30 worden, turning 30, weekendje in Bras bas

Bras weekendje

No escape, adulthood is knocking on the door in the form of a round number, 30.

Thanks for the good company on this weekend and thanks for all the nice postcards of those who weren't there.

Jeroen

BBC NEWS | The Reporters | Mark Mardell

BBC NEWS | The Reporters | Mark Mardell

BBC Blogger Mark Mardell is trying to make sense of the Belgian flags outside his window on his euroblog. A nice analysis about Belgium though very British, it is not such a big deal, there is a political compromise in the making and normal people are not divided! Funny to read the British comments on his article. Is shows that international media only follow the francophone press and not the Flemish papers. Since the Francophone press tends likes to depict the Flemish as separatists (even though this is a small minority), the problem is aggravated for no reason. Anyhow, Brussels cannot be divided and a lot of BRUSSELAARS do not identify with Walloons but only with Brussels. Anyhow, even without love for surrealism, Belgium does not need to be separated, just needs a new government and we are almost there I believe.

a Belgian

End of summer

We went camping with some friends from Parul's choir in Opoeteren beginning of August. After that there was some time at home, I went climbing in Arolla (Switzerland)for a week, while Parul was coping with difficult pregnancy symptoms. Yes we do have some news for March! and Dan visited us from Australia.

August album

Meanwhile, people are back at school here and politicians are still trying to form a new government while satisfying both the Flemish and Wallonian negotiators. Mira started walking beginning of this month, (while handing DVDs to Parul at Dorien's place). Since then, she's become a very stable toddler who loves running around. Next week we 're off to the Ardennes to celebrate my 30th, I 'll have to start behaving like a real adult...









J

Why use a spoon?

A holiday near Calais (and a few first steps)

Oye Plage

Our holiday for the last two weeks was basically reading and relaxing in the old fisherman's house of my uncle near Calais, with lots of nice visitors. The North of France bears many traces of World War one and is a primitive area, even though new neighborhoods are popping up everywhere.

We thought Mira was going to start walking on the beach, but she only did the night we came back at Dorien's place, while reaching out for a few DVDs. She loves walking in the water but still is a little wary of sand and grass, maybe that's why she preferred Dorien's wooden floor for a few first excited steps (not in the pictures).

Happy birthday Nani!

Dear Nani,

Today papa took lots of photos, I wish I could be there with you, but instead here I am with my laugh, my curls, my teeth and all my love. Happy birthday!
Mira

Mira & Lemoni

While we went to Robin's birthdayparty (op het eilandje), Mira stayed over at Lemoni's place. She decided to push her around in her cart.

(Bedankt Jeroen en Caroline voor de leuke video en de sleepover).

Another rearward facing video

This one slightly more technical... tackles common myths about car seats, plus crash test footage again.
Please pass it on!

Child Car Seat Safety

A somewhat emotional presentation put together by a mum- what's really scary is the crash test footage about half way into the presentation. Can't argue with that- Mira's definitely staying in the rearward facing car seat for a while.

Ribs!

Last weekend we ate with Sarah, Kris and Grace (from Sydney!) at Amadeus, all-you-can-eat ribs.

Yummy food, highly recommended, though its best enjoyed if you skip lunch on the day.

And the potatoes with fat butter are heavenly...

Mira showed her animal instincts and devoured a rib!

What will happen if you don't vote for the green party this time

This posting is not related to the federal elections of 10/6/2007.
I just like this movie, simple yet to the point. Watch the ice bear...

Mira's birthday picnic

One year has flown by, I still remember my parents, Parul's mum and sister (her dad on the phone) and my siblings awing at the tiny little baby on a mattress in our living room. Now Mira can stand up, walk with the support of a cart and crawl like crazy. She is a lovely daughter! We had a great pic nic for her birthday with lots of nice pressies. TXs
Jeroen (papa)

Mira, dat is nu al 4 seizoenen dat je bij ons bent, lachend en grimassend, mensen noemen je een zonnetje, een duimelotje, een bezeke en een blij madameke. Ik vind het heerlijk dat je nu al kan knuffelen en heel soms, enkel als je dat zelf wil, druk je je hard tegen me aan met beide armpjes rond mijn borst. Heerlijk!

London trip (Mira is standing and almost walking)

Back from a nice weekend in London, Mira is getting ready to stand alone. Click here for the album.

London is not a very child friendly city, especially if you are taking ancient stairs in the tube carrying a pram and luggage plus baby. When asking for a lift the tube people politely answer "I am afraid there is none, so you 'll have to cope with the stairs". However, traffic eased with the driving tax in the center and with the super warm April weather we were actually outside a lot. Angela and Simon's wedding (the main goal of our visit) was really nice.

Mira is scared of grass

Mira at the Zoo and in Limburg

10 - 11 months

Time flies. Jeroen was away for work in Laos and Angola two weeks in total. Mira is a strong girl now, we have an album of the last month.

A Mira time capsule

Dear Mira,

You are now nine months old, but like all babies, you are growing and changing very fast... Not long ago, you were tiny, fragile and immobile, and look at you now!
I want to record the things about you that I really enjoy now, another month and the list will be completely different...

• You want to pull yourself up to stand against everything- a coffee table, the clothes drying stand, my trousers or my skirt
• You've got this fake teethy smile going- its cute, and sometimes silly
  
• Sometimes when you are hungry or just need some mummy time, you come crawling to me like a little puppy, saying "ummmummumm" and sit at my feet looking up at me with big, innocent, pleading eyes
  
• Remember when you were lying in bed with us one morning and you started playing peekaboo with the duvet? That was impressive!
• As is the fact that when I read a story to you, you can turn the pages of a (cardboard) book all by yourself
• And that you're slowly getting the hang of turning light switches off and on, and what that does to the room.
• Your favourite finger food is a pear, cut in long slices, you love eating it all by yourself, and do a pretty good job of it too
• Today another baby was here to play, a couple of months younger than you, and suddenly you became interested in ALL your toys, specially the ones he was playing with! That was not very nice, but I guess all kids do that. Sharing is cool, Mira!
  

As I write this, you are quietly playing on the floor, systematically emptying the toy box, one toy at a time :-) Time to cook your dinner.
I love you.

Your mamma

fotookes

Een kus van de mama

Een cadeautje van de peter.

De papa doet Mira haar warm pakje dicht.

Comment on the new album about January and February, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/jeroen.wvh/MiraJanFeb

taxi in Bombay

Mira and her dad in a taxi in Bombay. After 1,5 weeks at home with the flu, I found the strength to put these last photos from our India trip online (click below). The album below starts in Delhi, via Bombay, (where we stayed at Parul's friend Puuja's place), and Istanbul to Belgium. The main bit shows Bombay, which is a happy place with an amazing energy, I was happy to get to know it better, including a nice sunset at salt water grill. When I see movies about Bombay now I recognise much more. Last we saw Munna Bhai, a great comedy with a serious message too. I never laughed so much with a Hindi movie :)

I am slowly getting better, recovering from this flu. Mira is asleep and healthy and Parul is working at the ANEC annual report.

Bombay transit album

Tiring bike ride

On Sunday we went to my parents place for a reunion, my youngest brother Bram is back from 5 months in Italy. We biked over after installing Mira's bike seat. She was singing at the beginning but ended up falling asleep. Bram hadn't seen Mira since September and really liked her earrings. He took the picture of her in sepia.

Mira chasing

A silent movie in which Mira shows off her crawling skills chasing a balloon. When motivated she is quite good, if there is nothing to chase she prefers to try and pull herself up to stand.