A video

Whilst in Missouri, Bluet worked on her climbing skills. Once back in New York, she enjoyed pointing out all the horses leading tourists on their 'authentic' New York Experience Central Park horse-drawn-carriage rides. Both interests are combined in the following video. You can even hear her say her word for horse.

Reunited

Yesterday Bluet and Emily returned to New York. At the baggage claim Bluet gave me a big smile or two, so hadn't forgotten all about me which was nice. Then on the bus home she wanted me to hold her whilst standing which was less so.

Today Bluet was reunited with central park. First she saw the bears, so we stopped to say hello, and she went on the swings in the first playground of the day.

Next we went to more swings where Bluet had her birthday. As if to welcome her back, New York also provided a (presumably) rich lady and personal trainer, and two couples where the men talked about their boring business jobs whilst the women talked about food (one child apparently eats chicken nuggets and tater tots for lunch every day. Oh, and then they asked the kids if they were ready to load on the carbs by going for a bagel).

We walked on to our third park of the day, and Bluet pointed at all the horses. After more running around and some baby yoga (see pics) we headed home, and I think Bluet learned to say 'duck' (noun not verb). Now she is asleep.

More from Missouri

Well I am glad that Emily blogged about the canoe trip as I did not take my phone with me, and therefore had no camera to take pictures - for me a successful canoe trip is measured by whether I manage to not capsize the boat; especially with Bluet riding up front, and me, with my limited experience of driving the things steering from the back.

We did not fall in, so this one was a success.

Anyway, whilst in Missouri, Bluet was reunited with her pram. We accidentally left it there last time we visited. Surprisingly she really missed it, and as soon as she saw it again she wanted to have it, even if that was inconvenient. At some points she just wanted to sit in it, and go nowhere. I think that she is used to sitting and riding in it in New York, and that time is her free time to contemplate life, away from the distractions of remembering to put one foot in front of another. Whilst at the Soy Bean Farm (the one where Emily grew up), Bluet climbed into her pram (she also mastered climbing and sitting down in chairs, even adult sized ones last week) I had to push Bluet in the pram out across a soy bean field, and she did not even want to get out. She loves it so much we took it on the canoe trip. She rode in it in the canoe, and even sat happily for ~half an hour on the gravel bar, watching the world go by, as you can see.

Bluet's first float trip

Float trips are a way of life for my family in the late summer, and so I was thrilled to introduce Bluet
to the joys of canoeing and camping on gravel bars in the Missouri Ozarks. We canoed on the Eleven Point River, from Turner's Mill to Riverton, about 14 river miles in 3 days and 2 nights. Bluet loved being dunked in the water, holding minnows and crawdads, and seeing what the big kids (my nephew Nate Boyle and family friends Myra and Reid Baker) were doing. She slept well alone in her Pea Pod (a kid's tent) except for when we had to rescue her from a 4 am thunderstorm, as the Pea Pod is not waterproof. And, took naps in the bottom of the canoe (see below). The trip finished up with a stop at Boze Mill (the stone wall with water flowing through below) and a dunk in the freezing cold spring (only a partial dunk for Bluet).

Bruno farm

Later that afternoon we reached the Bruno farm, home of the cows from a previous post. That evening we looked at the new cabins currently being built to accommodate future visitors to the Sam A Baker State Park nearby* Bluet did some surveying of the foundations, then went to bed.

Wednesday morning we went on a ride around the farm, and Bluet saw the cows which she loved. Her cow impression has also improved since last visit, although she does say moo much more softly than an actual cow.

*future visitors will also be able to tour the real life working cow farm, and watch cows eating grass. Perhaps they will enjoy it as much as Bluet.

Back in Missouri

On Monday we flew back to the land of half of Bluet's forefathers, Missouri. First, we went to the St Louis zoo with Bluet's Nana and cousin Lila. The most popular exhibit was the hippo, where they both posed for photographs with the fish. Then Lila and Bluet shared some ice cream, with Lila even managing to feed Bluet with the spoon by herself.

New state

Yesterday afternoon we crossed state lines (a trip involving two subway trains and a bus, but no passport check, fortunately) and Bluet went to New Jersey for the first time. The destination, Hoboken, a square mile of a town that 'boasts' Frank Sinatra amongst its famous sons. So that is another state crossed off the list for her.

We went to a very child friendly beer garden* where Bluet played around in the dirt, and did her new trick of lying flat on the floor, no matter how filthy. A fun time was had by all.

*we met friends from Hoboken who have a baby boy and had recommend the place

Bluet's Word List

Here is a continuously updating list of all the words Bluet has said in approximate chronological order:

Baby (Baba, to refer to herself, the baby on the shampoo bottle, or any other picture of a baby lying around the house; no longer used to refer to herself, she has solved the conundrum of the mirror)
Daddy (Addy, usually)
Mama (usually Mamamamamama)
Doggy (usually followed by high pitched squeals of excitement)
Uh-oh
This (dis)
Bye Bye 
Banana (or, a word that is long and begins with 'b' and is said at breakfast time, or when a banana is in sight)
Thank you (usually said in response to receiving a banana)
Ball
Fish (ish)
Mine (first heard a week or so after she visited her cousin Lila Boyle and experienced many struggles over Lila's Elmos)
Squirrel (said one time only, the week after she first learned what a squirrel was)
Bluet (looking at herself in the mirror, or pointing at herself, not said for a while, though she definitely knows it is her name)
No (nonononononono, more useful for Bluet than parents)
Ruthy (Pronounced 'Roo-t' to refer to her nanny)
Hug (one time only) 
Kiss (one time only) 
Nose (one time only, she can identify it at will, though) 
Eyes (one evening only, but many times, pointing at everyone's eyes)
(although she can also identify her (or our) foot, ears and shoe, she has never said any of these words)
Hello (reserved for the phone)
Hi (general purpose greeting; she also likes to wave at people she knows, like all the doormen on 79th street). 
What's that? (wa da, or something)
All done
I see (often said whilst playing 'where's Bluet')
Okay (Current favourite; particularly adorable when used in response to question, e.g. 'can I put on your shoes').
Bubble
Up (new this week, whilst pointing at the sky)