We're headed out on our 2-week long vacation in less than 12 hours :-)
I'll have sporadic internet access throughout, and will blog about our trip (with pictures!) as often as I can-- hopefully every night, or maybe every other night.
However, to keep things simple, I'm going to limit my entries to just one single blog, my Grab blog: http://blogs.grab.com/hellykwee
So be sure to check back on that page often. See you when we get back! :-)
Love,
Helly, Allan and Todd
Daddy gets smaller
As I am typing this, Todd is in the kitchen helping Daddy put toppings on a frozen pizza for lunch. Daddy was using a knife to cut olives and Todd was watching, observing that "When I'm bigger, I can use that."
I pointed out: "When you're bigger you can help Daddy make dinner."
Todd agreed, and offered his own spin: "When Daddy gets smaller he can make dinner with me!"
Hmmm... well, one way or another, whether Todd gets bigger or Daddy gets smaller, they'll be closer in size than they currently are, and Todd will definitely be in a position to help Daddy in the kitchen :-D
I pointed out: "When you're bigger you can help Daddy make dinner."
Todd agreed, and offered his own spin: "When Daddy gets smaller he can make dinner with me!"
Hmmm... well, one way or another, whether Todd gets bigger or Daddy gets smaller, they'll be closer in size than they currently are, and Todd will definitely be in a position to help Daddy in the kitchen :-D
Dental checkup
Had a very successful trip to the dentist this morning. Both Mommy and Todd were due for their six-month checkup. Mommy went first so she could demonstrate to Todd how easy and painless it was while the dentist scaled and polished her teeth. At first Todd was very wary and looked as if he were about to cry at the notion of being left alone in a seat in the corner while Mommy took her turn in the dentist's chair. But he slowly warmed to it, seeing the dentist banter with Mommy, and listened intently as the dentist explained what he was doing and even let him move the chair for a closer look.
When it was Todd's turn he was pretty brave. He clamored for Mommy to hold his hand, but he obeyed the dentist nicely when it came to opening wide and turning his head. He even got to hold a mirror so he could see what was going on in his mouth.
After Todd's turn was over, he looked at me and said "dentist cleaned my teeth". He had received the head of the rotating rubber brush used to polish his teeth, and held it up in his hand as he said, "with this!" He loved the balloon that the dentist blew up and decorated with a face, made from a latex glove. And of course, he got a brand new little toothbrush :-)
All in all, it was a good visit, and hopefully, when we go again in 6 months, Todd will remember how easy and worry-free it was :-)
When it was Todd's turn he was pretty brave. He clamored for Mommy to hold his hand, but he obeyed the dentist nicely when it came to opening wide and turning his head. He even got to hold a mirror so he could see what was going on in his mouth.
After Todd's turn was over, he looked at me and said "dentist cleaned my teeth". He had received the head of the rotating rubber brush used to polish his teeth, and held it up in his hand as he said, "with this!" He loved the balloon that the dentist blew up and decorated with a face, made from a latex glove. And of course, he got a brand new little toothbrush :-)
All in all, it was a good visit, and hopefully, when we go again in 6 months, Todd will remember how easy and worry-free it was :-)
Clean turtle!
This morning Todd was doing what all little boys do-- being mischievous and running and hiding from Oma as she attempted, in vain, to dress him.
He crept under the coffee table and refused to budge. Why? Because "I'm a turtle!"
So Oma tried to turn the tables (haha) on him and pointed out that since turtles are dirty, they need to be put outside, not allowed to scamper inside the house.
Todd thought about this for a moment, and then piped up with: "I'm a clean turtle!"
That boy will be a lawyer yet! :-D
He crept under the coffee table and refused to budge. Why? Because "I'm a turtle!"
So Oma tried to turn the tables (haha) on him and pointed out that since turtles are dirty, they need to be put outside, not allowed to scamper inside the house.
Todd thought about this for a moment, and then piped up with: "I'm a clean turtle!"
That boy will be a lawyer yet! :-D
Fixing car store
Last night, as I tucked Todd into bed, I gave him his pillow and then searched the whole house for his stuffed turtle. I couldn't find it, but promised him we'd look for it the next day. When I came home from work tonight, I found Todd happily playing with his stuffed turtle. I exclaimed, "Oh, you found it!" and asked him where it was. That's when he explained about how he found the turtle in my parents' new car, when they drove to the mechanic to pick up my Neon:
"It was in the new car. We go to get Mommy's car from the... from the... fixing car store!"
Rather apt description for a car mechanic's shop :-D
"It was in the new car. We go to get Mommy's car from the... from the... fixing car store!"
Rather apt description for a car mechanic's shop :-D
Morning hugs
This morning, as I was rushing about, getting ready for work, I dashed out the door so I could start my car's engine and let it run, warming up, for a few minutes while I went back in the house and finished getting ready.
Todd was drinking his morning milk on the couch when I ran out the door to do so, and he thought I was leaving for the day. He looked at me and said through his bottle: "Wait for me! I want a hug!"
I quickly pointed out that I was only starting the car and would be right back to give him a hug and kiss and bid him a proper goodbye before leaving for work :-)
Todd was drinking his morning milk on the couch when I ran out the door to do so, and he thought I was leaving for the day. He looked at me and said through his bottle: "Wait for me! I want a hug!"
I quickly pointed out that I was only starting the car and would be right back to give him a hug and kiss and bid him a proper goodbye before leaving for work :-)
Charlie Chaplin
Yesterday Todd woke up with a strange sort of wound above his lip, we're not sure exactly what it is, my mom suspects some sort of fungus. We're still a bit mystified as to the source. Next day (today) it got worse, darker: red and black instead of the light brown from Monday. But it's slowly getting better. Here's Todd, looking like he's wearing a Charlie Chaplin mustache:
Circles and Triangles
Todd has become adept at identifying the difference between men's and women's restrooms, with the universal shapes of triangles for the men's room and circles for the ladies' room:
When I took him to a public restroom the other day, he announced: "When I go with Mommy, I go to circle. When I go with Daddy, I go to triangle".
When I took him to a public restroom the other day, he announced: "When I go with Mommy, I go to circle. When I go with Daddy, I go to triangle".
Another fun weekend
... in Santa Barbara.
Friday Toddy went shopping at the grocery store, mall and K-Mart with Daddy, where he enjoyed playing in the toy section, esp with the colorful water guns. They tried to get a pizza for dinner but it was closed by the time they got there, so it was off to McDonald's instead.
Next day, Todd and Mommy enjoyed a trip to the Goleta Library while Daddy worked on campus. We had fun playing with the toys and picking out a few books to take home to read. He was eager to read them as soon as we got home, and I read one to him while he drank his afternoon milk before his nap.
Earlier that morning, Todd and Daddy went to the playground in the apartment complex, where Todd spied a tree with a hole in it, and asked Daddy what it was. When they arrived home, Todd regaled Mommy with an explanation of what they saw: "We went to squirrel house, and Daddy knock on the door, but squirrel wasn't home!"
Sunday morning, Todd awoke at 7am and crawled over Daddy, snuggling in the crook of his arm on the other side of him, and promptly falling back asleep :-) When Mommy entered the room at 7:30 to visit the bathroom, she squinted because she couldn't find the little boy anywhere-- until Daddy rolled over and pointed at the little man sleeping cozily in his arms.
Sunday afternoon Daddy and Todd visited K-Mart again and attempted yet again to grab a pizza for lunch-- to no avail, the pizza machine was broken, so it was yet another trip to McDonald's for food. Foiled again!
Todd enjoyed watching some of the videos we'd taken of him and uploaded to Mommy's computer-- both older and recent videos. Including the frog-head-butting video. Later that evening, he demonstrated the contents of the video to his stuffed turtle and tiger, and mimicked the words spoken in the video: "why are you bumping the frog?" "because it's so hard!" :-D
Friday Toddy went shopping at the grocery store, mall and K-Mart with Daddy, where he enjoyed playing in the toy section, esp with the colorful water guns. They tried to get a pizza for dinner but it was closed by the time they got there, so it was off to McDonald's instead.
Next day, Todd and Mommy enjoyed a trip to the Goleta Library while Daddy worked on campus. We had fun playing with the toys and picking out a few books to take home to read. He was eager to read them as soon as we got home, and I read one to him while he drank his afternoon milk before his nap.
Earlier that morning, Todd and Daddy went to the playground in the apartment complex, where Todd spied a tree with a hole in it, and asked Daddy what it was. When they arrived home, Todd regaled Mommy with an explanation of what they saw: "We went to squirrel house, and Daddy knock on the door, but squirrel wasn't home!"
Sunday morning, Todd awoke at 7am and crawled over Daddy, snuggling in the crook of his arm on the other side of him, and promptly falling back asleep :-) When Mommy entered the room at 7:30 to visit the bathroom, she squinted because she couldn't find the little boy anywhere-- until Daddy rolled over and pointed at the little man sleeping cozily in his arms.
Sunday afternoon Daddy and Todd visited K-Mart again and attempted yet again to grab a pizza for lunch-- to no avail, the pizza machine was broken, so it was yet another trip to McDonald's for food. Foiled again!
Todd enjoyed watching some of the videos we'd taken of him and uploaded to Mommy's computer-- both older and recent videos. Including the frog-head-butting video. Later that evening, he demonstrated the contents of the video to his stuffed turtle and tiger, and mimicked the words spoken in the video: "why are you bumping the frog?" "because it's so hard!" :-D
