First train ride

Grandpa and Grandma went on a trip today, so mom and dad and I went on an outing. But this outing did not involve a car, we went for a walk. Then we went up the stairs to a train station. I've never been on a train before! It moves like a car, but on its own roads. And it is big. It is so big that mommy and daddy and lots of other people can stand in it.

The first trip there were lots of people. We got in and we stood but the train was moving. There were lots of girls to smile at and they smiled and laughed back at me.

The second trip was going back. But now I am an expert train rider. I just copy daddy and I know how to hang on to the pole when the train is moving also. Daddy says that I will get to ride the train again and I think it is so much fun.

Walking to the market to get breakfast

My first day in Thailand I woke up after 3 hours of sleep. And the sun was up. That means it is time to get up and play (ed note: 6:00 AM after going to bed around 2 AM, and a thunderstorm that set off a crying session at 3 AM). But mommy was sleepy. So daddy decided we should go take a walk. And maybe Grandpa could join us. And who was waiting downstairs? Grandpa!

First we went to the spirit house to say good morning to the local spirit, and letting me sleep in his house. Then we took a walk. This was much louder with more cars and people than when I take a walk at home. And there was so much to look at and people to smile at. And everyone was smiling back at me.

Daddy and grandpa said they had a job to do. Get breakfast. So we went a few blocks and there was a street where many people were selling many things. We had to go visit many people to get breakfast. And I got to look at many people making food. And they all wanted to talk to me. Daddy made me practice putting my hands together and saying sawasdee khrap to everyone on the street. So I did that with the aunties selling food, the grandmas and the girls walking on the street, and the Ajahns who were also getting breakfast. Grandpa said I was doing a good job making everyone happy and smiling.


We were walking around for an hour. And when I met great-grandma later in the day and she asked me what I did, I had so much to tell her. And on our vacation I got to go to the market with daddy and grandpa almost every day. So much fun.

First flight

One day I woke up like I usually do when it was still dark. But mommy and daddy were already awake and walking around the house. And instead of feeding me and putting me back to sleep, they brought me to the car and we went on an outing. But it was dark outside. We never go on outings when it is dark outside. So all the roads looked different.

We went to a place with lots of people and waited in many lines. Then we went inside an airplane. The first trip was about an hour. It was so much fun and there were so many new things to look at. I liked to smile at everyone, especially our seat neighbor, except she was sleeping the whole time. When we got off she said I was a good flyer.

The second trip was much longer. But there were still so many new things. I liked playing with daddy and smiling at all the neighbors and the pretty ladies who came with food for mommy and daddy. And I liked to smiled to the neighbors across the aisle, and behind us when daddy would life me up in the air. We also took walks around the plane so I could find a place to play. I even found a new friend to play with. He taught me a new game to play with cups, moshi-moshi. (ed Note: Kan is from Osaka and was returning from a visit with grandparents in Indiana.) It was so much fun. And everyone was smiling at me when they got off.

Then we had to stay in another airport. They had this big bathroom with a big changing table and a seat that I could use while waiting for mommy. They also had a play area where big kids were playing, but they were too rough for me. And more new things to look at. But I was getting tired. And sleepy. And we had to get on another plane. This time I did not play as much (does everyone expect me to play, play, play all the time, even I sleep sometime)

We finally made it to the fourth airport. This time we did not look for a place to play and sit. But we got all the bags that we left at the first airport. And we went for a walk. Then first grandma was waiting with other new people. And they were so happy to see us (I don't know why). And another trip in the car in the dark, this time with both mommy and daddy in the back with me. A new house and it was time for bed.

Hurricane Earl 2.0

The Red Cross had a practice session (ed note: disaster shelter exercise) and I had a job. My job was to be a baby staying at the shelter. A job that I possess unique qualifications for performing. I started out by having to register just like everyone else. I even got my own name tag.



Next was the all important question: Where was I going to sleep. I was going to get a cot in the gym along with a blanket, and space for daddy too. This was not too bad. I gave the arrangements a test run. Not too bad, even though there were many other people in the loud gym with me who were talking and carrying on. But I took my job seriously. I even woke up to eat (and I wanted mommy's milk, which someone was storing for me)



Daddy had another job while staying with me, which was listening to some people talk on the radio. I think he was doing a good job too. Maybe not as well as I was doing mine, but not everyone can do that :-)

Goodbye Grandma and Grandpa :_(

*sniff* Grandma and grandpa left today. I'm going to miss them so much. They came here just after first grandma left. And just in time for me to get sick for the first time. They listened to me exercise my lungs alot, and danced and sang and marched. And made me practice smiling. Alot. I'm very good at it now.

But they finally had to leave and go home to China. We've been watching "Ni hao Kai-Lan" on TV and it says China is very far away and you have to fly a long time to get there. I hope I can visit them at their house some day.

Dressing up and going out

Getting ready to go to lunch, a photo by LugerLA on Flickr.

Last week was a dress up week. Mommy and daddy and I went for an outing. [ed note: Red Cross volunteer luncheon] But we had to dress up first. I even had to wear a tie! What a useless thing. It is not even big enough to drool on properly.

We went to a nice place where mommy and daddy sat at a round table with a bunch of new people. There was lots of boring talking (I stayed out for that) and everyone got their food at the same time. All of daddy's friends wanted to come by and pinch my cheeks. They are not that big :-( [ed note: yes they are]

But we had fun. All these people wanted to look at me. Daddy took me and walked around the big room and made me say hi to everyone. And everyone was so happy :-). And I had fun with mommy and daddy walking around outside the dining room

A long outing

Very happy baby a photo by LugerLA on Flickr.

We went on a long outing this week. All of us (mommy, daddy, grandma, grandpa and me!) We were in the car for a long time, then we stopped and I said hi to a new friend. And then I pooped over my clothes and daddy's clothes. I was so happy.

We went to a big house with lots of rooms (ed. note: Stonewall Jackson resort in WV) All these other people were around to and I practiced smiling at them when daddy was carrying me. I was practicing my very big smile. Daddy says I look like a cartoon of a chubby, happy baby with a big 'D' smile. Then mommy made me go swimming. I did not like that very much and stopped smiling for a while :-(

We stayed for a long time. We even slept overnight. This is the third place I've spent the night. The next day we went to see glass blowing, and daddy took me on a long walk where we saw ducks and frogs. The frogs were singing real loud. After that, we came back home. I was so happy the whole time because mommy and daddy were with me all day several days in a row. Daddy was wondering if the right baby was with them because I was so happy. When we got home, I let him know that this was the same baby.