Mom says, “One of my many reasons for doing this blog, is to serve as a record for me, and hopefully – one day – for ZaZa too. So here goes. Lately I have been totally amazed by all the things that ZaZa is doing. I just find it absolutely amazing how each day she is doing something new and incredible. I never want to forget – hence the blog, and I never want to regret that I missed a moment – hence the blog (Although, I am sure I forget and miss a lot, but at least this is a way of recording the majority of it).
So, what is ZaZa doing at the moment (I apologise if some of these things are a repeat from previous blogs).
ZaZa has suddenly ‘clicked’ onto the baby sign language. Although she does not do exactly what I do, she does very similar (‘the book’ says that is normal), and she understands when I sign. Every morning the first thing she does is the sign for the dog and looks around for Sushi. Then Sushi comes running and jumps up onto the bed, and she carries on signing for dog and saying, “d, d, D”.
Every time we see a dog on the street she either signs for dog, or says, “Baba”
Every time we see a little child or baby or pram, ZaZa shouts out, ‘Baba’.
As soon as we get home, I turn around in the car and say, ‘Where are we?’ and she signs for home.
ZaZa signs for water when she wants.
She does the sign for finished when she has eaten enough.
She does the sign for gently
She says, ‘mamamama’.
She points at the computer and says, ‘baba’ ... Because we often watch videos of Noam on the computer, or look at pics of Dylan and other babies
She is very good at pointing to things and asking for them, by going, ‘mmmmmm’.
She says, ‘byebybye’. She says, ‘ello’ to everyone. (We are trying to get her to do it consistently on the phone)
She suddenly knows where everything belongs e.g. She finds a sock or shoe, and puts her foot up for you to put it on – and says, ‘ah,ah,ah’, until you put it on, she immediately puts Cassi’s bracelets on her arm and Cassi’s necklaces around her neck. She tries to put the clips and brushes in her hair. She tries to put the seatbelt clips into the holes, then when we take it off she wants to put it on again. She wants to ring the intercom every time, she holds the phone to her ear (when no-body is there) and says, ‘ello’. She puts the cottonwool on her face.
ZaZa takes the stick for the bubbles and starts blowing.
She LOVES blowing her flutes in the car and in the bath. (Our little musical prodigy)
She is loving standing up on everything and climbing on everything.
She loves playing with water – bath water, the dogs bowl, water in the garden.
She LOVES Lindt chocolate and ice-cream – and eats them very slowly.
She loves putting the lids on and off things.
She loves playing with the sugar sachets and the restaurants
She is starting to walk – by pushing the trolley, and then sometimes transferring from the coffee table to couch.
She suddenly seems to understand things and instructions – really amazing!
She thinks the word ‘No’ is very funny – even when I say it in my firm teacher voice, ‘No you cant take your hat off’, she will get a very naughty smile and take it off and laugh – HELP!
I have bought every type of hat possible and she does not keep it on – HELP!
ZaZa knows when she is doing something wrong, she gets this very naughty smile, looks around and does it.
She loves music, as soon as music comes on, she does the sign and starts dancing.
She already knows the actions to the Clamber Club introduction songs.
She LOVES the computer and can sit for ages playing with Cassi’s computer.
She only gives Cassi’s kisses.
She picks up any bowl or cup and tries to drink from it.
She gets very excited when we say we are going out.
We have started doing a two for one special – I shower in the bath shower, ZaZa sits in the bath ring, gets splashed by the shower and then I bath her. (3 for 1 special – environmentally friendly).
ZaZa still only falls asleep in the pouch .... (no comments, please!)
ZaZa I love you more and more every day ... If that is possible!!!!
... Straight after the speeches (tight schedule), was the birthday cake that Mom and Gran made – 4 layers – ice-cream, maltese, ice-cream, honeycomb, ice-cream, oreas, ice-cream, a picture of Cas. Surprisingly everyone enjoyed their ice-cream cones (you are never too old). Then it was more dancing to the DJ’s music, in the lantern it garden. Then the rain started ... Quick move inside ... More dancing ... Drinking ... Eating olives ... Posing for the camera. Finally ... More ice-cream, Baileys and opening the presents – Moms best part of the party! Mom created a great ambience with candles etc (Thanks BJ for teaching mom about creating ambience). Ps: What was I doing? Well, more being handed arrived, ate boerewors, mielie, ice-cream, danced ... And finally at 11:30 pm after a small cry – I crashed! HAPPY HAPPY 21st Cas ... We LOVE you and hope to celebrate many, many more birthdays with you. You are very special to us!
... Wow!!! If you don’t mind me boasting ... The party was AWESOME. I viewed the first two hours of the party from Mommy’s back and loved it! The rain stopped a half an hour into the party. As guests arrived they were greeted by Nanny Gia and Baba ZaZa and a big ‘Howzit’, then they got their bracelet/necklace, then walked down a lantern lit path with animal footprints guiding them. Once they arrived at the party, they were greeted by a GORGEOUS looking Cassilee Kahn and a Jello-Shot, made lovingly by Kat (with loads of Vodka!). All the guests did a great job at dressing up. After some drinks and socialising for a bit, the guests were led by the Drummer from Teambeat into the next door garden and an hour of drumming followed. Wow, what a drumming session, Cas stole the show! Then back to our garden - drinks, food, chatting. Then speeches: Gia (and Kara, Dean, Marc via letters), Robbie, Cassi’s three friends together – Candice; Gina; Claud, and then Mel – who did an extra awesome speech. Ps: What was I doing? Well, for the first two hours I was on Mom’s back , chilling, looking, smiling – while Mom ran around doing a million and one things. Then I did some drumming, and was handed to each and every person, while mom ran around doing a million and one things – including cleaning up (believe it or not – she can’t stand clean and dirty stuff together at parties), and painting people’s faces with a bit of Africa. All in all – I just fitted in and had fun. And I loved all the attention and everyone telling me I am beautiful and an awesome baba!
... Well, the 29th of November finally arrived ... And that is Cassi’s 21st party date. We have spent the last two weeks shopping around, comparing prices, brainstorming ideas, shopping, shopping, shopping. At night, Mom and Cassi beaded everything possible: bracelets; candles; necklaces; toothpicks (yes, toothpicks were beaded); martini glasses; wine glasses. Then Saturday arrived, Coby came to help us prepare, then Romy arrived. Mom put them and us to work – helping mom: decorating Cassi’s Barbie doll cake (we tried to make it look African, and the feathers to match her dress); packing the bags for boerewors roll; skewers for the mielies; painting signs (with animal paws); putting glitter stickers with paw prints on the straws (yes, I know mom is a perfectionist and obsessive). Then we had to do the beads in Cassi’s hair (a bit of a mission). Then at 6 o’clock until 8 o’clock (the outdoor party started at 7:30, Braaing at 7 – We had a very tight running schedule), the heavens opened and it POURED! This resulted in Bern and Kat braaing the boerewors in the rain, while Chad moved the bar inside (Chad is a GREAT barman) JUST before the guests arrive we presented Cas with a poster of a timeline of her life. Mom and granny Rona spent ages collecting and selecting the photos, and the Chad’s printing place did an awesome job at making it into a poster that everyone could sign. PS: You are probably wondering what I was doing while all this prep was going on and total chaos – well, I just did my thing ... Crawled around, ate whatever, slept whenever and was what mommy likes to call, ‘An absolute angel’.
... At Auntie Kat and Uncle Chad ... Great fun playing with all the kids, I could not stop staring at all of them ... Delicious food (chicken, fillet, roasted veg). Best part, Kat got an awesome ice-cream cake to celebrate the November birthdays ... And then Chad played fun games with me ... And then we watched videos of Cuzzie Romy when she was small ... And then I came home and fell fast asleep!
... For Cassi’s party ... Visiting Bern at his business ... SHOPS, Shops, Shops (I like to play with the doors) ... Buying Auntie Kat’s birthday present (an awesome white leather bag – Mom really wanted one too!)
