Ines turns ONE!

Ines had her first ever birthday today. Her party was last saturday though. It was really a good time of catching up with alot of people. Ines did really well! She really was quite smiley for the first two hours of the party.
She got lots of presents from her generous uncles and aunties. :) She's really learning to do many things now. She's fairly good at imitating things. Most commonly, she likes to pick up something and hold it up to her ear as if it's a telephone. She also likes hitting the mini drumset the way she's seen her daddy do it:) and when her mommy does vocal warmups, she does them too! And she's also learnt the significance of waving hello and goodbye! She waves her entire arm rather vigourously, it is so very adorable. She also knows that she needs to wear shoes before going out of the house, and she knows that pressing the button next to the lift somehow leads to the outside world.

This photo was taken after she woke up from her short nap after the party, when we opened up all the presents. She holds a pair of maracas (is that how you spell it) that Uncle Minghui gave her:) She really likes shaking it and making rhythmic sounds. She's wearing a pretty dress that Grandma bought her on a recent trip to China.

Guess what, Ines has likes and dislikes already. She likes yoghurt, and nutrisoy, but is very fussy with milk. She also likes apples alot but not green pears. She can tell the difference between crystal jade porridge and porridge cooked by Lilik and Marissa (the helpers at home). It's really quite amazing, the little person she is becoming. She's been able to call her daddy "Papa" and her mommy "MaMa" - though she says papapa and mamamamam for alot of other things, she's starting to make the distinctions between the sounds. For example, she says mummummm in a more elongated way when she's hungry as opposed to when she tries to get her mother's attention. Also, you KNOW that she KNOWS who her Papa is because she usually says a very distinctive "PAPA!" when he walks through the door!

Ines has been very very interested and curious with what goes on everywhere! She's fascinated by the fact that water flows form the small bucket into the tub when she lifts and tips it over, and is so pleased by the mastery that she's found over this water. She's also mastered the art of picking things up from the the floor - as in - she can bend down while still standing and then stand right back up! She's also learning fast how to slide down from raised places like the sofa or beds onto the floor, quite fearlessly - which is a great cause for concern. Funnily, she's never really affected by the falls she has in the longer term, but in the immediate, she makes plenty of fuss and cries and wants to be held. In that sense - she's really, still a baby.

Her mommy and daddy are very, very proud of her. Happy Birthday Ines De Winne. Many more birthdays ahead, and we're looking forward to them. We love you.