Change is scary

Now that I'm two, I have to go to a different room at daycare. So, a couple of my friends and I started the transition to our new room this past week.  The transition is a two week process.

Each day this week, Ms. Elaine walks us to our new room, HB 9, and then leaves us there with our new teachers, Ms. Marin, Ms. Brittney and Ms. Darlene. We get to hang out and play in our new room for a few hours before Ms. Elaine picks us up and takes us back to our current room, HB F.  As the transition progresses, we spend more time in HB 9 - eating lunch here, taking our naps there and eventually being picked up there by dada or mama.

Because I'm such an easy-going kid, everyone thought that I'd be fine with this change.  Well...I'm also a creature of habit, like dada.  I don't really like change.  It's scary and makes me sad. I don't want to leave Ms. Elaine and HB F.  I like it there.  I know the routine, the kids and the teachers. I've told dada and mama that I don't like HB 9 and that I don't want to go.  But they just reassure me that I'll be okay, that I have friends going with me and that my new teachers seem very nice and caring.  They encourage me to give it a chance. But I don't want to!

To let them know just how much I don't want to go, I've been crying - a lot.  I cried at HB 9 and wasn't very interested in participating.  I cried at HB F.  One day I woke up crying from my nap asking for Ms. Elaine.  But no one was getting the message.  So, yesterday, I cried the entire way to daycare, and when dada told me he had to go to work, I said, "No. Dada stay."  But he left anyway.  So, I cried.  Why doesn't anyone listen to me and what I want?  It's really frustrating.

And this is just the first week of transition.  What do think will happen next week?

Show me your smile

Today was my first dentist appointment. We drove really far to get to my dentist.  We hit a traffic jam, which made us late. When we got there, I asked dada where we were because we've never been there before.  He said that we were at the dentist.  Hmm...

The beach-themed waiting room was really cool and fun!  There were toys, crayons, a video game machine and a flat screen tv playing videos. Despite all these things, I was still a little bit nervous and unsure about what this dentist place was.  When the dental assistant called my name, we walked through the door where she gave me a sticker and let me pick a toy from the treasure chest. I picked a rubber duck.

When we got to the exam room, there was lots of fancy equipment and a giant chair. The dental assistant was really nice. She gave me a new Winnie the Pooh toothbrush and blue backpack filled with teeth cleaning stuff.  Then she let me play with the some the equipment. She sprayed water in my hand and then sucked it up with a straw.  She also let me pick the flavor of toothpaste she was going to use to brush my teeth.  Mommy thought I'd pick strawberry or chocolate, but I picked raspberry.  Then it was time to get into the big chair.  Even though the chair went up and down and backward like a ride, I didn't want to sit in the chair by myself. So Dada sat on the chair and held me. I was squirmy the entire time she cleaned my teeth.

Then, Auntie Margaret - oops, I mean Dr. Santiago - came to in. She checked out my teeth and counted them.  I have 8 teeth on the top and 8 teeth on the bottom for a grand total of 16 teeth!  I still don't have my 2 year molars yet.  She says that even though they're called 2 year molars, they usually come in sometime between 2 and 2 1/12 years.  So, they should be coming in the next 3-6 months. When those come in, I'll have 20 teeth!  Wow...I can't even count that high (without help).  She finished up by painting my teeth with vitamins (fluoride).  All done!  Because I was such a good patient, I got to pick another toy out of the toy chest.

The good news is that I don't have any cavities and my teeth look good.  The bad news is that I have an under bite and will probably have to go see an orthodontist when I'm about 7.  Why so early?  Because they might try to change the growth pattern of my jaw/teeth.  Dada's not happy about this because it's going to cost lots of money. He says it's all mama's fault. 

Mason is 3 months old!

Happy 3 month birthday to Mason!

What he likes:

• His fists. Yup, he found his hands and likes to suck on his fists. It's funny watching him try to stuff his entire hand into his mouth. Mommy keeps waiting for him to find his thumb or fingers and start sucking on those.
• Smiling. He's pretty smiley and happy these days. He doesn't cry as much as he used to, which is good for the entire family.
• Talking. He likes to express himself and participate in conversations.  Too bad no one knows what he's saying.
• Laughing. Today, he laughed for the very first time. What made him crack up? Tachi. That's right the dog. Daddy was playing with Tachi when suddenly Mason started laughing.
• Baths: Ever since he was born, Mason's liked taking baths.  They seem to relax him, but make his hair fluffy and stick up.

 What he doesn't like:

• Flying on mommy's legs: He always has this funny look on his face, and today he spit up a little bit afterward.
• Napping:  Mommy says he just doesn't want to miss out on anything.  He still fights naps, but he's starting to fall asleep quicker and with less fuss. When he does fall asleep, he doesn't stay asleep for very long - unless he's in the car or stroller.  Guess he's a motion junky.
• Sleeping through the night: He still wakes up 1-2 times a night.  I think he just likes mommy's company.
• Swaddles: He breaks out of the swaddle most of the time. Mommy usually finds him with either one or both arms above his head.

I have a new cousin!

Uncle Eddie and Auntie Lia had a baby on March 11.  And it's a girl!  Her name is Caylie Morgan Li-An Tang.  She's tiny.  She only weighs 6 lbs 9 oz...a whole 2 lbs less than Mason.

She's our first girl cousin. Mommy is super excited that we finally have a girl in the family. I don't get what the big deal is. Girls are weird. They get all emotional about stuff.  And they wear funny things in their hair. Us boys don't get emotional about things. And we don't need a bunch of accessories to complete an outfit.

We haven't met her in person yet because they live in Maryland.  We've only Facetimed with her, Uncle Eddie and Auntie Lia.  Po-Po went to visit/help Uncle Eddie & Auntie Lia for a few weeks.  Mommy says the first time we'll probably meet her in person will be Christmas. That's a long time from now. Guess we'll just have to settle for Facetime and photos.

Welcome to the family Caylie! Don't worry, we'll treat you like one of the guys. =)

Two year check-up

It's been a while since I've been to the doctor. When I was Mason's age, I went much more frequently. Now that I'm older, I only go see her once a year or if I'm sick or if I stick a pea up my nose. A note to my friends reading this, peas don't belong in your nose; they belong in your mouth.

Daddy interrupted my nap to take me to the doctor's office. I got to look at the fish in the fish tank and read books while we waited.  Mommy arrived when daddy was reading a book to me. When the nurse called my name, I handed her a form that daddy filled out. She asked daddy to undress me so she could weigh and measure me. I wasn't quite sure what was going on, but I went with it.  Here're my measurements:

• Weight: 29 lbs 12.5 oz (72nd percentile) - I'm flirting with 30 lbs
• Height: 36.25 inches (91 percentile) - I'm 3 feet tall! I'm almost as tall as some of my aunties!
• Head circumference: 49.5 cm (72.1 percentile)

I was chillin' through the entire check up. I didn't fidget or scream or whine at all. I just sat on mommy's lap and let the doctor do her thing. She said I was a super kid. The only "issue" is my milk-aholism. She wasn't too worried about it because I drink low fat milk and the parentals ration my milk.

When the doctor was done and left the room, daddy let me watch the Wheels on the Bus video on his phone. And he never lets me watch videos on his phone!  I wanted to put my pants back on, but mommy said we had to wait for the nurse to come back. I should've known something was up.

When the nurse came back in the room, she had something on a tray. I asked her nicely for a lollipop and sticker. She gave me both! Then mommy sat me on the table with the crinkly paper and daddy showed me a video. The nurse was doing something on the table and every time I tried to look at it, mommy or daddy would tell me to watch the video. They never let me watch videos on their phone. Something was definitely fishy. The next thing I know, I'm feeling a pain in my thigh. Did I cry? Nope, all I said was, "Owie." When I looked down at my thigh, the nurse was putting a Snoopy band-aid on it. Hmmm...shots aren't all that bad.

The nurse said that I don't have to get any more shots until I'm 4.  Bummer, I was hoping daddy would let me watch more videos on his phone.

Gym-tastic Birthday Party

My BFF (birthday friend forever), Edison had his birthday party today.  We were born on the same day, so our mommies usually coordinate to make sure the festivities don't overlap. That basically means a birthday party extravaganza weekend for us!

Edison had his party at the California Kids Sports Center. Our usual crew (Kyden, Sienna, Matthew, Greyson, Chloe and Abby) was there plus a lot of other kids that I didn't know.  We all had a great time running around the gym in a free play format for an hour.

This gym was different than Little Gym.  Sure they had balance beams and bars too.  But they also had a rope swing, a slide, and a trampoline track with a foam block pit at the end!  Here's a short video of me jumping/running down the trampoline track:



Mommy tried to get a picture of me and Edison, but neither one of us wanted to sit still long enough. We were too busy checking everything out.

Happy Birthday Edison!  Thanks for inviting me to your party!

I am 2 years old!

Happy Birthday to me!

Things I like:

• Talking: People always ask mommy and daddy how old I am because I know a lot of words and can say complete sentences. I usually repeat the last couple words that mommy and daddy say or a word that I haven't heard before.
• Singing songs. My favorite is still Wheels on the Bus, but I also enjoy FuFu Bunny, Twinkle Twinkle, and ABC Dinosaur.
• Reading with mommy or daddy.  I usually like to pick the books that we read. Mommy and daddy are happy that I like to change it up every now and then.
• Trains: I like to play with trains, ride trains and read about trains. Thomas is my favorite.
• Pretend play: I like to "cook." Maybe someday I'll be an Iron Chef.
  
• Talking on the phone. Usually my phone calls are with Uncle Jeff. Lately I've also started calling Po-Po, Uncle Eddie, Grandma and Grandpa. The conversation usually goes something like this: "Hello. This Logan. I'm fine. Bye."
• Looking at pictures and videos of myself. I especially like Facetime-ing with grandma and Uncle Eddie because I get to see myself. What can I say, I'm a good looking guy. =)
• Swimming: I put my face in the water and kick now. I also dive down (with help) to get toys at the bottom of the pool. My teacher calls me the super-smiley canon ball jumper.
• Grandma's iPad and phone: she lets me watch videos!
• Helping: At daycare, I help pass out place mats, bibs and bowls to my friends. At home I like to help mommy and daddy with Mason's diaper changes and feedings and bringing my dishes to the sink.
• Swings and slides at the park
• Amusement park rides: We are regulars at Gilroy Gardens.
• Presents: Now that I know what they are, I love presents.

Things I don't like:

• Getting my haircut: I've never liked it and still don't. It's scary and loud (Daddy uses a Flowbee). Where does my hair go?
• Strangers: I get quiet and shy around people I don't know or see very often. So to all the aunties and uncles reading my blog, don't take it personally if it takes me a while to warm up to you.

To celebrate my 2nd birthday, mommy and daddy threw me a Little Gym party.  Yay! We had a blast running around the gym.  Ms. Kalia, my usual Little Gym teacher, even came and did my birthday party.  And Uncle Eddie made a special appearance all the way from Maryland!

We started out with a warm up where my friends introduced themselves, ran across the mat and slammed into the birthday cake!  It wasn't really a birthday cake (that would've been way to messy).  It was a gym mat shaped like a wedge of cake (or cheese).  After that we explored the different gym equipment while Ms. Kalia and Ms Sarah set up the parachute. I'm not usually a fan of the parachute, so we didn't do any rides on it.  Instead, we lifted the parachute up high and then ran under it. That's when my friends sang Happy Birthday! I was so surprised that I just stood there frozen until the song ended.

After that Ms Kalia and Ms. Sarah turned the parachute into a slide, and we rode a super slide. I rode once with daddy and once with mommy. We had lots of fun on the air track jumping up and down. Ms. Kalia brought out the balls so we could play with them on the air track.  She also busted out the bubbles!  When we got bored with the air track, we'd go explore other parts of the gym and just hang out - literally.

You get pretty hungry running around the gym with your friends. After working up our appetites, we headed to the party room for pizza and ice cream cake! That's right, Mommy got a Thomas the Train themed ice cream cake for my party.  Yum! Yum!


 Thanks to all my friends for helping me celebrate my birthday!  I hope you all had as much fun as I did.

Spring Fling 2012

Last year, CFC's spring fling involved egg hunts and an Easter bunny.  This year CFC celebrated spring by having us plant plants.  I guess planting stuff is a spring thing, but I dunno why we couldn't do both things. Maybe egg hunts and the spring bunny aren't politically correct. Oh well, guess I'll have to wait til Easter for an egg hunt. Wonder if I'll see a bunny too.

Anyway, I came home with two flower plants this evening.  Mommy and I planted them into pots before dinner.  I helped carry the pots outside and scoop dirt into the pot. After we watered them, we brought them into the house.  Daddy found a home for my new plants on our window sill.  Now I can help water them and watch them grow! 

Talk, talk, talk...

Since Mommy's on maternity leave, she's spending a lot of time with Mason. He does a pretty good job of keeping her company.  They've started having daily conversations.  About what I have no idea. Maybe you can tell me what he's saying:



While I'm definitely chattier than Mason now, mommy and daddy say that Mason is chattier than me when I was his age.  I wonder if that means he'll blow through his allotted mobile phone minutes when we're older. You know, cuz he'll be chattin' up all the girls.

Sleeping through the night?

For the past week, Mason's been sleeping about 10 hours at night.  That might sound really great except that it's really two 5 hour stretches, broken by a feeding in the middle of the night.  Technically sleeping 5 hours straight is considered sleeping through the night. The problem is that he goes to bed around 8 or 9 at night, which means he wakes up around 1 or 2 in the morning for that middle of the night feeding. Luckily he goes right back to sleep after those feedings. Poor mommy has been getting up every night to feed him. She's hoping he'll drop that middle of the night feeding before she has to go back to work.

Slippery Fish

My buddy Henry invited us to the Monterey Bay Aquarium today.  It's our first family outing without any extra help. Daddy and mommy were completely on their own with both of us boys.  They weren't quite sure how the day would go, but I knew everything would work out great.

The last time I went to the aquarium was with Henry too. His parents are aquarium members, so they've been several times. This time was really different than the last time because I'm more interactive and can comprehend a lot more.  The highlight of our visit was seeing the giant pacific octopus, which was awake and moving around. Most of the time they're asleep and hiding. They had giant suckers, long arms and floated in the water.

Henry and I ran around the aquarium. We visited the kelp forest and the open sea where we saw leopard sharks, a hammerhead shark, a giant sea turtle, jelly fish and lots of other fish. We also visited the kelp forest touch pool. After I touched the starfish and the kelp, I wanted to touch the filter and dive weights that were also in the touch pool. Mommy and daddy aren't quite sure why the dive weights were in there.

Mason slept through the entire morning, even the car ride there. He made an appearance when we took a break for lunch. Then he got sleepy again and went back to sleep while Henry and I explored the wave crash, rocky shore touch pool and the bat ray touch pool. The wave crash must be what it's like to be behind a waterfall.

Henry had to go home after that cuz he was getting tired. I wasn't tired at all because I took a 20 min nap on the drive to aquarium. So mommy took me to play in the Splash Zone. I saw giant lobsters, a moray eel and penguins. Of course, I found the water play area. I moved the fish and starfish from one water area to another. Good thing mommy and daddy packed an extra set of clothes for me!

Thanks for inviting me to the aquarium, Henry!  I had a great time. Hopefully we can do it again soon.

Tummy time

Mommy is paranoid that Mason's going to develop a flat head.  Daddy and I think his head looks fine. But she's convinced that his head is a little bit flat on the right side because he used to favor that side more.

So to make sure he doesn't have a lopsided flat head, she makes him do as much tummy time as he'll tolerate. He's doesn't like it as much as I did.  Mommy says tummy time will also help him develop his neck muscles so his head won't flop around like a rag doll. 

This morning I decided to show Mason how to do tummy time and hold his head up. His head must be really heavy (or he's not motivated enough) cuz he doesn't hold his head up for very long. Guess he'll just have to more tummy time.

Stick up hair runs in the family

Looks like Mason has stick up hair too!  One day after Mason had a bath, his hair stood up.  He's also got curls around his ears.  I wonder if he'll have wavy hair instead of the typical straight Asian hair. That could be interesting.

His hair is soft and fluffy, like a baby chick.  Not that I've ever touched a baby chick before.  I know his hair is soft and fluffy because sometimes I pat him on the head when he's fussy.  Mommy prefers that I pat him on his tummy and always reminds me to be gentle. I don't get it.  How come I can pat Tachi on the head, but not Mason?

Birthday in the park

Happy birthday Allison! She turned one and uncle John and auntie Cheng threw her a birthday party at a park. Luckily the weather cooperated - no rain, just chilly and cloudy. 

The first time I met Allison was at uncle Nelson and auntie Lisa's wedding. We don't hang out much, so it was really nice of her to invite me to the party.  Hopefully, we can hang out more often.

There were kids of all different ages at the party.  The only other kids that I knew were Kyden and Sienna. Allison was still getting her beauty sleep when we arrived, so Ky and I played in the park. I got to ride a big kid swing for the first time because they didn't have little kid swings.

Mason slept for most of the time that we were there. When he woke up, daddy carried him in the ergo so he'd sleep longer and stay warm. So, daddy's not getting fat, he's just carrying Mason in the picture. 

Thanks for inviting us to your party! We had a great time!

Jinx'd

Yesterday's post may have jinx'd Mason because he didn't sleep through the night last night.  Oh well...at least he's getting better a falling asleep by himself.

Training to sleep?

For the past several days mommy and daddy have been training Mason to sleep. I have no idea why anyone would need to be trained to sleep. Sleeping is easy for me - and I never had to be trained. I must have raw sleeping talent! Hmm...I wonder if sleeping will become an Olympic sport someday.

Anyway, mommy and daddy have been helping Mason learn to fall asleep on his own instead of snuggled in mommy's arms. Mommy's having a hard time with the training. She says it's harder on her than on him because she doesn't like to hear her babies cry. When we cry her heart hurts. Apparently daddy doesn't have that problem. I'm proud of mommy.  She's being super strong and doing great. I've been helping her too. When Mason is crying, I distract mommy by playing with her.

With all this training, I think Mason will become a good sleeper! He's definitely getting better at falling asleep by himself.  Today, he managed to fall asleep at his naps with a little bit of fussing.  And he slept through the night on Saturday and Sun! On Saturday he slept 7 hours. Last night, he slept 10 hours. I started sleeping through the night around the same time. I hope this isn't a fluke and is the beginning of a new trend. Go Mason! I know you can do it!