Puku Nui

There are a couple of blog posts swerving through my head that can't seem to make it into separate ones, so I'll simply list them here.

My brother popped over for a visit on Feb 4. It was lovely and so very normal to have him in the house we bought for him and me 12 years ago. He was excited to see my belly instead of just listening to me over the phone. He did bring a minor truckload of baby things with him: more toys, another play mat, baby carrier, bottles, clothes from his two boys. There was also a mobile that we can hang IQ training pics from. Starting with basic shapes in black and white, than moving on to stage 2 plus 3 and lastly faces showing different emotions. (Oh my dear, I didn't even know there was such a thing as baby IQ training. Not sure I wanted to know)
Lunch on a canal.
Showed him our future canal house and he was as enthusiastic as I am.
Meeting up with our parents for tea and cake was weird. They were nervous around him, trying to make holiday plans in order to spend time with his boys. I was tired and a coward and withdrew....

An uncle of mine turned 65 the Saturday after, and had a big do in a museum and restaurant. Everyone thought it was so really special I was there. I had put some effort in dressing up, and at the last minute I asked my mom to fetch her festive Chinese jacket that is both shiny and really wide. I knew she had been wearing that sleeveless jacket when she was pregnant with me, and my uncle recognised it immediately. I'm so grateful I get to repeat some nice parts of history.

My mom had her 72nd birthday in January, and I hadn't really done anything in the way of a gift. So last week I dragged her along to my favourite bicycle shop and made her try this electric bike. While she loved to ride the bike,
she is adamant she doesn't want it. She doesn't want a new bike as it has a high risk of getting stolen. And she thinks she is 'too young' for an electric one, as an 80 year old friend of hers said she regretted not getting an electric bike 5 years earlier. Even though my mom admitted that longer distances are now tiring for her (her volunteer work is 7 kilometers from her home) and Amsterdam bridges seem to be getting higher...
I tried to change tack, saying that her grandchild will grow heavier faster than she will grow older, but she wasn't having any of it.
Then I said I would just order it now, ride it for her for three years so she can have it when she turns 75....
(I guess this means we are equally stubborn and a bit crazy? and not wanting to give in?)

My childhood friend J arrived on Valentine's day. He couldn't bear to stay in France anymore. He's installed as anti-squatter in the canal house now. Loving to be back in Amsterdam. And fully taking care of himself, despite the lack of kitchen and a shower with only cold water.

On Friday Lily came over and we prepared some sewing project for baby bed linen.

Saturday DP and I ventured out to a kitchen showroom that was recommended by our architect. They have everything we could possibly want. And more. Much more. More than I dare to imagine:
(Well, you know. If you ever wanted to dream of an outer space stove landing near you.We'll stick to something with a bit more 17th century feel.)

Can't believe tomorrow is D-Day.