Leah's first meals

eeewwww, carrots


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(by guest blogger Leah, translated by Mama)

Happy half-birthday to me, happy half-birthday to me! I have this baby thing down pretty well after 6 months of practice. I am an expert at both bottle and breast feeding, can almost hold my own bottle, and have my loyal servants (mama and papa) trained pretty well in prompt meal delivery.

Pears taste better than carrots


Play time after dinner


I thought I had this all under control when Mama and Papa sudden starting putting weird things in my mouth. What is this orange glop? Carrots, who needs carrots! Give me a good bottle any day! Well, OK, the yellowing glop called “fruit medley” was pretty good, but that thing called a banana was down right weird. I wonder what weird colors and flavors are in store for me this week? I saw some brown glop labeled beans and green glop labeled peas…hope that’s not on this weeks menu.

Oma Nettie feeding Leah

Happy 37th Bday to Me

When do I get a bike asks Leah


I celebrated my 37th birthday last week, on September 12th.
Watch out, I am turning into a real Dutch girl. I got a new bike for my birthday, with bike bags as a gift from Jan and Nettie. I actually ride my bike almost daily here, as Holland is the Bike capitol of the world. My $60.00 Target Special kids bike was on its last wheels, so time for a new bike. I now have the ONLY adult bike made in a smaller frame in Holland, land of the giant bikes as well as people.

Taking a spin on my new bike for a spin


Baby on the beach


This was my first bday celebration with Leah (for MY birthday, I was of course there for HER birthday!). I went out with the Dutch family to a restaurant by the beach. We went for a stroll along the beach first, then went to have a delicious meal.



Our city of Heemskerk had free guided tours of the local castles this weekend, arranged for my birthday I am sure. We did a very interesting tour of Castle Marquette. The tour was all in Dutch, but I could actually follow quite a bit of it.

Castle Marquette


Click here to see all the photos of my bday weekend

Commuting to work Dutch Style

Leah ready to leave


In LA, commuting to work brings visions of bumper-to-bumper traffic on the 405 for miles on end…Yes, of course they have rush-hour in the Netherlands, and many people commute by car in traffic…but we do it a bit differently.

Mom and Leah getting ready


Rob stays home w/Leah on Monday, and works 9.5hrs/4 days a week. I stay home with Leah on Thursday/Friday. On Tuesday and Weds., Rob and I go to work and Leah to the baby sitter.

Leah’s luxury travel


Getting out of the house on those days is an entire production that took some getting used to. We all get up at 6am. I breast-feed Leah, and all of us eat, dress, get a clean diaper (well, OK, only one of us gets that, guess which one?)…Then we prepare for our commute on bikes. Yes, in Holland, the bike is a very popular form of transportation. Holland has the highest bike/person ratio in the world I think.

Hit the snooze, I’m still sleeping


Leah’s car-seat is strapped securly into a bike trailer which is attached to Rob’s bike. We all head out together for the first part of the trip. Then Rob brings Leah to the baby sitter, and bikes on to work. I branch off and bike to the train station. From there, it’s a train and then tram commute to the office. The bike trip is about 10-15 minutes one-way. If there is a stiff head-wind, it can take longer. I definatly build my fitness more outdoors than in the gym. If it is starting to rain, I have real incentive to bike faster to get dry!