Zoo Day

While in Singapore, we went to the zoo two times. The first time we had to borrow a camera and those pictures, which are most of them, will be posted in a few days. The second time we went with Mike, Rose, and Finley. Here are some pics from that day.







Kaia took this photo of me and my little ape.

Inner Princess

Random photos we found on the camera. Embracing our inner-princesses.

New Fish

My friend Mike gave me the best advice on how to teach kids how to swim. Be there, make them feel safe, but don't hold them too much. Let them feel their way around the water. As you can seen Skyelar is already in love with the water. She has mastered spitting water out and she rarely swallows any. Looking forward to scuba diving with my girls!

First Film

(On parts of our trip to Singapore, I gave Kaia a video camera and helped her edit her footage, but she did the rest herself. We are working on steadying the camera. I have started to ask Kaia that she start dictating what she wants me to say about things on her blog herself. This is all she had to say about her first film.)

Enjoy yourself. Nothing else enjoy yourself.

Happy Birthday Skyelar

Please start this song, before you read on....



I was smoking more than I should have been last year. For whatever reason, I let my compulsions override my resolve. Could have been the ennui caused by living in front of a sand field covered with trash and rubble. Could have been the lack of trees, rain, or clouds; whatever the case, I remember the cigarettes and the humid night air coming in through the window. I remember listening to a lot of Aleix Murdoch songs the night you were born.

You were actually born on the morning of October 8th, but I was not calm until that night as I drove to check on things at home. It took me the entire day to convince myself that you were not going to die. You were born with difficulty breathing. Your blood wasn’t getting enough oxygen, so you had to be kept in the NICU.

I sat with you for most of the day, watching your tiny lips filled with tubes. You were tired and hungry and wanted to be held, but we couldn’t hold just yet. I pet your forehead and wondered how it was possible to spilt my love between you and your sister so seamlessly.

Suddenly there you were, this perfect new little person. You made our family complete. After a few days, you were fine and off the machines and in our arms and in our home. From the very first day you were born you have been the calmest being I have ever known. You were sleeping through the night by two months and you eat anything we put in front of you.

I often find you lost in contemplation staring out the window. Your eyes are filled with compassion and wisdom. You are only one, but I can already see the healing powers of your presence. You are rarely cranky, irritable, or upset. Your peaceful demeanor makes me want to grab and squeeze you until you grunt and giggle.

You are taking your sweet time walking; you only have one tooth. You babble and whisper the most important secrets to me as we walk and hug and kiss.

I cannot believe that it has already been a year. I want to wish you the happiest birthday. You have brought nothing but absolute joy to my life my perfect little bean.

Okay To Play On

Big day today. With mommy in Malaysia, it was just us and daddy. We had a lot of hours to fill, and waking up at 5:15 am didn't make the day any shorter. We started off the morning with some breakfast and dress up. Skyelar got into the act too.

Then I had a Skype with some new friends. They live in Vietnam, and though we have never met we had a great chat. talking about books and toys and money. Look you can see me on their screen.

Then we headed out to explore this park across the street from our house. It was okay.

I did my own hair today. Can you tell?

It was fun to run around the trees and the green space.


Daddy says hugging trees is good. That sometimes they need hugs too. Even though they just stand there.

The playground wasn't too great, but Skyelar really liked being in the swing. I thought it was for babies.

Here is Skyelar with her one tooth. This is her angry pirate look. She uses it when she is annoyed accompanied by a growl.


There were some okay things to play on.

Afterwards we went to a local market and saw live and dead chickens and cows and goats. it was pretty gross, so my daddy didn't take any pictures. But he said that it was important for me to see what animals look like before people eat them. I said that it was gross and that I was glad we choose not to eat animals. The chickens were in cages and they didn't look happy. There were lots of fish too, but I said they would be better swimming in the ocean than dead on some ice.

After we got all hot and sweaty, we went to lunch at the mall. We had pancakes and ice cream! Daddy was too tired and forgot to take a picture of the food.

Tomorrow it's a play place and a haircut.

Birthday Wishes for Heather

For my friend Heather.



Happy Birthday.

Deep Blue Sea

Daddy was putting Skyelar down for a nap, and I asked if I could play with the colorful pictures on his computer. I made this little video all by myself when he was gone. Wrote the song on the spot and clicked all the buttons to record and make it colorful.

Fairy Spoons

Here is our latest project on Sunday night:

Wonder Wheel

A little dancing at our house.



By the way, those are two bracelets we made out of old tape dispensers.

Breakfast Hide and Seek

We realized that we do not have too many videos of Skyelar, here she is eating breakfast and playing hide and seek.

Story Time

Tonight we had family story time at our house. First we read some stories with Skyelar before she went to bed.



While I paid close attention, she could only handle one book, before she got squirmy.

When that happened, mommy read me my new chapter books on the couch and Skyelar started to explore her books on her own.

She flipped through the pages and babbled happily to herself.

China Doll

My daddy has been out of town for the last five days, and we missed him very much. I was so excited to see him, not only because I missed him, but because he had gifts!

He went to Shanghai in China and brought me back a beautiful fan, a dress, and a China doll.




I am learning how to count in Chinese in school, so it was fun to dress up and practice.

The True Princess Fairy Kaia

One dark rainy and magical night the windows blew open and in came a whirling fairy...

She told me her name was, "The True Princess Fairy Kaia!" After she settled down, she granted me as many wishes as I wanted.

After every wish, she simply said, "BING!"

... waved her magic wand, and Voila! I had my wish.

Just as soon as she had entered, she flew back out the window into the rain.

Bike Ride

Woke up early Saturday morning and went for a bike ride/walk with daddy and Skyelar.

Never Too Young...

to be a Pearl Jam fan!

Paint The Pig

I have been asking my dad for weeks to help me paint this ceramic piggy bank that my mommy bought, but he always has some excuse for why we have to do it later. Well! We finally sat down and worked on it. He painted one side and I did the rest.



I really like taking the time and paying attention to detail on projects like this. I am super careful and never make a mess.

See all done!

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