I've been hearing Malia play "marriage" games with her dolls. She's got the King and Queen standing next to each other, along side a Princess and Prince Charming, and she tells me they are getting married.
What the...??!! She's not even three yet!!
I can only assume she's getting this from preschool since the stuff she watches on TV doesn't cover marriage (Dora, The Wonder Pets, Diego). It's a little weird hearing the M-word coming from her mouth. And when you see that she kind of gets the concept (pairing the King and Queen with each other) it takes the weirdness to a new level.
Today we read The Little Mermaid (again) for naptime. It was the longer version of TLM so we ended the story with the wedding scene.
Malia: "Why is the Little Mermaid on the boat and not with her Daddy in the water?"
hmmm... I can kind of see where this line of questioning is taking me. I need to tread cautiously.
Me: "Because she turned into a human now and she needs to live on land."
Malia: "Is she marrying Prince Eric?"
Me: "Yesss.... she is."
My spidey-sense is on alert. My instincts are honed after years of fielding Kael's questions. It tells me now that something is coming up.
Malia: "Where is she going to live?"
Oh-oh. Yellow alert! Yellow alert!
Me (very slowly): "She's going to live in the castle."
Notice how I answer her question but not really answer her question?
Malia (very tenaciously): "Is she going to live with Prince Eric?"
OH! And there's the zinger.
Me: "Yes. She's marrying Prince Eric so she's going to live with him in the castle."
She's not even three. I so not want this conversation with her.
Malia (with a very perplexed look on her face): "Why isn't she living with her Daddy? Why is she living with Eric? Why can't they live with Ariel's Daddy? Ariel's Daddy looks sad."
Ugh. How do I explain marriage and moving out and starting a family to a three year old? As far as I'm concerned, she's not dating until she's in college! I kind of miss the "All boys are bad" phase.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Privates
I had a conversation with some moms awhile back and we were discussing private parts. As in what do we call them as our older kids were getting into that age where they were asking about them. It was voted that we should call them by their real names as opposed to "pee-pee" and "boobies" to give them a sense of respect as opposed to something to giggle at.
So Kael knows that he was a penis and, well, Malia knows that she has a.... I stutter to say it... a vagina. However, in her cute 2 year old fashion, she calls it her "bagina." Alternatively, I also call it "her privates" because hearing her shout "I HAVE A BAGINA!" at the top of her lungs makes me want to laugh (at home) and cringe (in public).
I also started telling Kael that his privates are private and no one should touch them. If he has to touch them, then he does it in privacy, like his room. That's why they are called "privates." While the car is considered private for nose-picking purposes, it's not privates touching private. Since Malia is always with Kael, she got the lesson too. And she takes it to heart. Whenever she's naked, she makes it a point to tell me: "Momma, that's my bagina. It's private. No one can touch it."
Good girl. For whatever reason, she loves saying that. I am waiting for her to bust that out in the bathroom at school when they do group pottytime.
Today, we were at Target. Just me, Malia and Taede. Going down the baby aisle. Passing an older man. Just as we approach him, getting in hearing range, Malia says: "Momma, I have a bagina. I love my bagina! It's private! Only I can touch my bagina! I love my bagina!"
Holy cow. You can bet the farm I picked up the pace and starting hauling that shopping down the aisle pretty fast.
So Kael knows that he was a penis and, well, Malia knows that she has a.... I stutter to say it... a vagina. However, in her cute 2 year old fashion, she calls it her "bagina." Alternatively, I also call it "her privates" because hearing her shout "I HAVE A BAGINA!" at the top of her lungs makes me want to laugh (at home) and cringe (in public).
I also started telling Kael that his privates are private and no one should touch them. If he has to touch them, then he does it in privacy, like his room. That's why they are called "privates." While the car is considered private for nose-picking purposes, it's not privates touching private. Since Malia is always with Kael, she got the lesson too. And she takes it to heart. Whenever she's naked, she makes it a point to tell me: "Momma, that's my bagina. It's private. No one can touch it."
Good girl. For whatever reason, she loves saying that. I am waiting for her to bust that out in the bathroom at school when they do group pottytime.
Today, we were at Target. Just me, Malia and Taede. Going down the baby aisle. Passing an older man. Just as we approach him, getting in hearing range, Malia says: "Momma, I have a bagina. I love my bagina! It's private! Only I can touch my bagina! I love my bagina!"
Holy cow. You can bet the farm I picked up the pace and starting hauling that shopping down the aisle pretty fast.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Class presentations
When Thien and Maureen were here visiting, I convinced them to put on a mini-presentation for Kael's class as part of April's Community Helper month.
Maureen just finished medical school so she did bit on accident safety. She brought along some tools for the kids to play with: a rubber reflex hammer, a stethoscope, the ear and eye light thing, and some other medical related stuff that I'm not going to try and remember what they are called.
She explained to the kids what a reflex was using the hammer. The example she used was when you touch something hot, you automatically pulled away. That's a reflex. Then she pulled that into accident safety by asking what other things should you do to do to keep safe?
I think that was how it went -- I was a little distracted with helping Thien prepare for his presentation.
Anyway, the kids said things like don't touch a hot pot. Don't touch fire. All good stuff. Then it started to veer a little off course: don't touch volcanoes. And my favorite: don't touch hot lava. And from there kids started yelling about how touching volcanoes would be really bad and hot lava would be the worst.
It was hilarious.
Maureen then moved onto the next tool: the ear and eye light thing. She explained how doctors used this tool to see into your head to make sure everything was working OK. And what should you do to protect your head?
The unanimous answer: Don't stick it in hot lava.
I about peed in my pants -- it was so funny. The answer Maureen was looking for was: Wear a helmet. But not sticking your head in hot lava definitely ranks up there on the safety scale.
Thien did a presentation as a biologist. He brought in a couple of bugs: the Borneo Thorny Stick Insect. The kids were allowed to hold them and he talked about what they were, where they came from, what they ate. Most of the kids were pretty daring and actually let the bugs walk on them. We left 2 bugs in the classroom as the class pets; the kids named them Thorny and Rosey.
Maureen talking about not sticking your head in hot lava.
Ethan making sure his friends haven't stuck their heads in hot lava.
Thien talking to the class about what a biologist is and does.
Miss Romo sitting next to the new class pets.
Kael helping his uncle with the bugs.
Kael was pretty quiet during the presentation. I think he was embarrassed his family was there.
Maureen just finished medical school so she did bit on accident safety. She brought along some tools for the kids to play with: a rubber reflex hammer, a stethoscope, the ear and eye light thing, and some other medical related stuff that I'm not going to try and remember what they are called.
She explained to the kids what a reflex was using the hammer. The example she used was when you touch something hot, you automatically pulled away. That's a reflex. Then she pulled that into accident safety by asking what other things should you do to do to keep safe?
I think that was how it went -- I was a little distracted with helping Thien prepare for his presentation.
Anyway, the kids said things like don't touch a hot pot. Don't touch fire. All good stuff. Then it started to veer a little off course: don't touch volcanoes. And my favorite: don't touch hot lava. And from there kids started yelling about how touching volcanoes would be really bad and hot lava would be the worst.
It was hilarious.
Maureen then moved onto the next tool: the ear and eye light thing. She explained how doctors used this tool to see into your head to make sure everything was working OK. And what should you do to protect your head?
The unanimous answer: Don't stick it in hot lava.
I about peed in my pants -- it was so funny. The answer Maureen was looking for was: Wear a helmet. But not sticking your head in hot lava definitely ranks up there on the safety scale.
Thien did a presentation as a biologist. He brought in a couple of bugs: the Borneo Thorny Stick Insect. The kids were allowed to hold them and he talked about what they were, where they came from, what they ate. Most of the kids were pretty daring and actually let the bugs walk on them. We left 2 bugs in the classroom as the class pets; the kids named them Thorny and Rosey.
Maureen talking about not sticking your head in hot lava.
Ethan making sure his friends haven't stuck their heads in hot lava.
Thien talking to the class about what a biologist is and does.
Miss Romo sitting next to the new class pets.
Kael helping his uncle with the bugs.
Kael was pretty quiet during the presentation. I think he was embarrassed his family was there.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Mr. T put to shame
We went to dinner at Ruby's Diner and Malia blinged herself out.
- - sent from iPhone
Friday, April 17, 2009
Old friends
This is the Year of the Baby. One of the highlights of our trip was visiting with old friends and their new little ones.
This is Ayumi and Jasen with their son, Jayden. He's 2 weeks old and is just beautiful. I've known Jasen for about as long as I've known Truong: since 1990 when we all met at UC Davis playing volleyball. I don't know how long I've known Ayumi but I know it's a long time too -- also at Davis but I can't seem to remember where and when I met her! Funny how I never noticed how much taller she is than me.
These girls I've known for a really really long time: we've been friends since the 7th grade! From the left -- Tram with baby Siyona (February 2009), Kathy with Kira (September 2008) and Tracy with Kaylee (February 2009).
Here's a fun fact: our babies were born in pairs within weeks of each other.
Taede - September 23
Kira - September 11
Siyona - February 7
Kaylee - February 2
Taede and Kira. I think she's the first baby his age he's ever gotten up close and personal with.
All the kids.
From the left:
Kael holding Siyona
Malia (sort of) holding Taede
Ian (7yo) holding Kira (Kathy's kids)
Kaden (5yo) holding Kaylee (Tracy's kids)
The kids had a great play date, complete with one of Kael's Bakugan's somehow ending up in the toilet and had to be fished out, and a hide and seek game where the choice hiding spot was the laundry room so that's where the boys took turns hiding. Every single time.
We plan on making future play dates for the kids and since Tracy is moving to Hawaii in June, at least one of those dates we'll have to have in Oahu.
This is Ayumi and Jasen with their son, Jayden. He's 2 weeks old and is just beautiful. I've known Jasen for about as long as I've known Truong: since 1990 when we all met at UC Davis playing volleyball. I don't know how long I've known Ayumi but I know it's a long time too -- also at Davis but I can't seem to remember where and when I met her! Funny how I never noticed how much taller she is than me.
These girls I've known for a really really long time: we've been friends since the 7th grade! From the left -- Tram with baby Siyona (February 2009), Kathy with Kira (September 2008) and Tracy with Kaylee (February 2009).
Here's a fun fact: our babies were born in pairs within weeks of each other.
Taede - September 23
Kira - September 11
Siyona - February 7
Kaylee - February 2
Taede and Kira. I think she's the first baby his age he's ever gotten up close and personal with.
All the kids.
From the left:
Kael holding Siyona
Malia (sort of) holding Taede
Ian (7yo) holding Kira (Kathy's kids)
Kaden (5yo) holding Kaylee (Tracy's kids)
The kids had a great play date, complete with one of Kael's Bakugan's somehow ending up in the toilet and had to be fished out, and a hide and seek game where the choice hiding spot was the laundry room so that's where the boys took turns hiding. Every single time.
We plan on making future play dates for the kids and since Tracy is moving to Hawaii in June, at least one of those dates we'll have to have in Oahu.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Happy Early Birthday Malia!
It's a little early, but since we're here, I decided to have a little family party for Malia since the San Jose crew hasn't been able to make it to the kids' parties in a few years.
Note to self: IF we have another child, plan the birth around a major holiday for traveling purposes.
Malia was very excited -- she probably thinks her birthday is some kind of month long celebration now -- and it was very sweet to see how happy she was to share her special day with her cousins and aunts and uncles and G'parents from the Bay Area.
Her cake. My sister got what was probably the perfect cake for Malia. Do you notice Cinderella's gown is glowing? LEDs, baby! Pretty cool, huh?
The Big Kids
Our family.
Taede in teething hell. He's very diligently chewing on a baby toothbrush, looking for some kind of relief. Poor baby.
Malia and her booty.
We have a pretty busy week: Saturday we arrived, Sunday and Monday we hung out with family, Tuesday visited college friends, Wednesday the kids and I visit 3 of my childhood friends (since the 7th grade) while Truong heads to Fresno for a meeting, Thursday we pick up Uncle Trieu in SF and head to the Academy of Sciences, Friday hang out with family then Saturday head for home. My sisters want me to stay Saturday as my cousin from Chicago is coming for a visit with his fiancee but I'm not committing myself yet. I'd like to have some time at home to get the kids rested before school on Monday so we'll see. But the lure of my Mom's cooking is pretty tempting. On the flip side, we are heading to Cancun in 4 months and after all the eating I've done so far since coming home, I'm looking pregnant when I'm definitely not.
And there are no words to express how bad that looks.
Note to self: IF we have another child, plan the birth around a major holiday for traveling purposes.
Malia was very excited -- she probably thinks her birthday is some kind of month long celebration now -- and it was very sweet to see how happy she was to share her special day with her cousins and aunts and uncles and G'parents from the Bay Area.
Her cake. My sister got what was probably the perfect cake for Malia. Do you notice Cinderella's gown is glowing? LEDs, baby! Pretty cool, huh?
The Big Kids
Our family.
Taede in teething hell. He's very diligently chewing on a baby toothbrush, looking for some kind of relief. Poor baby.
Malia and her booty.
We have a pretty busy week: Saturday we arrived, Sunday and Monday we hung out with family, Tuesday visited college friends, Wednesday the kids and I visit 3 of my childhood friends (since the 7th grade) while Truong heads to Fresno for a meeting, Thursday we pick up Uncle Trieu in SF and head to the Academy of Sciences, Friday hang out with family then Saturday head for home. My sisters want me to stay Saturday as my cousin from Chicago is coming for a visit with his fiancee but I'm not committing myself yet. I'd like to have some time at home to get the kids rested before school on Monday so we'll see. But the lure of my Mom's cooking is pretty tempting. On the flip side, we are heading to Cancun in 4 months and after all the eating I've done so far since coming home, I'm looking pregnant when I'm definitely not.
And there are no words to express how bad that looks.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Plastic Surgery
My sister wanted to try her hand at fixing Ariel so we moved operations into the her OR in the garage. Working with a pair of needle nosed pliers, she was able to reattach Ariel's head to her neck. However, with all the efforts spent on Ariel, the fit was not tight. I fear that her head will roll once again -- and this time it will be while Malia plays with her. Can you imagine the heart attack?
Ariel's shoulders were starting to split so I have to hunt around my parents' house for super glue to hold it together. In the meantime, Ariel is recovering in her post-op room: my purse.
Ariel's shoulders were starting to split so I have to hunt around my parents' house for super glue to hold it together. In the meantime, Ariel is recovering in her post-op room: my purse.
When Daddy plays princess
Fortunately Malia did not see the gruesome act. Unfortunately reconstructive surgery was unsuccessful and there will be a private burial later (private as in just Mom attending). I emailed the photos to Jackie (my niece) and she's going to find a replacement Ariel to do a switch before Malia starts wondering where's Ariel.
On a side note, I'm a little worried that Jackie really likes the picture and I wouldn't be surprised if this showed up on her Facebook page.
- - sent by iPhone
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Is it plaque?
As if waking up at 5:30am because Taede decided he was done with sleeping wasn't enough, Kael walks into my bedroom with a concerned look on his face and his fingers in his mouth. I immediately bark out: "Get your fingers out of your mouth!"
It is my biggest pet peeve when the kids stick their fingers in their mouth. Kael has done it on and off for years. It's an ugly cycle: he does it constantly for months then he stops for a long while, and then one day he's knuckle deep again. Malia has started doing it a few weeks ago and it drives me crazy. She has not been given hot sauce yet but the day is coming and it's coming soon.
Anyway, he yanks his fingers out of his mouth and tells me that his teeth hurt. Good god, what now?! First the brown spot of blood, now his teeth hurt??
I peer in there and see... nothing. I ask him where does it hurt.
"Right here! Is it plaque?! Do I have a cavity??"
I still don't see a thing. But on a hunch, I grab the tooth and wiggle it. Sure enough, there's some movement. The rite of passage that creeps me out the most is happening to my boy! I'm torn between being so proud that he's growing up, sad that he is growing up, and filled immense trepidation of the coming months where I'm envisioning teeth flapping and falling out and blood gushing everywhere.
Ugh. I'm already getting the heebie-jeebies. Not to mention traumatic childhood flashbacks of dental floss and door knobs.
It is my biggest pet peeve when the kids stick their fingers in their mouth. Kael has done it on and off for years. It's an ugly cycle: he does it constantly for months then he stops for a long while, and then one day he's knuckle deep again. Malia has started doing it a few weeks ago and it drives me crazy. She has not been given hot sauce yet but the day is coming and it's coming soon.
Anyway, he yanks his fingers out of his mouth and tells me that his teeth hurt. Good god, what now?! First the brown spot of blood, now his teeth hurt??
I peer in there and see... nothing. I ask him where does it hurt.
"Right here! Is it plaque?! Do I have a cavity??"
I still don't see a thing. But on a hunch, I grab the tooth and wiggle it. Sure enough, there's some movement. The rite of passage that creeps me out the most is happening to my boy! I'm torn between being so proud that he's growing up, sad that he is growing up, and filled immense trepidation of the coming months where I'm envisioning teeth flapping and falling out and blood gushing everywhere.
Ugh. I'm already getting the heebie-jeebies. Not to mention traumatic childhood flashbacks of dental floss and door knobs.
A life sized dress up doll
Malia and Kael got to spend some quality time with Cousin Ronan (age 20 months) the last couple of days. Thai and Son left Monday night so Ronan got the kids' undivided attention. It was great. Ronan's of an age now where he can talk and follow along and interact in play. Malia's loving it. It's like they just discovered each other. Malia finally has someone she can play with. Usually she's playing on her own as Kael and Thai or Kael and the neighbor boys play Space Rangers or Stars Wars. It's a little sad. No one wants to play Princess with her.
Until Ronan.
I'm quite certain he doesn't know how to play Princess but he doesn't care. He just loves being with Malia and having tea parties. She loves having someone to dress up with her:
Crown: Check!
Princess Headband: Check!
Fancy Bling Necklace: Check!
Princess Shoes: Check!
A better view of the whole get-up. I'm surprised she didn't have them wear the gowns too.
(I love Ronan's fake smile.)
Until Ronan.
I'm quite certain he doesn't know how to play Princess but he doesn't care. He just loves being with Malia and having tea parties. She loves having someone to dress up with her:
Crown: Check!
Princess Headband: Check!
Fancy Bling Necklace: Check!
Princess Shoes: Check!
A better view of the whole get-up. I'm surprised she didn't have them wear the gowns too.
(I love Ronan's fake smile.)
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
The Brown Spot
Truong left early this morning to catch a flight to Walnut Creek. Taede by some miracle was still asleep at 6:45am, and the big kids were still quiet in their room. It was my lucky morning. I heard the big kids open their bedroom door and braced myself for giggles and warm bodies climbing into bed with me.
Instead, I see only Kael as he stuck his head in my door with a very concerned look on his face.
Kael: Mom! I didn't pee out and I didn't poop in bed! But there's a brown spot in my bed and Malia stuck her finger in it and her finger didn't get brown! What is it???
I'm still in a sleep stupor. I'm hearing the words but not comprehending it. I'm not fully firing all my pistons.
As I look at his face, I review what he just said.
1) I didn't pee out.
OK. That's good.
2) I didn't poop in bed.
Even better. Thank god for that.
3) But there's a brown spot in my bed.
What the...? Brown spot?! What brown spot? A brown spot can only mean one thing! Are you sure you didn't poop in bed? In your sleep? And not know it?! Oh man!! Why does this kind of thing always happen when Truong's not around??!!
4) Malia stuck her finger in it.
WTH!!! What do you mean she stuck her finger in it?? She stuck her finger in unidentified brown stuff?? You don't stick your finger in things you don't know!! Where's that finger now? In her nose? In her eye? Did she wipe it on her bed?? CRAP!!
5) Her finger didn't get brown.
I don't know what to think about this comment. I'm still stuck on Malia sticking her finger in what could very well be poop.
So I leap out of bed and march down the hall to their bedroom, mentally bracing myself for whatever it is I will encounter in his room. His bedsheets are thrown off his bed and Malia is peering intently at... well, a dark brown splotch on his bed, near his pillow.
My first thought: Man, he must have been sleeping in a really weird angle if this is what I fear it to be.
My second thought: Oh good, it's not a bedbug. (I've got to stop watching Animal Planet.)
Upon closer inspection, it turns out the brown spot is... blood. I looked at Kael's face and it turns out his lips are super dry and cracked from breathing through his mouth. So cracked that they bled a quarter sized spot of blood. I could still see dried blood on his lips.
I breathe a sigh of relief.
Then I think: Is it wrong of me to be relieved that my child bled at night?
Instead, I see only Kael as he stuck his head in my door with a very concerned look on his face.
Kael: Mom! I didn't pee out and I didn't poop in bed! But there's a brown spot in my bed and Malia stuck her finger in it and her finger didn't get brown! What is it???
I'm still in a sleep stupor. I'm hearing the words but not comprehending it. I'm not fully firing all my pistons.
As I look at his face, I review what he just said.
1) I didn't pee out.
OK. That's good.
2) I didn't poop in bed.
Even better. Thank god for that.
3) But there's a brown spot in my bed.
What the...? Brown spot?! What brown spot? A brown spot can only mean one thing! Are you sure you didn't poop in bed? In your sleep? And not know it?! Oh man!! Why does this kind of thing always happen when Truong's not around??!!
4) Malia stuck her finger in it.
WTH!!! What do you mean she stuck her finger in it?? She stuck her finger in unidentified brown stuff?? You don't stick your finger in things you don't know!! Where's that finger now? In her nose? In her eye? Did she wipe it on her bed?? CRAP!!
5) Her finger didn't get brown.
I don't know what to think about this comment. I'm still stuck on Malia sticking her finger in what could very well be poop.
So I leap out of bed and march down the hall to their bedroom, mentally bracing myself for whatever it is I will encounter in his room. His bedsheets are thrown off his bed and Malia is peering intently at... well, a dark brown splotch on his bed, near his pillow.
My first thought: Man, he must have been sleeping in a really weird angle if this is what I fear it to be.
My second thought: Oh good, it's not a bedbug. (I've got to stop watching Animal Planet.)
Upon closer inspection, it turns out the brown spot is... blood. I looked at Kael's face and it turns out his lips are super dry and cracked from breathing through his mouth. So cracked that they bled a quarter sized spot of blood. I could still see dried blood on his lips.
I breathe a sigh of relief.
Then I think: Is it wrong of me to be relieved that my child bled at night?
Monday, April 6, 2009
The New Family Members
We have some new members of Kael's menagerie to introduce. They came today in the mail from Uncle Thien (Kael's source for all things creepy crawly). While I knew what was in the box, I did not know how they were in the box so I left it sitting on the table for someone else to open. I learned my lesson the last time I opened a box sent from Thien. I know nothing of these guys except that they are fast and lay lots of eggs.
Great. The two things I look for in a bug.
For Kael's birthday, Thien sent him 50 Australian Leaf Insect eggs. I know what you're thinking: "FIFTY EGGS?? Did you kill him, Sonya?!" No, I did not. Unfortunately, the eggs did not hatch because I didn't have the correct environment for them. (And no, I did not do that on purpose!)
So, as a consolation prize, Thien sent Kael some Borneo Thorny Stick Insects. All I know about them is that (1) they are ugly; (2) they are fast (for a stick insect); and (3) they are the never-ending bug because they lay a lot of eggs.
Look at Kael's face. He's beyond thrilled.
Uncle Thien and Kael. The buggars are pretty fast for a stick bug.
Close-up. This is the smaller one. (!!!)
-----------------------------------
The following pictures are actual REAL pictures! I did not Photoshop anything in.
Malia allowing a bug to crawl on her. She at first didn't want to do it, but after seeing how thrilled Kael was, she of course had to get in on that too.
This is the bigger one of the four bugs.
Thien was trying to get me to hold one for Malia's sake but I just couldn't. Despite my squeamishness, Malia seemed perfectly fine.
I was shocked. We all were. After mulling it over, I think she's OK with these bugs because they are like zoo animals. She sees them as tame. As opposed to the "free and wild" bugs buzzing around, waiting to eat her.
That's the best answer I can think of to explain why she would fall into hysterics over a tiny gnat and yet calmly allow this huge ugly bug to walk up her arm almost to her face.
Great. The two things I look for in a bug.
For Kael's birthday, Thien sent him 50 Australian Leaf Insect eggs. I know what you're thinking: "FIFTY EGGS?? Did you kill him, Sonya?!" No, I did not. Unfortunately, the eggs did not hatch because I didn't have the correct environment for them. (And no, I did not do that on purpose!)
So, as a consolation prize, Thien sent Kael some Borneo Thorny Stick Insects. All I know about them is that (1) they are ugly; (2) they are fast (for a stick insect); and (3) they are the never-ending bug because they lay a lot of eggs.
Look at Kael's face. He's beyond thrilled.
Uncle Thien and Kael. The buggars are pretty fast for a stick bug.
Close-up. This is the smaller one. (!!!)
-----------------------------------
The following pictures are actual REAL pictures! I did not Photoshop anything in.
Malia allowing a bug to crawl on her. She at first didn't want to do it, but after seeing how thrilled Kael was, she of course had to get in on that too.
This is the bigger one of the four bugs.
Thien was trying to get me to hold one for Malia's sake but I just couldn't. Despite my squeamishness, Malia seemed perfectly fine.
I was shocked. We all were. After mulling it over, I think she's OK with these bugs because they are like zoo animals. She sees them as tame. As opposed to the "free and wild" bugs buzzing around, waiting to eat her.
That's the best answer I can think of to explain why she would fall into hysterics over a tiny gnat and yet calmly allow this huge ugly bug to walk up her arm almost to her face.
The Water Fight
The Mai Bed and Breakfast was open once again for family visiting from up north. The kids' cousins, Thai, Son and Ronan along with their respective parents, came for a long weekend visit. As usual, the kids all had a great time and parting was very hard.
One of the highlights of the weekend visit was a water fight that our neighbor Charlie and his boys instigated. Of course the Mai males had to retaliate and everyone ended up getting completely soaked. Somewhere at halftime the teams switched and it ended up with the kids against the adults. Here are some pictures I managed to take:
Thai tagging his Dad, Robert: The Big Great White of the North. I sincerely hope the 2 days of OC Sunshine at least gave Robert some kind of a tint.
Kael chasing Truong.
Water streams everywhere. No one was spared. Except for me and that was because I threatened them with a fate worse than a cold water blast to the face if I got wet.
Charlie and Dad pulling a scene out of Rambo: The Suburbia Years
Taede, making his own waterworks.
Malia snuggling with Uncle Robert.
One of the highlights of the weekend visit was a water fight that our neighbor Charlie and his boys instigated. Of course the Mai males had to retaliate and everyone ended up getting completely soaked. Somewhere at halftime the teams switched and it ended up with the kids against the adults. Here are some pictures I managed to take:
Thai tagging his Dad, Robert: The Big Great White of the North. I sincerely hope the 2 days of OC Sunshine at least gave Robert some kind of a tint.
Kael chasing Truong.
Water streams everywhere. No one was spared. Except for me and that was because I threatened them with a fate worse than a cold water blast to the face if I got wet.
Charlie and Dad pulling a scene out of Rambo: The Suburbia Years
Taede, making his own waterworks.
Malia snuggling with Uncle Robert.
Friday, April 3, 2009
I am a bad, bad mommy.
Malia has got to get over her bug issues.
Seriously. She will be living with Kael for at least another 13 years. That's 13 long years with Bug Boy. It might as well be a sentence at Gitmo complete with torture if she can't conquer her fears.
We were driving home from swim lessons Wednesday evening when once again the peaceful car ride was pierced by an ear-splitting scream. It was so piercing, so high pitched that I thought it came from outside, despite the rolled up windows. It took a few seconds for me to realize the noise came from Malia. I looked back and sure enough, she was frozen with a terrified look on her face. This time she was able to articulate what was wrong. Or perhaps I was able to infer the meaning of her panicked shrieks since it was a familiar look of terror on her face that I'm now able to recognize.
"THERE'SABUGINTHECAR! THERE'SABUGINTHECAR!"
I looked at the window, expecting to see an Africanized killer bee. Or maybe a huge fat wasp. Hell, it wouldn't have surprised me to see a South American tarantula. She was carrying on like there was imminent death. But I don't see a thing. Granted, my windows were dirty with water spots from the sprinkler so it was hard to see anything. (Ironically Kael the other day told me to get a car wash while he was in school because he thought the car was dirty.)
Anyway, I try to look but I'm driving. I can't pull over because the road we're on is under construction. So I did what all parents do when their kids put them between a rock and a hard place: I lied.
"The bug is outside Malia! It's outside! It can't get you."
This seems to calm her down. The terrified look on her face is still there but it's turned down a few notches. The screeching is reduced to rapid heaving. I keep driving, a little faster, hoping what I told her is true and the speed will blow the damn thing away.
She screams again. This time even louder and more terrified. Apparently my attempts to blow the bug away didn't succeed. Great. So now she probably thinks it's a Super Bug, capable of drilling through windows.
I tell her again: "The bug is outside Malia! It's outside! It can't get you. I promise. I promise! It's outside!"
She calms again. But the bug must be on the inside because a minute later, she screams again. I'm guessing the bug rests in between walking on the window. That would account for Malia's cyclical panic attacks.
By now we're nearing the house. As bad as I feel for Malia, I figure the easiest thing to do would be to get home, pronto. As I speed home, listening to my daughter's screams, I think of you, my blog readers. How this would be another great blog post, but no one will ever believe me. No one will believe how truly terrified Malia is of bugs now. Ever since that damn Beetle Shirt incident.
As I pull into the garage, it hits me: my bad, bad Mommy moment. I stop in the middle of the driveway... and whip out my phone to document the terror. I don't pull into the garage because I'm afraid there's not enough light. So we're half in the garage, half out, with the tail end of the Expedition hanging out on the driveway. And I get my shots:
Kael's head gets in my way because he's way more interested in finding the bug than calming his sister down. I'm telling you: Gitmo for 13 years.
Malia in her terrified glory.
My poor, poor baby.
I never told you what the bug was, did I? I couldn't see it from inside the car so I had to run over to her side to rescue her. It was a teeny tiny gnat. About the size of the head of a pin. Seriously. I'm amazed she even saw the little thing. Now whenever we get into the car, the first thing she asks is if I've gotten rid of the bug.
Every. Single. Time.
Seriously. She will be living with Kael for at least another 13 years. That's 13 long years with Bug Boy. It might as well be a sentence at Gitmo complete with torture if she can't conquer her fears.
We were driving home from swim lessons Wednesday evening when once again the peaceful car ride was pierced by an ear-splitting scream. It was so piercing, so high pitched that I thought it came from outside, despite the rolled up windows. It took a few seconds for me to realize the noise came from Malia. I looked back and sure enough, she was frozen with a terrified look on her face. This time she was able to articulate what was wrong. Or perhaps I was able to infer the meaning of her panicked shrieks since it was a familiar look of terror on her face that I'm now able to recognize.
"THERE'SABUGINTHECAR! THERE'SABUGINTHECAR!"
I looked at the window, expecting to see an Africanized killer bee. Or maybe a huge fat wasp. Hell, it wouldn't have surprised me to see a South American tarantula. She was carrying on like there was imminent death. But I don't see a thing. Granted, my windows were dirty with water spots from the sprinkler so it was hard to see anything. (Ironically Kael the other day told me to get a car wash while he was in school because he thought the car was dirty.)
Anyway, I try to look but I'm driving. I can't pull over because the road we're on is under construction. So I did what all parents do when their kids put them between a rock and a hard place: I lied.
"The bug is outside Malia! It's outside! It can't get you."
This seems to calm her down. The terrified look on her face is still there but it's turned down a few notches. The screeching is reduced to rapid heaving. I keep driving, a little faster, hoping what I told her is true and the speed will blow the damn thing away.
She screams again. This time even louder and more terrified. Apparently my attempts to blow the bug away didn't succeed. Great. So now she probably thinks it's a Super Bug, capable of drilling through windows.
I tell her again: "The bug is outside Malia! It's outside! It can't get you. I promise. I promise! It's outside!"
She calms again. But the bug must be on the inside because a minute later, she screams again. I'm guessing the bug rests in between walking on the window. That would account for Malia's cyclical panic attacks.
By now we're nearing the house. As bad as I feel for Malia, I figure the easiest thing to do would be to get home, pronto. As I speed home, listening to my daughter's screams, I think of you, my blog readers. How this would be another great blog post, but no one will ever believe me. No one will believe how truly terrified Malia is of bugs now. Ever since that damn Beetle Shirt incident.
As I pull into the garage, it hits me: my bad, bad Mommy moment. I stop in the middle of the driveway... and whip out my phone to document the terror. I don't pull into the garage because I'm afraid there's not enough light. So we're half in the garage, half out, with the tail end of the Expedition hanging out on the driveway. And I get my shots:
Kael's head gets in my way because he's way more interested in finding the bug than calming his sister down. I'm telling you: Gitmo for 13 years.
Malia in her terrified glory.
My poor, poor baby.
I never told you what the bug was, did I? I couldn't see it from inside the car so I had to run over to her side to rescue her. It was a teeny tiny gnat. About the size of the head of a pin. Seriously. I'm amazed she even saw the little thing. Now whenever we get into the car, the first thing she asks is if I've gotten rid of the bug.
Every. Single. Time.
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