Still not much further down the line with potty training since the last edition of the blog. Mum left my nappy off and put strange pants on me, which was a bit silly of her, I think, because she knew I was going to pee in my pants. Thank goodness I don't have to do the washing and scrub pee off the carpet. Mums are good for that.

We went to Yverdon thermal baths yesterday and I liked it a lot, especially the bubbly bit outside, although it was a bit of a nuisance when mummy lost the key in the swimming pool. Luckily someone else found it. Mum got cross when I kept trying to open the door while she was putting her clothes on. But she doesn't mind if people see me naked. I don't get it.

Daddy has been home a lot more lately and we have great family cuddles in the morning and daddy reads me books. I especially like the one about the penguin that turns up on the little boy's doorstep. He takes it back to the South Pole in his rowing boat and sets off home again, but then realises that the penguin is not lost but just wants a friend. So the boy goes back to the south pole to find the penguin and catches him rowing away again in his umbrella. They hug and then tell stories all the way back to the little boy's house.

That book is good but my absolute favorite is Thomas the Tank engine. I like to play with my aeroplanes and my trains.

Mum has told me that if I am good Father Christmas will come and give me more trains. I am very happy about this and have tried to be good occasionally, when I remember about the trains.

Daddy is away in Kenya at the moment and I miss him a lot. I insist on phoning him every night before I go to bed, to tell him what I've been up to and wish him sweet dreams.

This weekend was rainy. On Friday mummy and I went swimming. I had my water wings and a rubber ring and was very good at swimming in the small pool. I also had a go in the big pool but the lady in charge came and threw me out.

On Saturday I went to visit Roman ruins with Nina's mum and dad, who were very nice. Nina's dad did some marching with me. Sometimes mummy and I march around the kitchen and sing soldier songs. I usually take something to make a noise with, as it helps.

On Sunday we visited the same Roman ruins with Natalie and her children, Sacha and Lila, who also played trains with me. Mum took me to the swings and I made up a very good song while I was swinging, which included the adventures of Jessica and Nina.

I had a strop because I didn't want to change my nappy, but was otherwise quite good. I got some extra crown stickers this weekend for doing pees on my potty.

Watched Thomas the Tank engine over and over again and bossed mummy around a lot. When we go out we usually have a race and she lets me win.

We had a good time yesterday cycling around the lake of Murten. I got to go on the swings in the same park at Avenches Camping Plage twice because mummy and daddy got lost, but, hey, I'm not complaining. I was a bit mean to the other children, blowing rasberries at them, but mummy and daddy got mad and so I had to tone it down a bit. I made sure that on the last few rasberries, not quite so much spit came out. Mummy and daddy had a picnic while I had a nap, so all the beer was gone by the time I woke up. Can't win 'em all.

I can now put on my own t-shirt in the mornings and read mummy and daddy stories from my books. I don't know all the words for complete sentences but they seem to get the gist, as they make encouraging noises. Alison is away in England looking after nanny, who has broken her foot in 3 places and has her leg in plaster. Nina is looking after me in the day time and we go to the swings and lakes, the zoo and museums. It's good fun - well, Nina seems to like it, anyway. OK gotta go now. Haven't got time to sit around chatting with you all day!

Can Cardona was the name
Of the place we stayed in Spain
Lovely villa, spacious, cool
Swings and see-saw, swimming pool.

Sunny days, Ibiza June
Hidden beaches, sandy dunes
Lizards basking in the heat
Barbecues with tasty meat.

Alison came to help us out
Wash my fingers, wipe my snout
Sleep beside me, push my boat
Always keeping me afloat.

Nan was there to feed the fish
Seek out lizards, fill my dish
Cuddle me when knees got hurt
Do up buttons on my shirt.

Mummy drove around the isle
While Alison sang and made me smile
Kisses galore when I was weepy
Cuddles aplenty when I was sleepy.

Daddy took me to the swings
Mum blew up my water wings
Dad made faces, made me laugh
Told me jokes and ran my bath.

Happy holiday, full of fun
Table tennis, juice and sun
But I wish I could have come home faster
As tractors and trains await their master.

I am very grown up now. I can have conversations on the phone, which sound something like this: "Hello nanny/daddy. Mprliuhoimns play train mnfr Yanik. Play mnjrk castle...balloons. Dindins, bath, milk, dumpf. Night night nanny/daddy". (Dumpf = dummy. Blankf = blanket)

Everyone seems to enjoy these conversations and both nanny and daddy make enthusiastic noises. I try to show them what I have been playing with, pointing the telephone handset in that general direction, but the image does not seem to filter through in this way. Clearly, phone technology still has a long way to go.

If I want someone to play with me, I grab their hand and drag them to the play area. I can now pee on the toilet using a special seat but only do this when asked. I have never had a poo on the toilet, and some people seem to be concerned about this but I think it's none of their business. I generally wake up once or twice in the night. I go to bed at 8sih and get up at 7.30ish full of energy and ready to go. Alison takes care of me while mummy and daddy lie in the room below, listening to my thundering footsteps as I dash around.

Sometimes when mummy is reading to me I grab the book and begin to read myself. The reading I do sounds something like this: "mdgfrsy train mngt station. Man vrtrumgrib choo choo tracks". Mummy lies there very patiently until I have finished.

Daddy and Alison took me on my first circus trip today but the clowns were not as funny as daddy and they were not as good at throwing things as I am, so we left early. I like to go to play parks in Avenches and Payerne and particularly enjoy the big slides. Night night.