Good Friday

Today daycare is shut because it is Good Friday. This morning I stayed home with Bluet. First, we baked some cupcakes - apparently in 'the South' when it is your birthday you have to provide everyone with cakes (at least at daycare). I offered to make muffins, because I know how to do that, and they are delicious, but apparently they are not a suitable substitute for the cupcake. So today I decided to see whether the cupcakes I could make would be of suitable standard to take to daycare and feed to the under twos - a trial run, if you like. Bluet was very helpful, naming ingredients as we added them, emptying stuff into the bowl, and particularly in licking it clean at the end (the best part of any baking experience).

Whilst the cupcakes cooled, we went 'swimming in the water' (no diving).

Then we came back and iced the cakes.They look ok and taste delicious. A fine result, I think.

Bluet also made an easter decoration at daycare. I tried to get her to hold it up for a photo, but she wasn't quite obeying my instructions. You should get the general idea though.

English Pub

So there I was, thinking that I didn't really have anything to document from this last weekend because I was away for a 1 day conference on Saturday, and then on Sunday we didn't really do anything or take any pictures. But then today I was downloading photos from my phone and noticed that actually we had been to an English pub on Friday (you can tell it is English because there is a red phone box and a giant chess set, just like all English pubs in England). Anyway, Bluet loves the giant chess set. At first she had to watch people playing a serious game, but once she had picked up the basic moves of chess, she was able to play against herself. She was particularly fond of the 'white horse' and 'black horse'. Must be the way they can move in an 'L' shape.

Swimming in the water

This week we have been for the first time able to take Bluet 'swimming in the water' as she likes to put it. She finds this tremendous fun, and even doesn't mind going completely under water for up to fractions of a second at a time. She is also happy to splash around in the shallower parts of the pool, something that she also regards as 'swimming'. She even talked about going swimming this morning in the car on the way to work. I think this could be an excellent way to keep us all entertained after work and before Bluet has to go to bed. She'll be diving into the pool in her pyjamas to rescue a brick in no time.

So here are some photos of us playing in the water yesterday, note palm trees in the background. With apologies to anyone suffering from the snow in the UK - but remember the temperature in Texas reaches about 45C with 150% humidity for most of the rest of the year until December, so don't be too jealous.

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Last week

Last week was a long one as Bluet's daycare was closed because of spring break (american for half term). So we took turns in watching Bluet during the day. Here are some snapshots of the week.

The love of numbers continues. One day last week we went into Bluet's room and found all the numbers lined up like this on the window sill. One of her favourite activities is to go to the lift and press the button for our floor - she knows that it is a three, so she'll enter the lift at speed, look up and say 'press three?', which is the correct thing to do the 50% of the time we are heading up.

Next, here are some photos of Bluet enjoying the Japanese garden in the park near our house. Whilst the Japanese garden is nice and supposed to be relaxing, the rules instructing you to stick to the paths do not fit with Bluet's interpretation of zen.

And of course, Bluet still loves her letters. So Emily bought her this shirt. She also still loves the mirror (although she has realized that Teulb is just Bluet, backwards.

Spot the 'sticky' on Bluet's face

We finished the week, reunited with each other and Ikea:

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Exhausted, Bluet took a 4 (four!) hour nap

Colours

Bluet has started to learn her colours, greatly aided by these hexagonal plastic things. As you can see she has started sorting them by colour, and they also help her play very quietly.

Nostalgia

This morning we were watching Sesame Street, and Murray (an orange Muppet) knocked over some carefully arranged blocks. Later on, we went for brunch and Bluet was still talking about Murray knocking over the blocks. Tonight in the bath, I finally managed to catch her reminiscing about this event whilst soaking in the bath. Clearly it was a formative event. It is also the first 'event' Bluet has been able to remember and tell us about later.


In addition, here are some photos from this week, just hanging out and about - you will be able to appreciate the wide variety of trendy outfits she wears to school.

On the balcony, watering plants

And dancing

Exhausted, yesterday she took a 4 hour nap

After which we took her shopping to the apple store

Bluet loves her number mat so much. NB this one she did not wear to school

Now Bluet knows her ABCs

You can sing along at home - she is particularly strong at ABCD and "Double, X, Y, Zed"

Zoooooooo

The last couple of weekends we've taken Bluet to the Zoo as it is near enough to walk and nice enough for her to run free. This Sunday we got there around 9AM, and it was pretty much deserted, presumably because everyone else in Texas was still in church, which was great for us. She even had the suitable for ages 5-12 playground all to herself. In the children's Zoo there is an owl she likes to stare at, and some goats that appear to be on mogadon or something - they do not mind being prodded or brushed by un-gentle small children (or maybe they are so used to it they don't care). We also heard a tiger roar, which was exciting, although Bluet prefers the drinking fountains to anything else there. Except perhaps the large cardboard cut out of Dora the explorer. These are, of course, the main reasons to go to the Zoo

NB Note the choice of free water from the drinking fountain vs $3 from the vending machine, side by side. I for one could not make up my mind