Sproglets - Recently Updated Pages

Cruising on dude!

palapa — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 15:46:56 CDT

It's early May and summer is officially here! It is so lovely to watch all the trees are back in their full glory. We went picnic in the last few weeks in our local park. Maija and Nathan were very much looking forward to their lunch time! Typically, we have sandwiches, water biscuit, cheeses, fresh fruits and fruit juices. After that it is play time again. My sister Debby have been a great pair of hands to have around.

We have not been travelling since late December in Morrocco. We have friends from overseas came to visit and more to come! We thought it would be nice to nip over the other side of the English channel or thereabouts. However, it was came as a nice suprise when Andy booked us for a week cruise around the northern europe. We are all very excited!

We took mid morning flight to Copenhagen and got the taxi to the harbour. All went plain sailing from check-in our lugages to finally arrived in our room for 7 nights. Yay!

Maija's 3rd Birthday - 13 July 2007

palapa — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 17:27:18 CDT

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The Four Seasons (The real one)

palapa — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 18:00:35 CDT

Lowndes Park, Chesham, March 2007

There is something about winter. A love and hate relationship as one might say. To me winter brought its own beauty. This year, the winter was not that bad at all. Some said it was the mildest. We thought it was over by February as the weather warmed a little. Little tree buds and winter flower started to came out. Then, Lo' behold, a surprise wintry showers coming in! T'was much good spell of snow across the country in early March. Well, the snow did not stop us to have some fun! Some folks and their young-lings take the opportunity to go bob sleighing on the park slope. Closer to home, we have our first SNOWMAN in the making!

Lowndes Park, Chesham, April 2007

IT'S SPRING TIME! The air smells wonderfully. Easter came and was celebrated. For the very first time, Maija went for an Easter egg hunt. She trully enjoyed it and managed to have abundance of Easter eggs chocolates! Needless to say, she loved it. Everything comes to life again in spring. The magnolias in our garden have blossomed followed by the hyacinth, tulip, the daffs and even blue bells. The park is also dressed in its glory covered by all the blossoms. All the ducks, geese and other birds are nesting. It felt winter never touched down. We even experienced a 'mini-heatwave' from 9th to 20th April. We have been picnicking almost everyday at the park for lunch. Stuffed ourselves with ice creams and we're not the only one! Such glorious days.

Andrew's Birthday - 17 April 2007

palapa — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 16:56:46 CDT

A while back one of our friend asked Andy how old is he going to be this year. He replied (and insisted ) that he's going to be 37 years old. After much thought, he succumbed to the reality that he is going to be a 38 years old afterall!

A special birthday cake.

Whilst making the cake, Maija took her responsibility really well. Such as licking the spoon and put cherries on the cake.

Little did I realised, she also ate one of the cherry when I left to pick up a camera!

Concentrate...

...and BLOW!

2007 - Spring time and mini heatwave

palapa — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 17:13:06 CDT

Cherry blossom	Up and away..	..all around!
Loads of blossom flakes!	Maija's clown face	More please!
I spy with my little eye..an aeroplane?	Future England goal keeper	Merry-bike-around
Giddy up...	Let's go!	My kinda pudding
Look at my teeth!	Splash time	move over wee bit Maija, this is my spot!

2007 - Late Wintry drops

palapa — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 20:18:10 CDT

Dad and Maija making a snowman	Debby watching Maija making a snow angel	Snow-tasting!
Maija in charge building the snowman	I say..this high!	A little touch up..
...There! My first snowman!	As tall as me :-)	White back garden

Home

palapa — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 17:23:15 CDT

WELCOME!

As the 2006 curtain is nearly close to drawn, what could be better than to do something that all of us can share? Even say, if we are million 'mars bars' away? This could be the answer :-)

I would like to dedicate this site to my family. My two children, Maija and Nathan and my husband Andy. You are my true love, gems and source of inspiration.

Here's our cut version story.

We got married in San Francisco Bay area on 17 November 2001, where Andy came from. As we both remembered it that was the one sunny day left in November!

We live in Chesham, Bucks, UK. Both our babies were born in Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Bucks. Maija was born on 13 July 2004. Nathan was born 25 February 2006. We were lucky to have a great team of midwiveries and experts in the hospital for both of our babies. My mum came over when Maija's born. She was the 1st grandchild in my family. Sadly my dad passed away a longtime ago. He would have been over the moon to have own grandchildren! Both of my sisters came over not long after Nathan was born.

We are very fortunate to have surrounded by our loving friends! Whom in their own unique ways have enriched our lives. Our love and much gratitude always to them.

We are also blessed to have wonderful families. Eventhough their miles away, never short of love and giving. It is so joyful to know that whatever the seasons, you are there for us as we for you. Hope you'll enjoy this website too!

Beth, Andy, Maija and Nathan wishing you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS and the very best wishes for the new year 2007!

Nathan 1st Birthday - 25 February 2007

palapa — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 19:13:58 CDT

The fun start with the balloons!	Aunty Debby's Rijstaffel	...say Cheese!	Birthday Boy cake
Mama's boy	...loved the swing-again!	Hurrah...I'm one today!	birthday boy and his candle blowers
it's more fun upside down!	..i'm a rebel	Maija had a go to blow the candle	taste more yummy with four fingers Min!
This is better than food!	where's that strawberry?	girls a-loud only	..Let's see i drop teddy and you drop eeyore..
look at my bellybutton dad!	easypeasylemonsqueesy!	o-o...twoubletrio!	pretty polly(tights) advertisement!
time for my nap	..or not yet?	this look interesting..	shiny thing is good but bubblewrap is better!

I like going to the park!

palapa — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 19:00:56 CDT

We considered ourselves very fortunate to have a huge park in our little town. Not every town in Bucks have huge size of communal park. Chesham park is a very pretty park with a decent size of pond that have lots and lots type of ducks, geese, swans and the merriment of seaguls! Every change of seasons, the park is dressed on a different colour which is stunning to look at! In summertime, the park is heaving with people sunbathing, picnic, toy boating, cycling etc.

For us, the joyment of having a walking distance park with little uns is like godsent. Within minutes we arrive, Maija cannot wait to try on the swings, slides,climbing frames even running uphill! She have a good friend named Wilhelmina(Minnie). She and Minnie love chasing around each other and having great times together. Whilst my sister, me, Nathan and Minnie's mum, Yuko and her baby son, Luca watched them and managed to have our mum's chats time :-)

I went Potty with my friend!

palapa — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:48:09 CST

Maija is started to learn potty training. Daft it may sound but In England when one say one went potty it is also have a double meaning i.e. you are mad or upset about something or with someone. In this case, it is pure and simple mean one sit on a potty chats next to a friend who also sitting on her own little potty. The girls just having fun pottying together.

I bet you the conversation went like...'I say i prefer pampers and huggies than those organic cotton ones, wouldn't you agree with me Minnie?'

Maija and Minnie discussing nappies

....strike a potty pose!

Birthday's

palapa — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 18:29:58 CST

'Celebrate good times, Come on!' dada-dada-da.. The old tune is keep repeating itself in my head. Birthday is a jolly affair indeed. To me it's like a houge reminder how old I become each year. One would hope one maturing like a vintage wine instead of a mouldy cheese :-).

This year our baby boy Nathan is turned big One year old yesterday. We have a little celebration with our close friends, their children and babies. The younges guest is a three and half months old baby Oliver who succesfully made his debut appearance and managed to snoozed blissfully amidst all the noise despite being poorly!

Of all the presents Nathan love to chew the birthday cards and the bubble wrap. We like his low maintenance attitude already :-).

Without further a do and certainly fresh downloaded today, some photos for everyone to share.

Indonesia - Bali and Java visit 2004

palapa — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 16:42:15 CST

We have just came back from the States for about three weeks when it is time to wheel-off the suitcases again. This time to Indonesia to visit my family. My mum has not seen Maija for two months thus after she has been in UK for Maija's birth. Both my sisters, Maya and Debby and also Maya's husband, Ari, have not seen Maija since she was born.
We all looking forward to see my family and relatives and indeed, basking in more warm weather. The worst for us is, off course, the opposite of clock work. Jetlag rings a loud bell again!

We also have arranged for Maija to be christened in Bogor, Beth's home town. Before that we have some holiday catching up to do, hard job indeed but some of us have to do it :-). We spent time in Bali for two weeks with Kirsty, Neil, Alan and Lauren who came and joined us from England. We have a fantastic time together enjoying plenty of sunshine, good food, gallons of Ice tea (beer and gin tonic too!) spa and a complete relaxation.

Maija was christened in a small church in Bogor on Boxing day, 26th December 2004. The unforgettable day as it was also shared by the fate of the Earth quake and Tsunami disaster struck in North Sumatra Island which echoed across Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Nicobar Island and including East African's coast. Fortunately, we were miles away in Java.

Family in Bogor

Maija 4 months in Bogor	Maija and Oma time
Maija and Dad on a traditional boat, Bali	Maija, Mum and Aunty Maya on the Turtle preservation, Bali
Aunty Kirsty and Maija on Christmas day 2004, Bogor	Christmas day 2004, Bogor
Maija with uncle Ari and Aunty Maya, Botanical garden, Bogor	Uncle Neil and Aunty Kirsty in Bogor
At the tea plantation factory	Uncle Neil approved the tea!
Alan, Lauren, Maija and Dad, Bali	Maija first roll

Taming the Tots Shrew

palapa — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 16:20:34 CST

I WANT...............................!
How time flies. Maija is two and a bit year old with an attitude.

These days the words 'I want' are ringing on our ears! Here comes the 'terrible two' age. Everything, if not anything comes in 100 miles speed. She loves her books. Luckily we live close to a public library! Plus she have books for her birthdays and recently, Christmas presents. She is a big fans of kid's Boogie Beebies dance programme on telly. She loves to jig about in front of television and showing us her latest moves!

Last September, she started pre-school once a week at the Whitehill centre in Chesham. On the first day of her school, she cried when i left. By contrast on the third week, she went toodle along with her classmates. I chased her for 'bye sweetie-have a good day-be good-i love you-kiss!'. I left broken hearted and proud at the same time. I realised though she still my baby, she is a big girl now and she was able to adjust in no time.

The beginning of January 2007 she started twice a week, totally loved it. She continues going to her toddler's group twice a week which runs by the Emmanuel Church and St. Mary's Church. Both are church of england in Chesham. Maija started her toddler's group when she was one and a wee bit years old.

We are also quite lucky that my youngest sister, Debby, is staying with us like another set of helping hand. She have oodles of experience dealing with tots herself in her 7 plus years in pre-school. Currently doing a degree at the Montessori Training college in London. My other sister, Maya, is also a pre-school teacher. Apart from teaching pre-school age, she is also teaches baby language classes in her spare time in Surabaya where she currently live with her husband. I am a true believer in baby sign language having taught Maija myself.

Nathan too, is joining the tot's group fairly soon. In less than 2 month he will be turning to a 1 year old. He is a happy-smiley-fast crawler-cruising between furniture-chewing books-little chap. As a result he fell from sofa and kitchen to dining room stairs a number of times. He have 4 teeth right now, 2 up and 2 down. He loves his milk, sleeps, bath time and still eats for England! He is rather big and tall for a 10 month plus old baby. He wears 18-24 months old clothing right now. Thus certainly not came from the Palapa family genes! He is still our gorgeous chubby cheek baby boy!
He loves to bounce all the toy balls around the house. Surprisingly, he is rather good at it too.
It always tickles us when meal times he gave this 'mam-mam' sound.

The difference we noted between our two children, apart from eyes and skin toned. From the minute they were born Maija was a quite baby. When she cried, she have half bar cry voice. Nathan on the other hand, already shown that he have a big lung the moment he was born. At Nathan age, Maija was quite friendly to new faces who want to hold her. Whilst Nathan will cry his lung out-'do not touch me-never seen you-i want my mum/dad' attitude. He is on the 'mama-dada-up-up' talking stage right now. He also understand 'fish, ball, mamam(food), meemee(drink) and bobo(sleep)'. Unlike Maija he refused dummy/pacifier/doudou ever since he was a newborn. Nathan is adore Maija and vice versa but he is also taking no-nonsense from his big sister either.

Last year, few weeks before Christmas we introduced 'Santa Claus' (along with the conditions as one would) to Maija. That through the chimney in he come. He'll bring lots of presents only if she is a good girl so no more hitting nor throwing toys. Also she have to be a good sister and share her toys with Nathan. If she does not, Santa will come back and take away the toys back. Well, thanks to Santa, the hitting, throwing toys and 'NO NATHAN, THIS IS MINE!' can now be easily tamed. We still have to deal with the 'I want' thing for now. Time for a cuppa.

SF Bay Area 2004 visit

palapa — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 15:41:24 CST

Maija and Cousins	First professional family photo
Maija Gran ma and gran aunts	Maija, Gran uncle Tom and Gran aunt Esther.
Gran pa Sigi and Gran ma Mary	Aunty Laure and Maija
Gran uncle Tommy and Maija	Juliette, Anthony and Maija

Globe tots-trekker

palapa — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 17:24:47 CST

We started our first family trip with Maija's maiden voyage to meet her dad side of family and friends in SF bay area, California. We are very fortunate Maija was an easy to travel baby. Whilst we were there, we did our best on the tourist trap too :-)!

At the Golden Gate	on Pier 39 overlooking Alcatraz
Mum and Maija on P 39	Dad and Maija on P 39
at China Town down town S F	At the Coit Tower
At the Palace of Fine Arts	Overlooking the Bay Bridge