Cannero Riviera

We spent Easter with Granny and Grandpa,  in a really beautiful town at Lake Maggiore in Italy. Cannero.

It was typical Italy. Small town, old houses, small cobbled roads, beaches and amazing scenery.

We spent most mornings exploring different towns and Islands.

 We also ate a lot. A lot of pasta, a lot of pizza and a LOT of gelato! It was definitely Dylan's favourite word on holiday and he managed at least 2 icecreams a day. 

The boys loved the afternoons the most. Then they got to run around and play football, play in the playground and swim in the indoor pool.

I can't wait for summer and our next adventure. This time in France!

the boys

I took these photos a couple of weeks ago. Dylan and Travis love chasing each other around... and climbing, and dancing, and laughing, and copying each other, and just generally being silly. They each find the other one so funny that it makes us laugh too.

 

2 wheels

Marko took Dylan's side wheels off his bike yesterday. It took Dylan a few minutes to get the hang of it and then off he went.

Wobble, wobble,

watch out for the wall!

Aha, that's how I do it.

I did it!

How pleased am I!?

This was taken about 15 minutes later!

By the afternoon I couldn't keep up with him any more, he was racing up and down -with his eyes closed!- like a maniac. He now wants to know if we can cycle on 1 wheel!

Dylanosaurus

all of 10 minutes

Travis loves playing with the mega block autos (cars). He has it all worked out and we have to stick to the plan... the 10 minute plan. He's a very busy boy.

First he fetches the blocks,

then he calls me and pats the floor next to him: 'Mama, zitten!'', and I have to help build the ramp.

 Brrrrrrm, brmmm.

 Enough of that, time to empty out the blocks.

 and to tidy them all up again.

And back they go, into the corner, ready for tomorrow.

a taste of summer

Manon and Rosalie came to play on Saturday and the kids had loads of fun. We had a lovely day outside in the sun. First in the playground and then on the balcony. There aren't many photo's (too busy!) but here are a few of them playing on the balcony...Amazing how long they kept themselves amused with a few watering cans full of water.( I really should have taken before and after photo's too - they started off so neatly dressed and ended up soaking wet and pretty much naked.)

I'm finished

my family - by Dylan

Off to big school

In Holland, when you turn 4, you start school. So Dylan (growing up far too quickly!?) started big school on 7 February. He's at Nieuw Park Rozenburg, in Juf Clowy's class (1/2d). He is enjoying it a lot!  He settled in very quickly, with the help of our neighbours Rosa and Niels, who are also in his class. He has gym twice a week and English lessons on Monday. He especially likes that because he knows it all already. He has certainly grown a lot since he last changed groups at the creche. When he turned 3 and went to a new group, he hid himself in the corner for the first few weeks! Now, however, he joins in with everything and is quite happy to share his story when it's his turn to talk in the ring.

Here he is during his first week (stripey shirt on far side of table). Marko or I take him to class and are allowed to stay for about 15 mins. Usually Dylan sends us away sooner though. They start the morning off in the ring. (Phone photo quality...)

At the end of the day we fetch him outside. Can you spot him?

Dylan's class can be found at the yellow fishes! Once he has shaken hands with the teacher it's home time.

school holiday

Dylan has been going to school for a whole 2 weeks... and he already had his first week of holiday. On the monday I (Marko) took the day off and we spent the whole day together doing fun stuff.

I thought it would be fun to visit Railz Miniworld, an indoor model railroad layout in the centre of Rotterdam. Because we were going to watch the little trains, i decided to take the big train into town (instead of just the metro) and that was fun.
we arrived at Rotterdam central station after only 5 minutes, but we stayed there for long, watching the trains arrive and depart and check the building in progress of the new station. Dylan brought his camera and he tried photographing every train and crane he saw.

here's Dylan's view of the work in progress:

we left the big trains behind us and went to the little trains. there he admired all the little trains and scenery, while trying to make as many photos as he could

unfortunatelly, his skills in photographing aren't that good :) here's what most photos he took look like:

at first I thought he'd watch the trains an want to leave in 15 minutes, but i was wrong! we stayed and watch the trains and scenes for ever and I really enjoyed watching him discovering new things.

We left to have a drink in town and some lunch and i asked him what he wanted to do next. "now i want to go to the big trains and then to the little trains".... so it was back to the train station for us and look at more trains and more building.

I managed to talk him out of visiting the little trains again :) and I am not sure who had more fun today, me or him!