Becca is great (3y9m), cute as all get out. Learning both Thai and English alphabets. Last week we were watching TV and I said in English “Wow, look at the jumping fish, sweetie.” She quickly corrected me and said, in Thai, “That not correct, Daddy. It’s a dolphin.” Amazing.

Becca is finally learning to share. Unfortunately, her first application of this valuable lesson occurred last week when she got sick and then shared it with all of us. So last week was tough, she was home from school, we were all feeling ragged and run-down, etc. So far this week, we’re all doing better.

She can be moody and a bit of a whiner. Got a long road ahead of us to break her of that, if that’s actually possible at all.

Benjamin is doing well, too. Strong - dare I say headstrong? Climbs on everything and then stands like a proud mountain-climber at the summit. Smart as all hell, at least I think so. Sometimes, it seems like he’s communicating not like a child - he’s only 1y5m - but more like an adult who simply doesn’t know the language. When he feels I’m not paying enough attention to some specific request he seems to be making, he grabs my cheeks and rotates my face until I am looking dead into his eyes. He knows no fear, so he’s getting his fair share of bumps and scrapes. Emotionally bracing myself for a long childhood of Emergency Room visits.

Annie and I are exhausted and I’m stressed out trying to feed everyone, but I guess that’s parenthood, eh?