Today was an easy day. I did a lot of testing with my students, and one of my supervisors was away so I felt somehow at ease. Then there was no afternoon meeting: just a Function at which lots of canapes were served and we got to chat with each other. I had almost forgotten how to have a purely social conversation.
Chi Nhung and I have come up with another plan to try and dissuade Bernard from waking at 3am and demanding feeds every twenty minutes thereafter. Instead of feeding him more at 4pm, we'll feed him less at 4, in the hope that he'll eat a big meal later. This has worked so far: I fed him a big bowl of mung bean dal, potatoes and zucchini with olive oil. He is now asleep... very asleep. The initial plan did not work out as Bernard refused to eat a single bite once he had been fed the lentil concoction, and 11hours later I guess he thought it was time for a refill, quite justifiably. It just happened to be 3am.
The weather remains hot, wet, sticky and rainy. The plant on our landing has started sending out thick green roots, maybe looking for a new home. One root has tracked its way over the stone Buddha head. The other is heading for freedom outside the pot; I'm sure it grew over 4cm today alone.
Bernard added 3 more noises to his repertoire today: clucking, trumpeting and the ET noise where you talk whilst breathing in instead of out. Yesterday and the day before he has also been making a silly voice noise where he babbles in a half-strangled tone. Even adults do this to be funny sometimes. Still, the most common syllable at the moment is zazaza, though ma ma ma and na na na are making more frequent appearances. Also there has been an increase in Bernard's glottal stopping da. da. da. - I feel sure that this is the influence of all the Vietnamese.
Today Bernard stood up for several seconds unassisted.... in his high chair. Then again, later... in his bath. He doesn't seem to have as much confidence to do so on dry land!
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