the Cacing Diaries #39

at Tirta Gangga, the royal pools of Karangasem

Cacing is almost 1 year 4 months now and she now can walk confidently. Once she learned how a few weeks ago, she progressed fast as kids her age are wont to do. Soon enough she’d be running and we really would be on our wit’s end.


Cacing with my good friend Ketut at Tirta Gangga’s 11-tier fountain


Her eating habits are still that of a fickle hummingbird, nibbling here and there. Her curiosity always the gets the best of her so she’d try anything. What she likes she’ll savor. What she doesn’t she’ll spit out.


Cacing enjoying her walk with Dia on the bridge



bridges are perfect for practice walk


While she doesn’t have the command of oral communication yet –her speech, while seemingly not random, is still unintelligible – Cacing’s level of comprehension appears high. She loves running small errands, bringing a doll for her mom, or even a pen to me.


Mommy waving from one end of the Mahabharata pond



Mommy, posing on the stepping stones of Mahabharata pond


They say it is natural for kids her age to ape everyone around her. She has a liking to the broom and she got that from our housekeeper. She also likes to dust off furniture with any piece of cloth. At home, she likes to comb our hair, feed us with a drinking bottle, rub us lotion or even massage us with her hands.


Cacing and company posing at the bridge over Deman Island



Mommy’s turn to pose on her own


And did I mention that she sheds crocodile tears already? She’d pretend to get upset when she doesn’t get her way and engage us in a battle of wills. And when she’d realize that she has made a mistake and get us angry, she’d sit still and then approach and kiss us on the lips.


Cacing, finding the spring refreshingly cool



Cacing with Ketut at the Mahabharata pond


How can we get mad? In the battle of manipulations and persuasions, there is one clear winner. Need I to tell who?


my wife Dia leading the gang at Tirta Gangga