Family Portraits

Rick, Kaat & Me - Yesterday

Rick decided yesterday he did not want to go to bed if Kaat got to stay downstairs - by then it was 9pm and Papa & Mama were also kind of ready to call it a day

 Fortunately he did not manage to stay awake very long so we could all retire to bed!

 Rick reading to Kaat - Today

 Oma Joke, Rick & Opa Sjoerd just before their departure on Sunday

Rick & Mees, Mees & Rick

Last weekend Dirk & Sietske finally got to meet Kaat as due to bad planning from our side they were in NL when the big event happened. Whilst we were  having dinner Rick & Mees had a blast together. They were actually giggling and laughing loads because they had so much fun to the point were Rick had tears running down his cheeks. If only we could understand what their play & conversations were about.

 

We did it!

We did it. We finally cut Rick's hair.....it was a sad sad day in my books as I LOVED those curls and all the compliments Rick got about them but as the bad hair days started to outnumber the good hair days it was time.

 does he not look like an angel or a Jr Greek god?

 it was a serious affair

 he has a lot of hair for a wee boy

 look, he has a neck!

I am still sad although Rick of course is still gorgeous & cute. I blame it all on the weather. If it would not have been for the cold days he would have had no bad hair days, and if we would not have been confined to the house because of the winter storm of last Friday we maybe would not have gotten round to it yet....

Kaatje @ 1 week

Cozy in papa's arms

Being doted on by mom (who starts to look slightly better and less pale...)

 First bath at home

 With Milou (about 5.5 weeks older)

 Dressed to go out on a car ride with mom Kaat is having a little 'Zen' moment to herself.

 Once snug in the car seat Kaat 'zones out'

She does get a little angry occasionally (if we are too late feeding her or changing her diaper)

 Consoled by big brother Rick who is even willing to share his crisps with her!

Rick's Ranch House

Texan Rick finally has a cabin on his Ranch. Last weekend the weather was still nice and warm (20 C or more) and so the little cabin was finally assembled with help from Opa Sjoerd.

As you can see it turned out to be a very nice cabin!

 

The neighbor, who happened to be related to the house owner which is quite common on Texas Ranches, stopped by for a little talk. 

Rick was pretty busy making himself at home. 

 Arranging his belongings inside & outside

 After all was done Rick went back in

 and invited grandma Joke for a quick tour

The cabin has survived its first Texas downpour earlier in the week ( a couple of inches of rain in a few hours) and today's 'winter storm'.

Winter Storm Panic

Houston, and actually the whole of Texas, is in the grip of a winter storm. The whole city iced up overnight and hence everything is closed today. In places further inland like San Antonio and Dallas they also have snow. The schools all decided late yesterday that they would remain closed today and that includes Rick's day care. Most public services are suspended today, there are no buses, libraries, museums etc are closed. Even the malls are closed or have adjusted hours. All Airports are closed for the day (in the whole of Texas) and everyone is advised to not venture out. The Panic is in our opinion a little over the top with 24hr live coverage on TV of every aspect of 'the storm'. It is not windy, only -4 C or so, and it only started during the night and will be over by tomorrow morning.

The worst issue is the roads. Houston with all its concrete and asphalt has lots of overpasses, bridges etc. Those structures where the cold can reach from both the top and underneath are all covered with ice sheets and hence most high ways are closed and many accidents occur. Nobody here has winter tires and there is also no abundance of spray salt or even spray trucks etc to treat the roads as Houston normally does not have this kind of weather. 

Eelco did go to the office this morning (he does not have far to go on all smaller neighborhood roads which are not frozen). On of of the few bridges he did have to cross the car behind him did a 360 spin and landed against the bridge railing.....When there were still only 2 other people at the office by 9.30 (office life here starts at 7) he decided to come home again. We sprinkled the front and back porch with sand from Rick's sandbox and are entertaining ourselves indoors.

Phone Pics

Some phone made pictures are better then others. This series of Kaatje turned out pretty good.