Snow and other things Christmas

Thursday morning we woke up to this:

Fine. After checking that the roads were clear, Liam and I went to Soest for a Mums and Tots (and had a nice time there). Going to Soest is actually a nice drive through the forest.

Friday dawned clear and bright and beautiful with snow on the ground, perfect for my drive through farmland to get to my midwife appointment (everything’s going great with me and the baby). Perfect winter day.

Of course, this doesn’t stop Dutch people from biking everywhere.

Later, Liam and I went out for a walk to explore this strange new world – it’s Liam’s first snow and he’s telling me that everything is white.

Of course, Liam insisted on taking his mittens off

And was really enjoying it for a bit (7 second video)

And it was beautiful.

Until he, of course, got cold without any mittens and we went home.

Saturday we went to run a few errands, like picking up our Christmas tree. We’re actually renting one this year – it’s alive and after three weeks we’ll take it back to the environmental organization where we got it and it’ll go back in the ground until next year. It was still beautiful, but cold, cold, cold, and by the end of the tree picking, Liam was crying from the cold and I would have if I wasn’t too tough for that. I don’t have a winter jacket that covers my bump.

We also had great luck with a warranty repair. When we lived in the centre, the oven broke where we were staying. So, Ivo’s parents were kind enough to buy us an oven – bigger than a toaster oven, but the same concept. After we moved here and it kind of became redundant what with having a real oven and all, it slowly broke down, one element at a time. We decided we didn’t need it anyway, replaced it with a toaster and a combi microwave/oven, but took it in for repair just in case we could gift it on to anyone else. They couldn’t repair it, and no longer make that model so said we could choose – we asked if it had to be an oven and it didn’t. So, we got a fancy new coffee maker with a thermos jug, something I’ve been wanting so I can easily make decent coffee for guests (since Ivo doesn’t drink coffee and I drink one cup a day, I use this thingie and grind the beans with a hand grinder).

Since we were at a mall we never go to to do this, we also picked up the bed risers that I’ll need to have after the baby comes since that shop is also there. I can’t have a home birth, but hope to be home soon thereafter. Since the midwife and the kraamzorg are both in the home checking on us and taking care of us, we’re required to raise the bed to a certain height to avoid straining their backs and causing workers’ compensation claims. We also got a back support thingie for me to use for feeding or receiving visitors, since people come to visit soon after the birth here. All free.

And, we got Liam’s picture taken with Santa. Free! Liam wasn’t sure what to think, but he didn’t cry or get scared this time. The mall was really making an effort for Christmas – free hot chocolate and other activities. Christmas isn’t nearly as big here as at home. And if we ever made it back to this area of town we’d get a free print too, but I took my own picture.

Liam is getting pretty confused about the whole Sinterklaas, Santa Claus thing, and the birthday coming in between just makes it worse. For a few days after Sinterklaas he kept thinking there should be cookies in his shoes. And on the day of his birthday party we told him that there would be people there with presents when he woke up from his nap, so he asked, “Klaasje, cookie?” And now every time he sees Santa or picture of Santa he says “Klaasje?” How to explain the difference, and why if Santa’s around, he’s not getting cookies.

Today, it snowed. And it’s still snowing. It’s unbelievable. Our plans for Christmas shopping fell away – just as well, trains and buses aren’t running and the roads aren’t clear. Crazily coming down.

We thought it was done here.

But no, this is a couple hours ago, still coming down.

But the tree is up (it looks better in person).

The snow is pretty and all, but I’m bummed that we won’t be able to take our planned trip to a Christmas Market in Germany tomorrow, nor really the rest of the week methinks. Sigh. It’s still snowing.