The growing season

Today we actually ventured in the Hoog Catherine (big mall attached to train station) to go shopping. What inspired this search for pants, shoes, and shirts? Well, the little monkey has decided to have a big growth spurt and is stranded between the high waters of 18 mos and the tripping length of 2T. Luckily European sizes have more of a range and we quickly found her size (easy enough, just take her pants of in the store and try them on!) and left with 3 comfy, well fitting, decidely 'Euro-kid' pants. Then to the shoe store. We opted for the 'Payless' type option rather than the small shops along the canal where they are happy to help you buy 60E toddler shoes! After a little searching and some creative sign language, we ended up with a pair of almost euro sneakers. Now our little girl will blend with her Ukkie friends a bit more (we had been getting comments on her yellow feltpack snow boots...)

It isn't just Elena that is growing, the daylight our increases a noticable amount each day, the temperature is rising (we had the window wide open this afternoon and aired out the apartment), the daffodils are growing, and the tourist season is growing, all of a sudden there are paddle boats in the Nieuwegracht! We have to keep our front curtains drawn, our building is apparently on some city history walking tour and when the curtains are open, people peer in, I think expecting to see some sort of historical view, instead finding a 'toddler impacted' house!