Grandma arrives in Oahu, Hawaii

Papa and I have been here for a week already. Grandma arrived on Tuesday.

The water is cool and the wind is blowing on the pool; the mango tree is no help either because it is so big blocking the sun to the pool making the water cooler still. I do wish the tree was not there. Second thoughts, I take that back: the mango I had for breakfast this morning was from that tree, and it was yum.

I am swimming regularly, and am now learning to breathe in the water. I also test the water with my mouth, by taking it in and then spitting it out again. I can now kick my legs and breathe at the same time. Click here to see my second video. Yesterday Grandpa took me out of the pool thinking that I had had enough, but I wasn't sure if I had. The best part was yet to come.

Grand Dad then took me to his shower, Oh boy, this is better than the pool! :-). The warm water come down on me like rain, and I loved it. I was so happy, giggling in the shower like Singing in the Rain.

I learnt a few other things in the last few days: I managed to turn face down in bed and fell asleep that way. It was nothing really. I don't exactly like to sleep face down, but I could not reverse back to my back side. I was trying to do lots of push-ups, and ended up too tired and fell to sleep. You know, I have had a few close calls lately, I pushed myself off the matress, and got myself stuck half on half off. So, Grandma added two deck-chair cushions to surround my mattress. Bad luck to the sun bathers! I don't see that will be any good - soon I will be pushing myself out, cushion or no cushion ;-)

Today, Papa and Grand Dad took me to the shopping mall, and I was able to sit upright in a shopping trolley. It was fun to be looking down at everything from up there.

In the afternoon, I was so excited by a new discovery which I have been wearing myself out with: following my afternoon tea, I was put to bed. Instead of sleeping, I found out I could turn around and around in bed - first face down, then face up, then face down...... I worked out for three hours this evening, coz it's just too much fun. After giving me my evening porridge, Grandma put me to bed again. I finally fell asleep crunched up in one corner on my side.

Oahu, Hawaii

Grandpa's spending some time in Hawaii!

Papa and I took a United Airlines flight from San Francisco, to see Grandpa. Papa once again won a draw,but he looked very annoyed at the staff, who made him open up all our bags and take off his shoes.

When I arrived at the airport in Hawaii, Grandpa gave me a colourful garland called a "lei". He explained it was the local custom, and insisted that I had my picture taken wearing it. I just think it tastes and smells loverly ;-) Grandpa has a great swimming pool..... so I can swim every day. Click here to see my video.

Grandma is coming all the way from Hong Kong to see me :-)) I speak to Mummy every day on the telephone, and she sounds very sad. Papa says we will soon have ichat, so we can also see each other on the computer.

Arriving in San Francisco

Daddy took me to America!

Papa and I took a United Airlines flight to San Francisco. Papa got all excited because the lady at check-in told him he had won some kind of draw. Unfortunately, it turned out to be extra security check of all our bags. On the plane, my first time in a plane, I did not have a seat. I slept for a while in a bag which Papa said is the kind people often use to keep their picnic food cool, but otherwise I slept most of the way on Papa's lap. When we arrived in San Francisco, the man at US Immigration put a chop in my passport :-)

I met Uncle Peter, who lives in San Francisco. After a long and tiring flight, I fell asleep on the rocking-chair in Uncle Peter's living room. In the last 2 days, Uncle Peter has been really great, driving us around and showing us the sights. He has a lovely little sports car with no room in the back, so I sit in the passenger seat on Papa's lap. So we have been real tourists: I skip all the boring bits by falling asleep, and Papa has been busy collecting photos of me everywhere for his album.

We usually find a restaurant where I eat before Papa does, but Papa is now getting very adept at feeding and changing me in all kinds of places (now with my diet of solid food, I need to be changed at least 3 or 4 times during the daytime). Papa has found it most challenging to change me nappy where there are no facilities. He has now experience in the airplane, airport, and restaurant toilets. However, he thinks that the most special place of all was on the floor in a restaurant kitchen!

I am enjoying all the visits, and also the attention - lots of lovely ladies have been telling Papa that I was cute and well behaved :-)

Hot Child in the City

It's been too hot these days, I haven't been sleeping well either in the day or at night, my rocker-seat is always wet when I get out, especially where my head rests (but not on bottom, thanks Huggies!). One day I had a rash, mum didn't want me wear Huggies- she thinks it may be bad for my rash, so she put cotton nappies on me. But I felt wet in my bed at 3 o'clock and woke up, and cried. Mummy had to get me changed in the middle of the night.

This is second day that I didn't sleep in my bed, cause it's too hot. It's 40 degrees in the daytime and Papa has been taking me to visit museums in Paris because they have air-conditioning. But the heat doesn't let up, as it's 33 degrees in my room at 4 o'clock in morning! Mum took me in her bed with tower fan, oh much better! We had a huge bed for both of us, anyway at least for me.

It was a wonderful occasion for me to practise my turns. I made a lots of turns all the night in middle of the bed, leaving almost no place for Mummy to sleep. Today, on my half-birthday, I made it!

Now you know that I can sleep whatever position I like, but my Mummy and Daddy should be aware all the time, because I may hurt myself.

This morning Papa took me to the airport, I didn't know where we were going yet. Dad told her we were going on a holiday to see Grandpa and Grandma; Mummy wanted us to stay and would be back in a few weeks. She wasn't happy, I saw her wet eyes, she hugged me very tight this morning before she went to work.

Leaving London

It's been a very hectic weekend, Papa came over to take me back to Paris. Going out is more routine these days, as Grandma and Auntie have now got so well organised with my buggy and my car seat. Grandma and Papa took me swimming on Friday, and I swam 6 whole lengths of the pool! Papa said he was pleased with my progress. He said that I may not be as famous as Mark Spitz one day, but will certainly be just as good!

On Saturday, it was Auntie's turn to go swimming with me. I had fun and was not afraid to show it. I was a bit disappointed because it was crowded, and I didn't see any of my little friends to say goodbye to them.

On Sunday, after having lunch of carrots and rice porridge, Auntie and Grandma took Papa and me to the railway station. We travelled first class :-) , and a nice man helped me board the train. As the train ride took a bit longer than usual, Papa let me sit in his lap, where I promptly fell asleep, exhausted from the morning's excitement.

I am going to miss Grandma, who has never let me out of her sight in July. She has looked after me so well - look how I've grown......8.5kg in weight and 68cm in height! Now, Papa will have to make sure that I eat and sleep at set times, but nothing will replace the work-outs I have with Auntie.

Today was hotter than Chicken Vindaloo in Paris, and I am having problems getting comfortable! Daddy and a friend took me for a refreshing swim this afternoon; I slept all the way home.