Happy meal vs. wok

Happy meal!Canary wok!Alex loves to eat food he knows, and if the food comes with a little gift it makes him a very happy boy. Last weekend Alex did not want to go to the Wok. He wanted a happymeal, because he could see the McDonalds right next to the Wok restaurant. After checking with the Wok place it turned out that it would be no problem if Alex entered with his parents and his happymeal and ate it at the Wok.

Once seated at the Wok a few things happened. We were sitting next to a big tank with a few turtles. Enough for Alex to loose interest in his little plastic toy. Still he had his fries and chicken. These were still good.

But then we started getting food. Alex saw his parents with plates full of shrimp, little lobsters, squid, little shells, mushrooms and a little vegetables. This was something Alex needed to try (just like his grandfather), and he didn’t touch his happymeal anymore. It was the first night Alex ate so much that we skipped his milk. He went to bed with his stomach filled to the brim.

In a few month his grandmother and father will be visiting. The perfect reason to go again.

Fish

Alex and the fish!We love to go the the beach, and we’re lucky because there are lots of beaches nearby. Both Ana and I prefer a nice sandy beach. Handy for putting up the parasol, and great for relaxing in the sand. The only bad thing it that a little bit of wind can cover you with a thin layer of sand that is impossible to remove, except by jumping into the cold ocean.

Alex on the other hand prefers a rocky beach. The perfect place for walking around with a little net catching everything that moves. Shrimp, little fish, crabs, ec.

Recently Alex caught a little fish. It ended up it his little bucket, and the good times started. First he got a big scare when he put his hand in the water and the fish touched him, but this changed with amazing speed. Soon Alex was playing with the fish and the little fish became more and more tired, until we released him back into the ocean.

Three years!

alex-olifantToday we have a big party because we celebrate Alex’ third birthday.

Alex asked for one strange thing: His daddy dressed up as a clown. Oh well, if it makes him happy I’ll be happy to dress up for him.

Zuur

Alex covered with lemons!
Alex likes picking lemons and this has resulted in a very big amount of fruit. To bad the taste is so sour. Still, once mixed with water and some sugar the taste is quite nice.

The recipy is simple:

  • 4 lemons
  • 1 liter of water
  • 100 grams sugar

Diaper

A sort message from Alex’ school will have some big effects. The message was

Dear parents,

Starting next monday Alex is expected to attend school without a diaper.

Uf! Alex is growing up so fast! We have already started training Alex to use his potty, but it is a slow process. Quite logical because with a diaper you can just let everything flow and still remain dry. Still, the good times are over, and Alex will need to adjust. With a big amount of underwear and pants we will start with this new phase on Monday.

Dutch genes

Alex - Typical Dutch!

If it ain’t Dutch, It ain’t much.

Being Dutch is something that’s in your genes. A way of being and of self consciousness that cannot be changed. Being Dutch means you are conscious of your future and you truly feel the master of your own destiny.

The Dutch are proud of their history and their culture but choose to look forwards. We have faith in the future and faith in our selves. We see changes and grab hold of them with both hands. Alex embraces his roots because he can already see that being Dutch means he is privileged.