The Great Outdoor

Still remember the Little City Girl who bawled her head off during Penny Rescue Operation a while back?
(Penny Rescue Operation is still in email format currently, but I will try to find some time to include it in the blog for those of you who are not part of that select company called the Little One's family, sorry.)

She's hardly recognizable nowadays with all her passion for the Great Outdoor.
From the moment she was brought downstairs when she woke up (she does not like it when she finds Mummy and Daddy already downstairs when she wakes up), she would imperiously ask for her shoes so that she can go out and play outside.
Maybe because the Dog is usually already outside sunning herself or chasing cats.
But in any case, it's kind of lovely to see the Little One frolicking outside, running around or just playing with the dog.

Testing for touch-me-nots

I guess we are quite lucky, our house came with a pretty shady backyard, but not so shady that there are too many mosquitoes. At the same time, eventhough the size is not as big as the rest in our row of houses, it's big enough. Of course, we also benefit from the fact that the next door neighbor is hardly in house, which left the next door backyard pretty much 'ours' to use.
That backyard is practically the Dog's big toilet area and the Kid's playground, so I do keep up the area.

If you can see from the picture, the first has the neighbour's abandoned backyard, while the second picture below is our own backyard, viewed from the neighbour's.

Our backyard

Did I notice any turning point in the Little One's behaviour?
I am not too sure, but I think it started when we went out for a hike last week.
Last Sunday, we decided it was a good time we explore the nature trail right outside the housing complex. So we brought the Kid, the Dog, some water and some towels (one is reserved for the dog, cos there's a river there).
Maybe because the path was more worn than the one during Penny Rescue Mission, and also, the Kid was wearing pants, the Kid actually agreed to walk some of the way. That is, she was not being carried ALL the way. I'd say that's a great improvement since Penny rescue mission! Look at the picture of her tackling the path with Daddy...

Big stone on the path, Daddy

But of course she had to be carried still for most of the way. It was way too long a walk for her short, little legs.

We did use the chance to point out to her whatever that might be of interest: mushroom, spider webs, tree stump, fallen bamboos, even flowers of different shapes. I think she had fun, even with the mosquito bite or two that she still got despite us lathering the insect repellent prior to the hike.

Well, so maybe the hike was a turning point, at the same time, I guess the Little One is simply finding more objects of interest out there.

 The no-longer-among-the-living caterpillar

Take for example the caterpillar that we met during our walkies. Few days after I pointed out the caterpillar, she actually found one at the backyard. And I think the following morning was the start of her daily morning exploration of the backyard. She wanted to check out the caterpillar. Too bad the caterpillar died soon after from an argument with our backyard chair. Oops! (well... actually I was moving the chair, I think I hit the creature with the chair legs. Sorry, caterpillar!)

I suppose I should feel lucky for having such an active kid. No worries about her getting too fat! But sometimes it's kind of hard to feel lucky for that, especially when you are still in your pajamas minus your first cup of java on a sunny, hot morning, and you got dragged/pushed (literally) by a little kid insisting to take the first pick of the flowers of the day. Hmmm.....

Just look at the harsh lighting. I am not even sure anymore if the photo was taken at 9am or 12. But I sure went out only with GREAT reluctance to brave the sun, just to collect some flowers.

Evaluating the freshness of the flower at 9am in the morning

Pick of the day

And yet, on other days, there will be such heartwarming picture of the Kid and the Dog simply existing side by side, doing their own stuff. I love those days, especially because I don't get dragged/pushed anywhere from my comfortable chair, even if I was still in my pyjamas.

Pictures like these are what make my days worth while.

Doggie and the Kid

Again, Doggie and the Kid