Close shave

Grandpa and Grandma went to Bangkok for a few days' holiday. "Big" and Sai Gugu looked after me and took me to Penfold Park a couple of times, and we lunched at Shatin Jockey Club afterwards. It was fun to ride my big tricycle at the park.

As I was behaving very well, SGG thought it would be a good idea to cut my hair herself while the rest of the family was out. Unfortunately it was too much of a close shave and SGG was most upset. I told her “never mind” but she took me to see Uncle Frederic so he could tidy me up. “Uncle Frederic is a nice man” ;-)

My brother Duncan

The big news last week is that I have a little brother, who was born in Paris Wednesday last week at 8 in the morning. Papa says he is much heavier than me at birth, he weighed in at almost 4kg (8lb 12oz) ! Papa named him 'Duncan' because I like the sound so much. Since then, I sometimes refer to myself as "gege", or big brother in Chinese.

My weight has been stable at 30 lbs, but at 92.5cm, I continue to grown taller. I still enjoy my lie-ins in the morning before getting up for breakfast - I am allowed to wake up slowly and get to practise vocalisation and singing. It's getting warm, so Grandpa couldn't resist giving me another haircut. I will soon be able to go swimming outdoors.

Gugu says I am developing purist tendencies: I don't like mixing up my building blocks of different colours; when given a bowl of vegetables, I like to separate the peas from the corn. I like comparing things and remarking when they are the same. Green locomotive Percy has never been a favourite since Santa gave it to me for Christmas, but when Gugu bought Duck, the two locomotives are both getting some attention because they are the same colour.

I go to the park more and more because it's warmer and because Gugu says I need to run around outside more, and learn to kick a ball. I still have lots of fun around the house: I am mastering my jigsaw puzzles, and enjoy wearing big peoples' shoes. The grown-ups now get angry more often because I'm doing things they thought I grew out of long ago: throwing things, standing up in my chair, emptying cups of water on the floor or carpet. I occasionally throw tantrums too! Thankfully I didn't invent the "terrible twos";-)

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.

London, 16 July 2003

Wow! What an exhausting day!

Auntie came over first thing this morning and found me in the middle of my workout... I was lying cross-wise in bed (!!) having worked shoulders, tum and bum so hard that I'd turned 90 degrees. Auntie says she wishes her tummy "crunches" were as effective, she explained that "crunches" were when I raise my head and legs at the same time.

Grandma and Auntie then took me swimming. I was hoping to meet Herbie this week (I met his mum and older brother last week) but they didn't come. Instead we saw two little girls, one 1 year old the other 2, having a private swimming lesson. They were swimming to fetch balls and the older girl disappeared from the surface several times to pick up stuff from the bottom of the pool. Grandma says it take me 15 minutes to relax and really get into the kicking and splashing thing.

I then had my first grown-up hair cut. The pretty lady gave me a certificate! Grandma put me to bed after my afternoon feed but I wasn't tired so I exercised some more. I turned 90 degrees on my back again. I've also been trying to turn onto my side but Auntie won't help me. If I practice some more maybe I'll be able to flip over by the time I see you guys next visit.

Big Auntie, please remember to bring your swimming costume to England so you too can take me swimming. Can't wait to meet you and to share a bathroom with me. Auntie wants to see which of us will make more of a mess :-)