Martelize’s 2nd Birthday

Guess whose birthday is it?  Martelize started her 2nd birthday in her parents bed – thanks for sharing the photos Thelwyn!

Her first present – a wagon from her Mom and Dad.  Frans and Thelwyn had planned to put in a day’s leave to take her on an outing, but both of them had to go to the office for urgent work. And in the afternoon, they still had to check that their vacated house was spotless for their first tenants.  The H’s had finished moving to the farm the day before! 

Supper was with us on the evening of Martelize’s birthday.  She pranced about cheerfully – very aware that it was her special day.  Here she is opening her gift from Ouma and Oupa. 

Her first reaction to seeing the doll was “Dummy!  Dummy!”  A doll with a dummy – what joy!

 

Next in line was the doll’s pram – the real present! 

The next day was Saturday and Martelize’s birthday party. 

The birthday party table with the Heidi cake and party boxes on their front stoep.  Gert and Dorette’s animal biscuits were very popular once again.

View from their front stoep: The jumping castle was ready and the first guests arrived.

The jumping castle was great fun!  There were no big and wild children!

Franco thought so too!

                

                

Martelize blowing the candle on her Heidi cake.  We let her practise before to blow out candles and she knew what to do, but whether she or the wind blew out the 2 candle in the end, I do not know.

Nieces Urielle and Abia and cousin Janita were there too.

           

The little ones got busy with their boxes and the grown-ups helped themselves to tea in the kitchen.

                

Prezzie time!  But once Martelize opened the L’s gift – a school bag with wheels like Franco’s- she wasn’t interested in opening other presents.  She just  had to play with this bag first.

The adults came to watch the big opening too.

Daddy joined the fun on the jumping castle.

Roi, Marius and Lisa’s 18 month old little girl in the foreground.

  

“Wat maak Oom Gert?” Martelize waiting her turn to…….

                                                                             

bollemakiesie!

The day ended with a braai.  Jan and I looked after Franco and Janita because Gert and Dorette went to a gospel concert.  Martelize was very intrigued by Janita and here she holds her on her lap.  Franco was exhausted after all the jumping and went to bed soon after his bath.  In fact he fell asleep while eating his supper – face right into his plate like Hendrik used to do. 

The next day was also special as Martelize opened the rest of her presents through the day’and played with Franco.  Ouma Jo and Oom Deon were both still there too.

And of course playing with the new toys was GREAT fun!  (Note the beads, Tannie Dorette!) Martelize walked all the way down to the horses to show them to Poppie, then called Oupa, gave Poppie to Oupa and wanted to climb into the doll’s pram herself!

Thank Heaven for little girls!

My Birthday at the Zoo

July was a very busy month – not much time for blogging, but today I’ll try to catch up!
I had a very special birthday: Thelwyn took a day’s leave and she, Dorette, the little ones and I had a marvellous day in the zoo.  In the evening Jan and I went out – the perfect end to a wonderful day.  (My only frustration was my new cellphone which  refused to let me reply to my S.M.S’s – to anyone who wondered about my rudeness – it really was the phone.  I took zoo photos with my cell to show what we were doing, only to find that the “memory was full” and I did not know how to fix that.  Neither did the guy at the MTN shop! He told me to erase all my emails.  Fortunately another I.T. bloke came to the rescue a few days later!)


“Kyk, Ouma! Olifant!”

At three months, Janita was for the most part oblivious of the animals, but she thoroughly enjoyed the outing in the fresh air.
 

The lions were a major hit!  They roared in their under the road “cavern” and their ominous sounds vibrated and echoed through the whole zoo!  We suspect a female was on heat.  At first Franco and Martelize were a bit frightened, but soon started to mimic the lions.

Most of the animals obligingly came closer so that the children could get close up views.  The giraffe stayed far from the fence and we did not get to see the hippo’s, but the pigmy hippo was cute.
 
Another animal biscuit anyone? 

Janita and Martelize both wore the same colour scheme, but before I could get Martelize to sit still to be photographed with her cousin, she managed to get her pretty home-knit jersey full of black jacks and Thelwyn had to take it off – before she too got covered in black jacks!
 
Guess who were the centre of attraction during our lunch picnic?

Martelize wanted to wear Franco’s halter and ride in his push chair (which used to be Gerts’!), but fortunately Franco did not mind riding in her push chair!  Both children were very good and never quarrelled.
 
Janita also never complained – not even once – but we lifted her out of pram every now and then to make sure she stayed contented and felt part of all the excitement!
 

“Martelize, kyk vir Ouma!” Nee, wat!  Martelize was far more interested in the animals than posing for a camera!

A last feed for Janita before we headed home.  It was already 15:00 and neither Franco nor Martelize had had a nap, but both were still very cheerful and bubbly till the very end!  However, both fell asleep within minutes after being strapped into their car seats!
It was a wonderful outing for 2 year olds!  They appreciated everything and learned so much: from the mud covered pig to the monkeys and elephants.  From the bridge across the river to the leaves on the trees and a picnic on the lawn.  The zoo is really a magical place! 
Dankie nogmaals my kinders vir ‘n WONDERLIKE verjaarsdag!

Janita’s special day

The L’s had a special, private consecration ceremony for Janita in the entertainment room of the company where Dorette works.  It was a very relaxed, happy occasion. Janita wasn’t too thrilled while we were still setting the cups and trying to get the urn to do its job, but once fed and dressed in her christening (consecration)  robe, she was her usual calm and friendly self.

Janita’s table at the entrance. 

 

Jan led the consecration service.  He talked about what it means to be blessed.

The happy L’s.

Afterwards it was time for tea and lots of visiting.  (The decorations were not our choice, but one day Janita will know that her special day happened in the middle of the World Cup!)

I did not remember to take a photo of the tea table before it was ravaged, but we had quite a spread: from meringue cake and cheese cake to the usual koeksisters and vlatert.   We had lots of savoury stuff  too: from popular sandwiches and soup to savoury tart and sausage rolls.  The most popular eat among the children were animal biscuits which Gert had baked.  ‘n Treffer!

Ouma Elna and Janita in satin.

 

Say “Cheese…!”

Janita did not inherit her dad’s and Oupa Frans’s blue eyes like Franco did, but she has her mother’s brown eyes.

Janita wore the dress I had made for Dorette’s christening from my wedding dress material.  Like 3 1/2 month old Dorette, she also slept through the proceedings with a dummy in her mouth. 

Janita never seemed uncomfortable in the long dress, just smiled and cooed at us.

 

Mmmm, what have we got here?

  Koekieeee!

Njam!

It was just impossible to get Martelize to stand still so that I could snap her.  At first she flatly refused to put on her new dress, but she was willing to take it to show to Janita.  When Janita got dressed, she finally allowed Tannie Dorette to dress her as well.  The rest of the day she seemed very thrilled with the swaying pink dress and happily danced and ran about.

It was just as difficult to snap Franco, but here he sat on the chair for one second… no smile for the camera though!

 

Haven’t I been a good girl?  But maybe it’s time for a nap now.

 

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My new toy

i am trying to blog from my new cell phone. Not too successful...Had a marvellous day. Watch tthis space!