I’m writing this as we’re packed no ready to get up early to head to the airport. We will miss Thailand, although Carly won’t miss the job fairs.
August was up at 7:30. Nursed for awhile, then watched Chinese songs and Treetop Family videos on my iPad. Carly Skyped with her parents, then we then Skyped with my parents about the big news. August wanted to feed the monsters again. Don’t know how much I’ve mentioned the monsters that live under the bed and in the couch. We decided that they are nocturnal, so sleep in the apartment while we are gone, and go out at night. Carly was starting to pack, and August got my shoes and wore them and was walking around, saying “Muck up dada’s work shoes.” He’s been brushing his teeth really well lately, doing it for extra seconds. Today he got up to 21 at one point. We watched a little Puffin Rock, and I remembered that yesterday he had remembered that a group of starlings is called a ‘murmuration’. Also, right before we left, he lay down on the couch for a little rest – that’s been a pretty common occurrence lately before we leave.
Finally, yesterday he kept having me explain over and over why babies don’t use diapers “doota doota doo…poop!” That comes from reading Everybody Poops.
We left at 10:15. A wet day. On the stairs outside the gate, Carly spotted a snail. A big one. August did a good job of looking at it and leaving it alone. As we left he said “bye snail…bye monsters.” (I had mentioned along the way that he hadn’t said bye to the monsters today.)
On the train he wanted to break the rules: “I’m eating real. I’m breaking the rules.” “No. I like to break the rules.” Before we got off, he lay down on the floor of the train. When we got off he said “It was dirty on the train and I was sleeping on the dirt spot.”
We stopped at the two bakery sort of places in the station to put together lunches for us. New things I got were a looktan pie, and an English Croque Monseuir. In the park we put August in the pack pack, then walked up to the cool architecture area and walked all around that on the random paths with Carly. August saw the broken tire that he had spotted last time and said “I don’t like broken things; I like fixed things.” We sat in a covered spot there and ate lunch. August saw a spot of something on the ground and examined it. He said “What’s that disgusting smell?”
We walked to the pool, and got there just before 12:30. We had the entire place to ourselves, and the woman let Carly in for free. We stayed until close to 2. We had a lot of fun, and August worked on kicking and tried going on his back a couple times, and just generally got more comfortable with the water.
The plan from there was to walk north to see the northern part of the park and stop at a coffee shop there. All went well until we were in the coffee shop and August started screeching and wanted to climb on the table, etc. So we left. Stopped to nurse him at one point, then put him in the backpack. He never fell asleep for a nap, but was upset for several minutes before calming down. We headed for the children’s museum.
On our way to the children’s museum we walked through Queen Sirikit Park, which we hadn’t yet been to. It is basically a botanical garden, and incredibly beautiful. We learned what a wishbone flower is. We exited the park by the children’s museum and went there. It was 3, and closed at 4, but both the little kids area and the 3 to 7 year old area were closed for cleaning. But he had fun playing outside: first at a small playground (sponsored by Pantene) where the swings were really low and he liked touching the ground, then over on the rings and bars we had played on before. He wanted to go back to the other playground, but I convinced him the sand would be wet. Before we left we sat down and ate our desserts that we had bought with lunch. Left a little before 4.
Coming home was a bit rough. He got restless on the first train, then lay on the pavement while we waited for our transfer. He did better on the second train, sitting on Carly’s lap and making letters with her out of their hands. Once home, I went and picked up take out from Steak and Shabu. Food took some time, as I think they were just opening, and I talked to Gary and his wife while I waited and thanked them for the oatmeal cookies last time.
Back at the apartment, Carly had been packing, and continued to pack and clean. We paused for dinner. He sat on the toilet for a long time, and had me tell him over and over about why babies use diapers and brain development (I kept adding more and more detail, as he had me repeat it so many times. I gave him his shower, then he spent a long time looking at the songbook and making up songs. He’s really making up original songs and tunes now. Today there was a “Markers in the sky” song, a song about Zinnie, and several others. And he randomly quoted Puffin Rock: “Who said anything about jumping?” We read Berenstain Bears Go to School twice and he was asleep at 8:15.
Photos. Snail:
Lunch:
Pool:
Walk through the park:
Wishbone flower:
Children’s museum:
Looking out at the front of the train:
Rest on the platform:
Letters with their fingers:
Sleeping on the floor:
