Hiking and Movies

We went hiking today with Mommy’s coworker friend, Michelle and her husband Adam and baby Allison. Six month old Allison is so cute, calm, and smiley. She’s just precious. We hiked up Makapu’u. It was very windy when we got to the top. We hope to go hiking again soon (if the weather cooperates that is…It’s been very rainy and windy lately…Winter’s here!).

We ate at Teddy’s burgers. Mom stayed out of the windy and rainy night by going to a late night movie with the girls. She met Tracy and Linh for drinks and dessert first. Thanks Tracy for treating Mom for her birthday (especially since she realized she forgot her wallet!). Then, she and Linh went to meet Miya to watch the movie, “Precious”. She said that it was a sad movie, but it made all of them appreciate their families and children. Besides, it was nice to have some girl time! They all haven’t seen each other in months!

Playing At Work With Mommy

Guess what?! I'm 29 months old today! Now that I'm almost 2 1/2 years old, Mommy decided that I am old enough to go to work with her (that is, on a day off).

For the first time, Mommy had to work the day after Thanksgiving. No Black Friday shopping for her! She had to work today at KS preschool or request vacation off. So she decided to take me to work with her. I loved playing with the centers and she and other teachers disinfected the toys. I got to play in the sand box, slide down the slide on the play structure, and check out all the different classrooms. It was fun to finally see where Mommy’s second job is! (Oops, don't ask me what I'm doing in the first photo.)

I fell asleep when Mommy got to Costco afterwards. She braved the crowds with a sleeping toddler in her carrier. It’s no wonder why her back his sore now! Later, in the afternoon, we met Daddy getting his haircut. I was still sleeping when it was time for mine.

Debbie started to cut my hair while I slept on Daddy’s lap. She said that was a first for her! I eventually woke up so that she could finish cutting the back.

We ended up eating at Kahala Mall and seeing all the Christmas decorations. The lights and poinsettias are so pretty!

We ran into one of my student teachers from preschool. She told Mommy and Daddy that I’m so hyper around them (I was dancing, jumping, hiding in the clothes racks, etc.) which is completely opposite from how I am at school. Mom says it’s a good thing I’m obedient at school!

I am 2 Years & 5 Months Old!

Yup, I am almost 2 1/2 years old!

I am still as picky as ever when it comes to food. Mommy has now come to the conclusion that because she could only eat bland food when she was pregnant, and because Daddy is also a picky eater, I was doomed from the start. At preschool, I typically eat fruit for breakfast and fruit and rice for lunch. Breakfast sausage and bacon and chicken are the only types of meat I'll eat. And carrots. I love carrots. In fact, I told Mommy the other day that carrots are my favorite food. At home, I like to eat pasta noodles. And I still like my scrambled eggs.

THINGS I'M INTO THESE DAYS:

* Correcting Mommy and Daddy when it comes to their vocabulary.

For example, Mommy will read a story to me and tell me that there's a bird. I'll tell her, "That's not a bird. That's a duck." Or she'll tell me, "Look at that monkey." But, it's really a chimpanzee.

The other day we were looking at Christmas lights, and she said, "Look at the reindeer moving their heads!" I told her, "They're not moving their heads! They're bobbing their heads!"

Nana keeps trying to convince me that this picture in one of my animal books is something called a "skink". I tell her, "No, that's not a skink. That's a lizard eating a skink."

I said, "I'm a boy." Mommy told me that she's a girl. I told her, "No, you're not a girl. You're a Mommy!"

* Getting Savvy with Technology

Mommy will go on the computer or Daddy will play with Mommy's new phone, and I'll ask, "Are you checking email?"

I told Nana that I wanted to watch muppets on the computer. She said she didn't know how to find it. I told her, "Muppets dot com."

* Animals: I love all my elephants, my baby elephants and my mommy elephants. I have animal puppets and stuffed animals everywhere. The zoo is my playground.

* Adding Color Commentary on Basically Anything and Everything

* Reading, Reading, Reading

I'm memorizing a lot of books now and choose books by the titles.

I am tracking the words with my finger when Mommy or Daddy read.

I am recognizing letters (though I call them "numbers") in books and print. (When I was taking a bath the other night, I asked Mommy, "What number is this?" pointing to the "H" and "C" on the faucet.)

I like to read the letters on the title page of my books.

THINGS I'M WORKING ON THESE DAYS:

* Potty Training: Mommy's convinced that boys take a little longer simply because I don't care if I'm wet or poopy. I just want to play. I've tried being "Naked Boy" but after awhile, I just want a diaper or a pull-up back on again.

* Using my words even when I may not like the answer. Oftentimes, when I'm not sure what the answer might be, I'll grunt like a baby, "Mmm?...Uhh?". Like if I want to jump off a high ledge or if I want to play with a toy in a store, but I'm not sure if Mommy or Daddy will say yes. And if I really don't like the response, I'll shout "NNNNOOOO!!!" (though that often doesn't get a good reaction)

* Letting Mommy and Daddy help me brush my teeth. My favorite words phrase these days is "I can do it ALL BY MYSELF!"

Mommy & Daddy's Favorite Things:

* I tell Mommy, "I wuv you, Mommy. You're the bestest Mommy."

* I tell Daddy, "You're funny, Daddy!"

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Day started off with mommy doing yoga, and then lots of laundry. Thank goodness for a day off! The Halsall men (I went to supervise, though they tell me all I did was sleep.) went “hunting and gathering” at the Hyatt Hotel. They didn’t even have to get out of their car because people load the turkey dinner in the trunk! We, along with Dad’s friend Vince, enjoyed the Turkey-To-Go dinner at Nana’s and Pop’s house. Mommy made a carrot cake (leftover from the special snack she made for the preschoolers yesterday), and of course, there was pumpkin pie for dessert. I tried a few pieces of turkey, but that was about it. I'm still a picky eater. The best part of the night was Uncle Vince reading me books. It was a very windy, rainy, and blustery day. Time to bring out the blankets!

Yoga Competition

Read this article from the New York Times to find out what yoga competition is all about.

Mommy had hopes of competing years ago, but then she had me. Now, she's working and hoping to get to competition-shape again.

At The Beachhouse With The Keanes

This weekend, we hung out at the beachhouse in Waianae with the Keanes. I've been coming here ever since I was in Mommy's tummy.

The Keanes are longtime family friends of Nana and Pop's. When Pop and "Uncle" Patrick served in Vietnam, Nana and "Aunt" Elizabeth used to hang out at the beach, even before Daddy was born! They've been friends for 45 years!

Originally from Ireland, they now call Florida their home. We had fun listening to their stories and looking at photos of their kids and grandkids. Mom had fun eating steak, corn on the cob and baked potatoes, along with a gourmet breakfast the next morning. "Uncle" Patrick is such a great cook!

We enjoyed the sun in the usually dry, hot Waianae, while Honolulu was rainy this weekend. I had fun tearing down Dad's sandcastles and burying Dad in the sand. Dad couldn't stay overnight though because he had to work on Sunday. I loved running around, walking along with wall, checking out the paddlers and paddlesurfers. We walked to the heiau on one end and looked at the turtles near the bridge on the other end. Daddy took me to look at sandcrabs at night, and we sat in the lifeguard stand and looked at the waves and the stars.

Mommy and I were at the beach at 7 am the next morning, having fun watching the sandcrabs peek in and out of their holes. Uncle Patrick loved the edamame Mommy made, and I loved the Drumstick ice cream cone Aunt Elizabeth gave me. I didn't want to go to sleep and didn't take a nap until 3:30 pm on Sunday because I was so excited to be there!

Today, I said, "Uncle Patrick and Aunt Elizabeth are sleeping upstairs in the airplane." They've already got the beachhouse reserved for next November. Can't wait to see you again!

Hokusai's Summit at The Academy of Arts

We went to the Academy of Arts for Family Sunday. The current exhibit is of Hokusai's Summit: Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. We got to try printing the Red Mountain ourselves. (Of course, Mommy just tells me this since I was asleep in my stroller the whole couple hours we were there.) Daddy ran into his high school classmate/friend who was showing his talents as a cartoon artist. It was the first time they had seen each other since high school ROTC days. We wanted to stay to get a drawing done for me, but we had to get going because we had dinner with the Keanes. I did have time to make a cool indigo handkerchief though and step on the stones in Mom and Dad's favorite garden nook.

Rickstick

As Mommy was rushing to get ready for work, I was running around from room to room in the house. From the bedroom, I told Mommy, "Mommy, I put ________ on."

Of course, that's what she heard, and she just agreed and said, "Okay." (what she usually does when she doesn't understand me)

A few minutes later, she goes, "Chase, wait, what did you put on?! Come here please!" (with a sudden worry in her voice)

I run into the bathroom to tell her, "I put shtick on."

"What?!" Mom goes.

I lean in towards Mommy this time and say it slowly (just like a teacher)...."riiiiiick--shtiiiick."

"What? Show me," Mom says.

So she follows me into the bedroom and I take the chapstick off her desk, take the cover off, twist the bottom (although I needed a little help because it got stuck), and put it on my lips.

"Rickstick, Mom."

"Oh, okay. Very good, Chase. Now, put it back," Mom says.

(Coincidentally, Mommy learned a story this afternoon of a preschooler at her school who mimicked his Mommy by putting on lipstick while he was pretending to drive a car. Only thing is, he was using a blue marker to color his lips. Mommy hopes I don't do this one day.)

A Long, Hot, & Busy October

It's been a month since I've posted anything. But with mom working 2 jobs now, while living with drywall, tools, and furniture blocking our closets and walkways, it was a busy October. We couldn't use our computer because the outlets were not attached to the wall.

Even though Mommy had a Fall Break off from school, she used that time to get some much needed sleep and rest (and of course she ended up getting sick at the end of break and was feverish the first two days back at school). It was cool to have her on break because she would pick me up from school and we would go to the beach or go to the zoo. She still waited until the week before Halloween to do our costumes. She made me into a can of spinach (copying the exact font and print of the Del Monte spinach can label). She and Daddy were Olive Oyl and Popeye. She got to come to my school (thanks to Furlough Friday) for our "Harvest Walk" and walk with my class around the community college campus that my preschool is on. My class wore mouse ears and we got whiskers and a mouse nose drawn on our face.
We got really cool treats, snacks, and even personalized nametags, and crayons from different offices on campus. I even got to see mom's friend Aunty Linh since she works on campus. Mommy got to see me play in my class and meet my friends Pi'ilani and Memphis. On Halloween night, we made the mistake of going to Kahala Mall for trick-or-treating. The crowds were crazy and there was a huge LINE for candy. Although I looked cute in my Horton the Elephant costume, we didn't last long at the mall. We'll do the neighborhoods next year.

The humidity and vog has been terrible, and we were all sweating through the miserable heat this Fall. Mommy was dreading yoga and I slept many a night in Mom and Dad's room since my air conditioner wasn't hooked up. She is happy to report that the trade winds seem to have come back in November, and we can sleep comfortably at night again.

I am getting over a terrible cold I have had for a week now. It started with a fever last week, and a sore throat. I was congested most of the week, had a stye in my left eye, and Mommy had a hard time keeping me from rubbing my nose and my eyes. By Wednesday, I had lost my voice. For several nights in a row, I went straight to bed at 6:30 pm without eating dinner or taking a bath. Both Mommy and Daddy got little sleep though because whenever I'm sick like this, I wake up screaming in the middle of the night, unhappy and needing some kind of comfort. There was a lot of sheet washing and handwashing this past week, but Mommy and Daddy managed to stay healthy through it all. Mom is thankful for Furlough Fridays to be able to catch up on laundry, sleep, and still going through Grandpa's things.

We also celebrated some birthdays this past month. In mid-October, we went to Kapi'olani Women & Children's 100th birthday (and we were invited to the Bishop Museum Birthday bash because I am a graduate of the Neonatal ICU). It was like a carnival, and we got lots of fun gifts, food, and got to see the Dinosaurs exhibit (look at me and Dad who fell asleep under a T-Rex)

and the newly remodeled Hawaiian Hall at the museum. Mom hung out with Stacy and friends for Stacy's birthday at the end of the month. We went to baby Noah's first birthday lu'au, where I had my first experience in a bouncer, took pictures with Elmo, and enjoyed some Hawaiian food and a magician like we had at my first birthday party. We also celebrated Taiga's 4th birthday today at Kaka'ako Park. I'm still cautious and shy around kids my age, but it was fun to see Taiga and the other kids. He got a lot of Cars toys and clothes. I had fun walking with Daddy across the rocks and watching the ships and the surfers in the water.

I am now 28 months.

Some of my favorite things are:

* Asking A LOT of questions: "What's that noise?" (My hearing is so good that things miles away in the valley wake me up), "Where are you going?", "What is this?", "Where's Uncle/Auntie?", "What you doing?"

* Throwing things

* Admitting guilt (After I throw things, I'll go, "OH NO!!!" and Mom and Dad will ask, "Who did that? Who made that mess?" and I'll happily say, "Chase!" (That may come to bite me in the butt in a few years.)

* Repeating EVERYTHING my parents say (even with the same tone and inflection of voice) and having Mommy and Daddy copy me (Make a funny face or noise and tell them, "You do that!")

* Comparing things by size: I'll look at a mouse in a book and say, "That mouse is so small. Just like me." Mom will ask, "Is Mommy small?" I'll say, "No, Mommy's big. Daddy's big. Chase is small."

* Hanging on Mom and Dad

* Hiding from Mom and Dad

* Waking up in the wee hours of morning (around 5 - 6 am), going to Mommy and Daddy's room, and then jumping all over Mommy.

* Climbing on the monkey bars on playground structures at parks. I do it all by myself (which scares Mommy) but I'm good at it!

* Playing with tools (Mommy brought home a new playset of tools from school, and I just love using my screwdriver, hammer, nuts and bolts. Now I have 2 workbenches!)

* Elephants (I've always been into animals, and elephants are probably my favorite animal at the zoo. Perhaps it was my elephant costume. But I've been sleeping with my Mommy elephant and Baby elephant all the time now!)

* My blankets (I absolutely LOVE my muslin blankets. I always ask, "Where are my blankets?" I carry them around all the time, sucking on the ends, and will grab every one I can find in the house - I have about 7 in all. If Mommy or Daddy tries to use them, I say "No, my blanket!")

* Saying "Mister Mister"....It's really supposed to be "Mr. Mischief"...Mom and Dad say I'm saying it wrong. Mom found me this cute shirt, and everytime I wear it, I say, "Mister Mister".

* Telling everyone to "Come on!" when I really want to go somewhere.

* Saying, "No, mine!"

My Favorite Books/Songs/Rhymes I Like To Recite These Days:

* Brown Bear, Brown Bear

* Goodnight Moon

* Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

* Old MacDonald Had A Farm

* Hokey Pokey

* Ring Around The Rosey

* Baa Baa Black Sheep

I'm really good at communicating what I need or want. I always say, "I need help" when I need it. I'll tell Mommy or Daddy when I'm hungry or thirsty. I'll tell them exactly what I want to eat too (Mommy discovered that I'll eat pasta with tomato sauce, to add to my repertoire of noodles). When I try something new, I'll say, "I like it!" or "I don't like it.". Since I'm getting good at taking off my diaper for fun, Mommy decided to leave it off as an experiment today to see if I would just go to the potty when I needed to. It worked for awhile, and I told Mommy "I'm a big boy!", but eventually I wanted the diaper back on.

Let's hope that we're healthy, stay cooler, and less busy in November!