Katie's latest trick is to climb on everything.

 

She's very good at it and knows no fear.

 

At least when we go to the park there is a proper thing for little ones to climb on. Although she's probably too young for it that's never going to stop her...

 

There's a story on the BBC website about a girl in New Zealand whose parents called her Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii.

 

The article lists some other names that have been allowed in New Zealand and some that have not:

 

Allowed: Violence; Number 16 Bus Shelter; Midnight Chardonnay; Benson and Hedges (twins)

Blocked: Yeah Detroit; Stallion; Twisty Poi; Keenan Got Lucy; SFat Boy; Cinderella Beauty Blossom; Fish and Chips (twins)

 

 

Unsurprisingly, Talula etc did not like to tell other children her name and went by the name 'K' instead.

 

The court has allowed her to change her name.

 

This all came about during a custody battle for the nine year-old. Sigh.

I went away on business for a week.

 

Which felt like a long time.

 

And it was.

 

I missed Katie and Urs a lot.

 

When I got back (without my luggage, which, cleverly, got sent to a different airport) Katie seemed to be a lot bigger.

 

I'm sure she hadn't grown that much in a week so I suppose it's because I was remembering her as smaller than she is.

 

As my time away included a weekend I have been catching up with days off in lieu by spending them at home with Katie and Urs. We went to a big soft play area a few miles from where we live and had a good time. We managed to tire Katie out, too.

When Katie sees a baseball cap lying around in the house she taps her head with her hand and insists on getting the cap and giving it to me or Urs so that we put it on.

 

It's so cute but she can get a little perturbed if I then take the baseball cap off in her presence so I have ended up wearing it in the house quite a lot recently.

Katie's doing a lot of burbling these days in addition to 'dada', 'mama', 'bird', 'ball', 'more', 'Bob', 'Laa-Laa' and so on.

 

She even tried to say 'Bagpuss' yesterday when having a hug with a cuddly waterbottle version of the saggy old clothcat.

 

But she also understands a lot too.

 

And I have been testing this out. Waiting for her to be standing in the middle of the room (rather than sitting next to the thing I want her to do) I've said all of the following:

 

"Katie, can you get Bob [the Builder doll]?"

"Katie, can you bring me The Very Hungry Caterpillar book please?"

"Katie, go and get your shoes."

"Katie, where's you Up Down Po book?"

"Katie, do you want to play with Wiggle Wiggle [V-Tech musical toy]?"

"Katie, hit your drum."

 

All of these have been met with the desired response.

 

Makes me wonder what else she has understood of the things I say...