I am 2 Years & 1 Month Old!

Feels strange to put it that way, but I am a little bit older than 2 years of age.

My latest foods still continue to be any fruit or vegetable in its raw, unseasoned form.

My favorites:

* edamame

* carrots

* cucumbers

As for fruit:

* apples

* bananas

* plums

* cherries

I still love my breads, crackers, brown rice, white rice, and plain pasta noodles.

The only meat I like to eat is bacon and sometimes chicken...again plain.

I'm talking a lot more each day. I like to compare things now.

For example, the other day, I said..

"Mommy, two Elmos. This one broken. This one not broken. This one talking. This one not talking."

I also notice things like:

"Two sprinklers on."

I'm also remembering my etiquette when I say things like,

"May I please have more poi?"

And, I still like to count things (and sometimes count while I'm in bed). I like counting to 20. I try to hold my fingers up, but can only count my fingers correctly to 2. I can count objects up to 8. I like to line up my cars, animals, and blocks and count them. I also like to take things "apart" and "put back together".

I know some of my colors, but most of the time I think everything is blue or green (which are Mommy's favorite colors). I enjoy singing my ABC's, but I get only the beginning and the ending of the song correct.

Favorite Songs I Sing ALL The Time:

* Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

* Old MacDonald Had A Farm

* Five Little Monkeys

* ABC's

* Where Is Thumbkin?

Next month, I will be starting at a new preschool. I will no longer be going to the licensed home daycare with Auntie Susie. Since Mommy will be working a full-time schedule, we needed to find something closer to home. There was an opening at Kapi'olani Community College's Alani Childcare Center. It's typically for faculty and students' kids, but I was the one community application that got accepted because they needed more boys in the 2 year old class. It will be from 7:30 am - 4 pm three days a week. I will still go to Nana and Pop's two days a week. They will be picking me up from the center everyday too. It will be fun because they will have a teacher and an aide and maybe a student teacher for 10 full-time and 4 part-time children in the 2 year old class. They have a big outside area with a jungle gym and sand toys. The classroom is big, and they will help me with my potty training. I get to meet new kids, and hopefully learn some new things. Mommy and Daddy are worried about the meals though because KCC is known for its culinary program, and the meals will be made by the culinary students. They might be too fancy and too seasoned for my plain palate. The schedule runs on the college calendar, and there will be some days that are not the same as Mommy's school schedule. But I'm sure Nana and Pop will be able to watch me on those days.

New Things I'm Doing This Month:

* Having tantrums when I don't like a response I get:

Last weekend, I threw myself on the ground and kicked and screamed at a shopping center. People walked around me.

* Earlier this month, I stopped using the bottle to drink my milk from in the middle of the night. I've always used a sippy cup during the day, but nighttime I've always used a bottle. When friends Sacha and Aine were visiting from Seattle, Mommy got encouragement from her friend Maila. So, one day, Mommy and Daddy just took the bottle away (Besides, I had ripped holes in all of the nipples anyway.). And that was that. I didn't complain or anything. I just drink out of my sippy cup in the middle of the night.

* I go on the potty at night all the time ("pee pee" and "poopy"). Mommy and Daddy are just trying to get the daytime sitters to train me.

* Drinking water from cups in the bath, from the bottom of the kiddie pool, and just about anywhere...then saying, "Tastes good!"

After the Halsall men got their haircuts, Mommy and Daddy took me to the Bon Dance in Palolo. We can see our house up on the hill from there. We ran into some of Mommy's teacher friends there. We ate some yummy yakisoba, but once the sun went down, we had to head home because it was past my bedtime (and Mommy and Daddy didn't want to risk a Chase meltdown). There will be plenty of other bon dances this summer!

My New 'Do

I got my 3rd haircut today. Debbie, the Halsall Family hairdresser, said that she cut off just as much hair off my head as some adults! I sat very still on Mommy's lap (so Mommy got some hair on herself too!)...But I liked sitting in the chair by myself too! Check out the new 'do!

I spent all day with Nana and Pop today.  They even took me to Costco this afternoon.  Looks like Mommy will have to report to jury duty again tomorrow.  She thought it would be over today, but...no.  At least she put her teaching skills to good work by scribing on the board.  And, they got a free lunch of Thai food today.  But, tomorrow will be another long day.  At least she can say that the justice system is truly at work!  It's an exhausting, but beneficial process in the end.  It's a good thing she doesn't have to write sub plans yet!

On-The-Go-Mom

I hardly saw Mommy today!  I saw her for about 10 minutes as she came home from 5:30 am yoga to take a shower.  Then, for about an hour at the zoo before I went to sleep.  

Daddy had to take me to daycare before work.  Then, afterwards, Mommy went to the doctor for a follow up visit to find out that she's allergic to new things, including shrimp, which is her absolute favorite (and she ate about a pound's worth last night at happy hour with some teacher friends).  The doctor told her she should get rid of all the fabric curtains and couches and dust/clean daily since she's allergic to dust mites, cockroaches, and all kinds of grasses.  (I even heard her tell Daddy she's gonna get rid of all my stuffed animals...oh no, not my elephant and rabbit!)

Mommy rushed straight off to the courthouse since trial started at 9:30 am.  A one hour lunch break at noon (She laughed with another teacher that this is a longer lunch hour we get during a normal teaching work week, so this is actually a plus!), and then back to the trial until 4 pm. All Mommy could say about it was that she took a lot of notes, but it was an interesting day and she can't wait until deliberation (It's so hard not to talk to fellow jurors or anyone when we're not in session, so Mommy's actually catching up on some leisurely reading during those wait times.)

At 4 pm, Mommy headed to Queen's hospital down the street to visit friend Jen who had a baby girl named Jade after 59 hours of labor, which ended up in an emergency c-section.  All are healthy and doing well, though Mommy didn't get to see Jade awake since she was sleeping under the blue bilirubin lights due to jaundice.  Mommy said she remembered when I had to stay under the lights with my cool sunshades.  

At 5:30 pm, Mommy was still on the go and headed to the zoo for the Wednesday zoo concert. Tonight was Rolando Sanchez and Salsa Hawai'i.  Fun music.  But I had more fun climbing all over Mommy and running with some other friends.  Daddy got plate lunches from Well Bento (the healthy Hawai'i plate lunch).  I was asleep by the time we got home at 7:30 pm, but woke up to take a bath and go straight to bed.  

I have a feeling Mommy is going to bed soon after me.  Is this what an On-The-Go-Mom is like? Is this what life will be like when she starts teaching school (elementary) and then teaching preschool in the afternoon?  She's planning on working 50 hours a week with kids.  (And with her new preschool job at Kamehameha, she'll have to drive back in commute traffic at 5:30 pm on the freeway, so she may not get home until after Daddy  now!)  

Check back in a month.  I think, soon enough, we're both going to be turning in at 7:30 nightly.

Getting Ready to Head Back to School

School is starting just around the corner, so Mommy hung out with some teacher friends for their last hurrah. They started at 4:30 pm, and although Mommy went home at 8 pm, she heard that some of them stayed out till midnight!

Way to celebrate the end of summer!

Go Democracy!

Just as Mommy was enjoying her last week of summer vacation (which was really only her first full week since summer school recently ended), she reported to jury duty today...and after a couple hours of going through the jury selection process, she was selected to be a juror.  So, she will spend the next few days in trial.  Hopefully, she will be done by Friday because the new school year starts on Tuesday!  It's really interesting though, and she's learning more about the judicial process.  (She said she'll tell us more about it later, since she's not at liberty to discuss the case or read any news or media related to the case.)

An Afternoon at Kahala Beach Park

This afternoon, Mommy and I hung out at Kahala Beach Park. It was very windy, and the water was very dirty, so we didn't go in the water. Instead, I had a blast throwing sand all over the place and blowing bubbles.

Mommy's Lunch Out with the Yoginis

Daddy went on a 24 mile hike this morning (6 am - 2:30 pm) so Mommy had to skip yoga, take me to swim lessons, and then she went out to lunch at Wai'oli Tea Room (where she and Daddy had their wedding reception) with about 20 yoginis.  Every so often, they like to dress up and get out of the studio (of course most of them had already done their hot yoga for the day).  These gals are all regulars to Bikram yoga, going at least 4-7 times a week (some even do doubles!).  But it's nice to get to know each other outside the studio, without the mats, towels, and sweaty workout clothes.  So, it was a good excuse to get dressed up and treat themselves to a nice lunch.  Mommy even indulged and got a lilikoi (passion fruit) cake for dessert! Yum!

What Does A Tiger Say?

(After I got my face painted at The Contemporary Museum's ArtSpree, which was held last weekend.)

Scared of the Camera

Today, Mommy took me to this place where they had bright flashes and told me to stand and sit in certain ways.  I just wanted to play with the toys in the lobby and read books.  Mommy and the lady photographer tried to make me laugh, tried to play ball with me, and tried to play peek-a-boo and jump up and down.  All I wanted to do was give them blank stares right back.  In fact, the first 15 minutes, I just wanted to cry.  Mommy almost rescheduled my appointment because I wouldn't move a muscle and crack one little smile.  After 45 minutes of doing different things, standing by a 2, lying down, sitting on a chair, and holding a tiger, I was done.  I just wanted Mommy to carry me.  So the last few pictures were of Mommy holding me.  

Surprisingly, they caught me smiling in about five poses.  But, I have this habit now of biting my lower lip when I'm nervous or guilty about doing something.  So, I had that look in one of my poses.  (Mommy also surprised Daddy when she told him how much she had spent on these studio pictures at Sears today.  But, hey, I only turn 2 once!)

Another Successful Swimming Lesson (After I Woke Up For It!)

Mommy and Daddy had to wake me up for class as I was sleeping when we went into the water for swimming lessons this morning.  They still haven't figured out how to put me down for a nap before class starts.  Once I woke up, I had fun.  But I was still stiff in the water and didn't want to kick or splash.  I blew bubbles in the water today (although I refused to do it during class and only showed Daddy after class)!

Art Spree & The Korean Festival

We had a very busy Saturday, starting with early morning yoga for Mommy, then she just couldn't wait for me to nap, so she said we should go.  We stopped by Jenn's house to say hi to friends as they were having a garage sale.  Then we parked at Punahou and took the shuttle up to a little museum in lush Makiki Heights.   Each year, The Contemporary Museum has an arts festival for kids called Art Spree.  Mommy and Daddy brought me last year, but I was too young to do a lot of the activities.  This year, I could do more, but they ran out of clay, so I couldn't make a sculpture.  We watched funny comedic acts, saw the clowns and went through the galleries.  I made a few things to take home, and I even left looking like one of my favorite animals (and I sat very still for it too)!  See if you can tell what I am!  

That was fun, but we still had to stop by the Korean Festival so Mommy could get her fill of Korean food. So off we went to Kapi'olani Park.  I got a balloon.  Mommy ate bi bim kook so.  We listening to famous singers from Korea (one of them Mommy recognized because he sang the theme song from one of the K dramas she watched).  I got to take a picture next to a famous K drama hearthrob (well a cardboard cutout anyway).  I danced to Korean music and ran around the park.  At the end of the night, we got to be like tourists and ride the Waikiki Trolley back to our car.  We were all exhausted!  We got home just in time for me to wash all the grime and my sweaty paint off my face.  You couldn't tell I was a tiger anymore!  

Side Street Inn

I stayed the night with Nana and Pop so that Mommy and Daddy could go out to dinner.  It was kind of a work thing for Dad.  Mom tagged along for the free food of course (Thanks for dinner guys!).  At Side Street Inn, how could you resist?!  

Giant Bug Safari with Sacha

We met Maila and Lyon, and their girls, Sacha and Aine, at Pearlridge Mall to check out the giant bug exhibit.  I was sleeping when we got out there so Mommy had to wake me up to check out the Safari Train with Sacha.  I was so scared that I just held onto the side.  Mommy gave me milk to hold onto.  Sacha tried to tell me all about the bugs and she kept waving to everyone and saying hi!  I just sat there clutching onto the side of the train with a death grip.  

Afterwards, we walked through the mall with Lyon and the girls.  Sacha held my hand and took me all over the place.  We ran, we jumped, and she told me all about her friends.  She asked me questions, and I just responded saying, "Whales!  Lions!  Bugs!"  Some people asked if we were twins.  Others probably thought we were out on our first date.

It was fun hanging out with you guys today!  Sacha wanted to go back on the train ride two more times, but I just watched on the side.  When Mommy asked if I wanted to go with her, I just said, "No!  No like!"  I may have been sporting the safari look with my hat on, but those bugs were huge!  

No Monkeys For Me

This afternoon, Mommy picked me up right after summer school ended so that we could meet Auntie Maila, Sacha (2 1/2), and Aine (1) for lunch.  I took my new Thomas the Train backpack with all my cars in it.  If we didn't go to the park, I was hoping that they'd want to go to the beach, but they didn't have time for either.  I know how it is running around when you're on vacation. There's limited time to see everyone you want to see.  They go back to Seattle on Saturday, so we've been trying to set up a time to get together, especially since the girls are around my age.  

We were late to Kaka'ako Kitchen though, and Mommy's plate lunch order was mixed up.  So by the time she got her lunch, the gals had to leave.  So, we're going to try and meet up for a play date tomorrow afternoon...our last chance (that is, until they move here to Hawai'i one day!).  

Mommy took me to the zoo this afternoon since we had the whole afternoon left.  We spent a good 2 hours there walking around.  Mommy was amazed that I remember where everything is!  I would point one way and tell her which animal was there.  I would ask to go see a certain animal and tell her which way to go.  Geez, Mom, haven't you been to the zoo many times before?!  I was too afraid to touch any animals in the petting zoo though.  When we went to play on the jungle gym, there were big teenagers running all over, so I was very clingy to Mommy.  

The highlights of my zoo excursion: 

* Seeing the tigers play and wrestle with each other

* Watching the monkeys swing from branch to branch

* Watching the giraffes, zebras, and rhinos

The one thing I did NOT like was when we went to see the orangutans.  The zoo was really empty, so we went right up to the glass.  Mom pointed out that the two orangutans were sleeping underneath their nets, about 50 feet away.   All of a sudden, the larger of the two orangutans came walking over and sat down right in front of me, with his face pressed to the glass!  He started bellowing out noises, "Ah-oo, ah-oo, ah-oo".  I had a death grip on Mommy's arm, and I started shuffling my feet backwards, going "Mommy!  Mommy!  Mommy!  That way!  That way!  That way!"

Mommy tried to reassure me that he was just talking to me, saying "Hello, Chase!".  Then, he went back to get the other orangutan, and they were both pressed up against the glass.  They both started saying these loud noises.  

At this point, I REALLY did NOT like it.  Mommy had to pick me up because I was starting to get nervous.  My whole body was shaking, and I was gripping her shirt so tight!  She kept saying it was okay.  I think she really wanted to get a video of it.  But, I was so scared.  I told her, "Go this way!  Go this way!"  Other people started coming to the exhibit trying to tell me how neat it was and how the orangutans were just talking to me.  

But, oh no!  You can't fool me!  I'm no dummy!  Those guys are huge!  So, I made it outta there quick!  As soon as we were out of the vicinity, I pointed towards another exhibit and said, "Elephants, Mommy, elephants."  Forget those "monkeys".  I was SO over it.

(And to think Mommy was all excited to get us into a private "behind-the-scenes" showing of the orangutans last night...Yeah right...I don't think so!)

I passed out on the drive home.  We ate dinner singing some new songs Mommy taught me this week.  She always shocks me when she sings that "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt" song.  It makes me laugh so hard when she gets all loud!  I usually want her to sing "Five Little Monkeys".  But not tonight!  Oh no!  

During bathtime, I showed her that I know my days of the week.  I sometimes get the days mixed up, but that surprised Mommy for sure!  

Happy 4th of July, Everyone!

Dancing to the tunes at the 4th of July picnic!

ALS TDI Fundraising BBQ

Mommy came back from morning yoga today and said it kicked her butt because the teacher doesn't open doors.  As soon as Mommy came home, she packed the truck up so Daddy could go and help set up for the BBQ at Keehi Lagoon Beach Park.  Mommy baked brownies and we got down there around noon.  

The Mayor declared today "ALS Awareness Day".  It was Lou Gherig's 70th anniversary of his retirement from baseball after being diagnosed with ALS.  Our local ALS Support Group spent this past month getting donations of food, prizes, and entertainment in order to put on today's event.  It was very hot, but there was very windy out there.  We tried to hold onto the canopies as much as we could.  Mommy helped lead some games, like tug-of-war and water balloon toss.  The prizes worked as great incentives for people to play, and everyone loved the water bottles from the yoga studio and the Menchie's frozen yogurt gift cards.  

The BBQ was a success for all (as we raised over $3000 in donations today...all to go towards ALS research!).  We ate lots of hamburgers and hot dogs, and although I didn't get to play softball, I brought my own bat and liked checking out the real baseball equipment.  Everyone laughed at what a ham I am.  When Mommy tells me she wants to take a picture of me, I say "Cheese!" and I grasp my hands and put them under my chin, tilt my head, and give my leg a little kick.  Mommy and Daddy are always amazed by the things I pick up these days.  Mommy won a pair of slippers and bought a plant (which she hopes she doesn't kill) and some pickled mango (which I thought was way too sour!) to take home.  The Channel 2 news station came by to interview Vi's family, who kick-started this fundraising event for ALS TDI.  We even got to do the shaka sign, a tradition this news station has by showing local people doing the shaka at the end of the nightly news.

We're all so exhausted though.  Mommy and Daddy barely stayed awake for the 8:30 pm fireworks (it's a good thing they can see them from the lanai), and Mommy's not sure she can stay up for the news to end at 10:30 pm just to see if we make the ending credits.  It's a good thing we get an extra day to this weekend.  We all need an extra day just to relax and catch up on our sleep!