The Nine Streets

The Nine Streets in central Amsterdam comprise an area adjacent to three canals that are particularly picturesque with a good smattering of fascinating and quaint little shops and cafes. Yesterday I went for a wander there.

Trust...Sleep...Read

This boys parents already have a growing pile of books to read to him.

And that's one of the best things about being an Oma, you can justify buying kids books and toys again!

Bath time

Bucket bath with Kraamzorg and Paparazzi from Sheryl Nagels on Vimeo.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is having a pleasant autumn, the trees are only just beginning to turn but the Olliebolen stalls are popping up on the canal bridges - a sure sign of winter approaching apparetnly.
Sonya and Toby live in a residential area close to Vondel park - Wilhelminastraat 93.
On Monday I went to Nordamarkt, a textile/flea market and yesterday I went Birkenstock shopping - two new pairs for summer NZ!

Wilhelminastraat

Olliebollen stall

Nordamarkt

MBM

Max Buckley Morris

I arrived in Amsterdam on Saturday 1 October (a day later than planned but that's another story) to meet my one day old Grandson, Max Buckley Morris.
Max was born at 8.30 am on Friday 30 September at a local Amsterdam hospital, after a mammoth 53 hour labour. But he wasn't phased and arrived fit as a fiddle and ready to rumble. Weight 3.9 kilos. Parents Sonya and Toby are tickled pink with their wee man - Maxabillion!
Sonya thinks he looks like her brother Daniel and there definitely is a strong resemblance. But I haven't seen any photos of Toby as a baby so he could look like a Morris too - he definitely has Toby's long fingers and toes.
My first three days in Amsterdam have been a bit of a whirl - fairly jet-lagged and a rough day yesterday when Max wanted more milk than was on offer! Fortunately today there is milk in abundance and he has been much more settled. The system here of a Kraamsorg (special nurse that comes for up to 8 days for 6 hours a day to support the mother to enable her to breastfeed) is very civilised and offers support vastly removed from what I received in NZ back in the 70/80s.  Sonya has been told to feed Max two hourly during the day if he needs it!!  Enlightened!

A baby is a good way start a new person...

I have been reflecting on that time of high expectation just before a child is born. You already have a relationship with the child but once it is born their personality begins to unfold before your eyes and a new little person is revealed.
My daughter is 'only just' overdue with her first baby also in autumn as I was, but on the other side of the world. It stirs memories of how precious that time is with a new baby. And it flys by so quickly-  a very precious time when you really must slow down and enjoy.  I can't wait to meet my first grandchild.

Sonya Louise

 

Daniel Jacob