Happy Birthday Grandpa Jack!

What a fun week we had! Grandpa Jack and Grandma Anne (or as I collectively referred to them "Grandma Jack") visited over the last few days and I really loved hanging out with them. We had to rent a mini-van to fit all of us into one car and I really thought that was so much fun!

Best of all, it was a momentous occasion as we were able to ring in Grandpa Jack's 80th birthday. One night we went to Hana Japan and had a big dinner. The "man" who was cooking our dinner made fried eyeballs (eggs to go in our fried rice) and he created lots of fiery creations on the big stove. He flipped a shrimp into my dad's mouth (dad wasn't able to catch it) and then I decided to tip my head back to see if the man would also flip a shrimp to me. Although he seemed ready to do it, he decided to just serve my shrimp on a plate as to avoid any resulting heart attack by my mother. After dinner was over, they brought out a big candle and we sang happy birthday and ate some delicious pineapple. Daddy fed chicken dipped in ginger sauce to me on chopsticks and I loved eating that way.

Tuesday evening, mom baked a birthday cake for Grandpa Jack and it was very "yummy". Mom bought 8 candles (one for each decade) and a special "80" candle to go on the cake. We had lots of fun and lots of cake.

Happy Birthday Grandpa, I love you. (And I love you too, Grandma Anne!) I miss you already.

Brotherly Love

I have recently decided that I REALLY, REALLY LOVE my little brother. I like to help Mom to take care of him whenever possible (translation - when there is not something else more interesting to do) and I am apparently really good at it as I get lots of praise for being helpful and sweet. Here are a few examples of how much I have grown to love the little guy:

Just last night, baby J was sitting in his chair and he was starting to cry as he was hungry. Mom was preparing his bottle, so I decided to see if I could console him. Mom says that my actions made her heart melt (that sounds like it hurts - sorry mom). Anyway, I proceeded to go over to Baby J and say "It's okay, little guy. Mommy is getting your milk". While saying this I was gently petting his head and speaking in a high sing song voice. Baby J stopped for a minute and smiled at me. Next, I found his Lullaby Glowworm and brought that over to him and turned it on so he could listen and coo at the Glowworm. I also got my favorite blanket "Choo, choo" and draped that over him to make sure he wasn't cold. Baby J just loves to watch me and I was able to keep him happy until Mom could feed him.

The other example of my undying love for my brother happened this past weekend. We have some friends that have an identical car seat for their baby as ours - a blue GRACO carseat. We were all getting into our cars (by the way, we also have the same car as they do which is really confusing at times). My friend's dad was putting their baby into their car (the blue GRACO carseat) and I proceeded to get very upset and yell in a really pitiful voice "Don't take my little brother!". Mom explained to me that it was their baby and baby J was just outside the car in his car seat and not to be upset. I was so relieved to see baby J get into our car - I thought he was a goner.

Just for laughs, see the really bad picture of mom and her two favorite little guys above. If you look closely at this picture you will notice that my right arm appears to have been amputated. No worries, I was just moving (as per usual). Mom was letting me hold baby J and it was a lot of fun. I have also been allowed to hold his bottle and help Mom feed him. He is a lucky little guy to have "moi" for his big brother. I guess I am a lucky little guy too! Later.

Little Aviator

I love airplanes and visiting the airport! Hmmmm....I wonder where I developed an interest in such things? Well, anyone who knows Daddy knows the answer to that question without hesitation. Daddy keeps saying he is a pilot and has been since he was 18 years old, but I haven't seen a plane in the hangar lately...oh yeah, that's right...it took a swim in the bay and now it can't fly anymore:). Anyway, Dad is on a mission to find a new plane with his plane partners and we should have another one soon. Mom still says that I am not allowed to fly until I can say "Mom, I understand the risks of flying and I absolutely do want to get in the plane and fly with my crazy father"! Lately, she seems to be a little worried as I am nearing the ability to say this (of course, we all know that Dad has been covertly coaching me to say this exact sentence, no doubt!) Now, she has amended her initial requirement to include that I must be able to wear headphones and leave them on. That will buy her at least 1-2 more years, don't you think?

In the meantime, we go to the empty hangar a lot to play and run around. Daddy refers to the hangar as our $/month "indoor playground", which is a nice thing to have these days since it has been cold and rainy lately and this Peanut's energy level seems to keep increasing. I love to watch planes take off and land, look at the airport fuel truck, sweep the hangar and pretend to use the radio and other items. Mom says she GASPS to think of the things that are lying around, but Dad says that he has "babyproofed" the hangar and not to worry. Mom just replies that she is so tired that she is leaving it in his hands to keep me safe which, no doubt, he will. Mom visited with us the other day and noticed a "toddler sized" gap in the hangar walls - one in which I could easily slip into the next door hangar. When she asked Dad what he would do if I slipped next door, he just shook it off. Hopefully, the next door hangar owners are local and can respond quickly if called just in case I did venture through the wall and decide not to come back into our hangar on demand - RIGHT!!!

On a funny note - when Mom was talking about the next door hangar and my ability to slide over there, she said these exact words "What if Matthew slipped next door and got into all that CRAP?" Of course, although I was on the other side of the hangar at the time, I immediately came over and asked, "Mom, where did the CRAP go?" Ooops!! Mom just acted like she didn't hear me and she thinks I have forgotten, but I plan to pull this new word out in a public place sometime in the future as I think it refers to something fun!!!

Take a look at the pics of me at the airport this past month. Note that I am wearing my aviation bomber jacket - really cool, aren't I? All I need now are a set of Ray Bans and my own toddler sized plane and I will be set!

Baby Joshua Update

Baby Joshua had his two month checkup yesterday and he is doing great. Mom says that he received his first immunizations at this appt, which he was NOT happy about, but he seems to have recovered today and is his usual mellow self.

Apparently, he is going to be long and lean like me. The doctor said that that he is 96th percentile for height at 24 1/4 inches and 75% for weight at 12lbs and 9 oz. These are virtually identical to my stats at 2 months ( I was just slightly shorter, but a few ounces heavier).

He is a happy, healthy little guy and continues to look like his older, wiser and handsome big brother as a baby. He has already outgrown his 0-3 month clothes and is wearing the next size up. Mom has gone out and purchased him a few new outfits, but all in all, most of the stuff he wears is curiously and strangely familiar to me! Hmmmm! - I wonder why that is?

See the attached picture in which his CUTENESS will astound and amaze you. As you can see from the picture, Baby Josh loves to take baths just like me. Mom says that we can take baths together when he is a little older - I am really looking forward to that day.

Stay tuned for more updates on my trip to the airport and the zoo (yes, the zoo again)!