Today I took the kids downtown by metro to see the 1982 classic, silent film entitled The Snowman. I met my new Scottish friend, F, and her daughter and we enjoyed the thirty minute film in an old theatre right near the Grande Place. It was a really nice movie with beautiful music and I was so glad that I put my fears aside and ventured forth with my two boys. Frunty really enjoyed it and T.T.L even watched almost the whole show, squealing at certain parts and laughing.

Daddy left for Copenhagen this afternoon but not before making Hello Dollies with Frunty. When we came home from the theatre, our Christmas tree was on and the warm dollies were on top of the stove. They are excellent and made with a speculoos crust instead of graham crackers. We are enjoying this Christmas season very much so far with lots of baking (cookies, Auntie L's coffee cake etc.) and two visits to the Brussels Grande Place Christmas market which is fantastic. Next week we are going to a party at the school hosted by the "equipe maternelle" teachers. They will serve, among other things, artisanale beers and hot chocolate and cakes. We are looking forward to it very much as it'll be a nice chance to properly talk with the teachers and meet other parents and children in Frunty's class. St. Nicholas and Zwarte Pete came to Frunty's school and handed out candies. Frunty comes home with treats in his Bob the Builder Knapsack and letters from his teachers about actitivies. It is all very cute and we think and hope he is having fun. We sure are!

Today was a special day not just because it was St. Nicholas day but because it was the first day that Frunty did not cry before going to school. He did whimper a tiny bit but did not scream and cry as he usually does. Thank goodness. I really hope that that is over. Poor little guy, such anxiety. He always says he has fun and that is why we kept taking him.

Tiny Two Legs smacks his highchair with his hand making a loud sound and gets really excited when I get out the Braun to puree something for him. He loves these combos:

for breakfast: oatmeal with apple/banana or peach- pureed

for lunch or dinner: also cooked and pureed:

tofu and peas
squash/apple and a tiny bit of ginger

snacks: mashed avocado or banana and sucking on clementines!

I am having a lot of fun making him food which I never got to do with Mister Two Legs. I never pureed him anything as he went from breastmilk to steak and skipped that in between stage! Frunty also likes helping puree food for his little brother and will have a snack with him

Together they sit on the mat playing trains. Well, T.T.L sort of chews on his train from Grampa, called Douglas, while Frunty arranges the tracks. For the last two weeks I would say, I have been able to leave the two of them on the mat together to play while I make a cup of tea and even drink it! I can hardly believe that I am able to do this and appreciate it so much. Frunty is an excellent brother and will bring T.T.L a new toy if he starts fussing. He will even run over to me and tell me if his brother is upset or has fallen over, not that I am unaware of this! That five minutes I get to myself is very nice but I am happy to get back to them to do Yoga Kids or some other fun game like Lotto (Bingo) or a craft or just watch a bit of Barney.

We have some new friends from Scotland who are just great and live nearby. They are here for two years so we can look forward to lots of fun times ahead. We enjoyed a play date at their home this afternoon and Frunty and I made Auntie L's coffee cake to bring over. They loved it! I will try to write in this blog more often as I don't want to forget all the fun times we are having with the boys!

One of the highlights of my day, if not my life, is listening to Tiny Two Legs laugh is head off. There is only one person who can make him laugh like that...his brother, Mister Two Legs. He does stuff that T.T.L thinks is just hilarious. I try to make him laugh too but don't get the same laughs. These two guys, if you can believe, sit together on the floor and play trains and Lego and laugh. Yesterday, I actually made myself a cup of tea and drank it while peaking around the corner and watching them play. I couldn't believe my eyes. I am so happy that I have them and that they have each other and I hope that their friendship grows. I guess they'll eventually fight and that's normal but right now, they get along famously and it is such a joy to watch them interact. It's hard to describe in words.

Tiny Two Legs really enjoyed French library yesterday and listened to the stories really well and tried to sing along with the songs. I wish we could go every week but it is only offered once a month still. We found another library that offers it so now we can go twice a month. The other libraries are too far. I guess one could go every week if one had a car. But anyway we'll find other activities for little ones. We do miss the Beaches though where everything was available within a twenty minute walk, especially we miss Movies4Mommies and coffee afterwards.

Tiny Two Legs, formerly known as Tiny Baby, can bend down, touch his toes and sit back up. I will include two pictures of this wonderful feat, pun intended!

Wait, I made an error. I also had two full days with those two boys way back when the Nonni were still in Italy and we had already come back. Those two days were so hard, I think I tried to forget about them. I would look at my watch and it was 9 am and then I'd look again and it'd be 9:20 am and I thought Daddy would never come home. Finally phoned him at 5 pm and he could figure out that he had to come home immediately! The following day was a bit better but not really. You know, if I could sleep more, all of this would be a piece of cake (yah, right!) Speaking of sleep...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

(to think I used to babysit three kids at age 13 and then other little ones all summer...but I didn't have to contend with sleep deprivation and hormonal swings! And when I admit how challenging it is to other moms around here, the more women seem to admit to me too how hard it is too. So liberating!)

I haven't written for at least three weeks. I really have to get caught up but until I can, I would like to write about Tiny Two Legs! At 5 months old, as of last Friday, he is even more of a sweetie because he reaches out to us literally and figuratively in many ways. Tries to kiss my cheek (just smooshes his wet, super soft lips against my cheek and doesn't move), grabs my nose, touches my face and is now sitting up quite well. Just bought a hire chair for him today so that he can sit with us at the table and so I can eat with two hands!!! What a milestone. T.T.L is really adored still by his brother and tries to play lego with him (mostly chewing on it, of course!) We went to the doctor yesterday for his second vaccination. Doing just great! Getting too big (7 kg approx.) for the snuggly with the snowsuit on so am breaking him gently into the stroller. So far, cannot stand it. Screamed yesterday, had to put him into snuggly on walk. Cried today, second attempt. I will not let him cry for more than 5 minutes. Little by little, Tiny Baby will get used to the stroller, has to, otherwise my shoulders are going to break!

I gotta go but I can tell you all this, I have only had two half days on my own with both boys in this entire 5 month period. Because of all the family help and now with Daddy mostly working from home and Frunty going to school in the mornings (giving me a little quiet time with Tiny Two Legs), I have been able to enjoy this time in my life very much. Yes, it is challenging to say the least. I am just so grateful that I have this support. Otherwise, yes I would survive but I would not be as happy as I am right now...I know this for sure.