When did my tiny little baby become a full grown, mischievous, bright eyed toddler? Ever has successfully pushed us right through the last year and a half with tears, laughter, and plenty of memories. Her hilariously sweet personality fused with a sprinkling of trepidation, and plenty of heart has managed to enchant us all. Her sentences and words are building by day, and it’s becoming quite a task to keep her quiet outside of naps and bedtime. She’s soaking up her surroundings, our behaviour, and new information in a scarily accurate manner and has even started counting and learning her ABCs. My heart melted,and I was sure I would never recover, when she said “I love you Mama,” for the first time and now it makes every single day that much brighter.
With all the amazing changes comes the inevitable toddler tendencies and Ever is suffering from those infamous tantrums that litter advice books and blogs. Alongside her sweetness, she has my streak of stubborn behaviour and can be very indignant at the most inconvenient moments. We are getting by with a good dose of reasoning and are happy she is advanced with words so talking it out always seems like an option. At the worst of times nothing works, but usually a cuddle and reminder will halt her tears and distress. Lets just hope in an airport full of strangers will not be her next meltdown.
The fact that she has become bona fide foodie is not a shock to anyone who knows the boy and I. On our last trip to Taipei, Ever determinedly insisted on sampling everything from street food to bubble tea. I don’t make it a habit for her to eat unhealthily, but encourage her curious and open nature and am pretty sure a bite can do no harm. At home she swaps between traditional Chinese and American/British dishes for her meals, building a strong love of spaghetti bolognese and stir fried pork with green beans. She snacks on edamame and grapes as if they were candy, and drinks more milk than I think her body can hold.
Although HK has a competitive schooling system that encourages a start on the education ladder prior to the age of one, we are still content with our nomadic lifestyle. Going away for whole months at a time does not securely fit with the week to week school schedule so we are content with her learning from the world until the time comes to settle down. Our little wanderlusting baby is already talking non-stop about swimming at Phuket’s beaches next week, which is just the way we like it.
Will keep you updated with our toddler travelling tips and recommendations for Phuket soon.
xx
