The Kids' Table Rocks!

Oh happy day! Oh joy of joys!

My cousins came to London to visit me and FOR ONCE (!) someone else got disciplined for being naughty!

Of course, I still put in the requisite amount of naughty behavior myself but it is so much more fun when there are fellow conspirators....

Kate and Sarah took the train and met us at Hampton Court Palace.

Personally, I found the hard landscaping (i.e. gravel) much more interesting than the architecture, furnishings, history or gardens.

Trixie thought the guidebook tasted nice.

Afterwards, we enjoyed a pub lunch of fish, chips and lime and soda. Sarah and I discovered that we both love ketchup (which I call 'tomato sauce'). Yes, there was a tussle for it but then, my dad took the bottle, said loudly "share" and gave us each a little bit on our plate. I gotta admit that I am not really liking this new "share" concept at all....

We did lots of sightseeing around London while Mourad, Kate, Sarah and Adam were here but there seemed to be a universal ending to every day.

I can't wait to get on the big airplane in September. Adam has even promised a Brooklyn jacuzzi!

I'm cute and, by extension, so is she.

Okay, I admit it...there is some resemblance...a very teeny, tiny, miniscule hint of a glimmer of a similarity. But, for the record, I was the first and the original cutie and all those who follow are mere pretenders to the potty chair...

Goat Communication and other feats of strength.

Where would I most like to go for a day out of London if I couldn't go back to the train center? The nursery school teachers read my mind when they planned a trip to Willow Farm because who can resist the lure of TRACTORS!?!?!? (Not me!)

BIG TRACTORS that roll through mud and cow poop (another thing that I like to talk about recently).

LITTLE TRACTORS that my dad has to watch that I don't try to perform stunts in.

Oh yes, and then there was the moment that I shared with some young goats. They are frisky, stubborn, pushy and ravenous. When you think about it, they are not so different from me except that they have those fantastic horns that so impressively help to emphasize their point of view. Where do you think I could pick up a pair of those? I am sure they would come in handy playing in the garden at nursery....

Riding the Rails in Wales!

Did you know that Wales is the land of the choo choos? Well, it is. Sure, some people go for the mountains and walking. Some go for the beaches. Some even go for the history. As for me, well, I go for the trains.

And, of course, because I am two (and a half) and I generally get my way or do this....everyone went on choo choos! In fact, I did five choo choos in four days....try to top THAT!!!

Including a choo choo underground where I wore a bob the builder hat.

A tiny choo choo that went through a tiny town.

A steam choo choo.

A choo choo diner.

I even rode a choo choo to the top of the mountain!

Then, I scared my Daddy by screaming "I want to go down!" and pointing over the cliff. (You never saw my Daddy go so pale!)

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about the cottage that we stayed in that I referred to as "Saxon's house."

And I helped Daddy build fires in the fireplace while Mommy, Kari and Trixie watched.

And I spent all my Daddy's pocket change driving a tractor that only worked for 10 minutes every time he put a pound in the slot. And I fished with sticks, and went walking and counted sheep (there are lots of them!) .

And I, and I and I...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

Happy St. George's Day!

What is it? WHAT IS IT? It is St. Patrick's Day for Brits. To celebrate, we (meaning, us Brits) dress up in red and white and then proceed with our usual daily routine. Until, of course, quitting time. Then, we go out to the local pubs and totally debauch ourselves mid-week, do something completely embarassing and drag ourselves into work the next day looking like death warmed over and apologizing profusely for all naughty behavior committed the previous night.

The two year old version is actually quite similar but involving less alcohol and more sugar. I celebrated by dressing in red and white (my mom snuck in a little blue just to remain patriotic to my American half) and going to nursery school as usual.

In the afternoon, the nursery had a blow out party in the garden during which I stuffed my face with way too many cupcakes, sucked down oodles of juice, snuck a few too many candies and ran around bonkers with this lovely St. George's Day crown that I made.

When it was time to go, I went boneless and was reduced to a sobbing heap that my mom had to literally carry out the door. As expected, I passed out once I got home. However, for the record, I did NOT apologize for my naughty behavior on the previous day. It is my personal view that a two year old should NEVER apologize for being a two year old and besides, it feels good to be a little bad once in a while....

Auntie Kate Visited Me!

Aunt Kate came to visit me from New York and I introduced her to life with the Saxonator in London.

We went walking in Buckinghamshire on Saturday. Well, Kate, mom and dad walked. Trixie rode in the baby carrier. I walked, cried, went boneless and finally (victory!) my dad carried me.

On Monday, we went into the West End and visited Dad's office. Don't I look cool in Dad's hat?

Kate came with Mom to pick me up from nursery school. Unfortunately, she discoverd that I love nursery school soooo much that I am often begging to go back in after I have been enticed (or carried) out the door. Hummm, maybe I can climb back in through the letter box....

Kari was happy to see Kate as well. She spent most of her time sleeping on Kate's bed.

choo choorific!

Mom, Dad, Trixie and I went to the Buckinghamshire Train Centre two weekends ago and, thus far, it is the best thing that I have done since...well, since I was born.

This is a steam train that mom, dad, trixie and I rode. It really DOES say 'choo choo' when the big puffs of smoke come out.

Dad and I rode the miniature train past miniature houses, windmills and animals. We even went through a miniature tunnel and the train said 'peep peep'!

I saw miniature trains that made me feel very BIG.

I saw real trains that made me feel very small.

Just after this photo was taken, I ran off yelling, "bye bye Mommy! bye bye Daddy!" I was ready to live here forever but, sadly, my parents had other ideas. As with many days in the life of a two year old, it all ended in tears.....

...but only until I got into my carseat and it all faded to black.