Winter 2011

Once again, my anticipation of Sinterklaas was almost as good as the night itself. It certainly lasted longer: for the week between Thanksgiving and Sinterklaas, I put my shoes in front of our fireplace, and each night the Zwarte Pieten put candy and small toys—even a Bakugon ball!—in them while I slept.

December 4^th was a Saturday, and the Oranjeschool had a big party. I dressed in my costume, and we sang songs and played games. When Sinterklaas finally arrived, I was one of the first to spot him [right]. I was so excited! He talked to us, and each class made a presentation to him. Then the Zwarte Pieten handed out small gifts. From there, Papa drove me to Lake Forest Park for another party (hosted by the Holland-America Club). There were more games and Dutch foods to eat. Sinterklaas arrived on a power boat; he must have sailed all the way from our school on Mercer Island! As always, there were too many kids and too much noise, but I found a place to sit and participate in the songs and games. Sinterklaas had more to say, and then the Pieten handed out one more gift for each of us. I went home with a bag full of pepernoten and candy.

Later that day, Ella came for a sleepover. We put out Cameron’s klompjes and a note explaining to the Pieten that she was staying with me. Sunday morning, her shoes contained candy, lip gloss, and a hair band—just like my shoes! 

Sunday night we had our traditional waffles, fruit, and whipped cream. As we were finishing our meal, someone knocked at the door. I rushed to open it. I wasn’t quick enough to catch Sinterklaas, but his burlap sack was on the front porch. I dragged it inside and began pulling out gifts, chocolate, and poems one by one. Sint gave me a game called Quirkle and a clock that projects the time onto the ceiling, as well as two nice poems, one in English and one in Dutch. Isn’t it amazing what Sinterklaas can do!

For most of the fall, my school's first-graders practiced songs in music class for an upcoming winter concert. Finally, on December 2nd, all three first-grade classes dressed up and gathered at a local junior high to give our Season of Joy performance.

Each class sang its own song; mine sang "I Wish" [left]. All 45 of us also sang together "Light the Candles All Around the World," "Friends Are Like Diamonds," "A Perfect Winter Day," and "Season of Joy."

The Nutcracker, December

On December 10th my school's first graders took an official field trip to the McCaw Hall (the Opera House) in Seattle to see The Nutcracker ballet.

Mommy and I arrived early, and we got pizza for lunch in the Seattle Center House and looked at the giant Christmas train and town display. We even waited in line so I could drive the train!

Before we sat down, Mommy took pictures of me in the lobby with Nutcracker characters. I was all dressed up in my holiday best [right]. 

I'd never seen a ballet before. My favorite parts were the dancing and battling rats, the dancing peacock, and the dancing snowflakes.

Mommy, Papa, Cameron and I went to Bellevue Square for a holiday night that included visiting Santa in Nordstrom's. We had to stand in line for a long time, but I was very patient. When my turn finally arrived, I handed Santa my list. He asked me to read it to him [left] and told me that he'd do his best. This was my list:

Then I sat on Santa's knee for a photo. He also talked to Cameron to make sure that he'd been good, too, and he gave me a candycane.

Christmas preparations, December

How can so much fit into just one month?!

On December 1st we went to Evergreen Hospital for a special ceremony to remember Grandma. Mommy wrote a message to Grandma that she hung on their giant Christmas tree; I signed it "Love, Sofia" too. All month long her picture stood in a special place in the house, near one of her favorite decorations.

Mom always decorates the whole house, even putting Christmas lights around my bedroom window. This year I was old enough to help.

Early in the month we go to Molbak’s to take our Christmas photo. This year one of my favorites was the Christmas village display with houses, trees and little people. We also went to the Redmond tree lighting ceremony and walked the Sammamish trail beside the river between downtown Redmond and Redmond Town Center. The whole path was lined with luminarias, and we passed light displays, entertainers, hot chocolate stands, and even hot air balloon rides that lit up in the night.

Mom took me to see ‘Twas the Night at Studio East; I love that show! She also accompanied my class to the Seattle Children's Theater to see Lyle, Lyle Crocodile. And we went to listen to Jazz Etc sing at Crossroads Mall while we ate dinner in the food court. Speaking of food, Mom also took me grocery shopping for HopeLink. Along with Mom's purchases, I bought $15 of baby food with my own allowance, and another day we drove the food bags to the distribution center.

One of the best parts of the month this year was that the last week of school I was Star Student in my class, and the last day of that week all the classes had holiday parties. Everybody wore pajamas to school (even the teachers!), and we had a book exchange and cookie decorating as part of our celebration.

All the aunts, uncles, and family were there except one cousin. Erika and Jennifer were especially nice to me. We watched a Christmas movie while the grownups talked until dinner time. The meal included roast beef, salad, soft rolls, baked potatoes, and vegetables. Mommy brought snowball cookies (Grandma’s recipe), decorated sugar cookies (my designs), and our fudge for dessert; there were many other cookies, too. 

After dinner the kids put on a music show, with singing and instruments. While Jeff played Rudolph on the keyboard, I danced with a paper antler crown and a red-lipsticked nose. Then I played Elf and helped Jennifer hand out presents to everyone. My gifts included a nail painting set and word and math puzzle books. 

Christmas day

Cameron says I’m crazy because I didn’t get up at 6:00 on Christmas morning. But Mommy and Papa told me not to wake them until 8:00—and besides, I was tired from Christmas Eve.  But I did open their door at 8:01!

We had a quiet morning because Cameron was at his dad’s until the afternoon. But I did empty my stocking, which was full of lots of toys and candy, and also opened my Santa gifts. He gave me the purple unicorn pillow pet [right] I’d put on my list (and had been begging for since October) and also two Zhu Zhu pets and accessories. They are really cute, and I played with them and my stocking gifts until lunch time.

Four of the days, I went to camp at Evergreen. Each day we traveled on the school’s bus for a field trip. We went bowling at Majestic Lanes in Lynnwood, watched Yogi Bear 3-D at the movie theater and ate lunch at Red Robin, jumped on trampolines at Sky High in Bellevue, and painted pottery at Color Me Mine in Mill Creek. Each day there was a different group of kids, and I had a great time. Of course, I also had playdates with my neighborhood friends, Max, Ella, and Brandon (Joseph was gone to Florida).

Seventh birthday, January

Wow, my birthday celebration lasted for days, and it was great!

I brought red velvet cupcakes that I helped bake and decorate to my elementary school. We ate them at the end of the day, after my teacher gave me a birthday crown and a special goodie bag to take home.   I also decorated chocolate mint cupcakes for Oranjeschool. They sang a birthday song for me there, too.

After Dutch school, Mom drove me to Edmonds, where Grandma Bonnie took me to the local toy store for a shopping spree. It was so fun!  She bought me a beautiful Ragdoll cat puppet as big as a real cat. I also got a math workbook and a set of stacking Matryoshka dolls. Then she took me next door to the Edmonds bakery for a special birthday cookie. 

That night I went to Red Robin for my birthday dinner with Mommy, Papa, and Cameron. After my cheese pizza, the waiters gathered around clapping and singing. Then they served me my own hot fudge sundae. After that we went home and had chocolate cake (I was so full I could barely eat it) and opened gifts. Mommy and Papa gave me a Lab in a Bag test tube adventure kit, a strange plant collection kit, the AntWorks see-through ant exhibit, and 101 Freaky Animals and Tangled books. Best of all, they gave me a 71-card Pokemon box and a notebook with pages to organize all my Pokemon cards. Cameron gave me Pokemon cards, too! I love Pokemon monsters!

The next afternoon I had my Pokemon-themed children's party at Chuck E. Cheese. Nine of my friends came, some from my neighborhood, some from elementary school, and one from Oranjeschool. The first hour, we played lots of games, and I earned a cup full of tickets. Then we had pizza, and then the birthday show started. They gave me a special birthday crown, and I got to stand on a chair at the head of the table and dance with Chuck E. himself!  Then we had cake—Mom had mine decorated with Pokemon characters [right].  To finish the celebration, I was given a chance to stand in the Ticket Blaster with goggles on while tickets swirled all around me and to grab as many as possible in 1 minute. It was so fun!  In fact, even though Mom and Papa made faces about all the noise, I had the best birthday party ever!  I want to go back next year!