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 ;-).