This morning, as I was lying in bed, waking up, I heard Todd chattering in the kitchen over his breakfast, as he does every day. This morning, however, I could swear it sounded like he was saying "bulls**t! bulls**t!" over and over again. At first I thought I was just mishearing him, since I was on the other side of the house.
But no, Daddy, who was right next to him, wondered too. To Daddy, it sounded like Todd was saying "squirrel s**t!".
Daddy: What did you say?
Todd: Squirrel s**t!
Daddy: What!?
Todd: Squish.... it!
Ooooohhhhh!!!
And here I thought that maybe Todd had picked up a few choice things from the parade hecklers a couple weeks ago!
Todd the Shepherd
Christmas performance at school tonight! They told the story of the birth of Jesus through song and music-- some hand chimes and mostly the choir singing. Here is Todd dressed up as one of the shepherds:
Trouble at School
Todd sometimes gets into a wee bit of trouble at school, for talking. He'll occasionally get "talking tickets" for talking in class when he's not supposed to, but other than a bit of rambunctiousness that's natural for boys his age, he's been pretty well-behaved at school.
Well, today, when Daddy went to pick him up right after school for karate, his teacher had to tell him about an incident at school today.
Todd was sitting (eating?) with one of his classmates, D, when a 1st-grade boy, G, came up and joined them. As grade-school boys are prone to do, the conversation quickly turned to the direction of "potty humor". One of the first things out of D's mouth? Telling G that "your mom walks around the house naked". This devolved into the 3 boys coming up with other statements having to do with the word "naked". Three boys enjoying a bit of crass humor.
Evidently, when G got home, he relayed the "mom walks around naked" statement to his parents. His dad got mad, and talked to Todd and D's teacher about it.
Obviously, there are two sides to every story, but from what Todd told us, it didn't sound like he and D were actually making fun of G, all three were partaking of toilet humor, and it's likely that G's dad simply blew it out of proportion because he didn't want his little boy talking about people being "naked".
We warned Todd to think about the things he says and gauge them against 1) would he like it if someone said that to him? and 2) would it upset their parents if they told them about it?
Prime time for the "WWJD?" lesson we've been learning with the book I've been reading him at night!
Well, today, when Daddy went to pick him up right after school for karate, his teacher had to tell him about an incident at school today.
Todd was sitting (eating?) with one of his classmates, D, when a 1st-grade boy, G, came up and joined them. As grade-school boys are prone to do, the conversation quickly turned to the direction of "potty humor". One of the first things out of D's mouth? Telling G that "your mom walks around the house naked". This devolved into the 3 boys coming up with other statements having to do with the word "naked". Three boys enjoying a bit of crass humor.
Evidently, when G got home, he relayed the "mom walks around naked" statement to his parents. His dad got mad, and talked to Todd and D's teacher about it.
Obviously, there are two sides to every story, but from what Todd told us, it didn't sound like he and D were actually making fun of G, all three were partaking of toilet humor, and it's likely that G's dad simply blew it out of proportion because he didn't want his little boy talking about people being "naked".
We warned Todd to think about the things he says and gauge them against 1) would he like it if someone said that to him? and 2) would it upset their parents if they told them about it?
Prime time for the "WWJD?" lesson we've been learning with the book I've been reading him at night!
Snow Day at the Zoo
This is the 3rd year we've been to the zoo on their annual Snow Day. The first year, we met up with my high school friend Amal, and got to meet her family. The second year, it was just the 3 of us, enjoying a sunny day at the zoo. This year, Todd and I went by ourselves, since the zoo decided to hold Snow Day on a Sunday instead of the usual Saturday, and Allan had to help out at church. The boy and I enjoyed the usual antics of throwing snowballs and building snowmen (I even built a snow turtle!). This year, the zoo added something new: an iceless skating rink!
Todd has never even rollerskated before, much less ice skated, but here he is, giving the it a try, with sunny green trees and mountains in the backdrop :-)
Todd has never even rollerskated before, much less ice skated, but here he is, giving the it a try, with sunny green trees and mountains in the backdrop :-)
Holiday Parade
The kids in Todd's class got to ride a float and sing in this year's holiday parade! They were all decked out in the cutest little tuxedo shirts, purple bow ties and purple cummerbunds:
Such a bright and happy and smiling face!
Unfortunately, by the end of the parade, that smile was gone, thanks to an uncouth crowd along the parade route. Read more about what happened here: http://heckledtrio.blogspot.com/2011/12/holiday-parade-gone-awry.html
Such a bright and happy and smiling face!
Unfortunately, by the end of the parade, that smile was gone, thanks to an uncouth crowd along the parade route. Read more about what happened here: http://heckledtrio.blogspot.com/2011/12/holiday-parade-gone-awry.html
Lazy Day
Todd and I both have Veteran's Day off work/school, so we were going to spend the day together-- go to karate in the morning, eat with Daddy, etc...
I asked him what else he wanted to do that day. This is how the conversation went:
Mommy: So, what do you want to do on Friday?
Todd: We'll, we're having lunch at GoToCafe
Mommy: Okay, what else?
Todd: Let's... do nothing and just be lazy!
Guess he learns from us a little too well! Oops...
I asked him what else he wanted to do that day. This is how the conversation went:
Mommy: So, what do you want to do on Friday?
Todd: We'll, we're having lunch at GoToCafe
Mommy: Okay, what else?
Todd: Let's... do nothing and just be lazy!
Guess he learns from us a little too well! Oops...
Spelling Bee 2011
Time for the annual Christian school spelling bee, where all the non-denominational Christian schools in the Santa Barbara area compete. Todd won 2nd place this year, here he is with the 1st-place winner from another school:
Happy Halloween: Pirate Costume
We bought this costume on sale last year, and it fit perfectly this year! This is the costume Todd wore to our church's annual Harvest Party and on Halloween itself, where Daddy took him to the Calle Real shopping center after work to partake of local-shop-sponsored activities.
Cowboy Todd
We had a western-themed barbecue at church today, where the fun began with a chili cook-off, followed by a costume contest, baseball game, and line dancing. Here is Todd in his cowboy getup: checked shirt, bandana, sheriff's badge and straw hat (he actually has a REAL black felt cowboy hat we bought at the Lemon Festival last year, but he opted for the more comfortable straw one instead).
New School
This Fall, Todd began attending Santa Barbara Christian School. It is the most expensive out of all the private schools in SB, but he's got a really good teacher and some good classmates, so it's worth it.
We both like the fact that there are simply more kids to play with-- there are a total of 14 in his combined 3rd/4th grade class. Small enough for individualized attention, yet large enough for him to make a variety of friends. That way, if he befriends a kid that I feel is a bad influence and would prefer he didn't hang out with, he has other kids to play with instead. Unlike his old school, where it had dwindled down so much in size that the one "bad seed" was the only kid near his age! Todd enjoys it for the same reason-- more kids to have fun with! :-)
The kids are learning some good stuff this year. Aside from the usual language arts, math, social studies, science, art, music and library, the kids are also learning about real life. There is a class economy in place, whereby each kid holds a job that pays a weekly salary. Out of this salary, the kids must pay desk rent (unless they save up enough to "buy" their desks). Kids receive "tickets" for things like talking during class or not turning in homework. These tickets cost money, as well. On the flip side, kids can be rewarded for something especially well done, in the form of coupons that can later be redeemed for "cash". And at the end of the month, kids can redeem their cash for items in a store-- or save up for a really big item!
I think it's a really nifty way to teach kids about all sorts of things in real life: how to manage your money, how to save for a goal, feeling the effects of punishments, enjoying the effects of rewards and being responsible about doing their jobs and earning their "pay".
All in all, we're pleased with the school so far. Todd's learning some good things and making some good friends. Here's to a successful school year!
We both like the fact that there are simply more kids to play with-- there are a total of 14 in his combined 3rd/4th grade class. Small enough for individualized attention, yet large enough for him to make a variety of friends. That way, if he befriends a kid that I feel is a bad influence and would prefer he didn't hang out with, he has other kids to play with instead. Unlike his old school, where it had dwindled down so much in size that the one "bad seed" was the only kid near his age! Todd enjoys it for the same reason-- more kids to have fun with! :-)
The kids are learning some good stuff this year. Aside from the usual language arts, math, social studies, science, art, music and library, the kids are also learning about real life. There is a class economy in place, whereby each kid holds a job that pays a weekly salary. Out of this salary, the kids must pay desk rent (unless they save up enough to "buy" their desks). Kids receive "tickets" for things like talking during class or not turning in homework. These tickets cost money, as well. On the flip side, kids can be rewarded for something especially well done, in the form of coupons that can later be redeemed for "cash". And at the end of the month, kids can redeem their cash for items in a store-- or save up for a really big item!
I think it's a really nifty way to teach kids about all sorts of things in real life: how to manage your money, how to save for a goal, feeling the effects of punishments, enjoying the effects of rewards and being responsible about doing their jobs and earning their "pay".
All in all, we're pleased with the school so far. Todd's learning some good things and making some good friends. Here's to a successful school year!
Summer updates
Long overdue in posting again! As always, Todd spent the summer in LA with Oma and Opa just one week after we moved into our new house. So he didn't get to enjoy it for very long before he had to go.
He spent his summer taking karate and swimming lessons, as well as learning piano and French at home.
We enjoyed a side trip to San Diego in July, taking in both Sea World and Legoland. Little did we realize just how much fun Legoland actually was-- even better than Disneyland, in my opinion. There was an endless array of things to see and do, and is the perfect place for kids, both physical and at heart :-) Next time we go, we're going to allot 2 days for the trip: 1/2 day to visit the Legoland water park (which is pretty small), and 1.5 days to see the rest of the sights and activities of the main park.
At the end of August, Todd returned to SB to start school, and so begins our routine again...
He spent his summer taking karate and swimming lessons, as well as learning piano and French at home.
We enjoyed a side trip to San Diego in July, taking in both Sea World and Legoland. Little did we realize just how much fun Legoland actually was-- even better than Disneyland, in my opinion. There was an endless array of things to see and do, and is the perfect place for kids, both physical and at heart :-) Next time we go, we're going to allot 2 days for the trip: 1/2 day to visit the Legoland water park (which is pretty small), and 1.5 days to see the rest of the sights and activities of the main park.
At the end of August, Todd returned to SB to start school, and so begins our routine again...
Annual Routine Physical Exam
Now that Todd is 7 years old, he no longer undergoes "well baby exams". He's a big kid now, and goes through normal routine physicals, just like Mommy and Daddy do!
This was the first time he visited a pediatrician in Santa Barbara rather than in LA. Todd had seen him once when he was sick earlier this year, and it was Dr. Abbott who diagnosed Todd with mono. Our friends use him for their daughter too, and are pleased with him, so we decided to stick with him as Todd's PCP.
Overall good health! 49.5 inches tall, and 59 pounds. Still tall, but not off-the-charts tall anymore.
He got a chicken pox booster shot, since he hasn't had the disease yet, and a flu shot. The nurse who delivered the shots was NOT patient, gentle or friendly. In an effort to get him the shots as quickly as possible, she squeezed his arm so hard that the flu shot left an angry bruise that took several days to heal. As if the soreness from a flu shot wasn't enough!
They also conducted a hearing test (which yielded normal results) and a vision test, which revealed a potential problem with Todd's right eye. He seemed to have difficulty seeing clearly out of it, so we got a referral to a local pediatric ophthalmologist. The appointment is at the end of the month, since they're pretty popular and booked solid! We'll see what comes out of that exam...
This was the first time he visited a pediatrician in Santa Barbara rather than in LA. Todd had seen him once when he was sick earlier this year, and it was Dr. Abbott who diagnosed Todd with mono. Our friends use him for their daughter too, and are pleased with him, so we decided to stick with him as Todd's PCP.
Overall good health! 49.5 inches tall, and 59 pounds. Still tall, but not off-the-charts tall anymore.
He got a chicken pox booster shot, since he hasn't had the disease yet, and a flu shot. The nurse who delivered the shots was NOT patient, gentle or friendly. In an effort to get him the shots as quickly as possible, she squeezed his arm so hard that the flu shot left an angry bruise that took several days to heal. As if the soreness from a flu shot wasn't enough!
They also conducted a hearing test (which yielded normal results) and a vision test, which revealed a potential problem with Todd's right eye. He seemed to have difficulty seeing clearly out of it, so we got a referral to a local pediatric ophthalmologist. The appointment is at the end of the month, since they're pretty popular and booked solid! We'll see what comes out of that exam...
Happy 7th Birthday
Todd spent his actual birthday in LA, what with his school closing down early. This year, we thought it would be nice to have the family come up to SB so they could see the new house.
We got to show the entire family not only the new house, but the surrounding community and amenities (clubhouse, pool, billiards room, etc). The sun came out in the afternoon, making for a pleasant deck experience, overlooking the lake.
Todd enjoyed playing with his new toys: a bocce-ball-like game from Amir and Priyanka, a new electric circuit set from Ron and Debbie (Amir, the electrical engineer, enjoyed that one, too!), ice cream maker from Grandpa, microscope from Oma and Opa, and magnetic dartboard and pyramid-shaped Rubik's-Cube-like puzzle from Grandma and Grandpa Duaine.
The little man is 7 now. Wow, hard to believe it's been that many years already. He's so tall, most people think he's 8 or 9, yet he still has a baby face typical of 5/6 year olds. My little boy is growing up!
We got to show the entire family not only the new house, but the surrounding community and amenities (clubhouse, pool, billiards room, etc). The sun came out in the afternoon, making for a pleasant deck experience, overlooking the lake.
Todd enjoyed playing with his new toys: a bocce-ball-like game from Amir and Priyanka, a new electric circuit set from Ron and Debbie (Amir, the electrical engineer, enjoyed that one, too!), ice cream maker from Grandpa, microscope from Oma and Opa, and magnetic dartboard and pyramid-shaped Rubik's-Cube-like puzzle from Grandma and Grandpa Duaine.
The little man is 7 now. Wow, hard to believe it's been that many years already. He's so tall, most people think he's 8 or 9, yet he still has a baby face typical of 5/6 year olds. My little boy is growing up!
Presents for Mommy and Daddy
As part of getting ready to come up to SB for his birthday party, Todd was preparing some stuff to give to Daddy for a Father's Day present. He'd been saving up coins in his piggy bank for some time, occasionally exchanging the coins for dollar bills with Oma. He was counting the money he had by adding up all the previous transactions. Oma mentioned that Father's Day was coming up, and wondered if Todd was going to give Daddy anything for Father's Day. The following conversation ensued:
Todd: Yes, I'll give him money!
Oma: Oh, how nice. How much are you gonna give?
Todd: $10
Oma: Wow, that's generous. How about Mommy? Are you going to give her anything for Mother's Day?
Todd: I'll give her $10, too.
Oma: (laughing) that's REALLY generous! But... you won't have enough money!
Todd: Yes, I will! I have $27!
Oma: Actually, you added it wrong. You only have $13. You don't have enough to give Mommy and Daddy both $10 each.
Todd (pondering a bit): Okay, I'll give them $4 each.
A few hours later, Oma dug up some red Chinese envelopes for Todd to put the money in, and gave them to him. When she retrieved them to make sure it was amongst the pile of things to bring to SB in a couple days, she noticed that each envelope contained only $2.
Oma: What happened? I thought you were giving them $4 each?
Todd: Well... I changed my mind.
Apparently he had done some math and realized that if he gave us $8, he'd only have $5 left for himself! So he revised the present amounts accordingly. Still, Allan and I accepted our gifts from our son with glee and gratitude :-)
Todd: Yes, I'll give him money!
Oma: Oh, how nice. How much are you gonna give?
Todd: $10
Oma: Wow, that's generous. How about Mommy? Are you going to give her anything for Mother's Day?
Todd: I'll give her $10, too.
Oma: (laughing) that's REALLY generous! But... you won't have enough money!
Todd: Yes, I will! I have $27!
Oma: Actually, you added it wrong. You only have $13. You don't have enough to give Mommy and Daddy both $10 each.
Todd (pondering a bit): Okay, I'll give them $4 each.
A few hours later, Oma dug up some red Chinese envelopes for Todd to put the money in, and gave them to him. When she retrieved them to make sure it was amongst the pile of things to bring to SB in a couple days, she noticed that each envelope contained only $2.
Oma: What happened? I thought you were giving them $4 each?
Todd: Well... I changed my mind.
Apparently he had done some math and realized that if he gave us $8, he'd only have $5 left for himself! So he revised the present amounts accordingly. Still, Allan and I accepted our gifts from our son with glee and gratitude :-)
Last Day of School
Todd's school closed unexpectedly early this year. The school had been struggling financially for some time, and had dwindled in both enrollment and staff until it was down to 1 teacher and 6 students (from grades K-5). We held on valiantly, but in the end, it made sense to close the school in the hopes of regrouping financing efforts in the coming year or two. We hope to see the school reopen after that, but in the meantime, we're disbanding.
So sad to see everyone go, and Todd had barely gotten to enjoy a full week in the new house before having to go back to LA to start his summer vacation early.
Here's to next year!
So sad to see everyone go, and Todd had barely gotten to enjoy a full week in the new house before having to go back to LA to start his summer vacation early.
Here's to next year!
New Karate Dojo
Todd obviously stopped doing karate while we were trying to correct his constant toe-walking, which involved the use of casts during the summer of 2010. When he returned in the Fall, we were busy with other activities, esp swimming lessons 3x a week and I didn't start looking back into karate until the new year began.
I decided not to return to South Coast Karate. The group lessons, I felt, were not as beneficial anymore because the group he would be participating in was too large and varied in age/ability-- from age 5 to 15, white belt to brown belt. It wasn't focused enough. His private lessons were also progressing a bit slower than I would have liked. So I looked into several other studios and settled on the Wu Shu Studio. It's all the way downtown, so a bit of a drive, but well worth it.
He started lessons at the end of February and progressed quickly. His Sifu is patient and detail-oriented, yet pushed Todd at just the right level. Within a month and a half, Todd had learned the kenpo techniques needed for the yellow belt, which he promptly earned, and then moved on to beginning the orange belt techniques. Now that's progress! :-)
I decided not to return to South Coast Karate. The group lessons, I felt, were not as beneficial anymore because the group he would be participating in was too large and varied in age/ability-- from age 5 to 15, white belt to brown belt. It wasn't focused enough. His private lessons were also progressing a bit slower than I would have liked. So I looked into several other studios and settled on the Wu Shu Studio. It's all the way downtown, so a bit of a drive, but well worth it.
He started lessons at the end of February and progressed quickly. His Sifu is patient and detail-oriented, yet pushed Todd at just the right level. Within a month and a half, Todd had learned the kenpo techniques needed for the yellow belt, which he promptly earned, and then moved on to beginning the orange belt techniques. Now that's progress! :-)
Easter Egg Hunt
In previous years, Easter always fell around the time of Todd's spring break-- i.e. when he was away in LA. This year, however, Easter arrived LATE-- a few weeks after school resumed from spring break. So we finally had a chance to explore one of the many Easter Egg Hunts around Santa Barbara. We settled on Girsh Park because it was the closest to us, and I knew parking at the shopping center adjacent to it would be plentiful.
We arrived on time, got a paper bag for him to decorate (since we neglected to bring his Easter basket-- never mind that he had several in his room!) and waited at the age-specific zone, which was gated off till 11:00am sharp. Then the whistle blew, the gates flew open, and the kids rushed in. I had barely had a chance to get into position to take pictures when the kids came back out-- they were done! Dozens and dozens of kids Todd's age had combed the entire grassy area and picked it clean of plastic eggs. I helped Todd open the eggs, dump the candy into his bag, and return the plastic shells. THAT was over quick.
We spent the rest of the morning wandering around, playing on the bouncy castle, playing on the playground, and wrapped it up with lunch at McDonald's before heading out for some shopping. Fun morning, and not a bad way to experience a public Easter Egg Hunt! Maybe next year we'll try one of the other venues :-)
We arrived on time, got a paper bag for him to decorate (since we neglected to bring his Easter basket-- never mind that he had several in his room!) and waited at the age-specific zone, which was gated off till 11:00am sharp. Then the whistle blew, the gates flew open, and the kids rushed in. I had barely had a chance to get into position to take pictures when the kids came back out-- they were done! Dozens and dozens of kids Todd's age had combed the entire grassy area and picked it clean of plastic eggs. I helped Todd open the eggs, dump the candy into his bag, and return the plastic shells. THAT was over quick.
We spent the rest of the morning wandering around, playing on the bouncy castle, playing on the playground, and wrapped it up with lunch at McDonald's before heading out for some shopping. Fun morning, and not a bad way to experience a public Easter Egg Hunt! Maybe next year we'll try one of the other venues :-)
Earth Day and Rio
Todd and I enjoyed the festivities at Earth Day downtown near the Kids' World park. Ate healthy, organic food, visited earth-friendly vendor booths, marveled at eco-friendly inventions for the home, listened to stories, played games, and cooled off in a tent showing eco-oriented movies. All in all, it was a fun and relaxing day, and a perfect opportunity to enjoy the warm, sunny SB weather outdoors.
That evening, after dinner, the family trooped down to the drive-in to catch a showing of "Rio". It was Todd's first trip to the drive-in ever, and we all had a blast! It was nice to let Todd move around in his seat and make as much noise as he wanted, without worrying about disturbing other patrons. Kicking off our shoes and putting our feet up on the dash was comfortable. Bringing in our own snacks and drinks was cost-effective. And the prices overall were cheaper than a regular theater, as well. Only downside was the all the inconsiderate SUVs in front of us, who parked with their hatches open, blocking our view of the bottom part of the screen. But we had an enjoyable evening nonetheless. First family drive-in experience? A success! :-)
That evening, after dinner, the family trooped down to the drive-in to catch a showing of "Rio". It was Todd's first trip to the drive-in ever, and we all had a blast! It was nice to let Todd move around in his seat and make as much noise as he wanted, without worrying about disturbing other patrons. Kicking off our shoes and putting our feet up on the dash was comfortable. Bringing in our own snacks and drinks was cost-effective. And the prices overall were cheaper than a regular theater, as well. Only downside was the all the inconsiderate SUVs in front of us, who parked with their hatches open, blocking our view of the bottom part of the screen. But we had an enjoyable evening nonetheless. First family drive-in experience? A success! :-)
No Perfect People
Our church's motto is: "No perfect people allowed". As we were heading to the parking lot after services today, we passed by the sign that had the church's name and motto on it. Todd wanted to know why it said "no perfect people allowed". I explained that there are no such thing as perfect people, and that even if there were, such people would not need to go to church-- they're "perfect", after all! He mulled this over a bit, and proclaimed:
"Well then, God isn't allowed! He's the only one that's perfect! We can talk about him in church, but he can't come in!"
... makes sense, doesn't it!
"Well then, God isn't allowed! He's the only one that's perfect! We can talk about him in church, but he can't come in!"
... makes sense, doesn't it!
No more haircuts!
Todd got a haircut, and the loose hairs were making him itch, so when I told him to take his clothes off to take a shower, he complied more readily and quickly than usual. so I remarked, in regards to his speed and willingness to hop in the shower: "We ought to get his hair cut more often!"
Todd replied: "Nooo! Then I would be bald!"
Todd replied: "Nooo! Then I would be bald!"
Growing Too Tall
Conversation on how quickly Todd was growing and how tall he was getting:
Mommy: Someday you'll be taller than Oma, then you'll be taller than me.
Daddy: And someday you'll even be taller than Grandma!
Todd: Will I be taller than Daddy?
Mommy: No.
Todd: Why not?
Mommy: Because I refuse to allow it!
Todd: You can't do that! Only God can do that!
Mommy: Someday you'll be taller than Oma, then you'll be taller than me.
Daddy: And someday you'll even be taller than Grandma!
Todd: Will I be taller than Daddy?
Mommy: No.
Todd: Why not?
Mommy: Because I refuse to allow it!
Todd: You can't do that! Only God can do that!
Tooth Fairy cuts her budget
Todd lost his 4th tooth (still all on the bottom row) today. This is starting to get expensive! So the Tooth Fairy decided to cut down on her offerings, from $1 to 50 cents :-D
