Next to the bed

We had quite a scare. Today Alex rolled of the bed for the first and hopefully last time. He woke up around six thirty and this normally means he won’t sleep any more. Alex likes to start his days bright and early. After cleaning his diaper and feeding his his bottle of milk he spend some time playing in our bed with his purple elephant and his little fabric donkey book. Normally he plays a little and then lies done to relax next to his mother.

Today was different and he was much more active in the morning. He was rolling around. In a very short time he role to the edge of the bed and then… boink! Ana in a panic and the little one was crying a bit because he got quite a scare. Luckily if was only a very short distance he fell from our bed onto a rug, and Alex quickly forgot all about it. As parent we did not forget so easily and we were treated to a big adrenaline shot. The days we can leave Alex in peace, doing whatever he likes seem to be coming to an end. From now on we need to pay attention and be vigilant.

Godfather

What a nice surprise. Today I received a phone call from ‘down under’ and just before starting the weekend I was asked if I would like to be the godfather of little Jack and of course I gladly accepted this great honor. At the moment Jack is in Australia with his family. He will be baptised next week and then I will be presented as his godfather.

Father’s day!

Today it’s father’s day in Spain and for me it is my first father’s day ever. I’m so curious… I already got a few emails from friends and family but what will my son give me. He was a bit sad today crying every now and then, but in a quiet moment when we were playing on his little mat he gave me the best present he could. His first roll-over!

Colored

Tulpenvijfje - Colored coin!A new commemorative coin is being minted. It is a coin with a five euro value which means it can only be used in the Netherlands. Basically it means the coin is intended for coin collectors and the state treasury. Five euro coins appear around three times a year and this is the first coin of 2012. The theme of the coin are the relations between the Netherlands and Turkey which exist for 400 years.

As a symbol for this relationship the tulip has been selected. Although tulips are often associated with The Netherlands commercial cultivation of the flower began in Turkey. The coins has an open tulip with the portrait of our queen on one side, and a closed tulip with the Turkish flag on the other side, representing the origin or the tulip and the important symbol it is nowadays related to the Netherlands.

The royal Dutch mint likes to experiment and again they surprised us with something new. A set of coins featuring a colored tulip. Four colors were used, red, white, blue and orange. The colors of the national flag and the color that represents the royal family. Sadly only 750 sets were available so once again the entire set was sold very fast (less than 12 hours).

Strange boat

Weird ship!
How does a ship like this keep sailing? It looks like the ship is meant to carry some sort of load, but it seems to me the top of the ship is so heavy it will tumble over at the first wave.

Pa-pa

Yesterday I was talking with our little son. A conversation that involved no more than me repeating the sounds he produced. After quite a long run of different sounds there was suddenly a very recognizable combination of sounds. Pa-pa! (daddy in Dutch) The sound was only made once and my initial enthusiasm was tempered a little because Alex refused to make any more sounds, but still… I was the proudest dad!

Kangaroo

Alex as a Kangaroo!Alex likes to be outside, but when we take him for a stroll in his little car he usually falls asleep quickly. This is perfect when it’s time for a little siesta, but at night we prefer that he stays awake a little longer because going to sleep early results in him waking up very early as well.

To solve this issue we started using Alex’s carrying construction again. Hanging with his arms and legs in the air we went for a short walk through the area. Alex likes it a lot and is clearly enjoying himself! He’s looking at everything with curiosity and remains awake. When we arrive home we bath him in a nice warm bath and afterwards he sleeps like a baby.