Tag: parenthood

A conversation

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My grandfather is not in good health and was recently moved to a hospice facility. We’re going to make a short trip over MLK Jr. weekend to Hawaii to see him and the rest of my family. I just booked the tickets last night (side note: Alaska is the best! $528 total, roundtrip for 3 people, achieved through low fares, miles, and a companion fare) and told the 2.5 year old in the car when I picked him up from daycare today.

I had the following conversation with him.

Me: Hey, who haven’t we seen in a while?
N: Oma and Goong Goong?
Me: That’s right! But guess what. We’re going to make a quick trip next month and get on an airplane to see them!
N: We’re going on airplane to Hawaii?
Me: Yeah!
N: I get to use my iPad?!? Hooray! I get to use my iPad!!!

Man, is he a Silicon Valley 21st century kid or what? More excited about the fact that he’ll get to play with an iPad on the plane than the plane ride itself. But this is also proof that we really don’t let him use it outside of travel. 

Later in the conversation…

Me: Do you know whose birthday it will be when we’re in Hawaii?
N: Oma?
Me: Nope, Goong Goong!
N: Goong Goong? Oh. Is he going to be 3?
Me: No, he’s much older than that.
N: Is he going to be 4?
Me: No, he’s going to be 60.
N: Wow, 60? That’s a big number.

Hahahaha, conversations with a 2.5 year old are always entertaining. 

Reading children’s books as an adult – part 1

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It’s funny how reading children’s books as an adult, you can often find..flaws..in them that make you see them in a different light.

Ryan was reading Curious George to our son when he realized George isn’t a monkey…he’s an ape!  It’s true. George has no tail. So tonight when Ryan read Curious George to the boy before bed, he changed it up a bit: “George was a good little ape and always very curious.” It just doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. 

I put “part 1” in the title because I imagine we’ll come across some other great examples.

First steps

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It is so interesting to see what kids pick up from one another. And how being around other kids can lead them to hitting a developmental milestone.

This weekend, we did a babysitting swap with our friends (and neighbors…it’s nice that they live in the next building over) so we could each have date night. Brilliant idea, right?! They have a son 7 months older than Nolan (let’s call him R). They watched Nolan last night and tonight we are watching R.

Nolan loves to army crawl. He is always testing to see if he can crawl under things. It was funny to hear when we picked him up after our date last night that R watched Nolan crawl under their dining room chairs and then started doing it too. They said he had never done that before.

It wasn’t too long ago that R started walking. I think seeing R walk last night was the inspiration Nolan needed to take his first steps. This morning, after standing on his own for quite a bit, Nolan took his first steps. He was so proud of himself! After the first three steps, Ryan moved quickly and set up his phone to capture the next few.

Life will never be the same. As exhausting as it will be once he really gets the hang of it and starts running, I’m excited. It’ll be fun to hold his hand and walk to the playground together. I can only imagine the mischief he will get into now.