I think that they will start off slow, and then get slower!!!
Does not look like there is much hope for Hannah, Talla, & Gabby. Whilst the left side of the picture above shows how JJ will look this September, I am concerned that the right side shows the three girls in the midst of their training … sustained by liquid diets!
Mind you … it may look impressive to run with three drunken belly dancers! 
New Year’s resolution 1 is half completed. I am signed up for the Great Yorkshire Run and Great North Run this year. Hannah, Talla, & Gabby should also be warming up to the fact that they too are participating in the Great Yorkshire Run. Barbara is entering the Great Meadowhall Run, which by coincidence follows immediately after the Great Yorkshire Run. So Sunday 7th September should be a very eventful day and a great family outing! I am very much looking forward to it, despite the painful aspect of having to get back into shape (i.e being less of a blob)!
News of us entering has spread quickly, even I am on the TV … click here to view.
Oh yes … girls … remember to get a decent iPod for running. I am afraid that mine (see below) is a bit too cumbersome!
Girls beware … trouble is soon coming your way … with a heart melting cheesy grin! You have been warned!
Iris: Thanks for the blanket … it has proven to be very popular with Nathan!
Wednesday 16th January 2008 marks three special occasions:
[1] 10th birthday of my car!
[2] Nathan’s first cold.
But most importantly, especially after all Nathan’s sad miserable sobbing from feeling unwell, Daddy has created Nathan’s first vlog appearance! I have this video on my iPhone and have been watching it non-stop during my trip to Portugal. No matter how much I missed him, I still had my smile permanently plastered onto my face.
I hope that he warms your hearts too!
So here we are, on the threshold of another new year, wondering what improvements the year 2008 will serve to us, preferably with a side order of greasy chips to help lubricate the way forward. Many of you (I cannot use the term ‘us’ in this circumstance) will be starting the year with the same old shovel in your hands preparing to dig yourselves into a hole with new year resolutions that fizzle out over the year without being accomplished.
Not me! I am not one to have new year resolutions. But wait a moment … maybe I am missing out on some enlightenment that accomplishing resolutions brings? A greater reason for why so many torture themselves year after year with setting resolutions. Maybe I am disturbing the whole fabric of the time space continuum by not participating in this sadistic ritual?
Ok then … for this year only … I will make some new year resolutions! But how many? By the standardised accounting principles of Genies … 3 seems to be the magic number. Ok … 3 resolutions. But what 3 resolutions would be enlightening? Maybe the good bible can give me guidance … 1 Corinthians 13:13 … “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
Resolution 1: Faith
“The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” This year it is my resolution not only to enter the ‘Great Yorkshire Run’ and ‘Great North Run’, but to run them as well … or at least walk them. Believe me … you need a whole lot of faith to get through them … as well as a lot of stupidity in the first place. That is why I will also be entering my three nieces into the ‘Great Yorkshire Run’ for moral support. After all, the runs are about raising money for good causes … and that’s a good thing.
Resolution 2: Hope
Why do the words ‘hope’ and ‘lottery’ have a stronger correlation than any other two words in the dictionary? Why can’t ‘win’ and ‘lottery’ be more cooperative? My next resolution is to play and win the lottery this year! As at least 50% of the proceeds goes to charity, this resolution is also about doing things for good causes. Weak argument, I know. A stronger argument is that I am doing it for Nathan, so that I have ‘hope’ of a brighter future for him.
Resolution 3: Love
For me this is the easiest. My final resolution is to love Barbara (despite being a Scorpio woman) and Nathan even more than I did before. And this extends to the family. But as our family extends to into other families, I wish to pay special attention for two other remaining ‘haasjes’ … my mum and Angie (who has been a haasje longer than the rest of us ). Of course there will always be one extra special haasje … Jan Albertus de Haas (25.04.1923 – 19.01.2002). In the future words of Jan Nathan Leonid de Haas (born 10.10.2007) … “Daddies are best“.
Now that I am already well on my way to fulfilling my three new year resolutions, I feel that I have got 2008 off to a good start!
To family & friends … have a very prosperous and loving 2008!
Most of you will have received my mother’s Christmas letter … which has probably already been recycled as Christmas toilet paper … sorry … bad habit of teasing my mother. A proud skill that I hope to teach Nathan one day.
This Christmas brings high notes and low notes …
On the high notes, we sing joyfully for our first Christmas in our new home, accompanied by a very special Christmas package … little Nathan! With a face that permanently puts him on Santa’s ‘good’ list.
On the low notes … we have many family members not around us this Christmas. I only have one thing to say … its not too late to grab a flight and join us!
So wherever you are … have a very Merry Christmas! The three of us look forward to seeing you all hopefully in the very near future.
Love JJ & Barbara & Nathan xxx
Nathan sizes up Grandpa’s desk and sees where he can start with all the paper work.
Ahh yes … the first order of business … finding a suitable personal assistant!
Exactly one month ago, our wonderful son was born at 9:56am (CET) … and I have kept him all to myself as a boy does with his favorite toy, not having time to share! But now I have taken a little time to update this blog, to share some pictures with you … just to walk you through the last month … starting with a small pair of feet …
He is now 5060 grams … but the total weight of all nappies so far, far exceeds his weight. (note: photo has been edited to protect his privacy)
Sometimes, just a wipe is not enough!
But Daddy doesn’t mind … he enjoys (surprisingly) nappy changes and giving baths!
Ohhh … and I guess Nathan also enjoys floating in the warm water … so much so he helps keep the water temperature up with his own little sprinkler!
Keeping him happy and toasty warm is Dad’s number one task!
Ready to explore the outside world with Daddy!
But for some reason, sleeping is more fun … especially in the arms of Daddy!
Sleeping has helped him store so much energy, so that within 3 weeks since birth, he can start holding his own head up!
But not for too long …
And where is Barbara in all the photos? Well call me selfish … the blog is a boy’s thing!