On Friday there was a 'Zoobilee' at Houston Zoo, so we took Bluet. Recently she has discovered the hula hoop (the 50s craze, not the delicious potato based snack that America sadly lacks) as they have them at school. I think that Bluet's love of circles plays some role in her love of hula hoops (or 'big circle', as she calls them). Anyway, immediately upon entering the Zoo, there was a DJ dressed as a pirate (because Zoos need pirates) playing music so that the kids could hula. Bluet immediately located her own blue hula hoop - which was available as it was slightly deformed and oval in shape. Anyway, for the next 20 minutes her and the hula hoop were inseparable. She would occasionally stand and watch an older kid, for tips, and then try and hula herself. Or she would see another hoop and go get it. But she kept an eye on her first blue hoop, and if anyone came near and tried to take it, she would run back and pick it up. Never has a hula hoop been so loved, especially such a runty and deformed one. After that we went and ate some bad Zoo food, and then more or less headed home (via the carrousel, which she also loves - this time on one of the animals that moves 'up down'), seeing hardly any animals. But I think the hula hoops made this Bluet's favourite trip to the Zoo ever.
Today seemed like a very long day. Bluet isn't used to napping in her big girl bed, so it took forever for her to get settled. Then a huge storm blew into town, really big rain with thunder ("boom boom" as Bluet says) and lightening, so we've been stuck in doors since this morning. So when Bluet finally was happy and quiet, we assumed she was drawing on her new chalk board. So we left her too it for a long, long time, alone in her room. We then enjoyed our respite from Bluet supervision. Of course, she wasn't only drawing on her blackboard, but also on the walls. Whilst her style is rather good and colourful, I am not sure that it is exactly permitted in our tenancy agreement. Still, it is only chalk. And it kept her quiet and happy for a long, long time. So long that by the time I took this photo, daylight was gone and the room was too dark, hence the poor quality.
I think we need to work out a way for her to do her art that 1) doesn't damage property and 2) can be preserved for posterity.
Now that Bluet is 2 (2!) she has moved from her cot to a big bed. The other day as she was sitting on it she said 'Bluet is a big girl', so I think she knows she is growing up. Anyway, three days in, and she has only fallen out of bed one time - otherwise, she has slept as long as she used to in the cot. Probably because she has so much space to stretch out, and is therefore very comfortable.
Obviously Bluet got lots of wonderful Birthday presents, but what occupied her most this weekend was the gravel on the paths of Hermann Park. She spent almost an hour of a lovely summery* Saturday sitting in the dirt, sifting small pieces of gravel with her hands. We gave her an empty plastic water bottle, which she then filled and emptied over and over again. We sat and watched, but she was lost in her own world, and could've stayed doing this for days
*a lovely British summers day, 20C and a little sun.
Thanks for all the presents and birthday wishes. Although Bluet had to go to school on her Birthday, she had a good day - probably because she got cupcakes. We were hoping that we might be able to go swimming in the water, but the weather was too humid and heavy to be outside. Instead she played with her presents, sticking new 'stickies' on everything, dragging around her birthday balloons, asking us to read her her new books, getting me to blow her train whistle (apparently highly amusing), being fascinated by the turtle that projects stars on the ceiling (she knows that was a gift from Aunt 'Abba') and building towers of stickle bricks - she really does like everything she received. We bought her a removable blackboard, which she likes to draw on, or ask us to draw a shape like a 'trangle', 'ceecle' or'demond' (see below). However, her favourite thing about her Birthday is clearly eating the icing (but not the cake).
More to come from today later. Meanwhile, here are some more pictures from the weekend, including some ikea snaps, and Bluet playing with stones on the paths at a place called 'Discovery Park' in downtown Houston - a nice park marred somewhat by the clientel
We are pleased to announce that Bluet can 'read' her first word. I first noticed this when she was playing with one of those free paper tape measures that you get from a certain Swedish retail giant. If she saw just the numbers, she would say 'numbers', but if it was twisted so she saw the magical letters 'I-K-E and A', she would say 'Ikea'. That she could read the word 'Ikea' was confirmed when we went to Ikea yesterday. As we pulled into the car park, she saw the giant letters 'I-K-E and A' on the side of the blue building, pointed at them, and said 'Ikea'. So yes, the first word that Bluet can read is 'Ikea'*.
I think it is because we bought Bluet some Ikea biscuits one day, where each biscuit was an I,K,E or A.
Here she is, reading 'Ikea' from the Ikea family card.
*I suppose that she might recognise the distinctive IKEA logo, but that is basically what reading is, isn't it?
This weekend we went to the Zoo again. On the way out we like to treat Bluet to a ride on the Carousel. I captured this 6 second video as she went past. Also, there are some buttons to push; she could stay here for hours
Enjoy Bluet swimming in the water and playing in her room. In the playing video, she can be heard saying 'swimming in the water' and 'taxi', and 'around around' like the wheels on the bus.
