Sibling Love

Today as I was cleaning up the bedroom, Anneke laid down on the bed next to Jonah with a stack of books. He listened attentively for about ten minutes and then drifted off to sleep. It was so sweet to see them both cuddling there together. I would have gotten a picture, but then Ani couldn't resist giving him a very enthusiastic snuggle and woke him up.

More Sibling Love

I am so happy to have to kids who love eachother and much as Ani and Jonah love eachother. I'll often be driving along with the two of them and suddenly hear them both cracking up at eachother. It is such a beautiful sound.

I have often tried to do something special with Ani -- either leaving Jonah at home with someone or when he's asleep. I'll say "So, now we can do something with just the two of us!" and she'll say "But where's Jonah?! I want him! I love him so much!"

She also says that when "him get bigger, him gonna put on him dwess and DANCE!"

Also: "When him get bigger, him gonna sleep in my woom and my gonna cuddle him and Cuddle him and CUDDLE him!"

Jonah Gregory's Baptism

Jonah was baptized today and it was a profound service. Early this morning Karen Muyskens, a member of the Church, died after a week-long struggle with a mysterious infection which came on very suddenly. So poignant, this telescoping of the beginning and end of the Christian life into the same, hour-long frame. Utterly heartbreaking and then mysteriously comforting in the same breath.

Jack preached on John 15: 1-11 which is Jesus' image of himself as a vine. I don't know if this was intentionally written to tie in with the baptism, but Jack's description of entrance into the Christian life as analagous to when a branch is grafted onto a vine, which does not always seem to take, was both beautiful and bittersweet.

We were worried because Jonah didn't get his morning nap in, but he was well-disposed and cute nonetheless. During the baptism itself, Anneke, who was somewhat worried about this whole thing on Jonah's behalf, whispered excitedly to her Mom, "He's yiking it!"

Eating Buh-Nanas

Writing about Names contained in words reminds me of how Anneke first learned to say "Banana." It was just the two of us eating breakfast and she kept insisting banana was much too hard a word to say. So I just had to remind her how often she says "Nana" as in: "Nana and Pop" (Mulder). Then I had her repeat after me, slowly: "buh," long pause, "Nana," then "buh," short pause, "Nana," then, "Buh-Nana." She thought it was hilarious for some time afterwards - "Buh-Nana," "Nana Buh-Nana," "Does Nana want a Buh-Nana?" and so on and so forth.

Don't Harm Anneke!

Yesterday Anneke and I figured out, somewhat accidentally, that her name is fully contained in the musical instrument we were both playing around with at the time: the harmonica.

This presents a new solution to the problem of explaining the pronunciation of her name to those tripped up by its Dutch spelling. We can advise them to just say "harmonica" minus the "harm". Otherwise it's just the old "Hanukkah", minus the "H" or "Monica", minus the "M".

Newly Coined

Reading books before bed with Ani the other night she started telling me the story of one of them. Whenever she turned the page she'd begin, "Nexterday..."

Christmas 2007

Anneke loved Christmas this year. It was the first year she actually understood what she was in for and was looking forward to it. Her biggest hit presents were the tea set from Grandma and Grandpa Spoelma (at the behest of Mom) and the doll house from Nana and Pop (ditto).

It was sad with Anneke how we seemingly had to force her to keep coming back for more presents when she was trying to go off and play with what she'd already opened. It was as if to say: "Stop gratefully enjoying what you already have and come back for more STUFF!"

One of the most hilarious anecdotes was how Anneke ran into Claire's room to wake her. She jumped on her bed, pointed at Claire, and matter of factly stated: "Christmas. Get up. Christmas. Get up. Come with me."

Jonah just mostly got clothes and a couple chew toys but he also got a very cool train from G&G Spoelma he'll be enjoying a bit later.

Decorating the Tree

Ani was so excited to decorate the tree on Sunday. We had snacks and put all of our ornaments on the tree. Dad told her that we needed to give the tree a drink of water. So she ran and got a cup of water -- and carefully poured it on the branches of the tree! Then Ruth handed her a box of candy canes and told her that she could hang them on the tree. Ani took the whole box and tried to balance it on a branch of the tree. "Oh no!" she said, "they won't stay on!" She reminds me of Amelia Bedelia.

Jonah just rolled over for the first time last Saturday. He was happy when he was rolling, but not very happy to find himself on his belly.

Cutting down the Tree

Yesterday I was talking to Ani about getting the Christmas tree. She was very excited about it. She said "I'm going to bring my new scissors!" I'm sure what she has in mind, exactly. . .

Bad Santa

We have been reading Christmas books lately. Yesterday, I read Anneke "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." She said "Hey, another book about Santa!" I said, "Yes! Do you like Santa?" She said, sadly, "No." When I asked her why she didn't lik him, she said "He so baaaaaad."

She is wildly excited about Christmas, though. She's very into the stockings and lights and candles. We haven't gotten our tree yet, but she is already gathering stuff to put on it.

Bookstore Afternoon

The other day, Anneke and I took a few hours to get out of the house and hang out at my old stomping grounds and former employer Schuler Books. We browsed, we read books, we played with toys, we got a big brownie to eat with our hot chocolate and coffee, we had a generally pretty good time.

Then, when we were getting back in the car to leave, Ani asked "Can we go to another bookstore?" I almost cried tears of joy. This daughter of mine. "No" I said, "It's late, we've gotta get home." Then I almost cried again, this time tears of sadness. I wanted to go to another bookstore too.

Santa: Naughty or Nice?

Anneke was just introduced to the concept of Santa Claus this week when our good friend Shelley took her to the ballet "Twas the Night Before Christmas." She loved it -- she is crazy for dancing -- but when she got home she said "My really really hope dat guy no come down MY chim-e-ney"