The Sweetest Present, "This," and A Great Father's Day

I think I had previously mentioned the ritual that Lola and Michael have engaged in these past few months - going out to get coffee in the early evening.  When I can make it I will go with them, often meeting them at Starbucks on my way home.  As the ritual has evolved, it also includes stopping by the fruit stand on the way home and, often, picking up some fruit for Lola.  Michael likes to let her pick what she wants - and usually she will opt for a star fruit, or some plums, or an apple, or a variety of those things.

But sometimes I can't make it because I am stuck at work on a call or meeting.  In the past two weeks, once Michael and Lola went out on the weekend while I warmed up her dinner.  When they came back, Lola was nearly jumping out of her skin to rush into the apartment to give me her present.  She bought me a lemon!  Michael said it was the sweetest thing; they were at the fruit stand and after buying her fruit he asked Lola what she wanted to buy for me.  I don't know if she knows I love lemon and honey tea or if she simply wanted to buy me something she doesn't eat, but it was perfect!  What made it so sweet was that Lola usually likes to explore and wander on her way home, drawing out the two blocks as much as possible and thoroughly enjoying her adult excursion with daddy.  But this time Michael said she rushed them home as quickly as possible because she was so eager to deliver me her present. I practically melted when I heard that.

The next time they went out together while I was stuck at work, I returned at night to find a little surprise waiting for me on my pillow on my bed - another lemon!

Since then, on the nights I return home from work late and miss putting Lola to bed, I frequently return to a little present waiting on my pillow - whether it be a clay handprint or a painted strawberry or some little thing that she made in one of her classes that she leaves for me.  Michael of course helps her put it there and it's one of the most thoughtful gestures and best parts of my evening.

Michael has taken to growing a beard (sigh) and while he is free to experiment with his facial hair as he likes, Lola has certainly had an opinion about it.  When she kisses him, she immediately wrinkles her nose and says "this" and touches her own chin.  It is really cute. I am not sure that it's dislike, exactly; instead, it's more like commentary that she consistently provides every time she comes in contact with it.

Despite finding ourselves in the midst of a huge crowd and protest in Causeway Bay on Sunday, we still had a wonderful, fulfilling and really fun Father's Day.  We went to an early dinner at Frites, a Belgian pub like restaurant that happens to have a very simple kids play area, essentially a little table and chairs with a lot of plastic food toys.  It was enough to keep Lola entertained and us happy.  Lola was in a great mood.
 

Lola excited to eat her fish fingers - but they are hot hot hot!

Lola loves fish

Michael loves steak

And I love mussels!  We all win.

We all ate very well, especially Lola.  I think she eats with more gusto and relish when she is "eating with mommy and daddy."

Then it was time to open presents - Michael got an elephant frame colored and decorated by Lola, which he loves and I know will cherish forever,

 and beard oil (see what happened there?) and some wireless earbuds from me.

 We had a really great day and I think Michael felt special and loved.  Lola wished him a "Happy Father's Day" and said multiple times that she loved baba.  Prickly "this" notwithstanding, she let him give her, and she gave him, kisses on the cheek.  So sweet!