Ola

We were incredibly lucky to be able to spend Christmas with some family in Calfornia, Jerry's Aunty Jola, Uncle Chris, and cousins Katherine, Desy, Veronica and Alicia. They made us very much at home, fed us enormously and deliciously, and embraced Poldy as much as he embraced them, despite his breaking I think at least four of their Christmas ornaments. Veronica and her fiance Tim were absolute champions, chaperoning (and chauffeuring) us to Yosemite National Park in less-than-ideal (snowy, icy, toddlery) conditions.

As previously mentioned, Poldy took to his extended family immediately (Aunty 'Ola' and Uncle 'Kiss'), particularly his great-aunty, (not least because of her resemblance to his nana, we think). But she really did make an impact on him: now, a week after we left their place, he still several times a day starts calling out 'Ola, Ola', and then, heart-breakingly, 'Ola, bye-bye'. The trip has been a long one, and we think he is starting to crave some stability, and some family other than us. We think he's going to be pretty thrilled to see his grandparents on the weekend, and we'll be pretty happy too.