My second Christmas

I've taken to pointing and saying "more" when I want something. It's a useful word to ask for and get given more food, easier than naming the object; the grown-ups usually work out what it is I want. But they try to teach me to say 'please' each time......

I was most pleased when little Gugu arrived from England on Sunday to spend a few months with us. She says she has missed me, Va and Grandma. Papa has had a few days' break for the holidays, so he took me swimming, and to play in the park.

My Christmas stocking was put out several days ago for Santa. On Christmas day, I knew instinctively to look in it for my presents: Santa had given my two more choochoos to go with my little wooden Thomas :-0 . I love Santa! Right now, I'm wondering what sticks my choochoos together, and not understanding why my other cars don't do the same. Papa explains it's called 'magnetism'.

Lots of people arrived in the house for Christmas lunch yesterday, and they all brought me presents. My new Aunty bought me a ball pit; Gugu gave me 2 railway tracks to help build my own private railway. Grandma's friend gave me a little tricycle which makes lots of noise, so grandma can always find me ;-).

House is back to normal

The house is back to normal: the furniture is back in its usual place; Papa comes home most nights now; Va left hospital only after being there a few days. The doctors took some black bits out so Va would feel better, but he's still on a liquid diet.

Today was the last day of term. Papa took me to school, where we had a Christmas party. We all took along some snacks to share, and I grubbed up well (as usual). A big fat guy with a white beard and a red suit gatecrashed. We were all slightly bewildered, but I was the first one to get a present from him :-).
I then spent most of the afternoon wearing Papa out around the house. I also waddled around in Va's slippers like they were a pair of skates.

I'm still a man of few words, but "Dub-a-dub-a-dub" has been a favourite phrase for the last two weeks, while "ehn, ehn" has fallen off the top slot. Of course it means "Stop it, Stop it!", from when the grown-ups see me throwing things ;-).

I can now identify belongings : cups, bottles, shoes.... etc. One day, I burst into tears when I saw one of the helpers wearing Grandma's slippers. Grandma told me she had given them up to her, but it didn't make me like it any less :-(

A little cockney thug ;-)

Since my last diary entry, my hair has been cut very short again. I was having a laugh with Gugu and Va in the bathroom when heard this buzzing sound around my head. Next thing I knew, there was hair in the tub behind me and my neck started to itch, I realised that it was too late :...-(

My vocabulary has grown quite a lot. I can identify many objects and say a lot of everyday words now, but always dropping my aitches: I say " 'ead", " 'at", " 'and" and " 'ot", so I sound a bit Cockney. I am very strong, and I like moving my furniture about in the house. My favourite is tipping the tables and chairs over, sometimes while Bear is sitting in the chair in question. With my skinhead cut and behaviour to match, Gugu is now calling me "a little thug".

The house is in a state because we have all had to decamp into half the usual space during renovations, so Papa has been sleeping over at the hotel where he works; I miss Va because he is in hospital for an operation.

School picnic

Today, there was a school trip to the park for a Teddy bear's picnic. There was plenty of food. I brought along a box of teddy bear biscuits to share. While the other children snacked a bit and then played games, I made a bee-line for the grub and stuffed my face first. Grandma says that I'm just like Va when it comes to food. It goes to show: I am still in the top quartile for children my age, having now grown to 87cm, now weighing 12.5kg (28lbs).

My bed has been getting too small for me, which I have demonstrated by climbing out of it a few times already. Grandma decided it was about time I had a bigger bed to sleep in. So, now I have a bed so big that I can even breakdance ;-).

School Fete

Today, Papa took me to the annual school fete at his old school. It was warm and sunny, and there were lots of people about. I saw some of Papa's friends and got to drink some Coca Cola :-)

It's cooler these days, so I wear long sleeves around the house. I guess I will go swimming less frequently.

Country excursion

Today, we went for a very long ride to the countryside where I've not been before. We had lunch and then Papa took me to the pool there, and I swum around a bit [movie]. I had so much fun when Papa took me down a water slide [movie] that I wouldn't let him stop :-O I had so much fun on the water slide today that I made Papa promise to take me back next week for some more.

I'm didn't have my afternoon nap. So, although it's Hallowe'en, I'm too tired to go trick-or-treating tonight. I'm off to bed early......

Furniture

Papa says that I'm getting quite assertive for such a little guy. I've taken to saying no (or "ehn, ehn") when I don't agree about something. I now get to choose my TV programmes, my books, what I have for tea, who picks me up. I also throw things even when told not to, and end up in the doghouse sometimes.

Some new furniture arrived for me today, and I was so excited that I couldn't sleep. I created such a din that Grandma had to stay with me in my room for almost two hours until I finally dropped off to sleep that night. Gugu says I'm too young to be an insomniac ;-)

Discovering Thomas the Tank Engine

It's half term this week. Papa went out and found me a lot more episodes to watch, so I've become quite obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine and have forgotten about Pingu at the moment. I even dance the choochoo [movie] to its music. Gugu bought me a new kitchen set, so I'm learning to be the new Paul Bocuse.

I do magic tricks by hiding objects or making them disappear, then I say "where?" a few times, and it amuses the grown-ups immensely. I can also say "what?". This week, Papa declared me officially bilingual when I was able to say the words 'cup' and 'spoon' in both Chinese and English :-). I also learned my first French word 'pomme'.

Just when I thought I was getting better, I started coughing badly on Friday. You see, Va (Grandpa in Teddyspeak) has been home for a few weeks now. He had a nasty cold on Wenzday which Teddy picked up. I woke up this morning with a slight fever. Despite that, Va's impressed I'm in good spirits, unlike him when he's ill.

Papa took me out to meet Auntie Miranda for lunch yesterday. She came all the way from France with her daughter Cammy to see me. We last saw each other a whole year ago. She was most impressed by my good behaviour, and says how much I've grown ;-).

Gugu's visit

Grandma has been extra busy lately. Grace has left and Grandma is training up a new helper; Grandpa got admitted to hospital three weeks ago with tummy problems. So little Gugu flew back from London to see him. The doctors say they can fix him, but he's got to go on a diet before they can do anything. Today, he was allowed out of the fat farm for the day, and I have never seen him looking so slim and fit.

I had a cough which has been getting better, but last week I got ill again and threw up once, so I went to see Dr Bean. She says I probably picked up a tummy bug at school. Luckily it's school holiday this week :-).

Gugu left on Saturday after staying two weeks. During that time, she and grandma took turns to look after me. The two Gugus have been spending quite a lot of time with me, and I have been learning a lot of new things. I still love bottles, so they taught me to say "bottle" and "cup" in Chinese. I also know a lot of animal and fruit names now.

I have grown to 86cm, but my weight has hardly changed. I can now reach over the top of my cot with my foot. I tried to climb over this morning, but fell out and bumped my head. Ouch!

Mummy left for Paris

Mommy left on Tuesday, and I shall miss her. Before she left, Papa decided that we should all go to get some family photographs. I brought along Tiger and my newly acquired tennis ball, so I have one or other in our photos.

Two days before mommy left, the three of us went for a day out to Ocean Park. I saw some sea lions and some real live dolphins. Although it wasn't the first time I've seen real dolphins up close, I now realise they are animals which live in water. I got to ride a bubble lift to go from one end of the resort to the other and I also got to see the world from up on Papa's shoulders for quite a long stretch while walking around :-)

In school, I like it when teacher Miss Sarah shakes our hands when we first greet her - we each get a star-shaped sticker :-) However, I saw that another little boy didn't get one when he refused to shake her hand. Last week, I added 'star' to my vocabulary, this week, I learned the Chinese word for 'clock'. I started to use 'Wow' to express wonderment.

Since I started school, elevenses has become an important ritual. Not to mention I get peckish if there's no school, and miss elevenses. I had Grandma wondering that my body clock had gone wonky when I begged and pleaded for my mid-morning snack. Fortunately Grace got the message before I starved to death ;-).

I started partially immersing my head in the bath for laughs. Mommy was worried that I would choke on bath water. Grandma has decided to use less bubble bath in my tub from now on. I just need a snorkel and some flippers now ;-)

Starting school

This week, I learned to blow a real smoochy-sound kiss; I am becoming more interested in animals, and get excited whenever I see a dog or a cat; I learned to say 'star', I also say 'vroom' when I see cars.

My food intake has fallen slightly of late. I am now a bit taller but weigh a bit less than before. I weigh 12kg, and have grown to 84cm, 2 cm taller than when Dr. Bean measured me a month ago. Since I started wearing Huggies Pull-Ups to bed, there have been no more surprises in the mornings.

Around the house, it has been very quiet: Grandpa and Grandma have both left on holiday. However, the big surprise was that Mommy finally arrived from Paris to see me. Mommy brought me back lots of goodies from France. I now have a tricycle, some new clothes and some French books, so Mommy and Papa can teach me 'fransay'. Mommy's been taking me around town a lot, and we've been to the playground and I like to come down on the slide. The day after Grandma left on holiday, Gugu came back from her vacation. I don't see her much as gugu is sleeping more then Teddy right now.

This month, I started going to school three mornings a week after my morning nap, Mommy takes me. But I didn't go because I had a cough since last week. I've already done some finger-painting before when making birthday cards for Papa and Grandpa, but I still have to learn to enjoy painting. Teacher makes us all wear robes before we paint, but I refused to put one on because it's stiff and dark coloured. The bit I do like is when she gives out rations of biscuits and juice for 'elevenses'. We only get two biscuits each, but because some of the other children don't eat their share, I can sometimes grab an extra one when nobody's looking :-).

"Grasshopper"

This week I resumed swimming after all my spots disappeared; I went to Baby Gym at the Y; I learned to blow a kiss; I walk around on my tip-toes; I have started putting objects down gently instead of throwing them all.

I enjoy eating plums all by myself - first I skin them bit by bit using my teeth, then I eat the flesh; I love my freshly squeezed orange juice every day. Sometimes, I will turn down my food, and sometimes I will demand something to hold instead being spoon-fed, but I always drink my juice and eat my fruit - I prefer chomp on a whole banana than having it cut up for me. Gugu says that I am just beginning to assert my personality.

I learnt the word for "angry" in both English and Chinese: Grandma told me off for messing with my food by wagging her finger at me. When I was naughty again, she asked me to show her what she did when she was angry, so I wagged my finger back at her. Now, I have been practising by adding a little grunt [learned from grandpa] when I wag my finger. I sometimes wag my finger pre-emptively if I have been naughty. It gets me off the hook because the grown-ups roar with laughter at me.

Today, Papa went to have his haircut, and took me with him. The staff at the hairdressers all lavished their attention on me for half an hour until it was my turn. This little sheep did not like the thought of being sheared, and bleated in protest when facing the clippers. I cried and struggled, so Papa and Grandma had to console me and hold my head still. When it was all over, I just knew I had to wag my finger at Mr. Frederick who cut my hair, and also at Papa and Grandma for their part in this ordeal. To add insult to injury, Grandma says that I now look like a shaolin monk, and Gugu is calling me 'Grasshopper'. Fortunately, my hair is now soooo short that I won't need to have it cut again, ever ;-).

Don't yike bedtime

This week, Papa would not allow me to go swimming, because I still have some scabs on my skin after my injection last week. I did however go to the Y for Baby-Gym with Grandma and Grandpa. There were lots of interesting equipment, but would only play with the ball and watch the other children do their thing. Maybe I will use more of the other equipment next time.

Today, Papa took me out for dim-sum with Uncle Peter and his sister's family. Aunty Jacqui, Uncle Rodney their lovely children Zoë and Jonathan were also there. I wore some new long trousers which gugu bought me. I sat next to Zoë, and I was on my best behaviour.

Gugu took me to the flower market this week, and I was excited to see all the colours and shapes and sizes. We came home with some lovely plants which grandma is teaching me to care for every day. Grandma taught me some more names of plants, but for the moment and until I master all the sounds and words, plants are all covered by the same noun, 'fa' which I pronounce as 'dja'.

Papa comes home from work just in time to put me to bed, so I equate seeing Papa with bedtime, and I'm not always pleased to see him then. On Friday, I stayed up a bit later than usual to wait up for Papa to get home. I was already very tired and hyperactive by the time he stepped in through the door. I first smiled when I saw him, then I backed off and refused to let him pick me up when I realised that he would put me to bed. I was not very cooperative when he changed me and I wailed for a few minutes when he put me to bed. I don't think Papa will want to put me to bed any more ;-).

Postcard from Berlin

This week, I had another appointment with Dr. Bean, this time to be inoculated against chicken pox. I cried out when she stuck the needle in my bottom. I did not have a temperature this time round. She also recorded that I am 82cm tall, and weigh 12.4kg, which still puts me in the top 10% of children my age. Dr Bean declared I was healthy and normal, but expressed surprise that I still don't say very much. I understand quite a lot, and I choose to respond only when it suits me.

Somebody always follows me around, and I usually get what I want by pointing and making a noise, so there's not much need to express myself verbally right now. I can speak a few words, I learned to say the Chinese word for 'flower' just the other day.

My feet have also grown, and my soft beige and white leather shoes sadly don't fit anymore. I have some new sandals which I've been wearing instead. I feel quite British because I wear socks with the sandals.

Because it's been so hot, Grandma started giving me fruit juice so that I drink more fluids. I sometimes get diluted orange or apple juice; Gugu gave me strawberry juice once. I'm getting better at holding a cup without spilling the contents.

Papa had some time off on Thursday, so he took me to the playground. There were rocking horses, slides and swings in the playground, and I had a go on them all. When papa put me down on the ground, I wouldn't move because I have never stood on this funny green stuff before. It felt a bit springy, and Papa told me it was called 'grass'. Papa first took me to the rockers, where I had a go on the koala bear. Papa then took me down the slide twice, and I shrieked with joy each time on the way down.

I was too scared to get on seats which were hanging. Papa was so sure I would enjoy it that he insisted on putting me in one. He then gave me a push, and I swung backwards and forwards, feeling the wind in my face. He was right - I have never been in a chair that moved like that before, and I loved it. Woooosh!

Today, I received a "Teddy exclusive" postcard from little Gugu from Berlin. Papa says Berlin is in Germany and used to be a divided city. I am the only one in the family to get one :-) They are all dead envious of me.

Another busy week

We all went on an excursion yesterday, to visit my great-grandparents' grave in Macau. We all took a fast boat there. On arrival, we immediately went for a long ride through the city, and I very much enjoyed seeing the sights from the bus. I put on my new baseball cap, and gugu insisted I also put on some lotion to protect my delicate skin from harmful sunlight. Grandpa and papa took turns to carry me for much of the time, under an umbrella.

I had already eaten my lunch on the boat, but when the grown-ups stopped off for their lunch, I was given an extra ration of rice cake for being so well behaved :-). As usual, I made plenty of friends on the way there, and also on the way back. I did not have an afternoon nap, and got a bit restless on the return trip. I was so exhausted when I got home that I bathed and ate quickly, and went straight to bed without making any fuss.

Right now, my favourite playthings are containers. Empty ones, full ones, noisy ones, quiet ones, coloured ones, transparent ones, big ones small ones, I like them all. Most usually though, I get given empty bottles. This love affair with bottle tops and caps started when grandma needed to distract me during my nappy change. I now have a whole collection of bottles: I make a bee-line for them wherever I am. I know exactly where to find each missing cap and put them back on their respective bottles. One day, I got hold of two heavy bottles grandpa was giving to great uncle Frank :-). They made a nice rattling noise. I managed to lift them one in each hand, carried them around the house and refused to turn them over. Finally, Papa explained that they were fibre tablets which I didn't need because I was so regular.

I am interested in lights now, so Papa has been teaching me to say "lights-on" and "lights-off". Through that, I learned about switches. I now know the dining room light switch is on the all just above my high-chair, I can get to the switch if I climb up onto it. At first, papa was fooled into thinking that I was wanting to be fed, but now he knows ;-0

Grandpa has been rushing back from playing golf to take me swimming. I have been bought a new blue and yellow swimming costume because my orange and black one is getting too small. I like the new one a lot because I can get into it more easily, and also like its colours.

Father's Day

Today is Father's day in America; we went out for lunch today like most Sundays. The restaurant we went to was busy and noisier than usual. I was dressed up nice, and I put on a new pair of trainers with flashing lights which grandpa bought me. What a lovely surprise to find that Lulu and her whole family were also invited. We ate some char siu baos and had lots of fun together, and I also made friends with some people on the table next to ours.

Papa started going to work, so I did not see him at all during the day except today and Monday. As I am usually the first one up in the house, my job starting this week is to sound "the reveille", to make sure Papa isn't late for work. I call out to him. I would take him a cup of coffee if grandma thought I could hold it that far without spilling it. Papa took me swimming on Monday, and it's been Grandpa's turn to take me swimming otherwise. Grandpa reports that I'm still making good progress.

I finally overcame my fear of a brightly coloured beach ball which Gugu bought me: It's been sitting in the store room for 2 months but I was afraid to tackle it, yet I've been to take a peek at it every now and then. One day, I finally plucked up enough courage to pick it up. Now I often grab it with one hand, and throw it around the house. I've seen gugu use her big green ball for pilates, so I also use my beach ball just like her. I was also afraid of balloons, so Papa put one on each chair so that I would stop climbing them. It did work to start with, but it wore off over the next few days. I was soon back climbing the chairs again, much to Papa's chagrin.

I'm now 81cm tall, and I weigh about 26 pounds (11.8kg). It turns out once again that my sleep patterns have swung back the other way. My morning and afternoon naps have been quite long this week, so luckily Grandma has some breathing space during the daytime.

I still like to spit out my food sometimes, but I am now allowed to drink water from a cup on my own. Papa is pleased that I am finally starting to drink more than I spill. I learned a good trick from 'Wobble Bear Says Yellow'. His word is "yellow" but, mine is the Chinese word for "lamp". I like its sound, so I say it often. For me, it means anything which is attached to the ceiling.

Summer's here

Papa took me swimming three times this week. I was a lot more relaxed about letting go of Papa's arm than last week. So I didn't disappoint him: he said that I swam once again like Mark Spitz.

Papa now has a job, so it looks like I'll be staying in Hong Kong a while longer. I just hope that Mommy can come here soon too, because I miss her lots. Mommy and I have chatted several times already. She watched me walking around, having my dinner, showing off some of my new tricks. I showed her how I can dislodge a bunny rabbit stuck on the underside of Gugu's desk by prising off the suckers which attached it to the glass.

I'm now enrolled for baby gym once a week at the Y, starting next month. Papa sent me some sunglasses through Little Gugu a while ago, which I kept taking off. The grown-ups thought I didn't like wearing them. In fact, it just hasn't been sunny enough up till now :-0. Now it's thirty degrees outside, and sunny almost every day. I put them on when I need to stay cool.

Gugu often brings me back clothes and other things I like. She bought me some house-clothes, and she also found me a few more episodes of Pingu, currently my favourite programme. I've watched all the episodes on the 2 discs I have already several times, a couple of episodes every morning after breakfast. I identify myself with him and I chuckle at the mischief he makes.

This week, I'm sleeping less in the daytime than before. For three days, instead of sleeping, I just sit in my bed, play on my own and sing to myself when I get put in bed for a nap. I'm not more tired at night. I still go to bed and I wake up at around the same time. Gugu thinks maybe I'm just in need of less sleep than before because I'm growing up. Ha! Grandma will be pleased - her games of golf have just gotten longer ;-)

Papa's back again

Papa surprised us all last Sunday when he arrived unannounced. It's been a whole month since I saw him. I was very pleased to see him, I ran up to the door and he gave me a big hug.

We all went out to lunch that day, and I was allowed to roam freely in the shopping arcade afterwards. I saw some other children like me, and also lots of people window shopping, and it was fun to do the same. Last week, Gugu saw a cute little red sofa with a checkered pattern in the same arcade, and she couldn't resist buying it on the spot. Now I have my very own sofa from which I can watch 'Wheels on the Bus' and 'Pingu'.

Papa plays with me around the house, reads to me, and takes me to the swimming pool every other day. He's upset that I've forgotten to swim: I just look around at other people swimming, and I drink the water. I'm a bit scared to let go of Papa's arm when in the water. I clutched him so hard that I left traces of my fingers on his forearm.

I'm now walking around with increased speed and stability, and I don't crawl very often now that I get around faster than on all fours. I showed off to Grandma that I could even walk across a room backwards. Now, I also enjoy head-butting: I butt my head against the big green ball, the doors, but my favourite is head-butting Papa and Gugu. I continue climbing chairs in order to get onto the tables. So far, I haven't got onto a table yet.... The grown-ups always manage to pick me up just when I put my knee on the table.

This week, my dog-teeth are breaking through, but it hasn't discouraged me from giving the grown-ups love bites, and I have a good giggle each time they howl.

I now weigh 26 pounds, big and strong enough to haul myself up my high-chair. I know when it's time for meals, so I climb up and wait to be served in my high-chair.

It's Grandma's birthday today. I gave Grandma a card in the morning which I signed with my palm. Papa, Gugu and I celebrated with her in the evening. I dressed up like a grown up, wearing long trousers and a new designer shirt which Papa bought me.

Kitchen = OB

Mummy and Papa have just left after spending a few days here with me. I missed them because I haven't seen them in a few months.

While Mummy and Papa were here, I preferring to spend time at home, showing off my newly acquired skills. What started off as short wobbles ended the week as much longer wobbles across half the room. All my toes used to be the same length, but now my big toe is out-growing the others. I figure that since I started walking, my big toe helps to propel me in each step I take.

As the grown-ups have become tired of me making for the kitchen, Grandma decided to install a barrier to stop me from getting in. Without that for a challenge, I like to reach for what's on top of the sideboard and the dining table. Since I have learnt to climb up and get down safely from sofas, I have started climbing the chairs too. From a chair, I can reach for what is ordinarily put out of my reach on the dining table, or on Grandpa's desk :-) Another challenge is climbing out of my bed. My bed is now surrounded by cushions just in case I get the urge to go sleepwalking ;-)

Although I weigh much the same as I have done for a couple of months (11.5kg/25lbs), I have now grown to 79cm in height. This is pretty obvious from my clothes, which seem to have shrunk in size. My appetite is growing, and I now get hungry before my normal meal times, so Grandma has started to add a dessert of fruit compote to the end of each meal which I particularly like:-).

Tonight Mummy and I had a mega-giggle together. They have just gone back to Paris, where I was born. It's supposed to be my home too but I don't remember it any more! I know Mummy and Papa were sad to leave me behind, I saw tears in Mama's eye. They promised to come back to get me soon, so that we can live together as a family again.

Wobble Bear

This week, the flat seems very full with Little Gugu (Aunty Helen) here and with Big Gugu taking a well-earned rest from work last week. I took my first steps on my own during this week. I performed for Mama and Papa when they logged on for a video-chat.

Little Gugu has become my shadow, she gets up every morning when she hears me sing along to Wheels on the Bus so she too could sing along too ...she doesn't know how funny she looks when she's bobbing along with the music ;-). When we are finished playing we sit and read together. Sometimes, I bring a particular book for Gugu to read to me - my current favourite is "Lets make a noise". She read me this a couple of times this week. I enjoyed this so much that after both sessions I would push the book towards Gugu with the pages open for an encore.

Gugu likes to read Wobble Bear to me as she thinks I look like Wobble Bear. I like Wobble Bear cos I'm wibbling wobbling all over the place at the moment. Gugu's promised to send me more Wobble Bear books when she gets back to London.

Everyone is horrified that I put everything in my mouth to chewing: chairs, my playpen, my books - poor Thomas & Maisy :-( , shoes if they are left out. Gugu had to put her foot down when I tried to eat the skirting board. It's been so much worse at the moment as I'm growing more teeth near the back, and my gums are sooooo itchy. Apparently, I now have my pre-molars, whatever they are (?)

I have been a lot more active since Gugu arrived from London. I enjoy rushing around here at home, repeatedly climbing the sofa, playing throw and catch with my balls, playing bricks and playing combat underneath the dining table or baby-gym. With all the activity, I now need to eat more. When we were at dim sum yesterday after I'd eaten a big lunch of my own, I still managed to eat two char siu baos - without the char siu :-). Then I had a whole jar of tropical fruit for pudding at dinner. Grandma is thinking to adding fruit to my dinner menu going forward, yummy ;-O

Easter Monday

Little Gugu arrived from London Friday afternoon, and we have been inseparable :-) She plays with me all the time and shows me how to scoot around the floor properly ;-) ...the floor is so much more fun, and tasty too. I'm quite nifty on my feet now but I still prefer to scoot around on all fours. Apart from being extra speedy, everyone loves it when I go army combat style on my tummy & elbows, and are so proud of me when I reverse out of the way. They think I'm a little dog cos I like to rush to the door when I hear someone arrive, then reverse, rear up and bounce on my knees to say hello. (I have to bleat a lot to remind them I'm a little ram!)

Gugu has taken me out a few times already. For instance, we went to the Jockey club, we also went to visit Gugu's friend Auntie Elsie and her family. I was on my best behaviour and Uncle Lam was so impressed he spent the whole time entertaining me and showing me their beautiful home in Hong Lok Yuen. They have two children - Ollie, who had his 9th birthday yesterday, and his sister Jade, who turned 7 at the beginning of April - three little doggies that didn't stop barking, a pond full of fishies, a smaller pond with turtles and a lovely lap pool. Maybe Uncle Lam will let me use the pool if I promise to be very good and to wear the grown-up swimming pants Papa bought me?

I'm now sleeping eleven hours straight every night without waking; I also sleep one and a half hours in the morning and maybe another one and a half hours after lunch. Little Gugu says it's a sure sign I'm a Cheung. I tell Little Gugu that I need to sleep lots so I can grown big and strong like Papa.......

Not yet walking

I am now 13 and a half months old! Grandma & grandpa think I should be walking by now, but I won't. Why should I when I can get across the room on all fours at top speed? How else could I have slipped into the kitchen unnoticed several times?!

These days I prefer to practise my climbing skills. I can climb onto the sofas and chairs AND get off them safely now. One day I managed to climb onto Grandpa's desk :-)). I'm hoping to get on top of the sideboard any day now because I think there are lots of goodies there ;-). Grandpa can't keep up with me, so keeps putting me back in my playpen.

My feet are very big now and the sheepskin slippers are getting small. Last week, Gugu bought me my first pair of proper shoes, made of very soft white and beige leather. So now I wear it for half an hour a day, just in case I feel like walking. Gugu says I'm a big boy now, so has started cooking me grown-up foods. I love the wild salmon kedgeree and beef bolognaise with pasta. Can't understand why grandma says "Ai Ya" everytime I spit my food into my hands, squish it around my fingers before putting it back into my mouth.

Grandma reads to me everyday. Gugu didn't believe Grandma when she said that I know how to hold a book the right way up, so she tested me by deliberately giving me the books upside down and back to front. I flipped them back correctly everytime! Ha! I'm going to really practise my skills hard this week so that I can show off to small Gugu and Papa when they come to HK next week.

MMR

Although I celebrated my first birthday last week, only now I am now officially 1 year old!

It's been less fun since Papa left for Paris. Grandma took me on my second visit to Dr Bean, a children's doctor. She noted that I weighed 11.1kg, and measured 78cm tall. She also gave me an injection called MMR with a very big needle. The injection mad me feel poorly for two whole days. Gugu says that my body was hotter than usual, and she gave me plenty to drink. Gugu made me drink this medicine which she put in my milk, and makes it taste strange.

My second birthday

It's turned cold again, Hong Kong has not been so cold for over ten years, and I have to wander around the house in a quilted jacket. I'm not so numble when crawling around, but at least I keep warm. It's too cold to go swimming, according to grandma.

I'm chuffed to bits at a present given to me by a friend of grandma's: My very first Mercedes Benz sportscar (of many, I hope) revs, runs and stops all automatically when I push the start button. I particularly like the little man who I can pull out from the driver's seat so that I can drive it myself ;-).

This afternoon, Papa and Gugu organised a birthday party for me, and invited all the family, plus Ella and Lulu. They put up balloons, and banners which said 'Happy Birthday Theodore'. Gugu made my chocolate birthday cake herself, decorated it with a bear, chocolate icing, and put one duckie candle on it for me! I'm sooo lucky: not many a child these days has a cake made personally with so much love and care! Gugu also prepared lots of other goodies for me and the guests, so we all had a wonderful time. I love my gugu!

I said goodbye to Papa before he went back to Paris tonight. He gave me a big hug and made me promise that I would be good while he was away.

Playpen

Gugu took off the glove on Wednesday. My hand looks uglier than it feels. It doesn't hurt any more, and most of the old dead skin has already fallen off.

Grandpa and Grandma went shopping last week, and came back with a playpen for me. It now lives in the living room. It's fun in the playpen coz papa lined it with foam tiles with numbers from 1 to 9, and I'm surrounded by lots of toys. On top of that, as Gugu has put some of my toys in every room, I'm gradually taking over the whole apartment. I think this arrangement suits the grown-ups because they don't have to put my toys away every day any more. Also, I can play unsupervised, and without me going touching radiators and knocking things over. The air temperature has gone back up this last week, and the heaters have been put away.

Every day now, I try standing without support. My legs are not strong enough for walking, but I can support my full weight for a few seconds at a time. I still go around on all fours like greased lightening. Grandma's 18 holes of golf have been upgraded to 22 ;-) !!!

One day, Papa showed me Nemo, said 'fish', and I was able to repeat it after him. My 'F' sound, right now sounds like "tsch". Being proud of this achievement, Papa clapped, and so did I. I feel more words coming, so watch this space.

Radiator burns

It's been so cold this week, and Grandpa has put the heating on at home. I've been wearing two sweaters at home too. I now wear the moccasins auntie sent from England, which fit me perfectly, and are soft enough to let me feel the floor while climbing around.

Gugu went shopping and came home with a Tweety-Bird, Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and Eeyore to decorate my wall. Papa put them up for me, and I love it now that I have somebody to talk to when I lie awake in my bed.

Chinese new year's day fell on Thursday, and co-incided with Grandpa's birthday! I made a card specially for Grandpa, just like the one I made for Papa last week before I managed to burn my hand on a radiator on New Year's Eve :
I was playing in the living room while the grown-ups were taking their turns eating breakfast. While nobody was looking, I grabbed the radiator panel with my right hand. There are now several big boils on my hand. Luckily there is a doctor in the house (gugu), who gave quality first-aid immediately. I screamed and cried all morning from the pain and the shock. I wore a bandage for 5 days to keep me from breaking the boils and contaminating my injured hand. It's drying up nicely now, and the bandage has been replaced by a glove (a sock in disguise). In the meantime, no swimming until the wounds have healed up properly.

On New Year's day, I got several red packets of lucky money, which made me feel a lot better after the trauma of the day before. On Saturday, Papa and Gugu took me sight-seeing at lunchtime, and then to the fun-fair at dusk. I was taken round in my push-chair. It was extremely busy and noisy, and I enjoyed looking at the people in the bustle. I have never seen so many big soft toys and bright lights before.

Today, I amused Gugu by playing a new musical instrument - I call it the "rubber duckiephone". I found out that I can blow through the hole I created when I bit off duckie's beak, and make a sound.

Papa's birthday

I woke up early as usual, and was extra excited today because it is Papa's birthday. I made a card specially for him. But because I did not know how to sign my name, I drew a picture of my hand inside the card. Papa was very pleased, he smiled and gave me a big, big hug. We all went out for lunch, and I played many new games this afternoon. In addition to my usual hiding place, I now have two others. I was so thrilled that Gugu also made me a tent by putting a blanket over my baby-gym.

Gugu also cooked me something special for my meals this week. I enjoyed eating her spicy chicken barley stew, but grandma thinks it's too lumpy for me right now. I now get to hold some of my own food, like rice cakes and pieces of apple, and I enjoy this independence although much ends up on the floor.

I have also a routine in my workout: this is where I stand with my hands on a stool. It slides as I push while walking forward. It is a lot easier to walk with than Gugu's big green ball.

Papa and Grandma took me to the hairdresser's on Friday. This was my third haircut, and I was surrounded by several pretty ladies giving me attention. Not at all like the last time, which was a hairy experience ;-0, through which I cried all the way. This time the man was much nicer, but I was still a little bit afraid when he started to cut my hair. Papa got his haircut first, then sat me on his lap for mine, but I wouldn't sit still when I saw his scissors. In the end, I buried my face in Papa's chest as he was cutting.

I also went swimming once this week. Papa says I swam better than the last time, but still not as good as before. Gugu says that I am growing very curious, and thinks that I've been distracted by the people around me.

My routine

I eat 3 very square meals a day, and I have fresh fruit for afternoon tea. I now weigh 24lbs (12kg) and I am 2ft 6 in (76 cm) tall.

My workout routine has taken an upswing the last few weeks. I have been concentrating on the "land-based" activities, to the extent that Papa says that I have now forgotten how to swim :-(. I still cruise around, and now have some favourite hidey-holes around the house. In getting to these hidey-holes, I found that I needed to have a lower clearance so I learnt to crawl around on my belly like they do in combat training.

I play peek-a-boo and also hide and seek. I also like to throw things on the floor for Papa to pick up. I have some more new tricks: I saw Grandpa drinking his tea, and I want to drink out of my cup just like him; I also now like to squirm out of Grandma's arms when she is holding me. That way, I can escape when I'm tired of being held :-0. It wasn't so funny when I took Grandma by surprise today and bumped my head.

Mummy left for Paris on Thursday night, she was very sad to go. Papa says that he wants us to move permanently to Hong Kong. I think it's cool because now I can have Gugu cook delicious meals for me all the time.