A Happy Queens Day to All!

So, today was Queens Day - a big deal here. It's basically an annual opportunity to wear lots of orange and drink lots of beer. The streets (and canals) of central Amsterdam are packed for a party that goes on all day and all night. Nothing can quite describe it like photos, so here are a few...

Where there's beer, there's men peeing, so why not be prepared? (And yes, we did see plenty of people using them...and for the girls you ask? Just 2 Euro to pee inside...so much for the enlightened europeans...!)

So, of course, we had to join in the fun!

(yeah, okay, so the beer is Belgian, but the boys are all Dutch!)

(our little angel)

Also, because we have some catching up to do, here's what else we've been up to...

Jaya's first ever airplane ride. Completely oblivious.

Jaya meets Rosie. Chews her seat, pulls her hair, pokes her in the eye. It must be love.

Jaya and Kelsey take in the sights of London town.

Stay tuned for more fun and adventure to come!

Daag!

Well, we're here, we're happy. We're hoping to sleep better tonight. More to come, with photos, but that's the low down on the adventures so far.

And now, off to bed!

Off like a turd of hurtles

Well, tomorrow's the big day.

We're all packed and off on our European adventure - a 10 month-old and lots of snacks in tow. I'll be posting the occasional pictures and video here, so stay tuned for the three-ring adventures of the Govenkoop clan on the move.

Silly Bird

I forgot to tell you about my most recent creation (the most recent Little Grass at Sunrise post reminded me!). So here he is.

Introducing...Silly Bird...

And, just in case you didn't get the full effect of the hair, here's one more shot...(can you tell I'm pleased with myself?)
Amazingly, Jaya actually seems to like it too! Phew!

Letting it go

The cherry tree is blooming, Jaya is climbing, the wind is howling, the days are getting longer, and we're all sleeping better. Spring is upon us.

With only a few weeks to go before our big Europe trip (UK and Holland), we've got lots of organizing, shopping, and planning to do. We're putting a lot of faith into our various gadgets - white noise machine, hook-on high chair, baby sleeping tent, etc. etc.... - to get us through the upheaval, but I'm really not sure what to expect from a vacation with baby.

Besides the buying of new shoes, the much belated dentist appointments, the hair cuts, etc. I think what we really need to be doing in preparation is letting go. Letting go of trying to do as much as possible every day, letting go of late nights in the pub, letting go of long sightseeing drives, but most of all, and somewhat ironically, letting go of going with the flow. Well, at least any flow that isn't Jaya's. So, while we can't plan for what will be, we'll also have to be careful not to plan against it. If that makes any sense.

Anyway, here's to finding the flow and letting it go...!