Sunday, November 8, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
"Chillest Kid"
Compliment, delivered to APL's parents yesterday, following a 4.5 hour flight: "That is the chillest kid I have ever seen."
(Note: The twenty-something girl that made the comment did not extend the moniker to APL's frazzled and fatigued care-providers who had spent the previous 7+ hours (2 flights) trying to keep Mr. Chill entertained.)
(Note: The twenty-something girl that made the comment did not extend the moniker to APL's frazzled and fatigued care-providers who had spent the previous 7+ hours (2 flights) trying to keep Mr. Chill entertained.)
Sunday, October 25, 2009
APL Takes Matters Into His Own Hands
APL, as overheard muttering about Mama and Papa:
"They just don't seem to care about the cars' living space. Someone had to take action."
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Tradition!
Yesterday when I brought APL home, he immediately headed for the television. He pointed to the top of the TV and said "Teh! Teh!" I wasn't sure what "Teh" meant but there were three remote controls on top of the TV and remotes are one of his favorite things in life. I grabbed the decoy remote and handed it to him. He was not interested. "Teh Teh!" he insisted. I grabbed one of the other remotes and handed it to him. He pointed at the TV and again insisted, "Teh Teh!"
Then it occurred to me... He was saying Tevye! As in Tevye the milkman in Fiddler on the Roof. He wanted to hear Tevye singing Tradition.
I turned on the TV and gave APL the Tevye he was craving. He stood there, enrapt. There's nothing he loves more (this week).
Then it occurred to me... He was saying Tevye! As in Tevye the milkman in Fiddler on the Roof. He wanted to hear Tevye singing Tradition.
I turned on the TV and gave APL the Tevye he was craving. He stood there, enrapt. There's nothing he loves more (this week).
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
APL Update
Favorite movie: Fiddler on the Roof
New word: Od paam
Favorite name: Ham-may (HannaMei)
2nd favorite part of his anatomy: bellybutton
3rd favorite: nose
Favorite vehicle: tie between airplane (aipay) and car (caaaaaa)
Favorite happy noise to make: high pitch scream
Favorite unhappy noise to make: high pitch scream
New word: Od paam
Favorite name: Ham-may (HannaMei)
2nd favorite part of his anatomy: bellybutton
3rd favorite: nose
Favorite vehicle: tie between airplane (aipay) and car (caaaaaa)
Favorite happy noise to make: high pitch scream
Favorite unhappy noise to make: high pitch scream
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
APL's Sudden Vocabulary
Notwithstanding our attempts to confuse APL with multiple languages, he has managed to learn quite a few words. Here are some of them:
"bha" (ball)
"aoop" (up)
"daoo" (down)
"optay" (upstairs)
"dontay" (downstairs)
"mama"
"papa"
"bah bah" (bubbles)
"otzah" (outside)
"ayyy" (eye)
"eeeeeh" (ear)
"noooo" (nose)
"aipai" (airplane)
"peeeees" (please)
"te peh" (s'il te plait)
"hacapeh" (helicopter)
"du du du du" (bird)
"lo lo" (de l'eau)
"ah dah" (all done)
"Caaaaa" (car)
"bapah" (diaper)
"nononono" (no)
"dzoh" (shoe)
"dzah" (socks)
"mah" (more)
"ungah" (encore)
"bye bye"
"alo" (hello)
"nana" (banana)
"upsayoo" (upside down)
"ataya" (exercise)
"bha" (ball)
"aoop" (up)
"daoo" (down)
"optay" (upstairs)
"dontay" (downstairs)
"mama"
"papa"
"bah bah" (bubbles)
"otzah" (outside)
"ayyy" (eye)
"eeeeeh" (ear)
"noooo" (nose)
"aipai" (airplane)
"peeeees" (please)
"te peh" (s'il te plait)
"hacapeh" (helicopter)
"du du du du" (bird)
"lo lo" (de l'eau)
"ah dah" (all done)
"Caaaaa" (car)
"bapah" (diaper)
"nononono" (no)
"dzoh" (shoe)
"dzah" (socks)
"mah" (more)
"ungah" (encore)
"bye bye"
"alo" (hello)
"nana" (banana)
"upsayoo" (upside down)
"ataya" (exercise)
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Daycare Drop-Off Drama
Monday morning I had APL cleaned, dressed, fed and ready-to-roll by 8:00 AM. I looked at him and said, "We're going in the..." He immediately responded with, "Caaaaaa...." (very cute indeed).
We walked into the garage and I buckled him into his car seat with his "My Day" (daycare form) next to him, ready for drop-off.
I then proceeded to take the driver's seat. I buckled my own seatbelt, started the car, plugged in my phone, dawned my sunglasses, and then started driving. I closed the garage door as we rolled down the driveway, and we were on our way. As we headed towards daycare, I pulled out my bluetooth headset, turned it on, and attached it to my head. It connected immediately and gave me the appropriate "ready to communicate" beeps. I turned up the brightness on my phone and started up the gps.
All systems appeared to be "go" in the smartphone department so I turned my attention to the radio. I put on NPR, adjusted the volume, and turned right on Rancho Penasquitos Blvd., towards the 15 south.
Radio on. GPS on. Phone on. Bluetooth on. Hybrid battery charging. My checklist was apparently complete and so I settled in to my drive to work. I proceeded onto the ramp to 15 South and listened to the news.
I was listening intently to NPR news when out of the blue I heard the following:
"Blaaagoooobaaaa?"
Good God! There was someone in my car!
Indeed, I had overlooked one small item on my mental checklist: APL.
I called Karin to report my omission. She was rather amused. I took the following exit and returned to daycare. Had he not said something, I'm pretty sure he would have ended up at work with me. Good work, APL!
We walked into the garage and I buckled him into his car seat with his "My Day" (daycare form) next to him, ready for drop-off.
I then proceeded to take the driver's seat. I buckled my own seatbelt, started the car, plugged in my phone, dawned my sunglasses, and then started driving. I closed the garage door as we rolled down the driveway, and we were on our way. As we headed towards daycare, I pulled out my bluetooth headset, turned it on, and attached it to my head. It connected immediately and gave me the appropriate "ready to communicate" beeps. I turned up the brightness on my phone and started up the gps.
All systems appeared to be "go" in the smartphone department so I turned my attention to the radio. I put on NPR, adjusted the volume, and turned right on Rancho Penasquitos Blvd., towards the 15 south.
Radio on. GPS on. Phone on. Bluetooth on. Hybrid battery charging. My checklist was apparently complete and so I settled in to my drive to work. I proceeded onto the ramp to 15 South and listened to the news.
I was listening intently to NPR news when out of the blue I heard the following:
"Blaaagoooobaaaa?"
Good God! There was someone in my car!
Indeed, I had overlooked one small item on my mental checklist: APL.
I called Karin to report my omission. She was rather amused. I took the following exit and returned to daycare. Had he not said something, I'm pretty sure he would have ended up at work with me. Good work, APL!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Post-Fever Daycare Drop-Off
APL was sick yesterday. He had a fever of 101 and was very cute indeed.
This morning I took him to school, following his fever-induced 3-day weekend. Sometimes when APL is away from school for a while, the transition back takes time. So I was anticipating potential clinginess at drop-off.
I walked into the classroom with him in my arms and put him down next to me. There were 7 children in the room already. A few were sitting at a table. Others were playing quietly with toys. APL stood there, expressionless, scanning the room. One boy waved at him. Another smiled. APL just stared.
I didn't know which way it was going to go at that point. Was he going to walk out into the classroom and pick up a toy? Or was he going to turn and grab my leg and hold on for dear life?
He did neither. Instead, he was contemplative. He studied the room. He was centering himself.
And then, suddenly, after a couple of minutes of silent contemplation, he made his decision: APL threw his arms in the air, let out a shriek, and ran across the room at full speed - apparently his unique way of saying, "I'm here, brothers... Let's get this party started!"
This morning I took him to school, following his fever-induced 3-day weekend. Sometimes when APL is away from school for a while, the transition back takes time. So I was anticipating potential clinginess at drop-off.
I walked into the classroom with him in my arms and put him down next to me. There were 7 children in the room already. A few were sitting at a table. Others were playing quietly with toys. APL stood there, expressionless, scanning the room. One boy waved at him. Another smiled. APL just stared.
I didn't know which way it was going to go at that point. Was he going to walk out into the classroom and pick up a toy? Or was he going to turn and grab my leg and hold on for dear life?
He did neither. Instead, he was contemplative. He studied the room. He was centering himself.
And then, suddenly, after a couple of minutes of silent contemplation, he made his decision: APL threw his arms in the air, let out a shriek, and ran across the room at full speed - apparently his unique way of saying, "I'm here, brothers... Let's get this party started!"
Friday, July 17, 2009
VIDEO: APL's 10-Step Guide to "Bah Bah"
Click here to watch on YouTube.
Back up source is Picassa: (Choose HQ, Full Screen, Speakers Turned Up) Video link
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
APL Sleeps (Update: not quite)
I don't want to jinx us but APL seems to finally be sleeping through the night (I definitely just jinxed us). Almost every day over the past week he has slept from 9:00 PM to after 6:00 AM. This is a significant improvement for us, but will, almost certainly, end next time we enter another time zone (he is not good with jet lag).
It took almost 16 months for him to achieve meaningful and sustainable sleep consistency. Mind you, his more recent middle-of-the-night cries were only happening a few times a week. But even a "few times a week" is not good for mommy and daddy's sleep hygiene. On the other hand, a "few times a week" is much much much better than what we were enduring a year or more ago - when he would wake us up a few times a night. A few times a night is basically inhuman. Rogue nations do that kind of thing to prisoners they claim are not protected by the Geneva Conventions (enemy combatants?). But it's not called torture when it's your own child waking you up. It is called responsibility. It is called selflessness. It is called, "Suck it up, Daddio! We all go through that $^&#$ as parents. We just don't talk about it much so that people with actual lives are not scared babyless."
Oooop... He's waking up! Gotta run.
Update 7/09/09: I did jinx us. He was up last night at 2:00 AM.
Update 7/10/09: Up last night from 3:15 AM until around 4:30 AM.
Update 7/14/09: Up from ~12:45 AM until after 2:00 AM.
Update 7/15/09: Up at 1:00 AM and then again at 2:00 AM until about 3:00 AM.
It took almost 16 months for him to achieve meaningful and sustainable sleep consistency. Mind you, his more recent middle-of-the-night cries were only happening a few times a week. But even a "few times a week" is not good for mommy and daddy's sleep hygiene. On the other hand, a "few times a week" is much much much better than what we were enduring a year or more ago - when he would wake us up a few times a night. A few times a night is basically inhuman. Rogue nations do that kind of thing to prisoners they claim are not protected by the Geneva Conventions (enemy combatants?). But it's not called torture when it's your own child waking you up. It is called responsibility. It is called selflessness. It is called, "Suck it up, Daddio! We all go through that $^&#$ as parents. We just don't talk about it much so that people with actual lives are not scared babyless."
Oooop... He's waking up! Gotta run.
Update 7/09/09: I did jinx us. He was up last night at 2:00 AM.
Update 7/10/09: Up last night from 3:15 AM until around 4:30 AM.
Update 7/14/09: Up from ~12:45 AM until after 2:00 AM.
Update 7/15/09: Up at 1:00 AM and then again at 2:00 AM until about 3:00 AM.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
APL's Discovers Sound Control and Words
APL is beginning to express himself beyond smiles and howls. Here are the sounds and words that we have so far deciphered:
10. Uh ohhh
9. Ah tooooo (sneeze imitation)
8. Bup bahhh (diaper - first syllable is high in pitch, second is lower)
7. Tuhh (his response when we say "un, deux....")
6. Moh (more - accompanied by the sign-language sign for more)
5. Bah bah (bubbles - both syllables low in pitch)
4. Peeeoow (in response to "Comment fait le chat?")
3. Vrooooom (when he plays with cars, etc.)
2. Hooooooo (when he plays with planes)
And the number one word that APL utters:
1. Mamamamamamamamama (mind you, we're not 100% sure about this one)
It was dark out but we did manage to record APL saying "bubbles" on July 4 at Zac & Kathy's BBQ:
10. Uh ohhh
9. Ah tooooo (sneeze imitation)
8. Bup bahhh (diaper - first syllable is high in pitch, second is lower)
7. Tuhh (his response when we say "un, deux....")
6. Moh (more - accompanied by the sign-language sign for more)
5. Bah bah (bubbles - both syllables low in pitch)
4. Peeeoow (in response to "Comment fait le chat?")
3. Vrooooom (when he plays with cars, etc.)
2. Hooooooo (when he plays with planes)
And the number one word that APL utters:
1. Mamamamamamamamama (mind you, we're not 100% sure about this one)
It was dark out but we did manage to record APL saying "bubbles" on July 4 at Zac & Kathy's BBQ:
Saturday, July 4, 2009
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