Hiking
Today my Daddy tok me on my first official hike. We went to the Las Trampas open space, which is not too far from our house, and walked for about an hour and a half along the banks of a dry creekbed. While Daddy worried that I would want to wander randomly all over the place, I was quite content to hold his hand and stride purposefully along the trail. Of course, we did have to stop from time to time to enjoy the exciting things along the trail. For instance, the trail is covered with many small rocks. Sometimes you just have to stop and examine these more carefully and then "clear" the trail a little bit by throuwing the rocks down into the ravine.
We also saw lots of animals too. We met up with a dog and a cat, both of whom were kind enough to let me pet them. We saw many squirrels, who did not get close enough to pet. We saw a number of small birds as well as an eagle which swooped low over our heads.
We met a few other hikers along the trail. I commented to Daddy that each of them was wearing shoes. He agreed that they were indeed wearing shoes. A couple of them seemed quite impressed at my hiking exploits. Of course, little did they know that I've been "training" for the last 1.5 months or so in the park across the street from my house. Daddy has been walking me further and further each time to prepare me for my first hike.
It was great. I want to go again...Now!
Saturday, July 26, 2003
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
Deconstructionism
I have my own style when it comes to reading books. While I really like books, the usual linear way that Mommy and Daddy want to look at them just doesn't suit my tastes. They like to start at the beginning of a book and read all the words until they come to the end. This doesn't suit me at all. I prefer a more nonlinear approach. I like to open a book to a random page, then point at all the objects on the page and ask Mommy or Daddy (or even better one of my stuffed animals) to name the object I'm pointing at. Sometimes I point at pictures, sometimes at letters in words. (I especially like "s," "e" and "o".) After completing this process, and it can take a while for each page since I like to return to some of the objects to make sure that they're still called the same thing when I point to them a second or third time, I turn to the "next" page, which may be anywhere else in the book.
Often, only one page is suffficient to get all the goodness out of a book. I close the book up after looking at this critical page. Finally, sometimes merely hearing the namesof the objects I point at in the book is not enough. In that case, I run off to get a physical version of the object (like a ball or a block) or else a physical object that reminds me of what I'm pointing at. This makes reading a much more physical and multimedia activity than the way Mommy and Daddy do it.
I think of their way of reading as being like playing classical music. My way is more like jazz.
I have my own style when it comes to reading books. While I really like books, the usual linear way that Mommy and Daddy want to look at them just doesn't suit my tastes. They like to start at the beginning of a book and read all the words until they come to the end. This doesn't suit me at all. I prefer a more nonlinear approach. I like to open a book to a random page, then point at all the objects on the page and ask Mommy or Daddy (or even better one of my stuffed animals) to name the object I'm pointing at. Sometimes I point at pictures, sometimes at letters in words. (I especially like "s," "e" and "o".) After completing this process, and it can take a while for each page since I like to return to some of the objects to make sure that they're still called the same thing when I point to them a second or third time, I turn to the "next" page, which may be anywhere else in the book.
Often, only one page is suffficient to get all the goodness out of a book. I close the book up after looking at this critical page. Finally, sometimes merely hearing the namesof the objects I point at in the book is not enough. In that case, I run off to get a physical version of the object (like a ball or a block) or else a physical object that reminds me of what I'm pointing at. This makes reading a much more physical and multimedia activity than the way Mommy and Daddy do it.
I think of their way of reading as being like playing classical music. My way is more like jazz.
Tuesday, July 22, 2003
Sentences
I have a great many words at this point, I like to say all sorts of different words when I see the object they're associated with. Still, even this exercise loses its appeal after a while, so I decided to try something new. It turns out that if you string some words together you can make something called a sentence (or at least a phrase). Up until now, I've only made one phrase "Hi Addy". Yesterday, I made another one, "Mah Bahh" which translates to "My Ball". I helped Mommy and Daddy with the translation by holding up my soft little soccer ball so that they would know that this is the "mah bahh" to which my phrase refers.
I have a great many words at this point, I like to say all sorts of different words when I see the object they're associated with. Still, even this exercise loses its appeal after a while, so I decided to try something new. It turns out that if you string some words together you can make something called a sentence (or at least a phrase). Up until now, I've only made one phrase "Hi Addy". Yesterday, I made another one, "Mah Bahh" which translates to "My Ball". I helped Mommy and Daddy with the translation by holding up my soft little soccer ball so that they would know that this is the "mah bahh" to which my phrase refers.
Monday, July 21, 2003
It's a long drive...
Yesterday I got to go to my first major league baseball game. I saw the Giants play the Rockies at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco. I'm a really cheap date for baseball games---free---since I'm under age 2. We had great seats, only nine rows back for the action on the thrid base line. There were lots of highlights at the game. For me, the best part was the big clock in center field. Here's a not so good picture Daddy found on the web. Often, I enjoyed pointing and calling everyone's attention to the glory of the big clock. Tick tock tick tock. One of the other exciting features of the park is the sheer number of people wearing hats. I liked to turn to the rows above us and point out all the people wearing hats. One person in the row behind realized I was pointing at his hat and would put his hands on his hat to signify that he too realized he was wearing a hat. I'd put my hands on my hat and we took turns for a while. Some other exciting things that I got to see include a huge Coke bottle and baseball mitt. While not as cool as the clock and many hats, they are fun too.
We saw an exciting slugfest. The first homer I've ever seen in my life came off the bat of Todd Helton. Daddy says he is a "sweet swinging lefty" and encouraged me to watch his swing closely. Helton hit a towering fly to right, but didn't quite hit it far enough to go into the water. Later in the game, a substitute catcher, Alberto Castillo, hit a grand slam home run. Daddy said I was lucky to see such an event although I didn't feel all that lucky. While I like clapping to the music and the general roar of the crowd, I get scared when things get too loud, as they did when he hit the grand slam.
Still, it was a great time. I got to eat lots of veggie booty and also got to drink some fresh from the ballpark lemonade. Mommy actually got the lemonade for herself, but I ended up having most of it. Mommy and Daddy went with our friends Matt Goff and Patty Chang. I liked feeding Patty veggie booty since she always seemed hungry to me.
BTW, the Giants won!
Yesterday I got to go to my first major league baseball game. I saw the Giants play the Rockies at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco. I'm a really cheap date for baseball games---free---since I'm under age 2. We had great seats, only nine rows back for the action on the thrid base line. There were lots of highlights at the game. For me, the best part was the big clock in center field. Here's a not so good picture Daddy found on the web. Often, I enjoyed pointing and calling everyone's attention to the glory of the big clock. Tick tock tick tock. One of the other exciting features of the park is the sheer number of people wearing hats. I liked to turn to the rows above us and point out all the people wearing hats. One person in the row behind realized I was pointing at his hat and would put his hands on his hat to signify that he too realized he was wearing a hat. I'd put my hands on my hat and we took turns for a while. Some other exciting things that I got to see include a huge Coke bottle and baseball mitt. While not as cool as the clock and many hats, they are fun too.
We saw an exciting slugfest. The first homer I've ever seen in my life came off the bat of Todd Helton. Daddy says he is a "sweet swinging lefty" and encouraged me to watch his swing closely. Helton hit a towering fly to right, but didn't quite hit it far enough to go into the water. Later in the game, a substitute catcher, Alberto Castillo, hit a grand slam home run. Daddy said I was lucky to see such an event although I didn't feel all that lucky. While I like clapping to the music and the general roar of the crowd, I get scared when things get too loud, as they did when he hit the grand slam.
Still, it was a great time. I got to eat lots of veggie booty and also got to drink some fresh from the ballpark lemonade. Mommy actually got the lemonade for herself, but I ended up having most of it. Mommy and Daddy went with our friends Matt Goff and Patty Chang. I liked feeding Patty veggie booty since she always seemed hungry to me.
BTW, the Giants won!
Friday, July 18, 2003
Getting Wet
Yesterday, I went to a group playdate at Logan's house. I hadn't seen Logan in many months, so we both looked very different to each other. Logan has an inground pool and a black labrador retriever. Woof! It was about 100 degrees here yesterday, so I enjoyed going in the pool with the other toddlers and their mommies. I didn't like Logan's splashing, however, so I tried to keep my distance from her in the water. All of us had water and fruit popcicles when we came out of the pool. This is the first time I had a popcicle all to myself (strawberry), and it was icy and delicious. Logan was very interested in sharing her popcicle. I tasted hers and she tasted mine. She also painted my hat with her popcicle.
After we came home, mommy and I went out to our yard and I played in my wading pool and then we played with the hose. Ever since I first saw the hose used to fill my pool, I've found it fascinating, but we've never played in the spray of the hose before. It was really fun! I enjoyed coming up close to the hose to touch the water and then running away giggling while Mommy sprayed my feet and naked derriere.
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
Yess!
One of my favoriate toys is my basketball net. Today I decided to do some slam dunks (my favoriate shot). Daddy would encourage me to "put it down" and "drive the lane". Whenever I would make a basket, Daddy would cheer and say, "Yesss!" in his best Marv Albert voice. I liked this so much, I said back to him, "Essss". We traded "esses" for the rest of the morning. While most 18 month olds learn to say "no" first, for me it's a Marv Albertesque "Yesss!"
One of my favoriate toys is my basketball net. Today I decided to do some slam dunks (my favoriate shot). Daddy would encourage me to "put it down" and "drive the lane". Whenever I would make a basket, Daddy would cheer and say, "Yesss!" in his best Marv Albert voice. I liked this so much, I said back to him, "Essss". We traded "esses" for the rest of the morning. While most 18 month olds learn to say "no" first, for me it's a Marv Albertesque "Yesss!"
Culture
One of my favorite foods these days is yogurt. I'm a bit particular about yogurts and really like Danimals yogurt. I don't much like its leading rival, Yo'Baby. The best way to eat yogurt is to feed it to myself using a spoon. This is both delicious ad lots of fun, but is also messy. As a result, Daddy and Mommy have evolved a ritual yogurt eating routine. I get to sit out on the patio in the bright sunshine. Then I strip down to a diaper (or sometmes to notthing), then I get to eat yogurt to my heart's content. At the end of all of this, I towel off or splash in the pool, or get lightly sprayed by the hose and I'm good as new.
One of my favorite foods these days is yogurt. I'm a bit particular about yogurts and really like Danimals yogurt. I don't much like its leading rival, Yo'Baby. The best way to eat yogurt is to feed it to myself using a spoon. This is both delicious ad lots of fun, but is also messy. As a result, Daddy and Mommy have evolved a ritual yogurt eating routine. I get to sit out on the patio in the bright sunshine. Then I strip down to a diaper (or sometmes to notthing), then I get to eat yogurt to my heart's content. At the end of all of this, I towel off or splash in the pool, or get lightly sprayed by the hose and I'm good as new.
Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Oakland Zoo
Over the weekend, I got to visit my first zoo, the Oakland Zoo. We got to see all sorts of animals. I recognized many of them by their stuffed animal counterparts. However, these real animals were different in that they could move all by themselves. I had a great time and got to see my all-time favorite, the "raffes". Mommy and Daddy took some pictures on the trip. I've posted them here.
Over the weekend, I got to visit my first zoo, the Oakland Zoo. We got to see all sorts of animals. I recognized many of them by their stuffed animal counterparts. However, these real animals were different in that they could move all by themselves. I had a great time and got to see my all-time favorite, the "raffes". Mommy and Daddy took some pictures on the trip. I've posted them here.
Friday, July 11, 2003
Big Pool
On Thursday, I had a playdate with my friend, Sam. Mommy and I went to Sam's house in Danville and then we went to the pool in Sam's development. They had both a 1 1/2 foot wading pool as well as a big pool. I went in both with Mommy along with some trusty floating sand molds. I like putting things in and out of water. After swimming, we had lunch and played at Sam's house. Sam has a nice golden retriever named Bailey. Bailey and I were very interested in each other. Woof! Woof! I didn't want to leave Sam's house since it had a friend, a dog, and some new toys, but I fell asleep as soon as the car started moving on the way home.
Football Guy
Mommy has started going to physical therapy to work on strengthening her ankles and toes, and today she was doing her therapy along with pro-linebacker Greg Biekert, formerly of the Oakland Raiders and currently of the Minnesota Vikings. He seemed like a nice guy, but Mommy didn't think it would be polite to try to get me an autograph while he was doing therapy.
Thursday, July 10, 2003
Doctor Visit
Yesterday, I had another unpleasant visit to the doctor. I had to wait a really long time (I don't like waiting) and then at the end of this, the reward I got was some unpleasant shots that left me limping for a time. I did, however, learn that I'm fast catching up to other children the same age as me. I'm now in the 45th percentile in height, the 40th percentile in weight, and, of course, the 90th percentile in head size. I think this last statistic might be from all the compliments I receive.
Mommy also talked to the doctor about various things she worries about. (Mommy's job is to worry about me.) She was concerned with my vegetarian ways (after all, I was born and raised in California); however the doctor allayed her fears and said that by growing I was demonstrating my ability to gobble up those proteins. She also ominously talked about my nighttime routine. You see, usually, I go to bed with a bottle of nice, warm milk and a song. Apparently, the bottle is supposed to be out of the mix before too long. That will be a sad day.
Yesterday, I had another unpleasant visit to the doctor. I had to wait a really long time (I don't like waiting) and then at the end of this, the reward I got was some unpleasant shots that left me limping for a time. I did, however, learn that I'm fast catching up to other children the same age as me. I'm now in the 45th percentile in height, the 40th percentile in weight, and, of course, the 90th percentile in head size. I think this last statistic might be from all the compliments I receive.
Mommy also talked to the doctor about various things she worries about. (Mommy's job is to worry about me.) She was concerned with my vegetarian ways (after all, I was born and raised in California); however the doctor allayed her fears and said that by growing I was demonstrating my ability to gobble up those proteins. She also ominously talked about my nighttime routine. You see, usually, I go to bed with a bottle of nice, warm milk and a song. Apparently, the bottle is supposed to be out of the mix before too long. That will be a sad day.
Saturday, July 05, 2003
Fourth of July
Yesterday was the 4th of July, and I got to go to a neat parade in Danville, CA-- about 2 towns down from Walnut Creek. The Danville 4th of July parade is a big deal around here and is about 2 hours long. It seems that the tradition in Danville is for people to leave folding chairs (often a large group of chairs surrounded by string or rope) out in advance to reserve spots along the parade route. Last year, chairs were out 3 days ahead of the parade, which was a bit much according to safety-conscious people, so this year they made a new rule that chairs could not be left out until the night before the parade and hauled away any chairs left out before then. This has been a big local news story since many people got angry. Since I have a lovely rolling chair in the form of my stroller, I did not have to fight for a seat at the parade. Mommy, Daddy and I were able to find a place to perch between 2 big groups of chairs and we could see everything just fine.
Most people at the parade were wearing red, white, and blue clothes, and I was no exception. I wore my red, white and blue gingham sunsuit and hat. While I did not like some of the loud noises at the parade, I did like some of the goodies I received from parade marchers- bottled water, a sports bottle, a police sticker and tatoos, a little flag, and my favorites, 2 balloons and a mini-soccer ball. I also enjoyed seeing the animals in the parade (horses, dogs, a goat, and a duck), looking at the floats (one from NBC had a small version of a helicopter on it!), and the silly marchers-- especially the lawn mower and shopping cart brigades. I also clapped and waved for the Pearl Harbor survivors, who waved back. The parade was long and I was very tired since it ran up to my naptime, so we left a little early. I fell asleep on the way home, but I woke up getting out of the car and was too excited to fall back asleep. I went in my wading pool in the late afternoon, and then went to bed an hour early and slept through the night. Mommy and Daddy tell me that they cooked out after I went to sleep and then watched fireworks on TV. Real fireworks are too loud for me.
You can see photos of me on the 4th of July here. Auntie Max should note that in one photo Daddy is wearing the Hawaiian shirt she gave him about 10 years ago (the Christmas that she gave Aloha shirts all around).
New second cousin
Mommy's cousin became a daddy the other day, so I have a new cousin. She is a baby girl named Chloe, and she lives in Philadelphia with her parents, Eugene and Amy. I like her name since I already have a friend named Chloe!
Thursday, July 03, 2003
Hide and Seek
I've alwaysloved playing hide and seek. Since I was old enough to crawl Daddy has been hiding behind tables, around corners, and crouched beneath my big toy pony. But with my increasing confidence in my mobility, hide and seek has changed in its speed and intensity. As Emeril would say, "Bang! We turned it up a notch." When we play hide and see now, Daddy runs at top speed and hides behind one of the corners in our house. I pursue at top speed. When I get close, he retreats to the next corner, and on and on. The thing is---I'm very quick. I'll soon catch him before he has time to retreat to the next spot. Just you wait and see.
I've alwaysloved playing hide and seek. Since I was old enough to crawl Daddy has been hiding behind tables, around corners, and crouched beneath my big toy pony. But with my increasing confidence in my mobility, hide and seek has changed in its speed and intensity. As Emeril would say, "Bang! We turned it up a notch." When we play hide and see now, Daddy runs at top speed and hides behind one of the corners in our house. I pursue at top speed. When I get close, he retreats to the next corner, and on and on. The thing is---I'm very quick. I'll soon catch him before he has time to retreat to the next spot. Just you wait and see.
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