Bigaloo

I have to add "Bigaloo" to the list I made yesterday.It's another thing I call him. An offshoot of "Bigs" I suppose.


Word to the wise: Stay away from concentrated high-energy drinks unless you have 5 hours to do something active. I've been running a lot lately and I usually feel pretty tired when I do. I had a cup of caffeinated coffee recently just before running and it was great. I could have ran much more than I usually do. (I, BTW, gave up caffeine about 2 years ago) I've been curious about the energy drinks. So I was at Sports Authority and saw some and decided to try one before running. Didn't do much...until I was done running. I took it at 2 and I'm still feeling it (almost 10 now). The upside is that I was all for after-Omma's work activities. We went to Home Depot, Ward Center, and had dins at Sillawon. I was wired the whole time. I'll most likely not be downing one of the little caffeine concoctions anytime soon, unless I run a marathon.



Song of the Day: Gray Matter: Burn No Bridges

Bigs

Another day with the Jakers. Although the majority of these daily posts seem to say, "I picked up Jake, we went home, we ate, he slept." The details of that mundane routine are what I never want to take for granted. For example, when I pick him up in the afternoon, he comes running across the room gigging and smiling, saying "APPA!!" He's so excited to see me and he hugs me every time. It is a truly unbelievable feeling. I will never, ever forget it.

So today was a little different. Omma's sick so I took her to the doctor's and to a stomach x-ray test. Even though she was sick, she made us dinner. (Thanks omma!) A positive side of it is that we picked up Jakey a little early. Nice evening at home. Nana came over for a short spell after dins.

Things I say to Jake a lot these days:

-Bigs (what I call him)

-Boozoos (another thing I call him)

-Bigboy? (asking him if he's behaving)

-Wazoo! (an exclamation that I make when I pick him up, he's big)

-Sleeps? (self explanatory)

-Jimmies (get your pajamas)

Hmm. I hope he's literate when he starts school! Kidding, the rest of what I say makes sense...kind of.

Song of the Day: Taken By Trees: Sweet Child O' Mine

Fighting Bed

The 8PM sharp sleep time may be a thing of the past. This is the second night in a row that Jake was not having it. He was wide awake, eventually did sleep after fussing. He may not need 10 hours a night now. I think he's sleeping more than an hour during the day too.

In other news. Omma and I got in a fight at dinner. I'm not sure Jake understood we were, but he probably sensed it. So stupid. I'm sorry Jake, I really am.

Song of the Day: Joy Division: Love Will Tear Us Apart

Sleepless In Situ

Jakers had a little trouble hitting the hay this PM. First time in a very long time. Took him about 45 mins to settle and sleep. Could have something to do with the fact that it's 85 and muggy as heck. Trade winds decided to take a long break. Weird, it's been hot/no trades more often than not for the entire month-plus. We're sticky and moody b/c of it...including Jake.

Good day otherwise. Dins with nana and omma. Afters we went for a long walk around the building to escape the heat. Jake was obviously loving it. His smiles and giggles make us happy.

In the picture Jake is stamping the bottom of my foot with a stamp from omma's office. I have no idea why he wanted to do that, but he insisted I take off my shoe/sock so he could stamp it.

On a down note I found out today that I'll be going to Guam for a month in July. We're all going to be bummed. I'm going to miss Jake something fierce.

Song of the Day: Red House Painters: Things Mean A Lot

Memo'orial

Pleasant Memorial Day. Woke early-ish. Jake actually slept a little late today, about 6:40. Felt inspired, so we went to Ho'omahulia Botanical Gardens. Fun, but Jake was a little restless b/c we got there just about when he as getting tired. We did get some good pictures, and mozzer bites. It was nice.

Lunch in Kailua and home for, what else, work. Safe to say though Jake had a wonderful day. Dins with nana, "American" fare.

Song of the Day: The Cult: She Sells Sanctuary

Laxitatiousness

Just realized it's Jake's "birthday." He's 20 months old, in his 21rst. Crazy. Jake, you're growing up fast, you really are.

Don't know if it's the holiday or that I feel a little sick (stomach feels sour), but I have no energy; no desire to do much of anything. Didn't really affect our day with the Jakers, but did affect my posting last night, which didn't happen. I apologize Jake. Went to the (final) baseball game. I think that had something to do with it. Always seems like I don't post on baseball days. Yesterday Jakers had Ohana Music in the AM. It was just me and him as omma felt kinda sick. Laters we went to meet Odin's new brother, Keagan. Whilst there he played with Odin for quite a while. We had dins together.

Today we had french toast for breaky (thanks omma), then did something that Jake enjoyed immensely: bought a new vacuum cleaner. He loved spending time in the VC area of Sears...loved it. Our old model was there and he kept saying "Appa!" whilst pointing at the vacuum. He was laughing too. Loved it.

Afters we ate lunch and went home for a whole family nap. Swam after the nap. He was on cloud nine for sures.

Interesting fact about Jake these days: Every time we drive by a bus, a Chevron station, the playground Jake and I sometimes play at before picking up omma (in Kahala/Kaimuki), or the smoothie place on Monserrat, Jake points and says "APPA!!" as in, "Appa, there' a place we go together a lot!" or, "You taught me what that is, a bus!" It's amazing to me and blows my mind that he knows/recognizes these things/places. Crazy.

Song of the Day: Cold War Kids: Hang Me Up to Dry

Non-event Event

Wednesday, May 20, 2009. What happened in Jake's life today? Well, he woke up, played a little with omma and appa, went to the babysitters. I don't know exactly what happened there,but I'm guessing he played with Lina, Ji-min, and Ben, ate, and slept. I picked him up at about 4 and the babysitter told me every time the phone rang he said "appa, appa!" That made me feel great. We went to get a Minty Fresh smoothie and picked up omma. Went home, omma made mandu-guk. Jakers played a little more and slept promptly at 8.

Song of the Day: Tears for Fears: Mad World

Super Million Hair

Monday. What can I say? Normal day? Yeah, but very enjoyable nonetheless. Picked up the Jakers (and omma) and went directly to Ala Moana b/c omma had some stuff to take care of (exchanges, returns, etc.) These days Jake is mos def not into the stroller thing. It must have looked a little funny b/c we decided we were going to get everything done as fast as we could so we wouldn't have to take him out of the stroller. If we did, he'd wander and pull stuff off shelves and do what any curious newish human would do. We were successful! He fussed a little, but with some inventive "strolling"--acting like I was going to crash into displays--he stayed occupied for the most part.

Dins was at Taiyo noodles. Great, basic food at this place and Jake was all for eating with me and omma without hassle. He was great and he wasn't even sitting in a highchair (the only one was occupied). It's days like these that renew my faith in our ability to eat out with the Jakes. A swell time was had by all.

On the development front: Jakers is definitely communicative with us. He doesn't say sentences, but he gets his point across. He'll rub his chest if he wants a bath, he'll say "mam" if he wants kimchi (which is every meal now, the kid is definitely Korean), and he'll point at stuff and say omma or appa if he finds it interesting. It's endlessly fascinating to me and it makes me so incredibly proud to watch him develop.

Song of the Day: Cornershop: Sleep on the Left Side

Turtle Horse

No post yesterday. I went to the baseball game. Jake and omma went for dinner with nana. He was asleep by the time I got home:(

Fun day today. Me and omma went horseback riding at Turtle Bay while Jake and nana took a walk. Afters we had lunch at the pool. It was an amazingly beautiful day. We decided to go to Kewala Bay for a swim. Jake loved it. Shave ice on the way home at Aoki's. Jake slept the whole way.

All good.

Song of the Day: Bran Van 3000" Gimme Sheldon

Bummmmmmmmer

Majorly bummed. I wrote a long post about the weekend yesterday before heading out for dinner. I spent the whole day with Jake b/comma hung out with her friends for mother's day.Oh well, I can say this, it was great to be with him all day and I'll cherish these alone times. We bonded for sures!

I'll tell the rest of the weekend in pictures:

Saturday:

Sunday with me...

Song of the Day: MGMT: Kids

Pre-Birth

Whew. Juts got back from omma's birthday outing at Bucca di Beppo's. The company (Leah, Odin, Leah's dad, Matt, Kate, Cyndy, Eric, Sunhee and Lina) was great, but overall it was rough. One of those dinners that just was weird from the beginning. The waiter wasn't around, he didn't organize the birthday song, and Jake was not having the sitting down stuff. Can't blame him, sometimes he'll just be bored sitting there. I took him out several times. Once I just spoke to him like he was older, like he should understand why he has to sit nicely. It was interesting, I gave my talk, he listened and answered "yes" to every one of my questions. I asked if he was ready to sit and eat. He said yes, and he did. He ate, very well, and then wanted to get up again. Overall it was more the restaurant's fault than his.

Song of the Day: Peter Tosh: Get Up, Stand Up

iDon't Know

Back to the regular Monday schedule. Picked up Jake, brought him to omma's,* then we went home. Stopped at Frog House for some chow (sundubu, kimchi-chigye, and chok-bal) and partook upon hitting the jip.

Even though Jakers is still sick, he's in great spirits these days. He's having a grand old time running and laughing. In the past month or so he's been taking my glasses off my face, folding them, and putting them in my shirt (through my collar). He then searches for them in my shirt. Honestly this has been bothering me b/c I immediately can't see a thing. It's one of those moments where I realized there is no reason to lose my cool, but I always felt annoyed. Tonight I decided to play and I acted like he was tickling me while he was looking for the glasses. He loved it and giggled uncontrollably. Problem solved.

Song of the Day: Bran Van 3000: Problems

*I've been using "mom" instead of "omma" for posts thus far. Jake, however, uses "omma" (and calls me "appa") so I've decided to switch. Note taken.