Bangkok Week 672

May 13, 2021

Our self-imposed lockdown continues; and Arlo wishes Granny a Happy Mother’s Day!

Celebrating Friday night with some delicious NY-style pizza!

Arlo hits the weekend running: let's do some puzzles!

Giving Bella all his affection.

"Ahem! Attention!"

Playing the Christmas Carol in Pookie's Christmas.

Mid-day walk around the neighborhood: it's the only time we can avoid the neighbors!

Weekly vegetable delivery is here! 1 kilo of okra, all for Arlo.

Delivery boy on his skateboard.

Big stash of diapers just arrived too (bought during the 5.5 sale). Arlo likes the box!

Uh oh! His face says it all; you can guess what happens next!

Whack!

Reading Ug and eating a banana with Dad: this is the ideal Saturday.

Having what seems to be a serious chat on top of the box of diapers.

Happy Mother's Day, Granny!

Happily munching on a banana chip. (Not a rocket ship, for the record.)

Looking even more like a monkey than usual.

Who's hiding in the tunnel?!

Arlo's hiding in the tunnel!

Enjoying the early-evening breeze with Dad.

Watching P'Noi cut up a mango. Arlo can't wait.

The entrance to our Moo Baan has been tidied up a bit.

Proud of himself for doing all four puzzles.

Look! Mum and Arlo each got a package from Granny!

And we got matching t-shirts!

Trying on all his new outfits (over his current one).

Who needs a shirt anyway?

Arlo asked to wear his flip-flops from K. Wan. That lasted about 30 floppy seconds.

What's Dad having for lunch? And can Arlo pleeeease have some, too?

The big boy still needs to take some thumb-sucking breaks.

Inspecting his trailer.

Bella has resorted to new heights because there is a giant fan on her usual spot.

Arlo's favorite form of entertainment.

Helping fold the laundry, and trying on one of Mum's shirts. Not a fan of dress-up yet.

Bella patiently waits while the adults eat dinner. See you next week!

Bangkok Week 671

May 6, 2021

Arlo is still fighting his Roseola; and it’s a 4-day quarantine weekend to boot. Good thing we have the train track expansion pack now!

Dressed for success! A onesie to stay cool, and socks for good measure.

Trying to catch some Zzz's... unsuccessfully.

Best Saturday morning entertainment.

The excited engineer and his latest achievement.

Arlo is not as impressed.

Close-up of the detail in the final stretches of the loop.

Teaching Arlo how to be an effective contributor to the household chores.

Ordered some paint brushes: will Arlo enjoy painting more this way?

His face says it all.

Ick, it's still sticky and wet.

Making a valiant effort anyway.

Watching Dad unpack the groceries. Who needs a learning tower?

The great figure-8.

Again, Arlo is less than impressed.

Sunday morning: Arlo is feeling a lot better today! Trying a few reading position.

Solving a great mystery with Dad: where's Heidi?

Modeling pose.

Mum's latest project for Arlo: the budget bus! This is the first time Mum is painting in ~20 years!

No afternoon would be complete without some ice cream!

Demonstrating how craaa-zzzy chocolate ice cream makes him.

Mmm-mmm. Delish!

Wefies with Mum. Practically twins.

Sporting a really nice man bun; Arlo can pull it off.

Going out for a walk for the first time in almost a month: when it's too hot for all the neighbors to be out.

However, that also means we have to back down the street when the sun is out.

Strengthening his ballet muscles.

Arlo: The Intimidator.

Freshly-made bolognese for dinner: Mum's only dish.

Almost finished!

The finished product.

The next morning: verdict is...

... neutral!

Missing his friend Sally!

Baby Arlo is feeling under-the-weather thanks to the rash. Asleep in Dad's arms by 11:30.

The monkey: just trying to "sit with Bella".

A great vantage point from which to watch the rain.

The concentric circles with elevated u-turn!

"Smile, Arlo." Result.

Arlo enjoys lying around with Bella.

But does Bella enjoy it in return?

Counting Bella's nipples.

Lying on Arlo's keys. Bella is wondering how it has come to this?

Not sure he wants to be outside right now. It's hot.

The famous switch-back railway (on flat ground).

Tuesday morning, Arlo finally seems to be feeling like his usual self. Time to do some shopping!

Bella's demonstrating her secret signal for 'help'.

That big smile can only mean one thing: tractor photos on the phone.

Getting inventive: playing with the Ikea laundry octopus.

Speaking of inventive, Arlo shows off his new hat...

... which you may know better as his potty.

The giant Godbella blocks the switch-back railway. Oh no!

Patented toddler face massage for Mum.

Arlo wants mum to buy this ball!

Sitting at the big-boy table eating tomatoes and papaya.

Wefie again!

Kiss-kiss.

At long last, K. Noi is back! Arlo is showing her how he can eat at the big boy table now.

Saying good night from the balcony.

Bella has learned that there are great views from up here.

Quite happy to have found this spot.

Arlo and Dad are plane-spotting; Bella is seeing if there's anything edible in Dad's ear.

Pre-bath conference. (It's Arlo's turn to give Bella the side-eye.)

Bella's started to spend parts of the day with Mum in her office.

Look, Mum! No hands! (Good thing we're trying this on the staircase.)

Modeling his colorful polo shirt.

Just in case you didn't get a close-enough view last time.

Hanging out with Mum for her evening calls, too. Night night!

Bangkok Week 670

April 29, 2021

The latest lockdown continues; Bella settles in; and all of Dad’s online purchases arrive for weeks of fun ahead!

Another week, another lockdown. Arlo wishes he could be outside playing with the other kids at the end of the day.

Instead, he's up here playing peek-a-boo with Dad!

What's with this camera anyway!?

Meanwhile, Bella waits patiently downstairs, trying to see what's going on on the balcony.

Now it's Arlo's turn to sit on the jungle bench.

Posing with Bella...

... and discussing life with Bella.

Arlo found the comfiest seat in the house.

Pandemic Saturday afternoon means... ice cream time!

Bella would like some too, thankyouverymuch.

Sharing secrets.

Finger painting time!

Arlo has found a clever way to finger paint without any of the icky mess!

Reading nursery rhymes with Bella.

Showing her all the good pages.

Highlight of Arlo's Saturday: window-washing!

Enthusiastically eating a big dinner!

A gentle kiss on the ear.

Sunday morning, enjoying a front-row seat on his potty.

Just hanging out.

Bella looks so peaceful, Arlo couldn't help but try too.

Bella. Are you sleeping well, Bella?

One last family trip to Nong Bon park, before the parks close tomorrow.

Everyone's happy to be out!

Arlo enjoys running along this track...

... despite the many distractions.

Bella resting in the water, after a spontaneous sprint along the bank.

"Arlo, smile!"

Someone can't go back inside without a bath, after that muddy escapade.

Dad's big purchase has arrived: the powered locomotive for Arlo's train set! (At least one of them is excited.)

Gymnastics with Bella.

Bella is seriously considering whether to request a transfer back to her foster home.

Look, no hands!

And practicing the piggy-back. We'll get there.

Really wishing he could be down with the big kids; nevermind the missing pants.

Another evening, another missed opportunity!

Watching all the wheels go by with Dad.

Dad's other big purchase finally arrived!

The train track expansion pack!

Wow!

The first expansion route.

Who wants a cookie!?

Bella waiting patiently for her walk.

Arlo on his potty, in the privacy of his living room.

A very cool figure-eight with elevated u-turn. (That's the technical term.)

The pre-bed "finger-in-socket" look. Hollywood fashionistas pay thousands for this 'do.

Wefie! Uniqlo should be paying us royalties!

"Smile!" she said. (Not, "show me all your teeth!")

Excited by our final Pandemic purchase: the picture encyclopedia! Wow, so much to learn!

Bangkok Week 669

April 22, 2021

The last few days of the Songkran holiday; and Bella starts to settle into her new home… if Arlo will let her!

Arlo celebrates the morning by jumping on the couch; safety oversight provided by Bella.

Checking to see how Bella slept last night.

Trying to give Bella a bath. Better luck next time.

Checking to see how Bella's nap is going; it had been going well.

Visiting Nong Bon Lake Park: the only dog-friendly public park in Bangkok.

Thanks to the shaded foot paths and water on both sides, it was a very pleasant 3pm walk.

Arlo running after Dad and Bella.

We think Arlo walked about 600 meters!

His feet can't quite move fast enough.

Everyone taking a rest and a water break before we turn around.

Look! A sail boat.

And kayaks, and sail boards...

Arlo famously directing traffic.

Practicing his modeling poses.

Breaking character; here's a smile.

Back at home, rested, and practicing our fine motor skills.

Uh oh! Here comes the monster!

Intently reading about how, someday, he'll be as big as mommy & daddy.

Dad gets Arlo on his lap, and Mum gets Bella.

Now lucky Mum gets everyone.

Bella looks like she's lived here for years.

Checking to see if Bella is sleeping.

Nice kiss on the ear for Bella.

Hug for Bella.

Maybe Bella's starting to wish she were back at her foster home!

Arlo's favorite time of the day on Saturday: window washing time!

Sunday morning: oh no! Last day of the Songkran holiday.

Learning about all the different bugs and insects in his picture dictionary.

Is Arlo ready to skateboard on his stomach?

No, let's watch Dad try first!

Bella, inserting herself in the activities.

Uh oh! Where did Arlo go?

The living room has been taken over by a little ghost!

A little ghost with a long tail!

Arlo's excited to replicate the tower from a 1-year-old photo.

Morning kiss for Bella.

The Flamingo (as Arlo calls it) is fully open now.

Bella, getting used to the jungle outside.

Dad's riding the skateboard is the funniest thing!

Just checking to make sure Bella's nap is undisturbed.

Spending the morning upstairs with Mum; this snoopy door mat is not too shabby.

Someone's getting sleepy.

Look at this photo of a duvet cover on the couch.

Arlo's having a grand time in his pool, with k. Noi.

Splash splash!

Calling a foul ball.

Smiling; the weekend is almost here!

Observing all the end-of-day traffic.

"Where did Dad go? Where did Dad go?"

"Where did Arlo go? Where did Arlo go??"

Bangkok Week 668

April 15, 2021

Welcome to a Songkran Holiday, COVID Edition, Season 2, Part 1 edition of our photos. What was meant to be a week of water parks, zoos, and other day trips turned into the adoption of Bella the Dog!

Arlo begins this week practicing his stacking skills...

...and he impresses even himself!

Spending time on the balcony, in lieu of end-of-day walks, these days.

Jackpot: this bucket has a nice big sticker on the bottom.

Exhausted, but with new car in hand, after visiting his friends Freddie and Phiebi for brunch.

Working on the sticker on the back of a book.

Reading "Just like my Daddy", complete with Apple Prop (since that's what Daddy eats in the book).

Our Heliconia ("Lobster Claw") plant is starting to bloom.

Arlo has about 30 seconds of patience for drawing.

Reading his current favorite book, about the tiny people who rescue a kitten.

Dad's eating a peanut butter sandwich; Arlo's not sure why he only has ice.

Diligently watering all the plants

Sitting cross-legged.

Playing in the pool: a great time to drink from the garden hose.

Shh, no one saw that!

Trying to catch the water, or avoid it?

More opportunity to drink.

Catch the water!

And connecting his trains: he's a pro now.

Today marks the first of the 3 official Songkran holidays.

Arlo likes his new shirt; don't you, too?

This is why we needed a wardrobe change, however.

But first, one photo with all the Songkran shirts on.

And mopping up the floor, while he's at it.

New shirt, new lease on life!

Eye on the prize.

Hug hug for the playmobile man.

Arlo and his masterpiece.

Today (Songkran + Arlo is running a fever) calls for a new taxi!

But silly Mum. Arlo can't have just one new taxi...

And having some ice cream, since that's all he would eat.

Arlo's gotten good at connecting his train tracks.

Really concentrating on driving the train.

Arlo turns 19 months today. Time to measure up!

Arlo doesn't know what's in store for him this morning.

It's a meet-and-greet with Bella.

Uh-oh! Looks like she got in the car with us!

Arlo is wondering how we ended up in this situation.

And this is how things looked by the time we got back to our house.

Bed for Bella? Arlo thinks not!

Well then, this couch will have to do.

Not quite sure about this new house yet.

Arlo's sizing up this new housemate too.

Taking a good look at her.

Meanwhile: our Heliconia continues to open up.

Arlo practices his driving skills with Dad... who can't see the road ahead because of the big hair blocking his vision.

Arlo found another sticker to work on.

Caught in the act: talking to Bella.

The next morning, just checking in with Bella to make sure everything is okay.

Yup, nose is still there.

A little morning kiss.

A little sheepish after that kiss?

Then at long last, we made it up to Phanphirom Park for a mid-morning visit.

It's a surprisingly well-maintained, surprisingly green urban park.

Other than those gardeners in the background, we were literally the only ones there. So Arlo's rightly walking around like he owns the place.

Checking out the exercise equipment.

Watcha doing over there, Dad?

Spinning this exercise wheel: the mother of all steering wheels.

Continuing his exploration.

Look at this nice, big playground.

Dad found his toy.

And Arlo found his.

Arlo even went down the slide a few times...

...including once on his own.

Taking a short rest.

Checking out the exercise equipment one last time.

Excited by all the new trees (and their droppings).

Back at home: one is Arlo's cookie, and one is Bella's. Can you tell which is which?

Reading by himself.

Bella getting to know her garden.

Using the iPad as originally intended: to view tractor photos!

Bangkok Week 667

April 8, 2021

Another busy week for Arlo, as we head into the Songkran break: last Bangkok Prep for the term, last week of swimming, and maybe other ‘lasts’ for a while too, depending on how this latest wave of COVID plays out.

Lucky Arlo is accompanied by a special guest to school today.

Reading stories with his Yaa.

Showing her how he can do arts and crafts all by himself.

Arlo's first unassisted artwork.

And getting in some quality train time.

Oh look! It's Alba!

Having lunch with Yaa and Puu before they head home.

All together now.

Oh no! Is it really time to go?

Arlo says, "see you again soon, Yaa!"

Checking out a new book of trucks, and a package Dad got in the mail.

Really eager to go on his end-of-week walk.

Arlo knows exactly where to sit!

Today is Granny's birthday! We need to make her a sign!

Happy Birthday, Granny!

Best way to spend a Saturday morning: looking at vehicles with Dad.

Ekkamai Playgroup: haven't been here in almost 6 months!

Having some quiet time to himself in the snack room.

Arlo's becoming a pro at sliding down slides.

Checking out the water play.

And participating in circle time before we leave.

Not sure if he wants to sing along...

... or just give the teacher a good stare-down.

Back at home, Arlo works away at his hammering block... with the best hammer of all: a bus.

Sunday morning, reading about they very Hungry Caterpillar's Sunday feast. How apt!

Insisting on playing outside, despite the recent rain.

The creepy heart plant is in bloom again!

And it's watching you!

Check out all the eyes at the end of the antennae.

Arlo's getting very good at imitating Mum.

That's all she does all day: sit on this chair and face forward.

This is what Sundays are for! Ice cream!

Arlo got a new set of stacking blocks. And these even come with straws to peel off!

Time for another Monday morning trip to the hospital...

... this time for a visit with the dentist! Oh no!

Back home: Arlo survived.

Poke Mum's tongue.

Reading the back of Gruffalo's Child.

Happy BirthYAY, Auntie Jasmine!

And here are (some of) the outtakes.

Dad's work friends are here to spend the holiday Tuesday with Arlo.

No doubt, he's the center of attention.

How many people can roll the tractor with Arlo?

Roll the tractor.

But wait! How many people can read a book with Arlo!?

Showing Dad's friends all his toys...

... and how he can zip through his tunnel.

Oh wait, there are even more toys over here to show off.

And the moment we've all been waiting for: pizza!

Well, Arlo sure had fun playing host this morning.

Capping off the day with a visit to everyone's favorite Decathalon.

Trying on some sandals. (They fit his narrow feet well; maybe we should have gotten them!)

Measuring up, so we know what size bike to get him.

Back at home, showing off his newfound belt.

Having a snack: delicious multi-grain bread, where Arlo picks out all the nuts and berries.

And demonstrating his new favorite pastime: sticker peeling.

Enjoying some late evening balcony time.

Watching the bikes and cars going by.

Hello!

Arlo put together the bee puzzle all by himself!! And he's very proud.

Last day of swimming for the term.

It was a nice small class.

Getting ready for a swim.

Swimming to Mum.

And helping to build a tower.

Last long swim for Arlo for a while. See you next week!

Bangkok Week 666

April 1, 2021

A busy weekend; and then lucky Arlo has another visit with his Puu and Yaa.

Arlo goes to school for cooking now!

Early exposure to Bangkok traffic.

Back at home, starting to play with his trains (on their tracks).

Waiting patiently for his bath.

Arlo's favorite Saturday morning entertainment.

Saying hi to the dog in the lobby of the Hilton, which hosted the latest BAMBI yard sale.

Arlo's excited by his yard sale steal.

Celebrating the weekend the right way: with ice cream.

"What? Who said I ate ice cream?"

Group shot.

Eagle-eyed Arlo spotted this tractor at Big C. How exciting; a tractor in the wild.

Enjoying another afternoon snack.

Highlight of the afternoon: getting sprayed by K. Wan.

It gets better every time!

And riding the bucking bronco right before bed: a good way to wind down.

Gourmet pizzas for dinner (one from France, one from Spain) and a quality Thai wine.

Arlo shows off his newest trick: tractor-sitting.

Taken with Dad's iPad.

And zooming around his roads.

Excited to be riding an escalator: almost as good as what we came here for...

... trains! taxis! busses!

What a great view. And it's all ours.

Just two boys, watching their vehicles zoom by.

If only Arlo could stay all day.

Back at home, lunch in the garden.

And more tractor-sitting.

Holding a car in one hand, and pointing at cars with the other.

And a late afternoon trip to Sansiri Backyard, to get a small taste of farm life.

It's Arlo's first time seeing chickens in real life.

They're fascinating. But not quite like the ones in the books.

A convenient place to rest.

There's also a duck pond.

Filled with giant gold fish.

This is also Arlo's first time seeing so many ducks up close.

Waving to the ducks.

Penultimate stop: the nursery.

Arlo found himself a nice new fan, and he's quite pleased with it.

Looking at the pretty flowers.

Browsing: which one to take home?

Need time to think about it: too many choices.

And last stop before heading home: ice cream!

Mum's on dinner duty tonight. More spaghetti bolognese!

After almost 18 months of waiting, we finally have Master's citizenship certificate. Hooray!

Bedtime stories.

Back at school on Tuesday.

Please note: school is only for serious kids. No fun here.

Dabbling in the water table.

One of Arlo's favorite stories right now.

Practicing his drawing...

... and enjoying a snack with friends.

The renovations at the entrance to the neighborhood are almost complete.

Doesn't it look better already?

Hanging out with, I mean on, Dad.

Dad doesn't need to see to steer, right?

Zoom zoom. Arlo's getting good at driving his trike now.

Showing how well he can brush his teeth... when he's in the mood.

Helping Mum with her work on the way to bed.

Thursday already! Arlo has quite the audience for swimming this week.

Another big class.

Arlo was really into jumping this week.

Arms up up up!

And jump!

Balancing entirely on his own in the noodle.

Highlight of the class: slide!

And swim.

Stopping at Donki on the way home. Arlo couldn't help but ride the escalator.

A few times.

Hanging out with his Puu and Yaa.

Lunch time!

Just chilling.

Arlo enjoys having his grandparents around.

See you next week! Arlo will be here, reading his car books.

Bangkok Week 665

March 25, 2021

Arlo meets up with Sally after many months; and gets to go to swimming TWICE this week!

The best way to start the week: Tractor photos!

Dad's Friday afternoon project.

Arlo seems disappointed that we're on the verge of the weekend.

Saturday morning shopping at Max Value. Arlo is thrilled.

Picking out the cheese he wants.

Reading Hop on Pop.

What a sweet book.

The boys, riding up to Sally's apartment.

Sally kindly lent Arlo her highchair.

Arlo takes a close look at Sally's snack.

Inspecting each other's snacks.

Sally takes a bite of the star fruit...

... and then kindly offers Arlo a bite, too.

In exchange, Arlo shoves a carrot into Sally's eye.

Next up, time for some fun in the pool!

Kindly offering Arlo one of her toys.

Catching the water fountain.

This is fun! Much more fun than at our house.

Partners in crime.

Then we celebrated no-pants Sunday. Arlo's thrilled.

Wefie.

Arlo practices his bubble-blowing skills.

Uh oh! One bubble!

Wrestling.

Something outside is really funny.

And celebrating the weekend with some ice cream.

At the park, the playgrounds are open again! Arlo's getting comfortable on the slide now.

And this springy thing is... well, novel.

Arlo would much rather chase the pigeons, though.

So many pigeons.

Zoom zoom. An Arlo action shot.

The boys, resting.

And soaking up some water fountains before heading back.

This is a special week: Arlo gets to go to swimming twice!

He can't believe his luck! Swimming on a Monday.

Surfing through the waterfall.

And kick-kick-kicking with teacher James.

It was a nice small group.

Back at home, striking some modeling poses.

Looks natural.

Uh oh! The tunnel swallowed Mum.

Arlo's solution: chuck all the toys into the tunnel then.

Some early morning books with Mum on Tuesday.

And a quick wefie.

Then Arlo was back to school with K. Noi.

Playing with all the toys Arlo doesn't have at home.

Look at this: almost a perfect family portrait.

And just like that, it's time for another swimming lesson!

Lots of jumping into the water for Arlo today.

And Arlo's normal swimming friends.

Look, no hands!

Arlo was fascinated by the drip coming down from the slide.

Walking on water!

And for his good swimming lesson, Arlo gets a rocket cookie.

Savoring his cookie.

We close this week with a breaking update: renovation on the entrance to our Moo Baan has started!

Bangkok Week 664

March 18, 2021

Master Arlo turns 1 1/2 years old this week! And what a busy week it was!

Back at the Bangkok Prep Playgroup: Arlo is thrilled.

Snack time: is Arlo getting all the attention because he brought his own cheese stick?

Tuckered out from school, but practicing his soccer moves at home.

Helping Dad with an afternoon construction project.

Sitting in the middle of the tracks: where the fun is at.

Arlo, speed-reading his book before bed.

On Saturday morning, Arlo and Mum head off to a playgroup (by Grab) while Dad is at work.

Arlo is thrilled to be at this playgroup.

Wondering if there's anything more exciting in this house.

A nice spacious house; but no wheels.

Splashing around in the water table.

The toy all the way on the other side is better.

Maybe this car is more fun?

Well, it does have a nice steering wheel.

Snack break.

One last spin of this steering wheel.

Heading back down the way we came up.

Later that day, Arlo hosted 2 of Mum's colleagues from the Philippines, here for a few months.

Practicing his balance.

Look what Dad brought back for Arlo after his long day at work! (It was a gift from a colleague.)

Arlo turns 1 1/2 years old today! Time for the monthly measure-up.

No better way to celebrate than a shopping cart ride at Big C.

Celebrating Arlo's half-birthday with leftover cake.

Someone can't wait.

One of Arlo's new favorite activities: escalator-riding. He's thrilled; can't you tell?

The playgrounds in the park are open again!

But Arlo the Explorer prefers the wilds of the grass and trees.

Time to go home already!?

Monday morning, Arlo enjoys this play house... but he has a feeling something's amiss.

His hunch is right! He's here for 2 shots and a blood test. Oh no!

Well, this train is a bit of consolation.

Back at school on Tuesday morning.

This is a pretty nifty ball toy!

Playing at the popular water table.

Snack time: these look delish.

Back at home, Arlo's maxed out his socialization credits for the day, and would rather hang out under the couch.

Arlo guilts Mum into giving him a new taxi, after all the trauma of yesterday.

Wednesday-morning: neighbor-spotting.

And back at school for another playgroup.

Taking stock, and wondering what to do next.

A bit of two-handed drawing seems fun.

Arlo? Or the Great Baby Samurai of Ekkamai?

Arlo was ant-spotting, and his subject disappeared under the couch.

Arlo's thrilled to be back at swimming, despite a bit of a runny nose.

Let's get this class started, eh guys?

Warming up with the noodle...

... and then trying to balance on our own.

Look! Arlo's doing all the work!

Standing on his favorite side-table.

Arlo: King of the Neighborhood.

Someone insisted on getting out of his stroller and sitting next to Mum.

Trying to take some nice family wefies.

Arlo shows off his best smile.

Arlo will personally see you next week. See you real close.

Bangkok Week 663

March 11, 2021

Another busy week for Arlo: he starts going to “school”, meets another Arlo, and has lots of fun swimming, of course!

Arlo says bye-bye to his Puu and Yaa, who are heading home to Trat.

And then it's off to school for Arlo.

So many new cars to ride...

... and people to meet.

Playing at the water table.

And making a phone call. (How does Arlo know this is a phone?)

Snack time! French toast and fruit.

And Arlo's first arts & crafts creation. (It's since been destroyed.)

Pooped after a long morning at school.

Enjoying bed time stories with Dad.

Chatting with Granny and Grandpa on Saturday morning.

Learning to smile for the camera.

Driving with his new steering wheel.

At the Adopt-a-Puppy Cafe: meeting little puppy Arlo!

Arlo's not interested in Arlo.

One last chance to talk to Arlo; but Arlo's distracted. Too many people at this cafe!

Next stop: riding an escalator at Emporium. One of Arlo's new favorite activities!

And train-spotting (from far, far away).

Checking out all the manga at Kinokuniya. So many colors!

And patiently hanging out while mum uses the bathroom.

A quick stop at the park, to chase birds, and read Arlo's new book.

The wildlife explorers, returning to their base.

This is Arlo, "riding a horse".

And hiding in the bushes.

Watching an enthralling game of volleyball.

Saturday special: fresh Indian food!

Quick morning pop-over to Conkey's, to pick up brekkie and some treats for the afternoon.

Enjoying his freshly baked croissant.

Trying on his flip-flops. Not yet satisfied... but we'll get there.

Another attempt at finger painting.

This picture is deceiving; subject in the mirror is not as happy as he may appear.

Maybe the blue bottle is less sticky than this paint.

Ugh. Look at this stuff all over my hands.

Now look. My hands are all red.

Much better: clean, dry story time with Dad.

Well, we're on a topless roll now. Let's have some lunch, too.

Enjoying the water fountains.

Monday morning bird-spotting.

Arlo and his favorite tractor.

The season's early rains are upon us!

Arlo's taken an interest in helmets.

This helmet is fun!

Wefie!

Stars and socks: Arlo's very serious about his evening outfit.

Hanging out with Lion, waiting for bed time.

Reading books with Puu.

Off to swimming!

Excited to be back.

So excited, he can't sit down.

Concentrating on the ball.

Having fun with the noodle...

... and balancing all on his own.

Good dive, Arlo!

Coloring with Puu.

And eating a giant ice cube for lunch.

Nothing to see here; just a very soggy boy and his ice cube!

Wardrobe change; and now time for some exercise.

Practicing balancing sitting on his volley ball.

Oh boy! Fresh butter cake from Dad's friend.

This is Arlo's excited face.

I'll try that!

And the grass is always greener! Enjoy!

Bangkok Week 662

March 4, 2021

We all enjoyed a 3-day weekend, and lucky Arlo enjoyed another visit from his Puu and Yaa.

We start this long-weekend with good-byes to Puu and Yaa, who are heading back to Trat. They'll be back soon!

Arlo tries his hardest to see what's happening on the other side of the fence.

Goofy smile!

Morning amusement in the office.

Riding the train! Arlo gets to ride the train! How fun.

Visiting the newly-opened Bumpsy Daisy, owned by Midwife Emma.

There were so many new toys, and Arlo was the only kid!

Test-driving some of the new cars around town.

An eye-level parking garage.

The cafe is designed so parents can sit, and keep an eye on their kids.

The barista took us on a tour to the second floor (which is reserved for the littlest babies).

Nevertheless, Arlo enjoyed himself thoroughly with the soft mats and low mirrors.

Riding home again after a fun afternoon out.

Just winding down with some tractors.

Saturday morning: prime time entertainment.

And then a trip to IKEA, before it gets too crowded. Arlo knows which chair is meant for him!

Reading the display book - it's a new one for Arlo.

Sitting down for a pizza break.

Fast-casual dining with a shark.

Elsewhere in IKEA: the display "laptops" have been updated to reflect the new reality.

Stopping to wash up after that pizza.

Arlo makes himself at home on a surface he rightly identified as "nice and soft".

Uh oh. There's no leaving until after nap time now.

This two-faced lion cushion is a hit.

And stopping for a quick treat before heading home: only 1 day left until Mum's Baskin Robbins voucher expires!

Pooped! What a trip!

Someone really wanted to wear Dad's belt: and here it is. Voila!

Helping Mum try her new pillow: our one IKEA purchase.

Blown away by his own art skils.

Wowzers!

Wishing he could be outside with K. Wan.

Sunday morning: Dad proudly photographs his masterpiece.

Lucky Arlo has a morning visit from his friends P'Quinn and P'Rohan.

Storytime: everyone wants to hear about the earthworms.

So good, Quinn pulls up to hear how it ends.

Arlo's latest entertainment (when the washing machine's not running): ice!

It's smooth on the lips, too.

Going out to check out this "Specialty Coffee" coffee truck while it's still in the neighborhood.

Pricey, but good to know what "great" tastes like here in Bangkok.

Repotting Arlo's two surviving lime plants.

Arlo's Yaa says they need big pots and daily water.

Arlo approves of the workmanship.

"Huh? Me?"

Resting and recharging on Dad.

Whatcha lookin' at, Lady?

Arlo wanted to wear a helmet; this is the only one we've got.

On second thought...

... maybe there are better kinds of hats.

Kiss kiss for Dino.

And kiss kiss back for Arlo!

Sunday night dinner: oven-fresh leftover pizza.

Good Monday morning!

Food tastes better when there's a big foot nearby to help.

It's splash time!

What a great way to spend an afternoon.

Lucky Arlo! Look what K. Noi brought him!

Thrilled by his new bus!

Time for some music!

Highlight of the music class: these fountains outside the hotel.

Only Mum and Arlo on the walk tonight.

Arlo has a special guest with him at swimming this week.

Someone's ready for his lesson.

Let's go, let's go!

Not really into this board, but he'll give it a try anyway.

Can't quite get that ring on top of Mum's head.

The moment Arlo's been waiting all week for: Hungry Hungry Firetruck!

And the post-slide swim.

That was fun!

Totally tuckered out after his swim.

Playing with his Yaa.

And shaking hands with Puu.

Goofy Arlo, making everyone laugh.

Three generations saying, "see you next week!"

Bangkok Week 661

February 25, 2021

Playgroup, a visit to the park, dance, swimming, and a visit from his Puu and Yaa to boot! What a fun, busy week!

More spam mailers from the bank? Arlo is disgusted, too.

Saturday morning playgroup in Nana.

Arlo goes straight for the trike.

Enjoying the view from his car.

Vroom vroom!

Arlo goes even faster with an external power source.

Poking through his windshield to point out the other cars.

The water table is fun, too. But not as fun as the cars.

And meh: this play house is passable.

Sunday hairstyle courtesy of Dad!

Arlo's pretty pleased with his 'do.

Matching hair!

Getting our creative juices flowing.

Look at these convincing hippies, enjoying their fair.

Park time!

Everyone's thrilled to be out of the house.

Arlo's brand new toy.

Uh oh! Taxi in the snack box.

Stopping to smell the flowers? Or pick the flowers?

Nothing to see here!

Turtle-spotting with Dad.

Arlo is very unsure about what he sees.

Enthralled by the volleyball games.

And skateboards are pretty cool, too.

Look who's here! Just in time for lunch.

Arlo takes his Yaa with him on a walk.

Introducing Yaa to Dino.

Tuesday dance class with Alba: long time no see!

What a special ball! Smells like pomelo.

Doesn't taste very good, though.

Of course, we have to try it on for size!

Having fun with Yaa.

Meanwhile: Dad the TV star is hard at work in the recording studio all day.

Winding down with Dad at the end of a busy day.

Thursday already! Time for some swimming!

Saying hello to all our friends.

Ooh! So many fish to rescue.

So many balls! Which one to go for?

Practicing his kicks.

Everyone's interested in the same toy.

Swimming through a waterfall. How wonderful!

And crawling through all the obstacles - go Arlo!

Playing with ice: another new fave.

Yep, this is pretty cold!

Warming up in the sun. See you next week!

Bangkok Week 660

February 18, 2021

Arlo turns 17 months this week! And we enjoy a long weekend, to boot.

It's the start of a long weekend; this calls for some tractor photos!

Sitting with Lion for a morning chat. And wearing a matching shirt, to boot.

Wefie.

Short trip over to Big C; taxi-spotting while Dad goes to the bank.

And vroom-vroom-vrooming around the grocery store.

Who's been imported around here?

Back at home, time to unbox Mum's new work phone.

Oooh and aaah.

Arlo takes himself for a walk around the block this evening; forget the stroller!

Trying a new veggie burger for dinner. Smell while cooking was differentiated, but taste was not.

Trying out the new phone's portrait mode. Looking handsome.

Off on a little Saturday morning excursion.

It's still Christmas at Gateway Ekkamai.

Woah! Escalator.

Arlo's very pleased with his newest toy.

Doesn't hurt to have a quick spin at the seat of the race car while we're here.

Go horse, go!

So many trucks!

Hey, the new phone's selfie mode is pretty good!

Checking out that cute boy in the phone.

Late afternoon at the park.

Playing on a cobblestone area, so his tractor can roll.

Portrait mode.

Looks like a pose... but he's really eating some part of a tree he found on the ground.

The windswept look.

Just realxing.

Coming back with Dad after doing a huge lap around the park.

Just coming back to rehydrate.

What's that crazy man doing?

More water!

Rolling around, and not wanting to leave.

February 14th: Happy Valentine's Day. Arlo turns 17 months today, and is here to measure up.

Dropping men down the tube. Fun for Arlo; not for them.

Mum's finally able to create her masterpiece in peace! But Arlo's eye is on the prize.

Mum's sculpture in pieces, Arlo pretends that nothing is amiss.

An impromptu visit to Habito, a residential development and mall a 10-min drive from our place.

They have a unique playground area in the mall.

Everyone sitting, as Arlo would say.

They're also home to the Bangkok Prep secondary campus.

And a giant ecological park and plant nursery.

They have rice fields, tomato greenhouses, duck ponds...

... and this melon greenhouse.

Arlo is underwhelmed, but we think it's interesting.

Most interesting is the plant store, which is very reasonably priced for Bangkok!

We may even be back for some cacti in the near future.

Resting up at a natural food store before heading home.

Arlo is at home at the bar.

Enjoying the peanut butter smoothie.

Tuesday music is back! And this time, it's in the Grand Ballroom of the hotel.

Waiting patiently for Music to start.

Arlo enjoyed it; didn't seem to mind the large room either.

It's just Mum and Arlo for the walk tonight; where's Dad?

On our way to Thursday swimming; Arlo's hair is ready.

Arlo can't wait for his class to start.

So many things going on: balls, noodles...

Covering some good distance on his own.

"Waterfall! Waterfall!"

Enjoying jumping off the platform and swimming back.

Mum, there's a turtle on your head!

Slide time...

... and a long underwater swim!

And cleaning his Puu's watch with a tissue, to wrap up the week.

Bangkok Week 659

February 11, 2021

This week, we explore the science center down the street: a fun and inexpensive place to hang out. And Arlo’s artistic side finally starts to make an appearance.

We start this weekend with a trip to the Science Center and Planetarium right at the base of Ekkamai.

Arlo spots the A-Airplane right away.

This small one is pretty cool too; looks just like his Playmobile one.

Up close with a big wheel.

Getting a close-up look at Thailand.

Heading up the main exhibit building; it has great views of the main science center property, the BTS, and Gateway Ekkamai.

Train-spotting from the stairwell.

What we came for: the kids' exploration area. There's a carriage in the entrance.

Arlo's not daring enough to try the slide, but he's fine to try and climb it.

Watching foam balls dance around.

Crossing a bridge over a "river".

And visiting the grocery store.

Picking out some bread.

Arlo's on a shopping spree!

Quick trip through a maze.

And exploring the playground.

Taking stock of the environs.

Action shot.

Snack break with Dad, before heading out.

Quick stop in the exhibit about bees...

...and also to see the dinosaurs.

Then, Arlo spent the afternoon sweeping outside.

Time to rest and recharge.

Saturday evening greetings for Dino.

Best buds in the making.

Pizza night! There was a great promotion on at Soho Pizza over in Thonglor.

Sunday morning: time for a weigh-in. (The scale is always fun.)

Arlo's learning to smile for the camera.

Finally, he's figured out how to use crayons! It's the first time he didn't just bite off the tips.

Using all the colors.

Getting artistic inspiration from Dad's hair.

Arlo's finally interested in the D-Digger we got him months ago.

On the floor to get a close-up look.

Arlo's the watchman while Dad completes his secret transactions.

Evening wrestling.

Dino!!! Here comes Dino!

Hi hi, Dino!

Ooh! Another lift-the-flap book!

And lifting the flaps, too.

Smiling for the camera; I think he's got the hang of this now.

Cheese!

Bedtime stories happen downstairs now, before we even go up to bed.

Waiting for his Grab, to take him on a playdate.

Another friend with a head of curly hair!

Arlo's girlfriend Quinn gave him this thoughtful new years' gift. Arlo approves.

And it's swimming Thursday again!

The class is much more full this week: 7 families.

Arlo's very interested in balls today.

See how long his hair really is!?

Swimming is fun!

And enjoying the end-of-class slide.

As if swimming wasn't enough: at home, and going for a bike ride.

Sitting on his throne and having a story ready to him: lucky Arlo.

Oh! Mum's new work phone has arrived!

We end this week just as we began: with a lift-the-flap book. See you next week!

Bangkok Week 658

February 4, 2021

This week’s highlight: Arlo’s swimming class resumes! Followed closely by a yellow umbrella.

Arlo gets to spend Friday morning with his lady friends again.

But he has to learn how to share.

A spontaneous pop into Greyhound to redeem Dad's free birthday cake voucher before the month is over.

And they reminded us that we could get a free salad too. So here we are for lunch #2, unexpectedly.

Chillin' like a villain, while Dad reads to Arlo.

Arlo discovers the iPad camera on Saturday morning.

CHEESE!

Learning how to connect the magnetic trains.

What happened to Arlo? Dad's entertaining himself with large duplo cargoloads.

A quick trip over to the veggie store: Arlo's favorite place to run!

Stopping to count the yellow flowers.

And doing some taxi-spotting on the way home.

Talking about the Quiet Old Lady Whispering Hush over lunch.

Dinner time! Tibet again. It was delish as usual, but oh-so-late to arrive.

Arlo's favorite breakfast: fresh toes of the baby.

Wishing he could go outside.

Showing his Yaa how to ride a bike.

Trying out a new entertainment trick: chair at the island.

The boys tackle a snap pea while Mum makes lunch.

Rehearsing for his dance number to "Singin' in the Rain".

Umbrellas are great fun!

Wow, the umbrella can even spin!

Let's spin it together!

The air is slightly better now, so a quick pop over to our neighborhood "park": Conkey's yard.

Waiting for our treat to arrive.

Dad, I saw some tables in the grass. Can we sit at those instead?

Relocated to an Arlo-friendly table.

Poking the Lamington.

And doing some gardening.

Over the moon by the giant stone he found; a paleontologist in the making.

Wondering why his hands are so dirty.

Dad is so kind as to help Arlo poke that floating ball.

Do we have to leave already?

Making spaghetti bolognese for dinner...

The final product.

End of day walk; everyone is thrilled.

Arlo is practicing his tough-boy posture.

But his excitement for the fountains gives him away.

Some pre-bedtime stories.

Trying on his new bathing suit, in preparation for going back-to-(swim)-school.

Waiting patiently before his class begins; can't quite figure out this Bumbo seat though...

All suited up and ready to go.

Arlo's a bit cautious; it's been almost 2 months since he was last in this pool.

Persuaded in by all the toys floating in the water.

Okay, I think we can do this.

It was a small class; only 4 families. Hopefully it stays that way!

Working up the courage to jump in.

Finally. Happy to go under water.

And even happier to swim through the fountain.

Arlo seems to have collected all the blocks during the activity. And he's quite pleased.

Watching P'Noi prepare dinner.

And waiting for Dad to come back from the garbage cans before resuming our evening walk.

Dino!!! Hi, Dino!

Look! DIno has toes too!

Dino, that tickles!

Bye bye, Dino! See you tomorrow!

Lucky Arlo, also gets to peek into Mochi's stroller. What an exciting walk.

And rounding off the week with some vehicle flash cards. See you next time!

Bangkok Week 657

January 28, 2021

This weekend is filled with more indoor adventures. And we celebrate Dad’s birthday! Happy Birthday, Dad!

Good morning! It's Friday!

This is Arlo, smiling for the camera. Just charming.

Wait, that wasn't a smile?

Not sure he believes his eyes...

... the fountains are back on!! Woo hoo!

Using all his concentration on his lift-the-flap book.

Arlo found a new toy hiding in the office: a set of 2-piece puzzles.

Back to Gateway Ekkamai's arcade space to entertain ourselves this morning.

This is called the "New York Taxi Driver" pose.

Arlo still loves this police car.

Trying out the horses this week, too.

This horse rocks even less than Arlo's moose! Lame.

The submarine is more fun: at least it has a steering wheel.

Arlo's version of whack-a-mole: pull up the moles with your fingers.

Back to the police car, where Arlo has found his optimal driving position

Back home: veggie burgers for lunch while Arlo sleeps.

But hey: Arlo's lunch doesn't look half bad either.

Saturday afternoon studies with dad.

Train selfie.

Doppelgangers.

Entertaining himself.

And another quick pop over to the veggie store so Arlo can stretch his legs.

Waiting patiently for Dad to pay.

Shall we go back out now, guys?

Run run run! Such a nice big lot.

Dinner time! All eyes on Arlo!

And a Saturday evening chat with Dino.

Our monthly Indian splurge.

Arlo's up early and playing with his wonderful new toy!

Getting a real good look at those double-wheels.

Today's morning activity: vehicle-spotting from the Amarin Plaza food court.

Wow! Trains, cars, buses, taxis!

Arlo can't believe his eyes.

Woah! Look, Dad!

A big blue bus!

And another train!

Pulling up a chair.

Arlo can't peel his eyes away.

Until... he can't help it anymore! I guess we'd better get going.

Lunch time for the busy boy.

Dad's trying to nap, and Arlo will have none of it.

What a funny book.

The air is "good" enough to sit outside for a few minutes.

Watching my boys from the comfort of the living room.

Okay, a few minutes of sun.

Lucky Arlo had a visit from Kate, too.

Monday swimming lessons!

Whose big tummy is that!?

Plane spotting with Dad. Arlo is not impressed.

Arlo meets up with Sally and Mia for the first time this year.

Arlo's got to get more socialization under his belt.

Happy to be home again, in the quiet comfort of his own home.

Listing to P'Noi's dramatic story over dinner. Gripping!

Another day, another splash in the pool.

What's all the ruckus down there?

Practicing his crab walk.

Story break!

More afternoon pool time.

This time, even the tractor came in.

Arlo's favorite place to sit and hang out.

What's this? A blizzard cake? Happy birthday, Dad!

Arlo certainly enjoyed it.

Can it be your birthday everyday, Dad?

Please!?!?!

Arlo's proud of his birthday present for Dad.

Happy birthday, Dad. And see you all next week!

Bangkok Week 656

January 21, 2021

The air is bad, and COVID regulations are still in effect. So our activities are limited. But Arlo still had fun!

It's Friday! Arlo and Dad are thrilled.

Arlo helps himself to Friday night Cheerios.

Time for bed!

Starting the weekend right: with tractor photos!

Oh boy, oh boy!

Tractors!!!

Checking on his own tractor.

Special Saturday activity (on a bad-air, COVID morning): run around an empty Gateway Ekkamai.

Harborland is still closed!

But this arcade area is "open" to the public.

Arlo seems to be a natural driver.

Speeding away with a passenger in the rear.

Dainty on the steering wheel.

I'm loving this police car, guys!!

This one's the perfect size for Arlo.

Pooped by the time we get back to the car.

Trying on his new socks. It's the only pair he has that fits him!

Wondering what's on his feet.

Sporting his new 'do at lunch.

Practicing his fork skills. Getting there.

Arlo spies everyone!

Oh no! The plum pie is gone!

Watching K. Wan longingly, and wanting to go outside.

Arlo doesn't understand what "bad air" means.

Really, really wishing he could go out to play.

Inside with Dad it is.

Tibet food!? It must be Saturday night.

Reading Arlo's favorite book (de la semaine): Newton's Law!

Arlo temporarily forgets that books are not for standing on.

Time for another trip to a well-ventilated, spacious indoor venue.

Decathalon!

Arlo is here to pick out a new ball for himself.

Decisions, decisions!

We continue our veggie burger exploration: these patties are made by a vegan shop not far from us... and cooked at home!

Arlo's pleasantly surprised to find a nice new ball waiting for him after his nap.

But this box never gets old.

Squash face.

"Hat."

Talking to his Yaa.

And practicing on his rocking moose. Still hasn't figured out the right rocking frequecy.

Sunday afternoon trip to the veggie store.

Uh oh! An obstacle. A story in four parts.

Squeezing all the pumpkins.

Waiting patiently while dad pays.

Okay, ready to go now!

The veggie store is great for running around!

Arlo could play here all afternoon!

Delish! The fresh tomatoes we just bought. Can eat 'em like fruit!

Arlo practices his pirouettes on Monday morning.

Monday!!

The boys are excited: their new toy has just arrived.

A new air filter that's perfect for Arlo's height.

And the foam padding is pretty great, too.

Hello, camera!

Looking cute.

Arlo meets the newest kid on the block: Dino!

Hi, Dino! Welcome to the neighborhood!

And Arlo models one of his new outfits.

The best toys are... the packaging.

Hi again, Dino! Are you settling in well?

Oh hey! There's a tuk-tuk parked in front of our house. That's novel.

Arlo sits patiently with his friends, waiting for bed time.

Moon!

If he can't visit Trat, he can at least look at photos of his Yaa and Puu.

Good night, Dino! Have a good sleep! See you next week.

Bangkok Week 655

January 14, 2021

Arlo turns 16 months this week! And we check out two new parks while the weather is still decent.

Hello and good morning! First order of business: trying on his new Vans.

Pajamas and tiny Vans: what a look!

Pretty pleased with his new shoes. And soon, he'll grow into them.

Arlo, what happened to your pants?

Arlo's present from Dianne, Ravi & Alex: Lion!!

Kisses for Lion! Welcome to our home, Lion.

Special Friday lunch: a veggie burger from Burger King. How gourmet.

Noticing the neighbors' flowers for the first time.

Bedtime story with Dad.

Playing with Lion the next morning. Lion, did you sleep well too?

Saturday morning exploring Lumpini Park, for a change.

This park is so big, every family can have their own big section of the park to run around in!

Hey look, a berry!

Just seeing how comfortable this curb is to sit on.

Anything good hiding in this stroller?

Running after the birds, and over the long shadows.

Woah, Dad! That car seat clip is so neat!

Getting ready for his next run.

Woah! Look at that giant truck spraying water! Let's go take a closer look!

Wow, that really does combine all of Arlo's favorite things: trucks and water fountains!

Speechless...

Come here, crow! You're so big!

And one of Granny's many friends, just for good measure.

The great (veggie) burger exploration continues, with a fried "chicken" burger from SoVegan in Gateway Ekkamai.

In the afternoon, a short visit from Arlo's friends Som-O and Maprang.

They brought Arlo these neat blocks!

And afternoon walk around the neighborhood. (Wheels!)

Enjoying his nightly tempeh.

Enjoying a (relatively) cool Sunday morning out on the balcony.

A natural model.

Striking another modeling pose.

And to try something different, we went to the park at the top of Ekkamai, at the intersection with Petchaburi Road.

It's an urban park for sure, but still lots of space to run around.

Practicing the stairs.

The park backs onto the canal; going to check out the water.

Hello, B-Boat! (The canal commuter boat, to be precise.)

B-Boat spotting.

Running around among the "trees".

Arlo's first time seeing a volley ball game so close-up.

Hit the ball!

Checking out the bright artwork. (Or, reading the COVID protocol?)

City boy.

Yay! Pizza lunch.

Post-nap story with Dad.

Reading Each Peach Pair Plum to himself.

Hug hug for Lion!

Talking to his Puu and Yaa.

Practicing his shapes again.

Just popping this blue cylinder into place.

That's fun!

Spaghetti lunch!

It's an unusually cool Tuesday morning: outdoor picnic!

Checking out the cute outfits he was sent for the New Year from one of Dad's colleagues. Lucky Arlo!

Nice and red!

Getting a close-up look at Mum in the phone.

Wait. Something's not quite right.

Let's try this again!

Arlo practices his climbing.

Ear massage for Spike!

You! Lady! I see you taking a photo!

Hey, look at that cute boy swimming in the BAMBI magazine.

Hey Mum! Are you up there?

Mid-day break to speak to Yaa.

Measuring up for his 16-month birthday!

Another care package arrived from Trat.

Stumbled upon Dad doing Youtube exercises in the bedroom.

Just enjoying the evening with my birthday boy.

Happy 16 Months, Arlo!

Oh wait, still a little baby!

Enjoying all the food from Trat for Arlo's birthday dinner. See you next week!

Bangkok Week 654

January 7, 2021

Happy 2021! Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, safe, and sane year ahead. Arlo’s is off to a busy start!

Good morning, and Happy 2021!!

Arlo's working on getting his tongue out, too.

It's off to the park: first chance of the year.

And Arlo hits the ground running: not a moment to waste when it comes to bird-chasing.

Almost got 'em.

Stopping to point at the low-hanging palm leaves.

And this bottle cap embedded in the dirt is very interesting, too.

Taking a proper seat this time.

Uh oh! Is everything okay with Dad?

Arlo brought Mum a flower: how nice.

Staring out at the urban wildlife.

Aww; someone is getting tired.

Group shot.

Nibbling a twig... Maybe that peanut butter sandwich wasn't so bad after all.

Having fun with Dad.

Lucky Arlo got a chance to check out these older boys' cars, in exchange for his tractor.

So many new cars to play with, big and small.

And a bonus on the way back: the Emporium fountain is on now!

Back at home and well-rested from his nap, Arlo is ready for the afternoon.

Talking to his Puu. And pointing him out, in fact!

And then getting ready to exercise his abs. Arlo's 2021 resolution? Abs of steel.

Kiss kiss for the giraffe.

Reading about Jack and the Flumflum tree with Dad. Dad's the best reading chair.

Walk time! First walk of the year, in fact.

Arlo's new favorite pastime: putting the clothespins in the box, and taking them back out.

Back at the park again: but today is gardening day. All the gardeners are out and the sprinklers are on!

No matter: Arlo can play with the cobblestones instead.

The park looks a little different today, Arlo thinks. This golden pyramid isn't usually here!

Arlo and Dad, in the flower maze.

The good news is that there are birds on this side of the pond, too.

Come here, bird!

Bird! I said, come here! Please?

Playing with another kid's bulldozer, in another truck swap.

Dad. You are going to give me some of your ice cream, right?

Arlo makes chocolate ice cream look so decadent!

Yay! Dad's watering the plants! This is the best!

"I am so good at helping Dad water the plants..."

Sunday morning: it's pancakes for breakfast!

The boys eat up!

Then Arlo tries out his crayons again. Nope, he'd still rather eat them.

Considering putting a new shirt on after spilling coffee all over his other one... but deciding against it.

Time for a hose-down!

Just a tiny little bum in the garden, being watered so he'll grow nice and tall.

Resting up after his water play.

A foot from everyone!

Lunch time!

Two hands are good for eating lunch...

... but four hands are even better!

HONK!

Going for a walk in Ekkamai 14 (the Soi behind our house) to see what's going on.

The banana and papaya farm immediately behind our house is looking healthy.

But the Singapore International School has closed, and something else is being constructed!

Arlo can't help but stop and investigate each of the reflective balls embedded in the street.

Monday morning: practicing his velcro.

And browsing trucks with Dad.

Carefully studying all the different tractors.

We took off the shoulder straps so Arlo can sit up straight now...

... walks are so much more fun! Vroom vroom!

Spotted in the Big C parking lot: lucky us! Maybe they'll park in Ekkamai 12 next.

One of the highlights of Arlo's walks: when K. Noi turns on her motorcycle's lights!

Practicing his bike riding.

Hanging out in the Garden: it's Mum's last day of holiday. Boo hoo!

A close-up of the curls.

Arlo's wondering...

... if no one's going to water the plants, then can I do it?

"It's Mum!" exclaims Arlo. And back to work we go. Bye, holidays!

Bangkok Week 653

December 31, 2020

Merry Christmas, everyone! It’s Arlo’s second Christmas, and our first in Bangkok (!). A relatively low-key, but relaxed week culminating in some cool winter weather on New Years’ Eve.

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas portraits! Arlo is still not convinced.

Poking Santa's eye.

Spending Christmas Eve with his Aunties and Uncles: Jasmine, Josh, Julia, Clearley & Peter.

Getting a good, up-close look at this Great Uncle Peter.

It's just as if we were there with them!

Next up: Arlo's Granny, Grandpa, Auntie Erika, and Uncle Chad.

Looks like an exciting Christmas Eve in Toronto!

Now: down to business. How to open this train set?

Well, Mum is enjoying it anyway!

Hasn't quite figured out how to open presents.

Woah!! Monster truck PJs!

Look at all these great big wheels on these PJs!

Christmas lunch out: hamburgers!!

Checking to make sure he didn't miss anything in this gift bag.

Nope! All empty, guys!

Christmas continued on Boxing Day: K. Wan brought Arlo a special present too. Flip flops!

Happy Boxing Day!

Arlo models one of his new rompers from Granny and Grandpa, after lunch necessitated a wardrobe change.

And then it's pigeon-chasing at the park!

Arlo can't believe his luck; so many birds!

There are more!

Dad bought a shaved ice snack for all to share; looks a bit sweet for Arlo! And cold!

Who looks guiltier?

Looking awfully serious for an afternoon in the park.

Smiles!

And practicing his modeling poses.

The casual peek-out-from-the-tree look.

Trying one of his new PJs tonight - they fit perfectly.

Nice and comfy!

And then Mum & Dad celebrated boxing day (get it?) with delicious Indian food.

Sunday morning, all smiles while chatting with Granny & Grandpa again.

And a quick trip to Conkey's, which has it's full picnic spread out.

And special, limited-edition holiday croissants.

But Arlo still likes the bicycle the most.

What? Do we have to leave already, Dad?

Back at home, it's bubble time! Arlo's in position.

Arlo's signature move: the Bubble Bite (TM).

He warms up with his hand, but he's really preparing his jaw.

He eyes his target...

... and goes in for the kill!

Winding down the day with some Go-Go-Go.

The next morning, modeling one of his new shirts from Granny and Grandpa. (It is indeed a onesie, but he still needs pants to cover up the healing scrape on his leg.)

A natural at posing for the camera.

Oh boy! K. Noi had already put all the toys away... and now look at this mess!

Mum's take on "Japanese" dinner... Japanese curry, omelette, and all the assorted accompaniments she could find in the fridge.

Arlo tries his hands at finger paint again the next day.

He takes finger painting literally: painting with one finger.

This is too messy for Arlo's liking!

Turns out there is a massive Christmas tree at one of the new night clubs just around the corner on Ekkamai. It really is massive.

A tractor in one hand, and pants in the other: this boy has a grip on the essentials.

Mum's take on "Italian" for dinner: spicy spaghetti bolognese and French wine.

The next morning, Arlo practices his typing with Dad.

Oh boy! And we made some long-overdue play-dough. This should be a hit...

Arlo gives it a good feel. Not sure yet. It's warm, but kind of sticky too.

It's funny when Mum rolls it out into a long sausage...

... but that sausage doesn't really hold its shape. And it feels funny.

Okay... as a small ball, it's more approachable.

Rolling the squishy ball... almost as fun as rolling a boat, rolling a green bean, rolling a penne pasta.

A banana! Oh, wait, this is a weird banana!

Arlo's figuring out how to scoot around on his trike now.

Showing off his other new striped body suit from Granny & Grandpa. Fits perfectly.

Reading Ug: Boy Genius of the Stone Age with Dad. Interesting book!

New PJs tonight: woah!! They have monster trucks!

Would you look at all these monster trucks...!

The next morning, still admiring his monster truck PJs.

They fit perfectly, too!

Spending New Years' Eve at the park: it's cool, and low-humidity this lovely morning.

And Arlo's here to catch him some pigeons!

The pesky pigeons keep flying away. But the sticks are easier to grab.

Arlo the Crime Scene Investigator: these prints belong to a big shoe.

Pushing dust around: a real city boy.

Snack break!

And back to excavation under the tall trees..

Who needs shoes anyway?

Counting Dad's toes to make sure they're all still there.

Wondering whether to chase the ball, or rest his feet.

Someone's looking sleepy: I guess it's time to go home.

Continuing the story of Ug: Boy Genius of the Stone Age with Dad.

Sneaking in a pizza lunch while Arlo naps. Shhh...

Arlo heard there was a pizza lunch while he napped!

Just two boys, reading a book and eating their apples.

Taming his rocking moose.

And helping Dad water the plants.

Watching Dad's every move.

A low-key New Years' Eve dinner. Here's to 2021!