Day one
For the first (?) time, I booked a flight that wasn't at six am from an airport on the other side of London (Stansted, Luton), but a more baby-friendly time of eleven am from Gatwick - a mere thirty minute train ride away. However we missed our train from Victoria which put us slightly behind schedule. By the time we got to the check in desk we had 50 minutes until our flight departed (check in closed forty-five minutes before departure - so we were actually cutting it very close). Needless to say, Dave was a bit (a lot) angry with me. He may even had said (did say) if we miss this flight we're going home. But we were ushered to the front of the queue at check-in and made it to the plane as it started boarding. Ada was wonderful on the flight - I fed her on take off and she fell asleep the whole way (to be fair it's only forty-five minutes though - it took us longer to get to the airport). As we were getting off some people said 'we didn't even know there was a baby on the plane'. Cue smug parents look and silent high fives.
When we got to Amsterdam we found out apartment. I say we, but really it was Dave. He is frightenly good at directions, like it's his super power or something. We dumped our bags and ventured out to the walk around, bought some groceries and explored the city.
Day two
The second day started off grey and miserable and pretty much continued that way until the afternoon. I had booked a restaurant for lunch. So after getting ourselves and Ada ready, we set off. Lunch was really lovely, we were the only people there for lunch. Dave said that in the past he would have felt uncomfortable being in such an empty place, but now, with a nearly nine month old it was bliss. We didn't have to worry about her annoying anyone else, we could take our time and she could make as much noise as she wanted.
Day three
Sunday started off on a much brighter note than Saturday. We decided to hire bikes, one with a baby seat for Ada. We got our bike around nine-thirty and set off. I was planning on cycling with her most of it, but my bike was so high that I found it almost impossible to ride. I could get on it, but felt unstable if I were to come to a red light. So Dave, being a couple of centimetres taller than me (and generally a better cyclist as well) cycled with her on the road. I was a bit worried how she would react - if she would start crying, or if it was too cold for her. But she loved it. She was so excited. We cycled to Vondelpark which was beautiful. Loads of other families cycling, people exercising, tourist meandering. Around lunch time we headed to the Van Gogh museum, and a bite to eat. We ate, Ada ate and fell asleep. The line to the Van Gogh museum was so long, that we decided to give it a miss (sorry Van Gogh, but I've seen Sunflowers at the National Gallery anyway...). Instead we walked around the markets that were in the square and bought some cute things for Ada. After lunch we cycled to the Rembrandtpark, which was much quieter than Vondelpark but no less beautiful. After stopping to feed Ada her lunch, we headed back home, via one last cycle around Vondelpark.
Day four
Monday it was time to head home. We planned our journey with much more time to spare than the flight there, so no tense husband and wife conversations. However our flight was delayed by at least an hour, which was slightly annoying. Ada was the opposite of the angel baby on the flight to Amsterdam - she was a super miserable grump. There was no smug looks from Dave and I, instead, it was the 'I'm really sorry my baby is grizzling, I'm trying the best I can' look. Of course she fell asleep ten minutes before we had to land though. And then promptly woke up fifteen minutes later as we were going through immigration. We arrived home at five pm to a very excited cat, and a very tired baby. She ended up going to bed without any milk because she was so tired (she did wake up at ten pm and I gave it to her, which she gladly took).
We had such a wonderful time, but coming back it felt a little bittersweet to me. I was looking forward to this holiday so much, but now the only event on my horizon is my return to work and Ada starting nursery. I knew it was going to happen, but it feels likes it's come around so quick.
Day two
The second day started off grey and miserable and pretty much continued that way until the afternoon. I had booked a restaurant for lunch. So after getting ourselves and Ada ready, we set off. Lunch was really lovely, we were the only people there for lunch. Dave said that in the past he would have felt uncomfortable being in such an empty place, but now, with a nearly nine month old it was bliss. We didn't have to worry about her annoying anyone else, we could take our time and she could make as much noise as she wanted.
Day three
Sunday started off on a much brighter note than Saturday. We decided to hire bikes, one with a baby seat for Ada. We got our bike around nine-thirty and set off. I was planning on cycling with her most of it, but my bike was so high that I found it almost impossible to ride. I could get on it, but felt unstable if I were to come to a red light. So Dave, being a couple of centimetres taller than me (and generally a better cyclist as well) cycled with her on the road. I was a bit worried how she would react - if she would start crying, or if it was too cold for her. But she loved it. She was so excited. We cycled to Vondelpark which was beautiful. Loads of other families cycling, people exercising, tourist meandering. Around lunch time we headed to the Van Gogh museum, and a bite to eat. We ate, Ada ate and fell asleep. The line to the Van Gogh museum was so long, that we decided to give it a miss (sorry Van Gogh, but I've seen Sunflowers at the National Gallery anyway...). Instead we walked around the markets that were in the square and bought some cute things for Ada. After lunch we cycled to the Rembrandtpark, which was much quieter than Vondelpark but no less beautiful. After stopping to feed Ada her lunch, we headed back home, via one last cycle around Vondelpark.
Day four
Monday it was time to head home. We planned our journey with much more time to spare than the flight there, so no tense husband and wife conversations. However our flight was delayed by at least an hour, which was slightly annoying. Ada was the opposite of the angel baby on the flight to Amsterdam - she was a super miserable grump. There was no smug looks from Dave and I, instead, it was the 'I'm really sorry my baby is grizzling, I'm trying the best I can' look. Of course she fell asleep ten minutes before we had to land though. And then promptly woke up fifteen minutes later as we were going through immigration. We arrived home at five pm to a very excited cat, and a very tired baby. She ended up going to bed without any milk because she was so tired (she did wake up at ten pm and I gave it to her, which she gladly took).
We had such a wonderful time, but coming back it felt a little bittersweet to me. I was looking forward to this holiday so much, but now the only event on my horizon is my return to work and Ada starting nursery. I knew it was going to happen, but it feels likes it's come around so quick.
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| This is how we eat and entertain in a studio apartment with a sleeping baby |
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| The little pokey outey tongue? - it slays me! |
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| Ready to go home |
This last pic of Ada is the CUTEST EVER!!!
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