We’re back from Malaysia. It was lovely and I will try to update on that later.

While we were there, I read some of my old ladybird books to Nora. She loved them so I decided to take some back here with us.

One of the books was the Magic Paintbrush. A tale from China of Liang, a poor boy, who was given a paintbrush and everything he painted comes to live or becomes real.

I was reading it to Nora last night when we got to the page where the Emperor had summoned Liang. Nora pointed to the Emperor’s big belly and asked me if he has a baby in his belly. That brought a giggle to me and I told her no.

When Liang escaped from the Emperor and decided to be a normal painter, he made sure that he doesn’t finish any of his painting as then it would come to life. But on another page, as Liang was carefully painting a bird a man bumped into him.

Again Nora pointed out that the man has a big belly and asked if he has a baby. And I told her no only girls can have babies. She then said that the man looked like he has breasts (pointint to her chest and mine). I burst into laughter. I told her no, it is because he is big. I thought I should drop saying that the man and Emperor were fat incase she’ll point to random people on the street and say that they are fat!