A little bit of news

We got our new camera and below are some of the first photos. Now I just have to figure out how to save photos on Jan's computer. I couln't find a way to create new folders in his "Pictures", so I tried Picassa - but now I do not know how to upload photos from Picassa onto the blog. I selected photos and clicked on "blog this" and this is how I got the photos below onto this post... but other photos went to other posts - don't know how to get them all onto the same post. If I try to upload images by clicking on the image icon on the New Post toolbar, it doesn't open Picassa - I am so dumb and I do so miss my old computer!! I hope I get better software than this Vista - it just doesn't do it for me!

Martelize watches intently as Thelwyn spreads a slice of bread with peanut butter.

Then she tries her hand at "spreading" and "cutting" .... puts the knife in her mouth, takes it out and says "Eina!" ("Ouch!")

I often get to see Martelize, as the H's are living on the farm for the time being (long story with farmhands having had to go back to Malawi very unexpectedly...). We regularly see Franco too, but of course not as often. I looked after Martelize on Wedenesday when Thelwyn had to the doctor and then looked after Franco the next day when Dorette had to go to the doc. What a privilege to be able to do it - but I admire the moms. It's hard work looking after a toddler! Both of them are very, very busy - but what a joy they are. Here is a little bit of news - I could go on forever, but will try to contain myself:

Martelize:

New words: Especially animal sounds like "Wat sê die hadeda?" "Ha!" "Wat sê die duifie?" "Krr, krr"; " Wat sê die leeu?" "Gg". "Wat sê die perd?" "Prr, mmmm, prr" She is very obviously an animal lover and like her parents, horse crazy. She chases the dogs from the scullery: "Uit! Uit!" (Wonders where she gets that!)

Food: She loves fruit, especially watermelon. Insists on getting her share of whatever is in your plate or glass, but knows that coffee is "Sjoe-sjoe!"

Playing: She likes to play with her teaset, keys, telephones, the hosepipe, to walk on the treadmill (more especially to push the on and off buttons), to put fit Ouma's electric curlers on their pegs, to close anything: doors, bottles, tupperware... "Toe, toe!"

Franco News

New Words: At 20 months his speech is improving with the speed of lightning! Lifts his shirt and points to his tummy and says "Baba". (To the unenlightened: Dorette is 7 months pregnant.) Names a lot of things, but not yet the magic words "Pie-pie" and "poef". He is being pottytrained now and he seldom has an accident: dutifully does his thing in the potty, but Dorette has still to guess when to take him, he does not say yet.

Food: Franco does not like fruit at all - on the other hand he eats vegetables without any problem - loves beetroot and spinach! At the moment very much into finger foods like chicken fingers.

Playing: Very fond of anything to ride on. Favourite place to play: the stairs in their house! Bruises and scrapes on his legs indicate his wild ways on the climbing frame. Also fond of building blocks, posting forms and play dough. Loves to mow the lawn. Has recently started to "swim" on his own, i.e. he swims with his life jacket type swimming aid, without anyone having to hold him.

He is also very fond of tidying up. He has loved brooms for a long time. Recently he has started to throw washing into the laundry basket - even took out clothes out of his cupboard to fill the basket! Potties belong in the bathroom - promptly took it back when Dorette dared to put it in the kitchen! He pushes in chairs after meals or "working" at the table.

What a joy to watch both of them grow! What a privilege!