Hanging Out in Walnut Creek

Being at my parents' house has been really bad for blogging, because:
1. I don't have my own computer (I left my laptop at home to save on space)
2. I've been jetlagged and thus too tired in the evenings to blog (and since R has been jetlagged too, requiring me to do midnight wake-ups again--ugh, it's so nice NOT to do that--I'm even more tired) and
3. I've been doing a lot more socializing during my usual off periods (naps, after bedtime), either with my family, friends or B (since we have eager babysitters).

So far nothing that exciting has happened, beyond a lot of going out to eat (the food in the Bay Area is really good, I had forgotten!). R is cute as a button and delights her relatives daily. Her current obsession is dolls, especially a baby doll my parents bought her. She takes it around, feeds it, asks us to dress it (her coordination isn't good enough to do this independently), talks to it, puts it on the slide (so it can slide down), and puts it in a little bed, then covers it with a hand towel (as a blanket). She even wipes its mouth and hands off after "meals".


It's really interesting to see, because she tries to treat it just like I treat her. She is very kind to the doll (though she does tell it "no, no, no" and carry it off elsewhere) for the most part, and enjoys giving it kisses and hugs. I am glad I never yell at her or hit her just for that reason: it would be hard to see your kid mirroring those things. 

The downside is that R hates the car seat. In Singapore we take taxis or public transportation, so she is never in a carseat, and isn't used to it. She LOATHES being strapped in, and will whine/cry for most of the way whenever we go out. Since my parents live in a suburb (meaning you must drive to go pretty much anywhere), this is a nuisance. I have to sit next to her and amuse her for the entire ride unless I don't mind continuous crying. Hopefully as she gets older/more accustomed to it she won't mind so much?