Thought I'd keep this in a separate post from the stories about the trip to Disneyland itself, and share a few nuggets of "Todd-isms" while we were there:
Before each ride, the announcer always makes the usual safety announcements-- please stay seated, please keep your arms inside, please watch your children, etc... and everytime Todd heard the last part, he'd announce to us: "Watch your children!"
Standing in long lines gets tiring for little legs, so Todd was always clamoring to be in Daddy's arms. When Daddy got tired and his back started aching, he'd ask Todd for a break, saying "You're heavy". Todd's response? "I'm not heavy!"
But when Mommy tried taking over and scooped him up in her arms, he resisted, wanting to be in Daddy's more comfortable shoulders instead. His excuse? "No! I'm heavy!"
Adventures in Disneyland
At long last, I have both the time and inclination to write about our recent trip to Disneyland. It took place on Wednesday, April 18, 2007.
We enjoyed lunch at a McDonald's in Anaheim before heading to the park. It was a windy, chilly day, and since it was the middle of the week, that only served to lessen the crowds there. Average wait time in lines for rides was about 10 minutes, fantastic!
We started out in Fantasyland and hopped on the rides Allan used to work on-- Snow White, Pinocchio and the Casey Jr train. I think Snow White and Pinocchio scared Mommy more than Toddy, on account of the dreadfully LOUD noises! We then had fun riding on the big carousel before heading to everyone's all-time favorite: Small World :-) No surprise that Todd enjoyed the train ride more than anything.
We made our way around the park and hit the Pirates of the Caribbean ride (updated to include the Johnny Depp character now that the movies are a big hit in theaters). Todd had fun at the petting zoo in Big Thunder Ranch, where he bravely reached out and pet a variety of sheep and goats. He also had fun running around and pointing out the activities of the various animals to Mommy and Daddy.
After a quick visit to the docked Mark Twain Riverboat, we took a snack break at the Golden Horseshoe, where we arrived just in time for the actors to troop by and put up an outdoor performance. Halfway through the skit, as they were developing the storyline, one of the actors scanned the audience for a volunteer to play a big scary bear. As his eyes roamed our section of the audience, they immediately fell on Allan and lit up. We knew what was coming next: Allan got selected to play the big scary bear with one line: "ROWR! I'm hungry!!" Looks like the freakish tallness pays off! :-D
We then made our way to Winnie the Pooh, where we waited the longest time in line (20 minutes?) in order for Todd to get his picture taken with Pooh and Eeyore. It was well worth the wait, as Todd hugged Pooh and then Eeyore, before posing for the pictures :-)
Passing by the Haunted Mansion, we decided to make a stop in there. We started out in the gigantic elevator, which turned pitch black as part of the haunted story. Todd buried his face in Daddy's shoulder, where Daddy tried to hug and comfort him. When the lights came back on, he looked up and proudly announced: "I'm not scared anymore!"
We had fun on the Jungle Cruise (amidst the corny jokes!) and then hit Fantasyland again to go on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Todd recognized the Wind in the Willows characters while waiting in line, and promptly regaled us with tales of the stories of Mr. Toad's arrest and escape, recalling what he had seen on the DVD movie of "Wind in the Willows".
We got to enjoy Mommy's favorite-- teacups! before trying to make our way to Toontown, only to be thwarted by a parade. So we hurried across the street and found ourselves in Tomorrowland, where Mommy and Toddy enjoyed riding on the airplanes. Too bad the seats were too small to seat all of us, and Daddy couldn't join us.
We weren't interested in seeing the parade, and as it was nearly 7pm and we were both hungry and exhausted, we decided to simply leave, eat dinner, and go home.
What a loooong, but fun-filled day! :-D
We enjoyed lunch at a McDonald's in Anaheim before heading to the park. It was a windy, chilly day, and since it was the middle of the week, that only served to lessen the crowds there. Average wait time in lines for rides was about 10 minutes, fantastic!
We started out in Fantasyland and hopped on the rides Allan used to work on-- Snow White, Pinocchio and the Casey Jr train. I think Snow White and Pinocchio scared Mommy more than Toddy, on account of the dreadfully LOUD noises! We then had fun riding on the big carousel before heading to everyone's all-time favorite: Small World :-) No surprise that Todd enjoyed the train ride more than anything.
We made our way around the park and hit the Pirates of the Caribbean ride (updated to include the Johnny Depp character now that the movies are a big hit in theaters). Todd had fun at the petting zoo in Big Thunder Ranch, where he bravely reached out and pet a variety of sheep and goats. He also had fun running around and pointing out the activities of the various animals to Mommy and Daddy.
After a quick visit to the docked Mark Twain Riverboat, we took a snack break at the Golden Horseshoe, where we arrived just in time for the actors to troop by and put up an outdoor performance. Halfway through the skit, as they were developing the storyline, one of the actors scanned the audience for a volunteer to play a big scary bear. As his eyes roamed our section of the audience, they immediately fell on Allan and lit up. We knew what was coming next: Allan got selected to play the big scary bear with one line: "ROWR! I'm hungry!!" Looks like the freakish tallness pays off! :-D
We then made our way to Winnie the Pooh, where we waited the longest time in line (20 minutes?) in order for Todd to get his picture taken with Pooh and Eeyore. It was well worth the wait, as Todd hugged Pooh and then Eeyore, before posing for the pictures :-)
Passing by the Haunted Mansion, we decided to make a stop in there. We started out in the gigantic elevator, which turned pitch black as part of the haunted story. Todd buried his face in Daddy's shoulder, where Daddy tried to hug and comfort him. When the lights came back on, he looked up and proudly announced: "I'm not scared anymore!"
We had fun on the Jungle Cruise (amidst the corny jokes!) and then hit Fantasyland again to go on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Todd recognized the Wind in the Willows characters while waiting in line, and promptly regaled us with tales of the stories of Mr. Toad's arrest and escape, recalling what he had seen on the DVD movie of "Wind in the Willows".
We got to enjoy Mommy's favorite-- teacups! before trying to make our way to Toontown, only to be thwarted by a parade. So we hurried across the street and found ourselves in Tomorrowland, where Mommy and Toddy enjoyed riding on the airplanes. Too bad the seats were too small to seat all of us, and Daddy couldn't join us.
We weren't interested in seeing the parade, and as it was nearly 7pm and we were both hungry and exhausted, we decided to simply leave, eat dinner, and go home.
What a loooong, but fun-filled day! :-D
Disneyland
Filler post for now, to be updated later.
Meantime, photos can be found here:
http://whistler.cs.ucsb.edu/linpha/viewer.php?albid=82&stage=3
Meantime, photos can be found here:
http://whistler.cs.ucsb.edu/linpha/viewer.php?albid=82&stage=3
Rock Head
This morning, as Daddy was dressing Todd, he was struggling to pull a sweater over his head. Daddy commented: "You have a big head!"
Todd's reply?
"It's like a rock!"
Considering that he can nearly put dents into walls and doors, practically break off doorknobs, give people black eyes (when head-butting them) and do major faceplants that would have most kids wailing to high heaven for hours on end, and barely flinches, he MUST have a head made of stone...!
Todd's reply?
"It's like a rock!"
Considering that he can nearly put dents into walls and doors, practically break off doorknobs, give people black eyes (when head-butting them) and do major faceplants that would have most kids wailing to high heaven for hours on end, and barely flinches, he MUST have a head made of stone...!
How's your tummy?
Todd's had a rough week-- constipated for nearly 3 days straight, and on the 2nd day, he awakened at night and threw up all over himself. Bits of whole food everywhere-- on his pajamas, his bedding, pillow, blanket, the floor... hey, at least I could see what he had for dinner, as I could easily make out the whole peas, carrots and chunks of chicken.
I had to peel him out of bed and drag him, at arms-length, into the shower, where I promptly hosed him off, struggling desperately not to upchuck myself at the smell of his vomit.
I asked him how his tummy was doing, and he brightly replied "Better! I spit up and now my tummy is all better!"
Next day Oma took him to the doctor's and got some medication. When I came home and checked in on him, and asked him how he was doing, he said "Better! I took medicine and now I'm better!"
Well, cheery responses are always a good sign of good health :-)
He's doing better today-- plenty of prune juice later, he finally cleared his system of some major poopie blockages :-D
I had to peel him out of bed and drag him, at arms-length, into the shower, where I promptly hosed him off, struggling desperately not to upchuck myself at the smell of his vomit.
I asked him how his tummy was doing, and he brightly replied "Better! I spit up and now my tummy is all better!"
Next day Oma took him to the doctor's and got some medication. When I came home and checked in on him, and asked him how he was doing, he said "Better! I took medicine and now I'm better!"
Well, cheery responses are always a good sign of good health :-)
He's doing better today-- plenty of prune juice later, he finally cleared his system of some major poopie blockages :-D
Adventures in peeing
Todd is doing pretty well with his potty training. We generally leave him without diapers during the day, and only put one on when he takes a nap or goes to bed at night. He still has occasional accidents, but for the most part has learned to tell a grownup when he needs to go "pee pee" or "poopies".
This weekend, he learned that he can control the stream of his pee by holding on to his wee-wee. He typically pees into the bathtub as soon as I strip him and put him in there for his shower. Usually he just stands there and lets it flow out, and I rinse it away before beginning to wash him.
Well, imagine my surprise when we went through the same shower routine, only to have Todd grab his wee-wee and point it straight ahead, causing his pee to arc and shoot long range! Apparently this fascinated him, and since the pee hit nothing but the shower drain anyway, Daddy and I were somewhat amused as well.
That was Saturday night.
Cue to Sunday night. Same routine. Run around and catch the active little boy. Wrestle the clothes off him. Dump him into the bathtub. I was reaching for the showerhead and turning on the water and adjusting the temperature when I finally looked at my son and realized what he was doing.
He had taken his wee-wee and pointed it straight UP. Yes, while peeing. This cause the pee to arc up and straight back down, much like a drinking fountain. Thank goodness it didn't shoot higher, or it would've hit his face. I immediately grabbed his hand and pushed it down, admonishing him not to point the thing straight up. I got pee all over my hands and Todd's hands in the process.
What IS it with men and aim? That's it-- my son is gonna learn to pee sitting down. No question about it. Neater, cleaner and no "missed aim" worries :-P
This weekend, he learned that he can control the stream of his pee by holding on to his wee-wee. He typically pees into the bathtub as soon as I strip him and put him in there for his shower. Usually he just stands there and lets it flow out, and I rinse it away before beginning to wash him.
Well, imagine my surprise when we went through the same shower routine, only to have Todd grab his wee-wee and point it straight ahead, causing his pee to arc and shoot long range! Apparently this fascinated him, and since the pee hit nothing but the shower drain anyway, Daddy and I were somewhat amused as well.
That was Saturday night.
Cue to Sunday night. Same routine. Run around and catch the active little boy. Wrestle the clothes off him. Dump him into the bathtub. I was reaching for the showerhead and turning on the water and adjusting the temperature when I finally looked at my son and realized what he was doing.
He had taken his wee-wee and pointed it straight UP. Yes, while peeing. This cause the pee to arc up and straight back down, much like a drinking fountain. Thank goodness it didn't shoot higher, or it would've hit his face. I immediately grabbed his hand and pushed it down, admonishing him not to point the thing straight up. I got pee all over my hands and Todd's hands in the process.
What IS it with men and aim? That's it-- my son is gonna learn to pee sitting down. No question about it. Neater, cleaner and no "missed aim" worries :-P
Happy Easter!
Easter weekend this year was a nice quiet one.
We started off by going to the Goleta Depot on Saturday, where they had an Easter celebration. For $4 per person, we got to enjoy little kiddie treats, a free train ride, and a drawing for a prize (either a plant or a stuffed bunny).
We grabbed some food on the way in and ate at a picnic table while taking in the sites-- lots of families, tons of little kiddies!
Then we started the rounds-- Todd got some free stickers, then onto a table that served free cookies and punch (one per person, of course), and finally, a visit with the Easter Bunny, where Todd received a plastic egg with a piece of candy inside. Afterward, we waited to board the little train that went around the museum and train station grounds. It was a bit remniscent of Disneyland-- a 30 minute wait for a 5 minute ride, but it was well worth it :-)
And on Sunday, we colored Easter eggs (well, Daddy colored them, Mommy and Toddy just watched) in the back patio of the apartment. During Todd's nap, Daddy hid the eggs in rather prominent spots around the apartment, and Todd had fun looking for them (with a lot of major prompting by Daddy) and putting them into his basket.
Well, one thing's for sure-- Daddy will have lunch all lined up for the rest of this week-- colorful eggs! :-)
Here's some pictures from the weekend:
At the entrance to the train station:
With the Easter Bunny:
All aboard the Wabbit Track Express!
Dying Easter eggs in the backyard:
We started off by going to the Goleta Depot on Saturday, where they had an Easter celebration. For $4 per person, we got to enjoy little kiddie treats, a free train ride, and a drawing for a prize (either a plant or a stuffed bunny).
We grabbed some food on the way in and ate at a picnic table while taking in the sites-- lots of families, tons of little kiddies!
Then we started the rounds-- Todd got some free stickers, then onto a table that served free cookies and punch (one per person, of course), and finally, a visit with the Easter Bunny, where Todd received a plastic egg with a piece of candy inside. Afterward, we waited to board the little train that went around the museum and train station grounds. It was a bit remniscent of Disneyland-- a 30 minute wait for a 5 minute ride, but it was well worth it :-)
And on Sunday, we colored Easter eggs (well, Daddy colored them, Mommy and Toddy just watched) in the back patio of the apartment. During Todd's nap, Daddy hid the eggs in rather prominent spots around the apartment, and Todd had fun looking for them (with a lot of major prompting by Daddy) and putting them into his basket.
Well, one thing's for sure-- Daddy will have lunch all lined up for the rest of this week-- colorful eggs! :-)
Here's some pictures from the weekend:
At the entrance to the train station:
With the Easter Bunny:
All aboard the Wabbit Track Express!
Dying Easter eggs in the backyard:
Grownups are grownups
Apparently all adults look/sound/act the same. Or maybe there's so many of us in Todd's life that he gets us confused after a while.
This weekend does not mark the first time that Todd has mistakenly called Daddy "Mommy", and vice versa. He even started taking to confusing Oma and Opa with Mommy and Daddy.
And then, there's the mimicking:
Everytime Todd does something cute, one parent excitedly calls the other's attention to it. Problem is, neither of us has taken to calling the other "Mommy" or "Daddy" but instead refer to each other by our real names.
So while Todd was doing something that he wanted to call Mommy's attention to, what do you think he said?
"Look, Helly!!"
This weekend does not mark the first time that Todd has mistakenly called Daddy "Mommy", and vice versa. He even started taking to confusing Oma and Opa with Mommy and Daddy.
And then, there's the mimicking:
Everytime Todd does something cute, one parent excitedly calls the other's attention to it. Problem is, neither of us has taken to calling the other "Mommy" or "Daddy" but instead refer to each other by our real names.
So while Todd was doing something that he wanted to call Mommy's attention to, what do you think he said?
"Look, Helly!!"
