Bangkok Week 594

November 14, 2019

We can’t believe that Master Arlo turns two months this week! He’s still off the charts for height and has gained over 1kg in the past month. We’re so proud of our big boy ❤️

Master Arlo would like to show you how delicious his fist is -- especially his thumb!

Exercising his neck muscles.

Having a post-diaper-change discussion with Dad.

Chatting with Bu.

Off to lunch at Donki!

Celebrating the end of the week with some nice Japanese food.

Check out this vegan sushi - unduly beautiful!

Arlo does a jam with his fists.

Chatting with Dad again.

A handsome, smiley head shot. Now why couldn't he have done that for any of his passport photos?

Saying good-bye to Bu on Saturday morning.

Saying farewell at the bus terminal; although Arlo has better things to do!

Whoops! Mum might have spilled some tabbouleh while wearing Arlo at lunch.

After Arlo's wardrobe change, we're matching!

Impromptu car wash on the way home, since it was empty! We got all the attention.

And Master Arlo was none the wiser.

Enjoying his fabulous new elephant from P'Freddie.

Dad is enjoying the intimate moment, but Arlo? Not so much.

Resting up after a big meal.

It takes three steps to smile: wipe your face, wind up wide, and finally, smile!

Of course, smiling on demand is too much to ask!

However, Arlo can indeed smile in his sleep!

Dad looks proud after coaxing the Master to sleep on something other than a human chest.

Sometimes, when doing neck exercises, there are mishaps too!

Giving us a nice big one. Smile, that is!

Watching the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions.

Egg salad pockets and an infant for lunch.

It's convenient that the fist comes with a bite-sized thumb attached.

Tummy time? Sure, mum, whatever you say.

Giving his stroller a good scrub - for the first time after buying it.

Trying on the PJs for 6-month-olds from Mum's EA. They fit already!

Another spaghetti bolognese for dinner!

It's Monday morning! And Arlo shows off his snazzy (patriotic?) outfit... and how he's almost outgrown his changing table.

It's a beautiful 23 degrees outside! But unfortunately, the air is also too poor for sensitive groups like infants :(

Morning briefing with Mum.

Posing with William the Hippo, the unofficial mascot of the Metropolitan Museum of Art - courtesy of Dinesh.

And a big smile!

Yawn - it must be nap time.

But not before Dad has to convince him that it is.

The Master tries out his stroller - for the first time without the car seat!

He enjoys his tour around the house. He's never seen the ground floor from this angle before.

Chillaxing with all his pillows. Lucky boy.

See any resemblance?

"YES!"

This elephant is a pretty comfortable place to chill.

So comfortable, he can actually sleep!

But not yet comfortable enough for Tummy Time!

Here's a place where we can get guaranteed smiles.

Going out for a walk in the stroller for the first time - air is "good" enough.

Interesting perspective!

"Woo hoo! Tuesday morning!"

8am! Standing straight for the National Anthem!

Someone's getting used to traveling by car? Or we just got lucky this time...?

Chilling out at Baby Rhyme Time.

Oh! It's a jelly fish!

Peek-a-boo!

And now we're off on a mission! To go get the Master's second citizenship.

Wow! Someone actually gave us a seat on the BTS. That's a first! (Really.)

Pit stop at an office building next to the embassy, to take care of some important business.

And killing time at 7-Eleven. Look at this Arlo-sized milk they sell. Aww.

It was a success!

Arlo is thrilled by his new citizenship.

And back home, he's equally excited to be learning the Thai alphabet.

Totally captivated by the letters.

Less thrilled about the prospect of another Tummy Time, though.

Wednesday morning: another bad air day, so getting his Vitamin D through the window. (Does that work?)

Found another good place to nap!

Here's the "ooohh" face! That's how we know we brought home the right baby!

And a bonus smile, too.

More alphabet! Yay!

Off to lunch, to meet Mum's friend.

It's a nice Thai restaurant just off Ekkamai Soi 10.

Bright, spacious, and very kid-friendly.

(They had lots of high chairs and booster seats - but he'll have to wait a little while longer to use them).

I don't usually photograph food... but this was too beautiful to pass up.

Meanwhile, a package from Bonnie arrived in the mail; it had traveled from Ukraine, via New Jersey, to get here!

Undies, and a one-of-a-kind, hand-made activity book, just for Arlo!

Look how beautiful and unique the activity book is! Really special!

Dinner with Uncles Andrew and Ray. Too bad Master Arlo was in bed already.

It's November 14th! Master Arlo shares his 2-month birthday with Auntie Erika's birthday!

We can't believe it's been another month!

The air is good enough today that we can go back to our morning Vitamin D walks!

It's the first time that we've all gone together, in fact.

Arlo's much happier to chat inside, though.

Two whole months! Is there any resemblance to the Arlo we knew on September 14th?

Celebrating with a trip to the hospital for his 2-month wellness checkup.

Not happy that he has to wait for Mum's appointment first.

It's Arlo's turn next - he's excited!

"I survived my month-2 vaccines!"

"YAY!"

Master Arlo also sends his birthday wishes to Auntie Erika!

Reviewing his alphabet flashcards with Bu, who's back!

And before the day winds down, celebrating Arlo's 2-month birthday with a cake. He's thrilled.

"What's this???"

Bangkok Week 593

November 7, 2019

The Countdown to Christmas is officially on! And that has Master Arlo in smiles :)

We begin this week with another edition of, "The Many Faces of Master Arlo."

And here's a smile.

It's officially Christmas in Bangkok, folks!

EmQuartier is taking a mammalian approach this year.

Arlo's wondering what all these festivities are about.

We observed a swim class at Arlo's future swim school: looked fun!

And he was so pooped afterward that he kept sleeping in his car seat.

A quick visit by Auntie Khyathi, who was up from Singapore.

Reading his new vehicle-themed ABCs book.

They picked some novel vehicles!

DDDD: Dad's doing dinner duties - how's that for a change!

And so mum got to make spaghetti Bolognese - not bad for the first time back at the stove post-Arlo.

Sunday morning smiles.

Super: he's already learned how to make faces for the camera.

A much-belated celebration of Arlo's arrival with Uncle Andrew (who brought us this champagne many months ago!)

Lazy Sunday afternoon.

The whole family, just sitting around on the couch.

He's a much bigger boy now... but he still has some growing to do!

It's never too early for funny faces!

Mum's turn to do the Vitamin D walk, since Dad had to leave for work super early.

Having our morning chat.

Tummy time!

He's getting there with his neck -- but he's still not thrilled by the challenge.

Despite Dad's best efforts, we're still not ready to grasp toys.

Lounging around.

The most comfortable naps are the ones on Dad!

Alert and smiley and ready for the (Tues)day!

Looking around, and trying to find the Vitamin D.

Enjoying our chat.

Soaking in the rays from indoors -- because the air is too bad to go outside this morning.

Dancing with Dad!

And touring the house with Mum.

Matching expressions?

The Many Mouths of Master Arlo!

Chilling on the couch, in our chilling clothes, with Dad.

Thursday play group!

Arlo preferred to watch the older babies :)

Back at home, exhausted from the morning out.

He's excited to show you his name tag!

Excited by our visitor!

Who's this surprise visitor?

Excited to see Bu. He hasn't seen him for a month and a half!

Looking comfy on Dad's flat chest.

Pensive Master Arlo says, "see you next week!"

Bangkok Week 592

October 31, 2019

Happy Halloween, everyone! 🎃👻🦆

Spending the morning in Yaa's arms: there's no better way.

Wefie on his morning Vitamin D walk.

Enjoying some me-time in his chair.

Talking to himself.

Getting ready to go out!

Choosing not to turn toward the voices & faces... not very polite!

Practicing tummy time with dad.

Tuckered out from an exhausting tummy time session.

Just captioning some photos together.

Yaa looks at the photos from last week.

Three generations!

Smiles all around!

Saying good-bye to Yaa, before she heads back to Trat.

Practicing his expressions.

The package says it all (...?)

Jumbo egg salad sandwiches for lunch - from our limited repertoire.

Arlo demonstrates how well he can hold up his head now.

In position for a discussion.

The travel bed we bought... to go back to Trat, and also for the Great White North.

No power on Sunday morning... so how's a boy to stay cool?

Preparing ourselves for Halloween at The Commons.

Lots of Halloween activities for kids of (almost) all ages.

Face painting, coloring, and much more.

Arlo was happy to be there.

But once he woke up and realized what he was wearing, he tried to make a run for it!

Ahh, the calming power of Dad.

The limited-edition Thai version of Donald Duck.

Mum was probably enjoying it more than Arlo. We'll try again next year!

Celebrating our holiday success with lunch at Greyhound.

And stopping to ride the Donki Tuk Tuk (all decked out for Halloween, too) on our way back.

Arlo's just begun to "discover" his hands. More like, his hands have discovered his face!

Okay, here's a smile!

All changed out of his costume, and back in his street clothes, chilling with Dad.

He loves his cuddles!

More tummy time!

And another thrilled face!

Welcome to the new normal: dining in peace with an Arlo.

A smiley Monday morning.

Ooh. What great lighting!

Just hanging out and laughing together.

Nap time!

Our little "angel", asleep in one of his favorite positions.

Like a little koala.

Stuck here now, since there's no disturbing him!

Someone's awake and chatty again.

Discussing the day's news.

Still fits into his first outfits.

Soaking up the rays and the Vitamin D.

"Look how long I am! My feet almost touch the floor!"

Trying a new technique to stop the crying: showing him a video of his own crying. (It worked.)

Dad's taking things to a whole new level: bottle feeding!

At the Canadian Embassy, we had the privilege of riding up the elevators with a Polar Bear mum and her cubs.

Like Arlo, they too seemed unfamiliar with elevator protocol.

And then lunch takes us through the bowels of Gateway Ekkamai.

In celebration of Halloween, we have a ghostly fried egg.

Sleepy head Arlo doesn't know what's in store for him today.

All dressed, and ready for a day of spooky celebrations!

It was a festive play group for pre-walkers, complete with band and sing-song!

He didn't mind it, even though it was a bit loud.

Everyone came in costume!

The rainbow passed over all the babies.

And we even had a starry night.

Everyone was entranced by the starry night.

Perhaps the biggest surprise: meeting Arlo's (I mean, Donald's) twin: a 7-month Japanese girl with a great sense of fashion.

Her friend Minnie Mouse came along, too.

Posing with the other Thai baby in the group (one month older), and his mom.

Giving us some cute eyes, once back at home.

Putting both my thumb and his into his mouth: because 2 are better than 1!

And this pretty much sums up the week, folks! See you again next week!

Bangkok Week 591

October 24, 2019

The week Arlo visits some of Bangkok’s nicer green spaces; and otherwise, keeps on growing!

Arlo shows off how tall he is / how soon he'll outgrow his bassinet.

A semi-smile for dad?

What a sleepy day!

Dad's flat chest is best for napping!

Another trip to Big C in the books!

It's there where we spotted these creepy Witch Finger grapes!

Happy Friday! Cheers to the weekend!

Another dinner with Arlo. I thought it would get *MORE* comfortable after he was born!

This is basically my dinner view these days.

Saturday morning: the new morning ritual is a Vitamin D walk around the moo baan with Dad.

Enjoying the Saturday morning sun.

Uh oh! Off on another car trip.

This time, to pick up a stroller and stroll in Benjakitti Park.

It's a nice little green (and blue) oasis in the middle of Asoke.

There's a great walking/running/cycling path around the lake... which Arlo doesn't quite appreciate yet.

We were warned... but alas, no sightings!

He's grown into his chair (in size), but not yet in enthusiasm.

Hmm. Why am I the only one not sleeping?

Meeting some of Mum's colleagues, but not doing a very good job entertaining!

What's the fuss?

In his Sunday red (i.e. his big-boy shirt) and getting his Vitamin D.

Not quite ready to get up (even though he can't sleep past 6!)

Wearing a shirt and pants automatically adds a month to his age!

He's not thrilled to be sharing the back of the car with his new bed!

All set up and ready for him to grow into it in another 4-5 months!

This was one of the longest sleeps he did while strapped to Mum! 2+ hours at home, and then another 2+ while we were out shopping!

Yummy lunch at our new favorite Japanese restaurant, with our guests from Trat.

The folks at Donki are feeling punny about Halloween.

Top only stayed for a few hours; so he made the most of his visit.

Matching hair!

K. Yaa can't believe how much Arlo has grown since she last saw him 3+ weeks ago.

K. Yaa, the entertainer.

Lucky us! Look at all the home-made dishes that came up from Trat!

Our evening feast.

Good night, Yaa. See you in the morning!

Morning Vitamin D walk, with a special guest!

And a morning chat.

Wearing his patriotic best, for his Thai Passport appointment.

Here we are at the special MRT Klong Toey passport office - very convenient!

There was quite the mass of people -- but because we made an appointment online, we could bypass all of them!

In and out in 28 minutes*, and now on our way back home!

Relaxing after the morning out, and showing off the remnants of his toe print (the signature substitute for babies).

Hanging out with K. Yaa again.

"Mum! Take me back!"

Just lying by himself and enjoying the outside views.

Taking time to admire the handsome baby in the mirror before his bath.

Tuesday morning: Arlo's looking really long in K. Yaa's lap.

Modeling the super-cute outfit from Lorrie & Colin.

He likes it!

Hanging out with Dad before work.

Still unsure if he enjoys his tummy time.

Uh oh! Just Arlo and Mum going out for a drive! He looks worried - rightly!

We came for Baby Massage, but it was unusually small turnout* and the 2 babies (8 and 5 weeks old) had enough of the massage after the legs.

Arlo spent more time chilling on my knees than he did getting a massage.

Arlo posing with his friend, the baby massage dummy.

Back at home: he's getting pretty good at holding up his head.

Quick! Spot Arlo!

Time for the morning Vitamin D stroll with K. Yaa again!

Observing the test subject.

"Hmm. I heard it's a public holiday today! What shall we do together?"

First things first: some time on the play mat!

Admiring the handsome boy in the star.

"Oh no! Not this tummy time again! And I feel like I'm being watched!"

Trying his best to play along.

Dad admires his masterpiece.

Almost the same size!

Next stop for the (holi)day: a mid-morning stroll through Benjasiri Park.

It's not too warm to picnic, while the shadow of Emporium Tower is still long.

Arlo is confused about what's going on. Usually when we're in this warm sticky weather, at least we're walking somewhere!

Enjoying lying on the mat - a different texture for a change.

Okay, maybe "enjoying" was too strong a word!

Okay, that didn't last long. Have to walk around together some more!

Another clean and peaceful mall nursing room: this one in EmQuartier.

(Early) lunch at Emporium Food Court.

Guess what was waiting for Arlo back at home!? His first passport!

K. Yaa knows how to calm down Master Arlo.

She also knows how to make delicious noodle soup from scratch!

Can you tell that there are udon noodles somewhere in there?

Thursday morning starts with a nap! (In an increasingly tight bassinet.)

"Oooh. Morning, Mum! I didn't sleep in; you just got up early!"

Posing next to the beautiful Petit Bateau PJs that colleagues from Germany generously sent.

Dad pokes and prods his research subject.

More tummy time!

Uh oh! Someone fell asleep.

Watching a sleeping Arlo is not nearly as entertaining as a Tummy Time Arlo.

Napping in one of his favorite places.

And we present the latest installment of "The Many Faces of Master Arlo."

Trying the Big Boy carrier with Dad. I think we'll wait a bit longer still.

Stopping into our favorite Matcha Cafe; it's been a while.

Playing with the worm puppet from K. Pat.

All eyes on Arlo.

Look at his strong neck!

Woah! Strong neck, Arlo!

Our neighbor 3 doors down brought not one, not two, but SIX sets of PJs for Arlo as a gift.

Talking to dad before bed time.

And we end the week with some freshly-cooked dishes for dinner. Yum!

Bangkok Week 590

October 17, 2019

This week, we celebrate Arlo’s one-month birthday, and his exceptional weight (and height) gain over the past 28 days.

Good morning, says Master Arlo.

Reading his tactile fruit book together.

He's fascinated by the boy that stares at him from inside the pear.

Hanging out with Dad.

We couldn't resist going for one last J meal at Zen.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, we've found a way to eat dinner together in peace.

Enjoying the early Saturday sun.

Living dangerously: no covers on the couch, while we wash all the stains out of them!

It's another sleepy morning!

Wait, why am I still awake?

Arlo's first trip to Gateway Ekkamai - and notably, its foodcourt.

Looking for some shade for him. But Dad said this hat was "too girly".

"Playing" on (accidentally whacking) his gym.

Trying the colic hold... unfortunately, it only tried his patience even more!

Finally asleep. I guess we have to sleep here tonight!

Starting Sunday morning Facetiming with Granny and Grandpa.

Arlo in his "new" (i.e. accidentally dyed) outfit.

Catching some snuggle time with dad.

Arlo's first trip to Big C!

A fun visit by Vee, Peung, and P'Kate.

Kate enjoyed Arlo's under-the-sea mat!

"Look at my long legs, mum!"

Sleepy time again!

Happy first month, Arlo!

Looking at all the great views from his chair.

Doesn't seem to want to hang out with Mum this morning.

Road trip! Heading to Mum's office on this public holiday, while the roads are clear.

First time visiting Mum's office.

To say he was enthusiastic would be... an overstatement.

Ah. Comfortable now that we're back at home.

Mr. Crab gives Arlo big eyes... and he gives them right back.

Hello, Mr. Crab!

Why does Mr. Octopus seem so far away?

Wondering if tummy time is for him.

Ahh. Now this is what tummy time is for!

Hmm. We tried to go to the Pocket Park, but it was closed, despite being nowhere near 6pm.

So, we'll go to Donki Mall instead, at the risk of overstimulation.

The new, bouncy normal, for dinnertime.

Good Tuesday morning, everyone.

Someone's not enjoying his morning face wipe.

He hasn't yet figured out that the toys on his chair are for his enjoyment.

Our first outing entirely on our own: we're off to his Bumps and Babies "playgroup".

Enjoying himself in the comfort of many other Under-1s.

I do love me this curious, wide-eyed face!!

"Why hello, everyone!"

A nice long afternoon nap... on poor Dad, who's supposed to be working!

This is how bad habits are formed!

A day late (because he fell asleep early yesterday): we celebrate Arlo's 1-month birthday with a mochi ball.

Engaging with the Fox rattle that P'June brought him.

What did I say about the new normal?

Aww, what a sweet face. Who can be cross with this guy, even if he does wake up so often in the night?

Good morning to the gentlemen in my life!

"Hi, Mum! What exciting plans do we have for today, Mum?"

"What!? The Doctor!? Again?"

Before and after: visiting the doctor for his Day 5 check-up, and his 1-month check-up.

He's actually enjoying himself this time!

Arlo's pleased that he gained 1.9 kg (4.1 lbs) and 7 cm (2.8 in) since his last visit.

Patiently waiting for Mum's doctor's appointment now.

And for this commercial break: an update on Arlo's lime trees.

"Look at my cute outfit! It's almost too small, and I only now started wearing it!"

And for our Thursday adventure: heading over to Ari to visit Addison and her mum.

It's Arlo's first time Ari, and my first since we moved out in April 2018!!

Determined to convince us that he needs a newer, bigger bassinet soon.

"Why, hey there, ladies!"

Getting some Vitamin D with Dad.

Okay, 5 weeks into this, and we're finally figuring out bath time.

"See all of you next week!"

Bangkok Week 589

October 10, 2019

It’s the week Arlo sets sail, on many an adventure around Bangkok! And our guests leave us :(

Off we go, on our first (real) adventure.

Ready to ride the BTS!

Look at Arlo, riding the BTS like a pro. He's a real city boy.

Waiting out the rain storm at the Central Chidlom food court. Couldn't have found a comfier (and more private) public place.

He knows we're not at home... but where exactly are we?

May as well enjoy the vegetarian week specials while we're here: like this red pork bao!

And back to Ekkamai we go! First outing a success!

Someone's in a daze after all that walking. (More like, jiggling.)

"Granny! Let me tell you about my outing!"

Granny's a pro at calming a crying Arlo.

Friday afternoon: a sleepy time for everyone!

Except this guy, who's busting out his G&T moves.

Hanging out with dad. Lovin' it?

Dad's talking at Arlo again!

Helping Granny make dinner - delicious egg salad sandos.

The two of us, lurking quietly in the background (and trying the new carrier).

Reading to the Master. He doesn't seem to like my story-telling.

"I want Dad to read the story instead! He's much better at it!"

Sunday morning: playing with Grandpa.

Telling Dad about all the fun he had with Grandpa.

All the ducks in a row.

"Hi, Mum! What's up for this morning?"

Another outing! Breakfast at Conkey's bakery, not far from our house (but car still required...).

Hanging out with Arlo at the bakery, enjoying the cold water.

"Hi, Mum. How are your pastries? Please don't drop any on me."

Back home with Granny, and her magic touch.

"Hmm... what to do this afternoon. Cry? Or sleep?"

Dad's trying out the new carrier, too. Comfy?

More discussions with Granny.

Monday morning: this pretty much sums up the night!

And we're off again! This time, to lunch in Siam Square.

In the department store. Arlo's becoming a traveling pro!

There's one nursing room in Paragon - but it's quiet, and plenty spacious.

Changing areas fit-for-purpose.

Arlo recounts his experience in Siam. Overall, not bad. Met some new friends, too.

Telling dad about his adventures.

Being burped by Granny always does the trick!

"Oh my god! It's this medicine, AGAIN!"

"Hey Granny, check out my strong neck!"

"Help, Mum! This Granny doesn't stop burping me!"

A quiet, cute bundle-in-a-basket. How deceptive!

Found his new favorite place to catch some Zzzs.

Hanging out together as a 3-some. Getting some practice for later this week!

Enjoying my delicious birthday dinner (a day early): Granny's famous Mac&Cheese!

And this delicious DQ cake from Arlo!

Thank you, Arlo! You're the best birthday gift, yet!

Even Granny appreciates when he's sound asleep.

Relaxing and taking in the morning views.

Last photo with Grandpa for a while. He's off, back to Toronto!

And we're staying home, practicing our carrier again. Getting better!

Yes. This captures the state of affairs pretty well.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Captain Arlo from the flight deck. For better or worse, I'll be piloting your flight this afternoon."

Uh oh! Captain's asleep on the job!

"Shh. Don't tell anyone I fell asleep at the wheel!"

Hanging out with the ladies of the house.

Less than 4 weeks into life, and he's got pinchable cheeks and a solid triple chin.

Sleepy-time selfie.

The view I’m fortunate to have every time he’s done eating.

Uh oh! He’s going to be too long for his bassinet soon!

Look at that "smile"!

Cute smile! If only it was replicable.

And we're out shopping at Paya - our first shopping excursion.

And daring us, having lunch out, too!

Granny enjoys the deluxe tempura set.

While Arlo knows better, and hides under a protective shield.

Another "smile"!

Arlo, the model! Smile for the camera.

Aww! Someone's going to miss Granny!

One final chat, before Granny has to leave us.

"See you again soon, Granny!"

Bangkok Week 588

October 3, 2019

The week Master Arlo chubs up! (And let’s not forget, it’s also the annual Vegetarian Festival!)

Hanging out with Grandpa Mike, before he goes off to the pool.

Signature Arlo face -- oooohh!

First outing in 2 weeks! We (finally) made it to Tealily, the Matcha tea shop 5 doors down the street.

Arlo looks like he's enjoying himself, doesn't he?

Phew, that was exhausting. Resting it off, back at home.

Enjoying some quiet time with the Master.

Someone's looking cute and innocent, when he's quiet!

Tummy time with Dad!

Don't bother the Master when he naps!

Celebrating our newest family member with a proper bottle of champagne!

Cheers to Arlo!

How cute and innocent; and strengthening his neck at the same time.

Enjoying his play mat and playground - what a lucky boy.

Just hanging out with Mr. Crab.

"I dunno. What's the big idea?"

Someone was caught off-guard by the camera!

Time for some quality R&R during the day? Wishful thinking...

Arlo, sporting his two new beaver teeth!

"You lookin' at me?"

And now, for something different: the big BAMBI* yard sale. Here to score some quality second-hand baby stuff.

And in the midst of these sleepless nights and long days, let's not forget that we're in the middle of the Vegetarian Festival!

Lots to choose from at Gateway.

Ooh, veggie dumplings (usually filled with shrimp).

Dining at Pepper Lunch, for the first time in 11+ years here.

Look at that sizzlin' fish!

Back at home, the Master never knew we were gone.

Hanging out in his new Moses basket - courtesy of the yard sale.

Doesn't he look so chill?

Having another stare-off with Dad.

Enjoying his night at the spa.

Playing puppet with Grandpa. Amused?

Arlo the hipster.

Another deceptively sweet and innocent angle.

Nap time with Dad?

Just chillin' in his bassinet.

Someone's going to have a sore neck when he wakes up!

A sore neck, and a squashed face!

Another stellar family portrait.

Doing his leg exercises (read: gas relief attempts) with Dad.

Tummy time for the B-Boy.

Almost sitting up in Granny's lap!

It's Grandparents: now showing in OMNIMAX.

Feeling clean and comfortable after his bath.

Granny's lap is the best place to nap, hands-down.

Reading time with Dad is always something to look forward to!

Enthralled by his book.

By contrast, carrier time with Mum leaves something to be desired.

Someone's super excited by all his new swag, courtesy of mum's colleagues.

Never has he seen a larger face...

Tummy time: take two.

Trying out his new sleeping bag -- instead of a swaddle.

Seems pretty chillaxed and rested after that sleeping bag night.

Why hello!

And enjoying his bassinet, without any cares in the world.

Someone can't wait until he grows into his new Donald Duck outfit!

"Hello, Mum. Are you up there?"

And now for something different: bird watching in a nearby neighborhood.

Trying out his tiny new pillow.

And engaging with the colorful new rattle from Granny.

The many faces of Master Arlo.

Leg exercises with Granny.

Yikes, he might outgrow his new bassinet soon!

Getting psyched up for bedtime with Dad! Until next time!

Bangkok Week 587

September 26, 2019

Week 2 with Master Arlo — although it feels like a lifetime already!

Mr. Knobby Knees is already as long as his changing table.

Master Arlo really does love bouncing (with Dad) on the yoga ball.

"Let's bounce together all day, Dad!"

Just chilling on the couch, showing off his big eyes (and forehead).

"Blech! I don't like your knees."

All eyes on Arlo.

Saying hi to Uncle Top for the first time.

Hanging out together in the evening.

Looking comfortable with Uncle Top.

Aww, hello Uncle Top.

Enjoying some morning Mum time -- with Mum who's barely awake.

Better idea: let's keep sleeping.

It's not polite to whack your elder relatives in the face.

With his Trad family.

What's he smirking about?

Unhappy about his mitts? Or doing something else?

"Um, Dad, I'm not sure if this is how tummy time is supposed to work."

"Oooohh." Arlo's favorite expression.

Slowly getting the hang of this tummy time?

While Dad naps, Arlo quietly endures another squashed face.

"Aah, okay. That's better."

Just hanging out together.

Waving to the camera.

Family portrait: yup, that pretty much sums it up.

"Granny. Granny. I'm not sure about this burping technique."

En guarde!

Smiling for the camera?

Talking to Dad.

Reading with Dad.

Posing for the camera with Dad.

Talking to Dad.

Chatting with Granny.

Just hanging out with my little fencer.

Wearing the Phayathai PJs from P'Quinn.

Showing off how he fits into the 6-month Onesie from Granny & Grandpa.

Getting practice in our carrier.

"Ooohhh!"

Good morning, Arlo!

"I see you, lady. Why are you just staring at me?"

"Hanging out with Granny, again. Granny's the best at calming me down."

"Tell me a story, Granny!"

Meeting Grandpa, the white guy, for the first time.

Thrilled by the cute PJs from Gord & Linda, but unhappy that he can't wear them just yet!

Sleeping during his tummy time? Forget these exercises!

Interacting with the mirrored start from his fancy new play mat.

Enjoying the colors on his new jungle gym.

Arlo the B-Boy! Feet up and everything! (Better than I can do!)

Family portrait: all hands on deck.

Morning chat with Dad.

"Granny! You again?"

Finally biting the bullet and trimming his nails - so he can go mitt-free!

Look how enthusiastic he is about his new play mat!

Practicing his Thai dance.

More practice with the carrier. Soon we'll be ready to go outside!

Face time with Dad.

Doing leg stretches with Granny.

"Look! I can sit up like a Big Boy!"

Getting better at this Tummy Time?

Pulling out all the stops to keep Master Arlo entertained!

Not a bad way to play, eh buddy?

Yep, I could sleep down here, too!

The center of attention.

And ending with a family photo with the Toronto fam.

Bangkok Week 586

September 19, 2019

Welcome to our family, Master Arlo! Born 14 September; we couldn’t be happier!

The last supper, as they say. (Actually, this was lunch: we tried a bunch of ready-to-eat foods from Donki. Better now than never!)

Here we go! Donning a spiffy backless hospital dress for this fight.

While everyone is still smiles and jokes.

Fast-forward 12 hours (hah!), and we have our beautiful Baby Arlo!!

Where did this little Chinese boy come from?

Our first family portrait, back up in the recovery room.

With Granny, who was by our bedside the whole time!

Dad and Baby Arlo. Who's more tired?

Here he is, all clean and comfy in his new room.

Alert and staring at Granny, still less than 12 hours old.

"Are you my mum? You don't look like my mum."

Well, at least someone is going to sleep cozily tonight!

After a restful night's sleep outside the womb.

Good morning, Baby Arlo. How are we feeling on Day 2?

The center of attention, for sure.

Trying to figure out what's comfortable for everyone.

He seems to enjoy Granny's company the most. Which is great - we know who the de facto babysitter will be!

First selfie with Dad.

A bunch of visitors have come to see Baby Arlo - isn't that thoughtful!

She couldn't resist - had to try a moon cake!

Awake and alert as the sun goes down on Day 2.

"You takin' a photo of me?"

Meeting our other Grandma on the phone. She'll be here soon!

Early tummy time with dad? Looks uncomfortable; needs practice.

Waking up on Day 3, after a good night's sleep. (For someone.)

Oh no! It's bath time! Dad, you're terrible at this!

Feeling shocked and betrayed. What just happened?

It's a face-making contest!

Still so small and sweet.

Practicing for when we go home later tonight. Looks... cozy?

Dad's comforting touch makes any nap better.

Psyching ourselves up to go home!

Arlo, showing off his spiffy new outfit. We're gonna go home in style!

One last cuddle in the soft hospital blankie.

What a handsome head shot.

And here we go! Off to our new lives!

Baby Arlo is already settled into his new home, minutes after walking through the front door.

Enjoying his changing table. Hey, this life outside isn't so bad after all.

In a sleepy daze the next morning; the object of my affection.

Posing with the 2 penguins that Auntie Erika made.

Getting acclimated to the colors and shapes of his living room.

Who's more tired?

Yay! It's Yaa and Boo, up from Trad just to meet Master Arlo.

Group shot.

Yaa knows how to make him happy.

Everyone is comfortable.

Three generations!

Getting ready to say good-bye to Boo.

Matching blue.

Getting buckled in for his second road trip: back to the hospital for our Day 5 check-up.

In the waiting room; Arlo feels right at home.

Being checked by our doctor. All signs look normal, although Arlo wasn't too happy.

Waiting patiently outside for his heel-prick.

Having another face-off with Dad.

And a face-off with Yaa.

See the resemblance?

Barely awake.

And here's our morning routine. Totally normal.

Someone's as long as his changing table already!

Two grandmas at the same time; what could be better!?

Umm; we have to work on our selfie skillz a bit.

And now, for something different: the car crash of the century, just 1 door down from our house. Aren't we lucky we weren't outside!

Trying our new carrier. It'll take a few more wears to get used to this.

Smiling for the camera.

And winding down for the night.

Have a good sleep, and enjoy the burrito! See you next week!

Bangkok Week 585

September 12, 2019

The calm before the storm…???

Friday night Korean. Becoming a tradition?

Here she comes! Just avoiding some storms over Laos.

Aww. Cuteness overload! Thank you, everyone!

Beautiful hand-knit blanket from Bron (& Andre).

And two happy penguins from Erika!

Two socialites, doing what they do best.

Gourmet dinner of Casino pizza.

Lunch at the Okonomiyake place in Don Don Donki.

Sporting her new Japanese shades.

Egg salad sandwiches for dinner: the best way to disguise the eggs!

Success! Managed to spare a plastic bag at Big C!

The new bread plates for the cottage.

Lunch at EmQuartier - bravely trying some new dishes!

And resting our feet at my fancy True lounge. How privileged.

The new diaper bag -- a gift from Robin & Marty.

Home-made Japanese for dinner! Yum yum!

Bangkok Week 584

September 5, 2019

A short week, as we prepare for our guest(s)’ impending arrival(s).

Our new favorite quick meal: French pizzas from Big C!

Pancakes and scrambled eggs; yum.

Paul is in Bangkok, and wants proof that there's a baby on the way.

Speaking of: trying to make him turn face-back! Not much time left, buddy.

Bangkok Week 583

August 29, 2019

Celebrating the end of August… brace for the rainy season!

Heading off for a Sunday afternoon outing to Conkey's bakery, just behind our house.

Here we are. By 3pm, it's fairly picked-over though!

Enough bread selection left, which is what we came for.

Our multigrain.

For egg salad sandwiches!

Yum yum! How many ways can YOU eat an egg?

The fierce BTS guard dogs were out in force.

As were... the BTS clowns....

My new, portable table. Easy to bring with me, wherever I go.

Dinner with the boys (visiting from Philippines and Singapore, respectively) on Tuesday night.

Finally, proof: adding lime to iced tea DOES change the color!

The BTS Gold Line (lite rail) is going up. This is the station right in front of Icon Siam.

Miso udon with poached egg. How many ways can you cook an egg?

Bangkok Week 582

August 22, 2019

A short week: that’s what happens when you work from home!

Ominous skies over Ekkamai.

A bit of a backlog on the subway on Friday night.

Me and my volleyball: for our last trip to the gym.

Aha! Someone took our idea for a drain cover and commercialized it!

Trying a new dish from 'So Vegan' for lunch mid-week.

Wildlife in our garden!

Bangkok Week 581

August 15, 2019

Getting “away” for the weekend while we still can!?

Celebrating Friday night with our Korean friends down the street.

On Saturday afternoon, we begin our staycation at the Royal Orchid Sheraton lounge on the 27th floor.

What a great view!

It's a beautiful view of a busy afternoon on the river.

Equally stunning up-river views.

Finally our room -- ahem, I mean, suite -- is ready for us.

Can't beat the view!

The chairs are positioned for some quality river-watching.

Enjoying happy hour back at the lounge.

Heading down to the river, to catch the hotel's shuttle over to Icon Siam.

Hey, how come their birds of paradise have so many flowers?

Evening sky over the river.

Excited to be going to Icon Siam!

Our hotel (and little River City), from the other side.

Finally! Here we are! Icon Siam!

We arrived just in time to see the crowds who'd come to see the light & fountain show.

Lots of people indeed!

The "floating market" area of Icon Siam.

Looks just like Ampawa?

But darker. And harder for the boats to navigate!

Posing with the giant ghosts from the North East!

And a very cool, multi-level fountain (that makes shapes and spells words out of water).

Excited by the mall's piece-de-resistance: the first and only Apple Store in the Kingdom of Thailand!

Trying out the new benches, subsequently launched in the new Chicago store.

Yep! Looks and feels like a new-gen Apple Store!

From the outside, featuring the famed panes of glass (up to 30m long) imported from Germany.

Our hotel is well-lit at night.

Looking south, toward the Shangri-La, Mandarin Oriental, and Saphan Taksin Bridge.

A slow Sunday morning on the river.

View of the area east of the hotel.

Breakfast with a view!

One of the hotel's 2 pools: with a depth of 3 meters! You don't find that anymore!

And the second, salt-water pool...

...which is actually located within the property of the Portuguese Embassy!

Going in for a quick salty dip. Lucky I still have something I can wear!

And visiting the nearby Holy Rosary Church (a.k.a. Kalawar Church).

It was established by the Portuguese communities in the late 1700s (and rebuilt a few times since).

Sunday lunch at Tum Load -- one of our Ari faves.

Comfort food!

And look at all the people out for the 6:30pm light & fountain show again!

Treating ourselves to a nice pizza dinner at the Shang down the street.

Disco boats aplenty cruise the river at night.

Last morning on the Chao Praya.

We splurged on an elephant sold by Elephant Parade - a social enterprise supporting Asian elephant conservation.

And time for a dip in the deep lap pool.

Haven't swum proper laps in years! (Didn't even have my goggles.)

One final shot before heading home.

Sara (short for Sarawak) in her new home.

Thursday night traffic along Rama 4, from my office.

Lumpini and its lizards tuck in for the night.

Bangkok Week 580

August 8, 2019

Special weekend meals, and a quick tour of the ‘hood.

The Greyhound bread rolls are as happy as we are that it's Friday!

Special Saturday breakfast: french toast!

Yum yum.

A quick tour of what's new in our moo baan: one of the houses that's been recently renovated in the next soi.

And this one is about to start.

A shoe company showroom, on our soi.

Special Sunday dinner: gasping udon!

Our bird of paradise is fully open now.

Should someone tell this truck driver to stop?

Profile shot of the week!

Bangkok Week 579

August 1, 2019

At long last! The subway extension from Hua Lamphong to the other side of the river is open. And I must say, it’s beautiful!

Our bird of paradise has its second flower ever!

Leaving the hospital in style: on the back of a pickup truck.

Free kids (all taken already) at the Farmer's Market on Saturday.

Spotted at Donki: I'm not sure I'd call grapes for 1299 (CAD 56) a low price...

And at THB 156, this is the most expensive white bread in Bangkok!

We did find this gem, though. Yum!

Queuing up to get myself a seat on the train!

Stopping in the Wattana Pocket Park for the first time!

We even did a complete loop around the park.

Really posh townhouses in Thonlor 8; they reminded us of the apartment in Mexico City!

Our trusty Mr. Fixit, applying a layer of oil to the wooden parts of the gate.

Our bird is opening up!

Our big project for the Holiday Monday was riding the new subway extension - along with a sizable chunk of Bangkok.

First stop: Wat Mongkon, in Chinatown.

The decor of the entire station supports the Chinatown theme.

On the concourse level, it was clear we weren't the only ones out to see the new stations.

Lots of people taking photos with the wall art.

There are ornate details -- like this dragon on the ceiling -- throughout the station.

An overhead sculpture representing the underbelly of a dragon, above one of the exit stairwells.

The dragon's pretty big!

As impressive as the interior decor is the exterior of the station! It blends right in with its surroundings.

Spot the subway entrance!

Well, maybe the buildings' cleanliness give them away a bit!

Heading back in, to move onto the next station.

This is Sam Yod, which translates to "Three Peaks".

It is a very spacious station.

So spacious, in fact, that it feels like they got the units wrong when they designed it.

The station interior showcases historic scenes from this area of Bangkok.

And also compares the old architecture to what they have rebuilt.

Outside, it's another quite beautifully-done station building.

It blends in well with the neighborhood.

A little more discretely than in Chinatown, perhaps.

Although again, the cleanliness of the buildings is a giveaway!

Posing in front of the main entrance, before we head back down.

Just another pair of tourists!

Third new station -- Sanam Chai -- is just south of Wat Pho and the Grand Palace.

This station's interior is the most ornate: it resembles a Rattanakosin-era state room.

It definitely reflects the nearby Royal Heritage.

We could be in a museum.

Even the side paneling pays homage to the traditional architecture.

And the station surfaces right in front of Museum Siam!

While above-ground, we stop for an ice cream (from an opportunistic salesman). In the background is Wat Pho!

While above-ground, we also spotted a Thai Bus Food Tour. Although I'm not sure dining and stop-and-go Bangkok traffic are well-suited.

Fourth and final station underground is Itsaraphap -- which is fairly timid compared to the previous 3.

This is the first underground station on the Thonburi side of the river.

It features several brightly-lit golden swans, as a tribute to nearby Wat Hongrattanaram (which has ‘swan’ in its name).

Finally, we arrive at the last new station -- above-ground. You can see the blue-line loop coming perpendicular down to meet it, too..

Tha Pra station...

... was the least-finished of the 5 new stations.

This gives you a sense for how many people came out to see the stations!

And back we go; finally able to get a seat!

And for dinner, we're trying our rice cooker's "crispy rice" mode.

Yes! It works! This alone made the fancy new rice cooker worth the price!

A Japanese-inspired dinner.

Bangkok Week 578

July 25, 2019

Many new things this week: BNK48; fancy rice cooker; demolition of the Dusit Thani; ordering via Food Panda; new IDs!

Finally scratching the dosa itch by spending Friday night at Dosa King.

On Saturday, we attended a posh wedding, which featured the most popular Thai pop band!

Admittedly, I was more beachy than wedding-y. But only so many options!

Got to snap a pic with my buddy Snoopy though!

Excited to see what our new rice cooker is capable of.

Very important: the "new" Bangkok rail network, posted in the MRT network already. It features all the lines that are open, or going to open soon. See next pic for details.

There are several new openings we have to look forward to, this year alone!

The time has come!

The famed Dusit Thani is coming down.

They claim something bigger and better will replace it. Let's see.

Wednesday night dinner chez nous, with Simon.

Yay! On Thursday, I got my yellow house registry and pink ID card. Good for anything? Only time will tell!

Whoops! Didn't *quite* beat the rain home!

Bangkok Week 577

July 18, 2019

Another short week in Bangkok.

Part 2 of "How to survive your first weeks as a parent"

Today, we learn how to keep the baby clean.

Lucky Rohan's getting a boxed set of Bangkok Taxis for his birthday!!

After 11 years, our reliable Sharp rice cooker bit the dust. Here's our fancy new Toshiba one.

Testing the IKEA toy chest as possible stool for our entryway. A bit too big.

Bangkok Week 576

July 11, 2019

A week around town.

The most densely-packed commuter vehicle in Bangkok.

Celebrating Friday night at Hummus Boutique.

Assembling our newest piece of furniture.

Ready to host (small) guests!

Childbirth class 1 of 2 at the hospital on Saturday morning.

A sneak peak onto our roof, when the contractors were here to patch some small leaks.

Going to have to look for new gym shirts soon!

Trying out the new yoga ball - but won't be using it there again (where it sticks to the floor)!

Bangkok Week 575

July 4, 2019

In this week’s episode of Crazy Cat People, we feature the 5 felines of Nongsamed.

The kittens are 3-4 months old now... but still enjoying mum's milk.

They are getting more tolerant of / comfortable with humans.

Here in Trat, we sell kittens by the basketful. How many baskets would you like?

Not sure about this crazy lady.

Big-eyed and big-eared still.

That doesn't look like a very comfortable way to lie.

Family portrait.

Petch: helping with the dishes.

Petch: guarding the cooler.

Ploy: enjoying the comfortable water shelf.

And then there's good ol' Ngoen, who's on his second life after being hit by a car. Still likes laps.

Tong: thinks he's a dog. (And he's gotten a lot fatter, too.)

Let's not forget that these two are still pretty young themselves!

Wednesday night dinner guests from Singapore!

When I can wear regular clothes again, this avocado skirt will be top of my shopping list!