Alphamania

Most boys will be really interested, almost obsessed with one thing. For some boys, it's trains. They can't get enough of Thomas. For other boys, it's trucks. They can name any kind of construction truck, what it does, and can stand there and watch them for hours. For others, it's cars. They have millions of Matchbox cars and love things on wheels. Yet, my kid developed a strange obsession with the alphabet & numbers when he was a little past two years old.

Others kids have fun at Travel Town to look at the trains, collect a bunch of Thomas the Tank Engine toys, collect a bunch of Matchbox cars, and stuff like that. My boy, on the other hand, wants anything that has to do with the alphabet - alphabet pasta, alphabet stickers, multiple sets of alphabet magnets (both uppercase and lowercase), making letters out of popsicle sticks, making letters out of cooked noodles. He loves cucumbers cut out into letters. He likes writing letters in the air. He can and has looked at random buildings/plants/whatever and seen letters in them like some see Jesus or the Virgin Mary in a cinnamon bun.

Because of this, he has some unusual favorites places.

1) Michael's: for the alphabet stickers

2) Parking structures: for the letters and numbers to tell you what level and row you're in

3) Vending machines: for the letters and numbers you have to push to get your drink; this has been the majority of his imaginary play lately: "Mama, which drink do you want? A3 or D12?...Press the buttons! Here's your drink!"

4) The DMV: I AM NOT KIDDING. He went one time with Paul and LOVED it because when they give you your ticket for your turn, it's a bunch of random letters and numbers which they announce and flash on a screen when it's your turn. The boy sat there calling out each one. I think they waited almost 40 minutes, but he was happy as a clam.

5) The ultimate place?? Lakeshore: This is where they sell educational supplies/toys/crafts/books, etc for elementary school teachers. It's heaven to him. The last time we went, he did a girly giggle, announcing, "I love this place! There's numbers & letters everywhere!"

Also, just in case you're wondering, he has done this on his own. I wonder if others think I'm the crazy Asian parent endlessly pushing my kid. I so am not. Having had grown up as such a kid, I intend to do the opposite with my kid. He can be whatever he wants to be.

Name's Sake

This is a picture from April when the boy wrote his name for the first time. There is a "J" , "A", "R", "E". amd a "D" next to and below the "E"!

Copycats!

We have a long standing "feud" with our friends, the Arakaki family. The feud stems from the fact that they seem to copy everything we do. That's right Arakakis... you are COPYCATS!

Here's some recent photographic evidence to prove our point. In June of 2007, we took a a trip to Hawaii. In January of 2008, the Arakakis took a trip to Hawaii. Notice the similarities in the trips below. Remember that the Arakaki trip was about 7 months after ours.

Here's Jared with his own Diego luggage along with a picture of Makayla with her copycat luggage.



Here's video evidence that Jared did pull his own luggage:



Here's a picture of us at Hanauma Bay along with a picture of the Copycats at Hanauma Bay. Notice that the pictures are taken at the exact same location.



Here's another picture at Hanauma Bay. No major similarities but we just wanted to rub it in that Jared had fun in the sand while Makayla did not like the sand. :)



Here's Jared enjoying shave ice from Matsumotos. Oh and here coincidentally is Makayla enjoying shave ice.



Here's Jared posing in front of the Waikiki Aquarium sign... oh and what's this? Makayla posing in front of the sign too? On the same side?



Need I say more? Okay, one more tidbit. On Saturday, March 29th we went to the Wiggles concert at the Nokia Theatre. Oh and guess who should go to the concert the very next day??? Yup, you guessed it! Copycat Makayla!

Here's our blog post.
Here's Makayla's blog post.

He's No Letterman...

Between the ages of two and three is an interesting time. It really tests what type of parent you are. There is separation anxiety, temper tantrums, the bossiness (which I call "commando-demando"), the blossoming of the personality, and most entertaining, the development of the sense of humor.

It's one thing if your kid is a bit clumsy like mine, and you kinda end up laughing at him. He's not trying to be funny. Then there are those things that kids do that they think are funny because you inadvertently positively reinforce them - spitting out their food, farting, hitting you. Stuff like that. My kid, though, thinks he's a comedian. It all started with his friend Allie, who is 4 and cutely mistold the old "Knock, knock" joke "Orange you glad I didn't say banana?" and he thought that was hilarious. This is the boy's version/interpretation of that joke:

(Literally on the other side of our front door)
Him: MAMA! Say knock knock!
Me: Knock knock
Him: Who is it? Say "banana"!
Me: Banana!
Him: HAHAHAHAH

This went on for many, many rounds. He's still laughing as hard as the first time. Then, we went to his friend Jaden's house. Jaden is a tad older and is more extroverted. He said something funny, to which the boy said, "That's a joke!" So, since then he's been coming up with his own material. It usually goes like this:

Version 1:
Him: Mama, knock knock
Me: Who is it?
Him: Chicken phone! HAHAHAHA THAT'S A JOKE!

Version 2:
Him (with pretend phone): Mama, it's for you
Me: Who is it?
Him: It's chicken phone! HAHAHAHA THAT'S A JOKIE!

Lately, most conversations/monologues have the line, "That's a joke!". I briefly explained to the boy that if it really is a joke, more or less a good joke, it doesn't have to be blatantly identified as such, to which I get the response, "But it's a jokie! HAHAHA"

These are some of the highlights of staying home with him. Yes, he may tell the same ones over and over and over again, but he laughs just as hard as the first time. I wouldn't miss moments like that for anything...