Zoe Returns to Regina

This past week, we paid a return visit to Regina, Saskatchewan to visit Zoe’s paternal grandparents. This time the trip included all three of us. You might recall that our earlier planned visit in May became a father-daughter affair as a consequence of certain alleged Chengis indiscretions (not proven in a court of law – and we really will have a Chengis entry to explain the nature of both his intriguing breed and his even more fascinating personality). Since our previous visit Zoe has grown several inches and put on, at least, one or two pounds. Okay, so nothing too incredibly remarkable growth-wise, but it is the continued and obvious expansion in her intellectual capacity over the past four months that seemed so astounding for her grandparents. Combine that with the fact that she currently provides a virtually non-stop verbal narrative of the minutiae of almost every waking minute of our lives. Consequently, we decided to let Zoe compose this blog entry, herself, with only a couple of explanatory annotations added to the text by us.

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Dear Grandpa and Grandma,

Thank you for making my visit to Regina so much fun this week. You planned everything just right!

We always had fun during our walks in the park, if only you old folks could keep pace with me.I had to drink from the water fountain every time we passed by. (And we mean EVERY time.) I want to be just like Grandpa when I get bigger, bigger, bigger. (“Bigguh, bigguh, bigguh” is one of her favourite phrases used with significant frequency to describe the process of her getting older.) Hugging trees is always fun.The walk behind the waterfall was a bit scary.
But feeding the ducks and geese was lots of fun! As always, it was fun to get together with Daddy’s aunts and cousin. (Right behind Zoe is her Great Aunt Susie. To Zoe this is the “other Susie” to differentiate from Susie, the hairstylist, who comes to our house with her dog, Nietzsche, and often stays for dinner. We have a chair at our table that Zoe consistently refers to as "Susie's chair" regardless of who else may have sat in it since Susie's last visit.)The museum was fun, too. Who needs a playground when you’ve got a bike rack to climb on?I did a lotta bit of work on your old computer. (It is quite fascinating to observe how the construction of language develops in a two year old. She uses the entirely logical “lotta bit” to mean the diametric opposite to “a little bit”. It is such a charming turn-of-phrase that we cannot yet bring ourselves to provide a more suitable alternative. She also loves to mimic us, including when we work. Many play scenarios include her sitting at a desk or table announcing that we need to be quiet because she is working.) No trip to Regina is complete without seeing Uncle Mark ride his horses.
(And she remembered, without prompting, both of the horse’s names from the previous trip – pictured is Dino.)Though they are so much bigger up close!
(She could not bring herself to feed Dino the carrot.)Maybe I’ll stick with the farm cats for now. They are more my size.Uncle Mark was so nice to make a special toy for me!
(That PhD in nuclear physics is finally being put to practical use.)I loved reading books with Grandma!! And sewing, too! We had so much fun walking up the stairs and down the ramp and up the stairs and down the ramp and up the stairs and down the ramp and up the stairs and........The view from your condo is great, especially through my special airplane binoculars.
Sitting in the park was just as much fun as walking in the park.
Daddy and Mummy and I thank you for a wonderful week!
With love and hugs and kisses!

Zoe