Auf Wiedersehen, good bye

Lia's little friend Yolanda is leaving for good. The contract for this 'All American Gal' has expired, sadly. Yolanda will have to make a new start in Germany, trying to reconnect with her roots and adjust to a somewhat different culture and lifestyle. Oh, you will do just fine! Just trade the sweet potato for the potato, the steak for the sausage, the SUV for the PKW, and the fried green tomato for the Dutch hothouse tomato. See ya next summer, bosom buddy!

supernuts

Lia and Lorenzo are both Superpeanuts. Yet another coincidence that points to the fact that the two must have been separated when the shell was cracked open.

In the Cordes household Superpeanut is usually flying through the air (with Daddy's help) to look for a desperate housewife that needs to be saved. Sometimes Superpeanut has difficulties with her landing. Hence the bruises on her cute little tomboy nose.

Today the two Superpeanuts met at a giant playground to:

take some more flying lessons,

work out together to keep their superbodies in shape,

and recharge their batteries with a high-protein diet.

Watch Superpeanut taking a break from flying. (Video)

Food Supplies

Name of munchkin: Lia

Number of teeth: 9 + 3

Weight: 19 lbs 11oz = 8.7 kg

Hunger on a scale of 1 to 10: 12+

Either we don't feed Lia enough or she really loves to eat. As it happens, we do offer our daughter large portions of yummie food. So when Lia comes running towards me with her bib in her hand and demands "mah" (anything edible, but pronto), it shows that there is nothing more enjoyable to her than to gobble down some peas. Or potatoes. Or chicken. Even if one piece of chicken follows the other in a matter of seconds until half a bird is sticking to the palate and refuses to go down.

Lia is very easy to please. All it takes is breakfast, lunch, and dinner, really. There is almost nothing Lia doesn't like. Yesterday I made an 'olive test' with her to see whether her Israeli genes had a positive influence on her taste buds. Surprisingly, Lia spat out the olive. I believe it was her way of protesting against the olive's bad quality. "Are you kidding me? That olive is not from the Middle East!" is what her (rather sour) expression said. Sorry for that. Even Lia's all-encompassing taste shows taste.

Music Education Benefits

I'm not exaggerating when I say: Kindermusik is the highlight of our week. Look at that mesmerized little Peanut.

Caterpillar

When Lia will be a grownup, she will most probably be a professional eater.

She is really good with the spoon.

And even better with her hand.

And a master at slurping.

Ok, when you have Spaghetti Bolognese in front of you, you want it quick and you want it fast. Digging and diving seems appropriate here. But when offered a German dish made of cauliflower, potatoes and meat, table manners are expected. You can only slurp from a spoon. We have a little demonstration video for you:

cauliflower feast

One shell, two nuts

Here they are, reunited. Lorenzo and Lia enjoying the view at South Park Mall. It's so cute to see them hanging out together. Some minutes before this picture was taken, the two nuts ran into a bikini store together. Did they want to get away from their moms, or just buy a summer outfit? I think it was Lia trying to talk Lorenzo into buying her a pink bikini, and Lorenzo seemed to like the idea. His pockets were empty though. But window shopping worked just as well. The Peanuts chased each other through the mall, until their paths separated at a crossroads with a jewelry shop on the left and a giant car on the right. I don't have to tell you who was glued to the sparkling shop window and who went to examine the wheels. With no diamonds and no car keys they met again at the fountain. But that's ok. Money can't buy love anyway. And please. There is no need, is there?

For a nutty front view click here.

No need for an umbrella

There have been lots of showers in December. The kind of showers that don't get you soaking wet. We really love those! For all the birthday and holiday gifts ( including a walker wagon, a bike, beautiful outfits, half a dress, push & pull toys, ribbon, shared bathtub toys, homemade cakes, British fruitsticks, Jewish blocks, and stocking blocks from East Germany, to name only a few) we would like to say: thanks! December is Lia's lucky month.

the Cardarellis showering Lia with presents in early December

Lia just loves all of her new toys. Still, there is nothing more entertaining than to play with socks. That good old smelly game. Watch Lia playing socker (video!).

Peanut & Family

Opa and Savta

There is just nothing like being surrounded by your loving family. Aunts and uncles, grandparents and even great-grandparents, all clapping with delight at each move and sound the little Peanut makes.

Uncle Chrischie and Auntie Su

With that sort of encouragement Lia was prompted to acquire many new skills and talents, like winking (with both eyes), sticking out her tongue, and even (and I'm a bit embarrassed to say this) fart on purpose. No wonder if the grandparents cheer encouringly, even when the wind is blowing from the South. Also, Lia has developed a great appetite (ok, an even greatER appetite). Not only for the world at large, but for large and larger portions of food. Well, with three more teeth having emerged, it goes without saying that all you want to do is EAT. (When the lower right lateral incissor (yes, that one) came in, we thought it was tooth # seven. But Lia had been secretly growing her first two molars. So when one day Lia lay on her back giggling, we noticed two shiny teeth in the upper arch, her secret chompers!)

Every time Lia talks on the phone with .... err ... who ever picks up at the other end, like for example the fire department (oh yes, Lia dialed 112), her broad smile reveals her oh so cute gapped teeth. Nine teeth make a very sophisticated smile. Now that we are back in the States, we will make sure that Lia will call her grandparents instead of the fire department. Talking on the phone has become Lia's second favorite thing (right after eating), and she can talk forever in Afrikaans (or some other African language with lots of glottal and tongue clicking sounds.) We are not educated enough to figure out which language it is that Lia is speaking. Maybe you know?

Listen to this: Lia the African entertainer (video).

Meanwhile we are making an international call. Pick up, Opa!

Peanut & Friends

Despite that nasty cold weather Germany has been lots of fun! Especially indoors! Warm-hearted friends melted our hearts and defroze our fingers. Just perfect for a four-hand duet that Lia and Tara played on the piano. With all that practice Lia will be well prepared for a new semester at Kindermusik. Both Lia and Lorenzo will move up to the level of 'BUSY BEES'. No wonder, given all of that musical talent! Should we apply to Juilliard?

Lately, Lia's social life has been very BUSY indeed. There was a lot of catching up to do with her exotic friends from Europe. Here are the highlights of Lia's social encounters with her

European friends:

TARA

JOSHUA

MERLE

MARLENE and JONATHAN

& STEVIE

(his real name is Stefan, but he changed it to Steve when he moved to the States. He has accompanied Lia to Germany as a tour guide and interpreter. He has tried hard to teach Lia the European ways, but Lia isn't convinced yet.)

Hey, how about all of Lia's friends moved to Charlotte like Steve did? That would be fun! They could learn so many good things. For example how to get around as nature intended. In a car.

P.S. Blogger kisses to Martha, Ida, and Leonie. Sorry we couldn't meet you guys this time.

Out came the sun ...

... and dried up all the rain. And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again. You wish! And we do too. No, it's just a very positive song. We are still waiting for the sun to come out, but nothing yet. It's raining, it's snowing, it's freezing. We have decided to give it one more week. If the sun won't show up by Monday January 14th, we'll simply take the plane back to Charlotte.