I'm 19 Months Old Today!

I'm just a cool cruiser at 19 months!

What I'm Really Into These Days:

* Building towers of blocks (Thanks, Nicholas & Aiden, for my bag of colorful blocks!)..I'm getting pretty good at building tall towers already!

* Climbing up play structures and sliding down all by myself!

* Milk from a bottle vs. a sippy cup...(When I ask for milk, if Mommy or Daddy give it to me in a sippy cup, I just say "No"....If that's all they give me, I throw it on the floor.  Now, seriously, how can you deny this face??)

* Brown and white rice

* Bananas, Clementine mandarin oranges, plums

* Books (I love my pop-up books, Dr. Seuss board books, and the Little People books.)

* Animals (live or stuffed...I love going to the zoo, naming all my stuffed animals and magnets, saying animal noises, and playing with dogs.)

--- Here I am checking out Kaliko, the reformed house dog at Uncle Jay's house...

and here I am with the goats at the petting zoo...

* Drumming and hitting everything in the house (including Mommy & Daddy)

* Refrigerator magnets (Mommy and Daddy have been collecting them from places we visit.)

* Watching cartoons (Mommy says "Uh-oh!") - - "Muppets" (I ask for "Muh" and point to the computer so Daddy can play Muppets on You Tube for me) and "Thomas the Train" ("Tuh Tuh" -- "chugga chugga chugga") movies (Thanks for the DVD for Xmas!)

* Climbing down stairs (going backwards on my tummy of course...)

 ... and climbing up stairs.

* Talking all time (maybe 25 words by now, one of my favorite ones being "OH!" when I'm super excited!)

* Sucking on my hands and toys and things (Mommy's not sure why I'm doing this again, since I haven't done this since I was teething).  Just yesterday, she saw me chewing something and asked what I had in my mouth...I told her, "Book," and pointed to the corner of the page I chewed off my board book.  She said I wasn't supposed to eat the book, and I just shook my head and told her, "No, no, no!"

* Wearing socks (yup, I'm Daddy's boy!)...and making Mommy put hers on too, since everyone always looks cooler in funky socks.

Things I'm SO Over:

* Poi

* Chicken

I was eating these things for months and months......Don't they realize that I'm a big boy now!  Show me some more sophisticated foods (except nothing that has a lot of color in it or is a vegetable, please)!

Besides our ongoing house improvements (currently extending and fixing the wrap-around lanai/deck - you've got to see the pulley system and harness Stewart is using to safely work 30 feet off the ground!), Mommy is currently researching things like potty training, home loans, preschools, and teaching full-time vs. part-time next year, while Daddy is doing more running than biking these days, training for the Swamp Romp next month.

We went to visit Baby Michaela tonight.  She was born before 8 am this morning, and is a healthy 7 pounds, which surprised Aunty Miya because she's a small gal herself, and older brother Taiga was only 4 1/2 pounds when he was born preterm like me.  I tried to show off for the baby by being silly and goofy, playing hide-and-go-seek with the curtain in the room.  I wasn't quite sure about the tiny little baby, but she is pretty cute.  Congratulations, Miya, Junji, and Taiga!

We went to visit Aunty Miya and Taiga today because Aunty Miya is going to have a baby tomorrow morning.  She is scheduled to have her c-section early Monday morning, and she was already having contractions early this morning.  We took a picture of her big tummy.  I had fun playing with Taiga and his cars, as it's been weeks since we've seen each other.  Good luck Aunty Miya, and we'll see you with the new baby girl tomorrow!

Book Challenge

Mommy's friend Teresa had this on her blog for a Book Challenge:

Grab the nearest book.
* Open the book to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post the text of the next two to five sentences in your blog along with these instructions.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.
Aunty Teresa said that she found this challenge from Rosemary, on Rosemary's Blog Spot. 

This is what Aunty Teresa posted on her blog:
The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux.

"Go," said the conductor.
But I didn't want to go, for besides the overcrowded compartments of Europeans and Americans there were the compartments of Kurds, Turks, Iranians, and Afghans who slept on top of each other and cooked stews between their berths over dangerously flaring kerosene stoves.

The ferry moved off, hooting into the black lake.

(I love the last sentence!)

So, here's what Mommy found in the book closest to her computer:

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

When he came back, he promised her, things would be different.  He'd work full-time, find a real place to live, and lead a less haphazard life.  

He took his climbing gear to the Wilderness Exchange on San Pablo Avenue, a place where much of his disposable income had vanished in the years since he'd become a devoted climber.  It was only a four-minute drive to the shop from his storage space, but Mortenson remembers the passage as indelibly as a cross-country road trip.  "I felt like I was driving away from a life I'd led ever since I'd come to California," he says.  He left with almost fifteen hundred dollars more in his pocket.

Guess I better start reading more than just my Dr. Seuss books!

Gung Hee Fat Choy!

This afternoon, we went to Chinatown to check out the Chinese New Year festivities.  They blocked the whole street, and there were vendors with crafts, food, t-shirts, and music.  We stood in the crowds to watch the 2 hour long parade.  There were dragon dances, lion dances, lots of firecrackers, martial arts exhibitions, a Narcissus Queen, and a Ronald McDonald. Mommy says she's not sure what Ronald McDonald has to do with Chinese New Year.  Perhaps he's a Chinese one.   Mommy wanted to buy a t-shirt for her mommy because this is her year, the Year of the Ox (but she couldn't find one that she would wear, so she decided on something else instead).  I loved all the bright colors of the costumes.  But, my favorite part was when I got to get down and play at the playground nearby.  It was so crowded though that we couldn't see the whole block party on the other side of the street, and we didn't want to wait in line for food for dinner.  Mommy was tired of carrying me (and I only wanted her to carry me, not Daddy), so we just ended up going to get take-out from a neighborhood Chinese restaurant instead. 

                 Playing the drums at Uncle Jay & Aunty Shelly's
                       Little monkeys enjoying bananas
                 Chase and Jas playing with Kaliko's dog toys

Aunty Steph (Happy Birthday by the way!), Uncle Mike, Aunty Jane, Jake, and Jas flew back to Seattle today.  I had fun playing with my cousins Jake and Jaslynn.  They were here for a few weeks, but we didn't get to see each other as much as we wanted since I was sick for a week with that nasty virus, and we had tenting and construction on our house.  Mommy laughs because she's the one that made Aunty Steph move to Seattle, and then she left, and now I'm growing up in Hawai'i, and they're still in Seattle and only get to visit once a year!  Hopefully, one day, we'll all be in the same state and we'll get to play with each other more often!  I really like having a boy cousin to look up to.  I'm sure we'll play again when I visit Seattle in a couple of months.

My First Rodeo Party

Tonight, Mommy and Daddy let me stay up past my bedtime for the second night in a row, so that we could help Auntie Jennifer celebrate her birthday.  Jennifer and Mommy know each other from MDA, but actually their dads knew each other and their brothers played sports together when they were younger (Hawai'i is just small like that).  Auntie Jen always has a themed birthday party.  Last year, it was Olympics, and this year it was cowboys and cowgirls.  I wore my rodeo shirt, and Mommy and Daddy tried to find their best cowboy looking shirts.  I enjoyed looking at the cat at their place and checking out the cool water fountain.  Mommy laughed at me because I started copying her by picking my teeth just like she was doing.  I guess that's just what cowboys and cowgirls do on the pasture.

"With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

We're excited for today, for our new President Barack Obama, and for the renewed hope for our country.

Loud Motorcyles

Although we didn't have much of a "storm" on Friday for the whole city to shut down, it was a productive weekend.  Today I went with Daddy to run errands at Home Depot and the auto parts store while Mommy went to school to do some work.  We came home to Uncle Jay and Uncle Mike working on fixing the motorcycles.  The two motorcycles, a Yamaha and a Harley, have been sitting in the driveway since before I was born!  Thanks goodness!  Mommy would really like to see them up and running so she can have the parking space back.  The Harley was grandpa's bike, and it's a shame it's all rusty and not running.  But, thanks to Uncle Mike (Who would have thought he would spend two days sitting in our driveway fixing motorcycles during his vacation from Seattle?), he worked on the bikes and together, he and Jay got both bikes up and running this afternoon.

The engines scared me at first, and they tried to have me sit on their laps, but I wasn't having it.  I did have fun chasing cousin Jake around the driveway though.  I copied him jumping and hitting the tetherball.  He just wanted to tickle me and chase me.  It was a lot of fun.  

We were supposed to go hiking today, but Daddy worked on fixing the water leak in the bathroom faucet instead, so we never left home.  Turned out to be a fun afternoon for me anyway.  

Jas' 1st Birthday Party

It was a chilly day today...for Hawai'i, that is.  We were all wearing jackets and pants and socks around the house because it was 58 degrees when we woke up this morning!  The high only got to 76 today, and that's pretty cool for these parts.  Break out the fleece pants and down comforters!

Today was cousin Jaslynn's 1st birthday party.  She's always so bubbly and smiley.  Today, she looked cute in her maroon velvet dress and matching hair bow.  We celebrated with family at the old Pagoda Hotel.  This is a neat restaurant because it's surrounded by a koi pond, with gazebos and waterfalls and bridges all the way around.  Mommy and Daddy said I was fussy all day, but it was just because I was tired.  

We walked around Ala Moana Center afterwards because it was right down the street.  I got to play with the train set at Thinker Toys, ride the escalators up and down (which I just love!), and visit all the koi (such colorful fish!) at the mall.  Now, Mommy and Daddy are thinking of getting me my own Thomas the Train table and wooden rail set for the house (especially since I like to watch the DVDs I got for Christmas).  My grandpa loved to collect train sets.  He would like it if I had my own set.

In the afternoon, we went to the zoo.  It's been awhile since I went to the zoo.  The last time I went, I didn't like the goats at the petting zoo.  But, this time, I loved petting the goats, even though they tried to eat Mommy and Daddy, nipping at their shirts!  I liked seeing the cow and the horse, favorite animals I always name in books.  The monkeys were fun too, but the elephants were eating and only had their backs to us the whole time, so I played with the baby elephant statue instead.

Mommy bought me souvenir magnets from the gift shop because I love playing with magnets on the refrigerator and I'm really into animals these days.  So, now I have magnets of nene (geese), tigers, elephants, and monkeys.  I carry them all over the house and even hold them when I'm eating. 

Speaking of eating, on our way home, we stopped for pizza at Antonio's, a hole-in-the-wall pizza/pasta/calzone/gelato place run by a guy who used to be a professional wrestler.  It's kind of funny because there are photos of wrestlers all over the walls, above the video games of course.  Cousins Jake and Jas (and Uncle Mike and Aunty Steph) met us there.  We haven't been able to hang out with them since they've been here because I've been sick.  So it was nice to see them tonight.  I liked eating Mommy's calzone and watching Jake pushing the buttons on the video game machines.  I wish Jake and Jas lived in Hawai'i so we could play together all the time!

Mommy's Caught It

Uh-oh....It's a good thing Mommy has the day off today because she wouldn't have been able to go to work anyway since she was sleeping on the bathroom floor last night.  Looks like she caught the stomach virus I have had.  Daddy had to empty lots of garbage cans last night.

Mommy's not sure about this "storm", as it seems super windy, but it hasn't rained a whole lot. Oh well, thank goodness for a day off.  It's a good thing we live next door to my aunt and uncle because Daddy dropped me off at Aunty Stevi's this morning so she could watch me while Mommy slept.  Uncle Gary got jook and 7-Up to help Mommy's sensitive tummy.  She's hoping Daddy will come home from work early so he can take care of me, so she can rest.  She says it's too hard to take care of me when she's not feeling good.

Daddy did come home early, but wasn't feeling good himself.  I just wanted to play and read and jump all over the place, but Mommy and Daddy just slept all bundled up on the couch and the floor all night.  

Throwing The Storm Right Back At Ya

Here's a really neat shot of the sun setting behind the pyramid-shaped clouds.  With winds up to 60 mph and a storm expected tonight, they announced on the news that all Hawai'i public schools will be closed tomorrow (plus all city and state workers).  Too bad I was 'opihi boy today, all clingy and fussy, telling Mommy that I'm not feeling good again.  First, I puked in my carseat on the way home from Nana's.  I perked up a little bit at Aunty Stevi's house this afternoon, playing with their big exercise ball in the living room.  But, then I got all fussy again at dinnertime and threw up all the macaroni noodles I ate (and even after I threw them up, I still wanted more...Never mind those "special" Mac-n-Cheese noodles Mommy cooked up tonight...I just wanted plain noodles.)

So, I guess I fooled Mommy and Daddy into thinking I was feeling better yesterday.  It's a good thing Mommy doesn't have to go to work tomorrow....It could be a long night!

Just a couple of days ago, I would have nothing to do with food, sleep, changing my diaper (well, actually I still don't like it when the parentals mess with me) or baths.  Today, I had fun throwing applesauce all over the kitchen, climbing and sliding at the park with Daddy, chasing Mommy all over the house, and playing in the bath.  You might say I'm feeling a WHOLE lot better!

Jumping Around Again

I'm feeling better today.  I had my usual energy at Nana's today, though I didn't walk as far up the hill this morning.  When Mommy came to pick me up, I heard the door close, and said, "Ma".  I gave her a big hug and then started jumping all over her.  I showed her that I was feeling better by riding on the rocking horse.  Plus, I had fun climbing all over her and standing and jumping up and down on her tummy (I don't think she liked it too much though.)  I wanted to read all my favorite books, and I even got some of my appetite back.  

I've still got explosions in my diaper and a rash all over my body, though I'm not as fat and swollen anymore.  Daddy found out tonight that Nana came down with a stomach flu.  Uh-oh.  That's not good.  Hopefully Mommy and Daddy don't get it.  

Visit to the ER

Mommy and Daddy brought me into the ER last night around midnight as I threw up again in my sleep (actually Daddy had already picked me up from the crib, so I actually threw up all over him....Lucky Daddy!). When they brought me into the bathroom, Mommy freaked out because my face had completely swelled up like a puffer fish, so much so that my eyes were shut. She said I didn't even look like the same baby! They quickly got dressed and off we went.

Based on my symptoms, vomiting (only at night the past two nights), rash (which is now welty and all over my whole body/face), fever, and diarrhea, the ER doctors were not sure, but think I have a viral infection...kinda like a stomach flu.

They gave me Benadryl for the rash, which they say is just cosmetic. Because there is blanching (when you touch it, it turns white), that's not life-threatening. They said to watch my breathing. I'm breathing fine, so that's a good sign. Mommy will go into work first thing to get stuff done and make an appointment to see my pediatrician as soon as we can today.

Even though I was tired and swollen and itchy, I didn't cry when the doctors were examining me, but I didn't like it when they stuck that stick down my throat. They don't think it's a chemical reaction from the fumigation because of the type of rash I have, so that's good. But Mommy and Daddy are worried that I'm really sick again. I've never had this before. Mommy has a lot of allergies, so she was worried about my hives and swollen face and hoping that I wasn't having trouble breathing because that can happen to her when she gets a bad allergic reaction.

We got home at 2 am, took a bath to clean up, and then went right to bed. We'll keep you posted and let you know how the doctor's goes today.

10 am:

We visited the Doc this morning, and he believes that my symptoms together represent a “viral illness” with a rash. Mommy and Daddy just need to give me "supportive, comfort care." I'll just continue with Benadryl or Zyrtec to help with the swelling of my "Rocky Balboa" face, as the Doc called it. My forehead, ears, lip, cheeks, and eyes are so swollen that I look like a different boy.

He says I'm just super-sensitive and am having a bad reaction to the hives.

Mommy dropped me off at Nana's so that she could go back to work to setup her classroom now that the kids will be coming back to school tomorrow. We're all tired though. It was a long night. But, I guess I'll just have to deal with this fat face for a week or so and stay away from my daycare and my visiting cousins until I get rid of this virus.

Vomiting, Rash, & Diarrhea Can't Stop Me

Mommy missed yoga this morning because she woke up too late, and she had to give me a bath.  I never take baths in the morning, but in the middle of the night last night, I threw up my dinner all over myself.  I was so tired I didn't even fuss too much when Daddy changed me and took off the bedding.  It was gross though.  There were chunks stuck in my hair this morning when I woke up.  Mommy put all my sheets and pj's in the wash right away and then gave me a shower.  I hate washing my hair, but she said I had to because I had a lot of stuff in it.

Now, it's late afternoon, and Mommy and Daddy are worried about me.  After Daddy went on a run with some coworkers, he noticed that I have this rash all over my body.  Mommy saw some red spots on my face, but she just figured they were mosquito bites.  Plus, I've had diarrhea in my diapers twice already.  

They've been looking up stuff on the internet (though I think Mommy has been secretly writing blog entries too), washing loads of laundry, and wondering if the chemicals from the tenting are bothering me (so they're handwashing all of my toys too).  They're talking about all the stuff I've eaten over the past 24 hours to see if it's a food allergy, but I really haven't eaten anything different or new.  I am kind of scratching my head and my tummy, but I'm still playing happily.  I'm walking around saying, "Bye!"  and "bice" ("bicycle"), while dragging my muslin blankets all over the house.  I guess they're worried I'm contagious or something because we haven't left the house all day, except for a little bit to go play on the driveway.  Daddy put this creamy pink stuff all over my rash, and they keep looking under my shirt to check out those spots.  I think I'll go take this pink bottle over to Daddy and see if he can put some more on me.  Or perhaps I'll just shake it up a lot.  That looks like fun too.  But, I'm starting to get a slight fever now too.

Hanging Out With Daddy

I hung out with Daddy and Nana and Popsicle all day today because Mommy had stuff to do. She went to a birthday party for one of her yoga teachers at a Korean buffet restaurant.  I heard her tell Daddy later that it was funny to see everyone in regular clothes, all put together, with make up and hair done, not sweating.  People barely recognized each other!

We went to Farmer's Market in the morning, went out to breakfast, and then I hung out and played in the rain at my grandparents' house.  Daddy went back home to stain our new cabinet and clean up the house from the tenting.  We met Mommy at Kahala Mall after she had her appointment at the fancy salon. 

We ate dinner at Panda Express and ran into some of Mommy and Daddy's friends before we headed home.  I was asleep by 7:30 pm again.  But, I heard later that Mommy went upstairs to play with cousin Jake and Jaslynn, who were playing at Auntie Jane's and Auntie Stevi's house.  I guess they stay up really late, until like 11 pm.  I can't stay up that late.

Doctor Visit & Beach Time

After the guys came to take off all the tents and huff and puff up all our stairs (Mommy and Auntie Stevi gave them lots of water to drink), another guy came by to check with his meter thing to make sure it was okay to re-enter the house.  We got the okay, and by mid-afternoon, Mommy was cleaning and putting things away.  But, she was really tired.  I bet Daddy was tired today too.  None of us got much sleep last night.  In fact, I took a 2 1/2 hour nap at Auntie Susie's house.  

I had my 18 month well checkup with Dr. Sia this morning.  I let out a little gasp when the nurse poked me in the thigh with my Hep A shot.  But, Mommy and Daddy said I did really good because I didn't even cry (I must take after Mommy because she doesn't really mind shots either.)  

The doctor said that I'm really advanced and mature for my age because I'm communicating a lot, I don't make a fuss when he examines me, and I put the toy back on his desk when it was ready to leave. I guess he said most kids my age would make a fuss if they had to get looked at by the doctor or put a toy back.  

I also had a growth spurt, which surprised Mommy and Daddy because I was sick so often the past couple months and didn't want to eat much of anything.  Plus, I've been really picky lately about what I want to eat (Mommy says I have a really discerning palate).  But, according to the doctor, I grew taller, I gained a couple pounds, and my head got bigger.  The doctor told Mommy and Daddy that they have to give me not so much milk though, and that they have to think of the food pyramid when the feed me meals.  

This afternoon, I went to the Ala Moana Beach to play with my cousin Jake, Auntie Steph, and Uncle Mike, who are visiting from Seattle.  I think Jake is used to the cold because he played in the water, but the late afternoon dip in the ocean was too cold for me, so I liked it better just playing with the sand and my bucket.  I liked watching cousin Jake playing.  He's 3 1/2 years old, so he's much bigger and talks more than I do.  I laughed at him when he played and tried to copy what he was doing.  

By the time we left though, I was fussy and hungry.  Mommy didn't pack any milk for me, so I just cried all the way home.  We had to stop on the way to pick up some Korean take-out as we don't have any food in the house to make a meal now that we've moved back in.  I wanted to play with cousin Jake again.  But by the time we ate and bathed, I was out like a light before 7:30 pm!

Playing In The Dark

I had fun sleeping at Nana's and Popsicle's last night, but Mommy and Daddy look really tired and exhausted.  

Mommy and Daddy sure did bring a lot of stuff to my grandparents' house for just one night.  They said it's because they didn't want to leave valuables in the house, along with my bottles, cups, and dishes.  They had lots of bedtime things ready for me: a swing, a pack-n-play, my crib mattress, and my muslin blankets.  After dinner last night and a fun time playing in the bath, they put me to bed in the swing and then once I was asleep, they moved me to Daddy's old room to sleep on my crib mattress on the floor next to Mommy.  I slept until midnight, but then I woke up.  Usually we're not here at Nana's and Popsicle's this late!  I thought, "I want to sleep in my own bed!"

So, Mommy tried to rub my back and then brought me into her bed.  I thought, "Yeah, I get to play!" after all, I love jumping up and down on Mommy.  Mommy didn't seem amused at all.

By 1 o'clock, she was waking Daddy up in the living room and telling him that I wouldn't go to sleep.  They set up the swing, but I wouldn't have any of that!  I wanted to play with all my toys!

Finally, we were walking out the door.  But, we were walking up the hill for a walk.  Usually I walk with Nana or Popsicle during the day to look at all the neighbors' houses and pets and flowers.  But, tonight, we were walking in complete darkness!  

It was still kind of neat though because I could see all the houses with Christmas lights, and some houses had cool water fountains in their yards.  "Ooh, ooh", I said, as I noticed all the neat things.  Mommy and Daddy were whispering to each other, but I didn't care about being quiet.  I enjoyed my night walk at 2 0'clock in the morning.

I was still wide awake when we got back to my grandparents' house, so at 3 o'clock, Mommy and Daddy put me in the carseat and took me for a ride.  We drove up and down the hill.  I don't know how long we were driving because I fell asleep in the car.  Usually riding in the car, especially up and down a steep hill with all those winding turns, does that to me.  

So, Mommy and Daddy put me down, but as soon as I laid down on the crib mattress, I popped right back up!  "Who stopped the car?", I thought.  Mommy looked pissed.  She brought me into her bed again and told me to go to sleep.  So I tried to cheer her up by sitting up, looking at her, and blowing rasberries for her.  I smiled at her, but she didn't seem too happy.  She just took a deep sigh and said, "Chase, it's 4 o'clock in the morning....You NEED TO GO TO SLEEP!"

Well, finally, she handed me off to Daddy, who put me in the swing once more.  I guess I ended up falling asleep.  I woke up in the pack-n-play when Mommy was leaving the house at 7:30 am.  

I started crying out for her, thinking "Where are you going, Mommy?".  She and Daddy looked at each other with tired eyes and she said, "Well, he's definitely NOT ready to stay overnight at Nana and Popsicle's house."

I don't know what they're talking about.  I wasn't grouchy at all last night.  It's not that often I get to play in the dark!

Tenting & Staying Overnight at Nana's

Even though Mommy is still on winter vacation from school, she's been sending me to my grandparents' and the sitter's all day long this week so that she can clean and organize the house (though something tells me she may be sneaking away to morning yoga classes and to Auntie Stevi's house to watch some Korean dramas as well because that was also on her list of things to do).  

But, really, Mommy and Daddy have been busy getting the house ready for termite tenting.  I can't imagine why the termites need a tent, but they say it's important.  Mommy and Daddy had to climb down around the huge boulder under the house and cut away bushes and trees that were too close to the house.  Daddy even climbed on top of the 6 foot wide boulder and cut away some plants at 10 o'clock last night, while Mom shined a flashlight for him!  Mommy and Daddy have these 4 foot tall bags that they are filling up with all the foods from the pantry, all the foods in the fridge/freezer, and all the medicines and lotions and toiletries in the bathrooms and my room. There are 15 tall bags all over the house.  They opened up all the cabinets and drawers and containers in the house.  Plus they took all the valuables out of the house, just in case.  We left early this morning because these guys came at 7:15 am to start hauling things down our stairs.

Mommy says that they guys were huffing and puffing and said, "Wow, you have to go up and down these stairs every day?!".  Poor guys had to carry 150 pound tents down our 90 stairs, making several trips each time.  They had to carry the gas tank down about ten stairs.  Once everything was set up, (and Mommy rushed into the house to get my changing pad before they put the gas on), and the poison signs were on the doors, they tented the house.;

We are staying at Nana's and Popsicle's house tonight.  I'm sure Nana is cooking Daddy's favorite meal, fettucine for dinner. We won't be able to go back into the house until tomorrow afternoon.  Hopefully the tents will work and all the termites, dust mites, and bugs will be dead.  Mommy is always complaining about all the bugs here in Hawai'i!

We helped celebrate Aunty Shelly's birthday at Uncle Bo's.  Mommy and Daddy enjoyed the pupus and catching up with Aunty Steph and Uncle Mike and cousins Jake and Jas, who are visiting from Seattle.  Happy Birthday, Aunty Shelly!  Sorry we couldn't stay for the cake....Mommy and Daddy said it was way past my bedtime!  And, they had to finish packing up the house for tenting tomorrow morning!

Time Outs

After Mommy picked me up from Auntie Susie's today, we went to visit her coworker Christina and her new baby Raiden.  Raiden is 1 month old.  I wasn't too sure about him and all these strangers at first, especially when Mommy was holding him, but he didn't really do much except for sleep, so I figured he was harmless.

I found some things to play with in their house anyway, so Mommy just talked baby stuff with Christina until the baby finally woke up and started to fuss.  We took that as our cue to leave.

Mommy taught me about this thing she calls "Time Outs" tonight at dinner.  I'm not sure what it was all about.  All I was doing was throwing my food because I thought it would make her laugh.  After all, I found it pretty funny.  But, suddenly she turned my chair around and told me I was on a "Time Out".   I guess I heard her say "No throwing food", but I thought anything I do was cute.  She turned on the kitchen timer and stopped talking to me.  I cried at first, but then when I figured out she was ignoring me, I just started yelling.  Couldn't she hear me?  She was standing right there!  Well, once the timer went off, she took me down from the chair and told me to wipe up the food I threw on the floor.  I guess she meant business, so I wiped it up.  Then she told me to throw it away, so I went to throw it away in the garbage can.  

She let me play a little, but then I saw her eating some rice, and I wanted some too.  So, she put me in the highchair again and reminded me not to throw the food.  Well, hey, I thought, "Let's try that again."  It was pretty fun after all.   I got two fists full of rice and starting swishing it all over my tray and laughing.  She just looked all mad again, swiftly turned my chair around, and told me I was on a time out again.  

What's up with these "Time Outs"?  I don't like them.  

But this time, I didn't cry.  I knew she wasn't going to talk to me or pay attention to me.  So, I just yelled.  I yelled louder, and LOUDER, and LOUDER.  After the timer went off, she turned me around and pointed to all the rice on the floor.

"Oh!"  I said.  I thought, "Where did that come from?  Who did that?"  

Mommy told me to wipe it up.  I guess she knew it was me.  

Then I went to go play, but she said, "Chase, wait, where are you going?  Where does this go?".  I went to go throw the paper towel full of rice in the garbage can.

Geez, she won't give me a break.  

Well, I got her good again when I started pouring cupfuls of water outside the tub during bathtime!

Turn up the volume?

I knew something was up this weekend. It was Saturday night and Dad was filling this blue bladder looking thing up in the sink. Every time I walked past it, he stuck a tube in my mouth and told me to bite on the nipple thingie. Hey now...I know nipples and this is a poor substitute! So I bit on the faux nipple and lo and behold, water came out! Water, which I immediately spit out on the kitchen floor! Dad sorta looked at me askance and said, 'Babushka, you need to bite, drink and swallow the water. Not spit it out on the floor!' 

So we tried again. And again, and then I finally got it. Dad was happy, so happy he started to dance in the kitchen. One of the fundamental things I've learned in my short time on this planet is that my Dad doesn't sing well, nor can he dance. I really hope I don't inherit these shortcomings from him.

 I think the big, black Sherpani hiking backpack clinched it though. Whenever I see that thing, I know I'm up for an adventure. The last time Dad got it out, we went hiking up Kuli'ou'ou with some of his biking friends. That was ages ago, back when I only weighed 19 lbs, 10 oz and I only knew five words! 

 With a sly smile on his face, Daddy-oh started to explain to me that he was 'volunteered' to join a team for the 2009 Swamp Romp. I used my questioning look at him (rather then the 'I need to pass gas' face) and he explained that the Swamp Romp is a 10k team 'run' (he laughed/grimaced with his 'I need to pass gas face' when he said 'run') through the wilds of Kane'ohe Marine Corps Air station. Over hill, over dale, through muddy pits, under barbed wire, up over wooden walls, basically an adult playground.

 So this was to be a hiking/training session. And poor me, I was going to be ballast up Koko Head Crater. I'm not doing the race, Dad just needed to watch me while Mom was at yoga and figured I'd help him work out. 

Dad went on to explain that he and Pop'scle used to hike it on occasion when Nana was working at the old Job Corps. At the top of Koko Head Crater are some old military installations, left over from WWII and then further developed during the fifties and sixties. There's a helicopter landing pad, some concrete 'stuff' (notice how I’m learning all these good, technical terms) and the peak of the mountain is actually hollow with rooms and a pitch-black shaft with a rusted ladder. 

Here's where the ballast came in; you hiked up to the top of the crater by walking up railroad tracks. Straight up. Up the mountain. To the top. Upupup, it's a great day for up! 

Dad packed a lot of food and milk and diapers and extra clothes for me, and I went to bed looking forward to our adventure!

Sunday morning came and Dad smeared some of that foul smelling sunscreen on me that Mom hates. She won’t kiss Dad when he’s got it on.  He explained again, putting big floppy hats on the both of us, that since he and I are so fair skinned, we needed the protection before going out in the sun. 

After everyone arrived at the parking lot, Dad loaded me up and we started. I was fine for a while, and then I started to notice this uncomfortable rubbing sensation between my legs. I thought about it, it wasn’t the same as having a wet diaper, but something was getting uncomfortable.

Let’s let Dad know, ‘Waah!’

“Hey Chase, you having fun? It’s gorgeous out here.”

Okay that didn’t work. Let’s try “Waaahhhhh!”

“Sorry Babushka didn’t mean to stop. It’s a lot of work, carrying you up this hill. I’m getting tired.”

Still not getting the message, let’s dial it up a bit. “WAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nope. Dad didn’t get the hint that the pack was rubbing my calves raw. There’s this piece of sharp nylon webbing and with my feet in the stirrups, rubrubrub! I was very upset at this time, and if I could have figured out how to conk him on his head, I would have. So I just cried. And cried. He stopped and changed my diaper, that didn’t do it. Since I had on long shorts (or was that ‘short pants’?) he didn’t see the rubbing.  Tried to get me to drink from his Camelbak nipple (again with the fake nipple!) and food. Nothing worked. I was angry and was going to tell everyone on the hiking trail about it. Which I did. I can cry really loud.

So here it is, a week later and I’m rocking cute Batman Band-Aids on my raw calf. Dad is annoyed with himself that he didn’t figure out what was going on (Point to Nana, she was changing my diaper and noticed the symmetrical rubbing and THEN Dad figured it out. Sometimes he’s not the cleverest monkey in the forest, hairiest yes, cleverest no.) I have a new ‘phil & teds’  pack (which both of us like better) once he figured out what the problem is and just needs to box up the Sherpani and ship it back to REI. Despite having a new pack, I don't think Dad is in any hurry to carry me up the over four million stairs, but I'm only eighteen months old, so I might have miscounted a wee bit. 

Toddler Playing and Toddler Proofing

Today, Mommy and Daddy brought me to Wee Play & Learn.  I had come here before with Mommy, but she wanted to show Daddy how fun it is because she might start teaching classes there so that I can go for free.  

It's basically a big play gym with tons of stuff to climb on, a ball pit, puppets, and they do circle time and story time.  They sing songs and play with bubbles and the parachute.  But, I was more interested in doing my own thing and sliding down the slide.  

Mommy and Daddy saw some people they knew, so I knew we would end up staying awhile.  We even ran into Taiga and Aunty Miya and Uncle Junji on the way out.  They were going to the next class after ours.  I hope Mommy will find time to work there so that I can play there again!  

Afterwards, we went to pick up a wooden cabinet for cds and dvds.  It was one of Mommy's Craigslist finds of course.  She would never pass up a good deal (and one to help organize the house as welll).  But, I heard Mommy tell the guy that it was really to prevent me from pulling out all the dvds off the shelves, since I figured out how to open the entertainment system we already have at home.  

Mommy's always looking for ways to toddler-proof the house...whatever that means.  I'll just find something else to get into.

Happy New Year!

With a new year and a new haircut, Mommy decided that I'm old enough to have my own blog (Besides, she was too cheap to pay for more storage on her old blog...and we both know that all you readers out there just want to see pictures anyway).  So, here it is!  A blog ALL ABOUT ME!

Here I am a few weeks ago at Pigtails & Crewcuts, getting my very first haircut ever.  I wasn't quite sure why we had to drive so far away, but Mommy and Daddy were really excited and said I would like sitting in the fancy cars.  While we waited, I was just happy to play with all the trains and the balls.  Then, they called my name and asked Mommy which seat I wanted.  She put me in the fire truck.  At that point, I started to get nervous because I wasn't quite sure what was about to happen.  All of a sudden this strange lady started touching my hair with these sharp, shiny things.  I tried to look distracted by watching the funny cartoons they had on the TV, but I was really scared.  

Mommy and Daddy tried to cheer me on, and Mommy held my hand the whole time, but I was just frozen, clutching the little train I had in my other hand.  Mommy told the lady she wanted to keep the tail part.  What?!  I had a tail back there?!  After about 15 minutes, the lady told me I was all done.  But, I just started screaming and crying because I just couldn't take it anymore.  

The lady told me I did a good job and would get to choose something out of the treasure box.  

Well, at least they got rid of that tail I had back there!  My bangs were starting to go into my eyes, my sideburns went over my ears, Nana was starting to braid my hair in the back, and people were saying that I had a mullet (whatever that is!)!

But, I'm still not sure what the whole deal was.  I had more fun sitting in Uncle Jay's fire truck rather than this fire truck.  And, I had more fun playing with the rope outside the store anyway. Ever since that haircut though, Mommy and Daddy just keep staring at me, saying "Wow, he looks like such a little boy now!".  

That's funny... I thought I was always a little boy.