I like to ride my bicycle

After we came back from the UK, and just before starting school again, Ilona decided she was going to learn to ride her bike. So on August 31st she woke up unable to ride her bike, but by night time she could do it. She ran into the house excited to tell us (we had no idea) and I went out and shot the video of almost her first successful bike ride. Now every day when she get home from school she wants to go ride her bike round and round and round and round our drive at ever increasing speed. It's kind of a child's biggest milestone after learning to talk. 

We also bought Wilder a bike as he needed one too.

Marching on

Hello again. Not much has happened in March, TBH. Even as I look at my photos to remind me, there really weren't any events of note. So for the Missourians out there, here is what Ilona found and chose to wear the other day:



And here is Bluet's choice from yesterday:


& Ilona in a different outfit, I think also yesterday


& Bluet's painting clothes from Saturday


& Ilona's too small raincoat to take Bluet to kindergarten last week


Yesterday at the animal playground (Wipkingen)


& last weekend riding bikes at the school playground

New old bike

A couple of weeks ago we bought Bluet a new (second hand) bike. She is getting to grips with riding it although she needs maximum space for when it goes all wobbly

Playtime

Yesterday was a bit wet and miserable, with the snow meting everywhere. Still the kids needed to go outside and run around. They found a sledge whilst out and about, and optomisitcally tried to slide down a hill in the mud.

What we've been up to

Well, just before New Year we took the train to a small town just outside Basel where there is a water park attached to a hotel (and little else). We stayed the night and the kids spent a good part of 2 days jumping into the pool with abandon (and armbands). This was enjoyable for all, but because of all the water, no photographs exist.

Anyway, here they are before we set off. (and a photo of Bluet when we went for a walk in the woods near home


Meanwhile we are now back in the swing of things.

A couple of weekends ago we bought a basketball to use in the school playground. It is almost as big as Bluet. Also, Ilona has been riding her bike.





Bluet had her haircut last weekend, I tried to do a before and after. Here is how it turned out (the before after, not really the haircut).

Bicycle Rider

The last few weeks, Bluet has more or less mastered riding her bike. Last Saturday she was very excited to work out how to steer and go round in circles

Sunday afternoon fun run

Emily left this morning to attend a meeting for one day in San Francisco (she is back on Tuesday afternoon, 24h on a plane and 24h in America). After she had left and Ilona had napped we headed to the school playground where there is a 100m running track. Bluet and I did a couple of running races (she definitely won the one where I was also carrying Ilona), whilst Ilona did lots of standing and some quite fast walking. There was also a Dad and his kid flying a small remote controlled biplane which entertained them both, as did a big patch of virgin snow which Bluet quickly filled with footprints (with a couple of handprints from Ilona, until she learned it was 'cold').

Bluet stops and poses for a photo (saying 'cheeeese', as you can see)

Snow with footprints, handprints and tyre tracks

Moving surprisingly fast

Visitors

Last week Andrew and Maria came to stay for a few days which was very exciting for the kids. Here both Bluet and Ilona try to sit in the same place to listen to Andrew reading a story.

Meanwhile whilst Maria discovers that Ilona is just learning to ride on shoulders, Andrew learns that Bluet is almost too heavy to ride on shoulders anymore

Ilona is very happy with her birthday present

and Bluet is delighted with her slightly early Christmas present (she had to come with us to pick it out)

Andrew and Bluet in the distance