Today

is one of those - very rare, luckily - days on which I would like to grab the children,

and pin them - like a peaceful and QUIET Monet - on the wall.

They're napping now, but Roo has been very clingy. Crying if I didn't pick her up and well, Monkey is missing the attention and he's been naughty to get attention. And well. Even though 99,97% of the time everything goes well and & relax & I enjoy being a mom. This morning kind of feels like failure. I'm taking the kids outside as soon as they wake up from their naps.

ANYWAY.

Let me show you something. On Roo's little face:

Common Roo, let the people look.

Roo.. please. I'll give you a banana!

Thank you.

See the redness around her mouth and on her cheeks?

Here's a better shot:

We've been to a doctor about it twice. Explained we suspect a food allergy (because she has had milk intolerance and her brother still reacts to dairy & apples & pears). But they wouldn't agree. Seriously, I know parents tend to self diagnose food allergies, often wrong perhaps, but please.

But, OK, fine. We're not doctors. So we first got medicine for her eczema from a learning doctor (not sure what the English word is for it, she's a little more than an intern, but not a doctor yet?), at home we read the medicine information and it said "Do not use for eczema" . Hmmm. So we call the pharmacy, and they say "If the doctor says you can use it, you can use it".

We're a little stubborn. We call the medicine manufacturer and they say "Do not use it for eczema!". OK. We make an appointment with our family doctor and he says he understands why she subscribed it, but he's giving something else. Did I just here Medical Oops? We use the new stuff, and use it and use it, but it doesn't help one bit.

And than I decide to do a little test. We left the the suspected allergies (tomatoes and/ or dairy) completely out of her diet, and waited to see what happened.

The eczema completely dissapeared.

I'll phone the family doctor and discuss it with him later on. Sometimes parents know these things.

But if it's allergy for dairy and or tomatoes, please tell me she will grow out of it. She'll never be able to enjoy the high culinary little treats like pizza.

Oh. And the first person who tells me sugar rush with children is non existent, gets to pick a nice spot on my wall too.

I have no idea where that came from. Sorry. I'm *slightly* agitated today.

And OH before I forget! Did you see the card Roo is holding in that last picture? Here, this card:

It's a Valentine's card from RM and his family from the Dorsal Stream! We LOVE it! Thank you! His lovely children really did a great job on making it.

Sorry for the rant! But you know what, because you listened, I won't hang you on the wall!

Honey, I had sex with another man.

Me: Honey...
Husband: Yes?
Me: Have you ever dreamed about having sex with someone else?
Husband: Huh?
Me: Have you ever dreamed about having SEX with someone else, but ME?
Husband: Ehhh. Why?
Me: Just tell me.
Husband: Ehm. Well not recently.
Me: What!
Husband: And not someone we actually KNOW.
Me: An imaginary woman?
Husband:Yes.
Me: Hmmm. OK.
Husband: WHY?
Me: Nothing. Just because.

... an hour later.

Husband: Why did you ask?
Me: What?
Husband: About dreaming about having sex with another person?
Me: Ehm..
Husband: did you?
Me: What?
Husband: Have sex with another person?
Me: ONLY in my dream!
Husband: WHAT?
Husband: WHO?
Me: Oh, here we go.
Husband: WHEN?
Me: Last night. I almost feel guilty.
Husband: Almost?
Me: But not really, because you were there too.
Husband: What? Like the three of us..?
Me: Sort of.
Husband: Was she beautiful?
Me: SHE?
Husband: A HE????
Me: Ehm...
Husband: Gross!
Me: Well, you didn't do anything WITH him.
Husband: What did I do? I watched?
Me: Oh God. Let's not get into details.
Husband: But you had a good time, enjoying the both of us?
Me: It was really just a short dream.. a little fragment. It was nothing.
Husband: A quickie.
Me: Sort of.
Husband: Do I know him?
Me: Yes, he's a celebrity.
Me: He's not even my type!!!
Husband: WHO?
Me: Not telling.
Husband: OH COMMON. You cannot keep it a secret!
Husband: I was THERE for crying out loud.
Me: OK, it was ***** (I am not telling!)

30 minutes later....

Husband: OK, he is not even THAT attractive.
Me: I KNOW, he's not even my type, I told you.
Husband: Why HIM?
Husband: He's like... old!
Me: I KNOW!
Husband: Seriously though, Nadine.
Husband: I'm OK with it. But next time,
Me: Yes...
Husband: pick a beautiful sexy woman instead of a guy.

Like I will tell. Next time.

Have you ever had sex with someone else in your dreams? Did you tell your spouse?

Oh, so THIS is why you don't shop lingerie with a toddler and a baby

Last year, after my surgery my husband gave me a gift: a gift certificate for a really fancy lingerie shop. I was excited, because I really wanted to buy a few new bras. But with me still breastfeeding, there was no use in buying beautiful bras or tops. Because, to be honest, there is no way telling what size you'll have once you finished nursing.

So the certificate stayed untouched in my closet for over 9 months.. until I quit breastfeeding a week ago!

In the last weeks I often thought, since breastfeeding was already brought back to once a day, I could go in the shop and try something on.. have my size measured.

But you know, I am often with the children. And well, a 13 month old and a 3 year old in a lingerie shop? I don't think so.

But last Saturday, I went out with my husband and children. Roo in the stroller, Monkey on the little board that goes with the stroller.

I brought my certificate with me just to be sure. We walk by the lingerie shop, there are NO customers and I see a window of opportunity... So I ask "Shall we hop in?"

The sales lady takes a beeline to me (remember: I am the only customer) and she soon suggests she measures my breasts & size.

My husband nods "yes" and Monkey and Roo are still quietly enjoying themselves. Looking at the different types of underwear.

(By now you have figured out we're quite liberal here :))

ANYWAY.

I follow the sales lady to the luxurious and well sized fitting room, with a beautiful baroque chair and silver mirror.

After I remove my (top) clothes & bra, she measures me. The verdict isn't too bad either, so you know, I'm happy.

She asks what kind of bras I like, and suggests me trying on a few Marlies Dekkers bras (which you should definitely try, she has stores world wide, they are a phenomenon in The Netherlands). She leaves me alone. I get a chance to look at myself in the mirror. I consider they should change the light and place candles, to go with the nice baroque decoration.

When she comes back with the bras, I suddenly hear my husband..

"No, Monkey, stay here"

OH DEAR GOD NO.

Monkey: "I want to go to mommy! Where is mommy?"

NO NO NO NO NO

And then he (Monkey) ran in. I'm still fuzzing with the bras. "Hi Monkey" I say, smiling.

Monkey: "What are you doing mommy??"

I explain and he's thrilled he gets to stay in the luxurious and well sized fitting room, (with beautiful baroque chair and silver mirror). And enjoys looking at the "things where mommy puts her breasts in."

I'm thinking, OK, I'd rather be alone, but as long as he behaves.....

And then my husband walks in, with stroller, to take Monkey outside with him.

But Monkey isn't having it.

For your image; the saleslady, my husband, a stroller with 13 month old Roo and Monkey.

...and me, without top, fighting with the bra (because while Marlies Dekkers bras are HEAVENLY to wear, they are really hard to get into) all IN the luxurious and well sized fitting room, (with beautiful baroque chair and silver mirror.)

"It's getting a bit busy in here".. I say hinting.. But Monkey is now all over the dressing room.

The saleslady doesn't seem to mind, she's really polite, and at some point I realize she likes children, and well...

Only second pass, my husband is getting ready to get everyone out of there,

Just when I thought it couldn't possible get any worse...

Monkey farts.

Really loud.

Like you know, the sound of a farting big construction guy with ass cleavage after eating a greasy lunch, who just finished a carton of full fat milk farting in a MICROPHONE echoing all over the construction sight, kind of loud.

(get the mental image?)

And the SMELL.

THE SMELL!

Like, you go to your fridge, you open that one container in the back and you smell the holiday leftovers.... of LAST YEAR.

And when I thought it couldn't possibly get worse after THAT?

He climbed (still in the luxurious and well sized fitting room, with a beautiful baroque chair and silver mirror.) on the beautiful chair..

and farted AGAIN.

So what have I learned?

Never feed your children beans.

NEVER take your children lingerie shopping.

NEVER.

NEVER NEVER NEVER.

But I did buy a nice bra. So I am now part of the Marlies Dekkers phenomenon.

My boobs are trendy, yo!

I made a MAN mistake AND I have a new JOB!

Guys, what did I do wrong?

Sometimes I eat chocolate at work (because I am one of those annoying skinny women who can eat EVERYTHING moohahahaha) ..

OH I think I just lost some female blog friends....

ANYWAY.

When I eat said candy or chocolate.... I often offer my colleagues (female) a piece of whatever it is I am enjoying. Because, you know, I don't want to come across selfish or unwilling to share.. or whatever.

And 99,9999998% of the time I get this answer:

"NO, thank you. I am on a diet. I am trying to loose some of the holiday weight."

(depending on the season...spring and summer it is "trying to fit in bikini")

"Nope, diet"

"Nope, losing weight"

"Nope, want to fit in clothes"

"Nope, I am huge"

ANYWAY.

One of these ladies, who I have offered candy a few times, always answers she's on a diet (which she doesn't need, she looks just great, me thinks).

She says .. in a conversation...

"Oh, Nadine, I wish I didn't have my period. Maybe I should get pregnant. That way, I wouldn't have my period for 9 months"

To which I say: "Good idea. AND after that you should breastfeed, as you don't get your period when breastfeeding"

And I added, (because I like to help people ;) "PLUS, breastfeeding works wonders for your DIET, you keep losing weight'

ON which her smile disappears and SHE says....

"Are you calling me FAT? I am not fat!"

Ehm. Seriously, what can I say? I felt like such a man.

Anyway.

I HAVE GOT A NEW JOB!!

This April I will start my new job! It's a communications/ pr job for 18 hours per week. So I will only work two days, and the rest I can spend with my children. I think this is the perfect combination between a SAHM and a working mom. Plus my MIL would very much like to see the children often, so we have discussed me using my extra day to write or start my own business from home. Woohoo!!

I'm excited, I'll be joining a small communication team in an organization which will grow by 500% in the next 2 years (people of other organizations will be transferred to that organization). That's an quite an interesting job for a communications consultant.

For those of you who follow me on Twitter; this is the same job as I discussed there. But my Twitter updates are protected and the people who I hang with in person, are not my followers on Twitter. ( I try to keep my blog and Twitter somewhat a secret, though I realize my blog is public and I am very findable, but I can choose who reads my Twitter updates :).

The day my mom almost called child services on me

So a few days ago, I was heating up some soup for lunch and making sandwiches. Monkey, still sleepy from his late morning nap (11 AM tot 12.30 PM most days, yes!), asked me if he could call his oma (my mom). "Sure honey," I replied. I scrolled to my parents home number in the contact list, hit dial and handed the phone to my 3 year old phone addict.

"HI OMA" "This is Monkey"

I continued making lunch, Monkey with the phone close to his ear, strolled through the living room, still in bare feet and chatting cheerfully to his grandma. While he wandered through the living room he talked to her about what he did, saw or just what happened while he was on the phone.

Little snippets of the conversation;

"OH, NO! OMA!"

(My ears go up)

Monkey pointing at a few kitchen towels that Roo grabbed out of a closet seconds before:
"WHAT A MESS HERE! I HAVE TO CLEAN IT UP AGAIN!"

Seriously. YOU clean like NOTHING here.

Monkey wandering through the room:

"HEY I FEEL A LOT OF LITTLE THINGS STICK TO MY FEET!"

REMEMBER this is my mom he's talking too... Apparently it's a mess AND I don't vacuum.

Monkey with a sad little voice:

"Nooo, I am not wearing socks"

Socks are expensive, what can I say.

KIDDING KIDDING

Monkey: "When I pee, I use my penis"

Oh no. Here we go.

Monkey: "And I poo too"

Great. Just great.

Monkey: HEEEEEY What comes flying through the air now?

Monkey: A KNIFE!

I SWEAR it was JUST A BUTTER KNIFE! It slipped out of my hand! It fell from the kitchen counter. Nobody got hurt.

Monkey (still on the phone): "HEY MOM! What are you EATING?"

Can't I eat ANYTHING without sharing?

Monkey: "POTATO chips?"

That's me and my healthy diet, right there.

Me (distracting him from MY salty potato chips): "Honey, you're talking to OMA, please give her my love and finish the conversation so we can have lunch. "

Monkey: "Oma, I am going to eat a sandwich with pickled cucumbers."

....

And he did. Eat a sandwich with butter and pickled cucumbers. What? Isn't that normal lunch food for toddlers? He likes it and it's green so it must have some nutritional value.

It's Fisher Price phones for him for the next 18 years or so.

San Francisco, thank you for helping me out with this one

I am bad at memes and awards. Not bad in a little bad. But HORRIBLE. Sure, I LOVE an award, I will usually thank you, but I hardly ever follow up on my blog. I'm a good friend like that ;) The lovely Lily Potter (go visit her blog, she has THREE ADORABLE children, and one of them is the CUTEST new born around these days!) tagged me for the photo meme that has been floating around Blogoshere last WEEK.

And Francesca of the lovely 3Bay chicks has given me an award (like what.. 10 years ago?)...

A little late, but THANKS girls!

Ahem. So I tried to find some time to squeeze in this post.... I started with the meme. It asked me to post the sixth photo in the sixth photo folder on my laptop... and after digging in iPhoto to do just that... look what it came up with:

In the skies above NYC, just before landing. We unfortunately had too little time between the flights to visit Manhattan.

It was the very beginning of our California trip in December of 2004! One of my favorite vacations AND US cities. I have simply never had so much good food, such a variety of scenery and culture, beautiful architecture and steep hills. And apparently the coolest bloggers live there too!

The bay area is home of the lovely Francesca.

Thanks for the tag Lily Potter and many thanks for the award Francesca!

Anyone reading this, thinking: I WANT TO DO THAT MEME? Be my guest, the rules are: "Go to your sixth picture folder and pick your sixth picture. Pray you remember the details. Tag five others."

While I am in iPhoto... I'll throw in an extra photo. The obligatory tram photo:

(THAT was like over FOUR years ago!!!! I looked SO young!!)

Why I love my man (and his magic shirt)

Me: Did you find any good deals when you where shopping?
Husband: Yeah, definitely. Bought a nice office shirt.
Me: Cool, show me
Husband: It was a tad expensive even though it was a sales article.
Me: Well, if it's a cool shirt..
Husband (showing the shirt): Here it is!

Me: Oh. That's nice.
Husband: Oh? Nice?
Me: It's nice!
Husband: But?
Me: Well, it's a little BORING. You know.
Husband: I don't know.
Me: I just thought... No, sorry. It's a nice shirt. It's just a SIMPLE shirt. Nice fabric though.
Husband: There's nothing simple about it!
Me: No.. it has horizontal lines...
Husband:..
Me: and vertical lines...
Me: forming a nice little pattern.
Husband: NO, it is a SPECIAL shirt
Me: Why?
Husband: It does something with stains, it removes them.
Me: You BOUGHT a dry cleaner with it? That explains the price.
Husband: No, but it says here the shirt will always stay nice, without having to do all kinds of tricks to get stains out.
Me: I kind of like this shirt.
Husband: And it IRONS itself!
Me: WHAT?
Husband: It doesn't need to be ironed.
Me: I love love LOVE that shirt!
Husband: Why?
Me: Because it irons itself (DUH)
Husband: But you NEVER iron. I do all the ironing.
Me: That's why I love YOU!

(my husband will be so grateful I took pictures of him at like 7.30 AM LOL!)

Don't you love this shirt? Love, love, LOVE.

****
Are you supporting Rosie? Janice of Mon on the Run is Rosie's first supporter! We're CHANGING the world as we know it. Read more about Rosie, here.

Let's talk about sex baby

The category kind. Not the baby making kind. WE are going to write history today.

Today I looked at my 3 year old toddler Monkey, collecting the dolls from his FAVORITE toy (we're talking 1st prize, 2nd prize AND 3rd prize): DUPLO. He plays HOURS a day with Duplo. Anyway.

Looking at the dolls, I realized something. Now, let's see, if you see it too.

First, say hello to Grandpa Billy

With his grandson Toby

Hi Toby! Is that a WORM in his pocket?

It is!! Yuck!

And farm boy Billy Jr.

It's not your eyes: I took this blurry photo from his Facebook account. ALWAYS suspect blurry photos.

Billy Jr. always tries to hide the rather excessive seize of his teeth, SEE:

Anyway..

So here's Bob .. the construction guy

Hi Bob!

And his inbreed nephew John... also a construction guy

And look who's driving by in his yellow chick magnet: Peter the Postman

And Jack.. the police officer

And Brad.. the BAD guy with the one day beard

They're really close:

Never mind.

Choo choo.. Ted the Train conductor, inspecting his railroad car.

Oh, look, there's Frank the fireman

And.. oh.. Todd the HOT fireman

Hi Todd, could i just ask you to hold your..

AAAH!

MELTING

SO..

ANYWAY

WHAT do all the above dolls have in common?

They have a penis. No, actually, that's not what I wanted to say. They are MALE dolls (there is really no sign of a penis whatsoever).

The firemen? MEN. The postman? MAN. The farmer? MAN The train conductor? MAN.The constructors? MAN. The policeman? MAN.

MAN. MAN. MAN.

You could also argue that all of the above - except for the grandpa and bad guy - are representing a profession too.

So I went on Duplo.com and tried to find FEMALE dolls. And I did.

I found Duplo female dolls taking care of Duplo animals... in a zoo or farm.

And I found Rosie. Rosie the Duplo female doll is...

(sorry for the blurry screen dump)

VACUUMING.

Vacuuming?

VACUUMING.

And the only MAN figure of this pink house?

Is trashing the chair with his (probably muddy) feet.

What is this teaching our children?

I think I need to call Duplo and get them to make female dolls with cool careers.

Rosie needs to be freed from the stigma. We should write Duplo and DEMAND equal rights for female Duplo dolls.

And because I just KNOW you are all going to want to help Rosie, here's a nice button you can use.

http://www.helloworlditsme.com/archives/001030.php

We're going to write history! FREE Rosie the female Duplo doll! Let her have the choice to have a career!

INSTANT UPDATE

Ladies & gentleman: it is HAPPENING, thousands of people are in support of Rose:

You can be part of it too!

Child vaccination dilemma

This is a topic I on which I really appreciate your thoughts and your experience.

Before I saw Jim Carey and his wife on the Oprah show about their son's autism and how they think the disease is related to the child vaccination programs, I had never given the issue much thought. I vaguely remember having seen a similar item on TV before. That was days after Monkey had his vaccinations. And after Googling, I figured I was too late anyway.

I forgot about it and hided in ignorance. Ignorance can be bliss like that.

But Roo had to get her fourth batch of vaccines a couple of weeks ago. And right before that, I saw another item featuring Jim Carey's wife on television.

We decided to Google the subject again - this time BEFORE the vaccines - and tried to find more information.

First we surfed to Green Our Vaccines, the organization Jim and his wife support. I found it to be a lot about autism and less about the questions I wanted to find an answer for.

Organizations like Green our vaccines warn against the use of mercury and vaccine cocktails (not your regular Screwdriver, you get the point).

In The Netherlands there is no mercury in the vaccines, so that's one less worry. But they do combine a few vaccines and give them at once. Often repeating this 'cocktail' vaccine two, three or FOUR times. In the first year of a child's life.

Although it does kind of makes sense that combining vaccines could hurt a child; what do we know, we are not doctors, so we trust our childrens' health to the people who tell us what to do.

So we Googled some more and found quite a lot of information, but it's kind of hard to filter it, as the people and organizations that write about the topic vary from:

EXTREMELY religious people who believe a child should not be vaccinated because we (the people) shouldn't interfere with God's plan (those people may find any medicine should be avoided too, for the same reasons.)

to

conspiracy thinkers who think the vaccine program is a way of the government to drug us and to make us pay more tax money (is there more to take? :)

to

pharmacy companies who have the patent WORLD WIDE on some of the child vaccines, who say it is not a conspiracy. (but you don't have to be a genius to figure out it's perhaps not a conspiracy, but it is a gold mine for those companies!)

to

alternative doctors and medical practitioners who are against vaccines (or at least the cocktails) and promote more natural ways of preventing disease

to

people who believe God is a tree and we are his twigs and we should all sleep with our heads faced East because that will bring us in contact with earth and we all should drink organic tea while dancing in our cotton clothes and dance to ACOUSTIC music while we do not vaccinate our children and God forbid spend time in a room with something metal in it and WiFi because WiFi is the devil and we should not drink soda pop because it messes with the climate and than it will rain even more since the microwave has already disturbed earth's balance and than ...

OK you get the point.

Googling can be VERY confusing.

But there are also NORMAL people questioning the vaccine programs. They scream less loud, and are a tad more difficult to find.

Which almost made me question us questioning the whole issue.

If I still make sense, please let me know. I am confusing myself.

After we talked with my brother and sister in law about it, we found out they had the same worries. That came as a surprise, because we didn't think they would question a vaccination program issued by the government.

They did some research, but went with the vaccines, because they lack medical knowledge (like 95% of us). They also told us about friends they have, who refused the normal vaccine cocktails, and organized their own vaccination program, leaving more time between each vaccine given. Normal, intelligent people. Not belonging to one of the categories above or whatever stigma you want to put on them. NORMAL.

I like to think we're normal intelligent people too. So I guess we are not that strange to question child vaccination programs. People question child vaccination programs.

What did we do with little Roo?

Because we took too little time to research and LACK medical knowledge.

But for the next batch of vaccinations, we are going to do a little more research and find out how we can avoid the vaccination cocktails and spread them over a longer period instead.

You see, we are not AGAINST vaccinations. But I believe it may be wise to spread out the vaccines. But at this point, I just don't know for sure.

I'll keep you posted on that.

Want more information?

A CNN article about the topic

Jenny McCarthy on Larry King

The Vaccine-Autism Story: Trust Your Government, or Be a Patriot and Get on Google

Green our vaccines

A negative view on Green our vaccines, but it may be wise to read different angles on the topic

Moms against mercury

Sometimes being a parent, means trusting other people with your child. And that's difficult.

Because I want only want the best for my little Roo.

What's your take on all this?

The day my hand outsmarted my foot

I cannot believe I am posting this photo.

OOOH MEAN mommy!

Little daughter, I'm not laughing AT you, I'm laughing WITH you. Because what may seem BIG for you now, is little to you tomorrow. And what may seem big for me now, is little to you today.

What kind of means, you know, when you're older you'll laugh when you fall of a big school bus. And now you're happily pooing away through the day and make us spend more money on Pampers than the value of our home.

Hold on. I am sure that is not what I meant.

What I meant was.. don't be do acrobatic maneuvers on a school bus.

Such wisdom only comes with age and crack (and unusably high fever). In my case not age .. as I am not OLD.. I am ONLY 29 year old (don't let my year of birth fool you!) But you know, the aspirin overdose and fever, might have let to the posting of that photo.

Anyway, baby daughter, when you take that first photo to your therapist one day to discuss whateverwent wrong in your first years of life.. please note you may also want to know I also sometimes lick my finger and us that to wipe food of your face. Oooh!

So, you know, everyone I know in real life has the flu. EXAGGERATING a little. But honestly, a lot of people have some sort of flu. And they don't bother to stay in bed to not get other people sick. Spread the flu baby. But this maybe my coffee aspirin mix speaking.

DRUGS baby! What, not healthy you say?

Agreed. But my muscle ache is finally gone. And I feel happy.

And WHOAAAH. Look at that purple clock stripping in the sky. Wiggling its hours arms and showing its insides! Tick-tock!!! Right on that minute wheel baby!

Where was I?

I gave in to Mr. Flu. I almost didn't. Feverish as I was, I did get showered, dressed, had breakfast, aspirin.

But because I could barely hold my 1 year old because of the muscle ache, I decided I was CRAZY for going into work. Sick is sick.

So here I am. In bed. Doing mindless things like Twitter and joining Stumble upon and Digg (I KNOW I am the last person to join, well besides the 89 y/o bird lady in the park and my friend's unborn child).

And because I am stumbling I found this:

It says "...lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles. Draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction and there's nothing you can do about it. "

OH COMMON, do it.

DO it.

Did you do it?

It worked didn't it?

It did for me! Apparently my hand outsmarted my foot.. WHO knew!

Also I am wondering if blogging in this state of mind has anything to do with the fact that I just had 3 sandwiches smothered with cheddar cheese and JALAPENOS. (What can I say, I like HOT!!)

Did you know you can get high from spicy food?

I didn't either.

But you CAN!

Woohoo!

Hold on, finish this reading this post before running to your fridge and swallowing a jar of the green gold. And don't start A War On Jalapenos either!

I think it's kind of cool they contain vitamins, cure cancer and brings great and entertaining blog posts.

Posts, that will probably get deleted once my fever dropped.

Are you still reading?

What?

Really?

Cool! I had no clue.

I thought I was watching Oprah. But I typed up a post. Fever is my muse.

Meet my sunshine

I try not to complain about the weather. Because I simply cannot change it, so why complain and feel worse? When it rains, it rains. The sun always comes back.

But today it is COLD!! I went through snow and hail and wind OH the WIND. I felt cold to the bones. (is that even an expression in other parts of the world?) I literally SHIVERED the entire afternoon. Perhaps I caught Roo's little virus.

Anyway, I was flipping through the photo album of my phone. And found some photos of me and Monkey on the beach, last year. And I longed, longed, LONGED for summer. I think just watching the photos made me feel slightly warmer. I'll share, because. 1. I want to share the warmth 2. I think Monkey is totally rocking this hat. Too bad he won't be able to wear it this summer (not without excessive force anyway).

Now I'm of to bed, because, seriously? I am still EXHAUSTED! And cold. Oh springtime, please come quick.

The truth

Thank you all for playing along! I had so much fun reading your thoughts.

We have a winner: the lovely Chantelle. She only missed ONE! Congrats! The every so funny Beth came in second with 10 out of 12.

1. We spend approximately 535 dollars a year on bananas.
It is true: I did the math a few days ago and couldn't believe it either. What can I say: our family eats a LOT of bananas.

2. We spend approximately 1260 dollars a year on Dutch cheese.
We rarely eat this Dutch favorite as 50% of our little family has a lactose intolerance and so we all are quasi vegan.False.

3. I do not have my drivers license, but I'm taking lessons.
What can I say. I should have done it sooner. But lessons are quite an investment here (it is not unusual to spend 2500$ on lessons and exams). Not to mention about 75% doesn't pass the first time. After an average of 42 (!!) hour lessons That last fact to me sounds like the exams are too difficult and/ or the government organization that handles the exams has found an extremely good way of making money. True!

4. My grandma used to walk on wooden shoes.
Ehm no. False!

5. My favorite place to study is the bath tub.
Yes, When I went to college, I often took my college books and read them while enjoying a hot and steaming bath. I don't know, I find it a great place to think (and have little distraction). True!

6. I had a boyfriend who named his penis Brutus.
Personally I don't get the name your penis thing. Anyway, this guy thought his Brutus was God's gift to women. I imagine that when he's old and his Brutus let's him down, he'll say "Et tu Brute?" So yes, scary but true.

7. I am working on a cookbook.
True! Very slowly, but true.

8. We would like to have four or five children.
The very thought of it frightens me! I am not saying we're done, but there is no way that we'll have that many. Unless, you know, I get pregnant with triplets. False.

9. When my Apple Powerbook dies, I will get a Windows notebook.
OK, I'd rather have HUNDRED kids than returning to Windows. False! An you ALL guessed this one right! Does anyone know anyone who switched to Apple and switched back?

10. I am thinking of joining a choir.
Obviously, you haven't heard me sing. I promise you, that even a karaoke bar would kick me out. I am that bad. False.

11. I ride my bike to work, even when it rains.
I SHOULD. But I now snug up to hundreds of other people in public transport. I hate it, but it's a quick way to get to work. So false again.

12. On our bedroom wall you'll find five photo frames, each carrying the same photo of the same woman (not me).
IKEA frames that are waiting for me to put pictures in them. It is not the first time empty frames hang on the walls and wait for us to put pictures in them. Procrastinators, that's us. True!

Thank you all for your wishes yesterday! About that birthday cake.. I was proud of the result (even FreezeM helped!) ... but it wasn't until I placed a picture the Little Einstein's Rocket next to it, Monkey recognized it. Oh well.

Me: Can you see what it is?
Monkey: What?
Me: There! (pointing)
Monkey: What?
Me: That!
Monkey: It's a CAKE!
Me: What does it look like?
Monkey: CAKE!
Me: But what does the CAKE LOOK LIKE?
Monkey: Ehm....
Monkey: CAKE!

(excuse the crappy phone camera picture; our Nikon died. Sort of. It's at the store and we hope to get it back within 3 weeks.)

and the original...

If you decide to comment on the cake; be NICE.

I can't handle NOT NICE right now. I've had like three hours of sleep last night. Roo was sick, or teething or hungry. I don't know but what I DO know is that she was not SLEEPING.

Exhausted.

Can you tell?