November

I had a very busy month starting with a play date with Marvin and his family, Megan, Auntie Esther and Uncle Calvin at Happy Valley Jockey Club. The weather was very good so we played outside and ate pizza and fruit.

Sai Gugu took me to the park with a little girl called, Danelle. We played separately and Danelle gave me a little digger as a parting gift. Gugu Big signed me up for Soccatots on Saturday mornings at the USRC. I like Gemma, my coach but it still takes me about 30 minutes to warm to the group before I am able to join in with the fun and games.

Despite the introduction of the “Star Reward” scheme in September, I’m still very naughty so SGG is trying out a punishment scheme where my toys are taken away and put "under lock & key" when I do something naughty or unsociable, such as throwing my food and spitting. My toys are returned when I’ve been good. Let’s see how I get on.

I’m talking quite a lot now and in addition to English, I’ve started saying words and phrases in Cantonese and Putonghua. Although I’ve been singing songs in Putonghua since I started school in September, speaking it at home is new.

Uncle Thomas Schieber, SGG’s good friend was in HK for a day and came to meet me. I liked Uncle Thomas so I was on my best behaviour ;-)

Halloween

We celebrated Halloween at home and at school. Gugu Big took us to a Pumpkin Festival at the HK Island School last Saturday where I had my picture taken with pumpkins, scarecrow and a ghost. Gugu took me for a ride on a tradition rickshaw, I loved it so much I had four goes! On Halloween day itself, we wore fancy dress to school. I dressed up as a little devil with my hat and pitchfork and my classmates came as an angel, Superman, Spiderman and lots of other characters.

I took the cue from Halloween and decided to adopt some aliases of my own so I can blame another child when I misbehaved. I answered to Marvin (my best friend at school), August and Buddy. The grown-ups were so tickled by this development that I got away with lots of unsociable behaviour.

Speed demon

Wow! I have been so busy! Grandma and Grandpa were away on holiday for most of the month so Sai Gugu was in charge of looking after me, Papa and Big. The weather has started to cool so we were able to get out and about more. We went to Beas River Country Club with Auntie Susan, twins Austin & Mason and my big tricycle. It was my first time cycling outdoors - Sai Gugu said I broke the speed limit ;-)

"Big School" starts

Today was the first day of the new school year, and my first day at a new nursery school. I was made to put on a brilliant white uniform, and Papa and Grandma took me to meet my new teachers Ms Stella, Ms Hong, and my classmates. It was a bit overwhelming because the class size is much bigger than before, and some classmates turned up with a whole army of anxious relatives. Papa joined me in class, but Grandma replaced him when he had to leave for work. I didn't like my uniform very much at the start, but I had dress rehearsals two days beforehand.

Thanks to Gugu's superb organisation, things have gone so smoothly the last two months: the helpers were delegated with making sure I left for "little school" at the designated hour. Papa rode with me every day. We called out all the different things I saw en route. Now I've got used to going into class alone, it won't be too much of a shock when school starts in earnest next week.

Papa has been making sure I still get to bed at the same time; Gugu Big still likes to make sure I don't oversleep in the afternoons. I'm a big boy, so stopped using my bottle for my milk; I am now made to pick up things which I have thrown; I still prefer to use my fingers when eating, so it has not yet stopped mealtimes being like feeding time at the zoo ;-)

I am now 32 pounds in weight, 94cm tall. I now enjoy constructing ever more complex sentences. I surprised the grownups one day when I said "Someday, Booboo go work with Gugu Big and Papa"

Summer holidays

Luckily its been dry the last two Sundays in a row - Papa and Gugu took me to the country club to see horses. Last week, I was fascinated to see one taking a shower. I nearly touched one, but got scared when I got up close :-( This week, we watched people riding them and jumping over gates. It has been so hot to be outside that droplets rain off my face :-0

Although most children have started summer holidays, I now go to school 4 days a week instead of 3; Wednesday is my new day off. I love school : One very wet day in June, I was very upset when I arrived at school to find that classes have been cancelled due to the rainstorm warning. Since Mrs Griffin left, my class has been taken over by Miss Rachel, who I know from last year. I go to class alone for two of the four days. My classes start two hours earlier than before, so I now commute in the morning rush hour. Gugu took me in on the first two days to make sure I started off smoothly.

Winking has become my latest party trick; Every day, I speak some new words. The adults sometimes still wonder where I learned the words. Grandma says my pronunciation is improving by leaps and bounds; Papa was impressed with my first five-syllable word - "organisation".

Although I don't sit in my high-chair for meals any more, Gugu realised it was a stretch for me to sit on the big chair, and much food ended on the floor. To make it easier, the Gugus went and bought me a booster seat. The adults are resigned to the fact that I still get mucky paws and food still ends up on the floor.