"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.