.html (13 months). This was also the day I stopped nursing.

14 Months

14 Months

http://missamericamisterbelgium.blogspot.be/2015/02/valentines-2015.html
(From her 15th monthday)

16 Months

15 month check up. Average weight, a bit on the tall side, making her slightly underweight.

Standing! And climbing stairs!

Drivings cars

Obsessed with the computer

Fun at the petting zoo

Fine dining while waiting at the doctor at 7:50 am

Baby gymnastics

She loves feeding herself

First time playing outside

Letters to our Children - March

Last Month's Letter

Link to the next in the circle.

March 12, 2015

Where did the month go? Last month I said I was sure Liora would be walking. Guess what, she's not. But now she takes about 5 steps, then starts laughing and plops down.

I thought my topic for this letter would be "The same, but different."

I think it's natural that when you have a 2nd child, you often play the compare & contrast game. I think having the 2nd is an eye-opener that not all children are the same as your 1st. The 2 kids have the same parents, live in the same environment, yet you can already see at their young ages differences.

The game started with the pregnancy. The first one I got pregnant the first month, so I expected that with the 2nd. It was the 2nd month. What was the same was that I never threw up, but had about a month of a continuous naseated feeling.

I gained twice as much the first time around and needed to visit the bathroom ALL THE TIME, but with the 2nd I kept waiting for that phase and it never came. Yay! I had a hard time sleeping with the first, but the 2nd time around, I slept great, however, everything seemed to take much more effort. Was it having a toddler running around zapping all the energy? Could be.

With Mateo I went to the hospital the day after my due date. With Liora I had to be induced at what the doctor figured was 9 days overdue. If it based on an online calculator, I was 42 weeks. That was a big lesson for me! I know this will sound silly, but I always thought when people went that far overdue, they had just miscalculated...now I know, babies come (or don't ?!) when they want.

My recovery was much better with my daughter, but the homelife adjustment was much harder. I actually still feel like I'm not totally adjusted. Hard to know which ones' needs are the more important ones at a given moment.

Both babies nursed like pros already in the hospital and I don't think every dropped beneath their birth weight, but Mateo started taking a bottle (pumped milk) at 6 weeks and Liora NEVER did. Both loved eating real food, but one ate earlier than another.

Liora slept through the night a few months earlier, but needed to drink much more in the day.

Some differences I attribute to the boy/girl discussion. Mateo crawled and walked earlier, but Liora seems to be speaking earlier and copying lots of sounds and actions earlier.

BOTH kids love attention and try to get it in their own ways and both are easier for other people than for mommy and behave nicely for others.

One area I am hoping for a difference is that Liora is potty trained earlier! She never had a pacifier like her brother, so dealing with her thumb sucking may be something we have to address in a few years.

Differences and similarities...always paying attention to them.

Liora 12 Months

Letters to my Children - 3.5 years/15 months

Hi there. I’m participating for the first time in a circle-link-up (writing letters to our children). I’m not even sure if that’s the right word, but that’s the idea. A friend posted her letter and I commented what a good idea it was, so now I’m in the group. Let the fun begin.



January 20, 2015

Dear Mateo & Liora, I’m writing as Liora is sleeping and Mateo’s on his “Ipad” (Kindle Fire to be exact). I secretly gave him 45 minutes instead of his usual 30 minutes/day. This is how it seems to be the only way I can get something done. You kids are pretty jealous of mommy’s attention. If I’m looking at the computer with you around, you both come, yes, even the 15 month Liora, and start pushing buttons or shutting the lid. Also if mommy sits down and one comes to cuddle, the other one doesn’t want to be left out and then we have lots of squawking.

Mateo is 3.5 years old. We celebrated your half birthday at school. You were so proud of your crown and lion face paint. Friday was Carnaval and you dressed up like a fireman. Again, you were so proud. You can be quite the poser when you want to be. You have a great smile and I’m pretty sure you would make a great model. That part when you want to be seems to be pretty typical for you. You daddy and I are always impressed with what you have learned at school or picked up from us or your cousins. It is also frustrating when we see you one day putting your shoes and jacket on all alone and then the next and the next day throwing a fit for help.

Papa said a few days ago how much you both have grown in the last month. It’s true! In all aspects! Mateo is 107 cm / 17.5 kg and Liora is 78 cm / 9.8 kg. I had to go through all of Mateo’s clothes to take out most of the 4 year clothes and put in the 5 and even some SIX year clothes! Liora finally has enough hair for a ponytail and she can stand alone. I think by the next letter she’ll be walking.

Last Monday Mateo learned to ride a 2-wheeler. EVERYONE was impressed! You are quite the sporty fellow. Mommy received a new bike for Valentine’s Day, so I’m hoping in the next month or so we can bike to school. That will be fun. What else is new for you? You can zip your jacket (if you want), you are pretty good at getting your clothes on and off, plus taking yourself to the potty at night or early morning. You have a good memory of where things go or where you left the (again, if you want ;P). You are really into board games right now. You can beat us both at Memory.

We had a parent-teacher conference right before mid-winter break. Both your teachers said you are doing well. They said you language skills have greatly improved. We also have seen that at home. You are finally talking! (Is that a good thing?) We always knew you understood everything, but you had to sort out the 2 languages in your head. You speak mainly Dutch, even to Mama, but I’m trying to consciously have you repeat words or phrases in English, especially since our tickets are booked to go to America!

Now some words about your sister, since it seems that most of the attention goes to YOU right now. What is nice to see right now is your relationship with your sister. Even though you often are mean to her and sometimes hurt her, you are always paying attention to her and talking to her. Finally you are trying to be nice to her. You will bring her toys, rub her head or explain something to her. You love going into her room when she wakes up and she is equally excited to see you. I’m convinced you taught her to be wild. You guys can be crazy, rolling on the ground together. It’s fun to see that you two can play together with the same toys like Duplos or Little People.

Liora. What to say? I’ll start with saying it’s nice to say that this month is going well with you! A month or so ago I felt frustrated, because you just seemed to whine and crawl behind me, wanting to be picked up, but not even really held. Now, you will climb in Mateo’s chair for an hour. Up, down, over, around, up, down, STAND, sit…you are a wiggle worm indeed! But it’s nice to see you getting interested in toys. You will push around the Little People bus or look in books.

I find you a petit thing, but it may just be because I compare you to the size your brother was. I was saying that I don’t mind if you hold off walking, but now I think it’s time. My arms and back are sometimes sore. I still love dressing you! It was my life’s dream to have a daughter I could dress. Just waiting for the hair to grow, so I can try out some hairstyles. You language skills have also developed in the past few weeks! You started copying us. Mainly sounds. Super cute! Your first word was Papa, then Mama. Now you have some sound that sounds like Teo. Last week you said Baby. You adore your baby cousin, Mika. You also make a sound for All Done, Pee-Pee and Poo. We can also tell that you understand us. If I say, “Go ni-night,” You put your thumb in your mouth and lay down. Sometimes if I name a part of your body you respond by touching it. Anytime we say kissie, kiss, zoentje you give us kisses or will blow them. Super cute.

You still take 2 naps per day and sleep 12 hours at night. Go you! I think all your teeth are through. Someone just told me the more teeth a baby has, the later they walk. Interesting, huh? We are dealing with what we think is milk allergy. I actually need to make an appointment as soon as I am done writing for a recommended child stomach/intestine dietician. I feel like I need some professional advice. Enough writing for one day.


I had to extend the Kindle time and it’s lunch time. Until next month!

February 18, 2015

Today