Bangkok Week 751

November 17, 2022

Arlo tries his hand (ahem, his foot) at football; Puu and Yaa come to visit; and Mum travels to Paris for a week in the much awaited last of her fall trips. Everyone survived and remained healthy!

What? It's Friday again? Well, happy Friday!

Someone's practicing her perch position.

Swimming lesson Friday!

Silly Lucy. We're not supposed to be drinking from the elephant's trunk!

Underwater she goes!

You want me to do what?

Sorry coach, but I ain't here to crawl.

Lucy is naturally buoyant!

Big grin!

Someone's happy about the afternoon.

Someone's eager to start the weekend!

Celebrating Saturday with m'kiddos.

Oh! Where are we headed so early this morning?

A trial soccer class for Arlo.

He was a good student...

... and quickly picked up the drills.

Lucy was a patient spectator.

Kicking the ball amongst the cones.

When the coach asked who could demonstrate how to do hopscotch with the hoops, Arlo raised his hand and surprised us all!

Practicing scoring on Dad.

Arlo gives "standing in the goal" a whole new meaning.

Our little athlete was tired and hungry afterward, so had a mid-morning ice cream.

Lucy's thinking, these toys remind me of my Jumperoo for some reason...

Arlo is waiting patiently...

... for Yaa and Puu's bus to arrive!

Everyone is happy to see Puu and Yaa. Lucy is showing them how well she can eat now...

...and Arlo's showing off his toys and pumpkin.

What else can we show them?

Wait, who's that behind me?

Lucy shows off her trademark side-lie.

A very casual walk around the block.

Oh my! No wonder Yaa's back hurts!

A delicious feast of freshly-made curries and Tibet leftovers.

Hanging out with Puu, who's going home at 9:30am today.

Reading the very cool lift-the-flap book together.

What? You're leaving?

Say it ain't so!

Puu and his grandchildren.

Lucy is enjoying Yaa's company. She's not going anywhere, right?

Say cheese, everyone!

Arlo's made himself at home with the spare bedding.

Lucy the entertainer.

Sitting pretty (although this outfit is prone to the Nip Slip).

Getting in one last round of volley balloon before leaving for the bus station.

Ooh. Lucy never has such unfettered access to Arlo's hair!

Waiting patiently for the last good-bye.

Bye bye, Puu. Safe ride!

Arlo is pleased by the trip. He got two donuts out of it!

Back at home, Lucy is rediscovering her play mat.

And the dangling ring from her play gym tastes great.

Arlo's helping to entertain Lucy (and pick up her toys when she drops them).

Selfie with my cute baby doll!

Who stole Dad's glasses? There are (at least) two possible offenders pictured here.

Arlo was quick to remember that he had a strawberry ice cream in the freezer.

See the resemblance? I'll keep this one with me while I travel!

Who's looking cute?

That's right. Give us some teeth, Lucy!

Taking Yaa to the farm (for the first time).

Arlo's such a pro on his bike now; he zooms off ahead.

Hmm, ducks. What's going on here?

So serious about biking, he can't stop for photos.

Yaa, with her enthusiastic hosts.

Showing Yaa how to feed the goats and sheep.

Unfortunately, none of them was interested in what Arlo had to offer today.

But the little lamb was very cute.

Arlo barrels ahead through the tunnel.

Everyone in the tunnel!

Arlo tries his first ever plum. He ate it up!

Lucy is in shock to be sitting on the grass again.

Dad's a pretty funny guy!

Smile, picknickers!

It's Monday morning, and Lucy's first day without Mum at home.

It's also the 14th, and Arlo turns 3 years and 2 months old today.

Lucy's totally confident about being without Mum this week.

Shuffling along for his walk wearing flip flops 2 years too small for him.

Confident as a watermelon on Tuesday.

Wefie of m'boys.

Sharing his evening ritual with Yaa.

Happy Wednesday! And surprise, school is closed for the rest of the week!

So Dad and Arlo head to the park.

Stopping to smell the flowers -- literally.

It's sunny on the playground!

And building a very elaborate train track.

Who's got big eyes?

Even bath time is a learning opportunity!

Spending some time outside on Thursday morning.

Arlo's putting himself to good work watering the flowers.

And Miss Cutie, meanwhile, is living up to her name.

Lucy, is that the bottom of your dress?

Eye on the prize, the panther quietly crouches in wait. The right moment will come. Patience in a virtue.

Giving her brother a good whack on the face.

Good night, Phra!

Meanwhile, Mum makes it to Paris on Monday morning. Here is Monsieur Bic, greeting the passing traffic as it crawls by.

Mum's reached her destination: Château Des Mesnuls south-west of Paris.

Little did I know, this is the bluest the sky would be all week.

This wing contains many bedrooms. It just so happens that the room with the open window is mine.

Now, the room is ready. What beautifully high ceilings. (Although I'm glad I don't have to sweep the cobwebs!)

The "Green Room" (where we had dinner every night).

The "Yellow Room", where we enjoyed evening Aperitifs each night.

The one time all week the sun was shining through the windows!

The "Red Room" (where we only every passed through).

TV or 17th-century painting? It's hard to tell!

Grand marble staircase.

And the rear of the Chateau.

There was a nice wooded path on the property.

And a large "lake".

Sunrise on the Wednesday morning.

Mais bien sur! A croissant for breakfast. Melt-in-your-mouth fresh!

Chased this tractor for days to get a photo for someone!

And one final (but late!) picturesque sunrise.

Aha! And just in time to bid us farewell, the blue sky returned!

As we headed back into Paris for Thursday night, the sun hit the Eiffel Tower in a remarkable way.

Getting in a quick walk before the sun sets.

The famous Bassin Octogonal at the west end of the Jardin des Tuileries.

The ducks and geese are enjoying themselves.

Tuk tuks wait for tourists in Place de la Concorde. We didn't see those in Madeline!

Strolling through the jardin.

The Grande Roue De Paris. Which I don't believe was there last time we visited...

Toward the Louvre, which seems to be undergoing some renovation (at least on the exterior).

More Grand Roue and gardens.

Walking along the Terrance du Bord de l'Eau.

Musee d'Orsay, and some more modern art in the foreground.

The boat cruises were still operating.

The Pont Neuf intersection nicely lit up.

Looking back at the Pont Neuf, from the island.

Sainte-Chapelle. Not as impressive as from the inside!

Ooh! We must be in Paris!

Patriotic police station.

And poor Notre Dame, well on her way to being repaired.

She'll be stronger and healthier than ever!

Reconstruction has been ongoing for a year now, and they are targeting completion before the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The original structure was left largely in tact.

The evening ended in rain...

... and a tasty dinner at this cafe. See you soon! A bientot!

Bangkok Week 750

November 10, 2022

Another busy week: Lucy has 2 swimming lessons, Arlo makes 2 visits to the new ice rink, we celebrate Loy Krathong, we go to the park, and Lucy continues to work on her crawling. Almost there, Lucy!

We begin this week with our little lady and her favorite key ring.

Who, me?

And then we're off to our new favorite Friday morning activity...

... swimming!

It's another big class today: 5 students!

Here is Lucy! The youngest one in the class.

Practicing holding onto the wall.

And water conditioning. She's very good when dumped on.

And "swimming around" to collect the balls.

Hi, Dad!

And back float: Lucy's built for this!

The Friday specials continue! On the way home from school, Arlo and Mum popped into the new ice rink to check it out.

Our timing couldn't have been better! The ice resurfacer was just coming out onto the ice!

It's Arlo's first time seeing a proper ice resurfacer in action.

The stands are plenty big as well.

And they afford a great view of the ice resurfacer as it comes off the ice. Cool!

And just before we left, the Tokyo Canadians came onto the ice for the next game in the "Land of Smiles Ice Hockey Classic".

Back at home, Arlo's basically finishing up his Halloween candy. This chocolate bar is one of the last remaining items.

It's Saturday already? Lucy is not sure what to think.

Arlo's revved up for the weekend though.

Lucy is enjoying one of the hand-made penguins from Auntie Erika.

It puts a smile on her face!

And a late-morning trip to the park. It's Lucy's first time facing out.

Arlo is here to zoom on his bike.

And here's the speedster! Catch him if you can!

Lucy's not so sure about this outward-facing business. At least it gives her something to chew on.

What? Grass again? (She spent the whole time trying to pull it out of the ground.)

Having a little picnic, without our mats.

Detective Arlo is on the case: the case of a missing park cat.

Detective Arlo is distracted from the case, and is now using a tree root as a balance beam!

Sitting nicely together.

Slowly but surely, we're getting better at these sibling portraits!

After many weeks of watching them grow, the sunflowers are finally in bloom!

Taking a few turns on the new slide before heading out.

Arlo and Dad make themselves comfortable in the Emporium TV department while Mum and Lucy go have a snack.

Spending the afternoon reseting and relaxing after a hot morning out.

Good morning! Oh my! Who's that cute girl who slept next to Lucy all night?

Suddenly, the dangling toys on this gym are a perfect height!

Arlo found his birthday cone again - let the celebrations continue!

Arlo is very good at playing this search game by himself now.

The special marker definitely helps with the entertainment value.

Someone's showing off her sitting, and patiently trying to stay awake...

... because she has a make-up swimming lesson this afternoon!

Arlo's helping Dad fix a weird new buzz in our favorite fan.

The big boy, going for a walk around the block with Mum. (This is after 3 laps on the bike!)

The silent predator spies her prey!

Stretching her arms as long as they will go.

And inspecting the parking lot and train track. "I see why Arlo likes this rug!" Lucy says.

The cozy burrito, after his evening shower.

Cactus update: because I know you've been wondering!

It's Monday morning; Lucy is patiently waiting for Arlo to head to school so she can enjoy the quiet.

Who, me? Never!

Showing off the beach ball they played with in school today.

Aww. Some kind of affection (although not quite a hug) for Lucy after coming home from school.

Smile!

And a big smooch from Lucy!

She's discovered Arlo's Coronavirus ball! And to think, Arlo started playing with this at Lucy's age!

Madeline: one of Arlo's new favorite bedtime stories.

This is the pre-bed lie.

What's this, Lucy? You're all dressed up for Loy Krathong today!

And nibbling the COVID ball patiently, while waiting for Arlo to come down.

And here's Arlo, showing off his Northern outfit that P'Noi just brought back from Prae.

Posing together for Loy Krathong shots.

Oh hi, Arlo. You look handsome this morning!

School is alight with Loy Krathong festivities this morning.

And someone had the bright idea to have cake pops for the kids.

Enjoying his breakfast cake pop, as Dad looks on, glad Arlo's going to be at school for the rest of the morning.

Dancing with Teacher Irene.

And making his Krathong. Arlo's very good at observing what others are doing, and figuring out what to do.

A little help from Mum.

Almost done.

The finished product: Arlo's first Krathong!

And then Teacher Irene nominates Arlo to help fill the pond with water.

And... an awful lot of trust has been placed on Arlo to fill the pond with water!

Pond filled; now it's time to float the Krathong. Arlo has the honors!

Mum spent a long time learning how to make a traditional Thai woven fish out of palm leaves.

The finished product!

And watching the Loy Krathong dance. Arlo's tuckered out already, and it's only 9:15am!

Back at home, Lucy is enjoying the quiet and her soft outfit.

Oh! Arlo's trying on the headband that Granny brought last year.

Hey, it fits Lucy, too. (Although she hardly has the hair to merit it.)

Hmm. Someone's not really into selfies.

Here she is with her keys again!

And two colorful towers to entire her to crawl.

Stretch-stretch-streeetching her long arms to reach the cups.

That's pretty funny!

Well, at least she takes it all with good humor!

At pick-up time, Arlo spotted one alligator on the ground: so he had to go get all the other ones, too.

And here we have the school's entire collection of alligators!

Someone's making her way around the living room.

Here we go! Practicing the right form.

A happy girl spending some time with Dad before bed.

Thursday morning, already?

Lucy's getting better at entertaining herself.

Showing off her new kissing skills.

All smiles. Someone must have had a good nap.

Crawl, Lucy, crawl! There's more to life than just rolling!

And finally, the moment we've been waiting for!

Trying out the new ice rink!

Lucky us, we basically had the entire rink to ourselves.

And here's Arlo. It's been almost 6 months since he was last on his skates.

Letting go of the wall.

And practicing his step-step-step-step.

Only holding onto Mum with one hand.

And taking a break (but watching) while Mum does a couple laps around the rink.

All smiles... and shivers!

This was a short, but successful outing. We'll be back! (But with sweaters next time.)

Before leaving, Arlo wanted to sit upstairs as a spectator.

What great entertainment while enjoying a sandwich and milk.

Back at home, Lucy has rediscovered her baby pillow.

And we end this week with a studious Arlo, practicing his handwriting in Dad's work notebook.

Bangkok Week 749

November 3, 2022

Wowzers, what a busy week! First, it’s the long-anticipated International Day at school. where the Canada booth was a success! Then, THREE Halloween celebrations on three consecutive days. And many early mornings with our cute early riser who’s up and ready by 6am these days!

Happy Friday!, says Lucy. She loves getting up with the sun these days.

Sneaking in some morning exercise before the rest of the house wakes up.

Arlo shows off what his off road racing kart can do. Wait, I thought you're having breakfast, Arlo?

It's the day we've all been waiting for! International Day!

Waiting for the parade to start, Arlo and his friend AClaire practice waving their flags.

Arlo's flag is very cool: Thailand on one side, Canada on the other.

Let the parade of nations begin!

Here come Arlo and Mum! (The lucky nursery kids had to be escorted by an adult.)

Demonstrating his festive spirit.

Yay, Canada!

Then we had to sit patiently through an assembly: each year did a small performance.

All eyes on the Year 1's.

And a short Muay Thai demo. I'm not sure whose idea it was to teach 3-6-year-old boys about punching and kicking.

And a performance of "It's a Small World" by all the teachers.

Good thing this is a song that Mum knows!

Arlo, his teacher, and some of his favorite classmates.

Enjoying the hand-made lollipop that he got from the Thai booth.

And here it is! The photo you've been waiting for: the Canada booth!

Some great Dollarama investments on display.

There were a dozen or so booths around the entire property. It was crowded; hopefully not a super-spreader event!

Arlo got a freshly made popsicle at the Thailand booth, for which he had to stop eating his lollipop. Oh boy, I see where this is going!

Back at the Canada booth, flag-making is in full swing.

Arlo makes one, too, out of a beautiful red leaf.

Admiring his flag, and admiring the maple cookie. In case you're counting, this is his third dessert of the morning, and it's only 10:00.

The flag-making was very popular!

The customers are sitting patiently.

This was a great idea, Granny!

The giant earth suspended above our booth was made by Arlo's class earlier in the week.

The two men, representing Canada.

Some Japanese customers.

And Arlo's teacher kindly took over, so that Dad could walk around and visit the other booths.

Arlo's friend AClaire did a nice job: nice and centered.

Making sure the glue is nice and stuck.

Time for a tour of the other booths. Here in England, Arlo spreads marmalade on bread.

And he also got to make a double-decker bus.

Can't help but go down the slide.

Israel had great representation! Seems half their population might have been here.

Enjoying coconut ice cream, again from Thailand. What's the dessert count now?

Then Arlo rolled some croissants in France.

And did a Japanese tea ceremony.

Unclear if he made a rain stick in Australia, or just stopped by for a juice box.

Before calling it a day, he went back inside the (K1) classroom to play with their trucks.

Back at home, the World War I flying ace is enjoying herself.

Trying on a potential halloween costume: too bad the tutu is too too small.

Oh my! Mum's over-the-top birthday gift just arrived in the mail, and Arlo's the first to try it on!

Friday night activity: monster truck madness! Arlo needs his costume for tomorrow night already!

Saturday morning, Lucy is intent on progressing toward a crawl.

Inspecting the wooly carpet in the gap between her mats.

And when he comes downstairs, Arlo has his first look at the (almost) finished result. He approves!

Lucy's wondering where her costume is.

Arlo's made a lovely bridge for his cars, all by himself... but that nice plate of lunch looks quite un-touched.

Lucy's still patiently waiting for her Halloween costume.

And relaxing with her cute little bunny from India.

Face plant.

This is a nice soft bunny, Mum.

And where are we off to, so late in the afternoon?

The new house! We're here to join the Halloween festivities.

Arlo's ready and all geared up for his first Halloween adventure.

Look! Cactuses across the street! (Never gets old.)

Don't worry, Lucy, we didn't forget about your costume! Little Donald (whose pants don't quite snap up).

Slowly but surely, Arlo is figuring out how this works (the Thai version, of course).

Family photo with the decorations that the Moo Baan put up.

Special award for effort to this house, that not only had lights and decoration, but halloween music too.

Assessing his haul! Arlo only stopped at fewer than 10 houses. Imagine if he'd stopped at all of them!

And a special award to Donald as well, who's still up and flying her plane, despite the late evening!

The next morning, everyone's a little tired from the late night last night.

Oh my. That's Arlo, with a candy in his mouth. (Dessert after breakfast...)

Arlo's off to swimming...

... so Lucy's enjoying a bit of quiet time by herself.

Just some toys to bite...

... and some houses to tip, as she sits nice and straight.

Arlo's very excited for / proud of Dad's 'do. But wait, why are there no more bag clips in the kitchen?

And a trip to the Farm, where they're having a big Halloween bash.

We're getting good mileage out of this costume.

This is probably the first time in history that a little monster truck has driven into a mulberry field to look at a baby chicken!

And vroom vroom, out he comes again.

Lucy is wondering what's so special about this farm!

Arlo insisted on coming to feed the goats.

He's very good at it now: he knows which are the best stalks to pick up, and doesn't hesitate to feed them to the goats.

He's not even afraid to nudge his way in front of other people trying to do the same.

Have to give the Farm credit for their Halloween decorations!

There was a live music concert, and lots of special food vendors.

Lucky Arlo got an entire cup of Ben and Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream! And Lucy got to sit on grass for the first time.

No complaints from this boy.

Dancing to the music.

Despite another busy afternoon/evening, Lucy is up bright and early again on Monday morning.

Shake shake your keys, Lucy.

Breakfast and a book for Arlo. And let's not forget, it's Day 3 of Halloween.

Reading the "newspaper". (The insert for his cold meds.)

Today is October 31st, and the school is all deked out accordingly! (Arlo's excited.)

Vroom vroom, the monster truck is making its third appearance.

It's a little ergonomically challenging to drive around while wearing it though.

And it's about to come off. I think it lasted 90 seconds.

Since Mum came to school this morning, Mum gets the honor of playing with Arlo in the sand for 5 minutes before leaving.

Arlo, his classmates, and his teacher, making the most of the American holiday!

That afternoon, we asked Arlo to sit next to Lucy for a photo. We were met with ringing enthusiasm.

Keeping one eye on his sister to make sure she's only mouthing her own toys.

Having a word with Lucy over dinner.

That's nice: seeing eye-to-eye.

Another day, another early morning for Lucy.

Cheese!

Oh no! Someone call the doctor -- Lucy's head has disappeared!

Aha! Mystery solved! Never in a million years would we have guessed that this construction site was going to be... a regulation-size ice hockey rink!

Mr Monkey, at pick-up.

Getting home and making a bee-line for his candy basket. Oh well, at least it'll be all gone soon!

Wefie with my lady!

Just a few days late for Halloween, Miss Sunshine tries on a bright orange jumper.

Strengthening her arms; getting everything ready for crawling!

Sitting pretty.

Everyone's so nicely dressed today... but no one wants to pose for a photo.

The "smiles".

Hey Arlo, those are cool fire trucks you have.

Showing off her sunny bum while Arlo shows off his bike skillz.

In case you thought the cactus upstairs might be resting... you'd be wrong! Here comes a new paddle! Stay tuned...

Showing off her sitting abilities.

Something different to entertain over lunch today.

She likes it. (And I must say, I like this photo!)

Hooray! Arlo and Lucy are heading in for their first COVID vaccines!

Waiting patiently for the paperwork to be processed.

Someone seems unaffected by the jab; phew!

Thursday morning, someone's up bright and early again.

This could be an ad for PlanToys.

Here's Arlo, mimicking how Lucy sits.

And photobombed by Dad, who's off to work.

Uh oh! Mum's about to be on her own with these two monkeys until K. Noi gets here.

And Mum manages to coax Arlo into taking some photos with his sister.

What a loving sisterly gaze.

Sharing some laughs.

Tickle tickle!

The expressions say everything.

Mum's brilliant suggestion to Arlo: pour sand down the slide! Thanks, Mum!

And we end this week with our accountant-in-training. See you soon!

Bangkok Week 748

October 27, 2022

It’s a long weekend here, so we’re able to fit in two swimming lessons for Lucy and two visits to the park! Yaa heads home, but she’ll be back soon!

It's a serious Friday morning: long sleeved shirt and spraying sand.

And Friday means it's also Lucy's swimming lesson!

This is Mum's first time taking Lucy for her lesson, and her second lesson total.

She's getting more comfortable in the water.

Go, Lucy! Go!

Someone is not impressed that she has to wait so long for her meal!

Why is Mum still wearing a mask, she wonders?

Arlo's assessing how similar the Japanese maple leaf is to the one on the flag.

This leaf!

And Lucy's giving that pillow a good inspection.

Someone really loves the stacking cups. If only she could reach them!

Easy to hold, easy to bite!

Yaa is still here, and spending the (long) weekend. Lucy's happy.

Still needs a little bit of assistance to sit up.

Meanwhile, Arlo demonstrates the great art of lying on balls.

A Saturday morning dance to get our heart rates up.

Choosing his tattoo...

... and "drying the tattoo" in the fan. Seems to be achieving a Baywatch hairstyle instead.

Hello down there, Lucy. Ready to start your weekend?

We're off to the park!

Arlo makes it about 30 seconds before crossing paths with this fabulous dump truck.

There's no more going down slides feet-first!

Who's Lucy sitting with?

Everyone's all smiles. And Lucy is half of Yaa's size already.

Patiently waiting for someone to ride with him.

And he's off! Can Mum keep chase? (Arlo, where's your bike?)

Meanwhile, Yaa and Lucy enjoy a nice stroll.

Noodle soup for lunch for all!

A nice Sunday morning smile.

We're rapidly losing our ability to smile for photos here.

Someone's hair is long enough that it can handily be tied up.

What a cutie.

Lucy still enjoys her Jumperoo.

It's that time of year again: visa renewal time! Here's the living room shot...

... and the "in front of the house, clearly showing the house number" shot. Everyone in their finest form.

Arlo's practicing his leaf-pinching: it's an important skill if you want to live on this street.

What? Another swimming lesson for Lucy?

This must be a make-up lesson! And it starts as a private lesson, too...

... but quickly becomes a class of 4!

Learning how to kick-kick-kick.

And learning how to hold onto the wall.

Practice your back float, Lucy!

Oh my, look at this runner go. Watch out, Usain!

3 generations of Sukkasi's.

And one more with Mum, for good measure -- thanks to a neighbor walking by.

Lucy's energized from the walk around the block.

And now, a special treat: pizza for dinner!

Playing seated catch. I *think* it helps make catching the ball easier?

Our new favorite bedtime story: Bunches and Bunches of Bunnies. Classic!

What? Yaa is going home this morning?

No, don't leave me, Yaa!

Big smiles.

Wait. Are you eating a cookie?

Smile, everyone!

Arlo's going to miss Yaa!

Arlo accompanies her to the bus station. How thoughtful. Safe ride, Yaa!

And it's a public holiday Monday, so let's make the most of it at the park!

What a beauty!

Lucy has the feeling she's missing out on something.

Looking longingly at all the big kids playing on the playground.

But she can enjoy the picnic!

Mum and the monkey!

Look at this! Lucy's getting good at sitting by herself!

Meanwhile, practicing our catching skillz.

A beautiful ad for Foremost milk.

And what a natural smile.

Ms. Big Eyes still prefers to lean on something or someone to stay upright.

Arlo's taking advantage of the empty skate park before leaving.

Look at Arlo balance!

Back at home, Arlo indulges in the Japanese (i.e., imported from Japan) Crushed Almond Pocky that Granny bought. Yum!

And then, he needs some tea.

Daintily now, Arlo!

Wow! Look at that huge Fried Rice that Dad made! That heap could feed a village!

Lucy's really wanting to crawl now!

Spotted at Villa Market: 159 baht for one of those little ornamental pumpkins. I could've made a killing, it was an entire bag of them for $2.99 at Loblaws!

A pile of babies!

Morning wefie!

She may be chubby, but she's also flexible! Look at that stretch. And Lucy, are those shoes tasty?

Posing like Toji-kun.

Before-and-after: we finally did something about that hair of Arlo's!

Once again, he was very well-behaved at the barber...

... probably because there was a very clear prize waiting for him on the other side!

Having a chat with his sister over dinner.

The Jumperoo is still fun, and this parrot is still tasty!

Eat up, Lucy!

A mouthful of egg whites. Who needs manners?

Here, Lucy does her best impression of the maneki-neko cat.

And closing the week with this boy who looks about 2 years older, with polo shirt and short hair. See you soon!

Bangkok Week 747

October 20, 2022

Dad, Puu, and Yaa continue to hold down the fort in Bangkok while Mum is in Toronto. And Lucy turns 7 months old as the week concludes.

Good morning, Lucy! Do you feel like you're on display?

If you google, "doting grandparents," this would be your first search result!

Mr. PJs shows Puu his newest pop-up book.

Group photo, before Puu heads back to Trat. I actually think everyone is smiling!

Look at this pro pilot. Only needs to steer with one hand!

Giving Puu a good-bye hug. He's leaving now that she's finally come around.

One last photo with Arlo, too.

Seeing Puu off at the bus station. Safe ride!

Oh my! Dad bought Arlo some real milk ice cream at the bus station. Enjoy, buddy!

When it's school holiday and you've been home all week!

Oh my! It's Lucy's first swimming lesson!

And Yaa came to watch! Lucky Lucy.

Miss Smiley had a good first lesson.

Who's this? A bunny rabbit hawking pomelos? That must be a first.

And someone turns 3 years and 1 month old today. Measure up!

Everyone looks ready for bed now!

Meanwhile in Toronto: the leaves are beautiful, and we're taking a day trip up to Bracebridge.

We're at the cottage to close it up for the winter. Look how newly raked the lawn is.

Down at the dock, the water level is high.

The leaves are turning, but it still looks very green.

Some nice colors in this direction.

A golden maple on the hill.

Red-yellow maple leaves. Beautiful!

The view from Chris's condo was spectacular.

Such spectacular colors!

The photos don't do justice to the actual view.

These colors are much more impressive than the yellow leaves at Donki.

Look at this tree on fire!

And let's not forget Colby, the little bread loaf.

And with Chris, whose Asian tech support couldn't solve all her problems.

On Saturday in Bangkok, a trip to the park.

Arlo's determined to ride his bike here, there, and everywhere.

Yee-haw. Ride 'em, cowboy!

Follow me, Yaa!

Yaa's patiently waiting for her grandmonkey at the bottom of the slide.

Peek-a-boo, Lucy!

Hey look! A bird!

And going for a walk/ bike around the rest of the park, before heading home.

Lucy, did you just wake up?

Checking to make sure his belly button is still there. And showing the whole neighborhood, too.

Back in Toronto, Granny gets a visit from the friendly dogs next door.

More beautiful golden leaves in the front yard.

Golden hearts.

Spotted for Arlo: a Bobcat skid steer, resting up after a long day of work surely.

The great view from Jasmine and Josh's new condo.

It's Sunday morning in Bangkok!

And Arlo is enjoying the mango ice cream that Dad bought for him (or was it for Yaa?) yesterday.

Taking a page out of the neighbor's book: plucking dead leaves with the grabber.

Uh oh! A head-on collision.

Air traffic control to the rescue, to help un-stick Lucy.

Meanwhile in Toronto: Mum's trying to find some milk for cereal, but instead stumbles upon the Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

It must be nice to comfortably run in shorts during daylight!

Go runners, go!

The rainbow maple leaf collection.

A subset -- the best -- to be ironed and preserved for International Day.

Let's see if this ironing technique works!

It's a big Monday morning grin! Why? Because Arlo goes back to school today!

What? Back to school!?

Lucy and Yaa, waiting patiently for bedtime.

Oh! Progress on the veranda disassembly!

Got to see the ROM in all its glory.

Uh oh! How's Grandpa going to get back in the house now?

Back in Bangkok, Lucy is getting so big that Yaa won't be able to lift her soon!

And Lucy's discovered bubbles.

Catch those bubbles, Lucy!

Taking Yaa for an afternoon walk.

Lucy sits up for her baths now.

Heading to the airport for the late-night flight back to Taipei. Here, Grandpa demonstrates how to lock the door in absence of veranda.

Vending Machine innovation will never cease.

Spotted at Pearson: a vending machine for scrumptious slices of tall layer cake!

Meanwhile, while Mum's flying, Lucy's enjoying breakfast with Yaa.

Lucy, what big eyes you have.

Arlo's glad to be back in school -- for the sand!

Uh oh, Lucy. Another visit to the doctor?

And Mum's almost home! Final leg: TPE - BKK. Check out how full the cabin is!

Spotted in TPE: a skid steer, patiently waiting to start his work day.

And finally back in BKK, here come Mum's bags.

It's very thoughtful of them to have bundled them together in a single tray!

Mum! Is that really you?

Here's the flag Arlo asked for; he's pleased.

And the monster truck he asked for, too.

Trying his new sewing toy from Granny (belated birthday present).

And excited by the pumpkins.

Lucy, meanwhile, is happy to have a water bottle.

Just you wait, Lucy. Mum will take off the mask in another 4 days.

Not to be overlooked: Lucy turned 7 months old this week!

Happy 7 months, big girl! ❤️

Bangkok Week 746

October 13, 2022

This week, we learned sad news about Auntie Erika, so Granny had to return to Toronto early; and Mum followed later in the week. But as a silver lining, Puu and Yaa came to visit, and Mum got to see Great Grandma Karin for the first time in 3 years.

Arlo was home from school all week for his mid-term break, and Mum celebrated her 3Nth birthday with a rich homemade chocolate cake before Granny left.

Happy Friday, everyone!

Lucy the PIlot is looking spiffy, and matching her plane this morning.

Wefie with Mum. Did you know that Friday in latin actually means, "Day of stripes"?

Big smile! Someone enjoys standing more than sitting.

Learning to operate Dad's Apple Watch.

Who wore it better? I think we know who fills it out more.

Arlo's getting the evening entertainment set up.

And here we are, seating and all.

Looks like Lucy's putting on quite the show!

Oh my! Dad's being attacked.

Saturday morning outing -- can you guess where?

That's right -- the park!

Arlo's really getting good on his bike now. Zoom zoom!

He can even maneuver the ramps in the skate park (slowly).

And a good long play in the playground.

Arlo enjoys the seesaw.

Faster, Mum! Faster!

Whoever said slides are for sliding down?

Granny's diligently helping to make sure Lucy doesn't wander off.

Getting ready to slide down. Arlo's built up his confidence.

And here we are, sneakers and pajama top and all!

Riding the jet ski...

... and stopping for a soda break.

Arlo's recently discovered that he can go down slides head-first, too.

Doing a dance inside the jungle gym.

And having a short rest. That was a high-energy dance!

The swings: a piece of the playground that Lucy can enjoy, too!

Wait. Arlo wants to swing, too!

Riding the swing on Mum's lap is much more fun (and safe) than doing it alone.

Coming down the biggest slide face-first -- good idea!

And on the way home, stopping at the hospital, just to make sure Lucy's phlegmy chest is okay.

Meanwhile, Arlo "rests" with Granny. (This is a deceptive photo. I think I captured the only 10-second blip where he was lying down.)

Well, that was certainly an exhausting (and long) morning!

Everyone naps all afternoon!

Suddenly, Lucy wonders where the day has gone!

K. Wan knows how to entertain -- even though it's not part of her job description.

Bedtime stories (i.e. soggy Chirp magazine) with Granny tonight.

Dad's taking our big swimmer to swimming this week. Good luck!

Trying on a new outfit -- a birthday gift -- from Chris. Arlo's here to help!

Trying on Mum's glasses. What an academic.

Let's hope he doesn't need glasses of his own anytime soon!

It's the gripping tale of Brown Bear! How's it going to end?

Lucy's first foray into the great world of stacking cups!

She's figured them out quickly!

Arlo wants to play, too.

Dancing around his telescope tower. Can you guess what happens next?

Birthday photo with my babies!

I mean, my monkies!

What's going on? What's all this about, asks Lucy.

It's cake time! Lucy enjoys the music. Mum's only turning 3.

Blowing out the candles. What are Mum and Arlo doing, Lucy?

This rich chocolate cake was a labor of love from Granny.

Arlo likes it. Well, he likes the sweet frosting left over from his own birthday cake!

Thank you for the cake, Granny!

Granny's leaving early tomorrow; so here's a last photo with her grandkids for now.

Loving Arlo is giving his sister a bum hug.

Who's that back there, she wonders?

Nom nom nom. Tasty toes!

One final game of peek-a-boo with Granny for now.

This year's birthday dinner is delicious vegan sushi (and an assortment of other things), Granny's treat.

And off goes Granny, back to Toronto. See you soon, Granny!

Uh oh! Look what happened in the heavy storm last night!

Arlo goes out to inspect.

Afternoon visit to the doctor: Arlo for his second rabies vaccine (and let's throw a chicken pox in there too), and Lucy for a follow-up on her phlegmy cough.

Sigh. He's a boy alright.

It's not all sighs. Arlo is getting good at his puzzles!

And Lucy's gotten the hang of her stacking cups.

Checking out the beautiful flowers that Mum's team sent to her.

It's another tandem storytime.

Playing with her gym. Lucy doesn't play with this very often these days.

Artist Arlo, working on his next masterpiece.

Open wide, Lucy! She's trying egg (mixed with pumpkin) for the first time.

Ay-yo! This portrait session started out so well.

Big hug for the pillow!

I think we can say that Lucy can sit up on her own now! She's not always stable, but she's found an equilibrium.

Who, me?

Taking a few final photos with Mum, before she heads off for a week.

See you soon, Arlo!

See you soon, Lucy!

One silver lining: Puu and Yaa come to visit.

Big hug for Puu. Arlo hasn't seen him in a few months.

Bodyslam! And Yaa is down. Oh no!

Lucy's pleased, too...

... but wait. Who's holding me?

Lucky Arlo! He was sent an entire caravan of trucks from Aa Top!

Everyone's excited!

Getting used to Yaa and Puu again.

Good morning!

I'd say she's more than comfortable now.

Arlo's showing off his new PJs.

Meanwhile, Mum finally made it to Toronto. And now, time to sleep!

Hmm. Why is Puu playing with a tunnel?

Using the flashlight to check their mouths, just like at the doctor.

Miss Big Eyes.

Thursday dinner and evening picnic on the balcony.

Goodness, Lucy is almost Arlo's size now.

Meanwhile in Toronto, it must be close to Halloween!

Visiting Macki, the huge and friendly giant.

And seeing Great Grandma Karin for the first time in almost 3 years.

Three generations.

A brisk stroll around the parking lot.

Well, can't fault the leaves. They are beautiful here. To be continued.

Bangkok Week 745

October 6, 2022

Mum’s finally back from London, and everyone is still getting over the latest cold. Another busy week at home!

Happy Friday morning!

Lucy's happy because she heard that Mum is coming back soon.

Catching a rare glimpse into the construction site on the way to school. Mini-digger!

Late evening picnic on the balcony.

Oh my. I think Lucy's going to out-grow Granny soon!

It's the weekend! Arlo is excited.

Helping lighten the load for K. Wan.

Reading Tyrannosaurus Drip.

Oh! Mum's almost home. She's having breakfast now!

Oh my! Lucy's met with a surprise when she wakes up from her nap. Who's that??

It's true! Mum's home! (And she brought all sorts of goodies.)

Arlo's trying his very first strawberries, after years of hype.

Wasting no time. Arlo wants to lie with Mum!

Lucy and Granny both are happy that Mum's back.

Someone still loves her Jumperoo!

Playing the "I Spy" game over breakfast.

Enjoying (somewhat) fresh scones, straight from London.

Cheese! Mum gets to wear a mask for another few days, until she's cleared of COVID.

Uh oh. Looks like someone's regressed to needing a walker!

Lucy. Do you have enough toys there?

Someone's grown attached to Granny in Mum's absence.

Looks like Mum is obsolete now, and Granny is all she needs. Too bad!

Oh boy! Someone clearly hasn't resumed his naps-in-bed.

Reading a new pop-up book about flying, published by EVA Air.

Arlo missed Sally's birthday party because he's still under-the-weather. But she kindly sent over some treats anyway.

Arlo approves of the gummy bears!

Oh! Who's making funny faces and pressing her cheeks against the mesh?

Silly Lucy!

What a nice Jumperoo smile.

What a feast! Granny made Japanese for dinner; lucky us!

Oh no! We almost forgot Puu's birthday. Happy birthday, Puu!

Someone's wearing his snazzy new truck PJs from England tonight.

Hey! Where did Lucy go?

Posing with the beautiful new (Swiss) pillow that Lucy got from Mum's colleagues.

Someone has grown up so quickly; she can feed herself now!

Arlo knows how to unlock all the doors and gates at school, and let himself out.

Playing with another new gift -- an embroidered blanket from Boston.

Trying to sit up in her chair. Good ab work-out.

Look at the giant snail that they found at school!

And for those of you waiting in suspense: here's how big the newest cactus paddle is now.

Lucy and Granny again.

All smiles.

Lucy can't get enough to bite!

Just walking around, chatting.

What a good pilot.

Bedtime stories - in comfy new PJs - with Dad.

Hey! Good morning!

Arlo's learned how to read books all by himself now.

Wake up, Mum! It's time to get up!

Dad. Why is she still sleeping?

Our stylish little Korean Pop Star.

Lucy's taking a page out of Baby Arlo's book, and playing with the bar with her feet.

Storytime with Mum. (Although someone's getting the side-eye.)

What a silly book about Grandma Mooner!

Tummy time for everyone!

Arlo's getting a patented leg massage from Granny.

Playing together - how sweet.

Wow, Arlo! How many puzzles did you do?

And this time, bedtime stories with Mum. And here's his other pair of new PJs!

Bangkok Week 744

September 29, 2022

We have a very busy weekend… and then Mum is off to London for the week, leaving Dad and Granny at home with the two (sick) monkeys. Uh oh!

It's breakfast time! What better way to start the day than day-old donut?

K. Noi reads Lucy her favorite book... and Arlo comes to crash the party.

Well, that story time session didn't last long.

Take 2! Let's see if Granny has any more luck.

A Friday smile from Ms. Chubs.

Ooh! It's time to try something new. Banana!

That's the face of... disgust? Let's just say, banana is not a hit.

Granny has a helper for her Friday afternoon groceries. His big purchase? A pepper!

Looks like someone tired himself out shopping. Good thing Granny's so strong!

Mister Mischief thought it would be cute to powder his face with flour!

Lucy's being offered to drive, but thinks better of it.

Look look! The new cactus paddle is growing fast.

Just wait. Tomorrow, it'll be full-size.

Brother and sister, hanging out in bed on Saturday morning.

Gearing up for a big bite of her toy.

Arlo's enjoying his milk in a glass this morning. Milk in a glass tastes much better!

Road trip! Where are we all going on a Saturday morning?

For brunch with friends at Honey Bear Bistro!

Bon appetit!

Someone wanted to help with the laundry.

Why do I think the laundry is not progressing much?

Okay, change scene! Let's go to the farm!

We haven't been here in months! (And it's all new, as far as Lucy's concerned.)

Arlo's practicing the wide scooter stance today.

Wait a minute, thinks Lucy. If Mum's taking the picture, who's pushing me?

Hey look! Ducks!

Hi Mum, says Lucy. This farm is fun!

What's everyone stopping to look at?

Of course! A mini digger on a flatbed truck!

And finally, the goats! (And sheep.)

Arlo is a pro at finding food for, and feeding, them. And they love the food he brings!

Showing Granny and Lucy how it's done.

Granny's trying, too. And Lucy hasn't quite figured out how to watch.

Eat up, little sheep.

A natural farmer!

Back at home, Lucy's looking pretty zonked.

Big good-night hugs for Dad.

Special Saturday night feast: Indian food from down the street. Delish!

The next morning, Arlo wastes no time digging into his cars.

This one, Granny! This is the one we're looking for!

Gearing up for Sunday swimming.

Getting a professional head massage to get into the rhythm.

Practicing swimming with the shark fin. Go, shark. Go!

Then it's story time with Granny. She does the best reading of "Brown Bear".

And enjoying the new book about Old MacDonald.

Let's draw! We haven't done that in a while.

Lucy's getting used to sitting in the airplane.

And time for a late afternoon walk around the block... in his snazzy running shoes. (Oh, so maybe it'll be a run around the block.)

Oh wait, it's the ice cream man. Let's turn this into an ice cream outing instead!

A cone for Arlo...

... and what's that, asks Lucy. A cone for Granny, too?

Ice cream for everyone! (Almost.)

Everyone's pleased. (Lucy will get hers later.)

All eyes on big brother Arlo!

One last time putting Lucy to bed...

... and then Mum is off to London! More of London to follow. But first, let's see how the week went in Bangkok.

A Monday morning smile... but someone is too sick to go to school!

Entertaining himself over lunch. Wait, isn't that your medicine syringe, Arlo?

Lucy can bounce anywhere! Here, there, on the counter.

Poor Arlo. Another trip to the hospital for a breathing intervention.

Dinnertime! They survived the first day.

Someone's still home today; noodles for lunch will cure any ills.

Aww, cutie Lucy is doing her best to be low-maintenance and cheery.

Hanging out together after bath time.

Is Arlo telling Lucy a bedtime story?

Playing the cactus stacking game.

Wait, what's Granny showing Arlo on her phone?

And here's Lovely Lucy again, just entertaining herself.

Where to, captain?

What's this? Another trip to the hospital?

I think someone's here just to enjoy the mini-park and cookies.

Meanwhile in London, Mum's arrived at Paddington station.

And taking a taxi the last mile (or few).

Beautiful British view for the week.

A Mini! In fact, they're all over the city!

And a mini-digger with hammer attachment.

And a modern new hybrid double-decker bus!

This city is a goldmine for vehicle-watchers!

Beautiful blue autumn skies and posh London architecture.

And great view from our Canary Wharf office!

Too bad Citi is giving us the boot at the end of next year!

And time for a little walking tour of London.

Hey look, there's Tower Bridge!

And here it is up close.

And even closer yet!

Walking across Tower Bridge, to get to our bus tour.

This weather has turned out better than we ever could have hoped.

And setting off on our sight-seeing tour.

Good ol' London Eye.

Dramatic skies as we approach Big Ben.

And here he is: Big Ben in all his glory, post-5-year restoration project.

And the rest of Westminster Hall, too.

The picturesque Regent Street.

Hitting up all the high street shops!

And a cute little lane through a building. Bye for now, London! And see you next week.

Bangkok Week 743

September 22, 2022

The birthday festivities continued into a second week: Arlo celebrated with his friends, with a picnic in the park. And Lucy turned 6 months old on Tuesday, too! Vaccines for everyone!

Happy Friday! The birthday celebrations are continuing; for example, with cupcakes for breakfast!

Off to school: the last day of the week!

Drawing circles.

Lucy is enjoying spending time with her new morning companion.

The last of the (cup)cake efforts for this year: this time, for Arlo's birthday picnic tomorrow.

Finished! Phew!

Lucy is still not sure what all the fuss is about!

Granny's getting a good arm work-out.

What every girl needs: a reliable shoulder to drool on.

What's this? A special Friday afternoon (make-up) swimming lesson!

Arlo's excited to be there...

... but it could translate into more focused practice in the pool.

Getting some of the afternoon energy out via a scoot around the block.

Lucy's enjoying the walk, too.

Posing with his newest favorite Mini Cooper!

I think something's gone wrong with this piggy-back ride. This is not a stable position.

Arlo just brought his birthday hat home from school; and it's a great way to sustain the celebrations.

Bedtime stories with Dad. But what exactly are they reading?

Why, its the ever-popular Playmobil 2021 H2 catalogue! What a nice bedtime read!

Happy Saturday, Lucy! You're up early!

Sporting his new shirt, and checking on his cactus.

Oh my! Lucky us. Dad ordered Thai donuts for breakfast.

And Arlo ate a very good breakfast, too. Correlation?

Opening his birthday card from Granny, Grandpa and Great Aunt Chris.

Woah! Look at all the trucks!

These Tonka cards are great! We must frame them.

Lucy is all set up and ready for Arlo's birthday picnic!

Lucky Arlo's friends start to arrive, and the cupcakes are a hit.

Contemplating which part of the surprised face to eat first. (Answer: the M&M eyes.)

Enjoying just hanging out.

Lucy was pooped, and slept for the first ~30 minutes or so.

We said no presents, but Alba brought two beautiful books for Arlo anyway.

Sally meeting Lucy again. She's welcome to borrow her for a while!

Arlo's friends brought so many toy cars to share with the group; lucky Arlo!

A nice, low-key get-together.

And so many friends, whom Arlo hadn't seen in ages.

Posing with his friend Sally, and big brother Doug.

"Now make a silly face!"

And enjoying the park itself, after the picnic dispersed.

Arlo was "lying with Granny" (his words).

That's a wrap! Successful picnic in the books. Happy 3rd Birthday, Arlo!

And back at home: someone's pooped!

Lucy's hanging out upstairs, to not disturb her sleeping brother.

This bed is nice and comfortable.

Hanging out on the big chair... it's a pretty good fit.

Lucy is wearing her Sunday best today: watermelon shorts!

And Arlo is enjoying leftover donuts and dip for breakfast.

Wait, I stand corrected. He's enjoying the dip for breakfast!

Wondering if these watermelon shorts help her move forward.

If we can't play with pebbles, poker chips are the next best thing for a dump truck to carry! Clearly.

Sporting an all-new outfit to swimming: snazzy grasshopper t-shirt, matching snazzy shorts, socks, and pastel running shoes!

Here's a hug from Lucy!

Lucy's in a stare-down with the other Baby Lucy. Sizing up the competition.

And Arlo's practicing his "exhausted parent" pose.

Granny reads the twisted story, "I Want My Hat Back" to Arlo and Baby Lucy. Both seem skeptical.

Oh! Arlo finally found his sunglasses! Hooray.

And spending some time outside in the garden.

Here he is, modeling his new outfit.

Smile! Family portrait.

And time to go outside and run off some energy!

Well, Lucy will run one day.

That's who she's looking at: her loving big brother!

Pumpkin for dinner! Lucy's getting much better at swallowing!

In fact, she can feed herself now!

Granny made delicious spaghetti for dinner. Bon appetit!

Happy Monday, says Arlo! I mean, Lucy!

Upgrading Arlo's temporary bedroom; this should be more comfortable to read stories on.

Big smile from the big girl!

Oh my goodness. Another new cactus flower!? Granny and Arlo investigate the scene.

Indeed! There it is!

Evening kisses for Lucy!

Everyone has enough evening wind left to call Grandpa. Hi, Grandpa!

It's a special day for Lucy! She gets to try the airplane while Arlo's at school.

And she's enjoying it!!

But today's a special day for Lucy for another reason, too!

Because Lucy turns 6 months old today! Happy birthday, Lucy!

My, how you've filled in your chair over the past 6 months, girl!

Bedtime story and milk with Granny.

Wednesday Wefie with my girl.

Trying carrot for the first time; it's not bad, either! These orange foods are good!

Lucky Arlo got a special present from one of his classmates. A puzzle book!

And Lucy is trying with all her might to sit up.

What strong abs you have, Lucy!

Arlo's cooling off in his pool; he hasn't done this for a while.

And it's dinner time, this evening prepared by Chef Granny!

A delicious leek and potato soup, with fresh bread.

Arlo's enjoying the bread at least.

And Lucy's watching her monkey brother's every move.

Hey! Who's lap am I in, anyway?

Rolling around on the floor together before bed.

Happy Thursday! Bouncy-bouncy-bouncy!

Uh oh, Lucy wonders. Why am I going to pick Arlo up from school?

Here come Mum and Arlo. What's next?

Uh oh. Where are we being taken?

To the doctor! For our 3-year and 6-month check-ups respectively!

This big sack of potatoes weighed in at 8.485 kg.

Waiting patiently for the doctor.

Arlo did so well during his shot; and he stuck around to watch Lucy get hers.

Recovering in the mini-park afterward.

There's nothing a few oreos can't fix!

The mini-park is nice and lush this rainy season.

In a hurry to go home? Nah, not us!

Enjoying the hospital water with a straw. How refined.

Arlo was so good during his vaccine shot that he got a special treat. Yum yum!

The monkey, coloring in his Chirp magazine.

Good Night, Good Night, Construction Site!

Bangkok Week 742

September 15, 2022

Can you believe it? Our little baby Arlo turns 3 this week! And what a nice birthday he has — with cakes, gifts, family, and trucks aplenty! Happy birthday, Arlo! Oh yes, and Granny arrived this week, too. Welcome back, Granny!

Breakfast with Puu: sharing some of his rice porridge.

Well, at least one person seems to like it.

A portrait with 3 generations.

Oldest and youngest.

Arlo accompanies Puu to the bus station.

Waiting with him, for the bus to arrive.

Big hug! See you next time, Puu. Thank you for coming to visit.

Back at home, trouble's brewing. Looks like someone's ready to take a dive.

Lucy looks concerned.

Playing badminton with an origami ball. This didn't last long.

Big hugs for big brother! Love, Lucy.

Getting out of the house, and trying the new (gourmet) ice cream shop around the corner.

They've got about a dozen flavors, and (unlike other ice cream shops in Thailand) you're allowed to sample as many flavors as you'd like before deciding. Arlo tried several.

Arlo decided on Salted Caramel, and seemed to be pretty pleased with his choice.

Lucy was very well-behaved, but couldn't help but feel she was missing out on something.

High stools and a great view of all the passing traffic. What could be better?

At last, Arlo found the perfect neon sign.

Indulging: watching then 1971 animated "The Cat in the Hat" musical.

And getting out of the house to shake off a tantrum.

This balance bike is soon too small for Arlo! Better figure it out soon!

Special pizza dinner tonight: Pizza Mania now offers plant-based pepperoni.

What a treat!

Meanwhile, Lucy is enjoying special attention from K. Wan, who's flooded in.

Another record downpour, with record flooding.

So the next morning, Arlo can't believe his eyes: an empty living room, with endless possibilities.

It's the perfect place to scoot, among other things.

Helping to clean up the rug, before putting it back on the floor.

Take two: we didn't make it to our swimming lesson yesterday, but the mood is better for today!

Cheering on his sister from the sideline as she bounces away in her Jumperoo.

Lucy's trying to contain her excitement...

... but she can't help it! This Jumperoo is just too fun!

Portrait of a girl, and her ride.

Newest form of entertainment: sharpening pencils.

And Arlo discovered the floral head gear in the office (i.e. his new bedroom).

Trying on all the bits and pieces.

Can an ice cream cone help to temper the temper of this boy? Let' see.

Hiding out together upstairs.

Cheese, she says!

Arlo and Dad enjoy a normal Monday morning before school...

... when suddenly, Granny appears!

Hi Granny, says Lucy! I recognize your voice!

Someone's happy to see this masked lady. But why won't she take off that mask?

And Granny is happy to see Lucy, too.

Quick check: how's the new cactus flower doing? It's getting bigger fast!

Arlo enjoys his afternoon milk with Granny, who brought an all new stack of books!

Lucy's practicing her best airplane.

The big (birth) day is approaching! And the cupcakes are ready for school.

The novelty of having Granny around still hasn't worn off for Lucy. And vice-versa.

It's time to try some pumpkin, Lucy! Yum yum!

Arlo's practicing his coloring... with pen?

Oh my! It's Wednesday morning, September 14th! That means our not-so-baby Arlo turns 3 today! Happy birthday, Arlo!

The day of birthday surprises starts by assessing all the decorations. Look, A-R-L-O balloons!

Excited by his new snowplow from Grandpa. And new storybook from Granny.

Zoom goes the snowplow! (Eat your breakfast, Arlo!)

And oh-my-goodness, Arlo also got two Matchbox vintage cars from P'Noi and P'Natalie.

Lucy's not sure what all the fuss is about.

The birth of a cactus cake, in 3 parts.

And it's cupcake time!

We're fortunate to have been allowed into Arlo's class to celebrate.

Blowing out the (first of a few) candles. Happy birthday, Arlo!

Showing off his giant birthday hat -- how smart.

Someone's been eyeing the sprinkles all week. Finally, time to dig in!

Eating from the top down.

Well, no complaints about the frosting.

Arlo's appetite seems fine here.

Back at home, the celebrations continue. Oh no -- more present!

Arlo looks excited by what's inside.

It's a tow truck and a car to tow...

... and a crane truck with stabilizers!

"Holding up" the crane truck with stabilizers, so I can get a good look.

And as a bonus, they all fit onto Arlo's railroad tracks.

A picture of Lucy with the birthday boy, for the record.

But the birthday boy wasn't too keen to hold his sister. "She's too drooly."

Well, Lucy has hugs for her big brother, anyway.

And measuring up. We'll find out his official height next week!

Relaxing with Dad, and reading his new book, Troll.

It's action time! Second round of birthday cake for the day!

Granny's set on making the cactus cake a surprise.

And what a surprise it is! A cactus cake!

Arlo's gotten good at blowing out the candles.

Look! Spikes! And flowers.

Arlo seems to like the cake.

The novice decorating attempt doesn't seem to bother him.

Can't believe this boy is 3 years old already!

Digging in already? Who taught this boy his manners?

Suddenly, Arlo's really good at using a fork.

And his appetite seems to have come back!

Everyone, open wide!

A birthday kiss for P'Noi.

What's this!? More presents for Arlo? Oh no!

A colorful card, hand-decorated by Auntie Erika.

Oh my goodness, it's a backhoe loader.

And a dump truck, too?

And a matchbox skidsteer? How cute! Arlo is over-the-moon. Let's end the birthday now!

Lucy's pretty excited by the bright yellow dump truck, too. Yum yum!

Thursday morning, Arlo indulges: leftover cupcake for breakfast!

Lucy's inspecting this book. Anything good to eat here?

Hi Dad! Where have you been, Dad?

Lucy's nice and awake now...

... so that means, time for some more pumpkin!

Reading another new book with Granny. How many new books are there?

Patiently waiting her turn to read books with Granny, too.

What? Cactus cake for an afternoon snack? Lucky Arlo!

Granny can babysit Lucy all day, when she loves her Jumperoo so much.

And Arlo finally gets to play with the keyboard he's been talking about.

Someone's too tired to sit in her own chair through dinner. So here's the next best option!

Uh oh! It's an Arlo sandwich!

And trying out his brand new PJs from Granny. Good night, and see you next week!

Bangkok Week 741

September 8, 2022

The first round of viral infections this school year makes its way through the house this week, but thankfully everyone’s spirits stayed high.

It's Friday morning at school; the weekend is near.

Arlo's showing Mum how he enjoys playing in the sand.

In class, they made self-portraits out of playdoh. Let me repeat: self-portraits.

And here's Arlo's!

And packing one more cake before heading home for the weekend.

Oh my goodness! And what's waiting for us at home?! Two blooms on this cactus!

And happy Friday to you, too, says Lucy!

Lucky Mum gets to read the (very long) Lorax to Arlo before bed tonight.

What? Swimming on a Saturday? Yes, we have two make-up lessons to complete still.

Back at home, Lucy and Dad enjoy the morning. But Lucy's getting a little sassy with her tongue!

Brown Bear: it's a gripping read!

No one is happy about The Big Boy's tantrums these days.

Parallel play at its finest.

After much crying, Arlo was finally coaxed out of his room with promises of a new I Spy book... and being allowed to wear his glow-in-the-dark Christmas pajamas.

Meanwhile, someone's bouncing away.

If you're going to wear Christmas Pajamas during the day in the middle of September, embrace it!

Nice and breezy while scooting.

Special Saturday night pizza for dinner!

Sigh. Pizza.

Lucy loves watching Dad eat.

What? Now it's Sunday? Already!?

Back at swimming with m'Boy.

Taking her jumping very. seriously.

At Arlo's request... Mum is drawing the Lorax, eating watermelon. Because.

And Arlo is putting shoes on the ladybug that we drew together last year.

Putting the finishing touches on a mini-digger that Mum started earlier this year.

Boo! Sneak attack from behind by the stealth Lucy.

Aww. Arlo's helping Lucy practice her sitting.

Houston, we have a problem.

Well finally, they're seeing eye-to-eye.

Our urban skater.

Lucy, who's that in the helmet and mask?

Zoom zoom zoom he goes!

Out of an abundance of caution, Arlo stayed home on Monday, thanks to a runny nose.

So he let his artistic side out at home. (Instead of saving it all for school, that is.)

And oh-my-goodness! A new cactus flower!

Actually, Arlo will be the first to tell you that it's not a new flower. It's a new leaf!

A beautiful flatbed truck.

Looks like Lucy is really perfecting the thumb-suck!

Speaking of perfecting: Arlo's chopstick skills are improving for sure.

Craning her neck to see what her big brother is doing. He's her number one interest!

Arlo wanted to hold Lucy. So here we are.

Who's holding me, she's wondering?

Whoops. Well, that's one way to find out!

Another day, another attempt at solids for Lucy.

Well, the pumpkin really is delicious. We just need to figure out how to swallow it.

So there! Can I help you with anything else?

Showing her toy some attitude.

Oh no. Someone seems to have a case of Slap Cheek Syndrome. Is that what Arlo was sick with over the weekend?

Oh my! A pomelo the size of Arlo! K. Noi's husband brought it back from Prae.

Actually, there were two. And the first one is delish!

Attack of the tickle monster Lucy!

Breakfast in tandem; and Arlo's new seat position.

Miss Slap Cheek is getting better.

Arlo is practicing his puzzles (with a lot of help).

Starting his day with a zing! A very sour passion fruit from Trat.

And helping to peel a giant mango ... also sent from from Trat.

Hanging out with Dad.

But paying attention to Arlo.

Smiles!

Arlo had to get in on the horse action too.

Lucy, a lady of convenience. Where the mouth falls, she bites.

And we end this week with some sibling mat time. See you next week!

Bangkok Week 740

September 1, 2022

Everyone survives at home while Mum concludes her trip to Singapore; Arlo is thrilled to visit a cactus fair; and otherwise, it’s another week of school and work.

The novelty of travel continues. Look at this Mumma of a Nutella dispenser at the hotel breakfast in Singapore!

And spotted in the bathroom; have to admire the sense of humor.

Meanwhile at home in Bangkok, everyone is thriving.

Doing bedtime as a team!

Looking forward to seeing this gang in the morning.

And the classic view departing Changi.

It's Saturday morning; Lucy's excited for the weekend!

Lounging around. This gang can operate independently now!

A special outing for Arlo: a cactus fair at K-Village.

Over 40 cactus vendors (although the organizers claimed over 70; maybe that's true).

So many cactuses... overwhelming is an understatement.

Mesmerizing. But how to pick one?

Checking out some of the colorful ones.

This display is perfect for a 3-year-old shopper.

Look at those purple-topped ones.

Arlo was hands-down the most enthusiastic shopper there, attracting the attention of all the vendors.

These ones look like little pumpkins.

Hmm! How to pick one?!

Getting a lift, to ensure he picks the best one.

And choosing a red one to take home.

So many beautiful flowers!

And as a bonus: this mall has a little playground, too.

Getting more comfortable with climbing up rungs.

Lucy slept through the shopping excursion, but she can clearly see what all Arlo bought.

Someone is excited by his purchases!

Enjoying the cookie that Mum brought back from Singapore.

Lucy, looking at her big brother with love.

Kisses!

We were invited to dinner by some newcomers to the neighborhood, with a son just a bit older than Arlo.

He enjoyed a swim in their condo's pool first.

But we left with purple lips, by the end.

Lucy, just chilling in the living room.

Someone can peel his own eggs for breakfast now.

And our first swimming lesson in 2 weeks. Do we still remember how to do it?

Hi, hello, says Lucy. (Photo courtesy of Uncle Andrew.)

Oh, there he is, hanging out with Lucy.

Another photo, courtesy of Uncle Andrew, who got to witness the whole pre-nap routine.

Arlo's trying to pump some milk again. One day, it'll come.

What?! Arlo's pumping milk!?

Dinner time. Looks like we're joined at the table by some monkies!

Showing Lucy how to use a fork.

Like this!

Helping Dad finish his dinner.

And holding hands; that's nice.

Happy Monday morning! Lucy's looking forward to a nice, quiet morning by herself.

The next day, Arlo's shoe clip has his photo on it now!

And back at home, it's time for Lucy to try solids again.

This time, it's Japanese (very) sweet potato.

Verdict? Well, not a roaring success, but a few small bites probably went down.

Resting after the sweet potato effort.

Getting much better with her coordination. And her upper-body strength.

Someone's undeniably too big for this plane, which keeps reappearing!

Oh dear, who's looking so cute?

Pre-nap storytime.

Lucy's figuring out how to toss things off her table.

To toss, or to eat? That is the question.

Chatting with Yaa over dinner.

A lively conversation.

Someone really wishes she could crawl!

Good morning, Lucy!

Holding hands, and reading the Baby Monkey book with Dad.

Everyone just lounging around.

Enjoying her jumperoo.

Now, Lucy's really into all the flashy accessories embedded in the jumperoo.

So many colorful things to look at...

... and taste!

Uh oh, Lucy! Don't let Arlo see you nibbling on his forklift!

Reading "Pete the Cat" - his teacher gave him homework to read this, before they read it in school tomorrow. So he won't get upset in class.

And pre-bed stories for everyone at once.

This boy's ready for bed. Good night, and see you next week!

Bangkok Week 739

August 25, 2022

What a busy week! Little Miss Lucy turns 5 months old. Arlo starts is new school year. Mum leaves the country for the first time in over 30 months for a quick trip down to Singapore. Oh, and we went to Trat in between, too.

Hello and happy Friday!

Lucy's still enjoying her Jumperoo.

Sitting on the big person's chair. It's basically the right size.

Saturday morning, Little Lucy turns 5 months old today!

Does she look older to you? Fuller, certainly.

And then we all pile in and hit the road. Destination: Trat!

Some shut-eye for Lucy before the half-way mark.

And everyone's awake and alert after a short bathroom break.

Even Bella's gotten comfortable in the passenger's seat.

Finally! We made it!

Lucy hasn't seen Puu and Yaa since we were here over 2 months ago.

Arlo wastes no time finding the trucks that stay here.

And everyone else wastes no time doting on Arlo and Lucy.

Arlo is getting good at pedaling his tricycle now.

And he hasn't forgotten what the pebbles are good for.

Bella's enjoying the extra attention, too.

Arlo's training to be a fireman.

And he just picked a passion fruit...

... and is very intent on eating it, despite its being *VERY* sour!

Vroom vroom vroom! Drive that tuk-tuk!

Stopping at Makro for some last-minute merit-making supplies. Where lucky Arlo gets to see a forklift in action.

And once it's done working, he even gets to see it up close and personal.

Checking out. Don't forget to scan the Arlo!

Bella has settled right in at home, and Tong hasn't forgotten her. Giving her a cat bath.

Arlo brought this framed school photo for Puu and Yaa, and now he's helping to put it up.

Right here is a good spot for it!

Arlo also printed and brought a whole bunch of photos from school, for Puu and Yaa.

Looking through the photos together.

Oh! What's Arlo doing in that photo?

Arlo dons his Sunday best for the merit-making ceremony.

Arlo's first time participating.

Maybe we shouldn't have him copy Mum. Copy anyone else, really.

Then, there's a lull while waiting for the monks to arrive.

Inspecting the toy bar up close, and working her tummy muscles.

Woah! I have one just like this at home!

The monks are here, and the ceremony begins.

No more sitting on the floor. Thanks to COVID, or is everyone just aging?

Lucy's hanging out inside; let's not get too close to all the people.

But anyway, this is where all the action is!

And now it's time for the monks to eat.

And finally, it's Arlo's turn.

He wastes no time, and digs into the desserts.

These are pretty tasty! (Read: sweet!)

Even Bella gets to enjoy the feast: chicken on oily rice.

Arlo can't help himself. Driving the tuk-tuk again.

And posing with one of Aa Top's latest products.

Bonus! Arlo even gets to sit on the motorcycle!

But wait! The ceremony is not over! It's time for the coin-tossing.

It's Arlo's first time helping to toss the coins.

He's a bit shocked by how it plays out.

And finally, he gets in on the coin-grabbing action, too.

Hugs galore: for Bella, and for the cement mixer.

Oh no, are we getting ready to leave already?

Full family photo. This should win a photography prize: everyone is looking!

And once more, this time with the photographer.

A farewell hug and kiss for Bella. We'll see you soon, Bella! Enjoy your stay in the country.

Hitting the road, heading back to Bangkok.

As we approached Bangkok, we drove into a very deep, dark, ominous storm.

But we all made it home safely! And in decent time. Just in time for bed.

Because the next morning, Arlo is going back to school!

It's "Stay and Play" today, to help Arlo acclimate back into the school routine.

But whoops! We forgot to do Arlo's COVID test before leaving home. So we hang out in the tuk-tuk while waiting for the test to process.

Arlo's never spent so much time in the tuk-tuk.

Practicing for the photo we'll take again tomorrow.

Arlo wastes no time finding the sandbox upstairs.

And playing with the pizza dough in Teacher Irene's classroom.

Decorating the pizzas together.

Arlo's really into this. Too bad this isn't his teacher!

Reading a book with Dad.

And finally in his own classroom, Arlo's quick to find the scissors.

Snip snip snip, like a pro.

Reading a book to himself.

And practicing his sewing.

Arlo's really making the most of his stay-and-play!

Back at home, Lucy's enjoying the quiet.

And hey, this ring is pretty good for biting too, when it's at the right height.

Now that she's mastered rolling over, this is how you'll find her most of the time.

When she's not in her Jumperoo, that is.

Discovering all the toys on the Jumperoo now, too.

More nibbles for Sophie.

She's plotting something.

And this is the outfit Arlo picked for his first day at school!

He's down early, and enjoying a book with breakfast.

Lucy is too.

Tummy time's gotten too boring. To add some spice, we only do it at the edge of sharp drops now.

Arlo's changed his shirt, so the combo doesn't look quite as much like pajamas.

Lucy watches as everyone scrambles to get out the door.

Have a good first day of school, Arlo!

Off go the boys! Mum will follow shortly.

Mum and her big boy, on his first day of school.

This time, we can take the photo for real.

Smile, Arlo! Have fun!

The school shared some photos of his day, post-initial-tears.

He has all new TA's in his classroom this year.

But several classmates he knows already from last year.

Squirting the paint, while they let him.

Back at home, Lucy enjoys sitting at the head of the table for lunch.

Arlo ate all his snack, and all his lunch at school. So that earns him another big snack once home.

And enjoying some pre-bed grapes. Good first day back, Arlo!

Little Miss Sweet and Innocent.

Another day, another Jumperoo!

Uh oh! Mum's about to go on a short trip! Taking photos with her monkey, so she has something to remember him by.

The send-off party.

Closing the chapter on an era: more than 30 months inside the Kingdom of Thailand.

The airport (international departures, anyway) is comfortably empty.

And the aircraft is too, for now.

Meanwhile, back at home, life goes on.

Lucy is exceptionally tolerant while tagging along for Arlo's bedtime routine.

Back in Singapore for the first time since Feb 2020. Strangely, feels like only a few months...

And retrieved the package that's been sitting at the Westin for the past month. Mission complete.

Bangkok Week 738

August 18, 2022

This week, we enjoy a long weekend (thanks to Mother’s Day), celebrate a friend’s 3rd birthday, and Miss Lucy finally rolls over from back to tummy!

Is this the week Lucy is going to finally roll over?

She's certainly itching to! Let's see what happens.

Today is a holiday. In fact, it's Mother's Day.

Dad and Arlo ordered Paul's croissants for everyone for breakfast. Yum!

And then, it's off for a special Friday morning visit to the park.

Lucy's wondering what's off. It's not Saturday!

Mum and her babies on Mother's Day.

Lucy hangs out with Dad, while Mum and Arlo run around.

Check out this giant leaf!

Arlo's working on his grip strength.

We'd intended for him to scoot *in* the skate park, but Arlo preferred to scoot *around* it.

And watching some basketball before heading out.

There's a new vegan grocery store and restaurant right on Sukhumvit.

Popping in on the way home, to grab some pantry items.

Lucy enjoys the seated view.

Bouncy bouncy bouncy!

Late afternoon trip to the veggie store. Arlo's got the shopping satchel.

Making himself at home at the veggie store.

And oh my! A green-topped Mini car in the next soi. What a treat!

The ladies, hanging out.

Lucy has the will to move forward. But not quite the way.

Nom-nom-nom. What a fluffy ball.

Looking a little annoyed. Tired of lying on the ground, Lucy?

Joining us at the table for breakfast.

Arlo's sitting next to Dad, which means Lucy can sit at the head of the table.

Oh! Saturday swimming this week -- that's special.

Everyone doing some tummy time together.

And where are we going tonight?

For a special dinner out with Arlo's friends Sally and her family, and Ronan and his family.

Wow! They brought duplos to play with. Check out this one!

Happy Sunday morning! Lucy knows we have something special planned today.

But what's the occasion? Why is Arlo dressed so spiffily for breakfast?

Lucy's getting some gym time in before we go.

These danglies are getting too easy.

Lucy's ready, in her Sunday best...

... for Alba's 3rd birthday party!

Lucy's attending her first birthday party, too.

Arlo's pleased to be able to wear his suit again.

And he did a number on this chocolate cake... all by himself.

Lucy practices her standing.

Trying to get a photo of all the kids altogether.

Well, at least Arlo and Lucy did their part.

After 3 hours, Arlo finally decided to try the bouncy castle.

And he discovered it was lots of fun!

Down he comes, all by himself!

And bouncy-bouncy-bouncy!

Just taking a short rest.

Speechless! What happened to the bouncy castle?

The party may be over, but in Arlo's book, the fun is just getting started.

Enjoying the condo playground before heading out.

Even the spring rides are fun here!

Back at home, Lucy looks ready for Easter Sunday.

Oh my, Arlo also turns 2 years and 11 months today! It's Arlo's turn next!

And this is what Lucy thinks about it.

Mum is doing Arlo's bedtime story tonight: what a treat.

Lucy's got her game face on. Is today the day she's going to roll over?

She's practicing hard!

So close, so many times!

All eyes on Big Brother Arlo.

A few last attempts before the sun goes down.

And there it is! She finally rolled over, when no one was watching... while Mum was drawing the bath!

The next morning, Arlo asked to take a photo with Bella.

So here we are! Bella doesn't seem to care.

Lucy's trying another new outfit today.

Another nice, floral dress.

And Arlo's tackling a giant bowl of noodles for lunch, one noodle at a time.

Big brother hugs!

That's the face of someone who doesn't want to share with his sister.

Just lounging around with Dad.

And still trying to move forward.

Meanwhile, Arlo is practicing for his architectural debut in Dubai next month: taller, faster, stronger!

Posing for the camera. What a ham.

The little missy and her tongue.

Quietly nibbling on Sophie.

And enjoying her tummy time...

... until it's crashed by Big Brother.

Bangkok Week 737

August 11, 2022

The honeymoon is over! Mum is back to work this week. But we still have plenty of fun on the weekends!

Happy Friday! Where are we going?

To "Emma's Cafe", for what is likely the last Breastfeeding Cafe for Lucy and Mum.

Back at home, Lucy Arlo now has his very own iron, thanks to P'Noi. (But of course, he can't give up the real working one.)

What? Dinnertime again?

Very cute. Arlo's helping to entertain Lucy over dinner.

Or is he just finding an excuse to play with her toys?

Oh my. Someone finally finished his ice cream sandwich for dessert.

Very subtle. No trace of what he was eating.

Arlo's new bath time setup: in his own shower!

Sporting a very hip, very stylish matching t-rex and volcano print set. Fits right in at Emporium!

We haven't tried the seesaw in a while.

Lucky Lucy is in the carrier, because we forgot her stroller at home.

Arlo offered to help Lucy try the slide for the first time.

But Arlo's legs were so sticky (because he's wearing shorts) that they really didn't go anywhere!

Climbing up the jungle gym on his own accord! With other kids around!

No trip to the park is complete without a chocolate milk these days.

And a soda water.

Hey look! Remember that snail from Thursday?

He's still here, just cruizin' along the hedge slowly.

Waiting patiently while Dad runs a quick errand in Emporium.

And stopping to check out the roller rink that we never knew existed in Emporium (at the top of the parking lot). Arlo is allowed to use his balance bike, so we may be back.

Everyone' sitting around... but no one is eating lunch. Hmm.

Lucy's really into her tongue these days. She'll stick it out at you, no matter the occasion.

Patiently waiting for Mum to finish lunch.

There's a nice portrait.

Singing with Mum.

Sunday morning, lounging around.

Lucy's up early, so we're going to make good use of these morning hours. Tummy time!

This ball! Easy to grab, hard to lick!

Arlo seems pleased by Lucy's progress.

Speaking of progress, working on some new puzzles of his own.

Aww, sibling hug. That's nice, Arlo.

Sunday swimming: another 2-student class.

Lucy enjoys the toy bar on her chair now.

Arlo found some Arlo-sized clothes hangers. They make great toys, too.

Another elusively close ball for Lucy.

Team tummy time!

Picnicking with Lucy.

That was short-lived. He'd rather read about constellations instead.

Lunch time? Or Picturepedia time?

Lucy really enjoys sitting up straight. If only she could do it by herself!

Miss Big Eyes, Big Cheeks. You talking about me?

Auntie Khyathi is visiting from Singapore. So she kindly stopped by to visit Lucy and Arlo.

She hasn't been here since Arlo was not quite 2 months old!

And she was too kind; she brought gifts for both Lucy and Arlo... including this cactus-stacking toy!

It's Jumperoo time!

Arlo wanted Lucy to play with the abacus over dinner.

Well, she got a nice close-up look at it!

Uh oh! What happened to Arlo's balloon?

It's Monday the 8th. You know what that means? It's Mum's first day back at work! Going out with a bang: Grandpa's last gingerbread.

Lucy's wondering: what happened to Mum?

Whoops. We might have too many dishes for dinner. How did that happen?

There's no such thing as a dinner without distractions.

Practicing our tongues out together.

Group shot? Nah!

Checking on the balcony after a long rain last night. And who's that slowly crawling across the balcony floor?

Why, it's a little snail! How did he get up here?

Arlo couldn't be more excited.

Look at him go!

Pluck! Without much regard for Mr. Snail's efforts, Arlo picked him up to get a better look.

So we brought him downstairs.

Where Arlo spent a good while studying him.

Oh! There he goes!

Arlo wanted to keep him as a pet.

Drumroll: Arlo named him... "Snail".

Here he is in his temporary new home, with plenty of fruits and veggies, and eggshell for calcium.

Lucy couldn't care less about Snail.

Oh my! Looks like someone tried to do a runner! Look where we found him the next morning! (Good thing we found him...)

Recreating a photo from when Arlo was a baby in the laundry basket... and he couldn't be more thrilled.

We ordered lunch (stir fried noodles without any meat) from a mom & pop shop...

... and the shop refunded us 30 baht, because we paid the meat price! How about that! What good people.

Arlo's pretty chuffed about his noodles for lunch.

And an evening of milk and Where's Wally.

Lucy's interested, too.

Uh oh, Lucy. Watch out!

It's a giant pile-on.

Looks like someone's sleepy! I guess we'd better go to bed. See you next time!

Bangkok Week 736

August 4, 2022

Our quarantine continues! Another 6 days at home… and then we’re freeeee!

Thankfully, everyone has recovered well and symptoms have been mild.

Welcome back! We're all still here, rolling around on the floor.

Someone wanted to involve himself in Lucy's tummy time.

Give us your best COVID smile!

Dad's doing his best to entertain both kiddos at once.

A wefie with my favorite son.

Lucy's practicing holding her balls. All her balls.

Again, this ball is more hole than ball. How to lick?

Getting her daily steps in.

A pro at grabbing the dangly things now.

Arlo is perfecting his modeling pose.

Ah, and a breath of fresh air: I can finally take off my mask, as I join the COVID+ club! Arlo welcomes me with a hug.

More modeling poses.

This one is the Popping a Cookie pose.

Dad's entertaining himself in a corner with the bubbles...

... while Arlo silently dangles a rope over the edge and into the street.

Taking the mosquito racket for a spin.

Lucy's awake now! Watch out for that excavator, Lucy!

And a big Friday night smile for the paparazzi.

Indulging in an ice cream sandwich for dessert... but he could only finish half of it.

Bed time book for Arlo and Dad.

Oh my! Look what Nemo -- I mean, Arlo -- found in his closet!

Lucy's wondering how the bed got so short overnight.

Saturday morning: we're supposed to be at the park!

Lucy's making another valiant attempt to roll over.

But she ultimately needed help.

So close, but yet so far.

Mixed nuts and cactuses. What could make a better morning at home?

Tummy time on the couch: a great vantage point.

Lucy's learning how to be part of the neighborhood watch at a young age.

Wefie... and no mask on Mum, this time.

Big grin. Someone's up to no good!

Father-daughter afternoon.

Hanging out on the balcony; Arlo doesn't want his cactus to miss out.

Big hugs for Mum!

The ladies.

Hmm. We thought this was the smart one?

No toys around here; only clothes pins and plastic bowls.

Well, this bowl is easy to grip!

Arlo's instructions to dad: "flat like a flatbed truck!"

Arlo had been helping Mum peel a carrot. But now, he's just shredding a carrot.

Oh la la! Special breakfast! And Arlo picked the dip this time.

Look, it's purple!

Is someone sitting in a self-imposed time out?

Arlo's coloring skills are getting better.

Look how well he stays in the lines! (Or, in the picture anyway.)

These mats are helpful for getting good tummy time traction.

Eye on the prize, Lucy!

Here comes coach Arlo, with some words of wisdom.

Arlo, I'm not sure you're supposed to laugh at your student like that.

Time for a break. Let's continue to refine our grabbing skills.

Speaking of vantage points, Lucy really likes sitting up.

Driving the front loader all over himself.

Time for another jumperoo session.

In the right mood, Lucy really enjoys it now.

Look at all the colors!

This is really fun!

Rest.

What's going on back there?

Fitting in a few more coordination drills before bed.

Building his own fire fighting fleet, with the red duplos.

Are you interested in your PlanToys car, Lucy?

No... but Arlo is!

Having a chat with Puu and Yaa.

A nice smile from neckless Lucy.

Mum made fried rice for lunch...

... but Arlo's more interested in the lime.

Thinking about it... but can't be bothered to roll over.

Multi-tasking.

Showing off how he can feed his baby, too.

Arlo's always keen to hold Lucy, when given the opportunity.

Somehow though, she looks huge on him now.

Kind of like Arlo is holding a big Lucy balloon.

Excited by the fruit on her shirt.

Now showing her how a tow truck works.

Oh my! Tackled by the flying cheetah!

Lucy's saying good morning to Granny and Grandpa.

She very much enjoys looking at (and trying to reach) Arlo's trucks. Probably because of the bright colors.

Playing "together" on the floor.

Calling Puu and Yaa?

Her smile is a subtle one!

If we can't go outside, we'll bike inside the house!

Eye on the prize! If only the body would cooperate too.

Lucy hasn't realized that she's unlikely to go far with all 4 limbs up in the air.

The jumperoo is becoming very entertaining!

Do you like it, Lucy?

"Yes, I like it! Woohoo!"

Is Arlo playing with an iron? Oh no. It's a vacuum truck. Or an aircraft deicer. Or a sidewalk tractor!

Lots of sub-par apples in the fridge? Make apple crumble!

Dad and Arlo dare to try it. The chef made it with limited sense of taste and smell.

It passes the Arlo test!

New dinnertime entertainment for Lucy.

Help! Help!

Mum's official wake-up assistant, reporting for duty!

"What the heck was that, Mum?"

Moving onto more important things...

... drinking milk and looking at trucks, all on the big bed! Hmm... who sanctioned this?

Get those cars, Lucy!

The dangling toys are much easier to reach!

Arlo wanted a hopscotch game...

... so Dad made him one!

Look at all-mighty Dad, juggling all his children at once.

Using the dot paints from Granny.

"Faces".

And these are "Balloons with Helium".

Looking at the illustrated atlas; specifically, hunting for cactuses and armadillos.

A pile of siblings!

She knows what to do in here now! (And we might even need to adjust the height soon.)

Finally! Hooray! 10 days have passed; we can go back outside!

Basking in the sunlight, at long last.

Lucy's getting better at sitting upright in her chair unaided.

Oh my goodness! So much to look at! But, where's Wally?

Celebrating the end of our family quarantine.

The next morning, we hit the road and beeline to the park, where Arlo is showing off his favorite outfit.

Lotuses still there? Check.

Hey look, a snail going for a walk on a hedge.

Climbing into the dome on his own accord.

Lucy, enjoying the breeze and the outdoor air.

Arlo stumbled upon a huge toad (that looked like a poop).

Talking to the turtles (who were very disappointed that Arlo and K. Noi came without any food for them).

Getting really very up-close and personal with the friendly turtle.

Calling Puu and Yaa.

Everyone's enjoying the freedom.

Playing catch. We're improving!

Arlo still enjoys using the skate park as a slide. Very relaxing.

So tired from the outing, that she fell asleep mid finger-munch on the way home.

Gotta find the silver linings: taking advantage of my temporary immunity to go get a haircut!

You got a haircut, Mum? Can't tell!

Bon appetit, and see you next week... we're freeeee!

Bangkok Week 735

July 28, 2022

This started off like any other week, but quickly went downhill. By Monday, we had 3 COVID-positive patients, and began our 10-day home quarantine. Thankfully, by the end of the week, everyone’s symptoms were much improved. But to think, the alternate would have been a 5-day trip to Singapore!

The silver lining? I get to spend lots of valuable time at home with my lovely children before going back to work! 😉

It's water play day at summer camp today!

It was supposed to be bathing suit-level water play, but I think that was scrapped because of the "cool" weather.

Oh! Matching outfits for Mum & Lucy!

The doctor said Lucy could start trying solid foods, so here we are.

She was totally not into it one bit. And so we'll try again in a few weeks. Or maybe a month.

The face of a deep thinker.

Normally, Lucy likes to lie and look out the window. But there's an obstruction today! So instead, she's checking out Bella's bum.

Look at Lucy sitting up so well!

Enjoying a cool Friday afternoon breeze on the balcony.

Lucy loves to suck on Dad's arm for comfort...

... but it's also a great place to rest her heavy cheeks.

Hmm! Who invited this boy into the bed? He seems very comfortable.

It was a wet and overcast day, so we spent most of the time at the park on the playgrounds.

Riding the Rocket (as they say in Toronto)!

Lucy feels a bit left out.

How did Arlo find himself inside this dome?

And more importantly, can he squeeze back out again?

Demonstrating how to get the least leverage possible on a steering wheel.

Just walking down the slide.

And showing off his multi-tasking skills.

Oh, here he is again!

Meanwhile! Third time being blessed by a Bangkok bird since last September. Starting to think I'm not lucky... but rather, quite the opposite.

And our monkey gets out all his energy before we pile back into the car to head home.

Enjoying pre-nap milk and story with Dad.

Lucy really, really wants to move to her toys. Maybe one day soon, my dear!

Nesting hugs: Mum's holding Arlo, and Arlo's holding Lucy.

Trying one more shot, wefie-style.

Special treat to spice up the weekend: DQ delivery! Arlo got an ice cream sandwich...

... and Dad got to try their newest blizzard flavor: caramel popcorn.

Arlo approves of the sandwich!

Improvising new ways to sit on his stool.

Lucy's just chillaxin'.

Pretending to act surprised. Who, me?

"Taking a nap" on his pillow.

It's Sunday morning again; time to take the monkey for his energy-burning lesson!

Meanwhile, Lucy is at home practicing her grabbing with Dad.

Grabbing (this ring, anyway) is becoming second nature now.

"Really? You expect me to lie here and entertain myself?"

Lucy is napping and Dad is feeling unwell (cue foreboding music), so Mum and Arlo have a picnic lunch!

Grilled cheese pita, carrot and hummus, and balloons. Yum!

Arlo got grilled mozzarella, while Mum got grilled (aged Australian) cheddar.

Someone decided he's too classy to picnic.

Everyone else is awake and alert. So it's bubble time!

Oh no! Arlo's trapped in a bubble! How did that happen?

And so it begins: Dad is upstairs quarantining himself, so it's just Mum, Arlo and Lucy entertaining ourselves downstairs.

Big brotherly love.

Look at Lucy go: two hands, one on each toy.

What's the big deal, Mum? This is easy!

After his nap, Arlo invited Lucy to come into bed with him to join him.

Giving the toy a good stare-down.

Monday morning: COVID has upped its game. Arlo and Lucy are active patients now too, and Mr. Grumpy here can only be pacified with truck videos on a big screen.

This pretty much sums up everyone's mood.

What's that plane doing in the water?

Have to give Lucy credit for maintaining positive spirits while battling a high fever.

Wait, Mum, I don't even get a break from exercising?

Doing her part to keep up the mood!

Yes. Yes, this summarizes the mood perfectly.

Dad's digs for the next several days, while a masked Mum stays with Lucy in the main room.

Morning, Day 2. Still smiling, despite running a 39 degree fever through the night last night.

Arlo asked for plain spaghetti for lunch, so here we are...

... eating plain spaghetti and studying vegetables of the world.

Doing a deep-dive into the vegetables.

Focusing intently on her toy bar.

Resting on the mat; we don't need to do tummy time all the time!

As a sympathy gift, Arlo got a brand new car: a yellow sports car (a.k.a. supercar).

Comparing his new supercar to the sports cars in Picturepedia... and still plugging away at that spaghetti.

Not herself, for sure.

But have to give her credit for trying.

Tuesday night: it's bowling night in Ekkamai!

Oh no! It could've been a strike, but now the best this amateur bowler can hope for is a spare.

Wednesday morning: the bananas we'd gotten for Lucy (which she clearly won't be eating anytime soon!) have about 15 minutes of life left in them. So Mum made urgent banana bread.

Even tossed in the rest of the steamed pumpkin that Lucy won't be having.

Day 3? We're only on Day 3 of this saga?

Well, Lucy's grabbing precision has never been better!

Good thing we have a little garden! Cuz we ain't going outside much farther than this.

Oh! Is someone finally going to roll over? (Hint: nope.)

Arlo wanted to help Dad prune the plants...

Someone looks up to no good... and it isn't Lucy.

Holding hands with Lucy... to cover up whatever else he was planning.

Bella finally met our yappy Jack Russel neighbor... who'd escaped his house. The two got along surprisingly well.

Decided to take Lucy in to see the doctor.

Arlo patiently tagged along during his nap time.

Lucy, practicing her best bikini model pose.

Someone's extra tired, having skipped his nap today. So he gets chocolate milk as a treat.

Setting her up to go for the grab.

Yay, she got it!

Relaxing and enjoying her prize.

Uh oh! It's a Dad sandwich!

Day 4, here we go! This is the least excited I've ever seen anyone who's having a chocolate cookie for breakfast.

That said, spirits are starting to improve today.

Playing together.

Giving her ball a big, wet hug.

Looking at the illustrated world map book that we've had for ages, but never read with Arlo.

Meanwhile, it's same same for Lucy.

Hanging out with Bella. The two of them enjoy looking out the window.

The trouble with this ball is that it's more hole than ball. So there's not much to put in your mouth!

Happy with Dad! But poor Lucy hasn't seen any adults' faces since Sunday!

Arlo studiously helps Lucy user her jumperoo.

The jumperoo is not to be taken lightly! Are you using it properly, Lucy? Ae you enjoying it?

Ah, finally, some breathing room.

Seriously thinking about whether she's enjoying this or not.

And enjoying the late afternoon breeze on the balcony.

Blowing bubbles for Lucy...

... and for the neighbors.

While Arlo pops these bubbles, we'll be waiting for you next week, right here! We're not going anywhere!

Bangkok Week 734

July 21, 2022

Another packed week: a playdate with P’Kate at the park, a visit to the geodesic cactus dome out at Rama IX park, Lucy turns 4 months old, and we all experience end-of-days floodwaters. Never a dull day!

Welcome back! Arlo's still working on how to best wear goggles.

Lucy's getting some peek-a-boo time in with Dad.

Oh no! What's this?

The Jumperoo is back! (Bella wasn't around the first time to witness it, so it's new for her.)

Lucy's ... overwhelmed.

Well, it's comfortable...

... although she's not totally sure what she's supposed to be doing.

Spotted at a DIY store: house numbers. But too bad if your address is 68! Or 94...

Same problem with the birthday candles. I guess you only get to use digits when you get too old for individual candlesticks.

Arlo's home from camp, and -- no surprise -- eyeing the Jumperoo.

But there's a new surprise waiting for Arlo at home!

His very own pair of sunglasses!

He's figured out how to push them out of the way.

Here's another place to keep them when not in use.

And here's Miss Chubby Cheeks.

Just practicing tummy time from her favorite vantage point.

Getting strong with the head-turning, too.

All ready for his afternoon walk!

Oh my! Who's this stylish man approaching me?

Look, Lucy can walk in style, too.

He's got his eye gear for riding the motorcycle, too.

Some early morning gardening, before it gets too warm.

Learning about the food pyramid (or whatever they call it) in Chirp Magazine. Pretty sure the 4 plate segments are not all meant for mixed nuts.

Good morning, missy! Someone's smiley and happy to be getting her breakfast.

And where are we off to, so early in the morning?

Of course! The park!

Lucy's familiar with this place by now.

And Arlo is off to the races, in no time at all.

Wefie with just the ladies.

Practicing our tummy time in the grass.

Uh oh, here come the boys! Watch out!

Just enjoying our picnic.

And just in time to play bubbles...

... Kate and her family show up to join in the fun.

Arlo's style of bubble-chasing is much more passive compared to Kate's.

Going after the bubbles using his own wand.

And time for a break. These kids know just what to do for the camera!

P'Kate was very generous, and gave Arlo and Lucy some toys she no longer plays with... like this steering wheel.

Well, that's it. Nothing can top this steering wheel!

Having a picnic before heading out.

Stopping to check out the "funny flowers" on the way back to the car.

Too pooped to walk the whole way back by himself.

And of course, helping Dad drive home.

Someone is content!

Tried making a round fried egg for dinner. Could've been better, could've been worse.

Lucy's hand-eye coordination is improving daily.

And she's practicing the skills needed to roll over.

She still enjoys tummy time.

You can do it, Lucy! Just swing that big thigh over.

Meanwhile, Arlo's found the most efficient way to spin his pinwheel.

Pretty Bella, posing for the camera too.

Hanging out with Dad in the water.

No wait, they're all sitting in a boat, and Arlo's at the helm.

And now, they're all in a car!

Hold on tight, everyone! This driver looks a bit crazed!

Aww. Miss Cutie Pie and Dad.

The boys carefully observe their subject: is she having fun?

Arlo doesn't have swimming today, so we're taking a special Sunday morning trip...

... to Rama IX park! The park that's always excruciatingly hot!

Today we're here exclusively for the cactus dome.

Last time Arlo was here (with Granny last fall) he wasn't into cacti yet.

So many cacti to see! And so many *big* ones!

But *man*! This is one hot geodesic dome!

Lucy doesn't get what all the fuss is about.

Woah! This one is covered in both prickles and leaves!

Aww! They have lots of tiny ones, too.

Taking a break from the hot hot dome to check out the ones outside.

One last hurrah inside the cactus dome.

Getting a boost from Dad.

Pointing out the beautiful purple flowers.

And making a quick stop at the enclosed garden before heading back. Arlo likes the big fish.

Unprompted, Arlo pointed out that last time he was here was with Granny!

Lucy's never seen leaves so big!

Posing with the golden Sala...

... and making a quick stop at the playground.

Standing all by himself on this tall tree trunk.

Whoops, sorry Mr. Turtle. Thought you were a rock.

Found a "little bench" and decided to try it out.

And couldn't help but try the bikes in the exercise area before heading home.

Oh no! It's a Dad sandwich!

Back at home for lunch, Lucy practices sitting at the table.

These toys with wheels are pretty fun to bat around...

... but Lucy can only get away with it while Arlo is napping!

Crawl to the monster truck, Lucy!

Comfortable hanging out on Dad's shoulder.

Oh my! Someone has taken it upon himself to decorate the palm tree.

Getting some end-of-day fresh air on the balcony, too.

Another day, another attempt at the Jumperoo.

Taking stock of his laundry clips. How many different kinds and colors?

Hanving a good laugh.

Showing Lucy how his pinwheel spins on its own in the breeze.

Not looking totally comfortable on this picnic mat.

The next morning, while washing Lucy's usual mat, she's camouflaging herself with the bearskin.

Oh, there's Lucy. Couldn't see her before.

It's pirate week at camp! Arlo is enjoying the giant wooden boat.

Saying hi to Lucy after getting back from camp.

Getting in a bit of tractor time while Lucy sleeps.

Arlo's very good at helping Lucy play in her Jumperoo. (Or, playing with it for her?)

And helping her play with her ball.

Lucy, where's your ball gone?

Intent focus on the prize. But can't quite get there yet.

Arlo's finishing his dinner next to Dad; and Lucy's watching intently.

Someone knows how to pose for the camera!

The sunglasses help the milk go down faster.

Breakfasting in style

Row-row-rowing his boat again.

A new surface to practice tummy time.

The tractor is *just* out of reach.

Yeah Mum, this is what I think of tummy time!

Big smiles. This is better.

Oh! Someone made a Pirate's Hat at camp today!

And he knows just want accoutrement goes perfectly with it!

Lucy's getting very good with her toy bar.

Showing off her two-handed punch.

Everyone is practicing their kicking. Kick-kick-kick!

Lucy looks incredulous -- you're making me do this *again*?

A supercar was parked in the next soi. Arlo couldn't get enough of it.

"Just resting" and looking at the super car.

The next morning at school, Arlo's found the perfect vantage point.

He's become a pro in the kitchen.

Using all the pots and pans, and the sink...

... and just scooping up his ingredients off the floor!

Happy 4 month birthday, Lucy! Where are we taking you to celebrate?

Oh no, Mum. This looks like the hospital!

That's right, Lucy! Here for your 4-month checkup!

Making the most of our wait: getting in some tummy time!

Still looking pretty small on that exam table.

And to celebrate Lucy's birthday, Arlo gets to enjoy an ice cream cone.

He's getting much better at eating a cone without dripping.

Happy 4 months, Baby Lucy!

Time is flying! Look how you fill out that chair now!

And just in the nick of time, she's figured out how to grab her toys!

An important 4-month milestone.

Celebrating in style!

He's figured out that a newly-wiped chalk board makes a great ice rink. The Zamboni even leaves tire tracks!

Hanging around, waiting for bed time.

The two monkeys, waiting for a bus.

Ending the day with a bang: the worst flooding that Bangkok has seen in over 10 years!

Almost every house in our Moo Baan flooded. We've certainly never seen the water this high!

The flood flowed all the way back out to the main Ekkamai 12.

The next morning, Arlo assesses the damage.

There's no way he's going to camp today!

The Granny's son had to come visit in a Jeep today; his normal Jazz would've never survived.

Water's still knee deep, more than 14 hours after the rain began.

Well, Arlo's cactus is thriving.

Here's the cactus flower; I know you're itching for an update.

Well, Arlo and Lucy get to hang out all day together now.

Kiss for Lucy!

It's very apt that Arlo's driving his boat around the living room today.

Enthusiastically welcoming Lucy up from her nap.

Hugs for Lucy! Never mind that she can't breathe!

Nom-nom-nom. This tractor is delish!

Learning to play with her tongue.

Having a good (but refined) laugh with Dad.

And a good chuckle with P'Noi, too.

Everyone's enjoying our newest book (Tyrannosaurus Drip).

And Arlo reenacts a scene in which a lizard steals a dinosaur egg. Carbon copy, if I say so myself!

Bangkok Week 733

July 14, 2022

Arlo starts his first of 2 weeks of summer camp this week! And he also turns 2 years and 10 months old!! Lucy goes swimming for the first time, and we visit two different parks in Bangkok. All the while, Lucy is getting bigger and stronger!

Hello down there, Lucy! Is the bed too short for you now?

Trying her hands at the wheel of the infamous airplane. Arlo didn't like it one bit.

Partaking in Lucy's tummy time exercises.

Showing her how it's done!

Aww. Forehead kiss.

Just having a little sibling chat.

Gentle hugs for Lucy.

Arlo's excited that Lucy's holding his hand.

A subtle smile. I guess she's happy that Mr. Chatterbox is napping?

Oh my! What's this?

It's time for a swim at the new house! And it's Lucy's first time in the water.

Arlo wastes no time at all...

but Lucy is a little more cautious. Definitely a good first time though.

Big Fish Arlo, on the other hand, could've happily swum until the sun set.

Talking to Puu and Yaa, and telling them all about her swimming experience.

And here's Arlo to add his two cents, too.

Saturday morning! Dad hangs out with Lucy, while Arlo gives Dad a haircut. Chop chop!

Look at all the Spidermen dangling down from the new UOB building.

We've arrived at our destination! First order of business: making sure the fish and flowers are still in their proper places.

Lucy makes herself comfortable on the mat...

... while Arlo and Dad commence their races.

Who's going to reach the mat first?

I am not sure that tongue-out running is an officially sanctioned technique. Seems a bit risky!

Meanwhile, back on the mat...

... the ladies are just lounging around.

Enjoying the cool breeze and the nature.

Arlo has an eye for giant sticks.

Everyone in position and focused.

Say cheese!

A quick exploration of the playground... but it's very warm at this time of day.

Lucy's all packed up and ready for her nap.

Back at home, it's time to get down to business.

Arlo just got a new 24-piece jigsaw puzzle. Let's see how this goes!

Flattering wefie of Mum and her babies.

Concentrating really hard over dinner.

Sunday morning surprise! Thanks, Dad!

Arlo's fave! The green sauce. (And conveniently, there's a donut to help it reach his mouth.)

Here we are at swimming. Arlo's wondering why our car is inside the lobby.

Hamming it up. No official photographer to document the lesson today. (But it was a private lesson again!)

Back at home, it's time to try our hand at the 24-piece puzzle again.

Starting with a complete puzzle, minus 5 pieces.

Yay! He did it!

Is there someone behind me? I feel a warm breath on my neck.

Zooming out, so you get the full picture.

Wondering why she's been relegated to her chair.

Peaceful tummy time, while Arlo naps!

And hanging out with Dad.

What a special Sunday afternoon treat! A trip to Benjakitti Forest Park.

We haven't been back since that first time with Grandpa and Granny. It looks much the same, but this time, it was pleasantly overcast.

And Arlo is much happier to be here this time.

Lucy didn't last long. But Arlo's ready to go-go-go!

Blending in with nature.

Here he is, "reading the (rain) radar".

Playing on the monkey bars -- that is, bars for this monkey.

Nature has taken over nicely in most of this park now.

Strolling along the sky bridge. Fewer people than last time, too.

The running and cycling tracks were getting good use.

This is from the west edge of the park, looking North. The park continues for a significant way up, but the sky bridge is not yet open.

Arlo offers to push the (thankfully empty) stroller. What he really wanted to do was see if it would roll down the ramp on its own.

Down below, there are so many lotuses!

Stopping to smell the flowers.

Pointing out how beautiful it is... and almost toppling into the water.

They do look funny once they've lost their petals.

Here's a big beauty.

Dad shows Arlo how, when you stroke the leaves of this plant, they close up. He found it very amusing.

These lotus flower stems are incredibly strong! This flower must be standing a meter out of water!

Power couple.

Continuing along.

Posing with this giant, fresh leaf.

Lotuses, as far as the eye can see.

Arlo had been asking to run around in the grass. Well, here we are!

This lotus in bloom is almost perfect!

Climbing up the stairs to one of the observation points.

It looks like we're standing in front of a back drop! Really, it's not...

And heading home; it's already late!

Dinner of champions, courtesy of Dad: Korean ramen!

Arlo started Summer Camp at Annabel's main campus on Monday.

We misunderstood the start time, so he was the first one there! (Arrived at the same time as some of the staff...)

Arlo remembered where the trucks were...

And enjoyed having the mud kitchen to himself.

Playing with a fellow vehicle enthusiast.

And exploring a paint table with a new TA.

Then, it's time for Mum's second Moderna. That makes 4 shots: two full courses of AZ and Moderna each. 🤞

Arlo's "cactus flower" is growing nicely.

And here's Miss Lucy, finally up for the day.

Wasting no time getting down to business.

Hey! Today's the day! She reached for the dangling toys! (Repeatedly.)

And she's really got the spinning down pat.

Telling Arlo all about her progress, after he gets home from camp.

Taking an interest in rain radars -- I mean, maps! He can identify Bangkok and Canada.

Sharing a laugh with P'Noi.

Lucky Arlo, enjoying the tiniest macaron for dessert after dinner.

The next morning, sitting on Mum's lap for breakfast.

And off to camp again with Dad.

How about that! More kids here this time!

Just making sure the road roller is still here.

Meanwhile, the sunken sleepyhead is just waking up.

Lucy's dressed for the sunny day, and is ready to kick into gear.

Really improving her neck, chest, and arm strength!

And also refining her hand-eye cordination.

It helps to use the side bars to stabilize!

A big smile for the camera.

At pick-up time, Arlo gives himself an extra challenge: put on his shoes while sitting on a ball!

All ready for the mid-day ride home, in his new UV-blocking jacket.

Riding his new (old) wheelz. Bella is... confused.

Lucy's watching her big brother play with all his toys. She can't wait to join in!

Hmm. I am not sure if Arlo has enough toys.

He has so many legos that he couldn't avoid sitting on them. His solution: get a cushy pillow and sit on that (on the legos) instead.

It's fun to do tummy time in the library. Lucy doesn't spend much time in here!

Oh no! Wardrobe change! Lucy seems quite pleased though. She feels better, I guess!

Using a shell to form part of his boom flail mower.

Showing Lucy how to play trucks.

Lucy finds it more interesting to look out the window, actually.

Dad's home, and has a big kiss for Lucy.

Turns out Dad's hand is a satisfying salt lick!

Replenishing her salts and minerals over dinner.

Someone's excited; he earned another tiny macaron for dessert tonight.

Oh! Today's a holiday! Bella is here to wish Lucy a good holiday morning!

And here's a kiss from Big Brother Arlo, too.

It's a rainy day, so we'll be entertaining ourselves at home today!

Everyone's getting in on the tummy time.

Hmm. Something tells me someone's been having some fun with Lucy!

What are Arlo and Dad doing?

Tummy time together? Or is Dad napping?

Reading Indian fables together.

Lucy, the moral of the story is: don't be greedy and eat your subjects!

What a dainty tummy time, in this outfit.

You talking about me?

Dancing with Dad!

Home-made egg McMuffin for lunch.

Yum! But very filling!

Oh! Someone had a wardrobe change. Navy blue seems to be the theme of the afternoon!

Hanging out together on the mat.

Siblings!

Same posture!

Cutting up bitter melon for dinner. Some of these things are not like the others!

Arlo's found a great new way to eat breakfast: while wearing goggles!

Back at school after the holiday off.

Wasting no time finding the trucks.

And enjoying the playground equipment all by himself.

Filling up a jug with water...

... to pour it down this water run! Exciting!

Pumping his own water, too.

Back at home, Lucy models the Uniqlo outfit that Granny got her last visit. It fits now!

Big smiles! Excited for the new day!

Oh my! And also, Arlo turns 2 years and 10 months old today! Measuring in.

Just relaxing on her mat and looking out the window.

What's that? Tummy time for me?

Getting better at punching her toys; she can do it 2-handed now!

And we end this week with a check-in on the "cactus flower". It's growing with remarkable speed! Let's see how big it gets next week!

Bangkok Week 732

July 7, 2022

What an action-packed week! Arlo’s off from school (and summer camp hasn’t started yet). So we made the most of it, since Mum’s still off work: Harborland, Kidzoona, Emma’s Cafe! Plus a trip to the dentist, an outing to the park, a swimming lesson, and many walks around the block. Time to rest now!

We begin this installment with a family trip to...

... Arlo's dentist! It's a long-overdue visit. All 20 teeth now though -- getting the most bang for our buck.

And of course, no visit to the hospital is complete without stopping in the mini-park.

Admiring the balloon dog that he got as a reward, from the dentist herself.

Dad and his babies, just hanging out in the mini-park enjoying the coffee and cakes.

And where to next?

"Emma's Cafe", as Arlo calls it...

... so that Lucy can say good-bye to one of her friends, who's moving back to the UK next week.

Lucy and Layla (to the left of Lucy) were born only 1 day apart!

And the mums, too.

That was a fun outing, but now she's glad to be home. Sweet smile!

And getting in some afternoon tummy time practice.

Watching as Arlo and Dad draw a face (and other decorations) on the balloon dog.

Hmm, I feel like we're being watched.

It's time for a late-afternoon walk.

Although it seems like this walk is more resting than it is walking.

Another rest.

And another rest! Arlo knows all the good rest stops.

Uh oh! What happened, Lucy? Where did all your clothes go?

Breaking out the bubbly that we were given when Arlo turned 1! It's been aging and cooling nicely in our fridge since then.

Celebrating surviving the week without K. Noi.

Oh my! Lucky Arlo! K. Wan brought so many new cacti for him today!

"Helping" her plant them.

Our new Saturday morning fave: running in the park!

And lounging Lucy is enjoying the breeze.

A perfect-sized park for Arlo to get out his energy. Bare-foot.

While Mum and Lucy just lounge around.

What a convenient setup.

Arlo brought the helicopter from Auntie Erika and Uncle Chad... but its batteries were too low.

Swap: it's Dad's turn with Lucy.

Father-daughter wefie!

Meanwhile, Mum and Arlo chase the helicopter around like sheepdogs.

Teaching Arlo all about under-hand throwing!

Lots of tree-hugging going on these days.

We spotted this blue crested lizard while he was at eye-level, but he quickly ran away from us. Very cool! (A chameleon, to Arlo.)

While Lucy practices her tummy time au nature...

... Arlo has a quick run-around the playground.

Huge grins coming down the slide.

The playground is in direct sun these days... but it does mean that he has the whole thing to himself!

No competition for the steering wheel, either!

But oh my! This calls for some cold chocolate milk!

Dad and the kiddos.

Oh! Lucy just learned something scandalous!

Still interested in -- but not yet swiping at -- the dangling toys.

Excuse me, Mum. You're encroaching on my tummy time space!

Arlo's graduated to stunt pilot now.

Sweet smile!

Story and milk time for the boys.

Wait, was that a serious moment?

Thumb's in place; get cozy!

Starting Sunday in style: Dad's trying his mouth at the snot sucker.

What a sunny personality today.

Meanwhile, this goofball is really excited that his tractor (I mean, skidsteer) is doing a hand-stand!

Where's everyone going on a Sunday morning?

To Arlo's swimming lesson!

Lucy and Dad have come along to watch this week! You know what that means? Photos!

Sometime soon, Arlo's going to be too heavy for this welcome song!

Warming up on the motor boat. We haven't used this in a while!

And enjoying the ride on the big mat.

Swimming to Mum.

Synchronized jumping!

Back at home, Lucy's getting some exercise, too.

Arlo came over to help...

... and was thrilled when Lucy grabbed the tractor! (Can she play with him now?)

Look! We hung up Arlo's school artwork! (And then it fell down, and hasn't been rehung since.)

Showing off his very stylish bed head!

Another late-afternoon walk; another rest break at Onion cafe.

And resting back at home, too.

Everyone (except poor Lucy) enjoying a dinner of gourmet grilled cheese.

Cheddar and caramelized onion on grilled brioche, to be exact.

Except Arlo. He gets mozzarella. And no onions.

It's Monday morning. The first day of 5 where Arlo's staying home! Oh no!

Let's turn this into an opportunity! It's an exclusive morning out for Arlo and Mum, together at Harborland!

Arlo discovers the wonders of the Ball Pit!

You wouldn't know it from this photo, but the ball pit was one of his favorite parts of Harborland!

I guess this is the inverse of the ball pit! It was not a success.

The climbing apparatus is really very impressive.

These photos only capture a subset of it!

Arlo was a good sport. He didn't hesitate to climb up and into the structure.

This was one of the harder obstacles he tried (with some coercion).

Tricky even for me! It's slippery rope, on a (fairly sharp) incline!

And we came upon some giant donuts.

And crawled through some tubes.

This roller slide was fun. It helped that we could both sit on the same sled.

Here we go!

Holding hands while we try a much taller slide. (It was fast!)

Oh my! And we found a glowing ball pit.

Look! The lights change color!

Again: enjoying it, despite the expression.

Managed to climb up this incline; but needed some help when he reached the top.

Uh oh. A giant Corona Virus?

The biggest slide of the day for us.

"Taking a rest."

After lots of climbing and clamoring around, it's time for some peddling!

There were an assortment of tricycles, and Arlo found several that he could pedal comfortably.

Despite not having pedals, this one was a hit because of its steering wheel.

And these self-propelling cars were fun...

... fun for all ages!

We even got to play soccer and basketball!

But oh! What's this? Trains!

Arlo even got to drive a train!

And a crane...

... and oh my! A whole fleet of construction vehicles!

It's decided! Harborland is great!

So many new vehicle-related toys to inspect and play with.

Look at this fleet! They even have road rollers!

Filling up the dump truck with... even more vehicles!

Well, he's made himself at home!

Bathroom break! Despite the body language, he was thrilled to get to wear these yellow duck crocs.

And doing some quick cooking before we head out.

Fetching the veggies!

And trying out the "agility" area. He made it once around on the balance beam, not bad.

Back at home, Lucy is having an enjoyable day.

Her arms and neck are getting strong!

Watching big brother play with his marble run.

And relaxing after her tummy exercises.

Here's Arlo -- never one to miss out on crashing a mat session.

"Look! Lucy's holding my hand!"

Good morning, Tuesday! Lucy's sporting a flattering black striped shirt today.

And getting in her exercise nice and early.

Here comes Arlo, zooming into view with his duck boat. It won't be long until Lucy can play, too!

Trying to distract with some art time; this is a big wheel!

Arlo has found a new pastime: cleaning his airplane. After exhausting all the top-facing surfaces, he's getting the wheels too.

Afternoon exercises now.

Arlo has forgotten much of his Thai alphabet. So he needs to study up again!

Late afternoon walk: this is the way to do it!

Hmm. I'm not sure Arlo's the one who needs this rest break!

Attempting to arrange a portrait photo here. Everyone's cooperating.

Aww. Well, that's a nice hug for Lucy.

Flying the airplane that Yaa used to send fruit and food to us the other day!

Oh! What does Wednesday have in store?

It's another trip to...

... Emma's cafe!

Lucy's here for "glow bugs" and baby massage.

And Arlo's here to help tidy up downstairs.

By the end of the morning, there were lots of (real) crumbs to be swept up!

Shh! Don't tell Arlo! Lucy's playing with his cement mixer, while he naps.

Enjoying some of the Thai snacks that Yaa sent.

The next morning, Arlo mimics what he sees Mum doing: pumps milk!

And then practices nursing his baby.

Sitting nicely with baby on his lap.

And Oh.My.Goodness! Stop the presses! *Another* cactus flower!

Needless to say, someone was over-the-moon!

To book-end his week off, we spent Thursday morning at Kidzoona -- another play space in Gateway.

This one is smaller, and has a different assortment of activities. This boy made a beeline for the car...

... which he drove straight into the grocery store.

He found a fire truck, with working sirens...

... and a police car, too. (Also with loud sirens.)

We're probably not meant to be driving in this "learning" area... but that doesn't stop Arlo!

He was very interested in this pin art board.

And studied how it worked.

Fine-tuning his art by the individual pin.

Did you know that the post-office has a drive-thru service?

And measuring his height at the doctor's office.

Sitting down for some cake at the bakery.

Mask down to enjoy the cake!

And scooping ice cream at the ice cream parlor.

Cashing out for the day already.

Taking a trike for a spin.

He was a good sport, but the roads were more cluttered (with trikes and other obstacles) than at Harborland the other day.

And here's the Raison d'Etre; the piece de resistance; the crown jewel of Kidzoona. The ball pit!

It took him a little while to warm up to it...

...and wanted Mum to accompany him everywhere at first...

... but he quickly realized the purpose of ball pits: to hide under the balls!

These balls are nice and deep, too.

Uh oh! Where's Arlo?

I thought we came here together...

... but I can't find him now! All I can see are balls.

Hanging from the playground.

Hurling himself into the balls...

... and walking the perimeter to scope out the best place to jump.

He certainly made himself at home.

Surfing on the balls...

... and rolling them up the slide.

A meager attempt at scaling the wall.

But really, this is what it's all about!

Oh no, I lost him again!

After upping his energy levels in the ball pit, he was ready to enjoy the inflatable running track.

You can get some good airtime on here!

He was even up for scaling the inflatable ladder and coming down the slide. (I imagine this is what evacuating via an aircraft slide is like...)

And winding down with some trains...

... and some kinetic sand.

Despite 2 hours of play, we still had to stop at these coin-operated cars outside and sit in 3 of them.

This is a premium race car; its wheels actually spin.

And a souped-up police car, ready for the chase!

Lucy's all smiles; she enjoyed a peaceful, quiet morning to herself.