North Sea approach

Just coming from the dunes, Margreet and Gaizka.

first shot at H1N1

This is a serie of pictures of the morning we went to Ahoy Rotterdam to vaccinate Iker Alvaro and Gaizka Wibo against the influenza virus H1N1 aka "mexican flu"
It went okay in a very rainy morning. We were wondering if the kids would catch a cold from the rain...
In the Netherlands this has been a huge national health operation, with massive vaccinations for risk groups and children.
So, we still have to go for the second shot in a couple of weeks!

the entertainer

Gaizka, making his parents dance!

one year old

Gaikza is now one year old. He had his little party, his cake, cards, visitors and lots of presents. From the start of the day, until the last minute it was a big special day for him and us.
He got a toy telephone from Margreet and me. He loves it. So, some time soon, he will start making those distance calls to say hello...
I

Gaizka and Mila

Mila and Gaizka were born on the same day, in the same hospital. Their mothers, Margreet and Ciska were roommates at the hospital. On those very first hours we realised that Mila and Gaizka were neighbours. Mila and her parents live right across the park where Gaikza plays.

A couple of weeks ago we got to Mila's house for coffee (and cookies, of course). We were there looking at the house, their appartment is for sale and we were looking around to see if it was interesting for us. Margreet loves it! She wants to buy it. But how do we get the money right?

9 months

Gaikza is now nine months. He can crawl, he can stand, he talks and talks in his own baby language, he is fine.
He is growing very fast, he has 4 teeth now. He eats his food in a splendid way.
He is the happy Gaizka. Always smiling. Margreet and I are the happy ones too. Always smiling with Gaizka. He is nine months.

Happy in the park

A nice sunday, Margreet went for a family visit, Antonio went to the boat for maintainance. And still we got the time in the afternoon to spend an hour on the small park in the neighbourhood, Witteveenplein. Gaizka is very happy...

the little sailor

Last weekend (friday and saturday) we sailed the altopana from Stellendam to Den Osse, the home port of the boat. This was the first time for Gaizka Wibo!
Margreet and I got everything ready. With wonderful weather, and a little bit of wind, we could sail the first day to Willemstad, and sleep in the boat at the harbour.

The second day we got plenty of remarks at the three locks that we had to pass to get to our destination. At the locks, many people looked at the sporty boat, and they were surprised and smiling when they saw the baby there in the cockpit. Nice, Gaizka is already known in the sailing world!

It was fun but it was also hard work. We were always careful with Gaizka, we had to think how to fix his chair, how to get him clean, and plan ahead to give him his food on time.

In his first journey he did very good, our little sailor!

six months old!

Tomorrow is Gaizka six months old. He can roll, and he can eat a baby biscuit. He eats baby food; like apple, carrots, peas, pears, and bananas. He is as happy as always.
And he sleeps now in a new bed! We got the Leander bed, which "grows" with the baby. It is a present from his grandparents Hubert. Thank you opa and oma!

this baby is rocking and rolling!

Just to say that little Gaizka officially rolled!
Last week we had this feeling that it was about to happen. Margreet a little bit worried that she would miss it because of her meetings and flights. But still, Gaizka waited until last friday (14 march) to give the primeur by his mother.
In a typical ninja fashion (ninja means: shadow warrior), Gaizka rolled when Margreet was not looking. Later in the weekend, on saturday, he did it again for me when I was not looking.
On sunday he just did it in front of our eyes. We shared his struggle, and we looked excited untill he finally did it. from then on, it has happen several times and our kid is very happy with his new found mobility.

saturday's round with Antonio

If is possible, Gaizka does a saturday's morning round with Antonio.
We go to Fitness First across the river, that's a walk of about 25 minutes. Then I drop Gaizka by the babysitting service at Fitness First and I go for an hour of exercises. Every now and then I check with Gaizka if everything is going alright.

After that we go to the central library of Rotterdam and go to the centrale discotheek, a huge music CD library where we loan our music. Then we go to the Coolsingel, the main commercial street of Rotterdam. Sometimes we go to the Bijenkorf and have lunch there, sometimes we meet with Margreet somewhere and have lunch with her, it can vary, and it is nice fun.

The last couple of times we have come back home with the metro. Gaizka is a city baby, so why not? There is always someone who smiles at Antonio and Gaizka. The metro father and the metro baby?

Beurs station in Rotterdam's centrum

A metro passenger and Gaizka

Wilhenminaplein Station at Rotterdam Kop van Zuid (where we all live)

Gaizka in the newspaper!

Yesterday the Algemeen Dagblad (AD) ran the article about the dunstan method in their Family pages. Remember that a few months ago we posted a blog about this? Gaizka and Margreet for the first time together in a newspaper article. Cool, isn't it? Here they are...