My first postcard

I've been up playing with Auntie all morning and was too excited to take my morning nap: Today is Auntie's birthday. I woke up early as usual, and handed her my pressie with both hands. It's a camera for when I go away, I will still see Auntie, and Auntie will still be able to see me from her computer.

Yesterday was also a special day: In the morning, Mr Postman brought me my very first postcard. It was sent by Auntie Helen when she was in Italy. Auntie even wrote "Teddy's first postcard" on it for me :-O Grandma, Papa, and Auntie were all sooooo envious, because they didn't get one! In the evening, Auntie came home with a big box - a pressie for Teddy :-) It is an Exersaucer - I can now play in an upright position, with my feet on the ground. Papa is getting worried, as Auntie comes back almost every day with something for lil old me. If he wins the lucky draw again when we get on the plane, he will be in trouble.

As I have been at home most of the time, I haven't had the chance to show off my lovely new clothes yet. I'm feeling full of beans now that my cough is almost gone. I still cannot crawl, but when Papa puts me on the play-mat, I can go walkabouts on all fours. My nose is still runny, but I'm eating and breathing normally. Papa promised to take me out again this week, a couple of days after my cough has cleared.

I am exploring different flavours of food. My favourites are sweet corn & potatoes, and vegetable korma. I am getting plenty of fibre with this diet, and so I am very regular. As I have been choking on my milk lately, Papa has decided to slow down the flow from my milk bottles. Today, Auntie gave be my first biscuit, made from rice.

I miss my swimming, but Grandma lets me stay longer in the bath to make up for it.

Recovering

Papa thinks that I've been going out far too much lately. "Too much excitement is not good" he concluded. So, this has been a quiet week. I've hardly been out, but I did go downstairs to see great Uncle Frank, who just came back to Hong Kong. I also met my cousin 'Uncle Colin' for the first time.

Papa and Auntie went on a shopping spree yesterday, and came back with lots of goodies, all of the for Teddy :-)). I now have lots of clothes to take me through autumn and winter. There are lots of T-shirts, long-sleeves, pants, socks. What's more, I now have a one-piece full-bodied swimming costume to protect my skin while I am swimming. I look forward to trying it on when I next go to the pool.

I've been swimming twice since last week, but Papa won't taking me again until I get better. I'm feeling poorly, you see. I have this cough, and it can be a bit uncomfortable for me now and then. Sometimes, it chokes me tight around my tummy and I feel sick. A few times, I've lost what I've eaten. I'm slightly hot in the head, but the worst is Auntie making me take some horrible pink-coloured medicine :-(. Auntie told me it would help make me feel better. My temperature's now back to normal, and auntie promised that my cough will go away soon.

None of this has stopped me from working out. I have been gaining confidence with my stretches and push ups. In trying to work out how to move forwards, I'm now doing bunny-hops.

Seven months young

I am exactly seven months old today, and it is also happens to be my mummy's birthday. Happy Birthday Mummy! I hope she is not too lonely. I haven't seen her in one whole month, and know she would just love for us to be together.

Today, Aggie came over to our house with Darren, Lucy and Ella to see me. Lucy and Ella are both older than me, they showed off singing and dancing to "Just like Jesse James". I'm envious because I can only smile to "Wouldn't it be Loverly".

Grandma has taken me out to meet some of her friends. I must be a real hit as they keep on inviting me back :-)

My arms and fingers are now strong enough to hold my own milk bottle unaided, and I can do proper push-ups. I also exercise my legs all day. I like to try and stand when Papa holds me above his chest. Click here to see my latest workout video :-0.

Whenever we go to the club for swimming, every other day, the ladies there all come over and say googoo to me, and the staff recognise me wherever I go. Wow, I wonder if this is what it's like being a star?

Papa has just bought a new camera and wanted to try it out on me. However, I think it is very complicated to use : he keeps looking rather puzzled and has his head buried in the manual half the time. Occasionally I see a bright flash in my eyes.

Hong Kong phooey

We never have storms like this in Paris! Yesterday, there was this enormous storm in the afternoon, and all our windows shook. Bang, bang, bang, it was scary :-(. Papa told me it was like a hurricane but was called taifoon Dujuan (for "big wind" in chinese) I thought Dujuan was spanish, but Grandma told me it was the chinese name of a flower. Luckily, the storm was all over by this morning.

I am still enjoying my bath time so much these days. No more showers, but I can play with my 3 rubber duckies in my tub - I have a big one, a little one, and a medium one. I kick my feet and splash a lot. When I try to take a drink just like I do in the swimming pool, grandma won't let me.

We met big aunty's friend at the club today at lunchtime. First, big auntie fed me the lovely sweet potato she made for me. Then, aunty's friend Aggie held me in her arms for quite a while, saying googoo gaga rather a lot. I think I made a good impression :-) Papa also took me swimming today. Boy, was I exhausted: the water wasn't cold, and I swam ten lengths, kicking most of the time. Don't tell anyone, but I left parts of the contents of my stomach in the bottom of the pool.

I work out a lot too: when Grandma holds out her hands, I hold out both hands and do trunk curls, by lifting myself up off my back into an upright position.

Touchdown in Hong Kong

I now wish I hadn't opened my big mouth the other day: two days after my doing so, Grandpa lopped off big bits of the Mango tree. It now looks like there are no branches left :-0 Will there be any mango next time Teddy is there ??? :-( However, the pool is now warmer and sunnier, so I am making good progress swimming. I scared Papa one day when, after a particularly vigorous swimming session, I vomited some of my milk, along with all the water I swallowed in the pool, but I can't wait to go swimming again. Having to get out of the pool sucks.

Granddad took us to Pearl Harbour, but why I didn't see any pearls........... To add to the list Papa started, Grandma had to change me in the back seat of the car, and on the floor of the aeroplane too.

I now have two front teeth :-= It was a little sore for two days, but doesn't hurt much any more.

We said Aloha to Grandpa after 2 weeks, and left for Hong Kong via Japan! Papa, Grandma and I took a flight from Honolulu to Tokyo. Papa did not win the draw this time, because every one was declared a winner of the security check prize. As a result, there was so much confusion the staff did not know what to do, and we were nearly late for the flight. I had my very own seat on the flight (hehehe), and got to use the car seat Grandpa bought me. Yet, I didn't sleep very much. I was so tired after a 3 hour delay in Tokyo that I slept all the way on the connecting flight. In Hong Kong, a man put another chop in my passport :-)

Aunty Vivian has everything prepared for my arrival. She was on holiday last week, and has been busy this week buying all my essential supplies, and getting the flat ready for me. I have a proper cot here to cramp my style, as I can no longer spin around freely! Oh boo, I now have to go back to the water thang again.