Children at heart. Selfish children.

Dad is back home, which is LOVELY!

But honestly, who do you think is happier about this wooden railroad that he brought with him? Me, the one-year-old, whose amazing indoor playground has had give way to a toy that requires fine motor skills? Or the parents, who with enormous and nostalgic focus built the tracks for a good hour and then went on to play with it?

Bad bad bugs

I've had to not only accept, but even come to like, the computer. Mom spends a lot of time by it, and provided that I don't try to rewrite her documents, she welcomes me to visit her at work (she usually works from the tv room). She will usually find me some pretty pictures to look at, or a music video that makes me clap hands and dance (and sometimes fall of the chair).In case you've missed that the scene of action for this blog is the tropics, here's something to remind you. The traces of a feasting mosquito or ant or something. They are very illusive, the bugs here. Small, fast and silent. And, of course, with vicious bites!

Freedom!

I am no longer kept in permanent custody! On weekdays, I have school from 8-10. And in the afternoons, when the sun isn't too bright, I get to go to the playground. Do you have any idea how this has improved my quality of life? I used to leave the house only to go to playdates. I was never outdoors.This is soooo much better!

Here's the playground at the park close to our house. Fancy, huh!? Sure, the parents are still a bit distressed about the fact that I come home all covered in oil and rust. But hey, that's part of living in the capital of pollution. Just something they'll have to learn to live with.

The slides of the playground are long and exciting to go down.And the pebbles are spectacular! Fun to play with in oh so many ways. You can touch them, throw them, share them with friends, listen to the sound when you hit them against metal... And no, I don't taste them anymore, so no reasons to worry!I like the swings as well. I can go on my own, if someone helps me up. But sometimes, when I'm a bit tired, I like riding in someone's lap.And I get to practice staris climbing, without the fear of falling very far. In other words, it's great! I love being 16 months and less fragile! (But of course, I never get to go to the playground without sunscreen, mosquito repellant and hat. That'd just be plain stupid.)

BFF

Rosie is my very very best friend. If it were up to me, I'd play with her every day. Despite the fact that she tends to take advantage of her more advanced motor skills and greater physical strength. And that she doesn't always respect my physical integrity.

However, I have decided that when Rosie moves back to the UK, I'll make friends with people that are younger than I am. That way, I figure, I could maybe advance to the driver's seat.

By the way, in this video, you'll see my cat. The one I play with through the window every morning and sometimes during the day, but never (not in a million years, the parents say) get to touch for real.

It's a tough life

On Sunday, when Sasha and her parents came to town, the pool at Anna's place was a bit chilly. After having complained for a while about the lack of heating equipment, we decided to proceed to the hot tub with the waterfall instead. Although it was just our second choice. Here we're talking true hardship!

Schooling in to playschool

Mom and dad have scouted around for a good playschool for some time now. They've been moderately successful in their search - the schools have either been too noicy, too far away, too strict or too limited in their services (45 min a day is not good enough according to my parents). Today, however, there was possibly a break-through! The playschool close to dad's office seems ok. And they are open for a full two hours a day! I was there to check it out this morning, and I'm going to come back tomorrow and the day after. Then they'll make a decision, based on my reactions.

Delightful delicacies!

I had the most scrumptious pasta at Rosie's house the other day. So good, in fact, that I attempted for the first time in life to lick my bowl clean! (And as Rosie was only moderately interested in her food, I helped myself to her left-overs.)

Huge houses = huge horses?

Now, I wouldn't really know, as this is the world as I know it. But mom and dad claim that the play horses in Sweden are substantially smaller than the ones you find here. I guess that might be a good thing, 'cos this one, at Laya's house, was very tricky to get down from (in one piece) and absolutely impossible to mount without first climbing some of the furniture that you weren't supposed to climb.

Exercise in theory and practice

Apparently good exercise is something us kids don't get enough of these days. Thus, I've taken on boxing, the sport of sports. The downside is that the boxing bag is out on the lanai in the bright sunlight, and I'm inside in the shade. Until that obstacle is overcome, I'll stick to boxing the vision of the bag through the window.

Fine dining to celebrate the end of the year

If the food is good, I don't mind practising sign language upon demand. But sometimes my parents seem not to pay attention when I respond to their demands. And then they tend to get a bit repetitive.

My very own New Year Party!

Here's the proof: it doesn't take two to tango! But sure, it would maybe have been even more fun.