Nora: Dat is het liedje.
Guus: Ja gaan we nog zingen.
Nora: Ja!
Nora: Nee nee!
Guus starts to sing.
Nora: Nee, niet nog zingen.
Guus: Nee, niet meer zingen?
Nora: Nee. Niet meer zingen!
Guus: Ken jij bijvoorbeeld het liedje, Sinterklaas Kapoentje?
Nora: Em, ik kan niet Sinterklaas Kapoentje.
Nora: Oh nee. Nora kan dat liedje niet.
Nora: Ik kan wel... 'en we zingen en we springen'.
Guus: Oh ja! Siiinterklaasje kom maar binnen.... etc
Nora: Oh, het is daar donker...
Guus: En kan jij ook wel het liedje 'Zie ginds komt de stoomboot'?
Nora: Eh ja!
Together:
Zie ginds komt de stoomboot
Uit Spanje weer aan.
Het brengt ons St Nicolaas
Ik zie 'm al staan.
Hoe... huppelt zijn paardje het dek op en neer
Hoe waaien de wimpels al heen en al weer.
Zijn knecht staat te lachen en roept reeds toe.
Wie zoet is krijgt lekkers
Wie stout is de roe
Oh lieve Sint Nicolaas kom ook eens bij mij
En rijdt toch niet stilletje ons huisje voorbij.
Today Saint Nicholas arrived at the Dutch Embassy. This year we've been reading Sinterklaas books for a few weeks so Nora knows Sinterklaas and his helpers well.
We arrived a little early so we had plenty of time to look around. The Pieten arrived soon and I guess they liked Nora because they came back every few minutes to make sure she still had pepernoten. The bigger kids would store the pepernoten in their bags -- but Nora took just one at the time.
Like last year, Sinterklaas arrived on the balcony of the central hall of the embassy. It was nice to sing the old songs.
The little kids were then invited in the big room and soon all the two-year olds were called forward. Nora was very brave -- much braver than I think I was at that age -- and comfortably sat next to Sint Nicholas on the sofa. She gave him a big hug too.
Sinterklaas knew "dat Nora heel goed Bulgaars spreekt" and even knew about Meneer Prascho. She got a big present from Piet; a box with play dough.
The event is very well organized and we had a magical time.
I worked from home today and at noon I went for my run. It snowed, for the first time this season. The ground is warm and nothing stayed so it was a little slushy but not slippery and the run was great.
Nora and I went for a run together. I hadn't really planned running tonight -- I've been running in the mornings the last several weeks -- but I needed to clear my head. And the weather was great! Nora wanted to join me. We hadn't done run together in a long time and it was great to be out with her. She didn't even need a jacket, it was so warm. Running is great.
Yesterday Sinterklaas arrived in the Netherlands. We watched a little bit on YouTube. First a small part of the 2013 event but Nora is too little far all that so we switched to Sesamstraat's intocht from the early 2000's and that she liked.
We've been reading Sinterklaas books for a week now, and yesterday evening Nora put her shoe near the fireplace.
I stained the deck yesterday and it looks nice. We had some rain a few hours later and everything needs to dry before we can walk on the deck again, so I left through the front door. It was chilly -- 43 degrees or so -- and I ran with my new warm shirt and jacket.
Our friend Esteban came to visit us from London, a very nice surprise.
He emailed me on Monday that he'd be in town for a conference, and it was great to have him over for dinner and introduce him and Nora to each other. She was listening intently to him, describing his son Tiago who was born a few months after Nora.
Today was my birthday, the 36th. A great day with a lot of love. We didn't have time in the morning so I there were presents in the evening, and then we went for dinner.
We went to Ray's the Steak, a very nice experience, and Nora enjoyed the New York strip with Black & Blue sauce. Such a richness, going out with two girls like these.
Thank you everybody, for all the phone calls, and emails, and Facebook and WhatsApp messages... it really made my day!
A few days ago Nora and I sang a few songs together, in Dutch. 
Today Saint Nicholas arrived at the Dutch Embassy. This year we've been reading Sinterklaas books for a few weeks so Nora knows Sinterklaas and his helpers well. 
Yesterday Sinterklaas arrived in the Netherlands. We watched a little bit on YouTube. First a small part of the 2013 event but Nora is too little far all that so we switched to Sesamstraat's intocht from the early 2000's and that she liked. 
Our friend Esteban came to visit us from London, a very nice surprise. 
Today was my birthday, the 36th. A great day with a lot of love. We didn't have time in the morning so I there were presents in the evening, and then we went for dinner.