Today Leilani went to the bookshelf all by herself and pulled out a photo book about Kauai. That in itself was surprising enough… As she started to look at the pictures I jokingly asked if she had ever been there. She looked at me as if I had lost my mind*, pointed to a picture (of Kalalau Valley) and said “Nounou mountain!” Then she pointed to a photo of a hiker with hat and said “Daddy hiking.” [Proud Daddy’s heart melts after reading this.]
A few things Leilani said (funnier if you speak German):
“Another Bohne” – One more bean, Styrian fava beans are Leilani’s favorite
“No like it Blumi essen” – I don’t like it if (the toy horsie) eats the flowers (on my dress)… when Oma pretended that the toy horse was eating the flowers
“Opa (wo) bist du?” – Opa where are you (about 50 times a day, but instead of Opa also Oma, Mimi, Lara, Kiron…)
“Dinner time” eyes barely open waking up from her nap, about 2 hours after a huge lunch
“Oma catch me”
“Swimming pool in, in (25 seconds later) out, cold OOOUUUT”
“Mama weiter schwimmen. Mama Fischi. Underneath” – Mommy, keep swimming. Mommy dive (like a fish)
“Bye-bye Oma, bye-bye Opa, bye-bye swimming pool” – When it was time for a nap
“Lara fahrt mit” Leilani is always hopeful that Lara will ride in the car with her, if only to try to boss her around later (“Lara sit”)
“Stork coming” – there are a few nesting in Gleisdorf, but Leilani pronounces “Storch” very German…
“Gemma home” – Let’s go home
“Goodnight Mond” – Goodnight Moon
Another funny story: Leilani wanted out of her stroller, and then – next to the busy street – demanded to walk alone, and cried and stomped her feet when we tried to take her by the hand. But Leilani, I said, next to the street you either have to sit in the stroller, or have to “give your hand”(the German phrase “Hand geben” means both to shake and to hold hands.) With a dead serious face Leilani extended her hand, grabed my moms hand and said “Byb bye Oma….”
*that’s OK, I don’t get HER sense of humor either.
This car, an Opel GT is 40 years old, and both my mom and I drove one a long long time ago.
My mom Trude and her friends Putzi and Hannelore
My aunt Jutta (mom’s sister) and Matthias one of her sons.
Matthias and Jutta’s dogs Lucy and Linus
Louise is the daugther of a school friend – and the friendliest little girl I ever met, sharing, hugging…
Loreen is one of the 2 daughters of friends Thomas and Maria
Trude Oma reads a book to Leilani
My best friend during high school Andrea and her children
Friz Opa and his wife Christine in their house…
… and in their garden (with mothersday flowers they picked for my mom)
OPEN that door!!!!! Leilani, Aaliyah and the Moriz twins Sebastian and Alexander
My mom Trude and my dad Franz
Ambros, a school friend visits
Leilani shows off her cool new glasses (with Jutta)
Gerd my stepddad and Leilani are playing the Piano
Visiting with Ingo – my stepdad Gerd’s brother and his wife Edith, also visiting is Edith’s mom Rosie
Jana and Aaliyah.
Bye bye Uncle Sharif (Aaliyah’s dad)
